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Copyright of Revista Salud UIS is the property of Universidad Industrial de Santander and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Investigación sobre Flamenco is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Relaciones Internacionales (1699-3950) is the property of Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, International Relations Studies Group (GERI) Law Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. To present the Regional Core Competency Framework for Public Health (RCCFPH) and the methodology used for its development. Methods. A participatory methodology was used for this descriptive study, using techniques such as questionnaires, discussions, pair work, extreme cases, jigsaw, data evaluation matrices, iterative reviews, and comparative analyses. The study was carried out over nine stages, bringing together experts from public health institutions and schools, as well as primary health care professionals in the Americas. Results. The primary result is the RCCFPH, which is organized around 10 competency domains, all favoring comprehensive teaching. The primary focus is on the disciplinary domain, along with the educational domain. The remaining domains are common to the teaching of any discipline, but each competence was formulated for use within the field of public health, which is what differentiates this framework from others. It is proposed as a regional tool for use from multiple perspectives. Conclusion. The domains and competencies encourage a new perspective on comprehensive teacher training in public health. The RCCFPH can be used as a tool to assess teaching skills and improve the quality of teaching in the Region. It can foster cooperation among educational institutions and is proposed as a facilitator for a Latin American community of practice to address new challenges in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Analyze inequalities in self-perceived health among population groups located at the intersections of gender identity, ethnicity, and education level in countries of the Americas, classified by income level. Methods. Panel data from the World Values Survey were used for the period 1990--2022. The study sample included 58 790 people between 16 and 65 years of age from 14 countries in the Americas. The dependent variable was poor self-perceived health, and the independent variables were gender, education level, and ethnicity. A multi-categorical variable with 12 strata was created for the intercategorical intersectionality analysis. An analysis of individual heterogeneity and diagnostic accuracy was performed using five logistic regression models, adjusted by age and by survey wave. Results. A clear and persistent intersectional gradient for poor self-perceived health was observed in all country disaggregations by income. Compared to the category with the most advantage (men of majority ethnicity and higher education), the other groups had increased risk of poor health, with the highest risk among women of minority ethnicity and in Indigenous peoples with less than secondary education (three to four times higher). In addition, women had a higher risk of poor health than men in each pair of intersectional strata. Conclusions. The intersectional analysis demonstrated a persistent social gradient of self-perceived ill health in the Americas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HEARTS in the Americas is the Pan American Health Organization flagship program to accelerate the reduction of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden by improving hypertension control and CVD secondary prevention in primary health care. A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) platform is needed for program implementation, benchmarking, and informing policy-makers. This paper describes the conceptual bases of the HEARTS M&E platform including software design principles, contextualization of data collection modules, data structure, reporting, and visualization. The District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) web-based platform was chosen to implement aggregate data entry of CVD outcome, process, and structural risk factor indicators. In addition, PowerBI was chosen for data visualization and dashboarding for the analysis of performance and trends above the health care facility level. The development of this new information platform was focused on primary health care facility data entry, timely data reporting, visualizations, and ultimately active use of data to drive decision-making for equitable program implementation and improved quality of care. Additionally, lessons learnt and programmatic considerations were assessed through the experience of the M&E software development. Building political will and support is essential to developing and deploying a flexible platform in multiple countries which is contextually specific to the needs of various stakeholders and levels of the health care system. The HEARTS M&E platform supports program implementation and reveals structural and managerial limitations and care gaps. The HEARTS M&E platform will be central to monitoring and driving further population-level improvements in CVD and other noncommunicable disease-related health.e [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To quantify the association between the prevalence of population hypertension control and ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke mortality in 36 countries of the Americas from 1990 to 2019. Methods. This ecologic study uses the prevalence of hypertension, awareness, treatment, and control from the NCD-RisC and IHD and stroke mortality from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Regression analysis was used to assess time trends and the association between population hypertension control and mortality. Results. Between 1990 and 2019, age-standardized death rates due to IHD and stroke declined annually by 2.2% (95% confidence intervals: --2.4 to --2.1) and 1.8% (--1.9 to --1.6), respectively. The annual reduction rate in IHD and stroke mortality deaccelerated to --1% (--1.2 to --0.8) during 2000-2019. From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence of hypertension controlled to a systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≤140/90 mmHg increased by 3.2% (3.1 to 3.2) annually. Population hypertension control showed an inverse association with IHD and stroke mortality, respectively, regionwide and in all but 3 out of 36 countries. Regionwide, for every 1% increase in population hypertension control, our data predicted a reduction of 2.9% (--2.94 to --2.85) in IHD deaths per 100 000 population, equivalent to an averted 25 639 deaths (2.5 deaths per 100 000 population) and 2.37% (--2.41 to --2.33) in stroke deaths per 100 000 population, equivalent to an averted 9 650 deaths (1 death per 100 000 population). Conclusion. There is a strong ecological negative association between IHD and stroke mortality and population hypertension control. Countries with the best performance in hypertension control showed better progress in reducing CVD mortality. Prediction models have implications for hypertension management in most populations in the Region of the Americas and other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Leishmaniasis continues to be a neglected infectious disease of great importance, mainly affecting the poorest people with the least access to health services. In the Americas, it is a public health problem due to its magnitude, wide geographical distribution, and levels of morbidity and mortality. Objective. Summarize the recommendations included in Guideline for the Treatment of Leishmaniasis in the Region of the Americas, published by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization, in order to provide adequate management of patients diagnosed with leishmaniasis, reduce clinical complications and deaths caused by drug toxicity, reduce the lethality of visceral leishmaniasis, and address key aspects of implementation of the guidelines. Methods. The guideline and its recommendations were summarized and a systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Lilacs, Health Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos, and gray literature for other studies conducted in the Region of the Americas, in order to identify barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies. Results. Recommendations are presented, addressing the pharmacological treatment of patients diagnosed with cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas, as well as case management and secondary prophylaxis in patients coinfected with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV, and patients with other diseases that cause immunosuppression. Conclusions. The recommendations aim to provide the government entities and health professionals that care for leishmaniasis patients in the Americas with knowledge on management of the disease. Barriers are discussed (related to human resources, knowledge of guidelines, inputs, costs, access, and patient access), as well as facilitators and strategies to support implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Synthesize the recommendations developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the screening and treatment of women with pre-cancerous lesions for cervical cancer prevention, with a view to improving the quality of care and health outcomes. Methods. The guidelines prepared by WHO follow the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) method for the preparation of guidelines, as set forth in the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development. A synthesis of the recommendations of two WHO guidelines was carried out. Additionally, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Lilacs, Mhealth Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos and gray literature of studies developed in the Americas to identify barriers, facilitators, implementation strategies, and indicators. Results. A total of 19 recommendations and ten good practices were formulated for screening pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix and treating cervical cancer. Implementation barriers and facilitators were identified, and indicators were created for assessing adherence and outcomes. Conclusions. The recommendations provide guidance for the screening and treatment of women with pre-cancerous lesions for cervical cancer prevention, with a view to improving the quality of care and health outcomes. Implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brucellosis produces losses in livestock raising in the Americas. This region reports prevalence variations associated with the implementation of control programs, thus requiring an analysis that permits the combination of results to reach conclusions, which may be conducted through meta-analysis. Aim. To estimate the combined prevalence of Brucellosis in Cattle and Buffaloes in Central America and the Caribbean, and South America in the 2010-2021 period, and to analyze the different time performances in all the regions and the species. Materials and methods: Several papers published in electronic databases, such as PubMed / PubMed Central, Science Direct, Scielo, Ebsco, and Google Scholar were selected. Original papers and postgraduate theses available were included, provided they offered information about cattle and buffaloes, using the serological techniques recommended by the World Animal Health Organization, and which provided the sample size and the number of positives. A meta-analysis was done to estimate the combined prevalence of the disease, and the effect on the subgroups was evaluated by meta-regression. Results: Overall, 65 that met the selection criteria were included, 56 related to cattle, and 11 to buffaloes. The combined prevalence was 3.0%; differences between cattle (2.7%) and buffaloes (5.2%) were observed. The differences between the periods studied accounted for 4.3% (2011-2016) and 2.0% (2017-2021), respectively. Conclusions: The combined prevalence of the disease was 3.0%, which was higher in buffaloes, which dropped in the last five years. No differences were observed between the two regions studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes eight guiding principles for the digital transformation of the health sector and identifies their relationship with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as highlighting their importance to countries undergoing digital transformation processes. In the Region of the Americas, among other gaps, 30% of people do not have access to the Internet, which is why it is mandatory to develop policies and actions to deliver public health interventions equitably and sustainably to ensure that no one is left behind. The eight principles focus on the four areas of a sustainable health system -- human, social, economic and environmental -- and highlight the broader possibilities using digital technology to impact the sustainability of health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses a health stewardship perspective to interpret the strengths of and challenges to national health authorities' capacities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through the renewed essential public health functions (EPHF) framework. Based on a literature review, this article argues that the institutional capacities required by countries to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Americas included all four stages of the new EPHF policy cycle: assessment, policy development, allocation of resources and access. While health authorities provided these key functions (e.g. data analysis, intersectoral policy dialogues, allocation of additional funds), the interventions implemented depended on each 'country's own institutional structures. Health authorities faced significant challenges including fragmentation and the lack of institutional and personnel capacities, thus compromising the delivery of an effective and equitable response. In addition, the response to the pandemic has been uneven due to weaknesses in central leadership and coordination capacity, the politicization of the response and differences in the capacity to respond at subnational levels. Such challenges reflect structural weaknesses that existed prior to the onset of the pandemic, as well as the low prioritization of public health in agendas for health systems strengthening. A future agenda should prioritize improving structural elements while strengthening the stewardship capacities of health authorities and developing institutional structures that guarantee access to and universal coverage of health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Systematize and analyze the response actions related to human resources for health during the pandemic, reported by 20 countries of the Region of the Americas in the mid-term evaluation of the Plan of Action on Human Resources for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage 2018-2023 (Pan American Health Organization, 2018), and assess the importance of the policies on human resources for health (HRH) and on HRH management expressed in the Plan of Action and in the Strategy on Human Resources for Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage during health emergencies and in normal times. Methods. Reports on actions taken in 20 countries of the Region against COVID-19 and for HRH were selected and systematized. These were classified as immediate contingency actions, actions related to installed capacities, and emerging actions. Results. The capacity to plan and manage HRH in countries depends on their installed, functional structures and competencies. The pandemic highlighted the need to have new job profiles, improve precarious working and contractual conditions, emphasize the gender perspective, and address numerical gaps in certain areas and levels of care. Conclusions. Linking the monitoring of the Plan of Action with the COVID-19 response demonstrated the importance of HRH governance, management, and installed capacities when responding to health emergencies and in normal times. The analysis suggests a need to review existing public policies, models of care that can guide current and future needs in HRH, the profiles required, working conditions, and ways to close numerical gaps, among other issues. The pandemic enabled countries to innovate in response to demands. The Strategy and the Plan of Action remain in place to guide and strengthen the performance of human resources for health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized and simplified protocol based on the technical pillars of the HEARTS Initiative for the control of hypertensive patients in the Cardiovascular Health Program at the first level of care in Chile. Methods. Longitudinal observational study (historical cohort) in two family health centers at the first level of care in Santiago. The control of blood pressure in hypertensive adults using a standardized and simplified protocol was compared to the usual protocol based on national guidelines. Innovations in the standardized protocol included changes in how the health team is coordinated, initiation of pharmacological treatment immediately after confirmed diagnosis, standardized pharmacological treatment with a combination of at least two or three antihypertensive drugs taken daily in a single tablet. Follow-up was conducted after one year to assess the percentage of adherence to treatment and achievement of blood pressure control targets (< 140/90 mmHg). Results. A total of 1490 patients were evaluated: 562 who followed the standardized and simplified protocol, and 928 who were treated with the usual protocol (family health centers: 650; family health centers: 278). After one year, patients in the standardized and simplified protocol group had a higher proportion of adherence to blood pressure control targets (65% versus 37% and 41%, p<0.001) and higher adherence to treatment compared to those following the usual protocol (71% versus 18% and 23%, p<0.001). Conclusions. The results show that the standardized and simplified protocol is more effective than the usual protocol in controlling arterial hypertension in patients undergoing treatment at the first level of care in Chile. Its implementation at the national level could contribute to a decrease in major cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries have made important progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to health (SDG3) at the national level. However, vast within-country health inequalities remain. We present a baseline of health inequalities in the region, against which progress towards the SDGs can be monitored. Setting. We studied 21 countries in LAC using data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out from 2011 to 2016. Participants. The surveys collect nationally representative data on women and children using multistage sampling. In total, 288 207 women and 195 092 children made part of the surveys in the 21 countries. Outcome measures. Five health intervention indicators were studied, related to reproductive and maternal health, along with adolescent fertility and neonatal and under-five mortality rates. Inequalities in these indicators were assessed through absolute and relative measures. Results. In most countries, subnational geographical health gradients were observed for nearly all women, child, and adolescent (WCA) indicators. Coverage of key interventions was higher in urban areas and among the richest, compared with rural areas and poorer quintiles. Analyses by woman's age showed that coverage was lower in adolescent girls than older women for family planning indicators. Pro-urban and pro-rich inequalities were also seen for mortality in most countries. Conclusions. Regional averages hide important health inequalities between countries, but national estimates hide still greater inequalities between subgroups of women, children and adolescents. To achieve the SDG3 targets and leave no one behind, it is essential to close health inequality gaps within as well as between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a reflective analysis of the implementation of interprofessional education in undergraduate nursing courses, considering as an example the curricula of undergraduate nursing careers in Brazil. Despite investments to advance interprofessional education, its practice is not institutionalized in the curricula of undergraduate courses. These findings represent a limitation for the implementation of interprofessional education in nursing courses, and the case of Brazil allows to learn lessons for the education of nursing professionals in other countries of the Region of the Americas. Recommendations are provided for training, management and intersectoral articulation of health and education services, with emphasis on primary health care and the Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at educational institutions wishing to implement interprofessional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of population aging will lead to an increase in health problems in older people, mainly related to their functionality. Accordingly, the countries of the Region of the Americas must begin to act to meet this challenge. One of the fundamental tasks involves the ability to measure and monitor functionality in the population. The tools used to evaluate functionality focus mainly on the basic activities of daily living, which limits their preventive capacity, since instrumental activities provide a better prognosis. Using the case of Chile, challenges for the Region were identified, mainly related to the advantages of adopting new methodologies that not only evaluate functional capacity, as current strategies do, but also detect its deterioration early and monitor its stages throughout the dependence stage in older people. This will also make it possible to evaluate initiatives for the prevention and management of loss of functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Americas and raised blood pressure accounts for over 50% of CVD. In the Americas over a quarter of adult women and four in ten adult men have hypertension and the diagnosis, treatment and control are suboptimal. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) released an updated guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults. This policy paper highlights the facilitating role of the WHO Global HEARTS initiative and the HEARTS in the Americas initiative to catalyze the implementation of this guideline, provides specific policy advice for implementation, and emphasizes that an over-arching strategic approach for hypertension control is needed. The authors urge health advocates and policymakers to prioritize the prevention and control of hypertension to improve the health and wellbeing of their populations and to reduce CVD health disparities within and between populations of the Americas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Americas, and hypertension is the most significant modifiable risk factor. However, hypertension control rates remain low, and CVD mortality is stagnant or rising after decades of continuing reduction. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the HEARTS technical package to improve hypertension control. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) designed the HEARTS in the Americas Initiative to improve CVD risk management, emphasizing hypertension control, to date implemented in 21 countries. Methods. To advance implementation, an interdisciplinary group of practitioners was engaged to select the key evidence-based drivers of hypertension control and to design a comprehensive scorecard to monitor their implementation at primary care health facilities (PHC). The group studied high-performing health systems that achieve high hypertension control through quality improvement programs focusing on specific process measures, with regular feedback to providers at health facilities. Findings. The final selected eight drivers were categorized into five main domains: (1) diagnosis (blood pressure measurement accuracy and CVD risk evaluation); (2) treatment (standardized treatment protocol and treatment intensification); (3) continuity of care and follow-up; (4) delivery system (team-based care, medication refill), and (5) system for performance evaluation. The drivers and recommendations were then translated into process measures, resulting in two interconnected scorecards integrated into the HEARTS in the Americas monitoring and evaluation system. Interpretation. Focus on these key hypertension drivers and resulting scorecards, will guide the quality improvement process to achieve population control goals at the participating health centers in HEARTS implementing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are viral diseases that pose a constant threat to public health. These three arboviruses can produce very similar clinical pictures, which represents a challenge to achieving an accurate clinical diagnosis and can lead to inadequate management and even fatal outcomes. Guidelines for the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika is part of the effort by the Pan American Health Organization and the countries of the Region of the Americas to prevent severe cases and death from these diseases, in a complex epidemiological context in which multiple factors favor transmission dynamics and lead to outbreaks and epidemics in the countries of the Region. Objectives. Synthesize the recommendations in the PAHO guidelines, published in 2022, in order to present appropriate diagnosis and treatment of these arboviruses, and to address aspects of implementation of the recommendations. Methods. The guidelines and their recommendations were synthesized. In addition, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Lilacs, Health Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos, and gray literature for studies done in the Region of the Americas, in order to identify barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies. Process and outcome indicators for implementation of the recommendations were identified and formulated. Results. We present 12 recommendations applicable to adult and pediatric patients with suspected or confirmed dengue, chikungunya, or Zika, along with barriers, facilitators, and strategies for their implementation. Conclusions. The recommendations provide strategies for timely diagnosis and treatment of acute cases of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, as well as considerations for implementation of the strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bribery, as research issue, focuses on causality and impact analysis and in many cases has been subordinated as one of the many types of corruption. Using microdata from Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer, the objective is to determine for a set of selected countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the dependent variables to predict the probability of paying bribes when in contact with individuals, companies or entities that provide services. Inferential statistical techniques are used, such as logistic regression applying the maximum likelihood method and iterative process until the best model is found. From an initial survey with 117 variables, 11 variables were found to best explain the probability of paying a bribe. Variables such as level of schooling and the influence of officials and politicians affect people's willingness to pay a bribe. Significant topics of this study, such as retaliation to favor voting and sexual favors to receive benefits, although incipient in their study, are worth further research. This work can serve as a basis to motivate studies with microdata that help to better understand specific typologies of corruption through models that predict behaviors of ordinary citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text aims to discuss the human meanings of a global pandemic. At the same time, it tries to discuss the survival of the nefarious effects of the axes of an American racist cultures and the unfolding of its crypto-fascist characteristics within current societies. A central question remains the role of the sciences and scientists, of a we-intellectual and of the eventual creative role aimed at the theoretical-practical condition of a healthy live together of all Humanity. To clarify these issues, the first point shows some fundamental issues in pandemic times and of anti-racist and anti-fascist demands. The second highlights the regional disarray and the motivations at participations might demand in the face of brutal inequalities within the Americas. The third indicates the starting point to rescue the original paths of its people in their Afro, European and Amerindian plurality. In this way, we wish to insist on a proactive role of the intellectuals, since their participation is key in the analysis of inequalities and, therefore, in creating conditions for healthy coexistence. From a critical point of view, intellectuals are important agents in the face of deadly inequalities, a commitment to the service of life and to good living among all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes the current status of the tobacco control measures contained in the Strategy and Plan of Action to Strengthen Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas 2018-2022 (Pan American Health Organization) and the advances made in its application, identifying achievements from 2016 to 2020 and challenges that still need to be addressed in order to reach the expected goals. This analysis relied on data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic from 2015, 2017, and 2019, and national regulations were analyzed to determine their consistency with WHO criteria. Significant progress has been made in implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the Americas. By 2020, most countries had regulations on 100% smoke-free environments in indoor public places, workplaces, and public transport, and large graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging. The number of countries that ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship and that tax tobacco at the minimum level recommended by WHO has doubled since 2016. However, the 2022 targets have not yet been reached for any of these measures or for ratification of the relevant international agreements. Although progress has been made in the Region, it has not been uniform. Unless the pace of application of the tobacco control measures contained in the Strategy and Plan of Action accelerates, it is unlikely that its targets will be met. Tobacco industry interference remains one of the main challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To describe what is known about the national prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in the Americas across countries and over time, including the geographic coverage, quality, and comparability of national data. Methods. This was a systematic review and reanalysis of national, population-based IPV estimates from 1998- 2017 in the Americas. Estimates were reanalyzed for comparability or extracted from reports, including IPV prevalence by type (physical; sexual; physical and/or sexual), timeframe (ever; past year), and perpetrator (any partner in life; current/most recent partner). In countries with 3+ rounds of data, Cochran-Armitage and Pearson chi-square tests were used to assess whether changes over time were significant (p <0.05). Results. Eligible surveys were found in 24 countries. Women reported ever having experienced physical and/or sexual IPV at rates that ranged from 14%-17% of women in Brazil, Panama, and Uruguay to over one-half (58.5%) in Bolivia. Past-year prevalence of physical and/or sexual IPV ranged from 1.1% in Canada to 27.1% in Bolivia. Preliminary evidence suggests a possible decline in reported prevalence of certain types of IPV in eight countries; however, some changes were small, some indicators did not change significantly, and a significant increase was found in the reported prevalence of past-year physical IPV in the Dominican Republic. Conclusions. IPV against women remains a public health and human rights problem across the Americas; however, the evidence base has gaps, suggesting a need for more comparable, high quality evidence for mobilizing and monitoring violence prevention and response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis is caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted mainly by insect vectors (popularly known in the different areas of the Region of the Americas as "kissing bugs", "pitos", "chinches", or "chirimachas" or "vinchuchas"). The parasite is transmitted via the placenta and in transfusions, and less frequently, orally or during organ transplantation. Because it was necessary to strengthen the implementation of public policies and the management of clinical conditions, given the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties that this systemic parasitosis presents, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) developed guidance for the management of American trypanosomiasis. Objectives. Synthesize the recommendations included in the Guide for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chagas Disease, published (in Spanish only) by the Pan American Health Organization in 2018, in order to present the proper diagnostic methods and treatment for Chagas disease and to address aspects of its implementation. Methods. A summary was made of the guide and its recommendations. In addition, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Lilacs, Health Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos, and the gray literature for studies carried out in the Americas, in order to identify barriers, facilitators, and implementation strategies. Results. Ten recommendations are made. These are applicable to adult and pediatric patients with suspected Chagas disease, exposure to T. cruzi, or a confirmed diagnosis of acute, chronic, or congenital Chagas disease. Reports that addressed aspects of implementation were identified. Conclusions. The recommendations seek to provide strategies for the timely diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease, as well as considerations for the implementation of such strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cauriensia: Revista Anual de Ciencias Eclesiásticas is the property of Instituto Teologico San Pedro de Alcantara de Caceres and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The articles published in this series show that it is possible to create fiscal space for health in the countries. This requires specific decisions since economic growth is not enough to generate the additional resources needed. The studies analyze the benefit of reviewing the tax expenditures to identify exemptions -- generally outdated and of low benefit for the countries --; arguments to increase taxes on products harmful to health; and credits and donations, which do not result in a viable source of income for governments. Fiscal efforts must be accompanied by an improvement in efficiency, and the progressive creation of new revenues is key to improving equity. It is necessary to improve the collection of fiscal resources. To this end, it is necessary to develop a research and action agenda that understands the analysis of the fiscal space inserted in the processes of transformation and reform of health systems, including the technical aspects not yet addressed and studies of the social efficiency of the fiscal space for major development objectives such as the Sustainable Development Goals 2030. In the countries of the Region of the Americas it is essential to have efficient management to do more and better with more resources, even during adverse economic cycles. This should be evident at all levels, including solidarity for achieving better health outcomes, strategic purchase of health goods and services, and strengthening of budget planning systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Araucaria is the property of Araucaria-Revista Iberoamericana de Filosofia, Politica y Humanidades and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biomédica: Revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud is the property of Instituto Nacional de Salud of Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Biomédica: Revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud is the property of Instituto Nacional de Salud of Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An ecological study was conducted to estimate the burden of incident tuberculosis attributable to diabetes in the Region of the Americas. Population size, the prevalence of diabetes, and the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the adult population of each country in 2013 were used to estimate the percent population attributable risk. The estimated population attributable risk was 16.8% (CI 95%: 10.8-23.8%), which corresponds to 25,045 (16,050-35,741) incident cases of TB per year. Diabetes is an important determinant of the incidence of tuberculosis