Factors associated with low knowledge of biosafety in medical interns at a university in Peru in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The right to pre-professional practices protected under Peruvian Law allows the student in the last year of the human medicine career to begin to participate in health care procedures and interventions under the guidance of a tutor. Objective: to determine the factors associated with low knowledge of biosafety in medical interns at a university in Peru in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: an observational, prolective and cross-sectional design was carried out. The sample consisted of 336 human medicine interns, who were selected by simple random probabilistic sampling. A valid and reliable instrument was used to determine the level of knowledge in biosafety. A bivariate and multiple logarithmic binary regression model was used to calculate the crude and adjusted prevalence ratio with their respective 95% confidence intervals for the factors associated with the level of knowledge in biosafety. Results: high, medium and low levels of knowledge of 44.6%, 26.8% and 28.6% respectively were found. Married marital status (RPA 0.418, 95% CI 0.181 – 0.968), living with people at risk for severe symptoms from covid-19 (RPA 0.472, 95% CI 0.344–0.647), undergoing medical internship in a hospital, and having been diagnosed by covid-19 in the last 12 months (RPA 0.586, 95% CI 0.387–0.887) were associated with a level of knowledge under biosafety by multiple logarithmic binary regression model. Discussion: married marital status, living with people at risk for severe symptoms of covid-19, undergoing medical internship in a hospital center and having been diagnosed with covid-19 have an inversely proportional relationship with low knowledge in biosafety. In medical interns in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. © 2022, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Santa Rosa del Aguaray Branch, National University of Asuncion. All rights reserved.

VALIDATION OF THE PATIENT HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE-9 (PHQ-9) IN HUMAN MEDICINE INTERNS AT A REFERENCE UNIVERSITY IN PERU DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Introduction: Currently, major depressive disorder generates a high burden of disease in the general population, which is usually higher in medical students. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a widely used instrument in the general population to assess the severity of depression in primary care. Objective: To validate the factorial structure of the PHQ-9 questionnaire in human medicine interns at a reference university in Peru. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional and instrumental design was used. We worked with a sample of 343 human medicine interns. From the responses to the questionnaire, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated, as well as the factorial analysis to determine the construct validity of this instrument in the target population. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 88.2%, the item/test conversion coefficients presented values greater than 0.5. A value greater than 0.05 was obtained for the chi2 goodness-of-fit test for the model, as well as results greater than 0.9 for the model's goodness-of-fit coefficients. Conclusion: The factorial structure of the PHQ-9 has adequate validity and reliability in the population of human medicine interns.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ANXIETY IN MEDICAL INTERNS AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Objective: To determine the factors associated with anxiety in medical interns at a private university in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study design is quantitative, observational, analytical, retrospective, cross-sectional. The sample was composed of 343 human medicine interns, who were selected by a non-probabilistic snowball type sampling. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale instrument was used for the diagnosis of anxiety. A Poisson regression model with robust bivariate and multiple variances was used to calculate the prevalence ratio and their respective 95% confidence intervals. Results: The prevalence of anxiety and severe depressive symptoms of 22,74% and 6,71% respectively was found. Depressive symptoms aPR 3.27 (95% CI 1,06 - 10,09), having children aPR 2,61 (95% CI 1,26 - 5,38), and the diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 12 months aPR 2,20 (95% CI 1,25 - 3,87) were associated with the presence of anxiety in the multiple regression model. Conclusions: The presence of severe depressive symptoms, having children, the diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 12 months are associated with the diagnosis of anxiety in medical interns at a private university in Lima, 2021.