Social Domains Research Articles

Longitudinal assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with adult congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery

ObjectiveThe study objective was to assess longitudinal postoperative health-related quality of life among patients with adult congenital heart disease facilitated by a novel electronic medical record–based patient-reported outcomes follow-up platform. MethodsFrom January 2022 to October 2023, 559 patients with adult congenital heart disease underwent cardiac surgery; 491 (88%) completed a 23-element health-related quality of life questionnaire covering 3 domains (physical, mental, and social) yielding 911 assessments. Automated questionnaires via electronic medical record were sent at 7 days preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Nonlinear multiphase mixed effects models and boosting approach using multivariate trees were used to assess longitudinal trends and the relationship among patient characteristics, clinical variables, and health-related quality of life outcomes. ResultsMean age of patients was 53 years (range, 19-86), 238 (43%) were female, 109 (20%) were STAT category 3 or 4, postoperative mortality was 0, and stroke was 4 (0.7%). Diagnosis included hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (276, 50%), anomalous coronary artery (42, 7.5%), congenital aortic valve disease (42, 7.5%), bicuspid aortic valve (64, 12%), and aortic aneurysm (25, 4.5%). Although baseline health-related quality of life scores were below population norms, rapid postoperative increases were seen in physical, mental, and social scores, surpassing population norms between 2 and 6 months. Patients with higher baseline health-related quality of life had higher longitudinal scores. Female patients and those of Black race had higher Area Deprivation Index and lower postoperative physical health-related quality of life scores. ConclusionsPatients with adult congenital heart disease require lifelong medical surveillance and repeated interventions. Our innovative electronic medical record–embedded time-series tool assessing health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery shows improved patient-reported outcomes across mental, physical, and social domains that endure through at least the first postoperative year.

Assessing Chronic Ear Symptoms in Bone-Conduction Hearing Implant (BCHI) Patients Using the Chronic Otitis Media Benefit Inventory (COMBI) Score.

This study aimed to determine improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using a validated disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) questionnaire in patients undergoing bone-conduction hearing implant (BCHI) insertion. A mixed retrospective and prospective correlational study. Single tertiary referral center in the United Kingdom. All adult patients undergoing their first BCHI over 6 years (April 1, 2017, to March 3, 2023). The Chronic Otitis Media Benefit Inventory (COMBI) score (postintervention) and the Glasgow Health Status Inventory (GHSI) (pre-and post-BCHI questionnaire). Improvements were seen across all COMBI domains. The mean total COMBI score was 46.3 (standard deviation = 5.3). Although expected significant improvements were seen in hearing and social domains, there were also notable gains in ear symptoms and reduced medical intervention post-BCHI. There was a statistically significant improvement in all GHSI scores post-BCHI (median total difference 67.1, p < 0.0001). This study reports very favorable outcomes for BCHI patients using two different PROMs: COMBI and GHSI. Although these PROMs complement each other, they also offer different perspectives on the same cohort of patients, with COMBI providing a unique insight into specific ear symptoms. This is the first reported study using this complement of PROMS in BCHI patients and offers further evidence for the wide-reaching improvements BCHI can have for patients.

Thinking politically about social work in child protection and welfare: A radical Reappropriation of the works of Hannah Arendt

This article presents a theoretical exposition of Arendtian political philosophy for child protection and welfare social work. The aim is to better understand and inform social work in the field of child protection and welfare, whilst accounting for the political context of practice. Sustaining the exposition is the view that power-laden child protection systems are ultimately socio-political through their authority to intervene in private family life. This is partly owing to the instrumental power inherent in child protection systems to exert dominance and control over service users and social groups leading to raced, gendered and classed outcomes in child welfare. To unpack the political nature of social work in child protection and welfare, a tripartite conceptual frame of private, public and social domains is derived from Arendt’s philosophical work. This is critically applied to put forward seven propositions for how social work can develop in child protection and welfare, with respect to practice in a socio-political context. Practical implications for future social work include implementing evidence-informed advocacy efforts and conducting empirical research toward preserving balance in social work attention to public and private life.

610. CROSS-BEDDED ANTI-REFLUX ANASTOMOSIS ACHIEVED LESS GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX WITHOUT ADDITIONAL DYSPHAGIA COMPARED TO CONDITIONAL ANASTOMOSIS IN MCKEOWN ESOPHAGECTOMY

Abstract Background Most esophageal cancer patients undergoing Mckeown esophagectomy had severe postoperative gastroesophageal reflux and poor quality of life. A novel anastomosis technique was invented to improve this situation. We conducted this study to investigate the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia, and quality of life (QoL) among patients with esophageal cancer undergoing non-intussuscepted anastomosis and cross-bedded anti-reflux (CAR) anastomosis during Mckeown esophagectomy. Methods Data from patients who underwent Mckeown esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from March 2022 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia, and QoL were measured. We enrolled 218 patients, including 155 patients undergoing non-intussuscepted anastomosis and 63 patients undergoing CAR anastomosis. Propensity score matching was used to provide a balanced cohort consisting of 63 paired cases. Patients’ demographics and clinical data were compared between the two arms. Results Before propensity score matching, there were no significant differences between the two arms in terms of sex, age, body mass index, or comorbidities. Neoadjuvant therapy was the only unbalanced variable. After propensity matching, baseline characteristics were all comparable between them. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 1 (1.6%) patient in the CAR anastomosis arm and in 2 (3.2%) in the non-intussuscepted anastomosis arm. No significant difference was observed in dysphagia severity (P=0.267). 45 (71.4%) patients in the non-intussuscepted anastomosis arm and 60 (95.2%) in the CAR anastomosis arm slept in the supine position (P=0.001). Gastroesophageal reflux was milder in the CAR anastomosis arm (P&amp;lt;0.001). The CAR anastomosis arm was superior to the non-intussuscepted anastomosis arm in the social functioning domain (P=0.004) and financial difficulties domain (P=0.026) of QoL. Conclusions CAR anastomosis achieved sufficient control of gastroesophageal reflux without causing dysphagia. It also improved QoL compared with non-intussuscepted anastomosis. https://1drv.ms/v/s!AmCqlJJZqDPDjRcLYFEgRSPHrUDY?e=1bEAyy

Neural Basis of Pain Empathy Dysregulations in Mental Disorders: A Preregistered Neuroimaging Meta-Analysis

BackgroundPain empathy represents a fundamental building block of several social functions, which have been demonstrated to be impaired across various mental disorders by accumulating evidence from case-control functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. However, it remains unclear whether the dysregulations are underpinned by robust neural alterations across mental disorders. MethodsThis study utilized coordinate-based meta-analyses to quantitatively determine robust markers of altered pain empathy across mental disorders. To support the interpretation of the findings, exploratory network-level and behavioral meta-analyses were conducted. ResultsQuantitative analysis of 11 case-control functional magnetic resonance imaging studies with data from 296 patients and 229 control participants revealed that patients with mental disorders exhibited increased pain empathic reactivity in the left anterior cingulate gyrus, adjacent medial prefrontal cortex, and right middle temporal gyrus but decreased activity in the left cerebellum IV/V and left middle occipital gyrus compared with control participants. The hyperactive regions showed network-level interactions with the core default mode network and were associated with affective and social cognitive domains. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that pain empathic alterations across mental disorders are underpinned by excessive empathic reactivity in brain systems involved in empathic distress and social processes, highlighting a shared therapeutic target to normalize basal social dysfunctions in mental disorders.

Persistent growth-promoting effects of vosoritide in children with achondroplasia are accompanied by improvements in physical and social aspects of health-related quality of life

Purpose: Evaluate the impact of vosoritide on health-related quality of life in children with achondroplasia. MethodsParticipants received vosoritide (15 μg/kg/day) in an extension trial (NCT03424018) after having participated in a placebo-controlled trial (NCT03197766). ResultsThe population comprised 119 participants (mean [SD] age 9.7 [2.6] years). Mean treatment duration was 4 (0.78) years. At year 3, the largest mean (SD) changes were observed in the Quality of Life of Short Stature Youth physical score (5.99 [19.41], caregiver reported; 6.32 [20.15], self-reported) and social score (2.85 [8.29] and 6.76 [22.64], respectively). Changes were greatest in participants with ≥1 SD increase in height z-score (physical: 11.36 [19.51], caregiver-reported [n = 38]; 8.48 [21.83], self-reported [n = 28]) (social: 5.84 [15.45] and 9.79 [22.80], respectively). To determine how domain scores may change with age in untreated persons, models were produced using observational/untreated-person data. A 1-year increase in age was associated with a change of 0.16 (SE, 0.55) and 0.16 (0.50), for caregiver-reported physical and social domain scores, respectively. Self-reported scores changed by 1.45 (0.71) and 1.92 (0.77), respectively. ConclusionThese data suggest that after 3 years of treatment, vosoritide demonstrates a positive effect on physical and social functioning among children with achondroplasia, particularly in children with a more pronounced change in height z-score.

The relationship of neurocognitive and social cognitive performance to social competence and appropriateness on a performance-based social skills assessment in individuals with psychosis and unaffected controls

Social deficits are common in psychosis. The Social Skills Performance Assessment (SSPA) is a performance-based measure used to approximate an individual's social skills. Those with psychosis perform worse than do unaffected controls. Prior work has examined two social skills domains derived from the SSPA: social competence and social appropriateness. Social competence and appropriateness are associated with neurocognition and functioning outcomes. However, no study to date has examined the relationship of social cognition to social competence and appropriateness. We aimed to examine the relationships among different aspects of social cognition and performance-based social functioning and hypothesized that social cognitive performance would be related to social competence and appropriateness. We also hypothesized that after controlling for neurocognition, social cognition would account for unique variance in social competence and appropriateness in separate regression models. Forty-one participants who had experienced psychosis and 42 unaffected controls completed a comprehensive battery of neurocognitive, social cognitive, and social functioning measures. Social competence was associated with neurocognition and some aspects of social cognition, while social appropriateness was only marginally associated with neurocognition. Regression models revealed that social cognition did not account for additional and unique variance in social competence or appropriateness, after adjusting for demographic covariates and neurocognition. Findings suggest that aspects of social functioning performance are differentially related to neurocognitive and social cognitive skills. Social skill interventions may be most effective when targeting both neurocognitive and social cognitive skills in treatment.

Assessment of psychometric properties of the union physio-psycho-social assessment questionnaire (UPPSAQ-70) in a large sample of general hospital psychiatric outpatients

ObjectiveTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Union Physio-Psycho-Social Assessment Questionnaire (UPPSAQ-70) among general hospital psychiatric outpatients. MethodsA total of 2000 participants responded to the survey. Factor analyses were used to test the construct validity of the scale. Convergent validity was evaluated by the correlation between UPPSAQ-70 and symptoms measured using the Chinese versions of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), Somatic Symptom Disorder - B Criteria Scale (SSD-12) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). ResultsThe nine-factor model was supported (χ2 = 8816.395, df = 2309, χ2/df = 3.818, RMSEA = 0.053, CFI = 0.929). The UPPSAQ-70 showed significant correlation with the SAS (r = 0.396, P < .001), SDS (r = 0.451, P < .001), PHQ-15 (r = 0.381, P < .001), SSD-12 (r = 0.324, P < .001) and PSQI (r = 0.220, P < .001). UPPSAQ-70 and its subscales showed good internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.96. ConclusionsThe UPPSAQ-70 was a rating scale with good construct validity and reliability, which can measure overall health in the biological, psychological, and social domains for Chinese psychiatric outpatients, but its convergent validity still requires further empirical research.

Recovery capital profiles among a heterogeneous sample of individuals in recovery from alcohol problems.

