Stress, Mental Health, Sleep, and Healthy Habits in Spanish Healthcare Professionals Along the Pandemic: A Case-Control, and Follow-Up Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess short and medium-term impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on stress, mental health, and sleep in Spanish healthcare professionals (HCP), and analyze the association between healthy habits, anxiety, and depression during the same period. METHODS: An online survey including five validated scales (the Perceived Stress Scale, the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scales, the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and some questions about healthy habits were completed by HCP in charge of patients without and with coronavirus. Once for the control group (baseline), and twice for the case group (baseline and follow-up). RESULTS: Overall 563 questionnaires were included. Moderate-severe stress was reported by 98.1% of subjects, anxiety and depression by 55.1% and 78.7% respectively, and poor sleep quality by 96.6%. Anxiety was reported more frequently by females and singles. HCP in charge of COVID-19 patients showed, in the baseline, a higher frequency of anxiety compared to controls (58.9% vs. 42.8%, p=0.002), and of depression (82.1% vs. 67.6%, p=0.001), that persisted in the follow-up assessment. Furthermore, HCP in charge of COVID-19 patients also exhibited more elevated mean scores for stress (p=0.005) and poor sleep (p=0.019). A decrease of sunlight exposure was associated with an increase of anxiety and depression symptoms, and less physical activity with depression. CONCLUSION: Stress, sleep, and mental problems were common in Spanish HCP, especially in those in charge of COVID patients. These findings persisted throughout the pandemic, and may impact in the post-pandemic mental health of HCP.

Screen media use and sleep patterns in Spanish adolescents during the lockdown of the coronavirus pandemic.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate screen media use and sleep patterns among Spanish adolescents during the lockdown (LD) of the first peak of the coronavirus pandemic. METHODS: Cross-sectional community-based study of adolescents aged 11-18 years. An online questionnaire with queries about screen time, sleep, and other healthy habits was completed by parents or guardians. RESULTS: Overall 265 adolescents were enrolled. The mean age was 13.6 ± 2.3 years, 58% were boys, 68% were in secondary school and 72% lived in urban areas. Before the LD (BLD) 87% of adolescents used electronic devices < 4 h/d, while during the LD (DLD) screen time was > 4 h/d in 75% of cases (p < 0.0001). A delayed wake time and bedtime weekdays (BLD wake time weekdays: later than 09:45 0.0% vs. DLD 30%, p < 0.0001, and BLD bedtime weekdays: later than 00:30 3% vs. DLD 35%, p < 0.0001) and weekends DLD was observed. Adolescents who used electronic devices > 4 h/d DLD compared with those who used < 4 h/d reported more frequently long sleep latency (93% vs. 7%, p = 0.007), low sunlight exposure (77% vs. 23%, p = 0.031), less physical activity (86%. vs. 15%, p = 0.011) and weight gain (78%. vs. 22%, p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: During the lockdown Spanish adolescents reported elevated screen time and delayed sleep patterns. An increase in screen media use was associated with unhealthy habits.

Validity and Reliability of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 (SAVE-6) Scale to Measure Viral Anxiety of Healthcare Workers in Spain During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examined the validity and applicability of the Spanish version of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-6 items (SAVE-6) scale, which can be usually applied to the general population, to healthcare workers to briefly measure their anxiety responses to the viral epidemic. A total of 135 healthcare workers participated in this online survey from January to July 2021. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics were gathered, and their psychiatric symptoms were rated using SAVE-6, Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GDAS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the validity of the scales. The single-structure model of the SAVE-6 scale was adopted based on the results of the parallel analysis. We decided on the SAVE-6 scale, as it proved to be a good fit to measure healthcare workers' anxiety response to the viral epidemic. SAVE-6 showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.827 and McDonald's omega = 0.834) and good convergent validity with Goldberg anxiety (r = 0.434, p < 0.001) and depression (r = 0.193, p = 0.043) scores, and PSQI score (r = 0.262, p = 0.002). The Spanish version of SAVE-6 is a reliable and valid rating scale to assess the anxiety response of healthcare workers specifically to the viral epidemic as a brief measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hábitos de sueño y consumo de tóxicos de los adolescentes / No disponible

No disponible

Efectos de fármacos hipnóticos en el embarazo y la lactancia / Drugs hypnotics in pregnancy and lactation

La utilización de psicofármacos, especialmente hipnóticos y ansiolíticos puede ser necesaria en algunas mujeres gestantes y lactantes. No obstante la escasa información científica existente sobre el tema puede condicionar la correcta administración terapéutica. En parte es totalmente comprensible ya que no se pueden realizar, por cuestiones evidentemente éticas, ensayos clínicos en humanos que nos den alguna información sobre el tema. Lo mejor es conocer que existen algunas de estas sustancias que pueden utilizarse y que el control medico es imprescindible para garantizar la buena alud tanto de la madre como del feto. Por eso hemos creído necesaria la compilación de información acerca de la idoneidad de la administración de estos psicofármacos. Para poder aportar datos científicos contrastados hemos consultado tres organismos que han estudiado y dictado normas sobre estos temas, la FDA (food and drug administration) y la ADEC (australian drug evaluation committee) para el tema de la gestación, y la Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, para la lactancia (AU)

The use of psychotropics specially hypnotics and anxiolytics can be necessary in some pregnant and nursing women. Despite the lack of scientific information on the subject it can affect the correct therapeutic administration. The lack of information is understandable due to the impossibility to do, for ethical reasons, clinical tests in humans. The best thing is to know than some of these substances exist that they can be used and that medical control is essential to insure the good health of both the mother and of the fetus. For that reason we have believe necessary an information compilation about the suitability of the administration of these drugs. In order to be able to compare dictated scientific data we have consulted three agencies that have studied and dictated norms on these subjects, the FDA (food and drug administration), the ADEC (Australian Drug Evaluation Committee) in relation to pregnancy and Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública in relation to breast feeding (AU)