Search

Objective: to identify health inequalities associated with perinatal mortality during the Ten-Year Public Health Plan 2012-2021 in the 42 municipalities of the Department of Cauca, Colombia. Methods: ecological study that addressed the period 2012 - 2021 based on data from secondary sources from the National Administrative Department of Statistics. The study population was women between 12 and 49 years of age residing in Cauca. Rank inequalities and regression models were calculated according to the Slope Inequality Index, the Relative Inequality Index and the Concentration Index. Results: 42 municipalities reported 3 110 perinatal deaths. The mean age of the affected women was 25,3 years with a predominance of the 20-24 years age group. The Pacific region reported the highest mortality rate. Ethnicity, illiteracy and the Multidimensional Poverty Index were statistically associated with mortality. There was greater inequality in perinatal mortality in municipalities with worse socioeconomic status. Conclusions: despite the operationalization of the Ten-Year Public Health Plan, perinatal mortality in Cauca continues to be a challenge in the health/disease process. There is disparity in perinatal mortality in relation to socioeconomic level, and although a decrease in inequality has been observed over the years, significant gaps still persist. The findings underscore the need to monitor and account for health inequalities in the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies to prevent perinatal mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To estimate the mortality gap due to interpersonal violence in adolescents and young people in 'social territories' made up of 17 Latin American countries, by age and sex for the years 1990 and 2019, based on estimates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) Study, 2019. Methods. Ecological epidemiological study of mortality due to interpersonal violence. Countries were divided into three strata according to the social development index (SDI). To estimate the gaps, the Poisson regression model was used, and the odds ratio and its respective 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results. The global burden of mortality due to interpersonal violence showed a significant increase in men in strata 1 and 2, and a decrease in stratum 3; a significant decrease was observed in women in stratum 2. By age group, the burden of interpersonal violence increased in both men and women aged 20 years and older. Conclusions. Interpersonal violence continues to be an important public health problem in Latin America, affecting mainly adolescents and young people in countries with lower socioeconomic development. It is urgent to evaluate the public policies that have been implemented in order to determine the causes that prevent the reduction of current gaps, and to implement plans that act on the social determinants of interpersonal violence and that promote a positive transformation with equity. The GBD report can serve as an important tool in the design, implementation, and monitoring of public policies aimed at preventing interpersonal violence in the Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To determine the association between teenage pregnancy and socioeconomic factors and to estimate social inequalities among adolescents in Mexico in 2015. Methods. A study involving women from 15 to 19 years of age was conducted using data from birth records for 2015. The fertility rate was determined and disaggregated by quintiles for each socioeconomic variable. Absolute and relative measures of inequality were estimated; negative binomial regression analysis was used to obtain risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results. The fertility rate was 73.21 births per 1000 women between the ages of 15 and 19 years in Mexico. Coahuila was the state with the highest birth rate (99.3 per 1000 adolescents). A statistically significant association was found between fertility rate and the gap in access to health services, especially in quintile 5 (risk ratio [RR] = 45.68), whereas a greater association with the gap in education was found in quintile 4 (RR = 27.36). No significant differences were found in terms of the gap in access to social security. Conclusions. Marginalization and poverty are significantly associated with teenage pregnancy and fertility rate. However, wide inequalities exist among the different social groups, making it necessary to implement actions geared towards promoting measures to improve the social, political, and economic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic inequality, or the socioeconomic status (SES) gradient, is arguably one of the most-studied phenomena in health. The gradient in health is apparent in objective and subjective measures, across virtually all countries, and is evident at individual and population levels. There is no longer much debate over the relationship between SES and health. However, exact causal pathways remain elusive. Advocating for strong policy to reduce or eliminate the SES-health gradient necessitates understanding the causal pathways, from intervention to outcome. While economists are not convinced that there is a clear enough understanding of the causal pathways of the SEShealth gradient, they have produced a substantial body of work from which to move forward. The article briefly discusses the theoretical underpinnings used by economists as a basis for the study of the causal pathways for the health gradient. That presentation is followed by a concise overview of some of the evidence that economists have produced. The paper concludes with a discussion of how current economic evidence may be used to help policymakers advocate for interventions to limit the SES gradient in noncommunicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low birth weight is one of the main health predictors for childhood and adulthood. It is highly prevalent in developing countries and in children from poorer