User fee removal for the poor: a qualitative study to explore policies for social health assistance in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Removal of user fee for vulnerable people reduces the financial barriers associated with healthcare payments, which, in turn, improves health outcomes and promotes health equity. This study sought to provide policy strategies to reduce user fee at the point of service delivery for the poor in Iran. METHODS: This is a qualitative study carried out in 2018. The purposive sampling method was applied, and 33 experts with relevant and valuable experiences and maximum variation to obtain representativeness and rich data were interviewed. Trustworthiness criteria were used to assure the quality of the results. The data were analyzed based on thematic analysis using the MAXQDA10 software. RESULTS: The most important issue regarding financial protection against user fee for the poor in Iran is policy integration and cohesion. Differences in access to financial support for user fee coverage among different groups of the poor have led to inequalities in access and financial protection among the poor. The suggested protection policies against the user fee at the point of service delivery in Iran can be categorized into three main categories: 1) basic health social insurance instruments, 2) free health services to the poor outside of the health insurance system, and 3) complementary insurance mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Implementing a cohesive social assistance policy for all disadvantaged groups is needed to address inequalities in financial protection against user fee payment among the poor in Iran. Reducing user fee through mechanisms such as deductible cap, stop-loss, variable user fee and sliding fee scale can improve financial protection and enhance healthcare utilization among the poor. A user fee exemption is not enough to remove barriers to access to service for the poor, as other costs such as transportation expenditures and informal payments also put financial pressure on them. Therefore, financial support for the poor should be designed in a comprehensive protection package to reduce out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services, and indirect costs associated with healthcare utilization.

SMAD: SMart assistant during and after a medical emergency case based on deep learning sentiment analysis: The pandemic COVID-19 case.

The huge cost of emergency situations could have fatal effects on humanity and society, and it could present a genuine threat to both of them. In fact, most people confronted with an emergency could feel psychological trauma, which will, for the most part, change over time as they can exhibit chaotic or even turbulent behaviours. The situation could worsen in the case of a pandemic as fear and anxiety invade and spread in addition to isolation and quarantine. In this paper, we propose to build a smart assistant, called SMAD, that could detect the symptoms of an emergency case as well as symptoms of a mental disorder while analysing the natural language speech of an ordinary citizen, during and after an emergency situation using natural language processing and deep learning sentiment analysis model to track the patient's mental state during an ongoing conversation. Our proposed smart assistant is an online human-bot interaction that could handle a variety of physical and mental circumstances of any emergency situation. The proposed approach is a smart healthcare service that consists of four interconnected modules: The information understanding module, the data collector module, the action generator module, and the mental analysis module, which is based on the sentiment analysis model performed on a social media dataset using a pre-trained word-embedding model.

[Mental Health Global Action Programme (mhGAP) in Chile: Lessons Learned and Challenges for Latin America and the CaribbeanPrograma de ação mundial para reduzir as lacunas em saúde mental (mhGAP) no Chile: aprendizados e desafios para América Latina e Caribe]. / Programa de Acción Mundial para Superar las Brechas en Salud Mental (mhGAP) en Chile: aprendizajes y desafíos para América Latina y el Caribe.

OBJECTIVES: Present the methodology for comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the Mental Health Global Action Programme (mhGAP) in Chile and describe the program's results. METHODS: Cross-sectional evaluative study based on a survey of key program informants deployed in 29 public health services in the country, as well as individual interviews and focus groups with key actors and experts. The evaluation was focused on the relevance and impact of mhGAP on the provision of mental health services and on the implementation of the program. RESULTS: The participants gave a positive evaluation of the progressive implementation of mhGAP in Chile. In particular: 1) They reported having better tools for detecting, diagnosing, and treating common disorders, and efficient referral strategies; (2) They rated all modules as important, the most relevant being self-harm/suicide (x¯ = 4.77) and mental and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents (x¯ = 4.58); (3) They favorably assessed the National Mental Health Day training courses and the subsequent courses repeated at the local level, indicating that these courses contributed to successful implementation of mhGAP; (4) They agreed on the need to incorporate new actors, strengthen certain aspects, and expand information on the program. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of mhGAP in Chile is an emblematic example of learning supported by the development of community mental health and family health, among other factors. These accomplishments offer a unique opportunity to continue advancing the implementation of this program in the country and to implement this experience in other contexts in Latin America and the Caribbean.

