Nomophobia in university students during COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Currently, access to the Internet through smartphones has led to their functions going beyond purely communicative ones, allowing the management of massive, instantaneous, and easily accessible information. This research analyzed the differences in smartphone use and the prevalence of nomophobia, mainly according to gender and university degree of Health Sciences students at the University of Zaragoza during the COVID-19 confinement in Spain. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 318 first and second-grade students, who completed an online questionnaire sent to their institutional email, which included sociodemographic questions, other questions about smartphone use, and the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) scale. Results: Compared to men (n = 58), women (n = 260) were more likely to use their smartphones more intensively daily, as were occupational therapy students compared to the other degree programs studied. The prevalence of nomophobia was moderate, being around the risk of suffering from it. No significant differences in scores for nomophobia among students were found according to gender, university degree, or population nucleus for the nomophobia scores of the students. Discussion: The present study extends the existing literature on nomophobia by providing results of interest in terms of gender and the exceptional healthcare context of COVID-19. The results suggest that despite intense daily smartphone use young people did not reach severe nomophobia figures. This fact underlines the need for appropriate and healthy technology education. Understanding the characteristics of the populations that use the smartphone the most may help to analyze nomophobia rates and the massive use of the device.

Ageism and nursing students, past or reality?: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to summarise and update existing knowledge about ageism among nursing students through the following research question: what is the perception and attitudes of ageism among student nurses? DESIGN: A systematic review of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of ageism in nursing students was carried out. DATA SOURCES: The literature search was conducted in the scientific databases Pubmed and Scopus in February 2021. REVIEW METHODS: After the screening process, 22 studies meeting the selection criteria were selected; 8 more were identified after manually searching the selected paper' reference lists. A total of 30 studies were included in the review. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists for Analytical Cross-Sectional studies and for Cohort Studies were used to appraise the articles' quality. RESULTS: There was large variability in the manifestation of ageism among student nurses, as well as in the instruments used for assessment. Most of the articles analysed attitudes towards old age, the majority of which were positive. Being a female student, being on the final year of study and having regular contact or cohabitation with an older adult were three of the main determinants in the expression of positive attitudes towards the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that student nurses generally have positive attitudes towards old age, although ageist beliefs and discriminatory behaviours were identified and should be studied in greater depth. Training programs for future care professionals have a responsibility to educate from a non-stereotypical perspective based on current societal needs.

Clinical and Epidemiological Approach to Delirium in an Acute Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study.

During hospital admissions, the union of various factors, those related to acute pathology, dependency conditions, cognitive impairment, change of habitual environment, and others, can cause delirium. Acute delirium in the elderly (ADE) occurs in around a third of patients over 70 years of age. The syndrome generates serious complications that increase hospital morbidity and mortality and a high cost for the health administration. This study aimed to determine the clinical and epidemiological profile of ADE in an internal medicine unit. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using a convenience test. A total of 356 patients participated between September and November 2021. Sociodemographic variables, predisposing and precipitating factors of ADE, methods of action against ADE, and the impact on functional and cognitive deterioration were analyzed. A total of 35.1% of the patients developed ADE, mostly of the hyperactive type and of nocturnal appearance. ADE was mainly treated with psychoactive drugs and 22% required mechanical restraint, with non-pharmacological preventive strategies, support, and caregiver training being the main tools for controlling ADE during hospital admission.

Patient Profile and Management of Delirium in Older Adults Hospitalized Due to COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 can cause neurologic symptoms, as well as respiratory ones. Older adults are at risk of developing acute delirium in older persons (ADOP). The combination of experiencing respiratory isolation due to COVID-19, as well as other associated risk factors for older adults, may have had an impact on ADOP and ADOP management in the acute hospital setting. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of ADOP in patients admitted to a COVID-19 unit. An observational prospective study on a sample of 108 patients was carried out between November 2020 and May 2021. The following data were collected: sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors for ADOP, management of ADOP, and impact on ADOP on both functional and cognitive deterioration. A 29.6% proportion of older adults admitted to an acute COVID-19 unit presented hyperactive ADOP, mainly during the night. Management of ADOP in our sample involved mainly pharmacological treatment and had a serious impact on hospital stay and both functional and cognitive deterioration. Preventive strategies and being accompanied by a relative or a carer may be useful to manage ADOP during hospital admission due to COVID-19.

