Revista panamericana de salud pública = Pan American journal of public health
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Aug 2007
Comparative StudyRetail prices of essential drugs in Brazil: an international comparison.
Price is a key obstacle for consumer access to essential drugs, especially in developing countries. This study sought to compare the retail prices of essential drugs on the private market in Brazil with that of two international pricing standards. ⋯ Average retail prices of essential drugs in Brazil are significantly higher than in Sweden. Furthermore, international bulk prices indicate that drugs are brought to market by Brazil's private pharmacies at prices that may be excessively high in relation to production costs, creating high profit margins. The expected price-lowering effects of competition were not identified.
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Feb 2007
Reply letter utilization by secondary level specialists in a municipality in Brazil: a qualitative study.
To identify obstacles impeding the use of the reply letter by secondary level specialists in the municipality of Camaragibe, Pernambuco, Brazil, and to highlight possible solutions for improving communication at the interface between secondary level specialist care and primary care. ⋯ Despite a general understanding of its importance, specialists in Camaragibe had difficulty adopting the reply letter as a form of communication at the interface between primary and secondary care levels. The reply letter can be effective in improving communication at the interface, but the broad cultural, historical, and organizational features of secondary level specialists need to be considered in order to improve reply letter utilization.
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Jun 2015
Moving toward universal access to health and universal health coverage: a review of comprehensive primary health care in Suriname.
To provide an overview of comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) development and implementation in Suriname in peer-reviewed literature. ⋯ Given the focus on primary health care in the Americas and the notable developments that have occurred in Surinamese health policy and health care, particularly in health care reform, the paucity of published research on CPHC in Suriname was an unexpected finding that may be partly due to prioritizing research on disease control rather than health policy and systems research. The limited amount of scientific literature on this topic 1) prevents clear understanding of CPHC development and implementation in Suriname and 2) underscores the need to strengthen the national health research system to better inform policies for moving the country toward universal health access and coverage to improve the health of all of its citizens.
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Dec 2012
Comparative StudyPeru's national folic acid fortification program and its effect on neural tube defects in Lima.
To evaluate the impact of Peru's national folic acid fortification program on folic acid content in wheat flour, and the effect on birth prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in Lima, and to compare the program's legislative requirements with international standards. ⋯ Peruvian legislative requirements for folic acid fortification are below international (WHO) recommendations; birth prevalence of NTDs in Lima is higher than international benchmarks; and no decrease in NTDs following fortification of flour with folic acid (according to Peruvian national standards) was observed. As increasing the level of folic acid in flour remains the most sustainable way of preventing NTDs, it is recommended that Peru increase its folic acid fortification requirements to meet those recommended by WHO (2.6 mg/kg).