Latin American Context Research Articles

It's not about building houses; it's about building people's power: Conversation with Carmen and Andrea from the Movimiento territorial de Liberación (MTL) Buenos Aires

This conversation offers a look into the practices of the Movimiento Territorial de Liberación (MTL), a political and social organization in Argentina. It highlights the organization’s history, values, and significant projects, such as housing developments and community initiatives. Founded in 1999 after a break from the Argentine Communist Party over ideological differences, the MTL has its roots in Marxist-Leninist thought. Their work include building neighborhoods and developing collective housing for those displaced by neoliberal policies. The MTL’s projects go beyond merely providing shelter; they aim to foster a way of life that embodies their values of self-management, solidarity, and resistance against capitalist exploitation. Carmen, a leader within MTL, shares their journey, the challenges faced, and the ideological foundations of their work. Andrea, another key figure, manages finances and emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in their operations. The conversation also touches on the broader Latin American and global context, situating MTL's struggle within a larger framework of resistance against neoliberalism and imperialism.

Coordination mechanisms applied to logistical systems for local disaster preparedness: a Latin American case

Purpose The study aims to present an agent-based simulation model (ABM) for exploring interorganizational coordination scenarios in local disaster preparedness. This approach includes local actors and logistical processes as agents to compare various strategic coordination mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach The ABM model, developed in the Latin American context, specifically focuses on a case study of Colombia. Three coordination mechanisms (centralized, decentralized and cluster-type) have been evaluated using three performance indicators: effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility. Findings Simulation results show that the decentralized scenario outperforms in terms of efficiency and flexibility. On the contrary, the centralized and cluster-type scenarios demonstrate higher effectiveness, achieving a greater percentage of requirements coverage during the disaster preparedness stage. The ABM approach effectively evaluates strategical coordination mechanisms based on the analyzed performance indicators. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations due to the application of results to a single real case. In addition, the focus of the study is primarily on a specific type of disaster, specifically hydrometeorological events such as flash floods, torrential rains and landslides. Moreover, the scope of decision-making is restricted to key actors involved in local-level disaster management within a municipality. Originality/value The proposed ABM model has the potential as a decision-making tool for policies and local coordination schemes for future disasters. The simulation tool could also explore diverse geographical scenarios and disaster types, demonstrating its versatility and broader applicability for further insights and recommendations.

Teledentistry in the detection of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer in the Latin American region: a review of literature with current possibilities

Teledentistry has emerged as a promising tool in bridging the gap in healthcare accessibility, particularly in regions like Latin America region, where resources for oral healthcare are often limited. Drawing upon a comprehensive review of literature, this overview assessed the applications and clinical outcomes of teledentistry in diagnosing oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral cancer, highlighting the challenges and opportunities specific to the Latin American context. Moreover, it examined the integration of artificial intelligence algorithms and teledentistry for enhancing diagnostic accuracy, thereby optimizing resource allocation and improving patient outcomes. By elucidating the current landscape and future prospects, this overview provided insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers, fostering advancements in oral healthcare delivery with the aim of reducing the burden of OPMDs and oral cancer in the Latin American region.

Elements, Contexts, and Attributes of Teacher Leadership Identified by College Professors in southeastern Mexico

Teacher leadership has its beginnings in Western countries as a response to fast changes that have taken place in the social, political, and economic environments. Currently in the Latin American context it has become a focus of interest for educational researchers particularly because the incipient research on the topic in these contexts. This study focused on knowing the elements, contexts, and attributes identified by college teachers about teacher leadership southeastern Mexico. All full-time faculty from a college at a public university (50) participated in this study, 20% of whom have formal administrative functions in addition to their teaching. The main findings show that: the main elements that are related to the concept of teacher leadership are behaviors focused on interpersonal relationships and school innovation. Regarding the contexts, the development of teacher leadership is often based on institutional context and collaborative work. Regarding the attributes, special emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships, change, and individual development and recognition. No significant differences were found in the perceptions of participants who have an administrative appointment and those who do not, regarding the contexts and attributes of teacher leadership, except for the elements of the concept of teacher leadership between men and women.

Editorial: Near-surface geophysics in Latin American contexts: its applications, education, and societal perspectives as a whole

Editorial: Near-surface geophysics in Latin American contexts: its applications, education, and societal perspectives as a whole

Gender inequality in time allocation across life stages: a comparative study in a Latin American country

ABSTRACT The study analyzes gender differences in time use in the Latin American context, from a comparative perspective (2010–2019) and across life stages. Particularly, the study presents evidence on the likelihood of women and men spending time on three types of activities: Household work, paid work activities, and personal activities. Logistic regression was applied using data from time use surveys conducted in Peru in 2010 and 2019. The results suggests that women were much more likely to spend additional time on household work, while men were more likely to spend additional time on paid work and personal activities. However, these differences became less pronounced in 2019. In terms of age groups, a U-shaped and an inverted U-shaped pattern were found for paid work activities and household chores respectively. In both cases, the largest gender gap was found in the 30–39 age group, possibly related to motherhood. The originality of the research lies in providing a comprehensive analysis of gender inequality in time use in a developing country that has one of the highest rates of female labor force participation in the region, and is also characterized by a patriarchal structure in which machismo and marianismo influence time distribution.

Safety, Belonging, and Forgiveness: Exploring the Role of Faith-Based Educational Organizations in Mitigating Gang Violence in Central America and the Caribbean

ABSTRACT This paper examines findings from a multi-country study of faith-based education in Latin America and considers the role and contributions of faith-based organizations in addressing the causes and consequences of gang-violence in the Latin American context. Findings point to distinctive attributes of faith-based educational organizations, related to safety, belonging, and forgiveness, that enable them to play unique and effective roles in addressing the threats of gang violence to social cohesion. It considers a set of illustrative organizational cases, before analyzing how the organizational attributes and roles of faith-based actors help prevent or respond to the challenges of widespread gang activity. It then concludes by considering implications for public policy and contributions to understanding the relationship between educational pluralism and social cohesion in diverse contexts.

Desafios e perspectivas na judicialização da saúde na América Latina: considerações sobre o fenômeno no Brasil e na Colômbia

Objective: The present study aims to understand how the judicialization of health develops as a global phenomenon, with particular emphasis on Latin American contexts, considering Brazil, and Colombia. Methodology: A literature review methodology supported by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses tool was adopted. The research was conducted using specific descriptors, and search strategies were carried out in the PubMed, MEDLINE, Lilacs, SciELO, CRD, CDSR, BVS, and BIREME databases. Articles published between 2010 and 2024 that discuss the judicialization of health, considering Portuguese, Spanish, or English languages, were selected. Results: The search resulted in 455 articles, of which 18 met the inclusion criteria. The analysis of the selected articles reveals the need for balanced solutions that respect individual rights without compromising the accessibility and quality of collective healthcare. The challenges imposed by judicialization are highlighted, such as issues of equity, financial sustainability of health systems, and resource prioritization. Conclusion: It concludes by emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving legislative adjustments, improvements in health system management, health education, and the promotion of equitable public policies. Submission: 05/29/24| Review: 08/16/24| Approval: 08/16/24

Inclusión Educativa: Desafíos y Oportunidades para la Educación de Estudiantes con Necesidades Especiales

This article addresses the educational inclusion of students with special needs, a key issue in the human rights agenda and current educational policies. Through a literature review, the study examines the main barriers and opportunities for the implementation of inclusive practices, with special emphasis on the Latin American context. The objective is to identify the factors that limit and promote inclusion, particularly in terms of financing, infrastructure, teacher training and institutional coordination. The methodology employed consisted of the selection of empirical studies, theoretical reviews and key documents from international organizations to provide a critical analysis of the current situation of educational inclusion. Among the results, problems related to lack of resources, insufficient teacher training and limited adapted infrastructure are highlighted. The discussion focuses on how these barriers impact both academic performance and the socioemotional well-being of students, and suggests that inclusion is not only a right, but benefits the entire educational community. In conclusion, it highlights the importance of adjusting local policies and promoting research and the use of innovative technologies to ensure a truly inclusive education.

