The Impact of ICT on Health Promotion: A Randomized Experiment with Diabetic Patients

This paper summarizes randomized experiment to study the effects of an Internetbased intervention on type 2 diabetes patients in Montevideo, Uruguay. The intervention consisted of a specially designed website and an electronic social network where participants were able to navigate freely, download materials, and interact with other diabetics and with specialists. No significant impact was found on participants` knowledge, behavior, or health outcomes. It was also found that only a minority of patients logged on to the website, and most were only reached by email and mobile text (SMS). Participation in the website is correlated with patients` characteristics, such as gender, marital status, and education.Randomized trial, Diabetes, Public health, Uruguay

Horizontal Inequity in Access to Health Care in Four South American Cities

This paper analyzes and compares socioeconomic inequalities in the use of healthcare services by the elderly in four South-American cities: Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montevideo and San Pablo. We use data from SABE, a survey on Health, Well-being and Aging administered in 2000. After having accounted for socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare needs, we find socioeconomic inequities favoring the rich in the use of preventive services (mammograms, pap tests, breast examinations, and prostate exams) in all of the studied cities. We also find inequities in the likelihood of having a medical visit in Santiago and Montevideo, and in some measures of quality of access in Santiago, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires. Santiago depicts the highest inequities in medical visits and Uruguay the worse indicators in mammograms and pap scans tests. For all cities, inequities in preventive services at least double inequities in other services. We do not find evidence of a trade-off between levels of access and equity in access to healthcare services. The decomposition of healthcare inequalities suggests that inequities within each health system are more important than between systems.inequalities, healthcare, medical visit, preventive services

The Impact of ICT on Adolescents' Perceptions and Consumption of Substances

This paper reports the results of a three-month randomized controlled trial to estimate the impact of an Internet and mobile telephone short message service (SMS) intervention on adolescents’ information about substances and rates of consumption. A low percentage of participants logged on to the Web platform, but most participants were reached through e-mails and SMS. It is found that the intervention was able to affect awareness that certain substances are drugs, but no significant changes in consumption habits were found.Randomized trial, Drugs, Smoking, Alcohol

Horizontal Inequity in Access to Health Care in Four South American Cities

ResumenEl objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el grado de inequidad socioeconómica en el uso de servicios médicos de la población adulta mayor en cinco ciudades latinoamericanas (Buenos Aires, Ciudad de México, Santiago de Chile, San Pablo y Montevideo), en base a los datos de la Encuesta de Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento relevada entre 1999 y 2000 (SABE, OPS/OMS, 2001). El análisis imputa el ingreso equivalente del hogar a través de la utilización de las encuestas de hogares de los distintos países, y considerando una amplia serie de indicadores de acceso, calidad y uso de servicios de salud. Una vez estandarizado el uso de servicios por las necesidades de cuidados, se encuentran desigualdades socioeconómicas pro-rico en el uso de servicios preventivos en todas las ciudades, desigualdades en la realización de visitas médicas en Santiago y Montevideo, y desigualdades en la calidad de acceso a la atención en todas las ciudades salvo Montevideo. Las desigualdades socioeconómicas dentro de los sistemas de salud públicos o privados explican una mayor proporción de las desigualdades en el acceso a la atención. Nuestros resultados son informativos en el contexto de las políticas recientes destinadas a la aplicación de paquetes mínimos de servicios. AbstractThe objective of this paper is compare socioeconomic inequalities in the use of healthcare services in four South-American cities: Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montevideo, and San Pablo. We use secondary data from SABE, a survey on Health, Well-being and Aging administered in 2000 under the sponsorship of the Panamerican Health Organization, and representative of the elderly population in each of the analyzed cities. We construct concentration indices of access to and quality of healthcare services, and decompose them in socioeconomic, need, and non-need contributors. We assess the weight of each contributor to the overall index and compare indices across cities. Our results show high levels of pro-rich socioeconomic inequities in the use of preventive services in all cities, inequities in medical visits in Santiago and Montevideo, and inequities in quality of access to care in all cities but Montevideo. Socioeconomic inequality within private or public health systems explains a higher portion of inequalities in access to care than the fragmented nature of health systems. Our results are informative given recent policies aimed at enforcing minimum packages of services and given policies exclusively focused on defragmenting health systems.Desigualdad horizontal, acceso al sistema de salud, Suramérica.

