Discrimination, stigma and mental health: what's next?

Stigma and discrimination are a major ongoing problem in the field of mental health as these impact on patient outcomes, access to and acceptability of therapeutic interventions, their quality of life, general wellbeing, social inclusion and opportunities. Social stereotypes, culture and prejudices all contribute to continuing discrimination in mental health. Different settings where people function may also be sources of discrimination such as work and educational environments.

Latin American perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with regard to COVID-19: frequency and association with severe mental pathologies.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the spread of abundant misinformation by the media, which caused fear and concern.

Objective: To determine the association between the pathologies of the mental sphere and the perceptions of fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media with respect to COVID-19 in Latin America.

Methodology: The present study has an analytical cross-sectional design that is based on a validated survey to measure fear and exaggeration transmitted by the media and other sources (Cronbach's α: 0.

Basic COVID-19 knowledge according to education level and country of residence: Analysis of twelve countries in Latin America.

Introduction: Knowing a disease is crucial for being able to fight it, especially in a region in which COVID-19 caused so many deaths, such as Latin America.

Objective: To determine the association between basic knowledge of COVID-19 and education level according to country of residence in Latin America.

Methodology: This is an analytical cross-sectional study.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in university students in Paraguay during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 293 students from four universities in Paraguay in 2021. The DASS-21 mental health scale was used to measure the outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) and evaluate their association with socio-educational variables.

Validity of a scale of Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic (MED-LAT-COVID-19).

Introduction: The pandemic has caused fear, especially due to the daily disseminated news; however, there is not an instrument to measure this fear in multiple realities.

Objective: To validate a scale for Latin American perception of fear and concern transmitted by the media during the pandemic.

Methodology: This is an instrumental study.

Perceived Fatality Prior to COVID-19 Infection in 13 Latin American Countries (FAT-LAT-COVID-19): Revalidation of a Shortened Scale.

Introduction: COVID-19 has generated great repercussions for the population globally; millions of deaths have been reported worldwide. The idea of death is especially exacerbated when there are close to death experiences that remind us how close we are to fatality. This is why it is important to measure fatalistic ideas of those who have not yet been infected.

Motivation towards medical career choice and academic performance in Latin American medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Motivation in medical students is positively associated with learning strategies. However, the evidence of a direct relationship between motivation and performance is vague. The objective of this study is to determine if the motivation that pushed students to choose the medical career is associated with their academic performance during their university years.