Bruno Pereira Nunes

Multimorbidity and mortality in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE To review literature and provide a pooled effect for the association between multimorbidity and mortality in older adults. METHODS A systematic review was performed of articles held on the PUBMED database published up until January 2015. Studies which used different diseases and other conditions to define frailty, evaluated multimorbidity related only to mental health or which presented disease homogeneity were not included. A meta-analysis using random effect to obtain a pooled effect of multimorbidity on mortality in older adults was conducted only with studies which reported hazard ratio (HR). Stratified analysis and univariate meta-regression were performed to evaluate sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS Out of 5806 identified articles, 26 were included in meta-analysis. Overall, positive association between multimorbidity and mortality [HR: 1.44 (95%CI: 1.34; 1.55)] was detected. The number of morbidities was positively related to risk of death [HR: 1.20 (95%CI: 1.10; 1.30)]. Compared to individuals without multimorbidity, the risk of death was 1.73 (95%CI: 1.41; 2.13) and 2.72 (95%CI: 1.81; 4.08) for people with 2 or more and 3 or more morbidities, respectively. Heterogeneity between studies was high (96.5%). The sample, adjustment and follow-up modified the associations. Only nine estimates performed adjustment which included demographic, socioeconomic and behaviour variables. Disabilities appear to mediate the effect of multimorbidity on mortality. CONCLUSIONS Multimorbidity was associated with an increase in risk of death. Multimorbidity measurement standardization is needed to produce more comparable estimates. Adjusted analysis which includes potential confounders might contribute to better understanding of causal relationships between multimorbidity and mortality.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment and associated factors among the elderly in Bage, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

It is estimated that until 2020 the elderly will represent 13% of the total Brazilian population, and there is increasing concern about healthy aging and low rates of cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of cognitive impairment, using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in a sample of 1,593 elderly aged 60 years old and more who were living in the community of the city of Bagé, Southern Brazil, in 2008. The Poisson regression model was used for estimating crude and adjusted prevalence ratios; their related 95% confidence intervals and p-values lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was of 34% and statistically associated with gender (female), age (older), schooling (less educated), lower economic classes, without retirement, with depression and functional limitation. The high magnitude with increased occurrence among poor and vulnerable groups contributes to the implementation of public policies in order to improve care, prevent diseases and promote the independence and autonomy of the elderly population.

Insegurança alimentar no Nordeste e Sul do Brasil: magnitude, fatores associados e padrões de renda per capita para redução das iniquidades

O artigo analisa a inseguranca alimentar em domicilios urbanos com criancas menores de sete anos de idade. Por meio de estudo transversal localizou-se, nas areas de abrangencia de unidades basicas de saude, 5.419 domicilios na Regiao Nordeste e 5.081 na Regiao Sul do Brasil. A inseguranca alimentar foi avaliada usando-se a Escala Brasileira de Inseguranca Alimentar. A prevalencia de inseguranca alimentar moderada ou grave foi 22,9% no Nordeste e 7,5% no Sul. Em ambas as regioes, na analise ajustada, a maior probabilidade de inseguranca alimentar moderada e grave foi identificada em domicilios chefiados por mulheres, com cor da pele materna preta e parda/mestica, com menor escolaridade materna, menor renda familiar per capita e beneficiarios do Bolsa Familia. A inseguranca alimentar moderada ou grave seria reduzida em 59,5% no Nordeste e em 45,4% no Sul, com uma renda familiar per capita minima de R

A nationwide population-based study of depression in Brazil

175,00 ao mes. O aumento da renda familiar dos mais pobres e a melhor focalizacao do Bolsa Familia sao essenciais para a diminuicao da inseguranca alimentar no pais.This article addresses food insecurity among urban Brazilian families with children under seven years. A cross-sectional study in areas covered by primary health care centers identified 5,419 families in the Northeast and 5,081 in the South of the country. Food insecurity was assessed by the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity was 22.9% in the Northeast and 7.5% in the South. According to the adjusted analysis, increased likelihood of moderate or severe food insecurity was associated with families headed by women, black or brown maternal skin color, low maternal education, low family income, and enrollment in the Bolsa Família program (conditional income transfer). Moderate or severe food insecurity would be reduced by 59.5% in the Northeast and 45.4% in the South with a per capita income of at least BRL 175.00 per month. Increased family income for the poorest families and better targeting of Bolsa Família are essential for reducing food insecurity in the country.

Socioeconomic inequalities in the access to and quality of health care services

INTRODUCTION The state of mental health of the population is considered to be an important and essential component of public health. Depression is the mental disorder with greatest prevalence in several countries around the world. METHODS This was a nationwide Brazilian survey with household-based interviews. The sampling process was at random and cluster-based, and performed in three stages: census tracts, households and individuals. One inhabitant aged ≥18 years was selected per household. Individuals at greater risk of depression were identified through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) algorithm, which uses internationally accepted diagnostic criteria. All analyses took into account sample weights. RESULTS A total of 60,202 individuals were evaluated and the prevalence of positive screening for depression was 4.1% (95% CI: 3.8-4.4%). After adjustments for potential confounding factors, depression was found to be greater among women, individuals aged either 40-59 years or 80 years or over, individuals living in urban areas, those with lower educational level, smokers, and among individuals with arterial hypertension, diabetes and heart disorders. Skin colour, marital status and alcohol abuse were not associated with depression. LIMITATIONS Characteristics of respondents and non-respondents in the sample could not be compared because data about non-respondents was not available. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of positive screening for depression in Brazil was similar to other studies conducted worldwide. In Brazil, this proportion reflects a considerable absolute number of people with greater risk of depression (≈5.5 million) that may require adequate management through the health system and services.

Sintomas depressivos em idosos residentes em áreas de abrangência das Unidades Básicas de Saúde da zona urbana de Bagé, RS

OBJECTIVE To assess the inequalities in access, utilization, and quality of health care services according to the socioeconomic status. METHODS This population-based cross-sectional study evaluated 2,927 individuals aged ≥ 20 years living in Pelotas, RS, Southern Brazil, in 2012. The associations between socioeconomic indicators and the following outcomes were evaluated: lack of access to health services, utilization of services, waiting period (in days) for assistance, and waiting time (in hours) in lines. We used Poisson regression for the crude and adjusted analyses. RESULTS The lack of access to health services was reported by 6.5% of the individuals who sought health care. The prevalence of use of health care services in the 30 days prior to the interview was 29.3%. Of these, 26.4% waited five days or more to receive care and 32.1% waited at least an hour in lines. Approximately 50.0% of the health care services were funded through the Unified Health System. The use of health care services was similar across socioeconomic groups. The lack of access to health care services and waiting time in lines were higher among individuals of lower economic status, even after adjusting for health care needs. The waiting period to receive care was higher among those with higher socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS Although no differences were observed in the use of health care services across socioeconomic groups, inequalities were evident in the access to and quality of these services.OBJECTIVE To assess the inequalities in access, utilization, and quality of health care services according to the socioeconomic status. METHODS This population-based cross-sectional study evaluated 2,927 individuals aged ≥ 20 years living in Pelotas, RS, Southern Brazil, in 2012. The associations between socioeconomic indicators and the following outcomes were evaluated: lack of access to health services, utilization of services, waiting period (in days) for assistance, and waiting time (in hours) in lines. We used Poisson regression for the crude and adjusted analyses. RESULTS The lack of access to health services was reported by 6.5% of the individuals who sought health care. The prevalence of use of health care services in the 30 days prior to the interview was 29.3%. Of these, 26.4% waited five days or more to receive care and 32.1% waited at least an hour in lines. Approximately 50.0% of the health care services were funded through the Unified Health System. The use of health care services was similar across socioeconomic groups. The lack of access to health care services and waiting time in lines were higher among individuals of lower economic status, even after adjusting for health care needs. The waiting period to receive care was higher among those with higher socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS Although no differences were observed in the use of health care services across socioeconomic groups, inequalities were evident in the access to and quality of these services.

Estrutura e processo de trabalho na prevenção do câncer de colo de útero na Atenção Básica à Saúde no Brasil: Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade – PMAQ