Recovery capital (RC) is a framework for conceptualizing the resources individuals use to support alcohol and other drug recovery across social, physical, human, and cultural domains. The goal of this study was to identify subgroups of individuals in recovery with distinct combinations of RC across domains and characteristics of individuals with unique RC patterns. Latent profile analyses investigated patterns in both within-domain amount and variability of RC across each of the four domains using the Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital, a theoretically and psychometrically sound RC measure. The sample included U.S. participants closely reflecting 2020 Census demographics (n = 482, 49% female, 38% racial/ethnic minority, Mage = 42.57) identifying as having resolved a prior problem with alcohol (alone or with other drugs). Latent profile analyses distinguished four RC profiles: Low/Inconsistent (23%), Moderate/Consistent (43%), Moderate/Inconsistent (12%), and High/Consistent (22%). Females and individuals who were unemployed, nonabstinent, and had greater alcohol problem severity were more likely to belong to the Low/Inconsistent profile. Individuals in unassisted recovery were more likely to belong to the Moderate/Inconsistent profile. Older age and more time in recovery were associated with High/Consistent profile membership. Race/ethnicity was not associated with profile membership. These person-oriented analyses elucidate complex patterns of resources that individuals utilize during recovery and individual characteristics underpinning differences across RC patterns. The empirically derived subgroups in this heterogeneous sample highlight multiple combinations of resources that individuals leverage to achieve recovery and indicate characteristics of individuals who may need greater amounts and/or consistency of RC to continue sustaining recovery. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Hyperhomocysteinemia and its effect on ageing and language functions – HEAL study

Hyperhomocysteinemia or high levels (> 15 µmol/L) of homocysteine (Hcy)in the blood has been suggested to affect the brain through vascular and neurodegenerative pathways and potentially impact cognition. The current study aims to explore the association of high homocysteine with cognition and brain volume changes in a cohort of middle and old agedr adults. The study recruited 1296 participants aged ≥ 45 years from Tata Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TLSA), an ongoing cohort study. The participants underwent detailed cognitive assessments using Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) and Computerized Assessment of Adult Information Processing (COGNITO) neuropsychological battery and MR imaging using a 3T scanner. The participants were classified based on the median homocysteine level (16.89 µmol/L) into low Hcy (≤ median) and high Hcy (> median) groups. When adjusted for age, gender, years of education, vitamin B12, folate and dyslipidaemia, Generalised Linear Model (GLM) found a significant association of high Hcy with vocabulary task [β (95% CI) − 1.354 (− 2.655, − 0.052); p = 0.041]. Significant associations was also obtained between cerebral white matter volume and high Hcy [β (95% CI) − 5617.182 (− 11062.762, − 173.602); p = 0.043]. The results suggest that people with high Hcy levels performed poorer in cognitive tasks related to language domain and had lesser cerebral white matter volume. This indicates that homocysteine might have a profound impact on brain structure as well as function.

Language ability in 5–12-year-old children with new-onset epilepsy

Purpose This clinically based study aimed to explore and describe language ability in 5–12-year-old children with new-onset epilepsy. Participants and methods: Twenty-one consecutively recruited children (eleven boys, ten girls) with new-onset epilepsy, were assessed using Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, fourth edition (CELF-4) and additional tests for verbal fluency/word retrieval and phonology. In addition, caregivers rated their child’s speech, language, and communication in everyday context. Based on available tests and clinical observation, an overall evaluation of language ability was made to distinguish children with language disorders and children with language difficulties from those with language abilities within the normal range. Language disorder was diagnosed following the ICD-10 criteria. The cutoff for language difficulties was set at 1 standard deviation below the normative mean on the CELF-4 Core Language Score and additional indices. Results Out of twenty-one children, ten (47.5%) met the criteria for a language disorder diagnosis according to ICD-10. Another five (24%) had language difficulties but did not meet the criteria for a language disorder diagnosis according to ICD-10. Hence a total of fifteen (71.5%) children had an impaired language ability affecting different domains of language, including receptive language, language memory, and semantic processing. The remaining six (28.5%) children had average language ability. Conclusion In this group of children with new-onset epilepsy, a large over-representation of co-existing language disorder and language difficulties was found. The findings suggest that specific language assessments for children with new-onset epilepsy are needed, to ensure that adequate interventions and support can be offered.

