[Use of health services by quilombo communities in southwest Bahia State, Brazil]

Cad Saude Publica. 2013 Sep;29(9):1829-42. doi: 10.1590/0102-311X00151412.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

Use of health services is increasing in Brazil as a whole, but geographic and social inequalities persist, especially among minority groups. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of health services by members of quilombos (slavedescendant African-Brazilian communities) in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia State, Brazil. This cross-sectional health survey in 2011 focused on 797 adults (≥ 18 years old) belonging to quilombos. The magnitude of the associations between explanatory variables and use of services was estimated by the prevalence ratio obtained from Poisson regression with 95% confidence interval. Of the total sample, 455 (57.1%) reported having used health services in the 12 months prior to the interview. Higher rates of health services utilization were associated with female gender, non-single conjugal status, fair, poor, or very poor self-rated health, enrolment in the Family Health Program, and referral to a health facility for regular or on-going care. The results showed underutilization of health services by members of quilombos, thus demonstrating the need to improve health services provision for this population group.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Black People / statistics & numerical data*
  • Brazil / ethnology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Services Needs and Demand / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Young Adult