Comparative analysis of primary health care attributes between children under and over 3 years of age using the primary care assessment tool.

INTRODUCTION: Child health actions in Brazil have their primary focus on early childhood. A new epidemiological profile is emerging for children after the first one thousand days: an increase in non-communicable chronic diseases. This research aimed to analyze the attributes of Primary Health Care comparatively among different age groups, using three years of age as the cutoff point. METHODS: The study design was cross-sectional and conducted in three Primary Health Care Units and three Ambulatory Medical Assistance facilities in the Western Region of São Paulo. The PCA Tool Brazil was used as the assessment instrument. RESULTS: A total of 311 interviews were conducted with caregivers of children aged 0 to 12 years; 153 children were under three years old, and 158 were three years or older. The attributes that showed statistically significant differences between age groups (< 3 years and > 3 years) were affiliation (4.9 × 3.8), longitudinality (5.7 × 5.2), information system (7.4 × 6.3), and services provided (5.4 × 4.5). Through linear regression analysis, it was observed that there was a trend for better overall and essential scores in the evaluations of the group of children under three years old who attended Primary Health Care Units. CONCLUSION: The comparative analysis of Primary Health Care attributes among pediatric age groups revealed a trend towards higher scores, according to caregivers' perceptions, for children under three years old. This study suggests the need for the implementation of programs that can better address the healthcare needs of children beyond early childhood.

Comparative analysis of primary health care attributes between children under and over 3 years of age using the primary care assessment tool

Abstract Introduction: Child health actions in Brazil have their primary focus on early childhood. A new epidemiological profile is emerging for children after the first one thousand days: an increase in non-communicable chronic diseases. This research aimed to analyze the attributes of Primary Health Care comparatively among different age groups, using three years of age as the cutoff point. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and conducted in three Primary Health Care Units and three Ambulatory Medical Assistance facilities in the Western Region of Sao Paulo. The PCA Tool Brazil was used as the assessment instrument. Results: A total of 311 interviews were conducted with caregivers of children aged 0 to 12 years; 153 children were under three years old, and 158 were three years or older. The attributes that showed statistically significant differences between age groups (< 3 years and > 3 years) were affiliation (4.9 × 3.8), longitudinality (5.7 × 5.2), information system (7.4 × 6.3), and services provided (5.4 × 4.5). Through linear regression analysis, it was observed that there was a trend for better overall and essential scores in the evaluations of the group of children under three years old who attended Primary Health Care Units. Conclusion: The comparative analysis of Primary Health Care attributes among pediatric age groups revealed a trend towards higher scores, according to caregivers' perceptions, for children under three years old. This study suggests the need for the implementation of programs that can better address the healthcare needs of children beyond early childhood.

Cesarean Delivery and Hypertension in Early Adulthood.

The rate of cesarean delivery (CD) is high in many parts of the world. Birth via CD has been associated with adverse later health outcomes, such as obesity, asthma, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Few studies have focused on hypertension. We investigated the associations of CD with hypertension, systolic blood pressure (BP), and diastolic BP and tested whether body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) was a mediator of these associations in a birth cohort (n = 2,020) assembled in 1978-1979 and followed up in 2002-2004 in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. The CD rate was 32.0%. Hypertension was present in 11.7% of persons born via CD and 7.7% of those born vaginally. Being born by CD increased the odds of hypertension by 51% (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 2.07). After adjustment for confounders, this estimate changed little (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.06). In a mediation analysis, odds ratios for the indirect and direct effects were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.25) and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.65), respectively. CD also had indirect effects on both systolic and diastolic BP via BMI. Our findings suggest that CD is associated with young-adult hypertension and that this association is at least partially mediated by BMI. This has implications for countries struggling with the burden of noncommunicable diseases and where CD rates are high.

Gender differences in the application of anthropometric measures for evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea.

This study aims to investigate anthropometric measures and their effectiveness as screening method for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in each gender. We also evaluated which measures were associated with OSA in the adult population of a large metropolitan city, Sao Paulo, Brazil. 552 women and 450 men were submitted to polysomnography (PSG), and the anthropometric measurements as body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio, neck and waist circumference were collected. The measurements were then compared with the OSA classification established by the PSG. In women, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were found to be the best predictor, while in men, the factors with great potential for identification varied according to severity of the disease, highlighting waist-to-height ratio, neck circumference and BMI had strongest association. The accuracy of the classification in relation to mild-to-severe OSA based on cut-off values of 92.5cm for waist circumference was greater than 72.9% in men, and 78.9% in women based on cut off values of 95cm. Regarding severe OSA, cut-off values of 116.1cm were greater than 91.3% accurate in the male population, and 95.1% in the female population with a cut-off value of 126.5cm. The study found waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio to be the best measure to assess sleep-disordered breathing in women. Waist-to-height ratio and neck circumferences were the best measures in men with mild OSA, but BMI was more closely associated with severe OSA. The present study identified the anthropometric variables with the highest risk for OSA and their respective cutoff value, according to gender.

Excess body weight in children may increase the length of hospital stay.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of excess body weight in the pediatric ward of University Hospital and to test both the association between initial nutritional diagnosis and the length of stay and the in-hospital variation in nutritional status. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study based on information entered in clinical records from University Hospital. The data were collected from a convenience sample of 91 cases among children aged one to 10 years admitted to the hospital in 2009. The data that characterize the sample are presented in a descriptive manner. Additionally, we performed a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: Nutritional classification at baseline showed that 87.8% of the children had a normal weight and that 8.9% had excess weight. The linear regression models showed that the average weight loss z-score of the children with excess weight compared with the group with normal weight was -0.48 (p = 0.018) and that their length of stay was 2.37 days longer on average compared with that of the normal-weight group (p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: The length of stay and loss of weight at the hospital may be greater among children with excess weight than among children with normal weight.

Excess body weight in children may increase the length of hospital stay

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of excess body weight in the pediatric ward of University Hospital and to test both the association between initial nutritional diagnosis and the length of stay and the in-hospital variation in nutritional status. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study based on information entered in clinical records from University Hospital. The data were collected from a convenience sample of 91 cases among children aged one to 10 years admitted to the hospital in 2009. The data that characterize the sample are presented in a descriptive manner. Additionally, we performed a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for age and gender. RESULTS: Nutritional classification at baseline showed that 87.8% of the children had a normal weight and that 8.9% had excess weight. The linear regression models showed that the average weight loss z-score of the children with excess weight compared with the group with normal weight was −0.48 (p = 0.018) and that their length of stay was 2.37 days longer on average compared with that of the normal-weight group (p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: The length of stay and loss of weight at the hospital may be greater among children with excess weight than among children with normal weight. .

Early-life weight and weight gain as predictors of obesity in Brazilian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether weight and the weight gain rate during different age periods are associated with being overweight/obese at 10 years of age. METHODS: A nested case-control study was performed in a clinical historic cohort that was selected based on medical records from the Albert Einstein Hospital Social Program in São Paulo, Brazil. A sample of 378 eutrophic and overweight/obese children was analyzed. RESULTS: After adjusting for birth weight and gestational age, the likelihood of being overweight/obese at 10 years of age was 4.04-fold greater when progressing from one quartile of weight gain to the immediately superior quartile in the first semester of life and 3.24-fold greater when this occurred from 2-5 years of age. A one-quartile change in weight gain in the first semester was associated with a 0.5 z-score increase in BMI at age 10. A robust independent effect of weight at age 5 confirmed that earlier weight gain was an important predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of weight gain during the first 6 months of life and between 2 and 5 years of age and weight at age 5 were important predictors of overweight/obesity at 10 years of age.

Early-life weight and weight gain as predictors of obesity in Brazilian adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To test whether weight and the weight gain rate during different age periods are associated with being overweight/obese at 10 years of age. METHODS: A nested case-control study was performed in a clinical historic cohort that was selected based on medical records from the Albert Einstein Hospital Social Program in São Paulo, Brazil. A sample of 378 eutrophic and overweight/obese children was analyzed. RESULTS: After adjusting for birth weight and gestational age, the likelihood of being overweight/obese at 10 years of age was 4.04-fold greater when progressing from one quartile of weight gain to the immediately superior quartile in the first semester of life and 3.24-fold greater when this occurred from 2-5 years of age. A one-quartile change in weight gain in the first semester was associated with a 0.5 z-score increase in BMI at age 10. A robust independent effect of weight at age 5 confirmed that earlier weight gain was an important predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of weight gain during the first 6 months of life and between 2 and 5 years of age and weight at age 5 were important predictors of overweight/obesity at 10 years of age. .

