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Abstract The global economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and worldwide inflation surge may have a profound impact on poverty-related infectious diseases, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this work, we developed mathematical models for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) in Brazil, one of the largest and most unequal LMICs, incorporating poverty rates and temporal dynamics to evaluate and forecast the impact of the increase in poverty due to the economic crisis, and estimate the mitigation effects of alternative poverty-reduction policies on the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB up to 2030. Three main intervention scenarios were simulated—an economic crisis followed by the implementation of social protection policies with none, moderate, or strong coverage—evaluating the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB. Without social protection policies to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis, the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB would be significantly larger over the next decade, being responsible in 2030 for an incidence 13% (95% CI 4–31%) and mortality 21% (95% CI 12–34%) higher for HIV/AIDS, and an incidence 16% (95% CI 10–25%) and mortality 22% (95% CI 15–31%) higher for TB, if compared with a scenario of moderate social protection. These differences would be significantly larger if compared with a scenario of strong social protection, resulting in more than 230,000 cases and 34,000 deaths from AIDS and TB averted over the next decade in Brazil. Using a comprehensive approach, that integrated economic forecasting with mathematical and epidemiological models, we were able to show the importance of implementing robust social protection policies to avert a significant increase in incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB during the current global economic downturn.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer a opinião dos profissionais participantes da implantação-piloto de testes moleculares para detecção de Chlamydia trachomatis e Neisseria gonorrhoeae no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Determinou-se a taxa de detecção de C. trachomatis e/ou N. gonorrhoeae e os fatores associados à infecção. A estratégia contou com laboratórios pertencentes à rede de carga viral de HIV e hepatites virais. A testagem teve como público-alvo pessoas mais vulnerabilizadas às infecções sexualmente transmissíveis, com coleta de amostras de urina e/ou swabs vaginal, endocervical e/ou uretral masculino. Questionários foram enviados aos gestores estaduais e profissionais de laboratório sobre a implantação-piloto. De maneira geral, as avaliações foram positivas. Entre as fraquezas, citou-se dificuldades na mudança do processo de trabalho, carência de recursos humanos, pouca sensibilidade de profissionais da assistência e ausência de tubo primário de urina, único insumo não fornecido. Como fortaleza, destaca-se aquisição centralizada de testes, compartilhamento de equipamentos e armazenamento de amostras à temperatura ambiente. Das 16.177 pessoas testadas, 1.004 (6,21%) foram positivas para C. trachomatis, 1.036 (6,4%) para N. gonorrhoeae e 239 (1,48%) para C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae. A detecção de infecção ocorreu mais em pessoas jovens (≤ 24 vs. > 24 anos) (aOR = 2,65; IC95%: 2,38-2,96), do sexo masculino (aOR = 1,95; IC95%: 1,72-2,21), pardas/pretas (aOR = 1,06; IC95%: 1,05-1,11), na Região Sudeste (aOR = 1,08; IC95%: 1,02-1,13) e em amostras de secreção uretral (aOR = 1,46; IC95%: 1,41-1,52). Os resultados deste estudo demonstraram a importância da disponibilização da testagem em âmbito nacional, os quais subsidiaram a implantação da rede definitiva para detecção de C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae no SUS.

BackgroundOne of the three main targets of the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Strategy (2015-2035) is that no tuberculosis (TB) patients or their households face catastrophic costs (defined as exceeding 20% of the annual household income) because of the disease. Our study seeks to determine, as a baseline, the magnitude and main drivers of the costs associated with TB disease for patients and their households and to monitor the proportion of households experiencing catastrophic costs in Brazil.MethodsA national cross-sectional cluster-based survey was conducted in Brazil in 2019-2021 following WHO methodology. TB patients of all ages and types of TB were eligible for the survey. Adult TB patients and guardians of minors (ResultsWe interviewed 603 patients, including 538 (89%) with drug-sensitive (DS) and 65 (11%) with drug-resistant (DR) TB. Of 603 affected households, 48.1% (95%CI: 43-53.2) experienced costs above 20% of their annual household income during their TB episode. The proportion was 44.4% and 78.5% among patients with DS- and DR-TB, respectively. On average, patients incurred costs of US$1573 (95%CI: 1361.8-1785.0) per TB episode, including pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis expenses. Key cost drivers were post-diagnosis nutritional supplements (US$317.6, 95%CI: 232.7-402.6) followed by medical costs (US$85.5, 95%CI: 54.3-116.5) and costs of travel for clinic visits during treatment (US$79.2, 95%CI: 61.9-96.5). In multivariate analysis, predictors of catastrophic costs included positive HIV status (aOR = 3.0, 95%CI:1.1-8.6) and self-employment (aOR = 2.7, 95%CI:1.1-6.5); high education was a protective factor (aOR = 0.1, 95%CI:0.0-0.9).ConclusionsAlthough the services offered to patients with TB are free of charge in the Brazilian public health sector, the availability of free diagnosis and treatment services does not alleviate patients' financial burden related to accessing TB care. The study allowed us to identify the costs incurred by patients and suggest actions to mitigate their suffering. In addition, this study established a baseline for monitoring catastrophic costs and fostering a national policy to reduce the costs to patients for TB care in Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: To describe the profile of hospital deaths in Brazil according to cause of admission during the pre-pandemic (2019) and pandemic periods (2020).Methods: Descriptive study based on individual-level records of all hospital admissions with death outcomes reimbursed by the Brazilian National Health System in 2019 and 2020.Results: The number of hospital deaths increased by 16.7% in 2020 compared with 2019 (522,686 vs 609,755). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was associated with 19.5% (118,879) of all hospital deaths in 2020, surpassing diseases of the circulatory system (15.4%, 93,735) and diseases of the respiratory system (14.9%, 91,035).Conclusions: COVID-19 was the main cause of death in public hospitals in Brazil in 2020.

Abstract Background A shortage of physicians, especially in vulnerable and peri-urban areas, is a global phenomenon that has serious implications for health systems, demanding policies to assure the provision and retention of health workers. The aim of this study was to analyze the strategies employed by the More Doctors Program (Programa Mais Médicos) to provide primary care physicians in vulnerable and peri-urban parts of Greater Brasilia. Methods The study used a qualitative approach based on the precepts of social constructivism. Forty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted: 24 with physicians employed as part of the More Doctors program, five with program medical supervisors, seven with secondary care physicians, twelve with primary care coordinators, and one federal administrator. The interviews occurred between March and September 2019. The transcripts of the interviews were submitted to thematic content analysis. Results The partnership between the Ministry of Health and local authorities was essential for the provision of doctors—especially foreign doctors, most from Cuba, to assist vulnerable population groups previously without access to the health system. There was a notable presence of doctors with experience working with socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, which was important for gaining a better understanding of the effects of the endemic urban violence in the region. The incentives and other institutional support, such as enhanced salaries, training, and housing, transportation, and food allowances, were factors that helped provide a satisfactory working environment. However, the poor state of the infrastructure at some of the primary care units and limitations of the health service as a whole were factors that hampered the provision of comprehensive care, constituting a cause of dissatisfaction. Conclusions More Doctors introduced a range of novel strategies that helped ensure a supply of primary care doctors in vulnerable and peri-urban parts of Greater Brasilia. The inclusion of foreign doctors, most from Cuba, was crucial for the success of the health services provided for the local communities, who subsist in violent and socioeconomically deprived urban areas. However, it became clear that barriers from within the health service itself hampered the physicians’ capacity to provide a satisfactory service. As such, what is needed for primary care to be effective is not just the recruitment, training, and deployment of doctors, but also investment in the organization of the whole health system.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To describe the mortality coefficients of elderly due to primary care sensitive conditions, from 2008 to 2018, and determine its association with the coverage of the Primary Health Care (Family Health Strategy and Basic Care models) in the Federal District. Methods: Ecological time series of mortality in Federal District elderly, from 2008 to 2018. The Poisson regression model was applied, considering as significant those with p

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Describe the temporal evolution of morbimortality due to Covid-19 and vaccination coverage during the health emergency in Brazil. METHODS Number of cases and deaths due to Covid-19 were extracted from the public panel of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, according to epidemiological week (EW) and geographic region. Data on vaccines and variants were obtained, respectively, from the Information System of the National Immunization Program and the Genomic Surveillance System of SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS Three peaks of deaths characterized the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic: in EW 30 of 2020, in the EW 14 of 2021 and in the EW six of 2022; three case waves, starting in the North and Northeast regions, with higher rates in the third wave, mainly in the South region. Vaccination started in the epidemiological week three of 2021, rapidly reaching most of the population, particularly in the Southeast and South regions, coinciding with a reduction exclusively in the mortality rate in the third wave. Only from the beginning of the second wave, when Gama was the dominant variant, 146,718 genomes were sequenced. From the last EW of 2021, with vaccination coverage already approaching 70%, the Omicron variant caused an avalanche of cases, but with fewer deaths. CONCLUSIONS We noticed the presence of three waves of Covid-19, as well as the effect of immunization on the reduction of mortality in the second and third waves, attributed to the Delta and Omicron variants, respectively. However, the reduction of morbidity, which peaked in the third wave during the domination of the Omicron variant, remained the same. The national and centralized command of the pandemic confrontation did not occur; thus, public administrators took the lead in their territories. The overwhelming effect of the pandemic could have been minimized, if there had been a coordinated participation of three spheres of the Brazilian Unified Health System administration, in the joint governance of the pandemic fight.

Abstract 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.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance of tuberculosis control in Brazilian municipalities. METHODS This is an ecological study on Brazilian municipalities that notified at least four new cases of tuberculosis, with a minimum of one new case of pulmonary tuberculosis between 2015 and 2018. The municipalities were stratified according to the population in < 50 thousand, 50–100 thousand, 100–300 thousand, and > 300 thousand inhabitants, and the k-means method was used to group them within each population range according to the performance of six indicators of the disease. RESULTS A total of 2,845 Brazilian municipalities were included, comprising 98.5% (208,007/211,174) of new tuberculosis cases in the period. For each population range, three groups (A, B, and C) of municipalities were identified according to the performance of the indicators: A, the most satisfactory; B, the intermediates; and C, the least satisfactory. Municipalities in group A with < 100 thousand inhabitants presented results above the targets for laboratory confirmation (≥ 72%), abandonment (≤ 5%), and cure (≥ 90%), and comprised 2% of new cases of the disease. Conversely, municipalities of groups B and C presented at least five indicators with results below the targets – HIV testing (< 100%), contact investigation (< 90%), directly observed therapy (< 90%), abandonment (> 5%), and cure (< 90%) –, and corresponded to 66.7% of new cases of tuberculosis. In group C of municipalities with > 300 thousand inhabitants, which included 19 of the 27 capitals and 43.1% of new cases of tuberculosis, the lowest percentages of contact investigation (mean = 56.4%) and directly observed therapy (mean = 15.4%) were verified, in addition to high abandonment (mean = 13.9%) and low coverage of primary health care (mean = 66.0%). CONCLUSIONS Most new cases of tuberculosis occurred in municipalities with unsatisfactory performance for disease control. Expanding the coverage of primary health care in these places can reduce abandonment and increase the contact investigation and directly observed therapy.

Abstract Background Leprosy continues to be an important cause of physical disability in endemic countries such as Brazil. Knowledge of determinants of these events may lead to better control measures and targeted interventions to mitigate its impact on affected individuals. This study investigated such factors among the most vulnerable portion of the Brazilian population. Methods A large cohort was built from secondary data originated from a national registry of applicants to social benefit programs, covering the period 2001–2015, including over 114 million individuals. Data were linked to the leprosy notification system utilizing data from 2007 until 2014. Descriptive and bivariate analyses lead to a multivariate analysis using a multinomial logistic regression model with cluster-robust standard errors. Associations were reported as Odds Ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals. Results Among the original cohort members 21,565 new leprosy cases were identified between 2007 and 2014. Most of the cases (63.1%) had grade zero disability. Grades 1 and 2 represented 21 and 6%, respectively. Factors associated with increasing odds of grades 1 and 2 disability were age over 15 years old (ORs 2.39 and 1.95, respectively), less schooling (with a clear dose response effect) and being a multibacillary patient (ORs 3.5 and 8.22). Protective factors for both grades were being female (ORs 0.81 and 0.61) and living in a high incidence municipality (ORs 0.85 and 0.67). Conclusions The findings suggest that the developing of physical disabilities remains a public health problem which increases the burden of leprosy, mainly for those with severe clinical features and worse socioeconomic conditions. Early diagnosis is paramount to decrease the incidence of leprosy-related disability and our study points to the need for strengthening control actions in non-endemic areas in Brazil, where cases may be missed when presented at early stages in disease. Both actions are needed, to benefit patients and to achieve the WHO goal in reducing physical disabilities among new cases of leprosy.

Abstract Background Investing in human resources for health (HRH) is vital for achieving universal health care and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Programa Mais Médicos (PMM) (More Doctors Programme) provided 17,000 doctors, predominantly from Cuba, to work in Brazilian primary care. This study assesses whether PMM doctor allocation to municipalities was consistent with programme criteria and associated impacts on amenable mortality. Methods Difference-in-differences regression analysis, exploiting variation in PMM introduction across 5565 municipalities over the period 2008–2017, was employed to examine programme impacts on doctor density and mortality amenable to healthcare. Heterogeneity in effects was explored with respect to doctor allocation criteria and municipal doctor density prior to PMM introduction. Results After starting in 2013, PMM was associated with an increase in PMM-contracted primary care doctors of 15.1 per 100,000 population. However, largescale substitution of existing primary care doctors resulting in a net increase of only 5.7 per 100,000. Increases in both PMM and total primary care doctors were lower in priority municipalities due to lower allocation of PMM doctors and greater substitution effects. The PMM led to amenable mortality reductions of − 1.06 per 100,000 (95%CI: − 1.78 to − 0.34) annually – with greater benefits in municipalities prioritised for doctor allocation and where doctor density was low before programme implementation. Conclusions PMM potential health benefits were undermined due to widespread allocation of doctors to non-priority areas and local substitution effects. Policies seeking to strengthen HRH should develop and implement needs-based criteria for resource allocation.

IntroductionIn Brazil, the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, or SUS) provides health care, and an aging population overwhelms the system due to the greater vulnerability of the elderly. In the Federal District, two models of primary care coexist-the traditional primary care and the family health strategy. The present study aimed to analyze the factors associated with mortality of the elderly due to conditions sensitive to ambulatory care in the Federal District, Brazil.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study investigated all deaths that occurred in people over 60 years old between 2008 and 2018. The variables studied were age at death, sex, marital status, education, race/color, death by condition sensitive to ambulatory care, and population coverage of primary care services. The Urban Well-Being Index (UWBI) was used, which includes the dimensions: mobility, environmental and housing conditions, infrastructure, and collective services, to analyze issues related to the place where the senior citizen resides.ResultsThe deaths 70,503 senior citizens were recorded during the study period. The factors associated with mortality in the elderly due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions were male, lower income, and less education. Residing in a place with poor UWBI presented a response gradient with higher mortality. Increased ambulatory care coverage was also associated with lower mortality.ConclusionsThe study evidenced an association between male gender, age, income, and education, and UWBI with lower mortality due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions, and these associations presented a response gradient. The study also found that increased coverage of the elderly population was associated with lower mortality from sensitive conditions.

O manejo clínico de pacientes com hanseníase apresenta um desafio particular que são as reações. O objetivo deste estudo de coorte não concorrente foi analisar o tempo e fatores associados à ocorrência da primeira reação durante e após o tratamento da poliquimioterapia (PQT). Avaliou-se 1.621 pacientes paucibacilares (PB = 8,9%) e multibacilares (MB = 91,1%) de 2008 a 2016 notificados no Sistema de Estados Reacionais em Hanseníase/Rondônia (SisReação/RO). Prevaleceu a ocorrência durante o tratamento da PQT = 997 (61,5%), e 624 (38,5%) somente após o PQT. A precocidade da reação, a partir do diagnóstico, foi analisada por meio de curvas de sobrevida de Kaplan-Meier e comparadas entre os grupos PB e MB, usando o teste de log-rank de Mantel-Cox; e foram construídos modelos de regressão de Cox univariada e multivariada para identificar os fatores associados à ocorrência da reação (hazard ratio) e os correspondentes IC95%. No modelo multivariado foram incluídas variáveis com valores de p < 0,2 na análise univariada. Os PB desenvolveram reação de forma mais precoce do que os MB. Outras características associaram-se à reação em menor tempo: sexo feminino e baciloscopia negativa. No período agregado (durante e após a PQT), os pacientes PB apresentaram risco 24% maior de reação do que os MB e aqueles com baciloscopia negativa aumentaram este risco em 40% comparado à baciloscopia positiva. Durante e após a PQT, os PB apresentaram 1,3 e 1,6 vezes maior risco de ocorrência da reação dos pacientes MB. Dessa forma, recomendamos priorizar ações de vigilância para reações hansênicas durante e após a PQT como medidas de prevenção de incapacidades físicas e de melhoria na qualidade de vida das pessoas acometidas pela hanseníase.

Abstract: Our study aims to describe trends in new case detection rate (NCDR) of leprosy in Brazil from 2006 to 2017 overall and in subgroups, and to analyze the evolution of clinical and treatment characteristics of patients, with emphasis on cases diagnosed with grade 2 physical disabilities. We conducted a descriptive study to analyze new cases of leprosy registered in the Brazilian Information System for Notificable Diseases (SINAN), from 2006-2017. We calculated the leprosy NCDR per 100,000 inhabitants (overall and for individuals aged < 15 and ≥ 15 years) by sex, age, race/ethnicity, urban/rural areas, and Brazilian regions, and estimated the trends using the Mann-Kendall non-parametric test. We analyzed the distributions of cases according to relevant clinical characteristics over time. In Brazil, there was a sharp decrease in the overall NCDR from 23.4/100,000 in 2006 to 10.3/100,000 in 2017; among children < 15 years, from 6.94 to 3.20/100,000. The decline was consistent in all Brazilian regions and race/ethnicity categories. By 2017, 70.2% of the cases were multibacillary, 30.5% had grade 1 (G1D) or 2 (G2D) physical disabilities at diagnosis and 42.8% were not evaluated at treatment completion/discharge; cases with G2D at diagnosis were mostly detected in urban areas (80%) and 5% of cases died during the treatment (leprosy or other causes). Although the frequency of leprosy NCDR decreased in Brazil from 2006 to 2017 across all evaluated population groups, the large number of cases with multibacillary leprosy, physical disabilities or without adequate evaluation, and among children suggest the need to reinforce timely diagnosis and treatment to control leprosy in Brazil.

BackgroundAlmost 200,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Brazil in 2020. The case fatality rate of a new infectious disease can vary by different risk factors and over time. We analysed the trends and associated factors of COVID-19 case fatality rates in Brazilian public hospital admissions during the first wave of the pandemic.MethodsA retrospective cohort of all COVID-19-related admissions between epidemiological weeks 10-40 in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) was delimited from available reimbursement records. Smoothing time series and survival analyses were conducted to evaluate the trends of hospital case fatality rates (CFR) and the probability of death according to factors such as sex, age, ethnicity, comorbidities, length of stay and ICU use.ResultsWith 398,063 admissions and 86,452 (21.7%) deaths, the overall age-standardized hospital CFR trend decreased throughout the period, varying from 31.8% (95%CI: 31.2 to 32.5%) in week 10 to 18.2% (95%CI: 17.6 to 18.8%) in week 40. This decreasing trend was observed in all sex, age, ethnic groups, length of stay and ICU admissions. Consistently, later admission (from July to September) was an independent protective factor. Patients 80+ year old had a hazard ratio of 8.18 (95% CI: 7.51 to 8.91). Ethnicity, comorbidities, and ICU need were also associated with the death risk. Although also decreasing, the CFR was always around 40-50% in people who needed an ICU admission.ConclusionsThe overall hospital CFR of COVID-19 has decreased in Brazilian public hospitals during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. Nevertheless, during the entire period, the CFR was still very high, suggesting the need for improving COVID-19 hospital care in Brazil.

Abstract: Introduction: This study aims to analyze the perceptions of the involved actors about the “Mais Médicos” Program (PMM) and the academic supervision process, its strengths and weaknesses aiming to improve Primary Heath Care practices. Method: Qualitative study carried out through 05 in-depth interviews with PMM supervising doctors, and 24 interviews with unit managers, 12 Primary Heath Care coordinators, and 07 Secondary Health Care doctors. Results: Three thematic axes emerged from de analysis: benefits of the program for the municipalities and for the population; the challenges of the supervisory process and the difficulties of the fragmented health system. Conclusions: The actors’ perception of the “Mais Médicos” Program are positive, especially because it brought doctors to municipalities with vulnerable areas, where doctors did not go to and where they did not stay. Supervision is an important support for continuing in-service training; however, it requires a better articulation with the different levels of the health system management. The precariousness of the service network limits the performance of both doctors and supervisors, demonstrating that it is necessary to invest in a solid and effective care network. Moreover, it was once again evident that the population will face a shortage of doctors due to changes in health policies. It is necessary to build more comprehensive policies, that will not only result in sporadic provision of medical care. There is a need for continuous actions, better integrated to the healthcare networks, aiming at an efficient and effective healthcare system.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever as plantas medicinais utilizadas por pessoas com tuberculose (TB) em municípios do norte da Bahia, em 2017. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo descritivo com dados primários sobre plantas medicinais utilizadas por pessoas com TB ≥ 18 anos, apresentados por nomenclatura botânica e frequência de consumo. Resultados: Das 80 pessoas entrevistadas, 50 referiram consumir alguma planta medicinal; essas pessoas eram principalmente do sexo masculino (34), ≥47 anos (22), pardas/pretas (34), com até o ensino primário completo (25), casadas (26), não economicamente ativas (30), dispondo de até R$ 300,00/mês (26), com tosse (33) e sem história anterior de TB (44). Duas espécies protagonizaram as citações, Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (mastruz: 23 citações) e Solanum capsicoides All. (melancia-da-praia: 17 citações). Conclusão: Observou-se ampla utilização de plantas medicinais como prática de cuidado com a TB em seis municípios do norte da Bahia.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease (COVD-19) outbreak has overburdened the surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections (SARIs), including the laboratory network. This study was aimed at correcting the absence of laboratory results of reported SARI deaths. METHODS: The imputation method was applied for SARI deaths without laboratory information using clinico-epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: Of 84,449 SARI deaths, 51% were confirmed with COVID-19 while 3% with other viral respiratory diseases. After the imputation method, 95% of deaths were reclassified as COVID-19 while 5% as other viral respiratory diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The imputation method was a useful and robust solution (sensitivity and positive predictive value of 98%) for missing values through clinical & epidemiological characteristics.

Resumo Objetivo avaliar os atributos do sistema de vigilância da síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SRAG) no Brasil, no período 2014-2016. Métodos estudo de avaliação segundo o guia do Centro de Controle de Doenças (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC) dos Estados Unidos; utilizaram-se dados do sistema de informação Influenza Web, notificados entre 2014 e 2016; avaliaram-se os atributos simplicidade, completude, inconsistência, oportunidade, aceitabilidade, representatividade, valor preditivo positivo (VPP) da definição de caso de SRAG e utilidade. Resultados observou-se estrutura simples; boa completude (100% nas variáveis obrigatórias; >95% nas não obrigatórias); baixa inconsistência (3,2%); não oportunidade (68,2%); aceitabilidade baixa (média de 70,4%); representatividade do território (capaz de análises de grupos de risco); alto VPP (29,1%); e utilidade (por cumprir objetivos do sistema). Conclusão os atributos avaliados indicam que o sistema é capaz de fornecer informações completas, representativas e úteis sobre influenza, adequadas para balizar respostas do sistema de saúde.

Brazil lived a crucial time for public health and epidemiologic surveillance on the fight against yellow fever (YF) during 2016/2017, mainly in southeastern states where the greatest population concentration occurs, the most economically developed region of the country. In this letter, we show some epidemiologic data from that outbreak and we discussion that crucial time for epidemiologic surveillance

Abstract OBJECTIVE To create and validate a complexity assessment tool for patients receiving home care from a public health service. METHOD A diagnostic accuracy study, with estimates for the tool's validity and reliability. Measurements of sensitivity and specificity were considered when producing validity estimates. The resulting tool was used for testing. Assessment by a specialized team of home care professionals was used as the gold standard. In the tool's reliability study, the authors used the Kappa statistic. The tool's sensitivity and specificity were analyzed using various cut-off points. RESULTS On the best cut-off point-21-with the gold standard, a sensitivity of 75.5% was obtained, with the limits of confidence interval (95%) at 68.3% and 82.8% and specificity of 53.2%, with the limits of confidence interval (95%) at 43.8% and 62.7%. CONCLUSION The tool presented evidence of validity and reliability, possibly helping in service organization at patient admission, care type change, or support during the creation of care plans.

