Introduction : Peu d'études se sont intéressées aux aides à domicile dans l'accompagnement de la vieillesse et moins encore, dans celui concernant les conduites d'alcoolisation à cet âge. Dans cette thèse s'inscrit dans une approche intégrative incluant une méthodologie quantitative et qualitative. Ainsi, nous étudions les aspects psychologiques de ces aides à domicile tout en les comparant à celles accompagnant la maladie d'Alzheimer.Méthode : 99 aides à domicile recrutées en milieu écologique ont répondu à un questionnaire de données professionnelles de 62 items, une échelle d'estime de soi (EES), un questionnaire de satisfaction de vie professionnelle (ESVP), un inventaire d'épuisement professionnel (MBI) et une échelle évaluant la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive (HADS). Les participantes ont été réparties en deux groupes : celles soulignant des difficultés dans l'accompagnement de la maladie d'Alzheimer (n=63) et celles évoquant des difficultés dans l'accompagnement de conduites d'alcoolisation (n=36). Parmi elles, 18 ont accepté de participer à un entretien de recherche enregistré et analysé à l'aide du logiciel QDA Miner 4.Résultats : Les résultats des dimensions psychologiques sont statistiquement significatifs lorsqu'ils sont associés aux caractéristiques professionnelles. Dans l'accompagnement des conduites d'alcoolisation, lorsqu'elles connaissent le diagnostic de la pathologie, l'épuisement émotionnel est plus élevé et celui-ci est corrélé positivement avec l'humeur dépressive et négativement avec la satisfaction de vie professionnelle. L'accomplissement personnel est corrélé négativement avec la symptomatologie dépressive. La satisfaction de vie professionnelle est corrélée positivement avec la relation de satisfaction avec l'entourage. Dans l'accompagnement de la maladie d'Alzheimer, quand elles ne connaissent pas le diagnostic de la pathologie de la personne âgée, leur épuisement émotionnel est plus élevé et celui-ci est corrélé négativement avec la satisfaction de vie professionnelle et positivement avec la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive.Pour les conduites d'alcoolisation, le discours relatant des difficultés avec la personne âgée a un lien de similarité avec les représentations de la maladie, la progression de la maladie, les relations avec les familles et le sentiment d'impuissance de l'aidante face à la pathologie de l'aidé. Le discours sur les satisfactions a un lien de similarité avec ceux évoquant l'expérience pour accompagner, les représentations et les compétences pour parler de la maladie avec les âgés. Concernant la maladie d'Alzheimer, le discours relatant des difficultés avec la personne âgée a un lien de similarité avec ceux évoquant les représentations et la progression de la maladie, ainsi que les identifications de l'aidante face au vieillissement de l'âgé. Le discours sur les satisfactions a un lien de similarité avec l'expérience pour accompagner et les raisons pour lesquelles elles exercent ce métier. Cette étude permet de mieux appréhender les spécificités psychologiques des aides à domicile française et ouvre ainsi, des perspectives de recherche. Des implications cliniques pourraient voir le jour dans la prévention des aspects psychologiques auprès de cette population. / In France, few studies were interested by care social workers in the accompaniment of old age and less still, in that concerning the alcohol misuse at this age. In this thesis, we study the psychological aspects of these professional all while comparing them with those to support the Alzheimer's disease. 99 social care workers answered a questionnaire of 62 professional data, a scale of self esteem (EES), a questionnaire of job satisfaction (ESVP), an inventory of burnout (MBI) and a scale of anxio-depressive symptomatology (HADS). The professionals were divided into two groups: those with the difficulties in the support of the disease of Alzheimer (n=63) and those with the difficulties with alcohol misuse (n=36). Moreover, 18 of whom were interviewed. In the support of alcohol misuse, significant results show that when they know the diagnosis of pathology, emotional exhaustion is higher and this one is correlated positively with depressive mood and negatively with the job satisfaction. The personal achievement is correlated negatively with depressive mood. The job satisfaction is correlated positively with relatives' relations. In the support of Alzheimer's disease, when they don't know the diagnosis of the pathology, emotional exhaustion is higher and this one is correlated negatively with the job satisfaction and positively with anxio-depressive symptomatology. For the alcohol misuse, the interview of difficulties with the elder is related to similarity with those showing the representations and progression of the disease, the family's relations and the feeling of ineffectiveness for supporting the pathology. The discussion of satisfactions is related to similarity with those evoking the professional experience, the representations and skills to speak with the person about the disease. For Alzheimer's disease, the discussion of difficulties with the elder is related to similarity with those evoking the representations and the progression of the disease ¿ and that ¿ with the identifications of the senior. The discussion of satisfactions is related to similarity with those talking the professional experience and the evocation of the personal reasons to work. This study allows considering the specificities of French social care workers. It opens some research perspectives and could have a clinical implication in prevention of this population.

No description available.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / Les personnes âgées sont hébergées en milieu institutionnel suite à une diminution de leur niveau d'indépendance fonctionnelle. La majorité des résidents vivant dans un centre d'hébergement utilise un fauteuil roulant afin d'augmenter leur indépendance dans les déplacements ainsi que pour la réalisation des activités quotidiennes. Un nombre important de ces personnes âgées font l'expérience de problèmes en lien avec l'utilisation de leur fauteuil roulant. Afin de pouvoir démontrer la qualité des produits, des services et des interventions dans le domaine des aides techniques, il importe d'en mesurer les résultats. La satisfaction des usagers est le but ultime recherché par l'ensemble des partenaires impliqués dans le processus d'attribution des aides techniques. Toutefois, peu d'instruments de mesure spécifiques, valides et fidèles sont disponibles pour mesurer la satisfaction des usagers envers leur aide technique. La satisfaction des personnes âgées hébergées envers leur fauteuil roulant demeure donc encore inconnue ainsi que les caractéristiques des utilisateurs, de l'aide technique et de l'environnement influençant leur degré de satisfaction. Cette étude a été réalisée dans le cadre des activités de la Chaire industrielle du Conseil de la Recherche en Science Naturelle et en Génie (CRSNG) sur les aides techniques à la posture de l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. Son but était d'évaluer la satisfaction des personnes âgées vivant en institution envers leur fauteuil roulant et d'identifier si leur degré de satisfaction est influencé par leur niveau d'indépendance fonctionnelle. L'Évaluation de la Satisfaction envers une Aide Technique (ÉSAT) a donc été utilisée afin de répondre à quatre questions de recherche. Ces questions avaient comme objectif d'identifier les degrés d'importance et de satisfaction accordés par les personnes âgées aux variables de l'ÉSAT en regard de leur fauteuil roulant, de déterminer les caractéristiques des sujets et du fauteuil roulant influençant leur degré satisfaction ainsi que de vérifier la relation existant entre l'indépendance fonctionnelle des personnes âgées hébergées et leur satisfaction envers leur fauteuil roulant. Trente-deux sujets ont été recrutés au sein de trois établissements de soins de longue durée de la région de Montréal. Deux instruments de mesure ont été employés lors de la collecte de données : la Mesure de l'Indépendance Fonctionnelle (MIF) et I'ÉSAT. Des informations sur le niveau d'indépendance fonctionnelle, sur les caractéristiques des sujets et de leur fauteuil roulant ainsi que sur les degrés d'importance et de satisfaction accordés aux 24 variables de l'ESAT ont été recueillies. Les résultats ont démontré que les variables les plus importantes étaient la durabilité, le confort, le service professionnel, la polyvalence et le suivi des services c’est alors que les moins importantes étaient la réaction des autres, l’apparence, le poids, l'entraînement et le soutien de l'entourage. Les variables les plus satisfaisantes étaient la facilité d'utilisation, le service professionnel, la sécurité, l’apparence et l’efficacité alors que les moins satisfaisantes étaient les ajustements, le confort, le suivi des services, le poids et les dimensions. L'âge et le type de fauteuil roulant (manuel ou motorisé) étaient tes caractéristiques les plus susceptibles d'avoir un impact sur la satisfaction des usagers. Les sujets plus âgés et ceux utilisant un fauteuil roulant manuel étaient généralement plus satisfaits de leur fauteuil roulant. De plus, une relation positive entre le niveau d'indépendance fonctionnelle et la satisfaction a été identifiée. L'indépendance fonctionnelle permettait d'expliquer 15% de la variation entre la satisfaction des sujets. Ainsi, les sujets ayant un plus haut niveau d'indépendance fonctionnelle était habituellement plus satisfaits de leur fauteuil roulant. Cette étude exploratoire a favorisé l'acquisition d'une meilleure connaissance de la clientèle âgée vivant en institution envers leur fauteuil roulant. Malgré certaines limites, elle présente plusieurs recommandations pertinentes ainsi que des pistes recherches futures pour la mesure des résultats des aides techniques et pour l'amélioration de la satisfaction des personnes âgées vivant en institution envers leur fauteuil roulant.

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2014

Tableau d'honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2011-2012 / Le travail d’assistance aux soins personnels des personnes âgées en hébergement collectif est socialement assimilé au « sale boulot », à la part ingrate du travail des soins infirmiers, mais aussi, plus généralement, à la part ingrate du travail domestique auquel la société tout entière semble répugner. Il est délégué à des femmes – aussi à quelques hommes – qui ont à se défendre de l’insupportable du dégoût et de la menace éthique qu’il représente pour le « travail de care » (Molinier, 2005). À l’intérieur d’un cadre théorique intégrant théorie morale des émotions (Ben Ze'ev, 1997; Miller, 1997; Nussbaum, 2001) et psychodynamique du travail (Dejours, 1980c), la thèse a examiné comment l’intelligence créatrice (Dejours, 1993b) de préposées aux bénéficiaires se saisit du conflit émotionnel et moral qui oppose le dégoût aux valeurs du travail de care et comment elle permet de se défendre contre le dégoût. Si l’intelligence des émotions met en discussion les éléments du conflit émotionnel et que le ressort de la plasticité des émotions réside dans nos actions, alors le travail occupe une place centrale pour réduire cette contradiction. Une grille d’analyse ad hoc a été conçue à partir du modèle des oppositions structurales du domaine du dégoût et de celui de l’analyse des conduites humaines en situation de travail. Cela a permis de comprendre comment les préposées aux bénéficiaires se gardent du dégoût, dans le sens où elles s’en défendent, grâce à un ingénieux travail sur la distance subjective. Ce travail les protège de l’abomination du dégoûtant et de son effet de contamination (Rozin, Millman, & Nemeroff, 1986), elles-mêmes, leurs collègues, mais avant tout, les résidents. Mais au-delà, si elles se protègent du dégoût, elles s’en gardent aussi, isolé sur un objet de dégoût résiduel, afin d’éprouver la vitalité du collectif de travail. En mettant sous le regard de l’autre la fraude à la distance prescrite par la norme de bientraitance, les préposées en appellent au partage collectif du risque encouru. Rendre visible l’ingéniosité du travail de care concourt socialement à ouvrir un espace pour que des femmes, celles qui contribuent à rendre le monde habitable en compensant la vulnérabilité qui y règne comme condition humaine, puissent faire entendre leur voix. Mots clés : émotions au travail, dégoût, « sale boulot », « travail de care », risque moral, conflit émotionnel, coopération, gérontologie. / Emotions and work of personal care of elderly, keeping disgust down, but not too much The work of caregivers assigned to the personal care of elderly residents in institutional facilities is often thought of as “dirty work, ” part of the unrewarding aspects of nursing care, but also, more generally, part of the unrewarding aspects of domestic work which the whole society seems to loathe. This work is delegated to women – and a few men – who must deal with unbearable feelings of disgust and the ethical threat that this represents for “care work” (Molinier, 2005). Using a theoretical framework integrating both moral theory of emotions (Ben Ze'ev, 1997; Miller, 1997; Nussbaum, 2001) and psychodynamics of work (Dejours, 1980c), this thesis examines how caregivers use their creative intelligence (Dejours, 1993b) to deal with the emotional and moral conflict between the disgust they feel and the core values of care work and to preserve themselves from the disgust. If the intelligence of emotions involves elements of emotional conflict and the plasticity of emotions falls within the competence of action, thus work plays a