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The article reports a study that examines prenatal care in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a sample of 9920 single birth mothers. A modified Kotelchuck index was used. Researchers used multivariate ordinal logistic regression and multivariate linear regression to estimate the importance of selected sociodemographic and obstetric factors for prediction of prenatal services use and its effects on birth weight. Researchers concluded that adequate use of prenatal care in the city of Rio de Janeiro was associated with birth weight, worse social and educational conditions, family support and obstetrics risk of mothers.

The main objective of this study is to analyze social inequalities and inequalities in access to and utilization of heathcare services in relation to skin color in a representative sample of postpartum women receiving hospital childbirth care in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. This was a cross sectional study with a sample of 9633 postpartum women, of whom 5002 were white, 2796 brown and 1835 African Americans from public maternity hospitals, hospitals contracted out by the Unified National Health System and private hospitals in Rio de Janeiro in 1999-2001. The data was collected by consulting patient records and through interviews with mothers in the immediate postpartum period, using standardized questionnaires.

The article reports a study that analyzes sociodemographic and prenatal and childbirth care inequalities and their repercussions on birth weight. The study was based on a sample of 10072 postpartum women treated in public maternity hospitals, hospitals contracted out by the Unified National Health System and private hospitals in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, in 1999-2001. Researchers concluded that variables that explained birth weight in the new-borns of mothers with more schooling in RJ were eminently biological, as opposed to strong presence of social determinants among women with less schooling.

This work presents concepts and practices linked to mental health in the Tupinambá Indigenous community of Serra do Padeiro in southern Bahia, Brazil. This qualitative cartographic research mapped existing processes and relationships in the Tupinambá territory. Data production techniques were participant observation, semi-structured interviews, field diary, and bibliographic studies. Shared responsibility characterizes how Indigenous medicine care is organized in the territory. The factors that produce psychosocial distress, care practices, and conflict coping are understood from the interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of care. The inseparability between psychic and social is combined with territorial dimensions, reinforcing the link between mental health and daily community life. The struggle for territory enables the reconstruction of a subjective ethos that refuses servitude, moving from previous conditions of precariousness and subalternity, with expulsion from the territory to other more autonomous and collective subjectivation processes. The example of Serra do Padeiro highlights that the struggle offers the most significant health.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an emblematic case of historical health neglect in Brazil and reflects how institutional racism produces health inequalities. This article engaged in a historical journey of this disease, showing the delayed implementation of health policies for people with sickle cell disease, often concealed in Public Power's (in)actions and omissions. The lack of commitment to implement the recommendations of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, such as neonatal screening, and the difficulty in incorporating technologies for health care result from this modus operandi. The advances and setbacks in programmatic actions and the constant pressure on several governmental entities have characterized the reported saga in the last twenty years. The present text discusses the policies for people with SCD, appropriating the Sankofa symbol, meaning that building the present is only possible by remembering past mistakes. Thus, we recognize this trajectory and this historical moment in which there is a concrete possibility of moving forward and achieving the longed-for comprehensive care for people with SCD. There is an invitation to glance at a new perspective, one in which hope is the trigger for the movements needed to guarantee the rights of people with SCD.

Background: Migration is common among transgender women (TGW), often driven by the desire to escape stigma, find acceptance, establish new connections, access body modifications, or enter new avenues of sex work. Given the heightened mobility of TGW, they are mostly vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to migration. This study aimed to evaluate the association between in-country migration and HIV infection among TGW in Northeast Brazil., Methods: The DIVAS was a cross-sectional, multicity study investigating risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among TGW in 2016-2017. A total of 864 TGW were recruited through respondent-driven sampling from three capital cities in Northeast Brazil. Logistic regression estimating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to assess the relationship between in-country migration and HIV infection., Results: The prevalence of HIV among TGW was 24.5%, 21.4% among those aged 18-34 and 36.1% among those ≥ 35 years old. In-country migration increased the odds of HIV infection among TGW aged 18-34 years (OR = 1.84; 95%CI:1.04-3.27) and even higher among those aged ≥ 35y old (OR = 3.08; 95%CI:1.18-8.04)., Conclusions: These data reinforce the pressing need for public health policies that provide comprehensive access and strategies for demand creation for HIV/AIDS prevention and care for TGW who are already highly vulnerable to infection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to identify dietary patterns and to evaluate the association between body image perception and these patterns among schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 385 schoolchildren (both sexes, 10-17 years old) from four public schools in Salvador, Brazil. Two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls were applied, and the dietary pattern was determined by Exploratory Factor Analysis after adjustment of dietary data using the Multiple Source Method. To evaluate body image perception, the Brazilian body shape silhouette was used. The associations between body image perception and dietary patterns using the polytomous logistic regression model adjusted for covariables was assessed. Three dietary patterns were obtained: "Western standard," unhealthy, "healthy pattern" and "typical dishes/ junk food." After adjustment, adolescents who wished for a slimmer silhouette (2.48 [95%CI: 1.04-6.11], 3.49 [95%CI: 1.35-9.05] and 2.87 [95%CI: 1.13-7.26]) were more likely to adhere to the quintiles with the lowest consumption of the Western standard, compared to those satisfied with their body image. No associations were identified in the other two dietary patterns. Adolescents dissatisfied with their bodies tend to adhere less to unhealthy dietary patterns.

Bartonella are rodent-borne bacteria that cause varied human etiologies. Studies on synanthropic rodents are rare, causing gaps in epidemiological knowledge. We tested bloodclot samples from 79 rats from an urban slum in Salvador, Brazil through PCR targeting gltA gene. Nine samples (11.4%) were positive: six had 100% identity with Bartonella sp. isolate JF429580 and 99.5% with B. queenslandensis strain AUST/NH8; three were 100% identical to isolate JF429532 and 99.7% to B. tribocorum. This is the second report on urban rat Bartonella indicating bacterial circulation at detectable rates. Its presence in rats from vulnerable human settlements demands public health attention.

In the context of hospital work during the COVID-19 pandemic, it should be acknowledged that the nonclinical support activities carried out by stretcher bearers, cleaning agents and administrative assistants were essential for the work process. This article analyzed the results of an exploratory stage of broader research with these workers in a COVID-19 hospital reference unit in the state of Bahia. Three semi-structured interviews were selected, using assumptions of ethnomethodology and ergonomics, to encourage these workers to talk about their work, The analysis concentrated on the work activities of stretcher-bearers, cleaning agents and administrative assistants from a visibility perspective. The study showed that these workers were rendered invisible by the scant social respect for their activities and level of schooling that prevailed despite the circumstances and excess workload; and revealed the essential nature of these services due to the interdependence between support work and care work and their contributions to patient and team safety. The conclusion drawn is that it is necessary to establish strategies such that these workers are valued socially, financially, and institutionally.

The study aim is to analyze the performance of the Brazilian federal government (FG) in the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to identify tensions and conflicts between actors and institutions of the three branches of the government and the FG with state governors. Data production included a review of articles, publications and documents that analyze the pandemic evolution and record announcements, decisions, actions, debates and controversies between these actors in the period of 2020 to 2021. The results include the characterization of the action style of the central Actor and the analysis of conflicts between the Presidency, the Ministry of Health, ANVISA, state governments, the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Federal Supreme Court, seeking to correlate them with the debate around the political projects for health in dispute under the current circumstances. It is concluded that the central actor largely used a communicative action aimed at his supporters and strategic action characterized by imposition, coercion and confrontation in the relationships he maintained with other institutional actors, especially when they diverged from his viewpoints about how to face the health crisis, consistently with his connection to the ultra-neoliberal and authoritarian political project of the FG, which includes the deconstruction of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

This study analyzed the implementation of Brazil's National Oral Health Policy during the period 2018-2021, covering institutional actions, implementation of public dental services, results achieved, and federal funding. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study using documentary analysis and secondary data obtained from institutional websites, government information systems, and reports published by dental organizations. The findings show a significant reduction in funding between 2020 and 2021 and declining performance against indicators since 2018, such as coverage of first dental appointments and group supervised tooth brushing, which stood at 1.8% and 0.02%, respectively, in 2021. Federal funding dropped in 2018 and 2019 (8.45%), followed by an increase in 2020 (59.53%) and decrease in 2021 (-5.18%). The study period was marked by economic and political crises aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This context influenced the functioning of health services in Brazil. There was a sharp reduction in performance against oral health indicators, while performance in primary health care and specialized care services remained stable.

This study aimed to analyze the management of hemotherapy services (HS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of municipal managers in different regions of Brazil. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was applied to HS managers in the three Brazilian capitals, from different regions of Brazil, during the period between September 2021 and April 2022. The textual content of the interviews was submitted to lexicographic textual analysis using the free access software, Iramuteq. The managers' perceptions resulted from the descending hierarchical classification (DHC) analysis, which generated six classes: availability of resources for the development of work; installed capacity of services; strategies and challenges for attracting blood donors; risks and worker protection; measures for crisis management; and communication strategies for the adhesion of candidates for donation. The analysis highlighted several strategies used by the management, as well as pointed out limits and challenges for HS organization and management, exacerbated in the context of the pandemic.

The HIV epidemic affects men who have sex with men (MSM) disproportionally in Brazil, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective for preventing HIV in this population. However, low perceived risk of HIV may influence the acceptability and decision to use PrEP. This study estimated the association between self-perception of HIV risk and acceptability of daily oral PrEP among Brazilian MSM. Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used for behavioral and biological surveillance to recruit 4,176 MSM 18 years or over in 12 Brazilian cities in 2016. Results were weighted using Gile's estimator in RDS Analyst software. Adjusted odds rations (OR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Acceptability of daily oral PrEP was high (69.7%) among the 3,544 MSM available for analysis. Most participants self-reported low or moderate risk of HIV infection (67.2%) and a small proportion (9.3%) reported high risk. A dose-response relationship was observed between acceptability of PrEP and self-reported risk: PrEP acceptability was 1.88 times higher (OR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.24-2.85) among MSM whose perceived risk of HIV infection was low or moderate, and 5 times higher (OR 5.68; 95% CI: 2.54-12.73) among those who self-reported high risk compared to MSM reporting no HIV risk. MSM with the highest risk perception of HIV reported higher rates of PrEP acceptability. Given the availability of daily oral PrEP in the public health care system in Brazil, we suggest emphasizing counseling about self-perception of HIV risk as part of routine HIV prevention services., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Female sex workers (FSW) are disproportionately affected by sexual violence (SV) and HIV. Social and structural barriers limit their access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Respondent-driven sampling survey in 12 Brazilian cities among 4188 FSW aimed to estimate the rates of SV and factors associated with access to PEP use among FSW who experienced SV. The prevalence of SV was 26.3% (1199). Of the 1199, 7.5% sought out healthcare and used PEP, 19% sought out healthcare, but did not use PEP, and 73.5% did not seek out healthcare after SV. Factors associated with PEP use included PEP awareness, participation in HIV/STI prevention workshops, and disclosure of FSW status in healthcare services. Although Brazil has a PEP program free of charge, it is not readily accessible, even for FSW who seek out healthcare. The development of effective strategies to link FSW to HIV preventive services is urgently needed., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The HIV epidemic still high among key-populations in Brazil, especially among transgender women (TGW). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HIV infection among TGW and to analyze factors associated with HIV seropositivity across two cross-sectional surveys conducted in Salvador, Bahia, one of the largest urban centers of Brazil., Methods: The studies were conducted between 2014 and 2016 and 2016-2017 and employed Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) sampling, comprising 127 and 161 TGW residents of Salvador, Bahia. The outcome was the positive rapid antigen testing for HIV infection. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were obtained using binomial logistic regression., Results: The HIV prevalence was 9.0% (95%CI: 4.2-18.2) and 24.3% (95%CI: 16.2-34.9). In the first study, factors associated with HIV prevalence were experiencing discrimination by the family (OR 8.22; 95%CI: 1.49-45.48) and by neighbors (OR 6.55; 95%CI: 1.12-38.14) as well as having syphilis (OR 6.56; 95%CI:1.11-38.65); in the subsequent study gender-based discrimination (OR 8.65; 95%CI:1.45-51.59) and having syphilis (OR 3.13; 95%CI: 1.45-51.59) were associated with testing positive for HIV., Conclusion: We found disproportionately high HIV prevalence among TGW, which underscores the context of vulnerability for this population. The data point to the urgency for intensification and expansion of access to HIV prevention and strategies to stop discrimination in health care and services for this population., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Solid evidence indicates that body image distortion is associated with various physical and mental health problems in women (e.g. Lee and Lee, 2016; Mölbert et al., 2017; Raj and Ploriya, 2020; Sagar, 2005; Shin et al., 2015). Furthermore, body image has been shown to vary according to life context and stage, particularly after a woman has had children. This scenario justifies the comparison between different countries and cultures. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of body image distortion/accuracy in Brazilian and Portuguese women with children. The study assessed women selected from two epidemiological cohorts: ELSA-Brasil in Brazil (n = 1468) and Generation XXI in Portugal (n = 3380). The data analyzed were based on multidimensional questionnaires from which sociodemographic and family characteristics as well as data associated with lifestyle and health were obtained. The results show that most women in both cohorts had an accurate perception of their own body size. In cases of distorted self-perception, the likelihood of the Brazilian women perceiving themselves as being heavier was greater if they had had cancer, whereas the Portuguese women were less likely to perceive themselves as heavier when they had less schooling. Perceiving themselves as thinner than they actually are, was associated with poorer self-perception of their own state of health in the Brazilian women and with poorer schooling in both the Brazilian and Portuguese women. The present findings contribute towards improving understanding of the influence of body image distortion on the health and wellbeing of Brazilian and Portuguese women, possibly leading to the implementation of health-promoting policies in both countries., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper describes the structure and results of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil between 2008 and 2019. The medians of the following variables were calculated: PHC spending per inhabitant covered, PHC coverage, and rates of mortality and hospitalizations due to primary care sensitive conditions (PCSC), in 5,565 Brazilian municipalities stratified according to population size and quintile of the Brazilian Deprivation Index (IBP), and the median trend in the period was analyzed. There was a 12% increase in median PHC spending. PHC coverage expanded, with 3,168 municipalities presenting 100% coverage in 2019, compared to 2,632 in 2008. The median rates of PCSC mortality and hospitalizations increased 0.2% and decreased 44.9%, respectively. PHC spending was lower in municipalities with greater socioeconomic deprivation. The bigger the population and the better the socioeconomic conditions were in the municipalities, the lower the PHC coverage. The greater the socioeconomic deprivation was in the municipalities, the higher the median PCSC mortality rates. This study showed that the evolution of PHC was heterogeneous and is associated both with the population size and with the socioeconomic conditions of the municipalities.

The study aimed to characterize women that attended prenatal care in Brazil according to ethnicity/skin color and sociodemographic variables and to verify the association between the indicators of the prenatal care process and the women's ethnicity/skin color. This was a population based, cross-sectional study carried out with data from the National Health Survey of 2013. A bivariate analysis was performed using the multilevel logistic regression model, estimating the odds ratio and the respective 95% confidence intervals to test the association between the indicators of the adequate prenatal care process and the women's ethnicity/skin color. The findings showed that black women have a lower chance of starting prenatal care before 12 weeks of gestation, having 6 or more consultations, performing the HIV test, performing the VDRL exam or receiving advice related to care during gestation and childbirth. Inequalities were identified in the healthcare of Brazilian women during prenatal care, related to ethnicity/skin color and other sociodemographic characteristics. It was concluded that being of black ethnicity and living in a socially disadvantaged area entails disadvantages for women regarding access to a prenatal care considered to be adequate according to the criteria established by the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

Background: Adolescent men who have sex with men (aMSM) and transgender women (aTGW) are affected disproportionately by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although new methods of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), such as long-acting injectable (LAI-PrEP), have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, their acceptability among aMSM/aTGW is not well known., Methods: Forty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess the knowledge and interest in LAI-PrEP among aMSM/aTGW enrolled in a daily oral PrEP cohort from two capital cities of Brazil since 2019., Results: Previous knowledge of LAI-PrEP remains scarce, but the high interest regarding its use has been reported. Interest in the use of LAI-PrEP is associated with eliminating the burden of daily responsibility or the risk of missing the necessary medications, lowering the costs of this method, increasing confidentiality, and decreasing the frequency of visiting PrEP clinics. The reported barriers to uptake included fear of injection, doubts on its effectiveness, side effects, and greater dependence on a health provider., Conclusions: There is an urgent need to strengthen the preventive strategies against HIV infection among the youth, enhance their knowledge and those of healthcare providers, and offer safe and new options., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Leptospirosis is an important public health problem caused by Leptospira. The objective is to characterize the geographic distribution of pathogenic leptospira serovars in the Americas through a systematic review of the literature between 1930-2017. Searches were conducted in six scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Lilacs, Scopus and Cochrane). We included studies conducted unambiguously in the Americas, that investigated infection of Leptospira in humans and animals in their natural environments with serovar identification. 283 articles were included, of which 69 were studies in humans, 86 in wild animals, and 182 in domestic animals. Most of them conducted in Brazil (104, 36.7%) and in rural environments (158, 55.8%). Bovines, equines and dogs where the most frequently studied domestic species. However, a large diversity including 80 species of wild animals were studied. Icterohaemorrhgiae, Canicola, Pomona and Grippotyphosa were the most common serovars, described in 46 (16.2%), 38 (13.3%), 32 (11.3%) and 26 (9%) of the articles, respectively. The Results indicate a large concentration of studies in Latin America, with emphasis on Brazil, in wild mammals and three main domestic animal groups. Our results emphasize the need for studies that delve into the relationships of the epidemiological cycle, environment, and health.

