Suchergebnisse

RESUMEN: Este artículo aborda las tensiones político-educativas subyacentes al Sistema de Medición de la Calidad de la Educación (SIMCE), visibilizando su rol preponderante para consolidar el mercado educacional en Chile. Se desarrollan las críticas contra esta medición nacional, destacando el rol de la Campaña Alto al SIMCE para repensar esta medición, instando a transitar desde una noción de calidad orientada al mercado, reproductora de una sociedad neoliberal, hacia una evaluación educacional que promueva la justicia social, democracia e inclusión.

The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the difficulties that mental health providers face when trying to provide the best standard of mental healthcare to refugees, especially in countries where the political environment is skeptic of, or even hostile to, creating programs specifically designed to improve the standard of living of this population. We also focus briefly on the dichotomy between the need to do research in this population in order to obtain data that will help us offer the best care possible to them, and the peril of undermining their autonomy by subjecting them to studies they might have otherwise refused to be part of, if they were in a less precarious position. Throughout the article, we offer practical advice that mental healthcare providers can follow to ensure that they are offering the best possible care to their patients while remaining respectful of their rights. Keywords: Mental health providers; Mental healthcare; Refugees.

Background: Pandemic fatigue generates low motivation or the ability to comply with protective behaviors to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the symptoms of pandemic fatigue through network analysis in individuals from five South American countries. Method: A total of 1,444 individuals from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay participated and were evaluated using the Pandemic Fatigue Scale. The networks were estimated using the ggmModSelect estimation method and a polychoric correlation matrix was used. Stability assessment of the five networks was performed using the nonparametric resampling method based on the case bootstrap type. For the estimation of network centrality, a metric based on node strength was used, whereas network comparison was performed using a permutation-based approach. Results: The results showed that the relationships between pandemic fatigue symptoms were strongest in the demotivation dimension. Variability in the centrality of pandemic fatigue symptoms was observed among participating countries. Finally, symptom networks were invariant and almost identical across participating countries. Conclusions: This study is the first to provide information on how pandemic fatigue symptoms were related during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to important changes in the approach to patients worldwide. Different agencies have proposed and implemented telemedicine-based care services in order to ensure access to health care for all people. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the satisfaction of patients using the Telepsychiatry service offered by the Department of Psychiatry of the Hospital de Clínicas (National University of Asunción, Paraguay). Methods: A cross sectional and descriptive study has been conducted. Participants were recruited through a phone-based survey. Satisfaction with Telepsychiatry has been measured with an adapted version of a satisfaction survey in Teleneurology. As a complement, psychiatrists from the Hospital de Clínicas were also interviewed about their rate of satisfaction with Telepsychiatry. Results: A total of 530 patients were included, 51.3% of whom were women. The consultation satisfaction scale ranged between 2.15 and 4.30 with a mean score of 3.02 ± 0.32. Cronbach's alpha for the scale was .897, indicating a good internal consistency. Patients' satisfaction was higher for the perception of Telepsychiatry and lower for the doctor-patient relationship. Of the physicians, 87.5% were satisfied with the Telepsychiatry service. Conclusion: The satisfaction overall score indicates patients' general satisfaction with the quality of care in Telepsychiatry, mainly regarding the perception of health care. and lower satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. Nine out of 10 psychiatrists felt satisfied with the Telepsychiatry service and considered that the degree of patient's satisfaction was acceptable during the Telepsychiatry consultation.

Background: Positive mental health includes not only the absence of mental disorders but also the presence of subjective well-being, good coping strategies for life stress, and strategies for adapting to community life. It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged mental health in general population worldwide. However, research has not measured protective factors for mental health in the general population after the declared end of pandemic by the World Health Organization. Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study surveyed 591 Paraguayan participants aged ⩾18 years, who were recruited through an online survey. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status were collected as well as mental health and validated tools for hope, resilience, subjective happiness were administered. Results: Of the participants, 81.6% were women, 54% were married or in a relationship and 90.7% reported an university education. The main source of stress was economic issues (30.3%). A total of 22.7% had been previously diagnosed with a mental disorder, 22.2% had consulted a mental health professional and 10.8% had consumed prescription drugs. 42.6% reported flourishing, 36.2% reported moderate and 21.2% reported languishing mental health. Conclusions: This large survey has shown that most of participants reported a flourishing mental health with high ratings at hope, resilience, and subjective happiness scales. Also, the main sources of stress were economic issues, not consequently related to the pandemic. This may add evidences to the international debate on the long term effects of the global pandemic and probably suggests that recovery processes have been collectively adopted in Paraguay.

Background: The number of suicides has been increasing worldwide, year after year, becoming the fourth leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 29 years of age. Aim: In this study, we explored the frequency and characteristics of suicides among the adult general population in Paraguay between 2004 and 2022, considering that suicide attempts and suicidal risk/ideation are frequent and relevant issues in the consultation activity, even if epidemiological evidence on the national rates of suicide is scarce. Methods: In this observational, descriptive, and exploratory study, official records of all deaths by suicide were reviewed and information analyzed. In addition, an attempt was made to predict the number of suicides in the next 5 years according to a mathematical modeling. Results: In the 18-year period, 5,527 suicides of adults were recorded. Patients' mean age was 36.8 ± 17 years old. A 76.77% of them were males, 77.44% were from an urban area and 25.98% from the Greater Asunción and Central Department of Paraguay. The most frequently used method of suicide was intentional self-inflicted injury by hanging, strangulation, or suffocation (all 67.6%). The expected number of national suicides in the following years from 2023 to 2027 will range between 462 and 530. Limitations include the lack of information regarding diagnoses and personal history in the suicide reports as well as the possibility of underreporting of national suicide cases. Conclusion: Our results represent the first large national epidemiological report of suicides in Paraguay and may be of interest for mental health professionals and health authorities in order to reduce the suicide mortality rate within the country.

Background: Although technologies (including information, e-learning, and communication) have been daily employed by University students in the last years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a considerable increase in their use. Technostress is a modern term referring to levels of stress caused by the prolonged exposure to technology. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the technostress and related anxiety and depression among Paraguayan University students, describing their sociodemographic characteristics and relevant associations. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study has been conducted. Participants were recruited through an Internet-based survey. Technostress, anxiety, and depression have been assessed with the Technostress Questionnaire (TechQ), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), respectively. Results: A total of 378 participants were included, 74.1% of whom were women. According to the TechQ scores, 47.4% of the participants reported a low/moderate level of technostress whereas 5.2% showed severe scores. About 58.5% of participants reported a GAD-7 score ⩾10, meeting diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety. About 60.3% scored ⩾3 at the PHQ-2 reporting significant levels of depression. Technostress has been significantly associated with levels of anxiety ( p < .001) as well as depression ( p < .001). Conclusion: Our results suggest further research regarding the implications of technostress on the well-being of University students. Specific measures aimed to improve students' coping with the challenges of technology and technostress should be promoted.