SOCIAL PARTICIPATION IN THE COUNCILS OF HEALTH CENTERS

Abstract

This exploratory and qualitative study sought to investigate how health service users’ participation on the Councils of Health centers occurs in the municipality of Botucatu in São Paulo. Data was collected in September and October 2008 via interviews guided by a semi-structured script, administered to 9 service users who are members of the Council at four primary health care centers. After content analysis, three thematic categories emerged: Knowing the service user/councillor, The Health Centers’ Council and Participation on the Council. The results show the unpreparedness and lack of knowledge of the councillors representing health service users on the subject of the role of the Councils and on public health policies, evidencing the need for actors from the health services to invest in guidance, consciousness-raising and preparation of citizens with critical ability to influence, guide, demand and question the health services’ actions.

Keywords

• Community participation
• Health councils
• Public health