Representaciones sociales de la salud mental y enfermedad mental de población adulta de Guadalajara, México / Mental health and mental illness social representations of adult population from Guadalajara, Mexico

El objetivo del presente estudio fue explorar las representaciones sociales (RS) de la salud mental (SM) y la enfermedad mental (EM) de población adulta de Guadalajara, México. Se utilizaron listados libres y cuestionarios de pares para identificar el contenido y la organización de dichas RS. El análisis de las RS evidenciaron que la SM se identificó como un estado que comprende emociones positivas y estados satisfactorios de tranquilidad y estabilidad, lo que genera bienestar y calidad de vida; mientras que la EM se asoció a la locura, causada por daños orgánicos y emocionales, por lo cual su tratamiento sería de tipo biomédico y psicológico, y con pocas probabilidades de recuperación.

The objective of this study was to explore mental health (MH) and mental illness (MI) social representations (SR) in adult people of Guadalajara, Mexico population. Free listing and paired questionnaires were used to identify the content and the arrangement of these social representations. SR analysis showed that MI was identifying like a state of positive emotions and satisfactory feelings of quietness and stability, which carry out wellbeing and quality of life. On the contrary, mental illness was associated to madness caused by organic and mental damages; it is generally undergone biomedical and psychological treatment, with a low healing possibility.

Concepciones culturales del concepto bienestar de personas con enfermedades crónicas y profesionales de la salud / Cultural conceptions of the welfare concept by people with chronic diseases and health professionals / Concepções culturais do conceito bi-estar de pessoas com doenças crónicas e profissionais da saúde

Objetivo: Analizar las concepciones culturales del concepto de bienestar de personas con padecimientos crónicos y del personal de salud, con la finalidad de identificar coincidencias y discrepancias que pudieran ayudar o dificultar el proceso de promoción y de atención a la salud. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio antropológico cultural con 40 personas con padecimientos crónicos y 51 profesionales de la salud de Guadalajara (México) seleccionados por muestreo propositivo. Se utilizaron las técnicas de listados libres y pile sort. Se aplicó análisis de consenso, conglomerados jerárquicos y escalas multidimensionales. Resultados: Se observó un mayor consenso en la conceptualización del término bienestar de las personas con padecimientos crónicos que entre el personal de salud. Las coincidencias, entre personas con enfermedades crónicas y profesionales de la salud, incluyen la visión holística y los componentes del concepto: tener trabajo, dinero, salud, tranquilidad y felicidad. Sin embargo, para las personas con enfermedades crónicas el bienestar se relaciona con el cuidado de su salud y la disciplina implicada en ello, así como la convivencia familiar y con amigos, además del apoyo de Dios. Mientras que para el personal de salud el constructo se relaciona con la comodidad, la confianza, la estabilidad, la seguridad, la armonía y el amor además de una actitud positiva. Conclusión: Existen más discrepancias que coincidencias en la conceptualización cultural del constructo bienestar en una muestra de personas con enfermedades crónicas y profesionales de la salud. Es importante que ambos actores conozcan el punto de vista del otro para generar programas más exitosos de promoción y atención de la salud, así como de prevención de enfermedades.

Objetive: To analyze the cultural conceptions of the welfare concept by people with chronic disease and the health professionals with the purpose of identifying coincidences and discrepancies that could help or block the health promotion process and health care. Materials and Methods: An anthropological cultural study was carried out with 40 people suffering chronic disease and 51 health professionals from Guadalajara (Mexico) selected through purposeful sampling. Free-listing and pile sorts techniques were used. Consensual analysis, hierarchical clustering, and multidimensional scales were applied. Results: There was higher consensus in the conceptualization of the term welfare from people with chronic disease than from the health professionals. The coincidences between people with chronical disease and health care professionals included a comprehensive view and the components of the concept: having a job, money, health, calm and happiness. However, for people with chronic disease, welfare is related to their personal health care and the discipline it implies as well as family life and friends, plus the support of God. While for the health professionals the construct is associated with comfort, confidence, stability, security, harmony, love besides a positive attitude. Conclusion: There are more discrepancies tan coincidences in the cultural conceptualization of the welfare construct in a sample of peole with chronical disease and health professionals. It is important for both actors to know the other point of view in order to generate more successful health promotion and care programs as well as disease prevention.

Objetivo: Analisar as concepções culturais do conceito de bem estar de pessoas com doenças crônicas e do pessoal de saúde, com a finalidade de identificar coincidências e discrepâncias que puderam ajudar ou dificultar o processo de promoção e de atenção à saúde. Materiais e Métodos: Realizou se um estudo antropológico com 40 pessoas com padecimentos crônicos e 51 profissionais da saúde de Guadalajara (México) selecionados por amostragem propositiva. Utilizaram se as técnicas de listados livres e pile sort. Aplicou se análise de consenso, conglomerados hierárquicos e escadas multidimensionais. Resultados: Observou se um maior consenso na conceptualização do termino bem estar das pessoas com doenças crônicas que entre o pessoal de saúde. As coincidências, entre pessoas com doenças crônicas e profissionais da saúde, incluem a visão holística e os componentes do conceito: Ter trabalho, dinheiro, saúde, tranqüilidade e felicidade. Contudo, para as pessoas com doenças crônicas o bem estar se relaciona com o cuidado de sua saúde e a disciplina implicada em isto, assim como a convivência familiar e com os amigos, além do apoio de Deus. Enquanto que para o pessoal de saúde o constructo se relaciona com a comodidade, a confiança, estabilidade, a harmonia e o amor alem de uma atitude positiva. Conclusão: Existem mais discrepâncias que coincidências na conceptualização cultural do constructo bem estar em uma mostra de pessoas com doenças crônicas e profissionais da saúde. É importante que ambos atores conheçam o ponto de vista do outro para gerar programas com mais sucesso de promoção e atenção da saúde, assim como de prevenção de doenças.

Concepciones culturales sobre la salud mental de personas que asisten a procesos terapéuticos psicológicos

El objetivo fue analizar las concepciones culturales sobre la salud mental de personas adultas que asisten a procesos terapéuticos psicológicos de Guadalajara, México. Método: Participaron 77 personas seleccionadas por muestreo propositivo. Se aplicaron las técnicas de listados libres y pile sort. El análisis fue de consenso, conglomerados jerárquicos y escalas multidimensionales. Resultados: Para los participantes la salud mental es el bienestar, la salud y la cordura que se logra con el apoyo de profesionales e instituciones de salud. Se conceptualizó además como un estado de equilibrio, tranquilidad, paz, armonía, amor, felicidad, plenitud, entusiasmo, seguridad y congruencia. Por el contrario, la falta de salud mental puede ocasionar algunos trastornos mentales (neurosis, psicosis, depresión). Se observaron diferencias por género y un mayor consenso en mujeres que en hombres, lo que permite proponer bases diferenciales en la implementación de programas de promoción de la salud mental.

The objective was to analyze mental health cultural conceptions' of adult people with experiences on psychological therapeutic process from Guadalajara, Mexico. Method: 77 persons selected by purposive sampling were interviewed. It was applied free listing and pile sort technics. The analysis was by consensus, hierarchical cluster and multidimensional scaling. The participants' conceptualized mental health like the well-being, health and sanity obtained by the professional and institutions health support. For them, mental health is the balance, tranquility, pace, harmony, love, happiness, plenitude, enthusiasm, confidence and agreement. In other hand, lack of mental health would be generating some mental illness (neurosis, psychosis, depression). The results showed genre differences and high woman consensus than the men, that allowed suggest differential basis for design promoting programs of mental health.

Concepciones culturales del VIH/Sida de jóvenes que son parte de grupos culturales juveniles de Guadalajara, México / HIV/AIDS cultural conceptions of youth people belong of cultural youth groups from Guadalajara, Mexico

El objetivo fue analizar las concepciones culturales del VIH/Sida de jóvenes que son parte de grupos culturales juveniles de Guadalajara, México. Se realizó un estudio antropológico cultural con 80 jóvenes seleccionados por muestreo propositivo. Se utilizaron las técnicas de listados libres y pile sort. Se aplicó análisis de consenso, conglomerados jerárquicos y escalas multidimensionales. Los jóvenes participantes coincidieron en conceptualizar al VIH/Sida como una enfermedad producida por un virus, que implica la muerte. Se asoció a la sexualidad, al contacto con grupos de riesgo (homosexuales y prostitutas), a la población en general (amigos, pareja, hijos, etc.), al uso de drogas inyectables y al contacto con sangre infectada. La principal forma de protección citada, fue el uso del condón durante las relaciones sexuales.

The goal was to analyze the HIV/Aids cultural conceptions of youth people belong of cultural youth groups from Guadalajara, Mexico. A cultural anthropological study was done, 80 participants were selected by purposeful sampling. Free association lists and pile sorts were utilized. Consensus analysis was performed and dimensional analysis through hierarchical clusters and multidimensional scales. The youths agreed a HIV/Aids concept like an illness caused by a virus, which conducted to the dead. It was associated to sexual practices, contact with risk groups (homosexuals and prostitutes) and general population (friends, partner, children, etc.), injecting drugs consumption and infected blood. The main protection cited was de condom use in sexual intercourse.

