Acute stress of the healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic evolution: a cross-sectional study in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the volume of health professionals who suffered distress due to their care of patients with COVID-19 and to analyse the direction in which the response capacity of the professionals to face future waves of COVID-19 is evolving. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Primary care and hospitals in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A non-randomised sample of 685 professionals (physicians, nurses and other health staff). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency and intensity of stress responses measured by the Acute Stress of Health Professionals Caring COVID-19 Scale (EASE). Variation of stress responses according to the number of deaths per day per territory and the evolutionary stage of the COVID-19 outbreak measured by the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The average score on the EASE Scale was 11.1 (SD 6.7) out of 30. Among the participants, 44.2% presented a good emotional adjustment, 27.4% a tolerable level of distress, 23.9% medium-high emotional load and 4.5% extreme acute stress. The stress responses were more intense in the most affected territories (12.1 vs 9.3, p=0.003) and during the disillusionment phase (12.7 vs 8.5 impact, 10.2 heroic and 9.8 honeymoon, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic has affected the mental health of a significant proportion of health professionals which may reduce their resilience in the face of future waves of COVID-19. The institutional approaches to support the psychological needs of health professionals are essential to ensure optimal care considering these results.

Qué elementos son necesarios para una comunicación centrada en la persona con problemas de fertilidad / What elements are necessary for person centered communication in fertilitycare?

En España el 15 % de parejas en edad reproductiva tienen problemas de fertilidad y casi un millón de parejas son demandantes de tratamientos de reproducción asistida. La información ajustada a sus necesidades a través de una comunicación adecuada reduce la inestabilidad emocional. Por ello es necesario establecer qué elementos de información y comunicación son necesarios para garantizar una atención centrada en la persona con problemas de fertilidad. Se ha realizado una revisión de los elementos sobre comunicación e información al paciente con problemas de fertilidad a través de documentación contenida en páginas web de asociaciones y guías de fertilidad internacionales. Se tuvo en consideración la información de tres guías y cuatro asociaciones, que contenían información relacionada con la atención a la persona con problemas de fertilidad. de éstas se han extraído 71 elementos, organizados en 10 categorías, que coinciden con los principios básicos de la atención centrada en los pacientes con problemas de fertilidad, que son: tratamiento, acceso al tratamiento, organización del centro, medicamentos, temporalidad de las citas, resultados del tratamiento, toma de decisiones, percepción de apoyo, estilos de vida y trato recibido

In Spain, 15 % of couples within reproductive ages suffer from reproductive problems, resulting in nearly one million re-quiring assisted reproductive treatment. Information tailored to their needs through proper communication reduces emotional instability.There fore, it was proposed to establish what elements of information and communication are necessary for to ensure per-son-centered care with fertility problems, to facilitate informed decision-making. A review of the elements on communication and information has been carried out on patients with fertility problems through documentation contained in web pages of international fertility associations and guides. It took into consideration information of three guides and four associations that contains information related to patient centered care with fertility problems. Of these, have been extracted 71 elements, organized in 10 categories, which coincides with the basic principles of patients centered care with fertility problems, which are: treatment, access to treatment, centre organization, medications, timing of appointments, treatment results, decision making, perception support, lifestyles and treatment received

Noticias de prensa sobre errores clínicos y sensación de seguridad al acudir al hospital / News items about clinical errors and safety perceptions in hospital patients

Objetivo Analizar el tratamiento informativo que realiza la prensa de los errores clínicos y su influencia en los pacientes.MétodosEstudio cualitativo y cuantitativo. Primero, análisis de contenido de las noticias publicadas en 6 periódicos entre abril y noviembre de 2007. Segundo, encuesta a 829 pacientes de 5 hospitales de 4 comunidades autónomas.ResultadosSe analizan 90 casos que generan 128 noticias, con una media de 16 impactos mensuales. En 91 (71,1%) se contrastó la fuente. En 78 (60,9%) apareció el autor. El impacto de las noticias fue de −4,86 puntos (intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: −4,15–5,57). En 59 casos (57%) se atribuye el error al sistema, en 27 (21,3%) a los profesionales y en 41 (32,3%) a ambos. Ni el número de columnas (p=0,702), ni la inclusión de postitular (p=0,195), ni el apoyo gráfico (p=0,9) se mostraron relacionados con las consecuencias del error. De 829 pacientes, 515 (62,1%; IC95%: 58,8–65,4%) afirmaron haber visto u oído recientemente noticias sobre errores clínicos en prensa, radio o televisión. La percepción de seguridad disminuye cuando coinciden la preocupación por ser víctima de un error clínico y el impacto reciente de noticias sobre errores en la prensa (χ2=15,17; p=0,001).ConclusionesTodas las semanas aparece alguna noticia sobre errores clínicos en algún medio. El tratamiento en el periódico de las denuncias de supuestos errores es similar al de las noticias sobre sentencias judiciales por negligencia con daño irreparable. Las noticias sobre errores generan inseguridad en los pacientes. Es aconsejable crear espacios de encuentro entre periodistas y profesionales sanitarios(AU)

Objective To analyze how news items about clinical errors are treated by the press in Spain and their influence on patients.MethodsWe performed a quantitative and qualitative study. Firstly, news items published between April and November 2007 in six newspapers were analyzed. Secondly, 829 patients from five hospitals in four autonomous regions were surveyed.ResultsWe analyzed 90 cases generating 128 news items, representing a mean of 16 items per month. In 91 news items (71.1%) the source was checked. In 78 items (60.9%) the author could be identified. The impact of these news items was −4.86 points (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: −4.15–5.57). In 59 cases (57%) the error was attributed to the system, in 27 (21.3%) to health professionals, and in 41 (32.3%) to both. Neither the number of columns (p=0.702), nor the inclusion of a sub-header (p=0.195), nor a complementary image (p=0.9) were found to be related to the effect of the error on safety perceptions. Of the 829 patients, 515 (62.1%; 95%CI: 58.8–65.4%) claimed to have recently seen or heard news about clinical errors in the press, on the radio or on television. The perception of safety decreased when the same person was worried about being the victim of a clinical error and had seen a recent news item about such adverse events (χ2=15.17; p=0.001).ConclusionsEvery week news items about clinical errors are published or broadcast. The way in which newspapers report legal claims over alleged medical errors is similar to the way they report judicial sentences for negligence causing irreparable damage or harm. News about(AU)

[News items about clinical errors and safety perceptions in hospital patients]. / Noticias de prensa sobre errores clínicos y sensación de seguridad al acudir al hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze how news items about clinical errors are treated by the press in Spain and their influence on patients. METHODS: We performed a quantitative and qualitative study. Firstly, news items published between April and November 2007 in six newspapers were analyzed. Secondly, 829 patients from five hospitals in four autonomous regions were surveyed. RESULTS: We analyzed 90 cases generating 128 news items, representing a mean of 16 items per month. In 91 news items (71.1%) the source was checked. In 78 items (60.9%) the author could be identified. The impact of these news items was -4.86 points (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: -4.15-5.57). In 59 cases (57%) the error was attributed to the system, in 27 (21.3%) to health professionals, and in 41 (32.3%) to both. Neither the number of columns (p=0.702), nor the inclusion of a sub-header (p=0.195), nor a complementary image (p=0.9) were found to be related to the effect of the error on safety perceptions. Of the 829 patients, 515 (62.1%; 95%CI: 58.8-65.4%) claimed to have recently seen or heard news about clinical errors in the press, on the radio or on television. The perception of safety decreased when the same person was worried about being the victim of a clinical error and had seen a recent news item about such adverse events (chi(2)=15.17; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Every week news items about clinical errors are published or broadcast. The way in which newspapers report legal claims over alleged medical errors is similar to the way they report judicial sentences for negligence causing irreparable damage or harm. News about errors generates insecurity in patients. It is advisable to create interfaces between journalists and health professionals.