Levels Of Psychosocial Stress Research Articles

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.

Pregnant nurses' experiences of working shifts: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

The proposed systematic review will synthesize the experiences of nurses working in any shifts during pregnancy. Nurses are among the most burdened health care workers and are at risk of diseases of the circulatory system due to prolonged standing. For pregnant nurses, this could reduce blood circulation and blood flow to the uterus and placenta. Contributing factors include long working hours and frequent heavy lifting, which may induce uterine contractions and premature birth; irregular shifts, which exacerbate fatigue; and high levels of psychosocial stress. There is no qualitative evidence as to what nurses are experiencing while working shifts when pregnant. This review will evaluate and integrate the current available findings related to the experience of shift-working nurses who are pregnant. This review will include qualitative studies focusing on the experience of shift work among pregnant nurses. No language or date limits will be applied. All types of pregnancy among nurses will be included. The databases to be searched will include CINAHL (EBSCOhost), MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), and Igaku Chuo Zasshi (the Japan Medical Abstracts Society). Sources of gray literature will include MedNar and DANS, as well as the websites of the American Nurses Association and the Japanese Nursing Association. Study selection, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis will be performed independently by 2 reviewers. The synthesized findings will be graded according to the ConQual approach for establishing confidence in findings. PROSPERO CRD42022309674.

A matter of habit? Stressful life events and cognitive flexibility in 15-month-olds

Exposure to chronic stress is associated with habitual learning in adults. We studied the origins of this association by examining the link between stressful life events and infant cognitive flexibility. The final sample consisted of N = 72 fifteen-month-old infants and their mothers. Mothers completed a survey on pre- and postnatal negative life events. To assess chronic stress physiologically, infant and maternal hair cortisol concentrations were determined for cortisol accumulation during the past 3 months. Each infant participated in two cognitive tasks in the laboratory. An instrumental learning task tested infants’ ability to disengage from a habituated action when this action became ineffective (Seehagen et al., 2015). An age-adequate version of the A-not-B task tested infants’ ability to find a toy at location B after repeatedly finding it at location A. Correlations between cortisol concentrations and postnatal negative life events (number, perceived impact) did not yield significance. Infant and maternal hair cortisol concentrations were not correlated. Infants’ ability to shift to a new action in either task, controlled for acute stress, correlated neither with pre- and postnatal negative life events nor with cortisol concentrations. Taken together, these results indicate that the potential link between long-term stress exposure and cognitive flexibility might not be present in samples with low levels of psychosocial stress.

Clinico-psychological profile and life quality of patients with post-COVID syndrome

To study clinico-psychological profile and life quality of patients with post-COVID syndrome. We examined 162 patients aged 24-60 years with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection which having symptoms that served as the basis for the diagnosis of post-COVID syndrome. Patients underwent general neurological and somatic examination with allocation of the corresponding neurological syndromes. The intensity and quality of pain were assessed using the McGill Pain questionnaire. The level of psychosocial stress was determined by the Holmes-Ray questionnaire, the identification and severity of asthenia - by the MFI-20 asthenia scale. The level of reactive and personal anxiety was studied according to the Spielberger-Khanin questionnaire, depression - according to the Beck scale. The assessment of life quality was carried out using the Russian version of SF-36 questionnaire. To correct the identified disorders, Mexidol was used according to the scheme: 500 mg once daily intravenously for 14 days, followed by Mexidol FORTE 250 750 mg per day orally (250 mg 3 times a day) for 2 months. The course of treatment with Mexidol in patients with post-COVID syndrome led to decrease in the severity of subjective and objective symptoms, asthenic, anxiety and depressive disorders, and improved the life quality of patients. The high efficacy and safety of sequential therapy with Mexidol (injections followed by tablets of Mexidol FORTE 250) has been shown.