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in elderly. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of population-based sample of 1,593 individuals aged 60 years or more in the urban area of Bage, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2008. Data were collected in household interviews. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 18.0%, with the 95% confidence interval 16.1 - 19.9. The majority of the sample consisted of women (62.8%). The mean age was 70 years, with a 8.24 standard deviation (SD); 25.1% of seniors aged 60 to 64 years and 31.2% were 75 years or older. In the adjusted analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated (p value < 0.05) with the elderly female, yellow, brown or indigenous descendancy, lower economic status, retired, with history of heart problems, incapacity to basic and instrumental activities of daily living, worse self-rated health and dissatisfaction with life in general. Age, marital status, education, self-reported hypertension and diabetes were not associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in the population requires investment in preventive actions, noting the need for practices that promote active aging with the maintenance of functional activity, improving self-rated health and life satisfaction.OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors in elderly. METHODS Cross-sectional study of population-based sample of 1,593 individuals aged 60 years or more in the urban area of Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2008. Data were collected in household interviews. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation. RESULTS The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 18.0%, with the 95% confidence interval 16.1 - 19.9. The majority of the sample consisted of women (62.8%). The mean age was 70 years, with a 8.24 standard deviation (SD); 25.1% of seniors aged 60 to 64 years and 31.2% were 75 years or older. In the adjusted analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated (p value < 0.05) with the elderly female, yellow, brown or indigenous descendancy, lower economic status, retired, with history of heart problems, incapacity to basic and instrumental activities of daily living, worse self-rated health and dissatisfaction with life in general. Age, marital status, education, self-reported hypertension and diabetes were not associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in the population requires investment in preventive actions, noting the need for practices that promote active aging with the maintenance of functional activity, improving self-rated health and life satisfaction.

Falls and self-assessment of eyesight among elderly people: a population-based study in a south Brazilian municipality.

Objectives: to outline and examine the adequacy of the structure and processes used by Access and Quality Improvement Program (PMAQ-AB) teams to prevent cervical cancer during basic care in Brazil. Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out at all basic health units (BHUs), between 2012 and 2013. The prevalence of adequate structure (infrastructure and materials) and working processes for conducting the Pap test was calculated. The association of adequacy with characteristics of the units and their teams were measured using the prevalence ratio (PR) and confidence intervals of 95% (CI95%). Results: 38,812 BHUs and 17,202 healthcare teams were studied. The prevalence of adequate structure and working processes was 49% and 30%, respectively. The adequacy of structure and processes was associated positively with largely size of municipality and higher HDI. The prevalence of adequate structure was higher at units adopting the Family Health Strategy (PR=1.35; CI95%: 1.33-1.38) and the adequacy of their working processes was associated with having a registered population of <4,000 individuals and full minimal team. Conclusions: the structure and processes used to screen for cervical cancer need to be improved. Healthcare teams need to provide better quality intervention in relation to this program.

Padrões de utilização de atendimento médico-ambulatorial no Brasil entre usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde, da saúde suplementar e de serviços privados

This paper seeks to verify the association between falls and self-assessment of visual acuity in elderly people by means of a cross-sectional population-based study involving 1593 elderly people (aged 60 or over) from the urban zone of the municipality of Bagé-RS. Poisson regression was used for association analysis. Fall prevalence in the last year was 28.0% (95%CI: 25.8; 30.2), with 45.0% of these having suffered two or more falls in the same period. Elderly people self-assessing their eyesight as bad/very poor (10.0%) or regular (33.3%) showed a linear increase in fall occurrence when compared to individuals who considered their eyesight to be good/excellent. Self-assessment of eyesight showed itself to be an important factor associated with the occurrence of falls. This results entails the need to make progress with tracing elderly people with eyesight difficulties and its possible impact on actions to prevent the occurrence of falls.

Advice for salt, sugar and fat intake habits among adults: a national-based study

Indicators of supply, access, and use of healthcare are helpful for characterizing services, planning activities, and organizing demand. This study describes patterns of use of outpatient care and the associations with demographic and socioeconomic factors, morbidity, population size of the municipality and region, and administrative and financial classification of the provider. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 12,402 Brazilian adults from 20 to 59 years of age living in urban areas of 100 municipalities from five regions. Prevalence of outpatient care in the three months prior to the interview was 34.6%. The Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) accounted for more than half (53.6%) of the cases, health insurance was used by 34% of the sample, and out-of-pocket services 12.4%, regardless of region, population size, and morbidity profile. Patterns of use of health services remain socially determined, resulting from the supply, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health profile of users.Indicators of supply, access, and use of healthcare are helpful for characterizing services, planning activities, and organizing demand. This study describes patterns of use of outpatient care and the associations with demographic and socioeconomic factors, morbidity, population size of the municipality and region, and administrative and financial classification of the provider. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 12,402 Brazilian adults from 20 to 59 years of age living in urban areas of 100 municipalities from five regions. Prevalence of outpatient care in the three months prior to the interview was 34.6%. The Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) accounted for more than half (53.6%) of the cases, health insurance was used by 34% of the sample, and out-of-pocket services 12.4%, regardless of region, population size, and morbidity profile. Patterns of use of health services remain socially determined, resulting from the supply, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health profile of users.