Estimation and probabilistic projection of age- and sex-specific mortality rates across Brazilian municipalities between 2010 and 2030.

BACKGROUND: Mortality rate estimation in small areas can be difficult due the low number of events/exposure (i.e. stochastic error). If the death records are not completed, it adds a systematic uncertainty on the mortality estimates. Previous studies in Brazil have combined demographic and statistical methods to partially overcome these issues. We estimated age- and sex-specific mortality rates for all 5,565 Brazilian municipalities in 2010 and forecasted probabilistic mortality rates and life expectancy between 2010 and 2030. METHODS: We used a combination of the Tool for Projecting Age-Specific Rates Using Linear Splines (TOPALS), Bayesian Model, Spatial Smoothing Model and an ad-hoc procedure to estimate age- and sex-specific mortality rates for all Brazilian municipalities for 2010. Then we adapted the Lee-Carter model to forecast mortality rates by age and sex in all municipalities between 2010 and 2030. RESULTS: The adjusted sex- and age-specific mortality rates for all Brazilian municipalities in 2010 reveal a distinct regional pattern, showcasing a decrease in life expectancy in less socioeconomically developed municipalities when compared to estimates without adjustments. The forecasted mortality rates indicate varying regional improvements, leading to a convergence in life expectancy at birth among small areas in Brazil. Consequently, a reduction in the variability of age at death across Brazil's municipalities was observed, with a persistent sex differential. CONCLUSION: Mortality rates at a small-area level were successfully estimated and forecasted, with associated uncertainty estimates also generated for future life tables. Our approach could be applied across countries with data quality issues to improve public policy planning.

The rising trends of self-harm in Brazil: an ecological analysis of notifications, hospitalisations, and mortality between 2011 and 2022.

Background: Self-harm is considered an important public health issue and is comprised by a wide range of definitions and behaviours. It is estimated that suicide affects more than 700,000 individuals every year, although, globally, there is a lack of evidence on other self-harm behaviour, such as attempted suicide. The objective of this study is to report and examine temporal trends of notifications, hospitalisations related to self-harm and suicide rates in Brazil between 2011 and 2022, as well as investigating differences in sociodemographic characteristics, methods, and region. Methods: This ecological study used secondary, Brazilian Health Information System data between 2011 and 2022. Self-harm notifications were collected from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN); self-harm hospitalisations from the Hospital Information System (SIH), and suicide data from the Mortality Information System (SIM). We calculated self-harm notifications, hospitalisations, and suicide rates by sex, age, race, region, and overall. We assessed time-related trends using Joinpoint regression analyses. Findings: From 2011 to 2022, 720,480 self-harm notifications, 104,458 self-harm hospitalisations, and 147,698 suicides were recorded in Brazil. In this period, self-harm notifications (AAPC: 21.13 (CI: 17.50, 25.33)) and suicide (AAPC: 3.70 (CI: 3.05, 4.38)) have increased in the country. Male adults (25-59 years old) and the elderly (>60 years old) continue to be the groups most affected by suicide, with respective rates of 9.59 and 8.60/100,000 in 2022. However, the largest percentage increases have been seen in young people (AAPC: 6.14 (CI: 4.57, 7.88)). The Indigenous population had the highest self-harm notification (103.72, 10,000) and suicide (16.58/100,000) rates, but the lowest hospitalisation rates (1.14/100,000) in 2022), compared to the overall population (70.06, 7.27, and 4.69/100,000, respectively, in 2022). Interpretation: The observed trend of increased self-harm notifications and suicide rates suggests the need for a greater allocation of resources to strategies to prevent self-harm and suicide. The Indigenous population seems to be the group with less access to healthcare. Funding: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01MH128911-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Participation in Conditional Cash Transfer Program During Pregnancy and Birth Weight-Related Outcomes.

