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Foundation: Estimating the burden of risk factors is very important because it allows identifying priorities in disease prevention and health promotion, particularly if such factors are modifiable.Objective: to evaluate the relative burden of 20 level 2 factors in Cuba, the Latin American and Caribbean region in 2019. Methods: descriptive research, in which, using data from the Global Health Data Exchange platform, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (GHDx-IHME), the percentages of risk factors were calculated within each of the locations and for each of the metrics, particularly disability-adjusted life years, to facilitate the identification of priorities.Results: Smoking, elevated fasting glucose, elevated body mass index, and elevated systolic blood pressure accounted for more than 50% (55.2%) of the global burden in Cuba for 2019. The main differences between the studied locations were concentrated in smoking, which occupies positions 1 and 6 in Cuba and Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively, and in child and maternal malnutrition, which occupies positions 12 and 4 in Cuba and Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively.Conclusions: In addition to identifying priorities in Cuba with respect to risk factors, the convenience of using international data platforms with standardized indicators broken down by year, sex, age groups, and more than 200 countries and territories, including Cuba, was highlighted. These data, appropriately selected and processed, can be very useful for health decision-making.

Foundation: basal cell carcinoma is a very common malignant tumor in humans. It is considered locally invasive, also aggressive and destructive. Objective: to show the behavior of patients with basal cell carcinoma diagnosed by dermoscopy in dermatology clinic of the Miguel Enríquez University Hospital, between June 2020 and May 2021. Method: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out to show the behavior of patients with basal cell carcinoma who attended the dermatology consultation at the Miguel Enríquez University Hospital from June 2020 to May 2021. The universe of study was made up of patients older than 18 years who presented one or more presumptive lesions of basal cell carcinoma less than 3 cm in diameter. The variables used were: age, sex, skin phototype, clinical forms, dermoscopic patterns, topography of the lesion, occupation related or not to sun exposure. We worked with absolute frequencies, percentage, mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values, the ratio, chi-square and student's t tests, with significance p≤0.05. Results: it prevailed in the elderly (66.4±14.9 years), in men (54.1 %), with phototype 2 (57.8 %), and in the nose 33.9 %. The nodular form was more frequent (41.3 %), occupation exposed to the sun (66.9 %), average size of the lesion 1.4 cm. Dermoscopy showed a predominance of arborizing vessels (73.4 %). By histology, 90.8 % of the cases were confirmed. Conclusions: the elderly prevailed among the patients, with phototype 2. The nodular form was more frequent, the average size of the lesion was 1.4 cm. Dermoscopy showed a predominance of arborizing vessels. Dermoscopy turned out to be a necessary tool for systematic use in dermatology.

Background: an analysis of the trend of change in the mortality of cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx and the quantification of the impact on life expectancy in the Cuban population can help researchers and those responsible for formulating health policies. Public to have a comprehensive view of this problem. Objective: to estimate the mortality burden of cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx, by sex, in Cuba in the period 2005-2020. Method: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out in which five-year data series were used. The universe was made up of all deaths from cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx for the years studied. For each year and causes, the number of deaths was used; rates per 100,000 inhabitants and the years of life potentially lost due to mortality were calculated. The average was calculated and the annual percentage change was estimated. Results: mortality rates were between 7.62 and 12.23 in men and 2.60 and 3.74 in women, per 100,000 inhabitants. Regarding the years of life lost early, due to cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx, it was observed that in men the rates rose from 131 in 2005 to 169 in 2020 and from 40 to 52 in women. Conclusions: the burden of cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx in Cuba has increased, it was higher in men, the trend is growing in both sexes, both men and women died at younger ages due to nasopharyngeal cancer than, due to other locations studied, the percentage change was higher for pharyngeal cancer.

Background: complications during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium are the main causes of death in women of childbearing age. The study of the mortality burden derived from these complications is useful to quantify the impact of premature deaths on the population life expectancy.Objective: to describe the behavior of the maternal deaths burden due to direct causes in Cuba, between 2005 and 2018.Methods: descriptive study of annual series, cross-sectional. The universe was the total of direct maternal deaths (N = 463). The mortality ratio, years of life potentially lost due to mortality, the trend, the percentage and the average were calculated.Results: during the years 2005-2018, 463 women died in Cuba from direct obstetric causes. Premature deaths quantified 22897 years of life lost due to this cause, with a tendency to decrease over time and with an annual average of 1636 years of life potentially lost; on average, they stopped living for each deceased, 49 years. The group of complications related to the puerperium (6790) was the direct cause that generated more years of life lost.Conclusion: the causes with the greatest impact on life expectancy were complications related to the puerperium, other hemorrhages and ectopic pregnancy; but the women who died at younger ages were from abortion and puerperal infection. Puerperal infections, placental disorders, and other complications tended to increase over time.

Fundamento: La mortalidad materna en el mundo es inaceptablemente alta. Las complicaciones en el embarazo, parto y puerperio constituyen la primera causa de muerte de mujeres en edad fértil. La cifra de decesos maternos en Cuba, en los últimos años, es de las más bajas de América Latina, pero aún está lejos de los resultados de países más desarrollados. Los logros más evidentes se alcanzan en la disminución de la mortalidad infantil.Objetivo: describir el comportamiento de las muertes que ocurren durante el embarazo, parto y puerperio, en Cuba, en el periodo 2005-2018.Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo de cortes transversales anuales. El universo lo conformó el total de muertes registradas durante el embarazo, parto y puerperio en el período 2005-2018, en Cuba (N=829). Se calculó la razón de mortalidad, porcentajes, la tendencia y el promedio.Resultados: la razón de muerte durante el embarazo, parto y puerperio promedió 48,6 por 100 000 nacidos vivos, así como el promedio de mortalidad materna fue 41,6. Las muertes obstétricas directas aportaron 463, las indirectas 247; y por otras muertes, fueron 119 las defunciones.Conclusión: en el periodo estudiado, el comportamiento entre el número de defunciones y la razón ha sido muy similar, lo cual indica que, ésta última, estuvo determinada fundamentalmente por el número de defunciones y no por el número de nacidos vivos. Predominaron las muertes obstétricas directas, seguidas por las indirectas, y luego por las otras. Las muertes obstétricas indirectas fueron las únicas que mostraron tendencia a aumentar en el tiempo.

Background: maternal death represents one of the most notable events in the conflicts of sexual and reproductive health in the world. The high mortality from this cause in the world is unacceptable. However, estimates for determining the burden of maternal morbidity and mortality health are still limited.Objective: to determine the burden of mortality related to pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium in Cuba between 2005 and 2018.Methods: a descriptive study was carried out, with national cross-sectional data and annual periodicity. The universe of study was made up of all the deaths that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium in the period 2005-2018, in Cuba (N = 831). The mortality ratio, years of life potentially lost due to mortality, the percentage, the average and the trend were calculated.Results: of the total number of deceased due to deaths that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, 463 were due to direct death; 247 for indirect death; and 247, due to other deaths 121. The ratio averaged 48.8 deaths for every 100 000 live births. Years of life potentially lost were 42,582: 23,433 for direct deaths, 12,724 for indirect deaths, and 6,425 for other deaths.Conclusion: direct obstetric deaths were the most frequent and those with the greatest impact on life expectancy; while indirect obstetrician women showed a tendency to increase over time. For other deaths, women died at an earlier age.