O espaÃo de atuaÃÃo do agente comunitÃrio de saÃde (ACS) tem como foco principal o acompanhamento de mulheres no ciclo gravÃdico-puerperal, cenÃrio em que desenvolve sua aÃÃo comunicativa, cercado pelas relaÃÃes que demarcam a necessidade de articulaÃÃo com a gestante, comunidade e demais profissionais que compÃem a equipe da EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia. O aumento da detecÃÃo de casos de HIV na vigÃncia da gestaÃÃo evidencia a necessidade de promover acompanhamento que garanta adesÃo ao tratamento e promova o cuidado a essa gestante. Ante a complexidade dessa relaÃÃo, teve-se como objetivo compreender o processo comunicativo do ACS estabelecido durante a abordagem com gestantes e puÃrperas que vivem com o HIV, identificar as estratÃgias que utilizam nesse processo, bem como suas facilidades e dificuldades. Estudo qualitativo, desenvolvido à luz do interacionismo simbÃlico, entrevistando oito ACS que acompanharam gestantes e puÃrperas vivendo com o HIV, no perÃodo de janeiro de 2007 a julho de 2012, no MunicÃpio de CanindÃ- CE. O corpus empÃrico foi categorizado em cinco categorias centrais: 1. Identificando gestante/puerpÃra com HIV na comunidade; 2. Significado do HIV para a ACS; 3. Acompanhamento realizado pela ACS; 4. Desvelando o processo comunicativo da ACS durante a abordagem com gestantes e puÃrperas vivendo com o HIV; 5. InterligaÃÃes com o âmundo da vidaâ. Os resultados obtidos foram analisados conforme a tÃcnica de anÃlise do discurso, com reflexÃes ancoradas no referencial teÃrico de Habermas, Morin e literatura especializada. Identificou-se o fato de que a gestante revela seu status sorolÃgico à ACS em razÃo do vÃnculo constituÃdo e da facilidade de acesso ao serviÃo de saÃde. Por outro lado, o acolhimento humanizado da ACS se relaciona ao sentimento de tristeza atribuÃdo à doenÃa. Apesar de buscarem conceituar Ãtica como guardar sigilo, hà um conflito entre comunicaÃÃo e Ãtica na autocompreensÃo desse conceito na divulgaÃÃo de informaÃÃes na equipe de saÃde. Desenvolvem sua comunicaÃÃo com as mulheres quando descrevem suas orientaÃÃes de forma dinÃmica e ciclica, com base num agir estratÃgico mediante uma imposiÃÃo disfarÃada, induzindo a gestante/puerpÃra a aceitar sua convicÃÃo como vÃlida. Apesar de ser uma estratÃgia que foge do agir comunicativo proposto por Jurgen Habermas, as ACS se sentem felizes por terem a confianÃa das mulheres e pelo fato de representarem uma referÃncia para a comunidade, mas apontam como dificuldades a sobrecarga de trabalho, a ausÃncia de capacitaÃÃes permanentes, a indefiniÃÃo no seu papel e problemas de ordem socioeconÃmica vivenciados pelas gestantes. / The performance space of the community health worker has as its main focus the monitoring of women in pregnancy and childbirth, in that scenario develops his communicative action, surrounded by relations that demarcate the need for coordination with patient, community and other professionals who make up the staff of the Family Health Strategy. Increased detection of HIV in the presence of pregnancy has shown the need for further monitoring to ensure adherence to treatment and care will promote this pregnant. Given the complexity of this relationship, we aimed to understand the communication process established during the Community Health Worker approach with pregnant and postpartum women seropositive for HIV, identify the strategies that you use this process, as well as their strengths and difficulties. Qualitative study, developed in light of symbolic interactionism, interviewing eight Community Health Worker accompanying pregnant and postpartum women seropositive for HIV from January 2007 to July 2012 in the city of CanindÃ-CE. The empirical corpus was categorized into five main categories: 1. Identifying pregnant / postpartum women with HIV in the community; 2. Meaning of HIV to ACS; 3. Monitoring