Health Rehabilitation Programs Research Articles

Effect of different types of supervised exercise programs on cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, pain, fatigue, mental health and inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in older patients with post-COVID-19 sequelae “EJerSA-COVID-19”: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMany patients with COVID-19 present the so-called post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 such as fatigue, post-stress discomfort, dyspnea, headache, pain mental impairment, incapacity to perform daily physical tasks ant exercise intolerance. This study aims to investigate the effects of different exercise programs on physical and mental fitness, physical condition and biomarkers of the immune system and oxidative stress in older patients with post-COVID-19 sequelae.MethodsThe sample will be made up of 120 eligible participants, over the age of 60 years who have had COVID-19 disease and are survivors and present persistent COVID-19 symptomatology diagnosed by the corresponding physician. The participants will be randomly assigned to the experimental groups: supervised endurance group (SEG, n = 30), supervised strength group (SSG, n = 30), supervised concurrent group (SCG, n = 30), which will perform the corresponding exercise program 3 days a week compared to the control group (CG, n = 30), which will not carry out a supervised exercise program. The design of this project will include measurements of four relevant dimensions; 1) Cardiorespiratory fitness; 2) Muscle fitness; 3) Pain and mental health; and 4) Biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress.ConclusionsThe results of this study will provide insights into the effects of different exercise programs on physical and mental fitness, physical condition and biomarkers of the immune system and oxidative stress in older patients with post-COVID-19 sequelae. These findings may be the basis for the formulation of health plans and rehabilitation programs that allow healthy aging and a reduction in the associated morbidity in patients with post-COVID-19 sequelae.Trial registrationNCT05848518. Registered on May 8, 2023.

Strategy for supporting the mental health of refugee women from Ukraine

The article substantiates the ways of strategizing to support the mental health of refugee women from Ukraine, in particular, the basic terms are clarified, in particular, «strategizing», «refugee» and «mental health»; the results of an empirical study conducted according to the questionnaire «Emotional disturbances under conditions of stress in refugee women from Ukraine» are presented.
 Two strategic areas of support for refugee women from Ukraine have been identified: 1) Implementation of national (coordinated with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health) rehabilitation programs of personal psycho-emotional support for Ukrainian women who have the status of refugees and/or internally displaced persons. These programs should include approved psychosocial care protocols, because the experience of specialists involved in such work is mostly insufficient and does not meet international standards. 2) State policy on socio-economic support for women who have the status of refugees and/or internally displaced persons, because this is a link of hope for returning home. This connection is very important, it is not about finances, rather it is about morality, spiritual and national unity, about the place of strength that is the motherland.
 Strategizing to support the mental health of refugee women from Ukraine includes meaningful and organizational and methodological provisions and procedures that regulate and ensure the process of policy development and implementation (state-wide, regional, municipal and branch (medical, educational, etc.) (other) levels) regarding the support of women's mental health during periods of war and post-war recovery of the country.

Prevalence of Long COVID Symptoms Related to SARS-CoV-2 Strains.

Few studies have assessed the differences of patterns of Long COVID (L-COVID) with regards to the pathogenetic SARS-CoV-2 strains. To investigate the relationship between demographic and clinical characteristics of acute phase of infection and the persistence of L-COVID symptoms and clinical presentation across different SARS-CoV-2 strains. In this observational-multicenter study we recorded all demographic and clinical characteristics, severity of infection, presence/persistence of symptoms of fatigue, dyspnoea and altered quality of life (QoL) at baseline and after 6 months, in a sample of Italian patients from Liguria between March 2020 and March 2022. 308 patients (mean age 63.2 years; 55.5% men) with previous COVID were enrolled. Obese patients were 21.2% with a significant difference in obesity prevalence across the second and third wave (p = 0.012). Treatment strategies differed between waves (p < 0.001): more patients required invasive mechanical ventilation in the first wave, more patients were treated with high-flow nasal cannula/non-invasive ventilation in the in the second and more patients were treated with oxygen-therapy in the fourth wave. At baseline, a high proportion of patients were symptomatic (dyspnoea and fatigue), with impairment in some QoL indicators. A higher prevalence of patients with pain, were seen in the first wave compared to later infections (p = 0.01). At follow-up, we observed improvement of dyspnoea, fatigue and some dimensions of QoL scale evaluation such as mobility, usual activities, pain evaluations; instead there was no improvement in remaining QoL scale indicators (usual care and anxiety-depression). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of the most frequent L-COVID symptoms, except for QoL pain domain that was especially associated with classical variant. Our results show substantial impact on social and professional life and usual care activities. These findings highlight the importance of multidisciplinary post COVID follow-up care including mental health support and rehabilitation program.

Effects of special sports training on autonomic nervous regulation

BackgroundSports is one of the most traditional health rehabilitation programs in China. With wide applicability and low side effects, it plays a very good role in strengthening the body. In sports theory and practice, professional physical fitness training content can effectively inhibit the occurrence of corresponding diseases and has a good preventive effect on some diseases. Therefore, the regulating effect of physical training on human autonomic nervous function is evaluated through special sports training. The relationship between physical training and the human body and mind is verified through the sports professional training test, which provides effective support for the promotion and application of sports health therapy in the medical field.Subjects and Method160 students majoring in physical education in a sports college were selected as the research objects of this experiment. The physical functions of the experimental subjects were healthy, and the purpose and method of the experiment were clarified. The students were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 80 students each. The autonomic nervous function of the experimental subjects was tested by the Japanese postural blood pressure reflex method, and the test was evaluated by the Japanese physiologist pig feeder’s neuromodulation method. The students in the experimental group had more than 8 hours of physical training every week, while the students in the control group were not allowed to do any physical training during the test time. The experimental period is half a year, and the parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, lying-sitting blood pressure, heart rate, and other parameters of the experimental subjects are tested and recorded. All data in the experiment were statistically analyzed by Excel2016, and the data chi-square test value was calculated.ResultsThe data in Table 1 are the detection results of the autonomic nerve function characteristics of the two groups of people during exercise. The autonomic nervous system is the basic motor nerve unit of the human viscera. Its function is to regulate the secretion of internal organs and effectively maintain the blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration of the human body. The experimental group participating in the special sports training was significantly shorter than the control group in the recovery time of exercise center rate, respiration stabilization time, and blood pressure stabilization time (P &lt; 0.05).Table 1.Shows the detection results of autonomic nerve function characteristics during exercise in the two groupsGroup typeExercise heart rate recovery timeExercise breathing recovery timeExercise blood pressure recovery timeExperimental group (80)4.56 ± 1.255.23 ± 1.355.56 ± 1.12Control group (80)6.25 ± 1.358.26 ± 1.757.25 ± 1.48t8.21512.2618.144P&lt;0.05&lt;0.05&lt;0.05ConclusionsPhysical exercise is of great significance to the healthy development of people’s physical and mental health. Long-term professional sports training can effectively improve people’s various physical functions and ensure that people have a strong mental state. In the experimental test, the autonomic nerves of the students in the professionally trained experimental group were effectively regulated, and the recovery time of each functional test was shorter than that of the control group.

The Intersection of Health Rehabilitation Services with Quality of Life in Saudi Arabia: Current Status and Future Needs.

Quality of life (QoL) is essential for maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle, especially among individuals with chronic diseases. Saudi Arabia (SA) launched a health sector transformation program as part of the nationwide Vision 2030 initiative to ensure the sustainable development of efficient healthcare services, aiming to improve health by increasing well-being and QoL. More investigation into the current status of health rehabilitation services provided to individuals with chronic diseases and future needs to optimize services and improve QoL is needed. This was narratively discussed by experts from different health rehabilitation services in SA. Comprehensive health rehabilitation services including orthopedic, occupational, cardiac, pulmonary, critical care, perioperative, hearing and speech, substance use disorders, and vocational rehabilitation services were addressed. Health rehabilitation services in SA, as in other countries, are suboptimal for individuals in health rehabilitation programs. To optimize the QoL of individuals with chronic diseases, health rehabilitation services should be tailored based on the unique requirements of each service and its serving patients. The shared need to improve health rehabilitation services includes the adoption of home-based and telehealth services, the integration of multi-governmental sectors, the empowerment and allocation of health rehabilitation specialists, public awareness campaigns, policy legislation and guideline development, and the implementation of a long-term follow-up system. This review is one of the first to address the intersection of health rehabilitation services and QoL in SA; urgent and holistic actions are paramount to address the pressing need to optimize SA's health rehabilitation services. The experts' recommendations in this study may be applicable to other countries' health systems, as health rehabilitation services are not well optimized globally.

The effect of a physical and health rehabilitation program on flat feet deviation and health attitudes of primary school students

The effect of a physical and health rehabilitation program on flat feet deviation and health attitudes of primary school students

Collaboration between mental health and vocational rehabilitation programs for transition-age youth vocational outcomes.

