Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Latin Americans”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Dementia in Argentina and other Latin-American countries: An overview.

Latin-American countries are expected to experience an expansion of the elderly population, as life expectancy increases. We reviewed the literature to determine the frequency of dementia in our region and surveyed selected Latin-American countries to determine the availability of diagnostic and treatment services and long-term care facilities. Latin-American countries face a challenge to develop public health strategies to cope with the anticipated heightened number of elderly with cognitive impairment.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The cost of Latin American science Introduction for the second issue of CBP-Latin America.

Latin American researchers in science and engineering (S&E), including those in biology and biomedical sciences, are frequently exposed to unstable conditions of financial support, material and human resources, and a limited number of positions at public and private institutions. Such uncertainties impose continuous challenges for the scientific community which, in the best of cases, responds with careful planning and creativity, and in the worst scenario endures the migration of scientists to the USA or Europe. Still, the number of scientific publications from Latin American institutions in the last decade increased at a much faster rate than publications from the USA and Canada. A brief analysis per country of the gross domestic product (GDP) spent in research and development (R&D) and the S&E production reported by the Pascal bibliographic database suggests that the number and quality of S&E publications is directly proportional to the financial support for R&D. However, the investment in R&D in Latin America did not increase at the same rate (from 0.49 to 0.55% of GDP, from 1990 to 2003) at which S&E publications did in the same period (2.9-fold increase, from 1988 to 2001). In Latin America, the traditional financial support for scientific research continues to be from federal and state government funds, associated in some cases with institutional funds that are mostly directed towards administrative costs and infrastructure maintenance. The aim of this introduction is to briefly discuss the production cost of articles published in refereed S&E journals, including the cost of the scientific research behind them, and, at the same time, to increase the awareness of the high quality of scientific research in Latin American institutions despite the many challenges, especially financial constraints, faced by their scientists. The second issue of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology dedicated to Latin America ("The Face of Latin American Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology") celebrates, by means of 26 manuscripts from five countries, the diversity and quality of biological science in the continent.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed1996

The privatization of health care in three Latin American social security systems.

Most Latin American social security institutes are direct providers of medical care services to their beneficiaries. As many of the institutes have developed serious financial problems over the course of the last decade and a half, they have come under increasing attack for (a) exacerbating inequalities in access to and use of health care, (b) further heightening the geographic overconcentration of services, (c) focusing a disproportionate amount of resources on high technology, curative care to the near total exclusion of primary health care, and (d) being administratively top heavy and, more generally, inefficient. In the past few years, many Latin American countries have begun searching for methods to ameliorate these problems. This paper analyzes three recent efforts, all of which involve some degree of privatization: (1) El Salvador's partial privatization of specialty physician outpatient consultations, (2) Peru's minor surgery and its decentralized ambulatory care programme, and (3) Nicaragua's "administrative services only' approach wherein social security beneficiaries choose to join a certified public or private provider organization for one year, and, on behalf of the individual, social security pays the organization a fixed, annual, per capita fee to provide all health care for the enrollee. The paper also identifies political and technical considerations, as well as health care market characteristics that have shaped these efforts and that condition their likelihood of success, including: the size, composition, level of capacity utilization, degree of organization and geographic distribution of private sector resources; relative prices in the private vis-a-vis the public sector; and the size and nature of the private health insurance market. Other Latin American countries would do well to examine these factors and characteristics before embarking on efforts to reform their own social security health care delivery systems.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed2004

International training programs in reproductive sciences for conservation of Latin American felids.

Survival of the ten non-domestic felid species endemic to Latin America is imperiled by habitat loss, poaching and poor captive management. Over the past 10 years, conservation of these felids has been the primary focus of a reproductive research and training program conducted in Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. The objectives of this program were to: (1) provide intensive training in reproductive sciences to Latin American scientists, (2) conduct collaborative studies investigating basic and applied reproduction in endangered felids, and (3) establish a highly-trained scientific cohort to conduct independent conservation-based research. Four formal training courses, consisting of didactic lectures and hands-on instruction in research techniques, including semen collection, sperm cryopreservation and laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI), were taught in Brazil and Mexico between 1995 and 1998. Several of these scientists received further training in conducting fecal hormone analysis in the USA, and a number of research studies, many in collaboration with American scientists, were initiated in Latin American felids. Research findings have characterized basal reproductive traits in several felid species, including ocelots, margay, tigrinas and jaguars, and established that Latin American felids exhibit only minimal seasonal variation in most reproductive traits. Other studies have explored the impact of acute and chronic stressors on adrenocortical activity and demonstrated the importance of environmental enrichment in captivity, especially in small felids. Additional research has examined ovarian and immunological responsiveness of Latin American felids to exogenous gonadotropins and assessed the impact of nutrition on sperm production and oocyte quality. Applied reproductive studies have investigated sperm cryopreservation in both captive and wild felid populations and demonstrated the production of viable offspring in ocelots and tigrinas following laparoscopic AI. Ongoing studies are investigating the potential of in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo cryopreservation and embryo transfer for genetic management of ocelots and tigrinas. To date, over 75 Brazilian ocelot and 50 tigrina IVF embryos have been cryopreserved and two pregnancies have been established in ocelots following transfer of frozen-thawed embryos. Findings from these studies are helping to improve husbandry, population management, and breeding of Latin American felids in captivity. Continued advances in assisted reproduction eventually may provide an alternative route for exchanging genetic material among Latin American felid populations. Most importantly, this collaborative program has been essential for building scientific capacity, within Brazil and Mexico, in establishing a core group of highly-trained reproductive biologists that will continue applying their new knowledge and skills to the conservation of Latin American felids.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Unintended pregnancies in women delivering at 18 South American hospitals. NFP-ECLAMC Group. Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations.

Unintended pregnancies are accepted as associated with social, maternal and perinatal risks, but few data exist in South America. In a selected network of hospitals participating in the ECLAMC (Spanish acronym for Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations), the frequency of unintended pregnancies was 49.8% in 5155 mothers of normal liveborns, as interviewed in the post-partum period (1992-1994). Compared with the intended pregnancy group, these mothers were more frequently multiparous, conceived easily, had a surprisingly higher mean maternal age, lower educational level, and Black ancestors. The frequency of mistimed pregnancies was the highest among primiparae. No adverse perinatal outcome could be found with regard to low birthweight (< 2500 g), prematurity (< 37 weeks), and early neonatal death. The rates of Caesarean delivery, twinning and sex ratio were similar in intended and unintended groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that maternal education could be a confounding factor associated with other maternal variables. The rate of unintended pregnancies in the present study is significantly higher than that described for other regions. Knowledge of the characteristics of women experiencing unintended pregnancies would allow proper public health strategies.

Black People↗
PubMed1997

Multicenter study on self-medication and self-prescription in six Latin American countries. Drug Utilization Research Group, Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the patterns of self-medication in Latin-American countries. METHODS: This cross-sectional drug utilization study took place at 242 pharmacies in 11 study areas in six countries. Unselected samples of customers were interviewed with a structured questionnaire after they had purchased a medicinal product without any medical prescription and without seeking or accepting the advice of the pharmacist or pharmacy counter assistant. RESULTS: We interviewed 8597 consumers. They had purchased 10,569 pharmaceutical products. Ten percent of the products were intended for family use, 14.1% were for children, 68.2% were for adults, and 7.9% were for elderly people. Thirty-nine percent of the products were fixed-dose combinations, and 19% contained three or more active ingredients. Analgesics (16.8%) were the leading group of drugs, followed by antibiotics (7.4%), antiinflammatory and antirheumatic products (5.9%), and vitamins (5.1%). Consumers interviewed purchased relatively high numbers of cardiovascular drugs (494, 5%) and drugs that act on the central nervous system (256, 2.4%). Only 34% of dispensed drugs had an approved over-the-counter status; less restrictive criteria suggest that 24% should have been dispensed on a medical prescription. CONCLUSIONS: The high proportion of fixed-dose combinations reflects poorly regulated pharmaceutical markets. The relatively high proportion of drugs dispensed without a medical prescription that nevertheless need medical follow-up is probably attributable to difficult access to medical care. The potential effectiveness of these treatments is therefore jeopardized by lack of medical follow-up. There is a need for implementation of a comprehensive pharmaceutical and health care policy in the participating countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The historical setting of Latin American bioethics.

The historical stages through which Latin American society has passed are at least four: the first, dominated by a particular sort of ethic I have termed the "ethic of the gift;" then the period of conquest, in which the prevalent ethic was one of war and subjection by force, which I call the "ethic of despotism;" followed by the colonial age, in which a new ethical model of "paternalism" emerged; and finally the stage of the "ethic of autonomy," which began with the independence movements of the 18th and 19th centuries and is far from ended. Independence was won by the criollos from European domination with very little participation by the Indian population. The latter was left out of the democratic process and saw itself relegated to a worse situation than in the centuries of colonial rule, for it was no longer protected by the paternalism of the Laws of the Indies of 1542. This is the reason for the division of the Latin American society of the last century into two quite different social strata: one bourgeois, which has assimilated the liberal revolution, and enjoys a health care quite similar to that available in any other Western country and hence faces the same bioethical problems as any developed Western society; the other a very poor stratum, without any economic or social power and hence unable to exercise its civil rights, such as the rights to life and to humane treatment. In this population sector; which is numerically the larger, the major bioethical problems are those of justice and the distribution of scarce resources. The study of Latin American medical ethics can earn for these subjects, whose deplorable condition has been essentially ignored in the bioethics of the first-world countries, the importance they merit.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed2006

Ethnic considerations in the treatment of Hispanic and Latin-American patients with hyperpigmentation.

Latin-Americans have a heterogeneous ancestry that is defined by their place of domicile, while Hispanics are defined as those persons of Spanish descent. These two groups have a diverse range of skin phototypes and pigmentation and are prone to an increased incidence of melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Little research has been conducted to evaluate the frequency, course, effects, tolerability and treatment response of skin diseases in Hispanic and Latin-American populations. From the limited data that are available it is considered that the treatment of melasma in these two groups does not differ from the general population. First-line therapy of melasma should consist of effective topical therapies, mainly a fixed triple combination of hydroquinone, retinoic acid and fluocinolone acetonide. Where patients have either sensitivity or triple combination therapy is unavailable, other compounds with dual ingredients may be considered as an alternative. Options for second-line therapy include peels either alone or in combination with topical therapy. Lasers should rarely be used in the treatment of melasma and then only as third-line therapy in cases of melasma which is resistant to all other therapies. If applied, skin type must be taken into account. Irritation and sensitivity can be a concern in darker-skinned Hispanic patients and for this reason, the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) following treatment should be considered.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2002

Functional foods: Latin American perspectives.

The perspectives of Latin America as a potential producer and consumer of functional foods will depend largely on the level of information and income of the population, credibility of the products, research investments and regulatory practices. The characteristics of Latin America are diverse at the regional and sub-regional levels. However, as part of the demographic and epidemiological transition currently underway, common trends can be identified such as increasing urbanization and life expectancy, the occurrence of obesity and malnutrition, increasing incidences of chronic diseases and causes of mortality rates, all of which suggests the importance of diet and functional foods in public health policies. The Latin American population in general has no knowledge of functional foods, but in the more urbanized areas there is an increasingly health-conscious consumer, aware of the importance of food for health, due to the media and local traditions. More investment in research is important to explore the existing plant biodiversity that is a rich source of new foods and bioactive compounds, some of which are already used for health improvement and well-being. Clinical validation of functional foods should consider functional food science concepts and also the diverse cultural and genetic background of the local population. In Latin American scientific and regulatory communities, the functional foods concept has been associated with foods having health benefits beyond those of basic nutrition but is not defined officially in the emerging regulatory codes. Regulation existing in some countries is focused on safety and efficacy; both functional and health claims are allowed (risk reduction) provided they have scientific validation. This allowed introduction on the market of several products with health claims, some of them submitted to post-marketing surveillance.

Dietary Supplements↗
PubMed2000

Hypertension and cardiovascular health in Venezuela and Latin American countries.

Since 1950 all countries of the Latin-American subcontinent have experienced very important changes in several health indicators, in the demographic, epidemiological, socio-cultural and way of living profiles. The proportion of the population over 65 years old tend to be low in the Latin American countries in contrast to developed countries. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in most of the Latin American countries at a similar rate to that of the developed world. As infectious diseases are reduced, cardiovascular diseases takes their place as the main cause of death in Latin American countries. Prevalence of hypertension in different reports show variations from 40 to 8% in the adult population, but on average 20 to 23% of the adult population have elevated blood pressure. This prevalence is similar to reports in the developed world. However there is considerable variability in each country and its regions so it is important that local studies of prevalence and local factors in the development of hypertension are investigated. The degree of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension is lower than that reported in the developed world, and it is important to establish programmes to attend to this public health problem, from prevention to treatment, from primary care to higher levels of attention.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Restriction fragment length polymorphism in HLA class II genes of Latin-American Caucasian celiac disease patients.

In the present study Latin-American celiac disease patients were analyzed for the frequency of certain HLA class II restriction fragment length polymorphisms in order to investigate whether they exhibited the normal associated alleles or showed unusual class II variants. A DPB/RsaI 4.0-kb fragment that was shown to be significantly increased among North Americans celiac disease patients of the DR3,DQw2 haplotype was found with similar frequency in Latin-American control and celiac disease individuals. A DPA/BglII 3.7-kb fragment previously shown to be increased among British celiac disease patients was also present with similar frequency among Latin-American control and celiac disease individuals. These results show that the frequency of the HLA-DP region-derived restriction fragment length polymorphisms linked to celiac disease differs between Caucasian populations of different ethnic backgrounds (Anglo-Saxon and Latin-American). On the other hand, DNA samples from 13 patients and 14 controls bearing the DR5/DR7 phenotype (which is significantly associated with celiac disease in Latin populations) were investigated for the presence of particular restriction fragment length polymorphisms disproportionally present in celiac disease individuals. No significant differences were found between controls and patients when the DNA was analyzed with 10 different restriction enzymes and probes for DRB, DQA, DQB, and DPB HLA class II sequences.

Alleles↗
PubMed2024

Genetics of Latin American Diversity Project: Insights into population genetics and association studies in admixed groups in the Americas.

Latin Americans are underrepresented in genetic studies, increasing disparities in personalized genomic medicine. Despite available genetic data from thousands of Latin Americans, accessing and navigating the bureaucratic hurdles for consent or access remains challenging. To address this, we introduce the Genetics of Latin American Diversity (GLAD) Project, compiling genome-wide information from 53,738 Latin Americans across 39 studies representing 46 geographical regions. Through GLAD, we identified heterogeneous ancestry composition and recent gene flow across the Americas. Additionally, we developed GLAD-match, a simulated annealing-based algorithm, to match the genetic background of external samples to our database, sharing summary statistics (i.e., allele and haplotype frequencies) without transferring individual-level genotypes. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of GLAD as a critical resource for evaluating statistical genetic software in the presence of admixture. By providing this resource, we promote genomic research in Latin Americans and contribute to the promises of personalized medicine to more people.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

Ethnic Differences in correlates of obesity between Latin-American and black Women.

OBJECTIVE: To date, no studies have examined dietary intake, physical activity, and body image in a large sample of Latin-American and black women recruited using the same methodology. The aim of this study was to examine three potential correlates of obesity (dietary intake, body image, and physical activity) in a large sample of Latin-American and black women across the weight spectrum. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Participants were black (n = 271) and Latin-American (n = 234) adult women who completed a 24-hour dietary recall and physical activity and body image questionnaires. RESULTS: After controlling for BMI, education, marital status, and number of children, black women consumed more kilocalories, dietary fat (grams), and percent calories from fat than Latin-American women, who consumed more carbohydrates (grams) and dietary fiber (total and soluble). Black women engaged in more sedentary behavior than Latin-American women. Although Latin-American women weighed less than black women, they perceived their current body image as heavier and reported greater body image dissatisfaction than black women. Black women also reported a higher ideal body image than Latin-American women. DISCUSSION: The combined effect of a diet higher in calories and fat, increased sedentary behavior, and more accepting body image could account for higher rates of obesity among black women. Future studies should further explore cultural attitudes and beliefs related to weight that could provide information for the development of culturally competent obesity interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Living conditions and health. A population-based study of labour migrants and Latin American refugees in Sweden and those who were repatriated.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are differences in living conditions and self-rated health between South European labour migrants and Latin American refugees and those who were repatriated to Latin America. DESIGN: Analysis of data from a survey (face-to-face interviews) in 1991 of 338 Latin American refugees and 60 repatriated refugees. A random sample of 161 South European and 396 Finnish labour migrants from the Swedish Annual Level-of-Living Surveys 1980-1981 and 1988-89 was analysed. A random sample of 1,159 age-, sex- and education-matched Swedes served as controls. SETTING: Lund, a medium-sized town in southern Sweden, Santiago and Montevideo, capitals of Chile and Uruguay, respectively, and Sweden. RESULTS: Labour migrants and refugees in particular lived in rented flats while Swedes lived in privately-owned one-family homes. All immigrants and in particular repatriated Latin Americans had low material standard and meagre economic resources compared with Swedes. Being a Latin American refugee, a South European or Finnish labour migrant were independent risk indicators of self-rated poor health in logistic regression (multivariate analyses). Not feeling secure in everyday life and poor leisure opportunities were independent risk factors for poor health with an estimated odds ratio of 3.13(2.09-4.45) and 1.57(1.22-2.00), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a clear ethnic segregation in housing and other living conditions between Swedes and immigrants, where Latin American refugees and repatriated Latin Americans were most vulnerable. All immigrants had increased self-rated poor health compared with Swedes. Being an immigrant was a risk factor for poor health of equal importance to more traditional risk factors such as lifestyle factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Slow progress: predoctoral education in family medicine in four Latin American countries.

