How feasible is it to abandon statistical significance? A reflection based on a short survey.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing trend in using the "statistically significant" term in the scientific literature. However, harsh criticism of this concept motivated the recommendation to withdraw its use of scientific publications. We aimed to validate the support and the feasibility of adherence to this recommendation, among researchers having declared in favor of removing the statistical significance. METHODS: We surveyed signatories of an article published that defended this recommendation, to validate their opinion and ask them about how likely they will retire the concept of statistical significance. RESULTS: We obtained 151 responses which confirmed the support for the mentioned publication in aspects such as the adequate interpretation of the p-value, the degree of agreement, and the motivations to sign it. However, there was a wide distribution of answers about how likely are they to use the concept of "statistical significance" in future publications. About 42% declared being neutral, or that would likely use it again. We described arguments referred by several signatories and discussed aspects to be considered in the interpretation of research results. CONCLUSIONS: The responses obtained from a proportion of signatories validated their declared position against the use of statistical significance. However, even in this group, the full application of this recommendation does not seem feasible. The arguments related to the inappropriate use of statistical tests should promote more education among researchers and users of scientific evidence.

Prevalence and predictors of overweight and obesity in Brazilian immigrants in Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases, and their prevalence is on the rise worldwide. This study seeks to describe the prevalence and predictors of overweight and obesity in Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts, United States of America (USA). METHODS: Modeled after a survey on behavioral risk factors for chronic disease conducted annually in Brazil (Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico: Vigitel), Brazilian immigrants aged 18+ (n = 361) were surveyed between December 2013 and March 2014. Information was obtained from consenting participants regarding their demographic characteristics, physical activity, dietary and lifestyle habits, and other behavioral risk factors. Weight status was estimated from body mass index (BMI), calculated from self-reported height and weight data. Participants were categorized as overweight/obese if their BMI was ≥25; overweight and obese categories were combined to ensure appropriate sample size. Prevalence of overweight/obesity was estimated using STATA, and significant predictors were identified via multi-variable logistic regression. Odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and p-values were determined. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity in the sample was 47.6%. Significant predictors of overweight and obesity were gender (men OR 2.30, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.78; women are comparison group), working in the 3 months prior to the survey (OR 2.90, 95% CI: 1.01, 8.30), and longer duration living in the USA (OR per additional year 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.11). Significant dietary predictors of overweight/obesity included 5 or more days per week of consumption of red meat (OR red meat 3.70, 95% CI: 1.47, 9.26) or of sweetened beverages, like soft drinks also known as soda (OR soda 2.40, 95% CI: 1.00, 5.78) compared with less frequent consumption of these foods. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that long duration of time lived in the USA increases odds of overweight and obesity for Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts. Efforts to curb increases in overweight and obesity in this population should focus not only on the men and those who work but also the women. Possible intervention measures should target soda (soft drink) and red meat consumption in Brazilian immigrants.

Depression and Its Correlates Among Brazilian Immigrants in Massachusetts, USA.

The goal of this paper is to assess the frequency of depression symptoms among Brazilian immigrants living in Massachusetts, the second largest Brazilian immigrant population in the United States, and to identify correlates of depression. A convenience sample of Brazilian immigrants aged 18 or older residing in Massachusetts was used. Data were collected from December 2013 to March 2014, in the Consulate General of Brazil in Boston and in three religious events, using a structure questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Depression symptoms were observed in 35.3% of the respondents, with equal distribution by sex. Correlates of depression were low income, being single, poor English proficiency, and poor self-perception of health. These results suggest a need for community outreach, sensitization, and counseling, in Portuguese and adapted to the culture of Brazilian immigrants.

Valor preditivo positivo da tosse crônica para o diagnóstico de tuberculose: uma revisão sistemática da literatura / Positive predictive value of chronic cough for the diagnosis of tuberculosis: a systematic review of the literature

A tuberculose (TB) é uma doença infectocontagiosa prevenível e potencialmente curável. No entanto, figura entre as dez maiores causas de mortalidade no mundo. Sua transmissão acontece através da inalação de aerossóis contendo a bactéria Mycobaterium tuberculosis eliminados pela via aérea, majoritariamente através da tosse de um indivíduo com a forma pulmonar da doença (que é sua forma transmissível). Por isso, a tosse é reconhecida como o sintoma mais relevante para o ciclo de transmissão, sendo utilizada como ferramenta de triagem inicial em programas de controle de tuberculose. Entretanto, a acurácia desta manifestação no diagnóstico de TB, e, portanto, sua utilidade clínica, manifestada particularmente através de seu valor preditivo positivo (VPP), pode variar amplamente dependendo do contexto onde ela é considerada. Desta forma, o presente trabalho foi conduzido através de uma revisão sistemática com o objetivo de identificar na literatura existente informações sobre o valor preditivo da tosse para a identificação de tuberculose pulmonar. Os descritores utilizados para a pesquisa incluíam termos específicos para "Tuberculose", "Sintomas Respiratórios", "Tosse Crônica" e "Humanos". O teste índice foi a tosse crônica e múltiplos testes referências foram considerados (incluindo baciloscopia, cultura da bactéria, métodos moleculares, ou combinações de métodos). Os critérios de elegibilidade incluíram que o estudo avaliasse a presença de tuberculose pulmonar ativa e quantificasse a ocorrência de tosse através do número mínimo de dias para que esta fosse considerada crônica. A revisão identificou 2.289 publicações únicas que foram avaliadas, das quais 84 foram pré-selecionadas para revisão por completo e, desses, 42 publicações foram finalmente incluídas para análise. Estas publicações foram conduzidas em 22 países, dos quais 16 eram considerados como países de alta carga de tuberculose pela OMS. Os estudos utilizaram múltiplas definições para caracterizar a tosse crônica, mas a maior parte deles (75%) consideraram a definição utilizada pela OMS que é definida como durando um mínimo de 2 a 3 semanas. Entre os estudos identificados, a minoria possuía risco baixo para vieses (16,7%). Para estes estudos, o valor preditivo positivo variou grandemente (entre 0% e 61,49%). Em destaque, a condução do estudo em ambiente hospitalar levava a um VPP com uma mediana mais elevada do que em ambientes domiciliares. Consideramos que não seria adequado realizar uma metaanálise devido a diferenças nas metodologias dos estudos, nas conduções dos desenhos, nas características dos participantes, nas características das seleções e amostragens, na gravidade de apresentação da doença, no padrão de procura por atendimentos médicos, e na avaliação da tosse ou na realização do teste confirmatório, os estudos apresentaram alta heterogeneidade. Como conclusão, podemos citar que o VPP da tosse crônica como sintoma no rastreio de pacientes com tuberculose pulmonar apresenta alta variabilidade, a depender do contexto onde ela é considerada. Desta forma, consideramos que se justifica um levantamento específico desta estimativa em cada contexto populacional específico, para poder aplicar ou adaptar a definição de tossidor crônico como ferramenta de vigilância de TB.