Correlation between clinical severity and quality of life in moderate to severe psoriasis patients: Real-world evidence

Background/Aim. Psoriasis is a chronic multisystem, inflammatory, and immune-mediated dermatological disease of a relapsing nature. Not only does it affect objective parameters such as skin and joints, with different intensity involvement and with changes and the degree of changes, but it also significantly affects the health-related quality of life (QoL). The aim of the study was to determine the clinical severity and QoL of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and examine the association between those parameters before and after the treatment. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 183 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe psoriasis. The severity of the clinical picture was determined by calculating the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) by a dermatologist, while the QoL was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire and psoriasis-related stress by the Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory (PLSI). Disease severity and QoL were measured at the baseline visit and after the 16th week of therapy. Results. The average PASI score at the beginning of therapy was 23.1 ? 6 .5, while after 16 weeks, this value was 4.36 ? 4.86. The DLQI score was 20.8 ? 5.0 at the start of therapy and 6.20 ? 6 .16 after 16 weeks, while the PLSI score was 35.37 ? 8.84 initially and 12.75 ? 12.82 after 16 weeks of therapy. A strong correlation was found between PASI and PLSI scores (r = 0.702, ? &lt; 0.001) in the 16th week of therapy, while the correlation between DLQI and PASI scores was moderate (r = 0.683, ? &lt; 0.001). No significant differences between PASI and DLQI scores were found (r = 0.080, ? = 0.284) nor between PASI and PLSI scores (r = 0.109, ? = 0.140) at baseline. Conclusion. Patients with severe psoriasis experience a significant reduction in their QoL, accompanied by a high level of psychosocial stress. Observed improvements in QoL have shown a moderate correlation, while lower levels of psychosocial stress have strongly correlated with the severity of the clinical presentation, which may indicate a complex interaction between psychological factors and physical health in patients with psoriasis.

Genetic and socioeconomic modulation of biomarkers

AbstractIntroductionIdentification and measurement of biomarkers has become a key component of much research in the neurodegeneration field, particularly in research linking psychosocial stressors and brain health. Socioeconomic position may influence neurodegeneration through several pathways, including behaviors and psychosocial stress levels, both of which may influence biological markers of inflammation, coagulation, and adhesion. Underserved populations, particularly from low‐to‐middle‐income countries in Latin America (LMICs), are more likely to have experienced poor, chronic stress due to discrimination, limited educational and occupational opportunities, and minimal access to social support and health care. All of these factors can modify neurodegenerative disease risk and clinical progression of dementia, in part through changes in immune function. Complicating matters, few studies have characterized inflammatory biomarker levels in LMICs, where biological and environmental exposures likely modify immune profiles. Finally, the effect of complex genetic admixture on both baseline and disease‐associated inflammatory biomarker levels remains underexplored, greatly limiting the generalizability of dementia biomarkers (beta amyloid, tau, neurofilament) that were largely developed in homogenous populations.MethodWe propose to review the existing evidence and present our ongoing study fostered in the Multi‐Partner Consortium to Expand Dementia Research in Latin America (ReDLat) cohort divided into three groups: participants with Alzheimer´s Dementia (AD), participants with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), and controls. We will comprehensively assess gene and protein expression measures of immune function in blood to identify single and combined measurements that provide sensitive and specific distinction between AD and FTD and all cases from controls. In addition, we will assess the modulatory effect that social determinants of health (SDOH) have on these biological biomarkers.Expected ResultsOur expected outcome is to understand how SDOH contribute to gene and protein expression measures of immune function and how they modify the gold standard biomarkers of disease and risk for AD and FTD in Latin America.ConclusionsNew opportunities for identifying novel diagnostic and therapeutic inroads may be easier to detect in Latin American populations that display a greater environmental and genomic diversity, while simultaneously elucidating potential strategies for reducing health disparities in Americans who face similar SDOH challenges.

Traditional and Non-traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Disease in Women with Psoriasis.

