General Health Problems Research Articles

Longstanding health risk across the life course: The influence of early-life experience on health status throughout the life span.

This study tracked the longstanding effect of childhood adversities on health status over the course of a life. This study used the data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study which was a nationally representative survey and documented the generation who had arrived in the middle- and old-age phase and experienced the difficult time in the early founding of PR China in their childhood. Results shown the significant associations between multiple forms of children adversities (economic distress, child neglect, child abuse, lack of friends, parental mental health problems) and health status in adolescence (from 0.068 to 0.102, p<0.01), and health status in mid and late adulthood, including self-rated general health problems (from 0.039 to 0.061, p<0.01), chronic conditions (from 0.014 to 0.120, p<0.01 except for lack of friends), body aches (from 0.016 to 0.062, p<0.01 except for child neglect), and depression (from 0.047 to 0.112, p<0.01). Meanwhile, results also shown an underlying pathway (i.e., health status in adolescence) linking childhood adversities and health status in mid and late adulthood. Results suggested that the experience of multiple forms of adversities in childhood represented a substantial source of health risk throughout life.

Physical activity and the development of general mental health problems or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children and adolescents: A cross-lagged panel analysis of long-term follow-up epidemiological data.

Studies have shown that physical activity (PA) can provide a helpful, low-risk, and cost-effective intervention for children and adolescents suffering from mental health problems. This longitudinal study aimed to assess whether PA prevents the development of mental health problems, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Data were analyzed from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) collected from more than 15.000 children and adolescents at three different time points over a period of more than 10 years. Parents scored the PA of the study participants on three frequency levels according to WHO recommendations, and mental health problems were assessed by means of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The total problem score (SDQ-Total) and the hyperactivity/inattention symptoms sub-scale (SDQ-H/I) were used in an autoregressive cross-lagged model to examine their relationship with PA. The results showed that PA of boys and girls at preschool age was inversely associated with the occurrence of mental health problems and, in particular, ADHD symptoms about 6 years later. Higher levels of PA were associated with better general mental health and fewer ADHD symptoms at the next time point (Wave 1). These effects were not observed from preadolescence (Wave 1) to adolescence (Wave 2), neither for girls nor for boys. These findings indicate that medium-to-high PA may be a supportive factor for good mental health in children in preschool and elementary school. Future studies will have to show whether PA may be a helpful add-on for interventional programs for improving general mental health and alleviating ADHD symptoms among children and adolescents.

The effect of college degree attainment on neurodegenerative symptoms in genetically at-risk women

Using longitudinal data, the present study examined the association between college degree attainment and the manifestation of neurodegenerative symptoms among women (n = 93) at elevated genetic risk. The neurodegenerative symptoms investigated in this study are due to FXTAS (Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome), a condition with onset after age 50. Those at risk for FXTAS have a mutation of a single gene found on the X chromosome. FXTAS is characterized by intention tremor, gait ataxia, executive function deficits, memory issues, and neuropathy. College degree attainment has been shown to provide neuroprotective effects in the general population, delaying the development of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. For this reason, college degree attainment is a potentially salient resource for those at risk of FXTAS. The results of the present research indicated significantly more severe FXTAS symptoms in women who did not attain a college degree as compared with those who were college graduates, although the two groups were similar in age, genetic risk, household income, health behaviors, and general health problems. Furthermore, symptoms in those who did not attain a college degree worsened over the 9-year study period at a significantly faster rate than the college graduates. The association between college degree attainment and FXTAS symptoms was significantly mediated by depression, which was lower among the graduates than those who did not attain a college degree. Thus, the present research is an example of how a sociodemographic factor can mitigate neurodegenerative conditions in genetically at-risk adults.

The association of residential racial segregation with health among U.S. children: A nationwide longitudinal study

Residential racial segregation in the U.S. has been hypothesized as a fundamental cause driving health disparities across racial groups. Potential mechanisms include economic and social marginalization, subsequent constrained opportunities, and high stress. Yet evidence on residential segregation's association with health among Black and White children—particularly longitudinally—is sparse. This study aims to address this gap. We used data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a national longitudinal study of U.S. households, analyzing information on 1,251 Black and 1,427 White children who participated in the Child Development Supplement (CDS) at least twice (survey waves 1997, 2002, 2007, 2014). We fit individual fixed-effects models to estimate the within-person association of neighborhood-level residential segregation, measured with local Getis-Ord G* statistics, with three outcomes (general health, weight status, and behavioral problems). We examined heterogeneous effects by age and sex. We also examined associations between health and childhood segregation trajectories, i.e., the pattern of children's residential segregation exposures from birth through when their health outcomes were measured, providing additional insight on dynamic experiences of segregation. In fixed effects models, among Black children, higher segregation was associated with worse self-rated health, especially for Black children who were older (aged 11–17 years). In trajectory models, among White children, moving out of highly segregated neighborhoods was associated with a lower probability of poor self-rated health, while moving into those neighborhoods or back and forth between neighborhood types were both associated with increased behavioral problems. Our findings highlight the importance of early-life residential segregation in shaping persistent racial health disparities, as well as the costs of segregation for all children living in highly segregated neighborhoods.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF LEARNING TOILET TRAINING IN CHILDREN WITH ENURESIS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN (5-6 YEARS) IN PAKUSARI DISTRCIT, JEMBER REGENCY

Introduction: Preschoolers inclined has many health problem that always threatening and able to impact quality of life such as, general health problems, behavioral disorders, learning disorders, and developmental disorders. One of the health problems in preschool children is enuresis. To overcome this problem can be done by using toilet training to train and teach children to be able to control bowel movements and urinating. The purpose of this study to determine how the relationship of learning toilet training in preschool children (5-6 years) with enuresis in Pakusari District. Method: This study uses quantitative non-experimental analysis that is correlational using a cross-sectional study with the sampling technique Probability Sampling by means of Purposive Sampling and obtained are 252 respondents. Data analysis using Chi Square test. Result: The results (X2 = 21,378; p-value = 0,0001) it can be concluded that there is a relationship between learning Toilet Training in preschool children (5-6 years) with enuresis in Pakusari District. There are several factors that influence learning toilet training such as the environment and education. Conclusion: The family environment is very influential because family has important effect for child. At stage of child growth the parents must attention to see the child’s readiness for receive learning toilet training. Keywords: Preschoolers; Enuresis; Toilet Training.

University Students' Risk Perception, Protective Measures, and General Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey.

This study aimed to investigate university students' risk perception, protective measures, and general health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey. The research sample consisted of 1920 university students. The data were collected through an online questionnaire. A total of 56.6% of the students considered their risk of being infected with the COVID-19. The number of measures taken by students was lower than expected. Students' increased anxiety perceived individual risk level, insufficient social support perceptions, and their perceptions of the current pandemic more serious than previous epidemics affect the number of measures they take. Students had sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts in the social isolation period. Sex, studying in medicine, anxiety related to COVID-19, feeling unconfident in coping with the pandemic, social support, were determined to be risk factors regarding general health, sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts. The results of the study showed that the measures taken by university students were insufficient and the precautions were affected by many factors. It was determined that their health was adversely affected by the pandemic. University administrations and decision-makers should consider the risk factors to improve the students' experiences in such pandemics and emergencies.

Prevalence of health problems of rag pickers due to various hazards at Lucknow city

BackgroundIn India, rag pickers form the base of hierarchy of informal sector of the solid waste management. Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of rag pickers. ObjectiveThis paper describes the various health problems faced by the rag pickers at Lucknow City. Materials and methodsThis study was carried out on four hundred rag pickers comprising of male and female. Multi stage random sampling technique was adopted for selecting rag pickers. Interview method was used to collect the information from the sample. The data has been collected from the rag pickers working in different sites of Lucknow city. The data was coded and analyzed using IBM SPSS 20.0 Version. ResultsIt was observed from the data that rag pickers generally suffer from respiratory problems (19%), eye problems (40%), dermatological problems (22%) and injuries (60.5%). Additionally the high prevalence of general health problems such as fever (78%), cough and cold (83.5%), diarrhea and dysentery (40%) were reported to be high. Road accidents and fall (23%), animal bite (16.5%)) and frost bite (16.5%) significantly are higher among rag pickers. ConclusionStudy shows the work related health problems were reported to be high. Efforts should be put to develop training materials on occupational and environmental health and injuries relating to rag pickers.

Targeting PI3K by Natural Products: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent childhood psychiatric disorder. In general, a child with ADHD has significant attention problems with difficulty concentrating on a subject and is generally associated with impulsivity and excessive activity. The etiology of ADHD in most patients is unknown, although it is considered to be a multifactorial disease caused by a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Diverse factors, such as the existence of mental, nutritional, or general health problems during childhood, as well as smoking and alcohol drinking during pregnancy, are related to an increased risk of ADHD. Behavioral and psychological characteristics of ADHD include anxiety, mood disorders, behavioral disorders, language disorders, and learning disabilities. These symptoms affect individuals, families, and communities, negatively altering educational and social results, strained parent-child relationships, and increased use of health services. ADHD may be associated with deficits in inhibitory frontostriatal noradrenergic neurons on lower striatal structures that are predominantly driven by dopaminergic neurons. Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a conserved family of lipid kinases that control a number of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, insulin metabolism, and apoptosis. Since PI3K plays an important role in controlling the noradrenergic neuron, it opens up new insights into research on ADHD and other developmental brain diseases. This review presents evidence for the potential usefulness of PI3K and its modulators as a potential treatment for ADHD.

Food Apartheid and Food Insecurity

A Food desert usually occurs in a low-income or minority community with limited access to low-cost fresh and healthy food options. This is due mainly to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers, resulting in food insecurity. Household food insecurity was related to significantly worse general health, some acute and chronic health problems, and worse health care access, including forgone care and heightened emergency department use, for children. Compared to rates had they not been food insecure, children in food-insecure households had higher rates of lifetime asthma diagnosis and depressive symptoms, which were 19.1% and 27.9% higher, rates of forgone medical care that were 179.8% higher, and rates of emergency department use that were 25.9% higher. This paper explores food deserts, food insecurity, and occurrences of food apartheid and recommends potential solutions.

Exposure to smoking and general health problems among university students: mediating role of positive affect and moderating role of parenting

ABSTRACT Objectives Based on the Social Learning Theory (SCL), the current study examined the mediating role of positive affect (feelings) and the moderating role of parenting between exposure to smoking and general health problems in University Students. Method A quantitative cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted on (n = 200) university students of Lahore. By using of Classifying a Smoking Scale, Positive Negative Affect Schedule (adopted only positive feelings items), Parenting Style Questionnaire, and Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ). The mediation and moderation analysis was run by using Andrew Hayes Model no 1 and 4. Results The major results revealed that exposure to smoking has a negative impact on general health problems of university students and there is no indirect relation found between positive feelings and exposure to smoking and general health. Whereas, parenting has been found to have a direct positive effect on the exposure to smoking and general health problems in university students. Conclusion Moreover, the study concluded that parenting plays a pivotal role in the initiation and cessation of smoking and other substance-related problems.

College Students' Opinions About Coping Strategies for Mental Health Problems, Suicide Ideation, and Self-Harm During COVID-19.

BackgroundMental health problems have emerged as a significant health complication in United States colleges during COVID-19, and as a result, they have been extensively investigated in the United States and internationally. In contrast, research on coping among the college population during the pandemic is scant. Hence, this study investigated coping strategies proposed by undergraduate students attending a Midwestern university.ObjectivesThe purpose of this preliminary study was to obtain college students’ feedback/opinions about coping strategies for mental health problems, suicide ideation, and self-harm during COVID-19.MethodsIn December 2021, one-hundred and four undergraduate students (ages 18–22 years) completed an online survey on coping strategies using Qualtrics. Major topics included: (1) Types of coping strategies/styles expressed by students for general mental health problems, (2) Types of coping strategies for suicide ideation and self-harm behaviors, (3) Preferred platforms for receiving coping therapy, and (4) Reasons for accepting or refusing parent involvement with mental health problems.ResultsThe most beneficial coping strategies for mental health were ranked by college students as follows: (1) a skills training development program (30%), (2) meditation (19%), and (3) mindfulness exercises (15%), and physical education (11%). The respondents’ best coping strategies for preventing self-harm and suicide ideation/behaviors during COVID-19 were ranked as: (1) improving support from friends (32%), (2) building self-esteem (29%), and (3) addressing anger, depression, stress, and loneliness (25%). Finally, a total of 50% of participants felt that parents should be involved in college student interventions. Students stated that the most important type of support that they received from their parents were: (1) emotional support (31%), (2) direction and/or assistance with solutions (27%), and problem-solving (16%).ConclusionThis study identified potential avenues which could be implemented into action during future outbreaks. Specifically, employing interventions that: (i) train undergraduate students to employ more effective skills training coping strategies or practicing mindfulness or meditation; (ii) integrate mental health, suicide, and self-harm prevention into the curriculum; (iii) offer more in-person campus services targeted toward the psychological and emotional effects of a pandemic, and (iv) involve support persons (e.g., family) in students’ lives to enhance their well-being during and after COVID-19.

Antibiogram of Extended Beta and Metallo-beta-lactamase E. coli O157:H7 Isolated from Pigs and Periwinkles sold in Rivers State

The emergence of multi-drug resistant and Extended Beta-lactamase producing E. coli O157:H7 is a general public health problem. Food samples of animal origin are undoubtedly the reservoirs of MDR which are in most cases transmitted to humans. The presence of extended beta-lactamase and Metallo-beta-lactamase producing E. coli O157:H7 was investigated amongst food samples and pig dung. A total of 240 samples comprising pig dung, pork, and periwinkles were collected from three different locations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Samples were analyzed for the presence of ESBL, MBL, and AmpC E. coli O157:H7 using standard microbiological methods. The results of the antibiotics susceptibility test of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from various samples revealed that out of the 16 E. coli O157:H7 isolated from the samples, the percentage resistance to Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole, Chloramphenicol, Amikacin, Cefetrizole, Gentamycin, Streptomycin, and Nalidixic was 62.5, 18.7, 100, 43.7, 50, 87.5, 87.5, 31.2, 50 and 56.3 %, respectively. While the antibiotics susceptibility pattern for E. coli O157 revealed that out of the 35 E. coli O157 isolated from the samples, the percentage resistance to Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole, Chloramphenicol, Amikacin, Cefetrizole, Gentamycin, Streptomycin and Nalidixic was 60, 22.9, 57.1, 42.9, 34.3, 60, 71.4, 42.9, 68.6 and 45.7 %, respectively. The results of the E. coli O157:H7 with Extended \(\beta\) ─Lactamase, Metallo Beta-Lactamase, and Amp C \(\beta\) ─Lactamase Production revealed that only 25.5 % were ESBL positive, 62.5 % MBL positive while 12.5 % was AmpC positive. The food samples do not only habour enteropathogenic E. coli but are reservoirs of beta-lactamases resistant genes which conferred multidrug resistance to the isolates. These food samples and dungs could serve as vehicles for the transmission of these resistant genes in the food chain. Thus, proper cooking of food samples and avoidance of pig dung is recommended.

Mental Health Impact and Burnout in Critical Care Staff During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak.

The coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak exposed intensive care unit health care workers to a psychological burden. The aim of the study was to assess burnout, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the intensive care unit staff during the pandemic period and to focus on the factors that contributed to psychological discomfort by using validated psychometric tools. This was a monocentric study developed at the end of the first emergency crisis period (May 2020). We used a custom-designed survey using SurveyMonkey. The first part of the online survey included 27 general questions (sociodemographic information, the professional role, and possible changes assigned in job tasks and duties), the second part included validated psychometric tools: Maslach Burnout Inventory, General Health Questionnaire-12 Items, Impact of Event Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory-II. Factors indepen- dently associated with reported symptoms of mental health disorders were identified. The response rate was 88%, with 95 respondents. Depressive and mild-moderate anxiety symptoms were reported in 20% and in 12% of health care workers, respectively, and half of the sample experienced moderate or severe post-traumatic stress symptoms. In total, 64% of health care workers reported high levels of burnout. General mental health problems were more frequently reported by women (P =.3), by those who were tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 buffer (P < .02), and by those who changed their family habits (P =.02) as a consequence of the pandemic. Being single or divorced (P = .04) was associated with the presence of depressive symptoms; vice versa, cohabiting with a partner or being married was associated with lower levels of depression. Anxious symptoms were reported in health care workers with no previous working experience in the intensive care unit. Health care workers experience high levels of psychological burden during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Knowing the risk factors can aid to develop strategies of observation and prevention and also strengthen the ability to be resilient to stressful situations.

A brief transdiagnostic psychological intervention for Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in Austria: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background: Afghan refugees often face hardship and traumatic experiences before, during, and after migration and frequently suffer from mental health burdens. Evidence based psychological treatments for refugees mostly focus on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), however, refugees often suffer from a variety of general health problems as well as depression and anxiety. We thus aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic psychological intervention. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of an adapted version of Problem Management Plus (aPM+) delivered by mental health professionals to adult Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. Methods: We randomly allocated 88 Afghan refugees either to aPM+ in addition to treatment as usual (aPM+/TAU) or TAU alone. APM+ comprises of six weekly 90-minute individual sessions including strategies of stress management, problem solving, behavioural activation, strengthening social support and either anger regulation or increasing self-efficacy. The primary outcome was general health (GHQ-28) post intervention. Secondary outcome measures included distress by PMLD, Complex PTSD symptoms, quality of life, self-identified problems, and integration. Results: Attrition was high: 42% of the randomized participants did not participate in the post-treatment assessment. A repeated measures per-protocol (completers only) ANCOVA evidenced a significant group × timepoint interaction for GHQ total scores [F(1, 47) = 14.80, p < .001, partial η2 = 0.24]. Post-hoc analyses showed significantly lower symptoms in the aPM+/TAU arm (n = 26) as compared to the TAU arm (n = 25) for the GHQ total scores (dz = 1.04). Most secondary outcomes significantly improved in the aPM+/TAU arm, but not in the TAU arm. Conclusion: APM+ was effective in reducing general health problems in Afghan refugees and might be considered as a first-line intervention. High drop-out rate limit the interpretations of our results, where future investigations should focus on possibilities to reduce these rates. Trial registration: Uniform Trial Number identifier: U1111-1226-3285. HIGHLIGHTS Refugees’ mental health can be strengthened with a brief psychological intervention that also focuses on skills in the context of post-migration stressors. High drop-out rates are a major challenge for future research and delivery of psychological interventions as part of health care systems to refugees and asylum seekers.

Biochemical and reproductive biomarker analysis to study the consequences of heavy metal burden on health profile of male brick kiln workers

The present study aims to assess the effect of a heavy metal burden on general health, biochemical parameters, an antioxidant enzyme, and reproductive hormone parameters in adult male brick kiln workers from Pakistan. The study participants (n = 546) provided demographic data including general health as well as body mass index. Blood was collected to quantitatively assess hematological, biochemical, and reproductive hormone parameters as well as heavy metal concentrations using both atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The data showed that 10% of the brick kiln workers were underweight and 10% obese (P = 0.059), with workers also reporting multiple health issues. Heavy metal concentrations utilizing AAS revealed significantly (p = 0.000) higher levels of cadmium, chromium, and nickel, while PIXE detected more than permissible levels of Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Zn, Ti (p = 0.052), Mn (p = 0.017), Fe (p = 0.055), Co (p = 0.011), Ni (p = 0.045), and Cu (p = 0.003), in the blood of kiln workers. Moreover, a significant increase in platelet count (P = 0.010), a decrease in sodium dismutase levels (p = 0.006), a major increase in reactive oxygen species (p = 0.001), and a reduction in protein content (p = 0.013) were evident. A significant increase in cortisol levels (p = 0.000) among the workers group was also observed. The concentration of LH and FSH increased significantly (p = 0.000), while that of testosterone decreased (p = 0.000) in the worker group compared with controls. A significant inverse relationship was found between cortisol, LH (r = − 0.380), and FSH (r = − 0.946), while a positive correlation between cortisol and testosterone was also evident (r = 0.164). The study concludes that increased heavy metal burden in the blood of brick kiln workers exposes them to the development of general and reproductive health problems due to compromised antioxidant enzyme levels, increased oxidative stress conditions, and a disturbing reproductive axis.

Using a Convolutional Neural Network as Feature Extractor for Different Machine Learning Classifiers to Diagnose Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a general public health problem. It is an important risk factor, especially for children under 5 years old and people aged 65 and older. Fortunately, it is a treatable disease when diagnosed in the early phase. The most common diagnostic method known for the disease is chest X-Rays. However, the disease can be confused with different disorders in the lungs or its variants by experts. In this context, computer-aided diagnostic systems are necessary to provide a second opinion to experts. Convolutional neural networks are a subfield in deep learning and they have demonstrated success in solving many medical problems. In this paper, Xception which is a convolutional neural network was trained with the transfer learning method to detect viral pneumonia, normal cases, and bacterial pneumonia in chest X-Rays. Then, five different machine learning classification algorithms were trained with the features obtained by the trained convolutional neural network. The classification performances of the algorithms were compared. According to the test results, Xception achieved the best classification result with an accuracy of 89.74%. On the other hand, SVM achieved the closest classification performance to the convolutional neural network model with 89.58% accuracy.