Predictors of health-related quality of Life for COVID-19 survivors living in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A repeated Follow-Up after 18 months of their recovery.

The study aimed to explore the key determinants that impact the quality of life (QoL) transformation of those who have recuperated from COVID-19 in the Dhaka metropolis, particularly 18 months post-recovery. RT-PCR confirmed that 1,587 COVID-19 patients from Dhaka were included in the study. The baseline was June - November 2020, subsequently recovered and interviewed 18 months after their initial recovery. The follow-up included 1587 individuals using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. After excluding 18 deaths, 53 refusals, 294 inaccessible participants, and 05 incomplete data entries, we analysed the data of the 1217 respondents. The average physical domain score decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up, whereas a significant increase in average scores has been observed in other domains at the follow-up (p<0.05). GEE equation shows after adjusting for other factors, older age, female gender, higher education, higher family income, hospital admission during COVID-19, and the number of comorbidities were significantly associated with changing individuals' QoL scores. Monthly family income >60000 BDT, being married and having no previous vaccination history are significant in reducing people's QoL scores in the psychological domain. On the other hand, age, employment status, monthly family income, marital status, smoking history, and COVID-19 reinfection were significantly associated with altering an individual's QoL scores in the social domain. The overall QoL of COVID-19 recovered people improved in all domains after 18 months, except the physical realm. Participants' age, employment status, family income, marital status, smoking history, comorbidities, COVID-19 vaccination, and COVID-19 reinfection were responsible for altering people's QoL index.

After-school Clubs: Fostering Protective Factors

Background: Affiliation to gangs becomes analogous to the need for belongingness; a leader or member of the gang can substitute a primary caregiver, or act as a parent figure or a role model. Children and youth associated with gangs lean toward antisocial activities compared to their nongang counterparts. After-school clubs (ASCs) probably demote gang membership providing support in various aspects of self-growth and thereby compassing the need for affiliation. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between risky behavior and gang membership in children and compare the gender differences for the same. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted using purposive sampling approaching the children enrolled in an ASC run for children who had dropped out of the school. The participants were 97 children (male and female) attending the ASC between the age range of 6–18 years. They were assessed on sociodemographic and academic profiles; Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS); and Gang Membership Inventory (GMI). Results: It was observed that the SAEBRS score range of female participants implied “not at risk,” while male participants scored “at risk” scores on social and emotional domains. On GMI, only male participants’ scores showed gang affiliation. The model explained that 76% of the variance in GMI was contributed by the SAEBRS. Conclusion: ASC contributed valuably in integrating a vulnerable population into the productive national mainstream. Affinity with ASC can enhance the protective factors and minimize the risk of gang membership. Studies in the future can explore parental factors and resilience of this population along with socioeconomic factors to delve into risky as well as protective behaviors.

Assessment of Quality of Life of Doctors during Corona Pandemic in a Tertiary Hospital in Dhaka City

Background: Corona pandemic is an event where there is a rupture of the normal life pattern. The healthcare professionals specially doctors had faced an unknown potential threat to life that made them work in an intense and fearful situation. So, their quality of life (QOL) was affected in that pandemic. Objectives: To assess the physical health, psychological, social relationship, and environmental domains of quality of life of doctors during COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary level hospital. Methods: It was a cross sectional study that included 100 doctors who were working during corona pandemic in BSMMU. Then they were interviewed with a semi-structured socio-demographic questionnaire. Quality of life was assessed by validated Bengali version of World Health Organization quality of life scale brief (WHOQOL-BREF). Data analysis was performed by statistical package for social science (SPSS), version-20. Results: Among the four domains, the environmental domain had the lowest score followed by physical health and psychological health domain and the social relationship domain showed a relatively higher score. Besides, environmental health scores of female doctors were significantly higher than those of male doctors. Perceptions of quality of life were significantly poor among doctors who were in current economic struggle (p=0.034) or in fear of future economic struggle (p=0.009). Score of environmental health domain were significantly low among doctors who were in current economic struggle (p=0.0137) as well as in fear of future economic struggle (p=0.015). Conclusion: All domains of quality of life were impaired in doctors during COVID-19 pandemic situation. Among the four domains of WHOQOL-BREF scale, environmental domain was mostly affected. Environmental health of male doctors was worse than female doctors during COVID-19 pandemic. Current as well as fear of future economic struggle in COVID-19 pandemic detrimentally affected perception of quality of life among responded doctors. These also caused poor environmental health among doctors in COVID-19 pandemic. J Com Med Col Teachers Asso Jan 2024; 28(1): 09-13

The contribution of the amount of linguistic exposure to bilingual language development: Longitudinal evidence from preschool years.

