Real-world data in primary care: validation of diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in primary care electronic medical records and estimated prevalence among consulting patients'.

BACKGROUND: Primary care electronic medical records contain clinical-administrative information on a high percentage of the population. Before this information can be used for epidemiological purposes, its quality must be verified. This study aims to validate diagnoses of atrial fibrillation (AF) recorded in primary care electronic medical records and to estimate the prevalence of AF in the population attending primary care consultations. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional validation study of all diagnoses of AF recorded in primary care electronic medical records in Madrid (Spain). We also performed simple random sampling of diagnoses of AF (ICPC-2 code K78) registered by 55 physicians and random age- and sex-matched sampling of the records that included a diagnosis of AF. Electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and hospital discharge or cardiology clinic reports were matched. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV), and overall agreement were calculated using the kappa statistic (κ). The prevalence of AF in the community of Madrid was estimated considering the sensitivity and specificity obtained in the validation. All calculations were performed overall and by sex and age groups. RESULTS: The degree of agreement was very high (κ = 0.952), with a sensitivity of 97.84%, specificity of 97.39%, PPV of 97.37%, and NPV of 97.85%. The prevalence of AF in the population aged over 18 years was 2.41% (95%CI 2.39-2.42% [2.25% in women and 2.58% in men]). This increased progressively with age, reaching 16.95% in those over 80 years of age (15.5% in women and 19.44% in men). CONCLUSIONS: The validation results obtained enable diagnosis of AF recorded in primary care to be used as a tool for epidemiological studies. A high prevalence of AF was found, especially in older patients.

Clostridium difficile-related hospitalizations and risk factors for in-hospital mortality in Spain between 2001 and 2015.

AIMS: To examine trends in the incidence, characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) hospitalizations from 2001 to 2015, to compare clinical variables among patients according to the diagnosis position (primary or secondary) of CDI, and to identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality (IHM). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database, 2001-2015. The study population included patients who had CDI as the primary or secondary diagnosis in their discharge report. Annual hospitalization rates were calculated and trends were assessed using Poisson regression models and Jointpoint analysis. Multi-variate logistic regression models were performed to identify variables associated with IHM. FINDINGS: In total, 49,347 hospital discharges were identified (52.31% females, 33.69% with CDI as the primary diagnosis). The rate of hospitalization increased from 3.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2001-2003 to 12.97 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2013-2015. Severity of CDI and mean cost per patient increased from 6.36% and 3750.11€ to 11.19% and 4340.91€, respectively, while IHM decreased from 12.66% to 10.66%. Age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, severity, length of hospital stay and mean cost were significantly higher in patients with a primary diagnosis of CDI. Irrespective of the CDI diagnosis position, IHM was associated with male sex, older age, comorbidities, readmission and severity of CDI. Primary diagnosis of CDI was associated with lower IHM (odds ratio 0.60; 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.65). CONCLUSION: CDI-related hospitalization rates are increasing, leading to a high cost burden, although IHM has decreased in recent years. Factors associated with IHM should be considered in strategies for the prevention and management of CDI.

Effectiveness of standardized nursing care plans to achieve A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-C goals among people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus at baseline: four-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: No studies that have measured the role of nursing care plans in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Our objectives were firstly, to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing Standardized languages in Nursing Care Plans (SNCP) for improving A1C, blood pressure and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (ABC goals) in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus at baseline (A1C ≥7%, blood pressure ≥ 130/80 mmHg, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol≥100 mg/dl) compared with Usual Nursing Care (UNC). Secondly, to evaluate the factors associated with these goals. METHODS: A four-year prospective follow-up study among outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: We analyzed outpatients of 31 primary health centers (Madrid, Spain), with at least two A1C values (at baseline and at the end of the study) who did not meet their ABC goals at baseline. A total of 1916 had A1C ≥7% (881 UNC versus 1035 SNCP). Two thousand four hundred seventy-one had systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg (1204 UNC versus 1267 SNCP). One thousand one hundred seventy had diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg (618 UNC versus 552 SNCP); and 2473 had low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥100 mg/dl (1257 UNC versus 1216 SNCP). Data were collected from computerized clinical records; SNCP were identified using NANDA and NIC taxonomies. RESULTS: More patients cared for using SNCP achieved in blood pressure goals compared with patients who received UNC (systolic blood pressure: 29.4% versus 28.7%, p = 0.699; diastolic blood pressure: 58.3% versus 53.2%, p = 0.08), but the differences did not reach statistical significance. For A1C and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goals, there were no significant differences between the groups. Coronary artery disease was a significant predictor of blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goals. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is not enough evidence to support the use of SNCP instead of with UNC with the aim of helping patients to achieve their ABC goals. However, the use of SNCP is associated with a clear trend of a achievement of diastolic blood pressure goals.

Body mass index and all-cause mortality among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: Findings from the 5-year follow-up of the MADIABETES cohort.

PURPOSE: To analyse the association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality in a 5-year follow-up study with Spanish type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, seeking gender differences. METHODS: 3443 T2DM outpatients were studied. At baseline and annually, patients were subjected to anamnesis, a physical examination, and biochemical tests. Data about demographic and clinical characteristics was also recorded, as was the treatment each patient had been prescribed. Mortality records were obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. Survival curves for BMI categories (Gehan-Wilcoxon test) and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis were performed to identify adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs) of mortality. RESULTS: Mortality rate was 26.38 cases per 1000patient-years (95% CI, 23.92-29.01), with higher rates in men (28.43 per 1000patient-years; 95% CI, 24.87-32.36) than in women (24.31 per 1000patient-years; 95% CI, 21.02-27.98) (p=0.079). Mortality rates according to BMI categories were: 56.7 (95% CI, 40.8-76.6), 28.4 (95% CI, 22.9-34.9), 24.8 (95% CI, 21.5-28.5), 21 (95% CI, 16.3-26.6) and 23.7 (95% CI, 14.3-37) per 1000person-years for participants with a BMI of <23, 23-26.8, 26.9-33.1, 33.2-39.4, and >39.4kg/m2, respectively. The BMI values associated with the highest all-cause mortality were <23kg/m2, but only in males [HR: 2.78 (95% CI, 1.72-4.49; p<0.001)], since in females this association was not significant [HR: 1.14 (95% CI, 0.64-2.04; p=0.666)] (reference category for BMI: 23.0-26.8kg/m2). Higher BMIs were not associated with higher mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: In an outpatient T2DM Mediterranean population sample, low BMI predicted all-cause mortality only in males.

Adverse drug reactions to anticoagulants in Spain: analysis of the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Data (2010-2013).

OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyse hospitalisations for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) involving anticoagulants. We also analysed the progress of the reactions over time, the factors related with ADRs. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive, epidemiological study. SETTING: This study used the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database (Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos, CMBD), over a 4-year period. PARTICIPANTS: We selected CMBD data corresponding to hospital discharges with a diagnosis of ADRs to anticoagulants (International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code E934.2) in any diagnostic field during the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We calculated the annual incidence of ADRs to anticoagulants according to sex and age groups. The median lengths of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality (IHM) were also estimated for each year studied. Bivariate analyses of the changes in variables according to year were based on Poisson regression. IHM was analysed using logistic regression models. The estimates were expressed as ORs and their 95% CI. RESULTS: During the study period, 50 042 patients were hospitalised because of ADRs to anticoagulants (6.38% of all ADR-related admissions). The number of cases increased from 10 415 in 2010 to 13 891 in 2013. Cumulative incidence of ADRs to anticoagulants was significantly higher for men than women and in all age groups. An adjusted multivariate analysis revealed that IHM did not change significantly over time. We observed a statistically significant association between IHM and age, with the highest risk for the ≥85 age group (OR 2.67; 95% CI 2.44 to 2.93). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of ADRs to anticoagulants in Spain increased from 2010 to 2013, and was significantly higher for men than women and in all age groups. Older patients were particularly susceptible to being hospitalised with an adverse reaction to an anticoagulant.

Incidence, surgical procedures, and outcomes of hip fracture among elderly type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic patients in Spain (2004-2013).

