Mail Questionnaire Research Articles

Living Alone and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Role of Non-Face-to-Face Social Interactions.

ObjectiveThis study examined the association of living alone with changes in depressive symptom status and the moderating effect of non-face-to-face social interactions among older adults during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.DesignA longitudinal studySetting and ParticipantsThis study recruited individuals aged ≥ 65 years without long-term care in one semi-urban city in Japan, who completed mailed questionnaires in March (baseline) and October 2020 (follow-up).MethodsBased on depressive symptoms assessed by the Two-Question Screening at baseline and follow-up, participants were classified as: “non-case,” “onset,” “remission,” and “persistence.” Non-face-to-face social interactions during the pandemic, including phone calls or emails with separated families or friends, were dichotomized as “less than weekly interactions” and “weekly interactions.” A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of living arrangement (living alone or together) with changes in depressive symptoms status.ResultsData of 1,001 participants were analyzed (mean age = 79.9 years). Of them, 13.8% lived alone. Overall, 40.6% participants were grouped as “non-case,” 11.7% as “onset,” 11.0% as “remission,” and 27.1% as “persistence.” Living alone was significantly associated with depressive symptom onset (odds ratio = 1.92, 95% confidence interval = 1.03–3.56, p = 0.039), and a negative interaction (protective effect) was found between living alone and weekly non-face-to-face social interactions for depressive symptom onset.Conclusion and ImplicationsDuring the pandemic, older adults living alone had a higher depressive symptom risk, but non-face-to-face social interactions may have buffered this risk. Our findings suggest the importance of supporting older adults living alone in times of social restrictions such as the pandemic, and furthermore, maintaining social connections, including non-face-to-face relationships, is necessary to protect their mental health.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome symptoms after mild and moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection

BackgroundPost-COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS) is characterized by residual symptoms following the initial recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The prevalence of PCS is known to be the highest among severe and critical forms of the disease. However, the occurrence and risk factors for PCS after mild or moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection has not been extensively investigated.MethodsOnline and offline via both paper or mailed questionnaires distributed among Jordan collected between 1st and 21st August 2021, including a total number of 800 respondents, of whom 495 had previous mild to moderate COVID-19 infection. The Newcastle post-COVID syndrome Follow-up Screening Questionnaire was modified, translated, and used as a standard instrument for data collection regarding psychological, medical, and socio-economic symptoms post-infection. The primary outcome was the prevalence of PCS after mild to moderate COVID-19 in Jordan. Secondary outcome was the identification of PCS risk factors.ResultsThe most common PCS symptom was mood disturbance followed by fatigue, anxiety, and myalgia. Female gender significantly increased the risk for multiple PCS symptoms. Age < 30 years was found to be an independent risk factor for myalgia (p = 0.001).ConclusionPCS is highly prevalent among COVID-19 survivors in Jordan, especially in females and patients with comorbidities. Planning physical and mental rehabilitation services is recommended for those patients with PCS symptoms after mild to moderate COVID-19 infection.

Factors influencing knowledge sharing practices among librarians in the Malaysian academic libraries

Several scholars have identified knowledge sharing as a primary focus area within the scope of knowledge management. Many organisations today have also recognised this act as one of the essential resources in the management of their institutions. Hence, this research sought to utilise the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as the underlying research framework to examine the attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control towards the library staff's knowledge sharing intentions. Five academic (university) libraries in Malaysia were chosen as the sources for the study's sampling, while both an electronic mailed survey questionnaire and hard copies were utilised in collecting the data from the respondents. In the data analysis, descriptive statistics, mean value, and standard deviation methods were applicable in the data. The study indicated that knowledge sharing practises substantially affected some percentage of the study hypotheses. Based on the rule of thumb, the following hypotheses were supported: H5, H6, H7, and H8, but the hypotheses that follow, H1, H2, H3, and H4 are non-supported. In contrast, it was discovered that knowledge sharing practises deviate from the projected level of intention by about 0.2 %. The predicted intention is 5.9 % based on attitude, perceived behavioural control, and subjective norm; however, attitude is predicted to be 1.3 % based on trust and relationship. It determines that the most likely explanation for the 37.4 % explained by teamwork skills is perceived behavioural control. But corporate culture showed that the subjective norm was the most important cause because it accounted for 37.9 % of the results.

