Home Visits in Brazil: characteristics of the baseline activity of Community Health Workers

ABSTRACT

Characterization of home visits performed by Community Health Workers in Brazil. Cross-sectional study, with random sampling by clusters. 1.526 agents interviewed, distributed in 100 municipalities. The majority of the agents were women, with complete secondary education and a median age of 39 years. Households visits are frequently performed by 99.1% of the agents, with 67.4% making at least one monthly visit. Visiting families with infants and pregnant women at intervals of up to 15 days was reported by 70.4% of the agents; while frequently scheduled visits with other professionals from the unit were reported by 40.3%; and 80.9% adopted criteria for its accomplishment. During visits, more than 45% of the agents provided information about health services and reviewed vaccination cards; between 20% and 25% delivered and guided the use of medicines, weighed children and registered families; less than 20% verified environmental conditions and actively searched for defaulters. These shortfalls may be associated with low team participation during the visit's planning, indicating problems in the organization of the agents' work process. Nonetheless, the importance of home visits in the development of actions of health promotion and injury prevention within the scope of Primary Health Care is highlighted.

KEYWORDS
Community Health Workers; Primary Healthy Care; Home calls