Banca de DEFESA: AMANDA JESSICA BERNARDO DA SILVA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : AMANDA JESSICA BERNARDO DA SILVA
DATE: 15/08/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Remoto
TITLE:

DIGITAL HEALTH IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SERVICE AND THE USERS

KEY WORDS:

Community Health Agents. Primary Health Care. Social Media. Digital Health. Information and Communication Technologies.

PAGES: 95
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Saúde Coletiva
SUBÁREA: Saúde Pública
SUMMARY:

Introduction: For several decades, there has been a strong trend towards using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as healthcare tools. Through ICT, the digitalization of Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC) has emerged as a new trend in communication between health services and users. Objective: This research aims to analyze the Digital Health strategies used in PHC in Natal-RN (Brazil) as communication tools between service professionals and users. Methodology: Two complementary case studies were developed: 1) A quantitative analysis of Instagram use by 31 PHC units in Natal, using documentary analysis based on Cellard's perspective and frequency analysis; 2) A qualitative study using Focus Groups with Community Health Agents (CHAs) to identify the use not only of Instagram but of ICT in general, as well as the technological infrastructure of PHC units and the existence of protocols, guidelines, regulations, and CHA training for using these tools, analyzed according to Bardin. Results: Regarding the first study, the data revealed that the use of Instagram by health units intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic; teams with greater access to the platform demonstrated a greater capacity to implement digital actions; concerning the second study, the results are under analysis. Conclusion: The use of ICT by PHC professionals in Natal is a reality, corroborating the idea that Digital Health actions, especially those involving social media, enable contact between PHC services and their users. The analysis of the qualitative case study will broaden the scope of the tools and highlight strengths and challenges in technology-mediated communication within PHC, thereby qualifying care. It is expected that this research will contribute to gathering information and making inferences that can strengthen policies, strategies, and actions regarding the use of ICT in PHC, enhancing communication between professionals and service users.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno - 1214923 - LUIZ ROBERTO AUGUSTO NORO
Interna - 1245215 - SEVERINA ALICE DA COSTA UCHOA
Externo à Instituição - RICARDO ANTUNES DANTAS DE OLIVEIRA