ABSTRACT Due to social distancing guidelines and the displacement of both human and material resources to fight the covid-19 pandemic, individuals seeking healthcare services face certain challenges. Immunization programs have already been a worrisome topic for health authorities due to declines in vaccine uptake rates and are now especially affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Disbelief in science, dissemination of fake news about vaccines, socioeconomic vulnerability and social inequality are some of the challenges faced. This commentary article discusses the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on immunization programs in Brazil. In light of advances (and notability) of Brazil's national immunization program, established in the 1970s, the programs face challenges, such as the recent drop in vaccine uptake rates. In addition to this health crisis, there is also Brazil's current political crisis, which will undoubtedly require assistance from researchers, policymakers and society to be fixed.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the world was experiencing a pandemic, caused by the new coronavirus. Since then, the world has watched an unprecedented health crisis in the last 100 years. The best measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 require individual and social actions, as social distancing, which affect the way people relate, work and entertain. At the same time, the search for a vaccine shows itself as the hope to overcome the pandemic. Considering the clamour for a new vaccine, this critical essay discusses some paradoxes and contradictions of the individual-society relationship in the context of COVID-19, in the light of vaccine hesitancy as a historical and present-day reality.Based on the questions and discussions undertaken, it appears that decision making about (not) vaccinating or about (not) following preventive measures to controlling the spread of COVID19 is shaped by social belongings, crossed by inequalities that tend to exacerbate now and in the future. Misinformation in both, current pandemic context and vaccine hesitancy phenomenon, reflects the tension between the scientifically validated risk and the risk perceived subjectively by individuals, as a result of the crisis of confidence in science. Perceptions of risk and adherence to health measures go beyond subjective and rational aspects and reflect values and beliefs conformed by the political, economic and socio-cultural dimensions. Keywords: Coronavirus infections; vaccines; social behavior; prevention and mitigation.

Desde março de 2020, quando a Organização Mundial de Saúde declarou que o mundo vivia uma pandemia de COVID-19, acompanhamos um quadro sanitário sem precedentes nos últimos 100 anos. As medidas atuais contra a doença objetivam o controle da transmissão e envolvem ações individuais e sociais de higiene e distanciamento físico, enquanto a busca poruma vacina se mostra como a esperança para vencer a pandemia. Considerando o contexto social de clamor por uma nova vacina, este ensaio crítico discute o paradoxo e as contradições da relação indivíduo-sociedade no contexto da COVID-19, à luz da hesitação vacinal como fenômeno histórico e socialmente situado. Este ensaio aponta que as tomadas de decisão sobre(não) vacinar ou sobre (não) seguir as medidas preventivas e de controle da propagação da COVID-19 são conformadas por pertencimentos sociais e atravessadas por desigualdades que tendem a se exacerbar. A infodemia que cerca a COVID-19 e a hesitação vacinal reflete a tensão entre o risco cientificamente validado e o risco percebido subjetivamente, influenciado pelacrise de confiança na ciência. Percepções de risco e adesão a medidas de saúde extrapolam aspectos subjetivos e racionais e refletem valores e crenças conformados pelas dimensões política, econômica e sociocultural. Palavras-chave: Infecções por coronavírus; vacinas; comportamento social; prevenção e mitigação.  

ABSTRACT Due to social distancing guidelines and the displacement of both human and material resources to fight the covid-19 pandemic, individuals seeking healthcare services face certain challenges. Immunization programs have already been a worrisome topic for health authorities due to declines in vaccine uptake rates and are now especially affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Disbelief in science, dissemination of fake news about vaccines, socioeconomic vulnerability and social inequality are some of the challenges faced. This commentary article discusses the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on immunization programs in Brazil. In light of advances (and notability) of Brazil's national immunization program, established in the 1970s, the programs face challenges, such as the recent drop in vaccine uptake rates. In addition to this health crisis, there is also Brazil's current political crisis, which will undoubtedly require assistance from researchers, policymakers and society to be fixed.

Abstract This study compares waiting time from diagnosis of breast cancer to start of treatment with patients’ social-demographic and clinical profiles in women aged 60 or more at the PérolaByington Hospital, São Paulo, over the years 2001–2006.It is a descriptive study based on secondary data in a sample of 1,299 cases. Social-demographic, clinical and temporal variables were collected. Patients were divided into two groups: those with period between diagnosis and start of treatment less than 60 days, and greater than 60 days. The average time between diagnosis and start of treatment was 74.7 days (SD = 212.6), and the median time was 45 days. This waiting time was lower for subjects without diagnosis and without prior treatment (p = 0.001), and also for those with tumors at Stage 0, in situ or Stage I(p = 0.001). Time was significant for the outcomes of relapse (p = 0.004) and metastasis (p = 0.038). Having established diagnosis and treatment also resulted in lower time to start of the required care. Improvement to the structuring and functioning of the health service is an essential need, for dealing with the cases of the disease in an efficient manner, an important challenge for Brazil’s Unified Health System.

Resumo Objetivou-se analisar o tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento e conhecer o perfil sociodemográfico e clínico de mulheres com 60 ou mais anos de idade, diagnosticadas com câncer de mama entre os anos de 2001 a 2006, no Hospital Pérola Byington, São Paulo. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, com dados secundários e amostra de 1299 casos. Coletou-se variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e temporais. Formou-se dois grupos de mulheres utilizando a variável tempo, sendo o tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento: “até e maior que 60 dias”. A média do tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento foi de 74,7 dias (DP = 212,6), e o tempo mediano de 45 dias. As idosas sem o diagnóstico e sem o tratamento anterior levaram menos tempo para dar início ao tratamento (p = 0,001), bem como as mulheres com estadiamento do tumor na fase inicial, in situ e I (p = 0,001). O tempo foi significante para os desfechos de recidiva (p = 0,004) e metástase (p = 0,038). O diagnóstico e o tratamento estabelecidos garantiu às idosas menor tempo para o início da assistência devida. Melhorar a estruturação e o funcionamento dos serviços de saúde constitui fator imprescindível para o atendimento dos casos da doença de forma eficiente, um importante desafio para o Sistema Único de Saúde.

Resumo Objetivou-se analisar o tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento e conhecer o perfil sociodemográfico e clínico de mulheres com 60 ou mais anos de idade, diagnosticadas com câncer de mama entre os anos de 2001 a 2006, no Hospital Pérola Byington, São Paulo. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, com dados secundários e amostra de 1299 casos. Coletou-se variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e temporais. Formou-se dois grupos de mulheres utilizando a variável tempo, sendo o tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento: “até e maior que 60 dias”. A média do tempo entre o diagnóstico e o início do tratamento foi de 74,7 dias (DP = 212,6), e o tempo mediano de 45 dias. As idosas sem o diagnóstico e sem o tratamento anterior levaram menos tempo para dar início ao tratamento (p = 0,001), bem como as mulheres com estadiamento do tumor na fase inicial, in situ e I (p = 0,001). O tempo foi significante para os desfechos de recidiva (p = 0,004) e metástase (p = 0,038). O diagnóstico e o tratamento estabelecidos garantiu às idosas menor tempo para o início da assistência devida. Melhorar a estruturação e o funcionamento dos serviços de saúde constitui fator imprescindível para o atendimento dos casos da doença de forma eficiente, um importante desafio para o Sistema Único de Saúde.

Abstract This study compares waiting time from diagnosis of breast cancer to start of treatment with patients’ social-demographic and clinical profiles in women aged 60 or more at the PérolaByington Hospital, São Paulo, over the years 2001–2006.It is a descriptive study based on secondary data in a sample of 1,299 cases. Social-demographic, clinical and temporal variables were collected. Patients were divided into two groups: those with period between diagnosis and start of treatment less than 60 days, and greater than 60 days. The average time between diagnosis and start of treatment was 74.7 days (SD = 212.6), and the median time was 45 days. This waiting time was lower for subjects without diagnosis and without prior treatment (p = 0.001), and also for those with tumors at Stage 0, in situ or Stage I(p = 0.001). Time was significant for the outcomes of relapse (p = 0.004) and metastasis (p = 0.038). Having established diagnosis and treatment also resulted in lower time to start of the required care. Improvement to the structuring and functioning of the health service is an essential need, for dealing with the cases of the disease in an efficient manner, an important challenge for Brazil’s Unified Health System.