Journal of Human Growth and Development

Roux-en-y gastric bypass reduces body parameters but does not alter diet quality during six months follow-up

2023-06-19T14:33:29-03:00

Backgroung: the diet quality contributes for the success of weight loss treatment after bariatric surgery.

Objective: to evaluate weight loss, body parameters and diet quality during the short-term (6 months) follow-up of subjects undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB).

Methods: prospective and observational study, carried out with adult patients, of both sexes, submitted to RYGB. Weight, BMI, percentage of total weight loss (%TWL), waist circumference (WC), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and diet quality were evaluated before (T0), and approximately in the second (T1) and sixth month (T2) after RYGB. Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA or Friedman’s test, with 5% significance level.

Results: the final sample consisted of 18 patients, (89% female). %TWL was 16.2% at T1 and 26.7% at T2. There was a significant reduction in weight, BMI, WC, FM, FFM (p<0.001), in total daily calorie intake (p=0.017), and in total fat consumption (p=0.009) over the course of the evaluated moments. The diet was classified as low quality, mainly due to the low intake of cereals, roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, meat, eggs, milk and derivatives, not differing between the evaluated moments (p>0.05).

Conclusion: in the present study, despite adequate weight loss and reduction of body parameters, subjects submitted to RYGB showed a low diet quality during the follow-up, indicating the maintenance of inadequate eating habits.

Night eating syndrome among university students: are aspects of academic life associated with eating disorders?

2023-08-01T15:00:23-03:00

Introduction: the critical period in the lives of college adults implies lifestyle changes such as reducing physical activity and adopting unhealthy eating habits that can result in increased body fat. Thus, college students may represent a population at increased risk for Night Eating Syndrome.

Objective: to analyze aspects of university students’ academic life, work and housing that could be associated with Night Eating Syndrome.

Methods: cross-sectional study carried out with 900 students from Architecture, Engineering, Medicine and Psychology courses at a higher education institution located in Cajazeiras, Paraíba, Brazil. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection: the Night Eating instrument Questionnaire (NEQ) to quantify Night Eating Syndrome (NES) behaviors and a form for variables on demographic, health, academic life, work and housing aspects.

Results: the prevalence of NES determined by the NEQ≥25 score was 16.8%. In the Engineering course, the prevalence of NES was higher in women than in men, and in the Psychology course, it was higher in men than in women. Among students with a job and who lived at home, the prevalence of the syndrome was higher for those who worked in the afternoon and lower for those who worked at night.

Conclusion: the prevalence of NES found among Brazilian university students was high (16.8%), particularly in two situations: (1) being enrolled in an undergraduate course with a predominance of students of the other sex; and (2) live with parents and work in the afternoon. These observations may be helpful in identifying subpopulations of students at increased risk for eating disorders.

Measuring categorisation in pre-school children: new toolkit, new insights

2023-06-22T10:33:19-03:00

Introduction: whilst recent years have witnessed considerable research into infant categorisation, its development during the pre-school period has garnered far less interest and innovation.

Objective: this paper documents the development of a valid and reliable new toolkit for measuring categorisation in children, designed to allow fine-grained differentiation through four short tasks.

Methods: the paper outlines how a pilot study with 55 children reduced confounding variables, ruled out several explanations for performance variations and enabled procedural refinements. It then documents a study conducted with 190 children aged 30-60 months.

Results: this more sophisticated testing mechanism challenges previously accepted developmental norms and suggests both sex and socio-economic status (and their interaction) influence categorisational abilities in pre-schoolers.

Conclusion: the results indicate that preschool children’s ability to categorise varies markedly, with implications for their capacity to access formal education.

Validation of the regret coping scale for healthcare professionals (RCS-HCP) in portuguese for Brazil

2022-10-24T11:38:44-03:00

Introduction: the assessment of the ability to cope with regret can contribute to support strategies for health professionals. However, in Brazil there are few instruments that evaluate this ability in the general context.

Objective: the aim of the study was to adapt and validate the Regret Coping Scale for Healthcare Professionals (RCS-HCP) for Brazilian health professionals.

Methods: in the validation, the instruments were translated, and the psychometric properties evaluated for validity and reliability. Three hundred and forty-one professionals participated, with an average age of 38.6 ± 9.2, and 87 participated in a retest survey 30 days later.

Results: exploratory factor analysis showed adequacy of the structure (KMO = 0.786) composed of three factors. In the confirmation, the performance was close to acceptable. Reliability was good for the maladaptive strategies (α = 0.834) and adequate for the problem-focused strategies (α = 0.717), but slightly too low for adaptive strategies (α = 0.595). Test-retest showed lower than expected values, with a Spearman-Brown coefficient of 0.703.

Conclusion: the RCS-HCP scale showed satisfactory performance in relation to the properties evaluated.

Early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy and prophylaxis of diabetic foot

2023-02-23T22:11:05-03:00

Introduction: the diabetic foot is one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus. About 50% of non-traumatic amputations occur in these patients. In addition, it is an important public health problem and constitutes a chronic and complex metabolic disorder that is characterized by impaired metabolism of glucose and other complications in essential organs for the maintenance of life.

Objective: to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of diabetic neuropathy using the Michigan self-assessment and physical examination in type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

Methods: this is a cross-sectional study. The “Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instruments” classification was used to assess the degree of peripheral neuropathy, in which participants answered the questionnaire and were evaluated for the presence of foot lesions. All participants were stratified by the risk of developing foot ulcers according to the IWGDF protocol.

Results: the sample had 200 participants. Regarding the IWGDF classification, 23 patients were classified as moderate risk (11.50%) and 61 as high risk for developing foot ulcers (30.50%). Using a cutoff of 2.5 on the physical examination score to diagnose neuropathy, a sensitivity of 97.62% and a specificity of 47.41% were obtained. Using a score greater than or equal to 6 in the self-assessment for the diagnosis of neuropathy, a sensitivity of 50.00% and a specificity of 94.83% were found.

Conclusion: the association of the Michigan physical examination (high sensitivity) with self-assessment (high specificity) increases the accuracy for the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.

Transmission of moral values between generations of families in conditions of social and economic vulnerability

2023-06-22T16:21:29-03:00

Introduction: this study analysed the transmission of values between generations in groups of people in unfavourable economic and social conditions. It was carried out with grandparents, their children, and their grandchildren who are residents of a peripheral neighbourhood of the capital of São Paulo and live in restricted economic conditions and under the daily impact of violence. The study sought to determine how the passage of values between generations is processed, in view of the exposure to conditions of deprivation to which these people are subjected, while they carry the obligation to ensure the minimum for their children but do not have the necessary resources. This raises the question of how it is possible to affirm a notion of right and wrong within this social framework. The theoretical basis of this study was psychoanalysis, using the concepts of Identification, Ego Ideal, Ideal Ego, Oedipus, and the dynamics underlying the insertion of the father in the Oedipal triad.

Methods: interviews were conducted through group meetings to discuss issues related to morals. These discussions involved the three generational components of three families. Different arrangements were made that involved the same generational group in an initial meeting and, in another meeting, the mixture of different generations and different families responding to pre-established themes that involved moral dilemmas focused on the daily cultural and social life of these families.

Results: the grandfathers were ambiguous because they have a reference to a law of morals transcending space and time. Parents, realising the ambiguity of these grandparents in relation to reality, reformulate these moral questions, basing their convictions on a law that is established within the contingencies of everyday life and, therefore, changeable. The adolescent grandchildren perceive this ambiguity in the parents and in their speech.

Conclusion: There is greater identification of moral standards among grandchildren and grandparents than between children and parents. The interviewed parents were ambiguous in the way they act and speak, with the transgenerational reproduction model being more guided between grandchildren and grandparents than in the sequential temporal generational sequence.

Factors associated with clinical-functional vulnerability of elderly people from a Basic Health Unit

2022-08-28T21:46:23-03:00

Introduction: aging is a natural process that has been occurring at an accelerated pace and that, due to the physiological decline of systems, can lead to the appearance of vulnerabilities in the elderly.

Objective: to verify the socioeconomic factors, health conditions and lifestyle habits associated with the degree of Clinical-Functional Vulnerability of elderly people from the ESF São Vicente in Manhuaçu using the IVCF-20.

Method: cross-sectional, quantitative study, carried out with elderly people enrolled in the ESF São Vicente. For data collection, the IVCF-20 instrument was used for the degree of vulnerability and the data collection form for the general profile, life habits and health conditions. A chi -square test was performed to verify the association of independent variables with clinical and functional vulnerability.

Result: of the 255 seniors evaluated, 60% had low clinical and functional vulnerability, 22% moderate vulnerability and 18% high vulnerability. The mean age was 72 years ± 8 years, mostly female (62.5%), self-declared white (60%), married (56%), do not have a caregiver (89.5%), are retired (82%), have chronic diseases (78.5%), self-rated health as excellent/good (63.5%), practice religion (87%), leave home alone (82%) and 40% belong to the D/E social class. The variables associated with P >0.05 were low vulnerability, not having a caregiver, being black/brown, not being a pensioner, leaving home alone, not having a chronic disease, having an excellent/good perception of health .

Conclusion: it is of great importance to identify socioeconomic factors, lifestyle habits and vulnerability of the elderly in order to develop effective actions that maintain functionality and quality of life.

Nursing assistance systematization: understanding the care implementation process

2023-06-22T18:34:32-03:00

Introduction: the Systematization of Nursing Care is one of the main tools for the development and organization of services for nursing professionals, its application guides the planning of individualized care and focuses on the specific needs of each individual.

Objective: the study’s general purpose is to analyze primary health nursing care in light of the basic human needs theory.

Methods: this is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed in the city of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, with nurses from the Basic Family Health Units. As a method for organization and interpretation, we opted for the content analysis proposed by Bardin.

Results: the Systematization of Nursing Care is perceived by nurses as an instrument for organizing care, but in practice, they think it is focused on assistance directed to the use of ministerial protocols. In this context, it was also evidenced that they focus on aid for health problems and complaints, indicating the anamnesis as a phase of the implemented nursing process with the other stages focused on the diagnosis of the disease and specific interventions.

Conclusion: our findings showed that professionals in primary health care end up directing their care only to momentary complaints, failing to broaden their look as a whole. In this way, assistance occurs in a fragmented way, failing to meet the real needs of the population.

Working conditions of nursing professionals in the context of COVID-19

2023-06-22T17:32:19-03:00

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of hospitalizations and is responsible for increasing the workload of nursing professionals with a deficiency in human resources and personal protective equipment.

Objective: to analyze aspects related to the working conditions of Nursing professionals in the context of COVID-19.

Methods: documentary research recorded under narratives in the databases of the Federal Nursing Council, the Regional Nursing Councils of Espírito Santo and Pernambuco, the Federal Public University and Social Media.

Results: are presented and analyzed according to the categories: a) nursing work conditions, threatening the worker’s health and life; b) the autonomy of nurses in the full exercise of their profession and the cultural aspect of the dominant ideology; c) the Federal Nursing Council and the Regional Nursing Councils of Espírito Santo and Pernambuco as disciplining, normalizing, managing and controlling bodies for the professional practice of nursing.

Conclusion: the narratives found in this study demonstrate the precarious working conditions, exacerbated by the pandemic, and the role of nursing in coping with COVID-19.

