Higher Levels Of Hopelessness Research Articles

P-484 Infertility stigma, openness with others, and their relationship to depression and meaning in life among men and women experiencing infertility

Abstract Study question Does infertility-related stigma and being open with others relate to depression and meaning in life among men and women experiencing infertility? Summary answer Higher infertility stigma was related to higher depression and search for meaning, whereas higher openness was related to lower depression and higher presence of meaning. What is known already For men experiencing infertility, there is relatively scarce knowledge about the relationship between infertility stigma, openness, depression, and meaning in life. For women, previous studies have found that higher levels of infertility stigma are associated with higher levels of hopelessness (Kaya & Oskay, 2020). Studies have also found that the presence of meaning in women is associated with the use of more adaptive coping strategies for infertility, while the search for meaning is associated with higher levels of depression (Morse & Steger, 2019). Men who reported greater openness with others about infertility, reported lower depression (Babore, et al., 2017). Study design, size, duration The design was a cross-sectional survey where participants completed demographic and infertility information along with validated measures of meaning in life, depression, openness, and perceptions of stigma regarding their infertility. Participants were recruited via announcements on infertility discussion listservs and social media accounts in the United States. Data were collected in November-December of 2023. Participants were 89 men and 458 women who reported an infertility diagnosis. Eighty-one percent of participants were from the United States. Participants/materials, setting, methods The key outcome variables were the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression measure (Zhang et al., 2012) and the Meaning in Life measure, which consists of two 5-item subscales, Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning (Steger et al., 2006). Along with demographic and infertility factors, key psychological variables were measured including infertility stigma (Fu et al., 2015) and openness with others and their partner about their infertility experience (Babore, 2017). Participants mean age was 33. Main results and the role of chance Multiple linear hierarchical regression models explained substantial variance (adjusted R-squared) for depression (48% men; 29% women), presence of meaning (28% men; 27% women), and search for meaning (22% men; 16% women). Men and women who reported higher levels of personal infertility stigma had higher levels of depression (Betas = .23 men and .24 women; ps < .05), as well as higher levels of searching for meaning (Beta = .26 men, p = .051; Beta = .16 women, p = .016). Higher stigma was also associated with lower presence of meaning in women (Beta = -.233, ps <.001). Men and women who reported higher levels of openness with others about infertility reported substantially lower levels of depression (Betas = -.51 men and -.32 women; ps <.001), and greater presence of meaning in life (Betas = .29 men and .22 women; ps < .05). Openness with others was also associated with lower search for meaning among women (Beta = -.127, p = .011). Women who were currently in treatment reported more depression compared to both women who were never in treatment (Beta = -.245, p = .019), and women who had previously been in treatment (Beta = -.244, p = .031). Limitations, reasons for caution This study provided the rare opportunity to examine infertility and mental health among men, but caution is necessary when interpreting these results due to the relatively small sample size. The correlational findings do not allow for inferences of causality, and testing the generalizability of findings is an important next step. Wider implications of the findings The study highlights that higher infertility stigma and lower openness with others are key factors in understanding men and women’s mental health and worldview perceptions. Encouraging individuals with infertility to share their experiences with others may reduce feelings of depression, while also increasing one’s sense of meaning in life. Trial registration number not applicable

We Are Not Islands: The Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Perceived Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Psychological Distress

COVID-19 containment measures, including social distancing, quarantine, and confinement, significantly impacted social connectedness and contributed to heightened levels of perceived stress. Prior research has established that protective factors can mitigate emotional distress. This study investigated the protective role of social support in the relationship between perceived stress and psychological distress among a sample of university students. Participants (n = 322) completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, short forms of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The results indicated that high levels of perceived stress were associated with high levels of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety. In terms of direct and mediating effects, social support was significant for depression and hopelessness but not for anxiety. Furthermore, the relationship between perceived stress and depression was higher for those with high levels of social support than for those with lower levels of social support. The findings suggest that in addition to enhancing social support resources, interventions must assist students in managing the uncertainty and anxiety associated with the pandemic. Furthermore, students' appraisals of support and the extent to which support is experienced as beneficial must also be examined prior to the implementation of interventions.

Longitudinal co-trajectories of depression and alcohol problems in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-04109-4.

The Relationship between Social Support and Hopelessness among Iranian Students during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has major consequences for public health worldwide, especially for mental health. Hope is a dynamic motivational system that empowers one to achieve goals. Social support similarly increases the feeling of well-being to cope with hopelessness. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between social support and hopelessness in students studying at the Iran University of Medical Sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic considering the importance of performance in medical sciences students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed continuously for five months, from January to May 2021, at the Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, where the Persian language is predominantly spoken. Participants were included if they could consent to participate in the study and internet access and membership in social networks. Those who did not fully engage with our data collection tools were excluded. A demographic information form, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) were provided to students via social networks. After students (n=300) completed the questionnaires, data were analyzed through SPSS software version 21. Results: The mean age of participants was 23.46 (18-51) years. The mean score of hopelessness among the participants was 6.2. The majority of students (35%) had mild hopelessness, 34.7% had a minimum level of hopelessness, 26.7% had a moderate level of hopelessness, and 11% had a high level of hopelessness. The mean social support score was 59.49, with 52.3% of students having a high level of social support. The correlation coefficient between social support and hopelessness was - 0.401 (p < 0.001). Field of study, degree level, marital status and lifestyle were significantly correlated with hopelessness. Also, only marital status had a significant relationship with social support among students. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that out of the variables included in the model, only the variable of social support had a significant effect on the hopelessness score, so this variable predicted 18% of the hopelessness score. Conclusion: Given the inverse relationship between social support and hopelessness, it is suggested to increase the level of social support for students to improve their sense of hopelessness.

Abstract 11275: Comorbidity Score is Positively Associated With Hopelessness in Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease

Introduction: Comorbidities are associated with increased risk of mortality in adults with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of helplessness towards the future, is identified in 27–52% of patients with IHD and associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction. The relationship between comorbidities and hopelessness in adults with IHD is unknown. Hypothesis: A higher comorbidity score is positively associated with state and trait hopelessness levels in adults hospitalized with an IHD event. Methods: Participants completed the State-Trait Hopelessness Scale and reported basic demographics. Continuous (range 0-14) and categorical scores for the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were generated based on patient medical records. Results: Participants (n=132) were typical of the U.S. IHD population except for race/ethnicity. Ninety-one were male (68.4%), mean age was 62.6 years (SD= 9.6), and 97% were non-Latinx White (3.0%). The mean CCI was 3.5 (SD=2.2), with 36.4% having a score of 1-2 (mild), 41.2% with a score of 3-4 (moderate) and 22.7% with a score of ≥5 (severe). The CCI was positively associated with both state and trait hopelessness in unadjusted and adjusted (demographics, medical history, and exercise history) analyses (unadjusted: r=0.26, p=0.002 (state); r=0.23, p=0.009 (trait) and adjusted: r=0.22, p=0.008 (state); r=0.18, p=0.052 (trait)). Components of the CCI showing the strongest relationships with higher levels of hopelessness were cerebrovascular accident (n=8), organ damage from diabetes (n=17), COPD (n=24), and renal failure (n=9). Interaction terms were evaluated and there was no evidence that the relationship between the CCI and hopelessness differed by age, gender, education level, or cardiac intervention type. Conclusions: Our hypothesis of a positive association between comorbidity score and state and trait hopelessness was confirmed. Knowledge of hopelessness in IHD patients with comorbidities is important for health care professionals in acute care and outpatient settings so at-risk patients can be identified and appropirate interventions employed. Future work should be conducted in larger, more heterogeneous samples.

Mechanisms connecting insomnia to hopelessness among Chinese older adults: Serial mediating roles of fatigue and social support.

