E-Learning to promote Brazilian Blacks’ health & to raise awareness of institutional racism

Abstract

The Brazilian Health Care System –Sistema Único de Saúde SUS, created in the 80s, improve the access and quality of health services provided mainly to the poor. However, SUS does not guarantee an adequate access of Brazilian Black population to health and health care. Thus, in 2006, the PNSIPN (National Policy for Integral Health of the Black Population) was created, inserted in the SUS, to combat three main issues: 1. Desconstruct racism as a determinant of health of the Brazilian Black population;
2. Reduce iniquities and disparities in the health outcomes with high rates of morbidity and mortality in the Brazilian Black population; and
3. Inclusion of Afro-Brazilian traditional health practices in health care.
After the PNSIPN, the cultural dimension and ethnic-racial health iniquities have also gained in importance. However, the clinical encounter has resulted in a need for a more intercultural approach, free of racial bias. So, based also on the Política Nacional de Educação Permanente em Saúde ([PNEPS] National Policy for Continuing Education for Health Professionals), the Black Movement along with sectors of the Health Ministry, as SGEP (Social Participation) and SGTES (Work Management), demanded a course to the UNA-SUS.This study point out the development of a self-instructional course in PNSIPN, anti-racism education and Afro-Brazilian culture awareness for 130,000 health workers. A 45 hours independent study online course is being developed based on experiential learning. The interactive online materials for the course are presented and discussed in this paper.