Levels Of Anxiety Research Articles

Death Anxiety and Its Related Factors in Emergency Medical Technicians in Qom, Iran, in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Background and Objectives: Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the first healthcare providers in the time of crisis. They are exposed to many physical and psychological risks, including death anxiety. The present study aims to investigate the death anxiety level and its related factors in EMTs in Qom, Iran, in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 185 EMTs from the hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Sampling was done by simple random method. The data collection tool was Templer’s Death Anxiety Scale. Data analysis was done in SPSS software, version 23 using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analyses. Results: The mean total score of death anxiety was 6.4±3.05. Based on the results of the multivariate regression analysis, the variables of age, marital status, and work experience could explain 43% of the variance in death anxiety of EMTs (β=0.433, P=0.001). Conclusion: Death anxiety of EMTs in Qom in the post-COVID-19 era is at a moderate level. The factors of age, marital status, and work experience are the predictors of death anxiety in EMTs. It is recommended that older, married, and more experienced EMTs should receive more psychological evaluations and consultations.

Examining the relationship between religious volunteering and mental health screeners among firefighters

ABSTRACT Firefighters experience a high level of traumatic incidents in their work. This high level of exposure puts them at risk for trauma-related symptoms. These trauma symptoms include PTSD, suicide risk, alcohol misuse, and depression, and anxiety. Furthermore, repeated exposure has been found to lead to desensitization, flashbacks, irritability, and PTSD. Exposure to natural disasters may also impact ecospirituality. A survey was designed to include the Life Events Checklist, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, and the SBQ-R. This survey was administered to firefighters from Northwest Florida in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021. Participants were found to have higher levels of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidal risk than the general population. Participants were further asked about their volunteering for religious organization activity. A significant relationship was found between volunteering for religious organization and mental health screeners. Religious volunteering predicted lower levels of PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety. The effect size was small.

Color perception and its relation to dental anxiety in children.

One of the major causes of dental anxiety in children is their first impression of the dental environment. Even minor details, such as the choice of color in a dental setting and the color of dental equipment, can positively influence a child's behavior. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the emotions in children and color combinations in a pediatric setting. The study involved 200 children (99 boys and 101 girls) aged between 6 and 12 years who visited the dental clinics at the College of Dentistry, Jazan University, for the first time between November 2017 and January 2018. The participants were divided into 2 groups based on age. The younger children group included participants aged from 6 to 9 years, while the older children group included participants aged from 10 to 12 years. Anxiety levels were recorded using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. Colored pencils and images of emoticons were provided to all children, who were instructed to color the negative and positive emoticons with their preferred colors. The analysis of anxiety levels among children in both groups revealed statistically significant differences across sexes in the younger age group, with girls being more anxious than boys (p = 0.003). Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed in the choice of colors by children of both sexes in 2 age groups (p = 0.001). Most children were inclined towards bright colors and used them to express their emotions. The incorporation of colors in a dental setting could invoke positive emotions in children. Hence, the use of colors in the workplace has the potential to ease anxiety.

Effectiveness of the re-engineered discharge (RED) care model in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

This study aims to investigate whether the re-engineered discharge (RED) model can significantly improve the quality of life, enhance the health status, and reduce the levels of depression and anxiety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis during hospitalization. This study selected 108 rheumatoid arthritis patients treated at our facility between February 2023 and February 2024. Based on the different treatment methods, these patients were divided into a control group and an observation group, with 54 patients in each group. During hospitalization, both groups received standardized routine care provided by the hospital. After discharge, the control group continued with regular follow-up visits, while the observation group received a more comprehensive and multidimensional extended care based on the RED model. The intervention period for both groups was set to 3 months. The core observation indicators of this study focused on the emotional fluctuations, symptom improvement, and changes in self-care ability of the patients before and after the intervention. After the intervention, the scores of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale in both groups showed significant decreases, with the scores in the observation group being significantly lower than those in the control group, showing a highly significant statistical difference (P < .01). Additionally, the joint pain scores in both groups were alleviated, reflected by shorter morning stiffness times, reduced joint swelling, and increased grip strength. The observation group had lower joint pain scores, shorter morning stiffness times, fewer swollen joints, and stronger grip strength, all of which were statistically significant (P < .01). Furthermore, the distribution of self-care abilities in the observation group showed a significant difference compared to the control group (P < .05), with the observation group having a higher proportion of self-care abilities, which was also statistically significant (P < .05). For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the implementation of the RED model nursing strategy can significantly alleviate negative emotions, reduce the distress caused by symptoms, and markedly improve their quality of life, providing a more comfortable and reassuring treatment experience.

