Rosa Martha Meda-Lara

Physical function and associated factors in community-dwelling elderly people in Jalisco, Mexico

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of disability in Basic Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL and IADL, respectively), as well as associated factors in the Mexican community-dwelling elderly population. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a cross-sectional study of a population 60 years and older who live in the State of Jalisco (Mexico). A total of 2553 persons were assessed regarding their functional and health conditions. The ADL and IADL were classified as dependent and non-dependent, and crude and adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) were calculated. RESULTS Mean age of participants was 71.6±8.7, 61.2% were women. A disability prevalence of 9.6% was found to perform ADL and of 31.5% for the IADL, 14.3% had cognitive impairment and 30.9% depression. Risk factors were found for dependence: being a woman, being ≥75 years old, low education level, having at least one chronic disease, cognitive impairment, depression, previous history of disability, and having been a lifelong housewife. CONCLUSIONS Functional difficulties are common in Mexican elderly population. These data show key variables for functional disability risk. A better understanding of functional capabilities, as well as of risk factors older adults face every day provide us with a guide to devise a prevention plan, to implement adequate interventions, or to provide appropriate care.

Perception of risk as a mediator between personality and perception of health: test of a model

Background This research article addresses the relationships among personality, risk perception, and health perception. The personality construct has been one of the main topics of research in psychology throughout history and is understood as the set of traits or cognitive, affective and behavioral characteristics that an individual possesses. Important relationships have been found that show the impact of personality on people’s health as well as the impact of health conditions on the configuration of personality. This research investigates the perception of risk as a mediating trait between personality and perception of health. Materials and methods To achieve this, a cross-sectional study was conducted in which 398 Colombians from all regions of the country were evaluated. The NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Health Risk Perception Test (HRPT) tests were used. Results The data were analyzed with multiple regression and path analysis. The findings using multiple regression show that neuroticism and the personal meaning of risk affect the perception of health; however, using path analysis, model fit with the proposed model was not achieved with no mediator effect of perception of risk. Conclusion It is necessary to focus on relationships between neuroticism and perception of health in future research.

Competencia y compartimiento emocional en usuarios de cocaína: Psicometría y relación con variables sociodemográficas y clínicas

Introduction. Current evidence suggests a relationship between emotional factors and drugs consumption, although at least both emotional competence and social magazine of emotions have not been studied in cocaine users, in part due to the recent generation of tools for their measure. Objective. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), Emotional Competence Questionnaire (ECQ), and the Questionnaire about Beliefs in the effects of the Social Magazine of Emotions (QSME) in Mexican cocaine users, and to establish its relationship with socio-demographic and clinical variables. Method. All instruments, as well as the Positive Affectivity (PA) and Negative Affectivity (NA) Scales, were completed twice by 158 cocaine users. Results. All scales showed alpha coefficients greater than .70. The TAS and ECQ presented high temporal stability. NA was positively associated with TAS, and negatively with ESQ. PA showed a negative correlation with TAS, and a positive relation with ECQ and QSME. 50.9% of the patients had a relevant difficulty in identifying and expressing their emotions, which was negatively correlated with schooling. Discussion and conclusion. A systematic evaluation and treatment of difficulties in the expression of emotions in cocaine users seems to be necessary. The Spanish versions of the scales are valid and reliable for their use with clinical and research purposes in Mexican cocaine users.

Combining two teaching techniques for young children on Aedes aegypti control: effects on entomological indices in western Mexico

ABSTRACT: A study of the effect of educating four- to six-year-old children in mosquito control was recently conducted in a city in the state of Jalisco, western Mexico. Four neighborhood districts were selected. Children attending one kindergarten in each of two experimental districts were taught mosquito control with a video from the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA), joined to the use of the AMCA Touch Table Technique. The entomological indices monitored in the study decreased significantly (P<0.05) in houses in the experimental districts, apparently because parents acted on the comments and suggestions of the children and eliminated or monitored containers used as oviposition sites by mosquitoes. Based on these results, combining both techniques for teaching children mosquito control is a potentially useful tool for control efforts in Mexico and other places in Latin America.