UNLABELLED: Hip fracture is a serious public health problem. We used Spanish hospital discharge data to examine trends in 2004-2013 in the incidence of hip fracture among elderly patients. We found that hip fracture incidence is higher in subjects with than without diabetes and is much higher among women than men. INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to describe trends in the incidence of hip fracture hospitalizations, use of surgical procedures, and hospital outcomes among elderly patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Spain, 2004-2013. METHODS: We selected all patients with a discharge primary diagnosis of hip fracture using the Spanish national hospital discharge database. Discharges were grouped by diabetes status: Incidences were calculated overall and stratified by diabetes status and year. We analyzed surgical procedures, length of hospital stay (LOHS), and in-hospital mortality (IHM). Multivariate analysis was adjusted by age, year, comorbidity, and in-hospital complications (IHC). RESULTS: From 2004 to 2013, 432,760 discharges with hip fracture were identified (21.3 % suffered T2DM). Incidence among diabetic men and women increased until year 2010 and then remained stable. Diabetic women have three times higher incidence than diabetic men. Incidences and IHC were higher among patients with diabetes beside sex. The proportion of patients that underwent internal fixation increased for all groups of patients and the arthroplasty repair decreased. After multivariate analysis, IHM has improved over the study period for all patients. Suffering diabetes was associated to higher IHM in women (odds ratio (OR) 1.12; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.17). CONCLUSIONS: Hip fracture incidence is higher in subjects with than without diabetes and is much higher among women than men. In diabetic patients, incidence rates increased initially but have leveled from 2010 onwards. For all groups, the use of internal fixation has increased overtime and IHM and LOHS have decreased from 2004 to 2013.

Incidencia de diabetes tipo 2 y factores asociados en la población adulta de la Comunidad de Madrid. Cohorte PREDIMERC / Incidence of type 2 diabetes and associated factors in the adult population of the Community of Madrid. PREDIMERC cohort

Objetivos. Estimar la incidencia y los factores de riesgo de diabetes tipo2 en la población adulta de Madrid (España) y comparar los modelos predictivos de diabetes tipo2 basados en los criterios de prediabetes de la American Diabetes Association (ADA) y la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Material y métodos. Estudio prospectivo de una cohorte poblacional formada por 2048 individuos de entre 30 y 74años sin diabetes. Al inicio del estudio se realizó una encuesta epidemiológica y se midió la glucemia basal, la HbA1c, el índice de masa corporal y el perímetro de la cintura. Se realizó un seguimiento de 6,4años. Los casos nuevos de diabetes tipo2 se identificaron a través de la historia clínica electrónica de atención primaria. Resultados. La incidencia de diabetes tipo2 fue 3,5 casos/1.000 personas-año. En el análisis multivariante las variables que se asociaron con la aparición de diabetes tipo2 fueron la edad, los antecedentes familiares de diabetes, la glucemia basal (100-125mg/dl), la HbA1c (5,7-6,4%) y el perímetro de la cintura (≥94cm en hombres y ≥80cm en mujeres). De estas, las más significativamente asociadas fueron la glucemia basal y la HbA1c. Los criterios de la ADA y la OMS para definir prediabetes tuvieron la misma capacidad predictiva. Conclusión. La incidencia de diabetes tipo2 estimada en Madrid fue inferior a la encontrada en otros estudios poblacionales, siendo el estado glucometabólico el principal factor asociado a la progresión a diabetes tipo2. No se han detectado diferencias entre la prediabetes definida por la ADA y la OMS para predecir la aparición de la enfermedad (AU)

Objectives. Determine the incidence and risk factors of type2 diabetes in the adult population of Madrid (Spain) and compare the predictive models of type2 diabetes based on the prediabetes criteria of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Material and methods. A prospective study was conducted on a population cohort composed of 2048 individuals between 30 and 74years of age with no diabetes. At the start of the study, an epidemiological survey was performed, and baseline glycaemia, HbA1c, body mass index and waist circumference were measured. A follow-up of 6.4years was conducted. New cases of type2 diabetes were identified using the electronic primary care medical history. Results. The incidence of type2 diabetes was 3.5 cases/1000 person-years. In the multivariate analysis, the variables that were associated with the onset of type2 diabetes were age, family history of diabetes, baseline glycaemia (100-125mg/dL), HbA1c (5.7-6.4%) and waist circumference (≥94cm for men and ≥80cm for women). Of these, the most significantly associated variables were baseline glycaemia and HbA1c. The ADA and WHO criteria for defining prediabetes had the same predictive capacity. Conclusion. The incidence of type2 diabetes measured in Madrid was lower than that found in other population studies, with the glucometabolic state the main factor associated with progression to type2 diabetes. There were no differences between the prediabetes defined by the ADA and the WHO for predicting the onset of the disease (AU)

Trends in sepsis incidence and outcomes among people with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus in Spain (2008-2012).

