Congenital Zika syndrome and living conditions in the largest city of northeastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic hit Brazil in 2015 and resulted in a generation of children at risk of congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). The social vulnerability of certain segments of the population contributed to the disproportional occurrence of CZS in the Brazilian Northeast, the poorest region in the country. Living conditions are essential factors in understanding the social determination of CZS, which is embedded in a complex interaction between biological, environmental, and social factors. Salvador, the biggest city in the region, played a central role in the context of the epidemic and was a pioneer in reporting the ZIKV infection and registering a high number of cases of CZS. The aim of the study was identifying the incidence and spatial distribution pattern of children with CZS in the municipality of Salvador, according to living conditions. METHODS: This is an ecological study that uses the reported cases of ZIKV and CZS registered in the epidemiological surveillance database of the Municipal Secretariat of Health of the city of Salvador between August of 2015 and July of 2016. The neighborhoods formed the analysis units and the thematic maps were built based on the reported cases. Associations between CZS and living conditions were assessed using the Kernel ratio and a spatial autoregressive linear regression model. RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty-six live births were reported, of which 236 (32.5%) were confirmed for CZS. Despite the reports of ZIKV infection being widely distributed, the cases of CZS were concentrated in poor areas of the city. A positive spatial association was observed between living in places with poorer living conditions and births of children with CZS. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the role of living conditions in the occurrence of births of children with CZS and indicates the need for approaches that recognize the part played by social inequalities in determining CZS and in caring for the children affected.

Measuring the level of social support using latent class analysis.

Different instruments have been used to measure social support in epidemiological studies of which the most widely used is the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (SSS-MOS). However, these studies lack measures of the level of social support on health risks. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to distinguish subgroups with different levels of perceived social support and tested the consistency of these subgroups by their associations with the prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD). This is a cross-sectional study of 1013 mothers living in the city of Salvador, Brazil in which psychosocial data were collected through home visits using the SSS-MOS and the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20. For each dimension of social support analysed here, we selected models with two classes using LCA. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between participants' perceived social support and the prevalence of CMD to verify the consistency of the groups defined by LCA. There was a clear difference in the reporting of perceived social support between those classified as high or low using LCA. The probability of perceiving several types of social support was lower in the subgroup classified as low level of social support (13.7-59.8%), and it was much higher in the group classified as high level of social support (84.3-98%). A greater prevalence of CMD was found among mothers with lower levels of social support. LCA seems to be a useful tool to improve measurement of perceived social support by separation into two levels in which the lower level is associated with an increased prevalence of CMD.

Cross-national differences in questionnaires do not necessarily reflect comparable differences in disorder prevalence.

PURPOSE: To examine whether the widely used Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) can validly be used to compare the prevalence of child mental health problems cross nationally. METHODS: We used data on 29,225 5- to 16-year olds in eight population-based studies from seven countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Britain, India, Norway, Russia and Yemen. Parents completed the SDQ in all eight studies, teachers in seven studies and youth in five studies. We used these SDQ data to calculate three different sorts of "caseness indicators" based on (1) SDQ symptoms, (2) SDQ symptoms plus impact and (3) an overall respondent judgement of 'definite' or 'severe' difficulties. Respondents also completed structured diagnostic interviews including extensive open-ended questions (the Development and Well-Being Assessment, DAWBA). Diagnostic ratings were all carried out or supervised by the DAWBA's creator, working in conjunction with experienced local professionals. RESULTS: As judged by the DAWBA, the prevalence of any mental disorder ranged from 2.2% in India to 17.1% in Russia. The nine SDQ caseness indicators (three indicators times three informants) explained 8-56% of the cross-national variation in disorder prevalence. This was insufficient to make meaningful prevalence estimates since populations with a similar measured prevalence of disorder on the DAWBA showed large variations across the various SDQ caseness indicators. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between SDQ caseness indicators and disorder rates varies substantially between populations: cross-national differences in SDQ indicators do not necessarily reflect comparable differences in disorder rates. More generally, considerable caution is required when interpreting cross-cultural comparisons of mental health, particularly when these rely on brief questionnaires.

Asthmatic Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: the Role of Maternal Experiences of Racial Discrimination.

Emerging evidence suggests that vicarious racial experiences of discrimination may negatively influence child health. Few studies have focus on childhood asthma symptoms and potential moderators of such relationship. METHODS: We used two population-based cross-sectional studies from the Social Change Allergy and Asthma in Latin America project in Salvador, Brazil. A total of 1003 children and mothers interviewed in 2006 were included, of whom 873 were reached again in 2013. Vicarious racial discrimination was assessed in mothers by applying the Experiences of Discrimination scale. Data on wheeze and environmental exposures were collected with standardized questionnaires. Levels of allergen-specific IgE were measured to identify atopy. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the association between maternal discrimination and wheezing and asthma phenotypes. Interaction terms were evaluated to identify whether mothers' mental health and family social support modified such associations. RESULTS: Children whose mothers reported racial discrimination had greater odds of have asthma symptoms (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.15-2.67) and non-atopic asthma (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.09-3.40). When we considered effect modification by social support, we found a higher ORs when the level of social support was lower (OR 2.43; 95% IC 1.19-4.97) than when the level of social support was higher (OR 1.12; CI 0.64-1.96). CONCLUSION: Maternal discrimination was associated with asthma symptoms and with non-atopic phenotype among their children. Enjoying wider social support network appears to buffer the effect on asthmatic symptoms. Intervention on childhood asthma needs to incorporate strategies that target the family.

The Salvador Primary Care Longitudinal Study of Child Development (CohortDICa) Following the Zika Epidemic: Study Protocol.

This article describes the Salvador Primary Care Longitudinal Study of Child Development (CohortDICa). The exposed group was defined by confirmation of Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) diagnosed through computed tomography, magnetic resonance or transfontanellar ultrasound. A random selection of the 169 exposed children led to a subgroup of 120 children who were paired with children from the Live Birth Information System, according to birthdate, residence in the same street or neighborhood, and gestational age, resulting in 115 subjects in the non-exposed group. Following recruitment and before the participants completed 42 months, three measures were applied to assess cognitive, motor, and language performance, corresponding to three home visits. Social characteristics of the families and children, and the neurocognitive development of the children will be compared across the CZS exposed group (n = 147), the typical children with no exposure to CZS (n = 115) and the STORCH exposed group (Syphilis, Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex) (n = 20). Primary Health Care (PHC) should include long-term care strategies for the care of children and family members, and might benefit from the research, teaching, and extension activities provided in this study. In the face of the consequences of the Zika virus epidemic, an opportunity arose to intervene in the integrated care of child development within PHC, including, on an equal basis, typical children and those with delays or disabilities in the first six years of life.

Maternal common mental disorders and malnutrition in children: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in the nutritional status of Brazilian children, child malnutrition remains a public health issue. The objective of the present study was to analyse the effect of maternal common mental disorders (MCMD) on child malnutrition in a large Brazilian urban centre with low rates of child malnutrition. Furthermore, we explored the hypothesis that a reduction in the quality of maternal caregiving mediates the relationship between maternal mental health problems and child nutrition. METHODS: A case-control study including 294 children aged between 0 and 5 years, with 147 cases and 147 age- and sex-matched controls, was conducted in the city of Salvador, northeastern Brazil. Mothers completed the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), the family's socio-economic status was evaluated and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory was applied. Children were diagnosed as moderately or severely malnourished when the weight-for-height z-score was below -2 SD. Conditional logistic regression was used in the analysis, and the final model was created using the backward technique. RESULTS: MCMD doubled the risk of moderate or severe malnutrition in children (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.10-3.78). Maternal caregiving can be an important factor mediating the relationship between maternal mental health and child malnutrition. CONCLUSION: MCMD must be taken into account in programmes for the treatment and prevention of malnutrition, especially in areas of low malnutrition prevalence.

Health surveillance and development of children with congenital Zika Virus syndrome: an integrative literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify scientific knowledge about the attention to health surveillance and development of Brazilian children under the age of three years involving the Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) Syndrome. DATA SOURCES: This is an integrative literature review of primary studies with Brazilian children under three years of age from 2015 to 2019. The searches were carried out in the databases Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), US National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), SCOPUS and Web of Science. It was carried out by crossing the keywords in English (child, child development and Zika virus) and in Portuguese (criança, desenvolvimento infantil e Zika vírus), with the combination of the Boolean operator "AND". DATA SYNTHESIS: The knowledge produced is related to the specific health and development problems of children affected by the Congenital ZIKV Syndrome, with clinical characteristics, care demands, multiprofessional performance, health monitoring and surveillance needs. CONCLUSIONS: This integrative review synthesized scientific knowledge by adding aspects that reinforce the relevance of appropriate approaches to assess and care for children, linked to the engagement of caregivers, the need to document, evaluate and track the situations of children in early childhood and long-term, management coordination of care and its challenges in the context of primary health care.

Zika Brazilian Cohorts (ZBC) Consortium: Protocol for an Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Congenital Zika Syndrome after Maternal Exposure during Pregnancy.

Despite great advances in our knowledge of the consequences of Zika virus to human health, many questions remain unanswered, and results are often inconsistent. The small sample size of individual studies has limited inference about the spectrum of congenital Zika manifestations and the prognosis of affected children. The Brazilian Zika Cohorts Consortium addresses these limitations by bringing together and harmonizing epidemiological data from a series of prospective cohort studies of pregnant women with rash and of children with microcephaly and/or other manifestations of congenital Zika. The objective is to estimate the absolute risk of congenital Zika manifestations and to characterize the full spectrum and natural history of the manifestations of congenital Zika in children with and without microcephaly. This protocol describes the assembly of the Consortium and protocol for the Individual Participant Data Meta-analyses (IPD Meta-analyses). The findings will address knowledge gaps and inform public policies related to Zika virus. The large harmonized dataset and joint analyses will facilitate more precise estimates of the absolute risk of congenital Zika manifestations among Zika virus-infected pregnancies and more complete descriptions of its full spectrum, including rare manifestations. It will enable sensitivity analyses using different definitions of exposure and outcomes, and the investigation of the sources of heterogeneity between studies and regions.

Brain abnormalities on neuroimaging in Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome in Salvador, Brazil, and its possible implications on neuropsychological development.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the spectrum of brain damages presented in children affected by Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS), verify the existence of a co-occurrence pattern of these damages and discuss possible implications for the neuropsychological development. METHODS: Descriptive, quantitative, individualized, and cross-sectional study using secondary sources. We selected 136 children with CZS from the database of the Center of Strategic Information on Health Vigilance of the Municipal Office of Salvador, Brazil. We conducted descriptive and multiple correspondence analyses. RESULTS: Among the set of analyzed variables, microcephaly (51.5%), ventriculomegaly (57.4%), and brain calcifications (77.2%) were identified as the most frequent. The multiple correspondence analysis showed that the combination of these three variables (32.4%) was what better represented the spectrum of brain damages in the Central Nervous System. INTERPRETATION: Damage in the sensory-motor, cognitive and language development, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, are described in the literature as impairments associated, either isolated or combined, with these damages, and it is worth highlighting that, in combined brain damages, impairments tend to be more severe. The findings of this study may contribute to understanding the repercussions of CZS on the neuropsychological development of children affected by the epidemic.

[Characteristics of individuals and care delivered at the psychosocial care centers for children and adolescents]. / Caracterização dos usuários e dos serviços prestados por centros de atenção psicossocial infanto-juvenil.

This study aimed to provide an understanding of diagnosis, demographic characteristics, and treatment procedures for children and adolescents attending Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPSIS) in Brazil, 2003. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study using secondary data. The analysis considered three groups of variables related to: (a) the nature of the services; (b) patient profile; and (c) types of care. Seven CAPSIS that had recorded their procedures during all 12 months of 2003 participated in the study. The units involved treated 1,456 individuals, 62.8% of whom were males 11-13 years of age. Nearly half (49.3%) were treated in non-intensive care. The most frequent diagnoses were behavioral and emotional disorders (44.5%). There was no record of treatment related to use of psychoactive substances. The proportion of severe disorders was 19.4%. The CAPSIS operate in similar fashion to older outpatient units, but treat a variety of problems, creating a record according to types of activities. These services fill a historical gap in public mental health care for children and adolescents.

Attendance of children and adolescents with psychoactive substance use disorders performed by Psychosocial Care Centers in Brazil, 2008-2012. / Atendimentos de crianças e adolescentes com transtornos por uso de substâncias psicoativas nos Centros de Atenção Psicossocial no Brasil, 2008-2012.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the profile of care for children and adolescents withpsychoactive substance use disorders performed by the Brazilian Psychosocial Care Centers (Centros de Atenção Psicossocial - CAPS) from 2008 to 2012. METHODS: a descriptive study with data from the SUS Outpatient Information System (Sistema de Informações Ambulatoriais do Sistema Único de Saúde - SIA/SUS) and the system of National Registration of Health Establishments (Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde - CNES). RESULTS: a total of 151.330 attendances were observed, 81.2% were males and 99.2% were in the age range of 10 to 19 years; the main causes were polydrug use (56.7%), cocaine (15.6%), marijuana (15.6%) and alcohol (9.0%); the CAPS for Alcohol and other Drugs (CAPS AD) accounted for 81.8% of the records; from 2008 to 2012, the attendance rate from 39.6 to 76.7/100 thousand inhabitants. CONCLUSION: there was an increase in the attendance rates, observing the predominance of males, age range of 10 to 19 years and disorders due to polydrug use.

Personal-Level and Group-Level Discrimination and Mental Health: the Role of Skin Color.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the association between personal-level and group-level discrimination and common mental disorders (CMDs) among Afro-Brazilian women, aiming to explore the role of skin color on this association. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 1130 women who were participating in the Social Change, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, whose children were recruited from 24 geographical micro-regions representative of the population without sanitation. Measures of discrimination were defined by: experiences (personal-level) and concern about discrimination (group-level) using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Skin color was registered by self-declaration, being classified as white, brown, and black. The association between "self-reported" discrimination and CMDs was evaluated using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of CMDs was high (38.3%), especially in the group exposed to discriminatory experiences and black women. Experiences and concern about discrimination were positive and significantly associated with mental health, before and after adjustment for potential confounders. The effect of discrimination on CMDs was lower among black women, suggesting the development of other strategies to confront racism. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the use of both personal- and group-level discrimination measures, as well as skin color, for the evaluation of mental disorders in public health research. Further studies of health consequences of discrimination will require investigation of protective factors for mental disorders in the population suffering discrimination and racism.

Health surveillance and development of children with congenital Zika Virus syndrome: an integrative literature review / Vigilância à saúde e desenvolvimento de crianças com síndrome congênita Zika vírus: revisão integrativa da literatura

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify scientific knowledge about the attention to health surveillance and development of Brazilian children under the age of three years involving the Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) Syndrome. Data sources: This is an integrative literature review of primary studies with Brazilian children under three years of age from 2015 to 2019. The searches were carried out in the databases Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), US National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), SCOPUS and Web of Science. It was carried out by crossing the keywords in English (child, child development and Zika virus) and in Portuguese (criança, desenvolvimento infantil e Zika vírus), with the combination of the Boolean operator "AND". Data synthesis: The knowledge produced is related to the specific health and development problems of children affected by the Congenital ZIKV Syndrome, with clinical characteristics, care demands, multiprofessional performance, health monitoring and surveillance needs. Conclusions: This integrative review synthesized scientific knowledge by adding aspects that reinforce the relevance of appropriate approaches to assess and care for children, linked to the engagement of caregivers, the need to document, evaluate and track the situations of children in early childhood and long-term, management coordination of care and its challenges in the context of primary health care.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar os conhecimentos científicos sobre a atenção à vigilância à saúde e o desenvolvimento de crianças brasileiras menores de três anos envolvendo a síndrome congênita do Zika vírus. Fontes de dados: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, do período de 2015 a 2019, de estudos primários com crianças brasileiras menores de três anos de idade. As buscas foram realizadas nas bases de dados Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus e Web of Science. Foi realizado cruzamento das palavras-chave em inglês (child, child development e Zika virus) e em português (criança, desenvolvimento infantil e Zika vírus), com a combinação do operador booleano and. Síntese dos dados: Os conhecimentos produzidos estão relacionados aos problemas específicos de saúde e desenvolvimento das crianças afetadas pela síndrome congênita do Zika vírus, com características clínicas, demandas de cuidados, atuação multiprofissional, necessidades de monitoramento e vigilância à saúde. Conclusões: Esta revisão integrativa sintetizou conhecimentos científicos adicionando aspectos que reforçam a relevância de abordagens adequadas para avaliar as crianças e cuidar delas, articulado ao engajamento dos cuidadores, à necessidade de documentar, avaliar e rastrear as situações das crianças na primeira infância e em longo alcance, à gestão coordenada do cuidado e aos seus desafios no contexto da atenção primária à saúde.

Mental disorders prevalence among female caregivers of children in a cohort study in Salvador, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The caregiver-child relationship is important for child development. The prevalence of mental disorders was assessed in a female caregiver group and associated with socioenvironmental factors. METHOD: A cross sectional study was conducted in 326 caregivers whose children have been participating in a cohort study on mental development since 1999. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of mental disorders assessed according to the CIDI version 2.1 was 47.5% (95% CI 0.42-0.53). They were predominantly anxiety disorders (32.8%; 95%CI 0.27-0.38), followed by mood disorders (26.1%; 95%CI 0.21-0.31) and psychoactive substance abuse (10.1%; 95%CI 0.07-0.13). Anxiety and mood disorders were less likely in younger caregivers and substance abuse disorder was less likely among those better educated. DISCUSSION: The overall prevalence was similar to previous estimates, although 32.8% of anxiety disorders exceeded previous findings, which is unsurprising in a female sample. CONCLUSIONS: Younger caregivers with higher schooling were more likely to have better mental health, which favors child development.

Deficiência e transferência de renda diante da síndrome congênita do Zika vírus: um estudo sobre a Medida Provisória 894/2019 / Discapacidad y transferencia de renta ante el síndrome congénito del zika virus: un estudio sobre la medida provisional 894/2019 / Disability and income transfer in relation to congenital Zika syndrome: a study of provisional measure 894/2019

Desde 2015, a Síndrome Congênita do Zika Vírus (SCZV) marca o cenário brasileiro, extrapolando o campo da Saúde Pública com demandas da proteção social. Considerando a intersecção entre pobreza, deficiência e marcos da seguridade social, examina-se a Medida Provisória 894, que prevê renda mensal vitalícia para as crianças acometidas. Com o objetivo discutir o instrumento à luz dos marcos da seguridade social no recorte da transferência de renda não condicionada para as pessoas com deficiência (PcD) no Brasil, realizou-se um estudo qualitativo mediante análise de documentos públicos e revisão de literatura. As respostas estatais não produziram impacto na insuficiência de renda porque voltaram-se inicialmente para atender à situação emergencial, recorrendo às políticas preexistentes, e culminaram na substituição entre modalidades de transferência de renda - o Benefício de Prestação Continuada para Pensão Vitalícia -, revelando fragilização da proteção social integral. (AU)

Desde 2015 el Síndrome Congénito del Zika Virus (SCZV) marca el escenario brasileño, extrapolando el campo de la salud pública con demandas de la protección social. Considerando la intersección entre pobreza, discapacidad y marcos de la seguridad social, se examina la Medida Provisional 894 que prevé renta mensual vitalicia para los niños afectados. Con el objetivo de discutir el instrumento a la luz de los marcos de la seguridad social en el recorte de la transferencia de renta no condicionada para las Personas con Discapacidad (PcD) en Brasil, se realizó un estudio cualitativo mediante análisis de documentos públicos y revisión de literatura. Las respuestas estatales no causaron impacto en la insuficiencia de renta porque inicialmente se enfocaron para atender la situación de emergencia recurriendo a las políticas preexistentes y que culminaron en la substitución entre modalidades de transferencia de renta, el Beneficio de Prestación Continua para Pensión Vitalicia, revelando la fragilización de la protección social integral. (AU)

Since 2015, Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) has been a feature of the Brazilian context and has moved beyond public health to demands for social protection. Given the intersection between poverty, disability and the social security framework, we examine Provisional Measure 894, which provides a lifetime monthly income for affected children. We conduct a qualitative study, analysing public documents and reviewing the literature, in order to discuss this instrument in the light of social security frameworks for unconditional cash transfers for People with Disabilities (PwD) in Brazil. State responses did not have an impact on income insufficiencies, since they were initially intended to respond to emergency situations and referred to pre-existing policies; this culminated in an income transfer modality, the Continuous Cash Benefit, being replaced by a Lifetime Pension, demonstrating a weakening of comprehensive social protection. (AU)

[Validity of the Experiences of Discrimination scale in a Brazilian population]. / Validade de constructo da escala Experiences of Discrimination em uma população brasileira.

One of the most widely used tools in epidemiological research on discrimination is the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale, used but not validated in Brazil. The objective was to assess the reliability and dimensional structure of the EOD scale in a Brazilian population. A cross-sectional study was performed with 1,380 adults in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed testing a two-factor model: experiences of discrimination and concerned about discrimination. The results of CFA showed satisfactory fit, high factor loads, and adequate reliability, confirming the scale's internal consistency. Residual correlations were identified involving items from both factors. The dimensional structure presented in this study highlights the importance of using different measures of discrimination (interpersonal and group) to allow more in-depth future research on the effects of racism on health.

[Family environment and child's cognitive development: an epidemiological approach]. / Ambiente familiar e desenvolvimento cognitivo infantil: uma abordagem epidemiológica.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between quality of stimulation in the family environment and child's cognitive development considering the impact of mother's schooling on the quality of stimulation. METHODS: A cross-sectional study comprising 350 children aged 17-42 months was carried out in central and peripheral areas of Salvador, Northeastern Brazil, in 1999. A socio-economic questionnaire was used, along with the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Scale (HOME Inventory), and the Bayley Scale for Infant Development. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out through linear regression at 5% level of significance. RESULTS: There was a positive (beta=0.66) and statistically significant association between quality of stimulation in the family environment and child's cognitive development. Part of the effect was mediated by the mother's working circumstances and educational level. It was verified that a better quality of stimulation is provided for those who come early in the birth order in family, and live with only a few others under five years of age. This pattern of stimulation is better among children who live with their parents and whose mothers have better education, have a job and a partner involved in the family environment. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of stimulation in the family environment is crucial for child's cognitive development, besides the significant role of the available resources and family dynamics. The study findings show the pertinence to cognitive development of interventions which improve the quality of the environment and the child-caregiver relationship.

The association of intrafamilial violence against children with symptoms of atopic and non-atopic asthma: A cross-sectional study in Salvador, Brazil.

This study aims to describe the types of intrafamilial violence perpetrated against children according to living conditions, family factors, and child characteristics, and to identify the association between types of intrafamilial violence and asthma symptoms in atopic and non-atopic children. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,370 caregivers as part of the Social Changes, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, conducted in 2006 in Brazil. The study population was selected by random sampling. The main outcome measures were atopic and non-atopic asthma. We investigate the association between intrafamilial violence and asthma symptoms in atopic and non-atopic children. A backward multivariate logistic polytomous regression was performed to verify the main association. Nonviolent discipline (NVD) and maltreatment nonviolent discipline (MNVD) were positively associated with non-atopic asthma symptoms (NVD: odds ratio (OR)=1.95/95% confidence interval (CI)=1.17-3.25; MNVD: OR=1.95/95% CI=1.19-3.20). However, for the most severe intrafamilial violence, this association was not found after control of potential confounders. This study demonstrates the effect of types of intrafamilial violence on non-atopic asthma. Intrafamilial violence against children represents one more component in the determination of non-atopic asthma in Latin America.

Impact of income inequality and other social determinants on suicide rate in Brazil.

PURPOSE: To analyze whether income inequality and other social determinants are associated with suicide rate in Brazil. METHOD: This study used panel data from all 5,507 Brazilian municipalities from 2000 to 2011. Suicide rates were calculated by sex and standardized by age for each municipality and year. The independent variables of the regression model included the Gini Index, per capita income, percentage of individuals with up to eight years of education, urbanization, average number of residents per household, percentage of divorced people, of Catholics, Pentecostals, and Evangelicals. A multivariable negative binomial regression for panel data with fixed-effects specification was performed. RESULTS: The Gini index was positively associated with suicide rates; the rate ratio (RR) was 1.055 (95% CI: 1.011-1.101). Of the other social determinants, income had a significant negative association with suicide rates (RR: 0.968, 95% CI: 0.948-0.988), whereas a low-level education had a positive association (RR: 1.015, 95% CI: 1.010-1.021). CONCLUSIONS: Income inequality represents a community-level risk factor for suicide rates in Brazil. The decrease in income inequality, increase in income per capita, and decrease in the percentage of individuals who did not complete basic studies may have counteracted the increase in suicides in the last decade. Other changes, such as the decrease in the mean residents per household, may have contributed to their increase. Therefore, the implementation of social policies that may improve the population's socioeconomic conditions and reduce income inequality in Brazil, and in other low and middle-income countries, can help to reduce suicide rates.

[Psychosocial Care Centers for Children and Adolescents in Brazil: geographic distribution and user profile]. / Centros de Atenção Psicossocial Infantojuvenil no Brasil: distribuição geográfica e perfil dos usuários.

Few Brazilian studies have addressed the use of mental health services for children and adolescents. This study aimed to characterize the national distribution of Psychosocial Care Centers for Children and Adolescents (CAPSi) and describe the patient profile in this age group between 2008 and 2012. An ecological study was carried out, using records from the Authorizations for High-Complexity Procedures (APAC) system and the Brazilian National Registry of Healthcare Organizations (CNES). Socio-demographics and disease profile were analyzed. In 2014, 208 CAPSi were recorded in the CNES, distributed across 23 of Brazil's 27 states. Treatments included predominantly behavioral disorders (29.7%), developmental disorders (23.6%), and mental retardation (12.5%). CAPSi are insufficient and unequally distributed. The disease profile suggests the need for linkage between specialized mental health services and primary care, in addition to the inclusion of inter-sector work.