Latin American Study of Adverse Events (IBEAS)
How was the project created?
The Latin American Study of Adverse Events (IBEAS) aimed to assess the extent of unsafe care in selected hospitals in Latin America.
The study was conducted thanks to the collaboration of the governments of Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru, the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality of Spain, which co-funded the study, the Pan American Health Organization and WHO Patient Safety. From 2007 to 2009, a team of scientists designed and conducted the study under the scientific direction of Dr Aranaz from Miguel Hernandez University and Dr Aibar from University of Zaragoza, in Spain.
The objectives of the study were:
- to estimate the prevalence of adverse events in selected hospitals in the participating countries;
- to strengthen capacity around patient safety research in the region;
- to raise awareness and contribute to building national agendas for patient safety.
The study involved more than 1000 health-care workers and researchers in the five countries, fostering a network of trained professionals with great potential for further activity in the region. In fact, following the completion of the study, significant activities at the national and subnational level, including the issuing of national policy and structures for patient safety have taken place in the participating countries.
Methodology
The methodology was similar to that used in retrospective studies, though patients were screened for adverse events (AE) only in the 24 hours immediately prior to the review process, regardless of when the patient was admitted, thus obtaining point-prevalence estimates. In addition, a 10% random sample of observations were screened for the full hospitalization to estimate the incidence of adverse events during the entire stay.
The IBEAS study team during its first training workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 2007
The IBEAS research team
- Argentina: Analia Amarilla, Juan Carlos Fraschina and María Fernanda Monteschia
- Colombia: Francisco Raúl Restrepo, Astolfo Franco, Nancy Guillot, Dagoberto Santofimio Sierra
- Costa Rica: Ornaldo Urroz, Juan Carlos Umaña Rojas, Mauricio Vargas and Enrique Victor Mora
- Mexico: Odet Sarabia, Laura Anzurez Mosqueda, Walter Tovar Vera, Datana Pineda Pérez, Ricardo Orozco Zavala, Drusso López Estrada, Jesús Enrique Reyes Ramos, Héctor Mercado López
- Peru: Luis Vicente Corcuera, Fresia Cárdenas, Richard Inga and Álvaro Santivañez
- Principal Investigators: Jesús Aranaz, Carlos Aibar, Ramón Limón
- Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality: Enrique Terol, Yolanda Agra, Eduardo Sierra, Mar Fernández
Thanks to all reviewers, collaborators and coordinators in the participating hospitals.