The Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of First-Episode Psychosis: A Pilot and Feasibility Non-Randomised Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Mental-health-related stigma prevents active help seeking and therefore early therapeutic approaches and the recovery of functionality. National and international agencies recommend the implementation of prevention and mental health promotion programs that support the elimination of stigma in the classroom, since most mental health problems usually start in the adolescent stage. In view of the evidence that teachers present stigmatizing attitudes towards mental health, it has been considered as convenient to carry out an anti-stigma program with the main objective of evaluating the impact of an intervention based on the education and promotion of mental health, aimed at teachers and counsellors of a secondary school. The specific objectives were to get to know which were the most stigmatising attitudes that prevailed in the sample before and after the intervention; to evaluate the knowledge of the teaching staff and counsellors on psychosis before the intervention; to analyse correlations between clinically relevant variables; and assess whether this programme was beneficial and feasible for alphabetising counsellors/teachers of educational centres on stigma and FEP. METHODS: This was a non-randomised clinical trial in which a nursing intervention was performed. TOOLS: a psychosis test (pre), Stigma Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) (pre-post), and satisfaction survey (post) were used. The inferential analysis included the Wilcoxon and the Pearson Correlation Test. RESULTS: In the sample (n = 22), the predominant stigmatising attitude was "Help". The p-values obtained in the Wilcoxon Test were statistically significant, except for "Responsibility" and "Pity". The following constructs of interest were faced: "Fear"-"Age" and "Professional experience"; and "Help"-"Psychosis test". CONCLUSIONS: Despite the scores obtained in "Responsibility" and "Pity", the intervention was useful for reducing stigma in the sample. Implications for the profession: There are adolescents who have suffered stigma from their teachers, and consequently have minimized their symptoms and not asked for help. For this reason, we implemented a nursing intervention based on the education and promotion of mental health, with the aim of expanding knowledge and reducing stigma. In fact, this intervention, which we carried out on high school teachers, managed to reduce the majority of stigmatizing attitudes measured on the stigma attribution scale.

Diagnóstico y prevalencia de trastornos de la personalidad en atención ambulatoria. Estudio descriptive / The diagnosis and prevalence of personality disorders in outpatient services. A descriptive study

Introducción: los trastornos de personalidad (TP) son difíciles de diagnosticar. La literatura científica informa de su elevada prevalencia en muestras clínicas, pero en la práctica clínica diaria su diagnóstico es muy poco frecuente. Objetivos: Este estudio pretende estimar la prevalencia de TP en una Unidad ambulatoria de Salud Mental (USM), en situación real, para primeras citas. Método: Se aplicó el Cuestionario Salamanca (CS) como instrumento de cribado y, con los puntos de corte mínimo (2/3) y máximo (5/6), se comparó con el diagnóstico clínico realizado por un psicólogo clínico o psiquiatra, sin conocer el resultado del cribado con CS. Resultados: El diagnóstico de TP realizado por un profesional fue de un 7%, frente al 100% de positivos obtenido por el CS en el punto de corte mínimo y el 53% con el máximo: 11,8% para Cluster A, 19,8% Cluster B y 21,4% en el C. Conclusiones: La elevada prevalencia de TPs en los centros de salud mental, junto con el infradiagnóstico clínico, son otros factores que ensombrecen el pronóstico de estos pacientes (AU)

Introduction: Personality disorders (PD) are difficult to diagnose. Scientific literature shows a high prevalence in outpatient mental health services, but in daily practice the diagnosis of a PD is infrequent. Objectives: This study aims to calculate the prevalence of PD in outpatient mental health services in real clinic situation among patients who come for the first time. Method: Salamanca Questionnaire (SQ) was used as a screening method with the minimum score cut (2/3) and the maximum score cut (5/6). The results were compared with the clinical diagnose proposed by the psychiatrist or psychologyst, who did not know the result of SQ. Results: Only 7% of patients received PD diagnose although 100% of patients had pathological results with SQ using the lowest score proposed and 53% using the highest score proposed: 11,8% Clúster A, 19,8%, Clúster B and 21,4% Cluster C. Conclusions: The high prevalence of PD in outpatient mental health services and the low diagnosis rate are elements that worsen the prognosis of these patients (AU)

[Cardiovascular risk factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results of the ARCE study]. / Asociación de factores de riesgo cardiovascular y EPOC. Resultados de un estudio epidemiológico (estudio ARCE).

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is not clear whether the high cardiovascular comorbidity is due to an increase in traditional risk factors or whether, in contrast, COPD can be considered an independent risk factor. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular comorbidity in a community-based population treated for COPD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a concurrent multicenter, cross-sectional study that included 572 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COPD. Information on cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidity was collected by extracting data from the medical records of the participating center. RESULTS: The mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 53.7% (16.85%) of predicted and the ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity was 57.9% (10.9%). Hypertension was reported in 53%, obesity in 27%, dyslipidemia in 26%, and diabetes in 23% of the patients. The prevalence of risk factors was not related to disease severity, but there was a trend towards an association with age. In the study group, 16.4% had ischemic heart disease, 7% cerebrovascular disease, and 17% peripheral vascular disease. Cardiovascular disease was not associated with COPD severity, but such an association was reported for age and traditional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in patients with COPD. The prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease exceeds that reported in the general population. No relationship was found between the severity of airflow obstruction and the presence of cardiovascular comorbidity.

Asociación de factores de riesgo cardiovascular y EPOC. Resultados de un estudio epidemiológico (estudio ARCE) / Cardiovascular risk factors in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: results of the ARCE study

Objetivo: La enfermedad cardiovascular es una causa de muerte frecuente en los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC). No está claro si el exceso de comorbilidad cardiovascular se relaciona con un incremento de factores de riesgo clásicos o si, por el contrario, la EPOC puede considerarse un factor de riesgo independiente. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar la prevalencia de factores de riesgo y comorbilidad cardiovascular en una población atendida en la comunidad por presentar EPOC. Pacientes y métodos: Se ha realizado un estudio multicéntrico, concurrente y transversal, en el que se incluyó a 572 pacientes con diagnóstico confirmado de EPOC. Se recogieron datos de factores de riesgo y comorbilidad cardiovascular extraídos de la historia clínica del centro. Resultados: El valor medio ± desviación estándar del volumen espiratorio forzado en el primer segundo era del 53,7 ± 16,85% y la relación volumen espiratorio forzado en el primer segundo/capacidad vital forzada del 57,9 ± 10,9%. La prevalencia de hipertensión arterial era del 53%, la de obesidad del 27%, la de dislipemia del 26% y la de diabetes del 23%. La prevalencia de factores de riesgo no se relacionó con la gravedad de la enfermedad, pero sí había una tendencia de asociación con la edad. La prevalencia de cardiopatía isquémica fue del 16,4%, la de enfermedad cerebrovascular del 7% y la de enfermedad vascular periférica del 17%. La prevalencia de comorbilidad vascular no se relacionó con la gravedad de la enfermedad, pero sí con la edad y los factores de riesgo clásicos. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con EPOC muestran una elevada prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular. La prevalencia de enfermedad cardiovascular y cerebrovascular excede la comunicada en población general. No se ha observado relación entre la gravedad de la obstrucción al flujo aéreo y la presencia de comorbilidad cardiovascular

Objective: Cardiovascular disease is a common cause of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is not clear whether the high cardiovascular comorbidity is due to an increase in traditional risk factors or whether, in contrast, COPD can be considered an independent risk factor. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular comorbidity in a community-based population treated for COPD. Patients and methods: This was a concurrent multicenter, cross-sectional study that included 572 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COPD. Information on cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidity was collected by extracting data from the medical records of the participating center. Results: The mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 53.7% (16.85%) of predicted and the ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity was 57.9% (10.9%). Hypertension was reported in 53%, obesity in 27%, dyslipidemia in 26%, and diabetes in 23% of the patients. The prevalence of risk factors was not related to disease severity, but there was a trend towards an association with age. In the study group, 16.4% had ischemic heart disease, 7% cerebrovascular disease, and 17% peripheral vascular disease. Cardiovascular disease was not associated with COPD severity, but such an association was reported for age and traditional risk factors. Conclusions: Cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in patients with COPD. The prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease exceeds that reported in the general population. No relationship was found between the severity of airflow obstruction and the presence of cardiovascular comorbidity