Brazilian Physicians Research Articles

Brazilian Physicians’ Attitudes and Feelings Towards Palliative Care in Pediatrics

Brazilian Physicians’ Attitudes and Feelings Towards Palliative Care in Pediatrics

Translation, Cultural Adaptation of the Portuguese Provider Attitudes toward Cardiac Rehabilitation and Referral (PACRR-P) Scale and Assessment of Its’ Measurement Properties

Background/Objectives: Access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is contingent upon physician referrals, yet these are often inadequate, particularly in low-resource settings. This multi-method study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Portuguese version of the Provider Attitudes toward CR and Referral (PACRR-P) scale, as well as to identify key factors influencing CR referral in a Latin American context for the first time. Methods: The PACRR was translated into Brazilian Portuguese through a rigorous process involving independent translation, back-translation, and expert panel review to ensure face, content, and cross-cultural validity. A total of 44 Brazilian physicians completed the questionnaire, allowing for an assessment of internal consistency, criterion validity, and convergent validity. Results: The findings confirmed the face, content, and cultural validity of the 20 translated items, with a mean item clarity rating of 4.8/5. The final version included 17 of the original 19 PACRR-P items, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.73. Referral rates were significantly associated with over one-third of the PACRR-P items, preliminarily supporting the scale’s criterion validity, while correlations with the ReCaRe scores further supported its convergent validity. The most prominent barriers to referral were a lack of familiarity with CR site locations, absence of a standard referral form, and lack of automatic referral processes. Conclusions: The PACRR’s validity and reliability among Portuguese-speaking providers are preliminarily supported.

Impact of a simple informative leaflet on Brazilian doctors' attitudes towards active surveillance of thyroid microcarcinomas

IntroductionActive surveillance (AS) is increasingly recognized as an appropriate strategy for selected patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC). However, some factors, including physician-related ones, hinder its widespread adoption. MethodsTo explore the prevailing barriers and the impact of information on attitudes towards AS implementation, we developed a questionnaire that was completed before and after reading a simple information leaflet by 317 doctors working in different work environments. This leaflet provides information about the overdiagnosis of PTMC, the concept of AS, results of early studies, and main advantages and disadvantages of AS. ResultsWe observed a greater resistance to AS among male physicians who were more likely to maintain the initial recommendation for surgery or referral to a head and neck surgeon than female physicians (77 % vs. 46 %, p = 0.01), regardless of their medical specialty. Fear of disease progression and of the patient losing follow-up were the main concerns. Reading the educational material significantly increased the number of physicians who endorsed AS as an initial approach to PTMC without risk factors from 14 % to 34 % (p < 0,001). This change in attitude was even more significant when doctors were confronted with a case of PTMC in an elderly patient. Gender, medical specialty, age range and academic environment were the factors that were determinants on the influence of the informative leaflet on the decision-making. The leaflet also increased the number of doctors who considered themselves capable of dealing with this patient profile; however, 17 % declared that the place where they worked would not be able to meet the need for periodic assessments and necessary examinations. This was particularly true for the 20 % of the professionals working in rural areas. ConclusionA simple educational leaflet with basic information presented via social media increased the number of Brazilian physicians who endorsed AS for PTMC management and proved to be a facilitating tool for understanding and accepting it. Our results suggest that this method can be easily extended to larger population.

Motherhood, wet-nursing and nation: nineteenth-century Brazilian medical perspectives

This paper explores the viewpoints of nineteenth-century Brazilian physicians regarding women’s roles as the ‘propagators of the race’. It emphasises their perspectives on reproduction, breast feeding, and the involvement of...