The scope of this study was to analyze the temporal variation in the incidence of overweight and abdominal obesity among adolescents from public schools in a capital in northeastern Brazil. It is a study including information from three cross-sectional surveys carried out in 2001, 2009 and 2017, with 2,496 students aged 10 to 18 years of both sexes living in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Overweight was assessed using the Body Mass Index for Age (BMI/A) and abdominal obesity was assessed using waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio. Pooled OLS (Ordinary Least Squares) regression, with constant effect, was used to assess the variation of anthropometric indicators over the period. The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of overweight increased by 103% and the indicators of abdominal obesity increased by 153% and 142%, respectively, in the period under analysis. The increase in the mean body mass index and waist-to-height ratio was greater among adolescents and in the mean BMI and waist circumference among those aged 14 to 18 years old. The conclusion reached was that there was a significant increase in the prevalence of overweight and abdominal obesity in the period 2001 to 2017 among adolescents in the city of Salvador.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the Bolsa Familia Program on perinatal outcomes of pregnant women. A cohort study was conducted with pregnant women supported by prenatal services at 17 Family Health Units in Bahia, Brazil. A previously tested structured questionnaire, which has sociodemographic, economic, prenatal care, lifestyle, and nutritional variables, has been used to collect data. The outcomes included premature birth and low birth weight. A hierarchical conceptual model was constructed, and logistic regression analysis was performed. From a total of 1173 pregnant women, the identified average age was 25.44 years and 34.10% had pre-gestational overweight. The non-beneficiary pregnant women presented a 1.54 (95% CI = 0.46-5.09) times higher chance of giving birth to children with low weight and a 1.03 (95% CI = 95% CI = 0.53-2.00) times chance of premature birth when compared to the beneficiary group. In the multilevel model, some variables were statistically significant, such as age between 18 and 24 years ( p = 0.003), age greater than or equal to 35 years ( p = 0.025), family income ( p = 0.008), employment status ( p = 0.010), and maternal height ( p = 0.009). The Bolsa Familia Program, as an integrated strategy of social inclusion and economic development, is suggested to exert a protective effect on the health of mother-concept binomial.

This paper addresses the experiences of Black women organized in social activism to fight for justice for the deaths of their children, victims of police brutality. These deaths are analyzed as part of the genocide of Black people and result from the action of a State operating in a necropolitical fashion, in which racism is an ideological tool for the production of disposability of Black bodies. In this work, the stories of four women living in territories dominated by gun violence in Rio de Janeiro reveal how they organize themselves politically to fight for justice, memory and reparation; and their illnesses and individual and collaborative care strategies. We observe the refusal of their demands by the health system and the social assistance policies, while the activism stands out as a producer of care and acceptance.

Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic zoonosis endemic in Brazil. Despite virtual control of Triatoma infestans, the main domesticated vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, vectorial transmission by other triatomine species persists in some rural communities. This study aims to characterize triatomines role in transmitting T. cruzi to dogs and humans in the district of Santo Inácio, located in the northwest region of the state of Bahia, Brazil. It also describes environmental factors in housings associated with insect occurrence and assesses the perception, knowledge, and preventive practices adopted by the population regarding CD. Blood samples of humans and dogs, and biological samples of triatomines, were collected between November 2018 and February 2019 and subjected to the detection of T. cruzi by serological and molecular biology tests. Also, we applied a questionnaire to research the perception, knowledge, and local practices of people related to CD. The capture of triatomines in households was associated with exploratory variables of the questionnaires using multivariate logistic regression (p < 0.05). The 155 triatomines captured in the wild and domestic environment were of the species Triatoma sherlocki (n = 151), Panstrongylus sherlocki (n = 1) and Triatoma sordida (n = 3), and had a natural infection rate for T. cruzi by PCR of 18.5%, 100% and 0%, respectively. District residents (n = 126) were seronegative for T. cruzi, while 17.5% (7/40) of the dogs were seropositive. The fact that residents are aware that triatomines can "cause" CD was configured as a protection factor for residents according to the fitted logistic regression model (p = 0.04). However, respondents have limited perception and knowledge about the CD, prevention and control practices for triatomines in a household. The results suggest the existence of a domestic cycle of transmission of T. cruzi between triatomines and dogs, configuring a latent risk of infection to the human population of Santo Inácio. Studies that clarify the potential for the establishing of intrusive triatomines in households, surveillance actions for triatomines, and health education in rural communities are indispensable to prevent the reemergence of CD in vulnerable regions of Brazil and other American countries with similar epidemiological characteristics., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The current crisis of capitalism has multiple economic, financial, social, environmental, cultural and political facets. In Brazil, the severity of the crisis is no different, resulting from the exhaustion of the neo-developmentalist model and its inability to resist global crisis. This study compares suicide mortality rates (MR) among employed and unemployed persons in Brazil prior to and during the economic crisis using death records from the period 2011 to 2016. The findings show that in the period 2011 to 2016 the suicide MR fell from 2.66/100,000 to 2.46 among unemployed persons and increased from 5.52/100,000 to 6.89/100,000 in employed persons. Suicide is a complex, multi-causal phenomenon determined by a diverse range of social factors, including strategies that increase worker exploitation. Indeed, being employed can have a greater negative impact on the mental health of workers than being unemployed.

The scope of this paper is to analyze the discursive strategies of a Ministry of Health publication, by virtue of the fact that another notion of food and nutrition care (FNC) emerges from them. Through discourse analysis, the results are interpreted mainly in the light of Edgar Morin and Anemarie Mol's studies. The analysis identified elements of the complex thinking constituting a broadened perspective about the food and FNC practices in the context of matrix support. As the main discursive strategy, narratives contextualize care in sinuous and inconclusive scenarios, emphasizing the immanence of unpredictability and uncertainty. Metaphorical resources reveal displacements that remove the centrality of Biomedicine and weave in the subject the practical wisdom of dealing with the coexistence between the generality of body and food metrification and the uniqueness of everyday life and eating. The stories contribute to the understanding of FNC as shared management, which aims to restore viable and ever provisional order. In conclusion, by exposing and legitimizing the plurality of ways of acting, the document that emerges from and relates back to it can have repercussions on health education and raise the theoretical repertoire surrounding FNC practices.

