Ability for self-care and its association with sociodemographic factors of people with spinal cord injury

This study aimed to verify the association between self-care ability and sociodemographic factors of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). It was a cross-sectional study, conducted in 2012, in all 58 Basic Health Units of Natal/RN, Brazil. Seventy-three subjects completed a sociodemographic form andSelf-Care Agency Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS,including Cronbach’s Alpha, Chi-square, Fisher’s and contingency coefficient tests. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.788. The result verified that sex (p = 0.028), religion (p <0.001), education (p = 0.046), current age (p = 0.027), SCI time (p = 0.020) and the SCI type (p = 0.012) were variables associated with self-care ability of the subjects. It was concluded that sociodemographic factors may interfere with the self-care ability of persons with SCI, and nurses should consider this aspect during the execution of the nursing process.

Virtual Guide On Ocular Self-Examination To Support The Self-Care Practice For People With HIV/AIDS

Objetivou-se descrever processo de desenvolvimento da cartilha virtual sobre autoexame ocular para pessoas com HIV/aids. A proposta metodológica seguiu as cinco etapas preconizadas por Falkembach: análise e planejamento, modelagem, implementação, avaliação e distribuição. A adequação da versão impressa para virtual requereu a construção de um vídeo tutorial, agregação de fotos ilustrativas para visualização de possíveis alterações oculares e ferramenta de interatividade com demonstração do resultado do exame ao usuário. Na avaliação inicial do material, foram diagnosticadas falhas no layout. Assim, comandos foram recolocados, unificados, dispostos em local de fácil visualização e foi feita a adequação da linguagem. Considera-se possível promover aproximação do usuário com métodos de prevenção na área da saúde ocular por meio de cartilha virtual, contribuindo para desenvolvimento de habilidades e divulgação do autoexame.


The network social support experience of people involved in home care

Objective: To build a theoretical model to configure the network social support experience of people involved in home care. Method: A quantitative approach research, utilizing the Grounded Theory method. The simultaneous data collection and analysis allowed the interpretation of the phenomenon meaning The network social support of people involved in home care. Results: The population passive posture in building their well-being was highlighted. The need of a shared responsibility between the involved parts, population and State is recognized. Conclusion: It is suggested for nurses to be stimulated to amplify home care to attend the demands of caregivers; and to elaborate new studies with different populations, to validate or complement the proposed theoretical model.


The influence of institutionalization on the perception of autonomy and quality of life in old people

Objective To evaluate the influence exercised by institutionalization on the autonomy and perception of quality of life among the institutionalized elderly. Method The study is quasi-experimental (interrupted time series) and longitudinal. The sample is composed for 104 elderly people who went into a three nursing home in Santander, Spain. To assess the quality of life and dependence two scales were used: the Barthel Index and Lawton Index. Results There was an important relationship between autonomy and independence and their deterioration due to their institutionalisation, such as the physical and social aspects. Conclusion It´s important to point out that the dependence of the elderly is a complex phenomenon, which admits many types of intervention, including the customary ones referring to more classic welfare actions which tend to supplant the absence of autonomy in everyday life by facilitating services and attention to make up for this need, without having to resort to institutionalization.

Access, equity and social cohesion: evaluation of intersectoral strategies for people experiencing homelessness

Objective To understand and evaluate the work of intersectoral assistance on the insertion and the flow of people in situation of street with severe mental illness in public services of Mental Health. Method A case study developed from ten visits to a night shelter between March and April 2012. For data collection, the participant observation and semi-structured interviews were carried out with four sheltered individuals, as well as non-directive group interviews with five technicians of the social-assistance services. Results Were analyzed using Content Analysis and developing a Logic Model validated with the professionals involved. Conclusion The social assistance services are the main entry of this clientele in the public network of assistance services, and the Mental Health services have difficulty in responding to the specificities of the same clientele and in establishing intersectoral work.


