Mental health care technologies: Primary Care practices and processes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the technologies of mental health care used in the practices and processes that constitute Primary Health Care from the discourses of nurses of the Family Health Strategy. Method: Qualitative approach based on the dialectical hermeneutic composition which aims to perform a comprehensive and critical analysis of semi-structured interviews, and free field observation. Results: From the empirical material analyzed, two essential analytical categories emerged: “Health technologies used in PHC for the care of users with psychological distress” and “To stop medicating suffering and to Train professionals”. Final considerations: The study pointed the reception and matrixing as the main technologies of care exercised in the interface of Primary Health Care with Mental Health. However, there was a need for reinforcing actions for matrixing, for training in order to improve the professionals’ autonomy in face of this demand, as well as the importance of stop medicating individuals with psychological distress.