Trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity according to socioeconomic status: Spain, 1987-2007.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To ascertain trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Spanish children and adolescents according to the socioeconomic status of the family household and area of residence across the period 1987-2007. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For study purposes, data were drawn from the 1987, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2007 Spanish National Health Surveys. Overweight and obesity were estimated on the basis of body mass index. The following indicators of socioeconomic status were used: educational level of primary household earner and per capita income of province of residence. The statistical significance of the trend in the prevalence of overweight and obesity was assessed for each category of socioeconomic status. The χ2 test for trend was used in the case of educational level and a linear regression in the case of per capita income of province of residence. RESULTS: Although the prevalence of overweight and obesity had levelled off among boys and girls aged 5 to 9 years, it nevertheless showed a significant upward trend among those aged 10 to 15 years from families whose primary household earner had a lower educational level. The prevalence of overweight among boys in this last group was 13.1% in 1987 and 31.5% in 2007. From 1997 onwards, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among boys and girls aged 10 to 15 years increased in both the richest and the remaining provinces, although the magnitude of this increase was greater in the latter. Specifically, in these provinces the prevalence increased from 18 to 28.9% over the period of study. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the childhood population in Spain has stabilised, except among adolescents, whether from lower-income families or lower-income areas, among whom a rising trend is in evidence.

[Burnout syndrome epidemiology]. / Epidemiología del síndrome de burnout.

The burnout syndrome constitutes a process which bears high prevalence and important consequences among sanitary professionals, particularly among nurses. Therefore, the authors have proposed to study the three dimensions of this syndrome, namely emotional tiredness, depersonalization and lack of a sense of achievement plus the function certain personal, labor, and institutional factors have in development of this process. The authors carried out a transversal study based on a random sample from among all the nursing staff at a Madrid hospital. Two methods to gather information were employed: one questionnaire gathered sociodemographic data, labor and institutional variables while the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), in its verified Spanish version, studied the three burnout syndrome dimensions. The authors made a multiple logistical regression analysis, using as dependent variables the three syndrome scales and adjusting parameters for all the other variables. Clear risk factors were shown; these included unfavorable opinions professionals hold regarding institutional variables; the scale for emotional tiredness warrants special note.

[Burnout syndrome among nursing staff at a hospital in Madrid]. / Síndrome de Burnout en el personal de enfermería de un hospital de Madrid.

BACKGROUND: The term "burnout" is related to a situation arising increasingly more often among the professionals performing their duties by way of a long-term, direct, people-to-people relationship, which includes all healthcare professionals. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of the Burnout syndrome and of the three components involved therein (emotional exhaustion, impersonalization and lack of personal fulfillment) among the nursing staff at the "Hospital Clínico Universitario San Carlos" in Madrid and the relationship thereof to certain socio-demographic, job-related and institutional factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the professionals assigned to the nursing staff at the above-mentioned hospital. The variables involved were gathered by means of a questionnaire prepared by those conducting this study. The Burnout syndrome was measured by means of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, in the validated Spanish version thereof. RESULTS: The nursing staff is more impersonalized (p=0.004) and less fulfilled (p=0.036) than the nursing assistant/technician group. When the results of the four scales by units were analyzed, burnout was found to be greater among the nursing staff assigned to oncology and emergency care units (p=0.001), the impersonalization in the emergency rooms (p=0.007), and Burnout is once again greater in the oncology and emergency units (p=0.000). Those professionals who answered that there was little recognition of their nursing care scored worst regarding Burnout and the three aspects thereof (p =0.000). The lower the degree of on-the-job satisfaction, the higher the scores on the four scales (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The conclusion which may be drawn from this study is that the profile of a person affected by Burnout is that of a professional with on-the-job experience who nevertheless considers very little recognition to be given to their caregiving and a high degree of dissatisfaction with the way in which their workplaces are managed.

[Beer and cardiovascular disease. Systematic bibliographic review (meta-analysis)]. / Cerveza y enfermedad cardiovascular. Revisión bibliográfica sistemática (metaanálisis).

MAIN OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study are: To carry out a systematic revision of the printed literature on beer consumption and its possible effects on human health. To analyze the possibility of applying techniques used in epidemiological studies considering meta-analysis as the most important element. Meta-analysis is a set of different statistical techniques that aim to get a quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the results of different independent studies on the same subject. METHODS: First we proceed to carry out the bibliographical search and compilation by means of the following Date-Bases: Medline, Embase and Toxline. Beer is used as key word, specifying the time period between January, 1998 and May, 2000. A total of 403 reference works are obtained and subjected to the corresponding criteria of inclusion and exclusion. RESULTS: The meta-analysis of the selected studies related to cardiovascular disease provides an OR of 0.89 (0.89-0.97) which shows that the group of risk falls ill in less cases than the non-exposed. CONCLUSIONS: Beer consumption: possible factor of cardiovascular protection. Nevertheless we must take this consideration with as much caution as possible. It is necessary to determine the effects of beer consumption on the Spanish population.

Cerveza y enfermedad cardiovascular. Revisión bibliográfica sistemática (metaanálisis) / Beer and cardiovascular disease. Systematic bibliographical review (meta-analysis)

Fundamentos: en este trabajo se pretende:- realizar una revisión sistemática de la literatura publicada sobre el consumo de cerveza y sus posibles efectos sobre la salud humana- analizar la posibilidad de aplicar técnicas utilizadas en estudios epidemiológicos, considerando el meta-análisis como elemento más importante. El meta-análisis es un conjunto de técnicas estadísticas diferentes, cuyo objetivo es hacer una síntesis cualitativa y cuantitativa de los resultados de los diferentes estudios independientes, que tratan de un mismo tema. Métodos: en primer lugar se procede a realizar la búsqueda y recopilación de la bibliografía. Para ello, se consultan las bases de datos: MEDLINE, EMBASE y TOXLINE. Como palabra clave se utiliza "beer", acotándose el período de tiempo entre enero de 1998 y mayo de 2000. Se obtienen un total de 403 trabajos referenciados, a los que se aplican los correspondientes criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Resultados: el metaanálisis de los estudios seleccionados relativos a enfermedad cardiovascular, proporciona un OR de 0.89 (0.89-0.97), que indica que la cohorte de expuestos enferma menos que la de no expuestos. Conclusiones: consumo de cerveza: posible factor de protección cardiovascular. Ahora bien, es preciso hacer esta consideración con la mayor cautela posible. Necesidad de determinar los efectos del consumo de cerveza en la población española (AU)

Main objectives: The aims of the present study are: - To carry out a systematic revision of the printed literature on beer consumption and its possible effects on human health. - To analyse the possibility of applying techniques used in epidemiological studies considering meta-analysis as the most important element. Meta-analysis is a set of different statistical tecniques that aim to get a quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the results of different independent studies on the same subject. Methods: First we proceed to carry out the bibliographical search and compilation by means of the following Date-Bases: Medline, Embase and Toxline. Beer is used as key word, specifying the time period between January, 1998 and May, 2000. A total of 403 reference works are obtained and subjected to the corresponding criteria of inclusion and exclusion. Results: The meta-analysis of the selected studies related to cardiovascular desease provides an OR of 0,89 (0,89-0,97) which shows that the group of risk falls ill in less cases than the non-exposed. Conclusions: Beer consumption: possible factor of cardiovascular protection. Nevertheless we must take this consideration with as much caution as possible. It is necessary to determine the effects of beer consumption on the Spanish population (AU)

[Factors related to psychotropic drugs consumption among the Spanish adult population. Data from the Spanish National Health Surveys for 1993, 1995 and 1997]. / Factores asociados al consumo de fármacos psicotropos en la población adulta española. Datos obtenidos a partir de las Encuestas Nacionales de Salud de España de los años 1993, 1995 y 1997.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the aim is the identification of the factor associated with psychotropic drug use among the Spanish adult population. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A descriptive and cross-sectional survey is carried out using data from the Spanish National Health Surveys from 1993, 1995 and 1997. As subjects of the study we have chosen the spanish adult population (aged 16 plus). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: socio-demographic factors and health profile. Dependent variables are the overall consumption of psychotropic drug, both prescribed and no prescribed. RESULTS: Prevalence of psychotropic drug consumption is higher among women (6.9% in 1993; 9.9% in 1995, and 9.7% in 1997) than among men (3.1% in 1993; 4.8% in 1995, and 4.7% in 1997). According to multivariance analysis, alcohol consumption have negative association, anxiety or sleep disorder and depression seem to be strongly associated (OR = 22.44; CI 95%, 13.06-38.56 women, and OR = 42.97; CI 95%, 17.69-104.40 men). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of psychotropic drug consumption is higher in women than in men. The most strongly associated variable is nervous or sleep disorder and depression.

[Prevalence of antibodies against tetanus, diphtheria and Bordetella pertussis in health care professionals]. / Prevalenica de anticuerpos frente a tétanos, difteria y Bordetella pertussis en profesionales sanitarios.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies versus tetanus, diphtheria and Bordetella pertussis in a population of health care personnel. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A transversal study was carried out in a population of healthy health care professionals from two hospitalary centers in the Community of Madrid (Spain). The ELISA method was used for antibody determinations. The determination of antibodies versus tetanus and diphtheria was performed in a total of 344 individuals (mean age 32 years) and that of whooping cough in 104 subjects (mean age 23 years). RESULTS: The global prevalence of tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough was of 76.5, 48 and 57%, respectively. The prevalence of antibodies versus tetanus was significantly greater in males than in females. CONCLUSIONS: Revaccination versus tetanus and diphtheria is recommended every 10 years to guarantee protector antibody concentrations in adults. With regard to whooping cough, revaccination could be a strategy to consider in the future, particularly in risk groups in contact with cases of this disease.

Adherence of mouse peritoneal macrophages following exposure to lead.

Lead is a toxin widely used in industry. Recently, medical investigation into lead exposure has turned to testing organ systems, such as the immune system, that historically were not associated with lead poisoning. We evaluated the effects of doses of 13, 130 or 1,300 ppm of lead on the adherence of mouse peritoneal cells, and particularly on macrophages. Cellular adherence was measured according to the De la Fuente technique. Adherence of macrophages showed significant changes in the 1,300 ppm group, revealing a reduction to 55% of the control group. The macrophage adherence index showed 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity. These results indicate a considerable reduction in the adherence of peritoneal macrophages following exposure to certain levels of lead.

Detection of antibodies against hepatitis A in blood spots dried on filter paper. Is this a reliable method for epidemiological studies?

Diluted dried blood drops on filter paper were compared with serum samples as a specimen source for qualitative anti-HAV antibody determination by ELISA. A total of 298 serum samples and dried blood drops were collected from a population of healthy adolescents (15.3 +/- 1.2 years old). The prevalence of anti-HAV antibody obtained by testing serum samples was 7.7% (95% CI:4.8 10.1). Compared with serum sampling the sensitivity and specificity of diluted dried blood drops were 91.3 and 99.3%. The positive and negative predictive values were 91.3 and 99.3%, respectively, and the likelihood ratios of positive and negative results were 91 and 0.09. It is proposed that this test represents a reliable procedure for anti-HAV antibody testing.

Adjusting risk factors in spontaneous abortion by multiple logistic regression.

A cross-sectional case-control study was performed to identify some obstetric and gynaecologic factors that can influence spontaneous abortion. Statistical and epidemiologic analyses were done by multiple logistic regression to adjust OR through the beta coefficient. A dicotomized outcome variable, representing spontaneous abortion, and different independent variables, representing distinct medical factors, were designed. The analysis was carried out with a personal computer and an appropriate statistic package. The variables representing age over 35 and previous spontaneous abortions were shown to be risk factors, adjusted for the rest of variables. The variables representing parity and late menarcheal age lost significance when they were adjusted with multiple logistic regression.