Condicionantes epidemiológicos de salud y su relación con rendimiento escolar en el primer año de la carrera de medicina: estudio de dos generaciones / Epidemiological health factors and their relationship with academic performance during the first year of medical school: study of two generations

RESUMEN

Antecedentes: El rezago escolar en la educación superior es preocupante. En la Facultad de Medicina de la UNAM la reprobación en el primer año rebasa 50%. Existen estrategias educativas y económicas para apoyar a estos alumnos. Las condicionantes de salud física, mental, estilo de vida y entorno social pueden influir en el rendimiento escolar. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar factores de riesgo para la salud integral y establecer un perfil predictivo del rendimiento escolar. Métodos: Se compararon condicionantes de salud del examen médico automatizado (EMA) y rendimiento escolar en dos generaciones. Se integraron cuatro grupos considerando el programa educativo, tradicional (TRAD) o alta exigencia académica (NUCE), y situación de regular o irregular. Resultados: Se incluyeron 1848 alumnos. Los factores que caracterizaron a los irregulares TRAD fueron alta prevalencia de depresión, ansiedad, ideación e intento suicida, embarazo previo, relaciones personales deficientes, escuela de procedencia pública, percepción económica baja, escolaridad de los padres inferior a bachillerato y tiempo prolongado de traslado. Los irregulares NUCE tuvieron los mayores factores protectores. Conclusiones: El EMA identifica factores de riesgo y protectores que influyen en el rendimiento escolar. Se estableció un perfil predictivo de fracaso escolar en el primer año del TRAD. Se recomiendan estrategias preventivas y continuar con el estudio de cohortes.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Academic drop outs at the university level is a serious problem. At the School of Medicine of the UNAM, over 50% of students enrolled in their first year do not graduate. In order to solve this problem, the UNAM has tutoring and financial aids to help students. One area of enquiry is to analyze factors such as health status (physical and mental), lifestyle and environmental factors that may influence student's performance. The objective in the present study was to identify risk factors for overall health and establish a scholastic performance forecasting profile. METHODS: Health variables included in the Examen Médico Automatizado (EMA) were correlated with the academic performance in a sample of students from two generations. Four groups were conformed and the variables that were analyzed included traditional academic program (TRAD), high academic demand and having a status as regular or irregular student. RESULTS: 1,848 students were included in the study. The risk factors that characterized students in the TRAD program and had an irregular status were: signs of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and suicidal intent, prior pregnancy, poor interpersonal relationships, public school education, low income, parents with less than college education and long commutes from home to school. Students with an irregular status belonging to the high academic demand, reported the strongest protective factors against school failure. CONCLUSIONS: The EMA test identifies risk and protective factors that have an influence on student's academic performance. A forecasting failure profile was established among first year of students enrolled in the TRAD program. We suggest strategies that should be implemented and to continue studying cohorts of graduating students.