The longitudinality of care from the perspective of Family Health users

Abstract

Objective: To analyze longitudinality in the production of care in Family Health from the perspective of users. Method: Qualitative research carried out with 18 users of a family health unit in a municipality in the state of São Paulo. The data was produced through semi-structured interviews and the empirical material was analyzed by interpreting the meanings in the light of the theoretical framework of continuity of care and longitudinality. Results: 22 ideas were identified and grouped into three meanings: organization and operationalization of work in the family health unit, self-care and the health system. The first highlighted elements of organizational constraints, workforce, hard and soft technologies. The second direction pointed to the user’s co-responsibility for their health condition and lifestyle, making it possible to recognize longitudinality as: discontinuous or focused and continuous or extended. And in the third meaning, the understanding of the functioning of the three levels of care was presented with structural and technological demarcations. Conclusion: The users recognized potential and weaknesses in the three meanings referring to the constituent elements of the theoretical framework. Family Health is capable of offering continuous or extended longitudinality, even in a municipality with low coverage of the strategy. However, this scenario can weaken the process of developing the attribute from this perspective, as it limits access to other levels of care and compromises its structuring elements and dimensions and, consequently, the continuity of care.