Association between demographic, clinical characteristics and severe complications by SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community-based healthcare network in Chile.

Background: Most of the evidence on risk factors for COVID-19 complications comes from North America or Europe with very little research from Latin-America. We aimed to evaluate the association between sociodemographic, clinical factors and the risk of COVID-19 complications among adults in Chile, the fifth Latin-American country with more COVID-19 reported cases since de beginning of the Pandemic.

Methods: A retrospective population-based cohort study using data from electronic health records from a large Primary Care Network, linked to national hospital, immunization, Covid-19 PCR surveillance, mortality and birth records.

Multimorbidity and tooth loss: data from Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017.

Background: Oral diseases are a significant global public health challenge. Current evidence indicates that several chronic conditions are individually associated with tooth loss. People are living with more than one chronic condition, known as multimorbidity (MM).

[Comorbidity of obesity and smoking and their association with cardiometabolic risk factors: Results from the 2016-2017 National Health Survey].

Background: The comorbidity between obesity and smoking and its association with cardiometabolic risk factors has been little explored.

Objectives: Describe the prevalence of such comorbidity and to explore its association with cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods: The study was based on the 2016-2017 Chilean National Health Survey and included 6,233 participants.

National health examination surveys; a source of critical data.

The aim of this paper is to contribute technical arguments to the debate about the importance of health examination surveys and their continued use during the post-pandemic health financing crisis, and in the context of a technological innovation boom that offers new ways of collecting and analysing individual health data (e.g. artificial intelligence).

National Health Examination Surveys: an essential piece of the health planning puzzle.

National health examination surveys (HESs) have been developed to provide important information that cannot be obtained from other sources. A HES combines information obtained by asking participants questions with biophysical measurements taken by trained field staff. They are observational studies with the highest external validity and make specific contributions to both population (public health) and individual health.

Associations between the stringency of COVID-19 containment policies and health service disruptions in 10 countries.

Background: Disruptions in essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported in several countries. Yet, patterns in health service disruption according to country responses remain unclear. In this paper, we investigate associations between the stringency of COVID-19 containment policies and disruptions in 31 health services in 10 low- middle- and high-income countries in 2020.

Tracking health system performance in times of crisis using routine health data: lessons learned from a multicountry consortium.

COVID-19 has prompted the use of readily available administrative data to track health system performance in times of crisis and to monitor disruptions in essential healthcare services. In this commentary we describe our experience working with these data and lessons learned across countries. Since April 2020, the Quality Evidence for Health System Transformation (QuEST) network has used administrative data and routine health information systems (RHIS) to assess health system performance during COVID-19 in Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Republic of Korea and Thailand.

COVID-19 and resilience of healthcare systems in ten countries.

Declines in health service use during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could have important effects on population health. In this study, we used an interrupted time series design to assess the immediate effect of the pandemic on 31 health services in two low-income (Ethiopia and Haiti), six middle-income (Ghana, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Thailand) and high-income (Chile and South Korea) countries. Despite efforts to maintain health services, disruptions of varying magnitude and duration were found in every country, with no clear patterns by country income group or pandemic intensity.

Changes in cardiovascular mortality in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted regular cardiovascular healthcare access and delivery. Service utilisation has declined, and excess cardiovascular mortality has been reported in several countries. We aim to estimate excess cardiovascular deaths in Chile during 2020.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Health State Description Questionnaire in Chile: A Proposal for a Latent Variable Approach for Valuating Health States.

Background: A few instruments that identify and valuate health states are based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health States of the World Health Organization. One of them is the Health State Description (HSD) questionnaire first used in the World Health Survey (WHS) initiative (HSD-WHS), whose psychometric properties have not been evaluated in Chile. Additionally, the use of latent variables for the valuation process of health states has been scarcely investigated in the context of population health metrics.

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Chronic Widespread Pain in Chile: Prevalence Study Performed as Part of the National Health Survey.

Objectives: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) causes significant health loss worldwide. Given that cultural factors may affect pain processing, it is key to have more information regarding CMP epidemiology in Latin America. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of CMP and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in Chile.

Number of Remaining Teeth and Its Association with Educational Level in Chilean Adults: Data from the National Health Survey 2016-2017.

Introduction: Several population studies have addressed oral health inequalities. Edentulism, functional dentition, and number of remaining teeth have been associated with different socioeconomic level measurements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between educational level and tooth loss in the Chilean population aged 15 years and above, based on the 2016-2017 National Health Survey (ENS 2016-2017).

Hypertension care cascade in Chile: a serial cross-sectional study of national health surveys 2003-2010-2017.

