Characterization of the selection of medicines for the Brazilian primary health care

An analysis of the essential medicines policy in primary care: Findings from MedMinas project

Background: Essential Medicines Policy (EMP) has been adopted in Brazil to improve the provision and use of pharmaceuticals. This mixed methods study aims to bring evidence of the EMP implemented in municipalities in the context of primary care in Minas Gerais (20,997,560 inhabitants), Southeast Brazil.

Methods: We analysed the core output of the EMP, i.e., the municipal essential medicines lists (MEML) and the effects of the policy on the procurement and availability of medicines. Data sources included a sample of 1,019 individuals (patients, health managers and health professionals), 995 prescriptions, 2,365 dispensed medicines and policy documents from 26 municipalities. Data were collected between April and October 2019. Document analysis and thematic content analysis were performed, and four availability indexes were estimated.

Results: The findings suggest an overall lack of standardised and methodologically sound procedures to elaborate the MEML. Funding and public purchasing processes were found to be the major obstacles to medicine procurement. Only 63% of medicines were available at public community pharmacies and just 46.2% of patients had full access to their pharmaceutical treatment.

Conclusion: This study reveals weaknesses in the implementation of EMP and a clear disconnection between medicines selection, procurement, and availability, the three core elements of the supply system. These findings contribute to informing future policy improvement actions to strengthen this system. Other countries aiming to advance towards universal health coverage may learn from the challenges that primary care in Brazil still needs to address.

Medication use and climacteric syndrome: a cross-sectional population-based study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate medication use during the climacteric period and assess its association with sociodemographic factors, morbidities, and climacteric symptoms.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of data from a previous exploratory cross-sectional population-based study, conducted with 749 women (45-60 y), with the help of home interviews. Associations between medication use and climacteric symptoms were analyzed, and their correlations with other variables were made. Univariate analysis was made using the χ test, followed by Bonferroni correction (multiple comparison method). Values were adjusted for age using the polytomic logistic multivariate regression analysis. Using Poisson regression analysis, simple and multiple, we identified the main factors for medication use, with forward stepwise variable selection criteria (95% CI).

RESULTS

The mean age was 52.5 years and menopause occurred at 46.5 years (mean). The overall prevalence of medication use was 68.8%. The use of exclusive medications for relieving climacteric symptoms was associated with the absence of diseases (prevalence ratio [PR] = 8.2; 95% CI = 3.5-18.9; P<0.001) and menopause onset between 40 and 44 years (PR = 4.9; 95% CI = 2.0-11.9; P<0.001). Polypharmacy was associated with the highest number of diseases (PR = 10.6; 95% CI = 4.6-24.2; P<0.001) and somatic Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) score >3 (PR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.01-1.96; P = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of medication use among middle-aged women was high and was associated with the age of menopause onset, chronic diseases, and obesity/overweight status.