About

This Seminar presents the work developed during the post-doctoral internship held at CES, in articulation with the PSYGLOCAL Project. The research entitled Ethics and care practice in health: imaginaries and conceptions about mental health results from development of the PhD theme concluded in 2014. This research aimed to analyse the practice of mental health care among primary health care teams (PHC) and the Psychosocial Care Centre (PSCC). This analysis was carried out from the perspective of health care ethics. The research had as main question: is the practice of mental health care between PHC and PSCC based on the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform and does it lead the subject to the development of autonomy and social emancipation? The hypothesis advocated is that the conception about the practice of mental health care, under the logic of ethics of care, can lead to the autonomy of the subject and, consequently, to his/her social emancipation. The methodology used was the focus group technique, in the search to identify and analyse the conceptions about the mental health care practice among the PHC and PSCC units in the city of Rio de Janeiro, specifically in the Baixada Fluminense.  

The result of the research pointed out that it is possible for both services to act in partnership, having as reference what Law 10.216/2001 disposes about the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform and, also, taking the logic of the ethics of care as practice in mental health. However, some important aspects about the practice of care in mental health were identified in the speeches of the participants in both services. Three stand out: a) Lengthy interlocution between PHC and PSCC; b) Counterproductive political-party interference; c) Poor investment in the training of professionals in mental health.

The presence and importance of the word welcoming was unanimous among all participants of the focus groups, fundamental to the conception of good mental health care practice. The three points observed in the discourses of participants emerge as barriers/difficulties to the effectiveness of the practice of care in the territory between the PSCC and PHC. Thus, the research concludes that there is still a need for expansion of public policies that can ensure better interface between the primary health care units and the psychosocial care centre. Thus, the discourses analysed indicate that the theme in question needs critical review on practises and conceptions.

Gastão Wagner argues that even with effective advances as Health Reform and Psychiatric Reform, new (or old) problems (re)emerge with new challenges of clinical/political/cultural/ideological order in a society that demands care and responsibility in health practises. It is understood that these challenges are relevant issues to analyse the logic of ethics of care as a pathway to social inclusion and construction of citizen autonomy for people in psychological distress.

Key-words: Ethics of care; mental health; PHC; CAPS; autonomy; social emancipation.

Activity within the Project PSYGLOCAL - Psychic Suffering and Human Rights: Mental Health Epistemologies, Public Policies, and Advocacy in Psychiatry (Lisbon, Portugal and Salvador, Brazil, 1950s - 2020s) (Ref. PTDC/FER-HFC/3810/2021)


Bio note 

Edimilson Duarte de Lima | Bachelor in Psychology - Faculdades Federadas Celso Lisboa. Doctor (2014) and Master (2009) in Psychology by the Post-Graduate Programme in Social Psychology of the State University of Rio de Janeiro - UERJ. He was a member of the Colégio Freudiano do Rio de Janeiro. Acting as Coordinator of the Psychology course of the UNIABEU University Centre (2015-2021). Voluntary collaborator of the Brazilian Association for Psychology Teaching - ABEP-RJ. Psychologist with practice in the mental health service of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Consultant, counselor and teacher of social projects. Private practice in Clinical Psychology with a psychoanalytical orientation. Author of the book " Imaginários sobre a loucura: cultura e práticas de cuidado em saúde mental" (2016).