Disruption Of Social Life Research Articles

The Covid-19 pandemic had polarizing effects on trait scores depending on a person's resilience and predispositions: A longitudinal prospective study

While Covid-19 is, first and foremost, a pernicious physical illness, its highly contagious nature has led to significant disruption in social life and psychological stress, occasionally resulting in dire mental health consequences that are still not fully understood. To address this issue, a prospective longitudinal design study was conducted by administering standard self-reporting questionnaires covering the NEO-five factor inventory (NEO-FFI), shyness, alexithymia, autism quotient, anxiety, depression, and sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). A total of 114 participants (of which 71.93% were females) with an average age of 30.29 (standard deviation = 11.04) completed the survey before and a few months after the pandemic. Results revealed the distribution of population scores to become more extreme in either positive or negative trait directions despite the stability of average trait scores across the population. Higher resilience was found to be positively correlated with improved trait scores post-pandemic but corona anxiety score was not correlated with trait score changes. In addition, in the subjects with moderate negative trait scores, agreeableness and autism scores and in subjects with high negative trait scores, openness, SPS and shyness scores were significantly correlated with trait scores changes post-pandemic. These results reveal the nuanced effects of the pandemic on the people's psychological well-being and highlight vulnerabilities for certain groups despite the overall stability of population that needs to be taken into account for mental health policies going forward.

Complete Vestibulectomy in Women with Persistent Entrance Dyspareunia Following Partial Posterior Vestibulectomy

ABSTRACT Introduction Neuroproliferative vestibulodynia (NPV), characterized in 2004, is associated with increased density of mast cells and nerves as demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining of multiple regions of excised vestibular specimens, showing it to be a field disease. It has been reported that 16% of women experience persistent entrance dyspareunia which may lead to abstinence, disruption of social life, and/or depression. In patients with suspected NPV, complete vestibulectomy with vaginal advancement flap reconstruction, performed by providers trained in sexual medicine, has resulted in resolution of persistent entrance dyspareunia in approximately 80% of patients. Objective Many surgeons not trained in sexual medicine perform only a partial posterior vestibulectomy with vaginal advancement flap reconstruction in patients with suspected NPV. Recent pathologic evidence, however, shows NPV to be a field disease of the entire vestibule. To salvage patients who have not experienced resolution of their persistent entrance dyspareunia following a partial posterior vestibulectomy, we perform a complete vestibulectomy. We herein report on the results of complete vestibulectomy in this population. Methods This is a review of complete vestibulectomy surgeries performed by a sexual medicine specialist since January 2019 (n=47). Post-operatively patients were assessed for the ability to have pain-free penetration. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on all vestibular specimens in multiple locations using CD 117 and PGP 9.5 to assess for density of mast cells and nerves, respectively. Results 14 (30%) patients (mean age 26 ± 7 years) with persistent entrance dyspareunia following partial posterior vestibulectomy presented to our clinic, two of whom had undergone partial posterior vestibulectomy twice and one, three times. All patients had a history consistent with NPV after excluding all other forms of vestibulodynia. Cotton tipped swab testing showed severe pain primarily around the urethral meatus between 1:00 and 3:00 and between 9:00 and 11:00; 79% also had pain at 12:00. All had a positive response to vestibular anesthesia testing. During complete vestibulectomy surgery in patients with prior partial posterior vestibulectomy, vestibular fibrosis in the posterior vestibule resulted in more difficult dissection with approximately 33% increased blood loss (mean 200 ml vs 150 ml in women without prior partial posterior vestibulectomy). Surgical techniques were otherwise similar in women with or without prior partial posterior vestibulectomy. The vestibule was excised from around the urethral meatus and Hart's line to the hymen, and the urethral meatus and vulva were anastomosed to the vagina. All vestibular specimens exhibited high density of CD117 and PGP 9.5 positive staining cells consistent with NPV. Most importantly, 71% of women who had persistent entrance dyspareunia after partial posterior vestibulectomy had pain-free penetration post complete vestibulectomy. Conclusions Women with persistent entrance dyspareunia from NPV have a field disease involving excess density of mast cells and nerves in the entire vestibule, therefore performing a partial posterior vestibulectomy in women with suspected NPV is not a logical surgical strategy. Salvaging such patients with complete vestibulectomy is safe and effective. Disclosure No

