The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and demographic predictors of pulpal and/or periradicular disease in an urban population. A total of 210 subjects were recruited from a population of patients that were screened for acceptance to the dental school clinics. The diagnosis of pulpal and/or periradicular disease was made using the following data: radiographic interpretation, patient's history of previous pain and chief complaint, and objective pulpal testing. Objective pulpal testing included percussion, palpation, electric pulp test, and cold. The unit of observation was the individual, not the tooth. The overall prevalence of endodontic disease among the study sample of the screening patient population was 39.52%. Controlling for gender, patients in the 30-39 age group were 3.05 times more likely to have pulpal disease than patients in the 18-29 age group (OR=3.05, 95%CI 1.04-8.9). Controlling for age, men were 1.82 times more likely to have pulpal disease than women (OR=1.82, 95%CI 1.01-3.26). Non-white patients were 2.69 times more likely to have pulpal disease than white patients (OR=2.69, 95%CI 1.51-4.81). Patients who earned less than $25,000 were 2.06 times more likely to have pulpal disease compared to those who earned more than $25,000 (OR=2.06, 95% CI 1.15-3.69). Overall, this data provides valuable information for identifying vulnerable populations and addressing the policy goals of the U.S. Surgeon General.

Introduction The main objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the prevalence and characteristics of opioid exposures, 2) to estimate the economic costs associated with opioid poisonings, and 3) to examine the characteristics associated with opioid poisoning-related health care resource use (HCRU) and costs in children. Methods Data from the National Poison Data System from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 were utilized to examine the prevalence and characteristics of opioid exposures and poisonings in children <18 years. Economic costs were estimated using the 2012 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, Kids’ Inpatient Database, Multiple Cause-of-Death file and other published sources, applying a societal perspective. Direct costs included costs associated with ED visits, hospitalizations and ambulance transports. Indirect cost included productivity costs due to caregivers’ absenteeism and premature mortality among children. Results There were a total of 83,418 pediatric opioid exposures and nearly half of them resulted in poisoning. The epidemiology of opioid exposures differed considerably by age. Opioid exposures were more prevalent and mainly accidental in young children. Exposures in adolescents were more likely to be intentional and severe. The total economic costs of pediatric opioid poisonings in the United States were calculated at $230.8 million in 2012. Total direct costs were estimated to be over $21.1 million. Total productivity costs were calculated at $209.7 million, and 98.6% of these costs were attributed to opioid poisoning-related mortality. Conclusions Opioid exposures and poisonings in children continue to occur and impose an economic burden on the society.

De senaste åren har allt fler människor flytt till Europa. Folk tvingas på flykt på grund av krig, katastrofer och elände. Detta kan knappast vara positivt för deras psykiska hälsa. Allmänsjuksköterskans roll kommer att prövas av detta och det är därför viktigt att sjuksköterskan är medveten om olika tankesätt och omvårdnadsstrategier för att behandla den psykiska ohälsan. Inte minst när det visar att psykisk ohälsa har blivit en ökad trend för sjukskrivning bland den svenska befolkningen. Tio vetenskapliga artiklar och en rapport som behandlade psykisk ohälsa hos människor på flykt analyserades för att ingå i resultatet. Den första delen av resultatet beskriver förekomsten av psykisk ohälsa medan den andra delen redovisar upplevelser i tre teman och sju underteman. Resultatet visar att psykisk ohälsa bland människor på flykt är utbredd, även om det förekommer tydliga skillnader gällande psykiska diagnoser hos dem. Deras upplevelser handlar i stor utsträckning om faktorer som förstärker deras psykiska ohälsa och sätter dem i utanförskap. Det gör att de försöker värna om sig själva genom försvarsmekanismer som inte alltid är till det bättre, samtidigt som de upplever att det finns stöd i deras nya omgivning. Hos människorna själva finns en drivkraft om att kunna acklimatisera sig i det nya samhället även om hinder upplevs, såväl inom dem som runt om kring. Det är därför önskvärt att sjuksköterskan, med hjälp av kunskap om förekomst och upplevelser hos människor på flykt, utför en mellanmänsklig, god och förtroendeingivande vård som behandling för de människor som lider av psykisk ohälsa till följd av flykt. / Background: There has been an increasing prevalence of mental illness among Swedes; in addition a lot more people have fled their home countries due to war and disaster. With them they carried traumatic experiences. What have these effects and occurrences had on their mental status? Aim: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and experience of mental illness among fleeing people. Method: A literature overview was performed to gather and analyse data from both qualitative and quantitative studies. A search for prevalence in quantitative data was used. Prevalence of mental illness is first presented in a compilation and then three themes with seven subthemes describing similarities and differences emerged in the analysis of qualitative and quantitative studies. Results: Prevalence of mental illness was more common among displaced people than the non-displaced with depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress as the most common diagnosis. Traumatic experiences were also a factor that could hinder the individuals from adopt in the new country. It also showed that there were effects that fortified the mental illness as well as their own defence mechanisms. However, the individuals also experienced support from people with similar experience as well as people in the society they now belong to. They also felt that they wanted to be acclimatized into their new country in order to create a new life. Conclusions: The nurse's role is of importance to create an interpersonal relationship and thus provide safety and trustworthiness to give patients’, persons who have fled, understanding and confidence in health care regarding their mental health.

Bakgrund: Det finns begränsat med forskning genomförd på sprintkanotister. De studier som genomförts rapporterade att ländrygg, bröstrygg och skuldra är de vanligaste skadelokalisationerna. Hittills har inte rapporterats hur skadorna påverkar träningsmängd och prestation. Syfte: Syftet var att kartlägga förekomsten av överbelastningsskador och dess påverkan på prestationsförmåga och träning för svenska elitsatsande sprintkanotister. Metod: En kvantitativ enkät användes för att genomföra en tvärsnittsstudie. Enkäter delades ut till 30 kvinnor och 42 män på en tävling som var uttagningsgrundande för landslaget. Enkäten som användes var en modifierad version av den svenska översättningen av OSTRC Overuse Injury Questionnaire. Datan analyserades med hjälp av statistikprogrammet SPSS där analysmetoderna Mann-whitney och Kruskall-wallis användes. Resultat: Totalt delades 75 enkäter ut och 72 svar kom in. Femtio (69%) kanotister rapporterade att de hade en överbelastningsskada. Den vanligaste skadelokalisationen var hand/underarm följt av skuldra, ländrygg och bröstrygg. Åtskilliga kanotister tränade trots överbelastningsskada och detta var mer vanligt bland kvinnor än män. Det fanns ett samband mellan mindre träningsmängd och mer smärta. Konklusion: En hög andel av kanotisterna rapporterade överbelastningsskador. Hand/underarm var den skadelokalisation som var vanligast bland kanotister medan ländrygg och skuldra var de som hade störst påverkan på träning och prestation. / Introduction: There is limited research on injury prevalence among sprint kayakers. The previous studies reported a high prevalence of overuse injuries located in the lumbar and thoracic spine and the shoulders. The injury impact on performance and training has not yet been reported. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of overuse injuries among elite sprint kayakers in Sweden and the impact of these on performance and training. Method: A quantitative questionnaire was used to perform a cross-sectional study. Questionnaires were distributed to 30 women and 42 men during a sprint kayak competition during wich the national team was to be selected. A modified version of the Swedish translated questionnaire OSTRC Overuse Injury Questionnaire was used. The statistic program SPSS was used for data analysis, and Mann-Whitney and Kruskall-Wallis were perfomed. Results: Seventy-five questionnaires were distributed and 72 kayakers responded. Fifty (69%) kayakers reported an overuse injury. The most common reported injury location was hand/forearm followed by shoulder, lumbar and thoracic spine. Several kayakers participated despite overuse injury, something which is more common among women than men. There was a correlation between less training hours and more pain among the kayakers. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of overuse injuries reported among the sprint kayakers. Hand/forearm was the most common location of injury among the sprint kayakers, while the lumbar spine and shoulders had the biggest impact on performance and training.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / A traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) often occurs unexpectedly and causes considerable disability. This condition requires specialized care that is delivered in a time sensitive manner. Data on the incidence, causes, mortality and injury characteristics of TSCI are important for gauging demand for health care and social support services. Unfortunately data on the incidence and causes, as well as functioning such as participation and integration into society, of TSCI are sparse in developing countries such as Tanzania. The overall aim of this study is to determine the incidence, causes, mortality and injury characteristics of TSCI, and to explore the challenges experienced with community reintegration after injury in Tanzania. Both quantitative and qualitative research paradigms were used. The quantitative phase of the study was conducted at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), a referral and teaching hospital in northern Tanzania. The study population was all patients admitted to KCMC with a TSCI from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2015 (five year period). Quantitative data were collected retrospectively using a data extraction sheet designed by the International Spinal Cord Society which consisted of the following sections: participants’ characteristics (for example age, gender, duration of hospital stay, causes of injury and vertebral injuries) and injury characteristics (location of injury and completeness of injury). Differences between groups (stratified by year) was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The population for the qualitative phase was based on those included in the quantitative phase. Purposive sampling was used to select adults (over the age of 18 years) with TSCI who were managed at KCMC. Qualitative data were collected by means of individual, semi-structured interviews, and lasted until theoretical saturation was achieved. Thematic analysis was used to derive themes (categories) explaining the latent perceptions of community reintegration and its influences.

Abstract The utilization of oral lesions as a screening tool for HIV is not well documented. Attendees at two primary health care facilities (Khutsong and Heidelberg) were assessed to determine the predictive value of group I oral lesions for HIV infection. The objectives were to investigate the: 1) HIV prevalence amongst attendees at PHC facilities, 2) Prevalence of HIV-related oral lesions and 3) Correlation between the oral lesions and the HIV status using the Likelihood Ratio test. Methods: All patients over 12 months of age presenting at the two facilities for a curative care consultation over a one-week period (in April 2005) were included. Consent was obtained by trained counselors who also conducted a brief interview and offered pre-test counseling to patients wishing to know their HIV status. Two calibrated dentists conducted a head, neck and oral examination and administered a rapid saliva HIV test (OraQuick HIV-1/2-Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test). Results: A total of 654 attendees were surveyed in the 2 facilities. There was a 100% response. The mean age of the participants was 34 years (range: 1-94), and the majority (73%) were female. HIV prevalence rates were 34% at Khutsong and 36% at Heidelberg. The HIV prevalence peaked at 46% in the 16-45 age groups. Of the 228 who tested positive for HIV, 121 (53%) patients were diagnosed with 1 or more Group I oral lesion. Oral candidiasis (46%) and oral hairy leukoplakia (19%) were the two most common oral lesions diagnosed in the HIV positive cohort. The positive predictive values and specificity values for multiple lesions ranged between 96% and 100%. Most of the likelihood ratios for multiple lesions were greater than 10 which implied that the patients who presented with these lesions were extremely likely to test positive for HIV. The sensitivity values (1% to 37%) and negative predictive values (66% to 70%) remained relatively low. Conclusion: The HIV prevalence of patients attending PHC facilities was high (34%). Oral lesions are useful markers of HIV-infection and should alert clinicians to the presence of HIV infection. Multiple group I lesions were more predictive of HIV infection compared to single lesions.

