This thesis consists of five chapters, based on four different articles. All of them are devoted to different aspects of spatial heterogeneity and its impact on economic equilibrium in space. The concept of heterogeneous continuous space is discussed in the introductory chapter.The first model "Equilibrium in Continuous Space under Decentralized Production" addresses the issue of the impact of differences across locations in exogeneous productivity on the structure of equilibrium prices, production and trade. The goal is to describe the general equilibrium in a spatially decentralized economy, when production, consumption and markets are distributed in continuous space and transportation costs are essentially linear. It is shown that an autarky equilibrium can exist only if transport costs are high enough. In the general case, the general equilibrium in this model includes some endogeneously determined trade areas, with flows of goods across space, and autarky areas where production and consumption activities take place only at the same point. An analytical solution in explicit functions is obtained; it contains equilibrium prices, labor supply and flows of goods as functions of the spatial variable. The model can be applied to a set of practical questions in regional economics. In particular, it is able to describe persistent price differentials across regions and non-local consequences of road construction and transportation cost shocks for the economy. The differences across locations in population density may have either historical or economic reasons.The second model "Hotelling's Revival" extends a well-known research of H.Hotelling (1929) to the two-dimensional case with spatially heterogeneous demand density, preserving the rest of his classical assumptions. It is shown that the problem of demand discontinuity in the one-dimensional model, which was discovered by d'Aspremont, Gabszewich and Thisse (1979), disappears in this case. This also holds for any bounded distribution of consumers on any compact set on a plane, which can describe real geographical situations. Demand continuity still holds for any transport costs, strictly increasing in distance and not necessarily linear. Although this is sufficient for the existence of Nash equilibrium in mixed strategies, in pure strategies it exists only for some subset of cases. Examples of both existence and non-existence are constructed, and for some family of densities the separation point between the two cases is found.The third model addresses locational choice of heterogeneous consumers, when land is also heterogeneous in quality. It is based on two articles. The first, "Dacha Pricing", is presented in chapter 4 and studies the problem of locational rent in a city-neighbourhood when utility includes both the impact of transport costs and time for transportation. For the case of identical agents the problem is solved explicitly and comparative statics with respect to exogeneous changes in transport cost and speed is studied. For the case of agents who are heterogeneous with respect to their income, a solution is also obtained. The model explains some evidence about dacha pricing in Russia and its dynamics during the transition period. The second article related to this model is "Location and Land Size Choice by Heterogeneous Agents". It generalizes the first one and form a separate chapter 5. A new approach about the general equilibrium allocation of heterogeneous divisible good (like land) among a continuum of heterogeneous consumers is proposed. The model is based on continuity of primitives which allow not only to finding a general equilibrium solution in a class of continuous functions, but also to treat the solution to a continuous problem as the limit of the corresponding sequence of discrete problems. This solves one of Berliant's paradoxes, related to spatial economics. The multiplicity of equilibria is shown to take place.

[Truncated abstract] Background: This thesis examines pharmacotherapy use in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. It includes antiplatelet agents, beta-blockers, statins and ACE inhibitors, all shown in landmark clinical trials and meta-analyses to reduce the risk of cardiac events in patients with known coronary disease. Underuse of effective preventive therapies represents a lost opportunity to reduce mortality and morbidity. Overseas studies have shown significant underuse of effective therapies at the time of hospital discharge following an acute event and later in ambulatory care. Australian data on prescribing practices following an acute coronary event and, ongoing use in ambulatory care are sparse. Aims: The aim of this thesis was to quantify the prescription of known effective therapies at the time of hospital discharge following an acute coronary event and ongoing use in ambulatory care. A secondary aim was to identify barriers to optimal secondary prevention thus providing an evidential basis to recommend change. Methods: This was an observational study of a cohort of post-MI patients admitted to a tertiary and affiliate hospital in Perth, Western Australia. The continuum of care from the treatment plan at discharge through to the treatment regimen and risk factor management 12 months post-MI was examined. The intermediate step, communication about the treatment plan with the patient and the primary health care provider was also examined. The study involved a review of hospital medical records and follow-up questionnaires to patients and their general practitioners at 3 and 12 months post-MI. All post-myocardial patients were included in the analysis of prescriptions at discharge. The follow-up study included patients 80 years and younger with no terminal conditions. Patient interviews at 3 months and interviews and focus groups with key hospital staff provided qualitative data to inform the quantitative data.

Diss.--Zugl.: Univ. of Pittsburgh, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references and index.

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Dept. of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/12/07). Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2018-02-05T14:11:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 3247137 bytes, checksum: 9a05f2e9fe37faeb4d1f1453debfae00 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-05T14:11:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 3247137 bytes, checksum: 9a05f2e9fe37faeb4d1f1453debfae00 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-04 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / The party is a social phenomenon that allows multiple interpretations, this multiplicity comes from the diversity of the elements that articulates and composes, whether culture, religion, the individual and collective identity, symbols, rituals, fun (from playfulness) , politics, economy, tourism, etc. It is a temporal phenomenon, since it identifies the party time and space also because the party places (the street, the square, the house, the church, the religious community, etc.) express beyond the consensus, the tensions and conflicts. This set of elements becomes a rich field to analyze the interactions between individuals as "social actors". Considering its social and cultural vitality is that we propose to analyze the Feast of St. Anthony of Stick of Flag, held annually in the city of Barbalha, Ceara State, which includes the June festivities and expressions of popular religiosity site. I propose to reflect on the party dynamics, expressed in an extraordinary time, which articulates relations and ways of interactions between individuals and groups involved in the expectation processes, preparation and holding of the party in order to identify how changes and continuities contribute to its constant achievement. We show that the continuation of the festival is by renewal of interest and participation of individuals, which in turn is renewed, so reframe the party, that being the same, is continuously another. / A festa é um fenômeno social que possibilita múltiplas interpretações, essa multiplicidade advém da diversidade dos elementos que a articula e compõe, sejam a cultura, a religiosidade, a identidade individual e coletiva, os símbolos, rituais, o divertimento (a partir da ludicidade), a política, economia, turismo, etc. É um fenômeno temporal, visto que se identifica o tempo de festa e também espacial, pois os lugares da festa (a rua, a praça, a casa, a igreja, o terreiro, etc.) expressam além do consenso, as tensões e os conflitos. Este conjunto de elementos torna-se um campo rico para se analisar as interações entre os indivíduos como ―agentes sociais‖. Considerando sua vitalidade social e cultural é que propomos analisar a Festa do Pau da Bandeira de Santo Antônio, que ocorre anualmente na Cidade de Barbalha, Estado do Ceará, que integra as festividades juninas e as expressões da religiosidade popular local. Proponho-me refletir sobre a dinâmica da festa, expressa num tempo extraordinário, que articula as relações e formas de interações entre os indivíduos e grupos envolvidos nos processos de expectativa, preparação e realização da festa, buscando identificar como as mudanças e continuidades contribuem para sua constante realização. Mostraremos que a continuação da festa se dá pela renovação dos interesses e da participação dos indivíduos, que consequentemente se renova, resignificando assim a festa, que sendo a mesma, é continuamente outra.

