The Working Environment in Primary Healthcare Outpatient Facilities: Assessment of Physical Factors and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Working Environment Conditions.

The objectives of this study were to assess the adequacy of physical parameters/factors (temperature, relative humidity, noise, and illuminance levels) of the work environment in PHC facilities, to evaluate the association between the adequacy of these measured physical parameters and the physical characteristics of the PHC facilities and their surroundings and to assess the association between health professionals' perceptions about exposure to physical risks in the PHC work environment and the adequacy of physical parameters measured in the same facilities. The study monitored 23 PHC facilities in southern Brazil and interviewed 210 health professionals. Data analysis involved Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Spearman's correlation, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used to control for confounding factors. The significance level was set at 5% (p ≤ 0.05). The combination of temperature and relative humidity presented thermal comfort levels outside the adopted criteria for adequacy in consultation (outdoor relative humidity, p = 0.013) and procedure rooms (front door open, p = 0.034). Inadequate sound comfort (noise) levels in the morning shift were found in the vaccination (front door open, p = 0.021) and consultation rooms (movement of people, p = 0.016). In PHC facilities where reception rooms had insufficient lighting, internal curtains were opened less frequently (p = 0.047). The analysis of health professionals' perceptions of physical factors demonstrated that physicians more frequently perceive the physical risk of temperature and humidity (p = 0.044). The higher the number of nurses (p = 0.004) and oral health technicians in the PHC facilities (p = 0.031), the greater the general percentage of adequacy of monitored physical parameters. It was also confirmed that the higher the perception of moderate or severe physical risk among health professionals, the lower the general percentage of the adequacy of the physical parameters of the work environment of the PHC facilities evaluated (rs = -0.450, p = 0.031). This study's evidence contributes to a better understanding of physical conditions and future occupational interventions to ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of PHC workers.

Percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV y conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales en prevención / Perception of risk of HIV infection and knowledge about the use of antiretrovirals in prevention

Resumen Introducción : La prevención combinada (PC) se con sidera la estrategia clave frente a la epidemia de HIV. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV y el conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales (ARV) para prevención, entre pacien tes que concurren a un consultorio de Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual (ITS). Métodos : Una encuesta sobre datos personales y percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV, conocimiento sobre profilaxis posterior a la exposición (PEP) y previa a la exposición (PrEP), fue administrada a pacientes al momento de aplicar dosis de penicilina para tratamiento de sífilis, o de extraer muestra de sangre para diagnós tico de ITS, entre mayo y diciembre, 2022. Resultados : De 100 personas encuestadas, 43 eran menores de 25 años, 67 reportaron sexo-género mascu lino y 33 femenino. Treinta de 91, (33%), percibían haber tenido en su vida algún riesgo de infección, 19 de ellas en el último año; 77/96 (80%) manifestaron no tener conocimiento sobre PEP, y 82/100, sobre PrEP. Solo 22% respondió que los antirretrovirales podrían brindar be neficio para prevenir el HIV; 26 (60%) de los 43 menores de 25 años, y 18 de los 57 ≥ 25 años (31.6%) respondieron haber tenido dos o más parejas sexuales el último año. No se observaron diferencias estadísticamente signifi cativas, relacionadas con género y grupo etario. Discusión : La baja percepción de riesgo de infección y del conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales para prevención de HIV, evidencian las dificultades existentes en la implementación de prevención combinada (PEP-PrEP) en esta población.

Abstract Introduction : Combined prevention (CP) is considered the key strategy against the HIV epidemic. The objective of the study was to evaluate the perception of risk of HIV infection and the knowledge about the use of antiretro virals (ARV) for prevention, among patients who attend a Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clinic. Methods : A survey on personal data and perception of risk of HIV infection, knowledge about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), was administered to patients at the time of applying doses of penicillin for the treatment of syphilis, or when taking a blood sample for STI diagnosis, between May and December, 2022. Results : 100 persons were surveyed: 43 were under 25 years of age, 67 reported male sex-gender and 33 fe males. Thirty of 91 (33%) perceived they had had some risk of infection in their lives, 19 of them in the last year; 77/96 (80%) stated that they had no knowledge about PEP, and 82/100, about PrEP. Only 22 out of 100 responded that antiretrovirals could provide benefit in preventing HIV; 26 (60%) of the 43 patients <25 years of age, and 18 of the 57 ≥ 25 years (31.6%) responded they have had two or more sexual partners in the last year. No statistically significant differences were observed related to gender and age group. Discussion : The low perception of infection risk and knowledge about the use of antiretrovirals in HIV pre vention, show the existing difficulties for the imple mentation of combined prevention (PEP-PrEP) in this population.

HIV Treatment Optimism Moderates the Relationship between Sexual Risk Behavior and HIV Risk Perception among Urban HIV-negative Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who have Sex With Men.

Using baseline data of the Engage Cohort Study, a Canadian study of sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM), we evaluated the association between sexual behavior and risk perception among HIV-negative participants and whether HIV treatment optimism moderated this relationship. Participants were recruited by respondent-driven-sampling (RDS). We defined high-risk sexual behavior in the past six months as any condomless anal sex with a casual partner (i.e. not the participant's main partner) with either unknown HIV-status where neither used pre-exposure prophylaxis or with a partner living with HIV having detectable/unknown viral load. We assessed HIV treatment optimism-skepticism using a 12-item scale. RDS-II-weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined associations with risk perception measured by the question "How would you assess your current risk of getting HIV?" (response options were on a 6-point Likert-scale ranging from "very unlikely" to "very likely", dichotomized into "No Perceived Risk" (very unlikely/unlikely) and "Perceived Risk" (somewhat likely/likely/very likely/I think I already have HIV). Of 1961 participants, engagement in high-risk sexual behavior was reported by 155 (17.0%), 62 (12.4%), 128 (17.2%) of participants in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver, respectively. High-risk sexual behavior increased the odds of perceived HIV risk (pooled adjusted odds ratio = 2.9, 95%CI = 2.2-3.8). HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores moderated the relationship: for GBM engaging in high-risk sexual behavior, higher HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores increased perceived HIV risk. Promoting awareness around advances related to HIV prevention and treatment is important for appropriate risk assessment and for increased engagement in prevention interventions.

RESUMEN: Evaluamos la asociación entre el comportamiento sexual y la percepción de riesgo entre los participantes VIH negativos y si el optimismo sobre el tratamiento del VIH moderó esta asociación. Definimos comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo en los últimos seis meses como cualquier sexo anal sin condón con una pareja casual con un estado de VIH desconocido donde ninguno utilizó profilaxis previa a la exposición o con una pareja que vive con el VIH y que tiene una carga viral detectable/desconocida. Se evaluó el optimismo sobre el tratamiento del VIH mediante una escala de 12 ítems. Los modelos de regresión logística ajustados examinaron las asociaciones con la percepción del riesgo ("Riesgo no percibido" vs. "Riesgo percibido"). De 1961 participantes, 155 (17,0%), 62 (12,4%), 128 (17,2%) de los participantes en Montreal, Toronto y Vancouver, informaron comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo. El comportamiento sexual de alto riesgo se mostró asociado con riesgo percibido. El optimismo sobre el tratamiento modero la asociación. Promover la conciencia sobre los avances relacionados con la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH es importante para una evaluación adecuada de los riesgos y una mayor participación en las intervenciones de prevención.

Analysis of causal relations between vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccines and ideological orientations in Brazil.

This article presents a causal inference analysis of vaccine hesitancy for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines based on socio-demographic data obtained via questionnaires applied to a sample of the Brazilian population. This data includes the respondents' political preferences, age group, education, salary range, country region, sex, believing fake news, vaccine confidence, and intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The research created a causal graph using these variables, seeking to answer questions about the probability of people getting vaccinated. The results of this research corroborate findings observed in the literature, also presenting unique findings: (i) The perception that the vaccine is safe is positively affected by age group and negatively by religion; (ii) The older the person, the greater the probability of considering the vaccine safe and, consequently, of getting vaccinated; (iii) The religion variable showed great importance in the model since it has a simultaneous causal effect on political preferences and the perception of vaccine safety; (iv) The data reveal that the probability of a person accepting the vaccination against COVID-19 is reduced given the fact that they believe fake news related to the vaccine. The methodology applied in this research can be replicated for populations from other countries so that it is possible to generate customized models. General causal models can be helpful for agencies dealing with vaccine hesitancy to decide which variables should be addressed to reduce this phenomenon.

[Perception of risk of HIV infection and knowledge about the use of antiretrovirals in prevention]. / Percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV y conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales en prevención.

INTRODUCTION: Combined prevention (CP) is considered the key strategy against the HIV epidemic. The objective of the study was to evaluate the perception of risk of HIV infection and the knowledge about the use of antiretrovirals (ARV) for prevention, among patients who attend a Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clinic. METHODS: A survey on personal data and perception of risk of HIV infection, knowledge about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), was administered to patients at the time of applying doses of penicillin for the treatment of syphilis, or when taking a blood sample for STI diagnosis, between May and December, 2022. RESULTS: 100 persons were surveyed: 43 were under 25 years of age, 67 reported male sex-gender and 33 females. Thirty of 91 (33%) perceived they had had some risk of infection in their lives, 19 of them in the last year; 77/96 (80%) stated that they had no knowledge about PEP, and 82/100, about PrEP. Only 22 out of 100 responded that antiretrovirals could provide benefit in preventing HIV; 26 (60%) of the 43 patients <25 years of age, and 18 of the 57 ≥ 25 years (31.6%) responded they have had two or more sexual partners in the last year. No statistically significant differences were observed related to gender and age group. DISCUSSION: The low perception of infection risk and knowledge about the use of antiretrovirals in HIV prevention, show the existing difficulties for the implementation of combined prevention (PEP-PrEP) in this population.

Introducción: La prevención combinada (PC) se considera la estrategia clave frente a la epidemia de HIV. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV y el conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales (ARV) para prevención, entre pacientes que concurren a un consultorio de Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual (ITS). Métodos: Una encuesta sobre datos personales y percepción de riesgo de infección por HIV, conocimiento sobre profilaxis posterior a la exposición (PEP) y previa a la exposición (PrEP), fue administrada a pacientes al momento de aplicar dosis de penicilina para tratamiento de sífilis, o de extraer muestra de sangre para diagnóstico de ITS, entre mayo y diciembre, 2022. Resultados: De 100 personas encuestadas, 43 eran menores de 25 años, 67 reportaron sexo-género masculino y 33 femenino. Treinta de 91, (33%), percibían haber tenido en su vida algún riesgo de infección, 19 de ellas en el último año; 77/96 (80%) manifestaron no tener conocimiento sobre PEP, y 82/100, sobre PrEP. Solo 22% respondió que los antirretrovirales podrían brindar beneficio para prevenir el HIV; 26 (60%) de los 43 menores de 25 años, y 18 de los 57 ≥ 25 años (31.6%) respondieron haber tenido dos o más parejas sexuales el último año. No se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas, relacionadas con género y grupo etario. Discusión: La baja percepción de riesgo de infección y del conocimiento sobre uso de antirretrovirales para prevención de HIV, evidencian las dificultades existentes en la implementación de prevención combinada (PEPPrEP) en esta población.

Risk Perception and Fatigue in Port Workers: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess fatigue in port workers; analyze the association between fatigue and levels of trust in organizations, as well as the association between authorities and risk perception; and examine the official documents governing the studied port, along with the current health and communication status of the port workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional pilot study, which presented quantitative and qualitative data, and it was carried out among port workers in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Thirty-nine port workers responded to quantitative questionnaires, which collected their socio-demographic data, as well as a risk perception questionnaire, the Chalder Fatigue Scale, and the Checklist of Individual Strength. Five documents from the port regiment were studied and qualitatively analyzed. The health communications consisted of presenting infographics with research data and providing information for reducing fatigue. RESULTS: Fifteen workers (38.5%) were considered fatigued. There was a reduction in fatigue associated with trust in the unions and the labor management body, and there was an agreement that the precarious environment was completely unacceptable. The qualitative data in the documents indicated that it was possible to identify the infrastructure of the port environment, the legislation, the strategies to be adopted in cases of natural disasters, emergency plans, plans for the protection and promotion of workers' health, individual and collective protection plans, the division of the sectors and those responsible for them, and documents detailing the hierarchy within the ports. The qualitative analysis culminated in graphic representations (infographics) created to communicate the research results to port workers, specifically in relation to fatigue, and we presented the ways to prevent fatigue at work. Discussion/Limitations: Studying the risk perceptions and fatigue levels of port workers through research with the active participation of these workers presented their lived experiences, which promoted discussion and perhaps more effective proposals to change their work conditions.

Risk perception of healthcare workers in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Objectives: To validate the items of the Emotional Impact Questionnaire coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) related to risk perception, estimating its degree, among healthcare workers in the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, identifying possible associated factors.Methods: cross-sectional study in 1872 healthcare workers of Brazil. The population was characterized by sociodemographic and occupational information, knowledge about COVID-19, quality of information received, risk perception and preventive measures about the disease, and sense of coherence. Results: Being divorced, having a chronic disease, spending more than 1 h per day getting informed about COVID-19, and always or almost always wearing a mask regardless of symptoms, as well as self-perception of health were associated with high-risk perception. An inverse association was found between risk perception, sense of coherence and not knowing if one has had occasional contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. Conclusion: Risk perception is influenced by emotions, experiences, and knowledge. Sense of coherence and resilience have a role in reducing risk perception. Understanding risk perception is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and other similar scenarios.

Do Primary Health Professionals in Brazil Have a Misperception about Food? The Role of Food Literacy as a Positive Predictor.

Risk perception is socially constructed; psychological elements control people's reactions to a hazard, and even health professionals may have difficulty determining what healthy food is. This work aimed to measure food literacy and food risk perceptions among primary healthcare professionals in a Brazilian city. In the first phase, 280 health professionals working in primary care in Rio Claro, Brazil, were studied. The Short Food Literacy Questionnaire (SFLQ-Br) and scales of risk and benefit perception of 50 foods were used. In the second phase, 20 professionals were interviewed to investigate the responses to different foods observed in the first phase. In this second phase, 16 users of the health system were also enrolled to understand their perceptions and how the nutrition messages conveyed by the health team reached them. Professionals scored an average of 34.5 on food literacy (for which there is a maximum score of 52). They showed difficulty with dietary guidelines and their interpretation. Food's risk and benefit perception were generally consistent with the recommendations of the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population. However, some processed foods or those with no proven health benefits were considered healthy by the study participants, indicating a biased perception (e.g., gelatin, processed turkey breast, cream crackers, and cereal bars). Less misperception was observed when food literacy was higher, which positively predicted risk perception. The reasons for identifying benefits of these foods ranged from the false impression that they are natural and nutritious foods to the comparative claim that they are better for health than similar foods. The results indicate the need to educate health professionals based on current references to avoid bias in population counseling.

The influence of risk awareness and government trust on risk perception and preparedness for natural hazards.

Risk perception is considered the primary motivator for taking preparedness actions. But people with prior experience and a high-risk perception are not necessarily more prepared. This relationship is even more complex when assessing preparedness levels for hazards with different characteristics. These inconsistent findings can be explained by how preparedness has been measured and the influence of other factors, such as trust and risk awareness. Thus, the main goal of this study was to analyze the role of risk awareness and trust in authorities on risk perception and intention to prepare for natural hazards in a coastal city in Chile. A representative sample of the city of Concepción, located in the center-south zone of Chile (n = 585), completed a survey. We measured risk awareness, risk perception, trust in authorities, and intention to prepare for two hazards: earthquakes/tsunamis and floods. Through structural equation models, we tested five hypotheses. We found that the perception of risk maintained a direct and positive influence on the intention to prepare for both hazards. The results showed that awareness and risk perception influence the intention to prepare and should be considered different concepts. Finally, trust did not significantly influence risk perception when faced with known hazards for the population. Implications for understanding the relationship between risk perception and direct experience are discussed.

Percepção de risco, efeitos psicológicos e apoio social em profissionais de saúde com pacientes com COVID-19 no México / Risk perception, psychological effects, and social support in health care workers with COVID-19 patients in Mexico / Percepción de riesgo, efectos psicológicos y apoyo social en trabajadores sanitarios con pacientes con COVID-19 en México

Resumo Objetivo: identificar a associação entre percepção de risco e vários efeitos psicológicos negativos e positivos, bem como o efeito moderador do apoio social, em uma amostra de trabalhadores de saúde com pacientes com COVID-19 no México. Métodos: trata-se de um desenho ex-post-facto e instrumental. As respostas foram obtidas por meio de questionário on-line , utilizando a estratégia de bola de neve. A associação entre percepção de risco e vários resultados psicológicos foi examinada por meio de correlações monotônicas (Spearman, rs), e um modelo de regressão foi estimado para cada efeito psicológico a fim de testar o efeito moderador do apoio social. Resultados: participaram 269 trabalhadores da saúde, sendo 75,5% mulheres. Os achados mostram a percepção de risco com uma tendência elevada, especialmente em relação ao "risco de dano grave pelo SARS-CoV-2". O apoio social apresentou uma tendência de moderada a alta, e os sintomas negativos de saúde mental tiveram uma tendência abaixo das médias teóricas. Conclusão: o apoio social desempenha papel moderador na magnitude da associação entre a percepção de risco e os efeitos psicológicos. Apesar das limitações reconhecidas, este trabalho visa ajudar a explicar os mecanismos complexos das variáveis em estudo por meio da análise exploratória de interações.

Abstract Objective: to identify the association between risk perception and various negative and positive psychological effects, as well as the moderating effect of social support, in a sample of health care workers with COVID-19 patients in Mexico. Methods: this study has an ex post facto and instrumental design. Responses were obtained by means of an online survey using snowball convenience sampling. The association of risk perception with various psychological outcomes was examined using monotonic correlations (Spearman, rs), and a regression model was estimated for each psychological effect to test the moderating effect of social support. Results: a total of 269 health care workers took part, 75.5% of them women. The findings show that risk perception tended to be high, especially in relation to the "risk of serious harm from SARS-CoV-2". Social support had a moderate to high trend, and negative mental health symptoms had a trend below theoretical average points. Conclusion: social support plays a moderating role in the magnitude of the association between risk perception and psychological effects. Despite the acknowledged limitations, this work aimed to help explain the complex mechanisms of the study variables by analyzing exploratory interactions.

Resumen Objetivo: identificar la asociación entre percepción de riesgo y diversos efectos psicológicos negativos y positivos, así como el efecto moderador del apoyo social, en una muestra de trabajadores sanitarios con pacientes COVID-19 en México. Métodos: se trató de un diseño ex post facto e instrumental. Se obtuvieron respuestas por medio de un cuestionario en línea mediante la estrategia de bola de nieve. Se examinó la asociación de la percepción de riesgo con varios resultados psicológicos mediante correlaciones monotónicas (Spearman, rs), y se estimó un modelo de regresión para cada efecto psicológico para probar el efecto moderador del apoyo social. Resultados: participaron 269 trabajadores sanitarios, de los cuales un 75,5% eran mujeres. Los hallazgos muestran una percepción de riesgo con tendencia elevada, particularmente la relacionada al "riesgo de daño grave por SARS-CoV2", el apoyo social tuvo una tendencia de moderada a alta y los síntomas negativos de salud mental tuvieron una tendencia por debajo de los promedios teóricos. Conclusión: el apoyo social juega un papel moderador en la magnitud de asociación entre percepción de riesgo y efectos psicológicos. A pesar de las limitaciones reconocidas, este trabajo pretende ayudar a explicar los mecanismos complejos de las variables de estudio mediante el análisis de interacciones exploratorias.

Ansiedad, autoeficacia y percepción de riesgo en estudiantes de Odontología durante la pandemia del COVID-19 / Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Risk Perception in Dental Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introducción: Las medidas de contención por el COVID-19 afectan el estilo de vida y las relaciones sociales y es razonable esperar efectos psicológicos por la idea de infectarse. En la práctica odontológica las reacciones psicológicas han sido diversas. Objetivo: Identificar la ansiedad y la percepción de riesgo por la pandemia del COVID-19, así como la autoeficacia de los estudiantes de la carrera de Odontología para tomar medidas preventivas. Métodos: Estudio transversal en alumnos de la Facultad de Odontología de una universidad pública al noreste de México en mayo del 2020 (n = 412). Se colectaron datos en línea sobre ansiedad, percepción de riesgo y autoeficacia en escala de Likert y el perfil sociodemográfico. Se utilizó la estadística descriptiva y el análisis multivariado de regresión logística binaria. Resultados: La media de edad fue 21,8 ± 2,8 años; el 72,1 por ciento era del sexo femenino. Veintidós de cada 100 estudiantes de Odontología reportaron haberse sentido con ansiedad por la pandemia del COVID-19 durante al menos ocho días de las últimas dos semanas; la percepción de riesgo (OR = 2,46, IC95 por ciento 1,75 - 3,48) y el ser mujer (OR = 2,23, IC95 por ciento 1,33 - 3,76) incrementaron las probabilidades de ansiedad. Mientras que la autoeficacia (OR = 0,71, IC95 por ciento 0,51 - 0,99) y el antecedente de capacitación en COVID-19 (RM = 0,63, IC95 por ciento 0,4 - 0,99) las disminuyeron. Conclusiones: La alta percepción de riesgo y ser del sexo femenino se asocia con un aumento significativo de la ansiedad ante el COVID-19(AU)

Introduction: Containment measures by COVID-19 affect lifestyle and social relationships and it is reasonable to expect psychological effects from the thought of becoming infected. In dental practice, psychological reactions have been diverse. Objective: To identify anxiety and risk perception due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the self-efficacy of dental students to take preventive measures. Methods: Cross-sectional study in students of the School of Dentistry of a public university in northeastern Mexico in May 2020 (n = 412). Online data were collected on anxiety, risk perception and self-efficacy on Likert scale and sociodemographic profile. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression multivariate analysis were used. Results: Mean age was 21.8 ± 2.8 years; 72.1 percent were female. Twenty-two out of 100 dental students reported feeling anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic for at least eight days in the last two weeks; risk perception (OR = 2.46, 95 percentCI 1.75 - 3.48) and being female (OR = 2.23, 95 percentCI 1.33-3.76) increased the odds of anxiety. While self-efficacy (OR = 0.71, CI95 percent 0.51 - 0.99) and history of COVID-19 training (OR = 0.63, CI95 percent 0.4-0.99) decreased them. Conclusions: High risk perception and being of the female sex are associated with a significant increase in COVID-19 anxiety(AU)

Moderating Effect of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Use on the Association Between Sexual Risk Behavior and Perceived Risk of HIV Among Brazilian Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) with a higher perceived risk of HIV are more aware of and willing to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is an effective HIV prevention strategy, but there is a lack of data on how PrEP use might moderate the relationship between sexual risk behavior and perceived risk of HIV. Moreover, most studies measure perceived risk of HIV via a single question. OBJECTIVE: We estimated the moderating effect of PrEP use on the association between sexual risk behavior and perceived risk of HIV, measured with the 8-item Perceived Risk of HIV Scale (PRHS), among Brazilian MSM. METHODS: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was completed by Brazilian Hornet app users aged ≥18 years between February and March 2020. We included data from cisgender men who reported sex with men in the previous 6 months. We evaluated the moderating effect of current PrEP use on the association between sexual risk behavior, measured via the HIV Incidence Risk Index for MSM (HIRI-MSM), and perceived risk of HIV, measured by the PRHS. Higher HIRI-MSM (range 0-45) and PRHS (range 10-40) scores indicate greater sexual behavioral risk and perceived risk of HIV, respectively. Both were standardized to z scores for use in multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: Among 4344 cisgender MSM, 448 (10.3%) were currently taking PrEP. Current PrEP users had a higher mean HIRI-MSM score (mean 21.0, SD 9.4 vs mean 13.2, SD 8.1; P<.001) and a lower mean PRHS score (mean 24.6, SD 5.1 vs mean 25.9, SD 4.9; P<.001) compared to those not currently taking PrEP. In the multivariable model, greater HIRI-MSM scores significantly predicted increased PRHS scores (ß=.26, 95% CI 0.22-0.29; P<.001). PrEP use moderated the association between HIRI-MSM and PRHS score (interaction term ß=-.30, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.21; P<.001), such that higher HIRI-MSM score did not predict higher PRHS score among current PrEP users. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest current PrEP users have confidence in PrEP's effectiveness as an HIV prevention strategy. PrEP's effectiveness, positive psychological impact, and the frequent HIV testing and interaction with health services required of PrEP users may jointly influence the relationship between sexual risk behavior and perceived risk of HIV among PrEP users.

COVID-19 deaths on weekends.

BACKGROUND: Mortality statistics about daily deaths might change on weekends due to delays in reporting, uneven staffing, a different mix of personnel, or decreased efficiency. We hypothesized that reported deaths for COVID-19 might increase on weekends compared to weekdays. METHODS: We collected data from the World Health Organization COVID-19 database. All deaths from March 7, 2020 to March 7, 2022 were included (two years). The primary analysis evaluated mean daily deaths on weekends compared to the preceding five workdays. Analyses were replicated in ten individual countries: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, India, Brazil, and Canada. RESULTS: The mean COVID-19 daily deaths was higher on weekends compared to weekdays (8,532 vs. 8,083 p < 0.001), equal to a 6% relative increase (95% confidence interval 3% to 8%). The highest absolute increase was in the United States (1,483 vs. 1,220 deaths, p < 0.001). The second highest absolute increase was in Brazil (1,061 vs. 823 deaths, p < 0.001). The increase in deaths on weekends remained significant during the earlier and later months of the pandemic, as well as during the greater and lesser weeks of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The apparent increased COVID-19 deaths reported on weekends might potentially reflect patient care, confound community trends, and affect the public perception of risk.

Association between HIV Perceived Risk and Intimate Partner Violence among Women / Asociación entre Percepción de Riesgo de VIH y Violencia de Pareja en Mujeres

Abstract HIV risk perception and Intimate partner violence (IPV) are related to HIV infection in women. However, there is a lack of information regarding on the association between risk perception and IPV in the Mexican population. This study aimed to identify and characterize subgroups based on their risk perception through the analysis of latent classes and to evaluate the variables associated with HIV risk perception. An online survey was conducted to assess sexual and preventive behavior, HIV risk perception, and intimate partner violence. Three hundred thirty-two women participated; the sampling was for convenience. Two latent classes were identified: a group with risk perception (85%) and one without risk perception (14.6%). The variables associated with the risk perception were a sexual attraction to men, not having a stable partner, perceiving oneself as at risk of acquiring HIV due to sexual behavior, and the presence of IPV. HIV prevention programs for women must address the stigmas related to HIV, such as the idea that the risk only occurs when they have multiple sexual partners, promote accurate HIV risk perception and prevent IPV in all its expressions and contexts.

Resumen En mujeres, la violencia de pareja está relacionada a una mayor probabilidad de adquirir la infección por VIH. De igual forma, una inadecuada percepción de riesgo de adquirir el virus coloca a las mujeres en una situación vulnerable. Existe una falta de información ente la asociación de la VPI y la percepción de riesgo es mujeres mexicanas. Este estudio persiguió dos objetivos: el primero fue identificar y caracterizar subgrupos en función de su percepción de riesgo a través del análisis de clases latentes; el segundo objetivo consistió en evaluar las variables asociadas con la percepción de riesgo de VIH. Se realizó una encuesta en línea para evaluar el comportamiento sexual y preventivo, la percepción del riesgo de VIH y la VP. Participaron 332 mujeres; el muestreo fue por conveniencia. Se identificaron dos clases latentes: un grupo con percepción de riesgo (85%) y otro sin percepción de riesgo (14,6%). Las variables asociadas a la percepción de riesgo fueron atracción sexual por hombres, no tener pareja estable, percibirse en riesgo de adquirir el VIH por la conducta sexual y haber sufrido de violencia de pareja en los últimos seis meses. Se concluye que los programas de prevención del VIH para mujeres deben abordar los estigmas relacionados con el VIH, como la idea de que el riesgo solo ocurre cuando tienen múltiples parejas sexuales, promover una percepción precisa del riesgo del VIH y principalmente, prevenir la VP en todas sus expresiones y contextos; así como también dar atención personalizada a mujeres que ya sufren de violencia de pareja.

Escala de Percepção de Risco sobre Covid-19/Isolamento Social: Propriedades Psicométricas / Escala de Percepción de Riesgo sobre Covid-19 y Aislamiento Social: Propiedades Psicométricas / Psychometric Properties of Risk Perception Scale about Covid-19 and Social Isolation (RPSCI)

Risk perception is a concept related to the decision-making process and allows people to perceive the hazards surrounding the context and choose the best preventive methods to avoid them. The COVID-19 pandemic was a remarkable era in which people had to adopt protective methods, such as social isolation, to reduce the possibility of being contaminated by the virus. This study covers the development, psychometric properties, and norms of a scale to assess Risk Perception regarding COVID-19 and Social Isolation. The analysis suggested good expert agreement regarding the adequacy of the scale content and items and factor analysis suggested two factors, called the emotional and cognitive domains. The composite reliability suggested the internal consistency of the scale and its factors. All the results of this study suggest that this scale presents evidence of construct validity, constituting a reliable instrument. This new instrument may be used to evaluate risk perception related to COVID-19 and Social Isolation.

La percepción del riesgo es un concepto relacionado con el proceso de toma de decisiones y permite a las personas percibir los peligros en el contexto y elegir los mejores métodos de prevención para evitarlos. La pandemia de COVID-19 es una era notable en la que las personas deben adoptar métodos, como el aislamiento social, para reducir la posibilidad de ser contaminados por el virus. Este estudio proporciona el desarrollo, las propiedades psicométricas y las normas de una escala para evaluar Percepción de Riesgo sobre el COVID-19 y el Aislamiento Social. El análisis sugirió un buen acuerdo de expertos sobre el ajuste del contenido y la escala de ítems y el análisis factorial apuntó dos factores denominados dominios emocional y cognitivo. La confiabilidad compuesta sugirió consistencia interna de la escala y sus factores. Todos los resultados de este estudio proponen que esta escala presenta evidencia de validez de constructo y es un instrumento confiable. Este nuevo instrumento podrá ser utilizado para evaluar la percepción de riesgo sobre el COVID-19 y el aislamiento social.

A percepção de risco é um conceito relacionado ao processo de tomada de decisão e permite que as pessoas percebam os perigos em torno do contexto e escolham os melhores métodos de prevenção para evitá-los. A pandemia do COVID-19 é uma era marcante em que as pessoas devem adotar métodos de proteção, como o isolamento social, para reduzir a possibilidade de serem contaminados pelo vírus. Este estudo fornece o desenvolvimento, as propriedades psicométricas e normas de uma escala para avaliar Percepção de Risco sobre COVID-19 e Isolamento Social. A análise sugeriu boa concordância dos especialistas sobre o ajuste de conteúdo e itens da escala, e a análise fatorial sugeriu dois fatores denominados domínios emocionais e cognitivos. A confiabilidade composta sugeriu a consistência interna da escala e seus fatores. Todos os resultados deste estudo sugerem que esta escala apresenta evidências de validade de construto, sendo um instrumento confiável. Este novo instrumento poderá ser utilizado para avaliar a percepção de risco sobre a COVID-19 e o Isolamento Social.

