Anxiety Research Articles

Threat Severity and Threat Susceptibility Are Significantly Correlated with Climate Distress in Australian Mothers

Climate change presents a critical global crisis, characterized by rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting climate patterns. Vulnerable populations bear a disproportionate share of these impacts, with women at heightened risk due to unequal access to resources, decision-making power, and social roles. Postpartum women specifically face further unique challenges as they strive to protect their children, amplifying the psychological toll of climate change. The current study explores climate distress in a sample of 101 postpartum women in Australia (Mage = 31.14 years), whose youngest child was (on average) 5 months of age, examining factors associated with their psychological responses to climate threats. Correlational analyses reveal that perceptions of threat severity (r = 0.621, p ≤ 0.01) and susceptibility (r = 0.695, p ≤ 0.01) are strongly linked to climate distress. These findings highlight the need to further investigate the distinct psychological pathways climate-related anxiety operates through in postpartum women. The study underscores the importance of targeted interventions to support this vulnerable population as they face increasing climate-related stressors.

Lifestyle changes and psychological anxiety during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic: Using the Korean Community Health Survey

This study investigated changes in lifestyles and psychological anxiety among Koreans during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using the 2020 data from the nationwide Korean Community Health Survey. The study outcomes were psychological anxiety about the infection and death, due to COVID-19. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the relationship between psychological anxiety and lifestyle changes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who practiced healthy behaviors and followed social distancing and quarantine regulations experienced increased psychological anxiety for infection and death. Daily life changes during the COVID-19 pandemic were not associated with psychological anxiety. The result of this study can provide baseline measures for further study on psychological anxiety during re-infection of COVID-19 and future pandemics in Korea.

Assessing the factors associated with body image perception and quality of life of Palestinian women undergoing breast cancer treatment: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundWorldwide, breast cancer has replaced lung cancer and has become the most commonly diagnosed malignancy. Breast cancer poses a significant burden on the health and quality of life of women and can lead to substantial physical burdens and significant psychological problems, including distress, anxiety, depression, and sexuality-related issues, including negative body image. This study was conducted to assess how women diagnosed with, treated, and/or receiving treatment for breast cancer perceived their body image.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to assess body image perceptions among Palestinian women diagnosed with breast cancer. The study was conducted in four different hospitals located in the West Bank of Palestine where women with breast cancer received their treatments or visited for follow-up care in the period between November 2023 and March 2024. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Body perception was assessed using the body image self-rating questionnaire for breast cancer (BISQ-BC).ResultsIn this study, 376 women with breast cancer completed the interviewer-administered questionnaire (response rate = 75.2%. The mean age of the women was 44.0 ± 5.3 years. Of the women, 74.7% agreed or strongly agreed that they cared about their body image. On the other hand, 43.1% of the women were not satisfied with their body image and 58.8% did not think that their body image was attractive. Multiple linear regression showed that younger age, employment status, living in cities, marital status, educational level, presence of comorbidities, and longer time passes since diagnosis with breast cancer were associated with the different aspects of body image perception and behavior.ConclusionThe findings of this study indicated that Palestinian women with breast cancer were concerned about their body image. The findings also indicated that breast cancer and its treatment posed a significant burden on the physical and psychosocial well-being of the affected women and impacted the different dimensions of their lives, including their perceptions of their body image. Patients with significant physical and body image changes might benefit from reconstructive surgeries, psychosocial support, cognitive behavioral therapy, and nutritional, and physical activity interventions.

Child Preparedness for Infertility Disclosure: A Diagnostic Tool for Supporting Parent and Child Mental Health

Infertility, often perceived as an adult issue, can also manifest in childhood, presenting unique challenges. Improper handling of infertility disclosures can strain parent–child relationships and potentially lead to significant psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and long-term impacts on self-image. Despite the critical nature of these conversations, parents often report receiving little or no guidance from professionals on how or when to disclose this information to their child. This article introduces the Child Readiness for Infertility Disclosure (CRID) Assessment Tool, designed to empirically guide parents and marriage and family counselors in assessing a child's readiness for receiving information about infertility. The CRID tool integrates the concepts of Tiered Priming and Cognitive Preparedness strategies, providing structured recommendations grounded in Erickson's Stages of Psychosocial Development for age-appropriate and developmentally suitable disclosure along with an applied case study.

