Levels Of Psychosocial Stress Research Articles

A new predictive scoring model for globus pharyngeus in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Globus pharyngeus is a clinical condition, wherein, a patient senses a lump or a foreign body in the throat with a tightening or choking feeling. A strong association between globus pharyngeus and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was reported. Therefore, we sought to investigate the predictive factors of globus pharyngeus in patients with established GERD and fit a predictive scoring model for globus pharyngeus. In this case-control study, 143 patients having globus pharyngeus along with GERD ( case ) and 109 patients having globus pharyngeus without GERD ( control ) were enrolled. Data comprising demographics, comorbidities, and psychosocial stress levels were recorded. The predictive factors of globus pharyngeus in patients with GERD were unraveled, and a predictive scoring model was fit for globus pharyngeus. Proton pump inhibitor usage in the case group was significantly higher compared to controls (63.63% vs 24.78%, P < 0.001), and differences in Hiatus Hernia and Stress levels were highly significant between the two groups ( P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that variates, Hiatus Hernia, psychosocial stress, and age were highly significant ( P < 0.001) independent predictors of globus pharyngeus. Using the regression coefficients of all the independent predictor variables, a predictive scoring model was fitted, which yielded an area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 78.9. Hiatus hernia, psychosocial stress, and age are significant independent predictors of globus pharyngeus in GERD, and our predictive scoring model may help in identifying patients at higher odds of experiencing globus pharyngeus and modulate treatment accordingly.

Psychosocial characteristics pattern correlated with suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury among nurse staff: a latent profile analysis

BackgroundNurses frequently endure elevated levels of psychosocial stress, which often correlates with an increased suicide risk. This study aimed to investigate the impact of latent psychosocial characteristic patterns on suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury among nursing staff.MethodParticipants were recruited from the Dehong districts of Yunnan province, China, between July 11th and July 26th, 2022. Subgroups were identified using variables linked to suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury, including perceived cognitive deficits, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, resilience, social support, childhood trauma, loneliness, and sleep quality. Measurement tools included the Perceived Deficit Questionnaire-5-item (PDQ-5), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 items (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 items (CD-RISC10), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Three-Item Loneliness Scale, and a single-item sleep quality scale.ResultsLatent profile analysis (LPA) revealed four distinct psychosocial characteristic patterns: “class 1,” “class 2,” “class 3,” and “class 4.” Compared to class 2, individuals in class 1 had a sixfold increased risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 6.59, 95%CI = 4.42–9.81) and a fivefold increased risk of non-suicidal self-injury (OR = 5.13, 95%CI = 3.38–7.78). Similarly, class 4 individuals had twice the risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 2.13, 95%CI = 1.25–3.62) and non-suicidal self-injury (OR = 2.13, 95%CI = 1.25–3.65) compared to class 2. Conversely, class 3 individuals had a lower risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 0.21, 95%CI = 0.11–0.42) and non-suicidal self-injury (OR = 0.15, 95%CI = 0.07–0.36) than class 2. Additionally, divorced/other marital status individuals had a higher risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 2.34, 95%CI = 1.02–5.35) and non-suicidal self-injury (OR = 2.58, 95%CI = 1.01–6.65) compared to married individuals, while unmarried individuals had a lower risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.37–0.91).ConclusionsThe study identified eight important psychosocial factors divided into four latent pattern classes. Individuals in “class 1” and “class 4” were more likely to have a higher risk of suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury, while those in “class 3” were more likely to have a lower risk of both outcomes. It is suggested that further research should focus on “class 1” and “class 4” for targeted intervention.

A study on the influence of a single bout of moderate-intensity exercise on processing bias towards emotional information of individuals with high psychosocial stress levels

AbstractTo explore the impact of a single bout of moderate-intensity exercise on cognitive bias of individuals with high psychosocial stress levels. 42 college students with high stress levels were recruited and divided into a exercise group (N = 21) and a no-exercise group (N = 21). The psychological and behavioral characteristics were studied using word-face stroop task, memory bias task, and interpretion bias task. College students with high psychosocial stress levels have attention bias, memory bias, and Interpretion bias towards negative emotional information, and a single bout of moderate-intensity exercise can increase attention bias towards neutral and positive emotional information, and memory bias towards neutral emotional information, interpretation bias towdrds positive emotional information. A single bout of moderate-intensity exercise can increase the positive cognitive bias towards emotional information, which is beneficial for regulating psychosocial stress levels.

Frequency of psychosocial stress and its relationship to safety attitude towards nurse’s performance at tertiary care hospitals

Background &amp; Objectives: Psychosocial stress has a detrimental effect on nurses’ work performance. A safe working environment is significant in providing nurses with safe and satisfactory care. The objective of study was to assess the frequency of psychosocial stress of nurses and determine the relationship between psychosocial stress of nurses and safety attitude towards nurses’ performances at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi.&#x0D; Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, and Dow University Hospital Karachi for six months, from December 2020 to May 2021. A total 260 participants were approached by a non-probability purposive sampling. Pearson’s correlation was used to establish the relationship between the psychosocial stress of nurses and different parameters of their safety attitude. The Chi-square test was applied for the association between demographic factors of nurses with their psychosocial stress levels. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered as significant.&#x0D; Results: The majority of nurses, 180 (69.2%), described poor health, while 54 (20.8%) had good health, and only 10% (26) of nurses reported their best health status. Three parameters were negatively correlated and statistically significant with psychosocial stress, namely: teamwork (r-0.13&lt;0.002), job satisfaction (r-0.15&lt;0.028), and perception of management (r-0.34&lt;0.000). The result of the study indicated that gender (P-value&lt;0.000), marital status (P-value&lt;0.0037), and institution (P-value &lt;0.005) were significantly associated with safety attitude score.&#x0D; Conclusion: Most of the nurses had poor health, which was significantly related to teamwork, job satisfaction and perception of management, and stress recognition.&#x0D; doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.7913&#x0D; How to cite this: Wahid A, Badil, Washdev, Hussian S. Frequency of psychosocial stress and its relationship to safety attitude towards nurse’s performance at tertiary care hospitals. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.7913&#x0D; This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is associated with reduced psychosocial stress levels in baby boomers: a cross-sectional study.

This study investigated the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet among Korean baby boomers and their levels of psychosocial stress. The study included 1,656 adults (889 men and 797 women) born between 1955 and 1963 who participated in the 2005-2006 survey of the community-based Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). The Mediterranean-type diet score (MTDS) was calculated from the semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) data. The psychosocial stress levels were calculated using the psychosocial well-being index-short form (PWI-SF). Logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the association between the MTDS (tertiles) and the prevalence of high psychosocial stress by gender. The ranges of the MTDS tertile groups were T1 (20-33 points), T2 (34-37 points), and T3 (38-39 points) for men, T1 (20-33 points), T2 (34-37 points), and T3 (38-48 points) for women. In both men and women, the consumption of whole grains, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fish increased with higher MTDS, while the consumption of red meat and dairy products decreased (P for trend < 0.05). As MTDS score increased the intake of energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (P for trend < 0.05). Men in the highest MTDS tertile had a 41% lower odds ratio (OR) of high psychosocial stress compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR, 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.91). Similarly, women in the highest tertile of the MTDS had a 39% lower OR of high psychosocial stress compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40-0.95). Promoting adherence to the Mediterranean diet among baby boomers may have a positive impact on reducing their levels of psychosocial stress.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is linked with heart rate variability during stress in "at-risk" adults.

Physiological mechanisms explaining why cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are incompletely understood. We examined if CRF modifies vagally mediated heart rate variability (HRV) during acute physical or psychosocial stress or night-time sleep in adults with cardiovascular risk factors. Seventy-eight adults (age 56 years [IQR 50-60], 74% female, body mass index 28 kg/m2 [IQR 25-31]) with frequent cardiovascular risk factors participated in this cross-sectional study. They went through physical (treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test [CPET]) and psychosocial (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups [TSST-G]) stress tests and night-time sleep monitoring (polysomnography). Heart rate (HR) and vagally mediated HRV (root mean square of successive differences between normal R-R intervals [RMSSD]) were recorded during the experiments and analyzed by taking account of potential confounders. CRF (peak O<inf>2</inf> uptake) averaged 99% (range 78-126) in relation to reference data. From pre-rest to moderate intensities during CPET and throughout TSST-G, HR did not differ between participants with CRF below median (CRF<inf>lower</inf>) and CRF equal to or above median (CRF<inf>higher</inf>), whereas CRF<inf>higher</inf> had higher HRV than CRF<inf>lower</inf>, and CRF correlated positively with HRV in all participants. Meanwhile, CRF had no independent associations with HR or HRV levels during slow-wave sleep, the presence of metabolic syndrome was not associated with recorded HR or HRV levels, and single factors predicted HRV responsiveness independently only to limited extents. CRF is positively associated with prevailing vagally mediated HRV at everyday levels of physical and psychosocial stress in adults with cardiovascular risk factors.

Effects of Beauty Management Behavior and Body Esteem on Psychosocial Stress Levels of Women in their 40s to 50s in Daejeon

Purpose: This study examines the effects of beauty care behaviors and body esteem on sociopsychological health levels of adult women in their 40s and 50s living in Daejeon.Methods: The data collected in this study were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) WIN 23.0 program. Frequencies and percentages of the collected data were calculated to identify the demographic characteristics of the study subjects, and one-way ANOVA and &lt;i&gt;t&lt;/i&gt;-test were conducted to examine the beauty care behaviors, body esteem, and social psychological health levels of women in their 40s and 50s. Furthermore, a simple regression analysis was conducted to verify the effect of body esteem on sociopsychological health, and a correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between beauty care behaviors and body esteem.Results: In terms of demographic characteristics, education and beauty care expenditure showed a significant value for social psychological health. Higher education (&lt;i&gt;F&lt;/i&gt;=3.9, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;0.05) and beauty care expenditure (&lt;i&gt;F&lt;/i&gt;=4.5, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;0.001) were negatively associated with sociopsychological health. Regarding the relationship between beauty care behaviors and sociopsychological health, the hair item of beauty care behaviors positively measured the level of sociopsychological health in the middle group compared to the lower group (&lt;i&gt;F&lt;/i&gt;=3.3, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;0.05). Moreover, regarding the effect of body esteem on sociopsychological health, higher levels of esteem were negatively associated with lower levels of sociopsychological health (&lt;i&gt;F&lt;/i&gt;=10.3, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;0.001).Conclusion: This study found that higher levels of education, body esteem, and payment for beauty care were associated with poorer sociopsychological health. It is necessary to conduct research on the ultimate beauty intervention program that can intervene in the process and behavior of achieving an ideal appearance through beauty care behaviors and body self-esteem, as well as stress at the sociopsychological health level.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS AND OCCUPATIONAL FATIGUE AMONG COMMUTER LINE TRAIN WORKERS

Introduction: Occupational fatigue affects workers in various industries including transportation. Commuter train drivers and office workers are subjected to high levels of physical and psychosocial stress, which can lead to occupational fatigue. Aims: to examine the relationship between individual, physical, and psychosocial risk factors and occupational fatigue in commuter train workers in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi. Methods: Individual (i.e., age, gender, marital status, type of work, duration of work, and smoking status), psychosocial (i.e., effort, reward, overcommitment, monotonous work, social support, job satisfaction, and work stress) factors, and occupational fatigue were investigated in 78 commuter line train workers (both drivers and officers). Observing workers' activities yielded physical factors (awkward posture, repetitive work, prolonged work, and material manual handling activities). The association between each risk factor and occupational fatigue was investigated using a logistic regression model. Results: Commuter line officers (OR 4.96, 95% CI 1.77 – 13.85), those with high overcommitment (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.25 – 8.00), and those with high work stress (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.19 – 2.00) were more likely to report occupational fatigue than train drivers, who reported low overcommitment and low work stress, respectively. When compared to those who reported low job satisfaction, those who reported high job satisfaction were less likely to report occupational fatigue (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07 – 0.52). Conclusion: Job position, overcommitment, and work stress were associated with occupational fatigue.

