Assessment of the nursing skill mix in Mozambique using a task analysis methodology

BACKGROUND: The density of the nursing and maternal child health nursing workforce in Mozambique (0.32/1000) is well below the WHO minimum standard of 1 nurse per 1000. Two levels of education were being offered for both nurses and maternal child health nurses, in programmes ranging from 18 to 30 months in length. The health care workforce in Mozambique also includes Medical Technicians and Medical Agents, who are also educated at either basic or mid-level. The Ministry of Health determined the need to document the tasks that each of the six cadres was performing within various health facilities to identify gaps, and duplications, in order to identify strategies for streamlining workforce production, while retaining highest educational and competency standards. The methodology of task analysis (TA) was used to achieve this objective. This article provides information about the TA methodology, and selected outcomes of the very broad study. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive task analysis survey was conducted over a 15 month period (2008–2009). A stratified sample of 1295 individuals was recruited from every type of health facility in all of Mozambique’s 10 provinces and in Maputo City. Respondents indicated how frequently they performed any of 233 patient care tasks. Data analysis focused on identifying areas where identical tasks were performed by the various cadres. Analyses addressed frequency of performance, grouped by level of educational preparation, within various types of health facilities. RESULTS: Task sharing ranged from 74% to 88% between basic and general nurse cadres and from 54% to 88% between maternal and child health nurse cadres, within various health facility types. Conversely, there was distinction between scope of practice for nursing and maternal/child health nursing cadres. CONCLUSION: The educational pathways to general nursing and maternal/child health nursing careers were consolidated into one 24 month programme for each career. The scopes of practice were affirmed based on task analysis survey data

Efeitos do anticoncepcional oral mais espironolactona ou placebo no tratamento de hirsutismo : resultados preliminares

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Leptin and adiponectin in the female life course

Adipose tissue secretes a variety of adipokines, including leptin and adiponectin, which are involved in endocrine processes regulating glucose and fatty metabolism, energy expenditure, inflammatory response, immunity, cardiovascular function, and reproduction. The present article describes the fluctuations in circulating leptin and adiponectin as well as their patterns of secretion in women from birth to menopause. During pregnancy, leptin and adiponectin seem to act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion in the placenta and adipose tissue, playing a role in the maternal-fetal interface and contributing to glucose metabolism and fetal development. In newborns, adiponectin levels are two to three times higher than in adults. Full-term newborns have significantly higher leptin and adiponectin levels than preterms, whereas small-for-gestational-age infants have lower levels of these adipokines than adequate-for-gestational-age newborns. However, with weight gain, leptin concentrations increase significantly. Children between 5 and 8 years of age experience an increase in leptin and a decrease in adiponectin regardless of body mass index, with a reversal of the newborn pattern for adiponectin: plasma adiponectin levels at age five are inversely correlated with percentage of body fat. In puberty, leptin plays a role in the regulation of menstrual cycles. In adults, it has been suggested that obese individuals exhibit both leptin resistance and decreased serum adiponectin levels. In conclusion, a progressive increase in adiposity throughout life seems to influence the relationship between leptin and adiponectin in women

Circulating levels and subcutaneous adipose tissue gene expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor in polycystic ovary syndrome and normal women : a case control study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been recognized as a metabolic disorder, manifested by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a member of the serine protease inhibitor family, is a pleiotropic protein known for its antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties and has been shown to induce insulin resistance and play a role in glucose metabolism. Recent studies investigating circulating PEDF levels show elevated serum PEDF in association with insulin resistance in normal-weight women with PCOS, but not in obese PCOS patients. The aims of this study were 1) to assess PEDF gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) from women with PCOS and nonhirsute, ovulatory controls, and 2) to determine the circulating levels of PEDF in these groups. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from adipose tissue biopsy samples and reverse-transcribed to cDNA. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to determine relative gene expression levels. Results: The 22 women with PCOS and 14 non-PCOS controls included in the study had similar age, BMI, and fasting glucose, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol levels. Participants with PCOS exhibited higher 2 h oral glucose tolerance test levels (p = 0.006), total (p = 0.026) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.036), Ferriman-Gallwey score (p = 0.003) and total testosterone (p = 0.001) as compared to controls. BMI-adjusted PEDF serum levels and scAT gene expression were similar in the PCOS and control groups (p = 0.622 and p = 0.509, respectively). Circulating PEDF levels were not associated with scAT PEDF gene expression. Multiple regression analysis revealed that, in women with PCOS, insulin contributed positively and significantly to serum PEDF (p = 0.027), independently of testosterone. Conclusion: Serum PEDF levels and scAT gene expression were associated with metabolic risk factors, but did not differ between women with PCOS and age- and BMI-matched controls. Circulating levels and scAT gene expression of PEDF were not associated in the study subjects, suggesting additional sources for PEDF in addition to or instead of fat tissue

Polycystic ovary syndrome associated neoplasms

A síndrome dos ovários policísticos (PCOS) é a endocrinopatia mais comum em mulheres em idade reprodutiva, caracterizada pela presença de anovulação, infertilidade e hiperandrogenismo, e freqüentemente associada à obesidade e resistência insulínica. Postula-se que, a longo prazo, estas pacientes possam apresentar maior risco de neoplasias do trato reprodutivo como carcinoma (CA) de endométrio, mama e ovário. Um risco aumentado de hiperplasia e CA endometrial nessas pacientes tem sido demonstrado em vários estudos, embora seja reconhecido que a variabilidade dos critérios de seleção para o diagnóstico de PCOS em alguns destes estudos limite o valor dos dados. Apesar das pacientes com PCOS apresentarem características clínicas associadas comum aumento de risco de CA de mama, até o momento não foi possível relacionar com certeza a presença da síndrome per se com maior prevalência desta neoplasia. Finalmente, quanto ao CA do ovário, considera-se que altas concentrações locais de hormônios esteróides e fatores de crescimento representam fatores de risco para esta neoplasia. Apesar destas alterações serem comumente observadas nas pacientes PCOS não tratadas ou em tratamento para infertilidade, ainda são poucos os estudos que avaliam uma possível relação entre PCOS e CA de ovário, mas seus resultados, embora conflitantes, sugerem ausência de associação.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is themost commonendocrine disease in women on reproductive age. PCOS is characterized by the presence of anovulation, infertility and hyperandrogenism and is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. A major risk for neoplasms of the reproductive tract, like endometrial, breast and ovary cancer seems to be related to PCOS. While several studies have shown an increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in PCOS patients, the variability of the selection criteria for PCOS has been recognized as a potential bias for these data. PCOS women also present clinical characteristics that are related to risk factors for breast cancer and some epidemiological evidences have been described on this issue. However, until now, a clear association between the presence of PCOS and breast carcinoma has yet not been found. Finally, high local steroid and growth factor concentrations are considered risk factors for ovary carcinoma, and are frequently observed in PCOS women. In turn, few studies have addressed the possibility of a link between PCOS and ovarian cancer and the results are conflicting but suggest that this association is unlikely

Polycystic ovary syndrome associated neoplasms

A síndrome dos ovários policísticos (PCOS) é a endocrinopatia mais comum em mulheres em idade reprodutiva, caracterizada pela presença de anovulação, infertilidade e hiperandrogenismo, e freqüentemente associada à obesidade e resistência insulínica. Postula-se que, a longo prazo, estas pacientes possam apresentar maior risco de neoplasias do trato reprodutivo como carcinoma (CA) de endométrio, mama e ovário. Um risco aumentado de hiperplasia e CA endometrial nessas pacientes tem sido demonstrado em vários estudos, embora seja reconhecido que a variabilidade dos critérios de seleção para o diagnóstico de PCOS em alguns destes estudos limite o valor dos dados. Apesar das pacientes com PCOS apresentarem características clínicas associadas comum aumento de risco de CA de mama, até o momento não foi possível relacionar com certeza a presença da síndrome per se com maior prevalência desta neoplasia. Finalmente, quanto ao CA do ovário, considera-se que altas concentrações locais de hormônios esteróides e fatores de crescimento representam fatores de risco para esta neoplasia. Apesar destas alterações serem comumente observadas nas pacientes PCOS não tratadas ou em tratamento para infertilidade, ainda são poucos os estudos que avaliam uma possível relação entre PCOS e CA de ovário, mas seus resultados, embora conflitantes, sugerem ausência de associação.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is themost commonendocrine disease in women on reproductive age. PCOS is characterized by the presence of anovulation, infertility and hyperandrogenism and is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. A major risk for neoplasms of the reproductive tract, like endometrial, breast and ovary cancer seems to be related to PCOS. While several studies have shown an increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in PCOS patients, the variability of the selection criteria for PCOS has been recognized as a potential bias for these data. PCOS women also present clinical characteristics that are related to risk factors for breast cancer and some epidemiological evidences have been described on this issue. However, until now, a clear association between the presence of PCOS and breast carcinoma has yet not been found. Finally, high local steroid and growth factor concentrations are considered risk factors for ovary carcinoma, and are frequently observed in PCOS women. In turn, few studies have addressed the possibility of a link between PCOS and ovarian cancer and the results are conflicting but suggest that this association is unlikely

Circulating levels and subcutaneous adipose tissue gene expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor in polycystic ovary syndrome and normal women : a case control study

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been recognized as a metabolic disorder, manifested by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a member of the serine protease inhibitor family, is a pleiotropic protein known for its antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties and has been shown to induce insulin resistance and play a role in glucose metabolism. Recent studies investigating circulating PEDF levels show elevated serum PEDF in association with insulin resistance in normal-weight women with PCOS, but not in obese PCOS patients. The aims of this study were 1) to assess PEDF gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) from women with PCOS and nonhirsute, ovulatory controls, and 2) to determine the circulating levels of PEDF in these groups. Methods: Total RNA was extracted from adipose tissue biopsy samples and reverse-transcribed to cDNA. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to determine relative gene expression levels. Results: The 22 women with PCOS and 14 non-PCOS controls included in the study had similar age, BMI, and fasting glucose, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol levels. Participants with PCOS exhibited higher 2 h oral glucose tolerance test levels (p = 0.006), total (p = 0.026) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.036), Ferriman-Gallwey score (p = 0.003) and total testosterone (p = 0.001) as compared to controls. BMI-adjusted PEDF serum levels and scAT gene expression were similar in the PCOS and control groups (p = 0.622 and p = 0.509, respectively). Circulating PEDF levels were not associated with scAT PEDF gene expression. Multiple regression analysis revealed that, in women with PCOS, insulin contributed positively and significantly to serum PEDF (p = 0.027), independently of testosterone. Conclusion: Serum PEDF levels and scAT gene expression were associated with metabolic risk factors, but did not differ between women with PCOS and age- and BMI-matched controls. Circulating levels and scAT gene expression of PEDF were not associated in the study subjects, suggesting additional sources for PEDF in addition to or instead of fat tissue

Leptin and adiponectin in the female life course

Adipose tissue secretes a variety of adipokines, including leptin and adiponectin, which are involved in endocrine processes regulating glucose and fatty metabolism, energy expenditure, inflammatory response, immunity, cardiovascular function, and reproduction. The present article describes the fluctuations in circulating leptin and adiponectin as well as their patterns of secretion in women from birth to menopause. During pregnancy, leptin and adiponectin seem to act in an autocrine/paracrine fashion in the placenta and adipose tissue, playing a role in the maternal-fetal interface and contributing to glucose metabolism and fetal development. In newborns, adiponectin levels are two to three times higher than in adults. Full-term newborns have significantly higher leptin and adiponectin levels than preterms, whereas small-for-gestational-age infants have lower levels of these adipokines than adequate-for-gestational-age newborns. However, with weight gain, leptin concentrations increase significantly. Children between 5 and 8 years of age experience an increase in leptin and a decrease in adiponectin regardless of body mass index, with a reversal of the newborn pattern for adiponectin: plasma adiponectin levels at age five are inversely correlated with percentage of body fat. In puberty, leptin plays a role in the regulation of menstrual cycles. In adults, it has been suggested that obese individuals exhibit both leptin resistance and decreased serum adiponectin levels. In conclusion, a progressive increase in adiposity throughout life seems to influence the relationship between leptin and adiponectin in women