ABSTRACT
Rice is one of the major cereal crops in the world, contributing significantly towards the dietary energy and nutrition of more than half of the world's population. However, rice can also be a significant exposure route for inorganic arsenic (iAs). This risk is even greater if rice is cooked with iAs-contaminated water. Here, we quantified the effect of two cooking methods, excess water (EW) and parboiled and absorbed (PBA), on As species and essential nutrient elements (P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Se and Mo) in white, parboiled and brown rice cooked with As-safe (0.18 µg L-1) and As-spiked (10 and 50 µg L-1) tap water. Furthermore, we calculated the exposure risk using the margin of exposure (MOE) for both low (the UK) and high (Bangladesh) rice per capita consumption scenarios. The total micro and macronutrient content in cooked rice was measured using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). An LC-ICP-MS (liquid chromatography-ICP-MS) method was used to quantify arsenic species. The results demonstrate that EW and PBA methods produced similar efficacy of iAs removal (54-58 %) for white and brown rice. However, the EW method was better at removing iAs from parboiled rice (â¼50 %) than PBA (â¼39 %). We found that cooked brown rice was superior to other rice types in many essential nutrient elements, and cooking methods significantly affected the loss of K, Fe, Cu and Mo. For both cooking methods, cooking with iAs-spiked water significantly increased iAs in all rice types: white > parboiled > brown. However, when using As-spiked water, the PBA method retained more iAs than EW. Our risk evaluations showed that cooking rice with 50 µg L-1 significantly raises the As-exposure of the Bangladesh population due to the high per capita rice consumption rate, reinforcing the importance of accessing As-safe water for cooking.
Subject(s)
Arsenic , Oryza , Arsenic/analysis , Oryza/chemistry , Food Contamination/analysis , Cooking/methods , Nutrients/analysis , Water/chemistryABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the strengths and limitations of the Family Health Strategy from the perspective of health care professionals and the community. METHODS: Between June-August 2009, in the city of Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, a questionnaire was used to evaluate the Family Health Strategy (ESF) with 77 healthcare professionals and 293 caregivers of children under five. Health care professional training, community access to health care, communication with patients and delivery of health education and pediatric care were the main points of interest in the evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as well as to assess the statistical significance of the variables studied. RESULTS: The majority of health care professionals reported their program training was insufficient in quantity, content and method of delivery. Caregivers and professionals identified similar weaknesses (services not accessible to the community, lack of healthcare professionals, poor training for professionals) and strengths (community health worker-patient communications, provision of educational information, and pediatric care). Recommendations for improvement included: more doctors and specialists, more and better training, and scheduling improvements. Caregiver satisfaction with the ESF was found to be related to perceived benefits such as community health agent household visits (OR 5.8, 95%CI 2.8;12.1), good professional-patient relationships (OR 4.8, 95%CI 2.5;9.3), and family-focused health (OR 4.1, 95%CI 1.6;10.2); and perceived problems such as lack of personnel (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.2;0.6), difficulty with access (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1;0.4), and poor quality of care (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1;0.6). Overall, 62% of caregivers reported being generally satisfied with the ESF services. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the limitations and strengths of the Family Health Strategy from the healthcare professional and caregiver perspective may serve to advance primary community healthcare in Brazil.
Subject(s)
Community Health Services , Job Satisfaction , Patient Care Team , Patient Satisfaction , Adolescent , Brazil , Caregivers/education , Child, Preschool , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Services Research , Humans , National Health Programs , Professional-Patient Relations , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the strengths and limitations of the Family Health Strategy from the perspective of health care professionals and the community. METHODS: Between June-August 2009, in the city of Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, a questionnaire was used to evaluate the Family Health Strategy (ESF) with 77 healthcare professionals and 293 caregivers of children under five. Health care professional training, community access to health care, communication with patients and delivery of health education and pediatric care were the main points of interest in the evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as well as to assess the statistical significance of the variables studied. RESULTS: The majority of health care professionals reported their program training was insufficient in quantity, content and method of delivery. Caregivers and professionals identified similar weaknesses (services not accessible to the community, lack of healthcare professionals, poor training for professionals) and strengths (community health worker-patient communications, provision of educational information, and pediatric care). Recommendations for improvement included: more doctors and specialists, more and better training, and scheduling improvements. Caregiver satisfaction with the ESF was found to be related to perceived benefits such as community health agent household visits (OR 5.8, 95%CI 2.8;12.1), good professional-patient relationships (OR 4.8, 95%CI 2.5;9.3), and family-focused health (OR 4.1, 95%CI 1.6;10.2); and perceived problems such as lack of personnel (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.2;0.6), difficulty with access (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1;0.4), and poor quality of care (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1;0.6). Overall, 62% of caregivers reported being generally satisfied with the ESF services. CONCLUSIONS: ...
