Brazilian Clinical Practice Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Infections That Cause Urethral Discharge: Assessment According to the AGREE II and Critical Analysis Based on the WHO Recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STI) can have severe consequences. In Brazil, case management is recommended by the Clinical Protocol and Therapeutical Guidelines for Comprehensive Care for People with STIs (PCDT-IST). This study assessed the quality of PCDT-IST (2021) and reviewed the main recommendations for the management of STI that cause urethral discharge compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) STI Guidelines. METHODS: The PCDT-IST (2021) quality was independently assessed by 4 appraisers using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation instrument, version II (AGREE II). The PCDT-IST (2021) and the WHO Guidelines for the Management of Symptomatic STI (2021) were compared considering 14 different assessment domains. RESULTS: The PCDT-IST (2021) scores in the AGREE II domains were: Rigor of Development (58%), Applicability (35%), Editorial Independence (38%), Scope and Purpose (78%), Stakeholder Involvement (74%), and Clarity and Presentation (82%). The overall score was 67%, and all appraisers recommended the Brazilian guideline. Regarding the PCDT-IST (2021) and the WHO STI Guidelines (2021) comparation, 10 domains would be relevant for further reviewing the Brazilian recommendations: Diagnostic tests; Etiological approach; Treatment for recurrent urethral discharge; Treatment for urethritis without etiological agent identification; Treatment for gonococcal urethritis; Treatment for chlamydial urethritis; Retreatment for gonococcal infections; Treatment for Mycoplasma genitalium urethritis; Treatment for Trichomonas vaginalis urethritis; 10. Flowcharts. CONCLUSIONS: The PCDT-IST (2021) has a reasonable degree of quality. However, the domains of Applicability, Rigor of Development, and Editorial Independence must be better ensured. The guidelines comparison will help to select key topics that should be addressed with priority in the following national STI guidelines updates.

Patients' perspectives on the relevance of biosimilars' outcomes in oncology: qualitative study with nominal group technique.

PURPOSE: We aimed to rate the importance of outcomes from a systematic review about biosimilars in oncology from patients' perspective. METHODS: This is a qualitative research with nominal group technique. Patients with cancer were selected by convenience sampling and invited for two mediated virtual meetings in 2022. Twelve outcomes from a systematic review on biosimilars for oncology developed following a protocol were explained in plain language to participants who classified them as critical, important, or not important according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. We employed Iramuteq software for lexical categorization of the meeting transcripts, and content analysis for interpretation. RESULTS: Five women participated (three had metastatic cancer, one non-metastatic, one recurrent). Six outcomes were classified as critical: duration of response, progression-free survival, pathological complete response, overall survival, severe adverse events, and quality of life; three as important: mortality, event-free survival, and objective response; and three as non-important: neutralizing anti-drug antibody, any adverse event, and non-neutralizing anti-drug antibody. Duration of response, pathological complete response, severe adverse events, and quality of life were considered secondary in the review protocol, but critical by the patients. The main themes influencing the importance classification were related to the disease (progression and control) and treatment (recognition and healthcare setting). CONCLUSION: Patients rated most outcomes as critical or important, some of them previously regarded as secondary by the researchers, which reinforces the need to include stakeholders' perspectives in oncology research. Aspects of the disease progression and treatment effects influenced participants' judgment on outcomes' relevance.

How to improve the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines in the Brazilian Unified Health System? Report of a pilot project.

In Brazil, there have been some initiatives to improve the development of Ministry of Health clinical protocols and therapeutic guidelines (PCDTs in Portuguese, and clinical practice guidelines-CPGs, in English) and their implementation so that best practices can be disseminated and adopted at multiple levels of health systems. One of the initiatives was to conduct a pilot project to improve the format of these CPGs. The objective of this article is to present the processes and results of the pilot project, including the development of a new standardized format for CPGs to promote national dissemination and uptake. The pilot project was designed in three phases: identification and selection of strategies to effectively implement clinical practice guidelines, definition of the ideal characteristics for the format of CPGs, and development and implementation of the new format. Initially, an overview of systematic reviews was conducted to map the global evidence on the effectiveness of dissemination and implementation strategies of CPGs. Among the most effective interventions, a low-cost strategy was selected to improve the format of CPGs, namely a full format and a short format. The two formats were evaluated for usefulness and acceptability by professionals who use or develop CPGs, and after several reiterations, the formats were finalized, considering the progression of care (from diagnosis of the disease to treatment, including specific technologies indicated in each stage of the disease). Related to the technical aspects, the visual presentation of the CPGs was improved, ensuring that key information was easily identified for decision-making by end users. The initial phase of implementation involved 33 clinical conditions, equating to approximately 20% of published CPGs. It is anticipated that disseminating the CPGs in the new formats will promote the accessibility of information and implementation of standardized CPGs by health professionals in the public health sector (servicing more than 210 million Brazilians). Further research should be considered to determine the impact of the use of the new CPGs formats, contributing to the knowledge base related to the implementation of guidelines in Brazil and internationally.

