Alzheimer's Disease Mortality Rate: Correlation with Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors.

The progressive increase in the number of deaths caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Brazil and around the world between 2010 and 2020 raises questions in scientific society. At the same time, there is also an increase in life expectancy at birth (LEB). Thus, the aim of this study was, for the first time, to compare the increase in AD mortality rate (ADMR) in Brazilian regions over the years 2010 to 2020 with the increase in LEB, and investigate the possible correlation between these demographic transition phenomena and pesticide sales and exposure during this period. Data were extracted from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), from the Department of Informatics and Technology of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (DATASUS) and from the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). There was a significant increase in life expectancy at birth and in ADMR over the years between 2010 and 2020 in all Brazilian regions, with the female population in the South region being the most affected. In conclusion, there is a strong positive correlation between the increase in ADMR and LEB; ADMR and Human Development Index (HDI) and ADMR and pesticide sales and exposure in Brazil over the years studied.

Global Physical Activity, Active Commuting to School, and Sedentary Behavior Among Latin American Adolescents: Global School-Based Student Health Survey and the National School Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the overall prevalence, stratified by sex and age group of global physical activity (GPA), active commuting to school (ACS), and sedentary behavior (SB) among adolescents from ten Latin American countries, and to assess the correlation of Development Index with the indicators. METHODS: This research is grounded on data from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (2009-2015) and the 2015 Brazilian National School Health Survey. The prevalence and 95% confidence intervals for GPA (≥5 d/wk), ACS (≥1 d/wk), and SB (>2 h/d) were calculated using the chi-square test to compare the sexes (male; female) and age group (≤13 y; 14 y; 15 y; ≥16 y). We also performed Pearson correlation analysis with the Human Development Index. RESULTS: The prevalence of indicators ranged from 16.1% to 28.2% for GPA, from 56.7% to 71.2% for ACS, and from 20.7% to 62.6% for SB. Boys generally had a higher prevalence of GPA and ACS, and girls had a higher prevalence of SB. The prevalence of the indicators by age group varied between countries, with significant differences observed in some, depending on each indicator. A positive correlation was observed between Human Development Index, GPA, and SB. CONCLUSION: Health promotion policies must include guidelines that encourage and promote a more active and less sedentary lifestyle among young people in Latin America, considering specific groups, the local socioeconomic context, and differences between countries.

Prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms in high-income, and low- and middle-income countries in the Covid-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis and comparison between high-income, and low- and middle-income countries postpartum depression symptoms prevalences. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Virtual Health Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases were searched until October 2022 for studies that collected data from pandemic. The metaprop command was used in the Stata statistical software v.12.0 to run a random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies with 4,788 postpartum women were included. The overall prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms was 31% (95% CI: 21.85-40.99). The pooled prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms among women from high-income countries [30.5% (95% CI: 16.95-46.02)] did not differ significantly from that among women from low- and middle-income countries [31.5% (95% CI: 19.26-45.15)]. However, studies that analyzed women up to one month after childbirth had a lower prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms [17.5% (95% CI: 9.85-26.62)] compared to those that observed them up to one year after childbirth [38.3% (95% CI: 33.96-42.83)]. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms was high regardless of the country's human development index and it must be regularly tracked around the world to assess, discuss, and recommend more assertive steps that may be implemented based on the particular characteristics of each country.

Prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms in high-income and low- and middle-income countries in the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Objective: To compare the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms between high-income countries (HIC) and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Virtual Health Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases were searched until October 2022 for studies that collected data during the pandemic. The metaprop command was used in the Stata statistical software version 12.0 to run a random-effects meta-analysis. Results: A total of 15 studies with 4,788 postpartum women were included. The overall prevalence of PPD symptoms was 31% (95%CI 21.85-40.99). The pooled prevalence of PPD symptoms among women from HIC (30.5% [95%CI 16.95-46.02]) did not differ significantly from that of women from LMIC (31.5% [95%CI 19.26-45.15]). However, studies that analyzed women up to 1 month after childbirth reported a lower prevalence of PPD symptoms (17.5% [95%CI 9.85-26.62]) compared to those that observed them up to 1 year after childbirth (38.3% [95%CI 33.96-42.83]). Conclusions: The prevalence of PPD symptoms was high across countries, regardless of human development index. This condition must be regularly tracked worldwide to assess, discuss, and recommend more assertive steps that may be implemented to address it based on the particular characteristics of each country. Registration number: PROSPERO CRD42022346861.

Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Lethality: A Machine Learning Approach Using Mexico Database.

Identifying risk factors associated with COVID-19 lethality is crucial in combating the ongoing pandemic. In this study, we developed lethality predictive models for each epidemiological wave and for the overall dataset using the Extreme Gradient Boosting technique and analyzed them using Shapley values to determine the contribution levels of various features, including demographics, comorbidities, medical units, and recent medical information from confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mexico between February 23, 2020, and April 15, 2022. The results showed that pneumonia and advanced age were the most important factors predicting patient death in all cohorts. Additionally, the medical unit where the patient received care acted as a risk or protective factor. IMSS medical units were identified as high-risk factors in all cohorts, except in wave four, while SSA medical units generally were moderate protective factors. We also found that intubation was a high-risk factor in the first epidemiological wave and a moderate-risk factor in the following waves. Female gender was a protective factor of moderate-high importance in all cohorts, while being between 18 and 29 years old was a moderate protective factor and being between 50 and 59 years old was a moderate risk factor. Additionally, diabetes (all cohorts), obesity (third wave), and hypertension (fourth wave) were identified as moderate risk factors. Finally, residing in municipalities with the lowest Human Development Index level represented a moderate risk factor. In conclusion, this study identified several significant risk factors associated with COVID-19 lethality in Mexico, which could aid policymakers in developing targeted interventions to reduce mortality rates.

A hipótese da equidade inversa na implementação do NASF-AB em municípios do Sul do Brasil / The inverse equity hypothesis in the implementation of NASF-AB in municipalities of Southern Brazil

Resumo O objetivo foi verificar a evolução da implementação do Núcleo Ampliado de Saúde da Família e Atenção Básica (NASF-AB) nos municípios da região Sul do Brasil, de 2008 a 2019, sob à luz da hipótese da equidade inversa. Estudo ecológico considerando 1.188 municípios do Sul do Brasil. As análises foram separadas por estado, com os municípios divididos em quartis de Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal - Renda. Foi calculado o percentual acumulativo de implementação do NASF-AB no período e a desigualdade entre Q1 (mais rico) e Q4 (mais pobre) verificada por medidas de desigualdade absoluta e relativa. No Paraná o Q1 apresentou maior cobertura do NASF-AB do que o Q4 e, apesar da desigualdade ter reduzido ao final do período, ainda estava bem demarcada, seguindo padrão "top inequality". Em Santa Catarina ocorreu o que prevê a hipótese, com aumento das desigualdades no início e posterior redução quando já existia NASF-AB em cerca de 90% dos municípios do Q1, caracterizando "botton inequality". No Rio Grande do Sul a hipótese foi refutada ao observar, a partir de 2014, maior implementação no Q4 em relação ao Q1.

Abstract The present study aimed to analyze the evolution of the implementation of Family Health and Primary Health Care Expanded Support Centers (NASF-AB, in Portuguese) in the municipalities of Southern Brazil, from 2008 to 2019, in light of the inverse equity hypothesis. This was an ecological study, considering 1,188 municipalities of Southern Brazil. The analyses were separated by state, with municipalities divided into quartiles of Municipal Human Development Index - Income (MHDI-Income). Our study calculated the cumulative percentage of the implementation of NASF-AB within the given period and the inequality between Q1 (richest) and Q4 (poorest), assessed by the absolute and relative inequality measures. In Paraná, Q1 presented a higher coverage of NASF-AB than did Q4, and, although the inequality had decreased at the end of the period, it was still quite distinct, according to the "top inequality" pattern. In Santa Catarina, the predictions of the hypothesis were confirmed, with inequalities found in the beginning of the period and a near 90% decline once NASF-AB had been implemented in the municipalities of Q1, characterizing the "bottom inequality" pattern. In Rio Grande do Sul, the hypothesis was refuted observing that since 2014 there was a greater implementation in Q4 as compared to Q1 was observed.

The effect of obesity on the mortality of hospitalized adults with COVID-19 considering the human development index: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective of this study is to verify the association between obesity and mortality in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 taking into account the Human Development Index (HDI). A search was performed in the PubMed, Virtual Health Library (Lilacs/Bireme/VHL Brazil), Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from inception to May 2022. To be eligible, studies had to have cohort or case-control designs, be conducted with hospitalized adults (≥18 years old), and evaluate mortality rates between with obesity and without obesity individuals with SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by laboratory tests. The analyses were performed in Stata 12.0 using relative risk (RR) as a summary measure. Heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analyses considering the HDI, age, sex, and follow-up period. Out of 912 studies screened, 49 studies were eligible for qualitative synthesis, and 33 studies were eligible for quantitative analysis, representing 42,905 patients. The mortality risk from SARS-CoV-2 was higher in individuals with obesity compared with without obesity individuals only in the subgroups of patients <60 years old (RR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.18-1.45, I2  = 0.0%) and living in countries with a low HDI (RR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.10-1.48, I2  = 45.4%).

Socioeconomic indices guided linear mixed-effects and meta-regression modelling of the temporal, global and regional prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in environmental waters: A class I carcinogen.

Environmental waters (EW) substantially lend to the transmission of Helicobacter pylori (Hp). But the increase in Hp infections and antimicrobial resistance is often attributed to socioeconomic status. The connection between socioeconomic status and Hp prevalence in EW is however yet to be investigated. This study aimed to assess the impacts of socioeconomic indices (SI: continent, world bank region (WBR), world bank income (WBI), WHO region, Socio-demographic Index (SDI quintile), Sustainable Development Index (SuDI), and Human Development Index (HDI)) on the prevalence of Hp in EW. Hp-EW data were fitted to a generalized linear mixed-effects model and SI-guided meta-regression models with a 1000-resampling test. The worldwide prevalence of Hp in EW was 21.76% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.29-40.29], which declined significantly from 59.52% [43.28-74.37] in 1990-99 to 19.36% [3.99-58.09] in 2010-19 and with increasing trend in 2020-22 (33.33%, 22.66-45.43). Hp prevalence in EW was highest in North America (45.12%, 17.07-76.66), then Europe (22.38%, 5.96-56.74), South America (22.09%, 13.76-33.49), Asia (2.98%, 0.02-85.17), and Africa (2.56%, 0.00-99.99). It was negligibly different among sampling settings, WBI, and WHO regions demonstrating highest prevalence in rural location [42.62%, 3.07-94.56], HIEs [32.82%, 13.19-61.10], and AMR [39.43%, 19.92-63.01], respectively. However, HDI, sample size, and microbiological method robustly predict Hp prevalence in EW justifying 26.08%, 21.15%, and 16.44% of the true difference, respectively. In conclusion, Hp is highly prevalence in EW across regional/socioeconomic strata and thus challenged the uses of socioeconomic status as surrogate for hygienic/sanitary practices in estimating Hp infection prevalence.

Cystic Fibrosis: A Descriptive Analysis of Deaths in a Two-Decade Period in Brazil According to Age, Race, and Sex.

The diagnosis of cystic fibrosis has improved in the last few years due to greater access to diagnostic tools and the evolution of molecular biology; the knowledge obtained has contributed to the understanding of its death profile. In this context, an epidemiological study was developed focusing on deaths from cystic fibrosis in Brazil from 1996 to 2019. The data were collected from the Data-SUS (Unified National Health System Information Technology Department from Brazil). The epidemiological analysis included patients' age groups, racial groups, and sex. In our data, between 1996 and 2019, Σ3050 deaths were recorded, totaling a ≅330% increase in the number of deaths resulting from cystic fibrosis. This fact might be related to a better diagnosis of the disease, mainly in patients from racial groups that are not commonly associated with cystic fibrosis, such as Black individuals, Hispanic or Latino (mixed individuals/Pardos) individuals, and American Indians (Indigenous peoples from Brazil). Regarding of race, the Σ of deaths was: nine (0.3%) in the American Indian group, 12 (0.4%) in the Asian group, 99 (3.6%) in the Black or African American group, 787 (28.6%) in the Hispanic or Latino group, and 1843 (67.0%) in the White group. The White group showed the highest prevalence of deaths, and the increase in mortality was ≅150 times in this group, while, in the Hispanic or Latino group, it was ≅75 times. Regarding sex, the numbers and percentage of deaths of both male (N = 1492; 48.9%) and female (N = 1557; 51.1%) patients were seen to be relatively close. As for age groups, the >60-year-old group presented the most significant results, with an increase of ≅60 times in the registered deaths. In conclusion, in Brazil, despite the number of deaths from cystic fibrosis being prevalent in the White group, it increased in all racial groups (Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, American Indian, or Asian individuals) and was associated with older age.

Mortality from diseases of the circulatory system in Brazil and its relationship with social determinants focusing on vulnerability: an ecological study.

BACKGROUND: Deaths from diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases are declining, but slowly in developing countries, emphasizing its probable relationship with determinants of social vulnerability. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the temporal progression of mortality rates of diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases from 1980 to 2019 and the association of the rates with the Municipal Human Development Index and Social Vulnerability Index in Brazil. METHODS: We estimated the crude and standardized mortality rates of diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases and analyzed the relationship between the obtained data and the Municipal Human Development Index and Social Vulnerability Index. Data on deaths and population were obtained from the DATASUS. The Municipal Human Development Index and the Social Vulnerability Index of each federative unit were extracted from the websites Atlas Brazil and Atlas of Social Vulnerability, respectively. RESULTS: The age-standardized mortality rates of diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases showed a downward trend nationwide, which was unequal across the federative units. There was an inversely proportional relationship between the standardized mortality rates of diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases and the Municipal Human Development Index. The downward mortality trend was observed when the indices were greater than 0.70 and 0.75, respectively. The Social Vulnerability Index was directly proportional to the standardized mortality rates of diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases. An upward mortality trend was observed with a Social Vulnerability Index greater than 0.35. CONCLUSIONS: Social determinants represented by the Municipal Human Development Index and the Social Vulnerability Index were related to mortality from diseases of the circulatory system and ischemic heart diseases across the Brazilian federative units. The units with most development and least social inequalities had the lowest mortality from these causes. The most vulnerable die the most.

COVID-19 needs no passport: the interrelationship of the COVID-19 pandemic along the U.S.-Mexico border.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic along the U.S.-Mexico border region and evaluate the relationship of COVID-19 related mortality, socioeconomic status, and vaccination. METHODS: We used indirect standardization to age-adjust mortality rates and calculate standardized mortality ratios [SMR] in both countries. To examine the impact of socioeconomic factors, we calculated the Human Development Index (HDI) by county/municipality. We performed linear regression to understand the relationship between mortality, vaccination, and HDI. We used choropleth maps to visualize the trends seen in the region. RESULTS: Between January 22nd, 2020 and December 1st, 2021, surges of cases and deaths were similar in dyad cities along the U.S.-Mexico border visualizing the interconnectedness of the region. Mortality was higher in U.S. counties along the border compared to the national average (SMR 1.17, 95% CI 1.15-1.19). In Mexico, border counties had a slightly lower mortality to the national average (SMR 0.94, 95% CI 0.93-0.95). In U.S. border states, SMR was shown to negatively correlate with human development index (HDI), a socioeconomic proxy, resulting in a higher SMR in the border region compared to the rest of the counties. Conversely in Mexican border states, there was no association between SMR and HDI. Related to vaccination, U.S. counties along the border were vaccinated at a greater percentage than non-border counties and vaccination was negatively correlated with HDI. In Mexico, states along the border had a higher ratio of vaccinations per person than non-border states. CONCLUSIONS: The U.S.-Mexico border is a divide of incredible importance not only to immigration but as a region with unique social, economic, environmental, and epidemiological factors that impact disease transmission. We investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic followed trends of previously studied diseases in the corridor such as tuberculosis, HIV, and influenza H1N1. These data state how targeted intervention along the U.S.-Mexico border region is a necessity when confronting COVID-19 and have implications for future control of infectious diseases in the region.

Tuberculosis: el contrapunto del progreso / Tuberculosis: the counterpoint of progress

Resumen A lo largo de la historia, las enfermedades infecciosas han influido directamente en el desarrollo de la humanidad y en este proceso, la tuberculosis ha tenido un rol protagónico. Esta enfermedad mata más seres humanos que cualquier otra de causa infecciosa y, a pesar de esto, continúa siendo una entidad olvidada y un grave problema de salud pública, sobre todo en las naciones más pobres. La trascendencia de la tuberculosis va más allá del ámbito médico y una visión holística de ella nos permite comprender el grado de desarrollo económico y social de un Estado. Si bien Chile mantenía un programa de control históricamente exitoso, las cifras actuales no son auspiciosas y obligan a analizar el problema desde una mirada multidisciplinaria. Es en este marco que planteamos que el médico clínico, para aportar en el control de la enfermedad, debe poner nuevamente en práctica uno de los principios básicos de la Medicina: la semiología.

Abstract Along history, infectious diseases have had a direct influence in the development of humanity, with tuberculosis showing a leading role. Despite this disease being the main cause of mortality among infectious diseases, it remains neglected and constitutes a serious public health problem, especially among the poorest countries in the world. Tuberculosis greatest importance goes beyond Medicine, and a holistic view of the disease allows us to comprehend the economic and social development of a nation. Despite a historically successful control program in Chile, current figures are not auspicious and force upon us the need to address this problem with a multidisciplinary approach. The medical physician is required to put again into practice the fundamental principle of Medicine, Semiology to contribute to the control of tuberculosis.

Human Development Index Is Associated with COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate in Brazil: An Ecological Study.

The Human Development Index measures a region's development and is a step for development debate beyond the traditional, economic perspective. It can also determine the success of a country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly affecting the case fatality rate among severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to associate the Human Development Index with the case fatality rate due to COVID-19 in each Brazilian state and the Federal District, taking into account comorbidities and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. We also evaluated the influence of the GINI index, number of intensive care unit beds, and occupied households in subnormal clusters on the case fatality rate. We performed an ecological study including two populations: COVID-19 individuals that did not require the mechanical ventilation protocol; and COVID-19 individuals under invasive mechanical ventilation. We performed a Pearson correlation test and a univariate linear regression analysis on the relationship between Human Development Index, Human Development Index-Education Level, Human Development Index-Life Expectancy, and Human Development Index-Gross National Income per capita and COVID-19 deaths. The same analyses were performed using the other markers. We grouped the patients with COVID-19 according to comorbidities and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. Alpha = 0.05. We included 848,501 COVID-19 individuals, out of which 153,710 needed invasive mechanical ventilation and 314,164 died, and 280,533 COVID-19 individuals without comorbidity, out of which 33,312 needed invasive mechanical ventilation and 73,723 died. We observed a low negative Pearson correlation between the Human Development Index and death and a moderate negative Pearson correlation between the Human Development Index and deaths of individuals on invasive mechanical ventilation, with or without comorbidity. The univariate linear analysis showed the case fatality rate depends on at least 20-40% of the Human Development Index. In Brazil, regions with a low Human Development Index demonstrated a higher case fatality rate due to COVID-19, mainly in individuals who needed invasive mechanical ventilation, than regions with a higher Human Development Index. Although other indexes studied, such as intensive care unit beds and GINI, were also associated with the COVID-19 case fatality rate, they were not as relevant as the Human Development Index. Brazil is a vast territory comprising cultural, social, and economic diversity, which mirrors the diversity of the Human Development Index. Brazil is a model nation for the study of the Human Development Index's influence on aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as its impact on the case fatality rate.

Is there an association between COVID-19 mortality and Human development index? The case study of Nigeria and some selected countries.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of COVID-19 as an indicator to situate the performance of Nigeria relative to other selected countries. We obtained case fatality rates of different countries from data sets available from open-sources. The CFRs were calculated as the rate of deaths compared with total cases. The values were compared with Nigeria's COVID-19 CFR. Other relevant statistical comparisons were also conducted. RESULTS: The worst performing countries with regards to CFR in descending order were Yemen (19.5%), Peru (9.0%) Mexico (7.6%), Sudan (7.4%) and Ecuador (6.3%) while the best performing nations were Bhutan (0.11%), Burundi (0.19%), Iceland (0.20%), Laos (0.21%) and Qatar (0.25%). The CFR of Nigeria was 1.39% which falls below the 50th percentile. Other comparison done showed significant difference in the CFR values between countries similar to Nigeria and countries that are dissimilar when HDI is used. (Mann-Whitney U test 126.0, p = 0.01). The trend of the CFR in Nigeria showed a steady decline and flattening of the CFR curve which does not seem to be affected by the spikes in the daily declared cases.

Relationship between socio-demographic correlates and human development index with physical activity and sedentary time in a cross-sectional multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Socio-demographic correlates and human development index (HDI) are associated with self-reported physical activity, but only a few studies have focused on device-measured physical activity and sedentary time in Latin America. We examined the relationship between socio-demographic correlates and HDI with physical activity and sedentary time in a cross-sectional study. METHODS: We based our analyses on 2522 (53.1% women; 18-65 years [mean age 38.3 years]) adults drawn from the eight Latin America countries. Physical activity (light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity and steps) and sedentary time were assessed using Actigraph GT3X + accelerometers. Sex, age, and race/ethnicity were self-reported. The HDI country information was obtained from the United Nations Development Program. RESULTS: For the age, ethnicity, vigorous physical activity and steps/day, there were significant differences between high and very high HDI countries. Women and younger age presented lower sedentary time than men and older. In moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, we found lower duration in women (-13.4 min/week), younger age (-0.1 min/week), and white/caucasian (-2.7 min/week) than men, older ages and mixed ethnicity. Women (-1266.5 steps/week) and very high HDI (-847.3 steps/week) presented lower steps than men and high HDI. Black (2853.9 steps/week), other (1785.4 steps/week), and white/caucasian ethnicity (660.6 steps/week) showed higher steps than mixed ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Different socio-demographic correlates are associated with physical activity intensity; however, HDI is associated with vigorous physical activity and steps in the Latin American region, which can in turn guide policies to promote physical activity in the region. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT02226627 . Retrospectively registered on August 27, 2014.

Socioeconomic development role in hospitalization related to air pollution and meteorology: A study case in southern Brazil.

Air pollution is one of the foremost environmental threats to human health. However, the meteorological and social factors that lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we use Principal Component Analysis and Generalized Linear Model (PCA-GLM) to investigate the combined effect of socioeconomic development and air pollution on cardiorespiratory hospitalization in southern Brazil. This region has the highest rates of hospitalization by cardiorespiratory diseases in the country. We analyze three main sources of data: (i) air pollutants density from TROPOMI/Sentinel-5p satellite; (ii) temperature, humidity, and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) modeled with the Weather Research Forecast model; and (iii) hospitalization by cardiorespiratory diseases obtained from the Brazilian National Health System. We estimate the Relative Risk (RR) using the PCA-GLM coefficients and interquartile variations of air pollutants density and meteorological parameters. Our results show that the population living in colder and drier municipalities is more prone to cardiorespiratory hospitalization. Regarding respiratory hospitalization, municipalities with lower socioeconomic development are more sensitive to meteorology and pollution variability than highly developed ones. In less developed municipalities, we observe the highest rates of cardiorespiratory hospitalization even if air pollution is low, which we interpret in terms of higher vulnerability. The RR analysis suggests that air pollution is an important environmental risk to cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases is more sensitive to air pollution and meteorology than cardiovascular ones. Our findings corroborate the mounting evidence that social vulnerability is a significant factor affecting the increase of cardiorespiratory hospitalization in the world.

Socioeconomic development and ecological traits as predictors of human-bird conflicts.

Because of the significant impacts on both human interests and bird conservation, it is imperative to identify patterns and anticipate drivers of human-bird conflicts (HBCs) worldwide. Through a global systematic review, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we analyzed the socioeconomic factors and bird ecological traits driving the degree of knowledge and extent of HBCs. We included 166 articles published from 1971 to 2020 in our analyses through which we built a profile of the socioeconomic conditions of 52 countries with reported conflicts and the ecological traits of the 161 bird species involved in HBCs. Although HBC expanded worldwide, it had the greatest impact in less-developed countries (estimate 0. 66 [SE 0.13], p< 0.05), where agriculture is critical for rural livelihoods. Species with a relatively greater conflict extent had a relatively broader diet (estimate 0.80 [SE 0.22], p<0.05) and an increasing population trend (estimate 0.58 [SE 0.15], p<0.05) and affected human interests, such as agriculture and livestock raising. In countries with greater biodiversity, HBCs caused greater socioeconomic impacts than in more developed countries. Our results highlight the importance of understanding and addressing HBCs from multiple perspectives (ecological, sociocultural, and political) to effectively protect both biodiversity and local livelihoods.

El desarrollo socioeconómico y las características ecológicas como pronosticadores de los conflictos entre aves y humanos Resumen Debido a los impactos significativos sobre los intereses humanos y la conservación de las aves, es imperativo identificar patrones y anticiparse a las causas de los conflictos humano-aves (CHA) a nivel mundial. Por medio de una revisión sistemática, siguiendo los lineamientos de PRISMA 2020, analizamos los factores socioeconómicos y las características ecológicas de las aves que impulsan el grado de conocimiento y la extensión de los CHA. Incluimos 166 artículos publicados desde 1971 hasta 2020 en nuestros análisis, con los cuales construimos un perfil de las condiciones socioeconómicas de 52 países con reportes de conflictos y de las características ecológicas de 161 especies de aves involucradas en los CHA. Aunque los CHA se expandieron mundialmente, tuvieron un mayor impacto en los países menos desarrollados (estimado 0. 66 [ES 0.13], p< 0.05), en donde la agricultura es crítica para el sustento rural. Las especies con una extensión de conflicto relativamente más larga también contaban con una dieta más amplia (estimado 0.80 [ES 0.22], p<0.05) y una tendencia poblacional en aumento (estimado 0.58 [ES 0.15], p<0.05), lo que afectó los intereses humanos, como la agricultura y la cría de ganado. En los países con mayor biodiversidad, los CHA ocasionaron impactos socioeconómicos mayores que en los países más desarrollados. Nuestros resultados resaltan la importancia de abordar y entender los CHA desde múltiples perspectivas (ecológica, sociocultural, política) para proteger de manera efectiva tanto a la biodiversidad como a los sustentos locales.

Does water fluoridation influence ethnic inequalities in caries in Brazilian children and adolescents?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the influence of community water fluoridation on ethnic inequalities in untreated dental caries among children and adolescents in Brazil while taking the human development context into account. METHODS: Data from a nationwide Brazilian epidemiological population oral health survey were used (SB Brazil 2010). Outcomes were caries prevalence measured by the proportion of individuals with one or more untreated decayed teeth and caries severity defined by the mean number of untreated decayed teeth (DT). Three different contexts were considered: 1-cities with no water fluoridation; 2-cities with water fluoridation and low Human Development Index (HDI); and 3-cities with water fluoridation and high HDI. The exposure was ethnic/racial group (White, Pardo, Black) and covariates were age, sex and household income. Multilevel logistic and negative binomial regressions were performed with 6696 children (aged 5 years) and 11 585 adolescents (aged 12 and 15-19 years). RESULTS: For both children and adolescents, ethnic differences in caries prevalence and mean DT were found in the nonfluoridated cities with low HDI and also in cities with high HDI, most of which were fluoridated. For example in nonfluoridated cities with low HDI, 5-year-old Pardo children were more likely to have untreated decay (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.46) and had more decayed teeth (RR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.34) than their White counterparts after adjusting for sex and household income. No statistically significant differences were observed in fluoridated cities with low HDI. CONCLUSION: Water fluoridation appears to be associated with reduced ethnic inequalities in dental caries prevalence and mean DT among children and adolescents in more disadvantaged settings.

Índice desarrollo humano y la tasa de letalidad por Covid-19: Estudio ecológico en América / Human development and Covid-19 lethality rate: Ecological study in America

Introducción: El Índice de Desarrollo Humano (IDH), usa tres dimensiones de desarrollo como esperanza de vida, acceso a educación y el nivel de ingresos. Se ha visto a nivel mundial que los grupos socioeconómicamente vulnerables son los menos protegidos y enfrentan el mayor riesgo de COVID-19. Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar la correlación entre IDH, índice de inequidad GINI con la tasa de letalidad por COVID-19 en países de América. El estudio: Se desarrolló un estudio observacional ecológico, utilizando las métricas de COVID 19 de países de latino américa. La variable desenlace fue tasa de letalidad por COVID-19, y las variables exposición fueron IDH, GINI, esperanza de vida, años de escolaridad, proporción de mayores de 60 años y PBI per cápita. Recopilado los datos se hicieron análisis. Usamos el método de correlación de spearman, con un nivel de significancia de 95%. Hallazgos: Se evaluaron a 24 países de América Latina, encontrándose una tasa de letalidad por COVID 19 con una mediana de 2.41 y con 1.55 y 3.04 como percentil 25 y 75 respectivamente, obteniéndose además con valores extremos a Ecuador, México y Perú con 6.41, 7.57 y 9.12 respectivamente. Al evaluar la correlación de la tasa de letalidad por COVID 19 se encontró correlación lineal negativa débil entre el IDH, índice de escolaridad y esperanza de vida con rho= -0.253, -0.342 y -0.342 respectivamente, sin embargo no se encontró significancia estadística (Valor p >0.05). Conclusiones: Se encontró entre los países de latino américa que existe correlación lineal negativa débil entre la tasa de letalidad por COVID 19 y IDH, índice de escolaridad y esperanza de vida.