Management of Hypnotics in Patients with Insomnia and Heart Failure during Hospitalization: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a chronic, progressive syndrome of signs and symptoms, which has been associated to a range of comorbidities including insomnia. Acute decompensation of heart failure frequently leads to hospital admission. During hospital admission, long-term pharmacological treatments such as hypnotics can be modified or stopped. AIM: To synthesize the scientific evidence available about the effect of withdrawing hypnotic drugs during hospital admission in patients with decompensated heart failure and insomnia. METHOD: A systematic review of the literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was carried out in the following scientific databases: PubMed, Scopus, Dialnet and Cochrane. INCLUSION CRITERIA: studies including a population of adults with heart failure and sleep disorders in treatment with hypnotics and admitted to hospital, studies written in English or Spanish and published until June 2020. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: studies involving children, patients admitted to intensive care and patients diagnosed with sleep apnea. RESULTS: We identified a total of 265 documents; only nine papers met the selection criteria. The most frequently used drugs for the treatment of insomnia in patients with heart failure were benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine agonists; their secondary effects can alter perceived quality of life and increase the risk of adverse effects. Withdrawal of these drugs during hospital admission could increase the risk of delirium. Future research in this area should evaluate the management of hypnotics during hospital admission in patients with decompensated heart failure. In addition, safe and efficient non-pharmacological alternatives for the treatment of insomnia in this population should be tested and implemented.

The TELE-DD project on treatment nonadherence in the population with type 2 diabetes and comorbid depression.

Diabetic patients have increased depression rates, diminished quality of life, and higher death rates due to depression comorbidity or diabetes complications. Treatment adherence (TA) and the maintenance of an adequate and competent self-care are crucial factors to reach optimal glycaemic control and stable quality of life in these patients. In this report, we present the baseline population analyses in phase I of the TELE-DD project, a three-phased population-based study in 23 Health Centres from the Aragonian Health Service Sector II in Zaragoza, Spain. The objectives of the present report are: (1) to determine the point prevalence of T2D and clinical depression comorbidity and treatment nonadherence; (2) to test if HbA1c and LDL-C, as primary DM outcomes, are related to TA in this population; and (3) to test if these DM primary outcomes are associated with TA independently of shared risk factors for DM and depression, and patients' health behaviours. A population of 7,271 patients with type-2 diabetes and comorbid clinical depression was investigated for inclusion. Individuals with confirmed diagnoses and drug treatment for both illnesses (n = 3340) were included in the current phase I. A point prevalence of 1.9% was found for the T2D-depression comorbidity. The prevalence of patients nonadherent to treatment for these diseases was 35.4%. Multivariate analyses confirmed that lower diabetes duration, increased yearly PCS visits, HbA1c and LDL-C levels were independently related to treatment nonadherence. These findings informed the development of a telephonic monitoring platform for treatment of nonadherence for people with diabetes and comorbid depression and further trial, cost-effectiveness, and prognostic studies (phases II and III).

[Comparative study of the assaults to professionals in Primary Care against Specialized Care, in the Aragón Health Service during the year 2018.] / Agresiones externas hacia los profesionales del Servicio Aragonés de Salud en los servicios de Atención Primaria y Especializada durante el año 2018.

OBJECTIVE: The risk that health personnel have of being assaulted in the workplace is not homogeneous. Factors such as professional category, level of care or service, modulate their probability. The objective of this work was to analyze the aggressions registered by the Servicio Aragonés de Salud professionals, comparing the characteristics of those that occurred in primary care with those that took place in specialized care during 2018. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was made, carried out using the information available in the Aragon aggression registry database, during the year 2018. The study variables included sociodemographic characteristics of the people attacked, type of aggression, level of assistance and sick leave. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for the qualitative variables and mean and standard deviation for the quantitative ones; the relationship between the variables was made using the Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests. RESULTS: 236 assaults were registered, of which 75.4% took place in AE. The average age was 45 years. Doctors were more attacked in primary care, while nursing staff was more attacked in specialized care. In primary there were more verbal attacks, while in specialized there were more physical attacks. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational violence suffered by health professionals change depending on the level of care, where a higher incidence of assaults is observed in specialized care. It is necessary to establish improvements in the registry of aggressions in Aragón, to improve the prevention and safety of workers.

OBJETIVO: El riesgo que tiene el personal sanitario de sufrir una agresión en el lugar de trabajo no es homogéneo. Factores como la categoría profesional, el nivel asistencial o el servicio modulan su probabilidad. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar las agresiones registradas por los profesionales del Servicio Aragonés de Salud, comparando las características de aquellas que sucedieron en Atención Primaria con las que tuvieron lugar en Atención Especializada durante el año 2018. METODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal, llevado a cabo a través de la información disponible en la base de datos del registro de agresiones aragonés durante el año 2018. Las variables del estudio incluyeron características sociodemográficas de las personas agredidas, tipo de agresión, nivel de asistencia y baja laboral. Se calcularon frecuencias y porcentajes para las variables cualitativas, y media y desviación típica para las cuantitativas. La relación entre las variables se realizó mediante las pruebas de Mann-Whitney y Chi-Cuadrado. RESULTADOS: Se registraron 236 agresiones, de las que el 75,4% tuvieron lugar en Atención Especializada. La edad media se situó en 45 años. Los médicos fueron más agredidos en Atención Primaria, mientras que el personal de enfermería lo fue más en especializada. En primaria se produjeron más agresiones verbales, mientras que en especializada se registraron más agresiones físicas. CONCLUSIONES: La violencia laboral que sufren los profesionales sanitarios varía en función del nivel asistencial, donde se observa una mayor incidencia de agresiones en Atención Especializada. Es necesario establecer mejoras en el registro de agresiones de Aragón, para perfeccionar la prevención y seguridad de los trabajadores.

