Comorbities and mental health among healthcare workers in Brazil. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an original article that addresses the healthcare workforce (HW) in Brazil, as well as comorbidities and mental health changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and collected data through an online questionnaires from a total of 36,612 participants, health professionals (HP, with higher education level), and invisible healthcare workers (IHW, with a technical mid-level education). The overall prevalence of comorbidities in Brazil was 26.

Work conditions and biosafety of health professionals and invisible health workers in the context of COVID-19 in Brazil.

The present article addresses the work conditions in health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study that used data from the surveys "Working conditions of healthcare professionals in the context of Covid-19 in Brazil" and "Invisible healthcare workers: work conditions and mental health in the context of Covid-19 in Brazil", seeking to better understand the working conditions and biosafety of these two distinct and socially unequal professional contingents. Data analysis proves that work conditions were extremely affected due to inadequate infrastructures, strenuous work, biosecurity at risk, exhaustion, fear of contamination and death, strong signs of physical and mental exhaustion, among workers.

Factors Associated With Discontinuation of Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment: Post Hoc Analysis of 2 Randomized, Controlled Trials.

Background: Adherence to tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is an important determinant of clinical benefit. We assessed the association of participant behaviors early in TPT with subsequent discontinuation.

Methods: We used data from a phase 3 randomized trial and the preceding phase 2 trial to compare 4 months of rifampin to 9 months of isoniazid for TPT.

Deaths of doctors and nursing staff by COVID-19 in Brazil: a sociological approach.

The article addresses the most basic nuances and key issues involved in the high mortality of doctors, nurses, technicians and nursing assistants, as a result of COVID-19 in Brazil. This is a study based on data from the Federal Councils of Medicine and Nursing (CFM and Cofen, respectively) and the study on the death inventory of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), and aims to understand and analyze this reality in the light of the sociology of professions. The work makes a relevant and unprecedented contribution to the understanding of the past, present and future of working class segments that work at the bedside, on the front line, providing direct care to patients.

Knowledge about tuberculosis transmission and prevention and perceptions of health service utilization among index cases and contacts in Brazil: Understanding losses in the latent tuberculosis cascade of care.

Introduction: Tuberculosis contacts are candidates for active and latent tuberculosis infection screening and eventual treatment. However, many losses occur in the different steps of the contacts' cascade of care. Reasons for this are poorly understood.

Tuberculosis and gender in a priority city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The objective of this study was to compare gender differences among tuberculosis patients in a city with a high incidence of tuberculosis. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involving 560 tuberculosis patients (373 males and 187 females). Sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as data related to diagnostic criteria and treatment outcome, were collected (from the questionnaires and medical records) and subsequently compared between the genders.

Knowledge and practices of medical students to prevent tuberculosis transmission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Objectives: To describe knowledge, practices, and associated factors of medical students to prevent transmission of tuberculosis (TB) in five medical schools.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of undergraduate medical students in preclinical and in early and late clinical years. Information was obtained on sociodemographic profile, previous lectures on TB, knowledge about TB transmission, exposure to patients with active pulmonary TB, and use of respiratory protective masks.

Choosing incentives to stimulate tuberculosis treatment compliance in a poor county in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) treatment default is a major constraint of TB control, resulting in continued disease transmission and possibly the emergence of multidrug resistance. Marginalized populations may abandon treatment before being cured. The objective of this study was to evaluate the socioeconomic status (SES) of TB patients and identify potential incentives for improving treatment compliance by SES.