Health, access to services and sources of payment, according to household surveys

This article analyzes the continuity of the historical series of indicators pertinent to the health supplements of the National Household Surveys (PNADs) of 1998, 2003, and 2008, and of the National Health Survey (PNS 2013). Indicators about health needs, access and use of health services, and their sources of payment were calculated using questions that sought to obtain this information from different surveys. In spite of improvements in the access and use of health services in all regions, we noted important regional differences in all the analyzed dimensions when data from the North and Northeast regions were taken into consideration regarding the following: lower evaluation of health condition, greater restriction of activities, and a reduced use of health services, in spite of greater coverage by public programs. The changes in the source of payment for services carried out in the final two weeks demonstrate that the Brazilian population is using more services by way of the Unified Health System, the SUS, as well as more care by health plan and making less out of pocket payments. It is important to observe that participation in the SUS increased in the more wealthy regions, and that the increase in attendance by health plan occurred in a significant way only in the Center West Region.