Use of the Virtual Environment as a Strategy for Disseminating Information during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The virtual environment has democratized information and research in the health area, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Purpose: This study analyzed the boosting strategies of social networks and identified the most accessed posts from a previously developed and validated information portal aimed at people with disabilities. Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, exploratory study used Google Analytics® to collect data on origins and access numbers; boost data were obtained from the Facebook® and Instagram® networks themselves, after the end of each boost. Conclusions: Greater interest in publications related to the acquisition of rights for persons with disabilities and about COVID-19 was identified. The virtual environment, especially social networks in Brazil, proved to be a useful tool for disseminating information during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of boosting access to health information. In addition, the investment in social networks was relevant due to the increase in the number of followers on the page. Implications for Practice: Social networks can be a valuable means of disseminating research, improving access to information based on scientific evidence in an inclusive way.

Epidemiological profile of spinal cord injury in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and analyze the biosocioeconomic profile associated with the occupation and education of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) from Brazil. DESIGN: Analytical, quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS: Sample composed of 618 Brazilian adults with SCI and access to the internet. SETTING: Community-based, Brazil. METHODS: An online form was developed and publicized on Brazilian social media to voluntarily register for participation in research. Pearson's Chi-squared test was used to analyze the association between categorical variables and the Kruskal Wallis test was used for comparisons and adjusted Odds Ratio with a 95% Confidence Interval. RESULTS: Among the 618 participants, 68.9% were men, with mean age of 38.04 years (SD = 9.85); 58.7% were people with paraplegia and most injuries were traumatic (78.5%), most caused by road traffic accidents (40.8%) and weapons (17.5%). The majority were graduates or post-graduates (49.5%) and received an income of up to US$ 749.58 (55.1%); 70.9% of the participants were beneficiaries of social welfare (63.6%) or unemployed (7.3%). There was a reduction in the employment rate from 91.3% to 15.2% after SCI. An association was found between education and current occupation (P ≥ 0.001). Participants with higher education had higher odds (7.48) to being employed relative to those with elementary education. CONCLUSION: A serious employment situation after SCI was found, with high unemployment and dependence on social welfare. This shows the need for investment in public policies for the rehabilitation, focused on participation, return to the labor market, and ending dependence on social welfare.