[Access to the pediatric ambulatory service at a university hospital].
BACKGROUND
In Brazil, one can verify an imbalance between the increase in the need for health care and its supply. The consolidation of the National Health System which recommends universality and equity in care, makes this issue important in the field of health service evaluation. Two pediatric services in a university hospital, one general and the other specialized are studied and compared in terms of their clients' access.


METHODS
Questionnaires were applied to 221 users of the general pediatrics outpatient departments of one of the specialties with a view to studying and comparing socioeconomic and several other variables related to the access to these and other health services.


RESULTS
A high level of difficulty in the users' locomotion from local health services to the hospital was noted. Of the patients attended, 40% did not receive any kind of care before their arrival and were dependent exclusively on State-run health services. The clients of the specialty were different as regards several variables when compared to the users of the general outpatients' department. The fact that they are at a better socioeconomic level and are less dependent on State-run services brings out the social inequalities involved.


CONCLUSIONS
Socioeconomic conditions, as well as organizational aspects of the service, are seen to be both causes and consequences of social inequality verified.
Franco
S C
SC
Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Estadual de Campinas(FCM/UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brasil. sfranco@obelix.unicamp.br
Campos
G W
GW
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors
Acesso a ambulatório pediátrico de um hospital universitário.