OBJETIVOS: Apresentar a metodologia de avaliação completa da implementação do Programa de ação mundial para reduzir as lacunas em saúde mental (Mental Health GAP, mhGAP) no Chile e descrever seus resultados. MÉTODOS: Estudo avaliativo transversal baseado em levantamento realizado com profissionais de referência do programa, distribuídos em 29 serviços de saúde da rede pública do país, e entrevistas individuais e grupos focais com as principais partes interessadas e especialistas. O enfoque da avaliação foi a relevância e o impacto do mhGAP na prestação de serviços de saúde mental e a implementação do programa. RESULTADOS: Os participantes do estudo avaliaram positivamente a implementação progressiva do mhGAP no Chile. Em particular, 1) eles afirmaram possuir recursos melhores para detecção, diagnóstico e tratamento de transtornos frequentes e estratégias de encaminhamento eficientes; 2) classificaram todos os módulos como importantes, com destaque a autoagressão/suicídio (x¯ = 4,77) e transtornos mentais e de comportamento em crianças e adolescentes (x¯ = 4,58); 3) avaliaram de forma favorável a realização das Jornadas Nacionais de Saúde Mental e suas iterações em nível local contribuindo ao sucesso da implementação do mhGAP e 4) concordaram com a necessidade de atrair mais interessados, reforçar alguns aspectos e ampliar a divulgação do programa. CONCLUSÕES: A implementação do mhGAP no Chile é um caso emblemático de aprendizado apoiado no avanço da saúde mental comunitária e saúde da família, entre outros fatores. Esta conquista cria uma oportunidade única para continuar a expandir a implementação do programa no país e disseminar esta experiência a outros contextos na América Latina e Caribe.

Substance use and mental illness among nurses: workplace warning signs and barriers to seeking assistance.

BACKGROUND: Although some studies have examined the prevalence of substance use among nurses, few have assessed substance use in the workplace or early cues for identifying these health conditions. Primary data collected as part of a larger program evaluation were examined with the purpose of better understanding (a) the context and perceived consequences of substance use and mental illness among nurses and (b) barriers and opportunities for earlier identification and treatment of these issues among nurses, their colleagues, and employers. METHODS: Anonymous surveys were mailed to 441 active and recent participants of a peer health assistance program in the summer of 2010. The survey examined drug-related behaviors in the workplace; behavioral cues that may permit earlier identification of substance use and mental illness; perceptions of barriers to seeking assistance; and strategies for preventing problems and overcoming barriers to seeking assistance. RESULTS: Responses were received from 302 nurses (69%). Nearly half (48%) reported drug or alcohol use at work, and two fifths (40%) felt that their competency level was affected by their use. More than two thirds of respondents thought their problem could have been recognized earlier. The most highly rated barriers to seeking assistance for substance use and mental illness included fear and embarrassment and concerns about losing one's nursing license. Respondents recommended greater attention be paid to early identification of risk factors during nurses' professional training as a prevention strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study provide preliminary data that can be used by schools of nursing and health care employers to improve early identification of nurses' substance use and mental illness treatment needs. These data also suggest a need for more research to explore the prevention and early identification of co-occurring disorders in health care settings where nurses practice.

Sustainability of health services in refugee hosting districts: a qualitative study of health services in three west Nile refugee hosting districts, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Humanitarian health assistance programmes have expanded from temporary approaches addressing short-term needs to providing long-term interventions in emergency settings. Measuring sustainability of humanitarian health services is important towards improving the quality of health services in refugee settings. OBJECTIVE: To explore the sustainability of health services following the repatriation of refugees from the west Nile districts of Arua, Adjumani and Moyo. METHODS: This was a qualitative comparative case study conducted in three west Nile refugee-hosting districts of Arua, Adjumani, and Moyo. In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 purposefully selected respondents in each of the three districts. Respondents included health workers and managers, district civic leaders, planners, chief administrative officers, district health officers, project staff of aid agencies, refugee health focal persons and community development officers. RESULTS: The study shows that in terms of organization capacity, the District Health Teams provided health services to both refugee and host communities with minimal support from aid agencies. Health services were available in most former refugee hosting areas in Adjumani, Arua and Moyo districts. However, there were several disruptions notably reduction and inadequate services due to shortage of drugs and essential supplies, lack of health workers, and closure or relocation of health facilities in around former settlements. To minimize disruptions the district health office reorganized health services. In restructuring health services, the district local governments closed or upgraded health facilities to address reduced capacity and catchment population. Health workers employed by aid agencies were recruited into government services while others who were deemed excess or unqualified were laid off. Equipment and machinery including machines and vehicles were transferred to the district health office in specific health facilities. Funding for health services was mainly provided by the Government of Uganda through the Primary Health Care Grant. Aid agencies, however, continued to provide minimal support health services for refugees who remained in Adjumani district. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that while humanitarian health services are not designed for sustainability, several interventions continued at the end of the refugee emergency in the three districts. The embeddedness of the refugee health services in the district health systems ensured health services continued through public service delivery structures. It is important to strengthen the capacity of the local service delivery structures and ensure health assistance programmes are integrated into local health systems to promote sustainability.

[Controversies between mental health and disability standards in Mexico]. / Controversias entre los estándares de salud mental y de discapacidad en México.

There are controversies between the practice of psychiatry, current international standards and mental disorders or conditions with disabilities, framed in social care models. The objective of this work is to provide evidence and analyze the main gaps in mental health such as: the invisibility of some people with disabilities for the design of policies, legislation, or public programs; the predominance of the medical model, in which the substitution of decision-making in informed consent prevails, which violates the rights of legal personality, equality, freedom, security and respect for personal integrity, among others. This analysis highlights the importance of: a) integrating the legal provisions on health and disability to international standards, and complying with the Human Rights framework of the Political Constitution of the United States of Mexico, especially the pro personae principle and to the conforming interpretation clause; b) reform the General Health Law in matters of mental health and general health, in order to change the paradigm of asylum care to move towards that of community care with a focus on primary health care, adjacent to the services of the National System of Health; c) prohibit the institutionalization of people with mental disorders, as well as coercive measures as containment measures, and instead train and encourage verbal de-escalation techniques.

Existen controversias entre la práctica de la psiquiatría, los estándares internacionales vigentes y los trastornos o condición mental con discapacidad, enmarcados en los modelos de atención social. El objetivo de este trabajo es aportar evidencia y analizar las principales brechas en materia de salud mental como: la invisibilidad de algunas personas con discapacidad para el diseño de políticas, legislación o programas públicos; el predominio del modelo médico, en el que prevalece la sustitución de toma de decisión en el consentimiento informado, lo que viola los derechos de personalidad jurídica, igualdad, libertad, seguridad y respeto a la integridad personal, entre otros. El presente análisis resalta la importancia de: a) integrar las disposiciones legales en materia de salud y discapacidad a los estándares internacionales, y cumplir con el marco de los Derechos Humanos de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, en especial al principio pro persona y a la cláusula interpretación conforme; b) reformar la Ley General de Salud en materia de salud mental y salubridad general, a fin de cambiar el paradigma de atención asilar para transitar hacia el de atención comunitaria con enfoque de atención primaria de la salud, adyacente a los servicios del Sistema Nacional de Salud; c) prohibir la institucionalización de las personas con trastornos mentales, así como las medidas coercitivas como medidas de contención, y en su lugar capacitar e incentivar técnicas de desescalamiento verbal.

Graph-based association rule learning for context-based health monitoring to enable user-centered assistance.

In response to the demographic change and the accompanying challenges for effective healthcare, approaches to enable using advancements of digitalization and IoT infrastructures as well as AI methods to deliver results in the field of personalized health assistance are necessary. In our research, we aim at enabling user-centered assistance with the help of networked sensors and Health Assistance Systems as well as learning methods based on connected graph data that model the shared system, user, and environmental context. In particular, this paper demonstrates a graph-based dynamic context model for a medication assistance system and presents an association rule learning method using Apriori algorithm to learn correlations between user vitals, activities as well as medication intake behavior. An application scenario for context-based heart rate monitoring is consequently presented as proof of concept, where associated contextual elements from the modeled context relating surges in monitored heart rate to environmental and user activity are shown.

Dispensing of psychotropic drugs in the Brazilian capital city before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2020).

Objective: Evaluate the data on the psychotropic drugs dispensed by private community pharmacies before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared the quarterly and annual consumption of psychotropic drugs per Defined Daily Dose per 1000 inhabitants-day (DHD). Interrupted time series were also constructed to expose changes in the consumption pattern in the periods before and after March 2020. Results: Among the 20 most consumed psychoactive drugs, 12 were antidepressants, for example, escitalopram (DHD 7.996 and 10.626; p < 0.001), and sertraline (DHD 6.321 and 8.484; p < 0.001), in addition to the hypnotic zolpidem (DHD 6.202 and 8.526; p < 0.001). The time series reveals (R 2 value) a variation in drug dispensing, in DHD values, during the pandemic. Conclusion: Despite the higher variance, a significant increase is clearly seen in the consumption trends of psychoactive drugs, particularly antidepressants, consistent with the pandemic's influence on the general population's mental health.

Therapeutic Itinerary of Trans Men from Northeastern Brazil.

Purpose: To analyze the route that transgender men take to gain access to the treatments that are available for going through the transsexualizing process at a public care and attendance center in one of the capital cities of north-eastern Brazil. Methods: A qualitative case study which used the therapeutic itinerary as a theoretical-methodological path. The research was carried out between the months of September 2019 and March 2020 in a care and attendance center for trans people. The inclusion criteria were as follows: self-recognition as transgender men, over 18 years of age, and whose transsexualizing process was being carried out in the service stage of this study. Semistructured interviews were conducted. All interviewees participated voluntarily and signed a Free and Informed Consent Form before the study. Results: This study included 18 transgender men whose average age was 26.3 years. Of these, five (27.7%) were students, with one (5.5%) of them, as well as the others (nonstudents), performing some type of paid work. Three thematic categories emerged: (i) The (self-re-) cognition of the trans world through the internet and social media; (ii) the expression of male gender identity and the (non) support network; and (iii) access to transsexualizing process in SUS (Brazilian Public Healthcare System). Conclusion: The identification of the path taken by trans men, from their self-recognition and to the therapeutic care accessed through SUS' transsexualizing process, made it possible to identify the impacts of their experiences upon the construction of their gender identities.

