The role of educator in food and nutrition by health professionals in the context of Family Health Care

CARVALHO-GEBRAN, Fernanda Werbicky; VINCHA, Kellem Regina Rosendo; CERVATO-MANCUSO, Ana Maria

doi:10.1590/1678-98652018000100007

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Sumário

ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Rev Nutr 31 (1) • Jan-Feb 2018 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-98652018000100007 copy

The role of educator in food and nutrition by health professionals in the context of Family Health Care

A atuação de educador em alimentação e nutrição pelos profissionais da saúde no contexto da Saúde da Família

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to understand the role of health professionals in educational groups that have food and nutrition as their theme.

Methods

Qualitative research was conducted in the city of São Paulo, with professionals from the Family Health Strategy. Interviews were conducted to understand the professionals’ perceptions of the roles played in groups. These were analyzed using the Discourse of the Collective Subject technique. The groups’ observations on the performance of the professionals in their mediations were analyzed, based on the following items: meeting organization, communication, support, participation, confirmation of messages, and encouragement to ask questions.

Results

Twenty-two professionals from different backgrounds were interviewed, and 23 groups of different configurations were observed. The speeches showed that the professionals recognize themselves as organizers, mediators, and evaluators of the groups. Under the topic of organization, teamwork was highlighted. In mediation, there was an assumption of different types of performance that are inserted in conceptions of banking education and dialogical education. In the theme of evaluation, conflict and contradiction arose, pointing out the complexity of approaching a group theme when professionals seek a more horizontal posture with users. Observation of the groups revealed a duality between discourse and professional practice, which is surrounded by contradictions inserted into academic formation and the work process of the teams.

Conclusion

It was possible to understand the complexity of the practice of professionals when approaching the theme in groups, evidencing the need for spaces of care and for permanent education, especially when regarding professionals who use problematic and active approaches.

Keywords
Food and nutrition education; Health personnel; Primary health care

Roles identified		Central Ideas
Group Organizer		1 - I think my role is to organize.
Group Mediator		2 - This is a role of transmission of knowledge.
		3 - I think my role is to raise awareness.
		4 - I think that this is a promoter of health.
		5 - I think that this role facilitates the issues that they bring.
		6 - I think my work in the group is to create bonds.
Group Evaluator		7 - I think this role generates change.
Group Evaluator		8 - I think this role is one of putting me in their place.

Central Idea		Collective Subject Discourse
I think my role is to organize		I think my role is to organize the topics that we will discuss, in addition to bringing in a professional in the area of nutrition to strengthen and deepen the issues, and working with the literature on nutrition. But in order to do so, for example, to make a healthy cake, it is necessary to help the staff who receives me here as they are within the team: the community agents and the nursing assistants. Making a recipe is very good and attracts more participants than theoretical knowledge. Today I see that I bring the things that they like, and I feel valued (CSD-CI1).

Central Ideas	The Collective Subject Discourse
This is a role of knowledge transmission	This is a role of guidance, due to the issue of technical, scientific, and theoretical knowledge. I am a multiplier of my knowledge to them. It is an important role, because they have many doubts, and believe many myths, and I believe that if we weren't here, who would guide them? (CSD-CI2).
I think my role is to raise awareness	I think that my role in the group is fundamental for their awareness, because they often know how to act, but they don’t have guidance, that direction, the formation of a plan so that they can have better health, regardless of medication itself. And with that, we will gradually change the habits of the patients, one step at a time (CSD-CI3).
I think that this is a role of health promoter	In addition to education, which I think is even a little more important (laughs), promoter of health. I think that this is the word: promotion, because people get very stuck in education (laughs). Sometimes the exchange of experiences makes promotion much stronger than if I talk, talk, talk, just because I know, know, know (CSD-CI4).
I think that this is a role that facilitates the issues that they bring	We have to be attentive to the needs of the participants, to achieve goals and transmit what we want to transmit to them. I try to facilitate the anguishing issues that they bring, valuing common knowledge and trying to direct them. Never judging, but trying to be co-responsive for care, to the extent that I’m giving them more information (CSD-CI5).
I think my work in the group is to create bonds	My group work is extremely important, because we have created a nice bond with the patients. We see them every week and this creates a friendship, a trust (CSD-CI6).

Central Idea		Collective Subject Discourse
I think that it is a role that generates change		I work with a lot of desire for them to change. For me, change has to occur, but I feel frustrated, I’ll find that I’m talking and it does not produce any effect. Sometimes I scold them to start doing things right [...] (CSD-CI7).
I think this role is one of putting me in their place		I try to do the most to allow them to change, even though I always hit the same button, I know that it is difficult to change eating habits. I say to them: “Don’t follow my model because I am not a model”, because I’m talking about food and I am fat. So, I put myself in their place, to speak of my experience, how it is in my house, how it was, without getting anxious [...] (CSD-CI8).

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