Background: Gender-based discrimination remains a substantial barrier to health care access and HIV prevention among transgender women in Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between gender-based discrimination and medical visits, as well as with HIV testing among transgender women in the last 12 months in northeast Brazil., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 864 transgender women recruited using Respondent-Driven Sampling in three cities in northeastern Brazil in 2016. A socio-behavioral questionnaire was applied. Multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression, with odds ratio and respective 95% confidence intervals estimation, to estimate the effect of gender-based discrimination on two outcomes: i) medical visits and ii) HIV testing in the last 12 months., Results: 547 transgender women (67·0%) had medical visits, and 385 (45·8%) underwent HIV testing in the last 12 months. In the multivariate analysis, gender-based discrimination was associated with a reduced likelihood of medical visits (OR: 0·29; 95%CI: 0·14-0·63) and HIV testing (OR: 0·41; 95%CI: 0·22-0·78) in the last 12 months., Conclusion: Gender-based discrimination played an essential role in reducing the access of TGW to medical visits and HIV testing services. Furthermore, by confirming the association between gender-based discrimination and medical visits and HIV testing in the multivariate analysis, we have demonstrated how this predictive variable can affect by reducing access to health services. The findings point to the need for non-discriminatory policies based on the defense and promotion of human rights that may foster the access of transgender women to Brazilian health services., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to analyze the influence of COVID-19 social distancing on the dietary pattern of university students in the Northeast of Brazil and associated factors. This is a cross-sectional study of 955 students from four universities carried out via a web survey containing social, economic, demographic, and health information. A food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate diet. Weight and dietary alterations were reported. Exploratory factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used as statistical analyses. The mean age was 26 and 53.7% of the students observed an increase in their weight. Four dietary patterns were identified: (1) a predominantly in natura pattern, (2) a pattern of processed and ultra-processed foods, (3) a protein-based pattern, and (4) an infusion-based pattern. It was observed that students having a darker skin colour (OR 1.8; CI 95% 1.3-2.6) and 19-29 years old and not being a health course student (OR 1.5; CI 95% 1.1-2.1) were associated with greater adhesion to the in natura pattern. Not engaging in physical activity was statistically associated with not adhering (OR 0.5; CI 95% 0.4-0.7) to that pattern. The university students who saw an alteration in their weight during the social distancing period studied presented a greater probability of consuming the processed and ultra-processed foods pattern (OR 1.8; CI 95% 1.2-2.6), while the men (OR 0.7; CI 95% 0.4-0.9) and those not engaging in physical activity (OR 0.7; CI 95% 0.5-0.9) presented less adhesion to that pattern. These findings indicate that social isolation affected the dietary intake of university students, with adhesion to mixed dietary patterns in terms of health. The adhesion to the pattern of processed and ultra-processed foods identified may affect the students' health, especially the occurrence of excess weight and obesity., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Malaria causes 400 thousand deaths worldwide annually. In 2018, 25% (187,693) of the total malaria cases in the Americas were in Brazil, with nearly all (99%) Brazilian cases in the Amazon region. The Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme launched in 2003 to reduce poverty and has led to improvements in health outcomes. CCT programmes may reduce the burden of malaria by alleviating poverty and by promoting access to healthcare, however this relationship is underexplored. This study investigated the association between BFP coverage and malaria incidence in Brazil., Methods: A longitudinal panel study was conducted of 807 municipalities in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2015. Negative binomial regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic covariates and time trends were employed with fixed effects specifications., Results: A one percentage point increase in municipal BFP coverage was associated with a 0.3% decrease in the incidence of malaria (RR = 0.997; 95% CI = 0.994-0.998). The average municipal BFP coverage increased 24 percentage points over the period 2004-2015 corresponding to be a reduction of 7.2% in the malaria incidence., Conclusions: Higher coverage of the BFP was associated with a reduction in the incidence of malaria. CCT programmes should be encouraged in endemic regions for malaria in order to mitigate the impact of disease and poverty itself in these settings.

Background: Twin pregnancies account for 0.5-2.0% of all gestations worldwide. They have a negative impact on perinatal health indicators, mainly owing to the increased risk for preterm birth. However, population-based data from low/middle income countries are limited. The current paper aims to understand the health risks of twins, compared to singletons, amongst late preterms and early terms., Methods: Data is from "Birth in Brazil", a national inquiry into childbirth care conducted in 2011/2012 in 266 maternity hospitals. We included women with a live birth or a stillborn, and excluded births of triplets or more, totalling 23,746 singletons and 554 twins. We used multiple logistic regressions and adjusted for potential confounders., Results: Twins accounted for 1.2% of gestations and 2.3% of newborns. They had higher prevalence of low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction, when compared to singletons, in all gestational age groups, except in the very premature ones (<34 weeks). Amongst late preterm's, twins had higher odds of jaundice (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8-4.2) and antibiotic use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.2). Amongst early-terms, twins had higher odds of oxygen therapy (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.9), admission to neonatal intensive care unit (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.5-6.5), transient tachypnoea (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-9.2), jaundice (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-5.9) and antibiotic use (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.14.9). In relation to birth order, the second-born infant had an elevated likelihood of jaundice, antibiotic use and oxygen therapy, than the first-born infant., Conclusion: Although strongly mediated by gestational age, an independent risk remains for twins for most neonatal morbidities, when compared to singletons. These disadvantages seem to be more prominent in early-term newborns than in the late preterm ones., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This paper aimed to identify the thinking currents used for scientific production on health councils and conferences, from 1990 to 2017. This is an integrative review of literature carried out at the SciELO, LILACS and CAPES journals portals that resulted in the selection of 152 papers. They were analyzed by year of publication, author's institutional origin, dissemination media, object and type of study and theoretical approach. We identified that a gradual increase occurred in the number of publications over the study period and most empirical studies (92.8%) do not explicitly state the use of any theoretical approach in data analysis. The structuralist, post-structuralist and neo-institutionalist approaches used were mediated by a theoretical model, medium-range theories and concepts of authors of the European, North American and Latin American traditions. The knowledge produced about health council and conference in Brazil may benefit even more from the density of theoretical approaches to social and political sciences.

