Postnatal care in Brazil: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Aim: in this paper the authors described the experience in proposition and realization of a workshop in a partnership between UK and Brazilian researchers. The aim was plan out a strategy for the successful implementation of interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of women’s postnatal care in Brazil. Method: this is an experience report about the implementation of that workshop. It was held in the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, from 7 to 10 March 2016, under the auspices of the British Council Researcher Links Scheme, funded through the Newton Fund and Brazilian Council of the State Foundations of Research, Sciences and Innovation represented in Santa Catarina by Foundation for Research and Innovation of Santa Catarina. Results: during the workshop were presented health and social care experiences of women in Brazil from pregnancy through to the months after birth, integrated review of social technology in health, the importance of specific public health initiatives and good health surveillance in a country as large and multi-cultured as Brazil. It was also carried out a meeting between health professionals and women and their partners who had received postnatal care. Each day we worked in small groups to identify the research areas that we were interested in moving forward with as a Brazil-UK research network. Conclusions: a number of perceived opportunities and challenges were identified during the workshop from researchers, practitioners, parents and policy makers. The success of social technology interventions depends on their appropriate introduction within Brazil’s social and healthcare context.