Hope, resilience and subjective happiness among general population of Paraguay in the post COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Positive mental health includes not only the absence of mental disorders but also the presence of subjective well-being, good coping strategies for life stress, and strategies for adapting to community life. It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged mental health in general population worldwide. However, research has not measured protective factors for mental health in the general population after the declared end of pandemic by the World Health Organization.

METHODS

This observational, cross-sectional study surveyed 591 Paraguayan participants aged ⩾18 years, who were recruited through an online survey. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status were collected as well as mental health and validated tools for hope, resilience, subjective happiness were administered.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 81.6% were women, 54% were married or in a relationship and 90.7% reported an university education. The main source of stress was economic issues (30.3%). A total of 22.7% had been previously diagnosed with a mental disorder, 22.2% had consulted a mental health professional and 10.8% had consumed prescription drugs. 42.6% reported flourishing, 36.2% reported moderate and 21.2% reported languishing mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

This large survey has shown that most of participants reported a flourishing mental health with high ratings at hope, resilience, and subjective happiness scales. Also, the main sources of stress were economic issues, not consequently related to the pandemic. This may add evidences to the international debate on the long term effects of the global pandemic and probably suggests that recovery processes have been collectively adopted in Paraguay.

Network analysis of pandemic fatigue symptoms in samples from five South American countries

BACKGROUND

Pandemic fatigue generates low motivation or the ability to comply with protective behaviors to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

AIMS

This study aimed to analyze the symptoms of pandemic fatigue through network analysis in individuals from five South American countries.

METHOD

A total of 1,444 individuals from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay participated and were evaluated using the Pandemic Fatigue Scale. The networks were estimated using the ggmModSelect estimation method and a polychoric correlation matrix was used. Stability assessment of the five networks was performed using the nonparametric resampling method based on the case bootstrap type. For the estimation of network centrality, a metric based on node strength was used, whereas network comparison was performed using a permutation-based approach.

RESULTS

The results showed that the relationships between pandemic fatigue symptoms were strongest in the demotivation dimension. Variability in the centrality of pandemic fatigue symptoms was observed among participating countries. Finally, symptom networks were invariant and almost identical across participating countries.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to provide information on how pandemic fatigue symptoms were related during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychometric network analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in Paraguayan general population

BACKGROUND

Depression and anxiety are two of the most prevalent and disabling mental disorders worldwide, both in the general population and in outpatient clinical settings.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) based on network analysis metrics.

METHODS

A total of 911 Paraguayans (23.71% women and 76.29% men; mean age 31.25 years, SD = 10.63), selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, participated in the study. Network analysis was used to evaluate the internal structure, reliability, and measurement invariance between men and women.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the PHQ-4 is a unidimensional measure through Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA). Reliability, through structural consistency, identified that 100% of the time, only a single dimension was obtained, and all items remained stable, as they were always replicated within the empirical dimension. The unidimensional structure has shown evidence of configural invariance; therefore, the network structure functioned equally among the different sex groups.

CONCLUSION

The PHQ-4 presented optimal preliminary evidence of validity based on its internal structure, reliability, and invariance between sexes. Therefore, it may be useful as an accurate and brief measure of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Paraguayan context.

Spanish validation of the Stigma of Occupational Stress Scale for Doctors (SOSS-D) and factors associated with physician burnout

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Stigma of Occupational Stress Scale for Doctors (SOSS-D) and the factors associated with Physician Burnout in Paraguay.

METHODS

Participants included 747 Paraguayan healthcare workers, aged 24-77 years old, of both sexes. SOSS-D was translated into Spanish and validated through an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Participants were also scored with the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), the CAGE questionnaire, and the stigma subscale of the Perceived Barriers to Psychological Treatment (PBPT) measure.

RESULTS

Three factors had a raw eigenvalue greater than 1, and explained 61.7% of total variance. The confirmatory analysis confirmed that the scale is three-dimensional. The model adjustment was good, according to all fit indices. OLBI results indicate clinically significant disengagement in 85.9% and clinically significant exhaustion in 91.6% of participants. Of the 747 participants, 57.6% reported alcoholic beverage consumption and among those, 19.3% had problematic alcohol consumption according to the CAGE questionnaire. The correlation between SOSS-D and the stigma subscale of the PBPT was statistically significant (r = 0.245, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the SOSS-D was found to have good psychometric properties and adequately reproduces the three-dimensional model of the original English version.

Mental health issues and psychological risk factors among Paraguayan healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing concern regarding the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS

This study aimed to assess the psychological impact of the COVID-19 exposure among Paraguayan healthcare workers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study has been carried out in five hospitals of Paraguay. Demographic and occupational exposure to COVID-19 were collected through a short questionnaire. Mental health status was assessed with the GAD-7, the PHQ-9, and the PCL-C. Logistic regression was used to determine psychological risk factors.

RESULTS

432 participants were surveyed. 218 (50.46%) were physicians. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD was 48.15, 41.90, and 5.79%, respectively. There were no significant differences in anxiety (128 [29.63%] vs. 80 [18.52%]; p = 0.3303), depression (102 [23.61%] vs. 79 [18.29%]; p = 0.6703), or PTSD (14 [3.24%] vs. 11 [2.55%]; p = 0.8074) between frontline versus second-line workers. Main risk factors associated with psychological distress included work experience <5 years for depression and a COVID-19 positive diagnosis or having family/friends with a COVID-19 positive diagnosis for PTSD.

CONCLUSIONS

Paraguayan healthcare workers reported high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and a low prevalence of PTSD. A positive diagnosis of COVID-19 and work experience <5 years are important psychological risk factors.

