Individual Interventions Research Articles

Meaning, trust, and belonging: Exploring the factors that foster elite forced migrant athletes’ growth

Background and purposeResearchers have highlighted elite refugee athletes’ acculturation and sport-related challenges upon transitioning into host country sports systems. Using a strength-based approach, we aimed to broaden this view through exploring the internal and external factors that have fostered refugee athletes’ abilities to find meaning and growth following their transitions into a national sports system. MethodologyData collection began with an arts-based drawing activity which was then discussed in a conversational interview. Fourteen (n = 11 male, 3 female) national and international refugee athletes participated. The interviews were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis, a form of qualitative analysis used to derive commonalities that connect athletes’ experiences. The data is represented through polyphonic vignettes (narrative featuring multiple perspectives) to safeguard athletes’ anonymity whilst showcasing varying perspectives. ResultsAthletes were at various phases of growth at the time of the interviews. The primary internal factor that facilitated growth was responsibility to find and pursue meaning. External factors of trust and belonging, actualized through supporting elite athletes’ personal differences, were external factors that fostered their abilities to find meaning. ConclusionElite refugee athletes’ growth occurred at the nexus of individual responsibility, trusting relationships, and inclusive sport environments. The findings inform individual and environmental growth-based interventions for current and future elite athletes who face varying adversities within their sports contexts.

Differential cytokine and chemokine expression after ablation vs. resection in colorectal cancer liver metastasis

BackgroundSurgical resection remains the main curative treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is increasingly employed for small, deep lying or otherwise inoperable lesions. However, RFA can induce pro-tumorigenic effects on residual tumor cells, hereby possibly promoting tumor recurrence. Contrastingly, post-RFA tumor debris as an antigen source can also generate anti-cancer immune responses. Utilizing this, current studies on combining RFA with immune therapy appear promising. Here, in an attempt to shed light on this controversy, cytokines involved in inflammation, (lymph)angiogenesis, immune cell recruitment and tumor cell invasion were investigated post-RFA versus post-resection in CRLM patients. MethodsCytokine and chemokine serum levels pre-operation, 4 h and 24 h post-operation were analyzed in CRLM patients undergoing RFA (n = 8) or partial hepatectomy (n = 9) using Multiplex immunoassays. Statistical analyses were performed between as well as within individual intervention groups. ResultsPost-RFA, significantly increased levels of acute phase proteins SAA1 and S100A8, IL-6, IL-1Ra, MIP3b (CCL19) and MMP9 were observed along with decreases in Fibronectin, MCP-1 (CCL2), and Tie-2. Post-resection, increased levels of PDGFbb, I309 (CCL1), Apelin, MIF, IL-1b and TNFα were seen. All p-values <0.05. ConclusionPro-inflammatory responses mediated by different cytokines were seen after both RFA and resection, possibly influencing residual tumor cells and tumor recurrence. As both ablation and resection trigger inflammation and immune cell recruitment (albeit via distinct mechanisms), these data suggest that further research may explore combining immune therapy with not only RFA but also resection. Key messageAnalysis of patients' serum after radiofrequency ablation versus resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) showed that these interventions trigger inflammation and immune cell recruitment, via different cyto- and chemokine pathways. This suggests a possible future strategy of combining immune therapy with not only ablative techniques but also with resection of CRLM.

Educational interventions for imposter phenomenon in healthcare: a scoping review

BackgroundImposter Phenomenon (IP) is a subjective feeling of intellectual fraudulence and self-doubt experienced by individuals in goal-orientated high-achieving professions. The impact of IP within healthcare has been associated with individual physical and mental health and concerns around training, career progression and DEI at an institutional level. To effectively address IP in healthcare, this scoping review aims to explore educational interventions designed to empower high-achieving individuals with the tools needed to confront and overcome IP.MethodsThe scoping review adhered to a predetermined protocol informed by the JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines in order to identify educational interventions addressing IP in high-achieving industries. Articles were searched across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (Ovid), PsychINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science, alongside grey literature, without imposing any time constraints. A systematic approach including a thematic analysis allowed for a nuanced exploration and interpretation of the identified educational interventions and their impact on addressing IP.ResultsSeventeen articles were incorporated into the review, with the majority originating from the USA and majority being published since 2020. Ten studies targeted healthcare professionals, undergraduate and postgraduate healthcare students. Majority of studies aimed at addressing IP, featured a larger number of female participants than males. Workshops with self-reflection and group-guided exercises to overcome IP were the most popular educational interventions. Coaching and structured supervision were also suggested. Across all papers, three themes emerged for coping strategies: individual, peer-to-peer, and institutional.ConclusionsThis scoping review suggests how group and individual interventions such as workshops, small group discussions and coaching can be used to overcome IP in healthcare. Institutional changes like diversity promotion, supervisor education, and support networks are crucial in addressing IP. Further long term and speciality specific assessments are needed to measure impact. Overall, the review highlights how educational awareness and a variety of strategies can be implemented to create a supportive environment for professionals dealing with IP, promoting their well-being and success.

