Factors to Effective Clinical Experience, Willingness to pursue Career in Rural Health Facilities among Nursing Students on Clinical Placement in Southeast Nigeria and Rural Development / Factores para una experiencia clínica eficaz, voluntad de seguir una carrera en instalaciones de salud rurales entre estudiantes de enfermería en prácticas clínicas en el sudeste de Nigeria y desarrollo rural / Fatores para experiência clínica eficaz, vontade de seguir carreira em unidades de saúde rurais entre estudantes de enfermagem em estágios clínicos no sudeste da Nigéria e desenvolvimento rural

Objective. To describe the Factors to Effective Clinical Experience and Willingness to pursue Career in Rural Health Facilities among Nursing Students on Clinical Placement in southeast Nigeria. Methods. The study was conducted among 48 rural health centres and general hospitals with 528 respondents from different higher institutions of learning serving in these health facilities for their clinical experience. The study applied survey design and utilized questionnaire instrument for data collection. Results. Majority of the students (60%) agreed that their school lacked functional practical demonstration laboratory for students' clinical practice, 66.7% agreed that their school lab lacked large space for all the students to observe what is being taught, 79.9% that their school lab lacked enough equipment that can enable many students to practice procedures; majority of the students (79.9%) answered that the hospitals where they are on clinical placement lacked enough equipment needed for the students on each shift of practice, 59.9% agreed that student/client ratio in each ward during clinical experience periods was not enough for students' practice under supervision, while 73.3% indicated that their school lacked library with current nursing texts for references. Personal, socioeconomic and institutional factors explain the 76% of the variance of effective clinical experience and the 52% of the variance of the willingness to work in rural health facilities in the future if offered employment. Conclusion. The factors surrounding effective clinical experience in rural healthcare facilities in southeastern Nigeria are unfavorable and could discourage future nurses from working there. It is necessary to implement strategies to improve the management of these centers in order to promote the perspective of improving sustainable rural health in this region.

Objetivo. Describir la experiencia clínica efectiva entre los estudiantes de enfermería en prácticas clínicas en las instalaciones sanitarias rurales en el sudeste de Nigeria. Métodos. Este estudio descriptivo se llevó a cabo entre 48 centros de salud rurales y hospitales generales con 528 encuestados de diferentes instituciones de enseñanza superior que prestaban servicio en estas instalaciones sanitarias para su experiencia clínica. Resultados. 60% de los estudiantes comentaron que su centro carecía de un laboratorio de simulación para las prácticas clínicas de los estudiantes, el 66.7% indicó que el laboratorio de su centro carecía de un espacio para que todos los estudiantes pudieran observar lo que se enseñaba. Un 79.9% indicó que el laboratorio de su centro no disponía de equipos suficientes para practicar los procedimientos, y otro porcentaje igual (79.9%) manifestaron que los hospitales carecían del equipo necesario para realizar adecuadamente las prácticas clínicas. El 59.9% indicaron que la razón de estudiantes por paciente en cada sala durante los periodos de experiencia clínica era insuficiente para que los estudiantes realizaran prácticas bajo supervisión, y el 73.3% indicaron que los recursos de la biblioteca en textos de enfermería eran insuficientes para sus necesidades. Los factores personales, socioeconómicos e institucionales explican el 76% de la varianza en la experiencia clínica efectiva y el 52% en la disposición a trabajar en centros sanitarios rurales en el futuro. Conclusión. Los factores que rodean la experiencia clínica efectiva en los centros sanitarios rurales del sudeste de Nigeria son desfavorables y podrían desanimar a los futuros enfermeros a trabajar en ellos. Es necesario implementar estrategias de mejoramiento de la gestión de estos centros con el fin de impulsar la perspectiva de mejorar la salud rural sostenible en esta región.

Objetivo. Descrever a experiência clínica eficaz entre estudantes de enfermagem em estágios clínicos em unidades de saúde rurais no sudeste da Nigéria (África). Métodos. Este estudo descritivo foi realizado em 48 centros de saúde rurais e hospitais gerais com 528 entrevistados de diferentes instituições de ensino superior que atendem essas unidades de saúde pela sua experiência clínica. Resultados. 60% dos alunos comentaram que seu centro não possuía laboratório de simulação para as práticas clínicas dos alunos, 66.7% indicaram que o laboratório de seu centro carecia de espaço para que todos os alunos pudessem observar o que estava sendo ensinado. 79.9% indicaram que o laboratório do seu centro não possuía equipamentos suficientes para a realização dos procedimentos e outro percentual igual (79.9%) afirmou que os hospitais não possuíam os equipamentos necessários para a realização adequada das práticas clínicas. 59.9% indicaram que a proporção de estudantes por pacientes em cada sala durante os períodos de experiência clínica era insuficiente para que os estudantes realizassem as práticas sob supervisão e 73.3% indicaram que os recursos da biblioteca em textos de enfermagem eram insuficientes para suas necessidades. Fatores pessoais, socioeconómicos e institucionais explicam 76% da variação na experiência clínica efetiva e 52% na vontade de trabalhar em centros de saúde rurais no futuro. Conclusão. Os fatores que rodeiam a experiência clínica eficaz em unidades de saúde rurais no sudeste da Nigéria são desfavoráveis e podem desencorajar futuros enfermeiros de trabalhar lá. É necessário implementar estratégias para melhorar a gestão destes centros, a fim de promover a perspectiva de melhorar a saúde rural sustentável nesta região.