Concepciones culturales del VIH/Sida de adolescentes de Bolivia, Chile y México / Cultural conceptions of HIV/AIDS among teenagers in Bolivia, Chile and Mexico

OBJETIVO: Comprender las dimensiones culturales del VIH/Sida de estudiantes adolescentes. MÉTODOS: Estudio antropológico cognitivo. Realizado en Cochabamba (Bolivia), Talca (Chile) y Guadalajara (México) entre 2007 y 2008. Un total de 184 jóvenes (de 14 y 19 años de edad) fueron seleccionados por muestreo propositivo en centros de estudios de educación media superior de cada país. Fueron utilizadas las técnicas de listados libres y el sorteo de montones. Se indagaron términos asociados al concepto VIH/Sida y grupos de dimensiones conceptuales. Posteriormente se aplicó análisis de consenso mediante factorización de componentes principales y análisis dimensional mediante conglomerados jerárquicos y escalas multidimensionales. RESULTADOS: Las diferencias entre los contextos fueron en el grado de consenso en relación al término de VIH/Sida, ya que fue mayor en Cochabamba. En Talca y Guadalajara los jóvenes mencionaron metáforas de lucha frente a la enfermedad, mientras en Cochabamba se refirieron a la ayuda, apoyo y amor que las personas infectadas deberían recibir. Las coincidencias entre las conceptualizaciones de los jóvenes de los tres países fueron: los riesgos (las prácticas sexuales desprotegidas y el contacto con algunos grupos poblacionales específicos), las consecuencias (muerte física y social, entendida ésta última como el rechazo de la sociedad hacia los enfermos) y la prevención de la enfermedad (con base en la información así como uso del condón). CONCLUSIONES: Para los estudiantes adolescentes el VIH/Sida es una enfermedad causada por prácticas sexuales y consumo de drogas que implica daño, dolor y muerte. Los programas preventivos del VIH/Sida para los adolescentes deben promover la búsqueda de información sobre el tema con bases científicas, y no centrarse en las consecuencias emocionales y sociales de la enfermedad.

Cultural conceptions of HIV/AIDS among teenagers in Bolivia, Chile and Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the cultural dimensions of HIV/AIDS among adolescent students. METHODS: A cognitive anthropological study was undertaken in Cochabamba (Bolivia), Talca (Chile) and Guadalajara (Mexico), during 2007 and 2008. A total of 184 teenagers (from 14 to 19 years old) were selected by purposeful sampling at secondary schools in each country. Free association lists and pile sorts were utilized. Terms associated with the concept of HIV/AIDS and groups of conceptual dimensions were investigated. Subsequently, consensus analysis was performed using factorial principal components and dimensional analysis through hierarchical clusters and multidimensional scales. RESULTS: The differences between the country contexts were in the degree of consensus in relation to the term HIV/AIDS, which was greater in Cochabamba. In Talca and Guadalajara the youths mentioned metaphors of fighting against HIV/AIDS, while in Cochabamba participants talked about help, support and love that infected people should receive. The similarities among conceptions by youth from the three countries were: the risk factors (unprotected sexual practice and contact with specific population groups), the consequences (physical and social death, being the latter understood as social rejection of people living with HIV/AIDS) and the prevention of illness (based on information and condom use). CONCLUSIONS: For adolescent students, HIV/AIDS is a disease caused by sexual practices and drug use and involves harm, pain and death. HIV/AIDS prevention programs for adolescents should promote science based information on the topic and not concentrate only on the emotional and social consequences of HIV/AIDS.

[Social representations on the health and disease of an adult population from Guadajalara, Mexico]. / Representaciones sociales sobre la salud y la enfermedad de la población adulta de Guadajalara, México.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify the content and the organization of social representations on health and disease of an adult population of Guadalajara, Mexico, and to describe differences between the points of view of men and women. METHODOLOGY: The methodology was structured focus groups of the social representations: associative methods of open listing and paired comparisons were used. The participant population was men and women of Guadalajara city, Mexico. They were selected by purpose sampling. The final analysis generates graphs of words on social representations organization of health and disease concepts. RESULTS: The health concept had a holistic vision; including physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Cleaning and to have a job is fundamental for prevention of disease. Men emphasise not having bad habits and women great interpersonal relationships. The disease concept includes biological and social points of view, such as physical deficiency, altered emotional status, the treatment and care of disease. Men emphasised the economic expense of medical care, and the women, the physical exhaustion of caring for sick people. CONCLUSION: The proposals for the health educational practice are the inclusion of the gender point of view, respect for religious beliefs, emotional control and integral care.