O câncer de colo do útero no Brasil é a terceira neoplasia mais comum em mulheres e apresenta alta mortalidade. O objetivo foi o de avaliar a mortalidade por câncer de colo do útero, ocorrida no Estado de Santa Catarina, no período de 2000 a 2009. Estudo descritivo de base populacional, com a inclusão de todos os óbitos de mulheres, por câncer de colo do útero. Nos dados coletados do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade, do Ministério da Saúde brasileiro, foram identificadas 1253 mortes de mulheres associadas a esta neoplasia. A taxa de mortalidade calculada variou no período entre 3,6 a 4,9 mortes por 100.000 mulheres, sendo mais elevada em mulheres com sessenta e mais anos. A enfermagem contribui para a construção da cultura de prevenção desta neoplasia, para realização dos testes diagnósticos e para a captação e o seguimento das mulheres de risco pela rede básica de saúde.

Hemorrhage represents a set of causes that focuses on women during the pregnancy and puerperal period, and that, with improper attention, results in death. The authors aimed to analyze maternal deaths related to hemorrhage that occurred in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The data were obtained from the Mortality Information System and Live Births Information System from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. This was a descriptive study, in which 491 maternal deaths that occurred in the period 1997-2010 were analyzed. Of these, 61 were related to hemorrhage, corresponding to 12.42%; postpartum hemorrhage was the most prevalent cause, with 26 deaths, followed by placental abruption with 15, representing 67.21% of the cases. The maternal mortality from hemorrhage is a public health problem in the state of Santa Catarina, due to its high prevalence and the fact that its underlying causes are preventable.

Objective: To reveal the meaning of breast cancer. Materials and method: A narrative research study that selected, using the snowball technique, 11 women (data saturation) diagnosed with breast cancer, on disease remission, and living in the region of Florianópolis (Brazil). Semi-structured interviews were conducted between August and December 2018, and they were subjected to the Collective Subject Discourse technique. Four central ideas emerged from the analysis of the narratives; this article presents the central ideal called “Meaning of the breast cancer diagnosis”, which has eight sense categories. Results: The central idea covers the following categories: “Suffering when facing the diagnosis”, “Fear of the disease and of death”, “Professional inability for bad news”, “Initiatives to streamline treatment”, “Concern and affection with the family members as a driving force to face cancer”, “Difficulties with the family members”, “Support from the family members, from the professionals and/or from the support group”, and “Faith and spirituality”. Conclusions: The discourse reveals that the meaning of the disease diagnosis is linked to the need for treatment, to the support provided by faith, family members, the health team, and support groups, and to the difficulties faced with family members and professionals. These results should imply the provision of specific Nursing care from the diagnostic phase until after cancer remission/survival.

Toda investigación debe estar orientada por principios Bioéticos. Investigación cualitativa, con enfoque de estudio de caso, con el objetivo analizar las problemáticas Bioéticas y Biojurídicas asociadas a los proyectos de investigación identificadas por los Comités de Ética de Investigación en salud en humanos. Participaron integrantes de Comités de Ética de Investigación en salud en humanos de Medellín y su Área Metropolitana; fueron realizadas entrevistas semiestructuradas, seguidas de análisis de contenido. Emergieron las siguientes problemáticas: debilidades en la validez científica y argumentación bioética de los protocolos de investigación; imprecisión de roles de los investigadores; vacíos y desactualización de la normatividad colombiana;  inadecuada valoración del riesgo, de la beneficencia y no maleficencia para los participantes; procesos de consentimientos informados inadecuados; coberturas inadecuadas de las pólizas; conflictos de interés de investigadores y de integrantes de los Comités de Ética de Investigación en salud en humanos. Se concluye que los Comités de Ética de Investigación en salud en humanos evalúan los proyectos buscando el equilibrio entre las políticas de investigación y los derechos de los participantes. El investigador debe reflexionar sobre los aspectos bioéticos y biojurídicos, prever situaciones eventuales en la investigación y las acciones para prevenirlas o resolverlas, aplicando el principio de precaución.