Elemental plasma content and urinary excretion in vineyard farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in southern Brazil.

This is a cross-sectional study with data and biological material collection from vineyard farmers in southern Brazil. An interview was carried out through a questionnaire developed according to the reference guide of the state government. Plasma and urine samples were screened for Aluminum, Chromium, Manganese, Copper, Nickel, Cobalt, Zinc, Arsenic, Selenium, Cadmium, Antimony, Barium, Mercury, Lead and Uranium, with a technique for fast determination of these elemental contents in biological material utilizing dynamic reaction cell inductively coupled mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis was used to identify associations between these elemental contents in biological samples and the information obtained from the interviews. The farmers showed some trace elements in plasma and urine at a higher concentration than unexposed populations from other studies. This study highlights recent findings of trace elements in biological material and their association with characteristics of pesticide use. In addition, it also contributes to the gap in the literature regarding trace elements content in plasma and urine of workers exposed to pesticides.

Padrões mínimos de atendimento inicial à urgência toxicológica para abordagem à criança intoxicada / Minimum patterns of initial assistance given on the toxicological emergency to approach a poisoned child

O presente estudo teve por objetivo apresentar os padrões mínimos de atendimento inicial à criança intoxicada em um serviço de atenção às urgências de um hospital ensino. Foram utilizados como diretrizes para a construção dos padrões mínimos o módulo IV, “Atendimento Inicial ao Paciente Intoxicado, do Curso de Toxicologia promovido pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA)” documentos e literatura técnico-científica sobre o tema e a experiência das autoras em um centro de informação toxicológica. Os padrões mínimos abrangeram a estrutura e o processo de atendimento. Uma das limitações encontradas foi a inexistência de referências consistentes voltadas para o atendimento inicial ao intoxicado, porém acredita-se que os padrões estabelecidos neste estudo possam contribuir para a assistência inicial às crianças nesse contexto, e às famílias em unidades de atenção às urgências.

[Stress symptoms in female nurses working in emergency rooms]. / Sintomas de estresse em trabalhadoras de enfermagem de uma unidade de Pronto Socorro.

This is a sectional study carried out in an emergency room, with the purpose of identifying the association of socio-demographic, occupational and economic data in nursing workers presenting stress symptoms. Data was collected from 33 subjects, in July and August 2009, using an inventory of stress symptoms for adults. Results show that most of the workers presented stress symptoms at resistance and almost-exhaustion stages, with presence of psychological and physical symptoms. The highest occurrence was found in female younger workers that were married, graduated, catholic, without a second job, working as nursing technicians in the afternoon or at night, in the emergency room for more than six years, and in the nursing field for less than ten years. It was concluded that something should be done to treat the existing cases of stress in order to avoid their evolution to more serious stages, and prevent new occurrences.

Family ties of crack cocaine users cared for in a psychiatric emergency department.

This study characterizes the family ties of crack cocaine users cared for in a psychiatric emergency department in southern Brazil. It is a qualitative study with a series of cases carried out in the city of Maringá, PR, Brazil from April to June 2010. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, analyzed using content analysis, and organized into two categories: family ties as facilitators in the use of crack cocaine and other drugs; and fragmented family ties of crack users. Loss of relational bonds with family and social milieu was observed among the ten studied users in addition to the presence of drugs and violence in the family sphere. Further studies addressing the use of crack and its interface with the family are encouraged, taking into consideration that families have an essential role in the initiation and continuity of drug use.

[The role of family relationships in the initiation of street drug abuse by institutionalized youths]. / O papel das relações familiares na iniciação ao uso de drogas de abuso por jovens institucionalizados.

The objective of this study was to analyze the role of family relationships in the initiation of streetdrug abuse by youths, meeting social-educational measures, considering the severity of the problems that drug abuse brought to the youths and their families. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used a case series design and was developed in the cities of Rolândia and Cambé (Brazil), at the Vida Nova Halfway House, with institutionalized youths and their parents or responsible adults in March 2007. Data was collected from institutional records and the instruments used were two interview forms. Data comparison was performed for analysis, according to the content analysis technique. Eleven families were studied. Signs of negligence and abandonment, physical abuse, lack of family dialogue, and especially a culture of drug use in the family environment determined the initiation of street-drug abuse.

Knowledge about AIDS and drugs among undergraduate students in a higher education institution in the state of Paraná.

The main objective of this study was to measure the knowledge of undergraduate nursing students about Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and drugs. The study was carried out in 2007 with a random sample of 289 undergraduate students at a State University in the Northwest of Paraná, Brazil. The students self-applied a questionnaire validated by experts. Questions were divided into three levels of complexity: low, average and high. The level of correct answers was higher in the questions of low complexity, diminishing as the questions' complexity increased. Thirteen percent of questions concerning risk factors and vulnerability to HIV infection among injection drug users (IDU) and biological material for diagnosis of AIDS was correctly answered by 90% of students. Students possessed knowledge concerning AIDS and drugs, however such knowledge was considered insufficient, showing lack of information and gaps in education with a dissociation of interdisciplinary and inter-curricular content.

[Severity of the intoxications by cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides registered in the northwest of the state of Paraná, Brazil]. / Gravidade das intoxicações por inseticidas inibidores das colinesterases no noroeste do estado do Paraná, Brasil.

This article has as objective the discussion of the severity of intoxications by cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides, which happened in the Northwest of Paraná, Brazil, starting from an exploratory descriptive study with retrospective analysis of epidemiological data sheets of the Intoxications Control Center in the University Hospital of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, referring to patients intoxicated from January, 1994 to December 2005. 529 cases were analyzed, 168 (31,7%) for organophosphates and 167 (31,5%) for carbamate. The suicide attempt represented 257 cases (48,5%), the occupational exposure 140 (26,5%), and the accidental 124 (23,5%). Comparing the number of severe intoxications and deaths, it was verified from 100% of deaths to cases severe occupational exposure, 20% for the suicide attempt and 7,5% deaths for the accidental intoxications classified as severe. The high incidence of serious intoxication and mortality suggest preventive strategies in respect of the usage of the insecticides, aiming to restrict the indiscriminate access to these powerful toxic agents.

[Learning about the social support provided to the family caregiver assisting a family dependent]. / Conhecendo o apoio social ao cuidador familiar do idoso dependente.

The elderly suffering disability caused by diseases need a network of support in order to continue feeling socially active. This study aims at characterizing the social support provided to the family caregiver who looks after an elderly dependent, in Brazil. A descriptive study with qualitative approach was conducted at the municipality of Jandaia do Sul, Paraná, Brazil. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews with 19 primary family caregivers. Data analysis was based on Thematic Analysis. The results show that when it comes to informal sources, the reference to grown up children was mostly used, while as formal ones Unidade Básica de Saúde, the Brazilian Basic Health Unit, and the team from Programa Saúde da Familia, Brazilian Pro-Family Health Program, were referred to. However, the image of Community Health Agent was the most mentioned. Thus, it is necessary to create support nets to integrate both formal and informal systems.