Attention in medical genetics in the Brazilian Health System: the experience of a medium-sized municipality

Realizou-se estudo descritivo e explorat??rio da experi??ncia em munic??pio de m??dio porte da implanta????o de a????es na ??rea da Gen??tica, conjugando a an??lise dos documentos oficiais e de um question??rio aplicado a 43 profissionais de n??vel superior da Estrat??gia Sa??de da Fam??lia. Os dados obtidos foram analisados buscando obter respostas sobre como e por que foram realizadas determinadas estrat??gias de aten????o ?? sa??de na ??rea da Gen??tica Cl??nica e Comunit??ria. Tais a????es foram classificadas em "educa????o permanente", "vigil??ncia em sa??de" e "amplia????o do acesso ?? assist??ncia". Os resultados revelaram que ainda ?? necess??rio estender as a????es de educa????o permanente na ??rea para profissionais da aten????o prim??ria, possibilitando assim promover a efetiva????o dessa porta de entrada do Sistema ??nico de Sa??de para a ??rea da Gen??tica e o acesso a um cuidado integral em sa??de.We conducted a descriptive study on the experience of implementation of actions in the area of genetics in a medium-sized municipality, combining the analysis of official documents and a questionnaire administered to 43 university level professionals of the Family Health Strategy. The data were analyzed looking for answers about how and why certain health care strategies in the area of clinical and community genetics were performed. Such actions were classified as "continuing education", "health surveillance" and "enhanced access to care". The results showed that it is still necessary to extend the actions of continuing education in genetics for primary care professionals, promoting this gateway to the SUS also to the area of genetics, in order to allow full access to comprehensive health care