Counseling People Research Articles

5-Year effects of a novel continuous remote care model with carbohydrate-restricted nutrition therapy including nutritional ketosis in type 2 diabetes: An extension study

AimsThis study assessed the five-year effects of a continuous care intervention (CCI) delivered via telemedicine, counseling people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on a very low carbohydrate diet with nutritional ketosis. MethodsParticipants with T2D were enrolled in a 2-year, open-label, non-randomized study comparing CCI and usual care (UC). After 2 years, 194 of the 262 CCI participants were approached for a three-year extension. Of these, 169 consented, and 122 remained in the study for five years. Primary outcomes were changes in diabetes status assessed using McNemars’ test, including remission and HbA1c < 6.5 % on no glucose lowering medication or only on metformin at 5 years. Changes in body mass, glycemia, and cardiometabolic markers from baseline to 5 years were assessed using linear mixed-effects models. ResultsTwenty percent (n = 24) of the five-year completers achieved remission, with sustained remission observed over three years in 15.8 % (n = 19) and four years in 12.5 % (n = 15). Reversal to HbA1c < 6.5 % without medication or only metformin was seen in 32.5 % (n = 39). Sustained improvements were noted in body mass (−7.6 %), HbA1c (−0.3 %), triglycerides (−18.4 %), HDL-C (+17.4 %), and inflammatory markers, with no significant changes in LDL-C and total cholesterol. ConclusionsOver five years, the very low carbohydrate intervention showed excellent retention and significant health benefits, including diabetes remission, weight loss, and improved cardiometabolic markers.

Consensus Guidance for Genetic Counseling in GBA1 Variants: A Focus on Parkinson's Disease.

Glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) variants constitute numerically the most common known genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) and are distributed worldwide. Access to GBA1 genotyping varies across the world and even regionally within countries. Guidelines for GBA1 variant counseling are evolving. We review the current knowledge of the link between GBA1 and PD, and discuss the practicalities of GBA1 testing. Lastly, we provide a consensus for an approach to counseling people with GBA1 variants, notably the communication of PD risk. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Dispositional and Contextual Predictors of Forgiveness in Adults with Limb Amputation

Although people with limb amputation are exposed to different offenses related to their physical disability, there is no research exploring ways they cope with such stressors. One of prosocial methods of dealing with interpersonal transgressions is forgiveness. The aim of the study was to investigate relationships between dispositional forgiveness, contextual factors, and decisional and emotional forgiveness of a particular offense in people living with limb loss. One hundred and two persons (58 females and 44 males) with limb amputation aged 18 to 75 (M = 41.69, SD = 14.39) took part in a study. Participants completed the Heartland Forgiveness Scale, the Decision to Forgive Scale, the Emotional Forgiveness Scale and five items regarding transgressions related to limb amputation. Results revealed that disposition to forgive and contextual factors like apology and relationship quality, but not the severity of transgression, were related to acts of forgiveness following particular transgressions. However, different variables explained distinct aspects of episodic forgiveness. Decisional forgiveness was related to disposition to forgive and apology being offered by the wrongdoer. Reduction of negative emotions was explained by dispositional overcoming unforgiveness, whereas presence of positive emotions was associated only with contextual factors (apology and quality of the relationship). The findings demonstrated the complexity of experiencing forgiveness in the population of amputees. Introducing the practical implications of the study in rehabilitation and counseling for people who lost their limbs is recommended.

Clinical pharmacology considerations and drug-drug interactions with long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine relevant to sub-Saharan Africa.

Long-acting injectable (LAI) cabotegravir and rilpivirine for HIV treatment and LAI cabotegravir for pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis are being rolled out in a multitude of countries worldwide. Due to the prolonged exposure, it can be challenging to undertake 'traditional' pharmacokinetic studies and current guidance is derived from their oral equivalents or physiologically based pharmacokinetic studies. This review aims to consider pharmacokinetic characteristics of cabotegravir and rilpivirine and describe anticipated drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with frequent concomitant medications in African settings. Relevant co-medications were identified from the WHO 2021 List of Essential Medicines. All original human and physiologically based pharmacokinetic studies published in English on PubMed, discussing DDIs with LAI cabotegravir and rilpivirine prior to April 2023, were reviewed. The Liverpool HIV interaction database was also reviewed (https://www.hiv-druginteractions.org/checker). LAI cabotegravir and rilpivirine have half-lives of 6-12 and 13-28 weeks, respectively. Cabotegravir is primarily metabolized by UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UGT)-1A1 and rilpivirine by cytochrome P450 (CYP)-3A4. LAI cabotegravir and rilpivirine themselves exhibit low risk of perpetrating interactions with co-medications as they do not induce or inhibit the major drug metabolizing enzymes. However, they are victims of DDIs relating to the induction of their metabolizing enzymes by concomitantly administered medication. Noteworthy contraindicated co-medications include rifamycins, carbamazepine, phenytoin, flucloxacillin and griseofulvin, which induce CYP3A4 and/or UGT1A1, causing clinically significant reduced concentrations of rilpivirine and/or cabotegravir. In addition to virologic failure, subtherapeutic concentrations resulting from DDIs can lead to emergent drug resistance. Clinicians should be aware of potential DDIs and counsel people receiving LAI cabotegravir/rilpivirine appropriately to minimize risk.

장애인주간보호시설 사회복지사의 상담 경험에 대한 질적 연구

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the meaning and phenomenon of the counseling experience of social workers who practice counseling at a daycare facility for people with disabilities in Busan, and presents the es-sence of their meanings.&#x0D; Methods Using Giorgi's phenomenological research method, in-depth interviews were conducted with six social workers with more than three years of experience in daycare facilities for people with disabilities in Area P. Data from the interviews were analyzed. This study followed the following steps: reading the description with the over-all context in mind, distinguishing meaning units while focusing on the study phenomenon, converting the mean-ing units into counseling psychology terms, and integrating the converted meaning units into a general structural description of the study phenomenon.&#x0D; Results As a result of the analysis, 26 meanings were derived, and their relationships were identified into nine themes and grouped under three topics. Focusing on the core themes, the social workers of the daycare facilities for people with disabilities “faced actual difficulties and counseling environment of people with disabilities and their caregivers, which is different from the counseling for people without disabilities.” They were “struggling for the change and growth of people with disabilities even in exhausting situations.” Because of this, they were aware of the need to “recognize the poor counseling environment for people with disabilities and take measures to im-prove it.”&#x0D; Conclusions Based on the findings of this study that investigated the counseling experience of social workers in daycare facilities for people with disabilities in Busan, the significance and limitations of the study were discussed, and suggestions for follow-up research were presented.

Music as a medium for communication, education and information dissemination: enhancing resilience among urban dwellers in Zimbabwe

The major focus of the study was to use music to communicate, educate and disseminate information that helps curb suicidal and drug abuse cases among Zimbabwean communities. Zimbabwe as a country is facing severe economic challenges, which in turn has brought about much suffering to the people. As a result, some of them end up engaging in drugs or committing suicide in response to the challenges bewildering the country. This study was qualitative, superimposed on action research and a survey. Roadshows targeting some members of the Gweru communities were organised. The songs performed at the road shows carried lyrics meant to disseminate information about hope, inspiration, and patience. Purposively sampled respondents were drawn from a population of three communities in Gweru who attended the road shows that were held in their respective constituencies. The informants were picked up on the researchers’ knowledge of their capacity to inform the study. Open-ended interviews were conducted after the shows were held, to appreciate how effective the songs were in disseminating intended messages. The findings of this study revealed that the songs that were performed at roadshows helped in giving the people hope, encouragement, and perseverance in the wake of economic challenges as well as cultivating the spirit of hard work and resilience among them. It can therefore be recommended that music therapy centres, road shows and other such performances be organised in various communities to help counsel people reeling from depression and other related illnesses.

Evaluation of the Effect of Project Diabetes with Dignity Intervention on Metabolic Parameters among Adults with Diabetes in a Rural Indian Community

Introduction: Knowledge about diabetes and access to health care in rural Indian settings are inadequate. This study aims to compare the effects of community health worker–based intervention on the glycemic parameters of type 2 diabetes, in a rural population. Methods: Diabetes with dignity (DWD) was a community-based, quasi-experimental trial conducted with 416 adults (30–70 years) with diabetes. All villages under five sub-centers of two Primary Health Centers formed part of the study. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) conducted screening of high-risk adults in all villages and implemented a 6-month DWD intervention (counseling of people with diabetes/family; monthly house-to-house visits; community awareness-raising) in the intervention area. The changes in glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), lipid profile, urine micro-albumin, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference between participants from baseline to the end of follow-up were assessed through laboratory/clinical examination. Results: Out of the 416 participants, 216 (52%) belonged to the intervention group. There was a significant decline of 6.4% in mean HbA1C in the intervention group (from 8.79 at baseline to 8.23 at the end of follow-up) and a 10.4% increase in the control group (8.75%–9.66%) (P = 0.010). There was a significant decline in mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values from baseline to the end of follow-up in the intervention group versus an increase in the control group (−2.29% vs. 12.4%; P = 0.005). Conclusion: Engaging ASHAs through intervention was effective in strengthening the health system and resulted in improved glycemic control. Capacity-building of ASHAs for the prevention and management of diabetes in rural community settings is recommended.

Effectiveness of Telegenetic Counseling for Patients and Families With Suspected Hereditary Cancer: Systematic Review

Background Telegenetic counseling has attracted attention as a preventive measure against the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review compared telegenetic counseling using videoconferencing versus face-to-face counseling for hereditary cancer. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of telegenetic counseling using videoconferencing versus face-to-face counseling for people with suspected hereditary cancer. Methods A comprehensive literature search was carried out in December 2021 using the databases of the Japan Medical Abstracts Society, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The eligibility criteria were studies in which randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster RCTs were conducted among patients with suspected hereditary cancer and their families, comparing telegenetic counseling using videoconferencing with face-to-face genetic counseling. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias of each RCT study. This study was reported according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Results Two studies comprising a total of 191 participants were included and used for meta-analysis. Participants were individuals who lived in rural areas or in areas without genetic counselors and were suspected to have breast, colon, ovarian, multiple, or genetic cancer. All outcomes were assessed in only 1 study and their effects could not be discussed explicitly. In one study, there were no significant differences in satisfaction, psychological distress, or a number of genetic tests between face-to-face genetic counseling and telegenetic counseling. The cost per patient for genetic counseling was $106.19 for the telegenetics group and $244.33 for the in-person group. The risk of bias was high in both studies, with a high risk of performance bias, detection bias, and attrition bias. Conclusions The results of the two RCTs were described qualitatively. However, the evidence is limited because of the small number of RCT studies on telegenetic counseling and the high risk of bias. Further accumulation of studies is needed in the future. Conflicts of Interest None declared.

A retrospective textual analysis of sexual and reproductive health counseling for adolescent and young adult people with epilepsy of gestational capacity

RationaleThe American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommends annual sexual and reproductive health (SRH) counseling for all people with epilepsy of gestational capacity (PWEGC). Child neurologists report discussing SRH concerns infrequently with adolescents. Limited research exists regarding documentation of such counseling. MethodsWe retrospectively studied clinical notes using natural language processing to investigate child neurologists’ documentation of SRH counseling for adolescent and young adult PWEGC. We segmented notes into sentences and evaluated for references to menstruation, sexual activity, contraception, folic acid, teratogens, and pregnancy. We developed training sets in a labeling application and used machine learning to identify additional counseling instances. We repeated this iteratively until we identified no new relevant sentences. We validated results using external reviewers; after removing sentences reviewers disagreed on (n = 13/400), we calculated Cohen’s kappa values between the model and reviewers (>0.98 for all categories). We evaluated labeled texts for each patient per calendar year with descriptive statistics and logistic regression, adjusting for race/ethnicity, age, and teratogen use. ResultsData comprised 971 PWEGC age 13–21 years with 2277 patient-years and 3663 outpatient child neurology notes. Nearly half of patient-years lacked SRH counseling documentation (49.1%). Among all patients, 38.0% never had SRH counseling documented. Documentation was present regarding menstruation in 26.7% of patient-years, folic acid in 25.0%, contraception in 21.9%, pregnancy in 3.5%, teratogens in 3.0%, and sexual activity in 1.8%. Documentation regarding menstruation and contraception was associated with prescription of antiseizure medications that have a higher risk of teratogenic effects (OR = 1.27, p = 0.020, 95% CI = [1.04,1.54]; OR = 1.27, p = 0.027, 95% CI = [1.03,1.58]). Documentation regarding contraception, folic acid, and sexual activity was increased among older patients (OR = 1.28, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [1.21,1.35]; OR = 1.26, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [1.19,1.32]; OR = 1.26, p = 0.004, 95% CI = [1.08,1.47]). Documentation regarding sexual activity was decreased among patients identifying as White/Non-Hispanic (OR = 0.39, p = 0.007, 95% CI = [0.20,0.78]). ConclusionChild neurologists counsel PWEGC on SRH less frequently than recommended by the AAN based on documentation.

