Addressing the smoking-hypertension paradox in pregnancy: insight from a multiethnic US birth cohort.

Background: Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with reduced risk of a spectrum of hypertensive (HTN) disorders, known as the "smoking-hypertension paradox."

Objective: We sought to test potential epidemiologic explanations for the smoking-hypertension paradox.

Methods: We analyzed 8510 pregnant people in the Boston Birth Cohort, including 4027 non-Hispanic Black and 2428 Hispanic pregnancies.

Panorama of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Brazil and its Association With Self-Perception of Health: Findings From a National Representative Survey.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a challenge in Brazil. The country holds one of the highest rates of femicide in the world, most of which are preceded by IPV. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 34,334 women, aged 18 to 59 years, from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey to analyze the prevalence of IPV and its subtypes among the Brazilian adult women in the last 12 months, encompassing their health consequences and the use of health services resulting from IPV.

Body dissatisfaction, drug use, and associated factors among adolescents in three Brazilian cities.

Objective: analyze the association between drug use and body dissatisfaction among adolescents in three Brazilian cities.

Method: cross-sectional study, using a nested randomized controlled trial to evaluate the drug use prevention program #TamoJunto2.0 of the Ministry of Health in Brazilian schools.

Heavy episodic drinking trends in the Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, 2006-2018: an ecological time series analysis.

Objective: To assess heavy episodic drinking trends in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and Federal District, overall and according to sex.

Methods: This was an ecological time series study of heavy episodic drinking patterns among adults, from 2006 to 2018. The data were obtained from VIGITEL Survey time series.

Diversity of contexts in drug use among street adolescents.

In this study we aimed to investigate through ethnographic methods the different contexts of drug use by street adolescents in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participant observations and semistructured interviews were performed at 11 major points of adolescent concentration in the streets of the city and in 10 care institutions. The sample was composed of 17 adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age.

[The role of information as a preventive measure to the drug use among young people at risk].

Illicit drug consumption among youngsters is a public health concern that requires attention. However, little research has highlighted the importance of "drug information availability" among protection factors. The aim of this article is to identify, from the point of view of youngsters at risk, what factors could prevent them to try illicit drugs, focusing on the importance of "drug information availability".

Neuropsychological assessment of current and past crack cocaine users.

Background: Cognitive changes due to crack cocaine consumption remain unclear.

Methods: For clarification, 55 subjects were assigned to three groups: control group, crack cocaine current users, and ex-users. Participants were submitted to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and tasks evaluating executive functioning and verbal memory.

Recreational use of benzydamine as a hallucinogen among street youth in Brazil.

Objective: To describe the recreational use of benzydamine, an anti-inflammatory drug, among street youth in Brazil.

Design: a descriptive, cross sectional survey.

Setting: 93 welfare services for the street youth in 27 Brazilian capitals.

Religiosity as a protective factor against the use of drugs.

Although many studies have suggested that risk and protective factors are related to the use of drugs, their role has not been given due importance. More attention to protective factors could make them a fundamental tool in prevention programs. Since low socioeconomic level and adolescence are known as risk factors, the aim of this study was to identify which factors would prevent Brazilian adolescents from low-income families from using drugs.

Religious treatments for drug addiction: an exploratory study in Brazil.

The main objective of the present work is to understand the processes used in emerging Catholic and Protestant religious interventions for recovery from drug dependence, from the vantage point of individuals subjected to them. A qualitative method and an intentional sample selected by criteria were adopted for this investigation, which was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. An in-depth semi-structured interview was conducted with 57 predominantly male former drug users who fit the criteria: they had been submitted to non-medical religious treatments to treat dependence and were abstinent for at least 6 months.

[Religious intervention and recovery from drug addiction].

Objective: To analyze the role of emerging religious interventions in the recovery from drug addiction.

Methodological Procedures: An exploratory qualitative study carried out in the city of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2004 and 2005. In-depth interviews were held with 85 former drug users who had turned to non-medical religious resources for the treatment of their drug addiction and who were free from drugs for at least six months.

From the first drug to crack: the sequence of drugs taken in a group of users in the city of São Paulo.

To identify a progression in drug use and influencing factors among crack users, a qualitative methodology was used for a more in-depth investigation, taking into consideration the view that the interviewee has of the problem. A long duration and a semi-structured interview was used; a purposeful sampling was outlined and a criterion sampling was achieved. Thirty-one crack users or ex-users were interviewed in order to reach theoretical saturation.

[Main reasons for non-use of illicit drugs by young population exposed to risk situations].

Objective: Although there are many studies on risk factors for drug use, little has been known about the reasons that prevent people away from drug use. The aim of this study was to identify the reasons that would prevent low-income youngsters against psychotropic drug experimentation and use, even when living in a drug dealing environment.

Methods: A qualitative study was carried out in an intentional sample selected according to a set of criteria.

[Progression on drug use and its intervening factors among crack users].

Objective: To establish a progression on drug use and its intervening factors among crack users.

Methods: A qualitative methodology was applied for an in-depth investigation, taking into consideration the interviewees' viewpoint of the problem. Long interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted.