[Study of the under-reporting of AIDS cases in Alagoas (Brazil), 1999-2005]. / Estudo da subnotificação dos casos de Aids em Alagoas (Brasil), 1999-2005.

The under-reporting of Aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) cases makes it difficult and even impossible to plan means to control the epidemic. This study aims to check out the under-reporting of Aids cases from 1999 to 2005 in Alagoas (Brazil). The deaths certificates causes by Aids stored at the Mortality Data System (SIM) in comparison to the Data System of Notification Diseases (Sinan), has been analyzed using the technique of relationship between these two data systems in Alagoas. According to the study, the proportion of under-reporting of Aids cases during this period was of 12.4%. Among the 49 deaths studied, 67% (33) were men and 33% (16) were women configuring a gender rate of 2:1. As to education level, 4,08% (2) and 6,12% (3) of the deaths by Aids were of people having 1 to 3 and from 4 to 7 years of study, respectively. The age group that presented the largest number of deaths was from 20 to 49 years old, either female (11; 68,7%) or male gender (23; 69,6%). The comparison between the Mortality Data System and Data System for Disease Notification revealed a high proportion of under-reporting of deaths by Aids, stressing the need for a specific public policy on the matter.

[Intra-urban differentials of the mortality situation in the municipality of Camaragibe: 1999 to 2003]. / Diferenciais intra-urbanos da situação de mortalidade no município de Camaragibe: 1999 a 2003.

The epidemiological profile of the populations has changed throughout history and populace spaces. Throughout the years, epidemiologists have studied the changes in the epidemiological profiles of the populations, employing, according to the given health figures, the health of the populations, using specially the mortality data of the information systems in the entire country. Aiming to identify the mortality situation as per sex, age, cause groups and specific death causes in the municipality of Camaragibe, from 1999 to 2003, a descriptive study has been used taking into account the variables presented at SIM (Sistema de Mortalidade). Moreover, using the RPA's as analysis units, a description of the mortality situation was performed taking into consideration the intra-urban differentials. The mortality behavior presented variations in relation to RPA of residence, albeit, for some indicators, these differentials were not so clear. The findings suggest that the mortality differentials were polarized in the municipality regions, and a further analysis using a more spaced out unit may be needed.

[Self-medication and health academic staff]. / A automedicação e os acadêmicos da área de saúde.

As self-medication is a worldwide problem of public health, this article had as objective to evaluate the behavior of the future health professionals with regard to the drug utilization, particularly, to the self-medication practice. 223 academic students from a public university in Recife City were interviewed, selected by proportional share in each course. A questionnaire on the drug utilization was applied, 15 days before the interview. From the 223 students, 65.5% reported drug use in the last 15 days. 42.3% used drugs through the physician's prescription and 57.7% through the self-medication. The most used drugs were the analgesics (24.0%) and vitamins (18.9%) and the main reason was pain (30.5%). The drug utilization among academic students in Recife City is high but it is inside the parameter according to others analysis. However we have expected a low and more rationalized utilization.