Performance of the Gail and Tyrer-Cuzick breast cancer risk assessment models in women screened in a primary care setting with the FHS-7 questionnaire.

Breast cancer (BC) risk assessment models base their estimations on different aspects of a woman's personal and familial history. The Gail and Tyrer-Cuzick models are the most commonly used, and BC risks assigned by them vary considerably especially concerning familial history. In this study, our aim was to compare the Gail and Tyrer-Cuzick models after initial screening for familial history of cancer in primary care using the FHS-7 questionnaire. We compared 846 unrelated women with at least one positive answer to any of the seven FHS-7 questions (positive group) and 892 unrelated women that answered negatively (negative group). Concordance between BC risk estimates was compared by Bland-Altman graphics. Mean BC risk estimates were higher using the Tyrer-Cuzick Model in women from the positive group, while women from the negative group had higher BC risk estimates using the Gail model. With increasing estimates, discordance also increased, mainly in the FHS-7 positive group. Our results show that in women with a familial history of cancer, the Gail model underestimates risk and the Tyrer-Cuzick seems to be more appropriate. FHS-7 can be a useful tool for the identification of women with higher breast cancer risks in the primary care setting.

Electronic Version of the EQ-5D Quality-of-Life Questionnaire: Adaptation to a Brazilian Population Sample.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the measurement equivalence of the original paper version of an adapted tablet version of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D). METHODS: A randomly selected sample of 509 individuals aged 18 to 64 years from the general population responded to the EQ-5D at two time points separated by a minimum interval of 24 hours and were allocated to one of the following groups: test-retest group (tablet-tablet) or crossover group (paper-tablet and tablet-paper). Agreement between methods was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the κ coefficient. RESULTS: In the crossover group, the following ICC values were obtained: 0.76 (confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.89) for EQ-5D scores and 0.77 (CI 0.68-0.84) for visual analogue scale in subjects responding first to the tablet version; 0.83 (CI 0.75-0.89) for EQ-5D scores and 0.75 (CI 0.67-0.85) for visual analogue scale in subjects responding first to the paper version. In the test-retest group, the ICC was 0.85 (CI 0.73-0.91) for EQ-5D scores and 0.79 (CI 0.66-0.87) for visual analogue scale. The κ values were higher than 0.69 in this group. The internal consistencies of the paper and tablet methods were similar. CONCLUSIONS: The paper and tablet versions of the EQ-5D are equivalent. Test-retest and crossover agreement was high and the acceptability of the methods was similar among individuals.

Contextual and individual factors associated with dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Unified National Health System, 2011-2012.

User satisfaction is known to be related to quality of healthcare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of contextual and individual factors associated with user dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). This was a cross-sectional multilevel study. Data were collected via telephone by the ombudsman's office of the SUS. Telephone numbers were randomly selected from a telephone company database. Health services, socioeconomic, and individual demographic variables were evaluated, in addition to information on the municipalities. The outcome variable was dissatisfaction with the SUS. Hierarchical multilevel logistic regression was used, and 18,673 individuals were contacted. Prevalence of dissatisfaction was 63.4% (95%CI: 62.7-64.1). Unmet demand (OR = 3.66), waiting time > 4 hours (OR = 2.82), and number of Primary Healthcare Units (OR = 0.89) were associated statistically with dissatisfaction. Characteristics of the health teams' work process showed a strong association with dissatisfaction.

Contextual and individual factors associated with dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Unified National Health System, 2011-2012 / Fatores contextuais e individuais associados à insatisfação com o Sistema Único de Saúde, 2011-2012 / Factores contextuales e individuales asociados a la insatisfacción con el Sistema Único de Salud brasileño, 2011-2012

Abstract: User satisfaction is known to be related to quality of healthcare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of contextual and individual factors associated with user dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). This was a cross-sectional multilevel study. Data were collected via telephone by the ombudsman's office of the SUS. Telephone numbers were randomly selected from a telephone company database. Health services, socioeconomic, and individual demographic variables were evaluated, in addition to information on the municipalities. The outcome variable was dissatisfaction with the SUS. Hierarchical multilevel logistic regression was used, and 18,673 individuals were contacted. Prevalence of dissatisfaction was 63.4% (95%CI: 62.7-64.1). Unmet demand (OR = 3.66), waiting time > 4 hours (OR = 2.82), and number of Primary Healthcare Units (OR = 0.89) were associated statistically with dissatisfaction. Characteristics of the health teams' work process showed a strong association with dissatisfaction.

Resumo: Sabe-se que a satisfação do usuário relaciona-se com a qualidade em saúde. O objetivo foi avaliar a influência de fatores contextuais e individuais associados a insatisfação do usuário com o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Este é um estudo transversal multinível. Os dados foram coletados pela ouvidoria através de contato telefônico. Números de telefone foram selecionados aleatoriamente de um banco de dados de empresas de telefonia. Foram avaliadas variáveis de serviço de saúde, socioeconômicas e demográficas individuais, bem como informações dos municípios. O desfecho foi insatisfação com o SUS. Regressão logística multinível foi utilizada, com uma abordagem hierárquica. 18.673 indivíduos foram contatados. A prevalência de insatisfação foi 63,4% (IC95%: 62,7-64,1). Demanda não resolvida (OR = 3,66), espera > 4 horas (OR = 2,82) e número de unidades básicas de saúde (OR = 0,89) estiveram associados à insatisfação. Características do processo de trabalho das equipes de saúde foram fortemente associadas à insatisfação.

Resumen: Se sabe que la satisfacción del usuario se relaciona con la calidad en salud. El objetivo fue evaluar la influencia de factores contextuales e individuales asociados a la insatisfacción del usuario con el Sistema Único de Salud brasileño (SUS). Este es un estudio transversal multinivel. Los datos fueron recogidos por una auditoría a través de contacto telefónico. Se seleccionaron los números de teléfono aleatoriamente de un banco de datos de empresas de telefonía. Se evaluaron variables de servicio de salud, socioeconómicas y demográficas individuales, así como información de los municipios. El resultado fue insatisfactorio en relación con el SUS. Se utilizó la regresión logística multinivel, con un enfoque jerárquico. 18.673 individuos fueron contactados. La prevalencia de insatisfacción fue de un 63,4% (IC95%: 62,7-64,1). La demanda no resuelta (OR = 3,66), espera > 4 horas (OR = 2,82) y número de unidades básicas de salud (OR = 0,89) estuvieron asociados a la insatisfacción. Características del proceso de trabajo de los equipos de salud estuvieron fuertemente asociadas a la insatisfacción.

Fibre intake and evolution of BMI: from pre-pregnancy to postpartum.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of fibre intake on the evolution of maternal BMI from pregnancy to postpartum and to identify dietary patterns associated with fibre intake. DESIGN: Cohort study. Food intake was obtained using an FFQ. Focused principal component analysis was used focusing on the variables: postpartum weight retention and total dietary fibre intake. Poisson regression models with robust variance were built in order to measure the effect of fibre intake during the postpartum period on obesity risk. SETTING: Primary care clinics in southern Brazil. SUBJECTS: Pregnant women (n 370) were followed until the 5th month postpartum. RESULTS: The highest contribution to fibre intake came from the consumption of beans. Consumption of bread and rice indicated a common Brazilian food pattern along with beans. Participants retained a median of 4.4 (interquartile range 0.6, 7.9) kg of weight gained during pregnancy. Obesity risk, defined as an unfavourable evolution of BMI during pregnancy and postpartum, was present in 189 (55.1%) women. Individual food items did not have an important effect on weight retention. In Poisson regression adjusting for maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI and total gestational weight gain, inadequate postpartum fibre intake increased obesity risk by 24% (relative risk 51.24; 95% CI 1.05, 1.47). CONCLUSIONS: Important maternal weight retention occurred in these women. Adequate fibre intake may reduce obesity risk in the period following childbirth.

Cost-effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in Brazil: primary prevention analysis in the public sector.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Despite its widespread use in developing countries, limited data exist on its cost-effectiveness in these settings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ICD in CHF patients under the perspective of the Brazilian Public Healthcare System (PHS). METHODS: We developed a Markov model to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of ICD compared with conventional therapy in patients with CHF and New York Heart Association class II and III. Effectiveness was evaluated in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and time horizon was 20 years. We searched MEDLINE for clinical trials and cohort studies to estimate data from effectiveness, complications, mortality, and utilities. Costs from the PHS were retrieved from national administrative databases. The model's robustness was assessed through Monte Carlo simulation and one-way sensitivity analysis. Costs were expressed as international dollars, applying the purchasing power parity conversion rate (PPP US$). RESULTS: ICD therapy was more costly and more effective, with incremental cost-effectiveness estimates of PPP US$ 50,345/QALY. Results were more sensitive to costs related to the device, generator replacement frequency and ICD effectiveness. In a simulation resembling the MADIT-I population survival and ICD benefit, the ICER was PPP US$ 17,494/QALY and PPP US$ 15,394/life years. CONCLUSIONS: In a Brazilian scenario, where ICD cost is proportionally more elevated than in developed countries, ICD therapy was associated with a high cost-effectiveness ratio. The results were more favorable for a patient subgroup at increased risk of sudden death.