Impact of Covid-19 on the Wellbeing of School Going Children in Kibra Slum, Nairobi, Kenya

The scourge of Covid-19 has led to loss of livelihoods and disruption of social life and economic activities globally. Government containment measures, like travel restrictions and lockdowns have adversely affected urban communities, particularly those living in slum areas. The study examined how the pandemic has impacted on the wellbeing of school going children in Kibra, the largest informal settlement in East Africa. It interrogated how the closure of schools has disrupted their normal life, including learning, diet, care and protection by caregivers. The effect of the pandemic on parents was also interrogated for the same purpose. The research collected both quantitative and qualitative data. Semi-structured questionnaire was administered among 52 parents and 132 school going children randomly selected from both primary and secondary schools. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data while thematic analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Results from the study showed that school closure due to restrictions imposed following the threat of COVID-19 revealed unprecedented threats and vulnerabilities among children, including physical and emotional abuse, sexual harassment, neglect, and lack of proper diet, attributed to lack of income among parents. The study recommends increased government action in designing intervention policy measures to remedy the situation.

Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the adherence of stroke patients to direct oral anticoagulants: a secondary analysis from the MAAESTRO study

BackgroundThe negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on stroke care has been reported, but no data exist on the influence of the lockdown on medication adherence to antithrombotic treatment for stroke prevention. We present a comparison of electronic adherence data of stroke patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) prior to and during the COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 in Switzerland.MethodsThis is a secondary analysis using data from the ongoing MAAESTRO study, in which stroke patients with atrial fibrillation electronically monitor their adherence to DOAC treatment. Eligible patients for this analysis had at least four weeks of adherence data prior to and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Three adherence metrics (taking adherence, timing adherence, drug holidays) were calculated and compared descriptively.ResultsThe analysis included eight patients (median age 81.5 years, IQR 74.8–84.5). Five patients had a pre-lockdown taking adherence over 90% (mean 96.8% ± 2.9), with no change during lockdown, high timing adherence in both periods and no drug holidays. The remaining three patients had pre-lockdown taking and timing adherence below 90%. Of those, two patients showed a moderate decline either in taking or timing adherence compared to pre-lockdown. One showed a substantial increase in taking and timing adherence during lockdown (both + 25.8%).ConclusionOur data suggest that a major disruption of social life (i.e., the imposed COVID-19 lockdown) is unlikely to relevantly affect the medication intake behaviour of patients with high pre-established adherence, but might have an impact in patients with previously suboptimal adherence.Trial registration numberMAAESTRO: electronic Monitoring and improvement of Adherence to direct oral Anticoagulant treatment—a randomized crossover study of an Educational and reminder-based intervention in ischaemic STROke patients under polypharmacy, NCT03344146.

Stress and Mental Health among Children/Adolescents, Their Parents, and Young Adults during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Switzerland.

The present study aimed to assess various stressful situations and the psychological impact of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among youths in Switzerland. We included samples of 1627 young adults aged 19–24 from the Swiss Youth Epidemiological Study on Mental Health and 1146 children and adolescents aged 12–17 years and their parents. We assessed symptoms of various mental health problems, internet use, and perceived stress during the first COVID-19 lockdown. In the analyses, data were weighted to be representative of the Swiss population. During the first lockdown in Switzerland, the most common sources of perceived stress were the disruption of social life and important activities, uncertainty about how long the state of affairs would last, and the pandemic itself. In addition, around one-fifth of the young adults met the criteria for at least one of the mental health problems (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder), while one-third of children/adolescents screened positive for at least one of the mental health problems (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression, anxiety). Moreover, 30.1% of children and 21.3% of young adults met the criteria for problematic internet use. The study showed considerable stress perceived by young adults and symptoms of mental health problems, especially among females, during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland.

