Inequalities in the use of health services by adults and elderly people with and without noncommunicable diseases in Brazil, 2019 National Health Survey

Awareness of the diagnosis, treatment, and control of diabetes mellitus in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the proportions of awareness, treatment, and control of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Brazilian adult population.

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study, with data from a representative sample of the Brazilian population, taken from the National Health Survey(PNS 2014/2015). Outcomes were defined based on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements, self-reported DM diagnosis, and use of hypoglycemic agents or insulin. The proportion of DM awareness, treatment, and control was estimated according to sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and access to health services, and their respective 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

DM prevalence in the Brazilian population was of 8.6% (95%CI: 7.8-9.3): 68.2% (95%CI: 63.9-72.3) were aware of their diagnosis, 92.2% (95%CI: 88.6-94.7) of those who were aware were undergoing drug treatments, and, of these, 35.8% (95%CI: 30.5-41.6) had controlled HbA1c levels. The proportions of DM awareness, control, and treatment were lower in men aged 18 to 39 years, individuals with low education, without health insurance, and beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família program.

CONCLUSION

Approximately one in ten Brazilians has DM. A little more than half of this population is aware of their diagnosis, a condition measured by HbA1c dosage and clinical diagnosis. Among those who know, the vast majority are undergoing drug treatments. However, less than half of these have their HbA1c levels controlled. Worse scenarios were found in subgroups with high social vulnerability.

Differential Factors Are Associated with Physical Activity in Older Adults in Brazil with and without Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2019 National Health Survey

This study analyzed whether sociodemographic factors, health perception, dietary habits, and screen time are related to physical activity (PA) in older people with and without non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs). This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey; the sample was older adults (≥60 years old; n = 22,726). The outcome of this study was being physically active or inactive during leisure time, and NCD was used as a moderating variable. The correlates investigated were sociodemographic and health-related variables. According to the logistic regression analysis, it was observed that being male had an association only in the group with NCDs (OR = 1.25 (1.05-1.48)), as well as residing in the northeastern region (OR = 1.26 (1.04-1.53)). On the other hand, high levels of education (OR = 4.09 (2.92-5.2); OR = 1.92 (1.48-2.49)) and income (OR = 1.64 (1.09-2.48); OR = 1.86 (1.33-2.60)) were associated with PA in both groups, as well as dietary habits (OR = 1.03 (1.01-1.05); (OR = 1.05 (1.04-1.07)). Advanced age (OR = 0.96 (0.94-0.97); OR = 0.97 (0.96-0.98)) and reporting a regular health perception (OR = 0.53 (0.43-0.66); OR = 0.61 (0.52-0.73)) were factors associated with physical inactivity in both groups. Gender, education, and income were unequally associated with an active lifestyle in both groups, and therefore, barriers to PA may arise.

Factors associated with demand for emergency medical services by people with hypertension and diabetes

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the association between recurrence of emergency service visits due to lack of blood pressure and/or glycemic control with sociodemographic variables and disease registration in Primary Care.

METHODS

quantitative study, which consulted medical records of people who attended these services two or more times for 26 months. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models were used in analysis.

RESULTS

most people did not have hypertension and/or diabetes record in their Primary Care records. The absence of this record was more frequent in males, aged between 18 and 59 years, with low education and lack of blood pressure. There was association between greater number of people seeking these services in the same year and not monitoring the chronic condition in specialized care.

CONCLUSIONS

people who do not follow up hypertension and/or diabetes in Primary Care are more likely to need assistance due to blood pressure and/or glycemic management.

Intervalos de referência de parâmetros de creatinina e hemoglobina glicosilada para a população adulta brasileira

Objetivo: estimar intervalos de referência (IR) de creatinina e hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c) na população adulta brasileira. Métodos: estudo transversal, utilizando na base de dados Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde (PNS), entre 2014-2015, composta por 8.952 adultos. Para estabelecer IR, aplicaram-se critérios de exclusão, removeram-se outliers e foi feita estratificação. Após esses procedimentos, a amostra constitui-se de 2.723 adultos para HbA1c e de 2.738 adultos para creatinina. Avaliaram-se diferenças pelos testes Mann Withney e Kruskal Wallis (p≤0,05). Resultados: homens (IR 0,69-1,25; mediana 0,95 mg/dL) apresentaram maiores IR para creatinina que mulheres (IR 0,53-1,05; mediana 0,74 mg/dL) e tiveram maiores valores de limites inferiores (LI) e mediana de HbA1c (sexo masculino: IR: 4,55-5,97; mediana 5,3%; sexo feminino: IR 4,49-5,97; mediana 5,20%) (p ≤ 0,05). Nas mulheres, IR para creatinina foram mais elevados entre 45 a 59 anos (IR: 0,55-1,04; mediana 0,77 mg/dL) e a partir dos 60 anos (IR: 0,54-0,98; mediana 0,77 mg/dL (p ≤ 0,05). Para HbA1c, homens apresentaram IR mais elevados a partir de 60 anos (IR 4,65-6,07; mediana 5,44%) e mulheres a partir de 45 anos (45 a 59 anos: IR 4,61-6,05; mediana 5,40%; e 60 anos ou mais: IR 4,82-6,03; mediana 5,50%) (p ≤ 0,05). Para creatina, foram observados menores LI dos IR e mediana mais proeminente nos adultos de raça/cor branca (IR: 0,56-1,19; mediana 0,85%) em comparação com a parda (IR: 0,55-1,19; mediana 0,84%) (p ≤ 0,05). Conclusão: IR próprios possibilitam desvelar as condições de saúde dos adultos brasileiros e podem subsidiar a identificação adequada de doença renal crônica e diabetes.

Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in Brazil: results of the National Health Survey, 2019

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, it has been possible to observe an increase in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) usage globally for both disease prevention and health promotion purposes. we aim to estimate the prevalence of CAM use and analyze associated factors in Brazil.

METHODS

Observational study with data from the 2019 National Health Survey that evaluated a sample of Brazilian adults. The outcome was CAM use, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, medicinal plants and herbal medicines, meditation, and yoga in the last 12 months. A logistic regression model with a 99% confidence interval was used to assess factors associated with CAM use.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CAM use in 2019 was 5.2% (CI99% = 4.8-5.6%), the most used modalities: medicinal plants and herbal medicines, with a prevalence of 3.0% (CI99% = 2.7-3.33) followed by: acupuncture 1.4% (CI99% = 1.3-1.6) homeopathy 0.9% (CI99% = 0.7-1.0), meditation 0.7% (CI99% = 0.6-0.8) and yoga 0.4% (CI99% = 0.4-0.5). We observed important geographical differences in CAM use in Brazil, with a higher prevalence in the North Region, 3.7% (CI99% = 2.81-4.75), where herbal medicines were more frequent the in the other regions. After estimating an adjusted model, women, older people, and people with a higher level of education and per capita income were the ones who used all types of CAM the most. The practice of yoga stands out among women 3.6% (CI99% = 2.49-5.28) and among individuals with higher per capita income 7.5% (CI99% = 2.97-18.93); meditation among individuals with higher educational level 13.4% (CI99% = 6.41-28.33) and acupuncture for those who declared regular or poor health 1.9% (CI99% = 1.51-2.39).

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend that the Ministry of Health expand CAM access to Unified Health System users and promote health professionals' conscious and guided use for the Brazilian population.

Chronic diseases and emotional disorders are associated with low perception of quality of life in food insecurity/security

Understanding individual perception of Quality of Life (QoL) can help combat social and health inequalities. We aimed to identify factors associated with Low Perceived Quality of Life (LPQoL) in 295 adults and older adults with food security and food insecurity, in the city of Natal, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2019, with collection of data on socioeconomic demographic status, lifestyle information, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors, emotional disorders, food (in) security and quality of life. To assess food insecurity, the Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity—EBIA was used, and the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. Poisson's Regression was used to verify associations between variables and LPQoL, stratifying the sample into food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) groups. In the FI group, being overweight, older adult, having no partner, drinking alcoholic beverages twice a week or more, and not having daily availability of water were associated with LPQoL, and in the FS group, having diabetes, monthly family income in the 1st and 2nd tertiles, and never having studied was associated with LPQoL. Reporting emotional disorders and sleeping < 7 h/day were associated with LPQoL in both FI and FS groups. LPQoL was associated with the occurrence of NCDs and risk factors, and emotional disorders, regardless of the food security measure. However, the lack of adequate access to water highlights the social vulnerability of the FI group.