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Mexico has become one of the most highly affected countries by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Latin America. Therefore, efficient vaccination programs are needed to address COVID-19 pandemic. Although recent advances around the world have made it possible to develop vaccines in record time, there has been increasing fear and misinformation around the vaccines. Hence, understanding vaccine hesitancy is imperative for modeling successful vaccination strategies. In this study, we analyzed the attitude and perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccination, in a Mexican population (n = 1,512), using the proposed COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy Questionnaire (COV-AHQ) (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8), which evaluates a mild perception of danger and contamination with respect to COVID-19, a moderate perception of xenophobia generated throughout COVID-19 quarantine, fear of adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination, and hesitancy of parent toward vaccination of children; furthermore, a section including sociodemographic variables was included. According to the results of this study, the statistical correlation analysis of the general vaccination posture seems to correlate significantly (p < 0.05) with a mild perception of danger and contamination with respect to COVID-19, a moderate perception of xenophobia generated throughout COVID-19 quarantine, hesitancy of parent toward vaccination of children, willingness to get COVID-19 vaccine, previous influenza vaccination, perception of the vaccine that could help the economy of country, occupation, gender, age, and participants actively researching COVID-19 vaccine information. An in-depth analysis assisted by binary logistic regression concluded that the young adult population around ages 18–34 years are the most likely to get vaccinated. This posture seems to be highly influenced by a mild perception of danger and contamination with respect to COVID-19, a moderate perception of xenophobia generated throughout COVID-19 quarantine, fear of adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination, and hesitancy of parents toward vaccination of children. While their own personal religious beliefs and economic status, the level of education does not seem to have an effect on the willingness to get vaccinated neither did having a previous COVID-19 diagnosis or even knowing someone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Health authorities and policymakers could use the results of this study to aid in modeling vaccination programs and strategies and identify population groups with high vaccine hesitancy prevalence and assess significant public health issues.

To mitigate the COVID-19 infection, many world governments endorsed the cessation of non-essential activities, such as the school attendance, forcing a shift of the teaching model to the virtual classroom. From this shift, several changes in the teaching paradigm derived, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have an impact in academic professional's mental health. In the present work we show the application of a modified version of the adapted COVID-19 stress scales (ACSS) which also included teaching anxiety and preparedness, and resilience for academic professionals in Mexico. These scales were applied during the unprecedented transformation of the education system undergone in the COVID-19 quarantine. Most of the studied variables: gender, age, academic degree, household occupants, having a disease, teaching level, teaching mode, work hours, resilience, teaching anxiety and preparedness, and fear of being an asymptomatic patient (FOBAP), showed significant statistical correlation between each other (p < 0.050) and to the 6 areas of the ACSS (danger, contamination, social economical, xenophobia, traumatic stress, and compulsive checking). Our results further showed that the perceived stress and anxiety fell into the category of Absent to Mild, with only the danger section of the ACSS falling into the Moderate category. Finally, the resilience generated throughout the quarantine was very high, which seems to be a predictor of adaptation the academic professional has undergone to cope with stress.

One of the Biotechnology Engineering (BE) education pillars is to train students to be committed to protecting the quality, safety, and efficacy of bioproducts, promoting respect and professional responsibility. This leads us to the following questions: How to make students aware of the fundamental ethical aspects of clinical research? This project’s main objective was to immerse students in a real-life scenario where they designed and submitted a clinical research protocol to an Institutional Review Board (IRB). We assessed the development of ethical sensitivity and technical knowledge through this experiential learning strategy compared to a conventional learning method. The didactic intervention was conducted in the fall semester of 2018 (PBD18) with senior BE students, and we compared the results with a conventional learning method on different groups. For PBD18, the activity included the following: a team project consisting of the design, IRB submission, execution of a basic clinical protocol, technical report, final presentation, and an individual essay. All groups were evaluated with an exam. The project presentation was graded and evaluated by faculty members. PBD18 students designed two randomized non-invasive clinical protocols that were IRB approved and recruited 60 healthy subjects. The IRB presentation was a formal, dynamic, and fulfilling experience. This activity prepared them to perform the presentation for faculty evaluators better than other groups (p

The dataset presented examines the levels of stress persisting in healthcare professionals of the Northeast region of Mexico. Using an online platform to obtain data, a survey was developed and distributed through electronic means during a 6-week period covering July and August 2020, considered one of the periods with the highest reported COVID cases in Mexico. Our survey looked at six major stress developing areas: danger, fear of contamination, social economic consequences, xenophobia, compulsive checking and reassurance seeking, and traumatic stress; we added an extra question to assess fear of being an asymptomatic patient. The data was statistically analyzed looking for correlations and dependencies. Thus, helping in policy and decision-making processes to assist and manage stress in healthcare professionals.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had devastating effects all over the world. Particularly Mexico, continues being hit hard and has been identified as one of the highest countries with an infection to death rate in Latin-America. Technological advances have made it possible to develop novel vaccines in record time, leading to fear and misinformation around it. Methods: We did a cross-sectional study using a cohort of 1512 participants, using a COVID-19 vaccine questionnaire focusing on identifying key factors: fear of infection, xenophobia, vaccine adverse effects, vaccination hesitancy in children. We further related them to sociodemographic profile, general vaccination posture (interests in researching information, previous vaccination of influenza, etc.), and the economic perception it would have on the country. Findings: The general posture on vaccination correlates (p

COVID-19´s high infection rates around the world have given added pressure in the need of vaccine development. Unfortunately, with rapid vaccine development so does fear arise, from the parental perspective, hesitancy can ascend from several key factors. For which, we have applied an online COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance & Hesitancy Questionnaire (COV-AHQ). The questionnaire divides into 6 important areas: sociodemographic questions, Section 1 (Danger and contamination), Section 2 (Xenophobia), Section 3 (Fear of vaccinations adverse effects), Section 4 (Parent’s hesitancy towards children’s vaccination), and finally COVID-19 general questions. Our results showed that parents (n=699) who are willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are interested in vaccinating their children, as this is a good protective measure for them and the community. Using logistical regression analysis, we showed amongst several variables section 3 (adverse effects) was always present, which acts as a determinant for getting vaccinated. Furthermore, previous influenza vaccination correlates positively with willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The lack of vaccination among children can lead them to contract preventable diseases and contribute to more disease spreading. Therefore, the parent’s attitude towards general vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination is crucial, serving as role models for their children’s future attitude towards vaccination.

Stress and anxiety have shown to be indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore managing stress becomes essential. One of the most affected populations by the pandemic are healthcare professionals. Thus, it is paramount to understand and categorize their perceived levels of stress, as it can be a detonating factor leading to mental illness. In our study, we used a machine learning prediction model to help measure perceived stress; a C5.0 decision tree algorithm was used to analyze and classify datasets obtained from healthcare professionals of the northeast region of Mexico. Our analysis showed that 6 out of 102 instances were incorrectly classified. Missing two cases for mild, three for moderate and 1 for severe (accuracy of 94.1%), statistical correlation analysis was performed to ensure integrity of the method, in addition we concluded that severe stress cases can be related mostly to high levels of Xenophobia and Compulsive stress.

The world is currently subjected to the worst health crisis documented in modern history: an epidemic led by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the epicenter of this crisis, healthcare professionals continue working to safeguard our well-being. To the regular high levels of stress, COVID-19 adds even more so to healthcare professionals in particular, depending on their area, specialty, and type of work. Here we investigated what are the tendencies or areas most affected. Through an adaptation of the original COVID-stress scales, we developed a remote, fast test designed for healthcare professionals in the northeastern part of Mexico, an important part of the country with economic and cultural ties to the United States. Our results showed four key correlations as highly dependent: work area&ndash, xenophobia (p &lt, 0.045), work with COVID patients&ndash, traumatic stress (p &lt, 0.001), total number of COVID patients per day&ndash, 0.027), and total number of COVID patients&ndash, compulsive checking and reassurance. Overall, we concluded that normal levels of stress have increased (mild&ndash, moderate). Additionally, we determine that the fear of being an asymptomatic patient (potential to spread without knowing) continues being a concern.

The world is currently, subjected to the worst health crisis documented in modern history; an epidemic led by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the epicenter of this crisis, healthcare professionals continue working to safeguard our well-being. To the regular high levels of stress, COVID new heights even more to healthcare professionals so depending on the area, specialty, and type of work. Here we investigated what are the tendencies, or areas most affected. Through an adaptation of the original COVID-stress scale, we developed a remote, fast test designed for healthcare professionals of the Northeastern part of Mexico, an important part of the country with economic and cultural ties to the US. Our results showed 4 key correlations as highly dependent: Work area – Xenophobia (p < 0.045), Work with COVID patients - Traumatic stress (p < 0.001) and Total number of COVID patients per day – Traumatic stress (p < 0.027), and Total number of COVID patients - Compulsive checking and reassurance. Overall concluding that normal levels of stress have increased (mild – moderate). Additionally, we further determine that the fear of being an asymptomatic patient (potential to spread without knowing) continues being a concern.