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In this exploratory study, a survey was carried out with 902 junior high-school students in localities with medium to high degree of marginalization in two states of central Mexico. This article describes the family, reproductive, and educational aspirations and expectations of this sample of students from disadvantaged areas, and explores mechanisms contributing to forming future plans. Two main plans are outlined in this sample: one oriented towards prioritizing family formation and an elevated risk of dropping out of school, and another oriented towards postponing unions and child-raising to look for educational/career development. Several factors appear to influence the development of educational/career ideals among men, however, the mechanisms driving the formation of future plans in women are less clear. The findings add to a limited body of knowledge measuring both educational and reproductive aspirations of students in low-resource settings in Latin America.

Study Objective: To summarize recent literature on the effectiveness of interventions to prevent adolescent pregnancy and to explore the applicability of these interventions to Latin America (LA). Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures: We carried out a rapid review of the literature (2005-2019). Studies were included if: they evaluated interventions targeting adolescents and prevention of pregnancy; they used a randomized controlled design; and pregnancy was measured as an outcome. Applicability of the interventions to LA was assessed using the following information: target population; intervention design and resources; type, skills, and training of providers; system arrangements; and acceptability and social context. Results: Nine studies were included, 5 described interventions in African countries, 2 in the United Kingdom, and 2 in the United States. Interventions were rated as highly applicable to LA in the context of target population, profile of the providers, and design; however, variations arose when assessing system arrangements and social context. Incentive-based interventions showed significant effects in the prevention of adolescent pregnancy and were rated as highly applicable. Conclusion: This review provides professionals, policymakers, researchers, and educators potential criteria to consider when adapting successful evidence-based interventions to prevent adolescent pregnancy in LA.

Youth violence in Latin America is an important public health problem. However, the evidence from preventive programs within the region to address this problem is limited. Identifying context-specific factors that facilitate or hinder the success of interventions is necessary to guarantee the successful implementation of new preventive strategies. We present a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies to identify factors affecting the implementation of programs to prevent youth violence in Latin America. We searched 10 electronic databases and websites of international institutions. The quality of the studies was assessed using the critical appraisal skills program checklist, while the certainty of the findings of the synthesis was assessed using the certainty of the qualitative evidence approach. We included eight papers describing five programs in Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, El Salvador, and Mexico. Most of the factors affecting the implementation of programs were aspects related to features of the programs and social/political constraints. The synthesis suggests that future programs can benefit from having a multidisciplinary and/or multisectoral approach involving different key players. At the same time, potential strategies for avoiding problems related to such active engagement should be planned via promoting effective channels for communication and supervision. The review also suggests the importance of increasing awareness and motivation toward the problem of youth violence among relevant agencies and stakeholders. While the limited volume and quality of the literature impact on the ability to draw conclusions, the results could be useful for new programs being designed and the ones seeking to be adapted from other contexts.

Factors that have a bearing on adolescent pregnancies have been widely documented worldwide. However, rarely has the adolescents’ own perception on the ideal timing to transit into adulthood-related events, such as family formation, been considered. Neither has it been widely investigated if these aspirations are linked to the risk of early pregnancies. Using data from a cross-sectional study with a sample of adolescents in Mexico City and Morelos, Mexico, we explored expectations regarding the ideal timing for family formation (marriage and childbearing) and their link to sexual behavior. We surveyed 3,332 adolescents in eight middle schools and high schools. Four types of aspirations were identified: (a) early plan: desire to marry at age 21 and have children at 22; (b) middle plan: desire to marry and have children at ages 25 and 26 respectively; (c) late plan: desire for a stable partner at age 29 and children at 31; and (d) non-traditional plan: adolescents that do not want to marry and/or have children. Those adolescents that aspire to postpone family formation particularly until 29 years of age (late plan) are more likely to report condom use at first intercourse and to have fewer sexual relations during all their life. Adolescents’ expectations about their life in the future affect their present sexual and reproductive decisions. Identifying their aspirations should enhance the design of more viable and successful policy strategies to prevent adolescent pregnancies.

Objective. To analyze the perception in relation to when and how to perform actions for the early detection of breast and cervical cancer among women and health care providers in communities with a high percentage of indigenous population in Morelos, Mexico. Materials and methods. Ten health providers and 58 women users of health services were interviewed which have a first level of attention in five communities. The analysis was developed under the approach of the Grounded Theory. Results. Providers are poorly informed about current regulations and specific clinical indications for the detection of cervical and breast cancer. Few propitiate health literacy under intercultural sensitization. The users have imprecise or wrong notions of the early detection. Conclusions. The need for training in adherence to norms is evident. It is urgent to assume a culturally relevant approach to enable efficient communication and promote health literacy for early detection of these two cancers.

Objective. This study aims to explore adolescents’ intentions related to the early formation of a family. Materials and methods. We administered a survey to students in eight schools in Morelos and Mexico City, in 2010. We analyzed intentions of marrying or having a child and fitted an exploratory path model to assess predictors of the intentions of having a child before the age of 20 (n=2974). Results. Around 77% of adolescents expect to have their first child at 20 years or later; 21% show ambivalence or incongruence regarding this, whereas 2% expect to have a child before the age of 20. Parents’ expectations for their child’s education influence the importance that adolescents give to education. The latter promotes the idea of postponing childbearing until 20 years or later (β=0.13). Conclusions. In order to prevent early pregnancies, interventions and programs should encourage the construction of personal and professional goals.

Objective. To explore the opinions of Mexican male adolescents regarding teenage pregnancy and analyze its association with sexual behavior. Materials and methods. This is a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire among a conventional sample of male students (15-19 years old) in eight public schools in Morelos and Mexico City. Analyses include multivariate models to identify the association between opinions and sexual behaviors. Results. Overall, 68% agree that a teenage pregnancy is a negative event. In a hypothetical case, if a girlfriend got pregnant in this moment 56% would continue in the school whereas 18% would definitely abandon it. Those who affirm that a teenage pregnancy is something very bad have greater odds of using condoms (OR=1.8; p menor que 0.05). Conclusions. Male adolescents’ views about teenage pregnancy are associated with some sexual behaviors; however their opinions reflect several contradictions. The design of surveys directed exclusively to explore male adolescents’ opinions about reproductive health is urgent.

Research focused on adolescent pregnancy reports that this event acquires significance and has different consequences according to the context and social subjects who experience it. In this study, by means of a sample formed by adolescent women and men who are socially vulnerable in Mexico, with and without a history of pregnancy, we can see how this reproductive event turns into a factor of educational vulnerability and how their possibilities and expectations with respect to continuing in school are determined in a differentiated manner, according to gender. The findings show that adolescent pregnancy in vulnerable sectors is scarcely compatible with educational projects and that possibilities and expectations to continue in or re-enter the school system are determined by gender differences; these usually lead to fewer opportunities for adolescent women to return to school during or after pregnancy.

In this study, the authors evaluate the impact of the Frontiers Prevention Project (FPP), a community-based strategy for HIV prevention amongst female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ecuador. The FPP impact evaluation methodology consisted of a community trial with randomised intervention/comparison assignment and pre-post surveys in six cities in Ecuador (2003–2007). The results suggest prevention strategies involving key populations in their design and implementation can contribute to abating risk behaviours in Ecuador. However, the FPP experience also shows that implementing and evaluating large-scale HIV prevention programmes still present important challenges.

Objetivos: Describir las prácticas médicas realizadas en la atención prenatal en mujeres en Perú e identificar si las prácticas de control prenatal (CPN) recibidas por mujeres adolescentes y adultas fueron distintas. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo y comparativo. Se utilizaron datos recolectados por la Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar continua 2004-2008, con 994 adolescentes (15-19 años) y 12556 adultas (20-49 años). Se efectuaron comparaciones entre adolescentes y adultas en relación con las prácticas médicas efectuadas durante la atención prenatal. Resultados: El 50% de las adolescentes inició el CPN en el tercer mes de embarazo en comparación con la mitad de las adultas que lo inició en el segundo mes. La mitad de las adolescentes reportaron 7 visitas de CPN en total mientras que el 50% de adultas reportaron 8. Menor proporción de adolescentes reportó haber recibido algunas de las acciones y prácticas médicas que se efectúan durante la atención prenatal. Conclusiones: Las adolescentes inician la atención prenatal un poco más tarde que las mujeres adultas, tienen menos CPN y hay diferencias en las acciones efectuadas en los CPN. Esto sugiere que las adolescentes están en desventajas de recibir una atención prenatal que incluya todas las acciones recomendadas por la normatividad. Diversas estrategias deben ser planteadas para favorecer el acceso temprano a un control prenatal de calidad. Objective: To describe medical practices reported by women that received prenatal care (PNC) in Peru. Particularly, we aim to identify differences in the services provided to adolescents compared to adult women. Methods: Descriptive study. Data came from the Demographic Health Surveys 2004-2008 in Peru, which included information of 994 adolescents (15-19 years old) and 12 556 adult women (20-49 years old). Comparisons were made between adolescents and adult women regarding the practices received during prenatal care visits. Results: Among adolescents, 50% initiated PNC during the third month of pregnancy whereas half of the adult women started on the second month. Adolescents received 7 prenatal visits comparing to 8 in adult women. Comparing to adult women, adolescents reported in lower proportions that they received some of the medical practices during prenatal care. Conclusions: Adolescents accessed PNC later than adult women. This suggests that they have less opportunities of receiving services that include all the medical actions recommended. Effective strategies should be implemented in order to promote an adequate and early prenatal care.

OBJETIVO: Revisar los efectos de intervenciones educativas que incorporan a padres de familia, para modificar el comportamiento sexual de sus hijos adolescentes. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Búsqueda sistemática en cinco bases de datos electrónicas de estudios de evaluación de intervenciones educativas con padres (2002-2009). RESULTADOS: Diecinueve publicaciones evalúan a 15 programas que cumplen con los criterios de selección. Éstas encuentran un aumento en las intenciones de retrasar las relaciones sexuales y de usar anticonceptivos, reducción en el auto-reporte de relaciones sexuales e incremento en el uso de condón. También se encuentran resultados positivos en factores individuales protectores como conocimientos y actitudes; y en factores familiares como comunicación padres-hijos, percepción de reglas, monitoreo/supervisión de los padres y apoyo familiar. CONCLUSIONES: Las intervenciones educativas que incluyen a padres de familia favorecen comportamientos sexuales saludables en los adolescentes. La participación de padres es un elemento que puede ser incluido en cualquier intervención para adolescentes.OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of educational interventions that incorporate parent participation to modify adolescent sexual behavior. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of 5 electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2009 that evaluated educational interventions involving parents. RESULTS: Nineteen articles evaluated 15 interventions that met all the criteria for inclusion. They found a significant increase in adolescents' intentions to postpone sexual intercourse and use contraceptives, a reduction in self-reported sexual relations and an increase in condom use. Positive results were also found for individual protective factors such as knowledge and attitude, and family factors such as parent-child communication, perception of rules, monitoring/supervision by parents and family support. CONCLUSIÓN: Educational interventions that include parents support healthy sexual behavior among adolescents. Parental participation can be included in any intervention aimed at adolescents.

Objective. To characterize female adolescents who have been pregnant, and to analyze the association between adolescent pregnancy and educational gaps. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data come from the Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut 2012), a Mexican representative survey. The set of data used is related to sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics from 1 790 women from 12 to 19 years who had begun their sexual life and had a pregnancy record. Three statistical models were adjusted to observe the association between variables. The dependent variable of the first model was the condition of previous pregnancy, the second to be pregnant at the time of data collection, and the third, educational gap. Results. A 74.9% of the adolescents with history of pregnancy has educational gap. To have the condition of previous pregnancy is associated with living with sexual partner (OR=8.4), educational gap (OR=2.4), low socioeconomical level (OR=2.0) and school assistance (OR=0.5). To be pregnant at the time of data collection has related only to living with sexual partner (OR=9.4). The educational gap shows an association with having more than one pregnancy (OR=2.4), live with sexual partner (OR=1.6), low socioeconomical level (OR=1.8), and school assistance as protective factor (OR=0.3). Conclusion. It is necessary to implement effective and efficient educational public politics in order to decrease educational gap. At the same time, to guarantee and improve sexual education in the school system to prevent adolescent pregnancy.

