The relationship between users and health services is considered essential to strengthen the quality of care. However, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender population suffer from prejudice and discrimination in access and use of these services. This study aimed to identify the difficulties associated with homosexuality in access and utilization of health services. A systematic review conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, SciELO, and LILACS, considering the period from 2004 to 2014. The studies were evaluated according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criterias. Were included manuscripts written in English or Portuguese, articles examining the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender population’s access to health services and original articles with full text available online. The electronic databases search resulted in 667 studies, of which 14 met all inclusion criteria. Quantitative articles were predominant, showing the country of United States of America to be the largest producer of research on the topic. The studies reveal that the homosexual population have difficulties of access to health services as a result of heteronormative attitudes imposed by health professionals. The discriminatory attendance implies in human rights violations in access to health services. The non-heterosexual orientation was a determinant factor in the difficulties of accessing health care. A lot must still be achieved to ensure access to health services for sexual minorities, through the adoption of holistic and welcoming attitudes. The results of this study highlight the need for larger discussions about the theme, through new research and debates, with the aim of enhancing professionals and services for the health care of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons.

Background: Considered as a moment of psychological vulnerability, adolescence is remarkably a risky period for the development of psychopathologies, when the choice of the correct therapeutic approach is crucial for achieving remission. One of the researched therapies in this case is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The present study reviews the recent and classical aspects regarding ECT use in adolescents. Methods: Systematic review, performed in November 2012, conformed to the PRISMA statement. Results: From the 212 retrieved articles, only 39 were included in the final sample. The reviewed studies bring indications of ECT use in adolescents, evaluate the efficiency of this therapy regarding remission, and explore the potential risks and complications of the procedure. Conclusions: ECT use in adolescents is considered a highly efficient option for treating several psychiatric disorders, achieving high remission rates, and presenting few and relatively benign adverse effects. Risks can be mitigated by the correct use of the technique and are considered minimal when compared to the efficiency of ECT in treating psychopathologies.

To compare adolescent mothers living in four areas with different degrees of social exclusion in the city of Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, in terms of the mothers' schooling, the birth weight and gestational age of their babies, and the specific fertility rate of each of the four areas in 1998. An ecological cross-sectional study was carried out with 1 314 adolescent girls. The four areas analyzed had earlier been defined in the City of Santo André Social Exclusion/Inclusion Map. Area 1 had the highest exclusion index (worst socioeconomic conditions), and Area 4 the lowest exclusion index (best socioeconomic conditions). The data relating to the adolescent mothers and their children were collected from the National Live Birth Information System, and the socioeconomic data for Santo André were obtained from the State Data Analysis System Foundation, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and the city's Social Exclusion/Inclusion Map. Having little formal education was statistically associated with the poorest areas. Of the infants with a birthweight < 2,500 g, 76.8% of them were born in the two poorest areas of the city. The highest fertility rate (35.7 per 1,000 adolescents) was found in Area 1, the area with the worst socioeconomic conditions; the lowest fertility rate (12.1 per 1,000) was found in Area 4, the area with the best socioeconomic conditions. The proportion of births that were premature did not differ among the four areas (P = 0.81). The results showed that adolescent girls with little schooling and a lower socioeconomic level were more likely to give birth. Specific actions should be promoted to prevent pregnancy in this group and to foster the social inclusion of these adolescents and their children, providing them with opportunities to improve their socioeconomic situation.

The world has been dealing with Aids for forty years, covid-19 accentuated societal inequalities and promoted a rupture in care and prevention, including for people living with HIV. We compiled official HIV indicators, analyzed the impact of covid-19 in Brazil, at São Paulo State (SP), and compared it to the municipality of Santo André (in the state of São Paulo), which adopted linkage/retention strategies to mitigate the impact of covid-19. From 2019 to 2020, suppression/adhesion rates remained stable. The number of new treatments decreased both in Brazil (-19.75%) and São Paulo (-16.44%), but not in Santo André, where 80% of new patients started treatment within 30 days from their first TCD4 test (70% in São Paulo and 64% in Brazil). However, PrEP dispensing increased during this period. The distribution of 2,820 HIV self-tests in Santo André lead to only one documented new HIV diagnosis linked to care. Synergistic strategies to swiftly diagnose and connect new cases, ensuring retention as well as rescuing missing patients deserve priority in the fight against HIV, especially in times of covid-19.

Tendo em vista os problemas inerentes à atenção primária a saúde, o Governo Federal implantou o “Programa mais médicos para o Brasil” em busca de melhoria na assistência e do acesso á atenção primária a saúde com vistas de proporcionar qualidade de vida aos usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS através da prevenção e promoção da saúde. Este estudo visou identificar os impactos causados pela implementação do Programa Mais Médicos em um município do sertão central nordestino. O estudo foi constituído a partir da análise estatística dos indicadores registrados no Sistema de informação da Atenção Básica SIAB. Os dados foram processados no software Stata®, na versão 11.0, onde, a partir da análise estatística descritiva, os resultados foram analisados e apresentados em tabelas. O estudo identificou que a partir da implementação do Programa Mais Médicos houve um aumento considerável no número de consultas e atendimentos realizados pelos médicos, tendo destaque os atendimentos prestados aos pacientes portadores de tuberculose e hanseníase e impacto nas solicitações dos exames complementares que sofreu uma queda bastante considerável. Outro ponto identificado é o aumento de visitas domiciliares. Pode se realizar uma análise de forma geral de melhoria dos indicadores da saúde no município depois do programa mais médicos implantado segundo resultados estatísticos apresentados.

Esse artigo tem como objetivo apresentar alguns apontamentos sobre a relação público e privado na organização e prestação de serviços primários em saúde no contexto das políticas atuais do Sistema Único de Saúde. O debate público e privado na saúde tomou fôlego no contexto do movimento de reforma do Estado a partir de 1980, apresentando concepções que questionam o papel do Estado na execução direta de bens sociais, em que foi criticada sua eficiência para operar os serviços públicos. Nessa perspectiva, as instituições sem fins lucrativos colocaram-se como agentes sociais privilegiados para assumir essa função em parceria com o Poder público. Nos sistemas nacionais de saúde a atenção primária tem sido historicamente responsabilidade direta do Estado. Contudo, no contexto das reformas aparecem proposições para a flexibilização a centralidade estatal, passando para o setor privado a função de viabilizar os serviços primários. No Brasil, essa questão surgiu fortemente a partir de 1990 com a estratégia saúde da família, na contratação de profissionais, através de parcerias entre o Poder público e entidades filantrópicas e sem fins lucrativos, possibilitando sua implantação e ampliação, particularmente nos grandes centros urbanos. O estado de São Paulo tem acumulado vasta experiência na articulação público e privado em saúde, particularmente, na atenção básica, através das organizações sociais. Faz-se necessário qualificar o debate da relação público-privado, em especial, na política da atenção básica em saúde, reconhecendo possibilidades e limites da atuação do setor não estatal.