Primary Care Assessment Tool: regional differences based on the National Health Survey from Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística

Temporal trend in the incidence of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection in Brazil, by macro-region, Federative Unit, sex and age group, 2010-2021

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the temporal trend in the incidence of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection in Brazil, by macro-region, Federative Unit, sex and age group, from 2010 to 2021.

METHODS

This was a time series study using surveillance data to estimate average annual percentage changes (AAPC), and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) via joinpoint regression.

RESULTS

122,211 cases of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection were analyzed; a falling trend was identified for Brazil as a whole (AAPC = -4.3; 95%CI -5.1;-3.7), and in the country's Southern (AAPC = -6.2; 95%CI -6.9;-5.5) and Southeast (AAPC = -4.6; 95%CI -5.6;-3.8) regions, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021); the greatest falling trend was seen in Santa Catarina (AAPC = -9.3; 95%CI -10.1;-8.5), while the greatest rising trend was found in Tocantins (AAPC = 4.1; 95%CI 0.1;8.6); there was a rising trend among males, especially in Sergipe (AAPC = 3.9; 95%CI 0.4;7.9), and those aged 18 to 34 years, especially in Amapá (AAPC = 7.9; 95%CI 5.1;11.5).

CONCLUSION

The burden and trends of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection were geographically and demographically disparate.

Prevalence of preconception health indicators among Brazilian women of reproductive age

This article aims to evaluate the performance of preconception health indicators according to sociodemographic characteristics among Brazilian women of reproductive age. We conducted a descriptive epidemiological study using data from 21,645 and 25,228 women, respectively, who responded the 2013 and 2019 national health surveys, and data for the period 2010 to 2020 derived from the national health system's Department of Informatics (DATASUS). We calculated the prevalence of indicators according to sociodemographic characteristics and statistical significance of differences was measured using Pearson's chi-squared test. Syphilis and HIV incidence rates were also calculated. There was an increase in the prevalence of access to health service indicators (medical and dental consultations and recent Pap smear). However, there was an increase in the prevalence of hypertension, alcohol use, and obesity. The prevalence of use of contraceptive methods and fertility treatment remained stable. Syphilis incidence increased sevenfold between 2010 and 2020. Black/brown women with a low level of education, higher parity, and living in the North or Northeast performed worse for preconception health indicators. Despite the increase in access to health services, performance on preconception health indicators declined and health inequities continued.

Health inequalities in Brazil: proposed prioritization to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

This study aimed to develop a prioritization index to speed up the achievement of national health targets proposed in the 2030 Agenda. This is an ecological study that addressed the Health Regions in Brazil. The index incorporated 25 indicators with analytical proximity to the official indicators of the 2030 Agenda whose data are available from public municipal sources for the period of 2015-2019. According to our study, the index was a powerful method to support health management decisions. The results showed the most vulnerable territories are located in the North Region of the country, and therefore, these are priority areas for resource allocation. The analysis of subindices highlighted local health bottlenecks, reinforcing the need for municipalities in each region to set their own priorities while making decisions for health resource allocation. By indicating Health Regions and priority themes for more investments, this investigation shows paths to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, from the local to the national level, in addition to providing elements that can be used by policy makers to minimize the effects of social inequalities on health, prioritizing territories with worse indices.

Primary child health care: the largest population-based assessment in the history of Brazilian National Health System

Abstract The IBGE has been playing a leading role in the public policy evaluation in Brazil since 2019. After the National Health Survey (PNS) evaluated primary care services in the Unified Health System (SUS) provided to adults, in 2022, the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD-C) investigated child health. To this end, it adopted one version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), developed and disseminated by Starfield and Shi to assess the existence and extent of the attributes of PHC services. The target audience surveyed included children under 13 years of age, and the questionnaires were answered by their guardians/caregivers. It included all the 27 federative units of the country in random probabilistic samples, also unfolding in the Brazilian metropolitan regions and capitals. This is the largest household survey on child health assessment ever conducted in Brazil. With the PNS-2019 and the PNAD-C in 2022, IBGE inaugurates its greatest legacy for Brazilian primary health care regarding the evaluation of SUS users, with all federative units recognizing and understanding how Brazilian society evaluates health services at the first level of care.

Primary child health care: the largest population-based assessment in the history of Brazilian National Health System

The IBGE has been playing a leading role in the public policy evaluation in Brazil since 2019. After the National Health Survey (PNS) evaluated primary care services in the Unified Health System (SUS) provided to adults, in 2022, the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD-C) investigated child health. To this end, it adopted one version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), developed and disseminated by Starfield and Shi to assess the existence and extent of the attributes of PHC services. The target audience surveyed included children under 13 years of age, and the questionnaires were answered by their guardians/caregivers. It included all the 27 federative units of the country in random probabilistic samples, also unfolding in the Brazilian metropolitan regions and capitals. This is the largest household survey on child health assessment ever conducted in Brazil. With the PNS-2019 and the PNAD-C in 2022, IBGE inaugurates its greatest legacy for Brazilian primary health care regarding the evaluation of SUS users, with all federative units recognizing and understanding how Brazilian society evaluates health services at the first level of care.

Inequalities in Temporal Effects on Cervical Cancer Mortality in States in Different Geographic Regions of Brazil: An Ecological Study

Cervical cancer is a public health issue with high disease burden and mortality in Brazil. The objectives of the present study were, firstly, to analyze age, period, and cohort effects on cervical cancer mortality in women 20 years old or older from 1980 to 2019 in the North, South, and Southeast Regions of Brazil; and secondly, to evaluate whether the implementation of a national screening program and the expansion of access to public health services impacted the examined period and reduced the risk of death compared with previous years and among younger cohorts. The effects were estimated by applying Poisson regression models with estimable functions. The highest mortality rate per 100,000 women was found in Amazonas (24.13), and the lowest in São Paulo (10.56). A positive gradient was obtained for death rates as women's age increased. The states in the most developed regions (South and Southeast) showed a reduction in the risk of death in the period that followed the implementation of the screening program and in the cohort from the 1960s onwards. The North Region showed a decreased risk of death only in Amapá (2000-2004) and Tocantins (1995-2004; 2010-2019). The findings indicate that health inequities remain in Brazil and suggest that the health system has limitations in terms of decreasing mortality associated with this type of cancer in regions of lower socioeconomic development.

Associação entre avaliação positiva da atenção primária à saúde e características sociodemográficas e comorbidades no Brasil

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever a avaliação positiva da atenção primária à saúde (APS) no Brasil na ótica dos usuários e sua associação com as características sociodemográficas e comorbidades. Métodos: Análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde 2019, com amostra de 9.562 adultos que responderam ao primary care assessment tool (PCATool). Foi testada a associação entre avaliação positiva da APS (escore geral ≥6,6) e características individuais, sendo utilizadas as razões de prevalência (RP) calculadas por meio de regressão de Poisson. Resultados: Menos de 40% dos brasileiros avaliaram a APS com escore alto. No que se refere à associação das variáveis sociodemográficas com a avaliação elevada da APS, ajustada por sexo e idade, encontrou-se que a melhor avaliação da APS ocorreu entre mulheres [RPaj 1,10 (intervalo de confiança de 95% — IC95% 1,00–1,21)]; idosos (60 anos ou mais) [RPaj 1,27 (IC95% 1,09–1,48)]; pessoas com renda per capita de um a três salários mínimos (SM) [RPaj 1,14 (IC95% 1,03–1,27)] e ≥5 SM [RPaj 1,75 (IC95% 1,39–2,21)] quando comparadas com renda até um SM; e moradores das regiões Sul, Sudeste e Centro-Oeste em relação à Região Norte. Considerando as variáveis de comorbidades, avaliaram bem a APS indivíduos com hipertensão [RPaj 1,29 (IC95% 1,17–1,43)]; diabetes [RPaj 1,21 (IC95% 1,08–1,36)]; doença cardíaca [RPaj 1,23 (IC95% 1,07–1,41)]; distúrbio osteomuscular [RPaj 1,36 (IC95% 1,10–1,69)]; doença do pulmão [RPaj 1,48 (IC95% 1,13–1,95)] e obesidade [RPaj 1,15 (IC95% 1,03–1,28)] em comparação com pessoas eutróficas. Conclusão: Usuários que avaliaram bem a APS são mulheres, idosos, com prevalências elevadas de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. A avaliação positiva da APS, em geral, resulta da maior utilização dos serviços de saúde.

Association between positive assessment of Primary Health Care, sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities in Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe positive evaluations of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil from the perspective of users and their association with sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities. Methods: Analysis of the 2019 National Health Survey, in which 9,562 adults responded to the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCATool). The association between positive PHC assessment (overall score ≥6.6) and individual characteristics was tested using Prevalence Ratios (PR) calculated by Poisson Regression. Results: Less than 40% of Brazilians rated PHC with a high score. Regarding the association of sociodemographic variables with high PHC assessment, adjusted for sex and age, the best PHC assessments were made by women [PRaj 1.10 (95%CI 1.00–1.21)]; elderly (60 years and over) [PRaj 1.27 (95%CI 1.09–1.48); people with a per capita income of 1 to 3 minimum wages (MW) PRaj 1.14 (95%CI 1.03–1.27) and ≥5 MW PRaj 1.75 (95%CI 1.39–2.21) when comparing with income up to 1 MW; residents of the South, Southeast and Midwest regions, compared to the North Region. Considering comorbidities, individuals with hypertension PRaj1,29 (95%CI 1.17–1.43); diabetes PRaj 1.21 (95%CI 1.08–1.36); heart disease PRaj 1.23 (95%CI 1.07–1.41); musculoskeletal disorders PRaj 1.36 (95%CI 1.10–1.69); lung disease PRaj 1.48 (95%CI 1.13–1.95) and obesity PRaj 1.15 (95%CI 1.03–1.28) rated PHC better when compared to normal weight people. Conclusion: Users who evaluate PHC well are usually women, elderly, with high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases. A positive evaluation of PHC, in general, results from greater use of health services.