DASS-42 Questionnaire Research Articles

Association of Prebiotic and Probiotic Food Consumption with Depression, Anxiety and Stress among College Going Students

Adolescents are more susceptible to mental health conditions due to multiple physical, emotional and social changes occurring during this phase. The prevalence of depression, stress and anxiety is rising at an alarming rate in adolescents. Dietary intake has the potential to affect the mental state of an individual which is largely dependent on gut microflora composition. The study thus aims to find the influence of prebiotic and probiotic intake on mental disorders among students. A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted among 404 college students from India. Data has been collected using convenience sampling and an online structured Google Questionnaire Form. DASS-42 questionnaire was used for collecting information on levels of depression, anxiety and stress and a validated qualitative food frequency questionnaire consisting of 13 food groups with 39 unique food items was used for understanding consumption patterns of prebiotic / probiotic foods. The findings revealed the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress to be 56.7%, 64.1% and 52% respectively. Consumption of probiotic foods was low except for milk/milk products, vegetables, fruits, wheat / wheat products, biscuits, chocolate and methai. Yogurt and pickles were consumed frequently whereas consumption of miso paste, tausi and yakult were low. Lower consumption of a few prebiotic and probiotic foods was negatively associated with depression, anxiety and stress. This study underlines the beneficial impact of consuming prebiotic and probiotic food on mental health of college going students. Future studies are needed to generate robust evidence for advocating consumption of prebiotic and probiotic food as a preventive and therapeutic measure for promoting mental health.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF SALIVA CORTISOL LEVELS WITH STRESS LEVEL OF ANESTHESIOLOGY AND INTENSIVE CARE OF FACULTY OF MEDICINE AIRLANGGA UNIVERSITY IN THE ERA OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background: Residents' lives in the world of health are often accompanied by stressful conditions, where this is triggered by the specialist medical education program activities that are being undertaken by the anesthesiologist. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the condition of anesthesiology residents at various educational centers in Indonesia. Including one that happened in Surabaya, to be precise at the Soetomo Hospital. It is known that the higher the level of stress experienced by a person, this can also increase the level of cortisol in the individual's blood. Therefore, this study was structured to analyze the relationship of saliva cortisol levels with stress level of anesthesiology and intensive care of faculty of medicine Airlangga University in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study was an analytic observational study through a cross sectional design which was measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS)-42 and their relationship to salivary cortisol levels. Results: The results showed that salivary cortisol levels of the Anesthesiology and Intensive Care FK UNAIR residents before entering the RIK stagnation cycle versus 2 weeks of running the RIK stagnation cycle with a median value of 0.315 g/dL compared to 0.422 g/dL with (95% CI, 0.143, 0.778) g/dL versus (95% CI, 0.179, 2.802) g/dL with p < 0.05. From the results of the DASS-42 questionnaire obtained 2 subjects (5.7%) mild depression, 1 subject (2.9%) moderate depression, 5 subjects (14.3%) mild anxiety, 1 subject (2.9%) moderate anxiety, 1 subject (2,9). %) severe anxiety, 2 subjects (5.7%) mild stress, 5 subjects (14.3%) moderate stress, 1 subject (2.9%) severe stress. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the stress level of the anesthesiology resident participants in the COVID-19 Pandemic era was not stressful or normal because almost 80% of the subjects did not experience stress.

Microbiome-Related Indole and Serotonin Metabolites are Linked to Inflammation and Psychiatric Symptoms in People Living with HIV.

Background:People living with HIV (PLHIV) exhibit dysregulation of tryptophan metabolism. Altered gut microbiome composition in PLHIV might be involved. Mechanistic consequences within the 3 major tryptophan metabolism pathways (serotonin, kynurenine, and indoles), and functional consequences for platelet, immune and behavioral functions are unknown. We investigated plasma tryptophan metabolites, gut microbiome composition, and their association with platelet function, inflammation, and psychiatric symptoms.Methods:This study included 211 PLHIV on long-term antiretroviral treatment (ART). Plasma tryptophan pathway metabolites were measured using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Bacterial composition was profiled using metagenomic sequencing. Platelet reactivity and serotonin levels were quantified by flowcytometry and ELISA, respectively. Circulating inflammatory markers were determined using ELISA. Symptoms of depression and impulsivity were measured by DASS-42 and BIS-11 self-report questionnaires, respectively.Results:Plasma serotonin and indole metabolites were associated with gut bacterial composition. Notably, species enriched in PLHIV were associated with 3-methyldioxyindole. Platelet serotonin concentrations were elevated in PLHIV, without effects on platelet reactivity. Plasma serotonin and indole metabolites were positively associated with plasma IL-10 and TNF-α concentrations. Finally, higher tryptophan, serotonin, and indole metabolites were associated with lower depression and anxiety, whereas higher kynurenine metabolites were associated with increased impulsivity.Conclusion:Our results suggest that gut bacterial composition and dysbiosis in PLHIV on ART contribute to tryptophan metabolism, which may have clinical consequences for immune function and behavior.

Depression, anxiety, and stress among students of Sriwijaya University

The prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) among students was the highest (18.5%), followed by anxiety (16.7%). Psychosocial stressors and academic pressure on students require them to be able to adjust themselves in order to cope with the mental stress that occurs. The aims to descriptions of mental health, especially depression, anxiety, and stress in students. An analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design used. As much 1564 students from 10 faculties filled out the DASS-42 questionnaire distributed via social media in January 2020−24 August 2020. The analyzed using chi-square, Mann Whitney, and binary logistic regression with significance of 0.05. Students who have a risk to depression, anxiety, and steress are 46%, 74.2%, and 57.9%. There is a significant relationship between the incidence of depression with GPA, faculty, semester and place of residence (p&lt;0.05). Gender, faculty, and religion factors associated with the anxiety (p&lt;0.05). While the gender, place of residence and faculty associated with stress (p&lt;0.05). History of chronic illness and family history of mental disorders influenced the depression, anxiety disorders, and stress (p &lt; 0.001). Mostly, Sriwijaya University students have an increase in depression, anxiety, and stress, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The gender, semester, marital status, history of chronic disease, and a history of mental disorders in the family affect the incidence of depression, anxiety, and stress. The mean GPA of students with a tendency to depression, anxiety, and stress was lower by ± 0.03 points. The university stakeholders needs to implement mental health interventions to maximize student potential. Keywords: Mental disorders; college students; depression; anxiety; stress

The prevalence of educational burnout, depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran, Iran

BackgroundPsychological disorders have negative consequences on students’ learning and academic performance. In addition, academic burnout is one of the common challenges that affects students’ motivation and academic eagerness; however, the determinant is not clear. Medical students, meanwhile, demand special attention due to their professional responsibilities. In this regard, this study is conducted to investigate the academic burnout, rate of depression, anxiety and stress as well as related factors among undergraduate medical students at the Tehran Medical Sciences Islamic Azad University.MethodsThis cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed on medical students of Islamic Azad University of Tehran in 2017. In phase I, conducted on all stager students, Maslach Burnout questionnaire was used. In phase II, the DASS-42 questionnaire was provided for 123 students, 120 of whom met the inclusion criteria. In addition, another questionnaire including gender, age, lifestyle, marital and financial status, nutrition style, vitamin D deficiency, smoking, study hours per week, work efficiency and distance from the place of residence to the teaching hospital was used. Finally, the data extracted by SPSS version 23 was analyzed at the significance level of 0.05.ResultsIn phase I of the study, 17 subjects showed academic burnout (16.3%). Out of all, 76.5% of students with academic burnout did not focus on the study and students’ academic burnout was associated with a decrease in their focus (P < 0.05). However, the relationship between academic burnout and other factors was not significant.In phase II, the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was 37.5, 41.1 and 30.3%, respectively. The prevalence of severe and very severe degrees that required psychiatric follow-up were 10.5, 10.5 and 7% for depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. According to statistical analyzes, there is a significant direct relationship between anxiety and the distance from the place of residence to the teaching hospital (P = 0.040).ConclusionThe present study estimated the prevalence of academic burnout to be between 9.2 and 23.4%, considering the 5% error in the calculation, and the level of anxiety was related to the distance from the place of residence to the hospital.

DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS AMONG STUDENTS IN SURABAYA DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This study aims to determine the prevalence and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Surabaya. This research also investigates the relationship among levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This study used a cross sectional approach as the research design and purposive sampling as the sampling technique. Participants in this study were 207 active students of the Faculty of Psychology, Hang Tuah University, Surabaya. The instrument used in this research is the DASS-42 questionnaire distributed online. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation test. The results of data analysis showed that there was a strong positive relationship between depression level and anxiety level (p = 0.000, p 0.05), strong positive relationship between depression level and stress level (p = 0.000, p 0.05), as well as strong positive relationship between stress levels and anxiety levels (p = 0.000, p 0.05). In addition, this research results explained that students have mild to very severe anxiety (36.3%), stress (31.9%), and depression (31.8%) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results of this study are expected to provide information and support in overcoming the psychological problems of students during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Hubungan Kecemasan, Depresi Dan Stres Dengan Kualitas Tidur Mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Selama Pandemi Covid-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a sustainable health problem in 200 countries around the world. Public health emergency condition during pandemics such as SARS, MERS and Ebola are associated with increased psychological distress in the affected population. Negative impacts such as anxiety, depression and stress on students may become a burden on the mental and emotional health of students which in turn will affect the quality of student sleep. The author was interested in knowing about the relationship between anxiety, depression and stress with the quality of sleep of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used an analytic observational study design with a cross sectional approach. This study was conducted in December with 81 students as respondents. This study used the DASS-42 questionnaire to measure anxiety, depression, stress and the PSQI to measure sleep quality. The results showed that 32.1%, 27.2%, 42% and 48.1% of students experienced anxiety, depression, stress and poor sleep quality. Statistical data measurement was done by using logistic regression, the results obtained p value = 0.030 (OR 3.967, 95% CI [1.143-13.722]), p = 0.004 (OR 11.456, 95% CI [2,217-59,196]), p = 0.043 (OR 0.314, 95 % CI [0.102-0.962]). From this study it can be concluded that anxiety, depression and stress had correlation with the sleep quality of students at the Faculty of Medicine, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Childhood socioeconomic status and adulthood mental health: results from the survey on employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Socioeconomic status, especially during childhood, is known as one of the key factors affecting health. This study's objective was to investigate the association between childhood socioeconomic and mental health status in adulthood. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 2062 employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Depression, stress and anxiety were measured using the validated DASS-42 questionnaire. A self-rated question was used to assess childhood socioeconomic status. Other variables including age, sex, marital status, and also wealth index, were measured. Linear regression models were used to analyze the data. 24.6% of men and 33.8% of women had degrees of depression (mild, moderate, severe or very severe). 32.9% of men and 29.4% of women had mild, moderate, severe or very severe anxiety. 36.3% of men and 45.2% of women also exhibited mild, moderate, severe or very severe stress. Results showed after adjusting for the current socioeconomic status, childhood socioeconomic status has a relationship with the mental health of individuals. People with a suboptimal childhood socioeconomic status seem to be a high-risk group for depression, stress and anxiety in adulthood. Strategies need to put into practice to improve the mental health of these people.

The relationship of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale and Harmon Jones with Noise in Isfahan Steel Industry Workers

Introduction: Loud noise is one of the harmful factors that affects industry workers seriously. In the steel industry, a wide range of equipment and machinery are used in the production processes, which are considered as the sources of annoying noise. Sound has immediate and delayed harmful effects on the process of concentration and increases blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of noise in two different ranges in the control and case groups within the authorized (between 60 to 85 dB) and unauthorized (above 85 dB) categories in the steel industry.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 workers in Isfahan Steel Industries. Environmental sound assessment was performed to determine the distribution of sound pressure level according to the ISO 9612 standard in the company's production units. In this method, the number of exposed people, the exposure time, and the weight factor corresponding to the sound pressure level were calculated in 30 minutes. The DASS-42 and Harmon Jones (DARQ) questionnaires were used to predict the mental state of the participants and to measure the severity of mood swings and arousal. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software (ver22).&#x0D; Results: Based on the findings, age had a significant effect on depression, marital status had a significant effect on anxiety, and work shift had a significant effect on the level of stress and cognitive dissonance of employees. The stress mean was significantly higher in the case group (14.40 ± 1.66) than the control group (p &lt;0.001). This indicates the effect of sound intensity level on the increase of stress and cognitive dissonance of workers in a noisy environment. With increasing exposure to sound, the participants’ stress decreased (p &lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Considering the positive and significant relationship of noise level with stress and cognitive inconsistency of workers in the case group, it is necessary to take effective preventive measures to prevent psychological harm and maintain the workers' health in this industry. In order to reduce noise, a number of applicable solutions have been proposed including spatial planning, selection of suitable materials, control of noise pollution related to outdoor construction, control of noise pollution related to indoor construction, and training.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Stress Level of Tsunami-Affected Communities Living in Temporary Housing in Palu City-Indonesia

