[Cervical cancer as a tracer condition: a proposal for evaluation of primary health care].
The use of tracer conditions as an evaluative technique suggests the possibility of inferring the quality of health care and setting evaluation standards for programmed actions. As a government strategy, primary health care is a key element for reorganization of the Brazilian health care model. This study analyzes the use of cervical cancer as a tracer condition for assessing primary care. Based on the results from questions on measures to control the disease from the perspective of health professionals and cervical cancer patients, we constructed a matrix of indicators relating primary care attributes to process/results indicators. The analytical plan to validate the results used triangulation of methods, associating data from qualitative and quantitative approaches, in addition to combining and cross-analyzing the various actors' points of view. The results suggest that cervical cancer is an excellent tracer condition for primary care in general, based on the similarity of such concepts as accessibility, coverage, comprehensiveness, technical and scientific quality, and effectiveness.
Bottari
Clarissa Moraes de Sousa
CM
Departamento de Administração e Planejamento em Saúde, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. clairemoraes@gmail.com
Vasconcellos
Miguel Murat
MM
Mendonça
Maria Helena Magalhães de
MH
D001938:Brazil; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy