Desafios in accessing medication for diabetic patients in rural areas of Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the existing literature on access to medications for the treatment and control of diabetes in patients living in rural areas of Brazil. Methodology: A literature search was conducted in the BVS (Virtual Health Library) and Google Scholar databases using keywords related to the topic. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established for study selection, which underwent a methodological quality assessment. The selected articles were read in full, and their relevant data were collected and organized into a descriptive table. A qualitative analysis of the data was performed to synthesize the information and identify the main themes, trends, and knowledge gaps related to medication access for diabetes in rural areas of Brazil. Results: After the search and article selection, a total of 10 publications were included in this review. Regarding the year of publication, 10% of the articles were published in 2010, as well as in 2013 and 2015. In 2018 and 2022, there was a higher number of publications, representing 20% of the total. In 2020 and 2021, 10% of the articles were published, as well as in 2023. This distribution shows some variation over the years, with a particular emphasis on 2018 and 2022. Conclusion: This study identified significant challenges that compromise the quality of care. Despite advances in the literature, there are still gaps and limitations, such as the lack of specific studies on medication access in these populations.