Flare-Ups in Crohn's Disease: Influence of Stress and the External Locus of Control.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to explore the role of perceived stress and the health locus of control in Crohn's disease and their influence upon the development of flare-ups of this disease. (2) Methods: Stress and the external locus of control were evaluated in a sample of 64 Crohn's patients (flare-up phase versus latency phase). The perceived stress scale (PSS-14) and the multidimensional health locus of control scale were the measurement instruments used. (3) Results: The results indicate that the patients have high stress levels during a flare-up (26.13; 27.44; 28.79; 29.67); high stress levels (28.07; 29.67; 27.44; 28.07) if they have a high external locus of control; and that the external locus of control and stress levels have a significant influence upon the existence of flare-ups in those patients with low external locus of control levels (χ2 = 11.127; df = 1: p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Actions aimed at reducing stress and external locus of control levels are necessary in Crohn's disease.

Nurse Intervention: Attitudes and Knowledge About Organ Donation and Transplantation in Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The problems involved in obtaining authorization in favor of organ donation have led us to evaluate the level of knowledge and attitudes of a group of Spanish adolescents (14-16 years) regarding organ donation, transplantation, and brain death. The evaluation was carried out before and after a health education intervention by nursing personnel. METHODS: Experimental, prospective and quantitative study. The educational intervention was carried out at Las Salinas high school (Laguna de Duero, Spain). We collected 86 preworkshop questionnaires and 88 post-workshop questionnaires. RESULTS: The composition of the groups did not differ significantly in sex (P = .653), age (P = .266), or in the desire to be a donor (P = .099). We found significant postworkshop improvements in knowledge about brain death (P < .001) and which organs can be donated (P < .001), as well as in the total score (18.29 ± 2.45 before vs 21.47 ± 2.70 after) (P < .001). We discovered a vast lack of knowledge about the organs that cannot be transplanted, which included the penis (38.4%), uterus (31.4%), prostate (41.9%), or bladder (37.2%); these beliefs decreased significantly after the intervention (P < .01). The increase in knowledge of the organs that can be donated, including eye (P = .024), lung (P = .025), stomach (P < .001), intestine (P = .001), and skin (P < .001), was also significant. CONCLUSIONS: The good results reflected the importance of conducting educational programs taught by health personnel on donation and organ transplantation in adolescents.

What Do We Know Today about Long COVID? Nursing Care for a New Clinical Syndrome.

Persistent COVID, long COVID, long-effects, long-term effects or chronic COVID are all names of a new syndrome caused by a set of multi-organ symptoms that appear after having been infected with SARS-CoV-2 [...].