The relationship between the assessment of performance of primary health care and infant mortality in Brazil

The article assesses the relationship between the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and the percentage of health units that obtained good performance ratings in the appraisal by the National Program to Improve Access and Quality (PMAQ) of Primary Care in Brazilian states and the relation to the variables involved. Using a descriptive study, the results of the performance assessment of the participating units of the third cycle of PMAQ (2015-2017) and the relationship with the IMR (2015-2017) were analyzed. Descriptive, Pearson correlation, and cluster analysis were performed. The results revealed that there is a negative and moderate correlation (-0.534) between the IMR and the units with a good and statistically significant (p=0.005) performance rating. With cluster analysis, it was possible to confirm that Brazilian states from different regions reveal similarities in the variables of the study. Thus, there is a relationship between IMR and units with a good performance rating. The results also showed that the similarities between the states are not restricted to the region in which they are located. Therefore, the importance of investing in primary care training is paramount in terms of an effective impact on the health of the population.