The present study's objective was to assess the extent of collaboration between VR programs and MH programs that serve this age group and to identify interorganizational factors associated with collaboration levels. Participants were 100 key informants from VR, and child mental health (CMH), transition-age youth MH (TAYMH), and adult mental health (AMH) programs in communities that received federal funding to improve services for TAY with or at risk of SMHC. Participants completed web surveys that queried four interorganizational factors and employed a modified social network analysis methodology to assess collaboration levels. The interorganizational factor, depth of knowledge, had a strong and consistent association with collaboration levels. There was little difference in MH-VR collaboration levels between MH programs serving different age groups. However, VR programs and CMH programs had both lower depth of knowledge of each other and lower collaboration levels, compared to TAY and AMH programs. Collaboration between VR and MH programs is instrumental to making sure that TAY with SMHC receive appropriate career development and employment services. Increasing the depth of knowledge that programs have about each other may enhance collaboration and appears particularly needed between VR and CMH programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Relationship between Sensory Profile and Self-Perceived Quality of Life in People with Schizophrenia: An Exploratory Study

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between sensory profiles and the quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 99 participants, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, the WHOQOL-BREF and PANSS were administered. A stepwise linear regression analysis was performed, with those variables of the sensory profile and the dimensions of quality of life that showed a statistically significant correlation. Participants with lower quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref score ≤ 60) showed a higher score in Low Registration profile (t(97) = 2; p = .048; δ = .42). Physical Health showed a moderate negative correlation with Sensory Sensitivity profile (r = −.415; p < .01) and Sensation Avoiding (r = −.372; p < .05). Psychological Health showed a moderate negative correlation with Low Registration (r = −.354; p < .01), Sensory Sensitivity (r = −.307; p < .01) and auditory processing (r = −.343; p < .01). Sensory preference could be a key aspect of mental health rehabilitation programs. Sensory modulation issues seem to be related to the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. KEY POINTS Sensory preference could be a key aspect of mental health rehabilitation programs. Mental health services should consider the sensory profile of the patient in the evaluation and intervention. Sensory modulation approaches could be complementary interventions to improve the quality of life of people with schizophrenia.

Quality of life and persistence of COVID-19 symptoms 90 days after hospital discharge.

ObjectiveWe aimed to describe the persistence of symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and quality of life (QoL) among patients 90 days after their discharge from the hospital for infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and to determine differences in QoL domains concerning the absence or presence of persistent symptoms.MethodsTo measure QoL, we used a validated Spanish version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).ResultsWe included 141 patients. Ninety days after discharge, COVID-19 symptoms persisted in 107 patients (75.9%), with fatigue (55.3%) and joint pain (46.8%) being the most frequent. According to the SF-36, the role-physical score was the dimension with the lowest values (median score, 25; interquartile range, 0–75). Patients with joint pain, fatigue, and dyspnea had lower scores than patients without those symptoms, with 10 of the 13 evaluated SF-36 scales showing lower levels.ConclusionNinety days after hospital discharge from COVID-19 reference centers, most patients had persistent symptoms and had lower SF-36 scores than patients without symptoms. It is important to follow-up patients discharged from the hospital after SARS-CoV-2 infection, ideally through a post-COVID-19 health care clinic and rehabilitation program, to improve QoL in these patients.

Restoration Treatment for Female Patients with Non-Bearing Pregnancy at the Early Terms of Gestatione

An important indicator of reproductive health is pregnancy failure, which has no decreasing trend worldwide [1-3]. Despite certain successes achieved in treatment and rehabilitation, the problem of pregnancy failure, especially in early gestation, is still urgent [4-6]. Thus, according to different authors, it ranges from 2 to 55%, reaching up to 80% in the first trimester. Statistically, 15 to 25% of all registered pregnancies are spontaneously miscarried, and 80% of pregnancies are terminated before 12 weeks of gestation. The incidence of spontaneous miscarriage remains consistently high, at 45-88.6% of early spontaneous miscarriages. Direct reproductive losses from non-pregnancy in Ukraine amount to 36-40 thousand unwanted children annually. It has been established that the state of reproductive health depends to a greater extent on the duration of pregnancy failure and the complex of rehabilitation measures [1-3]. When a pregnancy occurs within the first 6 months, after a previous miscarriage, a large number of repeated pregnancy losses have been noted. The rate of pregnancy loss after a single miscarriage is 13-17%, after two miscarriages 36-38%, and with recurrent miscarriage up to 45% [1-3]. After spontaneous abortion it is necessary to rehabilitate a woman's reproductive health regardless of the number of spontaneous miscarriages, taking into account all the causes and conditions that contribute to spontaneous pregnancy termination. The principles of the reproductive health rehabilitation program for women after spontaneous miscarriage include the earliest possible initiation of treatment and rehabilitation measures, the principle of an individual approach to rehabilitation measures for each patient [4-6]. The principle of dynamic control over the effectiveness of rehabilitation and therapeutic measures and the principle of continuity between inpatient, outpatient, and sanatoriumresort units of rehabilitation measures are important when using the methods and means of physical rehabilitation [4-7].