BACKGROUND: Many countries in Latin America are seeking to expand primary care services provided through their health care systems. Family physicians are an essential component of an effective primary care workforce, but we know little about the status of family practice training in Latin America. This study examines predoctoral training in family practice in four Latin American countries and identifies factors affecting its incorporation into medical training institutions. METHODS: A Spanish language survey was mailed to the heads of all medical schools in Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Panama (n=100), asking about the status of family practice training at the school and factors perceived as facilitating or impeding its acceptance by the institution. Quantitative data were analyzed for frequency, and qualitative data were analyzed for content and theme. RESULTS: Sixty-five of the 100 schools responded to the survey. Of these, only 34 (52%) provide training in family practice at the predoctoral level, and only nine (14%) have established departments of family medicine. Barriers to inclusion of family medicine include lack of financial and human resources, definition of family practice as a subject rather than a specialty, and a perceived lack of interest among students. DISCUSSION: Inclusion of family medicine into medical education in Latin America has been slow. Unless strategies can be developed to increase training for family physicians in Latin American countries, governments in the region will have difficulty expanding primary health care services in their systems. Support is needed from governments, public health officials, funding agencies and organizations, and the academic community to increase training of family physicians in Latin America.

Argentina↗
PubMed2006

The face of Latin American comparative biochemistry and physiology.

Latin America has experienced a vigorous growth in scientific production since the 1990s, rising from 1.7% of the world's share of science publications in 1990 to 3.2% in 2000. This appears to be a consequence of increasing investment in tertiary education, especially at the doctoral level. However, such growth is not homogeneous among the nations of Latin America, being affected by many issues, such as economical power and expenses in science and technology. Biology--including comparative biochemistry and physiology (CBP)--is one of the scientific areas of tremendous growth in the continent. Thus, in order to celebrate the increasing participation of Latin America in the field of CBP, the editorial board of Comp. Biochem. Physiol. decided to organize a special volume dedicated to Latin American authors (CBP-Latin America). From May to November 2005, 52 manuscripts were submitted to CBP-Latin America from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela. This opening issue contains the first two dozen manuscripts, highlighting the diversity of experimental approaches and the breadth and uniqueness of the biological systems available to researchers in Latin America. We hope that the CBP-Latin America project becomes a significant editorial initiative, one that will meet the goals of highlighting, integrating, and mapping CBP research in Latin America.

Biochemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1999

Effective promotion of breastfeeding among Latin American women newly immigrated to the United States.

Across the United States, advance practice nurses (APNs) are increasingly encountering recently immigrated Latin American populations. This article provides an overview of the situation of Latin Americans in the United States and discusses aspects of Latin American culture such as, respeto (respect), confianza (confidence), the importance of family, and the value of a personal connection. Strategies that will assist practitioners to incorporate culturally holistic principles in the promotion of breastfeeding among Latin American women who are new arrivals in the United States are described. If practitioners are to respond to the increasing numbers of Latin American women who need health care services, and also provide thorough, holistic health care then health care activities must be integrated with cultural competence.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The Latin American Cancer Research Information Project (LACRIP): an evaluation of its development in Mexico.

In 1979 the National Cancer Institute, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Latin American Information and Documentation Center (Brazil) jointly sponsored the Latin American Cancer Information Project. This paper reports the objectives, development, and utilization of this service as it is administered by the National Health Information Documentation Center in Mexico. Evaluation of the project provides insight into problems of information dissemination in countries that are experiencing great economic instability.

Humans↗