The health service network in the city of Juiz de Fora: the opinion of the user

Abstract

The changes in the demographic and epidemiologic profile occurred over the last decades acquire particular characteristics in Brazil and impose a redefinition of the public policies, especially in the health area. This culminates in the implantation of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in 1994. This strategy is expected to promote not only a paradigmatic change but also to put in practice the principles of the Brazilian Health System - Universality, Equity and Integrality - through continued care, disease prevention and health promotion, mainly for the most vulnerable populations. To work this way, however, a service network is necessary for ensuring assistance in cases the FHS is unable to solve, establishing a reference and counter-reference system. Using the methodology of non-structured interviews in four primary care units working with the FHS in distinct regions of Juiz de Fora, we propose to discuss the functioning of this service network from the viewpoint of the users, in an attempt to identify bottlenecks and to propose strategies for improving the access for the users.