AIMS: There is conflicting evidence on how type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) influences in-hospital mortality (IHM) in sepsis. We aimed to compare trends in outcomes for sepsis in people with or without T2DM in Spain between 2008 and 2012. METHODS: We identified all cases with any sepsis diagnosis using national hospital discharge data. We evaluated annual incidence rates for sepsis stratified by T2DM status. We calculated IHM and analyzed trends over time. In a multivariate analysis including potential confounding factors, we tested T2DM as an independent factor for IHM. RESULTS: Overall, 217,280 cases of any-stage sepsis were diagnosed, of whom 50,611 (23.3%) had T2DM. The annual incidence of sepsis increased during the 5-year period (from 76.5 to 113.3cases/10(5) population). The incidence increase was higher for the population with T2DM (from 16.8 to 27.1 cases/10(5) population; 61.3% relative increment). People with T2DM were significantly older (75.8 ± 11.2 years vs. 71.0 ± 16.4 years) and suffered from more coexisting medical conditions. In the univariate analysis, mortality was higher for the population with T2DM only when septic shock was present (53.3% vs. 51.9%; P=0.002). IHM decreased over time both in participants with (from 45.7% to 38.1%) and without T2DM (from 46.1% to 39.5%). After accounting for all other potential confounders, T2DM was significantly associated with a lower IHM (odds ratio=0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.90). CONCLUSIONS: In Spain, the annual increase in sepsis incidence was higher in people with T2DM, but the risk of dying with sepsis during admission was moderately lower in people with T2DM.

Incidence of type 2 diabetes and associated factors in the adult population of the Community of Madrid. PREDIMERC cohort.

OBJECTIVES: Determine the incidence and risk factors of type2 diabetes in the adult population of Madrid (Spain) and compare the predictive models of type2 diabetes based on the prediabetes criteria of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on a population cohort composed of 2048 individuals between 30 and 74years of age with no diabetes. At the start of the study, an epidemiological survey was performed, and baseline glycaemia, HbA1c, body mass index and waist circumference were measured. A follow-up of 6.4years was conducted. New cases of type2 diabetes were identified using the electronic primary care medical history. RESULTS: The incidence of type2 diabetes was 3.5 cases/1000 person-years. In the multivariate analysis, the variables that were associated with the onset of type2 diabetes were age, family history of diabetes, baseline glycaemia (100-125mg/dL), HbA1c (5.7-6.4%) and waist circumference (≥94cm for men and ≥80cm for women). Of these, the most significantly associated variables were baseline glycaemia and HbA1c. The ADA and WHO criteria for defining prediabetes had the same predictive capacity. CONCLUSION: The incidence of type2 diabetes measured in Madrid was lower than that found in other population studies, with the glucometabolic state the main factor associated with progression to type2 diabetes. There were no differences between the prediabetes defined by the ADA and the WHO for predicting the onset of the disease.

Social disparities in access to breast and cervical cancer screening by women living in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To describe uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening by women living in Spain, analyse the possible associated social and health factors, and compare uptake rates with those obtained in previous surveys. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using data from the 2011 Spanish national health survey. METHODS: Uptake of breast cancer screening was analysed by asking women aged 40-69 years whether they had undergone mammography in the previous two years. Uptake of cervical cancer screening was analysed by asking women aged 25-65 years whether they had undergone cervical cytology in the previous three years. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, and variables related to health status and lifestyle. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of women had undergone mammography in the previous two years. Having private health insurance increased the probability of breast screening uptake four-fold [odds ratio (OR) 3.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.71-5.79], and being an immigrant was a negative predictor for breast screening uptake. Seventy percent of women had undergone cervical cytology in the previous three years. Higher-educated women were more likely to have undergone cervical cancer screening (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.97-3.40), and obese women and women living in rural areas were less likely to have undergone cervical cancer screening. There have been no relevant improvements in uptake rates of either breast or cervical cancer screening since 2006. CONCLUSION: Uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening could be improved in Spain, and uptake rates have stagnated over recent years. Social disparities have been detected with regard to access to these screening tests, indicating that it is necessary to continue researching and optimizing prevention programmes in order to improve uptake and reduce these disparities.

