Use of and access to health services in Brazil, 2013 National Health Survey

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública 2017-01, Vol.51 (suppl 1), p.3s-3s
• Main Authors: Stopa, Sheila Rizzato, Malta, Deborah Carvalho, Monteiro, Camila Nascimento, Szwarcwald, Célia Landmann, Goldbaum, Moisés, Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acesso aos Serviços de Saúde; Adolescent; Adult; Brazil; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Equidade no Acesso; Fatores Socioeconômicos; Health Equity; Health Policy & Services; Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Health Surveys; Humans; Infant; Inquéritos Epidemiológicos; National Health Programs; Original; Serviços de Saúde, provisão & distribuição; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787; 1518-8787; 0034-8910
• DOI: 10.1590/S1518-8787.2017051000074

To analyze the use of health services in the Brazilian population by sociodemographic factors, according to data from the 2013 Brazilian National Health Survey. The study analyzed data from 205,000 Brazilian citizens in all age groups who participated in the Brazilian National Health Survey, a cross-sectional study carried out in 2013. Prevalence and confidence intervals were estimated for indicators related to access to and use of health services according to age group, level of education of head of household, and Brazilian macroregions. Among individuals who sought health services in the two weeks prior to the survey, 95.3% (95%CI 94.9-95.8) received care in their first visit. Percentages were higher in the following groups: 60 years of age and over; head of household with complete tertiary education; living in the South and Southeast regions. In addition, 82.5% (95%CI 81.2-83.7) of individuals who received health care and prescriptions were able to obtain all the necessary medicines, 1/3 of them from SUS. Less than half the Brazilian population (44.4%; 95%CI 43.8-45.1) visited a dentist in the 12 months prior to the survey, with smaller percentages among the following groups: 60 years of age or older; head of household with no education or up to incomplete elementary; living in the North region of Brazil. People living in the South and Southeast regions still have greater access to health services, as do those whose head of household has a higher level of education. The (re)formulation of health policies to reduce disparities should consider differences encountered between regions and social levels. Descrever o uso de serviços de saúde na população brasileira segundo fatores sociodemográficos, de acordo com dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, 2013. Foram analisados dados referentes a 205 mil brasileiros, de todas as faixas etárias, que participaram da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, estudo transversal conduzido em 2013. Calcularam-se as prevalências e seus intervalos de confiança para indicadores referentes ao acesso e a utilização dos serviços de saúde, segundo grupos de idade, nível de instrução do chefe da família e macrorregiões do país. Dentre os indivíduos que procuraram o serviço de saúde nas duas semanas prévias à pesquisa, 95,3% (IC95% 94,9-95,8) conseguiu usá-lo na primeira vez que procurou. As proporções foram maiores: no grupo de 60 anos ou mais; cujo chefe da família tinha nível superior completo; e nas regiões Sul e Sudeste. Ainda, dos indiví