The roles of the professional and the policies of mental health in the city of Natal, Brazil: an analytic study

Abstract

Aim: To analyze the process of psychiatric reform and mental health policies in the city of Natal, Brazil. Method: This is an analytic, transversal research, using quantitative and qualitative data. It was performed on the substitutive mental services of mental health of Natal, provided by 65 undergraduate professionals, from March to August 2013. A questionnaire was created, composed of open and semi-open questions, generating data that was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics, with the support of the ALCESTE software and content analysis. Results: The participant sample was composed mostly of women, from 36 to 55 years of age, who had finished their college education between 6 and 15 years ago. 86% of them worked with users’ groups; 97% of them provided individual care; 92% also worked with family care. The qualitative analysis of the data led to the identification of five categories. Conclusion: It was evident the adequacy of the roles and of the tasks to be developed by the professionals in substitutive services in mental health in the city of Natal were having to face constant challenges.