This study examined the influence of linguistic input on the development of productive and receptive skills across three fundamental language domains: lexico-semantics, syntax, and phonology. Seventy-one (35 female) Basque-Spanish bilingual children were assessed at three time points (Fall 2018, Summer 2019, Winter 2021), between 4 and 6 years of age, by specifically examining language knowledge and spontaneous language use in each language. A direct impact of the amount of linguistic exposure on the longitudinal growth of lexico-semantic and syntactic abilities was observed in both languages. While phonological skills were not directly influenced by exposure, they were more proficient in the more exposed language. The use of lexically diverse and syntactically rich utterances developed relatively later than language knowledge, both supported by the amount of linguistic exposure.

The Prosumer

In recent years, the concept of the prosumer has garnered extensive attention across various fields, including marketing, energy consumption, and innovation research. This attention is driven by the significant role prosumers play in developing more efficient, sustainable, and health-conscious market systems, propelled by advancements in social and technological domains. Broadly defined, a prosumer is an individual who acts as both a producer and a consumer. Originally coined by Toffler in the 1980s, the term describes individuals who blur the lines between producers and consumers by engaging in the creation of value for their own use or for others. Prosumers are seen as external partners who participate in co-creation processes with organizations, contributing to innovative outcomes and the production of the products and services they consume. The concept of the prosumer, individuals who simultaneously act as producers and consumers, has gained significant attention across various sectors. This entry explores the evolving role and impact of prosumers on sustainability, innovation, and market dynamics. A comprehensive literature review and empirical analysis were conducted to understand prosumer behavior and contributions. The findings reveal that the prosumers’ roles range from significantly enhancing sustainability by generating renewable energy to promoting personalized education via teacher–prosumer models. They also drive technological advancements in fields such as 3D printing and cryptocurrency. The study concludes that prosumers have the potential to foster a more resilient and inclusive economy, although challenges such as regulatory barriers and technological dependencies must be addressed to fully leverage their contributions.

Why Are Social Work Professionals Relevant in Corporate Social Responsibility? A Case of CSR and Non-CSR Projects in India

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is legally mandated in India for corporates to engage in community development. This requires specific skills to design and implement socially impactful development projects. This article discusses (a) the differences between CSR and non-CSR projects and (b) the relevance of social work professionals (SWPs) in CSR in India. Using a qualitative research method, 13 participants from non-governmental organisations and scholars from social science universities with experience in CSR and non-CSR projects were interviewed. The comparative analysis of views relating to CSR and non-CSR projects showed significant differences in the focus of the projects, financial support, processes of due diligence and monitoring and reporting. Non-CSR projects were found to have a better focus on processes of community development; one of the significant reasons being the engagement of professionally trained social workers and domain experts. The article recommends the application of developmental social work through the inclusion of SWPs in making CSR projects people-centric and impactful.

Exploring Risk Perception, Mental Health, Mental Fatigue, Stigma, and the Quality of Life among UAE Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study.

