Undergraduate training in public health in Brazil and its adherence to the National Curricular Guidelines

Bibliographic Data

ID23310797
AuthorsLívia Teixeira De Souza Maia (0000-0002-0161-7729, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco), Ana Paula Muraro (0000-0001-6237-1673, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso), Marilia Cristina Prado Louvison (0000-0003-1630-3463, Universidade de São Paulo)
Year2026
Volume31
Issue6
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCiência & Saúde Coletiva (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1413-8123 • E-ISSN: 1678-4561
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/1413-81232026316.05422026en
OpenAlexW7170252202
LanguageEN
References cited8

This study examines the adherence of Bachelor’s degree programs in Public Health in Brazil to the 2024 National Curricular Guidelines (Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais - DCNs). This research employs an analytical-descriptive methodology, relying on a documentary analysis of the Political-Pedagogical Projects (PPP). An analytical framework was developed consisting of four dimensions and 24 indicators, using a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the conformity of the programs. The Synthetic Adherence Index (SAI) was computed and compared by region and program shift, with differences evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of twenty-one programs were identified, predominantly located in federal institutions (81.0%) and concentrated in the North and South regions (23.8% each). Despite improvements in overall performance relative to the DCNs, 33% of the programs did not fulfill the minimum workload of 3,200 hours, and 19% fell short of the required minimum internship of 500 hours. The SAI exhibited significant variation by shift (p=0.0051) but not by region (p=0.4455). The findings highlight both advances and challenges in the implementation of the DCNs, underscoring the need for strategies to enhance professional training in Public Health.

Internship · Likert scale · Public health · Scale (ratio) · Training (meteorology) · Workload · Health, Nursing, Elderly Care · Male Reproductive Health Studies · Public Health Policies and Education

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Open DOIOpen Access