Problemformulering: Den digitala marknaden är expansiv, att introducera en ny produkt på marknaden är därför kritisk, lanseringen är ett avgörande moment. Lanseringen är ofta påkostad, men delges inte tillräckligt med intresse. Marknadsintroduktion av gamifications fallerar vanligtvis av den orsak att förståelse för användaren är undermålig. Syfte: Studien syftar till att bidra med ökad förståelse för hur en lanseringsstrategi för en digital plattform, vilken grundas på en gamification, kan se ut på den svenska marknaden. Metod: Studien utgår från ett hermeneutistiskt synsätt, undersökningen behandlas induktivt med deduktiva inslag, den teoretiska referensramen bearbetades med avsikt att generera förförståelse och behandlas grundläggande för det empiriska materialet. Undersökningen grundar sig i kvalitativ metod, semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts i form av individuella intervjuer och fokusgrupper, med intervjuguide som underlag. Intervjuerna spelades in, varpå det empiriska materialet transkriberades. Insamlad data kodades och kategoriserades. Slutsats: Av studien framkom tre essentiella kategorier; Intresse, Kommunikation och Kontinuitet, som kom att formas till modellen User Desired Lifecycle. Ett intresse kan väckas hos målgruppen, om tjänsten uppfyller ett behov som underlättar användarens vardag. Då användare är snabba på att avfärda digitala lösningar, bör budskapets kontext innefatta användbarhet och användarvänlighet. Kommunikation via influencers påvisas att föredra. Vidare framkom att kontinuitet kan skapas om den digitala tjänsten ger belöningar till användaren, vilket resulterar i motivation till nyttja tjänsten igen. Vidare framkom att företag bör lyssna på användarnas åsikter, i syfte till att uppdatera tjänsten, vilket kan resultera i en mer målgruppsanpassad tjänst. / Background: The digital market is expansive, therefore introducing a new product into the market is critical, launch is a crucial factor. The launch is often costly, but not enough interest is given to it. The market introduction of gamifications usually fails for the reason that the understanding of the user is inferior. Purpose: The aim of the study is to contribute to increased understanding of how a launching strategy for a digital platform, based on a gamification, can look in the swedish market. Method: The study is based on a hermeneutical approach, the study is dealt with inductively with deductive elements, the theoretical frame of reference was processed with the intention of generating understanding and being treated fundamentally for the empirical material. The survey is based on qualitative methodology, semistructured interviews have been conducted in the form of individual interviews and focus groups, with an interviewguide as basis. The interviews were recorded, after which the empirical material was transcribed. The collected data was encoded and categorized. Conclusion: The study revealed three essential categories; Interest, Communication and Continuity, which came to form the Model User Desired Lifecycle. An interest can be aroused by the target audience, if the service meets a need that facilitates the user's everyday life. As users are quick to discourage digital solutions, the context of the message should include usability and ease of use. Communication through influencers proves preferred. Furthermore, it emerged that continuity can be created if the digital service gives rewards to the user, resulting in motivation to use the service again. Furthermore, it was found that companies should listen to users' opinions in order to update the service, which could result in a more targeted service.

Dans la perspective d’une anthropologie ontologique, la thèse vise à mieux comprendre les continuités et les transformations au sein des rites de passage chez les Inuit du Nunavik, depuis leur conversion au christianisme jusqu’au contexte actuel. Les rites de la grossesse, de l’accouchement, et de la naissance, y sont décrits en détail, tout comme le processus de dénomination de l’enfant, puis les rites de la première fois. Cette ethnographie mobilise une démarche comparative régionale, et s’appuie sur plusieurs collaborations avec des institutions du Nunavik. Les séquences de ces rites de passage sont dès lors analysées à la fois comme des temps forts de la construction de la personne, et comme des témoins de la résilience manifestée par la culture inuit. Au cœur de la socialisation de l’enfant, ces rites apparaissent en effet avoir contribué à transmettre certains principes culturels grâce auxquels différents éléments de la cosmologie chrétienne ont pu être adaptés et incorporés. Ces rites auraient alors participé de l’actualisation de la cosmologie inuit au XXe siècle, et en particulier de la réorganisation des relations que les humains entretiennent avec différents êtres non-humains. En transmettant jusqu’à aujourd’hui les principes ontologiques fondant ces relations, après y avoir intégré plusieurs éléments de la tradition chrétienne, ces rites suggèrent de considérer l’importance du rôle socialisateur des êtres non-humains – fœtus, défunts, animaux, esprits – dans l’éducation enfantine, et appellent une réflexion sur l’extension de la notion de personne aux êtres non-humains. / Using ontological anthropology as a theoretical framework, this thesis aims to better understand the continuities and transformations in the rites of passage among the Inuit of Nunavik, since their conversion to Christianity until today. The rites of pregnancy, childbirth, and birth, are described in detail, as well as the naming process of the child, and the rites of the first time. This ethnography uses a regional comparative approach, and is based on several collaborations with some institutions of Nunavik. The sequences of these rites of passage are therefore analyzed both as a highlight of the construction of the person, and as witnesses to the resilience shown by the Inuit culture. At the heart of the socialization of children, these rites indeed appear to have contributed to convey certain cultural principles by which different elements of the Christian cosmology could be adapted and incorporated. These rites would thus have been instrumental in updating the Inuit cosmology of the twentieth century, and more precisely in reorganizing of relationships that humans have with various non-human beings. Passing on, until today, the ontological principles underlying these relations, and after incorporating several elements of the Christian tradition, these rites suggest the importance of acknowledging the socializing role played by many non-human beings – foetuses, deceased, animals, spirits - in early education. It therefore implies to address a sensitive question, that is, the extension of the notion of person to non-humans beings.