Suicides among adults in Paraguay: An 18-year national exploratory study (2004-2022)

BACKGROUND

The number of suicides has been increasing worldwide, year after year, becoming the fourth leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 29 years of age.

AIM

In this study, we explored the frequency and characteristics of suicides among the adult general population in Paraguay between 2004 and 2022, considering that suicide attempts and suicidal risk/ideation are frequent and relevant issues in the consultation activity, even if epidemiological evidence on the national rates of suicide is scarce.

METHODS

In this observational, descriptive, and exploratory study, official records of all deaths by suicide were reviewed and information analyzed. In addition, an attempt was made to predict the number of suicides in the next 5 years according to a mathematical modeling.

RESULTS

In the 18-year period, 5,527 suicides of adults were recorded. Patients' mean age was 36.8 ± 17 years old. A 76.77% of them were males, 77.44% were from an urban area and 25.98% from the Greater Asunción and Central Department of Paraguay. The most frequently used method of suicide was intentional self-inflicted injury by hanging, strangulation, or suffocation (all 67.6%). The expected number of national suicides in the following years from 2023 to 2027 will range between 462 and 530. Limitations include the lack of information regarding diagnoses and personal history in the suicide reports as well as the possibility of underreporting of national suicide cases.

CONCLUSION

Our results represent the first large national epidemiological report of suicides in Paraguay and may be of interest for mental health professionals and health authorities in order to reduce the suicide mortality rate within the country.

Suicides among Children and Adolescents in Paraguay: An 18-year National Exploratory Study (2004-2022)

BACKGROUND

Suicide and suicide attempts are impacting events for patients and their relatives, and these behaviors are still taboo among adults and may be even more traumatic when involving children and adolescents.

AIM

In this study we aimed to describe suicide rates among children and adolescents in Paraguay over the last decades as well as associated factors such as sociodemographic characteristics and methods used for suicide.

METHODS

This was an observational and exploratory study describing the frequency and characteristics of suicide among children and adolescents in Paraguay between 2004 and 2022. Official records of all deaths by suicide were reviewed, and statistical analyses were performed. In addition, an attempt was made to predict the number of suicides in the next 5 years using a mathematical model based on simple linear regression.

RESULTS

In the 18-year period observed, 940 suicides among children and adolescents were recorded. The mean age was 15.05 ± 1.8 years old. Of these, 51.17% were male, 74.6% were from urban areas, and 22.2% were from the Greater Asunción and Central Department of Paraguay. The most frequently used method of suicide was intentional self-inflicted injury by hanging, strangulation, or suffocation, which all represented 75.3% of the cases. Our mathematical modeling based on simple linear regression determined that the expected yearly number of national suicides in the pediatric population for the following years, from 2023 to 2027, will range between 72 and 81.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first large national epidemiological report on the emerging issue of suicide among children and adolescents in Paraguay. It may be a relevant source of information for mental health professionals, health authorities, and decision makers to develop national prevention strategies and actions against suicide among youths.

The CAPE (Compassion, Assertive Action, Pragmatism, and Evidence) vulnerability index - Second Edition: Putting mental health into foreign policy to address globalization, conflict, climate change, and natural disasters

Background

The CAPE Vulnerability Index serves as a worldwide foreign policy indicator that implies which countries should get assistance first. It provides an evidence-based, well-structured, and well-reasoned strategy for employing aid in bilateral arrangements with mental health as a basis.

Objective

The second edition of the CAPE VI has been developed to identify which nations should get priority foreign aid.

Materials and Methods

We considered various indices or measures at the country level reflecting the average national health status or factors influencing public health. To make our choice, we used 26 internationally accessible and verified indicators. For the study, we have scored the countries according to these indices and prioritized those with the worst scores.

Results

The CAPE Vulnerability Index is based on the number of times a country is ranked among the low-scoring nations. It is based on nine parameters and is an independent measure even though there may be a correlation with similar indices such as life expectancy, disability-adjusted life years(DALYs), physician numbers, and gross domestic product(GDP).

Conclusion

We concluded that low-scoring countries were fragile or failed states, such as nations where governments lack complete oversight or power, are often oppressive and corrupt, have allegations of violations of human rights, or are marked by political turmoil in different forms, drawbacks from severe environmental damage, severe impoverishment, inequalities, cultural and racial divisions, cannot supply fundamental amenities, are victims of terrorism, and so on. To address these essential problems impacting fragile nations, administrations, aid donors, local organizations, mental health specialists, and associations should collaborate.

The Chikungunya anxiety scale (CHIKAS): Development, validation, and relationship between its items and illness-related factors

Background

Paraguay has recently experienced an exponential increase in chikungunya cases, leading to psychological distress, particularly anxiety.

Aim

To develop and validate the Chikungunya Anxiety Scale (CHIKAS).

Materials and Methods

An initial scale of 18 items was used, which was subjected to validation by expert judgment to obtain 14 items. To determine construct validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) have been employed, and internal and convergent validity were determined. Demographic, socioeconomic, and health status data were also collected.

Results

The study included 974 participants. The final scale consisted of 12 items with evidence of a two-factor model (psychological and physical). The internal validity was good (McDonald's omega = 0.882). The CFA showed good adjustment indices. Regarding participant characteristics, a relationship was found between anxiety due to chikungunya and gender, employment, mental diagnosis, medication use, and chikungunya infection.

Conclusion

The final 12-item CHIKAS had strong psychometric properties and was a two-factor model.

Dermatitis Artefacta: A Practical Guide for Diagnosis and Management

Dermatitis artefacta (DA) is a psycho-dermatologic condition based on patients' behavioral patterns, characterized by an intentional production of cutaneous lesions on their own skin. The clinical presentation can be highly variable. Patients with DA seldom seek psychological support or psychiatric consultation. More often, they seek help from their primary care physician or dermatologist. This review article aims to provide a practical guide for the diagnosis and management of AD and affected patients. A broad literature search was performed using the PubMed and Google Scholar electronic online databases, using key words "dermatitis artefacta", "diagnosis", "management", and "psychodermatology". The search was limited to English and Spanish language articles and was supplemented with themed books and book chapters. DA can occur in a variety of clinical presentations, and physicians should suspect DA in patients with a history of psychiatric disorders or extensive use of healthcare services. The ultimate goal of DA treatment may be a proper referral to mental health services. However, the prognosis is poor even when successful mental health referrals are achieved, with low recovery rates. A useful approach may include the suggestion that a mental health provider can help with the anxiety and the distress generated by the lesions: in this case in this case it will be crucial to discuss this with the mental health provider after obtaining informed consent from the patient. Considering the difficulty in promoting patients' adherence to treatment, the ideal setting for DA treatment is a psycho-dermatologic clinic, where both dermatologic and psychological interventions can be seamlessly integrated.

Discrimination, stigma and mental health: what's next?

Stigma and discrimination are a major ongoing problem in the field of mental health as these impact on patient outcomes, access to and acceptability of therapeutic interventions, their quality of life, general wellbeing, social inclusion and opportunities. Social stereotypes, culture and prejudices all contribute to continuing discrimination in mental health. Different settings where people function may also be sources of discrimination such as work and educational environments. The lack of knowledge and understanding of mental health/illness by individuals, their families, carers and policymakers as well as the social media reporting also impact on social attitudes to discrimination. It has been also described a relevant impact of stigma among specific social minorities reporting poor mental health such as elderly people, youths, sexual variants, persons with disability. Educational programs, raising awareness trainings and proper public policies may be developed in order to reduce stigma at social level with favourable outcomes for people with mental illness.

“Pandemic Fatigue” in South America: A Multi-Center Report from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a heavy impact on daily life, leading to physical and psychosocial consequences. Nowadays, clinicians and health researchers are particularly interested in describing and facing the long-term effects of COVID-19, also known as “long-COVID syndrome”. Pandemic fatigue has been defined as a cluster of demotivation, tiredness, and psychological effects that emerge gradually over time after the infection or through the adoption of the recommended measures to combat it. In this study, we report the findings of a large survey conducted in South America involving 1448 participants (mean age: 33.9 ± 11.2 years old) from Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, and Paraguay. An online survey was launched through the common social media based on a specific assessment aimed to detect the prevalence of pandemic fatigue and associated factors. Socio-demographic characteristics, medical, and personal information were collected; the Pandemic Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were also administered. We found mid-levels of pandemic fatigue among respondents (21.7 ± 7.95 score at PFS) as well as significant anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic (1.56 ± 2.76 score at CAS). In addition, pandemic fatigue was significantly associated with the experience of the loss of a relative/friend due to COVID-19, anxiety related to the infection, and reliance on social media as a primary source of information on the pandemic. Vaccination significantly reduced the levels of fatigue among respondents. Our findings may add to the international debate regarding the long-term health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies to manage them in the general population of South America.

Mortalidad en adultos con COVID-19: experiencia de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de un Hospital de Tercer Nivel de Paraguay

Introducción:  diversos factores pueden influir en la mortalidad de pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19. Objetivo: determinar la mortalidad y los factores asociados a esta en adultos con COVID-19 hospitalizados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos de un Hospital de Tercer Nivel de Paraguay. Metodología: estudio observacional, descriptivo, de asociación cruzada, de corte transversal y temporalmente retrospectivo. Se incluyó historias clínicas de pacientes adultos, de ambos sexos, que tenían diagnóstico confirmado (por prueba de antígeno y/o PCR) de infección por SARS-CoV-2 y que estaban hospitalizados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos de un Hospital General de Tercer Nivel de Paraguay. Resultados: Se incluyeron 116 pacientes, de los cuales el 54 % correspondió al sexo masculino. La edad media fue de 57±12,9 años. El 51 % tenía hipertensión arterial y el 29 % diabetes mellitus. El requerimiento de ventilación mecánica se dio en un 85% de pacientes. El 75 % de los pacientes ventilados tuvo un desenlace fatal. Se encontró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la presencia de infecciones bacterianas y requerimiento de hemodiálisis y el desenlace fatal (p=0.0074 y p=0.00011, respectivamente). La media de las edades de los pacientes fallecidos fue de 59,5 años, mientras que el grupo de pacientes que recibieron el alta desde la unidad de cuidados intensivos arrojó una media de 54,2 años. La diferencia entre estas edades en relación con el óbito fue significativa, con una p<0.05. Discusión: La mortalidad general debido a COVID-19 fue de más de 6 por cada 10 pacientes, siendo más alta en aquellos pacientes con ventilación. Aquellos pacientes que presentaron sobreinfección bacteriana o requirieron de hemodiálisis durante el curso de la hospitalización presentaron un peor desenlace en comparación con los pacientes que no presentaron este tipo de complicaciones.

Satisfaction with Telepsychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patients' and psychiatrists' report from a University Hospital

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to important changes in the approach to patients worldwide. Different agencies have proposed and implemented telemedicine-based care services in order to ensure access to health care for all people.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the satisfaction of patients using the Telepsychiatry service offered by the Department of Psychiatry of the Hospital de Clínicas (National University of Asunción, Paraguay).

