Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva - FACISA
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/24559
Browse
27 results
Search Results
Master Thesis Linhas de cuidado do sobrepeso e obesidade no SUS: sistematização de conhecimentos e desenvolvimento de ferramenta de apoio à organização do cuidado(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-24) Queiroga Júnior, Ubiratan Matias de; Medeiros, Anna Cecilia Queiroz de; Garcia, Ligia Rejane Siqueira; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6039-481X; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9480599528581047; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7664-4959; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6897910777769874; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8629-1931; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8135738467721121; Rolim, Ana Carine Arruda; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0447-9683; http://lattes.cnpq.br/9471678445935347; Reis, Erika Cardoso dos; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4459-9345; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8593119206782533INTRODUCTION: Excess weight is a chronic condition that represents one of the main challenges for Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). As a strategy to organize care for individuals with overweight and obesity, the Ministry of Health established the Care Lines for Overweight and Obesity (LCSO). However, more than a decade after the publication of the first regulations on the topic, not all Brazilian states have formalized LCSO, suggesting weaknesses in the implementation of this strategy. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the scientific literature on LCSO within the SUS and to develop a checklist to support the evaluation and development of state and regional LCSO. METHODS: The study was conducted in two stages. The first stage consisted of an exploratory rapid scoping review, following methodologies from the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR, with evidence analysis guided by the SWOT framework. The second stage involved developing a checklist for evaluating and improving LCSO, based on a documentary review, followed by assessment of the instrument by an Expert Committee using the Content Validity Index (CVI). RESULTS: The literature search identified 1,136 records, of which 26 documents were selected for analysis. The SWOT analysis revealed the following strengths of the LCSO: multiprofessional action, user protagonism, and continuing education practices; as opportunities, national policies and programs, intersectoral initiatives, and the use of information technology; as weaknesses, management challenges, insufficient infrastructure, and gaps in professional training and practice; and as threats, limited funding, obesity being treated as an "invisible" health condition, and stigma and fatphobia within health services. Based on the documentary review, the instrument “Quality Verification and Support Checklist for Qualification and Support for the Development of State and Regional Care Lines for People with Overweight and Obesity” was developed. In the expert committee evaluation, all proposed items were deemed valid, and the checklist achieved an overall CVI > 0.80. The final version contains 47 items distributed across eight domains (Population identification; Responsibilities and mapping of available structures; Care provided across points of care, regulation, and care pathways; Clinical Protocols and Therapeutic Guidelines; Monitoring and evaluation; Continuing Education; Funding; and Critical points and improvement needs). CONCLUSION: The literature review provided an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the LCSO, highlighting the need to integrate this topic into planning and management tools, as well as to expand the research agenda on LCSO to support improvement and evaluation processes. In this context, the validated checklist represents a potentially useful tool to support the enhancement and assessment of LCSO and to improve care for people with obesity.Master Thesis Envolvimento do público na co-construção de uma cartilha para o sono saudável na adolescência(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-05-30) Pereira, Thais Kamilla Alves; Souza, Jane Carla de; Moura, Isabelly Cristina Rodrigues Regalado; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6776595559146210; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8769-4273; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5997878957114840; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0029-286X; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6707409446515853; Sousa, Klayton Galante; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7710-7522; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3976136492048222; Quental, Ocilma Barros de; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4075-2755; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1673713633025582Introduction: Adolescence is a phase of transitions with new responsibilities, more autonomy, and emotional, financial and biological changes, such as alterations in the "biological clocks" that regulate the sleep-wake cycle (SWC). Despite the importance of non-pharmacological strategies to improve sleep, many young people neglect sleep hygiene. It is therefore essential to involve them in the development of materials and interventions aimed at promoting healthy sleep. Active public participation in research has brought science and practice closer together and facilitated engagement with evidence-based interventions. Objective: To co-construct a booklet for sleep healthy in adolescence with the involvement of the target audience in all phases of the research. Method: Participatory action research with 5 adolescents in the 2nd year of high school, their guardians (4 mothers, 1 aunt), 3 teachers and 3 sleep specialists. The study was carried out at the IFRN in Santa Cruz/RN. A sociodemographic questionnaire was administered to the adolescents and a