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.