A associação da atividade física a condições de saúde e qualidade de vida, tem sido um alerta para mudanças dos hábitos de vida da população. Nas últimas décadas foram intensificadas políticas e programas para estimular um comportamento fisicamente mais ativo. Para descrever mudanças no padrão de atividade física da população adulta do município de São Paulo, este estudo transversal de base populacional foi composto por dados provenientes de Inquérito domiciliar realizado no município de São Paulo nos anos de 2003 e 2008. Foram analisadas as prevalências de indivíduos fisicamente ativos segundo os domínios da atividade física na população adulta de 20 a 59 anos, bem como sua relação com fatores socioeconômicos e demográficos. Foi observado aumento da prevalência de indivíduos fisicamente ativos no período estudado, segundo sexo, situação conjugal, faixa etária, escolaridade e renda, bem como segundo os domínios de atividade física. Houve ainda modificações entre os grupos das variáveis independentes, de acordo com o ano do inquérito. / The association of physical activity to health and quality of life, has been an alert to changes in lifestyle of the people. In recent decades policies and programs to encourage a physically active behavior were intensified. To describe changes in physical activity patterns of the adult population in São Paulo, this cross-sectional population-based study comprised data from a household survey conducted in the city of São Paulo in 2003 and 2008. Prevalence of subjects were analyzed physically active according to the domains of physical activity in adults aged 20 to 59 years, as well as its relationship with socioeconomic and demographic factors. Increased prevalence of physically active individuals during the study period was observed according to sex, marital status, age, education and income, as well as according to domains of physical activity. There were also changes between groups of independent variables, according to the survey year.

A associação da atividade física a condições de saúde e qualidade de vida, tem sido um alerta para mudanças dos hábitos de vida da população. Nas últimas décadas foram intensificadas políticas e programas para estimular um comportamento fisicamente mais ativo. Para descrever mudanças no padrão de atividade física da população adulta do município de São Paulo, este estudo transversal de base populacional foi composto por dados provenientes de Inquérito domiciliar realizado no município de São Paulo nos anos de 2003 e 2008. Foram analisadas as prevalências de indivíduos fisicamente ativos segundo os domínios da atividade física na população adulta de 20 a 59 anos, bem como sua relação com fatores socioeconômicos e demográficos. Foi observado aumento da prevalência de indivíduos fisicamente ativos no período estudado, segundo sexo, situação conjugal, faixa etária, escolaridade e renda, bem como segundo os domínios de atividade física. Houve ainda modificações entre os grupos das variáveis independentes, de acordo com o ano do inquérito. / The association of physical activity to health and quality of life, has been an alert to changes in lifestyle of the people. In recent decades policies and programs to encourage a physically active behavior were intensified. To describe changes in physical activity patterns of the adult population in São Paulo, this cross-sectional population-based study comprised data from a household survey conducted in the city of São Paulo in 2003 and 2008. Prevalence of subjects were analyzed physically active according to the domains of physical activity in adults aged 20 to 59 years, as well as its relationship with socioeconomic and demographic factors. Increased prevalence of physically active individuals during the study period was observed according to sex, marital status, age, education and income, as well as according to domains of physical activity. There were also changes between groups of independent variables, according to the survey year.

