EVALUATION OF PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION WITH COMMUNITY THERAPY: A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY IN PRIMARY CARE
Descriptors: Patient Satisfaction, Mental Health, Primary Health Care.
Introduction: Actions directed towards health promotion and disease prevention must start at the point of entry into the health system. In this context Community Therapy (CT) emerges as a tool in primary mental health care. Aim: Assess user satisfaction with Community Therapy in Primary Care in the city of Joao Pessoa, Brazil. Methods: Evaluative study, with a quantitative, cross-sectional and observational design, representative of the population served by Community Therapy in Primary Care in the city of Joao Pessoa, Paraiba State, from May to August 2009. The data collection instrument used was the Brazilian Mental Health Services User Satisfaction Scale (Satis-BR). Results: Of the 198 subjects interviewed, 165 (83.3%) reported that they were always treated with respect and dignity; 109 (55.1%) responded that they were listened to, revealing internal consistency of 0.7187 and true construct validity of user satisfaction with Community Therapy.Final Considerations: We observed positive satisfaction in CT participants, reflected by CT potentialities such as respect, dignity, receptivity, solvability, listening and understanding, given that CT is a setting for listening and alleviating mental suffering as well as being an effective primary mental health care tool.