Measuring access to medicines: a review of quantitative methods used in household surveys.

BACKGROUND: Medicine access is an important goal of medicine policy; however the evaluation of medicine access is a subject under conceptual and methodological development. The aim of this study was to describe quantitative methodologies to measure medicine access on household level, access expressed as paid or unpaid medicine acquisition. METHODS: Searches were carried out in electronic databases and health institutional sites; within references from retrieved papers and by contacting authors. RESULTS: Nine papers were located. The methodologies of the studies presented differences in the recall period, recruitment of subjects and medicine access characterization. CONCLUSIONS: The standardization of medicine access indicators and the definition of appropriate recall periods are required to evaluate different medicines and access dimensions, improving studies comparison. Besides, specific keywords must be established to allow future literature reviews about this topic.

[Prevalence of and risk factors for cigarette smoking among adolescents in South America: a systematic literature review]. / Prevalência e fatores de risco para tabagismo em adolescentes na América do Sul: uma revisão sistemática da literatura.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of teenage smoking and the factors associated with smoking in this age group in South America. METHODS: Searches for articles concerning teenage smoking in Latin America were conducted in two bibliographic databases: MEDLINE (1966-2002) and Latin American and Caribbean Literature on the Health Sciences ("LILACS") (1982-2002). We also reviewed governmental and nongovernmental documents and Web sites. From the 315 articles that we identified, we considered 45 to be relevant for this paper. RESULTS: In each of the countries that we studied, there was often a wide range found in prevalence levels, depending in part on the particular age range studied and on the definition of smokers that was used. The leading risk factor for teenage smoking was smoking among siblings and friends. Additional risk factors were poor academic performance, being older, male gender, having paid work, and having parents who were separated. CONCLUSIONS: Additional population-based studies with teenagers should be carried out, and more uniform criteria for defining smokers should be developed.

Prevalência e fatores de risco para tabagismo em adolescentes na América do Sul: uma revisão sistemática da literatura / Prevalence of and risk factors for cigarette smoking among adolescents in South America: a systematic literature review

OBJETIVO: Descrever a prevalência do tabagismo em adolescentes e os fatores associados ao tabagismo nesse grupo etário na América do Sul. MÉTODOS: Foram pesquisadas as bases de dados MEDLINE (1966-2002) e Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciencias da Saúde ("Lilacs") (1982-2002), além de documentos governamentais e näo-governamentais e sites na Internet. Foram identificados 315 artigos, dos quais 45 foram considerados relevantes para o presente trabalho. RESULTADOS: Em todos países estudados, foi grande a variaçäo nos níveis de prevalência; tal variaçäo dependeu, em parte, do grupo etário enfocado e da definiçäo de fumante utilizada no estudo. O hábito de fumar entre irmäos e amigos foi o principal fator de risco para tabagismo na adolescência. O baixo rendimento escolar, a idade mais avançada, o sexo masculino, o trabalho remunerado e a separaçäo dos pais também foram identificados como fatores de risco. CONCLUSÄO: Säo necessários mais estudos de base populacional representativos dessa faixa etária e critérios uniformes para definir os fumantes