Social environment characteristics are related to self-rated health in four Latin America countries: Evidence from the SALURBAL Project.

We investigated the associations of social and built environment and demographic features of urban areas with self-rated health among adults living in four Latin American countries. We estimated multilevel models with harmonized data from 69,840 adults, nested in 262 sub-cities and 112 cities, obtained from the Salud Urbana en América Latina project. Poor self-rated health was inversely associated with services provision score at the sub-city-level and with social environment index at the city-level. We did not identify associations of built environment and demographic features with self-rated health. Approaches and policies to improve health in Latin American should be urban context-sensitive.

Gender differences in the association of individual and contextual socioeconomic status with hypertension in 230 Latin American cities from the SALURBAL study: a multilevel analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite global interest in gender disparities and social determinants of hypertension, research in urban areas and regions with a high prevalence of hypertension, such as Latin America, is very limited. The objective of this study was to examine associations of individual- and area-level socioeconomic status with hypertension in adults living in 230 cities in eight Latin America countries. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we used harmonized data from 109,184 adults (aged 18-97 years) from the SALURBAL (Salud Urbana en America Latina/Urban Health in Latin America) project. Hypertension was assessed by self-report. Individual-, sub-city- and city-level education were used as proxies of socioeconomic status. All models were stratified by gender. RESULTS: Higher individual-level education was associated with lower odds of hypertension among women (university education or higher versus lower than primary: odds ratio [OR] = 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61-0.74) but higher odds among men (OR = 1.65; 95%CI 1.47-1.86), although in men an inverse association emerged when measured blood pressure was used (OR = 0.86; 95%CI 0.76-0.97). For both genders, living in sub-city areas with higher educational achievement was associated with higher odds of hypertension (OR per standard deviation [SD] = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.02-1.12; OR = 1.11 per SD, 95%CI = 1.05-1.18, for women and men, respectively). The association of city-level education with hypertension varied across countries. In Peru, there was an inverse association (higher city level education was associated with lower odds of hypertension) in women and men, but in other countries no association was observed. In addition, the inverse association of individual-level education with hypertension became stronger (in women) or emerged (in men) as city or sub-city education increased. CONCLUSION: The social patterning of hypertension differs by gender and by the level of analysis highlighting the importance of context- and gender-sensitive approaches and policies to reduce the prevalence of hypertension in Latin America.

Variation in youth and young adult homicide rates and their association with city characteristics in Latin America: the SALURBAL study.

Background: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is one of the most urbanized and violent regions worldwide. Homicides in youth (15-24 years old, yo) and young adults (25-39yo) are an especially pressing public health problem. Yet there is little research on how city characteristics relate to homicide rates in youth and young adults. We aimed to describe homicide rates among youth and young adults, as well as their association with socioeconomic and built environment factors across 315 cities in eight LAC countries. Methods: This is an ecological study. We estimated homicide rates in youth and young adults for the period 2010-2016. We investigated associations of homicide rates with sub-city education and GDP, Gini, density, landscape isolation, population and population growth using sex-stratified negative binomial models with city and sub-city level random intercepts, and country-level fixed effects. Findings: The mean sub-city homicide rate per 100,000 in persons aged 15-24 was 76.9 (SD = 95.9) in male and 6.7 (SD = 8.5) in female, and in persons aged 25-39 was 69.4 (SD = 68.9) in male and 6.0 (SD = 6.7) in female. Rates were higher in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and El Salvador than in Argentina, Chile, Panama and Peru. There was significant variation in rates across cities and sub-cities, even after accounting for the country. In fully adjusted models, higher sub-city education scores and higher city GDP were associated with a lower homicide rate among male and female (rate ratios (RR) per SD higher value in male and female, respectively, 0.87 (CI 0.84-0.90) and 0.90 (CI 0.86-0.93) for education and 0.87 (CI 0.81-0.92) and 0.92 (CI 0.87-0.97) for GDP). A higher city Gini index was associated with higher homicide rates (RR 1.28 (CI 1.10-1.48) and 1.21 (CI 1.07-1.36) in male and female, respectively). Greater isolation da was also associated with higher homicide rates (RR 1.13 (CI 1.07-1.21) and 1.07 (CI 1.02-1.12) in male and female, respectively). Interpretation: City and sub-city factors are associated with homicide rates. Improvements to education, social conditions and inequality and physical integration of cities may contribute to the reduction of homicides in the region. Funding: The Wellcome Trust [205177/Z/16/Z].

The COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian metropolis: repercussion on food prices.

We analyzed the impact of the efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of food sold by a food supply center located in the sixth largest city in Brazil. We examined the percentage change in the prices of 20 types of foods, adjusted by market conditions, using municipal contingency plan stages to compare opening and closing of non-essential services, including bars and restaurants (stage 1: first phase of essential services-only; stage 2: flexibilization; and stage 3: second phase of essential services-only with a "pre-pandemic" period [stage 0]). Log-prices were lower in all contingency stages for leafy greens (variation: 42% to 56%) and vegetables (variation: 28% to 40%). Log-prices of eggs and fruit were 20% and 16% lower during stages 1 and 3, respectively. Strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic lowered the prices of eggs, fruit, leafy greens, and vegetables regardless of the market conditions. Accordingly, the supply and demand for fresh and minimally processed foods were affected by the economic crisis and difficulties to access and/or buy perishable foods more often. The impacts of efforts to defeat the pandemic must ensure the human right to adequate food, considering that low prices do not necessarily indicate food security.

The COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian metropolis: repercussion on food prices / A pandemia de COVID-19 em uma metrópole brasileira: repercussão sobre o preço dos alimentos / La pandemia de COVID-19 en una metrópolis brasileña: repercusión en los precios de las comidas

We analyzed the impact of the efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of food sold by a food supply center located in the sixth largest city in Brazil. We examined the percentage change in the prices of 20 types of foods, adjusted by market conditions, using municipal contingency plan stages to compare opening and closing of non-essential services, including bars and restaurants (stage 1: first phase of essential services-only; stage 2: flexibilization; and stage 3: second phase of essential services-only with a "pre-pandemic" period [stage 0]). Log-prices were lower in all contingency stages for leafy greens (variation: 42% to 56%) and vegetables (variation: 28% to 40%). Log-prices of eggs and fruit were 20% and 16% lower during stages 1 and 3, respectively. Strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic lowered the prices of eggs, fruit, leafy greens, and vegetables regardless of the market conditions. Accordingly, the supply and demand for fresh and minimally processed foods were affected by the economic crisis and difficulties to access and/or buy perishable foods more often. The impacts of efforts to defeat the pandemic must ensure the human right to adequate food, considering that low prices do not necessarily indicate food security.

Foi analisado o impacto dos esforços para combater a pandemia da COVID-19 sobre o preço dos alimentos comercializados por uma central de abastecimento na sexta maior cidade brasileira. Examinou-se as variações percentuais dos preços de vinte tipos de alimentos, ajustados pelas condições de mercado e pelas fases dos planos de contingência municipais com a abertura e fechamento de serviços não essenciais como bares e restaurantes (fase 1: primeira fase, apenas de serviços essenciais; fase 2: flexibilização; e fase 3: segunda fase apenas de serviços essenciais em comparação com o período "pré-pandêmico" [fase 0]). Os preços logarítmicos eram mais baixos em todas as fases de contingência para vegetais folhosos (variação: 42% e 56%) e hortaliças (variação: 28% a 40%). Os preços logarítmicos de ovos e frutas eram 20% e 16% mais baixos durante as fases 1 e 3, respectivamente. As estratégias para mitigar a pandemia da COVID-19 resultaram em preços mais baixos para ovos, frutas, vegetais folhosos e hortaliças, independentemente das condições de mercado. Isso revela a repercussão das estratégias de combate sobre a procura e oferta de alimentos in natura e minimamente processados, o que pode ser modulado pela crise econômica e pelas dificuldades em acessar e/ou comprar alimentos perecíveis regularmente. Os esforços para eliminar os impactos da pandemia devem assegurar o direito humano à alimentação adequada, uma vez que os preços baixos podem não ser sinônimos de segurança alimentar.

Analizamos el impacto de los esfuerzos para luchar contra la pandemia de COVID-19 en los precios de las comidas vendidas por un centro de suministro alimentario, localizado en la sexta ciudad más grande de Brasil. Examinamos el porcentaje de cambios en los precios de veinte tipos de comidas, ajustados por las condiciones de mercado, por las etapas del plan de contingencia municipal, con la apertura y cierre de los servicios no esenciales como bares y restaurantes (etapa 1: 1ª fase de solo servicios esenciales; etapa 2: flexibilización; y etapa 3: 2ª fase de solo servicios esenciales, en comparación con un periodo "pre-pandemia" [etapa 0]). El registro de precios era más bajo en todas las etapas de contingencia para todas las verduras de hoja verde (variación: 42% a 56%) y hortalizas (variación: 28% a 40%). El registro de precios de huevos y frutas fueron un 20% y un 16% más bajo durante las etapas 1 y 3, respectivamente. Las estrategias para mitigar la pandemia de COVID-19 resultaron en precios más bajos para los huevos, frutas, verduras de hojas verdes y hortalizas, independientemente de sus condiciones de mercado. Además, revela su repercusión en el suministro y demanda de comidas naturales y mínimamente procesadas, lo que quizás se vio modulado por la crisis económica y las dificultades para acceder y/o comprar alimentos perecederos más frecuentemente. Los esfuerzos para eliminar los impactos de la pandemia deben garantizar el derecho humano a alimentos adecuados, puesto que un bajo precio no es indicativo de seguridad alimentaria.