Reducing Negative Aging Stereotypes via Educational Intervention in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Anti-ageism interventions traditionally target younger individuals. We analyzed the effect of an educational intervention that combined an infusion of aging content with videos to reduce negative stereotypes toward aging in a randomized controlled study of 56 community-dwelling older adults. The experimental group received a single one-hour information session and video viewing on ageism; the control group viewed 1 hour of videos unrelated to ageism. Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that the experimental group reported a significantly reduced Negative Stereotypes Toward Aging Questionnaire (CENVE) total score along with an independent measure of the character-personality factor in this questionnaire 1 week and 1 month after the intervention compared to baseline. The control group showed no changes. This work reports for the first time that a one-hour information session about aging combined with video viewing on ageism can efficiently reduce negative stereotypes of aging in older people in the short and medium term.

Achievements and challenges in baccalaureate student nurses' preparation for evidence-based nursing practice: A mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based nursing (EBN) implementation is still limited. The effect of the incorporation of this competence into the whole nursing curricula as a cross-cutting topic has not yet been assessed. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of final year student nurses of their preparation for EBN practice and its current implementation in the local healthcare system. DESIGN: This study followed a mixed-methods approach. The data collection methods were a self-administered online questionnaire followed by individual in-depth interviews. RESULTS: The majority of participants (93.4%) chose asking a colleague as the main source of information for decision making during their last year of clinical training. However, scientific evidence was considered the most accurate and credible source instead of colleagues. The main barriers impeding EBN practice were revealed to be: not being able to find the required information, lack of time to search, and not feeling able to interpret information found. In the qualitative analysis of the interviews, three categories were identified: 'Towards EBN at a snail's pace'; 'A huge gap between theory and practice'; and 'Where is nursing?' CONCLUSIONS: Although participants in this study consistently attributed more credibility to clinical guidelines, protocols, and scientific publications over colleagues, asking a colleague continues to be the main resource to address clinical doubts. Lack of institutional support, the unresolved theory-practice gap in nursing, and the status of nurses in relation to other healthcare providers were identified as barriers for further EBN implementation.

Serum Sestrin-1 Concentration Is Higher in Frail than Non-Frail Older People Living in Nursing Homes.

Given the increasing prevalence of frailty and its implications for public health, the identification of biomarkers to detect frailty is essential. Sestrin-1 is a protein with a protective role in muscle function. This study aimed to determine whether the serum sestrin-1 concentration differed between frail and non-frail populations and to investigate its association with frailty-related variables in 225 older women and men living in nursing homes (Gipuzkoa, Spain). Serum sestrin-1 concentration was measured by ELISA. Frailty, dependence, anthropometry, physical function, and physical activity were determined by validated tests and tools. The associations between sestrin-1 concentration and the other variables were determined using generalized linear models. The differences between frail and non-frail individuals were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U-test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to calculate the capability of sestrin-1 to detect frailty. Unexpectedly, frail individuals-according to the Fried Frailty Phenotype or the Clinical Frailty Scale-had higher serum sestrin-1 concentrations than non-frail individuals. Furthermore, the higher serum sestrin-1 concentration was associated with the increased frailty scores and dependence as well as the poorer physical function and the less physical activity. Given the contradictory results regarding serum sestrin-1 and frailty, further investigation is required to propose it as a molecular biomarker of frailty.

Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lifestyles of Health Sciences University Students in Spain: A Longitudinal Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted daily activities worldwide. University students may have experienced substantial changes in daily living as a result of restrictions on university attendance. The return to normalcy may take a long time, and understanding the influence that shifts in daily routines have had on the lifestyles of university students may inform approaches to support overall well-being. We analyzed changes in the lifestyles of students enrolled at a health sciences university during the COVID-19 pandemic. This longitudinal study took place at the Faculty of Medicine and Nursing in the University of the Basque Country in Spain, and the final sample consisted of 113 nursing students, 109 medical students, and 45 physiotherapy students. Our results demonstrate changes in lifestyles of university students during the pandemic. MedDiet adherence scores and the percentage of students with high adherence increased during the pandemic. This increase was due to the increased consumption of vegetables and nuts. In terms of physical activity, the practice of moderate and intense physical activity was maintained. These results provide important information for both public health authorities and educational institutions to guide strategies to maintain the well-being of students and enhance opportunities for young adults to lead a healthy lifestyle.

An Overground Robotic Gait Training Program for People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Maintaining the ability to walk is one of the significant challenges in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) for keeping a good quality of life as the disease and the aging process progresses. Overground robotic (OR) wearable exoskeletons are promising tools for gait rehabilitation, but currently there is no evidence of their clinical effects on patients with MS. The present study aims to determine the effects of an OR intervention in people with MS and moderate to severe walking disabilities and ascertain if benefits are maintained over a follow-up period of 3 months. This randomized controlled trial will include 36 participants with MS. Inclusion criteria are: older than 18 years, definitive diagnosis of MS, 4.5-7 points on the EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale), and needing one or two canes or crutches for walking outdoors. Subjects in the control group will receive conventional physiotherapy sessions at ADEMBI (Asociación de Esclerosis Múltiple de Bizkaia) provided to control spasticity, maintain articular range and exercise balance. Subjects in the intervention group will receive the same physiotherapy but also participate in a progressive OR gait training program assisted by the EksoTM exoskeleton. The program consists of twice a week individually supervised sessions in two setting modalities: PreGait and ProStepPlus. The training parameters (duration, speed, cadence, length of steps) will be set during the first session and the progression and intensity of the intervention will be adapted to the tolerance of each participant. The primary outcome of this study is gait speed. Secondary outcomes will include physical and cognitive performance tests, clinical, fatigue and quality of life assessments, and changes in the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. The present trial is the first analyzing the effectiveness of an OR intervention for gait training in patients with MS. It will help clarify the applicability of robotic technologies to clinical practice, extending the functionality and quality of life of people with MS to face a successful aging process. (ACTRN12619000014156; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=376548).

Bone Health and Its Relationship with Impact Loading and the Continuity of Physical Activity throughout School Periods.

Bone is influenced by physical activity (PA) throughout life, but childhood and adolescence provide a key opportunity to maximize peak bone mass. Thus, it is important to identify the relationship between PA practiced in childhood and young adulthood to design a promotion plan for bone health. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between different impact-loading PAs (and their continuity throughout school periods from childhood to young adulthood) and bone stiffness index (SI). In this cross-sectional study, which was conducted on 145 university students aged 18-21 years, bone measurements were measured by quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS), and PA information was recalled using a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between the SI and the impact of PA performed during secondary school (p = 0.027), high school (p = 0.002), and university (p = 0.016) periods were observed. The continuity of PA over a longer period of time was related to a higher SI (p = 0.007). Those who practiced PA throughout all school periods had a higher SI than those who practiced during primary school only (p = 0.038) or through primary and secondary schools (p = 0.009). These results suggest that impact-loading PA practiced during different school periods is related to higher values of the SI. Therefore, continuous PA from an early age may be an important contributing factor to achieving and maintaining adequate bone health.

Associations of Anthropometric Characteristics, Dietary Habits, and Aerobic Capacity With Cardiovascular Risk Factors of Health-Science Students.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to study the relative importance of dietary habits and aerobic capacity in parameters related to cardiovascular risk in 271 female and 95 male health-science students (mean age = 19.1 ± 1.4 years). In females, fatty-meat consumption predicted triglycerides (ß = .649, p < .001) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL; ß = -.242, p = .001) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL; ß = .373, p < .001) cholesterol levels. Consumption of nuts, legumes, and complex carbohydrates predicted triglyceride (ß = -.099, p = .074), HDL (ß = .231, p = .001), and LDL (ß = -.155, p = .025) levels, respectively. Aerobic capacity (ß = -.245, p < .001) and fatty-meat intake (ß = .230, p < .001) predicted diastolic blood pressure (BP); body mass index (BMI) predicted systolic BP (ß = .340, p < .001). In males, body fat percentage was the strongest predictor of triglycerides (ß = .348, p = .004), cholesterol (ß = .366, p = .006), HDL (ß = -.378, p = .004), and LDL (ß = .271, p = .043) levels. Aerobic capacity (ß = -.263, p = .013) and fatty-meat consumption (ß = .334, p = .005) independently predicted triglyceride levels. Nut (ß = -.286, p = .013) and fatty-meat intake (ß = .361, p = .002) predicted systolic BP, while BMI predicted diastolic BP (ß = .209, p = .045). As health sciences students, these participants are future health professionals; targeting such populations is important for chronic disease prevention.

Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Nutrition Are Associated with Bone Status in University Students.

Understanding the modifiable factors that improve and maximize peak bone mass at an early age is necessary to design more effective intervention programs to prevent osteoporosis. To identify these modifiable factors, we analyzed the relationship of physical activity (PA), physical fitness, body composition, and dietary intake with bone stiffness index (SI), measured by quantitative ultrasonometry in young university students (18-21 years). Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was the strongest predictor of SI (ß = 0.184; p = 0.035). SI was most closely related with very vigorous PA in males (ß = 0.288; p = 0.040) and with the number of steps/day in females (ß = 0.319; p = 0.002). An association between thigh muscle and SI was consistent in both sexes (ß = 0.328; p < 0.001). Additionally, extension maximal force was a bone SI predictor factor in females (ß = 0.263; p = 0.016) independent of thigh muscle perimeter. Calcium intake was the only nutrition parameter that had a positive relationship with SI (R = 0.217; p = 0.022). However, it was not included as a predictor for SI in our regression models. This study identifies predictors of bone status in each sex and indicates that muscle and bone interrelate with PA and fitness in young adults.