[Access of hypertension and/or diabetes patients to healthcare services in Baixada Santista].
Arterial Hypertension (AH) and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) are considered a worldwide epidemics whose control poses a challenge to health care services. Within the National Health System, the Family Health Program currently has the dual role of being a system gateway and reference structure. Bearing in mind this scenario, this study assessed the access of AH and DM patients to health care and therapeutic drugs. A household survey was conducted in five municipalities with over 100,000 inhabitants in the Baixada Santista. A two-stage self-weighted probabilistic sample was used. Results estimated a prevalence of 26.3% for AH and of 8.8% for DM, AH being more prevalent among women. As to health care, 85.3% of the individuals with AH interviewed reported having had their arterial pressure checked, and 70.2% of those with DM reported having had their glucose blood serum level tested in the preceding six months. Drug treatment was prescribed to 99.4% of these patients, and 62.8% of AH patients purchased such drugs from private drugstores, and 57.9% of DM patients received drugs provided by health centers. Over 90% of the patients had no access to educational group activities, and 78% of AH and 92.5% of DM patients had no supervising home visits. These findings suggest the need for primary health care as the mainstay for the care provided to HA and DM.
Bersusa
Ana Aparecida Sanches
AA
Instituto de Saúde, Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, SP Brazil. anab@isaude.sp.gov.br
Pascalicchio
Aurea Eleutério
AE
Pessoto
Umberto Catarino
UC
Escuder
Maria Mercedes Loureiro
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult