Leticia Casanova

Consumo de bebidas alcohólicas en pacientes de los servicios de urgencias de la ciudad de Pachuca, Hidalgo

OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of alcohol consumption and abuse among patients with medical emergencies, accidents and violence, attending an emergency room in one of three public health hospitals in Pachuca, Hidalgo, was studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients answered a questionnaire and their blood alcohol was measured on their first visit to the emergency room. The questionnaire gathered socio-demographic data, patterns of alcohol consumption and included scales for heavy and dependent drinkers, such as the CAGE and the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Injured and non-injured patients were compared with the chi 2 statistics. RESULTS: A total of 1,511 patients were evaluated. Alcohol consumption was higher in those attending for accidents or violence than in medical patients. Positive blood alcohol levels were found in 17.7% of injured patients and 15.8% reported alcohol consumption 6 hours prior to the accident. According to the CAGE, 9.2% of the patients were alcohol-dependent, and 10.9% were heavy drinkers according to the AUDIT. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption, especially among emergency room patients attending for accidents or injuries is high. Preventive measures are indispensable to diminish social and individual costs of alcohol abuse in this population.

Adolescent alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in Mexico City

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence, sex, age distribution, and socio-demographic correlates of any alcohol use, consumption patterns, and any alcohol use disorder in a representative sample of Mexican adolescents. METHODS 3005 youth (52.1% female) aged 12-17 from a stratified multistage area probability sample were representative of adolescents residing in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Alcohol use and disorder and their socio-demographic correlates were evaluated with the World Mental Health adolescent version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Data were post-stratified to the total Mexico City adolescent population. RESULTS 59% has used alcohol, this proportion increasing significantly with age. By age 17, 82.5% has used alcohol. Consumption patterns are mostly of low/moderate quantity or infrequent high quantity. Lifetime DSM-IV alcohol use disorder criteria are met by 3.8%, reaching 8.1% for 16-17 years-olds. While males have greater frequency and quantity of drinking, there are no gender differences for alcohol use disorders. Non-school attending youth have twice the odds of a lifetime (OR=2.0, 95% CI=1.13-3.53) and 12-month disorder (OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.10-4.15). Low parental monitoring is associated with 1.72 times the odds of a lifetime disorder (95% CI=1.10-2.68). CONCLUSIONS Over a third of 12 year-olds had ever drunk an alcoholic beverage in their lifetime suggesting that the prevention of alcohol use and disorders must begin in late childhood. Initiatives to foment parental monitoring and to prevent, identify, and treat alcohol use problems in non-school attending youth in particular should be a priority for the wellbeing of Mexico City adolescents.

Non-suicidal self-injury in Mexican young adults: Prevalence, associations with suicidal behavior and psychiatric disorders, and DSM-5 proposed diagnostic criteria.

BACKGROUND Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) may lead to scarring, infection, accidental death and psychological distress. Little is known about NSSI in the general population of young adults in developing countries like Mexico. The current study examined the prevalence of any NSSI and each type of NSSI, the prevalence of meeting DSM-5 proposed criteria, and finally the association of NSSI with socio-demographic variables, suicidal behavior and psychiatric disorders. METHODS This study was conducted in a community sample of 1071 young adults between 19 and 26 years of age residents of Mexico City. RESULTS The lifetime prevalence of NSSI was 18.56% with females having 87% greater odds. The 12-month prevalence was 3.19%. Only 0.22% of the total sample and 6.96% of those that self-injured in the past 12 months met full criteria proposed by DSM-5, in part due to the lack of reported impairment; 39.99% of those that self-injured reported impairment. Suicidal behavior commonly co-occurred with NSSI. All lifetime anxiety, mood, disruptive behavior and substance use disorders were associated with greater risk for lifetime NSSI whereas only 12-month depression and substance use disorder was associated with greater risk of 12-month NSSI. LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional nature of the study precludes conclusions of causality and directionality and the study excluded institutionalized and homeless young adults. CONCLUSIONS NSSI is a concerning problem in young adults from Mexico City due to the important associations with all types of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behavior. Because many who self-injure do not perceive impairment, they are unlikely to seek treatment.