Predictors of nutritional recovery time in children aged 6-59 months with severe acute malnutrition in Sofala Province, Mozambique: survival analysis approach.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a public health problem that affects physical and psychosocial well-being. It manifests as a rapid deterioration in nutritional status and bilateral edema due to inadequate food intake or illness. METHODS: This study is a retrospective cohort of 1208 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Sofala Province from 2018 to 2022. It includes hospitalized children aged 6-59 months with SAM and related complications. The dependent variable is recovery, and the independent variables include age, sex of the child, vomiting, dehydration, hypoglycemia, nutritional edema and anthropometry. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and bivariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The crude analysis revealed significant factors for nutritional recovery in children with SAM, including age, weight, height, malaria, diarrhea and dehydration. Children under 24 months had a 28% lower likelihood of recovery. Weight below 6.16 kg decreased the likelihood by 2%, and height above 71.1 cm decreased it by 20%. Conversely, malaria, diarrhea and dehydration increased the likelihood of recovery. However, after adjustment, only diarrhea remained a significant predictor of nutritional recovery. CONCLUSION: This study found that diarrhea is a predictor of nutritional recovery in children with SAM.

Association between food environments and fetal growth in pregnant Brazilian women.

INTRODUCTION: Birth weight is described as one of the main determinants of newborns' chances of survival. Among the associated causes, or risk factors, the mother's nutritional status strongly influences fetal growth and birth weight outcomes of the concept. This study evaluates the association between food deserts, small for gestational age (SGA), large for gestational age (LGA) and low birth weight (LBW) newborns. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional population study, resulting from individual data from the Live Birth Information System (SINASC), and commune data from mapping food deserts (CAISAN) in Brazil. The newborn's size was defined as follows: appropriate for gestational age (between 10 and 90th percentile), SGA (< 10th percentile), LGA (> 90th percentile), and low birth weight < 2,500 g. To characterize food environments, we used tertiles of the density of establishments which sell in natura and ultra-processed foods. Logistic regression modeling was conducted to investigate the associations of interest. RESULTS: We analyzed 2,632,314 live births in Brazil in 2016, after appropriate adjustments, women living in municipalities with limited availability of fresh foods had a higher chance of having newborns with SGA [OR2nd tertile: 1.06 (1.05-1.07)] and LBW [OR2nd tertile: 1.11 (1.09-1.12)]. Conversely, municipalities with greater availability of ultra-processed foods had a higher chance of having newborns with SGA [OR3rd tertile: 1.04 (1.02-1.06)] and LBW [OR2nd tertile: 1.13 (1.11-1.16)]. Stratification by race showed that Black and Mixed/Brown women had a higher chance of having newborns with SGA [OR3rd tertile: 1.09 (1.01-1.18)] and [OR3rd tertile: 1.06 (1.04-1.09)], respectively, while Mixed-race women also had a higher chance of having newborns with LBW [OR3rd tertile: 1.17 (1.14-1.20)]. Indigenous women were associated with LGA [OR3rd tertile: 1.20 (1.01-1.45)]. CONCLUSION: The study found that living in areas with limited access to healthy foods was associated with an increased risk of SGA and low birth weight among newborns, particularly among Black and Mixed/Brown women. Therefore, urgent initiatives aimed at reducing social inequalities and mitigating the impact of poor food environments are needed in Brazil.

Social Inequalities in Child Development: Analysis of Low-Birth-Weight Trends in Brazil, 2010-2020.

INTRODUCTION: Low birth weight (LBW) is a global issue prevalent in low-income countries. Economic assessments of interventions to reduce this burden are crucial to guide health policies. However, there is a relative scarcity of research that illustrates the magnitude of LBW by country and region to support the design of public policies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the temporal trend of fetal growth in newborns in Brazil between 2010 and 2020. METHODS: A time series study was conducted using data from the Live Births Information System (SINASC), which is managed by the Department of Information and Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The Prais-Winsten linear model was applied to analyze the annual proportions of LBW. The annual percentage changes (APC) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. Prevalence rate averages of LBW were calculated and displayed on thematic maps to visualize the evolution dynamics in each Federation Unit (FU). RESULTS: A total of 31,887,329 women from all Federative Units of Brazil were included in the study from 2010 to 2020. The Southeast region had the largest proportion of participants, with records from 2015 accounting for 9.5% of the total. Among the women in the study, 49.6% were between the ages of 20 and 29, and the majority (75.5%) had between 8 and 12 years of schooling. The newborns of these women were predominantly male (58.8%) and non-white (59.5%). The study found that there was a trend towards stabilization of increasing proportions of LBW in the North, Northeast, and Centre-West regions between 2010 and 2020. In Brazil and other regions, these tendencies remained stable. CONCLUSION: To improve living conditions and reduce social inequalities and health inequities, public policies and actions are necessary. Strengthening the Unified Health System (SUS), income transfer programs, quota policies for vulnerable groups, and gender equality measures such as improving access to education for women and the labor sector are among the suggested approaches.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiology of Leptospirosis in HIV uninfected and in people living with HIV from the Southern African Development Community.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is an occupational, neglected febrile disease of bacterial origin transmitted between humans and animals. In this manuscript we summarize available data on Leptospira infection in HIV uninfected and in people living with HIV from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, identifying gaps in knowledge and recommend future research priorities. METHODOLOGY: Articles published between 1990 and 2021 were accessed by an online search of Google Scholar and Medline/PubMed performed between February 2020 and July 2022. The STATA program was used for the Meta-analysis. Pooled prevalence values with 95% confidence intervals and heterogeneity were determined. RESULTS: Thirty studies from eight SADC countries, reporting the prevalence on Leptospira were reviewed. A pooled prevalence of 19% (CI: 13-25%), a heterogeneity level of 96% and index score ranging from 2 to 9 was determined. Only four (4) studies reported HIV co-infection status. Three species of Leptospira (Leptospira interrogans (4), L. kirschneri (3), Leptospira borgpetersenii (1) and 23 serogroups were identified. The most frequently reported serogroups were Icterohaemorrhagiae (13), Grippotyphosa and Australis (10) followed by Sejroe (8). CONCLUSION: Studies on human leptospirosis in the SADC region are scarce, especially in people living with HIV. Additional studies aimed at determining the prevalence and the role of the pathogen in people living with HIV, including detailed clinical, molecular and demographic data are recommended.

Fostering Sustainable Biomedical Research Training in Mozambique: A Spin-Off of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.

Background: The further development of research capacity in low- and middle-income countries is critical to the delivery of evidence-based healthcare, the design of sound health policy and effective resource allocation. Research capacity is also critical for the retention of highly skilled faculty and staff and for institutional internationalization. Objectives: We summarize the accomplishments, challenges and legacy of a five-year program to train biomedical researchers entitled "Enhanced Advanced Biomedical Research Training for Mozambique (EABRTM)". Methods: A program conducted from 2015-2021 built upon the Medical Education Partnership Initiative to develop research capacity at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and allied institutions. The project included design and implementation of postgraduate training programs and bolstered physical and human research infrastructure. Findings: The program supported development and implementation of UEM's first doctoral (Bioscience and Public Health) and master (Biosciences) programs with 31 and 23 students enrolled to date, respectively. Three master programs were established at Lúrio University from which 176/202 (87.1%) and 107/202 (53.0%) students obtained a Postgraduate Diploma or master's degree, respectively. Scholarships were awarded to 39 biomedical researchers; 13 completed master degrees, one completed a PhD and five remain in doctoral studies. Thirteen administrative staff and four biomedical researchers were trained in research administration and in biostatistics, respectively. A total of 119 courses and seminars benefited 2,142 participants. Thirty-five manuscripts have been published to date in peer-reviewed international journals of which 77% are first-authored by Mozambicans and 44% last-authored by Africans. Sustainability was achieved through 59 research projects awarded by international agencies, totaling $16,363,656.42 and funds ($ 7,319,366.11) secured through 2025. Conclusions: The EABRTM program substantially increased research and mentorship capacity and trained a new generation of biostatisticians and research administrators. These programmatic outcomes significantly increased the confidence of early stage Mozambican researchers in their ability to successfully pursue their career goals.

Geografia das disparidades em saúde entre brancos e negros em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul / Geography of health disparities among white and black people in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul

Resumo Introdução O artigo discute as disparidades espaciais em saúde ao investigar pessoas brancas e negras, tomando como ponto de partida a trajetória de desenvolvimento do sistema global do capitalismo racial. Objetivo Investigar as diferenças existentes entre pessoas brancas e negras nos agravos de HIV, tuberculose e sífilis na escala de distritos sanitários na cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Método Estudo ecológico, com uso de banco de dados secundários e de acesso público, disponibilizados a partir da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre. Inclui a análise espacial, a estatística descritiva e o uso de medidas de associação. Resultados A partir dos distritos sanitários, desvela-se a materialização de geografias de desigualdades e de condições de iniquidade entre pessoas brancas e negras, o que está entrelaçado com o processo histórico de ocupação da cidade de Porto Alegre. Conclusão O quesito raça/cor e a sua investigação escalar tornaram-se potência para corroborar as diferenças de qualidade de vida que desfrutam pessoas brancas e negras. Em Porto Alegre, são inequívocas evidências do racismo estrutural em saúde que denotam a urgência de ações no Sistema Único de Saúde, como as políticas de equidade.

