Satisfaction with Social Support Received from Social Relationships in Cases of Chronic Pain: The Influence of Personal Network Characteristics in Terms of Structure, Composition and Functional Content

The worldwide burden of chronic illnesses, constitutes a major public health concern and a serious challenge for health systems. In addition to the strategies of self-management support developed by nursing and health organizations, an individual's personal network represents a major resource of social support in the long-term. Adopting a cross-sectional design based on personal network analysis methods, the main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between satisfaction with the social support received by individuals suffering chronic pain and the structure, composition, and functional content in social support of their personal networks. We collected personal and support network data from 30 people with chronic pain (20 person's contacts (alters) for each individual (ego), 600 relationships in total). Additionally, we examined the level of satisfaction with social support in each of the 600 relationships. Bivariate and multivariate tests were performed to analyze the satisfaction with the social support received. Using cluster analysis, we established a typology of the 600 relationships under study. Results showed that higher satisfaction was associated with a balance between degree centrality and betweenness (i.e., measures of network cohesion and network modularity, respectively). Finally, new lines of research are proposed in order to broaden our understanding of this subject

Personal Network Analysis in the Study of Social Support: The Case of Chronic Pain

In the context of chronic illness, the individual's social and relational environment plays a critical role as it can provide the informal support and care over time, beyond healthcare and social welfare institutions. Social Network Analysis represents an appropriate theoretical and methodological approach to study and understand social support since it provides measures of personal network structure, composition and functional content. The aim of this mixed method study is to present the usefulness of Personal Network Analysis to explore social support in the context of chronic pain. Personal and support network data of 30 people with chronic pain (20 alters for each ego, 600 relationships in total) were collected, obtaining measures of personal network structure and composition as well as information about social support characteristics. Also, semi-structured interviews with participants were conducted to identify the context of their experience of pain, their limitations as regards leading an autonomous life, their social support needs and other aspects concerning the effect of pain on their social and relational lives. This approach shows the importance of non-kin social support providers and the significant role of non-providers in the personal networks of people suffering chronic pain

Personal Support Networks of Young People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities during the Transition to Adult Life

Social support networks occupy a priority position requiring attention in the processes of social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, during their transition to adult life. The objective of the study was to analyze social support from a relational approach through Personal Network Analysis. A total of 41 young people with mild intellectual disabilities participated in the study, in two groups differentiated according to their educational stage, either compulsory secondary education or post-compulsory training. Descriptive and comparative results are presented based on the variables of structure, composition, and functional content in the social support of their personal networks. The results show that both groups have restricted personal networks, made up of members of the family and the educational environment who constitute the main providers of support. When moving towards adult life, the change in social contacts in other educational, geographical, and relational settings may mean a change in the provision of support received in previous life stages. Developing social and educational actions to support these people in the development and maintenance of social relationships is essential to their access to support resources that will affect their social inclusion

Changes in Caregiver Personal Support Networks: Gender Differences and Effects on Health (CUIDAR-SE Study)

Technological changes have led to important advances in medical diagnoses and treatments that prolong the informal care process. Support from the personal network of informal caregivers is an undervalued resource and the changes that have occurred over time are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in personal network support among informal caregivers and to examine the effect of these changes on self-perceived caregiver health, with a focus on differences between men and women and caregivers with high and low levels of burdenWe also investigated caregiver perceptions and explanations of changes to their support network (losses and additions and no change). Using a mixed-methods approach, data were obtained from 32 caregivers that were intentionally selected in Spain, who were interviewed twice with a one-year interval. In the quantitative phase, personal networks analysis was performed with Egonet software, which obtained data on the composition and functional content in social support from 1600 personal relationships (25 alters for each ego in the two waves). In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted in the two waves with a guide in order to explore the changes in informal support resources over time. The selected men with high levels of burden pointed out a loss of network support with more discouraging reports compared with the low-burden male caregivers. Furthermore, the selected women with low burden levels mentioned losses too; however, their reports were more positive. Women reported improved health, especially those with low burden scores in the first wave and those who did not lose support. Caregivers with a high initial burden and who lost support reported worse health, particularly men and women with a strong sense of duty toward care. Social support from personal networks is important for caregiver health and its effects are influenced by gender roles. Our findings could help by improving the relational and social capital of informal caregivers and adapting them to the new needs of formal home care systems

Social Networks, Engagement and Resilience in University Students

16 p.Analysis of social networks may be a useful tool for understanding the relationship between resilience and engagement, and this could be applied to educational methodologies, not only to improve academic performance, but also to create emotionally sustainable networks. This descriptive study was carried out on 134 university students. We collected the network structural variables, degree of resilience (CD-RISC 10), and engagement (UWES-S). The computer programs used were excel, UCINET for network analysis, and SPSS for statistical analysis. The analysis revealed results of means of 28.61 for resilience, 2.98 for absorption, 4.82 for dedication, and 3.13 for vigour. The students had two preferred places for sharing information: the classroom and WhatsApp. The greater the value for engagement, the greater the degree of centrality in the friendship network among students who are beginning their university studies. This relationship becomes reversed as the students move to later academic years. In terms of resilience, the highest values correspond to greater centrality in the friendship networks. The variables of engagement and resilience influenced the university students’ support networks.S