Instrument for evaluating care given by undergraduate nursing students to people with wounds

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present the process of construction and validation of an instrument for evaluating the care provided to people with wounds, to be used with undergraduate nursing students. METHOD Methodological study, with quantitative approach, using the Delphi technique in two rounds, the first with 30 judges and the second with 18. The analysis was made with Kappa coefficient ≥0.80, and content validity index greater than >0.80, also using the Wilcoxon test for comparison of the indices between the rounds. RESULTS It was found that of the 20 categories of the instrument, 18 presented better scores in the second Delphi round. Scores were greater in the second round in seven of the ten evaluation categories. CONCLUSION Based on the evaluation by the judges, a version of the instrument was defined with adequate indices of agreement and validity, which will be able to help in evaluating care of people with cutaneous injury given by undergraduate nursing students.

Accelerated ageing like a vigour test to diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. Allem

This work established the adequate temperature and the period of exposition for the accelerated ageing test with diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva from an area of the Cerrado in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Before and after the ageing, at the temperatures of 40ºC, 41ºC, 42ºC and 45ºC combined with periods of 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 hours, the water content and germination were evaluated. For each treatment, 12g of diasporas in mini chambers with 40 mL of distilled water were submitted to the accelerated ageing test. A total of 100 diasporas, divided into four replications, in plastic boxes, on two sheets of blotting paper, in germinator at 25ºC and 8 hours of photoperiod were germinated. In all treatments the content of water of the aged diasporas was superior to 20% and this value stabilized itself between 25% and 28%, from the 18 hours of exposition. Independently of the tested periods, the ageing at the temperatures of 40ºC, 41ºC and 42ºC did not affect the germination. After the ageing at 45ºC, the germination did not differ among the periods of 12, 18 and 24 hours of exposition, but in all these periods it was inferior to the control and superior to the periods of 30 and 36 hours. In these last two periods, fungi were observed. The accelerated ageing of diasporas of Myracrodruon urundeuva should be conducted at the temperature of 45ºC, during the exposition periods of 12 to 24 hours.

Detection of renal dysfunction based on serum creatinine levels in a Brazilian community: the Bambuí Health and Ageing Study

There are few population-based studies of renal dysfunction and none conducted in developing countries. In the present study the prevalence and predictors of elevated serum creatinine levels (SCr > or = 1.3 mg/dl for men and 1.1 mg/dl for women) were determined among Brazilian adults (18-59 years) and older adults (>60 years). Participants included all older adults (N = 1742) and a probabilistic sample of adults (N = 818) from Bambuí town, MG, Southeast Brazil. Predictors were investigated using multiple logistic regression. Mean SCr levels were 0.77 ± 0.15 mg/dl for adults, 1.02 ± 0.39 mg/dl for older men, and 0.81 ± 0.17 mg/dl for older women. Because there were only 4 cases (0.48%) with elevated SCr levels among adults, the analysis of elevated SCr levels was restricted to older adults. The overall prevalence of elevated SCr levels among the elderly was 5.09% (76/1494). The prevalence of hypercreatinemia increased significantly with age (chi² = 26.17, P = 0.000), being higher for older men (8.19%) than for older women (5.29%, chi² = 5.00, P = 0.02). Elevated SCr levels were associated with age 70-79 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-4.42), hypertension (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.34-6.92), use of antihypertensive drugs (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.26-4.82), chest pain (OR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.31-8.74), and claudication (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.30-9.09) among men, and with age >80 years (OR = 4.88, 95% CI: 2.24-10.65), use of antihypertensive drugs (OR = 4.06, 95% CI: 1.67-9.86), physical inactivity (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.11-4.02) and myocardial infarction (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.58-9.62) among women. The prevalence of renal dysfunction observed was much lower than that reported in other population-based studies, but predictors were similar. New investigations are needed to confirm the variability in prevalence and associated factors of renal dysfunction among populations.