Background: The Human Development Index (HDI), uses three dimensions of development such as life expectancy, access to education and income level. It has been seen worldwide that socioeconomically vulnerable groups are the least protected and face the highest risk of COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate the correlation between HDI, GINI inequality index and COVID-19 case fatality rate in American countries. Study: An ecological observational study was developed, using COVID-19 metrics from Latin American countries. The outcome variable was COVID-19 case fatality rate, and the exposure variables were HDI, GINI, life expectancy, years of schooling, proportion of people over 60 years of age and GDPper capita. Once the data were collected, analyses were performed. We used the spearman correlation method, with a significance level of 95%. Findings: Twenty-four Latin American countries were evaluated, finding a COVID 19 case fatality rate with a median of 2.41 and with 1.55 and 3.04 as 25th and 75th percentile respectively, obtaining also with extreme values Ecuador, Mexico and Peru with 6.41, 7.57 and 9.12 respectively. When evaluating the correlation of the COVID 19 case fatality rate, a weak negative linear correlation was found between HDI, schooling index and life expectancy with rho= -0.253, -0.342 and -0.342 respectively, however, statistical significance was not found (p-value >0.05). Conclusions: It was found among Latin American countries that there is a weak negative linear correlation between COVID 19 case fatality rate and HDI, schooling index and life expectancy.

Does the Human Development Index relate with acute lymphoblastic leukemia incidence? / ¿Existe relación entre el Índice de Desarrollo Humano y la incidencia de leucemia linfoblástica aguda?

Abstract Background: The association between childhood cancer and socioeconomic status has been widely studied. However, none of the results are conclusive. This study aimed to analyze the association between the Human Development Index (HDI) and the acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) incidence in children under the Popular Medical Insurance Care. Methods: We conducted an observational, descriptive, and population-based study covering 55% of the Mexican population (58 million). Results: The most impoverished states were located in the south east region of Mexico, while the north was more homogeneous, with HDIs varying between 0.73 and 0.79. Our findings emphasize that the metropolitan area of Mexico City and the State of Nuevo Leon have the highest levels of HDI. Regions were graded from I to IV according to their HDIs in ascending order. The HDIs varied from 0.667 to 0.830/100,000 children/year, with a national average of 0.746. The leukemia incidence for regions I, II, III, and IV was 6.12, 6.53, 4.96, and 9.95. An analysis of ALL incidence in Mexico showed significant differences for region IV in comparison with the other regions based on the HDI values (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Further in-depth studies, including the economic aspects of the different geographic regions and their ethnographic characteristics, would give a more comprehensive panorama.

Resumen Introducción: Se ha estudiado la relación entre el nivel socioeconómico y el cáncer en niños. Sin embargo, aún no existen resultados concluyentes. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la asociación entre el Índice de Desarrollo Humano (IDH) y la incidencia de leucemia linfoblástica aguda en niños atendidos por el Seguro Popular. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional y descriptivo. La población estudiada representa el 55% de la población mexicana (58 millones). Resultados: Los Estados más pobres se localizaron en la región sureste de México, mientras que el norte del país fue más homogéneo, con un IDH que varió entre 0.73 y 0.79. Los hallazgos muestran que el área metropolitana de la Ciudad de México y el Estado de Nuevo León tienen un IDH más alto. Las regiones se graduaron del I al IV en orden ascendente de acuerdo con su IDH. El IDH varió de 0.667 a 0.830 por 100,000 niños por año, con un promedio nacional de 0.746. La incidencia de leucemia por 100,000 niños por año en las regiones I, II, III y IV fue de 6.12, 6.53, 4.96 y 9.95, respectivamente. El análisis de variabilidad de la incidencia de leucemia linfoblástica aguda en México muestra diferencias entre la región IV y el resto de las regiones de acuerdo con los valores del IDH (p = 0.0001). Conclusiones: Se deben realizar estudios más profundos que consideren no solo los aspectos económicos de las diferentes regiones, sino también sus características etnográficas, lo cual podría dar un panorama más amplio.