Bees (Anthophila) are experiencing global decline as part of what is being called the Anthropocene extinction. In addition to the drivers of this event, such as climate change, bees are experiencing synergistic challenges from pesticides, poor nutrition, pathogens, and parasites. Bees play a crucial role in our world because they help to pollinate flowers, allowing plants in both agricultural and ecological settings to reproduce, and our reliance on them is projected to increase, even as their numbers decline. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify and understand how the behavior of bees, and human behavior towards bees, function under settings of imperfect information, where we act as boundedly rational actors. Therefore, in our studies, we focus on the impacts of changing landscapes on bees – whether those are environmental or political. In our investigations, we utilized bees, measuring their behaviors and community health, in multiple contexts to evaluate the interface of the human - bee world. In Chapter 2, we investigated the impact of human land use changes on honey bee foraging dynamics. We decoded, mapped, and analyzed the waggle dances of hives in Blacksburg, Virginia before (2018-19) and after (2022) the conversion of some of their prime habitat through construction. We found that bees increased their foraging nearly four-fold on the microhabitat which were untouched by the construction, but they are forced to nearly double their average foraging distance (0.69 to 1.28km) after the land development. In Chapter 3, we deployed dancing honey bees as potential predictors for native bee abundance and diversity. We used an existing dataset of decoded honey bee waggle dances (n = 11,050 from 2018-2019) to map three Virginian locations (Blacksburg, Winchester, and Suffolk) and the places preferred and avoided by bees within. Then we sampled (2021-2022) at 10 sites within each location using hand nets, bee bowls, and blue vane traps to determine the relationship between honey bee predicted landscapes and native bee abundance and diversity. We found a parabolic relationship between honey bee foraging and native bee abundance (p < 0.001), a relationship that remains robust when we stratify our capture by family (Apidae and non-Apidae) or sociality (solitary and social). In Chapter 4, we quantified bee community health metrics (abundance, richness, and diversity) in soybean plots in Columbia, Missouri, which were either treated with grower standard pyrethroid spray or attract-and-kill insecticidal netting treatments for the control of Japanese Beetle. These bee community health metrics were based on 1473 captured bees. We found a significant decrease in bee abundance in attract-and kill-plots compared to grower standard plots for all application periods (p < 0.002), a trend driven solely by the most common species, Melissodes bimaculatus. In Chapter 5, we directly examined human behavior concerning bees by analyzing the location, policy subsystem, and partisan control in which recent state level bee statutes were passed in the United States, following the 2022 midterm elections. We report on a robustly significant relationship between partisan control over states and the category of bee legislation enacted (p = 0.004). Our spatial analysis revealed a contiguous bloc of central states, along the Mississippi-Missouri Rivers, which did not enact bee legislation. We speculate this may be because soybean, a self-pollinating crop, is one of their largest agricultural exports. Finally, we conclude this thesis with a brief discussion of how these chapters have advanced our understanding of how bees react to human modified landscapes, and how human assumptions about bees shape our behaviors, from the level of individual farms to entire regions of the country. / Doctor of Philosophy / Insects, and thus bees, are experiencing widespread population decline. In addition to the global factors like climate change, bees face increased pressure from pesticides, poor nutrition, pathogens, and parasites. Bees play a crucial role in our world because they help to pollinate flowers, allowing plants in both farms and our backyards to reproduce. Our reliance on bees is set to increase, even as their numbers continue to decline. As we continue to lose time and press into unchartered territory, there is a critical need to identify and understand how the behavior of bees, and human behavior towards bees, functions under settings of imperfect information. Therefore, in our studies, we focus on the impacts of changing landscapes on bees – whether those are environmental or political. In our investigations, we measure their behaviors and community health of bees in multiple ways to explore their interactions with people. In Chapter 2, we investigated the impact of land use changes on honey bee food gathering behavior. We mapped and analyzed where bees went to feed in Blacksburg, Virginia before (2018-19) and after (2022) construction appeared in their habitat. We found that bees feed nearly four times as much on what little habitat remained, but the bees are also forced to nearly double the distance flown per foraging flight, after construction removed habitat. In Chapter 3, we used honey bee communication as potential predictors for native bee community health. We used an existing dataset of information on where bees went to gather food from 2018-2019 to map three Virginian locations (Blacksburg, Winchester, and Suffolk) and the places preferred and avoided by bees within. Then we sampled (2021-2022) at 10 sites within each location using hand nets, bee bowls, and blue vane traps to determine the relationship between where honey bees gathered resources, and the number of native bee individuals and species found. We found honey bee foraging predicted for the numbers of native bees found, a relationship which stayed strong regardless of how closely native bees were related to honey bees, and whether they lived in hives or not. In Chapter 4, we measured bee community health in soybean plots in Columbia, Missouri, which either used pesticide spray or chemically treated netting treatments to control Japanese Beetle. We found the number of native bees decreased in plots that used the netting, before during and after the other plots were sprayed with pesticides. This trend was driven by the most common bee, Melissodes bimaculatus. In Chapter 5, we explored human behavior on bees by analyzing the location, content, and political party control in which state level bee laws were passed in the U.S., following the 2022 midterm elections. We report that party control over states has a large influence on the type of bee laws enacted. When we mapped the states that passed bee laws, we saw a group of central states along the Mississippi-Missouri Rivers did not pass any. This may be because soybean, a crop that doesn't need bees to pollinate, is one of their largest agricultural exports. Finally, we conclude this thesis with a brief discussion of how these chapters have advanced our understanding of how bees react to human modified landscapes, and how human assumptions about bees shape our behaviors, from the level of individual farms to entire regions of the country.

Pratylenchus brachyurus tem se tornado cada vez mais frequente em campos de soja em todo Brasil com perdas na producção estimada em 30%. Atualmente não há relatos de cultivares de soja resistentes a P. brachyurius e as estratégias de controles incluem rotação com culturas não hospedeiras, pousio, além do uso de nematicidas. Este trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar a dinâmica populacional de P. brachyurus em áreas de soja no estado do Tocantins e em áreas plantadas com culturas de safrinha em esquema de sucessão após colheita de soja. As densidades de P. brachyurus observadas em campos de soja em onze municípios do estado do Tocantins variaram de 23 a 20.400 nematoides por amostras de 200 cc de solo ou 10g de raízes. Em dois locais, a média da densidade de nematoides foi maior, com desenvolvimento menor da soja em amostras de solo e raízes tomadas dentro de reboleiras com sintomas do nematoide, comparados com amostras de parcelas fora das reboleiras, uma redução geral de 44,3% na altura das plantas e 39,7% no número de vagens. Em áreas plantadas com culturas de entressafra, previamente cultivadas com soja, incluindo milho, sorgo, milheto, crotalária, além de uma área de pousio como tratamento, a densidade média de P. brachyurus variou entre 122 e 504 espécimes por 10g de raiz e entre 3 e 96 por 200 cc de solo. No geral, a densidade média não diferiu estatisticamente entre as espécies testadas e todas as culturas utilizadas no esquema de sucessão permitiu a multiplicação de P. brachyurus. Em conclusão, o cultivo destas espécies usadas neste estudo não são recomendadas para o manejo de P. brachyurus em campos de soja. No entanto, o uso de culturas não hospedeiras ou a utilização do sistema de pousio pode ajudar a diminuir o nível populacional de P. brachyurus em áreas de soja. / Pratylenchus brachyurus has become increasingly frequent in soybean fields throughout Brazil where yield loss assessments have reported reduction up to 30%. Currently, no soybean cultivars resistant to P. brachyurus have been identified and management strategies include crop rotation with non-host crops, fallow, and the application of nematicides. The goals of this study were to examine the population dynamics of P. brachyurus in soybean fields throughout Tocantins state and in areas planted with off-season crops following soybean harvest in a crop succession scheme. Pratylenchus brachyurus was present in ca. 82% of samples with densities in soybean fields ranging from 23 to 20,400 nematodes per 200 cm3 soil or 10g root samples. In two sites, the mean nematode density was higher within infestation foci which were characterized by poor soybean growth compared to those from outside infestation foci, with an overall reduction of 44.3% in plant height and 39.7% in pod numbers. Following soybean harvest in areas planted with off-season crops including maize, sorghum, millet, crotalaria as well as an area maintained as a fallow treatment, the mean density of P. brachyurus ranged from 122 to 504 individuals per 10 g root sample and from 3 to 96 per 200 cm3 soil. Overall, the mean density of nematodes did not differ significantly among plant species and all crops used in the succession scheme allowed P. brachyurus multiplication. In summary, off-season cultivation with the crops used in this study is not recommended for management of P. brachyurus in soybean, but the use of fallow or non-hosts may be helpful in lowering the population density of P. brachyurus in soybean fields.

Introdução: Os anos 2003 e 2008 delimitam um período importante na saúde do Município de São Paulo. É imediato ao estabelecimento efetivo do SUS, teve ampliação da rede sua básica e contou com ações de largo alcance social, tais como os mutirões da saúde. Objetivo: Identificar mudanças na utilização de serviços de saúde no Município de São Paulo no período de 2003 a 2008, segundo características sociodemográficas, de saúde e de estilo de vida. Método: Utilizou-se os inquéritos de saúde de base populacional do município, os ISA Capital de 2003 e de 2008. Foi analisado o uso de serviços de saúde no evento da morbidade aguda, na presença de hipertensão e/ou diabetes, em adultos com idade de 20 anos ou mais, e na realização de exames de Papanicolau, mamografia e de próstata. O perfil sociodemográfico, de saúde e de estilo de vida foi analisado através da prevalência destas características e da taxa de uso, entre os que procuraram assistência médica na morbidade aguda, entre os hipertensos e/ou diabéticos que referiram visitar médico ou serviços de saúde regularmente e entre os que realizaram exames preventivos em tempo inferior a três anos da data da entrevista. Resultados: No período, ocorreram os seguintes aumentos significativos: a procura por serviços de saúde entre os que procuraram ajuda devido à morbidade aguda, de 76,1 por cento para 89,8 por cento ; a prevalência referida de hipertensão arterial, de 17,2 por cento para 21,7 por cento ; a visita regular ao médico ou aos serviços de saúde entre diabéticos, de 58,6 por cento para 74,1 por cento , e a realização de mamografia, de 63,9 por cento para 73,8 por cento . Diminuiu