How Are You Feeling? Interpretation of Emotions through Facial Expressions of People Wearing Different Personal Protective Equipment: An Observational Study.

(1) Background: The perception of others' emotions based on non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, is fundamental for interpersonal communication and mutual support. Using personal protection equipment (PPE) in a work environment during the SAR-CoV-2 pandemic challenged health professionals' ability to recognise emotions and expressions while wearing PPE. The working hypothesis of this study was that the increased limitation of facial visibility, due to the use of a personal protective device, would interfere with the perception of basic emotions in the participants. (2) Methods: Through a cross-sectional descriptive study, the present research aimed to analyse the identification of four basic emotions (happiness; sadness; fear/surprise; and disgust/anger) through three types of PPE (FFP2 respirator, protective overall and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)), by using 32 photographs. The study was conducted using volunteer participants who met the inclusion criteria (individuals older than 13 without cognitive limitations). Participants had to recognise the emotions of actors in photographs that were randomly displayed in an online form. (3) Results: In general, the 690 participants better recognised happiness and fear, independently of the PPE utilised. Women could better identify different emotions, along with university graduates and young and middle-aged adults. Emotional identification was at its worst when the participants wore protective overalls (5.42 ± 1.22), followed by the PAPR (5.83 ± 1.38); the best scores were obtained using the FFP2 masks (6.57 ± 1.20). Sadness was the least recognised emotion, regardless of age. (4) Conclusions: The personal protective devices interfere in the recognition of emotions, with the protective overalls having the greatest impact, and the FFP2 mask the least. The emotions that were best recognised were happiness and fear/surprise, while the least recognised emotion was sadness. Women were better at identifying emotions, as well as participants with higher education, and young and middle-aged adults.

Does Self-Directed Learning with Simulation Improve Critical Thinking and Motivation of Nursing Students? A Pre-Post Intervention Study with the MAES© Methodology.

Motivation and critical thinking are fundamental for the development of adequate learning. The purpose of the present study was to assess the motivation for learning and critical thinking among nursing students before and after self-directed simulation-based training using the MAES© methodology. A cross-sectional and descriptive quantitative study was conducted with a sample of third-year nursing students. The instruments utilized were the Spanish-adapted version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ-44), and the Critical Thinking for Nursing Professionals Questionnaire (CuPCPE). The students improved their levels both of motivation components, (such as self-efficacy, strategy use, self-regulation) and critical thinking components (such as personal characteristics, intellectual and cognitive abilities, interpersonal abilities and self-management, and technical abilities). These improvements could be a result of the intrinsic characteristics of the MAES© methodology (as a team-based, self-directed, collaborative and peer-to-peer learning method).

Perception of nursing students about the implementation of GREENS© methodology in nursing studies.

BACKGROUND: The Gymkhana Room for Education and Evaluation in Nursing Studies (GREENS©) is a pedagogical model that can be used as a learning and assessment method in nursing training workshops. This model combines the advantages of gamification, the flipped classroom and the use of low-fidelity clinical simulation, also including self-reflection and peer evaluation of the situations experienced. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the students' perception of the implementation of GREENS© as a learning and assessment tool in an academic course at the University of Almeria. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTINGS: Academic year 2018/2019, at the University of Almeria (UAL), Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 77 students enrolled in their 2nd year of the Nursing Degree who attended the "Health Promotion and Safety" class. METHODS: After completing the GREENS© activity, the perception and anxiety of students were analyzed through an online ad hoc questionnaire composed of 17 questions. Data were collected in January 2019. RESULTS: All of the questions scored above 4 out of a maximum of 5 on a Likert scale. For all the questions, >50% of the students were in total agreement with the questions answered, showing a high acceptance of the GREENS© methodology implementation. The students reported that their anxiety decreased significantly, with a score of 4.7 points on average (95% CI: 4.16 to 5.33, p < 0.001), after knowing that the assessment would be through a gamification tool, not an oral one. More than 60% of the students answered "agree" or "strongly agree" with the idea that GREENS© is useful for improving motivation, teamwork, learning, fun and knowledge assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The use of GREENS© has generated a high satisfaction and motivation of the students in their learning process, and as an assessment tool, it created a lower degree of anxiety as compared to an oral examination.

[Effect of employment and domestic load on fetal development and length of gestation in a birth cohort study]. / Efecto del empleo y de la carga doméstica en el desarrollo fetal y en la duración de la gestación en una cohorte de mujeres embarazadas.

OBJECTIVE: Published studies are not conclusive on the impact of certain occupational exposures in pregnancy, stressing the need to consider the double role, professional and family, of women. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of employment and domestic load on the duration of pregnancy and fetal development. METHODS: Using Univariate and Multivariate regression models, we studied the association of preterm deliveries (PPT) (<37 weeks), full term newborns with low weight (BPT) (<2500g) and small for their gestational age (PEG) (<10th percentile) in weight, length and head circumference according to work situation (employment/non-employment) and domestic load (low/ medium/ high) in 2506 women. The analyses were carried out using SPSS and R. RESULTS: Women with medium domestic load have lower risk of PPT (OR=0.41, 95%CI:0.21-0.81), PEG in weight (OR=0.47, 95%CI:0.32-0.69), length (OR=0.57, 95%CI:0.39-0.83) and head circumference (OR=0.58, 95% CI:0.40-0.83) and with high load PEG in weight (OR=0.72,95%CI:0.54-0.98) and head circumference (OR = 0.73, 95% CI:0.54-0.99). When analyzing employment situation and domestic load, women with medium domestic load have less risk of PPT (OR=0.29, 95%CI:0.14-0.58) than the absence of load or high domestic load. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a protective effect of the medium and high domestic load, reducing the probability of preterm birth and small for gestational age babies.

OBJETIVO: Los estudios publicados no son concluyentes sobre el impacto de determinadas exposiciones ocupacionales en el embarazo, evidenciando la necesidad de considerar el doble rol, profesional y familiar, de las mujeres. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la situación laboral y de la carga doméstica de trabajo en la duración de la gestación y en el desarrollo fetal. METODOS: Mediante modelos de regresión univariante y multivariante, se estudió la asociación entre partos pretérmino (PPT) (<37 semanas), recién nacidos con bajo peso a término (BPT) (<2500g) y pequeños para su edad gestacional (PEG) (

Efecto del empleo y de la carga doméstica en el desarrollo fetal y en la duración de la gestación en una cohorte de mujeres embarazadas / Effect of employment and domestic load on fetal development and length of gestation in a birth cohort study

Fundamentos: Los estudios publicados no son concluyentes sobre el impacto de determinadas exposiciones ocupacionales en el embarazo, evidenciando la necesidad de considerar el doble rol, profesional y familiar, de las mujeres. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la situación laboral y de la carga doméstica de trabajo en la duración de la gestación y en el desarrollo fetal. Métodos: Mediante modelos de regresión univariante y multivariante, se estudió la asociación entre partos pretérmino (PPT) (<37 semanas), recién nacidos con bajo peso a término (BPT) (<2500g) y pequeños para su edad gestacional (PEG) (

Background: Published studies are not conclusive on the impact of certain occupational exposures in pregnancy, stressing the need to consider the double role, professional and family, of women. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of employment and domestic load on the duration of pregnancy and fetal development. Methods: Using Univariate and Multivariate regression models, we studied the association of preterm deliveries (PPT) (<37 weeks), full term newborns with low weight (BPT) (<2500g) and small for their gestational age (PEG) (<10th percentile) in weight, length and head circumference according to work situation (employment/non-employment) and domestic load (low/ medium/high) in 2506 women. The analyses were carried out using SPSS and R. Results: Women with medium domestic load have lower risk of PPT (OR=0.41, 95%CI:0.21-0.81), PEG in weight (OR=0.47, 95%CI:0.32-0.69), length (OR=0.57, 95%CI:0.39-0.83) and head circumference (OR=0.58, 95% CI:0.40-0.83) and with high load PEG in weight (OR=0.72, 95%CI:0.54-0.98) and head circumference (OR = 0.73, 95% CI:0.54-0.99). When analyzing employment situation and domestic load, women with medium domestic load have less risk of PPT (OR=0.29, 95%CI:0.14-0.58) than the absence of load or high domestic load. Conclusions: The results show a protective effect of the medium and high domestic load, reducing the probability of preterm birth and small for gestational age babies

[Epidemiology of occupationally-caused carpal tunnel syndrome in the province of Alicante, Spain 1996-2004]. / Epidemiología del síndrome del túnel carpiano de origen laboral en la provincia de Alicante, 1996-2004.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the major health problems of workers who perform tasks entailing intense manual stress and repetitive movements of the upper limbs. The implementation of regulations and social changes, as well as the incorporation of women into the working world bring to bear the need of ascertaining whether any changes have taken place in the pattern of occurrence of this syndrome and in the factors conditioning the same. The objectives of this study are to know the frequency with which this syndrome occurs in the province of Alicante, to discover the work-related characteristics of those individuals affected thereby, to analyze the procedure followed for treatment and rehabilitation and to delve into the situation of those affected upon their return to work. METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The population studies was comprised of all those workers for whom an occupational disease report was remitted to the Safety and Health Commission within the 1996-2004 period. RESULTS: A total of 266 reports of occupational disease due to carpal tunnel syndrome were filed. The incidence rate was 4.2 cases per 100,000 workers. A total of 62.8% of the cases were females, 25% of whom were under 30 years of age. The average length of employment at the company was 132.3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors most often mentioned are performing repetitive movements and activities requiring manual strength.

[Disease registries in the epidemiological researching of rare diseases in Spain]. / Los registros de enfermedades en la investigacion epidemiológica de las enfermedades raras en España.

BACKGROUND: The use of tools such as disease registries poses a problem in the case of rare diseases. This study is aimed at describing the current situation concerning rare disease registries in Spain. METHODS: The information provided by two Spanish health registries directories prepared by the Spanish Health Assessment Technologies Agencies are employed, a descriptive cross-sectional study being conducted. The registries identified in these directories has been classified as: (1) "Specific rare diseases" (2) "Unspecific but with information on rare disease and (3) "Non-informative regarding rare diseases". RESULTS: The 2000 directory listed 82 registries, 15.8% of which were classified under Group 1, whilst a total of 107 registries, 16.8% in Group 1, were identified in the 2005 review. The main health registries in Group 2, by topic, were: cancer, mortality, psychiatry and nephrology. No general rare disease registries were found in the directories. CONCLUSIONS: Although few in number, health registries do exist in Spain including information on rare diseases. Areas have been identified by topic lacking registries and also information systems or registries unidentified in the sources used. Continuing efforts must be made to improve the information available on rare diseases.

Los registros de enfermedades en la investigación epidemiológica de las enfermedades raras en España / Disease registries in the epidemiological researching of rare diseases in Spain

Fundamento: En el caso de las enfermedades raras existen dificultadespara utilizar herramientas como los registros de enfermedades.El objetivo de este trabajo es describir la situación de los registrossobre enfermedades raras en España.Métodos: Se utiliza la información proporcionada por dos directoriosde registros sanitarios españoles elaborados por la AgenciaEspañola de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias, realizando unestudio descriptivo transversal. Los registros identificados en estosdirectorios se han clasificado como: 1) «Específicos de enfermedadesraras», 2) «No específicos pero con información de enfermedadesraras», y 3) «No informativos sobre enfermedades raras».Resultados: En el directorio del año 2000 aparecían 82 registros,de los que el 15,8% se clasificaron en el grupo 1, mientras que en larevisión de 2005 se identificaron 107 registros, 16,8% en el grupo 1.Las principales áreas temáticas de los registros sanitarios del grupo 2fueron el cáncer, la mortalidad, la psiquiatría y la nefrología. En losdirectorios no se ha hallado ningún registro genérico de enfermedadesraras. Conclusiones: Aunque escasos, existen registros sanitarios enEspaña con información sobre enfermedades raras. Se han identificadoáreas temáticas con carencias de registros y también registros osistemas de información no identificados en las fuentes utilizadas. Esnecesario continuar los esfuerzos por mejorar la información disponiblesobre las enfermedades raras

