[Phytotherapy in Primary Health Care: perspectives of managers and professionals in the Family Health Program of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil].

Since 2006, thanks to experiments and the inclusion of norms, phytotherapy has become an integral and complementary practice in the Unified Health System, duly increasing the options in Primary Health Care. This study sought to identify the qualitative and quantitative perceptions of 8 managers and 68 health professionals in family health strategy (36 nurses, 18 physicians and 14 dentists) in Teresina in the State of Piauí, regarding the inclusion of phytotherapy in Primary Health Care. A semi-structured questionnaire was used In the interviews with questions regarding the interviewees' personal details, their knowledge about phytotherapy and their opinions about the potential of its inclusion in Primary Health Care. In general, the interviewees accept the institutionalization of phytotherapy, use this therapeutic measure personally and acknowledge that it is a popular form of medication. Technical training of phytotherapy health professionals, as well as knowledge of policies involving the issue is lacking. The managers revealed that they are open to discuss the issue, albeit listing justifications, strategies and difficulties of a political and structural nature. Thus, they acknowledged the importance of disseminating the discussion on phytotherapy to broaden the options in Primary Health Care.