Analysis of the distribution of the health workforce in Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, primary health care counts with multidisciplinary teams, comprising doctors, nurses, dentists, nutritionists, psychologists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, social workers and veterinarians, working in a complementary way. The objective of this study was to analyze the increase of these nine health professions from the censuses of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) for 2000 and 2010, identifying the panorama of the Work Force in health in all health regions in Brazil. There was an increase in the numbers of all professions in the period, especially induced by public policies. However, there are still problems, especially with doctors and dentists, due to uncovered areas such as remote and rural regions with difficult access. We underscore the importance of conducting health education, training and allocation of professionals, based on the needs of the health sector in Brazil for the provision of the labor force in areas with some degree of vulnerability.