Predictors of medication use in the Roma population in Spain: a population-based national study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of prescribed and self-medicated use of medication in the Spanish Roma population, and identify the associated factors. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data from the first National Health Survey conducted on the Roma population in Spain were used. The sample comprised 1000 Spanish Roma adults of both sexes aged ≥16 years. Answers (yes/no) to the question, 'In the last two weeks have you taken the following medicines [in reference to a list of medicines that might be used by the population] and were they prescribed for you by a doctor?' were used to ascertain 'medication use'. 'Self-medication' referred to use of these medicines without medical prescription. Using multivariate logistic regression models, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to identify associated factors. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of medication use in the Roma population for both sexes was 69.1%, and 38.7% was self-medicated. Females reported higher use of medication than males (75.1% vs 62.3%); however, self-medication was higher among males. Analgesics and antipyretics were used most often (35.8%). Among males, the variables that were independently and significantly associated with a higher probability of medication use were: age; negative perception of health; presence of chronic disease (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.67-4.73); and medical visits (OR 4.51; 95% CI 2.54-8.01). The variables were the same among females, except for age. CONCLUSION: A high percentage of the Spanish Roma population use medication, and a significant proportion of them self-medicate. The presence of chronic diseases, a negative perception of health and medical consultations were associated with increased use of medication in the study population.

Health Belief Model applied to non-compliance with HPV vaccine among female university students.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the reasons for refusal of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, and to explore participants' perceptions and attitudes about Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy) among a sample of female university students. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. A self-administered questionnaire based on the HBM was used. METHODS: Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to the data to examine the construct validity of the six factor models extracted from the HBM. The predictors of non-HPV vaccination were determined by logistic regression models, using non-HPV vaccination as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The sample included 2007 students. The participation rate was 88.9% and the percentage of non-vaccination was 71.65%. Participants who had high scores for 'general perceived barriers', 'perceived barriers to vaccination', 'no perceived general benefits', 'no perceived specific benefits' and 'no general benefits' were more likely to report being unvaccinated. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrated the utility of HBM constructs in understanding vaccination intention and uptake. There is an urgent need to improve health promotion and information campaigns to enhance the benefits and reduce the barriers to HPV vaccination.

Effect of unilateral posterior crossbite and unilateral cleft lip and palate on vertical mandibular asymmetry.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate condylar, ramal, and condylar plus ramal vertical mandibular asymmetry in patients with unilateral posterior crossbite (UPCB) and in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) compared with subjects having normal occlusion. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study evaluated panoramic radiographs of three groups of subjects: UPCB, 20 patients; UCLP, 20 patients; and normal occlusion sample, 20 subjects. All subjects were picked at random from Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, and all films were traced and measured manually by the same author. RESULTS: Kruskal-Wallis test revealed no statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in condylar asymmetry index (CAI), ramal asymmetry index (RAI), and condylar plus ramal asymmetry index (C + RAI) among the three groups. The average CAI for group UPCB was 9.03 ± 7.65; 8.03 ± 6.89 for group UCLP; 6.93 ± 9.87 for normal group. Mean RAI for group UPCB was 2.53 ± 2.52; 2.61 ± 1.22 for group UCLP; 2.65 ± 1.90 for normal group. CONCLUSIONS: Condylar asymmetry was observed in all three groups (UPCB, UCLP and normal occlusion) because condylar asymmetry indexes were higher in each group at the 3 % threshold. No statistically significant differences were found among the three study groups for any of the asymmetry indexes.

Inequalities in uptake of breast cancer screening in Spain: analysis of a cross-sectional national survey.

