Study was carried out in partnership with the University of Barcelona and showed the potential of both countries in strengthening strategies and actions for access to health services for this public
A survey by the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp carried out in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB) – with funding from Capes – verified the perception of professionals and users regarding the functioning, organization and articulation of health and rehabilitation services for people with visual impairments, in two large cities in Brazil and Spain. The study pointed to interdisciplinary and intersectoral work as a strategy for these citizens to access health and rehabilitation services.
Entitled "Challenges and potentialities of the therapeutic itinerary of people with visual impairment: discovering webs and connections”, the thesis defended by speech therapist Ana Cláudia Fernandes, within the scope of the Interdisciplinary Health and Rehabilitation Postgraduate Program, was supervised by the professor from the Department of Human Development and Rehabilitation at FCM, Rita de Cassia Ietto Montilha, and co-supervised by Dolores Rodríguez Martín , professor at UB.
“With regard to visual impairment, knowing the therapeutic itinerary of these people from diagnosis to rehabilitation allows us to visualize possible potentialities and challenges of health systems and their communication with other sectors”, said Ana Cláudia about the importance of the study, carried out from of interviews with health and rehabilitation professionals, patients and family members.
Among the obstacles pointed out by the vast majority of study participants, with regard to health and rehabilitation services aimed at people with visual impairments, Ana Cláudia highlights the difficulties in accessing the system, the need for professional training and awareness among the general population . “Continuing education actions constitute a possible strategy to promote the training of professionals within the daily practice of health services”, comments the researcher.
Rehabilitation was identified in the study as the main point of reference, connection and support for people with disabilities and their families. The role played by non-profit institutions is prominent in this scenario and drew Ana Cláudia's attention to the need for intersectoral collaboration. “Health, education and assistance sectors, public and private, must act closer and more articulated,” she said.
From her study, Ana Cláudia was able to learn about the functioning of the “formal network” built and established by current legislation and the “real network” built by the user themselves and influenced by social actors, according to the connections established between services and people. She argues that it is now possible to glimpse the potential of Brazil and Spain in strengthening strategies and actions that favor access to health services, such as intersectoral, interdisciplinary and continuing education actions.
“Understanding such concepts, investing in professional training and health education, and, above all, reflecting on the power relations and knowledge that are established between management, professionals, users and family members, is fundamental so that the challenges of practice can actually be interconnected. be overcome and thus promote access to healthcare for people with visual impairments”, he stated.
original article published on the Unicamp FCM website.
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