Competency profiles for evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM): a rapid review.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM) requires a set of individual and organizational capacities, linked with background factors and needs. The identification of essential knowledge, skills and attitudes for EIPM can support the development of competency profiles and their application in different contexts. PURPOSE: To identify elements of competency (knowledge, skills and attitudes) for EIPM, according to different professional profiles (researcher, health professional, decision-maker and citizen). METHODS: Rapid umbrella review. A structured search was conducted and later updated in two comprehensive repositories (BVSalud and PubMed). Review studies with distinctive designs were included, published from 2010 onwards, without language restrictions. Assessment of the methodological quality of the studies was not performed. A meta-aggregative narrative synthesis was used to report the findings. RESULTS: Ten reviews were included. A total of 37 elements of competency were identified, eight were categorized as knowledge, 19 as skills and 10 as attitudes. These elements were aggregated into four competency profiles: researcher, health professional, decision-maker and citizen. The competency profiles included different sets of EIPM-related knowledge, skills and attitudes. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This study is innovative because it aggregates different profiles of competency from a practical perspective, favouring the application of its results in different contexts to support EIPM. Methodological limitations are related to the shortcuts adopted in this review: complementary searches of the grey literature were not performed, and the study selection and data extraction were not conducted in duplicate. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: EIPM requires the development of individual and organizational capacities. This rapid review contributes to the discussion on the institutionalization of EIPM in health systems. The competency profiles presented here can support discussions about the availability of capacity and the need for its development in different contexts.

Strategies for communicating scientific evidence on healthcare to managers and the population: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Health evidence needs to be communicated and disseminated in a manner that is clearly understood by decision-makers. As an inherent component of health knowledge translation, communicating results of scientific studies, effects of interventions and health risk estimates, in addition to understanding key concepts of clinical epidemiology and interpreting evidence, represent a set of essential instruments to reduce the gap between science and practice. The advancement of digital and social media has reshaped the concept of health communication, introducing new, direct and powerful communication platforms and gateways between researchers and the public. The objective of this scoping review was to identify strategies for communicating scientific evidence in healthcare to managers and/or population. METHODS: We searched Cochrane Library, Embase®, MEDLINE® and other six electronic databases, in addition to grey literature, relevant websites from related organizations for studies, documents or reports published from 2000, addressing any strategy for communicating scientific evidence on healthcare to managers and/or population. RESULTS: Our search identified 24 598 unique records, of which 80 met the inclusion criteria and addressed 78 strategies. Most strategies focused on risk and benefit communication in health, were presented by textual format and had been implemented and somehow evaluated. Among the strategies evaluated and appearing to yield some benefit are (i) risk/benefit communication: natural frequencies instead of percentages, absolute risk instead relative risk and number needed to treat, numerical instead nominal communication, mortality instead survival; negative or loss content appear to be more effective than positive or gain content; (ii) evidence synthesis: plain languages summaries to communicate the results of Cochrane reviews to the community were perceived as more reliable, easier to find and understand, and better to support decisions than the original summaries; (iii) teaching/learning: the Informed Health Choices resources seem to be effective for improving critical thinking skills. CONCLUSION: Our findings contribute to both the knowledge translation process by identifying communication strategies with potential for immediate implementation and to future research by recognizing the need to evaluate the clinical and social impact of other strategies to support evidence-informed policies. Trial registration protocol is prospectively available in MedArxiv (doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.04.21265922).

An evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) competency profile for the Brazilian Health System developed through consensus: process and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) requires a set of individual and organizational knowledge, skills and attitudes that should be articulated with background factors and needs. In this regard, the development of an EIPM competency profile is important to support the diagnosis, planning and implementation of EIPM. PURPOSE: To present the process and outcomes of the development of an EIPM competency profile by an expert committee, to be applied in different contexts of the Brazilian Health System. METHODS: A committee of experts in EIPM shared different views, experiences and opinions to develop an EIPM competency profile for Brazil. In six consensus workshops mediated by facilitators, the committee defined from macro problems to key actions and performances essential for the competency profile. The development steps consisted of: (1) Constitution of the committee, including researchers, professionals with practical experience, managers, and educators; (2) Development of a rapid review on EIPM competency profiles; (3) Agreement on commitments and responsibilities in the processes; (4) Identification and definition of macro problems relating to the scope of the competency profile; and (5) Outlining of general and specific capacities, to be incorporated into the competency profile, categorized by key actions. RESULTS: The development of the EIPM competency profile was guided by the following macro problems: (1) lack of systematic and transparent decision-making processes in health policy management; (2) underdeveloped institutional capacity for knowledge management and translation; and (3) incipient use of scientific evidence in the formulation and implementation of health policies. A general framework of key actions and performances of the EIPM Competency Profile for Brazil was developed, including 42 specific and general key actions distributed by area of activity (Health Management, Scientific Research, Civil Society, Knowledge Translation, and Cross-sectional areas). CONCLUSIONS: The competency profile presented in this article can be used in different contexts as a key tool for the institutionalization of EIPM.

[Adherence, barriers, and facilitators for the treatment of systemic arterial hypertension: rapid review of evidenceAdhesión, obstáculos y elementos facilitadores en relación con el tratamiento de la hipertensión: revisión rápida de la evidencia]. / Adesão, barreiras e facilitadores no tratamento de hipertensão arterial: revisão rápida de evidências.

Objective: To identify strategies to increase adherence to systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) treatment and describe the barriers and facilitators for implementing these strategies in primary health care (PHC). Method: A rapid evidence review was performed. We included systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses, published in English, Spanish or Portuguese, covering adults (age 18 to ≤ 60 years) with SAH followed in the PHC. Searches were performed in nine databases in December 2020 and updated in April 2022. The systematic reviews were assessed for methodological quality using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Results: Fourteen systematic reviews on treatment adherence strategies and three on barriers and facilitators for implementation were included. Regarding methodological quality, one systematic review was classified as moderate, four as low, and the others as critically low. Four strategies were identified as options for health policies: actions performed by pharmacists; actions performed by non-pharmaceutical health professionals; self-monitoring, use of mobile apps, and text messages; and subsidies for the purchase of medicines. Low digital literacy, limited access to the internet, work process and incipient training were barriers for professionals. The users' educational and health literacy levels, accessibility to health services and good relationships with professionals were facilitators. Conclusions: Positive effects of strategies related to pharmaceutical care, self-monitoring, and the use of cell phone applications and text messages were identified to increase adherence to the treatment of SAH in the context of PHC. However, for implementation purposes, it is necessary to consider barriers and facilitators, in addition to the methodological limitations of the analyzed systematic reviews.

