The Brazilian Policy for Men's Health and its requirements in the Primary Healthcare setting

The purpose of this study is to reflect on the requirements for the implementation of the Brazilian Policy for Men's Health in the routine of primary healthcare services, particularly within the Family Healthcare Strategy. Also discussed are the barriers identified by the Ministry of Health as limiting to the participation of men in primary care—namely, service organization and male socialization. The detachment of men from primary healthcare services is one of the challenges that Family Healthcare Strategy teams have to face in dealing with disease prevention and health promotion among male patients. Measures are required which can prove capable of sensitizing this population segment for the reversal of the current trend of using secondary and tertiary care as first access routes to the Unified Healthcare System. The study also emphasizes the importance of involving the male population in planning the supply of healthcare services as a means encouraging the compliance men to Health Promotion actions.