Translation, Cultural Adaptation of the Portuguese Provider Attitudes toward Cardiac Rehabilitation and Referral (PACRR-P) Scale and Assessment of Its’ Measurement Properties

Background/Objectives: Access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is contingent upon physician referrals, yet these are often inadequate, particularly in low-resource settings. This multi-method study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Portuguese version of the Provider Attitudes toward CR and Referral (PACRR-P) scale, as well as to identify key factors influencing CR referral in a Latin American context for the first time. Methods: The PACRR was translated into Brazilian Portuguese through a rigorous process involving independent translation, back-translation, and expert panel review to ensure face, content, and cross-cultural validity. A total of 44 Brazilian physicians completed the questionnaire, allowing for an assessment of internal consistency, criterion validity, and convergent validity. Results: The findings confirmed the face, content, and cultural validity of the 20 translated items, with a mean item clarity rating of 4.8/5. The final version included 17 of the original 19 PACRR-P items, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.73. Referral rates were significantly associated with over one-third of the PACRR-P items, preliminarily supporting the scale’s criterion validity, while correlations with the ReCaRe scores further supported its convergent validity. The most prominent barriers to referral were a lack of familiarity with CR site locations, absence of a standard referral form, and lack of automatic referral processes. Conclusions: The PACRR’s validity and reliability among Portuguese-speaking providers are preliminarily supported.

Evaluation of TALK© training for interprofessional clinical debriefing in Latin America

BackgroundHealthcare systems must adapt iteratively in response to external and local challenges while keeping patients and staff safe. Clinical debriefing is a cost-effective contributor to safety culture, facilitating learning and team adaptations that lead to improved processes, patient outcomes, and staff resilience. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, an interest has emerged in adopting TALK© to guide clinical debriefing to promote safety, mutual support, and cultural change within healthcare teams in Latin American contexts. AimsTo evaluate the quality and applicability of TALK© debriefing training in Latin American settings and the willingness to debrief after an educational intervention. MethodsRetrospective and descriptive study, examining anonymous data collected over 18 months after completing a “TALK© Debriefing Course for Healthcare Professionals” face-to-face or online. Data collected included participant characteristics, course details, quality and applicability of the intervention, and willingness to debrief. ResultsFive hundred and forty-five participants were enrolled, most from Argentina and Mexico. The overall quality of the intervention scored 19.62/20 points, obtaining 4.86/5 points for applicability. There were no significant differences between virtual and face-to-face sessions.After the intervention, ≥93.76% of participants felt able to engage in clinical debriefing, and 97.06% reported willingness to debrief. ConclusionsDissemination of multi-professional clinical debriefing training in Latin America is feasible and easily scalable. The quality of the educational intervention was rated excellent in both virtual and face-to-face settings, supporting the value of remote educational diffusion. Most participants in this study intervention felt prepared and willing to debrief following the intervention.

Educational spaces: The relation between school infrastructure and learning outcomes

This article examines the relationship between school infrastructure and academic performance in Ecuador. The objective of this research is to identify which types of infrastructure are associated with better student outcomes in elementary schools. The study employs data from the 2019 UNESCO standardized test, ERCE-2019, for Ecuadorian primary schools. The findings indicate a significant positive correlation between various types of school infrastructure and student achievement. Such infrastructure includes art and music installations, on-site nursing facilities, and basic service connections, especially in rural areas. Significant correlations between educational outcomes and large-scale infrastructure investments are either not observed or are inconsistently evidenced. These results challenge the heavy focus on prominent educational infrastructure projects in Ecuador, suggesting an opportunity to reorient educational spending to enhance outcomes cost-effectively. These research findings may apply not only to Ecuador but potentially to the broader Latin American context.

