Abstract
Dwellers of agrarian reform settlements have a life conditioned by poor living and work conditions; they have difficulties accessing health programs, social assistance and other public policies and this exacerbate their vulnerability, which has an impact on their mental health. This research investigates the care given by the health and social assistance staff, regarding the mental health demands of rural settlements of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. 53 experts from different professional categories were interviewed individually or in groups. For the analysis of the results we used the Content Analysis as a proposal for categorization of data. TR results indicate that the workers experience poor working conditions and that staff has little knowledge of the local conditions and of the mental health needs. The implemented health care still corresponds to the biomedical logic, with little participation of the dwellers, disregarding the traditional knowledge and practices of local health care. The psychosocial care is not well coordinated, presenting problems with follow-up and continuity. Due to the lack of specific knowledge of the specifics of the life conditions of the dwellers and the fragmentation of the psychosocial health care network, the staff does not abide and is not ready to face the mental health needs in order to change these health iniquities.
Comprehensive Health Care; Psychosocial Attention; Mental Health Services; Rural Health; Rural Health Services