Biomedical subjects

Suzana Alves de Moraes

Publications and source records attributed to Suzana Alves de Moraes.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[Prevalence of overweight and obesity, and associated factors in school children from urban area in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico, 2004].

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence rates for overweight and obesity among Mexican schoolchildren, identifying factors associated with the outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample consisting of 700 schoolchildren. Prevalence rates were calculated according to age and gender, and odds ratios were estimated by point and intervals, using multivariate logistic regression. Overweight and obesity prevalence were 28.1% and 13.7%, respectively. Risk factors for overweight were: mother's schooling (in years); eating while studying or watching TV; scores for risk food items > or = 12 points; sedentary activities > or = 1.6 hours/day, and birth weight > or = 2,890 grams. Obesity risk factors were similar to those related to overweight. Higher frequency of sport activities was detected as a protective factor in both outcomes. The associated factors for overweight and obesity highlighted the focus for health programs to prevent chronic diseases in this population, for which risk factors can already be identified in childhood.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

[Low-income senior citizens in the Municipality of São Carlos, São Paulo State, Brazil: an epidemiological survey].

This study focuses on the health profile of the elderly population in Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, in 2003. The study population consisted of a sample over 60 years of age (n = 523) registered with the Family Health Program and the Unified National Health System. Point and interval prevalence of disabilities and chronic non-communicable diseases and cognitive status were estimated (95%CI). The study population was predominantly female with low education; 24.8% lacked any kind of retirement pension; 43.6% presented a low level of social integration; 46.7% required some form of help for 1 to 3 routine activities; 74.9% presented 1 to 5 chronic non-communicable diseases; and 56.2% scored under 24 on a cognitive test. Some 87.0% had sought health care and 22.4% required some kind of inpatient care. The results confirmed the need for improved professional training, adequacy of health services, and effective public policy to provide qualified health care for the elderly population.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Assessment of the techniques of blood pressure measurement by health professionals.

OBJECTIVE: To assess blood pressure measurement by health professionals of a public hospital in S o Paulo State. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and direct observation were performed with a verification list according to the criteria reported by Perloff et al. One hundred and five health professionals took part in the study. After measuring blood pressure, the level of concordance between the way the procedure was performed and the recommended one was assessed. RESULTS: Nurses and nurse's aides abided by 40% of the recommended procedures for adequate blood pressure measurement. The other categories of health professionals (nursing and medicine teachers, physicians, residents, and nursing students) abided by approximately 70%. CONCLUSION: Permanent educational activities aiming at standardizing blood pressure measurement should be implemented among the different categories of health professionals.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Relation between cognitive function and mortality in middle-aged adults: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

An independent, inverse association between cognitive function and all-cause mortality has been reported in elderly cohorts. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the same association exists in middle-aged persons. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study is a cohort study initiated in 1987 to investigate the development of atherosclerosis in middle-aged persons. Three cognitive function measures were included in the second cohort examination conducted from 1990 to 1992 when the participants were aged 48-67 years: the Delayed Word Recall Test (DWRT), the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) (a subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised), and the Word Fluency Test from the Multilingual Aphasia Examination. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine whether all-cause mortality ascertained through 1997 was associated with each measure after adjustment for sociodemographic, biologic, psychologic, and behavioral risk factors. Without adjustment, there was a significantly lower mortality hazard associated with higher scores on all three measures. After covariate adjustment, the hazard ratios for the DWRT and the DSST remained significant (hazard ratio1-point DWRT score increment = 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.84, 0.97; hazard ratio 7-point DSST score increment = 0.86, 95% confidence interval: 0.80, 0.93). Cognitive function measured in middle age appears to have prognostic importance for life expectancy similar to that reported in elderly adults.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Cognitive functioning as a predictor of ischemic stroke incidence.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have suggested that cognitive impairment is related to subsequent stroke incidence. The present study investigated the role of cognitive impairment as a predictor of ischemic stroke incidence in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. METHODS: The study population consisted of 11,958 men and women 48-67 years of age in 4 U.S. communities, followed from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1997. Cognitive performance was evaluated at the second (1990-1992) visit of the ARIC Study using 3 instruments. We identified incident strokes by means of hospital record and death certificate reviews, as well as annual telephone follow up. RESULTS: We found no consistent associations or trends between any of the cognitive test results and ischemic stroke incidence after multiple adjustment for confounding variables. Hazard ratios for the lowest compared with the highest quartiles were 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.9-2.6), 1.1 (95% CI = 0.6-2.1), and 1.0 (95% CI = 0.6-1.8) for the Delayed Word Recall Test, Digit Symbol Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, and Word Fluency Test, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study of relatively young subjects did not replicate the association between cognitive impairment and stroke incidence found in studies in older populations. This could be the result of the younger ages of our cohort members or the differences in cognitive tests.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

The relationship between temporal changes in blood pressure and changes in cognitive function: atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study.

BACKGROUND: Although previous epidemiological studies have reported that hypertension is a major risk factor for decline in brain perfusion and atrophy, which are known to be related to cognitive decline, the impact of temporal changes in blood pressure on age-related cognitive declines has not been assessed. METHODS: The present study evaluates changes in blood pressure and cognitive decline over a 6-year period in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. This report is based on 8,058 men and women aged 48-67 years examined in the second (1990-92), and fourth (1996-98) ARIC cohort visits. Changes between these visits were measured in hypertension status and three cognitive function tests: Delayed Word Recall (DWR), the Digit Symbol Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (DSS/WAIS-R), and the Word Fluency (WF). Adjusted mean differences in cognitive function were compared among five categories of hypertension status by using linear regression modeling. RESULTS: In the present study, older subjects with uncontrolled hypertension had a significantly larger mean DSS/WAIS-R score decline than normotensive subjects. Although other cognitive declines did not achieve statistical significance, both cross-sectional and change analysis suggested that partially controlled or uncontrolled hypertension is associated with a less favorable cognitive profile, particularly when considering results of the DSS and the WF tests. CONCLUSIONS: The present study results provide some support to the hypothesis that hypertension status changes over 6 years in individuals initially aged 48-67 years are related to cognitive changes.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Trends in Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in Brazil in children under five years of age from 1983 through 2002].

The study was based on an ecological design using a historical time series (1983-2002), related to Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis in Brazil. Incidence, mortality and case-fatality rates, as well as trends in incidence and morbidity-mortality were estimated in children less than 5 years of age. Polynomial regression analysis was used to analyze trends, adopting a significance level of 0.05. 43.9% of confirmed cases occurred in infants less than 1 year old and 38.7% in children 1-4 years old. The observed rates were also highest in these two age strata. The incidence and mortality rates showed an increasing trend, until approximately 1999, when a quick decline was observed. The study results reinforce the effectiveness of the Vaccination Program against HIB in Brazil, which benefited age ranges that did not receive the vaccine (Herd Immunity).

Age Distribution↗