Decentralization of the health system - experiences from Pakistan, Portugal and Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Decentralization of a health system is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that demands thorough investigation of its process logistics, predisposing factors and implementation mechanisms, within the broader socio-political environment of each nation. Despite its wide adoption across both high-income countries (HICs) and low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), empirical evidence of whether decentralization actually translates into improved health system performance remains inconclusive and controversial. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive description of the decentralization processes in three countries at different stages of their decentralization strategies - Pakistan, Brazil and Portugal. MAIN BODY: This study employed a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed academic journals, official government reports, policy documents and publications from international organizations related to health system decentralization. A comprehensive search was conducted using reputable databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, the WHO repository and other relevant databases, covering the period up to the knowledge cutoff date in June 2023. Information was systematically extracted and organized into the determinants, process mechanics and challenges encountered during the planning, implementation and post-decentralization phases. Although decentralization reforms have achieved some success, challenges persist in their implementation. Comparing all three countries, it was evident that all three have prioritized health in their decentralization reforms and aimed to enhance local decision-making power. Brazil has made significant progress in implementing decentralization reforms, while Portugal and Pakistan are still in the process. Pakistan has faced significant implementation challenges, including capacity-building, resource allocation, resistance to change and inequity in access to care. Brazil and Portugal have also faced challenges, but to a lesser extent. The extent, progress and challenges in the decentralization processes vary among the three countries, each requiring ongoing evaluation and improvement to achieve the desired outcomes. CONCLUSION: Notable differences exist in the extent of decentralization, the challenges faced during implementation and inequality in access to care between the three countries. It is important for Portugal, Brazil and Pakistan to address these through reinforcing implementation strategies, tackling inequalities in access to care and enhancing monitoring and evaluation mechanism. Additionally, fostering knowledge sharing among these different countries will be instrumental in facilitating mutual learning.

Difference in determinants of ICU admission and death among COVID-19 hospitalized patients in two epidemic waves in Portugal: possible impact of healthcare burden and hospital bed occupancy on clinical management and outcomes, March-December 2020.

Aim: Identify factors associated with COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death among hospitalized cases in Portugal, and variations from the first to the second wave in Portugal, March-December 2020. Introduction: Determinants of ICU admission and death for COVID-19 need further understanding and may change over time. We used hospital discharge data (ICD-10 diagnosis-related groups) to identify factors associated with COVID-19 outcomes in two epidemic periods with different hospital burdens to inform policy and practice. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all hospitalized cases of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in the Portuguese NHS hospitals, discharged from March to December 2020. We calculated sex, age, comorbidities, attack rates by period, and calculated adjusted relative risks (aRR) for the outcomes of admission to ICU and death, using Poisson regressions. We tested effect modification between two distinct pandemic periods (March-September/October-December) with lower and higher hospital burden, in other determinants. Results: Of 18,105 COVID-19 hospitalized cases, 10.22% were admitted to the ICU and 20.28% died in hospital before discharge. Being aged 60-69 years (when compared with those aged 0-49) was the strongest independent risk factor for ICU admission (aRR 1.91, 95%CI 1.62-2.26). Unlike ICU admission, risk of death increased continuously with age and in the presence of specific comorbidities. Overall, the probability of ICU admission was reduced in the second period but the risk of death did not change. Risk factors for ICU admission and death differed by epidemic period. Testing interactions, in the period with high hospital burden, those aged 80-89, women, and those with specific comorbidities had a significantly lower aRR for ICU admission. Risk of death increased in the second period for those with dementia and diabetes. Discussion and conclusions: The probability of ICU admission was reduced in the second period. Different patient profiles were identified for ICU and deaths among COVID-19-hospitalized patients in different pandemic periods with lower and higher hospital burden, possibly implying changes in clinical practice, priority setting, or clinical presentation that should be further investigated and discussed considering impacts of higher burden on services in health outcomes, to inform preparedness, healthcare workforce planning, and pandemic prevention measures.

Design and In Situ Validation of Low-Cost and Easy to Apply Anti-Biofouling Techniques for Oceanographic Continuous Monitoring with Optical Instruments.

