[Effects of parliamentary amendments on municipal financing of primary health care in the Brazilian Unified National Health System]. / Efeitos das emendas parlamentares no financiamento municipal da atenção primária à saúde do Sistema Único de Saúde.

This study aims to analyze the effects of the expansion of the federal transfer of parliamentary amendments for municipal financing of primary health care (PHC) in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS), from 2015 to 2020. A longitudinal study was conducted using secondary data on transfers of parliamentary amendments from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and expenditure of municipalities' own resources on public health actions and services and PHC. The effect of the transfer of parliamentary amendments on municipal financing was verified in a stratified way by population size of the municipalities, using generalized estimating equation models. The transfer of parliamentary amendments for PHC showed a large discrepancy in per capita values among municipalities of different population sizes. No correlation with municipal spending on public health actions and services was observed in municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, and the association with spending on PHC (p < 0.050) was inverse in all municipalities. Therefore, the increase in the transfer of parliamentary amendments by the Brazilian Ministry of Health favored a reduction in the allocation of municipal revenues to PHC, which may have been directed to other spending purposes in the SUS. These changes seem to represent priorities established for municipal budget expenditure, which have repercussions on local conditions for guaranteeing stable funding for PHC in Brazil.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar os efeitos da ampliação do repasse federal de emendas parlamentares no financiamento municipal da atenção primária à saúde (APS) do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), no período de 2015 a 2020. Foi realizado estudo longitudinal com dados secundários de transferências por emendas parlamentares do Ministério da Saúde e de despesas com recursos próprios dos municípios, aplicadas em ações e serviços públicos de saúde e na APS. O efeito do repasse de emendas parlamentares no financiamento municipal foi verificado de forma estratificada por porte populacional dos municípios, por meio de modelos de equações de estimativas generalizadas. O repasse de emendas parlamentares para a APS apresentou grande discrepância de valores per capita entre os municípios de diferentes portes populacionais. Observou-se inexistência de correlação com a despesa municipal em ações e serviços públicos de saúde nos municípios com mais de 10 mil habitantes e associação inversa com a despesa em APS (p < 0,050) em todos os grupos. Conclui-se que o aumento do repasse de emendas parlamentares pelo Ministério da Saúde favoreceu a redução da alocação de receitas municipais com APS, que podem ter sido direcionados para outras finalidades de gasto no SUS. Tais mudanças parecem refletir prioridades estabelecidas para a despesa orçamentária dos municípios, que repercutem sobre as condições locais para a garantia da estabilidade do financiamento da APS no Brasil.

El artículo tiene como objetivo analizar los efectos de la ampliación de la transferencia de recursos federal de enmiendas parlamentarias sobre el financiamiento municipal de la atención primaria de salud (APS) en el Sistema Único de Salud brasileño (SUS), en el período del 2015 al 2020. Se realizó un estudio longitudinal con datos secundarios de transferencias de recursos por enmiendas parlamentarias del Ministerio de Salud y de gastos con recursos propios de los municipios, aplicados a acciones y servicios públicos de salud y a la APS. El efecto de la transferencia de recursos de enmiendas parlamentarias sobre el financiamiento municipal se verificó de forma estratificada por tamaño de población de los municipios, utilizando modelos de ecuaciones de estimaciones generalizadas. La transferencia de recursos de enmiendas parlamentarias para la APS mostró una gran discrepancia en los valores per cápita entre municipios de diferente tamaño poblacional. No hubo correlación con el gasto municipal en acciones y servicios públicos de salud en aquellos con más de 10.000 habitantes y asociación inversa con el gasto en APS (p < 0,050) en todos los grupos de municipios. Se concluye que el aumento en la transferencia de recursos de enmiendas parlamentarias por parte del Ministerio de Salud favoreció la reducción de la asignación de ingresos municipales a la APS, que pueden haber sido dirigidos a otros fines de gasto en el SUS. Tales cambios parecen reflejar prioridades establecidas para el gasto presupuestario municipal, que repercuten en las condiciones locales para garantizar la estabilidad del financiamiento de la APS en Brasil.

