Mulheres imigrantes na atenção básica em saúde: o (re) conhecimento do exame citopatológico

Abstract

The increase in the population of immigrant women in Brazil and consequently of users in the Unified Health System, becomes a demand for care, especially in Primary Care, the gateway to women's health services. Objective: To understand immigrant women's understanding of cytopathological examination in the territory of a Family Health Strategy in the city of Marau/RS. Methods: This is an exploratory study with a qualitative methodological approach of the research-intervention type with a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with immigrant women belonging to the territories, after consent and thematic analysis. Results: 120 immigrant women were recruited into the Family Health Strategy system, of which 46 underwent cytopathological examination according to registration in the Cancer Information System. Among the 120 migrant women mapped in this territory, 12 women between 18 and 55 years of age were interviewed, through active search with community health agents, of two nationalities: Venezuelan and Haitian. Conclusion: The understanding of Women's Health is still vague between the two nationalities, while Venezuelan women know about the cytopathological exam, Haitian women do not know about its performance and importance, since they did not have it offered in their country. As a result, it was possible to know and understand the challenges that led them to migrate, their knowledge about women's health in Brazil and what they think needs to be improved. This study is expected to raise awareness about the importance of cytopathological examination, promoting comprehensiveness, equity in the health of this population.