Background: Trend data on hypertension prevalence and attainment indicators at each step of the care cascade (awareness, treatment, control) are required in Chile. This study aims to quantify trends (2003-2017) in prevalence and in the proportion of individuals with hypertension attaining each step of the care cascade among adults aged 17 years or older, and to assess the impact of lowering the blood pressure (BP) thresholds used to define elevated BP on these indicators.

Methods: We used data from 2003, 2010, and 2017 Chilean national health surveys.

Folate status in women of childbearing age in the Urban Metropolitan Region of Chile: results from the National Health Survey 2016-2017.

Objective: To analyse serum folate levels in women of childbearing age in the Metropolitan Region (MR) of Chile.

Design: Cross-sectional design as part of the 2016-2017 National Health Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Salud, ENS 2016-2017), using a household-based multistage stratified random sample. Serum folate levels measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in fasting venous blood samples were classified as deficient (<4·4 ng/ml), normal (4·4-20 ng/ml) or supraphysiological (>20 ng/ml).

Science and Health Policies to Tackle Chronic Diseases in Chile.

Chile has experienced rapid epidemiological transitions characterized by decreasing infant mortality, population aging, and a shift towards obesity with an increase in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Today, tobacco, alcohol, and ultraprocessed foods are the main risk factors for these diseases. Based on Chile's experience in tobacco control, we discuss paths to make progress in population evidence-based strategies to improve overall community health.

The Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Chile: A Nationwide Study Performed as Part of the National Health Survey.

Objective: Genetic and environmental backgrounds influence the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In Latin America, epidemiologic data are scarce. We aimed to determine the prevalence of RA in Chile in a population-based study.

Validity of the self-reported number of teeth in Chilean adults.

Background: Clinical dental evaluations are considered complex and costly measurements that epidemiological surveillance studies of multiple simultaneous chronic diseases currently require, for example National Health Surveys (ENS). Accordingly, simpler and more affordable methods need to be validated. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the self-report on the total number of teeth in the general Chilean adult population.

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Reference Ranges in the First Trimester of Pregnancy in an Iodine-Sufficient Country.

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is associated with negative neonatal and obstetric outcomes. Large differences in thyroid function reference intervals exist across different populations. These differences can be explained by population-specific factors, such as iodine status.

Comparison of Health Examination Survey Methods in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, England, Scotland, and the United States.

Comparability of population surveys across countries is key to appraising trends in population health. Achieving this requires deep understanding of the methods used in these surveys to examine the extent to which the measurements are comparable. In this study, we obtained detailed protocols of 8 nationally representative surveys from 2007-2013 from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), and the United States-countries that that differ in economic and inequity indicators.

Prevalence, trends, correlates and treatment of depression in Chile in 2003 to 2010.

Purpose: There is a need for recent, nationally representative data on the prevalence of mental disorders in Latin America. We aim to assess the prevalence of depression in Chile and possible changes over time.

Methods: In the Chilean National Health Surveys in 2003 (n = 5469) and 2010 (n = 7212), two nationally representative cross-sectional population surveys, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Short Form (CIDI-SF) was applied to establish diagnosis of major depressive episode (MDE) using DSM-IV criteria.

Socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol consumption in Chile and Finland.

Background: Reasons for socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol harm are not sufficiently understood. One explanation relates to differential exposure to alcohol by socioeconomic status (SES). The present study investigated socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol use in two countries with high alcohol consumption and alcohol harm.

Latin American Clinical Epidemiology Network Series - Paper 7: Central obesity measurements better identified risk factors for coronary heart disease risk in the Chilean National Health Survey (2009-2010).

Objectives: Obesity is an important determinant of cardiovascular risk. However, the optimal measure and cutoffs in Latin America are not defined. We sought to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with risk factor prevalence and estimated coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and to assess if recommended cutoffs apply to the Chilean population.

[Inappropriate medication use among Chilean older people].

Background: Inappropriate medication use in older people is an important source of adverse events and complications.

Aim: To determine the frequency of inappropriate medication use in the general population.

Material And Methods: As part of the 2010 Chilean National Health Survey, 1,048 persons aged 65 years or more were interviewed about medication use.

[Effects of incorporating additional blood pressure measurements during The National Health Survey in Chile].

Background: It is of utmost importance to identify hypertensive subjects in a country, in order to use efficiently public resources. The National Health Survey 2009-10 in Chile incorporated a third measurement of blood pressure (BP) during the home visit performed by a nurse, and a second day of measurement in a representative sub-sample.

Aim: To study the effect of these two additional actions over both the average value of BP and the national prevalence of hypertension.