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Abstract Background Nursing care for older women represent a challenge worldwide due to its characteristics. When communication is impaired between primary care nurses and older women living alone, an imbalance in power relations occurs. The main objective of this study is to analyse the power relations between older women and primary care nurses in situations of active listening, shared decision-making and participation in care. Methods We developed a qualitative study in southern Spain using a discursive and gender approach. We used purposeful sampling to interview older women who lived alone and received home nursing care. Simultaneously, we conducted focus groups with primary care nurses who provided home care to older women. A linguistic analysis of the transcripts was carried out. Results Nine semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with older women who lived alone and two face-to-face focus groups with four primary care nurses in each. The discourse of the participants demonstrated an imbalance in power relations. Influenced by work overload, active listening was considered a privilege in primary care nurses´ discourse. Regarding shared decision-making, older women´s discourses revealed “mirages” of real situations where they thought they were deciding. Participation in care was difficult since older women saw themselves as a nuisance in nurses´ presence, and primary care nurses did not facilitate older women’s engagement. Older women weren´t considered when organising home visits and had interiorised a subordinated feeling. Similarly, a strict sense of identity made primary care nurses feel powerful in their relationships with older women. Conclusions The discourse of older women represented them as victims of a hostile panorama whilst they were sometimes satisfied with the deficient care received. The discourse of primary care nurses used more discursive strategies to represent themselves as professionals committed to caring. However, it also revealed deficiencies in care, discriminatory elements, and feelings of being limited by their working conditions. Active listening to older women and engagement in decision-making readjust empower the older women. Attending to the needs and concerns of primary care nurses could recalibrate the power imbalance between them and healthcare organisations.

ABSTRACTObjectives: The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown and containment measures have instigated substantial changes in our daily lives and have affected many people’s mental health. This paper reports two studies exploring gender-based differences with regard to the impact of COVID-related confinement on individuals’ self-efficacy to regulate negative emotions (RESE-NE) and anxiety.Methods: Study 1 (cross-sectional; 269 participants; 52% women) explored the evolution of RESE-NE and anxiety. To this end, participants assessed their status at two time points: a retrospective assessment of the period before confinement in Spain, and a current assessment during confinement. Study 2 (longitudinal; 114 participants; 72.2% women) explored the evolution of the variables by adding a post-confinement time point and analyzed the mediating role of RESE-NE in the positivity–anxiety and resilience–anxiety relationships.Results: The results confirmed that: (a) RESE-NE decreased and anxiety increased more among women than among men during confinement (Study 1); (b) women recovered their pre-pandemic levels of mental health more slowly than did men following confinement; and (c) the mediating role of RESE-NE could be observed in the two relationships under analysis.Conclusion: In practical terms, the research highlights the need to pay special attention to women undergoing mental health interventions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to the differential burden that the pandemic may entail for men and women and to the contrasting social roles traditionally attributed to them. From the gender differences identified, it is possible to infer how stereotypes and social roles influence the behavior and mental health of men and women, leading them to cope differently with stressful situations such as confinement.

Abstract Aims To assess the effect of a multicomponent intervention on reducing social isolation and loneliness and improving the quality of life in community‐dwelling older adults. Design A cluster‐randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods A total of 56 older adults participated in the control group and 63 older adults in the experimental group. The intervention consisted of 6 home‐based face‐to‐face sessions, intercalated with 5 telephone calls and was conducted by nursing students and volunteer staff with experience in the subject. The study was conducted between April 2018 and December 2019. In terms of statistical analysis, several procedures were carried out: a statistical analysis per protocol and intention to treat, considering isolation, loneliness and quality of life as endpoints; a comparison of paired means, to analyse the behaviour of the outcome variables at baseline and the end of the study; and finally, a binary logistic regression analysis, considering social support as a dependent variable. Results The study results do not show the effectiveness of the modified CARELINK programme, analysed as a whole, on the decrease in social isolation or loneliness or the improvement in HRQL. However, a detailed analysis of the behaviour of some of the variables during the study indicates some results that deserve to be commented on. Comparing the mean confidential support scores between the experimental and control group at the initial and final stages shows significant differences in the analysis by protocol, and close to statistical significance in the analysis by intention to treat. Comparing the paired means obtained in the experimental group, an improvement in emotional loneliness scores was found. Finally, the variables associated with the social support of the subjects at the end of the follow‐up period were as follows: having people who help them and mobility. Conclusion Although the results obtained do not allow us to affirm that the intervention programme is effective, these same results point to improved confidential support and emotional loneliness in older adults participating in the intervention. Having people to help them and a greater degree of mobility are factors favouring the decrease in social isolation. Impact This study suggested that modified CARELINK, a multicomponent intervention performed by trained volunteers, could improve confidential support in community‐dwelling older adults. It also reports the importance of considering the level of mobility and support networks as determinants of the improvement caused by the intervention.

Objectives To systematically synthesise the results of primary qualitative studies on how community-dwelling older adults experience shared decision-making processes, express preferences and actively participate in care.Design Systematic review of qualitative studies and qualitative meta-synthesis.Methods We focused on studies about community-dwelling participants aged ≥65 undergoing a health-disease process circumscribed to a primary healthcare setting, and the central theme should focus on either shared decision-making, expressing preferences or patient participation. We searched the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO (time publication frame 2012–2022). We excluded studies in those cases where the qualitative results were not analysed or unrelated to the phenomenon addressed, phenomena were not clear enough to be included or the setting did not occur in the community.Results A total of 12 studies were included in this meta-synthesis. We appraised the quality of the selected studies through Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Checklist. The metasummary comprised the frequency and intensity of qualitative patterns across the included studies. The meta-synthesis revealed four influential elements in their interaction: recognising personal qualities, facing professional characteristics, experiences of discrimination and a double-edged context.Conclusions The phenomena studied were influenced by how older people approached their role in their binomial relationship with healthcare professionals. Those with a reinforced self-concept were better aware of health-disease-related situations regarding shared decision-making and the importance of being communicatively assertive. Professional characteristics were also crucial in how older people modulated their acting ability through their personality, communication skills and the approach healthcare professionals used towards older adults. Situations of discrimination generated through an imbalance of power inhibited the expression of preferences and hindered the active participation of older people. The context surrounding the participants influenced all these situations, key in tipping the balance between a therapeutic and a harmful side.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022363515.

La relación entre innovación social y las organizaciones del Tercer Sector que tienen una mayor orientación hacia la acción social es un debate abierto, en cuya discusión se han encontrado un número significativo de dificultades. La innovación social como constructo da actualmente co­bertura a una multiplicidad de conceptos y prácticas sociales, así como se relaciona con una gran diversidad de actores sin que exista un consenso acerca de la vinculación entre estos. El objetivo del presente trabajo es intentar, por un lado, proponer una serie de marcos analíticos que nos permitan explorar la relación que hemos comentado anteriormente y, por otro, aplicarlos en un estudio de caso, de tal forma que permita llevar a cabo una caracterización, desde la perspectiva de la inno­vación social, de organizaciones vinculadas al tercer sector de acción social. Para ello, se utilizará una metodología de carácter mixto en el que tiene especial importancia el análisis de marcos y del discurso. El resultado es que en un número significativo de organizaciones del Tercer Sector estudiadas, existe una limitada intersección entre su realidad y la dinámica teórico-praxeológica de la innovación social. Esto se debe a una serie de limitaciones de carácter conceptual, de orientación y de acervo organizacional que se presentan estructurales en dichas organizaciones.

Objectives The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) scale in Spanish.Design Cross-sectional observational study.Setting Two health districts of Andalusian provinces, located in the south of Spain, through the Andalusian network of Primary Healthcare centres and four institutions dedicated to the care of patients with dementia.Participants A total of 100 older people, with a medical diagnosis of dementia and a score on the Global Deterioration Scale between 5 and 7 were assessed using the PAINAD scale.Primary and secondary outcome measures Psychometric properties including content validity, construct validity and reliability of the scale have been tested.Results The overall Item Content Validity Index was excellent (0.95). Regarding construct validity, it was confirmed that a lower use of analgesics implied a lower score on the PAINAD scale (p

Objectives To understand who are the participants in the decision-making process about the location of care of the elderly.Design Systematic review of qualitative studies.Data sources The following databases were consulted: Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO and SciELO (from the beginning until 29 November 2017). The bibliographical references in the studies that were finally included in the review were also searched.Study selection The studies had to deal with the decision-making process (already experienced by the participants) on the location of care of the elderly (adults who are 65 or older), had to use a qualitative methodology and had to be written in English or Spanish.Data extraction and synthesis A data extraction tool was used. Data analysis was conducted through the constant comparative method from Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory.Results 46 studies were included in this review. Most of them were carried out in the USA, and in 21 of them the study population focused exclusively on the elderly. This review has found that there are many participants, with different roles and degrees of involvement, who may act jointly, separately or sequentially. These participants may be: the elders, family members, professionals and other relevant.Conclusions The main result of this review has been the variability found on how this decision is made, even varying the way of acting/perceiving the situation of the involved persons on certain occasions, simply due to the influence of some of the other groups of participants studied. Besides, this review has focused its results on the main participant in this process, the elders and how their family members interact with them when it comes to making this decision. This has allowed relevant results to be obtained about roles and degrees of involvement.PROSPERO registration number CRD42018084826.

Introduction Pain is an under-diagnosed problem in elderly people, especially in those with cognitive impairment who are unable to verbalise their pain. Although the Pain assessment in advanced dementia scale (PAINAD) scale is a tool recognised for its clinical interest in this type of patients, its correlation with the saliva biomarkers reinforced its utility. The aim of this research will be to correlate the scores of this scale with the levels of biomarkers of pain found in saliva samples of patients with cognitive impairment and inability to communicate.Methods and analysis This is an observational study. The level of pain will be evaluated using the PAINAD scale. Moreover, pain biomarkers, in particular secretory IgA and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type II, will be determined in saliva. Both assessments will be conducted in 75 patients aged over 65 years with advanced cognitive impairment and inability to communicate. The PAINAD scores will be correlated with the levels of these biomarkers of pain. A control group consisting of 75 healthy subjects aged over 65 years will be included in the study. Moreover, sociodemographic variables and variables related to pain, dementia and other clinical conditions will be recorded. The analysis will be performed with the statistical package SPSS V.22 and the software R.Ethics and dissemination The study has been reviewed and approved by the Andalusian Human Research Ethics Committee. In addition, this study has been financed by the Junta de Andalucía through a regional health research fund (Research code: PI-0357–2017). The results will be actively disseminated trough a high-impact journal in our study area, conference presentations and social media.

The objective of this review was to understand how participants experience the decision-making process regarding the place of care for the elderly. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies. The articles were included if they were original studies with qualitative/mixed methodology, written in English/Spanish, and that approached the decision-making process regarding the place of care for the elderly, already experienced by the participants. Forty-four articles were included, identifying experiences, both negative and positive. Negative experiences have been the most frequently reported experiences by all population groups; fear was the most relevant experience for the elderly, whereas concern was the most relevant for family members and professionals. This review has not only found a great variability of experiences, but also, it has deepened the differences between groups and the situations motivating/generating these experiences. This review highlights a wide range of experiences of those directly involved in the entire decision-making process on the place of care for the elderly. In future research it would be interesting to carry out qualitative primary studies conducted with professionals and other relevant people involved in this decision-making process, in order to know first-hand how they experience this process.

Preventing the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), improving the diagnosis, and slowing the progression of these diseases remain a challenge. The aim of this study was to elucidate the association between depression and dementia/AD and to identify possible relationships between these diseases and different sociodemographic and clinical features. In this regard, a case-control study was conducted in Spain in 2018–2019. The definition of a case was: A person ≥ 65 years old with dementia and/or AD and a score of 5–7 on the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). The sample consisted of 125 controls; among the cases, 96 had dementia and 74 had AD. The predictor variables were depression, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The results showed that depression, diabetes mellitus, and older age were associated with an increased likelihood of developing AD, with an Odds Ratio (OR) of 12.9 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.3–39.9), 2.8 (95% CI: 1.1–7.1) and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.1–1.2), respectively. Those subjects with treated dyslipidemia were less likely to develop AD (OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22–1.1). Therefore, depression and diabetes mellitus increase the risk of dementia, whereas treated dyslipidemia has been shown to reduce this risk.

Los objetivos del estudio fueron: describir las situaciones de acción instrumental y comunicativa que ocurren en la práctica enfermera y explorar las dificultades para la acción comunicativa. Estudio etnográfico realizado con enfermeras de dos grandes hospitales de España y Portugal. La recogida de datos se llevó a cabo a través de observación participante y entrevistas semiestructuradas. Posteriormente, se completó con una encuesta. Se realizó análisis del discurso y análisis cuantitativo (de la encuesta). El trabajo de las enfermeras consta, básicamente, de acciones instrumentales. Entre las acciones sociales, predominan las de tipo estratégico, siendo las acciones comunicativas escasas e inespecíficas. Se han identificado dificultades para la acción comunicativa asociadas a la “Nueva Gestión” y al “Conocimiento Codificado”. La práctica enfermera demanda un reparto más equilibrado entre los tiempos dedicados a la tecnología y la comunicación. Las dificultades para la acción comunicativa parecen coincidir con los sistemas habermasianos, aunque adoptando formas renovadas.