Transition to universal primary health care coverage in Brazil: analysis of uptake and expansion patterns of Brazil’s Family Health Strategy (1998-2012)

Family Health Strategy, the primary health care program in Brazil, has been scaled up throughout the country, but its expansion has been heterogeneous across municipalities. We investigate if there are unique municipal characteristics that can explain the timing of uptake and the pattern of expansion of the Family Health Strategy from years 1998 to 2012. We categorized municipalities in six groups based on the relative speed of the Family Health Strategy uptake and the pattern of Family Health Strategy coverage expansion. We assembled data for 11 indicators for years 2000 and 2010, for 5,507 municipalities, and assessed differences in indicators across the six groups, which we mapped to examine spatial heterogeneities. Important factors differentiating early and late adopters of the Family Health Strategy were supply of doctors and population density. Sustained coverage expansion was related mainly to population size, marginal benefits of the program and doctors’ supply. The uptake was widespread nationwide with no distinct patterns among regions, but highly heterogeneous at the state and municipal level. The Brazilian experience of expanding primary health care offers three lessons in relation to factors influencing diffusion of primary health care. First, the funding mechanism is critical for program implementation, and must be accompanied by ways to support the supply of primary care physicians in low density areas. Second, in more developed and bigger areas the main challenge is lack of incentives to pursue universal coverage, especially due to the availability of private insurance. Third, population size is a crucial element to guarantee coverage sustainability over time.

[Equity in coverage by the Family Health Strategy in Minas Gerais State, Brazil]. / A equidade na cobertura da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Minas Gerais, Brasil.

The Family Health Strategy (FHS) plays an important role in prevention and in monitoring families in the Brazilian Unified National Health System. This study aims to analyze equity in the coverage of these services in the urban areas of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The research is unprecedented and analyzes several markers for four target groups: women, pregnant women, children, and the elderly. The study is representative of the various health macro-regions. In 2012, 6,797 households were surveyed, with 5,820 women, 1,758 children, and 3,629 elderly. To analyze equity, FHS coverage rates were calculated according to family income, and concentration indices and curves were estimated. The results show that the FHS is an equitable policy. The indicators show that poorer households have higher visitation rates under the FHS. Coverage of the eligible population is quite high: 88% of households received at least one visit from FHS professionals in the previous 12 months, resulting in a concentration index near zero.

A equidade na cobertura da Estratégia Saúde da Família em Minas Gerais, Brasil / Equity in coverage by the Family Health Strategy in Minas Gerais State, Brazil / La equidad en la cobertura de la Estrategia de Salud Familiar en Minas Gerais, Brasil

A Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) tem papel relevante na prevenção e no acompanhamento das famílias no Sistema Único de Saúde. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a equidade na cobertura desses serviços ofertados na área urbana de Minas Gerais, Brasil. A pesquisa analisa diversos marcadores considerando quatro grupos-alvo: mulheres, gestantes, crianças e idosos, sendo representativa por macrorregião de saúde. Foram investigados em 2012, 6.797 domicílios, sendo entrevistados 5.820 mulheres, 1.758 crianças e 3.629 idosos. Para analisar a equidade, foram construídas taxas de cobertura da ESF por classe de riqueza e estimados índices e curvas de concentração. Os resultados revelam que a ESF é uma política equitativa. Os indicadores mostram que os domicílios mais pobres apresentam maiores taxas de visitação da ESF. Considerando a população residente nas áreas adscritas às equipes de saúde, o nível de cobertura é bastante elevado: 88% da população investigada receberam pelo menos uma visita dos profissionais da ESF nos últimos 12 meses, o que resulta em índices de concentração perto de zero.

The Family Health Strategy (FHS) plays an important role in prevention and in monitoring families in the Brazilian Unified National Health System. This study aims to analyze equity in the coverage of these services in the urban areas of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The research is unprecedented and analyzes several markers for four target groups: women, pregnant women, children, and the elderly. The study is representative of the various health macro-regions. In 2012, 6,797 households were surveyed, with 5,820 women, 1,758 children, and 3,629 elderly. To analyze equity, FHS coverage rates were calculated according to family income, and concentration indices and curves were estimated. The results show that the FHS is an equitable policy. The indicators show that poorer households have higher visitation rates under the FHS. Coverage of the eligible population is quite high: 88% of households received at least one visit from FHS professionals in the previous 12 months, resulting in a concentration index near zero.

La Estrategia de Salud Familiar (ESF) tiene un papel importante en la prevención y el seguimiento de las familias en el Sistema Único de Salud. Este estudio analiza la equidad en la cobertura de estos servicios ofertados en el área urbana de Minas Gerais, Brasil. La investigación es inédita y analiza marcadores para cuatro grupos objetivo: mujeres, mujeres embarazadas, niños y ancianos. La muestra es representativa por macrorregiones de salud. En 2012, fueron investigados 6.797 domicilios y fueron entrevistados 5.820 mujeres, 1.758 niños y 3.629 adultos mayores. Para el análisis de la equidad, se construyeron las tasas de cobertura por clase de riqueza y se estimaran los índices y curvas de concentración. Los resultados revelan que el ESF es una política equitativa. Los indicadores muestran que los hogares más pobres tienen mayores tasas de visitas de ESF. Teniendo en cuenta la población elegible, la cobertura es muy alta: el 88% de la población recibió al menos una visita de profesionales de la ESF en los últimos 12 meses, lo que resulta en índices de concentración cerca de cero.