Typology of health regions: structural determinants of regionalization in Brazil

The socioeconomic development, supply and complexity of health actions and services in a regional context may be considered structural constraints to the success of the current process of health care regionalization in Brazil. The main objective of this study is to identify the structural determinants of the regionalization process by building a typology of health regions in Brazil. A typology of Brazilian health regions was developed from available secondary data sources. The dimensions and groups that form the typology were identified through factor analysis and cluster analysis. The type of service provider both for out and inpatients was also identified. Results: the regions were classified into five independent groups according to their socioeconomic profile and characteristics of the health service supply. The characterization of Brazilian health regions through the typology demonstrates high levels of heterogeneity throughout Brazil, and the complex organization of the regional health systems. The proposed typology could contribute to future research and better understanding of this complex and contradictory scenario, supporting the urgently required development of integrated regional public policies that simultaneously involve economic and social development and the strengthening of regional spaces of governance in order to promote the organization of regional health systems grounded on the principles of the SUS (Brazilian National Health System), under a shared, joint management with the objective of ensuring the universal right to health.