Search

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer and is the leading cause of death from cancer in the female population. Screening mammograms and early treatment are the most frequently used means to attempt to reduce this mortality and are promoted during Pink October, an annual awareness-raising campaign. However, recent studies have correlated the increase in screening with higher morbidity and mortality, due to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The current study assessed searches related to breast cancer and mammogram in Google Trends from 2004 to 2019 in terms of trend, seasonality, and distribution in Brazilian states. The study also evaluatedH the correlation between the number of searches in Google Trends and the number of screening mammograms. The two series showed a seasonal pattern with peaks in October, and there was an excess in tests performed outside the recommended age bracket. Pink October transmitted and popularized health information and induced behaviors related to this information, which are three desirable aspects in health communication and education. However, the campaign also generated an excess in screening mammograms and did not encourage autonomy and free and informed consent. Pink October revealed both the potential of mass communication in health and the need for messages to be aligned with the best available scientific evidence.

Lipid abnormalities and subclinical systemic inflammation are associated with atherosclerosis and are used as markers of cardiovascular risk. Studies have suggested a possible beneficial effect of dairy products on cardiovascular health, but the results in lipid and inflammatory markers are still controversial. This study aimed to assess the association between consumption of dairy products and their different subgroups and C-reactive protein (CRP), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride/HDL-cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) in participants in the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) (n = 9,372). Consumption of dairy products was assessed via a validated food frequency questionnaire and expressed as servings/day. Total consumption of dairy products was described in four categories (≤ 1 serving/day to > 4 servings/day). The associations were estimated via odds ratios (OR), using the group with the lowest consumption (≤ 1 serving/day) as the reference. The lowest ORs for TG/HDL-C in the multivariate model (0.70; 95%CI: 0.55-0.90 in men; and 0.55; 95%CI: 0.43-0.70 in women) were found in the group that consumed > 4 servings day of dairy products. These results were supported by the inverse associations between different subgroups of dairy products and the TG/HDL-C ratio. No association was found between consumption of dairy products and their subgroups and LDL-C and CRP. The results suggest a possible beneficial effect of dairy products on lipid profile, but longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to elucidate the effect mechanisms of different types of dairy products.

Pollution related to traffic is a major problem in urban centers and a large portion of the population is vulnerable to its health effects. This study sought to identify a potential association between hospital admissions due to respiratory tract cancer and vehicular traffic density in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It is an ecological study of the public (Hospital Inpatient Authorization - AIH, in Portuguese) and private (Hospital Inpatient Communication - CIH, in Portuguese) health care systems, from 2004 to 2006, geocoded by individuals' residential addresses. Using a Besag-York-Mollié ecological model, we initially evaluated the relationship between number of cases of hospital admission due to respiratory tract cancer in each weighting area and the standardized co-variables: traffic density and Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI) as indicator of socioeconomic status. Using a classic Poisson model, we then evaluated the risk associated with growing traffic density categories. The Besag-York-Mollié model estimated a RR = 1.09 (95%CI: 1.02-1.15) and RR = 1.19 (95%CI: 1.10-1.29) of admission due to respiratory tract cancer for each increase of one standard deviation of traffic and MHDI, respectively. The Poisson model also showed a clear exposure-response gradient for admission due to respiratory tract cancer (IRR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.07-1.15, for each 10 units of added traffic density). This study suggests that there is an association between residing in areas with high traffic density and hospital admissions due to respiratory tract cancer in the city of São Paulo.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC), in a cohort of children of low socioeconomic status at 48 months of age in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, in relation to feeding practices, oral health behaviors, fluoride exposure, and enamel defects. 224 children were clinically examined in the Knee-Knee position at the children's home under natural light. Teeth were dried and cleaned with gauze, and caries (WHO index) and defect (DDE Index) were determined. Questionnaires on children's oral hygiene and dietary history were completed by parents or guardians. The SAS statistical program was used with the Mantel-Haenszel tests. The results showed a prevalence of 10.7% and 33.0% for ECC and SECC, respectively. Of all the children examined, 79.9% had at least one tooth with enamel defects, which was the only statistically significant factor (p < 0.001) for ECC. The association between enamel defects and ECC indicates that alterations in the enamel surface may cause progression of dental caries.