title: [Access to and use of the services of the family health strategy from the perspective of managers, professionals and users].
abstract: Questionnaires adapted to the Brazilian reality (Primary Care Assessment Tool) to evaluate access to and use of services were distributed to 30 managers, 80 professionals and a random sample of 882 Family Health Strategy (FHS) users in São Luís in the state of Maranhão. The differences between the evaluations of managers, professionals and users were identified by the Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's post test. Users faced difficulties in access to and use of the services, which were also considered unsatisfactory by managers and professionals. Access was the dimension with the worst evaluation, and non-functioning of units after 6 p.m. and at weekends were the main difficulties. The evaluations of the managers and professionals were almost always divergent from those of the users, with the evaluation of the managers being more favorable. The fact that the service was free of charge, the use of preventive services and the FHS services before the specialized care were well evaluated. The operation of units should attend users' needs, especially that of the working population. Strengthening social participation in local management of the FHS may assist in identifying these needs, thereby reducing the divergent opinions of the players involved.
authors.forename: Regimarina Soares
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Liberata Campos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Coimbra
authors.forename: Antônio Augusto Moura
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Alcione Miranda Dos
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Maria Teresa Seabra Soares de Britto E
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Zeni Carvalho
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Lamy
authors.forename: Sabrina Varão Oliveira
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Maria Socorro de Araújo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Raimundo Antonio
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005192:Family Health; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires