Evolution of the quality of prenatal care in the primary network of Brazil from 2012 to 2018: What can (and should) improve?

The article describes the temporal evolution of prenatal quality indicators in the primary health care network in Brazil and investigates regional differences. This study used data from the external evaluation of Brazil's National Program for Improving Primary Care Access and Quality (PMAQ) with health teams participating in Cycles I, II and III of the Program, carried out respectively in 2012, 2013/14 and 2017/18. The number of visits, physical examination procedures, guidelines and request for laboratory tests were investigated. There was a positive evolution for tests-HIV, syphilis, blood glucose and ultrasound, and for all tests, guidance on feeding and weight gain of the baby and examination of the oral cavity. The indicators that performed the worst were: performance of tetanus vaccine, six or more visits, receiving guidance on exclusive breastfeeding and care for the newborn, and the procedures-all, measurement of uterine height, gynecological exam and cervix cancer prevention. These changes had a varied behavior between the regions of the country.

Diabetes Care in Brazil: Program to Improve Primary Care Access and Quality-PMAQ.

This article describes the primary health care offered to 8118 service users with diabetes in Brazil based on data from the PMAQ (Program to Improve Primary Care Access and Quality) first survey. Structure, access, service organization and management, and clinical care quality were analyzed. Prevalence of self-reported receipt of appropriate treatment was 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.4-15.2). Following adjustment, it was 26% higher (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04-1.54) when primary health care centers had all the structure items investigated, it was 13% higher (PR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.00-1.29) when the teams' work process for service organization and management was adequate and it was 14% higher (PR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.00-1.30) when the teams' clinical practice was adequate.

Prevalence of overweight and associated factors in under-five-year-old children in urban population in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of overweight in children under five years old from urban households and to investigate associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional population-based study carried out in the five regions of Brazil with a sample of 6,397 children. The World Health Organization 2006 Growth Curves were used and children were considered overweight when Z-score was higher than two standard deviations of weight for height. The following variables were investigated: family income, mothers' education level, race, age, gender, number of siblings, weight at birth and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Proportions were compared with the χ2 test and reasons of prevalence were calculated. Logistic regression was used for the adjusted analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was of 12%. After adjustments, this prevalence was significantly higher among males (p = 0.030) and inversely proportional to the child's age (p = 0.032). White children presented 22% higher overweight prevalence than non-white ones. A linear direct association was verified between weight at birth and overweight (p = 0.000). Children who were breastfed until 120 days presented 34% more prevalence of overweight when compared to the ones who were breastfed for a longer time. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight prevalence was higher in male, under one year old, white children, with more than 3,500 grams of weight at birth and who were exclusively breastfed until 120 days.

Falls and self-assessment of eyesight among elderly people: a population-based study in a south Brazilian municipality.

This paper seeks to verify the association between falls and self-assessment of visual acuity in elderly people by means of a cross-sectional population-based study involving 1593 elderly people (aged 60 or over) from the urban zone of the municipality of Bagé-RS. Poisson regression was used for association analysis. Fall prevalence in the last year was 28.0% (95%CI: 25.8; 30.2), with 45.0% of these having suffered two or more falls in the same period. Elderly people self-assessing their eyesight as bad/very poor (10.0%) or regular (33.3%) showed a linear increase in fall occurrence when compared to individuals who considered their eyesight to be good/excellent. Self-assessment of eyesight showed itself to be an important factor associated with the occurrence of falls. This results entails the need to make progress with tracing elderly people with eyesight difficulties and its possible impact on actions to prevent the occurrence of falls.

Free access to hypertension and diabetes medicines among the elderly: a reality yet to be constructed.

The study evaluated free access to hypertension and diabetes medicines and the reasons reported for lack of access. The sample included 4,003 elderly people living in Primary Care Unit coverage areas from 41 Southern and Northeastern Brazilian cities. Free access was higher in the Northeast (62.4%). The strategy of the Family Health Program (Programa Saúde da Família - PSF) was more effective in providing access than the traditional model, with higher results in the Northeast (61.2%) than in the South (39.6%). Around 20% of medicines included in the Hypertension and Diabetes Program and 26% of those included in the National Essential Medicines List (RENAME) were paid out of pocket. In the Northeast, 25% of insulin and 32% of oral antidiabetics were paid out of pocket. Unavailability in the public sector and a lack of money determined the lack of access. Although the PSF, Hypertension and Diabetes Program and RENAME expanded free access, supplies were insufficient. A greater connection between programs and a clear definition of responsibilities can improve medicine acquisition process, increasing the effectiveness of pharmaceutical assistance.

[Architectonic barriers for elderly and physically disabled people: an epidemiological study of the physical structure of health service units in seven Brazilian states]. / Barreiras arquitetônicas a idosos e portadores de deficiência física: um estudo epidemiológico da estrutura física das unidades básicas de saúde em sete estados do Brasil.

This cross-sectional study, carried out in 41 Brazilian cities, describes the conditions of the basic health units (UBS) in relation to architectural barriers. A sample of 240 UBS with different modalities of basic attention was selected at random. The professionals working in the UBS answered a standardized questionnaire about architectonic barriers in their units.Approximately 60% of the UBS were classified as inadequate in relation to easy access for the elderly and subjects with disabilities. The existence of steps, the lack of railings, the inexistence of slopes, the lack of bathrooms adapted for the users of wheelchairs, and the inadequate waiting rooms were a constant in the studied UBS. The conclusion is that many architectural barriers make the access to the health services difficult. The population aging and the consequent increasing demand for healthcare by the elderly, the increase of chronic diseases and use of UBS by disabled persons make an urgent institutional intervention for improving the physical the structure of the UBS indispensable.

[Sexually transmitted diseases symptoms in adults: prevalence and risk factors]. / Sintomas de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em adultos: prevalência e fatores de risco.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms and associated risk factors in an adult population. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of the metropolitan area of Pelotas, Brazil. Subjects were 20 years old or more. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather information about sexual behavior and STD symptoms. Multivariate analysis was undertaken using logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of STDs was 13.5%. A higher risk of STDs was found in non-white younger women with more sexual partners and who did not use condoms in their last sexual relationship. Among men, early initiation of sexual activity and anal sex were positively associated with the outcome. Higher risks were found among women with lower schooling. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified a significant prevalence of STD symptoms in this population and showed differences in risk factors according to gender. Since many STDs are asymptomatic and symptomatic cases are often either not perceived as disease by patients or not diagnosed in health services, the actual prevalence may be even greater. The study results suggest that cohabitation with a sexual partner does not reduce the risk of STDs in this population and showed sex differences for risk factors, both of which should be taken into account while approaching this issue.