Life Habits of Healthcare Professionals during the Third Wave of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Spanish Hospital

EN] (1) Background: To describe sleep quality, eating behaviour and alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use among healthcare staff in a Spanish public hospital. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study examining sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index), eating behaviour (Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (R18)), tobacco and drug use (ESTUDES questionnaire) and alcohol use (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener). (3) Results: 178 people, of whom 87.1% (155) were women, with an average age of 41.59 ± 10.9 years. A total of 59.6% of the healthcare workers had sleep problems, to a greater or lesser degree. The average daily consumption was 10.56 ± 6.74 cigarettes. The most commonly used drugs included cannabis, occasionally used by 88.37%, cocaine (4.75%), ecstasy (4.65%) and amphetamines (2.33%). A total of 22.73% of participants had increased their drug use, and 22.73% had increased their consumption during the pandemic, with beer and wine accounting for 87.2% of drinks consumed during this period. (4) Conclusions: In addition to the psychological and emotional impact already demonstrated, the COVID-19 crisis has repercussions on sleep quality, eating behaviour and alcohol, tobacco and drug consumption. Psychological disturbances have repercussions on physical and functional aspects of healthcare workers. It is feasible that these alterations are due to stress, and it is necessary to act through treatment and prevention as well as promote healthy habits.S

Baby-led weaning: Health professionals ‘knowledge and attitudes and parents’ experiences from Spain. A mixed methods approach

[EN] Baby-led weaning or self-regulated small chunk feeding by the baby has emerged as an alternative to the traditional method of complementary feeding. Parents and healthcare professionals often differ in the benefits and drawbacks about it. The research aims were to describe the knowledge of health professionals about complementary feeding and baby-led weaning (BLW) method and the attitudes towards its recommendation, and to explore the knowledge, experiences and attitudes of parents who have used this method to feed their children. A mixed methods research was carried out. A questionnaire was completed by 38 health professionals and 10 interviews were conducted with participating mothers. A total of 52.6% of health professionals recommended initiating complementary feeding at 6 months of age, a guideline followed by the mothers who used BLW. Some 86.8% of the professionals knew the BLW method and 76.3% knew its benefits, but the mothers consulted mainly informal sources of information sources to learn about and implement it. The health professionals stated that it facilitated family transition, enabled the infant to adapt better to flavours and textures, promoted chewing and the development of fine motor skills, improved growth and might also be a protective factor against obesity. The mothers noted that the method was natural, encouraged infant autonomy and promoted healthy eating habits. The health professionals expressed varied opinions concerning the risks entailed in the method. The main conclusions are that the majority of health professionals participating in the study know the BLW method, its benefits; however, they do not recommend it in all cases. Mothers listen to the advice of professionals but continue to rely on other informal sources of information.S

Descriptive study of friendship networks in adolescents and their relationship with self-efficacy and alcohol consumption using social network analysis

The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of León (ETICA-ULE-003-2015).Alcohol is a widely used legal drug. Self-efficacy takes on great importance in an adolescent’s development. Levels of self-efficacy can contribute to the decision-making process of the adolescent. In this phase, a group of friends becomes increasingly important. Alcohol is present in different social aspects. Adolescents use alcohol as a social facilitator or as part of the development of their autonomy. The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the structure of the friendship network, self-efficacy, and alcohol consumption in adolescents. Methods: We used an online platform with validated self-reported questionnaires to collect the data. The sample consisted of 195 adolescents aged between 16 and 18, from different educational centers in Bierzo (Spain). Results: It was found that 43.6% of the adolescents in our research were high-risk consumers. Significant differences were obtained in terms of self-efficacy and different network metrics. These networks were represented by considering the levels of alcohol consumption. In the friendship network, we observed how the central adolescents presented higher levels of self-efficacy and lower alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Self-efficacy is established as a predictor of coping and not consuming alcohol and adolescence as a crucial moment to implement prevention strategies. Social Network Analysis is a useful tool that provides an image of the context in which adolescents find themselves.This research received no external funding

Social support and mental health in maternity: Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

[EN] Background: Motherhood involves a process of adaptation and the perception of social support influences mental health, breastfeeding or newborn care among others. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a distancing from family, friends and health professionals. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The present study aims to describe and analyze the social support and mental health of mothers during this period. Methods: The sample were 179 women with children older than 6 months. The questionnaires used were the DUKE-UNC-11 and GHQ-12. Data analysis was carried out with Spearman's Rho and Mann Whitney U test. Results: 75.8% of the sample perceived normal social support during the pandemic. Within the dimensions of social support, women reported perceiving satisfactory confidential support, while affective support was perceived as low. Correlational analysis reported a significant relationship between mental health, confidential support and affective support. Group comparison noted greater confidential support in primiparous. Conclusions: The sample is sensitive to changes originated by COVID-19 constraints influencing perceived social support and mental health. Affective and confidential support as well as the involvement of health professionals and the environment are fundamental for mental health during the first year of maternity. Relevance to clinical practice: Mothers' mental health is sensitive and vulnerable to social changes, in this case, those that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak.S

