Epidemiologia do desenvolvimento cognitivo de escolares em Jequié, Bahia, Brasil: procedimentos de avaliação e resultados gerais

The Experience of Sexual Stigma and the Increased Risk of Attempted Suicide in Young Brazilian People from Low Socioeconomic Group

This study was intended to analyze the intersection of experience of sexual stigma low-socioeconomic status, and suicide attempt amongst young Brazilians (11–24 years old). In each of the data collection periods (2004–2006: n = 7185; 2010–2012: n = 2734), participants completed a questionnaire-based instrument. Network analysis provided support for a Minority Stress Model, oriented around whether participants had experienced sexual stigma. Although suicide attempts decreased by 20% for participants who had not experienced sexual stigma, there was a 60% increase for those who had experienced sexual stigma. Of particular note were the increases in rates of reported community and familial physical assault, molestation, and rape for those who had experienced sexual stigma. An analysis of centrality statistics demonstrated that both experiences of this Minority Stress Model were fundamentally different, and that those disparities increased over the time frame observed in this study. At the center of this model, shortest paths statistics exhibited a direct conditioned connection between experiencing sexual stigma and suicide attempts. We discuss the social and historical contexts that contributed to these dynamics, and emphasize the need for policy change.

Attempted suicide in reproductive age women

In this study, we described the frequency of attempted suicide among women of reproductive age (10 to 49 years) in a General University Hospital in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil (conducted 2005). Relevant comorbidities associated with the suicide attempt were calculated. Secondary data were obtained through the hospital's records where attempted suicides were reported. Findings revealed 132 attempted suicides; most women took a toxic substance or their own medication. Half of the women previously had attempted suicide. Depression was the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis on discharge from the hospital, specifically borderline personality disorder, personality disorders axis B and depression without association.

Injury deaths in the metropolitan region of Florianópolis, Southern Brazil, 1996-2002

The objective was to analyse injury mortality in the metropolitan region of Florianópolis, Brazil, from 1996 to 2002. The study design was an ecological model. The mortality distribution was calculated along with the mortality rate due to injury in general and also by specific causes for each year during the study period and for the region's most populous towns. Injury mortality rates decreased in the period, but the homicide mortality increased by 103% when comparing the years 1996 and 2002. Most of the victims were children, young people and old people. This study confirmed a greater vulnerability among young people and the elderly, predominantly in the male population. The significant increase in the mortality rate due to homicides in this region was particularly noticeable and followed the same trend as has been observed in other regions of the country.

Suicide and Undetermined Deaths Among Youths and Young Adults in Latin America

In Latin American (LA) and the major developed countries’ (MDC) suicide and undetermined deaths are analyzed as methods of suicide and the number of undetermined deaths are similar, possibly containing hidden suicides. The goal was to test the likelihood that LA cultural attitudes lead to higher undetermined rates and more hidden suicides. We used 3-year WHO average mortality data to compare LA and MDC mortality by age and gender, and χ² tests to examine any differences. In 13 LA countries younger-aged (15–34) men and women’s suicides were higher than all-age rates, and undetermined deaths exceeded the suicide rates. Nine LA countries had significantly more undetermined younger-aged male deaths than females. Sixteen of 18 LA countries had significantly higher undetermined death rates than the MDC. LA younger-aged malefs24 146s differential suicide: Undetermined rates indicated they may contain substantial numbers of hidden suicides. Inadvertently, cultural attitudes to suicide may hinder prevention.

Prevalência de desordens de fala em escolares e fatores associados

OBJETIVO: Verificar a prevalência de alterações de fala em escolares e fatores associados. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado em amostra aleatória de 1.810 escolares de ambos sexos, matriculados na primeira série de ensino público de Canoas (Rio Grande do Sul), em 2001. Os escolares com idades entre cinco e 11 anos foram submetidos a teste de rastreamento, previamente validado para levantamento de alterações fonéticas e/ou fonológicas. Dados referentes à história de repetência escolar, sexo, idade da criança, escolaridade do pai e escolaridade da mãe foram levantados para testar as associações. As associações entre as variáveis foram analisadas pelo teste do qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de desordens de fala nas crianças estudadas foi de 24,6% e maior em crianças com cinco a seis anos quando comparadas com as crianças com dez anos ou mais. A prevalência de alteração de fala por volta dos cinco anos de idade foi de 57% e entre oito e dez anos, 42%. A proporção de alteração de fala foi semelhante entre os sexos. As alterações se associaram ao grau de escolaridade das mães e dos pais, 79,5% e 78,6%, respectivamente, com menos de um ano de estudo. CONCLUSÕES: Os escolares estudados apresentaram prevalência de alterações de fala maior que as encontradas na literatura. A escolaridade dos pais foi importante fator associado às alterações.

Investigation of A218C tryptophan hydroxylase polymorphism: association with familial suicide behavior and proband's suicide attempt characteristics

According to WHO, suicide accounts for about 1,000,000 deaths worldwide every year. In view of these dramatic data, several studies have tried to identify possible biological mechanisms and markers of suicide. Genes encoding for proteins involved in the serotonergic transmission are major candidates in association studies of suicidal behavior. The gene that codes for tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin, is one of these candidates. Two polymorphisms in intron 7 of this gene (A218C and A779C) have been described, but their role in suicidal behavior remains uncertain. TPH A218C polymorphism was analyzed in a sample of 248 psychiatric patients and 63 healthy controls. In addition, at least one close relative member was interviewed to assess family suicidal behavior history. Our research confirmed that a positive history of suicide attempts in a family member is associated with the chance of an individual to attempt suicide. Furthermore, we demonstrated that familial suicide attempts are more lethal and frequently more violent. We were not able to find significant differences of the TPH genotype frequencies between patients and controls. The TPH A218C genotypes were not associated with a history of suicide attempt and the lethality of the most lethal lifetime suicide attempt and suicide attempt method. The authors conclude that the A218C polymorphism of the TPH gene may not be a susceptibility factor for suicidal behavior in this group of psychiatric patients but confirm that a family suicidal behavior history increases the proband's suicide attempt risk.

Suicide in developing countries (2): risk factors

The majority of studies on risk factors for suicide have been conducted in developed countries, and less work has been done to systematically profile risk factors in developing countries. The current paper presents a selective review of sociodemographic, clinical, and environmental/situational risk factors in developing countries. Taken together, the evidence suggests that the profiles of risk factors in developing countries demonstrate some differences from those in developed countries. In some developing countries, at least, being female, living in a rural area, and holding religious beliefs that sanction suicide may be of more relevance to suicide risk than these factors are in developed countries. Conversely, being single or having a history of mental illness may be of less relevance. Risk factors that appear to be universal include youth or old age, low socioeconomic standing, substance use, and previous suicide attempts. Recent stressful life events play a role in both developing and developed countries, although their nature may differ (e.g., social change may have more of an influence in the former). Likewise, access to means heightens risk in both, but the specific means may vary (e.g., access to pesticides is of more relevance in developing countries). These findings have clear implications for suicide prevention, suggesting that preventive efforts that have shown promise in developed countries may need to be tailored differently to address the risk factor profile of developing countries.