Biofouling is the major factor that limits long-term monitoring studies with automated optical instruments. Protection of the sensing areas, surfaces, and structural housing of the sensors must be considered to deliver reliable data without the need for cleaning or maintenance. In this work, we present the design and field validation of different techniques for biofouling protection based on different housing materials, biocides, and transparent coatings. Six optical turbidity probes were built using polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), PLA with copper filament, ABS coated with PDMS, ABS coated with epoxy and ABS assembled with a system for in situ chlorine production. The probes were deployed in the sea for 48 days and their anti-biofouling efficiency was evaluated using the results of the field experiment, visual inspections, and calibration signal loss after the tests. The PLA and ABS were used as samplers without fouling protection. The probe with chlorine production outperformed the other techniques, providing reliable data during the in situ experiment. The copper probe had lower performance but still retarded the biological growth. The techniques based on transparent coatings, epoxy, and PDMS did not prevent biofilm formation and suffered mostly from micro-biofouling.

Associação entre sedentarismo e nívelsocioeconômicoemadolescentes / Association between physical inactivity and socioeconomic status in adolescents

Introdução: O sedentarismo em adolescentes contribui para a ocorrência de diferentes doenças, sendo relevante investigar sobre fatores associados. Objetivo: Analisar a associação entre sedentarismo e nível socioeconômico em adolescentes de escolas públicas. Materiais e métodos: Estudo transversal, realizado com 347 adolescentes matriculados em escolas públicas do ensino médio do município de Divinópolis, Minas Gerais. A coleta de dados ocorreu no ano de 2017. O sedentarismo foi avaliado utilizando-se o International Physical Activity Questionnaire e o nível socioeconômico pelo critério da Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. Foi realizada estatística descritiva e analítica através de modelo de regressão logística multivariada. Resultados: Participaram da investigação 347 adolescentes. A média de idade do grupo foi de 16,4 ± 1,0 anos. Os indivíduos caracterizados como sedentários constituíram 38,9% da amostra, sendo que, destes, 66,7% eram do sexo feminino. Possuir maior nível socioeconômico diminui a probabilidade de ser sedentário (OR=0,235; p=0,021), assim como ser estudante das escolas públicas da região sudoeste aumenta essa chance(OR=2,680; p=0,04). Discussão: Os motivos pelos quais as condições socioeconômicas podem influenciar o sedentarismo são variados. A ausência de espaços públicos pode contribuir para a elevação do sedentarismo em adolescentes com menor nível socioeconômico. Conclusão: Esta investigação sinaliza a importância de investimentos públicos em políticas de estímulo à prática de atividade física para os adolescentes, em especial para os do sexo feminino e de menor nível socioeconômico.

Introduction: A sedentary lifestyle in adolescents contributes to the occurrence of different diseases, making it relevant to investigate associated factors. Objective: To analyze the association between sedentary lifestyle and socioeconomic status in adolescents from public schools. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study, carried out with 347 adolescents enrolled in public high schools in the city of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais. Data collection took place in 2017. Sedentary lifestyle was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and socioeconomic status using the criteria of the Brazilian Association of Research Companies. Descriptive and analytical statistics were performed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: 347 adolescents participated in the investigation. The mean age of the group was 16.4 ± 1.0 years. Individuals characterized as sedentary constituted 38.9% of the sample, of which 66.7% were female. Having a higher socioeconomic level decreases the probability of being sedentary (OR = 0,235; p = 0.021), just as being a student in public schools in the southwest region increases this chance (OR = 2,680; p = 0.04). Discussion: The reasons why socioeconomic conditions can influence a sedentary lifestyle are varied. The absence of public spaces can contribute to the increase in sedentary lifestyles in adolescents with lower socioeconomic status. Conclusion: This investigation highlights the importance of public investments in policies to encourage the practice of physical activity for adolescents, especially for females and lower socioeconomic status.

Introducción: El sedentarismo en los adolescentes contribuye a la ocurrencia de diferentes enfermedades, por lo que es relevante investigar los factores asociados. Objetivo: Analizar la asociación entre sedentarismo y nivel socioeconómico en adolescentes de escuelas públicas. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal, realizado con 347 adolescentes matriculados en escuelas secundarias públicas de la ciudad de Divinópolis, Minas Gerais. La recolección de datos tuvo lugar en 2017. El estilo de vida sedentario se evaluó mediante el Cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física y el nivel socioeconómico según los criterios de la Asociación Brasileña de Empresas de Investigación. La estadística descriptiva y analítica se realizó mediante un modelo de regresión logística multivariante. Resultados: 347 adolescentes participaron en la investigación. La edad media del grupo fue de 16,4 ± 1,0 años. Los individuos caracterizados como sedentarios constituyeron el 38,9% de la muestra, de los cuales el 66,7% eran mujeres. Tener un nivel socioeconómico más alto disminuye la probabilidad de ser sedentario (OR = 0,235; p = 0,021), al igual que ser alumno de escuelas públicas de la región suroeste aumenta esta posibilidad (OR = 2,680; p = 0,04). Discusión: Las razones por las que las condiciones socioeconómicas pueden influir en un estilo de vida sedentario son variadas. La ausencia de espacios públicos puede contribuir al aumento de estilos de vida sedentarios en adolescentes de menor nivel socioeconómico. Conclusión: Esta investigación destaca la importancia de la inversión pública en políticas para incentivar la práctica de actividad física en adolescentes, especialmente en mujeres y estrato socioeconómico más bajo.