["What choice do people have other than us?": The role of doctors' offices adjacent to private pharmacies in the Covid-19 pandemic]. / "¿Qué opción les queda a las personas, más que nosotros?": Las funciones de los consultorios adyacentes a farmacias en la pandemia de covid-19.

With the arrival of coronavirus in Mexico, doctors' offices adjacent to private pharmacies (DAPPs) played a major role in the diagnosis, care, and prevention of Covid-19, providing treatment for 11.7% to 23% of people with Covid-19 symptoms according to national surveys. Therefore, this article seeks to identify the role of DAPPs as a private health system providing care for patients with Covid-19 symptoms in the city of Oaxaca, and to describe and analyze the factors that influenced their utilization. Using a qualitative methodology, twelve physicians were interviewed and 59 users responded to a questionnaire at doctors' offices adjacent to pharmacies in the municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez between September 2020 and August 2022. Secondary data were also collected. Among the findings, the function of these offices at the front line of care for Covid-19 and other health needs that emerged with the public health crisis is described, and the determining factors in care trajectories of users that sought care there are analyzed, such as the increase in perception of risk and mistrust towards public services or strategies implemented by the federal government.

Con la llegada del coronavirus a México, los consultorios adyacentes a farmacias desempeñaron un rol preponderante en el diagnóstico, atención y prevención del covid-19. De acuerdo a las encuestas nacionales, entre el 11,7% y el 23% de las personas con síntomas de covid-19 se atendieron en uno. Por ello, este artículo busca identificar el papel de los consultorios adyacentes a farmacias (CAF) como sistema de salud privado que atendió a personas con síntomas de covid-19 en la ciudad de Oaxaca y describir y analizar los factores que influyeron en su utilización. Desde una metodología cualitativa, entre septiembre de 2020 y agosto de 2022 se entrevistó a 12 médicos y médicas y se aplicó un cuestionario a 59 personas usuarias de los consultorios adyacentes a farmacias del municipio de Oaxaca de Juárez. Asimismo se hizo una recopilación y análisis de fuentes secundarias. Entre los hallazgos, se describen sus funciones como frente de atención al covid-19 y a otras necesidades de salud que emergieron con la crisis sanitaria y se analizan los factores determinantes en las trayectorias de atención de personas usuarias de estos consultorios, como son el incremento en la percepción del riesgo y la desconfianza hacia los servicios públicos o hacia las estrategias implementadas por el gobierno federal.

Risk Perception of Traffic Accidents Due to Alcohol and Marijuana Use in Mexican College Students.

Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and other drugs is a common occurrence in Western societies. Alcohol consumption is related to 15% of fatal injuries in traffic accidents worldwide, with those DUI of alcohol being up to 18 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. Evidence for DUI of alcohol or marijuana among the college population in Mexico is scarce. This research estimates the proportion of use of alcohol and marijuana, describes the risk perception of DUI, and evaluates the relationship between risk perception and DUI behaviors in a sample of Mexican college students aged 18 to 29. The study was cross-sectional with a non-probabilistic sample. Risk perception of suffering traffic accidents when DUI or riding with someone DUI of alcohol, marijuana, or both, was high, unlike the risk perception of being detected or sanctioned for a DUI of marijuana. The study provided valuable information on the risk perception of engaging in behaviors related to DUI of alcohol and/or marijuana. It is necessary to undertake research on the subject with probabilistic and representative samples of this population of Mexico.

Food neophobia, risk perception and attitudes associations of Brazilian consumers towards non-conventional edible plants and research on sale promotional strategies.

Non-conventional edible plants (NCEP) are plants or parts of plants that are not usually consumed by the population and have limited geographic distribution. This study investigated the consumption of NCEP, the influence of Food Neophobia and risk perception on Brazilian consumers attitudes as well as purchase preferences to determinate the best sale promotional strategy. Participants (n = 271) answered the online questionnaire that consisted of socio-demographic questions, items about consumption (open questions), Food Neophobia Scale, risk perception (to assign the level risk) and attitudes towards NCEP (using 5-point Likert scale). Fisher's exact test was used to investigate possible associations. Task purchase choice was evaluated using the Best-Worst Scale. The most consumed conventional leafy vegetables were collard greens (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala D.C) (95.6%) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) (88.5%). As for NCEP, taioba (Xanthosoma taioba E.G) (26.7%), bertalha (Basela alba L.) (23.3%) and beldroega (Portulaca oleracea L.) (14.1%) were the most cited leafy vegetables. High food neophobia individuals demonstrated to try NCEP if its nutritional value and safety are proven, showing a demand for such strategy, this would increase the consumption of these vegetables. The perception of a high risk was also associated with the inclusion of NCEP in the diet. The inclusion of NCEP at the moment of purchase, even at a higher price, presented higher scores when compared to the purchase of only conventional vegetables, at lower prices. Despite this, the price can still be a limiting factor and the search for promotional strategies should be reinforced to increase the commercialization of NCEP at street markets.