Objetivo: Buscar estrategias para aumentar la adhesión al tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial sistémica y describir las barreras y los elementos facilitadores para la implementación de esas estrategias en el ámbito de la atención primaria de salud. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión rápida de la evidencia. Se incluyeron revisiones sistemáticas, con o sin metaanálisis, publicadas en español, inglés o portugués, en las cuales se evaluaban a personas adultas (de 18 a ≤ 60 años) con hipertensión arterial sistémica observadas en el ámbito de la atención primaria de salud. Las búsquedas se realizaron en nueve bases de datos en diciembre del 2020 y se actualizaron en abril del 2022. Se evaluó la calidad metodológica de las revisiones sistemáticas incluidas con la herramienta AMSTAR 2. Resultados: Se incluyeron 14 revisiones sistemáticas sobre estrategias de adhesión al tratamiento y tres sobre obstáculos y elementos facilitadores para la implementación. La calidad metodológica fue moderada en una revisión sistemática, baja en cuatro y críticamente baja en las demás. Se identificaron cuatro estrategias como opciones para las políticas de salud: medidas tomadas por farmacéuticos; medidas tomadas por profesionales no farmacéuticos; autocontrol, uso de aplicaciones para teléfonos celulares y mensajes de texto; y oferta de subvenciones para la compra de medicamentos. La escasa alfabetización digital, el acceso limitado a internet y los procesos de trabajo y formación incipiente fueron obstáculos para los profesionales. Los elementos facilitadores fueron el nivel de educación y de conocimientos de los usuarios en materia de salud, la accesibilidad a los servicios de salud y las buenas relaciones con los profesionales. Conclusiones: Se observaron efectos positivos de las estrategias relacionadas con la atención farmacéutica, el autocontrol y el uso de aplicaciones de telefonía celular y mensajería de texto para aumentar la adhesión al tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial sistémica en el ámbito de la atención primaria de salud. Sin embargo, para fines de implementación, es necesario considerar los obstáculos y los elementos facilitadores, además de las limitaciones metodológicas de las revisiones sistemáticas analizadas.

[The evolution of Brazilian human health policies for the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance: a scoping reviewEvolución de las políticas de prevención y control de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos desde la perspectiva de la salud humana en Brasil: revisión exploratoria]. / Evolução das políticas brasileiras de saúde humana para prevenção e controle da resistência aos antimicrobianos: revisão de escopo.

Objective: To map the policies related to the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance from a human health perspective in Brazil and systematize the historical course of these policies. Method: A scoping review was performed following Joana Briggs Institute and PRISMA guidelines. A literature search was performed in December 2020 in the LILACS, PubMed and EMBASE databases. The terms "antimicrobial resistance" AND "Brazil" as well as their synonyms were used. Using the same keywords, Brazilian government websites were searched for documents published until December 2021. Studies of all designs were included, with no language or date restrictions. Clinical documents, reviews and epidemiological studies that did not focus on antimicrobial resistance management policies in Brazil were excluded. Categories based on World Health Organization documents were used for data systematization and analysis. Results: In Brazil, policies related to antimicrobial resistance such as the National Immunization Program and hospital infection control programs can be traced back to before the creation of the Unified Health System. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the first specific policies on antimicrobial resistance (surveillance networks and programs) and education strategies were established; especially noteworthy is The National Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Single Health Scope (PAN-BR) of 2018. Conclusions: Despite the long history of policies related to antimicrobial resistance in Brazil, gaps were identified, particularly in monitoring the use of antimicrobials and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance. The PAN-BR, the first government document prepared from a One Health perspective, represents an important milestone.

Objetivo: Determinar qué políticas de prevención y control de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos desde la perspectiva de la salud humana se han adoptado en Brasil y sistematizar su evolución histórica. Método: Se hizo una revisión exploratoria según las directrices del Instituto Joana Briggs y de PRISMA. La búsqueda bibliográfica se realizó en diciembre del 2020 en las bases de datos LILACS, PubMed y EMBASE. Se utilizaron los términos "antimicrobial resistance" AND "Brazil" y sinónimos. Se efectuó una investigación documental con los mismos términos en los sitios web del gobierno brasileño hasta diciembre del 2021. Se incluyeron estudios de todos los diseños, sin restricciones de idioma ni de fecha. Se excluyeron los documentos clínicos, revisiones y estudios epidemiológicos que no hicieran referencia a las políticas de gestión de la resistencia a los antimicrobianos en Brasil. Para la recolección y el análisis de datos se establecieron categorías basadas en documentos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Resultados: Desde antes de la creación del Sistema Único de Salud, Brasil tenía políticas de resistencia a los antimicrobianos, como el Programa Nacional de Inmunización y los programas de control de infecciones hospitalarias. A finales de las décadas de 1990 y 2000 se establecieron las primeras políticas específicas de resistencia a los antimicrobianos (redes y programas de vigilancia) y estrategias de educación. Entre ellas se destaca el Plan de Acción Nacional de Prevención y Control de la Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos en el marco del enfoque de "Una salud" (PAN-BR) del 2018. Conclusiones: A pesar de la larga historia de las políticas de resistencia a los antimicrobianos en Brasil, se encontraron lagunas, particularmente en el seguimiento del uso de antimicrobianos y la vigilancia de la resistencia a los mismos. El PAN-BR, primer documento gubernamental elaborado desde la perspectiva de "Una salud", marca un hito en las políticas formuladas en Brasil.

