Ideal cardiovascular health at ELSA-Brasil: non-additivity effects of gender, race, and schooling by using additive and multiplicative interactions.

This study aims to assess the non-additivity effects of gender, race, and schooling on ideal cardiovascular health among participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health – ELSA-Brasil. This is a cross-sectional study using data from the baseline of ELSA-Brasil, conducted from 2008 to 2010. The American Heart Association defined a score of ideal cardiovascular health (ICH) as the sum of indicators for the presence of seven favorable health factors and behaviors: non-smoking, ideal body mass index, physical activity and healthy diet, adequate levels of total cholesterol, normal blood pressure, and absence of diabetes mellitus. Multiplicative and additive interactions between gender, race, and schooling were assessed using the Poisson regression model to discuss intersectionality. The mean cardiovascular health score was 2.49 (SD = 1.31). This study showed a positive interaction between gender and schooling (women with high school and higher education) in both additive and multiplicative scales for the score of ideal cardiovascular health. We observed a trend towards higher mean values of cardiovascular health for increased schooling, with a marked difference among women. The lowest cardiovascular health scores observed reinforce the importance of understanding the psychosocial experiences that influence health attitudes, access to health care, and healthy lifestyle choices, which affect ICH, to reduce inequities in health and propose more adequate public policies that assist and prevent cardiovascular diseases.Este estudo visa avaliar a não-aditividade dos efeitos de gênero, raça e escolaridade na saúde cardiovascular ideal entre os participantes do Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto - ELSA-Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo transversal utilizando dados da linha de base do ELSA-Brasil, realizado entre 2008-2010. A Associação Americana do Coração definiu a pontuação de saúde cardiovascular ideal (ICH) como a soma dos indicadores da presença de sete fatores e comportamentos favoráveis à saúde: não fumante, índice de massa corporal ideal, atividade física e dieta saudável, níveis adequados de colesterol total, pressão arterial normal e ausência de diabetes mellitus. Interações multiplicativas e aditivas entre gênero, raça e escolaridade foram avaliadas usando o modelo de Poisson, como uma abordagem para discutir a interseccionalidade. A pontuação média de saúde cardiovascular foi de 2,49 (DP = 1,31). Este estudo encontrou uma interação positiva entre gênero e escolaridade (mulheres com Ensino Médio e Superior), tanto na escala aditiva quanto na escala multiplicativa, para a pontuação de saúde cardiovascular ideal. Houve tendência para maiores valores médios de saúde cardiovascular com o aumento da escolaridade, com diferença acentuada entre as mulheres. As pontuações mais baixas de saúde cardiovascular observadas reforçam a importância de compreender-se as experiências psicossociais que influenciam as atitudes em relação aos serviços de saúde, ao acesso à saúde e às escolhas de estilo de vida saudável, que afetam a ICH, para reduzir as desigualdades em saúde e propor políticas públicas mais adequadas como uma estratégia de assistência e prevenção das doenças cardiovasculares

Uso de contracepção por adolescentes de escolas públicas na Bahia

OBJECTIVE: There has been a growing interest in patterns of contraceptive use among adolescents, due, in particular, to the social relevance attached to pregnancy in this age group. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate factors associated with the use of contraceptive methods among female and male adolescent students. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted, by means of self-applied questionnaires, among 4,774 students ranging from 11 to 19 years of age. Prevalence with respect to the use of contraceptive methods during the first experience of sexual intercourse as well as the most recent one was calculated both separately, that is, for each of these events, and in conjunction as a measure of consistent use. Logistic regression was carried out for simultaneous analysis of factors associated with the use of contraceptive methods and in order to calculate adjusted measures. RESULTS: Among the 1,664 students who reported being sexually active, the factors positively associated with the consistent use of contraceptive methods among male students included a) postponing their first experience of sexual intercourse and interaction with a stable partner, b) the family as a potential supplier of contraceptive methods, and c) access to health services. On the other hand, among female students factors positively associated with the consistent use of contraceptive methods included a) recent sexual initiation, and b) having a father as their source of information regarding sexuality, contraception and STD/Aids prevention. Pregnancy was reported by 6.4% of the boys and 18.1% of the girls, its absence was associated with the consistent use of contraceptives by them (the girls) (Odds Ratio=3.83; 2.06-7.15). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the complexity of determining contraceptive behavior among adolescents and therefore reinforce the need to include multi-dimensional aspects of this theme in order to ensure the efficacy of sex education programs.OBJETIVO: O interesse sobre o comportamento contraceptivo de adolescentes vem crescendo, especialmente pela relevância social conferida à gravidez nessa faixa etária. Assim, realizou-se estudo para investigar fatores associados ao uso de métodos anticoncepcionais entre adolescentes escolares. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal que utilizou um questionário auto-aplicado em 4.774 alunos de ambos os sexos, entre 11 e 19 anos. Calcularam-se as prevalências de uso de contraceptivos na primeira e na última relação sexual e em ambas as situações (uso consistente). A regressão logística foi utilizada para a análise simultânea dos fatores e cálculo de medidas ajustadas. RESULTADOS: Entre 1.664 estudantes com iniciação sexual, os fatores associados positivamente ao uso consistente de contraceptivos pelos rapazes incluíram a iniciação sexual mais tardia, com parceria estável, contar com a família como fonte potencial de contraceptivos e acesso a serviços de saúde; entre as moças, ter iniciado a vida sexual há pouco tempo e ter o pai como fonte de informação sobre sexualidade, contracepção e prevenção DST/Aids. A gravidez foi relatada por 6,4% dos rapazes e 18,1% das moças, sendo sua ausência associada ao uso consistente de contraceptivos por elas (OR=3,83; 2,06-7,15). CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados confirmam a complexidade da determinação do comportamento contraceptivo entre adolescentes e a necessidade de que os programas educativos incorporem as múltiplas dimensões da questão para que tenham efetividade

Editorial

O editorial apresenta os anais do Seminário Nacional sobre Controle do Câncer Cérvico-Uterino e de Mama, realizado entre 29 e 31 de janeiro de 1985, no Instituto Nacional de Câncer, promovido pela CNCC/INCA, PAISM e Organização Panamericana da Saúde (OPAS), com o objetivo de promover o debate sobre questões prioritárias para o desenvolvimento das ações de controle no país e discutir estratégias de integração das atividades de controle às demais relativas à assistência integral à saúde da mulher

Sex differences in the association between self-reported sleep duration, insomnia symptoms and cardiometabolic risk factors : cross-sectional findings from Brazilian longitudinal study of adult health

Background: The U-shaped associations between sleep durations and cardiometabolic risk factors (glycated hemoglobin levels, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension and cholesterol levels) are still inconclusive. Moreover, as sleep is comprised of quantitative and qualitative aspects, exploring both insomnia symptoms and sleep duration are relevant when evaluating the potential effects of sleep problems on health. The aim was to evaluate sex-specific associations between sleep problems and cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from wave two of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), including 7491 women and 6232 men. Questionnaires were administered to provide information about socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle, and sleep characteristics. A 12-h fasting blood sample was drawn to measure serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and glycated hemoglobin. Blood pressure, weight and height were also measured using standard equipment. Generalized additive models were used to evaluate the curve shape of the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and the outcomes. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the magnitude of the associations of self-reported sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and short sleep plus insomnia symptoms with cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: For women, self-reported sleep duration and insomnia symptoms (either separately or linked to short sleep duration) were associated with obesity, hypertension and glycated hemoglobin after adjusting for the confounders. The magnitudes of the associations between self-reported short sleep duration plus insomnia symptoms and the outcomes were slightly increased, considering sleep duration or insomnia symptoms separately. For men, both long sleep duration and insomnia symptoms were associated with hypertriglyceridemia after adjusted for the confounders. Conclusion: These findings suggest possible sex-specific patterns, since obesity, hypertension and high glycated hemoglobin were associated with self-reported sleep duration and insomnia symptoms in women, but not in men, and reinforce the importance of considering quantitative and qualitative aspects of sleep for the prevention and management of the outcomes

Desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia de COVID-19: implicações para o controle no Brasil

