Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) in Colombia, Guatemala, and México

Objetive. To compare the psychometric characteristics of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and the grade of similitude or difference among Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico during three years. Materials and methods. Psychometric comparison using the Rasch model to calculate the relative severity of each item in FIES, INFIT and contrast in the Differential Functioning of Items (c-DIF). Results. The majority of items showed a relative severity corresponding to the theoretical construct and acceptably fit the model (INFIT=0.7-1.3). No c-DIF above 1.0 logit was observed in the comparison men vs women. In the comparison among countries by year 87% of the items showed c-DIF below 0.5 logit. Conclusion. The FIES presents psychometric characteristics corresponding to the theoretical construct of the tool. Future studies with the inclusion of more countries and more time points are essential to evaluate the relative severity, behavior and distribution of items

Household food insecurity is associated with depressive symptoms: results from a Mexican population-based survey

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between food insecurity and depression in the Mexican population. We used data from the 2012 health and nutrition survey (ENSANUT), which is representative of the Mexican population. Food insecurity was determined by the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Short-Form (CES-D-SF). Adjusted logistic regression analyses and ANCOVA were used. Out of 33,011 participants, 5788 (18%) had high depressive symptoms and 24,098 (73%) experienced food insecurity. The adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that, participants with mild food insecurity, (OR = 1.47,95% CI = 1.27 to 1.71), moderate food insecurity (OR = 2.14,95% CI = 1.85 to 2.47) and severe food insecurity (OR = 3.01,95% CI = 2.51 to 3.60,) were more likely to have high depressive symptoms than food secure participants. Participants with moderate food insecurity (OR =1.45, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.64) and severe food insecurity (OR =2.04, 95% CI = 1.76 to 2.37) were more likely to suffer from depression as compared to participants with mild food insecurity. Participants with severe food insecurity were more likely (OR=1.41, 95% CI = 1.21 to 1.65) to suffer from depression compared to participants with moderate food insecurity. This paper provides an overview of the complex problem of food insecurity and mental health. Despite the unknown causality, the analysis suggests a strong association between depression and food insecurity. This problem calls for much more attention from the scientific community. Given the high prevalence of depression and the high prevalence of household food insecurity in Mexico, the implementation of successful public health programs to improve food security is necessary

Best Practices for Developing and Validating Scales for Health, Social, and Behavioral Research: A Primer

Scale development and validation are critical to much of the work in the health, social, and behavioral sciences. However, the constellation of techniques required for scale development and evaluation can be onerous, jargon-filled, unfamiliar, and resource-intensive. Further, it is often not a part of graduate training. Therefore, our goal was to concisely review the process of scale development in as straightforward a manner as possible, both to facilitate the development of new, valid, and reliable scales, and to help improve existing ones. To do this, we have created a primer for best practices for scale development in measuring complex phenomena. This is not a systematic review, but rather the amalgamation of technical literature and lessons learned from our experiences spent creating or adapting a number of scales over the past several decades. We identified three phases that span nine steps. In the first phase, items are generated and the validity of their content is assessed. In the second phase, the scale is constructed. Steps in scale construction include pre-testing the questions, administering the survey, reducing the number of items, and understanding how many factors the scale captures. In the third phase, scale evaluation, the number of dimensions is tested, reliability is tested, and validity is assessed. We have also added examples of best practices to each step. In sum, this primer will equip both scientists and practitioners to understand the ontology and methodology of scale development and validation, thereby facilitating the advancement of our understanding of a range of health, social, and behavioral outcomes

Relación entre la diversidad pecuaria y la seguridad alimentaria de pequeños productores agropecuarios en Guatemala

Una gran parte de la población mundial depende de la agricultura para su subsistencia y, por este motivo, la misma juega un papel importante en la lucha contra la pobreza y la subnutrición. Numerosos estudios han confirmado la importancia de la variedad de cultivos para la seguridad y diversidad alimentaria de pequeños productores; sin embargo, se ha analizado poco la relación entre la diversidad pecuaria y la seguridadalimentaria. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo examinar el impacto de la diversidad pecuaria en la seguridad alimentaria de pequeños productores agropecuarios, con las metas específicas de: 1) determinar qué índice de diversidad ecológica sería más apropiado para medir la diversidad pecuaria de pequeños productores agropecuarios; 2) establecer si hay relación entre esta medida de diversidad y el estado de seguridad alimentaria del hogar;  y 3) explorar la relación entre la diversidad adentro y entre varios grupos funcionales de animales y la seguridad alimentaria del hogar.Este estudio transversal utilizó datos de encuestas de hogares de pequeños productores agropecuarios de Guatemala, del 2011 (n=2577). Se evaluaron varios índices de diversidad pecuaria y se analizó, con el uso del modelo de enlaces acumulativos, su asociación con el estado de seguridad alimentaria del hogar. El índice de diversidad de Shannon se identificó como el índice más apropiado para representar la diversidad pecuaria de pequeños productores. Una mayor diversidad pecuaria en general, así como adentro de y entre varios grupos funcionales de animales pecuarios, se asociaron auna mejor seguridad alimentaria

Características psicométricas de la escala de seguridad alimentaria ELCSA aplicada en Colombia, Guatemala y México.

