PERCEPTIONS OF THE HEALTH TEAM AND FAMILY MEMBERS REGARDING THE CHILDCARE CONSULTATION

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study aimed to investigate the dynamic of the childcare consultation of Family Health Strategy teams of an Integrated Health Nucleus and reflections of this in the conceptions of the health team and the family members of children registered on the Childcare Program. Data collection took place in June 2012 – February 2013, through semistructured interviews and non-participant observation, and were subjected to content analysis. The subjects were 19 health professionals and 13 family members of children. The results indicated weaknesses in the operationalization of the consultations and that the professionals’ incipient knowledge regarding the issue contributes to fragmented practice based in curativism, resulting in the maintaining of erroneous conceptions among the system’s users. The need is indicated to raise professionals’ awareness, with a view to the construction of a new paradigm in this context, valuing the childcare consultation as an essential tool for the promotion of child health.

Keywords

• Child health
• Child development
• Health personnel
• Family
• Family health program