Prática extensionista e educação em saúde: percepção de docentes

Abstract

The present work reflects the university extension program as an educational and dynamic process. It aimed to learn the perception of teachers about the extension action for vocational training and health promotion. This was a descriptive and exploratory field research, with a qualitative approach conducted with 29 teachers from two educational institutions. Data were collected in July and August 2019 through a questionnaire. For the treatment of the data the technique of content analysis was adopted, through the method of the five phases of analysis. The ATLAS.ti software was used to assist in the construction of semantic networks. The teachers' perception made it possible to consider that the action of the academy within the community is a positive strategy, constituting a resource that allows the theory and practice to join and favor the improvement of the professional who works with health. The insertion of the academy was also perceived as an activity that favors the stimulation of “self-care”, one of the fundamentals of health promotion. As vulnerabilities, there was the need for greater political and economic incentive in educational institutions and motivation of the faculty to optimize the development of projects aimed at health promotion. University extension, despite its relevance to the teaching-learning process and health promotion, is still perceived as a field to be explored, encouraged and valued.