Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population in France: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesWe aimed to assess the level of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in socially deprived neighbourhoods after the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify factors associated with seropositivity.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingThree socially deprived neighbourhoods of the city of Perpignan, in the south of France, where large settled Roma communities live.ParticipantsPeople aged 6 years old or over, living in the study area. 700 people were included in the study using two-stage stratified sampling design.InterventionsThe study included a questionnaire and SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing by the Roche Elecsys immunoassay between 29 June and 17 July 2020.Primary and secondary outcome measuresSARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was estimated from weighted data. Associated factors and reported symptoms were investigated using univariable and multivariable logistic regressions.ResultsThe seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 35.4% (95% CI 30.2% to 41.0%). People aged 15–64 years old had increased odds of being seropositive than those aged 65 years or over. Obese people had higher odds of being seropositive (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.8). The odds of being seropositive were higher in households with clinical COVID-19 cases (one case: aOR=2.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.0; several cases: aOR=6.9, 95% CI 3.1 to 15.2). In the neighbourhood with the highest measured seroprevalence, people living in a dwelling with one to two rooms had higher odds of being seropositive than those living in a four-room house (aOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.3). Working during the lockdown was associated with lower odds of being seropositive (aOR=0.2, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.0).ConclusionTransmission of SARS-COV-2 in this vulnerable population was very high during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave. Our results highlight the need to strengthen and adapt preventive measures taking into account all social determinants of health, especially housing conditions.

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High seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population in Perpignan, France

10.1101/2021.03.05.21252835 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Adeline Beaumont ◽

Cécile Durand ◽

Martine Ledrans ◽

Valérie Schwoebel ◽

Harold Noel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vulnerable Population ◽

Systematic Sampling ◽

Obesity Prevalence ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Obese People ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Deprived Neighbourhoods ◽

Weighted Data ◽

The City ◽

Very High

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn March 2020, many cases of COVID-19 were reported in three socially deprived neighbourhoods of the city of Perpignan, in the south of France, where large sedentary gypsy communities live. A study to measure seroprevalence was conducted in July 2020 to assess the level of contamination in these neighbourhoods after the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify factors associated with seropositivity.MethodsSCoPe is a cross-sectional survey conducted in selected persons aged six years old and over living in three neighbourhoods in Perpignan. Households were selected by systematic sampling and participants by random sampling. Collected blood samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies using the EIecsys® immunoassay to target the coronavirus’s spike protein. Antibody seroprevalence was estimated from weighted data and associated factors were investigated using multivariate logistic regression.ResultsThe seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 35.4% (95% CI: 30.2-41.0). Over a fifth of seropositive individuals (21.7% ([14.1-31.8]) did not report any COVID-19 symptom. People aged 15-64 years old were at greater risk of seropositivity than those aged 65 years or over. Obesity prevalence was 40.7% (35.8-45.8) and obese people were more likely to be seropositive (aOR=2.0 [1.1-3.8]). The risk of being seropositive was higher in households with clinical COVID-19 cases (One case: aOR=2.5 [1.3-5.0]). In the neighbourhood with the highest measured seroprevalence, people living in a dwelling with 1-2 rooms had a higher risk of being seropositive than those living in a 4-room house (aOR=2.8 [1.2-6.3]). Working during the lockdown was associated with a lower risk of seropositivity (aOR=0.2 [0.03-1.0]).ConclusionTransmission prevalence of the SARS-COV-2 virus in this vulnerable population was very high during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave. Our results highlight the need to strengthen and adapt preventive measures by taking into account all social determinants of health, especially housing conditions.

