[Highlights 56th SEPAR Congress]. / Highlights del 56° Congreso SEPAR.

The Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has held its 56th congress in Granada from 8 to 10 June 2023. The SEPAR congress has established itself as the leading scientific meeting for specialists in medicine and respiratory care, reaching a record of participation this year with 2600 attendees. Our society thus demonstrates its leadership in the management of respiratory diseases, as well as its growth and progress in order to achieve excellence. In this review, we offer a summary of some notable issues addressed in six selected areas of interest: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), tuberculosis and respiratory infections, pulmonary circulation, and respiratory nursing.

Quality of sleep among social media users during the lockdown period due to COVID-19 in Spain.

AIMS: To analyse the quality of sleep of the Spanish population during the lockdown due to COVID-19. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study using a web based survey design. METHODS: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire and sociodemographic, occupational, health and sleep quality variables were used to collect data during the first month of the lockdown period due to COVID-19 (March-April 2020). A snowball sampling was carried out, where participants were asked to disseminate and distribute the questionnaire among their own profiles in social networks. RESULTS: A representative sample of 5220 participants aged ≥18 years old took part in the study. The global PSQI score was 8.17 points (SD 4.43). A statistical association was found between the global PSQI score and several of the variables collected. Findings show that the quality of sleep was worse among women (p < 0.001), single participants (p 0.02), those working in rotating shifts (p < 0.001), on-site workers (p < 0.001), and people diagnosed with COVID-19 or who had someone in their environment diagnosed with the virus (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Findings show that the Spanish population has experienced poor quality of sleep during the lockdown period. Being a woman, working in rotating shifts, having suffered from COVID-19 or having someone close suffering from COVID-19, being unemployed or being affected by a Temporary Redundancy Scheme, as well as spending long hours in bed were associated with poorer sleep quality. On the contrary, being older and sleeping longer hours were associated with a better sleep quality.

Resilience Among Professional Health Workers in Emergency Services.

INTRODUCTION: Although it seems logical that working in an emergency service implies having a great capacity to face extreme situations, resilience in health care workers has been shown to be related not only to individual personality characteristics but also with external factors. The objective of this study was to understand the resilience of health professionals working in hospital and in-hospital emergency services and to determine the relationships of resilience with sociodemographic and work-related conditions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included emergency physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants. Sociodemographic variables, work characteristics, and the Resilience Scale-25 were analyzed. Data were not missing at random and models with imputed data were tested. RESULTS: A total of 321 professionals participated. Their mean age was 43.36 years (SD 8.73), and 81.31% were women. The mean resilience score was 133.38 (SD 17.11), which corresponds to moderately low to moderate levels. Being single (B = -7.35; P < .01) or divorced (B = -8.26; P = .04) were associated with decreased resilience in the raw score of the Resilience Scale-25. Working shifts that do not include night shift (OR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.04, 3.90, P = .04) and being a nurse (OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.07, 4.18; P = .03) were associated with higher odds of belonging to categories of lower resilience levels. However, more professional work experience was related to lower odds of belonging to categories of lower resilience levels (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.99, P < .04). Several variables, including marital status, demonstrated inconsistent associations across different modeling methods. CONCLUSIONS: Resilience in professional health workers was related to personal and working conditions. The scores of emergency staff were low and improvement with specific strategies is needed.

Presenteeism in nurses: comparative study of Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian nurses.

AIM: To compare presenteeism levels among three samples of nurses and to identify the relationship between presenteeism and sociodemographic and professional characteristics. BACKGROUND: Presenteeism (going to work ill) is a phenomenon studied from different perspectives, and it has become especially important during the current COVID-19 outbreak; its connection to high healthcare costs, patient safety breaches and negative nurse well-being has been proved. INTRODUCTION: The nursing profession is particularly associated with caring for the culture of teamwork, loyalty to colleagues and professional identity. This condition enhances the 'super nurse phenomenon', even though nurses do not feel physically and psychologically able to work. METHODS: A multicentre, cross-sectional study was conducted in three different country contexts: Oviedo (Spain), Porto (Portugal) and São Paulo (Brazil). Nurses performing functions in hospitals and primary health care were enrolled. Informed consent and data collection questionnaires were hand delivered. The Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6 was applied. RESULTS: A total of 659 nurses participated. Portuguese nurses showed greater prevalence of presenteeism, followed by Brazilian and Spanish nurses. Younger nurses with less professional experience presented lower levels of presenteeism but greater psychological commitment. Male participants showed lower capacity to complete work when ill than female participants. CONCLUSIONS: Age and length of professional experience proved to be significant predictors of total presenteeism, although only professional experience revealed statistical significance in the adjusted model. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: The knowledge of this phenomenon among nurses highlights the need for the development of strategies in the curriculum of nursing students and organizations. Resilience and ergonomic training should be applied in the training programmes of the students and reinforced by the health centre managers. It is essential that healthcare systems design worksite wellness programmes that pursue greater physical and mental well-being for healthcare professionals.

Burnout syndrome in Brazilian and Spanish nursing workers.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the burnout dimensions scores in Brazilian and Spanish nursing workers. METHOD: quantitative, cross-sectional and comparative study conducted with 589 Nursing workers who answered the Sociodemographic and Professional Characterization Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Descriptive and analytical analysis of the data was performed. RESULTS: Spanish Nursing workers presented higher averages in the Depersonalization dimension (p = 0.004) and Brazilians, higher scores in the Professional Achievement dimension (p = 0.031). In both Spain and Brazil, nursing assistants / technicians were found to have higher Emotional Exhaustion than nurses; In Brazil, Depersonalization is higher in nurses and in Spain it is higher in Nursing assistants / technicians. Statistically significant results were found in the association of burnout dimensions with sociodemographic and work characteristics: age; professional category; workplace; work regime; work shift; time of professional experience; working time in the same workplace and consider stressful work. CONCLUSION: Although Brazilian and Spanish nursing workers score low levels of Depersonalization and high Professional Achievement, there are average levels of Emotional Exhaustion, indicating an important preventive factor to be worked on, since Emotional Exhaustion is considered the first stage of burnout.

[Health professionals' attitudes against influenza vaccination in a spanish terciary hospital]. / Actitud del personal sanitario frente a la vacunación antigripal en el hospital de referencia del Principado de Asturias.

OBJECTIVE: Healthcare professionals is one of the risk groups to which influenza vaccination is recommended. The main objective was to know the attitudes of healthcare professionals about influenza vaccination in the Principality of Asturias' reference centre during the campaign 2017-2018. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study between September 2017 and May 2018, using a questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables and reasons for accepting or refuse the influenza vaccination were studied. For descriptive analysis we used the mean, mode, standard deviation, range, frequencies and percentages. The comparison between vaccinated and unvaccinated was made by the Chi square test, Saphiro-Wilk test and U Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: The sample was formed by 518 participants, finally resulted a 29.53% vaccination rate. The principal reason for accepting the vaccine was its efficacy (average on the Likert scale of 4.11 out of 5), while the main reason for not vaccination was the lack of interest (mean=3.41 out of 5). It confirmed relationship between the type of contract and the professional category, the lower vaccination was in the temporary staff (p=0.003) and the nursing profession (p<0.001). We also found association between professionals that used to receive the vaccine in all the campaigns (p<0.001) and those who received the immunization in their workplace (p=0.002). Finally, the profession (p=0.014) and the family (p<0.001) also were influential in the decision of the immunized. CONCLUSIONS: The vaccination rate of the professionals who work in the Asturias´ reference hospital is similar to that of other health centres in Spain, but it is below the objective set by the World Health Organization. The previous contact with the influenza immunization, a positive working environment respecting the vaccine and the promotion of information, could be favourable factors in the vaccinal decision of the health workers.

OBJETIVO: El personal sanitario está incluido entre los grupos de riesgo para los que se recomienda la vacunación antigripal anual. El objetivo del estudio fue conocer la actitud de los profesionales sanitarios del centro de referencia en el Principado de Asturias frente a la vacunación antigripal durante la campaña 2017-2018. METODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal entre septiembre de 2017 y mayo de 2018 mediante cuestionario. Se estudiaron variables sociodemográficas y referidas a las razones de vacunación antigripal. Para el análisis descriptivo se utilizaron la media, la desviación típica, el rango, las frecuencias y el porcentaje. La comparación entre vacunados y no vacunados se realizó mediante Chi Cuadrado, Saphiro-Wilk y U Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Participaron 518 profesionales, que presentaron una tasa de vacunación del 29,53%. La razón principal para vacunarse fue su eficacia (media en la escala Likert de 4,11 sobre 5), mientras que para no hacerlo fue la falta de interés (media de 3,41 sobre 5). Existió relación con el tipo de contrato y la categoría profesional, presentando menores cifras de vacunación el personal temporal (p=0,003) y las enfermeras (p<0,001). Se encontró también asociación con los profesionales que siempre se vacunaban en la campaña a estudio (p<0,001) y con los profesionales que se vacunaron en su centro de trabajo (p=0,002). Además, la profesión (p=0,014) y la familia (p<0,001) resultaron influyentes en su decisión. CONCLUSIONES: La tasa de vacunación de los profesionales sanitarios es similar a la de otros centros en España, pero sigue estando por debajo de la meta planteada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Un entorno laboral positivo hacia la vacuna antigripal y el fomento de la información sobre la misma desde los servicios de salud laboral podrían resultar factores favorecedores en la decisión de vacunarse por parte del personal sanitario.

Actitud del personal sanitario frente a la vacunación antigripal en el hospital de referencia del Principado de Asturias / Health professionals' attitudes against influenza vaccination in a spanish terciary hospital

OBJETIVO: El personal sanitario está incluido entre los grupos de riesgo para los que se recomienda la vacunación antigripal anual. El objetivo del estudio fue conocer la actitud de los profesionales sanitarios del centro de referencia en el Principado de Asturias frente a la vacunación antigripal durante la campaña 2017-2018. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal entre septiembre de 2017 y mayo de 2018 mediante cuestionario. Se estudiaron variables sociodemográficas y referidas a las razones de vacunación antigripal. Para el análisis descriptivo se utilizaron la media, la desviación típica, el rango, las frecuencias y el porcentaje. La comparación entre vacunados y no vacunados se realizó mediante Chi Cuadrado, Saphiro-Wilk y U Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Participaron 518 profesionales, que presentaron una tasa de vacunación del 29,53%. La razón principal para vacunarse fue su eficacia (media en la escala Likert de 4,11 sobre 5), mientras que para no hacerlo fue la falta de interés (media de 3,41 sobre 5). Existió relación con el tipo de contrato y la categoría profesional, presentando menores cifras de vacunación el personal temporal (p = 0,003) y las enfermeras (p < 0,001). Se encontró también asociación con los profesionales que siempre se vacunaban en la campaña a estudio (p < 0,001) y con los profesionales que se vacunaron en su centro de trabajo (p = 0,002). Además, la profesión (p = 0,014) y la familia (p < 0,001) resultaron influyentes en su decisión. CONCLUSIONES: La tasa de vacunación de los profesionales sanitarios es similar a la de otros centros en España, pero sigue estando por debajo de la meta planteada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Un entorno laboral positivo hacia la vacuna antigripal y el fomento de la información sobre la misma desde los servicios de salud laboral podrían resultar factores favorecedores en la decisión de vacunarse por parte del personal sanitario

OBJECTIVE: Healthcare professionals is one of the risk groups to which influenza vaccination is recommended. The main objective was to know the attitudes of healthcare professionals about influenza vaccination in the Principality of Asturias' reference centre during the campaign 2017-2018. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study between September 2017 and May 2018, using a questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables and reasons for accepting or refuse the influenza vaccination were studied. For descriptive analysis we used the mean, mode, standard deviation, range, frequencies and percentages. The comparison between vaccinated and unvaccinated was made by the Chi square test, Saphiro-Wilk test and U Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS: The sample was formed by 518 participants, finally resulted a 29.53% vaccination rate. The principal reason for accepting the vaccine was its efficacy (average on the Likert scale of 4.11 out of 5), while the main reason for not vaccination was the lack of interest (mean=3.41 out of 5). It confirmed relationship between the type of contract and the professional category, the lower vaccination was in the temporary staff (p = 0.003) and the nursing profession (p < 0.001). We also found association between professionals that used to receive the vaccine in all the campaigns (p < 0.001) and those who received the immunization in their workplace (p = 0.002). Finally, the profession (p = 0.014) and the family (p < 0.001) also were influential in the decision of the immunized. CONCLUSIONS: The vaccination rate of the professionals who work in the Asturias' reference hospital is similar to that of other health centres in Spain, but it is below the objective set by the World Health Organization. The previous contact with the influenza immunization, a positive working environment respecting the vaccine and the promotion of information, could be favourable factors in the vaccinal decision of the health workers

Presenteeism among emergency health care staff. / Presentismo en profesionales sanitarios de los servicios de urgencias y emergencias.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of presenteeism among different categories of hospital and pre-hospital emergency health care professionals in the Principality of Asturias, Spain, and to define the sociodemographic characteristics and workplace factors associated with presenteeism in all categories. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out during the last half of 2014 and first half of 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collecta data on sociodemographic and work-related variables and perception of work as stressful. The respondents, who answered voluntarily and anonymously, assessed themselves on the Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6 adapted for use in Spain. RESULTS: The prevalence of presenteeism was 52.9% among the 323 respondents. Presenteeism was associated with stress (P<.01), place of work (P=.004), and bearing responsibility for dependent persons (P=.034) in the group overall. The association between stress and presenteeism was clearly present in emergency physicians (P=.049) and in nurses with dependents under their care (P=.016). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of presenteeism is high among emergency staff in the Principality of Asturias. Presenteeism is associated with diverse factors.

OBJETIVO: Conocer la prevalencia de presentismo en las diferentes categorías profesionales del personal asistencial sanitario de los servicios de urgencias (SU) hospitalarios y extrahospitalarios del Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, así como definir las características sociodemográficas y los factores laborales que se asocian con el mismo en las diferentes categorías profesionales. METODO: Estudio descriptivo transversal llevado a cabo durante el último semestre del año 2014 y primero del 2015. Mediante cuestionario anónimo y voluntario se recogieron variables sociodemográficas y relacionadas con el trabajo, la percepción del trabajo como estresante y, de forma autoaplicada, la escala de presentismo Standford Presenteeism Scale-6 adaptada a población española. RESULTADOS: Sobre 323 profesionales se observó una prevalencia de presentismo del 52,9%. Se comprobó la existencia de relación entre estrés y presentismo (p < 0,01), el presentismo en función del centro de trabajo (p = 0,004) y el hecho de tener personas dependientes al cargo (p = 0,034). También se encontró asociación con el estrés en personal médico (p = 0,049) y personal de enfermería con personas dependientes a su cargo (p = 0,016). CONCLUSIONES: Existe una elevada prevalencia de presentismo en el personal sanitario de los SU del Principado de Asturias, hallándose relaciones estadísticamente significativas con múltiples variables.

Stressors for Spanish nursing students in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice is critical for nursing students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to properly develop professionally. The presence of stress in clinical practice may negatively affect their training. OBJECTIVES: To understand the extent to which clinical practice can be stressful for nursing students at a Spanish university and to determine the main stressors associated with the practice. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study conducted in 2016 at the two nursing colleges of the University of Oviedo, located in Oviedo and Gijón in the Principality of Asturias, Spain. METHODS: A total of 450 nursing students at a Spanish university served as participants in this study from January to April 2016. A data collection sheet was developed to track different sociodemographic variables, and was distributed together with the KEZKAK questionnaire, a validated scale adapted to Spanish nursing students. It is composed of 41 items using a 4-point Likert scale, rating how much the described situation worries them from 0 ("Not at all") to 3 ("A lot"). RESULTS: Students were most concerned about issues relating to causing harm to patients and lack of competence. Women found clinical practice to be more stressful than men did, both in general terms (p < 0.001) and with respect to all individual factors included in the questionnaire. In addition, there were associations between the "lack of competence" factor and having a job simultaneously (p = 0.011), the "contact with suffering" factor and the school year (p = 0.018), and the "being harmed by the relationship with patients" factor and the age group (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students, particularly women, see clinical practice as "rather stressful", with the main stressors being those related to causing harm to patients.

Presentismo en profesionales sanitarios de los servicios de urgencias y emergencias / Presenteeism among emergency health care staff

Objetivo. Conocer la prevalencia de presentismo en las diferentes categorías profesionales del personal asistencial sanitario de los servicios de urgencias (SU) hospitalarios y extrahospitalarios del Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, así como definir las características sociodemográficas y los factores laborales que se asocian con el mismo en las diferentes categorías profesionales. Método. Estudio descriptivo transversal llevado a cabo durante el último semestre del año 2014 y primero del 2015. Mediante cuestionario anónimo y voluntario se recogieron variables sociodemográficas y relacionadas con el trabajo, la percepción del trabajo como estresante y, de forma autoaplicada, la escala de presentismo Standford Presenteeism Scale-6 adaptada a población española. Resultados. Sobre 323 profesionales se observó una prevalencia de presentismo del 52,9%. Se comprobó la existencia de relación entre estrés y presentismo (p < 0,01), el presentismo en función del centro de trabajo (p = 0,004) y el hecho de tener personas dependientes al cargo (p = 0,034). También se encontró asociación con el estrés en personal médico (p = 0,049) y personal de enfermería con personas dependientes a su cargo (p = 0,016). Conclusiones. Existe una elevada prevalencia de presentismo en el personal sanitario de los SU del Principado de Asturias, hallándose relaciones estadísticamente significativas con múltiples variables (AU)

Objectives. To estimate the prevalence of presenteeism among different categories of hospital and pre-hospital emergency health care professionals in the Principality of Asturias, Spain, and to define the sociodemographic characteristics and workplace factors associated with presenteeism in all categories. Methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out during the last half of 2014 and first half of 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collecta data on sociodemographic and work-related variables and perception of work as stressful. The respondents, who answered voluntarily and anonymously, assessed themselves on the Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6 adapted for use in Spain. Results. The prevalence of presenteeism was 52.9% among the 323 respondents. Presenteeism was associated with stress (P<01), place of work (P=.004), and bearing responsibility for dependent persons (P=.034) in the group overall. The association between stress and presenteeism was clearly present in emergency physicians (P=.049) and in nurses with dependents under their care (P=.016). Conclusions. The prevalence of presenteeism is high among emergency staff in the Principality of Asturias. Presenteeism is associated with diverse factors (AU)