sleep knowledge assessment form was administered to the adolescents and their families, as well as a semi-structured questionnaire to the teachers about some aspects in the classroom. Next, for the dialogue and co-construction groups, the Involvement Matrix (IM) was used as a systematized tool to facilitate the participants' engagement in decision-making and the distribution of roles in the research. In the dialog groups, discussions were held to identify the difficulties faced by adolescents in maintaining healthy sleep and, in a collaborative way, to design an intervention booklet that reflected the preferences of the target audience. Results: The adolescents were between 16 and 18 years old, four females and one male, from the same class. The guardians were between 37 and 49 years old, most of whom had completed elementary school. Two specialists had doctorates and one had a master's degree, with an average of 6.33 ± 4.16 years of experience. There were five meetings: presentation of the ME and roles (1st), discussion of strategies (2nd to 4th), and coconstruction and validation of the booklet (5th). Adolescents reported excessive screen use, difficulty sleeping, irregular sleep patterns, tiredness, and drowsiness during the first classes. Teachers reported that adolescents showed signs of irritability and lack of concentration in class. Those responsible for the adolescents expressed concern about excessive use of electronic devices and reported being unaware of sleep hygiene practices. In the co-construction process, the adolescents proposed strategies such as reducing the use of digital devices, especially before bedtime, adopting a routine for eating and organizing school and household tasks; legal guardians contributed with insights about the home routine, such as turning off the TV close to bedtime and adopting habits recommended for quality sleep, in order to set an example for adolescents. The experts guided the discussions to ensure that the strategies presented could be compiled into accessible support material for adolescents, in addition to contributing to the content of the booklet. In the final stage of evaluating the booklet, all participants expressed satisfaction with the co-created material. Conclusions: This study highlighted the perceived effectiveness of the co-construction model and the participatory approach, which facilitated the development of a booklet for sleep disorders and healthy sleep with the specific needs of adolescents and their families, increasing its relevance and acceptability.Master Thesis Narrativas maternas em fóruns on-line brasileiros: experiências de não querer e não conseguir amamentar(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-26) Batista, Mayra Shamara Silva; Medeiros, Anna Cecilia Queiroz de; Queiroz, Pablo Vicente Mendes de Oliveira; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1860289409399187; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7664-4959; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6897910777769874; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6215353551981871; Abreu, Eloá Losano de; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7638785489894819; Rêgo, Francisco Cleiton Vieira Silva do; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8852-6212; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4438529628551741Introduction: Breastfeeding, although widely recommended and associated with numerous benefits, can constitute a complex experience, permeated by difficulties and ambivalences. In the current sociocultural context of constant transformation, this experience takes on new dimensions and challenges, whose understanding is essential to guide health care practices. Objective: To explore, in Brazilian online forums, how the experiences of “not being able to breastfeed” and “not wanting to breastfeed” are expressed and perceived. Methodology: This cross-sectional qualitative study adopted an exploratory and descriptive design. Data were collected from online forums on the BabyCenter (Brazil) platform between 2023 and 2024, identified through searches using the terms “I can’t breastfeed” and “I don’t want to breastfeed.” The retrieved texts (topics and comments) were organized into three corpora: two related to the “cannot” axis and one to the “do not want” axis. The material was analyzed using Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC) with the software Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires (IRaMuTeQ). The results of the automated lexical classification were validated through interpretative coding conducted by three independent researchers. Results: Three textual corpora were analyzed. IRaMuTeQ divided the first corpus into five lexical classes, the second into three, and the third into five lexical classes. The two corpora related to the “cannot breastfeed” axis were organized into eight lexical classes in total, highlighting physical difficulties, pain, insecurity, emotional impact, bonding, and support strategies. The corpus related to the “do not want to breastfeed” axis generated five lexical classes organized around maternal trajectory, breastfeeding mediation resources, lactation interruption, maternal autonomy, and guarantee of rights. In both cases, the forums functioned as spaces for support, information exchange, and validation of maternal trajectories. Final Considerations: This study broadens the discussion on not breastfeeding by recognizing that this experience is shaped by emotional, social, and cultural factors, extending beyond biological aspects. Virtual forums emerge as ecosystems of support and information where normative discourses are questioned and maternal autonomy is fostered. The findings highlight the importance of care practices that support and acknowledge diverse ways of mothering, in alignment with public policies promoting breastfeeding.Master Thesis Desvelando o controle social no SUS: uma análise do funcionamento dos conselhos municipais de saúde na 5ª região (Trairi) do estado do Rio Grande do Norte(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-12-08) Moura, Marília Jacqueline Ferreira de; Almeida Júnior, José Jailson de; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7448-0703; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8768677759534396; https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8134-8476; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4252301590721214; Silva, Catarine Santos da; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2120-9730; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5420075210935645; Morais, Ildone Forte de; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4105309896093472; Telles, Maurício Wiering Pinto; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5568-6877; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3146268167204989Introduction: This dissertation, organized as a collection of scientific articles, analyzes the exercise of social control in the Unified Health System through the functioning of the Municipal Health Councils (CMS) of the 5th Health Region – Trairi, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The CMS are collegiate bodies for deliberation, oversight, and formulation of public policies, as established by Law No. 8.142/1990, and constitute essential pillars of participatory democracy in the SUS. The study begins by recognizing these councils as instruments of social control and spaces for dialogue between the state and society, while also identifying challenges related to the autonomy, representativeness, and effectiveness of their actions. Objective: To analyze the functioning of the Municipal Health Councils of the 5th Region of Trairi, Rio Grande do Norte, revealing their practices, limitations, and potential for strengthening social control and popular participation in the Unified Health System. Methodology: This is a qualitative study conducted between 2024 and 2025, involving 47 councilors from seven municipalities in the 5th Health Region (Trairi), representing the segments of users, workers, and managers/service providers. Data were produced through focus groups, subsequently transcribed, and subjected to Content Analysis (Bardin, 1977; 2016) with the support of IRaMuTeQ software. The empirical corpus, composed of 429 texts and 999 text segments, was processed and resulted in three thematic classes, which gave rise to the three scientific articles that comprise this collection. Results: The results indicate that the Municipal Health Councils in the Trairi region play a relevant role in the participatory management of the Unified Health System , although they present political, formative, and structural weaknesses that limit their performance. The first article addresses social representations, the length of participation, and the relationship with municipal management, highlighting the challenges of political autonomy and the influence of local administrations. The second article analyzes the internal organization of the CMS, focusing on committees and boards of directors, highlighting processes of centralization and weaknesses in the implementation of deliberative parity. The third article discusses popular participation and social communication, highlighting the distance between councilors and the community, as well as the lack of strategies for mobilization and social dialogue. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that, despite their limitations, the CMS constitute legitimate spaces for representation, political learning, and the exercise of citizenship. Final Considerations: It is concluded that strengthening social control in the SUS requires investment in continuing education, ensuring institutional autonomy, improving information flows, and expanding communication channels with civil society. Despite facing structural and political challenges, the Municipal Health Councils (CMS) of the 5th Trairi Region reveal democratic potential and practices of resistance that contribute to the consolidation of social participation in the Unified Health System . This dissertation, by bringing together three complementary articles, reaffirms the importance of these councils as mediating spaces between the State and society and as fundamental instruments for improving participatory management and social oversight in health.Master Thesis Comportamento alimentar e percepção sobre o apoio familiar no tratamento da obesidade em mulheres(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-09-30) Silva, Franciane Pereira da; Freitas, Rafaela Carolini de Oliveira; Silva, Catarine Santos da; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2120-9730; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5420075210935645; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0644-668X; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4017906740512071; Oliveira, Kalyane Kelly Duarte de; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7713-3264; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4437324318943452; Orange, Luciana Gonçalves de; http://lattes.cnpq.br/0614700156868857Obesity is a highly relevant topic in public health due to its growing impact and the common comorbidities associated with it. The stigma surrounding obesity hinders treatment, with women suffering considerably more than men, primarily due to aesthetic pressures. This study aimed to analyze the eating behavior of women receiving care in primary health services and their perceptions of the influence of family support on obesity treatment. It is a mixed-methods, observational, cross-sectional study conducted in the municipalities of Tenório (PB) and Parelhas (RN), using a convenience sample. Data collection included a socioeconomic questionnaire, application of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire – R21 (TFEQ-21), semistructured interviews, and the development of genograms and ecomaps. A total of 53 adult women diagnosed with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) were evaluated, predominantly young and middle-aged, mostly Black or Brown, and showing relevant tendencies toward uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and