[Telehealth, food consumption, and eating behavior in adults: a rapid review of systematic reviewsTelesalud, consumo de alimentos y comportamiento alimentario de la población adulta: examen rápido de revisiones sistemáticas]. / Telessaúde no consumo e comportamento alimentar em adultos: uma revisão rápida de revisões sistemáticas.

Objective: To synthesize the evidence about the effects of telehealth interventions provided through smart-phone apps and text messages on the behavior of adults regarding healthy food consumption. Method: A rapid systematic review of the literature was performed through searches in nine electronic databases to identify systematic reviews published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish that evaluated telehealth strategies compared to face-to-face interventions to improve dietary intake in the adult population (18 to 59 years old). Searches were performed in November 2020 and updated in April 2022. The included systematic reviews were assessed for methodological quality using the AMSTAR 2 tool. Results: Five systematic reviews were included. Methodological quality was moderate in one review and critically low in four. There was a dearth of studies comparing the use of telehealth strategies with face-to-face interventions for the promotion of healthy eating in adults. The most consistent results refer to an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables with the use of an app or text messages, in addition to improvement in the dietary habits of people with diabetes or glucose intolerance with the use of text messages. Conclusion: Positive effects were observed on healthy eating outcomes for most interventions using mobile apps or text messages; however, the findings refer to a few clinical trials with small samples that were analyzed in the systematic reviews covered in the present rapid review, most of which had low methodological quality. Thus, the current knowledge gap warrants the performance of further methodologically robust studies.

Objetivo: Sintetizar la evidencia sobre los efectos de las intervenciones de telesalud ofrecidas por medio de aplicaciones de telefonía móvil y mensajes de texto en el comportamiento de la población adulta relacionado con una alimentación saludable. Métodos: Se realizó un examen rápido mediante búsquedas en nueve bases bibliográficas electrónicas para localizar revisiones sistemáticas publicadas en español, inglés y portugués en las que se evaluaran estrategias de telesalud en comparación con atención presencial para mejorar la alimentación de la población adulta (de 18 a 59 años). Las búsquedas se realizaron en noviembre del 2020 y se actualizaron en abril del 2022. La calidad metodológica de las revisiones sistemáticas incluidas se evaluó con la herramienta AMSTAR 2. Resultados: Se incluyeron cinco revisiones sistemáticas, una con un grado de confianza moderado y las otras con un grado de confianza sumamente bajo. Se comprobó una falta de estudios en los que se compararan el uso de estrategias de telesalud con la atención presencial para promover la alimentación saludable de la población adulta. Los resultados más coherentes se refieren al aumento del consumo de frutas y verduras con el uso de aplicaciones móviles o de mensajes de texto, así como a la mejora del patrón alimentario de las personas con diabetes o con intolerancia a la glucosa con el uso de mensajes de texto. Conclusión: La mayoría de los análisis de las intervenciones en las que se emplearon aplicaciones de telefonía móvil o mensajes de texto mostraron efectos positivos en los resultados relativos a una alimentación saludable. Sin embargo, estos hallazgos se refieren a unos pocos ensayos clínicos con pequeñas muestras de participantes incluidos en las revisiones sistemáticas del presente examen rápido, en su mayoría de baja calidad metodológica. En conclusión, existe una laguna en los conocimientos y es importante realizar estudios con una metodología más sólida.

Public engagement in health technology assessment in Brazil: the case of the public consultation on National Clinical Guidelines for Care in Normal Birth.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of public engagement in health technology assessment. However, there is still uncertainty regarding how the results should be recorded, analyzed, and used by decision makers. OBJECTIVE: Synthesize the contributions of the Brazilian public (women, health professionals, managers, educational institutions, and companies) about the implementation of the National Clinical Guidelines for Care in Normal Birth from the public consultation carried out in Brazil. METHOD: IRaMuTeQ software was used to organize and summarize the corpus based on three types of analysis: descriptive statistics; descending hierarchical classification; and specificities analysis. The public consultation was conducted in 2016 by the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation (CONITEC) in the Brazilian public health system as part of the guideline development process. RESULTS: The corpus consisted of 303 texts, separated into 1233 text segments, 1081 of which were used, corresponding to retention of 87.67%. Five classes emerged from our analyses: mandatory presence of an obstetrician during labor and delivery in hospital settings; barriers and facilitators for guideline implementation; use of evidence-based practices by health professionals; progression of labor and delivery and women's rights; and mobilization to promote the guideline For each class, the most frequent words and sentences with the highest chi-squared scores were presented. Barriers were associated with lack of financial resources, training and professional motivation, and facilitators with training to change the practices of health professionals. Obstetric nurses emerged as an alternative for supervising normal births as well as the mandatory presence of an obstetrician during childbirth in hospital settings. CONCLUSION: Our findings summarize the contributions provided by the Brazilian public and shed some light on the barriers and facilitators of clinical guidelines for care in normal birth. These topics are not typically explored by quantitative studies. Including this information in the decision-making process would not only increase public engagement, but provide greater evidence for implementing the clinical guidelines nationwide.