Women with cardiovascular disease are underdiagnos-ed, undertreated and under-represented in research. Even though the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among patients with psoriasis is well establi-shed, only a few studies have examined women with psoriasis. This study examined the prevalence of cardio-vascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease among women with psoriasis. Using the Copenhagen City Heart Study and the Copenhagen General Population Study, 66,420 women were included in a cross-sectional design. Of these, 374 (0.56%) women had hospital-diagnosed psoriasis. Women with vs with-out hospital-diagnosed psoriasis had higher odds ratios of having traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertriglyceridaemia, smoking, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and low physical activity, and of having non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including low level of education, high level of psycho-social stress, and low-grade inflammation. Compared with women from the general population, the multi-variable adjusted odds ratio of heart failure and ischaemic cerebrovascular disease in women with hospital-diagnosed psoriasis was 2.51 (95% confidence interval 1.33-4.73) and 2.06 (1.27-3.35). In conclusion, women with hospital-diagnosed psoriasis have a higher prevalence of traditional and non- traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and increased risk of heart failure and ischaemic cerebrovascular disease, even after adjusting for these cardiovascular risk factors.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and other psychological factors in pregnant women giving birth during the first wave of the pandemic

BackgroundThe onset of mental illness such as depression and anxiety disorders in pregnancy and postpartum period is common. The coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting public policy responses represent an exceptional situation worldwide and there are hints for adverse psychosocial impact, hence, the study of psychological effects of the pandemic in women during hospitalization for delivery and in the postpartum period is highly relevant.MethodsPatients who gave birth during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (March to June 2020) at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Würzburg, Germany, were recruited at hospital admission for delivery. Biosamples were collected for analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and various stress hormones and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In addition to sociodemographic and medical obstetric data, survey questionnaires in relation to concerns about and fear of COVID-19, depression, stress, anxiety, loneliness, maternal self-efficacy and the mother–child bonding were administered at T1 (delivery stay) and T2 (3–6 months postpartum).ResultsIn total, all 94 recruited patients had a moderate concern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at T1 with a significant rise at T2. This concern correlated with low to low-medium general psychosocial stress levels and stress symptoms, and the women showed a significant increase of active coping from T1 to T2. Anxiety levels were low and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale showed a medium score of 5 with a significant (T1), but only week correlation with the concerns about SARS-CoV-2. In contrast to the overall good maternal bonding without correlation to SARS-CoV-2 concern, the maternal self-efficiency correlated negatively with the obstetric impairment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionObstetric patients` concerns regarding SARS-CoV-2 and the accompanying pandemic increased during the course of the pandemic correlating positively with stress and depression. Of note is the increase in active coping over time and the overall good mother–child-bonding. Maternal self-efficacy was affected in part by the restrictions of the pandemic.Clinical trial registration DRKS00022506

Oral community health worker-led interventions in households with average levels of psychosocial factors.

IntroductionHousehold-level psychosocial stress levels have been linked to child tooth brushing behaviors. Community health worker (CHW) interventions that target psychosocial factors in high-risk communities have been associated with changes in health behaviors.AimObserve changes in psychosocial factors over time and an association between psychosocial factors and CHW intervention dose amongst urban Chicago families.Patients and methodsParticipants (N = 420 families) were recruited from 10 community clinics and 10 Women, Infants, or Children (WIC) centers in Cook County, Illinois to participate in a clinical trial. Research staff collected participant-reported psychosocial factors (family functioning and caregiver reports of depression, anxiety, support, and social functioning) and characteristics of CHW-led oral health intervention visits (number, content, child engagement) at 0, 6, and 12 months. CHWs recorded field observations after home visits on household environment, social circumstances, stressors, and supports.ResultsParticipants across the cohort reported levels of psychosocial factors consistent with average levels for the general population for nearly all measures. Psychosocial factors did not vary over time. Social functioning was the only measure reported at low levels [32.0 (6.9); 32.1 (6.7); 32.7 (6.9); mean = 50 (standard deviation)] at 0, 6, and 12 months. We did not observe a meaningful difference in social functioning scores over time by exposure to CHW-led intervention visits (control arm, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 visits). Field observations made by CHWs described a range of psychosocial stress related to poverty, language barriers, and immigration status.ConclusionThe unexpectedly average and unchanging psychosocial factors over time, in the context of field observations of stress related to poverty, lack of support, immigration status, and language barriers, suggests that our study did not adequately capture the social determinants of health related to oral health behaviors or that measurement biases precluded accurate assessment. Future studies will assess psychosocial factors using a variety of instruments in an attempt to better measure psychosocial factors including social support, depression, anxiety, functioning, trauma and resilience within our urban population. We will also look at neighborhood-level factors of community distress and resilience to better apply the social ecologic model to child oral health behaviors.

A Comparative Study on Psychosocial Stress among Male and Female Adults (40-60years) of District Mandi, H.P.

Stress is a state of physical and psychological strain which imposes demand for adjustment upon the individual. It is common features in all our lives. Psychosocial stress is the result of cognitive appraisal of what is at stake and what can be done about it. In the study, “A comparative study on psychosocial stress among male and female adults (40-60years) of district Mandi. A quantitative research approach and comparative design was used to assess the level of psychosocial stress among male and female adults. Total sample of study were 100 male and female adults. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the sample. A self-structured psychological and psychosocial stress scale were prepared to assess the level of psychosocial stress among male and female adults. The result of the study were significance association between the psychosocial stress with educational and occupational status in males lies between moderate level which influence the level of psychosocial stress i.e. 44(88%) in males and 24(48%) in females. The study concludes that male and female adults have moderate psychosocial stress.

Maasai women hearing voices: Implications for global mental health.

There is a sparse literature on women who hear voices globally, even though there are documented gendered dimensions of distress in the context of globalization and climate change and research indicates that trauma and psychosocial stress may be related to an increased prevalence of voice-hearing or auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). There is also a gap in the cultural phenomenology of voice-hearing in general, as well as idioms of distress for non-western peoples. This article presents results of a mixed methods study that: 1) estimated community prevalence of voice-hearing among Maasai women in northern Tanzania; 2) examined any demographic correlates and two specific hypothesized correlates (i.e., psychological stress and potentially traumatic events); and 3) engaged women in semi-structured interviews about their everyday lives and the phenomenological experience of voice-hearing. The prevalence of voice-hearing (39.4%) in this nonclinical sample (n = 71) was quite high compared to other studies in sub-Saharan Africa. Most women also reported high psychosocial stress and traumatic life events. They also talked about gendered conditions of social adversity in a context of rapid social, economic, and climate change. Women who reported hearing voices had a statistically significantly higher level of psychological distress, met criteria for severe psychological distress, and reported more potentially traumatic life events. In a logistic regression model, psychosocial stress predicted voice-hearing. The presence of distressing voices may offer a straightforward way to quickly identify people in the community experiencing the most extreme levels of psychosocial stress and traumatic events-a potentially simple but effective screening tool for health workers on the ground.

Perspectives of Psychosocial Risk Factors in Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: The acknowledgment that psychosocial risk factors contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular malady has driven to the improvement of a new field of behavioral cardiology. The starting driving force for this field was considers performed within the 1980s and 1990s that given epidemiological prove and a pathophysiological premise for a solid connect between a number of psychosocial chance components and cardiovascular illness, counting misery, uneasiness, threatening vibe, work stretch, and destitute social support. In later a long time, extra psychosocial hazard components have been recognized, counting negativity; other shapes of chronic stress, such as childhood abuse and injury, and the mental stretch that will be related with constant medical ailment; need of life reason; and the disorder of “vital exhaustion,” which comprises of a set of three of fatigue, demoralization, and crabbiness. Objective: To determine the Perspectives of Psychosocial Risk factors in Cardiovascular Disease Material and Methods Study design: Quantitative cross sectional Settings: Niazi welfare foundation teaching hospital Sargodha Duration: Three months i.e. 1st January 2022 to 30th March 2022 Data Collection procedure: Cross sectional was conducted on 100 patients. Data was collected by validated questionnaire. The informed consent was taken from all the patients having cardiovascular disease included in the study. Each patient demographic profile was recorded. Psychosocial risk factors included wealth and personal life style stress was calculated. Validated questionnaire was administered to check the stress at home and at work. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 22. Results: The total number of patients was 110 in which 92 were males and 50 females. According to age 10 patients was in 30-40 age group, 52 was in 41-50, 40 was in 51-60 and 8 was above 60 year of age. The different level of stress as low moderate and high was calculated against Educational, Area and Marital status of patients. Conclusion: Physical and psychosocial chance components at work may act freely to extend dangers or they may too associated to encourage increase the dangers of self-detailed back disorders. There is critical need of developing measuring tool for assessing psychosocial stress level. Keywords: Stress, Psychosocial factor, Behavioral Cardiology, Cardiovascular disease.

Association of Heart Rate Variability with the Psychosocial Stress Level in Men 41-44 Years Old Living in Moscow

Aim. Research of the association of heart rate variability (HRV) with the level of psychosocial stress (PS) and other indicators of the risk of cardiovascular diseases in a sample of 41-44-year-old men living in Moscow.Material and methods. A total of 299 men aged 41-44 years were examined. The study included a clinical examination and a survey using a standard questionnaire. The categorization of risk factors (RF) for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was carried out in accordance with generally accepted criteria The psychosocial stress was assessed using the Reeder scale. Depending on the psychosocial stress level, all surveyed men were divided into 3 groups by terciles: group 1 (3,28-4,0 points) – mild stress, group 2 (2,71-3,14) – moderate stress, group 3 (1,28-2,57) – severe stress. The analysis of HRV was performed on the basis of a short recording of an electrocardiogram using the original software package.Results. Nonparametric ANOVA showed that the mean [M (95% CI)] values of the HRV time domain (SDNN, rMSSD and the state of regulatory reserves) were lower in the group of men with high PS compared with the group with low PS [25.3 ms (20.9-29.7) versus 40.5 ms (30.7-50.3), p=0.007; 29.5 ms (24.6-34.3) versus 49.5 ms (36.7-62.3), p=0.030; and 46.7 (44.7-48.6) versus 49.7 (48.1-51.4), p=0.019; respectively]. On the contrary, the mean values [M (95% CI)] of the integral indicators of HRV (SI and IVR) were higher in the group of men with high PS [635.8 c.u. (556.2-715.4) versus 488.9 (423.8-554.1), p=0.005; 1172.6 (1045.1-1300.1) versus 904.7 (790.0-1019.4), p=0.003; respectively]. The results of correlation and multiple regression analysis confirmed that these HRV indicators are statistically significantly associated not only with PS, but also with other indicators (age, waist / hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure). However, their predictive value turned out to be low, and the proportion of the explained variance of HRV indices ranged from 2.5 to 13.1%.Conclusion. The weakening of the autonomous regulation of the heart rate with a decrease in the activity of the parasympathetic link, the activation of the central circuit of regulation with the prevalence of sympathetic influences, a decrease in the functional reserves of the heart rate regulation system are associated with an increase in the level of PS and other indicators of the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Emotional and personal characteristics of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and their influence on development of functional dizziness

Aim. To study the emotional and personal characteristics of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and their impact on the development of functional dizziness (FD).Materials and methods. 93 patients with BPPV were examined. Patients were twice examined (immediately after BPPV treatment and 1 month follow up) with scales: dizziness (DHI), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), somatic symptoms scale (PHQ-15), Holmes – Rahe Stress Inventory, Leonhard – Schmishek personality accentuation test, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and Agoraphobic Cognitions Scale.Results. Seventeen (18%) patients had FD1 month after BPPV treatment (FD+ group), 76 patients had no dizziness (FD– group). Immediately after BPPV treatment patients FD+ group had more hight results of DHI (57 [49; 68] vs 49 [33; 61], p = 0.035), GAD-7 (13 [7; 15] vs 4 [2; 7]), p &lt; 0.001) and PHQ-9 (9 [6; 13] vs 5 [3; 11], p = 0.025). One month after BPPV treatment, the level of depression in the FD+ group was higher (4.5 [4; 11] vs 3 [1; 6], p = 0.049), but the level of anxiety decreased and became comparable with the FD– group (p = 0.2). In the FD+ group had found higher rates of anxious personal accentuation (15 [12; 18] vs 12 [9; 15]; p = 0.020), anxious sensitivity (55.5 [43; 68.5] vs 36.5 [22.5; 53.5]; p = 0.010), as well as agoraphobia (11 [9; 18] vs 6 [2; 9], p = 0.003). The level of psychosocial stress did not differ between the groups.Conclusion. Anxiety-depressive reaction is common in patients with BPPV. Anxiety and depression decrease after successful treatment with repositioning maneuvers. High levels of anxiety and depression, personal anxiety and anxiety sensitivity may be predictors of the development of functional dizziness.

