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Study ObjectivesTo evaluate the level of shared genetic components between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep phenotype, common pathways between them and a possible causal relationship between traits.MethodsWe used summary statistics of the largest genome-wide association studies available for ADHD and sleep-related phenotypes including insomnia, napping, daytime dozing, snoring, ease getting up, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration and chronotype. We estimated the genomic correlation between ADHD and sleep-related traits using cross-trait LD-score regression and investigated potential common mechanisms using gene-based cross-trait metanalyses and functional enrichment analyses. The causal effect between the sleep related traits and ADHD was estimated with two sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR), using the Inverse Variance Weighted method as the main estimator.ResultsPositive genomic correlation between insomnia, daytime napping, daytime dozing, snoring, daytime sleepiness, short and long sleep duration, and ADHD were observed. Insomnia, sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and snoring shared genes with ADHD, which were involved in neurobiological functions and regulatory signaling pathways. The TSMR approach supported a causal effect of insomnia, daytime napping, and short sleep duration on ADHD, and of ADHD on long sleep duration and chronotype.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the comorbidity between sleep phenotypes and ADHD may be mediated by common genetic factors with an important role on neuronal signaling pathways. In addition, it may also exist a causal effect of sleep disturbances and short sleep duration on ADHD, reinforcing the role of these sleep phenotypes as predictors or early markers of ADHD.Statement of SignificanceOur findings suggest that the comorbidity between sleep phenotypes and ADHD may be linked to common genetic factors with an important role on neuronal signaling pathways. They also show that a causal effect of sleep disturbances and short sleep duration on ADHD may exist, reinforcing the role of these sleep phenotypes as ADHD early markers, being able to predict the disorder. This study adds important information about the relationship between sleep, circadian rhythm, and ADHD since it raises new questions about the complexity of the phenomenon involving them and may also provide new treatment insights in this research field. more...

Objective: To describe and compare measures of maternal depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a Brazilian birth cohort. Methods: All hospital births occurring in the municipality of Rio Grande (southern Brazil) during 2019 were identified. Mothers were invited to complete a standardized questionnaire on sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Between May and July 2020, we tried to contact all cohort mothers of singletons, living in urban areas, to answer a standardized web-based questionnaire. They completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) in both follow-ups, and the Impact of Event Scale (IES) in the online follow-up. Results: We located 1,136 eligible mothers (n=2,051). Of those, 40.5% had moderate to severe stress due to the current pandemic, 29.3% had depression, and 25.9% had GAD. Mothers reporting loss of income during the pandemic (57.2%) had the highest proportions of mental health problems. Compared to baseline, the prevalence of depression increased 5.7 fold and that of anxiety increased 2.4-fold during the pandemic (both p < 0.001). Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of personal distress due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and a clear rise in both maternal depression and anxiety. more...

Reasons for the higher rates of depression, anxiety and common mental disorders among women are unclear. We investigated the mediating effect of schooling and personal income and the effect modification of maternal schooling and family income at baseline.In 1982, the maternity hospitals of Pelotas (Southern Brazil) were daily visits and those livebirths whose family lived in the urban area of the city were examined and their mothers interviewed. At 30 years, the presence of major depression (MD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was assessed using the Mini-International Psychiatric Interview, and common mental disorders (CMD) with the self-rated questionnaire. We used Mantel-Haenszel test to assess effect modification and a counterfactual framework using inverse probability weights (IPW) and G-computation to analyze mediation.Income at 30 years captured part of the association of sex with MD (16.5%), GAD (14.2%), and CMD (18.0%). Schooling at 30 years was higher in women (p0.001), and therefore inversely mediated the association with MD (-5.4%), GAD (-4.8%), and CMD (-6.7%). If we fixed the mediator to earning more than 3 minimum salaries, the effect of sex, was reduced in 64.9%, 56.7% and 31.4%, for MD, GAD and CMD, respectively, and 62.4%, 13.6% and 23.8%, if fixed to 12 or more years of schooling.We were not able to evaluate mental health and socioeconomic changes, or assess a bidirectional effect CONCLUSION: Personal income and schooling at 30 years, are important mediators and effect modifiers of the association between sex and MD, GAD, and CMD. more...

Background Several studies have reported that there is an association between developmental and emotional/behavioural problems in children exposed to acetaminophen during foetal development. However, few studies have focused on development and behavioural outcomes in early life. Objectives To test the association between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and low neurodevelopmental performance at 24 months and behavioural/emotional problems at 48 months of life. Methods We used data from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort, a population-based longitudinal prospective study. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 24 months using Battelle's Developmental Inventory (BDI) (n = 3737). We assessed global function as well as each domain (personal-social, adaptative, motor, cognitive, and communication). Behavioural/emotional problems were assessed at 48 months using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) (n = 3624). We used the CBCL total, externalising, and internalising symptomatology and individual subscales (withdrawn, somatic complaints, anxious/depressed, social problems, cognitive problems, attention problems, aggressive behaviour, and rule-breaking behaviour). Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was retrospectively assessed at the perinatal follow-up. Poisson regression and multiple linear regression analyses were used to test the association, adjusting for several family and maternal sociodemographic and health factors, medication use during pregnancy, and the sex of the child. Results Acetaminophen exposure during prenatal development was not associated with low neurodevelopmental performance at 24 months assessed using the BDI or to emotional and behavioural problems assessed at 48 months using the CBCL in the adjusted models. Conclusions We cannot confirm the existence of an association between acetaminophen used during pregnancy and low neurodevelopmental performance at 24 months and emotional/behavioural problems at 48 months of life based on the present results. more...

Background Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents and young adults worldwide. However, risk factors for suicidal thoughts might change across cultures and contexts. We aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal thought among adults in a southern Brazilian city. Methods This population-based cross-sectional study used a multistage sampling procedure to evaluated individuals with 18 years or more, living in a southern city in Brazil. We collected suicidal thought using a question from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. In addition, we collected information on sociodemographic, behavioral, and health variables, through a questionnaire using standardized and validated instruments. We calculated prevalence ratios (PR) using Poisson Regression models with robust adjustment of the variance. Results We collected information from 1295 individuals, 6.6% were positive for suicidal thought. In multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with suicidal thoughts included: being a woman, poor, reporting current tobacco use, having household food insecurity, having three or more morbidities, being in the upper tertile of the stress scores, having had a depression diagnostic in the last year and sadness. Limitations We cannot say that the associations found are causal. Suicidal thoughts were assessed from a single question. Conclusion Suicidal thought is a prevalent condition, most likely associated with being a woman, having worst socioeconomic conditions, a poorer health, a higher stress, using tobacco and having depression and/or sadness. more...

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between sleep in early life and ADHD in adolescence. As a secondary analysis, we tested whether the associations may be specific to ADHD. Method: Data from 3,467 participants of the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort were used. Information on their sleep duration and problems was collected at 12, 24, and 48 months of age. ADHD diagnosis and hyperactivity/inattention problems were assessed with the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) among participants at 11 years of age. Results: Difficulty going to sleep at 24 months, nightmares at 24 months and at 48 months, and restless sleep at 48 months were consistently associated with ADHD as well as with other mental disorders. Conclusion: The results suggest that sleep disturbances may be more important ADHD predictors than sleep duration or sleep duration trajectories. However, it may also be considered early markers of other mental disorders. more...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role in the expression of genes involved in brain functions during development. Genetic variants in miRNA genes may impact their regulatory function and lead to psychiatric disorders. To evaluate the role of genetic variants in genes of miRNAs differentially expressed during neurodevelopment on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia (SCZ), and major depressive disorder (MDD).The miRNAs were identified in the literature. Summary statistics from the most recent genome-wide association studies to date were used to evaluate the association between the selected polymorphisms and each disorder in a look-up approach. In a global analysis, we compared the standardised risk effect of variants in neurodevelopment-related miRNAs with those in the remaining miRNAs from miRBase.The global analysis showed that variants in neurodevelopment-related miRNAs had higher risk effects compared to the other miRNAs for SCZ (Genetic variants in neurodevelopment-related miRNAs play an important role in the genetic susceptibility of psychiatric disorders, mainly SCZ and ADHD. more...

Objective: We aimed to investigate the mediating effect of violence by a family member or acquaintance on biological sex, depression and suicidal ideation. Methods: We used data from the 2013 Brazilian National Health Survey, a cross-sectional nationwide survey. Major depressive episode and suicidal ideation were evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire. Violence victimization and other sociodemographic variables were self-reported. We used logistic regression to estimate the OR, 95%CI and G-computation to calculate the natural direct and indirect effects. Results: A total of 60,202 individuals were evaluated. Women had higher prevalences of major depressive episode (OR = 2.36; 95%CI 2.03-2.74), suicidal ideation (OR = 2.02; 95%CI 1.73-2.36) and violence victimization (OR = 1.73; 95%CI 1.45-2.06). The mediation analysis showed that 10.6% of the association between sex and major depressive episode and 8.0% of the association between sex and suicidal ideation is explained by violence. Conclusions: Women in Brazil have an increased risk of major depressive episode and suicidal ideation, and this association is mediated, in part, by the fact that they suffer more violence from family members or acquaintances. more...

Objective The objective of the present study was to investigate the associated factors with short and long sleep duration at ages 11 (pre-adolescence) and 22 years old (early adulthood). Methods Participants of the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort with self-reported sleep records at 11 (n = 4442) and 22 (n = 3800) years were included. The total sleep time duration was categorised as short ( 11 for 11 years and >9 for 22 years) and recommended according to the National Sleep Foundation criteria. Multinomial regression analyses were applied according to a hierarchical approach in order to investigate the associated factors with sleep duration patterns. All analyses were stratified by sex. Results Higher income was associated with higher odds of short sleep duration in 11-year-old boys [OR = 1.54 (CI95%: 1.08; 2.19)] and girls [OR = 1.45 (CI95%: 1.03; 2.06)] and also with lower odds of long sleep duration in both ages. At 22 years, common mental health disorders were associated with higher odds of short sleep duration in both men [OR = 1.56 (CI95%: 1.18; 2.06)] and women [OR = 1.48 (CI95%: 1.11; 1.99)]. Sleep duration was also related to screen time and physical activity showing different association patterns according to sex and age. Conclusions Different factors may be associated with sleep duration patterns in pre-adolescence and early adulthood. Our results emphasise the importance of considering stratification analyses to identify associated factors with sleep duration since they may vary according to age and sex. more...

Social jetlag (SJL) is defined as the misalignment between the biological clocks and the social clock imposed by work and social constraints. In order to accomplish the workdays duties, people tend to not respect the internally sleep-wake cycle during the week, often using alarm clock to wake-up, which would lead to a chronic form of travel-induced jetlag. This circadian misalignment has been found to be associated with increased health risk and health-impairing behaviors. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to explore whether the SJL is a valid concept for the travel-induced jetlag symptoms, as well as what is the cutoff point with best parameters for defining the presence of SJL, in a sample of undergraduate students of a university in Southern Brazil. We assessed SJL by the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ) and defined the concept as the difference between the midsleep point on free days and the midsleep point on classes days. The gold standard was defined as having at least one travel-induced jetlag symptom (fatigue, sleepiness or difficulty concentrating). Relative SJL, sensitivity and specificity were calculated for different cutoff points, plotted on ROC curves. A total of 452 students with complete sleep information were included in the analysis. The relative SJL mean was 2 h 23 min (SD = 1 h 24 min; range -3 h to 7 h 58 min) and 63.7% of the students had ≥2 h of relative SJL. All the tested cutoff points of the instrument had low sensitivity and specificity values, covering a small area under the ROC curve (0.487). The best parameters were for the cutoff point ≥2 h, with 63.4% sensitivity and 35.9% specificity. SJL did not revealed to be a valid concept for the studied sample comparing it to travel-induced jetlag symptomatology. One possible explanation for the lack of validity of our results regards the fact that SJL may not have the same apparent wide-term effects as the travel-induced jetlag. Then, the symptoms of SJL do not well represent the symptoms of travel-induced jetlag. more...

O objetivo foi investigar distúrbios do sono e fatores sociodemográficos e comportamentais associados. Foi realizado um censo com universitários. Perguntas extraídas do Munich Chronotype Questionnaire investigaram: duração insuficiente do sono (< 6 horas/dia para < 65 anos e < 5 horas/dia para os demais), latência longa (> 30 minutos), baixa qualidade autopercebida, despertares noturnos (involuntários, no meio da noite) e sonolência diurna (dificuldade de concentração). Variáveis independentes englobaram características sociodemográficas e comportamentais. Análises ajustadas foram feitas com regressão de Poisson. Dos 1.865 estudantes, 32% apresentaram sono insuficiente nos dias de aula, 8,2% sono insuficiente nos finais de semana, 18,6% latência longa nos dias de aula, 17,2% latência longa nos finais de semana, 30% baixa qualidade autopercebida, 12,7% despertares noturnos e 32,2% sonolência diurna. O maior consumo de álcool esteve associado à duração insuficiente e latência longa nos dias de aula, baixa qualidade, despertares e sonolência; tabagismo com duração insuficiente nos finais de semana, despertares e baixa qualidade; e cor da pele preta ou parda com duração insuficiente nos dias de aula, baixa qualidade e despertares. Ter aulas de manhã associou-se a sono insuficiente nos dias de aula e sonolência diurna, e o sexo feminino, sonolência, baixa qualidade e despertares. Os distúrbios de sono mais frequentes foram sono insuficiente nos dias de aula, baixa qualidade autopercebida e sonolência diurna. O consumo de álcool e cigarros e a cor preta ou parda foram os principais fatores associados aos distúrbios. The objective was to investigate sleep disorders and associated sociodemographic and behavioral factors. A census of university students was carried out. Questions extracted from the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire investigated: insufficient sleep duration (< 6 hours/day for < 65 years and < 5 hours/day for other ages), long latency (> 30 minutes), low self-rated sleep quality, nocturnal awakenings (involuntary, in the middle of the night), and daytime sleepiness (difficulty concentrating). Independent variables included sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Adjusted analyses were performed with Poisson regression. Of the 1,865 students, 32% exhibited insufficient sleep on class days, 8.2% insufficient sleep on weekends, 18.6% long latency on class days, 17.2% long latency on weekends, 30% low self-rated sleep quality, 12.7% nocturnal awakenings, and 32.2% daytime sleepiness. Higher alcohol consumption was associated with insufficient sleep duration and long latency on class days, low quality sleep, awakenings, and daytime sleepiness. Smoking was associated with insufficient sleep duration on weekends, awakenings, and low-quality sleep. Black and brown skin color were associated with insufficient sleep duration on class days, low-quality sleep, and awakenings. Morning classes were associated with insufficient sleep and daytime sleepiness. Female gender was associated with low-quality sleep and awakenings. The most frequent sleep disorders were insufficient sleep on class days, low self-rated quality of sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Alcohol consumption and smoking and black and brown skin color were the principal factors associated with sleep disorders. El objetivo fue investigar trastornos del sueño, factores sociodemográficos y de comportamiento asociados. Fue realizado un censo con los estudiantes universitarios. Las preguntas extraídas del Munich Chonotype Questionnaire investigaron: duración insuficiente del sueño (< 6 horas/día para < 65 años y < 5 horas/día para los demás), latencia prolongada (> 30 minutos), baja calidad autopercibida, vigilias (involuntarias, en medio de la noche) y somnolencia diurna (dificultad de concentración). Las variables independientes englobaron características sociodemográficas y de comportamiento. Se realizaron análisis ajustados con regresión de Poisson. De los 1.865 estudiantes, un 32% presentaron sueño insuficiente durante los días de clase, un 8,2% sueño insuficiente los fines de semana, un 18,6% latencia prolongada durante los días de clase, un 17,2% latencia prolongada durante los fines de semana, un 30% baja calidad autopercibida, un 12,7% vigilias y un 32,2% somnolencia diurna. El mayor consumo de alcohol se asoció a la duración insuficiente y latencia prolongada los días de clase, baja calidad de sueño, vigilias y somnolencia; el tabaquismo con duración insuficiente de sueño durante los fines de semana, vigilias y baja calidad de sueño, así como color de piel negro o mulato con una duración insuficiente de sueño durante los días de clase, baja calidad del mismo y vigilias. Tener clases por la mañana se asoció a sueño insuficiente durante los días de clase, somnolencia diurna, y el sexo femenino con somnolencia, baja calidad y vigilias. Los disturbios de sueño más frecuentes fueron sueño insuficiente durante los días de clase, baja calidad autopercibida y somnolencia diurna. El consumo de alcohol y cigarrillos, así como el color negro o mulato fueron los principales factores asociados a los disturbios. more...