Horizontal inequity in access to health care in four South American cities

This paper analyzes and compares socioeconomic inequalities in the use of healthcare services by the elderly in four South-American cities: Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Montevideo (Uruguay) and San Pablo (Brazil). We use data from SABE, a survey on Health, Well-being and Aging administered in several Latin American cities in 2000. After having accounted for socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare needs, we find socioeconomic inequities favoring the rich in the use of preventive services (mammograms, pap tests, breast examinations, and prostate exams) in all of the studied cities. We also find inequities in the likelihood of having a medical visit in Santiago and Montevideo, and in some measures of quality of access in Santiago, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires. Santiago depicts the highest inequities in medical visits and Uruguay the worse indicators in mammograms and pap scans tests. For all cities, inequities in preventive services at least double inequities in other services. We do not find evidence of a trade-off between levels of access and equity in access to healthcare services. The decomposition of healthcare inequalities suggests that inequities within each health system (public or private) are more important than between systems.inequalities, healthcare, medical visit, preventive services.

The Impact of ICT on Health Promotion: A Randomized Experiment with Diabetic Patients

This paper summarizes randomized experiment to study the effects of an Internetbased intervention on type 2 diabetes patients in Montevideo, Uruguay. The intervention consisted of a specially designed website and an electronic social network where participants were able to navigate freely, download materials, and interact with other diabetics and with specialists. No significant impact was found on participants` knowledge, behavior, or health outcomes. It was also found that only a minority of patients logged on to the website, and most were only reached by email and mobile text (SMS). Participation in the website is correlated with patients` characteristics, such as gender, marital status, and education

Metodologias para produção, extração e caracterização de compostos antibacterianos

This doctoral project is based on two parts, one using text and data mining and another in laboratory providing strategies based on advanced analytical methodologies for the discovery of bioactive compounds (BC), with potential applications on pharmaceutical and biotechnological tools from fungi organisms. The primary goal of this project was using a text mining technique for identifying the topics of a relevant scientific text related to fungi bioactive compounds and evolutionary connection among these topics, as well as using visualization tools for presenting both the topics and the association among them, as a convenient way to help users to determine relevant topics. In the second part of this thesis, firstly, fungi species were cultivated in lab using a batch reactor. Then, these fungi organisms were extracted by using environmentally friendly extraction techniques, such as High-Pressure Extraction (HPE). Secondly, the extracted compounds were characterized using elemental analysis (CNHS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thirdly, the bioactivity was evaluated through antimicrobial assays based on European pharmacopeia. Finally, the project findings will provide relevant data to stakeholders involved in the economic recovery plan through the sustainable resource management.Este trabalho de doutoramento é baseado em duas partes, uma usando mineração de dados e texto e outra em laboratório, fornecendo estratégias baseadas em metodologias analíticas avançadas para a descoberta de compostos bioativos (CB), com potenciais aplicações em ferramentas farmacêuticas e biotecnológicas de organismos fúngicos. O objetivo principal deste projeto foi usar uma técnica de mineração de texto para identificar os tópicos de um texto científico relevante relacionado com compostos bioativos de fungos e a conexão evolutiva entre esses tópicos, bem como usar ferramentas de visualização para apresentar os tópicos e a associação entre eles, como uma maneira conveniente de ajudar os utilizadores a determinar tópicos relevantes. Na segunda parte desta tese, inicialmente, as espécies de fungos foram cultivadas em laboratório usando um reator descontínuo. Em seguida, esses organismos fúngicos foram extraídos usando técnicas de extração verdes, como a Extração de Alta Pressão (HPE). Em segundo lugar, os compostos extraídos foram caracterizados por análise elementar (CNHS), ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN) e espectroscopia de infravermelho por transformada de Fourier (FTIR). Em terceiro lugar, a bioatividade foi avaliada através de ensaios antimicrobianos baseados na farmacopeia europeia. Finalmente, as conclusões do projeto fornecerão dados relevantes às partes interessadas e envolvidas no plano de recuperação económica através da gestão de recursos sustentáveis.Programa Doutoral em Químic