significativamente o diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus nos três anos anteriores à data da entrevista, de 38,3 por cento para 23,0 por cento . Discussão: Ampliação da rede básica e mudanças na organização dos serviços de saúde no sistema público podem ser responsáveis pelo aumento da demanda assistida na morbidade aguda, da proporção de diabéticos que visitam regularmente médicos ou serviços de saúde e da prevalência referida de hipertensão arterial. A diminuição na detecção de casos recentes de diabetes mellitus pode indicar exaustão dos casos antigos que ainda estavam sem diagnóstico. O SUS teve participação diferente nas dimensões analisadas. Aumentou sua importância na morbidade aguda e continuou abaixo das expectativas nos exames preventivo, revelando persistência das limitações nesta área. Foi o principal meio de uso de serviços da classe de menor escolaridade / Introduction: The years 2003 and 2008 delimit an important period in the São Paulo health care system. The effective establishment of SUS (National Health Care System) led to a significant expansion of its network and maintenance of diverse health actions of broad social reaching, such as campaigns and joint efforts. Objective: To identify changes in the use of health services in São Paulo during the period of 2003 through 2008, according to socio-demographic characteristics of health and lifestyle. Methods: We used data from health surveys of population base accomplished in this city, named ISA Capital, from 2003 and 2008. The use of health services due to acute reported morbidity was analyzed within 15 days before the survey in adults patients, aged 20 or more years, with hypertension and/or diabetes, and in women before the performance of Pap test and mammography and, in men before prostate exams. The health and lifestyle socio-demographic profile was analyzed in three healths dimension through rate and prevalence of use among those who sought medical assistance during acute morbidity; among hypertensive and/or diabetic patients who reported visiting physicians or regular health services; and among those who underwent screening tests less than three years before the survey. Results: In the period, the most significant increases were the demand for health services among patients with acute morbidity who searched for assistance, from 76.1 per cent to 89.8 per cent ; the prevalence of reported hypertension, from 17.2 per cent to 21.7 per cent ; the regular visit to a physician or health services among diabetics, from 58.6 per cent to 74.1 per cent ; and performance of mammography, from 63.9 per cent to 73.8 per cent . On the contrary, there was a significant decrease in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus three years preceding the survey, varying from 38.3 per cent to 23.0 per cent . Discussion: The expansion of the basic health network and changes in the organization of public services may have contributed to the increase of assisted demand in acute morbidity, the proportion of diabetics who regularly visit physicians or health services and the increased prevalence of hypertension. The decrease in the detection of recent cases of diabetes mellitus may be signaling the exhaustion of old cases that were still without diagnosis, but the possibility of retraction of screening programs may also be verified. SUS showed different participation in the analyzed dimensions. It has increased as a major source of acute morbidity payment but its participation in the implementation of preventive examination was lower than the participation found in the private health plans. This last finding indicates that there is still a deficiency in the public policy of prevention. SUS has been active as the main source of payment of the lower classes during the study period; searching for equity in the use of services, specially noted as an increased rate of use by the elderly, less educated and non-white women

In vier ländlichen Gemeinden Sachsens wurden die Bewohner zu ihrem Umzugsverhalten befragt. Mehr als ein Drittel der befragten Zuzügler stammt aus den Nachbargemeinden oder anderen Ortsteilen der eigenen Gemeinde. Knapp die Hälfte kam aus anderen Teilen Sachsens. Nur 14 Prozent zogen von außerhalb des Freistaats zu. Ausschlaggebend für den Zuzug sind zumeist familiäre oder persönliche Gründe. Dazu gehören die Zuzüge zum Lebenspartner oder den Kindern und Familiengründungen. Auch der Wunsch nach einem eigenen Heim wird häufig genannt. Berufliche Gründe für den Zuzug sind selten. Sie spielen dafür als Wegzugsgrund eine große Rolle. Dörfliche Ortsteile werden insbesondere von jungen Familien gewählt, um sich ihren Wunsch nach Wohneigentum zu erfüllen. Menschen, die die Nähe zu Einkaufsmöglichkeiten, ärztlicher Versorgung oder die ÖPNV-Anbindungen suchen, entscheiden sich häufiger für die Kleinstädte. Gefragt wurde auch nach der Zufriedenheit der Zugezogenen mit ihrem neuen Wohnstandort und nach Verbesserungen und Verschlechterungen der Lebensbedingungen. Die Studie legt so Stärken und Schwächen ländlicher Wohnstandorte offen und gibt Hinweise zur Steigerung der Zuzugsattraktivität von ländlichen Städten und Dörfern.

This dissertation aims to examine some aspects of special education in Swedish upper secondary schools. The availability of special education resources, the occurrence of ability grouping and the organisational modalities of special education support are investigated. The further aim of the thesis is to discuss how these phenomena can be understood on the basis of democratic educational theories and theories of social educational justice. The study describes how special education support was organised in 764 upper secondary schools in Sweden in the academic school year 2010/2011, with a response rate of 80.4% (n=764). The design of the study is a cross-sectional total population survey, where data have been collected by way of questionnaires and supplemented with public statistics. The results of the study show that about 37.5% of upper secondary schools lack special education resources in terms of special educators or special education teachers. Special education support is not provided in 68% of the independent schools compared with 10% of the public schools. This uneven balance between public and independent schools can be interpreted to be a threat to an equivalent and democratic school, since students in need of special support do not have the same opportunities to receive such support in all schools. Furthermore, schools with a higher average parental educational background have shown higher availability of special education resources. It seems that students with parents who have higher educational backgrounds have to a greater extent access to special education resources. Ability grouping is used in about 43% of the schools. It is most commonly used within foundation subjects, particularly in Mathematics. The schools that use ability grouping to a very large extent have lower and more varied merit rating values and greater availability of special education resources. Special education support is primarily provided outside the students’ regular teaching groups. This is also the case with support provided by other school staff: indeed, 87% of the schools report that the majority of special education support is provided outside the students’ regular teaching groups. This can be understood as a way to organise special support in which heterogeneity and pluralism are not considered important. Based on democratic theories, the support provided outside the regular teaching group might be a risk to the creation of a democratic school where all students are given opportunities to meet and interact.    Overall, the results from this thesis show that special education resources are unevenly distributed among independent and public schools; that 43% of the schools use ability grouping; and that special support is primarily provided outside the students’ regular teaching groups. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: In press.</p><p> </p>

Lithuania has one of the highest suicide rates for men in the world (81.7 per 100,000 men). 21.7% of the population feels depressed. A salutogenic model of health developed by Antonovsky provides new knowledge for betterunderstanding of the behaviour of individuals and explains why some individuals fall ill under stress and why some do not. The study is focussed on the analysis of sense of coherence (SOC) on the population sample of Lithuania (n=3390) using a simplified way of measuring SOC developed by Lundberg and Nyström Peck at the Swedish Institute for Social Research of Stockholm University. The data of the study showed that people with low SOC (60.1%) predominate among the Lithuanian population. A strong correlation between low SOC, depression and stress was found. Additional studies, preferably longitudinal, are needed to identify possible relationshipsbetween cognitive processes (SOC) and biological mechanisms, causing adverse effects on mental health / <p>ISBN 91-7997-106-7</p>

Introdução: Os anos 2003 e 2008 delimitam um período importante na saúde do Município de São Paulo. É imediato ao estabelecimento efetivo do SUS, teve ampliação da rede sua básica e contou com ações de largo alcance social, tais como os mutirões da saúde. Objetivo: Identificar mudanças na utilização de serviços de saúde no Município de São Paulo no período de 2003 a 2008, segundo características sociodemográficas, de saúde e de estilo de vida. Método: Utilizou-se os inquéritos de saúde de base populacional do município, os ISA Capital de 2003 e de 2008. Foi analisado o uso de serviços de saúde no evento da morbidade aguda, na presença de hipertensão e/ou diabetes, em adultos com idade de 20 anos ou mais, e na realização de exames de Papanicolau, mamografia e de próstata. O perfil sociodemográfico, de saúde e de estilo de vida foi analisado através da prevalência destas características e da taxa de uso, entre os que procuraram assistência médica na morbidade aguda, entre os hipertensos e/ou diabéticos que referiram visitar médico ou serviços de saúde regularmente e entre os que realizaram exames preventivos em tempo inferior a três anos da data da entrevista. Resultados: No período, ocorreram os seguintes aumentos significativos: a procura por serviços de saúde entre os que procuraram ajuda devido à morbidade aguda, de 76,1 por cento para 89,8 por cento ; a prevalência referida de hipertensão arterial, de 17,2 por cento para 21,7 por cento ; a visita regular ao médico ou aos serviços de saúde entre diabéticos, de 58,6 por cento para 74,1 por cento , e a realização de mamografia, de 63,9 por cento para 73,8 por cento . Diminuiu significativamente o diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus nos três anos anteriores à data da