BACKGROUND Optimal sleep is essential for child growth, development, and immune function. Few studies have evaluated factors associated with sleep duration in childhood from a longitudinal perspective. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to identify trajectories of sleep duration in childhood and associated maternal and child characteristics. METHODS Sleep duration was assessed by maternal report at 3, 12, 24, and 48 months among children from the Pelotas (Brazil) 2004 Birth Cohort. Independent variables included family income, maternal and child demographics, and clinical characteristics. Trajectory analysis was carried out using a semi-parametric, group-based modelling approach. Multinomial logistic regression provided odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between independent variables and sleep duration trajectory groups. RESULTS A total of 3824 participants were included in the analyses. Three trajectories of sleep duration were identified: "short sleepers" (9.1%), "typical sleepers" (72.1%), and "initially longer sleepers" (18.8%). When compared to typical sleepers, children from less schooled mothers (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.26, 2.62) and those whose mothers reported depressive symptoms during pregnancy (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02, 1.68) and consumed alcohol beverages at 3 months post-partum (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.03, 2.50) were more likely to be short sleepers. Children who shared the bedroom with another child were about 40% (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.07, 1.87) more likely to be short sleepers. None of the investigated maternal and child characteristics remained associated with the "initially longer sleeper" group. CONCLUSIONS Among the identified trajectories, the group with short sleep duration trajectory deserves special attention given the importance of adequate sleep duration in the first years of life for the child's growth and development and the high concomitance of other risk factors, such as less schooled mothers, and mothers who reported depressive symptoms during pregnancy and consumed alcohol at 3 months post-partum. more...

Objective: To assess the prevalence of depression and sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related risk factors therefor in a southern Brazilian city. Methods: Population-based, cross-sectional study of adults from Rio Grande, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Individuals (n=1,295) were selected using a multistage sampling procedure. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen for major depressive episodes (MDEs). We used a conceptual causal framework to organize and assess risk factors for MDE and calculated prevalence ratios (PR) using regression models. Results: The prevalence of MDE was 8.4% (95%CI 6.0-10.7) for men and 13.4% (95%CI 11.0-15.8) for women. For men, physical inactivity (PR 2.34, 95%CI 1.09-5.00) and perceived stress (PR 20.35, 95%CI 5.92-69.96) were associated with MDE. In women, MDE prevalence was higher among those in the first tertile of economic index (PR 2.61, 95%CI 1.53-4.45), with 0-8 years of schooling (PR 2.25, 95%CI 1.24-4.11), alcohol users (PR 1.91, 95%CI 1.21-3.02), those physically inactive (PR 2.49, 95%CI 1.22-5.09), with the highest perceived stress (PR 9.17, 95%CI 3.47-24.23), with another mental disorder (PR 1.85, 95%CI 1.32-2.59), and with more noncommunicable diseases (PR 1.85, 95%CI 1.06-3.22). Conclusion: Women had a higher prevalence of depression, and socioeconomic disadvantages were important for the occurrence of MDE; however, for men, only physical inactivity and stress were important predictors, suggesting possible different causal pathways for each sex. more...