Past-Oral Care – Christian Hope in Pastoral Care and Counseling for People With Severe Dementia in Finland

ABSTRACT This article explores the possibility of time-bound hope for people with severe dementia residing in nursing homes in Finland. We begin with a short introduction to dementia and move on to unraveling the concept of hope and its connection with temporality. Then, by analyzing Lutheran Christian chaplains’ interviews, we present how the temporal dimensions of past, present, and future may be seen and utilized in pastoral care and counseling of people who have lost their own sense of temporality. While doing this, we introduce the concept of past-oral care to capture the basic nature of the chaplains’ work in nursing homes. In the end, we discuss the nature of Christian faith in the light of this new knowledge.

Scenario of HIV infection in Pakistan

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, which was previously lethal, has evolved into a chronic disease that may be treated and well-managed. HIV levels in the bloodstream may become undetectable with antiretroviral therapy (ART). All those providing care for people living with HIV should be aware of the risk factors, transmission, diagnosis, and treatment, acute HIV infection, possible opportunistic infections, and malignancies. Preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis regimens allow for preventive treatment. Home healthcare specialists can help people follow their drug schedules, assess the effectiveness of their treatments, and identify HIV problems and ART side effects. The ability to support, inform, and counsel people living with HIV and their families is most crucial [1].&#x0D; Approximately 38.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV, 25.4 million had access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), 1.7 million had just recently contracted the virus, and 690,000 had passed away from AIDS-related illnesses, according to a Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS 2020 report. Although Pakistan's national HIV/AIDS control program was established in 1987, the number of new HIV/AIDS cases has been rising quickly ever since. In Pakistan, 160,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS as of 2018, yet only 10% of them were receiving ART. 3 Increasing people with HIV/AIDS' access to ART has a number of positive effects, including delaying the advancement of the disease, extending life expectancy, and enhancing people's quality of life and mental health [2].&#x0D; "More than 1,000 new HIV cases are reported each month from all four provinces, including the capitol city Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan. This demonstrates unequivocally that homosexuals, persons who inject drugs, male, female, and transgender sex workers, and other critical demographics are now spreading HIV to the broader community. During the final 10 months of 2022, 9,773 people in Pakistan had HIV tests that were positive, casting significant doubt on HIV preventive and control initiatives and amply demonstrating the spread of HIV from important populations to the general public. New HIV infections account for a sizable portion of low-risk males, females, and clients of critical communities, showing an increase in HIV transmission to bridging populations [3].&#x0D; The increased rate of HIV in Pakistan pose a risk to a healthy population, blood recipients etc. Therefore, surrounding communities should also be checked for HIV. The government should direct public education campaigns in coordination with NGOs. To prevent any future epidemics, barbers and unlicensed health professionals in remote regions should receive training.

Monkey Pox, A Public Emergency of International Concern

As the fear of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic subsides, countries around the globe are now dealing with a fear of the epidemic surrounding the prevalence of monkeypox cases in various regions. Scientific studies and media are far and wide with various aspects of monkeypox including rapid spread, symptoms, prevention and treatment aspects.&#x0D; As a physician, working initially in the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing epidemic of monkeypox, it has become immensely obligatory for us physicians to recognize, treat, educate, counsel people and also protect ourselves to minimize the risk of acquiring the disease.

CREATIVE SPACE FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDER IN BANJARBARU

Mental disorders are one of the social phenomena whose number is increasing every year. The increase in people with mental disorders is not accompanied by an increase in mental health facilities in Indonesia, especially in Banjarbaru. Creative Space for People with Mental Disorders in Banjarbaru is designed to be an alternative means of therapy and counseling for people with mental disorders through creative activities, with a behavior setting method that makes behavior the main focus in its design. And the concept of "blank canvas" which has four development points, namely sequence, expressive, collaborative, and flexibility. The existence of this creative space is also expected to be able to change the paradigm of society regarding the issues of mental disorders which are still bad. Through a design that puts forward the concept of sequences through the use of ramps and corridors that are able to provide a space experience for visitors, where the space experience can make visitors more expressive so that designs are made expressive through collaborative and flexible activities and designs through interiors and the use of furniture. on the plan. With this creative space, it is also hoped that the rigid impression that exists in mental health facilities will disappear, and can generate creative activities for the Banjarbaru community, especially for people with mental disorders.

