Happiness is related to cardiovascular risk: a cross-sectional study in Spain.

The study of cardiovascular risk factors has been deeply described in recent years, but the findings on the complex role of psychological indicators (i.e. happiness and depression) on cardiovascular health are mixed. The primary goal of our study was to examine the extent to which certain psychological aspects, namely happiness and depression, can predict cardiovascular risk. A sample of 173 (Mage = 44.9, SD = 14; 62% females) individuals from the general population who attended a public hospital of Lleida (Spain) participated voluntarily in the study. We measured happiness, depression and different clinical and sociodemographic variables. The sample reported low levels of depression and moderate levels of happiness, overweight levels of body mass index and mainly low levels of cardiovascular risk. Happiness was correlated positively to cardiovascular risk and negatively to depression. Increases in happiness, but not in depression, were associated with people being in a higher group of cardiovascular risk. Despite a body of literature indicates that subjective well-being has a protective role over cardiovascular health, the contradictory findings of our study might be explained by several factors. The present findings invite to consider the complex and indirect influence of happiness on physical health. Future research should investigate the potential biological and behavioral processes of happiness linked with increases in cardiovascular risk.

Preliminary Results of a Screening Programme for Chlamydia in an Asymptomatic Young Population in Spain.

Introduction:Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection has increased in recent years, reaching 127 million cases in 2016. Possible complications, especially among women, require intervention for early detection of the infection. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of CT infection in a young, sexually active, asymptomatic population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2017 and 31 December 2018 among young patients aged 18-25 years attending the emergency room for any reason. The presence of CT and other STIs in urine was determined by the Allplex Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) with a urine sample. All patients testing positive were followed by the STD unit and tests on all sexual partners/contacts were offered. Moreover, we obtained data about sexual habits and risk factors via a self-reporting questionnaire. Results: One thousand three hundred eight patients were eligible for inclusion of whom 298 consented to participate. Of these, 22/298 (7.4%) were diagnosed with CT. Young people with two or more sexual partners in the last month and those suffering from infection by ureaplasma were at greater risk of infection by CT. Up to 50% of participants do not use barrier methods. Conclusion: The prevalence of infection by CT in the asymptomatic young population is higher than expected according to the recent literature in Spain. The scarce use of barrier methods among this population may be one of the causes of this increase and one of the targets to work on in order to reduce the prevalence of the infection.

[Compliance with the partner notification of HIV/STI patients in the counties of Lleida]. / Cumplimiento del estudio de contactos de personas diagnosticadas de VIH/ITS en las comarcas de Lleida.

OBJECTIVE: The partner notification is one of the main activities of epidemiological surveillance in Public Health. The primary objective was to estimate the compliance of the partner notification by health professionals who reported sexually transmitted diseases (HIV, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Chlamydia) during 2017 in Lleida's regions. METHODS: We carried out a descriptive epidemiological study of prevalence about the compliance of partner notification. Data collection was done by epidemiological surveys of these notifiable diseases and additional information was recovered through medical record and interview with professionals. The factors associated with the lack of partner notification were studied through the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). ORs were adjusted (ORa) with multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: We studied 203 STD cases with an average age of 30.6 years (SD=11.1); 32.5% were women. There was 46.3% without partner notification. The main cause of this absence was the lack of patient cooperation (23.4%). The variables associated with the lack of partner notification were the male sex (aOR-3.5; CI95%=1.6-7.5), gonococcal infection (aOR-4.9; CI95%=1.2-19.8), chlamydia infection (aOR-3.9; CI95%=0.9-16.1) and homosexual/bisexual sexual orientation (aOR-2.2; CI95%=0.9-5.4). CONCLUSIONS: Compliance of partner notification is low and it is related to male sex, sexual orientation (homosexual/bisexual/transsexual) and type of infection (Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia). Reducing the social stigma associated with sexual orientation and improving the information of health professionals could favour the contact studies.

OBJETIVO: El estudio de contactos constituye una de las principales actividades de vigilancia epidemiológica en salud pública. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue estimar el grado de su cumplimiento por parte de los profesionales que informaron sobre las infecciones de transmisión sexual (VIH/gonococia/sífilis/clamidia) en el año 2017 en las comarcas de Lleida. METODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de prevalencia sobre el cumplimiento del estudio de contactos. Se recogió la información de las encuestas epidemiológicas de las enfermedades citadas y se recuperó información de la realización del estudio de contactos mediante las historias clínicas y el contacto con los profesionales. Se estudiaron los factores asociados a la falta de estudio de contactos mediante un modelo multivariado de regresión logística y el cálculo de la odds ratio ajustada (ORa), con sus intervalos de confianza (IC) del 95%. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 203 casos de ITS, con una edad media de 30,6 años (±11,1). El 32,5% eran mujeres. El porcentaje de casos diagnosticados sin estudio de contactos fue del 46,3%, causado principalmente por la falta de colaboración del paciente (23,4%). Las variables asociadas a la falta de estudio de contactos fueron el sexo masculino (ORa=3,5; IC95%=1,6­7,5), la infección gonocócica (ORa=4,9; IC95%=1,2-19,8), la infección por clamidia (ORa=3,9; IC95%=0,9-16,1) y la orientación sexual homosexual/bisexual (ORa=2,2; IC 95%=0,9-5,4). CONCLUSIONES: El cumplimiento de los estudios de contactos es bajo y se relaciona con el sexo masculino, la orientación sexual (homosexual/bisexual) y el tipo de infección (gonococia/clamidia). Reducir el estigma asociado a la orientación sexual y mejorar la información de los profesionales podría favorecer su correcto cumplimiento.

Cumplimiento del estudio de contactos de personas diagnosticadas de VIH/ITS en las comarcas de Lleida / Compliance with the partner notification of HIV/STI patients in the counties of Lleida

OBJETIVO: El estudio de contactos constituye una de las principales actividades de vigilancia epidemiológica en salud pública. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue estimar el grado de su cumplimiento por parte de los profesionales que informaron sobre las infecciones de transmisión sexual (VIH/gonococia/sífilis/clamidia) en el año 2017 en las comarcas de Lleida. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de prevalencia sobre el cumplimiento del estudio de contactos. Se recogió la información de las encuestas epidemiológicas de las enfermedades citadas y se recuperó información de la realización del estudio de contactos mediante las historias clínicas y el contacto con los profesionales. Se estudiaron los factores asociados a la falta de estudio de contactos mediante un modelo multivariado de regresión logística y el cálculo de la odds ratio ajustada (ORa), con sus intervalos de confianza (IC) del 95%. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 203 casos de ITS, con una edad media de 30,6 años (+/-11,1). El 32,5% eran mujeres. El porcentaje de casos diagnosticados sin estudio de contactos fue del 46,3%, causado principalmente por la falta de colaboración del paciente (23,4%). Las variables asociadas a la falta de estudio de contactos fueron el sexo masculino (ORa=3,5; IC95%=1,6-7,5), la infección gonocócica (ORa=4,9; IC95%=1,2-19,8), la infección por clamidia (ORa=3,9; IC95%=0,9-16,1) y la orientación sexual homosexual/bisexual (ORa=2,2; IC 95%=0,9-5,4). CONCLUSIONES: El cumplimiento de los estudios de contactos es bajo y se relaciona con el sexo masculino, la orientación sexual (homosexual/bisexual) y el tipo de infección (gonococia/clamidia). Reducir el estigma asociado a la orientación sexual y mejorar la información de los profesionales podría favorecer su correcto cumplimiento

OBJECTIVE: The partner notification is one of the main activities of epidemiological surveillance in Public Health. The primary objective was to estimate the compliance of the partner notification by health professionals who reported sexually transmitted diseases (HIV, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Chlamydia) during 2017 in Lleida's regions. METHODS: We carried out a descriptive epidemiological study of prevalence about the compliance of partner notification. Data collection was done by epidemiological surveys of these notifiable diseases and additional information was recovered through medical record and interview with professionals. The factors associated with the lack of partner notification were studied through the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). ORs were adjusted (ORa) with multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: We studied 203 STD cases with an average age of 30.6 years (SD=11.1); 32.5% were women. There was 46.3% without partner notification. The main cause of this absence was the lack of patient cooperation (23.4%). The variables associated with the lack of partner notification were the male sex (aOR-3.5; CI95%=1.6-7.5), gonococcal infection (aOR-4.9; CI95%=1.2-19.8), chlamydia infection (aOR-3.9; CI95%=0.9-16.1) and homosexual/bisexual sexual orientation (aOR-2.2; CI95%=0.9-5.4). CONCLUSIONS: Compliance of partner notification is low and it is related to male sex, sexual orientation (homosexual/bisexual/transsexual) and type of infection (Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia). Reducing the social stigma associated with sexual orientation and improving the information of health professionals could favour the contact studies