Introduction:

Primary Health Care (PHC) has acquired different meanings for different people, at specific times and places, which poses important challenges for its understanding.

Objective:

To analyze the meaning(s) and sense(s) of Primary/Basic Health Care in the academic views on Nursing/Health in the context of undergraduate Nursing courses offered at two public Higher Education Institutions.

Materials and methods:

Qualitative study with an exploratory approach. Semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis were used as data collection techniques.

Results:

The senses/meanings of Primary Health Care converge with the population's gateway to the health system at the first care level and with the first contact of a person with the health service. However, it is still considered as a less important service within the care network.

Conclusion:

Primary Health Care means a relevant possibility for Nursing/Health care through health promotion and disease prevention actions, with a commitment to respond to most of the population's health needs.

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