Multidrug-Resistant Hospital Bacteria: Epidemiological Factors and Susceptibility Profile.

Increase in antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics is the product of the evolution and natural adaptation of microorganisms through mutations and genetic recombination caused by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the ineffective control and prevention of infection. The current study analyzes the profile of multiresistant hospital bacteria in two hospitals in Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Over the course of 4 months, patient's gender and age, hospital accommodation type, and sample site were evaluated. Two hundred and eighty-six microbiological culture antibiogram reports of hospitalized patients and outpatients of both sexes, between zero and 96 years of age, were analyzed. Bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most prevalent. The most resistant Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) were K. pneumoniae (27.5%); Acinetobacter baumannii (24.1%); Escherichia coli (14.7%); and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.5%). The most resistant Gram-positive cocci (GPC) were Enterococcus faecium (27.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus (25.5%). The classes of antibiotics with the greatest number of resistant GNB included penicillins (84.8%), quinolones (77.5%), and cephalosporins (75.7%). In the case of GPC, the most resistant were macrolides (95.4%); lincosamides (90.3%), and penicillins (77%). Among GNBs, polypeptides had the highest sensitivity rate (81.3%), whereas, among GPC, fusidanes, glycylcyclines, and lipopeptides had 100% sensitivity.

Foreign ideology vs. national priority: impacts of the US Global Gag Rule on Nepal's sexual and reproductive healthcare system.

In recent decades, bold steps taken by the government of Nepal to liberalise its abortion law and increase the affordability and accessibility of safe abortion and family planning have contributed to significant improvements in maternal mortality and other sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. The Trump administration's Global Gag Rule (GGR) - which prohibits foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from receiving US global health assistance unless they certify that they will not use funding from any source to engage in service delivery, counselling, referral, or advocacy related to abortion - threatens this progress. This paper examines the impact of the GGR on civil society, NGOs, and SRH service delivery in Nepal. We conducted 205 semi-structured in-depth interviews in 2 phases (August-September 2018, and June-September 2019), and across 22 districts. Interview participants included NGO programme managers, government employees, facility managers and service providers in the NGO and private sectors, and service providers in public sector facilities. This large, two-phased study complements existing anecdotal research by capturing impacts of the GGR as they evolved over the course of a year, and by surfacing pathways through which this policy affects SRH outcomes. We found that low policy awareness and a considerable chilling effect cut across levels of the Nepali health system and exacerbated impacts caused by routine implementation of the GGR, undermining the ecology of SRH service delivery in Nepal as well as national sovereignty.

Evaluation of Anxiety and Vital Signs in Adults Undergoing Different Dental Procedures: A Prospective Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the vital signs related with different dental treatments, and correlate with demographic data and participants' anxiety level. This is a prospective clinical study with 60 participants, divided into 3 groups of dental procedures: (1) restorative treatment, (2) extractions and biopsies, and (3) gingival treatment. A level of anxiety questionnaire before dental procedure proposed by Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale was collected. Respiratory rate, systolic and diastolic pressure, temperature and oxygenation were measured before, during and after the procedures. 31 (51.7 %) women and 29 (48.3 %) men were included, with mean age of 41.75 years old. Most participants (50 %) were classified as very little anxious. Diastolic pressure before the procedure was higher for slightly anxious patients when compar ed with very little anxious patients (p=0.028). Systolic pressure before, during and after the procedure was higher for participan ts above 40 years old (p=0,001). Heart rate (p=0,050) and temperature (p=0,041) was higher before the restorative treatment. Anxiety can promote changes in vital signs in the dental environment. Vital signs, sex, age and level of anxiety do influence the blood pressure at different clinical moments. Dental procedures have association with variations in temperature, heart and respiratory rate.

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los signos vitales relacionados con diferentes tratamientos dentales y correlacionarlos con datos demográficos y el nivel de ansiedad de los participantes. Este es un estudio clínico prospectivo con 60 participantes, divididos en 3 grupos de procedimientos dentales: (1) tratamiento restaurador, (2) extracciones y biopsias, y (3) tratamiento gingival. Se recogió un cuestionario de nivel de ansiedad antes del procedimiento odontológico propuesto por la Escala de Ansiedad Dental de Corah. Se midieron la frecuencia respiratoria, la presión sistólica y diastólica, la temperatura y la oxigenación antes, durante y después de los procedimientos. Se incluyeron 31 (51,7 %) mujeres y 29 (48,3 %) hombres, con edad media de 41,75 años. La mayoría de los participantes (50 %) fueron clasificados como muy poco ansiosos. La presión diastólica antes del procedimiento fue mayor en los pacientes ligeramente ansiosos en comparación con los pacientes muy poco ansiosos(p=0,028). La presión sistólica antes, durante y después del procedimiento fue mayor para los participantes mayores de 40 años (p=0,001). La frecuencia cardíaca (p=0,050) y la temperatura (p=0,041) fueron mayores antes del tratamiento restaurativo. La ansiedad puede promover cambios en los signos vitales en el entorno dental. Los signos vitales, el sexo, la edad y el nivel de ansiedad sí influyen en la presión arterial en los diferentes momentos clínicos. Los procedimientos dentales tienen asociación con variaciones de temperatura, frecuencia cardíaca y respiratoria.

