Universality, integrality, equity and SUS

Abstract

The objective of this article is to discuss notions of universality, equity and integrality, starting from a review of the systematic literature. It presents a brief historic context, highlighting that the equality is associated with the idea of justice since the French Revolution. The notion of universality is present in the policies of the Welfare State, in the Declaration of the Alma Ata and in the 8th National Health Conference. It criticizes the lack of conceptual precision of the notion of equity, indicating some theoretical works to act as a fundament for it. It discusses various senses produced for integrality, as well as certain efforts to make it operational by means of health care proposals, family protection and health. Finally,
it considers that these notions may dialogue with those referring to inequality, difference and iniquity, concluding that, in the case of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS – Single Health Care System), universality supposes equal access to health services, equity allows for the solidifi cation of justice and the integrality requires intersectorial action and a new government administration in public policies.