The search for equity in public health policies: analysis of the implementation of incentives for physical activity in Primary Care in Brazil

Abstract

Public health policies aim to provide equitable access to healthcare services as a fundamental right. In 2022, the Ministry of Health created a financial incentive to promote physical activity (IAF) in SUS Primary Health Care. The objectives of this study were to present the national panorama of the first year of implementation of the IAF and to analyze whether the municipal prioritization score, created considering the existing budget availability, was an effective criterion for greater equity in the distribution of resources in the different implementation periods (without and with targets). This is a descriptive study analyzing the absolute and relative number of municipalities and health units approved, the number of health units that received funds and the amounts paid out. To analyze equity, measures of absolute and relative inequalities between health units were calculated, grouped into quartiles according to the municipal prioritization score. The percentage of approved health units that received funds was no more than 37.6%, with R$18.05 million paid out (period without targets) and R$10.10 million (with targets). There was a 68.9% reduction in the number of health units that received funds after the targets were set. Important inequalities in the receipt of resources were revealed, with a higher percentage of health units located in municipalities with lower priority. Thus, the criteria adopted by the Ministry of Health were insufficient to guarantee equity in the allocation of resources to promote physical activity.