Barriers to implementing childbirth recommendations in Brazil: the women's perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers to the implementation of National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil from the women's perspective. METHODS: A descriptive exploratory study was performed using a qualitative approach and an interpretive perspective. The hermeneutic unit of analysis was established based on the contribution of users to a public online consultation about the National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil, performed in 2016 by the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation into the Unified Health System (CONITEC). Content analysis techniques were used to examine the answers provided to the following specific question: "Considering your local reality, what would hinder the implementation of this protocol or guideline?" RESULTS: Of 396 contributions recorded by CONITEC, 55 were included in the content analysis. The mean age of women was 31 years, with most self-declared as white (69%) and living in the Southeast of Brazil (56.3%). Coding revealed seven barrier categories, which were grouped into three families - barriers related to 1) professional training and culture (which highlighted the centrality of physicians, not women, in childbirth), 2) social culture (general population not well informed), and 3) political and management issues (little interest on the part of managers, lower physician compensation for vaginal childbirth vs. cesarian section, and poor hospital infrastructure). CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of professional training and culture, social culture, and political as well as management issues are critical points to be considered in future interventions aiming at overcoming or weakening the barriers to implementing childbirth recommendations in Brazil.

Barriers to implementing guideline recommendations to improve childbirth care: a rapid review of evidence.

OBJECTIVE: To identify potential barriers to the implementation of the National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil based on the best available global evidence. METHOD: A rapid review of evidence was performed in six databases in March/April 2019. Secondary studies published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese with a focus on barriers of any nature relating to the implementation of the Guidelines were retrieved. RESULTS: Twenty-three documents (21 reviews and two practice guides) were included in the review. The barriers identified were grouped into 52 meaning categories and then reorganized into nine thematic clusters: delivery and childbirth care model, human resource management, knowledge and beliefs, gender relations, health care service management, attitudes and behaviors, communication, socioeconomic conditions, and political interests. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that combined approaches may be required to address different barriers to the implementation of the Guidelines. For successful implementation, it is essential to engage health care leaders, professionals, and users in the effort to change the delivery and childbirth care model. Also necessary is the development of intersectoral initiatives to improve the socioeconomic conditions of women and families and to curtail gender inequalities.

Spatial distribution of the "Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program" and social vulnerability: an analysis of the Brazilian metropolitan regions.

BACKGROUND: The "Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program" established in 2013 by the Brazilian Government aimed to reduce inequalities by means of an emergency provision of physicians, the improvement of medical care service in the Brazilian Unified Health System, and the expansion of medical education training in Brazil. In this context, equity should be considered when defining priorities and allocating resources. This study describes the distribution of physicians for the Program in five Brazilian metropolitan regions (MRs) and analyses whether the most vulnerable areas within each one of these regions had been prioritized in compliance with the legislation framework of the program. METHODS: This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. Official secondary data was analyzed to verify the relationship between the Index of Social Vulnerability, set up by the Institute of Applied Economic Research, and the physician allocation provided by the Program. The data were organized into categories and quintiles. For spatialization purposes, the QGIS 3.4 Madeira software was used. RESULTS: There are 2592 primary health care units, (in Portuguese, UBS), within the five MRs studied; 981 of these hosted at least one physician from the Program. In the Manaus, Recife, and the DF MRs, the 4th and 5th quintiles (the most vulnerable ones) hosted physicians in more significant proportions than the other quintiles, namely, 71.4%, 71.4%, and 52.2%, respectively, exceeding the national average (51.7%). It is worth mentioning that in the São Paulo MR, the units located in the most vulnerable quintiles (4th and 5th) also hosted physicians in proportions significantly higher than others (45.8%); however, this proportion did not reach 50%. There was no significant difference in the allocation of physicians in the Porto Alegre MR, indicating that there was no prioritization of the UBS according to vulnerability. CONCLUSIONS: These results appoint to the enormous gaps of vulnerability existing both between the analyzed MRs and internally in each one of them. It emphasizes the need for criteria for the allocation of physicians so as not to increase inequities. It also highlights the importance of the continuity of the "Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program" in the metropolitan regions, above all, in areas of extreme vulnerabilities. On the other hand, they contribute to the national debate about the importance of public policies regarding constitutional rights related to access to health care and the relevance of primary care and the "Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Program" for the reduction of disparities regarding access to health care, especially for the citizens who live in regions of greater vulnerability, whether it is inside or outside large metropolitan regions.

[Barriers to implementing childbirth recommendations in Brazil: the women's perspectiveObstáculos para la aplicación de las recomendaciones de asistencia al parto normal en Brasil: perspectiva de las mujeres]. / Barreiras à implementação de recomendações ao parto normal no Brasil: a perspectiva das mulheres.

OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers to the implementation of National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil from the women's perspective. METHOD: A descriptive exploratory study was performed using a qualitative approach and an interpretive perspective. The hermeneutic unit of analysis was established based on the contribution of users to a public online consultation about the National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil, performed in 2016 by the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation into the Unified Health System (CONITEC). Content analysis techniques were used to examine the answers provided to the following specific question: "Considering your local reality, what would hinder the implementation of this protocol or guideline?" RESULTS: Of 396 contributions recorded by CONITEC, 55 were included in the content analysis. The mean age of women was 31 years, with most self-declared as white (69%) and living in the Southeast of Brazil (56.3%). Coding revealed seven barrier categories, which were grouped into three families - barriers related to 1) professional training and culture (which highlighted the centrality of physicians, not women, in childbirth), 2) social culture (general population not well informed), and 3) political and management issues (little interest on the part of managers, lower physician compensation for vaginal childbirth vs. Caesarian section, and poor hospital infrastructure). CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of professional training and culture, social culture, and political as well as management issues are critical points to be considered in future interventions aiming at overcoming or weakening the barriers to implementing childbirth recommendations in Brazil.

