Social Participation Strategies and Resilience in Mexican Population Affected by the 2017 Earthquakes

Abstract

Objective:To describe social participation strategies and resilience in the people affected by the 2017 earthquakes in Mexico.Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1504 participants from Mexico City, State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla, and Morelos in November and December 2017. A nonprobabilistic convenience sampling method was used to recruit voluntary participants who met the inclusion criteria: age 18 or over and residents in damaged states at the time of the earthquakes. Postearthquake social participation strategies were assessed with the formats used in the postearthquake Chilean survey in 2010. The Spanish-validated version of the resilience scale RS-14 was applied for measuring resilience in the Mexican population.Results:The most frequent social participation strategies were related to emotional support and aid supplying water, food, and clothing. The highest resilience was observed in the state of Oaxaca and in Mexico City. Men, people age 40 or over, and people who defined themselves as indigenous were the most resilient.Conclusions:Factors related to resilience were male gender, age over 40, did not participate in activities of help to the community, no household damage, and belonging to an indigenous community.

Teaching Anxiety, Stress and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluating the Vulnerability of Academic Professionals in Mexico Through the Adapted COVID-19 Stress Scales

“…In this particular study, as we mentioned we modeled a section for resilience based on the RS-14 (24,29,30). In a case study in Mexico, researchers had previously evaluated the levels of resilience in indigenous populations after the 2017 earthquakes finding that resilience develops overtime and is further enhance by social integration (24), after nearly a year since the beginning of the pandemic we can draw a parallel between the indigenous populations of the aforementioned and the academic professionals, as in both cases we see high levels of resilience. This suggest that although social distancing has been put in place, digital communications have permitted academic professionals adapt their teaching model (3,11).…”

“…We found that only in a handful of cases such as having a high school diploma only, or living alone, resilience did not show any statistical correlation, meaning that adaptability to stress has been achieved by much of the academic professionals ( 18 ). In this particular study, as we mentioned we modeled a section for resilience based on the RS-14 ( 24 , 29 , 30 ). In a case study in Mexico, researchers had previously evaluated the levels of resilience in indigenous populations after the 2017 earthquakes finding that resilience develops overtime and is further enhance by social integration ( 24 ), after nearly a year since the beginning of the pandemic we can draw a parallel between the indigenous populations of the aforementioned and the academic professionals, as in both cases we see high levels of resilience.…”

“…These researchers found that social support was key to develop resilience, and that among other factors both age and gender assisted. As the communities continued onward after the earthquake resilience over all became more apparent as individuals bounded even more ( 24 ). In our previous studies, we worked on understanding how stress affects the medical professionals; one of the most affected groups during the pandemic, as they are at the frontline dealing directly with the disease ( 14 , 25 ).…”

“…In this work we used the COVID-Stress Scales originally developed by Taylor el al., now adapted and applied to academic professionals ( 14 , 28 ). In addition, we have now further explored resilience to the pandemic by adjusting to a section a shortened version of the RS-14 ( 23 , 29 ) based on the Spanish version ( 24 , 30 ) to the Academic Professional in México.…”