Investigating the Efficacy of an 18-Week Postpartum Rehabilitation and Physical Development Intervention on Occupational Physical Performance and Musculoskeletal Health in UK Servicewomen: Protocol for an Independent Group Study Design.

BackgroundPostpartum women are at an increased risk of pelvic floor dysfunction, musculoskeletal injury, and poor psychological health and have reduced physical fitness compared to before pregnancy. There is no formal, evidence-based rehabilitation and physical development program for returning UK servicewomen to work following childbirth.ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the efficacy of a rehabilitation and physical development intervention for returning postpartum UK servicewomen to occupational fitness.MethodsEligible servicewomen will be assigned to a training or control group in a nonrandomized controlled trial 6 weeks after childbirth. Group allocation will be based on the location of standard pregnancy and postpartum care. The control group will receive standard care, with no prescribed intervention. The training group will start an 18-week core and pelvic health rehabilitation program 6 weeks post partum and a 12-week resistance and high-intensity interval training program 12 weeks post partum. All participants will attend 4 testing sessions at 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks post partum for the assessment of occupational physical performance, pelvic health, psychological well-being, quality of life, and musculoskeletal health outcomes. Occupational physical performance tests will include vertical jump, mid-thigh pull, seated medicine ball throw, and a timed 2-km run. Pelvic health tests will include the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system, the PERFECT (power, endurance, repetitions, fast, every contraction timed) scheme for pelvic floor strength, musculoskeletal physiotherapy assessment, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory–20 questionnaire, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Vaginal Symptoms. Psychological well-being and quality of life tests will include the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Musculoskeletal health outcomes will include body composition; whole-body areal bone mineral density; tibial volumetric bone mineral density, geometry, and microarchitecture; patella tendon properties; muscle architecture; muscle protein and collagen turnover; and muscle mass and muscle breakdown. Data will be analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, with participants included as random effects, and group and time as fixed effects to assess within- and between-group differences over time.ResultsThis study received ethical approval in April 2019 and recruitment started in July 2019. The study was paused in March 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruitment restarted in May 2021. The results are expected in September 2022.ConclusionsThis study will inform the best practice for the safe and optimal return of postpartum servicewomen to physically and mentally demanding jobs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04332757; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04332757International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/32315

Journey From Acute In-Patient to Community-Based Mental Health Rehabilitation: Outcome of Ayu-Psychiatry Care Initiative

AimsIn developing countries specially in sub-urban or rural areas, most patients with psychiatric crisis phase don't access intensive care. In India, AYUSH system of medical care is widely used, including crisis resolution and community treatment. However, evidence to support their effectiveness has remained very low. Present study is designed as community based participatory research, where Ayurveda management from acute in-patient care to a community-focused treatment and rehabilitation was studied.MethodsIn this evaluation study, we trace the journey of Ayu-Psychiatry Care project, set up as community based mental health rehabilitation program in rural and sub-urban areas of Rajasthan, India, from acute in-patient care to a community-focused treatment and rehabilitation.ResultsWhile receiving Ayu-Care and promoting early treatment and rehabilitation, community-based treatment demonstrated considerable improvement in maintaining family relationships and employment. Increased treatment adherence, improved self-efficacy, and reduced stigma were all made possible because to this community-based strategy.ConclusionThe connection between UK and Indian organisations is also explored during the journey. The findings of the study and the principles of long-term international cooperation are laid out by the authors.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Tuberculosis Patient Treatment Adherence

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a lack of attention to treatment of tuberculosis (TB). TB patients who do not adhere to treatment during a pandemic can cause various health problems in various countries. COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects TB patients such as increasing psychological stress, triggering non-adherence to treatment, affecting quality of life, and even increasing the number of deaths of TB patients. The increasing number of deaths and decreasing success of TB treatment during the pandemic are serious problems that must be addressed immediately. Various efforts were made to overcome the barriers for TB treatment during pandemics. Health workers can provide health education and rehabilitation programs in another media such as tele-health. Digital media can provide health information about TB, improve medication adherence, emphasize the benefits of medication adherence, and motivate patients to undergo treatment.