Effect of a single tetanus-diphtheria vaccine dose on the immunity of elderly people in São Paulo, Brazil

Epidemiological data regarding tetanus and diphtheria immunity in elderly people in Brazil are scarce. During the First National Immunization Campaign for the Elderly in Brazil in April 1999, 98 individuals (median age: 84 years) received one tetanus-dyphtheria (Td) vaccine dose (Butantan Institute, lot number 9808079/G). Inclusion criteria were elderly individuals without a history of severe immunosuppressive disease, acute infectious disease or use of immunomodulators. Blood samples were collected immediately before the vaccine and 30 days later. Serum was separated and stored at -20ºC until analysis. Tetanus and diphtheria antibodies were measured by the double-antigen ELISA test. Tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations lower than 0.01 IU/mL were considered to indicate the absence of protection, between 0.01 and 0.09 IU/mL were considered to indicate basic immunity, and values of 0.1 IU/mL or higher were considered to indicate full protection. Before vaccination, 18% of the individuals were susceptible to diphtheria and 94% were susceptible to tetanus. After one Td dose, 78% became fully immune to diphtheria, 13% attained basic immunity, and 9% were still susceptible to the disease. In contrast, 79% remained susceptible to tetanus, 4% had basic immunity and 17% were fully immune. Although one Td dose increases immunity to diphtheria in many elderly people who live in Brazil, a complete vaccination series appears to be necessary for the prevention of tetanus.

Sleep, ageing and night work

Studies have shown that the frequency or worsening of sleep disorders tends to increase with age and that the ability to perform circadian adjustments tends to decrease in individuals who work the night shift. This condition can cause consequences such as excessive sleepiness, which are often a factor in accidents that occur at work. The present study investigated the effects of age on the daytime and nighttime sleep patterns using polysomnography (PSG) of long-haul bus drivers working fixed night or day shifts. A total of 124 drivers, free of sleep disorders and grouped according to age (<45 years, N = 85, and ≥45 years, N = 39) and PSG timing (daytime (D) PSG, N = 60; nighttime (N) PSG, N = 64) participated in the study. We observed a significant effect of bedtime (D vs N) and found that the length of daytime sleep was shorter [D: <45 years (336.10 ± 73.75 min) vs N: <45 years (398 ± 78.79 min) and D: ≥45 years (346.57 ± 43.17 min) vs N: ≥45 years (386.44 ± 52.92 min); P ≤ 0.05]. Daytime sleep was less efficient compared to nighttime sleep [D: <45 years (78.86 ± 13.30%) vs N: <45 years (86.45 ± 9.77%) and D: ≥45 years (79.89 ± 9.45%) and N: ≥45 years (83.13 ± 9.13%); P ≤ 0.05]. An effect of age was observed for rapid eye movement sleep [D: <45 years (18.05 ± 6.12%) vs D: ≥45 years (15.48 ± 7.11%) and N: <45 years (23.88 ± 6.75%) vs N: ≥45 years (20.77 ± 5.64%); P ≤ 0.05], which was greater in younger drivers. These findings are inconsistent with the notion that older night workers are more adversely affected than younger night workers by the challenge of attempting to rest during the day.

Alterations in the lipid and soluble sugar content of melanoxylon brauna seeds during natural and accelerated ageing

The decay of seeds is irreversible and at best can only be delayed by applying techniques that reduce the velocity of the metabolic reactions involved. There is little information on the biochemistry of tropical forest tree seeds related to their storability. It was investigated the influence of the composition of lipids and soluble sugars of two storage compartments, the cotyledons and the embryonic axis, of Melanoxylon brauna Schot. (Leguminosae- Caesalpinioideae), a hardwood known as black brauna, seeds stored at 20 ºC for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months (natural ageing) and for 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours at 40 ºC (accelerated ageing). The levels of fatty acids and monosaccharides varied differentially in each of the embryo storage compartments. Changes in oligosaccharide levels were similar for both types of ageing, diminishing in both compartments. Ageing can be attributed to the significant decrease of oligosaccharides and the increase of glucose in both types of ageing and both embryo compartments.