Healthcare of the Landless rural workers: the case of the Butiá settlement, Santa Catarina, Brazil

In this article, the reality of the health of rural working families linked to the MST and their relationship with the National Health System (SUS) is analyzed, from a qualitative case study, conducted in the Butiá settlement, located in the district of the , a rural region of the Rio Negrinho municipality, in northern Santa Catarina. Observation, semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis were used as data collection instruments. The subjects of the study were settlers of the Butiá settlement, health professionals of the Health Unit of Volta Grande - Family Health (USVG-SF), and managers of the health system of the Rio Negrinho municipality. For the treatment of collected data, a hermeneutic-dialectic perspective was used. Situations were identified that do not differ much from those reported in the literature on the subject: constant dissatisfaction, as evidenced by complaints and criticisms about certain routines and the quality of care from the health professionals, however, it was evident that the major problem relates to the distance between the SUS and the specific reality of the settlers, as professionals and managers are still unaware of many of the problems experienced by this population in their quotidian lives. From the situation analyzed, it was considered that the paths to overcome the problems encountered must pass through the construction of interpersonal relationships, based on a true dialogue between the three categories of subjects involved, which strengthen the bond between the subjects, the participation and the social control. Thus, the aspirations of the settlers can be properly interpreted by professionals and managers who, armed with this knowledge, will be better able to construct strategies for addressing these problems.