Abstract Introduction This article discusses the spatial disparities in health between white and black people. It begins with the trajectory of development of the global system of racial capitalism. Objective To investigate the existing differences between white and black people in the conditions of HIV, tuberculosis, and syphilis in the scale of health districts in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Method Ecological study using secondary and public databases made available from the Municipal Health Secretariat of Porto Alegre. It includes spatial analysis, descriptive statistics, and the use of measures of association. Results It reveals, from the health districts, the materialization of geographies of inequalities and conditions of inequality between white and black people, which are intertwined with the historical process of occupation of the city of Porto Alegre. Conclusion The issue of race and color, as well as scalar research, have become powerful tools for correlating the differences in quality of life enjoyed by white and black people. In Porto Alegre there is unmistakable evidence of structural racism in health that denotes the urgency of actions in the unified health system (SUS), such as equity policies.

Análise da violência motivada por racismo e intolerância religiosa, Brasil (2015 a 2018) / Analysis of violence motivated by racism and religious intolerance, Brazil (2015 to 2018)

Introdução: O racismo e a intolerância religiosa, configuram-se atualmente como problema de saúde pública em todo o mundo. Constitui-se em um problema social que impacta de maneira significativa o modo de viver, adoecer e morrer de grupos em situação de vulnerabilidade. Objetivo: Analisar as notificações das violências racial e intolerância religiosa no Brasil. Metodologia: Estudo ecológico, tipo série temporal de caráter exploratório com recurso a métodos quantitativos de dados de violência por racismo e intolerância religiosa no Brasil entre 2015 e 2018. Análises foram conduzidas segundo a motivação da violência, as variáveis independentes foram compostas pelas características da vítima, do agressor e da agressão. Para análise multivariada, foi utilizada a regressão de Poisson com variância robusta. Resultados: No período do estudo houve o registro de 1.267 casos de violência interpessoal, sendo 50,3% por racismo e 49,7% por intolerância religiosa. A violência física foi mais prevalente nos casos de intolerância religiosa (58,1%) e a violência psicológica foi prevalente nos casos descritos como racismo (70,3%), com idade compreendida de entre 25 e 59 anos (52,9%), de cor negra, vivendo com companheiro(a). As mulheres com baixo nível de escolaridade, vivendo sozinhas constituem as principais vítimas de violência racial e intolerância. Considerações finais: O racismo e a intolerância desafiam as sociedades marcadas fortemente por exclusão social, comprometendo os indicadores sociais, econômicos da população negra e grupos abandonados, enfrentando maiores obstáculos para conseguir posições de prestígio e de autonomia na sociedade. Os níveis baixos de escolaridade e a pobreza, fragilizam todo o tecido de atenção e proteção no atendimento e compreensão das desigualdades sociais e raciais.

Introduction: Racism and religious intolerance are now a public health problem around the world. It is a social problem that significantly impacts the way of living, getting sick and dying of vulnerable groups. Objective: To analyze the notifications of racial violence and religious intolerance in Brazil. Methodology: Ecological study, type of time series of exploratory character using quantitative methods of data on violence by racism and religious intolerance in Brazil between 2015 and 2018. Analyses were conducted according to the motivation of the violence, the independent variables were composed by the characteristics of the victim, the aggressor and the aggression. For multivariate analysis, Poisson regression with robust variance was used. Results: In the period of the study there were 1,267 cases of interpersonal violence, 50.3% due to racism and 49.7% due to religious intolerance. Physical violence was more prevalent in cases of religious intolerance (58.1%) and psychological violence was more prevalent in cases described as racism (70.3%), with ages ranging from 25 to 59 years (52.9%), black, living with a partner. Women with a low level of education, living alone, are the main victims of racial violence and intolerance. Final considerations: Racism and intolerance challenge societies strongly marked by social exclusion, compromising the social and economic indicators of the black population and abandoned groups, facing greater obstacles to achieve positions of prestige and autonomy in society. Low levels of education and poverty weaken the entire fabric of attention and protection in addressing and understanding social and racial inequalities.