Evaluation of health planning activities by family health teams

Evaluation of health planning activities adapted to the local context is an essential part of daily work in the Family Health Strategy (FHS). This study aimed to evaluate the planning activities conducted by family health teams in Espírito Santo State, Brazil. This was an ecological study based on secondary data from 241 health teams in 46 municipalities (counties) in the State that use the Evaluation for Quality Improvement in the Family Health Strategy (AMQ-ESF) form. Criteria were set for evaluating the responses by health professionals to the quality standards in the AMQ-ESF forms, and health planning indicators were listed. The responses were stratified according to the municipality's population size and time since implementation of the FHS and population coverage. The study mostly showed low adequacy rates in the teams' work processes in relation to the AMQ quality standards, and stratification of the variables had no influence on the local planning practices. Specific measures are needed to upgrade the work processes in the FHS.