The Interdisciplinary Family Consultation in Pediatrics - An Integrative Approach to Complex Burdened Families of Chronically ill Children

For families of chronically ill children with a high level of psychosocial stress, it is necessary to involve child and adolescent psychiatric or psychosomatic specialists directly in the pediatric treatment process. For this purpose, a family consultation was set up in the Heidelberg University Pediatrics as part of a model project, which deals with these families in an interdisciplinary and systemic way. It shows that the implementation of the consultation works despite a high organizational effort and is regularly used. The first evaluation results confirm the already described high levels of psychosocial stress in the affected families. They indicate a positive assessment of the consultation and a desire for a permanent offer. First follow-up results indicate a significant decrease in treatment-related concerns, uncertainty and a reduction in treatment-related problems. The lack of a viable funding model poses a challenge for long-term implementation.

Relationship Between e-Health Literacy and Psychosocial Stress Levels in Adolescents

E-health literacy has positive and negative impacts. The positive impact of e-health literacy can be considered as a guardian of mental health, especially stress. While the negative impact is that the activity of seeking health information can lead to self-diagnosis which can have an impact on behavior, namely triggering anxiety and even stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between e-health literacy and the level of psychosocial stress in adolescents. The design used is descriptive correlation and cross sectional approach. The research sample was 276 adolescents using a stratified random sampling technique. The analysis used is the chi-square test. The results showed that there were 261 people with a good level of e-health literacy (94.6%), as many as 101 people had a moderate level of psychosocial stress (36.6%). Based on statistical tests, there was no relationship between e-health literacy and stress levels. psychosocial in adolescents with p value (0.950) alpha (0.05). Based on the results obtained, it is recommended for future researchers to intervene in adolescents who experience moderate to severe psychosocial stress

Abstract P2075: The Effects Of Maternal Psychosocial Stress During Pregnancy On Offspring Heart Health

Maternal health has a substantial effect on offspring well-being and health. A significant contributing factor to maternal health is psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress results from adverse experiences in everyday life and the inability to cope with them, resulting in anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, it is estimated that ~75% of mothers will suffer a stressful life event the year their infants are born, and upwards of 20% suffer depression. These already high levels of psychosocial stress have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not known if maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy affects offspring heart health. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy on the heart health of offspring. We hypothesize that maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy will have an adverse effect on offspring heart health. Methods: We used a well-established model of maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy- restraint stress. Pregnant dams were stressed by placing them in a 50 mL conical tube (with air holes) for 2 hours / day on gestational days 10-17. Offspring heart health was assessed via echocardiography (Vevo 3100, MX550D transducer). Results: As early as one week of age (equivalent age of infancy in humans), we observed that offspring born to stressed dams exhibited decreased left ventricular fractional shortening. Further analysis using speckle tracking echocardiography was performed on offspring at 4 (equivalent age of juveniles in humans) and 12 (equivalent age of young adult in humans) weeks of age. Our data indicate that offspring from stressed dams had decreased heart performance (measured as stroke volume), remodeling observed as hypertrophy (measured as left ventricular posterior wall thickness at diastole), and diastolic dysfunction (measured as E’/A’). Conclusion: Our data indicate maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy results in blunted left ventricular contractile and diastolic dysfunction in offspring, as well as displays adverse remodeling (i.e., hypertrophy) during infancy and through young adulthood. These data indicate that maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy is detrimental to offspring heart health.

The Impact of Unspecified Anxiety during Pregnancy on the Fetus Development and Childbirth Complications

Introduction: The high levels of chronic psychosocial stress and traumatic experiences faced by the general population of Kosovo in recent decades resulted in a high prevalence of unspecified anxiety (45.17%) among women at the reproductive age. On this psychological ground there are objective hypotheses that fetal growth and childbirth process may be affected. Objective: The purpose of the study is to research the correlation of unspecified anxiety during pregnancy with the intrauterine development of the fetus and complications during childbirth. Method: The research is prospective randomized and after fulfilling the selective criteria included three hundred (300) pregnant women in the second trimester and at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy in the general population of women on Kosovo. Scale of unspecified anxiety was determined with the Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-25). Statistical package for results analysis included software SPSS 12, ANOVA analyses, frequencies, Chi square test, and linear regression analysis. Results: Findings proved that there is no significant correlation between the emotional state of pregnant women and the slowing down of the intrauterine fetal development. However, the study proved the significant correlation between the degree of unspecified anxiety during early and mid-term pregnancy with the degree of cervix effacement at the beginning of the birth act, and with tachycardia in the newborn baby. Discussion: Based on the study results and the data from the literature, these clinical correlations occur based on the interference of unspecified anxiety during pregnancy with neuroendocrine trajectories of pregnancy, fetus and placental functions. Conclusion: Unspecified anxiety during early and mid-term pregnancy may initiate cervix effacement and may cause fetal tachycardia at birth. The obtained results suggest the need for greater care for the emotional state of the woman during pregnancy.

Increased Levels of Psychological Stress and Alterations in Stress Biology during Pregnancy among Women of Turkish-Origin in Germany

People of Turkish origin constitute one of the biggest migrant groups in Germany. They have an increased risk to develop stress-related health disadvantages, and this risk is also prevalent in the offspring generation from early ages on. We have conducted a multi-site prospective cohort study to examine the role of stress and stress biology in this intergenerational perpetuation of health disparities. 140 pregnant women (33 of Turkish origin) participated in a prospective cohort study with two study visits during pregnancy and one after birth (T1: 20-25 weeks of gestation, T2: 30-35 weeks of gestation, T3: four weeks after birth). At T1 and T2, women completed the Perceived Stress Scale and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and collected saliva samples after awakening, 30 minutes after awakening, and in the evening, and venous blood samples were collected for analysis of CRP and IL-6 concentrations. Multilevel models showed that Turkish-origin women exhibited higher levels of perceived stress and depressive symptoms, had increased inflammatory levels (Spallek et al., 2021), a blunted cortisol awakening response and flatter diurnal cortisol slope during pregnancy compared to non-migrant women after adjustment for socioeconomic factors.Some of the effects were mainly driven by 2nd generation migrants. Increased levels of psychosocial stress and stress-related biological alterations among Turkish-origin pregnant women may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of health disadvantages in this group.

Relationship of cortisol and alpha amylase to behavioral engagement under three levels of negative evaluative psychosocial stress

Despite that behavioral engagement is integral to mental health, surprisingly little is known about the relationship of psychosocial stress and behavioral engagement. The current study developed an observer-rated measure of behavioral engagement for lab-based stress inductions, then examined its relationship with stress-responsive biomarkers and affect. Young adults (N = 109, Mage=19.4, SDage=1.59, 57% female) completed one of three Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) conditions—non-stressful Control, Intermediate, or an Explicit Negative Evaluative—and at four timepoints provided self-reports of positive and negative affect and saliva samples for cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA). Trained study staff (experimenters and TSST judges) completed a programmed questionnaire measure of the novel behavioral engagement measure after the participants completed the TSST. Psychometric review and EFA of the behavioral engagement items resulted in a final 8-item measure with good interrater reliability and well-fitting 2-factor structure, capturing Persistence (4 items; loadings=.41–.89), and Quality of Speech (4 items; loadings=.53–.92). Results indicated that the relationship of positive affect growth and biomarker level to behavioral engagement varied substantially as a function of context: As negative evaluation level strengthened, behavioral engagement became more tightly associated with relative preservation of positive affect. For both cortisol and sAA, the relationship between biomarker levels (but not reactivity) and behavioral engagement varied significantly by condition, such that under milder conditions and elevated levels of biomarkers, engagement was greater, but under Explicit Negative Evaluation, and elevated levels of biomarkers, engagement was less, suggesting behavioral withdrawal. Findings reveal the critical role of context—especially negative evaluation—in the relationship of biomarkers with behavioral engagement.