Hopelessness and insomnia remain growing mental health issues worldwide, their relationship has been neglected by international development policies, especially in the countries with rapidly aging population like China. However, there is little conclusive evidence on the mechanisms through which insomnia severity influences hopelessness. Based on previous research regarding the significant associations among fatigue, social support, insomnia and hopelessness, this study aims to investigate the relationship between insomnia and hopelessness as well as how insomnia affects hopelessness through fatigue and social support. A population-based data including 946 community-dwelling older adults extracted from "Elderly Care Household Survey in 2019" in Beijing were used. The age of the participants ranged from 66 to 97years old, and 53.3% of the respondents were female. Intercorrelations among insomnia, fatigue, social support and hopelessness were examined. Serial multiple mediation models were analyzed by the bootstrapping method to assess whether fatigue and social support serially mediate the relationship between insomnia and hopelessness. Higher level of insomnia severity (coefficient=0.0421, p<0.001), higher level of fatigue (coefficient=0.0171, p < 0.001), and lower level of social support (coefficient=-0.0320, p<0.001) were significantly associated with higher level of hopelessness. Fatigue and social support in serial, mediated the relationship between insomnia and hopelessness (total effect: coefficient=0.0623, 95% CI [0.0466, 0.0780]; total direct effect: coefficient=0.0421, 95% CI [0.0262, 0.0581]; total indirect effect: coefficient=0.0202, 95% CI [0.0147, 0.0272]). Improving sleep quality and eliminating fatigue could effectively alleviate the sense of hopelessness among Chinese older adults. In addition, establishing stronger social support brought by social network from family and friends could confer resilience against the negative effects of despair brought by insomnia. Our findings highlighted the mechanism connecting insomnia to hopelessness, which would inspire the future practice.

A Mixed-Methods and Prospective Approach to Understanding Coping Behaviors, Depression, Hopelessness, and Acute Stress in a U.S. Convenience Sample During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increases in U.S. residents' stressors while limiting many of the resources previously available to cope with stress. Coping behaviors may contribute to the prevention or proliferation of psychological distress during and after the pandemic. Understanding these coping behaviors and associated psychological outcomes can help health educators develop programs that encourage effective coping and promote mental health. This study used a sequential mixed-methods approach informed by Roth and Cohen's conceptualization of coping to understand the use of approach coping behaviors- which are active and directed toward the perceived threat-and avoidance coping behaviors-which include activity directed away from perceived threat during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. residents (N = 2,987) were surveyed online in April 2020 and again in September 2021. Open-ended responses at baseline were thematically analyzed to illustrate coping behaviors in participants' own words. At baseline, more than half (56%) of the sample met criteria for probable depression, 51% for acute stress symptoms, and 42% for moderate to severe hopelessness. At follow-up, 45% meet criteria for probable depression and 23% for acute stress. However, the proportion of the sample who reported moderate to severe hopelessness increased to 48%. We used mixed-effects general linear models to examine changes over time and found that increases in approach coping behaviors were associated with decreases in depressive symptoms and hopelessness; increases in avoidance coping were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and higher levels of hopelessness. Increases in both types of coping were associated with increases in acute stress symptoms related to COVID-19. Although there was some attenuation in distress in our sample between April 2020 and September 2021, our findings suggest a need for interventions that encourage the use of approach coping behaviors and that both increase access to and decrease stigma for mental health support.

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES ON CAREGIVER BURDEN, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND HOPELESSNESS AMONG CAREGIVERS OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: To explore the demographic differences on caregiver burden, hopelessness, and psychological distress among caregivers of psychiatric patients. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad and Nishtar Hospital Multan, Pakistan in eight months from 10th April 2019 to 20th November 2019. Purposive sampling technique was used to include 240 caregivers of different age of Psychiatric patients (with different duration of illness and type of illness) which were assessed on Burden Scale for Family Caregivers, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Beck Hopelessness Scale. RESULTS: Out of 240 participants, 124 (51.6%) were females and 116 (48.3%) were males, ranging in age from 18 to 45 years. Results disclosed that age group 36-45 years showed significant mean difference on psychological distress and age group 18-35 years showed significant difference on hopelessness at p&lt;0.01. While, caregivers dealing with patients who have illness for more than 20 years have significant mean difference on psychological distress and hopelessness at p&lt;0.05. Caregivers dealing with patients who have less than 5 years of illness have significant mean difference on caregiver burden at p&lt;0.001, and caregivers of patients with schizophrenia have significant mean difference with substance abuse, mood disorder and mental retardation on psychological distress and hopelessness at p&lt;0.05. CONCLUSION: Older adults have higher psychological distress while, young adults have higher level of hopelessness. Caregivers of prolonged mental illness have higher psychological distress and caregiver burden. Caregivers of schizophrenic patients have higher level of psychological distress and hopelessness.

COVID-19, Anxiety, and Hopelessness: Quality of Life Among Healthcare Workers in Turkey.