social classes. Objective: To analyze the geographical distribution and the trends of full-term low birth weight in the 125 municipalities of the department of Antioquia and their association with the socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities between 2000 and 2014. Materials and methods: We conducted a longitudinal ecological study. The dependent variable was the prevalence of full-term low birth weight in 125 municipalities. The socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities were evaluated using the Human Development Index and the unsatisfied basic needs index. Results: Between 2000 and 2014, the prevalence of full-term low birth weight in Antioquia was 2.7 per 100 live births; this prevalence decreased steadily over time. This trend was also observed between regions, with the exception of the Occidente and Urabá regions, which showed increases of approximately 20.0%. The results also showed a reduction in geographical differences between the 125 municipalities, with the coefficient of variation decreasing from 20.6% to 13.72% over the 14-year period. Finally, we found a positive social gradient between the full-term low birth weight prevalence and the level of development in the municipalities. Conclusion: Full-term low birth weight prevalence decreased between 2000 and 2014, with some regions showing greater reductions than others. Paradoxically, less developed and poorer areas had a lower prevalence, which may be a result of underreporting of birth weight information in these municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To contribute to the theoretical-methodological discussions on intersectionality, analyzing the health inequalities of the population aged 18 and over, resident in urban areas of Argentina. Materials and Methods: Logistic regressions were used to analyze the effect of gender, age, social class and region of residence on the self-perception of health status and the existence of limitations in everyday life, associated with a diagnosed chronic disease. Information was obtained from the Survey of Utilization and Expenses of Health Services carried out in 2010 in Argentina. Results: Both the self-perception of health status and the limitations in everyday life, resulting from a diagnosed chronic disease, are statistically related to social class position, age, gender and the region of residence. Logistic regressions separately for men and women show that class inequalities tend to be higher among women and lower among men, for both health indicators analyzed here. Conclusions: The worst health status of women in relation to men is not evenly distributed among the different social groups, indicating an interaction between socially stratifying factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Suicide is a common cause of death in the world. Its expression in indigenous populations is a public health problem due to the fact that suicide rates are higher among them than in the general population, preferably affecting low income, unemployed young men who are involved in substance abuse. The magnitude of the problem and its impact on the original populations, even in danger of extinction, allowed the study to expand its comprehension regarding the subject matter, and propose research studies and suitable interventions that can lead to possible solutions. Objective: Annalise completed suicide in indigenous populations based on a social health determination. Methodology: The study conducted a review of the state-of-the-art regarding suicide in indigenous populations from 1993 to 2013; 57 articles were selected because of their quality and pertinence, and they were analyzed in the light of social health determinations. Results: Critical process matrixes where outlined which describe protective destructive processes surrounding suicide in indigenous populations. Conclusion: The approach used in this study allowed the identification of structural conditions of violence that affect indigenous people's well-being, who are the main participators in completed suicide in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study set out to describe the association between the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) estimates and a set of socioeconomic indicators and compute the MMR inequalities among the provinces of Ecuador. Methods. A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted, using data for 2014 from the country's 24 provinces. The MMR estimate was calculated for each province, as well as the association and its strength between MMR and specific socioeconomic indicators. For the indicators that were found to be significantly associated with MMR, inequality measurements were computed. Results. Despite a relatively low MMR for Ecuador overall, ratios differed substantially among the provinces. Five socioeconomic indicators proved to be statistically significantly associated with MMR: total fertility rate, the percentage of indigenous population, the percentage of households with children who do not attend school, gross domestic product, and the percentage of houses with electrical service. Of these five, only three had MMR inequalities that were significant: total fertility rate, gross domestic product, and the percentage of households with electricity. Conclusions. This study supports research arguing that national averages can be misleading, as they often hide differences among subgroups at the local level. The findings also suggest that MMR is significantly associated with some socioeconomic indicators, including ones linked with significant health outcome inequalities. In order to reduce health inequities, it is crucial that countries look beyond national averages and identify the subgroups being left behind, explore the particular social determinants that generate these health inequalities, and examine the specific barriers and other factors affecting the subgroups most vulnerable to maternal health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Describe health inequalities with regard to coverage indicators stratified by socioeconomic factors and place of residence. Methods. An ecological study was conducted with data from the 2003 and 2008 Demographic and Health Surveys and the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey, with analysis of 15 variables for socioeconomic and place-of-residence stratifiers. Results. Calculation of the composite coverage index showed that the poorest groups have moved closer to the richest groups, bridging the inequality gap; change in the richest quintiles has not been as rapid as in the poorest quintiles. Several of the indicators have seen more rapid progress in the poorest group, such as that for deliveries attended by health personnel; other indicators showed reduced growth in reduction of inequality. Chronic malnutrition in children under 5 has decreased; however, anemia in this age group has increased. Conclusions. The indicators showed advances in reduction of inequality and reduction in the gap between the poorest and richest groups. Expected growth in the use of family planning methods may not have been reached because of the existence of conditional cash transfers. Strategies should be evaluated, such as iron supplementation in children under 5, where provision of the supplement has increased, but it has not had an impact on anemia reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To estimate maternal mortality ratios (MMR) for the different sub-state regions in Mexico in order to identify those with highest maternal mortality, as well as the degree of inter-regional inequality. Materials and methods. Maternal mortality and registered live births data was taken from publicly available official data for the years 2005 to 2014. We regionalized the states based on political-administrative divisions within them and calculated MMR for these regions, and calculated Gini coefficients. Results. MMR for substate regions ranges from 16 (Non-Metropolitan Nuevo León State) to 160 (Sola de Vega, Oaxaca). We identified 13 regions of Very High or Extremely High maternal mortality. The national Gini coefficient is 0.175, with the states of Chihuahua, Nayarit, Oaxaca and Guerrero standing out for their unequal distribution of maternal mortality within their territory. Conclusions. Even state level averages of maternal mortality rates tend to hide important inequalities within states, which reflect multiple subjacent inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The conditions in which people are born, live, work and age are related to the health situation in populations. The quantification of the differences in these conditions confronted with health variables is called measurement of inequalities. Objective: To determine the inequalities in mortality due to specific causes related to socioeconomic characteristics in municipalities of Huila 2009-2013. Materials and methods: Ecological study comparing mortalities for respiratory infection Acute, stomach cancer, Hypertensive and cerebrovascular diseases, traffic accidents, Homicide, Diabetes and Childhood mortality based on socioeconomic status according to socioeconomic variables Coverage of secondary education, NBI, Rurality, Economic sufficiency; Municipal value added and IRCA in the 37 municipalities of Huila. It is calculated with the age-adjusted measures using the direct method and the measurement of the inequalities with the variable descriptions, using measures based on rank, regression and disproportionality, using Epidat 4.0 software. Results: In the mortality due to gastric cancer, hypertensive diseases and mortality in childhood was identified constant inequality against the socioeconomic variables evaluated against the less favored municipalities. In the mortality from acute respiratory infections and homicides, higher rates were observed in municipalities with better socioeconomic conditions. Conclusions: There is great variability between the socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities and between the mortalities by the evaluated events, observing an acceptable correlation between the different measures of inequalities used in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the social health insurance system in China, its reforms and the principal social inequalities uncovered. Based in the work of a number of authors of reference, it is possible to observe that rural and urban reforms follow the same pattern: large systems that were gradually reduced and then again expanded relatively quickly. Improvements notwithstanding, some of China's historical problems persist, especially the rural-urban gap and regional disparities. The lack of integration of workers that migrate from the country to the city is reproduced in the current Chinese public health system, constituting one of the primary challenges to be faced at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze trends from 2000 to 2012 in socioeconomic inequalities in health related to diabetes and hypertension indicators in Mexico. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional analysis of three national health surveys (2000, 2006 and 2012), measuring inequality using absolute and relative gaps as well as the Slope Index of Inequality for diabetes and hypertension indicators. Results. From 2000 to 2012, there is a reduction in the gap related to the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes and hypertension, with a parallel reduction in the inequality related to care for those conditions, while an inequality gradient on diabetes care remains. Conclusion. While there is an evident progress in the reduction of inequalities for diabetes and hypertension diagnostic and care in Mexico, some inequalities remain. Given the contribution of these conditions to the burden of disease in the country, there is a need to strength the quality of health services that will promote effective access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Prenatal care is a pillar of