Medical schools that received the PROMED (program for the encouragement of curricular changes in medical courses)—Preconditions and change process

Since the Curriculum Guidelines (CG) which were created in 2001 and PROMED (Program for the Encouragement of Curricular Changes in Medical Courses), several schools have applied for this incentive. Medical Schools (MS) have faced important changes in their curriculum throughout the years. The purpose is to verify if medical schools that received PROMED already had a historical of curricular changes. Several interviews, which were carried out with PROMED coordinators, were recorded, transcribed and analyzed according to the Bardin’s content analysis technique. Later, these interviews were later categorized into nine themes. This paper analyses the Medical School History category which encompasses three subcategories: existence of a former changing history;need to overcome the model and changing period. It is highlighted that medical schools that received PROMED had a previous changing historical which was sometimes located in anti-hegemonic niches. It is noticeable, however, that such changes were not enough to affect the comprehension of healthillness process and its consequent results. PROMED was, effectively, the reference for medical schools implementing the C.G. which represents, now, a benchmarking for all new and old schools in the country.

The Brazilian public healthcare system and its participation in medical training

Introduction: In Brazil, in a joint initiative of the Ministries of Health and of Education and Culture, the Program for the Promotion of Changes in Medical School Curricula (PROMED) was created, in order to give financial support to medical schools for the development and implementation of curricular changes to the medicine courses. Objective: To ascertain the influence of PROMED on the interaction between the Brazilian public healthcare system (SUS) and the universities. Method: Using the qualitative method by way of content analysis of the Bardin, interviews with 19 coordinators of the medicine courses which received financial support from PROMED were carried out and analyzed. Results: Subcategories which express the current relation between SUS and the universities were found: the need to train SUS professionals and the teaching staff involved, the lines of research directed toward SUS and partnership relations as part of the student learning process, the strengthening of SUS and the internal problems. Conclusions: Observing the needs of the relationship between SUS and the curricular changes it was noted that the public health services are of extreme importance as part of the training process of the medical student. Besides favoring practice, it establishes student activities within the health services, the evaluation of the policies, planning and management of the health services in activities of training and social communication in healthcare, linked to community organizations or diverse social entities. Thus, problems associated with the healthcare service can be identified, as well as the health conditions and life style of the population.

Association between obesity and self-reported diseases: Population-based study among adults in southern Brazil

Introduction: There are few population-based studies conducted in Brazil outside the major urban centers, the prevalence of overweight, obesity and associated factors in the up country cities remains not noticed. Particularly, the characteristics of this phenomenon are unknown in the mountain regions of Santa Catarina (state of the southern region), which concentrate the lowest economic and social development of the state, where culture, dietary habits and climate are quite peculiar. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of nutritional status and its association with self-reported diseases in adults of Lages, Santa Catarina. Methods: A cross sectional study including adults was conducted (n = 2022). Demographic information was collected as well as anthropometric measurements, through a number of interviews and physical examinations. The outcome of the study was the body mass index (BMI). The descriptive statistic was performed, as well as simple associations between BMI and the independent variables by sex. Correlations between BMI, abdominal circumference and self-reported diseases for men and women were tested separately. Results: The prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obesity among men was 41%, 39% and 19% respectively. Among women, the prevalence rates were 43%, 31% and 26%. It was observed that the obesity increase is correlated with low levels of education. The greater the BMI the more negative was the self-assessment of health. It was found a positive correlation between BMI and abdominal circumference, with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure levels. Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Lages, SC. Strategies involving the various sectors of the community should be considered to reverse this process.