Networks of social relations of elderly residents in Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo: an \ud epidemiological study

OBJETIVOS: Descrever o perfil sociodemográfico e a rede social dos idosos residentes na comunidade de Ermelino Matarazzo, por meio de inquérito epidemiológico. MÉTODO: Participaram deste estudo de corte transversal de base domiciliar 382 idosos residentes em Ermelino Matarazzo, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos. A amostragem foi probabilística, por conglomerados, em dois estágios. Foi realizado sorteio de 35 setores censitários do distrito de Ermelino Matarazzo, na zona leste do município de São Paulo, e, em 2007, realizou-se o recrutamento dos idosos residentes nos domicílios desses setores. Aplicaram-se o questionário sociodemográfico e um instrumento gráfico, o Mapa Mínimo de Relações do Idoso (MMRI). RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: A análise descritiva dos dados sugere que a população caracterizou-se por idosos de baixa renda e escolaridade, maioria casada ou viúva, aposentada e pensionista. Quanto à rede social, os familiares são o principal suporte dos pesquisados. Quanto ao tamanho da rede, a maioria dos participantes apresentou uma pequena rede social. Quanto ao estado civil, verificou-se que idosos viúvos possuíam uma rede social maior do que a de indivíduos solteiros. As variáveis de idade e renda familiar correlacionaram-se positivamente com o tamanho de rede social. CONCLUSÕES: O presente estudo aponta achados que entram em concordância com a literatura, quanto aos membros mais presentes da rede social dos idosos, familiares; ao gênero, feminino; quanto ao tamanho de rede, pequena. Ressalta-se que o estudo traz dados representativos da população idosa brasileira por se tratar de estudo com metodologia epidemiológicaOBJECTIVES: To describe the sociodemographic and social network of the elderly residents in the community Ermelino Matarazzo, through epidemiological investigation. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study of 382 elderly residents home base in Ermelino Matarazzo, aged over 60 years. The sample was randomly selected by cluster sampling in two stages. Was randomly selected from 35 census tracts in the district Ermelino Matarazzo, in the east of the city of São Paulo, and in 2007 held the recruitment of older adults living in households in these sectors. We applied the sociodemographic questionnaire and a graphic instrument, the Minimum Map Relations Aging (MMRI). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A descriptive analysis of the data suggests that the population was characterized by older people with low income and education, most married or widowed, retired and pensioner. As for social networking, family members are the main support of respondents. The size of the network, most participants showed a small social network. Regarding marital status, it was found that elderly widows had a social network larger than that of single individuals. The variables of age and family income were positively correlated with the size of the social network. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights findings that come into agreement with the literature, as more gifts to members of the social network of the elderly, family, gender, female, as the network size, small. It is noteworthy that the study provides data representative of the elderly population because it is a study of epidemiological methodolog

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Social support network for the elderly attending the Open University Program for Senior Citizens at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil

This study describes the social support network of older adults enrolled in the Open University for Senior Citizens at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 117 elderly or older adults, mostly female (78%), married (53%), retired (82%), and aged on average 65.32. Data collection tools included a questionnaire and a socio-demographic chart of the instrument called Map of Minimum Relationships of the Elderly. These data were entered into the Epidata version 3.1 and the SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Most participants had medium-sized support networks, characterized by 16.80 people who could assist them throughout the year with some of the listed activities (visits, keeping company, helping with household chores, personal care assistance, and financial aid). When the sample was stratified by age, it was found that older subjects had a smaller social network. Individuals in stable relationships had a greater social support network than did single individuals. The variables age and income were correlated with the size of the social support network. According to these correlations, the greater their age, the fewer the social interactions they enjoyed. Alternatively, the higher the family income of respondents, the greater the number of members in their social support network. The results suggest that social support networks shrink along the process of aging, although some variables such as income and marital status act as modulating factors, thus contributing to its continuation or to its steeper declin

Revisão sistemática de instrumentos de avaliação de rede de suporte social para idosos

É essencial analisar o suporte social segundo a visão do indivíduo para que seja possível a identificação da composição, da função e da qualidade de cada rede de suporte social. Para tanto, há instrumentos que possibilitam essa compreensão. Com base nesse contexto, objetivamos realizar uma breve descrição sobre os tipos de validação de instrumentos e analisaremos alguns questionários, escalas e gráficos que podem ser úteis durante a avaliação a rede de suporte social dos idosos e que são amplamente utilizados no Brasil e no exterior. Realizou-se levantamento bibliográfico por meio de estratégia de busca com base nos termos: “instruments of social networks”, “instruments of social support”, “elderly and social relations”. E seus correspondentes em português para busca na LILACS. Os resumos dos artigos recuperados foram analisados para verificar o atendimento aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. A avaliação das relações sociais é cada vez mais necessária, para uma atenção integral à pessoa idosa. O apoio familiar, fonte primeira de atenção ao idoso, está diminuindo acentuadamente, o que nos coloca frente a um grande desafio: estimular o apoio comunitário, para que identifiquemos potenciais recursos de apoio social. Para tanto, faz-se necessária a aplicação de instrumentos que nos permitam a realização de avaliações das relações de apoio, para posterior mobilização da rede social. Os instrumentos apresentados nesse estudo fornecem uma vasta orientação do tipo de ferramenta que melhor se adapta às necessidades do profissional, frente à demanda da pessoa idosa, possibilitando uma escolha adequada a cada situação, colaborando para uma abordagem integradora na área gerontológica

Características de rede de suporte social masculina e feminina no quadrante família do Mapa Mínimo de Relações Sociais do Idoso-MMRI, de estudantes frequentadores de Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade

Objetivou-se comparar as características das redes de suporte social de homens e mulheres quanto ao tamanho de rede, frequência de contatos e funções desempenhadas pela família. Trata-se de estudo prospectivo, de caráter sociométrico com 243 idosos de Universidade a Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade. Utilizou-se o Mapa Mínimo de Relações do Idoso. Houve semelhança entre os sexos nas médias do quadrante da família, total de registros na maioria das funções, exceto no auxílio às atividades domésticas, índices de suporte social. O tamanho de rede social foi similar nas redes pequenas, médias e grandes. No quadrante família, quase todas as funções apresentaram os mesmos valores. Para esta população, ambos possuem aspectos da rede de suporte social semelhantes, não apresentando diferenças significativas

Evaluation of a sticky trap (AedesTraP), made from disposable plastic bottles, as a monitoring tool for <it>Aedes aegypti</it> populations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dengue virus, which is transmitted by <it>Aedes aegypti</it> mosquitoes is the most important emerging viral disease, infecting more than 50 million people annually. Currently used sticky traps are useful tools for monitoring and control of <it>A. aegypti</it>, despite differences in efficiency, labor requirements and cost. In the present work, a field assay was carried out to evaluate the performance of a sticky trap (AedesTrap), produced using disposable material, in capturing gravid <it>Aedes</it> spp. females. Additionally, conditions necessary for the improved performance of the device, such as number of traps per site and location (indoors or outdoors) were evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During a one year period, traps were placed in a dengue endemic area in 28 day cycles. The trap, named AedesTrap, consisted of a disposable plastic soda bottle coated inside with colophony resin, which served as a sticky substrate. Disposable bottles were donated by restaurants, and traps were made by laboratory staff, reducing the cost of the sticky trap (less than U$3). Mosquito capture in indoor and outdoor areas was compared by placing the traps in laundry room, kitchen or bedroom (indoors) and front or back yard (outdoors). The relationship between the number of AedesTraps and quantity of captured mosquitoes was investigated by utilizing one or three traps/site.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During a 28 day cycle, a single AedesTrap was capable of capturing up to 15 <it>A. aegypti</it> in a house, with a mean capture of 0.5 to 2.63 females per premise. The AedesTrap collected three times more outdoors versus indoors. Similarly, the capability of detecting <it>Aedes</it> spp. infestation, and of capturing females, was three times higher when using three AedesTraps per house, compared with one trap per house.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>AedesTrap was shown to be capable of capturing <it>A. aegypti</it> and other culicidae, providing information on the adult mosquito population, and allowing the identification of areas critically infested by mosquitoes. Low requirements for skilled labor together with easy maintenance and low cost are additional advantages of using this sticky trap.</p

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings : the WARNING call to action

Abstract: Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or "golden rules," for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

10.1111/gcb.14904GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY261119-18