Acesso à saúde em região de fronteira na Amazônia: perspectivas de usuários do alto solimões

Abstract

To analyze access to health care in the Amazonian triple border region from the users’ perceptions. Method: This is a qualitative, descriptive-analytical study with 31 SUS users. Variables such as sociodemographic characteristics, aspects of the health system, and accessibility were investigated. Data collection used a semi-structured script with open-ended questions, organized into blocks about available health services, need for travel, choice of municipality for care, and means of access. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA software based on Bardin’s thematic analysis. Results: Users report barriers such as a shortage of specialists, limited exams, and dependence on SISREG, leading them to seek care in neighboring municipalities and in cities in Colombia and Peru as a faster and more effective alternative. Despite being aware of the services available in Tabatinga, interviewees considered the options in border cities to be less bureaucratic. Conclusion: Access to healthcare in Tabatinga is limited by deficiencies in the provision of basic and specialized services, generating additional costs for users and weakening the local system. It is necessary to strengthen healthcare networks, expanding coverage and promoting public policies adapted to the territorial and cultural specificities of the region, in accordance with the principles of the SUS.