title: [Evaluation of the cold chain for vaccine conservation in primary healthcare centers in the South and Midwest regions of São Paulo city, Brazil, in 2011-2012].
abstract: to assess the cold chain capacity, health workers' immunobiological product conservation knowledge and practices in Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) in São Paulo city, Brazil.
  
  
  
  this descriptive study included 24 randomly selected PHC in the South and Midwest regions of the city; between December 2011 and July 2012, we interviewed the health workers on their vaccine conservation knowledge/practice and observed the local infrastructure, using a form developed for this project; we assigned points to items of the form and classified each PHC as sufficient, regular or insufficient.
  
  
  
  most of the 24 PHC evaluated were administered by Social Organizations; all of them had vaccine storage chambers; 5 PHC reported using their maximum storage capacity; 9 PHC were classified as having sufficient knowledge/practice and 15 as having regular knowledge/practice.
  
  
  
  in these PHC, cold chain utilization was close to its maximum capacity; many health workers did not have basic knowledge about vaccine conservation.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dante
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raglione
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Antônio Marcolongo
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marta Heloísa
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Coordenação de Vigilância em Saúde, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Lígia Bacciotte Ramos
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nerger
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Coordenação de Vigilância em Saúde, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Tereza Cristina
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Marli Christovam
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sartori
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004356:Drug Storage; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012034:Refrigeration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines