Comparing Interrater reliability between eye examination and eye self-examination / Comparação de confiabilidade interobservador do exame ocular versus autoexame / Comparación de confiabilidad interobservadorvdel examen ocular versus el autoexamen

Reume Objective: to compare Interrater reliability concerning two eye assessment methods. Method: quasi-experimental study conducted with 324 college students including eye self-examination and eye assessment performed by the researchers in a public university. Kappa coefficient was used to verify agreement. Results: reliability coefficients between Interraters ranged from 0.85 to 0.95, with statistical significance at 0.05. The exams to check for near acuity and peripheral vision presented a reasonable kappa >0.2. The remaining coefficients were higher, ranging from very to totally reliable. Conclusion: comparatively, the results of both methods were similar. The virtual manual on eye self-examination can be used to screen for eye conditions.

Resumo Objetivo: comparar a confiabilidade interobservador de dois métodos de avaliação ocular. Método: estudo quase experimental, realizado com 324 alunos universitários, por meio do autoexame ocular e da avaliação ocular feita por pesquisadores em uma universidade pública. Para análise de concordância, utilizou-se o índice Kappa. Resultados: os valores obtidos para confiabilidade interobservadores variaram entre 0,85 e 0,95, tendo como significância estatística 0,05. Nos exames da acuidade visual para perto e visão periférica, observou-se índice de concordância considerado razoável, com Kappa >0,2. Os demais índices foram superiores, com variação entre muito e totalmente confiável. Conclusão: comparativamente, os dois resultados dos exames mostraram-se similares. A cartilha virtual sobre autoexame ocular pode ser utilizada para rastrear problemas na visão.

Resumen Objetivo: comparar la confiabilidad interobservador de dos métodos de evaluación ocular. Método: estudio casi experimental, realizado con 324 alumnos universitarios, por medio del autoexamen ocular y de la evaluación ocular hecha por investigadores en una universidad pública. Para el análisis de concordancia, se utilizó el índice Kappa. Resultados: los valores obtenidos para confiabilidad interobservadores variaron entre 0,85 y 0,95, teniendo como significación estadística 0,05. En los exámenes de acuidad visual para cerca y visión periférica, se observó índice de concordancia considerado razonable, con Kappa >0,2. Los demás índices fueron superiores, con variación entre mucho y totalmente confiable. Conclusión: comparativamente, los dos resultados de los exámenes se mostraron similares. La cartilla virtual sobre autoexamen ocular puede ser utilizada para rastrear problemas de visión.

Equidade no uso de serviços odontológicos provenientes do SUS entre idosos: estudo de base populacional / Equity inthe use of dental services provided by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) among the elderly: a population-based study

Resumo Propõe-se caracterizar os idosos usuários de serviços odontológicos ofertados pelo Sistema Único de Saúde, considerando o princípio da equidade. Trata-se de um estudo transversal analítico com modelagem hierarquizada, conduzido a partir de uma amostra probabilística, complexa, por conglomerados de idosos (65-74 anos) residentes em um município brasileiro de grande porte populacional. Foram incluídas variáveis independentes referentes a: características sociodemográficas, acesso a informações em saúde, comportamentos/sistema de atenção à saúde e desfechos em saúde. Realizou-se análises descritivas, bivariadas e múltiplas hierarquizadas. Dos 480 idosos incluídos, 138 (31,2%) utilizaram serviços odontológicos provenientes do SUS. O uso desses serviços foi maior à medida que diminuíam a renda per capita e a escolaridade dos idosos, menor entre os que não haviam realizado o autoexame da boca e maior entre os que usavam os serviços odontológicos para procedimentos que não fossem rotina. Além disso, verificou-se que utilizaram mais o SUS pessoas que tiveram o relacionamento afetado pela saúde bucal e uma autopercepção negativa da sua aparência. Conclui-se que o uso dos serviços odontológicos no SUS foi predominante entre os idosos que vivem sob condições de vulnerabilidade.

Abstract The scope of this study is to establish the profile of elderly users of dental services provided by the Brazilian Unified Health System(SUS) and associated factors from the standpoint of equity. It involves an analytical cross-sectional study with hierarchical modeling conducted on the basis of a complex probabilistic sample of groups of the elderly (65-74 years of age) living in a densely populated Brazilian city. Independent variables were included relating to: socio-demographic characteristics, access to information on health, behaviors/health-care system and health outcomes. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple hierarchical analysis was performed. Of the 480 elderly persons included, 138 (31.2%) used dental services from the SUS. Use of these services was greater as per capita income and level of schooling decreased. It was lower among those who had not conducted exams of their own mouths (oral self-examinations) and higher among those individuals who used dental services for non-routine procedures. In addition, people whose relationship had been affected by oral health issues and a negative perception of their appearance used the SUS more frequently. The conclusion drawn is that the use of dental services of the SUS was most prevalent among the elderly living in precarious conditions.

