Occupational Therapy in Primary Health Care: reflections on the populations assisted

This work is the result of reflections of a group discussion among professionals, students and teachersheld during the First Symposium on Occupational Therapy in Primary Health Care (PHC) in 2011, which aimedto reflect on issues related to the populations assisted by the occupational therapist in PHC. The discussionssuggested two areas of consideration: (1) the challenges in the composition of care lines as well as living conditionsof the population assisted by occupational therapy; (2) the general practice of occupational therapists and theirinclusion in interdisciplinary teams. Participants reported that, in PHC, they provide assistance to populationstraditionally accompanied by Occupational Therapy such as people under psychological distress, people with disabilities, children with developmental delay, among others. The discussion pointed out that the difficultyof access to services, the weakness in the constitution of the lines of comprehensive health care and neglectof services to a number of groups that are excluded from care, define the profile of the population monitoredand the potential of assistance. These factors are related to the formation of PHC and “SUS” (Brazilian HealthSystem) in the country. On the other hand, the living conditions of the population assisted, marked by povertyand social exclusion, the fragmentation of PHC practices, and the need for the professional to have a generalistprofile, being able to act interdisciplinarily and intersectorally, were considered crucial for the construction ofnew working tolls, theoretical improvement, and greater theoretical basis of professional performance in PHC.