Mental health in adolescents displaced by the armed conflict: findings from the Colombian national mental health survey.

BACKGROUND: Colombia has one of the largest populations of internally displaced individuals by an armed conflict. However, there is no data demonstrating its effect on health, particularly in adolescents. PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence and associations of mental illness in the adolescent population displaced by violence in Colombia. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2015 National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), which provides data of mental health issues (SRQ), mental health disorders (CIDI-CAPI) and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 1754 adolescents interviewed 5.3% (95% CI 4.1 to 6.9) mentioned a change in residence due to violence. Among them 38.5% lived in poverty compared to 23.6% of those non-displaced by the conflict. Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempt were present in 19.8% and 9.1% of displaced adolescents respectively, compared to 5.8% and 2.1% of non-displaced adolescents. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and any mental health disorder (measured with the CIDI-CAPI) was higher in the displaced population 12.3%, 11% respectively, in contrast to 2.1% and 7% of those non-displaced. Finally, anxiety and depressive disorders were more common among displaced adolescents. CONCLUSION: A higher prevalence of mental health conditions and disorders is observed among displaced adolescents.

[A Cross-sectional Study of School dropout in adolescents: National Mental Health Survey Colombia 2015]. / Deserción escolar de adolescentes a partir de un estudio de corte transversal: Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental Colombia 2015.

INTRODUCTION: School dropout in adolescents can have negative consequences, not only for the individual and the family, but also for the society. To identify the characteristics associated with the occurrence of this event might contribute to the planning of a prevention strategy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between the individual and home characteristics and school dropout in adolescents from 12 to 17 years old in Colombia. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted from information taken from the results obtained in the 2015 National Mental Health Survey. A study was made of the relationship between the individual and home characteristics and school dropout in adolescents from 12 to 17 years old RESULTS: A higher percentage of school dropouts was found in the older adolescents, females, and those who have children. Among the home characteristics, it was observed that those homes with more than two people, located in rural area, or that are classified as poor, have an increased percentage of school dropout adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies for which the main goal is to prevent school dropout should consider populations with higher prevalence of out-of-school adolescents (female, homes in rural area, or household poverty). Preventive actions of adolescent pregnancy might contribute to reduce the school dropout rate.

Deserción escolar de adolescentes a partir de un estudio de corte transversal: Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental Colombia 2015 / A Cross-sectional Study of School dropout in adolescents: National Mental Health Survey Colombia 2015

Resumen Introducción: La deserción escolar de los adolescentes puede tener consecuencias negativas no solo para el individuo y su núcleo familiar, sino también para la sociedad. Identificar características relacionadas con la ocurrencia de este evento puede contribuir a la planeación de estrategias de prevención. Objetivos: Evaluar la relación entre características individuales y del hogar y la deserción escolar de adolescentes de 12-17 años en Colombia. Métodos: Este es un estudio transversal, la información se extrajo de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud Mental de 2015, y se estudió la relación entre características individuales y del hogar y la deserción escolar de adolescentes de 12-17 años. Resultados: Se observó un mayor porcentaje de adolecentes no escolarizados en los grupos de más edad, de sexo femenino o que han tenido hijos. Entre las características del hogar se identificó que los hogares con 2 personas, de zona rural o en estado de pobreza presentan un mayor porcentaje de adolescentes no escolarizados. Conclusiones: Las estrategias cuyo objetivo sea prevenir la deserción escolar deben considerar a las poblaciones con mayores porcentajes de adolescentes no escolarizados (mujeres, hogares de zona rural y hogares en estado de pobreza). Acciones de prevención del embarazo adolescente pueden contribuir a evitar la deserción.

Abstract Introduction: School dropout in adolescents can have negative consequences, not only for the individual and the family, but also for the society. To identify the characteristics associated with the occurrence of this event might contribute to the planning of a prevention strategy. Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between the individual and home characteristics and school dropout in adolescents from 12 to 17 years old in Colombia. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from information taken from the results obtained in the 2015 National Mental Health Survey. A study was made of the relationship between the individual and home characteristics and school dropout in adolescents from 12 to 17 years old. Results: A higher percentage of school dropoutswas found in the older adolescents, females, and those who have children. Among the home characteristics, it was observed that those homes with more than two people, located in rural area, or that are classified as poor, have an increased percentage of school dropout adolescents. Conclusions: Strategies for which the main goal is to prevent school dropout should consider populations with higher prevalence of out-of-school adolescents (female, homes in rural area, or household poverty). Preventive actions of adolescent pregnancy might contribute to reduce the school dropout rate.

Percepción de competencia para orientar estudiantes escolares con discapacidad y problemas emocionales / The competence perception to orient school students with disabilities and emotional problems

Antecedentes. Los orientadores escolares tienen como labor ayudar al manejo e inclusión de escolares con discapacidad, sin embargo no se conoce la percepción que ellos tienen de sus competencias para realizar dicha tarea. Objetivo. Evaluar la percepción de los orientadores escolares acerca de su competencia para orientar a escolares con diferentes tipos de discapacidad. Materiales y métodos. Estudio de tipo observacional descriptivo de corte transversal realizado sobre una población de 235 orientadores de Cundinamarca y Boyacá, que representan toda la población de orientadores, a los que se les aplicó un cuestionario con cinco afirmaciones tipo Likert acerca de su capacidad para atender escolares con discapacidad física, sensorial, mental y cognitiva y problemas emocionales. Resultados. Se describen las características de los orientadores teniendo en cuenta género, edad y profesión, así como el número de escolares con discapacidad que estudian en las instituciones. El 41% describe no estar preparado para orientar niños y niñas con discapacidad física, el 37.7% para orientar niños con discapacidad sensorial, el 65.3% para orientar escolares con discapacidad mental, el 67.7% para orientar estudiantes con discapacidad cognitiva y solamente el 9.9% no se siente preparado para manejar problemas emocionales. Conclusiones. Los orientadores escolares perciben tener escasa preparación para orientar estudiantes con diferente tipo de discapacidad, lo cual podría limitar la adecuada inclusión escolar.

Background. Within their work school counselors have to deal with the educative inclusion of students with disabilities, nevertheless, their perception of their competences is unknown in order to perform this task. Objective. To evaluate the perception of school counselors regarding their competence to guide students with different types of disabilities. Materials and Methods. This is an observational descriptive study with a transversal type, applied in a population of 235 counselors from Cundinamarca and Boyacá, representing the total counselors population. They were asked a questionnaire presenting five Likert methodology statements, regarding their own capacity to interact with students with physical, sensorial, mental and cognitive disabilities, and emotional problems. Results. Counselors' characteristics are described taking into account criteria like gender, age, career and the number of students with disabilities that are studying in the institutions they work for. 41 % of the counselors state they are not prepared to orientate children and adolescents with physical disabilities, whereas 37.7 % state they are no prepared to orientate children with sensorial disabilities, 65.3% to orientate students with any mental disability, and 67.7% affirm they are not prepared to orientate students with any cognitive disability and just 9.9 % have difficulties to deal with emotional problems. Conclusions. School counselors realized having a low preparation to orientate students with different disabilities, which could restrain an adequate educational inclusion.

[The knowledge acquired during and adherence to a postgraduate course concerned with mental health aimed at school counselors]. / Conocimiento adquirido y adherencia en un diplomado sobre la salud mental para docentes orientadores.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the academic performance in, and adherence to, a postgraduate course focused on promotion, prevention, identification, and early intervention with regard to the different mental problems and pathologies affecting children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a before-and-after intervention study involving a postgraduate course. The population of school counselors from the Colombian regions of Boyacá and Cundinamarca were invited to participate in a postgraduate course that addressed mental health. Their knowledge was evaluated before and after having received it. RESULTS: The school counselors performed well on the academic test, with 48.5 % of the population obtaining a score of 4.0/5.0 before the intervention. After the course, 61.2 % achieved the same score. It was thus considered that the course functioned as a tool for improving knowledge about promotion, prevention, recognition, and early intervention with regard to mental health in educational institutions. There was a 90.6 % adherence to the 120-hour-long postgraduate course. CONCLUSION: The postgraduate course seemed to have a positive impact in terms of the knowledge acquired about mental health, and there was good adherence to the course.

The performance of students with and without disability on the 11th grade university admission test / Rendimiento en la prueba de admisión a la universidad (Saber 11) de personas en y sin condición de discapacidad

Objective Comparing standardized university admission scores between students with and without disability within the same school and also comparing the performance of students with hearing, visual and physical disability. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study which compared the test results of students with and without disabilities within the same school. A matched case-control study nested in a cohort was assembled. Standardized differences were calculated for comparing such scores. Results Students without disabilities performed significantly better than disabled ones(i.e. disabled students scored lower than their classmates). Conclusion Further research is needed to determine whether the Colombian educational system, adjustments made to tests for this population or students' individual skills were the factors underlying the difference regarding the test results.

Objetivo Comparar los resultados en la prueba Saber 11 (prueba estandarizada para la admisión en la mayoría de universidades de Colombia) entre los estudiantes con y sin discapacidad dentro de la misma institución educativa. Asimismo, comparar el rendimiento de los alumnos con problemas de audición, discapacidad visual y física. Métodos Se realizó un estudio de cohorte retrospectiva en la que se dividió a los estudiantes según su condición de discapacidad. Se anidó un caso-cohorte emparejando cada caso de discapacidad con su grupo de compañeros de colegio. Se calcularon las diferencias estandarizadas para comparar los grupos. Resultados Los estudiantes sin discapacidades se desempeñaron significativamente mejor que los estudiantes con discapacidad, es decir, los estudiantes con discapacidades obtuvieron puntajes más bajos que sus compañeros de clase. Conclusión Se necesita más investigación para investigar si el sistema educativo colombiano, los ajustes en las pruebas para esta población o las capacidades individuales de los alumnos son los factores subyacentes de la diferencia en los resultados de las pruebas.

The performance of students with and without disability on the 11th grade university admission test.

OBJECTIVE: Comparing standardized university admission scores between students with and without disability within the same school and also comparing the performance of students with hearing, visual and physical disability. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study which compared the test results of students with and without disabilities within the same school. A matched case-control study nested in a cohort was assembled. Standardized differences were calculated for comparing such scores. RESULTS: Students without disabilities performed significantly better than disabled ones(i.e. disabled students scored lower than their classmates). CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to determine whether the Colombian educational system, adjustments made to tests for this population or students' individual skills were the factors underlying the difference regarding the test results.

Inclusión educativa de personas con discapacidad / Inclusive Education of Persons with Disabilities

Introducción: La Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos, la Declaración Mundial sobre Educación y el Decreto 366 del 9 de febrero de 2009, entre otras, reglamenta la organización del servicio de apoyo pedagógico para la atención de los estudiantes con discapacidad y con apacidades o talentos excepcionales en el marco de la educación inclusiva. Esto implica planeación y reparación por parte de las entidades educativas que servirán a este propósito. Objetivos: Describir la apertura y la preparación de los docentes para brindar una atención adecuada a personas con discapacidad en tres establecimientos educativos de Bogotá de acuerdo con la normatividad existente. Materiales y método: Estudio tipo encuesta de corte transversal en docentes de tres colegios públicos de la localidad de Usaquén, en Bogotá. Se elabora un instrumento autodiligenciado con preguntas tipo Likert y se aplica de forma oluntaria, confidencial y anónima a docentes de cada uno de los colegios. Los instrumentos fueron ingresados a una base de datos y se realizaron análisis con frecuencias simples, porcentajes y puntajes obtenidos en el cuestionario. Resultados: Se describen la heterogeneidad de la discapacidad y la dificultad para incluir a las personas en condición de discapacidad de manera homogénea dentro de las legislaciones. Se encuestaron 343 docentes (93,4%) de los 367 previstos, con un promedio de edad de 48,7 años; de los cuales 292 (81,1%) son mujeres. Un 28,9% (97) de los docentes refieren sentirse preparados para educar estudiantes con discapacidad física; un 19,9% (67), para educar estudiantes con discapacidad sensorial; un 19,3% (65), para educar estudiantes con discapacidad mental (cognitiva) y un 45,8% (154), para educar estudiantes con problemas emocionales. Conclusión: El tópico de la discapacidad es heterogéneo y esto se representa en la apreciación diferencial de los docentes respecto a su preparación para atender diferentes problemáticas. Hay pocos...

Introduction: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the World Declaration on Education, and the Decree 366 dated February 9, 2009, mong others, regulate the organization and proper functioning of the educational support service provided to students with disabilities and with exceptional capacities within the framework of inclusive education. This requires an effort in planning and preparation on the part of the educational entities that will provide this service. Objectives: Describe the commencement and training of teachers in order to offer adequate attention and care for people with disabilities in three educational establishments located in Bogotá. Materials and Method: A crosssectional survey was conducted among the teachers of three public schools, in the locality of Usaquén (Bogotá). An anonymous, voluntary, and confidential survey was conducted among the teachers of the three public schools, based on a self-elaborated questionnaire including Likert-type questions. The results were entered in a database and analyzed based on simple frequencies, percentages and scores obtained in the questionnaire. Results: The heterogenic aspect of disabilities and the difficulty of including disabilities as homogenous matter in the local legislation are described. In total 343 teachers participated in the survey, 93.4% of the 367 teachers forming the combined faculty of the three public schools. The average age of the interviewees was around 48 years, and 81% (292) were female. 28% (97) of the interviewed teachers claimed to be trained and prepared to educate students with sensorial disabilities; 19.3% (65) felt qualified to teach students with mental disabilities (cognitive), and lastly, 45.8% (154) considered themselves to be apt to educate and handle students with emotional issues. Conclusion: The topic of disabilities is heterogeneous; this heterogenic aspect is represented or proven by the fact that teachers have a differential appreciation regar...

Modelo de Grupo de Trabajo en Resolución de Conflictos (GTRC) en instituciones escolares / Model of Group work in resolution of conflicts (GTCR ) at schools.

Introducción: Se plantea un modelo llamado Grupo de Trabajo en Resolución de Conflictos (GTRC), para ser aplicado en colegios, con el fin de constituirse en una respuesta a las dificultades a las que habitualmente se enfrenta el docente alrededor de problemas psicosociales en el ámbito escolar y, a la vez, mejorar la salud mental de la comunidad escolar (alumnos, padres y docentes). Objetivo: Describir el modelo GTRC después de dos años de trabajo. Resultados: Se describen las partes básicas del modelo, como lo son la mediación escolar, los Grupos Conversatorios de la Comunidad Escolar (GCCE), la investigación, la capacitación a padres, alumnos, profesores y el Club Escolar (acompañamiento de alumnos y familias con necesidades en salud mental). Conclusión: El modelo, con un amplio componente investigativo, parece tener buenas perspectivas en materia de resolución de problemas y promoción de la salud mental en la comunidad escolar .

Introduction: The model called GTRC (Group Work in Resolution of Conflicts) has been planned and designed to be applied at schools, this model pretends to be as a response to the difficulties that teachers usually handle in the school environment like psychosocial problems and at the same time seeks to improve the mental health in the community (students, parents and teachers). Objective: To describe the GTRC model after 2 years of work. Results: To describe the basic parts of the model as: school mediation, conversation groups of the school community (GCCE), research, training for parents, students and teachers; and Scholar club- (joined to parents and relatives with mental health needs). Conclusions: This model, with a wide research component, seems to have good prospects about trouble solutions and promoting mental health in the scholar community.