Artículos originales de investigación educacional sobre temas educativos, nacionales y latinoamericanos. Bilingüe; evaluación ciega de pares; open Access.

Background/Objectives: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and mental health issues. It affects approximately 1.78% of the general population; an estimated 4:1 ratio between women and men is observed. It significantly impacts quality of life and carries both clinical and social stigma. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between drug use and mental health in female patients with fibromyalgia. Methods: This study is prospective, observational, and cross-sectional. A questionnaire was administered to 544 subjects, achieving a representative sample size from a population of 800,000 subjects by using an algorithm for proportion estimation with a known sampling frame. The selection was non-random, making the sampling non-probabilistic. Logistic regression models were applied to assess the effect of drug use on perception of mental health; presence of symptoms such as comprehension and memory problems, insomnia, depression, and anxiety; and severity of cognitive symptoms and non-restorative sleep. To quantify the impact, odds ratios and confidence intervals have been observed. Results: The findings indicate the non-recommended use of medications and reveal the ineffectiveness and adverse effects of drug interactions on mental health. The use of benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics is significantly associated with a negative perception of mental health. Benzodiazepines do not improve symptoms or significantly reduce their severity. SSRI antidepressants do not enhance mental health perception; however, when used exclusively, they are effective in reducing the severity, but not the prevalence, of cognitive symptoms. Conclusions: The results highlight the complexity of pharmacological management in FM and raise concerns about the inappropriate use of ineffective or counterproductive drug interactions affecting patients’ mental health. They underscore the need for multidisciplinary and personalized strategies that include close and careful monitoring, as well as the simultaneous use of non-pharmacological treatments that have demonstrated evidence in improving quality of life without negatively affecting mental health, such as patient education, psychological therapy, physiotherapy, and mindfulness.

The rapid expansion of mindfulness research has generated both enthusiasm and controversy regarding its actual clinical value. While meditation is often regarded as the central mechanism of mindfulness-based interventions, other components such as psychoeducation and informal practice may play an equally significant role in improving mental health outcomes. This critical review examines the relative contributions of these elements to the therapeutic impact of mindfulness and clarifies the extent to which its effects are comparable to established treatments, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Evidence from meta-analyses and high-quality trials indicates that mindfulness programs achieve moderate efficacy in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, but effect sizes are frequently inflated by methodological limitations. Importantly, cognitive and emotional regulation skills, especially acceptance and non-judgment, appear to sustain long-term benefits more consistently than meditation alone. These findings highlight the need for rigorous longitudinal studies and component-focused designs to identify the mechanisms that drive clinical change. By distinguishing between evidence-based applications and overstated claims, this review contributes to a more balanced understanding of mindfulness and its appropriate integration into healthcare.

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic generated a significant increase in anxiety and fear in the population, especially in those with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. Although there is no evidence that fibromyalgia is a predictor of hospitalization or mortality associated with COVID-19, the infection can worsen fibromyalgia symptoms.Methods: this study focused on evaluating the ability of psychosocial pain factors, such as pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, impact of fibromyalgia, and kinesiophobia, to predict fear of COVID-19 in women with fibromyalgia. A quantitative, observational-analytical design was used, with a sample of 33 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Fear of COVID-19 was assessed through a questionnaire and scales were used to measure the predictor variables.Results: it was found that pain catastrophizing was the most significant predictor variable of fear of COVID-19. The correlation between pain catastrophizing and fear of COVID-19 was moderate, and the multiple regression model that included this variable predicted fear of COVID-19 with an adjusted R2 of 0.248.Conclusions: fear of COVID-19 in women with fibromyalgia is related to pain catastrophizing. This study suggests that pain catastrophizing may be an important factor as a predictor of fear in new studies associated with new outbreaks of this disease

La salud del ser humano es un fenómeno complejo, esencialmente multidimensional y de funcionamiento sistémico. Por esa razón, los problemas de salud no pueden ser entendidos aisladamente de la raza, género, problemas sociales, emocionales, asuntos familiares, en definitiva, la historia de vida de las personas y el entorno en el que viven, porque trascienden lo puramente biológico y fisiológico. Las enfermedades crónicas son uno de los principales problemas de salud en el mundo y sus causas se relacionan con el estilo de vida moderno y las creencias occidentales respecto de la vida, el cuerpo y la salud. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la necesidad de efectuar la práctica médica y, particularmente el manejo de enfermedades crónicas, a partir de una perspectiva sistémica de la salud. Esto significa apelar a la transversalidad disciplinar, la inclusión e integralidad en el abordaje científico; y comprender que los diversos asuntos del ser humano están interconectados y son interdependientes. Por tanto, su complejidad trasciende la división de su fisiología y la segregación del abordaje médico, y se traduce en una visión holística de la persona y su salud, entendiendo su cuerpo y sus componentes fisiológicos como una parte más de un todo integrado.

Objetivo: posicionar a la población diagnosticada de fibromialgia en la categoría de multimórbida y describir algunas de sus características. Lo anterior mediante el análisis de la prevalencia de comorbilidades, el uso de recursos clínicos y el uso de fármacos de la población estudiada. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo, transversal con una muestra de 546 mujeres diagnosticadas de fibromialgia. Aplicación de un cuestionario autoadministrado en modalidad on line. Uso de estadística descriptiva e inferencial (bivariada) para el análisis de datos. Resultados: Un 94,7% de las pacientes estudiadas padece al menos una enfermedad diagnosticada además de la fibromialgia; 11,4% padece cinco o más afecciones. Las comorbilidades más frecuentes son trastornos de salud mental, siendo la depresión la principal (70%) seguida de colon irritable (52,8%) y cefalea (50,3%). Un 51,1% presenta alta frecuencia de consulta médica. Un 77,3% utiliza más de un tipo de fármaco. La media de uso farmacológico es de 2,8 tipos. Un 80,3% afirma haberse automedicado alguna vez, siendo en promedio 1,6 la cantidad de fármacos automedicados. Conclusiones: La población con fibromialgia es altamente multimórbida y en plena edad laboral y reproductiva, presenta alto riesgo de morbimortalidad debido a la presencia de polifarmacia y automedicación, además proyecta multimorbilidad crítica a futuro, envejecimiento patológico y alto consumo de recursos clínicos.