PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AGENTS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CONCEIÇÃO DO CASTELO-ES

Abstract

Introduction: The Community Health Agent (CHA), as a member of the multiprofessional team that makes up the Family Health Strategy (FHS), has been responsible for establishing the link between patients and the health service, being prominent actors about the promotion, prevention and control of diseases. As a recent marker for the process of this professional category, the National Primary Care Policy (PNAB), published in 2017, which designated new attributions for them, stands out. Objective: To analyze the perception of Community Health Agents about their practice in the municipality of Conceição do Castelo, Espírito Santo. Methodology: This is an exploratory-descriptive study, of a qualitative nature, which had as its setting Family Health Units in the municipality of Conceição do Castelo-ES, focusing on the voices of the Community Health Agents themselves. Thus, 22 professionals participated in the study, through semi-structured interviews, which were later submitted to the Content Analysis Technique, proposed by Bardin. Results: The results presented demonstrate the perception of the Community Health Agents about their performance, the potentialities and difficulties present in this performance. Potentialities that concern the team, the structure of human resources, and training processes. The difficulties were linked not only to human resources, but also to material resources, to the issue of patient transportation, teamwork, and the reduced investment of the municipality in the training processes of these professionals. Final considerations: The present research allowed a broad understanding of the professional practice of Community Health Agents (CHA) in the municipality of Conceição do Castelo, evidencing the various nuances that make up their daily performance.