General Health of Nurses in Special Care Units of Hospitals in Qom: Descriptive-cross-sectional Study

Background and Objectives: General health problems that can create major challenges are common among health care providers such as nurses. This study aims to determine the general health of nurses in special care units of hospitals in Qom, Iran. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 on 300 nurses working in intensive care and critical care units of three teaching hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences who were selected using a consensus sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic form and the General Health Questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS v. 16 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The results showed that 52.3% of nurses were exposed to general health problems. The mean score of general health was 25.43± 8.84. The highest score (lowest level) was related to social function domain (13.27±1.94) while the lowest score (highest level) was belonged to depression (2.1±1.24). There was no significant relationship between nurses ’demographic factors and general health. Conclusion: To reduce the general health problems of nurses in special care units of hospitals in Qom city, psychological interventions should be provided to them by nursing managers.

Myopia differential diagnosis

Due to the prevalence and the possibility of myopia progression, myopia is currently of particular interest to many specialists in both the field of optometry and ophthalmology. In the initial diagnosis of the patient, it is important to determine whether the refractive error is isolated or if it coexists with other eye disorders/diseases or general health problems. This refractive error can be divided into axial and refractive myopia. In the latter case, the change in refraction may result from too great curvature of the cornea in relation to the length of the eyeball, or an increase in the optical curvatures other than the anterior surface of the cornea, or an increase in the refractive index of at least one of the optical structures, or a shallower anterior chamber of the eye. It is also worth distinguishing myopia associated with complex syndromes.&#x0D; Uncorrected myopia can significantly hinder daily functioning. It is therefore important to detect it as early as possible, correct it properly.

A Two-Year Examination of Intimate Partner Violence and Associated Mental and Physical Health among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Women Veterans

ABSTRACT Lesbian and bisexual women veterans may experience higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience compared to heterosexual women veterans, but more research is needed on IPV and healthcare needs among sexual minority women veterans, particularly those in the community who may not use Veterans Health Administration healthcare. This study assessed recent (prior 6–12 months) IPV, mental health symptoms (e.g., PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia), and physical health problems (e.g., physical pain, pain interference, general physical health) among 263 women veterans (11% lesbian, bisexual, or questioning [LBQ]) 18 months after baseline (Time 2), and 24 months after baseline (Time 3; N = 190). At both Time 2 and Time 3, compared to heterosexual women veterans, LBQ women veterans reported experiencing greater recent psychological and physical IPV and intimate partner stalking, and worse PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia symptoms, and general physical health problems. At Time 3 only, LBQ women veterans reported experiencing greater recent sexual IPV. As the population of women and sexual/gender minority veterans grows, the current findings can help increase clinician and policy maker knowledge of IPV experiences and concurrent health problems among LBQ women veterans. Future research should conduct intragroup comparisons between veterans across the gender and sexuality spectrum.

Physiological Hazard Assessment While Wielding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Among Health Care Workers.

IntroductionAccurate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential part of infection prevention and control measures to protect health care workers and patients from various hazardous conditions. Health care workers caring for patients with potentially infectious health conditions are using PPE for long periods of time. However, long-term use of PPE can cause many physiological health hazards among health care workers. So, the current study was carried out to assess the general health problems and dermatological problems experienced by health care workers with PPE use.Materials and methodsA descriptive cross-sectional survey has been carried out in two selected tertiary care hospitals in central India by recruiting 301 health care workers. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to select participants for the study. Sociodemographic Performa and structured questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic characteristics of the participants and various health problems experienced by health care workers with PPE use. Collected data were analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThe current study reported excessive sweating (86.4%), difficulty in reading (85%), dry mouth (80.7%), and breathing difficulty (74.1%) as the most common problem associated with PPE use. In addition to this, adverse reactions like headache, restlessness, and dizziness were reported by 70.1%, 64.5%, and 50.8%. Indentation and pain on the back of the ears (76.1%), skin soaking (67.1%), and excessive sweating (76.1%) were identified as the most common problems related to N-95 masks, gloves, and coverall use. ConclusionThe current study revealed a higher incidence of various health problems with PPE use among health care workers. The findings of the study highlight the importance of developing various guidelines to reduce the negative impact of PPE use and implementing preventive measures to decrease health problems associated with PPE use.