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Introduction: Globally, depression rates are high among men who have sex with men (MSM). Multiple factors may interact synergistically to increase this risk. This analysis assessed the prevalence of symptoms of depression among MSM in Brazil and synergistic effects of several factors. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 12 cities using respondent-driven sampling. Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics were collected. The PHQ-9 was used to screen for depression. Having moderate-severe depressive symptoms was compared to none-mild using logistic regression. The syndemic factor was a composite of hazardous alcohol use, sexual violence, and discrimination due to sexual orientation. Those with one to three of these factors were compared to those with none. Results: The weighted prevalence of moderate-severe depressive symptoms was 24.9% (95%CI = 21.8-28.8) and 16.2%, 22.9%, 46.0% and 51.0% when none, one, two, or three syndemic factors were present, respectively, indicating a dose-response effect. Perception of HIV risk, high level of HIV knowledge, known HIV infection, and health self-rated as poor or very poor were also associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The prevalence of moderate-severe depressive symptoms among MSM in Brazil is high, and selected factors act synergistically in increasing their prevalence. Public health policies should consider holistic depression prevention and treatment interventions for this population.

Resumo O presente texto trata de refletir sobre a campanha de vacinação contra COVID-19 no Brasil à luz da consideração das evidências científicas no processo de tomada de decisão. O Brasil possui um dos maiores e mais completos programas de vacinação do mundo, o Programa Nacional de Imunizações (PNI). Infelizmente, no contexto atual, com as interferências políticas do governo federal, o PNI perdeu seu protagonismo na condução da campanha de vacinação contra a COVID-19. Apesar de ser uma campanha de vacinação com muito potencial e uma das mais aceitas pela população entre os países no mundo, apresentou muitos problemas e deixou diversas lacunas no cenário brasileiro. Nesse sentido, é fundamental que as evidências científicas de qualidade produzidas nesse período possam guiar uma remodelagem constante da estratégia de vacinação. Quatro pontos merecem ser destacados: 1) o intervalo entre as doses; 2) a intercambialidade entre vacinas; 3) a vacinação em adolescentes; e 4) a necessidade de melhores evidências para definir a estratégia de vacinação em certos grupos e faixas etárias. Abstract This paper reflects on the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in Brazil in light of the consideration of scientific evidence in the decision-making process. Brazil has one of the largest and most complete vaccination programs in the world, the National Immunization Program (Programa Nacional de Imunizações or PNI). Unfortunately, in the current context, with the political interference of the federal government, the PNI lost its role in conducting the vaccination campaign against COVID-19. Despite being a vaccination campaign with a lot of potential and one of the most accepted by the population among countries in the world, it presented many problems and left several gaps in the Brazilian scenario. In this sense, it is essential that the quality scientific evidence produced during this period can guide a constant remodeling of the vaccination strategy. Four points deserve to be highlighted: 1) the interval between doses; 2) the interchangeability between vaccines; 3) vaccination in children and adolescentes; and 4) the need for better evidence to define the vaccination strategy in certain groups and age groups.

Resumo Objetivo Analisar a associação entre as desigualdades sociais e sanitárias, condições socioeconômicas, segregação espacial e letalidade por COVID-19 em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Métodos Estudo ecológico de casos confirmados e óbitos por COVID-19, tendo como unidades de análise os 119 bairros de Fortaleza. Calcularam-se os indicadores de incidência, mortalidade e letalidade aparente por COVID-19, entre 1º de janeiro e 8 de junho de 2020. Indicadores socioeconômicos foram extraídos do Censo Demográfico do Brasil de 2010. Foi realizada análise espacial e calculados índice global e local de Moran. Resultados Foram encontrados 22.830 casos confirmados, 2.333 óbitos e uma letalidade aparente de 12,7% (IC95% 11,6;13,9). Observaram--se autocorrelações espaciais significativas para letalidade aparente (I=0,35) e extrema pobreza (I=0,51), sobrepostas em diversos bairros da cidade. Conclusão A letalidade aparente por COVID-19 está associada a piores condições socioeconômicas e de saúde, demonstrando a relação entre desigualdades sociais e desfechos de saúde em tempos de pandemia. Resumen Objetivo Analizar la asociación entre las desigualdades sociales y sanitarias, condiciones socioeconómicas, segregación espacial y letalidad por COVID-19 en Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Métodos Estudio ecológico de casos y defunciones confirmadas por COVID-19, se utilizaron, como unidades de análisis, 119 barrios de Fortaleza. Se calcularon los indicadores de incidencia, mortalidad y letalidad aparente por COVID-19, entre el 1 de enero y el 8 de junio de 2020. Los indicadores socioeconómicos se extrajeron del Censo Demográfico de Brasil 2010. Se realizó un análisis espacial y calculados los índices Global y Local de Moran. Resultados Se encontraron 22.830 casos confirmados, 2.333 muertes y una letalidad aparente de 12,7 (IC95% 11,6;13,9). Se observaron autocorrelaciones espaciales significativas para letalidad aparente (I=0,35) y extrema pobreza (I=0,51) que se sobreponen en diversos barrios de la ciudad. Conclusión La letalidad por COVID-19 está asociada con peores condiciones socioeconómicas y sanitárias, demostrando la relación entre desigualdades sociales y los resultados de salud en tiempos de pandemia. Abstract Objective To analyze the association among social and health inequalities, socioeconomic status, spatial segregation and Case Fatality Rate (CFR) due to COVID-19 in Fortaleza, the state capital of Ceará, Brazil. Methods This was an ecological study of confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19. The 119 neighborhoods of Fortaleza were used as units of analysis. Incidence, mortality and apparent CFR indicators due to COVID-19 were calculated between January 1 and June 8, 2020. Socioeconomic indicators were obtained from the 2010 Brazilian Demographic Census. Spatial analysis was performed and local and global Moran's indexes were calculated. Results There were 22,830 confirmed cases, 2,333 deaths and the apparent CFR was 12.7% (95% CI 11.6;13.9). Significant spatial autocorrelations between apparent CFR (I=0.35) and extreme poverty (I=0.51), overlapping in several neighborhoods of the city, were found. Conclusion The apparent CFR due to COVID-19 is associated with the worst socioeconomic and health status, which shows the relationship between social inequalities and health outcomes in times of pandemic.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemic of COVID-19 in northeastern Brazil, one of the regions most affected by the virus. METHODS The official data for COVID-19, from March 2020 to March 2021 in the states of the Northeast Region (NE), were used. The analysis of capital cities and states for accumulated weekly cases and confirmed deaths was made using the JoinPoint Trend Analysis application. RESULTS In one year, the Northeast region reported 22.9% of the cases and 21.5% of the deaths in the country due to COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic, all states showed a growing number of cases, first in the capitals and then in the interior. Following this wave, decreases are observed in all states and their capitals, but with many still reporting a large number of cases. In the middle of the 2nd semester of 2020 the number of cases begins to increase again simultaneously in states and their capitals—some at explosive speed—especially in late 2020 and early 2021. A similar pattern is observed in deaths, which exceed or approach the peak seen in the first wave. In the first wave, all capitals and northeastern states adopted intense isolation measures. Fortaleza, Recife and Teresina reached the highest isolation index of all capitals, close to 0.60. This index decreases, with a slight growth trend until the end of December. With the exception of Fortaleza and Salvador, the other capitals fell to less than 0.40. CONCLUSION The Brazilian NE and the country are in increasingly complicated health, social and economic situations. It is necessary to speed up vaccinations and maintain non-pharmacological measures: face masks, social distancing measures and hygiene care, in addition to policies to protect workers who have lost their incomes and to subsidize small business owners. RESUMO OBJETIVO Analisar a epidemia da covid-19 na região Nordeste do Brasil, uma das mais atingidas por essa virose. MÉTODOS Os dados oficiais para covid-19 dos estados do Nordeste são referentes ao período de março de 2020 a março de 2021. A análise para capitais e estados da série do acumulado semanal de casos e de óbitos confirmados foi feita com emprego do aplicativo JoinPoint Trend Analysis. RESULTADOS Em um ano, o Nordeste acumulou 22,9% dos casos e 21,5% dos óbitos do país pela covid-19. No início da pandemia, todos os estados apresentaram um crescimento sustentável de casos, primeiro nas capitais e depois interior. Em seguida, observam-se decréscimos em todos os estados e suas capitais, porém muitos permanecem com números elevados. Em meados do segundo semestre de 2020, o número de casos começa a crescer nos estados e suas capitais, alguns em velocidade explosiva, em especial no final de 2020 e início de 2021. Padrão similar é observado para os óbitos, os quais ultrapassaram ou aproximam-se do teto observado na primeira onda, na qual todas as capitais e estados do Nordeste adotaram intensas medidas de isolamento. Fortaleza, Recife e Teresina atingiram os maiores índices de isolamento de todas as capitais, perto de 0,60. Esse índice decresce, com tendência leve de crescimento até final de dezembro, voltando a decrescer. Com exceção de Fortaleza e Salvador, as demais capitais caíram para menos de 0,40. CONCLUSÃO O Nordeste brasileiro e o país estão em uma situação sanitária, social e econômica cada vez mais complexa. É necessário acelerar o processo de vacinação e manter as medidas não farmacológicas – constante uso de máscaras faciais, medidas de distanciamento e cuidados de higiene –, além de políticas de proteção aos trabalhadores que perderam as suas rendas e subsídios aos pequenos empresários.

Additional file 1. Complete data collection instrument.

Objectives: To estimate hypertension prevalence and associated factors among fe male correctional officers (FCO) in female Brazilian prisons. Methods: Cross-sectional, analytical study conducted in 15 female prisons in all five Brazilian regions between January 2014 and December 2015. The study population consisted of correctional officers with at least 6 months in the position. The sam pling included 40% of FCO present in the prison during data collection, yielding 295 FCOs. Data were collected via Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview. A physical examination of participants was conducted including blood pressure, weight, and waist and hip circumference. The Odds Ratio and confidence intervals for independ ent factors were estimated. Results: Hypertension prevalence in correctional officers was 37.9%, (95% CI 32.1- 44.0). Hypertension was associated with obesity (95% CI = 1.884-9.947), cardio vascular disease (95% CI = 3.348-16.724), and participation in the specific training course for the relevant position (95% CI = 1.413-9.564). Conclusions: While findings, except for the last factor, are not novel, this is the first such study conducted in Brazil. Hypertension prevalence among this pool of all female correctional officers is higher than in the average population, and FCOs associate this with the prison environment. Current training does not appear to ad dress this problem. Especially since prison populations are growing in Brazil, this problem needs to be addressed for the health of the FCOs and the prisoners in their care.

Department of Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, of the Secretariat for Health Surveillance of the Brazilian Ministry of Health Universidade Federal de S?o Jo?o del-Rei. Divinopolis, MG, Brazil. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva e Social. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Aggeu Magalhaes. Recife, PE, Brazil. Universidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Sa?de Coletiva. Salvador, BA, Brasil. Faculdade de Ci?ncias Medicas Santa Casa de S?o Paulo. S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil. Tulane University. School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. New Orleans, LA, USA / Universidade Federal do Ceara. Dept Community Hlth. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Ceara. Dept Community Hlth. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. Funda??o Alfredo Mata. Manaus, AM, Brazil. Funda??o Oswaldo Cruz. Recife, PE, Brazil. Funda??o Oswaldo Cruz. Recife, PE, Brazil. Funda??o Oswaldo Cruz. Campo Grande, MS, Brazil / Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul. Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Universidade de Brasilia. Brasilia, DF, Brazil. Universidade de Brasilia. Brasilia, DF, Brazil. Faculdade de Ci?ncias Medicas Santa Casa de S?o Paulo. S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil. Universidade Federal da Bahia. Salvador, BA, Brasil. Universidade Federal do Ceara. Project PI. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Centro Universit?rio Aut?nomo do Brasil. Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Ceara. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Ceara. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Secretaria Sa?de Cear?. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Tulane University. New Orleans, LA, USA / Universidade Federal do Ceara. Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. University of California San Francisco. San Francisco, CA, USA. University of California San Francisco. San Francisco, CA, USA. Minist?rio da Sa?de. Departamento de Vigil?ncia, Preven??o e Controle das IST, do HIV/Aids e das Hepatites Virais. Brasilia, DF, Brazil. Minist?rio da Sa?de. Departamento de Vigil?ncia, Preven??o e Controle das IST, do HIV/Aids e das Hepatites Virais. Brasilia, DF, Brazil. Minist?rio da Sa?de. Departamento de Vigil?ncia, Preven??o e Controle das IST, do HIV/Aids e das Hepatites Virais. Brasilia, DF, Brazil. Universidade do Estado Bahia. Departamento de Ci?ncias da Vida. Salvador, BA, Brazil. 16IEC The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with unprotected receptive anal intercourse (URAI), stratified by age (18-24 or 25 + years old), in a sample of 4,129 MSM recruited by respondent driven sampling in 12 Brazilian cities in 2016. The prevalence of URAI was higher among younger MSM (41.9% vs 29.7%) (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that perception of risk, sexual identity, self-rated health status, and having commercial sex were associated with URAI among younger MSM. History of sexual violence, sex with younger partners, having 6 + partners and unprotected sexual debut were associated with URAI among older MSM. Marital status, having stable partner, and reporting sex with men only were associated with URAI in both groups. Despite access to condoms and lubricants, preventive efforts may not be reaching MSM effectively. Age specific intervention approaches, including stigma, discrimination, and perception of risk must be considered.

Introduction: High level of HIV/AIDS knowledge is required for an effective adoption of preventive strategies. Objective: To assess HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 12 Brazilian cities. Methods: Respondent-Driven Sampling method was used for recruitment. HIV/AIDS knowledge was assessed by Item Response Theory. Difficulty and discrimination parameters were estimated, and the knowledge score was categorized in three levels: high, medium, and low. Logistic regression was used for analysis. Results: Among 4,176 MSM, the proportion of high level of knowledge was 23.7%. The following variables were positively associated with high knowledge (p < 0.05): age 25+ years old, 12+ years of schooling, white skin color, having health insurance, having suffered discrimination due to sexual orientation, having had a syphilis test, and having received educational material in the previous 12 months. Exchanging sex for money was negatively associated. Conclusions: The proportion of only 23.7% of high HIV/AIDS knowledge was low. We should note that the only potential source of knowledge acquisition associated with high level of knowledge was receiving educational materials. Our study indicates the need for expansion of public prevention policies focused on MSM and with more effective communication strategies, including the development of knowledge that involves motivation and abilities for a safer behavior. Introdução: Alto nível de conhecimento sobre HIV/aids é necessário para uma efetiva adoção de estratégias preventivas. Objetivo: Avaliar o nível de conhecimento sobre HIV/aids entre homens que fazem sexo com homens (HSH) de 12 cidades brasileiras. Metodologia: O método Respondent-Driven Sampling foi utilizado para recrutamento. O conhecimento sobre HIV/aids foi avaliado por meio de 12 perguntas e analisados pela Teoria de Resposta ao Item. Foram estimados os parâmetros de dificuldade e discriminação e o escore de conhecimento categorizado em três níveis: alto, médio e baixo. Regressão logística foi utilizada para a análise. Resultados: Do total de 4.176 HSH, a proporção de alto nível de conhecimento foi de 23,7%. Estiveram associados positivamente (p < 0,05) com o alto conhecimento: idade 25+ anos, escolaridade 12+ anos, cor da pele branca, ter plano de saúde, ter sofrido discriminação devido à orientação sexual, ter realizado teste para sífilis e recebido material educativo nos últimos 12 meses. Ter recebido dinheiro por sexo esteve negativamente associado. Conclusões: A proporção de apenas 23,7% de alto nível de conhecimento sobre HIV/ aids foi baixa. Destaca-se que a única potencial fonte formal de aquisição de conhecimento associada com alto nível de conhecimento foi receber material educativo. Este estudo aponta a necessidade de expandir as políticas públicas de prevenção focadas no segmento HSH e com estratégias de comunicação mais eficazes, incluindo o desenvolvimento de conhecimento que envolva motivação e habilidade para um comportamento mais seguro.