Satisfaction with Primary Health Care Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Municipality of Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the level of individual satisfaction with Basic Health Unit (BHU), as well as the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of users in the municipality of Alegre, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Methods: a cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted between November and December 2021, a period coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. User satisfaction with BHU services was measured using an analog scale from 0 to 10. Factors associated with satisfaction were subsequently analyzed using multivariate linear regression. Results: a total of 502 users reported utilizing the BHU. Among these participants, the mean level of overall satisfaction with the BHU was 8.09 (on the 0-10 scale). Analysis of satisfaction levels by sociodemographic characteristics revealed statistically significant differences related to age, education, and income. Regarding clinical conditions, statistically significant associations were observed between the level of satisfaction and three variables: having had a medical consultation in the last year, medication use, and sleep duration. The analysis also showed important variations across the evaluated territories, with 77.9% of participants declaring themselves satisfied and 22.1% expressing dissatisfaction. Factors associated with greater satisfaction included age over 60 years, having had medical consultations, and sleep duration greater than six hours per day. Conclusion: the findings indicate a positive perception of Primary Healthcare services within the municipality. Nevertheless, the implementation of targeted actions is recommended for the groups that exhibited lower levels of satisfaction, aiming to improve access and the quality of healthcare provided to the entire population.