Medical students represent a new generation of medical thought, and if they have a favourable attitude towards organ donation this will greatly encourage its promotion. To analyse the attitude of medical students in Spanish universities towards the donation of their own organs and to determine the factors affecting this attitude. Type of study: A sociological, interdisciplinary, multicentre, and observational study in Spain. Students studying a degree in medicine enrolled in Spain (n = 34,000). A sample of 9598 students (confidence of 99% and precision of ±1%), stratified by geographical area and academic year. Instrument of measurement: A validated questionnaire of attitude towards organ donation and transplantation (PCID-DTO RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously. The questionnaire completion rate was 95.7% (n = 9.275). 80% were in favour of donation, 2% against and 18% were undecided. The following main variables were related to a favourable attitude: being of the female sex (Odds Ratio = 1.739); being in the sixth year of the degree (OR = 2.506); knowing a donor (OR = 1.346); having spoken about the subject with one's family (OR = 2.132) and friends (OR = 1.333); having a family circle that is in favour, more specifically, having a father (OR = 1.841), mother (OR = 2.538) or partner in favour (OR = 2.192); being a blood donor (OR = 2.824); acceptance of the mutilation of the body if it were necessary (OR = 2.958); and being an atheist or an agnostic (OR = 1.766). Spanish medical students generally have a favourable attitude towards organ donation, although 20% are not in favour.

Obesity has been associated with higher risk of frailty in older adults, but the pathophysiological mechanisms are unclear. No previous study has examined the association between leptin, an adipokine, and the risk of frailty in older adults, and whether this association could be explained by insulin resistance or chronic inflammation. Data were taken from 1,573 individuals without diabetes mellitus, aged ≥60 years, from the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. In 2008-2010, leptin, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Study participants were followed-up through 2012 to assess incident frailty, defined as at least two of the following Fried criteria: exhaustion, weakness, low physical activity, and slow walking speed. Analyses were performed with logistic regression and adjusted for the main confounders. Over a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 280 cases of incident frailty were identified. Compared to individuals in the lowest tertile of serum leptin, those in the highest tertile showed an increased risk of frailty (odds ratio [OR]: 2.12; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47-3.06; p-trend <0.001). Further adjustment for the percentage of body fat led to an OR of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.11-2.61; p-trend=0.01). After additional adjustment for HOMA-IR and CRP, the OR for frailty was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.01-2.52; p-trend=0.04). Results did not vary according to sex, abdominal obesity or the percentage of body fat. Being in the highest versus lowest tertile of leptin was associated with increased risk of exhaustion (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.32-3.55; p-trend=0.001) and muscle weakness (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.25-2.51; p-trend=0.001), in the analyses adjusted for potential confounders and body fat. Higher leptin concentration was associated with greater risk of frailty in older adults. This association was only modestly explained by insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, as measured by CRP.

To explore the association between gender-role attitudes and the recognition of abuse among adolescents and young adults during dating relationships. Cross-correlation study. 57 schools of secondary education, vocational education and university in five provinces of Spain (Huelva, Seville, A Coruña, Pontevedra and Asturias). 4,337 students aged between 15 and 26 years (40.6% males and 59.4% female) who had a dating relationship that lasted more than a month. The Gender Role Attitudes Scale was used, which consists of 20 indicators of egalitarian or sexism attitudes at the family, social and occupational level. The students also reported whether they suffered from recognized abuse (RA), unperceived abuse (UPA), or not abused (NA). In the whole sample, 68.6% declared themselves NA, 26.4% were under a situation of UPA, and 5.0% were RA. The RA group was more frequent among the females (6.3%), ≥18 years (6.4%) and university students (6.9%). UPA was more common in males (30.2%). The most sexist attitudes were found in the occupational dimension and especially in men and adolescents (15-17 years). Less sexist attitudes were associated with a lower probability of experiencing UPA (odds ratio=.71; P-trend<.001). Sexism seems to hinder the recognition of abuse. Achieving gender equity in adolescence and youth is imperative. Public health efforts should focus on men, as they constitute the group with more sexist attitudes and with higher prevalence of UPA.

Clinical practices are key environments for skill acquisition during the education of nursing students, where it is important to encourage reflective learning. This study sought to explore the experience of final year nursing students during their clinical placement in emergency and intensive care units and to identify whether differences exist between female and male students. Using qualitative methodology, a documentary analysis of 28 reflective learning journals was carried out at a public university in Northern Spain. Four themes were identified: “an intense emotional experience”, “the importance of attitudes over and above techniques”, “identifying with nurses who dominate their environment and are close to the patient in complex and dehumanized units” and “how to improve care in critically ill patients and how to support their families”. The female students displayed a more emotional and reflective experience, with a strong focus on patient care, whereas male students identified more with individual aspects of learning and the organization and quality of the units. Both male and female students experienced intense emotions, improved their learning in complex environments and acquired attitudes linked to the humanization of care. However, the experience of these clinical rotations was different between female and male students.

Dietary proteins are sources of some amino acid precursors of two neurotransmitters relevant for biological rhythms, serotonin and melatonin, which are involved in sleep and alertness. Meat is the main source of proteins in many countries. Furthermore, meat consumption is of special interest because it provides high-quality protein as well as saturated and trans fatty acids. However, its effect on sleep patterns is unclear. Thereby, the aim was to examine the association of habitual meat consumption with changes in sleep duration and with sleep quality in older adults. We used data from 1,341 participants in the Seniors-ENRICA cohort aged ≥60 years, followed from 2012 through 2015. Habitual meat consumption was assessed at baseline with a validated diet history. Sleep duration and quality were ascertained both in 2012 and 2015. Analyses were performed with logistic regression and adjusted for socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, morbidity, sleep duration and poor sleep indicators at baseline. During follow-up, 9.0% of individuals increased and 7.9% decreased their sleep duration by ≥2 hours/night. Compared with individuals in the lowest tertile of meat consumption (<87 g/d), those in the highest tertile (≥128 g/d) showed increased incidence of a large decrease (≥2 h) in sleep duration (OR: 1.93; 95% CI:1.01-3.72; p-trend:0.04). Higher consumption of meat was also associated with incidence of snoring (OR:2.06; 95% CI:1.17-3.60; p-trend:0.01) and poor general sleep quality (OR:1.71; 95% CI:1.04-2.82; p-trend:0.03). Each 100 g/d increment in meat intake was associated with a 60% higher risk of both large sleep duration changes and poor sleep quality (OR:1.60; 95% CI:1.07-2.40). Results were in the same direction for red and processed meat and for white meat separately, and among individuals with physical impairment. Higher meat consumption (≥128 g/d) was associated with changes in sleep duration and with poor sleep in older adults.