Introduction: "Caminhos do SUS" (from Portuguese “Paths of the UHS”) is a social technology for popular education in health and citizenship developed by the Adolescence Research Group (GRUPAD) at the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC)/ Brazil. The product is a board game based on everyday problems reported by students from public schools in a municipality in the rural area of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). This summary aims to describe the effects that this social technology, targeted at popular education in health, has had on the players, in terms of increasing their knowledge in the field of health. Development of the work: The idea for the game came from a series of meetings with more than 150 adolescents who were brought together in small discussion groups. During these sessions, a single guiding question was used: "What does a drug mean to you?" encouraging free dialogue without taboos. The researchers positioned themselves as active listeners, observing the social dynamics and emerging demands. After the meetings, the data produced was recorded in a “research diaries” and discussed with the group in systematic meetings. There was a broadening of the discussion which, beyond the drug itself, encompassed other dimensions of the adolescents' lives. Among many important themes, the lack of knowledge about health services and devices, and therefore the lack of accessibility to them, stands out. Additionally, the way in which these issues have been addressed with schoolchildren has been criticized as not very didactic and inefficient. Faced with this problem, the challenge was to find creative solutions to make health education in schools more effective. Thus, in 2019, the idea of gamification emerged, based on the stories brought by the adolescents, their doubts, and their needs, in order to interrelate them with the Unified Health System (UHS), the Unified Social Assistance System (USAS), and other public services. From there, a board game was developed consisting of 16 locations, which players must visit to fulfill a mission and achieve the game's objective: to discover how the UHS is present in our lives. The missions cover topics such as drug use and abuse, racism, LGBTQIA+phobia, ableism, bullying, violence, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy, and others. In addition to disseminating information about the structure and functioning of brazilian health, social assistance, education, and safety systems. The technological product encourages social interaction, recognition, and autonomy among adolescents, as well as the exchange of knowledge within this population. Therefore, “Caminhos do SUS” fulfills the function of compensating for the lack of health education tools aimed at this audience. This game is considered a social technology due to its role in transforming realities, providing knowledge and resources for decision-making, and promoting more qualified health care. The first applications of “Caminhos do SUS” occurred in 2022, after the pandemic protection measures were relaxed. The “Research Program for the UHS” (PPSUS/FAPERGS) provided funding for the development and printing of 250 copies of the product. Results: Over the course of two years, more than 1,000 primary and secondary school students have been introduced to this technology. Approximately 200 copies of the game were distributed to 45 public schools and 15 health services. Several partner institutions contributed human resources and research materials to make this possible, including the Santa Cruz do Sul Municipal Health Department, the Santa Cruz do Sul Municipal Education Department, the 6th Regional Education Coordination of Rio Grande do Sul, the 13th Regional Health Coordination of Rio Grande do Sul, and the Health at School Program / SCS. The game has been utilized as a tool to support and strengthen the “School Health Program”, acting as a bridge between the health and education domains. The instruction manual has been developed in simple, didactic language. This means that individuals aged 12 and above can read it, grasp the rules, and engage in gameplay independently, without relying on facilitators. Additionally, the manual includes a dictionary section aimed at clarifying concepts that may be unfamiliar to young people, such as "territory" or "obstetrics." To assess the impact and appropriateness of the game, GRUPAD conducted a survey in 20 schools in the city, involving a total of 232 students. During some of the visits, a qualitative evaluation of the game was conducted, where participants were asked to provide feedback on the technology and their experience playing it. The feedback highlighted its enjoyable and interesting nature, its role in promoting changes in habits and healthcare practices, and its provision of learning opportunities regarding urgent and emergency services and contacts. Furthermore, research diaries were maintained to record the impressions of the facilitators, who noted among the adolescents an interest in resolving the challenges presented by the cards, a commitment to understanding the rules, and a desire to comprehend the network's operations. The game mobilized participants to share their stories and experiences related to the themes of the cards and access to the health and care system, among others. One of the main outcomes was the potential for exercising logical reasoning and social interaction. Being a collaborative game that involves face-to-face interaction, it counters the prevalent trend of virtual relationships in today's society. During gameplay, teenagers shared their everyday knowledge, integrating it with the scientific knowledge that forms the basis of the social technology's dynamics. This fostered a network of discoveries and reflections, creating an environment where citizens could enhance their understanding of the UHS. In this regard, while addressing the daily concerns of adolescents, the game generates information that will support future prevention and health promotion strategies. Through a playful and collaborative approach, it cultivates autonomy and empowerment in health, as well as collective awareness, thereby fostering social transformation towards citizenship. In addition to its applications in schools, the educational product has acquired another dimension within the university setting. “Caminhos do SUS” contributes to strengthening the connection between teaching, research, and community outreach. The game has already been implemented in 35 curriculum subjects, covering content related to health education, health promotion, collective health, and public policies. These subjects are taught in classrooms across technical courses such as radiology, nursing, and work safety, as well as undergraduate courses including dentistry, psychology, nutrition, physiotherapy, nursing, and medicine. In total, 900 students have participated in the game sessions. The notable aspect of this social technology is its ability to disseminate knowledge, spanning from foundational levels of education to academic training. Conclusions: The health information conveyed by the game not only benefits the participants but also extends to their families and communities, as they reflect on and share their discoveries, encouraging and facilitating future independent efforts to seek assistance. It was concluded that the social technology developed "for" and "with" adolescents, titled "Caminhos do SUS," successfully achieves its objective of promoting health and serves as a valuable tool for popular health education.
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