Objective

To describe the energy and sodium content of foods reported in the 2018–2019 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey of Costa Rica, classified using the NOVA system, by urban/rural residence and income quintiles.

Methods

Descriptive study in which records of food purchases from the 2018–2019 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey were converted to energy and sodium content by means of food composition tables. Foods were classified into the four NOVA groups and analyzed according to urban/rural residence and income quintiles.

Ambulatory care-sensitive conditions are those for which effective primary health care services could prevent hospitalizations or mitigate severe complications. Hospital admissions for these conditions have been used to measure the effectiveness of primary health care. We review and compare lists of these conditions developed by national and international health entities to explore their applicability to diverse health care systems, the conditions included and the methodological challenges of making cross-country comparisons.

Objective

To analyze the distance between the place of residence and the location of maternal deaths in Brazil from 2018 to 2023, taking into account territorial, ethnic-racial, and regional inequalities. 

Objective

Describe and examine the use of the digital telehealth strategy in primary health care (PHC) facilities in Chile, describe its implementation in the country, and analyze its impact on demand management within the Chilean health system.

Objective

To evaluate the level of trust in vaccines and to analyze the factors that determine their acceptance in adults residing in the Dominican Republic. 

Objective

To characterize the workforce that performs public health actions related to the essential public health functions. 

Methods

Exploratory study with a qualitative approach; municipalities selected according to administrative criteria; purposive sampling, with at least 20 people in four departments. Occupations were defined based on stakeholder mapping and organizational charts of institutions. Data were collected in Google Forms® and face-to-face workshops, and were processed in Excel® and SPSS®. 

Objective

To provide more accurate population estimates to support the operation of Bolivia's immunization program. 

Methods

This cross-sectional ecological study calculated population estimates using geospatial covariates extracted from Meta Data for Good and WorldPop satellite imagery, and validated them with the results of a microcensus conducted in five Bolivian municipalities. 

Objective

Describe strategies and lessons learned in preparedness for, response to, and stabilization of numerous outbreaks of imported measles cases in Colombia in 2018 and 2019, in the post-elimination era. 

[EXTRACT]. This editorial is a tribute to the extraordinary legacy of Dr. Enrique Vega García, a dedicated advocate for public health and a leader in research, practice and training in geriatrics and healthy aging across the Americas. As Chief of the Healthy Life Course Unit at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Vega García played a central role in shaping discussions and advancing policies on healthy aging and health systems through a life-course approach. His passing leaves a significant absence in the global health community.

Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are essential to guarantee the right to identity. They also generate key information for the planning and evaluation of health and social policies. This article aims to document the efforts made in Mexico to modernize and link vital statistics and the Civil Registry through innovative digital strategies, highlighting the implementation of the electronic birth certificate. Using a case study methodology, this special report describes the implementation of the electronic birth certificate and its regulatory and operational evolution.