Shoshana Berenzon Gorn

Evaluación del sistema de salud mental en México: ¿hacia dónde encaminar la atención?

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate some of the key indicators that characterize the Mexican mental health system using the World Health Organizations Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS). METHODS: The strategy for examining the WHO-AIMS indicators included: (i) a review of documentary sources; (ii) application of the questionnaire; and (iii) group work with a team of experts using the consensus technique. To facilitate collection of the data, a questionnaire was prepared in which the indicators were turned into simple questions. The people gathering the data were trained, and the activity was monitored. RESULTS: It was found that, of the total budget for health, only 2% is allocated for mental health, and, of that share, 80% is used in the operation of psychiatric hospitals. The pivotal point for mental health care is in the psychiatric hospital; there are very few psychiatric units in the general hospitals, few residential establishments, and few services targeted specifically to care for children and adolescents. Access is limited because of the centralized health care system, with the majority of establishments located in the large cities. Only 30% of primary care services have protocols for the evaluation and treatment of mental disorders. Finally, in the mental health facilities, the ratios of psychiatrists, other physicians, nurses, and psychologists per 100 000 population are 1.6, 1.3, 3.4, and 1.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: More funding will be needed in order to bridge the gap between the mental health burden and the budget allocated for its care, and resources will need to be used more rationally, with the first level of care becoming the pivot. In addition, it will be necessary to increase the number of specialists, offer periodic in-service training for personnel at the first level of care, and enlist greater participation by the rest of society.

Salud mental y atención primaria en México. Posibilidades y retos

Resumen Objetivo Exponer las condiciones que favorecerían o limitarían la integración de la salud mental a los centros de salud de acuerdo con las percepciones del personal y las observaciones realizadas. Diseño Durante abril del 2012 a febrero del 2014 se utilizó la técnica de observación no participativa y se realizaron entrevistas al personal. Emplazamiento Estudio exploratorio descriptivo realizado en 19 centros de salud situados en la Ciudad de México. Método La selección de los centros y del personal fue intencionada, seguida de la técnica de bola de nieve hasta alcanzar la saturación de datos. Se emplearon 2 guías, una para recoger información durante la observación y la otra para realizar las entrevistas. El registro de las observaciones se hizo en notas de campo, mientras que las entrevistas de audio se grabaron. Toda la información recopilada se almacenó en archivos de Word. El análisis de las notas de campo consistió en 3 niveles de lectura y el de las entrevistas en la categorización de significados propuesta por Kvale (1996). Resultados Los aspectos que favorecen o limitan la integración de los servicios de salud mental involucran 3 grandes categorías: a) programas y formas de organización de los servicios, b) infraestructura y recursos materiales y c) recursos humanos e información. Conclusiones Contribuiría a la implementación de la atención a la salud mental: incluir en la productividad y metas las acciones dirigidas a la salud mental; fomentar la idea de que la salud mental forma parte de la salud general y la inversión estatal en salud.

Exploración del malestar emocional expresado por mujeres que acuden a centros de atención primaria de la Ciudad de México. Un estudio cualitativo

SUMMARY Emotional distress is the subjective sensation of diminishment in wellbeing which manifests itself in a number of unspecific symptoms. It might be a risk factor for the development of mental illness, especially among individuals with psychosocial or biological vulnerability. Recent studies show that primary health care services receive a growing number of patients who suffer distress, but do not fulfill the diagnostic criteria of a mental or physical illness. This phenomenon is more frequent among women. The objective of this paper is to analyze the emotional distress experienced by a group of women who attended primary health care institutions in Mexico City, as well as their perceptions and experiences around the attention received, in order to identify their treatment needs. Data was gathered through techniques and instruments pertaining qualitative methodology. The information was coded and analyzed according to the meaning categorization method developed by Kvale. The results show that the main triggers of emotional distress are associated to daily life worries (lack of money, problems with children, domestic violence, among others). In some cases, it is associated as well with traumatic events, such as violence and sexual abuse in the past or at present. Data also suggest that women do not talk about emotional distress directly during medical consultations and that health care professionals do not identify distress or minimize its importance. These aspects are related to the current characteristics of the service, which lacks a comprehensive approach and a psychosocial point of view.