Los estudios métricos de información en el contexto de la pandemia por covid-19 / Information metric studies in the context of the covid-19 pandemic / Os estudos métricos da informação no contexto da pandemia por covid-19

Esta nota expone un breve análisis coyuntural de la emergencia de salud pública por covid-19 y algunos de los temas más relevantes relacionados con la información y comunicación en salud. De esta manera, se pretende contextualizar la aplicación de los estudios métricos de información como herramientas de análisis de realidades complejas y multidimensionales.

Esta nota de conjuntura apresenta uma breve análise da emergência de saúde pública devido à covid-19 e algumas das questões mais relevantes relacionadas à informação e comunicação em saúde. Desta forma, pretende-se contextualizar a aplicação de estudos métricos de informação como ferramentas de análise de realidades complexas e multidimensionais.

This conjuncture note presents a brief analysis of the public health emergency due to covid-19 and some of the most relevant issues related to health information and communication. In this way, it intends to contextualize the application of information metric studies as tools for the analysis of complex and multidimensional realities.

Performance indicators used to assess the quality of primary dental care.

UNLABELLED: An appropriate quality of medical care including dental care should be an objective of every government that aims to improve the oral health of its population. OBJECTIVES: To determine performance indicators that could be used to assess the quality of primary dental care at different levels of a health care system, the sources for data collection and finally, the dimensions of quality measured by these indicators. METHOD: An explorative study of the international literature was conducted using medical databases, journals and books, and official websites of organisations and associations. RESULTS: This resulted in a set of 57 indicators, which were classified into the following dimensions for each intended user group: For patients: health outcomes and subjective indicators; for professionals: their performance and the rates of success, failure and complications; for health care system managers and policymakers: their resources, finances and health care utilisation. CONCLUSION: A set of 57 performance indicators were identified to assess the quality of primary dental care at the levels of patients, professionals and the health care system. These indicators could be used by managers and decision-makers at any level of the health care system according to the characteristics of the services.