Background Diabetes management involves multiple aspects that go beyond drug therapy as a way of providing high quality care. The objective of this study was to describe quality of care indicators for individuals with diabetes in southeast Brazil and to explore associations among these indicators. Methods In this cross-sectional, observational study, health care providers filled out a questionnaire addressing health care structure and processes at 14 primary health care units (PHCUs). Clinical and laboratory data of diabetic patients attending the PHCUs and from patients referred to a secondary health care (SHC) center were collected. Results There was a shortage of professionals in 53.8% of the PHCUs besides a high proportion of problems regarding referrals to SHC. At the PHCU, glycated hemoglobin results were available only in half of the medical records. A low rate of adequate glycemic control was also observed. An association between structure and process indicators and the outcomes analyzed was not found. Conclusion Major deficiencies were found in the structure and processes of the PHCUs, in addition to unsatisfactory diabetes care outcomes. However, no association between structure, process, and outcomes was found.

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical and epidemiological profiles of patients with hypertension referred to a secondary care unit and to assess the adequacy of the referral criteria.METHOD: This descriptive transversal study analysed 943 hypertensive patients referred to a secondary healthcare unit from September 2010 to August 2012. Clinical and sociodemographic data as well as data regarding the liaison between secondary and primary care services were collected. RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 59±13.1 years, and 61.3% were female. Sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption, and smoking were observed in 80.3%, 31.1%, and 18.1% of the patients, respectively. Uncontrolled blood pressure was observed in 72.5% of the sample, and 80.1% of individuals were overweight or obese. There was a high prevalence of dyslipidaemia (73.1%), cardiovascular disease (97.5%), and reduced glomerular filtration rate (49.9%). Thirty-eight percent of patients did not meet the referral criteria, of whom approximately 25% were not hypertensive. CONCLUSION: Even in a universal-access healthcare system, poor control of hypertension and high prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases were observed. Inadequate referrals and the presence of clinical complications suggest low efficiency of the assistance provided in primary care and reinforce the need for sharing care with the secondary level.