public health, enabling access to interventions including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis. This paper describes social factors related to use of prenatal care in Ecuador. Methods. In 2011 and 2012, participant clinical history and interview information was analyzed from a national probability sample of 5 998 women presenting for delivery or miscarriage services in 15 healthcare facilities in Ecuador, to estimate prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and Chagas disease, and prenatal care coverage. Results. The study found that 94.1% of women had attended at least one prenatal visit, but that attendance at no less than four visits was 73.1%. Furthermore, lower educational level, greater number of pregnancies, occupation in the agriculture or livestock sector, and membership in ethnic indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, or other minority groups were factors associated with lack of use (no prenatal visits) or insufficient use of prenatal care (fewer than four visits or first visit at >20 weeks gestation) in Ecuador. Conclusions. These results point to persistence of marked inequalities in access to and use of prenatal health services attributable to socioeconomic factors and to the need to strengthen strategies to address them, to reach the goal of universal prenatal care coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to analyze the research capacities on social determinants and social determination of the health-disease process (sdh) in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico based on the characteristics of the National Systems of Science, Technology and Innovation (sncti) and the scientific production on sdh between 2005 and 2012. Methodology: an exploratory study was conducted. Data were obtained from literature reviews, the national platforms for each sncti, interviews and forums. The following categories of study were taken into account when analyzing capabilities: 1. Scientific production, training of researchers and policies concerning research capabilities. 2. Collaborative networks; 3. Infrastructure for research and 4. Production and social appropriation of knowledge. Results and discussion: research on sdh is primarily published in scientific journals. In Brazil and Colombia, findings are primarily published in national journals, while the majority of research on sdh from Mexico is published in international journals. All three countries have solid sncti. However, funding for research on sdh is scarce. Conclusion: it is necessary to coordinate actions to strengthen the capabilities for research on sdh in order to strengthen networks and position sdh on strategic agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To explore the relationships among social, economic, environmental, and health services determinants of tuberculosis (TB) morbidity and mortality, and to identify the mechanisms that mediate such associations in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Methods. This was an ecological study of 26 LAC countries that had accurate data available on 38 selected variables for the year 2010. The countries represented 99% of the TB burden in LAC. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify associations among determinants of health and TB morbidity and mortality. Results. TB-HIV coinfection and multidrug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in previously treated cases were found to be positively associated to TB morbidity and negatively associated to improved basic sanitation and water coverage--pointing to an increase of TB morbidity in the first two variables and a decrease of TB morbidity in the last two. Regarding TB mortality, indigenous people and MDR-TB in previously treated cases were positively associated. In contrast, literacy among women, basic sanitation, water coverage, and nutritional status were negatively associated to mortality, denoting that improvements in these areas could reduce TB mortality. Conclusions. The study findings support intersectoral actions that address social, economic, environmental, and health services determinants within the Stop TB strategy. The mechanisms by which social determinants of health affect current trend outcomes extend beyond medical interventions to control TB, but more research is needed to understand how and to develop actionable recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore distributional inequality of key health outcomes as determined by access coverage to water and sanitation (WS) between countries in the Region of the Americas. Methods. An ecological study was designed to explore the magnitude and change-over-time of standard gap and gradient metrics of environmental inequalities in health at the country level in 1990 and 2010 among the 35 countries of the Americas. Access to drinking water and access to improved sanitation facilities were selected as equity stratifiers. Five dependent variables were: total and healthy life expectancies at birth, and infant, under-5, and maternal mortality. Results. Access to WS correlated with survival and mortality, and strong gradients were seen in both 1990 and 2010. Higher WS access corresponded to higher life expectancy and healthy life expectancy and lower infant, under-5, and maternal mortality risks. Burden of life lost was unequally distributed, steadily concentrated among the most environmentally disadvantaged, who carried up to twice the burden than they would if WS were fairly distributed. Population averages in life expectancy and specific mortality improved, but whereas absolute inequalities decreased, relative inequalities remained mostly invariant. Conclusions. Even with the Region on track to meet MDG 7 on water and sanitation, large environmental gradients and health inequities among countries remain hidden by Regional averages. As the post-2015 development agenda unfolds, policies and actions focused on health equity—mainly on the most socially and environmentally deprived—will be needed in order to secure the right for universal access to water and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: to calculate inequality indices based on seven variables relating to monetary poverty in children aged between 5 and 17 years and postpartum women of interest to the public nutrition authorities in Colombia. Methods: an ecological study was carried out based on 2011 data for monetary poverty and ENSIN obtained in the 2010 survey used to calculate rates based on inequality of ranges, disparity, disproportionality, regression models, and the concept of entropy. The study focused on children aged between 5 and 17 years old and postpartum women up to 48 hours after having given birth. Results: the prevalence of monetary poverty was 41.5% (95% CI 35.7 to 47.4). 82.4% of anemia and 68.2% of B12 deficiency could be avoided if there were no poverty. Inequality was found for all the variables except excess television. The Gini index for underweight was 0.20 and for anemia 0.38. Poverty accounts for 78% of house hold food insecurity. Conclusions: inequalities in nutrition can be considered to be dynamic and match structural inequalities. It was evident that there is inequality in all variables except excess to watching television or playing video games. Public policy for poor women stresses gender inequality. The distribution of malnutrition in Colombia is not homogeneous and this shows the existence of unjust inequalities affecting the most vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Analyze magnitude and trends in educational inequality in mortality and survival of women and men in countries of the Americas. Methods. Gap and gradient metrics were used to calculate inequality between countries in adult mortality, average age of death, life expectancy, and healthy life expectancy, according to educational level in men and women for 1990 and 2010. Results. Between 1990 and 2010, the average number of years of education increased from 8 to 10 with no difference between sexes. Adult mortality (15-59 years) did not change: 1.9 per 1 000 women and 3.7 per 1 000 men. The slope index of inequality (SII) increased from -1.0 to -2.0 per 1 000 women and from -1.2 to -4.4 per 1 000 men. Life expectancy increased from 75.6 to 78.7 years in women and from 68.9 to 72.4 in men; absolute inequality decreased from 7.8 to 7.2 years in women and increased from 7.2 to 9.2 years in men. Healthy life expectancy increased from 63.7 to 65.9 years in women and from 59.5 to 62.5 years in men; the SII declined from 6.9 to 5.8 years in women and increased from 6.9 to 7.8 years in men. Conclusions. In the countries of the Americas, men are at greater risk of dying, die earlier, and live fewer disease- and disability-free years than women; educational level is a determinant of mortality and survival in both sexes, and educational inequalities are more pronounced and increasing among men, and are disproportionately concentrated in the most socially disadvantaged populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To expand the "Countdown to 2015" analyses of health inequalities beyond the 75 countries being monitored worldwide to include all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) that have adequate data available. Methods. Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys were used to monitor progress in health intervention coverage and inequalities in 13 LAC countries, five of which are included in the Countdown (Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Haiti, and Peru) and eight that are not (Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Suriname). The outcomes included neonatal and under-5 year mortality rates, child stunting prevalence, and the composite coverage index--a weighted average of eight indicators of coverage in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. The slope index of inequality and concentration index were used to assess absolute and relative inequalities. Results. The composite coverage index showed monotonic patterns over wealth quintiles, with lowest levels in the poorest quintile. Under-5 and neonatal mortality as well as stunting prevalence were highest among the poor. In most countries, intervention coverage increased, while under-5 mortality and stunting prevalence fell most rapidly among the poor, so that inequalities were reduced over time. However, Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Peru still show marked inequalities. Brazil has practically eliminated inequalities in stunting. Conclusions. LAC countries presented substantial progress in terms of reducing inequalities in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health interventions, child mortality, and nutrition. However, the poorest 20% of the population in most countries is still lagging behind, and renewed actions are needed to improve equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Identify the inequalities and sociodemographic characteristics that negatively affect maternal mortality in the department of La Guajira, Colombia. Methods. A descriptive study was conducted in which cases of maternal deaths in the department of La Guajira between 2010 and 2012 were analyzed, based on data from secondary sources. The difference in rates, rate ratio, population attributable risk percent, and Gini and concentration coefficients were calculated. Results. 