Psychosocial and Physical Predictors of Stress in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study.

Currently, university students are at a high risk of stress due to university adjustment, educational interruption, and alterations in daily life because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the relationship of psychosocial and physical factors with stress in university students during the pandemic. Demographic, psychosocial, physical, and self-perceived stress level information were obtained from 409 Thailand university students. A multiple regression analysis was performed, with stress level as the dependent variable and gender, age, study period, study program, social support, self-esteem, health literacy, health behavior score, sedentary behavior, and physical activity (PA) as independent variables. Most participants had moderate stress levels (68.9%), high self-esteem (83.9%) and social support (66.5%), fair health literacy (41.1%) and health behavior (32%), sedentary lifestyle (85.3%), and PA-levels lower than 600 min per week (57.46%). The regression analysis showed that 45.7% of the variability in stress level was predicted by self-esteem, study period, social support, travel domain of PA, and health behavior. COVID-19 and the attendant restrictions resulted in moderate levels of stress in Thailand university students. High self-esteem, long duration of study, great social support, and having healthy behavior may contribute to the prevention of stress in this population.

Psychosocial Work Stress and Health Risks - A Cross-Sectional Study of Shift Workers From the Hotel and Catering Industry and the Food Industry.

PurposePsychosocial work stress, and shift and night work are considered risk indicators for impaired health. Using the effort-reward (ER) model, it was possible to examine which relationships exist for shift workers between clusters (CL) of different levels of psychosocial work stress and overcommitment (OC) and cardiovascular or psychological health indicators, and which predictive value is evident in individual health indicators to explain the clusters.MethodsThe data were collected as part of an occupational health prevention program. The analysis sample consisted of 199 shift workers from alternating shift systems with and without night work (43%) (average age: 40 ± 12 years, men: 47%). Psychosocial work stress was recorded using the ER imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. To determine the clusters, ERI and OC were entered into a cluster analysis. Blood pressure, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, PROCAM score (risk of a heart attack within the next 10 years), sporting activity, and smoking were included as cardiovascular indicators, psychological wellbeing (GHQ-12) and inability to recovery (IR) (FABA) as psychological health indicators. Shift system, sex, and age were entered into the statistical analyses as control variables. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify health-related predictors to explain the ER-OC clusters.ResultsThree different ER-OC clusters emerged: low-stress: 36%, normal: 44%, risk: 20%. While normal psychosocial work stress is present in the low-stress and the normal CL, in the risk CL 28% of the shift workers show a health-endangering ERI and 48% show an excessive OC. No significant cluster-specific differences were determined for the cardiovascular health indicators. Rather, the known sex and age effects were confirmed and the shift system had no significant effect. Significantly more shift workers in the risk CL had impaired psychological health (18 vs. 1/6%) and an IR (52 vs. 0/12%) than in the low-stress and normal CL. IR turned out to be the strongest predictor of the explanation for the ER-OC clusters (49%).ConclusionIR could be assigned an independent diagnostic value for the assessment of psychosocial work stresses and discussed as a new component of occupational health screening concepts for shift workers. Independently of this, the health indicators signal an urgent need for occupational health prevention and care.