Extradomiciliary contacts have been overlooked in the study of TB transmission due to difficulties in identifying actual contacts in large populations. Complex network analysis provides a framework to model the structure of contacts, specially extradomiciliary ones. We conducted a study of incident sputum-positive TB cases and healthy controls occurring in a moderate TB burden city. Cases and controls were interviewed to obtain data regarding the usual locations of residence, work, study, and leisure. Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from sputum was genotyped. The collected data were used to build networks based on a framework of putative social interactions indicating possible TB transmission. A user-friendly open source environment (GraphTube) was setup to extract information from the collected data. Networks based on the likelihood of patient-patient, patient-healthy, and healthy-healthy contacts were setup, depending on a constraint of geographical distance of places attended by the volunteers. Using a threshold for the geographical distance of 300 m, the differences between TB cases and controls are revealed. Several clusters formed by social network nodes with high genotypic similarity were characterized. The developed framework provided consistent results and can be used to support the targeted search of potentially infected individuals and to help to understand the TB transmission., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The article aims to discuss the consequences of social distancing measures on the availability of blood and organization of blood therapy services at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. News published in April 2020 on the websites of the country's state Blood Service Networks were consulted and organized in an Excel spreadsheet, presented in summary charts, and descriptions of results were prepared. A critical situation of blood supply, especially of some blood types, has been observed in many states. This situation is influenced by the circulation of the new coronavirus. The adoption of social distancing measures associated with unchanged transfusion demands for outpatient, urgency and emergency care required the implementation of strategies and actions for the reorganization of the services. Protection measures were incorporated, flows were changed and new routines were established. This study shows the extent to which the epidemiological situation of Covid-19 and the necessary measures for its control influenced the stocks and availability of blood. Changes in the organization of blood therapy services were fundamental in order to ensure protection, mitigate the risks of spreading the virus, and ensure the blood supply to meet the needs of the health system.

Background: Brazil has many people living with HIV (PLWH) who are unaware of their serostatus. The public health system has recently added HIV self-testing (HIVST) for key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM). This study estimates HIVST acceptability among Brazilian MSM and explores factors associated with acceptability among MSM who have never tested for HIV or who had a previous negative result., Methods: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to recruit 4176 MSM in 12 Brazilian cities in 2016 to this biological and behavioral surveillance study. We excluded from this analysis all MSM who were aware of their positive HIV serostatus. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Overall proportions were weighted with Gile's estimator in RDS Analyst software and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The analyses of HIVST acceptability were stratified by prior HIV testing (never or one or more times)., Results: For this analysis, 3605 MSM were included. The acceptability of HIVST was 49.1%, lower among those who had never tested for HIV (42.7%) compared to those who had a previous HIV negative test (50.1%). In the subgroup of MSM who had never tested for HIV, those who reported discrimination or who had a medical appointment in the last 12 months reported higher HIVST acceptability. Among MSM who had a previous negative HIV test, only those reporting condomless receptive anal sex reported higher HIVST acceptability. In addition, we observed that high levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS, taking part in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender nongovernmental organizations (LGBT-NGO), or complete secondary or incomplete higher undergraduate education reported higher acceptability., Conclusions: The acceptability of HIVST was low among MSM, especially among those who never tested for HIV. Given access to HIVST in Brazil, we point to the need for programs that enhance promotion of testing addressed to MSM.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries; however, few systematic reviews are available in the literature. This review examines the prevalence of COPD in the Brazilian population. For this purpose, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of epidemiological observational studies indexed in the databases PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciELO, Lilacs, and Google Scholar published up to May 2018. The prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Of the 1,182 articles identified, 12 were eligible. The prevalence of COPD in Brazil was 17% (95%CI: 13-22; I2 = 94%) and the region with the highest prevalence of COPD was the Center-western region (25%), followed by the Southeastern region (23%). The Southern region had the lowest prevalence among the studies (12%). We found that Brazil has a high occurrence of COPD, higher than the estimates of Latin American and world population Hence, additional studies are necessary to support intervention strategies, as well as formulation of specific public health policies to control and prevent COPD.

This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of the journalistic coverage of the National Health System (SUS) by "Folha de São Paulo", and the National Health System (SNS) by "El País". This qualitative study was anchored in the news values theory focusing on selection and construction news values and content analysis. All the contents published during 2013 of both newspapers were analyzed. "Folha" brought 88 covers, with 100 cover stories in total, and "El País" had 37 covers and 39 cover stories. "Folha's" coverage focused on the "Mais Médicos" program, while most of the news in El País focused on the privatization of the Spanish public health system. The most important news value in both was related to government. As a second category, in "Folha", controversy prevailed, focusing on the clash between the Federal Councils of Medicine and the Ministry of Health. Impact was the second most popular category in the Spanish newspaper. Concerning the news values of construction, we found that the newspapers used diverse resources. "Folha" adopted simplification in its approach, whereas "El País" invested in personalization and dramatization to sensitize readers with accounts of users, where the background was often the privatization process of health care services.

Background: Little is known about physical development of children with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). This study aims to evaluate the anthropometric characteristics of children with CZS up to 12 months., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study developed with 46 children with CZS living in Bahia. We used the Public Health Events Register, Live Births Information System and Childcare Records of Primary Health Care Services. Descriptive analysis was performed by distributing absolute and relative frequencies and median and interquartile range. The Weight/Age (W/A), Length/Age (L/A), Weight/Length (W/L) and Head Circumference/Age (HC/A) indexes were calculated for each month and expressed in z-score values, and the results were evaluated individually and by group average. Values between ≥ - 2 and ≤ 2 standard deviations were used as reference. T-Student and Spearman's Correlation Tests were applied to verify the existence of any relationship between maternal and children's variables with the anthropometric indexes weight/age and height/age at birth and at 3, 6 and 12 months of age., Results: The studied children had high proportions of low birth weight (23.9%), dysphagia (56.8%) and seizures (53.5%). The mean z-score for the HC/A index at birth was - 3.20 and remained below - 3 z-scores throughout the assessed period. The analysis of the indices equivalent to every single child's anthropometric measurement showed a deficit in 20.4% of the W/A, 39.1% of the L/A, 9.2% of the W/L and 85.7% of the HC/A measurements. Distribution of the mean values of these anthropometric indices revealed a risk of delayed stature growth (L/A < -1 z-score). There was a statistically significant association between L/A at 12 months and dysphagia (p = 0.0148) and a positive correlation between breastfeeding time and W/A. No statistically significant correlation was found between any other tested variables., Conclusions: We observed a deficit in the HC/A index, which is a common feature in CZS, but also a high proportion of W/A and L/A deficit. The average group z-score highlighted the risk of delay in stature growth for age, which calls attention to the need for health interventions, as this condition exposes them to a higher risk of morbidity and mortality.

