The profile of a primary attention worker in Brazilian health system: The community health agent

Introduction:
Since 1994, the Ministry of Health of Brazil made the Family Health Program (Health Primary Attention) official to the whole country, as a strategy for the reorganization of primary attention for the construction of a health model centered in the promotion of quality of life.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to draw the social-demographic profile of the community health agent (ACS) inserted in the public health system of seven municipal districts of Juiz de Fora - Minas Gerais / Brazil.
Methodology:
129 ACSs and 330 users of those services were interviewed, in order to gather the self perception of the community health agents and the users' vision. The research used qualitative and quantitative methodologies in a complementary form, with the application of semi-structured questionnaires and direct observation of the work of ACSs.
Results:
The main results were: ACSs are predominantly women (88.4%), married (42.6%), aged 20 to 49 years (90.4%), of a low familiar income; 71% have completed the high school. By definition, agents should live in the area where they work. Data showed that 58.5% live in the same community where they work and 96.5% in the same municipal district. ACS are present in the smallest units of the health system, potentiating the source of information, the attendance and the solidarity towards the community's residents.