Introduction The aim of this study was to establish the incidence rates of congenital syphilis in the South Region of Brazil from 2001 to 2009. Methods Temporal ecological and descriptive study based on the cases recorded by the System of Information of Notifiable Diseases. Results The incidence of congenital syphilis has been increasing in the South Region of Brazil since 2004; the highest incidence rates were in women who received prenatal care (113.5 new cases per 100,000 births, p<0.001), who were diagnosed with syphilis at pregnancy (69.8 new cases per 100,000 births, p=0.001), and whose partner did not undergo treatment for syphilis (53.1 new cases per 100,000 births, p=0.001). Conclusions The population of the present study mostly consisted of adult black women with low educational levels who attended prenatal care, who were diagnosed with syphilis during pregnancy, and whose partners were not treated for syphilis. Based on these results, actions are recommended to reduce the incidence of this disease, which is preventable by early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The present was merely an ecological study; therefore, further investigations are necessary to elucidate the causes of these findings.

A fim de investigar o uso de tabaco e fatores associados entre universitários do Sul do Brasil no ano de 2010, realizou-se estudo transversal com questionários autoaplicáveis. A amostra foi dividida em dois grandes grupos: área da Saúde e demais cursos. A amostra de cada grupo foi dividida de acordo com a proporção em relação ao número total de alunos. Os alunos foram selecionados do primeiro e último ano de cada curso. A análise estatística foi realizada no Software SPSS versão 17.0(r). Responderam aos questionários 584 alunos. A prevalência de tabagismo entre os acadêmicos foi de 8,9%, sendo 4,7% tabagistas ativos e 4,2% fumantes ocasionais; 2,6% declararam-se ex-fumantes. A idade média foi de 23,0 anos (±9,7), sendo 62,3% do sexo feminino. Dentre os fumantes 49% começaram a fumar por vontade própria e 27,4% por influência de amigos. A maioria declarou fumar para relaxar. Observou-se associação significativa entre o tabagismo e o uso de álcool (OR 5,80; IC95% 1,20-28,01) e de drogas ilícitas (OR 42,29; IC95% 11,45-175,1) e a existência de outros familiares fumantes (OR 4,02; IC95% 2,05-7,85). A prevalência de tabagismo encontrada neste estudo foi baixa. O tabagismo foi significativamente associado a alunos usuários de drogas ilícitas, que fazem uso de álcool e que tem algum tabagista na família.

To investigate tobacco use and associated factors among college students at a university in southern Brazil in 2010, we conducted a cross-sectional study using self-reported questionnaires. The sample was divided into two main groups: the Health area and other courses The sample number in each group was divided according to the ratio of the total number of students. Students who composed the sample were selected from the first and last year of each course. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 17.0(r). 584 students responded to questionnaires. The prevalence of smoking among students was 8.9%, 4.7% were smokers and 4.2% occasional smokers; 2.6% reported they were former smokers. The average age was 23.0 years (± 9.7), 62.3% were female. Among smokers 49% started smoking on their own and 27.4% under the influence of friends. We observed a significant association between smoking and alcohol use (OR 5.80; 95%CI 1.20-28.01), illicit drugs (OR 42.29; 95%CI 11.45-175.1) and the existence of other relatives who are smokers (OR 4.02; 95%CI 2.05-7.85).The prevalence of smoking found in this study was low. Smoking was significantly associated with student drugs users, consuming alcohol and to have a smoker in the family.

INTRODUÇÃO: O câncer de mama é o mais prevalente no mundo entre mulheres. Sua incidência no Brasil é em torno de 49 casos para 100.000 mulheres. OBJETIVO: Estimar o perfil epidemiológico da mortalidade de neoplasia maligna de mama em mulheres residentes da região Carbonífera Catarinense (AMREC) de 1980 a 2009. METODOLOGIA: Estudo temporal, descritivo e ecológico, com dados obtidos do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade e Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, disponíveis pela Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de Santa Catarina. Calculou-se taxa de mortalidade pela divisão do número de óbitos pela população feminina residente no mesmo local e período, e multiplicou-se por 100.000. RESULTADOS: Observou-se maior taxa em Urussanga para todos os anos analisados (9,2/100.000 mulheres) e menor em Treviso, (0,0/100.000 mulheres). Dos 30 anos analisados, 2007 obteve o maior coeficiente médio (13,0/100.000 mulheres), e o menor foi encontrado em 1987 (2,3/100.000 mulheres). Em relação à faixa etária, o maior coeficiente médio foi encontrado nos maiores que 80 anos (63,1/100.000 mulheres). CONCLUSÕES: Observamos aumento na taxa de mortalidade por câncer de mama na AMREC, predominantemente em mulheres brancas, casadas, com mais de 80 anos e baixa escolaridade, que pode ser oriundo de características sociodemográficas ou da precocidade dos exames diagnósticos, entre outros. No entanto, futuras pesquisas devem investigar as causas que levaram às estatísticas apresentadas.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most prevalent among women worldwide. Its incidence in Brazil is around 49 cases per 100,000 women. OBJECTIVE: It was to estimate the epidemiological profile of breast malignancy mortality in women living in the region of the Coal Belt of Santa Catarina (AMREC) from 1980 to 2009. METHODS: Study time, with descriptive and ecological data from the Mortality Information System and Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, available by the Ministry of Health of Santa Catarina. We calculated mortality rate by dividing the number of deaths from the female population living in the same place and period, and multiplied by 100,000. RESULTS: There was a higher rate in Urussanga for all years analyzed (9.2/100,000 women) and lowest in Treviso (0.0/100,000 women). Of the 30 years analyzed, 2007 had the highest average coefficient (13.0/100,000), and the lowest was found in 1987 (2.3/100,000). In terms of age, the highest average coefficient was found in greater than 80 years (63.1/100,000). CONCLUSIONS: We found increased mortality rate from breast cancer in AMREC, predominant in white, married, with more than 80 years and low education women that may be coming from sociodemographic characteristics or the precocity of diagnostic tests, among others. However, future research should investigate the causes leading to the statistics presented.

Southern Brazil has the highest prevalence rate of AIDS in the country and is the only region in the Americas where HIV-1 subtype C prevails. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS in the South region of Santa Catarina, Brazil. METHODS: All pregnant women with HIV infection attending the obstetric outpatient clinic of Criciúma, State of Santa Catarina, in 2007 (n = 46) were invited to participate. Data of 36 eligible participants were obtained through a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: The great majority were young, with a steady partner, low family income, low education level and referring early first sexual intercourse. Many reported use of illicit non-injecting drugs (55.5%) and unprotected sex with partners that were HIV-positive (57.7%), injecting drug user (22.2%), male inmate (19.4%), truck driver (13.8%), with history of sexually transmitted disease (11.1%) or men who have sex with men (MSM) (2.8%). Most (66.7%) of the participants had their HIV diagnosis done during the pregnancy, 7 (19.4%) had a previous history of HIV mother-to-child transmission. Therapy based on highly active antiretroviral therapy (94%) was initiated at 19.3 weeks on average and 33% showed irregular antiretroviral adherence. CONCLUSION: These results confirm previous data on HIV epidemiology in Brazil and suggest that the women partners' sexual behavior and unprotected sexual intercourse are important aspects of HIV epidemic. Additional efforts in education, prophylaxis and medication adherence are needed.

OBJETIVOS: Conhecer as vantagens da utilização das redes neurais artificiais no reconhecimento de padrões em radiografias de coluna lombar na incidência perfil para auxiliar no diagnóstico da osteoartrite primária. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal, descritivo, analítico, de abordagem quantitativa e com ênfase diagnóstica. O conjunto de treinamento foi composto por imagens coletadas no período de janeiro a julho de 2009 de pacientes submetidos a radiografias digitais de coluna lombar na incidência em perfil provenientes de um serviço de radiologia localizado no município de Criciúma (SC). Das 260 imagens coletadas, foram excluídas: as radiografias distorcidas, as patologias que alteram a arquitetura da coluna lombar e os padrões de difícil caracterização, resultando em um total de 206 imagens. O banco de imagens (n = 206) foi subdividido, resultando em 68 radiografias para a etapa de treinamento, 68 para testes e 70 para validação. Foi utilizada uma rede neural híbrida baseada em mapas auto-organizáveis de Kohonen e redes Multilayer Perceptron. RESULTADOS: Após 90 ciclos, foi realizada a validação com o melhor teste, alcançando acurácia de 62,85%, sensibilidade de 65,71% e especificidade de 60%. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar da demonstração de uma eficácia mediana, por se tratar de estudo de caráter inovador, seus valores mostram um futuro promissor da técnica utilizada, com sugestão para trabalhos futuros com abrangência na metodologia de processamento das imagens e ciclos com uma quantidade maior de radiografias.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the advantages of applying artificial neural networks to recognize patterns on lumbar column radiographs in order to aid in the process of diagnosing primary osteoarthritis. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive analytical study with a quantitative approach and an emphasis on diagnosis. The training set was composed of images collected between January and July 2009 from patients who had undergone lateral-view digital radiographs of the lumbar column, which were provided by a radiology clinic located in the municipality of Criciúma (SC). Out of the total of 260 images gathered, those with distortions, those presenting pathological conditions that altered the architecture of the lumbar column and those with patterns that were difficult to characterize were discarded, thus resulting in 206 images. The image data base (n = 206) was then subdivided, resulting in 68 radiographs for the training stage, 68 images for tests and 70 for validation. A hybrid neural network based on Kohonen self-organizing maps and on Multilayer Perceptron networks was used. RESULTS: After 90 cycles, the validation was carried out on the best results, thereby reaching accuracy of 62.85%, sensitivity of 65.71% and specificity of 60%. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the effectiveness shown was moderate, this study is of innovative nature. Hence, the values show that the technique used has a promising future, thus pointing towards further studies covering the image and cycle processing methodology with a larger quantity of radiographs.

INTRODUÇÃO: A hanseníase é uma das doenças mais antigas da humanidade e persiste como problema de saúde pública. O Brasil ocupa o primeiro lugar na incidência e o segundo na prevalência mundial, e nas Américas representa 93% dos casos, conforme dados da Organização Mundial de Saúde de 2008. O objetivo deste estudo é conhecer o perfil dos pacientes com hanseníase nos municípios da Associação dos Municípios da Região Carbonífera (AMREC), no período de 01/01/2001 a 31/12/2007. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal e retrospectivo realizado na região da AMREC em Santa Catarina, Brasil. A amostra foi do tipo censitária, em que todos os pacientes notificados foram analisados. RESULTADOS: A população foi de 54 pacientes: 57,4% do sexo feminino e 42,6% do sexo masculino. A faixa etária prevalente foi de 30 a 39 anos (31,5%), a raça branca representou 79,6%. A ocupação foi ignorada em 51 casos, e a baciloscopia em 98%. As formas tuberculóide e virchoviana apresentaram frequência de 27,8% cada e na classificação operacional 50% eram multibacilares. O coeficiente de detecção das cidades variou de baixo a muito alto. CONCLUSÕES: Na análise não há predomínio de multi ou paucibacilares, nem de uma forma clinica específica, contudo sabemos que o diagnóstico está ocorrendo tardiamente pela menor porcentagem de casos indeterminados e com predomínio do sexo feminino. Soma-se a isso o fato de haver escassez dos dados nas fichas de notificação, o que impossibilita-nos de mostrar a realidade da população estudada.

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases of humanity and persists as a serious public health problem. Brazil has the highest incidence and second highest prevalence. In the Americas, it accounts for 93% of the cases, according to World Health Organization data from 2008. The objective of this study was to ascertain the profile of leprosy patients in the municipalities of the Association of Municipalities of the Carboniferous Region (AMREC), over the period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2007. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study carried out in the AMREC region in Santa Catarina, Brazil. The sample was of census type, in which all the patients notified were analyzed. RESULTS: 54 patients were analyzed, among whom 57% were female and 42.6% were male. The most prevalent age group was from 30 to 39 years old (31.5%) and 79.6% had white skin color. The occupation was unknown in 51 cases, as was bacilloscopy in 98%. The tuberculoid and Virchowian forms each presented a frequency of 27.8%. The coefficient of detection observed in the municipalities ranged from low to very high. CONCLUSIONS: Neither multibacillary nor paucibacillary forms predominated in the analysis, nor any specific clinical form. Nevertheless, it is known that cases are being diagnosed late because of the low percentage of indeterminate cases, with predominance among females. Added to this, the information on the notification forms is sparse, which makes it impossible to show the realities of the study population.