Role of health determinants in a measles outbreak in Ecuador: a case-control study with aggregated data.

BACKGROUND: In 2011-2012, an outbreak of measles occurred in Ecuador. This study sought to ascertain which population characteristics were associated. METHODS: Case-control study of aggregate data. The unit of analysis was the parish (smallest geographic division). The national communicable disease surveillance database was used to identify 52 case parishes (with at least one confirmed case of measles) and 972 control parishes (no cases of measles). A hierarchical model was used to determine the association of measles with population characteristics and access to health care. RESULTS: Case parishes were mostly urban and had a higher proportion of children under 1 year of age, heads of household with higher educational attainment, larger indigenous population, lower rates of measles immunization, and lower rates of antenatal care visit attendance. On multivariate analysis, associations were found with educational attainment of head of household ≥8 years (OR: 0.29; 95%CI 0.15-0.57) and ≥1.4% indigenous population (OR: 3.29; 95%CI 1.63-6.68). Antenatal care visit attendance had a protective effect against measles (OR: 0.98; 95%CI 0.97-0.99). Measles vaccination was protective of the outbreak (OR: 0.97; 95%CI 0.95-0.98). The magnitude of these associations was modest, but represents the effect of single protective factors, capable of acting at the population level regardless of socioeconomic, biological, and environmental confounding factors. CONCLUSION: In Ecuador, the parishes with the highest percentage of indigenous populations and those with the lowest vaccination coverage were the most vulnerable during the measles outbreak.

Association of workplace and population characteristics with prevalence of hypertension among Brazilian industry workers: a multilevel analysis.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to risk factors for hypertension may be influenced by the characteristics of the workplace, where workers spend most of their daily time. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between features of the companies, particularly the presence of facilities to provide meals, and of population characteristics and the prevalence of hypertension, taking into account individual risk factors for hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This multilevel analysis was based on a cross-sectional study with individual and company data from the SESI (Serviço Social da Indústria-Social Service of Industries) study and population-based data from the national census statistics. Workers aged ≥15 years were randomly selected from small (20-99), medium (100-499) and large (≥500 employees) companies per state using multistage sampling. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between hypertension and individual, workplace and population variables, with odds ratios (ORs; 95% CI) adjusted for three-level variables. RESULTS: 4818 Workers from 157 companies were interviewed and their blood pressure, weight and height were measured. Overall, 77% were men, aged 35.4 ±10.7 years, with 8.7 ±4.1 years of schooling and mostly worked in companies with a staff canteen (66%). Besides individual characteristics-being male, ageing, low schooling, alcohol abuse and higher BMI-a workplace with no staff canteen (OR=1.28; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.52), small companies (OR=1.31; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.60) and living in cities with higher economic inequality (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.23 to 1.76) were associated with a higher risk for hypertension. CONCLUSION: Among Brazilian workers, the prevalence of hypertension is associated with individual risk factors, lack of a canteen at the workplace, small companies and higher economic inequalities of cities. These three-level characteristics help to interpret differences in the prevalence of hypertension between regions or countries.

Sal y tensión arterial en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Salt and blood pressure in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Salt and blood pressure in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Sal y tensión arterial en Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Salt and blood pressure in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Salt and blood pressure in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Se publica en ingles en: Bull. Pan Am.Health Organ 24(2)