To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).
Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio-county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD = 1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD = 2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD = 1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD = 1.46) (p = .001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p = .005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p = .036), postoperative sepsis (p = .022), zero bacteraemia verification (p = .045) and mortality from heart failure (p = .004).
The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the patient-nurse ratio and its association with health outcomes in public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS).
METHODS: Cross-sectional ecological study carried out in adult units of 26 Andalusian public hospitals. Data on structure (beds, type of unit, nursing control), management (average stay, index of use of stays, complexity index) and nursing staff were collected. They were extracted from official sources: CMBDA, SAS/Health Council (CS) publications and specific respondents to Nursing Directorates. The patient-nurse ratio was calculated and related to 19 indicators of hospital quality, safety, and mortality. Measures of central tendency and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS: A response was obtained from 100% of the Andalusian hospitals. The average patient-nurse ratio in the three shifts was lower in hospitals with a broader portfolio of services-regional scope (11.6), followed by those with a medium portfolio-specialties (12.7) and hospitals with a basic portfolio- county (13.5). By type of unit, the medical units were 11.8 (SD=1.8) lower than the surgical ones 13.5 (SD=2.7). Significant differences were only found in medical units of regional hospitals 10.5 (SD=1.4) and district hospitals 13.03 (SD=1.46) (p=.001). In critical care, the ratio was greater than 2 patients per nurse in the three groups. When relating the ratio to health outcomes, 5 significant associations were found: pressure ulcers (p=.005), prevalence of nosocomial infections (p=.036), postoperative sepsis (p=.022), zero bacteraemia verification (p=.045) and mortality from heart failure (p=.004).
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a high patient-nurse ratio in adult hospitalization units and that there is a positive association between the patient-nurse ratio and worse results related to nursing care.

To study the effect of the type of follow-up according to Service Portfolio and other associated factors, in the reduction of HbA1c levels in people with a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and poor initial control.
Analytical observational study of a cohort under routine clinical practice conditions.
262 Primary Health Care Centres in Madrid.
1,838 individuals older than 18 years with a new diagnosis of type 2 DM and initial HbA1c levels ≥ 7%, or ≥ 8.5% if older than 75 years.
The exposure variable was the type of follow-up according to Portfolio, categorised as minimum, medium, and optimal, according to the number of interventions performed and periodicity of type of therapeutic-pharmacological plan.
A study was made of the comorbidity, therapeutic-pharmacological plan, diet - exercise advice and deprivation index. The main outcome was the difference between the final and initial HbA1c.
After 2 years of follow-up there was a mean decrease in HbA1c by -1.7 percentage points (95% CI: -1.6;-1.8), which was 0.36 points higher in patients with optimal follow-up: -2.1 (95% CI: -1.7;-2.4). The factors associated with a decrease in HbA1c were the optimal follow-up -0.29 (95% CI: -0.5;-0.1), the medium follow-up -0.26 (95% CI: -0.5; -0.0), and the initial HbA1c value -0.9 (95% CI: -0.9; -0.9. The factors associated with the increase were insulin treatment and living in socially disadvantaged areas.
Glycaemic control was improved in patients with a new diagnosis of diabetes in which optimal follow-up is performed as proposed in the Service Portfolio.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the level of health literacy of diabetic patients aged 50 to 75 years, from Ourense, Spain, as well as its relationship with the glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) concentration and cardiovascular risk of the patient.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study using a self-completed questionnaire. From a multi-stage sampling, urban, type 2 diabetic patients were randomly included. The level of health literacy, using the HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire, the last concentration of HbA1c, and both total and fatal cardiovascular risk at 10 year follow-up, measured using the UKPDS (U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study) algorithm, were determined. The age, gender, level of education, level of social support, social class, and comorbidities were used as covariates.
RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were analysed. Out of all the patients, 81.5% (84) had an unsuitable health literacy level (29.1% had an inadequate level and 52.4% had a problematic level). A clear association was seen between a higher level of health literacy and higher levels of education. Moreover, the level of health literacy was seen to be inversely related to the level of control of the patients\' diabetes measured on the basis of their HbA1c (P=.03) concentration. However, no such association was found with the cardiovascular risk (P=.3).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study show that the level of literacy of the analysed population was insufficient, and that its improvement could result in a better outcome in the treatment of diabetic patients.