The Family Health Program (PSF) as a redirection strategy of the healthcare model of the country has promoted the substitution of assistential and cure model for the disease prevention and health promotion of individuals as well as the families and communities, placing the primary health care as the entrance to the healthcare system. This work aims to evaluate the PSF impacting in the rural community of Airões, in the city of Paula Cândido, Minas Gerais State, analyzing its contribution to the evolution of health indicators, since the comparison of sanitary data before and after implementation of the program, in the period ranging from 1992 to 2003. The information were obtained through a household survey applied to 127 families randomly selected within the community, representing 55.2% and 41.6% of the families in 1992 e 2003 respectively. After the PSF implementation there were a increase of 40,4% in diseases diagnosis and a reduction in the number of internment from 42.7% to 27.2%. Pre-natal assistance coverage was enlarged from 30.6% to 90% and the birth in homes reduced from 48.9% to 1%. Therefore, the evolution of the sanitary data in the community shows the characterization of the PSF as an effective strategy of implementation of the Unified Health System.
Primary health care; Unified Health System; Family Health Program; Program evaluation; Indicators
