Quality of life in the Family Health Program: the view of community health workers and users - doi:10.5020/18061230.2011.p228

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the perceptions of community health workers (ACS) and users over the actions proposed in the Family Health Program (PSF) to improve the quality of life of a given population. Methods: This was a descriptive research with a qualitative approach, developed with nine family health teams in the city of Passos-MG, Brazil, which were defined by drawing lots among the seventeen teams in the city. The target population was composed of community health workers and users of the PSF, the sample was selected using simple random sampling, and consisted of eighteen ACS and eighteen users. Data collection took place from July to September 2009, employing a semi-structured interview. The discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: From the analysis of the speeches it was evident that quality of life is a construct with different meanings and that the family health team, in a perspective to enable the establishment and improvement of people’s quality of life, must develop actions over factors that limit the development of a life with quality. However, the family health team still focuses its actions on curative aspects in detriment of health promotion actions that are essential to improving the quality of life. Final considerations: The staff of the family health team, in the perception of the subjects of this study, still develops few activities that create conditions for people to have a better quality of life.