Influence of a physical activity program on the use of Primary Care services in the city of Rio Claro, SP

Resumo

The prevention and control of chronic non-communicable diseases, promoted by the regular practice of physical activity, can improve the health status of individuals, and this can reduce government spending and the use of healthcare services. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of physical activity practice on the use of Primary Care services. Twenty-six women enrolled in a physical activity program held in Primary Care units located in the city of Rio Claro, state of São Paulo, participated in this study. A questionnaire was administered to the women who participated in the program from 2009 to 2011, containing questions regarding participation in the program, health conditions, and participants’ perceptions concerning the use of healthcare services related to medical appointments, medications, diseases/complaints and hospitalizations, in the moments before and after the enrolment in the program. A descriptive and comparative analysis was carried out, in which confidence interval analysis for means and frequencies was used, with 95% confidence intervals. After starting the program, there was an improvement in the participants’ health perception, as well as reports of decrease in the number of visits to the healthcare unit, in the number of blood pressure measurements, in uncontrolled blood pressure and blood glucose. On the other hand, the number and dose of drugs remained the same, as well as the number of diseases/complaints and the number of blood glucose measurements. The practice of physical exercises offered by the program contributed to improve the levels of perceived health and to reduce the use of the healthcare services.