Social networks and coordination of health care for users with hypertension and diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: to understand how the positions and interactions of professionals influence the coordination of health care of users with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Method: a descriptive study with a quantitative approach with the participation of 12 health professionals from a Primary Health Care unit in a municipality in the Middle Paraíba region of Rio de Janeiro, outlined by the methodology of social network analysis. Results: despite the presence of all actors in the sociogram, the dynamics between them emerged as low, which may result in ineffective communication and the presence of interactions external to the health unit in an attempt to ensure care coordination. In turn, the greater emphasis identified in the sociogram for physicians and nurses may be related to the place they occupy in the care, organization and management of the service. Conclusion: the coordination of care is directly related to uninterrupted assistance to the individual, with guaranteed access and comprehensiveness of care. The low dynamics and greater emphasis in the sociogram on higher education actors corroborate the need for greater integration among professionals and reflection on the role of Primary Health Care in the coordination of health care.