[We must not remain blind to equity: lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in the AmericasDeixar de ignorar a equidade: lições a aprender com a pandemia de COVID-19 nas Américas].

The Region of the Americas has historically experienced social inequalities rooted in colonialism, which are reflected and reproduced in the area of health. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the entire Region, but the most socially disadvantaged groups were hit hardest, intensifying health inequities. Under the premise that pandemics are not socially neutral phenomena, this special report analyzes the unequal impacts of the pandemic from different perspectives: historical, epidemiological, political, social, economic, environmental, and population-related.

Long-term inequalities in health among older Mexican adults: An outcome-wide analysis.

The relationship between socioeconomic level and health outcomes in older people has been widely studied, but less information about health inequalities associated with gender and place of residence exists. Also, there is scarce evidence of longitudinal inequalities, particularly in countries from the global south. This study aimed to describe the longitudinal patterns of health inequalities associated with wealth, gender, and residence area among older Mexican adults.

Incorporating migrants into National COVID-19 Vaccination Plans in Latin America: A comparative analysis of policies in seven countries.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is an essential public health tool for pandemic control. Inclusion of migrants in COVID-19 vaccination is not only ethically necessary from a right-to-health perspective but also technically indispensable for disease control. This study aimed to characterize the inclusion of international migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in COVID-19 vaccination policies in Latin American countries that have the greatest recent increase in the reception of migrants.

Years of life lost to COVID-19 in 49 countries: A gender- and life cycle-based analysis of the first two years of the pandemic.

Specific mortality rates have been widely used to monitor the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, a more meaningful measure is the Years of Life Lost (YLL) due to the disease, considering it takes into account the premature nature of each death. We estimated the YLL due to COVID-19 between January 2020 and December 2021 in 49 countries for which information was available, developing an analytical method that mathematically refines that proposed by the World Health Organization. We then calculated YLL rates overall, as well as by sex and life cycle.

Real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among Colombian adults: A retrospective, population-based study of the ESPERANZA cohort.

COVID-19 vaccines have been essential for reducing the impact of the pandemic; nevertheless, population-based data under real-life conditions are needed to compare their effectiveness in various contexts. The objective of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in Colombia under real-life conditions among people aged 18 years and older, according to sex, age, confirmed history of COVID-19 and vaccination series, including the effects of boosters. This investigation was an observational, retrospective, population-based study based on the Colombian cohort "Esperanza".

Longitudinal health survey of women from Venezuela in Colombia (ELSA-VENCOL): First report.

Background: Colombia is currently the world's main recipient country for Venezuelan migrants, and women represent a high proportion of them. This article presents the first report of a cohort of Venezuelan migrant women entering Colombia through Cúcuta and its metropolitan area. The study aimed to describe the health status and access to healthcare services among Venezuelan migrant women in Colombia with irregular migration status, and to analyze changes in those conditions at a one-month follow-up.

[Determinants of birth weight among children of irregular migrant Venezuelan women in Barranquilla and Riohacha].

Objective: To describe the determinants of birth weight in the children of Venezuelan women in irregular migration status during pregnancy, in Barranquilla and Riohacha, between 2018 and 2019.

Materials And Methods: We carried out a longitudinal and descriptive study of secondary source, with a hospital and community basis. We included mother-child pairs of Venezuelan women in an irregular condition whose delivery occurred in Barranquilla and Riohacha between July 2018 and December 2019 (n=563).

[Social inequalities in under-five mortality: a systematic review].

Objective: To identify the characteristics of the published studies on social inequalities in under-five mortality, their theoretical perspectives, axes of inequality, methods and results.

Method: We carried out a systematic literature review. We consulted four electronic databases and Google Scholar, for studies published between 2010 and 2018.

Real-world Evidence of COVID-19 Vaccines Effectiveness in Solid-organ Transplant Recipient Population in Colombia: A Study Nested in the Esperanza Cohort.

Background: Solid-organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) have a higher risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and death and a less powerful and lasting response to vaccines and to natural infection. In Colombia, this population was prioritized in the National Vaccination Plan against COVID-19 and received vaccines from different platforms. The aim of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of the complete vaccination schedule and of the vaccine booster for COVID-19 administered to SOTRs in Colombia.

Estimated number of deaths directly avoided because of COVID-19 vaccination among older adults in Colombia in 2021: an ecological, longitudinal observational study.

Colombia's national COVID-19 vaccination plan began in February of 2021. It gave priority to older adults, who constituted 77.7% of deaths from this illness in the year 2020.

Prenatal care of Venezuelans in Colombia: migrants navigating the healthcare system.

Objectives: To explore the experiences of irregular (undocumented) Venezuelan migrants in accessing prenatal health services in Colombia and to examine the economic, social, and cultural resources mobilized by them to gain access to care.

Methods: Data was retrieved from the qualitative component of a multi-method research conducted with pregnant immigrants in Barranquilla, Colombia, between 2018 and 2019, and triangulated with a review of regulations established by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

Results: Having limited economic capital, participants use social capital from personal networks and migrant organizations.

[Avoidable childhood deaths: an analysis by department and municipality in Colombia (2000-2018)Mortalidade infantil por causas evitáveis: uma análise por departamento e município na Colômbia (2000-2018)].

Objective: To determine the proportion of potentially avoidable deaths in children under five in Colombia, by department and municipality of residence, during the period from 2000 through 2018.

Methods: A multi-group and longitudinal ecological study was conducted in 33 departments and 1 118 municipalities over a period of 19 years. The deaths were classified as probably unavoidable or avoidable; the latter were then identified as treatable, preventable, or mixed; and a proportion was calculated relative to the total.

Socioeconomic inequalities associated with mortality for COVID-19 in Colombia: a cohort nationwide study.

Background: After 8 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Latin American countries have some of the highest rates in COVID-19 mortality. Despite being one of the most unequal regions of the world, there is a scarce report of the effect of socioeconomic conditions on COVID-19 mortality in their countries. We aimed to identify the effect of some socioeconomic inequality-related factors on COVID-19 mortality in Colombia.

[List of potentially avoidable causes of death in childhood: a proposal for Colombia].

Avoidable mortality is a key indicator for decision-making in public health, considering deaths that could be avoided by disease prevention and healthcare services. Colombia lacks a specific inventory that allows estimating the magnitude, distribution, and evolution of avoidable childhood mortality. The study thus aimed to propose a list of potentially avoidable causes of death in children under five years of age in Colombia.

Perception of effective access to health services in Territorial Spaces for Training and Reincorporation, one year after the peace accords in Colombia: a cross-sectional study.

: The signing of the peace accords in Colombia created challenges that are inherent to post-conflict transitions. One of those is the process of reintegrating ex-combatants into society, in which ensuring their rights to health is a particularly significant challenge in rural areas affected by armed conflict. These areas, known as Territorial Spaces for Training and ReintegrationReincorporation (ETCR, in Spanish), are geographically dispersed throughout 24 municipalities and 13 departments in Colombia.