Evaluation of the family health strategy implementation in Santa Catarina in 2004 and 2008.

This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of the Family Health Program in municipalities of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil at two different periods (2004 and 2008). Two hundred forty-four (83%) municipalities with complete health information data comprised the sample. Indicators of coverage, evidence of change in the healthcare model, and impact were calculated based on health system database. Official documents and observed distribution of measures at the country level were used in order to classify municipalities within each indicator. A high coverage level increased from 73 to 83% of the cities between 2004 and 2008. Most of them showed poor evidence of change in the healthcare model at both time points. Increased proportion of cities showed low levels of morbidity by diseases sensible to the primary health care from 2004 to 2008. Despite the fact that was improvement in coverage and impact indicators over four years, most of the cities studied showed poor evidence of change in the healthcare model, warning to the review of the health care practices and organization by health professionals and managers.