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of intense anxiety and hopelessness experienced by healthcare workers during the pandemic on their quality of life. This cross-sectional, online questionnaire-based study was conducted between August 31, 2020 and October 31, 2020, with 729 healthcare workers in Turkey. The study showed that hopelessness, the weekly working time, fatigue, and the workload of healthcare workers negatively affected their quality of life, those who found the pandemic measures inadequate had a lower quality of life and higher hopelessness levels, and those who needed knowledge on various issues to improve their skills had lower quality of life and higher levels of anxiety and hopelessness. Increasing the measures to make healthcare workers feel competent and ready during the COVID-19 pandemic and meet their information needs to improve their skills will reduce their anxiety and hopelessness and improve their quality of life. Identifying the factors affecting anxiety, hopelessness, and quality of life will help achieve sustainable success in the delivery of health services and promote employee health and safety.

The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms, Hopelessness, and Perceived Burden on the Association Between Pain Intensity and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case-Control Psychological Autopsy Study.

Background: Few studies have investigated the roles of psychosocial factors such as depressive symptoms and hopelessness on the relationship between pain and suicide with inconsistent results. The study aimed to analyze the impact of pain intensity on suicide death and to estimate the degree to which depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and perceived burden may explain the association in Chinese rural elderly.Methods: Using a 1:1 matched case–control design, we collected data from 242 elderly suicide cases and 242 living community controls by psychological autopsy method in rural China, including sociodemographic characteristics, pain intensity, depression, hopelessness, perceived burden, physical diseases, and social support. Conditional logistic regression was employed to assess the association between pain intensity and completed suicide. Mediation analysis using the KHB method was applied to explore the mediation effects from depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and perceived burden.Results: The result of multivariable logistic regression showed that unemployment [odds ratio (OR) = 5.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.76–14.49], higher levels of hopelessness (OR = 7.72, 95% CI: 3.49–17.10), depressive symptom (OR = 15.82, 95% CI: 4.53–55.25), and severe pain (OR = 3.46, 95% CI: 1.31–9.13) were significantly associated with elevated suicide risk in older adults in rural China. Depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and perceived burden significantly mediated 43.71% of the pain–suicide association (p = 0.020), with 17.39% due to depressive symptoms, 17.63% due to hopelessness, and 8.69% due to perceived burden.Conclusions: Regular screening of pain, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and perceived burden using simple but sensitive questions or scales for older adults with pain is vital for the prevention and early detection of suicide risk in Chinese rural areas. Moreover, the importance of pain management and psychological interventions targeted on depressive symptoms and hopelessness should be emphasized.

Proximal correlates of suicidal ideation among transgender and gender diverse people: A preliminary test of the three-step theory.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience higher rates of suicidal ideation than their cisgender peers; however, very little is known about factors that proximally relate to suicidal ideation in this population. This limited understanding may be due to the lack of theory-guided studies that are capable of testing proximal correlates of suicidal ideation among TGD people. We tested the first two steps of the three-step theory (3ST) of suicide using daily survey data from a sample of 38 TGD people over 30 days. A total of 836 daily surveys were collected (73.3% compliance). Multilevel modeling supported the first and second step of the 3ST. Psychological pain and hopelessness interacted to predict same-day suicidal ideation, with psychological pain positively associating with ideation only at average and high levels of hopelessness. Furthermore, psychological pain that outweighed connectedness was moderately associated with suicidal ideation among those with high levels of hopelessness and psychological pain. The 3ST of suicide shows promise for explaining and guiding interventions to reduce suicidal ideation in this vulnerable population.

Psychological impact of home confinement due to coronavirus disease on medical students and its relationship with cognitive emotion regulation

Purpose This paper aims to assess the psychological impact of home confinement in Tunisian medical students and analyze the relationship between psychopathology and cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Design/methodology/approach In total, 251 medical students who have been in home confinement accepted to participate in an online questionnaire survey. They completed depression, anxiety and stress scale, beck hopelessness scale and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire. Findings Moderate to extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety and stress were reported by 57.4%, 51.0% and 31.4% of medical students, respectively. Based on the cut-off value of nine, 31.1% of the participants showed high levels of hopelessness. Hierarchical regression analysis identified four cognitive emotion regulation strategies as significant independent contributors to psychopathology above and beyond home confinement related variables. Self-blame positively predicted stress. Catastrophizing positively predicted anxiety and hopelessness. Refocusing on planning negatively predicted anxiety. Positive reappraisal negatively predicted hopelessness. Practical implications Cognitive emotion regulation strategies may constitute a valuable target of preventive and interventional measures to improve medical students’ mental health. Originality/value A unique feature of this study is the demonstration of the important role played by cognitive emotion regulation strategies in predicting anxiety, stress and hopelessness in medical students. In the context of mandatory home confinement, these cognitive strategies were significant predictors of psychopathology above and beyond home confinement related variables.

