Exploring neighborhood socioeconomic disparity in self-rated health: a multiple mediation analysis.

There is still a need for more empirical investigations to better understand the causal pathways by which neighborhood socioeconomic contexts translate into states of health. This study explored the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic position and health, as well as the role of social cohesion, violence, places to buy healthy food, and sports and leisure spaces in mediating this relationship in a diverse set of neighborhoods in Brazil. We applied a general multiple mediation approach to analyze a cross-sectional survey of 4.046 adults living in 149 neighborhoods in 2008 and 2009. The property value was chosen as an indicator of neighborhood socioeconomic position and self-rated health as the outcome. The four mediators were constructed from the self-perception of the participants. Results: We found that people living in economically advantaged neighborhoods were less likely to report their health as being fair/poor/very poor (OR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.76) than people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and this effect was mediated by the perception of violence in the neighborhoods. On average, 8.4% of the neighborhood socioeconomic disparity in self-rated health may be explained by violence. We did not ascertain as mediators social cohesion, places to buy healthy food, and sports and leisure spaces. Violence perception mediates the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic position and self-rated health. Targeted interventions designed to improve the health status of the population could usefully focus on reducing the level of violence in which people live.

The Influence of Neighborhood Social Capital on Leisure-Time Physical Activity: a Population-Based Study in Brazil.

Environmentally targeted approaches to promote physical activity are emerging in recent years as a complementary strategy to the traditional individual approaches. This study explored the relation between community social capital and leisure-time physical activity in an adult population-based sample in Brazil. We applied a generalized estimating equation approach to analyze a cross-sectional survey of 3667 adults living in 149 neighborhoods. Social capital was assessed by scales that measured collective efficacy and social cohesion in the neighborhood. We find that individuals living in areas with higher level of social cohesion were more likely to be physically active even after controlling for potentially confounding individual and area-level covariates (PR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.13, 2.16). Collective efficacy was not significantly associated with leisure-time physical activity. Interventions to strengthen social cohesion in the community may be an avenue for promoting physical activity.

Assessing the psychometric and ecometric properties of neighborhood scales in developing countries: Saúde em Beagá Study, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2008-2009.

Although specific measurement instruments are necessary to better understand the relationship between features of neighborhoods and health, very few studies have developed instruments to measure neighborhood features in developing countries. The objective of the study was to develop valid and reliable measures of neighborhood context useful in a Latin American urban context, assess their psychometric and ecometric properties, and examine individual and neighborhood-level predictors of these measures. We analyzed data from a multistage household survey (2008-2009) conducted in Belo Horizonte City by the Observatory for Urban Health. One adult in each household was selected to answer a questionnaire that included scales to measure neighborhood domains. Census tracts were used to proxy neighborhoods. Internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha, and multilevel models were used to estimate ecometric properties and to estimate associations of neighborhood measures with socioeconomic indicators. The final sample comprised 4048 survey respondents representing 149 census tracts. We assessed ten neighborhood environment dimensions: public services, aesthetic quality, walking environment, safety, violence, social cohesion, neighborhood participation, neighborhood physical disorder, neighborhood social disorder, and neighborhood problems. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.53 to 0.83; intraneighborhood correlations ranged from 0.02 to 0.53, and neighborhood reliability varied from 0.76 to 0.99. Most scales were associated with individual and neighborhood socioeconomic predictors. Questionnaires can be used to reliably measure neighborhood contexts in developing countries.

Quality of life of patients in renal replacement therapy in Brazil: comparison of treatment modalities.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze and compare the quality of life of renal replacement therapy patients undergoing hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and those with renal transplantation in Brazil. In addition, we aimed to verify factors associated with patients' quality of life and the relationship between quality of life and treatment modality, socioeconomic and demographic conditions as well as aspects related to the disease and health services. METHODS: A representative sample of the dialysis units and transplant centers was obtained. Structured questionnaires were used to interview 3,036 patients in one of three treatment modalities: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplant. Information was collected about socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and quality of life measures. RESULTS: There were significant differences between renal transplants and both forms of dialysis for all dimensions of the SF-36. Hemodialysis patients showed better results in the dimensions of functional capacity, physical aspects and social aspects, compared to peritoneal dialysis patients. Renal transplant patients had the best mean score in the physical component of quality of life. There were no significant differences among treatment groups regarding the mental component of quality of life. The physical and mental components were associated with comorbidities and age; however, older patients had better mental quality of life but worse physical quality of life. Patients in a higher socioeconomic class and patients that were not hospitalized also reported better quality of life. Unmarried and male patients presented better physical quality of life. The dialysis units and transplant centers influenced the patients' quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Renal transplant patients have the best quality of life of the three treatment modalities. It is necessary to increase access to renal transplants.

Cyclosporine versus tacrolimus in immunosuppressive maintenance regimens in renal transplants in Brazil: survival analysis from 2000 to 2004.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, the National Health System (SUS) is responsible for almost all renal transplants. SUS protocols recommend using cyclosporine, in association with azathioprine and corticosteroids, to maintain the immunosuppression that is essential for successful renal transplant. Alternatively, cyclosporine can be replaced by tacrolimus. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic schema involving cyclosporine or tacrolimus after renal transplant during a 60-month follow-up period. METHODS: A historical cohort study, from 2000 to 2004, was conducted using 5686 patients who underwent renal transplant and received cyclosporine or tacrolimus. Uni - and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox model to examine factors associated with progression to treatment failure. RESULTS: Most of the patients were male, aged 38 years or older, for whom the most frequent primary diagnosis of chronic renal failure (CRF) was glomerulonephritis/nephritis. Higher risk of treatment failure was associated with: therapeutic regimen (tacrolimus, HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.67), patient age at transplantation (additional year, HR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.02), donor type (deceased, HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.35 to 1.89), median time of dialysis prior to transplantation (>24 mo, HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.52), and primary CRF diagnosis (diabetes, HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.17). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of treatment failure of patients receiving tacrolimus was observed to be 1.38 times that of those receiving cyclosporine, after adjusting the model for possible confounding factors such as patient sex, patient age, graft origin, prior time of dialysis, and cause of CRF. Our results were obtained from an observational study, and further studies are necessary to evaluate whether compliance with SUS clinical protocols could result in more effective care for renal transplant recipients.

Aging and Urbanization: The Neighborhood Perception and Functional Performance of Elderly Persons in Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area-Brazil.

Currently, half of the world population resides in cities. The percentage of world population that is elderly is expected to double from 11% to 22% by 2050 and will be concentrated in urban areas of developing countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional status of elderly who live in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was employed as the theoretical model. Probabilistic sampling was used to select 1,611 elderly persons (defined as >/=60 years) for the study. The response variable "functional performance" was developed by counting the number of basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) that subjects found difficult to carry out. A zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression model was fitted to the data. The prevalence of disability was 47.1%. Neighborhood self-perception revealed that 84.0% of the elderly were satisfied with their neighborhood, although only 18.4% trusted people around them. Concerns about walking around the neighborhood were: fear of being robbed (78.0%) and fear of falling due to sidewalk defects (48.2%), which caused a 62% increase in the number of ADL carried out with difficulty. It is well known that there is a continuous tendency for functional results to improve as the frequency of walking increases. Thus, urban infrastructure interventions, such as improving public sidewalks, might influence the frequency of elderlies walking in their neighborhoods. Making walking possible-or even pleasant-could increase their social participation and use of services.

Individual and treatment setting predictors of HIV/AIDS knowledge among psychiatric patients and their implications in a national multisite study in Brazil.

The objective of this study is to measure HIV/AIDS knowledge among patients with mental illness in Brazil and to examine individual and treatment setting predictors of knowledge. We conducted a cross-sectional national multicenter study among 2,475 patients in 26 randomly selected mental health institutions throughout Brazil. We used Item Response Theory to standardize knowledge scores and multilevel multiple linear regression to determine the effect of individual and treatment setting characteristics on standardized knowledge score. Schizophrenia was the main diagnosis (48%) of participants. Mean knowledge score was 6.78 (range 1-10). Treatment setting characteristics were not associated with knowledge scores. Higher HIV/AIDS knowledge scores were significantly associated with a history of sexually transmitted disease (STD), previous HIV testing and consistent condom use; lower HIV/AIDS knowledge scores were significantly associated with specific sociodemographic, psychiatric, and HIV risk-perception factors. Psychiatric patients in Brazil lag behind the general population with knowledge scores comparable to those of nearly a decade ago. The mental health system in Brazil and elsewhere must consider strategies beyond dispensing information, for preventing HIV/AIDS transmission in the psychiatric population.

[Influence of education and health conditions on paid work of elderly Brazilians]. / Influência da escolaridade e das condições de saúde no trabalho remunerado de idosos brasileiros.

The objective of this study was to determine associations between socio-demographic and health characteristics with paid work among elderly Brazilians. The analysis included 11,177 subjects aged 60 years and over from the National Health Survey conducted in 2013. The multivariate analysis was based on prevalence ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals estimated by Poisson regression. The participation of men in paid work was significantly higher (32.9%) than women (14.4%). For men and women, this participation decreased with increasing age and was higher among those with better schooling and good self-rated health. Among men, good self-rated health was associated with paid work (PR = 1.63, 95% CI, 1.23-2.15) only for those with less schooling (< 9 years). Among women, good self-rated health revealed a positive association with paid work (PR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.32-2.84) for those with less schooling, and a negative association for those with better schooling (RP = 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.77). The results suggest that investments in schooling and improvements in health conditions can contribute to an increase in the longevity of the elderly in the labor market.

O objetivo do estudo foi determinar associações entre características sociodemográficas e de saúde com o trabalho remunerado entre idosos brasileiros. As análises incluíram 11.177 indivíduos com 60 anos ou mais, da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, conduzida em 2013. A análise multivariada foi baseada em razões de prevalência e seus respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95%, estimados pela regressão de Poisson. A participação dos homens no trabalho remunerado foi significativamente mais alta (32,9%) em comparação às mulheres (14,4%). Para homens e mulheres, essa participação diminuiu com o aumento de idade e foi maior entre aqueles com maior escolaridade e boa autoavaliação da saúde. Entre os homens, a boa autoavaliação da saúde apresentou associação com o trabalho remunerado (RP = 1,63; IC95%:1,23-2,15) somente para aqueles com escolaridade mais baixa (< 9 anos). Entre as mulheres, a boa autoavaliação da saúde apresentou associação positiva com o trabalho remunerado (RP = 1,94; IC95%:1,32-2,84) para aquelas com escolaridade mais baixa, e associação negativa para aquelas com escolaridade mais alta (RP = 0,54; IC95%:0,38-0,77). Os resultados sugerem que investimentos na escolaridade e melhorias nas condições de saúde podem contribuir para aumentar a longevidade dos idosos no mercado de trabalho.

[Survey on medicine use by elderly retirees in Belo Horizonte, Southeastern Brazil]. / Inquérito sobre uso de medicamentos por idosos aposentados, Belo Horizonte,MG.

OBJECTIVE: To describe self-reported use of medicines by Brazilian elderly retirees focusing on gender differences. METHODS: Household survey conducted in a random sample comprising 667 subjects aged 60 years or more who were living in Belo Horizonte, Southeastern Brazil, in 2003. The elderly were interviewed by pharmacists, using a standardized questionnaire. The prevalence of medicine use and mean use in the 15 days previous to the interview were estimated and then stratified by gender according to sociodemographic and health variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of medicine use was 90.1%, and significantly higher among women (93.4%) than men (84.3%). Women and men took on average 4.6+/-3.2 and 3.3+/-2.6 products (p<0.001), respectively. The most frequently used drug category was cardiovascular, followed by nervous system and gastrointestinal tract and metabolism. Women showed higher use in all these drug categories, as well as higher mean number of drugs consumed, according to selected sociodemographic and health variables. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified higher use of medicines by women, making them more vulnerable to the harmful effects of polytherapy, such as drug interactions and inadequate use of medicines.

[Factors associated with Sisvan Web coverage for children under 5 years of age, in the municipalities of the Regional Health Inspectorate of Belo Horizonte, Brazil]. / Fatores associados à cobertura do Sisvan Web para crianças menores de 5 anos, nos municípios da Superintendência Regional de Saúde de Belo Horizonte, Brasil.

The objective of this research was to analyze the factors associated with the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (Sisvan Web) coverage for children under five years of age in the municipalities of the Regional Health Inspectorate of Belo Horizonte (HRS-BH). Sisvan Web coverage data were collected from September to October 2012. Simultaneously, a "semi-structured questionnaire about the Sisvan operation" was sent to identify the technical references of municipalities studied. The coverage was calculated by dividing the number of under five-year-old children covered by Sisvan by the total number of similarly under five-year-old children obtained from the 2010 IBGE census. The Median Sisvan Web coverage of children in the HRS-BH municipalities was 5.59%, with coverage values ranging from 0.55% to 35.8%. Among the variables studied, the only one that revealed significant statistical association (p < 0.05) with Sisvan Web coverage was the lack of professionals to collect data. The results revealed the need for greater awareness of health managers and public health professionals about the importance of the nutritional diagnosis situation of the population through Sisvan Web.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar fatores associados à cobertura do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (Sisvan Web) para crianças menores de cinco anos, nos municípios da Superintendência Regional de Saúde de Belo Horizonte (SRS-BH). Foram coletados dados da cobertura do Sisvan Web nos meses de setembro e outubro de 2012, período em que foi enviado um "Questionário semiestruturado sobre o funcionamento do Sisvan" às referências técnicas dos municípios avaliados. A cobertura foi calculada dividindo-se o número de crianças menores de 5 anos acompanhadas no Sisvan, pelo número total de crianças também menores de 5 anos obtido do Censo IBGE 2010. A mediana da cobertura do Sisvan Web para crianças nos municípios da SRS-BH foi de 5,59%, sendo que as coberturas variaram entre 0,55% e 35,8%. De todas as variáveis estudadas, a única que apresentou associação estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,05) com a cobertura do Sisvan Web foi a falta de profissional para coleta de dados. Os resultados encontrados sugerem a necessidade de uma maior sensibilização dos gestores da saúde e dos profissionais de saúde do SUS sobre a importância do diagnóstico da situação alimentar e nutricional da população por meio do Sisvan Web.

Aspects of social participation and neighborhood perception: ELSI-Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of the physical and social surroundings of the neighborhood, which are presented as facilitators or barriers for the social participation of Brazilian older adults. METHODS: The study was conducted in a probabilistic representative sample of the Brazilian population aged 50 years and older and who lived in urban areas (n = 7,935). The response variable was social participation, which was defined from two questions about activities performed with other persons: visited friends or relatives in their homes in the last 12 months (yes, no); went out with other persons to public places, such as restaurant, movies, club, park, in the last 12 months (yes, no). The explanatory variables included fear of falling because of defects in sidewalks, concern about the difficulty to get on a bus, subway, or train, difficulty to cross streets, and perception of violence in the neighborhood. Potential confounding variables included age, marital status, education level, self-rated health, living in an asphalted or paved street, time living in the municipality, and socioeconomic position score. Prevalence ratios and respective confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson regression. RESULT: Difficulty to cross streets presented an independent association with restricted social participation (PR = 0.95; 95%CI 0.93-0.98) among both women (PR = 0.96; 95%CI 0.92-0.99) and men (PR = 0.94; 95%CI 0.90-0.99). Concern about the difficulty to get on a bus, subway, or train was associated with the outcome only among men (PR = 0.95; 95%CI 0.91-0.99). The fear of falling because of defects in sidewalks and the perception of violence in the neighborhood were not associated with social participation. CONCLUSIONS: Urban characteristics that hinder the crossing of streets and accessibility to public transport can be inferred as important barriers for the social participation of Brazilian older adults.

Life course and work ability among older adults: ELSI-Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with perception of work ability in a nationally representative sample of Brazilians aged 50 years and over. METHODS: We used data from 8,903 participants of the baseline survey of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil). The dependent variable was self-rated work ability (good or very good versus fair, poor, or very poor). Independent variables included factors that operate at the beginning, middle, and current stage of life. Multivariate analysis was based on prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) estimated by Poisson regression. RESULTS: Good work ability was reported by 49% of \ participants (49.4% among men and 48.6% among women). Results of the multivariate analysis showed that, for both men and women, good work ability showed positive and statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) with good health up to 15 years of age (PR = 1.22 and 1.18 , respectively), educational level ≥ 8 years (PR = 1.19 and 1.21, respectively), and current good self-rated health (PR = 1.88 and 1.94, respectively). Negative associations were observed for current age (PR = 0.99 for each increase of one year among men and women), medical diagnosis of depression (PR = 0.70 for men and PR = 0.87 for women), and having one or more at least chronic diseases (PR = 0.88 for men and 0.91 for women). Only for men, positive associations for the age at which they started working (PR = 1.14 and 1.12 for 11-17 and ≥ 18 years, respectively) and living with a spouse (PR = 1.09) were found. CONCLUSIONS: Work ability in older ages is built over the life course, particularly by the health conditions in childhood and adolescence, age at which men begin working, educational level, and health conditions in older ages. Policies aimed at increasing longevity in the labor market must take these factors into account.

Drug-dispensing errors in the hospital pharmacy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the dispensing error rate and to identify factors associated with them, and to propose prevention actions. METHODS: A cross-sectional study focusing on the occurrence of dispensing errors in a general hospital in Belo Horizonte that uses a mixed system (a combination of multidose and unit dose systems) of collective and individualized dosing. RESULTS: A total of 422 prescription order forms were analyzed, registering 81.8% with at least 1 dispensing error. Opportunities for errors were higher in the pretyped prescription order forms (odds ratio = 4.5; P <.001), in those with 9 or more drugs (odds ratio = 4.0; P <.001), and with those for injectable drugs (odds ratio = 5.0; P <.001). One of the teams of professionals had a higher chance of errors (odds ratio = 2.0; P =.02). A multivariate analysis ratified these results. CONCLUSIONS: The dispensing system at the pharmacy can produce many latent failures and does not have an adequate control; it has several conditions that predispose it to the occurrence of errors, contributing to the high rate reported.

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the occurrence of gastric lesions among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in a university hospital in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used in Brazil in spite of the known risks associated with their use, but investigation of their side effects conducted in this country has been far from sufficient. This study investigates the use of NSAIDs among patients undergoing upper endoscopy in the Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the association of this use with the endoscopic diagnosis of gastric erosions, gastric erosions with hematin pigmentation, and gastric ulcer. METHODS: The cross-sectional methodological approach was used; 533 patients aged 17 or older were interviewed, between June and December, 2000. Data were submitted to bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: More than two thirds of the interviewed population reported the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a period of 1 month before the upper endoscopy. The most used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were acetylsalicylic acid and diclofenac. An association was clearly shown between the use of these drugs and the occurrence of the studied lesions, with the latter attaining significance. There was also a significant association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use for a period greater than 15 days and the occurrence of the gastric lesions, with a higher odds ratio than for the other comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have a significant association with the occurrence of the gastric lesions and point to the need of further study of this issue in Brazil.

[Perinatal deaths and childbirth healthcare evaluation in maternity hospitals of the Brazilian Unified Health System in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1999]. / Mortes perinatais e avaliação da assistência ao parto em maternidades do Sistema Unico de Saúde em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 1999.

This paper analyzes the association between perinatal mortality and factors related to hospital care during labor, considering that healthcare assessment is needed in order to reduce perinatal mortality. A population-based case-control study was conducted with 118 perinatal deaths (cases) and 492 births (controls) that took place in maternity hospitals of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Male sex, prematurity, diseases during pregnancy, low birth weight, newborn diseases, lack of prenatal care, lack of partograph use during labor, and less than one fetus assessment per hour during labor were significantly associated with perinatal deaths. In the multiple regression analysis, lack of partograph use during labor and type of hospital were associated with perinatal deaths. These results indicate inadequate quality of care in maternity hospitals and show that health services structure and health care process are related to perinatal mortality due to preventable causes.

Utilization of HIV/AIDS treatment services: comparing injecting drug users and other clients.

