Published since 1922, the Pan American Journal of Public Health is the flagship scientific and technical periodical of the Pan American Health Organization. Its mission is to contribute to the production and dissemination of scientific public health information of international significance, mainly in areas related to PAHO's essential mission of strengthening health systems and improving the health of the peoples of the Americas.

Publication in the journal has no cost for authors, and all manuscripts are open access and free for readers.

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Selected manuscripts on international health days

Analysis of implementation outcomes of quality improvement initiatives in Haiti: the fingerprint initiative

Read more about Analysis of implementation outcomes of quality improvement initiatives in Haiti: the fingerprint initiative

Objective

To assess the process and outcomes of the implementation of an electronic fingerprint initiative as part of quality improvement in three health facilities in the Northern Department of Haiti, in terms of its acceptability, adoption, feasibility, fidelity, and sustainability. In Haiti, poor attendance of the healthcare workforce is a nationwide problem, closely related to the quality of care. Three health institutions have tried to implement an electronic fingerprint system to monitor and improve attendance.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for surgical procedures: a scoping review

Read more about Antibiotic prophylaxis for surgical procedures: a scoping review

Objectives

To map the current evidence on surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) administration and identify knowledge gaps in the literature available in this field.

Methods

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, and Health Systems Evidence databases were searched from January 2015 to March 2020 for systematic reviews published in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Pharmaceutical procurement among public sector procurers in CARICOM

Read more about Pharmaceutical procurement among public sector procurers in CARICOM

Objective

To examine multiple aspects of the medicines in CARICOM procurement markets, including manufacturer headquarters location, regulatory history, and type (innovator versus generic); the proportion of World Health Organization (WHO) essential medicines; and the most expensive medicines procured.

Alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean

Read more about Alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean

Objective

To assess the association between drinking behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, anxiety symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Analysis of fake news disseminated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Read more about Analysis of fake news disseminated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Objective.

To describe the characteristics of fake news about COVID-19 disseminated in Brazil from January to June 2020.

Roles for Health Care Professionals in Addressing Patient-Held Misinformation Beyond Fact Correction*

Read more about Roles for Health Care Professionals in Addressing Patient-Held Misinformation Beyond Fact Correction*

Original English article published in the American Journal of Public Health: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305729

Concrete Recommendations for Cutting Through Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic*

Read more about Concrete Recommendations for Cutting Through Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic*

Original English article published in the American Journal of Public Health: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305922

Content Themes and Influential Voices Within Vaccine Opposition on Twitter, 2019*

Read more about Content Themes and Influential Voices Within Vaccine Opposition on Twitter, 2019*

Original English article published in the American Journal of Public Health: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305901

Objective.

To report on vaccine opposition and misinformation promoted on Twitter, highlighting Twitter accounts that drive conversation.

Contrasting Misinformation and Real-Information Dissemination Network Structures on Social Media During a Health Emergency*

Read more about Contrasting Misinformation and Real-Information Dissemination Network Structures on Social Media During a Health Emergency*

Original English article published in the American Journal of Public Health: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305854

Objectives.

To provide a comprehensive workflow to identify top influential health misinformation about Zika on Twitter in 2016, reconstruct information dissemination networks of retweeting, contrast mis- from real information on various metrics, and investigate how Zika misinformation proliferated on social media during the Zika epidemic.