Community health workers' attitudes, practices and perceptions towards the COVID-19 pandemic in brazilian low-income communities.

BACKGROUND: Community Health Workers (CHW) are a category of social workers described in many countries' health systems as responsible for engaging people in their residences and communities, and other non-clinical spaces to enable access to health services, especially in low-income areas. These professionals have been exposed to numerous new risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This study describes how the COVID-19 pandemic is perceived by CHWs who work in poor communities or slums in Brazil. METHODS: We conducted an online survey with a random sample of 775 CHWs operating in 368 municipalities of the 26 Brazilian states. At a confidence level of 95%, results of the survey were subject to a maximum sampling error of 4%. RESULTS: Our data indicate that the negationist agenda increases the challenges to the performance of CHWs within low-income communities, preventing the consensus on the necessity of social distancing, business closures and other measures to face the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The pandemic imposes unexpected challenges on the usual modes of interaction of public health officers with poor communities. This study provides evidence that these challenges have been ignored or minimized in Brazilian policy prescriptions for primary care in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Políticas governamentais e planos privados de assistência odontológica no Brasil / Government policies and plans of private dental care in Brazil

A tese analisa a atenção de saúde bucal dependente da política governamental no Brasil. Descreve a Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal - Programa Brasil Sorridente - do Ministério da Saúde de 2004 e a estrutura e dinâmica dos planos privados de assistência odontológica regulados pela Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar. Os modelos de proteção social são tomados como referência teórica para a descrição das relações entre as esferas públicas e privadas no setor. A tipologia de Esping-Andersen é utilizada para a classificação do subsistema de saúde odontológico brasileiro como liberal. Considera-se, nessa tipificação, o papel residual das intervenções públicas e a configuração do mercado privado de planos odontológicos para a população no mercado formal de trabalho. Demonstra-se que a provisão da saúde bucal do Sistema Único de Saúde é focalizada nos pobres. Argumenta-se que a baixa capacidade de inclusão dos setores de maior focalização e renda tem favorecido o crescimento dos planos privados de assistência odontológica. É descrita a expressiva evolução no mercado setorial do número de beneficiários, da receita e da rentabilidade, entre outras variáveis, com dado transversal e de painel.

Estratégia profissional e mimetismo empresarial: os planos de saúde odontológicos no Brasil / Professional strategy and institutional isomorphism: the dental health insurance industry in Brazil

O artigo analisa o modelo organizacional das empresas de planos de saúde odontológicos das modalidades de cooperativas de profissionais e a odontologia de grupo para compreender a dinâmica da oferta de serviços odontológicos no país. Adotou-se como referência a formulação institucionalista de Di Maggio e Powell. O mercado de planos de saúde odontológico é pulverizado, com o predomínio de empresas de pequeno porte, e apresenta um grande dinamismo, que favorece as empresas de pequeno, médio e alto porte. As modalidades analisadas concentram a maior proporção de beneficiários e receitas. A análise geral do desempenho do setor revela impressionante dinamismo na captação de clientes, mesmo após a criação da ANS. O regime de regulação tem imposto um novo padrão institucional à entrada, permanência e saída das empresas no mercado, que não afeta o desempenho setorial. Os dados analisados evidenciam que o setor de planos de saúde odontológicos é altamente rentável, apresentando uma grande capacidade na geração de receitas que explica o crescimento e a permanência destas modalidades no mercado. Os padrões de rentabilidade média, principalmente das empresas de odontologia de grupo, são extremamente elevados, ficando muito acima de qualquer atividade empresarial do Brasil.

This article analyzes the organizational model of the dental health industry. The main organizational leaders in this industry are the professional cooperatives and group dental insurance companies. The theoretical basis of the article is the organizational theory developed by Di Maggio and Powell. The dental health industry consists of a great number of small and very dynamic companies, however an expressive part of clients and profit are concentrated in a few large companies. The results show that the industry has expanded the number of clients after the creation of the National Health Insurance Agency. The regulation regime has forced institutional changes in the firms with regard to the market entry, permanence or exit patterns. There was no evidence that the regulatory rules have interfered with the development and financial conditions of the industry. The average profitability of the sector, especially among the group dental insurance companies, is extremely high.

[Professional strategy and institutional isomorphism: the dental health insurance industry in Brazil]. / Estratégia profissional e mimetismo empresarial: os planos de saúde odontológicos no Brasil.

This article analyzes the organizational model of the dental health industry. The main organizational leaders in this industry are the professional cooperatives and group dental insurance companies. The theoretical basis of the article is the organizational theory developed by Di Maggio and Powell. The dental health industry consists of a great number of small and very dynamic companies, however an expressive part of clients and profit are concentrated in a few large companies. The results show that the industry has expanded the number of clients after the creation of the National Health Insurance Agency. The regulation regime has forced institutional changes in the firms with regard to the market entry, permanence or exit patterns. There was no evidence that the regulatory rules have interfered with the development and financial conditions of the industry. The average profitability of the sector, especially among the group dental insurance companies, is extremely high.

Infection control measures among senior dental students in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the practices and attitudes of senior dental students about infection control procedures. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed during the 1st semester of 2003. Open- and close-ended questions were given to 196 students in 6 universities. RESULTS: Overall, 90.8% of students had been vaccinated for hepatitis B. Only 25.0% have been assessed for anti-HBs. A total of 99.5% students reported always using gloves for all procedures. Eye protection were always used by 84.2% of students, and all the students used face masks for all procedures. Caps or hair covers were used by 92.3% of students and 87.8% reported no objection to treating patients with infectious diseases. Among instructors, the students observed that 60.2% of them did not use gloves for all procedures, 43.4% of those didn't change gloves between patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results address the need for an improved quality assurance, in order for the students and faculty to improve their practices and attitudes on infection control measures.