Public Dental Service Access Policies for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: A Pre-Evaluation Study.

This study sought to carry out a systematic and preliminary evaluation of the policies on access to public dental services for people with ASD in a Brazilian city. The study, conducted between November/2019 and February/2020, was developed through document analysis, the design of the theoretical logical model of the policies, and seven semi-structured interviews with key informants. The sample was intentionally selected. We also considered the answers to 108 questionnaires from a pilot study on the access of people with ASD to dental services applied to caregivers, dentists, and non-dental professionals. No refusals were recorded. The availability study showed that the policies' objectives were not being achieved in terms of care network organization: there were no institutional flows, personal contacts were used between professionals to guarantee access to secondary attention, there was no specific training for the dentists about ASD, and the oral health care network was unknown to non-dentist professionals and caregivers. Most people with ASD have visited the dentist at least once in their lives, but a large percentage of those within this study did not do so in the last year. This study identified difficulties in implementing policies and suggested possible strategies for overcoming them as dimensions and subdimensions for evaluation.

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the well-being of healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Growing evidence attests to the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), but their effectiveness for healthcare workers remains uncertain. Aims: To evaluate the evidence for MBIs in improving healthcare workers' psychological well-being. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to 31 August 2022 using the keywords 'healthcare worker', 'doctor', 'nurse', 'allied health', 'mindfulness', 'wellness', 'workshop' and 'program'. Randomised controlled trials with a defined MBI focusing on healthcare workers and quantitative outcome measures related to subjective or psychological well-being were eligible for inclusion. R V.4.0.3 was used for data analysis, with the standardised mean difference as the primary outcome, employing DerSimonian and Laird's random effects model. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Cochrane's Risk of Bias 2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Results: A total of 27 studies with 2506 participants were included, mostly from the USA, involving various healthcare professions. MBIs such as stress reduction programmes, apps, meditation and training showed small to large effects on anxiety, burnout, stress, depression, psychological distress and job strain outcomes of the participants. Positive effects were also seen in self-compassion, empathy, mindfulness and well-being. However, long-term outcomes (1 month or longer postintervention) varied, and the effects were not consistently sustained. Conclusions: MBIs offer short-term benefits in reducing stress-related symptoms in healthcare workers. The review also highlights limitations such as intervention heterogeneity, reduced power in specific subgroup analyses and variable study quality. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022353340.

Approximation to the economic cost of healthcare for hypertensive patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Introduction: Many researchers have focused their studies on hypertension due to its over-representation among COVID-19 patients. Both retrospective and observational studies conducted close to the Wuhan area have reported that hypertension is the most common comorbidity observed in patients affected by COVID-19. Objective: Our objective is that patients with arterial hypertension have a worse prognosis in terms of evolution leading to higher costs. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 3,581 patients from La Paz University Hospital (LPUH) during the period between 15 July 2020 and 31 July 2020 were included in this study. Results: It should be noted that 40.71% of the patients were hypertensive. As expected, hypertension was associated with men, among whom we observed a higher prevalence and a higher age (median age of 77 years (IQI: 65-85) versus 52 years (IQI: 37-64), p-value < 0.001). Hypertensive patients had a higher prevalence of dyspnea (52.14% vs. 47.15%, p-value = 0.004) and altered awareness (14.89% vs. 4.30%, p-value <0.001). The non-parametric Kaplan-Meier curve estimates the survival of patients in the two study groups. We can see how patients with hypertension have a higher associated mortality, with the difference being statistically significant, p-value (log-rank) = 0.004. Only for the appearance of complications during hospitalization, the group of hypertensive patients reached the figure of €1,355,901.71 compared to the total of 421,403.48 € for normotensive patients. Conclusion: Our study shows the worse clinical evolution of patients with COVID-19 in terms of associated morbidity and mortality. It also shows that the cost of managing patients with hypertension is greater than that of managing normotensive patients.

Strategic Communication for Local Public Health Services in Portugal: A Delphi Study.

INTRODUCTION: Strategic communication plays a decisive role in public health planning and project implementation. However, Portuguese Local Public Health Units, which are responsible for community interventions, still lack guidance models, tools, specialized resources, and training in health communication. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual model of strategic organizational communication for local public health services, in Portugal. METHODS: This study presents a conceptual model of strategic organizational communication for Local Public Health Units, which was developed through a three-round, modified Delphi online panel. Thirty-seven Portuguese specialists in public health, communication, and community members were invited to analyse a proposed framework, based on an up-to-date literature review. High retention rates were observed in all rounds (first = 22 valid participations; second = 21 valid participations; third = 18 valid participations). RESULTS: Most participants believed that Portuguese Public Health Units were not prepared to communicate effectively and that they would benefit from adequate planning and identification of a communication lead or team. Websites and social media were also identified as essential for effective communication. The validated conceptual model integrated different partners in health and in the community, with emphasis on the relationships with the national network of health authorities, other Public Health Units, primary health care units, municipalities, and schools. The preferred channels identified for communicating with these partners included interpersonal relationships, email, and mobile phone. No consensus was obtained for preferred communication channels between Local Public Health Units and the media. CONCLUSION: Strategic planning based on the proposed conceptual model involving different stakeholders, has potential to improve the effectiveness of internal and external communication and facilitate the implementation of public health programs and projects. The proposed model needs to be validated in Local Public Health Units, considering the potential human, material, and financial constraints.

Public health agencies' use of social media for communication during pandemics: a scoping review of the literature.

Public health agencies (PHAs) have increasingly incorporated social media into their communication mix during successive pandemics in the 21st century. However, the quality, timing, and accuracy of their health messages have varied significantly, resulting in mixed outcomes for communication, audience engagement, and pandemic management. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of pandemic-related health messages shared by PHAs on social media and to report their impact on public engagement as documented in the literature. A scoping literature review was conducted following a predefined protocol. An electronic search of 7 relevant databases and 5 grey literature repositories yielded 9,714 papers published between January 2003 and November 2022. Seventy-three papers were deemed eligible and selected for review. The results underscored the insufficiency of social media guidance policies for PHAs. Six themes were identified: message source, message topic, message style, message timing, content credibility and reliability, and message recipient profile. These themes encompassed 20 variables that could inform PHAs' social media public health communication during pandemics. Additionally, the findings revealed potential interconnectedness among the variables, and this study concluded by proposing a conceptual model that expands upon existing theoretical foundations for developing and evaluating pandemic-related health messaging.

Promise and peril: how health system reforms impacted public health in three Canadian provinces.

OBJECTIVES: Several Canadian provinces and territories have reformed their health systems by centralizing power, resources, and responsibilities. Our study explored motivating factors and perceived impacts of centralization reforms on public health systems and essential operations. METHODS: A multiple case study design was used to examine three Canadian provinces that have undergone, or are in the process of undergoing, health system reform. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 58 participants within public health at strategic and operational levels, from Alberta, Ontario, and Québec. Data were analyzed using a thematic analytical approach to iteratively conceptualize and refine themes. RESULTS: Three major themes were developed to describe the context and impacts of health system centralization reforms on public health: (1) promising "value for money" and consolidating authority; (2) impacting intersectoral and community-level collaboration; and (3) deprioritizing public health operations and contributing to workforce precarity. Centralization highlighted concerns about the prioritization of healthcare sectors. Some core public health functions were reported to operate more efficiently, with less duplication of services, and improvements in program consistency and quality, particularly in Alberta. Reforms were also reported to have diverted funding and human resources away from core essential functions, and diminished the public health workforce. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted that stakeholder priorities and a limited understanding about public health systems influenced how reforms were implemented. Our findings support calls for modernized and inclusive governance, stable public health funding, and investment in the public health workforce, which may help inform future reforms.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Plusieurs provinces et territoires canadiens ont réformé leur système de santé en centralisant le pouvoir, les ressources et les responsabilités. Notre étude a exploré les facteurs sous-jacents et les impacts perçus des réformes de centralisation sur les systèmes et les opérations essentielles de santé publique. MéTHODES: Nous avons mené une étude de cas multiples pour examiner la situation de trois provinces canadiennes qui ont subi ou qui sont en train de réaliser une réforme du système de santé. Des entrevues semi-structurées ont été menées auprès de 58 participants de la santé publique aux niveaux stratégique et opérationnel, en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec. De façon itérative, nous avons thématiquement analysé les données recueillies. RéSULTATS: Trois thèmes principaux ont été formulés pour décrire le contexte et les impacts des réformes de centralisation du système de santé sur la santé publique : 1) la promesse d'une « optimisation des ressources ¼ et la consolidation de l'autorité, 2) l'impact sur la collaboration intersectorielle et communautaire, et 3) la privatisation des opérations de santé publique et la précarisation de la main-d'œuvre. La centralisation a mis en lumière des préoccupations quant à la priorité accordée aux services de santé. Certaines fonctions essentielles de la santé publique fonctionneraient de manière plus efficace, avec moins de dédoublement des services et des améliorations de la cohérence et de la qualité des programmes, notamment en Alberta. Les réformes auraient aussi détourné des fonds et des ressources humaines des fonctions essentielles de base et auraient réduit les effectifs de la santé publique. CONCLUSION: Notre étude a mis en exergue les priorités des parties prenantes et une compréhension limitée des systèmes de santé publique qui ont influencé la manière dont les réformes ont été mises en œuvre. Nos résultats soutiennent les appels à une gouvernance plus modernisée et inclusive, à un financement stable de la santé publique et à un investissement dans le personnel de santé publique, pouvant ainsi contribuer à alimenter les futures réformes.

The Negative Impact of the New Coronavirus Pandemic on the Trend of Breast Biopsies and Their Direct Costs: Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The overload of health services because of the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the population's access to treatment and prevention of other diseases. This study aimed to identify whether there was a change in the trend of breast biopsies and their direct costs during the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing country's public and universal healthcare system. METHODS: This was an ecological time series study of mammograms and breast biopsies in women aged 30 years or older from an open-access data set of the Public Health System of Brazil from 2017 to July 2021. RESULTS: In 2020, there was a reduction of -40.9% in mammograms and -7.9% in breast biopsies compared with the prepandemic period. From 2017 to 2020, there was an increase in the breast biopsies ratio per mammogram (1.37%-2.55%), the percentage of Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) IV and V mammograms (0.79%-1.14%), and the annual direct cost of breast biopsies (Brazilian Real 3 477 410.00 to Brazilian Real 7 334 910.00). In the time series, the negative impact of the pandemic was lower on BI-RADS IV to V mammograms than on BI-RADS 0 to III. There was an association between the trend of breast biopsies and BI-RADS IV to V mammography. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic harmed the increasing trend of breast biopsies, their total direct costs, BI-RADS 0 to III and IV to V mammograms, observed in the prepandemic period. Furthermore, there was a tendency to screen women at a higher risk for breast cancer during the pandemic.

Práticas corporais e atividades físicas como política pública de saúde: desafios para avançar na atenção primária do Sistema Único de Saúde no período de 2023 a 2026 / Body practices and physical activities as public health policy: challenges to advance in primary care in the Unified Health System in the period from 2023 to 2026 / Prácticas corporales y actividades físicas como política pública de Salud: desafíos para avanzar en la atención primaria en el Sistema Único de Salud en el período 2023 a 2026

As práticas corporais e atividades físicas (PCAF) estão relacionadas à saúde individual e coletiva. Considerando-se que no último ciclo governamental federal (2019-2022) houve medidas de austeridade fiscal, com consequências para o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e para os programas e ações de PCAF, este ensaio tem o objetivo de apresentar desafios para que tais práticas avancem como política pública de Saúde no ciclo governamental federal de 2023-2026. Destacam-se: a) financiamento; b) vigilância; c) educação, formação e pesquisa; d) comitê participativo; e) política nacional. Espera-se que as proposições fomentem um amplo debate que favoreça a ampliação da oferta na Atenção Primária à Saúde do SUS, buscando efetivar o direito às PCAF, contribuindo para o cuidado integral em saúde (AU).

