Background For many nursing students, clinical training represents a stressful experience. The levels of stress and anxiety may vary during students’ educational training, depending on their ability to adopt behavioral strategies for coping with stress, and other factors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety, perceived stress, and the coping strategies used by nursing students during their clinical training. Methods A cross-sectional correlational descriptive study. The sample consisted of 190 nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Faculty of Ciudad Real University in Spain. Participants provided data on background characteristics and completed the following instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Coping Behavior Inventory. Relationships between scores were examined using Spearman’s rho. Results The mean age of participants was 20.71 ± 3.89 years (range 18–46 years). Approximately half of the students (47.92%) indicated a moderate level of stress with a mean Perceived Stress Scale score of 22.78 (±8.54). Senior nursing students perceived higher levels of stress than novice students. The results showed a significant correlation for perceived stress and state anxiety (r = 0.463, p < .000) and also for trait anxiety (r = 0.718, p < .000). There was also a significant relationship between the total amount of perceived stress and the following domains of the coping behavior inventory: problem solving (r = −.452, p < .01), self-criticism (r = .408 p < .01), wishful thinking (r = .459, p < .01), social support(r = −.220, p < .01), cognitive restructuring (r = −.375, p < .01), and social withdrawal (r = .388, p < .01). In the current study, the coping strategy most frequently used by students was problem-solving, followed by social support and cognitive restructuring. Conclusions Nursing students in our study presented a moderate level of stress, in addition there was a significant correlation with anxiety. Nursing teachers and clinical preceptors/mentors should be encouraged to develop programs to help prepare nursing students to cope with the challenges they are about to face during their clinical placements.

The present study analyses the management of primary dysmenorrhea by university students in the south of Spain. In this cross-sectional observational study, 224 women participated, using an ad hoc self-report questionnaire about menstrual pain and self-care and including sociodemographic and gynecological variables. Some 76.8% of participants consumed analgesics and the majority self-medicated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) without consulting a health professional, with a correlation between pain intensity and the number of pills ingested during menstruation (r = 0.151, p < 0.05). The higher proportion of women who found their analgesia effective were those who took medication after being prescribed by a health care provider (60.8%) compared to those who self-medicated (40%; p < 0.01). Only 43.8% employed non-pharmaceutical methods, most commonly antalgic positions, massages and local heat. These choices were not related to the intensity of menstrual pain nor with the severity of the dysmenorrhea, nor did these most common methods prove to be the most effective. However, a higher percentage of women using non-pharmacological methods was identified in women with family members suffering from dysmenorrhea (73.2%) compared to those without (60%; p = 0.040), which may indicate that the choice of remedies is more related to learning self-care in the family context. This study identifies the need for education on self-care and management of menstrual pain.

BackgroundDespite the importance of coping in caregiving, there are few studies on the relationship between coping and quality of life in caregivers of the frail dependent elderly. Thus, this study aims to analyze the relationship between coping strategies and quality of life dimensions in primary caregivers of dependent elderly relatives.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from 86 caregivers. Predictive variables were coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused, socially-supported, and dysfunctional); dependent variables were quality of life dimensions (psychological, physical, relational, and environmental); and potential confounding variables were age, gender, perceived health and burden of caregiver, and functional capacity of care receiver. Correlation coefficients were calculated and multiple linear regression analysis was performed.ResultsAfter controlling for potential confounders, dysfunctional coping was related to worse quality of life in the psychological dimension, while emotion-focused and socially-supported coping were related to superior psychological and environmental dimensions of quality of life. The physical and relational dimensions of quality of life were not related to coping strategies.Conclusions1) it is important to consider coping strategies in the assessment of primary caregivers of dependent elderly relatives; 2) the quality of life of caregivers is related to their coping strategies, 3) their quality of life can be worsened by avoidance-type coping, and 4) their quality of life can be improved by active emotion-focused coping and socially-supported coping.

Absenteeism can clearly have a negative impact on academic performance among university students. Certain experiences or symptoms such as menstrual pain are very common in women and can lead to absenteeism. The current study was aimed at examining the presence of menstrual experiences or symptoms and their impact upon absenteeism among healthy (illness-free) female university nursing students in Spain. A total of 299 students participated in this research, which was a descriptive cross-sectional, observational study. An ad hoc online questionnaire was used based on sociodemographic and gynecological data, together with the noted menstrual experiences; the most prevalent of which were bloating, which affected 87.3% of students; dysmenorrhea and irritability, which affected 76.3%; and fatigue, which affected 70.6%. Students with dysmenorrhea had a 6.95 higher (odds ratio (OR) 6.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.39–14.25) odds of absenteeism; in those who reported dizziness, the odds of absenteeism was 4.82 times higher (OR 4.82; 1.76–13.23); in those who manifested nausea and vomiting, the percentage of absenteeism was 3.51 higher (OR 3.51; 95% CI 1.51–8.15); in those who presented sleep alterations, the odds were 2.95 higher (OR 2.95; 95% CI 1.39–6.25); and for those who felt depressed the odds were 2.18 times higher (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.21–3.94) Absenteeism was found to be more likely in women with dysmenorrhea. However, in addition, higher odds of absenteeism were also found in women with nausea and vomiting, dizziness, sleep disorders, and those who feel depressed. These menstrual experiences can be considered a relevant problem among young women, leading to absenteeism, and a negative influence on academic performance. It is essential to raise awareness of the socioeconomic impact of absenteeism and establish new strategies for improving menstrual experiences.

This study sought to describe and compare adherence to the Mediterranean diet and consumption of local foods from the Huelva region among Spanish university women in relation to menstrual pain and other menstrual characteristics. This cross-sectional study included 311 health science students. The study variables were sociodemographic and gynecologic characteristics, adherence to the Mediterranean diet using the KIDMED questionnaire, alcohol consumption (SDU) and consumption of local food. A descriptive bivariate analysis and multiple binary regression were performed for menstrual pain. Up to 55.3% of participants had moderate adherence to the Mediterranean diet and only 29.6% had high adherence. Women with low adherence had longer menstrual cycles (p < 0.01). Eating less than two pieces of fruit per day (OR = 3.574; 95%CI = 1.474–8.665; p < 0.05) and eating pulses more than one day a week (OR = 2.320; 95%CI = 1.006–5.348) raised the probability of suffering menstrual pain. A positive correlation between SDU and cycle length was identified (r = 0.119, p = 0.038), and menstrual bleeding was lower in women who consumed olive oil daily (p = 0.044). In conclusion, the Mediterranean diet, alcohol consumption and consuming typical foods from southern Spain appear to influence cycle length, menstrual flow and menstrual pain. Further research is necessary to confirm and expand these findings.