Differences in Free-Living Patterns of Sedentary Behaviour between Office Employees with Diabetes and Office Employees without Diabetes: A Principal Component Analysis for Clinical Practice.

AIMS: To identify principal components of free-living patterns of sedentary behaviour in office employees with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to normal glucose metabolism (NGM) office employees, using principal component analysis (PCA). METHODS: 213 office employees (n = 81 with T2D; n = 132 with NGM) wore an activPAL inclinometer 24 h a day for 7 consecutive days. Comparions of sedentary behaviour patterns between adults with T2D and NGM determined the dimensions that best characterise the sedentary behaviour patterns of office employees with T2D at work, outside work and at weekends. RESULTS: The multivariate PCA technique identified two components that explained 60% of the variability present in the data of sedentary behaviour patterns in the population with diabetes. This was characterised by a fewer number of daily breaks and breaks in time intervals of less than 20 min both at work, outside work and at weekends. On average, adults with T2D took fewer 31 breaks/day than adults without diabetes. CONCLUSION: Effective interventions from clinical practice to tackle prolonged sedentary behaviour in office employees with T2D should focus on increasing the number of daily sedentary breaks.

An mHealth Workplace-Based "Sit Less, Move More" Program: Impact on Employees' Sedentary and Physical Activity Patterns at Work and Away from Work.

BACKGROUND: Most workplace interventions that aim to reduce sedentary behaviour have 38 focused on employees' sedentary patterns at-work but less have focused on understanding the 39 impact beyond working time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a 13-week m-40 health workplace-based 'sit less, move more' intervention (Walk@WorkApp; W@W-App) on 41 physical activity (PA) and sitting in desk-based employees at-work and away from work. METHODS: Participants (n = 141) were assigned by hospital to an intervention group (IG; used the W@W-App; n = 90) or an active comparison group (A-CG; monitored occupational activity; n = 51). The W@W-App, installed on the participants´ own smartphones, provided real-time feedback for occupational sitting, standing, and stepping, and gave access to automated strategies to sit less and move more at work. Changes between groups were assessed for total sitting time, sedentary bouts and breaks, and light and moderate-to-vigorous PA (activPAL3TM; min/day) between the baseline and after program completion. RESULTS: Compared to the A-CG, employees that used the W@W-App program increased their number of daily breaks and the time spent on short sedentary bouts (<20 min, p = 0.047) during weekends. Changes in shortest sedentary bouts (5-10 min) during weekends were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). No changes in workday PA or sitting were observed. CONCLUSION: Desk-based employees seemed to transfer the W@W-App program knowledge outside of work. Evaluating the impact of workplace (mHealth-based or not) interventions at work but also away from work would provide a better understating of the impact of such interventions.

Quality of Life and Social Support of People on Peritoneal Dialysis: Mixed Methods Research.

Although some study has been made into quality of life in patients with peritoneal dialysis, little is known about how this relates to social support. The aim of this paper was to study health-related quality of life, perceived social support and the experiences of people receiving peritoneal dialysis. A cross-sectional study was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methodologies, between June 2015 and March 2017. Fifty-five patients receiving peritoneal dialysis were studied. The most affected quality of life dimensions were the effects of the disease, the burden of the disease, occupational status, sleep and satisfaction. The physical component of the quality of life questionnaire was negatively associated with the number of hospital admissions over the previous year (p = 0.027) and positively associated with social support (p = 0.002). With regard to the mental component, age (p = 0.010) and social support (p = 0.041) were associated with a better quality of life. Peritoneal dialysis, while not a panacea, is experienced as being less aggressive than hemodialysis, allowing greater autonomy and improved perceived health. Greater symptomology corresponded to worse quality of life and to perceiving the disease as a burden. Patients had to adapt to the new situation despite their expectations. Social support was observed to be a key factor in perceived quality of life.

Monitoring Occupational Sitting, Standing, and Stepping in Office Employees With the W@W-App and the MetaWearC Sensor: Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Replacing occupational sitting time with active tasks has several proposed health benefits for office employees. Mobile phones and motion sensors can provide objective information in real time on occupational sitting behavior. However, the validity and feasibility of using mobile health (mHealth) devices to quantify and modify occupational sedentary time is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to validate the new Walk@Work-Application (W@W-App)-including an external motion sensor (MetaWearC) attached to the thigh-for measuring occupational sitting, standing, and stepping in free-living conditions against the activPAL3M, the current gold-standard, device-based measure for postural behaviors. METHODS: In total, 20 office workers (16 [80%] females; mean age 39.5, SD 8.1 years) downloaded the W@W-App to their mobile phones, wore a MetaWearC sensor attached to their thigh using a tailored band, and wore the activPAL3M for 3-8 consecutive working hours. Differences between both measures were examined using paired-samples t tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Agreement between measures was examined using concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs), 95% CIs, Bland-Altman plots (mean bias, 95% limits of agreement [LoA]), and equivalence testing techniques. RESULTS: The median recording time for the W@W-App+MetaWearC and the activPAL3M was 237.5 (SD 132.8) minutes and 240.0 (SD 127.5) minutes, respectively (P<.001). No significant differences between sitting (P=.53), standing (P=.12), and stepping times (P=.61) were identified. The CCC identified substantial agreement between both measures for sitting (CCC=0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99), moderate agreement for standing (CCC=0.93, 95% CI 0.81-0.97), and poor agreement for stepping (CCC=0.74, 95% CI 0.47-0.88). Bland-Altman plots indicated that sitting time (mean bias -1.66 minutes, 95% LoA -30.37 to 20.05) and standing time (mean bias -4.85 minutes, 95% LoA -31.31 to 21.62) were underreported. For stepping time, a positive mean bias of 1.15 minutes (95% LoA -15.11 to 17.41) was identified. Equivalence testing demonstrated that the estimates obtained from the W@W-App+MetaWearC and the activPAL3M were considered equivalent for all variables excluding stepping time. CONCLUSIONS: The W@W-App+MetaWearC is a low-cost tool with acceptable levels of accuracy that can objectively quantify occupational sitting, standing, stationary, and upright times in real time. Due to the availability of real-time feedback for users, this tool can positively influence occupational sitting behaviors in future interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04092738; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04092738.

Effectiveness of an educational intervention and physical exercise on the functional capacity of patients on haemodialysis. / Efectividad de una intervención educativa y de ejercicio físico sobre la capacidad funcional de los pacientes en hemodiálisis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of a standard hospital educational intervention including active physical exercises on personal well-being, functional capacity and knowledge of the benefits of prescribed physical activity for patients undergoing haemodialysis. METHOD: An uncontrolled, quasi-experimental, before-and-after study with repeated measures of response variables at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after participating in an educational and physical exercise hospital intervention. It was performed at the Nephrology Unit at the Hospital Complex in Vic within september and december 2014. The patients' well-being, functional capacity and knowledge were assessed. Assessment tools: NOC nursing indicators, Barthel index scale, FAC Holden, Timed Get Up and Go test and Daniels scale. RESULTS: We included 68 (80.0%) patients and 58 (85.3%) completed, with a mean age of 70.16±13.5 years; 62.1% were males. After 12 weeks, the patients had better scores of personal well-being (2.33±1.2, 3.88±0.8), more autonomy to perform activities of daily living (Barthel: 92.8±12.8; 93.5±13.9), more muscle strength (Daniels Scale: 3.81±0.7, 4.19±0.6) and walked more briskly (Get Up and Go test: 14.98±8.5; 15.65±10.5). All of the score differences were statistically significant (P<05) except the Barthel Index. CONCLUSIONS: The standard educational intervention and active exercise performed at hospital level improved the personal well-being, knowledge and functional capacity of patients on haemodialysis.

