A denominada ¨resposta brasileira à epidemia de aids¨ é exemplar pelas suas políticas e iniciativas públicas, incitando continuamente a emergência de desafios à atenção à saúde das pessoas vivendo com HIV. Um deles diz respeito a uma questão polêmica, ainda que pouco debatida no cenário nacional: a comunicação de diagnóstico de HIV aos parceiros sexuais de pessoas soropositivas. Por um lado, essa questão evoca a responsabilidade pelo controle da cadeia de transmissão do HIV. Por outro, há a preocupação com o bem estar psicossocial do paciente em suas relações afetivo-sexuais, conjugais e familiares. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi apreender, através dos discursos de sujeitos envolvidos nessa prática, como essas distintas lógicas - de uma perspectiva coletiva, informada pelos pressupostos da Saúde Pública e de uma tônica no indivíduo e suas singularidades - são operadas e articuladas nas práticas de comunicação de diagnóstico de HIV a parceiros sexuais, em serviços de saúde especializados em DST/aids, do Município de São Paulo. Trata-se de estudo qualitativo, orientado pelos discursos de profissionais de saúde, de membros da Comissão Nacional de Aids, de técnicos em vigilância epidemiológica e pacientes, captados através de grupos, focal e educativo, e de entrevistas individuais em profundidade, com roteiro semi-estruturado, entre 2007-2008. A base teórica para interpretação dos discursos combina aportes conceituais sobre a Esfera Pública e a Teoria da Ação Comunicativa (Habermas), e sobre o Cuidado (Ayres). A comunicação de diagnóstico de HIV aos parceiros sexuais apresenta-se como uma questão que, embora importante, não alcança esferas de debates públicos com os diferentes atores sociais envolvidos. Na prática, a lógica epidemiológica não se materializa nem é almejada sob a forma de ações clássicas da vigilância epidemiológica, como a busca de comunicantes. São valores implicados em seus pressupostos, contrastados com aqueles das esferas privadas e íntimas, que parecem tornar problemática a comunicação de diagnóstico de HIV ao parceiro sexual. Dentre as estratégias utilizadas pelos profissionais, oscila-se entre a ameaça (de cunho policialesco) e a cumplicidade (que trata a comunicação como um problema íntimo). O principal foco dessas iniciativas é minimizar o estigma que cerca o portador do vírus. Da amplitude das interpretações e proposições que consideram o estigma nas práticas de saúde, vislumbra-se que a sua ativa problematização nas situações concretas da atenção pode ser um caminho possível e prático para o seu enfrentamento, por meio da criação de repertórios argumentativos. Esse modo peculiar de fazer face ao estigma pode deslocar as perspectivas, higienista e de regulação jurídica, para horizontes normativos técnica, ética e politicamente relevantes para integrar comunicação de diagnóstico de HIV ao parceiro sexual e atenção à saúde das pessoas vivendo com HIV. / The Brazilian response to the AIDS epidemic outstands for its policies and public initiatives, continuously stimulating the challenges for the healthcare of people living with HIV to come out. One of them refers to a polemic issue, yet little debated in the national agenda: the HIV disclosure to sexual partners of HIV positive people. This question claims for the responsibility over HIV transmission control. On the other hand, the patients psychosocial well-being in their sexual-affective, marital and family relationships raises concern. The objective of the present study was to understand, based on the discourses of the subjects involved in this practice, how these distinctive logics the collective perspective based on Public Health concepts and the emphasis on the individual and their singularities are managed in the practices of disclosing HIV infection to sexual partners in STD/AIDS specialized clinics in the city of São Paulo. A qualitative study was carried between 2007-2008 out with health professionals, members of Brazils AIDS Program, surveillance technicians and patients who participated in focus and education groups and answered individual in-depth interviews, both oriented by a semi-structured guide. Public Sphere/ Communicative Action Theory (Habermas) and Comprehensive Care (Ayres) were the theoretical framework of the analysis. HIV disclosure to sexual partners constitutes an issue that, despite relevant, does not reach the public debate domains with the different social actors involved. In practice, the epidemiology logic is neither materialized, nor desired in terms of classic surveillance practices, such as the contact tracing. The contrast of assumptions between public and private spheres seems to be a barrier to HIV disclosure to the sexual partner. The strategies adopted by professionals range from threatening (acting as if they were the police) to complicity (the disclosure is managed as an intimate matter). The main focus of these initiatives is to minimize the stigma towards the seropositive person. From the great variety of interpretations and propositions about stigma in health practices, the constitution of argumentative repertoires that actively question the stigma in concrete situations may be a possible and practical way of facing it. This peculiar way of approaching stigma may change hygienist and law regulated perspectives into normative horizons that are technical, ethical and politically relevant to integrate HIV disclosure to sexual partners and care of people living with HIV.

