Profile and Knowledge of Community Health Agents (CHAS) of Cajamar City, Brazil

AbstractCommunity Health Agents (CHAs) are important collaborators in combating illnesses related to poor eating habits. The objective of this work was to verify the knowledge of the community health workers of Cajamar city about food and the main diseases related to bad eating habits. This is a cross-sectional study, conducted from August to September 2011, in Cajamar city, Sao Paulo by trained interviewers. 57 HCWs were interviewed who answered two questionnaires, the first to characterize them and the second to obtain data on basic knowledge about food and the main diseases related to poor eating habits. 96.5% of the CHA were female, had an average of 34 years, 88.1% had two children, predominance of complete high school (56.1%; n=32). They had the function of CHAs as the main source of income, receiving up to three minimum wages and exercising it for at least six months (52.6%). When the subject was food, 94.5% report that they are the first to address the issue. The main difficulties were that people did not follow the guidelines (43%) and lack of knowledge (40%). There was a good performance in the issues regarding chronic diseases (76.6% of hits) and risk groups (97%). In questions about food groups and food security, there was low performance (rate of hits of 55.2% and 55.3%, respectively). The qualification of CSAs is fundamental for the improvement of the work performed, being important the use of educational strategies that provide continuous learning. Keywords: Community Health Workers. Food Assistance. Family Health Strategy. Primary Health Care. ResumoOs Agentes Comunitarios de Saude (ACS) sao importantes colaboradores no combate de doencas relacionadas aos maus habitos alimentares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o conhecimento dos ACS do municipio de Cajamar sobre alimentacao e as principais doencas relacionadas aos maus habitos alimentares. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado no periodo de agosto a setembro de 2011, no municipio de Cajamar, Sao Paulo por entrevistadores treinados. Foram entrevistados 57 ACS que responderam a dois questionarios, o primeiro com intuito de caracteriza-los e o segundo para obter dados quanto aos conhecimentos basicos sobre alimentacao e as principais doencas relacionadas aos maus habitos alimentares. 96,5% dos ACS eram do sexo feminino, possuiam em media 34 anos, 88,1% possuiam dois filhos, predominância de ensino medio completo (56,1%; n=32). Possuiam a funcao de ACS como principal fonte de renda, recebendo ate tres salarios minimos e exercendo-a ha pelo menos seis meses (52,6%). Quando o assunto foi alimentacao, 94,5% relatam que sao os primeiros a abordar o assunto. As principais dificuldades encontradas foram que as pessoas nao seguem as orientacoes (43%) e a falta de conhecimentos (40%). Verificou-se bom desempenho nas questoes que se referiam as doencas cronicas (76,6% de acertos) e grupos de risco (97%). Ja nas questoes sobre grupos alimentares e seguranca alimentar, houve baixo desempenho (indice de acertos de 55,2% e 55,3%, respectivamente). A capacitacao dos ACS mostra-se fundamental para o aprimoramento do trabalho desempenhado, sendo importante o uso de estrategias educativas que proporcionem aprendizado continuo. Palavras-chave: Agente Comunitario de Saude. Assistencia Alimentar. Estrategia Saude da Familia. Atencao Primaria a Saude