The present narrative review synthesized scientific evidence regarding gender and race inequality in the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on women's productive/reproductive work, gender-based violence, and the access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS). The results demonstrated that the effective control of the pandemic and the preservation of rights should consider social inequality. Besides the direct effects of SARS-CoV-2, the literature discusses that access barriers to SRHS can lead to an increase of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Also, the social distancing has led several women to stay confined with their aggressors, which hinders the access to reporting services, incurring in the increase of gender-based violence and severe outcomes to health. As the main responsible for the care, women are more prone to get the virus in both professional and domestic spheres. The conciliation between work and family has become more difficult for them during the pandemic. Literature naturalizes gender, race, and social class differences, emphasizing risk factors. An intersectional research plan is needed to support the information of public policies that incorporate human rights and embrace the needs of the most vulnerable groups to the COVID-19.Esta revisão narrativa sintetizou evidências científicas sobre desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia da COVID-19, enfocando o trabalho produtivo/reprodutivo das mulheres, a violência de gênero e o acesso aos serviços de saúde sexual e reprodutiva (SSR). Os resultados confirmam que as desigualdades sociais devem ser consideradas para o efetivo controle da pandemia e a preservação de direitos. Para além dos efeitos diretos do SARS-CoV-2, discute-se que barreiras de acesso a serviços de SSR podem ocasionar o aumento de gravidezes não-pretendidas, abortos inseguros e mortalidade materna. O distanciamento social tem obrigado muitas mulheres a permanecer confinadas com seus agressores e dificultado o acesso a serviços de denúncia, incorrendo no aumento da violência de gênero e em desfechos graves à saúde. Como principais responsáveis pelo cuidado, as mulheres estão mais expostas a adoecer nas esferas profissional e doméstica. A conciliação trabalho-família tornou-se mais difícil para elas durante a pandemia. A literatura naturaliza as diferenças de gênero, raça e classe, com ênfase em fatores de risco. Uma agenda de pesquisa com abordagem interseccional é necessária para embasar a formulação de políticas que incorporem os direitos humanos e atendam às necessidades dos grupos mais vulneráveis à COVID-19

Context-dependence of race self-classification : results from a highly mixed and unequal middle-income country

Ethnic-racial classification criteria are widely recognized to vary according to historical, cultural and political contexts. In Brazil, the strong influence of individual socio-economic factors on race/colour self-classification is well known. With the expansion of genomic technologies, the use of genomic ancestry has been suggested as a substitute for classification procedures such as self-declaring race, as if they represented the same concept. We investigated the association between genomic ancestry, the racial composition of census tracts and individual socioeconomic factors and self-declared race/colour in a cohort of 15,105 Brazilians. Results show that the probability of self-declaring as black or brown increases according to the proportion of African ancestry and varies widely among cities. In Porto Alegre, where most of the population is white, with every 10% increase in the proportion of African ancestry, the odds of self-declaring as black increased 14 times (95%CI 6.08–32.81). In Salvador, where most of the population is black or brown, that increase was of 3.98 times (95%CI 2.96–5.35). The racial composition of the area of residence was also associated with the probability of selfdeclaring as black or brown. Every 10% increase in the proportion of black and brown inhabitants in the residential census tract increased the odds of self-declaring as black by 1.33 times (95%CI 1.24–1.42). Ancestry alone does not explain self-declared race/colour. An emphasis on multiple situational contexts (both individual and collective) provides a more comprehensive framework for the study of the predictors of self-declared race/colour, a highly relevant construct in many different scenarios, such as public policy, sociology and medicine

Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia

p. 151-8A pesquisa epidemiológica tem crescido muito no Brasil, o que pode ser atribuído em parte à expansão da formação pós-graduada. Mudanças na avaliação dos programas, conjugando qualidade e eficiência, têm colocado desafios para a formação em pesquisa impulsionando o desenvolvimento de estratégias pedagógicas variadas. Neste artigo, pretendo debater a proposta de “consórcio de pesquisas” do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, destacando algumas implicações pedagógicas deste modelo e apresentando em contraste a estratégia adotada pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva da Universidade Federal da Bahia para formação em pesquisa epidemiológica. Procuro contextualizar o debate situando-o brevemente no quadro da epidemiologia brasileira, suas principais características de desenvolvimento e pontuando o potencial dos inquéritos domiciliares como ferramenta de diagnóstico de saúde para subsidiar políticas públicas. Após discutir as principais vantagens e limites dos modelos adotados em dois importantes pólos de ensino e pesquisa epidemiológica no país, concluo levantando algumas questões que se colocam como desafios para formação pós-graduada de pesquisadores na atualidade

Cad. Saúde Pública

Rio de Janeir

International Journal of Epidemiology

Chronic diseases are a global problem, yet information on their determinants is generally scant in low and middle income countries. The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) aims to contribute relevant information regarding the development and progression of clinical and subclinical chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, in one such setting. At Visit 1, we enrolled 15105 civil servants from predefined universities or research institutes. Baseline assessment (2008–10) included detailed interviews and measurements to assess social and biological determinants of health, as well as various clinical and subclinical conditions related to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mental health. A second visit of interviews and examinations is under way (2012–14) to enrich the assessment of cohort exposures and to detect initial incident events. Annual surveillance has been conducted since 2009 for the ascertainment of incident events. Biological samples (sera, plasma, urine and DNA) obtained at both visits have been placed in long-term storage. Baseline data are available for analyses, and collaboration via specific research proposals directed to study investigators is welcome.Londo