RESUMO O desenvolvimento de habilidades de comunicação e relacionais (HbCR) é essencial para a formação médica, logo a utilização de estratégias educacionais que favoreçam seu aprendizado é necessária. O presente trabalho tem por objetivos descrever o processo de implementação da técnica de role-play e avaliar sua utilização no ensino das HbCR, de acordo com a percepção docente. A técnica foi utilizada no curso de Semiologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal da Bahia (FMB/UFBA). Para atender a esses objetivos, o presente artigo foi estruturado em duas partes: plano de implementação da técnica de role-play e aplicação do role-play segundo a percepção do docente. O role-play revelou ser uma técnica factível, extremamente adequada ao ensino das HbCR, em consonância com as orientações das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Medicina.

ABSTRACT The development of communications skills is essential for the doctor training. Teaching in medical schools should thus involve the use of educational strategies that facilitate the acquisition of these skills. The goal of this paper is to describe the process of implementing a role playing strategy in a Semiology course, at the Medical School of the Federal University of Bahia, and to evaluate its potential for the teaching of communication skills. The paper is divided into two main sections: the action plan for implementing the role play strategy and application of the plan from the teachers’ perspective. In conclusion it is argued that the implementation of role playing in Semiology courses is feasible and adequate for the acquisition and improvement of communications skills. Moreover it should be noted that the use of role play as an educational strategy is in line with the National Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Courses in Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the risk profile for atherosclerosis (AS) in adolescents and young adults of a private university in São Paulo. METHODS: Clinical, nutritional, and laboratory parameters were evaluated in 209 students of both genders aged 17 to 25 years. In addition to determination of the lipid profile, the association of its abnormal values with other risk factors for AS was also investigated. RESULTS: Increased levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglycerides (TG) were observed in 9.1%, 7.6% and 16.3% of the students, respectively, and decreased levels of HDL-C in 8.6% of them. Prevalence of the remaining risk factors analyzed was elevated: sedentary life style (78.9%); high intake of total fat (77.5%); high cholesterol intake (35.9%); smoking, hypertension (15.8%) and obesity (7.2%). There was an association between elevated LDL-C and TG levels and sedentary life style and body mass index. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of risk factors for AS in young individuals draws attention to the need for adopting preventive plans.

Foram levantadas as 2860 tomografias computadorizadas crânio-encefálicas (TCCE) feitas em um dos três serviços da cidade do Salvador, Brasil, sendo: caracterizados o perfil do usuário e a procedência da demanda; analisados os motivos dos exames e os custos com TCCE normais e anormais. Foram constatadas frequências altas de exames normais: (a) para o sexo feminino (66,0%) e até os 54 anos (73,0%), neste sexo (variação de exames normais entre 65 e 80%); (b) para o sexo masculino nos grupos <15, 25-34 e 35-44 anos (64,7%); (c) para solicitações efetuadas pelos convênios (65,3%); (d) pelos seguintes motivos, para homens e mulheres respectivamente: cefaléias (81,3 e 87,5%); desmaios/tonturas (79,3 e 78,6%); convulsões (67,3 e 70%); retardo do desenvolvimento psicomotor (72,0 e 67,7%); «distúrbios endócrinos» (75,0% em cada sexo). Proporções altas de exames anormais foram observadas pelos seguintes motivos e para homens e mulheres, respectivamente: síndrome demencial (91,7 e 83,3%); acidentes vasculares encefálicos (85,1 e 73,7%); doenças infecciosas (76,5 e 78,6%); suspeitas de tumor (65,8 e 55,4%); e traumatismo crâ-nioencefálico, 63,6% no sexo masculino. No total, os custos com as TCC normais corresponderam a US$ 565,255 e com as anormais, US$ 381,247; para os convênios, os custos com TCC normais foram 2,2 vezes superiores ao INAMPS e 2,8 vezes superiores àqueles da medicina privada.

It was reviewed a series of 2860 cerebral computed tomography (CCT) in order to compare the main reasons at referral to investigation with the CCT results and the costs with normal and abnormal CCT. It was also studied the tage and sex of the patients. Data were collected from one out of three diagnostic centers in Salvador, Brasil, for a three years period. The 2860 CCT exclude all investigation carried out for the follow-up of a previously diagnosed abnormality. CCT abnormalities were detected in 1152 (40.3%). The following reasons showed the highest proportion of abnormal CCT, for males and females respectively: demential syndrome (91.7 and 83.3%); cerebrovascular accidents (85.1 and 73.6%); infectious and parasitary diseases (76.5 and 78.6%); tumors (65.8 and 55.4%); and head injuries, 63.6% for males. In the female group, 65.0% of the CCT were normal, in a range of 65.0 to 80.0% for the age groups under 54 years old. In the male group, the highest proportion of normal CCT was found in the age groups: 25-34 (68.4%), <15 (62.9%) and 35-44 (62.7%). The most common reasons for normal CCT for males and females were: headache (81.3 and 87.5%); dizziness/vertigo (79.3 and 78.6%); seizures (67.3 and 70,0%); psychomotor deficiency (72.0 and 67.7%) and «endocrine disorders», 75.0% for each sex. The highest proportion of normal CCT (65.3%) was requested by medical «convenios». The cost with normal CCT reached US$ 565,225 and with the abnormal ones, US$ 381,247. Costs with normal CCT were 2.2 higher for medical «convenios» as compared to those of the National Institute of Security requests and 2.8 more than those of private medicine.