title: [Epidemiological and socio-demographic profile of primary care workers in the South and Northeast of Brazil].
abstract: In order to describe the profile of primary health care teams in 41 municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants each, a total of 4,749 health workers in two States from the South (1,730) and five from the Northeast (3,019) of Brazil were included from a sample of traditional primary care units and the Family Health Program (FHP). After providing informed consent, the health workers answered a self-applied questionnaire with demographic, work-related, and their own health-related data. The principal differences between the two models involved the structuring of the teams, with the FHP including more community health agents, more women, more young workers, fewer hired on the basis of formal admissions exams, more with a single job, more precarious employment arrangements, less employment satisfaction, less time on the job, larger workloads, greater specialization in the area, and better pay. The FHP also showed worse self-perceived health and more medical appointments. Management efforts are needed to support these workers, who form the basis of the health system and are key protagonists in the development and consolidation of primary care.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. tomasiet@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomasi
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Roberto Xavier
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Piccini
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thumé
authors.forename: Denise Silva da
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Fernando Vinholes
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Vera Vieira
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Paniz
authors.forename: Vanessa Andina
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005192:Family Health; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012041:Regional Medical Programs