Hepatitis A, B, and C in Brazilian Afro-Descendant Communities from Northeast Brazil: A Seroepidemiological Survey.

Background: Viral hepatitis is a disease that is more prevalent among individuals residing in remote regions and in contexts of social vulnerability. The objective of this study was to ascertain the seroprevalence of hepatitis A (HAV), B (HBV), and C (HCV) in vulnerable communities in the rural area of São João do Piauí (SJP), northern Brazil.

Methods: Immunoenzymatic assays were employed to detect the presence of anti-HAV (total and IgM), HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV serological markers in serum samples.

Alcohol use disorder in people with infectious and chronic diseases and mental disorders: Brazil, 2015.

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and associated factors in Brazilian adults that reported chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), mental disorders (MDs), and infectious diseases (IDs). This was a secondary analysis of the 3rd National Survey on Drug Use by the Brazilian Population in which the principal outcome was presence of AUD. Prevalence of AUD was estimated for three subgroups: individuals that reported NCDs, MDs, and IDs.

Multiple substance use and associated factors in transgender women and travestis: findings from the TransOdara Study, Brazil.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of concomitant substance consumption and analyze associated risk factors in a non-probabilistic sample of the Brazilian population of transgender women and travestis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with recruitment via respondent-driven sampling. The sample included transgender women and travestis residing in São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Salvador, Manaus, and Campo Grande, aged 18 years or older, between 2019 and 2021.

Prevalence of HIV infection among transgender women and travestis in Brazil: data from the TransOdara study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among transgender women and travestis and to analyze factors associated with HIV infection in Brazil.

Methods: TransOdara was a cross-sectional study on sexually transmitted infections among transgender women and travestis in five Brazilian cities between 2019 and 2021. Self-identified transgender women and travestis aged ≥18 years were recruited using respondent-driven sampling, completed an interviewer-led questionnaire, and provided samples to detect HIV.

U-SMILE: a brief version of the Short Multidimensional Inventory on Lifestyle Evaluation.

Introduction: Lifestyle Medicine comprises six domains: diet, substance use, physical activity, stress management, social connection, and sleep. The comprehensive assessment of lifestyle is challenging, but the "Short Multidimensional Inventory on Lifestyle Evaluation" (SMILE) was developed to fill out this gap. In this paper, we describe the development and the psychometric properties (internal consistency, concurrent and convergent validity) of a shorter version of the SMILE among university students.

Feasibility of dried blood spot for hepatitis C diagnosis in vulnerable subjects and people living in remote areas from Brazil.

Background: Agile, accessible and cheap diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is essential to achieve the elimination of this infection, worldwide, as mandated by the World Health Organzation as part of its strategy for 2030. Dried blood spots (DBS) can be an attractive alternative for sample collection among people living in remote areas and vulnerable populations due to the less invasive collection, its biosafety, and storage & transportation of samples at room temperature.

Design: This study aims to estimate the usefulness of dried blood spot samples for the diagnosis and the assessment of HCV infection rates in three different settings in Brazil.

Would the Brazilian population support the alcohol policies recommended by the World Health Organization?

Objective: To evaluate the support of the Brazilian population to the alcohol-policies proposed by the World Health Organization to decrease alcohol harm (specifically: to decrease alcohol availability and advertising, and to increase pricing). In addition, we evaluated the factors associated with being against those policies.

Methods: Data from 16,273 Brazilians, aged 12-65 years, interviewed in the 3rd Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use (BHSU-3) were analyzed.

Housing characteristics of crack cocaine users in Northeast Brazil, 2011-2013.

We compared sociodemographic characteristics, substance use patterns, sexual behavior, use of health services, and criminal records of homeless vs. domiciled users. Data are from the Brazilian National Survey on Crack Use.

Lifestyle predictors of depression and anxiety during COVID-19: a machine learning approach.

Introduction: Recent research has suggested an increase in the global prevalence of psychiatric symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess whether lifestyle behaviors can predict the presence of depression and anxiety in the Brazilian general population, using a model developed in Spain.

Methods: A web survey was conducted during April-May 2020, which included the Short Multidimensional Inventory Lifestyle Evaluation (SMILE) scale, assessing lifestyle behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Performance of HCV Antigen Testing for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Antiviral Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Aims: Active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is based on the detection of HCV RNA that it is effective but presents high cost and the need to hire trained personnel. This systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed at evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of HCV Ag testing to identify HCV cases and to monitor antiviral treatment including DAA treatment.

Methods: The studies were identified through a search in PubMed, Lilacs, and Scopus from 1990 through March 31, 2020.

Underage drinking in Brazil: findings from a community household survey.

Objectives: Previous studies have estimated the 30-day prevalence of alcohol use to be approximately 21% among youth in Brazil, despite the legal drinking age of 18 years. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of underage drinking and its associated factors among adolescents in Brazil.

Methods: The 3rd National Survey on Drug Use by the Brazilian Population (III Levantamento Nacional sobre o Uso de Drogas pela População Brasileira) is a nationwide, multi-stage, probability-sample household survey.

Lifestyle changes and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A repeated, cross-sectional web survey.

Background: This study aimed to compare self-reported changes on lifestyle behaviors during two phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, and to evaluate clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with lifestyles.

Methods: Two cross-sectional web surveys were conducted during lockdown (April 15-May 15, 2020) and seven months later (November 16-December 16, 2020). Lifestyle behaviors were self-reported by a multidimensional scale (SMILE-C).

Polysubstance use in a Brazilian national sample: Correlates of co-use of alcohol and prescription drugs.

: Responses to problem substance use have largely focused on illicit drugs, but reports on rising prescription drug misuse worldwide raise questions about their combined use with alcohol and potential consequences. The current study assessed prevalence of alcohol in conjunction with nonmedical opioid and benzodiazepine use across a nationally representative sample of adults in Brazil. Cross-sectional data on prevalence were estimated from the 2015 Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use.

The cumulative effect of multiple dimensions of lifestyle on risky drinking during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lifestyle impacts morbidity and mortality worldwide. Herein, we evaluated the association of a multidimensional lifestyle measure and its domains (diet/nutrition, substance use, physical activity, social, stress management, sleep, environmental exposure) with risky drinking. Also, we analyzed the cumulative effect of unhealthy domains in the likelihood of presenting risky drinking.

Dried blood spot sampling as an alternative for the improvement of hepatitis B and C diagnosis in key populations.

Background: To achieve the elimination of hepatitis B and C, there is an urgent need to develop alternative strategies to increase the access of diagnosis, particularly among key populations such as people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), individuals with coagulopathies and chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Aim: To evaluate the use of dried blood spot (DBS) in the detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) markers.

Methods: A total of 430 individuals comprised of people living with HIV, coagulopathies and CKD provided paired serum and DBS samples.

The assessment of lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic using a multidimensional scale.

Introduction: Healthy lifestyles are relevant to several diseases and to maintain individuals' mental health. Exposure to epidemics and confinement have been consistently associated with psychological consequences, but changes on lifestyle behaviours remain under-researched.

Materials And Methods: An online survey was conducted among the general population living in Spain during the COVID-19 home-isolation.

Depression, Anxiety, and Lifestyle Among Essential Workers: A Web Survey From Brazil and Spain During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Essential workers have been shown to present a higher prevalence of positive screenings for anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals from countries with socioeconomic inequalities may be at increased risk for mental health disorders.

Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, and their comorbidity among essential workers in Brazil and Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assessment of lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 pandemic using a multidimensional scale.

Introduction: Healthy lifestyles are relevant to several diseases and to maintain individuals' mental health. Exposure to epidemics and confinement have been consistently associated with psychological consequences, but changes on lifestyle behaviours remain under-researched.

Materials And Methods: An online survey was conducted among the general population living in Spain during the COVID-19 home-isolation.

Substance use, self-rated health and HIV status in Brazil.

We compared the prevalence of of non-injecting drug use (NIDU) and Self-Rated Health (SRH) among individuals self-reporting as HIV-positive (PLWHA), HIV-negative and unknown at the III Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use. Overall, 16,273 individuals, 12-65 years old, were interviewed in 2015. Prevalence and Standard Error (SE) were estimated considering the complex sample design and weight calibration.

Evaluation of accuracy of hepatitis B virus antigen and antibody detection and relationship between epidemiological factors using dried blood spot.

Dried blood spots (DBS) testing might increase the access for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) diagnosis, but little is known about the performance of these assays in real life conditions. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HBs detection in DBS in clinical settings and field studies and to evaluate demographic and risk behaviour according the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBc. Paired sera and DBS samples were obtained from 2309 individuals from 3 groups, defined as follows: G1: clinical setting (n = 5-19), G2: general population (n = 1305) and G3: vulnerable individuals that could be more exposed to blood contact (n = 485).

Reproducibility on science: Challenges and advances in Brazilian alcohol surveys.

Background: Reproducibility in Science is challenging and may be hard to achieve in alcohol research. Previous general population surveys in Brazil have estimated the prevalence of alcohol dependence to be around 10%. We aim to estimate alcohol use and dependence using different methods and definitions.

Utility of oral fluid samples for hepatitis B antibody detection in real life conditions.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing in oral fluid samples may provide advantages in diagnosis, screening or prevalence studies, especially among individuals with venous access difficulties. This study aims to optimize one commercially available assay for detecting total anti-HBc marker in oral fluid samples and to evaluate its utility under real life conditions in different settings for the purposes of prevalence and diagnostic studies.

Methods: Oral fluid was collected using a Salivette device and some parameters were initially evaluated: type of elution buffer and sample volume.

Spatial spread of malaria and economic frontier expansion in the Brazilian Amazon.

The temporal and spatial evolution of malaria was described for the postfrontier phase of the Brazilian Amazon in 2003-2013. The current ecological study aimed to understand the relationship between spatial population mobility and the distribution of malaria cases. The study identified epidemiologically relevant areas using regional statistical modeling and spatial analyses that considered differential infections and types of work activities.

Non-medical use of opioid analgesics in contemporary Brazil: Findings from the 2015 Brazilian National Household Survey on Substance Use.

Prior studies on substance use in Brazil have not focused on opioid misuse, previously thought to be nearly non-existent. This paper presents new findings on heroin and non-medical use of opioid analgesics. Data come from the 2015 Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use (BHSU-3), a nationally representative survey estimating epidemiological parameters related to substance use by residents across Brazil.

The risks of HCV infection among Brazilian crack cocaine users: incorporating diagnostic test uncertainty.

Despite the initiative by WHO and other international organizations to eliminate HCV in the medium term, hepatitis C infection is still a major public health problem. Even non-injecting drugs users who engage in harmful or addictive drug use are at greater risk of acquiring the infection, when compared to the general population. This study evaluate risk factors for HCV infection in users of crack/cocaine in Brazil, using multilevel models that incorporate variations in the sensitivity and specificity of the respective diagnostic tests.