Serosurveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases: A look inside the pertussis experience / Serovigilancia de enfermedades prevenibles por vacunación: una mirada desde la experiencia con la tosferina

Abstract Introduction: Serological surveillance (serosurveillance) provides the most direct measure of herd immunity of vaccine-preventable diseases. Little is known about the opportunities and challenges of serosurveillance experiences, particularly pertussis. Objective: To describe the process of serosurveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases with an emphasis on the experience of pertussis in the metropolitan area of Antioquia (Valle de Aburrá) in 2015 and 2016 and analyze the contributions and challenges for its sustainability. Materials and methods: We described the planning and conduction of serosurveillance of pertussis antibodies of mothers and in the umbilical cord at the time of delivery in eight hospitals based on random sampling and their capacity to advance the serosurveillance periodically. We compared the contributions and the challenges of this experience with other probabilistic and non-probabilistic programs. Results: We achieved the participation of hospitals and mothers respecting the delivery care process. We established a serum bank following ethical and technical guidelines. This program based on the random selection of hospitals and mothers has enabled the estimation of antibodies prevalence in mothers and in the umbilical cord, which has been possible given the high coverage of hospital care during childbirth at a lower cost and fewer risks than a population-based survey in conflictive areas. The main challenges for the sustainability of this program are the creation of stable jobs and access to funding and legal and methodological long-term frameworks. Conclusions: Hospital serosurveillance as described is an option to monitor the impact of vaccination on the population. Our experience could be reproduced in other regions under similar conditions if the above-mentioned challenges are solved.

Resumen Introducción. La vigilancia serológica es la forma más directa de medir la inmunidad de rebaño frente a las enfermedades prevenibles por vacunación. Poco se sabe acerca de las oportunidades y los desafíos de las experiencias de serovigilancia, en general y, específicamente, la de la tosferina. Objetivo. Describir el proceso de serovigilancia de enfermedades prevenibles por vacunación con énfasis en la experiencia en el caso de la tosferina en el área metropolitana de Antioquia (Valle de Aburrá) en el 2015 y el 2016 y analizar lo que dicha experiencia ha aportado y los desafíos que persisten para su sostenibilidad. Materiales y métodos. Se describió el proceso de planeación y el desarrollo de la serovigilancia de tosferina en el momento del parto en ocho hospitales seleccionados al azar, así como la capacidad para adelantar el programa de manera periódica. Se compararon los aportes y los desafíos en el curso de esta experiencia con los de otros programas poblacionales probabilistas e institucionales no probabilistas. Resultados. Se logró la participación de los hospitales y de las madres con pleno respeto del proceso de atención del parto, y se conformó un banco de sueros siguiendo lineamientos éticos y técnicos. El programa permitió estimar la prevalencia de anticuerpos en la madre y en el cordón umbilical, lo que se facilitó por la alta cobertura de atención hospitalaria del parto, a un menor costo y menos riesgos que los programas poblacionales en zonas conflictivas. Los principales desafíos para la sostenibilidad del programa son la estabilidad laboral del personal de salud, así como normas y una financiación de largo plazo. Conclusiones. La serovigilancia hospitalaria es una opción para monitorizar el impacto poblacional de la vacunación. Esta experiencia se podría extender a otras regiones en condiciones similares si se resuelven los retos mencionados.

Key factors in the perception of the quality of dental services provided by undergraduate students / Factores claves en la percepción de la calidad de los servicios odontológicos prestados por estudiantes de pregrado

ABSTRACT. Introduction: teaching clinics in health education in Colombia have been extremely important due to the connections between Higher Education Institutions and Health Services Providers, enabling internship services. This study seeks to identify the key factors in the perception of the quality of dental services provided by undergraduate students. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study observing the socio-demographic characteristics of students and patients related to the quality of the health care provided at dental clinics according to factors of students, patients, service assessment, and dental clinics agreements. Results: 70.8% of patients receiving dental services offered through dental clinics perceived the overall quality of the service as excellent; as per distribution by sex, the percentage of women seeking dental services is higher, accounting for 69.3% of the study population. Conclusions: most patients consider that the dental services they receive are excellent, considering both management of their disease and student's knowledge.

