COVID-19 Response in Latin America.

Effective management of a pandemic due to a respiratory virus requires public health capacity for a coordinated response for mandatory restrictions, large-scale testing to identify infected individuals, capacity to isolate infected cases and track and test contacts, and health services for those infected who require hospitalization. Because of contextual and socioeconomic factors, it has been hard for Latin America to confront this epidemic. In this article, we discuss the context and the initial responses of eight selected Latin American countries, including similarities and differences in public health, economic, and fiscal measures, and provide reflections on what worked and what did not work and what to expect moving forward.

[Social capital and mental health in representative sample od chilean workers].

UNLABELLED: Antecedents. The social capital has been considered an important factor through which the effect of the macro structural social causes for physical and mental health of the people could be partly understood. However, the studies in Latin America are limited. OBJECTIVE: Determine the possible associations of the dimensions of social capital with the level of psychological distress in the workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample included 1557 workers from all economic areas. 65% were men, with an average age of 37,0 and 14,4 years of schooling. A survey was used and it was adapted and validated for this job. The psychological distress was measured with GHQ-12. RESULTS: The social capital survey showed good psychometric characteristics and it included three factors (trust, reciprocity, organization and community participation). Significant differences were shown for the level of trust and reciprocity by gender, age and years of schooling. In general, a correlation which was statistically significant was found between the level of psychological distress and the three dimensions of the social capital, especially in the subgroups of women of an intermediate age (41 to 60 years) who have attended primary school (9 to 12 years of schooling). CONCLUSION: The social capital survey showed good psychometric properties which could be useful for other population studies. The association among the three dimensions of social capital with mental health was confirmed, specially in some subgroups. The development of social capital in our countries should be the motive behind public policies and regular evaluations.

Validación de un cuestionario para evaluar riesgos psicosociales en el ambiente laboral en Chile / Validation of a questionnaire for psychosocial risk assessment in the workplace in Chile

Background: The measurement of psychosocial risk among workers is becoming increasingly important. Aim: To adapt, validate and standardize a questionnaire to measure psychosocial risks in the workplace. Material and Methods: The Spanish version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was adapted and evaluated. Its contents were first validated with a panel of experts. Afterwards a semantic adaptation of the questionnaires was carried out applying it to a pilot sample. Finally, it was applied to 1,557workers (65% men). Results: A preliminary questionnaire containing 97 questions was constructed. A good item-test correlation was found, the factorial structure was similar to the original questionnaire and it had a good internal consistency, convergent validity with the Goldberg Health Questionnaire and test-retest correlation. Ranges for the different dimensions and sub-dimensions of psychosocial risk were calculated by tertiles. Conclusions: The resulting questionnaire is useful for measuring psychosocial risk factors at work, with good psychometric properties.

[Validation of a questionnaire for psychosocial risk assessment in the workplace in Chile]. / Validación de un cuestionario para evaluar riesgos psicosociales en el ambiente laboral en Chile.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of psychosocial risk among workers is becoming increasingly important. AIM: To adapt, validate and standardize a questionnaire to measure psychosocial risks in the workplace. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Spanish version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire was adapted and evaluated. Its contents were first validated with a panel of experts. Afterwards a semantic adaptation of the questionnaires was carried out applying it to a pilot sample. Finally, it was applied to 1,557 workers (65% men). RESULTS: A preliminary questionnaire containing 97 questions was constructed. A good item-test correlation was found, the factorial structure was similar to the original questionnaire and it had a good internal consistency, convergent validity with the Goldberg Health Questionnaire and test-retest correlation. Ranges for the different dimensions and sub-dimensions of psychosocial risk were calculated by tertiles. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting questionnaire is useful for measuring psychosocial risk factors at work, with good psychometric properties.

Alineación del recurso humano y regulación de la competencia como factores claves para la autogestión hospitalaria en Chile / Alignment of human resources and regulation of competition as key factors for self management

En Chile, el desarrollo de la reforma des alud incorporó la transformación de los hospitales públicos en Establecimientos de Autogestión en Red, proceso que ha permitido explicitar el rol de centros sanitarios de alta complejidad que cumplen con procedimientos de medición de costos, calidad de las atenciones prestadas y de una alta satisfacción de los usuarios y usuarias del sistema. No obstante, la alineación del recurso humano en salud en oposición a las directrices estratégicas del sector y aspectos relacionados a la financiación y la competencia por prestaciones de salud se han constituido en temas recurrentes en la discusión pública. Para el recurso humano, la ausencia de una planificación, tanto sectorial como autónoma, condiciona un equipo no preparado para los cambios que conllevan el implementar los modelos de gestión interna en los Establecimientos de Autogestión en Red. Otro aspecto a considerar lo constituye una mayor regulación con respecto de la posibilidad de una competencia por las prestaciones de salud que puedan impactar en el desempeño de las instituciones sanitarias. Para avanzar en la implementación de los Establecimientos de Autogestión en Red se debe considerar una mayor claridad conceptual de lo que implica la autogestión en los equipos de salud, junto con implementar instancias de regulación que permitan garantizar el buen desempeño de las instituciones hospitalarias acogidas a este nuevo modelo de organización hospitalaria.