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome: medical genetic consulting, treatment strategy for family members, prophylactic total gastrectomy, and endoscopic surveillance in CDH1- and CTNNA1-mutation carriers

The purpose of the study was to summarize available data on genetic counseling for people with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) syndrome, treatment strategies for family members with HDGC, prophylactic gastrectomy (PGE), and surveillance of CDH1 and CTNNA1 mutation carriers. Material and methods. A literature search was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, MedLine, Cochrane Library, and RSCI databases. Results. HDGC syndrome is an inherited genetic syndrome that leads to the increased risk for both diffuse gastric cancer (DGC) and lobular breast cancer (LBC). About 1 to 3% of all gastric cancer cases are HDGCs. A high frequency of CDH1 gene mutation was frst identifed by P. Guilford et al. in 1998 in 3 Maori families from New Zealand. The cumulative risk for HDGC in CDH1 mutation carriers is 42 to 70% for men and 33-56% for women at the age of 80 years. Due to the rarity of the disease, the main publications dealing with this problem are clinical case descriptions. Conclusion. Multicenter clinical trials are required to improve screening and management of HDGC syndrome.

Peningkatan Pengetahuan Wanita Menopause melalui Pelatihan Kesehatan Sehat dan Bahagia di Masa Menopause

Menopause is a phase of life experienced by every woman. During menopause, there is a decrease in estrogen levels which has an impact of physical changes that cause complaints during menopause which can reduce the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Some menopausal women in Laban Village, Menganti District, Gresik Regency experienced menopausal complaints but they did not know the condition was normal and did not know how to deal with these complaints, so most of them were excessively anxious about the conditions they were experiencing. The purpose of this community service activity is to increase the knowledge of menopausal women through health training activities with the topic of being healthy and happy during menopause. The target of this activity is 21 postmenopausal women and the expected outcome is an increase in knowledge. This community service activity had been held from December 1, 2021 to January 8, 2022. Health training was carried out through individual counseling or group counseling (2-3) people. The media used were leaflets about physical and psychological changes during menopause, physical activity during menopause, and a phytoestrogen diet. The results showed that before health training 57% of menopausal women had less knowledge, after health training 57% had good knowledge. Health training about being healthy and happy during menopause is effective in increasing knowledge. Good knowledge is expected to increase awareness of menopausal women's acceptance of physical and psychological changes that occur during menopause and awareness to overcome menopausal complaints so that quality of life increases.

METODE BIMBINGAN KONSELING MENURUT INJIL SINOPTIK DAN IMPLIKASINYA DALAM PELAKSANAAN BIMBINGAN KONSELING OLEH GURU AGAMA KRISTEN

Education is one of human efforts to equip what is lacking in human nature, by growing, developing, maturing and elevating humans to the human level. It aims to find out the meaning of counseling guidance according to the Synoptic Gospels, how it is implemented by Christian religious teachers and know the implications. The method of counseling guidance according to the Synoptic Gospels means the way the counselor helps the counselee to go through the counseling process similar to Jesus' example when guiding counseling people in the Synoptic Gospels in Matt. 18: 1-5, Mk 9: -37, Luke 9: 46-48) . Researchers chose to use qualitative research methods because they aimed to obtain a comprehensive picture and understanding of the implications of the implementation of the guidance and counseling method according to the Synoptic Gospels by Christian religious teachers. Data obtained by observation and interview. The research results obtained in the description and in the form of narrative research are not numbers as quantitative research. The results of this study indicate that counselors use the guidance of counseling conducted by Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels.