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Associations between multimorbidity and glycaemia (HbA1c) in people with type 2 diabetes: cross-sectional study in Australian general practice

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039625 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. e039625

Author(s):

Jason I Chiang ◽

John Furler ◽

Frances Mair ◽

Bhautesh D Jani ◽

Barbara I Nicholl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

General Practice ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Long Term Conditions ◽

Australian General Practice

ObjectivesTo explore the prevalence of multimorbidity as well as individual and combinations of long-term conditions (LTCs) in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) attending Australian general practice, using electronic health record (EHR) data. We also examine the association between multimorbidity condition count (total/concordant(T2D related)/discordant(unrelated)) and glycaemia (glycated haemoglobin, HbA1c).DesignCross-sectional study.SettingAustralian general practice.Participants69 718 people with T2D with a general practice encounter between 2013 and 2015 captured in the MedicineInsight database (EHR Data from 557 general practices and >3.8 million Australian patients).Primary and secondary outcome measuresPrevalence of multimorbidity, individual and combinations of LTCs. Multivariable linear regression models used to examine associations between multimorbidity counts and HbA1c (%).ResultsMean (SD) age 66.42 (12.70) years, 46.1% female and mean (SD) HbA1c 7.1 (1.4)%. More than 90% of participants with T2D were living with multimorbidity. Discordant conditions were more prevalent (83.4%) than concordant conditions (69.9 %). The three most prevalent discordant conditions were: painful conditions (55.4%), dyspepsia (31.6%) and depression (22.8%). The three most prevalent concordant conditions were hypertension (61.4%), coronary heart disease (17.1%) and chronic kidney disease (8.5%). The three most common combinations of conditions were: painful conditions and hypertension (38.8%), painful conditions and dyspepsia (23.1%) and hypertension and dyspepsia (22.7%). We found no associations between any multimorbidity counts (total, concordant and discordant) or combinations and HbA1c.ConclusionsMultimorbidity was common in our cohort of people with T2D attending Australian general practice, but was not associated with glycaemia. Although we did not explore mortality in this study, our results suggest that the increased mortality in those with multimorbidity and T2D observed in other studies may not be linked to glycaemia. Interestingly, discordant conditions were more prevalent than concordant conditions with painful conditions being the second most common comorbidity. Better understanding of the implications of different patterns of multimorbidity in people with T2D will allow more effective tailored care.

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Prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, associated risk factors and its relationship with academic performance among graduating female university students in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043814 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. e043814

Author(s):

Mesfin Tadese ◽

Andargachew Kassa ◽

Abebaw Abeje Muluneh ◽

Girma Altaye

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Grade Point ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Associated Risk Factors

ObjectivesThe study aimed to provide an association between dysmenorrhoea and academic performance among university students in Ethiopia. Further, the study attempts to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of dysmenorrhoea.Design and methodInstitution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 April to 28 April 2019. A semistructured and pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance were performed to model dysmenorrhoea and academic performance, respectively.Setting and participantsEthiopia (2019: n=647 female university students).OutcomesThe primary outcome is dysmenorrhoea, which has been defined as painful menses that prevents normal activity and requires medication. The self-reported cumulative grade point average of students was used as a proxy measure of academic performance, which is the secondary outcome.ResultsThe prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 317 (51.5%). The educational status of father (adjusted OR (AOR) (95% CI) 2.64 (1.04 to 6.66)), chocolate consumption (AOR (95% CI) 3.39 (95% 1.28 to 8.93)), daily breakfast intake (<5 days/week) (AOR (95% CI) 0.63 (0.42 to 0.95)), irregular menstrual cycle AOR (95% CI) 2.34 (1.55 to 3.54)) and positive family history of dysmenorrhoea AOR (95% CI) 3.29 (2.25 to 4.81)) had statistically significant association with dysmenorrhoea. There was no statistically significant difference in academic performance among students with and without dysmenorrhoea (F (3611)=1.276, p=0.28)).ConclusionsDysmenorrhoea was a common health problem among graduating University students. However, it has no statistically significant impact on academic performance. Reproductive health officers should educate and undermine the negative academic consequences of dysmenorrhoea to reduce the physical and psychological stress that happens to females and their families.

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Evaluation of the performance of clinical predictors in estimating the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis among smear-negative cases in Northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037913 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. e037913

Author(s):

Mala George ◽

Geert-Jan Dinant ◽

Efrem Kentiba ◽

Teklu Teshome ◽

Abinet Teshome ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Clinical Suspicion ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Northern Ethiopia ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Smear Negative ◽

Culture Positive ◽

Culture Negative

ObjectivesTo evaluate the performance of the predictors in estimating the probability of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) when all versus only significant variables are combined into a decision model (1) among all clinical suspects and (2) among smear-negative cases based on the results of culture tests.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingTwo public referral hospitals in Tigray, Ethiopia.ParticipantsA total of 426 consecutive adult patients admitted to the hospitals with clinical suspicion of PTB were screened by sputum smear microscopy and chest radiograph (chest X-ray (CXR)) in accordance with the Ethiopian guidelines of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program. Discontinuation of antituberculosis therapy in the past 3 months, unproductive cough, HIV positivity and unwillingness to give written informed consent were the basis of exclusion from the study.Primary and secondary outcome measuresA total of 354 patients were included in the final analysis, while 72 patients were excluded because culture tests were not done.ResultsThe strongest predictive variables of culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion were a positive smear test (OR 172; 95% CI 23.23 to 1273.54) and having CXR lesions compatible with PTB (OR 10.401; 95% CI 5.862 to 18.454). The regression model had a good predictive performance for identifying culture-positive PTB among patients with clinical suspicion (area under the curve (AUC) 0.84), but it was rather poor in patients with a negative smear result (AUC 0.64). Combining all the predictors in the model compared with only the independent significant variables did not really improve its performance to identify culture-positive (AUC 0.84–0.87) and culture-negative (AUC 0.64–0.69) PTB.ConclusionsOur finding suggests that predictive models based on clinical variables will not be useful to discriminate patients with culture-negative PTB from patients with culture-positive PTB among patients with smear-negative cases.

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Quality of life among adult patients living with diabetes in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study in outpatient clinics

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043997 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e043997

Author(s):

Charilaos Lygidakis ◽

Jean Paul Uwizihiwe ◽

Michela Bia ◽

Francois Uwinkindi ◽

Per Kallestrup ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Diabetes Control ◽

Outpatient Clinics ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Burden

ObjectivesTo report on the disease-related quality of life of patients living with diabetes mellitus in Rwanda and identify its predictors.DesignCross-sectional study, part of the baseline assessment of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.SettingOutpatient clinics for non-communicable diseases of nine hospitals across Rwanda.ParticipantsBetween January and August 2019, 206 patients were recruited as part of the clinical trial. Eligible participants were those aged 21–80 years and with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus for at least 6 months. Illiterate patients, those with severe hearing or visual impairments, those with severe mental health conditions, terminally ill, and those pregnant or in the postpartum period were excludedPrimary and secondary outcome measuresDisease-specific quality of life was measured with the Kinyarwanda version of the Diabetes-39 (D-39) questionnaire. A glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test was performed on all patients. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, including medical history, disease-related complications and comorbidities.ResultsThe worst affected dimensions of the D-39 were ‘anxiety and worry’ (mean=51.63, SD=25.51), ‘sexual functioning’ (mean=44.58, SD=37.02), and ‘energy and mobility’ (mean=42.71, SD=20.69). Duration of the disease and HbA1c values were not correlated with any of the D-39 dimensions. A moderating effect was identified between use of insulin and achieving a target HbA1c of 7% in the ‘diabetes control’ scale. The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension (49.0% of participants), which had a greater negative effect on the ‘diabetes control’ and ‘social burden’ scales in women. Higher education was a predictor of less impact on the ‘social burden’ and ‘energy and mobility’ scales.ConclusionsSeveral variables were identified as predictors for the five dimensions of quality of life that were studied, providing opportunities for tailored preventive programmes. Further prospective studies are needed to determine causal relationships.Trial registration numberNCT03376607.

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Concordance between fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c in the diagnosis of diabetes in black South African adults: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e046060

Author(s):

Alisha N Wade ◽

Nigel J Crowther ◽

Shafika Abrahams-Gessel ◽

Lisa Berkman ◽

Jaya A George ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

South African ◽

Plasma Glucose ◽

Fat Distribution ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

South African Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Black South African

