EVALUATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE IN MUNICIPALITIES OF A HEALTH REGION IN THE STATE OF PARANÁ

  • Débora Canassa Volpato Cesumar
  • Rafael Bayouth Padial Cesumar
Keywords: Pharmaceutical Assistance, National Health System, Indicators, Medicine

Abstract

The Brazilian National Health System is based on the right of the population´s access to all levels of health services, including Pharmaceutical Assistance (PA). Current essay analyzes the structure of PA in the thirty municipalities of the 15th Health Region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, through Structure, Process and Result indicators. The descriptive and quantitative research comprises the application of a questionnaire for pharmacists of each municipality, dealing with questions requiring full answers and multiple choice questions on the PA standard in their local environment. Results for Structure Index show that in most municipalities there are several problems in human, material and financial resources. Process Index on the organization of medicine stocks shows that 96% of the municipalities report stock control. Result Index demonstrates that 70% of the municipalities do not have a List of Essential Medicines. With regard to mean items of medicine by prescription, 60% of the interviewed reported a mean of three items. The absence of the pharmacist in the health team of the municipalities is a highly relevant factor for the fragmentation of steps in the PA cycle. Further empirical investigations are required to know more on this reality at state and national levels to demonstrate the importance of full-time pharmacist distribution, coupled to other health and pharmaceutical services so that PA would be more efficient.

Author Biographies

Débora Canassa Volpato, Cesumar
Farmacêutica, Especialista em Fisiopatologia Humana, Discente do curso de Especialização em Farmacologia Aplicada a Clínica do Centro Universitário de Maringá - Unicesumar
Rafael Bayouth Padial, Cesumar
Farmacêutico, Mestre, Docente do curso de Farmácia do Centro Universitário de Maringá - Unicesumar
Published
2014-07-15
Section
Artigos Originais