METHODS

A cross sectional and descriptive study has been conducted. Participants were recruited through a phone-based survey. Satisfaction with Telepsychiatry has been measured with an adapted version of a satisfaction survey in Teleneurology. As a complement, psychiatrists from the Hospital de Clínicas were also interviewed about their rate of satisfaction with Telepsychiatry.

RESULTS

A total of 530 patients were included, 51.3% of whom were women. The consultation satisfaction scale ranged between 2.15 and 4.30 with a mean score of 3.02 ± 0.32. Cronbach's alpha for the scale was .897, indicating a good internal consistency. Patients' satisfaction was higher for the perception of Telepsychiatry and lower for the doctor-patient relationship. Of the physicians, 87.5% were satisfied with the Telepsychiatry service.

CONCLUSION

The satisfaction overall score indicates patients' general satisfaction with the quality of care in Telepsychiatry, mainly regarding the perception of health care. and lower satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. Nine out of 10 psychiatrists felt satisfied with the Telepsychiatry service and considered that the degree of patient's satisfaction was acceptable during the Telepsychiatry consultation.

Reporte preliminar de las características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes con hemopatías malignas: experiencia de un hospital universitario

Introducción: debido a su amplia diversidad clínica y biológica, es de gran importancia para el médico conocer cómo se presentan los pacientes diagnosticados con una hemopatía maligna. Objetivo: describir las características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico de una hemopatía maligna que consultaron en un Hospital Universitario de Paraguay. Metodología: estudio observacional, retrospectivo, descriptivo, de corte transversal, con muestreo no probabilístico, de casos consecutivos. Se incluyó a pacientes adultos, de ambos sexos, registrados en el archivo de Hematología del Hospital de Clínicas de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción (Paraguay), con diagnóstico confirmado por anatomía patológica de una neoplasia hematológica, según la clasificación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, durante el periodo comprendido entre enero 2019 y agosto de 2021. Se estudiaron variables sociodemográficas y clínicas. Resultados: se estudió a 129 pacientes. El 58 % correspondía al sexo masculino. La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 50,3±17,38. La mayoría de los pacientes procedía del Departamento Central de Paraguay (56,58 %). La mayoría de los pacientes (n=37) fue diagnosticado con un linfoma de tipo no Hodgkin o con una neoplasia con origen en células plasmáticas (n=32). El tiempo promedio de aparición de los síntomas hasta la consulta fue de 3,5 meses. El síntoma más reportado fue la astenia (35 %). La palidez fue el hallazgo positivo más frecuente al examen físico. Las comorbilidades más frecuentes fueron la hipertensión arterial (39,44 %) y la diabetes mellitus (15,59 %). Discusión: el paciente típico con una hemopatía que consulta en el Hospital de Clínicas es hombre, mayor de 50 años, proveniente del Departamento Central, consulta por astenia, presenta palidez al examen físico y ha tardado más de 3 meses en consultar. Se le ha diagnosticado un linfoma no Hodgkin y tiene comorbilidades cardiovasculares o metabólicas.

Technostress, anxiety, and depression among university students: A report from Paraguay

BACKGROUND

Although technologies (including information, e-learning, and communication) have been daily employed by University students in the last years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a considerable increase in their use. Technostress is a modern term referring to levels of stress caused by the prolonged exposure to technology.

AIM

The aim of this study is to assess the technostress and related anxiety and depression among Paraguayan University students, describing their sociodemographic characteristics and relevant associations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional and descriptive study has been conducted. Participants were recruited through an Internet-based survey. Technostress, anxiety, and depression have been assessed with the Technostress Questionnaire (TechQ), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 378 participants were included, 74.1% of whom were women. According to the TechQ scores, 47.4% of the participants reported a low/moderate level of technostress whereas 5.2% showed severe scores. About 58.5% of participants reported a GAD-7 score ⩾10, meeting diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety. About 60.3% scored ⩾3 at the PHQ-2 reporting significant levels of depression. Technostress has been significantly associated with levels of anxiety (p < .001) as well as depression (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest further research regarding the implications of technostress on the well-being of University students. Specific measures aimed to improve students' coping with the challenges of technology and technostress should be promoted.

Consumo de cannabis y desarrollo de psicosis o esquizofrenia, análisis de la legislación actual y mapeo regional: una revisión sistemática

Introducción: la relación entre el consumo de cannabis y la aparición de síntomas psicóticos está suficientemente fundamentada. La legalización y/o despenalización del cannabis podría aumentar la frecuencia y la cantidad de su consumo entre sus usuarios. Objetivo: esta revisión sistemática pretende resumir los hallazgos de los estudios que investigaron el riesgo, la precocidad y la intensidad de la psicosis en los consumidores de cannabis, teniendo en cuenta el estado de legalización y/o despenalización del consumo de cannabis en diferentes países. Metodología: fueron incluidos artículos publicados hasta mayo de 2018, en lengua inglesa, portuguesa y española, todos extraídos de las bases de datos PubMed y SciELO, respetando los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Resultados: se incluyeron 19 estudios de 18 países. La relación entre el consumo de cannabis y el inicio de síntomas psicóticos estuvo suficientemente fundamentada. Sin embargo, no hubo datos que respaldaran un aumento en el riesgo, la precocidad o la intensidad de la psicosis en los consumidores de cannabis de países con niveles más altos de legalización/despenalización del uso de cannabis hasta la fecha del presente estudio. Conclusión: el consumo de cannabis está asociado con el desarrollo de psicosis. Hasta el momento, no hay datos que indiquen un aumento en la precocidad, el riesgo o la intensidad de la psicosis en usuarios de cannabis, debido a la legalización o despenalización del uso de cannabis. Sin embargo, la ausencia de datos hasta la fecha no excluye estas posibilidades, ya que ninguno de los estudios analizados en esta revisión evaluó específicamente los efectos de las políticas de legalización/despenalización en esos resultados. Por ello, los estudios prospectivos centrados en los efectos de las políticas de legalización o despenalización deben llevarse a cabo en países como Canadá, España, los Estados Unidos de América (algunos estados), los Países Bajos y Uruguay.

Relación entre la ansiedad y la depresión con los parámetros de adecuación de la diálisis: un estudio exploratorio en Paraguay

Los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica pueden presentar depresión y ansiedad, lo que podría dificultar el manejo de la patología renal. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la relación entre ansiedad, depresión y los parámetros de adecuación de la diálisis. Este fue un estudio observacional, descriptivo de asociación cruzada, de corte transverso, temporalmente prospectivo, y de carácter exploratorio. Se midieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, psicopatológicas (ansiedad y depresión, a través de Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) y de adecuación a la diálisis (depuración tiempo/volumen, Kt/V; porcentaje de reducción de la urea, PRU; recirculación del acceso vascular, calcio, fósforo, producto calcio por fósforo, hemoglobina y hematocrito). Se utilizó estadística descriptiva, además de chi cuadrado, t de Student y ANOVA de un factor, según sea el caso, para buscar asociaciones. La significancia estadística quedó establecida en p<0,005. 46 pacientes fueron incluidos en el estudio, 61 % eran hombres. El 13 % calificó como un problema clínico de ansiedad y el 6,5 % como uno de depresión. La ansiedad se relacionó con los valores del hematocrito (p<0,05), mientras que la depresión se relacionó con el hematocrito y la hemoglobina (p<0,05). Se encontró relación entre el sexo femenino y la presencia de ansiedad (p<0,05). No se encontraron asociaciones entre psicopatología y otros parámetros de adecuación de la diálisis. Esta investigación, al ser la primera de su tipo en el país, permite abrir posibilidades de investigación futuras, que puedan profundizar en la salud mental de los pacientes con enfermedad renal.

COVID-19 infodemic and depressive symptoms: The impact of the exposure to news about COVID-19 on the general Paraguayan population

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase of social stressors and mental health issues in the general population as well as among mentally ill patients. A COVID-19- related "infodemic", including too much information in digital and physical environments, has been recognized globally.

AIM

This study aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 infodemic (exposure to news related to COVID-19) in terms of depressive symptoms in the Paraguayan general population.

METHODS

This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. An online survey, designed in Google Forms, has been launched nationwide through the most popular social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and messaging applications (WhatsApp, Telegram) in April (1st-30th) 2021. The Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) was employed for detecting depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The survey included 1102 responders aged 35.4 ± 12.9 years old, 74.9% were women. MHI-5 mean score was 44.07 ± 14.16 in the general population with 34.4% (n = 379) of responders suffering from severe symptoms of depression (>52, as cut-off point). 53.5% of sample reported to have been exposed between 1 and 3 h to COVID-19 news, daily. An OR 1.933 (95% CI 1.48 - 2.52) was found between the exposure to news and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that people exposed to a higher number of hours of COVID-19 news were 93.3% more likely to develop depressive symptoms.

Conocimientos de estudiantes de medicina sobre la Agenda 2030 de la ONU

Introducción: En una Asamblea General de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas se firmó compromiso que orientaba la política de desarrollo a nivel internacional, al señalar la responsabilidad de los países ricos de apoyar a los países pobres mediante la ayuda, el alivio de la deuda y un mejor acceso al mercado; este compromiso se conocería como los Objetivos del Desarrollo del Milenio. Esto luego se evolucionó a los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible. Objetivo: determinar el conocimiento de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FCM – UNA), Filial Santa Rosa del Aguaray respecto a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de la ONU. Metodología: Es un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal. Se realizó una encuesta en línea entre todos los estudiantes de grado de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción – Filial Santa Rosa del Aguaray. Resultados: del total de 91 estudiantes, 35 (38,4 %) han respondido afirmativamente que ha escuchado o leído sobre la agenda 2030 de las Naciones Unidas. 34 de 35 (97,1 %) respondió que la Agenda 2030 es un Plan de Acción liderado por las Naciones Unidas, en cuanto al conocimiento de los objetivos, 4 estudiantes (11,4 %) identificaron correctamente los 17 objetivos de la agenda, 8 (22,8 %) estudiantes han obviado 1 o 2 objetivos y la misma cantidad ha obviado entre 3 a 4 objetivos; 2 (5,7 %) desconocen los objetivos y 1 (2,8 %) respondió que los objetivos de la agenda no se encuentran entre las opciones. Conclusión: el conocimiento sobre la agenda 2030 es escaso, pero acorde a las publicaciones similares en estudiantes del área de la salud.

"Coronaphobia" in Paraguay: Spanish Validation of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 is a highly transmissible disease caused by a new zoonotic coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 that has led to several health, social, and economic issues worldwide. Anxiety and stress are predominant symptoms in the population during the quarantine; also, levels of fear or phobia have been reported.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This study validate the Spanish version of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S). Participants were recruited using an Internet-based survey. The survey was open from July 20 to July 31, 2021 and 1079 subjects were included.

RESULTS

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test was adequate (KMO=0.956) and sphericity tested significantly (p<0.0001). The model of adjustment was good as shown by fit indices (S-B χ²=351.67, df=164, p>0.05; RMSEA=0.033; SRMSR=0.042; CFI=0.995, NFI=0.990).

CONCLUSIONS

This confirms that the model of the Spanish version of the C19P-S may reproduce the same four-factors model from the original version of the scale and all items of these factors reported standardized loadings higher than 0.40 (p<0.001).

Atopic dermatitis in psychodermatology: a concise review for dermatologists

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic disease of the skin with significant pruritus and phases of exacerbation and remission. The hallmarks of AD are changes in the epithelial barrier and chronic inflammation. This condition is associated with an increased risk of developing mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. It has been proposed that psychological stress may impact on immunological factors with an up-regulation of mediating neuropeptides at the level of central nervous system and secondary involvement of endocrine glands, peripheral nervous system, and immune resident skin cells. This article provides a concise review for dermatologists on the psychodermatology of AD, in order to highlight the putative common pathways between the dermatologic and mental health issues in this illness.

Alopecia areata: A psychodermatological perspective

BACKGROUND

Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune dermatological disease that could be influenced by psychological factors as part of the pathophysiology of the illness.

AIMS

This review article aims to report on psychodermatological and psychopathological aspects involved in the etiopathogenesis and comorbidities of AA, as well as on the psychiatric and psychological management of affected patients.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search on PubMed and Google Scholar from January 1980 to May 2021 employing the search terms of alopecia areata, psychological factors, psychological impact, psychodermatology, and psychopathology. All lists of references from the identified articles were screened for further relevant studies. The search was limited to English and Spanish language articles and was supplemented with themed books and book chapters. No specific quality criteria were used for the studies selection.

RESULTS

Several authors have found a high comorbidity rate between AA and mental disorders, concluding that stress and psychological factors are involved in both the development and exacerbation of the illness. More evidences are needed in order to describe the associations between the immune response, stress, and the physiological factors observed in AA patients.

CONCLUSION

AA is a complex illness characterized by multifactorial etiology. An interaction between genetic, autoimmune, hormonal, neural, and psychological factors is supposed. Psychopathological aspects of illness need to be better described and considered in the clinical setting.

The Spanish version of the Skin Picking Impact Scale (SPIS) and its Short form (SPIS-S)

Introduction: The Skin Picking Impact Scale (SPIS) is a self-report rating scale that assess the psychosocial impact of excoriation disorder. In this study the SPIS was translated into Spanish and its reliability was measured. Similarly, its short version (SPIS-S) has been translated and tested. Methodology: The recruitment has been performed through a survey launched on social media. All subjects were older than18 years and self-reported being diagnosed with an excoriation disorder. 281 individuals were rated for the validation analysis. SPIS has been translated into Spanish and validated through an. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis. Participants have been also scored with the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R). Results: On factor at the exploratory factorial analysis has a raw eigenvalue greater than 1, with 65.5% of total variance. The confirmatory analysis confirmed that the scale is one-dimensional. Cronbach’s alpha also confirmed a good internal consistency (?=0.934 for the SPIS and ?=0.882 for the SPIS-S). Scores between the two scales (SPIS and the SPS-R) have shown a good convergence (r=0.592, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The Spanish version of SPIS and its short version show good psychometric properties and adequately reproduce the one-dimensional model of the original English version.

Delusional infestation: Clinical presentations, diagnosis, and management

BACKGROUND

Delusional infestation is a primary psychiatric disorder characterized by a somatic-type delusional disorder (primary delusional infestation) that may lead to self-induced cutaneous lesions which are often difficult to recognize and treat properly. It may be also secondary to other psychiatric disorders, medical diseases, or substance abuse.

AIMS

This review will describe prevalence, common clinical features, different clinical presentations, differential diagnoses, and treatment recommendation. Special focus has been put on psychological aspects.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search on PubMed from January 2001 to June 2020 with the search terms of delusional parasitosis, delusional infestation, psychological, Reference lists of identified articles were examined for further relevant studies. The search was limited to English language articles. No specified quality criteria were used for study inclusion.

RESULTS

The clinical manifestations of delusional infestation are very important in the differential diagnosis and its psychological implications and management perspectives.

CONCLUSION

This article presents an update regarding the clinical aspects and treatment options of delusional infestation in order to provide an up-to-date review for dermatologists and general practitioners.

Hair-pulling disorder (Trichotillomania): Etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment in a nutshell

Hair-pulling disorder (Trichotillomania) is a disabling mental disorder. Patient's behavior is characterized by the recurrent pulling of own hair with hair loss and a marked dysfunction in various areas of daily life. Trichotillomania is a relatively common disorder with pediatric onset, often associated with significant morbidity, comorbidity, and functional decline. Surprisingly, children or adolescents have been little studied in the research studies on the pathophysiology and psychopathology of trichotillomania. Furthermore, more evidences regarding the effective and evidence-based pharmacological interventions for the treatment of this condition are encouraged. This narrative review will report on the etiopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of trichotillomania including criteria for diagnosis and treatment issues of this complex mental disorder.

Physiotherapists’ knowledge on the provision of physiotherapy to people with mental illness. A study from Paraguay

Introduction: Physiotherapy improves the quality of life in people with mental disorders through the optimization of their physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine the knowledge of physiotherapists about the provision of Physiotherapy services to people with mental disorders, about the role of Physiotherapy in the treatment of physical illnesses of mentally ill persons and in the treatment of the mental disorder itself. Methodology: A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, and prospective study was conducted. 187 physiotherapists practicing in Paraguay, of both sexes, were surveyed. The data collection instrument was a Spanish version of the survey used by Andrew et al., which was adapted. Results: 46.52% of physiotherapists stated that Physiotherapy is useful to manage the physical symptoms of people with mental disorders. 55.61% reported that they needed more information and/or training on managing physical conditions affecting these people. 75.94% declared that they were aware that Physiotherapy can be used as treatment for some mental disorders, mainly as an adjuvant treatment to both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (54.55%). Participants scored anxiety disorders (23.88%), major depression disorder (21.99%) and Alzheimer's disease (21.48%) as those conditions that could most benefit from a physiotherapeutic intervention. Also, 21.93% of the respondents reported the need of more information on how to interact and communicate with people with mental disorders. Conclusion: There are gaps in the knowledge of physiotherapists in Paraguay about the provision of Physiotherapy to people with mental disorders. An adequate training and education of physiotherapists on mental illness is encouraged.

Indización a Latindex y uso de ORCID en las publicaciones

Estimados lectores, es de mi agrado informar que a la fecha Medicina Clínica y Social ha sido aceptada en el Catálogo 2.0 de Latindex (1), este es un paso enorme en cuanto al crecimiento editorial de la revista y no sería posible sin el apoyo de todos, lectores, revisores y todo el equipo editorial. La indización de las revistas a bases de datos y catálogos es fundamental para dar mayor credibilidad a la revista, al mismo tiempo, esto aumenta el interés de los autores, puesto que con mejores indizaciones las revistas tienen un mayor impacto. Otro cambio importante es que a partir de este número los autores de los artículos deberán confirmar su autoría enlazando las publicaciones con sus perfiles ORCID, esto en el marco de hacer más trasparente todo el proceso editorial y reconocer la autoría de los contribuyentes de Medicina Clínica y Social. ORCID proporciona un identificador digital permanente (un ORCID iD) que es propiedad del autor y está bajo su control, y lo distingue de cualquier otro investigador. Puede conectar el iD con la información profesional, como afiliaciones, subvenciones, publicaciones y más. Se puede usar el iD para compartir su información con otros sistemas, lo que garantiza que reciba el reconocimiento por todas sus contribuciones, así se ahorrará tiempo y trabajo, y reducirá el riesgo de errores (2). El constante crecimiento y adopción de políticas de acceso abierto que garantice el flujo de información científica de calidad son pilares sólidos de la revista, es por eso que la página web ha sido actualizada para que además de aparecer el ORCID con el logo de identificación, también cada artículo publicado tiene un resumen de las estadísticas de descargas y un widget para compartir los artículos en redes sociales.

Culminando el primer volumen de Medicina Clínica y Social

La investigación es uno de los pilares de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción, junto con la docencia y la extensión universitaria, por lo cual celebramos el nacimiento de una nueva revista científica en el seno de esta casa de estudios, siendo la primera revista publicada por la Cátedra de Socioantropología desde la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas en su filial de Santa Rosa del Aguaray; que, a pesar de los limitados recursos ya que nuestro país invierte muy poco en investigación (1), ha logrado culminar exitosamente su primer volumen. Cerramos este primer volumen con 9 de los 29 artículos publicados hasta ahora, por lo que agradecemos a todos los autores tanto nacionales como internacionales por haber confiado en nuestra labor, así como a nuestros revisores externos. Sin embargo, es necesario aumentar el número de estos últimos para garantizar un correcto proceso editorial y así mejorar la calidad científica, objetivo principal del Comité Editorial de Medicina Clínica y Social. Así mismo, las normas de publicación se han actualizado a fin de aceptar artículos tanto en español como en inglés con su correspondiente resumen en el otro idioma, con esto buscamos ampliar el público de nuestra revista, tanto en lectores, autores como revisores. Todo con el plan de iniciar el proceso de indización a las principales bases de datos, sobre todo a Scielo Paraguay y Latindex.

Conocimientos sobre métodos de planificación familiar en mujeres con diagnóstico psiquiátrico: un estudio exploratorio

Introducción: el estudio de la correcta planificación familiar, o la implementación de esta ya ha sido tema de investigaciones, que buscaron ver el efecto y la necesidad de dicha planificación en el contexto de las mujeres con trastornos mentales. Esto se debe a que la salud reproductiva es un derecho humano fundamental, que debe ser resguardado en todos los grupos poblacionales, especialmente en los más vulnerables. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de conocimientos de las mujeres con diagnóstico de algún trastorno mental sobre planificación familiar. Metodología: estudio observacional, descriptivo y temporalmente prospectivo. El muestreo fue no probabilístico, de casos consecutivos. A través de una encuesta, se entrevistó acerca de conocimientos sobre planificación familiar a mujeres con diagnóstico psiquiátrico que recibieron atención médica en el consultorio externo de Psiquiatría del Hospital de Clínicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Resultados: 141 mujeres participaron del estudio. La media de edad de las participantes fue de 34 ± 10 años. El 80,9% tenía al menos un hijo, con una media de 2 ± 1 hijos. El diagnóstico psiquiátrico más frecuente fue trastorno depresivo mayor, con 31,9%. El 83,7% desconocía los posibles efectos teratogénicos de las medicaciones que consumían. El 95% había oído hablar de las infecciones de transmisión sexual y el 87,9% sabía que la principal vía de transmisión era la sexual. Discusión: existe un nivel insuficiente de conocimientos sobre planificación familiar en mujeres con diagnóstico psiquiátrico. La falta de planificación familiar puede repercutir de forma negativa en la salud pública y en los aspectos socioculturales de las familias involucradas.

