Comprehensive health care for adolescents and young people from the perspective of primary care professionals, San Pablo, Brazil

Author(s)

José Ricardo de Carvalho Mesquita Ayres ^[1] ; Valéria Monteiro Mendes ^[2] ; Isabella Silva de Almeida ^[3] ; Macarena Urrestarazu Devincenzi ^[4] ; Jamile Silva Guimarães ^[5] ; Gabriela Junqueira Calazans ^[6] ; Pamela Cristina Bianchi ^[7] ; Alberto Shodi Yamashiro ^[8]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

^[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

^[3] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva - Brasil

^[4] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade - Brasil

^[5] Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Faculdade de Medicina - Brasil

^[6] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Psicologia - Brasil

^[7] Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade - Brasil

^[8] Universidade Federal de São Carlos - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Salud Colectiva; v. 21, 2025-05-30.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Comprehensiveness is a globally recommended principle for effective health care, particularly for adolescents and young people, whose needs combine biomedical aspects with sociocultural processes of subjectivity construction and citizenship exercise. However, significant challenges hinder its effective implementation. This study aims to identify the aspects of work carried out in primary health care units in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, that professionals perceive as facilitators or obstacles to providing comprehensive health care for adolescents and young people. This qualitative study, conducted between January and November 2023, involved workplace observations and semi-structured interviews with 73 health professionals. The findings highlight the predominance of decontextualized, fragmented, and prescriptive actions within a context of resource shortages and weak intersectoral coordination. The study underscores the need for adolescents and young people to participate as rights-bearing subjects in the development of intersectoral health actions and policies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/25950-2 - Youth vulnerabilities to STI/HIV and to dating violence: evaluating a human rights based psychosocial intervention
• Grantee: Vera Silvia Facciolla Paiva
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants