Perfil de utilização de serviços de saúde por crianças de zona urbana no Brasil: estudo transversal de base nacional / The pattern of use of health services by children from urban areas in Brazil: a cross-sectional national study

Descrever o perfil de utilização de serviços de saúde em crianças brasileiras menores de cinco anos. Métodos: estudo seccional de base populacional realizado em 2009, com crianças residentes em 100 municípios de cinco regiões brasileiras. Investigou-se o uso dos seguintes tipos de atendimento de saúde: domiciliar e médico ambulatorial - últimos três meses - e de urgência e internação hospitalar - últimos doze meses. As variáveis independentes foram: sexo, idade, classificação econômica familiar, escolaridade materna, família beneficiada pelo Programa Bolsa Família, ter apresentado problema agudo de saúde, estado nutricional, porte do município e região. Análises brutas e ajustadas para associação entre a utilização de serviços de saúde e classe econômica foram realizadas por meio de regressão de Poisson com ajuste robusto da variância. Resultados: das 6360 crianças, 3422 (54 por cento) foram atendidas por médico, 506 (8 por cento) receberam atendimento domiciliar, 2144 (34 por cento) foram atendidas em serviços de urgência/emergência e 681 (11 por cento) foram hospitalizadas. Crianças das classes A/B consultaram mais com o médico, tiveram menos atendimento domiciliar, usaram mais serviços de urgência do que crianças das classes C e D/E. Não houve diferença na hospitalização segundo classe econômica. Conclusões: os achados destacam importantes desigualdades no uso de serviços de saúde por crianças brasileiras...

To describe the pattern of use of health services by Brazilian children aged under five years. Methods: a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2009 with children from 100 municipalities across five regions of Brazil. Use of the following types of health care was investigated: house-calls and outpatients doctor - previous three months - and emergency services and admission to hospital – previous twelve months. The independent variables were: sex, age, household income, level of schooling of mother, family receiving Family Grant Program benefits, having had an acute health problem, nutritional status, size of municipality, and region. Raw analyses and analyses adjusted for the association between the use of health services and economic status were carried out using Poisson's regression as a robust adjustment of variance. Results: of the 6,360 children, 3,422 (54 percent) were attended by a physician, 506 (8 percent) received a housecall, 2,144 (34 percent) were attended by emergency services and 681 (11 percent) were hospitalized. Children from socioeconomic class A/B consulted a doctor more, received fewer house-calls, and used the emergency services more than children from classes C and D/E. There was no difference in the frequency of admission to hospital according to socioeconomic status. Conclusions: the findings point to significant inequalities in the use of health services by Brazilian children...

Prevalence of overweight and associated factors in under-five-year-old children in urban population in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of overweight in children under five years old from urban households and to investigate associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study carried out in the five regions of Brazil with a sample of 6,397 children. The World Health Organization 2006 Growth Curves were used and children were considered overweight when Z-score was higher than two standard deviations of weight for height. The following variables were investigated: family income, mothers' education level, race, age, gender, number of siblings, weight at birth and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Proportions were compared with the χ2 test and reasons of prevalence were calculated. Logistic regression was used for the adjusted analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was of 12%. After adjustments, this prevalence was significantly higher among males (p = 0.030) and inversely proportional to the child's age (p = 0.032). White children presented 22% higher overweight prevalence than non-white ones. A linear direct association was verified between weight at birth and overweight (p = 0.000). Children who were breastfed until 120 days presented 34% more prevalence of overweight when compared to the ones who were breastfed for a longer time. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight prevalence was higher in male, under one year old, white children, with more than 3,500 grams of weight at birth and who were exclusively breastfed until 120 days.

Prevalence of overweight and associated factors in under-five-year-old children in urban population in Brazil / Excesso de peso e fatores associados em menores de cinco anos em populações urbanas no Brasil

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of overweight in children under five years old from urban households and to investigate associated factors. Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study carried out in the five regions of Brazil with a sample of 6,397 children. The World Health Organization 2006 Growth Curves were used and children were considered overweight when Z-score was higher than two standard deviations of weight for height. The following variables were investigated: family income, mothers' education level, race, age, gender, number of siblings, weight at birth and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Proportions were compared with the χ2 test and reasons of prevalence were calculated. Logistic regression was used for the adjusted analysis. Results: The prevalence of overweight was of 12%. After adjustments, this prevalence was significantly higher among males (p = 0.030) and inversely proportional to the child's age (p = 0.032). White children presented 22% higher overweight prevalence than non-white ones. A linear direct association was verified between weight at birth and overweight (p = 0.000). Children who were breastfed until 120 days presented 34% more prevalence of overweight when compared to the ones who were breastfed for a longer time. Conclusions: Overweight prevalence was higher in male, under one year old, white children, with more than 3,500 grams of weight at birth and who were exclusively breastfed until 120 days. .

Objetivos: Estimar a prevalência de excesso de peso em menores de cinco anos em famílias urbanas e investigar fatores associados. Métodos: Estudo transversal de base populacional realizado nas cinco regiões do Brasil, com uma amostra de 6.397 crianças. Foram utilizadas as curvas de crescimento da Organização Mundial de Saúde de 2006 e consideradas com excesso de peso crianças com escore Z maior que dois desvios-padrão de peso para a altura. As seguintes variáveis foram investigadas: renda familiar per capita, escolaridade materna, cor, idade, sexo, número de irmãos, peso no nascimento e duração de aleitamento materno exclusivo. Foram comparadas as proporções com o teste do χ2 e calculadas as razões de prevalência. Para a análise ajustada foi utilizada a regressão logística. Resultados: A prevalência de excesso de peso foi de 12% e, após ajuste, foi significativamente maior no sexo masculino (p = 0,030) e inversamente proporcional à idade da criança (p = 0,032). As crianças brancas apresentaram uma prevalência de excesso de peso 22% maior do que as não brancas. Foi verificada uma associação linear direta entre o peso de nascimento e o excesso de peso atual (p = 0,000). Crianças que foram amamentadas até 120 dias apresentaram uma prevalência 34% maior de excesso de peso quando comparadas às que mamaram por mais de 120 dias. Conclusões: A prevalência de excesso de peso foi maior no sexo masculino, em crianças menores de um ano, brancas, com peso de nascimento maior que 3.500 gramas e que foram amamentadas exclusivamente até 120 dias. .