central role in reducing the contradiction inherent in this conflict. Based on structural oppositions of disgust and from human conducts in work situations models, an ad hoc analytical grid was developed to understand how caregivers keep their feelings of disgust away, protecting themselves by adopting an ingenious approach involving subjective distance. This work protects the workers, their coworkers but in the first instance, the elderly residents, from the loathing of disgust and from its contaminating power (Rozin, 1986). Above all, while protecting themselves from disgust, caregivers keep disgust still active, isolating pollution in an object of residual disgust, in order to test the vitality of the work collective. By working in full view of others and exposing how they break with the distance prescribed by the norm of respectfulness, the caregivers appeal to the collective sharing of the risk that breaking this norm implies. Highlighting the ingenuity of care work socially contributes to opening up a space such that the voice of these women, who are striving to build a world that is fit to live in, compensating for the human vulnerability, can be heard. Keywords: emotions at work, disgust, “dirty work”, “care work”, moral risk, emotional conflict, cooperation, gerontology.

The purpose of this study was to get a better sense of what collaborative efforts between the allopathic and indigenous health systems to address HIV/ AIDS look like 'on the ground' with the hope that revealed successes and failures could inform other initiatives. The pilot investigation took the form of a small case study of the Community Health and HIV/AIDS project at the Valley Trust in KwaZulu Natal's Valley of a Thousand Hills where HIV/AIDS collaboration with traditional healers has taken primarily three forms: 1) incorporation in the formal primary health care system as CHWs (TH/CHWs); 2) formal short-term HIV/AIDS training (Trained); and 3) informal second-hand HIV/AIDS training or information sharing (Untrained). The investigation focused primarily on how the indigenous healers' involvement in the Valley Trust's varying training programs affected their knowledge ofthe disease, their engagement in HIV/ AIDS awareness and prevention efforts, their treatment of HIV/AIDS patients, and their perception and relationship with the formal medical system. The findings show that collaboration between traditional and formal health services, in the form of the Valley Trust's training, results in 'better' HIV/AIDS work by participating traditional healers through enhanced performance on HIV/AIDS knowledge tests. As indicated by their superior performance on correlating knowledge indices, TH/CHWs engaged in the most effectual community prevention activities of the three groups. Additionally, the TH/CHW group appeared to have the most confidence and experience in treating patients with HIV/AIDS. Additionally as compared to the other two groups, their treatment methods were more varied, induding psycho-spiritual ceremonies, diet, traditional medicinal herbs, and support of biomedical efforts. Given the comparative success of TH/CHWs, it was ironic that only the healers' themselves indicated wanting more izangomas to serve as Community Health Workers. As leaders among participating healers, TH/CHWs were critical to the success of the Valley Trust's collaborative project. The findings of this case study suggest that the nature of the varying trainings offered by the Valley Trust accounted for the primary difference in the effectiveness of the healers' subsequent HIV/AIDS work. The study implies that both the skills-based nature and long-term supervision of the CHW training were instrumental in their superior performance. These findings point to the fact that indigenous healers can not function effectively as extension services without investment in infrastructure development and ongoing support. In terms of the collaboration between biomedical and indigenous health systems operating at the Valley Trust, the primary point of contention between the participating parties was the collaboration's unidirectional referral system (healers would refer patients to the clinic and not vice versa). Discrepancies in the collaborative partners' perceptions of one another, which were revealed in the study, point to the need for greater dialogue and formal linkages between participating groups. A referral system of some content and magnitude appears to be the most critical and pressing issue the new structure needs to address. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Les cartes sur ce document ont été toutes conçues par l'auteur avec la logiciel ARCGIS version 9.3. / L’immigration dans les grandes métropoles comme Montréal est un phénomène qui prend de l’ampleur, ces dernières années. Or, si les ménages immigrants récents constituent un apport positif important dans la croissance démographique, sociale, culturelle et économique de notre société, l’amélioration de leur situation socioéconomique et des conditions des logements qu’ils occupent ne semble pas être la priorité des politiques d’habitation des pouvoirs publics. Malgré l’abondance des données statistiques sur l’immigration, il s’avère que l’on connaît peu sur les conditions de logement de ce type de ménages et de la qualité des aides publiques en matière de logements sociaux qui leur sont destinées. Notre recherche, par une méthode quantitative et une technique d’analyse statistique, a mené une recherche empirique sur la population de l’agglomération de Montréal, spécialement celle de Côte-des-Neiges, pour analyser la situation socioéconomique des ménages immigrants récents et leurs conditions de logement. Ceci pour connaître si les ménages immigrants récents ont un niveau socioéconomique inférieur à la moyenne des ménages de l’agglomération, pour constituer les ménages les plus démunis, et si leurs conditions de logement sont défavorables par rapport à celles de la moyenne des ménages de l’agglomération et ainsi figurent parmi les plus mal-logés. Dans un deuxième temps, notre recherche, par une méthode graphique et une technique de cartographie, a voulu illustrer puis comprendre la logique d’implantation des logements développés par l’opération 5000/15000 logements sociaux communautaires. Comprendre cette logique dans sa prise en considération du choix de logement initial des ménages immigrants récents et dans l’uniformité de la répartition de ses logements sur le territoire de l’agglomération de Montréal. / Immigration in big cities like Montreal is a phenomenon which is growing in recent years. However, if households recent immigrants are an important positive contribution in the population growth, social, cultural and economic development of our society, improving their socioeconomic situation and conditions of housing they occupy, do not seem to be the priority housing policies of the government. Despite abundance of statistical data on immigration, it turns out that we know little about the housing conditions of such households and Quality of public support for their social housing are intended. Our research, by a quantitative method and analysis technique Statistics conducted empirical research on population Greater Montreal, especially that of Côte-des-Neiges, for analyze the socioeconomic situation of households and recent immigrants their housing conditions. This to know if households Recent immigrants have a lower socioeconomic level than the average of households in the city, to constitute the poorest households poor, and if their housing conditions are unfavorable report to those of average households in the city and so are among the most poorly housed. In our search for a second time, by a graphical method and mapping technique, we want to illustrate and then understand the logic implementation of housing, developed by the operation 5000/15000 housing community. Understanding this logic in its decision considering the initial choice of accommodation of households recent immigrants and in its uniformity of distribution of its units on the agglomeration of Montreal.