AbstractLatent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfection are challenges in the control of tuberculosis transmission. We aimed to assess and summarize evidence available in the literature regarding the treatment of LTBI in both the general and HIV-positive population, in order to support decision making by the Brazilian Tuberculosis Control Program for LTBI chemoprophylaxis. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, Trip database, National Guideline Clearinghouse, and the Brazilian Theses Repository to identify systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, clinical guidelines, evidence-based synopses, reports of health technology assessment agencies, and theses that investigated rifapentine and isoniazid combination compared to isoniazid monotherapy. We assessed the quality of evidence from randomized clinical trials using the Jadad Scale and recommendations from other evidence sources using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations approach. The available evidence suggests that there are no differences between rifapentine + isoniazid short-course treatment and the standard 6-month isoniazid therapy in reducing active tuberculosis incidence or death. Adherence was better with directly observed rifapentine therapy compared to self-administered isoniazid. The quality of evidence obtained was moderate, and on the basis of this evidence, rifapentine is recommended by one guideline. Available evidence assessment considering the perspective of higher adherence rates, lower costs, and local peculiarity context might support rifapentine use for LTBI in the general or HIV-positive populations. Since novel trials are ongoing, further studies should include patients on antiretroviral therapy.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered to be a worldwide epidemic disease and its type 2 form comprises more than 95% of all cases. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine. Its dysregulation has been implicated in a variety of human diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The control of expression of this cytokine is associated with insulin resistance and has a strong genetic influence. In order to understand this relationship, the literature from all case-control studies since 2000 to date was reviewed. The genotypes frequency results presented in ten publications with different ethnicities were compared. The correlation between the TNFA promoter genotypes and the risk of developing T2DM remains controversial due to the many discrepancies between the different studies available. Ethnic differences may play a role in these conflicting results, since the distribution of TNFA promoter polymorphisms is distinctive between individuals of dissimilar racial origin. Hence, although the relationship between T2DM incidence and presence of polymorphisms at position -308 of the TNFA gene is not entirely clear, the results of these studies suggest the need for further investigation.

O Observatório da Saúde no Legislativo (OSL) é um espaço virtual (observatorio.fiocruz.br) constituído por um banco de dados públicos permanente, sediado na Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Brasília, destinado ao acompanhamento das proposições legislativas de interesse para a saúde em tramitação no Congresso Nacional brasileiro e oferecimento gratuito das informações mais relevantes sobre elas. A 54ª Legislatura iniciou-se no ano de 2011 e, desde então, novas proposições foram sendo apresentadas pelo novo corpo político do Congresso Nacional, renovado por eleições. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar resultados de pesquisa realizada nas bases de dados da Câmara dos Deputados e do Senado Federal quanto às proposições legislativas relativas à saúde e acompanhar sua tramitação e evolução no período de 2011 e 2012. No período estudado, constatou-se que cerca de 10% das proposições apresentadas foram relativas à saúde, tendo a maioria delas relação com álcool e drogas. Com o nascimento do Observatório, a população ganha poder fiscalizador e apoiador nas políticas de saúde. Esse projeto visa, também, empoderar o cidadão ao socializar informações acerca do seu direito, possibilitando, assim, o trinômio conhecer-exigir-vivenciar.