Epistemic Justice and Neurodiversity: Mentalization–Based Treatment with Children in the Autistic Spectrum from a Dimensional Perspective

ABSTRACT Neurodiverse individuals often suffer the consequences of epistemic injustice, that lead to isolation and helplessness. By attempting to apply a mentalization lens to ASD, we seek to highlight the concept of neurodiversity as an invitation to “mentalize differences” that arise primarily as a response to the marginalization of people with autism spectrum disorders. We seek to move away from the non-mentalizing impact of the categoric deficit model, providing an integration of both existing theoretical and empirical clinical data into an intervention to address the heterogeneity of neurodiversity. An adaptation of mentalization-based treatment for children (MBT-C) to the needs of children and adolescents functioning in the Autistic Spectrum is discussed. A clinical model that integrates findings of developmental research, dyadic clinical psychodynamic intervention models and neuroscientific data with the aim to develop an integrative therapeutic intervention both relational and developmental in nature. A mentalization informed dimensional approach is applied to the scaffolding process necessary to accommodate the heterogeneity and overall unique needs of this population. The article explores the need for further empirical research which substantiates the need for both systemic and individual interventions which address the subjective experience of ASD children and adolescents and that of their families.

Reducing discrimination against service users with psychosis through brief contact-based video interventions: a randomised controlled trial

Background/Aims Internationally, mental health service users, particularly those with psychosis, face discriminatory attitudes and behaviours from the public. It is crucial for mental health services to deliver interventions that alleviate the stigma directed toward their patients. This study evaluates the efficacy of a brief indirect contact-based intervention designed for this purpose in Singapore. Methods A randomised controlled trial was conducted among 168 participants, who were allocated to video intervention, transcript intervention and active control groups. Stigmatising behaviour levels were measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention and at a 30-day follow up. Group differences in attitudes were analysed using a 3x3 two-way mixed subjects ANOVA, with significance set at P&lt;0.05. Results There were no significant differences in declared discriminatory behaviour between the investigated conditions (P=0.23). The video intervention did not produce superior results to the transcript, while the results of both interventions did not differ significantly from those of the control condition. Additionally, no significant interaction of each condition with time was observed at the post-intervention and follow-up periods (P=0.5). Conclusions Individual contact-based interventions may not sustainably reduce discrimination towards mental health service users. Services should prioritise strategies to specifically target the societal mechanisms that maintain stigmatising behaviour towards people with psychosis.

Dataset size versus homogeneity: A machine learning study on pooling intervention data in e-mental health dropout predictions.

This study proposes a way of increasing dataset sizes for machine learning tasks in Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through pooling interventions. To this end, it (1) examines similarities in user behavior and symptom data among online interventions for patients with depression, social anxiety, and panic disorder and (2) explores whether these similarities suffice to allow for pooling the data together, resulting in more training data when prediction intervention dropout. A total of 6418 routine care patients from the Internet Psychiatry in Stockholm are analyzed using (1) clustering and (2) dropout prediction models. For the latter, prediction models trained on each individual intervention's data are compared to those trained on all three interventions pooled into one dataset. To investigate if results vary with dataset size, the prediction is repeated using small and medium dataset sizes. The clustering analysis identified three distinct groups that are almost equally spread across interventions and are instead characterized by different activity levels. In eight out of nine settings investigated, pooling the data improves prediction results compared to models trained on a single intervention dataset. It is further confirmed that models trained on small datasets are more likely to overestimate prediction results. The study reveals similar patterns of patients with depression, social anxiety, and panic disorder regarding online activity and intervention dropout. As such, this work offers pooling different interventions' data as a possible approach to counter the problem of small dataset sizes in psychological research.

Comparative effectiveness of non- pharmacological treatments in patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness: a systematic review and effect sizes analyses.

