WORKING PROCESS IN THE FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY: A PERSPECTIVE FROM THE ORAL HEALTH TEAM

Abstract

The Family Health Strategy (FHS) have been introduced in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Brazil with the purpose of reorganizing the health working process, particularly at the primary health care level, and in this restructuring movement the oral health team (OHT) has important role aiming at changing de health services. The objective of this paper was to understand the dynamics of the working process in the FHS from the perspective of the local teams and to carry out an analysis about the performance of the OHT regarding the principles of the FHS, in consonance with the Unique Health System. The researched sample was constituted of 196 health workers (dentists, dental hygiene technicians and auxiliaries of dental clinic) at the Health Units of the Municipal Health System of Curitiba. Data were collected through structured questionnaire with a response rate of 93,3%. The analysis indicated an important participation of the OHT in the Local Health Council (78,7%). Most of the dentists (79,3%) evaluated that the users of the local services have hindered access to the specialties. It is concluded that the OHT incorporated the conceptual bases and principles of the FHS in a coherent way, however there is a need for investments in the permanent education, above all about principles of multidisciplinary work; more intensive use of the epidemiology; appropriate use of tools for family approaching, besides improving the access to more complex levels of care.