Perceptions and experiences of women with premature ovarian insufficiency about sexual health and reproductive health

BackgroundPremature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a condition with impaired ovarian function that occurred in women before the age of 40. Considering that women with POI are in reproductive age and their fertility and sexual life are afflicted by this disorder directly, the present study aimed to investigate perception and experience of women with POI of sexual and reproductive health (SRH).MethodsThis is a qualitative that was implemented based on the conventional content analysis approach. The data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 women having POI, based on purposeful sampling and continued until data saturation. The participants were women with POI that referred to the three infertility center in Tehran, Iran. The audio recorded data were transcribed verbatim and then analyzed using conventional content analysis based on the method proposed by Zhang and Wildmouth.ResultsAfter content analysis of the interviews with a focus on the perception and experience of women with POI of SRH, four main categories emerged i.e. endangerment of women's health, psychological agitation, disruption of social life and disturbance in sexual life.ConclusionPOI affects different aspects of women SRH (women physical, psychological, social and sexual heath). Therefore, knowledge of patients' concerns by health professionals is helpful to improve service delivery and increasing the effectiveness of treatment interventions by a comprehensive health care attitude.

Exploring the impact of endometriosis on women's lives: A qualitative study in Iran.

AimConsidering the wide impact of endometriosis on various aspects of health, this study aimed to explore the impact of endometriosis on Iranian women's lives.DesignThe present study used a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis.MethodsTwenty patients suffering from endometriosis referring to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran took part in this study. The sampling was done purposefully until data saturation. After deep semi‐structured interviews, the content analysis of the interviews was done according to the steps proposed by Zhang and Wildemuth.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 34.53 (SD: 5.81) years (range: 23–43) with duration of illness of 6.30 ± 5.86 years. Their educational level varied from high school to university, and most of them were employed. Analysis of the data from participants' experiences led to the formation of 5 categories under the titles "Physical suffering, instability of marital life, mental disorder, disruption in social life and self‐care" and 11 subcategories.ConclusionThe findings of the present study showed that endometriosis can adversely affect women's lives including physical, sexual, psychological and social problems. Although in some cases patients adopt different strategies for self‐care, the need for more support is felt.

Job Satisfaction among Nurses Working at Primary Health Center in Ras Al Khaimah, United States Emirates

A descriptive study was undertaken to explore the job satisfaction level among nurses and the factors associated,among public health nurses working in RAK, UAE. A quantitative research approach has been used .The data was collected using four sections of questionnaire-demographic variable, measures of job satisfaction, extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The data was analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation). The intrinsic factors associated with the nurse’s satisfaction were regular promotions (0.45,95%),professional autonomy and advancement opportunities. Intrinsic factors associated with decrease in job satisfaction were work load, disruption in social life. Extrinsic factor that cause job satisfaction is group cohesion, respect from the management and regular feedback (0.52, 95%), However not being paid fairly was the major reason for dissatisfaction. The finding of the research may help the policy makers and practice leaders to set plans and policies for retention and increase in nurse’s job satisfaction

“Now drugs in Libya are much cheaper than food”: A qualitative study on substance use among young Libyans in post-revolution Tripoli, Libya

BackgroundLibya is facing a rapidly growing epidemic of illicit drug use and HIV. This situation is fueled by a complex array of factors, mainly the consequences of the political and military turmoil of the Arab Spring. Although it is extensively documented in other settings that young people are one of the most vulnerable groups to both HIV and illicit drug use, no study has explored this issue among young people in Libya. The current study addresses this research gap. MethodsThis study is a qualitative study using in-depth interviews guided by a semi-structured questionnaire. We used a maximum variation, purposive sampling strategy to recruit male and female participants, aged 14–18 years, from schools, prisons, and community-based informal re-education and rehabilitation centers in Tripoli, Libya. ResultsIn total, 31 participants were recruited: 6 females and 25 males. Sixteen participants were prisoners and residents of community-based informal re-education and rehabilitation centers, and 15 were recruited in schools. Risk factors for drug use included peer influence, the increased availability and affordability of drugs, disruption of social life and healthy recreational activities, and the distress and casualties of the war. Protective factors were religious beliefs and practices, good parent-child connectedness, and high self-esteem and future aspiration. Risk factors for HIV were insufficient knowledge related to HIV transmission and unsafe injection practices, such as sharing needles and syringes. ConclusionWe found individual, interpersonal, family, and structural-level factors that interplayed to shape the vulnerability of young people to drug use and HIV infection in Tripoli, Libya. Structural factors, including the increased availability and affordability of drugs, provided the frame within which other factors, such as peer influence, insufficient knowledge of substance use, and HIV, operated to increase the vulnerability of young people to drugs and HIV, while religious beliefs and parent-child connectedness acted as protective factors. Multisectoral efforts and studies to quantitatively evaluate the magnitude and distribution of these problems are urgently needed.

