Estudio de caso análisis de la participación social en salud en el municipio de Guateque Boyacá

Abstract

The application of administrative elements in health social participation policy is crucial to ensure an efficient, inclusive, and citizen-centered healthcare system. This synergy between administration and participation can promote more effective resource management and improve the quality of care. This study aims to evaluate the level of citizen participation exercised by the community of Guateque in the context of the provision of health services offered in the municipality, presenting the main limitations that the lack of participatory exercise entails and some actions to consider for the administration of resources allocated to this activity to be consistent with adequate and efficient provision of health services to the population. Understanding the nature of this study, and considering the lack of specific information to evaluate the state of citizen participation in health service administration processes, information gathering is conducted through a mixed methodology that combines qualitative approaches, such as those used during interviews, and quantitative methods reflected in the application of surveys. These tools are considered primarily because they are technical instruments of great utility for collecting a large amount of reliable information quickly to enable global analysis of specific cases. The application of these information-gathering instruments showed that ignorance and lack of information about participation processes in health-related issues stand out as the main obstacles to effective participation. Additionally, the scant promotion by public entities to foster social participation in health issues is highlighted. In contrast, there is growing interest from the community to participate in spaces that allow them to be involved in the administration and monitoring of actions aimed at timely and efficient provision of health services. Thus, based on the obtained results, it is imperative to implement public instruments such as a Social Participation in Health Policy adapted to the local level to promote equity, responsibility, and effectiveness of health services by involving the community, fostering a stronger and citizen-centered healthcare system, ensuring medical care based on the needs of the community.