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BackgroundChile is implementing a Community Mental Health Model with a strong role of primary health care (PHC). PHC has great potential to early detection and provision of accessible and coordinated services to people who present mental illness and/or substance use issues (MISUI). However, stigma toward people with MISUI among PHC professionals is a significant barrier to accessing good quality of care. A wealth of literature supports the importance of reducing stigma for this population. The main goal of this research project is to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive anti-stigma intervention in reducing stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors among PHC providers toward individuals with MISUI in the Chilean context, using Centros de Salud Familiar (CESFAMs) as the point of intervention.MethodsThe intervention is based on an initiative that was previously developed in Canada and then also pilot-tested in Lima, Peru, with the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario, Canada). The model will be culturally adapted with CESFAM PHC provider and user inputs to be relevant and valid to Chile. The 18-month intervention includes five (5) components that are simultaneously implemented in CESFAMs: (1) Develop a Team of Local Champions in each intervention CESFAM, comprising PHC providers and users; (2) Analysis of Internal CESFAM Policies, Procedures, and Protocols to determine areas of improvement in service delivery for individuals with MISUI; (3) Raising Awareness of stigma toward MISUI using various forms of media within the CESFAM; (4) Innovative Contact-Based Education workshops on anti-stigma and recovery principles, co-lead by academic/clinical trainers and a person with lived experience of MISUI; and (5) Recovery-Based Arts, a multi-week arts workshop for PHC providers and users to produce artwork related to MISUI and recovery, culminating in an exhibition to showcase artwork for the CESFAM providers, users, and community. The expected intervention outcomes are the following: Participation in the experimental group will result in a significant decrease in stigmatizing attitudes among PHC providers toward individuals with MISUI compared with the control group as measured by the Chilean version of the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers Scale (OMS-HC); Participation in the experimental group will result in a significant decrease of PHC users experiences of stigma conveyed by PHC providers compared with the control group as measured by the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale, validated for the Chilean population. The changes in attitudes and behaviors within the experimental group will be sustained over time as measured at 6 months-follow-up. To evaluate the effectiveness of this 18-month intervention, a 4-year, two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial is proposed, with CESFAMs being the unit of randomization (or “cluster”). Implementation Science approach will be taken to measure relevant implementation outcomes for each component of the intervention, and through qualitative data collection with CESFAM providers and authorities. Data analysis will be carried out using SAS 9.4 (specifically, using POC MIXED and PROC GENMOD) and R 3.5. Mixed-effect modeling will used for both PHC provider and user data, which will include individuals and CESFAMs as random effects and group (intervention/control) as fixed effects.DiscussionThis study represents a new stage of relevant and innovative research in mental health and stigma in Chile that will contribute to improving access and quality of care for people with MISUI. Evaluating the impact of the intervention model and its implementation will provide the necessary tools to scale the intervention up to other CESFAMs across Chile.Clinical trial registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT05578066].

ObjectivesStigma toward people with mental health problems (MHP) in primary health care (PHC) settings is an important public health challenge. Research on stigma toward MHP is relatively scarce in Chile and Latin America, as are instruments to measure stigma that are validated for use there. The present study aims to validate the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Professionals (OMS-HC) among staff and providers in public Chilean PHC clinics, and examine differences in stigma by sociodemographic characteristics.Methods803 participants from 34 PHC clinics answered a self-administered questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis was completed. Average 15-item OMS-HC scores were calculated, and means were compared via t-test or ANOVA to identify group differences. Correlations of OMS-HC scores with other commonly used stigma scores were calculated to evaluate construct validity.ResultsThe 3-factor OMS-HC structure was confirmed in this population. The average OMS-HC (α = 0.69) score was 34.55 (theoretical range 15-75). Significantly lower (less stigmatizing) mean OMS-HC scores were found in those with additional training and/or personal experience with MHP.ConclusionThe validated, Spanish version of OMS-HC can be of use to further research stigma toward MHP in Chile and Latin America, advancing awareness and inspiring interventions to reduce stigma in the future.

Objetivos. Valorar el efecto predictivo de características claves de pacientes atendidos en salas de emergencia para detectar casos de uso problemático de alcohol. Materiales y Métodos. La muestra de estudio estuvo constituida por 371 personas atendidas en el lapso de siete días completos de enero de 2005 en el servicio de emergencia de un hospital público de Lima, Perú. Se aplicó un cuestionario demográfico, el SIDUC/CICAD para uso reciente de sustancias psicoactivas en salas de emergencias (i.e., uso dentro de las seis horas previas a la atención) y el AUDIT para uso problemático de alcohol en el último año. El análisis de regresión logística simple y multivariada permitió valorar el efecto predictor de la edad, sexo, especialidad del servicio de atención, presencia de daño físico y el uso reciente de alcohol para detectar casos problemáticos de su uso. Resultados. El odds de tener uso problemático de alcohol en los varones es 26 veces el odds de tener dicho problema entre las mujeres (pObjectives. To assess the predictive effect of key individual-level characteristics to identify cases of alcohol use problems among patients visiting an emergency room. Materials and methods. The study sample was composed of 371 people attending an emergency room in a public hospital in Lima, Peru, during a period of seven complete days in January, 2005. For data gathering, we used a questionnaire for demographic information, the SIDUC/CICAD for recent use (i.e., in the last 6 hours) of psychoactive substances before arriving to the emergency room, and the AUDIT, to identify alcohol use problems in the last year. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the predictive effect of age, sex, area of attention in the emergency room, presence of physical injuries and recent use of alcohol. Results. The odds of being a case of alcohol use problem for males is 26 times the odds of having that problem for females (p-value

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization Atlas Project identified important deficiencies in world mental and neurological health resources. These deficiencies, especially evident in low and middle-income countries, can be overcome by improving research capacity. The objective of this study is to assess the status of mental and neurological research in Latin American countries and identify the main difficulties encountered in conducting research, publishing results, and shaping health policies, interventions, and programs. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 key informants from 13 Latin American countries. RESULTS: Participants reported that production of mental and neurological research in Latin American countries is low. Lack of financial and human resources, including lack of support from government agencies, were identified as the main factors contributing to the dearth of local research. The few research projects that do take place in Latin American countries are often funded at researchers' personal expense. Few policies, interventions, or programs are generated from research results. To address these deficiencies, participants called for training in research methodology, mechanisms for identifying funding opportunities, and greater recognition of their research products. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers and stakeholders recognize the need to mobilize local and international efforts aimed at strengthening research capacity and results implementation. This will lead to an overall optimization of mental and neurological research in the region.OBJETIVO: El proyecto Atlas de la Organización Mundial de la Salud identifica importantes deficiencias en salud mental y neurológica. Estas deficiencias, especialmente evidentes en países de medianos y bajos ingresos, pueden resolverse mejorando las capacidades en investigación. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar el estado de la investigación en salud mental y neurológica en países Latinoamericanos, e identificar las principales dificultades encontradas al hacer investigación, publicar resultados, y generar políticas, intervenciones, y programas. MÉTODO: Entrevistas semi-estructuradas fueron realizadas a 34 informantes de 13 países Latinoamericanos. RESULTADOS: La producción de investigación en salud mental y neurológica en países Latinoamericanos es escasa, debido principalmente a la carencia de recursos financieros y humanos, incluyendo el casi ausente apoyo de agencias gubernamentales. Los pocos proyectos de investigación que se llevan a cabo son financiados mayormente con recursos propios de los investigadores. Pocas políticas, intervenciones o programas son generados a partir de resultados de investigación. Resolver estas deficiencias requerirá entrenar profesionales en metodología de la investigación, identificar oportunidades de financiación y lograr un mayor reconocimiento de los productos de la investigación. CONCLUSIONES: Hay necesidad de movilizar esfuerzos locales e internacionales orientados a fortalecer las capacidades en investigación y la implementación de resultados. Esto llevará a una optimización general de la investigación.

Introducción: El Índice de Carga Alostática provee un marco potencial para evaluar el efecto de los factores del ambiente físico y psicosocial de trabajo en la salud del trabajador a través de indicadores de deterioro temprano, evaluados durante la realización de los exámenes médicos de salud ocupacional con fines preventivos. Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre carga alostática y condiciones de trabajo y de salud Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal en 77 trabajadores (39 mujeres y 38 hombres) de la Empresa Lácteos Camagüey. Se seleccionaron nueve biomarcadores secundarios que forman parte del protocolo general para los exámenes médicos de salud ocupacional a trabajadores para medir la carga alostática. Se aplicaron cuestionarios para evaluar las condiciones de trabajo, la escala sintomática de estrés (Seppo Aro) y la escala de salud cardiovascular (Fuster BEWAT) Resultados: La edad promedio fue de 46,3 años. El índice mostró correlaciones significativas positivas con la edad (Rho de Spearman = ,609 p ,000), la exposición a factores de riesgo laboral (Rho de Spearman = ,457 p ,000) y la presencia de síntomas de estrés (Rho de Spearman = ,430 p ,000). El ICA y la salud cardiovascular mostraron una correlación significativa negativa Rho de Spearman = ,551 p ,000) Conclusiones: Los resultados sugieren la utilidad de la medición de la carga alostática a partir de biomarcadores secundarios en el contexto del examen médico ocupacional para la prevención y promoción de la salud de los trabajadores Introduction: The Allostatic Load Index (ALI) provides a potential framework to assess the effect of physical and psychosocial work environment factors on worker health through indicators of early deterioration, evaluated during occupational health medical examinations with preventive purposes. Objective: To determine the relationship between allostatic load and working and health conditions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 77 workers (39 women and 38 men) of the Camagüey Dairy Company. Nine secondary biomarkers that are part of the general protocol for occupational health medical examinations of workers to measure allostatic load were selected. Questionnaires were applied to assess working conditions, the symptomatic stress scales (Seppo Aro) and the cardiovascular health scales (Fuster BEWAT). Results: The mean age was 46.3 years. ALI showed significant positive correlations with age (Spearman's Rho = .609 p .000), exposure to occupational risk factors (Spearman's Rho = .457 p .000) and the presence of stress symptoms (Spearman's Rho = .430 p .000). ALI and cardiovascular health showed a significant negative correlation (Spearman's Rho = .551 p .000) Conclusions: The results suggest the usefulness of measuring allostatic load from secondary biomarkers in the context of occupational medical examination for the prevention and promotion of workers' health

Resumen Los cambios políticos sucedidos en Bolivia en los últimos 50 años llevaron a modificaciones en la participación de grupos subalternizados y en la apreciación ética de la vida. Este estudio pretende establecer las conductas bioéticas de la cosmovisión andina en aculturados, endoculturados y transculturizados en La Paz, Bolivia. Se trata de una investigación mixta, exploratoria, etnográfica, transversal, comparativa sincrónica, diacrónica y sistemática, en la cual se aplicó un cuestionario validado por expertos (alfa de Cronbach de 0,932) a 399 personas (5,3% aculturadas; 73,9%, endoculturadas y 20,8%, transculturalizadas). Los resultados contrastados por hermenéutica obtuvieron cinco categorías, de las cuales la categoría relacionalidad era independiente a la culturación (p=0,262); mientras que las categorías conciencia ecológica, complementariedad, reciprocidad, concepto de salud, modelo social y comunitario dependían entre sí (p=0,000). Se constató que los sujetos aculturados del área rural presentaban mayor conocimiento de la ética ancestral. Se recomienda la promoción de políticas educativas relacionadas a ética.

Researchers and practitioners recognise the importance of context when implementing healthcare interventions, but the influence of wider environment is rarely mapped. This paper identifies the country and policy-related factors potentially explaining the country differences in outcomes of an intervention focused on improving detection and management of heavy alcohol use in primary care in Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Qualitative data obtained through interviews, logbooks and document analysis are used to explain quantitative data on number of alcohol screenings and screening providers in each of the countries. Existing alcohol screening standards in Mexico, and policy prioritisation of primary care and consideration of alcohol as a public health issue in Colombia and Mexico positively contributed to the outcome, while the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact. In Peru, the context was unsupportive due to a combination of: political instability amongst regional health authorities; lack of focus on strengthening primary care due to the expansion of community mental health centres; alcohol considered as an addiction rather than a public health issue; and the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare. We found that wider environment-related factors interacted with the intervention implemented and can help explain country differences in outcomes.

Background Initial results from the SCALA study demonstrated that training primary health care providers is an effective implementation strategy to increase alcohol screening in Colombia, Mexico and Peru, but did not show evidence of superior performance for the standard compared to the shorter training arm. This paper elaborates on those outcomes by examining the relationship of training-related process evaluation indicators with the alcohol screening practice. Methods A mix of convergent and exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. Data sources included training documentation, post-training questionnaires, observation forms, self-report forms and interviews. Available quantitative data were compared on outcome measure – providers’ alcohol screening. Results Training reach was high: three hundred fifty-two providers (72.3% of all eligible) participated in one or more training or booster sessions. Country differences in session length reflected adaptation to previous topic knowledge and experience of the providers. Overall, 49% of attendees conducted alcohol screening in practice. A higher dose received was positively associated with screening, but there was no difference between standard and short training arms. Although the training sessions were well received by participants, satisfaction with training and perceived utility for practice were not associated with screening. Profession, but not age or gender, was associated with screening: in Colombia and Mexico, doctors and psychologists were more likely to screen (although the latter represented only a small proportion of the sample) and in Peru, only psychologists. Conclusions The SCALA training programme was well received by the participants and led to half of the participating providers conducting alcohol screening in their primary health care practice. The dose received and the professional role were the key factors associated with conducting the alcohol screening in practice. Plain Language Summary: Primary health care providers can play an important role in detecting heavy drinkers among their consulting patients, and training can be an effective implementation strategy to increase alcohol screening and detection. Existing training literature predominantly focuses on evaluating trainings in high-income countries, or evaluating their effectiveness rather than implementation. As part of SCALA (Scale-up of Prevention and Management of Alcohol Use Disorders in Latin America) study, we evaluated training as implementation strategy to increase alcohol screening in primary health care in a middle-income context. Overall, 72.3% of eligible providers attended the training and 49% of training attendees conducted alcohol screening in practice after attending the training. Our process evaluation suggests that simple intervention with sufficient time to practice, adapted to limited provider availability, is optimal to balance training feasibility and effectiveness; that booster sessions are especially important in context with lower organizational or structural support; and that ongoing training refinement during the implementation period is necessary.

Introduction Implementation of evidence-based care for heavy drinking and depression remains low in global health systems. We tested the impact of providing community support, training, and clinical packages of varied intensity on depression screening and management for heavy drinking patients in Latin American primary healthcare. Materials and methods Quasi-experimental study involving 58 primary healthcare units in Colombia, Mexico and Peru randomized to receive: (1) usual care (control); (2) training using a brief clinical package; (3) community support plus training using a brief clinical package; (4) community support plus training using a standard clinical package. Outcomes were proportion of: (1) heavy drinking patients screened for depression; (2) screen-positive patients receiving appropriate support; (3) all consulting patients screened for depression, irrespective of drinking status. Results 550/615 identified heavy drinkers were screened for depression (89.4%). 147/230 patients screening positive for depression received appropriate support (64%). Amongst identified heavy drinkers, adjusting for country, sex, age and provider profession, provision of community support and training had no impact on depression activity rates. Intensity of clinical package also did not affect delivery rates, with comparable performance for brief and standard versions. However, amongst all consulting patients, training providers resulted in significantly higher rates of alcohol measurement and in turn higher depression screening rates; 2.7 times higher compared to those not trained. Conclusions Training using a brief clinical package increased depression screening rates in Latin American primary healthcare. It is not possible to determine the effectiveness of community support on depression activity rates due to the impact of COVID-19.

El presente trabajo se llevó a cabo con el objetivo de analizar la percepción de las mujeres aimaras de tres municipios de Bolivia acerca de las barreras para buscar ayuda por violencia de pareja íntima. Los hallazgos contribuyen al Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 5 (ODS 5): Lograr la igualdad de género y empoderar a todas las mujeres y niñas. Se adopto un enfoque cualitativo y se usó el apoyo de Atlas. Ti 22. Participaron 17 mujeres indígenas aimaras con edades entre 21 a 70, seleccionadas intencionalmente, procurando lograr la homogeneidad grupal. Los hallazgos del estudio actual ilustran la emergencia de cuatro categorías que constituyen barreras para la búsqueda de ayuda formal en mujeres aimaras de Bolivia: acceso limitado a los servicios de ayuda formal, tolerancia sociocultural del abuso, estigma social y dependencia económica desde la perspectiva de las sobrevivientes de VPI. Estas barreras a menudo podrían estar superpuestas, lo que impide que las mujeres víctimas de VPI buscar ayuda o abandonar relaciones abusivas.

La búsqueda del ser humano por identificarse como un ser racional y creativo lo ha llevado al desarrollo de la Inteligencia Artificial (IA), como una herramienta para emular el pensamiento humano y reforzar con automatización diversas áreas del conocimiento. Sin embargo, es ineludible aproximarse a los desafíos éticos y humanísticos que se generan en la creación de la IA. El objetivo del estudio es analizar las implicaciones éticas del uso de la IA y los robots en la sociedad. Para ello se realizó la revisión sistemática de 221 documentos, seleccionándose para análisis 12 publicaciones sobre las condiciones jurídicas y responsabilidad de las máquinas y sus creadores, así como la responsabilidad ética que recae en su uso. Los resultados muestran la necesidad de marcos regulatorios claros para abordar la responsabilidad ética y legal de los sistemas autónomos y la protección de los derechos individuales, por lo que se sugieren debates sobre los problemas bioéticos emergentes de la creciente integración de la IA, la robótica y el impacto potencial del transhumanismo como paradigma creciente de la evolución humana.