Public awareness of testicular cancer and testicular self-examination in academic environments: a lost opportunity

BACKGROUND: Although testicular cancer is the most common cancer among 18- to 50-year-old males, healthcare providers seldom teach testicular self-examination techniques to clients, thus potentially missing opportunities for early detection. This form of cancer is easily diagnosable by testicular self-examination and is 96 percent curable if detected early. Periodic self-examination must be performed for early detection. Knowledge deficits and sociocultural norms contribute to low levels of health-related knowledge in most patients, resulting in undue delays before seeking medical advice. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to assess the level of awareness of testicular cancer and the prevalence of the practice of testicular self-examination in academic environments to enable appropriate interventions. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 750 consecutive males aged 18-50 years in three tertiary institutions in Port Harcourt from October 2008 to April 2009. RESULT: Knowledge or awareness of testicular cancer was poor. Almost all of the respondents were unaware that testicular lumps may be signs of cancer. A lump was typically construed as a benign carbuncle or something that could resolve spontaneously. The main factor contributing to respondents' lack of knowledge of testicular cancer was that few reported that they were "ever taught about testicular self-examination." CONCLUSION: Young adult men are unaware of their risk for testicular cancer, which is the most common neoplasm in this age group. Healthcare providers are not informing them of this risk, nor are they teaching them the simple early detection technique of self-examination of the testes.

Self-reported Smoking and Urinary Cotinine Levels among Pregnant Women in Korea and Factors Associated with Smoking during Pregnancy

This study examined urinary cotinine levels and self-reported smoking among pregnant women in Korea and the factors associated with smoking during pregnancy. The subjects were selected from pregnant women who visited 30 randomly sampled obstetric clinics and prenatal care hospitals in Korea in 2006. Smoking status was determined by self-reporting and urinary cotinine measurement. A total of 1,090 self-administered questionnaires and 1,057 urine samples were analyzed. The percentage of smoking revealed by self-reporting was 0.55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.99) and that revealed by urinary cotinine measurement (>100 ng/mL) was 3.03% (95% CI, 1.99-4.06). The kappa coefficient of agreement between self-reported smoking status and urinary cotinine measurement was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.03-0.37). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that early gestational period, low educational level, and being married to a smoker were significant risk factors for smoking during pregnancy. Smoking among pregnant women in Korea is not negligible, and those who are concerned to maternal and child health should be aware of this possibility among pregnant women in countries with similar cultural background.

O auto-exame da boca como estratégia para a prevençäo e o diagnóstico precoce do câncer bucal / Self-examination for oral cancer

O autor baseado em pesquisa bibliográfica e experiência profissional, aborda o câncer de boca enquanto problema nacional de saúde pública carente de discussäo junto a comunidade e aponta o auto-exame como uma estratégia simples, eficaz e eficiente para a prevençäo e o diagnóstico precoce dessa patologia

Autoexamen de mamas, una práctica para el autocuidado en salud / Self-examination breasts, a practice for self care in health

El propósito de este trabajo es observar que factores favorecedores u obtaculizadores llevan a la realización del autoexamen de mama y como es la calidad de ésta en las 42 alumnas del cuarto año de la carrera enfermera matrona del primer semestre académico 1990. Para operacionalizar la variable calidad de la técnica se creó una escala compuesta por las siguientes categorías: tiempo de práctica; regularidad de la práctica; período del ciclo menstrual en que lo realiza y componentes de la técnica. La edad promedio de la población fue de 22.5 años, solteras y nulíparas. El 69% del grupo en estudio realiza el autoexamen de mamas. Los antecedentes mórbidos mamarios personales y familiares, no se demuestran como factores favorecedores ni obtaculizadores en la práctica del autoexamen de mamas, lo que difiere de la literatura revisada. El 95.2% se percibe capaz de realizar el autoexamen de mamas. El 100% del grupo en estudio considera la técnica útil, pero el 31% no la realiza por olvido. El 31% de la población percibe ser susceptible de desarrollar cáncer mamario, de este grupo 26% lo practica, lo que se podría considerar como un factor favorecedor para la realización de esta técnica. El 79% de los alumnos realiza el examen de mamas desde hace 6 meses o más lo que se podría asociar al aprendizaje de esta técnica en cursos atingentes al tema efectuados en semestres anteriores a esta investigación. En relación a la calidad de autoexamen de mamas el 80% de la población varía entre excelente y bueno. En cuanto a magnitud de la práctica del autoexamen de mamas el 69% de las alumnas lo realiza. Los hallazgos son preocupantes si se considera que son alumnas futuras enfermeras matronas, promotoras del autocuidado en salud