Introdução: os transtornos mentais freqüentemente têm início na infância e podem persistir até a idade adulta. Assim, transtornos mentais em crianças e adolescentes apresentam alta prevalência. Determinantes ambientais, genéticos, biológicos e comportamentais têm sido investigados na etiologia dos transtornos mentais. Objetivos: estudar a prevalência e a continuidade dos transtornos mentais no início da adolescência e os determinantes precoces para problemas de atenção e hiperatividade na mesma faixa etária. Métodos: realizaram-se dois estudos com delineamento prospectivo de coorte e um estudo transversal aninhado ao estudo longitudinal com duas fases: triagem e diagnóstico de saúde mental. Em 1993, todos os nascimentos hospitalares ocorridos na cidade de Pelotas foram monitorados (N = 5.249). Amostras destas crianças foram visitadas no primeiro e no quarto ano de vida. Em 2004-5, 4.452 (87,5% da coorte original) adolescentes e suas mães foram entrevistados. Neste seguimento, foram utilizados três instrumentos de coleta de dados sobre saúde mental. Inicialmente, 4.452 adolescentes e suas mães responderam ao Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ) para avaliar problemas de saúde mental dos adolescentes. Os adolescentes com rastreamento positivo (na versão do SDQ das mães ou na de auto-preenchimento), mais uma amostra com rastreamento negativo, foram selecionados (juntamente com suas mães) para responderem à entrevista Levantamento sobre o Desenvolvimento e Bem-estar de Crianças e Adolescentes (DAWBA). Procedeu-se a uma nova visita domiciliar para uma entrevista com as mães de uma amostra de adolescentes (os mesmos avaliados aos 4 anos), utilizando o Inventário de Comportamentos da Infância e Adolescência (CBCL). Resultados: a prevalência de transtornos mentais no início da adolescência foi estimada em 10,8% (IC 95% 5,7-15,9%), sendo os grupos de transtornos mais prevalentes os do comportamento disruptivo, seguidos dos de ansiedade. Na reaplicação do CBCL após oito anos (aos 4 e 12 anos de idade), houve uma continuidade moderada da psicopatologia. Assim 31% das crianças com comportamento desviante aos 4 anos persistiam com esses comportamentos aos 12 anos. Os problemas de externalização aos 4 anos foram os que apresentaram maior estabilidade em 8 anos e, também, os principais preditores de diferentes desfechos em saúde mental. Os fatores de risco (coletados no nascimento e quarto ano) que permaneceram associados aos problemas de atenção e hiperatividade aos 12 anos foram: a) renda familiar; b) sexo masculino; c) tabagismo materno na gestação; d) transtorno psiquiátrico materno; e) problemas de comportamento e emocionais da criança. Conclusões: os resultados mostraram-se similares aos achados de estudos, brasileiros e internacionais, em relação às taxas de prevalências, aos padrões de psicopatologia mais freqüentes, à evolução, aos antecedentes comportamentais e aos fatores de risco dos transtornos mentais, apontando para a universalidade dos transtornos mentais entre diferentes culturas. Fatores ambientais, biológicos e psicológicos, presentes no início da vida, tiveram efeito de longo prazo em escores de desatenção e hiperatividade na adolescência, confirmando achados prévios de estudos de coortes de nascimentos. / Introduction: mental disorders often begin during childhood and may persist up to the adult age. In addition, their prevalence in children and adolescent is high. Environmental, genetics, biological and psychological determinants have been investigated in the etiology of mental disorder. Objectives: to study the prevalence and the continuity of mental disorders in the early adolescence, as well as early determinants for attention and hyperactivity problems at the same age range. Methods: two studies with a cohort prospective design were developed and a transversal study was nested into the longitudinal study with two phases: screening and diagnoses of mental disorder. In 1993, all the births which took place in hospitals in the city of Pelotas were monitored (N = 5,249). Samples of these children were visited in the first and fourth year of age. In 2004-5, 4,452 (87.5% of the original cohort) adolescents and their mothers were interviewed. In this follow-up, three instruments assessing the mental health of the adolescents were applied. Initially, 4,452 adolescents and their mothers answered to the Strenghs and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to evaluate problems of mental health of the adolescents. The adolescents with positive screening (in the SDQ of the mothers or self-report versions), and a sample of those with negative screening, were selected (as well as their mothers) to answer to the Development and Well-Being of Children and Adolescents Interview (DAWBA). A new home visit was proceeded for an interview with the mothers of a sample of adolescents (the same who had been evaluated at 4 years of age), using the Child and Adolescent Behavior CheckList (CBCL). Results: the prevalence of mental disorder in early adolescence was estimated in 10.8% (95%CI 5.7-15.9). The most prevalent disorders were the group of disruptive behavior disorders, followed by anxiety disorders. By the time CBCL was reapplied after eight years (at the ages of 4 and 12), there was a moderate continuity of psychopathology. Thus, 31% of the children with deviant behavior at 4 years of age kept their deviant scores at 12 years of age. The externalizing problems at 4 years of age were the ones with higher stability and, also, the main predictors of different outcomes in mental health at early adolescence. The factors (measured at birth and fourth year) which remained associated to the problems of attentional and hyperactivity at 12 years of age were: a) family income; b) male sex; c) maternal smoking during pregnancy; d) maternal psychiatric disorder; e) behavioral and emotional problems of the child. Conclusions: our findings were similar to those found in both Brazilian and international studies regarding the prevalence rate, the most frequent psychopathological pattern, the evolution, behavioral antecedents and risk factors of a mental disorder, indicating the universality of mental disorders among different cultures. Environmental, biological and psychological factors, which are present in the beginning of life, had a long-term effect in attention and hyperactivity problems at the adolescence, confirming previous findings in studies of birth cohort.