Transition to Independent Research Funding Among National Institutes of Health K Grant Awardees at Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports mentored research career development awards (K awards) to increase the pipeline of independently funded scientists. This study analyzed the portfolio of K grants that were awarded to orthopaedic surgery departments and characterized the factors that were associated with successful transition to independent NIH research funding, including R01 grants. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of K-award recipients in orthopaedic surgery departments in the United States from 1996 to 2018. A query was performed on the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT) database for NIH grants that were awarded to departments of orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, otolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, and urology. Rates of transition to independent research funding were compared by specialty for K grants that were awarded from 1996 to 2011. The percentage of faculty with mentored research career development awards and the return on investment (ROI) were calculated. An internet and Scopus (Elsevier) database search determined the investigator characteristics. The factors that were associated with successful transition to independent funding were determined via chi-square and unpaired t tests. RESULTS: Sixty K-award recipients were identified in orthopaedic surgery departments. Most were men (77%) and research scientists (53%). Fifty percent of the K-award recipients transitioned to independent research funding. Research scientists had the highest rate of transition to independent research funding (71%, p = 0.016) relative to clinicians (0%) and orthopaedic surgeons (40%). Higher levels of publication productivity were associated with successful transition to independent research funding. Similar rates of transition to independent research funding existed among surgical specialties (p = 0.107). Orthopaedic surgery had the lowest percentage of faculty with a K award (1.4%) but had the highest ROI (198%) of these awards. CONCLUSIONS: Orthopaedic surgery had similar rates of transition to independent research funding when compared with other surgical specialties but had a lower prevalence of K awards among faculty. Orthopaedic surgeon-scientists have lower rates of transition to independent research funding when compared with their research-scientist colleagues. These findings highlight a need for greater support to foster the pipeline of future NIH-funded orthopaedic investigators. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As the largest support of biomedical research in the U.S., the NIH is an important stakeholder in orthopaedic innovations and discoveries. This study highlights barriers in the procurement of NIH funding across surgical specialties and affirms the need for greater resources toward supporting NIH funding in orthopaedic surgery.

The financial and employment effects of coronavirus disease 2019 on physicians in the United States.

Although the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created havoc with the U.S healthcare system and physicians, the financial and contractual implications for physicians are now beginning to come to the forefront. Financial assistance from the federal government has mainly been received by hospitals, which have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 illness. Some physician groups have, or are, receiving assistance through a few programs, although the accelerated and advance payments have been suspended. Employed surgeons are now being furloughed, terminated, or persuaded to agree to a significant cut in pay, forego bonuses, or take leave without pay as healthcare systems and some physician groups have started to experience the consequences of halting elective procedures. Newly hired surgeons might be forced in a few cases to agree to delays in starting their employment, new amendments, changes in employment status, and other terms for fear of losing their employment. In the present report, we have explained some agreement terminology and options available to allow physicians to understand the terms of their employment agreement and make their decisions after consulting with an expert healthcare attorney.

The Changing Face of Academic Surgery: Overrepresentation of Women among Surgeon-Scientists with R01 Funding.

BACKGROUND: There has been a recent focus on sex-based disparities within the field of academic surgery. However, the proportion of female surgeons conducting NIH-funded research is unknown. STUDY DESIGN: The NIH RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results) was queried for R01 grants from surgery departments for which the principal investigator (PI) had a primary medical degree, as of October 2018. Characteristics of the PI and their respective grants were collected. Institutional faculty profiles were reviewed for PI and departmental characteristics. PIs were stratified by sex and compared using standard univariate statistics. RESULTS: There were a total of 212 R01 grants in surgery departments held by 159 PIs. Of these, 26.4% (n = 42) of R01-funded surgeons were female compared with the reported 19% of academic surgery female faculty (as reported by the Association of American Medical Colleges; p = 0.02). Women with R01 grants were more likely to be first-time grant recipients with no concurrent or previous NIH funding (21.4% vs 8.6%; p = 0.03) and less likely to have a previous R01 or equivalent grant (54.8% vs 73.5%; p = 0.03). Women were more likely to be from departments with a female surgery chair (31.0% vs 13.7%; p = 0.01) or a department with > 30% female surgeons (35.0% vs 18.2%; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Although female surgeons remain a minority in academic surgery, they hold a greater than anticipated proportion of NIH funding, with a high number of first-time grants, forming a crucial component of the next generation of surgeon-scientists.

[Healthcare, European Stability Mechanism and public funding following the Covid-19 pandemic].

The aim of this editorial is to illustrate the new public funding framework of the Italian National Health System following the Covid-19 pandemic. The document reviews the measures put in place by the Italian Government and European Institutions such as the European Commission (EC), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to deal with this health crisis and subsequent severe economic recession, with particular reference to sources and uses of resources. The use of new budgetary financial spaces in deficit entails greater attention to the assessment of interventions and makes it necessary to keep expenditure under strict control. At the same time, the remodeling of expenditure within its aggregates, public investment in innovation, and the removal of administrative obstacles can strengthen the capacity of the healthcare system to meet the extraordinary needs deriving from the spread of Covid-19 and its resilience to future health shocks.

COVID-19 financial resources for physicians.

The appropriate focus in managing the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has been addressing access and delivery of care to the population affected by the outbreak. All sectors of the U.S. economy have been significantly affected, including physicians. Physician groups of all specialties and sizes have experienced the financial effects of the pandemic. Hospitals have received billions of dollars to support and enable them to manage emergencies and cover the costs of the disruption. However, many vascular surgeons are under great financial pressure because of the postponement of all nonemergency procedures. The federal government has announced a myriad of programs in the form of grants and loans to reimburse physicians for some of their expenses and loss of revenue. It is more than likely that unless the public health emergency subsides significantly, many practices will experience dire consequences without additional financial assistance. We have attempted to provide a concise listing of such programs and resources available to assist vascular surgeons who are small businesses in accessing these opportunities.

Who benefits most from extending financial protection for cataract surgery in Vietnam? An extended cost-effectiveness analysis of small incision surgery.

Treatment costs remain a barrier for having timely cataract surgery in Vietnam, particularly for females and the poor, despite significant progress in achieving universal health coverage (UHC). This study evaluated the potential impact, on health and financial protection, of eliminating medical and non-medical out-of-pocket costs associated with cataract surgery. An extended cost-effectiveness analysis (ECEA) was conducted with a societal perspective. The ECEA modelled how many more disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and cases of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and medical impoverishment could be averted across income quintiles and between males and females. Two programmes were evaluated: (1) eliminating medical out-of-pocket costs for small incision cataract surgery and (2) Programme A plus a voucher programme covering non-medical out-of-pocket costs. Compared with current, the incremental cost per year of Programme A was estimated to be $833 396 and $1 641 835 for Programme B, each representing <0.01% of total health care spending in 2016. Males and females in the richest income quintiles would avert more DALYs than those in the poorest quintiles. For both programmes, most cases of CHE would be averted by individuals in the poorest income quintile. Programme B would avert the most CHE cases overall and females would have a greater share of benefits. All cases of impoverishing medical expenditure would be averted by individuals in the poorest quintile (A: 115 cases and B: 493 cases) for both programmes. The cost to avert each case of CHE with Programme A ranged from $67 to $292 and $100 to $232 for Programme B. We found a pro-rich health distribution and a pro-poor CHE distribution associated with eliminating out-of-pocket costs of cataract surgery in Vietnam. A programme that addressed both medical and non-medical out-of-pocket costs could have the greatest impact on improving financial protection in this population, particularly among the poorest income quintiles and for females. This study supports the concordance between the objectives of UHC and gender equity.

Characteristics of Ophthalmology Trials Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, 2007-2018.

PURPOSE: To perform a comprehensive analysis of characteristics of ophthalmology trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: All 4,203 ophthalmologic clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov between October 1, 2007, and April 30, 2018, were identified by using medical subject headings (MeSH). Disease condition terms were verified by manual review. Trial characteristics were assessed through frequency calculations. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined for characteristics associated with early discontinuation. RESULTS: The majority of trials were multiarmed (73.6%), single-site (69.4%), randomized (64.8%), and had <100 enrollees (66.3%). A total of 33% used a data-monitoring committee (DMC), and 50.6% incorporated blinding. Other groups (51.6%) were funded by industry, whereas 2.6% were funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH trials were significantly more likely to address oncologic (NIH = 15.5%, Other = 3%, Industry = 1.5%; P < 0.001) or pediatric disease (NIH = 20.9%, Other = 5.9%, Industry = 1.4%; P < 0.001). Industry-sponsored trials (69.6% of phase 3 trials) were significantly more likely to be randomized (Industry = 68.7%, NIH = 58.9%, Other = 60.8%; P < 0.001) and blinded (Industry = 57.2%, NIH = 42.7%, Other = 43.5%; P < 0.001). A total of 359 trials (8.5%) were discontinued early, and 530 trials (12.6%) had unknown status. Trials were less likely to be discontinued if funded by sources other than industry (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.95; P = 0.021) and/or had a DMC (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.92; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmology trials in the past decade reveal heterogeneity across study funding sources. NIH trials were more likely to support historically underfunded subspecialties, whereas Industry trials were more likely to face early discontinuation. These trends emphasize the importance of carefully monitored and methodologically sound trials with deliberate funding allocation.

Crise econômica, austeridade e seus efeitos sobre o financiamento e acesso a serviços públicos e privados de saúde bucal / Economic crisis, austerity and its effects on the financing of oral health and access to public and private services

Resumo O presente estudo analisou os efeitos da austeridade e crise econômica sobre o financiamento da saúde bucal, oferta e utilização de serviços públicos e acesso a planos exclusivamente odontológicos no Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2018. Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa. Foram coletados dados da base do Fundo Nacional de Saúde, da Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar, da Sala de Apoio à Gestão Estratégica, do Sistema e-gestor. Observou-se que o repasse federal fundo a fundo apresentou tendência crescente de 2003 a 2010 e estável de 2011 a 2018. A oferta decresceu ao final do período com redução da cobertura da primeira consulta odontológica programática, média da escovação dental supervisionada e número de tratamentos endodônticos. Na contramão da crise financeira pública, as empresas de planos exclusivamente odontológicos expandiram o mercado de 2,6 milhões de usuários em 2000 para 24,3 milhões em 2018, com lucro de mais de R$240 milhões. A austeridade fiscal tem forte influência sobre a utilização de serviços públicos odontológicos no Brasil, que pode beneficiar o mercado privado e ampliar as desigualdades.

Abstract The present study analyzed the effects of austerity and economic crisis on the financing of oral health, provision and use of public services and access to exclusively dental plans in Brazil, from 2003 to 2018. A retrospective, descriptive study was carried out, with a quantitative approach. Data were collected from the National Health Funding database, the National Supplementary Health Agency, the Strategic Management Support Room, and from the e-manager system. The federal fund-to-fund transfer was increasing from 2003 to 2010 and remained stable from 2011 to 2018. The supply decreased at the end of the period, with reduced coverage of the first programmatic dental appointment, average supervised tooth brushing and number of endodontic treatments. Against the background of the public financial crisis, exclusively dental plan companies expanded the market from 2.6 million users in 2000 to 24.3 million in 2018, with a profit of more than R$ 240 million. Fiscal austerity has a strong influence on the use of public dental services in Brazil, which can benefit the private market and widen inequalities.

Subfinanciamento e orçamento federal do SUS: referências preliminares para a alocação adicional de recursos / Underfunding and federal budget of SUS: preliminary references for additional resource allocation

Resumo Este artigo objetiva identificar novas fontes de receitas para a alocação adicional de recursos para o atendimento das necessidades de saúde da população fixadas nas despesas do orçamento federal, no contexto do processo de subfinanciamento do Sistema Único de Saúde e dos efeitos negativos da Emenda Constitucional 95/2016 para esse processo - queda verificada na proporção da receita corrente líquida federal destinada para o SUS. Nessa perspectiva, é preciso enfrentar o problema do subfinanciamento vinculando à busca por recursos adicionais junto a novas fontes de financiamento com as ações e serviços públicos de saúde que serão aprimoradas, ampliadas e criadas, cujos critérios são: quanto às fontes, exclusividade para o SUS, não regressividade tributária e revisão da renúncia de receita; e, quanto aos usos, priorização da atenção básica como ordenadora da rede de atenção à saúde e valorização dos servidores. O resultado calculado para as fontes variou entre R$ 92 bilhões e R$ 100 bilhões, superior aos R$ 30,5 bilhões apurados para os usos nos termos descritos. Foi realizada pesquisa documental para o levantamento de dados junto a fontes secundárias, especialmente nos relatórios encaminhados ao Conselho Nacional de Saúde pelo Ministério da Saúde.

Abstract This paper aims to identify new sources of revenue for the additional allocation of resources to meet the population's health needs fixed in the federal budget expenses, in the context of the Unified Health System (SUS) underfunding process and the negative effects of Constitutional Amendment 95/2016 for this process - verified decrease in the proportion of federal net current revenue destined to SUS. From this perspective, it is necessary to address the problem of underfunding by linking the search for additional resources with new sources of funding with actions and public health services that will be improved, expanded and created, of which criteria are: regarding sources, exclusivity for SUS, non regressive taxing and review of revenue waiver; and, regarding uses, prioritization of primary care as reference of the health care network and appreciation of civil servants in the health area. The result calculated for the sources ranged from R$ 92 billion to R$ 100 billion, higher than the R$ 30.5 billion calculated for uses under the described terms. A documentary research was conducted to collect data from secondary sources, especially in the reports sent to the National Health Council by the Ministry of Health.

Crise e federalismo: tendências e padrões regionais das receitas e despesas em saúde dos estados brasileiros / Crisis and federalism: trends and regional patterns of health revenues and expenditures in the brazilian states

Resumo O estudo tem como objetivo analisar as tendências e os padrões regionais das receitas e despesas em saúde dos estados brasileiros no período de 2006 a 2016. Trata-se de estudo exploratório e descritivo com base em dados secundários de abrangência nacional e indicadores selecionados. Verificou-se crescimento da receita corrente líquida per capita para o conjunto dos estados e regiões, com quedas em anos específicos associadas às crises de 2008-2009 e de 2015-2016. A despesa em saúde per capita apresentou tendência de crescimento, mesmo em momentos de crise econômica e queda da arrecadação. Observou-se diversidade de fontes e heterogeneidade de receitas e despesas em saúde, e impactos diferenciados da crise sobre os orçamentos estaduais das regiões. Os resultados sugerem o efeito protetor relacionado à vinculação constitucional da saúde, aos compromissos e prioridades de gastos, e aos mecanismos de compensação de fontes de receitas do federalismo fiscal nas despesas em saúde dos estados. Contudo, permanecem desafios para a implantação de um sistema de transferências que diminua as desigualdades e estabeleça maior cooperação entre os entes, em um contexto de austeridade e fortes restrições ao financiamento público da saúde no Brasil.

Abstract This study aims to analyze regional trends and patterns of health revenues and expenditure in the Brazilian states from 2006 to 2016. This is an exploratory and descriptive study based on secondary national data and selected indicators. Higher per capita net current revenues for all states and regions, with decreasing levels in specific years associated with the crises of 2008-2009 and 2015-2016 were observed. Per capita health expenditure showed an increasing trend, even in times of economic crisis and declining collection. Diversity of sources and heterogeneity of health revenues and expenditures, as well as different impacts of the crisis on the regional budgets, were observed. The results suggest the protective effect of constitutional health linkage, spending commitments and priorities, and compensation mechanisms of fiscal federalism revenue sources in state health expenditures. However, challenges remain for the implementation of a transfer system that reduces inequalities and establishes greater cooperation among entities, in a context of austerity and strong public health financing constraints in Brazil.

Underfunding and federal budget of SUS: preliminary references for additional resource allocation. / Subfinanciamento e orçamento federal do SUS: referências preliminares para a alocação adicional de recursos.

This paper aims to identify new sources of revenue for the additional allocation of resources to meet the population's health needs fixed in the federal budget expenses, in the context of the Unified Health System (SUS) underfunding process and the negative effects of Constitutional Amendment 95/2016 for this process - verified decrease in the proportion of federal net current revenue destined to SUS. From this perspective, it is necessary to address the problem of underfunding by linking the search for additional resources with new sources of funding with actions and public health services that will be improved, expanded and created, of which criteria are: regarding sources, exclusivity for SUS, non regressive taxing and review of revenue waiver; and, regarding uses, prioritization of primary care as reference of the health care network and appreciation of civil servants in the health area. The result calculated for the sources ranged from R$ 92 billion to R$ 100 billion, higher than the R$ 30.5 billion calculated for uses under the described terms. A documentary research was conducted to collect data from secondary sources, especially in the reports sent to the National Health Council by the Ministry of Health.

Este artigo objetiva identificar novas fontes de receitas para a alocação adicional de recursos para o atendimento das necessidades de saúde da população fixadas nas despesas do orçamento federal, no contexto do processo de subfinanciamento do Sistema Único de Saúde e dos efeitos negativos da Emenda Constitucional 95/2016 para esse processo ­ queda verificada na proporção da receita corrente líquida federal destinada para o SUS. Nessa perspectiva, é preciso enfrentar o problema do subfinanciamento vinculando à busca por recursos adicionais junto a novas fontes de financiamento com as ações e serviços públicos de saúde que serão aprimoradas, ampliadas e criadas, cujos critérios são: quanto às fontes, exclusividade para o SUS, não regressividade tributária e revisão da renúncia de receita; e, quanto aos usos, priorização da atenção básica como ordenadora da rede de atenção à saúde e valorização dos servidores. O resultado calculado para as fontes variou entre R$ 92 bilhões e R$ 100 bilhões, superior aos R$ 30,5 bilhões apurados para os usos nos termos descritos. Foi realizada pesquisa documental para o levantamento de dados junto a fontes secundárias, especialmente nos relatórios encaminhados ao Conselho Nacional de Saúde pelo Ministério da Saúde.

Federal Funding For Research On The Leading Causes Of Death Among Children And Adolescents.

Firearm injuries are the second-leading cause of death for US children and adolescents (ages 1-18). This analysis quantified the federal dollars granted to research for the leading US causes of death for this age group in 2008-17. Several federal data sources were queried. On average, in the study period, $88 million per year was granted to research motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death in this age group. Cancer, the third-leading cause of mortality, received $335 million per year. In contrast, $12 million-only thirty-two grants, averaging $597 in research dollars per death-went to firearm injury prevention research among children and adolescents. According to a regression analysis, funding for pediatric firearm injury prevention was only 3.3 percent of what would be predicted by mortality burden, and that level of funding resulted in fewer scientific articles than predicted. A thirtyfold increase in firearm injury research funding focused on this age group, or at least $37 million per year, is needed for research funding to be commensurate with the mortality burden.

Patient navigator reported patient barriers and delivered activities in two large federally-funded cancer screening programs.

Few data are available on patient navigators (PNs) across diverse roles and organizational settings that could inform optimization of patient navigation models for cancer prevention. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) and the Colorectal Cancer and Control Program (CRCCP) are two federally-funded screening programs that support clinical- and community-based PNs who serve low-income and un- or underinsured populations across the United States. An online survey assessing PN characteristics, delivered activities, and patient barriers to screening was completed by 437 of 1002 identified PNs (44%). Responding PNs were racially and ethnically diverse, had varied professional backgrounds and practice-settings, worked with diverse populations, and were located within rural and urban/suburban locations across the U.S. More PNs reported working to promote screening for breast/cervical cancers (BCC, 94%) compared to colorectal cancer (CRC, 39%). BCC and CRC PNs reported similar frequencies of individual- (e.g., knowledge, motivation, fear) and community-level patient barriers (e.g., beliefs about healthcare and screening). Despite reporting significant patient structural barriers (e.g., transportation, work and clinic hours), most BCC and CRC PNs delivered individual-level navigation activities (e.g., education, appointment reminders). PN training to identify and champion timely and patient-centered adjustments to organizational policies, practices, and norms of the NBCCEDP, CRCCP, and partner organizations may be beneficial. More research is needed to determine whether multilevel interventions that support this approach could reduce structural barriers and increase screening and diagnostic follow-up among the marginalized communities served by these two important cancer-screening programs.

Health system financing paradigm in the state of São Paulo: a regional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the allocation of financial resources in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) in the state of São Paulo by level of care, health region, source of funds and level of government. METHODS: This is an exploratory study based on 2014 data extracted from the Public Health Budget Database, presented in absolute terms, relative terms and per capita . RESULTS: In 2014, R$52.1 bi were spent on public health, 58.0% having corresponded to the expenditures of the municipalities and 42.0% to those of the state government. Regional per capita spending varied from R$561.75 to R$824.85. As for the per capita spending on primary health care, which represented 37.5% of the municipalities' total expenditure, the lowest value was found in the city of São Paulo and the highest, in Araçatuba. Campinas had the highest per capita expenditure on medium and high complexity care, while Presidente Prudente had the lowest. The highest regional percentage of the current net revenue spent on health was verified in Registro, and the lowest, in the city of São Paulo. CONCLUSIONS: The paradigm of the health sector's financing in São Paulo revealed that the expenditure on primary health care, level elected by health policy as strategic because it depends on coordination and integral health care in the attention networks, was not considered a priority in relation to the expenditure with the medium and high complexity, exposing the iniquities in the state's regions.

The effects of the financial crisis on the general and dental health status of Greek citizens.

PURPOSE: To present the impact of the financial crisis on health status and dental health in Greece and compare it to the European Union and Finland and to identify any changes in health-related expenditure focusing on pharmaceutical expenditure and generic medicines. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Databases as Scopus, Pubmed, Google Scholar, World Health Organization, Eurostat, and Elstat were used. FINDINGS: Indicators, such as mortality and life expectancy, show that there is no clear correlation between health deterioration and financial crisis while dental health has deteriorated. Out-of-pocket expenses were found to be catastrophic, and the use of generic medicines is still limited. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Proper prescribing of medicines, coverage of health care costs by the government, and cost savings from the use of generic medicines were implemented. As regards dental care, the state should focus on prevention as well as reinforcement of public dental care services. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The break through idea is to compare the impact of the financial crisis on health indexes in Greece with the European Union and Finland, to focus on pharmaceutical expenditure, generic medicines, and dental health.

HIV Prevention Practices and Non-Federal Funding Among U.S. States and Non-State Regions: A Survey of HIV/AIDS Directors.

We surveyed U.S. HIV/AIDS directors or designees in states and non-state regions, regarding factors influencing HIV viral suppression: (1) non-federal prevention funding; (2) contacting newly reported patients and providers, for care linkage and partner services; (3) follow-up of non-received viral load reports, to identify untreated patients; and (4) genotype/phenotype surveillance, to monitor drug resistance. The survey was conducted April-July 2015; 50 (87.7%) participated. Eighty percent of jurisdictions contacted all newly reported patients; 60% contacted all providers. HIV resistance tests were reportable in 38%; 66% contacted providers and/or patients about missed viral loads. Non-federal funding was significantly associated with annual diagnoses (p = .0001) and population (p = .0002), but not with other factors studied. Many jurisdictions lacked non-federal funding (28%), or experienced unrestored reductions since 2008 (33%). Jurisdictions' funding and preventive practices varied greatly. HIV viral suppression could be enhanced by restoring (or establishing) non-federal prevention funding, and by more standardized surveillance/outreach practices.