Regionalização em Saúde no Amazonas: avanços e desafios

[Food insecurity and household water insecurity: a population-based study in a municipality in the Amazon River basin, Brazil]

This study analyzed food insecurity and associated factors in the urban area of a municipality in the Amazon River basin, Western Amazon. This is a cross-sectional population-based study conducted from August to November 2021 with 983 households selected by stratified probability sampling. A multinomial logistic regression model was used, adopting the following criteria: p-value < 20% in the bivariate analysis and p-value < 5% for the multivariate adjustment. The results of the analyses were described as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). The following variables were significantly associated with mild or moderate food insecurity: household water insecurity; number of residents ≥ 5 in the household; belonging to socioeconomic class D or E; having a father, mother or another as the head of the family; and having any resident as a beneficiary of the Brazilian Income Transfer Program. The analysis model for severe food insecurity showed that living with household water insecurity; belonging to socioeconomic class D or E; having a father, mother or another as the head of the family; age of the head of the family < 55 years; and family income lower that two minimum wages increased the chances of severe food insecurity when compared to those with food security. In conclusion, this study found a high prevalence of food insecurity in the Municipality of Itapiranga, State of Amazonas, North Region of Brazil, associated with social and economic vulnerability, lack of public services, and household water insecurity.

Quality of Life in Amazonian Women during Cervical Cancer Treatment: The Moderating Role of Spirituality

This study aimed to examine the contribution of psychological variables to quality of life (QoL) of Amazonian women and to analyze the moderating role of spirituality in the relationship between psychological morbidity and Qol and between illness perception and QoL. This cross-sectional study included 119 women undergoing treatment for cervical cancer (CC). The Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the relationship between sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables. To test how psychological morbidity, illness perception, and spirituality contribute to QoL, a path analysis was performed and to test the moreating role of spirituality, a moderation analysis was conducted. The results revealed that the presence of symptoms, high psychological morbidity, negative body image, and threatening illness perception were predictors of lower QoL. Spirituality moderated the relationship between psychological morbidity and QoL, and between illness perception and QoL. The moderating role of spirituality emphasizes its role as a coping strategy and should be included in cancer treatment. Interventions should target psychological morbidity, threatening illness perception, and address women's concerns with body image and sexual concerns. CC treatment should include interprofessional healthcare teams addressing the biological and psychosocial factors of Amazonian women. As a result of this study a mobile application to monitor women's health, adapted to cultural and social characteristics, was created.

Study of Health in Primary Care of the Amazonas Population: Protocol for an Observational Study on Diabetes Management in Brazil

Background

Changes in the profiles of patients have significant impacts on the health care system. Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) prevention and management should be studied in different contexts.

Objective

The Study of Health in Primary Care for the Amazonas Population (SAPPA) primarily aims to describe T2DM prevention and management actions offered by primary health care settings in Brazil and whether the care delivered is consistent with the chronic care model (CCM). Second, the study aims to examine the impact of T2DM management actions on health and lifestyle, and third, to understand how sociodemographic characteristics, health, and subjective outcomes impact diabetes management.

Methods

As part of this observational study, managers and health professionals complete a questionnaire containing information about T2DM prevention and management actions and CCM dimensions. During in-home visits, patients are asked about their health, lifestyle, sociodemographics, diabetes care, and subjective variables.

Results

A total of 34 managers, 1560 professional health workers, and 955 patients will be recruited. The data collection will be completed in October 2022.

Conclusions

The SAPPA is an observational study that intends to understand the T2DM management process in primary health care, including planning, execution, reach, and impact on patient motivation and adherence.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/37572

Impact of COVID-19 on Tuberculosis Indicators in Brazil: A Time Series and Spatial Analysis Study

Background: We aimed to visualize and classify the time series of COVID-19, tuberculosis (TB) notification, and TB outcomes (cure, treatment abandonment, and death), verify the impact of the new coronavirus pandemic on these indices in Brazil, and verify the presence of spatial autocorrelation between COVID-19 and TB. Methods: This was an ecological time series study that considered TB and COVID-19 cases. Seasonal Trend Decomposition using Loess (STL) was used to trace the temporal trend, Prais–Winsten was used to classify the temporal trend, Interrupted Time Series (ITS) was used to verify the impact of COVID-19 on TB rates, and the Bivariate Moran Index (Global and Local) was used to verify the spatial autocorrelation of events. Results: Brazil and its macro-regions showed an increasing temporal trend for the notification of TB in the pre-pandemic period. Only the Northeast Region showed a decreasing temporal trend for cured cases. For treatment abandonment, all regions except for the Northeast showed an increasing temporal trend, and regarding death, Brazil and the Northeast Region showed an increasing temporal trend. With the ITS, COVID-19 caused a decline in TB notification rates and TB outcome rates. With the global spatial analysis, it was possible to identify the existence of spatial autocorrelation between the notification rate of COVID-19 and the TB notification rate and deaths. With the local analysis, it was possible to map the Brazilian municipalities and classify them according to the relationship between the rates of both diseases and space. Conclusions: COVID-19 influenced the follow-up of and adherence to TB treatment and intensified social vulnerability and, consequently, affected the notification of TB since the relationship between the disease and social determinants of health is already known. The restoration and strengthening of essential services for the prevention and detection of cases and treatment of TB in endemic environments such as Brazil have been oriented as a priority in the global health agenda.

Hunger and its associated factors in the western Brazilian Amazon: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Hunger affects millions of people worldwide. In the current pandemic scenario of coronavirus Brazil has experienced an epidemic peak of hunger, amplifying existing prepandemic vulnerabilities, mainly in the North Region of the country. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity and its associated factors in homes with children under 5 years of age in an urban area of a municipality of the western Brazilian Amazon.

METHODS

A household survey was conducted with a probabilistic sample of 557 children and their families. Food insecurity (FI) was determined using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Associations between variables were analyzed based on the prevalence ratio (PR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated through multiple Poisson regression analysis. Variables with a P value < 0.05 after adjustments were considered significantly associated with the outcome.

RESULTS

A prevalence of 76.5% (CI 1.36-2.67) food insecurity was found among the families in the study; 42.9% had moderate (CI 1.31-2.83) and severe (CI 1.10-1.83) food insecurity. Moderate and severe FI was associated with low family income (P = 0.00), participation in governmental income transfer programs (P = 0.01), and heads of household with less than 7 years of schooling (P = 0.02). Moreover, substantial frequencies of height deficit and being overweight were found among the children.

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of hunger and food insecurity and its associated factors reflects the context of geographic isolation and social exclusion in which these families live, suggesting that a substantial portion of the population under 5 years of age had experienced episodes of hunger in the 90 days prior to the survey. The prevalence of height deficit and being overweight among the children reveals a scenario of epidemiological/nutritional polarization, requiring the formulation of specific public policies for this population.

Continuidade do cuidado a partir do hospital: interdisciplinaridade e dispositivos para integralidade na rede de atenção à saúde

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a produção científica sobre a continuidade do cuidado e a integralidade da atenção, identificando dispositivos utilizados para essa construção a partir do hospital. A presente investigação é uma revisão integrativa realizada nos meses de junho e julho de 2021. Assim, para a seleção dos artigos, utilizou-se das bases de dados PubMed/Medline, Lilacs, BDENF e Lis. Foram analisados 36 artigos. Da análise, emergiram três categorias: Cuidado em saúde e integralidade dentro do hospital; O enlace e as conexões na continuidade do cuidado; Redes de atenção à saúde no Sistema Único de Saúde e a continuidade do cuidado. A análise permitiu identificar estratégias/ferramentas sobre a organização do trabalho na dimensão micropolítica da produção do cuidado em saúde. Os principais dispositivos encontrados foram: alta segura, corridas de leitos, gestão da clínica, discussão de casos, linhas de cuidado, enfermeira de enlace, complexos reguladores, educação permanente e multidisciplinaridade. Concluiu-se que, embora alguns estudos se refiram a uma prática na rede de atenção à saúde ainda fragmentada, os dispositivos mencionados constituem-se em avanços em direção a um modelo de atenção baseado em linhas de cuidado dentro do hospital e para fora, buscando articulação com a rede de atenção à saúde.

Primary Health Care sustainability in rural remote territories at the fluvial Amazon: organization, strategies, and challenges

The article analyzes singularities of the Primary Health Care (PHC) organization in rural remote municipalities (RRM) in the Amazon under the influence of rivers and discusses challenges for comprehensive care in the Unified Health System (SUS). This is a qualitative and quantitative study of multiple cases in seven RRM through the analysis of interviews with managers, visits to services and secondary data. The RRM of the fluvial Amazon are small, with a sparse, dispersed population living in conditions of social vulnerability. Long distances, rivers and transport irregularities interfere with access to PHC services. The Family Health Strategy is implemented in the municipal system, however areas without assistance coverage, unavailability of PHC services and adaptations to the Strategy imposed by the characteristics of the context remain. The challenges are related to the financing, provision and fixation of the workforce and barriers of geographic access compromise the PHC response capacity in SUS. PHC sustainability requires strategic measures, resources and actions from multiple sectors and public agents; national support policies with feasibility for local execution, so that PHC services are established and make sense in such unique spaces.

The Text Mining Technique Applied to the Analysis of Health Interventions to Combat Congenital Syphilis in Brazil: The Case of the "Syphilis No!" Project

Congenital syphilis (CS) remains a threat to public health worldwide, especially in developing countries. To mitigate the impacts of the CS epidemic, the Brazilian government has developed a national intervention project called "Syphilis No." Thus, among its range of actions is the production of thousands of writings featuring the experiences of research and intervention supporters (RIS) of the project, called field researchers. In addition, this large volume of base data was subjected to analysis through data mining, which may contribute to better strategies for combating syphilis. Natural language processing is a form of knowledge extraction. First, the database extracted from the "LUES Platform" with 4,874 documents between 2018 and 2020 was employed. This was followed by text preprocessing, selecting texts referring to the field researchers' reports for analysis. Finally, for analyzing the documents, N-grams extraction (N = 2,3,4) was performed. The combination of the TF-IDF metric with the BoW algorithm was applied to assess terms' importance and frequency and text clustering. In total, 1019 field activity reports were mined. Word extraction from the text mining method set out the following guiding axioms from the bigrams: "confronting syphilis in primary health care;" "investigation committee for congenital syphilis in the territory;" "municipal plan for monitoring and investigating syphilis cases through health surveillance;" "women's healthcare networks for syphilis in pregnant;" "diagnosis and treatment with a focus on rapid testing." Text mining may serve public health research subjects when used in parallel with the conventional content analysis method. The computational method extracted intervention activities from field researchers, also providing inferences on how the strategies of the "Syphilis No" Project influenced the decrease in congenital syphilis cases in the territory.

Barreiras de acesso à Atenção Primária à Saúde em municípios rurais remotos do Oeste do Pará

Resumo Analisa-se neste artigo o acesso à Atenção Primária à Saúde em municípios rurais remotos do Oeste do Pará, discutindo barreiras e desafios ante as especificidades dos territórios amazônicos. Tratou-se de estudo qualitativo em cinco municípios com lógicas espaciais distintas, assentadas em rios ou estradas. Realizaram-se 58 entrevistas com gestores, profissionais da saúde e usuários, além de visitas a unidades básicas de saúde, em 2019. A matriz de análise contemplou: acessibilidade geográfica, acessibilidade organizacional, unidade básica de saúde como primeiro contato e Atenção Primária à Saúde na rede assistencial. Identificou-se que as barreiras de acesso geográfico envolvem grandes distâncias, tempos, custos, precárias condições de vias e transportes, com variação sazonal diferenciada, conforme fluxos fluviais ou terrestres. A acessibilidade organizacional é dificultada pela oferta insuficiente de consultas, exames, medicamentos, restrição nos dias de funcionamento e ações itinerantes, acentuadas pela elevada rotatividade profissional. As unidades básicas de saúde constituem-se como serviço de primeiro contato, todavia com procura condicionada à resolutividade e à satisfação percebidas, destacando-se a atuação do agente comunitário de saúde. O suporte da atenção especializada é precário, com dificuldades de oferta, regulação, transporte e comunicação. O cenário socioambiental amazônico requer estratégias singulares para oferta e organização dos serviços, refletidas em financiamento específico.

Atraso na vacina tetravalente (DTP+Hib) em crianças de 12 a 23 meses de idade: Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, 2013

Resumo: O objetivo foi estimar a prevalência do atraso nas três doses da vacina tetravalente (DTP+Hib) em crianças de 12 a 23 meses de idade, no Brasil, por meio dos dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde (PNS) de 2013 e descrever o atraso em cada uma das doses segundo variáveis sociodemográficas, utilização de serviços e intervenções públicas de saúde. Foram utilizados dados da PNS, estudo transversal realizado em 2013. O desfecho foi o atraso pelo menos em uma das três doses da vacina tetravalente. Considerou-se como atraso a dose recebida pelo menos 30 dias após a data preconizada, segundo informação da caderneta de vacinação. A prevalência do atraso foi descrita segundo variáveis sociodemográficas e utilização de serviços de saúde. Realizou-se análise descritiva obtendo-se frequências absolutas e relativas e seus respectivos intervalos de 95% de confiança. Das 2.016 crianças com informações coletadas, 1.843 foram analisadas. A prevalência de atraso de pelo menos uma dose da vacina foi de 44%. Observou-se atraso de 14,8% na primeira, 28,8% na segunda e 45,4% na terceira dose, sendo que 10% das crianças tiveram atraso nas três doses. Maiores prevalências de atraso foram encontradas em crianças do sexo masculino, de cor da pele parda, pertencentes ao quintil mais pobre de riqueza, moradores da zona rural e da Região Norte do Brasil. Evidenciou-se alta prevalência de atraso na vacina tetravalente (DTP+Hib) em crianças de 12 a 23 meses do Brasil, sendo maior na terceira dose.

Impact of a culturally tailored informative video on cervical cancer: a pilot study with Amazonian women in treatment for cervical cancer

The present study is a randomised pilot study that evaluated a culturally tailored video promoting information about cervical cancer (CC), developed with Amazonian women in treatment for CC. The sample included 63 patients in treatment for CC who were randomly assigned to three groups of 21 patients. The experimental group watched an informative video about CC. The active control group watched a video on healthy habits and the passive control group received no intervention. The groups were compared in terms of change in knowledge and illness perceptions, over time. The results showed that the experimental group was the only one with a significant increase in knowledge (β = .166; p = .03) that was not maintained over time (β = -.195; p = .04). Threatening illness perceptions about the disease increased in all groups over time (β = .105; p = .001). Future studies should replicate the results testing the efficacy of an audiovisual strategy in a larger sample, in health services that serve populations with similar social and cultural characteristics. This study emphasises the importance of interprofessional oncology teams providing clear information regarding CC, during all stages of the disease, and patients' treatment.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Latin American countries, such as Brazil, the low coverage of screening for CC can be related to the low education of women and their difficulty of access to health care. Hence, educational interventions may be a good strategy to reinforce the importance of screening and increase knowledge about illness prevention and treatment.What the results of this study add? An audiovisual informational intervention on CC was developed, addressing prevention, causes, control, consequences and treatment while respecting the patients' cultural and social reality through an approach that is simple and easy to understand. The group that watched the informative video was the only one that increased knowledge, revealing that it was a good CC informational strategy.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study confirmed the importance of developing informational and educational strategies that are appropriate to patients' social and cultural reality. The video is now available to health teams in primary, secondary and tertiary care units, as a strategy for health promotion and CC prevention.

A painful journey to antivenom: The therapeutic itinerary of snakebite patients in the Brazilian Amazon (The QUALISnake Study)

Access to antivenoms is not guarranteed for vulnerable populations that inhabit remote areas in the Amazon. The study of therapeutic itineraries (TI) for treatment of snakebites would support strategies to provide timely access to users. A TI is the set of processes by which individuals adhere to certain forms of treatment, and includes the path traveled in the search for healthcare, and practices to solve their health problems. This study aims to describe TIs of snakebite patients in the Brazilian Amazon. This study was carried out at the Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado, in Manaus, state of Amazonas, Brazil. The itinerary from the moment of the bite to the patient's admission to the reference unit was analyzed. Sample size was defined by saturation. After an exploratory survey to collect epidemiological variables, in-depth interviews were conducted following a semi-structured guide. Patients originated from rural areas of 11 different municipalities, including ones located >500 kilometers from Manaus. A great fragmentation was observed in the itineraries, marked by several changes of means of transport along the route. Four themes emerged from the analysis: exposure to snakebite during day-to-day activities, use of traditional therapeutic practices, and personal perception of the severity, as well as the route taken and its contingencies. Access to healthcare requires considerable effort on the part of snakebite patients. Major barriers were identified, such as the low number of hospitals that offer antivenom treatment, poor access to healthcare due to long distances and geographic barriers, low acceptability of healthcare offered in countryside, lack of use of personal protective equipment, common use of ineffective or deleterious self-care practices, late recognition of serious clinical signs and resistance to seeking medical assistance. Health education, promotion of immediate transport to health centers and decentralization of antivenom from reference hospitals to community healthcare centers in the Brazilian Amazon are more effective strategies that would to maximize access to antivenom treatment.

Spatial dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

The objective of this study was to analyse the dynamics of spatial dispersion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Brazil by correlating them to socioeconomic indicators. This is an ecological study of COVID-19 cases and deaths between 26 February and 31 July 2020. All Brazilian counties were used as units of analysis. The incidence, mortality, Bayesian incidence and mortality rates, global and local Moran indices were calculated. A geographic weighted regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 and socioeconomic indicators (independent variables). There were confirmed 2 662 485 cases of COVID-19 reported in Brazil from February to July 2020 with higher rates of incidence in the north and northeast. The Moran global index of incidence rate (0.50, P = 0.01) and mortality (0.45 with P = 0.01) indicate a positive spatial autocorrelation with high standards in the north, northeast and in the largest urban centres between cities in the southeast region. In the same period, there were 92 475 deaths from COVID-19, with higher mortality rates in the northern states of Brazil, mainly Amazonas, Pará and Amapá. The results show that there is a geospatial correlation of COVID-19 in large urban centres and regions with the lowest human development index in the country. In the geographic weighted regression, it was possible to identify that the percentage of people living in residences with density higher than 2 per dormitory, the municipality human development index (MHDI) and the social vulnerability index were the indicators that most contributed to explaining incidence, social development index and the municipality human development index contributed the most to the mortality model. We hope that the findings will contribute to reorienting public health responses to combat COVID-19 in Brazil, the new epicentre of the disease in South America, as well as in other countries that have similar epidemiological and health characteristics to those in Brazil.

Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome in Adults and Older Adults from Amazonas, Brazil

Metabolic syndrome has been considered a factor of vulnerability and a major public health problem because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The present study from Amazonas, Brazil aimed to estimate the prevalence of the individual and general components of metabolic syndrome in adults and older adults and identify the independent predictors of metabolic syndrome. The sample of the present cross-sectional study comprised 942 participants (590 women), with a mean age of 59.8 ± 19.7 (range: 17.5 to 91.8). Blood pressure in men (62.5%), abdominal obesity in women (67.3%), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in both (52.2% in men and 65.0% in women) were the most prevalent individual risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Women had a higher prevalence of abdominal obesity (p < 0.001), low HDL-C (p < 0.001), and metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001) than men; however, opposite results were seen in men for blood pressure (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 47.5%. Advanced age, being female, having a higher body mass index, and a having lower educational level independently increased the odds of metabolic syndrome. Due to the association of metabolic syndrome with deterioration of health status and increased vulnerability, this study sustains the need for early public health interventions in the Amazonas region.

Health regionalization and federative cooperation in Brazil: the role of inter-municipal consortium

This paper aims to investigate public inter-municipal health consortium operation in Brazil. To this end, a qualitative documentary analysis was conducted on the content of the agreements between the consortia and the Federal Government, available at the Transparency Portal of the Federal Government, from 1996 to 2016. The results cover two categories: agreements concluded in Brazil and the content of the agreements signed by an inter-municipal public consortium (CIS). The agreements signed were concentrated mainly in the Southern and Southeastern regions and aimed to carry out regional actions, thus contributing to health regionalization. However, challenges related to the process of cooperation and coordination between the health management bodies persist, mainly related to the improvement of linkages between the consortium and the regional health coordination and in-depth social control of these organizations.

Use and sources of psychotropic drugs by Brazilian adults and seniors

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of psychotropic drug utilization among adults and seniors and determine associated factors, therapeutic classes and sources of acquisition. Data from the Brazilian National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of the Rational Use of Medicines (2013-2014) were analyzed. The prevalence of use of at least one psychotropic drug in the overall sample (adults and seniors) was 8.7%. In the adjusted analyses, positive associations were found between the use of psychotropic drugs and the female sex, poorer self-rated health and chronic diseases (p < 0.05). The most frequently used therapeutic classes were antidepressants (55.3%) by the adults and anxiolytics (59.3%) by the seniors. Approximately 23.0% of psychotropic drugs were obtained exclusively from pharmacies of the public healthcare system and 77.0% were acquired from other sources. The findings reveal a low proportion of attaining psychotropic drugs through the Brazilian public healthcare system as well as the need for public policies that encourage the rational use of prescriptions and treatments to promote a better quality of life and ensure the population's right to health.

Estimation and prediction of COVID-19 cases in Brazilian metropolises

OBJECTIVE

to estimate the transmission rate, the epidemiological peak, and the number of deaths by the new coronavirus.

METHOD

a mathematical and epidemiological model of susceptible, infected, and recovered cases was applied to the nine Brazilian capitals with the highest number of cases of the infection. The number of cases for the 80 days following the first case was estimated by solving the differential equations. The results were logarithmized and compared with the actual values to observe the model fit. In all scenarios, it was considered that no preventive measures had been taken.

RESULTS

the nine metropolises studied showed an upward curve of confirmed cases of COVID-19. The prediction data point to the peak of the infection between late April and early May. Fortaleza and Manaus had the highest transmission rates (≥2·0 and ≥1·8, respectively). Rio de Janeiro may have the largest number of infected people (692,957) and Florianópolis the smallest (24,750).

CONCLUSION

the estimates of the transmission rate, epidemiological peak, and number of deaths from coronavirus in Brazilian metropolises presented expressive and important numbers the Brazilian Ministry of Health needs to consider. The results confirm the rapid spread of the virus and its high mortality in the country.

Metastatic Biphasic Primitive Tumor in the Mandible of a Child

Pediatric mandibular tumors present an aggressive biological behavior and difficult diagnosis. A wide range of odontogenic and nonodontogenic tumors comprise the spectrum of these lesions. We report a case of a 1-year-old male child patient showing facial asymmetry symptomatic of an expansive lesion extending throughout the body and ramus of the left hemimandible with a diameter of 8 cm. The histopathological report suggested a high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), recommending further immunohistochemical investigation of the ectomesenchymal or neuroectodermal origin of the tumor cells. The patient evolved with extensive bilateral pleural effusion followed by metastasis in the middle third of the right humerus, and died 2 months after the first biopsy procedure by acute renal failure with tubular necrosis, before a final inconclusive immunohistochemical report was reached. The lack of resources for less-favored regions of Brazil impairs rapid biomolecular examinations such as immunohistochemical resulting in delay of appropriate therapeutic procedures.

Atenção básica no Amazonas: provimento, fixação e perfil profissional em contextos de difícil acesso

Resumo A pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar o perfil de profissionais atuantes na atenção básica em municípios amazonenses e a relação com provimento e fixação nesses locais. Tratou-se de estudo analítico, descritivo, de natureza quantitativa, realizado de 2014 a 2016. Foram analisados dados de médicos, enfermeiros e odontólogos atuantes na atenção básica em vinte municípios do Amazonas, totalizando 397 profissionais. Profissionais de medicina menos se fixam, têm menos parentes, residência local e pertencem a outras localidades. Profissionais de enfermagem detêm mais especializações e funções gestoras. As regiões de saúde Juruá, Triângulo, Madeira e entorno de Manaus possuem menor quantidade de profissionais na atenção básica. Os municípios de Parintins, Itacoatiara e Tabatinga apresentam maior número populacional fora da capital e têm maior número de profissionais. Há tendência de os profissionais buscarem trabalho em capitais e cidades com maior oferta de serviços para desempenhar suas atividades em saúde. Por sua vez, municípios de difícil acesso enfrentam desafio maior para promover a fixação e o provimento de profissionais de saúde.

Cultura dos povos originários da floresta amazônica na gestação e no puerpério: uma revisão de escopo sob o ponto de vista da segurança alimentar e nutricional

RESUMO A desnutrição na população indígena é um problema de saúde pública atual e uma das principais causas de morbimortalidade das crianças desses grupos no Brasil. Para subsidiar ações de promoção da educação alimentar e nutricional, abrangendo povos da floresta do estado do Amazonas, Brasil, cujo território faz fronteira com a Colômbia, além da visita de campo em 2018, fez-se necessário, concomitantemente, mapear na literatura como essa população vive e de que maneira o cuidado é prestado. A revisão de escopo buscou tópicos referentes ao modo de vida das mulheres e crianças na Amazônia, à dieta durante o período gestacional e do puerpério, a práticas de aleitamento, à introdução de alimentos sólidos ao bebê e aos cuidados dos serviços de saúde. Como resultado, foram recuperados 21 estudos multidisciplinares. Encontrou-se que a comida tradicional tem valor nutricional maior do que a industrializada, a culinária local é uma fonte de renda das mulheres indígenas no meio urbano e um elo entre etnias. Conclui-se que as pesquisas devem incorporar o paradigma da promoção da saúde e abranger temas como a aculturação indígena nos centros urbanos amazônicos, a chegada da internet nas aldeias e o papel do cuidado à distância, que necessitam ser investigados para melhor enfrentamento do problema.

Acesso e acolhimento na Atenção Básica da região Oeste do Pará

RESUMO O artigo teve como objetivo geral analisar as condições de acesso e acolhimento da Atenção Básica na região de saúde do Baixo Amazonas, localizada no Oeste do Pará, sob a perspectiva das equipes de saúde e dos usuários. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva e quantitativa, na qual foram utilizados dados secundários do segundo ciclo do PMAQ-AB, ano 2014. Foram selecionadas variáveis do Instrumento de Avaliação Externa dos módulos II (profissional) e III (usuários). Consideraram-se 58 equipes de saúde e 232 usuários de 11 municípios da região de saúde. Alguns avanços notáveis no processo de trabalho das equipes estão relacionados com formas de agendamento, Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) próximas aos domicílios dos usuários, horário de funcionamento e implantação do acolhimento. Contudo, há dificuldades na organização da agenda e necessidade de fichas e fila para que o usuário chegue ao atendimento. A pesquisa revelou alta porcentagem de implantação do acolhimento como parte do cotidiano de trabalho das equipes, entretanto, cabe avaliar não apenas a existência, mas também a qualidade do acolhimento, visto que este é mais do que uma triagem ao médico. De modo geral, ainda persistem obstáculos no processo de escuta e na resolutividade das necessidades de saúde dos usuários.

Avaliação de desempenho da regionalização da vigilância em saúde em seis Regiões de Saúde brasileiras

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desempenho da regionalização da vigilância em saúde em seis Regiões de Saúde com diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento no Brasil. Adotou-se uma abordagem quantitativa transversal e os dados foram coletados utilizando-se um questionário estruturado, elaborado com base nas três dimensões da pesquisa (Política, Estrutura e Organização), aplicado a 31 atores-chave da vigilância em saúde das Regiões de Saúde e dos municípios selecionados. Utilizou-se, como tendência central, o escore médio, e para cada dimensão e atributo foram construídos índices sintéticos. Atribuíram-se três pontos de corte para avaliação do desempenho: valores iguais ou abaixo de 4,99 foram considerados insatisfatórios; entre 5,00 e 6,99, intermediários; e iguais ou acima de 7,00, satisfatórios. O estudo evidenciou que o desempenho da regionalização da vigilância em saúde foi considerado satisfatório apenas em uma região, intermediário em quatro e insatisfatório também em uma. Entre as três dimensões, os melhores desempenhos foram da Política e da Organização, e o mais frágil, da Estrutura. Conclui-se que, em geral, quanto maior o nível de desenvolvimento socioeconômico e da oferta de serviços, melhor o desempenho da regionalização da vigilância em saúde. A avaliação apresentada retrata a complexidade de contextos de diferentes regiões brasileiras, o que contribui para o entendimento da dinâmica da regionalização da vigilância em saúde no país.

Avaliação da satisfação de usuários a partir da Carta SUS, no Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

RESUMO Objetivou-se analisar a satisfação dos usuários e a caracterização dos serviços de atendimento hospitalar e ambulatorial do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Realizou-se um estudo transversal analítico por meio de dados de usuários que responderam ao instrumento Carta SUS entre 2012 e 2013, no estado do Rio Grande do Norte, no qual foi avaliada a qualidade da estrutura física, da equipe de saúde e do tratamento ofertado. Dos 17.333 usuários que responderam à Carta SUS no período estudado, 62,3% eram mulheres e 62,4% tinham acima de 40 anos. A maior parte dos atendimentos (56,8%) foi realizada na capital e em serviços públicos (70,3%). Os usuários apresentaram-se satisfeitos com os serviços, com um percentual que variou de 79 a 90%, de acordo com as regiões de saúde. Os homens e as pessoas com mais de 60 anos avaliaram mais positivamente os serviços; a alta complexidade e os serviços da capital tiveram melhores resultados (p≤0,001), assim como as unidades privadas. Ressaltam-se a importância da avaliação em saúde e a relevância de se analisar, divulgar e dar continuidade ao instrumento Carta SUS, com vistas a subsidiar mais estudos e reflexões sobre a qualidade dos serviços.

