Gac Med Mex
-
The objective of this issue is a theoretical approach to the disadvantages involved in taking the certification exams of medical specializations through serial case reports and analyzing them with the Classical Test Theory (TCT). The certification exams of medical specializations correspond to criterial summative exams with high consequences. ⋯ The violation of the fundamental assumptions of the TCT in the tests constructed through serial case reports can lead to biases or misinterpretations of the results. Due to the above, it is advisable to use other psychometric models for the analysis of this type of test, or to avoid the use of serial case reports in the certification exams of medical specialties.
-
Long COVID is defined as the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms four weeks after having undergone acute infection, according to the most recent CDC definition. It is estimated that there are 65 million people affected by this entity, although other figures speak of 200 million. ⋯ It is important for the population affected by long COVID to be characterized in order to generate diagnostic and treatment protocols.
-
Type 2 diabetes has economic implications involving family income and out-of-pocket spending. ⋯ The family out-of-pocket expense in the family with a patient with diabetes mellitus 2 was $4,418.89 and represents 4.73% of the family income.
-
Frailty has been related to adverse outcomes, but evidence on its association with the use of health services is still scarce. ⋯ Frailty could be useful in the planning of health services for older adults. On the other hand, its evaluation would allow prioritizing care for those who are at higher risk of adverse outcomes.
-
In Mexico, it is not known which institutions use animals for scientific purposes. This work reports, based on data requested from the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI), the types of institutions that use animals for research and how many of these have an ethics committee. Research centres, colleges, hospitals, national institutes, technical colleges, and public universities are the types of institutions that report using animals for experimentation. ⋯ Mammals are the most widely used animal group. The scientific purposes for using animals depend on the type of institution that uses them. In Mexico, it is necessary to update the regulations in order to regulate the use, protection and the care of laboratory animals.