OBJETIVO: Analisar as limitações e os pontos positivos da Estratégia de Saúde da Família na perspectiva dos profissionais da saúde e da comunidade. MÉTODOS: Estudo realizado entre os meses de junho e agosto de 2009, na cidade de Vespasiano, MG, localizada na região Sudeste do Brasil. Para avaliar a Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF), foi aplicado questionário em 77 profissionais da saúde e 293 cuidadores de crianças menores de cinco anos. Variáveis como o treinamento das equipes de saúde, acesso da comunidade aos serviços prestados pelas equipes de ESF, comunicação com os pacientes, a atenção prestada à criança e as informações de saúde passadas aos cuidadores foram alguns dos pontos de interesse da investigação. Análises de regressão logística foram utilizadas para se avaliar a significância estatística das variáveis estudadas, bem como os valores de odds ratio e intervalo de confiança. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos profissionais relatou que seus treinamentos foram insuficientes em quantidade, conteúdo e metodologia utilizada. Os cuidadores e profissionais identificaram semelhantes limitações da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (os serviços inacessíveis à comunidade, falta de treinamento e número insuficiente de profissionais) e também pontos fortes semelhantes (a comunicação entre agentes comunitários e comunidade, fornecimento de informações educacionais e foco na atenção à criança). Como recomendações para a melhoria do programa foram apontados: a necessidade de mais médicos e especialistas, treinamentos em maior quantidade e qualidade e melhoria na marcação de ...
OBJETIVO: Analizar las limitaciones y los puntos positivos de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia en la perspectiva de los profesionales de la salud y de la comunidad. MÉTODOS: Estudio realizado entre los meses de Junio y Agosto de 2009, en la ciudad de Vespasiano, MG, localizada en el la región sureste de Brasil. Para evaluar la Estrategia de la Salud de la Familia (ESF), se aplicó cuestionario en 77 profesionales de la salud y 293 cuidadores de niños menores de cinco años. Las Variables, entrenamiento de los grupos de salud, acceso de la comunidad a los servicios suministrados por los grupos de ESF, comunicación con los pacientes, la atención suministrada al niño y las informaciones de salud entregadas a los cuidadores, fueron algunos de los puntos de interés de la investigación. Los análisis de regresión logística se utilizaron para evaluar la significancia estadística de las variables estudiadas, así como los valores de odds ratio (OR) e intervalo de confianza (IC). RESULTADOS: La mayoría de los profesionales mencionó que sus entrenamientos fueron insuficientes en cantidad, contenido y metodología utilizada. Los cuidadores y profesionales identificaron limitaciones semejantes de la ESF (los servicios inaccesibles a la comunidad, falta de entrenamiento e insuficiente número de profesionales) y también semejantes puntos fuertes (la comunicación entre agentes comunitarios y comunidad, suministro de informaciones educativas y énfasis en la atención del niño). Como recomendaciones para mejorar el programa fueron señalados: la necesidad de más médicos y especialistas, entrenamientos en mayor cantidad y calidad y mejoría al concertar cita con médicos. La satisfacción de los cuidadores fue relacionada con los ...
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child, Preschool , Humans , Community Health Services , Health Human Resource Training , Job Satisfaction , Patient Care Team , Patient Satisfaction , Brazil , Caregivers/education , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Services Research , National Health Programs , Professional-Patient Relations , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Background. The lack of testing and treatment of Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, amongst infected immigrants in the USA increases the risk of serious health complications and transmission (congenital or via blood transfusions). Goal. Our goal was to identify the barriers to testing and treatment of CD and understand the process of seeking healthcare amongst Latino immigrants in Georgia. Methods. In this qualitative study, eleven focus group discussions were conducted with 82 Latino immigrants, including migrant farm workers. Grounded theory was used to collect and analyze the data to develop an inductive conceptual framework to explain the context and process of seeking healthcare for CD amongst this at-risk population. Results. Participants were not aware of CD. Three healthcare seeking behaviors were identified: delaying treatment, using traditional remedies, and using either mainstream or alternative health providers. Behaviors and motivations differed by gender, and the use of licensed medical providers was considered a last resort due to the cost of healthcare, loss of earnings while seeking care, and fear of diagnosis with fatal illness. Discussion. Providing free or low cost services, mobile clinics, and education regarding CD is critical to increase testing and treatment of CD in the US.
