Impact of primary care members on hospitalizations due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in children under one year of age in the municipality of Betim/MG from 2009 to 2019: an ecological time series analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The indicator Hospitalizations for Conditions Sensitive to Primary Care (HPCSC) represents a set of conditions for which effective access to Primary Care (PC) can reduce the risk of hospitalizations. In this sense, it is important to assess whether coverage of PC and its members can influence this indicator in children under one year of age. Objective: To evaluate the impact of PC and its members on the HPCSC rate in children under one year of age in the city of Betim/ MG. Methods: This is an ecological, time series study, carried out in Betim/MG from 2009 to 2019. The HPCSC rate in children under one year of age and the PC coverage of the Family Health Strategy teams (FHSt) and Primary Care teams (PCt) were calculated. Poisson linear regression and joinpoint regression models (through inflection points) were used in the analyses. Results: There was a drop in the HPCSC rate in children under one year of age between 2009 and 2019 and an increase in the coverage of PC and its members in the period. A negative association was found between HPCSC, PC coverage and the FHSt component. Conclusion: The increase in PC coverage was associated with a reduction in the HPCSC rate in children under one year of age in the city of Betim/MG.