Importance: There is limited evidence of the association of conditional cash transfers, an important strategy to reduce poverty, with prevention of adverse birth-related outcomes. Objective: To investigate the association between receiving benefits from the Bolsa Família Program (BFP) and birth weight indicators. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used a linked data resource, the Centro de Integracao de Dados e Conhecimentos Para Saude (CIDACS) birth cohort. All live-born singleton infants born to mothers registered in the cohort between January 2012 and December 2015 were included. Each analysis was conducted for the overall population and separately by level of education, self-reported maternal race, and number of prenatal appointments. Data were analyzed from January 3 to April 24, 2023. Exposure: Live births of mothers who had received BFP until delivery (for a minimum of 9 months) were classified as exposed and compared with live births from mothers who did not receive the benefit prior to delivery. Main Outcomes and Measures: Low birth weight (LBW), birth weight in grams, and small for gestational age (SGA) were evaluated. Analytical methods used included propensity score estimation, kernel matching, and weighted logistic and linear regressions. Race categories included Parda, which translates from Portuguese as "brown" and is used to denote individuals whose racial background is predominantly Black and those with multiracial or multiethnic ancestry, including European, African, and Indigenous origins. Results: A total of 4 277 523 live births (2 085 737 females [48.8%]; 15 207 among Asian [0.4%], 334 225 among Black [7.8%], 29 115 among Indigenous [0.7%], 2 588 363 among Parda [60.5%], and 1 310 613 among White [30.6%] mothers) were assessed. BFP was associated with an increase of 17.76 g (95% CI, 16.52-19.01 g) in birth weight. Beneficiaries had an 11% lower chance of LBW (odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.88-0.90). BFP was associated with a greater decrease in odds of LBW among subgroups of mothers who attended fewer than 7 appointments (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.84-0.87), were Indigenous (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.61-0.88), and had 3 or less years of education (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.72-0.81). There was no association between BFP and SGA, except among less educated mothers, who had a reduced risk of SGA (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79-0.88). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that BFP was associated with increased birth weight and reduced odds of LBW, with a greater decrease in odds of LBW among higher-risk groups. These findings suggest the importance of maintaining financial support for mothers at increased risk of birth weight-related outcomes.

Safety of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac during pregnancy on birth outcomes and neonatal mortality: a cohort study from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to protect pregnant individuals against mild and severe COVID-19 outcomes. However, limited safety data are available for inactivated (CoronaVac) and mRNA (BNT162b2) vaccines during pregnancy regarding their effect on birth outcomes and neonatal mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with 17 513 singleton live births conceived between 15 May 2021 and 23 October 2021. The primary exposure was maternal vaccination with CoronaVac or mRNA BNT162b2 vaccines and sub-analyses were performed by the gestational trimester of the first dose and the number of doses given during pregnancy. The outcomes were pre-term birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA), low birthweight (LBW), low Apgar 5 and neonatal death. We used the Cox model to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% CI and applied the inverse probability of treatment weights to generate adjusted HRs. RESULTS: We found no significant increase in the risk of PTB (HR: 0.98; 95% CI 0.88, 1.10), SGA (HR: 1.09; 95% CI 0.96, 1.27), LBW (HR: 1.00; 95% CI 0.88, 1.14), low Apgar 5 (HR: 0.81; 95% CI 0.55, 1.22) or neonatal death (HR: 0.88; 95% CI 0.56, 1.48) in women vaccinated with CoronaVac or BNT162b2 vaccines. These findings were consistent across sub-analyses stratified by the gestational trimester of the first dose and the number of doses given during pregnancy. We found mild yet consistent protection against PTB in women who received different vaccine platforms during the third trimester of pregnancy (any vaccines, HR: 0.78; 95% CI 0.63, 0.98; BNT162b2, HR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.59, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that COVID-19 vaccination in all trimesters of pregnancy, irrespective of the vaccine type, is safe and does not increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes or neonatal deaths.

Suicide among Indigenous peoples in Brazil from 2000 to 2020: a descriptive study.

Background: Previous studies in Australia, Canada, and Brazil, found that suicide among ethnic minority groups is higher than in the general population. Indigenous peoples in Brazil have been reported to have a high suicide rate, with reports of suicide clusters occurring in several communities. The objective of this study was to report trends in countrywide suicide rates among Indigenous peoples in Brazil between 2000 and 2020, and to compare these with the non-Indigenous population. Methods: This ecological study used Indigenous suicide data collected from all regions of Brazil during a 21-year period, between 2000 and 2020. We used suicide estimates from the Mortality Information System (SIM), available at the Brazilian Health Ministry website (DATASUS). Suicide mortality rates by state and region were calculated using the estimated Indigenous population from the 2010 census, and estimated population proportions for the other years. We performed a trend analysis and compared trends in suicide between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population during the period studied. Findings: Suicide rates among Indigenous Brazilians have reached more than two and a half times the levels for the overall Brazilian population in 2020 (17.57 suicide deaths versus 6.35 suicide deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively). The Central-West region of Brazil had the highest suicide rates among Indigenous Brazilians over the study period, reaching 58.8 deaths/100,000 inhabitants in 2008. The younger age group (10-24 years old) had the highest suicide rates for all the years studied. Time-series analyses showed a trend of statistically significant increases in suicide rates in Brazil for both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population during the study period. The North region, and specifically Amazonas state, has shown a decisive increase in suicide rates among the Indigenous populations. The suicide rate for Indigenous people in Brazil, excluding cases in Amazonas and Mato Grosso do Sul states, were similar to those for the entire Brazilian population, showing that the Indigenous peoples who are the most vulnerable to suicide reside in these locations. Interpretation: While there were statistically significant increases in suicide rates for all Brazilians over the study period, they remained alarmingly high among Indigenous people, compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. The high suicide rates among Indigenous people, and younger individuals in particular (aged between 10 and 24), reinforces the need for specific prevention strategies for these populations. Further studies should be concentrated on determining risk factors in distinct ethnic groups, specifically within regions experiencing an elevated risk, such as the states of Amazonas and Mato Grosso do Sul. Funding: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01MH128911-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Cesarean sections and early-term births according to Robson classification: a population-based study with more than 17 million births in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Cesarean section (CS) rates are increasing worldwide and are associated with negative maternal and child health outcomes when performed without medical indication. However, there is still limited knowledge about the association between high CS rates and early-term births. This study explored the association between CSs and early-term births according to the Robson classification. METHODS: A population-based, cross-sectional study was performed with routine registration data of live births in Brazil between 2012 and 2019. We used the Robson classification system to compare groups with expected high and low CS rates. We used propensity scores to compare CSs to vaginal deliveries (1:1) and estimated associations with early-term births using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 17,081,685 live births were included. Births via CS had higher odds of early-term birth (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.32-1.32) compared to vaginal deliveries. Births by CS to women in Group 2 (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.49-1.51) and 4 (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.56-1.58) showed the highest odds of early-term birth, compared to vaginal deliveries. Increased odds of an early-term birth were also observed among births by CS to women in Group 3 (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.29-1.31), compared to vaginal deliveries. In addition, live births by CS to women with a previous CS (Group 5 - OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.35-1.37), a single breech pregnancy (Group 6 - OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.11-1.21, and Group 7 - OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.16-1.23), and multiple pregnancies (Group 8 - OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.40-1.52) had high odds of an early-term birth, compared to live births by vaginal delivery. CONCLUSIONS: CSs were associated with increased odds of early-term births. The highest odds of early-term birth were observed among those births by CS in Robson Groups 2 and 4.

Impact of cash transfer programs on birth and child growth outcomes: systematic review.

To investigate the impact of cash transfer (CTs) on birth outcomes, including birth weight, low birth weight and prematurity, as well as child physical growth were included, as assessed by anthropometric indices in children under five years of age. Searching was performed using the PubMed/Medline, Embase, LILACS, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Quantitative observational, experimental and quasi-experimental. Eleven studies were included in the review. The majority (81.8%) were carried out in low-and middle-income countries and most involved conditional CTs (63.6%). Four were clinical trials and seven were observational studies. Conditional CTs were found to be associated with a reduction in height-for-age (-0.14; 95%CI -0.27, -0.02); (OR 0.85; 95%CI 0.77-0.94); (OR = 0.44; 95%CI 0.19-0.98), a significantly reduced chance of low weight-for-age (OR = 0.16; 95%CI -0.11-0.43), low weight-for-height (OR = -0.68; 95%CI -1.14, -0.21), and low weight-for-age (OR = 0.27; 95%CI 0.10; 0.71). Unconditional CTs were associated with reduced birth weight (RR = 0.71; 95%CI 0.63-0.81; p < 0.0001) and preterm births (RR = 0.76; 95%CI 0.69-0.84; p < 0.0001). Conditional CTs can positively influence birth outcomes and child growth.

Association of Conditional Cash Transfers With Maternal Mortality Using the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort.

Importance: Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have been consistently associated with improvements to the determinants of maternal health, but there have been insufficient investigations regarding their effects on maternal mortality. Objective: To evaluate the association between being a Bolsa Família program (BFP) beneficiary and maternal mortality and to examine how this association differs by duration of BFP receipt, maternal race, living in rural or urban areas, the Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI), and municipal primary health care coverage. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional analysis was nested within the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort. Girls and women aged 10 to 49 years (hereinafter referred to as women) who had at least 1 live birth were included, using data from Brazilian national health databases linked to the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort (January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015). Propensity score kernel weighting was applied to control for sociodemographic and economic confounders in the association between BFP receipt and maternal mortality, overall and stratified by different subgroups (race, urban or rural area, and MHDI), and duration of BFP receipt. Data were analyzed from July 12, 2019, to December 31, 2022. Main Outcome(s) and Measures: Maternal death. Results: A total of 6 677 273 women aged 10 to 49 years were included in the analysis, 4056 of whom had died from pregnancy-related causes. The risk of maternal death was 18% lower in women who received BFP (weighted odds ratio [OR], 0.82 [95% CI, 0.71-0.93]). A longer duration receiving BFP was associated with an increased reduction in maternal mortality (OR for 1-4 years, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.75-0.97]; OR for 5-8 years, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.60-0.82]; OR for ≥9 years, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.53-0.88]). Receiving BFP was also associated with substantial increases in the number of prenatal appointments and interbirth intervals. The reduction was more pronounced in the most vulnerable groups. Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional analysis nested within the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort found an association between BFP receipt and maternal mortality. This association was of greater magnitude in women with longer exposure to BFP and in the most vulnerable groups. These findings reinforce evidence that programs such as BFP, which have already proven effective in poverty reduction, have great potential to improve maternal survival.

Racial and economic segregation in Brazil: a nationwide analysis of socioeconomic and socio-spatial inequalities / Segregação racial e econômica no Brasil: uma análise nacional das desigualdades socioeconômicas e socioespaciais / Segregación racial y económica en Brasil: un análisis nacional de las desigualdades socioeconómicas y socioespaciales

Abstract This article aims to analyze residential segregation by race (racial segregation) and income (economic segregation) in Brazil and explore its relationship with socioeconomic and socio-spatial factors. Residential segregation was assessed using the dissimilarity index based on the 2010 demographic census and considering urban census tracts since segregation is sociologically considered an urban problem. The results for racial segregation showed that it is more evident in cities in the South and Southeast of Brazil and mainly affects the self-declared black population. The approach used to calculate economic segregation involved examining the income level of different low-income groups. Therefore, we consider families that earned between 0 and 1 minimum wage as the group with the greatest social vulnerability. We did not find significant correlations between racial and income segregation indices with aspects such as urbanization (urban population size). Finally, we present the racial segregation indices stratifying families by income thresholds for the 27 Brazilian capitals and conclude that per capita household income is a preponderant factor for the segregation of the poorest, especially in families whose residents self-identify as black.

