Effect of GP visits in the compliance of preventive services: a cross-sectional study in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Performing cardiovascular and cancer screenings in target populations can reduce mortality. Visiting a General Practitioner (GP) once a year is related to an increased likelihood of preventive care. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of visiting a GP in the last year on the delivery of preventive services based on sex and household income. METHODS: Cross-sectional study using data collected from the European Health Interview Survey 2013-2015 of individuals aged 40-74 years from 29 European countries. The variables included: sociodemographic factors (age, sex, and household income (HHI) quintiles [HHI 1: lowest income, HHI 5: more affluent]), lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and preventive care services (cardiometabolic, influenza vaccination, and cancer screening). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses and multilevel models (level 1: citizen, level 2: country) were performed. RESULTS: 242,212 subjects were included, 53.7% were female. The proportion of subjects who received any cardiometabolic screening (92.4%) was greater than cancer screening (colorectal cancer: 44.1%, gynaecologic cancer: 40.0%) and influenza vaccination. Individuals who visited a GP in the last year were more prone to receive preventive care services (cardiometabolic screening: adjusted OR (aOR): 7.78, 95% CI: 7.43-8.15; colorectal screening aOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.80-1.95; mammography aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.69-1.83 and Pap smear test: aOR: 1.89, 95% CI:1.85-1.94). Among those who visited a GP in the last year, the highest ratios of cardiometabolic screening and cancer screening benefited those who were more affluent. Women underwent more blood pressure measurements than men regardless of the HHI. Men were more likely to undergo influenza vaccination than women regardless of the HHI. The highest differences between countries were observed for influenza vaccination, with a median odds ratio (MOR) of 6.36 (under 65 years with comorbidities) and 4.30 (over 65 years with comorbidities), followed by colorectal cancer screening with an MOR of 2.26. CONCLUSIONS: Greater adherence to preventive services was linked to individuals who had visited a GP at least once in the past year. Disparities were evident among those with lower household incomes who visited a GP. The most significant variability among countries was observed in influenza vaccination and colorectal cancer screening.

A Technological Tool Aimed at Self-Care in Patients With Multimorbidity: Cross-Sectional Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been positioned as useful tools to facilitate self-care. The interaction between a patient and technology, known as usability, is particularly important for achieving positive health outcomes. Specific characteristics of patients with chronic diseases, including multimorbidity, can affect their interaction with different technologies. Thus, studying the usability of ICTs in the field of multimorbidity has become a key element to ensure their relevant role in promoting self-care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the usability of a technological tool dedicated to health and self-care in patients with multimorbidity in primary care. METHODS: A descriptive observational cross-sectional usability study was performed framed in the clinical trial in the primary care health centers of Madrid Health Service of the TeNDER (Affective Based Integrated Care for Better Quality of Life) project. The TeNDER technological tool integrates sensors for monitoring physical and sleep activity along with a mobile app for consulting the data collected and working with self-management tools. This project included patients over 60 years of age who had one or more chronic diseases, at least one of which was mild-moderate cognitive impairment, Parkinson disease, or cardiovascular disease. From the 250 patients included in the project, 38 agreed to participate in the usability study. The usability variables investigated were effectiveness, which was determined by the degree of completion and the total number of errors per task; efficiency, evaluated as the average time to perform each task; and satisfaction, quantified by the System Usability Scale. Five tasks were evaluated based on real case scenarios. Usability variables were analyzed according to the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients. A logistic regression model was constructed to estimate the factors associated with the type of support provided for task completion. RESULTS: The median age of the 38 participants was 75 (IQR 72.0-79.0) years. There was a slight majority of women (20/38, 52.6%) and the participants had a median of 8 (IQR 7.0-11.0) chronic diseases. Thirty patients completed the usability study, with a usability effectiveness result of 89.3% (134/150 tasks completed). Among the 30 patients, 66.7% (n=20) completed all tasks and 56.7% (17/30) required personalized help on at least one task. In the multivariate analysis, educational level emerged as a facilitating factor for independent task completion (odds ratio 1.79, 95% CI 0.47-6.83). The median time to complete the total tasks was 296 seconds (IQR 210.0-397.0) and the median satisfaction score was 55 (IQR 45.0-62.5) out of 100. CONCLUSIONS: Although usability effectiveness was high, the poor efficiency and usability satisfaction scores suggest that there are other factors that may interfere with the results. Multimorbidity was not confirmed to be a key factor affecting the usability of the technological tool. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05681065; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05681065.

