Use of medicines by patients of the primary health care of the Brazilian Unified Health System

Datos Bibliográficos

ID16780418
AutoresClarisse Melo Franco Neves Costa (0000-0001-5618-5313, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Micheline Rosa Silveira (0000-0001-7002-4428, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Francisco De Assis Acurcio (0000-0002-5880-5261, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Augusto Afonso Guerra Júnior, Augusto Afonso Guerra-Júnior (0000-0001-5256-0577, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Ione Aquemi Guibu (0009-0004-4678-7838, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo), Kelerson Semerene Costa (0000-0002-2218-6024, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul), Karen Sarmento Costa, Margô Gomes De Oliveira Karnikowski (0000-0002-5662-2058, Universidade de Brasília), Orlando Mario Soeiro (Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas), Silvana Nair Leite (0000-0002-5258-9684, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina), Ediná Alves Costa (0000-0002-2195-3180, Universidade Federal da Bahia), Renata Cristina Rezende Macedo Do Nascimento (0000-0001-7756-2157, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Renata Cristina Rezende Nascimento, Vânia Eloisa De Araújo (Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais), Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini Campos (0000-0001-7123-5585, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais), Juliana Álvares
Año2017
Volumen51
Númerosuppl 2
Páginas18s
Fecha de publicación2017-09-22
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaRevista de Saúde Pública (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0034-8910 • E-ISSN: 0034-8910
EditorialUniversidade de Sao Paulo, Agencia USP de Gestao da Informacao Academica (AGUIA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.11606/s1518-8787.2017051007144
PMID29160464
OpenAlexW2762421815
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas19

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the use of medicines by patients of the primary health care of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study, part of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos – Serviços, 2015 (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – Services, 2015). Interviews were carried out with patients present in the services by semi-structured questionnaires. Sociodemographic, clinical, and use of medicines variables were assessed and the use of medicines in the 30 days prior to the interview was also verified. The population was stratified into three age groups: 18 to 44, 45 to 64, and 65 years or more. The differences between the age groups were verified using the Student’s t-test for continuous variables and chi-square test for the categorical ones. The complex samples analysis plan was employed. The medicines were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System. RESULTS: Of the 8,803 patients interviewed, 6,511 (76.2%) reported to have used medicines in the 30 days prior to the interview. On average, each patient used 2.32 medicines, without difference between the sexes. Among medicine users, 18.2% were aged 65 years or more. Compared to the other age groups, older adults presented more comorbidities, used more medicines, and self-reported worse health conditions. They were also less educated, reported worse economic situation, and lived alone. The medicines that were mostly used were “other analgesics and antipyretics” (3rd ATC level) and Losartan (5th ATC level). CONCLUSIONS: Most medicine users had lower education level and presented comorbidities. The most used medicines were the antihypertensive ones. Self-medication was higher among young people. Most patients reported to use generic medicines. The average number of medicines and the prevalence of use increased with age. Due to the characteristics observed and the difficulties in the use of medicines, older adults are in a situation of greater vulnerability

Age groups · Descriptive statistics · Environmental health · Exploratory research · Family medicine · Health care · Population · Primary care · Test (biology) · Antibiotic Use and Resistance · Demography · Medicine · Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes · Public Health in Brazil