OBJETIVO: Determinar los obstáculos existentes para la aplicación de las directrices de asistencia al parto normal en Brasil desde la perspectiva de las mujeres. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo exploratorio, con un enfoque cualitativo y una perspectiva de investigación interpretativa. La unidad hermenéutica se construyó a partir de los aportes hechos por usuarias a una consulta pública en línea sobre las directrices nacionales de asistencia al parto normal realizada en el 2016 por la Comisión Nacional de Incorporación de Tecnologías (CONITEC) en el Sistema Único de Salud. Se utilizó la metodología de análisis del contenido para examinar específicamente las respuestas a la siguiente pregunta: considerando su realidad local, ¿qué dificultaría la implantación de este protocolo o de esta directriz? RESULTADOS: En el análisis del contenido se incluyeron 55 de los 396 aportes recibidos por la CONITEC. Las mujeres tenían una media de edad de 31 años y, en su mayoría, eran blancas (69%) y residentes en la región Sudeste de Brasil (56,3%). La codificación reveló siete categorías de obstáculos, agrupados en tres clases, a saber, obstáculos relacionados con 1) la formación y la cultura profesional (con hincapié en la centralidad de los médicos y no de las mujeres en el parto), 2) la cultura social (la falta de información por parte de la población) y 3) las cuestiones de política y gestión (la falta de interés de los gestores, la menor remuneración de los médicos que atienden el parto normal en comparación con quienes practican cesáreas y la falta de infraestructura hospitalaria). CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados mostraron que los aspectos relacionados con la formación y la cultura profesional, la cultura social y las cuestiones de política y gestión son puntos críticos que deben considerarse en la realización de intervenciones futuras con objeto de superar o reducir los obstáculos existentes para la aplicación de las recomendaciones de asistencia al parto normal en Brasil.

[Institutionalizing evidence-based policies in BrazilInstitucionalización de las políticas informadas por evidencia]. / Institucionalização das políticas informadas por evidências no Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate capacities, organizational arrangements, and barriers to the implementation of Evidence Centers (NEvs) as part of Brazil's Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet). METHOD: A mixed methods descriptive-analytical, multiple-case exploratory study was performed. Coordinators of active NEvs answered a questionnaire in three parts: participant characteristics, assessment of the capacity to "acquire, assess, adapt, and apply" evidence (4A), and open questions addressing organizational arrangements and barriers to the implementation of NEvs. RESULTS: The study included 15 NEvs, mostly from the Midwest; 73.3% were based in universities, while 20% were installed in state/city health departments or in the Ministry of Health. All coordinators had completed graduate training and 80% reported 1 to 5 years' experience with evidence-based policies as well as proficiency in English. None of the participants worked exclusively as NEv coordinator. NEv teams included health care professionals, students (undergraduate/graduate), professors, and civil servants from health departments. The data revealed high capacity to "acquire" and "assess" evidence, and low capacity to "adapt" and "apply" evidence. On average, three activities or products were developed yearly by each NEv, especially knowledge translation initiatives (systematic reviews and deliberative dialogues) and training for health care professionals, managers and undergraduate/graduate students. Five barrier categories were described: 1) financing, 2) network integration, 3) institutionalization of demands, 4) adaptive capacity, and 5) research communication skills to recommend actions at the local level. CONCLUSIONS: Trained human resources associated with academic and research institutions are available to support evidence-informed policies. However, the sustainability of NEvs depends on coordinated action to ensure the capacity to adapt and apply evidence.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la capacidad, los arreglos organizativos y los obstáculos existentes para la aplicación de los núcleos de evidencia (NEv) de la Red de Políticas Informadas por Evidencia (EVIPNet) en Brasil. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, analítico y exploratorio de casos múltiples, con un enfoque mixto. Los coordinadores de los NEv activos en el país respondieron a un instrumento dividido en tres partes: caracterización de la persona encuestada, evaluación de la capacidad de "adquirir, evaluar, adaptar y aplicar" evidencia (conocidas como 4A por su sigla en portugués) y temas de discusión abierta en los cuales se abordaron los arreglos organizativos y los obstáculos existentes para la aplicación de los NEv. RESULTADOS: Participaron en la investigación 5 NEv concentrados en la región Centro-Oeste; 73,3% tenían su sede en universidades y un 20% en secretarías estatales/municipales o en el Ministerio de Salud. Todos los coordinadores participantes tenían título de posgrado en sentido amplio o estricto y 80% afirmaron que tenían experiencia de 1 a 5 años en políticas informadas por evidencia (PIE) y que dominaban el inglés. Ningún coordinador trabajaba exclusivamente en el NEv. Los equipos incluían profesionales de salud, estudiantes (de grado/posgrado), profesores universitarios y empleados en comisión de servicio en las secretarías de salud. Se determinó que tenían gran capacidad para "adquirir" y "evaluar" y poca capacidad para "adaptar" y "aplicar" evidencias. En cuanto a actividades y productos, prevaleció la media de tres al año, con hincapié en los productos de traducción del conocimiento (la síntesis de la evidencia y los diálogos deliberantes) y la capacitación para profesionales de salud, gestores y alumnos de grado/posgrado. Se describieron cinco clases de obstáculos: 1) financiamiento, 2) integración de la red, 3) institucionalización de las demandas, 4) capacidad de adaptación y 5) habilidades de comunicación de las investigaciones para recomendar la adopción de medidas en el nivel local. CONCLUSIONES: Existen recursos humanos capacitados, vinculados a instituciones de investigación y enseñanza, para apoyar las PIE. Sin embargo, la sostenibilidad de los NEv depende de la adopción de medidas coordinadas para garantizar que existe la capacidad de adaptar y aplicar evidencia.

