Javier E. García de Alba

Susto and Soul Loss in Mexicans and Mexican Americans

Susto is a Latin American folk illness attributed to having a fright-ening experience, often including “soul loss” as part of the etiology. This article focuses on contemporary descriptions of susto among mestizos in Mexico and Mexican Americans in south Texas and explores the link between susto and soul loss in detail. Interviews conducted in Guadalajara, Mexico (n = 50), and in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (n = 951) indicate that only a minority of informants aware of susto have also heard of soul loss and that even among those who have had susto, soul loss is not necessarily a part of susto. Soul loss, in fact, is more often equated with death. Our data, as well as a careful review of earlier reports of susto and soul loss, suggest that what was thought to have left the body may not be the “soul” but rather a “vital force.”

Diabetes Tipo 2 y Depresión en Guadalajara, México. 2005

OBJECTIVE Determining the prevalence of depression and comparing sociodemographic, metabolic and clinical indicators in depressed and non-depressed people suffering from type 2 diabetes. METHODS A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 450 people aged over 30 suffering from type 2 diabetes; they had been diagnosed more than one year before and psychopathology had not been determined for them. A modified Zungs scale was applied and a sociodemographic survey carried out. Glucosylated haemoglobin, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and glycemia in fasting were all evaluated. Diagnostic history and clinical state regarding diabetes were recorded. RESULTS There was 63 % depression prevalence in a 3 to 1 ratio, this being greater in women than in men (2,08-4,82 95 %CI, p=0.00). Differences between depressed and non-depressed people were found in schooling, civil state and occupation (p<0.05); differences were not presented with age, just like metabolic variables, except for IMC, diagnostic history and clinical states 3 and 4. No association was found between socio-demographic and clinical metabolic variables by gender (p>0.05); however, diagnostic history and clinical state were associated with gender, the former being associated just with men and the latter with both sexes. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of depression was high in people suffering from diabetes and women were at greater risk. No association was revealed between age and people suffering from diabetes who were depressed, unlike schooling, civil state and occupation; depression was presented more amongst people having a longer diagnostic history of diabetes and greater BMI.

Una aproximación al conocimiento cultural de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en el occidente de México

Diabetes in Mexico has grown notably. In order to know the socio-cultural representations of diabetes, a study was conducted on two groups of people with this disease in Tepic and Guadalajara, using a transversal design in three stages, with anthropologic techniques structured to establish a cultural consensus, semantic models of the causes, complications and trajectory of diabetes mellitus type 2.The results suggest a shared model of causes for both sexes, in which diabetes is represented as a process in which the experiences and control of the disease play determinant roles in the construction of the representation.

International research and just sharing of benefits in Mexico.

International research enrolling human subjects has raised an ethical concern regarding the just distribution of benefits between the countries that design the research and the host communities. Although several universal declarations have expressed this concern, a gap between theory and practice continues to exist, as well as a significant divergence between the design of the research protocol and the social context where it will be implemented. Although institutional review boards have made a valuable effort to evaluate international research, their sensitivity to the just sharing of research benefits as well as their attention to the social context must be evaluated. This article analyzes the distribution of benefits in a review of international research in Mexico and produces an ethical reflection based on the results.

Consenso Cultural sobre Alimentos en Adolescentes Embarazadas de Guadalajara, México

Objetivo Caracterizar la estructura semantica y el nivel de consenso cultural que manifiestan las adolescentes embarazadas que acuden a la consulta externa del Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I Menchaca. Metodos Estudio cualitativo mediante entrevistas estructuradas con la tecnica de listas libres. Muestreo propositivo no aleatorizado que incluyo a 54 adolescentes embarazadas de 12 a 19 anos de edad. Resultados Los alimentos del desayuno y la cena obtuvieron un mayor grado de consenso cultural, detectandose 14 alimentos para el desayuno y 8 para la cena. Conclusion Conocer el modelo de consenso cultural de los alimentos nos permite reforzar, modificar o agregar alimentos saludables a la dieta de las adolescentes embarazadas.

Caracterización psicosocial de pacientes con diabetes tipo 2 en atención primaria

Objetivos: Describir caracteristicas psicosociales en personas con diabetes tipo 2. Metodos: Estudio transversal en 200 personas con diabetes. Se evaluo la autoestima, el estres, la depresion y locus de control con Coopersmith, Seppo Aro, Zung y Escala de Locus de Control, respectivamente, todos con alfa de Cronbach de 77 a 85. Se registraron variables sociodemograficas, glucemia, antiguedad del diagnostico y estadio de la diabetes. Se realizaron analisis descriptivo y comparaciones entre sexos con programas computarizados. Resultados: Mujeres 74 %, edad 59,2±11,5, casados 80 %, ocupacion 55 % hogar, escolaridad 3er. grado, antiguedad 10,3±8,5 anos, glucemia 174,2±75,9 mg/dL, 81 % descontrolados o complicados. Autoestima media-baja 59 %, estres alto 26 %, depresion severa 27 %, locus externo 41 %. Sin diferencias por sexo, excepto autoestima mas alta en mujeres y glucemia mayor en hombres (p<0,05). Conclusiones: Autoestima disminuida en la mitad de la muestra, estres y/o depresion en la cuarta parte; alto locus externo. Solo difiere la autoestima en mujeres.