Clinical, economical and safety impact of ferric carboxymaltose use in Patient Blood Management programme in Portuguese National Health Service hospitals.

Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) can be used in Patient Blood Management (PBM) to promote the optimization of preoperative haemoglobin (Hb), which aims to minimise the use of allogeneic blood components and improve clinical outcomes, with better cost-effectiveness. This was an observational study conducted in a retrospective and multicentre cohort with adults from elective orthopaedic, cardiac and colorectal surgeries, treated according to local standards of PBM with allogeneic blood product transfusions (ABTs) on demand and with FCM to correct iron deficiency with or without anaemia. In this work, only the first pillar of the PBM model issue by Directorate-General for Health (DGS) was evaluated, which involves optimising Hb in the preoperative period with iron treatment if it's necessary/indicated. Before the implementation of PBM in Portugal, most patients did not undergo preoperative laboratory evaluation with blood count and iron kinetics. Therefore, the existence of Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) or Iron Deficiency (ID) without anaemia was not early detected, and there was no possibility of treating these patients with iron in order to optimise their Hb and/or iron stores. Those patients ended up being treated with ABTs on demand. A total of 405 patients from seven hospitals were included; 108 (26.7%) underwent FCM preoperatively and 197 (48.6%) were transfused with ABTs on demand. In the FCM preoperative cohort, there was an increase in patients with normal preoperative Hb, from 14.4 to 45.7%, before and after FCM, respectively, a decrease from 31.7 to 9.6% in moderate anaemia and no cases of severe anaemia after FCM administration, while 7.7% of patients were severely anaemic before FCM treatment. There were significant differences (p < 0.001) before and after correction of preoperative anaemia and/or iron deficiency with FCM in Hb, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation rate (TS). In the ABT group, there were significant differences between pre- and postoperative Hb levels (p < 0.001). Hb values tended to decrease, with 44.1% of patients moving from mild anaemia before transfusion to moderate anaemia in the postoperative period. Concerning the length of hospital stay, the group administered with ABTs had a longer hospital stay (p < 0.001). Regarding the clinical outcomes of nosocomial infection and mortality, there was no evidence that the rate of infection or mortality differed in each group (p = 0.075 and p = 0.243, respectively). However, there were fewer nosocomial infections in the FCM group (11.9% versus 21.2%) and mortality was higher in the transfusion group (21.2% versus 4.2%). Economic analysis showed that FCM could reduce allogenic blood products consumption and the associated costs. The economic impact of using FCM was around 19%. The preoperative Hb value improved when FMC was used. Patients who received ABTs appeared to have a longer hospital stay. The FCM group reported fewer infections during hospitalisation. The economic results showed savings of around €1000 for each patient with FCM administration. The use of FCM as part of the PBM program had a positive impact on patients' outcomes and on economic results. However, it will be essential to perform studies with a larger sample to obtain more robust and specific results.

Relationship between lifestyle and sociodemographic determinants and eating patterns among adults and the elderly: A population-based study

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify dietary patterns in an adult population and to verify the factors associated with them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional population-based household study with 1,574 individuals aged >20 years, of both sexes, living in Teresina and Picos, Piauí, Brazil. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and food consumption data were collected. Dietary patterns were obtained using principal component analysis. Results: There was a positive and significant association with the healthy eating pattern in women, elderly people, individuals with secondary and higher education and smokers. The white-meat pattern was positively associated with people without a partner and non-white skin, as well as with women, elderly people and smokers, and inversely with individuals with longer screen time and individuals with high school and college education. The unhealthy pattern was positively associated with individuals with excessive screen time and individuals with secondary and higher education, and inversely associated with individuals who were insufficiently active. Conclusion: Women, the elderly, individuals with a partner, non-smokers and active people have a healthier diet. However, men, smokers, with longer screen time and insufficiently active had a more inadequate diet, while the level of education showed contrasting results.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Identificar patrones dietéticos en una población de adultos y adultos mayoresy verificar los factores asociados a ellos. Métodos: Estudio transversal poblacional y domiciliario realizado en 1574 personas mayores de 20 años, de ambos sexos, residentes en Teresina y Picos, Piauí, Brasil. Se recogieron datos sociodemográficos, de estilo de vida y de consumo de alimentos. Los patrones dietéticos se obtuvieron mediante análisis de componentes principales. Resultados: Hubo asociación positiva y significativa con el patrón de alimentación saludable en mujeres, adultos mayores, individuos con educación secundaria y superior y fumadores. El patrón de carnes blancas se asoció positivamente con personas sin pareja y piel no blanca, así como con mujeres, personas mayores y fumadores, e inversamente con personas con mayor tiempo de pantalla y personas con educación secundaria y universitaria. El patrón insalubre se asoció positivamente con individuos con tiempo de pantalla excesivo y con individuos con educación secundaria y superior, y se asoció inversamente con individuos que eran insuficientemente activos. Conclusión: Las mujeres, los adultos mayores, las personas en pareja, los no fumadores y las personas activas tienen una dieta más saludable. Sin embargo, los hombres, fumadores, con mayor tiempo de pantalla e insuficientemente activos tenían una dieta más inadecuada, mientras que el nivel de educación mostró resultados contrastantes.

Surgical Error Compensation Claims as a Patient Safety Indicator: Causes and Economic Consequences in the Murcia Health System, 2002 to 2018.

OBJECTIVES: Compensation claims are a useful source of information on patient safety research. The purpose of this study was to determine the main causes of surgical compensation claims and their financial impact on the health system. METHODS: A descriptive observational study with analytical components was carried out on compensation claims brought against the surgical area of the Murcia Health System between 2002 and 2018. We analyzed the frequency, causes, consequences, locations and surgical settings of these claims, the time of judicial procedure, and compensation adjusted to the Consumer Price Index. RESULTS: There were 1172 compensation claims. "orthopedic surgery and traumatology" (27.4%), "gynecology and obstetrics" (25.7%), and "general surgery" (17.2%) were the main surgical settings involved. The most frequent causes were surgical error (42.4%) and treatment error (30.9%). The main sequelae were musculoskeletal (20.0%), neurological (17.7%), and obstetric (17.7%). The average time from incident to resolution of claims was 6.3 years. A total of 20.1% of these claims were successful, particularly those involving retained surgical foreign bodies (71.4% successful claims; P < 0.001). The total compensation paid was €56,338,247 (an average of €17,207 per claim). Compensation was higher in cases with respiratory sequelae (median, 131,600; P = 0.033), death (75,916; P < 0.001), and neurological (60,000; P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Compensation claims associated with surgical procedures are made on a variety of grounds. They are drawn-out proceedings, and patients are only successful in 20% of cases.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic or Open Lobectomy in Early-Stage Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: There is limited randomized evidence on the comparative outcomes of early-stage lung cancer resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) versus open resection. METHODS: We conducted a parallel-group multicenter randomized trial that recruited participants with known or suspected early-stage lung cancer and randomly assigned them to open or VATS resection of their lesions. The primary outcome was physical function at 5 weeks as a measure of recovery using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer core health-related quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) (scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better function; the clinical minimally important difference for improvement is 5 points). We followed the patients for an additional 47 weeks for other outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 503 participants were randomly assigned (247 to VATS and 256 to open lobectomy). At 5 weeks, median physical function was 73 in the VATS group and 67 in the open surgery group, with a mean difference of 4.65 points (95% confidence interval, 1.69 to 7.61). Of the participants allocated to VATS, 30.7% had serious adverse events after discharge compared with 37.8% of those allocated to open surgery (risk ratio, 0.81 [95% confidence interval, 0.66 to 1.00]). At 52 weeks, there were no differences in cancer progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.74 [0.43 to 1.27]) or overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.67 [0.32 to 1.40]). CONCLUSIONS: VATS lobectomy for lung cancer is associated with a better recovery of physical function in the 5 weeks after random assignment compared with open surgery. Long-term oncologic outcomes will require continued follow-up to assess. (Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme [reference number 13/04/03]; ISRCTN number, ISRCTN13472721.)

