Psychology intervention report: social identity of the community health agent

Abstract

The profession of Community Health Agent (ACS) is still new in Brazil's National Health System (SUS). Therefore, it is perceived that there are certain difficulties in the comprehension of this professional's identity, due to his characteristic of acting as a link between the Primary Healthcare Unit (UBS) and the community. The objective of this article is to report on an intervention in Psychology carried out with Community Health Agents from a UBS located in the continental region of Vitória (Southeastern Brazil). The intervention aimed to identify social identity aspects that interfere in the quality of life and in the work of this professional. Fifteen workshops with an average of eleven participants were held between the months of June and December of 2008. Some questions were perceived in the group: interaction difficulties within the group and with the other professionals from the unit; low sense of belonging; low self-esteem; difficulty in constructing alternatives of change. With the work done by the Psychology, it was possible to perceive changes in the way that the agents dealt with the daily problems, thinking of the group in a collective way and perceiving their profession as something important to the SUS. This enabled, despite the questions inherent in the professional praxis, to construct strategies to deal with the difficulties and promote quality of life in the workplace.