The use of social network analysis in social support and care: a systematic scoping review protocol

Background: In recent decades, the literature on Social Network Analysis and health has experienced a significant increase. Disease transmission, health behavior, organizational networks, social capital, and social support are among the different health areas where Social Network Analysis has been applied. The current epidemiological trend is characterized by a progressive increase in the population's ageing and the incidence of long-term conditions. Thus, it seems relevant to highlight the importance of social support and care systems to guarantee the coverage of health and social needs within the context of acute illness, chronic disease, and disability for patients and their carers. Thus, the main aim is to identify, categorize, summarize, synthesize, and map existing knowledge, literature, and evidence about the use of Social Network Analysis to study social support and care in the context of illness and disability. Methods: This scoping review will be conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework with adaptations from Levac et al. and Joanna Briggs Institute's methodological guidance for conducting scoping reviews. We will search the following databases (from January 2000 onwards): PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO, and DARE. Complementary searches will be conducted in selected relevant journals. Only articles related to social support or care in patients or caregivers in the context of acute illnesses, disabilities or long-term conditions will be considered eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers will screen all the citations, full-text articles, and abstract the data independently. A narrative synthesis will be provided with information presented in the main text and tables. Discussion: The knowledge about the scientific evidence available in the literature, the methodological characteristics of the studies identified based on Social Network Analysis, and its main contributions will highlight the importance of health-related research's social and relational dimensions. These results will shed light on the importance of the structure and composition of social networks to provide social support and care and their impact on other health outcomes. It is anticipated that results may guide future research on network-based interventions that might be considered drivers to provide further knowledge in social support and care from a relational approach at the individual and community levels

The challenges and possibilities of reflective learning in higher education. Research focused from the perspective of university students on four different degree courses

Despite an increase in university teaching practices based on reflective learning methodology (RL), only very few studies are found in the context of higher education aimed at determining students? perception of this approach to teaching and learning. The aim of this research was to ascertain the opinions of students on different university degree courses regarding the challenges, difficulties and contributions arising from the application of reflective learning methodology in their learning process so as to propose strategies for improving education. The study was carried out on four Bachelor degree courses at the University of Girona: Social Education, Environmental Sciences, Nursing and Psychology. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first (2011-12 academic year), a questionnaire was administered to 162 students (43 from Social Education; 33 from Environmental Sciences; 31 from Nursing; and 55 from Psychology). One section of the questionnaire was specifically devoted to studying the perceptions of students participating in various RL experiences regarding the main difficulties they faced and the contributions of the RL to their learning process. Among the highlighted difficulties was the fact that RL requires a work process they are not used to and their lack of reflective writing skills. Among the contributions, the students felt that RL results in more complex and selfregulated knowledge, develops greater dynamic capabilities and increases the degree of reflection on learning processes and areas for improvement. In the second stage of the study (2012-13 academic year), four focus groups were held with students who had participated in the previous years? experience with the aim of gaining further insight into their perceptions regarding the challenges and contributions of RL. A total of 20 students participated, all of whom gave informed written consent. The sessions were recorded and transcribed in full and a thematic content analysis was performed. In all four groups the students stated that the experience had allowed them to improve their learning and become aware of their current situation and areas for improvement. As for the challenges, they cited difficulties in understanding the aims and purpose of RL, particularly at the beginning of the experience, together with problems experienced in writing about it, doubts about the level of openness required and uncertainty about how they would be assessed. The research conducted suggested that RL has significant potential to connect academic activity with professional action. It also provided working guidelines for improving experiences carried out on the basis of RL. These include the need to clarify the methodology and present arguments for its use, so that students understand the type of work it will mean for them and the objectives they pursued. Students should also be provided with sufficiently clear guidelines regarding how they will be assessed (in relation to both activities and level of reflection). There is a need to build a group climate based on mutual trust, continuous feedback and the establishment of a support process that maintains this trust throughout the learning process

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

Personal support networks and informal care: differences by sex and place? (CUIDAR-SE II study)

nObjetivo: Comparar la composición y la funcionalidad de apoyo social de redes personales de personascuidadoras de Granada y Gipuzkoa en función del sexo y la provincia.Método: Estudio transversal con metodología de análisis de redes personales. Se seleccionó una muestrade 66 personas cuidadoras segmentada por sexo en cada provincia. Se recogieron variables de compo-sición, funcionalidad de apoyo y contenido relacional de 1650 contactos personales que conforman lasredes estudiadas. Se utilizó el software EgoNet para la recogida, el análisis y la representación gráfica delas redes. Se midió la asociación de las características de la red con el sexo (de las personas cuidadoras yde las que componen sus redes) mediante la prueba de ji al cuadrado. Se analizaron los vínculos dentrode las redes.Resultados: Las redes de las personas cuidadoras de Granada están más feminizadas que las de Gipuzkoa.Las mujeres de Gipuzkoa cuentan con redes compuestas por menos familiares que las de Granada y conmayor número de relaciones entre las personas que las apoyan. Además, cuentan con más apoyo dehombres que de mujeres en todas las tareas analizadas, excepto en atención a la enfermedad. En ambasprovincias, los hombres cuidadores presentan en sus redes más mujeres que ayudan en tareas específicasde cuidado que hombres. Solo en actividades fuera del hogar en Granada hay más hombres que ayudanque mujeres (76,1% vs. 57%; p = 0,026).Conclusión: Se aprecian diferencias según el sexo y entre provincias en la composición de las redes y enel modo en que hombres y mujeres reciben y ofrecen apoyo en el cuidado.tObjective: To compare the composition and functionality of social support of personal networks of care-givers of Granada and Gipuzkoa (Spain) according to sex and province.Method: Cross-sectional study with personal network analysis methodology. A sample of 66 caregiverssegmented by sex in each province was selected. We collected variables of composition, functional andrelational content in social support of 1,650 personal relationships of the networks studied. The EgoNetsoftware was used for the collection, analysis and graphic representation of the networks. The associationof the characteristics of the network with sex (of the caregivers and those who make up their networks)was measured, using Chi-square. The links within the networks were analyzed.Results: The networks of caregivers in Granada are more feminized than those in Gipuzkoa. The women ofGipuzkoa have less familiar networks than those of Granada and with a greater number of relationshipsamong the people who support them. They also have more support from men than women in all the tasksanalyzed, except in attention to the disease. In both provinces, male caregivers show in their networksmore women who help in specific care tasks than men. Only in activities outside the home in Granadathere are more men who help than women (76.1% vs. 57%; p = 0.026).Conclusion: Gender differences between provinces can be seen in the composition of the networks and in the way in which men and women receive and offer support in care

Hemicolectomía en un paciente con valvulopatía aórtica: reporte de caso

ResumenLos pacientes con enfermedad valvular presentan mayor riesgo de complicaciones perioperatorias en el contexto de cirugía no cardiaca. La importancia del anestesiólogo desde la consulta de preanestesia para valorar la severidad de la enfermedad y su intervención activa es determinante.El manejo de este caso clínico se reporta para poner en valor la necesidad que tiene el paciente cardiópata de ser atendido de manera multidisciplinar.Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 80 años con estenosis aórtica severa, aneurisma de aorta abdominal infrarrenal de 46mm; enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, hipertensión arterial controlada; proceso linfoproliferativo. Tras valoración preanestésica se indicó cirugía valvular reparadora previa a la cirugía por cáncer de colon. La optimización preoperatoria mediante la cirugía cardiaca y el ajuste del tratamiento farmacológico, así como el apoyo en la monitorización hemodinámica para la toma de decisiones durante el periodo perioperatorio, mediante un dispositivo mínimamente invasivo (Vigileo®), fueron las claves en el correcto manejo de este paciente; combinamos raquianalgesia con morfina intratecal y anestesia general. El paciente se mantuvo estable con IC 2,3 - 3 l/min/m2, VVS 2 - 7% y ScvO2 74- 67%.Tras el éxito del proceso anestésico-quirúrgico concluimos que hoy en día tenemos la obligación de conocer y aplicar las recomendaciones disponibles en las guías elaboradas por las sociedades de anestesiología y cardiología, de forma conjunta, que se actualizan continuamente y permiten al clínico protocolizar la toma de decisiones basándose en la evidencia científica.AbstractPatients with valve disease are at a higher risk of perioperative complications in the context of non-cardiac surgery. The active involvement of the anaesthetist from the moment of the pre-anaesthesia assessment to determine the severity of the disease is crucial.The purpose of this report on the management of a clinical case is to highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the patient with heart disease.We present the case of a patient in the eighth decade of life with severe aortic stenosis, and a 46mm infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, controlled arterial hypertension; and a lymphoproliferative process. Following the pre-anaesthesia assessment, valve repair surgery was indicated prior to a surgical procedure for colon cancer resection. Key to the successful management of this patient was pre-operative optimization with cardiac surgery and adjustment of the pharmacological treatment, plus haemodynamic monitoring as a basis for decision-making during the perioperative period using a minimally invasive device (Vigileo®). Spinal analgesia with intrathecal morphine was combined with general anaesthesia. The patient remained stable with CI 2.3 - 3 l/min/m2, SVV 2 - 7% and ScvO2 74- 67%.As a result of the successful anaesthetic and surgical process, we concluded that it is our duty at the present time to know and apply the recommendations contained in the guidelines developed by the anaesthesia and cardiology societies and their regular updates, as they allow clinicians to make decisions in accordance with evidence-based protocols