Perception of health and education professionals on the School Health Program

Abstract

This article consists of a case study that aimed to identify health and education professionals’ perceptions of the School Health Program (PSE) actions in a suburban territory of Baixada Santista, São Paulo. Three educational counselors from two schools, a PSE articulator, a therapeutic companion, a psychologist, two nurses, and a community health worker were interviewed. The transcribed interviews were submitted to lexographic analysis and descending hierarchical classification in the software IRaMuTeQ-R. They were later analyzed based on the theoretical references on the PSE, school health, and intersectoriality. The results showed that the PSE actions focus on the matrix support meeting, referrals, vaccination verification, oral health, and eye health. The inadequate continuing training, poor knowledge of the PSE policy, and overwork compromise the full consideration of the program’s objectives, which, traversed by the pandemic, escalated the challenges faced by professionals. There is potential to be explored by the meeting of health and education. However, challenges involving these sectors, the traditional management rationale, the biological approach, and social participation should be overcome to advance towards intersectoral proposals to promote health and well-being.