OBJECTIVE: To analyze data on contraceptive use in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, collected by the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 1996. METHODS: The study data were compared to 1986 DHS and 1996 data on the Brazilian population. Contraceptive use among married or cohabiting women was evaluated focusing on age, number of children, schooling, and age and timing of female sterilization. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t-test and Kendall's non-parametric test. RESULTS: Unlike data on the Brazilian population, female sterilization rates were steady in the State of São Paulo during the studied period. The same contraceptive pattern is seen in both Brazil and São Paulo: women aged up to 30 years use largely pills; female sterilization predominates in women over 30, increasing with the number of children and decreasing with years of schooling. Male methods have also increased in recent years, being greater in São Paulo than in Brazil. São Paulo also shows a greater variety of reversible contraceptive methods. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were some differences, the prevalence of only two contraceptive methods in both Brazil and São Paulo suggests a tendency regarding the contraceptive methods offered and in reproductive health in the view of new regulations on family planning.

An attempt was made to caracterize lipemic levels according to sex, age and presence or absence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, in a population of 3,792 people between the ages of 20 and 59, in terms of smoking habits, obesity, family history of diabetes and use of oral contraceptives. Those individuals who did not present any of the risk factors mentioned were classified as "exempt". After submitting the data to variance analysis it was found that: - for men between 20 and 49 years of age there were high significant differences in the averages obtained for the seric levels of total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol between "exempt" and obese and "exempt" and obese with a family history of diabetes; - for the 50 to 59 age group there were significant differences in the average of the values corresponding to the seric levels of total lipids between "exempt" and those individuals in whom obesity appeared associated with smoking habits or associated with a family history of diabetes. The averages obtained for seric triglycerides were significantly different between "exempt" and non-obese with a family history of diabetes, obese, obese smokers and obese with a family history of diabetes. On the other hand, the averages relating to seric levels of total cholesterol were different, at significant levels, between "exempt" and obese smokers; - the risk represented by the smoking habit showed no relevance with regard to the lipemic levels in any group except for that of men between 30 and 39 years of age. In their case, there were significant differences between the averages obtained for the seric levels of total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol, between "exempt" and smokers and between "exempt" and obese smokers. It is to be noted that the differences obtained with regard to the averages relating to lipemic levels as between "exempt" and obese were less those obtained between "exempt" and obese smokers, thus showing the possible relevance of the risk presented by the smoking habit; - among the women there were less accentuated differences in the averages corresponding to the lipemic levels as between "exempt" and those who presented one or more risk factors. Thus, for the age group from 20 to 29 there were significant differences in the averages obtained for total lipids as between "exempt" and obese. The averages of the serie levels of total cholesterol were significantly different as between "exempt" and obese and between "exempt" and obese with a family history of diabetes, irrespective of their smoking; - for the age group from 30 to 39, there were significant differences in the averages obtained for the serie levels of triglycerides as between "exempt" and obese. The averages relating to serie levels of total cholesterol were significantly different as between "exempt" and obese and between "exempt" and those who used oral contraceptives; - for the age group between 50 and 59, the lipemic levels were high, especially those of total cholesterol, for all groups, irrespective of risk factors; - for all age groups, of both sexes, obesity was the most important risk factor.

A total of 2,364 women in marital union, 15 to 49 years of age, were interviewed at home. They lived in poor neighbourhoods in the metropolitan area and in the interior of S. Paulo State, Brazil. The prevalence of contraceptive pill use and the association between socio-demographic characteristics of users and the presence or not of risk factors for pill use were studied. One fourth (25.8 percent) of the women interviewed were using contraceptive pills. Prevalence was higher among younger women, those with no more than one live child and those who had completed between three and eight grades of schooling. Over 40 percent of the users referred having risk factors for pill use at the time they initiated the method. No association was found between age and the percentage of women with risk factors. This percentage increased with number of children and decreased with women's schooling. The fact that pills were prescribed or obtained through the health system was not associated with the proportion of users with risk factors. The percentage of users with risk factors was similar when comparing women who did not consult any health service before initiating use with those who had consulted a public service. The prevalence of use observed in this study is similar to that described by other authors. Results show that the health system in the State of S. Paulo played no role in the improvement in the prescription of hormonal contraceptive pills. Central policy seemed not to have filtered down to the peripheral areas of the system.

Adolescence and early adulthood is a period of increased susceptibility to risks related to sexual activity, be they sexually transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies. Condoms are the only contraceptive method capable of avoiding these two risks simultaneously and continue to be the method of choice for most young people, although at European level there is a downward trend in their use. The main aim of this study is therefore to characterize the sexual habits and contraceptive practices of the Portuguese university population. A cross-sectional study was carried out in which 198 university students answered a questionnaire about their sexual habits and contraceptive use. They were assessed on their level of knowledge about condom use, frequency of use of condoms and other contraceptive methods, and degree of comfort with condom use situations. 66.7% (n=132) of the students admitted to being well informed about condom use, but 61.1% (n=121) revealed that they did not use this contraceptive method in all sexual relations, with men reporting a higher frequency of regular use than women (46.7% versus 35.3%). The overall level of knowledge about condom use was high, with an average of 6.7 correct answers out of 7. Most students were extremely comfortable discussing condom use with their sexual partner before intercourse. Young university students in a romantic relationship showed a lower frequency of condom use and a higher degree of comfort with unprotected sex compared to their peers without a current relationship. There were no significant differences between genders and area of education for the other variables analysed. We concluded that there is a large proportion of the student population that does not use condoms in all sexual relations, and this fact is exacerbated in young people who are in romantic relationships. Although overall knowledge about condom use is high, it is essential that, in the future, campaigns and measures are developed to promote healthy sexual habits and facilitate access to condoms for university students.

O lince-ibérico, Lynx pardinus, espécie “criticamente em perigo”, foi alvo de vários projectos de conservação, em Portugal e em Espanha. Nestes dois países, foram construídos centros de reprodução (incluíndo o CNRLI - Silves), locais onde os animais permanecem em cativeiro e, onde facilmente, pode ocorrer uma sobrepopulação. O controlo das populações pode ser alcançado utilizando métodos contraceptivos, como os análogos de GnRH, que se mostraram eficazes em várias espécies de carnívoros selvagens e domésticos. Com o intuito de perceber se o análogo de GnRH, Deslorelina em implante (Suprelorin® 4,7 mg) era eficaz no lince-ibérico e de saber as alterações que nele provocava, foi aplicado num macho desta espécie. Foram avaliados o seu apetite, o seu comportamento (continuamente, oportunisticamente e por scan) e a sua reprodução (exame físico geral e dos genitais externos, análise de sémen e quantificação de testosterona sanguínea). A actividade física do animal diminuiu, a realização de marcações manteve-se, as espículas penianas e o volume (e peso) testicular diminuíram. A redução das espículas é um bom indicador da eficácia do tratamento, reflectindo a inibição na produção de testosterona. Relativamente às restantes alterações, não se pode dizer que foram resultantes unicamente da acção do contraceptivo e portanto não foi possível retirar conclusões definitivas do presente trabalho. Para além disso, o estudo incidiu apenas num indivíduo e foi a primeira vez que foi utilizado um contraceptivo nesta espécie, não havendo, por isso, termo de comparação. São necessários mais estudos sobre este método de contracepção na espécie referida, para se poder concluir sobre a sua eficácia.

Our objective was to analyze the accuracy of defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis “Deficient Knowledge” in users of COC. A cross-sectional study conducted with 97 women in fertile age at a family health center in the Northeast Region of Brazil. The data collection was between September to October of 2011, through interviews to identify defining characteristics and factors related to Taxonomy II of NANDA-I 2012. The nursing diagnosis in question presented prevalence of 58.8%; the defining characteristic “inadequate following of instructions” (57.7%) and the related factor “wrong interpretation of information” were the most prevalent. “Inadequate following of instructions” presented higher sensitivity, 96.21 (88.46 – 99.07), high positive predictive value (PPV = 98.28) and elevated negative predictive value (NPV= 95.35). All defining characteristics presented the same specificity, 97.62 (87.68 – 99.58). It is concluded that studied defining characteristics presented high sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values for the analyzed nursing diagnosis.

Contraceptive methods or contraceptives are all resources used by men and women to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. One of the main contraceptive methods of worldwide diffusion are the oral hormonal contraceptives, known as birth control pills, these have been widely used by the female population. In addition to the contraceptive action, this class of drugs has other therapeutic purposes such as treatment of ovarian cysts, treatment of ovarian and endometrial cancer, among others. Based on this, it was intended then to know the behavior profile of adolescents on the subject and assess the level of knowledge about contraceptive methods. As a research instrument, an electronic questionnaire was applied, addressing issues about contraceptive methods, with public high school students aged between 14 and 19 years. The results of the work had the participation of 127 students, within this group 96 (75.6%) people were female and 31 (24.4%) were male, it was also evidenced that 55 (43.3%) of the adolescents do not have guidance in the family environment about education and sexual orientation, and 48 (37.8%) of the interviewees claim not to know the risks of possible drug interactions, while 46 (36.2%) believe that they cannot trigger diseases. It is concluded that teenagers have some information about contraceptive methods, however, it is superficial, making clear the need to improve the dissemination of knowledge about sexual health.