The state of psychological and immunological indicators in graduate students of a medical university

Training future doctors for professional practice usually entails building awareness and embracing the significant responsibility inherent in the field. This, in turn, leads to significant psycho-emotional stress by the time of graduation from academic institution. With the aim of identifying the correlation between homeostatic system indicators, a comparative analysis was conducted to characterize the immunological and psychological parameters of final-year medical university students, contingent upon their respective training programs. The study involved sixth-year students of the Therapeutic and Preventive Faculty [TPF] (29 individuals) and the Military Training Center [MTC] (34 individuals) of Rostov State Medical University, a Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education. The exclusion criteria for all participants included the presence of chronic diseases and any infectious process of any origin within three months prior to the study. The groups were similar in terms of age (23.8±1.82 and 23.9±2.2 years, respectively), gender (all male), and corresponded to health group I. Psychological evaluation was conducted employing the Spielberger–Hanin Scale to gauge levels of personal and situational anxiety. The assessment of immunological status was carried out at the Scientific Research Institute of Clinical Immunology using standard methodological approaches. Registration cards for immunopathology analysis were used to characterize health status over the year. Analysis of the obtained data from psychological questionnaires revealed that students of the Therapeutic and Preventive Faculty, compared to their counterparts from the Military Training Center, demonstrated a higher degree of situational and, particularly, personal anxiety. Differences in the immune response system between the compared groups were identified with regards to indicators that characterize both adaptive and innate immunity. These differences were expressed in a more significant number of circulating regulatory T lymphocytes, a less pronounced lytic potential of effector cells, a greater number of TLR9+ monocytes with a decrease in the proportion of cells of the monocyte series carrying HLA-DR in medical students compared to their counterparts studying in the medical service officers’ program. Thus, the period of psychological preparation in a medical university for the commencement of professional activity varies based on the characteristics of the educational process and proves to be more effective for sixth-year students of MTC. Students from the TPF exhibit more pronounced psycho-emotional stress compared to their counterparts in military medical training, leading to evident signs of immune system dysregulation. It is imperative to develop strategies for timely detection of changes in both psychological and immunological adaptive capacities.

Anxiety, depression, stress, and resilience among undergraduate nursing students at Al-Quds university: the impact of war started on October 7 in Palestine

BackgroundThe current outbreak of war in Palestine on the 7th of October 2023, heightened concerns about mental health and well-being of individuals, particularly undergraduate students in Palestine. Such traumatic experiences and political conflict did affect the social, economic, psychological, and academic status of university students in Palestine, in particular, nursing students. However, resilience is one of the moderators which may positively decrease the severity of those negative war-related symptoms.AimThe study aimed to examine the moderation effect of resilience on the relationship between sociodemographic and personal characteristics and depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate nursing students in Palestine.Design and methodsA quantitative, descriptive-correlational design utilized to investigate anxiety, depression, stress, and resilience among nursing students. A convenience sample of 325 nursing students recruited from Al-Quds University were asked to respond to a self-administered questionnaire.ResultsA total of 325 nursing students participated in this study. The analysis showed that the majority of the participants were experiencing extremely severe anxiety levels (43.7%, n = 142), while 25.5% (n = 83) were experiencing extremely severe depression and 14.5% (n = 47) were experiencing high-stress levels compared to 60% (n = 195) of the students were at their normal resilience level. There were statistically significant differences in the resilience based on sex (t323 = 2.994, p = .003). Knowing that males have higher resilience mean scores (M = 3.06, SD = 0.35) than females (M = 2.93, SD = 0.41) indicates higher resilience in males than females. After performing two steps of hierarchical regression, the results revealed that resilience negatively moderated the relationship between sociodemographics and depression, and anxiety.ConclusionThis study offers valuable insights into the mental health status of undergraduate nursing students in Palestine during the war. The results indicated that resilience is one of the pivotal moderators that may buffer anxiety and depression. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the diverse mental health needs of this population, considering the complex interplay of individual, demographic, and contextual factors. Future research should continue to explore these dynamics and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions promoting mental well-being during conflict.

Cognitive processing biases of social anxiety in adults who do and do not stutter

PurposeAdults who stutter are at risk of developing high levels of social anxiety, leading to negative outcomes and contributing towards stuttering relapse post treatment. To ensure that psychological treatments for social anxiety in stuttering adults are relevant and effective, a broader empirical understanding of the mechanisms of social anxiety in stuttering populations is required. Four key cognitive processing biases identified as maintenance factors in cognitive behavioral models of social anxiety were examined: self-focused attention, safety behavior use, negative self-imagery, and interpretation bias. MethodsAdults who stutter and non-stuttering adults (N = 186) were assessed via an online survey. Participants were categorised into two groups based on stuttering: formally diagnosed stuttering and non-stuttering. Within those groups, participants were further categorised as having low or high levels of social anxiety. Cognitive processing bias was assessed in response to two hypothetical social scenarios (i.e., social interaction and social performance). ResultsAs predicted, in both adults who stutter and who are non-stuttering, high social anxiety was related to greater self-focused attention, safety behavior use and negative self-imagery compared to low social anxiety. No significant effect of social anxiety or stuttering was found in relation to interpretation bias. A significant effect of social anxiety upon negative self-imagery was observed in formally-diagnosed adults who stutter compared to non-stuttering adults. ConclusionThe results support the use of cognitive behavioral models of social anxiety as a framework for research and treatment development within stuttering populations.

Attachment, feeling, and feeding: Associations between caregivers' attachment, emotional and feeding responsiveness, and Children's food consumption

A substantial body of literature links attachment to childhood obesity. However, research on the mechanisms underlying this association is scarce. The present study aimed to test four serial indirect path models to examine whether caregivers' insecure attachment is related to children's food consumption, through its influence on emotional and feeding responsiveness. A total of 352 caregivers of preschool children reported on their attachment orientation, emotional responses to their children's distress, feeding practices, and their children's food consumption. Results showed that caregivers with higher levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety were more likely to use unsupportive emotional responses to children's distress, which predicted the increased use of unresponsive feeding practices, and consequently children's higher sugary and fatty/salty food consumption. Higher levels of attachment avoidance were also associated with children's lower fruit and vegetable consumption through lower use of supportive emotional responses and responsive feeding practices, while higher levels of attachment anxiety were associated with children's lower fruit and vegetable consumption only by lower use of responsive feeding practices. These findings suggest that the influence of insecure attachment on caregivers' emotion regulation may contribute to the use of specific feeding practices that, in turn, affect children's food intake and may have implications for obesity risk.

Dynamics of Heart Rate Variability in the Reflexivity Task at Different Levels of Anxiety

Dynamics of Heart Rate Variability in the Reflexivity Task at Different Levels of Anxiety

Schizotypy 17 years on: Prediction of schizotypic individual differences in midlife.