Ações de assistência à saúde ofertadas à população em situação de rua: estado da arte / Healthcare actions offered to homeless people: state of the art

Resumo A população em situação de rua (PSR) vem aumentando nos últimos anos. Ações governamentais são implementadas para melhorar as condições de vida dessa população, especialmente as voltadas à assistência à saúde. Este estudo tem como questão norteadora: quais são as estratégias de atenção à saúde dos serviços e programas voltados à população em situação de rua no Brasil? O objetivo é analisar quais são as estratégias de atenção à saúde adotadas pelos serviços e programas voltados à população em situação de rua no Brasil. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura nas bases de dados Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), Literatura Latino Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs) e Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO), tendo como resultado 21 artigos. A análise revelou os alcances e desafios das redes de atenção à saúde, indicando o uso de drogas como principal motivo para busca dos serviços, sendo o Consultório na Rua (CnaR) um dispositivo importante, capaz de promover a criação de vínculos entre a PSR e os demais setores de saúde. A importância do trabalho em rede e a complexidade do cuidado com a saúde de populações foram temas recorrentes nas discussões, pois tratam de ações destinadas a pessoas vulnerabilizadas, estigmatizadas, apresentando necessidades e singularidades no modo de viver em sociedade.

Abstract The number of homeless people (HP) has been increasing in recent years. Government actions have been implemented to improve the living conditions for this population, especially those focused on health care. This study has as research question: What are the healthcare strategies of services and programs being offered to the homeless population in Brazil? Its objective is to analyze the health care strategies adopted by services and programs offered to the homeless population in Brazil. To achieve this purpose, a search was conducted in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs), and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) databases, resulting in 21 articles. The analysis revealed the scope and challenges of the health care networks, indicating drug use as the main reason for seeking the services, with the Street Clinics (CnaR, Consultório na Rua) being an important service capable of promoting the creation of links between the HP and other sectors. of health. The importance of networking and the complexity of population health care were recurring topics in the discussions, as they deal with actions aimed at vulnerable and stigmatized people, showing needs and singularities in the way of living in society.

European aid and health system strengthening: an analysis of donor approaches in the DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique and the global fund.

Background: In the field of international health assistance (IHA), there is a growing consensus on the limits of disease-specific interventions and the need for more health system strengthening (HSS). European donors are considered to be strong supporters of HSS. Nevertheless, little is known about how their support for HSS translates into concrete policies at partner country level. Furthermore, as development cooperation is a shared policy between the EU and its Member States, it remains unclear to what extent European donors share a similar approach. Objective: This article reviews a PhD thesis on European aid and HSS. The thesis investigated (1) the approaches of European donors towards IHA, and (2) the extent to which there are similarities or differences between them. An original analytical framework was developed to make a fine-grained analysis of European donors' approaches in the DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda and Mozambique. In addition, the relation of European donors with the Global Fund was investigated. Methods: An abductive research approach was used during which literature review, data generation, analysis and research design mutually influenced each other. The research built on a wide range of empirical data, including semi-structured interviews with 123 respondents, policy documents and descriptive statistical analysis. Results and conclusion: Four 'types' of European donors were identified, which vary in their focus (issue-specific versus comprehensive) and their level of support to and involvement of recipient states. Despite this heterogeneity at a specific level, there is still a general degree of 'unity' among European donors, especially compared with the US. Yet, there are signs that the 'transatlantic' divide on HSS may be converging, as European donors tend to focus more explicitly on result-oriented approaches traditionally associated with the US and Global Health Initiatives. Consequently, European donors play a limited role in bringing HSS more to the forefront in IHA.

Demandas de cuidado em saúde mental na atenção primária à saúde: perspectiva de enfermeiros supervisores / Demands for mental health care in primary health care: the perspective of supervisor nurses / Demandas de atención de salud mental en la atención primaria de salud: la perspectiva de las enfermeras supervisoras

Objetivo: descrever as demandas de cuidado em saúde mental na Estratégia Saúde da Família, na perspectiva de enfermeiros supervisores. Métodos: estudo descritivo-exploratório de abordagem qualitativa realizado em 10 unidades de Estratégia Saúde da Família de um município da região centro-oeste do Brasil. Participaram do estudo 13 enfermeiros supervisores. Os dados foram coletados por meio de grupos focais, observação participante e anotações em diário de campo e foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo, modalidade temática. Resultados: emergiu a categoria temática Demandas e ações em saúde mental que revela as principais demandas de cuidado em saúde mental no contexto da Atenção Primária que foram relacionadas ao uso problemático de álcool e outras drogas, além de casos de sofrimento ou transtornos mental. Sobre as ações de cuidado em saúde mental à saúde, os participantes verbalizaram a prescrição indiscriminada e prolongada de psicofármacos, práticas integrativas e complementares e encaminhamentos para outros serviços. Conclusão: há limitação da oferta de ações em saúde mental no âmbito da Estratégia de Saúde da Família, com ausência de alguns cuidados específicos que poderiam ser possibilitados com a instrumentalização das equipes. (AU)

