Limited evidence suggests that the method of antibiotic administration (oral versus parenteral) does not affect the rate of disease remission if the bacteria are sensitive to the antibiotic used. However, this and the lack of statistically significant differences in adverse effects need confirmation. No or insufficient evidence exists for other aspects of antibiotic therapy for chronic osteomyelitis.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the Women's Health Questionnaire. Methods In order to evaluate the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ), an analytical crosssectional study was carried out at the women's menopause outpatient clinic of a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. There were studied 87 women in perimenopause or menopause, defined as experiencing at least one year's absence of menstrual flow. The following variables were collected: demographic data, clinical variables (Kupperman index and correlate numeric scale) and quality of life indexes (SF-36 and utility). ResultsThe WHQ proved to be a questionnaire easily translated into Portuguese and welladjusted to Brazilian women. The internal consistency of the overall WHQ was excellent (Cronbach alpha =0.83; 95% CI: 0.71-0.91). Test-retest reliability was also excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]=0.92; 95% IC: 0.86-0.96) and had good absolute agreement (0.84; 95% CI: 0.71-0.92). A satisfactory clinical validity was observed. The construct validity was corroborated by clear associations with others scales. A good index of responsiveness after the intervention was reached. ConclusionsThe Portuguese version of the WHQ is of easy and fast administration and understanding. Its measuring properties were related, allowing its use in the evaluation of Brazilian climacteric women's quality of life for various purposes.

Resumo Este estudo propõe-se a compreender a integração academia-serviço na formação de enfermeiros. Utilizou-se a pesquisa qualitativa e, como referencial de análise, a hermenêutica dialética. Foram respondidos 24 questionários por docentes, enfermeiros assistenciais e estudantes de enfermagem da quarta série do curso de Enfermagem de uma instituição de ensino superior, que conta com um complexo hospitalar certificado como hospital de ensino. Constataram-se a existência de espaços de encontro entre os atores e a construção do conhecimento a partir da prática, possibilitando o desenvolvimento do cuidado individual, coletivo e de gestão. A integração academia--serviço estimula os profissionais do serviço a buscarem conhecimento e pesquisa e contribui para mudanças na prática e no comprometimento dos estudantes. Encontram-se dificuldades pela incompatibilidade das agendas dos docentes e enfermeiros, pouco envolvimento docente com a prática, sobrecarga e despreparo do enfermeiro para o ensino, além da falta de compreensão da equipe multiprofissional quanto ao papel do hospital de ensino. Indicam-se a necessidade de adequação das estruturas e a ampliação dos espaços de diálogo, com maior envolvimento e decisões compartilhadas e, ainda, a qualificação do profissional do serviço. Depreende-se a necessidade de investimentos na qualificação do processo de integração ensino e serviço. Palavras-chave serviços de integração docente-assistencial; formação de recursos humanos; hospitais de ensino; educação superior; estudantes de enfermagem. AbstractThis study aims to understand the academy-service integration in nursing education. Qualitative surveys were used and dialectic hermeneutics served as an analytical framework. In all, teachers, nursing assistants, and fourth year nursing students of a Nursing course at a college that has a hospital complex certified as a teaching hospital answered 24 questionnaires. What was found was that there are mingling spaces among the players and that knowledge is built from practice, enabling the development of individual and collective care and of management. The academy-service integration encourages service professionals to seek knowledge and research and contributes to changes in practice and to generating commitment among the students. Difficulties arise from the incompatibility in the agendas of teachers and nurses, from the little involvement of the teacher with the practice, from an overload and lack of preparation among nurses for teaching, over and above from a lack of understanding among the multidisciplinary team about the role played by the teaching hospital. There is a need to adapt the structures and expand opportunities for dialog, with greater involvement and shared decision-making and to qualify the service professional. Furthermore, there is also a need for investments to qualify the teaching and service integration process.

The most important difference between the groups was not the pedagogical pattern but the exposition time to the theme. PBL gives the chance to distribute the theme in different situations accelerating the acquisition of knowledge in Medical Ethics. It was realized that a revitalization on Medical Ethics teaching is necessary at our institution, aiming a better integration with the socio-economical situation in our country.

Introduction: Hemodialysis is responsible for significant alterations in the quality of life of chronic renal patients. Objective: To compare the quality of life of patients on hemodialysis without depression (A) and those with some level of depression (B). Methods: This was a transversal and descriptive study in which the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the WHOQOL-bref scale were used. Results: The studied sample consisted of 130 patients, 65.15% in A, and 33.84% in B. The highest levels of depression were related to longer periods of treatment. Quality of life indexes were better for A, and, as certain domain increased, also were the others. More differences were observed in the Psychological (A: 69.40 and B: 49.22) and Physical (A: 62.81 and B: 42.19) Domains; and the Social Relations Domain had a better average between the populations, as well as a better correlation with the other domains. Conclusion: Although there was a low prevalence of depression among hemodialysis patients, some investments should be made in the social, psychological and physical support aiming to improve their quality of life.

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Objective: To describe the prescribing, dispensing, use, adhesion, and storage of medicines to and by the elderly. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in Estratégia Saúde da Família (Family Health Strategy) health centers (ESF), in Marília in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, based on the records of and interviews with 114 individuals seven to ten days after a medical consultation. A descriptive analysis was carried out. Results: The mean number of prescribed drugs was 4.98 per elderly patient. Of the total number of prescribed drugs, 81.5% were supplied by public services, with the nutrient (50%); antilipemic (62.1%); analgesic (30.7%); dermo-protector (66.6%); herbal (40%) and parasite and antifungal (37.5%) classes dispensed the least. A total of 83.8% of the prescribed drugs were used, while the drugs dispensed at the lowest rates were not used by the elderly, except for analgesics. A total of 40.3% of the respondents exhibited low adherence. Most stored their medicines in a suitable place. Conclusion: The prescribing, dispensing, use and storage of medications to and by the elderly can be considered effective, but adherence remains low, requiring new strategies and interventions.

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether different quality assessment tools applied to a group of clinical trials could be correlated, and what would be their impact on meta-analysis results. Methods Thirty-eight randomized controlled clinical trials were analyzed. These had been selected for a systematic review of the therapeutic efficacy of alpha interferon for treating chronic hepatitis B. The following tools were utilized: Maastricht (M), Delphi (D), Jadad (J) and the Cochrane Collaboration (CC) method (gold standard). The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to compare the results from the three methods. The Kappa test was used to assess the concordance between the reviewers in applying the tools, and the weighted Kappa test was applied to compare the quality ranking determined by the tools. The outcomes assessed in the meta-analyses were clearance of HBV-DNA and HBeAg. ResultsThe studies presented regular to low quality. The concordance between reviewers varied according to the instrument utilized: D=0.12; J=0.29; M=0.33; and CC=0.53. The correlation was moderate and homogeneous (D/J=0.51; D/M=0.53; and J/ M=0.52). The meta-analysis result relating to HBV-DNA ranged from RR=0.71 (95% CI: 0.66-0.77) to RR=0.67 (95% CI: 0.58-0.79). For HBeAg, the results ranged from ). These results depended on the quality of the studies included. ConclusionsThe quality assessment tools presented good correlation. In systematic reviews with the same direction of effect, the quality assessment may not significantly change the results. The Cochrane Collaboration method was the most reproducible method and easiest to apply.