Associação entre internações por condições sensíveis e qualidade da atenção primária

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between municipal rates of ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) hospitalization and the quality of primary health care (PHC), socioeconomic, and demographic variables and those related to local characteristics of the health system from 2010 to 2019. METHOD: Ecological time series study in Brazilian municipalities analyzing the correlation of ACSC hospitalization rates with PHC quality measured by the three cycles of the Primary Care Access and Program for improving primary care access and quality (PMAQ-AB). The study included municipalities whose teams participated in 80% or more of at least two PMAQ-AB cycles. The correlation between standardized ACSC hospitalization rates and PHC quality and other variables was analyzed. Spearman’s test was used between the response variable and numerical explanatory variables. Generalized equations estimation was used as a multivariate model associating ACSC hospitalization rates with the other variables over the years. RESULTS: A total of 3,500 municipalities were included in the models. The quality of PHC (PMAQ-AB score) showed an inverse association with the variation in ACSC hospitalization rates. Hospitalization rates fell by -2% per year every ten-point increase in the PMAQ-AB score, adjusted by the remaining variables. A one-unit increase in the beds per 1,000 inhabitants variable had an impact of approximately +6.4% on ACSC hospitalization rates. Regarding population size, larger municipalities had lower ACSC hospitalization rates. Increased PHC coverage and lower socioeconomic inequality were also associated with the reduction in hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in ACSC hospitalization rates over time was associated with an increase in the quality of PHC. It was also associated with a reduction in the number of hospital beds and municipalities with better socioeconomic indicators.OBJETIVO: Analisar a associação entre taxas municipais de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária (ICSAP), com a qualidade da atenção primária à saúde (APS), variáveis socioeconômicas, demográficas e relacionadas a características locais do sistema de saúde, de 2010 a 2019. MÉTODOS: Estudo ecológico de séries temporais nos municípios brasileiros analisando a correlação das taxas de ICSAP, com a qualidade da APS medida pelos três ciclos do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). Foram incluídos municípios que participaram com 80% ou mais de suas equipes em, ao menos, dois ciclos do PMAQ-AB. Foi analisada a correlação entre as taxas de ICSAP padronizadas com a qualidade da APS e demais variáveis. Empregou-se o teste de Spearman entre a variável resposta e as variáveis explicativas numéricas. Foi usado o generalized equations estimating como modelo multivariado associando as taxas de ICSAP e as demais variáveis ao longo dos anos. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 3.500 municípios nos modelos. A qualidade da APS (nota do PMAQ-AB) apresentou associação inversa com a variação das taxas de ICSAP. As taxas de internação tiveram queda de -2% ao ano a cada aumento de dez pontos na nota do PMAQAB, ajustado pelas demais variáveis. O aumento de uma unidade na variável leitos por mil habitantes impactou em uma elevação de aproximadamente +6,4% nas taxas de ICSAP. Quanto ao porte populacional, municípios maiores tiveram menores taxas de ICSAP. Também se associaram à redução das internações o aumento da cobertura da APS e a menor desigualdade socioeconômica. CONCLUSÕES: A redução das taxas de ICSAP ao longo do tempo mostrou-se associada com o aumento da qualidade da APS. Além disso, esteve associada com diminuição do número de leitos hospitalares e a municípios com melhores indicadores socioeconômicos

Contribution of community health workers to primary health care performance in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To associate the strength of community health workers interventions with primary health care strategies for women’s and children’s health, diabetes, and hypertension. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study assessing 29,778 family health teams working in primary health care in Brazil in 2014. The association between community health workers activity levels and primary health care facilities was analyzed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: We found higher levels of community health workers activities strongly associated with primary health care practices (OR = 6.88) for those activities targeting hypertension management, followed by children’s health (OR = 6.56), and women’s health (OR = 6.21). CONCLUSIONS: At a time when Brazil discusses whether community health workers should or should not remain in the same scale-up and skill level as they currently are, our results reinforce the importance of these workers for the care model advocated by the Brazilian Unified Health System

Regional differences in infection control conditions in a sample of primary health care services in Brazil

