Manners of producing care and universality of access in primary health care

Abstract

This study is a literature review in the SciELO, Lilacs, BVS, and Medline databases, aiming to analyze how the work of professionals in primary health care in Brazil contributes to the universal access to health services. Of 901 articles, 52 were included, published between January 2005 and October 2015. The findings evidence elements of the work that influence its ability to ensure access, related to manners of producing care that extend access to health actions. The following elements are highlighted: labor standards; spaces that promote encounters (hosting, home visits, matrix support, and collective activities); training/experience of the worker; relationship with the user and with the territory; bond and accountability; respect for autonomy and different types of knowledge and culture; knowledge of local reality; workload; and professional valuation/satisfaction. The manners of producing care described contribute to extend the access, both for the existence of trust, bond, and ability to respond to the demands presented by users, as for the organization of services so they become more flexible and attentive to the health needs of individual and collective subjects.