Phosphatidic Acid Stimulates Lung Cancer Cell Migration through Interaction with the LPA1 Receptor and Subsequent Activation of MAP Kinases and STAT3

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a key bioactive glycerophospholipid that is implicated in the regulation of vital cell functions such as cell growth, differentiation, and migration, and is involved in a variety of pathologic processes. However, the molecular mechanisms by which PA exerts its pathophysiological actions are incompletely understood. In the present work, we demonstrate that PA stimulates the migration of the human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 adenocarcinoma cells, as determined by the transwell migration assay. PA induced the rapid phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK1-2, p38, and JNK, and the pretreatment of cells with selective inhibitors of these kinases blocked the PA-stimulated migration of cancer cells. In addition, the chemotactic effect of PA was inhibited by preincubating the cells with pertussis toxin (PTX), a Gi protein inhibitor, suggesting the implication of a Gi protein-coupled receptor in this action. Noteworthy, a blockade of LPA receptor 1 (LPA1) with the specific LPA1 antagonist AM966, or with the selective LPA1 inhibitors Ki1645 or VPC32193, abolished PA-stimulated cell migration. Moreover, PA stimulated the phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT3 downstream of JAK2, and inhibitors of either JAK2 or STAT3 blocked PA-stimulated cell migration. It can be concluded that PA stimulates lung adenocarcinoma cell migration through an interaction with the LPA1 receptor and subsequent activation of the MAPKs ERK1-2, p38, and JNK, and that the JAK2/STAT3 pathway is also important in this process. These findings suggest that targeting PA formation and/or the LPA1 receptor may provide new strategies to reduce malignancy in lung cancer.This work was supported by Grant IT1720-22 from “Departamento de Educación, Viceconsejería de Universidades e Investigación del Gobierno Vasco” (GV/EJ, Basque Country, Spain). N. Presa is the recipient of a fellowship from “Departamento de Educación, Universidades e Investigación del Gobierno Vasco” (GV/EJ, Basque Country, Spain)

Men who have sex with men: An approach to social network analysis

[EN] Background: Dating apps for men who have sex with men (MSM) have favored unprotected sexual encounters; other unsafe practices, including drug use, are widespread. No evidence is available from the perspective of the structure of their relationships, a personal aspect included in all nursing meta-paradigms. Aim: To study the structure of MSM networks through dating and contact applications and this relationship to risky sexual activities such as condom use, chemsex (sex while using drug), and group sex. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Sample: A total of 32 MSM participants from Madrid (Spain). Measurements: Socio-demographic and structural variables with Social Network Analysis (SNA) metrics. Data on condom use, drug use during encounters, and group sex were included. Results: Twenty-five percent of respondents practiced chemsex, and 75% of these used poppers. MSM with higher socioeconomic status participated in group sex sessions more frequently than those with lower socioeconomics. Within the network analysis, the relationships strong showed greater ease in having unprotected anal intercourse. Conclusion: SNA can be effective in the study of MSM sexual networks and their risk behaviors for community nurses to improve their interventions in sexual health promotionS

Cannabis Use and Emotional Intelligence in Adolescents during COVID-19 Confinement: A Social Network Analysis Approach

[EN] Confinement by COVID-19 had negative consequences on adolescent mental health, including increased cannabis use. Cannabis is related to variables that influence health and well-being. Emotional Intelligence is associated with adaptive coping styles, peer relationships, and social–emotional competencies. In adolescence, peer selection plays a unique role in the initiation of substance use. However, there are no studies during a confinement stage that analyse the relationships between networks, Emotional Intelligence, and cannabis use. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the consumption and friendship networks of an adolescent classroom and their relationship with Emotional Intelligence, cannabis use, and gender during COVID-19 confinement. Participants completed different questionnaires for Emotional Intelligence, cannabis use, and the consumption and friendship network. The sample consisted of 21 students from 10th grade, of which 47.6% were consumers. The friendship network correlates with the consumption network, and significant associations between emotional repair and being a cannabis user. The regression model points to the friendship network as a significant variable in predicting the classroom use network. This study highlights the role of the Social Network Analysis in predicting consumption networks during a COVID-19 confinement stage and serves as a tool for cannabis use prevention interventions in a specific population.S

Health-Related Quality of Life in Pregnant Women during the First Trimester in Northern Spain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

[EN] Background: Achieving the optimal quality of life is currently a health challenge for the world’s population. Pregnancy is a stressful period of life that affects women’s quality of life. Aims: This study aimed to describe and analyse the health-related quality of life in pregnant women during their first trimester in a health area in the north of Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out. A total of 359 women completed the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Results: The sample consisted of 57.9% primiparous women, 30% had experienced a previous abortion, and 7.2% were foreign women. The mean age was 33.53 years. The sum of the physical and mental component values was below 50 points. Notably, 4.17% of women reported a worsening of their health in the last year, and 28.69% had an increased depression risk. Conclusion: Being a foreigner, prenatal abortion, previous caesarean section, previous children, or assisted reproduction techniques are the variables that have a negative association with some dimensions of quality of life in pregnant women.S