Demands, constructions and challenges experienced by occupational therapists in primary health care

Abstract

Objective: To understand the demands, constructions and challenges experienced by occupational therapists in primary health care in Fortaleza city, Ceará, Brazil. Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted with 13 occupational therapists of the Support Centers for Family Health. It used the focus group method in March 2011 at the headquarters of the Regional Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – 6th Region. After the thematic analysis of the material, with theoritical contributions of occupational therapy and collective health, the following categories emerged: construction of work processes; demand and assisted population; contributions and challenges of the occupational therapists. Results: It could be observed that occupational therapists encouraged teams to perform joint actions through health promotion activities for priority groups and created room for planning the construction of comprehensive care between healthcare teams and users, highlighting the challenges of the territory as a space for interdisciplinary achievements, where the problem resolution requires sensitivity and recognition by the professional categories in field. Conclusion: It is understood that diversities and specificities inherent to the territory relate to the needs, and the community daily routine, in addition to the field stresses, counters the team work logic, implying fragility in the actions of supporters. doi:10.5020/18061230.2013.p356

Keywords

• Terapia Ocupacional
• Atenção Primária à Saúde
• Programa Saúde da Família
• Promoção da Saúde.