Reducing unequal access to health promotion actions in Primary Care in Brazil: Health Academy Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12957/demetra.2021.48519Keywords:
Primary Health Care. Access to Health Services. Health Promotion. Health Integrality.Abstract
Introduction: The health situation outlined by a high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases reveals the need for restructuring health care. In this sense, services such as the Health Academy Program (herein PAS) were implemented in Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC). Objective: To analyze, from the perspective of users, PAS as an opportunity to reduce unequal access to health promotion actions in PHC. Method: This is a qualitative study carried out at the first PAS unit implemented in Belo Horizonte-MG, with participants who started using the service between 2007 and 2011. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews. Sociodemographic data were described, and a thematic content analysis was carried out. Results: From 2007-2011, 1,059 users started attending PAS, most of them women, middle-aged adults with low income and high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases. From the users’ perspective, PAS allowed accessing health promotion actions in PHC, making it possible to develop healthier choices and changes in the way of life, mainly those related to physical activity and healthy eating, empowering users. However, limitations were identified in the integration between PAS and the assigned Basic Health Unit. Conclusion: PAS has the potential to foster access to health promotion actions in PHC, although greater integration with other health care points is still needed in order to strengthen integral care networking and health promotion actions.
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