[Implementation of the National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil: barriers and trategiesObstáculos y estrategias para la aplicación de las Directrices Nacionales para el Parto Normal en el Brasil]. / Barreiras e estratégias para implementação de Diretrizes Nacionais do Parto Normal no Brasil.

The present report describes the process and results obtained with a knowledge translation project developed in three stages to identify barriers to the National Childbirth Guidelines in Brazil as well strategies for effective implementation. The Improving Programme Implementation through Embedded Research (iPIER) model and the Supporting Policy Relevant Reviews and Trials (SUPPORT) tools provided the methodological framework for the project. In the first stage, the quality of the Guidelines was evaluated and the barriers preventing implementation of the recommendations were identified through review of the global evidence and analysis of contributions obtained in a public consultation process. In the second stage, an evidence synthesis was used as basis for a deliberative dialogue aimed at prioritizing the barriers identified. Finally, a second evidence synthesis was presented in a new deliberative dialogue to discuss six options to address the prioritized barriers: 1) promote the use of multifaceted interventions; 2) promote educational interventions for the adoption of guidelines; 3) perform audits and provide feedback to adjust professional practice; 4) use reminders to mediate the interaction between workers and service users; 5) enable patient-mediated interventions; and 6) engage opinion leaders to promote the use of guidelines. The processes and results associated with each stage were documented and formulated to inform a review and update of the Guidelines and the development of an implementation plan for the recommendations. An effective implementation of the Guidelines is relevant to improve the care provided during labor and childbirth in Brazil.

En este informe se presentan los procesos y resultados de un proyecto de traducción de conocimiento desarrollado en tres etapas para identificar los obstáculos y las estrategias para la aplicación efectiva de las Directrices Nacionales para el Parto Normal en el Brasil. El marco metodológico adoptado comprendió la iniciativa iPIER (Improving Program Implementation through Embedded Research) y las herramientas SUPPORT para políticas basadas en evidencia. En la primera etapa se evaluó la calidad de las Directrices y se identificaron los obstáculos a la aplicación de las recomendaciones, teniendo en cuenta la evidencia mundial y el análisis de las contribuciones obtenidas mediante una consulta pública. En la segunda etapa, una síntesis de la evidencia sirvió de base para un diálogo deliberativo para la priorización de los obstáculos. Por último, una nueva síntesis de la evidencia sirvió de base para un segundo diálogo deliberativo y presentó seis opciones para hacer frente a los obstáculos priorizados: 1) fomentar el uso de estrategias de intervención polifacéticas; 2) promover intervenciones educativas para mejorar el uso de directrices sanitarias; 3) realizar auditorías y proporcionar retroalimentación para la adecuación de la práctica profesional; 4) utilizar recordatorios para mediar en la interacción entre profesionales y usuarios; 5) permitir intervenciones mediadas por el paciente; y 6) incluir a líderes de opinión para fomentar el uso de directrices sanitarias. Se documentaron y presentaron los procesos y resultados de cada etapa del proyecto para fundamentar la actualización de las Directrices y la elaboración de un plan de aplicación de las recomendaciones. La aplicación efectiva de las Directrices es importante para mejorar la atención del parto y el nacimiento en el Brasil.

Implementation of national childbirth guidelines in Brazil: barriers and strategies.

The present report describes the process and results obtained with a knowledge translation project developed in three stages to identify barriers to the Implementation of the National Guidelines for Normal Childbirth in Brazil, as well strategies for effective implementation. The Improving Programme Implementation through Embedded Research (iPIER) model and the Supporting Policy Relevant Reviews and Trials (SUPPORT) tools provided the methodological framework for the project. In the first stage, the quality of the Guidelines was evaluated and the barriers preventing implementation of the recommendations were identified through review of the global evidence and analysis of contributions obtained in a public consultation process. In the second stage, an evidence synthesis was used as the basis for a deliberative dialogue aimed at prioritizing the barriers identified. Finally, a second evidence synthesis was presented in a new deliberative dialogue to discuss six options to address the prioritized barriers: 1) promote the use of multifaceted interventions; 2) promote educational interventions for the adoption of guidelines; 3) perform audits and provide feedback to adjust professional practice; 4) use reminders to mediate the interaction between workers and service users; 5) enable patient-mediated interventions; and 6) engage opinion leaders to promote use of the Guidelines. The processes and results associated with each stage were documented and formulated to inform a review and update of the Guidelines and the development of an implementation plan for the recommendations. Effective implementation of the Guidelines is important for improving the care provided during labor and childbirth in Brazil.