Excess weight in children living in rural areas related to the nutritional profile and to maternal habits.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between the nutritional status and eating habits of children aged from five to ten years old and their mothers, living in rural areas. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted with 156 children aged from five to ten years old, registered in the Family Health Strategies of the rural area of the Municipality of Divinópolis-MG (Brazil) from July 2017 to April 2018. RESULTS: The prevalence of excess weight was 27.5%. The following parameters were significantly associated with excess weight in the children: maternal waist circumference (OR=1.04), protein consumption (OR=1.02), irregular consumption of natural juice (OR=5.05), and the most favored socioeconomic level, C1 social stratum (OR=3.54). Regarding the correlation between nutrient intake of the children and their mothers, most of the correlations were weak to moderate, being statistically significant for all the dietary components evaluated (r=0.185 to 0.496). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal nutritional status was related to the child's excess weight and a weak to moderate correlation was observed for nutrient intake among the children and their mothers. A high prevalence of children with excess weight was observed in the rural areas. The results point to the need to implement collective approaches, targeted at rural families, so as to prevent this problem.

Non-invasive assessment of skeletal muscle fibrosis in mice using nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound shear wave elastography.

Fibrosis is a key pathological feature in muscle disorders, but its quantification mainly relies on histological and biochemical assays. Muscle fibrosis most frequently is entangled with other pathological processes, as cell membrane lesions, inflammation, necrosis, regeneration, or fatty infiltration, making in vivo assessment difficult. Here, we (1) describe a novel mouse model with variable levels of induced skeletal muscle fibrosis displaying minimal inflammation and no fat infiltration, and (2) report how fibrosis affects non-invasive metrics derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ultrasound shear-wave elastography (SWE) associated with a passive biomechanical assay. Our findings show that collagen fraction correlates with multiple non-invasive metrics. Among them, muscle stiffness as measured by SWE, T2, and extracellular volume (ECV) as measured by NMR have the strongest correlations with histology. We also report that combining metrics in a multi-modality index allowed better discrimination between fibrotic and normal skeletal muscles. This study demonstrates that skeletal muscle fibrosis leads to alterations that can be assessed in vivo with multiple imaging parameters. Furthermore, combining NMR and SWE passive biomechanical assay improves the non-invasive evaluation of skeletal muscle fibrosis and may allow disentangling it from co-occurring pathological alterations in more complex scenarios, such as muscular dystrophies.

Impact of public health initiatives on acute coronary syndrome fatality rates in Portugal.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Every year cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes 3.9 million deaths in Europe. Portugal has implemented a set of public health policies to tackle CVD mortality: a smoking ban in 2008, a salt reduction regulation in 2010 and the coronary fast-track system (FTS) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in 2007. Our goal in this study was to analyze the impact of these three public health policies in reducing case-fatality rates from ACS between 2000 and 2016. METHODS: The impact of these policies on monthly ACS case-fatalities was assessed by creating individual models for each of the initiatives and implementing multiple linear regression analysis, using standard methods for interrupted time series. We also implemented segmented regression analysis to test which year showed a significant difference in the case-fatality slopes. RESULTS: Separate modeling showed that the smoking ban (beta=-0.861, p=0.050) and the FTS (beta=-1.27, p=0.003) had an immediate impact after implementation, but did not have a significant impact on ACS trends. The salt reduction regulation did not have a significant impact. For the segmented model, we found significant differences between case-fatality trends before and after 2009, with rates before 2009 showing a steeper decrease. CONCLUSIONS: The smoking ban and the FTS led to an immediate decrease in case-fatality rates; however, after 2009 no major decrease in case-fatality trends was found. Coronary heart disease constitutes an immense public health problem and it remains essential for decision-makers, public health authorities and the cardiology community to keep working to reduce ACS mortality rates.

Garlic passion fruit (Passiflora tenuifila Killip): Assessment of eventual acute toxicity, anxiolytic, sedative, and anticonvulsant effects using in vivo assays.

Several Passiflora species are known for their sedative and anxiolytic properties. However, the functional properties of Passiflora tenuifila Killip are still unexplored. The objective of this work was to evaluate the phenolic composition and acute toxicity, anxiolytic, sedative, and anticonvulsant effects using in vivo assays. The whole fruit (peel, pulp, and seed) was lyophilized and used for all assays. LC-MS showed 19 phenolic compounds, tentatively identified as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Acute treatment with single doses of up to 2000 mg kg-1 in Wistar rats showed no signs of mortality or toxicity over 14 days. The assay of functional effects was performed with Swiss mice, four groups, received by gavage, doses of P. tenuifila (200 or 400 mg kg-1 body weight), water, and diazepam (as negative and positive control), and behavior tests were performed after 60 min of the treatments. The animals treated with P. tenuifila fruit showed a significant decrease in locomotor activity, indicating a sedative and anxiolytic activity. No significant changes were observed in the rotarod apparatus, suggesting that the P. tenuifila fruit did not cause muscle relaxation. The 400 mg kg-1 dose of P. tenuifila exerted a protective effect against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures, decreasing the severity and not causing the death of the animals. In conclusion, P. tenuifila showed no acute toxicity and had a promising effect as an anxiolytic agent, hypnotic-sedative and anticonvulsant, which could be related to its composition of flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Vulnerabilidades, concepções e atitudes relacionadas à saúde do homem / Susceptibilities, thoughts and attitudes related to men's health / Susceptibilidad, concepciones y actitudes relacionadas con la salud de los hombres

Objetivo: Este estudo objetivou analisar as vulnerabilidades relacionadas à saúde homem, bem como evidenciar as concepções e atitudes sobre saúde na ótica dos homens. Método: Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo descritivo/exploratório com abordagem qualitativa, de agosto a dezembro de 2012 com funcionários de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior, utilizando um roteiro de entrevista semiestruturado e análise dos dados através da técnica Análise de Conteúdo. Resultado: Da análise resultaram três categorias: concepções e atitudes sobre a saúde na óptica dos homens; vulnerabilidades relacionadas à saúde do homem; e resistência masculina para a busca dos serviços de saúde. Conclusão: Os costumes, pensamentos e estilo de vida dos homens, influenciam na baixa procura dos mesmos aos serviços de saúde, má alimentação, sedentarismo, acidentes de trânsito e de trabalho

Objective: The study's goal has been to analyze the susceptibilities related to men's health, as well as to highlight the thoughts and attitudes about health according to men's viewpoint. Methods: It is a descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach, which was carried out from august to december 2012 with employees from a higher education Institution and using a semi-structured interview script. Data analysis was performed through the content analysis technique. Results: The analysis resulted in the following three categories: thoughts and attitudes about health according to men's viewpoint; susceptibilities related to men's health; and, male resistance to searching for health services. Conclusion: Men's habits, thoughts and lifestyle influence their low demand for health services, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and both traffic and work accidents

Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar las vulnerabilidades relacionadas con la salud de los hombres, así como destacar las concepciones y actitudes sobre la salud desde la perspectiva de los hombres. Método: Para este propósito, se realizó un estudio descriptivo / exploratorio con un enfoque cualitativo, de agosto a diciembre de 2012 con empleados de una institución de educación superior, utilizando un guión de entrevista semiestructurada y análisis de datos utilizando la técnica de análisis de contenido. Resultado: El análisis dio como resultado tres categorías: concepciones y actitudes sobre la salud desde la perspectiva de los hombres; vulnerabilidades relacionadas con la salud de los hombres; y resistencia masculina a la búsqueda de servicios de salud. Conclusión: Las costumbres, los pensamientos y el estilo de vida de los hombres influyen en su baja demanda de servicios de salud, mala alimentación, inactividad física, accidentes de tránsito y laborales

Global Impact of Peripheral Obstructive Arterial Disease in Portugal: An Eight Year Study.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral arterial disease has an important impact on morbidity/mortality. The objective of this study was to quantify the impact of this disease in Portugal during the last eight years, expressed by the volume of admissions, treatment strategies and associated morbidity and mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We collected data from the Diagnosis Related Group national database on primary diagnosis, procedures codes, demographic variables, a number of risk factors, and mortality of all cases admitted from 2009 to 2016 with a primary diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease coded according to the 9th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-9). RESULTS: In this study, peripheral arterial disease led to 27 684 hospitalisations, which corresponded to 26.7% of all admissions for vascular disease in this period. Approximately 49.9% of patients were admitted to the emergency department. The volume of procedures in patients with claudication decreased over the eight years, unlike patients with critical ischaemia, in which the number of procedures increased. DISCUSSION: Age and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the severity of disease, as observed in our series. Overall hospital mortality varied, being significantly higher in patients with more advanced severity of the disease. CONCLUSION: Peripheral arterial disease represents an important burden in the overall volume of admissions in Portuguese public hospitals. A large number of patients was admitted in the context of emergency.

Introdução: A doença arterial obstrutiva periférica tem um importante impacto a nível de morbi/mortalidade. O objetivo deste trabalho é quantificar o impacto desta doença em Portugal, ao longo dos últimos oito anos, expresso pelo volume de internamento, tratamento e pela morbi-mortalidade respetiva. Material e Métodos: Foram analisados os registos de internamento no Serviço Nacional de Saúde entre 2009 e 2016 da base de dados dos grupos de diagnósticos homogéneos utilizando os códigos 9th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-9) de diagnóstico e procedimentos. Verificámos o número de casos em cada ano por estadio de doença, dados demográficos, fatores de risco, tratamento e morbi-mortalidade. Resultados: No período de estudo a doença arterial periférica conduziu a 27 684 internamentos o que correspondeu a cerca de 26,7 % do total de internamentos por patologia vascular neste período. Cerca de 49,9 % dos doentes foram admitidos em contexto de urgência. Os procedimentos em doentes claudicantes diminuíram ao longo dos oito anos ao contrário dos doentes com isquémia crítica em que os procedimentos aumentaram. Discussão: A idade e a presença de fatores de risco cardiovasculares têm sido associadas à gravidade da doença, tal como na nossa série. A mortalidade hospitalar global varia, sendo mais significativa nos doentes com doença mais avançada. Conclusão: A doença arterial periférica é uma patologia com importante representação no internamento dos hospitais do Serviço Nacional de Saúde. Há ainda um importante volume de doentes admitidos no contexto de urgência o que sugere eventual falta de reconhecimento/referenciação atempada por parte dos cuidados saúde primários, devendo mais esforços ser realizados no sentido de aumentar a interação entre os cuidados de saúde primários e os hospitais terciários.

Exploration of New Contrasts, Targets, and MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques for Neuromuscular Disease - A Workshop Report of Working Group 3 of the Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences COST Action BM1304 MYO-MRI.

Neuromuscular diseases are characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and muscle weakness resulting in functional disabilities. While each of these diseases is individually rare, they are common as a group, and a large majority lacks effective treatment with fully market approved drugs. Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques (MRI and MRS) are showing increasing promise as an outcome measure in clinical trials for these diseases. In 2013, the European Union funded the COST (co-operation in science and technology) action BM1304 called MYO-MRI (www.myo-mri.eu), with the overall aim to advance novel MRI and MRS techniques for both diagnosis and quantitative monitoring of neuromuscular diseases through sharing of expertise and data, joint development of protocols, opportunities for young researchers and creation of an online atlas of muscle MRI and MRS. In this report, the topics that were discussed in the framework of working group 3, which had the objective to: Explore new contrasts, new targets and new imaging techniques for NMD are described. The report is written by the scientists who attended the meetings and presented their data. An overview is given on the different contrasts that MRI can generate and their application, clinical needs and desired readouts, and emerging methods.

Mapping early environment using communication deviance: A longitudinal study of maternal sensitivity toward 6-month-old children.

Communication deviance (CD) reflects features of the content or manner of a person's speech that may confuse the listener and inhibit the establishment of a shared focus of attention. The construct was developed in the context of the study of familial risks for psychosis based on hypotheses regarding its effects during childhood. It is not known whether parental CD is associated with nonverbal parental behaviors that may be important in early development. This study explored the association between CD in a cohort of mothers (n = 287) at 32 weeks gestation and maternal sensitivity with infants at 29 weeks in a standard play procedure. Maternal CD predicted lower overall maternal sensitivity (B = -.385; p < .001), and the effect was somewhat greater for sensitivity to infant distress (B = -.514; p < .001) than for sensitivity to nondistress (B = -.311; p < .01). After controlling for maternal age, IQ and depression, and for socioeconomic deprivation, the associations with overall sensitivity and sensitivity to distress remained significant. The findings provide new pointers to intergenerational transmission of vulnerability involving processes implicated in both verbal and nonverbal parental behaviors.

Low birth weight and its associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the frequency and evaluate the factors associated with low birth weight. METHODS: A retrospective study, with data from pregnant women who participated in the Programa de Atenção às Gestantes do Programa Einstein na Comunidade de Paraisópolis, between 2011 and 2014, and who returned for the postpartum evaluation of their newborns. Variables related to the pregnant woman, pregnancy, and newborn were evaluated. The outcome variable was low birth weight, defined as <2.5kg. The associations between the independent variables and low birth weight were assessed by χ2 and Mann-Whitney tests. Logistic regression models analyzed the combined effects of the independent variables on low birth weight. RESULTS: Data of 794 pregnant women and their newborns (52.1% males) were analyzed. The age of pregnant women varied from 13 to 44 years (median of 24 years), and the majority reported being married or living in cohabitation (74.7%), and having between 9 to 11 years of schooling (53.4%). The proportion of low birth weight was 7.6% (newborn mean weight of 3.2kg) and, in multivariate analysis, presence of twinning, age group of the pregnant women (showing protection for low birth weight between ages ≥18 years and <35 years), and cesarean section were associated with low birth weight. CONCLUSION: The proportion of low birth weight was 7.6% and twining, age of the pregnant woman, and cesarean delivery were associated with the occurrence of low birth weight.

