[Health-related quality of life in patients consuming benzodiazepine]. / Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en pacientes consumidores de benzodiacepinas.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in benzodiazepine users and to verify whether there is an association with the characteristics of the treatment, its effectiveness, and the sociodemographic variables. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. LOCATION: Family medicine consultations. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and fifty 2patients over 18 years of age consuming benzodiazepines or similar drugs. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol5-D questionnaire. Other variables: symptoms of anxiety or insomnia, sociodemographic variables and characteristics of the treatment. RESULTS: The mean score in health status was 62.80 (95% CI: 60.69-64.86), lower in people without studies (59.27±21.97 SD; P=.004) and lower social category (60.02±21.27 SD; P<.001). Regarding the social rate (EQ index), a mean score of 0.6025 (95% CI: 0.5659-0.6391) was obtained, higher in people with higher education (0.6577±0.3574 SD; P=.001), plus social category (0.7286±0.3381 SD; P<.001) and age less than 65 years (0.6603±0.3426 SD; P<.001). The variables that were associated with the value of the EQ index by means of multiple regression were absence of anxiety/insomnia, belonging to higher social classes, age less than 65 years and less consumption of anxiolytics/hypnotics. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who use benzodiazepines show, despite treatment, a moderate HRQL, lower than that obtained in the general population or in primary care patients. The situation is more favorable in the youngest, in those who do not present anxiety/insomnia, in those belonging to higher social classes and when the consumption of drugs is lower.

Impact of pregnancy on women's health-related lifestyle habits: Diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking.

OBJECTIVES: To explore health-related lifestyles in women before and during pregnancy, and to determine the potential differences between both and the relevant factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study including 348 women with a child <5 years of age was conducted in six health areas. The following variables were recorded: sociodemographic (age, educational level, marital status, social class, type of cohabitation, nationality), health-related habits (physical activity, diet, tobacco use, alcohol consumption), health conditions, and medication intake. RESULTS: Four lifestyle habits were compared between the pre-conception and pregnancy periods: diet, physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco use. The proportion of women who consumed alcohol (42.8 % vs 3.4 %) or smoked (19.3 % vs 12.4 %) was significantly higher before conception (p < 0.01). Conversely, the proportion of inactive women was lower before pregnancy, with 23.3 % (CI95%: 18.7-27.9) formerly classified as active versus 35.3 % (CI95%: 30.2-40.5) (p < 0.01). Similarly, adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased during pregnancy (62.9 % vs 75.0 %; p < 0.01). Furthermore, 53.2 % (CI95%: 47.8-58.5) of women reported a change from non-healthy to healthy in at least one of the evaluated habits. Logistic regression analyses revealed the variables associated with a positive change, which were being national Spanish (OR: 6.9) and experiencing the first pregnancy (OR: 1.8). CONCLUSIONS: The lifestyles of women undergo changes between the pre-gestation and pregnancy periods. However, such variations do not affect all health-related habits similarly. A positive change was observed in diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking habit, whereas pregnancy negatively impacted on physical activity and sedentary behaviours.

Influence of the mother's lifestyles on the initiation of breastfeeding: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Breast milk is the optimal food during the first months of life. The main objective was to analyse the factors associated with not initiating breastfeeding in terms of maternal lifestyles, epidemiological characteristics and information on breastfeeding. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Observational analytical study of cases and controls in 6 primary care centres. The sample included women with a child under 5 years, with an estimated necessary sample size of 166 cases (women who did not initiate breastfeeding) and 166 controls (women who began breastfeeding). Sociodemographic and maternal lifestyle variables were measured before and during pregnancy, such as physical activity using the BPAAT questionnaire, diet with the MEDAS-14 questionnaire, and tobacco and alcohol consumption. We assessed the information and opinions about breastfeeding as well as previous experience with it. RESULTS: The study included 348 women (174 cases and 174 controls) with a mean age of 33.4 years (SD, 5.4). The variables independently associated with not initiating breastfeeding were: absence of previous experience with breastfeeding (odds ratio [OR], 12.75), making the decision during pregnancy or delivery (OR, 10.55), not being married or in a partnership (OR, 3.42) and being sedentary for periods of 2 hours or greater/day during pregnancy (OR, 1.77). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the determining factors associated with not initiating breastfeeding were the lack of previous experience with breastfeeding, the timing of the decision about breastfeeding, and marital status. When it came to lifestyle, only a sedentary lifestyle was associated with not initiating breastfeeding, while dietary or other habits had no influence.