Avaliação da organização da atenção nutricional no município de Caicó-RN

Abstract

Introduction: Primary Health Care (ABS) is known as the main and first gateway to the SUS. Within the scope of primary care, the nutrition professional must follow the actions that are based on the National Food and Nutrition Policy (PNAN) and which are already part of the Primary Care agenda. According to the PNAN, nutritional care is defined as care related to food and nutrition aimed at promoting and protecting health, preventing, diagnosing and treating injuries, which must be associated with the other health care actions of the SUS, for individuals , families and communities, contributing to the formation of an integrated, problem-solving and humanized care network. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the organization of nutritional care in the city of Caicó-RN Methodology: The study is cross-sectional and quantitative. All health professionals working in PC in the city of Caicó-RN were invited to participate in the research, as well as professionals involved in PC management and nutritionists linked to the city hall. Data collection was performed using the Nutritional Care Organization Assessment Instrument (IAAN). Data were presented descriptively. Results: 57 professionals were interviewed, with at least one professional from each UBS. Of the 6 nutritionists interviewed, 3 were residents and another 3 were linked to the health department. As for the organization of nutritional care, 63.1% (n=36) of the interviewees answered that there was no nutrition professional working at the UBS. With regard to intersectoral actions, most professionals (63.1%) reported not having teaching-service partnerships, given that residents and nutrition interns are concentrated in four health units and the others are left without coverage. Some Food and Nutrition Education actions are carried out in partnership with education, as is the case of the School Health Program (PSE), in which 34 professionals (59%) from the ESF said they participated. Although the number of UBS with nutritionists is smaller, these are still the ones that most promote actions based on the Food Guide for the Brazilian population.Conclusion: Nutritional care in Caicó has some weaknesses, resulting from the insufficient number of professionals and low coverage of the proposed demands. With regard to intersectoral actions, although Caicó is known as a university town, there is still a weakness in the teaching-service interaction and partnership. On the other hand, the presence of the Multidisciplinary Residency Program in Primary Care at UFRN plays a very important role, as residents end up filling the shortage of SUS professionals.