ABSTRACT Objective To create an instrument to assess smoking-related health literacy among smokers, and to estimate validity of its content and reliability. Methods A methodological, quantitative study. The creation of the instrument included the following steps: establishing a conceptual structure; defining objectives and target population; preparation of items or response scales; selecting and organizing items; instrument structuring; content validation and pre-test. The instrument was named Smoking-related Health Literacy Assessment Scale. Results The Smoking-related Health Literacy Scale had statistically significant measures of validity and reliability. Test-retest revealed substantial to almost perfect levels of reliability (reproducibility). Conclusion The Smoking-related Health Literacy Scale can provide researchers with a valid and statistically significant instrument, regarding content validity and reliability.

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the immunoexpression of methallothionein in oral squamous cell carcinoma as well as to address the correlation with clinical features, histological grade and patient survival. Samples were collected from 93 patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma who presented for follow-up. Immunohistochemical expression of methallothionein in all groups was performed. The scoring system has previously been published by Tsurutani in 2005, which is based on intensity and distribution of staining. We used Kappa index to evaluate the degree of observers’ agreement under metallothionein immunostaining and histological grade. Associations between methallothionein expression and clinical parameters (age, gender, smoking, tumor size, lymph node metastasis and disease stage) were examined for statistical significance using the chi-squared test. The overall survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the relationship between protein expression and survival was compared using the log-rank test (p < 0.05). Our results showed no statistically significant association between methallothionein immunostaining and the selected clinicopathological variables. Immunohistochemistry results showed positive nuclear immunostaining for metallothionein in 62,37% (58/93) and negative for metallothionein 37,63% (35/93). The degree of examiners agreement by Kappa varied from substantial to perfect and both metallothionein immunostaining and histological grade were explored. The present study suggests that positive methallothionein expression found in tongue squamous cell carcinoma may not help to predict survival in the analyzed samples, as well as no relation between the protein and histological grade and clinical features was observed. In conclusion, the present study suggests that metallothionein is not associated with tongue squamous cell carcinoma clinicopathological characteristics and aggressiveness.

Este trabalho objetiva caracterizar a organização, a articulação e a assistência da rede de atenção à saúde no estado da Paraíba, com base nos dados do 1º ciclo de Avaliação Externa do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). Realizou-se um estudo do tipo transversal, cujos dados foram analisados descritivamente por meio de valores absolutos e respectivos percentuais. Concluiu-se que existem fragilidades na integração da rede de atenção à saúde na Paraíba em relação ao ordenamento e definição do fluxo, em especial na contrarreferência, fato que pode comprometer a integralidade e o papel da Atenção Básica de coordenar o cuidado e ordenar as redes.

In this work, are analyzed the organization, coordination and assistance of the health care networks in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, based on the data obtained from the 1st cycle of the external evaluation of the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care (PMAQ-AB). It was carried on a cross-sectional study and the data were descriptively analyzed by its absolute and percentage values. It was concluded that there are weaknesses in the integration of the health care network in the state of Paraíba/Brazil concerning the planning and definition of the flow, especially in counter-reference which may compromise the integrity and the role of primary care in order to manage public care and health network.

Este trabalho objetiva caracterizar a organização, a articulação e a assistência da rede de atenção à saúde no estado da Paraíba, com base nos dados do 1º ciclo de Avaliação Externa do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). Realizou-se um estudo do tipo transversal, cujos dados foram analisados descritivamente por meio de valores absolutos e respectivos percentuais. Concluiu-se que existem fragilidades na integração da rede de atenção à saúde na Paraíba em relação ao ordenamento e definição do fluxo, em especial na contrarreferência, fato que pode comprometer a integralidade e o papel da Atenção Básica de coordenar o cuidado e ordenar as redes.

In this work, are analyzed the organization, coordination and assistance of the health care networks in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, based on the data obtained from the 1st cycle of the external evaluation of the National Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care (PMAQ-AB). It was carried on a cross-sectional study and the data were descriptively analyzed by its absolute and percentage values. It was concluded that there are weaknesses in the integration of the health care network in the state of Paraíba/Brazil concerning the planning and definition of the flow, especially in counter-reference which may compromise the integrity and the role of primary care in order to manage public care and health network.