Monitoring sedentary patterns in office employees: validity of an m-health tool (Walk@Work-App) for occupational health.

OBJECTIVE: This study validated the Walk@Work-Application (W@W-App) for measuring occupational sitting and stepping. METHODS: The W@W-App was installed on the smartphones of office-based employees (n=17; 10 women; 26±3 years). A prescribed 1-hour laboratory protocol plus two continuous hours of occupational free-living activities were performed. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) compared mean differences of sitting time and step count measurements between the W@W-App and criterion measures (ActivPAL3TM and SW200Yamax Digi-Walker). RESULTS: During the protocol, agreement between self-paced walking (ICC=0.85) and active working tasks step counts (ICC=0.80) was good. The smallest median difference was for sitting time (1.5seconds). During free-living conditions, sitting time (ICC=0.99) and stepping (ICC=0.92) showed excellent agreement, with a difference of 0.5minutes and 18 steps respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The W@W-App provided valid measures for monitoring occupational sedentary patterns in real life conditions; a key issue for increasing awareness and changing occupational sedentariness.

Profile and results of frail patient assessed by advanced practice nursing in an Emergency Department. / Perfil y resultados del paciente frágil valorado por la Enfermera de Práctica Avanzada en un servicio de urgencias.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the profile of patients evaluated by Nurse Care Management in an Emergency Department and identify the type of alternative healthcare resource assigned and report the results of clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective follow-up, on admission to the Emergency Department in an acute hospital and on discharge from the alternative healthcare resource, of patients assessed by Nurse Care Management, from July to December 2015. The patient characteristics, social environment and results of clinical practice were studied. RESULTS: 190 patients were included of whom 13 were readmitted (6.8%). 122 (59.8%) cases from the Emergency Department were referred to to intermediate care facilities, 71 (34.8%) cases for domiciliary care, 10 (4.9%) cases were referred to an acute care hospital and 1 (0.5%) died. Patients referred to intermediate care were more complex, presented geriatric syndromes as their reason for admission and diagnosed with dementia, while those referred to home care presented more respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses (p <0.05). The mean Barthel Index and polypharmacy before emergency admission were higher than at the time of discharge from the alternative healthcare resource (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with advanced age, complexity, comorbidity, are referred to intermediate care facilities or domiciliary care, they are admitted to acute care hospitasl and are readmitted less than other patients. After being discharged from the alternative resource, they lose functional capacity and present less polypharmacy.

[Predicting Care and Repercussions for Caregivers of Surgical Patients at Home]. / Predicción de cuidados y repercusiones en los cuidadores en el domicilio de pacientes quirúrgicos.

Objectives: To analyze the correlation between the state of health, knowledge, and social support of surgical patients' caregivers at home, with the intensity of nursing care and its consequences. Methods: A longitudinal observational study with follow-up at admission, discharge and 10 days following discharge at home, held in the surgical hospitalization unit at the Vic University Hospital, (Barcelona). A non-randomized and consecutive sample of 317 informal caregivers of surgical patients with abdominal surgery was included in the study. The characteristics of caregivers were studied using the Nursing Outcomes Classification indicators. The intensity of nursing care, consequences and impact on patient quality of life was evaluated through the validated ICUB97-R questionnaire. Results: Most of the caregivers were women, with an average age of 52,9 ± 13,7years, with no previous experience as caregivers. The greatest intensity of care and impact was observed on caregivers who attended dependent and/or cancer diagnosed patients at home, dedicating the largest time to provide care (p < 0,005). Predictor variables for the occurrence of consequences during convalescence at home were emotional health satisfaction, routine activity disruption, fear, sleep pattern and being a dependent patient. Conclusions: Emotional health satisfaction, routine activity disruption, fear, sleep pattern and being a dependent patient before surgery are strong predictive variables for the occurrence of consequences on caregivers during convalescence at home. There is a significant negative correlation between punctuations in the ICUB97-R questionnaire and the Nursing Outcomes Classification indicators.

[Continuity of care from the acute care hospital: Results]. / La continuidad de cuidados desde el hospital de agudos: resultados.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of patients treated by a Continuity of Care Manager in an acute-care center during the first six months of its activity, as well as the profile of patients treated and the resource allocation. METHOD: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with complex care needs requiring continuity of care liaison, and who were attended by the Continuity of Care Nurse during the period from October 2013 to March 2014. Patient characteristics, their social environment and healthcare resource allocation were registered and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1,034 cases of demand that corresponded to 907 patients (women 55.0%; age 80.57±10.1; chronic 47.8%) were analyzed, of whom 12.2% were readmitted. In the multivariate model, it was observed that the variables associated with readmission were polypharmacy (OR: 1.86; CI: 1.2-2.9) and fall history prior to admission (OR: 0.586; CI: 0.36-2-88). CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated by a Continuity of Care Nurse are over 80 years, with comorbidities, geriatric syndromes, complex care, and of life needs, to whom an alternative solution to hospitalization is provided, thus preventing readmissions.

[Care and implications for caregivers of surgical patients at home]. / Cuidados e implicaciones en los cuidadores de pacientes quirúrgicos en el domicilio.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the care given by informal caregivers to patients who underwent abdominal surgery in the Consorci Hospitalari of Vic (Barcelona). To compare the responsibility burden for those caregivers in all the different stages of the surgical process. To determine the consequences of the care itself on the caregiver's health and to identify the factors that contribute to the need of providing care and the appearance of consequences for the caregivers in the home. METHODOLOGY: A longitudinal observational study with follow-up at admission, at discharge and 10 days, of 317 non-paid caregivers of patients who suffer underwent surgery. The characteristics of caregivers and surgical patients were studied. The validated questionnaire, ICUB97-R based on the model by Virginia Henderson, was used to measure the care provided by informal caregivers and its impact on patient quality of life. RESULTS: Most of the caregivers were women, with an average age of 52.9±13.7 years without any previous experience as caregivers. The greater intensity of care and impact was observed in the time when they arrived home after hospital discharge (p<0.05). The predictive variables of repercussions were being a dependent patient before the surgical intervention (ß=2.93, p=0.007), having a cancer diagnosis (ß=2.87, p<.001) and time dedicated to the care process (ß=0.07, p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers involved in the surgical process provide a great amount of care at home depending on the characteristics of patients they care for, and it affects their quality of life.

[Surgical patients hospital home care program: two years evaluation]. / Programa de hospitalización domiciliara de pacientes quirúrgicos: evaluación de los dos años de funcionamiento.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results after two years of the implementation of surgical patients' hospital home care program in Consort. Hospitalari de Vic. METHOD: Longitudinal study conducted between January 2011 and December 2012 on patients enrolled in hospital home care program patients. Sociodemographic, clinical, financial, management and patients experience variables were analysed. Data were obtained from hospital home care program records and Hospital Information Systems in addition to telephone surveys. We performed a univariate descriptive analysis using the statistical package SPSS Statistics 19. RESULTS. 691 patients were assessed, and 80.75% were included in hospital home care program. The average hospital length of stay was 5.01 days, with a 3.05% of readmission rate. A higher number of male patients were treated; patients under general surgery, orthopaedics and urology specialties were the more prevalence in the program. 82% of patients were assigned to the care plan "surgical patient", and the most recorded potential complications were pain (539) and infection (436). The mean overall satisfaction score with care was 8.67 +/- 1.37 out of 10. CONCLUSIONS: The results objectively reflect the impact of hospital home care program in our context. Moreover, it highlights the importance of the advanced nursing role.

[Medication adherence and use of health services in patients with psychosis in the region of Osona (Catalonia, Spain)]. / Adherencia al tratamiento y utilización de servicios de salud pacientes con psicosis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, medication adherence and use of health resources by country of birth of psychosis diagnosed patients treated with long-term antipsychotic injectable drugs in the region of Osona (Catalonia, Spain). METHOD: Descriptive observational study in psychosis diagnosed patients over 18 years old, receiving long-term antipsychotic injectable treatment and treated at a Mental Health Center for adults in Vic (Catalonia, Spain). RESULTS: 185 patients were included, of them: 163 (88.1%) were born in Spain and 22 (17.9%) abroad. The sample was gender homogeneous with differences in age, employment status, family situation and diagnosis (p < 0.05). Findings about medication adherence to long-term antipsychotic injectable ambulatory treatment reflected good compliance in both populations. 57.7% of Spain-born patients and 9.1% of abroad-born patients received the injectable treatment at Primary Care Center (p < 0.001). The rest of them received the treatment at Mental Health Center for adults. 22 patients (711.9%) were admitted at psychiatry hospitalization ward, 16 (9.8%) of them were born in Spain and 6 (27.3%) abroad (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: All patients diagnosed with psychosis, either born or not in Spain, describe good adherence to long-term antipsychotic injectable treatment, with similar use of health resources from a quantitative point of view and some differences in the type of visits.

[Descriptive study of the results of nursing interventions applied to surgical patients]. / Pacientes quirúrgicos e intervenciones enfermeras estandarizadas. Estudio descriptivo sobre resultados.

OBJECTIVES: Knowing the evolution of health outcomes of surgical patients during their hospital stay, evaluating NOC outcome criteria at admission and discharge. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective observational study conducted in the surgical hospital wards of the Hospital General de Vic, with patients who required surgical intervention of any specialty, of 18 or more years old and anesthetic risk levels I, II or III. The main outcome variables were indicators associates with each NOC of a standard of care based on the "patient type" concept. RESULTS: Four hundred and six patients participated. Of these, 69 (15%) were operated of the musculoskeletal system and 391 (85%) were operated on the digestive or urinary systems, male/ female genitalia, skin, integuments, and endocrine system. NOC scores high of all patients were maintained or improved, never worse and in all patients the number of falls and recurrent infections was constant, virtually no patient fell or became infected. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of surgical patients at the time of hospital discharge improves or maintain their conditions of admission and patients who never worse substantially.

[A study on surgical dressings and the uses associated to them]. / Apósitos quirúrgicos factores asociados con su uso.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the variability in the surgical dressing practices and to assess the factors of their use. METHOD: A prospective study on surgical dressings was carried out. Data was collected on some post surgery patients who, once outside the operating room in a general hospital, they were still wearing a surgical dressing. A non-random sample was included. Socio demographic data, pre operative and intra operative data inside the operating room were collected as well as post surgical tests in the surgical inpatient wards. Tests chi2 were carried out for the category variables, tau Student for the continuous ones and the variant analysis. RESULTS: 315 patients were put into groups of 5 according to the surgical proceedings. All dressings were realized with non-woven gauze dressings (more absorbent) and mostly removed every 24 to 48 hours. Two groups showed more exuded dressings. The highest percentage of lesions appeared when dressings were removed between 24 and 48 hours. 50% of the removed ones before the first 24 hours had been over dressed and the chance of having skin lesion was increased 7 times with the reinforcement. Patients showed a medium average of comfort of 6,09 (EVA 0-10) to the dressings. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the traditional dry dressings to cover surgical wounds and the technique to apply a dressing over the existing one are here confirmed. A direct relation is observed between the reapplication of dressings to the same wound and the skin lesions.

Hypoglycemic events in intensive care patients: analysis by insulin administration method and sample type.

