An analysis of malaria in the Brazilian Legal Amazon using divergent association rules.

In data analysis, the mining of frequent patterns plays an important role in the discovery of associations and correlations between data. During this process, it is common to produce thousands of association rules (ARs), making the study of each one arduous. This problem weakens the process of finding useful information. There is a scientific effort to develop approaches capable of filtering interesting patterns, balancing the number of ARs produced with the goal of not being trivial and known by specialists. However, even when such approaches are adopted, the number of produced ARs can still be high. This work contributes by presenting Divergent Association Rules Approach (DARA), a novel approach for obtaining ARs that presents themselves in divergence with the data distribution. DARA is applied right after traditional approaches to filtering interesting patterns. To validate our approach, we studied the dataset related to the occurrence of malaria in the Brazilian Legal Amazon. The discovered patterns highlight that ARs brought relevant insights from the data. This article contributes both in the medical and computer science fields since this novel computational approach enabled new findings regarding malaria in Brazil.

Multi-criteria decision analysis and spatial statistic: an approach to determining human vulnerability to vector transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected human disease. It is endemic to the Americas and is estimated to have an economic impact, including lost productivity and disability, of 7 billion dollars per year on average. OBJECTIVES: To assess vulnerability to vector-borne transmission of T. cruzi in domiciliary environments within an area undergoing domiciliary vector interruption of T. cruzi in Colombia. METHODS: Multi-criteria decision analysis [preference ranking method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) and geometrical analysis for interactive assistance (GAIA) methods] and spatial statistics were performed on data from a socio-environmental questionnaire and an entomological survey. In the construction of multi-criteria descriptors, decision-making processes and indicators of five determinants of the CD vector pathway were summarily defined, including: (1) house indicator (HI); (2) triatominae indicator (TI); (3) host/reservoir indicator (Ho/RoI); (4) ecotope indicator (EI); and (5) socio-cultural indicator (S-CI). FINDINGS: Determination of vulnerability to CD is mostly influenced by TI, with 44.96% of the total weight in the model, while the lowest contribution was from S-CI, with 7.15%. The five indicators comprise 17 indices, and include 78 of the original 104 priority criteria and variables. The PROMETHEE and GAIA methods proved very efficient for prioritisation and quantitative categorisation of socio-environmental determinants and for better determining which criteria should be considered for interrupting the man-T. cruzi-vector relationship in endemic areas of the Americas. Through the analysis of spatial autocorrelation it is clear that there is a spatial dependence in establishing categories of vulnerability, therefore, the effect of neighbors' setting (border areas) on local values should be incorporated into disease management for establishing programs of surveillance and control of CD via vector. CONCLUSIONS: The study model proposed here is flexible and can be adapted to various eco-epidemiological profiles and is suitable for focusing anti-T. cruzi serological surveillance programs in vulnerable human populations.

Increased Hospitalizations for Neuropathies as Indicators of Zika Virus Infection, according to Health Information System Data, Brazil.

Evidence is increasing that Zika virus can cause extensive damage to the central nervous system, affecting both fetuses and adults. We sought to identify traces of possible clinical manifestations of nervous system diseases among the registers of hospital admissions recorded in the Brazilian Unified Health System. Time series of several diagnoses from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, were analyzed by using control diagrams, during January 2008-February 2016. Beginning in mid-2014, we observed an unprecedented and significant rise in the hospitalization rate for congenital malformations of the nervous system, Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalitis, myelitis, and encephalomyelitis. These conditions are compatible with viral infection and inflammation-associated manifestations and may have been due to the entrance of Zika virus into Brazil. These findings show the necessity of adequately diagnosing and treating suspected cases of Zika virus infection and also that health surveillance systems can be improved by using routine data.

Manifestation and sociodemographic microdata of Brazil's Unified Health System Ombudsman.

OBJECTIVES: This article presents the process of extraction and treatment of two datasets from the General Ombudsman of the Brazilian Unified Health System (OUVSUS). The resulting datasets allow the analysis of manifestation characteristics and sociodemographic profile of the citizens that performed these manifestations. DATA DESCRIPTION: The first dataset depicts the characteristics of the manifestations registered by the General Ombudsman. Each row represents an individual manifestation and contains information such as the registration date, classification, input channel, and subject, among others. The second dataset is constituted of sociodemographic information for each citizen that performed a manifestation, and characteristics such as sexual orientation, race, age, and geographic location of the citizen are presented, among others.

Dataset on infant mortality rates in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Surveillance of infant and fetal deaths is of paramount importance in thinking about government strategies to reduce these rates, provide greater visibility of these mortality figures in the country, enable the adoption of prevention measures, as well as contribute to a better record of deaths. DATA DESCRIPTION: The dataset comprises fetal, neonatal, early neonatal, late neonatal, and perinatal Mortality Rates of Brazilian municipalities with their respective information, between 2010 to 2020, aggregated by epidemiological week.

A comprehensive integrated dataset on Brazilian health facilities: from 2005 to 2021.

OBJECTIVES: The National Registry of Healthcare Facilities is a system with the registry of every healthcare facility in Brazil with information on the capacity building and healthcare workforce regarding its public or private nature. Despite being publicly available, it can only be accessed in separated disjoint tables, with different primary units of analysis. The objective is to offer an interoperable dataset containing monthly data from 2005 to 2021 with information on healthcare facilities, including their physical and human resources, services and teams, enriched with municipal information. DATA DESCRIPTION: Database with historical data and geographic information for each health facility in Brazil. It is composed by 5 distinct tables, organized according to combinations of time, space, and types of resources, services and teams. This database opens up a range of possibilities for research topics, from case studies in a single health facility and period, analysis of a group of health facilities with characteristics of interest, to a broader study using the entire dataset and aggregated data by municipality. Furthermore, the fact that there is a row for each health facility/month/year facilitates the integration with other datasets from the Brazilian healthcare system. In addition to being a potential object of study in the health area, the dataset is also convenient in data science, especially for studies focused on time series.

Analysis of the trend of mortality from HIV/AIDS according to sociodemographic characteristics in Brazil, 2000 to 2018. / Análise da tendência da mortalidade por HIV/AIDS segundo características sociodemográficas no Brasil, 2000 a 2018.

This investigation analyzed the trend of HIV/AIDS mortality by sociodemographic characteristics in the Brazilian states from 2000 to 2018. This is an ecological study of time-series of standardized rates of mortality from AIDS overall, by gender, age group, marital status, and ethnicity/skin color, employing the Prais-Winsten generalized linear model. The results showed that the states with the highest rates were Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina. The trend was increasing in the North and Northeast. Men had higher rates than women and the general population. The most advanced age groups showed a growing trend. The analysis by marital status showed higher and growing rates among the unmarried. Blacks had higher rates, except for Paraná, with a mainly increasing trend. Mortality due to HIV/AIDS had different trends by sociodemographic characteristics, with a need for preventive and care actions for men, adults, older adults, unmarried, and black people due to the change in the mortality profile.

A investigação analisou a tendência da mortalidade por HIV/Aids segundo características sociodemográficas nos estados brasileiros entre 2000 e 2018. Estudo ecológico de série temporal das taxas padronizadas de mortalidade por Aids geral, por sexo, faixa etária, estado civil e raça/cor. Foi utilizado o modelo linear generalizado de Prais-Winsten. Os resultados do estudo evidenciaram que os estados com as maiores taxas foram Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Santa Catarina. A tendência foi crescente nas regiões Norte e Nordeste. Os homens tiveram taxas mais elevadas quando comparados às mulheres e à população geral. Quanto às faixas etárias, as mais avançadas mostraram tendência a crescimento. A análise de acordo com o estado civil evidenciou taxas mais elevadas entre os não casados e tendência a crescimento concentrada nesta população. De acordo com raça/cor, identificou-se que os negros apresentaram maiores taxas, exceto no Paraná, e a tendência foi majoritariamente crescente. A mortalidade por HIV/Aids apresenta tendências distintas segundo as características sociodemográficas, verificando-se necessidade de ações de prevenção e cuidado aos homens, adultos, idosos, não casados e negros em vista de mudança no perfil da mortalidade.

Comparison of sampling designs from the two editions of the Brazilian National Health Survey, 2013 and 2019.

Our objective is to describe the differences in the sampling plans of the two editions of the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS 2013 and 2019) and to evaluate how the changes affected the coefficient of variation (CV) and the design effect (Deff) of some estimated indicators. Variables from different parts of the questionnaire were analyzed to cover proportions with different magnitudes. The prevalence of obesity was included in the analysis since anthropometry measurement in the 2019 survey was performed in a subsample. The value of the point estimate, CV, and the Deff were calculated for each indicator, considering the stratification of the primary sampling units, the weighting of the sampling units, and the clustering effect. The CV and the Deff were lower in the 2019 estimates for most indicators. Concerning the questionnaire indicators of all household members, the Deffs were high and reached values greater than 18 for having a health insurance plan. Regarding the indicators of the individual questionnaire, for the prevalence of obesity, the Deff ranged from 2.7 to 4.2, in 2013, and from 2.7 to 10.2, in 2019. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes per Federative Unit had a higher CV and lower Deff. Expanding the sample size to meet the diverse health objectives and the high Deff are significant challenges for developing probabilistic household-based national survey. New probabilistic sampling strategies should be considered to reduce costs and clustering effects.

Estimation of COVID-19 Under-Reporting in the Brazilian States Through SARI.

Due to its impact, COVID-19 has been stressing the academy to search for curing, mitigating, or controlling it. It is believed that under-reporting is a relevant factor in determining the actual mortality rate and, if not considered, can cause significant misinformation. Therefore, this work aims to estimate the under-reporting of cases and deaths of COVID-19 in Brazilian states using data from the InfoGripe. InfoGripe targets notifications of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). The methodology is based on the combination of data analytics (event detection methods) and time series modeling (inertia and novelty concepts) over hospitalized SARI cases. The estimate of real cases of the disease, called novelty, is calculated by comparing the difference in SARI cases in 2020 (after COVID-19) with the total expected cases in recent years (2016-2019). The expected cases are derived from a seasonal exponential moving average. The results show that under-reporting rates vary significantly between states and that there are no general patterns for states in the same region in Brazil. The states of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso have the highest rates of under-reporting of cases. The rate of under-reporting of deaths is high in the Rio Grande do Sul and the Minas Gerais. This work can be highlighted for the combination of data analytics and time series modeling. Our calculation of under-reporting rates based on SARI is conservative and better characterized by deaths than for cases.

Neonatal mortality rates in Brazilian municipalities: from 1996 to 2017.

OBJECTIVES: Neonatal mortality is a global public health problem, and the efforts to reduce child mortality is one of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, launched in 2015 by the United Nations. The availability of historical neonatal mortality rates (NMR) data in Brazilian municipalities is crucial to evaluate trends at local, regional and national level, identifying gaps and vulnerable territories. Therefore, the objective of this article is to offer an integrated dataset containing monthly data in a historical series from 1996 to 2017 with information on all births, neonatal deaths, and NMR (total, early and late components) enriched with information related to the municipality. DATA DESCRIPTION: It is a dataset of historical data with information on the number of births, the number of neonatal deaths, the neonatal mortality rate (including early and late), and geographic information for each month (between January 1996 and December 2017) and Brazilian municipality.

An integrated dataset of malaria notifications in the Legal Amazon.

OBJECTIVES: Malaria is an infectious disease that annually presents around 200,000 cases in Brazil. The availability of data on malaria is crucial for enabling and supporting studies that can promote actions to prevent it. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to contribute to such studies by offering an integrated dataset containing data on reported and suspected cases of malaria in the Brazilian Legal Amazon comprising the period from the years 2009 to 2019. DATA DESCRIPTION: This paper presents a dataset with all medical records of patients who were tested for malaria in the Brazilian Legal Amazon from 2009 to 2019. The dataset has 40 attributes and 22,923,977 records of suspected cases of malaria. Around 12% of the data correspond to confirmed cases of malaria. The attributes include data regarding the notifications, examinations, as well as personal patient information, which are organized into health regions.