Trends in hospitalisation for urinary tract infection in adults aged 18-65 by sex in Spain: 2000 to 2015.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse trends in urinary tract infection (UTIs) hospitalisation among patients adults 18-65 aged in Spain from 2000-2015. METHODS: Retrospective observational study using the Spanish Hospitalisation Minimum Data Set (CMBD), with codifications by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9). Variables: Type of UTIs (pyelonephritis, prostatitis, cystitis and non-specific-UTIs), sex, age (in 5 categories: 18-49 and 50-64 years in men, and 18-44, 45-55 and 56-64 years in women), comorbidity, length of stay, costs and mortality associated with admission. The incidence of hospitalisation was studied according to sex, age group and type of UTIs per 100,000. Trends were identified using Joinpoint regression. RESULTS: From 2000-2015, we found 259,804 hospitalisations for UTIs (51.6% pyelonephritis, 7.5% prostatitis, 0.6% cystitis and 40.3% non-specific UTIs). Pyelonephritis predominated in women and non-specific UTIs in men. The hospital stay and the average cost (2,160 EUR (IQR 1,7872,540 were greater in men. Overall mortality (0.4%) was greater in non-specific UTIs. More women were admitted (rates of 79.4 to 81.7) than in men (30.2 to 41). The greatest increase was found in men aged 50-64 years (from 59.3 to 87). In the Joinpoint analysis, the incidence of pyelonephritis increased in women [AAPC 2.5(CI 95% 1.6;3.4)], and non-specific UTIs decreased [AAPC -2.2(CI 95% -3.3;-1.2)]. Pyelonephritis decreased in men [AAPC -0.5 (CI 95% -1.5;0.5)] and non-specific UTIs increased [AAPC 2.3 (CI 95% 1.9;2.6)] and prostatitis increased [AAPC 2.6 (CI 95% 1.4;3.7)]. CONCLUSIONS: The urinary infection-related hospitalisation rate in adults in Spain increased during the period 2000-2015. Pyelonephritis predominated in women and non-specific UTIs in men. The highest hospitalisation rates occurred in the women but the greatest increase was found in men aged 65-74. The lenght of stay and cost were higher in men.

Modifying effect of urban parks on socioeconomic inequalities in diabetes prevalence: a cross-sectional population study of Madrid City, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Evidence has shown contradicting results on how the density of urban green spaces may reduce socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes (equigenic hypothesis). The aim of this study is to test whether socioeconomic inequalities in diabetes prevalence are modified by park density. METHODS: We designed a population-wide cross-sectional study of all adults registered in the primary healthcare centres in the city of Madrid, Spain (n=1 305 050). We obtained georeferenced individual-level data from the Primary Care Electronic Health Records, and census-tract level data on socioeconomic status (SES) and park density. We modelled diabetes prevalence using robust Poisson regression models adjusted by age, country of origin, population density and including an interaction term with park density, stratified by gender. We used this model to estimate the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) at different park density levels. FINDINGS: We found an overall RII of 2.90 (95% CI 2.78 to 3.02) and 4.50 (95% CI 4.28 to 4.74) in men and women, respectively, meaning that the prevalence of diabetes was three to four and a half times higher in low SES compared with high SES areas. These inequalities were wider in areas with higher park density for both men and women, with a significant interaction only for women (p=0.008). INTERPRETATION: We found an inverse association between SES and diabetes prevalence in both men and women, with wider inequalities in areas with more parks. Future works should study the mechanisms of these findings, to facilitate the understanding of contextual factors that may mitigate diabetes inequalities.

Gender, smoking, and tobacco cessation with pharmacological treatment in a cluster randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Whether men find it easier to quit smoking than women is still controversial. Different studies have reported that the efficacy of pharmacological treatments could be different between men and women. This study conducted a secondary analysis of 'Subsidized pharmacological treatment for smoking cessation by the Spanish public health system' (FTFT-AP study) to evaluate the effectiveness of a drug-funded intervention for smoking cessation by gender. METHODS: A pragmatic randomized clinical trial by clusters was used. The population included smokers aged ≥18 years, smoking >10 cigarettes per day, randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving regular practice and financed pharmacological treatment, or to a control group receiving only regular practice. The main outcome was continued abstinence at 12 months, self-reported and validated with CO-oximetry. The percentage, with 95% confidence intervals, of continued abstinence was compared between both groups at 12 months post-intervention, by gender and the pharmacological treatment used. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1154 patients from 29 healthcare centers were included. The average age was 46 years (SD=11.78) and 51.7% were men. Overall, the self-reported abstinence at 12 months was 11.1% (62) in women and 15.7% (93) in men (AOR=1.4; 95% CI: 1.0-2.0), and abstinence validated by CO-oximetry was 4.6% (26) and 5.9% (35) in women and men, respectively (OR=1.3; 95% CI: 0.7-2.2). In the group of smokers receiving nicotine replacement treatment, self-reported abstinence was higher in men compared to women (29.5% vs 13.5%, OR=2.7; 95% CI: 1.3-5.8). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of a drug-financed intervention for smoking cessation was greater in men, who also showed better results in self-reported abstinence with nicotine replacement treatment.

Barreras y facilitadores para el uso de las guías de práctica clínica por residentes de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria: estudio cualitativo con grupos focales / Barriers and facilitators for the use of clinical practice guidelines by Family and Community Medicine residents: qualitative study with focus groups

Objetivo: identificar barreras y facilitadores para el uso de las guías de práctica clínica (GPC) por residentes de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria.Métodos: metodología cualitativa. Se formaron tres grupos focales, total 28 residentes de tercer y cuarto año de las siete unidades docentes multiprofesionales de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria de Madrid. Los temas explorados fueron: conocimiento, comprensión, utilidad y uso de GPC. Las categorías elegidas para agrupar el discurso se elaboraron siguiendo el Manual metodológico de GuíaSalud. Análisis sociológico bajo la perspectiva fenomenológica.Resultados: las barreras relacionadas con la formación fueron el modelo de formación recibida para adquirir las habilidades necesarias, la falta de conocimientos para evaluar la calidad de las guías y un limitado conocimiento de los buscadores. Entre las barreras del contexto social y del sistema sanitario, se identificaron el conflicto con las expectativas del paciente, con las recomendaciones de otros especialistas, las características de los pacientes que consultan en Atención Primaria (AP) y la limitación de tiempo en las consultas. Como facilitadores se identificaron la motivación personal, los conocimientos y el modelo de práctica profesional del tutor y que las GPC fueran claras, breves y en diversos formatos.Conclusiones: los residentes dan valor a las GPC como herramientas docentes, de ayuda a la toma de decisiones y para desempeñar un mejor ejercicio profesional, aunque encuentran dificultades y limitaciones en su uso. El papel del tutor se identifica como clave; la formación, motivación y el modelo de práctica del tutor son considerados como los mayores facilitadores.(AU)

Aim: to identify barriers and facilitators for the use of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) by Family and Community Medicine residents.Method: qualitative methodology. Three focus groups were set up, with a total of 28 participants, 3rd and 4th year residents of the 7 Multiprofessional Family and Community Care Teaching Units of Madrid. The topics explored were based on knowledge, understanding, usefulness and use of CPG. The categories chosen for discussion were drawn up according to the GuiaSalud Methodological Manual. Sociological analysis was performed using a phenomenological approach.Results: the barriers related to training were the training model received to acquire the necessary skills, the lack of knowledge to evaluate the quality of guidelines and a limited knowledge of the search engines. Among the barriers related to social context and health system, conflict with the patient's expectations or with the recommendations of other specialists, the characteristics of patients who consult in primary care and the limited time available for consultations were all identified. Personal motivation, the tutor’s knowledge and professional practice model and clear, brief CPGs and in various formats were all identified as facilitators. Conclusions: residents value CPGs as teaching and decision-making tools, as well as a tool to improve their professional practice. However, they detect difficulties and limitations in their use. Training, motivation and the tutor's practice model are considered to be among the greatest facilitators.(AU)

Functional social support: A systematic review and standardized comparison of different versions of the DUFSS questionnaire using the EMPRO tool.

BACKGROUND: Functional social support is one of the most established predictors of health, and the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (DUFSS) is one of the most commonly used instruments to measure this parameter. The objective of this study is to systematically review the available evidence on the psychometric and administration characteristics of the different versions of the DUFSS and perform a standardized assessment though to a specifically designed tool. METHODS: A systematic review was performed in the PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WOS and SCIELO databases. All articles that contained information on the development process of the instrument, the psychometric properties and aspects related to its administration were included, without restrictions based on publication date, language, or the version of the questionnaire that was studied. The selection and extraction procedure were carried out by two researchers. The articles finally included were peer-reviewed through a standardised assessment using the Evaluating the Measurement of Patient-Reported Outcomes (EMPRO) tool. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022342977. RESULTS: A total of 54 articles were identified. After eliminating duplicates and screening articles based on the selection criteria, 15 studies that examined the DUFSS questionnaire resulting in 4 different versions: 3 articles obtained the 8-item version; 11 the 11-item version; and a single article obtained two versions, the 14-item version and the 5-item version. At least 60% of them did so in a young adult population, predominantly female and with a medium-low socio-economic level or with characteristics of social vulnerability. The EMPRO evaluation showed that the 11-item version (54.01 total score) was the only one that had been studied on all recommended attributes and had higher total scores than the other versions: 8 items (36.31 total score), 14 items (27.48 total score) and 5 items (23.81 total score). This difference appears in all attributes studied, with the highest scores in "reliability (internal consistency)" and "validity". CONCLUSIONS: Of the 4 versions identified in the DUFSS questionnaire, the 11-item version was found to be optimal based on the EMPRO standardized tool. Although, a priori, we could prioritise its use in epidemiological studies over the other versions, it should be noted that this version should also be used with caution because there are attributes that have not been studied.

Burden in caregivers of primary care patients with dementia: influence of neuropsychiatric symptoms according to disease stage (NeDEM project).

BACKGROUND: Caregiver burden is related to personal factors and patient characteristics and is greater when neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) are present. OBJECTIVE: Estimate the prevalence of burden among caregivers of dementia patients and its association with NPSs and identify NPSs causing greater caregiver distress according to dementia stage. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study in caregivers of noninstitutionalized dementia patients was conducted. Caregiver variables were sociodemographic, time of care, NPS-associated distress based on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Caregiver Distress Scale (NPI-D) and burden based on the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Patient variables were time since disease onset, Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) disease stage, functional assessment and NPS presence and intensity according to the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). The mean ZBI score, prevalence of burden and NPI-D score with 95% CIs at each dementia stage were estimated. Factors associated with burden were identified by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of the 125 caregivers included, 77.6% were women, with a mean age of 60.7 (± 14.3) years; 78.4% (95%CI: 71.0; 86.0) experienced burden. The mean ZBI score was 12.3 (95%CI: 11.6; 12.9) and increased according to NPS number (p = 0.042). The NPSs causing the most burden were disinhibition (93.5%), irritability (87.3%) and agitation (86.1%). Agitation, apathy, and sleep disorders were the NPSs generating the greatest overall caregiver distress; depression (max NPI-D 1.9), hyperactivity (max NPI-D 2.1), and psychosis symptoms (max NPI-D 1.6) generated the greatest distress at stage GDS 3, stages GDS 4-5, and stages GDS 6-7, respectively. The NPI score (OR = 1.0, 95%CI 1.0; 1.1), intensity of irritability (OR = 1.2, 95%CI 1.0; 1.6), disinhibition (OR = 2.6, 95%CI 1.1; 5.8) and hyperactivity subsyndrome (OR = 1.1, 95%CI 1.0; 1.2) were associated with caregiver burden. Other associated factors were female gender (OR = 6.0, 95%CI 1.6; 22.8), ≥ 8 h daily care (OR = 5.6, 95%CI 1.4; 22.8), working outside the home (OR = 7.6, 95%CI 1.8; 31.8), living with the patient (OR = 4.5, 95%CI 1.1; 19.6), kinship (OR = 5.4, 95%CI 1.0; 28.2) and lower patient education (OR = 8.3, 95%CI 2.3; 30.3). CONCLUSIONS: The burden on caregivers of dementia patients is high and associated with NPS presence and intensity. Disinhibition and irritability caused the highest burden. Depression, hyperactivity and psychosis produce more distress in mild, mild-moderate and severe dementia, respectively.

Traumatic stress symptoms among Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study.

AIM: To investigate the occurrence of traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) among healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic and to obtain insight as to which pandemic-related stressful experiences are associated with onset and persistence of traumatic stress. METHODS: This is a multicenter prospective cohort study. Spanish healthcare workers (N = 4,809) participated at an initial assessment (i.e., just after the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic) and at a 4-month follow-up assessment using web-based surveys. Logistic regression investigated associations of 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences across four domains (infection-related, work-related, health-related and financial) with TSS prevalence, incidence and persistence, including simulations of population attributable risk proportions (PARP). RESULTS: Thirty-day TSS prevalence at T1 was 22.1%. Four-month incidence and persistence were 11.6% and 54.2%, respectively. Auxiliary nurses had highest rates of TSS prevalence (35.1%) and incidence (16.1%). All 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences under study were associated with TSS prevalence or incidence, especially experiences from the domains of health-related (PARP range 88.4-95.6%) and work-related stressful experiences (PARP range 76.8-86.5%). Nine stressful experiences were also associated with TSS persistence, of which having patient(s) in care who died from COVID-19 had the strongest association. This association remained significant after adjusting for co-occurring depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: TSSs among Spanish healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic are common and associated with various pandemic-related stressful experiences. Future research should investigate if these stressful experiences represent truly traumatic experiences and carry risk for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Improvement in Quality of Life With the Use of a Technological System Among Patients With Chronic Disease Followed Up in Primary Care (TeNDER Project): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Among chronic diseases, cognitive, neurological, and cardiovascular impairments are becoming increasingly prevalent, generating a shift in health and social needs. Technology can create an ecosystem of care integrated with microtools based on biosensors for motion, location, voice, and expression detection that can help people with chronic diseases. A technological system capable of identifying symptoms, signs, or behavioral patterns could provide notification of the development of complications of disease. This would help the self-care of patients with chronic disease and save health care costs, promoting the autonomy and empowerment of patients and their caregivers, improving their quality of life (QoL), and providing health professionals with monitoring tools. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a technological system (the TeNDER system) to improve quality of life in patients with chronic diseases: Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and cardiovascular disease. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial will be conducted with a follow-up of 2 months. The scope of the study will be the primary care health centers of the Community of Madrid belonging to the Spanish public health system. The study population will be patients diagnosed with Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and cardiovascular disease; their caregivers; and health professionals. The sample size will be 534 patients (380 in the intervention group). The intervention will consist of the use of the TeNDER system. The system will monitor the patients by means of biosensors, and their data will be integrated into the TeNDER app. With the information provided, the TeNDER system will generate health reports that can be consulted by patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Sociodemographic variables and technological affinity will be measured, as will views on the usability of and satisfaction with the TeNDER system. The dependent variable will be the mean difference in QoL score between the intervention and control groups at 2 months. To study the effectiveness of the TeNDER system in improving QoL in patients, an explanatory linear regression model will be constructed. All analyses will be performed with the 95% CI and robust estimators. RESULTS: Ethics approval for this project was received on September 11, 2019. The trial was registered on August 14, 2020. Recruitment commenced in April 2021, and the expected results will be available during 2023 or 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical trial among patients with highly prevalent chronic illnesses and the people most involved in their care will provide a more realistic view of the situation experienced by people with long-term illness and their support networks. The TeNDER system is in continuous development based on a study of the needs of the target population and on feedback during its use from the users: patients, caregivers, and primary care health professionals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05681065; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05681065. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/47331.

Validation of diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction and stroke in electronic medical records: a primary care cross-sectional study in Madrid, Spain (the e-MADVEVA Study).

OBJECTIVES: To validate the diagnoses of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke recorded in electronic medical records (EMR) and to estimate the population prevalence of both diseases in people aged ≥18 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional validation study. SETTING: 45 primary care centres. PARTICIPANTS: Simple random sampling of diagnoses of AMI and stroke (International Classification of Primary Care-2 codes K75 and K90, respectively) registered by 55 physicians and random age-matched and sex-matched sampling of the records that included in primary care EMRs in Madrid (Spain). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and overall agreement were calculated using the kappa statistic. Applied gold standards were ECGs, brain imaging studies, hospital discharge reports, cardiology reports and neurology reports. In the case of AMI, the ESC/ACCF/AHA/WHF Expert Consensus Document was also used. Secondary outcomes were the estimated prevalence of both diseases considering the sensitivity and specificity obtained (true prevalence). RESULTS: The sensitivity of a diagnosis of AMI was 98.11% (95% CI, 96.29 to 99.03), and the specificity was 97.42% (95% CI, 95.44 to 98.55). The sensitivity of a diagnosis of stroke was 97.56% (95% CI, 95.56 to 98.68), and the specificity was 94.51% (95% CI, 91.96 to 96.28). No differences in the results were found after stratification by age and sex (both diseases). The prevalence of AMI and stroke was 1.38% and 1.27%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The validation results show that diagnoses of AMI and stroke in primary care EMRs constitute a helpful tool in epidemiological studies. The prevalence of AMI and stroke was lower than 2% in the population aged over 18 years.

Adjusted morbidity groups and survival: a retrospective cohort study of primary care patients with chronic conditions.

BACKGROUND: Chronic conditions are one of the main determinants of frailty, functional disability, loss of quality of life and the number one cause of death worldwide. This study aimed to describe the survival of patients with chronic conditions who were followed up in primary care according to the level of risk by adjusted morbidity groups and to analyse the effects of sex, age, clinician and care factors on survival. METHODS: This was a longitudinal observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients with chronic conditions identified by the adjusted morbidity group stratifier of the electronic medical records in a primary health centre of the Region of Madrid, which has an assigned population of 18,107 inhabitants. The follow-up period was from June 2015 to June 2018. A description of survival according to the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression model was used to analyse the effects of sex, age, clinician and care factors. RESULTS: A total of 9,866 patients with chronic conditions were identified; 77.4% (7,638) had a low risk, 18.1% (1,784) had a medium risk, and 4.5% (444) had a high risk according to the adjusted morbidity groups. A total of 477 patients with chronic conditions died (4.8%). The median survival was 36 months. The factors associated with lower survival were age over 65 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-1.6), receiving palliative care (HR = 3.4; 95% CI = 2.6-4.5), high versus low risk level (HR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.60-3.7), five chronic conditions or more (HR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-2), complexity index (HR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.02-1.04) and polymedication (HR = 2.6; 95% CI = 2.0-3.3). CONCLUSIONS: There was a gradual and significant decrease in the survival of patients with chronic conditions according to their level of risk as defined by adjusted morbidity groups. Other factors, such as older age, receiving palliative care, high number of chronic conditions, complexity, and polymedication, had a negative effect on survival. The adjusted morbidity groups are useful in explaining survival outcomes and may be valuable for clinical practice, resource planning and public health research.

