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.

No association between psychiatric symptoms and doses of anabolic steroids in a cohort of male and female bodybuilders.

The use of androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) can be associated with psychiatric symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and increased aggressiveness. Although dose-dependent effects have been observed in some controlled studies, this association is not always seen in the ecological use of AAS. This study utilized WADA's steroid profile of suspicious use of AAS, urinary detection of AAS metabolites and measurement of sexual hormones to confirm recent use of AAS in a cohort of 103 bodybuilders (75 males, 28 females).

Experience of neighbourhood violence and mental distress in Brazilian favelas: a cross-sectional household survey.

Background: Living in informal settlements with extensive neighbourhood violence has been shown to be linked with poorer mental health. However, there is little evidence as to whether different levels of personal experiences and fears of neighbourhood violence within such settlements affect mental health. This study assessed such personal experiences and fears of residents in favelas in Brazil.

Study protocol of personal characteristics and socio-cultural factors associated with mental health and quality of life of residents living in violent territories.

Background: Throughout the world, millions of people living in deprived urban environments with frequent experiences of violence are mentally distressed. There is little evidence about which characteristics of people living in such environments are associated with lower or higher levels of mental distress and how they may cope with experiences of violence.

Methods/design: This study is part of the research project 'Building the Barricades' (ES/S000720/1 ESRC-AHRC GCRF Mental Health 2017), which uses a mixed-method approach.

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).

Literature review on the implications of decriminalization for the care of drug users in Portugal and Brazil.

Introduction: Substance use problems remain at the core of public concern in countries sharing a common culture and a distinct history like Brazil and Portugal.

Objective: To describe findings of scientific literature about the implications of drug legislation change for the care of drug users in Brazil and Portugal.

Methods: This is an integrative review of literature that considers inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample selection, analyses and categorization of 21 articles selected that were published in databases PubMed, SciELO and Biblioteca do Conhecimento on-line (B-ON) and included ordinances and laws related to the subject.

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.

Crack users and violence. What is the relationship between trauma, antisocial personality disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder?

Title: Crack users and violence. What is the relationship between trauma, antisocial personality disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder?

Background: Crack use is frequently related to severe social and psychiatric conditions including Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Social vulnerabilities increase the frequency of traumatic exposure.

A study on the correlates of habit-, reward-, and fear-related motivations in alcohol use disorder.

Objective: We assessed self-reported drives for alcohol use and their impact on clinical features of alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients. Our prediction was that, in contrast to "affectively" (reward or fear) driven drinking, "habitual" drinking would be associated with worse clinical features in relation to alcohol use and higher occurrence of associated psychiatric symptoms.

Methods: Fifty-eight Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) alcohol abuse patients were assessed with a comprehensive battery of reward- and fear-based behavioral tendencies.

Intelligence and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Review.

Background: Background: The studies on intelligence in individuals with fetal alcohol exposure are conflicting. Some have found a relevant impairment in this population, while others found results that were consistent with the population at large.

Objectives: Describe the results of studies on intelligence in individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

The female crack users: Higher rates of social vulnerability in Brazil.

Female crack users who sought treatment are a hard to find part of the population. We studied sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of crack users undergoing treatment in psychosocial care centers for alcohol and other drugs in six Brazilian cities. We carried out a cross-sectional study of 816 crack users and collected data with the Addiction Severity Index.

Poor sensitivity of rapid tests for the detection of antibodies to the hepatitis B virus: implications for field studies.

Rapid tests (RTs) can be used as an alternative method for the conventional diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV). This study aims to evaluate antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs) and antibodies to HBeAg (anti-HBe) RTs under different Brazilian settings. The following three groups were included: GI: viral hepatitis outpatient services; GII: low resource areas; and GIII: crack users and beauticians.

Evaluating HBsAg rapid test performance for different biological samples from low and high infection rate settings & populations.

Background: Rapid tests (RTs) might have several advantages over standard laboratory procedures, increasing access to diagnosis, especially among vulnerable populations and/or those living in remote areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of RTs for the detection of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in samples from different populations/settings.

Methods: Three RTs for HBsAg detection (Vikia® HBsAg, HBsAg Teste Rápido®, and Imuno-Rápido HBsAg®) and different biological specimens (serum, whole blood, and saliva) were evaluated.

Crack cocaine users living on the streets - gender characteristics.

The increase in the use of crack cocaine constitutes a challenge to public health in Brazil. The objectives of this article are to identify how gender relations are constituted in the daily lives of crack users, and to analyze the dynamics that permeate the construction of these relationships involving exchange and power. This is a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study of phenomenological orientation.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat substance use disorders and compulsive behavior.

Compulsions, like pathological gambling, binge-eating disorder, alcohol, tobacco or cocaine abuse and compulsive shopping have similar neurophysiological processing. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in improving patient control over compulsive behavior. The rTMS modulatory role in cortical mesolimbic pathways possibly implies improvement of the inhibitory control system and compulsive consumption drive.

Who seeks public treatment for substance abuse in Brazil? Results of a multicenter study involving four Brazilian state capitals.

Objective: To assess the characteristics of alcohol and drug users who seek treatment at the Brazilian Unified Health System in Brazil.

Method: A multicenter cross-sectional study involving five clinical and research centers located in four Brazilian state capitals was conducted with 740 in- and outpatients. The only exclusion criterion was the presence of neurological or severe psychiatric symptoms at the moment of the interview.

Exploring sex differences in drug use, health and service use characteristics among young urban crack users in Brazil.

Introduction: Studies have shown important gender differences among drug (including crack) users related to: drug use patterns; health risks and consequences; criminal involvement; and service needs/use. Crack use is prevalent in Brazil; however, few comparative data by sex exist. We examined and compared by sex key drug use, health, socio-economic indicators and service use in a bi-city sample of young (18-24 years), regular and marginalized crack users in Brazil.

Performance of rapid hepatitis C virus antibody assays among high- and low-risk populations.

Background: Rapid tests for the detection of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) can facilitate access to diagnosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of rapid tests for anti-HCV detection in the sera, whole blood, and oral fluid samples from individuals with different endemicity profiles and risk behaviors.

Study Design: Three groups donated biological samples that were tested using three anti-HCV rapid tests (WAMA, Bioeasy and OraSure): (I) suspected cases of hepatitis C, (II) individuals who were living in remote areas in Brazil and (III) crack users and beauty professionals.

The effects of ADHD in adult substance abusers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychiatric comorbidities and different areas of life functioning in substance abusers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. A cross-sectional, multi-center study involving 285 adult substance abusers from outpatient and inpatient clinics was performed. The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, the sixth version of the Addiction Severity Index, and the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview were used for data collection.

Psychometric properties of the sixth version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI-6) in Brazil.

Background: There are few research tools in Brazil to assess more broadly the alcohol and other drug related problems.

Objective: To test the psychometric properties of ASI in its sixth version (ASI-6).

Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in four Brazilian state capitals.

[Comparison between crack and other drugs abusers in a specialized outpatient facility of a university hospital].

The increase in crack abuse and the profile of these abusers are well documented in Brazil, but studies in Rio de Janeiro are lacking. Optimization of resource allocation for prevention and treatment requires a better characterization of abusers with respect to socio-demographic characteristics and drugs use pattern. Patients admitted to the Drug Abuse Research and Care Program (PROJAD) at the Psychiatric Institute of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro between March 2007 and September 2008 were studied.