Disaggregating health inequalities within Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2002-2010, by applying an urban health inequality index

Racial inequalities in mental healthcare use and mortality: a cross-sectional analysis of 1.2 million low-income individuals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2010-2016

INTRODUCTION

Mental health inequalities across racial and ethnic groups are large and unjust in many countries, yet these inequalities remain under-researched, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries such as Brazil. This study investigates racial and socioeconomic inequalities in primary healthcare usage, hospitalisation and mortality for mental health disorders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

METHODS

A cohort of 1.2 million low-income adults from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with linked socioeconomic, demographic, healthcare use and mortality records was cross-sectionally analysed. Poisson regression models were used to investigate associations between self-defined race/colour and primary healthcare (PHC) usage, hospitalisation and mortality due to mental disorders, adjusting for socioeconomic factors. Interactions between race/colour and socioeconomic characteristics (sex, education level, income) explored if black and pardo (mixed race) individuals faced compounded risk of adverse mental health outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 272 532 PHC consultations, 10 970 hospitalisations and 259 deaths due to mental disorders between 2010 and 2016. After adjusting for a wide range of socioeconomic factors, the lowest PHC usage rates were observed in black (adjusted rate ratio (ARR): 0.64; 95% CI 0.60 to 0.68; compared with white) and pardo individuals (ARR: 0.87; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.92). Black individuals were more likely to die from mental disorders (ARR: 1.68; 95% CI 1.19 to 2.37; compared with white), as were those with lower educational attainment and household income. In interaction models, being black or pardo conferred additional disadvantage across mental health outcomes. The highest educated black (ARR: 0.56; 95% CI 0.47 to 0.66) and pardo (ARR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.87) individuals had lower rates of PHC usage for mental disorders compared with the least educated white individuals. Black individuals were 3.7 times (ARR: 3.67; 95% CI 1.29 to 10.42) more likely to die from mental disorders compared with white individuals with the same education level.

CONCLUSION

In low-income individuals in Rio de Janeiro, racial/colour inequalities in mental health outcomes were large and not fully explainable by socioeconomic status. Black and pardo Brazilians were consistently negatively affected, with lower PHC usage and worse mental health outcomes.

Multilevel Analysis of Individual and Neighborhood Characteristics Associated with Viral Suppression Among Adults with HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Understanding the impact of neighborhood context on viral suppression outcomes may help explain health disparities and identify future interventions. We assessed the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood socioeconomic context, and viral suppression using multilevel logistic regression models. Adults with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 2000 and 2017, who resided in Rio de Janeiro and had an HIV-1 RNA level (viral load) measured 90-270 days after ART initiation were included. Overall, 83.9% achieved viral suppression. Participants who were older, had a higher level of education, and identified as heterosexual cisgender men and cisgender men-who-have-sex-with-men had increased odds of viral suppression. Later calendar year of ART initiation carried the strongest association with viral suppression, reflecting the increased effectiveness and tolerability of ART over time. Neighborhood socioeconomic indicators did not predict viral suppression in unadjusted or adjusted analyses, which may result from the integrated care provided in our health care facility together with Brazil's universal treatment.

São Paulo urban health index: measuring and mapping health disparities

ABSTRACT: Objective: To calculate and map the health inequalities in the city of São Paulo using the Urban Health Index (UHI) methodology. Methods: Seven indicators were selected from the Brazilian census: (1) proportion of households with access to sewage systems, (2) proportion of households served by regular waste collection, (3) proportion of households with two or more toilets, (4) proportion of households receiving tap water, (5) average income per household, (6) percentage of white people, and (7) literacy rate. Based on the UHI methodology, all health indicators were standardized and aggregated into a single metric at the census tract level. The UHI scores were ranked and plotted. The disparity ratio and the graph slope were calculated. The correlation between indicators was tested. Results were geocoded to produce a map of health risks. Results: The distribution of index values showed a linear middle section and deviations at each end. The disparity ratio found was 2.95, while the slope was 0.30. All indicators were significantly correlated. The map displayed a typical pattern of health inequality between the downtown and the periphery. The tracts located in the city’s downtown had higher UHI values than those on the outskirts. Conclusions: The results of this study presented a visual distribution of health disparities in the city of São Paulo, proving to be a valuable method for identifying areas that require public health attention.

Memorial Parking Trees: Resilient Modular Design with Nature-Based Solutions in Vulnerable Urban Areas

Nature-based solutions (NbS) include all the landscape’s ecological components that have a function in the natural or urban ecosystem. Memorial Parking Trees (MPTs) are a new variant of a nature-based solution composed of a bioswale and a street tree allocated in the road, occupying a space that is sub-utilised by parked cars. This infill green practice can maximise the use of street trees in secondary streets and have multiple benefits in our communities. Using GIS mapping and methodology can support implementation in vulnerable neighbourhoods. In this research, we based vulnerability assessments for London, Rio de Janeiro, and Los Angeles on the following three indicators: extreme temperature, air quality, and flood-prone areas. Evidence is emerging that disadvantaged populations may live at higher risks of exposure to environmental hazards. The income and healthcare accessibility of neighbourhoods are the two indicators that will help us target these communities for a better and faster decision-making process. The contrast between the results and the 15-min city concept supports our detecting and prioritising neighbourhoods for MPTS implementation, among other NbS solutions integrated into a more inclusive and sustainable urban design.

Inequalities in health and health-related indicators: a spatial geographic analysis of Pakistan

Background

In developing countries, Pakistan is one of the countries where access to health and health-related indicators is a major concern. Their improvement would reduce inequalities among various Communities/Districts or groups of Communities. A Community health index (CHI) in this regard is estimated to explore inequality ratio, inequality slope, and spatial analysis of inequalities among all Communities at regional and geographical levels.

Methods

Data from Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement (PSLM) survey, Round-VI, 2014–15 were used to construct CHI. The index was constructed in two steps. In the first step, the study indicators were standardized while in the second step, the standardized indicators were aggregated into a single metric by applying non-linear Geometric Mean formula.

Results

The inequality ratio of 16.59 estimated for Pakistan was found to be higher than the ratio of Atlanta city, GA (5.92), whereas, a lower slope coefficient was estimated for Pakistan than Atlanta city, GA (0.38 < 0.54). This ratio of disparity was also found to be lower for urban regions as compared to rural (7.78 < 17.54). While the slope coefficient was slightly higher for urban regions (0.45 > 0.43). The results of the spatial analysis revealed different patterns of inequalities. A cluster of healthy districts was found in Punjab province, whereas districts from Baluchistan had made a bunch of deprived/unhealthy districts in terms of CHI scores. Besides, separate maps for all provinces showed that capital districts of all provinces were relatively well-off/developed.

Conclusion

The instant results concluded that inequalities in access to health and health-related indicators exist across countries as well as across geographical regions. To reduce or eradicate these inequalities, government and public health workers are recommended to set priorities based on access to composite index.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-020-09870-4.

A review of assessment indicators used by Healthy Municipalities and Communities Program in Latin America and the Caribbean region

The Healthy Municipalities and Communities Strategy (HMCS) was developed by the Pan American Health Organization in 1990. Evaluation and monitoring are fundamental components of health promotion policies. The aim of this study is to explore the indicators used in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries to assess the performance of HMCS. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, BVSDE and Google Advanced Search for documents published between January 2000 and April 2016. We included only documents with assessment indicators of the strategy. All articles were independently assessed for eligibility by pairs of reviewers. We classified the indicators with a supporting framework proposed by O’Neill and Simard (Choosing indicators to evaluate Healthy Cities projects: a political task? Health Promot Int 2006, 21, 145–152.). Local level indicators figured far more prominently among countries and were distributed both in projects and specific activities. Regarding the evolution of the HMCS, indicators were reported in the five levels of analysis (local projects and activities, provincial, national and international networks). Empowerment was represented through the presence of active community organizations and different methods of community participation (forums, open hearing and participation maps). Public policies (such as for tobacco cessation) and bylaws adherence and changes in school’s curricula regarding healthy eating were frequently mentioned. However, this review demonstrated that impact indicators related to lifestyle changes or built environment are not clearly defined and there is a lack of indicators to measure progress in achieving change in long-term outcomes in LAC. We highlight the importance of designing validated indicators for measuring the impact of health promotion policies in partnership with each country involved.

Geographic distribution and time trends of esophageal cancer in Brazil from 2005 to 2015

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the geographical distribution and time trends of the incidence and lethality of esophageal cancer (EC) in Brazil. The present study conducted an ecological study of EC using records from January 2005 to December 2015 in the Health Informatics Department of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (DATASUS) registry. In addition to demographical data on the population, EC incidence and lethality rates were estimated from hospitalizations and in-hospital mortalities and were adjusted by total available hospital beds. The adjusted EC rates per 100,000 increased from 9.1 in 2005 to 12.1 in 2015. The prevalence among males increased from 69 to 78%, while the female rates remained stable over the same period. Although EC was the most common in South and Southeast Brazil, the rates increased proportionately more in the other regions of the country, especially among males. Geographical analysis revealed higher rates of EC in more urbanized areas, with a coast-to-inland gradient. While rates increased in people older than 50 years, they decreased among people below this age. However, the lethality rates remained stable and high during the study period, overlapping with hospital admission rates. The recent increasing trend in the EC incidence, with shifts from the south towards the north and from more urbanized towards rural areas, suggests that environmental factors are crucial in EC pathogenesis. The concentration of EC in South Brazil may reflect the presence of major environmental factors in association with a possible genetic predisposition. The unchanging high mortality associated with EC in the rapidly aging population suggests that EC will continue to impose a significant social and economic burden in the future.

Measuring the Impact of Environment on the Health of Large Cities

The relative significance of indicators and determinants of health is important for local public health workers and planners. Of similar importance is a method for combining and evaluating such markers. We used a recently developed index, the Urban Health Index (UHI), to examine the impact of environmental variables on the overall health of cities. We used the UHI to rank 57 of the world’s largest cities (based on population size) in low- and middle-income countries. We examined nine variables in various combinations that were available from the Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in these countries. When arranged in ascending order, the distribution of UHIs follows the previously described pattern of gradual linear increase, with departures at each tail. The rank order of cities did not change materially with the omission of variables about women’s health knowledge or childhood vaccinations. Omission of environmental variables (a central water supply piped into homes, improved sanitation, and indoor solid fuel use) altered the rank order considerably. The data suggest that environmental indicators, measures of key household level risk to health, may play a vital role in the overall health of urban communities.

Social determinants of pulmonary tuberculosis treatment non-adherence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Success in tuberculosis control depends on the implementation of steps that reduce social inequities, allowing the diagnosis and effective treatment of the disease. Little is known about the conditions affecting antituberculosis treatment non-adherence in areas of great social and economic heterogeneity, such as the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. This study aimed to describe and identify the social determinants of antituberculosis treatment non-adherence in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro between 2008 and 2012. An ecological study was conducted with the districts of Rio de Janeiro as the units of analysis. Analyzes using Poisson regression models allowed us to identify the association between dropout from antituberculosis treatment and the human development index and social development index. The final model showed that economic conditions, infrastructure, and the tuberculosis control quality of surveillance were associated with treatment non-adherence. This study demonstrated that the scenarios of socio-environmental precariousness found in the districts of Rio de Janeiro were able to identify populations with an increased risk of default treatment from antituberculosis.

Correlates of unprotected sex with male clients among female sex workers in 13 Mexican cities

This study examined correlates of unprotected vaginal and anal sex (UVA) with male clients among female sex workers (FSWs). Baseline data were gathered from 1089 FSWs recruited from 13 cities across Mexico enrolled in an evidence-based sexual risk reduction intervention. We used generalised estimating equations (GEE) to predict total UVA while controlling for the nested structure of the data. Total UVA with clients in the past month was examined in relation to selected sociodemographic, substance-use, and micro- and macro-environmental factors. A greater number of UVA acts was associated with three micro-level environmental factors (i.e. never getting condoms for free, unaffordability of condoms, greater number of clients per month), and three macro-level environmental factors (i.e. lower health and higher education indices, greater population size of city). These findings suggest the development of social and structural approaches to HIV prevention for FSWs in Mexico, including modification of venue-based policies that pressure FSWs to maximise client volume, changes to the work environment that promote availability and affordability of condoms, and improved population health. Moreover, our findings call for the development of context-specific HIV interventions that take into account variations in the sexual risk behaviours and HIV risk environments of FSWs throughout Mexico.

Health inequalities in hypertension and diabetes management among the poor in urban areas: a population survey analysis in south Korea

BACKGROUND

This study investigated whether the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and diabetes differed by residential areas. In addition, the rate of good hypertension or diabetes control was examined separately in men and women, and in urban and rural areas.

METHODS

This study used Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination V (2010-2012) data, a nationwide cross-sectional survey of general South Korean population. Residential areas were categorized into urban and rural areas. To examine differences between the residential areas in terms of prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and diabetes we performed a multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, marital status, monthly income, and educational level. To investigate control of hypertension or diabetes within each residential area, we performed a subgroup analysis in both urban and rural areas.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension is higher among men in urban areas than among those in rural areas (OR = 0.80; 95 % CI = 0.67-0.96, reference group = urban areas). However, the subgroups did not differ in terms of diabetes prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control. Regardless of both sex and residential area, participants in good control of their hypertension and diabetes were younger. Inequality in good control of hypertension was observed in men who lived in urban (≤Elementary school, OR 0.74, 95 % CI 0.60-0.92) and rural areas (≤Elementary school, OR 0.67, 95 % CI 0.46-0.99). Inequality in health status was found in women who resided in urban areas (≤Elementary school, OR 0.53, 95 % CI 0.37-0.75). Good control of diabetes also showed inequalities in health status for both men (≤Elementary school, OR 0.61, 95 % CI 0.40-0.94; Middle/High school, OR 0.69, 95 % CI 0.49-0.96) and women in urban areas (≤1 million won, OR 0.56, 95 % CI 0.33-0.93) (Reference group = '≥College' for education and '>3 million' Korean won for income).

CONCLUSIONS

After correction for individual socioeconomic status, differences by residential area were not observed. However, when the participants with good disease control were divided by region, inequality was confirmed in urban residents. Therefore, differentiated health policies to resolve individual and regional health inequalities are necessary.