Young People Who Meaningfully Improve Are More Likely to Mutually Agree to End Treatment

Objective: Symptom improvement is often examined as an indicator of a good outcome of accessing mental health services. However, there is little evidence of whether symptom improvement is associated with other indicators of a good outcome, such as a mutual agreement to end treatment. The aim of this study was to examine whether young people accessing mental health services who meaningfully improved were more likely to mutually agree to end treatment. / Methods: Multilevel multinomial regression analysis controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and referral source was conducted on N = 8,995 episodes of care [Female = 5,469, 61%; meanAge = 13.66 (SD = 2.87) years] using anonymised administrative data from young people's mental health services. / Results: Compared to young people with no change in mental health difficulties, those showing positive meaningful changes in mental health difficulties were less likely to have case closure due to non-mutual agreement (Odds Ratio or OR = 0.58, 95% Confidence Interval or CI = 0.50–0.61). Similarly, they were less likely to transfer (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.49–0.74) or end treatment for other reasons (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.50–0.70) than by case closure due to mutual agreement. / Conclusion: The findings suggest that young people accessing mental health services whose symptoms meaningfully improve are more likely to mutually agree to end treatment, adding to the evidence that symptom improvement may be appropriate to examine as an indicator of a good outcome of accessing mental health services

Population analysis of the GLB1 gene in South Brazil

Infantile GM1 gangliosidosis is caused by the absence or reduction of lysosomal beta-galactosidase activity. Studies conducted in Brazil have indicated that it is one of the most frequent lysosomal storage disorders in the southern part of the country. To assess the incidence of this disorder, 390 blood donors were tested for the presence of two common mutations (1622–1627insG and R59H) in the GLB1 gene. Another group, consisting of 26 GM1 patients, and the blood donors were tested for the presence of two polymorphisms (R521C and S532G), in an attempt to elucidate whether there is a founder effect. The frequencies of the R59H and 1622–1627insG mutations among the GM1 patients studied were 19.2% and 38.5%, respectively. The frequency of polymorphism S532G was 16.7%, whereas R521C was not found in the patients. The overall frequency of either R59H or 1622–1627insG was 57.7% of the disease-causing alleles. This epidemiological study suggested a carrier frequency of 1:58. Seven different haplotypes were found. The 1622–1627insG mutation was not found to be linked to any polymorphism, whereas linkage disequilibrium was found for haplotype 2 (R59H, S532G) (p < 0.001). These data confirm the high incidence of GM1 gangliosidosis and the high frequency of two common mutations in southern Brazil

Timeless standards for species delimitation

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Avaliação da satisfação de pacientes oncológicos com atendimento recebido durante o tratamento antineoplásico ambulatorial Evaluación de la satisfaccíon de pacientes oncológicos con la atención recibida durante el tratamiento antineoplásico ambulatorial Evaluation of the satisfaction level of cancer patients with the assistance recieved during ambulatory antineoplastic chemoteraphy

Este estudo descritivo, fundamentado na abordagem de resultados proposta por Donabedian, teve como objetivo avaliar o nível de satisfação de pacientes oncológicos com o atendimento recebido no Ambulatório de Quimioterapia de Adultos do Hospital São Paulo. A amostra incluiu 105 pacientes que aceitaram participar do estudo. A avaliação dos usuários foi positiva, tanto com o atendimento de enfermagem (54% muito bom e 46% bom), quanto com o atendimento global do serviço (50% muito satisfeitos e 46% satisfeitos). O nível de satisfação manifestado pelos usuários relacionou-se, principalmente, com a acessibilidade organizacional, o ambiente acolhedor e o processo assistencial nas dimensões da interação profissional/cliente e do desempenho técnico. No entanto, apontaram como medidas necessárias, evitar a falta de drogas e aumentar o número de vagas.<br>Este estudio descriptivo, fundado en el abordaje de resultados propuesto por Donabedian, tuvo como objetivo evaluar el nivel de satisfacción de pacientes con cáncer con la atención recibida en el Ambulatorio de Quimioterapia de Adultos de Hospital São Paulo. La muestra incluyó 105 pacientes que aceptaron participar de la investigación. La evaluación de los usuarios fue positiva, tanto con la atención de enfermería (54% muy buena y 46% buena), cuanto con la atención general del servicio (50% muy satisfechos y 46% satisfechos).El nivel de satisfacción manifestado por los usuarios se relacionó, principalmente, con la accesibilidad organizacional, el ambiente acogedor y el proceso asistencial en las dimensiones de la interacción profesional/cliente y del desempeño técnico. No obstante, apuntaron como medidas necesarias, evitar la falta de medicinas y aumentar el número de plazas.<br>This descriptive study, grounded upon Donabedian's outcomes approach, had as purpose to evaluate the satisfaction level of cancer patients with the assistance received at the Adult Chemotherapy Ambulatory of Hospital São Paulo. The sample was constituted of 105 patients who accepted to participate in the study. The patients' evaluation was positive both with nursing care (54% very good and 46% good) and with the overall care received in that service (50% very satisfied and 46% satisfied). The level of satisfaction manifested by the clients was related mainly to the organization accessibility, the welcoming environment and the assistance process, in its professional/client interaction and the technical performance dimensions. However, they also pointed out the need for measures aimed at preventing drugs shortage and the lack of vacancies for new patients

Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis B virus among the indigenous population of the Curuçá and Itaquaí Rivers, Javari Valley, State of Amazonas, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most serious public health problems in the world. In Brazil, HBV endemicity is heterogeneous, with the highest disease prevalence in the North region. METHODS: A total of 180 samples were analyzed and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semi-nested PCR of the HBV S-gene, with the aim of determining the prevalence of HBV-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in indigenous groups inhabiting the areas near the Curuçá and Itaquaí Rivers in the Javari Valley, State of Amazonas, Brazil. RESULTS: The prevalence of the HBV-DNA S-gene was 51.1% (92/180). The analysis found 18 of 49 (36.7%) samples from the Marubo tribe, 68 of 125 (54.4%) from the Kanamary, and 6 of 6 (100%) from other ethnic groups to be PCR positive. There was no statistically significant difference in gender at 5% (p=0.889). Indigenous people with positive PCR for HBV-DNA had a lower median age (p<0.001) of 23 years. There was no statistical difference found in relation to sources of contamination or clinical aspects with the PCR results, except for fever (p<0.001). The high prevalence of HBV-DNA of 75% (15/20) in pregnant women (p=0.009) demonstrates an association with vertical transmission. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the high prevalence of HBV-DNA in the Javari Valley, making it important to devise strategies for control and more effective prevention in combating the spread of HBV