An ecological time-series study of heat-related mortality in three European cities

BACKGROUND: Europe has experienced warmer summers in the past two decades and there is a need to describe the determinants of heat-related mortality to better inform public health activities during hot weather. We investigated the effect of high temperatures on daily mortality in three cities in Europe (Budapest, London, and Milan), using a standard approach. METHODS: An ecological time-series study of daily mortality was conducted in three cities using Poisson generalized linear models allowing for over-dispersion. Secular trends in mortality and seasonal confounding factors were controlled for using cubic smoothing splines of time. Heat exposure was modelled using average values of the temperature measure on the same day as death (lag 0) and the day before (lag 1). The heat effect was quantified assuming a linear increase in risk above a cut-point for each city. Socio-economic status indicators and census data were linked with mortality data for stratified analyses. RESULTS: The risk of heat-related death increased with age, and females had a greater risk than males in age groups > or =65 years in London and Milan. The relative risks of mortality (per degrees C) above the heat cut-point by gender and age were: (i) Male 1.10 (95%CI: 1.07-1.12) and Female 1.07 (1.05-1.10) for 75-84 years, (ii) M 1.10 (1.06-1.14) and F 1.08 (1.06-1.11) for > or = or =85 years in Budapest (> or =24 degrees C); (i) M 1.03 (1.01-1.04) and F 1.07 (1.05-1.09), (ii) M 1.05 (1.03-1.07) and F 1.08 (1.07-1.10) in London (> or =20 degrees C); and (i) M 1.08 (1.03-1.14) and F 1.20 (1.15-1.26), (ii) M 1.18 (1.11-1.26) and F 1.19 (1.15-1.24) in Milan (> or =26 degrees C). Mortality from external causes increases at higher temperatures as well as that from respiratory and cardiovascular disease. There was no clear evidence of effect modification by socio-economic status in either Budapest or London, but there was a seemingly higher risk for affluent non-elderly adults in Milan. CONCLUSION: We found broadly consistent determinants (age, gender, and cause of death) of heat related mortality in three European cities using a standard approach. Our results are consistent with previous evidence for individual determinants, and also confirm the lack of a strong socio-economic gradient in heat health effects currently in Europe

Assessment and management of pain in newborns hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objective: to determine the frequency of pain, to verify the measures adopted for pain relief during the first seven days of hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and to identify the type and frequency of invasive procedures to which newborns are submitted. Method: cross-sectional retrospective study. Out of the 188 hospitalizations occurred during the 12-month period, 171 were included in the study. The data were collected from the charts and the presence of pain was analyzed based on the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale and on nursing notes suggestions of pain. For statistical analysis, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used, and the significance level was set at 5%. Results: there was at least one record of pain in 50.3% of the hospitalizations, according to the pain scale adopted or nursing note. The newborns underwent a mean of 6.6 invasive procedures per day. Only 32.5% of the pain records resulted in the adoption of pharmacological or non-pharmacological intervention for pain relief. Conclusion: newborns are frequently exposed to pain and the low frequency of pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions reinforces the undertreatment of this condition

Being a father of a premature newborn at neonatal intensive care unit: from parenthood to fatherhood Being a father of a premature newborn at NICU

Ser pai de recém-nascido prematuro na unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal: da parentalidade a paternidade Cómo ser padre de un recién-nascido prematuro en una unidad neonatal de cuidados intensivos: de la distancia del parentesco a la paternidad Os pais demonstraram viver a transição social e cultural da paternidade, com superação ainda tímida do modelo hegemônico. Ao mesmo tempo, entendem seu papel fundamental de provisão financeira e demonstram desejo em cuidar do seu filho. Os profissionais de saúde devem proporcionar essa aproximação para fortalecimento da paternidade. Participaron veintidós hombres cuyos hijos prematuros estaban hospitalizados. Los dados fueron colectados por medio de diario de campo, observación participante y encuestas semiestructuradas. Resultados: El padre tiene un papel fundamental en el proceso reproductivo, además de proteger la mujer durante el embarazo y después del parto. Él también vivencia intensa realización en el nacimiento. Sin embargo, tener un prematuro hospitalizado es una experiencia inesperada y difícil. Palavras-chave: Conclusión: Los padres pasan por un proceso de transición social y cultural en la paternidad, con tímida superación del modelo hegemónico, a pesar del entendimiento del papel de responsable financiero y del deseo de cuidar. Los profesionales de salud deben proporcionar tal aproximación para el fortalecimiento de la paternidad

Dor na criança desnutrida: percepção da mãe Dolor en el niño malnutrido: percepción de la madre Pain in undenourished children: the mother's perception

O objetivo foi identificar a percepção da mãe quanto a dor no seu filho desnutrido. Pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, utilizando entrevistas semi-estruturadas no Instituto de Prevenção à Desnutrição e a Excepcionalidade - IPREDE (Fortaleza-Ceará). As informantes foram mães que acompanhavam seus filhos desnutridos. De acordo com a análise surgiram as categorias: Busca à Instituição; Descrição da dor e Como cuidar da dor. Conclui-se, a necessidade de um trabalho da sociedade, respeitando os direitos do cidadão e sua cultura, com o intuito de reverter a dor na criança desnutrida.<br>El objetivo de esa investigación cualitativa era identificar la opinión de madres respecto al dolor de su hijo malnutrido. Se realizó entrevistas semiestructuradas en el Instituto para la Prevención a la Desnutrición y Excepcionalidad - IPREDE (Fortaleza-Ceará-Brasil). Los participantes fueron las madres que acompañaban a sus hijos malnutridos. El análisis reveló las siguientes categorías: Búsqueda de la institución; Descripción del dolor y Cómo cuidar del dolor. Se concluye que es necesario un trabajo de la sociedad, respetando los derechos del ciudadano y su cultura, con objeto de revertir el dolor del niño malnutrido.<br>This qualitative study aimed to identify how mothers perceive pain in their undernourished children. Semistructured interviews were realized at the Institute for the Prevention of Malnutrition and Exceptionality - IPREDE (Fortaleza-Ceará-Brazil). Participants were mothers who accompanied their undernourished children. Data analysis revealed the following categories: Coming to the Institution; Pain description and How to take care of the pain. Society needs to take actions, in respect of citizens' rights and culture, with a view to reverting this picture of pain in undernourished children

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of neonatal professionals regarding pain management

[[abstract]]Pain management is an important issue which impacts the prognosis of neonates in neonatal intensive care units. Evidence has shown that professionals’ knowledge and attitudes regarding pain management can impact the quality of their practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of neonatal professionals regarding neonatal pain management. A cross-sectional study was performed involving neonatal physicians and nurses, using a research questionnaire to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of professionals as well as to assess their practice of painmanagement. Research found an apparent discrepancy between the knowledge levels of neonatologists and nurses regarding pain assessment and management, with nurses displaying weaker professional knowledge and more negative attitudes toward pain management than did neonatologists. Additionally, research revealed a lack of knowledge and negative attitudes among participants regarding the provision of sufficient opioid analgesics to sick infants during invasive procedures and even for dying neonates. There is an urgent need for continuing education regarding neonatal pain management with the goal of empowering neonatal professionals; further research is needed into the question of how to translate education into more reliable practice[[notice]]補正完