Objective: to describe the demands of mental health care in the Family Health Strategy, from the perspective of supervisor nurses. Methods: descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach carried out in 10 units of the Family Health Strategy in a city in the Midwest region of Brazil. Thirteen nurse supervisors participated in the study. Data were collected through focus groups, participant observation and notes in a field diary and were subjected to content analysis, thematic modality. Results: the thematic category Demands and actions in mental health emerged, revealing the main demands for mental health care in the context of Primary Care, which were related to the problematic use of alcohol and other drugs, in addition to cases of suffering or mental disorders. Regarding mental health care actions, the participants verbalized the indiscriminate and prolonged prescription of psychotropic drugs, integrative and complementary practices and referrals to other services. Conclusion: there is a limitation in the offer of actions in mental health within the Family Health Strategy, with the absence of some specific care that could be made possible with the instrumentalization of the teams. (AU)

Objetivo: describir las demandas de atención en salud mental en la Estrategia Salud de la Familia, desde la perspectiva de enfermeras supervisoras. Métodos: estudio descriptivo-exploratorio con abordaje cualitativo realizado en 10 unidades de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia en una ciudad del Medio Oeste de Brasil. Participaron trece supervisoras de enfermería. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de grupos focales, observación participante y anotaciones en un diario de campo y fueron sometidos a análisis de contenido, modalidad temática. Resultados: surgió la categoría temática Demandas y acciones en salud mental, revelando las principales demandas de atención en salud mental en el contexto de Atención Primaria, las cuales estaban relacionadas con el uso problemático de alcohol y otras drogas, además de casos de sufrimiento o trastornos mentales. En cuanto a las acciones de atención en salud mental, los participantes verbalizaron la prescripción indiscriminada y prolongada de psicofármacos, prácticas integradoras y complementarias y derivaciones a otros servicios. Conclusion: existe una limitación en la oferta de acciones en salud mental dentro de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia, con la ausencia de alguna atención específica que podría hacerse posible con la instrumentalización de los equipos. (AU)

Ações desenvolvidas no território aos usuários de substâncias psicoativas: cuidado em liberdade? / Actions developed in the territory for users of psychoactive substances: care in freedom? / Acciones desarrolladas en el territorio para usuarios de sustancias psicoactivas: ¿atención en libertad?

RESUMO: Objetivo: compreender as ações de cuidado prestadas pelos trabalhadores de saúde aos usuários de substâncias psicoativas no território. Materiais e Método: pesquisa qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória. Desenvolvida em duas Estratégias Saúde da Família de um município do Rio Grande do Sul-Brasil. Realizou-se entrevistas semiestruturadas com trabalhadores de saúde e utilizou-se análise de conteúdo temática. Resultados: fos dados foram organizados em duas categorias: ações no território: cuidado em liberdade? E, fragilidades do território. Percebeu-se que os trabalhadores enfrentam desafios na promoção do cuidado em liberdade aos usuários, tais como a fragilidade e o retrocesso das políticas públicas. Considerações finais: é relevante a resistência dos trabalhadores frente aos retrocessos e o fortalecimento de outras estratégias de cuidado no território, promovendo cuidado em liberdade e integral aos usuários de substâncias psicoativas.

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the care actions provided by health workers to users of psychoactive substances in the territory. Materials and Method: Qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory research. It was carried out in two Family Health Strategies in a municipality in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health workers, and thematic content analysis was used. Results: The data was organized into two categories: actions in the territory and care in freedom. And the frailties of the territory. It was noted that workers face challenges in promoting care and freedom for users, such as the fragility and setbacks of public policies. Final considerations: It is important for workers to resist setbacks and to strengthen other care strategies in the territory, promoting free and comprehensive care for users of psychoactive substances.

RESUMEN: Objetivo: Conocer las acciones de atención prestadas por el personal de salud a los usuarios de sustancias psicoactivas en el territorio. Materiales y Métodos: Investigación cualitativa, descriptiva y exploratoria. Fue realizada en dos Estrategias de Salud de la Familia en un municipio de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a trabajadores de salud y se utilizó el análisis temático de contenido. Resultados: Los datos se organizaron en dos categorías: las acciones en el territorio: ¿el cuidado en libertad? y las fragilidades del territorio. Se observó que los trabajadores enfrentan desafíos para promover el cuidado en libertad de los usuarios, como la fragilidad y el retroceso de las políticas públicas. Consideraciones finales: es importante que los trabajadores resistan los retrocesos y fortalezcan otras estrategias de atención en el territorio, promoviendo la atención en libertad e integral a los usuarios de sustancias psicoactivas.