En este informe se presentan los procesos y resultados de un proyecto de traducción de conocimiento desarrollado en tres etapas para identificar los obstáculos y las estrategias para la aplicación efectiva de las Directrices Nacionales para el Parto Normal en el Brasil. El marco metodológico adoptado comprendió la iniciativa iPIER (Improving Program Implementation through Embedded Research) y las herramientas SUPPORT para políticas basadas en evidencia. En la primera etapa se evaluó la calidad de las Directrices y se identificaron los obstáculos a la aplicación de las recomendaciones, teniendo en cuenta la evidencia mundial y el análisis de las contribuciones obtenidas mediante una consulta pública. En la segunda etapa, una síntesis de la evidencia sirvió de base para un diálogo deliberativo para la priorización de los obstáculos. Por último, una nueva síntesis de la evidencia sirvió de base para un segundo diálogo deliberativo y presentó seis opciones para hacer frente a los obstáculos priorizados: 1) fomentar el uso de estrategias de intervención polifacéticas; 2) promover intervenciones educativas para mejorar el uso de directrices sanitarias; 3) realizar auditorías y proporcionar retroalimentación para la adecuación de la práctica profesional; 4) utilizar recordatorios para mediar en la interacción entre profesionales y usuarios; 5) permitir intervenciones mediadas por el paciente; y 6) incluir a líderes de opinión para fomentar el uso de directrices sanitarias. Se documentaron y presentaron los procesos y resultados de cada etapa del proyecto para fundamentar la actualización de las Directrices y la elaboración de un plan de aplicación de las recomendaciones. La aplicación efectiva de las Directrices es importante para mejorar la atención del parto y el nacimiento en el Brasil.

Public engagement in health technology assessment in Brazil: the case of the Trastuzumab public consultation.

BACKGROUND: Public engagement in health technology assessment (HTA) is increasing worldwide. There are several forms of public engagement and it is not always possible to determine which stakeholders participate in the HTA process and how they contribute. Our objective was to investigate which types of social representatives contributed to the public consultation on the incorporation of Trastuzumab for early-stage breast cancer treatment within the public health system in Brazil, held in 2012 by the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation (CONITEC). METHODS: A mixed methods approach was used to analyze social representativeness and the composition of the corpus from the public consultation, which consisted of 127 contributions. Three types of analysis were performed using IRaMuTeQ software: classic lexical analysis, descending hierarchical classification and specificities analysis. The contributions were clustered according to the main categories of discourse observed, into four social representation categories: 1) patient representation/advocacy; 2) pharmaceutical industry/advocacy; 3) healthcare professionals; and 4) individual contributions. RESULTS: Category 1 contained words related to increased survival due to use of the drug and a low score for words pertaining to studies on Trastuzumab. The word "safety" obtained a positive score only in category 2, which was also the only category that exhibited a negative score for the word "risk". Category 3 displayed the lowest scores for "diagnosis" and "safety". The word "efficacy" had a negative score only in category 4. CONCLUSIONS: Each category exhibited different results for words related to health systems and to key concepts linked to HTA. Our analysis enabled the identification of the most prominent contributions for each category. Despite the promising results obtained, further research is needed to validate this software for use in analyzing public contributions.

Rapid response in health technology assessment: a Delphi study for a Brazilian guideline.

BACKGROUND: Rapid response in health technology assessment is a synthesis of the best available evidence prepared in a timely manner to meet specific demands. We build a consensus among Brazilian specialists in health technology assessment to propose guidelines for the development of rapid response. METHODS: Based on a systematic review that proposed eight methodological steps to conduct rapid response, we applied a modified Delphi technique (without open questions in the first round) to reach consensus among Brazilian experts in health technology assessment. Twenty participants were invited to judge the feasibility of each methodological step in a five-point Likert scale. Consensus was reached if the step had 70% positive approval or interquartile range ≤ 1. RESULTS: The achievement of consensus was reached in the second round. Between the first and the second round, we scrutinized all points reported by the experts. The Delphi panel reached consensus of eight steps: definition of the structured question of rapid response (with a restricted scope); definition of the eligibility criteria for study types (preferably systematic reviews); search strategy (language and data limits) and sources of information (minimum two); selection of studies (independently by two responders); critical appraisal of the included studies and the risk of bias for the outcomes of interest; data extraction from the included articles; summary of evidence; and preparation of the report. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines for rapid response in health technology assessment may help governments to make better decisions in a short period of time (35 days). The adoption of methodological processes should improve both the quality and consistency of health technology assessments of rapid decisions in the Brazilian setting.

[Current status of the Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) in Brazil: case report]. / Desenvolvimento atual da Rede de Políticas Informadas por Evidências (EVIPNet Brasil): relato de caso.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and discuss the activities deployed by EVIPNet Brazil in 2013, highlighting the network's actions to promote evidence-based decision-making for the development and implementation of health policies. METHODS: A descriptive approach was employed to present the actions carried out by EVIPNet Brazil in 2013, especially processes relating to capacity-building, product development, and event participation. RESULTS: In 2013, 10 training programs were carried out (four technical meetings and six workshops), involving 34 institutions and 193 participants. One evidence brief for policy was reviewed and republished, and five others were developed. Moreover, one process of deliberative dialogue was conducted. A scientific paper was published on the experience of EVIPNet Brazil in the development of evidence-informed polices. The first issue of the EVIPNet Brazil Newsletter was published, along with the posting of news articles online. EVIPNet Brazil's actions were presented on national and international lectures, conferences, and round tables. The impacts of EVIPNet Brazil may be observed in the federal, state, and local contexts. CONCLUSIONS: A successful development, implementation, and monitoring of evidence-informed policies depends on actions such as those carried out by EVIPNet, including professional capacity-building to help expand and consolidate the network, creation of new local Health Evidence Centers to encourage the use of evidence in decision-making, production of evidence briefs for health policies, and organization of deliberative dialogues.