Social participation in Primary Health Care towards the 2030 Agenda

Abstract Listening to society is an ethical reference to respond to its legitimate needs and aspirations. Considering as presuppositions the social participation and the right to the city, which are part of the 2030 Agenda, this study sought to recognize the voice of users that evaluated PHC services and their attributes. This descriptive and cross-sectional study used national ministerial evaluation data, outlining a region with 323 teams in 80 municipalities in the state of São Paulo and 1,272 users heard by authors. Users were mostly female, over 51 years old, with low income and schooling, eliciting challenges to population aging and selective care. Around 93% were 20 minutes away from health services and opening on Saturdays (43%) and at night (38%) would facilitate access. Some 60% were received without scheduling and 62% did not consider services prepared for urgent care. Some 85% received Community Health Workers and 40% other professionals, suggesting disparities in the incorporation of the territory to the care production process. In line with National Primary Health Care Policy and what is recommended by international conferences, social participation was recognized as a way to address the multiple aspects in the construction of universal health.