This study evaluated the accuracy of abdominal obesity (AO) indicators, defining a latent variable as the gold standard. The study included 12,232 participants of the ELSA-Brasil (Brazil's Longitudinal Study of Adult Health), between 35 and 74 years of age. Three AO indicators were evaluated: waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio (WHR) and conicity index (C index). Analyses were stratified by sex and race/skin color. All groups had a high prevalence of AO, being greater among white men (~70%) and black women (~60%). A high incidence of WC was observed for men, WHR and C index between men and women for discriminating latent AO. The following cutoff points for AO indicators were identified among white, brown and black men, respectively: WC: 89.9cm; 90.2cm and 91.7cm; WHR: 0.92; 0.92 and 0.90; C index: 1.24; 1.24 and 1.24. The cutoff points identified among white, brown and black women were, respectively: WC: 80.4cm, 82.7cm and 85.4cm; WHR: 0.82; 0.83 and 0.84; C index: 1.20; 1.22 and 1.19 The WC among men and the WHR and C index among men and women presented high power to discriminate latent AO, the C index being the best indicator.

Primary care-sensitive condition hospitalizations (PCSCH) are an essential health care indicator. This ecological, time-series study aimed to analyze the time trend of PCSCH in children under the age of 1 in Brazil, considering the age subcomponents of newborns and post-newborns. The PCSCH rates were calculated for infants under the age of 1 and in the neonatal and postneonatal subgroups. The Prais-Winsten generalized linear analysis model and the Annual Percent Change (APC) calculation were used to evaluate the time trend. The results showed that infectious gastroenteritis represented the most important cause of hospitalizations due PCSCH in children under the age of 1. Congenital syphilis and other congenital infections accounted for the highest proportion of hospitalizations in newborns, whereas gastroenteritis prevailed in post-newborns. An increase in newborn hospitalization rates and a decrease in hospitalization rates in both the postneonatal group and the group of children under the age of 1. Differences in trends in these hospitalization rates may reflect the influence of specific determinants on the risk of hospitalization in each age subcomponent.

Objectives: Asthma patterns in childhood are important predictors of unwanted outcomes in adolescence. We aimed to define asthma phenotypes in childhood and adolescence and evaluate the transitions between these phenotypes and factors potentially associated with the transitions., Methods: Baseline (1445 children), first round (1363 children/early adolescents) and second round (1206 adolescents) data from the SCAALA Project in Salvador, Brazil, were used. Phenotypes were defined by latent class analysis at three time points. Transitions between phenotypes were described and the effects of factors associated with transition probabilities estimated using latent transition analysis., Results: The "asymptomatic" and "symptomatic" phenotypes were identified. Approximately 5-6% of asymptomatic children in childhood/later childhood and early adolescence became symptomatic later in time. Maternal common mental disorders were identified as important risk factor for unhealthy states., Conclusions: Asthma manifestations are characterized by frequent movements, especially between childhood and adolescence. Our study, by simultaneously defining disease subtypes, and examining the transitions and their potential predictors, highlights the importance of longitudinal studies to advance the understanding of the effects of social, environmental and biological mechanisms underlying asthma trajectories over time.

Abstract: The presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains in food products is a major issue for food safety. The present study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance profile of S. aureus, focusing on MRSA isolates, in ready-to-eat sashimi from Japanese restaurants in Salvador, Brazil. A total of 127 sashimi samples were collected directly from the take-out service in 16 restaurants. The staphylococcal isolates were identified morphologically and biochemically with standard laboratory procedures. S. aureus isolates were tested with a disk diffusion assay against seven antibiotics, and the cefoxitin and oxacillin were used to identify MRSA strains. Isolates with the MRSA phenotype were confirmed with a PCR assay. S. aureus was found in 73% of the sashimi samples, including sashimi from tuna (75.5% of samples) and salmon (72.5% of samples). Among those positive samples, 37% were contaminated with MRSA strains, found among 38.8% of salmon sashimi and 34.0% of tuna sashimi. Penicillin resistance was the most common type of antimicrobial resistance, found in 65.5% of the sashimi samples, followed by resistance to tetracycline (22.5%), erythromycin (16.0%), and ciprofloxacin (3.2%). Only two S. aureus isolates collected from different fish samples and restaurants had presumed resistance to vancomycin. The high prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA in these sashimi samples indicates a potential risk for foodborne disease, especially MRSA, spreading in the community., (Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.)

Background & Aims: Monitoring gestational weight gain (GWG) is relevant for perinatal outcomes, especially in the context of increasing obesity and overweight in the female population. This study analyses the association between GWG in Brazilian women, according to different body mass index (BMI) categories, and different outcomes, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational diabetes (GD) and caesarean section., Methods: Data on women from all the major regions of Brazil with a single pregnancy of a gestational age of 28 weeks or more and information available for anthropometric evaluation were included in the Birth in Brazil survey. Adequacy of GWG was assessed according to the percentile distribution of GWG of women with favourable neonatal outcomes, with the median of the distribution referred to as 100% adequacy in the GWG evaluation., Results: The study consisted of 18,953 women, 58.3% of whom were normal weight and 35.1% were overweight. The adequacy of GWG was better amongst the normal weight women (91.1%) and worse amongst those with class III obesity (46.0% with excessive GWG), with the latter showing the highest occurrence of adverse outcomes. Results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that weight gain above 200% of the median in the normal weight, overweight and obese women was positively associated with HDP and caesarean section, but not with GD., Conclusions: The proposed ranges of appropriate GWG associated with favourable neonatal outcomes based on the data from the Birth in Brazil survey proved good predictors of HDP and caesarean section amongst the women included in the study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers and policy makers to identify public safety measures forpreventing the collapse of healthcare systems and reducingdeaths. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the impact of social distancing measures on the epidemic and discusses the implementation of these measures in Brazil. Articles on the effect of social distancing on COVID-19 were selected from the PubMed, medRXiv and bioRvix databases. Federal and state legislation was analyzed to summarize the strategies implemented in Brazil. Social distancing measures adopted by the population appear effective, particularly when implemented in conjunction with the isolation of cases and quarantining of contacts. Therefore, social distancing measures, and social protection policies to guarantee the sustainability of these measures, should be implemented. To control COVID-19 in Brazil, it is also crucial that epidemiological monitoring is strengthened at all three levels of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). This includes evaluating and usingsupplementary indicators to monitor the progression of the pandemic and the effect of the control measures, increasing testing capacity, and making disaggregated notificationsand testing resultstransparentand broadly available.