Background: The use of tools such as disease registries poses aproblem in the case of rare diseases. This study is aimed at describingthe current situation concerning rare disease registries inSpain.Methods: The information provided by two Spanish healthregistries directories prepared by the Spanish Health AssessmentTechnologies Agencies are employed, a descriptive cross-sectionalstudy being conducted. The registries identified in these directorieshas been classified as: 1) «Specific rare diseases» 2) «Unspecific butwith information on rare disease» and 3) «Non-informative regardingrare diseases».Results: The 2000 directory listed 82 registries, 15.8% of whichwere classified under Group 1, whilst a total of 107 registries, 16.8%in Group 1, were identified in the 2005 review. The main healthregistries in Group 2, by topic, were: cancer, mortality, psychiatryand nephrology. No general rare disease registries were found in thedirectories. Conclusions: Although few in number, health registries do existin Spain including information on rare diseases. Areas have beenidentified by topic lacking registries and also information systems orregistries unidentified in the sources used. Continuing efforts mustbe made to improve the information available on rare diseases

Epidemiología del síndrome del túnel carpiano de origen laboral en la provincia de Alicante, 1996-2004 / Epidemiology of occupationally-caused carpal tunnel syndrome in the province of Alicante, Spain 1996-2004

Fundamento: El síndrome del túnel carpiano es uno de los principalesproblemas de salud de los trabajadores que desarrollan tareasrelacionadas con esfuerzos manuales intensos y movimientos repetitivosdel miembro superior. Los objetivos del estudio son conocer sufrecuencia de aparición en la provincia de Alicante, describir lascaracterísticas laborales de las personas afectadas, analizar el procesoseguido para el tratamiento y rehabilitación y mostrar la situaciónde los afectados en su reincorporación laboral.Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal. La población estudiadaestuvo constituida por todos los trabajadores cuyo parte de enfermedadprofesional se remitió al Gabinete de Seguridad e Higienedesde 1996 hasta 2004.Resultados: Se declararon 266 partes de enfermedad profesionalpor síndrome del túnel carpiano. La incidencia fue de 4,2 casos porcada 100.000 trabajadores. El 62,8% de los casos eran mujeres, delas cuales el 25% tenía menos de 30 años. La antigüedad media en laempresa era de 132,3 meses.Conclusiones: Los factores de riesgo más frecuentemente referidosson la realización de movimientos repetitivos y de actividadesque requieren fuerza manual

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the majorhealth problems of workers who perform tasks entailing intensemanual stress and repetitive movements of the upper limbs. Theimplementation of regulations and social changes, as well as theincorporation of women into the working world bring to bear theneed of ascertaining whether any changes have taken place in thepattern of occurrence of this syndrome and in the factors conditioningthe same. The objectives of this study are to know the frequencywith which this syndrome occurs in the province of Alicante,to discover the work-related characteristics of those individualsaffected thereby, to analyze the procedure followed for treatmentand rehabilitation and to delve into the situation of those affectedupon their return to work.Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The populationstudies was comprised of all those workers for whom an occupationaldisease report was remitted to the Safety and Health Commissionwithin the 1996-2004 period.Results: A total of 266 reports of occupational disease due tocarpal tunnel syndrome were filed. The incidence rate was 4.2 casesper 100,000 workers. A total of 62.8% of the cases were females,25% of whom were under 30 years of age. The average length ofemployment at the company was 132.3 months.Conclusions: The risk factors most often mentioned are performingrepetitive movements and activities requiring manual strength