Resumo Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a segregação residencial por raça (segregação racial) e renda (segregação econômica) no Brasil e explorar sua relação com fatores socioeconômicos e socioespaciais. A segregação residencial foi avaliada pelo índice de dissimilaridade baseado no Censo Demográfico de 2010 e considerando setores censitários urbanos, uma vez que a segregação é entendida sociologicamente como um problema urbano. Os resultados mostram que a segregação racial é mais evidente nas cidades do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, atingindo principalmente a população autodeclarada preta. A abordagem utilizada para calcular a segregação econômica envolveu examinar o nível de renda de diferentes grupos de baixa renda. Portanto, consideramos as famílias que ganham entre 0 e 1 salário mínimo - o grupo de maior vulnerabilidade social. Não encontramos correlações significativas entre os índices de segregação racial e de renda com fatores como a urbanização (tamanho da população urbana). Por fim, apresentamos os índices de segregação racial estratificando as famílias por faixas de renda para as 27 capitais brasileiras e concluímos que a renda domiciliar per capita é fator preponderante para a segregação dos mais pobres, principalmente nas famílias cujos moradores se autodeclaram pretos.

Resumen Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la segregación residencial por raza (segregación racial) y renta (segregación económica) en Brasil y explorar su relación con factores socioeconómicos y socioespaciales. La segregación residencial se evaluó utilizando el índice de disimilitud con base en el censo demográfico de 2010 y considerando las secciones censales urbanas ya que la segregación es considerada sociológicamente como un problema urbano. Los resultados para la segregación racial mostraron que esta es más evidente en ciudades del sur y del sudeste de Brasil y que afecta principalmente a la población autodeclarada negra. El enfoque usado para calcular la segregación económica implicó examinar el nivel de ingresos de diferentes grupos de bajos ingresos. Por lo tanto, consideramos que las familias que ganaban entre cero y un salario mínimo son el grupo con mayor vulnerabilidad social. No encontramos correlaciones significativas entre los índices de segregación racial y los de ingresos con factores como la urbanización (tamaño de la población urbana). Finalmente, presentamos los índices de segregación racial estratificando a las familias por umbrales de renta para las 27 capitales brasileñas y concluimos que la renta per cápita de los hogares es un factor preponderante para la segregación de los más pobres, en especial en las familias cuyos habitantes se autodeclaran negros.

Impact of cash transfer programs on birth and child growth outcomes: systematic review / Impacto dos programas de transferência de renda nos desfechos de nascimento e crescimento infantil: revisão sistemática

Abstract To investigate the impact of cash transfer (CTs) on birth outcomes, including birth weight, low birth weight and prematurity, as well as child physical growth were included, as assessed by anthropometric indices in children under five years of age. Searching was performed using the PubMed/Medline, Embase, LILACS, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Quantitative observational, experimental and quasi-experimental. Eleven studies were included in the review. The majority (81.8%) were carried out in low-and middle-income countries and most involved conditional CTs (63.6%). Four were clinical trials and seven were observational studies. Conditional CTs were found to be associated with a reduction in height-for-age (-0.14; 95%CI -0.27, -0.02); (OR 0.85; 95%CI 0.77-0.94); (OR = 0.44; 95%CI 0.19-0.98), a significantly reduced chance of low weight-for-age (OR = 0.16; 95%CI -0.11-0.43), low weight-for-height (OR = -0.68; 95%CI -1.14, -0.21), and low weight-for-age (OR = 0.27; 95%CI 0.10; 0.71). Unconditional CTs were associated with reduced birth weight (RR = 0.71; 95%CI 0.63-0.81; p < 0.0001) and preterm births (RR = 0.76; 95%CI 0.69-0.84; p < 0.0001). Conditional CTs can positively influence birth outcomes and child growth.