The national programme of expanded access to antiretroviral therapy in the South African public health sector has resulted in hundreds of thousands of South Africans being subjected to prolonged therapy with the risk of adverse drug effects. Among the most common adverse effects are metabolic disorders one of which is mitochondrial toxicity. Mitochondrial toxicity may manifest as hyperlactatemia. The study was designed to determine the frequency with which hyperlactatemia occurs in HIV – infected adults on long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART). The objective was to determine the proportion of patients with blood lactate levels that exceed a predetermined cut-off level and to attempt to relate hyperlactatemia to a set of factors namely, gender, age, obesity, symptoms, type of ART regime and duration of ART use. The study was conducted at an ART clinic in the provincial state hospital of Bongani in the town of Welkom in Free State. The target population was male and female adult patients (18 years and above) on ART for a duration of 1 year or longer. Participants were selected by a random sampling of hospital case file numbers using random table numbers. The patients answered a set of 7 questions on symptoms, underwent weight and height measurements before having blood drawn for lactate assays Blood specimens for lactate assays were processed at the local National Health laboratory.

Introdução: A infecção pelo HIV associada com o adoecimento por tuberculose influencia na dinâmica de ambas patologias.Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência e fatores associados da coinfecção HIV/tuberculose em indivíduos com tuberculose no período de 2003 a 2011, notificados no município de Ribeirão Preto - SP. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, transversal, retrospectivo; tendo como sujeito todos os indivíduos com a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose, residentes no município de Ribeirão Preto, que foram diagnosticados, e tiveram seu caso notificado e cadastrado no programa TBweb. Os dados foram obtidos inicialmente a partir do Sistema de Informações para tuberculose no Estado de São Paulo, TBweb. Após a seleção, foi realizado a técnica de \"linkage\" entre os bancos de dados SINAN, SISCEL e SICLOM que contem informações do HIV/aids. Os dados foram analisados por meio do programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 17.0 for Windows, utilizando-se estatística descritiva, teste qui- quadrado e Odds Ratio. Resultados: Dos 1.277 indivíduos com tuberculose cadastrados no TBweb entre 2003 e 2011, 338 apresentavam a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose, mostrando uma prevalência de 26,5%. Em relação às características demográficas, 244 (72,2%) eram do sexo masculino, a faixa etária predominante foi de 35 a 44 anos (45,0%). Quanto à raça/cor, 151 (44,7%) eram branca. Quanto ao tipo de caso, 308 (91,1%) dos casos eram novos. Referente ao encerramento do caso, a maioria dos indivíduos (58,9%) com a coinfecção HIV/tuberculose obteve cura. A forma clínica mais encontrada foi a pulmonar em 201 (59,5%) casos, seguida pela extrapulmonar em 90 (26,6%) indivíduos. No que diz respeito à identificação de qual doença foi notificada em primeiro lugar, evidenciou- se que a maioria 246 (72,8%) teve o registro do caso de HIV/aids antes de ter a notificação de tuberculose. Com relação à contagem de linfócitos TCD4+, 189 (55,9%) apresentaram taxas menores que 200 células/mm³ de sangue, 201 (59,5%) faziam uso de terapia antirretroviral e 102 (30,2%) apresentaram carga viral entre 1.001 e 100.000 cópias. Conclusão: A prevalência de indivíduos coinfectados foi de 26,5% taxa superior a nacional, sendo a maioria do sexo masculino, com faixa etária predominante em idade produtiva, com baixa contagem de linfócitos TCD4+, com o diagnóstico do HIV/aids anterior ao de tuberculose, evidenciando a necessidade de mais ações voltadas para a prevenção de ambas as doenças / Introduction: HIV infection associated with tuberculosis affects the dynamics of both pathologies. Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with HIV/tuberculosis co-infection in individuals with tuberculosis between 2003 and 2011, registered in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto - SP. Methodology: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study; the subjects were all individuals with HIV/tuberculosis co-infection, residents of the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, who had been diagnosed, notified and registered in the TBweb program, the tuberculosis information system of the state of São Paulo. Data were initially obtained from TBweb. After the selection, the database was created using the linkage technique between the TBweb, SINAN, SISCEL and SICLOM databases, which contain information on HIV/Aids. Data were analyzed by means of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17.0 for Windows, using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and Odds Ratio. Results: Out of the 1277 individuals with tuberculosis registered in the TBweb between 2003 and 2011, 338 presented HIV/tuberculosis co-infection, showing a prevalence of 26.5%. Regarding demographic characteristics, 244 (72.2%) were male and the predominant age range was between 35 and 44 years (45.0%). As for race/skin color, 151 (44.7%) were Caucasian. A total of 308 (91.1%) cases were new. Regarding the outcome of the case, most of the individuals (58.9%) with the HIV/tuberculosis co-infection were cured. Pulmonary tuberculosis was the most common clinical form of the disease, found in 201 (59.5%) cases, followed by extrapulmonary tuberculosis in 90 (26.6%) individuals. With regard to the identification of which disease was notified first, most cases, 246 (72.8%), had records of the HIV/aids case prior to the notification of tuberculosis. A total of 189 (55.9%) individuals had a CD4-Positive T-Lymphocyte count lower than 200 cells/mm³ of blood, 201 (59.5%) followed antiretroviral therapy and 102 (30.2%) had a viral load between 1,001 and 100,000 copies. Conclusion: The prevalence of co-infected individuals was 26.5%, which is above the national rate. Most individuals were male, in a productive age and had a low CD4-Positive T- Lymphocyte count, with a prior diagnosis of HIV/aids to that of tuberculosis, evidencing the need for more actions aimed at the prevention of both diseases

A escoliose idiopática do adolescente (EIA) é uma deformidade tridimensional da coluna vertebral. Dados epidemiológicos sobre sua prevalência nas regiões do hemisfério sul não são suficientes. Primeiramente, o objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a prevalência da EIA em cidades do interior do estado de São Paulo; secundariamente, identificar fatores demográficos, clínicos e relacionados ao estilo de vida e à postura associados à ocorrência da escoliose e avaliar a validade e capacidade preditiva do escoliômetro®. Foram avaliados 2.562 adolescentes (1.490 meninas e 1.072 meninos), entre 10 e 14 anos. Os adolescentes eram estudantes de escolas públicas estaduais pertencentes à Diretoria Regional de Ensino de Mogi Mirim/SP. O rastreamento para EIA foi feito pela mensuração do ângulo de rotação de tronco (ART) no teste de Adams por meio do escoliômetro® e pelo exame radiográfico. Adolescentes com ART >= 7º foram encaminhados para radiografia e diagnosticou-se a escoliose quando o ângulo de Cobb foi maior ou igual a 10º. A avaliação postural foi realizada por fotografias analisadas no Software de Avaliação Postural (SAPO) dos adolescentes com suspeita (ART >= 7º e Cobb < 10º) e com escoliose (ART >= 7º e Cobb >= 10º). Os resultados mostraram prevalência de 1,5% (IC95%: 1 - 1,9%), sendo maior para o sexo feminino (2,2%; IC95%: 1,4 - 2,9%) do que masculino (0,5%; IC95%: 0,1 - 0,9%). Os fatores associados à ocorrência da escoliose foram o sexo feminino (odds ratio: 4,7; IC95%: 1,8 - 12,2; p=0,001), as idades de 13 e 14 anos (odds ratio: 2,2; IC95%: 1 - 4,8; p=0,035) e o desnivelamento dos ombros (odds ratio: 1,4; IC95%: 1,1 - 1,8; p=0,011). Houve predomínio de curvas duplas (59,4%) e de lateralidade à direita (56,8%), porém de baixa magnitude (75% com ângulo de Cobb até 22º) e fator de progressão (75% com fator de até 1,2). As curvas à direita apresentaram maior magnitude (ângulo de Cobb: 20,8º (7,3º)) do que aquelas à esquerda (13,8º (4,1º)) (p=0,003). O encaminhamento ao exame radiográfico foi de 5%. O escoliômetro® apresentou melhor sensibilidade aos 45º de flexão anterior de tronco (53,8% (IC95%: 43,7 - 64)) e melhores especificidade e valor preditivo positivo aos 