The purpose of this study was to examine a select set of organizational variables and determine their relationship to nursing assistants' intentions to quit in state-owned veterans' long-term care facilities located across the United States. America's long-term care industry (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living facilities) is a multibillion dollar industry. Because the U.S. government is projecting a 250% increase in the elderly population, staffing these nursing homes and related facilities is a critical concern. A vitally important but often overlooked factor of the long-term care industry is employee turnover. Of the staff in long-term care facilities, the nursing assistant (NA) position is particularly susceptible to turnover. Approximately 80% of NAs who enter the workforce leave within the 1st year and many leave within the first 3 months of employment. Some facilities report that they are unable to accept new residents because of a lack of qualified NAs. While many studies have researched this issue, staff turnover in long-term care facilities remains a serious and widespread problem. This study provides a foundation for future research related to the perceptions of intentions to quit of nursing assistants (NAs) working in state-owned veterans long-term care facilities by providing primary data regarding NAs intentions to quit. Results of this study indicate that NA intentions to quit might be reduced provided that pay and rewards are increased, workplace violence is addressed, and better access to patient care plans is provided. This research is useful to state-owned and operated long-term care facilities by giving them additional insights into nursing assistants' intentions to quit perhaps resulting in lower rates of turnover. It is suggested that future research be performed using populations of individuals from other segments of the long-term care industry, mainly, for-profit institutional care nursing homes, and federally owned veterans long-term care facilities.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as características das visitas domiciliares nos programas Agentes Comunitários de Saúde e Saúde da Família e sua possível contribuição para o alcance da integralidade. Em ambos os programas, a visita domiciliar apresenta-se como uma ação emblemática, como evidenciado pela designação de um profissional específico para essa atividade (o agente comunitário de saúde), embora se recomende que seja realizada por todos os profissionais de saúde. A integralidade foi buscada como representando um norte para a atenção primária, através de características do processo de trabalho em saúde. A metodologia adotada foi a pesquisa de tipo qualitativo, sendo os dados empíricos obtidos por meio de entrevistas com profissionais e usuários e pela observação do cotidiano de três equipes de agentes comunitários de saúde e três equipes de Saúde da Família em Campo Grande, MS, de novembro de 2005 a julho de 2006. A análise dos dados aponta que as coordenações estadual e municipal dos programas incentivam as visitas, mas consideram serem necessários critérios para as solicitações de visitas, definição do profissional que as realizará e mecanismos de avaliação, especialmente no que se refere às visitas feitas por profissionais com formação universitária. Na dinâmica de trabalho das equipes pesquisadas, as formas de organização do trabalho são diversas, podendo favorecer ou dificultar a realização das visitas domiciliares. As visitas são solicitadas majoritariamente por agentes comunitários de saúde, respondendo a demandas de usuários, ou decorrem de demandas internas dos serviços, com variados enfoques quanto às finalidades, conteúdos e prioridades. Os profissionais apontam como aspectos positivos das visitas uma leitura ampliada da realidade, das dinâmicas familiares, das condições de vida e das necessidades dos usuários, permitindo implementação de medidas preventivas e assistenciais e o fortalecimento do vínculo entre usuários e equipe de saúde. No entanto, evidenciam-se tensões relacionadas com o tipo de solicitações dos usuários, predominantemente de caráter clínico, muitas vezes requerendo referências secundárias e terciárias, nem sempre presentes. Por outro lado, a pobreza e as precárias condições de vida dos usuários, características das populações cobertas pelos programas, geram demandas de ações de assistência social, moradia, educação e trabalho, entre outras, que muitas vezes também permanecem sem resposta ou são tratadas de forma caritativa. Além disso, existem dificuldades relacionadas a horários, percursos, transporte e abordagem dos moradores durante as visitas, além de situações de resistência, de recusa e de contato com famílias em precárias condições de vida. Constatou-se que para atingir sua potencialidade de estimular a integralidade, a visita requer trabalho em equipe e respeito e singularização dos usuários. As visitas domiciliares constituem uma prática com potencial integrador, favorecendo o desenvolvimento de ações no domicílio, a ampliação do acesso à unidade de saúde, a adoção de medidas preventivas, a adesão ao tratamento, o apoio aos cuidadores e a longitudinalidade. No entanto, apesar de potencialmente aumentarem a visibilidade de problemas de difícil abordagem, como alcoolismo, violência doméstica ou sexualidade, as visitas domiciliares não os tomam como objetos de trabalho, geralmente evitando essas situações nos domicílios. As visitas podem colaborar com a integração com os níveis secundário e terciário, com a abordagem familiar e com o desenvolvimento de ações intersetoriais, sempre que houver incentivo e condições para isso. A atividade é, porém, permeada de tensões, por seu caráter por vezes autoritário e de intromissão na vida privada, pelas frágeis condições de trabalho e por sua utilização como atenuante de deficiências no atendimento nas unidades de saúde e na ação do poder público em problemas estruturais. / The purpose of this study was to analyze the profile of home visits in the Brazilian health care programs \'Community Health Agents\' and \'Family Health\' with regard to their potential contribution toward integrality in health services. In both programs home visits occupy a prominent position, as shown by the assignment of a specific professional to carry out this activity--the community health agent--although performance of the visit is recommended for all health professionals. Integrality was the guiding principle intended for primary care, configuring the features of the work process in the health area. The methodology adopted was that of qualitative research. Empirical data were collected by interviewing health professionals and users and by observing the daily activities of three teams of community health agents and three teams of the Family Health Program in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, from November 2005 to July 2006. The activity is encouraged by program coordinators at the state and county level, who recognize the need for developing criteria for defining which newly detected cases should warrant the performance of home visits and which professionals should be assigned to perform them, in addition to mechanisms for evaluation of the activity, particularly in the case of home visits performed by health professionals holding higher education degrees. With regard to the operative dynamics of the teams investigated, workflow was found to be organized in various ways, which may facilitate or hinder the performance of visits. Most home visits are requested by community health agents in response to demands of users, but they can also be requested by the service itself, in response to internal demands, and the focus of the activity may vary in terms of purpose, content, and level of priority. According to the professionals interviewed, home visits have a number of positive aspects, as they provide a broader perception of reality, family dynamics, living conditions, and needs of users, in addition to facilitating the implementation of preventive and assistance measures and strengthening the connection between users and health care team. Nonetheless, the activity has inherent tensions, as those related to the type of requests placed by users, mostly of clinical nature, which may require secondary and tertiary care approaches, not always available. On the other hand, poverty and unfavorable living conditions, typical of the population assisted by the programs, generate demands for actions related to social assistance, housing, education and work, among many others, which often are not dealt with at all or are managed with a charitable focus. Additional difficulties involve schedules, transects, transportation, manner of establishing first contact and relating to residents during the visits, situations of resistance or refusal by residents, and the very contact with families living in dire conditions. It was found that in order to exert its potential for promotion of integrality, home visits require not only teamwork, by also respect for users and recognition of their singularity. Home visits have an integrative potential, facilitating the performance of health-related actions in the home setting, promoting broader access to health care units, encouraging adoption of preventive measures, adherence to treatment, and support to caretakers, and fostering the development of longitudinality. However, in spite of their potential for facilitating the perception of issues requiring a more sensitive approach, such as alcohol consumption, domestic violence, or sexuality, home visits do not take these occurrences as their object of action, but usually avoid direct contact with such situations. Visits also aid in the integration with secondary and tertiary levels, are valuable in the establishment of a family-focused approach, and are advantageous to the development of intersectoral actions whenever favorable conditions and incentive are available. The activity, however, is not without tensions. In some instances, its focus is authoritarian and intrusive into private life; working conditions are fragile; and visits play the extra role of lessening deficiencies in services and in the governmental ability to tackle structural issues.

