Assessing HIV knowledge in Mexican people living with HIV: development and validation of CC-VIH questionnaire.

The level of knowledge that people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have about their disease can impact their adherence to treatment. The aim of this study was to develop a tool to assess the knowledge about HIV among people receiving treatment at a specialized clinic in Mexico City. To establish content validity, expert judges were invited to conceptualize the tool and propose items for the defined dimensions. A total of 490 individuals living with HIV completed the 91-item questionnaire, with 82.2% being male and a mean age of 36.1 years. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis, resulting in a reduced questionnaire of 45 questions. A three-factor solution explained 36.2% of the variance in HIV knowledge. The total scale had a reliability coefficient of 0.937, and each subscale had reliabilities of 0.828, 0.856 and 0.859. Lower educational level (F(336) = 8.488, p < 0.001) and female gender (t(399) = 2.003, p = 0.046) were associated with lower scores on the HIV knowledge questionnaire. This tool appears suitable for measuring HIV knowledge in people living with HIV, although future studies are required to confirm its structure and reduce its extension.

Design, validation and testing of short text messages for an HIV mobile-health intervention to improve antiretroviral treatment adherence in Mexico.

Mobile Health (mHealth) interventions have become effective strategies to increase adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH). mHealth interventions use phone calls, e-mails, smartphone apps or short text messages (SMS) as reminders of medical appointments or ART adherence. SMS are a highly accepted mHealth strategy. Systematized processes to validate SMS tailored to end-user preferences are required to increase the effectiveness of mHealth interventions. We describe a structured approach to develop a set of SMS tailored to Mexican HIV+ individuals, focused on improving ART adherence and healthcare appointments. The process included three sequential phases: SMS design by HIV-healthcare professionals, validation by expert referees, and testing by PLWH. A set of 108 SMS in four categories (motivational self-healthcare messages, ART-collection, medical and laboratory-appointment reminders) was designed. Expert referees assessed 94.5% of messages as adequate, 65.7% as useful. Seventy-one SMS were further tested by PLWH, who considered 100% of SMS to be understandable and 57.7% useful. SMS had adequate intra-judge agreement scores for clarity and acceptability (ICC-2 = .08-.49). Qualitative feedback from expert referees and PLWH was incorporated into SMS. A final set of 41 highest-rated SMS was obtained. Careful validation of SMS could increase the effectiveness of mHealth interventions.

Coping and emotional discomfort in primary caregivers of cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the psychometric properties of the Carer's Assessment of Managing Index. To compare coping styles in caregivers of patients with terminal cancer (CPTC) and caregivers of patients on oncologic treatment (CPOT). To revise the association between coping styles, socio-demographic variables, and emotional discomfort in caregivers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted, in which 133 caregivers, 59 CPOT and 74 CPTC, were interviewed. Emotional discomfort (depression, anxiety, caregiver's burden) and coping styles were measured. RESULTS: The instrument was defined by three factors (alternate perception of events, active coping, and emotional regulation), with an internal consistency of α = 0.78. The alternate perception of events was the only coping style with statistically significant difference between CPOT and CPTC, and CPOT score higher in this regard. Different coping styles allow for more accurate prediction of emotional discomfort in CPTC, which showed more symptoms of anxiety, depression, caregiver's burden and physical illness. The study found a high occurrence of behaviors such as crying, screaming, smoking, anxiety eating and alcohol consumption in both CPOT and CPTC, all of which related to intense emotional discomfort. Active coping scores were higher when the caregivers had social support and a higher level of education (bachelor's degree or postgraduate studies). Active coping scores went down when different aspects of the caregiver's life were affected, when physical or psychological symptoms were present, and when the caregivers had more time in their role.

SCL-90 R: Distrés psicológico, género y conductas de riesgo / SCL-90 R: Psychological Distress, Gender and Risky Behaviors

Con base en una muestra probabilística de 466 estudiantes universitarios mexicanos, se explora la relación entre distrés psicológico y conductas de riesgo (consumo de sustancias, conductas sexuales, y ambas), en hombres y mujeres. Los resultados indican que el distrés psicológico presenta diferencias con mayor frecuencia en el caso de las mujeres que presentan consumo de drogas, tabaco y alcohol, o conductas que mezclan sexo y alcohol, y sexo y consumo de drogas, que en el caso de los hombres. Los hombres con actividad sexual ocasional presentan mayor distrés que aquellos que no presentan esta conducta. Como punto de partida, se explora la estructura factorial del SCL-90-R, coincidiendo en los resultados con los obtenidos por investigadores de otras latitudes; al parecer, el análisis factorial no soporta la estructura propuesta por los autores del instrumento.

Based on a probability sample of 466 Mexican college students, we want to find out if there is a relationship between psychological distress and risky behavior (drug-consuming, sexual behavior or both) between men and women. Results show that psychological distress presents more differences with women who consume drugs, tobacco and alcohol and who present behaviors which combine sex and alcohol more than men. Men with occasional sexual activity preset more distress than those who don't show this behavior. To begin, we explore the factorial structure of SCL-90-R observing the same results of those obtained by other researchers. It seems that the factor analysis doesn't support the structure proposed by the authors of the instrument.