Ching Ho-hong Boby. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-78). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / List of Tables --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / General Oral Health Status in Hong Kong --- p.2 / """How"" is the Message Constructed： Gain versus Loss Frames" --- p.3 / """Who"" are the Recipients： Individual Differences in Self-Construal" --- p.4 / What Accounts for the Message-Self Compatibility Effects： The Mediating Factors --- p.6 / Stage One： Cognitive Integration of the Message Contents --- p.6 / Stage Two: Acceptance of the Messages --- p.8 / Stage Three： Perceptions of Health Behavior --- p.9 / An Addition to the Three-Stage Model: The Role of Anticipated Feelings --- p.11 / Overview of the Present Study --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.15 / Participants --- p.15 / Oral Health Message --- p.15 / Independent Measures --- p.16 / Self-Construal --- p.16 / Principle Dependent Measures --- p.17 / Recognition Memory --- p.17 / Subjective Evaluations of the Messages --- p.17 / Self-Efficacy to Perform Oral Health Behavior --- p.18 / Outcome Expectancy of Performing Oral Health Behavior --- p.19 / Anticipated Feelings to Perform Oral Health Behavior --- p.20 / Intentions to Perform Oral Health Behavior --- p.21 / Behavioral Measures --- p.22 / Potential Covariates Measures --- p.22 / Personality --- p.22 / Need for Cognition --- p.23 / Dispositional Optimism --- p.24 / Oral Health Locus of Control --- p.25 / Dental History --- p.26 / Cognitive Ability --- p.26 / Mood --- p.26 / Perceived Threat of Developing Oral Diseases --- p.27 / Perceived Normative Pressure of Performing Oral Health Behavior --- p.28 / Fear and Worry Toward Developing Oral Diseases --- p.28 / Other Potential Covari ates --- p.29 / Procedure --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Results --- p.31 / Manipulation Checks --- p.31 / Different Operationalizations of Gain- and Loss-Framed Messages --- p.31 / Principle Analyses： General --- p.33 / Moderation of the Framing Effects by Self-Construal on Behavioral Intentions --- p.34 / Moderation of the Framing Effects by Self-Construal on Subjective Evaluations --- p.37 / The Mediating Effect of Personal Outcome Expectancy on Behavioral Intentions --- p.39 / The Mediating Effect of Social Outcome Expectancy on Behavioral Intentions --- p.42 / The Mediating Effect of Anticipated Feelings on Behavioral Intentions --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- General Discussion --- p.46 / How to Frame the Message: Tailoring Messages to Match Self-construal --- p.47 / Identifying the Mediating Factors of Compatibility Effects Between Message and Self-Construal --- p.49 / The Importance of Anticipated Feelings --- p.55 / The Intention - Behavior Relationships --- p.56 / Improvements and Further Studies --- p.59 / Concluding Remarks --- p.61 / References --- p.63 / Appendix A --- p.79

O estudo Os Planos de Saúde nos Tribunais trata das ações judiciais relacionadas à cobertura assistencial de planos de saúde julgadas em segunda instância pelo Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de São Paulo entre janeiro de 1999 e dezembro de 2004. São descritas e analisadas as demandas levadas ao Poder Judiciário por usuários de planos de saúde que reclamam negação de assistência ou restrição de atendimento. Também é avaliado o comportamento e as argumentações da Justiça nas decisões, assim como as possíveis implicações da exclusão de coberturas praticadas pelos planos de saúde para o sistema de saúde brasileiro / This paper is about lawsuits filed against HMOs over coverage issues and ruled on by the São Paulo State the implications that HMO exclusions and limitations may have for the Brazilian health care system Court of Appeals between January 1999 and December 2004. Enrollees' legal claims against HMOs for denial of medical care or restrictions on services are described and analyzed here. Also assessed are the attitudes and arguments behind court decisions, as well as the implications tha HMO exclusions and limitations may have for the Brazilian health care system.

