Using Logistic Regression to Describe the Length of Breastfeeding: A Study in Guadalajara, Mexico

This study seeks, through a logistic regression model, to describe the pattern of breastfeeding duration in Guadalajara, Mexico, during 1993. A multistage random sample of children under 1 year of age (n=1036) was studied; observational data regarding breastfeeding duration, obtained through a "status quo" procedure, were compared with prevalence rates obtained from the logistic regression model. Modeling the duration of breastfeeding during the first year of life rather than only analyzing observational data helps researchers to understand this process in a dynamic and quantitative way. For example, uncommon indicators of breastfeeding were derived from the model. These indicators are impossible to obtain from observational data. The prevalence curve estimated through the logistic model was adequately fitted to observed data: there were no significant differences between the number or distribution of breastfed infants observed and those predicted by the model. Moreover, the model revealed that less than 40% of the children were breastfed in the fourth month of life; the median age for weaning was 39.3 days; 55% of the potential breastfeeding in the first 4 months did not occur; and the greatest abandonment of breastfeeding in the first 4 months was observed in the first 60 days. Thus, logistic regression seems a suitable option to construct a population-based model that describes breastfeeding duration during the first year of life. The indicators derived from the model offer health care providers valuable information for developing programs that promote breastfeeding

Using Logistic Regression to Describe the Length of Breastfeeding: A Study in Guadalajara, Mexico

This study seeks, through a logistic regression model, to describe the pattern of breastfeeding duration in Guadalajara, Mexico, during 1993. A multistage random sample of children under 1 year of age (n=1036) was studied; observational data regarding breastfeeding duration, obtained through a "status quo" procedure, were compared with prevalence rates obtained from the logistic regression model. Modeling the duration of breastfeeding during the first year of life rather than only analyzing observational data helps researchers to understand this process in a dynamic and quantitative way. For example, uncommon indicators of breastfeeding were derived from the model. These indicators are impossible to obtain from observational data. The prevalence curve estimated through the logistic model was adequately fitted to observed data: there were no significant differences between the number or distribution of breastfed infants observed and those predicted by the model. Moreover, the model revealed that less than 40% of the children were breastfed in the fourth month of life; the median age for weaning was 39.3 days; 55% of the potential breastfeeding in the first 4 months did not occur; and the greatest abandonment of breastfeeding in the first 4 months was observed in the first 60 days. Thus, logistic regression seems a suitable option to construct a population-based model that describes breastfeeding duration during the first year of life. The indicators derived from the model offer health care providers valuable information for developing programs that promote breastfeeding

Family doctor clinical aptitude before gestational diabetes patients [Aptitud clínica del médico familiar ante pacientes con diabetes gestacional]

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus complicates 7% of all pregnancies. Recognizing and treating this entity result in a diminished number of materno-fetal complications; this study explores the family physician clinical aptitude to identify risk factors, to diagnose and treat gestational diabetes. Objective: Identify clinical aptitude level of family physician to the treatment of diabetes gestational patients. Participants and methods: Transversal study to describe the level of clinical aptitude in 85 family physicians working in Guadalajara. Were studied: speciality, genre, work condition, working years, working hours, and place of work. The evaluation instrument was designed to this specific purpose and validated by an expert group; were evaluated four indicators: 1) identification of risk factors, 2) diagnosis, 3) use of therapeutic resources and 4) use of paraclinic resources. Confidence coefficient to the assessment instrument was (21 formula from Kuder-Richardson) 0.92 in global evaluation. Results: The global clinical aptitude in the four family medicine units studied was less than 21 points in 41% of physician population and very low (22 a 40 points) in 38% of the evaluated physicians. Conclusions: The clinical aptitude from family physician in gestational diabetes is low, this situation represents an urgent need to design a system to provide to these groups of health providers specialized continuous education to enhance the attention quality to this group of patients in family medicine units

Sociodemographic factors associated with early cessation of breastfeeding in Guadalajara, Mexico

[No abstract available

Development and validation of an instrument to measure family physicians' clinical aptitude in metabolic syndrome in Mexico

Objective. The purpose of this work was to measure family physicians' clinical aptitude for the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic syndrome in a representative sample from six Family Medicine Units (UMF) at the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS), in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Material and Methods. This is a cross-sectional study. A validated and structured instrument was used, with a confidence coefficient (Kuder-Richardson) of 0.95, that was applied to a representative sample of 90 family physicians throughout six UMFs in Guadalajara, between 2003 and 2004. Mann-Whitney's U and Kruskal-Wallis' tests were used to compare two or more groups, and the Perez-Viniegra Test was used to define aptitude development levels. Results. No statistically significant differences were found in aptitude development between the six family medicine units groups and other comparative groups. Conclusions. The generally low level of clinical aptitude, and its indicators, reflects limitations on the part of family physicians at the IMSS in Jalisco to identify and manage metabolic syndrome