ObjectivesWe investigated concordance between haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)-defined diabetes and fasting plasma glucose (FPG)-defined diabetes in a black South African population with a high prevalence of obesity.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingRural South African population-based cohort.Participants765 black individuals aged 40–70 years and with no history of diabetes.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was concordance between HbA1c-defined diabetes and FPG-defined diabetes. Secondary outcome measures were differences in anthropometric characteristics, fat distribution and insulin resistance (measured using Homoeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)) between those with concordant and discordant HbA1c/FPG classifications and predictors of HbA1c variance.ResultsThe prevalence of HbA1c-defined diabetes was four times the prevalence of FPG-defined diabetes (17.5% vs 4.2%). Classification was discordant in 15.7% of participants, with 111 individuals (14.5%) having HbA1c-only diabetes (kappa 0.23; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.31). Median body mass index, waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, subcutaneous adipose tissue and HOMA-IR in participants with HbA1c-only diabetes were similar to those in participants who were normoglycaemic by both biomarkers and significantly lower than in participants with diabetes by both biomarkers (p<0.05). HOMA-IR and fat distribution explained additional HbA1c variance beyond glucose and age only in women.ConclusionsConcordance was poor between HbA1c and FPG in diagnosis of diabetes in black South Africans, and participants with HbA1c-only diabetes phenotypically resembled normoglycaemic participants. Further work is necessary to determine which of these parameters better predicts diabetes-related morbidities in this population and whether a population-specific HbA1c threshold is necessary.

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Cross-sectional study of prevalence and risk factors, and a cost-effectiveness evaluation of screening and preventive treatment strategies for latent tuberculosis among migrants in Singapore

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050629 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. e050629

Author(s):

Vanessa W Lim ◽

Hwee Lin Wee ◽

Phoebe Lee ◽

Yijun Lin ◽

Yi Roe Tan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Latent Tuberculosis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ltbi Prevalence ◽

The Cost

ObjectivesWHO recommends that low burden countries consider systematic screening and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in migrants from high incidence countries. We aimed to determine LTBI prevalence and risk factors and evaluate cost-effectiveness of screening and treating LTBI in migrants to Singapore from a government payer perspective.DesignCross-sectional study and cost-effectiveness analysis.SettingMigrants in Singapore.Participants3618 migrants who were between 20 and 50 years old, have not worked in Singapore previously and stayed in Singapore for less than a year were recruited.Primary and secondary outcome measuresCosts, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), threshold length of stay, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), cost per active TB case averted.ResultsOf 3584 migrants surveyed, 20.4% had positive interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) results, with the highest positivity in Filipinos (33.2%). Higher LTBI prevalence was significantly associated with age, marital status and past TB exposure. The cost-effectiveness model projected an ICER of S$57 116 per QALY and S$12 422 per active TB case averted for screening and treating LTBI with 3 months once weekly isoniazid and rifapentine combination regimen treatment compared with no screening over a 50-year time horizon. ICER was most sensitive to the cohort’s length of stay in Singapore, yearly disease progression rates from LTBI to active TB, followed by the cost of IGRA testing.ConclusionsFor LTBI screening and treatment of migrants to be cost-effective, migrants from high burden countries would have to stay in Singapore for ~50 years. Risk-stratified approaches based on projected length of stay and country of origin and/or age group can be considered.

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Recurrent wheeze and its relationship with lung function and airway inflammation in preschool children: a cross-sectional study in South Korea

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018010 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (10) ◽

pp. e018010 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ji Eun Soh ◽

Kyung-Moon Kim ◽

Ji-Won Kwon ◽

Hyung Young Kim ◽

Ju-Hee Seo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Lung Function ◽

Airway Inflammation ◽

Allergic Diseases ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Airway Function ◽