Self-reported sleep bruxism in 1990 and 2011 in a nationwide twin cohort: Evidence of trait persistence and genetic liability.

Due to different assessment modes employed, a clear picture of the prevalence of sleep bruxism across time cannot be formed. Moreover, studies on the persistent or fluctuating nature of sleep bruxism have yielded divergent and even contradictory results. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in a nationwide twin cohort whether self-reported sleep bruxism was correlated longitudinally, pairwise and cross-twin over a 20-year period. Self-reported bruxism was assessed in 1990 and 2011 by mailed questionnaires in the Finnish Twin Cohort study of same-sex twins born 1945-1957. We assessed the phenotypic stability over time for all participating individuals (n=4992). Among zygosity verified pairs (n= 516 MZ and n= 837 DZ), we estimated the cross-sectional zygosity correlations and the zygosity-specific cross-twin cross-time correlations. Reported bruxism appeared rather persistent over time without significant difference regarding zygosity. The overall phenotypic longitudinal correlation was 0.540 and somewhat higher in men (0.596) than in women (0.507). Pairwise trait correlations in 1990 and 2011 were higher in MZ than in DZ pairs. The cross-twin cross-time correlations were higher in MZ twins than in DZ twins, but less than the cross-sectional MZ and DZ pairwise correlations. The higher correlation of reported sleep bruxism in the cross-twin cross-time analyses in MZ than in DZ pairs implies a genetic background for bruxism persistence. Also, bruxism over time in individual twins appears to be fairly persistent and somewhat higher in men than women.

Perceived experiences of racism linked to dental fear and anxiety among Black women.

Dental fear and anxiety are known determinants of delaying or avoiding dental care and vary considerably based on factors such as age and gender. However, little is known about dental fear and anxiety in racial/ethnic minority populations, which bear a disproportionate burden of poor oral health outcomes. Structural and social pathways responsible for producing these disparities are also understudied. Experiences of racism over the lifecourse may contribute to poor oral health outcomes through a pathway of dental fear and anxiety. This paper aimed to evaluate perceived experiences with racism, dental fear and anxiety, and the utilization of dental services, in the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a United States-based prospective cohort. Analysis of prospective data obtained from a geographic subset of participants in the BWHS was conducted. In 2014, BWHS participants residing in Massachusetts responded to a mailed oral health questionnaire that included the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C+) instrument (N=484; 69% response rate). Previously collected demographic and health information, along with reported experiences of everyday and lifetime racism, obtained from national BWHS questionnaires between 1995 and 2009, were merged with the Massachusetts-based sub-sample. Associations between high dental anxiety (HDA) (mean IDAF-4C+ score ≥2.5 on the dental fear and anxiety module) and oral health outcomes and perceived racism and HDA were explored via prevalence ratios (PR) calculated using log-binomial regression models, including adjustment for potential confounders. Reported exposures to everyday racism occurred weekly on average for the top 25% of the sample, while 13% of participants reported exposure to multiple (n=3) experiences of unfair treatment due to their race over their lifetime. HDA was prevalent among 17.8% of the sample and was significantly associated with indicators of poor oral health status. High exposures to everyday and lifetime experiences of racism were positively associated with HDA (PR=1.08; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.58 and PR=1.72; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.88, respectively). Significant associations between racism and HDA, and between HDA and poor oral health and reduced utilization of dental care were observed. Dental anxiety may be a pathway through which perceived experiences with racism may impact oral health outcomes.

Norm power of scuba diving and snorkeling behaviors in the Florida Keys

The sustainability of recreation and tourism in coral reefs depends on ecological health and environmentally responsible behaviors in those ecosystems, which are partly guided by social norms. The power of social norms lies in the behavioral obligations imposed by a group, and in the informal sanctions enforced by others or felt by oneself when conforming to or violating those obligations. This study examined the norm power of 12 coral reef behaviors of non-resident SCUBA divers and snorkelers in the Florida Keys. In a mail questionnaire, respondents rated how obligated they were to do each of the 12 behaviors when diving or snorkeling on a coral reef, and how embarrassed (informal sanction) they would feel if they were seen violating each of those behaviors. Overall, the results showed that divers and snorkelers were obligated to do all 12 types of behaviors, but the amount of norm power was distinguished by the level of embarrassment varying between the two groups. High norm power values suggest that SCUBA divers and snorkelers self-regulate and enforce desirable behaviors within their activity groups. Relatively low norm power behaviors should be monitored and may need targeted communication strategies or management interventions to help instill a sense of obligation and sanction. These findings have important implications for monitoring behavioral compliance, promoting ocean stewardship, and establishing management policies to sustain coral reef ecosystem services.

Learning by teaching technological knowledge: conceptual skill development in Japanese overseas subsidiaries

In recent years, knowledge transfer studies have produced a great deal of knowledge on technology transfer in MNCs. However, these studies have focused exclusively on the effects on the recipients of knowledge and not on the effects on the suppliers of knowledge. To fill this research gap in previous studies, this study takes the concept of “learning by teaching” proposed in pedagogy as a clue and demonstrates for the first time the effects on the suppliers of technological knowledge. This study (1) sets the international horizontal transfer of production technology systems among overseas subsidiaries as the research object, (2) obtains original data from 391 Japanese multinational manufacturing subsidiaries through a mail questionnaire survey, and (3) analyses the data through multiple regression analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results revealed that overseas subsidiaries of MNCs can make their production technology systems explicit (making them easier to teach) through technical guidance and thereby develop the conceptual skills of their engineers and operators. The results of this study open up the possibility of developing theories on (1) updating the knowledge base at the supplier of knowledge and (2) building the relationship between the supplier and the teaching materials in knowledge transfer.

The Influence of Extrinsic Motivating Factors on Employees’ Work Performance at Banking Sectors in Malaysia: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Ownership

This study investigates the influences of extrinsic motivating factors on employees' work performance in banking sectors in Malaysia when the psychological ownership act as mediating effect existed. Generally, this study analyses three independent variables, categorized as extrinsic (working condition, job security, and company policy) motivating factors on the dependent variable of employees' work performance when psychological ownership acts as a mediating effect in banking sectors in Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine employee work performance issues, namely, poor service quality, poor communication, high employee turnover, and work-related stress in Malaysian banking sectors. The research tools used in this study were personal distribution and online mail questionnaires. A total of 3700 frontline employees were selected for the questionnaire, but only 370 respondents are fit for further analysis. The survey data was gathered within a one-month duration. The findings revealed that work conditions and company policy have a significant favourable influence on psychological ownership. The following results show that psychological ownership positively mediates the relationship between company policy and work conditions with work performance. A theoretical framework has been constructed based on Herzberg's Theory of hygiene factors used in this research. The outcome of this study would help bank management introduce practical strategies for improving the employees' work performance which leads to business growth.

Prevalence and municipal variation in chronic musculoskeletal pain among independent older people: data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES)

BackgroundUrbanization and population aging may affect prevalence of chronic pain from various causes. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain, including some subtypes, in independent Japanese older people, and whether population density and population aging rate explained prevalence and differences in pain levels between municipalities.MethodsWe analyzed data from 12,883 independent older people living in 58 municipalities who completed mailed questionnaires and did not need support for daily living. We identified three types of pain: “chronic musculoskeletal pain” lasting ≥ 3 months (overall and in each part of the body), “chronic widespread-type pain” in the spinal and peripheral area, and “chronic multisite pain” in at least three sites. The latter two were measured using new definitions. These types of pain are correlated with depressive symptoms and we therefore examined the construct validity of the definitions by comparing the Geriatric Depression Scale score. We also used analysis of covariance to compare the prevalence of these three types of pain between municipalities. Odds ratios, median odds ratios, and the municipal variance in prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain were estimated by Bayesian multilevel logistic regression analysis using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method.ResultsThe construct validity of the definitions of chronic widespread-type pain and chronic multisite pain was confirmed. The prevalence of the three types of pain (chronic musculoskeletal, widespread, and multisite pain) was 39.0%, 13.9%, and 10.3%, respectively. Chronic musculoskeletal pain showed a higher prevalence among older people and women. Individuals in underpopulated, suburban, or metropolitan areas tended to have more pain than those in urban areas, but this was not statistically significant (odds ratio [95% credible interval] 1.15 [0.86–1.51], 1.17 [0.93–1.43], 1.17 [0.94–1.46]). Population density and population aging rate did not explain the differences between municipalities.ConclusionsThe prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain was consistent with previous global reports. Areas with overpopulation and depopulation tended to have higher pain prevalence, but population density and population aging rate did not explain municipal variance. Further research is needed to identify other factors that contribute to regional variance.

Association between decreased frequency of seeing friends and the onset of depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults: A longitudinal study

Objectives: Mental health among the older adults has been shown to be affected by reduced social interaction with friends. However, this relationship has not been confirmed in short periods of limited social interaction, such as that experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the development of depressive symptoms and a 6-month decrease in the frequency of visits with friends among community-dwelling elderly in Japan. Methods: Participants were 491 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older (47.5% female, mean age [standard deviation] = 80.5 [4.7] years) who responded to the March 2020 baseline survey by mail questionnaire and the October 2020 follow-up survey. Results: The onset of depressive symptoms was observed in 22.8% in about 6 months. The change in frequency of seeing friends, 56.2% remained unchanged, 23.2% increased, and 20.6% decreased. A logistic regression analysis with maintenance of frequency of seeing friends as a reference showed that a decreased frequency of seeing friends was significantly associated with the incidence of depressive symptoms. (odds ratio = 2.26, 95% confidence interval = 1.32–3.86, p = 0.003). Discussion: A decrease in the frequency of seeing friends over even a short period of time can have a negative impact on older adults’ mental health. The findings suggest that in situations where the frequency of seeing friends decreases during a short period of time, maintaining interaction with friends and avoiding face-to-face restrictions is important for maintaining the mental health of older adults.

Infants Hospitalized with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Were More Likely to Develop Asthma.

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) have been reported to possibly initiate the development of asthma in children. However, the role of LRTIs in infantile asthma remains controversial. The goal of this study is to investigate whether LRTIs in hospitalized infants are involved in the development of asthma. The subjects were 251 infants under 2 years of age who were admitted to our hospital with an RTI (59 cases of upper RTI (URTIs) with upper respiratory tract inflammation and pharyngeal tonsillitis; 192 cases of LRTIs with bronchitis, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis). Pathogens of viral infections were examined at admission using viral antigen test kits that could be used in ordinary clinical practice in Japan. When the children reached the age of 3 years, a survey was conducted by mailing a questionnaire to determine the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of asthma. The mailed questionnaires were returned by 116 of the 251 subjects. On the questionnaire, the diagnosis of asthma and treatment for asthma were significantly higher in hospitalized infants with LRTIs than in those with URTIs. By diagnosis of LRTIs, infants with pneumonia and bronchiolitis were significantly more likely to develop asthma. However, on pathogen-specific examination, there was no difference in the development of asthma among infants with LRTIs. LRTI in infancy may be involved in the development of asthma. The severity of LRTI in hospitalized infants, but not the particular viral pathogen causing infection, may be associated with later asthma onset.

Issues of cancer care in people with mental disorders as perceived by cancer care providers: A quantitative questionnaire survey.

To reduce cancer care disparities, this study aimed to clarify the difficulties in cancer care for people with mental disorders as perceived by cancer care providers. Cancer care providers at 17 designated cancer hospitals in Japan were surveyed using mail questionnaires. Respondents were asked to rate 29 items related to difficulties or insufficiencies in cancer care for patients with mental disorders on a five-point Likert scale. We analyzed the proportion of respondents who answered "difficult/insufficient" in each item. We also calculated the proportions of responders stratified according to the presence of psychiatric support systems within their hospitals. A total of 388 (58.4%) cancer care providers responded. Among the issues related to "difficulties in diagnosing and treating cancer," support for decision-making, assessment of treatment adherence, and assessment of physical symptoms were perceived as most difficult (73.5%-81.5% of respondents). Among the issues related to 'difficulties or insufficiencies in collaboration among multidisciplinary health care providers,' the issue of advance consultation and sharing information with the patient's primary psychiatric care provider was perceived as most difficult (52.2%). Among the issues related to "insufficiencies of in-hospital and community medical systems," education to provide reasonable accommodation was perceived as most insufficient (47.4%). The perceived difficulties of over half of the issues varied significantly between hospitals depending on the level of psychiatric support systems. This study clarified the difficulties of cancer care in patients with mental disorders as perceived by cancer care providers. Some issues may be resolved by psychiatric liaison teams.

The association between self-efficacy and sick-leave among men and women: a cross-sectional study of the general working population in Sweden

&#x0D; Background: The aim of this study was to investigate if low self-efficacy was associated with increased risk for sickness absence, in a general population of employed women and men. The aim was also to analyse differences in self-efficacy concerning age, education, income, and socio-economic position.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on data collected in western Sweden, 2008. The study population consisted of 2,900 employed sick-listed individuals (E-SL) and 2,649 random working population individuals (R-WP). Both mailed questionnaire, including the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and register data on age, education, income and socio-economic position were used. A continuous mean score of the total GSE was calculated for each individual. A low GSE-score indicated low general self-efficacy.&#x0D; Results: Lower general self-efficacy had an increased odds ratio (OR) of belonging to a sick-listed general working population among both men (OR=1.60; 95% CI 1.32–1.94) and women (OR=1.26; 95% CI 1.08–1.47). The OR remained significant after adjustments for socio-demographic variables. Yet, men in the R-WP and women in both the R-WP and E-SL with lower education, income or socio-economic position had lower general self-efficacy compared with those in each cohort with higher education, income or socio-economic position.&#x0D; Conclusions: Low self-efficacy was associated with increased probability to belong to a sick-listed general working population. Although more research is needed, it seems highly relevant to take both self-efficacy and socio-economic factors into account, in preventive and rehabilitation work targeting persons on sickness absence.&#x0D;

Higher Pain Sensitivity Predicts Efficacy of a Wearable Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Device for Persons With Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Double-Blind Sham-Controlled Trial

ObjectivesThis study investigated the efficacy of a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device (Quell®) for persons with symptoms due to fibromyalgia (FM). Materials and MethodsOne hundred nineteen (N = 119) subjects were randomly assigned to use an active (N = 62) or sham (N = 57) TENS for three months. All subjects completed baseline questionnaires and were administered quantitative sensory testing (QST). Subjects completed the Patients' Global Impression of Change (PGIC, primary outcome measure) and other mailed questionnaires (secondary outcome measures) at six weeks and three months. ResultsThe subjects averaged 50.4 ± 13.5 years of age, 93.3% were female, and 79.8% were Caucasian. Most showed benefit from using the TENS, but no differences between groups were found on the primary outcome measure after three months (active 3.87 ± 1.85, sham 3.73 ± 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.60, 0.88], p = 0.707). Those with more hypersensitivity showed most improvement on the PGIC at six weeks (0.22, 95% CI [0.01, 0.43], p = 0.042) and three months (0.20, 95% CI [0.00, 0.41], p = 0.049) and among those with higher sensitivity based on QST, the active TENS group showed the most benefit with TENS compared with the sham treatment (1.20, 95% CI [0.22, 2.18], p = 0.017). No TENS-related serious adverse events were reported. Subjects in the sham group correctly identified their treatment 87.5% of the time, while, surprisingly, subjects in the active group correctly identified their treatment only 17.4% of the time. ConclusionThis study found no differences between those who were exposed to maximal-frequency active stimulation or minimal-frequency sham stimulation from a wearable TENS in reducing FM-related symptoms. However, those with greater hypersensitivity showed most benefit from TENS. Additional studies to help determine the role individual differences play in the use of TENS in managing FM-related symptoms are needed.

Associations Between Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption in Rural Cancer Survivors.

PurposeRural adults and cancer survivors are more likely to be physically inactive and exceed recommendations for alcohol use. Physical activity and alcohol use are positively associated in adults and cancer survivors but associations between physical activity and alcohol use in rural cancer survivors is unknown. This cross-sectional study explored associations between physical activity, sitting time, and alcohol use in rural cancer survivors.MethodsCancer survivors residing in central Pennsylvania were recruited to the Partnering to Prevent and Control Cancer (PPCC) study and completed mailed questionnaires assessing physical activity (low, moderate, high), sitting time (<6 or ≥6 hours/day), and alcohol use (0 or ≥1 drinks/week). Binary logistic regression models tested associations between physical activity, sitting time, and alcohol use, adjusting for age, gender, and education.ResultsParticipants (N=219) were in their mid-60s (M age=64.5 ± 12.2 years, 60.7% female), overweight (M BMI=29.6 ± 6.9 kg/m2), and 50.5% were college graduates. Nearly half of participants were breast (22.8%) or prostate (20.5%) cancer survivors and 90.4% were >12 weeks but <5 years post-treatment. Participants self-reported meeting physical activity recommendations (79.5%), sitting <6 hours/day (53.3%), and consuming ≥1 alcoholic drinks/week (54.1%). Participants who reported being moderately (OR=5.0, 95% CI: 1.9-12.9) or highly (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 1.9-10.9) active had higher odds of reporting alcohol use, after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionResults mirror positive associations seen in adults and other subgroups (e.g., racial/ethnic minority adults). Cancer control efforts should stress being physically active while emphasizing messaging to curtail increases in alcohol use among rural cancer survivors.

