Involvement of Personality and Health Status in the Psychological Wellbeing of Subjects with Chronic Disease.

(1) Background: Psychological wellbeing correlates with improved physical and psychological health, as this construct plays a fundamental role in disease recovery and health maintenance. Hence, for healthcare professionals, understanding the factors that predict psychological wellbeing is of great interest. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine whether health status and personality traits influence psychological wellbeing. (2) Methods: The total sample (N = 600) consisted of HIV patients, individuals with diabetes, and healthy subjects from the Salamanca Clinical Hospital. The instruments used for data collection included a sociodemographic questionnaire, Ryff's Psychological Wellbeing Scale, and the Spanish version of the Big Five Taxonomy to measure personality. (3) Results: Specific personality traits, such as Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Responsibility, and Integrity were significant predictors of different dimensions of psychological wellbeing. Regarding health status, individuals with diabetes and healthy subjects, compared to HIV+ subjects, were associated with higher levels of psychological wellbeing dimensions. (4) Conclusions: Individual differences in personality traits and the diagnosis of a chronic condition may play a fundamental role in psychological wellbeing. These conclusions are of great interest for developing strategies aimed at individuals with chronic illnesses and specific personality traits associated with poorer psychological wellbeing.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Telomere Length in Healthy Adults: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise is one of the main nonpharmacological treatments for most pathologies. In addition, physical exercise is beneficial in the prevention of various diseases. The impact of physical exercise has been widely studied; however, existing meta-analyses have included diverse and heterogeneous samples. Therefore, to our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of different physical exercise modalities on telomere length in healthy populations. OBJECTIVE: In this review, we aimed to determine the effect of physical exercise on telomere length in a healthy population through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression of the published literature on the impact of physical exercise on telomere length in a healthy population was performed. PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for eligible studies. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Risk Of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions and the risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. Finally, the certainty of our findings (closeness of the estimated effect to the true effect) was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE). RESULTS: We included 9 trials that met the inclusion criteria with fair methodological quality. Random-effects model analysis was used to quantify the difference in telomere length between the exercise and sham groups. Meta-analysis showed that exercise did not significantly increase telomere length compared with the control intervention (mean difference=0.0058, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.06; P=.83). Subgroup analysis suggested that high-intensity interventional exercise significantly increased telomere length compared with the control intervention in healthy individuals (mean difference=0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.26; P=.01). Furthermore, 56% of the studies had a high risk of bias. Certainty was graded from low to very low for most of the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that high-intensity interval training seems to have a positive effect on telomere length compared with other types of exercise such as resistance training or aerobic exercise in a healthy population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022364518; http://tinyurl.com/4fwb85ff.

Correction: Rivera-Picón et al. Factors Associated with Adherence to Treatment in Patients with HIV and Diabetes Mellitus. J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13, 269.

There was an error in the original publication [...].

Mediterranean Diet for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: An Updated Systematic Review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are currently the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with coronary heart disease being the primary cause. The Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been highlighted for its potential in providing greater protection against CVDs. This study aims to present an updated systematic review that examines the impact of MD on mortality and CVDs, both in the general population and in patients with a prior CVD, while also considering the potential influence of gender. We conducted a systematic review. After the selection process, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings from these studies consistently demonstrate that higher adherence to the MD is associated with a reduced risk of overall mortality, both in the general population and in patients with previous CVDs. Moreover, evidence suggests that following this dietary pattern likely decreases the risk of CVDs such as heart attacks, various types of coronary artery disease, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality. While some studies have identified differences in the benefits of the MD between men and women, it is important to note that these disparities may be attributed to lower event rates and a generally lower cardiovascular risk profile in women. Thus, the observed variations in outcomes should be interpreted in the context of these factors. Adherence to the MD has the potential to improve survival rates and reduce the risk of CVDs in both the general population and individuals with a prior CVD. Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms underlying the protective effects of this dietary pattern and to better understand the role gender-related differences in its outcomes. Nevertheless, promoting the adoption of the MD could be an effective strategy for mitigating the burden of CVDs globally.

Influence of state of health and personality factors of resilience and coping in healthy subjects and those with diabetes.

Introduction: Currently, the most common chronic metabolic disease in our society is Diabetes Mellitus. The diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus supposes an impact for the patient, since it requires a modification in the lifestyle, which demands a great capacity for adaptation and modification of habits. The aim of the study was to determine whether personality factors and health status influence resilience and coping strategies in a sample of healthy and diabetic subjects. Methodology: The sample included a total of 401 subjects (201 patients with Diabetes and 200 without pathology). The instruments applied for data collection were: Sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Resilience Scale, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire and The "Big Five" factor taxonomy. The data collection period was approximately 2 years (between February 2018 and January 2020). Results: Certain personality factors, such as Emotional Stability, Integrity, Conscientiousness and Extraversion, were positively related to Resilience. Additionally, Emotional Stability, Integrity, and Extraversion were positively associated with Rational Coping. On the other hand, emotional stability, agreeableness and extraversion were negatively related to emotional coping. In relation to health status, the absence of pathology is related to the use of rational strategies more than to the diagnosis of diabetes. Therefore, the participants in this study present different psychological patterns depending on personality and health status. Conclusions: The present study shows that the subjects of the sample present different psychological patterns depending on Personality and health status.

