The Brazilian Universal Health System and the delivery of nursing care in a Brazilian hospital]

There are few studies on the delivery of nursing services in hospitals participating in the Brazilian universal public health system (Sistema Unico de Saúde), which was put in place in 1988. This study, which examined possible changes in the delivery of these services since universal health care was implemented, was based on interviews carried out between July and September 1995 with 31 nurses working at a teaching hospital in the city of Ribeir?o Preto, in the state of S?o Paulo. The nurses had begun working at the hospital between May 1980 and May 1987. Thematic analysis was used to assess their answers. According to the nurses, patients treated after the universal system was implemented have had more complex medical needs and a higher socioeconomic status. In addition, nurses reported an increase in the complexity of patient demands and in the variety of medical specialties offered by the hospital, as well as a decrease in the length of inpatient stays. Forty-six percent of the interviewees reported a change in the work done by nursing staff (for example, nurses have less time available for each patient). Not all of the problems the nurses mentioned are related to the public health system (understaffing is one example). It is essential that nurses examine national health policy and that they engage in the (re)construction of the practice of health care delivery. Nurses ought to understand the reality of their institutions and carry out a management process geared towards the expectations of patients and of health care workers.     

The vulnerability of nursing workers to tuberculosis in a teaching hospital

This study aimed to identify aspects that potentially increase the vulnerability of nursing workers to tuberculosis, through the verification of personal life, work and disease knowledge indexes. The sample is composed of 81 nursing workers involved with assistance in the night and day shifts at USP Teaching Hospital, who answered a questionnaire about life and work habits. The sample aggregated the indexes that increase vulnerability to tuberculosis: long professional experience in hospitals and work load longer than 12 hours. Data show that nursing auxiliaries and workers from the night shift in general have a higher number of vulnerability indexes.     

Prevalence of mycobacterium tuberculosis among professionals in a university hospital, Mato Grosso do Sul, 2004

Several studies have demonstrated an elevated prevalence amongst professionals of mycobacterium tuberculosis, both in the rate of infections and illness. This study was carried out in a School Hospital in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil, aiming to establish the prevalence of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The results of the analysis of 194 subjects showed an overall positivity for the tuberculin test of 38.7%. There was a correlation with smoking (p=0.01, RP=1. 72 (1.20-2.45- Yates's correction). The conclusion is that the establishment of a program of tuberculin screening jointly with the implementation of interventions is necessary in order to reduce the risk of nosocomial transmission.     

Occupational risk of acquiring tuberculosis among hospital nursing personnel

At hospitals, patients with tuberculosis are attended by several professionals and among them nursing workers. These workers are subjected to the risk of the tuberculosis infection. This study had the objective of investigating the number of nursing workers in a hospital that acquired tuberculosis in a pre-determined period and their general characteristics; to calculate the morbidity coefficient of this disease and discuss the occupational risk among these workers. In one year, health workers presented 3.86 times greater risk, and, in another year, 1.47 times greater risk. In the present study tuberculosis was considered an occupational hazard for hospital nursing workers.     

Notification of tuberculosis in a university hospital

The aim of this study was to evaluate completeness of tuberculosis notification in Bichat Claude-Bernard University Hospital and to evaluate whether misclassification of atypical mycobacterial infection could have contributed to the inaccuracy of tuberculosis notification. Data from Microbiology Laboratory of the hospital and statutory notifications were compared. From 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1995, 299 tuberculosis cases were diagnosed in the Microbiology Laboratory and 316 cases were notified as tuberculosis. Notification rate for laboratory-documented tuberculosis was 57.5%, was significantly higher in cases with positive acid fast bacilli smear (75%) than without this feature (45%) and was similar in HIV-positive (59.4%) and HIV-negative (63.5%) patients. Among notified cases, diagnosis was established by laboratory proofs in only 54.4% and by clinical signs in 45.6%. Three cases with positive smear and culture growing atypical mycobacteria were wrongly notified. Notification of laboratory-documented tuberculosis was higher than that observed in a previous study in the same hospital, suggesting that the rise of tuberculosis incidence reported in our country could be partially artificial. Nevertheless, extent of notification remains insufficient and needs to be improved by combining microbiological data with current system of notification.     

Hospital-acquired infections among surgical patients in a Brazilian hospital

A historical cohort study was conducted among surgical patients in a large general hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil between March 1992 and May 1993. Data were collected by means of a retrospective chart review, which followed a standardized method based on the systematic review of all clinical and laboratory information available in the hospital records. The criteria for diagnosis of all hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) were based on those from the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta. In total, 890 HAIs were detected among the 4199 patients included in the cohort. The incidence rate of HAIs for all sites combined was 21·20%. Incidence rates ranged from 2·95% for bloodstream infections to 8·65% for surgical wound infections. The overall incidence density was 16·32 HAIs per 1000 patient-days. Incidence densities ranged from 2·03 for bloodstream infections to 7·46 per 1000 patient-days for surgical wound infections. The median incubation period for surgical wound infections was seven days, and 29·4% of these infections were detected at post-discharge. Gram-negative bacteria were the most common organisms implicated in HAIs.     

A prevalence survey of nosocomial infection in a Brazilian hospital

A study to determine the prevalence of hospital-acquired infection was undertaken in the Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre Hospital in Brazil. The study was carried out in selected clinical areas of the hospital over a one-year period from 1987 to 1988. Of 397 patients surveyed, infections were present in 168 (42·3%); 53 (13·4%) were hospital acquired and 115 (29%) community acquired. The commonest infections involved the lower respiratory tract (30%), bacteraemias (24·4%) and the urinary tract (10%). A high prevalence of infection was encountered in the intensive care units.     

A tuberculosis outbreak in a mental hospital

PURPOSE AND METHODS: We experienced a tuberculosis outbreak in a mental hospital and discussed preventive measures for nosocomial tuberculosis infection. RESULTS: There are 18 mental hospitals within the administrative area of Hachioji public health center (PHC). A Total of 18 pulmonary tuberculosis cases were diagnosed in one of these hospitals between December 1995 and November 1998. They were all inpatients and two of them had history of tuberculosis. Fifty-two persons became candidates for isoniazid (INH) chemoprophylaxis as a consequence of the first extraordinary health examination. Chest radiographs of the inpatients had not been taken regularly in this hospital. Our recognition of the tuberculosis outbreak was delayed by omission of not only the case notification from the doctor who had diagnosed tuberculosis but the information from the PHC that had received the application of public subsidy for medical treatment. All cultured bacilli from 8 patients were susceptible to INH, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of 4 strains, which we could have obtained, demonstrated an identical pattern. CONCLUSIONS: To prevent tuberculosis outbreaks in mental hospitals, we should consider these problems as follows; 1) Physical conditions of inpatients should be observed carefully and suitable physical checkups on inpatients with tuberculosis symptoms should be carried out by mental hospitals. 2) The doctor who had diagnosed a patient as having tuberculosis must send the case notification to the nearest PHC. 3) The PHC that received the information should investigate the case carefully and notify all related PHC's. 4) Extraordinary health examinations should be done appropriately by leadership of the PHC. 5) RFLP analysis of the tubercle bacilli is very useful to probe the source and route of infection. 6) Criteria for chemoprophylaxis for more than middle-aged persons should be established.     

An outbreak of tuberculosis in a children's hospital

A 3-year-old girl was admitted to a children's hospital; subsequently her mother was found to have pulmonary tuberculosis with smear-positive sputum. Of over 400 patients, their families and staff at risk in the hospital, 30 inpatients, three outpatients, two sibling visitors and one staff member became infected. A retrospective cohort study of exposed inpatients identified exposure duration, exposure proximity and primary diagnosis as independent predictors of infection risk. Children with neoplastic disease who were being treated with cytotoxic and immunosuppressive therapy with clotting factors were at a greater risk of developing clinical disease including disseminated infection. Altogether three generations of infected children and adults were diagnosed amongst community and hospital contacts in this extended outbreak. These findings support current recommendations for the follow-up of highly susceptible casual contacts of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis with smear-positive sputa.     

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in nursing professionals

A cross-sectional study estimated the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among nursing assistants in Salvador, Bahia. Three hundred and eight workers, randomly selected, answered a questionnaire applied by trained interviewers during working hours. The majority of respondents worked the day shift and did not usually work overtime. About 34% reported having another regular job. Average time in the formal or informal labor market was 19 years. There was high occupational exposure to repetitive hand movements, standing posture, walking, inadequate postures of the trunk and manual handling of loads. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in at least one body segment was 83.4%.The most affected body segments were: low back (53.9%), legs (51.9%), neck (36.4%), upper back (35.7%) and shoulders (33.8%). There was high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the studied population, which points out to the need for improvements in the working conditions of those professionals.     

Brazilian response to tuberculosis control

Tuberculosis remains a public health problem in Brazil. In 2003, controlling tuberculosis was highlighted as a priority among health public policies. The article reports the Brazilian response to this challenge, describing the main strategies of the National Control Plan for 2003 to 2006. Among its main results are: expansion of strategic coverage of the supervised treatment, increase in the percentage of cure, decrease in the number of patients' treatment dropout, and of the incidence rate.     

Latent tuberculosis in pregnancy: screening and treatment

Currently, most cases of active tuberculosis in the United States are a result of activation of latent tuberculosis infection. In this article, the history of the epidemiology of tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection is reviewed. Previous and current recommendations for screening and treatment for latent tuberculosis during pregnancy and the postpartum period are discussed. A review of the literature regarding postpartum and antepartum treatment is included. Finally, the question of whether antepartum or postpartum treatment is the most beneficial is discussed.     

Functional capacity evaluation of nursing professionals

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional capacity of nursing staff in a hospital complex and its association with individual and work characteristics. METHODS: A cross-sectional comprising 885 subjects was carried out. A standardized self-administered questionnaire was used to calculate a work capacity index based on information regarding occupation, morbidity, demographic and socioeconomic data. Odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Chi-square test. A multiple logistic model was used for testing the associations and adjusted odds ratios were obtained. RESULTS: The study population included primarily women (87.3%), aged between 35 and 68 years (43+/-6.3 on average), who worked as nursing aides, technical-level professionals and nurses in seven hospital units that integrate the hospital complex. Work capacity was considered good in over 80% of the staff. Statistical analyses showed that those with higher schooling (OR=0.4; CI=0.2-1.0; p=0.05 and adjOR= 0.4; CI: 0.2-1.0; p=0.04) and who exercise and have some physical activity (OR=0.5; CI: 0.3-0.9; p=0.02 and adjOR: 0.5; CI: 0.3-0.9, p=0.02) are more likely to have good work capacity. Those with reduced work capacity were found to have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases. CONCLUSIONS:The company's worker health program should include guidance and follow-up of nursing staff regarding their physical and leisure activities aiming at promoting good work capacity as well as implementing preventive measures against musculoskeletal diseases.     

重庆市病原学阳性肺结核患者密切接触者结核分枝杆菌潜伏感染现状及影响因素

目的 了解病原学阳性肺结核患者密切接触者结核分枝杆菌潜伏感染（LTBI）现状及影响因素,为制定LTBI干预措施提供基础依据。 方法 采用多阶段分层整群随机抽样方法选取重庆市39个区县病原学阳性肺结核患者密切接触者为研究对象,通过问卷调查收集人口学信息等资料,采用γ-干扰素释放试验（IGRA）检测结核分枝杆菌感染状态。采用χ²检验和二元logistic回归模型对LTBI影响因素进行分析。 结果 共纳入密切接触者2 591例,男女性别比为0.69：1,平均年龄（35.72±16.64）岁。检出LTBI 1 058例,结核分枝杆菌潜伏感染率为40.83%。单因素分析结果显示,不同年龄、身体质量指数（BMI）、职业、文化程度、婚姻状态,是否患有慢性病或大手术史,是否与指示病例共同居住,以及与指示病例累计接触时长是否≥ 250 h者,感染率不同,差异均有统计学意义（均P < 0.05）;感染率随年龄和BMI升高均呈上升趋势（均P < 0.001）,随文化程度升高呈下降趋势（P < 0.05）。Logistic回归分析显示,年龄45~54岁（OR=1.951,95%CI：1.031~3.693）、55~64岁（OR=2.473,95%CI：1.279~4.781）、其他职业（OR=0.530,95%CI：0.292~0.964）、教师（OR=0.439,95%CI：0.242~0.794）、学生（OR=0.445,95%CI：0.233~0.851）、初中及以下文化程度（OR=1.412,95%CI：1.025~1.944）、BMI < 18.5 kg/m²（OR=0.762,95%CI：0.586~0.991）、与指示病例共同居住（OR=1.621,95%CI：1.316~1.997）、与指示病例累计接触时长≥ 250 h（OR=1.292,95%CI：1.083~1.540）是LTBI的影响因素（均P < 0.05）。 结论 病原学阳性肺结核患者密切接触者结核分枝杆菌潜伏感染率高,需重点关注高龄、农民、与患者接触程度高的密切接触者,及时采取针对性干预措施以降低发病风险。