Secular Trends of Suicide in the City of São Paulo, 1904-2017.

Background: Few reports from developing countries have described long-term trends in suicide. Aims: To investigate the age-, sex-, and method-specific trends in suicide over the period 1904-2017 in São Paulo. Method: Mortality data were obtained from SEADE, DATASUS, and PRO-AIM. Results: Suicide peaked in the mid-1910s and mid-1950s, being higher among men. There was an upward trend from the 1920s for men and from the 1930s for women. Suicide rates have declined since the mid-1950s, reaching lower rates in the past 40 years. Men aged 60+ had higher rates at the beginning and a decreasing trend. Suicide rates among men aged 20-39 and 40-59 peaked in the mid-1950s and declined until the late 1970s, thereafter remaining stable. Women aged 20-39 years had the highest rates with decreasing trends from the mid-1950s. No trends were detected for the age group 40-59, and women aged 60+ presented a decreasing trend. Rates among women aged 0-19 declined after the late 1970s. Suicide by poisoning peaked in the 1950s, and there was a downward trend for firearms and an upward trend for hanging. Conclusion: Suicide trends vary by sex, age group, and method. Accurate monitoring of these trends is an important task for suicide prevention and public health agencies and personnel.

Correlation of Cesarean rates to maternal and infant mortality rates: an ecologic study of official international data.

OBJECTIVE: To correlate international official data on Cesarean delivery rates to infant and maternal mortality rates and low weight-at-birth rates; and to test the hypothesis that Cesarean rates greater than 15% correlate to higher maternal and infant mortality rates. METHODS: Analyses were based on the most recent official data (2000-2009) available for 193 countries. Exponential models were compared to quadratic models to regress infant mortality rates, neonatal mortality rates, maternal mortality rates, and low weight-at-birth rates to Cesarean rates. Separate regressions were performed for countries with Cesarean rates greater than 15%. RESULTS: In countries with Cesarean rates less than 15%, higher Cesarean rates were associated to lower infant, neonatal, and maternal mortality rates, and to lower rates of low weight-at-birth. In countries with Cesarean rates greater than 15%, Cesarean rates were not significantly associated with infant or maternal mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: There is an inverse exponential relation between countries' rates of Cesarean deliveries and infant or maternal mortality rates. Very low Cesarean rates (less than 15%) are associated with poorer maternal and child outcomes. Cesarean rates greater than 15% were neither correlated to higher maternal nor child mortality, nor to low weight-at-birth.

ACCIDENTAL POISONING IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ADMITTED TO A REFERRAL TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF A BRAZILIAN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of children and adolescents admitted for exogenous unintentional poisoning in the emergency room and analyze factors associated with subsequent in-hospital admissions. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on hospital records of all subjects up to 19 years-old admitted in 2013 at a specialized toxicology service on a major public emergency hospital due to unintentional intoxication (as reported). Accidents with poisonous animals and insects were excluded. Percentages and frequencies were calculated for the qualitative variables, and measures of central tendency and dispersion for the continuous quantitative variables. Multivariate analysis was performed using binary logistic regression to identify variables associated with subsequent in-hospital admissions. RESULTS: In 2013, 353 cases were reported. Poisonings were more frequent in children 0-4 years-old (72.5%) and in boys (55%). The vast majority was of dwellers of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (83%), and 90% of the accidental poisonings occurred at home. 82.7% of the poisonings occurred by oral ingestion, especially of medicinal (36.5%) and cleaning products (29.4% of all poisonings). Only 12.2% of the cases resulted in hospitalization, and only one resulted in death. Residing outside Belo Horizonte (OR=5.20 [95%CI 2.37-11.44]) and poisoning by two or more products (OR=4.29 [95%CI 1.33-13.82]) were considered risk factors for hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Accidental poisonings occurred most frequently by ingestion of household medications and cleaning products, especially among children under 4 years-old. Preventive strategies should be primarily directed for this prevalent profile.

Geographical clusters and social risk factors for suicide in the city of São Paulo, 2006-2015: An ecologic study.

BACKGROUND: To identify geographical clusters of suicide in São Paulo, Brazil (2006-2015) and to verify the associations of suicide with sociocultural characteristics of its 96 districts. METHODS: Spatial scan test was used to detect the geographical clusters. Correlation and multiple regression techniques were used to estimate the association of socioeconomic and cultural variables with suicide. RESULTS: The mean suicide rate was 4.8/100,000. Three clusters were identified which are as follows: one of increased risk in downtown and two of decreased risk in the South and in the Southeast. The mean suicide rate of the high-risk clustered districts (7.99/100,000) presented significantly higher average incomes per household, higher proportion of formally educated, of no religious affiliation, of recent migrants, of all-times migrants and lower proportion of married. The multiple model selected two independent risk factors - people with no religious affiliation (ß = 0.182) and of recent migrants (ß = 0.278) - and two protective factors - the proportion of married (ß = -0.185) and of total migrants (ß = -0.075), which jointly explained 58.4% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Durkheimian social and cultural risk factors for suicide were confirmed. Compared to a previous study period (1996-2005), suicide rates and geographical clusters remained relatively stable in the subsequent decade (2006-2015).