60º (75% (IC95%: 66,2 - 83,9%) e 78,4% (IC95%: 70 - 86,8%), respectivamente). Concluiu-se, portanto, que a prevalência da EIA em cidades do estado de São Paulo (1,5%) foi semelhante à descrita na literatura (2%), sendo também mais prevalente no sexo feminino e nas idades mais próximas à puberdade (13 e 14 anos). Considerando que a puberdade ocorre em momentos distintos entre os sexos, sendo mais tardio para o masculino, a recomendação de se realizar programas de rastreamento escolar para escoliose na mesma faixa etária (10-14 anos) para ambos os sexos deve ser repensada. A validade e capacidade preditiva do escoliômetro® foram melhores aos 60º de flexão de tronco. Em relação aos aspectos posturais, o alinhamento horizontal dos acrômios, que avalia o desnivelamento dos ombros, está associado à presença de escoliose idiopática do adolescente e deve ser considerado na rotina de avaliação dos adolescentes seja no ambiente clínico ou escolar / Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a common three-dimensional spinal deformity. Epidemiological data about the condition in South Hemisphere are insufficient. First, the objective of this study was to estimate the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis prevalence rate in cities of São Paulo, Brazil. Second to identify demographic, clinical, lifestyle and body posture factors associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and to assess the Scoliometer accuracy. We assessed 2,562 adolescents (1,490 girls and 1,072 boys), between 10 and 14 years of age. The adolescents studied in public schools belong to Education Regional Board of Mogi Mirim/SP. The screening procedure included the measurement of Angle of Trunk Rotation (ATR) using a Scoliometer in the Adams test and the radiographic examination. The adolescents with ATR >= 7o were referral to radiographic examination and body photographic. A Cobb angle >= 10o on standing radiographs were classified as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. We used Postural Assessment Software (PAS) to analyze posture and we divided into adolescents with scoliosis suspicion (ATR >= 7o and Cobb angle < 10o) and with scoliosis (ATR >= 7o and Cobb angle >= 10o). The adolescent idiopathic scoliosis prevalence rate was 1.5% (95% CI: 1 - 1.9%), higher to females (2.2%; 95% CI: 1.4 - 2.9%) than males (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.1 - 0.9%). The following factors were associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: female gender (odds ratio, 4.7; 95% CI: 1.8 - 12.2; p=0.001), the 13 and 14-year age group (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI: 1 - 4.8; p=0.035) and shoulder imbalance (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1 - 1.8; p=0.011). The double curves and right laterality were more frequent (59.4% and 56.8%, respectively), but with low magnitude (75% with Cobb angle until 22o) and progression factor (75% with progression factor until 1.2). The right curves (20.8º (7.3º)) showed high magnitude than the left ones (13.8º (4.1º)) (p=0.003). The referral to radiography was 5%. Scoliometer sensitivity was better at 45o forward bending test (53,8% (95% CI: 43,7 - 64)), and the specificity and positive predictive value were better at 60o (75% (95% CI: 66.2 - 83.9%) and 78.4% (95% CI: 70 - 86.8%), respectively). We concluded that the prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in cities of São Paulo (1.5%) was similar to the literature (2%) and was also more prevalent in females and in puberty ages (13 and 14 years). Whereas puberty occurs at different times between gender, and later for males, the recommendation to screen the same age group (10-14 years) for both genders must be rethought. Scoliometer accuracy was better at 60o forward bending test. The shoulder imbalance assessed by horizontal alignment of acromion was associated with the presence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and should be considered as an assessment routine for adolescents in clinical or school environment

