Comparative study on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents with and without aids: is there a difference in knowledge between the two groups? / Estudo comparativo sobre a saúde sexual e reprodutiva dos adolescentes com e sem aids: há diferença de conhecimento entre os dois grupos?

Currently we are facing the challenge to deal with the first generation of adolescents HIV+, infected by vertical transmission. This is new, and creates the need to improve attention to self-care and knowledge on sexual and reproductive health. Issues like the exercise of sexuality, contraception, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), are not enough debated among professionals, families and adolescents, despite their importance, concerning the affective and sexual discoveries typical of that age. Objective: To assess and compare the knowledge among adolescents HIV+ and HIV-, the guidance received on sexual and reproductive health and their sexual behavior, in order to better assist an integral health attention. Methods: A prospective, quali-quantitative, observational, analytical and cross-sectional study that took place during one year at the public hospital of an university in Curitiba, interviewing 61 adolescents HIV+ and 61 adolescents HIV- after their outpatient attendance. A questionnaire with objective multi-choice questions, as well as open-ended questions thought to stimulate free narratives was the base of data acquisition. Statistical analysis have considered the adolescents HIV+ and HIV- matched by age, gender and education. To evaluate differences on continuous variables, Student'st-test for normal distribution and Mann-Whitney test for asymmetric distribution were the tools. For categorical variables: Fisher exact tests and chi-square of Pearson. The analysis of answers for the openended questions was based on categorization of semantic equivalence. Significance level of 5% for all tests. Main variables of study in the amount enough to allow comparisons have driven the sample estimation, with less than 5% of significance level and minimum test power of 95%. Results: The study showed that adolescents don't have good enough knowledge about reproductive health in both groups (p=0.01). They have initiated sexual activity at about 15 years old, they report using condoms, but not the habit of picking them up. The group of HIV + have expressed more opinions about the sexual and reproductive rights, they have received less guidance on emergency contraception (p<0.001); they "hook-up" and dated less than HIV- group. Conclusion: The lack of knowledge of adolescents on reproductive health is greater than about sexual health and both groups reported the habit of not getting condoms. The HIV+ group had more opinions about sexual and reproductive rights, received less guidance on emergency contraception, "hooked-up" and dated less than the HIV- group. The knowledge about sexual rights and sexuality, and the guidance provided to both groups of teenagers, didn't seem to be adequate to make protective sexual attitudes preventing STD.

A sociedade está enfrentando o desafio de lidar com a primeira geração de adolescentes HIV+, infectados por transmissão vertical. Isso cria a necessidade de melhorar a atenção ao autocuidado e o conhecimento sobre saúde sexual e reprodutiva. Questões como sexualidade, contracepção, gravidez e doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (DST) são pouco debatidas entre profissionais, famílias e adolescentes, apesar de sua importância diante das descobertas afetivas e sexuais típicas dessa idade. Objetivo: Avaliar e comparar o conhecimento de adolescentes HIV+ e HIV- e as orientações recebidas sobre saúde sexual e reprodutiva, seus comportamentos sexuais, visando auxiliar na Atenção Integral à Saúde. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo, quali-quantitativo, observacional, analítico e transversal, realizado por um ano em hospital público de uma universidade de Curitiba, entrevistando 61 adolescentes HIV+ e 61 adolescentes HIV-, após seu atendimento ambulatorial. Foi elaborado questionário com perguntas objetivas de múltipla escolha e perguntas abertas, para estimular a livre narrativa sobre as temáticas. Foram pareados por idade, gênero e escolaridade. Para avaliar as diferenças em variáveis contínuas, foram utilizados os testes t de Student, para distribuição normal, e de Mann-Whitney, para distribuição assimétrica; para variáveis categóricas, os testes exato de Fisher e do χ2 de Pearson. A análise das respostas para as perguntas abertas baseou-se na categorização de equivalência semântica. Para os testes, foi considerado um nível mínimo de significância de 5%. A amostra foi estimada considerando as principais variáveis do estudo, sendo suficiente para as comparações um nível de significância inferior a 5%, com poder de teste mínimo 95%. Resultados: O estudo mostrou que ambos os grupos de adolescentes não têm conhecimento suficiente sobre saúde reprodutiva (p=0,01), iniciaram atividade sexual com cerca de 15 anos, relataram uso de preservativos, mas não o hábito de buscá-los. O grupo HIV+ expressou mais opiniões sobre os direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, recebeu menos orientações sobre contracepção de emergência (p<0,001), "ficou" e namorou menos que o grupo HIV-. Conclusão: O desconhecimento dos adolescentes sobre a saúde reprodutiva é maior do que sobre a saúde sexual e ambos os grupos disseram não ter o hábito de adquirir preservativos. O grupo HIV+ expressou mais opiniões sobre os direitos sexuais e reprodutivos, recebeu menos orientações sobre contracepção de emergência, "ficou" e namorou menos que o grupo HIV-. O conhecimento sobre direitos sexuais e sexualidade e as orientações fornecidas, para ambos os grupos de adolescentes, não pareceram ser suficientes para atitudes sexuais protetivas diante das DST.

[Study of 312 children with meningitis treated at a University Hospital in the South of Brazil]. / Estudio de 312 niños con meningitis atendidos en un Hospital Universitario en el Sur de Brasil.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and laboratorial aspects, as well as the etiological profile and the evolution characteristics, of the diverse types of severe meningitis treated at a Pediatric Clinic of a public university hospital. From a descriptive and retrospective study, 312 children at the Pediatric Clinic of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Paraná were evaluated between January 2003 and January 2007. All of them had a probable diagnosis of meningitis based on clinical signs, and on the cytological and biochemical alterations in the cerebrospinal fluid routine examination. Viral meningitis (VM) was present in 140 children (45%), 58 had bacterial meningitis (BM - 19%) and etiology was undetermined in 114 (36%). In MB, Neisseria meningitidis was the most frequent etiological agent (25 cases). Predominant clinical symptoms were fever, sickness and headache. The cerebrospinal fluid test showed a high number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, high protein and low glucose level in MB; mononuclear cells were predominant in VM. Neurological complications were more frequent in BM, and convulsion the most common symptom (6/58 patients). Death happened to one case in VM and 3 in BM. Our conclusions were that the classical triad (headache, vomiting and fever) was the most common clinical manifestation, the cytological and biochemical abnormalities were typical, helping in the differentiation of MB from VM, although a good number of cases ended up with no etiological definition and, finally, immediate neurological complications and death were rare.

Estudio de 312 niños con meningitis atendidos en un Hospital Universitario en el Sur de Brasil / Study of 312 children with meningitis treated at a University Hospital in the South of Brazil

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar los aspectos clínicos, análisis de laboratorio, el perfil etiológico y las características evolutivas de los distintos tipos de meningitis aguda atendidos en un Servicio de Pediatría de un Hospital Público Universitario. Fueron evaluados a partir de un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de niños atendidos en el Servicio de Pediatría del Hospital de Clínicas de la Universidad Federal del Paraná, durante el periodo entre enero 2003 a enero 2007, con el diagnóstico probable de meningitis basado en manifestaciones clínicas y en alteraciones citológicas y bioquímicas del LCR. Se diagnosticó meningitis viral (MV) en 140 niños (45%), meningitis bacteriana (MB) en 58 (19%) y en 114 la etiología fue indeterminada (36%). Entre las MB el agente etiológico más frecuente fue Neisseria meningitidis (25 casos). Lo datos clínicos predominantes fueron fiebre, vómitos y cefalea. En el LCR de la MB hubo predominio de polimorfonucleares, proteína elevada y glucosa baja. En la MV predominaron los mononucleares. Las complicaciones neurológicas fueron más frecuentes en la MB, siendo la convulsión el hallazgo más común (6/58 pacientes). El óbito ocurrió en un caso en la MV y tres en la MB. Se llegó a la conclusión de que la clásica tríada fue la manifestación clínica más común, las anormalidades citológicas y bioquímicas fueron típicas auxiliando en la diferenciación entre las MB y MV, aunque un gran número de casos haya quedado sin definición etiológica; las complicaciones neurológicas inmediatas y los óbitos han sido pocos frecuentes en esta muestra.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and laboratorial aspects, as well as the etiological profile and the evolution characteristics, of the diverse types of severe meningitis treated at a Pediatric Clinic of a public university hospital. From a descriptive and retrospective study, 312 children at the Pediatric Clinic of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Paraná were evaluated between January 2003 and January 2007. All of them had a probable diagnosis of meningitis based on clinical signs, and on the cytological and biochemical alterations in the cerebrospinal fluid routine examination. Viral meningitis (VM) was present in 140 children (45%), 58 had bacterial meningitis (BM - 19%) and etiology was undetermined in 114 (36%). In MB, Neisseria meningitidis was the most frequent etiological agent (25 cases). Predominant clinical symptoms were fever, sickness and headache. The cerebrospinal fluid test showed a high number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, high protein and low glucose level in MB; mononuclear cells were predominant in VM. Neurological complications were more frequent in BM, and convulsion the most common symptom (6/58 patients). Death happened to one case in VM and 3 in BM. Our conclusions were that the classical triad (headache, vomiting and fever) was the most common clinical manifestation, the cytological and biochemical abnormalities were typical, helping in the differentiation of MB from VM, although a good number of cases ended up with no etiological definition and, finally, immediate neurological complications and death were rare.