Tuberculosis is a preventable and potentially curable infectious disease. However, it still appears among the ten leading causes of mortality in the world. It is transmitted through the inhalation of aerosol containing the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis eliminated through the airway, largely by the cough of a person with the pulmonary form of the disease (the transmissible form). Due to this, coughing is recognized as the most relevant symptom for the transmission cycle of the disease and is used as an initial screening tool in several tuberculosis control programs. However, the accuracy of this manifestation for the diagnosis of TB, and therefore its clinical utility, manifested particularly through its positive predictive value (PPV), can vary widely depending on the context where it is considered. Therefore, the present study was a systematic review with the objective of identifying in the existing literature information on the predictive value of cough and on the indicators of diagnostic accuracy of this test for the identification of pulmonary tuberculosis. The descriptors used for the research included specific terms for "Tuberculosis", "Respiratory Symptoms", "Chronic Cough" and "Humans". The index test was chronic cough and multiple reference tests were considered for review (including smear exam, bacteria culture, molecular tests, or combinations of these with other methods). Eligibility criteria included articles describing active pulmonary tuberculosis and quantifying the occurrence of chronic cough. The review identified 2,289 unique publications that were evaluated, of which 84 were fully reviewed and 42 publications were included in the final review. These publications were conducted in 22 countries, of which 16 were considered as countries with a high burden of tuberculosis. The studies used multiple definitions to characterize chronic cough, but most of them (75%) considered the definition used by the WHO which is between 2 and 3 weeks. Among the studies identified, few had low risks of biases (16.7%). For these studies, the predictive value varied greatly (between 0% and 61.49%), highlighting the context where the study is included as a determinant. In particular, studies conducted in hospital environments led to a PPV with a higher median than in domiciliary environments. Considering the different methodologies, different studies design, different characteristics of the participants, different characteristics of the sampling process, different severities of the presentation of the disease, different patterns of healthcare-seeking, and different performances of the index and reference tests, we identified a high heterogeneity of the sample. Thus, we considered it was not appropriate to conduct a meta-analysis. In conclusion, the PPV of chronic cough as a screening tool for tuberculosis is highly variable. We consider that specific evaluations of this estimative are justified in each specific population context, in order to be able to apply or adapt the definition of chronic cough as part of the TB surveillance system.

Pró-saúde: uma resposta para a necessidade de informações de mães imigrantes na região central da cidade de São Paulo / Pró-saúde: an answer to the lack of information of immigrants mothers at the central area of São Paulo City

A população do Centro da cidade de São Paulo é marcada pela pobreza e por problemas sociais. Não é diferente no bairro do Bom Retiro, onde um grande número de imigrantes - em especial de países sul-americanos, como Bolívia e Paraguai - trabalha em oficinas de costura. Eles são explorados de tal forma que é possível observar vestígios de trabalho escravo, explicitados pelo fato de muitos trabalharem de forma ilegal em nosso país. Nessa população com alta vulnerabilidade, verifica-se alta frequência de crianças com carências nutricionais, já que o trabalho das mães as impede de cuidar adequadamente dos filhos. Buscou-se solucionar essa situação por meio de um projeto que mediasse as relações entre essa população necessitada e a Unidade Básica de Saúde da região, de forma a criar uma fonte de informação, sob a forma de uma cartilha, para instruir essas mães imigrantes quanto aos seus direitos nas políticas de saúde brasileiras e ao seu papel no desenvolvimento dos filhos, no contexto da participação de alunos da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa no Programa de Reorientação da Formação Profissional em Saúde (Pró-Saúde).

The population in the central area of the city of São Paulo is marked by poverty and social problems. The picture is not so different in the neighborhood of Bom Retiro where we __ have a high amount of immigrants (especially from South American countries like Bolivia and Paraguay)__ working in sewing. They are exploited by their bosses, such that it is possible to verify __ residual__ characteristics of slave labor, explicit__ by the illegality of their work status in our country. Looking at this highly vulnerable population, one can also see the high incidence of children suffering from nutritional deficiencies, since the work of the mothers prevents them from _____ adequately caring for their children. __ A solution was sought out through a project to mediate the relationship between this population in need and the Basic Health Unit in the region, creating a source of information in the form of a booklet to educate these immigrant mothers in regards to their rights in health public policies in Brazil and in relation to their role in the development of their children. This was developed by students from the School of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa in the Reorientation of the Formation of the Health Care Professional Program (Programa de Reorientação da Formação Profissional em Saúde - Pró-Saúde).