Arachu Castro

Tulane University, Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty Member

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Address: Samuel Z. Stone Chair of Public Health in Latin America
Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
1440 Canal Street, suite 2200
New Orleans, LA 70112
USA

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Matthew Wolf-Meyer

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Ucla

Macquarie University

Brown University

Johns Hopkins University

Silvia Citro

Universidad de Buenos Aires

Pablo Wright

School of Philosophy and Letters - University of Buenos Aires

Sergey Abashin

European University at St. Petersburg

Hélène Mialet

York University

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Commentary: all women should have a choice

PubMed, Nov 27, 1999

This article comments on the medical control and limitation of choices among women regarding cesa... more This article comments on the medical control and limitation of choices among women regarding cesarean section. The increase in cesarean sections have been associated with improved socioeconomic conditions such as increased access to health services and availability and use of technical birth procedures particularly in Latin America. This increase in cesarean sections does not necessarily mean an improvement in the quality of labor care management. First the systematic use of medical technology appears more directed towards the convenience of health care professionals rather than the women in labor. Second increase of cesarean section does not necessarily mean the preference of the women for it. It was observed that women were given less information and less choice and obstetricians select the method of childbirth at the expense of the mother. Lastly cesarean sections have been labeled as a violation against women. Although there are others who perceive avoided cesarean section as a violation of their bodily integrity. The author suggests the development of a new guideline aimed at limiting cesarean section operations and other birth technologies and the implementation of quality care improvement.

Chapter 1. Obstetricians and the Delivery of Obstetric Violence

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2023

Self-perceived health of older adults in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review

Revista panamericana de salud pública (Impresa), Jun 23, 2023

Objective. To systematically map the existing evidence on self-perceived health among adults aged... more Objective. To systematically map the existing evidence on self-perceived health among adults aged 60 and older in Latin America and the Caribbean, describe the use of the single-item measure of self-perceived health with this population, and identify gaps in the existing literature. Methods. Following PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, eight databases were searched for publications that were published between 2009 and 2019 and reported self-perceived health of adults over 60 years old in Latin America and the Caribbean. Data on study characteristics, sample characteristics, and the use and analysis of the self-perceived health measure were charted. Results. The database and secondary searches identified 516 articles. After removing duplicates and assessing titles and abstracts for inclusion, 263 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility using the inclusion criteria and an additional 89 articles were excluded. Ultimately, 174 articles were included in the scoping review. Studies included participants from 17 countries in the region, led in frequency by Brazil with 120 articles. The self-perceived health question most often included a five-category response scale (130), and response options were predominantly divided into two (86) or three (48) categories for analysis. Conclusions. Information on the health and social needs of people aged 60 and older across Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly their perceptions of health, is limited. We highlight the need to expand research throughout the region, include particularly vulnerable populations, utilize data from longitudinal and qualitative studies, and call for transparency in how questions and responses are worded and analyzed. This review serves to inform future studies, programs, and policies directed at this population. Keywords Aged; health of the elderly; health status; review; Latin America; Caribbean region; A quick, low-cost, comprehensive measure, self-perceived health (SPH) is the most widely used health survey measure in medical, social, and behavioral science research (1). SPH, also referred to as self-assessed health, self-rated health, and selfreported health, is a powerful tool used to independently predict mortality. Its association with morbidity, physical functioning, and health service utilization has been well documented (2-6). The use of self-assessments of health gained popularity in the 1950s, and its use with older adults gained momentum with the Duke Longitudinal Studies of Aging in 1955 (7, 8). Since then, studies of older adults have consistently demonstrated high predictability of SPH on functional disability, morbidity, and mortality (9, 10) as well as sociodemographic, psychological, biological, and functional determinants (11, 12). These studies also show that SPH varies by gender (13, 14); social support, networks, and social participation (15-17); socioeconomic position (18); environment factors including neighborhood environment and urban-rural status (19-21); and the number of chronic diseases (3).

Arachu Castro

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