The structure of Brazilian PHC units: what has changed between 2012 and 2024?

The structural typology of PHC units was drawn up based on the results of the 2024 National Census of PHC units, and the results were compared with those of 2012. Types of teams, diversity of professionals, shifts, available services, and facilities and supplies were used as the sub-dimension categories. A reference standard was set for each sub-dimension and a standardized score was calculated, with 1 being the best. Of the 44,938 PHC units that took part in the Census, 43,209 presented complete information on the variables and were analyzed. The final average score was 0.878, which proved to be 20% higher than in 2012. The sub-dimension with the worst score was "types of teams", and the best was "shifts". The units were grouped according to their final score from best to worst: A, B, C, D, E. All regions increased the percentage of PHC units in groups A and B, especially the North and Northeast. Type A was observed in 21.3% of the PHC units, a 4.4-fold increase, when compared to 2012. Advances in infrastructure conditions, shifts, and the increased presence of doctors indicate the effects of policies aimed at expanding access to PHC. However, essential components for comprehensive PHC still deserve attention, such as the presence of a sufficient number of Community Health Workers (CHWs), universal dispensing of medicines, and equalization between oral health teams and family health strategy (FHS) teams.