South Health and Policy (Journal)
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Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an-HIV prevention strategy and its effects on rates of other STIs: a literature review
No full textBackground: This study evaluates the effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV and its impact on sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates. While PrEP has been highly effective in reducing HIV transmission, its association con increased STI rates has generated debate in the scientific community. Material and methods: A systematic literature review was conducted, drawing from databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, using MeSH-adapted keywords. A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria, con a qualitative analysis conducted to identify patterns in the findings. Results: PrEP has proven effective in preventing HIV in high-risk populations, such as men who have sex con men (MSM) and transgender individuals. However, some studies report an increase in STIs due to a decrease in condom use among PrEP users. Conclusion:PrEP is a crucial tool for HIV prevention, but its use should be accompanied by educational strategies to reduce STI risk. This analysis highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual health prevention.
Covid-19: Telework, symptomatology and visual alterations. Agrofood company. Venezuela. 2021-2023
No full textDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking was implemented as an organizational strategy without evaluating the conditions of home work, causing effects on visual health and increasing consultation in the ophthalmological area. Objective: To determine the working conditions, ocular symptoms and visual alterations in teleworkers of agri-food companies. Methodology: descriptive cross-sectional field research. 23 workers participated. Instruments and technique: Review of morbidity records and occupational medical history; visual acuity survey and assessment; Technical Guide for the Assessment and Prevention of Risks Associated with the Use of Display Screen Equipment; Annex III of the Specific Health Surveillance Protocol for workers with data display screens (PVD), CVSS Questionnaire17. Results: 52% were female, mean age ±40.7, work seniority ±6.26 years; 100% of workers telework between 6-8 hours a day. They perceived aspects of the seat, screen, keyboard, computer/worker interconnection, glare-reflections, presence of noise and heat as risk factors. Level of ocular symptomatology: moderate (91%). Refractive problems: Myopia (67%) and Astigmatism (55%). 22% required the indication of corrective lenses and 38.8% presented an increase in diopters after the start of teleworking. Conclusion: The conditions of home work were perceived to be inadequate due to the presence of disergonomic and physical risk factors, as well as long working hours, which generated eye discomfort and increased ocular refraction lesions. Recommendation: reduce teleworking hours, raise awareness about safe working conditions at home and visual epidemiological surveillance
Epidemiological Characterization of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Cuba
No full textIntroduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading infectious cause of mortality worldwide, with approximately 10.8 million new cases and 1.25 million deaths in 2023. The highest incidence rates occur in the Southeast Asia Region (45%), Africa (24%), and Western Pacific Region (17%). Objective: To epidemiologically characterize pulmonary tuberculosis in Cuba. Methods: This study employed historical data analysis. Data were obtained through a systematic literature review of 21 sources from SciELO, UpToDate, PubMed, and Cuban national press publications. Results and Discussion: Recent years have shown declining TB incidence rates across Latin America and the Caribbean. Cuba maintains one of the lowest incidence rates in the Americas, reporting 706 cases in 2023. Havana province demonstrated the highest disease burden. Current socioeconomic challenges necessitate programmatic adjustments to the National Tuberculosis Control Program. Conclusions: Recent months have seen concerning incidence increases attributable to deteriorating socioeconomic conditions. We recommend programmatic updates aligned with Cuba\u27s current (2025) epidemiological and socioeconomic reality.
