Evaluation of operational conditions in the Adolescent Health Care Program, Rio de Janeiro

• Published in: Cadernos de saúde pública Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 639 - 649
• Main Authors: Ruzany, Maria Helena, Andrade, Carla Lourenço Tavares, Esteves, Maria Angela Pires, Pina, Maria de Fátima, Szwarcwald, Célia Landman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01-05-2002
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Health Services - organization & administration; Adolescent Health Services - standards; Adult; Brazil; Humans; Process Assessment (Health Care); Program Evaluation; Residence Characteristics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Brazil
• ISSN: 0102-311X

This study focuses on conditions in the public health centers providing comprehensive care to the adolescent population in the city of Rio de Janeiro. A structured questionnaire was administered to the coordinators of 70 public health centers (70/78). Based on the data, the public health centers were stratified according to basic conditions for providing full care to adolescents. The authors developed a spatial study of the demographic concentration and main problems, producing thematic maps. Of the 49 public health centers that participate in the Adolescent Health Program, 12% were classified in "good" condition and 45% were considered "fair". Among the administrative regions with the highest concentration of adolescents, only six (6/17) were in good or fair condition. The authors conclude that to increase the effectiveness of the city's Adolescent Health Program it is necessary to improve the working conditions of their health staff, taking local health problems, the concentration of adolescents, and their demands for services into account.