[The evolution of the profile of psychiatric admissions via the Unified Health System in Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2001-2013]. / Evolução do perfil das internações psiquiátricas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde em Minas Gerais, Brasil, 2001-2013.

The scope of this article is to analyze the evolution of the profile of psychiatric admissions via the Unified Health System in psychiatric hospitals of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2001 and 2013. Data were obtained from the Information Technology Department of the Unified Health System. The analyses of trends were conducted by regression procedures, in which the independent variable was the year, and the dependent variables were the patients (sex, age, diagnosis) and admission characteristics (city, hospital administrative status, length of internment). A total of 202,188 admissions to 25 hospitals were appraised. There were significant changes in the diagnostic profiles of psychiatric admissions during the period under scrutiny, notably an increase in the proportion of admissions for substance abuse-related disorders and a reduction for psychotic disorders. This study is in tune with the context of the reform of mental healthcare in Minas Gerais, providing relevant input to support the mental health policies towards universalization, humanization and the overcoming of inequalities in access to health services.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a evolução no perfil das internações psiquiátricas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde em hospitais psiquiátricos do Estado de Minas Gerais entre 2001 e 2013. Os dados foram obtidos através do Departamento de Informática do SUS. A análise de tendência deu-se através de procedimentos de regressão, em que o ano foi variável independente e as variáveis dependentes foram as características dos pacientes (sexo, idade, diagnóstico) e das internações (localidade, natureza jurídica do hospital, tempo de permanência). Foram incluídas 202. 188 internações em 25 hospitais. Houve alterações significativas no perfil nosológico das internações psiquiátricas, com elevação da proporção das internações por transtornos ligados ao abuso de substâncias e redução por transtornos psicóticos. O estudo se insere no contexto da reforma da assistência à saúde mental em Minas Gerais, produzindo informações relevantes para subsidiar as políticas de saúde mental na direção à universalização, humanização e superação das desigualdades de acesso aos serviços de saúde.

Seasonality of three dimensions of mania: psychosis, aggression and suicidality.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the existence of a seasonal distribution of three dimensions of mania, psychosis, aggression and suicidality, during psychiatric hospitalizations, in a Brazilian sample, correlating these findings with local climatic variables. METHODS: Charts of 425 admissions of 269 ICD-10 manic patients, from 1996-2000 were reviewed for the occurrence of these symptom dimensions. Seasonality was assessed using Cosinor Analysis. When a harmonic seasonal distribution was not present, chi-square tests comparing the peak months with the rest of the year for each specific feature were performed. Correlations were performed between the three mania features and the index and previous months' predictor climatic variables (mean temperature, hours of sunshine, duration of days, relative humidity and rainfall). RESULTS: Cosinor regressions showed non-significance. However, rates of aggression were significantly higher in January-March than in the rest of the year (62 vs. 50%; p=0.007), and suicidality was significantly more frequent in December and January (20 vs. 10%; p=0.019). Suicidality was significantly correlated to rapidly increasing temperatures (rs=0.28; p<0.05). Psychosis was positively correlated with hours of sunshine of index month and with increasing hours of sunshine (rs=0.40 and 0.35; p<0.01); but negatively correlated with relative humidity of index month and with difference from previous to index month (rs=-0.25 and -0.30; p<0.05). Climatic variables studied were not significantly correlated with aggression. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study on a single institution. CONCLUSION: Climatic conditions correlated differently with each dimension of mania.

Community health services and risk of readmission in public psychiatric hospitals of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2005-2011.

INTRODUCTION: The readmission phenomenon in psychiatry not only reflects the severity and chronicity of the underlying disorders, but also indicates the quality of mental healthcare. In the context of the Brazilian mental healthcare reform, no study has included the availability of outpatient care among the potential determinants for psychiatric readmission. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the availability of community healthcare resources at the place of residence with the risk of psychiatric readmission. METHODS: All admission records from 2005 to 2011 in the two public psychiatric hospitals of Belo Horizonte were included (n=19,723). Variables related to patients and characteristics of hospitalization were collected, and indicators of community healthcare coverage were calculated for each place of residence yearly. The outcome of interest was early (<7 days), medium-term (8-30 days) and late (31-365 days) readmissions. The analysis was based on Cox regressions. RESULTS: The coverage of basic health units and of psychiatrists was associated with lower readmission risks. Coverage of specialized centers for psychosocial attention (Centros de Atenção Psicossocial [CAPS]) and psychologists did not show any protective effects. Young, male patients and those residing outside the capital had greater risk of early readmission. Compared to other psychotic disorders, mood disorders and neurotic disorders were seen as protective factors for readmission. CONCLUSION: Regionalized attention offered by the CAPS did not result in reduced readmission risks.

