Demand and Use of Health Services by Brazilian Adolescents, According to the National School Health Survey 2019

Overview

Journal Rev Bras Epidemiol

Specialty Public Health

Date 2024 Oct 23

PMID 39440824

Authors

Alanna Gomes da Silva

Crizian Saar Gomes

Alan Cristian Marinho Ferreira

Deborah Carvalho Malta

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the demand and use of health services by Brazilian adolescents, according to sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with data from the 2019 National School Health Survey, that assessed 124,898 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. The crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (RPaj) by sex, age, and school administrative status and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for the variables "search for a service or health professional", "search for a Basic Health Unit" and "assistance at the Basic Health Unit", using Poisson regression with robust variance.

Results: The demand for a health service was reported by 56.56% (95%CI 55.82-57.29) of the adolescents and was lower among male students (RPaj: 0.95; 95%CI 0.94-0.95); those with black skin color (RPaj: 0.95; 95%CI 0.94-0.97), brown skin color (RPaj: 0.97; 95%CI 0.96-0.98), yellow skin color and indigenous ethnicity (RPaj: 0.95; 95%CI 0.94-0.97); public school students (RPaj: 0.90; 95%CI 0.89-0.90); and rural residents (RPaj: 0.96; 95%CI 0.94-0.98). A Basic Health Unit was the service sought by 74.08% (95%CI 73.21-74.94) of adolescents, more frequently among students of brown skin color (RPaj: 1.06; 95%CI 1.03-1.08), from public schools (RPaj: 1.32; 95%CI 1.29-1.35) and residing in rural areas (RPaj: 1.05; 95%CI 1,01-1,09). The main reason for seeking the Basic Health Unit was vaccination (27,93%; 95%CI 27,07-28,81).

Conclusion: More than half of the adolescents searched for a health service, which means that this group has a high demand. However, health inequalities still persist and point to the importance of health care planning, reception conditions, and the quality of care provided.

Citing Articles

Social inequalities in indicators of use of healthcare services by adolescents in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.

Lemos V, Barros M, Lima M Cad Saude Publica. 2024; 40(4):e00146523.

PMID: 38695456 PMC: 11057481. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311XEN146523.

References

Levorato C, de Mello L, da Silva A, Nunes A . [Factors associated with the demand for health services from a gender-relational perspective]. Cien Saude Colet. 2014; 19(4):1263-74. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232014194.01242013. View

Laski L . Realising the health and wellbeing of adolescents. BMJ. 2015; 351:h4119. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.h4119. View

Strong K, Pedersen J, Johansson E, Cao B, Diaz T, Guthold R . Patterns and trends in causes of child and adolescent mortality 2000-2016: setting the scene for child health redesign. BMJ Glob Health. 2021; 6(3). PMC: 7978083. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004760. View

Szwarcwald C, Stopa S, Damacena G, Almeida W, Souza Junior P, Vieira M . Changes in the pattern of health services use in Brazil between 2013 and 2019. Cien Saude Colet. 2021; 26(suppl 1):2515-2528. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232021266.1.43482020. View

Viegas S, Sampaio F, Oliveira P, Lanza F, Oliveira V, Santos W . Vaccination and adolescent knowledge: health education and disease prevention. Cien Saude Colet. 2019; 24(2):351-360. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018242.30812016. View

Oliveira M, Andrade S, Stopa S, Malta D . Demand for health services or professionals among Brazilian adolescents according to the National School Health Survey 2015. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2018; 21(suppl 1):e180003. DOI: 10.1590/1980-549720180003.supl.1. View

Giovanella L . Basic health care or primary health care?. Cad Saude Publica. 2018; 34(8):e00029818. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00029818. View

Travassos C, Martins M . [A review of concepts in health services access and utilization]. Cad Saude Publica. 2004; 20 Suppl 2:S190-8. DOI: 10.1590/s0102-311x2004000800014. View

Gomes R, Nascimento E, de Araujo F . [Why do men use health services less than women? Explanations by men with low versus higher education]. Cad Saude Publica. 2007; 23(3):565-74. DOI: 10.1590/s0102-311x2007000300015. View

10.

Martins M, Aquino R, Pamponet M, Pinto Junior E, Amorim L . [Adolescent and youth access to primary health care services in a city in the state of Bahia, Brazil]. Cad Saude Publica. 2019; 35(1):e00044718. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00044718. View

11.

Domingues C, Goretti K Maranhao A, Teixeira A, Fantinato F, Domingues R . The Brazilian National Immunization Program: 46 years of achievements and challenges. Cad Saude Publica. 2020; 36Suppl 2(Suppl 2):e00222919. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00222919. View

12.

Oliveira M, Andrade S, Campos M, Malta D . [Factors associated with the demand for health services by Brazilian adolescents: the National School Health Survey (PeNSE), 2012]. Cad Saude Publica. 2015; 31(8):1603-14. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00165214. View

13.

Tasca R, Massuda A, Carvalho W, Buchweitz C, Harzheim E . [Recommendations to strengthen primary health care in BrazilRecomendaciones para el fortalecimiento de la atención primaria de salud en Brasil]. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2020; 44:e4. PMC: 6943881. DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2020.4. View

14.

Souza Junior P, Szwarcwald C, Damacena G, Stopa S, Vieira M, Almeida W . Health insurance coverage in Brazil: analyzing data from the National Health Survey, 2013 and 2019. Cien Saude Colet. 2021; 26(suppl 1):2529-2541. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232021266.1.43532020. View

15.

Giovanella L, Franco C, Almeida P . National Primary Health Care Policy: where are we headed to?. Cien Saude Colet. 2020; 25(4):1475-1482. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232020254.01842020. View

16.

da Silva A, Teixeira R, Prates E, Malta D . Monitoring and projection of targets for risk and protection factors for coping with noncommunicable diseases in Brazilian capitals. Cien Saude Colet. 2021; 26(4):1193-1206. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232021264.42322020. View

17.

Sheehan P, Sweeny K, Rasmussen B, Wils A, Friedman H, Mahon J . Building the foundations for sustainable development: a case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents. Lancet. 2017; 390(10104):1792-1806. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30872-3. View

18.

Barros R, Holanda P, Sousa A, Apostolico M . Health needs of adolescents from the perspective of Primary Health Care professionals. Cien Saude Colet. 2021; 26(2):425-434. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232021262.40812020. View

19.

Arruda N, Maia A, Alves L . [Inequality in access to health services between urban and rural areas in Brazil: a disaggregation of factors from 1998 to 2008]. Cad Saude Publica. 2018; 34(6):e00213816. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311X00213816. View

20.

Arain M, Haque M, Johal L, Mathur P, Nel W, Rais A . Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013; 9:449-61. PMC: 3621648. DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S39776. View