RESUMO Introdução: Conhecer o número de óbitos e suas causas se constitui em informação de relevância para gestores de saúde pública. Entretanto, muitas vezes a causa do óbito é classificada com códigos pouco úteis para as análises de mortalidade, denominados códigos garbage (CG). Objetivo: Descrever e avaliar o impacto da investigação da causa básica de morte mal classificada no atestado de óbito em 2017. Métodos: Com base em protocolo padronizado, foram pesquisadas mortes com CG de 60 municípios que foram foco da intervenção, principalmente em prontuários hospitalares e serviços de autopsia. No nível estadual de gestão do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade também foram desenvolvidas ações para melhoria da classificação da causa do óbito, com consequente adesão da maioria dos demais municípios (n = 4.022), o que permitiu comparações com os resultados da investigação de CG nas 60 cidades. Resultados: No país, de 108.826 CG investigadas em 2017, 48% foram reclassificadas para causas específicas. Já nos 60 municípios selecionados, 58% dos 35.366 óbitos por CG pesquisados foram reclassificados. A proporção de óbitos por CG declinou em 11% no país e 17% nos municípios em que houve intervenção. Discussão: Este é o primeiro estudo que investigou CG em registros médicos de mais de 100 mil mortes. A pesquisa possibilitou reclassificar para causas básicas específicas cerca de metade dos óbitos por CG investigados. As 60 cidades que foram alvo da intervenção tiveram melhor resultado que as demais cidades. Conclusão: A intervenção mostrou ser uma iniciativa adequada para a melhoria da qualidade da informação sobre causa de morte e deve ser estimulada.

Background COVID-19 vaccination is a priority for people experiencing homelessness. However, there are barriers to vaccine access driven in part by mistrust towards clinicians and healthcare. Community health workers (CHWs) and Peer Ambassadors (PAs) may be able to overcome mistrust in COVID-19 vaccine outreach. An unhoused PA program for COVID-19 vaccine outreach by CHWs was implemented in Los Angeles using a participatory academic-community partnership. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate CHW perspectives on an unhoused PA COVID-19 vaccine outreach program in Los Angeles. Design This study used a participatory community conference and qualitative focus groups to understand CHW perspectives on the PA program. The one-day conference was held in November 2021. Participants Of the 42 conference participants, 19 CHWs participated in focus groups for two-way knowledge exchange between CHWs and researchers. Approach Four focus groups were held during the conference, with 4-6 CHWs per group. Each group had a facilitator and two notetakers. Focus group notes were then analyzed using content analysis to derive categories of findings. CHWs reviewed the qualitative analysis to ensure that findings represented their experiences with the PA program. Key Results The five categories of findings from focus groups were as follows: (1) PAs were effective liaisons to their peers to promote COVID-19 vaccines; (2) CHWs recognized the importance of establishing genuine trust and equitable working relationships within CHW/PA teams; (3) there were tradeoffs of integrating unhoused PAs into the existing CHW workflow; (4) CHWs had initial misgivings about the research process; and (5) there were lingering questions about the ethics of “exploiting” the invaluable trust unhoused PAs have with unhoused communities. Conclusions CHWs were in a unique position to empower unhoused PAs to take a leadership role in reaching their peers with COVID-19 vaccines and advocate for long-term employment and housing needs.

Introduction: Reliable cause-of-death statistics are an important source of information on trends and differentials in population health. In Brazil, the Mortality Information System is responsible for compiling cause of death (CoD) data. Despite the success in reducing R-codes ill-defined causes of death, other garbage codes (GC), classified as causes that cannot be the underlying CoD, according to the Global Burden of Disease study, remain a challenge. The Ministry of Health (MoH) aims to decrease the proportion of all GCs, and a pilot study tested a comprehensive strategy to investigate GC deaths that occurred in 2015. Methods: The research was conducted in seven Brazilian cities during five months in 2016: two rural cities, one metropolitan area, and four capitals. For all GCs selected, municipal healthcare workers collected information about the terminal disease from hospital records, autopsies, family health teams, and home investigation. The fieldwork was coordinated at Federal level in partnership with State and municipal teams. Results: Out of 1,242 deaths selected, physicians analyzed the information collected and certified the CoD in 1,055 deaths, resulting in 92.6% of cases having their underlying cause changed to a usable ICD-10 code. Discussion: It is noteworthy the capacity the health teams in the seven cities showed during the implementation of the pilot. Conclusion: After results analysis, the GC investigation protocol was modified, and the implementation scaled up to 60 cities in 2017.

RESUMO Introdução: O aplicativo para smartphone AtestaDO foi desenvolvido para auxiliar o médico na certificação da causa de morte. Neste estudo se propõe avaliar a aceitabilidade desse aplicativo. Métodos: Médicos foram convidados para participar de reuniões sobre certificação correta da causa da morte e avaliar o aplicativo em três etapas dessas reuniões, realizadas em Natal e em dois grandes hospitais de Belo Horizonte. Resultados: Em Natal, 82% dos 38 médicos participantes tinham mais de 20 anos de graduação, e em Belo Horizonte, mais de 67% dos 58 médicos tinham menos de 5 anos de graduação. As seções “Interface do aplicativo”, “Como atestar as causas de morte”, “Prática com exercícios” e “Outras informações para o médico” foram bem avaliadas por mais de 50% dos médicos de Belo Horizonte. Em Natal, todas as seções foram bem avaliadas por pelo menos 80% dos médicos. Mais de 70% dos participantes de Natal e da segunda etapa de Belo Horizonte usariam o aplicativo para preencher a causa de morte. A probabilidade de usar o AtestaDO para dar aulas sobre preenchimento da Declaração de Óbito foi de 83% para médicos de Natal, mas inferior a 60% em Belo Horizonte. Nas três etapas, a maioria dos médicos recomendaria o uso do aplicativo para outros colegas. Conclusão: A avaliação do aplicativo AtestaDO mostrou boa aceitabilidade. Espera-se que o uso dessa ferramenta permita alcançar melhorias na certificação médica da causa do óbito.

Background This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of engaging unhoused peer ambassadors (PAs) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination efforts to reach people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles County. Methods From August to December 2021, vaccinated PAs aged ≥18 years who could provide informed consent were recruited during vaccination events for same-day participation. Events were held at encampments, service providers (eg, housing agencies, food lines, and mobile showers), and roving locations around Los Angeles. PAs were asked to join outreach alongside community health workers and shared their experience getting vaccinated, receiving a $25 gift card for each hour they participated. Postevent surveys evaluated how many PAs enrolled and how long they participated. In October 2021, we added a preliminary effectiveness evaluation of how many additional vaccinations were attributable to PAs. Staff who enrolled the PAs estimated the number of additional people vaccinated because of talking with the PA. Results A total of 117 PAs were enrolled at 103 events, participating for an average of 2 hours. At events with the effectiveness evaluation, 197 additional people were vaccinated over 167 PA hours ($21.19 gift card cost per additional person vaccinated), accounting for >25% of all vaccines given at these events. Discussion Recruiting same-day unhoused PAs is a feasible, acceptable, and preliminarily effective technique to increase COVID-19 vaccination in unsheltered settings. The findings can inform delivery of other health services for people experiencing homelessness.