[Intraurban differentials in congenital syphilis: a predictive analysis by neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Diferenciais intraurbanos da sífilis congênita: análise preditiva por bairros do Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The study aimed to characterize notified cases of congenital syphilis from 2011 to 2014 in the city of Rio de Janeiro and to analyze possible associations between congenital syphilis and living conditions in the city's neighborhoods. Cases of congenital syphilis were characterized according to biological and socioeconomic variables and health services use. At the aggregate level, regression tree technique was used for the data analysis, with mean incidence rate (2011-2014) of congenital syphilis as the dependent variable and housing quality, schooling, income, teenage pregnancy, poverty density, access to prenatal care, and skin color as independent variables. The dependent variable was mapped to identify spatial patterns. The SINAN, SINASC, and IBGE databases were used for notifiable diseases, live births, and census data, respectively. A total of 6,274 cases of congenital syphilis were reported, which represents an incidence rate of 17.3 cases/1,000 live births. Cases were distributed in the central, northern peripheral, and western zones of the city, with a high proportion of cases in infants of black mothers with low schooling. There was also a high proportion of pregnant women with late diagnosis of syphilis and inadequate treatment. At the aggregate level, the most relevant variable for explaining the problem was the low proportion of pregnant women with at least 7 prenatal visits. The analysis allowed the identification of marginalized population segments and can help direct public health resources more effectively.

O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar os casos notificados de sífilis congênita no período de 2011 a 2014, no Município do Rio de Janeiro, e analisar possíveis associações entre a morbidade por sífilis congênita e as condições de vida das populações residentes nos bairros da cidade. Os casos de sífilis congênita foram caracterizados de acordo com variáveis biológicas, socioeconômicas e de utilização de serviços de saúde. No nível agregado, utilizou-se a árvore de regressão como técnica de análise de dados, tendo a taxa de incidência média (2011-2014) de sífilis congênita como variável dependente, e indicadores relativos à qualidade habitacional, educação, renda, gravidez na adolescência, densidade de pobres, acesso à assistência pré-natal e cor da pele como variáveis independentes. Houve mapeamento da variável dependente para a identificação de padrões espaciais. Utilizaram-se dados do SINAN, SINASC e IBGE. Foram notificados 6.274 casos de sífilis congênita, o que representa uma taxa de incidência de 17,3 casos/mil nascidos vivos. Os casos se distribuem preponderantemente na zona central, norte suburbana e oeste da cidade, com elevada proporção de casos com baixa escolaridade e de cor da pele negra. Observou-se alta proporção de gestantes que tiveram diagnóstico tardio de sífilis e tratamento inadequado. No nível agregado, a variável mais relevante para a explicação dos problemas foi a baixa proporção de gestantes que frequentaram, no mínimo, sete consultas de assistência pré-natal. A análise permitiu a identificação de segmentos de populações marginalizadas, podendo direcionar de maneira efetiva a distribuição de recursos de saúde pública.

El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar los casos notificados de sífilis congénita, durante el período de 2011 a 2014, en el municipio de Río de Janeiro, analizar posibles asociaciones entre la morbilidad por sífilis congénita, y las condiciones de vida de las poblaciones residentes en los barrios de la ciudad. Los casos de sífilis congénita fueron caracterizados de acuerdo a variables biológicas, socioeconómicas y de utilización de servicios de salud. En el nivel agregado, se utilizó el árbol de regresión como técnica de análisis de datos, considerando la tasa de incidencia media (2011-2014) de sífilis congénita como variable dependiente, e indicadores relativos a la calidad habitacional, educación, renta, embarazo en la adolescencia, densidad de pobres, acceso a la asistencia prenatal y color de piel como variables independientes. Hubo un mapeo de la variable dependiente para la identificación de patrones espaciales. Se utilizaron datos del SINAN, SINASC e IBGE. Se notificaron 6.274 casos de sífilis congénita, lo que representa una tasa de incidencia de 17,3 casos/1.000 nacidos vivos. Los casos se distribuyen preponderantemente en la zona central, norte suburbana y oeste de la ciudad, con una elevada proporción de casos con baja escolaridad y con color de piel negro. Se observó una alta proporción de gestantes que tuvieron un diagnóstico tardío de sífilis y tratamiento inadecuado. En el nivel agregado, la variable más relevante para la explicación de los problemas fue la baja proporción de gestantes que frecuentaron, al menos, 7 consultas de asistencia prenatal. El análisis permitió la identificación de segmentos de poblaciones marginadas, pudiendo dirigir de manera efectiva la distribución de recursos de salud pública.

Drought in the Semiarid Region of Brazil: Exposure, Vulnerabilities and Health Impacts from the Perspectives of Local Actors.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to understand and assess the perception of communities, organized civil society, health professionals, and decision-makers of several governmental institutions, regarding vulnerabilities and health impacts in drought prone municipalities of Brazil. METHODS: This study was carried out through a qualitative investigation in eight municipalities in the Brazilian Semiarid region. Data collection was done through semi-structure and structure interviews, and discussion with local actors, which included communities groups, health professionals, governmental managers and organized civil society. RESULTS: The results point to the local actors' concerns and to the fragility of the health sector in the planning of integrated actions directed towards risks and impacts associated with drought conditions on human health. DISCUSSION: The lack of a specific knowledge contributes to making invisible the process that determines the impacts of drought on health, leading to an acceptance of drought in those municipalities, reducing the capacity of the health system to respond to droughts. KEYWORDS: drought, vulnerability, risks, health, perception, Brazilian Semiarid, resilience.

The role of Brazilian National Health Information Systems in assessing the impact of Zika virus outbreak.

The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic has become a public health emergency following its association with severe neurological complications. We aim to discuss how the Brazilian National Health Information Systems can help to assess the impact of the ZIKV epidemic on health outcomes potentially related to ZIKV. Health outcomes potentially related to ZIKV infection were described based on a literature review of published studies on ZIKV infection outcomes and on recent protocols developed and published by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for different stages of the life cycle. These outcomes were correlated with the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) classification system, as this is the diagnostic classification registered in the Health Information System. A suggested list of 50 clinical manifestations, dispersed into 4 ICD chapters, and their information sources was created to help monitor the ZIKV epidemics and trends. Correlation of these selected ICD-10 codes and the HIS, as well as, a review of the potentialities and limitations of health information systems were performed. The potential of the Health Information System and its underutilization by stakeholders and researchers have been a barrier in diagnosing and reporting ZIKV infection and its complications. The ZIKV outbreak is still a challenge for health practice and the Brazilian Health Information System.

Análise da tendência da mortalidade por HIV/AIDS segundo características sociodemográficas no Brasil, 2000 a 2018 / Analysis of the trend of mortality from HIV/AIDS according to sociodemographic characteristics in Brazil, 2000 to 2018

Resumo A investigação analisou a tendência da mortalidade por HIV/Aids segundo características sociodemográficas nos estados brasileiros entre 2000 e 2018. Estudo ecológico de série temporal das taxas padronizadas de mortalidade por Aids geral, por sexo, faixa etária, estado civil e raça/cor. Foi utilizado o modelo linear generalizado de Prais-Winsten. Os resultados do estudo evidenciaram que os estados com as maiores taxas foram Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Santa Catarina. A tendência foi crescente nas regiões Norte e Nordeste. Os homens tiveram taxas mais elevadas quando comparados às mulheres e à população geral. Quanto às faixas etárias, as mais avançadas mostraram tendência a crescimento. A análise de acordo com o estado civil evidenciou taxas mais elevadas entre os não casados e tendência a crescimento concentrada nesta população. De acordo com raça/cor, identificou-se que os negros apresentaram maiores taxas, exceto no Paraná, e a tendência foi majoritariamente crescente. A mortalidade por HIV/Aids apresenta tendências distintas segundo as características sociodemográficas, verificando-se necessidade de ações de prevenção e cuidado aos homens, adultos, idosos, não casados e negros em vista de mudança no perfil da mortalidade.

Abstract This investigation analyzed the trend of HIV/AIDS mortality by sociodemographic characteristics in the Brazilian states from 2000 to 2018. This is an ecological study of time-series of standardized rates of mortality from AIDS overall, by gender, age group, marital status, and ethnicity/skin color, employing the Prais-Winsten generalized linear model. The results showed that the states with the highest rates were Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina. The trend was increasing in the North and Northeast. Men had higher rates than women and the general population. The most advanced age groups showed a growing trend. The analysis by marital status showed higher and growing rates among the unmarried. Blacks had higher rates, except for Paraná, with a mainly increasing trend. Mortality due to HIV/AIDS had different trends by sociodemographic characteristics, with a need for preventive and care actions for men, adults, older adults, unmarried, and black people due to the change in the mortality profile.

Alostasis y carga alostática de las enfermedades / Allostasis and allostatic load of diseases

Introducción: La homeostasis es la propiedad fundamental de los sistemas biológicos de preservar el medio interno. La presión arterial, el pH, las concentraciones plasmáticas de sodio y glucosa son ejemplos de variables homeostáticos, donde el propósito de la regulación fisiológica es fijar cada parámetro interno en un punto de ajuste, detecta errores y los corrige con realimentación negativa. Los fisiólogos han evidenciado que muchos errores no son constantes sino adaptativos. Objetivo: Exponer los conceptos novedosos acerca de la influencia de un ambiente de estrés sobre nuestra fisiología y sus efectos deletéreos a largo plazo. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica, en el motor de búsqueda Google académico, los descriptores: homeostasis, alostasis y carga alostática. Conclusiones: Se expuso los conceptos novedosos acerca de la influencia de un ambiente de estrés sobre nuestra fisiología y sus efectos deletéreos a largo plazo. La alostasis es el precio que el cuerpo paga por verse obligado a adaptarse a situaciones psicosociales o físicas adversas. La obesidad, la diabetes, la insulinoresistencia, la hipertensión arterial, son variables alostáticas, no homeostáticas, no son parámetros constantes, sino adaptativos, el organismo cambiará su medio interno para enfrentar el desafío o perturbación que le llega desde el exterior. Pensar en muchas de estas patologías bajo un modelo alostático puede enriquecer los recursos conceptuales del médico y modificar el abordaje de enfermedades prevalentes(AU)

Introduction: Homeostasis is the fundamental property of biological systems to preserve the internal environment. Blood pressure, pH, plasma sodium and glucose concentrations are examples of homeostatic variables, where the purpose of physiological regulation is to fix each internal parameter at a set point, detect errors and correct them with negative feedback. Physiologists have shown that many errors are not constant but adaptive. Objective: To expose novel concepts about the influence of a stressful environment on our physiology and its deleterious long-term effects. Methods: A literature review was performed, in the academic Google search engine, the descriptors: homeostasis, allostasis and allostatic load. Conclusions: Novel concepts about the influence of a stressful environment on our physiology and its deleterious long-term effects were exposed. Allostasis is the price the body pays for being forced to adapt to adverse psychosocial or physical situations. Obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, arterial hypertension, are allostatic variables, not homeostatic, they are not constant parameters, but adaptive, the organism will change its internal environment to face the challenge or perturbation that comes from the outside. Thinking about many of these pathologies under an allostatic model can enrich the conceptual resources of the physician and modify the approach to prevalent diseases(AU)

Comparison of sampling designs from the two editions of the Brazilian National Health Survey, 2013 and 2019 / Comparação de desenhos amostrais das duas edições da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, 2013 e 2019 / Comparación entre diseños muestrales de las dos ediciones de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Brasil, 2013 y 2019

Our objective is to describe the differences in the sampling plans of the two editions of the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS 2013 and 2019) and to evaluate how the changes affected the coefficient of variation (CV) and the design effect (Deff) of some estimated indicators. Variables from different parts of the questionnaire were analyzed to cover proportions with different magnitudes. The prevalence of obesity was included in the analysis since anthropometry measurement in the 2019 survey was performed in a subsample. The value of the point estimate, CV, and the Deff were calculated for each indicator, considering the stratification of the primary sampling units, the weighting of the sampling units, and the clustering effect. The CV and the Deff were lower in the 2019 estimates for most indicators. Concerning the questionnaire indicators of all household members, the Deffs were high and reached values greater than 18 for having a health insurance plan. Regarding the indicators of the individual questionnaire, for the prevalence of obesity, the Deff ranged from 2.7 to 4.2, in 2013, and from 2.7 to 10.2, in 2019. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes per Federative Unit had a higher CV and lower Deff. Expanding the sample size to meet the diverse health objectives and the high Deff are significant challenges for developing probabilistic household-based national survey. New probabilistic sampling strategies should be considered to reduce costs and clustering effects.

Nosso objetivo é descrever as diferenças nos desenhos amostrais das duas edições da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde (PNS 2013 e 2019) e avaliar como suas mudanças afetaram o coeficiente de variação (CV) e o efeito do desenho (Deff) de alguns dos indicadores avaliados. Variáveis de diferentes partes do questionário foram analisadas para avaliar proporções com diferentes magnitudes. A prevalência de obesidade foi incluída na análise uma vez que a medição de antropometria na pesquisa de 2019 foi realizada em uma subamostra. Os valores do estimador pontual, CV e Deff foram calculados para cada indicador considerando a estratificação das unidades amostrais primárias, a ponderação das unidades amostrais, e o efeito do agrupamento. Para a maioria dos indicadores, CV e Deff foram menores nas estimativas de 2019. Em relação aos indicadores para todos os membros familiares, Deffs foram elevados e atingiram valores superiores a 18 para a posse de um plano de saúde. Quanto aos indicadores no questionário individual, Deff variou de 2,7 a 4,2 em 2013 e de 2,7 a 10,2 em 2019 para a prevalência de obesidade. A prevalência de hipertensão arterial e diabetes por Unidade Federativa apresentou CV maior e Deff menor. A expansão do tamanho da amostra para atender aos diversos objetivos de saúde e Deff altos são desafios expressivos para o desenvolvimento de uma pesquisa nacional domiciliar probabilística. Novas estratégias de amostragem probabilística devem ser consideradas para reduzir custos e efeitos do agrupamento.

Nuestro objetivo es describir las diferencias en los diseños muestrales de las dos ediciones de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud (PNS 2013 y 2019) y evaluar cómo sus cambios afectaron el coeficiente de variación (CV) y el efecto de diseño (Deff) de algunos de los indicadores evaluados. Se analizaron variables de diferentes partes del cuestionario para evaluar proporciones con diferentes magnitudes. La prevalencia de obesidad se incluyó en el análisis, ya que la medición de la antropometría en la encuesta de 2019 se realizó en una submuestra. Los valores del estimador puntual, CV y Deff se calcularon para cada indicador considerando la estratificación de las unidades de muestreo primarias, la ponderación de las unidades de muestreo y el efecto de agrupamiento. Para la mayoría de los indicadores, CV y Deff fueron más bajos en las estimaciones de 2019. En cuanto a los indicadores para todos los miembros de la familia, los Deff fueron altos y alcanzaron valores superiores a 18 por tener un plan de salud. En cuanto a los indicadores del cuestionario individual, Deff osciló entre 2,7 y 4,2 en 2013, y entre 2,7 y 10,2 en 2019 para la prevalencia de obesidad. La prevalencia de hipertensión arterial y diabetes por Unidad Federativa tuvo mayor CV y menor Deff. Un mayor tamaño de la muestra para cumplir con los diversos objetivos de salud y un alto valor de Deff son desafíos importantes para el desarrollo de una encuesta nacional domiciliar probabilística. Se deben considerar nuevas estrategias de muestreo probabilístico para reducir los costos y efectos de agrupamiento.

Ciência de dados e big data: o que isso significa para estudos populacionais e da saúde? / Data science and big data: what do these terms mean for population and health related studies?

Resumo Introdução O termo "big data" no ambiente acadêmico tem deixado de ser uma novidade, tornando-se mais comum em publicações científicas e em editais de fomento à pesquisa, levando a uma revisão profunda da ciência que se faz e se ensina. Objetivo Refletir sobre as possíveis mudanças que as ciências de dados podem provocar nas áreas de estudos populacionais e de saúde. Método Para fomentar esta reflexão, artigos científicos selecionados da área de big data em saúde e demografia foram contrastados com livros e outras produções científicas. Resultados Argumenta-se que o volume dos dados não é a característica mais promissora de big data para estudos populacionais e de saúde, mas a complexidade dos dados e a possibilidade de integração com estudos convencionais por meio de equipes interdisciplinares são promissoras. Conclusão No âmbito do setor de saúde e de estudos populacionais, as possibilidades da integração dos novos métodos de ciência de dados aos métodos tradicionais de pesquisa são amplas, incluindo um novo ferramental para a análise, monitoramento, predição de eventos (casos) e situações de saúde-doença na população e para o estudo dos determinantes socioambientais e demográficos.

