[Evaluation of primary care from the perspective of users: adaptation of the EUROPEP instrument for major Brazilian urban centers]

Abstract

Satisfaction with health care is a multidimensional concept that considers aspects such as access, organization and professional-user interaction. The aim of this study was to adapt and apply an instrument in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) to assess user satisfaction with Primary Health Care (PHC) based on the European Task Force on Patient Evaluation of General Practice Care (EUROPEP), which refers to user satisfaction wth general and family medicine services. The instrument consists of five dimensions of satisfaction: relationship and communication, medical care, information and support, continuity and cooperation, and organization of services. The study was divided into phases: review and adjustment of the instrument and application to a representative sample of users of the FHS in Rio de Janeiro. The averages of the proportions of answers for each indicator were calculated to analyze the results. Relationship and communication between professionals and users received the best evaluation and Organization of Services eceived the worst appraisal. Regarding education level, good self-perceived health and more elderly were more satisfied. The instrument proved to be easy to apply, can be routinely used for monitoring of the FHS, and is a tool for the institutionalization of evaluation.