General Health Questionnaire Research Articles

Correlation between psychological traits and the use of smart medical services in young and middle-aged adults: An observational study

BACKGROUND Psychological problems affect economic development. However, there is a huge gap between mental health service resources and mental health service needs. Existing mental health service technology and platforms cannot meet all the diverse mental health needs of people. Smart medicine is a new medical system based online that can effectively improve the quality and efficiency of medical services and make mental health services accessible. AIM To explore the level of intelligent medical use among young and middle-aged people and its correlation with psychological factors. METHODS Convenience sampling was used to select 200 young and middle-aged patients with medical experience at the Third People's Hospital of Chengdu between January 2022 and January 2023 as the research subjects. The general condition Questionnaire, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90, General Health Questionnaire, and Smart Medical Service Use Intention Questionnaire were used to collect data. Pearson’s correlation was used to analyze the correlation between the participants’ willingness to use smart medical services and their personality characteristics, psychological symptoms, and mental health. RESULTS The results revealed that the mental health of young and middle-aged people was poor, and some had psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort. Familiarity, acceptance, and usage of smart healthcare in this population are at a medium level, and these levels correlate with psychological characteristics. Acceptance was positively correlated with E, and negatively correlated with P, anxiety, fear, anxiety/insomnia, and social dysfunction. The degree of use was negatively correlated with P, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoia, and somatic symptoms. CONCLUSION The familiarity, acceptance, and usage of smart medical services among the middle-aged and young groups are related to various psychological characteristics.

The association between self-knowledge from Islamic perspective and mental health among Iranian female students

This study aimed to relate self-knowledge to mental health (from Islamic perspective), and compare it among the female students. Using the Morgan table, we selected 379 students from four universities, namely alzahra University, a single-sex university, the University of Tehran, Shahid Beheshti University, and Kharazmi University. The samples were selected randomly by applying a stratified sampling method. We utilized two instruments: Islamic self-knowledge and general mental health questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient, independent samples t-test, and linear regression analysis using SPSS version 25. The results showed that there were significant association between self-knowledge and mental health. However, there were no significant differences between the female students of humanities and sciences, whether from the point of self-knowledge or mental health. The results also showed no significant differences between the students of alzahra University and the female students of the other three universities in self-knowledge and mental health. In each case, the results are compared to Islamic viewpoints (Quran, Hadith, and Quotations from various Islamic thinkers) as well as the psychological viewpoints of Maslow and Rogers. Our findings underline the importance of enhancing self-knowledge among female university students as a protective factor against mental health outcomes (substance abuse, depression, and anxiety) Moreover, Faith based strategies are known to be effective, more accessible than mental health professional services and will carry less stigma in the target community.

Structure, network analysis, psychometric properties and clinical utility of the self-absorption scale in China

BackgroundSelf-absorption refers an excessive, persistent, and rigid preoccupation with information regarding the self. This study aims to introduce the Self-Absorption Scale (SAS) into China with an assessment of its latent variable structure, network structure, psychometric properties, and clinical utility in a nonclinical Chinese sample.Methods209 participants completed the translated SAS as well as the Short General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), rumination subscale of the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Private Self-Consciousness Scale (PrSCS), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II). In addition, 30 respondents completed the Chinese version of the SAS and retested it 2 weeks later.ResultsThe Chinese version of the SAS (CH-SAS) had a desirable two-correlated-factor structure with the reverse scored item removed, which was invariant across different genders. The core items in the network structure of the CH-SAS were related to excessive self-immersion, uncontrollability and anxiety aspects of self-absorption. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the CH-SAS was 0.903 while the McDonald’s omega coefficient was 0.916 and the test-retest reliability was 0.908. The CH-SAS and its two subscales had moderate positive correlations with the rumination subscale of the RRQ (ranging from 0.474 to 0.616; p < .001) and the GHQ-12 (ranging from 0.479 to 0.538; p < .001), and moderate negative correlations with the MAAS (ranging from − 0.413 to − 0.360; p < .001). The PrSCS has almost no correlation with the CH-SAS and PrSAS (p > .05), and its correlation with the PubSAS was significant at the 0.05 level, with a remarkably low correlation coefficient (r = .157). The hierarchical regression analysis suggested that the CH-SAS can significantly predict the severity of OCD beyond factors such as depression, anxiety, rumination, dissociation, and mindful attention awareness.ConclusionsThe CH-SAS demonstrates excellent reliability, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Additionally, it exhibits favorable structural validity, as well as strong evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Furthermore, the self-absorption measured using the CH-SAS contributed significantly to the prediction of OCD beyond other relevant psychological factors, suggesting its clinical utility.

Evaluation of Psychological Stress and its Association with Glycosylated Hemoglobin and C-reactive Protein in Physicians

Throughout the world physicians face stress because of time pressures, workload, multiple roles and emotional issues. As a result, they are prone to develop psychological stress and related health problems. Evaluation of the psychological stress and its association with glycosylated hemoglobin and CRP level in physicians. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December, 2022 among70 apparently healthy physicians working in Dhaka Medical college Hospital. The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate the stress level. Stress was categorized by the scores from GHQ-12. Score ‘≥4’denoted psychiatric morbidity. The study parameters were stress score, HbA1C and CRP. Chi-square test, ANOVA followed by post hoc Bonferroni test, Pearson’s correlation test was performed as applicable. Results were presented as mean and standard deviation (mean ± SD). Among all study subjects 10% participants had no stress, 27.1% participants had low stress and 62.9% participants had psychiatric morbidity. The mean ±SD of HbA1C of male and female physicians were 5.20±0.63 and 5.31±0.63 respectively. The mean ±SD of CRP in male and female physicians were 3.89±4.97 and 3.15±3.47 respectively. High stress score showed positive correlation with increased level of glycosylated hemoglobin. In male physicians CRP level showed negligible negative correlation with high stress but it showed positive correlation in female physicians. In male physicians none of the study parameters had statistically significant relationship with stress. In female physicians, high stress score was statistically significant relationship with increased HbA1C. This study implies that high stress level influences the increase of glycosylated hemoglobin in all physicians. Female subjects were more affected by high stress than males. CRP level had non-significant alteration with high stress score in both genders.

Menopause in adult women with human papillomavirus: health-related quality of life and determinants.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and menopause entail a considerable impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of the present study was to analyze the impact of the menopause status on HRQoL in women with HPV infection. A cross-sectional, nationwide, multicenter sample of women with HPV infection was conducted throughout clinics of gynecology representative of the Spanish population with regard to age, geographic density, and autonomous regions. Demographic and clinical characteristics and the specific HPV-QoL questionnaire score with its domains were compared according to reproductive status: premenopausal and peri-/postmenopausal. Correlation with other validated patient-reported outcomes measurements was also tested, including General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A sample of 1,016 noninstitutionalized women, aged 18-80 y, was recorded, 191 (18.8%) peri-/postmenopausal and 825 (81.2%) premenopausal. Total HPV-QoL scoring was significantly lower in peri-/postmenopausal (38.8, 95% CI [35.2-42.4]) compared to premenopausal (46.4, 95% CI [45.0-47.8]) women, and also in every domain of the scale (P < 0.05), except in social well-being and health domains, with a small effect size of 0.39. In women with sexual dysfunction according to FSFI, adjusted total scoring and domains sexuality, general well-being, and psychological well-being scored significantly higher in premenopause women (P < 0.01), although the magnitude of differences were of small to moderate size. HRQoL was impaired during menopause in women with HPV infection according to HPV-QoL questionnaire. The sexuality domain was the most differentiating dimension between these populations.

Are protected characteristics associated with mental health care inequalities in the adult UK general population? a cross-sectional study.

This study investigates the association between protected characteristics and inequalities in mental health care in the UK. Multinomial regression was used to model the association between protected characteristics and self-reported distress. Data was extracted from waves 6-10 (2014-2019) of the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Two risk categories were constructed: "undiagnosed distress" referred to a General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) score above "caseness" along with no history of mental health diagnosis; "diagnosis without self-report symptoms" referred to a GHQ-12 score consistently below "caseness" within the study time frame but having received a mental health diagnosis. Compared to people without a disability, people with a disability are at considerably greater risk of both undiagnosed distress (Relative risk ratios (RRR) 2.76; Confidence Interval (CI): 2.55, 2.99) and diagnosis without self-reported symptoms (RRR 3.61; CI: 2.80, 4.66). Likewise, women were more likely than men to report undiagnosed distress (RRR = 1.49; CI: 1.38,1.61) or a diagnosis without self-reported symptoms (RRR = 1.38; CI: 1.08, 1.76. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are at greater risk of undiagnosed distress compared with heterosexual people (RRR 1.42; CI: 1.19, 1.70). Adults aged 16-24 years were at greatest risk compared to all other age groups. People from a minority ethnic background had a reduced risk of diagnosis without self-report symptoms compared with people from a White ethnic background (RRR 0.34; CI: 0.20, 0.61). Education, employment and income variables moderated some of these associations. This is the first study to examine diagnosis without self-report symptoms alongside undiagnosed distress. Findings suggest that addressing inequality in mental health care requires increased understanding of the needs and strengths within different groups and to provide appropriate forms of social, medical or psychosocial intervention rather than a singular focus on increasing detection, diagnosis and treatment. People with a disability appear to be at greatest disadvantage, requiring greater attention in policy and practice.

Patient and carer transition outcomes and experiences at the Westmead Centre for Adolescent and Young Adult Health, Westmead, Australia: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study

IntroductionThe Westmead Centre for Adolescent and Young Adult Health is a purpose-built facility supporting integrated care for young patients with a variety of long-term health conditions transitioning from paediatric services...

The impact of regular workouts and fitness on psychological health and cognitive growth in adolescents

Adolescents' general Mental Health (MH), that involves factors like emotional stability, self-esteem, coping mechanisms, and the absence of MH conditions like depression and anxiety, is referred to as Psychological Health (PH). It includes elements that support resilient and healthy mental functioning. This study demonstrates exercise's role in fostering PH and Cognitive Growth (CG) throughout this critical development period. The beneficial effects of Regular Workouts (RW) on PH include decreased depressive and anxiety symptoms, better stress management, increased self-esteem, and body image, and better sleep. There are 163 adolescents aged 15 to 16 who took part in the study. This study assessed that a group of adolescents' Physical Activity (PA) and Physical Fitness (PF) correlated with their CG and psychosocial functioning. The research variables were measured using the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale, the D2 Attention Test, the Form 5 Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The study findings suggested a beneficial association between PA and PF and the cognitive and psychosocial functioning of the investigated adolescents. Adolescents that exercised more, for instance, performed better on tests of Processing Speed, general self-efficacy (SE) and in selective attention, additionally, test results used to evaluate cognitive capacity and psychosocial factors were best predicted by cardio-respiratory fitness. Because of the consequences for different aspects of adolescent health and development, these results emphasize the need to encourage PA among adolescents.

What do the blind feel? Psychological distress and satisfaction with life of blind persons: A community-based study.

Progressive loss of visual acuteness is known to be associated with anxiety, insecurity, loss of independence, and altered social functioning, which may lead to low mood and subsequently depression. Emotionally adjusting to vision loss can dramatically change one's independence. Reduced workplace productivity in adults with visual impairment is associated with lower rates of workforce participation and increased rates of anxiety and depression. Most studies for psychological comorbidities in the legally blind population are conducted in individuals who present to the psychiatry or psychology department/clinics or to facilities for blindness certification. Due to the paucity of community-based data in the Indian scenario, the current study was undertaken. To evaluate the psychological distress and satisfaction with life of people who were diagnosed as blind in the community. The sample was based on the identification of blind persons in a door-to-door screening for eye and vision problems in 44535 individuals conducted in 2015-16 in the middle to lower socioeconomic populations in the suburban area of Yerawada, Maharashtra. Those who were suspected of having low vision underwent a detailed clinical examination including visual acuity estimation, portable slit lamp examination, I-Kare tonometry, and fundoscopy, conducted by an ophthalmologist to assess and verify the lack of vision. Subsequently, the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were also applied upon revisiting the participants in 2020-2021. The majority of participants were middle-aged or elderly and no significant gender variation was noted in terms of blindness. Maximum psychological disability was seen after 6 to 15 years after the onset of blindness. More than 80% of the patients with complete blindness had some psychiatric comorbidity or distress and more than half reported that their daily activities were affected due to their diagnosis. Blind persons had significantly higher scores on the GHQ-12 and significantly lower scores on SWLS. Complete blindness was positively correlated with GHQ-12 scores and negatively correlated with SWLS scores and the age of the subject. This study demonstrates that psychological distress and low levels of satisfaction with life are common among the severely visually impaired and blind. There is a dire need to improve access to rehabilitation services and psychological support for the blind and their caregivers.

