[Factors associated with the understanding of medical prescriptions in the Unified Health System in a city in Southern Brazil].

A cross-sectional study via interviews was conducted in the city of Tubarão in the state of Santa Catarina in order to identify the association between prescription indicators and the profile of the healthcare users and their understanding of medical prescriptions among patients attended by the Unified Health System. Information was collected on the profile of the healthcare users, the prescription indicators recommended by the World Health Organization and the understanding of drug prescriptions. Three hundred subjects were interviewed and the associated factors were identified using the Chi-square test.