Evaluation of a Revised Point-of-Care Test for the Detection of Feline Leukaemia p27 Antigen and Anti-p15E Antibodies in Cats.

The first point-of-care (PoC) test (v-RetroFel®; modified version 2021) determining the presence of FeLV p27 antigen and FeLV anti-p15E antibodies has become recently commercially available to identify different feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection outcomes. This study aimed to assess this PoC test's performance concerning FeLV p27 antigen and FeLV anti-p15E antibody detection. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were assessed after ten minutes (recommended) and 20 min (prolonged) incubation times. The test results were evaluated as either positive or negative. Serum samples from 934 cats were included, originating from Italy (n = 269), Portugal (n = 240), Germany (n = 318), and France (n = 107). FeLV p27 antigen and anti-p15E antibodies were measured by reference standard ELISAs and compared to the PoC test results. The PoC test was easy to perform and the results easy to interpret. Sensitivity and specificity for FeLV p27 antigen were 82.8% (PPV: 57.8%) and 96.0% (NPV: 98.8%) after both, ten and 20 minues of incubation time. Sensitivity and specificity for anti-p15E antibodies were 31.4% (PPV: 71.6%) and 96.9% (NPV: 85.1%) after ten minutes incubation time; sensitivity was improved by a prolonged incubation time (20 min) to 40.0% (PPV: 76.3%), while specificity remained the same (96.9%, NPV: 86.7%). Despite the improved sensitivity using the prolonged incubation time, lower than ideal sensitivities for both p27 antigen and especially anti-p15E antibodies were found, indicating that the PoC test in its current version needs further improvement prior to application in the field.

Progress towards universal health coverage and inequalities in infant mortality: an analysis of 4·1 million births from 60 low-income and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2019.

BACKGROUND: Expanding universal health coverage (UHC) might not be inherently beneficial to poorer populations without the explicit targeting and prioritising of low-income populations. This study examines whether the expansion of UHC between 2000 and 2019 is associated with reduced socioeconomic inequalities in infant mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We did a retrospective analysis of birth data compiled from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs). We analysed all births between 2000 and 2019 from all DHSs available for this period. The primary outcome was infant mortality, defined as death within 1 year of birth. Logistic regression models with country and year fixed effects assessed associations between country-level progress to UHC (using WHO's UHC service coverage index) and infant mortality (overall and by wealth quintile), adjusting for infant-level, mother-level, and country-level variables. FINDINGS: A total of 4 065 868 births to 1 833 011 mothers were analysed from 177 DHSs covering 60 LMICs between 2000 and 2019. A one unit increase in the UHC index was associated with a 1·2% reduction in the risk of infant death (AOR 0·988, 95% CI 0·981-0·995; absolute measure of association, 0·57 deaths per 1000 livebirths). An estimated 15·5 million infant deaths were averted between 2000 and 2019 because of increases in UHC. However, richer wealth quintiles had larger associated reductions in infant mortality from UHC (quintile 5 AOR 0·983, 95% CI 0·973-0·993) than poorer quintiles (quintile 1 0·991, 0·985-0·998). In the early stages of UHC, UHC expansion was generally beneficial to poorer populations (ie, larger reductions in infant mortality for poorer households [infant deaths per 1000 per one unit increase in UHC coverage: quintile 1 0·84 vs quintile 5 0·59]), but became less so as overall coverage increased (quintile 1 0·64 vs quintile 5 0·57). INTERPRETATION: Since UHC expansion in LMICs appears to become less beneficial to poorer populations as coverage increases, UHC policies should be explicitly designed to ensure lower income groups continue to benefit as coverage expands. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Trends in mental health before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal survey of a conflict-affected population in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Focusing on the Meta region in Colombia, we investigated the relationship between mental health, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social determinants of health influenced by over five decades of civil conflict. We studied the post-2016 peace agreement trends in mental health for the population of Meta, before and after the local onset of the pandemic. METHOD: We conducted three rounds of a longitudinal health survey in years 2018 with N = 1309 (Women = 709; Men = 600); 2019 with N = 1106 (Women = 597; Men = 509); and 2020 with N = 905 (Women = 499; Men = 406). We measured mental health through the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), investigating population trends in the average SRQ score and SRQ-positive frequency (SRQ + , indicating positive tendency towards experiencing mental health disorders). RESULTS: Between 2018 and 2020, there were reductions in the mean SRQ-20 score by 1.74 points (95% CI -2.30 to -1.18) and in SRQ + frequency by 15 percentage points (95% CI -21.0 to -9.0) for the Meta population. Yet specific subgroups have become more vulnerable to mental illness during the pandemic, for example older age groups (e.g., increase in mean SRQ score among over 60 s by 2.49 points, 95% CI 0.51 to 4.46) and people living with children younger than five years-old (e.g., increase in mean SRQ score by 0.64 points, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.20). Increased mental health vulnerability among specific subgroups may be related to differences in the likelihood of knowing people who tested positive for COVID-19 or died from itf having been in quarantine. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the importance of public policies in Colombia (and other low- and middle-income countries) that address the social determinants of mental illness whose influence was likely exacerbated by the pandemic, including persistent job insecurity leading to work and financial pressures, and inadequate support networks for isolated individuals and vulnerable caregivers.

The effect of conflict-related violence intensity and alcohol use on mental health: The case of Colombia.

We investigated the causal impact of conflict-related violence on individual mental health and its potential pathways in Colombia. Using data from before and after the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), we adopted a difference-in-differences empirical design combined with instrumental variables estimation. We also used formal mediation analysis to investigate a possible mediating role of alcohol consumption in the relationship between conflict exposure and mental health. Our results did not support the hypothesis that changes in exposure to conflict violence after the peace accord causally led to any changes in individual mental health. We were unable to identify a statistically significant mediating effect of alcohol consumption in the relationship between exposure to conflict violence and mental health.

Central America and the Dominican Republic at Crossroads: The Importance of Regional Cooperation and Health Economic Research to Address Current Health Challenges.

OBJECTIVES: We discuss key health challenges currently faced by countries in the Central America and Dominican Republic region after the COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight the influence of socioeconomic determinants for the challenging public health dynamics observed and the crucial roles that regional cooperation and health economic research can have for tackling such challenges. METHODS: We present a descriptive overview of the current situation of public finances and its effect on government capacity to improve social expenditure. We also discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on social dynamics and living conditions in the region. RESULTS: Our analysis suggests that the interplay between all these factors is likely to have important consequences for health systems and population health in the post-pandemic period. Previous examples of successful cross-country cooperation in the region indicate the great potential that these initiatives have for supporting health system resilience against current challenges. Technical cooperation must be informed by (currently unavailable) research evidence that can guide decision making, especially health economic research to support national health resource allocation policies. Areas identified as priorities for applied health economic research include both macro and microeconomic analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Central America and the Dominican Republic face significant health challenges post-pandemic. Our article emphasizes the great potential that regional technical cooperation, informed by further health economic research, has to improve public policies and health governance in the region.

Prevalence of Different Courses of Feline Leukaemia Virus Infection in Four European Countries.

Prevalence of progressive feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection is known to still be high in cats in Europe, especially in Southern Europe, but the prevalence of other outcomes of FeLV infection has not been determined in most countries. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of progressive, regressive, abortive, and focal infection in four European countries, two with a high (Italy, Portugal) and two with a low expected prevalence (Germany, France). Blood samples of 934 cats (Italy: 269; Portugal: 240; France: 107; Germany: 318) were evaluated for the p27 antigen, as well as anti-whole virus, anti-SU, and anti-p15E antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum and for proviral DNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in whole blood. Positive p27 antigen ELISA results were confirmed by reverse transcriptase-qPCR (RT-qPCR) detecting viral RNA in saliva swabs and/or blood. The outcome of FeLV infection was categorised as progressive (antigen-positive, provirus-positive), regressive (antigen-negative, provirus-positive), abortive (antigen- and provirus-negative, antibody-positive), and focal (antigen-positive, provirus-negative) infection. Overall FeLV prevalence was 21.2% in Italy, 20.4% in Portugal, 9.5% in Germany, and 9.3% in France. Prevalence of progressive, regressive, abortive, and focal infection in Italy was 7.8%, 4.5%, 6.3%, and 2.6%; in Portugal 3.8%, 8.3%, 6.7%, and 1.7%; in Germany 1.9%, 1.3%, 3.5%, and 2.8%; in France 1.9%, 3.7%, 2.8%, and 0.9%, respectively. In conclusion, overall FeLV prevalence is still very high, especially in Southern European countries. Therefore, testing, separation of infected cats, and vaccination are still important measures to reduce the risk of FeLV infection.

Mental health disorders in population displaced by conflict in Colombia: Comparative analysis against the National Mental Health Survey 2015.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Colombia is one of the countries with the highest levels of internal displacement resulting from armed conflict. This population has greater chances of experiencing a mental health disorder, especially in territories historically affected by armed conflict. Our objective was to compare the levels of possible mental health disorder in people experiencing internal displacement in Meta, Colombia, a department historically affected by armed conflict, compared to the internally displaced population in the National Mental Health Survey of 2015. METHODS: Analysis of data collected in the National Mental Health Survey (ENSM) of 2015, study with representative data at national level and the Conflict, Peace and Health survey (CONPAS) of 2014, representative study of the degree of impact of the conflict on the municipality, conducted in the department of Meta, Colombia. To measure possible mental health disorder, the Self-Report Questionnaire-25 (SRQ-25) was used. Internal displacement is self-reported by people surveyed in both studies. An exploratory analysis is used to measure possible mental health disorders in the displaced population in the ENSM 2015 and CONPAS 2014. RESULTS: 1089 adults were surveyed in CONPAS 2014 and 10,870 adults were surveyed in the ENSM 2015. 42.9% (468) and 8.7% (943) of people reported being internally displaced in CONPAS 2014 and ENSM 2015, respectively. In both studies, internally displaced populations have greater chances of experiencing any mental health disorder compared to non-displaced populations. For CONPAS 2014, 21.8% (95%CI, 18.1-25.8) of this population had a possible mental health disorder (SRQ+) compared to 14.0% (95%CI, 11.8-16.3) in the ENSM 2015. Compared with the ENSM 2015, at the regional level (CONPAS 2014), displaced people had a greater chance of presenting depression by 12.4% (95%CI, 9.5-15.7) compared to 5.7% (95%CI, 4.3-7.4) in the ENSM 2015, anxiety in 21.4% (95%CI, 17.7-25.3) compared to 16.5% (95%CI, 14.2-19.1) in the ENSM 2015, and psychosomatic disorders in 52.4% (95%CI, 47.5-56.7) in CONPAS 2014 compared to 42.2% (95%CI, 39.0-45.4) in the ENSM 2015. At the national level (ENSM 2015), displaced people had greater possibilities of presenting, compared to the regional level, suicidal ideation in 11.9% (95%CI, 9.3-14.1) compared to 7.3% (95%CI, 5.0-10.0) in CONPAS 2014 and bipolar disorder in 56.5% (95%CI, 53.2-59.7) compared to 39.3% (95%CI, 34.8-43.9) in CONPAS 2014. CONCLUSIONS: The greater possibilities of displaced populations at the regional level of experiencing a mental health disorder, compared to this same population at the national level, may represent and indicate greater needs in mental health care services in territories affected by conflict. Therefore, and given the need to facilitate access to health services in mental health for populations especially affected by armed conflict, there is a need to design health care policies that facilitate the recovery of populations affected by war and, simultaneously, that reduce inequities and promote the fulfilment of one of the most important and, at the same time, least prioritised health objectives in international development: mental health.

Trastornos de salud mental en población desplazada por el conflicto en Colombia: análisis comparado frente a la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental 2015

Introducción y objetivos: Colombia es uno de los países del mundo con mayor volumen de desplazamiento interno a causa de un conflicto armado interno. Esta población tiene mayores posibilidades de sufrir un trastorno de salud mental, sobre todo en territorios afectados históricamente por el conflicto. El objetivo es comparar la prevalencia de posibles trastornos de la salud mental entre las personas en condición de desplazamiento en Meta, departamento de Colombia históricamente afectado por el conflicto armado, frente a población desplazada en todo el país según la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental (ENSM) de 2015. Métodos: Análisis de datos recolectados en la ENSM 2015, estudio a escala nacional, y la encuesta Conflicto, Salud y Paz (CONPAS) de 2014, estudio representativo del grado de afectación por el conflicto en el municipio, realizado en el departamento del Meta. Para medir un posible trastorno de la salud mental, se utiliza el Self Report Questionnaire-25 (SRQ-25). La condición de desplazamiento fue declarada por los encuestados en ambos estudios. Se hizo un análisis descriptivo sobre el posible trastorno de la salud mental en la población desplazada de la ENSM 2015 y la CONPAS 2014. Resultados: Se encuestó a 1.089 adultos en la CONPAS 2014 y 10.870 adultos en la ENSM 2015. El 42,9% (468) y el 8,7% (943) de las personas reportaron estar en condición de desplazamiento en la CONPAS 2014 y la ENSM 2015 respectivamente. En ambos estudios, la población desplazada tiene mayores posibilidades de sufrir cualquier trastorno de la salud mental que la población no desplazada. En la CONPAS 2014, el 21,8% (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%], 18,1-25,8) de esta población tenía un posible trastorno de la salud mental (SRQ+) frente al 14,0% (IC95%, 11,8-16,3) en la ENSM 2015. Los encuestados en condición de desplazamiento de la CONPAS 2014 tuvieron mayor probabilidad que los de la ENSM 2015 en depresión -el 12,4% (IC95%, 9,5-15,7) frente al 5,7% (IC95%, 4,3-7,4)-, ansiedad -el 21,4% (IC95%, 17,7-25,3) frente al 16,5% (IC95%, 14,2-19,1)-y trastornos psicosomáticos -el 52,4% (IC95%, 47,5-56,7) frente al 42,2% (IC95%, 39,0-45,4)-. Los desplazados de la ENSM 2015 tenían mayor probabilidad de ideación suicida, el 11,9% (IC95%, 9,3-14,1) frente al 7,3% (IC95%, 5,0-10,0) en la CONPAS 2014, y trastorno bipolar, el 56,5% (IC95%, 53,2-59,7) frente al 39,3% (IC95%, 34,8-43,9). Conclusiones: La mayor probabilidad de trastornos de la salud mental (SRQ+) de la población regional en condición de desplazamiento frente a toda la población nacional en esa condición puede representar una mayor necesidad de servicios de atención en salud mental en los territorios afectados por el conflicto. Así pues, y dada la necesidad de facilitar el acceso y la atención médica en salud mental a poblaciones especialmente afectadas por el conflicto armado, es importante el diseño de políticas de atención en salud que faciliten la recuperación de poblaciones afectadas por la guerra y, simultáneamente, reducir inequidades y promover el cumplimiento de uno de los objetivos en salud más importantes y, a la vez, usualmente menos priorizados en el desarrollo internacional: la salud mental. © 2021 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. Todos los derechos reservados.

Background and objectives: Colombia is one of the countries with the highest levels of internal displacement resulting from armed conflict. This population has greater chances of experiencing a mental health disorder, especially in territories historically affected by armed conflict. Our objective was to compare the levels of possible mental health disorder in people experiencing internal displacement in Meta, Colombia, a department historically affected by armed conflict, compared to the internally displaced population in the National Mental Health Survey of 2015. Methods: Analysis of data collected in the National Mental Health Survey (ENSM) of 2015, study with representative data at national level and the Conflict, Peace and Health survey (CONPAS) of 2014, representative study of the degree of impact of the conflict on the municipality, conducted in the department of Meta, Colombia. To measure possible mental health disorder, the Self-Report Questionnaire - 25 (SRQ-25) was used. Internal displacement is self-reported by people surveyed in both studies. An exploratory analysis is used to measure possible mental health disorders in the displaced population in the ENSM 2015 and CONPAS 2014. Results: 1,089 adults were surveyed in CONPAS 2014 and 10,870 adults were surveyed in the ENSM 2015. 42.9% (468) and 8.7% (943) of people reported being internally displaced in CONPAS 2014 and ENSM 2015, respectively. In both studies, internally displaced populations have greater chances of experiencing any mental health disorder compared to non-displaced populations. For CONPAS 2014, 21.8% (95%CI, 18.1-25.8) of this population had a possible mental health disorder (SRQ+) compared to 14.0% (95%CI, 11.8-16.3) in the ENSM 2015. Compared with the ENSM 2015, at the regional level (CONPAS 2014), displaced people had a greater chance of presenting depression by 12.4% (95%CI, 9.5-15.7) compared to 5.7% (95%CI, 4.3-7.4) in the ENSM 2015, anxiety in 21.4% (95%CI, 17.7-25.3) compared to 16.5% (95%CI, 14.2-19.1) in the ENSM 2015, and psychosomatic disorders in 52.4% (95%CI, 47.5-56.7) in CONPAS 2014 compared to 42.2% (95%CI, 39.0-45.4) in the ENSM 2015. At the national level (ENSM 2015), displaced people had greater possibilities of presenting, compared to the regional level, suicidal ideation in 11.9% (95%CI, 9.3-14.1) compared to 7.3% (95%CI, 5.0-10.0) in CONPAS 2014 and bipolar disorder in 56.5% (95%CI, 53.2-59.7) compared to 39.3% (95%CI, 34.8-43.9) in CONPAS 2014. Conclusions: The greater possibilities of displaced populations at the regional level of experiencing a mental health disorder, compared to this same population at the national level, may represent and indicate greater needs in mental health care services in territories affected by conflict. Therefore, and given the need to facilitate access to health services in mental health for populations especially affected by armed conflict, there is a need to design health care policies that facilitate the recovery of populations affected by war and, simultaneously, that reduce inequities and promote the fulfilment of one of the most important and, at the same time, least prioritised health objectives in international development: mental health.

Epidemiological characterization of patients with intestinal stomas

Objective: To characterize the sociodemographic and clinical variables of people with intestinal stomas. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 47 patients of a Specialized Rehabilitation Center (CER II/APAE) in the municipality of Três Lagoas, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Midwestern Brazil, from December 2019 to June 2020. Data was analyzed using inferential descriptive statistics (Anderson-Darling, Chi-squared, and Mann-Whitney normality tests). Results: Regarding the patients, 87.23% were from Três Lagoas, 51.06% were female, 40.43% were aged from 60 to 69 years, 59.57% were married, 53.19% were brown, 59.57% were catholic, 36.17% finished elementary school, 46.81% were retired, and 57.45% earned a monthly income below 1 minimum wage. Moreover, 61.70% had undergone terminal colostomy (61.70%), 61.70% had received guidance about its placing, 57.45% had it placed due to situations of urgency, 74.47% had a stoma installed due to a neoplasia, 38.30% were permanent, with 46.81% located in the inferior left quadrant (ILQ), 59.57% presented pasty effluent, 63.83% had a circular diameter, 53.19% had pouches with 2 pieces and 57.45%, with a flexible base, 87.23% had other adjunct equipment, and 95.74% had been trained in self-care. The most common complication was skin/peristomal irritant contact dermatitis (59,57%), and 65,95% of these cases were solved by teaching self-care. The type of stoma was significantly associated with the consistency of the effluent and the size of the protrusion (p> 0.05). Conclusion: The results found can support strategies to implement practices to promote health, develop new public policies, to provide training in self-care, and prevent and treat complications. (AU)

Is primary health care worth it in the long run? Evidence from Brazil.

This paper assesses whether Brazilian primary health care is worth it in the long-run by estimating the accumulated costs and benefits of its flagship, the Family Health Strategy program (ESF). We employ an alternative strategy centered on years of exposure to the program to incorporate its dynamics. We also account for the program's heterogeneity with respect to the remuneration of ESF health teams and the intensity of coverage across Brazilian municipalities, measure by the number of people assisted by each ESF team, on average. To address heterogeneity in professional earnings, this paper employs, for the first time, a dataset containing the remuneration of professionals allocated to all ESF teams nationwide. The benefits are measured by the avoided deaths and hospitalizations due to causes sensitive to primary care. Results suggest that the net monetary benefit of the program is positive on average, with an optimum time of exposure of approximately 16 years. Significant heterogeneities in cost-benefit results were found since costs outweigh benefits in localities where the coverage is low intensive. On the other hand, the benefits outweigh the costs by 22.5% on average in municipalities with high intensive coverage.

What is the impact of forced displacement on health? A scoping review.

While there is a broad literature analysing the effects of migration on health, important knowledge gaps persist particularly on the causal effects of forced displacement on health outcomes. We undertake a scoping review of applied epidemiological, statistical and econometric studies examining causal health impacts of forced displacement, which initially identified 1454 studies from the health and social sciences disciplines published up to May 2021. Our study makes two key contributions. First, we offer a comprehensive overview of the evidence generated, methodologies adopted and analytical challenges faced by current research examining the causal relationship between forced displacement and health. Second, we present concrete examples of how key challenges around study design and estimation approaches influence the strength of the evidence-base on the topic, using as a case study the broad domain of reproductive health. We find that, beyond the increased mortality risk that can be attributed to forced displacement, most of the available empirical evidence for a wide range of health outcomes is prone to substantial bias, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Our synthesis of credible studies conducted in different settings indicates that current research practice in the field could be strengthened through selection of valid control groups and application of more appropriate causal inference methods. Our findings are useful to promote the generation of further evidence on the topic that can reliably inform the design of policies to protect the health of displaced populations.

Vision-Based Autonomous Following of a Moving Platform and Landing for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Interest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has increased due to their versatility and variety of applications, however their battery life limits their applications. Heterogeneous multi-robot systems can offer a solution to this limitation, by allowing an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) to serve as a recharging station for the aerial one. Moreover, cooperation between aerial and terrestrial robots allows them to overcome other individual limitations, such as communication link coverage or accessibility, and to solve highly complex tasks, e.g., environment exploration, infrastructure inspection or search and rescue. This work proposes a vision-based approach that enables an aerial robot to autonomously detect, follow, and land on a mobile ground platform. For this purpose, ArUcO fiducial markers are used to estimate the relative pose between the UAV and UGV by processing RGB images provided by a monocular camera on board the UAV. The pose estimation is fed to a trajectory planner and four decoupled controllers to generate speed set-points relative to the UAV. Using a cascade loop strategy, these set-points are then sent to the UAV autopilot for inner loop control. The proposed solution has been tested both in simulation, with a digital twin of a solar farm using ROS, Gazebo and Ardupilot Software-in-the-Loop (SiL); and in the real world at IST Lisbon's outdoor facilities, with a UAV built on the basis of a DJ550 Hexacopter and a modified Jackal ground robot from DJI and Clearpath Robotics, respectively. Pose estimation, trajectory planning and speed set-point are computed on board the UAV, using a Single Board Computer (SBC) running Ubuntu and ROS, without the need for external infrastructure.

Correlações entre esquemas iniciais desadaptativos e estilos de coping de adolescentes esportistas / Correlations between early maladaptive schemas and coping styles of adolescent athletes / Correlaciones entre los esquemas iniciales desadaptativos y los estilos de afrontamiento de adolescentes desportistas

Esse estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as correlações entre esquemas iniciais desadaptativos (EIDs) e estilos de coping de atletas adolescentes. A amostra foi composta por 65 atletas, tanto do gênero feminino quanto masculino, com idades entre 12 e 18 anos. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: questionário sociodemográfico, Questionário de Esquemas para Adolescentes e Inventário Balbinotti de Coping para Atletas em Situação de Competição, em formato online. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e correlacionais. Os resultados revelaram correlações estatisticamente significativas positivas com o estilo de coping de afastamento (ρ = 0,246 a ρ = 0,555) e negativas com o estilo de copingde aproximação (ρ = -0,267 a ρ = -0,475). Também foram observados níveis mais elevados de EID de Padrões Inflexíveis (M = 4,40; DP = 1,38) em associação com o estilo de coping de aproximação (M = 4,11; DP = 0,81 a M = 3,59; DP = 0,76). Este estudo contribui com dados sobre a aplicabilidade da Terapia do Esquema no esporte de rendimento infanto-juvenil

This study aimed to measure the correlations among early maladaptive schema (EMSs) and coping strategies CS) in adolescents athletes. Sampling: 65 female and male athletes, aged between 12 and 18 years old. Instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Schema Questionnaire for Adolescents and the Balbinotti Coping Inventory for Competitive Athletes, in online format. Descriptive and correlational analyzes were carried. The results presents statistically signifi cant positive correlations with the distance CS (ρ = 0.246 a ρ = 0.555) and negative correlations with approach CS (ρ = -0.267 a ρ = -0.475), besides higher levels of EMS of Infl exible Patterns (M = 4.40; DP = 1.38) and that the approach CS (M = 4.11; DP = 0.81 a M = 3.59; DP = 0.76). This study contributes with data about the applicability of Schema Therapy in children's performance sports

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar las correlaciones entre los esquemas desadaptativos tempranos (EDTs) e los estilos de enfrentamiento (coping) de los atletas adolescentes. Muestreo: 65 deportistas femeninos y masculinos que tenían entre 12 y 18 años. Instrumentos: un cuestionario socio-demográfico, el Cuestionario de Esquemas para Adolescentes y el Inventario de Coping para Deportistas en Competición, en formato online. Se realizarón análisis descriptivos y correlacionales. Los resultados indican correlaciones positivas estadísticamente signifi cativas con el coping de la distancia (ρ = 0.246 a ρ= 0.555) y correlaciones negativas com el coping de la aproximación (ρ = -0.267 a ρ = -0.475), además niveles más altos de EDT de Patrones Infl exibles (M = 4.40; DP = 1.38) y del coping de la aproximación (M = 4.11; DP = 0.81 a M =

The Brazilian Family Health Strategy and adult health: Evidence from individual and local data for metropolitan areas.

Previous studies have found that the expansion of primary health care in Brazil following the country-wide family health strategy (ESF), one of the largest primary care programs in the world, has improved health outcomes. However, these studies have relied either on aggregate data or on limited individual data, with no fine-grained information available concerning household participation in the ESF or local supply of ESF services, which represent crucial aspects for analytical and policy purposes. This study analyzes the relationship between the ESF and health outcomes for the adult population in metropolitan areas in Brazil. We investigate this relationship through two linked dimensions of the ESF: the program's local supply of health teams and ESF household registration. In contrast with previous studies focusing on comparisons between certain definitions of "treated" versus "nontreated" populations, our results indicate that the local density of health teams is important to the observed effects of the ESF on adult health. We also find evidence consistent with the presence of positive primary health care spillovers to people not registered with the ESF. However, current ESF coverage levels in metropolitan areas have limited ability to address prevailing health inequalities. Our analysis suggests that the local intensity of ESF coverage should be a key consideration for evaluations and policy efforts related to future ESF expansion.

Addressing recall bias in (post-)conflict data collection and analysis: lessons from a large-scale health survey in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Much applied research on the consequences of conflicts for health suffers from data limitations, particularly the absence of longitudinal data spanning pre-, during- and post-conflict periods for affected individuals. Such limitations often hinder reliable measurement of the causal effects of conflict and their pathways, hampering also the design of effective post-conflict health policies. Researchers have sought to overcome these data limitations by conducting ex-post surveys, asking participants to recall their health and living standards before (or during) conflict. These questions may introduce important analytical biases due to recall error and misreporting. METHODS: We investigate how to implement ex-post health surveys that collect recall data, for conflict-affected populations, which is reliable for empirical analysis via standard quantitative methods. We propose two complementary strategies based on methods developed in the psychology and psychometric literatures-the Flashbulb and test-retest approaches-to identify and address recall bias in ex-post health survey data. We apply these strategies to the case study of a large-scale health survey which we implemented in Colombia in the post-peace agreement period, but that included recall questions referring to the conflict period. RESULTS: We demonstrate how adapted versions of the Flashbulb and test-retest strategies can be used to test for recall bias in (post-)conflict survey responses. We also show how these test strategies can be incorporated into post-conflict health surveys in their design phase, accompanied by further ex-ante mitigation strategies for recall bias, to increase the reliability of survey data analysis-including by identifying the survey modules, and sub-populations, for which empirical analysis is likely to yield more reliable causal inference about the health consequences of conflict. CONCLUSIONS: Our study makes a novel contribution to the field of applied health research in humanitarian settings, by providing practical methodological guidance for the implementation of data collection efforts in humanitarian contexts where recall information, collected from primary surveys, is required to allow assessments of changes in health and wellbeing. Key lessons include the importance of embedding appropriate strategies to test and address recall bias into the design of any relevant data collection tools in post-conflict or humanitarian contexts.

Health perceptions among victims in post-accord Colombia: Focus groups in a province affected by the armed conflict.

The peace agreement with the Colombian guerrilla group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo represented an opportunity for peacebuilding and victims' reparation, rather than the end of the internal armed conflict. In this context, this study aimed to uncover the consequences of conflict on victims' health and on health service provision, and their perceived health status during the post-accord stage in the Meta region, located in the country's eastern plains. Historically, this region has been one of the territories most affected by the presence of conflict-related groups and armed confrontations. Through focus groups, this research explored the health perceptions and experiences of victims of armed conflict. Ten focus groups were conducted with men and women, victims of the armed-conflict, in four municipalities with different degrees of armed conflict intensity. The focus group transcripts were coded using NVivo. The results show that the way women have experienced conflict and the effects of conflict on mental health in general for men, women, and children were recurrent themes in the dialogue of victims. Likewise, it highlights the need to understand the barriers that the current health model imposes on the right to health itself. From the victim's perspective, they experience stigmatization, discrimination, and revictimization when accessing health services. These barriers co-occur along with structural limitations of the health system that affect the general population.

Assessment of the association between the Brazilian family health strategy and adult mortality.

This study aimed to analyse a wide range of related health problems that respond favourably to efficient primary care treatment among adults. We evaluate the direct impact of the Family Health Strategy (ESF) in Brazil on mortality of adults aged 25-64 years related to conditions for which access to effective primary care can reduce the likelihood of more severe outcomes. Additionally, we discuss heterogeneous effects associated with different intensities of the programme. To address these issues, we estimated a model with variation at the municipal level of the ESF expansion, including municipal-fixed effects, municipal specific trends and year-fixed effects. Our results show that a higher intensity of ESF is associated with reduced mortality by all conditions sensitive to primary care and for some diseases, especially after some years: avoidable conditions, asthma, heart failure, cerebrovascular diseases and gastrointestinal ulcer, infectious gastroenteritis and complications, diseases of the lower airways, hypertension and diabetes. As a public policy view, these results help understand how a nationwide primary care strategy can help mitigate mortality and emphasize the role of having sufficient health teams to attend to the population.

The impact of civil conflict on child health: Evidence from Colombia.

Internal armed conflicts have become more common and more physically destructive since the mid-20th century, with devastating consequences for health and development in low- and middle-income countries. This paper investigates the causal impacts of the long-term internal conflict on child health in Colombia, following an identification strategy based on the temporal and geographic variation of conflict intensity. We estimate the effect of different levels of conflict intensity on height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and weight-for-height z-scores among children under five years old, and explore the underlying potential mechanisms, through maternal health behavior and health care utilization. We find a harmful effect of exposure to conflict violence in utero and in early childhood for HAZ and WAZ, in the full sample and even more strongly in the rural sample, yet these estimates are smaller than those found for shorter term conflicts. The underlying pathways appear to operate around the time of the pregnancy and birth (in the form of maternal alcohol use, use of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance), rather than during the post-birth period (via breastfeeding or vaccination), and the impacts accumulate over the childhood. The most adverse impacts of conflict violence on child health and utilization of maternal healthcare were observed in municipalities which suffered from intermittent presence of armed groups.

Primary care coverage and individual health: evidence from a likelihood model using biomarkers in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Although the use of biomarkers to assess health outcomes has recently gained momentum, literature is still scarce for low- to middle-income countries. This paper explores the relationship between primary care coverage and individual health in Brazil using a dataset of blood-based biomarkers collected by the Brazilian National Health Survey. Both survey data and laboratory results were crossed with coverage data from the Family Health Strategy (ESF) program, the most important primary care program in Brazil; the coverage measures aim to capture both direct (household) and indirect (spill-over) effects. METHODS: The empirical strategy used a probit model to estimate the relationship between ESF program coverage and the likelihood of abnormal biomarker levels while controlling for a rich set of individual and household characteristics based on data from the national survey. RESULTS: Household ESF coverage was associated with a lower likelihood of abnormal results for biomarkers related to anemia (marginal effect between - 2.16 and - 2.18 percentage points), kidney failure (between - 1.01 and - 1.19 p.p.), and arterial hypertension (between - 1.48 and - 1.64 p.p). The likelihood of abnormal levels of white blood cells and thrombocytes was negatively related to primary care coverage (marginal effect between - 1.8 and - 2 p.p.). The spillover effects were relevant for kidney failure and arterial hypertension, depending on the regional level. Although not sensitive to household coverage, diabetes mellitus was negatively associated with the state supply of primary care, and abnormal cholesterol levels did not present any relationship with ESF program coverage. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of spillover effects of ESF program coverage regarding these conditions reveals that the strengthening of primary care by increasing the household registration and the regional density of ESF teams is an efficient strategy to address important comorbidities.

Health in Conflict Zones: Analyzing Inequalities in Mental Health in Colombian Conflict-Affected Territories.

Objectives: Colombia's civil conflict and persistent socio-economic disparities have contributed to mental health inequalities in conflict-affected territories. We explore the magnitude of mental health inequalities, contributing socio-economic factors, and sociodemographic characteristics that explain these differences. Methods: The study draws on data collected in 2018, using the household survey Conflicto, Paz y Salud (CONPAS) applied to 1,309 households in Meta, Colombia. Logistic regression and decomposition analysis were used to analyze the risk of mental health disorders, measured with the Self-Reporting Questionnaire -20 (SRQ-20). Results: Individuals with lower socio-economic status are at a higher risk for mental health disorders. Forced displacement accounts for 31% of the measured mental health inequalities. Disparities in employment, education level, disability and conflict incidence between municipalities are other contributing factors. Women and people with disabilities are respectively 2.3 and 1.2 times more prone to present a mental health disorder. Conclusion: It is necessary to tackle the identified risk factors and sociodemographic circumstances that contribute to mental health inequalities in conflict-affected territories, as these hinder adequate/equitable access to mental health services.