Effects of the green supply chain management practices on firm performance and sustainable development.

The idea of sustainable development and green supply chain management is considered at the underlying stage in the research and academic fields, particularly in the rising economies of Asia. This research investigates the persuasive force of the firm's green supply chain management practices with the mediating part of the competitiveness and investment recovery. Data was collected from the 12 ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 leather industries based in Pakistan. We distributed the 350 questionnaires at 12 leather industries, and the questionnaire was also transferred on Google Forms, and 50 questionnaire mail to different individuals who work in leather industries of other cities of Pakistan; out of 350 questionnaires, 183 were filled, and the remaining questionnaires were incomplete, and out of 50 emails, we get the response of 33 emails, and evaluated the model of this study by using the partial least square structural equation modeling PLS-SEM. We interact with the employees of leather industries and try to understand how they are following the green practices in their firms. This research uses resource dependence theory as the theoretical base. This study elaborates how the organization's behavior is affected by the external resources of the corporation. The actual outcomes uncover that green supply chain management activities positively impacting the firm's performance, where competitiveness and investment recovery play a mediating role among intra-organizational green practices.

Prevalence and factors of sexual dysfunctions among military men: A systematic review

ABSTRACT Background Military men are at a higher risk of developing sexual dysfunction (SD) as compared to the general population because military deployment exposes soldiers to stressful situations (e.g., death of comrades, combat stress, war inflicted injuries, severe environment, lack of sleep, mental distress, isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), polluted environment and substance abuse, etc.) that may alter their psychological and underlying biological processes. Understanding mechanisms and estimating the burden of SD in military men would also be helpful for the implication in the general population of men exposed to such harsh conditions. Objective To systematically review published reports on SD in military men. Methods Medline was searched for original articles published between 2008 and 2020 by using the search terms “sexual dysfunction in military personnel,” and “sexual dysfunction in veterans”. Quality evaluation and data extraction were done by two authors. Studies that reported the sexual dysfunction in newly inducted or interviewed men in recruitment centres or specific disease cohorts, and that reported the effect of different drugs on sexual health under controlled conditions were excluded. Information related to the sampling duration, sampling method, sample size, methods of diagnosis, cut off values, the prevalence of different sexual dysfunctions and associated factors were extracted. All discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Results A total of 8211 studies were identified initially. After the removal of duplicates, 5186 studies were screened based on titles and abstracts. The full articles were downloaded for 54 studies, of which 27 studies were finally included in the qualitative study. Among the included studies 16 were conducted in North America (US=15 and Canada=01), 4 in Europe (Netherlands=1, France=1 and Croatia=2) and 7 in Asia (Israel=3, Iran=1, South Korea=1 and Taiwan=2). All the studies included in the present review had variable sample sizes (n=53 - 456,340). Sampling methods included mailed questionnaires, in-person interviews, medical chart reviews and secondary data taken from large surveys and patients from outpatient clinics. The studies reported a wide range of prevalence of overall SD (5.6% - 88.7%), erectile dysfunction (ED) (2% - 83.4%), ejaculatory dysfunction (0.1% - 25.5.0%), orgasmic dysfunction (0.2% - 15.4%) sexual desire disorders (0.3% - 74.0%) and sexual dissatisfaction (11.8% - 73.5%). The prevalence of mild ED (16.7% - 30.3%) was highest followed by mild to moderate ED (3.4% - 20.5%), moderate ED (1.1% - 9.3%) and severe ED (0.3% - 10%). Prevalence of premature and delayed ejaculation was 0.1% - 25.5% and 18.0%, respectively. Prevalence of quick orgasms and difficulty in orgasm was reported in 15.4% and 13.8%, respectively. Orgasmic anhedonia was also reported in 11 % of men. The prevalence of SD was positively associated with PTSD, depression and anxiety, using nicotine and antidepressants, physical health (infections, cardiovascular diseases), and being non-white race. However, age, alcohol, body weight and education had no association with SD in military men. Conclusion A considerably variable number of military men had SD due to different factors. Studies in Asian and European countries were limited in number and magnitude. Disclosure Work supported by industry: no.