In impoverished communities in Mexico, most adolescent mothers do not attend school; but typically, they become pregnant once they dropped out. Understanding the experiences of adolescents who have had a pregnancy and continue in school is complicated since few manage to do it. The goal of this study is to describe experiences within the family and school context and plans for the future of a sample of Mexican students who have had a pregnancy. We analyze information from the questionnaires of 68 women and 44 men and interviews to 6 women and 5 men. First intercourse was at age 15 and first pregnancy at 16; 39% of men and 57% of women already have a child; 54% of men and 19% of women work and study simultaneously. Dropping out because of a pregnancy/marriage was reported by 41% of women and 14% of men. The support of family and teachers is crucial to stay in school; but the institution remains indifferent to their plight. The immediate needs easily defeat their aspirations. It is fundamental to acknowledge and notice the experiences of these vulnerable young people in order to design focused strategies promoting their success in adult life.

This study aims to explore adolescents' intentions related to the early formation of a family.We administered a survey to students in eight schools in Morelos and Mexico City, in 2010. We analyzed intentions of marrying or having a child and fitted an exploratory path model to assess predictors of the intentions of having a child before the age of 20 (n=2974).Around 77% of adolescents expect to have their first child at 20 years or later; 21% show ambivalence or incongruence regarding this, whereas 2% expect to have a child before the age of 20. Parents' expectations for their child's education influence the importance that adolescents give to education. The latter promotes the idea of postponing childbearing until 20 years or later (β=0.13).In order to prevent early pregnancies, interventions and programs should encourage the construction of personal and professional goals.

Background: Most studies on parent-adolescent sexual health communication come from developed countries and are based on either parents’ or children’s reports. In developing countries, there is little evidence about the agreement among reports of all parties involved in parent-adolescent sexual health communication. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the congruence (agreement) between adolescents and their parents about how frequently they discuss on selected sexual health topics. Subjects: A total of 1606 parent-adolescent dyads of adolescents attending the first year in public high schools and their parents, in Morelos, Mexico were sampled in this study. Methods: The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that included the frequency of parent-adolescent communication about eight sexual health topics. An ordinal logistic threshold model was used to estimate intra-class correlation coefficients within parent-adolescent dyads (as a measure of congruence) and to test if thresholds were equal between parents and adolescents. Results: Congruence in reported frequency of parent-adolescent sexual health communication ranged from 0.205 (menstruation) to 0.307 (condoms) for mother-adolescent dyads, and from 0.103 (ejaculation) to 0.380 (condoms) for father-adolescent dyads. The thresholds (i.e., the cutoff points that define the categories in the observed ordinal variable) differed between parents and adolescents for each of the sexual health topics explored (p Conclusion: Our findings suggest a low congruence between parents’ and adolescents’ reports on parent-adolescent sexual health communication. This might be due to interpretation of frequency and intensity of sexual health communication which differs between parents and adolescents.

The purpose of this study is to describe the knowledge and attitudes regarding abortion of a sample of health professionals in Mexico. In particular, we aim to explore their association with the practice of abortion and the care of post-abortion complications, taking into consideration the present legal framework in Mexico. The data come from an anonymous and computerized survey applied to participants attending a national meeting of gynecology and obstetrics in Mexico in 2009 (n=418). The attitudes of health professionals in relation to abortion play a key role in promoting access to both medical and surgical abortion services. We did not find a statistical association between living in a largely restrictive federal entity and the practice of abortions, which may be explained by the lack of knowledge that these survey participants had about abortion laws in their federal entity. This lack of knowledge about abortion legislation can hinder a woman's access to these services even when the legal framework such access.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) are a major public health issue worldwide. Despite of that, there is lack of data on their magnitude particularly in developing countries. Previous studies have shown that female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with man (MSM) are population groups with an average number of sexual partners higher than the general population. Because of this, and because their partners are from different groups in the population, FSW and MSM are key for STIs transmission dynamics. In this study, we provide an overview on STI among MSM and FSW from two developing countries: Ecuador and India. We present syphilis and herpes simplex virus type 2 sero-prevalence and trends during a 4 year period, in two high-level vulnerable groups from two countries with very different economies, cultural and social norms. According to our results, there is an important presence of both STIs among these population groups, each one affecting to a different extent each one of the groups. The results show a reduction of syphilis and herpes sero-prevalence among these high-risk population groups in India, whereas an important STI increase was reported in Ecuador during the same time period. The information provided in this research has a meaningful impact in terms of STI and HIV prevention.

Background Little is known about abortion practice in Mexico postlegalization of abortion in Mexico City in 2007. Study Design In 2009, we anonymously surveyed 418 Mexican health care providers at the Colegio Mexicano de Especialistas en Ginecologia y Obstetricia meeting using audio computer-assisted self-interview technology. Results The majority of respondents were obstetrician gynecologists (376, 90%), Catholic (341, 82%), 35–60 years old (332, 79%) and male (222, 53%) and worked with trainees (307, 74%). Prior to 2007, 11% (46) and 17% (71) provided medical and surgical abortions; now, 15% (62) and 21% (86) provide these services, respectively. Practitioners from Mexico City were more likely to provide services than those from other areas. Most medical abortion providers (50, 81%) used ineffective protocols. Surgical abortion providers mainly used either manual vacuum aspiration (39, 45%) or sharp curettage (27, 32%). Most abortion providers were trained in residency and wanted more training in medical (54, 87%) and surgical (59, 69%) abortion. Among nonproviders, 49% (175) and 27% (89) expressed interest in learning to perform medical and surgical abortion, respectively. Conclusion Given the interest in learning to provide safe abortion services and the prevalent use of ineffective medical abortion regimens and sharp curettage, abortion training in Mexico should be strengthened.

To examine the effects of educational interventions that incorporate parent participation to modify adolescent sexual behavior.We conducted a systematic search of 5 electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2009 that evaluated educational interventions involving parents.Nineteen articles evaluated 15 interventions that met all the criteria for inclusion. They found a significant increase in adolescents' intentions to postpone sexual intercourse and use contraceptives, a reduction in self-reported sexual relations and an increase in condom use. Positive results were also found for individual protective factors such as knowledge and attitude, and family factors such as parent-child communication, perception of rules, monitoring/supervision by parents and family support.Educational interventions that include parents support healthy sexual behavior among adolescents. Parental participation can be included in any intervention aimed at adolescents.

In this article reporting on our qualitative study, we describe changes in parent—adolescent sexual health communication following an intervention for parents of 10th graders in Mexico. The intervention was aimed to sensitize and develop skills for appropriate parent—child communication about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unplanned pregnancy, and birth control, and focused on encouraging condom use with emergency contraception backup. We conducted 66 in-depth interviews with adolescents and parents after the intervention. Following the principals of grounded theory, we carried out inductive analysis to create codes and organize central themes. Our findings identify previously undefined critical steps or movements important for parent—child communication about sex. When parents are sensitized to the risks their adolescent children face, it is easier to initiate communication about prevention. These initial movements are essential to achieve substantive conversation, and must be considered in future strategies that aim to promote parent—adolescent communication about sexuality and the prevention of STIs and unplanned pregnancy.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el conocimiento y uso de anticoncepción de emergencia (AE), y factores asociados en estudiantes de escuelas públicas en Morelos, México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal realizado entre 2003-2004 con 1550 estudiantes de 14-24 años. Se utilizó regresión logística para identificar factores asociados al conocimiento correcto sobre AE. RESULTADOS: El 40% fueron hombres y 60% mujeres con edad promedio de 19 años. El 60% ha escuchado sobre AE pero únicamente 45% tiene conocimiento correcto; 3% de los estudiantes sexualmente activos la ha usado. Factores asociados al conocimiento correcto: ser mujer (RM=1.66; IC 1.33, 2.06), haber tenido relaciones sexuales (RM=1.77; IC 1.43, 2.18), nivel socioeconómico medio (RM=1.87; IC 1.04, 3.37), vivir en zona semi-urbana (RM=1.34; IC 1.02, 1.77), tomar alcohol (RM=1.78; IC 1.42, 2.22). CONCLUSIONES: En Morelos, el conocimiento de los adolescentes sobre la AE es escaso. La transmisión de mensajes claros sobre su forma precisa de uso resulta necesaria.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention for parents of first year high school students in the State of Morelos, Mexico, whose aim was to impact adolescents’ sexual behavior, knowledge and access to contraception. Material and methods Quasi-experimental prospective study with eleven control and eleven intervention schools using self-administered questionnaires for parents and adolescents pre- and post-intervention. Parent–child dyads in the control and intervention schools were matched according to parents’ propensity score; the average treatment effect (ATE) was estimated for adolescent’s outcome variables. Results At follow-up, we found significant differences for adolescents in the intervention schools: 6.8% delayed initiation of sexual intercourse, 14.4% had correct knowledge about emergency contraception (EC), and 164% reported having received condoms from their parents, when comparing with students in control schools. Conclusions Our results suggest that parent-focused interventions could be an innovative and effective strategy to promote adolescents sexual health.

To evaluate emergency contraception (EC) knowledge and use as well as identify factors associated to correct EC knowledge among public schools students in Morelos, Mexico.Cross-sectional study conducted in 2003-2004 in a sample of 1,550 students (ages 14-24). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated to EC correct knowledge.Among all, 40% were men and 60% women with an average age of 19 years. Sixty percent have heard about EC, nevertheless, only 45% have correct knowledge about it; 3% of sexually active students (43%) reported its use. Factors associated to EC correct knowledge are: being a woman (OR=1.66; CI 1,33, 2,06), being sexually active (OR=1.77; CI 1,43, 2,18), middle income (OR=1.87; CI 1,04, 3,37), living in a semi-urban zone (OR=1.34; CI 1,02, 1,77), drinking alcohol (OR=1.78; CI 1,42, 2,22).In Morelos, adolescents' knowledge of EC is scarce. Specific messages regarding its correct use are necessary.

Objetivo. Caracterizar a las adolescentes que han tenido algún embarazo y analizar la asociación de éste con el rezago educativo, a partir de una encuesta representativa en México. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal con información de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) 2012, con datos sociodemográficos y reproductivos de 1 790 mujeres de 12 a 19 años de edad con inicio de vida sexual y antecedente de embarazo. Se ajustaron tres modelos estadísticos para observar la asociación entre variables. Resultados. El rezago educativo está presente en 74.9% de las adolescentes con antecedente de embarazo. Tener embarazo previo está asociado con cohabitar con la pareja (RM=8.4), rezago educativo (RM=2.4), nivel socioeconómico bajo (RM=2.0) y asistencia a la escuela (RM=0.5). El rezago educativo muestra una asociación con el antecedente de embarazo alguna vez en la vida (RM=2.4), no así con el primer embarazo al momento de la encuesta. Conclusión. Se requieren políticas y estrategias operativas eficientes para favorecer la permanencia escolar y reducir el rezago educativo en adolescentes con y sin hijos.

To identify the prevalence of and factors associated with suicidal ideation and intent in adolescent students in Mexico.A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 12,424 students from public schools in 2007. We used logistic regression to obtain odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals.A total of 47% of the students reported at least one suicidal ideation symptom and 9% reported an antecedent of suicidal intent. Factors associated with suicide ideation and intent include low confidence in communication with parents (OR=1.30; OR=1.54), sexual abuse (OR=1.92; OR=1.57), depressive symptoms (OR=5.36; OR=1.51), tobacco use (OR=1.30; OR=2.57), alcohol use (OR=1.60; OR=1.31) and, for women, having had sexual relations (OR=1.28; OR=1.65).Roughly 50% of high school students had at least one symptom of suicidal ideation. To lessen this problem, associated factors should be considered, including consumption of addictive substances, gender, history of sexual abuse and depression.

Objetivo. Analizar las intenciones de adolescentes de formar una familia a edad temprana. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal con cuestionarios a estudiantes de ocho secundarias y preparatorias en Morelos y Ciudad de México, en 2010. Se exploraron intenciones de casarse y tener un hijo y se ajustó de manera exploratoria un modelo de rutas para identificar predictores en el plan de tener un hijo antes o después de los 20 años (n=2 974). Resultados. El 77% espera tener su primer hijo a los 20 años/después; 21% se muestra indeciso y 2% antes de los 20 años. Las expectativas de los padres influyen en la importancia que el adolescente le otorga a alcanzar un alto nivel de estudios, mismo que promueve las intenciones de tener hijos hasta los 20 años o después (β=0.13). Conclusiones. En la prevención de embarazos tempranos es imprescindible apoyar a los adolescentes para que se fijen metas de desarrollo personal.

Background The relationship between urbanicity and adolescent health is a critical issue for which little empirical evidence has been reported. Although an association has been suggested, a dichotomous rural versus urban comparison may not succeed in identifying differences between adolescent contexts. This study aims to assess the influence of locality size on risk behaviors in a national sample of young Mexicans living in low-income households, while considering the moderating effect of socioeconomic status (SES). Methods This is a secondary analysis of three national surveys of low-income households in Mexico in different settings: rural, semi-urban and urban areas. We analyzed risk behaviors in 15-21-year-olds and their potential relation to urbanicity. The risk behaviors explored were: tobacco and alcohol consumption, sexual initiation and condom use. The adolescents' localities of residence were classified according to the number of inhabitants in each locality. We used a logistical model to identify an association between locality size and risk behaviors, including an interaction term with SES. Results The final sample included 17,974 adolescents from 704 localities in Mexico. Locality size was associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption, showing a similar effect throughout all SES levels: the larger the size of the locality, the lower the risk of consuming tobacco or alcohol compared with rural settings. The effect of locality size on sexual behavior was more complex. The odds of adolescent condom use were higher in larger localities only among adolescents in the lowest SES levels. We found no statically significant association between locality size and sexual initiation. Conclusions The results suggest that in this sample of adolescents from low-income areas in Mexico, risk behaviors are related to locality size (number of inhabitants). Furthermore, for condom use, this relation is moderated by SES. Such heterogeneity suggests the need for more detailed analyses of both the effects of urbanicity on behavior, and the responses--which are also heterogeneous--required to address this situation.

Objectives This review aims to summarise evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to prevent youth violence in Latin America. Methods A systematic search on 13 academic databases was conducted to locate studies evaluating a primary or secondary prevention intervention in Latin America. Studies could use any type of quantitative design to assess outcomes related to youth violence. A search of websites, references and citation searching was also carried out. The quality of each study was assessed. Results Nine studies were identified. Most documented positive effects of the interventions on the perception of youth violence present in the community/school. Evidence was found of a reduction in homicides and juvenile crimes in three studies, two of which evaluated a community-based intervention. There were mixed results for the self-report of participation on violent acts. The majority of the studies lacked of a rigorous design. Conclusions Most of the interventions had some promising results, including the reduction of homicides within communities. Community-based programmes were the most consistent regarding an effectiveness to prevent violence. However, the evidence for Latin America is still scarce and relies on non-rigorously designed studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00038-016-0909-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objetivo. Analizar la percepción de mujeres y proveedores de salud sobre cuándo y cómo realizar acciones para la detección temprana del cáncer de mama y cervicouterino en localidades de Morelos con presencia de población indígena. Material y métodos. Se entrevistó a 10 proveedores de salud y 58 usuarias en unidades médicas del primer nivel de atención de cinco localidades; luego se analizó la información con base en el paradigma de la teoría fundamentada. Resultados. El personal de salud está deficientemente familiarizado con los lineamientos oficiales para la detección de cáncer cervicouterino y de mama. Pocos practican sus labores bajo una perspectiva de sensibilización intercultural. Las usuarias tienen nociones imprecisas o equivocadas de las acciones de detección. Conclusiones. La necesidad de capacitación con apego a las normas es evidente. Urge asumir un abordaje con pertinencia cultural que permita la comunicación eficiente y alfabetización en salud para la detección oportuna de estos dos cánceres.

Revisar los efectos de intervenciones educativas que incorporan a padres de familia, para modificar el comportamiento sexual de sus hijos adolescentes. Material y métodos. Búsqueda sistemática en cinco bases de datos electrónicas de estudios de evaluación de intervenciones educativas con padres (2002-2009). Resultados. Diecinueve publicaciones evalúan a 15 programas que cumplen con los criterios de selección. Éstas encuentran un aumento en las intenciones de retrasar las relaciones sexuales y de usar anticonceptivos, reducción en el auto-reporte de relaciones sexuales e incremento en el uso de condón. También se encuentran resultados positivos en factores individuales protectores como conocimientos y actitudes; y en factores familiares como comunicación padres-hijos, percepción de reglas, monitoreo/supervisión de los padres y apoyo familiar. Conclusiones. Las intervenciones educativas que incluyen a padres de familia favorecen comportamientos sexuales saludables en los adolescentes. La participación de padres es un elemento que puede ser incluido en cualquier intervención para adolescentes.

Objetivo. Identificar prevalencias y factores asociados a la ideación e intento suicida en estudiantes adolescentes de México. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal en 12424 adolescentes de escuelas públicas en 2007. Se utilizaron modelos de regresión logística para obtener razones de momios (RM) con intervalos de confianza de 95% (IC 95%). Resultados. 47% reportó al menos un síntoma de ideación; 9% refirieron antecedente de intento. Los factores asociados a la conducta suicida fueron: poca confianza en la comunicación hacia los padres (RM=1.30, RM=1.54); abuso sexual (RM=1.92, RM=1.57), sintomatología depresiva (RM=5.36, RM=1.51), consumo de tabaco (RM=1.30, RM=2.57), alcohol (RM=1.60, RM=1.31) y, para las mujeres, haber tenido relaciones sexuales (RM=1.28, RM=1.65). Conclusión. Casi la mitad de los(as) estudiantes del nivel medio superior presentaron al menos un síntoma de ideación. Para disminuir esta problemática se deben considerar los factores asociados: el consumo de sustancias adictivas, género, antecedentes de abuso sexual y depresión.Objective. To identify the prevalence of and factors associated with suicidal ideation and intent in adolescent students in Mexico. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 12 424 students from public schools in 2007. We used logistic regression to obtain odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results. A total of 47% of the students reported at least one suicidal ideation symptom and 9% reported an antecedent of suicidal intent. Factors associated with suicide ideation and intent include low confidence in communication with parents (OR=1.30; OR=1.54), sexual abuse (OR=1.92; OR=1.57), depressive symptoms (OR=5.36; OR=1.51), tobacco use (OR=1.30; OR=2.57), alcohol use (OR=1.60; OR=1.31) and, for women, having had sexual relations (OR=1.28; OR=1.65). Conclusions. Roughly 50% of high school students had at least one symptom of suicidal ideation. To lessen this problem, associated factors should be considered, including consumption of addictive substances, gender, history of sexual abuse and depression.

Objetivo. Explorar las opiniones sobre el embarazo adolescente y su posible relación con comportamientos sexuales en varones adolescentes de escuelas públicas del estado de Morelos y de la Ciudad de México. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal con cuestionarios autoadministrados a una muestra no probabilística de varones (15-19 años) de ocho secundarias y preparatorias. Se obtuvieron estadísticas descriptivas y modelos multivariados para identificar la asociación entre las opiniones y el comportamiento sexual. Resultados. El 68% identifica al embarazo adolescente como un evento malo. Si hoy embarazaran a alguien, 56% continuaría en la escuela y 18% abandonaría sus estudios. Aquellos que consideran al embarazo adolescente como un evento muy malo tienen mayor posibilidad de usar condón (RM=1.8; p menor que 0.05). Conclusión. Las opiniones de varones muestran constantes contradicciones e incluso algunas de sus opiniones aumentan o disminuyen el riesgo de un embarazo. El diseño y validación de instrumentos exclusivos para varones es imprescindible.