The Portuguese version of the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale: validation study.

OBJECTIVES: The Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale was designed to assess severity and treatment response in subjects with schizophrenia involved in naturalistic studies and daily clinical practice. The objective of this study is to validate the Portuguese version of the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale in Brazil by assessing its psychometric properties. METHOD: Cross-sectional validation study of the Portuguese version of the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale, tested in outpatients and inpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV, ICD-10) from 6 centers in Brazil. Concurrent validity and sensitivity to change were assessed by comparison with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, which is considered the gold standard tool to evaluate patients with schizophrenia. Interrater reliability was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) calculated based on the scoring of two concomitant raters. RESULTS: 70 inpatients and 70 outpatients were evaluated. Total Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores were highly correlated (r=0.79; p<0.01). Positive (r=0.86), negative (r=0.79), depressive (r=0.66) and cognitive (r=0.75) symptoms subscale scores were also correlated between both scales (p<0.01). Sensitivity to change was significantly correlated between the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (r=0.73; p<0.01). Interrater reliability was substantial for positive symptoms and total scores of the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale (ICC=0.81 and 0.73), and moderate for negative, depressive, and cognitive symptoms score (0.64, 0.67 and 0.63, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of severity and treatment response in schizophrenic inpatient and outpatients.

Evaluating the Brazilian zero tolerance drinking and driving law: Time series analyses of traffic-related mortality in three major cities.

OBJECTIVE: A zero tolerance alcohol restriction law was adopted in Brazil in 2008. In order to assess the effectiveness of this intervention, the present study compares specific mortality in 2 time series: 1980-2007 and 2008-2013. METHODS: Data on mortality and population were gathered from official Brazilian Ministry of Health information systems. Segmented regression analyses were carried out separately for 3 major Brazilian capitals: Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. RESULTS: In 2 cities (Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro) there were no significant changes in mortality rate trends in 2 periods, 1980 to 2007 and 2008 to 2013, where the observed rates did not differ significantly from predicted rates. In São Paulo, a decreasing trend until 2007 unexpectedly assumed higher levels after implementation of the law. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence of reduced traffic-related mortality in the 3 major Brazilian capitals 5.5 years after the zero tolerance drinking and driving law was adopted.

Seasonality of admissions for mania in a psychiatric hospital of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Seasonality of mania has been previously reported in several world regions. A spring and/or summer peak has been the most frequent finding, correlating to climatic variables, especially luminosity. There are, however, no South American studies on this association. METHODS: The charts of 269 manic patients admitted from 1996 to 2000 in a psychiatric hospital at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, were reviewed. Seasonality was assessed with Cosinor Analysis. Correlations of the rate of admissions for mania to climatic variables were performed, including lagged and differenced data. RESULTS: A circannual pattern was evident, with a late winter-spring peak and a late summer-autumn trough. The rate of admissions for mania correlated positively to: (a) average index and previous months' hours of sunshine, and (b) differenced mean temperature; and negatively to: (a) index and previous months' rainfall, (b) index months' relative humidity, and (c) previous months' duration of days and mean temperature. Altogether, climatic variables explained 23.7% of the variance in the rate of admissions for mania. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study conducted in a single institution. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that climatic variables are associated to the course of bipolar disorder even in subtropical regions indicate that this effect may be more subtle and extent than previously thought. Further exploration of the biological mechanisms of this association is necessary.

Accidental poisoning in children and adolescents admitted to a referral toxicology department of a brazilian emergency hospital / Intoxicações exógenas acidentais em crianças e adolescentes atendidos em um serviço de toxicologia de referência de um hospital de emergência brasileiro

