Contributions of the physical therapist to primary health care based on multiprofessional residency

Abstract

Introduction: Multiprofessional residency in health (MHS) is a professional training program focussed on Brazil’s Unified Health System that aims to reorient techno-assistance logics and significantly contributes to the insertion and consolidation of physical therapy into primary health care (PHC). Objective: To understand the perceptions of health professionals and managers about the contributions of the MRH to the insertion of physical therapy into PHC. Methods: This qualitative study was based on hermeneutics and was conducted in the municipality of Aracati, Ceará, Brazil, with 15 professionals making up a convenience sample. Eligible were PHC professionals with higher education working in urban areas. The data were collected from March to June 2023 through semistructured interviews with the researchers. The data analysis was based on reading the material, organizing it into themes, and interpreting these in depth. Results: The first contact with physical therapy occurs in scenarios that range from individual and shared consultations to health programs at school, whose actions are optimized by PHC from the MHS. There are numerous physical therapy care strategies, especially actions focussed on biopsychosocial aspects. The involvement of physical therapists in health promotion is revealed by the inclusion of professionals in health promotion groups. Health education from a multiprofessional perspective enhances care through promotion and prevention. Conclusion: The MHS strengthens the need for physical therapy in PHC and enhances primary care.