54 maternal deaths were recorded, 61.1% of which were indigenous and 16.7% Afro-Colombians; the majority did not have any schooling (33.3%) or only primary schooling (29.6%). Inequalities in the difference of rates, rate ratio, and population attributable risk percent were calculated for La Guajira and other departments in the Caribbean region and in Colombia; however, the differences were not reflected in the Gini and concentration coefficients. Conclusions. Maternal mortality was significantly higher in indigenous women than in non-indigenous women. Sexual and reproductive health programs should be strengthened and maternal health policies improved through a multicultural approach to eliminate or reduce inequalities related to maternal mortality in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To conduct a comparative analysis of social inequalities in eye health and eye health care and generate baseline evidence for seven Latin American countries as a benchmarking exercise for monitoring progress toward three goals of the regional Plan of Action for the Prevention of Blindness and Visual Impairment: increasing eye health service coverage, minimizing barriers, and reducing eye health-related disease burden. Methods. Results from cross-sectional eye health surveys conducted in six Latin American countries (Argentina, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay) from 2011 to 2013 and recently published national surveys in Paraguay were analyzed. The magnitude of absolute and relative inequalities between countries in five dimensions of eye health across the population gradient defined by three equity stratifiers (educational attainment, literacy, and wealth) were explored using standard exploratory data analysis techniques. Results. Overall prevalence of blindness in people 50 years old and older varied from 0.7% (95% CI: 0.4-1.0) in Argentina to 3.0% (95% CI: 2.3-3.6) in Panama. Overall prevalence of visual impairment (severe plus moderate) varied from 8.0% (95% CI: 6.5-11.0) in Uruguay to 14.3% (95% CI: 13.9-14.7) in El Salvador. The main reported cause of blindness was unoperated cataract and most cases of visual impairment were caused by uncorrected refractive error. Three countries had cataract surgical coverage of more than 90% for blind persons, and two-thirds of cataract-operated patients had good visual acuity. Conclusions. Blindness and moderate visual impairment prevalence were concentrated among the most socially disadvantaged, and cataract surgical coverage and cataract surgery optimal outcome were concentrated among the wealthiest. There is a need for policy action to increase services coverage and quality to achieve universality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate prevalence of poor self-rated health and its association with individual and household-level characteristics among adults and elderly in Brazil. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional study with Brazilian National Household Sample Survey 2008 (n=257 816). Crude and multilevel-adjusted Poisson regression models were fitted. Results. After adjusted analysis, poor self-rated health was significantly associated with higher household income, living alone, not having piped water nor garbage collection, lower education, not having health insurance, female sex, higher age, being a current or previous smoker, physical inactivity, having chronic diseases, having physical impairment. Subjects living in rural areas also had higher prevalence of poor self-rated health. The factors most strongly associated with the outcome were physical impairment and reporting three or more chronic diseases. Conclusions. Socioeconomic, health related behaviors, and physical health were associated with poor self-rated health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the prevalence of blindness, visual impairment, and related eye diseases and conditions among adults in El Salvador, and to explore socioeconomic inequalitiesin their prevalence by education level and occupational status, stratified by sex. Methods. Based upon the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) methodology,this nationwide sample comprised 3 800 participants (3 399 examined) ≥ 50 years old from 76 randomly selected clusters of 50 persons each. The prevalence of blindness, visual impairment and related eye diseases and conditions, including uncorrected refractive error (URE),was calculated for categories of education level and occupational status. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs) and stratified by sex. Results. Age-adjusted prevalence was 2.4% (95% CI: 2.2-2.6) for blindness (men: 2.8%(95% CI: 2.5-3.1); women: 2.2% (95% CI: 1.9-2.5)) and 11.8% (95% CI: 11.6-12.0) for moderate visual impairment (men: 10.8% (95% CI: 10.5-11.1); women: 12.6% (95%CI: 12.4-12.8)). The proportion of visual impairment due to cataract was 43.8% in men and 33.5% in women. Inverse gradients of socioeconomic inequalities were observed in the prevalence of visual impairment. For example, the age-adjusted OR (AOR) was 3.4 (95%CI: 2.0-6.4) for visual impairment and 4.3 (95% CI: 2.1-10.4) for related URE in illiterate women compared to those with secondary education, and 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1-3.1) in cataract in unemployed men. Conclusions. Blindness and visual impairment prevalence is high in the El Salvador adult population. The main associated conditions are cataract and URE, two treatable conditions. As socioeconomic and gender inequalities in ocular health may herald discrimination and important barriers to accessing affordable, good-quality, and timely health care services, prioritization of public eye health care and disability policies should be put in place,particularly among women, the unemployed, and uneducated people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to high light the problems of extension practices of the exclusive rights on medicines carried out by the pharmaceutical industry when the patent protection is going to expire. Using three scenarios, the implications of such phenomena are explained, emphasizing on the need to actively involve the State in order to ensure equitable access conditions to medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies on health determinants are questioned because they show differences on health results between social strata, without explaining the doctrinaire referents they are based on, or establishing the determination processes involved in the analysis. Likewise, it is brought into question how they frequently omit the relational character of the groups, sectors or social classes being analyzed. For this reason, the objective of this review was to contribute some elements that provide a basis for the knowledge field, both on the theoretical as well as on the practical aspect, which have a central role in any research on this topic regardless if they are explicit or not. We analyzed contributions from some social justice theories as well as eco-social epidemiology and studies on lifestyles coming from medical sociology. Likewise, we reviewed basic concepts on social stratification and socio-economic position that are repetitively used in this field of knowledge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To study lines of action implemented in Mexico by the health sector from 2007 to 2012 in order to combat health inequities by targeting social determinants. To contribute to better understanding and knowledge of how health system inequalities in the Region of the Americas can be reduced. To formulate recommendations for designing a future public policy agenda to address the social determinants associated with health inequities in Mexico. Methods. The policies and programs established in the National Health Program (PRONASA) 2007-2012 were reviewed, and those that met four criteria were selected: i) they affected the social determinants of health (SDH); ii) they developed specific lines of action aimed at reducing health inequities; iii) they set concrete goals; and iv) they had been evaluated to determine whether those goals had been met. Three programs were selected: Seguro Popular, Programa de Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades (PDHO), and Caravanas de la Salud. Once each program's specific lines of action targeting SDH had been identified, the monitoring and evaluation indicators established in PRONASA 2007-2012, along with other available evaluations and empirical evidence, were used to measure the extent to which the goals were met. Results. The findings showed that Seguro Popular had had a positive impact in terms of the financial protection of lower-income households. Moreover, the reduction in the gap between workers covered by the social security system and those who were not was more evident. By reducing poverty among its beneficiaries, the PDHO also managed to reduce health inequities. The indicators for Caravanas de la Salud, on the other hand, did not show statistically significant differences between the control localities and the localities covered by the program, except in the case of Pap tests. Conclusions. These findings have important public policy implications for designing an agenda that promotes continued targeting of SDH and heightening its impact in terms of reducing inequities. Guaranteeing the effective exercise of social rights, without socioeconomic, employment, ethnic, or gender-based exclusion, will be key. Action to provide comprehensive, inclusive, equitable, effective, and quality coverage, supported by a preventive and remedial model of primary health care, are recommended. Strategies should be centered on primary health services, because at that level, more comprehensive care focusing on the person rather than the disease can be provided. It will also be necessary to include periodic monitoring and evaluation phases to offer the comprehensive social protection system scientific armor and guarantee its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To analyze the principal indicators associated with maternal mortality and mortality in children under 1 year of age and evaluate coverage levels and variability among the federative entities of Mexico. Methods. Eight interventions in maternal and child primary health care (variables) were studied: complete vaccination series, measles vaccine, and pentavalent vaccine in children under 1 year of age; early breast-feeding; prenatal care with at least one check-up by trained staff; prevalence of contraceptive use among married women of reproductive age; obstetric care in delivery by trained staff; and the administration of tetanus toxoid (TT) to pregnant women. The average and standard deviation of national coverage for each variable was calculated. Within each federative entity the proportion of municipalities with high, medium, and low marginalization was determined. States were ranked by the proportion of municipalities with high marginalization (highest to lowest) and divided into quintiles. Absolute inequality was measured using the observed difference and relative inequality, using the ratio of each variable studied. Results. The average national coverage for the eight variables studied ranged from 86.5% to 97.5%, with administration of TT to pregnant women the lowest and administration of measles vaccine to children under 1 year of age the highest. Obstetric care in delivery, prevalence of contraceptive use, and prenatal checkup were the variables with less equitable coverage. In states with higher levels of marginalization, activities dependent on a structured health system--e.g., obstetric care in delivery--showed lower levels of coverage compared to preventive activities not requiring costly inputs or infrastructure--e.g., early breast-feeding. Conclusions. Interventions exhibiting greater inequity are associated with the lack of medical infrastructure and are more accentuated in federative entities with higher levels of marginalization. Greater public health expenditure is urgently needed to implement feasible, effective alternatives in terms of access and health care. Intersectoral policies and activities should be implemented to create synergies that will equitably improve the health of Mexican mothers and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the effect of prenatal care (PNC) on the level and distribution of child stunting in three Andean countries--Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru--where expanding access to such care has been an explicit policy intervention to tackle child malnutrition in utero and during early childhood. Methods. An econometric analysis of cross-sectional Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data was conducted. The analysis included ordinary least-squares (OLS) regressions, estimates of concentration curves, and decompositions of a concentration index. Results. The analysis shows that the use of PNC in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru is only weakly associated with a reduction in the level of child malnutrition. Conclusions. Further expansion of PNC programs is unlikely to play a large role in reduc- ing inequalities in malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess the effects of education and chronic and/or infectious disease, and the interaction between both variables, on the risk of dying among Mexicans 60 years and older. Methods. Using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), logistic regressions were performed to estimate the risk of mortality for older Mexicans between 2001 and 2003. Estimated mortality risks associated with chronic disease, infectious disease, and a combination of both were used to estimate additional life expectancy at age 60. Results. Compared to the group with some schooling, the probability of dying over the twoyear inter-wave period was 26% higher among those with no schooling. Not having at least one year of formal education translated into a shorter additional life expectancy at age 60 by 1.4-2.0 years. Having chronic and/or infectious disease also increased the risk of mortality during the same period. Conclusions. These results indicate that 1) a mixed epidemiological regime (the presence of both chronic and infectious disease) adds to the mortality health burden experienced by older people, and 2) there are persistent inequalities in mortality risks based on socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health promotion and social determinants of health approaches, when integrated, can better contribute to understanding and addressing health inequities. Yet, they have typically been pursued as two solitudes. This paper presents the key elements, principles, actions, and potential synergies of these complementary frameworks for addressing health equity. The value-added of integrating these two approaches is illustrated by three examples drawn from the authors' experiences in the Americas: at the community level, through a community-based coalition for reducing chronic disease disparities among minorities in an urban center in the United States; at the national level, through healthy-settings interventions in Canada; and at the Regional level, through health cooperation based on social justice values in Latin America. Challenges to integrating health promotion and social determinants of health approaches in the Americas are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health inequity, main issue of contemporary debates on public health, is based on philosophical and historical concepts that date back to the idea of justice from classic Greece. The Aristotelian approach on distributive justice and its higher form, epiekeia or equity, has been reviewed, as well as how this evolves from the Middle Ages and modernity to the heart of the debate of a variety of thinkers such as liberal Rawls and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. On this conceptual debate lies the World Health Organization version that links equity to health determinants and intends to make it operational through the equitable provision of health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impoverished populations carry a disproportionately high share of the burden of neglected tropical diseases, including dengue. The burden of dengue is high among poor people because they often live in communities where mosquito vectors are abundant, because they use less vector-human barrier methods, and because interventions tend to be less effective in disadvantaged populations. We believe that a better understanding and management of the "causes behind the causes" of dengue would lead to more equitable and more effective control strategies. Two main ideas are worked out. First, we propose targeted interventions in well-defined geographical areas with high risk of dengue transmission. The definition of these high-risk areas should be based on socio-economical, entomological, environmental as well as epidemiological information. Second, there is a need to adapt dengue control tools to local, context-specific factors, in active collaboration with the sectors involved in risk management as well as with the affected communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-income countries, social inequalities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk are well-documented. Although Latin America has a rich history of theory and conceptual discussion regarding social inequalities in health, empirical research has been more limited. In this commentary we summarize recent empirical work on social inequalities in CVD risk in Latin America, and highlight key research needs as well as implications for prevention. Although much remains unknown about the social patterning of CVD in Latin America, the limited studies to date indicate that inequalities in CVD risk vary across populations and markers of socioeconomic position, as well as disease risk marker. The strongest social inequalities are seen among women, and in urban areas, with regards to obesity, diabetes, and diet. Few studies, though, have been conducted in some parts of Latin America, including the countries of Central America and northern South America. Vital registration systems and nationally-representative risk factor surveys can be important sources of data, as long as information on socioeconomic indicators is collected. Longitudinal studies will also be important for investigating factors driving social inequalities. As policies and prevention strategies are put into place to reduce CVD in Latin America, they must also address factors generating social inequalities in CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]