ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To characterise social determinants of health, mental health problems and potentially problematic symptoms in the adult population displaced by internal armed conflict in Colombia. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study with a random sample of 98 adults forcefully displaced to Soacha, Colombia, due to internal armed conflict. The Self Report Questionnaire to detect potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms, and a structured questionnaire on social determinants of health were applied. RESULTS: The median age was 38 [interquartile range, 28-46] years, and women predominated (69.39%). The median time since displacement was 36 [16-48] months, and time since settlement in Soacha, 48 [5-48] months. 86.32% survived on less than the minimum wage per month and 93.87% did not have an employment contract. 42.86% and 7.14% reported being owners of their homes before and after displacement, respectively. Upon arriving in Soacha, 79.60% went to primary support networks and 3% to institutions. Before displacement, 16.33% lacked health insurance and 27.55% afterwards. Regarding mental health problems; there were possible depressive or anxious disorders in 57.29%; possible psychosis in 36.73%; and potentially problematic symptoms in 91.66%, being more prevalent and serious in women (pâ¯=â¯0.0025). CONCLUSIONS: A deterioration in living conditions and a higher prevalence of potentially problematic mental health problems and symptoms was reported in displaced adult populations settled in Soacha compared to other regions of the country. Analyses with complementary perspectives are required to evaluate these differences.
Subject(s)
Armed Conflicts , Mental Disorders , Refugees , Social Determinants of Health , Humans , Colombia/epidemiology , Female , Adult , Male , Cross-Sectional Studies , Middle Aged , Armed Conflicts/psychology , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Refugees/psychology , Refugees/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
In March 2020, the closure of schools in most countries and the implementation of virtual education were ordered as a control measure to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This, along with social distancing, represented a threat to the mental health of school children. In this context, access to information technologies was a determining factor in countering social isolation and allowing the continuity of the school's role in this population. In this sense, several studies reported that the suspension of in-person classes and the use of virtual education, adopted because of the pandemic, had both positive and negative effects on the mental health of the pediatric population; conditioned by individual, family, and socioeconomic factors. Thus, in terms of development and mental health, the reopening of educational institutions after a prolonged period of mobility restriction and social distancing constituted both an opportunity and a challenge for the pediatric population and the family. The objective of this article is to reflect on the differential impact that school closures and the implementation of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic had on the development and mental health of the school-aged population, and on the potential effects of returning to in-person education. It is hoped that this reflection will be useful in guiding the implementation of educational and child mental health care actions in future pandemics.
ABSTRACT
Los trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) son entidades que generan discapacidad. Diversas intervenciones psicofarmacológicas y psicosociales modulan algunas de las alteraciones comportamentales asociadas y mejoran la calidad de vida de las personas afectadas y de sus cuidadores. La terapia ABA es una de las intervenciones psicosociales más conocidas y utilizada en población con TEA. Mediante de la formulación de preguntas clave y sus respuestas, este artículo realiza una breve descripción de los aspectos históricos, las principales características y los fundamentos teóricos del ABA. Se discuten los resultados de diversos estudios que señalan las limitaciones metodológicas de las investigaciones sobre la efectividad de esta terapia y sus implicaciones para la práctica clínica.
Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) cause disability. Psychopharmacological and psychosocial interventions modulate some of the associated behavioural alterations and improve the quality of life for those affected and the people caring for them. Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy is one of the most well-known psychosocial interventions and is used with populations suffering ASD. This article gives a brief description of the historical aspects, the main characteristics and theoretical foundations regarding applied behaviour analysis (ABA) by formulating key questions and their (expected) responses. The results of some pertinent studies are discussed, pointing out the methodological limitations of research into the effectiveness of this therapy and its implications for clinical practice.