RESUMEN. Introducción: los escenarios de práctica clínica en la educación en salud en Colombia han tenido una importancia indiscutible y ello se debe a la articulación entre las Instituciones de Educación Superior y las Instituciones Prestadoras de Servicios de Salud, lo que ha permitido establecer la relación docencia-servicio. El objetivo de esta investigación es conocer los factores claves en la percepción de la calidad del servicio odontológico prestado por estudiantes de pregrado. Métodos: se diseñó un estudio de tipo transversal, donde se observaron las características sociodemográficas de los estudiantes y pacientes relacionadas con la calidad de la atención en salud en el servicio de odontología según los factores del estudiante, el paciente, la valoración de la atención y el convenio docencia-servicio. Resultados: el 70,8% de los pacientes que asistieron al servicio de odontología prestado mediante el convenio docencia-servicio percibieron que la calidad del servicio en general era excelente; con relación a la distribución por sexo, se encuentra que es mayor el porcentaje de mujeres que acude a los servicios odontológicos, ya que conforman el 69,3% de la población de estudio. Conclusiones: la mayoría de los pacientes consideran que los servicios odontológicos recibidos durante su atención son excelentes, con respecto al manejo de su enfermedad y a los conocimientos por parte del estudiante.

Tratamento homeopático da depressão: relato de série de casos / Homeopathic treatment of depression: series of case report

CONTEXTO: Não há estudos metodologicamente adequados sobre a eficácia da homeopatia na depressão. Relatos de casos clínicos são os primeiros degraus da evidência clínica, a caminho de estudos controlados. OBJETIOS: Relatar resultados preliminares do tratamento homeopático de pacientes com depressão no SUS de Jundiaí. MÉTODOS: Revisão dos prontuários dos casos novos, atendidos entre março e dezembro de 2006. O diagnóstico foi confirmado por entrevista estruturada. Os pacientes receberam homeopatia individualizada e a evolução foi avaliada pela escala de Montgomery & Åsberg (MADRS). RESULTADOS: Foram tratados 15 casos e observou-se resposta terapêutica (redução maior que 50 por cento dos escores de depressão) em 14 pacientes (93 por cento), após uma média de sete semanas de tratamento; um paciente apresentou piora clínica e foi encaminhado ao tratamento convencional. O escore média (± dp) na Escala de Avaliação de Depressão de Montgomery-Åsberg diminuiu de 24,9 (± 5,8) a 9,7 (± 8,2, p < ,0001) na segunda avaliação, resultados mantidos no decorrer da terceira e quarta consultas. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados sugerem que a homeopatia pode ser uma alternativa terapêutica no tratamento da depressão, mas estudos randomizados e controlados são necessários para se testar a eficácia e segurança do tratamento homeopático dos transtornos depressivos.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the efficacy of homeopathy for depression is limited due to lack of clinical trials of high quality. Case reports are the first steps of clinical evidence, towards controlled trials. OBJECTIVES: To report preliminary results of homeopathic treatment of depression in Jundiai's public health system, Sao Paulo. METHODS: Review of the medical records of new patients, treated between March and December 2006. Their diagnosis was confirmed by a semi-structured interview. Patients received individualized homeopathy and their response was measured by the Montgomery & Åsberg depression scale (MADRS). RESULTS: Fifteen patients were treated and response (more than 50 percent decrease of MADRS scores) was observed in 14 patients (93 percent), after an average of seven weeks of treatment; one patient had clinical worsening and was refered to conventional antidepressant therapy. The MADRS mean scores (± dp) decreased from 24.9 (± 5.8) to 9.7 (± 8.2, p < .0001) in the 2nd evaluation, and these results signifcance were sustained through the 3rd and 4th assessments. DISCUSSION: these results suggest that homeopathy may be an alternative therapeutics for depression, but randomized and controlled studies are needed to test the efficacy and safety of the homeopathic treatment of the depressive disorders.