OBJECTIVES: Breast cancer remains a public health problem worldwide. Early detection through mammography practice has been shown to be effective in improving survival among women. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have high participation in mammography screening to achieve that goal. The aim of this study is to estimate the adherence to recommended preventive practices for breast cancer (mammography) in Spain and to identify predictors of uptake according to sociodemographic variables, health related variables and lifestyles. STUDY DESIGN: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on data from the European Health Interview Survey for Spain. Breast cancer screening included self-reported mammography in the last two years. The age target range was 40-69 years (n = 5771). The following independent variables were analysed: sociodemographic (marital status, educational level, monthly income, and nationality), visit to a general practitioner, chronic conditions and lifestyles. Predictors of mammography adherence were explored using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The screening coverage in the target population was 67.7% (95% CI: 66.2-69.1). Mammography uptake was positively associated with being married, higher educational and income levels, Spanish nationality, having visited a general practitioner in the previous four weeks and suffering from musculoskeletal disease. Otherwise, the youngest age group studied (40-49 years) and obesity was associated with lower adherence to mammography. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with mammography practice in Spain is acceptable to achieve the goal of reducing mortality from breast cancer among women. However significant inequalities in uptake of breast screening in Spain were found. Future campaigns must aim to improve participation especially among women with disadvantaged socio-economic situations and immigrants.

Adherence and factors associated with influenza vaccination among subjects with asthma in Spain.

PURPOSE: Influenza has a high morbidity and mortality rate and an increased risk of complications in vulnerable individuals. Children and adults with asthma have a high risk of complications, hospitalisation and even death. The objectives of this study were as follows: to compare influenza vaccination coverage in Spain in a population of asthmatics aged ≥ 16 years with an equivalent population of non-asthmatics; to identify the factors that influence vaccination coverage among patients with asthma; and to compare coverage during the period 2006/2007 with that of 2009/2010. METHODS: We used data from the 2009 European Health Survey (EHS), which included a population of 22,188 individuals (≥ 16 years of age), of whom 1,669 [7.5 %; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 7.13-7.98] had asthma. The dependent variable was the answer (yes/no) to a question asking whether or not the interviewed person had been vaccinated against seasonal (not pandemic) influenza in the previous season. As independent variables, we analysed socio-demographic characteristics, health-related variables and the use of health care services. RESULTS: Vaccination coverage was 35.2 % (95 % CI, 32.5-37.9) among asthmatics and 22.1 % (95 % CI, 21.4-22.7) among non-asthmatics (p < 0.001). The probability of being vaccinated is almost twice as high for asthmatics as it is for non-asthmatics [odds ratio (OR), 1.92; 95 % CI, 1.69-2.17]. Among asthmatics, vaccination coverage increased with age, worse self-rated health status and not smoking. No significant change in coverage was observed between the study periods. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal influenza vaccination coverage among Spanish asthmatics is lower than desired and has not improved in recent years. Urgent strategies are necessary in order to increase vaccination coverage among asthmatics.

National trends (2003-2009) and factors related to psychotropic medication use in community-dwelling elderly population.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to analyze the prevalence of prescription anxiolytics and antidepressants in elderly individuals in Spain between the years 2003 and 2009, and to identify those factors associated with the likelihood of consumption of these drugs during the study period. METHODS: We used individualized secondary data retrieved from the 2003 and 2006 Spanish National Health Surveys (SNHS) and the 2009 European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) for Spain to conduct a nationwide, descriptive, cross-sectional pharmacoepidemiology study on psychotropic medication in the population aged 65 years and over in Spain. A total of 12,228 interviews were analyzed (5,117 from 2003; 7,084 from 2006; and 5,144 from 2009). The dichotomous dependent variables chosen were the answers "yes" or "no" to the question "In the last two weeks have you taken the following medicines and were they prescribed for you by a doctor?" referring to intake of anxiolytics and antidepressants. Independent variables were sociodemographic, comorbidity, and healthcare resources. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis highlighted the association between increased psychoactive drug intake and female gender, depression, polypharmacy, and negative perception of health. We observed a significant increase in the consumption of prescription anxiolytics (AOR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.06-1.10]) and antidepressants (AOR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.08-1.14]) in individuals aged ≥65 years in Spain between the years 2003 and 2009. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anxiolytics and antidepressants consumption is higher in elderly women than men, and increases with negative perception of health. The Spanish elderly individuals taking antidepressants reported having problems to manage these medicines in their own homes.