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the socio-economic conditions and the public health in Palu. Tsunami-affected communities in the temporary housing are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.&#x0D; AIM: This study aims to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stress level of the tsunami-affected communities, the solutions that they adopt for dealing with this situation, and whether they obey the COVID-19 protocols in the process.&#x0D; METHOD: This study used an analytical survey method and the respondents consisted of 170 households affected by the tsunami living in temporary housing in Lere, Palu City, Indonesia. The data were collected through interviews and the stress level was measured using the DASS-42. The data were then analyzed using the paired t-test and percentage.&#x0D; RESULTS: The data from the DASS-42 questionnaire show that the percentages of people with mild, moderate, and severe stress were 35%, 60%, and 5%, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the stress level of the communities living in temporary housing in Palu (losing jobs with p = 0.002, decreasing income with p = 0.0016, no job vacancy with p = 0.0012, reduced government assistance duringthe pandemicwith p = 0.000, and uncertainty over the end of the pandemic with p = 0.001). Some of the strategies used to cope with this condition include socializing with neighbors (100%), working together (40%), breaking the Ramadan fast together (100%), attending congregational prayers (100%), and promoting mutual cooperation (100%). However, they did not obey the COVID-19 protocols while doing these activities as they did not wear a mask (100%), do physical distancing (100%), wash their hands (100%), and nor follow stay-at-home orders (100%).&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the stress level of the tsunami-affected communities in temporary housing in Palu, Indonesia. The solutions for dealing with this include socializing with neighbors, working together, breaking the Ramadan fast together, attending congregational prayers, and promoting mutual cooperation. These communities, however, did not obey the COVID-19 protocols.

The Relationship between Psychological Distress and Self-Esteem with Anthropometric Characteristics in Obese Children

Introduction: Obesity is emerging as a worldwide problem. Among the factors contributing to obesity, psychological distress and self-esteem seem to be of particular importance because stressful situations lead to eating disorders, lack of exercise and difficulty in regulating emotion. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between psychological distress and self-esteem with anthropometric characteristics in obese children. Methods: The research method was correlational and the research sample included 150 students in the age range of 10 to 14 years in the academic year of 2017-18 in Ardabil City. They were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected using DASS42 questionnaire, Eysenck self-esteem questionnaires and anthropometric survey questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 and Pearson correlation test and multiple regressions. The data collected were analyzed by Pearson correlation test and multiple regressions. Results: The results showed that the relationship between anxiety and depression with body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and abdominal volume index (AVI) was significant and the relationship between stress and body mass index (BMI) and abdominal volume index (AVI) was significant (p &lt;0.05). Moreover, the relationship between self-esteem and BMI, WHR and AVI anthropometric characteristics was significant and this relationship was negative and significant (p &lt;0.05). The regression results also showed that BMI was a stress reliever (p &lt;0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that anthropometric characteristics have a positive relationship with anxiety and depression and a negative relationship with self-esteem.

