Oswaldo Cruz Foundation

About: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is a facility organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Trypanosoma cruzi. The organization has 18673 authors who have published 36752 publications receiving 802378 citations. The organization is also known as: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz & FIOCRUZ.

Desigualdades geográficas e sociais na utilizaçäo de serviços de saúde no Brasil

Abstract: O consumo de servicos de saude e funcao das necessidades e do comportamento dos individuos em relacao a seus problemas de saude, bem como das formas de financiamento e dos servicos e recursos disponiveis para a populacao. A Constituicao brasileira de 1988 estabelece o Sistema Unico de Saude (SUS) com base na institucionalizacao da universalidade da cobertura e do atendimento. O sistema foi implementado em 1990 e pode ser traduzido como igualdade de oportunidade de acesso aos servicos de saude para necessidades iguais. Este trabalho estuda a equidade no uso de servicos de saude a partir de duas dimensoes: a geografica e a social. Os dados utilizados sao de pesquisas realizadas em 1989 e 1996-1997, pelo IBGE. Para avaliar as desigualdades geograficas no consumo de servicos de saude foram calculadas taxas padronizadas de utilizacao de servicos. Comparou-se tambem a dimensao do gasto privado domiciliar com medicamentos e com planos de saude. Para avaliar as desigualdades sociais, estimou-se a razao de odds para tres grupos de renda e para as pessoas com e sem cobertura de plano de saude. Observou-se pequena reducao dos niveis de desigualdades no periodo analisado (1989-1996/1997), com o sistema de saude atual mantendo-se caracterizado por marcadas iniquidades.

Biomass Residues in Brazil: Availability and Potential Uses

Abstract: Agroindustrial and forestry residues, which are by-products of key industrial and economical activities, stand out as potential raw materials for the production of renewable fuels, chemicals and energy. The use of wastes is advantageous as their availability is not hindered by a requirement for arable land for the production of food and feed. In addition, waste utilization prevents its accumulation, which is of great environmental concern due to its potential for contamination of rivers and underground water. In Brazil, the agroindustry of corn (13767400 ha), sugarcane (7080920 ha), rice (2890930 ha), cassava (1894460 ha), wheat (1853220 ha), citrus (930591 ha), coconut (283205 ha), and grass (140000 ha) collectively occupies an area of 28840726 ha (FAOSTAT, http://www.faostat.fao.org/site/567/default.aspx#ancor) and generates 597 million tons of residue per year. By itself, this scale of operation calls for new solutions aiming for the appropriate utilization of these valuable resources. However, innovative dealings must be environmentally and economically acceptable and, most importantly, have social meaning. Indeed, great social benefits could draw from novel year-round activities as alternatives for the typical seasonal jobs in agroindustry. Considering the production of biomass ethanol, the abundance of feedstock near the site of processing must be taken into account, as low-density biomass involves significant handling and transportation costs. Within this context, the crushed stalk of sugar cane (bagasse) and straw are obvious choices, although bagasse is often burned for the production of steam (heat) and power/electricity in sugar-ethanol mills and important amounts of straw are needed to keep the soil nutrients balance. Other agricultural by-products of importance in Brazil, such as corn straw, wheat straw, rice straw and rice hulls, grass and forestry materials and residues from citrus, coconut and cassava processing, also deserve attention as local feedstock for the development of new and profitable activities. As each type of feedstock demands the development of tailor-made technology, the diversity of the aforementioned raw materials could allow for new solutions for the production of chemicals, fuels and energy in accordance with the local availability of these materials.

The assessment of adverse events in hospitals in Brazil.

Abstract: Objective. To evaluate the incidence of adverse events in Brazilian hospitals. Design. Retrospective cohort study based on patient record review. Setting. Three teaching hospitals in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Participants. Random sample (1103) of 27 350 adult patients admitted in 2003. Patients under 18 years old, psychiatric patients and patients whose length of stay was less than 24 hr were excluded, and obstetric cases were included. Main Outcome Measure(s). Incidence of patients with adverse events; proportion of preventable adverse events; number of adverse events per 100 patients and incidence density of adverse events per 100 patient-days. Results. The incidence of patients with adverse events was 7.6% (84 of 1103 patients). The overall proportion of preventable adverse events was 66.7% (56 of 84 patients). The incidence density was 0.8 adverse events per 100 patient-days (103 of 13 563 patient-days). The patient’s ward was the most frequent location of adverse events (48.5%). In regard to classification, surgical adverse events were the most frequent ones (35.2%). Conclusions. The incidence of patients with adverse events at the three hospitals was similar to that in international studies. However, the proportion of preventable adverse events was much higher in the Brazilian hospitals.