The picture for the long-term prediction of schizotypic individual difference features in relation to schizotypy assessed earlier in life remains opaque. Whereas schizotypy assessed earlier in life, typically during the late teen years, has been shown to predict nonaffective psychotic illness as well as the presence of nonaffective psychotic features (Chapman et al., 1994; Lenzenweger, 2021), the presence in midlife (mid-30s) of nonpsychotic schizotypic features in those assessed for schizotypy earlier in life remains to be demonstrated. The current study, which reports on a 17-year follow-up study, addresses this void in the schizotypy literature. Seventeen years after an initial psychometric assessment for schizotypy, in a sample of emerging adults (age = 18) with no prior history of psychotic illness, Perceptual Aberration Scale scores predicted elevated schizotypal personality features, increased schizophrenia-related personality disorder features (particularly schizotypal and paranoid), and elevated schizophrenia proneness scores at age 35. This pattern of associations was maintained even after the removal of participants with a diagnosis of nonaffective psychosis. The associations also remained largely unchanged net of state anxiety levels at initial and later assessments. These results support the emergence or maintenance of schizotypic psychopathology features consistent with a model that views schizotypy as the underlying liability for schizotypic psychopathology phenotypes. The results also provide additional support for both the construct validity of the initial psychometric schizotypy measure (Perceptual Aberration Scale) as well as the validity of the psychometric high-risk paradigm. Longitudinal research remains an illuminating and informative approach to understanding the nature of schizophrenia-related psychopathology by utilizing time as an essential scientific lever. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of cervical traction on cervicogenic headache in patients with cervical radiculopathy: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCervical radiculopathy (CR) is a common condition, often associated with cervicogenic headache (CGH), a secondary headache arising from cervical spine disorders. Mechanical intermittent cervical traction (MICT) is frequently prescribed to treat CR symptoms. The purpose of the study was to make a preliminary estimate of efficacy of adding MICT to conventional rehabilitation on CGH in patients with cervical radiculopathy.MethodsA total of 36 CR patients with CGH were randomly allocated to 3 equally sized groups (A, B and C). The treatment consisted of twelve sessions of conventional rehabilitation (4 weeks) combined with MICT (2 kg for group A, 8 kg for group B and 12 kg for group C). Primary outcomes were CGH intensity (visual analog scale) and frequency (days per week). Secondary outcomes were radicular pain intensity (visual analog scale), cervical range of motion (cervical range of motion instrument), proprioception (cervical range of motion instrument) and muscle strength (MicroFET2 dynamometer), handgrip strength (handheld dynamometer), function (Neck Disability Index), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale for KInesiophobia), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depresion questionnaire), and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life). Patients were assessed at baseline, one, three and six months after the beginning of treatment. The post hoc Dunn testing was used to determine which traction load had the better effect on CGH symptoms.ResultsAt one, three and six months follow-ups, Group C exhibited the highest improvement in CGH intensity and frequency compared to the other groups (p = 0.021 and p = 0.023; p = 0.012 and p = 0.01; p = 0.005 and p = 0.005). Both groups C and B showed a significant improvement in radicular pain compared to group A at one month follow-up (p = 0.05).The improvement in group C was significantly better in terms of function (p = 0.049) and anxiety (p = 0.011) at three months and quality of life at six months (Psychological p = 0.046 and Environment p = 0.006).ConclusionsThe blend of conventional rehabilitation alongside 12 kg MICT seems to be efficacious in diminishing both the intensity and frequency of CGH in patients with CR. These advantages appear to last for up to six months following the treatment period, potentially leading to decreased CGH severity and occurrence rates, heightened functionality, reduced anxiety levels, and an overall enhancement in quality of life. These findings are preliminary and require confirmation in larger trials.Trial registrationThe study protocol was retrospectively registered at the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202401838955948). Date of registration is 16/01/2024.

Cancer Caregiver Anxiety Over Time: The Influence of Palliative Care.

Objectives: To explore anxiety experienced by caregivers providing home-based, end-of-life care to patients with cancer. We examined the relationship between caregiver anxiety and receipt of palliative care by the patient. Methods: A case series of terminal cancer patient-caregiver dyads (n = 223) were recruited from oncology clinics in Virginia and Pennsylvania and followed for 12 months or until patient death. Data collected included qualitative, quantitative, and observational data; this analysis utilizes the quantitative data. Longitudinal Latent Growth Models were used to characterize the heterogeneity of primary caregiver anxiety over time. The influence of palliative care on caregiver anxiety over time was assessed. Characteristics associated with membership in the trajectory groups rendered from those models are presented. Results: The majority of caregivers were female (73.9%), white (54.9%), and patient spouses (45.3%). Three classes of caregivers were identified based on their anxiety scores over time (low, elevated, and high). The 2 groups who had elevated and high anxiety had significant increases in anxiety over time. Controlling for patient receipt of palliative care attenuated those increases. Caregivers with the lowest level of anxiety were more likely to be Black, report fewer symptoms of depression or caregiver burden and higher self-rated physical health. Caregivers who were younger reported higher anxiety. Conclusions: Our analysis detected 3 distinct cancer caregiver groups reporting low, elevated, and very high levels of anxiety. Caregivers with elevated or high anxiety also demonstrated increasing anxiety overtime; however increases were attenuated with patient receipt of palliative care. For cancer caregivers with elevated and high levels of anxiety, palliative care buffers further deterioration of their mental health.

Ethnic origin of Israeli Jews and psychological responses to the extreme stress of the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza

IntroductionDiscrimination constitutes a source of stress for minority groups, leading to heightened levels of depression. Discrimination can also elicit positive responses aimed at reducing detrimental impacts. The stress experienced by minority groups may impact their mindset and influence their negative emotional responses. Israeli Jewish society comprised for many years two large communities: the dominant Ashkenazi people, who emigrated from East Europe, and the Mizrahi discriminated minority whose members came from Muslim countries. The Mizrahi minority has become a mainstream community over time, and its size equals the Ashkenazi group. This change raises an interesting issue that has not been investigated empirically: What characterizes the psychological responses to the stress of a formerly discriminated minority?MethodsTwo representative samples responded to a similar questionnaire measuring inhibiting and bolstering coping strategies. The first sample of 930 people participated in this structured survey between October 12 and 19, 2022. No external adversity threatened Israel at that time. The second sample of 1,608 Israeli Jews participated between October 11 and 17, 2023, a few days after Hamas attacked the southern region of Israel, killed more than a 1,000 people, and kidnapped 100. We examine the impact of moderate and extreme stress of war on the maladaptive levels of anxiety and depression. Furthermore, we investigated the shielding psychological coping measures of this former minority, as compared to Ashkenazi group’s response.ResultsResults show that the formerly minority Mizrahi group expresses higher levels of depression, anxiety, and sense of danger under extreme stress compared to the Ashkenazi group. Mizrahi individuals compensated concurrently for these negative emotions by fostering enhanced hope and societal resilience compared to the other group.DiscussionThe main contributions of the present study are (a) Demonstration that psychological responses of descendants of a minority group to highly stressful conditions do not necessarily agree with their current status as a mainstream community. (b) Indicating that the phenomenon of concurrently enhanced negative and positive responses in face of extreme stress is associated with ethnic origin and history. (c) Associating the effects of different socio-demographic variables with the psychological response of the investigated groups to extreme and moderate stress.

Intervention Study on the Impact of Internet-Based Mindfulness Meditation on Depression and Anxiety among University Students

This study explores the effectiveness of internet-based mindfulness meditation interventions in mitigating depression and anxiety symptoms among college students. A total of 72 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: offline mindfulness intervention, online mindfulness intervention, and a control group. The intervention lasted for eight weeks, during which participants' mental health was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Findings revealed that both interventions significantly reduced depression and anxiety levels, with the offline group exhibiting the most pronounced improvement. The online intervention, while slightly less effective, demonstrated considerable potential, particularly in terms of accessibility and scalability. The study highlights the need for future research to refine online intervention techniques by incorporating greater opportunities for interaction, thereby enhancing participant engagement and intervention efficacy. These findings provide empirical support for the broader application of internet-based mindfulness practices in promoting mental well-being among university populations.

A Person-Based Web-Based Sleep Intervention Aimed at Adolescents (SleepWise): Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study.