La inseguridad alimentaria es un fenómeno que afecta a millones de hogares en América Latina. Herramientas válidas y confiables para su medición son esenciales para la mejor focalización de los programas abocados a este problema. La Escala Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Seguridad Alimentaria (ELCSA) ha sido propuesta como instrumento regional y fue recientemente aplicada en Colombia, Guatemala y México. Este estudio evalúa las características psicométricas del instrumento y estima el grado de similitude entre esas mediciones. Inicialmente, se determinó que 15 ítems tuvieron contenidos equivalentes en los tres países. Al aplicarle el modelo matemático de Rasch, ELCSA mostró buen ajuste a ese modelo y un comportamiento consistente con el marco conceptual subyacente. Sin embargo, entre Guatemala y México se detectaron diferencias mayores a 1,0 lógitos en cuatro ítems, de los cuales uno solo presentó una diferencia cercana a 2 lógitos. Al omitir este ítem de subsiguientes análisis se atenuaron las diferencias en los otros ítems. Variaciones en el lenguaje, así como en el diseño de las muestras analizadas explicarían en parte los resultados de este estudio. A pesar de las diferencias detectadas, ELCSA parece medir de manera similar la experiencia de los hogares que confrontan situaciones de inseguridad alimentaria

Development and Validation Protocol for an Instrument to Measure Household Water Insecurity Across Cultures and Ecologies the Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale

Introduction A wide range of water-related problems contribute to the global burden of disease. Despite the many plausible consequences for health and well-being, there is no validated tool to measure individual- or household-level water insecurity equivalently across varying cultural and ecological settings. Accordingly, we are developing the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scale to measure household-level water insecurity in multiple contexts. Methods and analysis After domain specification and item development, items were assessed for both content and face validity. Retained items are being asked in surveys in 28 sites globally in which waterrelated problems have been reported (eg, shortages, excess water and issues with quality), with a target of at least 250 participants from each site. Scale development will draw on analytic methods from both classical test and item response theories and include item reduction and factor structure identification. Scale evaluation will entail assessments of reliability, and predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity, as well as the assessment of differentiation between known groups. Ethics and dissemination Study activities received necessary ethical approvals from institutional review bodies relevant to each site. We anticipate that the final HWISE Scale will be completed by late 2018 and made available through open-access publication. Associated findings will be disseminated to public health professionals, scientists, practitioners and policymakers through peer-reviewed journals, scientific presentations and meetings with various stakeholders. Measures to quantify household food insecurity have transformed policy, research and humanitarian aid efforts globally, and we expect that an analogous measure for household water insecurity will be similarly impactful

Una demografía sentida: una nueva mirada en el sentir de los pueblos

Overview populated places merge and move with the logic of survival, they are formed primary social structures that add-on of feelings and experiences, folded pages of history and acquire identity and a way of seeing the world and its natural environment. These values-laden populations resist in contexts of poverty and social inequality, and today are immersed in a new vortex that moves them towards latitudes more hostile and indifferent. A new look that transcends the social demographics and that is setting a new human face. Perhaps the fundamental dilemma of today’s world, the indifference that is weighing on the human being and his anguish, against the loss of values and feelings of cultural belonging; facing a market that imposes labor logics and consumption that are moving populations by routes uncertain, in search of better living conditions. For this reason the demographics cannot be limited only to have events or populations but also to give an interpretation of population dynamics that have their own nature and development in this historic evolution, where people feel this captured a dehumanized globalization.Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes, Vol. 11, 2015: 99-103Los lugares poblados se fundan y se mueven con la lógica de la sobrevivencia, en ellos se forman las primarias estructuras sociales que adicionadas de sentires y experiencias, doblan páginas de historia y adquieren identidad y una forma propia de ver el mundo y su entorno natural. Estas poblaciones cargadas de valores se resisten ante contextos de pobreza y desigualdad social y, hoy se ven sumergidos en una nueva vorágine que los mueve hacia latitudes más hostiles e indiferentes. Una nueva mirada que trasciende en la demografía social y que está configurando un nuevo rostro humano. Quizás el dilema fundamental del mundo actual, sea la indiferencia que está pesando sobre el ser humano y su angustia, ante la pérdida de valores y sentimientos de pertenencia cultural; frente a un mercado que impone lógicas laborales y de consumo que están moviendo poblaciones por rutas inciertas, en la búsqueda de mejores condiciones de vida. Por ello la demografía no puede limitarse únicamente a contar eventos o poblaciones sino también a dar una interpretación de las dinámicas poblacionales que tienen su propia naturaleza y desarrollo en este devenir histórico, donde el sentir de los pueblos esta capturado por una globalización deshumanizada.Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes, Vol. 11, 2015: 99-10

Validación de un instrumento para vigilar la inseguridad alimentaria en la Sierra de manantlán, Jalisco

OBJETIVO: Validar una versión de la Escala de Seguridad Alimentaria (FSS) en comunidades de la Sierra de Manatlán, Jalisco. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Usando grupos focales se modificó la FSS. Posteriormente se aplicó una encuesta a mujeres con niños preescolares. La FSS se validó correlacionóndola con el inventario de alimentos del hogar y con la variedad de dieta de la entrevistada. La encuesta incluyó un cuestionario socio-económico. RESULTADOS: El 44% de los hogares indicaron inseguridad alimentaria leve, 33% hambre moderada y 19.7% hambre severa. La inseguridad alimentaria estuvo inversamente correlacionada con el inventario de alimentos (r=-0.36**), alimentos de origen animal (r=-0.28**), lácteos (r=-0.25**), alimentos procesados (r=-0.37**), frutas (r=-0.21*) y verduras (r=-0.28**); *p<0.05, **p< 0.01. La inseguridad alimentaria estuvo asociada a la baja variedad de dieta (r=-0.23; p=0.02). Estas asociaciones se mantuvieron en modelos multivariados. CONCLUSIONES: La FSS es un instrumento útil para vigilar la inseguridad alimentaria en zonas rurales de Jalisco