Implementation Of Public Health Policies Research Articles

Public health policies in dental traumatology: A call for action!

Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are a prevalent public health concern, requiring preventive measures as well as timely and appropriate interventions to prevent adverse outcomes and optimize patients' prognosis. Although dental trauma injuries require prompt clinical intervention, some challenges persist in effectively managing these injuries. In dental traumatology, the implementation of public health policies assumes critical importance, these policies play an important role in addressing preventive measures and mitigating the repercussions of TDI. This review aims to emphasize the importance of developing comprehensive public health policies in dental traumatology, recognizing the strategic importance of this approach and its benefits. By proactively addressing issues associated with dental injuries, these policies have extensive implications for individual quality of life and public health in general. Furthermore, this review will present a suggested structured framework for the development of public health policies, encompassing key domains including prevention, intervention, and education in dental traumatology. The creation and implementation of these policies will address dental trauma through prevention programs, research, and development, and will provide a significant step toward enhancing the well-being of the population and dental trauma victims' prognosis promoting a more resilient healthcare system.

What Canadians search about asthma: a 10-year Google Trends study on asthma and related topics

BackgroundGoogle Trends (GTr) is now becoming an important tool in epidemiological studies to assess the trend of online searches by people of any geographical location. While previous studies assessed trends in searches for some allergic conditions, very few studies reported search patterns for asthma and asthma-related topics. MethodsWe took monthly Canadian GTr data for asthma-related keywords such as ‘asthma’, ‘shortness of breath’, ‘wheeze’, ‘asthma emergency’, ‘asthma hospital’, and ‘asthma medication’ between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2023. We assessed the trend of yearly relative search volume (RSV) for the past 10 years. We also assessed the trend by influenza and wildfire seasons. ResultsWe observed a marginal increase in searches for some asthma-related topics such as ‘asthma’ ‘shortness of breath’, and ‘wheeze’ in Canada between 2014 to 2023 but not other topics such as ‘asthma emergency’, ‘asthma hospital’, and ‘asthma medication’. The pattern of searches for ‘asthma’, ‘shortness of breath’, and ‘wheeze’ did not change by influenza of wildfire seasons across the years. ConclusionOur study is the first to demonstrate searches for asthma and related topics by Canadians in the past 10 years and indicates GTr as an emerging tool in epidemiology that can be used in planning the implementation of public health policies.

Grave Reverberations: Inherited Colonial Logics during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines

Using the theory of reverberations, we track the dissonant transformation of sanitation regimes during the American colonial period in the Philippines, particularly during the cholera epidemic of 1902, to the mis/management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the present day. We argue that the formation, interpretation, and implementation of public health policies, especially with regards to the treatment of the dead, echo inherited colonial logics designed to exacerbate stigmas of virality and unruliness. In addition to past epidemics, responses to COVID-19 resonate with recurring episodes of terror formation, militarisation, and misinformation in the country. The enduring legacies of colonialism—rooted in themes of extraction, individualism, and hegemony, and masked under the guise of benevolence—live on in modern policies in ways that are not always readily apparent. Lastly, we see the notion of reverberations as one that allows analytical generosity in understanding the messiness of the postcolonial experience.

The socioeconomic gradient in overweight and obesity among Colombian adult and pediatric populations: A scoping review.

Background: The imminent increase in overweight and obesity prevalence constitutes a pervasive concern for the adult and pediatric Colombian population. Nonetheless, the unequal distribution across distinct social groups limits the implementation of public health policies targeting these escalating rates. Aim: This study aimed to compile existing evidence regarding the prevalence of overweight and obesity in relation to the socioeconomic status (SES) of the Colombian population. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews parameters in MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and LILACS databases for inclusion of investigations published up to January 2024. Results: Twenty-two cross-sectional studies were included. A higher prevalence of overweight and obesity was documented in adults with lower SES defined by social stratum and monetary income, while in particular for nonpregnant adult women, the prevalence of excess weight was higher in the medium-low socioeconomic stratum. In the pediatric population, higher SES defined by social stratum was directly related to an increased prevalence and risk of overweight and obesity. The ownership of household assets, however, was positively related to the risk of overweight in both adult and pediatric populations. Conclusion: The findings of this investigation disclose a socioeconomic gradient in overweight and obesity in Colombia that resembles the epidemiological distribution in high-income countries for adults, though similar to low-income countries for the pediatric population. Further intersectoral interventions aimed at the most vulnerable groups are imperative to mitigate the inequalities that condition their predisposition to overweight and obesity.

Changing landscape of alcohol-associated liver disease in younger individuals, women, and ethnic minorities.

Alcohol use is the most important determinant of the development of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and of predicting long-term outcomes in those with established liver disease. Worldwide, the amount, type, and pattern of use of alcohol vary. Alcohol use and consequent liver disease have been increasing in certain ethnic groups especially Hispanics and Native Americans, likely due to variations in genetics, cultural background, socio-economic status, and access to health care. Furthermore, the magnitude and burden of ALD have been increasing especially in the last few years among females and young adults who are at the prime of their productivity. It is critical to recognize the problem and care for these patients integrating cultural aspects in liver clinics. At the federal level, a societal approach is needed with the implementation of public health policies aiming to reduce alcohol consumption in the community. By addressing these challenges and promoting awareness, we can strive to reduce the burden of ALD, especially in high-risk demographic groups to improve their long-term health outcomes. Finally, we need studies and quality research examining these changing landscapes of demographics in ALD as a basis for developing therapeutic targets and interventions to reduce harmful drinking behaviours in these high-risk demographic groups.

The rehabilitation workforce in Brazil

BackgroundThe surge in individuals facing functional impairments has heightened the demand for rehabilitation services. Understanding the distribution of the rehabilitation workforce is pivotal for effective health system planning to address the population’s health needs.ObjectiveTo investigate the spatial and temporal dispersion of physical therapists, speech therapists, psychologists and occupational therapists across various tiers of care within Brazil’s Unified Health System and its regions.MethodThis is an ecological time series study on the supply of rehabilitation professionals. Data were obtained from the National Register of Health Establishments from 2007 to 2020. The density of professionals was calculated per 10,000 inhabitants annually for Brazil and its five regions. The Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the temporal trends of the density of professionals, considering a 95% confidence interval.ResultsIn 2020, the most notable concentrations of psychologists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists in Brazil were observed in the domain of Specialized Health Care, with densities of 0.60, 0.20, and 0.16 professionals per 10,000 inhabitants, respectively. Conversely, the highest density of physical therapists was found within Hospital Health Care, with a density of 1.19 professionals per 10,000 inhabitants. Notably, variations in professional dispersion across different regions were apparent. Primary Health Care exhibited the highest density of professionals in the Northeast region, while the Southern region accounted for the highest densities in all professional categories within Specialized Health Care. The southeast region exhibited the largest workforce within Hospital Health Care. A marked upsurge in professional availability was noted across all categories, notably in the occupational therapy sector within hospital care (AAPC: 30.8), despite its initial low density.ConclusionThe implementation of public health policies played a significant role in the expansion of the rehabilitation workforce at all three levels of care in Brazil and its various regions from 2007 to 2020. Consequently, regional disparities and densities of professionals have emerged, mirroring patterns observed in low-income countries.

Depolarized by the Media? The Role of Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Traditional and Digital Media Diets in Issue Polarization Around COVID-19 in the United States

ABSTRACT Research suggests that a heterogeneous media diet can foster more objective information evaluations, reducing issue polarization as a result. These findings beg the question: Can increased news heterogeneity reduce issue polarization around COVID-19? Using data from a cross-sectional survey in the United States (N = 1,262), this study found that – in line with theoretical expectations – at high levels of homogeneity of traditional and digital news consumption, the difference in support for COVID-19 prevention between Biden and Trump supporters was significantly large. Conversely, this attitude gap narrowed at high news heterogeneity levels. Our results continue to advance research on the role of homogeneous and heterogeneous media diets and biased cognitive processing in issue polarization, a crucial endeavor as polarization poses a challenge to effective public health policy implementation and pandemic management. At the outset, the implications of our findings for pandemic communication (and health communication more generally) are discussed.

Mapping the Lobbying Footprint of Harmful Industries: 23 Years of Data From OpenSecrets.

