Seroprevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody in healthcare workers: a multicentre cross-sectional study in 10 Colombian cities.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers are at increased risk of infection due to occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers in Colombia. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study focused on estimating the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers from 65 hospitals in 10 cities in Colombia during the second semester of 2020. The seroprevalence was determined using an automated immunoassay (Abbott SARS-CoV-2 CLIA IgG). The study included a survey to establish the sociodemographic variables and the risk of infection. A multivariate model was used to evaluate the association between the results of seroprevalence and risk factors. RESULTS: The global seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was 35% (95% Bayesian CI 33% to 37%). All the personnel reported the use of protective equipment. General services personnel and nurses presented the highest ratios of seroprevalence among the healthcare workers. Low socioeconomic strata have shown a strong association with seropositivity. CONCLUSION: This study estimates the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers. Even though all the personnel reported the use of protective equipment, the seroprevalence in the general services personnel and nurses was high. Also, a significant difference by cities was observed.

Anthropogenic influence on the sediment chemistry and diatom assemblages of Balamtetik Lake, Chiapas, Mexico.

Balamtetik is the receiving body of the Rio Grande de Comitán and is located just at the outskirts of the Montebello National Park, Chiapas, México. Multi-elemental, infrared spectra, 137Cs, 210Pb, and diatom analyses in a 75-cm sediment core were used to reconstruct the recent disturbance history of the lake. The sequence chronology, based mostly on 137Cs profiles, allowed to infer high sedimentation rates in Balamtetik (~ 7 mm/year) and a nearly cyclic series of disturbance events that can be related to anthropogenic causes such as deforestation and increased development of agriculture and urban areas at local and regional scale. These disturbance events show high local and regional erosion (high Ca, TIC, and Ti), soil organic matter (IR spectra), eutrophication (high P and diatoms), and anoxic bottom water conditions (low Mn) and can be dated to the early 1950s, the late 1950s, and from the 1980s until the 2000s. The entrance of wastewaters is related with an increase in salinity inferred by the diatom record and the organic matter type. The first two disturbance events are related to changes in land use during the agrarian reform that started during the 1940s; the last event is related with the increase in local population and the introduction of intensive agriculture. This last phase of disturbance corresponds with the reports of fish mortality events around 2003; however, high lake turbidity and anoxic bottom waters seem to have been established since the 1980s. The record from Lake Balamtetik also shows that during the intermediate periods, there was a recovery of the lake and its catchment; however, the future trends might be different, as the increase in the speed of organic matter and nutrients arrival to the lake reduces its resilience.

Prevalence and attitude towards smoking in first, third and fifth-year pharmacy students in Spain: PRECOTABAC study.

AIM OF THIS STUDY: The aim of this study is to calculate smoking prevalence among first, third and fifth-year pharmacy students in Spain, and to describe their attitude towards giving up smoking. METHODS: Cross-sectional multi-center study using an ad hoc self-administered questionnaire in first, third and fifth-year pharmacy students at seven Spanish universities. Bivariate analysis with chi-square and Student's t-test, statistical significance p<0.05. RESULTS: Smoking prevalence: 34.92%. The smokers smoke 31.04 (SD=43.182) cigarettes/week on average. Pharmacy students have a positive attitude towards giving up smoking, with differences between year groups (p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Four in ten pharmacy students in Spain smoke every day by the time they finish their degree. Smoking prevalence is lower in the first few years of the degree and increases over time. Students also have a positive attitude towards giving up smoking, and are in favor of measures that can be taken to try to stop people smoking.

[The effect of an elderly people caregivers' educational program: a cultural perspective]. / Efecto de un programa educativo para cuidadores de personas ancianas: una perspectiva cultural.

OBJECTIVE: Determining the effect of implementing a culturally-based educational program for caregivers working with the elderly in conditions of disability and poverty in a sector of Bogota, Colombia; perceived health, family functioning, caregiver burden and depression were the variables of interest. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study, involving using pre-test and post-test;56 family caregivers participated: 37 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. The educational program consisted of six group sessions with a 30-day interval. Each session had five phases: sensitization, culturally-appropriate information, decision-making, commitment to action and closure. These were led by a nurse who was an expert in gerontology-geriatrics and transcultural nursing. Several scales were applied: self-perception of health, family Apgar, caregiver burden and depression scale. RESULTS: The culturally-based educational program had statistically significant effects on the variables being considered: family functioning (T=2.506; p=0.015) and caregiver burden (p=-2.149 T=0.036). Self-perception of health and depression revealed no statistically significant differences. DISCUSSION: Health education activities addressed from a cultural approach may lead to co-creating therapeutic diversity arising from dialogue and mediation between popular and professional knowledge. It could be a key against the lack of success in users' adherence to health facilities and treatment.

Efecto de un programa educativo para cuidadores de personas ancianas: una perspectiva cultural / The effect of an educational program for elderly people's caregivers: a cultural perspective

Objetivo Determinar el efecto de la aplicación de un programa educativo con perspectiva cultural para cuidadores de personas ancianas en situación de discapacidad y pobreza en un sector de Bogotá - Colombia, sobre las variables: auto percepción de salud, funcionalidad familiar, carga del cuidador y depresión. Métodos Estudio cuasiexperimental con pre-prueba y pos-prueba. Participaron 56 cuidadores familiares, 37 en el grupo experimental (ge) y 19 en el grupo control (gc).El programa educativo aplicado al grupo experimental constaba de seis sesiones grupales con intervalo de 30 días. Cada sesión tiene cinco fases: sensibilización, información culturalmente adaptada, toma de decisiones, compromisos de acción y cierre. Fue aplicado por una enfermera experta en geronto-geriatría y enfermería transcultural. Se aplicaron las escalas de Autopercepción de Salud, Apgar familiar, Carga del cuidador y Escala de Depresión. Resultados El programa educativo con enfoque cultural tuvo efectos significativos, sobre las variables: funcionalidad familiar (T=2,506; p=0,015) y carga del cuidador (T=-2,149; p=0,036). La autopercepción en salud y depresión no presentaron diferencias significativas. Discusión Las acciones en educación en salud abordadas desde la perspectiva cultural abren una puerta a co-crear diversidad de terapéuticas derivadas del diálogo y la mediación entre los saberes populares y profesionales. Podría ser una clave frente al escaso éxito en la adherencia de los usuarios a las instituciones de salud y a los tratamientos.

Objective Determining the effect of implementing an educational programme using a cultural approach for caregivers looking after elderly disabled and poor people living in a sector of Bogota, Colombia regarding the following variables: perceived health, family functioning, caregiver burden and depression. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study involving pre-test and post-test. 56 family caregivers participated in the study, 37 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. The educational program being applied consisted of six group sessions with a 30-day interval. Each session had five phases: awareness-raising, culturally-appropriate information, making decisions, commitments for action and closure. They were led by a nurse specializing in gerontology-geriatrics and transcultural nursing. Several scales were applied: self-perception of health, family APGAR, caregiver burden, and a depression scale. Results The educational program involving a cultural approach had statistically significant effects on family functioning (T=2.506; p=0.015) and caregiver burden (p=-2.149 T=0.036). Self-perception of health and depression revealed no statistically significant differences. Discussion Health education activities addressed from a cultural approach opens the way forward for creating therapeutic diversity arising from dialogue and mediation between popular and professional knowledge. It could be a key against the lack of success in users' adherence to health facilities and treatment.

Efecto de un programa educativo para cuidadores de personas ancianas: una perspectiva cultural / The effect of an elderly people caregivers' educational program: a cultural perspective

Objetivo Determinar el efecto de la aplicación de un programa educativo con perspectiva cultural para cuidadores de personas ancianas en situación de discapacidad y pobreza en un sector de Bogotá-Colombia, sobre las variables: autopercepción de salud, funcionalidad familiar, carga del cuidador y depresión. Métodos Estudio cuasi experimental con pre-prueba y pos-prueba. Participaron 56 cuidadores familiares, 37 en el grupo experimental y 19 en el grupo control. El programa educativo aplicado al grupo experimental constaba de seis sesiones grupales con intervalo de 30 días. Cada sesión tiene cinco fases: sensibilización, información culturalmente adaptada, toma de decisiones, compromisos de acción y cierre. Fue aplicado por una enfermera experta en geronto-geriatría y enfermería transcultural. Se aplicaron las escalas de Autopercepción de Salud, Apgar familiar, Carga del cuidador y Escala de Depresión. Resultados El programa educativo con enfoque cultural tuvo efectos significativos, sobre las variables: funcionalidad familiar (T=2,506; p=0,015) y carga del cuidador (T=-2,149; p=0,036). La autopercepción en salud y depresión no presentaron diferencias significativas. Discusión Las acciones en educación en salud abordadas desde la perspectiva cultural abren una puerta a co-crear diversidad de terapéuticas derivadas del diálogo y la mediación entre los saberes populares y profesionales. Podría ser una clave frente al escaso éxito en la adherencia de los usuarios a las instituciones de salud y a los tratamientos.

Objective Determining the effect of implementing a culturally-based educational program for caregivers working with the elderly in conditions of disability and poverty in a sector of Bogota, Colombia; perceived health, family functioning, caregiver burden and depression were the variables of interest. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study, involving using pre-test and post-test;56 family caregivers participated: 37 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. The educational program consisted of six group sessions with a 30-day interval. Each session had five phases: sensitization, culturally-appropriate information, decision-making, commitment to action and closure. These were led by a nurse who was an expert in gerontology-geriatrics and transcultural nursing. Several scales were applied: self-perception of health, family Apgar, caregiver burden and depression scale. Results The culturally-based educational program had statistically significant effects on the variables being considered: family functioning (T=2.506; p=0.015) and caregiver burden (p=-2.149 T=0.036). Self-perception of health and depression revealed no statistically significant differences. Discussion Health education activities addressed from a cultural approach may lead to co-creating therapeutic diversity arising from dialogue and mediation between popular and professional knowledge. It could be a key against the lack of success in users' adherence to health facilities and treatment.