Analysis of the perinatal mortality rate in the metropolitan region of grande Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, between 2008 and 2017

2023-06-22T18:08:53-03:00

Introduction: perinatal mortality is characterized by fetal deaths that occur after the 22nd week of management and neonatal deaths that precede six full days of life. This indicator has been a matter of concern and discussion on the part of entities and organizations involved in comprehensive health care for women and children.

Objective: to characterize perinatal deaths in the Metropolitan Region of Greater Vitória (RMGV) in Espírito Santo and identify associated maternal factors in the period between 2008 and 2017.

Methods: ecological and descriptive study with a quantitative approach, carried out in 2019 on perinatal mortality from 2008 to 2017 at RMGV. Data collection was performed by extracting data from the SIM, SINASC, IBGE databases of the Espírito Santo State Health Department, about perinatal deaths and associated maternal factors. The research respects the ethical precepts of resolution 466/12 of the National Health Council.

Results: the distribution of deaths did not occur homogeneously in the municipalities in the RMGV. The municipality of Vitória had the lowest perinatal mortality rates during the study period, on the other hand, in the comparative analysis between the different municipalities that make up the RMGV, the municipality of Fundão presents the worst scenario regarding perinatal mortality over the years. Regarding the underlying causes of death, it is noted that in this study, the three causes with the highest number of occurrences are complications of the placenta, umbilical cord and maternal affections, not necessarily related to the current pregnancy and intrauterine hypoxia.

Conclusion: there were no significant changes in mortality rates in the Metropolitan Region of Greater Vitória. However, the main deaths occurred in neighborhoods with greater socioeconomic inequalities. Maternal causes were highly representative of deaths, raising issues associated with the improvement of public health policies.

Predictors of Mortality and Functional recovery after severe traumatic brain injury: protocol for a prospective cohort study

2023-07-31T10:34:51-03:00

Introduction: traumatic brain injury is a global public health problem due to its severity and high rates of morbimortality worldwide. Identifying predictors associated with increased mortality and unfavorable functional outcomes after the traumatic brain injury event is crucial for minimizing morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, this study aims to establish a protocol to investigate the predictors of mortality and functional recovery after severe traumatic brain injury in Brazil.

Methods: The study will include all patients admitted for severe traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8) at the State Hospital of Urgency and Emergency, which is the referral trauma hospital of Espirito Santo. The outcomes of interest are hospital mortality and functional recovery 24 months after hospital discharge. Subjects will be followed up at seventy-two hours, three months, six months, twelve months, and twenty-four months after the trauma. Morbidity will be determined by assessing: 1) the level of motor and cognitive disability, 2) functional impairment and quality of life, and 3) aspects of rehabilitation treatment. Additionally, the traumatic brain injury load, estimated by the years of life lost, will be calculated.

Discussion: the results of this study will help identify variables that can predict morbidity and mortality, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, the findings will have practical implications for: 1) the development of public policies, 2) investments in hospital infrastructure 3) understanding the socioeconomic impact of functional loss in the individuals.

Study registration: the study received approval from the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Espirito Santo under protocol number 4.222.002 on August 18, 2020.

Clinical-epidemiological characterization of patients submitted to hemodialysis according to the national kidney foundation, the kidney disease outcomes quality initiative – KDOQI in a hemodialysis reference center in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil

2023-07-07T12:16:43-03:00

Introduction: hemodialysis is a treatment that helps in the survival of patients with renal failure, through an established cardiopulmonary bypass to carry out blood filtration, as a result, there is a need for a feasible, lasting and effective vascular access. There are two types of vascular access, arteriovenous fistulas, using autogenous veins or prostheses, and venous catheters. The indications for choosing the type of vascular access are related to the characteristics and restriction of use of each patient.

Objective: to analyze the epidemiological, demographic and clinical profile of patients undergoing hemodialysis in two reference services in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil, and compare the clinical-surgical processes with those defined by the Kidney Guidelines disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI).

Methods: data were collected in two public hospitals, with patients undergoing hemodialysis, through registration forms and medical records, from August to December 2016. The volunteers were informed about the procedures and objectives of the study and, after agreeing, they signed a consent form. The variables age, gender, weight, height, body mass index, hemodialysis time, types of accesses already used , complications related to the accesses and underlying disease were analyzed. Patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis of both genders, with no age restriction, were included. Patients not able to perform one of the techniques, arteriovenous fistula or catheter, were excluded . The collected data were compared with the Kidney guidelines disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI).

Results: a total of 252 individuals were included, of which 182 are patients undergoing reference hospital treatment in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, SP and 70 patients at the State University Hospital Mário Covas, a State reference in the clinical management of patients undergoing hemodialysis care.

Conclusion: chronic kidney disease is highly prevalent with progression to end-stage chronic kidney failure (dialysis). The definition of the epidemiological profile of the population undergoing treatment, as well as the journey of venous accesses for hemodialysis (catheters and fistulas), are fundamental for the multidisciplinary team’s learning curve about complications throughout the course of the disease/treatment. Furthermore, the clinical-surgical management of this population is in line with the guidelines of the National Kidney Foundation. The treatment performed in these hemodialysis centers is efficient and in line with what the KDOQI recommends.

Maternal obesity and its repercussions on melatonin and cortisol in breast milk and human colostrum

2023-05-09T19:11:43-03:00

Introduction: scientific evidence has highlighted the role of chronobiological disruptions in promoting obesity through mechanisms involving important circadian rhythm hormones: melatonin and cortisol. These hormones are present in human colostrum and serve as crucial maternal and child protection mechanisms against obesity and childhood infections, owing to the intense interaction between mother and child during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Consequently, the melatonin and cortisol hormones present in human colostrum hold promise as potential candidates for yielding clinically applicable results and supporting future intervention strategies aimed at reducing obesity and neonatal infections. However, there is a scarcity of literature on this subject.

Objective: the objective of this study is to to analyze the impact of maternal obesity on the levels and functions of melatonin and cortisol in colostrum and breast milk.

Methods: a systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted following the recommendations outlined in the PRISMA protocol. Original articles published in English were searched in the PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, and Scopus databases. There were no restrictions on the publication year.

Results: a total of 37 articles were identified from the searched databases. After removing duplicates and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only five studies were relevant to the topic: two studies addressing melatonin and three studies analyzing cortisol. This review revealed that melatonin levels are elevated in the colostrum of obese women, and for this particular group, it has the potential to restore phagocyte activity and increase lymphocyte proliferation. Studies on cortisol have demonstrated that maternal obesity does not alter the levels of this hormone in breast milk.

Conclusion: breastfeeding should be encouraged for all populations, and further original research should be conducted to elucidate the protective mechanisms of colostrum and breast milk.

Association Between Hormone Therapy and Weight Gain in the Menopause Transition and After Menopause: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2023-06-26T10:56:16-03:00

Objectives: to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to assess whether hormone therapy (HT) increases weight in women in the menopausal transition and after menopause.

Method: this article proposes an update to the systematic review published in 2005 by the Cochrane Library (Kongnyuy EJ et al 2005) with reference to studies assessing weight changes in women receiving HT from 1986 to 2005. Following PRISMA recommendations, we included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) ) from May 2005 onwards from Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane CENTRAL databases. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Two authors independently assessed the risk of biases in the selected studies.

