Avaliação dos cursos de qualificação para o enfrentamento e controle da obesidade no estado do Tocantins

Abstract

Professional qualification in topics such as obesity becomes important considering the scenario of increasing prevalence of this Chronic Non-Communicable Disease throughout the country, associated with the challenges inherent to the role of managers and health professionals in the Unified Health System (SUS). The National Policy for Permanent Education in Health recommends that health professionals be qualified to improve assistance to the community in the territory in which they work, considering the particularities of each location. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the learning process, describing the skills and abilities improved by participants in a qualification course to combat and control obesity in the state of Tocantins. This is an observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study, carried out in the eight health regions of the state of Tocantins, from October 2022 to January 2023. To carry out the qualification course in the state, 347 health professionals and 139 municipal health managers. A total of 171 professionals and 47 managers completed the course, who were invited to participate in this research. A questionnaire was prepared containing approximately 30 questions relating to (I) Identification; (II) Improved knowledge and skills; (III) Health promotion and obesity prevention actions carried out after qualification; and (IV) Organization of care. The questionnaire was sent to all course participants via Google forms® and was answered by 40 managers and 124 health professionals. In the course aimed at managers, there was a predominance of participation by coordinators and/or directors of Primary Care (55%), from the Médio Norte Araguaia and Bico do Papagaio health regions (22.5%). The majority of nurses (48.4%) from Primary Health Care, working in the Capim Dourado region (27.4%), participated in the course for health professionals. In general, the results show that the course positively influenced the performance of qualified professionals and managers. Both managers and health professionals consider that the approaches, conduct and strategies covered in the qualification course were the themes that most contributed to their performance in caring for people with obesity. 58.1% of health professionals and 52.5% of managers recognize the Basic Health Unit (UBS) as a strategic point for the care of people with obesity in the Health Care Network and psychological care was the most cited service among those available for health care for people with obesity, corresponding to 89.5% and 95%, respectively. Furthermore, the main actor present in Primary Health Care (PHC) teams is the nurse, as mentioned by 92.7% of professionals and 100% of managers, and collective actions are the main strategies adopted after the course for advancement in the organization of care for people with obesity (75% of managers and 46.8% of health professionals). Furthermore, 60% of managers and 50.8% of participating professionals report that they are in the process of implementing/implementing the overweight and obesity care line. In this way, it appears that professional qualification was capable of improving knowledge, skills and abilities that enabled the development of individual and collective actions for Health Promotion and Prevention of Obesity and illnesses among health professionals; and expanded managers' vision of the importance of organizing care for people with obesity in municipalities. However, strategies need to be proposed to increase the participation of both audiences in Continuing Education activities.