cognitive restraint. Perceptions of family support were contradictory: in some cases, spouses and support networks acted as protective factors, favoring lifestyle changes, while in others, they represented barriers through criticism and lack of participation in the treatment process. Genograms and ecomaps highlighted the importance of emotional, financial, and practical support, as well as the influence of the broader social environment, including extended relatives, friends, and the internet. In conclusion, addressing obesity in women requires a multidimensional approach that considers socioeconomic, family, and emotional factors, with interventions aimed at strengthening support networks and reducing stigma, thereby enabling greater adherence to treatment.Master Thesis Vigilância Popular em Saúde: a tradução do conhecimento na construção dialógica de uma tecnologia educacional(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-26) Lopes, Pablo Matheus da Silva; Guedes, Dimitri Taurino; Silva, Mercês de Fátima dos Santos; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1818-7665; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7575524707167845; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1813083811932848; Silva, José Marcos da; Telles, Mauricio Wiering Pinto; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5568-6877; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3146268167204989Introduction: Popular Health Surveillance emerges as a political and pedagogical practice built from community organization, popular education, and the production of situated knowledge, in response to socioenvironmental inequities experienced in territories and to the invisibilization of illness processes produced by structural inequality. This study is situated within this debate by understanding the territory as a living space for the production of meaning, care, and resistance, in which surveillance is not limited to technical monitoring but is constituted as a collective action oriented toward the defense of life. Objective: the study aimed to develop and validate a self-instructional educational technology, territorially grounded, designed to strengthen practices of social mobilization, collective care, and participatory monitoring of health and the environment. Additionally, it sought to critically reflect on the formative pathway that preceded the development of the material, highlighting the production of Popular Health Surveillance conducted by the subjects and social movements involved in the project. Materials and methods: the research adopted a methodological development design articulated with participatory action research, assuming a processual, formative, and dialogical character. The methodological pathway included a literature review and prior field activities, such as articulation workshops, Culture Circles, talking maps, and other participatory methodologies, which constituted the formative process itself and generated theoretical, methodological, and experiential inputs for the design of the guide. The development of the material considered accessible language, territorially grounded iconography, and coherence with the principles of popular education. Validation occurred in two stages, one with consultants who had scientific production and experience in the field of Popular Health Surveillance, using the Content Validity Index, and another with the participant public, aiming to assess comprehension, cultural relevance, and practical applicability of the educational technology. Results: the expert validation process resulted in an overall Content Validity Index of 0.80, accompanied by substantive revisions that enhanced intercultural translation, conceptual consistency, and the mobilizing potential of educational technology. The participatory stage with the intended audience, conducted through a discussion circle, confirmed a favorable consensus regarding the usefulness of the material and its cultural representativeness, demonstrating recognition of its alignment with concrete territorial needs and its capacity to support collective practices for addressing socioenvironmental problems. Final consideration:. it is concluded that Popular Health Surveillance is affirmed as a practice that articulates knowledge, strengthens community bonds, and expands the autonomy of subjects, surpassing the technicist logic of traditional surveillance. The dissertation contributes to the conceptual and methodological advancement of the field and provides a validated educational technology with the potential to qualify professional practices and to strengthen emancipatory processes guided by the ethics of popular education.Master Thesis Acesso, cuidado compartilhado e participação do parceiro na gestação de alto risco no Sistema Único de Saúde(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-24) Araújo, Maria Juliana da Silva Rocha; Bay Júnior, Osvaldo de Goes; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1017-2346; http://lattes.cnpq.br/2537976144708382; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8688434479400685; Marinho, Cristiane da Silva Ramos; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6533587332872383; Silva, Cícera Renata Diniz Vieira; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0928-8368; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8842460114307022; Rêgo, Francisco Cleiton Vieira Silva do; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8852-6212; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4438529628551741Introduction: Maternal Mortality (MM) is a persistent indicator of social inequity and systemic failures in public health. High-Risk Prenatal Care (HRPC) is a crucial strategy for its reduction, requiring coordinated, continuous, and specialized assistance. Objective: In this context, the present study aimed to analyze the perceptions of high-risk pregnant women regarding barriers to access, shared care, and partner involvement in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Method: The research adopted a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory approach, conducted in a maternity hospital in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. Sampling was by convenience, with the final analysis comprising 19 participants. Data collection occurred between October and November 2024 through recorded semi-structured interviews. Data analysis utilized Bardin's Content Analysis (2011) and the Atlas.ti software, and the study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) of FACISA-UFRN. Results: Results revealed that although the structural model of shared care between Primary Health Care (PHC) and specialized services is established and seeks integrality with multidisciplinary teams, its efficacy is undermined by operational failures in network management. Institutional disarticulation leads to critical scheduling delays (return extended beyond one month), transforming clinical risk into managerial risk. The main obstacles cited are the demands of the work routine and the impossibility of taking time off for appointments, incompatible schedules, lack of interest, and marital conflicts. This absence, often restricted to ultrasound exams, highlights a discrepancy between the woman's expectation and the reality, generating frustration, insecurity, and a feeling of affective neglect. This male absence is reinforced by an exclusionary cultural logic that devalues the man's role in care, limiting him to financial provision. The fragility of this conjugal support intensifies maternal stress and anxiety, potentially aggravating the high-risk condition. Conclusion: It is concluded that the ideal HRPC structure is doubly compromised by administrative inefficiency (systemic failure) and limited partner participation (socio-cultural barrier), collectively transforming operational obstacles into clinical risk and socioeconomic vulnerability. There is an urgent need for the administrative improvement of the network so that inter-federative co-management translates into efficiency, and for the implementation of intersectoral policies (health, work, and education) to promote the effective inclusion of partners, ensuring equity, integrality, and the reduction of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality.Master Thesis Prevenção de lesão por pressão em pessoas idosas acamadas: guia para profissionais de enfermagem da atenção primária à saúde(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-19) Souza, Paloma da Silva Alves de; Oliveira, Luciane Paula Batista Araújo de; Lino, Cristiane Ribeiro de Melo; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8684-4065; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4601757822031286; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1629-8991; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6856229797544372; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5342-1595; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5059195859522832; Barros, Wanessa Cristina Tomaz dos Santos; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1924-3278; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1499146101830829; Pontes, Maria de Lourdes de Farias; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5187-6876; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8451475270151725Pressure injury (PI) is a prevalent condition among bedridden older adults, negatively affecting quality of life, patient safety, and healthcare costs. In Primary Health Care (PHC), effective prevention requires systematic practices, continuous risk assessment, and ongoing training of the nursing team. This methodologicalstudy aimed to develop a practical, evidence-based guide to support nursing professionals in preventing PI in bedridden older adults receiving home care. The study was conducted in two stages: an integrative literature review carried out in the BVS, SciELO, and CAPES Portal databases between 2017 and 2025, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, which resulted in the selection of 38 scientific articles; and the subsequent development of the guide, grounded in the findings of the review and in official documents such as those from ANVISA and the NPIAP. The analysis revealed a high vulnerability of older adults to PI and the absence of standardized tools specifically adapted to the PHC context. It also highlighted risk factors associated with immobility, inadequate nutrition, excessive moisture, skin fragility, and caregiver overload. These findings supported the construction of a structured guide containing updated definitions and classifications of PI, instructions for applying the Braden Scale, evidence-based preventive strategies, educational recommendations for caregivers, and guidelines for documentation and monitoring. Ethical considerations were ensured, as thisstudy relied exclusively on publicly available bibliographic data. The developed guide represents an important educational technology to standardize care, strengthen patient safety, and support clinical nursing practice in PHC, with the potential to reduce the occurrence of PI and improve home care for bedridden older adults.Master Thesis Equidade no trabalho em saúde: um olhar interseccional sobre a realidade de agentes de saúde de um município do nordeste brasileiro(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-11-06) Silva, Leticia Luana Claudino da; Telles, Mauricio Wiering Pinto; Almeida Júnior, José Jailson de; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7448-0703; http://lattes.cnpq.br/8768677759534396; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5568-6877; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3146268167204989; https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9536-1080; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4803862764961945; Magalhães, Adriana Gomes; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0279-5930; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5918222264099117; Almeida, Erika Rodrigues de; http://lattes.cnpq.br/3923118246437283Introduction: Equity in health is one of the fundamental principles of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), being an essential condition for ensuring the universal right to health and the consolidation of social justice. Guaranteeing equitable conditions within the SUS is not limited to institutional organization but also represents a political and ethical commitment to social justice. Understanding how inequalities manifest in the daily practices of health professionals, especially those on the front lines of care, is essential for consolidating a fairer and more humanized system. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze, from an intersectional perspective, the perceptions of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Endemic Disease Control Workers (EDCWs) from a municipality in Northeastern Brazil regarding the inequities experienced in their daily work. Methodology: This is a qualitative and exploratory study conducted with 15 participants. The study population consisted of CHWs and EDCWs working in the SUS of a Northeastern Brazilian municipality. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and processed using the iRaMuTeQ software, analyzed according to Bardin’s Content Analysis technique. The interpretation of the results was guided by the theoretical framework of intersectionality and the concept of equity in health. Results: The findings revealed that experiences of inequality intersect through social markers such as gender, race, class, age, and sexuality, showing that inequities go beyond the sphere of user care and also affect health workers. The thematic categories addressed disrespect toward identities and diversity, institutional and territorial barriers to healthcare access, precarious working conditions, and emotional overload, especially among women. It was also observed that the naturalization of these inequalities compromises the full realization of the principle of equity within the SUS. Final considerations: Promoting equity in healthcare work requires recognizing and confronting the multiple dimensions ofstructural inequalities that permeate the daily lives of health workers. It was found that weaknesses in work management and health education policies aggravate these inequalities, limiting opportunities for professional development, recognition, and the promotion of healthy work environments. Intersectionality proved to be a powerful framework for understanding the invisible layers of inequality within healthcare work and, at the same time, for indicating paths of transformation. The strengthening of public policies and continuing education initiatives is emphasized as a strategy in the pursuit of more equitable and humanized healthcare work.Master Thesis Saúde e sentido profissional dos sepultadores da região do Trairi Potiguar(Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 2025-08-28) Silva, Josefa Eucliza Casado Freires da; Guedes, Dimitri Taurino; Agra, Glenda; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4881187066358568; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1818-7665; http://lattes.cnpq.br/7575524707167845; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1066-0574; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4515080147724811; Lucena, Eleazar Marinho de Freitas; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6188571106198506; Neves, Robson da Fonseca; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3889-560X; http://lattes.cnpq.br/1106268293952370Introduction: Gravediggers play a fundamental role in cemetery activities, as assistants to the funeral service. These professionals are responsible for building, cleaning, opening, and closing graves, as well as performing burials, exhumations, and cremations of corpses. Although this work has deep roots in human history, the field of undertakers remains in need of significant improvements to ensure their rights, social appreciation, and recognition of the complexities involved in their work. Objective: To analyze the work experiences of undertakers in the Trairi Potiguar region and their repercussions on health. Method: This is a qualitative study with an exploratory approach, conducted in cemeteries in the Trairi Potiguar region, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Eight gravediggers aged 18 years or older were included. The data collection instrument was a semi-structured script with questions regarding the working conditions, health, and professional experience of gravediggers. The interviews were conducted between November 14, 2024, and January 16, 2025, with each interview lasting approximately 30 minutes. For data analysis, Content Analysis was used with the aid of IRaMuTEQ® software, which enables the analysis of the textual corpus with a simple and understandable interface. Results and discussion: The resulting textual corpus consisted of 8 texts divided into 408 textual segments, of which 310 were processed by the software, with a utilization rate of 75.98%. The study resulted in a sample of gravediggers, with active employment, between temporary contracts and civil service exams, working in municipal cemeteries in the Trairi Potiguar region. The analysis allowed for the construction of thematic categories according to the Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC), which express dimensions of the gravediggers' experience, namely: Class 1- The dead body as an object of work and the symbolic emptying of mourning (24.8%); Class 2- Invisible routine and excessive working hours (25.8%); Class 3- Technical execution and little social recognition (23.2%); and Class 4- Precarious employment relationship (26.1%). The Similarity Tree revealed four major clusters: Cluster 1 - “grave”; Cluster 2 - “cemetery”; Cluster 3 - “gravedigger”; 4 - “family.” The triangulation of the CHD and the Similarity Tree demonstrates consistency between the highlighted clusters and the thematic categories. Final considerations: The association between the study evidence and the thematic categories reveals that gravediggers face a cycle of invisibility and precariousness at work, suffering in silence and without institutional recognition.