Results: ten RCTs were included, totaling 2,588 HT users and 764 non-users. Different regimens, dosages, and routes of administration in HT users were analyzed and compared to non-users. The results did not show statistically significant differences for most of the HT regimens evaluated. There was significant weight gain only in patients using EEC alone at dosages of 0.45 mg/day and 0.3 mg/day when compared to placebo (p 0.01); as well as in patients receiving esto-progestative combinations of 0.5 mg/day 17-beta-estradiol (E2) + 100 mg/day progesterone, with a 0.7 kg weight increase (p 0.032). On the other hand, the combinations of 1 mg/day estradiol valerate + 3 mg/day drospirenone showed a -1.0 kg reduction (p = 0.04), whereas a -0.2 kg reduction (p = 0.001) was identified in patients using 1 mg /day estradiol (E) + 0.5 mg norethisterone acetate (NETA). Tibolone therapy showed no statistically significant changes in weight. After performing a meta-analysis, the comparative results between users and non-users showed that there was a slight weight increase (+0.279 kg ; CI -1.71 to 2.27) in patients using 0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) + 2.5 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). As for the patients receiving 2.5 mg/day Tibolone, weight gain (+0.670 kg; CI from -1.14 to 2.48) was also observed in them. However, these increases were not significant when compared to non-HT users.

Conclusions: most regimens studied showed that patients using HT in the menopausal transition and after menopause did not show significant weight gain. The only combination that showed weight gain was 0.5 mg/day 17-beta-estradiol (E2) + 100 mg/day progesterone observed, while there was weight reduction in patients using 1 mg/day estradiol valerate + 3 mg/day drospirenone and 1 mg/day estradiol (E) + norethisterone acetate.

Description of the scientific method for the preparation and validation of educational technologies in digital format: a methodological study

2023-05-19T15:25:29-03:00

Introduction: the use of digital technologies constitutes a process that allows the dynamization of the care process, based on aspects related to criticality and creativity. It is emphasized that the development of technologies must, therefore, be inserted in a context for changes and innovation in response to the population’s health demand, and must follow a precise methodological path that goes from the construction to the validation of the appearance, content and effect .

Objective: to describe the scientific method of elaboration and validation of educational technologies in digital format.

Methods: methodological study, conducted according to the following steps: development of the research project and submission to the Research Ethics Committee; data collection; elaboration of the content, script, illustrations and layout of the booklet; and validation of educational technology.

Results: the process of developing a technology requires methodological rigor, enabling coherence between theory and the purpose of the desired product, guaranteeing the internal quality of the developed technology. The use of educational technologies in health reinforces information, serving as a guide for guidelines regarding care and assisting in decision-making. Technological innovations in health, consists of a socio-technical process , permeated by professional and user reflections and experiences.

Final considerations: educational technologies represent a potential resource for the development of health education practices, encouraging greater interaction between professionals and users, and an active attitude regarding self-care actions related to their health condition.

Electronic cigarettes: a new social practice and the challenge of tobacco control policies

2023-07-26T15:08:58-03:00

Smoking is a chronic disease and is considered a serious public health problem and has been the target of many preventive and health promotion actions over time. The most consumed tobacco product among adults and young people is the conventional cigarette, however, the consumption of smokeless tobacco or other smoked tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes, has been observed on an increasing basis in the world. Electronic smoking devices (EFD), which have increasingly attracted the attention of young consumers, involve different equipment and technologies. Based on the precautionary principle, since 2009, Brazil has prohibited the sale, importation and advertising of all types of DEF that offer the replacement of cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipes and the like or that aim at an alternative to the treatment of smoking, through RDC n 46, of August 28, 2009. Even though it is prohibited in Brazil, the use of electronic cigarettes as an alternative is evident, revealing a new challenge to be faced by tobacco control policies. The knowledge gaps inherent to a new social practice, as well as the need to build references that contribute to better decision-making, whether in the scope of professional intervention or the management of public policies, with a view to protecting the health of the population, for itself already makes the expansion of knowledge about this theme relevant. However, it is necessary to understand that prevention, promotion and control actions must be understood in a transversal and interdisciplinary way, so that one can reflect on the processes that involve political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects that interact directly with the health process -illness. Thus, based on the problem presented and considering the relevance of the issue in question, as a field little faced in this area, it is emphasized that the expansion of investigations and the deepening of discussions about it, will allow a better understanding and visibility of the problem.