A review of the trends in Ghana’s power sector

Abstract Power generation in Ghana has gone through a number of phases: starting with diesel generators and stand-alone electricity supply systems owned by industrial mines and factories, to the hydro phase following the construction of the Akosombo dam, and now to a thermal complement phase powered by gas and/or light crude oil. A power crisis has also become a perennial development challenge in Ghana, with increasing severity that threatens the country’s economic growth and transformation. The troubling rationing system, the slowdown in industrial activity, job and income losses, and disruptions in social life are telling reminders of what now seems a perennial drag on Ghana’s development agenda. While Ghana has committed itself to universal electricity access by 2020, the real challenge is the capacity to meet this goal and, most important, to ensure that supply is reliable and adequate. This paper outlines the state of current electricity demand and supply gap and the major impediments to resolving the supply bottlenecks and in managing demand, highlights institutional and regulatory constraints, and identifies some key issues that should be the focus of policy decision-making going forward.

The Effects of Simulated Intermittent Altitude on Mucosal Immunity

Altitude training is widely accepted as an aerobic performance enhancement approach; however, this type of training is physiologically stressful, and its effects on the immune system are unclear. Cumulative stressors, including intense exercise, long term travel, disruption of social life and schedule, and exposure to environmental extremes, can increase athlete susceptibility to upper respiratory tract illness by depressing mucosal immunity. Intermittent altitude (IA) exposure may be a less stressful option than living and training at altitude. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of simulated IA exposure on mucosal immunity. Sixteen well-trained male runners and/or triathletes were exposed to the hypoxic stimulus (Alto2Lab, Pharma Pacific, Inc.) for 15 days. Salivary IgA antibodies were measured at baseline and post-treatment. Comparisons between groups were made using the non-parametric unpaired Mann-Whitney test. No significant decrease in salivary IgA antibodies was detected, and time to complete a 10K race improved for the treatment group (p<0.05). Simulated IA can elicit the same performance enhancing effects as a live high train low environment in a short time and without the added stresses of live high train low training that could compromise the mucosal immune system. Simulated IA may be attractive to competitive endurance athletes to enhance training while decreasing the potential for upper respiratory tract infection that can occur with rigorous endurance or altitude training. Supported by Pharma Pacific

Social Behaviour and the Superorganism: Implications for Disease and Stability in Complex Animal Societies and Colony Collapse Disorder in Honeybees

Sociability, mass response to threat, food production and food sharing and an adaptable communication system are a suite of traits involved in the evolution of complex society in animals. Cycles of interaction characterize members of such societies and those of species in association that can affect disease structure in time and virulence. Colony Collapse Disorder (in North America, Honey Bee Depopulation Syndrome, or HBDS elsewhere) shows similarity to a number of mass behavioural responses in other social animals, especially in ants. A number of questions regarding the cause of CCD continues to make progress in fighting the disease difficult. Here information is provided that may result in an isolation of factors to identify the syndrome of effects that lead to the disease, based on studies of disease avoidance and illness behaviour in other animal species. Most of the work to date to discover a cause has focused on a direct relationship between a pathogen or parasite or environmental condition and the Disorder. Dysfunctional mass behaviour is even seen in humans, as during the Black Plague. Disease avoidance is an important survival tactic for many animals and if the mechanism is modified by a pathogen or toxin unusual outcomes may result. In complex animal societies the opportunity for other forms of disruption of social life are numerous.