conducted by Community Health Worker; 4. Unveiling the communication process during the ACS approach with pregnant and postpartum women seropositive for HIV; 5. Connections with the "life-world". The results were analyzed according to the technique of discourse analysis, with reflections grounded in the theoretical framework of Habermas, Morin and literature. We identify the pregnant woman reveals his HIV status to Community Health Worker due to the bond built and ease of access to health services. Moreover, the host of humanized Community Health Worker relates to the feeling of sadness attributed to the disease. Despite seek conceptualize ethics as secrecy, there is a conflict between communication and ethics in the selfunderstanding of this concept in the disclosure of information in the health team. Develop your communication with women when describing their orientations in a dynamic and cyclic, based on a strategic action by a levy disguised, inducing pregnant / postpartum women to accept his conviction as valid. Despite being a strategy that avoids the communicative action proposed by Jurgen Habermas, the community health worker are happy to have the confidence of women and because they represent a reference point for the community but the difficulties as work overload, lack of training permanent uncertainty in its role and problems of socio-economic order experienced by pregnant women.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / âA mancha visÃvel e o nervo sentidoâ - representaÃÃo social da hansenÃase para agentes comunitÃrios de saÃde objetiva compreender as representaÃÃes sociais sobre a hansenÃase/lepra na prÃtica discursiva das/dos Agentes ComunitÃrios de SaÃde (ACS), identificando crenÃas, valores e tabus que possam estar imbricados no trabalho. Por ser a hansenÃase uma doenÃa mÃtica e estigmatizada, envolta de saberes e prÃticas construÃdas historicamente, acreditamos que as prÃticas da/do ACS tÃm representaÃÃes que, sÃo incorporadas ao seu trabalho. Contextualizamos a evoluÃÃo sÃcio-histÃrica do adoecimento, bem como a elaboraÃÃo ideolÃgica presente no imaginÃrio coletivo dos ACS. Com suporte nos conceitos de ideologia, discurso e poder, verificamos como as representaÃÃes sociais que os sujeitos da pesquisa tÃm acerca da hansenÃase afetam a sua vida. Duas questÃes nortearam este estudo: que representaÃÃes sociais as/os ACS tÃm sobre a hansenÃase/ lepra? E como estas representaÃÃes se imbricam em seu trabalho? Participaram 91 ACS que atuam na EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia dos MunicÃpios de SÃo Josà de Ribamar (MA), Paragominas (PA), AraguaÃna (TO) e Floriano (PI). A metodologia consistiu na anÃlise temÃtica. Utilizamos a tÃcnica do grupo focal. Do material produzido em campo, estabelecemos o corpus empÃrico, de onde emergiram as categorias/temas (conceitos-imagens). Em cada tema foram divisadas as subcategorias, que se denominou Unidade Representacional (UR). Os conceitos-imagens emergidos foram: 1) lepra X hansenÃase - significados e sentidos; 2) Estigma - a marca do preconceito e da discriminaÃÃo nas prÃticas discursivas; 3) MicropolÃtica na produÃÃo de cuidado a pessoa com hansenÃase; 4) Envolvimento das famÃlias no processo de cuidado; 5) Vivendo/convivendo com a hansenÃase. A pesquisa revelou, dentre outras representaÃÃes, que as/os ACS acreditam na existÃncia de alimentos âreimososâ. Evidenciou-se, tambÃm, culpabilizaÃÃo, do uso de Ãlcool como determinante para o prolongamento da terapia. Constatamos que a lepra e a hansenÃase nÃo se configuram como sinÃnimos, mas sim como duas entidades distintas. Ao termo lepra, cabe o sentido de medo, vergonha e exclusÃo, enquanto hansenÃase adquire o sentido de doenÃa curÃvel. Evidenciamos nos discursos preconceito e prÃticas discriminatÃrias vivenciadas pelas pessoas com hansenÃase, configurando-se em legitimaÃÃo do estigma.

Magister Public Health - MPH / The aim of this research was to describe the role of Community Health Workers, in the Mitanin Programme, in addressing social determinants of health in Chhattisgarh State of India, with the view to identify the pathways for strengthening and making recommendations on this aspect of the CHW’s work for existing or future CHW programmes. A comparative case study design using qualitative research methods was adopted for the study, with the sample comprising of two case studies of action on social determinants by CHWs. The definition of a case was ‘successful action by a CHW (Mitanin) or team of CHWs (Mitanins) on nutrition or violence against women in the village or cluster of villages for which the CHW/s are responsible’. The sampling of the cases followed the ‘replication logic’, that is, examination of similar cases to draw general lessons. Data collection was undertaken through In-depth Individual Interviews and Group Interviews with CHWs, community members and programme staff that participated with the CHWs in, and also benefitted from, their action on social determinants. Respondents were identified through a process of snowball sampling. Seventeen in-depth interviews and ten group interviews (total 27) were conducted as part of the study. A broad conceptual framework of the factors facilitating and constraining the action on social determinants by the CHWs, along with the pathways for action on social determinants by the CHWs, along with the pathways for action on social determinants by CHWs and their role, was developed at the start of the research. The analysis was done using this conceptual framework, which was refined during analysis, resulting in an explanatory framework. The analysis was two-fold. Firstly, both cases were analysed and written up separately and then they were analysed together in order to draw cross case conclusions. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Ethical Clearance was obtained from the UWC Senate Research Committee and permission was obtained from the State Health Resource Center, the body coordinating the Mitanin Programme in Chhattisgarh. A Participant Information Sheet and Informed consent forms for both the individual and the group interviews were prepared and administered. The form for the group interview included a confidentiality-binding clause. The study showed that the Mitanins in Durgkondal and Manendragarh (the Blocks under study) had effectively and successfully addressed the issues of nutrition and xvii violence against women as social determinants, in a manner visualized in the initial programme documents. Despite threats to the autonomy of the programme, pressures to formalise the Mitanin’s role, and backlash from vested interests, such action remained sustained, nearly ten years since the start of the programme.

Obesity is caused by a variety of contributing factors including genetics, behavior, and environment, which contribute to weight gain in children and adults. The obesity epidemic is growing rapidly, predisposing both children and adults to preventable chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Obese children often become obese adults, further contributing to the obesity epidemic and its economic consequences including higher healthcare costs and lost productivity. The obesity epidemic also exposes significant health disparities; non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics represent a disproportionate number of obese adults and children in the United Community Health Workers (CHWs) are uniquely positioned to support current efforts in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Studies have found CHWs to be effective at increasing healthy behaviors and reducing disparities in cancer screenings for adult minority groups. CHWs can be trained to provide a variety of health services, reducing the burden of healthcare professionals, and reducing cost of care. CHWs provide peer to peer, culturally sensitive health information in an individual’s preferred language. The proposed study is a three-year randomized controlled clinical trial with 262 participants divided equally into two groups, intervention, and control. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic children ages 1-5 years old will be recruited from their pediatrician’s offices in the Boston Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Participants will be identified and enrolled by research assistants based on language of care and BMI (body mass index) as recorded in the electronic medical record (EMR). Both groups will receive standard of care treatment throughout the study. The intervention group will additionally receive monthly in-home CHW visits for the first one and a half years. CHWs will take quarterly BMIs and provide education materials on healthy eating and physical activity. The primary outcome is BMI and the secondary outcomes will include healthy behaviors such as average weekly servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the end of the study period, all guardians will be given a survey to assess their opinions on the standard of care treatment and CHW interventions. CHWs are an untapped resource in the fight against childhood obesity, reducing health disparities, and the obesity epidemic. However, more research is needed in this area and the proposed study is a step toward proving their efficacy and efficiency. In the United States, the implementation of CHWs over time could make a huge impact on public health by reducing preventable chronic diseases.