Reference intervals for serum immunoglobulins G, M and E levels in Brazilian children aged 1 to 10 years: a population-based study

ObjectiveTo determine the reference intervals (RI) for serum levels of IgG, IgM, and IgE in healthy children aged 1–10 years living in central Brazil. MethodA sample of 1743 healthy children was randomly selected from kindergartens and public schools. Reference intervals were defined by non-parametric rank (Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, USA), bootstrapping, and Horn's robust methods. ResultsBy the rank method, the IgG RI was 792–1771 mg/dL for children of both sexes aged 1–10 years. IgM RI were different for gender and age groups, being 45–196 mg/dL and 34–190 mg/dL for boys aged 1–2 years and 3–10 years, respectively. For girls, the IgM RI were 50–212 mg/dL and 39–212 mg/dL, for ages 1–4 and 5–10 years, respectively. The IgE RI for both sexes and ages 1–10 years was 6–1005 mg/dL. The bootstrap method showed RI similar to the rank method but with slightly different confidence intervals. Horn's robust method determined RI different from those obtained by previous methods. ConclusionRI for serum concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgE were established for Brazilian children aged 1–10 years. This definition will be useful for Brazilian physicians, who will have more adequate parameters for their clinical decision-making.

Mobile Application Increased Nutrition Knowledge Among Brazilian Physicians

ObjectiveTo assess whether using a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommendation application increases primary care physicians’ knowledge and dietary counseling skills. DesignA randomized controlled trial. SettingBrazilian public primary care service. ParticipantsTwo hundred and twenty-two physicians (intervention group: n = 111; control group: n = 111). InterventionThirty days of using the Dieta Dash application. The application provides information about nutritional recommendations for hypertension management. Main Outcome MeasuresNutrition knowledge score. Secondary outcomes: self-assessment of knowledge, self-confidence, assessment of eating habits, and barriers to dietary counseling. AnalysisLinear mixed-effects models for repeated measures and generalized estimating equations for comparing changes between groups. ResultsA total of 66.2% of participants completed the follow-up. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the mean knowledge score (P = 0.15). The prevalence of high knowledge increased by 12% (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.25) in the intervention group and showed an improvement in the self-confidence assessment (PR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02–1.44), and increased assessment of eating habits (PR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10–1.55). Conclusions and ImplicationsThe Dieta Dash application helped address dietary counseling, improving knowledge and self-confidence. However, innovative strategies are needed to minimize the primary care barriers.

The knowledge and the clinical practice of Brazilian physicians about nutritional therapy in cancer patients

The knowledge and the clinical practice of Brazilian physicians about nutritional therapy in cancer patients

Interventional Neuroradiology: Why Don't Brazilian Female Physicians Like It?

Abstract Objective Much has been discussed about gender diversity in all professional fields, particularly in medicine. Recent studies showing that there are fewer than ten female professionals in interventional neuroradiology (INR) in a continental country like Brazil, and less than thirty in all of Latin America, have prompted an investigation into the causes of the low numbers of women choosing to follow this medical specialty. This project intended to reveal the reasons through an anonymous form applied to women in the final year of the three medical residencies considered prerequisites for INR in Brazil: neurology, radiology and neurosurgery. Materials and Methods The questionnaire addressed to each of the three fields contemplated the professionals' preference to follow their respective subspecialties, in addition to common considerations that could be deemed barriers to INR. Results Surprisingly, the weak link in the chain was demonstrated to be radiology, which is the exclusive prerequisite residency for training in INR in many countries. However, in Brazil, most doctors who graduate in INR come from Neurosurgery and, secondly, from neurology. These two specialties together account for less than half of the female residents compared to radiology alone. Conclusion All of the following items were already expected: difficulty in reconciling a double shift; employment opportunity; long training time; the lack of female leaders inspiring new generations of doctors; issues involving radiation and motherhood; and still the barriers of misogyny and machismo. But specific studies need to be conducted to find out why very few radiology residents follow INR training in Brazil.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Brazilian Physicians about Immediate Postpartum and Postabortion Intrauterine Device Insertion.

To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of Brazilian physicians about immediate postpartum and postabortion intrauterine device insertion. Cross-sectional online survey involving physicians on duty in public Brazilian hospitals. Participants answered an anonymous questionnaire with close-ended questions to assess their knowledge, attitude, and experience on the immediate postpartum and postabortion insertion of copper intrauterine devices. One hundred twenty-seven physicians working in 23 hospitals in the 5 geographic regions of Brazil completed the questionnaire. Most were female (68.5%) and worked in teaching hospitals (95.3%). The mean (standard deviation) knowledge score (0-10 scale) was 5.3 (1.3); only 27.6% of the participants had overall scores ≥ 7.0. Most physicians (73.2%) would insert a postpartum intrauterine device in themselves/family members. About 42% of respondents stated that they had not received any training on postpartum or postabortion intrauterine device insertion. In the past 12 months, 19.7%, 22.8%, and 53.5% of respondents stated they had not inserted any intrauterine device during a cesarean section, immediately after a vaginal delivery, or after an abortion, respectively. Most study participants have a positive attitude toward the insertion of intrauterine devices in the immediate postpartum period, but they have limited knowledge about the use of this contraceptive method. A large percentage of respondents did not have previous training on postpartum and postabortion intrauterine device insertion and had not performed any such insertions in the last 12 months. Strategies are needed to improve the knowledge, training, and experience of Brazilian physicians on immediate postpartum and postabortion intrauterine device insertion.

Brazilian Medical Survey on Telemedicine since the onset of COVID-19.

The primary aim of this study was to understand the difference in the use of Telemedicine by Brazilian physicians before and after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic and their intention to continue using it post the pandemic period. The secondary objective was to analyze the differences of opinion between physicians in the private and public sectors. We conducted an online medical survey through the SurveyMonkey platform in a large hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, from May to July 2022. Three-hundred-and -two physicians responded to the survey. We found that there was a significant increase in the number of physicians who started using Telemedicine in both the public and private sectors (p<0.0001) since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic and that >50% of them intend to continue using Telemedicine in their daily practice. Most responders consider that Telemedicine is useful in screening, diagnosis and management of patients; that it facilitates the physician's daily practice; that it can maintain or even add financial gains through reducing office expenses; and that is another medium for dispensing medical care. They also believe that Telemedicine should be regulated by the Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine. There were no significant differences between the responses from private and public sector physicians. Telemedicine has played a major role in healthcare since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic and most of the physicians approve its use and intend to continue using Telemedicine in their daily practice.

Current clinical and research practices on frontotemporal dementia in Brazil: a national survey.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a frequent cause of young-onset dementia and represents a major challenge for the diagnosis and clinical management. It is essential to evaluate the difficulties faced by physicians on the diagnostic workup and on patient care. The aim of this study was to investigate the current practices and the local limits on the diagnosis and management of FTD in Brazil. We elaborated an online survey, composed of 29 questions and divided in four parts, comprising questions about existing health facilities, clinical practices related to FTD, and suggestions to increment the national research on FTD. The invitation to participate was sent by email to all neurologists affiliated to the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (n = 3658), and to all physicians who attended the XII Meeting of Researchers on Alzheimer's disease, in 2019 (n = 187). The invitation was also diffused through social media. 256 Brazilian physicians answered the questionnaire. The three most relevant disorders for the differential diagnosis of FTD were Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 211), bipolar disorder (n = 117) and dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 92). Most respondents (125/256) reported the difficulty in performing genetic testing as the main limit in the diagnostic of FTD. 93% and 63% of participants considered that the assessment of social cognition and AD CSF biomarkers are useful for the diagnosis of FTD, respectively. The present study may provide valuable insights for the medical education and clinical training of physicians, and to foster future research on FTD in Brazil.

Considering the Effects of the Dobbs Decision on Clinical Training and Practice and on the Lives of Medical Professionals.

Considering the Effects of the Dobbs Decision on Clinical Training and Practice and on the Lives of Medical Professionals.

General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12): new evidence of construct validity.

This study aimed to gather evidence on the adequacy of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in Brazil, considering a random sample of Brazilian physicians. Specifically aimed: (1) to test the GHQ-12 bifactor structure compared to alternative models, (2) to check its factorial invariance regarding to gender and the diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders, and (3) to know the association of this measure with indicators of poor health (e.g., suicidal thoughts, decreased libido, medication use). The study included 1,085 physicians with a mean age of 45.7 (SD = 10.6), mostly male (61.5%), married (72.6%) and Catholic (59.2%). They answered the GHQ-12, the Positive and Negative Suicidal Ideation Inventory, and demographic questions. The best fit model was the bifactor structure composed of anxiety and depression, in addition to a general dimension, which presented Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's ω and composite reliability higher than 0.70 just for a general fact. Psychological distress scores correlated with suicidal ideation and indicators of health and sexual satisfaction. This is a psychometrically suitable instrument that can be used in terms of its total, but its specific factors need to be used with caution.

Perceptions of the Brazilian obstetrics physicians about the term obstetric violence: a cross-sectional study.

We observe a growing global discussion about the practices considered "obstetric violence" against women during pregnancy and childbirth. Otherwise, the indiscriminate subjective and lay interpretation of the term "obstetric violence" can lead to a misunderstanding among medical professionals. This study aimed to describe the obstetrician's perceptions about the term "obstetric violence" and the medical groups affected negatively by the topic. A cross-sectional study applied to Brazilian obstetrics physicians regarding their perceptions of "obstetric violence." From January to April 2022, we sent about 14,000 direct mail nationwide. A total of 506 participants responded. We observed that 374 (73.9%) participants consider the term obstetric violence nocive or harmful to professional practice. Furthermore, after Poisson regression, we described that the respondents who graduated before 2000 and from a private institution were significant and independent groups for the full or partial agreement that the term is nocive for the obstetricians in Brazil. We observed that almost three in four obstetrician participants consider the term "obstetric violence" nocive or harmful to professional practice, particularly in those who graduated before 2000 and from a private institution. The findings are relevant to propose further debates and strategies to mitigate the possible harms caused to the obstetrician team by the indiscriminate use of the term obstetric violence.

Empatia médica e valores éticos da profissão: estudo quantitativo

Abstract In health care, empathy is associated to several benefits; however, many studies have shown a decrease in empathy during medical education, which negatively impacts the humanization of care. This cross-sectional study analyzes the relation between sociodemographic factors and physicians’ level of empathy, as well as medical ethical values. A total of 143 Brazilian physicians answered empathy and hospitality scales. Results point to a relation between empathy and hospitality, as well as that factors such as gender, specialty and history of suffering influence care humanization.

We need to talk about Brazilian Emergency Physicians and Burnout

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The challenges of low and middle-income countries in healthcare management after COVID-19

More than two years after WHO declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic, a year after deploying the first COVID vaccine, and as we approach nearly 6.5 million infection-related deaths1, we wonder, as Brazilian front-line physicians, what are the lessons we should have learned. Accordingly, healthcare was the first of all systems affected by COVID-19, particularly in developing nations. Despite the additional costs of unemployment, supply chain disturbances, finance expenses to support businesses, and millions of children deprived of education, we still witness the abundance of daily clinical practices of low-value care, failed public health policies, and scientific researches of controversial relevance and not centered in the patient.

Prediction and prevention of preeclampsia by physicians in Brazil: An original study.

Considering the worldwide importance of preeclampsia, especially in Brazil, the screening of pregnant women at greater risk of developing the disease and the application of preventive measures are essential. This study aimed to assess the medical performance in this context in Brazil. A survey was developed to quantify the number of physicians who prescribe acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and/or calcium for preeclampsia prevention. The survey was sent to all Brazilian obstetricians affiliated to the Brazilian Federation of OBGYN by email and WhatsApp. The survey remained opened for 6 months and included questions about the use of ASA and calcium, as well as about the use of a complementary test to predict preeclampsia. The sample consisted of 360 responding physicians and 100% coverage of responses from physicians from the five different regions of Brazil was obtained. The vast majority of respondents (94.72%) prescribe ASA to prevent preeclampsia, with 80.3% prescribing a dose of 100 mg/day. Calcium is prescribed by 83.9% of the respondents. The majority of the interviewed sample (58.6%) requests uterine artery Doppler imaging to predict preeclampsia and 31.7% do not request any additional test. When the analysis was performed by region, only the northern region differed from the other Brazilian regions regarding the use of ASA and calcium for preeclampsia prevention. While more than 90% of physicians in the other regions prescribe ASA, 40% in the northern region do not use it (p < 0.0001). Regarding calcium, 30% of physicians in northern Brazil do not use the drug for preeclampsia prevention, a percentage that also differs from the other regions where the medication is prescribed by 80 to 90% of physicians (p = 0.021). The vast majority of Brazilian physicians prescribe low-dose aspirin and calcium carbonate to prevent preeclampsia in high-risk pregnant women. In addition to the identification of clinical risk factors, most doctors use Doppler of the uterine arteries as a predictive method. In the northern region of Brazil, physicians use aspirin and calcium less frequently for preventing preeclampsia compared to the rest of the country.

Women Physicians: Burnout during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil.

ResumoFundamento A COVID-19 adicionou um fardo enorme sobre os médicos ao redor do mundo, especialmente as mulheres médicas, que são afetadas pelo aumento da carga de trabalho e pela perda da qualidade de vida.Objetivo Avaliar os efeitos da pandemia de COVID-19 na qualidade de vida, burnout e espiritualidade de médicas brasileiras que atendem pacientes com COVID-19 direta ou indiretamente.Método Estudo prospectivo, observacional realizado de 28 de julho a 27 de setembro de 2020, no Brasil, com mulheres médicas de 47 especialidades, a mais frequente sendo a cardiologia (22,8%), sem restrição de idade. Elas responderam voluntariamente um questionário online com questões sobre características demográficas e socioeconômicas, qualidade de vida (WHOQOL-brief) e espiritualidade (WHOQOL-SRPB) e enunciados do Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. A análise estatística utilizou o software R, regressão beta, árvores de classificação e matriz de correlação policórica, com nível de significância de 5%.Resultados Das 769 respondentes, 61,6% relataram sinais de burnout. Cerca de 64% relataram perda salarial de até 50% durante a pandemia. Algumas relataram falta de energia para as tarefas diárias, sentimentos negativos frequentes, insatisfação com a capacidade para o trabalho, e que cuidar de outras pessoas não agregava sentido às suas vidas. Os sentimentos negativos correlacionaram-se negativamente com a satisfação com a vida sexual, a satisfação com as relações pessoais e a energia para as tarefas diárias. A incapacidade de permanecer otimista em tempos de incerteza correlacionou-se positivamente com a sensação de insegurança no dia a dia e com o não reconhecimento de que cuidar de outras pessoas trouxesse sentido à vida.Conclusão O presente estudo mostrou uma alta frequência de burnout entre as médicas brasileiras que responderam ao questionário durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Apesar disso, apresentavam uma qualidade de vida relativamente boa e acreditavam que a espiritualidade trazia-lhes conforto e segurança nos momentos difíceis.

Factors associated with the use of personal protective equipment among Brazilian physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective was to analyze the factors associated with use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among Brazilian physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2020 with 1298 Brazilian physicians. The respondent driven sampling technique was used by sharing the survey through social media. Factors associated with the use of PPE while caring for COVID-19 patients were: being female (AOR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.24-1.98; p ≤ 0.001); working in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 2.06-3.75; p ≤ 0.001); training (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.25-2.09; p ≤ 0.001); access to sufficient PPE (AOR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.27-3.90; p = 0.0050), and PPE of good quality (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.16-2.92; p = 0.009). The following factors were associated with the use of recommended PPE during procedures that generate aerosols in the context of COVID-19: working in the ICU (ORA=2.73; 95% CI: 2.06-3.62; p < 0.01); working in a field hospital (AOR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06-1.79; p = 0.018;) training (AOR = 1.72 95% CI: 1.32-2.24; p < 0.01); access to sufficient PPE (AOR = 1.63; 95% CI: 0.91-2.92; p < 0.01), PPE of good quality (AOR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.28-3.35; p = 0.003). The factors associated with the use of necessary PPE with COVID-19 patients and for procedures that generate aerosols were identified. Educational interventions for professionals and managers must be implemented to direct them towards protecting themselves and others.