Identifying Experiences and Hopelessness Levels of Women Receiving Infertility Treatment: A Mixed Method Study*

The research aimed to identify experiences and hopelessness levels of women receiving infertility treatment. The quantitative sample included 276 women receiving infertility treatment at a university hospital and structured interviews were done with 20 women in qualitative dimension. It was identified that socio-demographic factors, knowledge about infertility treatment, alternative treatment tendencies and use of plant cures affected hopelessness levels (p<.05). Four themes were found in the qualitative dimension about infertility and treatment process It was seen that Turkish women did not have sufficient knowledge about the process of infertility and treatment and had a high level of hopelessness.

Explicit and Implicit Hopelessness and Self‐injury

This study examined the relationship between explicit and implicit measures of hopelessness and self-injurious behavior (defined here as self-harming or suicidal actions and thoughts). A community sample of 267 participants completed explicit measures of hopelessness (Beck's Hopelessness Scale and a Feeling Thermometer), an implicit measure of hopelessness (Hopelessness Implicit Association Test), and a self-report measure of their history of self-injurious behavior. The results showed that high levels of hopelessness, measured both explicitly or implicitly, were associated with a past and recent history of self-injury. However, there was also an interaction between the implicit and explicit measures such that explicit hopelessness was more strongly predictive of self-injury in people with high levels of implicit hopelessness. The findings show that the implicit measurement of hopelessness can help predict past and recent self-injury beyond what explicit measures of hopelessness currently achieve and could be used in the assessment of risk of both self-harming and suicidal behaviors.

Impulsivity, hostility and suicidality in patients diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder

Background: There are limited data on suicidal behaviour in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study aimed to evaluate several aspects affecting suicidality in OCD patients and determine whether impulsivity or hostility are associated with suicide attempts in this vulnerable group.Methods: Eighty-one patients with OCD were assessed by structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID I), Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Suicide Probability Scale (SPS), Barratt impulsivity scale-11 (BIS) and Scale for suicide ideation (SSI).Results: Of the 81 patients, 22 (27%) had suicide ideation, 29 (33%) attempted suicides with OCD and 30 (37%) OCD patients who never experienced suicide ideation nor attempted suicide. Suicide ideation was associated with high hopelessness, higher severity of OCD and the presence of aggressive obsessions. On the other hand, suicide attempts were associated with longer duration of untreated illness, cognitive impulsivity, higher severity of OCD symptoms and the presence of religious obsessions.Conclusion: Higher severity of OCD symptoms is associated with both suicide ideation and attempts. And while hopelessness was related to suicidal thoughts, cognitive impulsivity may have acted as a facilitating factor for suicide attempts. Higher frequency of symptoms like religious/ aggressive obsessions was also associated with suicidality. It is vital that patients with OCD undergo detailed assessment for suicide risk.Key pointsOCD is associated with a high risk for suicidal behaviour.Suicide ideation was associated with high levels of hopelessness, OCD severity, and the presence of aggressive obsessions.Suicide attempts were associated with longer duration of untreated illness, cognitive impulsivity, severity of OCD, and the presence of religious obsessions.

