Ten steps to transform ideas into product innovations: An interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing and engineering

AIMS

To describe the development process of a device from the conception of the idea to the first contact with the commercial environment, and to demonstrate its practical application through an interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing and engineering for the design of a protective device for peripheral venous catheters.

BACKGROUND

Nurses are key agents for identifying unresolved needs or problems related to nursing care. To address these needs, creative ideation processes are often triggered among nurses to seek technological answers to these challenges.

RESULTS

The ten steps to develop a device are presented: (1) detecting an unsatisfied clinical need; (2) searching for preexisting marketed products; (3) searching for patents; (4) maintaining confidentiality throughout the process; (5) obtaining institutional support; (6) forming a multidisciplinary team; (7) developing the idea; (8) applying for a patent; (9) building the prototype; (10) marketing the device. This methodology was applied to design a protective device for peripheral venous catheters in hospitalized patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses can play a key role in the promotion of healthcare innovation in their field to improve procedures, thanks to their direct contact with patients, and by providing their insight on devices that can enhance patient care. The successful interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses and engineers can provide a response to relevant clinical problems such as the manipulation or removal of peripheral venous catheters.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY

A hospital policy is required to encourage the participation of nurses in innovative actions. Furthermore, it is important to support nurse leaders who can play a pivotal role in incorporating creativity into work environments and empowering other nurses to innovatively address clinical issues.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This article describes the process for developing a health device.

[Reacciones de las mujeres ante el folleto del Programa de Detección Precoz del Cáncer de Mama.]

OBJECTIVE

Breast cancer screening (BCS) leaflets are important for outreach and dissemination of BCS programs. Knowing how women perceive these leaflets is relevant to better understand their attitude towards BCS. The objective of this paper was to explore women's reactions regarding BCS leaflet.

METHODS

A simple descriptive qualitative design was performed involving women aged between forty and sixty years of age in Asturias (Spain). Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were conducted with women of different socioeconomic profiles in 2018. Thematic analysis was carried out.

RESULTS

Reading the leaflet elicited positive emotions such as peace of mind, well-being or gratitude, in addition to fear or anxiety. The women expressed various beliefs about breast cancer (highly prevalent and high survival rates), about BCS (a program aimed at prevention, a normative activity among their peers) and about the relevant role of health services and the media. Ambivalent attitudes towards BCS were detected, related to emotions.

CONCLUSIONS

The emotional response after reading the brochure is ambivalent, although most of the women express positive emotions. Women compare the information with previous beliefs, especially regarding breast cancer (BC) and BCS. It is important to understand how certain emotions (especially negative ones) are closely related to the attitude towards BCS.

Cost of stay and characteristics of patients with stroke and delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons

Delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons (bed-blocking) is characteristic of pathologies associated with ageing, loss of functional capacity and dependence such as stroke. The aims of this study were to describe the costs and characteristics of cases of patients with stroke and delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons (bed-blocking) compared with cases of bed-blocking (BB) for other reasons and to assess the relationship between the length of total stay (LOS) with patient characteristics and the context of care. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a high complexity public hospital in Northern Spain (2007–2015). 443 stroke patients presented with BB. Delayed discharge increased LOS by approximately one week. The median age was 79.7 years, significantly higher than in cases of BB for other reasons. Patients with stroke and BB are usually older patients, however, when younger patients are affected, their length of stay is longer in relation to the sudden onset of the problem and the lack of adequate functional recovery resources or residential facilities for intermediate care.

Patient deaths during the period of prolonged stay in cases of delayed discharge for nonclinical reasons at a university hospital: a cross sectional study

Background

Delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons also affects patients in need of palliative care. Moreover, the number of people dying in hospitals has been increasing in recent years. Our aim was to describe characteristics of patients who died during prolonged stay, in comparison with the rest of patients with delayed discharge, in terms of length of hospital stay, patient characteristics and the context of care.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study at a high complexity public hospital in Northern Spain (2007-2015) was conducted. To compare the differential characteristics of the groups of patients died during delayed discharge with the rest, Student's T test and Pearson's chi-square test (χ ²) were used.

Results

A total of 198 patients died (6.57% of the total), with a mean total stay of 27.45 days and a prolonged stay of 10.69 days. Mean age 77.27 years. These were highly complex cases, 77.79% resided in the urban area, were admitted urgently (95.45%), to internal medicine or oncology wards, and the most common diagnosis was pneumonia. In people with terminal illness, clinicians can better identify when therapeutic possibilities are exhausted and acute hospitalization is not an adequate resource for their needs. Living in an urban area with the availability of palliative care hospital beds is related to the decision to die in hospital.

Type 2 Diabetes and all-cause mortality among Spanish women with breast cancer

PURPOSE

To explore the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on the risk of death among women with breast cancer (BC).

METHODS

A survival analysis was conducted among a cohort of women diagnosed with BC between 2006 and 2012 in Spain (n = 4,493). Biopsy or surgery confirmed BC cases were identified through the state population-based cancer registry with information on patients' characteristics and vital status. Physician-diagnosed T2DM was confirmed based on primary health care clinical history. Cox regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause death. Analyses were adjusted for age, hospital size, several clinical characteristics (including BC stage and histology, among others) and treatment modalities.

RESULTS

Among the 4,493 BC women, 388 (8.6%) had coexisting T2DM. Overall, 1,299 (28.9%) BC women died during the completion of the follow-up and 785 (17.5%) did so during the first five years after BC diagnosis, resulting in a five-year survival rate of 82.5%. The death rate was higher in women with T2DM (43.8% died during whole period and 26.0% during the first five years) when compared with women without T2DM (27.5% and 16.7%, respectively). Accordingly, all-cause mortality was higher in women with T2DM (aHR: 1.22; 95% CI 1.03-1.44), especially if T2DM was diagnosed before BC (aHR:1.24; 95% CI 1.03-1.50) and in women with BC diagnosed before 50 years (aHR: 2.38; 95% CI 1.04-5.48).

CONCLUSIONS

T2DM was associated with higher all-cause mortality among Spanish women with BC, particularly when the T2DM diagnosis was prior to the BC.

Gender roles and intimate partner violence among female university students in Spain: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Traditional gender roles (GRs) have a considerable influence on relationships among couples. These can lead to negative health effects in women; however, their impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) has been less explored, especially among younger women.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between traditional GRs and several indicators of IPV on a sample of Spanish female university students involved in heterosexual dating relationships.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving female university students (n = 1,005) pursuing ten degrees (four Health Science degrees and six Social Sciences degrees). Data were collected using two validated scales: 1) the Questionnaire on the Gender Determinants of Contraception (COGANT), used to examine four traditional GRs (submissive, blind, and passive attitudes of female students, and male dominance), and 2) the Dating Violence Questionnaire-R (DVQ-R) scale, used to measure five types of IPV-behaviors (coercion, detachment, humiliation, sexual violence, and physical violence), perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to study the association between GR and a series of IPV indicators in dating relationships.

RESULTS

Traditional GRs were highly prevalent (57.0% submissive, 52.0% blind attitude, 75.7% passive, and 31.7% identified their boyfriend as being dominant). Up to 66.3% experienced some type of violent behavior. All GRs were significantly associated with IPV indicators. A submissive attitude in female students was the GR that was most strongly associated to total IPV-behavior (adjusted odd ratio [OR] = 3.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.29-4.42), followed by male dominance (OR = 2.79: 95% CI:1.71: 4.54). Both GRs were also highly associated with perceived fear, entrapment, and abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

A high presence of traditional GRs was found in the relationships held by female university students, which was significantly associated with IPV indicators. Universities must adopt policies for gender equality and raise awareness on dating violence.

Differential characteristics of cases of patients diagnosed with pneumonia and delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons in Northern Spain

BACKGROUND

Delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons is related to a failure to plan for discharge and a lack of availability of intermediate care resources as an alternative to acute hospitalisation. The literature concerning the relationship with pneumonia is scarce. At present, the coronavirus pandemic is a new cause of complicated pneumonias that can further affect the functionality of the most fragile patients.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to understand what characteristics are typical of patients affected by pneumonia, compared with other cases of delayed discharge.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted. All cases of delayed discharge were studied at the hospitalisation units of a general university hospital in Northern Spain from 2007 to 2015. In order to compare the differential characteristics of the groups of patients with pneumonia with the total Student's T-test and Pearson's chi-square test (χ²) were used.

RESULTS

170 patients were identified with a diagnosis of pneumonia and delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons during the study period. These cases accumulated a total of 4790 days of total stay, of which 1294 days corresponded to the prolonged stay. The mean age of the patients was 80.23 years. The mean DRG weight was 2.28 [SD 0.579], and 14.12% of patients with pneumonia and delayed discharge died. So, patients with pneumonia were older (P = .001), less complex (P = .001) and suffered greater deaths compared with the remaining patients (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The sum of these factors has to do with comorbidities and complications associated with ageing and the characteristics of conditions such as aspiration pneumonia.

Long-Term Care Facilities and Nursing Homes during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review of the Perspectives of Professionals, Families and Residents

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant repercussions for nursing home residents, their families, and professionals. The objective was to describe the perspectives of residents, their families, and nursing home employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. A scoping review was carried out using the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. The inclusion criteria were: qualitative and/or mixed methods studies in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. The review covers studies published from 11 March 2020 to 15 February 2021. CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, British Nursing Index, Proquest, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar databases were used. We conducted a systematic narrative synthesis, presenting the results narratively and showing descriptive statistics on the studies reviewed. Sixteen documents were obtained from 175 results. Two studies focused on residents and one on their families. The remaining studies looked at professionals. Nursing homes had great difficulty managing resources, which was exacerbated by emotional exhaustion among residents, employees, and family members. In nursing homes, creative initiatives and new forms of leadership appeared to meet emerging needs during the pandemic. The results of the study show the impact of the pandemic on nursing homes and the response capacity present among residents, family members, and professionals.

Delayed Discharge for Non-Clinical Reasons in Hip Procedures: Differential Characteristics and Opportunity Cost

Delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons shares common characteristics with hip procedures. We sought to quantify the length of stay and related costs of hip procedures and compare these with other cases of delayed discharge. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a public hospital in Spain (2007–2015) including 306 patients with 6945 days of total stay and 2178 days of prolonged stay. The mean appropriate stay was 15.58 days, and the mean prolonged stay was 7.12 days. The cost of a prolonged stay was €641,002.09. The opportunity cost according to the value of the hospital complexity unit was €922,997.82. The mean diagnostic-related groups’ weight was 3.40. Up to 85.29% of patients resided in an urban area near the hospital (p = 0.001), and 83.33% were referred to a long-stay facility for functional recovery (p = 0.001). The proportion of patients with hip procedures and delayed discharge was lower than previous reports; however, their length of stay was longer. The cost of prolonged stay could account for 21.17% of the total. Compared with the remaining cases of delayed discharge, the appropriate stay was shorter in hip procedures, with a profile of older women living in an urban area close to the hospital and referred to a long-stay center for functional recovery.

Evolution of Nursing Workload Indicators Since the Implementation of the Electronic Health Record at a Tertiary Hospital in Spain

Nurses can be overwhelmed by the growing need for documentation derived from the implantation of electronic health records. The objective was to describe the evolution of nursing workload since the implementation of the EHR. We performed a longitudinal study of global workload indicators over a 5-year period at a referral hospital in Spain since introduction of the EHR (2014). Clinical activity records of each nurse were monitored using audit logs of their accesses to EHRs. During the study period, the number of EHR sessions, the number of EHR sessions in which a nursing order was changed, and the time needed to complete each session significantly increased. The number of mouse clicks and keystrokes and the time required to complete each nursing order decreased. Documentation of the following nursing tasks increased: administration of medication, peripheral vascular catheters, urinary catheters, pressure ulcers, nursing assessment forms, and pre-surgical verification. In conclusion, since the implementation of the EHR, an increase in the workload of nursing professionals-estimated through indirect indicators-has been observed due to greater documentation.

Contribution of students to nursing practice settings during clinical training: Design and validation of a questionnaire

BACKGROUND

A validated questionnaire to measure the contributions of nursing students to clinical settings could potentially assist in the improved management of students in healthcare institutions.

AIM

To develop and test the psychometric properties of the questionnaire 'Nursing Student Contributions to Clinical Settings' (CEEEC, Spanish acronym for 'Contribuciones de los Estudiantes de Enfermería a los Entornos Clínicos').

DESIGN

Instrument design and psychometric testing.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS

A multicentre study involving 1,098 nursing professionals from three universities and five hospitals of Spain, between January 2019 and March 2020.

METHODS

The study was carried out in two phases. Phase 1 involved the questionnaire design by experts (n = 28), which required a review of the available literature, cognitive interviews and Delphi rounds, and a preliminary validity study, which included a pilot test with responses from a sample of nurses (n = 143). Phase 2 involved a formal validation with a wider sample of nurses (n = 927), including factor analysis and a study of convergent validity with the Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index and Health Sciences-Evidence Based Practice.

RESULTS

Experts selected 42 items on student contributions. After cognitive interviews, three items were eliminated and seven failed to reach the minimum content validity index (78%). Based on the remaining 32 items, the discrimination index of each item was calculated, and those with <0.3, eight items were sequentially eliminated. The resulting questionnaire contained 24 items grouped into a single factor, which explained 41% of the variance. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha: 0.94), and the convergent validity was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

A 24-item questionnaire was designed and validated to measure the contributions of nursing students to clinical practice settings.

IMPACT

Most hospitals are also teaching centres where nursing students undergo clinical practice. The application of this test will provide insight into the nursing professionals' perception of the students' role.

A mixed-methods study to evaluate the acceptability of information leaflets for breast cancer screening

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To obtain feedback regarding the comprehension and acceptability of an information leaflet on breast cancer screening among women.

BACKGROUND

Women usually receive a leaflet inviting them to participate in breast cancer screening programmes for early detection of breast cancer. These leaflets include relevant information about mammograms to aid with decision-making. It is important to know how the target population perceives these leaflets, as this may influence the attitude towards breast cancer screening.

DESIGN

A mixed-methods study (concurrent triangulation design).

METHODS

Participants were 41 women aged between 40-60 years in the north of Spain. The leaflet included information about breast cancer, mammograms, benefits/risks of screening, and the breast cancer mortality and survival rates in relation to screening. Three written methods were used to assess the leaflet: a readability assessment (Flesch Index) and two comprehension assessments (Cloze and multiple-choice questions). In addition, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the women's opinions regarding comprehension, acceptability and the contribution of the leaflet as a decision aid. The COREQ checklist was used to guarantee the quality and rigour of the qualitative study.

RESULTS

Overall, women found the leaflet fairly easy to read and most understood the content. Some women found the information on mortality alarming, difficult to understand and a cause for rejection. The leaflet was viewed as a decision aid, although further information was requested on mammograms, the need for complementary tests and the risks and symptoms of breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

The leaflet was accepted by women and, overall, easy to understand. The participation of the target population enabled the content and format of the leaflet to be adjusted to their needs.

RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Nurses can contribute towards improving the breast cancer screening leaflets, considering women's perceptions surrounding screening.

Young Nursing Student's Knowledge and Attitudes about Contraceptive Methods

PURPOSE

Adolescence is considered a period in which individuals are particularly at risk of negative consequences related to sexual health. Increased knowledge levels have traditionally been used as an indicator of the effectiveness of educational programs, but attitudes are not addressed and are a key element for the success of such programs. The aim of this study is to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes toward the use of contraceptive methods among nursing students. A multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out. In total, 2914 university students (aged 18-25 years) enrolled in the study. Participants completed two validated scales to measure knowledge level and attitudes toward contraceptive use. Nursing degree students who received training about contraceptives obtained a success rate of over 70%, compared to 15.3% among students who had not received such training (p < 0.001). The mean attitude score was 43.45 points (10-50), but there were no significant differences in terms of student training (p = 0.435), although they were significantly higher among students who used contraceptives at first or last sexual intercourse (p < 0.001). There was a significant weak correlation between the level of knowledge and attitudes toward the use of contraceptives. An adequate level of knowledge about sexuality and contraceptive methods does not correspond to positive attitudes toward their use, although having an excellent attitude toward contraceptive use is related to their use during youth and adolescence.

Nursing Students' Experiences of Clinical Practices in Emergency and Intensive Care Units

Clinical practices are key environments for skill acquisition during the education of nursing students, where it is important to encourage reflective learning. This study sought to explore the experience of final year nursing students during their clinical placement in emergency and intensive care units and to identify whether differences exist between female and male students. Using qualitative methodology, a documentary analysis of 28 reflective learning journals was carried out at a public university in Northern Spain. Four themes were identified: "an intense emotional experience", "the importance of attitudes over and above techniques", "identifying with nurses who dominate their environment and are close to the patient in complex and dehumanized units" and "how to improve care in critically ill patients and how to support their families". The female students displayed a more emotional and reflective experience, with a strong focus on patient care, whereas male students identified more with individual aspects of learning and the organization and quality of the units. Both male and female students experienced intense emotions, improved their learning in complex environments and acquired attitudes linked to the humanization of care. However, the experience of these clinical rotations was different between female and male students.

[Impact of the chronic disease care program on social determinants of health in Asturias.]

OBJECTIVE

Providing care for people with chronic diseases is a challenge requiring institutional programs and strategies, thus it necessary to evaluate the impact of the same on the social determinants of health (SDH). The aims were: 1) to describe the impact of the structural determinants of the Health Strategy for the Population with Chronic Diseases (EAPEC) in Asturias and 2) to propose actions for improvement regarding social stratification factors.

METHODS

Qualitative study of six strategic programs of the Chronic Disease Strategy: Health Observatory, Social and Healthcare Coordination, School for Patients Program, Caregivers Program, Mental Health Services Continuity, and Quality and Safety in Healthcare. A screening tool was used, validated for evaluation of the health impact on the structural determinants (socioeconomic and political context and social stratification factors) of the SDH. A personal semi-structured interview was carried out with the manager of each program in 2016, and a final report was produced that included the impacts found and proposals for improvement.

RESULTS

All programs had a positive impact on social values (social justice, equity) and the state of wellbeing (social and educational policies). In terms of social stratification, the principal positive effects included age and functional diversity. Regarding the factors linked to geographic location, gender, origin/ethnicity, and social class the principal effects were negative.

CONCLUSIONS

This strategy aimed at people with chronic diseases has positive effects. However, paying attention to social stratification factors during implementation of the same is a priority.

Differences in professional values between nurses and nursing students: a gender perspective

AIM

To compare Spanish nursing students' and registered nurses' perception of professional values from the perspective of gender and professional experience.

BACKGROUND

Nursing has traditionally been a female profession; however, the analysis of professional nursing values from a gender perspective has received little attention. The integration of professional values typically begins during academic life and is, thereafter, reinforced during professional activities.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 159 students (97.4% females) and 386 registered nurses (86.8% females) from primary healthcare centres, hospitals and management positions within the public health system. The validated Spanish adaptation of the Nurses Professional Values Scale was used. This instrument measures three dimensions: ethics, commitment and professional mastery. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data, together with bivariate analysis using the chi-squared test.

RESULTS

Females granted more importance to professional values. Important gender differences among students were detected. Ethical values were considered to be the most important for both students and nurses, followed by professional mastery and commitment. The importance given to values progressively decreased in the groups under study: students, less-experienced nurses and expert nurses (in decreasing order).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant gender differences exist with regard to professional nursing values. The values related to professional commitment and mastery should be integrated and promoted during academic education and specifically focus on male students' perceptions. As professional experience increases, the importance attributed to professional values decreases.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

Professional nursing values should be promoted among universities, health services and professional organizations, encouraging their dissemination, implementation and evaluation.

[Social integration and gynecologic cancer screening of immigrant women in Spain]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between immigrant status and performance of pap-smear and mammography, and to study the potential effect of social integration on that association.

METHOD

Secondary analysis of the National Health Survey of Spain 2012. Individual data from 8944 women aged 18-75 were analyzed. Dependent variables were the performance of pap-smear tests and mammographies according to the guidelines of the state of residence. The level of integration in Spain was estimated through perceived social support (Duke-UNC scale) and the number of years living in Spain. Logistic regressions were used in order to obtain odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), adjusted for confounders (sociodemographic and health-status).

RESULTS

Compared to natives, immigrant women were more likely to not adhere to cervical cancer screening (OR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.06-1.63) or breast cancer screening (OR:=3.13; 95%CI: 2.14-4.58). Additional adjustment by social support and length of residence in Spain attenuated the association, consequently losing statistical significance (OR: 1.08, 95%CI: .77-1.52 for pap-smear; OR: 1.62, 95%CI: .97-2.74 for mammographies).

CONCLUSIONS

The probability of participating in the screening programs for gynecological cancer was lower if women were born abroad. Perceived social support and time living in Spain of immigrant women explained to a large extent the differences between immigrants and natives.

What do we know about the health of Spanish Roma people and what has been done to improve it? A scoping review

Objectives: This study aims to review the published literature on the health of the Roma population in Spain, particularly that which describes health interventions and outcomes. Design: A scoping review of published articles/reports on Roma population health was carried out in Spain for publications between 2002 and 2014. Articles in Spanish or English were identified from Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scielo, IBECS, MEDES, Dialnet, Index Foundation, a database of theses and Google Scholar. After an initial assessment of the article title and summary, genetic studies, editorials, reviews and grey literature with incomplete data were excluded. Two independent researchers followed a protocol to analyze the selected papers in terms of general information, methodology, themes, and results or conclusions. Results: Forty studies were selected for inclusion, primarily located through PubMed and Google Scholar. Most of the papers were scientific articles, published after 2007 in Spanish scientific journals (70.0%) followed by institutional reports (20.0%). The main language was Spanish (84.2%). The studies were carried out mainly by public institutions (35.0%) or universities (22.5%). Most (67.5%) followed a descriptive design and nearly half (47.5%) were concerned only with the Roma population. The main thematic areas were: child health (25%), infectious diseases (25%), health and social education context (20%), perceived health and lifestyle (15%), sexual and reproductive health (7,5%) and health services use (7,5%). We found seven intervention studies related to health, educational environment, or social services. Conclusions: There are few publications related to the health of the Roma community in Spain and even fewer related to health interventions and outcomes. Those that are available have focused on areas such as child health or infectious disease outbreaks. It is important to promote health interventions in Roma communities and longitudinal studies that include a comprehensive vision and account for the social determinants of health.

[Tools to assess the impact on health of public health programmes and community interventions from an equity perspective]

It is essential to develop a comprehensive approach to institutionally promoted interventions to assess their impact on health from the perspective of the social determinants of health and equity. Simple, adapted tools must be developed to carry out these assessments. The aim of this paper is to present two tools to assess the impact of programmes and community-based interventions on the social determinants of health. The first tool is intended to assess health programmes through interviews and analysis of information provided by the assessment team. The second tool, by means of online assessments of community-based interventions, also enables a report on inequality issues that includes recommendations for improvement. In addition to reducing health-related social inequities, the implementation of these tools can also help to improve the efficiency of public health interventions.

[Sexist attitudes and recognition of abuse in young couples]

Objetivo

Explorar la asociación entre las actitudes de rol de género y el reconocimiento del maltrato en jóvenes.

Diseño

Estudio transversal.

Emplazamiento

Cincuenta y siete centros de educación secundaria, formación profesional y universitaria de 5 provincias españolas (Huelva, Sevilla, A Coruña, Pontevedra y Asturias).

Participantes

Un total de 4.337 estudiantes de entre 15 y 26 años (40,6% chicos y 59,4% chicas) que mantuvieron una relación de pareja durante un mes o más.

Mediciones principales

Se utilizó la Escala de Actitudes de Rol de Género, con 20 indicadores de actitudes igualitarias o sexistas a nivel familiar, social y laboral. También se estudió si la persona estaba en una situación de maltrato percibido (MP), maltrato no percibido (MNP) o no maltrato (NM).

Resultados

En el conjunto de la muestra, el 68,6% se declaró NM, el 26,4% vivía una situación de MNP y el 5,0% reconoció sufrir maltrato. El MP fue más frecuente entre las chicas (6,3%), en los/as ≥ 18 años (6,4%) y en el alumnado universitario (6,9%). El MNP fue más habitual en los chicos (30,2%). Las actitudes más sexistas se encontraron en la dimensión laboral, y especialmente en varones y en adolescentes (15-17 años). Las actitudes menos sexistas se asociaron con menor probabilidad de vivir situaciones de MNP (odds ratio = 0,71; p-tendencia < 0,001).

Conclusiones

El sexismo parece dificultar el reconocimiento del maltrato. Lograr la equidad de género en la adolescencia y juventud es imprescindible. Los esfuerzos deberían centrarse en los varones, por ser el grupo con actitudes más sexistas y con mayor prevalencia de MNP.

[Sexual risk behaviours and PAP testing in university women vaccinated against human papillomavirus]

Objetivo

Estimar la asociación entre la vacunación frente al virus papiloma humano (VPH) y las conductas sexuales de riesgo, así como la participación en el Programa de Detección Precoz de Cáncer de Cuello Uterino (PDPCCU).

Diseño

Estudio descriptivo transversal.

Emplazamiento

Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Derecho y Facultad de Economía y Empresa (Universidad de Oviedo).

Participantes

Estudiantes universitarias.

Mediciones principales

Se recogió información sobre métodos anticonceptivos, conducta sexual, conocimientos sobre VPH y participación en el PDPCCU. Se estimaron proporciones y odds ratio (OR) con sus correspondientes intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC 95%).

Resultados

El 67,7% de la muestra estaban vacunadas frente al VPH. Un total de 216 mujeres (65,3%) eran sexualmente activas. El 67,6% utilizaba un método de barrera en la relación actual, siendo menos frecuente entre las mujeres no vacunadas (54,9% frente al 75,4% en estudiantes vacunadas) (p = 0,002). El riesgo de mantener al menos una conducta sexual de riesgo era mayor entre las mujeres no vacunadas: OR 2,29 (IC 95%: 1,29-4,07). La probabilidad de realizar una citología dentro del PDPCCU fue mayor entre las mujeres no vacunadas: OR 2,18 (IC 95%: 1,07-4,47).

Conclusiones

La prevalencia de conductas sexuales de riesgo en mujeres no vacunadas es elevada y se relaciona con la no utilización de métodos de barrera. La vacunación frente al VPH puede influir en la conducta sexual y en la participación en PDPCCU. Se debería reforzar la información que reciben los jóvenes sobre anticoncepción, enfermedades de transmisión sexual y prevención del cáncer.

How work setting and job experience affect professional nurses’ values

Background:

The development of professional values in nursing is directly related to quality and ethical clinical practise and may also increase practitioner and patients’ satisfaction. Some factors, such as work setting or work experience, can influence the importance granted to the professional values of nursing.

Objectives:

To compare in primary care nurses and hospital care nurses the importance granted to professional values and to contrast this perception as a function of professional experience.

Research design, participants and research context:

Descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants were 380 nursing professionals from the public health system (primary care and hospital care). Three dimensions were analysed: ethics, professional expertise and professional mastery. Data were collected from January to June 2015.

Ethical considerations:

We obtained permission from the Ethics Committee and participants’ informed consent.

Findings:

Hospital care professionals attached more importance to all the values analysed, regardless of their work experience. Ethical values, such as confidentiality and respect for the person, were considered to be very important in both systems. Values related to professional expertise obtained lower scores, especially in primary care. In general, professionals with more than 20 years’ experience granted less importance to the values.

Conclusion:

The professional setting influenced the importance assigned to professional nursing values, and clear differences were observed between primary and hospital care. The domain of ethics was considered the most important. It is necessary to reflect on the significance attributed to professional values, especially in more expert nursing staff.

A brief nursing intervention reduces anxiety before breast cancer screening mammography

BACKGROUND

Anxiety experienced by women during their participation in breast cancer screening programs can condition their adherence to the program. The aim was to determine whether a brief nursing intervention could reduce anxiety before screening mammography.

METHOD

A randomized controlled trial carried out with 436 Spanish women aged between 50-69 years, who attended a population breast cancer screening program. The experimental group received an ad-hoc tailored intervention, which consisted of offering information about the screening program and the mammography exam, as well as of providing personal emotional support. Anxiety was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Fear of screening outcome and fear of breast cancer were also assessed.

RESULTS

Women of the experimental group had 60% less probability of having a high anxiety state (OR = 0.40; 95%: CI [0.25, 0.65]), after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Regarding trait anxiety, no differences were observed between groups. The stratified analysis showed that this positive impact was greater in women who did not fear the screening outcome (OR = 0.24; 95% CI [0.11, 0.52]) or breast cancer (OR = 0.07; 95% CI [0.01, 0.41]).

CONCLUSIONS

A protocolized nursing intervention reduced the probability of being anxious when undergoing a screening mammography.

[Prevalence of non-vaccinable high risk genotypes of human papillomavirus in the Early Detection of Cervical Cancer Program in Cantabria]

Objetivo

Estimar la prevalencia de infección por genotipos del virus del papiloma humano (VPH) de alto riesgo no vacunables.

Diseño

Estudio descriptivo transversal.

Emplazamiento

Siete centros de salud de Cantabria seleccionados aleatoriamente.

Participantes

Se incluyó a todas las mujeres con una citología vaginal valorable (n = 3.359) entre 2010-2011.

Mediciones principales

Se recogieron diagnóstico citológico, resultado de PCR y método anticonceptivo. Los resultados de las citologías se clasificaron con el sistema Bethesda. Para la tipificación de VPH según el riesgo oncogénico se utilizó la clasificación de Muñoz et al. Se estimaron proporciones y odds ratio (OR) con sus correspondientes intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC95%).

Resultados

La prevalencia de infección por VPH fue del 2,71% (IC95%: 2,15-3,27). La prevalencia de genotipos de VPH de alto riesgo oncogénico fue del 2,26%; (IC95%: 1,75-2,78). El genotipo más frecuente fue el 16 (28,89%). Más de la mitad de las mujeres fueron positivas para algún genotipo de alto riesgo no vacunable: 51 (18,89%) o 58 (13,33%) o 68 (12,22%) o 31 (11,11%). En el 23,33% de las mujeres coexistieron al menos 2 genotipos de alto riesgo no vacunables. Las mujeres más jóvenes (≤ 30 años) tuvieron 2 veces más riesgo de infección por cualquier VPH: OR 2,01; (IC95%: 1,02-3,96); y 2 veces más probabilidad de usar anticonceptivos hormonales frente al preservativo: OR 2,09; (IC95%: 1,64-2,67).

Conclusiones

Atendiendo al alto porcentaje de VPH de alto riesgo oncogénico no vacunable, habría que replantear la estrategia de prevención en la población, que podría tener una falsa sensación de protección.