[Representation and representativeness in health councils: between formalization and participatory legitimacy].

The action of social representatives greatly influences the performance of health councils and the quality of participatory management in the Brazilian Unified National Health System. This study aimed to analyze the mechanisms of representation and forms of representativeness within health councils in municipalities of different population sizes. This multiple case study was carried out in Vitória da Conquista, Guanambi, and Urandi, in Bahia State, Brazil.

Prevalence of functional dependence and chronic diseases in the community-dwelling Brazilian older adults: an analysis by dependence severity and multimorbidity pattern.

Background: Despite the advancements in knowledge about health care for older adults, essential gaps persist regarding the effects of chronic diseases as epidemiological markers of the state of functional dependence. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of moderate and severe functional dependence in Brazilian older adults and its association with chronic diseases and verify the multimorbidity patterns by dependence status.

Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study used data from 11,177 community-dwelling Brazilian older adults from the 2013 National Health Survey conducted in Brazil.

Social desirability bias in qualitative health research.

The objective of this essay is to discuss the social desirability bias in qualitative health research. The social desirability bias consists of a systematic research error, in which the participant presents answers that are more socially acceptable than their true opinions or behaviors. Qualitative studies are very susceptible to this type of bias, which can lead to distorted conclusions about the studied phenomenon.

Physicians' and nurses' perspective on chronic disease care practices in Primary Health Care in Brazil: a qualitative study.

Background: Primary health care-oriented systems provide better healthcare, especially for chronic diseases. This study analyzed the perspectives of physicians and nurses performing care for patients with chronic diseases in Primary Health Care in a Brazilian city.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil, using semi-structured interviews with five physicians and 18 nurses.

[Physiotherapy in health systems: theoretical framework and foundations for comprehensive practice].

This article aims to present a conceptual framework for the comprehensive performance of the physiotherapist in health systems. First, I discuss conceptual aspects of the profession, the object of study, and the field of practice. The adoption of broader conceptual approaches focusing on health and not just disability stand out.

[COVID-19 as a syndemic: a theoretical model and foundations for a comprehensive approach in health].

This essay aims to present and discuss the theoretical framework for the COVID-19 syndemic. The first part presents the foundations and principles of syndemic theory. For the purposes of this essay, syndemic was defined as a process of synergic interaction between two or more diseases, in which the effects are mutually enhanced.

Towards comprehensive mental health care: experiences and challenges of psychosocial care in Brazil.

Background: Recommendations are in place for mental health (MH) care to be developed into a comprehensive, people-centred perspective and organised primarily through community services. In recent decades, Brazil has promoted psychiatric reform aimed at transforming the hospital-centred model into a psychosocial model of MH. However, current political and economic changes threaten this reform.

[Network of Psychosocial Care: evaluation of the structure and process of mental healthcare linkage].

This study aimed to assess the structure and process of linkage of mental healthcare, with a focus on services in the Network of Psychosocial Care (RAPS, in Portuguese) and other social and community devices. This was an evaluative study with a qualitative approach through the identification of the RAPS structure and the evaluation of the process of linking mental healthcare in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia State, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were held with 33 participants including administrators, professionals, and patients and participant observation in RAPS services.

[Users' assessment of the work by the Expanded Family Health and Basic Healthcare Centers (NASF-AB) according to attributes of primary care].

The study aimed to evaluate the work by the Expanded Family Health and Basic Healthcare Centers (NASF-AB), from the users' perspective, based on the attributes of comprehensive primary healthcare (PHC). This was a qualitative multiple case study conducted in six municipalities (counties) in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The theoretical and methodological frame of reference was an evaluative matrix based on the following attributes: access, longitudinality, and comprehensiveness.

Community participation in the fight against COVID-19: between utilitarianism and social justice.

This essay aims to discuss the foundations and possibilities for community participation in the fight against COVID-19. The first part discusses the meanings of community, defined according to geographic, aggregate-interest, or epidemiological criteria. In the context of the pandemic, none of the three perspectives can be considered alone.

