Mapeo Comunitario para impulsar la participación comunitaria dentro del diagnóstico de salud poblacional / Boosting community participation in the diagnosis of population health through community mapping / Mapeamento Comunitário para impulsionar a participação comunitária dentro do diagnóstico de saúde populacional

Resumen Introducción: La salud pública tiene en el diagnóstico de salud poblacional una de las principales herramientas de investigación y planificación sanitaria. La participación activa de la población en el diagnóstico poblacional es fundamental y el mapeo comunitario es una técnica que la promueve. Objetivo: Presentar las aportaciones del uso del mapeo comunitario para la participación de la población durante el desarrollo del diagnóstico de salud poblacional. Métodos: Para dar evidencia de las aportaciones de ésta técnica, durante el desarrollo de los diagnósticos de salud, efectuados entre los años 2010 y 2014, en zonas rurales y suburbanas del centro de México, se efectuaron ejercicios de mapeo comunitario con diversos grupos poblacionales (niños, jóvenes y adultos de ambos sexos), quienes identificaban en el mapa aspectos tanto positivos como negativos de su comunidad, lo cual se plasmó en necesidades sentidas de la población. Resultados: A través del mapeo comunitario se despertó el interés y se logró estimular la participación poblacional en la identificación de necesidades, priorización de problemas y soluciones. Conclusiones: La inclusión del mapeo comunitario dentro del diagnóstico poblacional, propicia la participación y fortalece procesos organizativos, lo cual permite que se busquen soluciones a las problemáticas identificadas.

Abstract Introduction: Public health has, in the diagnosis of population health, a main researching and sanitary planning tool. The diagnosis of population health is a fundamental task, and community mapping is a technique which promotes the active participation of people. Objective: To show the input from the use of community mapping for boosting the population participation during the diagnosis of population health. Methods: In order to provide evidence on the input from this technique, during the development of the health diagnoses between 2010 and 2014, in rural and suburban zones in central Mexico, community mapping drills were carried out with diverse population groups (children, young, and adults, from both sexes) who identified positive and negative issues of their community, thus giving shape to a community map of their needs. Results: By using the community mapping technique, the participation of the people in the identification of needs and prioritization of problems and solutions was stimulated. Conclusions: The inclusion of the community mapping technique in the population diagnosis fosters the participation and strengthens organizational processes allowing a better response to the identified problems.

Resumo Introdução: A saúde pública tem no diagnóstico de saúde populacional uma das principais ferramentas de pesquisa e planificação sanitária. A participação ativa da população no diagnóstico populacional é fundamental e o mapeamento comunitário é uma técnica que a promove. Objetivo: Apresentar as contribuições do uso do mapeamento comunitário para a participação da população durante o desenvolvimento do diagnóstico de saúde populacional. Métodos: Para dar evidencia das contribuições desta técnica, durante o desenvolvimento dos diagnósticos de saúde, efetuados entre os anos 2010 e 2014, em zonas rurais e suburbanas do centro do México, efetuaram-se exercícios de mapeamento comunitário com diversos grupos populacionais (crianças, adolescentes e adultos de ambos os sexos), quem identificava no mapa aspectos tanto positivos quanto negativos de sua comunidade, o qual se retratou nas necessidades sentidas da população. Resultados: A través do mapeamento comunitário acordou-se o interesse e conseguiu-se estimular a participação populacional na identificação de necessidades, priorização de problemas e soluções. Conclusões: A inclusão do mapeamento comunitário dentro do diagnóstico populacional, propicia a participação e fortalece processos organizativos, o qual permite que se procurem soluções às problemáticas identificadas.

An educational intervention in road safety among children and teenagers in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to describe a public school-based educational intervention (EI) designed to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change practices related to road safety. METHODS: We used a mixed-methods evaluation of a road traffic safety baseline diagnosis conducted in 4 public schools, 2 primary and 2 secondary. Research was organized into 4 phases: (1) diagnosis, (2) EI design, (3) implementation, and (4) evaluation. We used convenience sampling (n = 219 students) across schools and applied a pre-/posttest design based on quantitative and qualitative data. The former related to surveys on road safety experiences, knowledge, attitudes, and practice and the latter to observation checklists, community mapping, ethnography, and focus groups. To compare pre-post scores, we used multilevel mixed-effect ordinal logistic regressions. We developed data matrices, field notes, and systematized community mapping. We also transcribed focus group discussions, generated categories, and carried out thematic analysis. RESULTS: Ethnography indicated poor sidewalk conditions, no helmet or seat belt use, overcrowded public transportation, and no traffic lights or proper signals. Pedestrians did not use sidewalks and crossed streets unsafely. Subsequent to the intervention, however, the study population showed significant changes in their knowledge, practices, and attitudes. They identified road traffic incidents (RTIs) as the first cause of death among children and youth, and most understood that the solution to the problem was incumbent upon each and every individual. They also displayed increased perceptions of danger in practices such as traveling on overcrowded public transportation, failing to wear seat belts in cars and helmets on motorcycles, crossing the street while using mobile phones or playing with friends, and riding with drunk drivers. Changes varied according to gender, and students reported being able to carry out safe practices only when they were in control of the situation; for instance, as pedestrians. CONCLUSIONS: Because safe practices depend not only on children and youth but on the adults and social environment surrounding them, it is essential to engage parents, teachers, and decision makers in efforts to reduce RTIs. This will improve the establishment of commitments to impact social reality through consistent changes and mobilize greater resources for creating more secure communities in matters of road safety.

[Identification of malignant breast lesions in Mexico]. / Identificación de lesiones mamarias malignas en México.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the modes of detection of breast malignancies in Mexico City and to estimate the number of patients diagnosed in advanced stages. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 1994 and 1996, among 256 women with a histological diagnosis of breast cancer, at three tertiary level public hospitals in Mexico City. Personal interviews were conducted to collect data on reproductive characteristics, clinical history, and breast cancer modes of detection. Data analysis consisted of percentages, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Ninety percent of women sought medical care after identifying a breast lump by themselves. Only 10% of patients had a stage-I tumor; all 27 cases first identified by a physician were in stage II-B and higher. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing trend of breast cancer mortality in Mexico City will persist, unless a greater proportion of tumors in situ is detected; this would require enhancing breast cancer screening programs and conducting an intense educational intervention among women at risk.

Food sources of phytoestrogens and breast cancer risk in Mexican women.

We analyzed the intake of selected foods that contain phytoestrogens in relation to breast cancer (BC) risk using data from a hospital-based case-control study performed in Mexico City from 1994 to 1995. A total of 198 women with BC, aged 21-79 years, were individually age matched to an identical number of women with no breast disease. By a direct interview, information on socioeconomic characteristics and diet was obtained. A semiquantitative questionnaire was used to estimate the frequency of consumption of 95 foods. The effect of selected foods that contain phytoestrogens on BC risk was estimated using logistic regression models. The adjusted odds ratio for the consumption of more than one slice of onion per day and BC was 0.27 (95% confidence interval = 0.16-0.47), with a statistically significant trend (p < 0.001). This protective effect remained after adjustment for known risk factors of BC. Among premenopausal women, there was also a protective and significant effect due to the intake of lettuce and spinach and nonsignificant protective effects for the consumption of apples and herbal tea. Additional studies aimed at evaluating the potential protective effect of particular phytoestrogens on BC risk are needed.