The everyday female entrepreneur and the pursuit of emancipation

PurposeThis study takes an “entrepreneurship as emancipation” perspective to study entrepreneurs defined as “others” on multiple categories: women entrepreneurs whose ventures are necessity-based, bootstrapped and located in economically impoverished areas (neighborhoods) in two Latin-American countries: Chile and Peru.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes an interpretivist research approach and analyses inductively interviews with women entrepreneurs.FindingsThe findings reveal how everyday practices in pursuit of emancipation – while conducted within the existing patriarchal social structure – push the boundaries and contribute to changes in the social system via a variety of outcomes such as intergenerational social mobility, personal fulfilment and strengthening the communities in which the women entrepreneurs operate. Furthermore, while the authors find that in the particular Latin-American context under study, entrepreneuring activities become an emancipatory possibility for the everyday women entrepreneurs, they also highlight a “dark side” of their emancipatory projects.Originality/valueThe study contributes to recent critical studies in entrepreneurship by demonstrating the diversity and importance of the “mundane” activities undertaken by “necessity-based” entrepreneurs, and the significant – yet underappreciated – reach of their ventures’ impact on issues well beyond economic considerations.

Food Additives Derived from Fruits and Vegetables for Sustainable Animal Production and Their Impact in Latin America: An Alternative to the Use of Antibiotics.

The production of healthy animal-derived food entails the effective control of foodborne pathogens and strategies to mitigate microbial threats during rearing. Antibiotics have been traditionally employed in animal farming to manage bacterial infections. However, the prohibition of antibiotic growth promoters in livestock farming has brought significant changes in animal production practices. Although antibiotics are now restricted to treating and preventing bacterial infections, their overuse has caused serious public health issues, including antibiotic resistance and the presence of antibiotic residues in food and wastewater. Therefore, sustainable animal production is crucial in reducing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Annually, 40-50% of fruit and vegetable production is discarded worldwide. These discards present significant potential for extracting value-added ingredients, which can reduce costs, decrease waste, and enhance the food economy. This review highlights the negative impacts of antibiotic use in livestock farming and stresses the importance of analyzing the challenges and safety concerns of extracting value-added ingredients from fruit and vegetable co-products at an industrial scale. It also explores the current trends in reducing antibiotic use in livestock, with a focus on Latin American contexts. Finally, the suitability of using value-added ingredients derived from fruit and vegetable co-products for animal feeds is also discussed.

Tutorial action models in universities of Latin America: A systematic review

Introduction: University tutorial action is a process of student intervention framed within educational orientation, and inherent to teaching action, increasingly considered in Latin America, as an effective strategy that reduces student dropout, and increases. the completion of university studies.Objective: Identify the main characteristics of the tutorial action models implemented in universities in Latin America.Methods: A systematic exploratory review of the existing updated literature, published in the last five years in the Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, referring to the Latin American context, was carried out.Results: A total of 21 studies considered relevant to the research were analyzed.Conclusions: It is evident that in the region there are different positions regarding the conception, organization and implementation of the tutorial action. The terms models, project and tutorial action plan are used interchangeably to represent the tutorial action as an object. just as the declared foundations appear imprecisely.

Innovative collaboration among developing countries: the role of national innovation systems in Latin America

PurposeBuilding on current debates on innovation, knowledge diffusion, and institutional dynamics, we explore the influence of national innovation systems (NISs) on international innovation collaborations in Latin America, focusing on intellectual property rights (IPR), access to scientific knowledge and regulatory quality.Design/methodology/approachWe analyze data from 17 Latin American countries from 2002–2015 using time-series panel analysis to evaluate how different NIS elements affect regional cooperation for innovation.FindingsRegulatory quality can improve international collaboration by compensating for weaker IPR and scientific knowledge bases. Interestingly, while both IPR and scientific knowledge inherently promote cooperation, stronger regulatory environments may diminish the effectiveness of IPR protections, suggesting a potential substitution effect.Practical implicationsThe study offers actionable insights for policymakers in developing regions to help them craft more effective policies for collaboration in innovation that consider the balancing act between regulatory quality and other NIS elements.Originality/valueThis research shifts focus from the conventional analysis of how developing countries attract collaboration from developed nations to how they can foster innovation among themselves, providing a unique perspective on the interaction between institutional factors and innovation capabilities within the Latin American context.