Denna studie undersöker begreppet likvärdighet genom att analysera hur elevernas bristande kunskapskontinuitet vid skolbyte upplevs och hanteras av rektorer och lärare, samt deras uppfattningar om den nya stadieindelade timplanens påverkan i måluppfyllelse och likvärdighet. Studien baseras på en semikvantitativ webbenkätundersökning med 145 rektorer och lärare i grundskolor i hela landet.  Mer än hälften av informanterna får inte någon information om elevernas tidigare undervisningstid. Kartläggning av elevernas kunskapsnivå vid skolbyte är utbredd och många bekräftar att påtagliga kunskapsluckor existerar. Majoriteten menar att eleverna får möjlighet att ta igen undervisningen genom kompensatoriska åtgärder som innebär anpassning av undervisningssätt och extra insatser utanför skolans ordinarie schema. Tidsstyrningen i skolan påverkas huvudsakligen av timplanen istället för lärarnas och elevernas önskemål. Ramfaktorteori och händelselogik visar att begreppet likvärdighet har två dimensioner. Likvärdighet mellan skolorna påverkas negativt av den befintliga timplanens brist på avstämningstillfällen, som leder till låg kunskapskontinuitet vid skolbyte. Detta avspeglas i informanternas positiva attityd mot centraliseringsåtgärder som exempelvis en stadiepreciserad timplan. Likvärdighet mellan eleverna är det mål som informanterna enligt sin inre logik strävar efter med hjälp av pedagogisk kartläggning och kompensatoriska åtgärdar. För att öka likvärdigheten måste timplanens implementering vara mer realistisk och stadieprecisering måste kompletteras med uppföljning i förhållande till måluppfyllelse. / This study examines the interpretation of educational equity by analysing how students’ lack of knowledge continuity upon school switching is experienced and handled by principals and teachers, and their opinion on the new level-divided national time schedule’s effects on goal attainment and equity. 145 principals and teachers in primary and lower secondary schools in Sweden participate in a semi-quantitative web survey for this study.  More than half of the informants do not receive any information concerning students’ former teaching hours. It is a common practice to chart students’ level of knowledge and one third of the informants confirm a significant knowledge gap. Catching up on lost teaching is possible according to most informants, with compensatory measures that encompass adaptation of teaching methods and extra-curricular activities not included in the normal timetable. Time allocation is mainly determined by the constraints of the national time schedule instead of the needs of teachers and students. By applyingthe theory of frame factor and practical reasoning, it is shown that equity has two dimensions. Equity between schools is dampened by the current national time schedule’s lack of follow-up occasions, leading to inadequate knowledge continuity upon school switching. This is reflected by the informants’ positive attitude towards educational centralisation by means of a more precise, level-divided time schedule. Equity between students has been the main goal that most schools strive for, by implementing knowledge-charting procedures and compensatory measures in the light of practical reasoning. In order to improve equity, a more precise and realistic time schedule needs to be complemented by more rigorous control in relation to goal-fulfilment.

Introdução: os transtornos mentais freqüentemente têm início na infância e podem persistir até a idade adulta. Assim, transtornos mentais em crianças e adolescentes apresentam alta prevalência. Determinantes ambientais, genéticos, biológicos e comportamentais têm sido investigados na etiologia dos transtornos mentais. Objetivos: estudar a prevalência e a continuidade dos transtornos mentais no início da adolescência e os determinantes precoces para problemas de atenção e hiperatividade na mesma faixa etária. Métodos: realizaram-se dois estudos com delineamento prospectivo de coorte e um estudo transversal aninhado ao estudo longitudinal com duas fases: triagem e diagnóstico de saúde mental. Em 1993, todos os nascimentos hospitalares ocorridos na cidade de Pelotas foram monitorados (N = 5.249). Amostras destas crianças foram visitadas no primeiro e no quarto ano de vida. Em 2004-5, 4.452 (87,5% da coorte original) adolescentes e suas mães foram entrevistados. Neste seguimento, foram utilizados três instrumentos de coleta de dados sobre saúde mental. Inicialmente, 4.452 adolescentes e suas mães responderam ao Questionário de Capacidades e Dificuldades (SDQ) para avaliar problemas de saúde mental dos adolescentes. Os adolescentes com rastreamento positivo (na versão do SDQ das mães ou na de auto-preenchimento), mais uma amostra com rastreamento negativo, foram selecionados (juntamente com suas mães) para responderem à entrevista Levantamento sobre o Desenvolvimento e Bem-estar de Crianças e Adolescentes (DAWBA). Procedeu-se a uma nova visita domiciliar para uma entrevista com as mães de uma amostra de adolescentes (os mesmos avaliados aos 4 anos), utilizando o Inventário de Comportamentos da Infância e Adolescência (CBCL). Resultados: a prevalência de transtornos mentais no início da adolescência foi estimada em 10,8% (IC 95% 5,7-15,9%), sendo os grupos de transtornos mais prevalentes os do comportamento disruptivo, seguidos dos de ansiedade. Na reaplicação do CBCL após oito anos (aos 4 e 12 anos de idade), houve uma continuidade moderada da psicopatologia. Assim 31% das crianças com comportamento desviante aos 4 anos persistiam com esses comportamentos aos 12 anos. Os problemas de externalização aos 4 anos foram os que apresentaram maior estabilidade em 8 anos e, também, os principais preditores de diferentes desfechos em saúde mental. Os fatores de risco (coletados no nascimento e quarto ano) que permaneceram associados aos problemas de atenção e hiperatividade aos 12 anos foram: a) renda familiar; b) sexo masculino; c) tabagismo materno na gestação; d) transtorno psiquiátrico materno; e) problemas de comportamento e emocionais da criança. Conclusões: os resultados mostraram-se similares aos achados de estudos, brasileiros e internacionais, em relação às taxas de prevalências, aos padrões de psicopatologia mais freqüentes, à evolução, aos antecedentes comportamentais e aos fatores de risco dos transtornos mentais, apontando para a universalidade dos transtornos mentais entre diferentes culturas. Fatores ambientais, biológicos e psicológicos, presentes no início da vida, tiveram efeito de longo prazo em escores de desatenção e hiperatividade na adolescência, confirmando achados prévios de estudos de coortes de nascimentos. / Introduction: mental disorders often begin during childhood and may persist up to the adult age. In addition, their prevalence in children and adolescent is high. Environmental, genetics, biological and psychological determinants have been investigated in the etiology of mental disorder. Objectives: to study the prevalence and the continuity of mental disorders in the early adolescence, as well as early determinants for attention and hyperactivity problems at the same age range. Methods: two studies with a cohort prospective design were developed and a transversal study was nested into the longitudinal study with two phases: screening and diagnoses of mental disorder. In 1993, all the births which took place in hospitals in the city of Pelotas were monitored (N = 5,249). Samples of these children were visited in the first and fourth year of age. In 2004-5, 4,452 (87.5% of the original cohort) adolescents and their mothers were interviewed. In this follow-up, three instruments assessing the mental health of the adolescents were applied. Initially, 4,452 adolescents and their mothers answered to the Strenghs and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to evaluate problems of mental health of the adolescents. The adolescents with positive screening (in the SDQ of the mothers or self-report versions), and a sample of those with negative screening, were selected (as well as their mothers) to answer to the Development and Well-Being of Children and Adolescents Interview (DAWBA). A new home visit was proceeded for an interview with the mothers of a sample of adolescents (the same who had been evaluated at 4 years of age), using the Child and Adolescent Behavior CheckList (CBCL). Results: the prevalence of mental disorder in early adolescence was estimated in 10.8% (95%CI 5.7-15.9). The most prevalent disorders were the group of disruptive behavior disorders, followed by anxiety disorders. By the time CBCL was reapplied after eight years (at the ages of 4 and 12), there was a moderate continuity of psychopathology. Thus, 31% of the children with deviant behavior at 4 years of age kept their deviant scores at 12 years of age. The externalizing problems at 4 years of age were the ones with higher stability and, also, the main predictors of different outcomes in mental health at early adolescence. The factors (measured at birth and fourth year) which remained associated to the problems of attentional and hyperactivity at 12 years of age were: a) family income; b) male sex; c) maternal smoking during pregnancy; d) maternal psychiatric disorder; e) behavioral and emotional problems of the child. Conclusions: our findings were similar to those found in both Brazilian and international studies regarding the prevalence rate, the most frequent psychopathological pattern, the evolution, behavioral antecedents and risk factors of a mental disorder, indicating the universality of mental disorders among different cultures. Environmental, biological and psychological factors, which are present in the beginning of life, had a long-term effect in attention and hyperactivity problems at the adolescence, confirming previous findings in studies of birth cohort.