Perceived health versus perceived disability among individuals with lower limb amputation and its associating factors: evidence from an exploratory study in Mumbai and Kolkata, India

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) has been used to predict the perception of health in objective measures. Understanding the perception of disability goes beyond simple perception of health. Lower limb amputation and locomotors disability has been studied in various aspects, however, measurement of the extent of disability in a single term has hardly been done. This study aims to find the difference between perceived health (SRH) and perceived disability self-rated disability (SRD) and its association with demographic and socio-economic factors.Methods: A primary study has been conducted on 270 adult lower limb amputees in Mumbai and Kolkata following mixed methodology approach. Descriptive statistics, correlations and narration were used to measure the SRH and SRD among individuals with lower limb amputation.Results: The 63% of respondents have achieved good SRH, while only 43% have achieved good SRD. Prosthetics satisfaction, perceived support, perceived body shape, and level of education influence the SRH and SRD. Health components explain SRH, whereas, functional components explain SRD more.Conclusions: SRD can be better in analyzing the coping with the disability status, and promoting the role of health care and rehabilitation programs. It can be used not only for the population having disability, but in a larger population with functional restrictions that can be used to address the health care need.

The Psychological Experience of Nurses Carrying Out Hemodialysis While Caring for Patients With COVID-19 in Indonesia

Several studies have been conducted to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. However, few studies have been conducted in Indonesia to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the psychological experiences of nurses in carrying out hemodialysis (HD) while caring for patients with COVID-19 in Indonesia. Thus, this was the purpose of this study. The Colaizzi phenomenological approach was applied. This study included 20 HD nurses. Qualitative approaches were used to provide an overview of the nurses’ psychological state during the pandemic. This study identified three primary themes: dealing with uncertainty, personal care and protection from COVID-19, and psychological resilience. The HD nurses were affected by the pandemic, and this study’s findings can be utilized by policymakers to make judgments about how to respond. The results may also help health workers and volunteers recognize mental health issues and develop mental health rehabilitation programs for HD nurses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Keywords: COVID-19, hemodialysis, live experience, nurse, psychological

Public Health Rehabilition after Acute Myocardial Infarction: a Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main causes of death worldwide. The incidence of and mortality from CVD in Kazakhstan is greater than in most neighboring countries warranting urgent public health measures related to both primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Aims: To assess whether a newly developed 6-months public health rehabilitation program for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with home visits performed by physician assistants is superior to the standard rehabilitation of these patients in Western Kazakhstan. Methods: A randomized controlled study. A total of 75 AMI patients were enrolled after discharge form the hospital and 72 completed the trial. The control group (n = 34) participated in the standard rehabilitation program while the intervention group (n = 38) underwent and experimental rehabilitation program with home visits in addition to the standard program. Body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, heart rate, blood lipids, smoking and compliance to the treatment were assessed at the enrollment and after 6 months of the follow-up. Differences between the changes in the intervention and in the control group were compared using Mann-Whitney tests. Results: The experimental program was superior to the standard program in reducing systolic- (-22.5 vs. -2.9 mm Hg, p &lt; 0.004) and diastolic (-6.3 vs. -0.6 mm Hg, p = 0.032) blood pressure, body mass index (-0.99 vs. 0.53 kg/m2, p &lt; 0.001), waist circumference (-3.0 vs. 1.7 cm, p &lt; 0.001) and the number of smoked cigarettes (-12 vs. -3, p = 0.002). Blood lipid profiles improved in both groups. Although slightly more pronounced changes were observed in the intervention group, the differences did not reach the level of statistical significance. Conclusions: The program was more effective on blood pressure, smoking and obesity-related indicators than the standard rehabilitation. Larger studies are warranted to corroborate our findings prior to implementation of the program in practice.

Are Social Relationships an Underestimated Resource for Mental Health in Persons Experiencing Physical Disability? Observational Evidence From 22 Countries.