Recurrent Wheeze

BackgroundRelationship between recurrent wheeze and airway function and inflammation in preschool children is not fully known.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between recurrent wheeze and airway inflammation, lung function, airway hyper-reactivity (AHR) and atopy in preschool children.DesignObservational study, comparing forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and mid-forced expiratory flow (FEF25%–75%), dose–response slope (DRS), exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and atopic sensitisation between children with recurrent wheeze and those without.SettingPopulation-based, cross-sectional study in Seoul and the Gyeonggi province of Korea conducted as a government-funded programme to perform standardised measurement of the prevalence of allergic diseases, and related factors, in preschool children.Participants900 children aged 4–6 years.Primary and secondary outcome measureseNO, FEV1/FVC, FEF25%–75%, DRS, atopic sensitisation and allergic diseases.MethodsChildren completed the modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and underwent eNO assessments, spirometry, methacholine bronchial provocation tests and skin prick tests. Recurrent wheeze was defined as having a lifetime wheeze of more than three episodes, based on the questionnaire. The frequency of hospitalisation and emergency room visits was also obtained by means of the questionnaire. ‘Current’ wheeze was defined as having symptoms or treatments within the past 12 months.ResultsThe prevalence of recurrent wheeze was 13.4%. Children with recurrent wheeze showed a higher prevalence of lifetime or current allergic rhinitis (p=0.01 and p=0.002, respectively) and lifetime atopic dermatitis (p=0.007). Children with recurrent wheeze showed lower FEV1/FVC (p=0.033) and FEF25%–75%(p=0.004), and higher eNO levels (p=0.013) than those without recurrent wheeze. However, the DRS, prevalence of atopic sensitisation and serum IgE levels were not significantly different between the two groups.ConclusionsRecurrent wheeze in preschool children may be associated with airway inflammation and diminished airway function, but not with AHR or atopy.

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The hope of women with HIV/AIDS: evaluation using the Herth Scale

Texto & Contexto - Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/s0104-07072013000100017 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 141-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Fabiana de Souza Orlandi ◽

Neide de Souza Praça

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Services ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Ethics Committee ◽

Average Score ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hiv Positive Women ◽

The City ◽

Hiv Aids

This descriptive cross-sectional study had the objective to evaluate the level of hope in women aged 50 or older suffering from HIV/AIDS, utilizing the Herth Hope Scale. The study involved 200 HIV- positive women, within the age bracket of interest, enrolled in three STI/AIDS specialized healthcare services in the city of São Paulo. The rules of the 196/96 Resolution were met and the study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee. Data were collected in 2010 using two instruments: subjects' characterization and the Herth Hope Scale. Results demonstrated an average score of 36.75 (±4.52) on the Herth Hope Scale, with an interval of 12 to 48. This score is below the score obtained with the same scale for various pathologies, indicating a reduced perception of hope by the sample. Nurses should provide interventions to improve hope for these people, establishing realistic goals and strengthening social support.

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Compreensão da prescrição de medicamentos em uma unidade básica de saúde: autorrelato do usuário e aferição pelo pesquisador

Scientia Medica ◽

10.15448/1980-6108.2016.4.24934 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 24934

Author(s):

Cristiane Olinda Coradi ◽

Jussara Dos Santos Cardoso ◽

Ronara Camila de Souza Groia ◽

Karina Cristina Lima Silva ◽

Maria das Graças Braga Ceccato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Drug Prescriptions ◽

Self Report ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Proper Understanding ◽

Kappa Test ◽

Belo Horizonte ◽

The City ◽

Selection Of

Aims: To evaluate the understanding of drug prescriptions by patients, comparing the user self-report with the researcher assessment.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2013 to February 2014 at a Basic Health Unit in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Users 18 years of age or older who sought medicines in the unit's pharmacy, for themselves or for minors under their care, were interviewed. The selection of the sample was non-probabilistic, for convenience. During the interview, the users informed if they had understood the following data of the prescriptions: drug name, dose and frequency of administration. Participants then repeated the data for researchers, being allowed to check the prescriptions at the same time. After the interviews, the answers to the questions were interpreted by the researchers, who evaluated the agreement between the information provided by the users and the actual instructions of the recipes, using the Kappa test.Results: Data were collected from 69 users of the unit's pharmacy (corresponding to 69 delivered prescriptions). Fifty-nine (85.5%) users reported having understood all the prescriptions data (self-report), while according to the measurement of the researchers, 23 (33.3%) were the respondents who simultaneously understood all data, relating to the name of the drug, number of daily doses and schedule. Kappa test indicated a degree of agreement between self-report and measurement of researchers of 0.138 (slight) considering all items of the prescription, and specifically on the number of doses the agreement was -0.055 (poor).Conclusions: Self-reported rate of patient's understanding of drug prescriptions was higher than the assessed by the researchers. This result suggests that self-report of patients with respect to the understanding of prescriptions has limitations and should be interpreted with caution both in research and in clinical practice. It is recommended to enhance the means of providing information to patients, in order to contribute to the proper understanding of drug prescriptions.

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