Primary care and care continuity in the context of a health crisis: lessons learned from the Brazilian reality

Primary health care (PHC) is crucial for achieving universal health coverage, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where it has been linked to reducing health inequalities and providing financial protection. It is distinguished from other care levels by its essential attributes: longitudinality, first-contact care, comprehensiveness, and care coordination across the network. PHCs played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, and providing continuous care while coordinating testing and contact tracing was challenging. It is necessary to adapt its operations to ensure care. This study explores the influence of essential PHC attributes and local organizational strategies on care continuity during the pandemic.

DE OLIVEIRA VIANA, MÔNICA MARTINS ; GARCIA, MARIANA TARRICONE ; COSTA, MARIA IZABEL SANCHES ; DUARTE, LÍGIA SCHIAVON ; SALA, ARNALDO ; PONTES, BARBARA MAIA ; FERNANDEZ, Michelle . Primary care and care continuity in the context of a health crisis: lessons learned from the Brazilian reality. Bmc Primary Care, v. online, p. 1-32, 2026.