The specialty of allergy and clinical immunology in Brazil
- PMID: 35935019
- PMCID: PMC9347215
- DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2022.933816
The specialty of allergy and clinical immunology in Brazil
Abstract
Objective: To assess the profile of allergist/immunologist (A/I) physicians in Brazil, the workplace, the access to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on professional practice.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted as an online survey. All adhering members of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI) received a Google Forms tool by email. The questionnaire addressed sociodemographic and professional aspects of the Brazilian allergists/immunologists (A/I) daily routine. The information was analyzed by SPSS version 20.0.
Results: Four hundred and sixty members answered the questionnaire. Women were predominant among the responders (336; 73%), and the median age was 47 years (range, 27-82 years). Most participants worked in the private sector (437, 95%), whereas 256 (47%) worked in the public sector. Among the public sector employees, 210 (82%) reported having access to some diagnostic test for allergic diseases and inborn errors of immunity. Only 91 (35%) A/I physicians in the public system had access to allergen-specific immunotherapy, compared to 416 (95, 9%) of those in the private sector. Regarding biological drugs, 135 (52.7%) and 314 (71.9%) of the A/I physicians working in the public and private sector, respectively, reported access. Two hundred and eighty-three (61.6%) had at least a 50% reduction in the number of consultations, and 245 (56%) provided telemedicine care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: Brazilian A/I have incorporated the most recent advances in managing immunoallergic diseases into their clinical practice, but they still have little access to various diagnostic methods. Strategies to enable the presence of A/I in public health services should be discussed and implemented. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the incorporation of telemedicine as a viable and promising method of medical care and can expand access to the specialty.
Keywords: allergy and immunology; health policies; integral health care; professional profile; telemedicine.
Copyright © 2022 de Mello, Serpa, Chiabai, Fernandes, Chong-Neto, Sarinho, Rubini and Solé.
Figures


References
-
- ASBAI. Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (2021). Available online at: https://asbai.org.br/missao-visao-e-valores/ (accessed August 12, 2021).
-
- Serpa FS, Urrutia-Pereira M, Costa E, Digesu RW, Guidacci MFRC, Cruz AS, et al. . The allergy and clinical immunology specialty in the different levels of health care in Brazil. Arq Asma AlergImunol. (2018) 2:335–43. 10.5935/2318-5015.20180040 - DOI
-
- WHO. Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID19—March 2020 (2020). Available online at: https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-genera... (accessed August 12, 2021).
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources