The usefulness of self-generation to improve learning and memory in Spanish-speaking individuals with traumatic brain injury from Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of self-generation on learning and memory in Spanish-speaking individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHOD: Thirty Spanish-speaking individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI and 31 healthy controls were recruited to read 32 individual sentences and required to remember the last word in each sentence. Target words were presented both in a self-generated and provided condition for each participant. Recall and recognition of the words were examined immediately, after 30 minutes and after 1 week. RESULTS: Findings indicated that both healthy controls and individuals with TBI showed significantly better recall and recognition for words in the generated condition than words that had been provided to them at immediate, 30-minute and 1-week time intervals. CONCLUSION: The self-generation technique effectively improves learning and memory in Spanish-speaking individuals with TBI. Results should encourage researchers and clinicians to use the principles of cognitive psychology to adapt (as opposed to simply translate) cognitive rehabilitation protocols for use in Spanish-speaking populations with neurological conditions.

Neuropsicología del trauma craneoencefálico en Cali, Colombia / Traumatic brain injury neuropsychology in Cali, Colombia / Neuropsicologia do traumatismo cranioencefálico em Cali, na Colômbia

Objetivo: realizar un análisis comparativo entre un grupo control y pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico (TCE) para determinar si existen diferencias neuropsicológicas a los seis meses de evolución y así orientar programas de intervención acordes con las necesidades de esta población. Materiales y métodos: se evaluó un total de setenta y nueve pacientes con antecedente de TCE con mínimo de seis meses de evolución y setenta y nueve sujetos en grupo control, el cual presentó una escolaridad promedio de once años frente a nueve años del grupo de TCE; ambos grupos con una media de treinta y cuatro años de edad, sin antecedentes neurológicos y/o psiquiátricos. La media del Glasgow en el grupo de TCE se ubicó en un rango moderado con una puntuación de once. Se aplicó la evaluación neuropsicológica breve en español Neuropsi a los dos grupos. Resultados: los grupos muestran diferencias significativas (p ≤ 0,05) en las tareas de orientación, atención, memoria, lenguaje, lectura y escritura. Conclusiones: el TCE deja secuelas neuropsicológicas significativas, aun seis meses después de ocurrido el evento traumático. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los pacientes con TCE requieren de tratamiento después de superar la etapa inicial.

Objetive: comparative analysis between control group and patients with TBI to determine whether there neuropsychological differences at 6 months of evolution, to guide timely intervention commensurate with the needs of this population. Materials and methods: a total of 79 patients with a history of TBI with a minimum of 6 months of evolution and 79 control subjects were evaluated. Both groups with a mean age of 34 and without previous neurological or psychiatric disorders and an average schooling of 11 years for the control group and 9 years for the TBI group. The Glasgow Coma Scale in the TBI group was classified as moderate with 11 points. The Brief Neuropsychological Evaluation in Spanish Neuropsi was applied to both groups. Results: significant differences (p≤0.05) in the tasks of orientation, attention, memory, language, reading and writing were found. Conclusions: TBI generates significant neuropsychological changes, even six months after discharge from the health service. It suggests that patients with head injury require treatment after overcoming the initial stage.

Objetivo: realizar uma análise comparativa entre um grupo controle e pacientes com traumatismo cranioencefálico, TCE, para determinar se existem diferenças neuropsicológicas aos seis meses de evolução e assim orientar programas de intervenção conforme com as necessidades desta população. Materiais e métodos: avaliou-se um total de setenta e nove pacientes com antecedente de TCE com um mínimo de seis meses de evolução e setenta e nove pessoas em grupo controles, que apresentou uma escolaridade média de onze anos frente a nove anos do grupo de TCE; ambos os grupos com uma média de trinta e quatro anos de idade, sem antecedentes neurológicos ou psiquiátricos. A média de Glasgow no grupo de TCE localizou-se em uma distância moderada com uma pontuação de onze. Aplicou-se a avaliação neuropsicológica breve em espanhol Neuropsi aos dois grupos. Resultados: os grupos mostram diferenças significativas (p≤0,05) nas tarefas de orientação, atenção, memória, linguagem, leitura e escrita. Conclusões: o TCE deixa sequelas neuropsicológicas significativas, ainda seis meses depois de acontecido o evento traumático. Estas descobertas sugerem que os pacientes com TCE requerem de tratamento depois de superar a etapa inicial.

Family needs in caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury from Colombia, South America.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the most and least important family needs in a group of family caregivers of individuals with TBI from Cali, Colombia, and to examine which of those needs were more likely to be met and unmet. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING: Valle University Hospital in Cali, Colombia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine family caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury. OUTCOME MEASURE: The Family Needs Questionnaire, a 40-item questionnaire divided into six sub-scales. RESULTS: Health Information, Community Support Network and Professional Support Network sub-scales were the most important needs reported by this group of Colombian TBI family caregivers. The most frequently met needs in the present study fell within Health Information, Involvement with Care and Instrumental Support sub-scales and the most frequently unmet needs fell within the Emotional Support, Instrumental Support and Professional Support sub-scales. CONCLUSIONS: Family needs in caregivers of individuals with TBI from Colombia are similar, but more likely to be unmet, than those reported in previous studies. Interventions designed to meet family caregivers' needs in these areas should be implemented in Colombia.

"Trazando las sendas de nuestra autonomía territorial"

Los contenidos del presente documento reflejan las dificultades para reafirmar, recuperar y mantener nuestra identidad cultural y el grado en que ésta se mantiene en cada uno de los pueblos que formamos parte del TIM II; también en este documento analizamos cómo han cambiado o cómo se mantienen las relaciones sociales, económicas y organizativas; a nivel interno y externo de todos los comunarios indígenas de territorio.