Dificuldades financeiras, aspectos alimentares e de saúde em estudantes universitários, durante a pandemia de Covid-19 / Financial difficulties, dietary and health aspects in university students during the Covid-19 pandemic

Introdução: As dificuldades financeiras advindas da pandemia, em virtude de mudanças econômicas do país, além de refletirem no estado de segurança alimentar e nutricional e no estado de saúde dos indivíduos, acarretaram o aumento da evasão dos cursos superiores. Objetivo: Verificar a associação entre as dificuldades financeiras, durante a pandemia de Covid-19, com os aspectos alimentares e de saúde dos graduandos da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Método: Estudo transversal com graduandos da UFJF. Os dados foram coletados entre setembro de 2020 e março de 2021, através de questionário on-line. Utilizou-se Teste Qui-quadrado (p<0,05) para avaliar os fatores associados às dificuldades financeiras durante a pandemia. Verificou-se a razão de chances (Odds Ratio - OR) das associações encontradas. Resultados: Avaliaram-se 584 graduandos, dentre os quais se constatou que 31,7% passaram por dificuldades financeiras durante a pandemia. Notou-se que a presença de dificuldades financeiras no período pandêmico se associou positivamente à presença de Insegurança Alimentar e Nutricional (INSAN), à autopercepção negativa de saúde, à má qualidade do sono e às alterações de depressão, ansiedade e estresse. Além disso, os indivíduos caracterizados com dificuldades financeiras tinham maiores chances de apresentarem INSAN, percepção negativa de saúde, má qualidade do sono, bem como alterações nos níveis de depressão, ansiedade e estresse, quando comparados à sua contraparte. Conclusão: Conclui-se que as dificuldades financeiras durante o período pandêmico são associadas à presença de INSAN e aspectos de saúde alterados. Assim, ressalta-se a necessidade de criação de estratégias que visem à assistência financeira e psicológica dos graduandos.

Introduction: The financial difficulties caused by the pandemic due to economic changes in the country, in addition to affecting food and nutrition security and the state of health of individuals, resulted in greater evasion from higher education courses. Objective: To check the association between financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic with the dietary and health aspects of undergraduate students from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (Federal University of Juiz de Fora ­ UFJF). Methods: Transversal study with UFJF undergraduate students. The data were collected between September 2020 and March 2021, via an online survey. The chi-square test (p<0.05) was used to evaluate the factors associated with financial difficulties during the pandemic. We also checked the odds ratio (OR) for the associations found. Results: We assessed 584 undergraduate students, 31.7% of which were found to have gone through financial difficulties during the pandemic. We observed that the presence of financial difficulties in that period was positively associated with Food and Nutrition Insecurity (INSAN, Portuguese acronym), negative self-perception of health, bad sleep quality, and changes in depression, anxiety, and stress levels. Moreover, individuals characterized as having financial difficulties had a higher chance of having INSAN, negative perception of health, bad sleep quality, as well as changes in the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, when compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: We concluded that financial difficulties during the pandemic period are associated with INSAN and affected health aspects. Therefore, we highlight that there is a need for the development of strategies which aim to provide financial and psychological assistance to undergraduate students.

A study on social help for the medical care of senior citizens with great financial difficulties(SCGFD) in Luwan District of Shanghai / 中华医院管理杂志

Supported by various departments concerned of the district government, medical workers in Luwan District of Shanghai started in 1994 to set up in the whole district community based social help network for the medical care of SCGFD. In the last 4 years, the annual outpatient volume of SCGFD averaged 3.9 times and the annual visits received by SCGFD averaged 2.2 times. The conditions of 78.1% of SCGFD suffering from an illness turned for the better or became stable. The annual hospitalization utilization ratio averaged 5.4%. After hospitalization, 89.5% of SCGFD suffering from a serious illness fully recovered from their illness or were discharged after turning for the better. The average outpatient expenses per time, hospitalization expenses per day and per time of SCGFD respectively dropped 32.1%, 21.5% and 30.4%, as compared with the group of senior citizens enjoying free medical care. The authors hold that the social help network for the medical care of SCGFD in Luwan District is an easy to operate and effective community based medical security system for SCGFD. It has produced sound social repercussions after being put into practice. The controlled use of medical funds has ensured the normal operation of the network.