RESUMO
Quilombola communities are descended from African slaves who escaped in resistance to imperial rule in Brazil. Today, these communities suffer from inadequate health care and health promotion programs due to socioeconomic, geographic, and political factors. This generates greater vulnerability among these groups because they have limited information about prevention to improve their quality of life. This research aimed to analyze the sexuality of young quilombola adults and the impact on their quality of life through an observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study with descriptive and inferential analyses. Our study is the first to address these issues among quilombolas in the Eastern Amazon region. The participants were 79 individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 to 35 years, belonging to seven communities in the state of Pará. The questionnaires were designed to assess sexual behavior and satisfaction, values and beliefs about sexuality, prejudice regarding sexual and gender diversity, knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), beliefs about maternity, and quality of life. Women reported greater sexual dissatisfaction and lower quality of life than men. Men reported no dysfunctions; however, they were highly prejudiced towards sexual and gender diversity. Low education negatively impacts the health of quilombola populations, as knowledge about STIs and values and beliefs influence sexual behavior, exposing individuals to diseases. The research also confirms that, both among quilombolas and other groups, factors such as sexual satisfaction, values and beliefs about reproduction, and affectivity directly influence the quality of life.
RESUMO
Background: Breast cancer mortality is increasing in Brazil. This study examines the impact of sociodemographic factors, screening procedures, and primary healthcare (PHC) on breast cancer mortality. Methods: An ecological study analyzed secondary data of women diagnosed with breast cancer who died between 2000 and 2019. Sociodemographic factors, screening procedures, and PHC were examined in relation to breast cancer mortality. Statistical analyses included normality tests, Kruskal-Wallis and one-way ANOVA tests with post hoc comparisons, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests, age-period-cohort analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox regression analysis. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Mortality rates were higher in the southeast (15.77) and south (15.97) regions compared to the north (5.07) (p < 0.0001). Survival rates were longer in the southeast (70.3 ± 0.05) and south (70.6 ± 0.09) than in the north (63.98 ± 0.053) (p ≤ 0.001). Mortality increased with age after 32 years (p ≤ 0.001). Brown and indigenous women had lower mortality and survival rates. Increased coverage of PHC, ultrasound, and biopsy did not reduce mortality. However, improved cytopathologic analysis led to a decrease in mortality. Conclusions: Sociodemographic factors, screening procedures, and PHC are specific predictors of breast cancer mortality in Brazil.
RESUMO
Mortality data obtained from the mortality information system (SIM) identified a total of 103,094 women with cervical cancer in Brazil. However, associations between mortality and sociodemographic variables in these patients are not fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the sociodemographic factors (geographic region, age, race and marital status) that predict cervical cancer mortality in Brazil between 1996 and 2017. A descriptive, analytic and retrospective study was carried out using secondary data on deaths from cervical cancer recorded in the SIM-DATASUS. Deaths reported between 1996 and 2017 in the health information system and classified by the International Classification of Diseases-10 were included. Sociodemographic factors (geographic regions, age, sex and race) were subjected to inferential analysis for a relation with mortality. Mortality increases during the aging process after the third decade of life. However, single women who die are usually diagnosed with cancer in the early stage of the disease. The mortality rate is higher in Black women and women living in the North, South and Southeast regions of Brazil. Yellow women have a lower mortality in the country. Besides, each region has specific characteristics in relation to race and marital status. White women who died had some form of stable union during life, whereas the other races were more associated with single marital status. Thus, the sociodemographic factors that predict mortality in women with cervical cancer in Brazil were identified and can be used to guide the public health policies.