Mental health training for Primary Health Care professionals after floods in Southern Brazil: Preliminary report
1
Department of Psychology, UFCSPA - Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre/ Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
2
Postgraduate Program in Psychology and Health, UFCSPA - Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre/ Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
3
Psychology Graduate Course, Instituto La Salle, Canoas / Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
4
Psychology Graduate Course, UFCSPA - Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre/ Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3419
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The May 2024 floods in southern Brazil intensified and generated new demands for Mental Health (MH) care in Primary Health Care (PHC). Researchers from UFCSPA (Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre) developed a training program to strengthen MH care provided by PHC professionals.
OBJECTIVE:
To present a MH training program for PHC professionals working in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in a city affected by the floods, as well as qualitative and quantitative results derived from preliminary analyses (pre and during the training program).
METHODS:
Before the program started, four focus groups were conducted to identify MH training needs among 58 health professionals from four different health care units. These data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The MH care training program is in progress, with 93 participants. At the end of each of four training sessions, evaluation scales have been employed, with a total of 173 responses.
RESULTS:
Qualitative analysis highlighted the complexity of MH care in PHC post-flood context, including insufficient training, challenges in the functioning of health care networks, and impacts of floods on professionals’ MH. These results informed the training program design and content, technically and reflexively oriented, grounded in professional experiences and collective knowledge construction, aligned with SUS guidelines. The four two-hour training sessions addressed the importance of listening and support in MH care, strategies to overcome daily professional challenges, and identification and interventions for patients’ MH needs. Quantitative analyses showed professionals’ positive evaluations across all scale dimensions, such as program content and support, applicability, and instructor performance.
CONCLUSIONS:
These preliminary results suggested that this training program may support Brazilian PHC professionals in addressing patients’ MH needs post-floods. The study underscores the importance of training processes grounded in professionals’ experiences and community realities for strengthening MH care.
The May 2024 floods in southern Brazil intensified and generated new demands for Mental Health (MH) care in Primary Health Care (PHC). Researchers from UFCSPA (Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre) developed a training program to strengthen MH care provided by PHC professionals.
OBJECTIVE:
To present a MH training program for PHC professionals working in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in a city affected by the floods, as well as qualitative and quantitative results derived from preliminary analyses (pre and during the training program).
METHODS:
Before the program started, four focus groups were conducted to identify MH training needs among 58 health professionals from four different health care units. These data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The MH care training program is in progress, with 93 participants. At the end of each of four training sessions, evaluation scales have been employed, with a total of 173 responses.
RESULTS:
Qualitative analysis highlighted the complexity of MH care in PHC post-flood context, including insufficient training, challenges in the functioning of health care networks, and impacts of floods on professionals’ MH. These results informed the training program design and content, technically and reflexively oriented, grounded in professional experiences and collective knowledge construction, aligned with SUS guidelines. The four two-hour training sessions addressed the importance of listening and support in MH care, strategies to overcome daily professional challenges, and identification and interventions for patients’ MH needs. Quantitative analyses showed professionals’ positive evaluations across all scale dimensions, such as program content and support, applicability, and instructor performance.
CONCLUSIONS:
These preliminary results suggested that this training program may support Brazilian PHC professionals in addressing patients’ MH needs post-floods. The study underscores the importance of training processes grounded in professionals’ experiences and community realities for strengthening MH care.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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