Examining the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With a Virtual Agent on User Motivation and Improvement in Psychological Distress and Anxiety: Two-Session Experimental Study.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a valuable treatment for mood disorders and anxiety. CBT methods, such as cognitive restructuring, are employed to change automatic negative thoughts to more realistic ones. This study extends on previous research conducted by the authors, focused on the process of correcting automatic negative thoughts to realistic ones and reducing distress and anxiety via CBT with a virtual agent. It was aimed to investigate whether the previously applied virtual agent would achieve changes in automatic negative thoughts when modifications to the previous experimental paradigm are applied and when user motivation is taken into consideration. Furthermore, thepotential effects of existing participant knowledge concerning CBT or automatic thoughts were explored. A single-group, 2-session experiment was conducted using a within-group design. The study recruited 35 participants from May 15, 2023, to June 2, 2023, via Inter Group Corporation, with data collection following from June 5 to June 20, 2023, at Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan. There were 19 male and 16 female participants (age range: 18-50 years; mean 33.66, SD 10.77 years). Participants answered multiple questionnaires covering depressive symptomatology and other cognitive variables before and after a CBT session. CBT was carried out using a virtual agent, who participants conversed with using a CBT dialogue scenario on the topic of automatic negative thoughts. Session 2 of the experiment took place 1 week after session 1. Changes in distress and state anxiety were analyzed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and t-test for paired samples. The relationships of motivation with cognitive changes and distress or anxiety changes were investigated via correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the potential predictive qualities of previous knowledge of CBT and automatic negative thoughts regarding outcome measures. Significant reductions in distress (all P<.001) and state anxiety (all P<.003) emerged throughout the first and second experimental sessions. The CBT intervention increased participants' recognition of their negative thinking and their intention to change it, namely their motivation to change it. However, no clear correlations of motivation with changes in distress or anxiety were found (all P>.04). Participants reported moderate subjective changes in their cognition, which were in part positively correlated with their motivation (all P<.007). Lastly, existing knowledge of CBT did not predict reductions in distress during the first session of the experiment (P=.02). CBT using a virtual agent and a CBT dialogue scenario was successful in reducing distress and anxiety when talking about automatic negative thoughts. The promotion of client motivation needs to be critically considered when designing interventions using CBT with a virtual agent, and further experimental investigations on the causal influences between motivation and outcome measures need to be conducted.

The causes of sports injuries of fencers and the coping strategies

Context Fencing is an ancient sport that originated in medieval European wars and gradually developed into a regulated competitive sport. It is a combination of elegant movements and flexible tactics, requiring athletes to be highly focused mentally and well-coordinated physically. Such high demands on movements and reactions reflect the excellent skills and agility of fencers. In order to achieve excellent competition results, many aspects are often involved in the training, including the comprehensive training of technical, physical, tactical and psychological quality. Such high-demand training and high-intensity competition make the probability of sports injury in the process of sports greatly increased. These injuries not only affect the athletes' immediate performance, but also may have a negative impact on their long-term career and shorten the athletes' sports life and may also bring huge psychological pressure and anxiety to the athletes. How to effectively avoid athletes' sports injury and improve the quality of training have become the key reasons for fencers to achieve good results. By understanding the causes and influencing factors of knee joint injury of fencers, it can provide theoretical basis for injury protection of fencers. At the same time, individual prevention or intervention strategies are adopted.

Endosomal actin branching, fission, and receptor recycling require FCHSD2 recruitment by MICAL-L1.

Endosome fission is required for the release of carrier vesicles and the recycling of receptors to the plasma membrane. Early events in endosome budding and fission rely on actin branching to constrict the endosomal membrane, ultimately leading to nucleotide hydrolysis and enzymatic fission. However, our current understanding of this process is limited, particularly regarding the coordination between the early and late steps of endosomal fission. Here we have identified a novel interaction between the endosomal scaffolding protein, MICAL-L1, and the human homologue of the Drosophila Nervous Wreck (Nwk) protein, FCH and double SH3 domains protein 2 (FCHSD2). We demonstrate that MICAL-L1 recruits FCHSD2 to the endosomal membrane, where it is required for ARP2/3-mediated generation of branched actin, endosome fission and receptor recycling to the plasma membrane. Because MICAL-L1 first recruits FCHSD2 to the endosomal membrane, and is subsequently responsible for recruitment of the ATPase and fission protein EHD1 to endosomes, our findings support a model in which MICAL-L1 orchestrates endosomal fission by connecting between the early actin-driven and subsequent nucleotide hydrolysis steps of the process.

Evaluating Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Chinese Older Adults

Purpose: This study examined the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) in alleviating psychological distress of Chinese older adults living in nursing homes. Method: In this randomized pretest–posttest pilot trial, participants ( N = 40) were randomly assigned to SFBT or treatment-as-usual (TAU) and outcomes were assessed with standardized, psychometrically sound measure. Treatment effects were analyzed using analysis-of-covariance, and between-group small-sample-size corrected using Hedges’ g across measures of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and hope. Results: The results revealed that participants receiving SFBT reported a significantly greater reduction in distress, depression, anxiety, and improvement in hope as compared to those in TAU. Discussion: Results suggest SFBT's efficacy for addressing internalizing disorders in older Chinese adults furthering it as a research-supported intervention. With significant concurrent improvement of older Chinese adults’ hope and their mental health outcomes, this study advances the literature in suggesting hope as a potential intervention mediator.

Coping Flexibility: Match Between Coping Strategy and Perceived Stressor Controllability Predicts Depressed Mood

AbstractIndividual differences in coping responses can predict psychological distress, anxiety, and depression; therefore, it is vital to explore adaptive coping strategies. Recent research suggests that an individual’s ability to choose strategies based on the context may be more important than the ability to use any one strategy, an ability termed coping flexibility. For example, problem-focused coping is adaptive for situations of high control, while emotion-focused coping is adaptive for situations of low control. This conceptualization of coping flexibility, termed strategy-situation fit, consists of the match of strategy to situation. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if daily fluctuations in strategy-situation fit for daily stressors would be associated with daily levels of depressed mood. A seven-day diary study in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 75) was completed. The results of generalized linear mixed models demonstrated that in situations of high stress and high control, more use of emotion-focused coping was related to higher levels of depressed mood. Additionally, in situations of high stress and low control, more use of emotion-focused coping was related to lower levels of depressed mood. These findings suggest that the match between emotion-focused coping and perceived stressor controllability can be a predictor of daily experiences of depressed mood when faced with high-level stressors.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome as a Burden for Patients and Their Caregivers: A Narrative Review.

Millions of critically ill patients are discharged from intensive care units (ICUs) every year. These ICU survivors may suffer from a condition known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) which includes a wide range of cognitive, psychological, and physical impairments. This article will provide an extensive review of PICS. ICU survivors may experience cognitive deficits in memory and attention, with a slow-down of mental processing and problem-solving. From psychological perspectives, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are the most common issues suffered after ICU discharge. These psycho-cognitive impairments might be coupled with ICU-acquired weakness (polyneuropathy and/or myopathy), further reducing the quality of life, the ability to return to work, and other daily activities. The burden of ICU survivors extends to families too, leading to the so-called PICS-family (or PICS-F), which entails the psychological impairments suffered by the family and, in particular, by the caregiver of the ICU survivor. The development of PICS (and PICS-F) is likely multifactorial, and both patient- and ICU-related factors may influence it. Whilst the prevention of PICS is complex, it is important to identify the patients at higher risk of PICS, and clinicians should be aware of the tools available for diagnosis. Stakeholders should implement strategies to achieve PICS prevention and to support its effective treatment during the recovery phase with dedicated pathways and supporting care.