Factors Associated with Adherence to Treatment in Patients with HIV and Diabetes Mellitus.

We aim to identify the factors that influence the therapeutic adherence of subjects with chronic disease. The design followed in this work was empirical, not experimental, and cross-sectional with a correlational objective. The sample consisted of a total of 400 subjects (199 patients with HIV and 201 patients with diabetes mellitus). The instruments applied for data collection were a sociodemographic data questionnaire, the 4-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4) and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. In the group of subjects with HIV, that the use of emotional coping strategies was related to lower adherence to treatment. On the other hand, in the group of subjects with diabetes mellitus, the variable related to compliance with treatment was the duration of illness. Therefore, the predictive factors of adherence to treatment were different in each chronic pathology. In the group of subjects with diabetes mellitus, this variable was related to the duration of the disease. In the group of subjects with HIV, the type of coping strategy used predicted adherence to treatment. As a result of these results, it is possible to develop health programmes to promote, from nursing consultations to adherence to treatment of patients with HIV and diabetes mellitus.

The Importance of Positive Psychological Factors among People Living with HIV: A Comparative Study.

We aim to identify the differences in psychological well-being, resilience, and coping strategies between healthy subjects and HIV patients. The design followed in this work was empirical, not experimental, and cross-sectional with a correlational objective. The sample included a total of 399 participants (199 patients with HIV and 200 without pathology). The instruments applied for data collection were as follows: a questionnaire on socio-demographic data, the Psychological Well-being Scale, the Resilience Scale and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. The study period was from February 2018 to January 2020. Patients with HIV had a significantly lower score than healthy subjects, in the resilience factors of perseverance and self-confidence. Subjects with HIV scored less in all dimensions of psychological well-being, with the exception of the dimension of autonomy. Finally, it was observed that HIV-positive subjects used rational coping strategies less frequently than healthy subjects, based on social support seeking and problem-solving coping. However, HIV patients scored higher in emotional coping strategies than healthy individuals.

Differences in Resilience, Psychological Well-Being and Coping Strategies between HIV Patients and Diabetics.

The aim of the study was to determine the differences in resilience, psychological well-being and coping strategies between patients with HIV and diabetics. The sample included a total of 400 subjects (199 patients with HIV and 201 subjects with diabetes). The instruments applied for data collection were a sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Resilience Scale (Wagnild and Young), the Ryff Psychological Well-being Scale and the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (Sandín and Chorot). The data collection period was approximately 2 years (between February 2018 and January 2020). Based on the results of our work it was found that the subjects with HIV had lower scores than the diabetic subjects in all the resilience factors, except for the factor "feeling good alone". In addition, the subjects with HIV scored significantly lower than the diabetic subjects on all the variables of psychological well-being. Subjects with HIV used problem-solving coping, social support seeking, positive reappraisal, religious coping and avoidance coping with less frequency than diabetic subjects. However, they used more negative auto-focused coping compared to diabetic subjects. Therefore, subjects with HIV show a different psychological pattern in relation to resilience, psychological well-being and use of coping strategies compared to diabetic subjects.

Risky Behaviours of Spanish University Students: Association with Mediterranean Diet, Sexual Attitude and Chronotype.

The most common drugs that are consumed by young people are alcohol and tobacco, which are especially prevalent in universities. These risk behaviours can be determined by a series of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the consumption of alcohol and tobacco by Spanish university students and the relationship between the Mediterranean diet, sexual attitudes and opinions, and chronotype. A multicentre observational study enrolled 457 students from two public universities in Spain. The study period was from December 2017 to January 2018. The majority of the participants consumed alcohol (90.2%), tobacco consumption was low (27.2%), with a high percentage of students (78.6%) having a low dependence on nicotine. The surveyed students demonstrated a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which was shown to be associated with less risky alcohol consumption. The Mediterranean diet is a part of healthy lifestyle, and avoiding heavy drinking results in the intention to maintain such a lifestyle. In addition, unhealthy eating habits (skipping breakfast, eating sweets and pastries daily, and fast-food consumption) had a tendency to induce risky alcohol consumption. Therefore, to promote healthy lifestyle habits, it is considered important to establish programs that promote healthy diets in university settings and to evaluate them periodically.

Associations between Chronotype, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Sexual Opinion among University Students.

A person's chronotype determines different habits, among which are eating and physical activity. Furthermore, at the university stage, social and organisational factors have a direct effect on students' daily attitudes and habits. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is linked to better sleep quality and less social jet lag, but association with chronotype or sexual opinion remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between chronotype, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and sexual opinion. A multicentre observational study enrolled 457 students, from the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the University of Cordoba. Sociodemographic data and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, chronotype, physical activity, and sexual opinion were collected with validated questionnaires. The study period was from December 2017 to January 2018. Our results reported that students with an evening chronotype (E-type), with evening preferences, had a lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet and showed a higher tendency towards erotophilia. E-type students reported a significantly lower intake of fruits, vegetables, pulses, cereals, and olive oil, and higher breakfast skipping. Therefore, among the measures to promote healthy habits (obesity prevention, sexual education, socialisation, etc.), chronotype and an analysis of the impact of the schedules established by the universities must be considered.