Food losses and waste are a global problem, with an estimated 1.3 billion tons lost annually. In Brazil, fruit and vegetable losses amount to approximately 30% and occur in the processing, handling and storage stages. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in the Central Supply (CEASA) of Salvador, Brazil, its determinants and potential solutions to minimize the problem. A cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study was carried out in which data were collected by observing the operation of the supply units, registration in a field notebook, and administering a questionnaire to sellers that covered four main dimensions: socioeconomic profile of vendors; hygienic-sanitary conditions; characteristics of acquisition, storage and commercialization of products; and measures used by sellers to reduce losses. Many inadequacies were found, including the transportation and reception of products and their commercialization. Regarding hygiene, there were flaws in the care of the environment, the products and the food handlers. At most sites (75%), there were problems with infrastructure. The loss was estimated to be on the order of 9.5 tonnes/week, especially bananas, papayas, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce. The main causes of loss were exceeding volume in purchases, storage without refrigeration and careless handling by consumers and vendors. Strategies to reduce losses included price reduction, donation practices and consumption by sellers. The study indicates the need for improvements both in the infrastructure and in the hygienic care, management and post-harvest conservation of the fruits and vegetables., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The creation of consensus and agreement among managers of the Unified Health System (SUS) was analyzed in Regional Interagency Commissions of two metropolitan scenarios, by means of a multiple case study for comparative analysis between the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza-Ceará and the Metropolitan Region of Salvador-Bahia. The theoretical reference used was based on Mario Testa's work and on Habermas' Theory of Communicative Action. The data production merged documental analysis, interviews with managers of state, municipal and federal levels with direct observation of meetings of the Regional Interagency Commission, the State Health Council, the Bipartite Interagency Commission, meetings between central and regional levels, in addition to extended meetings of the Health Municipal Offices Council, in both states. The problems related to Agreed and Integrated Programming and to the underfunding of SUS were common points in the scenarios studied. Such problems are interlinked and interfere in an important way in the interinstitutional relations between the municipalities, highlighting the dispute for resources as an obstacle for the creation of consensus and agreement, based on the dialogue and understanding between actors.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality parameters in probiotic yogurt produced with Brazilian red propolis to replace potassium sorbate used in conventional yogurt (CY). Microbiological stability and shelf life, physicochemical properties (pH, acidity, chemical composition, and fatty acids), and bioactive properties (phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity) were evaluated. The addition of red propolis (0.05%) to replace the potassium sorbate did not change the pH, acidity, fatty acid profile, chemical composition, or shelf life. Microbiological stability of at least 28 days was achieved, while a drastic reduction in the lactic acid bacteria content was observed in the CY during refrigeration storage. Phenolic total contents were higher than those of the control, and consequently, yogurt with red propolis showed higher antioxidant activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The study indicates that Brazilian red propolis at 0.05% concentration to replace the potassium sorbate is an efficient alternative for use in yogurt production. The knowledge acquired about these types of Brazilian propolis provides an important contribution to food research in the discovery of new functional products to the market, seeking a healthier diet. Therefore, the produced yogurt proves to be an innovative product with functional and probiotic potential to be placed on the market., (© 2019 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

This article addresses recent political, legal and welfare changes to mental health policies in Brazil, demonstrating their effects of Psychiatric Counter-Reform. Based on documentary analysis, we explain the tensions generated by this process, with its repercussions for the complex process of Brazilian Psychiatric Reform, particularly for the Psychosocial Healthcare Network. We discuss the paradoxical case of Counter-Counter-Reform, using the state of Bahia as an example because of its recent proposal to close psychiatric hospitals with the announced aim of deinstitutionalizing people who have been hospitalized, which does not coincide with this moment of change in Brazilian mental health policy. We conclude that the risk of the worsening of the sanitary, social and economic crisis in the country requires increased advocacy and mobilization measures, in order to prevent the loss of social protection mechanisms, which also include mental health. This crisis simultaneously poses a threat to human rights and to the inclusion of people in psychological distress, at the same time as it presents an opportunity to reinvigorate a reform that was at the peak of activity.

Brazil has recently integrated HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) into its public health system and offered to key populations such as transgender women (TGW). This study investigates factors associated with PrEP refusal among TGW living in one of the largest and poorest cities of Brazil. We recruited 127 TGW using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) in Salvador, Brazil. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to define acceptability of PrEP. Two latent classes were identified: "high acceptability of PrEP" (91.3%) and "PrEP refusal" (8.7%). PrEP was less acceptable among white TGW and among those age 25 or older, with income above minimum wage (≥ US$252.87), and reporting unprotected receptive anal intercourse with (URAI) causal partners. The findings highlight how nuanced strategies that takes into consideration unique characteristics are needed to effectively address the acceptability of PrEP.

Rare genetic diseases are an important public health problem, but they are still little studied in Collective Health. This article aims to analyze the 'therapeutic itineraries' of patients in search of a diagnosis and treatment for rare genetic diseases in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Porto Alegre. It focuses on the material challenges, emotional and structural problems faced in these trajectories. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients/caregivers and health professionals in the context of public health medical genetics. Our findings suggest that the experience of the rare genetic disease is aggravated by practical, inter-relational and bureaucratic/institutional problems. The reality of long and circuitous journeys to obtain a diagnosis, non-geneticists' lack of knowledge about rare diseases, difficulties in transportation and access to specialists, diagnostic and complementary examinations, and access to high-cost medicines and food supplies were common challenges in all the narratives examined in the three Brazilian cities. In addition, adherence to care provided by medical genetics requires action and strategies that depend on arrangements involving family members, physicians, patient associations, and the state.

Brazil has changed a lot since the enactment of the 1988 Federal Constitution. Although substantial advances have occurred in the health sector, old problems persist and new ones arise. The main goal of ensuring the universal right to health has not been achieved. The 16th National Health Conference will be held in 2019, an opportune moment to analyze the history, the present moment and the announcing trends. This text seeks to contribute to this analysis based on the results of studies on the developing health conditions of the population and the Brazilian health system in the last 30 years. It identifies the strengthening of the private sector and capital in the health sector, to the detriment of the public interest and the SUS. Finally, it discusses the strategies of the struggle for the right to health necessary and possible in the current context.