Sociodemographic and Clinical Profile of People Attended in the “Catalonia Suicide Risk Code” Program.

uicide is an issue with a great impact on public health. For this reason, the Catalonia Suicide Risk Code (CSRC) protocol was developed in 2015.

Perfil sociodemográfico y clínico de las personas atendidas en el programa “Código Riesgo Suicidio de Cataluña” / Sociodemographic and clinical profile of people attended in the “Catalonia Suicide Risk Code” program

Introducción. El suicidio es un problema de un gran impacto en la salud pública. Por esta razón, el protocolo del Código de Riesgo Suicidio se desarrolló en Cataluña en 2015. El objetivo de este trabajo es examinar el perfil sociodemográfico y clínico de los pacientes para los que se activó este protocolo entre 2016 y 2017 en nuestra población de referencia. Metodología. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de datos registrados sobre el Código de Riesgo de Suicidio de nuestra población atendida (n = 246 en 2016 y n = 391 en 2017) en los centros de salud mental de adultos del Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu que han sido previamente atendidos en urgencias de alguno de los hospitales del área de referencia. Resultados. El perfil más frecuente en 2016 y 2017 fue el de una mujer entre 40 y 55 años con acontecimientos vitales estresantes. El método más utilizado fue el abuso de sustancias. Conclusiones. Los datos sugieren que la tarea asistencial debería ajustarse al perfil de mayor riesgo observado para nuestra población de referencia, considerando los acontecimientos vitales estresantes como factor de riesgo significativos que deben ser considerados.(AU)

Introduction. Suicide is an issue with a great impact on public health. For this reason, the Catalonia Suicide Risk Code (CSRC) protocol was developed in 2015. The aim of this paper is to examine the sociodemographic and clinical profile of patients for whom this protocol was activated between 2016 and 2017 in our reference population. Methodology. Retrospective descriptive study of recorded data on Suicide Risk Code of our population attended (n=246 in 2016 and n=391 in 2017) in the mental health outpatient services of the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu being attended previously in the emergency services of any of the hospitals of reference. Results. The most prevalent profile in both 2016 and 2017 was woman between 40 and 55 years of age with stressful life events. The most prevalent method used was substance abuse. Conclusions. The data suggest that the health care task should be adjusted to the highest risk profile observed in our reference population, considering stressful live events as significant risk factors which should be taken into account.(AU)

Effects of a Mindfulness Program for University Students / Los efectos de un programa de mindfulness en estudiantes universitarios

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a brief and flexible mindfulness program in reducing anxiety and increasing mindful awareness in psychology university students. The sample consisted of 72 psychology students who participated in four different studies. The first was a quasi-experimental study and the remaining three studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT). A mindfulness program was applied to intervention groups. Anxiety (STAI-T) and mindful awareness (FFMQ) were assessed before and immediately after the intervention. Anxiety was reduced and mindful awareness increased in the intervention groups (p < .05). In the three RCTs the magnitude of change (between groups) showed a moderate increase in mindful awareness in one study (d = 0.68) and a large increase in the remaining two (d = 1.32, 1.01), and as regards anxiety, large changes were observed in the three studies (d = 0.80, 1.04, 0.81). As a conclusion, this mindfulness program proved to be effective in reducing anxiety and increasing mindful awareness

El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la eficacia de un programa de mindfulness breve y flexible para reducir la ansiedad y aumentar la conciencia plena en los estudiantes universitarios de psicología. La muestra comprende 72 estudiantes de psicología que participaron en cuatro estudios diferentes. El primero fue cuasi-experimental y los tres restantes fueron ensayos controlados aleatorizados (en inglés, RCT). Se aplicó un programa de mindfulness a los grupos de intervención. La ansiedad (STAI-T) y la conciencia plena (FFMQ) se evaluaron antes e inmediatamente después de la intervención. Se redujo la ansiedad y se incrementó la conciencia plena en los grupos de intervención (p <. 05). En los tres RCT la magnitud del cambio (entre grupos) mostró un aumento moderado de la conciencia plena en un estudio (d = 0.68) y un gran aumento de los dos restantes (d = 1.32, 1.01) y en lo que respecta a la ansiedad se observaron grandes cambios en los tres estudios (d = 0.80, 1.04, 0.81). Como conclusión, este programa de mindfulness demostró su eficacia en la reducción de la ansiedad y el aumento de la conciencia plena

Cognitive function associated with different diagnoses of anxiety disorders over the lifespan: Results from a Spanish representative sample.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests an association between anxiety disorders and worse cognitive function. However, this association may vary depending on the type of disorder and age. We analysed the association of panic attack, 12-month and lifetime panic disorder (PD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), with cognitive function in a representative sample of Spanish adults, and compared three age groups (18-49, 50-64, and 65+). METHODS: Some 4,582 participants were interviewed with an adapted CIDI interview. Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models were calculated by age group, using T scores of verbal fluency and episodic memory as the outcomes. RESULTS: In young adults, 12-month GAD was associated with significantly lower scores of memory performance and verbal fluency, and 12-month PD with worse verbal fluency. In middle-aged participants, lifetime panic attack was related to better performance in verbal fluency, whereas having a diagnosis of lifetime PD was associated with lower scores. However, only participants aged 18-49 with 12-month GAD showed lower memory and verbal fluency, at almost one standard deviation below participants without 12-month GAD. LIMITATIONS: Low prevalence rates of anxiety disorder could have led to biased results. CONCLUSIONS: In young adults, a concurrent GAD might be particularly associated with memory and verbal fluency deficits, whereas only verbal fluency is affected in middle-aged adults with a history of PD, although this association is small. In older adults, anxiety disorders are not clearly associated with worse cognition, probably because in this age group other confounder variables might be attenuating this link. Overall, our findings suggest that cognitive interventions for anxiety disorders may be relevant, especially for young and middle-aged adults.