Health councils: the profile of the users and of the entities by them represented

perfil dos usuários e das entidades por eles representadas

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe the profile of the participants in the Brazilian Health Councils and that of the entities represented by them. The methodological strategy was that of an integrative literature review of the works indexed in databases Scielo, MedLine and Lilacs. The sample was composed by seven primary studies, published from 2002 to 2006. In the analyzed studies, it was verified that the counselor's users were mostly men, aged between 31 to 72 years old, with a college degree or an incomplete college education. Among the entities represented we can highlight the neighborhood's associations, the disabled and the physically ill. It has been identified that the entities with the most expressiveness were the ones integrated by people suffering from a pathology or deficiency that, sharing the same objectives, get together in order to achieve the civil rights that might relieve the state of being temporarily or permanently sick. The Health Councils of the analyzed studies are located in the southeast region of Brazil. Despite the difficulties the Health Councils, legitimized by the Brazilian Constitution, meant undoubtedly advancement to the Brazilian democracy. They allowed the society's agents to exercise social control over the management of the SUS and as a result to demand, and legally suggest improvements to the public health organizations. The study considers the relevance of future research about Health Councils in the other regions of Brazil, so a nationwide profile of counselors may be drawn.