[Dietary diversity, anthropometric status and biochemical profile of centenarians of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and their offspring]. / Diversidad dietética, estado antropométrico y perfil bioquímico de centenarios de la Península de Nicoya, Costa Rica, y su descendencia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Social relationships, physical activity and diet have been proposed as responsible for longevity; however, many of these conditions have changed in modern societies. The objective of this study was to identify if the anthropometric status, biochemical profile and diet of Nicoyan centenarians is different from that of their decency and if the quality and diversity of the diet of these Costa Ricans differs from that of adults from urban areas of the same country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anthropometric, biochemical and dietary assessments were carried out on 120 adults residing in the Nicoya Peninsula, including centenarians, their children and grandchildren. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: There is a significantly lower percentage of excess weight, central adiposity and blood lipids in Nicoyan centenarians compared to their children and grandchildren. The consumption of «Dairy¼ and «Other fruits¼ is higher in centenarians than in their descendants. Centenarians showed a higher dietary diversity index (DDI) compared to other age categories, and they also showed a higher DDI and a significantly more diverse diet than the urban population of Costa Rica. CONCLUSION: Nicoyan centenarians presented a better lipid and glycemic profile than their offspring, they have lower weight and a better quality and diversity of diet than their relatives and than adults from the urban area of Costa Rica.

The process for recognizing of foreign medical degrees in Costa Rica: a statistical survey for the past 15 years.

This article presents the most important developments in the recognition process of foreign medical degrees in Costa Rica over the past fifteen years. Most applicants received their medical degrees in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Mexico. By far the most numerous group completed their studies in Cuba, followed by graduates from Venezuelan and Nicaraguan universities, the number of which has increased in the last five years. The pass rate of the written examination used in the recognition process is 23.9% with relatively large fluctuations between graduates of the individual countries, especially between the countries with the lowest numbers of graduates. The main goal of the recognition process is to ensure that graduates from different study conditions and curricula as well as from diverging areas of specialization of the faculties abroad have competencies and knowledge comparable to those of medical graduates in Costa Rica. The focus is on the safety of the patient, as is the case with state exams in many countries.

Intoxicaciones agudas con pesticidas para fines suicidas en Costa Rica durante la década de 2010-2020 / SuicideSuicide attempts due to pesticide poisoning in Costa Rica during the 2010-2020 decade

Resumen Introducción: La intoxicación con plaguicidas es de los métodos más utilizados por los suicidas, especialmente en países agrícolas de ingreso medio-bajo. El objetivo de la investigación fue describir y analizar la situación epidemiológica de la intoxicación aguda por plaguicidas con fines suicidas en Costa Rica durante los años 2010-2020. Materiales y métodos: Se recopilaron datos del Centro Nacional para el Control de Intoxicaciones (CNCI) de las intoxicaciones agudas con plaguicidas para fines suicidas durante el 2010-octubre 2020 y datos del Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) de las defunciones por suicidios con plaguicidas durante los años 2010-2019. Los datos se analizaron por sexo, edad, provincia, agente tóxico, ruta de absorción, severidad del cuadro clínico y mortalidad. Resultados: De las 3240 intoxicaciones agudas totales con plaguicidas para fines suicidas durante los años 2010-octubre 2020, el 64.7% eran hombres y 35.3% mujeres; 31.9% de las intoxicaciones ocurrieron en personas en edades entre los 20-29 años y 21% entre 30-39 años; 23.4% de los incidentes ocurrieron en la provincia de Alajuela y 19.7% en San José; el 75% de los plaguicidas utilizados eran de uso agrícola; en el 17.2% de las intoxicaciones utilizaron Glifosato y 15.9% Paraquat; en 98.3% de los casos la ruta de absorción fue por ingestión; 65.3% de los casos fueron reportados con sintomatología leve según el CNCI. Durante el 2010-2019, 432 personas murieron por suicidio utilizando plaguicidas, lo que significa una mortalidad anual promedio de 13.3% de las intoxicaciones agudas con plaguicidas para fines suicidas Conclusiones: La epidemiología de los intentos suicidas utilizando pesticidas en CR es muy similar a los patrones internacionales predominando hombres jóvenes en zonas agrícolas y que tienen acceso a los pesticidas. Es necesario fortalecer medidas e implementar políticas para la regulación, almacenaje y manejo adecuado de los plaguicidas.

Abstract Introduction: Pesticides self-poisoning is one of the most popular suicide methods especially in lower middle class income agricultural countries. The objective of this research is to describe and analyze the epidemiological situation of suicide attempts due to pesticide poisoning in Costa Rica during the last decade. Materials and methods: Data of pesticides self-poisoning goes all the way from 2010 until October 2020. That information was collected from the National Center for Poisoning Control (CNCI, stands for the initials in spanish) database and National Institute for Statistics and Census (INEC in spanish) data of pesticides self-poisoning deaths from 2010-2019. All data was analyzed by sex, age, province, toxic agent, route of absorption, clinical severity and mortality. Results: There were 3240 total cases of suicide attempts due to pesticides during 2010-october 2020; 64.7% of this poisoning were in men and 35.3% in women, 31.9% of the poisoning persons were in age with a range between 20-29 years and 21% between 30-39 years old; 23.4% of cases were reported in Alajuela and 19.7% in San José; 75% of the cases used agricultural pesticide; 17.2% of the poisonings occurred due to Glifosato and 15.9% due to Paraquat; ingestion was the route of absorption in 98.3% of the cases; and 65.3% reported mild clinical severity. During 2010-2019, 432 people died due to suicide using pesticides as a weapon, which means an average mortality of 13.3% of all the suicide attempts with pesticides in this period. Conclusions: Costa Rica´s epidemiology of suicide attempts using pesticides is very similar to international epidemiology, where most of the cases are young men that have access to pesticides and lived-in agricultural areas. It´s necessary to implement policies for the regulations, storage and proper management of pesticides in order to prevent suicide.