in the countries of the Region of the Americas and may account for up to 1 in 4 incident TB cases. For countries, the intersection of both epidemics poses the dual challenge of providing integrated are and control of comorbidity and its structural social determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injuries caused by venomous animals affect vast areas of Latin America, Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Oceania, and pose a serious problem for global public health. Based on an analysis of the current panorama of global production of ophidian and arachnid antivenoms, it is concluded that they are semi-orphaned products. This is a favorable scenario in which to strengthen public laboratory production. Governments should make a political decision in this regard in the interest of equity in population health. In the Region of the Americas, these actions could be part of a program led by the Pan American Health Organization to ensure the availability of these biologicals in strategically located health centers. Twelve public facilities producing antivenoms have been identified in the Region, including Brazil and Mexico, which are the biggest public producers. These laboratories should be managed like industrial operations that produce tangible goods without ignoring strategic planning. National regulatory authorities should help the public laboratories that produce them by providing necessary technical assistance and consultancy without any loss of impartiality or rigor in the evaluation of their quality management systems. New superior production technologies using hyperimmune mammalian plasma are in the experimental phase; no information on its production has been found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective. Analyze international reports related to training in obstetrics and present guidelines to help leading educational institutions to develop curriculum guidelines for the teaching of obstetrics and advanced nursing practice in this specialty. Methods. A narrative review was conducted of documents from the World Health Organization and the International Confederation of Midwives. The search used the descriptors midwifery and education. All official reports that guide midwife education policies, published from 2009 to 2015 in English and Spanish, and available online, were included. Reports that did not specifically refer to training were excluded. Results. Five reports were selected. Analysis and synthesis of their respective objectives and contents were based on three themes: requirements for professional qualification, continuing education, and guidelines for skilled training in obstetrics, taking into account accepted core competencies for this specialty. Conclusions. Analysis of reports related to training in obstetrics identified that key tasks are being implemented for both educators and midwives. The reports represent a solid basis to develop educational policies that can contribute to universal access and coverage in health and to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, and potentially can be used to guide international policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To review, organize, and share the experience of the regulatory authorities of countries involved in a project headed by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Americas (ALBA) for the establishment of a regulatory center (ALBAMED) and a single registry to facilitate access to essential medicines while ensuring quality, safety, and effectiveness, as well as to demonstrate how the construction of this forum for regional cooperation has benefited these authorities and their respective regulatory systems. Methods. A descriptive, longitudinal, and retrospective study of ALBAMED's activities between 2009 and 2014 using published and archived materials. The level of agreement was determined by means of surveys; and joint development of standards, knowledge transfer, and the identification of best practices were assessed. Results. The regulatory authorities of Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela participated in the project. Twenty-five comparative assessments of the status of regulation in nine key areas were carried out. Six coordination meetings and four specialized workshops were held. More than 130 provisions and procedures were approved, having been developed specifically for the ALBAMED Regulatory Center or adopted from guidelines issued by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization. Conclusions. The mapping exercise for a regulatory center and supranational registry for ALBA countries has enhanced the performance of participating authorities and strengthened drug regulatory systems through the development and selection of the standards to be applied, knowledge transfer, and the promotion of best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCLs) play a critical role in quality assurance. The objective of this work is to describe the actions taken by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to strengthen OMCLs in the Region of the Americas. Methods. A descriptive study was conducted by the External Quality Control Program (EQCP) to assess the diagnostic and overall performance of OMCLs; human resource training; measures adopted by the Pan American Network for Drug Regulatory Harmonization (PANDRH) to facilitate prequalification of OMCLs by the World Health Organization (WHO) as reference laboratories for United Nations agencies; and the technical documents developed by the Working Group on Good Laboratory Practice (WGGLP) and their level of implementation. Results. The Pan American Network of OMCLs, established in 2005, is currently composed of 28 OMCLs in 23 countries. The EQCP assessed the performance of OMCLs in ten stages; 784 professionals, 313 of them from OMCLs, received training in good laboratory practice (GLP). Guidelines for external evaluation and self-evaluation were developed. Six OMCLs attained WHO prequalification and nine became regional reference laboratories. Conclusions. The initiatives undertaken made it possible to strengthen the activity of the OMCLs and to train human resources. Furthermore, they provided tools for continuous improvement through external evaluation and self-evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To describe and analyze the current status of and the challenges involved in the regulation of medical devices in the Region of the Americas and to present the results of the regional mapping exercise, progress toward the development of advanced assessment indicators, and the achievements of the Regional Working Group. Methods. Creating a regional profile on the regulation of medical devices in the Americas is a priority for the Working Group. To this end a tool composed of 45 questions organized into six sections was developed and distributed among 15 countries for self-assessment (the participation rate was 100%). Based on the data received, nine basic indicators were established and an agreement was reached to develop advanced indicators for measuring the extent to which regulatory programs for medical devices were being implemented. Results. Of the 15 countries, 93% have an agency in charge of regulating medical devices. An analysis of individual country performance shows wide variability, with some countries meeting all indicators and others meeting as few as 11%. The mapping also made it possible to generate information on collaborative partnerships, training, and regulation. Conclusions. The results show significant heterogeneity at the regional level. Implementation of advanced indicators will help to identify areas of opportunity and strengths for the development of the regulatory profile. Although progress has been made toward strengthening regulatory programs for medical devices, remaining gaps need to be bridged through strategies and initiatives to be led by the Working Group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health technology regulation and quality assurance are critical to the development of national pharmaceutical policies, and implementing these actions is the responsibility of national regulatory authorities, whose level of development and maturity affect the quality, safety, and effectiveness of the products made available to the public. On the initiative of the regulatory authorities themselves, together with the Pan American Health Organization, the Region of the Americas promotes the strengthening of health regulation through an evaluation and certification process that allows for the designation of regulatory authorities of regional reference for drugs and biological products. Over the period from its implementation to the present, six authorities have been certified and one is in the process of obtaining certification. These authorities work jointly and promote dialogue and regulatory convergence, information-sharing to facilitate regulatory decision making, and regional cooperation to support the establishment of other authorities in the Region--actions having direct impact on access to effective and quality-assured health technologies. Their combined efforts have led to the recognition of this process of evaluation and certification by the World Health Organization (WHO). Among the actions resulting from the International Consultation on Regulatory Systems Strengthening, WHO recommended taking a close look at this model to assess its potential scale-up at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In her prose, especially her short "communications", Gabriela Mistral found a way, both in practice and symbolically, to unite her militancy in favor of the integration of the Americas by means of culture and the written word. In those "messages", and her poetry, of course, the scheme for integration becomes an aesthetic and "spiritual" program. [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. Reconstruct the activities of the Pan American Poliomyelitis Eradication Program, through documents produced by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) from 1985 to 1994. Methods. Documents on polio eradication produced from 1985 to 1994, obtained through the publications portal at the official PAHO website, were used as primary sources of information. Documents were categorized by type and their contents studied, revealing their context in the framework of the history of international public health. Results. Two hundred sixty documents were found and categorized as bulletins, resolutions, articles, and books. In 1985, PAHO implemented an initiative to eradicate transmission of wild poliovirus in the Americas by 1990. National commissions, a Technical Advisory Group, cross-border meetings, and other coordination mechanisms were established. Eradication activities were monitored by the International Commission for the Certification of Polio Eradication, using five indicators. The Region of the Americas was officially certified in 1994. Conclusions. The road to polio eradication in the Region of the Americas was affected by different political, social, and economic circumstances in the different member countries and was not problem-free. Nonetheless, important collaboration agreements were reached and experiences and resources were shared. This led to achieving the final goal before other regions. PAHO played a key role and spear-headed the entire process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finlayson thinks that the discovery of the Americas is the end of a cycle, the circumnavigation of the world, the convergence of two migratory flows that having departed from Asia, one went to the east and the other one went to the west. In relationship with Europe, beset, at those times, by bloody religious wars, disunited, threatened by the East, made up by many nations that were not States just yet, with the legitimacy of the governments in an already foreseen crisis, the Americas look as a land of hope. Such a situation is, somehow, similar to the situation undergone by the period of the 40's, in the 20th Century, and thus Finlayson says so: "the overpopulation, the international conflicts, the poverty, the wars devastating almost the entire world put their trust on the vast territories in the Americas." Nonetheless, this seems to be a hope that has never been fulfilled and that has always been postponed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]