Commercial lobbying is often a barrier to the development and implementation of public health policies. Yet, little is known about the similarities and differences in the lobbying practices of different industry sectors or types of commercial actors. This study compares the lobbying practices of four industry sectors that have been the focus of much public health research and advocacy: tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and ultraprocessed foods. Data on lobbying expenditures and lobbyist backgrounds were sourced from the OpenSecrets database, which monitors lobbying in the United States. Lobbying expenditure data were analyzed for the 1998-2020 period. We classified commercial actors as companies or trade associations. We used Power BI software to link, analyze, and visualize data sets. We found that the ultraprocessed food industry spent the most on lobbying ($1.15 billion), followed by gambling ($817 million), tobacco ($755 million), and alcohol ($541 million). Overall, companies were more active than trade associations, with associations being least active in the tobacco industry. Spending was often highly concentrated, with two organizations accounting for almost 60% of tobacco spending and four organizations accounting for more than half of alcohol spending. Lobbyists that had formerly worked in government were mainly employed by third-party lobby firms. Our study shows how comparing the lobbying practices of different industry sectors offers a deeper appreciation of the diversity and similarities of commercial actors. Understanding these patterns can help public health actors to develop effective counterstrategies.

Prerequisites and practice of introducing integrated systems of medical care in England

The introduction of new conceptual approaches to public health protection is a trend of public health reform in Russia and European countries. The success of the implementation of public health policy in Russia depends both on the development of their own ideas and their implementation, on the study and use of the experience of foreign countries. For example, in England in the last decade, as part of the reform of the public health system, the idea of creating integrated medical care systems (ICS) has been actively developing and the experience of its implementation is of practical interest for Russian healthcare. 
 Goal. To study the experience of England in implementing integrated medical care systems and analyze the possibility of using its individual elements in Russia. 
 Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the basis of a comprehensive study of open reporting data of the Department of Health and Social Security of England, the National Health Service and the National Audit Office of England (NAO), as well as scientific reports on integrated public health management systems. 
 Results. The development of integrated public health management systems being a trend in world practice, contributes to the improvement of public health indicators. The study of the experience of implementing ICS in England showed the presence of a number of risks during its implementation.
 Limitations. When conducting research, there were no restrictions that could influence the preparation of the article.
 Conclusions. Dissatisfaction with the level of management and financing of the healthcare system in England served as an impetus for the start of reforms that contribute to improving the management of medical care to the population, and the introduction of integrated medical care systems. The analysis of the NAO auditors revealed the main risks of the success of the ICS implementation. Studying the experience of implementing ICS is useful for use in the implementation of Russian national projects in the field of healthcare and demography.

Social Comparison and Body Image in Teenage Users of the TikTok App.

The TikTok app is one of the video-based social media platforms that is currently trending and commonly used by teenagers. The data about teenage users of the TikTok app are limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of TikTok app use among teenagers in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the association between TikTok app use and the social comparison and the body image of the study population. Further, to explore the potential associations between the social comparison and the body image of the TikTok app users and their different characteristics. This cross-sectionalsurvey study was conducted all over Saudi Arabia. The study included male and female teenagers, aged 12-19 years. The researchers used a structured, self-administered questionnaire to collect data, and it was disseminated using different social media platforms. The social comparison was measured using the questionnaire of the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and the body image was measured using the Measurement of the Body Image Scale. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 26 (Chicago, IL: SSPS Inc.). Continuous variables were compared using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Kruskal-Wallis tests, whereas categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. Spearman'srank correlation was applied to investigate the association between body image and social comparison scores among TikTok app users and non-users. This study included 384 Saudi teenagers. Females (n=260) outnumbered males (n=124) (67.7% and 32.3%, respectively), and the mean of their age was 16.3±2.0 years. The researchers found a high prevalence (343/384, 89.3%) of TikTok app use among the studied teenagers. There was a significantly high median of the social comparison score among the TikTok app users (33.0, IQR: 28.0-38.0) compared to the non-users (28.0, IQR: 26.0-34.0), p=0.005. TikTok app users also showed a significantly lower median body image score (64.0, IQR: 54.0-72.0) in comparison to the non-users (67.0, IQR: 58.0-73.0), p=0.037. The correlation between social comparison and body image among teenagers using TikTok showed a negative relationship, but it was not significant (p=0.110). However, a significant negative weak relationship was found between body image and comparison of abilities (rs coefficient=-0.113, p=0.037). The findings of the current study indicate a high prevalence of TikTok use among teenagers in Saudi Arabia. The use of TikTok was associated with a high social comparison and a negative body image, with more than half of the users expressing a negative body image. Comparison of abilities was associated with an increased level of body dissatisfaction. These findings emphasize the need for the development and implementation of public health policies and awareness programs to promote body acceptance, especially for young people across the country. Future studies should focus on the long-term impact of TikTok use on psychological health.

A grounded theory-based qualitative approach for examining local implementation of public health policies during crises

BackgroundCOVID-19′s emergence questions the agility of health policy deployment in a context of urgency. This exceptional pandemic offers a unique Implementation Science study opportunity. It reveals how actors adapt, coordinate, and mitigate an unknown global threat to safeguard populations from an initially mysterious virus. Limited research has explored how involved players act and adapt their practices to fulfil health protection missions during a global health crisis. Bridging the gap between public policy expectations and achievements requires a methodology for stakeholder identification and implementation practice description. ObjectiveFocusing on COVID-19 management in France's second-largest region, we investigate ministerial recommendation implementation and the emergence of new links, coordination modes, and practices. MethodsDue to the novel subject, we adopted grounded theory. Initial documentary data collection identifies stakeholders for subsequent interviews. Open-ended coding of collected discourse enables content analysis. ResultsFindings reveal a crisis-driven re-evaluation of stakeholder relationships. This research identifies three levels of implementation of health policies at the local level (administrative, organizational and operational) and reveals different types of coordination specific to each of these levels. Our results provide insights on how to better coordinate and implement healthcare policies in a period of crisis. Recommendations include real-life simulations of large-scale crises. ConclusionOur work establishes a methodological foundation for analysing coordination dynamics. Future research could compare these findings with other unpredictable health emergencies, such as episiotomic veterinary health crises.•The first step of the method is to analyse the guidelines of health policy implementation during the Covid-19 crisis and to identify the main stakeholders in charge of the local health policy implementation.•The second step consists of interviewing these stakeholders using a co-constructed sample and structural coding of their speech to reveal the forms of coordination between stakeholders.

Knowledge and perceptions of French community pharmacists and pharmacy students about the papillomavirus vaccine

IntroductionIn a French context of low vaccination coverage for human papillomavirus (HPV) disease, we conducted a study on pharmacy students and community pharmacists to assess their self-reported knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination and their perceptions of vaccination. Material and methodsA prospective volunteered-based study was conducted in the French Franche-Comté region based on a questionnaire targeting pharmacy students (from the 2nd to 6th years) and community pharmacists. ResultsAll in all, 220 students and 55 pharmacists completed a questionnaire. Fewer than a third knew which HPV genotypes are considered to be high-risk (p-value = 0.11) and were aware of the diversified nature of HPV-induced cancers (p-value = 0.02). Their overall level of general knowledge about vaccination was estimated to be good by 62% of students and 85% of pharmacists (p-value = 10−3). More than 75% of students and pharmacists considered that HPV vaccination has a positive benefit-risk balance (p-value = 0.44) but that its low coverage is due to non-confirmed adverse events that were suggested in the past (p-value = 0.60). Pharmacists had a better perception of the safety of HPV vaccination (84% versus 64%, p-value = 6·10−3). More than 50% of students and pharmacists agreed with mandatory HPV vaccination for girls and boys (11–14 years). ConclusionThis study allowed us to assess the knowledge of students and community pharmacists and their more or less favorable perceptions of HPV vaccination. It helped us to suggest their needs in terms of practical training. Future changes should include pharmacists in the implementation of public health policies and to improve vaccination coverage.

Driving sustainable healthcare service management in the hospital sector

Sustainability in service management is a crucial issue in today's competitive business environment. Previous researchers have conducted studies on healthcare sustainability from various areas, but none has been conducted on the assessment of driving factors to sustainable service management in the hospital sector. This study fills this research gap by identifying and assessing the driving factors behind sustainable service management in the hospital sector from an emerging economy context. The study does so by utilizing integrated qualitative and quantitative research methods. Primarily, the study performed a Delphi study to identify the most relevant driving factors and then utilized the integrated grey-based decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) model to aid the evaluation within the Bangladesh hospital sector. The study identified eleven factors as the causal and nine factors as effect group factors. Furthermore, the factor “Engaging experienced doctors in top management (D20)” was identified as the most prominent driving factor for sustainable hospital service management. The driving factor “Implementation of public health policies (D18)” was identified as the topmost causal factor, and “Proper maintenance and monitoring of hospital support services (D9)” identified as the most influenced/impacted effect group driving factor. The study's findings have significant policy implications for service operations and managers in the hospital sectors. The service managers should give special attention to the causal group driving factors and invest heavily in them as that will help to improve the effect group factors within the system.

