RESUMO
SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the occurrence of self-reported olfactory and taste disorders in non-hospitalized Brazilian adults who presented severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 infection symptoms and attended primary health care. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on a routine standardized diagnostic screening questionnaire applied in a Brazilian primary care facility. The olfactory and taste disorder occurrence was compared between severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-positive and severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-negative cases and described by age and sex. RESULTS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-positive patients had a higher proportion of self-reported olfactory and taste disorders, as compared with severe acute respiratory syndrome-negative (50.7%, vs. 20.6%, p<0.0001). Of all individuals with self-reported olfactory and taste disorder cases, 69% presented both olfactory and taste impairments, 13% olfactory only, and 17% taste only. In severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-positive cases, the frequency of olfactory and taste disorders was significantly higher among females as compared with males (71% vs. 34%). Additionally, people with olfactory and taste disorders were significantly younger in the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-positive group. CONCLUSION: Self-reported olfactory and taste disorders are highly common among non-hospitalized severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2-positive Brazilian people who attended the Family Health Care Unit. The co-occurrence of both self-reported olfactory and taste disorders was more frequent than self-reported olfactory or taste disorders alone.
RESUMO
A limitação de estudos sobre a cobertura e completude dos registros de óbitos está entre os principais problemas relacionados às estatísticas vitais no Brasil. Com o advento da pandemia de COVID-19, em 2020, houve um aumento na quantidade de sistemas de informação sobre os registros de óbitos no Brasil, gerando mais incertezas quanto à qualidade dos registros de óbitos. Este estudo propôs uma metodologia de avaliação da qualidade dos registros de óbitos por COVID-19. Foram consideradas três etapas metodológicas: estimação do sub-registro de óbitos; redistribuição de óbitos por causas inespecíficas (Códigos Garbage) e redistribuição de óbitos por causas mal definidas para dados da COVID-19. A proposta foi aplicada para o Estado da Paraíba, Brasil, e seus municípios para 2020, com o uso dos registros oficiais do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde. No total, foram recuperados 1.281 óbitos por COVID-19 além dos 3.426 registrados oficialmente para a Paraíba, um incremento de 37,4%. A proposta mostrou-se efetiva e de fácil aplicação, podendo ser utilizada pelos gestores das esferas governamentais e interessados como ferramenta de avaliação da qualidade dos registros de óbitos para qualquer espaço geográfico, contribuindo, assim, para uma melhor compreensão do real impacto da pandemia.
The limitation of studies on the coverage and completeness of death records is one of the main problems regarding vital statistics in Brazil. In 2020, the number of information systems on death records in Brazil increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, generating more uncertainties about the quality of death records. This study proposed an evaluation of the quality of death records due to COVID-19. Three methodological stages were considered: estimation of deaths under-registration; redistribution of deaths from nonspecific causes (Garbage Codes), and redistribution of deaths from ill-defined causes to COVID-19 data. The proposal was applied in the State of Paraíba, Brazil, and its municipalities in 2020, by using the official records of the Brazilian Mortality Information System of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. In total, 1,281 deaths were retrieved, besides the 3,426 deaths officially recorded for Paraíba State, an increase of 37.4% in deaths from COVID-19. The proposal was effective, easy to apply, and can be used by managers of governmental spheres and people interested in it as a tool to assess the quality of death records for any geographic space, thus, contributing to a better understanding of the real effect of the pandemic.
La limitación de los estudios sobre la cobertura y la integralidad de los registros de defunción es uno de los principales problemas relacionados con las estadísticas vitales en Brasil. Con la llegada de la pandemia de COVID-19 en 2020 hubo un aumento en la cantidad de sistemas de información sobre registros de defunción en Brasil, generando más incertidumbres sobre la calidad de los registros de defunción. Este estudio propone una metodología para evaluar la calidad de los registros de defunción por COVID-19. Se consideraron tres pasos metodológicos: estimación del subregistro de defunciones; redistribución de las defunciones por causas no específicas (Garbage Codes) y redistribución de las defunciones por causas mal definidas para los datos del COVID-19. La propuesta fue aplicada al Estado de Paraíba, Brasil y sus municipios para el año 2020 utilizando los registros oficiales del Sistema de Información de Mortalidad del Ministerio de Salud. En total, se identificaron 1.281 muertes, además de las 3.426 registradas oficialmente en Paraíba, lo que representa un aumento del 37,4% en las muertes por COVID-19. La propuesta demostró ser eficaz y fácil de aplicar, y puede ser utilizada por los gestores gubernamentales y las partes interesadas como herramienta para evaluar la calidad de los registros de defunción de cualquier zona geográfica, contribuyendo así a una mejor comprensión del impacto real de la pandemia.