Improving police conceptual knowledge of Mexico's law on cannabis possession: Findings from an assessment of a police education program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Policing practices do not reflect recent decriminalization of drug possession in Mexico. We assessed knowledge of cannabis law as part of a police education program (PEP) post-drug law reform in Tijuana. METHODS: Officers took pre-/post-PEP surveys; random subsample (n = 759) received follow-up assessments. Longitudinal logistic regression (pre-, post-, 3-months post-PEP) measured knowledge of cannabis law. RESULTS: PEP increased conceptual knowledge of cannabis law from baseline to post-training (AOR = 56.1, CI: 41.0-76.8) and 3 months post-PEP (AOR = 11.3, CI: 9.0-14.2). CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: PEPs improve police knowledge of cannabis law. Reforms should be bundled with PEPs to improve policy implementation. (Am J Addict 2018;XX:XX-XX).

Prevalence and correlates of needle-stick injuries among active duty police officers in Tijuana, Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: Police officers are at an elevated risk for needle-stick injuries (NSI), which pose a serious and costly occupational health risk for HIV and viral hepatitis. However, research on NSIs among police officers is limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the legality of syringe possession in Mexico, half of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Tijuana report extrajudicial syringe-related arrests and confiscation by police, which has been associated with needle-sharing and HIV infection. We assessed the prevalence and correlates of NSIs among Tijuana police officers to inform efforts to improve occupational safety and simultaneously reduce HIV risks among police and PWID. METHODS: Tijuana's Department of Municipal Public Safety (SSPM) is among Mexico's largest. Our binational, multi-sectoral team analyzed de-identified data from SSPM's 2014 anonymous self-administered occupational health survey. The prevalence of NSI and syringe disposal practices was determined. Logistic regression with robust variance estimation via generalized estimating equations identified factors associated with ever having an occupational NSI. RESULTS: Approximately one-quarter of the Tijuana police force was given the occupational health survey (N=503). Respondents were predominantly male (86.5%) and ≤35 years old (42.6%). Nearly one in six officers reported ever having a NSI while working at SSPM (15.3%), of whom 14.3% reported a NSI within the past year. Most participants reported encountering needles/syringes while on duty (n=473, 94%); factors independently associated with elevated odds of NSIs included frequently finding syringes that contain drugs (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.56-5.67) and breaking used needles (AOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.29-3.91), while protective factors included being willing to contact emergency services in case of NSIs (AOR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22-0.69), and wearing needle-stick resistant gloves (AOR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.19-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Tijuana police face an elevated and unaddressed occupational NSI burden associated with unsafe syringe-handling practices, exposing them to substantial risk of HIV and other blood-borne infections. These findings spurred the development and tailoring of training to reduce NSI by modifying officer knowledge, attitudes and enforcement practices (e.g. syringe confiscation) - factors that also impact HIV transmission among PWID and other members of the community.

Quantification of physical activity using the QAPACE Questionnaire: a two stage cluster sample design survey of children and adolescents attending urban school.

BACKGROUND: Quantification of physical activity as energy expenditure is important since youth for the prevention of chronic non communicable diseases in adulthood. It is necessary to quantify physical activity expressed in daily energy expenditure (DEE) in school children and adolescents between 8-16 years, by age, gender and socioeconomic level (SEL) in Bogotá. METHODS: This is a Two Stage Cluster Survey Sample. From a universe of 4700 schools and 760000 students from three existing socioeconomic levels in Bogotá (low, medium and high). The random sample was 20 schools and 1840 students (904 boys and 936 girls). Foreshadowing desertion of participants and inconsistency in the questionnaire responses, the sample size was increased. Thus, 6 individuals of each gender for each of the nine age groups were selected, resulting in a total sample of 2160 individuals. Selected students filled the QAPACE questionnaire under supervision. The data was analyzed comparing means with multivariate general linear model. Fixed factors used were: gender (boys and girls), age (8 to 16 years old) and tri-strata SEL (low, medium and high); as independent variables were assessed: height, weight, leisure time, expressed in hours/day and dependent variable: daily energy expenditure DEE (kJ.kg-1.day-1): during leisure time (DEE-LT), during school time (DEE-ST), during vacation time (DEE-VT), and total mean DEE per year (DEEm-TY) RESULTS: Differences in DEE by gender, in boys, LT and all DEE, with the SEL all variables were significant; but age-SEL was only significant in DEE-VT. In girls, with the SEL all variables were significant. The post hoc multiple comparisons tests were significant with age using Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test in all variables. For both genders and for all SELs the values in girls had the higher value except SEL high (5-6) The boys have higher values in DEE-LT, DEE-ST, DEE-VT; except in DEEm-TY in SEL (5-6) In SEL (5-6) all DEEs for both genders are highest. For SEL (3-4) all DEEs are lowest. CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents in Bogotá have less DEE than at other latitudes. Girls have more free time but lower energy expenditure in their different activities. The socioeconomic level has influence in DEE.

Conductas de salud y factores de riesgo en la salud sexual y reproductiva de una población universitaria / Health behaviors and risk factors in sexual and reproductive health of a university population

Este estudio, iniciado en el año 2008, tuvo como objetivo describir los factores de riesgo y las conductas de la salud sexual y reproductiva de una población universitaria. Se realizó un estudio observacional de corte transversal, con una muestra conformada por 491 estudiantes de una universidad de Bogotá. Los resultados muestran que el género predominante fue el femenino (63,1%,), con una edad promedio de 20,4±2,6 años; el 80% inició su actividad sexual y la edad entre los 15 y los 18 años. El método anticonceptivo más usado es el preservativo y el 37,9% tiene conocimientos escasos sobre anticoncepción. La prevalencia de infecciones de transmisión sexual es baja, pero sólo la mitad han recibido tratamiento. El 10% de la población se ha realizado la prueba para el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana. El 10% de la población ha presentado embarazos, de los cuales el 75,3% no han sido planeados y el 47,4% han terminado en aborto, de los cuales el 80% han sido inducidos. Hay cifras altas de antecedentes familiares de cáncer. El 84% de los hombres no se realizan el auto examen de testículo. En las mujeres, el 56% se realiza auto examen de seno. La prevalencia de citologías es baja (38%), no todas han reclamado el resultado y aquellas que presentaron anormalidades (78%) no recibieron tratamiento. El 86,9% de los estudiantes desean que la universidad desarrolle el programa de salud sexual y reproductiva; el medio preferido es la consulta personalizada y la pagina web con asesoría en línea. El análisis de los resultados permite anotar que los jóvenes requieren programas de promoción de la salud que conlleven a que éstos asuman su sexualidad con autonomía, responsabilidad e información adecuada, en el marco de sus derechos sexuales y reproductivos.