Getting Around Regional Inequalities: Solidary Cooperation of the Health Professionals Relationship Network

Abstract

Context The Brazilian Health Care Program is formed by a complex network of public and private services that often complement each other, especially in the area of qualified Human Resources for Health (HRH). Due to social inequalities, the shortage of qualified HRH in remote regions is a reality in Brazil. The workforce imbalance associated with the socioeconomic inequality of the population in these regions reduces the access to these health maintenance services. Given this reality, this research aimed to explore and analyze the cooperation network of health professionals, a strategy used to alleviate the problems of care through social inequality, in a district of the Amazon region far from the great centers.Method A questionnaire was answered by doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the district of Rondon do Pará (Brazil). The collected data were dichotomized and analyzed using the Social Network Analysis technique using the Ucinet software.Results By means of the figures of the network of related players, it was found that cooperation between health professionals occurs in the exercise of the profession, with many strong and essential relationships for the existence of the network as well as the essential and centralized participation of medical professionals, as it reveals strong cooperative relationships with all network professionals, even if some are not reciprocal or are weak, such as relationships between physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dentists, even playing important relationship roles.Conclusions The results indicate that there is a network of health professionals cooperating in solidarity in the district of Rondon do Pará, Brazilian Amazon region. In face of difficulties in working in the profession and social inequalities, the research participants follow the principle of solidarity, cooperating with information among professional colleagues to serve the population of the district. Besides the existence of the cooperation network, being the doctors the key professionals for its execution, the collected data indicated the main difficulties faced as the lack of: opportunity for professional improvement, infrastructure to perform the work, technical support in equipment maintenance, supplies and support for people with special needs.