Asymptomatic multiorgan cysticercosis. A case report from Bolivia
No full textIntroduction: Cysticercosis is an infectious disease caused by Taenia solium, endemic to Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It is acquired by consuming Taenia eggs in contaminated water and food, or undercooked pork. It generally causes mild or asymptomatic disease, except for neurocysticercosis, which can be severe and potentially fatal. Symptoms depend on the number of parasites, their location, and the host\u27s immune response. Diagnosis is based on epidemiological data, clinical presentation, and imaging studies, primarily computed tomography. Objective: To use computed tomographic images to identify the degree of tissue damage caused by Taenia solium in an asymptomatic Bolivian adult. Clinical case: A 52-year-old Bolivian female patient from a rural area, with a wooden house, dirt floor, no sewage or drinking water, a housewife, who practices open defecation and raises pigs to support her household. She had a personal health history, but an inadequate diet. She was taken to the Roberto Galindo Hospital due to a traffic accident, where an emergency CT scan of the head and abdomen was performed due to direct trauma to those areas. The studies revealed calcifications in multiple organs, findings suggestive of massive cysticercosis. Conclusions: Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease transmitted fecal-orally, preventable but highly contagious from country to country due to social migration. It constitutes a serious health problem due to the biological, economic, and social damage it entails, making increased epidemiological surveillance essential
Effectiveness of prehabilitation in the postoperative period: limitations of application and impact on recovery
No full textIntroduction: Postoperative prehabilitation currently represents an innovative strategy with wide application in comprehensive surgical management, especially in patients undergoing high-risk procedures. Therefore, we proposed to analyze the effectiveness of prehabilitation in the postoperative period, as well as the limitations of its application in the surgical context and its impact on patient recovery.Methods: A literature review was conducted, allowing for an exhaustive examination of indexed databases such as SCOPUS, PUBMED, Scielo, and Latindex, obtaining a sample of 30 studies that met the eligibility criteria, organized in an Excel matrix for analysis using the CASPe method.Results: The integration of prehabilitation programs into postoperative care faces challenges that hinder their timely and efficient implementation in surgical centers, including organizational issues, resource constraints, lack of policies and specialized professionals, and infrastructure limitations. However, their incorporation has a positive impact on reducing complications, improving physical and emotional well-being, and shortening hospital stays.Conclusions: Comprehensive care in surgical centers is changing the safety paradigm, focusing on innovative interventions such as prehabilitation programs that, through interprofessional collaborative work and timely and effective management of services, enable a comprehensive approach to patients. This requires the development of standardized protocols, continuous training, as well as the design of interventions adapted under the supervision of a multi- and interdisciplinary team to each need according to the surgical specialty
Characterization of physical fitness in medical science students, Palma Soriano
No full textIntroduction: physical fitness constitutes an inherent human ability to perform bodily tasks effectively. Academic demands in university often hinder dedication to extracurricular exercise due to the persistent fatigue and pressure generated by the academic workload.
Objective: to evaluate the physical fitness of university students at the "Julio Trigo López" Medical Sciences Branch in Palma Soriano.
Methods: an analytical study was conducted among students at the "Julio Trigo López" Medical Sciences Branch in Palma Soriano during March 2025. The population comprised all 387 students of the institution, with the entire group included in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized.
Results: the predominant age group was 21 years (26,87 %). Gender distribution was balanced with a slight male predominance (51,16 %), and the most represented academic year was the 3rd (23 %). Normal weight prevailed, with 200 students (51,68 %). Statistical significance tests between BMI classification and physical fitness showed a significant association (χ²=78,91; p<0.001), with a likelihood ratio of 81,23 (df=5; bilateral asymptotic significance=0.000). Only 60,72 % of students were classified as physically fit.
Conclusions: although most students demonstrated physical fitness, the high percentage of non-fit individuals constitutes a relevant problem. The statistically significant relationship between body mass index and functional capacity indicates that excess weight compromises physical performance
Paediatric retinoblastoma care between 2020 and 2024: a national perspective
No full textDuring the period 2020-2024, Argentina faced a challenging health and socioeconomic scenario that directly impacted the approach to pediatric retinoblastoma. Early diagnosis and access to adequate treatments were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and by structural inequalities in the health system. This led to diagnoses at advanced stages, which required more invasive therapies such as enucleation, with significant functional and emotional consequences for patients.The study analyzed the response of the Argentine health system, highlighting the role of the Garrahan National Pediatric Hospital as a reference center. There, chemoreduction was prioritized as initial treatment, complemented in many cases by radiotherapy or surgery. It was observed that local treatments, such as cryotherapy or brachytherapy, offered good results in early stages, although their availability was limited. The aesthetic and functional effect of therapies such as external radiotherapy was also identified, in contrast to more conservative methods.It was concluded that the quality of treatment depended to a large extent on access to specialized centers, the socioeconomic level of the patients and the existence of interdisciplinary teams. Although there were legislative advances, such as the Oncopediatrics Act, challenges persisted in its implementation and in territorial equity. The study highlighted the need to strengthen local research, decentralize care and guarantee psychosocial support, in order to improve clinical outcomes and the quality of life of patients with retinoblastoma in the country
Biological factors of risk in those born under weight: index predictivo of the infantile mortality
No full textLow birth weight is the most important predictive index of infant mortality and is an important public health problem. An investigation of cases and controls was carried out in women who gave birth to children with low birth weight, from the urban family doctor\u27s offices belonging to the Camilo Cienfuegos Gorrieran health area of San Cristóbal, during the period 2020- 2022, with the objective of identifying the biological risk factors that were most frequently associated; 32 cases and 53 controls were studied from a universe of 521 live births. It was shown that maternal age up to 19 years and 35 years and older, insufficient weight gain during gestation, family history of prematurity, threat of preterm delivery and premature rupture of membranes, were risk factors present in the cases, and this coincides with what was reported by some authors in reviewed research. The identification of maternal factors associated with LBW will serve to strengthen promotion and prevention strategies aimed at the population at risk. Future population-based studies to extrapolate these results should be carried out in the rest of Artemisa province
Evaluation of Variables Associated with the Prevalence of Cesarean Sections: A Study at Evita Pueblo Hospital
No full textIntroduction: Caesarean sections are surgical procedures in obstetrics that can save the lives of mothers and newborns in medically indicated cases. However, they are very frequently performed without medical justification, putting the health of women and their babies at risk. The international community has established that the ideal rate of caesarean sections should be between 10% and 15% of the population. (1) The caesarean section rate in Argentina averaged 34.7% according to the Perinatal Information System in 2017, with an increase of 23% from 2010 to 2017. (2)Materials and methods: A retrospective study was carried out based on a review of clinical cases of caesarean sections performed over a period of six months in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of the Evita Pueblo hospital. Data was collected from clinical records and comparative variables were analysed. Data analysis included descriptive and analytical statistical methods. Results: During the study, a caesarean section rate of 43.5% was observed out of a total of 802 deliveries, with a higher prevalence in women aged 20 to 35 and in those in a stable relationship. The majority of newborns weighed between 2500 and 4000 grams, and 90% of the caesarean sections were performed on pregnancies of more than 37 weeks.Conclusion: The findings suggest a high caesarean section rate compared to international standards, highlighting the influence of demographic and obstetric factors in the choice of this type of delivery. Further research is needed on the subject, as there is little information in similar contexts, and institutional practices should be evaluated to optimize the use of this intervention
Phototherapy as a treatment for hyperbilirubinemia: the influence of newborn\u27s weight and feeding on treatment effectiveness
No full textIntroduction: Prone ventilation has been shown to improve oxygenation and lung mechanics in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, but I consider it necessary to delve deeper into the relationship between the prone position and mortality. Objectives: To evaluate whether the prone position decreases the risk of mortality in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome vs. supine ventilation, in a global and segmented manner, as well as to know the main adverse effects related to it. Material and methods: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials comparing patients in the prone vs. supine position was performed with a search in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library and LILACS, and mortality, hospital stay, days of mechanical ventilation and adverse effects were evaluated. Results: Seven randomized controlled clinical trials were included in the analysis. The prone position showed a non-significant tendency to decrease mortality when analyzed globally. When stratified by subgroups, a significant decrease in the risk of mortality was found in patients: 1) ventilated with low tidal volume, 2) prolonged prone position, and 3) established before 48 hours of disease progression in severe hypoxemia. The adverse effects related to prone position were the development of pressure ulcers and orotracheal tube obstruction. Conclusion: Prone position ventilation is a safe strategy and reduces mortality in patients with severe oxygenation impairment. It should be established early, for prolonged periods, and associated with a protective ventilation strategy