RESUMO
Public health training centers were established to enhance competencies in skills required to meet 21st-century public health challenges. In 2011, the Puerto Rico-Florida Public Health Training Center conducted surveys to assess the training needs of two populations of public health workers serving Hispanic communities: Florida Department of Health employees and workers at the regional and central offices of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. The two surveys were similar, but not identical in content and administration. A 52.6% response rate was achieved in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where limited computer access necessitated use of a pen-and-paper survey. A 20.7% response rate was achieved in Florida, where an online survey was used and incomplete responses were problematic. Puerto Rico respondents (n = 1,414) were similar in age (Mdn age = 48 years) to Hispanic Florida respondents (n = 546, Mdn age =45 years). They also reported higher levels of academic achievement and more years of experience in public health. Nevertheless, self-assessed public health competency scores were in the low- to mid-range for Hispanic respondents in both locales. Although self-assessed training priorities differed, Hispanic employees in both jurisdictions preferred hands-on and face-to-face training to distance learning. Findings indicate a need for training based on adult learning theory, targeted to entry-level employees, and addressing the top five self-assessed training needs, especially health promotion and disease prevention and public health law and policy, which emerged as priority training areas in both survey populations.
Assuntos
Avaliação das Necessidades/organização & administração , Competência Profissional , Saúde Pública , Desenvolvimento de Pessoal , Competência Cultural , Feminino , Florida , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Porto Rico , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: HIV+ mothers of adolescent girls can serve as agents of change, particularly when it comes to preventing patterns of behaviors that are inherently dangerous. In order to do so these women need to be able to communicate with their daughters and educate them about risk behaviors, especially those associated with HIV acquisition. The objective is to describe the sociodemographic and risk profile in a sample of mothers of adolescent girls who are HIV+ or HIV negative and analyze differences between them. METHODS: A convenience sample was recruited from three sites, the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine, the UPR School of Medicine, and the Ponce School of Medicine. Six focus groups, two in each institution, were conducted following Krueger's methodology with the objective of developing an educational intervention for mothers of adolescent girls. All participants completed two self-administered questionnaires prior to the focus group. A data analysis was performed--descriptive statistics for the sociodemographic measures included frequencies, percents, mean and SD. We used t test and the Fisher's exact test to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: A total of 44 participants were enrolled, with 50% being HIV positive mothers and 50% being HIV negative mothers. The mean age for both groups was similar (41 years). Statistically significant differences (P < .05) were observed among HIV diagnosis and for the following variables: education, working status, income, marital status, age at first intercourse, and illicit drug use. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that the sociodemographic characteristics of HIV+ women affect their parenting and communication skills. The same factors that may have led to these women being infected by HIV in the first place might in addition be compromising their roles as effective parents.
Assuntos
Soronegatividade para HIV , Soropositividade para HIV , Relações Mãe-Filho , Mães , Poder Familiar , Adolescente , Adulto , Comunicação , Feminino , Grupos Focais , Soropositividade para HIV/psicologia , Humanos , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Assunção de Riscos , Fatores SocioeconômicosRESUMO
Puerto Rico ocupó el tercer lugar en el número de casos diagnosticados de SIDA pediátrico en Estados Unidos entre los meses de septiembre de 1989 y agosto de 1990. El mayor número de casos de SIDA pediátrico ha sido identificado en áreas metropolitanas de alto riesgo. Usualmente el SIDA afecta a niños nacidos a madres drogadictas. Este trabajo pretende describir el perfil sociodemográfico y el crecimiento físico de os casos de SIDA pediátrico al presente atendidos en el Instituto de SIDA de San Juan durante los años de 1986 a 1990. En este estudio de naturaleza descriptiva, la muestra consistió de los 40 pacientes vivos con el diagnóstico de SIDA que constituían el universo al realizar la presente investigación. La fuente principal de transmisión fue por vía perinatal (90.0 por ciento) y el factor de riesgo, la drogadicción endovenosa en la madre (67.5 por ciento). El 42.4 por ciento de las madres sostenían una relación consensual. El 70.0 por ciento de los casos nacieron a término (38 semanas) con un peso promedio de 2,954 gramos y talla promedio de 50.9 centímetros. Al momento de presentar síntomas dentro de alguna categoría P2 según criterios del CDC, el 67.7 por ciento estaban debajo de la 50ma. percentila en peso; y el 86.9 por ciento de los casos estaban por debajo de la 50ma. percentila en talla