International guidelines have pointed out the importance of the physical environment of health care facilities in preventing and controlling infection. We aimed to describe the physical environment of dental care facilities in Brazil in 2014, focusing on characteristics designed to control infections. Exactly 16,202 dental offices in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) participated in this survey. Trained researchers extracted information about the infection control characteristics of health facilities by using a structured instrument. We used data from 12 dichotomous questions that evaluated the wall, floor, sink and tap conditions, and the presence and condition of sterilization equipment. We calculated a score by summing the number of characteristics handled appropriately for infection control, which could range from 0 to 12. Hierarchical cluster analyses were developed. None of the 12 criteria were met by all the oral health teams. Only 208 (1.3%) dental offices correctly performed all 12-infection control practices. Two clusters, with different frequencies of structure for infection control in dental offices, were identified. South and Southeast regions had the highest frequencies for Cluster 1, with better structure of infection control in dental offices. Dental care facilities of oral health teams were not typically meeting the infection control guidelines regarding clinic design and equipment. Adherence to the guidelines varied among the Brazilian geographic regions

Integração da atenção básica à rede assistencial: análise de componentes da avaliação externa do PMAQ-AB

Estudo transversal que avalia a integração entre a atenção básica e a rede assistencial do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), por meio do Modelo de Resposta Gradual da Teoria de Resposta ao Item. Com base nos dados de 17.202 equipes que participaram do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB), 2012, foram mensurados gradientes de integração para identificar o perfil das equipes por nível de integração. Os resultados demonstram que os itens referentes às ações de apoio matricial - consultas médicas; discussão de caso; ação clínica compartilhada; construção conjunta de projetos terapêuticos; atividade de educação permanente; discussão processo trabalho; intervenções no território e realização de visita com profissionais de atenção básica - melhoram o desempenho das equipes de atenção básica. Dispositivos de comunicação entre as equipes reforçam esse entendimento. Contudo, a frequência em torno de 50% de respostas associadas ao pior cenário para alguns itens do estudo, evidenciou a necessidade de qualificação da integração entre as ações de atenção básica e especializada para a consolidação de uma atenção primária à saúde abrangente

Describing the Primary Care Actions of Oral Health Teams in Brazil

Objective: To describe the primary care actions performed by oral health teams (OHTs) that participated in a large national survey led by the Ministry of Health in 2012. Methods: A total of 12,403 dentists from OHTs completed a set of survey questions (response rate = 85.01%) on the organization of care, basic dental procedures and oral health surveillance actions of OHTs. Descriptive and hierarchical cluster analyses were developed. Results: The majority of OHTs (85.2%) reported that they performed “patient welcoming”. The delivery of services was based on a patient’s identified disease risk (83.1%), and continuity of care was ensured by 85.9% of OHTs. Individual preventive, restorative and surgical procedures were performed by the majority of the teams; however, screening for oral cancer and construction of dental prostheses/dentures occurred less frequently. Cluster 1 was composed of OHTs with the lowest proportion of oral healthcare actions related to oral cancer and dental prostheses/dentures, and the Southeastern and Southern regions had higher proportions of OHTs from cluster 2. Conclusions: OHTs adhere to some of the principles of primary care organizations; however, the teams perform fewer actions related to oral cancer treatment and rehabilitation with complete dentures. The geographical distribution of the clusters was unequal in Brazil

Association between hospitalizations for sensitive conditions and quality of primary care

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the association between municipal rates of ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) hospitalization and the quality of primary health care (PHC), socioeconomic, and demographic variables and those related to local characteristics of the health system from 2010 to 2019. METHOD Ecological time series study in Brazilian municipalities analyzing the correlation of ACSC hospitalization rates with PHC quality measured by the three cycles of the Primary Care Access and Program for improving primary care access and quality (PMAQ-AB). The study included municipalities whose teams participated in 80% or more of at least two PMAQ-AB cycles. The correlation between standardized ACSC hospitalization rates and PHC quality and other variables was analyzed. Spearman’s test was used between the response variable and numerical explanatory variables. Generalized equations estimation was used as a multivariate model associating ACSC hospitalization rates with the other variables over the years. RESULTS A total of 3,500 municipalities were included in the models. The quality of PHC (PMAQ-AB score) showed an inverse association with the variation in ACSC hospitalization rates. Hospitalization rates fell by -2% per year every ten-point increase in the PMAQ-AB score, adjusted by the remaining variables. A one-unit increase in the beds per 1,000 inhabitants variable had an impact of approximately +6.4% on ACSC hospitalization rates. Regarding population size, larger municipalities had lower ACSC hospitalization rates. Increased PHC coverage and lower socioeconomic inequality were also associated with the reduction in hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS The reduction in ACSC hospitalization rates over time was associated with an increase in the quality of PHC. It was also associated with a reduction in the number of hospital beds and municipalities with better socioeconomic indicators

