SARS-CoV-2 testing disparities across geographical regions from a large metropolitan area in Brazil: Results from a web-based survey among individuals interested in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines

ABSTRACT After more than a year since the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) disease 2019 or COVID-19 has reached the status of a global pandemic, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Brazil. As no effective treatment been approved yet, only mass vaccination can stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and end the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates are under development and some are currently in use. This study aims to describe the characteristics of individuals who have registered in an online platform to participate in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, participants' characteristics according to age and presence of comorbidities associated with severe COVID-19 and differences of SARS-CoV-2 testing across different geographical areas/neighborhoods are provided. This was a cross-sectional web-based study conducted between September and December/2020, aiming to reach individuals aged ≥18 years who live in Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, Brazil. Among 21,210 individuals who completed the survey, 20,587 (97.1%) were willing to participate in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines. Among those willing to participate, 57.8% individuals were aged 18-59 years and had no comorbidity, 33.7% were aged 18-59 years and had at least one comorbidity, and 8.6% were aged ≥ 60 years regardless the presence of any comorbidity. Almost half (42.6%) reported ever testing for COVID-19, and this proportion was lower among those aged ≥ 60 years (p < 0.001). Prevalence of positive PCR results was 16.0%, higher among those aged 18-59 years (p < 0.009). Prevalence of positive antibody result was 10.0%, with no difference across age and comorbidity groups. Participants from areas/neighborhoods with higher Human Development Index (HDI) reported ever testing for SARS-CoV-2 more frequently than those from lower HDI areas. Interest to participate in clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines candidates in Rio de Janeiro was significantly high. The online registry successfully reached out a large number of individuals with diverse sociodemographic, economic and clinical backgrounds.

Transição dos Bacharelados Interdisciplinares para a Formação em Psicologia / Transition from an Interdisciplinary Bachelor Program to a Psychology Bachelor Program / Transición entre el Pregrado Interdisciplinario y el Pregrado en Psicología

Resumo Em 2009, o Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade Federal da Bahia propõe a área de concentração Estudos da Subjetividade e do Comportamento Humano como transição dos Bacharelados Interdisciplinares (BI) para o curso de graduação em Formação de Psicólogo. São sujeitos desta investigação os 13 estudantes egressos do BI que escolheram a transição para o curso de Psicologia. O modelo teórico-metodológico é o Sistema de Signos, Significados e Práticas, que aborda o objeto nos níveis factual, narrativo e interpretativo. : não há diferença entre coeficientes de rendimento escolar dos egressos do BI e demais estudantes de Psicologia; todos ressaltam positivamente a formação interdisciplinar do BI como relevante para o curso profissionalizante de Psicologia; a maioria reconhece sua decisão de estudar Psicologia como anterior ao ingresso no BI, atribuindo a este curso o amadurecimento da decisão; a maioria tem expectativa de exercer a profissão de psicólogo, contando com a formação prévia adquirida no BI....(AU)

Abstract In 2009, the Institute of Psychology-UFBA proposed the Concentration Area of Subjectivity and Human Behavior Studies as a transition from the Interdisciplinary Bachelor (IB) to the Psychology Bachelor. 13 IB students were chosen as research subjects. The theoretical-methodological model adopted was the System of Signs, Meanings and Practices, which addresses the object from actual, narrative and interpretive levels. : there is no difference in school performance levels between IB and other Psychology students; all IB students positively emphasized interdisciplinary training as relevant to the vocational course in Psychology; most of them recognized that their desire to study Psychology existed before entering IB, attributing to IB the maturing of their decision; the majority of them expect to work as psychologists, relying on the prior training acquired in IB....(AU)

Resumen En 2009, el Instituto de Psicología-UFBA propuso el área de concentración en Estudios de la Subjetividad y de la Conducta Humana como alternativa para hacer la transición desde el pregrado Interdisciplinario (GI) hacia el pregrado en Psicología. 13 estudiantes provenientes del GI que eligieron esta alternativa fueron elegidos como sujetos de esta investigación. El modelo teórico-metodológico elegido fue el Sistema de Signos, Significados y Prácticas que aborda el objeto en sus niveles factual, narrativo e interpretativo. : no hay diferencia entre el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes provenientes de GI y los estudiantes de Psicología; todos los estudiantes de GI destacan positivamente la formación interdisciplinaria del GI como relevante para la formación profesional en psicología; la mayoría de ellos reconoce su decisión de estudiar psicología como anterior al curso GI, atribuyendo a este curso la maduración de tal decisión; la mayoría espera ejercer la profesión de psicólogo confiando en la formación previa adquirida en GI....(AU)