The patho-psychological mechanisms of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) appear to be very complex, and a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach is suggested for treating patients with PPPD. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of non-pharmacological treatments and their comparative effectiveness in patients with PPPD. Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched in April 2022 with a search update in August 2023. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. There was no restrictions regarding publication date. Two reviewers independently identified eligible trials, extracted data, double-checked all extracted information from the included articles and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A qualitative synthesis was performed, considering methodological heterogeneity between trials. Finally, an effect size analysis was performed for each treatment comparison. The standardized mean differences (SMD) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated for each trial using Review Manager 5.4. Thirteen RCTs (618 patients with moderate or mild dizziness) out of 1,362 references describing seven different non-pharmacological comparisons were selected. Nine trials included patients with PPPD, and four trials included patients with functional dizziness. The trials used different interventions that were classified as: (1) psychotherapeutic interventions (cognitive behavioral therapy, patient education), (2) physiotherapeutic interventions/training (vestibular rehabilitation, optokinetic stimulation), (3) stimulation procedures (vagus nerve stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation) and (4) device application (visual desensitization using personalized glasses). However, most of the trials investigated the effects of single interventions, rather than multimodal interdisciplinary treatment of patients with PPPD. The SMD for dizziness handicap and severity was between 0.04 and 0.52 in most trials. In one trial using visual desensitization, the SMD was 1.09 (strong effect on the severity of dizziness) and 1.05 (strong effect on dizziness handicap). Several individual interventions have shown benefits in the treatment of patients with PPPD with small to moderate effects. However, the multimodal treatment or a combination of vestibular rehabilitation with visual desensitization, cognitive behavioral therapy including patient education, and medication support should be further investigated. Future trials should include a large sample size with severe dizziness, and provide a longer follow-up period. PROSPERO CRD42022320344.

A coaching approach to strengthen farm management teams to reduce antimicrobial use in Dutch high usage pig farms: a 2 year intervention study.

The use of antimicrobials in the pig sector in the Netherlands has been reduced by more than 70% over the last decade. However, there is still a considerable number of pig farms that have not been able to lower their antimicrobial usage (AMU) to a sufficiently low level, comparable to the majority of the other pig farms. Therefore, an intervention study was initiated to lower on-farm antimicrobial use in which 45 pig farms with high AMU were recruited. These farms were coached over a period of 2 years whereby different management interventions were introduced. During the 2-year study period a significant reduction of 13 and 17% in total AMU was seen in weaned piglets and fattening pigs respectively. The introduction of coaching as well as multiple management interventions were (univariably) associated with the decrease in AMU. After mutual adjustment of coaching and individual interventions, the association between coaching and AMU became substantially weaker, indicating that coaching and interventions were interrelated and specific interventions explained the reduction in AMU. In conclusion, a coaching effect was observed in this study, with an effect on AMU through specific interventions. More insights are needed regarding the role and effects of coaching on the influence on the management team comprising the farmer, veterinarian and (feed) advisor, and interventions implemented.

Human mesenchymal stem cell secretome increases hepatocyte growth factor expression and promotes liver regeneration in Wistar rats with cholestasis

Globally, the annual mortality rate due to liver cirrhosis is 2.2%, which ranks 12th as the cause of death in the United States. Human mesenchymal stem cell secretome (Hu-MSC-S) is known to reduce liver injury and inflammation. Thus, the present study aims to determine the effect of Hu-MSC-S on hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression and liver regeneration in cholestatic rats after choledochal duct ligation receiving standard ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy. A randomized experimental study was conducted on 24 male Wistar rats. All rats were randomly assigned into four groups such as control, UDCA, Hu-MSC-S, and UDCA+Hu-MSC-S. The expression of HGF and mitotic index as markers of liver regeneration were evaluated using histopathologic examination. Both HGF expression and the mitotic index were significantly higher in the UDCA and Hu-MSC-S groups (P &lt; 0.05) compared to the control group. The combined administration of UDCA and Hu-MSC-S resulted in significantly higher HGF expression and mitotic index than the individual intervention (P &lt; 0.05). The additional administration of Hu-MSC-S increased HGF expression and mitotic index in rat model of hepatic cholestasis. In conclusion, HuMSC-S administration could be considered as a therapy in patients who received standard UDCA therapy for liver regeneration.

Nutritional intervention in end-stage renal disease: a clinical trial study.