Tendencias en la hospitalización por infección del tracto urinario en la población pediátrica de España en el período 2000-2015 / Trends in hospitalization for urinary tract infection in the paediatric age group in the 2000–2015 period in Spain

Objetivo: Analizar las tendencias en la hospitalización por infección del tracto urinario (ITU) en menores de 0-14 años en España en el período 2000-2015. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo observacional realizado por medio del conjunto mínimo básico de datos hospitalario con códigos de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades (CIE-9). Se incluyeron todos los ingresos por cistitis, pielonefritis e ITU de localización no especificada en niños menores de 15 años. Se recogieron datos sobre el sexo, edad, tipo de alta, diagnóstico principal, comorbilidades, estancia hospitalaria y coste total. Se calcularon tasas crudas de hospitalización por 1000 habitantes menores de 15 años y se llevó a cabo un análisis de regresión segmentada para identificar tendencias temporales. Resultados: En el período 2000-2015, hubo 124.696 ingresos en niños menores de 15 años. De este total, el 72,97% tenían de 0 a 1 año y el 60,12% recibió un diagnóstico de ITU no especificada, el 39,27% de pielonefritis, y el 0,52% de cistitis. La tasa bruta de hospitalización por ITU osciló entre 1,24 en 2000 y 0,98 en 2015. La tasa de hospitalización por ITU fue mayor en niñas que en niños. El análisis de regresión segmentada mostró una tendencia decreciente en la tasa de hospitalización por ITU, con un porcentaje de cambio anual medio (PCAM) del −1,5% (IC 95%: −2,4 a −0,6). Los cambios observados fueron mayores en niñas (PCAM −1,8; IC 95%: −2,5 a −1,0) y en el grupo de 7 a 10 años (PCAM −5,9; IC 95%: −6,7 a −5,2). Conclusiones: La tasa de hospitalización asociada a infección urinaria en pacientes menores de 15 años en España descendió durante el período 2000-2015. Las mayores tasas se dieron en niñas y en menores de 2 años. (AU)

Objective: To analyse the trends in hospital admissions related to urinary tract infection among children aged 0–14 years in Spain in the 2000–2015 period. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the minimum basic hospital discharge dataset system of Spain, which applies the International Classification of Diseases, version 9 (ICD-9) coding system. We included every hospitalization due to cystitis, pyelonephritis and unspecified UTI among children aged less than 15 years. We collected data on patient sex and age, type of discharge, main diagnosis, comorbidities, length of stay and overall cost. We calculated crude hospitalization rates per 1000 inhabitants aged less than 15 years and performed a joinpoint regression analysis to identify temporal trends. Results: In the 2000–2015 period, there were 124696 hospitalizations in children under 15 years. Of these patients, 72.97% were aged 0–1 year and 60.12% had a diagnosis of unspecified UTI, 39.27% of pyelonephritis, and 0.52% of cystitis. The crude rate of hospitalization due to UTI ranged from 1.24 in year 2000 to 0.98 in 2015. The rate of hospitalization was higher in female versus male patients. The joinpoint analysis found a decreasing trend in the rate of hospitalization due to UTI, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of −1.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.4 to −0.6). The largest decreases occurred in female patients (AAPC, −1.8; 95% CI, −2.5 to −1.0) and children aged 7–10 years (AAPC −5.9; 95% CI, −6.7 to −5.2). Conclusions: The rate of hospitalization related to UTI in Spain in patients aged up to 14 years decreased during the 2000–2015 period. The highest hospitalization rates occurred in female patients and in the 0-to-1 year age group. (AU)

Prevalence and comorbidities of Sjogren's syndrome patients in the Community of Madrid: A population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities of Sjogren's syndrome (SS) patients in the Community of Madrid. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional cohort of SS patients was derived from the information system for rare diseases in the Community of Madrid (SIERMA) and confirmed by a physician. The prevalence per 10,000 inhabitants among people aged ≥18years in June 2015 was calculated. Sociodemographic data and accompanying disorders were recorded. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 4,778 SS patients were confirmed in SIERMA; 92.8% were female, with a mean age of 64.3 (standard deviation=15.4) years. A total of 3,116 (65.2%) patients were classified as primary SS (pSS), and 1,662 (34.8%) as secondary SS (sSS). The prevalence of SS among people aged ≥18 years was 8.4/10,000 (95%Confidence interval [CI]=8.2-8.7). The prevalence of pSS was 5.5/10,000 (95%CI=5.3-5.7), and that of sSS was 2.8/10,000 (95%CI=2.7-2.9), with rheumatoid arthritis (20.3%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (8.5%) being the most prevalent associated autoimmune diseases. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (40.8%), lipid disorders (32.7%), osteoarthritis (27.7%) and depression (21.1%). The most prescribed medications were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (31.9%), topical ophthalmic therapies (31.2%) and corticosteroids (28.0%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SS in the Community of Madrid was similar to the overall prevalence worldwide observed in previous studies. SS was more frequent in women in their sixth decade. Two out of every three SS cases were pSS, while one-third were associated predominantly with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Trends in hospitalization for urinary tract infection in the paediatric age group in the 2000-2015 period in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the trends in hospital admissions related to urinary tract infection among children aged 0-14 years in Spain in the 2000-2015 period. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the minimum basic hospital discharge dataset system of Spain, which applies the International Classification of Diseases, version 9 (ICD-9) coding system. We included every hospitalisation due to cystitis, pyelonephritis and unspecified UTI among children aged less than 15 years. We collected data on patient sex and age, type of discharge, main diagnosis, comorbidities, length of stay and overall cost. We calculated crude hospitalization rates per 1000 inhabitants aged less than 15 years and performed a joinpoint regression analysis to identify temporal trends. RESULTS: In the 2000-2015 period, there were 124 696 hospitalizations in children under 15 years. Of these patients, 72.97% were aged 0-1 year and 60.12% had a diagnosis of unspecified UTI, 39.27% of pyelonephritis, and 0.52% of cystitis. The crude rate of hospitalization due to UTI ranged from 1.24 in year 2000 to 0.98 in 2015. The rate of hospitalization was higher in female versus male patients. The joinpoint analysis found a decreasing trend in the rate of hospitalization due to UTI, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of -1.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.4 a -0.6). The largest decreases occurred in female patients (AAPC, -1.8; 95% CI, -2.5 a -1.0) and children aged 7-10 years (AAPC - 5.9; 95% CI, -6.7 a -5.2). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of hospitalization related to UTI in Spain in patients aged up to 14 years decreased during the 2000-2015 period. The highest hospitalization rates occurred in female patients and in the 0-to-1 year age group.

Sex and income inequalities in preventive services in diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Cancer preventive services (gynaecological cancer screening, colon cancer screening) and cardiometabolic screening are recommended by guidelines to individuals. People with diabetes were less likely to receive them than those without diabetes in some studies. OBJECTIVES: To analyse differences in the coverage of preventive services in people with diabetes compared to non-diabetic individuals and in people with diabetes according to sex and household income. METHODS: We analysed data collected from the European Health Interview Survey 2013-2015, including individuals aged 40-74 (n = 179,318), 15,172 with diabetes from 29 countries. The income of a household (HHI) was described in quintiles. The relationship between the coverage of preventive services (cardiometabolic, vaccination, cancer screening) and sociodemographic characteristics was analysed with multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Women comprised 53.8% of the total and 40% were 60-74 years. People with diabetes compared to those without diabetes had higher reported coverage of cardiometabolic screening (98.4% vs. 90.0% in cholesterol measurement; 97.0% vs. 93.6% in blood pressure measurement), colorectal cancer screening (27.1% vs. 24.6%) but lower coverage of gynaecological cancer screening (mammography: 29.2% vs. 33.5%, pap smear test: 28.3% vs. 37.9%). Among diabetic patients, women were less likely to receive cholesterol screening (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72-0.91) and colon cancer screening (OR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.73-0.86) compared to men. Being affluent was positively associated with receiving cardiometabolic screening and mammography in diabetic patients. CONCLUSION: People with diabetes reported higher coverage of preventive services except gynaecological cancer screening. Disparities were found in diabetes among women and less affluent individuals.

Effectiveness of a game-based educational strategy e-EDUCAGUIA for implementing antimicrobial clinical practice guidelines in family medicine residents in Spain: a randomized clinical trial by cluster.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have teaching potential for health professionals in training clinical reasoning and decision-making, although their use is limited. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a game-based educational strategy e-EDUCAGUIA using simulated clinical scenarios to implement an antimicrobial therapy GPC compared to the usual dissemination strategies to improve the knowledge and skills on decision-making of family medicine residents. Additionally, adherence to e-EDUCAGUIA strategy was assessed. METHODS: A multicentre pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted involving seven Teaching Units (TUs) of family medicine in Spain. TUs were randomly allocated to implement an antimicrobial therapy guideline with e-EDUCAGUIA strategy ( intervention) or passive dissemination of the guideline (control). The primary outcome was the differences in means between groups in the score test evaluated knowledge and skills on decision-making at 1 month post intervention. Analysis was made by intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. Secondary outcomes were the differences in mean change intrasubject (from the baseline to the 1-month) in the test score, and educational game adherence and usability. Factors associated were analysed using general linear models. Standard errors were constructed using robust methods. RESULTS: Two hundred two family medicine residents participated (104 intervention group vs 98 control group). 100 medicine residents performed the post-test at 1 month (45 intervention group vs 55 control group), The between-group difference for the mean test score at 1 month was 11 ( 8.67 to 13.32) and between change intrasubject was 11,9 ( 95% CI 5,9 to 17,9). The effect sizes were 0.88 and 0.75 respectively. In multivariate analysis, for each additional evidence-based medicine training hour there was an increase of 0.28 points (95% CI 0.15-0.42) in primary outcome and in the change intrasubject each year of increase in age was associated with an improvement of 0.37 points and being a woman was associated with a 6.10-point reduction. 48 of the 104 subjects in the intervention group (46.2%, 95% CI: 36.5-55.8%) used the games during the month of the study. Only a greater number of evidence-based medicine training hours was associated with greater adherence to the educational game ( OR 1.11; CI 95% 1.02-1.21). CONCLUSIONS: The game-based educational strategy e-EDUCAGUIA shows positive effects on the knowledge and skills on decision making about antimicrobial therapy for clinical decision-making in family medicin residents in the short term, but the dropout was high and results should be interpreted with caution. Adherence to educational games in the absence of specific incentives is moderate. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02210442 . Registered 6 August 2014.

Inequalities in glycemic and multifactorial cardiovascular control of type 2 diabetes: The Heart Healthy Hoods study.

Aim: This study aimed to analyze glycemic control and multifactorial cardiovascular control targets in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in primary care according to sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Materials and methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional, and multicenter study. We analyzed all the patients with T2DMM aged between 40 and 75 years in Madrid city (113,265) through electronic health records from 01 August 2017 to 31 July 2018. SES was defined by an area-level socioeconomic index stratified by quintiles (1st quintile: more affluent). Outcomes: Outcomes included glycemic control (HbA1c ≤ 7%), 3-factor cardiovascular control [HbA1c ≤ 7%, blood pressure (BP), < 140/90 mmHg, LDL < 100 mg/ml] and 4-factor control [HbA1c ≤ 7%, blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mmHg, LDL < 100 mg/ml, and BMI < 30 kg/m2]. Multilevel logistic regression models analyzed factors associated with suboptimal glycemic control. Results: In total 43.2% were women. Glycemic control was achieved by 63% of patients (women: 64.2% vs. men: 62.4%). Being more deprived was associated with suboptimal glycemic control (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.32); however, sex was not related (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.01). The optimal 3-factor control target was reached by 10.3% of patients (women: 9.3% vs. men: 11.2%), especially those in the 5th quintile of SES. The 4-factor control was achieved by 6.6% of the sample. In the 3-factor control target, being women was related to the suboptimal 3-factor control target (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.19- 1.34) but only belonging to SES 4th quintile was related to the unachieved target (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.04-2.07). Conclusion: Suboptimal glycemic control was associated with being less affluent and suboptimal 3-factor control target was associated with being women.

[What have we missed because of COVID-19? Missed diagnoses and delayed follow-ups. SESPAS Report 2022]. / ¿Qué hemos dejado de atender por la COVID-19? Diagnósticos perdidos y seguimientos demorados. Informe SESPAS 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated public health emergency have affected patients and health services in non-COVID-19 pathologies. Several studies have shown its dissociation from health services, with a decrease in emergency department visits, in hospital admissions for non-COVID-19 pathologies, as well as in the reported weekly incidence of acute illnesses and new diagnoses in primary care. In parallel, the pandemic has had direct and indirect effects on people with chronic diseases; the difficulties in accessing health services, the interruption of care, the saturation of the system itself and its reorientation towards non-face-to-face formats has reduced the capacity to prevent or control chronic diseases. All this has also had an impact on the different areas of people's lives, creating new social and economic difficulties, or aggravating those that existed before the pandemic. All these circumstances have changed with each epidemic wave. We present a review of the most relevant studies that have been analyzing this problem and incorporate as a case study the results of a retrospective observational study carried out in Primary Care in the Madrid Health Service, which provides health coverage to a population of more than 6 million people, and whose objective was to analyze the loss of new diagnoses in the most prevalent pathologies such as common mental health problems, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and breast and colon tumors, in the first and second waves. Annual incidence rates with their confidence interval were calculated for each pathology and the monthly frequency of new codes recorded between 1/01/2020 and 12/31/2020 was compared with the monthly mean of observed counts for the same months between 2016 and 2019. The annual incidence rate for all processes studied decreased in 2020 except for anxiety disorders. Regarding the recovery of lost diagnoses, heart failure is the only diagnosis showing an above-average recovery after the first wave. To return to pre-pandemic levels of diagnosis and follow-up of non-COVID-19 pathology, the healthcare system must reorganize and contemplate specific actions for the groups at highest risk.

Sex differences in social support perceived by polymedicated older adults with multimorbidity. MULTIPAP study.

The beneficial effects of social support on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life are well known. Using the baseline data of the MULTIPAP study (n = 593), an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out that analyzed the sex differences in the social support perceived by polymedicated adults aged 65 to 74 years with multimorbidity. The main outcome variable was social support measured through the Duke-UNC-11 Functional Social Support (DUFSS) questionnaire in its two dimensions (confident support and affective support). For both sexes, the perception of functional social support was correlated with being married or partnered and having a higher health-related quality of life utility index. In women, it was correlated with a higher level of education, living alone, and treatment adherence, and in men with higher monthly income, prescribed drugs and fewer diagnosed diseases.