Uso de agrotóxicos em canaviais de Pernambuco e danos à saúde do trabalhador / Use of pesticides in Pernambuco sugarcane fields and damage to workers' health

RESUMO O presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar a exposição aos agrotóxicos e os danos à saúde dos trabalhadores das plantações de cana-de-açúcar em Pernambuco. Trata-se de pesquisa participante desenvolvida em territórios rurais de cinco municípios com forte expressão em área plantada de cana-de-açúcar. Os dados primários foram produzidos em oficinas com trabalhadores rurais para construção de diagnóstico rural participativo, analisados mediante condensação de significados e interpretados à luz do referencial teórico da epidemiologia crítico latino-americana. Os resultados estão apresentados em três seções: i) Fluxograma do trabalho nas plantações de cana-de-açúcar; ii) Exposição aos agrotóxicos utilizados nas lavouras; iii) Danos à saúde do trabalhador. Conclui-se que a exposição permanente aos agrotóxicos envolve o trabalho nas plantações de cana-de-açúcar e emerge de um construto histórico e socioambiental, em que se encontram subsumidos os modos de vida dos territórios sob o domínio do agronegócio canavieiro. Recomendam-se políticas públicas de fomento à agricultura familiar com diversificação, escoamento e distribuição da produção agroecológica, além do fortalecimento da Atenção Primária à Saúde e de ações integradas de vigilância epidemiológica, sanitária, ambiental e do trabalhador.

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze exposure to pesticides and harm to the health of workers on sugarcane plantations in Pernambuco. This participatory research was conducted in rural territories of five municipalities with a strong presence in sugarcane-planted areas. The primary data were produced in workshops with rural workers to construct a participatory rural diagnosis, analyzed through condensation of meanings, and interpreted in light of the theoretical framework of Latin American critical epidemiology. The results are presented in three sections: i) Flowchart of work on sugarcane plantations; ii) Exposure to pesticides used on crops; iii) Harm to worker's health. We conclude that permanent exposure to pesticides involves working on sugarcane plantations and emerges from a historical and socio-environmental construct in which the ways of life of the territories under the control of sugarcane agribusiness are subsumed. Public policies are recommended to promote family farming with diversification, flow, distribution of agroecological production, and strengthening primary health care and integrated epidemiological, health, environmental, and worker surveillance actions.

Cuidados paliativos en la atención primaria de salud / Palliative care in primary health care

En la actualidad, la oferta de cuidados paliativos especializados ha sido superada por la demanda, por lo cual la atención a pacientes con enfermedades en estado terminal o en fase final de la vida suele estar a cargo del médico del nivel primario de asistencia. En ese sentido, los cuidados paliativos primarios incluyen el diagnóstico, el tratamiento paliativo, la planificación anticipada, la gestión y coordinación de intervenciones multidisciplinarias y la transferencia a cuidados especializados cuando sea necesario y haya disponibilidad para ello. Al respecto, en este artículo se exponen brevemente algunos elementos sobre el tema y se propone, además, un algoritmo práctico y fácil de aplicar en la atención primaria, que permitirá identificar a la población aquejada por dolencias en esas etapas, con diferenciación en cuanto a afecciones neoplásicas o no neoplásicas.

Nowadays, the offer of specialized palliative care has been overcome by the demand, reason why care to patients with terminal illness or in end-of-life period is usually in charge of the doctor from primary care level. In that sense, primary palliative care includes the diagnosis, palliative treatment, early planning, administration and coordination of multidisciplinary interventions and referring to specialized care when it is necessary and the service is available. In this respect, some elements on the topic are shortly exposed in this work and, also, a practical and easy implementation algorithm in primary care is proposed that will allow identifying population suffering from pain in those stages, with differentiation as for neoplastic or non neoplastic affections.

Concentration and health risk assessment of trichloromethane in drinking water for rural primary and middle school students in Tianjin / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To evaluate the distribution characteristics and health risk of trichloromethane (TCM) in the drinking water supply of primary and middle schools in rural areas of Tianjin, so as to provide a scientific basis for improving drinking water safety in rural schools.@*Methods@#A total of 60 water samples from 30 rural primary and middle schools in 10 agricultural districts of Tianjin were collected from April to June (dry season) and July to October (wet season) in 2023 with direct selection method. The content of TCM was detected according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Drinking Water, and a risk assessment method recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency was used to evaluate the health risk of TCM through oral exposure.@*Results@#The concentration of TCM in drinking water was no detection to 54.00 μg/L, with an average of (13.44±14.88) μg/L, and the value was higher during the wet season [12.90(1.40,32.28)μg/L] than the dry season [2.40(1.40,18.13)μg/L] (Z=-2.09, P<0.05). The concentration of TCM for primary and middle schools were [3.38(1.40,20.75) μg/L] and [5.30(1.40,28.23)μg/L] respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference between different types of schools (Z=0.50, P>0.05). The carcinogenic risk through oral exposure ranged from 3.84×10-7 to 2.05×10-5, while the noncarcinogenic risk ranged from (0.00-0.16), all within the acceptable range. Children aged 6 to 9 years old were at the highest risk.@*Conclusions@#TCM has been detected in the drinking water of rural primary and middle schools to a certain extent in Tianjin, and attention should be paid to the potential health risks of oral exposure. The monitoring and management of disinfection byproducts in drinking water should be strengthened to further reduce the risk of exposure to children.

