[Interpersonal factors as predictors of sexual self-esteem in women in Northeast Mexico].

Objective: Sexual self-esteem has generated results that make clear their impact on sexual health, which is forged by interactions with other people. For this reason, the goal of this study is to evaluate if the variables time spent with the partner, number of sexual partners, support of the couple, sexual assertiveness and partner violence predict sexual self-esteem in women in Northeast Mexico.

Material And Method: Predictive and correlational study.

[Use of online sexual material and safe sex in men who have sex with men].

Introduction: Sexual material online has represented, from its origins, an important role in the life of men who have sex with men. Internet, which has become a vehicle without restriction for its access, has favored an increase in the use of this material, and has had an impact on the sexual behavior of these men.

Objective: To determine if the use of online sexual material influences safe sexual behavior in men who have sex with men.

Perceived risk and decisional balance to HIV testing in men who have sex with men from Monterrey, Mexico.

Unlabelled: The perceived risk to HIV and the decisional balance (pros and cons) towards HIV testing are fundamental aspects for understanding the motivation of men who have sex with men to engage in behaviours that reduce or increase the risk of infection with the virus.

Objectives: To describe the perceived risk of HIV and the decisional balance towards HIV testing and determine the association between perceived risk and the decisional balance towards HIV testing of men who have sex with men.

Method: Descriptive correlational design, we used respondent-driven sampling, with which we recruited 202 men who have sex with men.

A physical-cognitive intervention to enhance gait speed in older Mexican adults.

Purpose: To test the effects of a physical-cognitive exercise intervention on gait parameters under dual-task conditions in community-dwelling older adults.

Design: A repeated-measures quasi-experimental design, with control and exercise groups, was used.

Setting: Study participants consist of a convenience sample recruited from senior citizens' centers in Monterrey, Mexico.

Integrated preventive care coverage effectiveness in high-risk worksites in Mexico.

Objectives: Worksites have been considered a propitious environment for promoting health. In 2005, an integrated preventive care (IPC) system was implemented in Mexico consisting of health promotion and disease prevention interrelated activities, delivered on a single visit and on location. This project contributes relevant information on IPC coverage and its degree of effectiveness on providing health promotion services to workers at high-risk worksites.

[Infant day care centers, a space for nutritional surveillance].

Background: The goal of a nutrition and food surveillance system is to examine the nutritional effect of food policies and nutritional programs and predict future trends.

Purpose: To assess nutritional status of infants after implementing a nutritional and food surveillance system (SISVAN) in day care centers.

Material And Methods: Study population consisted of 988 children between 45 days and 60 months of age registered in the SISVAN from april 2006 to May 2007; users of 18 day care centers located in 11 counties of the state of Nuevo Leon.

[Effects of incorporating group visits on the metabolic control of type 2 diabetic patients].

Background: A better metabolic control is an important objective of health care in diabetes mellitus. This objective has been achieved elsewhere, incorporating group visits to the usual care of diabetic patients.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of a primary care group visit model after 9 and 15 months of implementation, on the metabolic control of diabetic patients.

[Estimation of a geographic accessibility index of different health centers in Mexico].

Background: The accessibility to health centers is a limitation to the use of preventive and curative health centers.

Aim: To assess geographic accessibility using a parameter that integrates information about the use of preventive services and travelling time from home to the health center.

Material And Methods: We analyzed target geographical areas of 10 community centers located at the Northeast of Mexico.

[Technical efficiency in primary care for patients with diabetes].

Objective: To quantify the technical efficiency of diabetes care in family practice settings, characterize the provision of services and health results, and recognize potential sources of variation.

Material And Methods: We used data envelopment analysis with inputs and outputs for diabetes care from 47 family units within a social security agency in Nuevo Leon. Tobit regression models were also used.

[Accessibility unmet needs for preventive actions seen from the population's perspective in Monterrey, México, during 2005].

Background: Integrated programs make the task of concentrating preventive actions for specific groups easier. However, health services must firstly be accessible, an essential condition for the population to use them. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify municipalities with the highest needs of accessibility of preventive actions through information synthesized in an accessibility index.

[Cost of caring for the diabetic-hypertensive patient in primary care].

Objective: To determine the cost of caring for the diabetic-hypertensive patient in primary care.

Design: A cost analysis carried out in family medicine units in Mexico.

Setting: Family medicine units in Mexico.

[Probability of control of the patient with diabetes exclusively treated with pharmacological therapy].

Objective: to predict the probability of blood glucose control in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, exclusively treated with pharmacology therapy.

Material And Methods: secondary analysis of a database to evaluate the therapeutic attachment in type-2 diabetics older than 60 years old. We interviewed 123 patients in their home to get information about sociodemographic aspects and diabetes characteristics.

[Discrepancy in attitudes toward diabetes between physicians and diabetic patients attending the private, social security or state medical services].

Objective: One of the biggest challenges of the Mexican Health System is to get results of the treatment goals in diabetic patients, which can be frustrated by physician and patient's attitudes. The present study evaluates divergence of attitude of health providers and diabetic patients according to health sectors: private, social security or State medical services.

Material And Methods: They contributed 255 physicians and 255 diabetic patients in ambulatory care from three health sectors: private, social security and welfare (employees and patients were exclusive providers and patients of corresponding institutions).

[Waiting time? Triage. An alternative in emergency department].

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a triage system on waiting times and patient satisfaction of one secondary care hospital emergency department (ED).

Material And Methods: This was a quasiexperimental study. All patients > 15 years demanding emergency care of the selected hospital were included (n = 1,010); a sample was drawn for applying a satisfaction questionnaire (n = 198).

[Pattern of use of the prenatal, childbirth and puerperium care services at a Mexican Social Security Institution].

Background: Maternal health is a priority in the Mexican health system, the proper planning and organization of the resources, as well as the use of the maternity care services suited to the needs of pregnant women therefore being of importance. This study is aimed at determining the pattern of use of the prenatal, childbirth and puerperium care services at a Mexican social insurance institution.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted of 403 women involved in an obstetrical medical event, with the exception of those whose clinical file was not located or who were treated at a subdistrict hospital providing a low degree of coverage of obstetrical events and in a third-level hospital.

[Cost of care of arterial hypertension and its impact on the budget assigned to health in Mexico].

Objective: To assess the medical care costs of hypertension and their impact on the health care expenditures and on Mexico's Gross National Product (GNP).

Material And Methods: An ecological study was conducted from June to November 1999, at Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (Mexican Institute of Social Security, IMSS), in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A random sample of medical charts of patients with hypertension was selected, to extract data on utilization of health services and unitary costs per care episode.