Adherence to breast and cervical cancer screening in Spanish women with diabetes: associated factors and trend between 2006 and 2010.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the adherence to breast and cervical cancer screening of women with diabetes mellitus (DM), and the associated factors and trend of use over time of these preventative services between 2006 and 2010 in Spain. METHODS: The study used data from a population of women aged greater or equal to 18 years (n=11,957) who participated in the European Health Interview Survey in Spain (EHISS, 2009). Diabetes status was self-reported and included those with type 2 DM. Adherence to screening for cancer prevention was assessed by asking women aged greater or equel to 40 years whether they had undergone mammography and a Papanicolaou (Pap) cervical smear (in those aged 18-69 years) within the previous 2 and 3 years, respectively. Independent variables included sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. Also, the age-standardized prevalences of mammography and Pap smear uptake were compared in women with diabetes between 2006 and 2010. RESULTS: Among the diabetic women, 37.9% underwent mammography and 49.1% had a Pap smear vs 53.8% and 64%, respectively, in women without diabetes, with corresponding adjusted odds ratios of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.68-0.97) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.60-0.91). Among diabetic women, attending more "physician visits" was a positive predictor of having both screening tests. Also, a higher monthly income level was associated with mammography uptake, and a higher educational level with Pap smear uptake. There was also a significant decrease in mammography screening uptake between 2006 and 2010 compared with a stable rate of uptake of cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSION: Spanish women with diabetes consistently underuse breast and cervical cancer screening tests compared with non-diabetic women. The decline in mammography uptake rates needs to be carefully monitored and may even call for intervention.

Self-perception of health status, mental health and quality of life among adults with diabetes residing in a metropolitan area.

AIM: The study aimed to compare the self-perception of health, physiological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in subjects with and without diabetes residing in a large metropolitan area (the city of Madrid), and to identify the variables associated with the poorest HRQL among diabetes patients. METHODS: In this case-control epidemiological study, we selected 358 patients with diabetes from the Madrid City Health Survey. For every patient, two controls without diabetes were randomly selected from the same database and matched for age, gender and health district. The resultant study population comprised 1074 subjects, who were analyzed according to their self-rated health status, with mental health assessed by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and HRQL by the COOP/WONCA questionnaire. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle variables, associated chronic diseases and consumption of medications. Multivariate analyses were conducted using ANCOVA tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of health perceived as fair or poor was 64.12% in those with diabetes vs 38.57% in those without diabetes (P<0.05). The GHQ-12 results showed that mental health was also significantly worse among diabetes sufferers, and the COOP/WONCA questionnaire results indicated significantly poorer HRQL in those with diabetes. The variables that determined a poorer perception of HRQL among diabetes sufferers were female gender, older age, obesity, lack of physical exercise, coexistence of depression, use of sleeping pills, and Alzheimer's and cerebrovascular diseases. CONCLUSION: Self-rated health and psychological well-being, and HRQL, are all considerably poorer among patients with diabetes vs those without diabetes. The poorest quality of life among those with diabetes associated with female gender, depression, lack of exercise and obesity.

Patterns of medication use in the immigrant population resident in Spain: associated factors.

PURPOSE: This study mainly aimed at to ascertain to ascertain the prevalence of the consumption of medications, prescribed and self-medicated, among the immigrant population (economic immigrants and not economic immigrants) resident in Spain, and to identify the factors associated with such consumption in this population. METHODS: We have worked with individualized secondary data, collected in the Spanish National Health Survey carried out in 2006 and 2007 (SNHS-06), from the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. A total of 2055 subjects born outside Spain, aged 16 years or over, were analysed. The independent variables were sociodemographic and health-related, and the dependent variable was medication use. Using logistic multivariate regression models we have estimated the independent effect of each of these variables on the medication consumption. RESULTS: The 55.8% of immigrant population responded affirmatively to having consumed some type of medication. The drugs that registered the highest consumption prevalence were analgesics (53.09%). It should be stressed here that 8.75% of the not economic immigrant population has consumed antibiotics. The variables that were independently and significantly associated with a greater probability of medication consumption were: sex, age, presence of chronic disease, use of alternative medicines and a negative perception of health. The most strongly associated variable is medical consultation. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of medication use higher among economic immigrant women. In our population, the use of alternative medicines use and medical visits to the physician are associated with higher consumption.