Labor shortage of physicians in rural areas and surgical specialties caused by Work Style Reform Policies of the Japanese government: a quantitative simulation analysis / Journal of Rural Medicine

Objective: The Japanese government’s physician workforce reform, which commenced in April 2024, introduced regulations on physicians’ working hours. However, in areas facing physician shortages such as rural regions and surgical medical specialties, healthcare provision relies heavily on the extended working hours of each physician. The anticipated impact of this reform, when implemented, was significant.Materials and Methods: Using publicly available government data, we estimated the current working hours of physicians in various medical specialties in each prefecture across Japan. Subsequently, we calculated the ratio of surplus or deficit physicians when hypothetically assuming that all physicians adhered to the regulatory upper limit of 58.4 working hours per week nationwide.Results: Assuming that all physicians work to the regulated maximum, there would be a shortage of doctors in various medical specialties across Japan, such as surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine. Geographically, shortages of doctors are observed in rural prefectures such as those in the Tohoku region, particularly in emergency- and surgery-related specialties, indicating a critical shortage of physicians in rural areas. Additionally, it has become evident that even in medical specialties with a calculated surplus of physicians nationwide, the margin of surplus is generally only a few percentage points.Conclusion: Currently, rural areas and surgical medical specialties in Japan have limited leeway in the physician workforce, and the strict application of workforce reform may lead to a severe shortage of physicians in these areas. It is noteworthy that as similar reforms may subsequently be implemented in other countries, analogous challenges would arise. Thus, the implementation of workforce reform requires a flexible approach to minimize its negative effects, which widen the existing disparity in the workforce.

Community health volunteers’ performance in rural areas of Yemen: a community-based satisfaction survey / Journal of Rural Medicine

Objectives: Many developing countries utilize the services of community health volunteers (CHVs) to enhance healthcare services in underserved regions. Evaluating client satisfaction with CHVs’ performance is crucial for ensuring the effective utilization of their services. This study aims to assess clients’ satisfaction with the provision of basic reproductive health services by CHVs in the governorates of Ibb and Al Mahweet, Yemen.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting data via structured questionnaires administered by trained data collectors to clients of CHVs. A total of 510 households were interviewed, with 255 from each governorate, distributed across 30 clusters (villages). Each governorate comprised 15 clusters in 12 districts (six districts in Ibb and five in Al Mahweet, excluding one district for security reasons). Within each cluster, 17 households were randomly selected for interviews. Descriptive analysis was performed using the SPSS version 22.Results: The majority of the clients were female (84.7%), most were aged 20–39 years (55.7%), and more than half of them had received at least primary education (54.2%). The study findings indicate that a significant proportion of respondents were highly satisfied with CHVs’ performance (93%). Almost all respondents confirmed that CHVs resided in their villages (94%) and were easily accessible for consultation (99%). Most of the respondents (97%) expressed trust in the CHVs, stating that they were helpful to all villagers and treated them well. Additionally, nearly all the respondents reported easy access to services (98.6%), although a considerable percentage experienced a gap of three months or more since their last interaction with a CHV (39.1%).Conclusion: The CHVs contribute to the well-being of the rural populations in Yemen by delivering satisfactory services, particularly regarding family planning. However, ensuring the sustainability of the CHV programs remains a challenge, which requires attention from the program managers and decision makers in the Yemeni healthcare sector.

Research on Financial Security for Rural Public Health Service Personnel Talent/ / 中国卫生经济

The quantity and quality of rural public health service personnel are crucial for ensuring the health of rural residents.However,there are current challenges including insufficient personnel quantity and professional competence,severe talent loss,and low levels of rural public health services.The main reasons behind these challenges include insufficient financial investment,an imperfect salary system,inadequate performance evaluation mechanisms,and uneven resource allocation.In 2023,the National Health Commission and other departments jointly initiated anti-corruption efforts in the medical field while deepening healthcare system reforms.These reforms focus on strengthening the public health system,especially in rural and community areas,and revamping grassroots salary structures with an emphasis on decoupling salaries from revenue generation.However,specific measures for financial security of rural health personnel have not been clearly outlined.To bring in and retain rural health personnel,the financial security mechanism needs to be improved.It is recommended to increase financial investment by expanding budget allocations,implement a"dossier system"with salaries paid directly to individuals'accounts from municipal or county-level budgets,refine the salary system,reform performance evaluation mechanisms,raise overall remuneration,rationalize the allocation of resources,enrich health talents and encourage retired doctors to settle in rural areas.By gradually improving the financial security mechanism for rural public health service personnel,sustainable development of rural public health services can be achieved.

Knowledge and attitudes of rural healthcare providers regarding domestic violence against women: a systematic review

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Specific types of violence such as intimate partner sexual violence and intimate partner homicide occur more frequently in rural areas. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the knowledge and attitudes of rural healthcare providers regarding cases of domestic violence against women. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic review developed at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. METHODS: We conducted an electronic search of six databases, which only included observational studies, regardless of the year, language, or country of publication, except for studies that used secondary data and were exclusively qualitative. Two reviewers performed the selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using a specific Joanna Briggs Institute tool. RESULTS: Six studies met the inclusion criteria. All the studies had a low risk of bias. Approximately 38% of these professionals identified injuries caused by violence in patients. When asked about knowing the correct attitude to take in cases of confirmed violence, between 12% and 64% of rural healthcare providers answered positively; most of them would refer to specialized institutions and promote victim empowerment and counseling. The number of professionals with an educational background in the field ranged from 16% to 98%. CONCLUSIONS: The evident disparity across studies shows that some professionals have suboptimal knowledge and require training to adopt the correct attitude when identifying female victims of domestic violence in clinical practice. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered in the Open Science Framework Database under the registration http://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/B7Q6S.

A saúde na região do Médio Solimões no estado do Amazonas: a centralidade de Tefé / Health in the Middle Solimões region, state of Amazonas: the centrality of Tefé

RESUMO Em um cenário de várzea amazônica com fluxos fluviais, o estudo analisa a articulação da Atenção Básica com a Atenção Especializada, buscando discutir as condições políticas e geográficas que impactam na conformação da rede assistencial em uma região de saúde na Amazônia Ocidental. Adotouse uma combinação de estratégias metodológicas: levantamento de indicadores de morbidade e da rede de saúde, mapeamento dos trajetos intermunicipais, levantamento de despesas em Ações e Serviços Públicos de Saúde e entrevistas com gestores. O município de Tefé concentra serviços bancários, poder judiciário, educacional, órgãos de controle e segurança que lhe conferem uma centralidade de funções. Contudo, a saúde não considera os fluxos existentes no território para definição de quais municípios têm Tefé como referência. A defasagem dos dados nos sistemas de informação em saúde, aliada a ausência do ente estadual no planejamento regional de saúde, apoio para provimento de profissionais especializados, pagamento de insumos e organização do fluxo de referência-contrarreferência na rede têm sido desafios para planejar integralidade da atenção na região, sobrecarregando o município-polo. Apesar do aumento progressivo de despesas em saúde nos municípios analisados, a oferta de serviço para além da Atenção Básica permanece sendo um desafio para o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) na Amazônia.

ABSTRACT In an Amazonian floodplain scenario with river flows, the study analyzes the articulation of Primary Care with Specialized Care, seeking to discuss the political and geographical conditions that impact on the formation of the care network in a health region in the Western Amazon. A combination of methodological strategies was adopted: survey of morbidity indicators and the health network, mapping of intercity routes, survey of expenses in Public Health Actions and Services and interviews with managers. Tefé concentrates banking services, judiciary branch, education and security bodies that give it a centrality of functions. However, health does not consider existing flows in the territory to define which municipalities have Tefé as a health reference. Outdated data in the health information systems, combined with the absence of the state government in the regional health planning, support to provide specialized professionals, payment for supplies and the organization of referral-counter-referral flow in the network have been challenges for integrality of the attention in the region, overloading the hub municipality. Despite the progressive increase in health expenses in the analyzed municipalities, the provision of services beyond Primary Care remains a challenge for the Unified Health System (SUS) in the Amazon.

Vidas bagaços! Os processos de vulnerabilização enfrentados pelos trabalhadores-migrantes nos canaviais de São Paulo e da Bahia / Bagasse lives! The vulnerability processes faced by migrant workers in the sugarcane fields of São Paulo and Bahia, Brazil

Resumo Objetivo: compreender os processos de vulnerabilização enfrentados pelos trabalhadores-migrantes canavieiros diante do avanço da mecanização. Métodos: abordagem qualitativa pautada na abordagem metodológica da Reprodução Social da Saúde proposta por Juan Samaja, nas dimensões biocumunal, tecnoeconômica e política. Foram realizadas 18 entrevistas semiestruturadas com trabalhadores-migrantes canavieiros no período de abril de 2020 a dezembro de 2021. Resultados: na dimensão tecnoeconômica verificou-se que na usina A o trabalhador se tornou polivalente, com a presença do trabalho em equipe e a introdução de tecnologias para aumentar o controle do trabalho. Na usina B, os trabalhadores encontram piores condições de trabalho devido à irrigação, à irregularidade dos terrenos, à presença de pedras e à exposição às queimadas. Na dimensão biocomunal, foram identificados potencialização dos acidentes, uso de agrotóxicos, distúrbios hidroeletrolíticos e problemas cardiovasculares. Na dimensão política, foi observada a precariedade da assistência à saúde do trabalhador canavieiro. Conclusão: a intensificação da mecanização na colheita de cana-de-açúcar não melhorou as condições de trabalho dos cortadores, ao contrário, provocou a perpetuação de velhos e a inserção de novos processos de vulnerabilização.

Abstract Objective: to understand the processes of vulnerability faced by sugarcane migrant workers in the face of advancing mechanization. Methods: this study adopts a qualitative approach based on the biocommunity, techno-economic and political dimensions of the social reproduction of health proposed by Juan Samaja. In total, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with sugarcane migrant workers in the period from April 2020 to December 2021. Results: in the techno-economic dimension, it was found that in Mill A workers have become polyvalent, with the presence of teamwork and the introduction of technologies to increase work control. In Mill B, the workers identified worse working conditions due to irrigation, irregular terrain, rocky geography, and exposure to burnings. In the biocommunity dimension, the greater chance of accidents, the use of pesticides, hydroelectrolytic disorders and cardiovascular problems were identified. In the political dimension the precariousness of health care for sugarcane workers was identified. Conclusion: the intensification of mechanization in sugarcane harvesting has not improved the life of sugarcane workers, on the contrary, it has caused the perpetuation of old vulnerabilities and the insertion of new ones.