a randomized experiment with diabetic patients

Se estudian los efectos de una intervención basada en Internet en pacientes diabéticos del tipo II residentes en Montevideo. Se diseñó un sitio web y una red social virtual donde los participantes podían navegar, bajar información e interactuar con otros diabéticos así como con especialistas. No se encontró un impacto significativo del uso de estas tecnologías en el conocimiento, comportamiento o resultados de salud de los participante

Oportunidades académicas de calidad para jóvenes en desventaja: tres años de evaluación de impacto de un centro educativo autogestionado en un barrio de Montevideo de contexto crítico.

ABSTRACT. We study the three-year impact of a private tuition-free middle school on the academic outcomes of poor students. Several features of the treatment school fit with innovative paradigms that have delivered successful outcomes in poor urban areas. Our research design exploits the excess of applicants over the school capacity and the fact that participants were selected randomly. Specifically, we follow a cohort of students that entered middle school in 2010 and that were randomly assigned to attend the treatment school or public school as usual. We find that the treatment school impacted favorably on students’ academic advancement and math competencies. Also, the treatment school had a positive —and quite robust over time— impact on students’ and their parents’ academic expectations. This culture of high expectations has been previously identified in the literature as a key input for school success.Resumen. Durante tres años evaluamos el impacto, sobre los resultados académicos, -de un centro de educación secundaria, autogestionado y gratuito, dirigido a adolescentes sin recursos económicos. Varias características de este centro educativo se ajustan a paradigmas innovadores que han mostrado resultados exitosos en zonas urbanas pobres de otras regiones. Hemos diseñado nuestra investigación de modo de aprovechar la existencia de exceso de solicitudes de admisión respecto a la capacidad del centro educativo en cuestión y al hecho de que los admitidos fueron seleccionados al azar. En concreto, seguimos una cohorte de estudiantes que ingresaron a la educación secundaria en 2010 y que fueron asignados aleatoriamente para asistir al centro educativo en cuestión (grupo de tratamiento) o a los liceos públicos de la zona (grupo de control). Encontramos que el centro educativo objeto de estudio impactó favorablemente en indicadores de avance en educación secundaria y en las competencias académicas (matemáticas) de los estudiantes. Además, el centro educativo de tratamiento tuvo un efecto positivo y robusto sobre las expectativas académicas de los jóvenes y de sus padres, en comparación al grupo de control. Esta cultura de altas expectativas que se observó en el centro educativo ha sido identificada en la literatura científica previa como un insumo clave para el éxito académico

The Effect of Acute and Intensive Exposure to Particulate Matter on Birth Outcomes in Montevideo

This study explores the impact of air pollution on adverse birth outcomes. The study focuses on the effect of breathable particulate matter with diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10) on the likelihood of premature birth and low birth weight (LBW). The study exploits the fact that in 2011 the ashes and dust resulting from the eruption of the Puyehue volcano in Chile substantially increased exposure to PM10 in Montevideo, Uruguay. Using prenatal and birth data from the Perinatal Information System for 2010-2012, it is found that increases in quarterly averages of PM10 concentrations beyond 50 μg/m3 decrease birth weight and increase the likelihood of LBW and prematurity at increasing rates. The results also suggest that the effect of PM10 on birth weight works mainly through a higher likelihood of prematurity, rather than through intrauterine growth retardation. The effects increase with each trimester of pregnancy: exposure during the third trimester is the most dangerous