Exploring regional disparities in lung cancer mortality in a Brazilian state: A cross-sectional ecological study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) is one of the main causes of mortality in Brazil; geographic, cultural, socioeconomic and health access factors can affect the development of the disease. We explored the geospatial distribution of LC mortality, and associated factors, between 2015 and 2019, in Parana state, Brazil. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We obtained mortality (from the Brazilian Health Informatics Department) and population rates (from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics [IBGE]) in people over 40 years old, accessibility of oncology centers by municipality, disease diagnosis rate (from Brazilian Ministry of Health), the tobacco production rate (IBGE) and Parana Municipal Performance Index (IPDM) (from Parana Institute for Economic and Social Development). Global Moran's Index and Local Indicators of Spatial Association were performed to evaluate the spatial distribution of LC mortality in Parana state. Ordinary Least Squares Regression and Geographically Weighted Regression were used to verify spatial association between LC mortality and socioeconomic indicators and health service coverage. A strong spatial autocorrelation of LC mortality was observed, with the detection of a large cluster of high LC mortality in the South of Parana state. Spatial regression analysis showed that all independent variables analyzed were directly related to LC mortality by municipality in Paraná. CONCLUSIONS: There is a disparity in the LC mortality in Parana state, and inequality of socioeconomic and accessibility to health care services could be associated with it. Our findings may help health managers to intensify actions in regions with vulnerability in the detection and treatment of LC.

Built environment influence on the incidence of elderly pedestrian collisions in a medium-large city in southern Brazil: a spatial analysis.

Trauma disproportionately affects vulnerable road users, especially the elderly. We analyzed the spatial distribution of elderly pedestrians struck by vehicles in the urban area of Maringa city, from 2014 to 2018. Hotspots were obtained by kernel density estimation and wavelet analysis. The relationship between spatial relative risks (RR) of elderly run-overs and the built environment was assessed through Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Incidents were more frequent in the central and southeast regions of the city, where the RR was up to 2.58 times higher. The QCA test found a significant association between elderly pedestrian victims and the presence of traffic lights, medical centers/hospitals, roundabouts and schools. There is an association between higher risk of elderly pedestrians collisions and specific elements of built environments in Maringa, providing fundamental data to help guide public policies to improve urban mobility aimed at protecting vulnerable road users and planning an age-friendly city.

Lethal violence against women in southern Brazil: Spatial analysis and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: estimate the risk for the occurrence of lethal violence against women and to identify the associated factors in the state of Paraná. METHOD: ecological study of deaths of women aged between 15 and 59 years, victims of aggression. The units of analysis were the cities of Paraná. Latent Bayesian Gaussian models with negative binomial probability distribution were used. The modeling considered intercept, spatial random effects and covariates, performed with the deterministic Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations approach. RESULTS: There was a positive association between lethal violence against women and the percentage of mothers who were heads of households. Finally, male homicide rates, rates of non-lethal violence against women and the cities with women mayors and councilors were also associated. CONCLUSION: This type of violence was associated with low education, structural violence and the participation of women in politics.

Gastroschisis annual incidence, mortality, and trends in extreme Southern Brazil

Abstract Objective: To analyze gastroschisis annual incidence, mortality rates, and trends in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul from the year 2000 to the year 2017. Method: Population-based study with the analysis of the temporal trend of gastroschisis annual incidence and mortality rates. Data were obtained from the Live Birth Information System and the Mortality Information System, with the analysis performed by polynomial regression modeling. Results: There were 2,612,532 live births, 705 hospitalizations, and 233 deaths due to gastroschisis. The annual incidence of gastroschisis was 2.69 per 10,000 live births. The annual incidence rate increased by 85% in the total period (p = 0.003), and mortality was 33% in the 2000-2017 period. Maternal age < 25 years was a risk factor for gastroschisis (p < 0.001). Children were more likely to be born weighing < 2,500 g (p < 0.001) and with a gestational age < 37 weeks (p < 0.001). The annual incidence trend was to increase, and the mortality trend was to decrease. Conclusion: Similar to what has been described in several regions/countries, there was a trend showing an 85% increase in the annual incidence of gastroschisis (p = 0.003) and the mortality was 33% with a trend of decreasing (p = 0.002).

Gastroschisis annual incidence, mortality, and trends in extreme Southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze gastroschisis annual incidence, mortality rates, and trends in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul from the year 2000 to the year 2017. METHOD: Population-based study with the analysis of the temporal trend of gastroschisis annual incidence and mortality rates. Data were obtained from the Live Birth Information System and the Mortality Information System, with the analysis performed by polynomial regression modeling. RESULTS: There were 2,612,532 live births, 705 hospitalizations, and 233 deaths due to gastroschisis. The annual incidence of gastroschisis was 2.69 per 10,000 live births. The annual incidence rate increased by 85% in the total period (p = 0.003), and mortality was 33% in the 2000-2017 period. Maternal age < 25 years was a risk factor for gastroschisis (p < 0.001). Children were more likely to be born weighing < 2,500 g (p < 0.001) and with a gestational age < 37 weeks (p < 0.001). The annual incidence trend was to increase, and the mortality trend was to decrease. CONCLUSION: Similar to what has been described in several regions/countries, there was a trend showing an 85% increase in the annual incidence of gastroschisis (p = 0.003) and the mortality was 33% with a trend of decreasing (p = 0.002).

