Family functioning in students of health sciences in four Latin American countries: a study of the structure and factorial invariance of the FACES III scale. A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Psychometric studies of the FACES III scale in Spanish-speaking countries show a lack of agreement on the factorial structure of the scale. In addition, most of the studies have only performed exploratory analyses of its factorial structure. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to confirm the structure and factorial invariance of the FACES III scale in nursing and obstetric students from Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. METHODS: A total of 3303 students from the four countries participated in this study (Colombia = 1559, Chile = 1224, Peru = 215, Mexico = 305). RESULTS: The results of the study showed that the Bi-factor model presents the best-fit indexes to the data from Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, but not from Peru. In addition, it was found that this model showed evidence of being strictly invariant among the three countries in the sequence of the invariance models proposed: metric invariance (ΔRMSEA = .000), scalar (ΔRMSEA = .008), and strict (ΔRMSEA = .008). The bi-factor model also showed adequate reliability indexes in the three countries. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the FACES III scale shows adequate psychometric performance under a bi-factor model in nursing and obstetric students from Colombia, Chile, and Mexico. The lack of fit of the model in Peru could be associated with the small sample size.

Family functioning in students of health sciences in four Latin American countries: a study of the structure and factorial invariance of the FACES III scale. A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Psychometric studies of the FACES III scale in Spanish-speaking countries show a lack of agreement on the factorial structure of the scale. In addition, most of the studies have only performed exploratory analyses of its factorial structure. Objective The objective of the present study was to confirm the structure and factorial invariance of the FACES III scale in nursing and obstetric students from Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Methods A total of 3303 students from the four countries participated in this study (Colombia = 1559, Chile = 1224, Peru = 215, Mexico = 305). Results The results of the study showed that the Bi-factor model presents the best-fit indexes to the data from Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, but not from Peru. In addition, it was found that this model showed evidence of being strictly invariant among the three countries in the sequence of the invariance models proposed: metric invariance (ΔRMSEA = .000), scalar (ΔRMSEA = .008), and strict (ΔRMSEA = .008). The bi-factor model also showed adequate reliability indexes in the three countries. Conclusion It is concluded that the FACES III scale shows adequate psychometric performance under a bi-factor model in nursing and obstetric students from Colombia, Chile, and Mexico. The lack of fit of the model in Peru could be associated with the small sample size.

Niveles de cobre y zinc en diferentes etapas de la leche materna y la influencia del estado nutricional de madres lactantes / Levels of copper and zinc in different stages of breast milk and the influence of the nutritional state of nursing mothers

RESUMEN La leche humana materna tiene una composición única para proporcionar a los recién nacidos todos los nutrientes esenciales como proteínas, grasas, hidratos de carbono, minerales, vitaminas y otras substancias fisiológicamente activas, con el fin de suplir en cantidad y calidad las necesidades calóricas y nutricionales del lactante. El objetivo fue establecer las concentraciones totales de cobre y zinc en la leche materna en sus distintas etapas: calostro, de transición y madura, determinadas espectrométricamente y la influencia del estado nutricional de madres lactantes; estudio descriptivo transversal en madres entre 18 y 35 años, sanas y no fumadoras; los resultados evidencian una disminución en las concentraciones de cobre y zinc a medida que la lactancia va evolucionando, además, el promedio de índice de masa corporal de las madres en período de lactancia reflejaron sobrepeso. Concluimos que el contenido calórico de los oligoelementos de la leche materna es esencial para el crecimiento de los niños por los beneficios nutricionales e inmunológicos que proporciona, por lo que es importante que la madre se encuentre en un estado nutricional adecuado que permita suministrar los requerimientos adecuados al niño para su crecimiento y desarrollo.

ABSTRACT Human milk has a unique composition and provides newborns with all essential nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and other physiologically active substances, in order to supply in quantity and quality the caloric and nutritional needs of the infant. The objective of this study was to establish the total concentration of copper and zinc in breast milk in its different stages: colostrum, transitional and mature milk, determined spectrometrically and the influence of the nutritional status of nursing mothers. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in healthy non-smoking mothers between 18 and 35 years of age. Lower concentrations of copper and zinc as lactation progressed were observed. The average of body mass index of nursing mothers reflected overweight. We concludes that the caloric content of the trace elements of breast milk is essential for the growth of children because of the nutritional and immunological benefits that it provides, so it is important that the mother has an adequate nutritional state that allows to supply the adequate requirements for the child to grow and develop.