Analysis of reference work in Psychosocial Care Centers.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze how psychosocial care center users, family members and workers assess related work by reference team and professionals.


METHODS
Qualitative research based on Constructivist Paradigm and Gadamerian Hermeneutics. Two cycles of focus groups consisting of professionals, users and users' family members from all psychosocial care centers in the city of Campinas (Southeastern Brazil), in 2006, were analyzed.


RESULTS
Reference work was assessed as an arrangement that has therapeutic effects and contributes to the work organization efficacy. However, risks related to power centralized by reference professionals and to workers' suffering, as these may feel overly responsible for the case they are reference for, were reported.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of the "reference team/professionals" arrangement on patients are based on emotional aspects associated with reliability, constancy and integrality of care. In contrast, such aspects also show relationship problems, especially as regards omnipotence, which may involve the worker.
Miranda
Lilian
L
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil. limiranda78@hotmail.com
Campos
Rosana Tereza Onocko
RT
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001938:Brazil; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care