Microbial modulation via cross-fostering prevents the effects of pervasive environmental stressors on microglia and social behavior, but not the dopamine system.

Environmental toxicant exposure, including air pollution, is increasing worldwide. However, toxicant exposures are not equitably distributed. Rather, low-income and minority communities bear the greatest burden, along with higher levels of psychosocial stress. Both air pollution and maternal stress during pregnancy have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, but biological mechanisms and targets for therapeutic intervention remain poorly understood. We demonstrate that combined prenatal exposure to air pollution (diesel exhaust particles, DEP) and maternal stress (MS) in mice induces social behavior deficits only in male offspring, in line with the male bias in autism. These behavioral deficits are accompanied by changes in microglial morphology and gene expression as well as decreased dopamine receptor expression and dopaminergic fiber input in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Importantly, the gut-brain axis has been implicated in ASD, and both microglia and the dopamine system are sensitive to the composition of the gut microbiome. In line with this, we find that the composition of the gut microbiome and the structure of the intestinal epithelium are significantly shifted in DEP/MS-exposed males. Excitingly, both the DEP/MS-induced social deficits and microglial alterations in males are prevented by shifting the gut microbiome at birth via a cross-fostering procedure. However, while social deficits in DEP/MS males can be reversed by chemogenetic activation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area, modulation of the gut microbiome does not impact dopamine endpoints. These findings demonstrate male-specific changes in the gut-brain axis following DEP/MS and suggest that the gut microbiome is an important modulator of both social behavior and microglia.

Is it safe outside? Tales from a home visiting service for families during the COVID pandemic

AbstractA description of a mentalization informed home‐based project, an adaptation of the ECID project (Equipo Clínico de Intervención a Domicilio), into a time‐limited first aid mental health team in response to heightened mental health needs during the COVID Pandemic in Barcelona, Spain is offered. ECID is a project with a developmental psychodynamic understanding of psychopathology and relational dynamics informing a highly flexible treatment approach. This paper describes a focus on the need for clinicians to take an active role whilst adapting to the specific needs and situation of each child and family, instead of continuing to ask them to adapt to what services can or are prepared to offer. Clinical examples are given to illustrate the value of an integrative community approach informed by both systemic and psychodynamic lenses. Specifically, we reflect on the benefits of a mentalization informed approach to working with families during high levels of psychosocial stress for both families and practitioners. We illustrate how of a mentalization informed clinical service can promote and support the development of a therapeutic alliance when internal safety is impacted by a very real external threat. Finally, preliminary data is presented regarding the impact of parental stress and trauma on children and adolescents' adaptation to a potentially traumatic situation as well as their capacity for returning to a progressive development pathway.

“Scanxiety” and a sense of control: the perspective of lung cancer survivors and their caregivers on follow-up - a qualitative study

ObjectivesLung cancer survivors often suffer from physical, emotional and social long-term effects of disease and treatment. Caregivers are also affected by the cancer diagnosis throughout the course of the disease and are frequently burdened by high levels of psychosocial stress. However, little is known about how follow-up care after the completed treatment phase can help to improve long-term quality of life. In the context of patient-centred cancer care, considering the survivors’ and caregivers’ perspectives is an important step toward improving care structures. We therefore explored how lung cancer survivors and their caregivers experience follow-up examinations and their possible psychosocial effects on everyday life in order to shed light on what support is helpful for improving their quality of life.Material and Methods25 survivors after curative lung cancer treatment and 17 caregivers underwent a face-to-face semi-structured, audio-recorded interview that was analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsEspecially burdened cancer survivors and caregivers described recurring anxiety before a follow-up appointment influencing their everyday life. At the same time, follow-up care also provided reassurance of still being healthy and helped regain a sense of security and control until the following scan. Despite possible long-term consequences in everyday life, the interviewees reported that the survivors´ psychosocial needs were not explicitly assessed or discussed. Nevertheless, the interviewees indicated that conversations with the physician were important for the success of “good” follow-up care.ConclusionAnxiety surrounding follow-up scans, also known as “scanxiety”, is a common problem. In this study, we expanded on previous findings and found a positive aspect of scans, namely regaining a sense of security and control, which can strengthen the psychological well-being of the survivors and their families. To optimize follow-up care and improve the quality of life of lung cancer survivors and caregivers, strategies to integrate psychosocial care, like the introduction of survivorship care plans or increased use of patient-reported outcomes, should be explored in the future.

Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on Yemeni healthcare workers: A Web-based, Cross-sectional Survey

ABSTRACT Yemeni healthcare workers (HCWs) experience high levels of psychosocial stress. The current study provides a psychosocial assessment of Yemeni HCWs during the COVID19 pandemic and the factors that influence this. Between 6 November 2020, and 3 April 2021, 1220 HCWs inside Yemen self-reported levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression and quality of life using a web-based, cross-sectional survey. According to the findings, 73.0%, 57.3%, 49.8%, 53.2%, and 85.2% of all HCWs reported moderate or severe stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a lower quality of life, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between stress and anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores, as well as anxiety and insomnia and depression, and insomnia and depression (p < 0.001). There was also a significant inverse relationship between wellbeing scores and stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores (p < 0.001). A high percentage of respondents (85.8%) were 40 years old or younger and 72.7% had fewer than 10 years’ experience, suggesting that experienced medics leave Yemen for safer and more secure jobs elsewhere. Psychosocial support to assist in building resilience to the prevailing conditions may need to be embedded in medical school training and continuing professional development to help support HCWs within Yemen and prevent even more from leaving the country.

Trends in Health Behavior of Polish Women in 1986-2021: The Importance of Socioeconomic Status.

In the last 35 years Poland has undergone a series of fundamental economic, social, and biological transformations. With the transition from a centrally planned to a free-market economy, a period of economic and social transformation, Poland's accession to the European Union, and the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, living conditions in the country have seen dramatic changes. The aim of this study was to assess whether there were changes in the basic health behaviors of Polish women, and if so, in what directions and with what strength, and whether there were differences in these changes depending on the socioeconomic status. Information on basic lifestyle factors (drinking alcohol, smoking, coffee drinking, and physical activity) and socioeconomic status (level of education, Gini coefficient, Gender Inequality Index, women total employment, employed women being in managerial positions, women among scientists) of 5806 women aged 40-50 years were analyzed. During the 1986-2021 period, based on the same methodology, team of technicians and research tools, six birth cohorts of women were examined in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2006, 2019 and 2021. Highly statistically significant changes were found in the frequencies of declared health behaviors from 1986-2021, according to the order of significance in coffee and alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, and smoking and smoking intensity. In subsequent cohorts, there were fewer and fewer women who did not drink coffee and alcohol, while more drank more than two cups of coffee a day and drank alcohol more often than 2× a week. Furthermore, they were more likely to be physically active, and slightly fewer were smokers. The lifestyles of the women were less likely to depend on their socio-economic status than the cohorts. In 1991 and 1996, there was a marked intensification of unhealthy behavior. Changes in the analyzed health behaviors may have been caused by adaptation to the high level of psychosocial stress observed during the transition of the 1986-2021 period and may result in changes in the biological condition and quality and length of life of Polish women. Research on social differences in health behavior provides an opportunity to analyze the biological effects of changes in the living environment.

The Role of the Stress Response in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Psychoneuroendocrineimmunology-Based Perspective.

The novel term metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), which has been proposed to describe the major cause of hepatic disease, pinpoints the coexistence of multiple metabolic disturbances and liver steatosis, giving rise to different phenotypic manifestations. Within the psychoneuroendocrineimmunological (PNEI) network that regulates body-mind interactions, the stress response plays a pervasive role by affecting metabolic, hormonal, immune, and behavioral balance. In this perspective, we focus on chronic psychosocial stress and high levels of cortisol to highlight their role in MAFLD pathogenesis and worsening. From a PNEI perspective, considering the stress response as a therapeutic target in MAFLD allows for simultaneously influencing multiple pathways in the development of MAFLD, including dysmetabolism, inflammation, feeding behaviors, gut-liver axis, and dysbiosis, with the hope of better outcomes.