Gender differences in the use of coping strategies to reduce food insecurity in Colombia.

This study explores the gender differences in the use of coping strategies to reduce food insecurity in Colombian urban and rural households. Data was collected from the Colombian National Survey of Nutritional Status (ENSIN 2015), and analyzed using ordinal logistic regression models, logistic models, and simultaneous equation models. Results show that rural households have a higher prevalence of food insecurity than their urban counterparts. After adjusting for household characteristics - e.g., head of household schooling level -, urban households were more likely to present severe and moderate food insecurity, whereas rural households were more likely to experience mild food insecurity. This result was explained by self-consumption and certain coping strategies, such as selling seeds from the next harvest or animals, implemented by rural households. Even though female-headed households present on average higher levels of food insecurity than male-headed ones, because they are more likely to use coping strategies, especially in rural areas, they can reduce and even cancel out this gap. Hence, female heads are more successful in mitigating food insecurity.

Decentralization Can Improve Equity, but Can It Be Sustained?

A major theoretical issue about health system reform involving decentralization has been whether it promotes equity of health system funding. An article by the principal author and others in 2003 showed that, under certain conditions and policies, decentralization improved the equity of allocation of financial resources to different income levels of municipalities in Colombia and Chile. Another recurring issue has been whether reforms can be sustained over time. In a follow-up study in 2015, we found that the equity of national allocations was sustained even though the allocation rules for intergovernmental transfers and insurance funding sources had changed, as long as per capita allocation rules were retained. Nevertheless, the wealthier municipalities in Chile were able to increase their own source funding contributing to a larger gap between wealthy and poor municipalities, suggesting that in order to assure continued equity some compensation for these funds be included in intergovernmental transfer rules or that local source funding be restricted by national policy. These reforms may be more likely to be sustained if they become embedded in existing financial systems and if they receive support of status quo constituencies.

Optimal Allocation of Chemotherapy Schemes for Metastatic Colon Cancer in Colombia.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the optimal proportion for different chemotherapy schemes in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have undergone surgical resection in Colombia. METHODS: A linear programming model was used to quantify the optimal proportion of the chemotherapy schemes that maximize quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). The model was evaluated in 6 different scenarios using parametric and dynamic optimization with different budget restriction constraints. The results were compared to the current mixture of schemes used in our country. RESULTS: The results show that 63%, 37%, and 0.8% of the population should receive the FOLFOXIRI scheme (fluorouracil + leucovorin + oxaliplatin + irinotecan), FOLFIRI (irinotecan + leucovorin + fluorouracil), and FOLFIRI plus cetuximab, respectively. With these proportions, 8734 QALYs and universal coverage of the population are obtained. In an optimistic scenario (high QALYs, low costs, and budget of $40 million), the entire population should receive the FOLFIRI scheme. A pessimistic scenario (low QALYs, high costs, and budget of $15 million) would benefit only 46% of the population with the fluorouracil plus leucovorin scheme. In the other 3 scenarios with higher budget constraints, 52%, 69%, and 86% of the population should receive FOLFIRI, respectively. Dynamic optimization revealed that FOLFIRI and FOLFOX (oxaliplatin + leucovorin + fluorouracil) schemes are more likely to generate higher QALYs with lower costs and a limited budget. CONCLUSIONS: The current use of chemotherapy schemes is not optimal. An increasing proportion of FOLFIRI, FOLFOX, and FOLFOXIRI should be used more often as schemes to treat metastatic colorectal cancer in Colombia.

[Costs of an Aedes aegypti vector control program in municipalities in Colombia: a case study in Girón and Guadalajara de Buga, 2016]. / Costos de un programa de control del vector Aedes aegypti en municipios de Colombia: el caso de Girón y Guadalajara de Buga, 2016.

The aim of this study was to measure the costs of vector-borne disease control programs at the local level in Colombia (2016). A cost analysis was performed for this purpose from the policymaker's perspective in the municipalities (counties) of Girón and Guadalajara de Buga, specifically for the Aedes aegypti control program, the principal mosquito vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. The analysis involved the quantification of all the costs required for each of the prevention and control strategies in vector-borne diseases. The costs were classified as operating and capital costs, and for purposes of comparison the costs were also calculated per case and per capita. The programs' total estimated costs were USD 146,651 in Girón and USD 97,936 in Guadalajara de Buga. Per capita cost was USD 0.88 in Girón and USD 0.99 in Guadalajara de Buga. In general, the predominant cost strategies were chemical spraying of adult mosquitos, accounting for 26% of the total costs in Girón and 47% in Guadalajara de Buga, with personnel representing 40% of the total costs for this strategy in Girón and 66% of the operating costs in Guadalajara de Buga.

El objetivo de este estudio fue cuantificar los costos de los programas de control de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores a nivel local en Colombia (2016). Para ello, fue realizado un análisis de costos desde la perspectiva del hacedor de política en los municipios de Girón y Guadalajara de Buga, específicamente para el programa de control del Aedes aegypti, principal vector trasmisor del dengue, Zika y chikungunya. Este análisis implicó la cuantificación de todos los costos requeridos para cada una de las estrategias de prevención y control de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores. Los costos fueron clasificados en recurrentes y de capital, además, con fines comparativos se obtuvo el costo por caso y a nivel per cápita. El costo total estimado de los programas fue de USD 146.651 en el municipio de Girón y USD 97.936 en el municipio de Guadalajara de Buga; a nivel per cápita el costo fue de USD 0,88 en Girón y en Guadalajara de Buga fue de USD 0,99. En general, las estrategias predominantes en costos fueron el control químico de vectores adultos, con un 26% del total de los costos en Girón y un 47% en Guadalajara de Buga, esta fue intensiva en costos recurrentes, con un costo de personal 40% del total de costos para esta estrategia en Girón y un 66% de costos operacionales en Guadalajara de Buga.

O objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar os custos dos programas de controle de doenças transmitidas por vetores ao nível local na Colômbia em (2016). Para isso, foi realizada uma análise de custos desde a perspectiva do criador de políticas nos municípios de Girón e Guadalajara de Buga, especificamente para o programa de controle do Aedes aegypti, principal vector transmissor da dengue, Zika e chikungunya. Esta análise implicou a quantificação de todos os custos requeridos para cada uma das estratégias de prevenção e controle de doenças transmitidas por vetores. Os custos foram classificados em recorrentes e do capital, ademais, para fins comparativos foi obtido o custo por caso e nível per capita. O custo total estimado dos programas foi de USD 146.651 no Município de Girón e USD 97.936 no Município de Guadalajara de Buga; ao nível per capita o custo foi de USD 0,88 em Girón e em Guadalajara de Buga foi de USD 0,99. Em geral, as estratégias predominantes em custos foram o controle químico de vetores adultos, com um 26% do total dos custos em Girón e um 47% em Guadalajara de Buga, essa foi intensiva em custos recorrentes, com um custo de pessoal de um 40% do total de custos para esta estratégia em Girón e um 66% de custos operacionais em Guadalajara de Buga.

Costos de un programa de control del vector Aedes aegypti en municipios de Colombia: el caso de Girón y Guadalajara de Buga, 2016 / Costs of an Aedes aegypti vector control program in municipalities in Colombia: a case study in Girón and Guadalajara de Buga, 2016 / Custos de um programa de controle ao vetor Aedes aegypti em municípios da Colômbia: o caso de Girón e Guadalajara de Buga, 2016

Resumen: El objetivo de este estudio fue cuantificar los costos de los programas de control de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores a nivel local en Colombia (2016). Para ello, fue realizado un análisis de costos desde la perspectiva del hacedor de política en los municipios de Girón y Guadalajara de Buga, específicamente para el programa de control del Aedes aegypti, principal vector trasmisor del dengue, Zika y chikungunya. Este análisis implicó la cuantificación de todos los costos requeridos para cada una de las estrategias de prevención y control de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores. Los costos fueron clasificados en recurrentes y de capital, además, con fines comparativos se obtuvo el costo por caso y a nivel per cápita. El costo total estimado de los programas fue de USD 146.651 en el municipio de Girón y USD 97.936 en el municipio de Guadalajara de Buga; a nivel per cápita el costo fue de USD 0,88 en Girón y en Guadalajara de Buga fue de USD 0,99. En general, las estrategias predominantes en costos fueron el control químico de vectores adultos, con un 26% del total de los costos en Girón y un 47% en Guadalajara de Buga, esta fue intensiva en costos recurrentes, con un costo de personal 40% del total de costos para esta estrategia en Girón y un 66% de costos operacionales en Guadalajara de Buga.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to measure the costs of vector-borne disease control programs at the local level in Colombia (2016). A cost analysis was performed for this purpose from the policymaker's perspective in the municipalities (counties) of Girón and Guadalajara de Buga, specifically for the Aedes aegypti control program, the principal mosquito vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. The analysis involved the quantification of all the costs required for each of the prevention and control strategies in vector-borne diseases. The costs were classified as operating and capital costs, and for purposes of comparison the costs were also calculated per case and per capita. The programs' total estimated costs were USD 146,651 in Girón and USD 97,936 in Guadalajara de Buga. Per capita cost was USD 0.88 in Girón and USD 0.99 in Guadalajara de Buga. In general, the predominant cost strategies were chemical spraying of adult mosquitos, accounting for 26% of the total costs in Girón and 47% in Guadalajara de Buga, with personnel representing 40% of the total costs for this strategy in Girón and 66% of the operating costs in Guadalajara de Buga.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi quantificar os custos dos programas de controle de doenças transmitidas por vetores ao nível local na Colômbia em (2016). Para isso, foi realizada uma análise de custos desde a perspectiva do criador de políticas nos municípios de Girón e Guadalajara de Buga, especificamente para o programa de controle do Aedes aegypti, principal vector transmissor da dengue, Zika e chikungunya. Esta análise implicou a quantificação de todos os custos requeridos para cada uma das estratégias de prevenção e controle de doenças transmitidas por vetores. Os custos foram classificados em recorrentes e do capital, ademais, para fins comparativos foi obtido o custo por caso e nível per capita. O custo total estimado dos programas foi de USD 146.651 no Município de Girón e USD 97.936 no Município de Guadalajara de Buga; ao nível per capita o custo foi de USD 0,88 em Girón e em Guadalajara de Buga foi de USD 0,99. Em geral, as estratégias predominantes em custos foram o controle químico de vetores adultos, com um 26% do total dos custos em Girón e um 47% em Guadalajara de Buga, essa foi intensiva em custos recorrentes, com um custo de pessoal de um 40% do total de custos para esta estratégia em Girón e um 66% de custos operacionais em Guadalajara de Buga.