Utilização de medicamentos pelos usuários da atenção primária do Sistema Único de Saúde do Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: The medicine is one of the therapeutic tools most used in the care of health, and its use is influenced by several factors. The Drug utilization Studies allow to know the profile of drug use in different contexts, enabling necessary interventions for the rational useof medicines and thereby improving the care services. Objective: To describe the profile of drug utilization of users of Primary Health Care (PHC) of the PublicHealth System in Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional, exploratory study, descriptive, part of the National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Drug Use (PNAUM) - Component Services.Interviews were conducted with users of PHC present in the health services through semistructured questionnaires. Sociodemographic variables, clinical and related to drug use were evaluated. It was verified the use of drugs in the 30 days preceding the interview. The population was stratified into three age groups: 18-44, 45-64 and 65 and over. The differences between age groups were assessed using the Students t- test for continuous variables and chisquare test of Pearson for categorical variables. It was used the plane of complex sampleanalysisThe drugs were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC). Results: Of 8.803 users interviewed, 6.511 (76.2%) reported using drugs in the 30 days preceding the interview. On average, each user used 2.32 drugs. Among the users of drugs, 18.2% had 65 years or older. Compared to other age groups, older people had more comorbidities, used more drugs, self reported worse health conditions, were less educated, reported a worse economic situation and living alone. The drugs most used, considering the 3rd level of the ATC were "other analgesics and antipyretics and losartan, considering the 5th level. Conclusion: The drug users' profile was people with low education and comorbidities. Elderly users had lower education, limited access to consumer goods, reported more often the presence of comorbidities, and when compared to other groups, they had more difficulties in using drugs, which places them in the most vulnerable situation. The results of this study provide data that can improve understanding of drug use by the population, providing appropriate interventions.