Quality of Life in Latin America and the Caribbean

Author(s):  
Mariano Rojas
2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto G. Bochatey

Il pluralismo etico della società civile moderna considera, in genere, buono tutto quel che è autorizzato dalle leggi realizzate democraticamente e considera cattivo il contrario. Ciò vale anche per l’America Latina ed i Caraibi? Come vengono percepite le leggi in questi Paesi? Il contributo tenta di rispondere a questi interrogativi. La risposta è che è assente una critica e uno studio oggettivo e ragionato su quali interventi dell’Uomo nel campo della biologia moderna, della ricerca, della medicina, del riconoscimento di certi valori indiscutibili siano eticamente leciti. Molti di questi ambiti non sono regolati da leggi e in alcuni casi non sono nemmeno conosciuti dalla popolazione. I bioeticisti dell’America Latina e dei Carabi devono essere, dunque, attenti alla realtà di quei popoli senza applicare teorie elaborate in altri contesti. In altri termini, un’etica descrittiva non è sufficiente, ma occorre far riferimento alla realtà oggettiva e culturale della persona, al fine di promuovere il progresso scientifico ed il miglioramento della qualità della vita. ---------- The ethical pluralism of the modern civil society considers, generally, as good all that is authorized by the laws democratically realized and it considers the contrary as bad. Is this also equivalent in Latin America and the Caribbean? How are the laws perceived in these Countries? The contribution tries to answer to these questions. The answer is that a criticism and an objective and reasoned study is absent on what interventions of the Man in the field of the modern biology, of the search, of the medicine, of the recognition of certain indisputable values is ethically permissible. Many of these circles are not regulated by laws and in some cases they are not even known by the population. The bioethicists of Latin America and Caribbean have to be, therefore, careful to the reality of that people without applying theories elaborated in other contexts. In other terms, a descriptive ethics is not enough, but it is necessary to make reference to the objective and cultural reality of the person, with the purpose to promote the scientific progress and the improvement of the quality of life.


Author(s):  
Chimdindu Ohayagha ◽  
Paul B. Perrin ◽  
Annahir N. Cariello ◽  
Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla

Previous research connecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and caregiver mental health has primarily been conducted cross-sectionally in the U.S. and Western Europe. This study, therefore, examined how HRQoL in individuals immediately after their TBI predicts longitudinal caregiver depression symptom trajectories in Latin America. A sample of 109 patients with an acute TBI and 109 caregivers (total n = 218) was recruited from three hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico, and in Cali and Neiva, Colombia. TBI patients reported their HRQoL while they were still in hospital, and caregivers reported their depression symptoms at the same time and at 2 and 4 months later. Hierarchal linear models (HLM) found that caregiver depression symptom scores decreased over time, and lower patient mental health and pain-related quality of life at baseline (higher pain) predicted higher overall caregiver depression symptom trajectories across the three time points. These findings suggest that in Latin America, there is an identifiable relationship between psychological and pain-related symptoms after TBI and caregiver depression symptom outcomes. The results highlight the importance of early detection of caregiver mental health needs based in part upon patient HRQoL and a culturally informed approach to rehabilitation services for Latin American TBI caregivers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 275-276
Author(s):  
Jose Aravena ◽  
Jean Gajardo ◽  
Laura Gitlin

Abstract In a scenario of increasing longevity and social inequalities, Latin-America is an important contributor to the worldwide dementia burden. Caregivers’ health is fundamental to maintain the person with dementia quality of life. However, caregiving is a culturally sensible role that requires tailored solutions. The aim is to synthesize the evidence about non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia in Latin-American contexts. A comprehensive review of interventions in caregivers and persons with dementia in Latin-American countries was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus with studies published until January 27th, 2020. Randomized clinical trials of non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia or dyads where included. Qualitative synthesis of the evidence was presented and analyzed. Overall, 9 pilot RCT were included for the final analysis (6 Brazil, 1 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 Perú). The biggest study recruited 69 caregivers and the smallest 13 dyads, with follow-up range of 3-6 months. 5 control groups received at least some other non-standard care type of intervention. 8 were targeted exclusively to caregivers (4 group intervention, 3 individual, and 1 combined) and 1 multicomponent intervention. Most frequent measured outcomes were caregiver’s burden, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life, and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Individual interventions report better results in caregiver parameters such as burden and depressive symptoms and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Group interventions presented mixed results. Nevertheless, the quality of evidence was low. There is a critical need to study interventions for caregivers in Latin-American contexts.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K. Trapp ◽  
Paul B. Perrin ◽  
Richa Aggarwal ◽  
Silvina Victoria Peralta ◽  
Miriam E. Stolfi ◽  
...  

The research literature has begun to demonstrate associations between personal strengths and enhanced psychosocial functioning of dementia caregivers, but these relationships have not been examined in the context of dementia caregivers in Latin America. The present study examined whether personal strengths, including resilience, optimism, and sense of coherence, were associated with mental and physical health related quality of life (HRQOL) in 130 dementia caregivers in Mexico and Argentina. Structural equation modeling found that the personal strengths collectively accounted for 58.4% of the variance in caregiver mental HRQOL, and resilience, sense of coherence, and optimism each had unique effects. In comparison, the personal strengths together accounted for 8.9% of the variance in caregiver physical HRQOL, and only sense of coherence yielded a unique effect. These results underscore the need to construct and disseminate empirically supported interventions based in part on important personal strengths, particularly sense of coherence, for this underrepresented group.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550005 ◽  
Author(s):  
NIR KSHETRI ◽  
DIANA ROJAS-TORRES ◽  
MARLENY CARDONA ACEVEDO

Diaspora networks' non-economic remittances in the forms of social, political, cultural and technical contributions to their homeland play important roles in entrepreneurship and economic development. In this paper, we examine the effects of such remittances on entrepreneurship development in economies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We analyze how factors such as migrants' skills and education and characteristics of the host country are likely to affect non-economic remittances and their contribution to entrepreneurship and economic development. We offer some examples of initiatives taken in the home country and the host country to maximize the potential non-economic remittances and their impacts on entrepreneurship development in the home country. A key lesson and take-away that we can gain from entrepreneurially successful efforts of some economies is that the primary focus of diaspora policies need to be centered on utilizing various forms of non-economic remittances in stimulating the quantity and quality of entrepreneurial activity.


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