Patient care in palliative care in primary care in Brazil from 2015 to 2024

Introduction: Palliative care (PC) comprises health care that, through scientific means, dignity and compassion, provides a reduction in suffering in patients with serious, chronic or life-threatening health conditions, avoiding unnecessary interventions and improving quality of life. Primary Health Care plays an important role in addressing these conditions, especially outside the hospital environment and acting to prevent adverse outcomes. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the profile of palliative care patients in Primary Care in Brazil from 2015 to 2024. Methodology: A cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive, exploratory and epidemiological study was carried out on the care of patients in palliative care, in primary care, in Brazil, from 2015-2024, with data from TABNET/DATASUS, Ministry of Health-Brazil. Results: Palliative care services in primary care numbered n=113076 appointments, the year with the highest number of appointments was 2024 with n=28827 appointments, the southeast region was the one that performed this procedure the most, representing 50% of the sample. Females represented the majority number of cases in Brazil, with n=57598, although in the North and Southeast regions males prevailed. Regarding the age group, 80 and over with n=29320 appointments. The elective nature had the greatest expressiveness of cases, totaling n=108286. Final considerations: Although most palliative care is provided in the hospital, primary health care has served a large number of patients in palliative care, although this hospital orientation may lead to difficulties in providing comprehensive care.