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OBJETIVO: Describir y analizar las características de la demanda provocada por lesiones intencionales, en especial las provocadas por violencia familiar en los servicios de urgencias de hospitales públicos de la Ciudad de México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal, en el cual se incluyeron variables relacionadas con el agresor, el agredido y con la atención médica. Se diseñó un cuestionario, que se aplicó durante los meses de enero a abril de 1998 en cuatro hospitales seleccionados. Se realizó un análisis con base en frecuencias simples, ji cuadrado, razón de momios con sus respectivos intervalos de confianza de 95%, y se aplicó modelo de regresión logística ajustado por las variables asociadas con este tipo de demanda. RESULTADOS: De los 598 casos que presentaron lesiones intencionales, 16% correspondió a violencia familiar. Los más afectados fueron el sexo femenino (76%), y jóvenes entre 15 y 29 años de edad (46%). Las variables que se encontraron asociadas con la demanda por lesiones provocadas por violencia familiar, en comparación con otro tipo de violencia, fueron: edad mayor de 30 años (RM 2.36, IC 95% 1.13-4.90), sexo femenino (RM 8.60, IC 95%/4.25-17.40) antecedentes de lesiones previas (RM 4.93, IC 95% 2.03-11.95), el hogar como lugar de ocurrencia (RM 36.25, IC 95% 16.598-79.18) y escolaridad primaria o menos (RM 2.33, IC 95% 1.03-5.26). CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados encontrados coinciden con reportes de otros estudios sobre el tema, y son de gran utilidad como antecedentes para la aplicación de la Norma Oficial Mexicana para la Atención Médica de la Violencia Familiar, que entró en vigencia en marzo de 2000.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la actitud afectiva, cognoscitiva y conductual del personal médico del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social del estado de Morelos, México, hacia la identificación y canalización de mujeres maltratadas que acuden a consulta médica, así como identificar las barreras institucionales y de la práctica médica que dificultan el manejo dentro de los servicios de salud de las mujeres maltratadas. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: De septiembre a diciembre de 1999 se realizó un estudio transversal mediante un cuestionario de autoaplicación que se proporcionó a 269 médicos y médicas generales, especialistas y estudiantes de pre y posgrado que laboran en 30 unidades de salud, de primer y segundo nivel de atención, del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social del estado de Morelos. El instrumento se diseñó para evaluar el nivel de conocimiento sobre violencia doméstica y la actitud del personal médico hacia la atención, en la consulta, de mujeres maltratadas. Se construyó un índice de conocimiento, además de un análisis multivariado de los datos. RESULTADOS: El 90% de los entrevistados nunca ha recibido capacitación en violencia contra la mujer. La actitud afectiva y cognoscitiva del personal médico que recibió capacitación sobre el tema fue más favorable hacia la identificación y atención de mujeres maltratadas que llegan a consulta médica, en comparación con los que no la recibieron. Sobre el nivel de conocimiento acerca del tema, 21% de los entrevistados mostró un nivel bajo, 63% medio y 16% alto. En el personal médico, con nivel de conocimiento medio y alto, se observó 2.1 y 6 veces -respectivamente- una actitud afectiva más favorable respecto a la identificación y canalización de casos de mujeres maltratadas en comparación con el personal con nivel de conocimiento bajo. Las médicas mostraron 2.3 veces mejor actitud para identificar y canalizar mujeres maltratadas. El personal médico con interés por capacitarse en el tema mostró 7.6 veces mejor actitud que el personal no interesado. CONCLUSIONES: El personal médico evaluado mostró habilidades insuficientes para identificar y manejar adecuadamente los casos de mujeres maltratadas que atienden en su consulta. Este estudio evidencia la necesidad de capacitar y sensibilizar al personal médico sobre la materia; se recomienda empezar con los médicos generales y familiares, quienes demostraron estar más dispuestos a capacitarse, en comparación con los de especialidades clínicas e incorporar esta capacitación en los planes de estudio de medicina, enfermería, trabajo social, psicología y áreas afines a la salud pública.

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia nacional de conductas suicidas en población adolescente y adulta, por características sociodemográficas, con los datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut 2022). Material y métodos. A partir de la Ensanut 2022 se analizan preguntas similares en adolescentes y adultos relacionadas con pensamiento e intento de suicidio alguna vez en la vida y en los últimos 12 meses., Resultados: El 7.6% de la población adolescente y 7.7% de la población adulta pensó alguna vez en suicidarse. La prevalencia de intento de suicidio alguna vez en la vida fue de 6.5% en adolescentes y 3.5% en adultos, y 3.1% en adolescentes y 0.6% en adultos para los últimos 12 meses. Las mujeres reportaron la mayor prevalencia en comparación con los hombres, tanto en pensamiento como en intentos de suicidio. Conclusión. Los hallazgos refuerzan la importancia de establecer la prevención del suicidio en jóvenes como una prioridad en la agenda nacional de salud.

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva en adolescentes y adultos mexicanos. Material y métodos. La Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición 2022 evaluó la prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva mediante la Escala de Depresión del Centro de Estudios Epidemiológicos (CESD-7). En adolescentes se estimó el puntaje promedio y en adultos la prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva., Resultados: En adolescentes el puntaje promedio de la CESD-7 fue 3.2. El 16.7% de los adultos tiene sintomatología depresiva, siendo mayor en adultos mayores (38.3%) que en adultos (11.3%). Se observaron mayores prevalencias en mujeres, adultos con índice de bienestar bajo y en adultos mayores residentes del área rural. Conclusión. A nivel nacional la prevalencia de sintomatología depresiva es similar a lo estimado en 2018-19. Se deben orientar acciones para mejorar la salud mental de la población, particularmente el diagnóstico y tratamiento de personas con mayor sintomatología depresiva como son mujeres, adultos con bajo índice de bienestar y residentes de área rural.

Background: Previous analyses on the burden of disease in Mexico identified that injuries differentially affect young people, males and working-age people., Objective: To analyze the burden of disease due to intentional and unintentional injuries in Mexico during 1990 and 2021, at the national and state levels., Material and Methods: The results of the Global Burden of Disease study for the 1990-2021 period were used to describe the burden of disease attributed to injuries in Mexico. The life years lost (YLL) due to premature mortality, years lived with disability (YLD) and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) were analyzed., Results: The burden of disease related to intentional injuries has increased, as also have YLDs and DALYs associated with unintentional injuries. Men continue to have higher mortality and DALY rates compared to women. Interpersonal violence and suicide have steadily increased. The analysis by state showed patterns with important variations., Conclusions: Injuries generate catastrophic consequences in terms of mortality and disability in Mexico. It is necessary to promote and strengthen programs and policies in order to improve the data system and injury prevention., (Copyright: © 2023 Permanyer.)

Suicide in adolescents constitutes a public health problem throughout the world. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of suicidal behaviour in a public middle school in Mexico and to implement appropriate educational interventions in the school and community contexts. Our work took place from September 2017 to July 2018. We conducted a quasi-experimental, mixed-methodology study with 12-year-old students in first year of middle school (n = 29), using an educational intervention approach within the frame of the Life Skills Education methodology. We included family members and academic staff in the study with the view of sensitising them to suicidal behaviour. At the community level, we worked with the adolescent and adult populations to form 'gatekeepers' (guardians). We administered a questionnaire on psychosocial indicators of depression and suicide risk to 383 students in their first-to-third years of middle school. Other questionnaires were applied, and life skills focus groups (FGs) were organised with the educational intervention participants. The questionnaires addressed suicidal behaviour in adolescents, alcohol consumption, life skills and prosociality. Prevalence of attempted suicide cases came to 14.1% (95 CI% 10.7-17.9), the average age of those who reported having hurt themselves with the purpose of taking their lives was 12.9 years, 75% of those who had attempted suicide were female and 64.8% had consumed alcohol. The educational intervention with students achieved a statistically significant increase in the life skills of participants, specifically as regards self-awareness and overall scores. The family members in the FGs developed greater awareness of suicidal behaviour, and the adolescents engaged at the community level significantly broadened (p < .05) their knowledge of depression. In developing countries such as Mexico, it is essential not only to increase the number of interventions for preventing suicidal behaviour in adolescents, but also to improve instruments for measuring the extent of the problem., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: There is serious concern over the increase in mental health problems during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic., Methods: Based on data from two Mexican National Health and Nutrition Surveys conducted in 2018-2019 and 2020 (n = 17,925 and 4,913, respectively), we estimated the prevalence of suicide attempts among adolescents 10-19 years old in the previous year. We constructed a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics and contextual variables for the Covid-19 pandemic., Results: The prevalence of suicide attempts in the previous year was similar in both surveys. We found that women, youth in urban localities and individuals living in households where a family member had lost her/his job as a result of the Covid-19 contingency were more likely to attempt suicide compared to their counterparts. On the other hand, attending classes online proved to be a protective factor (aOR=0.3, 95% CI=0.1, 0.8, p = 0.022)., Limitations: The principal limitation of our study concerned the restricted size of our sample for the 2020 survey wave., Conclusions: Population-level policies aimed at providing economic protection and helping youth to return to school would exert a favorable impact on the mental health and suicidal behavior of youths., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of domestic violence in adult women during confinement derived from the Co-vid-19 pandemic and individual, familiar and communitarian associated factors., Materials and Methods: A second-ary analysis was carried out the 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey on Covid-19, with national representation. A logistic regression model adjusted for the variables of interest was performed., Results: The prevalence was 5.8%. The most reported acts were shouting, insults or threats (4.3%). Most of the women who reported some type of violence in the home had already experienced it before the confinement. Low levels of well-being (OR= 1.96, 95%CI: 1.28,2.99), and living in a home where job was lost due to contingency (OR= 1.96, 95%CI: 1.41,2.73) were associated factors., Conclusions: In care interventions, it is necessary to take into account factors that deepen the vulnerability of women, such as pre-existing violence and loss of employment.