Resumo Investigar o impacto dos programas de tranferência de renda (CTs) nos desfechos ao nascer, incluindo peso ao nascer, baixo peso ao nascer e prematuridade, e crescimento físico infantil, avaliado pelos índices antropométricos de crianças menores de cinco anos. Revisão sistemática realizada nas bases de dados PubMed/Medline, Embase, LILACS, Cochrane Library, Scopus e Web of Science. Foram incluídos estudos quantitativos observacionais, experimentais e quasi-experimentais, com um total de 11 estudos na revisão. A maioria (81,8%) foi realizada em países de baixa e média rendas. Também na modalidade CT condicionais (63,6%). Quatro eram ensaios clínicos, e sete observacionais. Os CT condicionais estiveram associados a uma redução nos índices de altura-para-idade (-0,14; IC95% -0,27, -0,02); (OR 0,85; IC95% 0,77-0,94); (OR = 0,44; IC95% 0,19-0,98), redução significativa na chance de baixo peso-para-idade (OR = 0,16; IC95% -0,11-0,43), baixo peso-para-altura (OR = -0,68; IC95% -1,14, -0,21), e redução de peso para idade (OR = 0,27; IC95% 0,10; 0,71). CTs não condicionais foram associados à redução do baixo peso as nascer (RR = 0,71; IC95% 0,63-0,81; p < 0,0001), e de prematuros (RR = 0,76; IC95% 0,69-0,84; p < 0,0001). Os CTs condicionais podem influenciar positivamente os desfechos ao nascer e o crescimento infantil.

The impact of social drivers, conditional cash transfers and their mechanisms on the mental health of the young; an integrated retrospective and forecasting approach using the 100 million Brazilian Cohort: A study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Physical, emotional, and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, increases youth vulnerability to mental illness. These factors interfere with development, limit opportunities, and hamper achievement of a fulfilling life as adults. Addressing these issues can lead to improved outcomes at the population level and better cost-effectiveness for health services. Cash transfer programs have been a promising way to address social drivers for poor mental health. However, it is still unclear which pathways and mechanisms explain the association between socioeconomic support and lower mental illness among youth. Therefore, we will evaluate the effect of social drivers on youth mental health-related hospitalizations and suicide, test mechanisms and pathways of a countrywide socioeconomic intervention, and examine the timing of the intervention during the life course. METHODS: We will combine individual-level data from youth national hospitalization, mental health disorders and attempted suicide, suicide registries and notifications of violence, with large-scale databases, including "The 100 Million Brazilian Cohort", over an 18-year period (2001-2018). Several approaches will be used for the retrospective quasi-experimental impact evaluations, such as Regression Discontinuity Designs, Propensity Score Matching and difference-in-differences, combined with multivariable regressions for cohort analyses. We will run multivariate regressions based on hierarchical analysis approach to evaluate the association between important social drivers (mental health care, demographic and economic aspects) on mental health-related hospitalizations and suicide among youth. Furthermore, we will perform microsimulations to generate projections regarding how mental health-related hospitalizations and suicide trends will be in the future based on the current state, and how BFP implementation scenarios will affect these trends. DISCUSSION: The results of this project will be of vital importance to guide policies and programs to improve mental health and reduce mental health-related hospitalizations and suicide in youth. It will provide information to improve the effectiveness of these programs worldwide. If cash transfers can decrease mental health problems among youth and reduce suicide.

Mortality inequalities measured by socioeconomic indicators in Brazil: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Summarize the literature on the relationship between composite socioeconomic indicators and mortality in different geographical areas of Brazil. METHODS: This scoping review included articles published between January 1, 2000, and August 31, 2020, retrieved by means of a bibliographic search carried out in the Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Lilacs databases. Studies reporting on the association between composite socioeconomic indicators and all-cause, or specific cause of death in any age group in different geographical areas were selected. The review summarized the measures constructed, their associations with the outcomes, and potential study limitations. RESULTS: Of the 77 full texts that met the inclusion criteria, the study reviewed 24. The area level of composite socioeconomic indicators analyzed comprised municipalities (n = 6), districts (n = 5), census tracts (n = 4), state (n = 2), country (n = 2), and other areas (n = 5). Six studies used composite socioeconomic indicators such as the Human Development Index, Gross Domestic Product, and the Gini Index; the remaining 18 papers created their own socioeconomic measures based on sociodemographic and health indicators. Socioeconomic status was inversely associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality, external cause mortality, suicide, homicide, fetal and infant mortality, respiratory and circulatory diseases, stroke, infectious and parasitic diseases, malnutrition, gastroenteritis, and oropharyngeal cancer. Higher mortality rates due to colorectal cancer, leukemia, a general group of neoplasms, traffic accident, and suicide, in turn, were observed in less deprived areas and/or those with more significant socioeconomic development. Underreporting of death and differences in mortality coverage in Brazilian areas were cited as the main limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Studies analyzed mortality inequalities in different geographical areas by means of composite socioeconomic indicators, showing that the association directions vary according to the mortality outcome. But studies on all-cause mortality and at the census tract level remain scarce. The results may guide the development of new composite socioeconomic indicators for use in mortality inequality analysis.

Prevalence and Genotyping of HPV in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Northern Brazil.

Highly oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) is well known to be associated with and a risk factor for various types of oral carcinomas such as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe the HPV-induced OSCC prevalence and genotyping in the city of Belém, northern Brazil. This cross-sectional study features 101 participants who attended an oral pathology referral center in a dental college looking for diagnoses of oral lesions (OL). After signing the consent term and meeting the inclusion criteria, all participants went through a sociodemographic and epidemiological questionnaire. Then, OL were collected by excisional or incisional biopsy depending on OL size; after that, OL tissues were preserved in paraffin blocks to histopathological diagnoses. Afterwards, paraffin blocks were divided into benign and malignant/premalignant lesions based on the classification of potentially malignant disorders of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa. Then, the paraffin blocks had DNA extraction performed by the ReliaPrep FFPE gDNA Miniprep method in order to identify HPV DNA of high oncogenic risk and low oncogenic risk. Then, the viral DNA was amplified and typed using the Inno-Lipa genotyping Extra II method, and the collected data were analyzed by Chi-square and G-tests. In total, 59/101 (58.4%) OL were malignant/premalignant lesions, of which OSCC was the most prevalent with 40/59 (67.7%) and 42/101 (41.6%) benign lesions. The most common area of OL incidence was upper gingiva 46/101 (45.5%). Regarding HPV DNA detection, approximately 27/101 (26.7%) had positive results; of these, 17/59 (28.8%) were malignant/premalignant lesions, and the most prevalent genotypes detected were 16, 18, 52 and 58, while among benign lesions, 10/42 (66.6%) had HPV-positive results, and the most prevalent genotypes detected were 6, 11 and 42. Age range was the only risk factor with a significant association between HPV and OSCC presence (p-value: 0.0004). A correlation between OSCC and oral HPV among analyzed samples could not be demonstrated in our small cohort.

Differentials in death count records by databases in Brazil in 2010.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the death counts from three sources of information on mortality available in Brazil in 2010, the Mortality Information System (SIM - Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade ), Civil Registration Statistic System (RC - Sistema de Estatísticas de Resgistro Civil ), and the 2010 Demographic Census at various geographical levels, and to confirm the association between municipal socioeconomic characteristics and the source which showed the highest death count. METHODS: This is a descriptive and comparative study of raw data on deaths in the SIM, RC and 2010 Census databases, the latter held in Brazilian states and municipalities between August 2009 and July 2010. The percentage of municipalities was confirmed by the database showing the highest death count. The association between the source of the highest death count and socioeconomic indicators - the Índice de Privação Brasileiro (IBP - Brazilian Deprivation Index) and Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (IHDM - Municipal Human Development Index) - was performed by bivariate choropleth and Moran Local Index of Spatial Association (LISA) cluster maps. RESULTS: Confirmed that the SIM is the database with the highest number of deaths counted for all Brazilian macroregions, except the North, in which the highest coverage was from the 2010 Census. Based on the indicators proposed, in general, the Census showed a higher coverage of deaths than the SIM and the RC in the most deprived (highest IBP values) and less developed municipalities (lowest IDHM values) in the country. CONCLUSION: The results highlight regional inequalities in how the databases chosen for this study cover death records, and the importance of maintaining the issue of mortality on the basic census questionnaire.

