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A rare disease is that with a low prevalence in the population. However, it is estimated that there are between 6,000 and 8,000 different types of rare diseases in the world and, generally, they are incurable and deadly. Machado-Joseph's disease (MJD) is one of these cases; of genetic origin, autosomal dominant, with a high chance of transmission between generations and without curative treatment. Given the specificities of MJD and the lack of economic studies associated with it, this article aims to estimate the direct and indirect health-related costs of lost productivity attributable to Machado-Joseph's Disease. The data used were primarily collected at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), during the period between October 2019 and March 2020. The bottom-up cost methodology was used, that is to say, to estimate costs across a sample of patients to produce an annual cost per patient. Among the main results, it was found that 90.8% of the sample does not work and of these, 72.73% reported that the reason they had stopped working was due to Machado-Joseph's disease. The average age of men when they stopped working was 39.05 years of age and for women it was 39.64 years of age. In relation to direct non-medical costs, with rehabilitation and transport, it was found that these items affect about 32% of men's income and 36% of women's income, as well as medication and diapers costs affect about 15% of women's income and 14% of the income of men who are no longer able to work. The study also showed that 50% of caregivers, who are generally close relatives of the patient, do not work. Of these, 33.3% reported having left the labor market to provide assistance to the patient, which means that the cost for families is even higher than that estimated for the patient.

Alcohol consumption in the under-18 age group has been growing in recent years, leading to various health risks. Considering the problems this habit brings, the present study contributes to the literature dedicated to categorizing different types of drinkers. The study objective is to verify the factors associated with the intensity of alcohol use among elementary school students in the year 2015. The dataset came from the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE). The applied methodology was a logit model of sequential response (continuation ratio). The main results are as follows. It was found that being female is associated with a lesser chance of having consumed alcohol in the reference period, however, with a greater chance of consuming five or more doses. Economic condition and formal paid employment are positively associated with alcohol consumption, which increases with the progression of the student’s age. The number of friends who drink alcohol and consumption of products originating from tobacco and illicit drugs, are good predictors of alcohol use by students. The time spent practicing physical activities increased the chance of male students consuming alcohol. The results showed that, in general, the characteristics associated with different alcohol consumption profiles remain similar but differ between genders. Intervention strategies aimed at preventing alcohol consumption by minors are suggested in order to reduce the negative effects of substance use and abuse.

Alcohol consumption in the under-18 age group has been growing in recent years, leading to various health risks. Considering the problems this habit brings, the present study contributes to the literature dedicated to categorizing different types of drinkers. The study objective is to verify the factors associated with the intensity of alcohol use among elementary school students in the year 2015. The dataset came from the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE). The applied methodology was a logit model of sequential response (continuation ratio). The main results are as follows. It was found that being female is associated with a lesser chance of having consumed alcohol in the reference period, however, with a greater chance of consuming five or more doses. Economic condition and formal paid employment are positively associated with alcohol consumption, which increases with the progression of the student's age. The number of friends who drink alcohol and consumption of products originating from tobacco and illicit drugs, are good predictors of alcohol use by students. The time spent practicing physical activities increased the chance of male students consuming alcohol. The results showed that, in general, the characteristics associated with different alcohol consumption profiles remain similar but differ between genders. Intervention strategies aimed at preventing alcohol consumption by minors are suggested in order to reduce the negative effects of substance use and abuse.

Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. The article aims to study the individual, family and school characteristics of adolescents beginning their sexual lives. The database we used was the 2015 PeNSE (National Adolescent School-based Health Survey) and the methodology was the survival analysis. The results show that boys initiate sexual activity before girls and risky behaviors associated with the use of licit and illicit drugs increase the chance of having early sex. In addition, this work highlights the importance of parental practices in reducing the chances of beginning sexual activity, as well as the presence of school workshops on the risks of pregnancy. It should be noted that intervention strategies need to be differentiated according to gender in order to increase effectiveness.