The social determinants of health continue to impact health disparities among communities living along the U.S.-Mexico border. Because community health workers (CHWs) are recognized for promoting a variety of positive patient-centered health outcomes in their roles as educators and health system navigators, recent inquiry has focused on the role of the CHW in facilitating community-level changes through grassroots advocacy to impact the social determinants of health. Social capital theory, which posits that participation in groups has positive consequences for individuals and the community, is a useful lens through which CHW effectiveness in grassroots advocacy can be measured and replicated. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, this study investigated the social capital characteristics of fifteen CHWs working in border communities who were trained in grassroots advocacy. Participating CHWs reported high baseline levels of social capital, which was assessed using a social capital questionnaire. After one year of engagement in grassroots advocacy, participating CHWs reported statistically significant increases in one measure of bridging social capital (community engagement) and one measure of linking social capita (participation with political/civic leaders). Qualitative interviews with each CHW further explored the role of social capital in their grassroots advocacy, resulting in a social capital model elucidating six activities of CHW-driven grassroots advocacy. The mixed methods results provide measures for assessing CHWs' social capital in their traditional roles and as grassroots advocates, as well as a framework for understanding how CHWs use their social capital to take grassroots action addressing the social determinants of health.

Between 1980 and 2000, mortality rates of children under the age of five and maternal mortality ratios declined across sub-Saharan Africa. During the same period, Kenya's mortality rates continued to rise until 2005 when the Kenyan Ministry of Health (MOH) introduced the Kenya Essential Package for Health (KEPH) in an effort to reverse its declining health indicators. The KEPH defined six service delivery levels which included the new community level, also known as level one. The Ministry of Health's plan for delivering services at the community level, known as the Community Health Strategy (CHS), called for the creation of Community Health Workers (CHWs) which the MOH hoped would produce the expected outcomes of the CHS. CHWs would be trained volunteers that were both members of the community they would serve, and selected by their community. Their training would allow them to recognize health problems, provide basic first aid, refer patients with serious problems to health facilities, conduct surveys, maintain records, provide education, and distribute supplies. In 2010, the Division of Community Health Services released an evaluation of the relevance, efficiency, and sustainability of the community health strategy. Their results showed that CHWs could produce many of the CHS's expected outcomes. In 2013, researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health and Moi University resolved to conduct a cross-sectional study for the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation to assess the effectiveness of the CHWs in Kajiado County. The county faced numerous health challenges and an overburdened health system. Data collection was completed over a seven-day period in June of 2013 by fourteen teams. Data was collected from 12 communities located in the areas of Rombo, Entonet, and Central Divisions of the Loitokitok sub-county within Kajiado County in rural South Kenya. Six of the selected communities had CHWs mobilized and were the intervention communities. Six communities had no registered CHWs and served as the controls. Eligibility to participate in the study was limited to permanent members of randomly selected households that housed at least one child less than five years of age and no active CHWs. Mothers of children less than five years of age were the preferred respondents. The primary and secondary outcomes were selected to address as many of the CHS's expected outcomes as possible. In an effort to compensate for the study's cross-sectional design, results were analyzed by stratifying them by each community's proximity to a hospital, the time since the CHW's last visit, and the respondent's knowledge of their CHW's name. Data was collected from 316 households, half of which were from intervention communities, and was entered into CSPro 5.0 before being exported to EpiInfo 7.1.1 for analysis. Analysis of the results suggests that the Community Health Strategy has been largely ineffective at producing its expected outcomes in Kajiado County as communities with active community health workers typically did not fare significantly better than non-CHW communities. The CHS was not entirely unsuccessful however, as mothers in CHW communities were significantly more likely to give birth at a health facility (PR: 1.41; CI: 1.15-1.72) than in non-CHW communities. Results also indicated that a community's proximity to a hospital could be a confounder in the relationship between a community's CHW status and health outcomes. The success of CHWs may have been masked by their tendency to visit households with worse health indicators more frequently.

