Paulo Roberto Saraiva Cavalcante

A violência doméstica contra idosos nas áreas de abrangência do Programa Saúde da Família de Niterói (RJ, Brasil)

Este artigo investiga a magnitude e as caracteristicas da violencia contra idosos no domicilio por pessoas de confianca no bairro da Ilha da Conceicao, em Niteroi (RJ), adscritos ao Programa Saude da Familia. Atraves de um inquerito domiciliar, foram entrevistados 343 individuos com 60 anos ou mais, selecionados por amostragem aleatoria simples. Para identificacao de violencia usou-se a Escala Tatica de Conflitos. As informacoes sobre identificacao, caracteristicas demograficas e socioeconomicas foram obtidas pela Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicilio. Avaliou-se a saude mental pelo Miniexame do Estado Mental. Para avaliacao da capacidade funcional, usou-se o Health Assessment Questionnaire. Quanto a suspeita de uso de alcool pelos homens, utilizou-se o instrumento CAGE; para a idosa ou cuidadora, o instrumento TWEAK. 43% relataram pelo menos um episodio de violencia psicologica. A violencia fisica foi relatada por 9,6% dos entrevistados; 6,1% referiram ocorrencia de violencia fisica grave nesse periodo. A prevalencia das diversas modalidades de violencia foi maior entre os mais novos, com maior escolaridade, entre os que apresentam uma das patologias que caracterizam o idoso como tendo uma vulnerabilidade (depressao e/ou incontinencia urinaria/fecal e/ou diabetes e/ou reumatismo) e entre os que moram com maior numero de individuos.

Avaliação da fluoretação da água do sistema de abastecimento público na Ilha de São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the fluoride levels in public water supply in Sao Luis island, Maranhao State, Brazil, during the month of October of 2006. A stratification sampling was applied, considering the water treatment station (06) and the different districts (46). For fluoride analysis it was used a specific ion electrode. The fluoride concentration varied for 0.05 to 0.84 ppm. Only one water treatment station (Italuis) presented an ideal concentration of fluoride. It was concluded that the fluoride levels need adjustments, evidencing that it is essential an external control for monitoring of those levels in public water supply of Sao Luis.

Limnological characteristics of three aquatic systems of the pre-amazonian floodplain, Baixada Maranhense (Maranhão, Brazil)

Preliminary information is provided on physical and chemical characteristics of three aquatic systems in the pre-amazonian floodplain, Baixada Maranhense: Pindare (Viana Lake) and the Pericuma and Turiacu rivers. Emphasis is given to the nutrients analyzed spectrophotometrically from the bottom sediments of Viana Lake. The water bodies differ from each other with respect to conductivity, total suspended solids and nutrient contents in the water, with higher values (except for total nitrogen) in the dry season. The main factors responsible for such differences, besides the annual flood, are the presence of macrophytes on Pericuma, riparian vegetation on Turiacu (both systems with lotic characteristics) and water buffalo at Viana Lake. Bottom sediments with low nutrient concentrations at Viana Lake may be due to the rapid mineralization of organic matter in this lentic environment.

Rainwater ammonium concentrations and estimate of ammonia emissions from domestic animals in Pinheiro and Viana, Baixada Maranhense

Rainwater samples (bulk deposition samples) were collected in Pinheiro and Viana. Rainwater pHs were higher than the range usually expected for unpolluted rain (5.0-5.6). The highest values were found in the beginning of the rainy season. High concentrations of ammonium found in the rainwater samples could probably explain the high pHs. Grazing animals and other human activities, combined with soil characteristics and climatic conditions can be the potential factors controlling the rainwater concentrations of ammonium in Baixada Maranhense.