Adolescents are advised to sleep 8-10 hours per night; however, most do not sleep for this recommended amount. Poor adolescent sleep is associated with detrimental health outcomes, including reduced physical activity, risk-taking behaviors, and increased depression and anxiety levels, making this an important public health concern. Existing interventions targeting adolescent sleep are often unsuccessful or their effectiveness unclear, as they are frequently noninteractive, time-consuming, and lack a strong theoretical foundation; highlighting an urgent need for innovative interventions deemed acceptable by adolescents. The main objective of this study was to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary impact of a web-based person-based sleep intervention (SleepWise) on adolescent sleep quality. Participant incentivization was also explored to understand its impact on engagement, acceptability, and sleep quality. A feasibility trial was conducted to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of SleepWise on adolescent sleep quality, developed based on the person-based approach to intervention development. In total, 90 participants (aged 13-17 years) from further education institutions and secondary schools were recruited for two 2-arm randomized controlled trials. One trial (trial 1) was incentivized to understand the impact of incentivization. Acceptability and sleep quality were assessed via questionnaires, and a mixed methods process evaluation was undertaken to assess participant engagement and experience with SleepWise. Engagement was automatically tracked by SleepWise, which collected data on the date and time, pages viewed, and the number of goals and sleep logs completed per participant. Semistructured interviews were carried out to gain participant feedback. Participants in both trials reported high levels of acceptability (trial 1: mean 21.00, SD 2.74; trial 2: mean 20.82, SD 2.48) and demonstrated similar levels of engagement with SleepWise. Participants in trial 1 viewed slightly more pages of the intervention, and those in trial 2 achieved their set goals more frequently. Improvements in sleep quality were found in both trials 1 and 2, with medium (trial 1) and large (trial 2) effect sizes. A larger effect size for improvement in sleep quality was found in the nonincentivized trial (d=0.87), suggesting that incentivization may not impact engagement or sleep quality. Both trials achieved acceptable recruitment (trial 1, N=48; trial 2, N=42), and retention at 5 weeks (trial 1: N=30; trial 2: N=30). Qualitative findings showed that adolescents lead busy lifestyles, which may hinder engagement; however, participants deemed SleepWise acceptable in length and content, and made attempts at behavior change. SleepWise is an acceptable and potentially efficacious web-based sleep intervention aimed at adolescents. Findings from this study showed that incentivization did not greatly impact engagement, acceptability, or sleep quality. Subject to a full trial, SleepWise has the potential to address the urgent need for innovative, personalized, and acceptable sleep interventions for adolescents. OSF Registries osf.io/yanb2; https://osf.io/yanb2.

The effect of psychoeducation-based intervention on sleep quality and anxiety level in third trimester pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

The effect of psychoeducation-based intervention on sleep quality and anxiety level in third trimester pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

Achievement motivation and mental health among medical postgraduates: the chain mediating effect of self-esteem and perceived stress

IntroductionMedical postgraduates generally experience high levels of depression and anxiety. Previous studies have investigated the impact of various achievement motivations on depression/anxiety among medical students.MethodsThis study focused on self-esteem and perceived stress, examining the internal mechanisms through which achievement motivation affects depression/anxiety. 530 medical postgraduate students (66.04% female and 33.96% male) were administered the Achievement Goal Orientation Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale.ResultsResults indicated that: (1) mastery-approach goals were negatively correlated with depression/anxiety; mastery-avoidance goals were positively correlated with depression/anxiety; performance-avoidance goals positively predicted depression/anxiety; (2) self-esteem mediated the relationship between achievement motivation and depression/anxiety; (3) perceived stress played a mediating role in the relationship between achievement motivation and depression/anxiety; (4) self-esteem and perceived stress played a chain mediating role in the relationship between achievement motivation and depression/anxiety; (5) there was no significant linear correlation between mastery-approach goals and depression/anxiety.DiscussionAlthough this study employed a cross-sectional design and self-report scales, both of which have certain limitations, the findings still hold significant theoretical and practical implications. The research reveals a mediating pathway between achievement goals and mental health, offering new insights into mental health education for medical graduate students.

Investigation of immunosuppressive treatment compliance, dyspnea, anxiety, and depression levels in lung transplant recipients: online interview

IntroductionFollowing lung transplantation (LTx), it is important for recipients to comply with immunosuppressive treatment and cope with related problems. In the post-LTx period, the course of dyspnea and psychological problems it causes in case of progression are not known. Depression and anxiety may develop in recipients after LTx. However, the relationship between this situation and treatment compliance and dyspnea is uncertain.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate dyspnea, anxiety, and depression levels of recipients following LTx and their immunosuppressive treatment compliance.MethodThe study was planned as a descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study. Data were collected on various social media platforms via an online interview, and 65 LTx recipients were included in the sample (n = 65). A Participant Information Form, the Modified Borg Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Immunosuppressive Drug Compliance Scale were employed to collect data. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was found to be 52.60 ± 9.44 years, and 56.9% were male. Forty percent of the participants were dependent on oxygen support, and 32.2% had hypertension. Their dyspnea levels were mild, anxiety levels were moderate, depression levels were high, and immunosuppressive treatment compliance levels were slightly above-average. According to the correlation analysis results, dyspnea was associated with anxiety and depression (p &amp;lt; 0.05). As depression increased, immunosuppressive treatment compliance decreased, and the correlation between the two variables was statistically significant (p &amp;lt; 0.05).ConclusionIn this study, as the severity of dyspnea experienced by LTRs increased, the severity of their anxiety and depression also increased. Additionally, there was an inverse correlation between depression and immunosuppressive treatment compliance. LTRs demonstrated insufficient adherence to their immunosuppressive drug regimens, which is very significant in terms of graft survivability. These results suggest that LTRs should be closely monitored at home.

Relationship between personal anxiety and genes associated with eating disorders in women aged 45-64

Aim. To study the possible relationship between personal anxiety and polymorphic variants of genes associated with eating disorders (rs17782313 MC4R, rs1800497 DRD2, rs9939609 FTO) in women aged 45-64 in Novosibirsk.Material and methods. A random representative sample of women aged 45-64 years (n=1074, mean age, 54,27±0,2 years) was examined in 2003-2005 at the Research Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine, a branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, within the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) project. Personal anxiety was assessed using the Spielberger self-assessment questionnaire included in the protocol of the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease — Optional Psychosocial Study (MONICA-MOPSY), tested at screenings of the World Health Organization (WHO) MONICA program in 1983-1995. The sample for the HAPIEE program was formed at the program data processing center in Prague for each of the collaborating centers in such a way that each respondent was random. From the sample, every second woman (n=537) was selected for genotyping of the FTO rs9939609 variant (n=384); every third woman (n=358) — for genotyping the MC4R rs17782313 (n=279) and DRD2 rs1800497 variants (n=327). Genotyping was performed in the laboratory of molecular genetic studies by the polymerase chain reaction with the analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism.Results. Among women aged 45-64, anxiety was detected in 58,3%, and in 15,9% of women the anxiety level was high. The homozygous genotype C/C rs17782313 of the MC4R gene was more common among women with high anxiety levels (17,5%) than among women with low and moderate anxiety levels (1,8 and 0,8%, respectively; p=0,001). There were no significant differences in the detection rate of the rs1800497 genotypes of the DRD2 gene among women with different levels of anxiety (p&gt;0,05). The frequency of the A/A rs9939609 genotype of the FTO gene was highest among women with high anxiety levels — 29,5%, compared to participants with low and moderate anxiety levels (15 and 15,3%, respectively; p=0,048). The probability of anxiety among carriers of the C/C+C/T genotypes of the MC4R gene was 1,29 times higher than among carriers of the T/T genotype (p=0,001). Among carriers of the A/A rs9939609 genotype of the FTO gene, the anxiety probability was 2,34 times higher than among carriers of the A/T+T/T genotypes (p=0,008).Conclusion. The association between anxiety and genes of eating disorders dictates the need for diagnosis and subsequent treatment of anxiety and its associated consequences.

RELAX (REducing Levels of AnXiety): a study protocol for a parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial evaluating a web-based early intervention for pregnant women with high levels of repetitive negative thinking to prevent escalating anxiety during pregnancy and after birth

BackgroundPerinatal anxiety is common: up to 40% of pregnant women and new mothers experience high levels of anxiety. Given its prevalence, interventions that are low-intensity, highly accessible and cost-efficient, and target modifiable risk factors for anxiety are needed. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT)—such as worrying about ways things will go wrong in the future or ruminating about past negative events—is a risk factor for the development of anxiety. RNT is maintained by the tendency to generate negative interpretations of ambiguous situations.MethodsA parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial will assess the efficacy of adding interpretation training (RELAX) to usual maternity care. Participants (N = 268) will be randomised to (i) 12 sessions of online interpretation training (RELAX) plus usual care, or (ii) usual care alone. We will assess anxiety, depression, RNT, and work and social adjustment at baseline, plus 4, 8 and 36 weeks later.DiscussionShould the intervention result in lower levels of anxiety than usual care, it could be an accessible, cost-effective way to help women who are vulnerable to experiencing anxiety in the perinatal period.Trial registrationISRCTN 12754931. Registered 25th May 2023, prior to recruitment.