Long-term outcomes and satisfaction of laparoscopic non-absorbable mesh-reinforced hiatal hernia repair

BackgroundInterest in laparoscopic mesh-reinforced hiatal hernia (HH) repair is driven by concern of recurrences following primary suture repair alone. There is need for further evidence on non-absorbable mesh-related complications or the long-term outcomes and patient satisfaction of laparoscopic mesh-reinforced HH repair. MethodsA retrospective analysis of consecutive patients (2005-2016) of a single surgeon. Patients were further surveyed via telephone and mailed questionnaires to assess long-term satisfaction and outcomes using Visick and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms assessment scale (GSAS) scores. Results174 patients underwent laparoscopic HH repair, either as part of laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (ARS) or for treatment of para-oesophageal HH in this period and fulfilled the study criteria. Patients with crural defects > 2cm received primary closure and those with larger defects received mesh reinforcement. Primary repair was performed in 28.2% (n=49) and mesh-reinforcement in 71.8% (n=125). HH recurrence (20.4% vs 17.6%, p=0.67) and reoperation rates (16.3% vs 10.4%, p=0.28) were not significantly different between the two groups. GSAS scores (2.1 vs 1.8. p=0.74) and patient satisfaction (p=0.82) were similar. Resolution of symptoms (Visick 1) favoured the mesh-reinforced group (19.4% vs 46.5%, p=0.04). There were no mesh infections or erosions. ConclusionIn our cohort, laparoscopic non-absorbable mesh-reinforced HH repair of large defects had similar long-term results to primary repair of small defects. There were potential long-term improvements in patient symptomatic outcomes as determined by the Visick score.

Proximal humerus fractures in adolescents: Experience from East of Scotland

BackgroundThe management of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) in adolescent has not been agreed upon. We aim to investigate the outcomes of PHF managed conservatively in adolescents. MethodsAll shoulder radiographs performed in patients aged from 10 to 18 years and from 2008 to 2015 were reviewed. The radiological parameters, including anatomical side, Neer and Horwitz displacement grade, angulation and any residual deformities were recorded. Mail questionnaires based on the modified 15-Upper Extremities Functional Index (15-UEFI), with a maximum of 59 points, were sent out. The return of the completed anonymized questionnaire was considered as implied consent. Results118 patients with a median age of 12 at the time of fracture were identified. The majority of the fractures were Neer and Horwitz grade I displacement and 3 children had Neer and Horwitz grade III and IV displacement. The median angulation was 25°. The median follow-up length was 26 days. 55 patients had residual angulation and 25 patients had worsened angulation. No non-union was identified. No patients underwent subsequent corrective surgeries. 35 patients responded to the questionnaire. The median 15-UEFI was 59 points. None of the patients have contacted the research or clinical team regarding any concerns. ConclusionThe vast majority of non-displaced and minimally displaced PHF in adolescent were managed conservatively in our unit. The functional outcomes for this cohort remain excellent even for those with residual deformities in the follow-up radiographs. Further large prospective multicenter studies on adolescent cohort with significantly displaced PHF are warranted.

Perceived Community Age-friendliness is Associated With Quality of Life Among Older Adults.

We examined the positive association between perceived community age-friendliness and self-reported quality of life for older adults. A total of 171 participants, aged 77–96 years, completed a mail-in questionnaire package that included measures of health (SF-36 Physical), social participation (Social Participation Scale), community age-friendliness (Age-Friendly Survey [AFS]), and quality of life (WHO Quality of Life). Hierarchical regression models including age, gender, driving status, finances, health, social participation, and AFS scores explained 8 to 21 per cent of the variance in quality of life scores. Community age-friendliness was a statistically significant variable in all models, accounting for three to six and a half per cent of additional variance in quality of life scores. Although the proportion of variance explained by age-friendliness was small, our findings suggest that it is worthwhile to further investigate whether focused, age-friendly policies, interventions, and communities could play a role towards successful and healthy aging.