Patients' and physicians' descriptions of occurrence and diagnosis of endometriosis: a qualitative study from Iran.

BackgroundThe prevalence of endometriosis is considerable but its diagnosis is a dilemma. The aim of this study was to explore the perception and experiences of endometriosis patients and physicians about occurrence and diagnosis of endometriosis.MethodsA qualitative research using content analysis was used to obtain data from purposely selected endometriosis patients (12 participants) and gynecologists (6 participants) from January to September 2013 in Tehran. Data were coded and analyzed using a thematic approach.ResultsSeven themes emerged: 1) pain localization, 2) Severity of pain and struggle for pain relief, 3) Feeling inability to play the role of femininity, 4) Reducing physical health, 5) Disruption of social life, 6) Looking for a reliable diagnostic indicator, 7) Uncertainty of physical examination. The results highlighted that patients with the disease can experience different feelings that interfere with their wellbeing and their lives, and sometimes could be disabling.ConclusionPatients and physicians are looking for a certain, noninvasive and inexpensive diagnostic method. This study helps to promote clinical diagnostic view and knowledge development about description of endometriosis diagnosis to decrease diagnostic delay and mismanagement.

SP0052 Taking action against stigmatization

“Taking Action Against Stigmatization” considers the interventions being currently researched and offered to combat both the depression and self-seclusion created by a disfiguring and disabling chronic disease, and the bias...

Commencement of the Meningococcal Vaccination for the Republic of Korea Army

Commencement of the Meningococcal Vaccination for the Republic of Korea Army

Climate Change, Community Understanding and Emotional Responses to the Impacts of Heat Waves in Adelaide

AbstractIntroduction: Climate change will very likely increase the frequency and severity of heat waves. Episodes of unprecedented heat waves have been recorded in Adelaide in recent years. This paper uses the mental model approach to explore the community’s understanding of the consequences associated with heat waves, their understanding about human vulnerability to heat waves as well the concerns and emotional responses associated with heat waves. Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted among a convenience sample of 14 residents in Adelaide between December 2011 and January 2012 by telephone. Informed consent was obtained and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed according to themes. Results: Overall, participants had an informed understanding about the effects of heat waves although there exited differences in knowledge and understanding among participants. The study found that participants associated heat waves with skin cancer, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, disruption in social life and psychological impacts such as stress, tiredness, depression, sleeplessness, moodiness which could affect their mental health and well-being. Emotional responses associated with heat waves reported by participants included fear, worry and anxiety. The study found that during a heat wave, participants are concern about the safety of their grandparents, pets, garden, health and fitness, agricultural productivity and the threat of wildfires. Conclusion: Participants had a somewhat good understanding of heat waves, but the use of mental models assisted in identifying knowledge gaps which would inform the development of education programmes about heat waves for the community. There is also need for social services to be strengthened in order to provide support to vulnerable groups during periods of heat waves.

Aesthetic Improvement of Burn Scar by Tangential Excision and Thin Split Thickness Skin Graft

It has been known that the post-burn scar may cause symptoms including pigmentation, pruritus, pain, and contracture, and result in psychosocial depression of individuals due to the loss of physical functions and dysmorphia depending on the location and severity of the burn scar, leading to substantial disruption in social life. In the particular case of hand and extremities where burn occurs frequently, although there have been a great deal of literature concerning the recovery of functional loss due to the burn contracture, the interest in the aesthetic recovery of the burning scar on the hand tends to be gradually increasing lately, reflecting the words “the hand is the secondary face”. The aesthetic treatments of the post-burn scar on the hand include tattoo, punch grafting, epidermal graft after dermabrasion, chip skin graft and thin sheet skin graft [1-6]. However, the tattoo generated different skin color, and the simple skin graft may result in regrettable outcomes such as prominent scar around the boundary of the burn site, collapse of skin graft site, donor site scar, and pigmentary degeneration over time. Accordingly, we aim to confirm the outcomes of the thin splitthickness skin graft with a thickness of less than 8/1,000 inches that was carried out following the tangential excision of burn scar using an electrical dermatome for the aesthetic improvement of the post-burn scar of the hand.

