Satisfaction With Health Services During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: Results From a Population‐Based Survey in a Municipality in Southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT In Brazil, the healthcare system is based on the provision of a public system that offers free and universal services to all citizens, supplemented by private initiative. Evaluating user satisfaction plays an important role in identifying improvements and promoting organizational changes that benefit everyone involved. The objective of this study was to analyze the usage profile and level of satisfaction with health services in Alegre, Brazil. A cross‐sectional household survey was conducted with a probabilistic sample. Satisfaction was measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (completely dissatisfied) to 10 (completely satisfied), with scores ≥7.0 being considered satisfactory. Tobit regression was applied to identify factors associated with higher satisfaction levels. A total of 697 individuals participated in the study. Overall satisfaction was high, with mean VAS scores ranging from 7.91 (SD = 2.71) to 9.43 (SD = 1.10). The highest satisfaction ratings were attributed to private healthcare services and the municipal immunization center. Greater satisfaction was significantly associated with older age, sleeping more than 6 h per night, nonsmoking status, and the use of private medical or pharmaceutical services. In summary, both public and private health services were positively evaluated during the COVID‐19 pandemic, especially immunization, pharmaceutical, and medical services. These findings underscore the responsiveness and resilience of the Brazilian Unified Health System in facing the challenges posed by the pandemic, highlighting the importance of integrated public–private healthcare strategies.