OBJECTIVE:To estimate the prevalence of medicine use among high school students (14-18 years old) living in an urban area in Southern Brazil and the proportion who self-medicate and to explore the association between medicine use and demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables.METHODS:A school-based survey was conducted among high school students in the city of Maringá/PR, Brazil in 2007. The sample students were selected through two-stage random sampling. The sample included 991 students (54.5% females) from eight public and four private high schools. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Only medications used within the 15 days preceding data collection were considered. The independent variables studied were sex, age, socioeconomic status, living with parents, employment status, smoking habits, and alcohol use.RESULTS:The prevalence of medicine use among the adolescents was 55.8% (females = 64.3%, males = 45.7%, p<0.001) and 52.6% of this use represented self medication (females = 51.0%, males = 56.8, p = 0.21). The factors associated with medicine use were age, employment, and smoking, while the factors associated with self medication were male gender and employment. Chronic users did not tend to self-medicate.CONCLUSION: The data from this study demonstrate a high prevalence of medicine use and self medication; however, the variables associated with medicine use and self medication differed. Urgent strategies to promote the rational use of drugs in this population and their families are necessary.

Objective. To estimate the prevalence of physical inactivity among adolescents (aged 14 to 18 years) in the municipality of Maringá, state of Paraná, Brazil and to explore its association with demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral variables and nutritional status indicators. MethOds. Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 991 high school students (54.5% of girls) from both public and private high schools selected through multi-stage random sampling. Habitual physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) adapted for adolescents, with the previous week taken as reference period. Physical inactivity was defined as <300 min/week of moderate and vigorous physical activity. Independent variables studied were: sex, age, type of school, socioeconomic level, smoking, sedentary behavior (≥4 h/day), nutritional status, and abdominal obesity. Results. The prevalence of physical inactivity among adolescents was 56.9% (girls= 57.9%, boys= 55.7%, p=0.46). Risk factors associated with physical inactivity were lower socioeconomic level, attendance to public schools and obesity. cOnclusiOn. A high prevalence of physical inactivity was found in the population investigated. The development of strategies to increase physical activity among adolescents are urgently needed. It can be achieved through content-based activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Objective:to analyze the sexual behavior of the female partners of inmates and estimate the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases. Method:cross-sectional, quantitative study involving 349 female partners of inmates. The Estudo de Comportamento Sexual [Sexual Behavior Study], an instrument validated in Brazil, was used to collect the data. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20 was used in the statistical analysis. Results:41.2% of the female partners of inmates reported a prior history of sexually transmitted disease. Association was found between having more than one partner in the last 12 months (<0.006), sexual violence (<0.001), having sex for money (<0.001), under the influence of alcohol (<0.001), and under the influence of drugs (<0.005). The variables associated with sexually transmitted infections in the logistic regression were: having more than one partner in the last 12 months, sexual violence, sex for money, and under the effect of alcohol or drugs. Conclusion:The number of partners, sexual violence, sex for money, and under the influence of alcohol or drugs are sexual risk behaviors that increase the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among the female partners of inmates.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between physical inactivity and anthropometric measures in schoolchildren from Paranavaí-Parana, Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey, carried out in July and August 2013. Sample of 566 students (287 boys and 279 girls) from 6th to 9th grade, aged 10 to 14 years, from public and private schools of Paranavaí - PR, Southern Brazil. The variables analyzed were: time of weekly physical activity through a questionnaire (physical inactivity <300 minutes/week), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). In the statistical analysis, the U Mann-Whitney and Student's t tests were used for comparison between genders. To identify factors associated with insufficient levels of physical activity, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied and expressed in Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). RESULTS: There was an association between physical inactivity and anthropometric measurements for BMI (p<0.001) and WC (p<0.001), with a prevalence rate of 56.1% and 52.7% of inactive adolescents, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, there was significant association of physical inactivity and overweight (OR 1.8, 95%CI: 1.1-3.0) and with increased waist circumference (OR 2.8, 95%CI: 1.4-3.8). CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate levels of physical activity is a determining factor for overweight and abdominal adiposity. Accordingly, preventive measures should be taken, especially in schools, emphasizing the importance of exercise for body composition control and weight reduction.

Objective: to understand the perceptions of people with leprosy about disease and treatment. Methods: qualitative study conducted with nine adults in chemotherapy treatment. Data was collected through semistructured interviews and submitted to content analysis in thematic modality. Results: participants reported a concern, distrust, and resistance to accepting the diagnosis. When diagnosed, they felt shame and fear of suffering prejudice. Living with the disease caused important changes, such as the inability to get out, to exercise or perform leisure activities, but the improvement resulting from treatment reassured them, and the need to care for a dependent care motivated them to do it. Families expressed attention, and care was recognized as important, and the absence of these events meant abandonment and exclusion. Conclusion: people with leprosy have demanded not always identified by health professionals, but they had repercussions in the management of the treatment and welfare of these people. Descriptors: Leprosy; Community Health Nursing; Therapeutics; Diagnosis; Family Relations. Objetivo: compreender as percepções de pessoas com hanseníase acerca da doença e tratamento. Métodos: estudo qualitativo, realizado com nove adultos em tratamento poliquimioterápico. Dados coletados mediante entrevista semiestruturada e submetidos à análise de conteúdo, modalidade temática. Resultados: os participantes relataram preocupação, desconfiança e resistência em aceitar o diagnóstico. Diagnosticados, sentiram vergonha e medo de sofrerem preconceito. Conviver com a doença provocou mudanças importantes, como a impossibilidade de saírem, se exercitarem ou realizarem atividades de lazer, mas a melhora advinda do tratamento os tranquilizou, e a necessidade de cuidar de um familiar dependente de cuidados lhes motivou a realizá-lo. As famílias que manifestaram atenção e cuidados foram reconhecidas como importantes; e a ausência dessas manifestações significou abandono e exclusão. Conclusão: pessoas com hanseníase apresentam demandas nem sempre identificadas pelos profissionais de saúde, mas estas repercutem no manejo do tratamento e bem-estar destas.

O estudo teve como objetivo verificar a aptidão física funcional de idosos praticantes de hidroginástica. A amostra foi constituída por 18 mulheres idosas, com idade média de 65,5±5,84 praticantes das aulas de hidroginástica do Centro de Excelência em Atividade Física - CEAF. A aptidão física foi avaliada através da bateria de testes de Rikli e Jones (1999), adaptados por Morrow Jr. (2003), com avaliação de força de membros inferiores, força de membros superiores, flexibilidade dos membros inferiores, mobilidade física (potência, velocidade, agilidade e equilíbrio), flexibilidade dos membros superiores, resistência aeróbia e índice de massa corporal. Os resultados demonstram que os avaliados atingiram bons níveis de aptidão física nos testes de força de membros superior, flexibilidade de membros inferiores e mobilidade física. Já nos testes de força de membro inferior, capacidade aeróbia e flexibilidade de membros superiores, os níveis de aptidão física foram baixos. Sessenta e cinco por cento da amostra apresentaram excesso de peso e obtiveram resultados inferiores na maioria dos testes de aptidão física funcional. Conclui-se que os idosos praticantes de aulas de hidroginástica não apresentaram boa aptidão física funcional geral, principalmente nos níveis de força muscular de membro inferior, desempenho cardiorrespiratório e flexibilidade. Faz-se necessário reavaliar as aulas de hidroginástica, com o objetivo de aumentar gradualmente seu volume e intensidade, para alcançar melhora progressiva das capacidades físicas funcionais da população idosa.

Internações sensíveis à atenção primária específicas de mulheresSensitive female-specific hospitalization in primary careResumo Objetivou-