Physical activities and body practices (PABP) are related to individual and collective health. Considering that in the last federal government cycle (2019-2022) there was a fiscal austerity measures, with consequences for the Unified Health System (SUS) and for PABP programs, this essay aims to present the challenges for such practices to advance as a public Health policy in the 2023-2026 federal government cycle. We highlight: a) financing; b) surveillance; c) education, training, and research; d) participative committee; e) national policy. It is expected that the proposals will promote a wide debate that will contribute to the expansion of the offer of these practices in SUS primary health care, seeking to guarantee the right to PABP, contributing to comprehensive health care (AU).

Las prácticas corporales y actividades físicas (PCAF) están relacionadas con la salud individual y colectiva. Considerando que de 2019 a 2022 hubo una serie de medidas de austeridad fiscal, con consecuencias para el Sistema Único de Salud (SUS) y para las PCAF, este ensayo tiene como objetivo presentar desafíos para que estas prácticas avancen como política de salud pública en el período de 2023 a 2026. Se destacan: a) financiamiento; b) vigilancia; c) educación, formación e investigación; d) comité participativo; e) política nacional. Se espera que las proposiciones fomenten un amplio debate que favorezca la ampliación de la oferta en la Atención Primaria de Salud del SUS, buscando la implementación del derecho al PCAF, contribuyendo para la atención integral a la salud (AU).

Digressões da Reforma Psiquiátrica brasileira na conformação da Nova Política de Saúde Mental / Digressions of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform in the conformation of the new Mental Health Policy

Resumo No Brasil, a Política Nacional de Saúde Mental vinha se desenhando progressivamente em atos institucionais que buscavam consolidar o modelo de atenção aberto e de base comunitária por meio das diretrizes de desinstitucionalização, conquistando avanços legislativos, especialmente a partir da Lei nº 10.216/2001. Este artigo objetiva analisar a chamada Nova Política de Saúde Mental, considerando o período de 2011 a 2020. Foram analisados atos normativos dos governos brasileiros, em consonância com publicações recentes sobre a temática, inspirando-se no paradigma pós-construtivista em sua conjugação com a avaliação em profundidade de políticas, sobretudo no que tange à análise da trajetória da política na dimensão analítica do texto. Nesse percurso, observou-se o despojamento da proteção social em saúde mental por meio da desconstrução da atenção psicossocial em conformações com agendas do Estado brasileiro nesse período. Embora retrocessos sejam mais intensos a partir do recrudescimento do conservadorismo dos últimos governos, o estudo tonifica o argumento de que medidas instituídas em outros contextos políticos também dificultaram o processo de rompimento com o modelo asilar. Entende-se que atos institucionais, gestados no seio dos governos brasileiros no período de 2011 a 2020, materializam uma digressão da Reforma Psiquiátrica por meio da implementação da Nova Política em 2017.

Abstract The Brazilian Mental Health National Policy was progressively drawn in institutional acts that sought to consolidate the community-based care model through deinstitutionalization guidelines, achieving legislative advances, especially after Law No. 10.216/2001. This article aims to analyze the so-called Brazilian New Mental Health Policy considering the period from 2011 to 2020. For this, regulatory acts of Brazilian governments were analyzed in line with recent publications on the subject, inspired by the post-constructivist paradigm in its conjunction with the in-depth evaluation of policies in terms of the dimension of text in policy institutional trajectory analysis. The dismantle of social protection in mental health was observed through the deconstruction of psychosocial care in conformations of the Brazilian State. Although setbacks are more intense after the resurgence of conservatism in the current government, the study strengthens the argument that measures instituted in other political contexts also hampered the process of breaking away from the asylum model. It is understood that institutional acts developed within Brazilian governments in the period from 2011 to 2020 materialize a digression of the Psychiatric Reform through the implementation of a New Policy in 2017.

