Evaluation of a surveillance program to the new born at risk in southern Brazil

Abstract Introduction The evaluation of health programs effectively contribute to the planning and direction of public health policies. This study aimed to evaluate a surveillance program to the newborn at risk. Objective Cross-sectional analytical study with data collected in 2009, from Maringá-PR. Method We extracted maternal, infant and care information from a stratified sample of records and monitoring reports of children born in 2008, totaling 250 newborns at risk. Data were analyzed by chi-square test and multiple logistic regression. Results Of the newborns at risk included in the program, 37% had satisfactory monitoring. It was found that assistance was a spontaneous demand with an inefficient access of risk priority. Low birth weight (OR=2.30; IC95%=1.25–4.23), coupled with the insufficient number of visits (OR=7.11; IC95%=2.34–21.63), guidelines (OR=2.49; IC95%=1.24-5.01) and weighing (OR=2.05; IC95%=1.01-4.15), contributed to the inappropriate monitoring of children at risk by the program. Conclusion From the results found on the attention to the child at risk, it is suggested recast proposals of the inclusion criteria and strategies that prioritize a scheduled and more consonant assistance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health.