Aims: The study aims to explore the influence of occupational balance on the physical and mental health of working university students and to describe the existing correlations within the university community between sociodemographic variables and physical and mental health.Materials and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited through a convenience sampling strategy, targeting students enrolled at the university who met the inclusion criteria and voluntarily agreed to participate. The assessment instruments used were: Occupational Balance Questionnaire, Spanish version (OBQ-E), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), and the Spanish version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF).Results: A sample of 89 participants was obtained, with a mean age of 25.42 ± 8.33. Significant differences were observed in sociodemographic and emotional variables between working and non-working students. The results indicate that non-working students have higher levels of anxiety (t = 2.7, p < 0.01), while working students show lower levels of occupational balance (t = 0.195, p < 0.05) and prefer light physical activities over moderate ones. Additionally, significant negative correlations were found between age and anxiety (r = −0.440, p < 0.0001), depression (r = −0.238; p < 0.05), stress (r = −0.399, p < 0.001) and vigorous activity (r = −0.223, p < 0.05), as well as between occupational balance and anxiety (r = −0.334, p < 0.0001), depression (r = −0.443, p < 0.0001), and, vigorous activity (r = +0.283, p < 0.001) stress (r = −0.531, p < 0.0001) variables.Conclusion: Occupational balance has a significant impact on the physical and mental health of working university students. Those with better occupational balance show lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Further studies with larger samples are needed to corroborate these findings.

Functional autonomy and nutritional status are critical for health and quality of life in community‑dwelling older adults. Evidence suggests a reciprocal association between these domains, yet findings remain fragmented due to heterogeneous study designs and assessment measures. Clarifying this link is essential for informing integrated strategies to prevent frailty and promote active ageing. A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science identified studies in English or Spanish from the past five years. Eligible studies included older adults (≥60 years) living in the community and assessed both autonomy (BADL/IADL) and nutritional status. Data extraction covered design, tools, findings and contextual factors. A descriptive synthesis mapped concepts and gaps. Thirteen studies met criteria. Greater autonomy, especially in instrumental activities, was associated with better nutritional status, while functional dependence was associated with a higher risk of malnutrition. Declining autonomy was associated with subsequent nutritional deterioration. Depression and social isolation moderated outcomes. Common tools included the Barthel Index, Lawton-Brody Scale, Katz Index and the Mini Nutritional Assessment. This contribution may be relevant for community and primary care practice, where different health and social care professionals increasingly work together to address functional autonomy and nutrition as closely related aspects of active and healthy ageing.

Background: Soft skills are essential for effective practice in healthcare professions but are often underrepresented in university curricula. Limited evidence exists regarding Spanish health science students’ perceptions and educational needs in this domain. Objective: To assess self-perceived soft skills and identify associated educational gaps among Spanish healthcare undergraduates. Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a custom Likert-scale questionnaire among 134 students from various health science degrees. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric group comparisons (Kruskal–Wallis test) were performed. Results: Most participants expressed strong agreement with their choice of profession and recognized the relevance of clinical roles. However, moderate self-assessment was reported for leadership (median = 4) and public speaking skills (median = 3). Increased stress was attributed to university demands and placements, with 41.8% rating stress as moderate and significant differences evident by academic year (p = 0.026 for professional qualification; p = 0.048 for stress during placements). Conclusions: Spanish healthcare undergraduates value soft skills yet report moderate proficiency in leadership, communication, and stress management. Further research is required to be able to make claims and recommendations on this content.

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that severely affects cognitive, behavioral, and functional abilities, creating a substantial burden for family members who provide continuous care. Caregivers often experience role changes, occupational imbalance, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life, although some report personal growth. These experiences extend beyond active caregiving and include anticipatory grief during disease progression and grief after the relative’s death. Despite this continuum, few studies have examined caregiving, loss, and bereavement from an integrative perspective. This protocol describes a mixed-methods study aimed at exploring the lived experiences of family caregivers of individuals with AD, focusing on how evolving relational, occupational, and identity-related losses influence their well-being and adaptation. Methods: A parallel convergent mixed-methods design will be used. The quantitative component consists of a cross-sectional observational study including 66 caregivers recruited through purposive sampling across kinship categories (spouse/partner, adult child, grandchild) and care settings (home care with day-center attendance vs. institutionalized care). Data will be collected using the Zarit Burden Interview, Role Checklist, Short Form-36 Health Survey, and Occupational Balance Questionnaire. Descriptive and subgroup analyses will be conducted using SPSS (version 27). The qualitative component comprises a multiple-case study with approximately 36 participants across three groups: caregivers living with individuals with AD, caregivers of institutionalized relatives, and bereaved family members. Semi-structured interviews (45–80 min) will be conducted online or in person, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using MAXQDA (version 26). Integration will follow a concurrent approach, combining quantitative and qualitative results through joint narratives and displays to produce a comprehensive interpretation. Discussion: This study aims to deepen understanding of the caregiving–grief continuum in families affected by AD by integrating quantitative indicators of burden, health status, and occupational balance with qualitative accounts of adaptation and meaning-making. Findings are expected to support the development of holistic, evidence-based interventions that promote caregiver well-being throughout the care trajectory and during bereavement. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Code: 041220246522024; 15 October 2025). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07251738. Registered November 2025. Protocol version: Version 2.

Background Assuming the care of a dependent family member can constitute a health risk factor that significantly reduces the productivity of family caregivers, compromising their future and quality of life. Objective Our purpose of this study was to investigate the productivity activities that are altered in the caregivers of a dependent family member and the impact this has on their satisfaction and quality of life. Methods An analytical observational study was conducted for 500 caregivers of dependent family members. Sociodemographic data were collected for caregivers and their dependent family members. Carers' occupational performance and satisfaction were assessed using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization - Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref). Comparison between groups was performed using the Chi-square test for qualitative variables. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the strength and direction of linear associations between numerical variables. Results Most caregivers were women (72.3%, n = 364), with an average age of 60.3 ± 13.64 years. These individuals were providing care for a family member with severe dependency (69.7%, n = 348), classified as Grade III. Up to 38.2% (n = 191) of caregivers struggled with maintaining punctuality and consistency in their paid employment, and 25.6% (n = 128) of caregivers stopped or had difficulty working. In addition, 28.4% (n = 142) of caregivers had problems with household cleaning and tidying, 20.4% (n = 102) perceived that they neglected their other family members, and 18.6% (n = 93) of caregivers encountered problems attending courses and furthering their education. Women were more affected in terms of productivity. Moreover, performance and quality of life worsened as the number of productivity activities affected increased. Conclusions Caring for a dependent family member has a considerable impact on the caregiver's productive activities, affecting their work performance, household management, and professional development, with a particularly marked impact on women. This caregiving role is also associated with a decrease in quality of life, which highlights the need for interventions to support caregivers in these areas.

Background/Objectives: Childhood cancer leads to significant physical, cognitive, and psychosocial consequences that adversely affect the development and quality of life. Occupational Therapy (OT) has the potential to mitigate these effects. However, its integration into pediatric oncology care in Spain remains limited and underexplored. This study aims to examine the availability, characteristics, and perceived impact of OT services within pediatric oncology units across Spain and to identify key barriers to their implementation. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study using a mixed-methods approach was conducted. An online questionnaire was distributed to healthcare professionals working in pediatric oncology units nationwide. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact test, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals to explore associations. Effect sizes were calculated using Cramér’s V where applicable. Qualitative responses underwent inductive thematic analysis. Results: A total of 42 hospital centers from 12 autonomous communities participated. Only 16 reported having OT services in pediatric oncology, with notable regional disparities. A significant proportion of respondents were unaware of the integration of OT in their institutions. Identified barriers included lack of resources, insufficient specialized training, and limited institutional recognition of OT. Nonetheless, professionals familiar with OT interventions reported positive outcomes, particularly in improving patients’ functional autonomy, emotional well-being, and social participation. Conclusions: OT remains insufficiently integrated into pediatric oncology care in Spain. To optimize the quality of care, it is essential to address educational, structural, and institutional challenges and promote OT as a key component of multidisciplinary teams.