Reprocessamento de Marca-Passos em Países de Língua Portuguesa: Uma Reflexão Clínica / Pacemaker Reuse in Portuguese Speaking Countries: A Clinical Reflection

Resumo Há uma enorme disparidade entre os países de alta renda e outros em termos de acesso a dispositivos médicos cardíacos, como marca-passos e desfibriladores implantáveis. Os custos são uma das principais barreiras ao uso de dispositivos cardíacos nesses países. Existem iniciativas internacionais que visam reduzir essa disparidade, e o reuso de marca-passos tem sido discutido como uma possível alternativa. O conceito de reutilização de marca-passos não é novo; entretanto, estudos recentes têm se mostrado seguros, éticos e eficazes para aqueles que precisam de dispositivos eletrônicos cardíacos implantáveis e não tem como adquiri-los. Parte dos países de língua portuguesa, especialmente na África, precisam de uma resposta imediata que beneficie seus inúmeros pacientes que sofrem de arritmias tratáveis.

Abstract There is a gap between high-income countries and others in terms of access to medical cardiac devices, such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Costs are one of the main barriers to the use of cardiac devices in these countries. There are international initiatives that aim to reduce the gap. The reuse of pacemakers has been discussed as a possible alternative to this problem. The concept of reusing pacemakers is not new; however, recent studies have proven to be safe, ethical, and effective for those who need cardiac implantable electronic devices and cannot afford them. Part of the Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in Africa, need an immediate response that benefits their countless patients who suffer from treatable arrhythmias.

The trend and direct costs of screening and chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer in the new coronavirus pandemic: total and interrupted time series study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has overloaded the healthcare systems of many countries and reduced the population's access to treatment and prevention of other diseases. This study aims to assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively interfered with the trend and the direct costs of screening and chemotherapy treatment of breast cancer in a public and universal healthcare system. METHOD: This was an ecological time series study using an open database of a public and universal health system from 2017 to 2021. RESULTS: In 2020, there was a 41% reduction in the coverage rate of breast cancer screening in women aged 50 to 69 years (about 1 million mammograms missed). The total direct cost of breast cancer screening reduced proportionally to the number of tests (BRL 67 million). On the other hand, the cost of chemotherapy treatment was higher in 2020, both in advanced (BRL 465 million) and localized (BRL 113 million) diseases. In the time series, mammograms' trend and direct costs changed from stationary to decreasing after the COVID-19 pandemic. The trend of direct costs with chemotherapy treatment for the advanced disease has been increasing and has not changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, in the case of localized disease, there was a trend toward reducing direct costs after the pandemic. CONCLUSION: After COVID-19, there was a downward trend in breast cancer screening and its direct costs, an upward trend in chemotherapy costs for advanced disease, and a downward trend in chemotherapy costs for localized disease.

Reflections on the performance of the Colombian Minister of Health regarding the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual and reproductive health and public health / Reflexiones acerca del desempeño del ministro de Salud de Colombia en el manejo de la pandemia de COVID-19, la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública

Objectives: To offer a critical assessment of the incumbent Health Minister's performance at the end of the Ivan Duque administration regarding the management of the pandemic, sexual and reproductive health, and public health in Colombia. Material and methods: Based on the description of challenges faced during this time period, we present evidence regarding performance results which, together with the author's opinion, offer an assessment of the work done. Conclusions: The Health Minister's performance in managing the pandemic fell short, in particular as concerns sexual and reproductive health, as well as public health.

Objetivos: hacer una evaluación crítica de la gestión del ministro de Salud en ejercicio al terminar el gobierno de Iván Duque en el manejo de la pandemia, la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública en Colombia. Materiales y métodos: a partir de la descripción de situaciones problemáticas enfrentadas en ese periodo se presenta evidencia sobre los resultados de la gestión que, sumados a la opinión del autor, proveen un balance de la gestión realizada. Conclusiones: la gestión del ministro de Salud fue deficiente en el manejo de la pandemia y, en especial, en su atención a la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública.

Reflexiones acerca del desempeño del ministro de Salud de Colombia en el manejo de la pandemia de COVID-19, la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública / Reflections on the performance of the Colombian Minister of Health regarding the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual and reproductive health and public health

Objetivos: hacer una evaluación crítica de la gestión del ministro de Salud en ejercicio al terminar el gobierno de Iván Duque en el manejo de la pandemia, la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública en Colombia. Materiales y métodos: a partir de la descripción de situaciones problemáticas enfrentadas en ese periodo se presenta evidencia sobre los resultados de la gestión que, sumados a la opinión del autor, proveen un balance de la gestión realizada. Conclusiones: la gestión del ministro de Salud fue deficiente en el manejo de la pandemia y, en especial, en su atención a la salud sexual y reproductiva, y la salud pública.

Objectives: To offer a critical assessment of the incumbent Health Minister's performance at the end of the Ivan Duque administration regarding the management of the pandemic, sexual and reproductive health, and public health in Colombia. Material and methods: Based on the description of challenges faced during this time period, we present evidence regarding performance results which, together with the author's opinion, offer an assessment of the work done. Conclusions: The Health Minister's performance in managing the pandemic fell short, in particular as concerns sexual and reproductive health, as well as public health.

Eficiencia del sistema de salud chileno: análisis comparativo entre los servicios de salud / Efficiency of the Chilean health system: comparative analysis between health services

BACKGROUND: The assessment of health systems efficiency determines how they use their supplies to produce results of health value. Aim: To determine the efficiency of the health services in Chile, managing their budget to improve the health of the population in 2016. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used. The relationship or efficiency with external factors was determined ussing a multivariate analysis. As an input, the operating expense accrued per member of the public health system (National Health Fund, FONASA) was obtained. The years of life potentially lost were used as output. RESULTS: The health services of Chile had an efficiency of 68.8% for constant return and 81.3% for variable return. Sixteen percent of their inefficiency was related to the size of the health service. The most efficient health service was the Metropolitano Sur-Oriente and the least efficient was the Araucanía Norte. Urban health services had more uniform and higher efficiency than their rural counterparts. The external factors that were associated with a greater efficiency were having lower proportion of rural population, a lower proportion of beneficiaries of the National Health Fund (FONASA), fewer hospital discharges, fewer hospital beds, less poverty calculated by income, and a higher access to drinking water. Conclusions: Numerous factors influence the efficiency of the Chilean health system and delving into them would allow a better use of public resources for the benefit of the population.

Impact assessment of emergency care units on hospitalizations for respiratory system diseases in Brazil / Avaliação do impacto das unidades de pronto atendimento sobre as internações por doenças do aparelho respiratório no Brasil

Abstract Emergency Care Units (UPAs) are part of a national health policy implemented by the Brazilian Government. UPAs are fixed prehospital components of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), whose purpose is to provide resolutive emergency care to patients suffering from acute clinical conditions, and to perform the first care in cases of surgical nature. According to the Ministry of Economy, 750 units are operational throughout the country since 2008, and 332 are under construction. Being a public policy in expansion, it is imperative to assess the impact of such units as part of SUS. However, we found few studies that assessed UPAs' impact, which have examined their specific impact on mortality rates. In our research, we aimed to evaluate the impact of UPAs on hospitalization rates for diseases of the respiratory system. To measure the impact, we used a strategy of Machine Learning through the Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) algorithm. The results point to a decrease in the hospitalization rates by respiratory diseases due to Emergency Care Units. Therefore, these units generate a benefit for the Brazilian health system, being an important element for the care of patients with respiratory diseases.

Resumo As Unidades de Pronto Atendimento 24h (UPAs) compõem a Política de Atenção a Urgências e Emergências (PNAU) implementada pelo Governo Federal. São componentes pré-hospitalares fixos do SUS, cujo objetivo é o atendimento resolutivo de urgência a pacientes que sofrem quadros clínicos agudos, e o primeiro atendimento em casos cirúrgicos. Desde 2008, funcionam 750 unidades no Brasil, e há 332 em construção, conforme dados de 2020 do Ministério da Economia. Diante de uma política em expansão, é indispensável avaliar seus efeitos como parte do SUS. No entanto, foram encontrados poucos trabalhos avaliando o impacto das UPAs, e esses mediram os efeitos sobre taxas de mortalidade. Este trabalho objetiva mensurar o efeito das UPAs nas taxas de internação por doenças do aparelho respiratório. Para isso, utilizou-se uma estratégia de Machine Learning por meio do algoritmo Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART). Os resultados apontam uma diminuição nas taxas de internações por doenças do aparelho respiratório devido às UPAs. Assim, as evidências são de que essas unidades geram benefício para o sistema de saúde, sendo uma peça importante na linha de cuidado dos pacientes com doenças respiratórias.