Psychological, social, and behavioral issues for young adults with cancer

Theories of human development suggest that, although all cancer patients experience a common set of life disruptions, they experience them differently, focus on different issues, and attach different levels of importance to different aspects of the experience depending on the time in life at which they were diagnosed. During the critical developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, older adolescents and young adults in particular have typical concerns with establishing identity, developing a positive body image and sexual identity, separating from parents, increasing involvement with peers and dating, and beginning to make decisions about careers or employment, higher education, and/or family. Accordingly, cancer-related issues such as premature confrontation with mortality, changes in physical appearance, increased dependence on parents, disruptions in social life and school/employment because of treatment, loss of reproductive capacity, and health-related concerns about the future may be particularly distressing for adolescents and young adults. Psychosocial and behavioral interventions for young adult cancer patients and survivors often involve assisting these individuals in retaining or returning to function in significant social roles, such as spouse, parent, student, worker, or friend. Successful interventions will enable these young people to overcome the detrimental impact of a health crisis and strengthen the internal and external coping resources available to them.

BPH: Social Impact and Patient's Perspective

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in ageing men and although not a life-threatening disease, it can affect quality of life (QOL) to differing degrees. BPH progressively decreases patient self-esteem and lower urinary tract symptoms have also been shown to affect a patient's perceived sexuality. It has been shown that the impact of BPH on QOL is comparable to other disease conditions such as epilepsy requiring surgery and asthma, but worse, in certain aspects, than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. With regard to the effect that BPH has on the patient's partner, the morbidity reported was due to sleep disturbance, disruption of social life, psychological burden, inadequate sex life, and fear of surgery or prostate cancer. Factors that influence a patient's desire to seek treatment have been identified and include bother, interference with daily activities, symptom frequency, worry, and embarrassment; patients also have a major concern about acute urinary retention (AUR) and BPH-related surgery. The reasons patients with BPH chose one therapy over another have been studied and it appears that patients prefer rapid symptom improvement, reduction in prostate size, no side-effects, and a decrease in the risk of AUR and surgery. The strongest influence was side-effects and the most important benefit was reduction in prostate size. Physicians clearly influence the final treatment decision, but they should be aware of patient preferences and consider them when they discuss treatment options with the patient.

Urbanizing the security agenda

The meanings of “terrorism” and “anti‐terrorism” are socially constructed and highly contested. Timothy Luke’s (2004) term “propaganda of the deed” suggests that terrorism is linked to a war of signs. Each deed can be mobilized for different interests to energize and embed each act with layers of politics and culture as a frame for retaliation. According to Robert W. Williams, “Contemporary terrorism is characterized by the randomness of its attacks against an entire population or society—attacks which could include such possible effects as the mass destruction of targets and the mass disruption of social life” (Williams, 2003, p. 282). While internationally these definitions of what constitutes terrorism will be played out between powerful governments and international courts (Beck, 2002), domestically, the use of the discourses of terrorism has become not only politicized, but also anchored in existing and expanding domestic policies and programmes. Post‐9/11, in the USA, a conservative political agenda has fuelled attempts to blur the boundaries between dissent or even crimes of property and what the state defines as acts of terrorism, particularly when these involve progressive movements. Although media accounts often focused on 9/11 as an abrupt departure or turning point, less attention has been paid to the continuities with political divisions and power relations that existed prior to the fall of the Twin Towers. This paper examines how interests across the political spectrum have sought to discursively frame terrorist threats to the city and to redefine what it means to have security in the city. We further explore the contradictions that arise when a conservative state, right‐wing and progressive movements seek to re‐position themselves domestically within a drastically altered geopolitics. Specifically, we outline the ways in which were repression of progressive movements were normalized by the anti‐terrorist frame.