Supply of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the Family Health Strategy in Brazil

Abstract:

The article analyzes the supply of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the Family Health Strategy (FHS), based on the agreement between answers by administrators and health professionals. This was a quantitative descriptive-exploratory study using two databases, the National Survey on Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health in the Unified National Health System (SUS) and the National Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Basic Care (PMAQ). According to the administrators, the supply of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices was present in the FHS in 26.7% of the municipalities participating in the National Survey, compared to 25.5% of the municipalities according to the health professionals in the PMAQ. Of the 1,478 municipalities that participated in both surveys, in 8.6% there was an agreement of answers on the supply of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the FHS. The municipalities with the greatest agreement in the supply were those with small populations and greater coverage of basic care. The small proportion of municipalities with this supply according to both administrators and health professionals supports the hypothesis that the health professionals are the main force responsible for the expansion of Integrative and Complementary Health Practices in the SUS, as compared to initiatives by administrators. This scenario reflects the need for administrators to take greater stock of what is developed in the FHS to strengthen Integrative and Complementary Health Practices and to mobilize the institutional resources for their maintenance and expansion.

Keywords:
Primary Health Care; Complementary Therapies; Family Health Strategy