Adriana Marcassa Tucci

Drinking patterns between men and women in two distinct Brazilian communities

OBJECTIVE A survey was conducted to compare gender differences in patterns of drinking in two stratified, urban and representative samples from two communities (B and RJr). METHOD The Genacis (Gender, Alcohol, and Culture: an International Study) questionnaire was used. RESULTS There were several significant differences in the demographics and patterns of alcohol use between these two samples. One had an older, more Catholic, educated, Caucasian population, with more women in the labor force. Data from B community showed that women and men had similar patterns of drinking. RJr had much higher use of alcohol among men, and almost 22% of those under 49 years old were binge drinkers. DISCUSSION Access, smoking, income and having a heavy drinker partner were important risk factors for womens drinking. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that when womens roles become more similar to mens, so do their drinking patterns.

Adaptation and validation of the depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS) to Brazilian Portuguese.

BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety have been associated with a range of symptoms that often overlap. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) is a single instrument to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. This study aimed to adapt and validate the DASS-21 for use in the Brazilian Portuguese language. METHODS The DASS-21 has been adapted following the translation-back translation methodology from English to Portuguese. 242 subjects completed the following assessments: the DASS-21, the Beck Depression Index (BDI), Beck Anxiety Index (BAI) and the Inventory of Stress Symptoms of Lipp (ISSL). RESULTS The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) result was .949, indicating that the adequacy of the model was high. Cronbachs alpha was .92 for the depression, .90 for the stress, and .86 for the anxiety, indicating a good internal consistency for each subscale. The correlations between DASS scale and BDI scale, BAI scale and ISSL inventory were strong. The factorial analysis and distribution of factors among the subscales indicated that the structure of three distinct factors is adequate. LIMITATIONS Older subjects over 65 years of age were not largely represented in this sample. A study specific to this elderly population should be conducted. Another limitation of the study was education level. The impact of low education in its applicability should be considered. CONCLUSIONS The findings support the validity of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the DASS-21 and add to the evidence of the DASS-21 quality and ability to assess emotional states separately, eliminating the use of different instruments to assess these states.

Violência entre parceiros íntimos e álcool: prevalência e fatores associados

OBJETIVO: Estimar a violencia fisica entre parceiros intimos e examinar a associacao entre a violencia e variaveis sociodemograficas, uso de alcool e outros fatores relacionados. METODO: Inquerito epidemiologico realizado com amostra probabilistica estratificada por conglomerados, representativa dos niveis socioeconomicos e educacionais do Municipio de Sao Paulo, que utilizou o questionario do projeto multidisciplinar internacional GENACIS (Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study). A unidade amostral foi o domicilio, onde todas as pessoas maiores de 18 anos eram candidatas a entrevista. A amostra final incluiu 1 631 pessoas. A analise estatistica utilizou o teste de Rao Scott e regressao logistica. RESULTADOS: A taxa de resposta foi de 74,5%. Predominaram mulheres (58,8%) e pessoas com menos de 40 anos de idade (52%) e com 5 a 12 anos de escolaridade. Nesse grupo, 5,4% relataram ter sido vitimas de violencia fisica por parceiro intimo e 5,4% ter sido agressores de parceiros intimos nos ultimos 2 anos. Predominou entre os homens o relato de que, na ocasiao da agressao, ninguem havia bebido e, entre as mulheres, de que ninguem ou apenas o homem o havia feito. Ser vitima, assim como ser agressor, associou-se a ser mais jovem e ter um parceiro com consumo pesado de alcool. Homens vitimas estiveram associados a baixa renda. As mulheres sofreram agressoes mais graves, necessitando de cuidados medicos e, diante da agressao, expressaram mais raiva e aborrecimento quando comparadas aos homens. CONCLUSOES: Os resultados ressaltam a importância da associacao entre uso de alcool e risco de agressao entre parceiros intimos e tem importantes implicacoes para a elaboracao de politicas publicas que enfocam esse problema.

Ajuste social em pacientes com transtorno afetivo bipolar, unipolar, distimia e depressão dupla

OBJETIVOS: Dados internacionais mostram que os transtornos afetivos tem uma prevalencia de, aproximadamente, 11,3% da populacao. Alem disso, sao uma das doencas que mais geram perdas sociais e nos relacionamentos familiares. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o ajuste social e familiar de pacientes com transtornos afetivos (bipolar, unipolar, distimia e com depressao dupla), comparando o resultado entre as categorias diagnosticas, alem de verificar quais variaveis estao associadas e conduzem ao pior ajuste. METODOS: Foram feitos a caracterizacao socioeconomica e demografica e um levantamento dos dados de evolucao e de historia da doenca por meio de um questionario elaborado para essa finalidade. Para a avaliacao de ajuste social, utilizou-se a Escala de Avaliacao da Incapacitacao Psiquiatrica (DAS/OMS, 1998). O relacionamento familiar foi avaliado pelo Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale (GARF/APA, 1994). Foram estudados 100 pacientes em tratamento, por pelo menos seis meses, no Ambulatorio de Psiquiatria da Faculdade de Medicina Unesp, Botucatu, SP. RESULTADOS/CONCLUSOES: Com predominio de mulheres, a maioria dos pacientes tinha no minimo dois anos de seguimento, idade acima de 50 anos, baixa escolaridade e nivel socioeconomico baixo. Nao houve diferenca estatistica significativa quanto aos dados socioeconomicos e demograficos. Na analise de regressao logistica, o diagnostico e o relacionamento familiar tiveram papel significativo no resultado de ajustamento social. Os pacientes unipolares e os distimicos tiveram melhores resultados no ajustamento social e no relacionamento familiar do que os bipolares e aqueles com depressao dupla.

Cytogenetic biomonitoring of oral mucosa cells of crack cocaine users

The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate genomic damage (micronucleus) and cellular death (pyknosis, karyolysis, and karyorrhexis) in exfoliated oral mucosa cells from crack cocaine users by micronucleus test. A total of 30 crack cocaine users and 30 health controls (non-exposed individuals) were included in this setting. Individuals had epithelial cells from cheek mechanically exfoliated, placed in fixative, and dropped in clean slides, which were checked for the above nuclear phenotypes. The results pointed out significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) of micronucleated oral mucosa cells from crack cocaine users. Exposure to crack cocaine caused an increase of other nuclear alterations closely related to cytotoxicity such as karyolysis in oral cells as well. In summary, these data indicate that crack cocaine is able to induce chromosomal breakage and cellular death in oral mucosa cells of users.

Alcohol use and falls among the elderly in Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil

The objectives of this study are to identify the pattern of alcohol use among the elderly and to analyze its association with falls. A population-based survey was conducted in a sample of Metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil, using the GENACIS questionnaire, Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study. Adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated using Poisson Regression with robust variance, and the dependent variable was the occurrence of falls. Interviews were carried out with 432 subjects whose average age was 69.5 years. Regarding alcohol use 50.9% were lifetime abstainers, 25.5% had not drunk in the previous year and 23.6% were current drinkers. Among the latter, 14 (13.7%) were heavy drinkers. In the previous year 24.5% people had falls, which were associated with being a heavy drinker and being older. Although a relationship between being a heavy drinker and falls found in this survey does not allow for inferences on causality, this association supports the hypothesis that alcohol abuse in later life might be related with health problems.

Gender differences in heavy alcohol use: A general population survey (the Genacis Project) of São Paulo City, Brazil.

The article examines patterns of alcohol consumption in a community sample from São Paulo City, Brazil. A household survey-was carried out with a representative urban sample, stratified by clusters. The GENACIS questionnaire was used in 1473 face-to-face interviews. There was a predominance of females (58.7%) and those under 40 years of age (53.2%). For both genders heavy drinking (HD) was associated with having an HD partner and feeling less inhibited about sex when drinking. For men HD was associated with a younger age (p = 0.006) and for women with drinking alone (< 0.001). A positive attitude towards drinking and sex and having a partner who also was a heavy drinker were thus predictors of HD for both genders. Younger men and women drinking alone were more at risk of heavy drinking.

Consumo de crack a partir das perspectivas de gênero e vulnerabilidade: uma revisão sobre o fenômeno

A complexidade do consumo de crack tem gerado grande desafio para os orgaos gestores. O objetivo deste estudo foi o de analisar criticamente, com base em revisao da literatura dos ultimos dez anos, as questoes de genero e as situacoes de vulnerabilidade associadas a esse consumo. Utilizaram-se as bases de dados LILACS, PUBMED e PSYCINFO, localizando-se 114 artigos, dos quais 20 foram selecionados. Os resultados dos estudos revelam que, em lugar de vulnerabilidade, ha fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento do abuso ou dependencia de substâncias psicoativas, bem como fatores de protecao, os quais se avaliam aqui com vistas a construcao de politicas publicas para essa populacao.

Padrão de consumo de álcool em estudantes universitários (calouros) e diferença entre os gêneros

The entry into the university and the new experiences can facilitate greater consumption of alcohol among students. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of alcohol consumption among freshmen students, to compare consumption between genders and to identify the groups most exposed to alcohol-related problems. For this, the Economic Classifi cation Criterion Brazil and The Alcohol Use Disorders Identifi cation Test (AUDIT) were used. Four hundred and seven students were evaluated. Data analysis revealed a risk consumption of alcohol in 17.5% of male students and 8.1% of females. In addition, higher risk consumption was found among those who practice physical activity and those who were from chemistry courses. The results suggest the need to develop preventive interventions at the institutional level, especially for male students, more exposed to excessive alcohol consumption and the risk associated to this drinking pattern.

Intervenção Breve para Redução do Consumo de Álcool e suas Consequências em Estudantes Universitários Brasileiros

O aumento do consumo de alcool entre universitarios tem gerado preocupacoes nos estudiosos da area que buscam intervencoes preventivas eficazes a diminuicao desse consumo. Este estudo avaliou o padrao de consumo de alcool e suas consequencias, antes e apos a aplicacao da intervencao BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screnning and Intervention for College Students) em uma amostra de universitarios brasileiros, sendo em sua maioria estudantes do sexo feminino (53,1%) e da faixa etaria de 18 a 24 anos (84,4%). Foram utilizados os instrumentos The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) e o Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index(RAPI) para caracterizacao do consumo de alcool e levantamento de suas consequencias. Os que pontuaram acima de oito no AUDIT foram convidados a participar de um grupo experimental ou controle. A analise dos dados revelou que nao houve diferenca estatisticamente significativa entre os grupos apos a intervencao. Em ambos os grupos houve: diminuicao das doses consumidas, menos pratica de binge drinking e reducao de algumas das consequencias negativas. Tal resultado indica uma importante contribuicao na area e sugere que o levantamento do padrao de consumo de alcool e o seu respectivo feedbackpode gerar efeitos positivos na diminuicao do consumo de alcool, assim como das suas consequencias entre estudantes universitarios.