Users’ Perceptions of Access to and Quality of Public Health Services in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study in Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, including Pharmaceutical Services

Mariana Crespo Raimundo, Edna Afonso Reis, Igor Fradique Leandro Ferraz, Carlos Podalirio Borges de Almeida, Brian Godman, Stephen M. Campbell, Johanna C. Meyer and Isabella Piassi Dias Godói ()
Additional contact information
Mariana Crespo Raimundo: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Aluízio da Silva Gomes, 50, Granja dos Cavaleiros, Macaé CEP 27930-560, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Edna Afonso Reis: Department of Statistics, Exact Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Campus Pampulha, Belo Horizonte CEP 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Igor Fradique Leandro Ferraz: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Aluízio da Silva Gomes, 50, Granja dos Cavaleiros, Macaé CEP 27930-560, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Carlos Podalirio Borges de Almeida: Public Health Faculty, Institute of Health and Biological Studies, Federal University of Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Avenida dos Ipês, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Loteamento Cidade Jardim, Marabá CEP 68508-970, Pará, Brazil
Brian Godman: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
Stephen M. Campbell: Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
Johanna C. Meyer: Department of Public Health Pharmacy and Management, School of Pharmacy, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria 0208, South Africa
Isabella Piassi Dias Godói: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Aluízio da Silva Gomes, 50, Granja dos Cavaleiros, Macaé CEP 27930-560, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: Background: This study evaluates one of the five regions of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as part of a broader research project examining users’ perceptions of the Unified Health System (SUS), which has already generated publications in previous phases. The aim was to assess users’ perceptions of the SUS regarding access to and the quality of public health services, including pharmaceutical services, in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro State. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and August 2024 with 200 participants, using a 66-item survey addressing access to and the quality of SUS services, appointment scheduling, medication acquisition, and the pharmacist’s role. Associations between variables were investigated using the Pearson Chi-Square Test in R software. Results: Frequent SUS users rated access as very good/good ( p = 0.002) and overall quality as very good/good ( p = 0.045). Reported challenges included the need for improved infrastructure (48.5%), better professional qualifications (30.6%), and easier access to medicines (16.8%). Higher ratings were given by those who used the SUS more frequently, and, in general, there was a tendency for participants with lower socioeconomic conditions to provide more favorable assessments of access to public health services ( p = 0.024). Conclusion: A universal health system should cover diverse regions with unique needs. However, 49.4% of participants stated they never received information on how to store their medicines, and 42.3% reported never encountering a pharmacist in public pharmacies. Further ongoing studies assessing user perceptions are essential to ensure users play a central role in health decision-making, contributing to the system’s strengthening and improvement.

Keywords: Brazil; access; quality; health services; users; public health; health management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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