entrevista, de 38,3 por cento para 23,0 por cento . Discussão: Ampliação da rede básica e mudanças na organização dos serviços de saúde no sistema público podem ser responsáveis pelo aumento da demanda assistida na morbidade aguda, da proporção de diabéticos que visitam regularmente médicos ou serviços de saúde e da prevalência referida de hipertensão arterial. A diminuição na detecção de casos recentes de diabetes mellitus pode indicar exaustão dos casos antigos que ainda estavam sem diagnóstico. O SUS teve participação diferente nas dimensões analisadas. Aumentou sua importância na morbidade aguda e continuou abaixo das expectativas nos exames preventivo, revelando persistência das limitações nesta área. Foi o principal meio de uso de serviços da classe de menor escolaridade / Introduction: The years 2003 and 2008 delimit an important period in the São Paulo health care system. The effective establishment of SUS (National Health Care System) led to a significant expansion of its network and maintenance of diverse health actions of broad social reaching, such as campaigns and joint efforts. Objective: To identify changes in the use of health services in São Paulo during the period of 2003 through 2008, according to socio-demographic characteristics of health and lifestyle. Methods: We used data from health surveys of population base accomplished in this city, named ISA Capital, from 2003 and 2008. The use of health services due to acute reported morbidity was analyzed within 15 days before the survey in adults patients, aged 20 or more years, with hypertension and/or diabetes, and in women before the performance of Pap test and mammography and, in men before prostate exams. The health and lifestyle socio-demographic profile was analyzed in three healths dimension through rate and prevalence of use among those who sought medical assistance during acute morbidity; among hypertensive and/or diabetic patients who reported visiting physicians or regular health services; and among those who underwent screening tests less than three years before the survey. Results: In the period, the most significant increases were the demand for health services among patients with acute morbidity who searched for assistance, from 76.1 per cent to 89.8 per cent ; the prevalence of reported hypertension, from 17.2 per cent to 21.7 per cent ; the regular visit to a physician or health services among diabetics, from 58.6 per cent to 74.1 per cent ; and performance of mammography, from 63.9 per cent to 73.8 per cent . On the contrary, there was a significant decrease in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus three years preceding the survey, varying from 38.3 per cent to 23.0 per cent . Discussion: The expansion of the basic health network and changes in the organization of public services may have contributed to the increase of assisted demand in acute morbidity, the proportion of diabetics who regularly visit physicians or health services and the increased prevalence of hypertension. The decrease in the detection of recent cases of diabetes mellitus may be signaling the exhaustion of old cases that were still without diagnosis, but the possibility of retraction of screening programs may also be verified. SUS showed different participation in the analyzed dimensions. It has increased as a major source of acute morbidity payment but its participation in the implementation of preventive examination was lower than the participation found in the private health plans. This last finding indicates that there is still a deficiency in the public policy of prevention. SUS has been active as the main source of payment of the lower classes during the study period; searching for equity in the use of services, specially noted as an increased rate of use by the elderly, less educated and non-white women

Introduction: The notion that depression is a disorder that moves along a continuum is well-established. Similarly, the belief in the continuity of mental illness is considered an important element in the stigma process. Against this background, it is the aim of this study to examine whether public continuum beliefs vary with the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods: Analyses were based on computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATIs) conducted in winter 2019/2020 in Germany (N = 1,009, response rate 46.8%). Using three vignettes representing mild, moderate, and severe depressive symptoms, beliefs regarding the continuity of symptoms, specifically a fundamental difference, were assessed with seven items. Sociodemographic characteristics and own experiences with depression (affliction and contact) were introduced as covariates. Results: Significant differences between the three groups of severity were found for the majority of the items measuring continuum beliefs or perceived fundamental difference. However, only few items showed a linear trend indicating a parallel between symptom severity and beliefs. Multivariate regression models showed that a moderate degree of depression was positively associated with stronger continuum beliefs but also with greater perceived difference compared to the mild degree, while no significant associations emerged for the severe vignette. Limitations: Although a comparison of our sample with official statistics supports the external validity, we cannot rule out a selection bias. It is arguable in how far short case vignettes convey a holistic picture of a person affected by depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our results do not indicate a parallel between symptom severity and public continuum beliefs.