Oficina vivencial: intervenção educativa sobre tecnologia grupal para profissionais de saúde mental / Workshop: educational intervention on group technology for mental health professionals / Taller: intervención educativa en tecnología grupal para profesionales de salud mental

Objetivo: descrever a experiência de uma intervenção educativa sobre tecnologia grupal para profissionais de saúde mental. Métodos: relato de experiência relativo a última etapa de uma pesquisa-intervenção, em que foram realizadas duas oficinas norteadas pelo referencial do Ciclo de Aprendizagem Vivencial, com a participação de 19 profissionais de três Centros de Atenção Psicossocial Álcool e Drogas da região central do Brasil. Resultados: ao longo do processo vivencial foi possível perceber que os participantes puderam repensar sua prática profissional nos grupos terapêuticos que conduzem, sensibilizando-os para a necessidade de instrumentalização dos recursos da tecnologia grupal. Conclusão: o uso do Ciclo de Aprendizagem Vivencial como ferramenta de qualificação favoreceu a tomada de consciência dos participantes com reflexões contextualizadas de suas práticas com grupos no cotidiano dos serviços, sensibilizando-os para incrementar suas competências teórico-práticas nos seus atendimentos. (AU)

Objective: to describe the experience of an educational intervention on group technology for mental health professionals. Methods: experience report on the last stage of an intervention research, in which two workshops were held guided by the framework of the Experiential Learning Cycle, with the participation of 19 professionals from three Psychosocial Care Centers for Alcohol and Drugs in the central region of Brazil. Results: throughout the experiential process, it was possible to see that the participants were able to rethink their professional practice in the therapeutic groups they lead, sensitizing them to the need to implement group technology resources. Conclusion: the use of the Experiential Learning Cycle as a qualification tool favored the participants' awareness with contextualized reflections on their practices with groups in the daily service, sensitizing them to increase their theoreticalpractical skills in their care. (AU)

Objetivo: describir la experiencia de una intervención educativa en tecnología grupal para profesionales de la salud mental. Métodos: relato de experiencia de la última etapa de una investigación de intervención, en la que se realizaron dos talleres guiados por el marco del Ciclo de Aprendizaje Experiencial, con la participación de 19 profesionales de tres Centros de Atención Psicosocial por Alcohol y Drogas de la región central de Brasil. Resultados: a lo largo del proceso vivencial, se pudo constatar que los participantes fueron capaces de repensar su práctica profesional en los grupos terapéuticos que lideran, sensibilizándolos sobre la necesidad de implementar recursos tecnológicos grupales. Conclusion: el uso del CAV como herramienta de calificación favoreció la conciencia de los participantes con reflexiones contextualizadas sobre sus prácticas con grupos en el servicio diario, sensibilizándolos para incrementar sus habilidades teórico-prácticas en su cuidado. (AU)

Pharmaceutical interventions in mental health: A review of the literature to support evidence-informed policymaking.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical interventions may have an impact on different treatment aspects, such as therapy adherence, reducing the number of different medications in use and lowering treatment costs. OBJECTIVE: Identify pharmaceutical interventions in the mental health field and their possible application in Brazilian public mental health services, considering the evidence-based model to establish implementation options. METHODS: A structured search of the literature was performed in the Pubmed (Medline), Cochrane, PsycINFO and Lilacs databases to identify the main pharmaceutical intervention studies conducted in the mental health area. The articles selected were evaluated according to the quality of the evidence. The current laws and public database were researched to collect information on services and procedures provided by the Brazilian units, known as CAPS, and the number the pharmacists allocated to them. The proposal to synthesize the results of pharmaceutical interventions in Brazil was based on SUPPORT methodology items to prepare evidence-based policies. RESULTS: A total of 1442 studies were identified, 18 of which were included. Several interventions are reported in the literature, educational interventions being frequently cited. However, there is a need for further studies with more methodological rigor. The number of pharmacists working in the CAPS is insufficient to cover all the services, since only 26.5% of CAPS employ pharmacists, who work an average of 29 (±11.1) hours a week. Three options were formulated to implement interventions in the Brazilian context that consider including pharmacists on the basic team of CAPS professionals and educational interventions through pharmacist training. CONCLUSIONS: The present study could support the establishment of health policies, based on a synthesis of the evidence, contextualization of the current situation, given the absence of local evidence, and a discussion of the options available to implement pharmaceutical interventions in the Brazilian health system. Organizational changes in CAPS are needed to broaden pharmacist participation on the multidisciplinary team.