Chronic kidney disease is a global health problem, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has a major impact on patients' quality of life and prognoses. However, studies on individualized nutritional therapy for patients with ESRD need more complementary evidence. A clinical study was conducted based on a small population. It included patients with ESRD who underwent dialysis treatment in the Taicang Hospital Department of Nephrology, Soochow University, China, between January 2019 and December 2021. According to the randomized number table method, patients were divided into the nutritional treatment group (NIG) and the non-nutritional intervention control group (NNIG). There were 84 patients in the NIG and 92 patients in the NNIG. This study analyzed the changes in residual renal function (RRF) and indicators of blood and kidney function in ESRD with personalized nutritional therapy. The results show that nutritional interventions for ESRD are effective in reducing the rate of decline in RRF and improving indicators of blood and kidney function in patients with ESRD. It was also found that patients with diabetes mellitus gained fewer health benefits per unit of RRF improvement with individualized nutritional therapy. This study provides important information about the treatment effects and factors associated with individual nutritional interventions in a population with ESRD. These results contribute to a better understanding of the effects of nutritional therapy in ESRD and provide a basis for managing it. Further studies should focus on specific populations and potential interventions to improve patient prognosis.

Patterns of career decision-making difficulties in 16 countries: A person-centered investigation.

Classifying clients into career indecision types can facilitate tailoring interventions to each client's specific needs. The present research examined a typology of career indecision on 50 data sets (N = 31,527) representing diverse populations from 16 countries on five continents. Latent profile analyses of participants' responses on the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) revealed seven replicable career indecision types across samples: unmotivated, unrealistic, generally uninformed, occupations-uninformed, conflicted-uninformed, externally conflicted, and internally conflicted. Age emerged as a negligible predictor of career indecision types, whereas gender predicted membership in the unmotivated type, with men twice more likely to be unmotivated than women. The seven types were similarly predictive of career decision status, decision certainty, and decision self-efficacy. These results largely support using the CDDQ to differentially diagnose career indecision types based on 10 causes of career indecision in different countries, life stages, and genders. Classifying individuals based on their patterns of career decision-making difficulties supports tailoring individual career counseling or group interventions to clients' needs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Acceptability and feasibility of a brief intervention to enhance resilience among young people and their families in India and Kenya.

Enhancing resilience is one way to prevent future mental illnesses and encourage recovery in the face of adversity. To develop and test the acceptability and feasibility (A&F) of a combined family and individual resilience intervention in two rural/semi-rural low-income settings in India and Kenya. We developed a five-session intervention including Life Skills Education (LSE) and a model of family resiliency. Among adolescents aged 14-16 years and their families in India and Kenya, we collected socio-demographics and audio records of delivery and undertook a process evaluation. Due to COVID-19, we developed a hybrid intervention. The facilitators and participants preferred the in-person model. India: Of 17 families, 10 fully completed the intervention. They identified three critical components: 1) story-telling, 2) cooperation and working together and 3) expressing feelings. Kenya: All 15 families completed the intervention. Critical elements were 1) seeing social value in learning to make good decisions, 2) promoting an optimistic view of life, 3) hearing stories that resonated with their situation and 4) enhancing family performance through knowledge-building. We mapped the active ingredients, showing fidelity and acceptability. The intervention showed promising A&F parameters. Flexibility and local adaptation were important for delivery.

Improvement trend for individual health guidance intervention according to Japan clinical guidelines by public health nurses for type 2 diabetes mellitus who visited for medical checkups regularly: a case-control preliminary report.

We conducted a retrospective case-control study to assess the efficacy of personalized health guidance interventions on individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. A selection was made of individuals in regular visits to the Takagi Hospital for medical checkups between January 2017, and October 2021. Totally, 108 subjects (cases) with health guidance were divided into 2 groups: one group without pharmacotherapy for diabetes mellitus in medical institutions (n = 92) and another group with pharmacotherapy (n = 116). Cases were provided with personalized health guidance interventions by public health nurses for 30 min, in accordance with the Japanese clinical guidelines for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. Sex- and age-matched controls were chosen from individuals with diabetes mellitus without health guidance. The intervention without pharmacotherapy resulted in improvements in health indicators, including body weight, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and γ-glutamyl trans-peptidase. These positive effects were not observed in the control group without health guidance. The therapeutic effects of health guidance were observed in cases where pharmacotherapy was administered. In conclusion, the implementation of individual health guidance interventions may prove to be effective for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity who regularly attend medical checkups.

