ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional study compared the provision of surgical sterilization in public health services in Greater Metropolitan Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, and the characteristics of women and men who underwent sterilization before and after its legal regulation. Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were applied to 398 women, 15 directors of municipal family planning programs, and 15 coordinators of basic health units. Eight municipalities in Greater Metropolitan Campinas provided tubal ligation and nine performed vasectomy. Approximately half reported following the guidelines of the prevailing family planning legislation. There were no significant differences before or after legal regulation in terms of the characteristics of women and men sterilized or the waiting time for surgery. Most tubal ligations were still performed in combination with cesarean sections (the additional payment for sterilization had decreased, but the difference was not significant). There is strong evidence that in Greater Metropolitan Campinas the changes expected from legal regulation of surgical sterilization did not materialize. Although progress has been made, several distortions still need to be corrected.
Subject(s)
Government Regulation , Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data , National Health Programs , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Sterilization, Tubal/statistics & numerical data , Vasectomy/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Brazil , Educational Status , Epidemiologic Methods , Female , Health Policy , Health Services Needs and Demand/legislation & jurisprudence , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Public Sector , Sterilization, Tubal/legislation & jurisprudence , Urban Population , Vasectomy/legislation & jurisprudenceABSTRACT
Realizou-se estudo de corte transversal para comparar características do atendimento à demanda pela esterilização cirúrgica voluntária nos serviços públicos de saúde da Região Metropolitana de Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil, e características de mulheres e homens submetidos à esterilização nessa região, antes e após a regulamentação legal. Aplicaram-se questionários estruturados e pré-testados a 398 mulheres, 15 gestores municipais da área de planejamento familiar e 15 coordenadores de unidades básicas de saúde. Em oito municípios foi referida a realização da laqueadura, e em nove, a da vasectomia, na metade dos quais se afirmou seguir os critérios estabelecidos pela Lei federal de planejamento familiar. Não se observaram diferenças significativas quanto a características das mulheres e homens esterilizados antes e depois da regulamentação legal, nem quanto ao tempo de espera pela cirurgia. A maior parte das laqueaduras continuou a ser realizada durante uma cesárea; o pagamento "por fora" diminuiu, porém a diferença não foi significativa. Existem fortes indícios de que, na Região Metropolitana de Campinas, as mudanças produzidas com a regulamentação da legislação específica sobre esterilização não ocorreram da forma esperada. Apesar de avanços, ainda existem várias distorções que precisam ser corrigidas.
This cross-sectional study compared the provision of surgical sterilization in public health services in Greater Metropolitan Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, and the characteristics of women and men who underwent sterilization before and after its legal regulation. Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were applied to 398 women, 15 directors of municipal family planning programs, and 15 coordinators of basic health units. Eight municipalities in Greater Metropolitan Campinas provided tubal ligation and nine performed vasectomy. Approximately half reported following the guidelines of the prevailing family planning legislation. There were no significant differences before or after legal regulation in terms of the characteristics of women and men sterilized or the waiting time for surgery. Most tubal ligations were still performed in combination with cesarean sections (the additional payment for sterilization had decreased, but the difference was not significant). There is strong evidence that in Greater Metropolitan Campinas the changes expected from legal regulation of surgical sterilization did not materialize. Although progress has been made, several distortions still need to be corrected.
