Characterizing the physical and mental health profile of children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder in Spain.

Introduction: Autistic men and women are more likely to experience health issues than the general population, although the available epidemiological studies addressing co-occurrence conditions are limited. This is the first Spanish epidemiologic study addressing the health profile and poor-health exacerbating factors in individuals of all ages with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: We analyzed 2,629 registries extracted from Autism Spain's sociodemographic registry (November 2017-May 2020). A descriptive health data analysis was conducted to assess the prevalence of other conditions associated to ASD in the Spanish population. Nervous system disorders (12.9%), mental health diagnoses (17.8%), and other comorbidities (25.4%) were reported. Men-to-women ratio was 4:1. Results: Women, elder individuals and those with intellectual disability (ID) were at an increased risk of health comorbidities and psychopharmacological exposure. Women were also more prone to severe intellectual and functional impairment. Nearly all individuals had difficulties in their adaptative functioning, especially those with ID (50% of the population). Almost half of the sample received psychopharmacological treatments starting from infancy and early childhood, mostly antipsychotics and anticonvulsants. Discussion: This study represents an important first approach to the health status of autistic people in Spain and can contribute to the development of public policies and innovative health strategies.

Development of an Ecologically Valid Assessment for Social Cognition Based on Real Interaction: Preliminary Results.

Many social cognitive assessment measures that are appropriate for clinical use are currently available, but there is a general concern about their ecological validity. This study aimed to develop an applicable real interaction-based test to assess social cognition. A sample of 50 subjects (mean age 22 ± 5.8, 56% women) took the Social Interaction Test as well as two instruments for assessing social cognition: (1) the Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) and (2) branch 4 from the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). The test showed no incidence on its application. The reliability of the 18-item final version of the test was a medium-high level (Cronbach's alpha = 0.701). To assess the internal structure of the test, a multidimensional scaling procedure was used. The common space of coordinates for the two-dimensional solution showed a normalized raw stress of 0.076 and Tucker's congruence coefficient of 0.965. The social interaction test showed stronger association with MASC (more realistic, video-based format) than with MSCEIT (less realistic, paper-based format). The Social Interaction Test is applicable and feasible to use it to assess social cognition in the general population.

Los factores de resiliencia ante las situaciones traumáticas. Análisis tras los atentados del 11 de marzo en una muestra de pacientes en el CSM de Alcalá de Henares / The resilience factors in traumatic situations. Analysis after the terrorist assault in a sample of patients in the mental health services of Alcalá de Henares

Introducción: Los atentados del 11M del 2004 en Madrid supusieron un reto para la sanidad madrileña, debido al gran número de afectados y víctimas. Esta demanda fue especialmente visible en el CSM de Alcalá de Henares, que tuvo que hacer frente a gran número de afectados. El objetivo del estudio es conocer a los dos años y medio de los atentados los factores que los pacientes consideran más les han ayudado a la superación de una situación traumática (de resiliencia). Material y Método: Se recogió la población de pacientes que acudieron al CSM con un motivo de consulta en relación a los atentados terroristas, mayores de edad con un periodo de inclusión de 3 meses y medio tras los atentados. La muestra final estaba conformada por 104 pacientes, se contactó entre los meses de febrero y marzo del 2007 telefónicamente para que respondiese a 5 cuestiones entre la que se encontraba la relativa a los factores de resiliencia. Las respuestas se transcribieron literalmente y posteriormente se elaboraron una serie de etiquetas o categorías que englobasen a todas las respuestas. Resultados: De los 104 pacientes se logro contactar con 78 y de ellos 76 accedieron a contestar. El factor de resiliencia más mencionado fue el asociado al entorno sociofamiliar, seguido del tratamiento y en tercer lugar la respuesta individual al trauma y las características propias del individuo, otros factores de resiliencia fueron mencionadas en menor medida. Conclusiones: Nuestros hallazgos resaltan la importancia de el entorno sociofamiliar como el factor de mayor utilidad para la readaptación tras una vivencia traumática, coincidiendo con la mayoría de los estudios. Destaca que las variables asociadas al tratamiento son mencionados solo por 10 pacientes de la muestra, lo que parece indicar una mayor importancia del apoyo social para la superación de una vivencia traumática y una menor utilidad para los pacientes de nuestra muestra del tratamiento sanitario y de otros factores de resiliencia (AU)

Introduction: The 11th of March bomb attack in Madrid suponed a challenge for the Madrilenian health system, due to the great number of affected and victims. This demand was specifically visible in the Mental Health Services of Alcalá de Henares, that by his geographic situation it had to do in front of great number of affected. The aim of this study is to know 2,5 years after the attacks the factors that the patients consider more have helped for overcoming this traumatic situation (resilience factors). Material and Method: The sample was conformed for the patients that went to the Mental Health Services with a reason for consultation in relation to the terrorist attack, of legal age with a period of inclusion of 3 months and a half after the attacks. The final sample was conformed by 104 patients which was contacted by phone between the months of February and March of 2007 so that they responded to 5 questions between it was regarding the resilience factors. The answers were transcribed literally and afterwards was elaborated a series of labels or categories that included all the answers. Results: 78 of the 104 patients of the sample were contacted of whom 76 acceded to answer. The resilience factor more mentioned was the sociofamiliar factor followed of the treatment factor and thirdly the individual response to the trauma and the own characteristics of the individual, other resilience factors were mentioned to a lesser extend. Conclusions: Our findings emphasizes the importance of the sociofamiliar factors as the factors of greater utility for the readjustment after a traumatic experience, as the majority of the studies agrees. It is remarkable that the variables associated with the treatment although are the second factor of valued resilience more mentioned only was mentioned by ten patients of the sample, which seems to indicate a greater importance of sociofamiliar support for overcoming a traumatic experience and a smaller utility for the patients of this sample of the sanitary treatment and of other factors of resilience (AU)

Tratamientos para la depresión en la enfermedad oncológica. Una revisión narrativa / Treatments for depression in oncologic disease. A narrative review

El aumento de la esperanza de vida en el paciente oncológico, así como una mayor preocupación desde el ámbito oncológico por los aspectos psiquiátricos y psicológicos de la enfermedad, han conllevado un aumento de la demanda de intervenciones psicoterapéuticas y farmacológicas, principalmente por depesión. El amplio abanico de intervenciones posibles para los trastornos depresivos permite al clínico optar por tratamientos psiquiátricos compatibles con los oncológicos, así como mejorar en conjunto la calidad de vida del paciente y su entorno. En este trabajo se presentan y comentan los datos más importantes recopilados sobre tratamientos para la depresión en los últimos años, ofreciendo al clínico una revisión narrativa de su estado actual (AU)

The increase of life expectancy in oncologic patients and the rising interest on psychiatric and psychological aspects of the oncologic disease implie a growth in the demand of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic interventions, most of them for depression. The wide spectrum of available interventions for the depressive disorders allows clinicians to choose treatments compatible with the oncologic ones, increasing quality of life of patients and their social setting. This paper reviews and comments the most important evidences compiled from the last ten years’ scientific literature, offering a narrative review of the present situation (AU)

Demanda de atención en salud mental por los atentados del 11M en Alcalá de Henares / Care demand in mental health due to the 3/11 terrorist outrage in Alcalá de Henares

Se trata de valorar la influencia de los factores sociodemográficos en la demanda recibida tras los atentados del 11M en el CSM de Alcalá de Henares (AU)

The aim is to determine the influence of the social and demographic factors in the demand received after the 11M terrorist attack in the Mental Health Center of Alcalá de Henares (AU)