Publications by authors named "A L Torres-Castillo"
Background: Our aim was to explore patients' perceptions of changes in diet and physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or arterial hypertension in two low-income districts of Ecuador.
Methods: We carried out a qualitative study of 19 telephone interviews in August-September 2020 with people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or arterial hypertension. Interviews were recorded, anonymized and transcribed verbatim for analysis using the social ecological model.
Prevalence and gender disparities of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in Esmeraldas, Ecuador: a population-based survey in a hard-to-reach setting.
Int J Equity Health
July 2023
Article Synopsis
- Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) is becoming more common in low- and middle-income countries, with a study in rural northern Ecuador finding a prevalence of 6.8%, significantly higher in women (10.4%) compared to men (2.0%).
- The study used surveys and tests to estimate obesity prevalence at 30.8%, particularly noting that women's obesity rates (43.2%) were nearly three times those of men (14.7%).
- Results suggest that gender roles heavily influence health outcomes, indicating a need for targeted health promotion strategies that consider gender differences, especially in rural communities.
Access to health services for chronic disease care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: A qualitative analysis using a Social Determinants of Health approach.
Glob Public Health
January 2023
This qualitative study aims to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted healthcare access for patients with chronic conditions in Ecuador from the patient's perspective. We interviewed 19 patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension or type 2 diabetes in rural and urban areas of Ecuador during August and September 2020. We used the Framework Method to analyse the interview transcripts with ATLAS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSocial Inequalities in Mental Health and Self-Perceived Health in the First Wave of COVID-19 Lockdown in Latin America and Spain: Results of an Online Observational Study.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
May 2023
COVID-19 lockdowns greatly affected the mental health of populations and collectives. This study compares the mental health and self-perceived health in five countries of Latin America and Spain, during the first wave of COVID 19 lockdown, according to social axes of inequality. This was a cross-sectional study using an online, self-managed survey in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the associations of sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors with depression, anxiety, and self-reported health status during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ecuador. We also assessed the differences in these associations between women and men.
Design, Setting, And Participants: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between July to October 2020 to adults who were living in Ecuador between March to October 2020.