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the profile of children and adolescents admitted for exogenous unintentional poisoning in the emergency room and analyze factors associated with subsequent in-hospital admissions. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on hospital records of all subjects up to 19 years-old admitted in 2013 at a specialized toxicology service on a major public emergency hospital due to unintentional intoxication (as reported). Accidents with poisonous animals and insects were excluded. Percentages and frequencies were calculated for the qualitative variables, and measures of central tendency and dispersion for the continuous quantitative variables. Multivariate analysis was performed using binary logistic regression to identify variables associated with subsequent in-hospital admissions. Results: In 2013, 353 cases were reported. Poisonings were more frequent in children 0-4 years-old (72.5%) and in boys (55%). The vast majority was of dwellers of the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (83%), and 90% of the accidental poisonings occurred at home. 82.7% of the poisonings occurred by oral ingestion, especially of medicinal (36.5%) and cleaning products (29.4% of all poisonings). Only 12.2% of the cases resulted in hospitalization, and only one resulted in death. Residing outside Belo Horizonte (OR=5.20 [95%CI 2.37-11.44]) and poisoning by two or more products (OR=4.29 [95%CI 1.33-13.82]) were considered risk factors for hospitalization. Conclusions: Accidental poisonings occurred most frequently by ingestion of household medications and cleaning products, especially among children under 4 years-old. Preventive strategies should be primarily directed for this prevalent profile.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever o perfil dos atendimentos de crianças e adolescentes vítimas de intoxicações exógenas acidentais e os fatores associados às internações hospitalares. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo transversal com base na revisão dos registros de todas as intoxicações acidentais de indivíduos com até 19 anos de idade, atendidos no setor de toxicologia de um hospital público de referência em 2013, excluídos os acidentes com animais peçonhentos e insetos. A intencionalidade da intoxicação foi baseada nos relatos. Foram calculadas percentagens e frequências para as variáveis qualitativas, e medidas de tendência central e de dispersão das variáveis quantitativas contínuas. Foi realizada análise múltipla, utilizando regressão logística binária para identificar as variáveis associadas à internação hospitalar das vítimas atendidas. Resultados: Em 2013, foram identificados 353 atendimentos em crianças e adolescentes. A faixa etária mais prevalente foi a de zero a quatro anos (72,5%), e predominaram indivíduos do sexo masculino (55%). A maioria dos atendimentos foi de pacientes residentes na região metropolitana (83%). Noventa por cento das intoxicações ocorreram nos domicílios; 82,7% se deram pela via oral, especialmente por medicamentos (36,5%) e produtos de limpeza (29,4% de todas as intoxicações). Resultaram em internações 12,2% dos casos, ocorrendo um único óbito. As variáveis associadas à internação foram: residir fora do município sede (razão de chances [OR]=5,20; intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%] 2,37-11,44) e o envolvimento de mais do que uma substância na intoxicação (OR=4,29; IC95% 1,33-13,82). Conclusões: O ambiente doméstico é o principal local em que ocorrem as intoxicações em crianças e adolescentes, especialmente por ingestão de medicamentos e produtos de limpeza e abaixo de quatro anos de idade. Esses achados justificam a priorização de ações preventivas direcionadas para esse perfil de acidentes.

Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in children.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential is a test used in neurotological examination. It verifies the integrity of vestibular function through a muscular response evoked by an acoustic stimulation which activates the saccular macula. Normal standards in adults have been established, however, there are few published data on the normal responses in children. OBJECTIVE: To establish normal standards for vestibular myogenic responses in children without neurotological complaints. METHODS: This study's design is a cohort with cross-sectional analysis. The sample consisted of 30 subjects, 15 females (50%) and 15 males (50%). RESULTS: The age of the subjects ranged between 8 and 13 years, with a mean of 10.2 (± 1.7). P1 peak showed an average latency of 17.26 (± 1.78)ms and a mean amplitude of 49.34 (± 23.07)µV, and the N2 peak showed an average latency of 24.78 (± 2.18)ms and mean amplitude of 66.23 (± 36.18)µV. P1-N2 mean amplitude was 115.6 (± 55.7)µV. There were no statistically significant differences when comparing by gender or by laterality. CONCLUSION: We established normal values of cervical myogenic vestibular responses in children between 8 and 13 years without neurotological complaints.

Seasonality of dizziness and vertigo in a tropical region.

Vertigo and dizziness are among the most common medical complaints in the emergency room, and are associated with a considerable personal and health care burden. Scarce and conflicting reports indicate those symptoms may present a seasonal distribution. This study aimed at investigating the existence of a seasonal distribution of vertigo/dizziness in a tropical region, and the correlations of these findings with climatic variables. The charts of all patients consecutively admitted between 2009 and 2012 in the emergency room of a Brazilian general hospital were reviewed. A total of 4920 cases containing these terms were sorted from a sample of 276,076 emergency records. Seasonality was assessed using Cosinor Analysis. Pearson's correlations were performed between the incidence of consultations, considering separately dizziness and vertigo and each of the predictor climatic variables of that index month. Significant seasonal patterns were observed for dizziness and vertigo in the emergency room. Vertigo was more frequent in late winter-spring, negatively correlating to humidity (r = -0.374; p = 0.013) and rainfall (r = -0.334; p = 0.020). Dizziness peaked on summer months, and positively correlated to average temperatures (r = 0.520; p < 0.001) and rainfall (r = 0.297; p = 0.040), but negatively to atmospheric pressure (r = -0.424; p = 0.003). The different seasonal patterns evidenced for dizziness and vertigo indicate possible distinct underlying mechanisms of how seasons may influence the occurrence of those symptoms.