Perceptions of stress on those in rural ministry: listening to church leaders

The purposes of this study is first, to investigate intensive care patients' perceptions of stressors; second, to investigate the health care provider's perception of what constitutes a stressor from the patient's perspective; and third, to describe how health care providers manage their patients' stressors. This was a mixed-methods study; the quantitative section replicated Cornock's 1998 study of stress in the intensive care unit (ICU), with difference in sampling to include all health care providers in the ICU, in addition to nurses. The qualitative section added information to the current literature by describing how health care providers manage their patient's stressors. This article reports the quantitative findings of this study, as the qualitative section is presented in a separate article. It is important to describe ICU patients' stressful experiences to assess patient's stressors, provide holistic care to eliminate stressors, and provide feedback to health care providers. There is a need to describe the clinical practice related to stress perception and management of stressors in the critical care environment. A mixed-methods comparative descriptive design was used for the quantitative section, and a phenomenological approach guided the qualitative section. Lazarus and Folkman's theory formed the bases for integrating all variables investigated in this study. The sample included 70 ICU patients and 70 ICU health care providers. After consenting to participate in this study, subjects were given a demographic form and a paper-based tool, the Environmental Stressors graphic data form Questionnaire. Questionnaires were filled out by subjects anonymously in the ICU and returned to the researcher in the same setting. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS data analysis software. The top 3 most stressful items ranked by the patients included "being in pain," followed by "not being able to sleep" and "financial worries"; on the other hand, health care providers perceived "being in pain" followed by "not being able to communicate" and "not being in control of yourself" as the top 3 stressors perceived by their patients. The findings of this study are crucial and may inform nursing assessments and care of the ICU patient. In addition, this information may encourage the ICU staff to manipulate and redesign the ICU environment to be less stressful. Also, the findings of this study guided the development of an ICU stressor control policy.

The banking sector is a branch of the global labor market that is increasingly facing stress. This can have some negative effects on mental and physical health. The aim of the study was to examine the management of stress and the assessment of mental health in 2 European countries. The sample comprised 90 (52%) German and 83 (48%) Ukrainian bank employees (BA) (N = 173). To achieve the aim of the study, the following questionnaires were used: the Differential Stress Inventory (DSI), the Inventory for Personality Diagnosis in Situations (IPS) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The participants were examined in regard to nationality. Age, gender, senior position and DSI types were considered as covariates. There were some significant national differences. The senior position, gender and age alone had little or no influence on the results. In stress management, the German sample showed unfavorable values of DSI and IPS categories. Significantly more German bank employees (10%) were overstressed (DSI type II) compared to Ukrainian ones (3%). Significant differences in stress trigger, stress manifestation and stress stabilization of DSI, and in almost all IPS categories, were found between the bank employees of both countries. More specifically, 20% of the German sample and only 8.8% of the Ukrainian sample reported impaired mental health. Bank employees from Germany and Ukraine differed in their perception of stress and behavior in stressful situations, based on the DSI and IPS results; the Germans were shown to perform worse. This is reflected in the higher level of mental health impairment among the Germans, which is demonstrated by the GHQ-12 results. However, there is a need for workplace health promotion and preventive programs for both samples. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(1):81-94.

The present study examines the coping strategies of a sample of 637 Church of England rural clergy who are responsible for three or more rural churches, following their completion of the ‘Ways of Coping (Revised)’ checklist (Folkman and Lazarus, 1985). The data produced suggest that the most frequent coping strategies used by rural clergy in multi-church benefices, are ‘self-controlling’, ‘seeking social support’, ‘planful problem solving’ and ‘positive reappraisal’. The strategies of ‘confronting coping’, ‘distancing’ ‘accepting responsibility’ and ‘escape-avoidance’ are used less frequently. Both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies were found to be used regularly by rural clergy, and it is suggested that the provision of educational programmes focusing on ‘coping strategies’ by both the church and healthcare providers, might lead to the enhancement of work-related psychological health among rural clergy.

This study explores the integration of ethical management principles into church-led institutions in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Hungary. With the transition from socialism to a market economy, church-based organizations face challenges in balancing financial sustainability with Christian values. The study emphasizes Virtue Economics, drawing from Catholic and Protestant teachings, to propose an ethical leadership model that prioritizes public service over profit maximization. It also examines historical and contemporary Church doctrines on economic ethics, highlighting the role of moral responsibility in financial management. A case study on the Church Leadership and Management degree at Károli Gáspár Reformed University illustrates practical efforts to train leaders in ethical governance. The study critiques mainstream economic approaches, advocating for a value-driven alternative that aligns financial stewardship with a Christian mission. Ultimately, it argues for a management paradigm that emphasizes human dignity, transparency, and social responsibility in ecclesiastical institutions.

