Although we recognize that these data need to be confirmed in further studies and in other areas of the country using a similar method, we believe this study is the first to find such high figure of prevalence, being very similar to the figures reported in recent years in other southern European countries.

Objective:The study evaluated the trend of hospitalization for ischemic stroke (HIS) and its hospital mortality in Brazil over the last 15 years as well as the impact of the Hiperdia program in this scenario. Methods: An ecological study was designed with analytical approach and data collected in the Hospital Admission System on episodes of stroke, over the years 1998 to 2012. All data were stratified by sex and age, creating an indicator for HIS and proportion of hospital mortality. To estimate the trend of the data a polynomial curve fitting was created; and the Generalized Linear Model was applied to investigate the impact of Hiperdia on the endpoint HIS and hospital mortality. We adopted a 5% significance level to minimize an error type I. Results: We observed a reduction of HIS from 37.57/10 5 inhabitants in 1998 to 2001 to 10.33/10 5 inhabitants in 2002 to 2005, declining 73.64%. The reduction occurred in both sexes and for all age groups. The mortality rate of ischemic stroke also declined in Brazil since 2002, in both men and women, therefore in less than 3%; and only in the groups aged between 0 and 14 and above 80 years, we did not detect trend. Conclusion: Therefore, the decline of HIS temporally coincided with the implementation of Hiperdia in 2002 and this trend continues today.

BackgroundThe present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of scoliosis and to analyze the factors associated with scoliosis in schoolchildren aged between 7 and 17 years.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional and quantitative study with stratified random selection of public school students in the city of Santa Cruz, Brazil. The presence of scoliosis was examined, as well as the flexibility of the posterior muscle chain, socioeconomic characteristics, anthropometry, lifestyle habits, sexual maturation, and ergonomics of school furniture. In order to identify factors associated with scoliosis, the variables were divided in biological, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and ergonomic factors, and crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated by means of Poisson regression analysis.ResultsTwo hundred and twelve pupils participated in this study (mean age 11.61 years, 58% female). The prevalence of scoliosis was 58.1% (n = 123) and associated with female sex (PR 2.54; 95% CI, 1.33–4.86) and age between 13 and 15 years (PR 5.35; 95% CI, 2.17–13.21). Sleeping in a hammock was inversely associated with scoliosis (PR 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23–0.81).ConclusionsScoliosis seems to be positively associated with female sex and age between 13 and 15 years, whereas the habit of sleeping in a hammock is negatively associated with the onset of scoliosis.

Background Brazil, as many other countries, have been heavily affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to analyze the impact of Primary health care and the family health strategy (FHS) coverage, the scores of the National Program for Improving Primary Care Access and Quality (PMAQ), and socioeconomic and social indicators in the number of COVID-19 cases in Brazilian largest cities. Methods This is an ecological study, carried out through the analysis of secondary data on the population of all Brazilian main cities, based on the analysis of a 26-week epidemiological epidemic week series by COVID-19. Statistical analysis was performed using Generalized Linear Models with an Autoregressive work correlation matrix. Results It was shown that greater PHC coverage and greater FHS coverage together with an above average PMAQ score are associated with slower dissemination and lower burden of COVID-19. Conclusion It is evident that cities with less social inequality and restrictions of social protection combined with social development have a milder pandemic scenario. It is necessary to act quickly on these conditions for COVID-19 dissemination by timely actions with high capillarity. Expanding access to PHC and social support strategies for the vulnerable are essential.

Background Scoliosis is considered one of the main musculoskeletal changes in childhood, and is characterized by three-dimensional changes in the spine. Schoolchildren is a group who are directly exposed to this condition because they go through a rapid growth phase in adolescence, added to other external factors such as school environment and daily living habits such as little physical activity. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with scoliosis in schoolchildren. Methods An observational, retrospective case control study with a quantitative approach was carried out in the city of Santa Cruz/RN. The presence of scoliosis was assessed using the Adams test and physical activity by the Daily Physical Activity Index (IPAQ) and by a questionnaire on competitive sports practice, in addition to a questionnaire on postural habits in childhood and adolescence. Conditional multiple logistic regression was performed for statistical analysis, and the adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) and the respective confidence intervals (95%) of the outcome variable were estimated. Results A total of 156 schoolchildren participated in the study, with an average age of 13.9 years, with 55.1% being female and 44.9% male, attending between the 6th grade of elementary school and the 3rd year of high school. Furthermore, 42.9% of these participants were considered irregularly active and only 33.3% practiced physical activity on a regular basis. After bivariate analysis and conditional logistic regression, little physical activity was shown to be a risk factor for scoliosis (p = 0.041; OR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.04–7.57), while the postural habits evaluated in this study did not show a statistical association with scoliosis. Conclusion Low practice of physical activity and schoolchildren being classified as irregularly active were considered as risk factors for scoliosis, however postural habits do not seem to be associated with this condition.

Background Brazil is witnessing a massive increase of corona virus disease (COVID-19). Its peculiar primary health care (PHC) system faces a burden due to the contagion occurring in the community environment. Then, the aim is to estimate the effect of the coverage of primary health care and social isolation on the evolution of confirmed cases and deaths by COVID-19, controlling sociodemographic, economic and health system aspects. Methods A time series design was designed with data on diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and their deaths as outcomes in the capital cities of the Northeast region of Brazil. Independent variables such as PHC coverage, hospital beds, social isolation, demographic density, Gini index and other indicators were analyzed. A Autoregressive Generalized Linear Model method was applied for model the relationship. Results We identified an exponential growth of cases (y = 0.00250.71x; p-value<0,001). However, there is a high variability in the occurrence of outcomes. PHC coverage≥75% (χ2 = 9.27; p-value = 0.01) and social isolation rate (χ2 = 365.99; p-value<0.001) proved to be mitigating factors for the spread of COVID-19 and its deaths. Capitals with hospital beds ≥ 3.2 per thousand inhabitants had fewer deaths (χ2 = 9.02; p-value = 0.003), but this was influenced by PHC coverage (χ2 = 30,87; p-value<0.001). Conclusions PHC mitigates the occurrence of Covid-19 and its deaths in a region of social vulnerability in Brazil together with social isolation. However, it is not known until when the system will withstand the overload in view of the low adhesion to social isolation, the lack of support and appropriate direction from the government to its population.

Background SARS-CoV-2 causes the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and it is weakening all health systems. Therefore, the most vulnerable populations are exposed to harmful consequences, such as illness and death. Thus, this study aims to estimate the temporal effect of COVID-19 dissemination on social indicators of the Northeastern region of Brazil. Methods An ecological time-series study was developed with the following: diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the largest inland cities of Northeast Brazil, Human Development Index (HDI), poverty incidence, and Gini coefficient. Cities with high HDI, poverty rate, and Gini presented a larger number of patients. Results It was observed by evaluating case trends that COVID-19 spreads unevenly in inland cities of the Northeastern region of Brazil. Conclusions In this sense, we emphasize that regional health managers should support small cities with vulnerable population and social assistance.

Background: Chronic pain is a frequent health problem, causing 6.8% of the Disability-Adjusted Life Years lost. Spine is the most affected region, which compromises functionality and generates absenteeism, increased health care costs, and disability retirement rates. Based on the biopsychosocial model, it is believed that chronic spinal problems are the result of a complex network of factors, both individual and contextual. Method: This is a cross-sectional study, with data from the 2013 National Health Survey, the United Nations Development Programme, and the National Register of Health Establishments - state level - for the second and third level of aggregation, respectively. Multilevel Poisson regression was performed at 3 levels, with the first level being individual variables, the second added context variables, and the third added health program variables. Results: The prevalence of chronic back problems was 18.5% (95%CI 17.8;19.1), with higher prevalence in female gender (RP = 1.23; 95%CI1.15;1.30), aged above 49 years (RP = 1.75; 95%CI 1.61;1.90), performing heavy activities at work (RP = 1.37; 95%CI 1.28;1.46), depressive days (RP = 1.70; 95%CI 1.50;1.94), smokers (RP = 1.37; 95%CI 1.27;1.48) and in states with higher coefficient of Multiprofessional Teams in Primary Care per 100. 000 habitants (PR = 1.28; 95%CI 1.07; 1.54). Conclusion: Spine chronic problems were associated with biological and behavioral factors, besides the association with higher coefficient of Multiprofessional Teams in Primary Care in Brazilian municipalities.