INTRODUCTION: Community health workers are a growing and developing portion of the healthcare workforce. They have proven successes in decreasing healthcare inequities for many common chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, and have secured support at the Department of Health and Human Services. One common medical condition for which community health workers have not yet been explored as a resource is pediatric Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We sought to investigate what the literature showed on community health workers' involvement in ADHD treatments thus far, and to specifically investigate which ADHD behavioral parent training program could best be adapted to a pilot study where community health workers were the intervention delivery agents. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the literature on evidence based behavioral parent training programs for children with ADHD. Parent training interventions were compared for ease of application to a community health worker home-visit model. Program ability to successfully reduce child behavior problems and improve parenting practices was analyzed. RESULTS: 8 full text articles were analyzed in depth and grouped by intervention type. 1 article was a sports-based intervention for fathers, 1 was meant to improve attendance rates, 1 was a combined child-targeted and parent-targeted Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) therapy, 2 were based on the "New Forest Parenting Package", and 3 were based on Barkley's 1997 manualized BPT. DISCUSSION: Evidence exists for the ability of community health workers to deliver a behavioral therapy to families of children with ADHD, specifically behavioral parent training. Barkley's manualized BPT had the best combination in our study of positive outcomes for families and ease of adaptability to in-home delivery. We recommend a pilot study be conducted using a modified version of Barkley's BPT and have community health workers as the delivery agents to begin to see what role community health workers can play in the treatment of pediatric ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity are higher in New York City (NYC) than nationally, with Black birthing people experiencing the worst maternal outcomes, followed by Latina/e and Asian/Pacific Islander birthing people. This study aimed to understand the barriers and facilitators to engaging in maternal self-care and maternal health care to support the design of a stakeholder- informed maternal community health worker (CHW) model in NYC. The study also identified key intervention components and strategies for adoption, implementation, and sustainability. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with prenatal and postpartum people (N=38) from a large teaching hospital in Upper Manhattan serving a racially and ethnically diverse patient population and with a cross-section of professionals (N=15) delivering maternal health care. Interviews took place between November 2020 and August 2022. Thematic analyses were conducted to uncover findings to inform program vii design, with the Intervention Mapping framework guiding this process. RESULTS: Findings reveal a range of barriers and facilitators to maternal self-care and health care engagement. Barriers included lack of transportation and childcare, delayed introduction of resources by the health care team, lack of care continuity, and experience with and concerns about disrespectful or discriminatory care. Additional barriers from the COVID-19 pandemic included disruptions to social support networks, childcare, and health care experience. Facilitators included information and advice from family, friends, and social media, positive coping skills, and trusted relationships with obstetric providers. Prenatal and postpartum participants recommended program components that provide emotional and instrumental support, and viewed the CHW as a someone they can trust to provide support and advice. Maternal health professionals recommended patient education and skills-building, and a focus on patients with high-risk pregnancies and chronic conditions. Maternal health professionals also recommended early staff and patient buy-in, clear definition of the CHW role, strong supervisory structure, and external seed funding. CONCLUSION: A needs and assets assessment using the Intervention Mapping framework was critical to design a stakeholder-informed and evidence-based maternal community health worker model. These findings include lessons learned for similar health systems seeking to develop community-based care models to address maternal health inequities and improve outcomes. / 2026-01-03T00:00:00Z

Introdução - Esta pesquisa discute o papel do agente comunitário de saúde (ACS) na identificação dos casos de violência doméstica contra a mulher, considerando sua dimensão e alcance nas relações humanas e os aspectos que contribuíram para sua invisibilidade ao longo da história, além dos prejuízos à saúde e qualidade de vida dos indivíduos, tornando-se um problema de saúde pública. Postula-se que o estudo das representações sociais deste profissional venha a favorecer a efetividade das ações e intervenções da equipe de saúde da família. Objetivo - conhecer e problematizar as representações do ACS sobre a violência doméstica contra a mulher. Método - Convidamos a participar da pesquisa todos os agentes comunitários de saúde das cinco Unidades de Saúde da Família do município de Jundiaí. Foram realizados cinco grupos focais e, para análise das representações sociais, utilizou-se a técnica de Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin. Resultados - As representações dos agentes comunitários quanto ao aspecto privado e particular das relações, bem como a responsabilização da mulher pela compreensão de sua autonomia para romper com o ciclo de violência, despontaram como aspectos desfavoráveis para a reflexão nas questões de gênero, assim como para a elaboração das ações pelos serviços de saúde. A assimilação dessas representações refletiu, inclusive, no distanciamento dos agentes comunitários do contexto de violência contra a mulher, já que para esses profissionais, o limite entre a esfera pública e privada não deve ser ultrapassada sem permissão, consentimento ou pedido de ajuda da mulher. Outros aspectos, como a confusão entre notificação e denúncia, o descrédito na Lei Maria da Penha, o medo de exposição e retaliação na pós-denúncia, a insegurança quanto ao sigilo e a ética dos profissionais de Segurança Pública produziram nos agentes comunitários o desinteresse pela notificação compulsória e a resistência tanto à realização da denúncia, bem como à orientação da mulher a fazer o boletim de ocorrência. Conclusão - Levando-se em consideração a complexidade do problema, aponta-se para a capacitação dos agentes comunitários e demais profissionais da equipe de saúde em uma perspectiva direcionada à abordagem das violências. Entende-se, no entanto, que a formação desses profissionais não pode ser pensada à parte de um contexto adverso de organização do serviço, que envolve a terceirização, a precarização e a rotina de trabalho estressante voltada para metas. Logo, não é apenas a capacitação do profissional que irá resolver essa questão, mas a consideração de outros elementos como o engajamento da Saúde na transformação da cultura, principalmente o que concerne às representações de gênero. Dessa forma, a saúde poderá contribuir para práticas transformadoras, viabilizando a discussão em articulação com os movimentos sociais e a sociedade sobre essa possibilidade de mudança. / Introduction - The present research discusses the relevance of the community health worker (CHW) in identifying cases of domestic violence against women, considering their dimension and scope in human relations and the aspects that contributed to their invisibility throughout history, as well as the health and quality of life of individuals, becoming a public health problem. It is postulated that the study of social representations of this professional may favor effectiveness of actions and interventions of the family health team. Objective - to know and to problematize the representations of the CHW on domestic violence against the woman. Method - all the community health workers from five Family Health Units from Jundiaí were invited to participate in the survey. Five focus groups were carried out and Bardin Content Theme Analysis was used to analyse the social representations. Results - The representations of the community health worker regarding the private and particular aspect of the relations, as well as the women\'s responsibility for the understanding of their autonomy to break with the cycle of violence, emerged as unfavorable aspects for the reflection on the gender issues as well as for the elaboration of the actions by the health services. The assimilation of these representations also reflected in the distancing of community health worker from the context of violence against women, since for these professionals, the limit between the public and private sphere should not be surpassed without women\'s permission, consent or request for help. Other aspects such as the confusion between notification and denunciation, disrepute in the Maria da Penha Law, the fear of exposure and retaliation in the post-denunciation and the insecurity about the secrecy and the ethics of Public Safety professionals produced in the community health worker the lack of interest in the notification and the resistance to both the denunciation and the orientation of the woman to make the report of occurrence. Conclusion - Taking into account the complexity of the problem, it is pointed to the training of community health worker and other professionals of the health team in a perspective aimed at approaching violence. It is understood, however, that the training of these professionals can not be thought apart from an adverse context of organization of the service, which involves outsourcing, precariousness and stressful work routine geared toward goals. Therefore, it is not only the training of the professional that will solve this question, but the consideration of other elements such as the engagement of health in the transformation of culture, especially with regard to gender representations. In this way, health can contribute to transformative practices, enabling discussion in articulation with social movements and society about this possibility of change.

Estima-se que 52% da população mundial faz uso de álcool, sendo a droga mais consumida no mundo. Ao usuário, o álcool torna-se prejudicial devido às consequências nos níveis biológicos, sociais e funcionais. Assim, a redução do uso abusivo da substância é um dos objetivos da Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) e uma das prioridades na agenda de saúde pública mundial. No Brasil, a Política do Ministério da Saúde para a Atenção Integral aos Usuários de Álcool e Outras Drogas teve como objetivo a criação de uma rede de atenção integral a eles - a RAPS (Rede de Atenção Psicossocial). A RAPS é considerada um grande avanço da Reforma Psiquiátrica, já que integra os diversos pontos de atenção disponíveis no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Um dos pontos da RAPS é a Atenção Básica (AB), que através da atuação das equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) tem a possibilidade de monitoração, prevenção do uso e colaboração na reinserção social dos usuários de álcool e outras drogas devido à proximidade e criação de vínculo entre o serviço e usuário. Para que o vínculo seja estabelecido o Agente Comunitário de Saúde (ACS) é a peça fundamental, visto que conhece a comunidade e reconhece suas necessidades, além de ser a figura que medeia as relações entre a equipe de saúde e os usuários. Assim sendo, o objetivo deste estudo foi descrever e analisar o discurso de ACS sobre o uso de álcool e a assistência prestada na AB. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo de teor descritivo, cuja pesquisa ocorreu em cinco municípios da região central do Estado de Santa Catarina. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, analisadas através do método da Análise de Conteúdo. A análise das entrevistas resultou na formulação de duas categorias e quatro subcategorias empíricas. Os resultados evidenciaram que os ACS percebem o consumo de álcool como inerente a população em virtude da cultura caracterizada pelo consumo habitual e festivo da droga. Eles percebem que o uso do álcool torna-se um problema quanto à definição social atribuída pela comunidade, ressaltando as consequências para a família e outras perdas vivenciadas pelos usuários com base nas repercussões sociais. Quanto à assistência prestada por eles aos usuários de álcool, os resultados indicaram uma prática desprovida de instrumentos ou habilidades para a abordagem adequada do uso, evidenciando uma prática infundada pelos ACS. A prática está pautada também nas crenças em relação aos usuários de álcool, que estão muito ligadas aos estigmas relacionados a estes usuários em geral e não em evidências científicas. Conclui-se que a partir do conhecimento das percepções e práticas deste profissional, é possível direcionar ações que potencialize a prática dos ACS, já que são profissionais com grandes possibilidades de atuação diante da prevenção e tratamento do abuso de álcool e reabilitação social do usuário / It is estimated that 52% of the population uses alcohol, being the most consumed drug in the world. For the user, the alcohol becomes harmful due to the consequences in the biological, social and functional levels. Thus, reducing the alcohol abuse is one of the World Health Organization\'s (WHO) goals and one of the priorities in the global public health agenda. In Brazil, the Health Ministry\'s Policy for Integral Attention to Alcohol and Other Drug Users aimed to create a network care to them - the RAPS (Psychosocial Care Network). The RAPS is considered a major breakthrough of the Psychiatric Reform, as it integrates the various points of care available in the Unified Health System (UHS). One of the RAPS points is the Primary Care (PC), which through the performance of the Family Health Strategy\'s teams (FHS) has the possibility of monitoring, the use prevention and collaboration to the social reintegration of alcohol and other drug users due to proximity and bond between service and the users. So that the link is established the Community Health Workers (CHW) is the keystone, as they know the community and recognize their needs as well as being the figure that mediates the relationship between health staff and users. So, the aim of this study was to describe and analyze the ACS speech on the alcohol use and on the assistance provided in AB. It is a qualitative study of descriptive content, whose research took place in five municipalities of the central region of Santa Catarina State. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, analyzed through the Content Analysis method. The data analysis resulted in the formulation of two empirical categories and four empirical subcategories.The results showed that ACS perceive alcohol consumption as inherent in population due to the culture characterized by the drug\'s customary and festive use. They realize that alcohol use becomes a problem as the social definition given by the community, highlighting the consequences for the family and other losses experienced by users based on their social impact. Regarding the assistance given by them to alcohol users, the results indicated an unprovided practice of tool or skills to the appropriate approach to the consumption, showing an unfounded practice by ACS. The practice is also guided by beliefs concerning to alcohol users, which are closely linked to stigmas generally related to these users and not on scientific evidences. We concluded that by the professional\'s knowledge of perceptions and practices, it\'s possible to direct actions that leverage their practice, since they are professionals with great possibilities of acting on treatment and prevention of alcohol abuse and user\'s social rehabilitation