Cost of a city in Southern Brazil with continuous use medications dispensed by Primary Health Care

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost of basic medicines for continuous use by users of Primary Health Care in Santa Rosa-RS. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study carried out in primary health care in a city in the Northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, comprising 17 unites of Strategies Family Health. Registered users in urban and rural units were included, using at least one continuous treatment. Data collection was performed by accessing the computerized electronic system. Results: 642 users were included in the study, with an average age of 60.40 ± 14.48 years, 64.3% were women. The average number of prescription drugs was 4.68 ± 2.82/prescription and 47.4% of users were using five or more medications. Of the drugs in use, 87.9% belonging to the basic component of pharmaceutical care. These drugs represent an annual cost per user of R$ 250.60. The cardiovascular system presents itself as the anatomical group with the highest total expenditure. Hydrochlorothiazide was the most prescribed drug and beclomethasone represented the highest individual expense. Conclusion: It became evident that most of the drugs prescribed belonged to the basic component of pharmaceutical care and belonged to the cardiovascular and nervous system. Cost of drug implies the investment of the city of 25 times higher than the established by the current legislation, with a view to guaranteeing access to treatment and maintaining the quality of life of the assisted population.