Acesso e cobertura da Atenção Primária à Saúde para populações rurais e urbanas na região norte do Brasil

RESUMO Iniquidades de acesso ao Sistema Único de Saúde comprometem a garantia de cuidados primários de saúde para populações rurais e para outros grupos em situação de vulnerabilidade. Estudo transversal que avaliou acesso de usuários e cobertura assistencial de Equipes de Saúde da Família (EqSF) dos sete estados da região norte do Brasil e que aderiram à avaliação externa do segundo ciclo Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). Os dados do PMAQ-AB foram relacionados a indicadores demográficos, socioeconômicos e de saúde, por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Spearman. Para o conjunto da região, a cobertura assistencial de equipes sediadas em área rural, urbana e urbana que declararam atender a populações rurais foi de 83,3%. Coberturas entre 90-100% foram encontradas para o Acre, o Amapá, Roraima e o Tocantins. Menores percentuais foram encontrados no Pará (50,5%) e no Amazonas (60,5%). A extensão de cobertura encobre barreiras de acesso geográfico ligadas à concentração de equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família nos espaços urbanos, situação que se estende a 451 (25,3%) unidades e a 494 (22,9%) equipes encarregadas do atendimento de populações rurais, mas que atuam em espaço urbano, adicionando barreiras à chegada dos usuários às unidades. Dificuldades no acolhimento à demanda espontânea, agendamento de consulta e disponibilidade de transporte para o atendimento também foram reportadas.

History and perspectives on how to ensure antivenom accessibility in the most remote areas in Brazil

A plan to achieve self-sufficiency in manufacturing biologicals for public health has been structured for the last 40 years in Brazil, in the context of a reform in the health system. Industrial plants of the national public laboratories have been modernized, and a program for reducing morbidity and mortality of venomous snakebite has been created, as part of the National Epidemiological Surveillance System. The epidemiological data are essential to plan for the antivenom production of 400,000 vials of snake antivenoms per year, and the acquisition by the Ministry of Health, which is the exclusive purchaser in the country. Distribution is decentralized to reach hospitals in almost 3000 municipalities, and to provide free of charge antivenom treatment. The National Sanitary Surveillance Agency organized the regulatory environment to implement rules and supervise compliance of GMP procedures, elevating the quality of the biologicals that are produced, as well as reducing the costs in production. Despite all the advances in the health system, antivenom availability and accessibility is not uniform in regards to the most vulnerable parts of the populations, which inhabit remote areas in the Brazilian Amazon region. Better logistics and transportation of liquid form antivenoms is an issue to be addressed and realistic and comprehensive health programs for indigenous groups should be effectively structured, in order to reduce the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with snakebite envenoming.

The Regionalization Process in Brazil: influence on Policy, Structure and Organization dimensions

Abstract Objectives: to analyze the influence and performance on Policy, Structure and Organization dimensions in the regionalization process in five health regions in Brazil. Methods: a quantitative, cross-sectional study using primary data from 217 fulfilled interviews with managers, service providers and representatives of society in five health regions in Brazil. Calculation on the Influence Index that measures the contribution level of three dimensions in regionalization. Results: after analyzing the three dimensions that influence the regionalization process separately, it is necessary to point out that there is a better performance on the Policy dimension in front of all the others; on the other hand, Structure dimension shows itself to be feeble, configuring a real obstacle to progress the regionalization process; Organization occupies an intermediate place in all the regions of the study. The insufficient availability of physical, human and financial resources impedes to advance the regionalization and the achievement of its major objectives, which are the integration of services and coordination care. Conclusions: regionalization follows an uncertain path and without clear direction of its objectives, goals and deployed instruments. The Regional planning, in the case of health, is still a theoretical exercise.