Structure and work process regarding the child care in primary care in Brazil: ecological study with data from the Program to Improve Access and Quality of Primary Care 2012-2018

Abstract

Objective: To asses the structure of basic health units (UBS) and the work process of primary care teams in child care in Brazil. Methods: Ecological study with data from the three cycles of the Program for Improving Access and Quality in Primary Care 2012-2018, by federated unit and regions. Seven structural and thirteen procedural indicators were analyzed. The t test was used to compare means of the indicators between regions. Results: 85,845 teams participated in the three cycles of the program, grouped into 68,320 UBS. In the last evaluation cycle (2017-2018), they showed higher percentages of adequacy among the structural indicators: unit functioning (99%), equipment/materials (82%), vaccines (74%) and medication dispensing (70%). Discovered population (68%) and scheduling for specialists (52%) corresponded to the lowest percentages of adequacy of process indicators. Conclusion: The processe indicators showed better adjustments than the structural indicators.