Background: To effectively combat the rising incidence of syphilis, the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) created a National Rapid Response to Syphilis with actions aimed at bolstering epidemiological surveillance of acquired, congenital syphilis, and syphilis during pregnancy complemented with communication activities to raise population awareness and to increase uptake of testing that targeted mass media outlets from November 2018 to March 2019 throughout Brazil, and mainly areas with high rates of syphilis. This study analyzes the volume and quality of online news content on syphilis in Brazil between 2015 and 2019 and examines its effect on testing.
Methods: The collection and processing of online news were automated by means of a proprietary digital health ecosystem established for the study.
Syphilis is an infectious disease that can be diagnosed and treated cheaply. Despite being a curable condition, the syphilis rate is increasing worldwide. In this sense, computational methods can analyze data and assist managers in formulating new public policies for preventing and controlling sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteoporosis is a disease characterized by impairment of bone microarchitecture that causes high socioeconomic impacts in the world because of fractures and hospitalizations. Although dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard for diagnosing the disease, access to DXA in developing countries is still limited due to its high cost, being present only in specialized hospitals. In this paper, we analyze the performance of Osseus, a low-cost portable device based on electromagnetic waves that measures the attenuation of the signal that crosses the medial phalanx of a patient's middle finger and was developed for osteoporosis screening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
December 2022
Background: The "Syphilis No!" campaign the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) launched between November 2018 and March 2019, brought forward the concept "Test, Treat and Cure" to remind the population of the importance of syphilis prevention. In this context, this study aims to analyze the similarity of syphilis online news to comprehend how public health communication interventions influence media coverage of the syphilis issue.
Methods: This paper presented a computational approach to assess the effectiveness of communication actions on a public health problem.
Cien Saude Colet
June 2021
Technological advances play an undeniable role in strengthening health systems. With regard to digital technologies, information systems and the analysis of health data are playing a growing role in health surveillance and preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks, the theme addressed by this article within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. This study departs from the assumption that digital health interventions can increase Covid-19 response capacity.
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