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Background: Self-care is essential for minimizing the long-term progression of hypertension (HTN) and improving global health outcomes. However, little is known about the predictors of HTN self-care among adults with HTN in Brazil. Objective: The aimof this study was to evaluate the self-care practices and the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors of adults with HTN in Brazil. Methods: Thiswas a cross-sectional study conducted by telephone with 120 adults with HTN monitored in a specialized outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital. Sociodemographic and clinical information was collected by a questionnaire survey. Self-care was assessed by the Self-care of Hypertension Inventory version 2. Multiple regression and Kendall's correlation analyses were performed to determine possible predictors. Results: Low levels of self-care were observed across maintenance, management, and confidence measures. A weak correlation was observed between self-care maintenance and education (-0.13), the time of diagnosis (0.16), and the number of medications (0.15); self-care management and family income (0.13) and cognitive function (0.17); and self-care confidence and systolic (-0.15) and diastolic (-0.18) blood pressure values and time of diagnosis (0.16). In multiple regression analysis, self-care confidence was a predictor of self-care maintenance (ß = 0.30; 95%confidence interval, 0.10-0.36) and management (ß = 0.20; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.46). Conclusion: Confidence was essential in the maintenance and management of self-care and is central to the control of HTN. Self-care interventions must consider the different aspects thatmay affect self-care, highlighting improving self-care confidence as amain goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the accuracy of the clinical indicators of the nursing diagnosis Ineffective Health Management in people with hypertension. Methods: This is a cross‐sectional diagnostic accuracy study. The ineffective health management was investigated in 120 people with hypertension in a referral public outpatient clinic in Brazil between August and November 2020. The accuracy measures were analyzed using Rasch analysis, considering the difficulty of clinical indicator and person's ability. Results: Ineffective health management is probably present in 37.5% of people with hypertension. 'Failure to include treatment regimen in daily living' was the clinical indicator with the highest sensitivity value, and 'failure to take action to reduce risk factor' had the highest specificity value. Conclusions: Rasch analysis demonstrated that all clinical indicators contribute significantly to estimating the presence of ineffective health management in people with hypertension in the outpatient scenario. Implications for Nursing Practice: This research contributes by providing accurate clinical indicators of ineffective health management, helping nurses prescribe and deliver the appropriate nursing interventions for people with hypertension by telenursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of theories associate emotional factors with the triggering of sleep bruxism (SB). Few studies have used validated instruments to assess psychological characteristics and SB in children. In this study, the authors aimed to assess the prevalence of parent-reported SB in children and its association with social, emotional, and behavioral problems. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study with a school-based sample at 20 public schools in Brazil. Parents or caregivers provided information related to tooth-grinding sounds during sleep and about children's social, emotional, and behavioral problems by using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Analyses were carried out considering each subscale of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and the total score. The authors estimated prevalence ratios by using a Poisson regression model. Statistical inferences were based on 95% confidence intervals. A total of 556 children aged 8 years were included. Prevalence of SB was 30.83%. Results of an adjusted analysis showed a significant association of SB with higher scores on total difficulties (overall score) (P <.001) and emotional symptoms (P <.001) and peer relationship problems (P =.010) subscales. Parental reports of emotional and behavioral problems were associated with a higher prevalence of SB in schoolchildren. This study's results contribute to those of previous investigations about the association between psychological characteristics and SB. Interdisciplinary research involving dentistry and psychology may improve the understanding of bruxism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between obesity and suicide risk is still unclear with controversial research results. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between obesity and suicide risk for men and women in a population-based study of young adults. This is a cross-sectional population-based study that identified young adults between 18 and 35 years of age. Suicide risk was investigated through the structured clinical interview Mini. Weight and height were assessed, and participants were classified as normal-weight body mass index (BMI < 30) or obese (BMI > 30). The prevalence of obesity was of 19.9% of the total sample (n = 1953). Obesity was more prevalent among women and participants between 27 and 35 years of age. Suicide risk was present in 13.0% of the sample and more prevalent among women. In our study we found an association between obesity and suicide risk for women, but not for men. Obesity was associated with a higher prevalence of suicide risk in women. Given the strength of the relationship between BMI and suicide, identifying the mechanisms associated with obesity, especially for women, can lead to new insights into the prevention of suicide risk [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background The diagnosis of alcohol use disorder is based on clinical signs and on the measurement of biological markers. However, these markers are neither sufficiently sensitive, nor specific enough, for determining the effects of alcohol abuse on the central nervous system. Serum neurotrophins are important regulators of neural survival, development, function, and plasticity and have been found to be reduced in alcohol use disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in serum neurotrophin levels (brain-derived neurotrophic factor [ BDNF], glial-derived neurotrophic factor [ GDNF], and nerve growth factor [ NGF]) in alcohol use disorder in a young population, and thus possibly representing the early stages of the illness. Methods This is a cross-sectional study, nested in a population-based study of people aged 18 to 35, involving 795 participants. The participants responded to the CAGE questionnaire, and a CAGE score of ≥2 was considered to be a positive screen for the abuse/dependence or moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. Serum BDNF, GDNF, and NGF levels were measured by ELISA. Results In the CAGE ≥ 2 group, GDNF ( p ≤ 0.001) and NGF ( p ≤ 0.001) serum levels were significantly increased, and the BDNF elevation was near a statistical significance ( p = 0.068) when compared to the CAGE < 2 group. A significantly positive correlation was observed only in the CAGE ≥ 2 group for BDNF/ GDNF ( r = 0.37, p < 0.001) and GDNF/ NGF ( r = 0.84, p < 0.001) levels. The correlation between the NGF and BDNF levels was significantly positive in both groups ( r = 0.28, p < 0.001 for the CAGE < 2 group, and r = 0.30, p = 0.008 for the CAGE ≥ 2 group). Conclusions These results suggest that elevated neurotrophins are candidate markers for the early stages of alcohol misuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to compare the prevalence rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) and to differentiate the presence and severity of depressive symptoms between women and men aged 18–24 years. In this population-based, cross-sectional study (n = 1560), young adults were screened with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for MDD (n = 137). Participants then completed a self-report questionnaire to gather sociodemographic data, and the presence of each symptom of depression was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory. The proportion of women (12.2%) with MDD was higher than that of men (5.3%). The symptoms of depression found to be significantly more prevalent in women were sadness, crying, difficulty making decisions, and lack of energy, as well as self-criticism, irritability, changes in self-image, work difficulty, and loss of interest in sex. Sadness and self-criticism were significantly more severe in women than in men. The presentation of depressive symptoms in young adults with MDD differed between men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is important to evaluate suicidal potential and related factors during pregnancy among women who have attended public health services. To determine the suicidal potential, question 10 from Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used. In this sample (N = 1,334), 8.1% of pregnant women demonstrated suicidal potential. The potential risk factors for suicide in depressed pregnant women were being single, divorced or widowed, thinking about having an abortion, and having anxiety symptoms; in nondepressed pregnant women were lower age, low education level, low socioeconomic class, thoughts about having an abortion and anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]