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented serious mental health challenges for healthcare professionals. This study investigated the mental health, mental fatigue, quality of life, and stigma of social discrimination among healthcare workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A correlational, cross-sectional, multi-centric design was employed to collect data from 1383 healthcare workers across various healthcare settings. Participants were recruited using combined cluster and purposive sampling techniques. Standardized questionnaires, including the COVID-19 Pandemic Mental Health Questionnaire (CoPaQ), the Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS), the Social Discrimination Scale-Stigma Subscale (SDS), and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF), were administered to assess the study variables. The results indicated significant mental health impacts, with high average scores for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (9.37 ± 6.74) and positive coping by inner strengths (17.63 ± 5.72). Mental fatigue was prevalent (8.15 ± 8.62), and stigma of social discrimination scored notably (23.83 ± 7.46). Quality of life was the highest in the social domain (65.38 ± 24.58). Significant correlations were observed between mental health subscales, mental fatigue, and quality of life domains. These findings highlight the critical need for targeted mental health support programs, improved social support networks, and personalized interventions to mitigate the mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers. Healthcare organizations can guarantee a resilient workforce that can handle future health crises by giving mental health resources and support systems top priority.

Outcomes of a Day Wellness Program for People With Multiple Sclerosis Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The John A. Schafer, MD Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center (MSAC) conducts wellness programs that include exercise, cognitive stimulation, education, emotional support, and socialization for people with multiple sclerosis and their care partners. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are collected annually. Four-year outcomes encompass the COVID-19 pandemic when some of these programs were offered virtually. Beginning in 2017, baseline data were collected for 110 MSAC day wellness program participants through PRO measures. Of those 110, 52 completed PROs annually through 2021. Outcome measures included the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29); Multiple Sclerosis Self-Efficacy Scale (MSSE-10); Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ); and the Neurology Quality of Life domains of Anxiety, Depression, Emotional and Behavioral Dysregulation, Positive Affect, Cognition, Ability to Participate in and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities, and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities. Analysis using t tests compared baseline with 4-year data. A separate analysis compared outcomes collected in January 2020 and January 2021. Analysis of 4-year data demonstrated statistically significant improvement in MSIS-29 and GLTEQ. Statistically significant improvements noted at years 2 and 3 in the Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities were no longer significant at year 4. Other notable changes included significant decreases in MSSE at year 4 when compared with baseline and year 3. Individuals who participated in a weekly, structured day wellness program showed improvements in self-reported disease impact and physical activity at year 4 vs baseline. Decreases in self-efficacy and social domains were seen, corresponding with disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Further analysis is needed to understand the effects of the pandemic on program participants.

Current Status of Outcomes Reported by Patients With Stroke and an Analysis of Influencing Factors: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Stroke is the leading cause of acquired disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Its rate of incidence, disability, mortality, and recurrence is high, and the patients experience various symptoms of discomfort, which not only affect their rehabilitation function but also reduce their ability to perform daily activities and their quality of life. Nowadays, with the improvement of China's medical standards, patients are increasingly attentive to their quality of life and health status. However, diagnostic techniques and effective treatments for patients with stroke are still limited but urgently required. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life during hospitalization using a stroke patient-reported outcomes (PROs) scale and additionally to recognize potential factors and risk indicators that may impact recurrent events, facilitating early intervention measures. This is a registry-based, retrospective observational cross-sectional study on patients with stroke. A convenient sampling method was used to select various indicators of patients. The Stroke-PRO scale was then used to assess patients' conditions across physical, psychological, social, and therapeutic domains. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to identify factors influencing stroke PROs, while correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between these outcomes and blood lipid levels. The mean Stroke-PRO score in this study was 4.09 (SD 0.29) points. By multiple linear regression analysis, residence, occupation, physical exercise, Barthel index, Braden scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores at admission, and stroke type were the risk factors for reported outcomes of patients with stroke (P<.05). Correlation analysis showed that serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein were negatively correlated with Stroke-PRO scores in patients with stroke (P<.05), while high-density lipoprotein was positively correlated with patients with stroke (P<.05). The 95% CI was -0.31 to -0.03 for triglyceride, 0.17-0.44 for high-density lipoprotein, -0.29 to -0.01 for cholesterol, -0.30 to -0.02 for low-density lipoprotein, and -0.12 to 0.16 for blood glucose. Patients with stroke have a low level of health, and their reported outcomes need to be improved. Accordingly, nursing staff should pay attention to the quality of life and blood lipid indexes of patients with stroke, actively assess their actual health status, and take early intervention measures to promote their recovery.