title: [Demanding respect for the subjectivity of public health system clients: towards humanization of health care].
abstract: This paper analyzes how clients of the public health system in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, "give meaning" to their situation as "patients", basically focusing on three aspects: (1) evaluation of care, (2) awareness of their rights as citizens and role in improvement of the service, and (3) expectations regarding the encounter with health professionals. The results point to many deficiencies in the health system, besides demonstrating the population's passivity and resignation towards the present situation. The need to consider clients' subjectivity is important, as is the health professional-client relationship, with their encounter considered a prime moment for establishing a humanizing process in health practice, besides fostering the development of a critical awareness among clients concerning their rights and their role as agents of change in the health system.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicologia, Centro de Ciências Humanas, Letras e Artes, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. traverso@ufrnet.br
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Traverso-Yépez
authors.forename: Normanda Araújo
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: de Morais
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028701:Patient Rights; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*