Browsing by Author "Santelices, Emilio"
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Item Priority setting for mental health research in Chile(BioMed Central, 2017) Zitko, Pedro; Borghero, Francesca; Zavala, Cynthia; Markkula, Niina; Santelices, Emilio; Libuy, Nicolás; Pemjean, AlfredoBackground: Scientifc knowledge is a fundamental tool for making informed health policy decisions, but the link between health research and public policy decision-making is often missing. This study aims to identify and prioritize a national set of research gaps in mental health. Methods: A multi-approach method to identify gaps in knowledge was developed, including (1) document analysis and identifcation of possible research questions, (2) interviews to Ministry of Health key informants, (3) focus groups with diferent stakeholders, and (4) a web consultation addressed to academics. The identifed gaps were translated to a standardized format of research questions. Criteria for prioritization were extracted from interviews and focus groups. Then, a team of various professionals applied them for scoring each question research. Findings: Fifty-four people participated in the knowledge gaps identifcation process through an online consultation (n = 23) and focus groups (n = 18). Prioritization criteria identifed were: extent of the knowledge gap, size of the objective population, potential beneft, vulnerability, urgency and applicability. 155 research questions were prioritized, of which 44% were related to evaluation of systems and/or health programs, and 26% to evaluation of interventions, including questions related to cost-efectiveness. 30% of the research questions came from the online consultation, and 36% from key informants. Users groups contributed with 10% of total research questions. Conclusion: A fnal priority setting for mental health research was reached, making available for authorities and research agencies a list of 155 research questions ordered by relevance. The experience documented here could serve to other countries interested in developing a similar process.Publication The added effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions and lifestyle behaviors on vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID-19 in Chile: A matched case-double control study(2023) Urquidi, Cinthya; Santelices, Emilio; Lagomarcino. Anne; Valenzuela, María; Larrañaga, Nicolás; González, Emilio; Pavez, Axel; Wosiack, Amanda; Maturana, Marcela; Moller, Paulina; Torres, Juan; Muñoz, Sergio; O’Ryan, MiguelBackground: World Health Organization approved vaccines have demonstrated relatively high protection against moderate to severe COVID-19. Prospective vaccine effectiveness (VE) designs with first-hand data and population-based controls are nevertheless rare. Neighborhood compared to hospitalized controls, may differ in compliance to non-pharmacuetical interventions (NPI) compliance, which may influence VE results in real-world settings. We aimed to determine VE against COVID-19 intensive-care-unit (ICU) admission using hospital and community-matched controls in a prospective design. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, observational study of matched cases and controls (1:3) in adults ≧18 years of age from May to July 2021. For each case, a hospital control and two community controls were matched by age, gender, and hospital admission date or neighborhood of residence. Conditional logistic regression models were built, including interaction terms between NPIs, lifestyle behaviors, and vaccination status; the model's β coefficients represent the added effect these terms had on COVID-19 VE. Results: Cases and controls differed in several factors including education level, obesity prevalence, and behaviors such as compliance with routine vaccinations, use of facemasks, and routine handwashing. VE was 98·2% for full primary vaccination and 85·6% for partial vaccination when compared to community controls, and somewhat lower, albeit not significantly, compared to hospital controls. A significant added effect to vaccination in reducing COVID-19 ICU admission was regular facemask use and VE was higher among individuals non-compliant with the national vaccine program, and/or tonroutine medical visits during the prior year. Conclusion: VE against COVID-19 ICU admission in this stringent prospective case-double control study reached 98% two weeks after full primary vaccination, confirming the high effectiveness provided by earlier studies. Face mask use and hand washing were independent protective factors, the former adding additional benefit to VE. VE was significantly higher in subjects with increased risk behaviors.