Work conditions in the Family Health Strategy: report of an experience of university extension with community health agents

Abstract

The importance of new learning scenarios for the health professional's training is well-known. Through the university's interaction with vulnerable regions of Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and their services, the university extension project named "Potentiation of the community health agents' action capacity" was created as a space for listening and preparing experiences for the community health agents (CHAs) from one of these areas. This paper aims to provide visibility to the work conditions of CHAs by means of the field diaries produced during the university extension project. This is an analysis of records made by the students under the perspective of giving voice to the experience and perception of CHAs on their work in a Family Health Strategy (FHS) unit, through which six analyzers were developed. Finally, through the CHAs work conditions, it was possible to determine the importance of creating a new place for these professionals in the team, promoting a greater interaction within the team itself, and dedicating a more careful look at these professionals' training, for the development and strengthening of FHS.