USE OF INTEGRATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY PRACTICES IN THE STATE OF MINAS GERAIS: DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Integrative and Complementary Practices (PICS), which are health-related actions, providing biopsychosocial care as a complement to traditional treatment. Objective: The objective was to present data on the use of PICS in Minas Gerais between 2017 and 2021. Methodology: This is a descriptive study, with data from the official e-Gestor system, involving the state of Minas Gerais and the West macro-region. Municipalities and therapies without information were excluded. The analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel 2013, investigating numbers of services and types of treatments, without identifying individuals. Results: A total of 30,640 PICS services were recorded in the state, with emphasis on acupuncture (27,389), auriculotherapy (2,178) and other practices (1,073). The highest number of services occurred in 2017 and the lowest in 2020. In the Western macro-region, 5,771 services were recorded during the period. There was an increase in the use of PICS by the population. However, the study faced limitations, such as the lack of homogeneity in records between municipalities and years, in addition to incomplete data for some PICS. The e-Gestor system was also not fed continuously, compromising detailed analysis. Despite this, the results point to the growing relevance of PICS in public health in Minas Gerais.