IntroduÃÃo Consequente ao envelhecimento populacional, as mudanÃas no perfil sociodemogrÃfico e epidemiolÃgico constituem problema de saÃde pÃblica, ensejando a necessidade de criaÃÃo de polÃticas e prÃticas de saÃde voltadas para esta populaÃÃo. Fortaleza à uma cidade com dois milhÃes e meio de habitantes, com um percentual de 7,48% de idosos. Avaliar como a linha de cuidado do idoso ocorre nas redes assistenciais de saÃde de Fortaleza produz informaÃÃes que podem subsidiar a tomada de decisÃo por parte da gestÃo municipal. Objetivo Compreender como a linha de cuidado do idoso acontece nas cinco redes assistenciais de saÃde de Fortaleza, na percepÃÃo de gestores atuantes neste cenÃrio. Metodologia Estudo qualitativo, com abordagem descritiva, tÃcnica de grupos focais e, para organizaÃÃo dos achados, foi empregado o Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (LEFÃVRE, LEFÃVRE, 2006). Resultados Na Rede Assistencial EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia, destacam-se as aÃÃes de promoÃÃo da saÃde e a introduÃÃo da caderneta do idoso como instrumento de trabalho. Na Rede Assistencial Especializada, foi constatada significativa demanda reprimida em razÃo da carÃncia de serviÃos especializados no cuidado com o idoso. Na Rede Assistencial Hospitalar, nÃo se observa um cuidado especÃfico para o idoso, uma vez que ele à visto como usuÃrio comum. Na Rede Assistencial de UrgÃncia e EmergÃncia, inclui-se como prioridade a remoÃÃo e, no hospital, o atendimento conforme a gravidade. Na Rede Assistencial SaÃde Mental, uma abordagem psicossocial com envolvimento da comunidade e articulaÃÃo intersetorial. ConsideraÃÃes finais Entre os principais achados deste estudo, tem-se que a linha de cuidado do idoso na cidade de Fortaleza ainda à frÃgil, onde alguns fios se desalinham, ou se rompem, comprometendo a continuidade do cuidado. Ante o estado de transiÃÃo demogrÃfica e o perfil demogrÃfico e epidemiolÃgico atual, observa-se a necessidade de melhor integraÃÃo das redes assistenciais, ancoradas na Rede Assistencial da EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia, bem como a estruturaÃÃo de novos serviÃos especializados, objetivando melhorar a assistÃncia da populaÃÃo idosa de Fortaleza. / Introduction As a result to the population aging, changes in demographic and epidemiological profile is public health problem, entailing the need to develop health policies and practices for the population. Fortaleza is a city of two and a half million inhabitants, of which 7.48% are elderly. The assessment of how the care for the elderly occurs in health assistance networks in Fortaleza produces information that can support the decision taken by the municipal government. Purpose Understanding how the way of caring for the elderly takes place in five health care networks in Fortaleza, in the perception of managers acting in this scenario. Methodology A qualitative study with descriptive approach and focus group technique. The Discourse of the Collective Subject was used to organize the findings (LEFÃVRE, LEFÃVRE, 2006). Results In the Family Health assistance network (so called EstratÃgia SaÃde da FamÃlia), the actions of health promotion and introduction of the recording book of the elderly as a working tool are highlighted. A significant unmet demand was observed due to the lack of specialized services in caring for the elderly in the Specialized assistance network. Specific care for the elderly was not observed in the Hospital assistance network, as he is seen as common user. In the Emergency assistance network, the removal is included as a priority, and in the hospital, the service applied is according to severity. In Mental Health assistance network, there is a psychosocial approach to community involvement and intersectorial coordination. Final considerations Among the main findings of this study is that the way of care for the elderly in the city of Fortaleza is still weak, where some strands are misaligned, or broken, compromising the continuity of service. Given the state of demographic transition and the demographic and epidemiological profile, there is a need for better integration of health care, anchored in the Family Health Strategy as well as the structuring of new specialized services, aiming to improve care for the elderly population of Fortaleza.

The prevalence of untreated and undertreated mental health concerns and the comorbidity of chronic conditions and mental illness has led to greater calls for the integration of primary care and mental health. In 2012, the Oregon Health Authority authorized 16 Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO) to partner with their local communities to better coordinate physical, behavioral, and dental health care for Medicaid recipients. One part of this larger effort to increase coordination is the integration of primary care and mental health services in both primary care and community mental health settings. The underlying assumption of CCOs is that organizations have the capacity to fundamentally change how health care is organized, delivered, and financed in ways that lead to improved access, quality of care, and health outcomes. Using the Rainbow Model of Integrated Care (RMIC), this study examined the factors that impact organizational efforts to facilitate the integration of primary care and mental health through interviews with executive and senior staff from three CCOs. The RMIC focuses attention on the different levels at which integration processes may occur as well as acknowledges the role that both functional and normative enablers of integration can play in facilitating integration processes within as well as across levels. The following research question was explored: What key factors in Oregon's health care system impede or facilitate the ability of Coordinated Care Organizations to encourage the integration of primary care and mental health? Using a case study approach, this study drew upon qualitative methods to examine and identify the factors throughout the system, organizational, professional, and clinic levels that support CCO efforts to facilitate the integration of primary care and mental health. Fourteen primary interviews were conducted with executive and senior staff. In addition, eleven secondary interviews from a NIDA funded project as well as twenty-four key CCO documents from three CCOs were also included in this study. The RMIC was successful in differentiating extent of CCO integration of primary care and mental health. Findings demonstrate that normative and functional enablers of integration were most prevalent at the system and organization level for integrating mental health into primary care for these three CCOs. However, there was variation in CCO involvement in the development of functional and normative enablers of integration at the professional and clinic levels. Normative and functional enablers of integration were limited at all of the RMIC levels for integrating primary care into community mental health settings across all three CCOs. The Patient-Centered Primary Care Home model provided CCOs with an opportunity to develop functional and normative enablers of integration for integrating mental health in primary care settings. The lack of a fully developed model for integrating primary care services in community mental health settings serves as a barrier for reverse integration. An additional barrier is the instability of community mental health as compared to primary care; contributing factors include historically low wages and increased administrative burden. System wide conversations about where people are best served (i.e., primary care or community mental health) has yet to occur; yet these conversations may be critical for facilitating cross-collaboration and referral processes. Finally, work is needed to create and validate measures of integration for both primary care and community mental health settings. Overall findings confirm that integrating primary care and mental health is complex but that organizations can play an important role by ensuring the development of normative and functional enablers of integration at all levels of the system.

Background: Although rare relative to adult cancers, cancer is still the leading cause of disease-related death in children in developed countries, including Canada. Few studies have specifically examined the epidemiology and public health significance of diagnosis and treatment delays in childhood cancer. This study aimed to investigate the nature of delays in care for children and adolescents with cancer in Canada and to assess the potential impact of such delays on clinical outcomes. / Study Design: I conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the delays of cancer symptoms reporting, diagnosis, and treatment in children between 0-19 years of age in Canada. This study used a database from Health Canada's Treatment and Outcomes component of the Canadian Childhood Cancer Surveillance and Control Program. / Methodology: Patients were identified from 17 paediatric cancer centres across Canada. Subjects included in this study were residents of Canada, aged less than 20 years, diagnosed with a malignant tumour and had information on date of first symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and outcome available. Descriptive statistics and regression techniques (linear, logistic and Cox regression) were used as appropriate. I measured the individual impact of patient and provider delays on disease severity and prognosis by using judicious control for potential confounding mechanisms and mediating factors. / Study Findings and Significance: By measuring various types of delays in Canada, I found that varying lengths of patient and referral delay, across age groups, types of cancers, and Canadian settings, are the main contributors to diagnosis, HCS and overall delay. Factors relating to the patients, the parents, healthcare and the cancer may all exert different influences on different segments of cancer care. I also found a negative association between diagnosis delay and disease severity for lymphoma and CNS tumour patients. Furthermore, I found that diagnosis and physician delay had a negative effect, while patient delay had a positive effect, on survival for patients diagnosed with CNS tumours. The information provided from this study may form the basis for new effective policies aimed at eliminating obstacles in cancer the diagnostic and care trajectories for Canadian children with cancer and for improving their prognosis.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-169).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed June 23, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-172).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1990.