Community orientation and cultural competence: a training proposal for Primary Health Care professionals

Abstract

Objectives: To report the experience of building and systematizing a training proposal aimed at strengthening the attributes derived from Primary Health Care – cultural competence and community orientation – from the perspective of professionals of the Family Health Strategy. Description of the experience: Developed as a Technical Product of a dissertation linked to the Professional Master's Degree in Family Health, the training proposal was methodologically based on the principles of Permanent Education in Health. The starting point was the realization of a focus group with doctors, nurses and dental surgeons working in the PHC of Santa Cruz Cabrália – Bahia. The script, based on the Primary Care Assessment Instrument, sought to explore perceptions, difficulties and strategies related to the practice of the attributes cultural competence and community orientation. Among some of the results of the focus group are: the recognition of the understanding of the local needs and potential of the territory for care focused on the demands of the local population; the need to plan actions that allow culturally sensitive practices oriented to the preferences and beliefs of the community, in addition to the participatory construction between professionals and users in the strengthening of links between service and territory. From listening and exchanging experiences, a course was systematized consisting of six thematic workshops, integrating theory and practice, with active methodologies, participatory planning and appreciation of the territory as a pedagogical space. It is intended that at the end of the training proposal the professionals will be more sensitive and able to recognize values, beliefs and specific needs of different social and cultural groups of the enrolled community. Conclusions: The experience demonstrated the potential of listening and collective construction as transformative pedagogical devices. The training proposal values the sociocultural singularities of the territories and encourages more inclusive care practices.