Patient safety climate in Primary Health Care in Brazil: an integrative review

Justification and Objectives: although Primary Health Care plays a central role in Brazil, much of the research that assesses safety culture and climate focuses on hospitals and few studies on this subject have explored this reality, thus justifying this study. The aim was therefore to identify the patient safety climate characteristics in Primary Health Care services in Brazil. Methods: an integrative review study. The MEDLINE via PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL and SciELO databases were used to search for studies. Results: nine articles were selected which reported on the negative safety climate in Primary Health Care. The five classes generated in the dendrogram are divided into two main categories: (1) Safe healthcare in Primary Health Care; and (2) Patient safety climate assessment in Primary Health Care services. Communication, organizational learning and teamwork were cited as enhancers of safe healthcare. Community health workers had a more negative safety climate perception. Working conditions and management support were rated negatively. Conclusion: strengthening the safety climate in Primary Health Care services favors quality of care and safe healthcare.