O objeto da pesquisa foram as relações sociais estabelecidas entre o agente comunitário de saúde ACS e a equipe de Saúde da Família SF em situações concretas de trabalho. A SF é estratégia prioritária para a reorganização da Atenção Básica no Brasil. A profissão do ACS foi regulamentada somente em 2002 e caracteriza-se pelo exercício de atividades de prevenção de doenças e promoção da saúde. A literatura aponta que os ACS desempenham ações preconizadas pelo Ministério da Saúde, mas enfrentam dificuldades para cumprirem com funções de caráter mais político e social, voltadas para mudanças nos modos de se cuidar e para o aumento da participação social. O ACS possui características híbridas e singulares, pois é membro da comunidade e da equipe de saúde, propiciando a ligação entre esses dois atores. Objetivou-se compreender as relações sociais estabelecidas entre o ACS e a equipe de SF a partir do trabalho em equipe na saúde, destacando os aspectos da articulação das ações e da interação entre os trabalhadores. A pesquisa foi de abordagem qualitativa com a realização de 23 observações participantes e 11 entrevistas semi-estruturadas junto a uma equipe de SF em um município do interior paulista, O material empírico foi interpretado segundo a análise temática e compreendeu a história da unidade de saúde e seus trabalhadores, o processo de trabalho da equipe e os ACS na equipe de SF na perspectiva da articulação e da interação. Os resultados mostraram que o ACS está inserido em um processo de trabalho em equipe que é dinâmico. O ACS vive as contradições de modelos de saúde que são diferentes e co-existem em um mesmo espaço. Os ACS são laços de ligação quando desempenham ações articuladas ao trabalho da equipe e interagem com os trabalhadores, construindo planos assistenciais em comum. Um núcleo de competência do ACS pode ser a característica de laço de ligação, aproximando equipe e comunidade e adequando as ações de cuidado às reais necessidades das pessoas. Na prática comunicativa com os trabalhadores; os ACS ao falarem de si, estão falando da própria comunidade, pois é ele seu representante e porta-voz na equipe. Como elos de ligação desenvolvem ações essencialmente operacionais para agilizar o trabalho da equipe e da unidade, tais como, entregar recados e encaminhamentos. As atividades desempenhadas dentro da unidade relacionam-se à cooperação e também estão muito atreladas às ações operacionais e instrumentais do trabalho, inclusive com certo caráter de troca. Concluímos que a inserção do ACS na equipe de SF enfrenta dificuldades e requer a criação de estratégias que favoreçam a relação dialógica entre os trabalhadores. Assim, o trabalho da equipe e a dimensão política e social dos ACS poderão ser potencializados, contribuindo para cuidados mais integrais e acolhedores e para um agir em saúde mais criativo e prazeroso. / The social relations established between the community health agent (ACS) and the health family team (SF) in work situations was the object of this study. SF has been a strategic priority to reorganize Primary Health Care in Brazil. ACS only became a regulated profession in 2002 and comprises activities of disease prevention and health promotion. Literature appoints that ACS develops actions recommended by the Ministry of Health but faces difficulties in complying with functions with a more political and social character focused on changing peoples self-care and increasing their social participation. These professionals possess hybrid and singular characteristics because they are both members of the community and the health team making linkages between them. The study aimed to understand the social relations established between the ACS and SF team as from the work developed by the health team, highlighting connections between actions and interaction between workers. This is a qualitative study with 23 participant observations and 11 semistructured interviews with the SF team in a city in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The empirical material was analyzed according to the thematic analysis and comprises the history of the health unit and its workers, the teamwork process and the perspective of connection and interaction of the ACS in the SF team. Results revealed that ACS is inserted in a dynamic teamwork process, that is, experiences the contradictions of co-existing different health models. These professionals work as links when they develop actions connected to the teamwork and interact with its workers developing common care plans. The ACS core of competency is characterized by the connection they establish approximating team and community and adapting care actions to peoples real needs. When these professionals talk about themselves during communication with workers, they talk about the community itself because they are its representatives and spokesman in the team. As links, they basically develop operational actions to speed up the team and units work such as delivering messages and referrals. The activities developed inside the unit are related to cooperation and are also very associated to operational and instrumental work, which includes a certain exchange. The conclusion is that the inclusion of the ACS in the SF team is difficult and requires strategies favoring the dialogical relation between workers. This way, the teamwork and the ACS political and social dimensions can be strengthened, contributing to more integral and welcoming care and also to more creative and gratifying work in health.