Vocational Counseling and Training for Medical Degrees

Deciding on a university degree is undoubtedly a difficult choice. This situation brings about fear of failing and disappointing yourself and others, which is a common feeling among high school students, becoming a source of anxiety and stress. This demonstrates the need for an appropriate vocational and professional guidance. In Cuba, this subject is gaining importance, since a greater number of youngsters have the opportunity to choose from more professions; thus, deciding on one or the other is a problem of great practical and social impact. Vocational guidance and training in the Cuban educational context aims to reaffirm the inclination of youth towards medical studies, where they fully develop their potential, on the basis of consolidating values and feelings, and a high social, moral and unconditional commitment to the practice of the profession. This paper presents various issues that currently affect vocational guidance and the role of each of the major participants in the process itself

Orientación y formación vocacional hacia la carrera de Medicina

Decidir por cuál carrera universitaria optar es, sin dudas, una elección difícil. Esta situación genera miedo al fracaso, a la decepción propia y ajena, sentimiento muchas veces habitual en el joven preuniversitario, que se convierte en fuente de ansiedad y estrés. Esto demuestra la necesidad de una adecuada orientación vocacional y profesional. En Cuba esta temática va tomando gran importancia, ya que un mayor número de jóvenes tienen la posibilidad de optar por mayor cantidad de profesiones, por lo que la decisión sobre una u otra constituye un problema de gran repercusión práctica y social. La orientación y formación vocacional en el contexto educativo cubano tiene como fin reafirmar la inclinación de los jóvenes interesados hacia la carrera de Medicina, donde se desarrollen íntegramente sus potencialidades, sobre la consolidación de los valores y sentimientos y con un elevado compromiso social, moral e incondicional hacia el ejercicio de la profesión. En este trabajo se abordan los diferentes aspectos que influyen actualmente en la orientación vocacional y el papel de cada uno de los protagonistas del proceso en sí

Factores biológicos y sociales relacionados con la salud de la mujer durante el climaterio

Fundamento: la vida de la mujer, que se ha  extendido 30 años después de la menopausia, recibe un impacto del medio sobre la expresión clínica del cese de la función reproductiva, lo cual incrementa la necesidad de brindarles en esta etapa una atención integral. Objetivo: identificar  algunos  factores biológicos y sociales relacionados con la salud de la mujer durante el climaterio. Métodos: estudio descriptivo de corte transversal realizado a 307 mujeres de 40-59 años del Policlínico Área III de Cienfuegos, desde enero a diciembre del 2006. Mediante entrevista domiciliaria se les llenó un formulario que permitió conocer datos generales, clínicos y de ayuda médica.  Resultados: el 56,3 % de las mujeres experimentaron un síndrome climatérico leve, los síntomas circulatorios (77,2 %) y psicológicos (60 %) fueron los más referidos. La edad media de la menopausia fue 47,51 años, más precozmente en las fumadoras. La edad de la menarquia, el número de embarazos y partos y  patrón menstrual no guardaron relación con la edad de la menopausia. El 44 % de las mujeres eran hipertensas, el 41,4 % preobesas y el 100 %  sedentarias.  El 81,8 %  no solicitó ayuda médica; se les indicó terapia hormonal al 32,1 %. Conclusiones: las mujeres entrevistadas no solicitaron ayuda médica, a pesar de los factores de riesgo y enfermedades crónicas encontradas y presentar algún grado de molestia, por desconocimiento de esta etapa de la vida y la no existencia en la Atención Primaria de Salud de consultas multidisciplinarias para la atención a este grupo humano.</p

Life quality of diabetic patients

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a significant health problem worldwide, since it is one of the most frequent non-transmissible diseases as for the variety and intensity of complications associated with it. Objective: To assess some physical, psychic and social aspects related with life quality of these patients. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was developed in the in the Centre for Care and Education of Diabetic Patients, between 2006 and 2007. The universe was formed by 148 diabetic patients (type II) that received ambulatory assistance in that institution. Variables: age, sex, years suffering from that disease, associated diseases and nutritional assessment according to the body mass index. Results: There was grater incidence of females, most of the patients were between 40 and 59 years; it was significant the association of diabetes with hypertension, mainly in overweight patients. Life quality was poorer with more years of diseases evolution, the obese patients and those with peripheral vascular disease. Conclusion: Even when life quality of diabetic patients is not generally deteriorated, there is a negative disposition towards the disease

Coronary Calcium Scoring and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus is considered as an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Coronary calcium scoring has proved to be a useful tool for stratifying cardiovascular risk. Objective: To quantify coronary calcium in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 in order to estimate cardiovascular risk. Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted. The sample included 33 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus admitted in the Center for Diabetes Care and Education of Cienfuegos from April to July 2009. Variables studied: age, sex, nutritional assessment, illness duration, history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking. Coronary calcium was determined with multislice helical CT scanner. Results: females were predominant. Most patients were between 41 and 70 years old. More than half were from 2 to 11 years of evolution and had fasting glucose levels higher than 7.0 mmol / L. In 40.0% of diabetic patients three or more risk factors and average and high coronary calcium values were present. Out of the total, 21.7% (5 patients) has less than three risk factors and average and high values. Conclusions: Performing coronary calcium quantification can reclassify cardiovascular risk in a high percentage of estimated cases

What patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 know on their disease

Background: education on diabetes is one of the key objectives of general care for people with diabetes mellitus and should be effectively implemented in order to provide patients with more information about their disease. Objective: to determine how much patients with type 2 diabetes know about the disease. Methods: descriptive study of a case series conducted between January and June 2008. The universe consisted on 120 patients from the "Area V" Polyclinic of Cienfuegos who were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, type 2. In order to determine how much patients know about the disease a pre-test designed by the working group of the Center for Diabetes Care and Education was applied to all patients admitted in the institution. Results: females predominated over males. The largest number of patients was between 5 and 10 years and more than 10 years of disease progression (40% in both groups). In the first group 21, 7% of patients have an inadequate knowledge standard on the disease and in the second one, the same situation occurs in 25% of them. Hypertension and ischemic heart disease were the chronic diseases associated with more patients and polyneuropathy and neuropathy were the most common chronic complications. Conclusions: patients with diabetes need a steady educational work to acquire more knowledge on their disease and to live better with it