Relationship Between Sexual Abuse and Substance Use Among Students from Caribbean Colombian.

Sexual abuse is a public health problem due to its negative impact on physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine the association between sexual abuse and the use of psychoactive substances among high-school adolescents in Colombia. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed in which tenth and eleventh-grade students were included. Overall, a history of sexual abuse was explored with the Trauma Symptom Checklist, and lifetime substance use was assessed with the United States Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Questionnaire. The prevalence of sexual abuse was 17.4%, lifetime alcohol use was 77.4%, cigarette 22.4%, cannabis 11.6%, cocaine 2.7%, and other substances 5.1%. History of sexual abuse was associated with alcohol use (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.10-2.30), cigarette (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.51-2.85), cannabis (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.66-3.56), cocaine (OR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.25-5.04) and use of other substances (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.31-4.13). The history of sexual abuse is related to the use of substances in high school adolescents in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. More studies are needed to identify the impact of sexual abuse on short-term and lifelong mental health.

Psychometric Performance of the Memory Complain Scale among Colombian Individuals of 60 Years and Older.

INTRODUCTION: The Memory Complaint Scale (MCS-15) is a 15-item instrument to explore frequent forgetfulness in daily life in people with possible cognitive impairment. However, knowledge about its psychometric performance is limited. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to know the dimensionality and internal consistency of the MCS-15 in Colombian older adults. METHODS: A probabilistic sample of 1,957 older adults from the general Colombian population was taken, aged between 60 and 98 years (mean = 71.0 ± 7.9), and 62.2% were women. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega) and dimensionality (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) were calculated for the original and ten-item versions. RESULTS: The 15-item version showed Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega of 0.91, and one dimension accounted for 45.3% of the variance. A version of ten items showed Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega of 0.89 and a single factor that explained 50.9% of the variance with better indicators in the confirmatory factor analysis. Convergence with the shortened Mini-Mental State Examination was rs = 0.43 (p < 0.001), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test was rs = 0.38 (p < 0.001). The nomological validity with the geriatric depression scale was rs = 0.44 (p < 0.001), and women scored higher than men (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The MCS-15 shows high internal consistency with poor dimensionality. However, a ten-item version shows high internal consistency and a clear one-dimensional structure. More research is needed: testing the performance against a structured interview for major cognitive impairment.

Racial Discrimination and Multimorbidity Among Older Adults in Colombia: A National Data Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Multimorbidity is a prevalent worldwide problem among older adults. Our objective was to assess the association between life-course racial discrimination and multimorbidity among older adults in Colombia. METHODS: We used data from the SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento) Colombia Study in 2015 (N = 18,873), a national cross-sectional survey among adults aged 60 years or older. The outcome was multimorbidity, defined as having 2 or more chronic conditions. The main independent variables were 3 racial discrimination measures: 1) everyday racial discrimination (yes or no), 2) childhood racial discrimination score (scored from 0 [never] to 3 [many times]), and 3) situations of racial discrimination in the last 5 years (scored from 0 to 4 as a sum of the number of situations [group activities, public places, inside the family, health centers]). Other variables were sociodemographic characteristics, diseases, economic or health adversity during childhood, and functional status. We used weighted logistic regression analyses to adjust for differences between groups. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression models showed that multimorbidity was significantly associated with experiencing everyday racial discrimination (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.62-3.02), childhood racial discrimination (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.47), and the number of situations of racial discrimination (OR= 1.56; 95% CI, 1.22-2.00). Multimorbidity was also independently associated with multimorbidity during childhood. CONCLUSION: Racial discrimination experiences were associated with higher odds of multimorbidity among older adults in Colombia. Strategies to decrease life course experiences of racial discrimination may improve the health of older adults.

Depression among COVID-19 survivors in Colombia.

The COVID-19 survivors are at high risk of meeting the criteria for depression. However, few studies have explored its prevalence and associated factors. The study aimed to know the frequency and variables associated with depression among COVID-19 survivors in Santa Marta, Colombia. A sample of COVID-19 survivors was included. Depression was quantified with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, α = 0.85). Three hundred and thirty survivors participated in the research. They were aged between 18 and 89 years, 61.5% were women, and 49.7% of participants scored above the cut-off point for depression. Depression was associated with female gender, younger age, COVID moderate or severe, and having presented symptoms for more than three weeks. In conclusion, depression occurs in half of the COVID-19 survivors and is higher in younger, women and who report more severe symptoms. Longitudinal studies can provide further information on the long-term impact on the mental health of COVID-19 survivors.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Internal Consistency, Gender Differential Item Functioning and Discriminant Validity of the Fear of COVID-5 Scale Amidst Emerging Adult University Students in Mexico.

The study aimed to perform confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, gender differential item functioning, and discriminant validity of the Fear of COVID-5 Scale in emerging adult students of a university in Mexico. Confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega), and gender differential item functioning were estimated (Kendall tau b correlation). The Fear of COVID-5 Scale showed a one-dimension structure (RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.02), with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.78 and McDonald's omega of 0.81), non-gender differential item functioning (Kendall tau b between 0.07 and 0.10), and significant discriminant validity (Higher scores for fear of COVID-19 were observed in high clinical anxiety levels). In conclusion, the Fear of COVID-5 Scale presents a clear one-dimension structure similar to a previous study.

Suicide risk during the lockdown due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Colombia.

The study aimed to estimate the high suicide risk during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Colombian population. A total of 700 adults aged between 18 and 76 years (M = 37.1, SD = 12.7; 68.0% women) completed an online questionnaire. Findings showed that 7.6% of participants reported a high suicide risk. High suicide risk was associated with high perceived stress related to COVID-19, risk of depressive episode, and insomnia. Our study suggests that 1 out of 13 Colombians in a non-probability sample reports a high suicide risk during COVID-19. Findings need to be corroborated in a representative sample of Colombians.

Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in the general Colombian population.

The study aimed to adapt and explore the psychometric performance of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in the general Colombian population. The original FCV-19S is a 7-item scale that underwent an adaptation (Item 1 and 5 were deleted). From an online sample of 1,687 adults (59% female), exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed for versions of the scale with 6 and 5 items. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega were calculated. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the 5-item scale (Fear of COVID-5) presented better indicators. In conclusion, the Fear of COVID-5 has acceptable performance in the Colombian population.

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Suicide Ideation in Colombian Caribbean Adolescent Students.

The study aimed to know the prevalence of and some factors associated with suicide ideation in high school adolescents from a Colombian Caribbean city. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed with probability sampling. An expected prevalence of 50% and an alpha error of 5% were estimated. High-school students from public and private institutions were invited to participate. One thousand four hundred sixty-two adolescents participated in, they were aged between 13 and 17 years, and 33.6% of students reported suicide ideation. Suicide ideation was associated with depression risk (OR = 4.54, 95% CI 2.35-8.77), family dysfunction (OR = 4.54, 95% CI 2.35-8.77), sexual violence (OR = 1.92 CI95% 1.33-2.76) and low academic achievement (OR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.42-2.73). It is concluded that 33.6% of adolescents enrolled in secondary education reported suicide ideation and was associated with depression risk, family dysfunction, sexual abuse, and poor academic achievement.

Healthcare workers' distress and perceived discrimination related to COVID-19 in Colombia.

This study examined the association of perceived discrimination related to COVID-19 with psychological distress in healthcare workers in the Colombian Caribbean region. The authors designed and conducted a cross-sectional study, recruiting a non-probabilistic sample by email or instant messaging. Participants filled out a questionnaire including scales for perceived discrimination, anxiety, depression, perceived stress related to COVID-19, and suicide risk. Healthcare workers (n = 150) aged 18 to 68 years participated; of these, 72% were women, and the breakdown by occupation was 39.3% nursing assistants, 18.0% nurses, and 42.7% physicians. Perceived discrimination scores showed positive correlations with depressive symptoms among nursing assistants and physicians (rs  = 0.34), and suicide risk in nursing assistants (rs  = 0.35) and physicians (rs  = 0.31). Among nurses, all measurements were independent of perceived discrimination. Nursing assistants scored highest in perceived discrimination. Physicians scored higher for COVID-19 perceived stress than nursing assistants, and nurses showed similar scores to physicians. In conclusion, perceived discrimination is related to depressive symptoms and suicide risk among nursing assistants and physicians. Nursing assistants report more perceived discrimination than nurses and physicians.

Social capital and psychological distress during Colombian coronavirus disease lockdown.

This study aimed to establish the association of low social capital (SC) with psychological distress indicators. A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire that evaluated demographic variables, social capital, perceived stress related to coronavirus disease, depression risk, insomnia risk, and suicide risk. SC was taken as an independent variable, and symptoms indicating psychological distress were considered as dependent variables. A group of 700 adults aged between 18 and 76 years (M = 37, SD = 13) participated in the survey. Low SC was associated with depression risk (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34-2.97), elevated suicide risk (OR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.40-4.91) high perceived stress related to coronavirus disease (OR = 2.08 95% CI, 1.15-3.76), and insomnia risk (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.69-3.47). In conclusion, low CS was associated with indicators of psychological distress. SC is a community social resource that could help mitigate the quarantine impact of coronavirus disease amidst the Colombian population's psychological health.

Risk of a Major Depressive Episode in Asthma and COPD Patients Amidst Colombian SAR-CoV-2 Confinement.

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-communicable diseases, such as asthma (AS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are a public health problem that compromises patients' quality of life and is highly comorbid with medical and psychological conditions. The present study's objective was to know the variables associated with the risk of major depression during confinement due to SAR-CoV-2 in patients with AS and COPD in the Colombian Caribbean. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An online cross-sectional observational study was done with the participation of patients diagnosed with AS or COPD. AS and COPD patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to identify a major depressive disorder risk. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-seven patients diagnosed with AS or COPD aged 18 to 69 (M=60.4, SD=17.6) participated. The risk of major depression was assessed using the PHQ-9 sent online after telephone contact with the participants. 30.7% of the patients during the last month reported a risk of major depression, and it was associated with a history of major depressive disorder (OR=4.39, 95% CI 1.53-12.67) and medical comorbidity (OR=1.69, 95% CI 1.00-2.86). CONCLUSIONS: The depression risk is associated with a history of depressive disorder and medical comorbidity in patients with AS and COPD. Medical history is the leading risk factor for depression during confinement. It is recommended to carry out studies with many participants and study other variables that may mediate said associations during confinement by SAR-CoV-2 in the Colombian Caribbean.

Psychometric Properties of the Five-Item Francis Attitude Towards Christianity Scale in Colombian Psychiatric Outpatients.

This study aimed to know the psychometric properties of the five-item Francis scale of the attitude towards Christianity (Francis-5) by assessing psychiatric outpatients in Santa Marta, Colombia. A sample of 260 adult patients participated. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed an excellent one-dimensional structure with high internal consistency. It was concluded that the Francis-5 exhibited good indicators of validity and reliability in Colombian psychiatric outpatients.

Fatalism, Emotional Regulation, and Suicide Risk in Colombian Adults During the SAR-Cov-2 Disease Epidemic.

The current pandemic of Severe Acute Syndrome (SAR-CoV-2) is a public health problem with implications for mental health. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of suicide risk and its association with fatalism and emotional regulation during SARS-CoV-2 in Colombia's adult population. A cross-sectional study was designed, an online format was used, which evaluated sociodemographic variables, CES-D-SI, the Fatalism Questionnaire against COVID-19, and the Emotional Regulation Scale. 435 Colombian adults participated, aged between 18 and 79 years. A prevalence of suicide risk was found in 5.3%, and it was associated with the interaction between living in rural area and less education (OR = 5.60, 95%CI 1.28-24.53), emotional dysregulation (OR = 3.54, 95%CI 1.77-7.09), and fatalistic beliefs (OR = 3.09, 95%CI 1.53-6.27). 5.3% of the population presented an elevated suicide risk. It was associated with less education, rural areas, fatalistic beliefs, and emotional dysregulation in the Colombian population during mandatory confinement due to SAR-CoV-2.

Depression, perceived stress related to COVID, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia among asthma and COPD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID pandemic has had a high psychological impact on healthy populations. Increased levels of perceived stress, depression, and insomnia are expected, especially in people with pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who seem to be particularly vulnerable. However, the difference in psychological distress frequency between asthma and COPD patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of depression, perceived stress related to COVID, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia in asthma and COPD patients at a pulmonology clinic in Santa Marta, Colombia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed. The patients were contacted by telephone. An electronic link was sent to those who accepted. The questionnaire asked for perceived stress related to COVID-19, post-traumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, and insomnia risk. RESULTS: 148 asthma patients and 144 COPD patients participated in, between 18 and 96 years. The prevalence of high COVID-19 perceived stress was 10.6% (n = 31); post-traumatic stress risk, 11.3% (n = 33); depression risk, 31.5% (n = 92); and insomnia risk, 57.7% (n = 169). No significant differences were found between asthma and COPD in indicators of psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma and COPD patients present similar frequencies of depression risk, COVID-19 perceived stress, post-traumatic stress risk, and insomnia risk during the Colombian lockdown. It is essential to evaluate and manage psychological distress among asthma and COPD patients. It can reduce the risk of exacerbation and improve the quality of life.

Association between attachment and suicidal risk in Colombian adolescent students. / Asociación entre apego y riesgo suicida en adolescentes escolarizados de Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Attachment is considered an important element in mental health, however, the relationship between attachment dimensions and suicidal risk has been little studied. OBJECTIVE: To establish the association between trust, communication, and alienation and suicide risk in Colombian school adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A cross-sectional observational study with an analytical component was de signed in a randomized sample of 399 school adolescents (n = 1,901), according to a 30% prevalence of high suicide risk, members of the official educational institutions of Santa Marta (Colombia), the commune with the highest index of unsatisfied basic needs. Participants completed the Armsden & Greenberg attachment inventory and the Plutchik suicide risk scale, both validated locally. Reliability and association tests were calculated. RESULTS: Adolescents were 339 adolescents between 13 and 19 years of age (M = 15.7, SD = 1.1), 57.8% were women. 59.9% of adolescents showed low trust in the mother, 57.2% low communication with the mother, 54.9% low alienation with the mother, 46.3%, low trust in the father, 49% low communication with the father, 48.7% low alienation with the father, and 28.6% high suicide risk. There was an association (adjusted) between high suicide risk and trust in the mother (OR = 2.00, 95%CI 1.12-3.57), communication with the mother (OR = 3.80, 95%CI 2.13-6.75), trust in the father (OR = 2.39, 95%CI 1.41-4.03), and communication with the father (OR = 2.01, 95%CI 1.19-3.37). CONCLUSIONS: Low trust and low communication with mother and father are risk factors for high suicide risk in Colombian school adolescents. Further research on this association in other populations is needed, as well as to consider other mediating factors.

The Association Between Past Sexual Abuse and Depression in Older Adults From Colombia.

To explore the association between past sexual abuse and depression in elders living in Bogotá, Colombia, we used data from the SABE (Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento [Health, Well-being, and Aging]) Bogotá Study. Participants were 2000 community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and older in 2012. Sexual abuse was assessed by self-report. Depression was measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale. The weighted prevalence estimate was 2.6% for past sexual abuse and 23.4% for depression. Multivariate data analyses showed significantly higher odds of depression for past sexual abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 3.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.13-7.16). Other characteristics associated with depression were history of being displaced by violence (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.30-2.40), low socioeconomic status, low education, poor self-rated health status, and poor self-rated memory. Thus, past sexual abuse and history of being displaced by violence were strongly associated with depression among Colombian elderly individuals.

Association Between Familiarity with Mental Disorders and Stigma Discrimination Related to Mental Disorders Among Colombian Students.

Children and adolescents with mental disorders are often discriminated against by their peers in the school context. However, knowing the variables associated with stigma discrimination related to mental disorders (SDRMD) in each school community is crucial. The study aimed to estimate the relationship of familiarity with mental disorders with SDRMD among students in Santa Marta, Colombia. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Familiarity with mental disorders and SDRMD were measured with the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale. Three hundred fifty students were aged between 10 and 17 years (13.34 ± 1.78), and 188 (53.71%) were girls. Having a close friend with a mental health problem (odds ratio = 0.17, 95% CI, 0.06-0.48) was a protective factor for SDRMD. Having a close friend with a mental health problem is protective against SDRMD among Colombian school students.

Prodromal questionnaire (PQ-16) dimensionality among Colombian adolescent school students.

AIMS: The study aimed to determine the dimensionality of the Spanish version of the PQ-16 among Colombian adolescent school students. METHODS: A validation study was designed with the participation of 334 Colombian adolescent students aged between 13 and 17 (M = 15.2, SD = 1.1); 171 (52.1%) were girls, and 163 (47.9%) were boys, 229 (68.6%) were ninth-grade students and 105 (31.4%) were tenth-grade students. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed, internal consistency was calculated with the Kuder-Richardson and McDonald's omega tests, and correlation with suicide ideation was computed with the Kendall correlation (r). RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the PQ-16 adequately fit a unidimensional structure: RMSEA = 0.05 (90%CI 0.04-0.06), CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.05, chi-squared = 193.18 (df = 102, p < 0.001) and normalized chi-squared = 1.89. This factor presented high internal consistency: Kuder-Richardson test and McDonald's omega of 0.83. The correlation between the PQ-16 and suicide ideation was r = 0.45 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The PQ-16 is a one-dimensional tool with high internal consistency and correlation with suicide ideation among schooled adolescents. Further research should explore the PQ-16 performance against a structured clinical interview.

Beck Hopelessness Scale-20: Dimensionality and Nomological Validity Among Colombian School-Age Adolescents.

To establish the validity of the BHS-20, a sample of 2064 adolescent students aged 14 and 17 years (M = 15.61, SD = 1.05) were invited to participate in the research. Cronbach's alpha (α) and McDonald's omega (ω) were computed to evaluate the internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the dimensionality of the BHS-20. The Spearman correlation (rs) with depressive symptoms and risk of suicide scores of the Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale were computed to explore the nomological validity. The BHS-20 showed a high internal consistency (α = .81, ω = .93), an adequate one-dimensional structure with an excellent adjustment [χ2 S-B = 341, df = 170, p < .01, Comparative Fit Index = .99, RMSEA = .03] and acceptable nomological validity with depressive symptoms (rs = .47, p < .01) and scores for suicide risk (rs = .33, p < .01). In conclusion, current results suggest that the BHS-20 demonstrates validity and reliability among Colombian adolescent students.