Suele Manjourany Silva Duro

To describe the profile of the use of health services in the total sample, and also stratified according to the absence and presence of long COVID. This is a cross-sectional study with individuals who had COVID-19. The outcomes were: Basic Health Unit, private medical practice, urgent and emergency care services, specialist doctors, and specialized services. The analyses were carried out taking total prevalence of health service use, without and with long COVID, and stratified by sex, age, education, income in BRL, morbidities, and hospitalization. Prevalence of use of Basic Health Unit and urgent and emergency services by individuals with long COVID was the highest in relation to women, comorbidities, those not hospitalized, lower education and income. Use of specialist doctors and specialized services was higher among women, the elderly, those with comorbidities, the hospitalized, and those with higher education and income. The highest prevalence of health service use related to individuals who had long COVID compared to those who did not.

Editorial comemorativo aos 50 anos da Faculdade de Enfermagem da UFPEL celebrado no dia 24 de agosto de 2026.

Long COVID is a condition that may manifest after SARS-CoV-2 infection, associated with complications such as depression and persistent symptoms. This study evaluated the relationship between prior depression and the occurrence of Long COVID, as well as investigated whether symptoms of this condition increase the risk of depression following infection in adults from southern Brazil. Using data from the longitudinal Sulcovid-19 study, the analysis included variables such as sex, age, skin color, marital status, income, smoking, body mass index, comorbidities, and hospitalization. The prevalence of Long COVID was 60 percentage points higher among individuals with prior depression, and this condition increased the probability of depression after infection by 65%. Associations were evaluated using Poisson regression in Stata 17.0. The results highlight the importance of investigating the implications of Long COVID and developing effective therapeutic approaches.

Introduction: Studies on lung capacity and functionality in people recovering from COVID-19 often focus on hospitalized patients and/or those who underwent mechanical ventilation, while research on mild cases of the disease is less common. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between functional capacity and reduced lung function in adults with long COVID. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The dependent variables were peripheral muscle strength, balance, functional mobility, exertional dyspnea, and reduced lung function as the exposure variable. The relationship between peripheral muscle strength, balance, and the independent variable was assessed. Poisson regression models with robust variance adjustment were used to calculate the crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and p-values. To analyze the association between functional mobility, exertional dyspnea, and the independent variable, linear regression was applied, both crude and adjusted, to calculate the β coefficient with corresponding 95% CIs and p-values. A significance level of 5% was adopted for two-tailed tests. Results: Individuals with reduced lung function were 2.69 times more likely (95% CI: 1.45-4.97) to have reduced peripheral muscle strength and 2.85 times more likely (95% CI: 1.29-6.30) to have reduced balance. Functional mobility decreased by an average of -2.85 points (95% CI: -4.66 to -1.04), while exertional dyspnea increased by 1.46 points (95% CI: 0.68-2.24) in people with reduced lung function. Conclusion: Individuals with mild acute infection and no pre-existing comorbidities experienced reduced lung function associated with decreased functional capacity.

Objective: To assess the incidence of food insecurity over a one-and-a-half-year period in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, and to investigate risk factors, considering adults and older adults who had coronavirus disease 2019. Methods: This is a longitudinal study, with data collected at two time points: 2021 and 2022-2023. Food insecurity was assessed using the reduced version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar, EBIA). The following were considered as exposure variables: sex, age, race/color, marital status, educational level, family income, income situation, and employment status during the pandemic. The variables were described using absolute and relative frequencies, and proportions were compared using the Chi-square test. Associated factors were estimated using Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment. Results: Among the 1,231 individuals analyzed, the incidence of food insecurity during the period was 20.1%. In the adjusted analysis, female sex (incidence ratio [IR] 1.53; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.21; 1.95), lower educational levels (IR 1.75; 95%CI 1.26; 2.41 and IR 1.54; 95%CI 1.16; 2.04), lower family income (IR 2.01; 95%CI 1.17; 3.47 and IR 2.53; 95%CI 1.54; 4.15), and marked income reduction during the pandemic (IR 1.51; 95%CI 1.15; 1.98) were risk factors associated with the incidence of food insecurity. Conclusion: The results showed that 2 out of every 10 individuals developed food insecurity over the follow-up period, which spanned the pandemic and the subsequent period, with greater risk among individuals in more socially vulnerable groups.

Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar a incidência de insegurança alimentar em um período de um ano e meio em Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, e investigar fatores de risco, com a consideração de adultos e de idosos que tiveram a doença de coronavírus de 2019. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal, com coleta de dados em dois momentos: 2021 e 2022-2023. A insegurança alimentar foi avaliada por meio da versão reduzida da Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar. Foram consideradas como variáveis de exposição: sexo, idade, raça/cor, estado civil, grau de escolaridade, renda familiar, situação de renda e status de trabalho durante a pandemia. As variáveis foram descritas através de frequências absolutas e relativas, e as proporções foram comparadas com utilização do teste Qui-Quadrado. Os fatores associados foram estimados por regressão de Poisson com ajuste por variância robusta. Resultados: Entre os 1.231 indivíduos analisados, a incidência de insegurança alimentar no período foi de 20,1%. Na análise ajustada, verificou-se que o sexo feminino (razão de incidência [RI] 1,53; intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%] 1,21; 1,95). menores níveis de escolaridade (RI 1,75; IC95% 1,26; 2,41 e RI 1,54; IC95% 1,16; 2,04). menores níveis de renda familiar (RI 2,01; IC95% 1,17; 3,47 e RI 2,53; IC95% 1,54; 4,15) e redução acentuada da renda durante a pandemia (RI 1,51; IC95% 1,15; 1,98) foram fatores de risco associados à incidência de insegurança alimentar. Conclusão: Os resultados mostraram que dois em cada dez indivíduos desenvolveram insegurança alimentar ao longo do período de acompanhamento, que abrangeu a pandemia e o período subsequente, com maior risco entre indivíduos pertencentes a grupos socialmente mais vulneráveis.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination schedule completion and to investigate associated factors and reasons for refusal among adults and elderly residents of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with participants from the Adult and Elderly post-COVID-19 Infection Health Indicator Follow-up, conducted in 2022-2023. The outcome was the COVID-19 vaccination schedule. Having had at least three doses of the vaccine was considered to be complete vaccination. The exposure variables were sociodemographic and morbidity characteristics. Reasons for not completing the vaccination schedule were also investigated. Prevalence rates and unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated. Results: Of the 1,925 respondents, 83.3% received all three doses of the vaccine. Vaccination prevalence was higher among women (85.5%), older adults (92.6%), respondents who had never smoked (83.3%) or were former smokers (87.6%), those with multimorbidity (88.6%), and those who had been informed about the importance of the vaccine (85.1%). Among those who did not complete the vaccination schedule, 15.8% did not do so because they had a reaction to the vaccine; the vaccine was not available for 8.5% when they went to get vaccinated and they did not return; 8.1% knew someone who had a reaction and were apprehensive; and 7.3% stated they had already had COVID-19. Conclusion: In all, 83.3% completed the vaccination schedule of at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses. Adherence to vaccination should be encouraged, especially in groups with lower coverage rates, such as men, younger people, and those without comorbidities.

To evaluate inequalities in the worsening of work and income decrease/cessation among adults and elderly people with COVID-19 in the extreme south of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study based on the SulCovid-19 study carried out with adults and elderly people infected with SARS CoV-2 from December/2020 to March/2021 in the municipality of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. The outcomes were: “worsening of work” and “income decrease/cessation” following COVID-19. The independent variables were gender, skin color, income, education, health insurance, age, marital status, schooling, morbidities, hospitalization and long COVID. prevalence of worsening work was 33.7% (95%CI 31.8; 35.5), while prevalence of income decrease/cessation was 44.6% (95%CI 42.7; 46.6). Female individuals with income in dollars between US0.00 and US192.0 had 13.0% (95% CI 1.01; 1.27) and 22.0% (95% CI 1.02; 1.46) greater prevalence of losing work and were 22.0% (95% CI 1.12; 1.34) and 49.0% (95% CI 1.31; 1.70) more likely to suffer a decrease/cessation of their income. Individuals with long COVID had 46.0% greater prevalence (95% CI 1.27; 1.68) of worsening at work and 24.0% (95% CI 1.13; 1.37) greater prevalence of income decrease/cessation when compared to those without the disease. Individuals with 3 symptoms or more had 86.0% (95% CI 1.58; 2.20) greater prevalence of worsening work and 47.0% (95% CI 1.31; 1.65) greater prevalence of income decrease/cessation when compared to those without long COVID symptoms. There was inequality in the worsening of work and income decrease/cessation for individuals infected with SARS CoV-2. Among these individuals, females, lower income, low education and greater long COVID severity were the most affected.

Individuals living with long COVID experience a range of symptoms that affect their ability to carry out daily activities or participate in social and community life. This study aimed to analyze association between functional disability and the occurrence of long COVID symptoms, as well as to analyze the effect of symptom persistence time on functional disability. This is a cross-sectional study using data from the SulCovid-19 study, which interviewed individuals who had COVID-19 between December 2020 and March 2021. The functional disability outcome was assessed using the Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales, while the exposures were the symptoms of long COVID. Adjusted analyses between outcomes and exposures, stratified by time after the acute phase of infection, were performed using Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment. The prevalence of BADL disability was 4.8% (95%CI 4.0;5.6), and for IADL disability, it was 8.4% (95%CI 7.4;9.4). The main symptoms associated with BADL disability were dyspnea, dry cough and sore throat, while for IADL, they were joint pain, muscle pain, loss of sensation, nasal congestion, sore throat and runny nose. When stratified by tertiles of time after the acute phase of infection, a relationship was found between BADL disability and dyspnea, ageusia and, nasal congestion in the 3rd tertile, while only ageusia was found to be related to IADL disability in the 3rd tertile. Long COVID symptoms were associated wiht limitations in the functional capacity of adults and the seniors. The findings can be used to guide the care and rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities who have had COVID-19, particularly for referral to appropriate health professionals.