Main Coping Strategies Research Articles

Psychosocial effects of COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia. Preliminary results

IntroductionThe global health crisis due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and related containment measures have led to changes in daily life and, therefore, social and psychological impacts on the population.ObjectivesTo explore the psychological and social impact of COVID-19 in the general population of Bolivia.MethodsCross-sectional study was implemented using an anonymous and self-administered online questionnaire. Adult people were invited to participate through social networks between May to June 2020. The questionnaire included sociodemographic information, coping strategies, changes in income and working conditions and psychological distress (K10 Scale).ResultsA total of 878 adults living in Bolivia answered the questionnaire. Most people considered COVID-19 as a quite/very serious health problem that affects the entire population, without distinction. 65% reported to accomplish lock down measure, however, one of the main reasons for non-compliance is the need to go out to work. Half of participants (50%) reduced worked hours and 18% modified their employment contract. However, 70% reduced household income. A considerable percentage (62%) reported psychological distress (46% with moderate or severe). It was higher in women, young people and among those with lower household income. In addition, social networks and watching series and movies were the main coping strategies reported.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has a considerable impact on psychological and social level. The negative impact was greater in some population groups such as women, young people, and those with a lower socioeconomic level, which may further increase inequities.

Psychological impact and coping strategies of medical students during university closure due to COVID-19 in a state university in Sri Lanka – an online survey

IntroductionLoss of routine, disengagement from peers and adapting to distant learning during the pandemic may lead to psychological distress in medical students. Psychological impact of the pandemic on medical students has not been assessed in Sri LankaObjectivesTo identify the psychological impact and coping strategies of medical students during the pandemic.MethodsAn online survey was done among 527 medical students in a state Medical Faculty in Sri Lanka. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure psychological impact.ResultsThe main worries among the students was upcoming exams (74.4%, n=389) and taking a longer time than expected to complete their undergraduate medical education (68.1%, n=356). 68.7% (n=362) of the respondents experienced difficulty in working up the initiative to do things and 62.6% (n=330) had tendency to overreact to situations. Depressive symptoms were present in 40.8%, anxiety in 34% and high levels of stress were seen in 24.7%. In 10.8% depression was severe and anxiety was severe in 10.3%. Depression (p<0.01), anxiety (p<0.05) and stress (p<0.01) were significantly higher in students with a past history of psychiatric disorders. Depression, anxiety or stress was not associated with the gender, ethnicity, family income or living circumstances. The main coping strategy of the participants was engaging more with family (73.4%).ConclusionsGiven the high levels of psychological distress, supportive strategies should be designed to minimize the psychological impact in this vulnerable group.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Coping strategies among amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients: an integrative review.

To identify coping strategies used by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Integrative literature review using the Virtual Health Library, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect databases. Eighteen studies were included. "Seeking social support" was the main coping strategy, while "Confrontive coping" and "Distancing" were the least mentioned. The coping strategies used by ALS patients do not seem to focus on emotions or stress-triggering problems. Age and gender did not modify the chosen strategy.

Type 2 diabetes self-management schemas across diverse health literacy levels: a qualitative investigation

Objective The aim of this study was to explore how people with diabetes and diverse health literacy levels conceptualise their experience and efforts to engage in self-management behaviours (their self-management ‘schemas’). Design A qualitative design was applied. Methods Twenty-six people in Sydney, Australia, took part in semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and coded using Framework analysis. Results Half the participants (54%) had limited health literacy, whereas 38% adequate health literacy (using Newest Vital Sign). Regardless of health literacy, people described how monitoring increased self-management awareness and signalled periods of low self-management (‘lulls’). Accounts of monitoring to sustain motivation were more apparent for participants with adequate health literacy. Most participants described simple and flexible rules (e.g. use artificial sweeteners; eat in moderation). Two schemas related to ‘lulls’: a ‘problem-solving orientation’ depicted lulls as inevitable and was associated with varied coping strategies; a ‘willpower orientation’ attributed lulls to lack of ‘willpower,’ and described willpower as a main coping strategy. Conclusion There is considerable variation in how people think about their diabetes self-management and the strategies they use. Health literacy may contribute to some of this variation. Self-management interventions could benefit from depicting motivation as fluctuating and challenging ideas about willpower and self-blame.

Estratégias de coping para cônjuges de idosos com diagnóstico neuropsiquiátrico

INTRODUÇÃO: A relação conjugal satisfatória é tida como um importante suporte de bem-estar social, principalmente frente a situações estressoras. Os diagnósticos neuropsiquiátricos podem ser um importante estressor, que pode abalar as relações conjugais de idosos. OBJETIVOS: Este estudo de caso teve por objetivo compreender as estratégias de coping para conjugalidade utilizadas por dois cônjuges de idosos com o diagnóstico neuropsiquiátrico. MÉTODOS: Os participantes, um homem e uma mulher, eram casados com participantes do Projeto de Extensão “Movimente”, desenvolvido na Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, em Uberaba, Minas Gerais. Os idosos foram convidados e participaram de uma entrevista semiestruturada, com questões sobre o casamento antes e após o diagnóstico, suas estratégias para lidar com a conjugalidade e o diagnóstico do(a) parceiro(a). As entrevistas foram realizadas individualmente, em local separado de seus(suas) parceiros(as). As entrevistas foram transcritas e analisadas por meio de análise de conteúdo temática e interpretados com base na Psicologia da Saúde. RESULTADOS: Foram identificadas três categorias: 1) Conjugalidade e mudanças trazidas pela doença 2) Coping focalizado na emoção 3) Coping focalizado no problema. As principais estratégias de coping utilizadas pelos idosos foram comprometimento, admiração e crença religiosa. DISCUSSÃO E CONCLUSÃO: As estratégias se mostraram importantes para manter a boa conjugalidade, mesmo sendo observada mudança de foco do casamento para a função de cuidador, diante de diagnóstico neuropsiquiátrico.

Rural healthcare providers coping with clinical care delivery challenges: lessons from three health centres in Ghana

BackgroundRural settings in low- and middle-income countries are bedeviled with poverty and high disease burden, and lack adequate resources to deliver quality healthcare to the population. Drug shortage and inadequate number and skill-mix of healthcare providers is very common in rural health facilities. Hence, rural healthcare providers have no choice but to be innovative and introduce some strategies to cope with health delivery challenges at the health centre levels. This study explored how and why rural healthcare providers cope with clinical care delivery challenges at the health centre levels in Ghana.MethodsThis study was a multiple case studies involving three districts: Bongo, Kintampo North, and Juaboso districts. In each case study district, a cross-sectional design was used to explore the research question. Purposive sampling technique was used to select study sites and the study participants. The authors conducted 11 interviews, 9 focus group discussions (involving 61 participants), and 9-week participant observation (in 3 health centres). Transcription of the voice-recordings was done verbatim, cleaned and imported into the Nvivo version 11 platform for analysis. Data was analysed using the inductive content analysis approach. Ethical clearance was granted by the Ethics Review Committee of the Ghana Health Service.ResultsThe study found three main coping strategies (borrowing, knowledge sharing and multi-tasking). First, borrowing arrangements among primary health care institutions help to address the periodic shortage of medical supplies at the health centres. Secondly, knowledge sharing among healthcare providers mitigates skills gap during service delivery; and finally, rural healthcare providers use multi-tasking to avert staff inadequacy challenges during service delivery at the health centre levels.ConclusionBorrowing, knowledge sharing, and multi-tasking are coping strategies that are sustaining and potentially improving health outcomes at the district levels in Ghana. We recommend that health facilities across all levels of care in Ghana and other settings with similar challenges could adopt and modify these strategies in order to ensure quality healthcare delivery amidst delivery challenges.

Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for burn wound healing.

Burns, with their high incidence and mortality rates, have a devastating effect on patients. There are still huge challenges in the management of burns. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have multidirectional differentiation potential, have aroused interest in exploring the capacity for treating different intractable diseases due to their strong proliferation, tissue repair, immune tolerance and paracrine abilities, among other features. Currently, several animal studies have shown that MSCs play various roles and have beneficial effects in promoting wound healing, inhibiting burn inflammation and preventing the formation of pathological scars during burn healing process. The substances MSCs secrete can act on peripheral cells and promote burn repair. According to preclinical research, MSC-based treatments can effectively improve burn wound healing and reduce pain. However, due to the small number of patients and the lack of controls, treatment plans and evaluation criteria vary widely, thus limiting the value of these clinical studies. Therefore, to better evaluate the safety and effectiveness of MSC-based burn treatments, standardization of the application scheme and evaluation criteria of MSC therapy in burn treatment is required in the future. In addition, the combination of MSC pretreatment and dressing materials are also conducive to improving the therapeutic effect of MSCs on burns. In this article, we review current animal research and clinical trials based on the use of stem cell therapy for treating burns and discuss the main challenges and coping strategies facing future clinical applications.

