[Clinical competence measurement in Mexican resident physicians for diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate clinical competence of a mexican resident physicians sample for diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and analytic study in 122 resident physicians of epidemiology, family medicine and internal medicine specialty, assigned to a third level medical unit from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, taking a sample for convenience. An instrument was designed and validated for to evaluate clinical competence in five dimensions: risk factors identification, clinical data identification, diagnostic test interpretation, diagnostic integration and therapeutic resources utilization; that classified competence level in four strata: random defined, low, medium and high, with 89% of reliability accord to Kunder-Richardson test. Descriptive and no parametric inferential statistics were obtained.


RESULTS
A total of 122 physicians, 55.7% males (n = 68) and 44.3% females (n = 54). Random defined clinical competence 4.9% (n = 6), low 49.2% (n = 60), medium 44.3% (n = 54) and high 1.6% (n = 2). Median significantly higher in epidemiologists (p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Improve clinical competence level of resident physicians for diagnosis and treatment of Chagas disease is necessary. Intervention studies are required.
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Marina de Jesús
Mde J
Kasten-Monges
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Carlos Enrique
CE
Cabrera-Pivaral
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Felipe
F
Lozano-Kasten
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Hugo Marcelo
HM
Aguilar-Velasco
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Ricardo
R
Hidalgo-Ottolenghi
Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Salud Pública, Guadalajara, Jal., México.
Marco Antonio
MA
Zavala-González
D000328:Adult; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult