Psychological Coping and Resilience to COVID-19 in Mexico, Evidence From a National Sample.

Objective: We report the effect of COVID-19 confinement on some psychological variables associated with mental health: Stress perception, types of coping strategies during crises, and some components related to resilience. Method: A national sample of the Mexican population was considered in a total of 2775 people whose ages ranged from 15 years and older. Questionnaires that met the psychometric criteria (reliability and validity) to be used in Latino samples were used. Results: The results showed that older people experienced less stress and displayed more efficient coping behaviors. Discussion: Regarding the exploration of some components associated with resilience, it was found that family constitutes an important interpersonal resource for coping with the crisis related to confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, it is proposed to make comparisons of the psychological factors evaluated to detect and analyze possible fluctuations due to the prevalence of epidemic conditions.

Resilience of Older Latinos and Mexicans Before and During the Pandemic.

This article introduces the special issue on Aging and Resilience in the Americas: Mexico and the United States. The article overviews the role that the annual International Conference on Aging in the Americas (ICAA) has played in the development of scholarship on aging of Latinos in the United States and older persons in Latin America and the Caribbean. A brief overview of the aging literature reveals a growing interest on the resiliency of older Latino and Latin American populations in the United States and more broadly the Americas. The article provides a short description of each of the five articles included in this special issue.

Condiciones de trabajo y estrés en académicos universitarios / Working conditions and stress in university academics

OBJETIVO: Identificar condiciones de trabajo en académicos universitarios y su relación con la prevalencia de estrés. METODOLOGÍA: Se realizó un estudio transversal con 248 docentes. El estrés se determinó con el instrumento de demanda/control de Karasek-Theorell. RESULTADOS: 19,4% tuvieron alta tensión en el trabajo. El promedio del puntaje de tensión emocional calculado mediante el término de razón, fue de 0,8479 DE ±0.1185. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los niveles de demanda y control de acuerdo con la categoría laboral, turno de trabajo y pertenencia al Sistema Nacional de Investigadores. Los profesores de carrera tuvieron la mayor prevalencia de alta tensión (24,4%). Estos tuvieron 3 veces el riesgo de presentarla en comparación con los investigadores, p< 0,001. DISCUSIÓN: Los investigadores y los profesores de carrera tuvieron altos niveles de exigencias en su trabajo. De manera semejante a otras investigaciones se observó que quienes realizan su trabajo en condiciones más precarias, tienen mayor probabilidad de presentar estrés en el trabajo y desarrollar enfermedades. CONCLUSIONES: Es necesario implementar medidas preventivas en las labores de los académicos para evitar que su calidad de vida y salud sufran un mayor deterioro.

OBJECTIVE: To identify working conditions in university academics and their relation with the prevalence of stress. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was carried out with 248 teachers. Stress was deter mined using the Karasek-Theorell demand/control instrument. RESULTS: 19.4% had high stress at work. The average of emotional stress score calculated by the ratio term was 0.8479 SD ± 0.1185. Statistically significant differences were found in the levels of demand and control according to the labor category, work shift and membership in the National System of Researchers. Career teachers had the highest prevalence of high tension (24.4%). These had 3 times the risk of presenting it in comparison with the investigators, p <0.001. DISCUSSION: Researchers and career professors had high levels of demands on their work. Similar to other investigations, it was observed that those who perform their work in more precarious condi tions are more likely to present work stress and develop diseases. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to implement preventive measures in the work of academics to avoid that their quality of life and health suffer a greater deterioration.