| The implementation of the Unified Health System in Brazil (Sistema Único de Saúde -SUS) and the search for its principles have led to changes in health practices, promoting alterations in the formation and development processes of the professionals of the field. In this context, this study aims to determine the perception of Physical Therapy students from a Higher Education Institution in the city of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, on their training to provide services for SUS, by means of the application of a questionnaire specifically designed for this study. The research sample was composed of 42 out of the 54 students of Physical Therapy enrolled from the 6 th to the 10 th periods, which is also the last period of the course. The results show that 81% of academicians reported knowing something about SUS because of higher education institution. It was observed that only members of the sample attending the 10 th period (28.6%) were interns in the public health system and community physical therapy. It was found that 91.7% of students from the 10 th period and 43.3% of the students representing the other periods judged themselves to be able to work with the system. Thus, it appears that most interviewed students are aware of SUS, because of graduation, and believe to be prepared to work with the health system, especially after the supervised internship.

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The elderly is a risk group for changes in health conditions and as well as in functional performance related to the decline in grip strength and reduced walking speed, which can compromise the performance of activities of daily living. Based on this, the objective was to analyze the factors associated with functional performance in the elderly. For that, a cross-sectional study was developed involving a group of 179 elderly people who received medical care at an outpatient clinic of the public health network. Muscle strength and gait speed were measured. Nutritional status was determined by Body Mass Index (BMI), calf circumference (CC), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Level of physical activity was measured by the adapted version of the Minnesota Leisure Activities Questionnaire. Low muscle strength was found in 20.7% of the elderly and slow gait in 20.1%. Increased risk of cardiovascular disease was found in 40.8% considering WC, and 35.2% by WHR. Most of the elderly had low weight and no loss of muscle mass. Loss of muscle strength was associated with sex and CC and gait speed were associated with sex, age, and presence of a partner (p < 0.05). The chance of loss of muscle strength and lower gait speed was higher in elderly women. Loss of muscle mass due to CC was associated with the chance of loss of strength, and the chance of reduced walking speed was greater among the elderly individuals aged 75 years and over.

Los ansiolíticos son fármacos que actúan sobre el sistema nervioso central produciendo cambios en el comportamiento, el estado de ánimo y la cognición. La prevalencia del uso de estas drogas entre los jóvenes ha aumentado cada vez más y esto se refleja en el ámbito universitario, donde el uso de estas sustancias está muy extendido. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar la prevalencia del consumo de ansiolíticos en estudiantes universitarios de la ciudad de Teresina-PI y su relación con el estado nutricional.  Se trata de estudio transversal con 665 estudiantes universitarios, que implicó completar un cuestionario para identificar el uso de ansiolíticos y hacer medidas antropométricas de peso y talla para clasificar el estado nutricional mediante el índice de masa corporal. Las asociaciones entre variables se realizaron mediante la prueba de chi-cuadrado (p <0,05). El uso de ansiolíticos fue reportado por el 8,4% de los estudiantes, la mayoría mujeres, y el 76,7% lo hizo con recomendación médico. Los fármacos más utilizados fueron diazepam (51,8%) y clonazepam (12,5%). En relación al estado nutricional, 81,8% estaban eutróficos. La prevalencia del consumo de ansiolíticos entre los estudiantes universitarios fue alta. Sin embargo, no hubo asociación entre su uso y el estado nutricional, lo que sugiere que estos medicamentos no parecen interferir con el estado nutricional.