Records and memory: observations on Brazilian demography in the Latin-American context

This article consists of a discussion, after an interval of 30 years, on the meaning of the turbulent 1970s in Brazilian and Latin-American demography. The authors use an approach that includes both self-criticism and celebration, bringing together written material and recollections about a phenomenon that, at that time, was a collective, scientific and political project in the region. The article thus deals with the social, political and economic context of the period, the characteristics of leading demographers of the time, the style of international funding for groups and institutions, and the critical character of scientific practice in demography during that period. In a critical appraisal of the intellectual history of a group, the authors recognize that the process under discussion allows for varying points of view and considerations. Bibliographic references are included in order to document some extant records and provide an agenda for those who may also want to study the same period.Trata-se de uma reflexão, 30 anos depois, sobre o que significou o fervilhante período dos anos 70 na demografia do Brasil e da América Latina. Seguindo um estilo de autocrítica e celebração, são utilizados registros escritos e da memória do que foi, naquele momento, um projeto coletivo, científico e político na região. O artigo leva em conta o contexto social, político e econômico do período, as características das lideranças na disciplina à época, o estilo de financiamento internacional de grupos e instituições e o caráter crítico da prática científica na demografia daquele período. Como avaliação crítica da trajetória intelectual de um grupo, os autores reconhecem que o processo analisado comporta outras visões e apreciações. Referências bibliográficas são incluídas com a finalidade de documentar alguns registros e oferecer um roteiro àqueles que desejarem enveredar por conta própria pelo período.24725

Bases de dados orçamentários e qualidade da informação: uma avaliação do Finanças do Brasil (Finbra) e do Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde (Siops)

O artigo caracteriza e avalia o sistema Finanças do Brasil (Finbra) e o Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde (Siops) nas dimensões de qualidade de acessibilidade, oportunidade e clareza metodológica. Fez-se uma pesquisa descritiva com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa mediante fontes bibliográficas e documentais. Constatou-se que o Finbra e o Siops surgiram no contexto de descentralização das políticas públicas brasileiras, que exigiu, além do acesso às informações, maior controle das contas públicas. Os sistemas apresentam semelhantes vantagens quanto à acessibilidade e oportunidade, mas o Siops revelou-se com melhor clareza metodológica. Aponta-se que há necessidade de ampliar o conhecimento sobre essas importantes fontes de registro contábil dos entes subnacionais, com vista a seu melhoramento e aperfeiçoamento

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42·4% vs 44·2%; absolute difference -1·69 [-9·58 to 6·11] p=0·67; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5-8] vs 6 [5-8] cm H2O; p=0·0011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30·5% vs 19·9%; p=0·0004; adjusted effect 16·41% [95% CI 9·52-23·52]; p<0·0001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0·80 [95% CI 0·75-0·86]; p<0·0001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status