The relation between the Family Health Strategy and Health Surveillance from the perspective of family health team physicians in Minas Gerais, Brasil: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

This study evaluated the knowledge of the Family Health Strategy team physicians about Health Surveillance and related areas to verify the relation between these sectors, allowing to identify the positive points and critical nodes that undermine the integration between them. A focus group was conducted with eight physicians from municipalities in the countryside of Minas Gerais. The average working time of professionals in FHS was 5.7 ± 3.25 years and the average working time in SUS was 6.8 ± 3.33 years. Three thematic categories were identified, namely, “Understanding Health Surveillance”, “Recognized Surveillance” and “Relation of Primary Care Professionals with Health Surveillance”. Health Surveillance was perceived as responsible for disease control and prevention, as well as for guiding the planning of health actions. The most recognized types of vigilance was Epidemiological Surveillance and Sanitary Surveillance. The main critical nodes identified are associated with a lack of mutual knowledge and interaction between Primary Care and Health Surveillance, which consequently leads to the low involvement and integration of these areas in the process of notification, monitoring and resolution of diseases and grievances of shared responsibility.