‘I was afraid of being incapable of explaining things to them’: Ecuadorian parents’ perceptions of sex and sexuality education for their children

ABSTRACT The role of parents as primary educators about sexuality has been emphasised in the literature. However, parents’ perceptions regarding the provision of sex and sexuality education to children aged between 6 and 12 years have been relatively ignored, especially in Latin American contexts and particularly in Ecuador. Nevertheless, providing contextually relevant sex and sexuality education has been recognised as fostering healthy sexuality in children at different developmental stages. Accordingly, this study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of the importance of the sex and sexuality education provided to children in Cuenca, Ecuador aged 6–12 years using a qualitative approach. Five focus groups were held with 39 participants whose children attend five different public educational schools in the city. The findings indicate that although parents recognised the importance of sex and sexuality education, they had limited knowledge of sex and sexuality, both in general and in children, and had an inadequate grasp of sexuality education, which made approaching the topic difficult. Moreover, parents’ personal beliefs hindered the provision of sex and sexuality education to their children. These findings provide a baseline for the development of more comprehensive forms of sexuality education and training for parents.

Exploring risk factors of food loss and waste: A comprehensive framework using root cause analysis tools

Food loss and waste occurring early in the food supply chain leads to increased resource wastage, including land, water, fertilisers, pesticides, energy, and labour. Targeting food loss and waste prevention benefits various aspects such as food security, productivity, economic growth, climate change mitigation, resource conservation, and waste management. Understanding the causes of food loss and waste is crucial for the design of effective solutions and their prioritisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors and underlying causes of FLW in leafy vegetables, spanning from agricultural production to retail. To achieve this, the research methodology encompassed a case study conducted among small-scale producers and retailers. A comprehensive approach was adopted by integrating a systematic literature review of global food loss and waste causes and those specific to the Latin American context. This approach was complemented by exploratory research, involving interviews with various stakeholders, coupled with root-cause analysis. A methodology was developed for the creation of a causal map, incorporating the 'Five Whys' technique, the current reality tree, and an interrelationship diagram. The study's findings underscore the critical role of retailer-supplier dynamics in the management and flow of products, identifying a significant research gap in the development of comprehensive strategies for waste reduction. By exploring these dynamics, particularly in the context of take-back agreements and the lack of public policies incentivizing food loss and waste reduction, the research reveals the multifaceted nature of food loss and waste and the necessity for collaborative efforts across the supply chain to mitigate its impacts. The application of the structured methodology provides valuable insights into the root causes and critical risk factors of FLW, offering a foundation for the development of integrated strategies aimed at reducing food loss and waste and advancing towards global sustainability goals.

Platform politics in Latin America: Equalizers, normalizers, laggards, and marginals

How has the adoption of internet-based platform politics impacted Latin American party systems? This paper fills an important gap by creating novel categories and tracing patterns for understanding how political parties of 18 Central and South American countries practice politics online. Our work is informed by the equalization versus normalization debate between that sees the Internet as either consolidating institutional parties’ strength or giving strategic advantage to new and smaller parties. Our analysis takes a four-step approach to address the initial question. First, we conceptualize platform politics in a Latin American context and generate hypotheses. Second, we create a dataset to map online and offline national party systems across Latin America. Third, we introduce four categories (equalizers, normalizers, laggards, marginals) to capture different parties’ online positioning. Last, we explore platform politics by comparing four parties belonging to the different categories – FMLN in El Salvador, Novo in Brazil, PPC in Peru, and MORENA in Mexico – and showing how they use social media to overcome their structural limits. Overall, this work finds great regional variation to extend the validity of the cyclical nature of equalization and normalization to the Latin American context.

Operational LCA of a street with active mobility strategies in northern México

Active mobility (AM) is a fundamental part of a sustainable mobility system that generates environmental and social advantages; however, its use and operation are understudied using quantitative tools such as life cycle assessment (LCA), especially in the Latin American context. This study aimed to analyze the use stage of a street located in Northern Mexico. Two real scenarios were compared, one conventional (CO-SC-2020) and another sustainable (SU-SC-2022), which incorporated the concept of “complete streets” through a bicycle lane and the improvement of pedestrian spaces. Available data from the “Vía Libre” project and PIMUS, as well as SIMAPRO and Ecoinvent, were used for the LCA. The results indicated that the environmental impacts derived from transportation could be reduced through strategies such as active mobility (6.55%) and carpooling (77%), favoring the conversion of cities that consider the automobile as the guiding axis to more sustainable, inclusive, and safe cities.