Using Item Response Theory to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of questions in a Brazilian programme and the performance of dental teams in primary care

Submitted by Nuzia Santos ([email protected]) on 2020-02-06T17:15:54Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Using Item Response Theory.pdf: 600933 bytes, checksum: bfa9f1ff17c017a0fd47e5a1927f2941 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Nuzia Santos ([email protected]) on 2020-02-06T17:27:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Using Item Response Theory.pdf: 600933 bytes, checksum: bfa9f1ff17c017a0fd47e5a1927f2941 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2020-02-06T17:27:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Using Item Response Theory.pdf: 600933 bytes, checksum: bfa9f1ff17c017a0fd47e5a1927f2941 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019Funding: The authors would like to thank the financial support of the Brazilian research agencies: Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES, in Portuguese: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, in Portuguese: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico), and Research Support Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG, in Portuguese: Fundação de Amparo e Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais) and also Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. All the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Faculdade de Odontologia. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Odontologia. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Faculdade de Odontologia. Departamento de Odontologia Comunitária e Preventiva. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto René Rachou. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.Kings College London, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, London, United Kingdom.Kings College London, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, London, United Kingdom.Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Faculdade de Odontologia. Departamento de Odontologia Comunitária e Preventiva. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.OBJECTIVES: First, to assess the psychometric properties of key questions included in a public sector evaluation of primary dental care in Brazil; and second, to evaluate the performance of dental teams in relation to these items. METHODS: Secondary analysis of a national primary care dataset monitoring quality and access to dental care. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with representatives of dental teams participating in the 'National Programme for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care'. Twenty-three mandatory questions about the dentists' reported delivery of dental procedures were included in the analysis. Item Response Theory (IRT) modelling was applied to measure the psychometric properties of the instrument-level of difficulty and discrimination parameter of each item-and then to estimate dental team performance scores based on these parameters. Based on IRT, possible scores ranged from -4 to +4. RESULTS: Three of the 23 mandatory items were removed due to poor internal consistency, resulting in a scale of 20 items for assessing dental team performance. The results showed variation in procedures delivered by the dental teams; whilst more than a half of the procedures were executed by at least 80% of the dental teams, those relating to dentures (partial/total) and frenectomy (lingual/labial) were performed by less than 30%. Amongst the 20 items included in the model, those related to partial/total dentures and oral cancer follow-up presented higher levels of difficulty and were less frequently provided. The items relating to the treatment of deciduous teeth and access to the dental pulp of permanent teeth had the highest discrimination parameters and, consequently, greater weight in the performance's score estimation; therefore, dental teams that did not perform these items had the lowest performance scores. In the present study, dental team performance scores ranged from -3.66 to +1.87 with a mean/median of -0.06/+0.01. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that whilst the items within the instrument demonstrated some potential to discriminate between poor and very poor teams, they were ineffective in discriminating between poor and good teams. Whilst Brazilian dental teams perform many mandatory procedures, variation in the nature of their delivery of care requires further investigation to enhance service provision to the population

The Influence of Dentists' Profile and Health Work Management in the Performance of Brazilian Dental Teams

To evaluate the association between dentists' profile and health work management with the performance of primary care dental teams in the Brazilian National Health System, both nationally and regionally. Secondary data analysis from a Brazilian National Programme that evaluated 18,114 Brazilian dental teams, working in the public sector, between 2013 and 2014. Twenty-four independent variables taken from dentists' profile and dental team management characteristics were analysed to assess their influence on reported “dental team performance.” An estimated score was generated from their performance on 20 dental procedures by an item response theory model. Multiple linear regression models were performed for each Brazilian geographical region, separately and for the whole of Brazil. p values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Two variables related to dentists' profile, “having graduate studies” (β = 0.151) and “undertaking continuing professional development training” (β = 0.101), were associated with enhanced dental team performance in all five Brazilian geographical regions and nationally. The dental team management variables of “having a flexible dental appointment list” (β = 0.218) and “monitoring oral health indicators” (β = 0.132) also contributed to improve team performance in each of the regions and nationally. Dentists' profile influenced the performance of dental teams from south region more than the other regions. The findings suggest that continuing professional development, including postgraduate education, and strategic management characteristics are important for primary dental care performance and should be reflected in health policy initiatives in support of quality care. Regional factors could be considered for health care management