1. Building up user participation: councils and conferences in the Brazilian Health System
- Author
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Soraya Maria Vargas Cortes and Cristina Perna
- Subjects
participação dos usuários ,conselhos de saúde ,conferências de saúde ,Sociology (General) ,HM401-1281 - Abstract
The article discusses the literature that states that creating channels of participation in developing countries in general, and in Latin America in particular, is too difficult, due to the weakness of both the political institutions and the civil society. In the field of health, the initiatives to promote user participation would have supposedly resulted in failure. However, the Brazilian experience with health councils and conferences does not confirm such statements. The article also examines the historical origins, the creation of these fora and the politico-institutional role they play in the context of the Brazilian health system reform. Finally, the article analyzes the factors that determine the success of a participatory process in health councils and conferences.