Lower Anxiety Scores Research Articles

Circulating sex hormones in women with severe anxiety during pregnancy

Introduction. Anxiety, mood- and stress-related behaviors are regulated by sex hormones in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Very scarce information exists about the role of sex steroids in pregnant women displaying high levels of anxiety. Objective. To determine sex hormones serum levels in pregnant women exhibiting high levels of anxiety symptoms. Method. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS/ HAM-A) was used to assess the intensity of anxiety symptoms in third-trimester pregnant women. Two groups were included in the study, pregnant women exhibiting severe anxiety (ANX; HARS scores ≥ 25; n = 101) and healthy control subjects (CTRL; n = 40) displaying lower scores for anxiety (HARS scores ≤ 7). Estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and testosterone (T) serum levels were measured using a standard chemiluminescent immunoassay. Bivariate and partial correlations were performed to detect significant associations between groups, clinical measures, biochemical data, and HARS scores. Results. The anxiety group (ANX) showed an increase in E2 and T serum levels (p () .001) compared to CTRL. Conversely, significantly lower P4 levels were found in the symptomatic group (p () .001) as compared to the CTRL hormone values. The P4:E2 index was significantly reduced in pregnant women with high levels of anxiety (p () .001). Negative correlations between anxiety (HARS) scores, P4 serum levels (p = .02), and P4:E2 ratio (p = .04) were found in the symptomatic group. Conversely, T serum levels displayed a positive association (p = .001) with high levels of anxiety symptoms in the same group, after adjusting our data by clinical confounders. Discussion and conclusion. Serum levels of sex-steroid hormones are altered in pregnant women exhibiting severe anxiety.

Communication is The Key: Does Strategic Perioperative Counseling Decrease Anxiety in Parents of The Pediatric Patient Undergoing Surgery?

Introduction: Anxiety is very common during the perioperative period. Anxiety among the parents of pediatric patients undergoing surgery is also encountered frequently despite the preoperative counseling which is a common standard of practice. The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of strategic perioperative counseling to relieve the anxiety among the parents of pediatric patient posted for surgery.
 Objectives: To measure the impact of the implemented communication strategies on anxiety levels experienced by parents.
 Methodology: This is a randomized observational cross-sectional study. After the approval of IRC, A total of 100 samples was chosen. The samples were randomly divided into two groups, control group (group1) and intervention group (group 2). The control group were counselled as per standard practice at preoperative time. The intervention group were counseled at 3 points namely preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative). The beck anxiety inventory score (Nepali version) will be handed to the family members of the patient undergoing pediatric surgery to be filled post operatively.
 Results: The intervention group where the family members received strategic counselling had lower anxiety scores than the group which received only standard counselling (preoperative). The education level of the sample was also correlated. The data suggests that higher education level had lower anxiety score than the ones who had lower education level.
 Conclusion: We conclude that strategic perioperative counseling decreases the anxiety among the parents of pediatric patient undergoing surgery.

My home-my castle? Self-reported anxiety varies in relation to the subjective evaluation of home environment.

Although people spend most of the day in their home environment, the focus of research in environmental psychology to date has been on factors outside the home. However, it stands to reason that indoor quality likewise has an impact on psychological well-being. Therefore, the present study addresses the question of whether the subjective evaluation of home environmental parameters are related to self-reported anxiety and whether they can additionally explain variance beyond the usual sociodemographic and general lifestyle variables. Data from the Hamburg City Health Study (first 10,000 participants) was analyzed. A subsample of N = 8,886 with available GAD-7 anxiety data was selected, and hierarchical regression models were computed, with demographic data entered first, followed by variables concerning lifestyle/habits and finally variables of the subjective evaluation of home environment. Using the integrated model, we were able to explain about 13% of the variance in self-reported anxiety scores. This included both the demographic, lifestyle, and subjective evaluation of home environment variables. Protection from disturbing night lights, a greater sense of security, less disturbing noises, brighter accommodations, and a satisfactory window view explained almost 6% of the variance and was significantly associated with lower anxiety scores. The home as a place of refuge plays an increasingly important role as home office hours rise. It is therefore crucial to identify domestic factors contributing to people's mental well-being. The subjective evaluation of one's home environment has proven influential over and above modifiable lifestyle variables.

Personal and family factors for emotional distress in adolescents with chronic disease.

Physical and psychological comorbidity is a challenge for public health, especially in the adolescent stage due to the difficulties of this age. The salutogenic perspective emphasizes general psychological resources such as self-esteem but also highlights the role of contextual factors such as family members in promoting health. From this perspective, the objective of this study was to analyze the joint influence of demographic factors (sex, age and type of chronic disease), personal factors (self-esteem and perception of threat of the disease) and family factors (affection and communication, psychological and behavioral control) of risk of emotional distress (anxiety-depressive symptoms) in chronically ill adolescents. The study is a cross-sectional design with 495 adolescents with chronic disease aged 12-16 years. In order to obtain the results, a linear methodology was used to compare means and perform regressions to predict belonging to the anxiety and depression typologies. Four typologies were constructed: typology I (high anxiety and depression scores); typology II (high anxiety and low depression scores); typology III (low anxiety and high depression scores) and typology IV (low anxiety and depression scores). The results were consistent with the salutugenic theory. Potential mediating or moderating roles of age, sex, self-esteem, perceived threat and psychological and behavioral control marked the differences between the typologies. This population could benefit from interventions focused on family flexibility.

Remote Delivery of the Cuidándome Telehealth Intervention for Self-Management of Depression and Anxiety Among Latina Immigrant Women: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Growing evidence suggests that Latina immigrant survivors of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at increased risk for developing and remaining with either depression or anxiety or both symptoms. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a telehealth intervention-Cuidándome (quee-DAN-doh-meh, "taking care of myself"). Cuidándome is a 10-week, patient-centered, trauma-informed intervention delivered by a trained facilitator that promotes self-management of depression and anxiety symptoms through improved problem-solving skills and strategies. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of Cuidándome delivered remotely (via Zoom) with Latina immigrant ACE survivors with either depression or anxiety or both symptoms. We also estimated the effect sizes associated with the intervention on decreasing depression and anxiety symptoms and improving social problem-solving styles. We evaluated Cuidándome using a randomized controlled trial design. Latina immigrants (N=47) who had experienced at least 1 ACE and had at least mild depression or anxiety symptoms were randomized to Cuidándome or a comparison group delivered by trained facilitators. We assessed for changes in depression and anxiety symptoms as well as social problem-solving styles at baseline, post intervention, and 3- and 6-month follow-up. Analyses indicated significant decreases over time within both Cuidándome and comparison groups for depression and anxiety symptoms and maladaptive problem-solving. The intervention effect was largest for anxiety; at 6-month follow-up, Cuidándome participants had significantly lower anxiety scores than the comparison group. In addition, we observed a greater average point reduction in depression symptoms at 6 months among Cuidándome participants (5.7 points) than in the comparison group (3.7 points). A mental health program delivered via Zoom by a trained facilitator was feasible and acceptable to Latina immigrant women and can be beneficial for reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. More research is needed to assess the effectiveness of Cuidándome among a powered sample size of Latina immigrants. ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN16668518; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN16668518.

Effects of aromatherapy with Matricaria chamomile essential oil on anxiety and hemodynamic indices in patients with acute coronary syndrome, 2021: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPatients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) experience high levels of anxiety that may cause instability of hemodynamic indices, increased risk of ischemia, myocardial infarction and poor quality of life. Aromatherapy can affect patients’ anxiety levels and improve hemodynamic indices. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy on anxiety and hemodynamic indices in ACS patients.MethodsThis study was a double-blind, randomized clinical trial conducted on 154 ACS patients. The participants were classified into two equal groups of intervention and placebo through the block randomization method. The data collection tools consisted of demographic information, a shortened 6-item version of the Spielberger questionnaire and a form of hemodynamic indices. For two consecutive nights, the intervention group inhaled 7 drops of the chamomile essential oil (%10) and the placebo group inhaled 7 drops of the sesame oil poured on a sterile cotton ball. The hemodynamic indices were collected half an hour before, one and four hours after the intervention until the next morning. The Spielberger questionnaire was completed once before the intervention and once after the end of the intervention, by the researcher through an interview. The number of heart rate (HR) was counted for a full minute. Also, the blood pressure (BP) of all the samples was measured by the researcher. Data analysis was done using Chi-square, paired t-test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS22.ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of the age of patients were 58/2 ± 11.6 and 59.7% of them were female. The results of ANOVA showed a significantly lower anxiety score as well as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and HR in the intervention group compared to those of the placebo group (P < 0.001). The decrease in anxiety score after the intervention, in the intervention and placebo groups was (5.2 ± 1.9) and (1 ± 1. 18) respectively. In the intervention group, the SBP and DBP after the intervention, was significant (P < 0.05). Also, the HR was significant (P < 0.001) after the intervention.ConclusionsAromatherapy could reduce anxiety and improve hemodynamic indices in ACS patients.Trial registrationIRCT20080825001083N11.

Did a workplace sugar-sweetened beverage sales ban reduce anxiety-related sugar-sweetened beverage consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Workplace sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) sales bans can reduce SSB consumption. Because stress and anxiety can promote sugar consumption, we examined whether anxiety among hospital employees during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with changes in SSB consumption and explored whether this relationship varied by exposure to a workplace SSB sales ban. In a prospective, controlled trial of workplace SSB sales bans, we examined self-reported anxiety (generalised anxiety disorder-7) and self-reported SSB consumption (fluid ounces/d) before (July 2019) and during (May 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital sites in two conditions (four with SSB sales bans and three without sales bans) in Northern California. We sampled 580 participants (hospital employees) from a larger trial of sales bans; all were regular consumers of SSB (minimum 3/week at main trial enrollment). This subsample was chosen based on having appropriately timed data for our study questions. Across conditions, participants reduced SSB consumption over the study period. However, participants with higher pandemic-era anxiety scores experienced smaller reductions in SSB consumption after 9 months compared with those with lower anxiety scores (β = 0·65, P < 0·05). When the sample was disaggregated by sales ban condition, this relationship held for participants in the control group (access to SSB at work, β = 0·82, P < 0·05), but not for those exposed to an SSB sales ban (β = 0·42, P = 0·25). SSB sales bans likely reduce SSB consumption through multiple pathways; buffering stress-related consumption may be one mechanism.

The impact of internet multidisciplinary continuity care on the living quality of home-based patients with malignant tumors undergoing PICC catheterization.

To evaluate the impact of Internet-based multidisciplinary continuity care on the quality of life of home-based patients with PICC catheters for malignant tumors. This study is a retrospective research analysis. A total of 131 patients with malignant tumors who received PICC catheterization at Xijing Hospital from Jan. 2023 to Dec. 2023 were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: 61 in the control group who received conventional nursing care, and 70 in the observation group who received multidisciplinary continuous nursing care via an Internet platform in addition to conventional nursing. The Strategies Used by Patients to Promote Health (C-SUPPH), the Quality-of-Life Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), the Exercise of Self-care Agency Scale (ESCA), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were adopted for investigation and analysis. Six months after intervention, the two groups' ego-efficacy, living quality, self-care ability and psychological status, as well as treatment compliance and satisfaction with care were compared. Post-intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in ego-efficacy and self-care ability scores (all P<0.05). The observation group scored higher in all dimensions of ego-efficacy and self-care ability compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the observation group demonstrated significant improvements across all dimensions of quality of life (P<0.05), whereas the control group only showed improvement in social function (P<0.05). The observation group also exhibited lower scores for anxiety and depression post-intervention compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Additionally, the observation group had a significantly lower incidence of complications and higher post-intervention treatment compliance and satisfaction with nursing (P<0.05). Multidisciplinary continuing nursing care delivered via an Internet platform significantly enhances self-management efficiency, quality of life, and self-care ability of home-based patients with PICC catheters for malignant tumors. This care model also effectively improves patients' mental health and increases their compliance with treatment and satisfaction with nursing.

Fatores associados ao escore de ansiedade de mães surdas e ouvintes

ABSTRACT Purpose To associate maternal anxiety with sociodemographic factors, breastfeeding practices, oral habits, and the child’s entry into daycare among deaf and hearing (non-deaf) mothers. Methods This retrospective comparative cross-sectional study included 116 mothers (29 deaf and 87 hearing) of children aged between two and five years. Deaf mothers belonged to a reference center in the city, while hearing mothers were contacted in public daycares where their children were enrolled. Mothers underwent interviews covering socio-economic factors and child development-related aspects. Additionally, they completed the Brazilian Beck Anxiety Inventory, adapted for both deaf and hearing individuals, serving as instruments to assess anxiety. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Kruskal Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson Regression were employed for statistical analyses (p&lt;0.05). Results Deaf mothers exhibited anxiety scores one and a half times higher than hearing mothers. Moreover, mothers of children with thumb-sucking habits showed higher anxiety scores, while mothers whose children started attending daycare as infants demonstrated lower anxiety scores compared to mothers of children without such habits and who did not attend daycare. Conclusion Deaf mothers displayed higher anxiety levels when compared to hearing mothers. Children’s behaviors, such as thumb-sucking habits, and early enrollment in daycare during the first year of life influenced maternal anxiety.

Factors associated with the anxiety score of deaf and hearing mothers.

To associate maternal anxiety with sociodemographic factors, breastfeeding practices, oral habits, and the child's entry into daycare among deaf and hearing (non-deaf) mothers. This retrospective comparative cross-sectional study included 116 mothers (29 deaf and 87 hearing) of children aged between two and five years. Deaf mothers belonged to a reference center in the city, while hearing mothers were contacted in public daycares where their children were enrolled. Mothers underwent interviews covering socio-economic factors and child development-related aspects. Additionally, they completed the Brazilian Beck Anxiety Inventory, adapted for both deaf and hearing individuals, serving as instruments to assess anxiety. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Kruskal Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson Regression were employed for statistical analyses (p<0.05). Deaf mothers exhibited anxiety scores one and a half times higher than hearing mothers. Moreover, mothers of children with thumb-sucking habits showed higher anxiety scores, while mothers whose children started attending daycare as infants demonstrated lower anxiety scores compared to mothers of children without such habits and who did not attend daycare. Deaf mothers displayed higher anxiety levels when compared to hearing mothers. Children's behaviors, such as thumb-sucking habits, and early enrollment in daycare during the first year of life influenced maternal anxiety.

Analysis of the effect of music therapy on psychological anxiety relief based on artificial intelligence recognition

Abstract In order to improve the accuracy and reliability of EEG emotion recognition and avoid the problems of poor decomposition effect and long time consumption caused by manual parameter selection, this paper constructs an EEG emotion recognition model based on optimized variational modal decomposition. Aiming at the modal aliasing problem existing in traditional decomposition methods, the KH algorithm is used to search for the optimal penalty factor and the number of decomposition layers of the VMD, and KH-VMD decomposition is performed on the EEG signals in the DEAP dataset. The time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear features of IMFs under different time windows are extracted, respectively, and the Catboost classifier completes the construction of the EEG emotion recognition model and emotion classification. Considering the two conditions of the complexity of the network structure of the KH-VMD model and the average classification accuracy of different brain regions in different music environments, the WEE features of the target EEG can constitute the optimal classification network by taking the WEE features of the target EEG as the input of the KH-VMD classification model. At this time, the average classification accuracy that can be obtained with differentiated brain regions and differentiated music environments is 0.8314 and 0.8204. After 8 weeks of music therapy, the experimental group’s low anxiety scores of pleasure and arousal on the Negative Picture SAM scale were 3.11 and 3.2, which were significantly lower than those of the control group’s low-anxiety subjects. The experimental group with high anxiety had anxiety scores and sleep quality scores that were 5.23 and 3.01 points lower than before the intervention. Therefore, music therapy can effectively alleviate psychological anxiety and enhance sleep quality.

Anxiety Symptoms in a Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Self-Reported Study

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many aspects of people’s lives, including their mental health. To better understand its impact, the current study looked at how demographic features and beliefs about the pandemic influenced anxiety during this time. Participants included 221 residents of Michigan who predominantly identified as female and White. They completed the Adaptation to Social Stress Questionnaire, a 105-item self-report questionnaire developed to assess participant characteristics, ability to adapt to stress and opinions, beliefs, and experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and two measures of anxiety (the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale). Pearson product-moment correlations and independent samples t-tests were used to determine the relationship between anxiety and other study variables. Results show that religious affiliation and older age were associated with lower anxiety scores while living in the subjects’ close environment as an infected individual was associated with increased anxiety. Interestingly, thinking someone was to blame for the pandemic, being angered by official message regulations, and not thinking lockdown measures were sufficient increased anxiety. This latter finding implies that, consistent with clinical theory, our beliefs about events are connected with our emotional experiences. Recommendations for clinical practice are noted, as it is imperative for clinicians to be consistent and direct regarding any protocol changes that may help minimize client anxiety. Lastly, considerations regarding transparent communication from leaders of organizations that are adjusting their policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

Effect of humanised care on the surgical site wound infection after caesarean: A meta-analysis.

Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the effect of humanised care on maternal postoperative wound infections in patients who underwent caesarean section. A computerised search of Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang database was performed, supplemented by a manual search from database inception to September 2023, to collate randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the application of humanised care during the perioperative period of caesarean section. Two researchers screened and selected studies identified according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the included literature was evaluated for quality, extracted information and required data. Data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Twenty RCTs comprising 2408 patients were included. The results revealed the humanised care group had a lower incidence of postoperative wound infections (0.83% vs. 4.32%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.46, p < 0.00001) and fewer postoperative complications than the conventional care group (4.32% vs. 16.35%, OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.16-0.31, p < 0.00001), with lower anxiety scores (standardised mean difference [SMD]: -3.15, 95% CI: -3.90 to -2.40, p < 0.00001) and depression scores (SMD: -3.68, 95% CI: -4.49 to -2.88, p < 0.00001). The application of humanised care during the perioperative period of caesarean section can prevent postoperative wound infection, reduce postoperative complications and help alleviate maternal anxiety and depression, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

The Effect of Child Preference for Parental Selection on Pediatric Anxiety During Induction in Children Undergoing Elective Day Case Surgery

PurposeThe aim of the study was to determine if children were given the right to prefer one parent to accompany them during the perioperative period would impact their anxiety levels. DesignProspective observational cohort study. MethodsThe study included 80 children of both genders, aged 4 to 12 years, who underwent day-case surgeries in the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic of Karaman Training and Research Hospital. The patients were separated randomly into two groups of 40. In Group 1, children were asked which of their parents would accompany them during general anesthesia induction, and in Group 2, the child’ preference was not asked, and "accompanying parent" was randomly selected by the physician. The anxiety level of the children was evaluated with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) both in the preoperative waiting area and during the anesthesia induction. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to determine the anxiety level of their parents. FindingsThe mean mYPAS score during the induction of anesthesia of Group 1 was significantly lower than that of Group 2 (38.1 vs 45.2; P = .034). There was no difference between the two groups in the mean mYPAS scores evaluated in the preoperative waiting area (38.0 vs 39.1; P = .761). The mean anxiety scores of the parents evaluated using the STAI were similar in both groups, with higher scores between mothers compared to fathers at all measurement times. No difference was determined between the two groups regarding the mean mYPAS scores according to the gender of the child during the perioperative period (P > .05). There was a significant decrease in the mean STAI scores in the preoperative waiting area with an increase in parent’s education level (P = .011), but the educational level had no effect on the scores during the induction of anesthesia. ConclusionsSignificantly lower anxiety scores were recorded during the induction of anesthesia for the children who had a chance to select their accompanying parent before surgery. Thus, the overall interaction between the child and the parent before the perioperative period may be accepted as an important factor for the reduction of anxiety during anesthesia induction.

Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group intervention for the treatment of anxiety in family carers of people with dementia: an exploratory randomised controlled trial

AbstractBackgroundThe prevalence of anxiety symptoms is estimated to be equal to or higher than the prevalence of depressive symptoms in family carers of people with dementia. However, anxiety is currently somehow neglected in the carer literature. Previous studies demonstrated that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective for treating anxiety symptoms in family carers of people with dementia, but these studies were mainly conducted in developed countries. The current study explored the effectiveness of an ACT group intervention on the anxiety symptoms in Brazilian family carers of people with dementia.MethodA single‐centre, unblinded, double‐arm exploratory randomised trial was conducted. Fifty‐seven family carers of people with dementia presenting with mild to severe anxiety symptoms were randomised to the intervention group (n = 29) or waiting list group (n = 28). The intervention group received eight weekly sessions of Group ACT, delivered through videoconference. Participants completed the measure of anxiety and depressive symptoms, caregiver burden, psychological flexibility and quality of life at Week 0, Week 9 and Week 20. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate whether there was a significant difference in scores between the intervention and control groups, at week 9 and week 20, while controlling for the baseline scores using both intention‐to‐treat and completers data analyses.ResultParticipants were mostly women, from low‐ to middle‐income socioeconomic levels, with a mean age of 52 years and median education of 15 years. Participants in the intervention group had lower scores of anxiety and depression symptoms compared to participants in the control condition at weeks 9 and 20 in both the intention‐to‐treat and completer analyses. Only participants who attended six or more sessions (i.e. completer sample) demonstrated reduced caregiver burden at both follow‐up points. The completer sample also showed improvement in quality of life at week 9. The results did not show any effect of the intervention on psychological flexibility.ConclusionThis study provides evidence supporting the use of group ACT, delivered through videoconference, with family carers of people with dementia to help them cope better with anxiety and depressive symptoms.

The effects of community-based home health care on the physical and mental health of older adults with chronic diseases.

This study aimed to explore the effects of community-based home health care (HHC) on the physical and mental health of older adults with chronic diseases in China. The study data were retrieved from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Ordinary least squares regression model was used to assess the effects of community-based HHC on the health. Entropy balancing was used to test the robustness of the regression results. A total of 5571 older adults with chronic diseases were included. The results showed that older adults who had received community-based HHC reported significantly better self-rated health (coefficient = 0.051, 95%CI [0.004, 0.098]), less physical discomfort (coefficient = - 0.021, 95%CI [- 0.042, - 0.001]), lower depression scores (coefficient = - 0.263, 95%CI [- 0.490, - 0.037]), and lower anxiety scores (coefficient = - 0.233, 95%CI [- 0.379, - 0.088]) compared with those who had not received community-based HHC. Overall, community-based HHC conferred greater positive effects on the health of rural older adults, older adults with multiple chronic diseases, and older adults with low incomes. Community-based HHC was beneficial for improving self-rated health and reducing physical discomfort, depression, and anxiety in older adults with chronic diseases, thus improving their quality of life. It is important to promote its development nationwide in China.

Effects of preoperative anxiety level on pain level and joint functions after total knee arthroplasty

This study examined the effect of preoperative anxiety level on postoperative pain, opioid and nonopioid analgesic use requirements and joint function in patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis. 106 patients were included in the study. Situational anxiety score (STAI-S) and trait anxiety score (STAI-T) were divided into two groups as below and above 40. Visual analog scale (VAS), Lysholm scores, and anxiety levels were assessed preoperatively, at the third and sixth month postoperatively to investigate their effects on the use of opioid and non-opioid drugs during the postoperative period. For those with low situational and trait anxiety scores, the median duration of hospital stays was significantly shorter compared to those with high anxiety scores. In groups where anxiety levels were initially low, the median anxiety levels at the postoperative 3rd month were also observed to be lower compared to the other group. In the same groups, the median VAS values and the median Lysholm knee scores were significantly better both preoperatively and at the postoperative 3rd month compared to the other group. There was no significant difference in Lysholm score between the two groups at the 6th postoperative month. Similarly, in the preoperative period, groups with low anxiety levels had a significantly lower median usage of both opioids and non-opioids compared to the other group. These findings suggest that high preoperative anxiety may have a negative effect on functional outcomes in the early postoperative period, but this effect disappeared at 6 months. It can be concluded that reducing preoperative anxiety may have a positive effect on early outcomes. We believe that preoperative psychological evaluation and treatment can increase the satisfaction level in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Forty-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations of rat pups predict adult behavior in the elevated plus-maze behavior but not the effect of cocaine on 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) are emitted by both young pups and adult rats to convey positive or negative emotional states. These USV manifestations are contingent on factors including developmental stage, situational requirements, and individual dispositions. Pups emit 40-kHz USV when separated from their mother and litter, which function to elicit maternal care. Conversely, adult rats can produce 50-kHz USV in response to stimuli that elicit reward-related states, including natural rewards, stimulant drugs, and reward-predictive stimuli. The present study aims to investigate whether pup 40-kHz USV can serve as predictors of behaviors related to positive or negative states in adult rats. Both male and female Wistar pups were initially tested on the 11th postnatal day and subsequently in adulthood. There was no significant difference in the number of 40-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations between male and female pups. However, cocaine elicited more 50-kHz USV and hyperactivity in adult females compared to males. Notably, cocaine increased the proportion of step and trill USV subtypes in both adult males and females. Interestingly, this effect of cocaine was stronger in females that were in the diestrus, compared to the estrus phase. In males, a significant positive correlation was found between pup 40-kHz USV and lower anxiety scores in adult male but not female rats tested on the elevated plus-maze test. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between pup 40-kHz and adult 50-kHz USV in both males and females, whether in undrugged (saline) or in cocaine-treated rats. It is possible that the 40-kHz USV emitted by pups predicted reduced anxiety-like behavior only for male rats because they could elicit maternal care directed specifically to male pups. These findings suggest that 40-kHz USV can serve as an indicator of the emotional link between the rat mother and male pups. Indeed, this suggests that maternal care exerts a positive influence on the emotional state during adulthood.

Application of Noise Control Combined with Relaxation Training in Patients with Skin Laser Cosmetology: A Single-center Retrospective Study.

Noise pollution has been listed as one of the three major types of pollution, along with air and water pollution. Hospitals should pay attention to noise control, which is of great importance for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients. This study focuses on the application value of noise control and relaxation training. This study retrospectively collected and analyzed the clinical data of 184 patients who underwent skin laser cosmetology in Ningbo Yinzhou No. 2 Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022. Twelve patients who did not meet the criteria were excluded, and the remaining 172 patients were divided based on the type of intervention into the control group (CG, n = 82) and the study group (SG, n = 90). The CG received relaxation training and routine noise management, while the SG received noise control combined with relaxation training. The intervention effect was discussed from the aspects of noise, psychology, and satisfaction. After the intervention, the SG had overtly lower noise levels and lower scores of anxiety and depression compared to the CG (all P < 0.001). Correlation analysis showed that noise levels were positively correlated with scores of anxiety and depression (r = 0.553, r = 0.592, P < 0.001). The two groups had no significant difference in total satisfaction (P > 0.05). Noise poses a significant threat to the human body. Strengthening noise control in hospitals is beneficial for patients' recovery. Combining noise control with relaxation training is an intervention method worthy of clinical application. It can improve the hospitalization environment and reduce the noise levels to a great extent, thereby improving the psychological state of patients and enhancing the medical satisfaction.

The impact of the development of smart libraries on readers’ social anxiety disorders

BackgroundSocial anxiety disorder, as a psychological disorder, is often related to the patient’s growth experience. Smart libraries utilize the Internet and artificial intelligence to provide readers with a platform for knowledge and spatial exchange, breaking traditional interpersonal communication and providing personalized services and communication for readers with social anxiety disorders.Subjects and MethodsTo study the digital management method based on smart libraries, data were collected from 150 readers with social anxiety disorder in a university’s smart library from July 2020 to July 2021, and they were divided into a control group and an experimental group for experimental analysis. We conducted tests using the Communication Anxiety Scale and the Eysenck Emotional Stability Test and analyzed the data using SPSS23.0.ResultsAfter completing the collection and analysis of data related to readers with social anxiety disorder, compared to the control group, the experimental group had lower anxiety scores on the communication scale (P&lt;0.05) and lower scores on the anxiety level self-evaluation were all below 6 points (P&lt;0.001). The results indicate that smart libraries can alleviate readers’ social anxiety disorders.ConclusionsSmart libraries reduce communication between patients, managers, and other readers through digital services, creating a more comfortable and relaxed reading space for readers with social anxiety disorders. Therefore, the development of smart libraries can effectively reduce the level of communication among readers with social anxiety disorders and build a more comfortable reading platform for them.AcknowledgementThe Talents Introduction Research Project of Shandong University of Science and Technology in 2017 (2017RCJJ094).