Participative research and comprehensive child healthcare promotion strategies in the Brazilian National Health System (SUS)

Abstract

The article discusses methodological aspects of an investigation aimed at promoting the involvement of participants as a challenge. We were interested in understanding how family health teams made sense of the child handbook - Caderneta de Saúde da Criança, and child development. The intervention-research promoted the sharing of viewpoints among researchers and providers in focal groups with the use of narratives making it possible for the participants to become key players of the proposed investigation. The implementation of the strategy promoted: 1) the greater ownership of the instrument, 2) the deepening and repositioning regarding crystalized issues in the functioning of teams, and 3 ) the validation of research results. These results indicate that there is a contribution of participatory research to the consolidation of SUS because they propose access to a common plan as methodological strategy and promote greater engagement of the teams in relation to the proposed themes.

Community-based participatory research; Intervention-research; Child health; Child Health Handbook