ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR PRIMARY CARE-SENSITIVE CONDITIONS AND FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY (ESF) COVERAGE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF TRÊS RIOS, RIO DE JANEIRO – AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY (2011–2021)

Abstract

Hospitalizations for Primary Care-Sensitive Conditions (PCSC) are internationally recognized as an indicator of healthcare service quality. The rationale behind this is the hypothesis that adequate access to effective outpatient care prevents the need for hospitalization for certain medical conditions. The objective of this study was to quantify hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive conditions (PCSC), compare them with the crude hospitalization rate, and analyze their frequency in relation to the coverage of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in Três Rios, Rio de Janeiro, between 2011 and 2021. An ecological study with a quantitative approach was conducted, based on secondary data regarding PCSC hospitalizations in the municipality of Três Rios, Rio de Janeiro. The study period spanned from 2011 to 2021. PCSC hospitalizations decreased by 65.59% during this period. A reduction in PCSC rates was observed as the Family Health Strategy coverage rate in the municipality increased. It is concluded that the expansion of the FHS was accompanied by significant reductions in hospitalization rates for primary care-sensitive conditions—dropping from 17.18 to 5.70 hospitalizations per 1,000 inhabitants—and the proportion of PCSC hospitalizations relative to total hospitalizations fell from 28.2% to 10.9% in the municipality of Três Rios, Rio de Janeiro, between 2011 and 2021.