ABSTRACT
This paper aimed to analyze the profile of managers of Basic Health Units in Criciúma. This is a descriptive, qualitative and quantitative study. After approval by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP), data collection was developed through a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group from April to June 2016 with 84 participants. Information from the National Register of Health Facilities subsidized the construction of the profile of managers and the qualitative analysis of the municipality of Criciúma in the light of the national panorama. In Brazil, there are managers in 6% of establishments in general and in 13% of the Units. In Criciúma, 1% of the facilities and 2% of the Units. The results of the managers’ profiles show that they have an average of 30,5 years, 76% are women, with a nursing education, having an average of 3 years in the public service, 0,7 years in average as the manager of the current unit. Regarding the education level, 74% are post-graduated, 32% said they have already done or are doing some post-graduation. The profile of the managers of the Units of Criciúma coincides with that presented in the literature. The complexity of the health sector requires powerful management approaches, extra-sectoral resources and interaction of the various actors involved in the situation.
KEYWORDS
Health planning; Health manager; Primary Health Care