The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of healthcare personnel. However, there is evidence of an increase in violence against them, which brings consequences, such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to analyze the anxiety levels of health professionals who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and verify the variables associated with the risk of starting to take medication for anxiety. Methods: We assessed the anxiety profile of health professionals in Brazil through an online questionnaire, using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), in relation to groups of participants who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient to check the consistency of the responses, and the effect size using the r coefficient. Principal Component Analysis was used to verify the differences in anxiety scores between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was also used to verify the variables associated with the risk of starting medication for anxiety and considered statistically significant when p < 0.05. Results: A total of 1,166 health professionals participated in the study, in which 34.13% had a normal anxiety profile, 40.14% mild, 15.78% moderate, and 9.95% severe. The mean score of the sum of the GAD-7 was 7.03 (SD 5.20). The group that suffered violence had a higher mean (8.40; SD 5.42) compared to the group that did not (5.70; SD 4.60). In addition, the median between both groups was significantly different (7.0 vs. 5.0; p < 0.01). Approximately 18.70% of the participants reported having started taking medication to treat anxiety during the pandemic. The factors that increased the chances of these professionals starting medication for anxiety p < 0.05 were having suffered violence during the pandemic (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.42-2.77), being nurses (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.04-2.47) or other types of health professionals (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.04-2.38), and having a mild (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.37-3.34), moderate (OR 4.05; 95% CI 2.48-6.71) or severe (OR 9.08; 95% CI 5.39-15.6) anxiety level. Conclusion: Brazilian healthcare professionals who have suffered violence during the pandemic have higher anxiety scores and higher risk to start taking anxiety medication.

Predictors of violence against health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The increase in violence against health professionals in the COVID-19 pandemic makes it necessary to identify the predictors of violence, in order to prevent these events from happening. OBJECTIVE: Evaluating the prevalence and analyzing the variables involved in the occurrence of violence against health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study conducted online involving Brazilian health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire (Google Online Form) sent to health professionals on social networks and analyzed through logistic regression by using sociodemographic variables. The set of grouped variables was assigned to the final model when p <0.05. A network was built using the Mixed Graph Models (MGM) approach. A centrality measurement chart was constructed to determine which nodes have the greatest influence, strength and connectivity between the nodes around them. RESULTS: The predictors of violence in the adjusted regression model were the following: being a nursing technician / assistant; having been working for less than 20 years; working for over 37 hours a week; having suffered violence before the pandemic; having been contaminated with COVID-19; working in direct contact with patients infected by the virus; and having family members who have suffered violence. The network created with professionals who suffered violence demonstrated that the aggressions occurred mainly in the workplace, with an indication of psycho-verbal violence. In cases in which the aggressors were close people, aggressions were non-verbal and happened both in public and private places. The assaults practiced by strangers occurred in public places. CONCLUSIONS: Violence against health professionals occurs implicitly and explicitly, with consequences that can affect both their psychosocial well-being and the assistance given to their patients and families.

Helicopter Transportation of Brazilian Trauma Patients: A Comparison of Times to Care.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) transport with secondary land ambulance transfer, comparing landings performed inside and outside the hospital complex to the emergency department. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of HEMS transports of trauma patients between 2016 and 2018 in southern Brazil. Patients were attended by the HEMS team at the trauma site or stabilized in hospitals nearby and subsequently referred to trauma centers. In this region, no trauma centers have their own helipads so helicopters land in remote areas close to the hospital, which may be inside or outside the hospital complex. Both landings require ground emergency medical service transport, with off-site landings necessitating ground emergency medical service transport via public access roads to reach the hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and on-site and off-site transport times were compared using a t-test for independent samples. RESULTS: Of 176 transports, 28.5% resulted in on-site landings, whereas 71.5% occurred off-site. The ground transport time when the landing zone was off-site was 5 minutes longer than on-site (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Off-site landings result in longer transports to the emergency room. The construction of helipads in trauma centers can reduce transport time, in addition to reducing the costs and sequelae of trauma.

Mapping risk of ischemic heart disease using machine learning in a Brazilian state.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of deaths globally. Machine learning studies predicting mortality rates for ischemic heart disease (IHD) at the municipal level are very limited. The goal of this paper was to create and validate a Heart Health Care Index (HHCI) to predict risk of IHD based on location and risk factors. Secondary data, geographical information system (GIS) and machine learning were used to validate the HHCI and stratify the IHD municipality risk in the state of Paraná. A positive spatial autocorrelation was found (Moran's I = 0.6472, p-value = 0.001), showing clusters of high IHD mortality. The Support Vector Machine, which had an RMSE of 0.789 and error proportion close to one (0.867), was the best for prediction among eight machine learning algorithms after validation. In the north and northwest regions of the state, HHCI was low and mortality clusters patterns were high. By creating an HHCI through ML, we can predict IHD mortality rate at municipal level, identifying predictive characteristics that impact health conditions of these localities' guided health management decisions for improvements for IHD within the emergency care network in the state of Paraná.