[Patterns in the use of outpatient care in Brazil by patients treated through the Brazilian Unified National Health System, private health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical care].

Indicators of supply, access, and use of healthcare are helpful for characterizing services, planning activities, and organizing demand. This study describes patterns of use of outpatient care and the associations with demographic and socioeconomic factors, morbidity, population size of the municipality and region, and administrative and financial classification of the provider. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 12,402 Brazilian adults from 20 to 59 years of age living in urban areas of 100 municipalities from five regions.

Lack of access and continuity of adult health care: a national population-based survey.

OBJECTIVE To describe the lack of access and continuity of health care in adults. METHODS A cross-sectional population-based study was performed on a sample of 12,402 adults aged 20 to 59 years in urban areas of 100 municipalities of 23 states in the five Brazilian geopolitical regions. Barriers to the access and continuity of health care and were investigated based on receiving, needing and seeking health care (hospitalization and accident/emergency care in the last 12 months; care provided by a doctor, by other health professional or home care in the last three months).

[Use of health services in Brazil: association with overweight and body fat indicators].

The aim of the study was to analyze the association between use of health services and obesity in Brazilian adults. We carried out a population-based cross-sectional study in 100 districts of five Brazilian regions. The outcomes were: home care, use of medical services in the primary health care, use of medical services outside of the primary health care, use of emergency services and hospitalization.

Prevalence of overweight and associated factors in under-five-year-old children in urban population in Brazil.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of overweight in children under five years old from urban households and to investigate associated factors.

Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study carried out in the five regions of Brazil with a sample of 6,397 children. The World Health Organization 2006 Growth Curves were used and children were considered overweight when Z-score was higher than two standard deviations of weight for height.

Advice for salt, sugar and fat intake habits among adults: a national-based study.

Introduction: A healthy diet is recognized as an important strategy for promoting health as an essential part of non-pharmacological therapy of various health problems.

Objective: To analyze the reported advice for the intake of salt, sugar and fat for the Brazilian adults living in urban areas.

Methodology: National-based cross-sectional study with 12,402 adults interviewed in 100 Brazilian cities.

Falls and self-assessment of eyesight among elderly people: a population-based study in a south Brazilian municipality.

This paper seeks to verify the association between falls and self-assessment of visual acuity in elderly people by means of a cross-sectional population-based study involving 1593 elderly people (aged 60 or over) from the urban zone of the municipality of Bagé-RS. Poisson regression was used for association analysis. Fall prevalence in the last year was 28.

[Food insecurity in the Northeast and South of Brazil: magnitude, associated factors, and per capita income patterns for reducing inequities].

This article addresses food insecurity among urban Brazilian families with children under seven years. A cross-sectional study in areas covered by primary health care centers identified 5,419 families in the Northeast and 5,081 in the South of the country. Food insecurity was assessed by the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale.

[Physical activity during commuting by adults and elderly in Brazil: prevalence and associated factors].

Evidence in the literature shows that physical activity associated with commuting (routine coming and going) can have a positive impact on health. The current study describes physical activity during commuting and some associated factors. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with 12,402 adults and 6,624 elderly in 100 municipalities (counties) from 23 States of Brazil.

[Prevalence of minor psychiatric disorders among primary healthcare workers in the South and Northeast regions of Brazil].

Mental health problems are among the most prevalent conditions in health workers. We evaluated the prevalence of minor psychiatric disorders and associated factors among primary healthcare workers. The study design was cross-sectional and services-based, in 240 primary healthcare units in 41 municipalities (counties) with more than 100 thousand inhabitants in seven States in the South and Northeast regions of Brazil.

[Time trends in smoking in an urban population: a population-based study in Southern Brazil].

This study evaluated time trends in smoking prevalence according to gender and family income among individuals 20 years or older in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Five population-based surveys using census tracts were conducted in the city from 2002 to 2010. Smoking was defined as consumption of one or more cigarettes per day for at least one month.

Prevalence of falls in elderly in Brazil: a countrywide analysis.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of a sample of 6,616 elderly living in urban areas of 100 municipalities in 23 Brazilian states, who responded to questions on the occurrence of falls in the 12 months prior to the interview, and occurrence of fractures due to the falls. The prevalence of falls among the elderly was 27.6% (95%CI: 26.

[Management of work, education, information, and communication in primary healthcare in cities in Southern and Northeastern Brazil].

Decentralization in Brazil's Unified National Health System is challenging the management capability at the local level. Municipalities are required to operate health teams, provide infrastructure, technology, and supplies for the health services, and organize the work process. An epidemiological survey assessed the management of work, education, information, and communication in primary care services in 41 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants each in the Northeast and South of the country.

[The effectiveness of psychosocial care centers for the mentally ill in a medium-sized city in southern Brazil: a stratified analysis].

The objective was to analyze the effectiveness of Psychosocial Care Centers (PCCs) for persons with mental disorders in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This was a prospective cohort study with users of the centers, based on two home visits. Three treatment exposure variables and two health status variables were compared and stratified according to treatment modality and time attending the health service.