Objective: Analyze the legislative and normative framework on mental health and suicide in Mexico., Materials and Methods: A secondary analysis of the main legal systems on mental health and suicide, in force until September 2020, of the 32 entities in Mexico and at the federal level was carried out., Results: 51 documents were analyzed. Only 14 states have a mental health law and two states have a law on suicide. At the federal level, the guidelines for the care of suicidal behavior are defined in the technical standards issued by the Health Ministry. However, in both state and national health laws, there have been omissions in this regard. Prevention is not defined in depth in most of the documents analyzed., Conclusions: It is a priority to promote comprehensive laws on mental health and suicidal behavior harmonized at the national level., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).)

Objective: To compare the occurrence of suicide attempts across nationally representative samples of the Mexican adolescent population over the past 12 years, and to analyze its association with sociodemographic, lifestyle and mental-health indicators., Methodology: Data were drawn from the 2006, 2012 and 2018 National Health and Nutrition Surveys ( n = 25,056; 21,509; and 17,925 adolescents, respectively). Estimates were based on standardized measurements., Results: The estimated lifetime prevalence rates of suicide attempts were 1.1% in 2006, 2.7% in 2012, and 3.9% in 2018, indicating a 3.4-fold increase. Across the three survey periods, women yielded rates nearly three times higher than men. Lifetime prevalence grew the most among adolescents aged 13-15 years. Compared to the other respondents, the odds of lifetime suicide attempts proved seven times as high for those who had been sexually abused during their childhood, five times as high for those who had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder, three times as high for those who had suffered physical aggression and twice as high for those who had smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lifetimes and those who consumed alcohol., Conclusion: The sharp increase in suicide attempts in Mexico calls for an urgent public-health response via universal and targeted interventions supported by national policy and sustained federal funding.

Introduction: To identify and describe the frequency and characteristics of disrespect and abuse practices towards women during facility-based delivery in four hospitals in two Mexican states in 2017, using a mixed method of direct observation and women's reports of health care experiences., Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to describe disrespect and abuse practices in obstetric care (interactions or conditions that are experienced as or intended to be humiliating or undignified) committed by healthcare providers. We included all pregnant women admitted for childbirth (vaginal and cesarean). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with women, prior to discharge, regarding their experience at delivery., Results: 867 deliveries were observed. 18.8% of women (n = 163) experienced at least one disrespect and abuse event, especially at secondary care facilities. There were a total of 493 disrespect and abuse events, which, on average, represents three events per woman (39.4% were verbal abuse, 32% were physical abuse, and 28.6% were discrimination). In the majority of cases (> 50%), women did not give consent to not recommended invasive procedures and were not provided with adequate information to those procedures., Conclusions for Practice: Direct observation and interviews was a useful tool to identify disrespectful and abusive practices during delivery care. Our findings provide new evidence of the frequency and characteristics of disrespect and abuse during delivery care in Mexico, which can be used to inform maternal health programs. Additionally, these results encourage the creation of surveillance policies and committees in order to guarantee violence-free and dignified treatment of women during delivery care.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) in adolescent population with National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018-19 data., Materials and Methods: Questionnaire for adolescents (10 to 19 years old) was analyzed and carry out a stratified analysis and a logistic regression model adjusted for variables of interest., Results: The prevalence of CSA in adolescent population is 2.5% (3.8% for women and 1.2% for men). Among women, CSA was associated with age, marital status, locality type, excessive alcohol consumption, depressive symptomatol-ogy and suicidal thoughts. Among men, CSA was associated with socioeconomical level, depressive symptomatology and suicidal thoughts., Conclusions: Studies with greater preci-sion and periodicity as well as access to health and justice services are urgent., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Background: To date, the burden of injury in Mexico has not been comprehensively assessed using recent advances in population health research, including those in the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 (GBD 2017)., Methods: We used GBD 2017 for burden of unintentional injury estimates, including transport injuries, for Mexico and each state in Mexico from 1990 to 2017. We examined subnational variation, age patterns, sex differences and time trends for all injury burden metrics., Results: Unintentional injury deaths in Mexico decreased from 45 363 deaths (44 662 to 46 038) in 1990 to 42 702 (41 439 to 43 745) in 2017, while age-standardised mortality rates decreased from 65.2 (64.4 to 66.1) in 1990 to 35.1 (34.1 to 36.0) per 100 000 in 2017. In terms of non-fatal outcomes, there were 3 120 211 (2 879 993 to 3 377 945) new injury cases in 1990, which increased to 5 234 214 (4 812 615 to 5 701 669) new cases of injury in 2017. We estimated 2 761 957 (2 676 267 to 2 859 777) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to injuries in Mexico in 1990 compared with 2 376 952 (2 224 588 to 2 551 004) DALYs in 2017. We found subnational variation in health loss across Mexico's states, including concentrated burden in Tabasco, Chihuahua and Zacatecas., Conclusions: In Mexico, from 1990 to 2017, mortality due to unintentional injuries has decreased, while non-fatal incident cases have increased. However, unintentional injuries continue to cause considerable mortality and morbidity, with patterns that vary by state, age, sex and year. Future research should focus on targeted interventions to decrease injury burden in high-risk populations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: SLJ works in an influenza/RSV grant that is funded by Sanofi Pasteur., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Suicidal behavior represents a complex public health problem, with a rising number of suicide attempts registered among Mexican adolescents. We undertook a qualitative study in order to understand the living conditions of adolescents who had attempted to take their lives in five Mexican states. We interviewed 37 adolescents who had engaged in suicide attempts in the year prior to our study. To code and analyze the information, we defined the following three categories of living conditions as social determinants of health for adolescents: poverty and vulnerability, education, and health care. To this end, we followed the methodology proposed by Taylor and Bogdan, and used Atlas.ti 7.5.18 software for analyses. Among our findings, we noted that poverty, manifested primarily as material deprivation, rendered the daily lives of our interviewees precarious, compromising even their basic needs. All the young people analyzed had either received medical, psychological, and/or psychiatric care as outpatients or had been hospitalized. School played a positive role in referring adolescents with suicidal behavior to health services; however, it also represented a high-risk environment. Our findings highlight the urgent need to implement a national intersectoral strategy as part of comprehensive public policy aimed at improving the health of adolescents in Mexico.

This study assesses the individual contribution of youth symptoms of antisocial personality disorder (before the age of 15) in past-month suicidal behavior in adults with substance use disorders. Youth antisocial symptoms and suicidal behavior were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Indicators of youth antisocial symptoms were significantly associated with suicide outcomes; lack of remorse (OR = 2.68 CI 95% 1.37, 5.25), and sexual assault with planning, and destruction of property to attempt (OR = 4.22 CI 95% 1.29, 15.08). Our results suggest that specific antisocial indicators during adolescence could be associated with suicide in adulthood, even after controlling for major depressive disorder. Further implications for the research of antisocial symptoms and suicide behavior from a developmental perspective are discussed.

Introduction: Disrespect and abuse during childbirth have been reported by numerous countries around the world. One of their principal manifestations is the performance of invasive or surgical procedures without the informed consent of women. Non-dignified treatment is the second most common form of this conduct. Five Mexican states have classified obstetric violence as a crime: Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Guerrero, the State of Mexico and Veracruz. The others have not yet done so although it is provided for in their civil and administrative regulations., Objective: To analyse whether criminalising obstetric violence has been conducive to the recognition and observance of the reproductive rights of women, based on the records of poor health care complaints filed by women with the Medical Arbitration Commissions (CAMs by their Spanish initials) in two Mexican states., Materials and Methods: We conducted an observational qualitative study using a phenomenological approach. Analysis included two states with similar partner demographic and maternal health indicators but different legal classifications of obstetric violence: the Chiapas has criminalized this form of violence while Oaxaca has not. We reviewed the records of obstetric care complaints filed with CAMs in both states from 2011 to 2015, all of them concluded and including full information., Results: Differences were observed regarding the contents of complaints, specifically in the categories of abuse, discrimination and neglect during childbirth. The narratives in the other complaint categories were similar between states., Conclusion: After analysing the records of malpractice complaints in Chiapas and Oaxaca, we conclude that the differentiated legal status of obstetric violence has not influenced recognition or observance of the reproductive rights of women. Criminalising obstetric violence has not improved care provided by health personnel., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: This review synthesizes the evidence (quantitative, general, and by typological categories) of disrespect and abuse during childbirth and abortion in health facilities in Latin America and the Caribbean., Methods: Systematic searches identified 18 primary studies. Q and I 2 were calculated, meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed, and subgroups were analyzed using a DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model grouped by inverse variance and the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation., Results: Studies conducted in five Latin American countries were identified. No studies from the Caribbean were found. The aggregate prevalence of disrespect and abuse during childbirth and abortion was 39%. The aggregated prevalence of the phenomenon in childbirth was 43% and 29% during abortion. The high heterogeneity made it impossible to generate aggregate measures according to typological categories. Nevertheless, the frequencies of specific forms of the phenomenon were grouped typologically., Conclusions: The evidence suggests that disrespect and abuse during childbirth and abortion care are human-rights and public-health problems that are prevalent in some countries of the Region. It is necessary to reach international consensus on the definition and operationalization of this problem and to develop standardized methods for its measurement. Doing so is essential in order to achieve the targets of the 2030 Agenda related to reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality and eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against women., Competing Interests: Conflicto de intereses. Ninguno declarado por los autores.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of attempted suicide (AS) in a sample of Mexican adolescents between 10 and 19 years of age., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2012 by its initials in Spanish). Based on multi-stage stratified probability sampling, ENSANUT 2012 canvassed 50 528 households including 21 519 adolescents. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with AS. The model was selected based on the maximum likelihood test., Results: Lifetime prevalence of AS amounted to 2.7% and was heterogeneously distributed across Mexico. Women showed significantly higher risk for AS than men (OR A (adjusted OR)) 6.3, 95% confidence interval CI 4.94 to 8.06), and individuals who experienced damage to health caused by violence over the last 12 months were 4.35 times (OR A 4.35, 95% CI 3.27 to 5.80) more likely to engage in AS than those who did not. The likelihood of engaging in AS was 1.5 times higher (OR A 1.5 (95% CI 1.12 to 2.01)) among subjects with mild and 4.22 times higher (95% CI 3.21 to 5.54) among subjects with moderate eating disorders compared to those with no eating disorders. Other AS-associated factors included age, smoking, consuming alcohol and living with relatives other than parents., Conclusions: Awareness of the risk factors associated with AS can help identify the populations who are exposed to injury or death by suicide. This can orient the actions of the health sector towards those who are most vulnerable. Actions must be matched by more qualitative and quantitative research on the subject., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objective: To analyze the therapeutic adherence among participants in the retraining program operated by the Ministry of Health of Mexico, in eight states in 2010., Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study that assesses therapeutic adherence in a retraining intervention program for male perpetrators and female victims of intimate partner violence. The intervention was coordinated by a team of previously trained professionals. The selection of participants was made by means of a specific screening test. Overall performance for both groups was analyzed, and based on the attendance they were classified in low adhesion (1-12) medium to high (13 and>). To determine the possibility of adhesion, Student's t tests, a bivariate analysis, and a logistic regression model were performed for each program., Results: 5 539 screenings were applied, of which 88.3% (n = 4 891) were positive. 85% agreed to participate (n = 4 151), but only 75% of potential participants attended at least one session (n = 3 022). 78.5% attended between 1-12 sessions. In the women's program, significant differences in marital status, religion and age groups (p<0.05) were found. In the program for men, significant differences in religion and age groups (p<0.05) were found., Conclusions: In the Mexican context there are few studies that assess adherence to programs of care and retraining for partner violence. This study is a first approach that opens the possibility to enhance the design and evaluation of such interventions, which are crucial to dismantle violence against women.

Objective: To analyze the influence of gender on the practice of physical activity, in women with experiences of migration to the U.S.A., Methods: Qualitative design with methods based on grounded theory. The information was obtained through in-depth interviews of 19 women living in rural localities in the central zone of Mexico., Results: Through this analysis, a core category arose: social criticism of physical exercise. The results show that married women do not perform physical exercise because, due social norms, it is socially frowned upon and men are responsible for making the decision to permit it. Gender, female identity, women's role as subordinates to men, and social criticism are elements that contribute to understanding the lack of physical activity among these women., Conclusion: We suggest that healthcare programs be designed to promote physical activity among adult women in rural areas, taking gender perspective and the population's context into account.

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) in eight indigenous regions of Mexico, as well as the socioeconomic and demographic variables that are associated with this phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was conducted in indigenous regions that have a greater availability of government medical services than other indigenous regions. Interviews were conducted with female patients (n = 3287) seeking medical care in either of the two public health institutions in these regions. The severity of intimate partner violence (SIPV) during the previous 12 months was measured using a 33-item scale. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the factors associated with SIPV. Intimate partner violence prevalence was 25.5% (95%CI 24.93-25.26). Female partner variables such as personal history of child abuse (ORA 3.48; 95%CI 2.48-4.89) and work outside the home (ORA 1.74; 95%CI 1.22-2.49) and male partner variables such as unemployment (ORA 2.31; 95%CI 1.34-3.97) and a high frequency of alcohol use (ORA 13.35; 95%CI 7.02-25.39) were the main predictors for IPV. We found a three-fold higher risk of IPV for women living in the Los Altos de Chiapas region (ORA 3.01; 95%CI 1.88-4.79) compared with women in the Mayan region (reference category). Such results should aid decision makers in the development of extended public policies and interventions to address violence against women in the indigenous populations of Mexico., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of health damage due to interpersonal violence in teenagers and young adults., Materials and Methods: The consequences of violence in Mexico are presented in this analysis, with data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 conducted between October 2011 and May 2012. Statistical analysis consisted in calculating general and specific prevalences and intervals obtained at 95% confidence for the group of adolescents and young people., Results: Four of each hundred youngsters have presented health damage due to interpersonal violence. The prevalence of interpersonal violence is higher among men (5.0% men, 3.3% women), the most vulnerable age group is that of men 20 to 29 years old; one of four women reported domestic violence (24.5%)., Conclusions: It is necessary to implement comprehensive measures for young people, designed to prevent this problem from growing in frequency as well as in its variety of forms and spaces.

Objective: To describe the dietary changes and processes involved in the incorporation of new foods, in Mexican women with a migratory experience to the U.S., Material and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, based on grounded theory, of women who had had a migratory experience and were residing in rural zones of the state of Morelos, Mexico. The data were obtained from 47 in-depth interviews carried out from February, 2005 to July, 2006., Results: The women's diet is modified by the migratory experience and the amount of consumption increases during their stay in the U.S. They continue cooking traditional Mexican meals but incorporate foods from their country of destination. These changes are favored by the greater purchasing power, work-related aspects and availability of products and spaces where food is sold., Conclusions: We need to go deeper into the relationship between food and migration in the context of Mexico - U.S. - Mexico migration and its impact on women's health. We also need to propose public policies geared towards strengthening healthy habits.

Objective: To identify factors associated with the severity of intimate partner abuse (IPA) in Mexico., Methods: Data were gathered from the National Survey of Violence Against Women (November 2002-November 2003), a nationwide study in which 18,902 women over the age of 14 participated. Subjects were recipients of national public health care services. The severity of IPA was measured using a 27-item scale. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to explore significant factors associated with partner violence., Results: One in four participants reported experiencing IPA. This model showed that younger and less educated women had a higher risk of IPA. Working out of the home (OR [odds ratio] 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.72), two or more children in the household (OR 1.44, CI 1.18-1.77), alcohol consumption (OR 2.51, CI 1.63-3.90) and history of childhood abuse (OR 3.7, CI 3.03-4.52) increased the possibility of severe violence. The most important predictor of severe IPA was the partner's alcohol consumption (daily or almost daily, OR 14.7, 95% CI 13.25-16.46)., Conclusions: Awareness about the risk factors associated with IPA will help identify populations at greater risk of severe injury and could orient the health sector to direct actions toward this vulnerable population.

Objective: Reviewing research papers published during 1996-2006 regarding ontological, methodological and epistemological proposals regarding the use of health services., Material and Methods: Pub Med was screened for identifying the most relevant research carried out to date in the field. The key words were used., Results: 34 papers were included in the final analysis. 70 ,6 % referred to health service use in the USA ; 30 % analysed the socially disadvantaged population, focusing mainly on visits to the doctor (50 %). 31 papers (91,2 %) used a quantitative approach; the most studied variables in this approach regarded the individual (90,4%) the context (45,2 %) and the health system (41,9 %). The quantitative approaches used multiple regression for their statistical analysis; only 19 ,4 % of them incorporated more complex statistical models for analysing health service use. Qualitative studies analysed both discourse and content., Conclusions: The findings reflected how the nature of health service use becomes reduced to using objective terms which necessarily tend to hide that such use is dealing with social integration. A wider perspective is needed for tackling health service use. Complementary (qualitative-quantitative) approaches provide different results helping to shape an integral vision of the same problem .

Objective: To characterize intimate partner abuse and identify the main factors associated with violence in pregnancy in four highly deprived States in Mexico., Material and Methods: The data were taken from the National Survey on Violence against Women 2003 (ENVIM per its abbreviation in Spanish). Based on it a cross-sectional study was conducted on 1 949 women between 15 and 50 years of age, who were once pregnant and who utilized primary and secondary health care services from the Ministry of Health, Mexican Institute of Social Security, and the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers in Guerrero, Hidalgo, Oaxaca and Chiapas states, between November 2002 and March 2003. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between independent variables and violence during pregnancy., Results: 250 women (13%) suffered a type of violence (physical, psychological, sexual or economical) during any of their pregnancies. Of these women 76 (30.40%) were battered on their abdomen. In most of these cases (91.39%) the husband was the aggressor. The variables significantly associated with violence in pregnancy were: woman's illiteracy (OR 2.2; CI 95:% .1,4.4); history of violence in childhood (OR 3.2; CI 95% 1.9, 5.4) as well as sexual abuse in her childhood (OR 2.4, CI 95% 1.3, 4.4) and her partner's daily alcohol consumption (OR 6.5; CI 95% 3.3, 12.9)., Conclusions: The results show that violence during pregnancy is a regular event in the impoverished context and that its expression is more severe. These results point to the importance of continued study of the problem of violence against pregnant women in Mexico and the importance of identifying battered women in prenatal care.