Este estudo tem como objetivo conhecer as representações sociais do SUS, a fim de identificar a suas fragilidades e potencialidades. Os dados foram obtidos, por meio de grupos focais, com gestores, trabalhadores e usuários da Regional do Paranoá- Distrito Federal. Foi realizada a análise de conteúdo, na modalidade de co-ocorrência, utilizando-se com software ALCESTE, que deram origem a três eixos temáticos: o primeiro demonstra que existe grande dificuldade de acesso aos serviços de saúde e; e o segundo eixo trata da falta de acesso da população rural; e o terceiro eixo destaca a falta de disponibilidade de outros equipamentos de uso coletivo, além daqueles próprios da saúde. Conclui-se que a representação social do SUS é de um sistema que dificulta o acesso à atenção integral.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyze social factors involved in the spatial distribution and under-reporting of tuberculosis (TB) in the city of Vitória, Espírito Santo State, Brazil. METHODS: This was an ecological study of the reported cases of TB between 2009 and 2011, according to census tracts. The outcome was TB incidence for the study period and the variables of exposure were proportions of literacy, inhabitants with an income of up to half the minimum monthly wage (MMW), and inhabitants associated with sewer mains or with access to safe drinking water. We used a zero-inflated process, zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB), and selected an explanatory model based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). RESULTS: A total of 588 cases of tuberculosis were reported in Vitória during the study period, distributed among 223 census tracts (38.6%), with 354 (61.4%) tracts presenting zero cases. In the ZINB model, the mean value of p i was 0.93, indicating that there is a 93% chance that an observed false zero could be due to sub-notification. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to prioritize areas exhibiting determinants that influence the occurrence of TB in the municipality of Vitória. The zero-inflated model can be useful to the public health sector since it identifies the percentage of false zeros, generating an estimate of the real epidemiological condition of TB in Vitória.

Resumo O estabelecimento de comissões de ética no uso de animais em ensino e pesquisa concretiza nova ética nas relações com animais não humanos. Realizou-se estudo estatístico sobre dados de 390 protocolos de pesquisa avaliados durante oito anos por uma comissão em uma universidade brasileira, buscando determinar se essa atuação foi capaz de reduzir o sofrimento e diminuiu proporcionalmente a prática de eutanásia. Empregou-se extensão do teste de Wilcoxon para verificar a tendência de procedimentos de proteção como melhor previsão de estresse e dor nos protocolos, uso mais frequente de anestesia e sedativos e redução de eutanásias executadas. Os resultados mostraram significância estatística em todos os três itens, sugerindo efeito concreto na proteção animal. O método utilizado é proposto ainda como forma de avaliar o uso desses procedimentos pelas comissões.

Resumo OBJETIVO: descrever o perfil dos casos de comorbidade tuberculose-diabetes no Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo com dados do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação - tuberculose (Sinan-tuberculose) e do Sistema de Gestão Clínica de Hipertensão Arterial e Diabetes Mellitus da Atenção Básica (Hiperdia), de 2007 a 2011; o relacionamento probabilístico foi realizado com auxílio do software Reclink. RESULTADOS: foram encontrados 24.443 casos de comorbidade, incluindo 3.181 não registrados no Sinan-tuberculose; do total de casos recuperados, predominaram indivíduos do sexo masculino (57,2%), faixa etária de 40 a 59 anos (52,3%), raça/cor da pele preta/parda (68,4%), cinco a oito anos de estudo (78,4%), uso não regular de álcool (86,5%) e sorologia negativa para o vírus da imunodeficiência humana - HIV (91,8%). CONCLUSÃO: os casos captados tiveram perfil semelhante àqueles registrados no Sinan-tuberculose e o relacionamento dos dados de diferentes sistemas de informações possibilitou a detecção de casos não captados pela vigilância.

Esse artigo discute os desafios da prevenção em tempos de crescimento de casos de Aids entre jovens. Opiniões e práticas de estudantes no ensino médio, coletadas em pesquisa realizada de 2013-2017, indicaram que estavam incorporando o discurso preventivo e que a religiosidade tem efeito em crenças e valores antes da iniciação sexual, mas pode interferir negativamente no uso de preservativo desde a primeira relação. Sustentar o direito à prevenção dependerá de ampliarmos a compreensão pública sobre como a religiosidade vivida difere da política-religiosa. Sugere-se monitorar o efeito da retomada de discursos morais que remontam à ditadura civil-militar e da possível descontinuidade de programas de prevenção bem-sucedidos junto aos jovens desde os anos 1990. É urgente compreender a dinâmica entre velhos e novos discursos que estruturam a sexualização (frequentemente via redes sociais) assim como o acesso à recomendada “prevenção combinada” das Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis (IST/Aids).