Existing literature has not stablished the factors associated with sleep quality, which requires further research in the context of the mental health of future medical professionals. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to sleep quality in Latin American medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional multicenter analytic study of secondary data analysis in Latin American medical students. The sampling was non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Sleep quality (Pittsburgh questionnaire) and its association with psychosocial-academic variables, depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 questionnaire), anxious symptoms (GAD-7 questionnaire), resilience (abbreviated CD-RISC questionnaire), eating disorder (EAT-26 questionnaire), physical activity (IPAQ questionnaire-short version), tobacco and alcohol consumption (ASSIST questionnaire) and burnout syndrome (Maslash questionnaire) were assessed. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Of 2019 medical students, the prevalence of poor sleep quality was 62.2% (95%CI: 60.00%-64.28%). In the multiple regression model, factors that were positively associated with poorer sleep quality were female sex (PR: 1.13), moderate risk of smoking (PR: 1.08), the presence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PR: 2.19 and PR: 2.14, respectively), as well as moderate and severe anxiety symptoms (PR: 1.21 and PR: 1.22, respectively). On the other hand, factors that were negatively associated with poorer sleep quality were having received training on COVID-19 (PR: 0.95), having a history of COVID-19 (PR: 0.80), and having a high level of resilience (PR: 0.86). It was found that 62.2% of students had poor sleep quality. Factors such as female sex, moderate risk of smoking, and depressive and anxious symptoms were associated with poor sleep quality, while COVID-19 training, history of the disease, and a high level of resilience were linked to better quality. These findings are key for public health, as poor sleep quality affects physical and mental health and academic performance, underscoring the importance of intervening on these factors to improve student well-being.

Food insecurity has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting an estimated 260 million people. However, little evidence is available on how pandemic-related characteristics influence food security in a high-altitude population. The objective of this study was to assess factors associated with food insecurity in high-altitude Peruvian cities during the second epidemic wave of COVID-19. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in eight Peruvian cities over 1,500 m above sea level. An online survey measuring food security, presence of anxiety & depressive symptoms, sleep quality, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), resilience, and sociodemographic characteristics was disseminated through social networks between December 2020 and February 2021. Generalized linear models were used to identify an association between the study variables. Of 700 participants, the median age was 23 years, and more than half were female (56.7%). The prevalence of food insecurity was 37.1%. Anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and PTSD were present in 72.7%, 64.1%, and 15% of respondents, respectively. The prevalence of food insecurity was higher in people with fair (PR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.23–2.07) and very bad perception of their health (PR: 4.06, 95% CI: 2.63–6.26), individuals seeking mental health support (PR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.25–1.62), and in those who lost their job due to the pandemic (PR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.62–2.04). Having moderate (PR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.26–1.83) and moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.11–2.27) also increased the prevalence of food insecurity. During the pandemic, the prevalence of food insecurity has increased in the Peruvian high-altitude population, revealing the need for preventive strategies. Identification of pandemic-related characteristics that influence food insecurity can guide interventions in at-risk individuals and reduce the long-term impact of this problem on overall health and quality of life.

We aimed to identify the factors associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 from the hospitalization service of the Cayetano Heredia Hospital, Piura, Peru, from May to June 2020. A prospective study was conducted in hospitalized patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 through serological and/or molecular reactive testing. The dependent variable was death due to COVID-19, and the independent variables were the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patient. The chi-square test and the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test were used, with a significance level of 5%. Of 301 patients with COVID-19, the majority of them were male (66.1%), and the mean age was 58.63 years. Of the patients analyzed, 41.3% of them died, 40.2% of them were obese and 59.8% of them had hepatic steatosis. The three most frequent signs/symptoms were dyspnea (90.03%), fatigue (90.03%) and a cough (84.72%). Being an older adult (p = 0.011), being hospitalized in the ICU (p = 0.001), overweight (p = 0.016), obese (p = 0.021) and having compromised consciousness (p = 0.039) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.024) were associated with mortality due to COVID-19. Overall, the mortality rate due to COVID-19 was 41.3%. Having an older age, being hospitalized in the ICU, overweight, obese and having compromised consciousness and thrombocytopenia were positively associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19. These findings highlight the need to establish an adequate system of surveillance and epidemiological education in hospitals and communities in the event of new outbreaks, especially in rural and northern Peru.

Information on the prevention of earthquakes in Peru, a high-risk country, is still emerging. We determined the frequency and factors associated with knowledge of evacuation routes and the use of emergency backpacks in people affected by a major earthquake. A cross-sectional study using secondary data was conducted from August–December 2021 on people that experienced the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Piura, Peru on 30 July 2021. The outcome was self-reported knowledge of evacuation routes and the use of emergency backpacks. The association with self-reported earthquake preparation training, use of sources of information on earthquakes, and sociodemographic variables was investigated. A total of 69.5% of participants knew evacuation routes, and 46.3% had an emergency backpack. A higher frequency of knowledge of evacuation routes was associated with previous training (PR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.15–1.87), use of the media (PR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.06–1.72), having received information from the COEN (PR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.02–1.40), and with a greater number of household members (PR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.06). There is a high frequency of knowledge of evacuation routes among participants. However, basic notions of prevention culture are still needed. This research contributes to policy development on earthquake preparation at the community level.

Objective: Medical and law students, as future professionals involved in end-of-life decision-making, play an important role in discussions surrounding euthanasia. This study aimed to describe the attitudes of medical and law students toward euthanasia. Materials and methods: An exploratory descriptive study was conducted using a self-administered online survey between June and July 2021 among medical and law students aged 18 years or older. The survey was partially validated through a pilot study and included a standardized definition of euthanasia as guidance, followed by nine questionnaire items. Results were summarized using absolute and relative frequencies. Results: A total of 240 participants were included, with a median age of 21 years. Most participants were female (54.6%), 62.1% were medical students, and 69.6% identified as Catholic. Overall, 50.8% considered euthanasia ethically acceptable, and 42.5% supported its legalization for all age groups, including children. More favorable attitudes toward euthanasia were observed in cases involving terminal incurable illness (78.3%), severe health conditions (70.0%), and unbearable pain without relief (60.0%). Conclusions: Favorable attitudes toward euthanasia predominated in both groups, with higher levels of acceptance observed among law students. As this was an exploratory study, the findings are not generalizable; however, they may serve as a basis for future research.