Influence of lifestyle habits on the evolution of arterial hypertension in adults

At the Nueva San Rafael Health Center in Esmeraldas, a study was carried out with adults between 35 and 60 years old to evaluate the influence of lifestyle habits on the evolution of high blood pressure. The study used questionnaires and direct observations to collect data and evaluate patients' high blood pressure behaviors through direct observation. The research identified that family history, poor health habits and being overweight were the main risk factors. The findings confirmed the need for early and personalized interventions, especially in populations at high genetic risk. The educational strategies applied were effective in promoting healthy habits and reducing risk factors, which suggests that they can be replicated in other public health programs. Together, a proactive and evidence-based approach was proposed to improve both individual and community interventions. In addition, the need to investigate more about the sustainability and long-term impact of these educational strategies and the contribution to future public policies was identified. It has been concluded that early intervention in the evolution of high blood pressure and the promotion of continuing education is necessary to mitigate risk factors. Therefore, it has become necessary to promote healthy lifestyles, and, consequently, improve the quality of life of adults affected by this prevalent medical condition

Evaluating the Influence of Attitude versus Knowledge and Individual Factor versus Intervention Factor on Information Security Awareness in Local Government

Local government as a public organization that typically collects mass amounts of sensitive data is one of the vulnerable and targeted sectors for information security attacks. The human aspect is the most critical but weak link to information security incidents. Among government organizations, local governments usually have more limited human resources either in number and competencies including information security awareness. This study aims to validate the Information Security Awareness (ISA) model for local government, including confirming the influence of knowledge and attitude on information security behavior, evaluating the stronger predictor between knowledge and attitude toward information security behavior, and analyzing the influence of gender (as an individual factor) and training (as an intervention factor) on the information security behavior. Utilizing the HAIS-Q assessment tool, this study collected responses from 704 employees of 68 departments/units under the government of East Java Province, Indonesia. The results suggest that in the local government context, there is a significant direct relationship between Knowledge of information security and information security Behavior and its indirect relationship via Attitude toward information security behavior. However, Attitude toward information security behavior has a stronger effect on Behavior than Knowledge. This study also suggests significant differences in information security behavior between employees who have trained and those who have not, regardless of gender. The proposed model suggests that to improve Information Security Awareness among employees, local government should focus on improving employees’ Attitudes toward information security behavior, either by improving their Knowledge of Information Security via training or their affective attitude toward information security behavior.

Association of body mass index with dietary intake and self-care health activities of mothers after postpartum: A mixed-method research in Chennai City, India

Background: Overweight and obesity have become serious health problems worldwide, with more than 1.5 billion adults classified as overweight according to the World Health Organization in 2020. Getting overweight after the gestational period is a common phenomenon and getting back to prepregnancy weight is a major challenging concern for mothers. This study aimed to explain the importance of maintaining body mass index (BMI) and evaluate the association of BMI with dietary intake and self-care health behaviors among mothers after the postpartum period. Methods: A mixed-method study was conducted among mothers after the postpartum period having children aged 2 to 10 years old. The current study was performed on a total of 17 mothers who were referred to comprehensive health service centers in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, India. They were purposefully selected according to the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and analyzed using SPSS software for testing the significance of the P value. Results: The majority of mothers (88.23%) were in the category of overweight and obese. The mean age of mothers was 26.53 ± 5.21 years. BMI was strongly associated with the dietary intake of mothers, hindrance in dietary intake of mothers, and self-care activities of mothers since the P-value was &lt;0.01 level of significance. Conclusion: This study reveals that the BMI of mothers has increased compared to prepregnancy. The adherence to the balanced dietary and self-care activity was very low. It is critically important to pay more attention to how individual, organizational, and societal interventions might assist mothers in attaining the target level of BMI.

Effects of Non-Pharmacological Interventions on Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In this study a systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the impact of non-pharmacological interventions on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with coronary artery disease who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing &amp; Allied Health Literature databases up to November 2023. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using R software (version 4.3.2). Eighteen randomized studies, involving 2,898 participants, were included. Of these, 16 studies with 2,697 participants provided quantitative data. Non-pharmacological interventions (education, exercise, and comprehensive) significantly reduced the risk of angina, heart failure, myocardial infarction, restenosis, cardiovascular-related readmission, and cardiovascular-related death. The subgroup meta-analysis showed that combined interventions were effective in reducing the occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI), and individual and group-based interventions had significant effects on reducing the occurrence of MACE. In interventions lasting seven months or longer, occurrence of decreased by 0.16 times, and mortality related to cardiovascular disease decreased by 0.44 times, showing that interventions lasting seven months or more were more effective in reducing MI and cardiovascular disease-related mortality. Further investigations are required to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions in patients undergoing PCI and validate their short- and long-term effects. This systematic review underscores the potential of non-pharmacological interventions in decreasing the incidence of MACE and highlights the importance of continued research in this area (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023462690).

The Effectiveness of Individual and Group Canine-Assisted Interventions in Improving Mental Health in Higher Education Students

The Effectiveness of Individual and Group Canine-Assisted Interventions in Improving Mental Health in Higher Education Students

Lifestyle and mood correlates of cardiometabolic risk in people with serious mental illness on second-generation antipsychotic medications.

Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are high in people with serious mental illness (SMI). This problem is mediated, at least in part, by metabolic side effects of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and by unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. We asked whether oral glucose tolerance testing (oGTT) or hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is superior in identifying people with SMI at high cardiometabolic risk and whether this risk is shaped by mood, cognition, or lifestyle habits. We evaluated 40 patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar disorder receiving SGAs by oGTT, HbA1c, comprehensive metabolic and lipid panels, and CRP. Mood was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and cognition was assessed using the Saint Louis University Mental Status examination. Diet was assessed using the UK Diabetes and Diet Questionnaire (UKDDQ), and physical activity was assessed using daily step counts. Most patients had prediabetes (preDM) or diabetes mellitus (DM), 72.5% by oGTT, and 52.5% by HbA1c criteria. Pulse rates and insulin resistance indices (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance, HOMA IR; Matsuda) were significantly different between patients classified as normal or with preDM/DM, using either oGTT or HbA1c criteria. Patients with preDM/DM by HbA1c but not oGTT criteria also had higher waist/hip ratios, triglyceride, and CRP levels (p<0.05). A strong negative correlation was found between average daily step counts and CRP levels (rho = -0.62, p<0.001). Higher UKDDQ scores, or unhealthier diet habits, were associated with higher fasting plasma glucose (rho = 0.28, p = 0.08), triglyceride levels (rho = 0.31, p = 0.05), and insulin resistance (HOMA IR: rho = 0.31, p = 0.06). Higher PHQ-9 scores correlated with lower 2h-oGTT glucose levels (rho = -0.37, p<0.05). OGTT screening is superior to HbA1c screening in detecting preDM and DM early. Patients identified with preDM/DM by oGTT or HbA1c screening are insulin-resistant and have higher pulse rates. Abdominal obesity, unfavorable lipid profiles, and higher CRP levels were noted in patients screened by HbA1c, but not by oGTT. Low physical activity, low depression scores, and unhealthy diet habits were associated with higher CRP and higher glucose and triglyceride levels, respectively. Future studies should assess the impact of specifically tailored individual lifestyle counseling and medical management interventions in this high-risk population.

A Study On Work Stress Among Cement Manufacturing Workers: An Empirical Analysis

This empirical study investigates the prevalence and determinants of work-related stress among cement manufacturing workers. The cement industry, characterized by physically demanding tasks and potentially hazardous environments, presents a unique context for examining the psychosocial factors contributing to occupational stress. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys and in-depth interviews, to gather comprehensive data on stress levels, job characteristics, coping mechanisms, and their impacts on workers' well-being. The sample comprises a diverse cross-section of cement industry employees, including production line workers, supervisors, and managerial staff, from multiple manufacturing facilities. Quantitative analysis utilizes validated stress assessment tools and regression models to identify significant predictors of work stress. Qualitative data from interviews offer nuanced insights into the subjective experiences and coping strategies of individuals facing various stressors in their work environment. Preliminary findings suggest that factors such as high job demands, limited autonomy, insufficient social support, and safety concerns significantly contribute to heightened levels of work-related stress among cement manufacturing workers. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of individual coping strategies, organizational interventions, and social support networks in mitigating the negative impacts of stress on employee well-being. This research not only contributes to the growing body of literature on occupational stress but also provides practical implications for both management and policy makers in the cement manufacturing industry. Recommendations for targeted interventions, improved work processes, and enhanced support systems are discussed to foster a healthier and more productive work environment for all employees in the sector. This study underscores the need for continued attention to the well-being of workers in physically demanding and potentially hazardous industries.