This paper describes the profile of 95 crack cocaine users attending three community mental health services (CAPS) in Greater Metropolitan Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, from August 2009 to March 2010. The instruments employed were questionnaires developed by the team, the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), and inventories of criteria for dependence and abuse (SAMHSA). The data depict a group of users consisting predominantly of young males with elementary schooling, without regular employment but reporting individual income, none of whom living on the streets. They were currently addicted, with heavy daily use of crack for more than two years, and with high SRQ-20 score. This group's characteristics showed that the community mental health services are attended by crack users that suffer losses resulting from their addiction, but also some possible selection process in the supply of these health services (based mainly income, schooling, or primary support network).

In addition to the association with the processes of socialization and consumption, the influence of family and school is expressed in a particularly protective manner in different records of direct supervision and care.

OBJECTIVE To validate an instrument designed to assess health promotion in the school environment.METHODS A questionnaire, based on guidelines from the World Health Organization and in line with the Brazilian school health context, was developed to validate the research instrument. There were 60 items in the instrument that included 40 questions for the school manager and 20 items with direct observations made by the interviewer. The items’ content validation was performed using the Delphi technique, with the instrument being applied in 53 schools from two medium-sized cities in the South region of Brazil. Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha and split-half) and validity (principal component analysis) analyses were performed.RESULTS The final instrument remained composed of 28 items, distributed into three dimensions: pedagogical, structural and relational. The resulting components showed good factorial loads (> 0.4) and acceptable reliability (> 0.6) for most items. The pedagogical dimension identifies educational activities regarding drugs and sexuality, violence and prejudice, auto care and peace and quality of life. The structural dimension is comprised of access, sanitary structure, and conservation and equipment. The relational dimension includes relationships within the school and with the community.CONCLUSIONS The proposed instrument presents satisfactory validity and reliability values, which include aspects relevant to promote health in schools. Its use allows the description of the health promotion conditions to which students from each educational institution are exposed. Because this instrument includes items directly observed by the investigator, it should only be used during periods when there are full and regular activities at the school in question.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar os efeitos da atuação na linha de frente da COVID-19 na saúde mental de profissionais de hospital público. Métodos: Análise transversal de entrevistas de ingresso em estudo prospectivo, com abordagem mista, em hospital da rede pública no Sul do Brasil. Resultados: Foram entrevistadas 123 pessoas, 76% profissionais de enfermagem e 81% mulheres. Escore igual ou superior a sete pontos no Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) foi obtido para 40% da amostra, 45% tiveram escore igual ou superior a 25 pontos na Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) e 41% atingiram escores compatíveis com burnout no Inventário de Burnout de Oldenburg (OBI). Os desfechos estiveram associados entre si (p < 0,05), mas nenhuma associação foi verificada com as variáveis independentes. Nas entrevistas em profundidade, foram destacados como dificuldades: longos plantões sem intervalos, bem como paramentação, pressão e cansaço maiores que os habituais, isolamento no próprio hospital, risco da própria contaminação e temores e culpa relacionados às famílias. A união da equipe apareceu como aspecto que favorece o desempenho no enfrentamento dessa situação. Conclusões: Profissionais apresentam quadro de sofrimento psicossocial. Recomenda-se priorizar repouso e intervalos, o que poderá exigir adequações de rotinas e espaços físicos, além de ampliar a oferta de apoio emocional às equipes.

This study assesses the relationship between gender and use of psychoactive substances (alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drugs)

INTRODUÇÃO: A compulsão alimentar (CA) entre mulheres tem sido considerada fator de risco para o diagnóstico de transtornos alimentares mais graves. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a prevalência de CA entre universitárias e a sua associação com IMC (índice de massa corpórea) e idade. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram avaliadas 491 estudantes universitárias, com idade entre 17 e 55 anos, de três áreas de estudo (exatas, saúde e humanas) da Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), situada no município de São Leopoldo (RS). Para avaliar a freqüência de CA, utilizou-se o questionário auto-aplicável Escala de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica (ECAP). As medidas de peso e estatura foram auto-informadas. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de CA entre as universitárias estudadas foi de 18,1%. A freqüência de IMC > 25 kg/m² foi de 11,4%, e 75,8% delas apresentavam mais de 20 anos. Observou-se uma associação significativa entre IMC e CA no grupo geral, sendo que 54,5% das universitárias com excesso de peso ou obesidade apresentaram CA (p < 0,001), e a idade não foi associada com a presença de CA. Porém, na área da saúde, as estudantes com idade igual ou menor a 20 anos apresentaram maior freqüência de CA (p < 0,05), e, na área de humanas, o resultado foi inverso (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: O questionário auto-aplicável ECAP revelou elevada prevalência de CA entre mulheres universitárias, mostrando associação com excesso de peso. Investigações futuras são necessárias, com o objetivo de confirmar esses resultados e avaliar a presença de outros transtornos alimentares.

ResumoObjetivo: Este estudo tem por objetivo avaliar o consumo de por adolescentes do município de Pelotas (RS), de acordo com a ambos. Métodos: para se obter uma amostra de adolescentes entre 15 e 18 anos de Resultados: A coabitação de pais ou mães e adolescentes parece em relação ao consumo de bebidas alcoólicas. Conclusão: O tabagismo de pais e mães parece aumentar as chances de os adolescentes Palavras-chave: AbstractObjective: This study was aimed to assess the relationship between substance use (alcoholic beverages, smoking and drug use) among teenagers and cohabitation with parents, as well as the relationship between substance use and parental smoking. Methods: In 2002, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the urban area of Pelotas, southern Brazil. Multi-stage sampling was used to obtain a sample of adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years. Adolescents were Results: The ratio of tobacco smoking, but had a lower effect on reducing drugs use and was not related to alcohol intake. Conclusion: Parental smoking seems to be related only to adolescent smoking. No interaction was found between the two variables in relation to the consumption of any of studied substances.

ABSTRACT:Introduction: Active aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security, aiming to improve quality of life as people age. A series of studies had demonstrated that a lower prevalence of depression is found among more active elderly. Objective: To evaluate the association between indicators of active aging and depressive symptoms among the elderly (aged 60 years or more). Method: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,006 elderly people (aged 60 years or over) from a small-sized Brazilian municipality. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale -15, with cutoff point ≥ 6 symptoms. Active aging was evaluated using indicators such as: active occupational situation, manual work, reading and physical activities. Data analyses used modified Poisson regression to obtain crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). Results: Most of the elderly people were: white, women and aged between 60 and 74 years. All the indicators of active aging were associated with the outcome. After controlling for socioeconomic, demographic and health variables, elderly people who worked, participated in groups, did manual work and maintained interests such as reading and talking to friends had lower prevalence of depressive symptoms compared to those not doing these activities. Conclusions: Active aging approaches may serve as a valuable mental health promotion strategy aimed at the elderly.