Suicidio y prácticas médicas: la valoración del modo de vida de hombres campesinos caficultores colombianos en la atención de la salud mental / Suicide and medical practices: Assessing the way of life among Colombian coffee-growing rural men in mental health care

RESUMEN El objetivo fue conocer el modo de vida y las prácticas de autocuidado en salud mental de los hombres adultos campesinos, que viven en un municipio del departamento de Risaralda en el eje cafetero de Colombia con alta incidencia de suicidios. Entre marzo y diciembre de 2021, se realizó un estudio etnográfico, haciendo uso de una combinación de métodos: entrevistas, observación participante, revisión documental y diario de campo. Se identificaron aspectos económicos y sociales cuyas transformaciones han afectado los roles de género, las dinámicas familiares y las posibilidades de cuidado para los hombres. Al observar cómo los hombres hablan de su sufrimiento y de los recursos con que cuentan para atenderlo, puede concluirse que las prácticas de salud mental se encuentran más bien como recursos de autoatención y los servicios de salud ofrecen atención basada en síntomas del cuerpo, de modo que abandonan la escucha. Estos hallazgos son útiles para pensar servicios y estrategias de cuidado de la vida que se adapten a las condiciones de hombres campesinos en Colombia.

ABSTRACT The aim was to understand the way of life and self-care practices in mental health among adult male farmers living in a municipality in the Risaralda department, located in the coffee axis of Colombia, marked by a high incidence of suicides. An ethnographic study was conducted between March and December 2021, employing a combination of methods including interviews, participant observation, document review, and field diaries. Economic and social aspects undergoing transformations were identified, impacting gender roles, family dynamics, and caregiving possibilities for these men. By observing how men discuss their suffering and the resources available to address it, it can be concluded that mental health practices function more as self-care resources, while health services often provide symptom-based care, neglecting attentive listening. These findings are valuable for shaping services and life care strategies that align with the conditions of rural men in Colombia.

Promoção de Saúde Bucal no trabalho em áreas rurais: ecos de cirurgiões-dentistas / Oral Health Promotion at the workplace in rural areas: echoes from dental surgeons

RESUMO Estudo compreendeu o trabalho dos cirurgiões-dentistas da Estratégia Saúde da Família, na perspectiva da Promoção da Saúde Bucal (PSB) em território rural. Trata-se de uma investigação transversal e qualitativa. A coleta dos dados foi realizada a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com quatorze profissionais que atuavam em equipes de saúde bucal rurais do estado da Paraíba. Para compreensão e sistematização dos dados, adotou-se a análise de conteúdo temática. O referencial teórico condutor do método considerou pilares, valores e princípios da Promoção da Saúde (PS). As narrativas revelam conceitos imprecisos de PSB, restringindo-os às atividades de prevenção aos agravos bucais. Existem potencialidades e fragilidades nas ações de PSB em áreas rurais. Há desigualdades quanto às unidades de apoio e existem populações rurais sem qualquer assistência aos serviços especializados de saúde bucal. Observou-se envolvimento dos profissionais nas práticas campanhistas e nas metas com gestantes. Existem dificuldades na formação de grupo, e as ações intersetoriais são praticamente resumidas à parceria entre saúde/educação. As realidades são discrepantes frente ao apoio da gestão. Os discursos apontaram para ações de PSB capazes de produzir autoestima e melhorar a qualidade de vida, pautadas na integralidade e nos valores de solidariedade e humanização.

ABSTRACT This study included the work of dental surgeons of the Family Health Strategy, from the perspective of Oral Health Promotion (OHP) in rural territory. This is a cross-sectional and qualitative investigation. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews carried out with fourteen professionals who worked in rural oral health teams from the state of Paraíba. To understand and systematize the data, thematic content analysis was adopted. The theoretical framework that guided the method considered pillars, values and principles of Health Promotion (HP). Narratives reveal imprecise OHP concepts, restricting them to oral disease prevention activities. There are potentialities and weaknesses in the OHP actions in rural areas. There are inequalities regarding support units and there are rural populations without any assistance to specialized oral health services. Professionals' involvement was observed in the campaign practices and in the goals with pregnant women. There are difficulties in group formation, and intersectoral actions are practically limited to the partnership between health/education. The realities are discrepant in the face of management support. The speeches pointed to OHP actions capable of producing self-esteem and improving quality of life, based on integrality and the values of solidarity and humanization.

Cargas de trabalho, precarização e Saúde do Trabalhador no agronegócio no semiárido do Nordeste brasileiro / Workloads, precariousness and worker health in agribusiness in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil

RESUMO A expansão do agronegócio no semiárido do nordeste do Brasil tem transformado agricultores camponeses em empregados de empresas de fruticultura, trazendo mudanças para seus modos de vida e trabalho. O estudo objetivou analisar condições, processos e cargas de trabalho no agronegócio de fruticultura. Realizou-se pesquisa qualitativa em que foram entrevistados empregados do agronegócio. As evidências foram produzidas e analisadas a partir de referenciais do campo Saúde do Trabalhador, fundamentando-se na teoria da determinação social do processo saúde-doença e adotando 'processos de trabalho' e 'cargas de trabalho' como categorias compreensivas das relações entre trabalho e saúde-doença. Observou-se que a produção agrícola se baseia na monocultura, no uso intensivo de mecanização e de agrotóxicos, e segue os moldes organizacionais da acumulação flexível e do taylorismo e fordismo. O mundo do trabalho vivido pelos empregados é marcado por alienação dos trabalhadores, precarização e intensificação do trabalho, que se concretizam em cargas de trabalho físicas, psíquicas, fisiológicas e, sobretudo, químicas. Estas advêm do uso intenso de agrotóxicos, presentes em todos os ambientes e processos de trabalho investigados. A proteção da saúde desses trabalhadores tensiona o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) a intensificar a vigilância em Saúde do Trabalhador, e a saúde coletiva, a incluir a problemática da saúde no debate público sobre os modelos agrícolas nacionais.