Circadian and sleep disorders, short sleep duration, and evening chronotype are often present in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). CLOCK, considered the master gene in the circadian rhythm, has been explored by few studies. Understanding the relationship between ADHD and CLOCK may provide additional information to understand the correlation between ADHD and sleep problems. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between ADHD and CLOCK, using several genetic markers to comprehensively cover the gene extension. A total of 259 ADHD children and their parents from a Brazilian clinical sample were genotyped for eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CLOCK locus. We tested the individual markers and the haplotype effects using binary logistic regression. Binary logistic and linear regressions considering ADHD symptoms among ADHD cases were conducted as secondary analysis. As main result, the analysis showed a risk effect of the G-A-T-G-G-C-G-A (rs534654, rs1801260, rs6855837, rs34897046, rs11931061, rs3817444, rs4864548, rs726967) haplotype on ADHD. A suggestive association between ADHD and rs534654 was observed. The results suggest that the genetic susceptibility to circadian rhythm attributed to the CLOCK gene may play an important role on ADHD. more...

Objective to evaluate women’s knowledge about the best baby sleeping position and to identify factors associated with a greater probability of putting infants to sleep in an unsafe position, in Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. Method This is a cross-sectional population-based study that included all women who bore children in 2013 in this municipality. A single, standardized questionnaire was given within 48 h after delivery in the only two local maternity hospitals. The outcome was that women reported the lateral and the ventral decubitus as the best sleeping positions for babies. A Chi square test was used for proportions and Poisson regression was used with robust variance adjustment in the multivariate analysis. The prevalence ratio was the measure of effect used. Results We included 2624 women in this study. Of these, 82.1% (95% CI 80.6–83.6) stated that the baby should sleep in the lateral or ventral decubitus positions. 76.4% reported having acquired this knowledge from their mothers and 34.7% were willing to adopt the correct (supine) sleeping position for their child if recommended by doctors. The adjusted analysis showed that the lower the schooling of the mothers and the greater the number of people per bedroom and number of children, the greater the probability of women choosing an unsafe baby sleeping position. Conclusions for Practice This study showed that the percentage of women who are unaware of the correct baby sleeping position is very high, that doctors should be convinced to recommend the supine baby sleeping position, and that campaigns on this subject should also include grandparents as a priority intervention group. more...

Background Evidence shows high prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among university students. This study investigated whether a meditation-based program would help reducing these symptoms in this population. Methods Non-randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of a six-week focused meditation training on depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory) outcomes among university students. Participants were allocated into a meditation or waiting list control group. Assessment occurred pre and post intervention and only for the meditation group at 6 and 12 months follow-up. General linear model for repeated measures evaluated the intervention effect considering group and time factors, controlling for minor psychiatric disorders, gender and absence at meetings. Results The meditation group presented a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms after intervention compared to controls. Among the meditation group, depression (at 6 months follow-up) and anxiety (at 6 and 12 months follow-up) scores were lower for those who continued practicing. Limitations Non-randomization and absence of daily practice record (precluding dose-response gradient evaluation). Conclusion The meditation training was effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, but the maintanance of these reductions only occurred for those who continued meditating. Permanent meditation programs may be an alternative for promoting mental health for university students. more...