FOOD SECURITY OF SMALL FARM HOUSEHOLDS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION IN A WATER SCARCE AREA OF NAOGAON, BANGLADESH

Food security remains a key development challenge for many developing countries in the world. In Bangladesh, agriculture is the mainstay of livelihoods of the rural population which provides employment for around 52% of the workforce counting for 63% of households of which the majority are small farm households. Although small-scale farmers play a vital role in food production, their households are mainly affected by the event of food insecurity, especially in the area where water is scarce for agricultural production. This study, therefore, sought to investigate household food security status through two measurement techniques named Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS) among small farm households in Khajur union under Mahadevpur Upazila of Naogaon district, Bangladesh which was identified as a water-scarce area for the farmers. The estimated results of the HDDS based on the previous 24 hours recall reveals most of the households followed medium (55%) or low (27%) dietary in the study area. On the other hand, HFCS based on the previous 7 days of food consumption reveals that 83% of households had poor consumption levels. The major consumed food by households is rice followed by potato, oil, and sugar. The cross-tabulation analysis shows that 27% of households were completely food insecure while 55% were vulnerable to food security and 18% were food secure. The main coping strategy adopted by the sample households was taking a loan from NGOs when they face food shortages. It is recommended that government should provide support to the farm households through properly targeted income transfers, credit programs, and insurance mechanisms in times of crisis. Several food aid programmes such as Vulnerable Group Feeding or Social Security Policy Support programmes may have very high payoffs in improving food security status in the water-scarce areas.

Academic Stress in Postgraduate Student from a Private Peruvian University in the COVID-19 Context

The present research of descriptive scope with transectional design, is framed in the quantitative route, had like objective to measure the level of academic stress to which the students of postgraduate of the University Cesar Vallejo of Peru are put under, in the context COVID-19. The methodology highlights the application of an authorized instrument called SISCO Inventory for the measurement of academic stress, which was applied to 406 students of the masters and doctoral programs of the mentioned institution. The main results show the presence of academic stress in 93.3% of the students, with a high intensity that is explained by the fact that 83.3% are in levels 3, 4 and 5 of the scale, considering that 5 is the level of high stress. Finally, the main stressors found were the overload of daily academic activities, reactions to anxiety, anguish or desperation, and as the main coping strategy to recover the systemic balance, the analysis of the positive and negative arguments of the solutions designed to remedy the situations that generate the stress.

Changes in stress levels and coping strategies among Finnish nursing students

Nursing students may face significant stress in their clinical learning environment and may use coping strategies to alleviate such stresses. However, little empirical evidence exists about the evolution of such stresses and coping strategies across study years. The aim of this study was to explore changes in stress levels and coping strategies among nursing students in clinical learning environment. Nursing students (N = 131) were followed during their first and second study year. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were used to measure changes in the variables within the same cohort. Nurse students perceived more stress in their second clinical practice compared to first one, with mean scores of 1.03 and 1.66, respectively. Stress from lack of professional knowledge and skills remained the main stress factor while transference was the main coping strategy across the two study years. Nursing educators should support nursing students to develop effective coping strategies from clinical stressors, especially from stressors such as lack of professional knowledge and skills and prepare their students mentally for clinical placement.

Teachers’ perspective on school development at German vocational schools during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the challenges of teachers at vocational schools with regard to the process of digitalisation in school development during the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides the intrapersonal prerequisites for teaching with technology and the change in learning and teaching attitudes, preconditions concerning schools as part of a learning organisation are examined. A qualitative interview study including N = 18 participants was conducted to identify challenges for teachers, the role of school leadership, and cooperation between stakeholders. The main coping strategies proved to be a clear agenda by the school leadership in connection with reliable technological infrastructure and teachers’ willingness to use digital teaching methods.