Promoção da alimentação saudável do 0 aos 5 anos de idade: a contribuição dos agentes comunitários de saúde / Promoting healthy feeding practices among 0-5 year old children: the contribution of lay community health workers

A prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade tem aumentado no mundo e no Brasil em caráter epidêmico. Há evidências de que quanto maior o ganho de peso entre 0 a 5 anos de idade, maior o risco de obesidade futura. Estudos nacionais mostram que nossas crianças pré-escolares ingerem um alto percentual de carboidrato. Mesmo diante desses fatos os trabalhos de intervenção nutricional existentes são, na sua maioria, ações pontuais. Investir na capacitação e supervisão contínua dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACSs) da Estratégia de Saúde da Família pode auxiliar na promoção de uma nutrição adequada da população. Um exemplo:no ano de 2012 um grupo de alunos da disciplina de Atenção Primária do primeiro ano médico da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) optou por trabalhar, como projeto de intervenção obrigatório da disciplina, com o tema alimentação saudável na infância e escolheu treinar ACSs, capacitando-os para saber responder perguntas que lhes fossem feitas pela comunidade e também para identificar erros dietéticos. A avaliação pós-intervenção mostrou que esses ACSs tiveram melhor desempenho em comparação com um grupo controle.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing both in the world and in Brazil towards an epidemic level. There are pieces of evidence that suggest that the larger the weight gain between 0 to 5 years of age the greater the risk for future obesity. National studies have shown that preschool children have high level of hydro carbonate intake. However interventions on this topic are mainly punctual in time. Investing in capacity building and supervision of Community Health Workers (CHW) of the Family Health Strategy could help promoting an adequate nutrition in the population. An example: in 2012 a group of students in the Primary Health Care course of the first year of the Medical School of the University of Sao Paulo chose to work with healthy toddler nutrition as a project within the course. CHW were trained to answer questions on this theme that the population could have and to identify diet mistakes. The post-intervention assessment showed that the trained CHW had a better performance in comparison to a control group.

Increased blood pressure in adolescents of low socioeconomic status with short stature.

The nutritional programming hypothesis, which has been studied since the 1970s, proposes that intrauterine undernutrition continuing during the first years of life causes permanent metabolic disorders. These alterations are amplified with time, depending on the quality of the diet and on environmental factors. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to detect blood pressure alterations in teenagers with nutritional deficit. The study sample consisted of 53 adolescents living in shantytowns of São Paulo City, Brazil; 27 boys and 26 girls ranging in age from 11 to 16 years were studied. Weight, height, skinfold thickness, and blood pressure were measured during a medical visit. Anthropometric data were compared with the reference values of the National Center for Health Statistics and Frisancho, and arterial pressure data were compared with the reference values of the 1996 Task Force. The adolescents studied are among the 10% poorest stratum of the Brazilian population, with a per capita income of U.S. $45/month. The anthropometric results revealed nutritional deficiencies for the entire sample. The major marker of malnutrition was height, with a mean height deficit of 7 cm among boys and of 5 cm among girls. The overall prevalence of arterial (diastolic) hypertension for the sample was 21% (95% confidence interval 10%-32%). No significant difference was observed between sexes. The prevalence of cases with a systolic or diastolic arterial pressure above the 90th percentile, adjusted for height, was 51% ( n=27) (95% confidence interval 37%-65%); 6% ( n=3) of these individuals had simultaneous systolic and diastolic arterial hypertension. In conclusion, the prevalence of arterial hypertension was elevated among malnourished adolescents. The mechanisms involved in the genesis of hypertension seem to be related to malnutrition during an early phase of life, supporting the programming hypothesis.

Abordagem clínica e preventiva / Clinical and preventive approach

O Centro de Recuperaçäo e Educaçäo Nutricional - CREN indica um método de conhecimento e de intervençäo na realidade, que permite ao profissional de saúde olhar para a realidade mais atentamente, bem como lhe oferece instrumentos adequados para enfrentar problemas inesperados e novas situaçöes. O primeiro passo necessário é compreender quem é a criança a ser tratada e quem é a pessoa responsável por ela