Bolsa Família Program and utilization of health services by children under seven years old in the Northeast and South regions of Brazil

Tomasi, Elaine

Bolsa Família Program and utilization of health services by children under seven years old in the Northeast and South regions of Brazil

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Exhibit hall (Dena'ina Center)

Elaine Tomasi, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Meryene Bordon, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Elaine Thumé, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Denise S Silveira, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Fernando V Siqueira, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Bruno P Nunes, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Suele M Silva, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Mirelle O Saes, MS , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Luiz A Facchini, PhD , Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: The Brazilian Bolsa Família (BFP) is the largest conditional cash transfer program around the world, addressing families with children and adolescents in a social vulnerability situation. The study aims to compare the utilization of health services between BFP beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries.

METHODS: In 2010, a community based cross-sectional study in urban census tracts within the coverage area of the primary health care centers, in the Northeast and South regions, located 14,347 children under seven. The differences were evaluated between BFP beneficiaries and non- beneficiaries, stratified by region and income. The data were analyzed through Poisson regression, using 5% significance level.

RESULTS: The total percentage of beneficiaries children was 34,5%, 50,1% in the Northeast and 18,4% in the South. In both areas, the highest attendance of Primary Health Care (PHC) was observed among BFP beneficiaries, despite of family income, while the use of the emergency room was greater among the higher income children, with no difference regarding BFP groups. In South region, the hospitalization was greater among BFP children and in the Northeast there was no difference. The home health care utilization was similar between the groups in both regions. The contact with a specialist physician and dentist was greater among the groups that had income greater than to US$77,00, in both regions.

CONCLUSIONS: The results showed important advancement in the utilization of PHC by BFP children. Notwithstanding, the specialist physician and dentist consultation were higher among the higher income children, non-beneficiaries of BFP, suggesting that the social inequities in the contact with more specialized health professionals is still a major problem in Brazil.