Dimensiones culturales sobre el Dengue en profesionales de la salud de México y Colombia / Cultural dimensions concerning healthcare workers in México and Colombia having dengue

Objetivo Comprender las dimensiones culturales del dengue en profesionales de la salud de México y Colombia. A fin de generar elementos para la formación y actualización de los éstos en la prevención y atención de dicha enfermedad. Método Estudio antropológico cognitivo. Realizado en las ciudades de Morelia, México y Santiago de Cali, Colombia. Participaron un total de 197 profesionales de salud seleccionados por muestreo propositivo. Se utilizaron las técnicas de listados libres y el sorteo de montones. Se indagaron términos asociados al concepto dengue y grupos de dimensiones conceptuales. Resultados Las concepciones culturales del dengue en los participantes de México hicieron énfasis en la prevención. Los de Colombia mostraron un lenguaje biomédico y su interés se centró en la sintomatología. En general se mostró una visión integral del dengue que incluye la visión médica y aspectos sociales interrelacionados. Conclusiones Los profesionales de la salud requieren de mayor formación en torno al tema del dengue y su prevención.

Objective Understanding cultural dimensions concerning Mexican and Colombian healthcare workers suffering from dengue to produce information and elements for healthcare and prevention. Method This was a cognitive anthropological study. Purposive sampling was used to select 197 healthcare workers in Morelia, Mexico, and Santiago de Cali, Colombia; free associations lists and pile sorting were used. Terms associated with the concept of dengue and conceptual dimension groups were investigated. Results Participants cultural conceptions regarding dengue in Mexico emphasised prevention, whilst those in Colombia concentrated on biomedical language and symptoms. Overall, a holistic vision was shown which included a medical vision and related social aspects. Conclusions Health professionals require more information about dengue and its prevention.

The Role of Epidemiology against Emerging and Reemerging Diseases / 한국역학회지

PURPOSE: Due to remarkable developments in technology and great efforts made by Health Organizations, most of infectious diseases had been under control. However, ecological changes and biological variations resulted in emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, which threaten the global health and may have the possibility of being abused as biological weapon. Therefore it is indispensable to understand the latest information and knowledge in order to cope with the emergency situation. RESULTS: In Korea, several reemerging diseases such as Malaria, Hepatitis A, Shigellosis, Mumps, and food poisoning has been increasing conspicuously since 1990. Also Diphtheria, plague, yellow fever and dengue fever have been potential threats, considering substantial international trades. CONCLUSION: There have many newly emerged and re-emerged infectious diseases identified in recent few decades in Korea. Thus as epidemiologic professionals, we have to get ready, particularly following missions to be carried out : 1) to keep eyes open to look for emerging and reemerging diseases continuously and keep up the latest global information, 2) establish the co-operational organizations to prepare immediate action against the sudden outbreak, 3) publicize, educate, establish and perform the missions, taking initiative in training clinicians, 4) upgrade professional competency by familiarizing ourselves with epidemiologic investigations, and 5) fulfill the responsibilities as health keepers of the nation.