Innovations in health care services: The CAALYX system

Purpose: This paper describes proposed health care services innovations, provided by a system called CAALYX (Complete Ambient Assisted Living eXperiment). CAALYX aimed to provide healthcare innovation by extending the state-of-the-art in tele-healthcare, by focusing on increasing the confidence of elderly people living autonomously, by building on the knowledge base of the most common disorders and respective characteristic vital sign changes for this age group. Methods: A review of the state-of-the-art on health care services was carried out. Then, extensive research was conducted on the particular needs of the elderly in relation to home health services that, if offered to them, could improve their day life by giving them greater confidence and autonomy. To achieve this, we addressed issues associated with the gathering of clinical data and interpretation of these data, as well as possibilities of automatically triggering appropriate clinical measures. Considering this initial work we started the identification of initiatives, ongoing works and technologies that could be used for the development of the system. After that, the implementation of CAALYX was done. Findings: The innovation in CAALYX system considers three main areas of contribution: (i) The Roaming Monitoring System that is used to collect information on the well-being of the elderly users; (ii) The Home Monitoring System that is aimed at helping the elders independently living at home being implemented by a device (a personal computer or a set top box) that supports the connection of sensors and video cameras that may be used for monitoring and for interaction with the elder; (iii) The Central Care Service and Monitoring System that is implemented by a Caretaker System where attention and care services are provided to elders, where actors as Caretakers, Doctors and Relatives are logically linked to elders. Innovations in each of these areas are presented here. Conclusions: The ageing European society is placing an added burden on future generations, as the 'elderly-to-working-age-people' ratio is set to steadily increase in the future. Nowadays, quality of life and fitness allows for most older persons to have an active life well into their eighties. Furthermore, many older persons prefer to live in their own house and choose their own lifestyle. The CAALYX system can have a clear impact in increasing older persons' autonomy, by ensuring that they do not need to leave their preferred environment in order to be properly monitored and taken care of. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of green coffee oil and synthetic sunscreen for health care application

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Characteristics of physical activity programs in the Brazilian primary health care system

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Humanization of health care: a reflexive theoretical essay based on the philosophy of Emmanuel Lévinas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Knowledge and practice of women regarding cervical cancer in a primary health care unit

Objectives: evaluating the level of information about the examination of uterine cervical cancer and its association with sociodemographic variables in women of a health care unit in the city of Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study with 370 women aged 25 to 59, through structured interviews in their own homes; we used descriptive statistics and the χ2 test. Results: 40.5% of the women had not undergone the Papanicolaou test at the recommended frequency; 58.2% incorrectly defined the test, and 69.5% did not know about the risk factors for the development of cervical cancer; the knowledge about the test showed statistically significant association with schooling and family income of the studied population. Conclusions: women present deficiencies on the proper practice of the Papanicolaou test, on knowledge about the test, risk factors and prevention methods. Therefore, it is necessary to develop primary health actions for the most vulnerable population.

The Effect of a Community-Based, Primary Health Care Exercise Program on Inflammatory Biomarkers and Hormone Levels

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Physical inactivity of adults and 1-year health care expenditures in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The impact of physical activity on mitigation of health care costs related to diabetes mellitus: findings from developed and developing settings Diabetes mellitus and physical exercise

Over the last decades, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has been increasing globally such that nowadays the disease constitutes an important outcome related to early mortality among adults. In parallel with the high prevalence, healthcare costs related to DM treatment have increased significantly, exacerbating its burden on modern society. The scientific literature points out that obesity and physical inactivity have a central role in the development of most DM cases. In fact, either physical exercise practice or an increase in the level of physical activity, constitute relevant tools in the guidelines for treatment of the disease. On the other hand, the effect of physical activity on the economic consequences of DM is not completely clear. The identification of the actual burden of lifestyle changes on the reduction of healthcare costs related to DM is relevant, primarily for developing nations, where it could represent a cheaper strategy for treating the disease and its complications than paying for drug treatment, which is commonly related to collateral effects. That being said, the prevention of DM and other diseases and consequently the mitigation of the costs related to these outcomes seem to depend essentially on the promotion of healthy habits. The aim of the present review was therefore to discuss recent evidence on the effects of physical activity/exercise on mitigation of health care cost related to DM.

Apresentação e desfecho da febre reumática em uma série de casos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Different prescribed doses of high-volume peritoneal dialysis and outcome of patients with acute kidney injury.

The optimal dialysis dose for the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) is controversial. No studies have directly examined the effects of peritoneal dialysis (PD) dose on outcomes in AKI. From January 2005 to January 2007, we randomly assigned critically ill patients with AKI to receive higher- or lower-intensity PD therapy (prescribed Kt/Vof 0.8 and 0.5 per session respectively). The main outcome measure was death within 30 days. Of the 61 enrolled patients, 30 were randomly assigned to higher-intensity therapy, and 31, to a lower-intensity PD dose. The two study groups had similar baseline characteristics and received treatment for 6.1 days and 5.7 days respectively (p = 0.42). At 30 days after randomization, 17 deaths had occurred in the higher-intensity group (55%), and 16 deaths, in the lower-intensity group (53%, p = 0.83). There was a significant difference between the groups in the PD dose prescribed compared with the dose delivered (higher-intensity group: 0.8 vs. 0.59, p = 0.04; lower-intensity group: 0.5 vs. 0.49, p = 0.89). The groups had similar metabolic control after 4 PD sessions (blood urea nitrogen: 69.3 +/- 14.4 mg/dL and 60.3 +/- 11.1 mg/dL respectively, p = 0. 71). In critically ill patients with AKI, an intensive PD dose did not lower the mortality or improve the recovery of kidney function or metabolic control. The PD dose is limited by dialysate flow and membrane permeability, and clearance per exchange can decrease if a shorter dwell time is applied.

O significado para o enfermeiro do processo de trabalho na UTIS de um hospital universitário do estado de São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Enfermagem (mestrado profissional) - FMB

Gerenciamento dos resíduos de serviços de saúde da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva do Pronto Socorro do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu – UNESP

Health care waste (HCW) is the type of waste that results from activities performed in health care services during care provision to humans or animals. Presently, according to RDC 306/04, issued in 2004 by Anvisa, and Resolution no. 358/05, by CONAMA, waste groups have the following classification: Group A (biological waste), Group B (chemical waste), Group C (waste containing radionucleotides), Group D (common waste) and Group E (piercing and cutting waste). In Brazil, 149 tons of wastes are collected every day, and HCW corresponds to approximately 1% to 3 % of that total. An efficient way to adequately manage HCW is through the Health Care Waste Management Plan (HCWMP), and it is possible to reduce the risk posed by certain materials in addition to ensuring disposal in an ecologically correct and economical fashion. According to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the management process enables health care establishments to adequately manage waste. Hence, there is greater control and reduction in the health risks caused by infectious or special waste, in addition to facilitated recycling, treatment, storage, transport and final disposal of solid hospital waste in an environmentally safe fashion. To evaluate the management of HCW of Groups A and D from the Intensive Care Unit of the University Emergency Hospital - FMB - UNESP in the city of Botucatu according to the guidelines presently in force. The waste flow was followed up, and during four random days in the month of September 2011, waste was quantified by estimating daily and monthly values, according to its classification. : In 2011, the University hospital has produced an average of 57,676.8 kg/month of biological and common waste. By adding Groups A and D, during the four days, approximately 209.8 Kg of waste (202.2 Kg of Group A and 7.6 Kg of Group D) were produced in the establishment under study, which... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)