Abstract Background The term big data is no longer new in the academic environment and has become more common in scientific publications and research grants, leading to a profound revision of the way science is being made and taught. Objective To reflect on the possible changes that data science can induce in population and health related studies. Method To foster this debate, scientific articles selected from the big data field in health and demography were contrasted with books and other scientific productions. Results It is argued that volume is not the most promising characteristic of big data for population and health related studies, but rather the complexity of data and the possibilities of integration with traditional studies by means of interdisciplinary teams. Conclusion In population and health related studies, the possibilities of integration between new and traditional methods are broad, and include new toolboxes for analysis, monitoring, prediction of events (cases) and health-disease processes in the population, and for the study of sociodemographic and environmental determinants.

[Regionalization and human development: a typology of health regions in Brazil]. / Regionalização e desenvolvimento humano: uma proposta de tipologia de Regiões de Saúde no Brasil.

This article aimed to present a proposal for characterizing health regions in Brazil based on human development, contributing to the identification of comparable geographic areas for observation, analysis, and monitoring of performance in regionalized health systems. The dimensions of the Municipal Human Development Index were calculated for the health regions by aggregating data from municipalities, weighted by population size. The grouping of health regions in 5 groups, based on combinations of life expectancy, income, and schooling, was determined by the K-Means method. Approximately half of Brazil's health regions were classified as type 1 and the other half as types 3 to 5. The typology provides a clustering model for homogeneous health regions, consistent with the theoretical assumptions of PROADESS. The choice of well-established indicators and aggregation methods tends to facilitate their comprehension and use by the actors involved in the administration of the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS).

El pronóstico y su importancia en la práctica clínica / Prognosis and its importance in the clinical practice

Introducción: Una de las grandes preocupaciones que ha agobiado al hombre es su interés por las enfermedades y cómo afrontarlas. Objetivo: Exponer elementos teóricos que resaltan la importancia del pronóstico dentro del método clínico. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica sobre el pronóstico de pacientes enfermos con determinada entidad. Se utilizó el motor de búsqueda Google Académico y los descriptores: método clínico, pronóstico, estimación pronostica, predicción. Además, se utilizaron libros de textos de medicina interna y la base de datos SciELO de la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud. Desarrollo: La identificación de factores capaces de influir en el pronóstico de una enfermedad es de suma importancia para la actividad clínica diaria. Por un lado, porque facilita la toma de decisiones en cuanto a procedimientos diagnósticos o tratamientos y por otro, porque el conocer la posible evolución de un paciente concreto permitirá informarlo sobre el curso clínico de su enfermedad. Conclusiones: El pronóstico y las escalas predictoras son de utilidad en el proceso salud-enfermedad y forma parte del método clínico. El desarrollo tecnológico bien empleado permite emitir predicciones más precisas pero no están exentas de errores. El método clínico y la revolución tecnológica van en un proceso de desarrollo continuo donde ninguno sustituye al otro sino ambos como en un binomio dialéctico, van camino al progreso(AU)

Introduction: One of the greatest concerns that burdens man is the interest in diseases and how to deal with them. Objective: To present theoretical elements that highlight the importance of prognosis within the clinical method. Methods: A bibliographic review was carried out on the prognosis of sick patients with certain entity, using the Google Academic search engine. The descriptors used were clinical method, prognosis, prognostic estimation, prediction. In addition, internal medicine textbooks and SciELO database of the Virtual Health Library were used. Discussion: The identification of factors capable of influencing the prognosis of a disease is of utmost importance for daily clinical activity. On the one hand, because it facilitates decision-making regarding diagnostic procedures or treatments and, on the other, because knowing the possible evolution of specific patients will allow to inform patients on the clinical course of their disease. Conclusions: Prognosis and predictive scales are useful in the health-disease process and part of the clinical method. Well-used technological development enables more accurate predictions, but they are not error-free. The clinical method and the technological revolution go in a continuous progress where neither replaces the other but both, as in a dialectical binomial, are on the way to growth(AU)