Multidimensional perceived social support: A predictor of fatigue and quality of life in Greek social workers

The present study focuses on the investigation of fatigue, social support, and quality of life that characterizes social workers. A total of 400 social workers with an average age of 39.05 years took part in the research. Most of the recruited subjects were women, single, residents of cities with a population of more than 100,000, and health-care workers. The participants were asked to answer online questionnaires (Fatigue Assessment Scale for fatigue, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support for Social Support, and General Health Questionnaire 28 for quality of life). From the analysis of the data, it was found that the social workers suffered from low levels of fatigue. Meanwhile, the occurrence of negative symptoms among the subjects was not frequent, with physical symptoms appearing more often than the rest. The study also found that the participants received a high level of support from their environment and more so from their significant others. In conclusion, there is a strong relationship between perceived social support with fatigue level and the quality of life of social workers.

Research on sleep disorders and related risk factors among healthcare workers from Fujian province supporting Hubei province during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the sleep of healthcare workers from Fujian Province supporting Hubei Province and its related risk factors. A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-reported online questionnaire survey was conducted among all participants. The questionnaire consisted of five parts: sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 epidemic-related factors, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire-5 (MEQ-5), and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Among 552 participants, 203 (36.8%) had a PSQI score > 7, indicating the presence of sleep disorders. Logistic regression analysis revealed that sleep disorders were independently associated with a history of previously diagnosed sleep disorders (OR 6.074, 95% CI 2.626-14.049, P < 0.001), rotating night shifts > 3 times per week (OR 3.089, 95% CI 1.650-5.781, P < 0.001), using electronic devices before sleep >1 h (OR 1.685, 95% CI 1.131-2.511, P = 0.010), concern about contracting COVID-19 (OR 1.116, 95% CI 1.034-1.204, P = 0.005), perception of societal support for supporting healthcare workers in Hubei (OR 0.861,95% CI 0.744-0.998, P = 0.047) (OR 0.861, 95% CI 0.744-0.998, P = 0.047), non-medical staff (OR 0.257, 95% CI 0.067-0.987, P = 0.048), ESS score (OR 1.068, 95% CI 1.018-1.121, P = 0.007), and GHQ-12 score (OR 1.511, 95% CI 1.281-1.782, P < 0.001). Sleep disorders were highly prevalent among healthcare workers from Fujian Province supporting Hubei Province during the COVID-19 pandemic. Risk factors for sleep disorders included a history of previously diagnosed sleep disorders, rotating night shifts > 3 times per week, using electronic devices before sleep >1 h, excessive concern about contracting COVID-19, and poorer psychological health. Higher perceived societal support and understanding of support for healthcare workers supporting Hubei were associated with a reduced risk of sleep disorders, as was being non-medical staff. Providing more sleep hygiene education and psychological health services for frontline healthcare workers is necessary.

Gender differences in patients with corona virus disease-2019 presenting with psychiatric disturbances: a multicentre study

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 (2019) pandemic may increase the likelihood of psychological symptoms that can reach the level of psychiatric disorders.AimWe aimed to study psychiatric morbidity in patients with COVID-19 concerning gender differences and disease severity in the acute phase of infection and after 6 months.MethodsThis is a multicenter follow-up study registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04459403). Patients were recruited consecutively from three quarantine hospitals in Egypt. Data were collected through a questionnaire built using Google Forms including the Arabic versions of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS). Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed after 6 months.ResultsThe study questionnaire was offered to 400 patients and 199 patients agreed to fill it. BDI and TAMS were higher in mild than moderate and severe COVID-19 (14, 8, 8, P-value = 0.009, 17, 13.5, 14, P-value = 0.04, respectively). Females showed a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and insomnia due to anxiety than males. Education level, marital status, previous psychiatric illness, and severity of COVID-19 independently affected depression. Marital status, family history of psychiatric illness, and chronic medical illness independently affected anxiety. On 6-month follow-up, BDI significantly decreased in males but not females. TMAS showed no significant changes, but the severity of anxiety was still higher in females. PTSD was more frequent in females (26 (37.1%) versus 4 (9.5%), respectively, P-value = 0.02).ConclusionThe prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety were higher in females than male participants, suggesting that females are more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cepstral Analysis of Voice in Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders.

This study aimed to assess the voice quality of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) compared with healthy subjects using cepstral analysis and investigate the relationship between the TMD severity and the values of cepstral analysis. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria completed a general health questionnaire and the Fonseca Anamnestic Index. Patients who had TMDs with FAI were subjected to an examination based on the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. The final sample included 65 subjects, 31 TMDs patients (with a mean age ± standard deviation of 36.64 ± 13.67 years), and 34 healthy individuals in the control group (with a mean age ± standard deviation of 30.35 ± 7.78 years). Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) and Smoothened Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPPS) of a sustained vowel and connected speech were computed using Praat software. TMD patients indicated lower cepstral values and lower voice quality compared to the control group. Significant differences were found between TMD and control groups for all cepstral parameters (P < .001) and cepstral measurements showed a moderate to strong negative correlation with TMD severity (P < .001, rho = -0.57 to -0.88). The outcomes of the present study indicate that cepstral analysis can accurately distinguish the reduced voice quality of TMD patients from normal voice.

Psychopathy, psychological distress, and treatment history among perpetrators of intimate partner femicide, homicide, and other violent crimes in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Intimate partner femicide—the killing of women based on their gender by their former or current partners—is a global long-standing manifestation of violence against women. Despite the enactment of femicide-specific laws in Latin America, femicide rates have remained relatively constant throughout the last decade. Often perpetrators are pathologized as suffering from mental illness, yet the data on their mental health status is still relatively unknown. Thus, more research is needed to understand the extent of poor mental health among these individuals. The purpose of this study was to compare levels of psychopathy, psychological distress, and treatment history among an all-male sample of intimate partner femicide perpetrators, male-male homicide perpetrators, and offenders convicted of other violent crimes in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey based on data derived from a two-stage sampling strategy. The questionnaire included two standardized instruments for the measurement of psychopathy (revised Psychopathy checklist and the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy scale) and one for general distress (Spanish version of 12-item General Health Questionnaire). The final sample included 205 prisoners including 68 intimate partner femicide perpetrators, 73 homicide perpetrators, and 64 individuals convicted of other violent crimes. There were no significant differences across these groups based on their socio-demographic characteristics. Participants did not differ in terms of their psychopathology; however, femicide perpetrators were statistically more likely to experience psychological distress. In addition, femicide perpetrators self-reported more prior episodes of mental and substance use treatments. The findings of increased psychological distress and prior mental health and substance use treatment among femicide perpetrators suggest that there may be missed opportunities for femicide prevention within the public health subspecialties of mental health and substance use disorders. This study suggests that femicide perpetrators likely require distinctive interventions, including self-assessments and harm mitigation tactics, to prevent their potential for femicide perpetration.

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Japanese Peacekeepers Deployed in South Sudan

Peacekeepers in United Nations missions experience potentially traumatic events, resulting in increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding the course and risk factors of PTSD symptom severity is crucial to ensure personnel safety. To investigate the incidence of PTSD, symptom severity trajectories, and potential risk factors associated with adverse trajectories among Japanese peacekeepers deployed in South Sudan. Data for this 6-year prospective cohort study were collected from December 2011 to December 2018 from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel deployed at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, corresponding to before and up to 78 months after deployment. Of 3799 potential participants, 80 were excluded because of multiple deployments and 757 because of missing data, incomplete responses, or not providing informed consent. Therefore, 2962 participants were included in the analysis. Data analysis was performed from February 2022 to February 2024. The participants were deployed to United Nations Mission in South Sudan for 6 months. The 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised was used to assess PTSD symptoms, with 25 or more points indicating probable PTSD (p-PTSD). Sociodemographic data were collected, and the 30-item General Health Questionnaire was administered before deployment to identify risk factors for PTSD symptom severity. In the 2962 participants studied (2901 [97.9%] male; mean [SD] age, 33.9 [7.2] years), the incidence of p-PTSD was 3.95%. Latent growth mixture models identified 4 symptom severity trajectories: resilient (2143 [72.3%]), recovery (479 [16.2%]), protracted (182 [6.1%]), and delayed (158 [5.3%]). Multinomial logistic regression showed that sleep disturbance was a common risk factor for the 2 most severe trajectories (protracted: odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08-1.54; delayed: OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.03-1.53), whereas older age (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06-1.48), anxiety and dysphoria (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.20-1.75), and general illness (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.06-1.59) were associated with the protracted trajectory. This cohort study found that approximately 4% of the participants developed p-PTSD and identified 4 distinct PTSD symptom trajectories. The findings suggest that addressing sleep disturbance and general health issues could effectively prevent PTSD symptoms among peacekeepers.