RESUMO – Intervencoes meditativas tem sido utilizadas nas universidades para reduzir estresse. Este trabalho objetivou investigar o efeito de um treino de meditacao focada de seis semanas no estresse (utilizando o Inventario de Sintomas de Estresse da Lipp) e mindfulness disposicional (utilizando o Questionario das Cinco Facetas de Mindfulness versao Brasileira) em universitarios. Um ensaio controlado nao randomizado comparou um grupo experimental e um grupo de lista de espera antes e apos a intervencao. Apenas o grupo experimental reduziu a presenca de estresse nas fases resistencia, quase-exaustao e geral. Apresentou, ainda, aumento signifcativo de mindfulness nas facetas descrever, nao reagir e no escore total. Conclui-se que treinos meditativos podem confgurar uma alternativa para intervencoes visando ao manejo de estresse e aprimoramento de habilidades de mindfulness nas universidades. Palavras-chave : meditacao, estresse, mindfulness, universitarios. Effects of Focused Meditation on Stress and Dispositional Mindfulness in College Students ABSTRACT – Meditation based interventions have been used in universities to reduce stress. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a six-week focused meditation-training on stress (using Lipp´s Inventory of Stress Symptoms) and dispositional mindfulness (using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire - Brazilian version) in college students from southern Brazil. A nonrandomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the experimental group and the waitlist control group before and after the training. Compared with controls, the experimental group demonstrated signifcant improvements for stress, and increases in mindfulness scores, particularly for the facets describe and non-react. The results suggest that meditative practice may be an alternative for interventions aiming to tackle stress and enhance mindfulness skills in the university context. Keywords : meditation, stress, mindfulness, college students. more...

OBJETIVOS: Descrever os aspectos metodologicos e operacionais de um inquerito de pesquisa sobre saude, realizado por meio de um consorcio de pesquisa multidisciplinar. METODOS: Um estudo transversal de base populacional foi realizado com individuos de 18 anos ou mais, residentes na zona urbana do municipio de Rio Grande, RS, Brasil. A amostragem foi probabilistica, tendo como unidade primaria amostral os setores censitarios. O instrumento de pesquisa consistiu num questionario padronizado, com questoes fechadas e previamente testado, aplicado face a face no domicilio. Um questionario resumido foi aplicado a 10,5% dos individuos para fins de controle de qualidade. O trabalho de campo se estendeu de abril a julho de 2016 e a pesquisa foi previamente aprovada por comite de etica em pesquisa. RESULTADOS: Dos 70 setores censitarios amostrados, foram selecionados 711 domicilios e 1.429 individuos. Responderam o questionario 1.300 individuos (91,0%) de 676 domicilios (95,1%). As perdas e recusas foram mais prevalentes para os individuos do sexo masculino e dos setores do centro da cidade. A reprodutibilidade do questionario foi satisfatoria ( kappa medio = 0,80). CONCLUSOES: Apontaram-se os principais aspectos metodologicos de um consorcio de pesquisa multidisciplinar, que poderao ser de interesse para outros pesquisadores. Destaca-se a relevância deste tipo de estudo para a producao de informacoes sobre diversas condicoes de saude da populacao. more...

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo é estimar a prevalência de depressão e seus fatores associados em idosos residentes da zona rural do município de Rio Grande/RS. Neste estudo transversal de base populacional realizado com 994 idosos (≥ 60 anos), cuja amostragem foi baseada no Censo Demográfico de 2010, utilizou-se o “Patient Health Questionnaire 9” (PHQ-9) para o rastreio de Episódio Depressivo Maior (EDM). Foram realizadas análises descritiva, bivariada e multivariável, com uso de regressão logística. A prevalência geral para o rastreio de Episódio Depressivo Maior foi de 8,1%. As variáveis independentemente associadas com depressão foram: sexo feminino, uso contínuo de medicamentos, doenças crônicas, índice de massa corporal e pior percepção de saúde. A criação de programas de atendimento direcionados aos idosos da área rural, visando rastreamento, diagnóstico precoce de depressão e manutenção do tratamento, englobando diversos fatores relacionados à saúde, são ações importantes que devem ser fomentadas pelo sistema de saúde. Abstract The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of depression and its associated factors in elderly residents of the rural area of Rio Grande/RS. In this cross-sectional population-based study performed with 994 elderly (≥ 60 years), whose sampling was based on the 2010 Demographic Census, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used for Major Depressive Episode (EDM) screening. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression. The overall prevalence for Major Depressive Episode screening was 8.1%. The variables independently associated with depression were: female gender, continuous use of medications, chronic diseases, body mass index and worse health perception. The creation of programs target at the elderly in the rural area, aimed at screening, early diagnosis of depression and maintenance of treatment, encompassing several factors related to health, are important actions that must be fostered by the health system. more...