Objectives: As advancing evidence on modifiable resources to support mental health in persons experiencing physical disabilities is of particular importance, we investigate whether structural and functional social relationships relate to mental health in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Data from 12,330 participants of the International SCI community survey (InSCI) from 22 countries were analyzed. Structural (partnership status, living situation) and functional aspects of social relationships (belongingness, relationship satisfaction, problems with social interactions) were regressed on the SF-36 mental health index (MHI-5), stratified by countries and for the total sample using multilevel models. Results: Functional aspects of social relationships were consistently related to clinically relevant higher MHI-5 scores and lower risk of mental health disorders (MHI-5 >56). Structural social relationships were inconsistently associated with mental health in our sample. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that functional aspects of social relationships are important resources for mental health. Interventions to establish and maintain high quality relationships should be considered in public health interventions and rehabilitation programs to reduce long-term mental health problems in persons experiencing physical disabilities.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and associated disability among professional bus drivers: a cross-sectional study.

PurposeProfessional bus drivers risk developing musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and disability due to their working condition. The current study investigates the prevalence rate of MSP and disability among professional bus drivers.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 83 professional bus drivers. The prevalence rate of MSP was evaluated using a standardized Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. The disabilities due to the MSP were evaluated using neck disability index (NDI), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) tools. Prevalence of MSP was presented with 95% of confidence interval (CI) at an alpha level of 0.05. The 12 months and 7 days prevalence of MSP were tabulated for analysing the trend of MSP between the upper and lower body regions.ResultsThe drivers had a mean driving experience of 10.07 ± 7.26 years. The mean driving hours/week were 50.25 ± 12.82 h. Neck and back were the most affected regions with a prevalence rate of 81.9% (N = 68) and 80.7% (N = 67) at 12 months. Back region recorded the highest 7 days prevalence rate for MSP with 53% (N = 44). Approximately one fourth of the bus drivers population (23.9%, N = 16) had moderate disability in back region. More than half with MSP in the neck region presented mild disability (54.4%, N = 37).ConclusionThe bus drivers reported a high prevalence rate of MSP in the neck, back and shoulder regions with mild to moderate disabilities. Appropriate health care and rehabilitation programs are necessary for the prevention and management of MSP among the bus drivers.

Horticultural rehabilitation programme: Effects on schizophrenia

IntroductionHorticultural therapy is a professional practice that is increasingly used in a lot of mental health rehabilitation programs. This therapy was introduced in the Comunitary Rehabilitation Service of INAD, considering its beneficial results in patients with severe mental disorder in combination with the usual rehabilitation program.ObjectivesWe would like to study the benefits of this therapy compared to the usual in our patients.MethodsThis is an explanatory study for the purpose of establishing the association between the application of a Therapeutic Horticulture Program and the Clinical Symptomatology of Schizophrenia. A research with an experimental design Pre and Post-Test was carried out, by applying a Horticulture Program and evaluating with PANSS after 6 months its effects on the Clinical Symptomatology. The participants of the experimental group were selectively chosen. The only selection criteria were to attend the orchard at least once a week and be diagnosed with a schizophrenic disorder. The control group was chosen according to the number of members that made up the other group, with the criterion that they did not perform any outdoor activities and also had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.ResultsThe comparison of the Pre and Post-Test measures in the case of the experimental group reports the presence of statistically significant differences in the scale of positive symptomatology composite scale and general scale.ConclusionsThis psychopathological improvement of those participants open a door to possible applications of this therapy as a psychosocial treatment.

Toxic Nightlife Relationships, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health: Is There a Link? A Qualitative Case Study of Two Patients.

Introduction and Aims: This article explores the role of toxic close relationships in night life on substance use disorders and mental health conditions. We also contrast the quality and effects of social relationships when doing drugs with those produced by a mental health program that fosters quality relationships between patients.Design and Methods: This qualitative case study was carried out at a mental health day care center of a hospital in Malaga (Spain). The cases of two patients with severe mental disorders and a history of drug addiction were analyzed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with every patient, semi-structured interviews about each patient with the psychologist of the medical team of the program, and medical documentation. The analysis involved a combination of inductive and deductive approaches.Results: The analysis of the data revealed, on the one hand, the influence of toxic relationships in nightlife, including violent sporadic sexual relationships, in the initiation and persistence of substance use that took part of the mental health disorder in these patients. On the other hand, the findings show that these participants' current involvement in a mental health program, which fosters quality relationships between patients, has brought emotional benefits to both of them.Discussion and Conclusion: This paper points out the relevance of considering quality of social relationships when examining substance use disorders and related mental health problems. Additionally, the findings indicate the importance of fostering quality peer relationships in mental health rehabilitation programs addressed to patients with histories of drug addiction to improve treatment outcome.