Scarcity in abundance? Spatial inequalities in Rheumatoid Arthritis in a health system with financial equity

BackgroundThis paper estimates spatial inequalities of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in Colombia and explores correlates of those disparities from a health system perspective.MethodsWe apply descriptive epidemiology to healthcare administrative records for estimation of crude and age-standardized prevalences, and health systems thinking for identification of barriers to effective access in RA diagnosis.ResultsThe crude and age-standardized RA prevalence for Colombia in 2018 is estimated at 0.43% and 0.36%, respectively. In the contributory regime, the binding constraint is effective access to rheumatologists in rural and sparsely populated areas; this constraint in workforce affects service delivery, and ultimately comes from the lack of a differentiated model for effective provision of healthcare in those areas (governance).ConclusionsThere are opportunities for implementation of public health policies and health system interventions that would lead to a better identification of RA patients and the subsequent more precise estimation of RA prevalence, and most importantly, to reduce exposition to risk factors and accurate diagnosis and treatment of RA patients.

PROFESSIONAL SELF-CONCEPT OF NURSES AND WILLINGNESS TO REMAIN IN THE PROFESSION

The professional self-concept of nurses, who make up the majority of medical practitioners and who participate in the implementation of public health policy, plays an important role in job satisfaction, productivity, which leads to patient satisfaction and development of the profession. Whereas, nurse job satisfaction affects nurse's future plans related to willingness to remain in the profession. Nursing self-concept is shaped and influenced by many different factors, one of them global self-esteem. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the factors forming the professional self-concept, self-esteem and willingness to remain in profession of practicing nurses. The results revealed that there are statistically significant links between some groups of socio-demographic data: age and self-esteem, level of education and self-esteem, as well as the desire to remain in the profession. Statistically significant differences have been identified between respondents' answers according to age group, education level, length of service and certificate in relation to different sub-scales of self-concept.

Local implementation of public health policies revealed by the COVID-19 crisis: the French case

BackgroundImproving health system performance depends on the quality of health policy implementation at the local level. However, in general, the attention of researchers is mainly directed towards issues of health policy design and evaluation rather than implementation at the local level. The management of the COVID-19 crisis, especially in Europe, has particularly highlighted the complexity of implementing health policies, decided at the national or supranational level, at the local level.MethodsWe conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with the main stakeholders in the management of the COVID-19 crisis in the second largest French region in order to identify the different actors and modes of coordination of the local implementation of health policies that this crisis management illustrates in a very visible way. Our methodology is complemented by a content analysis of the main guidelines and decisions related to this implementation.ResultsThe analysis of these data allows us to identify three levels of implementation of health policies at the local level (administrative, organizational and operational). Interviews also reveal the existence of different types of coordination specific to each of these levels of local implementation of health policies. These results then make it possible to identify important managerial avenues for promoting global coordination of these three levels of implementation.ConclusionsAlthough research on health services emphasizes the existence of several levels of local implementation of health policies, it offers little in the way of definition or characterization of these levels. The identification in this study of the three levels of local implementation of health policies and their specific forms of coordination contribute to a more precise characterization of this implementation in order to promote, in practice, its global coordination.

Australians support for policy initiatives addressing unhealthy diet: a population-based study.

To inform public health policy implementation in Australia, our study investigated the level of public support for six policy initiatives addressing unhealthy diet. The policy initiatives included taxing soft drinks and energy drinks, taxing less healthy food and beverage purchases, zoning to restrict the supply of junk foods near schools, prohibiting advertising and promotion of less healthy food and beverages to children under the age of 16 and restricting sugar-sweetened beverages from vending machines in schools, and public places. Data from a cross-sectional population-based study for 4040 Australians aged 15+ years, were analysed. A high overall support across all policy initiatives was observed. Nearly three-quarter of public support was observed for policy initiatives targeting children (zoning to restrict the supply of junk food near schools, prohibiting advertising and promotion of less healthy food and beverages to children under the age of 16 and restricting sugars-sweetened beverages from vending machines in schools), and half of Australians supported policy initiatives of taxing soft drinks and energy drinks and taxing less healthy food and beverage purchases. Australian women and those with tertiary level of education were more likely to support public health initiatives targeting children and all policy initiatives respectively. Interestingly, young adults expressed low level of support for all policy initiatives. The study demonstrated considerable public support for policy initiatives focussed on protecting children from unhealthy diet in Australia. Framing, designing and implementing policies targeting children is potentially a good starting point for policymakers to create a health promoting food environment.

