School Health Program: potential and limits of the intersectoral articulation to promote the health of children

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study aimed to understand the potential and limits of the intersectoral articulation of the School Health Program for the promotion of children’s health from the perspective of primary care professionals. This research had a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory approach, carried out with 20 health professionals from different professional categories, in four municipalities in the Greater Florianópolis. Data collection was carried out through interviews from November 2020 to March 2021. The data underwent content analysis and discussed according to the theoretical framework of health promotion. It stood out as potential: monitoring the health conditions of schoolchildren, expanding access to health information, partnership with other sectors, and the creation of links with the school community. The limits highlighted were the partial coverage of the school network, the lack of knowledge about the program, the overload of activities, the lack of human resources and infrastructure, and the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is concluded that there is a need to strengthen the School Health Program as a public policy with the purpose of implementing articulated actions between health and education so that they can actually improve schoolchildren’s quality of life and act on their social determinants.