INTRODUÇÃO: O aumento da proporção de idosos implica estudar os determinantes dos principais agravos associados ao envelhecimento como a demência, principalmente a associada à doença cerebrovascular. Um fator de risco relevante para doença cerebrovascular é a freqüência de fibrilação atrial crônica. O São Paulo Health and Ageing Study com base populacional para estudo de distúrbio cognitivo e demência é uma oportunidade única para verificar a prevalência de fibrilação atrial e de sua associação com demência. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, por arrolamento de 1524 idosos com 65 anos ou mais estudo acima, no distrito do Butantã, cidade de São Paulo. O diagnóstico de fibrilação atrial foi feito com o eletrocardiograma de repouso de doze derivações e o de demência foi feito utilizando-se o protocolo do Research Group of Dementia 10/66. Estudaram-se variáveis sócio-econômicas e fatores de risco cardiovascular como hipertensão, diabetes, dislipidemia e obesidade. RESULTADOS: A amostra estudada tinha idade média de 72,2 anos, era predominantemente feminina, branca, casada, de baixa escolaridade e renda. A prevalência de fibrilação atrial associou-se ao aumento da idade e foi de 1,9% para o sexo feminino e 3,1% para o sexo masculino, com prevalência para ambos os sexos ajustada para idade de 2,7%. A prevalência de demência também se associou ao aumento da idade e sua prevalência idade ajustada foi de 4,9%, maior em mulheres (4,8%) do que em homens (3,6%). A razão de chances ajustada para idade para a associação de fibrilação atrial e demência foi de 2,88 (Intervalo de Confiança, IC 95% - 0,98 8,40) para ambos os sexos sendo e, de 1,50 (IC95% - 0,19 11,83) para homens e 4,48 (IC95% - 1,23 16,29) para mulheres. Encontrou-se maior risco de demência entre mulheres com fibrilação atrial (17,7%) do que entre os participantes do mesmo sexo sem demência (4,6%) Outras alterações no eletrocardiograma de repouso com interesse foram determinadas como com área inativa (código de Minnesotta q1- q2) de: 9,1% nas mulheres e 16,6% nos homens; e também bloqueio de ramo esquerdo de 3,3%, nas mulheres 3,0% e nos homens 3,6%. CONCLUSÃO: Mulheres idosas com fibrilação atrial têm diagnóstico de demência quase quatro vezes mais do que aquelas em ritmo sinusal / INTRODUCTION: The growing aging population proportion makes us study the most important illness related with aging of the population as dementia, specially the dementia associated to stroke. Atrial fibrillation is a main risk factor with cerebrovascular disease. The São Paulo Heath and Ageing Study a population based study for cognitive disturb and dementia is an unique opportunity to verify the atrial fibrillation prevalence and its association with dementia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The population of this study was composed by 1,524 elderly people, over 65 years of age, covered by the Health Program Family in the Butantã district, São Paulo, who were recruited door by door. The diagnosis of atrial fibrillation was made using a twelve lead resting electrocardiogram and the diagnosis of dementia was made by the protocol of Research Group of Dementia 10/66. We studied socio economic variables and cardiovascular risk factors as hypertension, diabetes, dislipidemia and obesity. RESULTS: The studied population had a mean age of 72.2 years old and was predominantly female, white, married and of low educational and financial status. We found that atrial fibrillation prevalence increased throughout age-strata and was of 1.9% among the females and 3.1% among the males, and age-adjusted prevalence of 2.7%. The prevalence of dementia also increases with age and its ageadjusted prevalence was of 4.9%, greater among the females (4.8%) than among the males (3.6%). The odds ratio age-adjusted for the association of atrial fibrillations and dementia was of 2.88 (Confidence interval, 95% CI 0.98 8.40) for both sex: 1.50 among men (95% CI 0.19 11.83), and 4.48 among women (95% CI 1.23 16.29). We found a higher risk of dementia among the female with atrial fibrillation (17.7%) than among female participants without atrial fibrillation (4.6%). Other resting electrocardiogram alterations were determined as previous inactive areas (Minnesotta Code q1-q2) of 12.4%: among the females of 9.1% and among the males of 16.6%. The frequency of left bundle-branch block was of 3.3%: among the females of 3.0% and among the males of 3.6% .CONCLUSION: Elderly women with atrial fibrillation had the diagnosis of dementia almost four times greater than that of women with sinus rhythm