Low birth weight and its associated factors / Baixo peso ao nascer e seus fatores associados

ABSTRACT Objective To calculate the frequency and evaluate the factors associated with low birth weight. Methods A retrospective study, with data from pregnant women who participated in the Programa de Atenção às Gestantes do Programa Einstein na Comunidade de Paraisópolis, between 2011 and 2014, and who returned for the postpartum evaluation of their newborns. Variables related to the pregnant woman, pregnancy, and newborn were evaluated. The outcome variable was low birth weight, defined as <2.5kg. The associations between the independent variables and low birth weight were assessed by χ2 and Mann-Whitney tests. Logistic regression models analyzed the combined effects of the independent variables on low birth weight. Results Data of 794 pregnant women and their newborns (52.1% males) were analyzed. The age of pregnant women varied from 13 to 44 years (median of 24 years), and the majority reported being married or living in cohabitation (74.7%), and having between 9 to 11 years of schooling (53.4%). The proportion of low birth weight was 7.6% (newborn mean weight of 3.2kg) and, in multivariate analysis, presence of twinning, age group of the pregnant women (showing protection for low birth weight between ages ≥18 years and <35 years), and cesarean section were associated with low birth weight. Conclusion The proportion of low birth weight was 7.6% and twining, age of the pregnant woman, and cesarean delivery were associated with the occurrence of low birth weight.

RESUMO Objetivo Calcular a frequência e avaliar os fatores associados ao baixo peso ao nascer. Métodos Estudo retrospectivo, com os dados das gestantes que participaram do Programa de Atenção às Gestantes do Programa Einstein na Comunidade de Paraisópolis, entre 2011 e 2014, e que retornaram para realizar a avaliação de seus recém-nascidos após o parto. Foram avaliadas as variáveis relacionadas à gestante, à gestação e ao recém-nascido. A variável desfecho foi o baixo peso ao nascer, definido como <2,5kg. As associações entre as variáveis independentes e o baixo peso ao nascer foram avaliadas por meio dos testes χ2e de Mann-Whitney. Modelos de regressão logística analisaram os efeitos combinados das variáveis independentes no baixo peso ao nascer. Resultados Foram analisados os dados de 794 gestantes e de seus recém-nascidos (52,1% do sexo masculino). A idade das gestantes variou de 13 a 44 anos (mediana de 24 anos) e a maioria referia ser casada ou estar em união estável (74,7%) e possuir entre 9 a 11 anos de estudo (53,4%). A proporção de baixo peso ao nascer foi de 7,6% (peso médio do recém-nascido de 3,2kg) e, na análise múltipla, a presença de gemelaridade, a faixa etária das gestantes (mostrando proteção para o baixo peso ao nascer nas idades ≥18 anos e <35 anos), e o parto cesárea se associaram com o baixo peso ao nascer. Conclusão A proporção de baixo peso ao nascer foi de 7,6% e gemelaridade, idade da gestante e parto cesárea se associaram com a ocorrência de baixo peso ao nascer.

Comparison of two methods to estimate adverse events in the IBEAS Study (Ibero-American study of adverse events): cross-sectional versus retrospective cohort design.

BACKGROUND: Adverse events (AEs) epidemiology is the first step to improve practice in the healthcare system. Usually, the preferred method used to estimate the magnitude of the problem is the retrospective cohort study design, with retrospective reviews of the medical records. However this data collection involves a sophisticated sampling plan, and a process of intensive review of sometimes very heavy and complex medical records. Cross-sectional survey is also a valid and feasible methodology to study AEs. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to compare AEs detection using two different methodologies: cross-sectional versus retrospective cohort design. SETTING: Secondary and tertiary hospitals in five countries: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. PARTICIPANTS: The IBEAS Study is a cross-sectional survey with a sample size of 11 379 patients. The retrospective cohort study was obtained from a 10% random sample proportional to hospital size from the entire IBEAS Study population. METHODS: This study compares the 1-day prevalence of the AEs obtained in the IBEAS Study with the incidence obtained through the retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: The prevalence of patients with AEs was 10.47% (95% CI 9.90 to 11.03) (1191/11 379), while the cumulative incidence of the retrospective cohort study was 19.76% (95% CI 17.35% to 22.17%) (215/1088). In both studies the highest risk of suffering AEs was seen in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Comorbid patients and patients with medical devices showed higher risk. CONCLUSION: The retrospective cohort design, although requires more resources, allows to detect more AEs than the cross-sectional design.