Search

Copyright of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics / Jornal Brasileiro de Economia da Saúde is the property of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Pulmonology / Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics / Jornal Brasileiro de Economia da Saúde is the property of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics / Jornal Brasileiro de Economia da Saúde is the property of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent chronic disease, associated with morbidity and mortality. Although effective treatment for OSA is commercially available, their provision is not guaranteed by lines of care throughout Brazil, making legal action necessary. This study aimed at presenting data related to the volume of legal proceedings regarding the access to diagnosis and treatment of OSA in Brazil., Methods: This was a descriptive study of national scope, evaluating the period between January of 2016 and December of 2020. The number of lawsuits was analyzed according to the object of the demand (diagnosis or treatment). Projections of total expenses were carried out according to the number of lawsuits., Results: We identified 1,462 legal proceedings (17.6% and 82.4% related to diagnosis and treatment, respectively). The projection of expenditure for OSA diagnosis in the public and private spheres were R$575,227 and R$188,002, respectively. The projection of expenditure for OSA treatment in the public and private spheres were R$2,656,696 and R$253,050, respectively. There was a reduction in the number of lawsuits between 2017 and 2019., Conclusions: Legal action as a strategy for accessing diagnostic and therapeutic resources related to OSA is a recurrent practice, resulting in inefficiency and inequity. The reduction in the number of lawsuits between 2017 and 2019 might be explained by the expansion of local health care policies or by barriers in the journey of patients with OSA, such as difficulties in being referred to specialized health care and low availability of diagnostic resources.