Factors associated with the use of medicines and self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in 12 Latin American countries.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a rise in the global phenomenon of self-medication. The use of medicines with unsubstantiated claims of benefit for the prevention and/or treatment of infected people has been widely adopted. Objective: To determine the factors associated with the use of medicines and self-medication by Latin American populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted via an analysis of secondary data collected from 8777 responses from 12 Latin American countries obtained from a survey on the use of medicines and self-medication during the pandemic. Results: Respondents who reported using Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or antibiotics (ABx) disclosed this as self-medication in 26.9%, 16.6%, and 9.7% of cases respectively. In our multivariate analysis, significant associations were found between: self-medication by individual choice and the use of Hydroxychloroquine, ABx, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (p = 0.026, = 0.003, and <0.001 respectively); self-medication on the recommendation of a family member, with ABx, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs (p <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively); and self-medication on the recommendation of another person, with Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Penicillin, other ABx, Warfarin, Ivermectin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs (p <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, = 0.001, <0.001, <0.001, = 0.004, <0.001, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively). Conclusion: There was a significantly high prevalence of self-medication in our Latin American study population, including the use of medicines not recommended for COVID-19 treatment and/or prevention. The implementation of public health measures aimed at combating the worrying COVID-19 infodemic is essential to prevent this ongoing issue and its associated negative impacts on both current public health and future medication efficacy. This is especially important in the case of ABx due to the threat of a future antimicrobial resistance pandemic.

Translation and validation of the WHO-5 General well-being index into native language Quechua of the Peruvian South.

To translate and validate the WHO-5 General Well-being Index for the people of the Peruvian South, a cross-sectional instrumental study was carried out with the voluntary participation of 186 people of both sexes between the ages of 18 and 65 years (M = 29.67 years old; SD = 10.94) living in the south region of Peru. The validity evidence was assessed based on the content using Aiken's coefficient V according to the internal structure through a confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability was calculated through Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The expert judgment was favorable for all items (V > 0.70). The unidimensional structure of the scale was confirmed (χ2 = 10.86, df = 5, p = 0.05; RMR = 0.020; GFI = 0.980; CFI = 0.990; TLI = 0.980 y RMSEA = 0.080), and it presents a suitable reliability range (α = > 0.75). This shows that the WHO-5 General Well-being Index for the people of the Peruvian South is a valid and reliable scale.

Latin American perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with regard to COVID-19: frequency and association with severe mental pathologies.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the spread of abundant misinformation by the media, which caused fear and concern. Objective: To determine the association between the pathologies of the mental sphere and the perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with respect to COVID-19 in Latin America. Methodology: The present study has an analytical cross-sectional design that is based on a validated survey to measure fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media and other sources (Cronbach's α: 0.90). We surveyed more than 6,000 people, originally from 12 Latin American countries, who associated this perceived exaggeration with stress, depression, and anxiety (measured through DASS-21, Cronbach's α: 0.96). Results: Social networks (40%) or television (34%) were perceived as the sources that exaggerate the magnitude of the events. In addition, television (35%) and social networks (28%) were perceived as the sources that generate much fear. On the contrary, physicians and health personnel are the sources that exaggerated less (10%) or provoked less fear (14%). Through a multivariate model, we found a higher level of global perception that was associated with whether the participant was older (p = 0.002), had severe or more serious anxiety (p = 0.033), or had stress (p = 0,037). However, in comparison with Peru (the most affected country), there was a lower level of perception in Chile (p < 0.001), Paraguay (p = 0.001), Mexico (p < 0.001), Ecuador (p = 0.001), and Costa Rica (p = 0.042). All of them were adjusted for gender and for those having severe or major depression. Conclusion: There exists an association between some mental pathologies and the perception that the media does not provide moderate information.

Basic COVID-19 knowledge according to education level and country of residence: Analysis of twelve countries in Latin America.

Introduction: Knowing a disease is crucial for being able to fight it, especially in a region in which COVID-19 caused so many deaths, such as Latin America. Objective: To determine the association between basic knowledge of COVID-19 and education level according to country of residence in Latin America. Methodology: This is an analytical cross-sectional study. Basic level of knowledge was measured through nine close-ended questions (scale validated in Peru). The score obtained was analyzed through performing a crosstab vs. gender, age, education level, and country of residence. Results: Of a total of 9,222 respondents, almost all of them knew the common symptoms (99%), modes of transmission (93%), and knew how to recognize which was not a specific symptom (93%). Through the multivariate model, we found that there was no association with gender (p = 0.716) or age (p = 0.059), in comparison with those who had primary or a lower education level. All the other higher education levels had statistically significant scores (all p-values p < 0.001). When comparing knowledge according to countries, and using Peru as reference for comparison, Chile, Paraguay, Mexico, Bolivia, Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Colombia had a better level of knowledge (all p-values < 0.001); however, only El Salvador had a lower level (p < 0.001). Discussion: There was lack of knowledge of some topics, difference according to academic degree and country. As Peru was one of countries that obtained the lowest level of knowledge, it could have influenced the fact that it was the most affected country in the world.

Validity of a scale of Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic (MED-LAT-COVID-19).

Introduction: The pandemic has caused fear, especially due to the daily disseminated news; however, there is not an instrument to measure this fear in multiple realities. Objective: To validate a scale for Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic. Methodology: This is an instrumental study. The survey was based on an instrument which was pre-validated in Peru and submitted to 15 experts in almost 10 countries. Subsequently, thousands of people were surveyed in 13 Latin American countries, whose answers were used for descriptive statistics for validation. Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) generated two re-specifications, where four items were eliminated from the original scale. With these changes, the global goodness of fit (absolute and incremental) were satisfactory (CFI = 0.978; TLI = 0.964; GFI = 0.976; AGFI = 0.949; RMSEA = 0.075 and RMR = 0.029). The first factor measures the media exaggeration (three questions); the second, the fear transmitted by the media (three questions); and the third, the fear transmitted by others different from the media (two questions). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was higher than 0.70 for the scale and its factors. Conclusion: The MED-LAT-COVID-19 scale reported a good adjustment. It has eight items in three factors, which could be measured in an isolated way, or along with other tests that assess mental health in the current pandemic context.

Percepción de los universitarios sobre las repercusiones académicas originadas por la pandemia de COVID-19

Introducción: Durante la pandemia de la COVID-19, la educación superior ha enfrentado la transición a la educación no presencial, con importante repercusión tanto en el rendimiento académico como en otros aspectos de la vida de los estudiantes. Objetivo: Aportar validez a la escala ACAD-COVID-19 y evaluar la percepción de los universitarios limeños acerca de las repercusiones académicas originadas por la pandemia de la COVID-19. Métodos: El estudio fue de diseño descriptivo y transversal, durante el año 2021. Se obtuvo una muestra conformada por 608 estudiantes del primer año académico de diferentes carreras, de 5 universidades de Lima. Se aplicó la escala ACAD-COVID-19 de 8 ítems y alternativas en escala Likert. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y factoriales, utilizando SPSS versión 26.0. Resultados: Se evidenció que el instrumento es confiable. Se determinaron 3 factores, que pueden asociarse a las dimensiones académica, económica y el temor propio hacia enfermedad o muerte generada por la COVID-19. El 61,3 % de los estudiantes limeños manifiestan indiferencia respecto a la percepción sobre el impacto académico generado por el coronavirus, con un promedio general de los ítems de 3,21. La mayor media fue de la pregunta 5 (3,47). Conclusiones: Se aportó validez a la escala ACAD-COVID-19 con su aplicación a la población universitaria limeña en un período de cuarentena durante el 2021. Los estudiantes, en general, manifestaron indiferencia en su percepción sobre el impacto académico generado por el coronavirus, aunque dentro de las repercusiones percibidas, predomina el miedo a enfermar al volver a las clases presenciales.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education has faced the transition to distance learning, with important repercussions on academic performance as well as on other aspects of students' lives. Objective: To provide validity to the ACAD-COVID-19 scale and to evaluate the perception of university students in Lima about the academic repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study was of descriptive and cross-sectional design, during the year 2021. A sample of 608 students in their first academic year of different careers from 5 universities in Lima was obtained. The ACAD-COVID-19 scale of 8 items and Likert scale alternatives was applied. Descriptive and factorial analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: The instrument was found to be reliable. Three factors were determined, which can be associated with the academic, economic and fear of illness or death generated by the COVID-19. 61.3% of the students from Lima expressed indifference with respect to the perception of the academic impact generated by the coronavirus, with an overall average of 3.21 for the items. The highest mean was for question 5 (3.47). Conclusions: Validity was provided to the ACAD-COVID-19 scale with its application to the Lima university population in a quarantine period during 2021. Students, in general, expressed indifference in their perception of the academic impact generated by the coronavirus, although among the perceived repercussions, the fear of getting sick when returning to classes was predominant.

Análisis bibliométrico de la producción científica peruana sobre la formación de profesionales de la salud / Bibliometric analysis of Peruvian scientific production on the training of health professionals

La investigación y la publicación científica son aspectos importantes dentro de la formación profesional en salud, pues permitirán practicar eficientemente una medicina basada en evidencias. El objetivo del trabajo fue describir a través de indicadores bibliométricos la producción científica relacionada con la formación de profesionales de la salud en Perú durante el periodo 2014-2018. Estudio bibliométrico sobre la totalidad de la producción científica peruana que trata de la formación de profesionales de la salud en el período 2014-2018, recuperada de la base de datos de Google Académico. Se calcularon los indicadores cienciométricos de 155 artículos filtrados por el software Harzing's Publish or Perish v. 6. Las variables estudiadas fueron: total de artículos, citas, promedio de citas por año, por artículos, por autores y por autores por año, promedio de artículos por autor, promedio de autores por artículo, índices h, g, h contemporáneo (hc), h individual (hI), hI normalizado, AWCR, AW, AWCRpA, e, hm, hI anual, amplitud H, amplitud, cantidad de autores, índice de colaboración, artículos más citados y distribución anual de los artículos, así como su publicador. Se obtuvo un total de 905 citas con un promedio de 181.00; 5.84 y 457.37 citas por año, artículos y autores respectivamente. Las publicaciones poseen un índice h de 16 y un índice g de 19. Destaca la producción anual del año 2015, con 41 publicaciones. La mayor cantidad de autores trabajan en parejas (48 artículos). Se totalizaron 458 autores en los 155 artículos, generando un índice de colaboración de 2.95. La producción científica relacionada con la formación de profesionales de la salud en Perú fue escasa en los últimos 5 años. Los indicadores cienciométricos muestran una tendencia decreciente(AU)

Research and scientific publication are important aspects of professional training in health, as they will allow efficient practice of evidence-based medicine. The objective was to describe through bibliometric indicators the scientific production related to the training of health professionals in Peru during the period 2014-2018 . Bibliometric study of the entire Peruvian scientific production that deals with the training of health professionals in the period 2014-2018, retrieved from the Google academic database. We calculated the scientometric indicators of 155 articles filtered by the Harzing's Publish or Perish v.6 software. The variables studied were: total number of articles, citations, average citations per year for articles, authors and authors per year, average articles per author, average number of authors per article, the h, g indexes contemporary h (hc), individual h (hI), standard hI, AWCR, AW, AWCRpA, e, hm, annual hI, amplitude H, amplitude, number of authors, index of collaboration, most-cited articles and annual distribution of articles, as well as their publishers. A total of 905 citations were obtained with an average of 181.00; 5.84 and 457.37 citations per year, articles and authors respectively. The publications have an H-index of 16 and a G-index of 19. The annual production of 2015, with 41 publications, stood out, the largest number of authors work in pairs (48 articles). A total of 458 authors were published in the 155 articles, generating a 2.95 collaboration rate. Scientific production related to the training of health professionals in Peru was scarce in the last 5 years. Scientometric indicators show a decreasing trend(AU)