Objective: To construct and validate a scale to assess violence by the male partner against women. An index of severity of the emotional and physical damage was also designed to assess the intensity of the violent actions against women., Material and Methods: The sample consisted of a total of 26 042 women who participated as respondents in the National Survey on Violence against Women (ENVIM per its abbreviation in Spanish) conducted in Mexico during 2003. Respondents were all users of health services provided by the Mexican government. The questionnaire was organized into 17 sections, one of which was a 27-item scale to assess partner violence. The purpose of this scale was to measure the type (physical, emotional, sexual and financial) and degree of violence based on severity. A severity index was constructed based on two procedures: 1) the validity, reliability, and factor analyses of the scale and 2) the assessment of severity by expert judges who assigned a value to each item of the scale., Results: The validity and reliability results indicated this scale has adequate internal validity (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.99). The factor analysis with Varimax rotation yielded a four-factor solution. The factors were: 1) Psychological violence; 2) Physical violence; 3) Severe physical violence; and 4) Sexual violence. The combination of the four factors accounted for 62.2% of the variance in the scale. Using the ratings from the judges a table of values for each of the violent actions described was obtained. The scores assigned by the judges ranged from 0 to 354. Results revealed a prevalence of 21% partner violence in the last twelve months. The prevalence of psychological violence was 18.5%; of physical violence 10.1%; severe physical violence 6.7% and sexual violence 7.0%., Conclusion: The scale of violence described in this article is a very useful and reliable instrument to assess marital violence against women. It is suggested that this instrument be used in other settings to compare results with different samples.

Objective: To identify and describe the factors associated with emotional distress in a national sample of women users of public health services in Mexico, such a Secretaria de Salud (SSA), Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE)., Material and Methods: This research study was conducted using the database of the National Survey of Violence against Women that consisted of the responses of a total of 26 042 female users of health care services provided by the Mexican government health agencies. The Personal Health Scale (ESP per its initials in Spanish) was used to assess emotional distress. To measure violence a 19-item scale which explores different types of violence as well as severity was used. The relationship between emotional distress and gender violence was determined through a binary logistic regression model, as were economic status and demographic variables., Results: One of the most important findings of this study is the high prevalence of emotional distress (15.3%) among women seeking health care services from the public sector and the relationship of such emotional distress with the experience of marital physical, psychological, and sexual violence. Factors associated with emotional distress among female users of health care services were age (26 and older); activity (laborer); working hours (71 hours a week or more); alcohol intake (greater intake); abuse during childhood (frequency and types of abuse); severity of marital violence (severe violence); socioeconomic status (very low SES); and type of dwelling (urban)., Conclusions: The principal predictor of emotional distress was intimate partner abuse, especially in severe expression. The next predictor was violence in childhood. Taking into consideration these predictors it is recommended to use screening instruments to identify emotional distress and gender violence in health setting. It is important to design and implement attention and reference programs in public health services for women suffering from emotional distress and gender violence.

The objective of this study was to identify, describe, and analyze the perception of healthcare services by middle-aged women in five different regions of Mexico. The qualitative analysis was based on 24 in-depth interviews with middle-aged women (40-60 years) representing five different regions of the country. The women generally described their health as "constantly poor" but did not allow themselves to become "bedridden". The vast majority of the women postponed going to healthcare services. They considered their health problems insufficiently treated and did not receive enough information for proper self-care. When they did not receive the response they were looking for from healthcare services, women generally sought alternative solutions by regulating their own treatment regimes and self-medication. These experiences provide a strong reference for restructuring key aspects in the current medical model.

Objective: To analyze how self-care of health workers is influenced by their professional training and institutional setting., Material and Methods: This study took place from March 2000 to February 2001 in a health center, a general hospital, and a health research institute. Qualitative in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Four in-depth interviews were conducted among physicians at the study sites: two to primary care physicians and two to secondary care physicians., Results: Study findings show that physicians face barriers to self-care. Secondary care physicians were particularly affected by long work journeys and multiemployment. The main difficulties were associated with stress, nutrition, rest, and recreational activities. Physicians did not regularly have medical check-ups and would often simply consult with their colleagues in "hallway checkups" when they were afflicted by an illness. The physicians coincided in their recommendation that the health institutions should develop policies, programs, guidelines, and facilities to promote self-care among health workers., Conclusions: Health institutions are not designed or organized to promote self-care among their personnel. In the case of secondary care physicians, the organizational structure often prevents them from engaging in healthy activities. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

Objective: To explore the experiences of midwives in the identification of battered women during pregnancy and to describe the types of violence they identify most easily., Material and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted between January and September 2001 among twelve midwives from a group of midwives ascribed to the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH, National Institute of Anthropology and History), in Morelos, Mexico. Participants were selected from those living in Cuernavaca City and surrounding areas., Results: Study findings show that: a) the identification of battered pregnant women in prenatal care should be triggered by a pattern of behaviors and attitudes of battered women, such as being unkempt, shyness, and above all, poor control over decisions on their health care; b) physical and emotional violence were the most frequently types of violence identified by midwives during prenatal care visits. Sexual violence was more difficult to identify., Conclusions: It is necessary to incorporate midwives in the national plans and programs to prevent domestic violence. Midwives' practices provide opportunities to care for battered women. Specialized training strategies must be directed to midwives caring for pregnant women in Mexico.

Objective: To asses the affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes of healthcare providers at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (MISS) in Morelos, Mexico; to identify the institutional and medical practice barriers that hinder screening and reference of battered women., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 1999. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to 269 general practitioners, specialists, and pre- and postdoctoral students working in 30 primary and secondary level of healthcare units in Morelos State. The data collection instrument was designed to assess healthcare providers' knowledge of and attitudes towards domestic violence during medical office visits. A knowledge index was constructed and analyzed using multivariate regression methods., Results: Ninety percent of healthcare providers had never received training on violence against women. Healthcare providers' affective and cognitive attitudes after receiving training on the subject matter were more favorable compared to those with no training. Favorable attitudes were directly related to the number of training sessions. Most participants (63%) showed a moderate degree of knowledge on the subject, whereas 21% were slightly knowledgeable and 16% were highly knowledgeable. Medical personnel with a moderate or high level of knowledge were 2.1 and 6 times more likely, respectively, to have favorable attitudes than those with a low degree of knowledge. Female physicians showed more favorable attitudes towards identifying and referring battered women. Medical personnel interested in further training on the subject of violence against women were 7.6 times more likely to show favorable attitudes than personnel not interested on the subject., Conclusions: Healthcare providers were not sufficiently able to assess and manage battered women. General and family practitioners were more interested in being trained, as compared with specialist physicians. Training on violence against women should be included in graduate medical, nursing, social service, psychology, and other public health areas. The English version of this paper is available at:http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

Objective: To describe and analyze the causes of emergency care services for intentional injuries, especially those caused by domestic violence, at four public hospitals in Mexico City., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 1998, which included variables related with the victim, the aggressor, and the medical care provided to the victim. A questionnaire was applied to individuals who had been injured intentionally. Statistical analysis of data consisted of simple frequencies, the chi 2 test, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A logistic regression model was also used to adjust for variables associated with the injury requiring emergency medical care., Results: A total of 598 cases of intentional injuries were analyzed, 16% of which were due to domestic violence. Females were the most frequent victims (76%), followed by young people between 15 and 29 years old (46%). Variables associated with medical care due to injuries by domestic violence were: age 30 or older (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.13-4.90), female gender (OR 8.60 95% CI 4.25-17.40), history of injuries (OR 4.93 95% CI 2.03-11.95), home as place of occurrence (OR 36.25 95% CI 16.59-79.18), and low education level (OR 2.33 95% CI 1.03-5.26)., Conclusions: Study findings are consistent with those from other studies and call for enforcement of the Mexican Official Norm for Medical Care of Domestic Violence (Norma Oficial Mexicana para la Atención Médica de la Violencia Familiar) established in March 2000.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of domestic violence during pregnancy and its impact on birth weight and the immediate post-partum period., Material and Methods: We conducted a survey of 110 pregnant women who delivered at the Hospital Civil in Cuernavaca, Morelos. The questionnaire was applied by specialized personal. We used multiple linear regression to adjust for differences between birth weight means and multiple logistic regression for complications., Results: In our study, women who suffered violence during pregnancy had three times more complications during delivery (Cl 95% 1.3-7.9). The difference in birth weight of newborns of these women was 560 g less (p < 0.01 adjusted by age and parity) in comparison with women who did not undergo violence during pregnancy. Women who suffered violence during pregnancy had a four times greater risk for having low birth weight babies (Cl 95% 1.3-12.3) than the non-battered women., Conclusions: We propose more research be done on this topic, including studies of other population groups. Also, health personnel should be educated that violence towards women could constitute a reproductive risk.