The study sought to investigate the principals’ perception of stress and stress management strategies in junior secondary schools in Abia State. The study, more specifically sought to determine the quality and teacher-student ratio in private secondary schools in Abia State. The study employed descriptive survey. Mean scores and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using ANOVA. The study involved a sample of 986 private secondary school teachers. The teachers’ sample was selected by stratified random sampling technique using a table of random numbers from the teachers’ population of 1088 in the 356 private schools in Abia state. Data was collected using the researchers’ self constructed questionnaire titled principals’ perception of stress and stress management strategies questionnaire (PPSSMSQ) to obtain information from the respondents in the 3 educational zones of Abia, Umuahia and Ohafia. The study revealed factors that constituted stress, symptoms of stress, and stress management practices adopted by the principals. Principals’ gender, qualification and experience do not significantly influence principals stress perception while gender, qualification and experience significantly influence stress management practices of principals. The major findings revealed that some factors that constituted stress to a High Extent (HE) were students’ indiscipline, excess work load, inadequate teaching facilities, and large classes. The study recommended that government should provide adequate facilities in schools and improve principals’ conditions of service to motivate them to perform better. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n6p139

Evaluación de la efectividad de una intervención interactiva para el manejo del estrés en profesionales de la salud

Background and Purpose: Prenatal health behaviors encompass different health-promoting behaviors in women of reproductive age, which improve physical and mental health, as well as pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of prenatal training on the health-promoting behaviors of the women of reproductive age. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 104 women of reproductive age in Sari city located in Mazandaran, Iran. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. Inclusion criteria were willingness to have children, age range of 18-40 years, and overall physical and mental health. Data were collected using sociodemographic questionnaires and standard health promoting lifestyle (HPLP-II) questionnaire. In the intervention group, training was performed in four sessions (45-60 minutes) at one-week intervals focusing on health responsibility, physical activity and stress management. One month after the intervention, data analysis was performed using independent T-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chisquare test, and mean, frequency, and standard deviation. Results: After prenatal training, total score of health-promoting behaviors had a significant difference in the intervention and control group (151.60±17.503 vs. 139.42±19.596) (P=0.002). Mean score of health responsibility (27.75±4.066), physical activity (21.10±3.211) and stress management (23.19±3.036) were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (23.90±5.032, 16.84±4.017 and 19.66±3.330, respectively), and the study groups had a statistically significant dif ference in this regard (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, prenatal training could enhance health-promoting behaviors in women of reproductive age. Therefore, it is recommended that consultation and training sessions be considered during prenatal care.

Background With the rapid changes in lifestyle and pace, the public is facing multiple pressures in social and work planning, which not only affect their mental health but may also have a significant impact on their dietary behavior. The relationship between stress and dietary behavior may be influenced by mediating variables such as emotional state and sleep quality, but existing research on these mechanisms is insufficient and lacks consistent conclusions. Therefore, the systematic exploration of the correlation between stress perception and dietary behavior in psychological disorders aims to reveal the chain mediated role of anxiety and sleep quality between stress perception and dietary behavior, and provide scientific basis and decision-making reference for dietary behavior intervention measures in psychotherapy activities. Methods The study used convenience sampling to select undergraduate students who had participated in stress management in universities as the research subjects. A questionnaire survey was conducted using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Self Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Dietary Behavior Scale. After obtaining the survey results, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression methods were used to explore the relationship between stress, anxiety, and dietary behavior. At the same time, the study used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test whether the differences in the scores of dietary behavior and healthy eating awareness among students with different exercise frequencies were statistically significant. Results The experimental results showed a positive correlation between stress perception and eating behaviors such as snacking (0.17, p&amp;lt;.01), food response (0.16, p&amp;lt;.01), emotional eating (0.327, p&amp;lt;.01), restrictive eating (0.099, p&amp;lt;.01), and picky eating (0.222, p&amp;lt;.01). There is a negative correlation between perceived stress and awareness of healthy eating (-0.216, p&amp;lt;.01). There is a positive correlation between anxiety and eating behaviors such as snacking (0.181, p&amp;lt;.01), food response (0.135, p&amp;lt;.01), emotional eating (0.292, p&amp;lt;.01), restrictive eating (0.082, p&amp;lt;.01), and picky eating (0.197, p&amp;lt;.01). There is a negative correlation between anxiety and awareness of healthy eating (-0.139, p&amp;lt; .01). At the same time, college students who exercise more than 3 times a week scored lower in picky eating and emotional eating compared to the group of students who exercise very little, while scoring higher in restrictive eating and awareness of healthy eating compared to the group of students who exercise very little. Experiments have shown that when the subjects' perceived stress or anxiety levels increase, unhealthy eating behaviors also tend to increase. When an individual's awareness of healthy eating increases, their stress perception and anxiety levels may decrease. Discussion The research findings indicate a significant bidirectional relationship between stress, anxiety, and dietary behavior. Stress and anxiety not only affect dietary behavior, but changes in dietary behavior can also in turn affect an individual's levels of stress and anxiety. This discovery provides a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of psychological disorders, emphasizing the importance of considering dietary behavior when treating psychological disorders. The research also provides a theoretical basis for developing comprehensive psychological intervention measures, which may include stress management, anxiety treatment, and dietary behavior adjustment. Future research can further explore how to alleviate stress and anxiety by improving dietary behavior, as well as how to improve dietary behavior through stress and anxiety management.

Menopause, characterized by cessation of menstruation, is accompanied by various physiological and psychological changes. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the efficacy of a multi-domain lifestyle modification program in alleviating menopausal symptoms and promoting health behaviors among postmenopausal women residing in urban slums of Hyderabad, India. Eighty-two women aged 45-60 years experiencing menopausal symptoms were recruited. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 45-day lifestyle intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The intervention program addressed six domains: health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. The menopause rating scale (MRS) and a modified health-promoting lifestyle II (HPBII) questionnaire assessed menopausal symptoms and health behaviors at baseline and during follow-up. The intervention group showed significant improvements (P < 0.05) in terms of overall HPBII scores compared to baseline, with the most notable changes observed in health responsibility, nutrition, and stress management domains. In addition, MRS scores indicating menopausal symptoms were significantly lowered (P < 0.05) in the intervention group. No significant changes were found in the control group in either health behaviors or menopausal symptoms. After the intervention, the experimental group showed a significant improvement in HPBII scores compared to the control group, particularly in health responsibility, nutrition, interpersonal relationships, and stress management sub-domains. This RCT suggested that a comprehensive lifestyle modification program could effectively improve health behaviors and alleviate menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women residing in under-resourced settings. Further research is warranted to explore the program's long-term sustainability and generalizability.

Building on three earlier studies, the present paper employs the abbreviated form of the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire to compare the personality profile of 94 Anglican clergy engaged in rural ministry with 219 clergy engaged in ministry in non rural parishes. The research is based in the dioceses of Worcester and Lichfield. Rural clergy were found to be more socially conforming, but neither more introverted nor more extraverted than clergy serving in non-rural parishes. The implications of personality differences are discussed for the shape of rural ministry.

The research problem is that the COVID-19 pandemic has become a threat to the sustainable development of the EEU and caused uncertainty in terms of the management of corporate social responsibility. This paper is aimed at identifying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sustainable development of the EEU from the perspective of the interaction of the member states of the integration association and their mutual trade risks through the prism of the management of corporate social responsibility. The methodological foundation of the research is composed of the provisions of a comprehensive approach that has been used as a basis for determining the cause-and-effect relationship between the member states of the integration association and their mutual trade risks in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The analysis of statistical data is based on the methodology of econometric theory; in particular, the methods of horizontal and trend analysis. This paper analyzes the measures that were taken by the EEU member states to fight the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection both at the national level and at the level of the EEU institutions. The authors showed the asynchronous nature of measures introduced at the national level, while in certain circumstances the economic inefficiency of the introduction of measures, taken at the supranational level, and the impact of imposed restrictions on the current situation with mutual trade in goods and services, and free movement of workers. It has been substantiated that the examination of the economic interaction of the EEU member states in the period of restrictions dictated by a new coronavirus infection has revealed several endemic problems and had a major impact on the achievement of the main objectives of the integration association, transforming the terms for the management of corporate social responsibility. The originality of the paper is that the unique experience of the integration association of the EEU is for the first time studied from the perspective of the impact of the risks of mutual trade during a pandemic on it through the prism of the management of corporate social responsibility.

The purpose of this study was to gather baseline data on the health-promoting lifestyle practices of RNs working in six major health care and educational institutions in a southeast Pennsylvania community. A descriptive correlational study design was used. The 52-item Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II instrument was used to explore participants' self-reported health-promoting behaviors and measure the dimensions of health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, interpersonal relations, spiritual growth, and stress management. Findings revealed that physical activity and stress management scores were low for the entire group of RNs. There were statistically significant differences between nurses 50 years of age and older and those 30 to 39 years of age for the subscales of health responsibility, nutrition, and stress management, suggesting that older nurses are more concerned about their health. There were also statistically significant differences between nurses 50 years of age and older and those 29 years of age and younger for the subscale of health responsibility. Sixty-seven percent of participants reported having too many competing priorities and had significantly lower subscale scores for spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management, as well as significantly lower total scores. This study's findings provided baseline data that will be useful in planning health-promoting lifestyle interventions for participants specific to their institutions, and may help guide future research and educational initiatives related to numerous issues common to the RN workforce. The failure of many nurses to take adequate care of themselves needs to be better understood and addressed, by both individual nurses and their employers.

Background:Health promoting lifestyle (HPL) focuses on life promotion through lifestyle which consists of six aspects of “physical activity”, “nutrition”, “health responsibility”, “spiritual growth”, “interpersonal relations” and “stress management”. This lifestyle promotes health and welfare and induces satisfaction, self-persuasion and self-improvement. Considering the importance of the way a new behavior affects “life quality” as a motivational factor for starting and continuing that behavior, this study aimed to determine the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and its aspects.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed on undergraduate students at School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, using a census method. Health promoting lifestyle was measured by Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile two and life quality was assessed by the Persian version of QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in SPSS.Results:Mean age of the participants was 21.12 years old. From among six aspects of health promoting behaviors, spiritual growth and responsibility with the means of 22.01 ± 2.224 and 20 ± 2.31 had the highest and physical activity with the mean of 17.58 ± 2.9 had the lowest scores, respectively. General life quality of 40.7% students was good and only 19.8% of them had an average global life quality. The highest and lowest frequencies of health-related life quality belonged to very good (58.6%) and excellent (9%) health, respectively. Except for stress management (P = 0.05) and gender of the students, there were no significant relationships between other HPL aspects and gender. There was no statistically significant relationship between global life quality of students and nutrition, physical activity, self-health responsibility and stress management while there was a significant relationship between global life quality and spiritual growth of the students. Health-related life quality and stress management were significantly related to each other; however, no statistically significant relationship was observed between health-related life quality and nutrition, physical activity, interpersonal relations and spiritual growth.Conclusion:There is a significant relationship between adopting health promoting lifestyle and aspects of spiritual growth and stress management on the one hand and general quality of life on the other, at least among students.

Critical care nurses (CCNs) experience stressful situations in their daily working environments. A qualitative research approach (exploratory, descriptive and contextual) was used to explore and describe the stressful situations experienced by critical care nurses in the Tshwane metropolitan are of South Africa. Focus group interviews were conducted with critical care nurses. Data was generated by means of focus group interviews. The results revealed CCNs' perceptions and experiences about stressful events, factors contributing to stress in the critical care environment, as well as their needs for support systems.Critical care nurses experience stressful situations in their daily working environments. The question arises for nurses: are there adequate support systems in the critical care environment and what are critical care nurses doing to maintain their own health and well-being? Facilitating conscious awareness among critical care nurses could enhance their resiliency and their hardiness, strengthening their coping capacities in stressful working situations. The contextual framework adopted for this research was the Neuman Systems Model. A qualitative research approach (exploratory, descriptive and contextual) was used to explore and describe the stress experienced by critical care nurses. Focus group interviews were conducted with critical care nurses and individual interviews with nurse managers. The results revealed their perceptions and experiences about the effects of stress in the critical care environment, as well as some of their coping strategies. The recommendations include that stress management programmes should be implemented and evaluated; debriefing services should be available to CCNs, in-service education programmes should address raising CCNs' consciousness awareness and enhance their resiliency skills. Effective communication systems should be established between managers and CCNs to address inconsistencies as they arise, including critical shortages of staff and equipment.

BackgroundOne of the most effective measures regarding improving women's health is to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and sleep quality among a sample of Saudi menopausal women.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was used to collect data from 410 Saudi postmenopausal women visiting primary healthcare care centers located in Sakaka, Jouf, Saudi Arabia, using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 52.60 ± 4.65 years, the study findings highlighted that among all the HPLP domains, the highest mean score was observed for spiritual growth (24.00 ± 6.60) whereas the lowest score was observed for physical activity (16.18 ± 1.8). Statistically significant negative relations between the total score of HPLP and sleep quality score and menopausal symptoms (p < 0.001, p < 0.005), respectively. Total scores of lifestyle, health responsibility, and stress management were significant differences between participants with good and poor sleep quality. Being overweight/obese, physically inactive, having a chronic illness and poor sleep quality were predictors influencing health-promoting behavior.ConclusionHealth-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was more obvious in the good sleeper in form of health responsibility and stress management. Being overweight and or obese, having a chronic illness, and having poor sleep quality were the significant factors influencing health-promoting behaviors. Designing and performing educational interventional plans are crucial to create motivation toward a healthy lifestyle and improve the quality of their sleep.