São Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina
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Computerized data collection is an efficient process and well accepted by patients with different disorders. Although computer-based systems have been used to assess health status and quality of life in various areas of healthcare, there is a lack of studies to investigate the effectiveness of these instruments in Brazil. The aims here were to assess the usability of the Portuguese-language versions of the Personal Health Scale (PHS) and the Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI) in southern Brazil and to determine the correlation between these two questionnaires. ⋯ The computerized versions of the PHS and MQLI demonstrated efficient data collection patterns during the field survey trials. Health-related issues were significantly correlated with the overall experience of wellbeing and quality of life. The computerized versions of the PHS and MQLI are valid tools for research and clinical use in Brazil.
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Farmácia Dose Certa is a program available in the State of São Paulo that is a national reference for providing drugs free of charge to the population. Elderly people receiving care deserve special attention regarding drugs that are appropriate for their age group. The objective was to assess the drugs in the program considered to be inappropriate for the elderly. ⋯ The list of drugs available within the Farmácia Dose Certa program may be considered appropriate for the general population, but not completely for the elderly population. Adjusting this list to the pharmacological aspects of aging will reduce the risks of drug interactions, falls, mental confusion and excessive sedation that result from drugs that are considered inappropriate for consumption by elderly people.
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Previous studies have attempted to understand what leads physicians to label patients as 'difficult'. Understanding this process is particularly important for resident physicians, who are developing attitudes that may have long-term impact on their interactions with patients. The aim of this study was to distinguish between patients' self-rated emotional state (anxiety and depression) and residents' perceptions of that state as a predictor of patients being considered difficult. ⋯ Understanding what leads residents to label patients as having depression and anxiety problems may be a productive approach towards reducing perceived difficulty. Residents from distant cities may be more likely to find their patients difficult.
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Poison control centers play an essential role in caring for poisoned patients, albeit without secure funding for their activities. The aim here was to investigate differences in length of hospital stay among poisoned patients, between those who received remote assistance from a poison control center and those who did not. ⋯ Patients with remote assistance from a poison control center had a shorter length of stay then patients without this aid. The poison control center may have reduced the length of stay of the poisoned patients.
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Early detection of reduced insulin sensitivity (IS) and insulin resistance (IR) is desirable. The aim here was to evaluate correlations of anthropometric indicators for identifying IR or IS and determine the cutoff points of the most effective indicators. ⋯ The most promising indicators for showing IS among the NFPG individuals were BMI, WHtR and WC. Among the overweight women, WHtR demonstrated greater correlation with IR.