Narrative exposure therapy for the treatment of trauma-related symptoms among adolescent survivors of sex trafficking: A pilot study

Background: India is home to 14 million survivors of human trafficking, with most being trafficked for sexual exploitation. Trafficking constitutes crimes that violate the rights of survivors, and despite its psychological consequences, there is little evidence-based guidance to meet the needs of these individuals. Aim: The current study aimed to examine the outcome of narrative exposure therapy (KIDNET) among adolescent survivors of sex trafficking in improving trauma-related symptoms, along with psychological distress, dissociation, depression, and anxiety. Methods: A pre-post study design was used with 20 adolescent female survivors of trafficking aged 13 to 17 years, with ten participants in the KIDNET group and ten participants in a waitlist control group. Trafficking Victim Identification Tool and Standard Progressive Matrices were administered as screening measures. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Children and Adolescents, Kessler’s Psychological Distress Scale, Shutdown Dissociation Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were administered as outcome measures. Fourteen sessions of KIDNET were conducted for the clinical group, while sessions were conducted for the control group post delivery of intervention for the clinical group. Results: Findings suggest an overall improvement in the severity of trauma-related symptoms in the KIDNET group, with significant improvement in psychological distress, depression, and anxiety. Conclusion: Results indicate that KIDNET may be a promising and acceptable treatment for adolescent survivors of sex trafficking, and this intervention module may be safely delivered in further randomised controlled trials to ensure that the holistic needs of this vulnerable group are appropriately addressed.

Impacts and Pathways of Behavioral Activation on Psychological Distress Among Patients Diagnosed With Esophageal and Gastric Cancer in China: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of behavioral activation (BA), a novel psychological intervention, in ameliorating psychological distress and anxiety symptoms among patients diagnosed with esophageal and gastric cancer, as well as the mediating role of self-efficacy between BA and psychological distress. A total of 139 patients diagnosed with esophageal and gastric cancer were recruited in China from March 2023 to October 2023 and randomly assigned to either the BA plus care as usual group (BA+CAU group) or the care as usual group (CAU group). Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, including the Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT), Generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the activation subscale of Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS-A), were administered. Generalized estimating equation analyses revealed that, compared to usual care alone, combining BA with usual care significantly ameliorated psychological distress, anxiety as well as improved self-efficacy and activation. The mediation analysis revealed that self-efficacy served as a mediator in the relationship between activation and psychological distress. BA primarily based on telephone or WeChat can not only directly ameliorates psychological distress and anxiety symptoms in patients with esophageal cancer and gastric cancer but also indirectly alleviates psychological distress by enhancing self-efficacy. The study also demonstrates the potential of BA in cancer patients, a skill that can be effectively acquired by primary care workers without specialized training and implemented more flexible. NCT06348940.

Anal Sexual Roles and Impacts on HIV Infection and Psychological Distress Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: A 14-Year Longitudinal Study.

Previous studies have shown that men who have sex with men (MSM) with different anal sexual roles, namely bottom, versatile, and top, are at different risk of HIV infection and psychological distress. However, the evidence was primarily derived from cross-sectional designs from Western countries, and it remains unclear how anal sexual roles change over a long time and their health impacts among MSM from Eastern countries. We aimed to describe the changes in anal sexual roles among a Chinese sample of MSM over 14years and explore their effects on HIV infection, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Between 2009 and 2023, a longitudinal study was conducted on 373 MSM in Changsha, China, to assess their anal sexual roles, HIV infection, and psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Generalized linear models with a binomial probability was used to analyze the predictive effect of anal sexual roles on HIV infection and psychological distress. At baseline, 30.3% of MSM self-identified as bottom, 32.2% as versatile, and 37.5% as top, and these numbers changed slightly to 35.9%, 33.0%, and 31.1%, respectively, at follow-up (p = 0.131). From baseline to follow-up, 48 (12.9%) new HIV cases were identified. The prevalence of depression increased from 23.1 to 38.1% (p < 0.001), anxiety increased from 25.5% to 35.4% (p = 0.003), and suicidal ideation increased from 30.8 to 38.9% (p = 0.021). MSM with bottom and versatile roles were more likely to have HIV infection, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation than those with top roles. MSM's risk of HIV infection and psychological distress varies according to their anal sexual roles, suggesting that future HIV prevention and mental health improvement programs for MSM may benefit from providing targeted and individualized support based on their anal sexual roles, with a particular focus on those with bottom and versatile roles.

협업의 덕목을 통한 디자이너 갈등의 역기능 해소 방안 탐색

The purpose of this study is to resolve the dysfunction of designer conflict through the virtue of collaboration. The scope of the study is limited to the dysfunction of conflict between individuals and groups. This study was a basic study and was conducted through the literature research method, and the following conclusions were drawn. First, in collaboration, the virtues of clarity and justice are highly likely to resolve the dysfunctional elements of conflict, such as energy distribution and group cohesion destruction. Second, in collaboration, the virtues of responsibility and ownership are highly likely to resolve energy distribution, passive participation in the team, and negative organizational atmosphere from work, which are dysfunctional elements of conflict. Third, in collaboration, the virtues of interest and respect are highly likely to resolve psychological anxiety, passive participation, and insufficient progress, which are dysfunctional elements of conflict. Fourth, the open mind and honesty virtue in collaboration is highly likely to resolve energy distribution, negative organizational atmosphere, and group cohesion from work, which are dysfunctional elements of conflict. This study is expected to be used as basic data for a study on how to resolve conflict dysfunction through the virtue of collaboration.

Factors Affecting Psychological Well-Being, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Dental Students in Delhi and the National Capital Region: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Research has shown that mental health issues are prevalent among university students and healthcare professionals. Dental practitioners are particularly at risk due to the demanding nature of their profession. Our study aims to survey dental students and faculty to assess their psychological well-being and identify key stressors and potential interventions. Methodology A cross-sectional study examined the psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, and stress of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) dental studentsand faculty from the School of Dental Sciences. A questionnaire was distributed via email and WhatsApp to 350 participants. The questionnaire contained a unique set of items for each study group related to factors affecting psychological well-being among students, and a separate questionnaire was used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21) in the same population. Results A cross-sectional study of 350 dental students and educators found no significant changes in depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS) levels between age groups. Females, however, reported greater levels of these difficulties than men (D=71.5%, A=71.9%, S=76.7% for females vs. D=28.5%, A=28.1%, S=23.3% for men, with p-values for D=0.014, A=0.001, and S=0.031). Overall, 67.3% of UG students study away from home and live in hostels or flats, with academic and financial demands (30.6% and 33.5%, p-values: 0.014 and 0.098, respectively). Many people find their workload unpleasant (40.8%, p-value=0.143) and feel overwhelmed by academic obligations (47.9%, p-value=0.002), with 20%-25% worried about examinations, failure, and balancing well-being with academics (p-values: 0.001, 0.006, and 0.002, respectively). In total, 57.1% suffer severe social isolation (p-value=0.045), and more than 40% have mental health issues (p=0.003). While the mentor-mentee program is rated as helpful (p-value=0.68), 35% of students are ignorant of mental health options (p-value=0.006). Financial concerns are a big worry, with 38.7% seeking assistance, and second- and third-year students suffer more challenges than first-year students. Overall, 41.2% of instructors are perceived as extremely accessible, whereas 34.3% and 31.4% feel that scheduled breaks are required due to stress (38.2%, p=0.053). Most instructors (51.4%) encourage counseling and interact with students (76.5%), while 77.1% discuss mental health. Among the PGs, 74.2% of participants are content with the college's amenities, but 90.3% are stressed because of the PG seat departing bond, demonstrating widespread concern over this issue. To cope, 22.6% seek help from loved ones, while 19.4% pursue hobbies, emphasizing the value of personal support networks and leisure activities. Conclusion The study found that females perceive more stress than males. Most UG students live with supportive families and only experience academic helplessness on rare occasions. First-year students find academic effort more demanding than their peers at higher educational levels. Overall academic load gradually decreases from the first to the third year but rises significantly in the final year before declining during internships. As academic load increases, students tend to isolate themselves socially. Engaging in leisure activities can help mitigate the negative effects of stress on physical and psychological health. Faculty members recommend college counseling services to help students cope with stress.

Australian University Students' Experience of Animal-Assisted Education: An Exploratory Study.

University students experience poorer mental health outcomes when compared to the general population. Poor mental health has been associated with reduced wellbeing and low academic performance, resulting in higher rates of withdrawal. Animal-assisted education is an intervention found to result in a reduction in anxiety and an increased learning engagement among primary and secondary students. However, minimal research has been conducted regarding the inclusion of therapy dogs in the learning environments of students in tertiary education. This study explored the influence of animal-assisted education on the experience of university students. A total of 56 university students engaged with animal-assisted education over a 13-week period and completed an online survey comprised of open- and closed-response questions. The findings showed that all perceived benefits of the therapy dog, including improved mood and reduction of anxiety, increased motivation and engagement in learning activities, as well as an improved social engagement with peers and the educator. Preliminary findings demonstrated that the inclusion of animal-assisted education into the teaching of university students may assist in supporting their mental health and overall learning experience. Research is needed to explore the most effective ways to incorporate animal-assisted education into university settings for both students and therapy dogs.

Association between tooth loss and depression mediated by lifestyle and Inflammation- a cross-sectional investigation

BackgroundDepression and tooth loss are associated with the occurrence of systemic disease or the progression of multi-factorial disease, and both are considered important public health issues by World Health Organization (WHO). Previous research just suggested that tooth loss can generate psychological stress, low self-esteem, anxiety and other emotional disturbances. However, the precise correlation and underlying mechanisms between depression and tooth loss remains poorly understood. ​Consequently, we aim to explore the association between depression and tooth loss through a cross-sectional study, as well as investigate potential pathways of influence.MethodsWe analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Logistic regression models were employed to examine the relationship between depression and tooth loss, as well as the associations among healthy lifestyle, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), depression and tooth loss. Through the mediating effect analysis by bootstrapping analysis, we evaluated the mediating effects of healthy lifestyle and SII between depression and tooth loss.ResultsDepressed patients were more likely to be toothless, and at the same time showed a tendency to have more missing teeth, with odds ratio (OR) = 1.305 (1.098, 1.551), p = 0.003 for 1–7 missing teeth, OR = 1.557 (1.166, 2.079), p = 0.003 for 8–14 missing teeth, and OR = 1.960 (1.476, 2.603), p<0.001 for 15–28 missing teeth. Lower healthy lifestyle scores and higher SII were both associated with more tooth loss. Healthy lifestyle and SII played a partial mediating role in this relationship, with a mediating effect ratio of 41.691% and 3.289%, respectively.Conclusions​Depression was positively associated with more severe tooth loss, which was partly mediated by lifestyle and SII. Therefore, attention should also be paid to the effects of depression as a mental disorder on physical health, such as depression and tooth loss. Adopting a healthier lifestyle and controlling systemic inflammation may be potential ways to reduce the impact of depression and tooth loss.

