Background: Virtual reality (VR) is used as a distraction measure during painful clinical procedures associated with the use of needles. These procedures include vaccinations, blood draws, or the administration of medications, which can cause children to feel increased levels of pain and fear. Objective: The objective of this study was to collect and analyze the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of VR as a tool to distract children from pain and fear during needle procedures as compared to that of standard techniques. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs with participants younger than 21 years who underwent needle procedures in which the main distraction measure used was VR and where the main outcome measure was pain. The databases searched included the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane libraries. In this systematic review, the studies were analyzed by applying the Critical Appraisal Skills Program guide in Spanish and the Jadad scale. In the meta-analysis, the effect size of the studies was analyzed based on the results for pain and fear in children. Results: From 665 unique search results, 21 studies were included in this systematic review, most of which reported low methodological quality. The study sample cohorts ranged from a minimum of 15 participants to a maximum of 220 participants. Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The global effect of using VR as a distraction measure was a significant reduction in pain (inverse variance [IV] –2.37, 95% CI –3.20 to –1.54; Z=5.58; P<.001) and fear (IV –1.26, 95% CI –1.89 to –0.63; Z=3.92; P<.001) in children in the experimental groups. Conclusions: The quality of the studies was mostly low. The main limitations were the impossibility of blinding the participants and health care personnel to the VR intervention. Nonetheless, the use of VR as a distraction measure was effective in reducing pain and fear in children during procedures involving needles.

The present study aimed to investigate the perceived changes in lifestyle behaviors among Spanish university students during COVID-19-related confinement. An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional survey study was conducted during April 2020. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were then obtained. The FANTASTIC questionnaire was used to assess the lifestyles of the 488 participants who took part in the study. Of the participants, 76.3% were female. Overall, the lifestyles of university students significantly deteriorated during the period of confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. University female students were especially affected compared to their male fellows (p = 0.010). For women, social and family relationships (p < 0.001), personality (p < 0.001), interior (p < 0.001), and career (p < 0.001) were the aspects that worsened during confinement. For men, lack of physical exercise (p < 0.001), social and family relationships (p < 0.001), and career (p = 0.002) were affected to a greater extent. In both cases, confinement was a protective factor against the consumption of tobacco, toxins (p < 0.001), and alcohol (p < 0.001). Gender (p = 0.008) and obesity (p = 0.044) were the two factors that most affected the change in the score of the FANTASTIC questionnaire. Spanish university students’ lifestyles worsened during the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those of women, who were the most affected. Some aspects, such as those related to social and emotional behaviors, were deeply affected, while confinement could be a protective factor against previous toxic habits.

Aims and Objectives: To determine the effect of immersive virtual reality (VR) on perceived pain and fear in children during vaccination and parental satisfaction with the procedure.Background: Virtual reality can reduce the perception of pain by children but only three studies have analysed its use during vaccination to date; these had small sample sizes and imperfect methodological designs.Design: A randomised controlled clinical trial.Methods: One hundred and sixty participants from the Tres Forques Health Center were randomly assigned to the intervention group (IG) (n = 82) in which distraction with immersive VR was used during the vaccination, while standard distraction techniques were used for the control group (n = 80). The primary outcome was pain (Wong–Baker FACES). Secondary outcomes included (Children's Fear Scale) and parental satisfaction with the vaccination procedure. Chi‐squared tests were used for qualitative variables, relationships between quantitative variables were tested with Spearman correlations, and Mann–Whitney U‐ or Student t‐tests were employed to assess the relationship between quantitative and qualitative variables.Results: Compared to the controls, the children in the IG reported significantly less pain and fear, while parental satisfaction was significantly higher. Reported pain and fear did not differ according to the sex of the patient. Child age was not linked to fear but was related to pain: the younger the patient, the greater the pain they described.Conclusions: Immersive VR effectively controlled pain and fear in children during vaccination and increased parent satisfaction with the vaccination process. Patient sex did not influence the level of pain and fear but age did.Relevance to clinical practice: Improving vaccination experiences can reduce perceived pain and fear in children and increase parent satisfaction, thereby enhancing vaccination schedule adherence and improving group immunity.Reporting Method: The CONSORT Statement for non‐pharmacological randomised clinical trials were followed.

Aim: to establish and to analyze a possible relationship between nutritional status, sleep pattern and quality of life in a sample of patients with cognitive dysfunction. Participants and method: an observational, descriptive study of a group of cases with a sample constituted of 48 elderly individuals (aged 65 or over) who agreed to participate in the study and lived in Valencia (Spain). EuroQol (EQ-5D), Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire (OSQ), Mini Mental State de Folsteisn (MMSE) and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were used in evaluating each individual's case. The association of variables was assessed by correlation between all three variables. Finally, to check the role and predictive capacity of two variables together, a regression model with nutritional status as the dependent variable, sleep pattern as an independent variable and HRQOL as a mediating or suppressing variable was calculated (values of p < 0.05 were considered significant). Results: the average profile of the subjects was that of an 81.5 +/- 7.6 year-old widowed woman, with primary education, with 2.40 +/- 1.09 children and diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease as principal dementia in 16.7% of the cases. The score of nutritional status (MNA) was 29.95 +/- 5.74, for sleep/rest a score of 17.53 +/- 11.13 was obtained and for the VAS of the Euro-Qol, 73.70 +/- 26.95. Statistically significant Pearson correlations were obtained between the different variables (p < 0.01). Linear regression analysis was applied, with the nutritional status as dependent variable, in relation to the OSQ and the VAS of the Euro-Qol as predictors (independent variables): MNA p < 0.000, OSQ p < 0.014 and VAS p < 0.006. Conclusion: the OSQ score and the VAS score of EQ-5D questionnaire can be considered as independent variables to establish a predictive model for the MNA score (nomogram).