Epidemiological Survey of Human Alphaherpesvirus 2 (HSV-2) Infection in Indigenous People of Dourados Municipality, Central Brazil.

Sexually transmitted Human alphaherpesvirus 2 (HSV-2) causes genital ulcers, especially among sexually active adolescents and adults. We estimated the exact prevalence of anti-HSV-2 antibodies and correlated it with the demographic and behavioral aspects of the Indigenous population of the Jaguapirú and Bororó villages (Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Brazil). In total, 1360 individuals (>18 years old) were administered serologic tests. The prevalence of anti-HSV-2 IgM was 12.9%, that of anti-HSV-2 IgG was 57.2%, and 8.5% cases tested positive for both HSV-2 IgM and IgG. The prevalence of anti-HSV-2 antibodies was higher in females (59.5%) compared to males (49%), with an OR of 0.64 (0.49-0.83). Anti-HSV-2 antibodies were found in 14.2%, 12.3%, 15.4%, and 14.5% of participants with urinary problems, genital wounds, genital warts, and urethral discharge, respectively. In summary, the seroprevalence of HSV-2 in the Indigenous population was five times higher than that reported in the general adult Brazilian population. Educational level, income level, smoking, condom use, incarceration, illicit drug abuse, the sharing of used needles and syringes without adequate disinfection, homosexual relationships, prostitution, the sexual practices among drug users, and avoidance of contraceptive methods could contribute to the facilitation of HSV-2 transmission in the Indigenous population. Our results may help develop culturally appropriate intervention programs that eliminate health-access barriers and improve the implementation of public health policies aimed at promoting information regarding and preventing, treating, and controlling HSV-2 infection in Brazilian Indigenous populations.

PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF EATING DISORDER RISK AMONG TUNISIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

IntroductionThe transition to college life can be a stressful period for young adults, and coping strategies can involve changes in eating behaviors.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of eating disorder risk among Tunisian university students.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study among 144 university students in Tunisia. Data were collected using an online questionnaire spread throughout social media (Facebook), using the Google Forms® platform.Attitudes, feelings and behaviors related to eating were measured using “Eating Attitudes Test” (EAT-26) in order to assess the eating disorder risk.ResultsThe mean age of our population was 23.38±3.27 years. More females (73.6%) than males (26.4%) participated in the study. Among them, 10.4% were followed for chronic somatic disease while 11.1% suffered from mental illness. Tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use was noted respectively in 12.5%, 3.5% and 3.5% of cases.The mean score EAT-26 was 20.45. According to this scale, 32,6% of participants were at high risk of eating disorders.EAT-26 scores were higher in females (21.23) than males (16.95%), without a significant relationship.Users of psychoactive substances were more likely to present higher EAT-26 scores (p=0.012), especially the use of alcohol (p=0.005) and weed (p=0.024).EAT-26 scores were significantly higher among students with a prior history of depression.ConclusionsOur study highlighted a high prevalence of eating disorder risk in university students. Implementation of public health policies are required, and psychological intervention and health awareness programs would effectively prevent the eating disorder risk.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Public Policies for Fluoride Use in Colombia and Brazil before and during the Adoption of the Right to Health.

The use of fluorides is essential in the prevention of dental caries, considered to be the main dental public health problem. The formulation and implementation of public health policies can vary from country to country, depending on multiple factors. This study aims to analyze the interaction model between the knowledge produced about the use of fluorides and its implementation through public policies in two South American countries until the period of constitutional reform in each country. A narrative review was conducted with a systematic search of scientific articles and normative devices regarding the use of fluorides in public health in each country during the period prior to the implementation of the right to health in the Constitution. In both countries, there was an intense interaction among governmental organizations, researchers, academic and professional leaders, and companies involved in sanitation and salt production. Fluoride use strategies in Brazil and Colombia after an initial stage of similar characteristics began to differ in terms of public policy options for systemic fluoride use. In Brazil, the option was to adjust the concentration of fluoride in the water, while in Colombia, the addition of fluoride to table salt was consolidated as a public policy.