Primary health care - the "apple of the eye" of SUS: about social representations of the protagonists of the Unified Health System

The Primary Health Care (PHC) is the first contact level with the health system. In Brazil, the Family Health Program (PSF) is the main implementation and organization strategy of the PHC. The objective of this study is to evaluate the actions and services of health offered by the PSF, starting from the social representations of the interviewee on the exclusive dimensions of PHC attention to the first contact, longitudinality, integrality and coordination. It is a quali-quantitative research, accomplished in Cajuri, Minas Gerais State. Municipal managers, PSF professionals and pregnant women assisted by PSF were interviewed. Regarding social representations on SUS, it was observed an inadequate level of apprehension and knowledge of their principles and guidelines. As for PSF, several positive connotations were expressed and the set of perceptions of the protagonists identified it as a restructuring strategy of PHC in the municipality. In spite of this, strong influences of the biomedical model and the challenge of the integration with the other levels of attention were noticed, indicating the need of investments in the professional's training and in the organization of the other levels of attention to health.