Noncommunicable diseases and the use of health services: analysis of the National Health Survey in Brazil

TLDR

The study aimed to determine whether sex, education level, and health insurance influence health‑service utilization among adult Brazilians with chronic noncommunicable diseases. Using cross‑sectional National Health Survey data, researchers compared service‑use frequencies between individuals with at least one NCD and those without, stratified by sex, education, insurance, and NCD count, and calculated crude and adjusted prevalence ratios for each group. Results showed that having an NCD increased hospitalizations by 1.7‑fold, activity limitation by 3.1‑fold, and medical consultations by 1.26‑fold, with higher utilization among women, those with more comorbidities, insurance coverage, and higher education.

Abstract

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess whether sex, education level, and health insurance affect the use of health services among the adult Brazilian population with chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCD). METHODS Data from a cross-sectional survey were analyzed, the National Health Survey (PNS). Frequency of use of services in the population that referred at least one NCD were compared with the frequency from a population that did not report NCD, according to sex, education level, health insurance, and NCD number (1, 2, 3, 4, or more). The prevalence and prevalence ratios were calculated crude and adjusted for sex, age, region, and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS The presence of a noncommunicable disease was associated with increase in hospitalizations in the last 12 months, in 1.7 times (95%CI 1.53–1.9). Failing to perform usual activities in the last two weeks for health reasons was 3.1 times higher in NCD carriers (95%CI 2.78–3.46); while the prevalence of medical consultation in the last 12 months was 1.26 times higher (95%CI 1.24–1.28). NCD carriers make more use of health services, as well as women, people with higher number of comorbidities, with health insurance, and higher education level. CONCLUSIONS NCD carriers make more use of health services, as well as women, people with higher number of comorbidities, with health insurance, and higher education level.