Post disaster: Earthquake, tsunami, liquefaction mental health prevalence of Tadulako University students

This research is a preliminary study which aims to describe mental health prevalence of Tadulako University students after the disaster; earthquake, tsunami and liquefaction. The observable study was conducted 3 months after the disaster in Palu City, Central Sulawesi Province. 270 Tadulako University students were randomly selected. Data collection using interviews and DASS42 questionnaires, processed through editing, coding, tabulating, and scoring into three categories, namely; low; moderate; high. The data analysis technique uses descriptive analysis. The mental health prevalence of Tadulako University students in the form of stress symptoms with a high category is 9.88%, anxiety symptoms with a high category of 51.75%, and depressive symptoms with a high category of 22.67%. The percentage of stress symptoms in high category for female is 9.62%, male is 10.34%, percentage of anxiety symptoms in high category for female is 52.05%, male is 51.22%, percentage of depression symptoms for female in high category is 22.22%, male is 23.33%. Our result found the mental health prevalence of Tadulako University students. In long term the symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in a high category if not treated seriously will be a permanent mental illness that requires mental health interventions.

OBESITAS DAN TINGKAT STRES BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN HIPERTENSI PADA ORANG DEWASA DI KELURAHAN KLAMPIS NGASEM, SURABAYA &lt;br&gt;&lt;i&gt;Obesity and Stress Level are Associated with Hypertension among Adulthood in Klampis Ngasem, Surabaya&lt;/br&gt;&lt;/i&gt;

Globalization era has led to higher demands and expectancy for life, causing higher stress level followed by higher prevalence of obesity and hypertension. Obesity and stress has became risk factors of hypertension and heart disease. This study purposed for analyzing the correlation between obesity and stress level with hypertension among church community in Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Manyar Surabaya. This study was an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. Subject of this study were chosen using simple random sampling method. Data were collected by interviewing subjects, calculating subjects’ Body Mass Index (BMI) based on their height and body weight measurement, measuring blood pressure and fi lling DASS-42 questionnaire. All data were analyzed with Spearman test using SPSS v25.0. 76 subjects aged 18-45 year were participated in this study. This study showed 21.1% subjects were overweight and 42.1% were obese. 65.8% subjects experienced stress with a DASS score above 14. Twenty seven subjects experienced prehypertension and 12 others experienced hypertension stage 1. Based on statistical calculation, obesity (r=0.577; p&lt;0.001) and stress level (r=0.370; p=0.001) are positively correlated to hypertension. Health promotion should be held to increase knowledge and awareness about the danger of obesity and stress to hypertension. Therefore, people can put more eff orts to maintain ideal body weight, learn to manage stress well and control blood pressure regularly

The Effect of Organophosphate Pesticides Exposure and Other Factors Associated with Neuropsychiatric Disorders among Rice Farmers: A Path Analysis Evidence from Sukoharjo, Central Java

Background: Pesticide is a cheap and effective subs­tance to eradicate pests, yet it has chronic effects, it causes neuropsychiatric disorders. Neu­ro­psychiatric disorders are associated with affect­tive, cognitive, and behavioral disorders. This study aims to analyze the effects of pesticide exposure and psychosocial determinants on neu­ropsychiatric disorders (depression and anxiety). Subjects and Method: This was a ret­ros­pective cohort study conducted in Sukoharjo, Cen­tral Java, Indonesia. A sample of 200 rice farmers was selected by fixed ex­posure sampling. The dependent variable was depression nd anxiety. The independent variables were organo­phos­phate pesticide exposure and psychosocial fac­tors. The neuropsychiatric disorders were mea­sured using DASS-42 questionnaires. The data were analyzed by path analysis. Results: Depression and anxiety were directly increased by high work stress (b= 0.29; 95% CI= 0.19 to 0.38; p< 0.001), depression his­tory of family members (b= 5.71; 95% CI= 3.16 to 8.26; p<0.001), grief and loss (b= 3.21; 95% CI= 0.99 to 5.42; p= 0.005), and past trauma (b= 4.08; 95% CI= 1.81 to 6.34; p<0.001). Depression and anxiety were indirectly affected by the organo­phosphate pesticide expo­sure, age through the use of personal protective equip­ment (PPE), and latest education through the use of PPE. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety are directly increased by high work stress, depression his­tory of family members, grief and loss, and past trauma. Depression and anxiety are indirect­ly affected by the organo­phosphate pesticide expo­sure, age through the use of personal pro­tective equip­ment (PPE), and latest education through the use of PPE. Keyword s : Neuropsychiatry, organosphosphate pes­ticide exposure, and rice farmers Correspondence: Ayu Laela Fitriyani. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta 57126, Central Java. Email: ayu­lf030395@gmail.com. Mobile: +62857­96­33­39­86. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health (2020), 05(02): 182-194 https://doi.org/10.26911/jepublichealth.2020.05.02.06

Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among participated workers in periodic examinations of occupational medicine centers in Kashan during the 4 month period (2018-2019)

Aims: Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress are important factors in determining the life quality as well as many social and economic problems in workers' life. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) among the examined workers in the periodic examinations of the medical centers of Kashan County during the 4-month period in 2018–2019. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted randomly on 154 workers examined in different industrial towns of Kashan County (5 areas). Data were collected using a DASS-42 questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software, using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests for qualitative variables and t-test and ANOVA test for data analysis of quantitative variables. Results: The symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were 18.83%, 33.12%, and 18.74%, respectively, in the present study. Moreover, the comparison of depression, anxiety, and stress with demographic variables showed a significant relationship between education level, employment type, and sex (P

The Effect of Inhaling the Aroma of Rosemary Essential Oil on the Pre-Hospital Emergency Personnel Stress and Anxiety: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: The prevalence of stress and anxiety in pre-hospital emergency personnel is high. Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of inhaling the Aroma of Rosemary essential oil on stress and anxiety of emergency medical personnel. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 8 pre-hospital emergency stations affiliated to Birjand University of Medical Sciences in Birjand city were randomly selected. Then, 4 stations were randomly allocated to the intervention group and 4 stations were assigned to the control group. In the next step, among personnel of each station about 8-10 participants were selected according to the inclusion criteria (39 participants in each group). Afterwards, these participants completed demographic and DASS-42 questionnaires (stress and anxiety subscales). Badges with 25% rosemary essential oil in the intervention group and badges impregnated with refined sweet almond oil were used in the control group for two hours in 3 shifts per week for one month. The anxiety and stress subscales of the DASS-42 questionnaire were completed by the participants one hour as well as 30 days after the last intervention in each group. In this study, chi-square, Mann-Whitney and Friedman tests were used. Results: The statistical analysis showed that the mean stress and anxiety scores in the two groups did not have significant differences before intervention (P > 0.05). One hour after the last intervention, statistical analysis showed that the mean of stress scores in the intervention group was significantly reduced compared to the control group (P 0.05). In the case of anxiety, one hour after the intervention the mean scores in the intervention group were significantly decreased compared to the control group (P 0.05). Conclusions: Aromatherapy with rosemary essential oil can have positive effects in reducing stress and anxiety in pre-hospital emergency personnel.

The Effect of Tai Chi Exercise on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Self Confidence of Nursing Students

Background: Students in medical sciences, especially nursing students, deal with many stressful factors. Stress-related psychological outcomes include anxiety, depression, and low self-confidence. Nowadays, sports exercises play a crucial role in improving lifestyle to prevent and manage stress and its consequences. Objectives: The present study intended to investigate the effect of Tai Chi exercise on the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-confidence of nursing students. Methods: To this end, about 64 nursing students were selected and randomly divided into two 32 case and control groups in this clinical trial study. The case (experimental) group received 40-minute Tai chi training sessions three times a week for 8 weeks. Both groups completed DASS-42 questionnaire and Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) as a pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up. Results: The results of the present study indicated that unlike the control group, the total mean score of stress, anxiety, and depression significantly decreased in the case group (P < 0.05), while self-confidence significantly increased in the case group during the pretest, post-test, and one-month follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, it can be concluded that Tai Chi had a significant effect on reducing the stress, anxiety, and depression while enhancing the self-confidence of the intended nursing students. Furthermore, Tai Chi is recommended as a simple and inexpensive way to reduce students’ stress, anxiety, and depression, whereas improves their self-confidence.

Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 alleviates stress and anxiety in adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Probiotics have been reported to exert beneficial effects along the gut-brain axis. This randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled human study aimed to evaluate such properties of Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 and its accompanying mechanisms in stressed adults. One hundred and eleven (n=111; DR7 n=56, placebo n=55) stressed adults were recruited based on moderate stress levels using the PSS-10 questionnaire. The consumption of DR7 (1×109 cfu/day) for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of stress (P=0.024), anxiety (P=0.001), and total psychological scores (P=0.022) as early as 8 weeks among stressed adults compared to the placebo group as assessed by the DASS-42 questionnaire. Plasma cortisol level was reduced among DR7 subjects as compared to the placebo, accompanied by reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-γ and transforming growth factor-α and increased plasma anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 10 (P<0.05). DR7 better improved cognitive and memory functions in normal adults (>30 years old), such as basic attention, emotional cognition, and associate learning (P<0.05), as compared to the placebo and young adults (<30 years old). The administration of DR7 enhanced the serotonin pathway, as observed by lowered expressions of plasma dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase accompanied by increased expressions of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor-6, while stabilising the dopamine pathway as observed via stabilised expressions of TH and DBH over 12 weeks as compared to the placebo (P<0.05). Our results indicated that DR7 fulfil the requirement of a probiotic strain as per recommendation of FAO/WHO and could be applicable as a natural strategy to improve psychological functions, cognitive health and memory in stressed adults.

Salat Tahajud Berpengaruh terhadap Penurunan Stres Mahasiswa

Stress is generally intended to determine the conditions that affect a person's physical or psychological state due to external pressure. A student susceptible to stress can produce student academic performance and mental health. One form of stress management by performing Tahajud Prayers. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of tahajud prayers on stress reduction in physiotherapy students. This research is an experimental quasi research with pretest-posttest non-equivalent control two groups design, with sample consist of 15 experimental group students and 15 control group students at Physiotherapy 2nd year students at Poltekkes Kemenkes Jakarta III. Interventions given were Tahajud Prayers and the stress score was measured using a DASS-42 questionnaire. Statistical analysis t-test independents. In the experimental group the mean value of stress before was 17,2 and after the treated treatment was 6,47. As for the control group the mean value of stress before was 13 and afterwards was 16,4. Hypothesis test using independent sample t-test shows there is difference of stress value between experimental group and control (p = 0,0001). Tahajud Prayers has an influence on stress reduction. Tahajud Prayers is expected to be one of the stress management efforts in physiotherapy services.&#x0D;

Probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum P8 alleviated stress and anxiety while enhancing memory and cognition in stressed adults: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

To investigate the effects of probiotic in alleviation of stress in stressed adults, along our focus to identify and justify strain specificity on selected health benefits with a precisely targeted population. This 12-weeks randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum P8; 10 log CFU daily) on psychological, memory and cognition parameters in one hundred and three (P8 n=52, placebo n=51) stressed adults with mean age of 31.7±11.1 years old. All subjects fulfilled the criteria of moderate stress upon diagnosis using the PSS-10 questionnaire. At the end of study, subjects on P8 showed reduced scores of stress (mean difference 2.94; 95% CI 0.08 to 5.73; P=0.048), anxiety (mean difference 2.82; 95% CI 0.35 to 5.30; P=0.031) and total score (mean difference 8.04; 95% CI 0.73 to 15.30; P=0.041) as compared to placebo after 4-weeks, as assessed by the DASS-42 questionnaire. Although plasma cortisol levels were only marginally different between placebo and P8 (mean difference 3.28 ug/dl; 95% CI -7.09 to 0.52; P=0.090), pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IFN-γ (mean difference 8.07pg/ml; 95% CI -11.2 to-4.93; P<0.001) and TNF-α (mean difference 1.52pg/ml; 95% CI -2.14 to-0.89; P<0.001) showed higher reduction as compared to placebo over 12-weeks. These were accompanied by enhanced memory and cognitive traits such as social emotional cognition and verbal learning and memory upon administration of P8 as compared to the placebo, with different effects in women as compared to men. The present data illustrated that L.plantarum P8 is a feasible and natural intervention for the alleviation of selected stress, anxiety, memory and cognitive symptoms in stressed adults. Approved by the JEPeM-USM Review Panel on Clinical Studies (Approval number USM/JEPeM/16050195) and was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier number NCT03268447).