Children and youth mental health from the perspective of workers in a health network / Saúde mental infantojuvenil na perspectiva de trabalhadores de uma rede de saúde / La salud mental infantil y juvenol desde la perspectiva de los trabajadores de una red sanitaria

The objective was to understand the difficulties and potential of a Mental Health (MH) network aimed at children and adolescents, identifying how professionals understand and operationalize the principles of the policy of SM for children and adolescents. Five Focus Groups were held, with the participation of 43 workers. We used lexical analysis through the Iramuteq software, originating four classes: "What is being a child and adolescent?"; "What do children and adolescents suffer from?"; "On the relationship between services" and "Potentials and challenges of the Mental Health Network". Difficulties in sharing care were identified, articulating the network outside of oneself. Capsij is perceived as a priority for user embracement, and there is still difficulty in providing care in MH in Primary Care (AB). It is concluded that the complexity of care in MS for children and adolescents imposes the need to continue strategies to strengthen the AB and intersectoral actions aimed at an expanded clinic. (AU)

Objetivou-se conhecer as dificuldades e potencialidades de uma rede de Saúde Mental (SM) voltada a crianças e adolescentes, identificando como profissionais compreendem e operacionalizam os princípios da política de SM infantojuvenil. Foram realizados cinco Grupos Focais, com participação de 43 trabalhadores. Utilizou-se da análise lexical por meio do software Iramuteq, originando quatro classes: "O que é ser criança e adolescente?"; "Do que sofrem as crianças e adolescentes?"; "Sobre a relação entre os serviços" e "Potencialidades e desafios da Rede de Saúde Mental". Identificou-se dificuldades em compartilhar o cuidado, articulando a rede para fora de si. O Capsij é percebido como prioritário para o acolhimento, havendo, ainda, dificuldade em efetivar os cuidados em SM na Atenção Básica (AB). Conclui-se que a complexidade da atenção em SM para crianças e adolescentes impõe a necessidade de continuidade de estratégias de fortalecimento da AB e de ações intersetoriais visando uma clínica ampliada. (AU)

El objetivo fue comprender las dificultades y potencialidades de una red de Salud Mental (SM) para niños y adolescentes, identificando cómo los profesionales entienden y operacionalizan los principios de la política de SM para la niñez y adolescencia. Se realizaron cinco Grupos Focales, en los que participaron 43 trabajadores. Se utilizó el análisis léxico a través del software Iramuteq, originando cuatro clases: "¿Qué es ser niño y adolescente?"; "¿Qué padecen los niños y adolescentes?"; "Sobre la relación entre servicios" y "Potencialidades y desafíos de la Red de Salud Mental". Se identificaron dificultades a la hora de compartir los cuidados, articulando la red para fuera de sí. El Capsij se percibe como una prioridad para la acogida, existiendo aún dificultades para implementar los cuidados en SM en Atención Primaria (AP). Se concluye que la complejidad de la atención en SM para niños y adolescentes impone la necesidad de continuidad de las estrategias de fortalecimiento de la AP y de acciones intersectoriales, visando una clínica ampliada. (AU)

Revisitando Whitaker: psicofármacos e cuidado em Saúde Mental na Atenção Primária à Saúde / Revisiting Whitaker: psychotropic drugs and Mental Health care in Primary Health Care

RESUMO Os Problemas de Saúde Mental (SM) e o uso indiscriminado de psicofármacos são problemas de grande relevância para a Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) e a saúde pública. O objetivo deste ensaio é apresentar uma fundamentação atualizada da tese de Robert Whitaker, desenvolvida no livro 'Anatomia de uma epidemia: pílulas mágicas, drogas psiquiátricas e o aumento assombroso da doença mental'. É apresentada uma síntese do livro, acrescida de comentários sobre determinados temas, visando à melhor ancoragem científica dos argumentos. A tese defendida é que se deve evitar prescrever o uso de psicofármacos; e, caso seja iniciado o uso, que seja como sintomático agudo pelo menor tempo possível. Os argumentos giram em torno de que há evidências favoráveis apenas para redução de sintomas, para algumas dessas drogas e para curtos períodos de uso. Com seu uso crônico, há piora em longo prazo quanto à estabilidade, autonomia e funcionalidade social, com problemas graves de abstinência. Especialmente na APS (e também nos serviços especializados em SM), os profissionais deveriam ter uma abordagem mais crítica dos psicotrópicos e investir em outras abordagens terapêuticas, para fazerem algo melhor, menos iatrogênico e tão ou mais eficaz para os pacientes com problemas de SM no longo prazo.

ABSTRACT Mental Health (MH) issues and the indiscriminate use of psychotropic drugs are a great deal of a problem for the Primary Health Care (PHC) and public health. The aim of this article is to show an updated basis from Robert Whitaker theses in his book 'Anatomy of an epidemic: magic bullets, psychiatric drugs and the astonishing rise of mental illness'. It is presented a synthesis of the book, with specific comments about some topics, aiming for better scientific base of the arguments. The thesis endorses that prescribing psychotropic drugs must be avoided; and, if required, it must be as an acute symptomatic scenario for the least time as possible. The study has positive evidence that a few of these drugs only reduces symptoms, for a short period of time. If chronic used, in a long-term scenario, it seems to actually reduce stability, autonomy and social functionality, leaving the user with serious abstinence from the drug. Specially in PHC (and also in MH specialized services), professionals should have a mindful and discerning approach to psychotropic drugs, and invest in other therapeutic strategies, in order to do something better, less iatrogenic and as effective or more for the mental health patients in the long term.