Ambulatory care sensitive conditions: diagnostic reliability in southern Brazil.

• Main Authors: Rafael Antoniazzi Abaid, Fúlvio Borges Nedel, Eduardo Lobo Alcayaga
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul 2014-07-01
• Series: Revista de Epidemiologia e Controle de Infecção
• Online Access: https://online.unisc.br/seer/index.php/epidemiologia/article/view/5045

Introduction: Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) are illnesses that could be prevented with adjusted ambulatorial care. ACSC have been used as indicator in effectiveness of the primary healthcare attention, through the evaluation of hospital admissions. However, we do not have studies to certify the reliability of diagnosis of ACSC in our country. Objective: To determine if the classification of ACSC from the main diagnostic field of the authorization of hospital internment (AHI) is reliable. Methods: Transversal study carried through February of 2010 to January of 2011, in the city of Santa Cruz of Sul (RS). A random sample of 389 medical records was selected and evaluated by two medical appraisers. The main diagnosis in the AHI was compared with the classification in ACSC or not ACSC given for the appraisers after the study of each medical record. Kappa ratio agreement was used to calculate the reliability of the ACSC diagnostic. Results: The ratio of agreement between diagnosis from the AIH and CSAP assessment contained in the records was 92%, with a kappa coefficient of 0,784. Conclusions: The diagnostic of ACSC found in main diagnostic field of AHI showed agreement ratios over expected by chance, with kappa value equal to 0.784 and the correlation rated between substantial and almost perfect.