Understanding suicidal behavior and its prevention among youth and young adults in Mexico

Suicide rates in Mexico have increased and have more than doubled in the state of Aguascalientes over the past 10 years. Few studies have been able to control for family, neighborhood, and occupational environment factors that may confound the association between psychosocial characteristics and suicidal behavior. We study suicidal behavior among adolescents and young adults in Mexico utilizing epidemiologic research strategies to overcome prior research deficiencies. In a case-control study with youth and adults 14–42 years of age, recent cases of severe suicidal behavior (n = 150) were individually matched with up to three controls who had never had a suicidal attempt by age and sex, as well as within familial, neighborhood, and occupational contexts (n = 353). Data were collected through standardized face-to-face interviews to measure suicidal behavior and several covariates, including family relations, psychological resources, hopelessness, depression, self-esteem, stress, impulsivity, anxiety, and substance use. All measures demonstrated good to excellent precision and accuracy. Compared with their matched controls, cases perceived life events as more stressful and had worse depression and familial relationships; poorer development of affective, religious, and social resources; higher levels of hopelessness and impulsive behavior; and lower self-esteem. Evidence from multivariate analysis suggests highly probable MDE combined with low self-esteem and the use of two or more drugs in the past month more clearly differentiate cases and controls and, therefore, may best predict suicidal attempt among adolescents and young adults in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Determining the Correlation Between Social Support and Hopelessness of Syrian Refugees Living in Turkey.

The current descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the correlation between perceived social support and hopelessness of 609 Syrian refugees age ≥16 residing in Gaziantep City, Turkey. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Beck Hopelessness Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and regression and correlation analyses were used to analyze the data. Syrian refugees had high levels of hopelessness, particularly motivation loss, and moderate levels of perceived social support. As perceived social support increased, hopelessness, feelings, expectations about the future, and motivation loss decreased. In accordance with these results, hopes of Syrian refugees for the future can be increased by improving their social support system. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(7), 27-33.].

The relationship between hopelessness and risk factors for early mortality in people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between self-reported hopelessness and risk factors for premature mortality in people with serious mental illness (SMI). Data were extracted from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey (N = 5,592). Having a diagnosis of SMI was significantly associated with self-reported hopelessness. Hypertension or high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder were significantly associated with self-reported hopelessness. Higher levels of hopelessness were found to be significantly associated with increased alcohol consumption. Hopelessness may be an important dimension of health in people with SMI.

RACE-ETHNICITY AND HOPELESSNESS IN OLDER AMERICANS: WHO’S AT GREATEST RISK AND WHY?

Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to experience adversity throughout their lives, which puts them at greater risk feelings of despair and powerlessness. This study uses data from 5,500 respondents from the Health and Retirement Study to assess racial/ethnic differences in hopelessness and test whether older blacks and Hispanics experience greater increases in hopelessness as they age. Hopelessness was assessed using 4-items that capture the extent to which a person has a negative outlook towards the future and believes they are powerlessness to overcome the obstacles they face; it is measured at three time points: 2006/2008, 2010/2012 and 2014/2016. Linear regression models were used to assess differences in hopelessness by race/ethnicity and linear mixed models were used to assess racial/ethnic differences in trajectories of hopelessness over time. Older blacks and Hispanics were more likely to report feelings of hopelessness at each timepoint of the study. Differences between blacks and whites were completely explained by differences in education and poverty status, while differences between Hispanics and whites remained. Although minority elders had higher levels of hopelessness at each time point, older whites experienced steeper increases in hopelessness over time. These findings suggest that structural factors influence feelings of hopelessness among minority elders. However, older blacks and Hispanics may develop resilience to hopelessness as they age.

Hopelessness is associated with poor sleep quality after breast cancer surgery among Tunisian women

Background: Sleep disorders are a common complaint in breast cancer patients. These women suffer from fear of death, fear of suffering, treatment complications as well as social devaluation; all leading to feelings of hopelessness. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the quality of sleep in a group of breast cancer women, and to analyze the association between sleep quality, depression, and hopelessness.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of 3 months, including 50 women suffering from breast cancer and having received a surgical treatment of their disease. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The evaluation of depression was performed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Hopelessness was measured with the Beck hopelessness scale (BHS). All participants were screened using the Arab-language version of these scales.Results: Of 66% of breast cancer patients were considered as poor sleepers (PSQI scores >5), 30% of our sample had a moderate to severe depression, and 24% had a high level of hopelessness. PQSI scores were negatively correlated with depression (P < 0.001) and hopelessness scores (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis retained as main predictors of the sleep quality habitation and hopelessness scores. After controlling for demographic (age) and social (habitation) variables, hopelessness significantly contributed to sleep quality.Conclusion: Hopelessness was positively associated to sleep disorders in women suffering from breast cancer. Hopelessness requires an appropriate management in order to prevent depression and suicide and to improve the quality of life of these patients.