Food insecurity and unemployment as mediators of the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychological well-being in young South Africans with HIV

BackgroundPoor psychological well-being, including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, is both prevalent among young South Africans living with HIV and associated with poor HIV clinical outcomes. By impacting food insecurity and employment, the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced psychological well-being in this population. This analysis sought to examine whether food insecurity and unemployment mediated the relationship between study cohort (pre- versus during-pandemic) and psychological well-being in our sample of young South Africans living with HIV.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis comparing baseline data from two cohorts of young South Africans ages 18–24 from the Cape Town and East London metro areas who tested positive for HIV at clinics (or mobile clinics) either before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline sociodemographic, economic, and psychological outcomes were analyzed through a series of bivariate logistic regression and mediation analyses. All data were analyzed in 2023 and 2024.ResultsReported food anxiety, insufficient food quality, and insufficient food quantity were lower in the cohort recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic than those recruited before the pandemic (p < 0.001). Higher levels of food insecurity predicted higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and lower self-esteem. Food anxiety, insufficient food quality, and insufficient food quantity, but not unemployment, mediated the relationship between study cohort and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and self-esteem.ConclusionFood insecurity may have decreased amongst our sample of young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings build on our understanding of how the psychological well-being of young people living with HIV was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and may lend support to interventions targeting food insecurity to improve psychological well-being in this population.

Meta-Analysis of eVisit Technology on Psychological Anxiety and Factors Influencing the Parents of NICU Newborns.

Due to the geographical distance, work obligations, and parenting responsibilities, it is often difficult for parents to visit the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Limited parent presence might also constrain updates about infant status thus increasing anxiety, which potentially leads to a stronger necessity for visitation. Examine the evidence for use of electronic visit (eVisit) technology for parents of newborns in NICU, for example, do eVisits decrease anxiety and are there other factors that demonstrate effectiveness. Seven databases were used to search for evidence from 1 January 2000 to 13 November 2023. Studies were included with terms related to eHealth, NICU, infant, parent and 41 eligible studies were assessed. Data were extracted by 2 reviewers with a systematic-staged review approach. Eight studies with a total of 1450 cases were included. Results of meta-analysis showed that eVisit technology improved anxiety compared with conventional visitation (MD=-5.04, 95% CI [-5.92,-4.17], P <.01) and hospitalization satisfaction (RR=1.09, 95% CI [1.05, 1.13], P <.01), but the effect was not significant with regard to reduction in infant length of stay (MD=-1.07, 95% CI [-5.39, 3.25], P =.63). A large sample, high-quality, multi-centered randomized controlled study needs to be conducted to validate the effect of eVisit technology on the psychological state of parents, implications for nursing practice as well as potential newborn affects to improve future ease of use. Available for more insights from the authors. This video shows the concept, current status, significance, and implications for practice and research of eVisit technology.

The Effect of Zikr Meditation on Anxiety, Stress Levels and Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients

Background: Hypertension, a prevalent chronic condition, poses significant health risks when left untreated. Psychological factors like stress and anxiety are known contributors to high blood pressure. Effective management of hypertension may benefit from non-pharmacological interventions that address these psychological elements. Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of Zikr meditation, a spiritual mindfulness practice, on reducing anxiety, stress, and blood pressure in individuals with hypertension. Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 hypertensive patients, randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in 20-minute Zikr meditation sessions for four weeks daily, while the control group engaged in a placebo activity. Anxiety and stress levels were measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), respectively. Blood pressure readings were taken before and after the intervention. Results: Participants in the Zikr meditation group showed a significant reduction in anxiety and stress levels compared to the control group. Additionally, there was a notable decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure among those practicing Zikr meditation. Conclusions: Zikr meditation effectively reduces anxiety and stress, leading to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that incorporating Zikr meditation into standard hypertension management could offer a valuable, non-pharmacological approach to improving cardiovascular health. Further research is recommended to examine Zikr meditation's long-term effects and broader applicability in hypertension care.