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Critical reflections on a visit to an inner-city primary health care clinic in Rio de Janeiro.

ABSTRACT: Brazil and South Africa share many sociodemographic and health features that provide many learning opportunities. Brazil's national health system, the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) prioritises primary health care since 1994, the year democracy came to South Africa. Two family physicians from these countries met in Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro, a densely populated area where poverty, danger, drugs, tuberculosis and mental illness are the focus of the health system.Maria do Socorro Family Clinic: Central to the SUS are the Family Health Teams, consisting of community health workers, nurses, doctors and allied health workers. This clinic in Rocinha has 11 teams, caring for 2700 people each, all visited monthly, preventing illness and promoting health. Patients with mental illness are cared for in a therapeutic residency, with an onsite psychiatrist, psychologist and social worker. The relationships between the health carers and the clinic and the community are collegial and equal, sharing care. Larger than life photos of patients from the community line the walls.Training: A culture of learning is evident, with 18 family medicine residents, student nurses, a small library and a learning centre at the clinic. Local authorities compensate trainees in family medicine more than traditional specialties.Brazil has made massive progress in providing universal health coverage over the last 20 years. South Africa, with not too dissimilar challenges, is embarking on this road more recently. The lessons learnt at clinic and community level in this inner-city clinic could be very useful for similar settings in South Africa and other countries.

SUBMITTER: Jenkins LS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5566122 | biostudies-other | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundHyperhidrosis is a pathological condition defined by excessive sweating beyond thermoregulatory physiological needs, which can cause substantial psychological impact and impairment of daily activities. Studies regarding its prevalence, however, are scarce and vary widely in their findings. The population of medical students is a particularly interesting subset for its recurring demand of physical contact during patient examination or procedures, and the potential for professional adversity. We aimed at furthering the comprehension of this disease prevalence and characteristics among medical students.MethodsQuestionnaires inquiring about the presence and characteristics of Primary Hyperhidrosis (PH) were applied through either written or digital means to all eligible medical students enrolled in three Medical Schools in the State of Rio de Janeiro who agreed to take part in the study. Demographic data regarding gender, ethnicity, current age, weight and height was collected in addition to clinical data (sweat site, age of onset, familial history, severity and previous treatments). Severity was evaluated through the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) and a symptoms survey.FindingsOur response rate was roughly 1/3 of all eligible students (900/2700). PH prevalence was 20.56% (185/900). It was similar between men and women (23.08% and 19.41%, respectively) and strongly associated with family history of the disease (Prevalence Ratio of 4.27). Regarding ethnicity, of the total sample 73.78% (664/900) self-declared white, among which 19.28% (128/664) had PH. Mixed-race and other ethnicities encompassed 26.22% (236/900) of the sample, among which 24.15% (57/236) had PH. Most positive subjects (64.32%) presented associated forms of PH. Overall involvement of each site (both associated and isolated) was: 63.78% axillary, 50.81% palmar, 43.24% plantar, 20.54% craniofacial, 18.38% facial flushing and 2.16% gustatory sweating. Mean current age was 23.11(±4.04) years for PH patients, and age of onset was ≤18 years in 93.94% of cases. Regarding body mass index (BMI), 71.09% of PH patients had BMI<25kg/m2 and only 4.69% presented BMI≥30kg/m2, none ≥35kg/m2. Some degree of life quality impairment was reported by 89.20% of PH patients, and 23.89% had HDSS 3 or 4 (moderate to severe).ConclusionsPH prevalence among Rio de Janeiro medical students was 20.56%, similar between men and women, predominating associated presentations, axillary, palmar and plantar sites, strong familial history, age of onset before 18 years, and some degree of life impairment.

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Critical reflections on a visit to an inner-city primary health care clinic in Rio de Janeiro.

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