Hernández López, María Jesús

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Hernández López, María Jesús

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Hernández López, María Jesús

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Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Atención Sociosanitaria

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Open Access
Reducing loneliness and social isolation through the HELPeN telephone-call program: results from a randomized controlled trial in older adults living in the community
(MDPI, 2026) Hernández López, María Jesús; García González, Jessica; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Enfermería; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Enfermería
Background/Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health issue among older adults, especially in rural and socioeconomically vulnerable groups. Telephone-based interventions have become a scalable, cost-effective way to reduce social isolation, although evidence of their long-term effects on various health outcomes remains limited. This study aimed to assess how effective HELPeN, a structured telephone program delivered by trained nursing students, is in decreasing loneliness and enhancing psychosocial and cognitive health in community-living older adults. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 119 older adults (≥65 years) residing in the community. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group (n = 65), which received weekly structured telephone calls over 9 months, or a control group (n = 54), which received standard care. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (M0), mid-intervention (M1–M3), and 3 months after the intervention (M4). The primary outcomes measured included loneliness and perceived social support. Secondary outcomes comprised functional status, comorbidities, depressive symptoms, quality of life, sleep quality, and cognitive function. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction. Results: Significant group interactions over time were identified for loneliness (F = 5.92, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.067), social support (F = 3.39, p = 0.023, η2 = 0.043), depressive symptoms (F = 3.87, p = 0.019, η2 = 0.046), and cognitive status (F = 5.35, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.063). No significant differences were found for functional status, comorbidity, sleep quality, or quality of life. Conclusions: The HELPeN program demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing loneliness and social isolation, and in improving emotional, cognitive, and sleep-related outcomes in older adults. As a low-cost and scalable model, this intervention strengthens the role of nursing students in addressing social determinants of health and may be integrated into community and public health strategies targeting vulnerable aging populations.
Open Access
Prevalence of unwanted loneliness and associated factors in people over 65 years of age in a health area of the Region of Murcia, Spain: HELPeN Project
(MDPI, 2024-09-21) Hernández López, María Jesús; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; García González, Jessica; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Enfermería; Facultades de la UMU::Facultad de Enfermería
Background/Objectives: Population aging poses many challenges to public health, highlighting loneliness and social isolation as severe problems that affect the physical and mental health of older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these became aggravated. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of loneliness and its relationship with social isolation, depression, cognitive deterioration, sleep quality, and the level of physical mobility and functioning of older adults in Health Area 3 of the Region of Murcia. Methods: A descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study was performed. The inclusion criteria were age ≥ 65, living in Health Area 3 of the Region of Murcia, and not being institutionalized. The following variables were evaluated: sociodemographic variables, loneliness (UCLA scale), social isolation (DUFSS), depression (GDS), cognitive deterioration (Pfeiffer), sleep quality (PSQI), and mobility (Barthel index). A univariate and multivariate regression model was created to examine how the dependent variable was related to the independent variables. Results: A total of 102 older adults participated in the study. Of these, 31.4% perceived unwanted loneliness and 14.7% low social support. The multivariate regression analysis showed that social isolation, geriatric depression, and cognitive deterioration were significant predictors of loneliness. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of developing multifaceted interventions that address not only social isolation but also other interrelated factors such as depression, cognitive deterioration, and sleep quality. The strategies should be centered on community programs and support networks. It is fundamental to perform longitudinal studies to better understand the causal relationships between these variables.
Open Access
DATA SET HELPeN Project Reducing Loneliness
(2026-03-10) Hernández López, María Jesús; García González, Jessica; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Enfermería; Facultad de Enfermería
Open Access
Evolución de la adhesión a la higiene de manos: la pandemia un punto de inflexión
(Universidad de Murcia. Servicio de publicaciones, 2025) Salas Cañizares, Alberto; Martínez Pérez, Lucio; Cayuela Verdú, Pedro; Hernández López, María Jesús; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; Ciencias Sociosanitarias