This study compared healthcare utilization by injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs. Data were abstracted from patients' medical records, admitted on HIV/AIDS treatment centers, between 1986 and 2002, forming a non-concurrent cohort study. Variables included: sociodemographics, HIV/AIDS exposure group, healthcare utilization (consultations, procedures, and prescriptions). Descriptive analyses included age-period and cohort effects. Out of 170 patients, with an average age of 30 years, 39.4% were IDUs, 71.8% were males and had low levels of education. At the first consultation, 86.5% neither received an ARV prescription nor had a request for CD4 or viral load. Injection drug users, as compared to non-IDUs, were less likely to receive ARV prescriptions and requests for CD4 lymphocyte and viral load counts, even though the number of consultations did not differ between the two groups. Healthcare utilization increased in calendar-year in the non-IDUs group, parallel to the implementation of the Brazilian health policy of universal care. However, this favorable trend was not observed among IDUs. Differential outcomes for HIV/AIDS among IDUs, towards worse prognosis, suggest difficulties in terms of adherence and follow-up of ARV therapy in this population.

[Maternal and child health indicators in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 2001: an analysis of intra-urban differences]. / Indicadores de saúde materno infantil em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2001: análise dos diferenciais intra-urbanos.

Spatial analysis of health indicators is as an important methodology for detection of intra-urban differences. This study aimed to examine the spatial distribution of all live births in Belo Horizonte, analyzing the presence of spatial clusters of health indicators for newborns and their mothers, using data from the Information System on Live Births. For each area covered by a Primary Health Care Unit, we calculated the indicators using empirical Bayesian methods. For spatial analysis, the indicators obtained from the global Moran (I) index and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) were used. Analysis using LISA showed the presence of relevant spatial clusters for adolescent mothers and those with low schooling, stillbirths in previous pregnancies, cesarean sections, and low attendance at prenatal care, especially in areas with low socio-demographic characteristics. The methodology adopted was configured as a key instrument for detecting risk areas where clustering occurs. The method can easily be incorporated into health surveillance systems as a mechanism for controlling events related to births in a given area.

Factors associated with agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs in adults in Brazil and Minas Gerais. / Fatores associados à concordância entre autopercepção e avaliação clínica da necessidade de tratamento dentário em adultos do Brasil e de Minas Gerais.

This study sought to describe the agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs in adults and analyze associated factors. The sample comprised adult individuals who took part in SBBrazil 2010 and SBMinas Gerais 2012. The study's outcome was agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs. We used multiple Poisson regression in order to determine the factors associated with the outcome. Agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation was 78.8% in Brazil and 73.8% in Minas Gerais. Clinical and self-reported oral health conditions that affect function and quality of life were associated with a higher agreement, while a recent visit to the dentist was associated with a lower agreement. Identifying associated factors may enable the development of questionnaires that favor correct self-perception regarding treatment needs.

Perceived neighborhood characteristics and the functional performance of elderly people in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: a quantile regression analysis.

This study aims to examine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and the functional performance of elderly people living in the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Data of a representative sample of 2,033 elderly were analyzed using quantile regression. Functional performance was measured by the number of activities of daily living (ADL) the elderly had difficulty to perform. The neighborhood characteristics evaluated were: maintenance, trust, insecurity and defective sidewalks. Functional performance was found positively associated with the characteristic defective sidewalks, whose effect increased as the number of ADL the elderly had difficulty to perform increased. The results suggest that inadequate sidewalk conditions can contribute to functional losses in elderly people, especially among those who are functionally more compromised.

Social Inequalities on Selected Determinants of Active Aging and Health Status Indicators in a Large Brazilian City (2003-2010).

OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in social inequalities among 2,624 elderly living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in three domains of the World Health Organization's Active Aging model (physical environment, social determinants, use of health services) and health status indicators. METHOD: Data came from two representative household surveys conducted in 2003 and 2010. Social inequality was measured by the slope and the relative index of inequality. Educational level was used to define socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in the prevalence rates of 7 out of 12 indicators. However, the social inequalities persisted through 10 out of 12 selected active aging and health status indicators, except for fear of falling on the sidewalks/crossing the streets and fear of being robbed. DISCUSSION: Social inequalities persistence might be assigned to the continuity of unequal distribution of resources among groups with different educational levels.