Democracy and Health: reflections and challenges before the 16th Brazilian National Health Conference.

This text aimed to analyze characteristics and challenges of the 16th Brazilian National Health Conference based on the conference three thematic axes: Health as a right; Consolidation of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) principles; Adequate and enough funding for SUS. Given the initiatives to dismantle the social security model and the setbacks of social protection policies, to delimitate health in an expanded sense is essential to defend the SUS project. We analyzed the proposal of Universal Health Coverage as an alternative to universal systems.

[Health councils and participatory effectiveness: a performance assessment study].

The article aims to analyze the results of a performance assessment model for health councils. The theoretical and methodological frame of reference was the spider graph method, adapted to the reality of health councils. The assessment matrix considered five dimensions with the greatest influence on participation: autonomy, organization, representativeness, community involvement, and political influence.

The quality of certification of deaths due to external causes in the city of Fortaleza in the State of Ceará, Brazil.

The article analyzes the quality of information of deaths from external causes in Fortaleza, in the State of Ceará, Brazil. They analyzed the completeness of the information of the death certificate (DO) and the correlation between the underlying cause of death described in the OF and registered in the Mortality Information System (SIM ).We used all the original statements of deaths from external causes, occurred in 2010, of residents in Fortaleza.

[The legitimacy of representation in forums with social participation: the case of the Bahia State Health Council, Brazil].

The electoral representation model is insufficient and inadequate for new participatory roles such as those played by members of health councils. This article analyzes representation and representativeness in the Bahia State Health Council, Brazil. The study included interviews with 20 current or former members of the State Health Council, analysis of the council minutes and bylaws, and observation of plenary meetings.

[Prevalence and associated factors of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction].

The scope of this study is to estimate the prevalence of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and the respective associated factors in the urban population of a city of northeastern Brazil. It is a population-based cross-sectional study that investigated the consumption of alcohol of 270 people living in the urban area of Jequié, State of Bahia. Alcohol abuse, defined by a score of > 8 from responses to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).

[Participatory potential and deliberative function: a debate on broadening the scope of democracy through the health councils].

This article reflects upon the relation between democracy and health councils. It seeks to analyze the councils as a space for broadening the scope of democracy. First, some characteristics and principles of the liberal democratic regime are presented, with an emphasis on the minimalist and procedural approach of decision-making.

[Alcohol consumption and associated factors in a city in Northeast Brazil].

This cross-sectional study focused on alcohol consumption according to gender, age, income, and schooling in Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil. The random sample consisted of 270 individuals over 14 years of age living in the urban area of Jequié from January to March 2010. Alcohol consumption was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).

[Physiotherapy and collective health: challenges and new professional responsibilities].

The physiotherapist is destining its attention almost exclusively on the cure of patients and their rehabilitation. However, the new epidemic profile and the new logic of organization of the health system suggest the restructuring of this professional practices and the re-definition of the field of the physiotherapist's performance. In this sense, this article aims to discuss the reorientation of the field of the physiotherapy professional performance and the new possibilities of acting at the Unified Health System (SUS).

[Physical therapy education in Brazil: reflections on the expansion of teaching and training models].

This article on physical therapy education in Brazil focuses on the expansion of teaching, field of activities, and professional profile. The number of PT courses began multiplying rapidly in 1997, but the Sprocess lacked regulation and entailed both privatization of education and a geographic concentration of courses. This increase in both courses and trained physical therapists did not redound in greater access to PT services.

[Social participation in health in rural northeastern Brazil].

Objectives: To analyze the social participation taking place through Municipal Health Councils (MHC) in two small towns in northeastern Brazil.

Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, multicase study focused on the MHCs of Lafayete Coutinho (state of Bahia) and Groaíras (state of Ceará) was conducted. Data were gathered from February-April 2005 through analysis of documents, direct observation of MHC meetings, and semistructured interviews.