SOCIAL VULNERABILITY IN THE REGIONAL DE SAÚDE DE SOBRADINHO, DISTRITO FEDERAL

Introduction and Objective Health inequities are related to conditions that determine different degrees of social vulnerability in populations. Within a defined territory, effecting actions that impact on these conditions is a fundamental attribute of Primary Health Care (PHC), in line with the equity principle. In the Regional de Saúde de Sobradinho [Sobradinho Health Region], Distrito Federal, existing PHC services cover only 51.2% of the population. In this setting, it is important for local PHC management to identify areas of greater social vulnerability, which should be prioritized in the expansion of PHC coverage. The objective of this study is to categorize the census sectors of the Regional de Saúde de Sobradinho based on the Health Vulnerability Index (HVI). Methods This is an observational, ecological, descriptive and transversal study, carried out from September to November 2015. The census sectors were categorized based on the HVI developed by the Secretaria Municipal de Saúde [Municipal Health Department] of Belo Horizonte, using data from the 2010 decennial census of the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística [Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics] (IBGE). The spatial distribution of census sectors by vulnerability category was depicted in thematic maps, utilizing a Geographic Information System and cartographic materials from the IBGE. Results and Conclusions The thematic map allows the evaluation of spatial patterns of social vulnerability in the Regional. This provides local management with a technical tool to support more equitable health planning based on objective criteria, particularly in terms of PHC expansion.