Counseling Clients With Dysphagia: A Resource for Clinicians

Purpose: It is well documented that dysphagia can negatively impact a person's quality of life. Little, if any, formal training is given to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in counseling this population. Included in this clinical focus article is an overview of counseling techniques, both those that are more commonly covered in speech-language pathology literature and several techniques not found in the speech-language pathology literature. Suggestions for practical application of counseling techniques are provided, with hypothetical examples related to this client population. The clinical focus article aims to serve as a tool for clinicians seeking more information about counseling people with dysphagia. Conclusions: There is a clear need for counseling skills when working with people with dysphagia and their caregivers. Opportunities for counseling clients with dysphagia include breaking bad news, navigating negative thoughts and feelings about their dysphagia, and counseling the caregiver. Existing counseling approaches can be applied, but clinicians need to learn how to implement them competently. Counseling our clients promotes person-centered care and may be an important first step in helping to improve a person's quality of life.

Six Moments of Infection Prevention in Injection Drug Use: An Educational Toolkit for Clinicians.

Injection drug use-associated bacterial and viral infections are increasing. Expanding access to harm reduction services, such as safe injection education, are effective prevention strategies. However, these strategies have had limited uptake. New tools are needed to improve provider capacity to facilitate dissemination of these evidence-based interventions. The "Six Moments of Infection Prevention in Injection Drug Use" provider educational tool was developed using a global, rather than pathogen-specific, infection prevention framework, highlighting the prevention of invasive bacterial and fungal infections in additional to viral pathogens. The tool's effectiveness was tested using a short, paired pre/post survey that assessed provider knowledge and attitudes about harm reduction. Seventy-five respondents completed the paired surveys. At baseline, 17 respondents (22.6%) indicated that they had received no prior training in harm reduction and 28 (37.3%) reported discomfort counseling people who inject drugs (PWID). Sixty respondents (80.0%) reported they had never referred a patient to a syringe service program (SSP); of those, 73.3% cited lack of knowledge regarding locations of SSPs and 40.0% reported not knowing where to access information regarding SSPs. After the training, 66 (88.0%) reported that they felt more comfortable educating PWID (P < .0001), 65 respondents (86.6%) reported they planned to use the Six Moments model in their own practice, and 100% said they would consider referring patients to an SSP in the future. The Six Moments model emphasizes the importance of a global approach to infection prevention and harm reduction. This educational intervention can be used as part of a bundle of implementation strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality in PWID.

Resolution of Resilience: Empirical Findings on the Challenges Faced and the Mitigation Strategies Adopted by Community Health Workers (CHWs) to Provide Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Context of Odisha, India.

Community health workers (CHW) faced increased challenges in delivering maternal and child health services during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to routine services, they were also engaged in pandemic management. In view of a dearth of evidence, the current study explores the challenges faced by CHWs while rendering maternal and child health services. A qualitative study through in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD) in six districts of Odisha was conducted from February to April 2021. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. Personal-level challenges, like lack of family support, stress, and fear of contracting COVID-19; facility-level challenges, like transportation problems and inadequate personal protective measures; and community-level challenges, like stigma, resistance, and lack of community support were major hindrances in provisioning routine MCH services. Prevailing myths and misconceptions concerning COVID-19 were factors behind stigma and resistance. Sharing experiences with family, practicing yoga and pranayam, engaging ambulance bikes, financial assistance to mothers, counseling people, and involving community leaders were some effective strategies to address these challenges. Development and implementation of appropriate strategy guidelines for addressing the challenges of frontline warriors will improve their work performance and achieve uninterrupted MCH services during pandemics or similar health emergencies.

Support and Companionship in Virtual Communities: Establishing a COVID-19 Counseling Network for Taiwanese Soldiers and the Collective Healing Phenomenon

Counseling people, particularly those in the military engaged in group living, who are in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge. Therefore, supporting the people in quarantine who are experiencing psychological and interpersonal problems has become a new challenge in military mental health. This study’s primary concern was how to overcome the problems caused by physical quarantine. The study subject was a virtual counseling network and its operating experience during the quarantine period in Taiwan amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. For soldiers who mainly live in groups, this study discussed how the virtual counseling network combined with the existing military support group to determine what influence the network had on people in quarantine. This study found that this group exhibited four types of experiences: togetherness, empathy, confidence, and belonging and cohesion. Such experiences are beneficial for group healing through mutual support and companionship. Collective cohesion and psychological healing can be achieved through a virtual community. This is worthy of attention, particularly in the pandemic or post-pandemic era. Physical isolation has become a fact of life, and such isolation is not just isolation from disease but also between regional boundaries. Counseling and support systems in virtual space or the operation of virtual teams must be considered for the future.