Vaccine effectiveness of CoronaVac against COVID-19 among children in Brazil during the Omicron period.

Although severe COVID-19 in children is rare, they may develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome, long-COVID and downstream effects of COVID-19, including social isolation and disruption of education. Data on the effectiveness of the CoronaVac vaccine is scarce during the Omicron period. In Brazil, children between 6 to 11 years are eligible to receive the CoronaVac vaccine. We conducted a test-negative design to estimate vaccine effectiveness using 197,958 tests from January 21, 2022, to April 15, 2022, during the Omicron dominant period in Brazil among children aged 6 to 11 years. The estimated vaccine effectiveness for symptomatic infection was 39.8% (95% CI 33.7-45.4) at ≥14 days post-second dose. For hospital admission vaccine effectiveness was 59.2% (95% CI 11.3-84.5) at ≥14 days. Two doses of CoronaVac in children during the Omicron period showed low levels of protection against symptomatic infection, and modest levels against severe illness.

Vaccine effectiveness of two-dose BNT162b2 against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 among adolescents in Brazil and Scotland over time: a test-negative case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about vaccine effectiveness over time among adolescents, especially against the SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant. This study assessed the associations between time since two-dose vaccination with BNT162b2 and the occurrence of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 among adolescents in Brazil and Scotland. METHODS: We did test-negative, case-control studies in adolescents aged 12-17 years with COVID-19-related symptoms in Brazil and Scotland. We linked records of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and antigen tests to national vaccination and clinical records. We excluded tests from individuals who did not have symptoms, were vaccinated before the start of the national vaccination programme, received vaccines other than BNT162b2 or a SARS-CoV-2 booster dose of any kind, or had an interval between their first and second dose of fewer than 21 days. Additionally, we excluded negative SARS-CoV-2 tests recorded within 14 days of a previous negative test, negative tests recorded within 7 days after a positive test, any test done within 90 days after a positive test, and tests with missing sex and location information. Cases (SARS-CoV-2 test-positive adolescents) and controls (test-negative adolescents) were drawn from a sample of individuals in whom tests were collected within 10 days of symptom onset. We estimated the adjusted odds ratio and vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 for both countries and against severe COVID-19 (hospitalisation or death) for Brazil across fortnightly periods. FINDINGS: We analysed 503 776 tests from 2 948 538 adolescents in Brazil between Sept 2, 2021, and April 19, 2022, and 127 168 tests from 404 673 adolescents in Scotland between Aug 6, 2021, and April 19, 2022. Vaccine effectiveness peaked at 14-27 days after the second dose in both countries during both waves, and was significantly lower against symptomatic infection during the omicron-dominant period in Brazil (64·7% [95% CI 63·0-66·3]) and in Scotland (82·6% [80·6-84·5]), than it was in the delta-dominant period (80·7% [95% CI 77·8-83·3] in Brazil and 92·8% [85·7-96·4] in Scotland). Vaccine efficacy started to decline from 27 days after the second dose for both countries, reducing to 5·9% (95% CI 2·2-9·4) in Brazil and 50·6% (42·7-57·4) in Scotland at 98 days or more during the omicron-dominant period. In Brazil, protection against severe disease remained above 80% from 28 days after the second dose and was 82·7% (95% CI 68·8-90·4) at 98 days or more after receiving the second dose. INTERPRETATION: We found waning vaccine protection of BNT162b2 against symptomatic COVID-19 infection among adolescents in Brazil and Scotland from 27 days after the second dose. However, protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes remained high at 98 days or more after the second dose in the omicron-dominant period. Booster doses for adolescents need to be considered. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation (Medical Research Council), Scottish Government, Health Data Research UK BREATHE Hub, Fiocruz, Fazer o Bem Faz Bem programme, Brazilian National Research Council, and Wellcome Trust. TRANSLATION: For the Portuguese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.