Uso de psicofármacos na atenção primária à saúde

Objective: To characterize the population covered by the Family Health Strategy in Primary Health Care who is using psychotropic drugs. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 203 psychotropic drugs users in a Primary Health Care center in 2017 in Caico, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Sociodemographic data and information on the use of psychotropic drugs were collected using a questionnaire that was later analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.0. Results: The mean number of psychotropic drugs prescribed was 1.52±0.746 and the mean duration of use was 6.52±7.350 years. There was a predominance of women (n=163; 80,3%), married individuals or individuals in a common-law marriage (n=90; 44.3%) individuals with low levels of education (n=99; 48.8%). Most participants reported having their own house (n=132; 65%), being Black/Pardo (n=118; 58.1%), being a homemaker (n=58; 28.6%) and having an individual income of up to one minimum wage (n=101; 49.8%). Additionally, 35.5% (n=72) presented with systemic arterial hypertension as the main chronic disease. There was a predominance of use of anxiolytics (34%), of access characterized by the purchase of the drug (62%), and of the psychiatrist as the main prescriber of psychotropic drugs (49%). Conclusion: The use of psychotropic drugs in the health care center was more prevalent in Black and/or Pardo women with low levels of income and education who work at home and who have chronic diseases. Anxiolytics are among the most commonly used drugs and the psychiatrist is the primary prescriber. There are difficulties in accessing and discontinuing the use of these drugs.