Introduction: Sexual function (SF) is an important issue in women’s health from the beginning of sexual life. SF can be modified by several factors, and the presence of sexual dysfunction may negatively affect the quality of life of these women. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the sexual function, its associated factors and the association with the functioning in women in reproductive age. Method: A cross-sectional observational study with 172 women that attended 6 Family Health Facilities in the northeast region of Brazil. The evaluation tool consisted of (i) sociodemographic, obstetrical and gynecological issues, and questions about habits and health conditions, (ii) female sexual quotient (FSQ), and (iii) World Health Organization Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). Prevalence of sexual dysfunction was calculated, and bivariate analysis was used to estimate the association of independent variables with the outcome of sexual dysfunction. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 37.2%, and 39.5% of the sample considered their sexual health as fair to good. In total, 26.2% of women never think of sex spontaneously, they do not remember or imagine themselves during sexual intercourse, and 38.4% think about it sometimes. No association was found between the investigated variables and sexual dysfunction; however, the latter showed an association on interpersonal relationships of women (p = 0.016). Conclusions: There is a considerable prevalence of sexual dysfunction between women in reproductive age. Thus, results emphasize the relevance of investigations about female sexual function among women in reproductive age that are not in the pregnancy and postpartum period.

Objective To evaluate the disability and functioning of women with low‐risk pregnancy in the second and third gestational trimesters. Methods A longitudinal observational study was conducted from June 5, 2015, to April 30, 2016, in Family Health Units in the city of Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, involving women who were in the second trimester of pregnancy where the pregnancy had been classified as low‐risk. A form was designed specifically for the study to collect sociodemographic, urogynecological, and obstetric data. Functioning and disability were assessed using WHODAS 2.0, and descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Results Higher levels of disability were observed in cognition in the second trimester (P=0.021), while mobility and life activities domains had higher scores (higher score meaning the woman was more adversely affected) in the third trimester (P=0.007 and P=0.029). Urinary incontinence in the second trimester affected functioning in participation (P=0.023). Pain affected life activities (P=0.023) in the second trimester and participation in the third trimester (P=0.044); and general functioning (P=0.050 and P=0.025), mobility (P=0.002 and P=0.001), and self‐care (P=0.0446 and P=0.023) in the second and third trimesters, respectively. Conclusion The findings showed that, even in a low‐risk pregnancy, functioning can be affected in different domains. The identification of impairments to functioning could enable improvement in care. Longitudinal studies involving the first trimester and postpartum are necessary to gain insight into women's disability and functioning during the pregnancy–puerperal period.

RESUMO Este estudo observacional, quantitativo e transversal teve por objetivo avaliar a função sexual e comparar a qualidade de vida e independência funcional entre indivíduos acometidos por acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) sexualmente ativos e inativos. Estes foram previamente contatados por telefone e tiveram suas avaliações agendadas de acordo com sua conveniência. Realizou-se a aplicação de uma ficha de avaliação contendo dados sociodemográficos, hábitos de vida, saúde referida e função sexual, além do questionário abreviado de avaliação de qualidade de vida WHOQOL e da escala de medida de independência funcional. Ao avaliar 29 indivíduos, observou-se que 48,3% eram sexualmente ativos. Destes, 64,3% eram do sexo masculino e 35,7% do sexo feminino. A maioria da amostra relatou diminuição da atividade sexual após a doença (64,3%); 60% das mulheres apresentou disfunção sexual pelo quociente sexual - versão feminina -, e 77,7% dos homens apresentou disfunção erétil, avaliada pelo Índice Internacional de Função Erétil. Observou-se que os indivíduos ativos sexualmente apresentavam melhor qualidade de vida relativa ao domínio físico (p=0,035) e maior independência funcional motora (p=0,005) e cognitiva (p=0,006) quando comparados aos indivíduos que não praticavam atividade sexual. Concluiu-se que uma parcela significativa dos pacientes continua ativa sexualmente e que a prática de atividade sexual esteve associada à independência cognitiva e motora.

Esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de analisar a distribuição espacial de leitos de Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (UTIN) e correlacioná-la com a taxa de nascidos vivos e a Taxa de Mortalidade Infantil (TMI) das unidades federativas brasileiras. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico, envolvendo as 27 unidades federativas, com dados obtidos de sistemas de informação em saúde e analisados por meio do SPSS 20.0 e GeoDa 1.12. Observou-se heterogeneidade na distribuição espacial da TMI e UTIN, com uma concentração maior de leitos de UTIN não ligados ao Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) na Região Sudeste e leitos SUS na Região Nordeste. A TMI apresentou correlação espacial negativa com o número de leitos (Moran’s I = - 0,323) nos estados de Amazonas e Pará. Concluiu-se que a relação inversa entre número de UTIN disponíveis e taxa de mortalidade limitou-se a dois estados, o que reforça a importância de mais estudos que possam investigar outras causalidades para a mortalidade infantil nas outras unidades federativas.

Objective The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between intestinal constipation and functioning in adult women living in a municipality in the interior of northeast Brazil. Materials and Methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 195 adult women in the city of Santa Cruz-RN. Constipation was diagnosed using the Rome III criteria. Functioning was measured through WHODAS 2.0. Social conditions, habits and lifestyle were also investigated. Inferential analysis was performed using the chi-squared test and the Mann–Whitney U -test, and the effect size was determined by eta squared (η 2 ). Multivariate analysis was performed using multiple linear regression to analyze the relationship between the WHODAS total score and constipation, being adjusted by covariates with p≤0.20 in the bivariate. A statistical significance level of p<0.05 was considered. Results Most of the participants in this study were aged 19 to 39 years (69.7%) and had an income of up to 1 minimum monthly salary (79.5%). WHODAS scores showed that women with constipation had more disability in the cognitive (p <0.001), mobility (p <0.002), self-care (p <0.001), and participation (p <0.001) domains, as well as the total score (p <0.001). After multiple linear regression analysis, the total WHODAS score remained associated with constipation (p <0.001), in which this condition increases the score by nine points. Conclusion The results of this study show that there is a reduction in functioning associated with the presence of constipation in adult women, mainly affecting the cognition, mobility, self-care and participation domains, in addition to the total score.

Introduction: Perineal trauma is an important complication for women after giving birth. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of perineal trauma and its associated factors in nulliparous. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out, through the analysis of the medical records of women with singleton pregnancy who achieved vaginal birth of a live infant, in 2017, in a maternity hospital. Data collection involved information about demographic, obstetric, and clinical data from nulliparous women, and infant birthweight. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to verify the association of perineal trauma with the variables assessed, with significant variables remaining in the model (p<0.05), through a stepwise strategy. Results: A total of 326 medical records were analyzed. The percentage of perineal trauma was 60%. In the multivariate analysis, the use of oxytocin increased the chance of perineal trauma by 730%. In addition, the adoption of squatting position and hands and knees decreased the chances of perineal trauma by 81% and 97%, respectively, in comparison with those who adopted the lithotomy position, during the second stage labor. Conclusion: The rate of perineal laceration was high, but the severity was low. The use of oxytocin is associated with the presence of trauma and the squatting position and hands and knees, especially, have contributed to the protection of the perineum.

Introdução: A preocupação com a beleza e o corpo em busca de um ideal estético, que preconiza a silhueta magra tem sido alvo de muitas pesquisas atualmente. Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil sócio demográfico e clínico das mulheres que buscaram o serviço de Fisioterapia Dermato Funcional, e avaliar as contribuições do tratamento fisioterapêutico na satisfação corporal dessas mulheres. Materiais e métodos: Estudo do tipo quase-experimental, com comparação antes e depois. Foram incluídas 28 mulheres atendidas por um serviço escola de Fisioterapia Dermato Funcional na cidade de Santa Cruz RN. A coleta de ados envolveu questionário clínico, Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), escala de silhueta e auto relato sobre satisfação corporal. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: A maioria das mulheres apresentaram idade entre 30 e 40 anos (71,4%) a alteração mais prevalente foi o fibroedema geloide (92,9%), a maioria apontou como silhueta ideal imagens que representavam silhuetas mais magras comparadas com a silhueta atual (92,9%). Após o tratamento fisioterapêutico, mais mulheres relataram estar satisfeitas com o corpo (p=0,036) e observou-se diminuição nos escores do BSQ das pacientes (p=0,004). Conclusão: Um protocolo de tratamento fisioterapêutico dermato funcional, que envolveu técnicas específicas e educação em saúde contribuiu para a melhora na satisfação corporal das mulheres.