Introduction:Hand hygiene is crucial to prevent nosocomial infections, with the hands of professionals and patients being significant vectors of transmission. The objective of this study was to evaluate adherence to hand hygiene at the Rafael Méndez General University Hospital during the years 2016 to 2022.Methodology: An observational and descriptive study was carried out in medical-surgical hospitalization units, collecting annual data using the Hand Hygiene Technique Observation Form provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). The sample consisted of 1097 professionals.Results: A total of 5416 opportunities were analyzed. The results showed an improvement in hand hygiene through 2021, with a reduction in omission from 64% in 2016 to an overall compliance of 55% in 2020 and 2021. However, in 2022 a significant decline will be observed with 79% of omission. The evolution varied depending on the moment and the category observed.Conclusion: Adherence to hand hygiene at the Rafael Méndez General University Hospital has shown a positive trend with a gradual annual increase until 2021, highlighting 2020 as a turning point. However, the relaxation of post-pandemic measures has decreased compliance. It is recommended to continue promoting training and evaluation actions to improve hand hygiene among health professionals
Open Access
Effects of a clinical simulation-based training program for nursing students to address social isolation and loneliness in the elderly: a quasi-experimental study
(MDPI, 2023-09-19) Hernández López, María Jesús; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; García González, Jessica; Enfermería
Introduction: The population of older adults is rapidly increasing worldwide, presentingboth prospects and complexities for society and healthcare professionals to maximize the functionalcapacity of this age group. Social isolation and loneliness significantly affect this population. Theobjective was to determine the effectiveness, satisfaction, and perceptions of the simulation-basededucation practices of a training program for nursing students, which was created to palliate thesocial isolation and loneliness of older adults. Method: A quasi-experimental study was conductedwith nursing students who participated in an online training program using teleservice based on high-fidelity clinical simulation. The program included asynchronous theoretical training and synchronouspractical training using an online platform. Five scenarios were designed using simulated phonecalls to address the social isolation and loneliness of older adults. Results: Twenty-five nursingstudents participated in the program, and they had a mean age of 27.44, with 76% of them beingwomen. After the training program, the participants showed statistically significant improvements(p< 0.05) with respect to their knowledge and attitudes towards older adults, and the programwas adapted to the best educational practices in simulations. Conclusions: Simulation-based onlinetraining efficiently improved the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students towards older adults,improving their ability to address social isolation and loneliness. The high satisfaction and adhesion tothe best educational practices underline the usefulness of high-fidelity online simulations, especiallyin situations in which face-to-face training is not feasible, and accessibility and equilibrium could beguaranteed between work and personal life.
Open Access
DATA SET HELPeN Project Effects Clinical Simulation
(2026-03-10) Hernández López, María Jesús; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; García González, Jessica; Enfermería; Facultad de Enfermería
Open Access
Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions in Childbirth and Puerperium: A Cross-Sectional Study
(MDPI, 2023-01-13) Suarez Cortés, María; Castaño Molina, María de los Ángeles; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Molina Rodríguez, Alonso; Jiménez Ruiz, Ismael; Carrillo García, César; Harillo Acevedo, Francisco David; Hernández López, María Jesús; Enfermería
Introduction (1): The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. The objective of this study was to know the impact of visit restrictions, PCR performance and use of masks on delivery and puerperium care. Methods (2): A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. A survey was used to assess the impact of COVID-19-related measures on women who had given birth in hospitals in the Region of Murcia, Spain, between March 2020 and February 2022. Results (3): The final sample size was 434 women. The average scores were 4.27 for dimension 1 (Visit restrictions), 4.15 for dimension 2 (PCR testing) and 3.98 for dimension 3 (Mask use). More specifically, we found that the restriction of visits was considered a positive measure for the establishment of the mother–newborn bond (mean score 4.37) and that the use of masks at the time of delivery should have been made more flexible (mean score 4.7). Conclusions (4): The policy of restricting hospital visits during the pandemic caused by COVID-19 has been considered beneficial by mothers, who expressed that they did not feel lonely during their hospital stay.
Open Access
DATA SET HELPeN Project Prevalence Unwanted Loneliness
(2026-03-10) Hernández López, María Jesús; Hernández Méndez, Solanger; Leal Costa, César; Ramos Morcillo, Antonio Jesús; Díaz García, Isidora; López Pérez, María Verónica; García González, Jessica; Ruzafa Martínez, María; Enfermería; Facultad de Enfermería