BACKGROUND: Intensive insulin treatment is associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia, so strict glycemic monitoring is essential. The best type of sample for identifying hypoglycemia remains under debate. OBJECTIVES: To establish the number of hypoglycemic events in intensive care patients relative to insulin administration method and the method used to collect the blood sample. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study lasting 6 months. Hypoglycemia was defined as a blood glucose level less than 80 mg/dL (mild: 50-79 mg/dL, severe: <50 mg/dL), measured with a bedside glucometer and blood from the arterial catheter or fingerstick, in critically ill patients who require insulin administered subcutaneously (with sliding scales) or via continuous intravenous perfusion (intense infusion protocol with a nurse-managed insulin therapy algorithm). RESULTS: Analysis of the 6636 samples from 144 critically ill patients revealed 188 mildly hypoglycemic samples (2.8%) and 3 severely hypoglycemic samples (0.04%). The prevalence of mild hypoglycemia was greater when insulin was administered intravenously (3.2%) rather than subcutaneously (2.3%; P = .04). Among patients receiving insulin intravenously, hypoglycemia was found more often in arterial (4.5%) than in capillary (2.8%) blood (P = .01). The prevalence of hypoglycemia in capillary blood samples did not differ significantly between subcutaneous (2.3%) and intravenous (2.8%) insulin therapies (P = .21). CONCLUSIONS: With a target blood glucose level of 110 to 140 mg/dL, few hypoglycemic events are detected in critically ill patients, regardless of whether insulin is administered intravenously or subcutaneously. Analysis of solely arterial samples may yield a higher prevalence of hypoglycemia than otherwise.

[The concept of "patient type": utility for the care of surgical patients]. / Concepto <>: utilidad para el cuidado de los pacientes quirúrgicos.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a model of surgical "patient type" by identifying the needs and characteristics of surgical patients. METHOD: We performed a cross-sectional study of surgical patients with one or more diseases and similar needs and/or characteristics admitted to the surgical wards of a general hospital over a 10-month period. The variables analyzed were sociodemographic and clinical data, degree of autonomy, and Virginia Henderson's needs, which were identified through an interview performed in the postoperative period. Univariate analysis, stratified descriptive statistics and multiple correspondence analysis were performed. RESULTS: A total of 270 medium- or low-complexity patients from different surgical specialties took part in the analysis. During the surgical process (pre- and post-operative), almost a half of the patients suffered from hypotension, heart rate showed no significant changes and the risk of developing a pressure ulcer was unmodified according to Norton's scale. The first statistical analysis classified the surgical patients into five groups and showed the relationship between the degree of autonomy (measured through Barthel's index) and the number of personal problems (assessed according to the Henderson model). A subsequent statistical analysis classified the patients into four groups or types, explaining 70% of the total variance. CONCLUSIONS: Through the use of Virginia Henderson's model, a surgical patient type composed of four different groups was identified. The results of this study may be useful in the care of low- and medium-complexity patients in distinct surgical specialties.

[Prevalence of chronic wounds in a county in the province of Barcelona (Spain)]. / Prevalencia de la heridas crónicas en una comarca de la provincia de Barcelona.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of chronic wounds in patients in a specific region and their distribution according to health resources. To classify wound typologies and the treatment provided. To examine the use of risk assessment scales and preventive measures. METHOD: A cross sectional study was performed between June 2 and 8, 2004 that included all the health centers of the distinct health areas of Osona County (Barcelona), with a population of 128,309 persons aged more than 14 years. Data were collected on patients diagnosed with chronic wounds and on the characteristics of these wounds. RESULTS: We studied 251 patients with a mean age of 77.5 years. A total of 377 chronic wounds were identified and there were 168 pressure ulcers. The prevalence of chronic wounds was 0.29% and that of pressure ulcers was 0.13%. The proportion of patients with lower limb ulcers was significantly higher in primary care than in acute and geriatric care (p<0.005). The proportion of patients with pressure ulcers was higher in acute and geriatric care than in primary care (p<0.005). Preventive scales were applied in 81 patients (92%) with pressure ulcers. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the concept of chronic wound was useful in identifying the high prevalence of lower limb ulcers. The distribution of wounds varied according to the health resources available.