ABSTRACT The expansion of agribusiness in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil has transformed self-employed farmers into employees of fruit growing companies, bringing changes to their ways of life and work. The study aimed to analyze conditions, processes and workloads in the fruit growing agribusiness. A qualitative research was carried out in which agribusiness employees were interviewed. Evidence was produced and analyzed based on references from the Occupational Health field, based on the theory of social determination of the health-disease process and adopting 'work processes' and 'workloads' as comprehensive categories of the relationship between work and health-disease. It was observed that agricultural production is based on monoculture, on the intensive use of mechanization and pesticides, and follows the organizational molds of flexible accumulation and Taylorism/Fordism. The world of work experienced by employees is marked by alienation of workers, precariousness and intensification of work, which materialize in physical, psychic, physiological and, above all, chemical workloads. These come from the intense use of pesticides, present in all environments and work processes investigated. Protecting the health of these workers pushes the Unified Health System (SUS) to intensify worker's health surveillance, and collective health to include the issue of health in the public debate on national agricultural models.

Organização da Atenção Primária à Saúde em Municípios Rurais Remotos do Oeste do Pará / Organization of Primary Health Care in Remote Rural Municipalities in West Pará

RESUMO O artigo objetiva identificar especificidades e estratégias da organização da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) em Municípios Rurais Remotos (MRR) do Oeste do Pará frente às singularidades do contexto amazônico. Realizou-se estudo de casos múltiplos em cinco municípios por meio de entrevistas com gestores municipais, enfermeiros e médicos de Equipes de Saúde da Família. As dimensões de análise foram a territorialização, escopo de práticas e organização da agenda, colaboração interprofissional, iniciativas de atração e fixação profissional e uso de tecnologias de informação e comunicação. O trabalho da APS nos MRR, principalmente no interior, organiza-se prioritariamente em atendimentos, procedimentos individuais e imunização. Enfermeiros, técnicos de enfermagem e Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ACS) do interior possuem escopo de ações ampliado, muitas vezes, por ausência de médicos. Além do impacto positivo do Programa Mais Médicos, destacam-se estratégias locais de atendimentos itinerantes e sobreaviso para urgência. A territorialização, central na discussão de territórios sustentáveis e saudáveis, deve ser dinâmica e exige arranjos diferenciados, com adequação do número de famílias por ACS e por equipes. Estratégias específicas para organizar uma APS integral e integrada à Rede de Atenção à Saúde, financiamento federal suficiente e diferenciado e formação profissional direcionada ao rural são necessárias para garantir acesso e qualidade dos serviços a todos os cidadãos.

ABSTRACT The article aims to identify specificities and strategies for the organization of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Remote Rural Municipalities (MRR) in western Pará in the face of singularities in the Amazonian. Multiple case study in five municipalities, with interviews: municipal managers, nurses and physicians from the Family Health Teams. The analysis dimensions were: territorialization, scope of practices and agenda organization, interprofessional collaboration, professional attraction and retention initiatives and use of information and communication technologies. The work of the PHC in the MRR, mainly in the countryside, is organized primarily around care, individual procedures and immunization. Nurses, nursing technicians and Community Health Agents (CHA) from the countryside have an expanded scope of action, often due to the absence of physicians. In addition to the positive impact of the Mais Médicos Program, local strategies for itinerant care and on-call for emergencies stand out. Territorialization, central to the discussion of sustainable and healthy territories, must be dynamic and require different arrangements, adjusting the number of families per CHA/teams. Specific strategies to organize a comprehensive PHC integrated into the Health Care Network, sufficient and differentiated federal funding and professional training aimed at rural areas, are necessary to guarantee access and quality of services to all citizens.

Atuação dos médicos na Atenção Primária à Saúde em municípios rurais remotos: onde está o território? / Doctors' Work in Primary Health Care in remote rural municipalities: where is the territory?

Resumo Uma atenção à saúde resolutiva e integral em municípios rurais remotos (MRR) cobra uma Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) com forte dimensão comunitária, ancorada no território. O artigo visa analisar o perfil de atuação dos médicos na APS, considerando seu trabalho tanto no território quanto na unidade básica de saúde (UBS). A perspectiva dos médicos, agentes críticos na APS, contribui para compreender se ocorre oferta equânime e integral da APS. Foi realizado estudo qualitativo em 27 MRR, com entrevista a 46 médicos da Saúde da Família. Análise de conteúdo, estruturando-se os resultados nas dimensões de arranjos na atuação dos médicos nos territórios e organização das atividades na UBS. Os médicos centravam suas atividades nas UBS, principalmente nas sedes dos MRR com acordos de trabalho heterogêneos. O conhecimento sobre características do território e da população era frágil, sobretudo aqueles adscritos longe das sedes municipais. Nas raras ações no território, observou-se um modelo itinerante e/ou campanhista, com a marca da descontinuidade. A demanda espontânea foi priorizada em detrimento de ações de acompanhamento e planejamento do cuidado. Os achados indicam a necessidade de se reforçar a interação com o território na oferta de serviços de APS em MRR.

Abstract Resolute and comprehensive health care in remote rural municipalities (RRMs) requires Primary Health Care (PHC) with a strong community dimension anchored in the territory. This paper aims to analyze the performance profile of doctors in PHC, considering their work both in the territory and in PHC units. The perspective of doctors, critical agents in PHC, contributes to understanding whether there is an equitable and comprehensive availability of PHC. A qualitative study was carried out in 27 RRMs, with interviews with 46 Family Health doctors. Content analysis, structuring results in dimensions of arrangements in the performance of doctors in the territories and the organization of activities at the PHC units. Doctors concentrated their activities in the PHC units, primarily in municipal headquarters, with heterogeneous work agreements. Knowledge about the characteristics of the territory and the population was weak, especially those assigned at a considerable distance from municipal headquarters. In the rare work conducted within the territory, an itinerant and/or campaigning model was observed, with the mark of discontinuity. Walk-in patients were prioritized over care actions of follow-up and planning. The findings indicate the need to reinforce interaction with the territory in the provision of PHC services in RRMs.

Stigma kills

@#Stigma due to an HIV diagnosis is a well-known phenomenon and is a major barrier to accessing care.1 Over the last forty years, HIV has been transformed from a fatal disease to a manageable one, thanks to the remarkable success of antiretroviral (ARV) medication.2 When people living with HIV (PLHIV) start ARV treatment early, their life expectancy is almost completely restored. Moreover, a suppressed viral load means that PLHIV are no longer able to infect other people.3 They can have children naturally without risk to their seronegative partner or their child. PLHIV nowadays are more likely to die with HIV, not of HIV. While a cure remains elusive, the successful global rollout of ARVs means that there is no good reason for a PLHIV to die of AIDS and its complications due to lack of access to proper treatment. The Philippine AIDS Law Republic Act 8504 and its successor, Republic Act 11116 explicitly states that the State should “ensure access to HIV and AIDS-related services by eliminating the climate of stigma and discrimination that surrounds the country’s HIV and AIDS situation, and the people directly and indirectly affected by it.” Unfortunately, despite this admonition, stigma remains a significant cause of delayed HIV testing and of not seeking treatment in our country. In this issue of the journal, Dr. De Los Santos and her colleagues examine the effect of healthcare facility stigma on PLHIV accessing care in the Philippines.4 They report that 81% of their Filipino PLHIV respondents experienced stigma, which is an unacceptably high number. They identify which facilities are more likely to be correlated with stigma and make suggestions on how to address this problem. This study is very timely and comes at a time when the Department of Health is shifting first line antiretrovirals to dolutegravir-based regimens.5 Dolutegravir-based treatment is associated with fewer side effects than efavirenz-based regimens and is much more durable against resistance.6 With an HIV transmitted-drug resistance rate of 11.7%, it is imperative that PLHIV are started on more durable regimens which they are less likely to discontinue.7 Properly addressing stigma means that more people will access care. Better regimens will ensure that people stay in care. This will go a long way towards minimizing the impact of HIV and AIDS on Filipino PLHIV. Stigma among PLHIV is a complicated subject matter. Aside from the stigma associated with diagnosis, there is also stigma associated with the mode of acquisition of the disease. The most-at-risk populations are highly stigmatized. Men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and female sex workers experience additional stigma on top of the stigma from an HIV diagnosis.8 Aside from societal stigma, PLHIV are also prone to self-stigma.9 This phenomenon occurs when PLHIV believe they no longer deserve to live since they contracted the disease from deviant or sinful behavior. High rates of depression are found among these self-stigma sufferers. This significantly impacts the entire HIV healthcare cascade, starting from early diagnosis, to accessing treatment, and staying in care. The finding that Public Rural Health Units are the most stigmatizing healthcare facilities is very concerning since these are usually the only facilities available to PLHIV in far-flung areas. This needs to be addressed with better sensitivity training as well as concrete guidelines on avoiding stigma. It is very troubling that facilities that are supposed to cater to vulnerable populations inadvertently make it difficult for them to access care.10 Unfortunately, even facilities in urban areas are not immune to discrimination and stigmatizing behavior. I recall the experience of one of my early PLHIV patients who developed and eventually succumbed to a disseminated fungal infection.11 He told me that he had tried getting tested several years earlier but he had a traumatic experience in the government health facility that he accessed. He made a wrong turn and entered a different clinic in that hospital and when he asked for an HIV test, people recoiled from him in horror. Because of that terrible experience, he put off getting his HIV test for years until he started developing the fungal infection that eventually killed him. Had he been started on proper treatment earlier, he could have been saved. For me, it wasn’t just the fungus that killed him but it was the delay in diagnosis and care as a direct result of stigma. Addressing HIV-related stigma in our country entails a whole-of-society and a whole-of-nation approach. Mental health services to address self-stigma and depression should be standard of care not just among confirmed PLHIV but among the most-at-risk populations. Proactive education of all members of society, especially healthcare workers in facilities that diagnose and care for PLHIV is essential for ensuring sustained linkage to care. Ensuring that the majority of the PLHIV population are properly diagnosed, enrolled in treatment hubs, and have suppressed viral loads will ultimately lead to fewer transmissions and less AIDS-related deaths.

Roles and functions of rural health midwives in Cordillera Administrative Region: A qualitative pilot study

Background@#Midwives have been frontline health professionals at the grassroots level, especially in rural communities. Their role was expanded from maternal and child healthcare providers to primary healthcare services providers. Despite their expanded functions, there have been limited studies investigating the professional practice of midwifery in the Philippines in a rural setting.@*Objective@#This study aimed to investigate the professional practice of midwives in selected rural areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines.@*Methods@#This research is a qualitative pilot study using a semi-structured interview guide to collect the data. Key informant interviews were conducted through mobile phone calls convenient for the participants from September to October 2021. Data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis.@*Results@#A total of seven rural health midwives participated in this study. From the data analysis, six themes emerged related to the professional functions of rural Filipino midwives: 1) antenatal and postnatal care, 2) basic emergency obstetrical and newborn care, 3) health education and counseling, 4) treating common children and adult infections, 5) health promotion, and 6) beyond midwifery role.@*Conclusion@#Rural midwives play a role in providing several primary healthcare services mandated by the government and the profession. They also offer health services beyond their scope as midwives because of geographical difficulties and logistic issues. The findings inform the policymaker to review and amend the expanded roles of practicing midwives so that they will be empowered in providing quality and legal healthcare services. The study results will also be important in preparing midwives for rural midwifery practice.

Quantitative analysis on the policy text for free training of rural order-oriented medical students of China / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To analysis the policy tools and targets of the policies of free training for order-oriented medical students in rural areas of China, for reference for further improving the free medical student training policy.Methods:The research team searched the official websites of the State Council, National Health Commission, Ministry of Education, and other ministries, as well as the Peking University Treasure Database, for national level policy documents related to free training of order-oriented medical students released from June 2010 to May 2023. Policy tool-policy target analysis framework was used to quantitative analysis the policy documents.Results:A total of 16 policy documents were included and 213 policy provisions were extracted. From the perspective of policy tools, the proportion of policy provisions using imperative policy tools was the highest, accounting for 63.38% (135 articles), followed by advisory policy tools(18.78%, 40 articles)and reward based policy tools(13.61%, 29 articles), while functional expansion tools(2.82%, 6 articles) and authoritative restructuring tools(1.41%, 3 articles) accounted for a relatively low proportion. The institutional education stage is the main policy target, with provisions accounting for 76.06% (162 articles), followed by the continuing education stage and the post graduation education stage, accounting for 17.84% (38 articles) and 7.51% (16 articles), respectively. It was uneven distribution of various policy tools and their sub tools within the same policy target.Conclusions:The distribution of policy tools for the free training policy of rural order oriented medical students in China needed to be further balanced. The policy targets were mainly concentrated in the education stage of universities.

Comprehensive evaluation of the service capacity of township hospitals in the counties freed from poverty in Hubei province under the background of rural revitalization / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To evaluate the service capacity of township hospitals in the counties freed from poverty in Hubei province, for reference in improving their service capacity.Methods:An evaluation index system was constructed based on literature analysis. The service ability of such hospitals was comprehensively evaluated by both entropy weight-TOPSIS and rank-sum ratio method based on the 2022 performance evaluation data of township hospitals of Hubei Health Commission.Results:The evaluation index system of service capacity of township hospitals was constructed, using basic medical service, public health service, health resources and service efficiency as first-level indexes and 11 second-level indexes.A total of 299 township hospitals in 32 such counties were finally included in the analysis, and the results of entropy weight-TOPSIS method showed that the first-level indexes of the highest weight coefficient was health resources (0.43), and the second-level index was annual average number of discharged patients and surgeries in each township hospital (0.17). The mean Ci values of township hospitals in the 32 counties freed from poverty in terms of basic medical services, public health services, health resources, service efficiency, and comprehensive service capacity were 0.304, 0.420, 0.329, 0.576, and 0.352, respectively. The results of RSR method showed that 6, 21 and 5 hospitals in such counties were rated as " good, average and poor" in terms of service capacity. Conclusions:The medical service capacity of township hospitals was relatively weak, with a clear gap in their service capacity among such counties. The focus of improving their service capacity should be placed on health resources and surgical operation capacity.

The quality of older adults'involvement in clinical communication with general practitioners:evidence from rural towns in Australia / 《全球健康杂志（英文）》

Objective:A study was conducted about the putative links of older rural Australians'health knowledge and preparation with their quality of involvement in patient-general practitioner(GP)communication during health intake visits. Methods:It was a cross-sectional study between January 2021 and April 2022.The 32-item quality of involve-ment in communication scale was designed and incorporated into the Survey Gizmo software.This online survey was administered by sending an email request to the Renmark Rotary Club,which actively promoted this study across five rural towns in South Australia.121 participants completed the surveys.Mean-sum scores were cal-culated based on the questionnaire responses to evaluate outcomes,specifically initiation of information,active participation,and emotional expression.We employed different methods including t-tests,ANOVA,and leaner regressions to analyse data. Results:The demographic profile of participants characterised by a female predominance(58.7％,71/121),a ma-jority falling within the 65-＜70 age bracket(47.1％,57/121),and a high level of educational attainment(58.7％had completed high school or higher,71/121).Additionally,35％of the participants predominantly spoke a lan-guage other than English at home.Regarding the initiation of information with GPs,the mean sum-score was(20.5±3.7),indicating a marginally above-average level of engagement.Contrarily,the active participation was suboptimal,as suggested by a mean sum score of(35.9±6.3).Furthermore,the emotional expression was rela-tively low,with a mean score of(13.9±1.8).Substantial variations were discerned in the quality of patient-GP communication,contingent upon factors such as educational background,language spoken at home,health lit-eracy,and preparatory measures for clinical visits.Participants who predominantly spoke a language other than English at home demonstrated significantly lower levels of information initiation with their GPs(P＜0.001).Higher educational attainment was positively correlated with increased active participation(P＜0.001).En-hanced health literacy and thorough visit preparation were significantly associated with increased levels of active participation(P＜0.001). Conclusion:Meaningful engagement through recognition,empowerment,and support(health literacy pro-grams)for older rural adults is suggested for improving their quality of involvement in communication with GPs.