Sleep Quality in Patients with Heart Failure in the Spanish Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Heart failure is a major problem in western societies. Sleep Disorders maintain a bidirectional relationship with heart failure, as shown by studies conducted in other countries. This study aims to describe the quality of sleep in Spanish patients with heart failure. Materials and methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study to analyze the quality of sleep in a sample of 203 patients with a diagnosis of heart failure admitted to an Internal Medicine Service. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality in our sample over a one-month period. Results: 75% of the sample presented sleep disorders. The most common problems included the interruption of sleep (73.5% nocturia and 30% breathing difficulties); 35% had poor sleep efficiency; 33% showed a decrease in daytime performance; 84% had used hypnotics at some point to induce sleep and 35% used them regularly. Conclusions: This is the first study to report on the perceived sleep quality of patients with heart failure in Spain. Self-perception of sleep quality differed from that estimated by the PSQI. The prevalence of the use of sleep-inducing medication was very high. The diurnal dysfunction generated by sleep disorders in a heart failure environment can contribute to the development of self-care and cognitive deterioration problems.

[Agression to health care personnel in Spain: a systematic review]. / Agresiones a profesionales del sector sanitario en España, revisión sistemática.

BACKGROUND: The increase in violence in the health sector in recent years has had important consequences on the health of workers who have been attacked. This systematic review is proposed, whose objective was to update and systematically review the available scientific literature on the aggressions against workers in the health sector in Spain. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature on aggressions to the health care personnel was carried out. The following database were searched: Scielo, Cuidatge, Medline, Cuiden, Scopus, Dialnet, Ibecs, Sciencedirect, Medes, Enfispo, Ibecs, Lilacs, CSIC and Embase databases. All original articles were included until April 2019, published in English or Spanish. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was good. The aggression that occur tend to follow the same pattern; they are mostly verbal and psychological aggressions, often accompanied by threats. Patients are the main aggressors, to normally doctors and nurses. The main causes are waiting times and delays, rarely the facts are reported or recorded. CONCLUSIONS: There is an increase in the magnitude of the phenomenon in recent years, in most cases the aggressors are men, whereas the aggressed professionals are mostly women. The variability in the records of aggression notifications and in the questionnaires used in the different studies, as well as the subjectivity and interpretation of these facts, make comparison between them difficult.

OBJETIVO: El incremento de la violencia en el ámbito sanitario en los últimos años ha ocasionado importantes consecuencias sobre la salud de los trabajadores agredidos. Se plantea esta revisión sistemática cuyo objetivo fue actualizar y revisar la literatura científica disponible sobre las agresiones a trabajadores del sector sanitario en España. METODOS: Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura sobre agresiones al personal del sector sanitario. Se realizaron búsquedas en las siguientes bases de datos: Scielo, Cuidatge, Medline, Cuiden, Scopus, Dialnet, Ibecs, Sciencedirect, Medes, Enfispo, Ibecs, Lilacs, Índices CSIC y Embase. Se incluyeron todos los artículos originales hasta abril de 2019, publicados en inglés o español. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 23 estudios. La calidad metodológica de los estudios incluidos fue buena. Las agresiones que se producen tienden a seguir un mismo patrón. Fueron mayormente agresiones verbales, acompañadas en numerosas ocasiones de amenazas. Los pacientes fueron los principales agresores, ejerciendo violencia fundamentalmente hacia médicos y profesionales de enfermería. Las principales causas se debieron a los tiempos de espera y a las demoras, pero pocas veces los hechos fueron denunciados o registrados. CONCLUSIONES: Se observa un incremento en la magnitud del fenómeno en los últimos años. En la mayoría de los casos los agresores son hombres, pero en cambio los profesionales agredidos son mayormente mujeres. La variabilidad en los registros de notificaciones de agresiones y en los cuestionarios utilizados en los diferentes estudios, así como la subjetividad e interpretación de estos hechos, dificulta la comparación entre ellos.