La prevención universal del consumo de drogas en el entorno escolar: el valor de la monitorización continua / Universal prevention of substance use in school settings: the need for continuous monitoring

Este trabajo presenta la experiencia de gestión por los servicios de salud pública de la ciudad de Barcelona de dos programas de prevención universal del consumo de sustancias adictivas ofrecidos en educación secundaria, revisando el periodo de 1989-1990 a 2016-2017. Ambos programas mostraron su efectividad en evaluaciones con grupo de comparación, se promueven desde los servicios de salud pública de forma gratuita y son impartidos por los/las docentes usando manuales estandarizados, con material de apoyo y formación. La cobertura alcanzada en los últimos años ha bajado del 40% al 25% de las escuelas. Se observan cambios en la aceptación y la realización de los programas que podrían relacionarse con aspectos de seguimiento y logística de los servicios de salud pública, los cambios en la disponibilidad de sustancias psicoactivas y los recortes presupuestarios en educación. La monitorización de los programas efectivos por los servicios de salud pública es fundamental para preservar su realización. (AU)

This paper documents the management of two programs for the universal prevention of substance use offered in secondary schools by the public health services of the city of Barcelona, reviewing the period from 1989–1990 to 2016–2017. Both programs had proven effectiveness in evaluations with a comparison group, they are promoted by the public health agency free of cost, and are taught by teachers, using standardized manuals with support materials and training. The coverage achieved over recent years declined from 40% to 25%. Changes observed in the acceptance and implementation of these programs could be related with logistics and follow-up by the public health services, changes in substance availability, and with budget cuts in education. The monitoring of effective programs by public health services is essential to preserve their actual implementation. (AU)

A New Dawn for Brazilian Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Is on the Way - Issues Around and Outside the Operating Room.

In some developing countries, congenital heart disease still stands out among the leading causes of death in the first year of life. Therefore, there is a great need to develop programs designed to improve outcomes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in these nations, where children have always been and still are severely underserved. The Brazilian Public Health Care System demands universal access to treatment as a constitutional right. Therefore, an underfunded Pediatric Cardiac Surgery program is unacceptable since it will cost lives and increase the infant mortality rate. Additionally, poor funding decreases providers' interest, impedes technological advances and multidisciplinary engagement, and reduces access to comprehensive care. Unfortunately, in most developing countries, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery progress is still the result of isolated personal efforts, dedication, and individual resilience. This article aims to present the current state of Brazilian pediatric cardiac surgery and discuss the structural and human limitations in developing a quality care system for children with congenital heart disease. Considering such constraints, quality improvement programs via International collaboration with centers of excellence, based on proper data collection and outcomes analysis, have been introduced in the country. Such initiatives should bring a new dawn to Brazilian Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

A New Dawn for Brazilian Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Is on the Way - Issues Around and Outside the Operating Room

ABSTRACT In some developing countries, congenital heart disease still stands out among the leading causes of death in the first year of life. Therefore, there is a great need to develop programs designed to improve outcomes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in these nations, where children have always been and still are severely underserved. The Brazilian Public Health Care System demands universal access to treatment as a constitutional right. Therefore, an underfunded Pediatric Cardiac Surgery program is unacceptable since it will cost lives and increase the infant mortality rate. Additionally, poor funding decreases providers' interest, impedes technological advances and multidisciplinary engagement, and reduces access to comprehensive care. Unfortunately, in most developing countries, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery progress is still the result of isolated personal efforts, dedication, and individual resilience. This article aims to present the current state of Brazilian pediatric cardiac surgery and discuss the structural and human limitations in developing a quality care system for children with congenital heart disease. Considering such constraints, quality improvement programs via International collaboration with centers of excellence, based on proper data collection and outcomes analysis, have been introduced in the country. Such initiatives should bring a new dawn to Brazilian Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.