Intervención educativa sobre la COVID-19 en los trabajadores del Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de la Defensa Civil / Educational intervention on COVID-19 in the personnel of the Civil Defense Scientific Research Center

Introducción: La COVID-19 creó desafíos sin precedentes para la comunidad y los trabajadores de la salud, por lo que contribuir a incrementar la percepción del riesgo mediante la capacitación fue una premisa elemental en tiempos de la pandemia. Objetivo: La investigación tuvo la finalidad de contribuir a incrementar el conocimiento en aspectos importantes sobre la COVID-19 en los trabajadores del Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de la Defensa Civil. Métodos: Se realizó una evaluación antes y después de la intervención en el período de febrero a abril de 2021. La muestra estuvo conformada por 50 trabajadores divididos en dos grupos: 1) investigadores y técnicos; 2) personal de apoyo. La investigación se desarrolló en tres etapas: diagnóstico, intervención y evaluación. Se conformó una base de datos con la información recopilada y para su análisis se empleó el método de comparación de proporciones de las respuestas entre los grupos, antes y después de la evaluación. Se calculó el porcentaje de apropiación de conocimientos con nivel de significación (p < 0,05) y se aplicó el t-Student para muestras dependientes. Resultados: De 50 trabajadores 35 (70 %) eran del sexo femenino; predominó el nivel escolar universitario con un total de 33 (66 %). Se observó un incremento estadísticamente significativo, tanto en la apropiación del conocimiento en ambos grupos, como en las preguntas adecuadas, después de la intervención (p < 0,05); siendo superior en el grupo del personal de apoyo. Conclusiones: La intervención educativa contribuyó a incrementar los conocimientos acerca de la COVID-19 en los trabajadores del centro, lo que tuvo un impacto favorable.

Introduction: COVID-19 created unprecedented challenges for the community and health workers; therefore, contributing to increase risk perception through training was an elementary premise in times of the pandemic. Objective: The research aimed at increasing the knowledge of important aspects of COVID-19 among the personnel of the Civil Defense Scientific Research Center. Methods: An evaluation was carried out before and after the intervention from February to April 2021. The sample consisted of 50 workers divided into two groups: 1) researchers and technicians; 2) support personnel. The research comprised three stages: diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation. A database was created with the information collected. For its analysis, the compare proportions test of responses between the groups, before and after the evaluation, was used. The percentage of knowledge appropriation was calculated with significance level (p < 0.05), and the t-Student was applied for dependent samples. Results: Out of 50 workers, 35 (70%) were female; 33 (66%) had a university education level. A statistically significant increase in both knowledge acquisition and appropriate questions was observed in the groups after the intervention (p < 0.05), which was higher in the support staff group. Conclusions: The educational intervention contributed to increasing knowledge about COVID-19 among the workers of the center, which had a favorable impact.

Effectiveness of a Mobile App to Increase Risk Perception of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Marijuana Use in Mexican High School Students: Quantitative Study.

BACKGROUND: Young people have the highest rate of drug use worldwide. Recent data from Mexico in this population show that the prevalence of illicit drug use doubled between 2011 and 2016 (2.9%-6.2%), with marijuana being the one with the highest increase (2.4%-5.3%), but also point out that alcohol and tobacco use have remained steady or decreased. Mexican adolescents are at high risk for drug use owing to a low perception of risk and the availability of drugs. Adolescence is an ideal period to reduce or prevent risky behaviors using evidence-based strategies. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to test the short-term effectiveness of a mobile intervention app ("What Happens if you Go Too Far?" ["¿Qué pasa si te pasas?"]) that seeks to increase risk perception of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in a sample of Mexican high school students. METHODS: A nonexperimental evaluation based on pretest-posttest design was used to measure the effectiveness of a preventive intervention using a mobile app, "What Happens If You Go Too Far?" The dimensions analyzed were knowledge of drugs and their effects, life skills, self-esteem, and risk perception. The intervention was conducted on a high school campus with 356 first-year students. RESULTS: The sample included 359 first-year high school students (mean 15, SD 0.588 years; women: 224/359, 62.4% men: 135/359, 37.6%). The intervention increased the overall risk perception of tobacco (χ24=21.6; P<.001) and alcohol use (χ24=15.3; P<.001). There was no significant difference in the perception that it is dangerous to smoke 5 cigarettes, and there was a marginal difference in the perception that it is very dangerous to smoke 1 cigarette or to use alcohol or marijuana. We used a generalized estimating equation method to determine the impact of the variables on risk perception. The results showed that knowledge about smoking increased the risk perception of smoking 1 cigarette (odds ratio [OR] 1.1065, 95% CI 1.013-1.120; P=.01), and that knowledge about marijuana use (OR 1.109, 95% CI 1.138-1.185; P=.002) and self-esteem (OR 1.102, 95% CI 1.007-1.206; P=.04) produced significant increases in the risk perception of consuming 5 cigarettes. Resistance to peer pressure and assertiveness also increased the perceived risk of using tobacco and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention has the potential to increase the perception of risk toward drug use in high school students by providing knowledge about the effects and psychosocial risks of drug use and by strengthening life skills that are associated with increased risk perception. The use of mobile technologies in intervention processes may broaden the scope of preventive work for adolescents.