Introduction: The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy is one of the most effective interventions for improving the health of children under five and reducing the overall burden of disease in the population. Objective: To evaluate the implementation of the IMCI strategy in the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, use of micronutrients, and prevention of alterations in the mental and social development among children under five. Methodology: Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional study with a sample of 323 parents and/or caregivers. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software version 22 was applied to analyze the information. Results: 52 % of parents and/or caregivers provide exclusive breastfeedings, 77.1 % use cereals, 71.8 % tubers, and to a lesser extent, fruits 40 %, and vegetables 43 %. 82.4 % supply adequate quantities of micronutrients. 92.6% provide caresses and 83.9 % use games as a form of stimulation for their children. There was a correlation between the age of the caregiver and exclusive breastfeeding (p-value 0.019), as well as a correlation between the age of the caregiver (over 23 years), and the inclusion of complementary feeding such as cereals (p-value 0.000). Conclusion: Practices related to the component one of the IMCI strategy were applied in a sector of Cartagena; however, some results constitute significant percentages in the increased risk of diseases such as diarrhea and Acute Respiratory Infection.

Objective. Evaluate the application of the Integrated Care for Childhood Illnesses (ICCI) strategy in Cartagena, for the appropriate care at home (component 3). Materials and methods. Descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional research study, with a sample of 323 parents and/or caregivers, the questionnaire on key practices of the ICCI strategy was applied. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis of the information. Results. 37.2% of the parents offer breast milk and other liquids during an illness and only 22% offer it exclusively. Within the complications to feed during a disease, the most representative sign was: lack of appetite with 60.7%, home remedies are administered with high frequency 81.1%, the most common infusions being chamomile (41.8%) and lemon balm (28.8%). The strategies to correct children’s behavior were: talks to them (61.9%), scolds them (57.9%) and hits them (43.7%). Lastly, the frequent strategies to avoid accidents are plug covers (40.6%) and avoiding kitchen access (45.8%). Finally, home care practices and the type of caregiver (father and mother) were not statistically significant. Conclusions. The evaluated practices in regard to the appropriate care component at home of child under five years old in a community of Cartagena, are not practiced satisfactorily. Keywords: Child Care, Child Health Services, growth and development

El estudio evaluó la relación causal y la capacidad predictiva de factores asociados a la ideación suicida (deseo activo y pasivo) en estudiantes universitarios, mediante un diseño cuantitativo, transversal y analítico. Participaron 297 estudiantes de enfermería y medicina, quienes contestaron a un cuestionario sociodemográfico, la escala de ideación suicida (SSI) y el cuestionario CERIS. Se aplicó regresión logística con curva ROC, considerando la ideación suicida como variable dependiente, y el deseo activo y pasivo como independientes. Se comprobó la ausencia de colinealidad y multicolinealidad entre las variables independientes. El modelo explicó el 80 % de la variación de la ideación suicida y mostró un área bajo la curva ROC de .99, con excelente capacidad predictiva. En conclusión, la ideación suicida está significativamente influenciada por el deseo activo y pasivo, hallazgo que se sustenta en un modelo estadístico robusto que mejora considerablemente la identificación de los factores de riesgo en esta población.

La lactancia materna es la forma más adecuada de alimentación para los lactantes y niños pequeños, brindando beneficios nutricionales, inmunológicos y emocionales. Sin embargo, existen diversos factores que afectan su práctica, relacionados con los conocimientos, actitudes y creencias de los padres. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar el nivel de conocimiento y las actitudes de los padres frente a la lactancia materna en Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa, descriptiva y transversal con la participación de padres de familia de diferentes sectores. Los resultados evidenciaron que, aunque la mayoría de los encuestados reconocen la importancia de la lactancia, persisten mitos y prácticas inadecuadas que limitan su duración. Se concluye que es necesario fortalecer las estrategias educativas dirigidas a padres, enfocadas en promover la lactancia exclusiva durante los primeros seis meses y prolongada hasta los dos años o más.

Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación de la estrategia AIEPI para la prevención de enfermedades en padres y/o cuidadores de niños menores de 5 años. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio de naturaleza cuantitativa, de tipo descriptivo, con una muestra de 323 padres y/o cuidadores. Se aplicó el cuestionario de aspectos sociodemográficos, y Prácticas claves componente 2 de la estrategia AIEPI. El análisis de la información se realizó por medio del programa SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Resultados: El 91,6% de los cuidadores cumple con llevar a los niños al programa de vacunación, sin embargo, solo 83% tiene esquema completo. El 29,4% hierve el agua y el 55,4% la consume directo del grifo. Con relación a la disposición de excretas el 47,7% utiliza caneca para desecharlas, 8% lo realiza a través de poza séptica y el 4,6% las desecha en el año cercano a la vivienda. 75,9% no usa toldillo. Conclusiones: Los padres y/o cuidadores de la población sujeto de estudios, incorporan parcialmente las prácticas claves para la prevención de Enfermedades prevalentes en la infancia.

Oral health, food security, and nutritional status are interdependent factors that determine the well-being of early childhood. The aim of this study was to identify the oral health and nutritional conditions of children under five years of age living in Cartagena during 2024, as well as to establish the relationship with the food security of their households. A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 116 children aged 0 to 5 years. The Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA-COL) was applied, together with anthropometric and dental assessments. The results showed that 47% of the children had a healthy weight, while 6% presented severe obesity. Twenty-nine percent of families reported food insecurity, mainly associated with economic limitations. Regarding oral health, 75% of the children presented dental caries, 5% mild caries, and only 20% were free of lesions. The prevalence of caries and gingivitis was higher in children with underweight, overweight, and obesity compared to those with a healthy weight, suggesting a direct relationship between nutritional status and oral health. These findings highlight the need to implement comprehensive programs in the city that include nutritional education, access to healthy foods, and strategies for the promotion of oral health, actively involving families, caregivers, and public institutions.