Ethnic Density and Mental Health: Does it Matter Whether the Ethnic Density is Co-ethnic or Multi-ethnic and How Important is Change in Ethnic Density?

The ethnic density thesis suggests a protective health benefit for ethnic minorities living in places with higher concentration of co-ethnic residents. This paper aims to make a step change in the examination of this thesis by proposing ethnic diversity rather than co-ethnic density will be more protective for mental health. The paper proposes ethnic diversity could be a community asset that benefits the health of all people in a neighbourhood regardless of their own ethnic group. Individual data is taken from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, 2009-2019 linked to aggregate data from the 2001 and 2011 Censuses to test the association between co-ethnic density, ethnic diversity and mental health using the General Health Questionnaire 12-item scale. The paper takes a novel approach by measuring pre-existing (in 2001) and change in (2001-2011) co-ethnic density and ethnic diversity. Moderating effects of individual ethnic group, neighbourhood deprivation and perceived social cohesion are tested. Results show lower pre-existing co-ethnic density is related to lower mental health amongst the White British ethnic group but not in most ethnic minority groups. Greater pre-existing ethnic diversity in more deprived neighbourhoods is associated with better mental health regardless of individual ethnic group. A point of contention in the findings is no association between change in ethnic diversity and mental health.

Association between number of confidants and adolescent anxiety/depression: a school-based study

BackgroundHaving no or few confidants is found to be associated with more severe mental health problems and a higher prevalence of depression in adults, but research examining this association in adolescents is scarce. Social relationships may be particularly critical during adolescence, as it is an important developmental period during which vulnerability to mental health problems increases. The present study examined the relationship between having no or few confidants and anxiety/depressive symptoms in adolescents.MethodsCross-sectional self-report survey targeting 7–12th grade students (age range: 12–18) was conducted in public junior and senior high schools in Mie and Kochi, Japan. Data from 17,829 students (49.7% boys) were analyzed. Associations between anxiety/depressive symptoms (12-item General Health Questionnaire; score range: 0–12) and the number of confidants (None, 1–3, or ≥ 4) were examined using multilevel regression analyses. The analyses were stratified by gender and school level (junior/senior high), and adjusted for experiences of being physically abused and bullied and the interactions of these experiences with the number of confidants.ResultsHaving no or 1–3 confidants was associated with more anxiety/depressive symptoms, compared to having ≥ 4 confidants (p < 0.001) in all stratified groups. Having no confidants was associated with more anxiety/depressive symptoms than having 1–3 confidants (p < 0.001); in senior high boys, no difference was observed between having no confidants and having 1–3 confidants. In addition, in senior high boys, victims of bullying who have confidants reported significantly less anxiety/depressive symptoms than the victims who have no confidants (p < 0.01).ConclusionsAdolescents who had no or few confidants had more anxiety/depressive symptoms. Attention needs to be paid to better identify these adolescents, and avenues to support them need to be established.

The evaluation of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) reliability generalization: A meta-analysis.

The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is widely used for detecting psychiatric disorders, but its reliability across different populations remains to be determined. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the reliability of GHQ-12 across varied cultural and demographic settings. This meta-analysis evaluates the reliability of General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-12]' across diverse populations, employing a systematic search strategy and rigorous inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis evaluates the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) using a pre-registered protocol (CRD42023488436) to ensure unbiased results. Data from 20 studies published between 2016-2023 were analysed using a random-effects model, with quality assessment guided by COSMIN Risk of Bias and QUADAS-2. This study enhances our understanding of GHQ-12's psychometric properties. For the GHQ-12 subscales, Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.72 (90% CI [0.68, 0.75]) for anxiety and depression, 0.82 (90% CI [0.79, 0.86]) for social dysfunction, and 0.72 (90% CI [0.68, 0.76]) for loss of confidence. However, the analysis showed substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 90.04%), with significant variability in reliability estimates across different studies. The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.84 (95% Cl [0.810, 0.873]) with SE = 0.016 (90% CI [0.68, 0.82], p < .05), indicating moderate to high internal consistency. Quantifying heterogeneity revealed a substantial level (se = 0.0016, I2 = 96.7%), signifying considerable variability in the reliability estimate among the studies. Results further show Cronbach's alpha coefficients range from 0.82 to 0.85 (95% Cl [0.77, 0.86 to 0.81, 0.90]) for the GHQ 12 items. While reaffirming the GHQ-12's utility in mental health assessment, our findings urge a more cautious and context-aware application of the questionnaire. The substantial heterogeneity and variability in reliability scores indicate a need for further research. Future studies should explore the reasons behind this variability, focusing on cultural, socio-economic, and methodological factors that might influence the GHQ-12's reliability. This critical analysis underscores the need for a deeper understanding of the GHQ-12's applicability and the importance of tailoring mental health assessment tools to specific population characteristics.

Factor structure and invariance of the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) for a sample of people in situations of homelessness

ABSTRACT People in situations of homelessness (PSH) have high levels of psychological impairment. Few studies have analyse the suitability of the instruments used to measure these levels. The aim of this study was to analyse the factorial structure and invariance (sex, age, nationality and housing status) of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for a sample of PSH (n = 603) living in the Community of Madrid (Spain). A quantitative study was designed using a survey that include the GHQ-12 and other health measures (self-assessed health and diagnosis of mental illness). A comparison of three models (unidimensional, two correlated latent factors and bi-factor) showed that the bi-factor model provided the best goodness-of-fit indicators. A latent structure was identified in which each item was loaded into a general factor measuring a single GHQ-12 factor. The number of latent factors and the structure of factorial loads for GHQ-12 items were similar between groups. The GHQ-12 can be used as a screening instrument rather than as an outcome measure in different clinical dimensions. It is an appropriate instrument for assessing psychological impairment among PSH regardless of sex, age, nationality or housing status.

The moderating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between occupational stress and mental health issues among nurses

Occupational stress is a complex concept resulting from interaction among personnel, work environment, and cultural contexts. It can cause mental health issues, including clinical mental disorders, as well as emotional challenges like depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, and feeling sad. As a vulnerable group, healthcare professionals, especially nurses, experience a high rate of occupational stress. Therefore, we aimed to study the relationship between occupational stress, mental health problems, and self-efficacy among the nursing population. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 365 nurses selected through a two-stage sampling process from tertiary hospitals in Qazvin, Iran, between July and September 2022. Study variables included occupational stress measured by the persian version of the health and safety executive management standards revised indicator tool (MS-RIT), the general health questionnaire containing 28 questions measuring psychological distress in four primary areas of somatic and anxiety symptoms, sleep disorders, social dysfunction, and depression [GHQ–28], and general self-efficacy [GSE–10]. The mentioned variables and some of the nurses’ demographic characteristics, including age, gender, education, and work experience, were analyzed using moderated multiple regression, descriptive statistics, and the Pearson correlation coefficient.The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant association between self-efficacy and occupational stress (r = 0.62, P = 0.000) and self-efficacy and mental health (r = 0.67, P = 0.01). Regression analysis demonstrated that occupational stress accounted for 42% of the variation in mental health (R2 = 0.42, P < 0.01). The results also showed that self-efficacy moderates the relationship between occupational stress and mental health, with a significant effect (P < 0.01). The elevated prevalence of occupational stress and the concerning state of mental health among nurses highlight the need for the implementation of intervention programs, including stress prevention strategies at the workplace through organizing better working shifts, as well as increasing nurses’ self-efficacy and their effective participation in work-related tasks aiming to enhance working conditions for nurses.