Manejo del estrés en situaciones académicas

Como bien sabemos los estudiantes de ciencias de la salud manifiestan mayores frecuencias de ansiedad, depresión y síndrome de Burnout (1,2), lo cual deriva en niveles más elevados de estrés. Existen eventos que producen una exacerbación de dichos síntomas, como son por ejemplo las evaluaciones finales.  Es en este contexto que se comparte algunas técnicas que pueden servir para aliviar dicho estrés.  Algunas de las estrategias que ayudan afrontar las manifestaciones en la fase de agotamiento del estrés son (3): Planificar actividades priorizando entre ellas,  decidir entre diversas técnicas de estudio, alimentarse saludablemente en horarios estables, practicar deporte o actividades recreativas, dedicar tiempo a pasatiempos y hobbies, mantener ciclos de sueño estables, buscar ayuda y compartir con otros, practicar relajación y respiración profunda, mantener el sentido del humor, esforzarse en mantener la calma y tranquilidad. El mindfulness es un método cognitivo que consiste en prestar atención plena al cuerpo, respiración, pensamientos, emociones, y conductas, que se utiliza para reducir el estrés, dolor, ansiedad y depresión, el cual cuenta con algunas evidencias clínicas (4). Una investigación realizada por Dundas y colaboradores reportó que el mindfulness es útil para la reducción del estrés por evaluación académica, se encontró reducciones en los componentes cognitivos y emocionales de la ansiedad de la evaluación y esa reducción continuó después de la intervención (5), por lo que este tipo de terapia tiene evidencia y se puede recomendar su utilización, así como la relajación muscular progresiva de Jacobson.   Es fundamental que los estudiantes universitarios busquen algún tipo de ayuda o actividad que ayude a disminuir los niveles de estrés y ansiedad ante las evaluaciones académicas, puesto que pueden tener resultados negativos que contribuyan más al aumento del estrés y ansiedad

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S).. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-33345/v1]

Globally, mental health impairments have been described based on the fear of the infection generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to test the psychometric properties of the Spanish validation the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), which has been recently developed to measure fear quantitatively. Participants were recruited through an Internet-based survey. 1077 subjects were included. To establish construct validity, an exploratory factor analysis was performed using the KMO test, which was adequate, and the Bartlett sphericity test, which was significant (p <.0001). The CFI, NFI, GFI, TLI and RMSEA indices were used to evaluate the model and showed good adjustment. Cronbach’s alpha showed valid internal consistency (α=0.86). This validation is supported by significant correlation (p <.001) with the HADS scale for anxiety and depression and with the Fear Questionnaire scale for specific phobia. In conclusion, the Spanish version of the FCV-19S is a 7-item scale with two dimensions, psychological symptoms (items 1, 2, 4, and 5) and physiological symptoms (items 3, 6, and 7) with robust psychometric properties.

Psychodermatology of skin picking (excoriation disorder): A comprehensive review

Excoriation disorder (ED) is a primary psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent skin picking, which may lead to self-induced cutaneous lesions and significant distress or functional impairment. The affected patient is aware of his/her self-destructive behavior but feels unable to give up this habit, despite having made repeated attempts to decrease or stop it. ED is a relatively frequent disorder, of notable heterogeneity and phenomenological complexity, accompanied by significant emotional and physical consequences. Therefore, further research is necessary to enhance the knowledge on its clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and comorbidities. This article presents an update regarding the etiopathogenesis, clinical aspects, and treatment options of ED to provide an up-to-date review for psychiatrists, dermatologists, and general practitioners.

Self-Perceived Stress During the Quarantine of COVID-19 Pandemic in Paraguay: An Exploratory Survey

Introduction: Any viral pandemic is a global health and mental health issue. The World Health Organization and mental health associations have warned that the current COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a drastic increase of stress-related conditions and mental health issues globally. Materials and Methods: An online web-based survey has been launched from 10 to 15 April 2020 in Paraguay in order to collect information regarding the stress related to the quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been spread through social media ("WhatsApp," "Twitter," and "Facebook"). Two thousand two hundred and six Paraguayan citizens, over 18 years of age, completed the survey voluntarily. Socio-demographics as well as ratings at Self-perceived Stress Scale have been collected and analyzed. Results: Two thousand two hundred and six subjects (74.12% men) aged between 18 and 75 with an average of 34 ± 11 years old completed the survey. 12.42% (276 subjects) of sample reported a preexisting diagnosis of mental disorder, and 175 participants (7.93%) reported an increase of preexisting symptoms with the onset of COVID-19 quarantine. 41.97% of them had anxiety and 54.38% did not receive any specific treatment. The general population rated 18.10 ± 5.99 at Self-perceived Stress Scale, which indicates a moderate level of self-perceived stress. Significant association was found between higher levels of stress and female sex, being single, or reporting preexisting mental disorder, above all anxiety and depression (p < 0.01). In fact, in 63.87% of mentally ill subjects (n = 175), the quarantine has worsened symptoms of preexisting mental disorders. Conclusion: This study suggests a stressful impact of COVID-19 pandemic, with the majority of participants reporting a moderate level of self-perceived stress. We suggest mental health services to provide a phone-based or web-based support to the general population in order to contrast the psychological impact of the pandemic. This approach may improve the accessibility to mental healthcare services in Paraguay, especially in times of social distancing.