Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: The evaluation of services is relevant, since it allows the planning of health care actions. Objective: This study aims to evaluate Primary Attention to Health Care through the PCATool - Brazil (professional health version) instrument, applied to primary health care teams of the municipality of Lajeado, headquarters of the 16th Regional Health Coordination of Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 54 professionals in the basic health care units, who answered the PCATool instrument - Brazil. Results: The General Score, measured through the average of the Essential Score and the Derived Score, exceeded the cut-off point of 6.6. The average score for the Essential Score was 6.66, while the average for the Derived Score was 7.60. Conclusion: In general, the teams have a high degree of orientation towards Primary Attention to Health Care, although two essential attributes have indicators that need to be improved.

Introduction: Chronic diseases constitute a serious public health problem, characterized by an uncertain aetiology, multiple risk factors, long periods of latency, prolonged course, non-infectious origin and association with disability and functional disability. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and distribution of major risk factors and protection for chronic diseases in the adult population, stratified by sex and age group in Itajaí, Santa Catarina. Methods: The sample consisted of 432 adults, aged 20-59 years between July/2013 and June/2014. A questionnaire was applied, consisting of risk and protection factors for chronic noncommunicable diseases. Results: The sample comprised 48.4% men and 51.6% women with predominant age group 20-39 years (56.2%), being married and/or cohabiting (70.4%) and education level of up to eleven years (46.3%). Regarding risk factors, compared with the national and state data, men and women had significant higher prevalence rates respectively for smoking (22.5%; 17.0%); consumption of sodas or artificial juice (45.5%; 34.5%), whole milk (72.3%; 70.9%), meat with visible fat (58.4%; 49.3%), obesity (24.2%; 21.3%) and negative self-assessed health (19.1%; 30.9%). With regard to protective factors and significant higher values for the regular consumption of fruits and vegetables (51.2%; 70.4%) and lower for the recommended consumption of fruits and vegetables (9.6%; 16.1%), beans (46.9%; 40.4%) and physical activity during leisure time (30.1%; 39.0%). Conclusions: The results showed that the highest prevalence of risk factors for chronic diseases is related to triad inadequate food intake, physical inactivity and smoking, specially the high proportions of negative self-rated health.

Objective: To compare the presence and extension of attributes that are considered essentials and derived from Primary Health Care (PHC) in Health Care Units (HCU) localized in the eastern region of the city of São Paulo, that work under the optic of Family Health Strategy (FHS) and the ones that do not, called traditional units. Methods: All the physicians, nurses and dentists, hired by the PHC Santa Marcelina institution, who work in these HCU were invited to participate in the study. The data collection was realized by the use of PCATool. Results: The results indicate a better performance of the HCU with FHCS with respect to the PHC attributes such as longitudinality (p=0.0330), integrality (of services offered) (p=0.0011), community orientation (p=0.0017) and consequently in the essential score (0.0327) and in general (0.0098). The scores lead us to infer that the work process in the FHCS offers a better setting for the development of these attributes. Conclusion: It can thus be concluded that HCU with FHCS aggregate more quality to Primary Health Care.

Objetive: This paper aims to discuss e-Health and Primary Care concepts and correlations, considering current context of healthcare and health information technology in Brazil. Methods: Conceptual literature regarding to Primary Care and health information technology was selected and discussed. Results: Brazilian public health system has delivered cost-effective primary care over the last 20 years and recently a similar movement is being observed at private sector. Additionally, there is a expanding adoption of health information technology, which resources can be use to develop all core attributes of Primary Care. Conclusions: The e-Health utilization in Primary Care has potencial to improve health and reduce costs. A clear specific national policy, broad discussion over current regulation and a closer relationship between health professionals and information technology developers are needed to offer cost-effective e-Health aligned to Primary Care atributes.

Introduction: The Ministry of Health included the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the basic immunization calendar in 2014 with the aim to vaccinate at least 80% of adolescents aged 11-13 years old. Objectives: Faced with poor adherence to the national campaign of vaccination against HPV in Maringa, State of Parana, in 2014, this study aimed to: 1) identify the level of knowledge of adolescents about the virus and the vaccine; and 2) describe the reasons why they did not vaccinate. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study, a household survey with descriptive design, conducted with 58 adolescents who did not take the first and/or second dose of the vaccine within the period stipulated by the vaccination campaign of 2014. For data collection, a questionnaire was applied through face to face interviews. Results: 86% of teens have heard of the virus, 74% know that its transmission is sexual, 49% know their relationship with cervical cancer and 88% have heard of the vaccine. Most of the interviewed girls didn’t vaccinate due to their parents’ refusal Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that lack of knowledge about HPV infection and the vaccination campaign among the respondents and their parents, as well as the fear of vaccine side effects, as pointed out by the study population, interfered negatively in the decision making.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze trends in admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) in Novo Hamburgo, comparing it with the rest of the Rio Grande do Sul State, and relating it to the investments in health and the Family Health Strategy (FHS) coverage in the city, from 1998 to 2012. Methods: We conducted an ecological study. Data were obtained from the Unified Health System’s Hospital Database (SIH-SUS). The causes of ACSC were based on a national list published by the Ministry of Health. ACSC tendencies in Novo Hamburgo and the rest of the Rio Grande do Sul State were analyzed by means of their standardized rates, based on moving averages every three years, and Negative Binomial Regression. Correlation analysis was performed between the variables of interest. Results: Despite an increase of 329.26% in financial investments and the expansion of FHS coverage in the period, reaching 20.20% of the population, there was no decrease in ACSC rate trends in Novo Hamburgo. In the rest of Rio Grande do Sul, there was a reduction in ACSC, however, the rates were higher than in Novo Hamburgo during the same period. Conclusion: Although this study found no association between the decrease in ACSC rates and increased coverage for FHS, increase financial investment in health, financial investment in primary care and per capita spending on health, there is evidence that they are correlated. Probably the FHS coverage was not enough to impact the ACSC.

The discussion that was raised in Central Europe about the expediency of maintaining the obligatory nature of 'primado' of civil marriage, offers new reflections about the relationship between the form of marriage and its structural basic elements, like heterosexuality. From the study of civil marriage laws in Austria, it is concluded that for the respecte of the religious forms of celebration of marriage it seems better the foundation in religious liberty of the contracting parties than in the institutional point of view. Luther's doctrine considers marriage a civil question. The evangelicals accept the marriage regulations established by the secular authority if the elements of natural marriage are respected. German civil law has not called to homosexual marriages. If the civil norms of marriage separate from the common elements of natural marriage, the Lutheran evangelicals will be obliged to influence more efficiently in the rules of civil marriage or impel a change towards a system of elective marriage.

Islamic Law os Sharia is the legal system by which the community of Muslim faithful is ruled. Its origins date back to the 6th century, when Islam is born. Its sources are the Coran (sacred book that contains the divine message), the Sunna (reports on the sayings and conduct of Muhammad) and the fik (group of laws created by the interpretation of the aforementioned ones). It is erroneous to identify this religious Law and the legal systems of the Muslim countries. One of the objectives of the Islamist movements is to return to the Sharia, but adapted to the present historical moment. Because of its personal nature, the Sharia precepts might come into conflict with the ones on the territorial legal systems, just as it has happened in relation to Muslim veil. To this one refers the Sharia in different sections, but it does it ambiguously, without affirm clearly its obligatory character.

This paper on Comparative law analyses public security as a limit to the exercise of the religious freedom. The question is focused on a concrete social environment: the Canadian public schools. For that goal a Sentence of the Supreme Court of Canada, is taken into account. This decision authorizes the use of an aspect of religious adscription -kirpan-, potentially detrimental, item by of a student belonging to a religious denomination: sikh. From a critical point of view, the findings of the Sentence are analysed and placed in relation to the Spanish constitutional doctrine referred to the limits of the exercise of the right to religious freedom.