Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the impact of multi-employment in health services. The objective of this study was to characterize multi-employment among physicians and nurses working in general hospitalization and critical care during the pandemic in the province of Buenos Aires. METHODS: An exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected in the first quarter of 2021 with a structured anonymous self-administered survey using non-probabilistic chain sampling. RESULTS: A total of 96.3% of physicians and 68.1% of nurses reported being multi-employed. The mean number of jobs was 3.1 for physicians (between 1 and 5) and 1.9 for nurses (between 1 and 3). Nurses reported having jobs with longer hours, mostly public and stable employment. Multi-employed physicians reported greater variety in the form of hiring. In both professions, multi-employment is mainly motivated by economic reasons. DISCUSSION: Multi-employment is difficult to measure through official records. The proportion of self-reported multiemployment in this study exceeds the figures shown by official statistics and reports. The differences found between physicians and nurses regarding the number of jobs are still consistent with previous studies. The problem of multi-employment needs to be tackled by making employment less precarious, with improvements in economic and working conditions. 

INTRODUCTION: In Argentina, obesity in adults is a problem with an average prevalence of 25.4%. The relationship between COVID-19 and obesity shows a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity and severe disease among patients with COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of the study was to know the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with obesity who survived SARSCoV-2 infection. METHODS: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional observational study was carried out. A self-administered survey was applied. RESULTS: The median age was 41 years and 69.9% were women. The most prevalent presenting symptoms were asthenia (86.7%), anosmia (64.5%) and cough (64%). Regarding persistent symptoms 12 weeks after diagnosis, the most prevalent ones were asthenia (52.9%), sleep disorders (32.4%) and lack of concentration/memory (31.7%). The risk was higher for women (OR: 2.865; CI95%: 2.23-3.67) with obesity (OR: 1.58; CI95%: 1.16-2.16). Severe disease in obese was almost threefold that in non-obese patients (15.7% vs. 5.4%; p<0.001). DISCUSSION: Obese patients showed presenting symptoms that point to a systemic inflammatory state, with dyspnea and cough being more common, and have a higher prevalence of severe disease and pneumonia, as well as a higher risk of developing persistent symptoms, especially if they are women and sedentary.

INTRODUCTION: In the context of pandemic and social isolation, access and continuity of treatment are essential. In view of the decrease in the consumption of psychotropic drugs between the first half of 2019 and the same period of 2020 in the public health care sub-sector in Santa Fe city (SFC), the objective of this study was to survey access to psychotropic drugs and describe factors that affected the accessibility of users of the first level of health care service in SFC. METHODS: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted for the period January-June 2020. Prescriptions dispensed at 49 health centers (HC) containing psychotropic drugs of ATC classification group N05A, N05B, N06A (excluding pain management) and N03A (excluding anticonvulsant use) were analyzed. On the other hand, perceived barriers to accessibility to psychotropic drugs were assessed among users, people responsible for dispensing drugs in HC and pharmacists. RESULTS: There was discontinuity in 2223 dispensed prescriptions out of 18992 analyzed (greatest discontinuity in April and May 2020). Both users and health care personnel perceived as barriers to accessibility the physical availability of the drug in HC. At the same time, users were satisfied with the care received. DISCUSSION: The discontinuity in the dispensed prescriptions increased due to lockdown. A structural problem of physical availability was perceived, which worsened with the pandemic. 

INTRODUCTION: In February 2022 there was an outbreak of intoxication due to the consumption of cocaine adulterated with opioids in the province of Buenos Aires. The objective of this work was to describe the affected population, the actions carried out by the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health after detecting the problem, and to analyze the ways of approaching consumption regarding health care paradigms and within the framework of current regulation on the subject in Argentina. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach was carried out. It included all the people who presented symptoms compatible with intoxication due to the consumption of adulterated cocaine and who made consultations at health centers of the province of Buenos Aires in February 2022. RESULTS: A total of 124 cases were reported within an age range of 18 to 57 years, of which 84.5% were reported as legal males; 66% required hospitalization, and 19 people died. Laboratory results confirmed that the substance consumed was cocaine adulterated with carfentanil. DISCUSSION: The identification of opioids is a novel phenomenon in the region, which leads to question the current regulatory frameworks and approach paradigms, to overcome the visions that reduce the problem to the aspects inherent to individuals and their behaviors regarding consumption of psychoactive substances.

INTRODUCTION: Access to health for trans people has historically been hampered by institutional stigma and discrimination. Despite the legal and social advances achieved in recent years in terms of recognition of rights, barriers to effective enforcement are still identified. The objective of this work was to describe the main barriers to access inclusive healthcare services and analyze the specific needs of trans people receiving healthcare in the province of Buenos Aires (PBA). METHODS: A subanalysis of a wider qualitative study conducted in 2017 is presented, its objective was to collect information on healthcare needs, accessibility and quality of care of health services specific for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population in eight healthcare providers of PBA. The sample was intentional, including 29 semi-structured interviews to social organization leaders and professionals, and 2 focus groups with trans masculinities and femininities, respectively. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Organizational and symbolic barriers were identified, especially in inclusive healthcare services functioning in hospitals. One of the symbolic ones was the persistence of pathologizing practices in mental healthcare. DISCUSSION: Inclusive healthcare services provide a satisfactory, but temporary response. It is necessary to adopt a cross-cutting gender perspective for all healthcare interventions.  

INTRODUCTION: Diet quality indices are useful tools to assess dietary patterns and adherence to dietary guidelines. The objective was to develop and validate an index based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population (GAPA). METHODS: An index based on local dietary guidelines was developed, content validity was analyzed by experts, and construct validity and reliability were analyzed through a cross-sectional study. Healthy adult volunteers were included, and general and food consumption data were collected. The ability to give varied scores and find differences between groups was analyzed. The correlation between the total score and each component, and with energy and nutrient intake was evaluated. Underlying dimensions were explored using principal component analysis. Internal consistency was analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha. RESULTS: An Argentine Diet Quality Index (ICDAr) was developed which reflects eight main messages of the guidelines and was found to be well accepted by experts (Aiken’s V ≥0.8; p<0.05). The ICDAr showed a wide range (37.36-86.39) and a difference between smokers and non-smokers (p=0.002). A positive correlation was found between the total score and each component and a better nutrient intake, but not with energy intake. Multiple underlying dimensions were found. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.49. DISCUSSION: The ICDAr is valid to assess diet quality according to adherence to the GAPA. 

INTRODUCTION: From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic until March 31, 2022, a total of 3542289 cases were reached in the province of Buenos Aires, and 59746 died. One of the measurements included in the surveillance was the estimation of the effective reproductive number (Rt), which provides information about the speed with which a disease can spread. The objective of this study was to estimate the variation of Rt, doubling time and contagion rate as an expression of the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to March 2022 in the province of Buenos Aires. METHODS: The Rt was estimated over sliding weekly windows, with a parametric serial interval mean of 4.8 days and a standard deviation of 2.3. The doubling time applied the logarithm function (ln) because it was assumed that the increase of the number of cases followed an exponential distribution. The contagion rate was calculated from a linear regression of the ln of the cases accumulated in periods of 7 days. RESULTS: A total of 3495338 confirmed cases were studied. There were three moments where Rt>1. DISCUSSION: As the pandemic progressed, Rt could be estimated in real time and showed how it evolved over the two years of the pandemic according to the waves, that occurred three times during the historical window analyzed. 

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is the third cause of death in young people, and its incidence in Argentina has increased in 1988- 2008. The comparison of the evolution of the specific suicide rates in the last 25 years shows the psychosocial vulnerability experienced by this population. The objective was to analyze the relationship between suicide in young people between 15 and 24 years of age and the net rate of enrollment in secondary education in Argentina in 1998-2015. METHODS: An ecological time series study was conducted, with correlation analysis using the cross correlation function. RESULTS: A total of 13 795 suicides were identified. The subpopulation with the highest incidence was males aged 20 to 24 years, with an increase of 90.12% at the end of the time series. In males aged 15 to 19 years, the increase in the incidence of suicide was 90.6%. For the population of males aged 15 to 19 years, a correlation was found with a 2-year lag between the suicide mortality rate and the net secondary enrollment rate; the cross correlation function was -0.72. DISCUSSION: There is a correlation between the suicide mortality rate in young people and changes in secondary school enrollment in Argentina in 1998-2015, especially in males aged 15 to 19 years. This supports the hypothesis that the changes in the role of social integrator of formal education in Argentina affect the psychosocial vulnerability of young adults, especially in men.

INTRODUCTION: An intervention was carried out in the city of Puerto Madryn, Chubut. The pandemic showed the need for timely identification, systematic tracking, and focus control of COVID-19 cases, close contacts, and associated events. The general objective was to improve the quality of health team work and the response of the health system through the implementation of a software called RastreAr. METHODS: A quasi-experimental approach was used. The aim was to show the causality between the intervention and the objectives achieved. A pre- and post-intervention assessment was conducted. RESULTS: Prior to its implementation, RastreAr was compared to a spreadsheet-based system. In operation, it was contrasted with the national registry of cases. It presented an improvement in terms of efficiency and quality compared to the first, optimizing resources and being more effective than the national registry, as it recorded not only confirmed cases but also close contacts and allowed tracking of both. DISCUSSION: Through the identification of the different outbreaks that occurred during the operation of the RastreAr system, it is feasible to integrate the information in terms of epidemiological surveillance, in order to contribute to an improvement in process quality and assist health personnel.  

En la portada de esta edición 106 de la Revista Cartográfica se representa la ciudad de La Paz, capital administrativa del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia. Instalada al borde del altiplano boliviano, la ciudad andina cautiva a sus visitantes tanto por su altitud como por sus pendientes. Casi 1 kilómetro de diferencia altitudinal separa al Aeropuerto Internacional Manuel Márquez de León construido en el altiplano, del parque Bartolina Sisa, ubicado en las partes más bajas de la urbe. Quien conoce La Paz sabe que desde cualquier esquina se  pueden observar vistas asombrosas; qué mejor ejemplo para introducir el concepto de paisaje como aquella parte del territorio que se presenta a la mirada del observador....