Desde uma perspectiva crítica e de enfrentamento à problemática da sobremedicalização, a prevenção quaternária (P4) emergiu como um conceito inovador, propondo alternativas para prevenir os eventos iatrogênicos e otimizar os custos da saúde. O presente ensaio foi elaborado a partir de uma revisão histórico-conceitual da P4 e dos modelos de educação médica, visando compreender como a P4 poderia se constituir como um elemento estratégico para remodelar a educação médica. O artigo aprofunda aspectos conceituais da P4; aborda a educação médica a partir de uma perspectiva histórica; aponta as interligações dinâmicas entre a P4, as práticas de saúde e a educação médica; e, por fim, expõe os motivos pelos quais a P4 pode se tornar um elemento central da educação médica.

Objective: To measure and map research output on Quaternary Prevention (P4) and outline research trends; to assess the papers content, mainly regarding methods and subjects approached in order to contribute to the improvement of global knowledge about P4 and to evaluate its relevance for public health. Design: Bibliometric and descriptive content analysis. Articles reviewed: Scientific articles about P4 recorded in Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo or CINAHL published until August 2018, with correspondent full articles available in Portuguese, English, Spanish, German or French. Main outcome measures: Year of publication, first authors' name and nationality, journals' name, country and ranking, publication language, used methods and main reported subjects. Results: 65 articles were included, published in 33 journals of 16 countries between 2003 and 2018 with a peak of publications in 2015. The first authors came from 17 different countries, 23% of them were Brazilian and Uruguay was the leading nation according to the scientific production per capita. 40% of all the selected articles were in English, 32% in Portuguese, 26% in Spanish. 28% of the papers were published in Q1 or Q2 journals. The research outputs on P4 begun first in the South of Europe, went to South America and then expanded worldwide. 88% of the articles were bibliographic research and 38% of all focused on specific examples of medical overuse (including several screening tests). Conclusions: Quaternary prevention represents an ethical and valid approach to prevent occurence of iatrogenic events and to achieve equal and fair access to health services. Conceptual, geographical and linguistic elements, as well as WONCA conferences and type of healthcare systems in the authors' country were fundamental factors that affected research output. The quality and quantity of available studies is still limited, therefore further investigations are recommended to assess the effective impact of P4 on public health.

According to the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), quaternary prevention (P4) is a recent concept that aims to prevent medical overuse. Thus, this study aimed to measure and map research output on P4 as outline research trends, evaluating its current international status through a bibliometric and descriptive content analysis. We reviewed scientific articles on P4 recorded in PubMed, LILACS, SciELO or CINAHL with the outcomes: publication year, first authors’ name and nationality, journals’ name, country and ranking, publication language, used methods and main reported subjects. The analysis included 65 articles published in 33 journals of 16 countries between 2003 and 2018 with a peak of publications in 2015. The first authors came from 17 different countries, 23% Brazilian, with Uruguay as the leading nation in scientific production per capita. Q1 or Q2 journals amassed 28% of published papers. Bibliographic research comprised 88% of articles and 38% of all focused on specific examples of medical overuse. P4 represents an ethical and valid approach to prevent iatrogenic events and achieve equal and fair access to health services. Conceptual, geographical, and linguistic elements, as well as WONCA conferences and type of healthcare systems in the authors’ country were fundamental factors that affected research output. The available studies are still of limited quality and quantity, with further investigations needed to assess the effective impact of P4 on public health.

Atualmente, é coordenadora médica do pronto atendimento do Hospital Especializado Couto Maia e médica infectologista do Centro Estadual Especializado em Diagnóstico, Assistência e Pesquisa. 5 Graduado em Medicina pela Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), especialista em Pneumologia e mestre em Medicina e Saúde pela UFBA. Atualmente, é professor do curso de Medicina da Faculdade de Tecnologia e Ciências (FTC).