Introduction: The objective of this study was to explore which are the limits to confidentiality that 31 psychiatrists, from Santiago (Chile) and Medellín (Colombia), consider as appropriate when dealing with information on sexual orientation in psychiatric practice. Methods: A questionnaire containing twenty assertions was applied to explore agreement with them. A scale ranging from 1 (no agreement at all) to 5 (complete agreement) was used. Results: There was agreement on the need of inquiring sexual orientation during the psychiatric encounter. There was no agreement, however, on the appropriateness of registering this information in the medical record, irrespective of the sexual orientation of the patient. History of sexual abuse of children or disabled people was considered as a valid waiver of this duty of confidentiality when answering a judicial request. On the contrary, the requirements of information coming from insurance companies were not considered as valid reasons for breaching confidentiality. Psychiatrists do not agree with disclosing their sexual orientation to patients. Conclusion: Psychiatrists agree in a number of situations in which sexual orientation of patients should be either disclosed or kept confidential

Introducción: El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer cuáles son los límites que 31 psiquiatras de Santiago (Chile) y Medellín (Colombia) consideran en la confidencialidad de la orientación sexual de los pacientes, durante la atención psiquiátrica. Métodos: Se empleó una encuesta anónima con veinte afirmaciones y cinco opciones de respuesta según el grado de acuerdo. Se hizo el análisis comparativo de las medianas para los grados de acuerdo. Resultados: Los participantes estiman pertinente indagar por la orientación sexual durante la consulta pero no registrarla en la ficha clínica, independientemente de que sea homosexual, bisexual o heterosexual. El abuso sexual de menores de edad o personas con discapacidad mental o física es un límite que permite la ruptura de la confidencialidad, ante una solicitud legal. Por el contrario, se encontró rechazo al registro de la orientación sexual en licencias médicas o certificados médicos para compañías de seguro o de salud, en otras situaciones clínicas planteadas se conservó esta tendencia a la conservación confidencial. Los psiquiatras no estuvieron de acuerdo con revelar su propia orientación sexual a los pacientes. Conclusiones: Existen límites tanto para la conservación como para la revelación de la información confidencial de la orientación sexual, con grados similares de acuerdo entre los psiquiatras

Introduction. The development of a fundamental knowledge base for occupationaltherapy has led us to formulate a formal science of the profession. However, this presentsus with a conceptual challenge. We must ask the following questions: 1) What otherknowledge bases will be connected with this science of occupational therapy, and howwill they be connected? 2) What are the subjects of study? 3) What is the methodologyfor approaching those subjects of study from the perspective of psychiatric treatment; and 4) What are the predictions or hypotheses that this science can offer to help develop theprofession of occupational therapy? In this paper, we discuss the conceptual levels thatare generated from a thorough study of the fundamental components of the profession.These conceptual levels establish the theoretical limits of the scientific and technologicalknowledge of this profession. Further, we lay the foundation for a cognitive spectrum thatlinks these theoretical bases with the practical applications of occupational therapy

Introducción. El desarrollo de un saber que fundamente la Terapia Ocupacional, nos hallevado a formular una ciencia de la ocupación. Sin embargo, el desafío nos imponetareas especulativas con respecto a: (1) los campos del conocimiento que esta ciencia conectaría, (2) los temas que estudia, (3) la metodología de tratamiento de aquellos temas de estudio, abordando la perspectiva de la atención en el área de la psiquiatría y (4) la spredicciones que, como ciencia, puede aportar al desarrollo de la Terapia Ocupacional. En el presente trabajo se expone, por un lado, los niveles de abstracción que se generanen el ‘desocultar’ los componentes de la ocupación. Con ello, se establecen los límites teóricos del saber científico y tecnológico. Por otra parte, se fundamenta un proceso cognitivo que vincula las bases teóricas y la aplicación práctica de estos conocimientos como terapia de apoyo para la intervención en psiquiatría

Most codes and declarations pertaining to the ethics of research involving human subjects have been formulated in response to specific events mostly of a painful or embarrasing nature. Several concepts appearing repeatedly in their texts are highlighted in this paper: principles of respect for persons, beneficence and justice, vulnerability and research propriety. Along with some comments on current revisions of many international guidelines and the role of bioethics committees, a plea is made to have a proactive rather than a reactive stance in ethical regulation of biomedical research (Rev Méd Chile 2001; 129: 680-4

Two syndromatic forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are illustrated with data from two cases confirmed by necropsy and studied by means of electroencephalogram, evoked potential recording and neuropathological techniques. One of the cases presented the typical hypersynchronous periodic discharges thougth to be characteristic of this disease. The other did not exhibit epileptiform diischarges, showing an evolution in which progressive diffuse slowing was the prominent feature. Cortical spongyosis, gliosis, and neuronal lose were intense in the case showing spikes, and moderate in the one without spikes. Subcortical involvement was similar in both cases. This different topography of pathological involvement might explain, in addition to electroencephalographic findings, the different behavior of somatosensory evoked potentials, which were of larger amplitude in the case showing epileptiform discharges, although in both cases deterioration of clinical state was accompanied by a progressive amplitude decrement in the evoked potential. Sleep induced by barbiturates was disrupted in the case with spikes, its pattern being closer to normal in the case with less severe cortical involvement. A Wada test demostrated that discharges in the hemispheres were independent. Spike periodicity is discussed. It is postulated that the heavier involvement of cortical layers II to IV deprive the remaining pyramidal cells of inhibitory influences, a condition which might explain the generation of periodic spike discharges.

Se estudian dos casos de enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob comprobados por examen necrópsico. Uno de ellos presentaba típicas descargas hipersincrónicas, periódicas en el electroencefalograma; el otro caso no mostraba estas descargas epileptiformes y evolucionó con una lentitud difusa progresiva. La espongiosis, gliosis y pérdida neuronal fué intensa en la corteza del caso con espigas y muy moderada en el caso sin espigas. El compromiso subcortical era similar en ambos casos. Se postula que la diferente expresión topográfica de su histopatología explicaria tambien la diferencia en el comportamiento de los potenciales evocados somatosensoriales y el diferente modelo electroencefalográfico del sueno penthotálico. La independencia de las descargas epileptiformes en cada hemisferio se prueba con el test de Wada. Se discute el origen de las espigas y su periodicidad. Se postula teóricamente que el predominio de las lesiones de las capas II a IV privaria a las células piramidales remanentes, de influencias inhibitorias, lo que explicaria la génesis de las espigas.