Climate Variability and the Emergence of Malaria: Case of Kumbo Central Sub-Division, North West Region, Cameroon

Climate variability and change is a major driver of infectious diseases around the world. This study sought to investigate the role of climate variability on the emergence of malaria in the North West region of Cameroon. Both biophysical and socio-economic data were collected for this study. Biophysical data, mainly secondary, was collected from meteorological stations (rainfall and temperature data) and hospitals (malaria morbidity and mortality statistics) in the study area. Socio-economic data were collected from primary sources, mainly, survey of households and hospitals, using semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 164 questionnaires were distributed amongst medical personnel and the general public (aged 18-70 years). Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that patterns of fluctuation in climate parameters did not have a perfect match with rates of prevalence of malaria. However, some relatively significant correlation was found to exist between certain aspects of climate and rates of prevalence of malaria. It was noted that other drivers are involved in influencing rates of prevalence of malaria besides climate variability and change. Amongst the impacts of malaria prevalence on the population were high rates of morbidity and mortality. The population employed treated mosquito bed nets as the main coping strategy for fighting against malaria. The study recommends that the health sector should incorporate the phenomena of climate variability and change into its policy framework, and more research should be conducted to assess other drivers of malaria prevalence in north western Cameroon.

Meanings of living with a chronic wound: a meta-synthesis study

Objective: explore qualitative research on the meanings of living with a chronic wound. Method: it is a qualitative meta-synthesis. 13 articles were included, totaling a sample of 248 individuals who self-reported living with a chronic wound. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program instrument was used to evaluate the eligible articles, and to report the qualitative synthesis, the recommendations of Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research were followed. The analysis and extraction of information and construction of the synthesis were carried out by two independent reviewers, with the assistance of a third expert reviewer. Results: living with a chronic wound involves initial concerns and the appearance of symptoms, especially marked pain. They report that the increase in pain led to low functional capacity, as well as weakened social relationships and financial conditions. The experiences illustrate the challenges of emotional burden and the implications of illness, which contributed to social isolation. Religiosity and spirituality were the main coping strategies. Conclusion: living with a chronic wound means a condition of pain, limits physical and functional capacity, causes negative feelings and emotions that result in people’s isolation.

Traditional Rangeland Resource Utilization Practices and Pastoralists’ Perceptions on Land degradation in Madda Walabu district, South-east Ethiopia

A study was conducted to examine rangeland resource utilization practices of pastoralists and rangeland degradation in Madda Walabu district, south- east Ethiopia. A single-visit survey method was used to gather data through a structured questioner (130 households), group discussions and direct observations. Free grazing of communal land (100%), use of enclosures (89%), division of herds based on species and class of animal (59%), migration (79%) and seasonal assessments of the condition of rangeland were the basic traditional rangeland management practices. About 91% of pastoralists indicated that the condition of their rangelands was poor. The most dominant use for woody plants was for construction (91%), followed by browse (68%) and medicinal purposes (25%). More than 86% of the respondents considered that their grazing lands now carried more bushes and shrubs than they did 30 years ago. Feed and water shortages and drought were identified as current challenges for pastoralists, with migration the main coping strategy, in spite of the hardships it entails. Rejuvenating the existing rangelands requires the development of a range- land management strategy involving pastoralists and other stakeholders, with all participants fully committed to a successful outcome. A reduction in livestock numbers must be an essential component of any future strategy. Keywords : Pastoral perception, Rangeland degradation, Resource utilization, South-east Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-21-03 Publication date: November 30 th 2020

How people of African Caribbean or Irish ethnicity cope with long-term health conditions in UK community settings: A systematic review of qualitative, quantitative and mixed method studies.

Living with a chronic or mental health condition can be challenging and requires considerable adjustment. As ways of coping are culturally influenced, it is important to understand how minority ethnic populations cope, to inform appropriate services. This review aimed to explore the coping strategies used by UK residents from an African Caribbean or Irish background between 1960 and 2020. A systematic literature search on strategies used to cope with chronic health conditions in both populations living in the United Kingdom identified 26 relevant studies. Data were extracted, quality of papers was appraised and critical interpretive synthesis was applied. Two major foci of the studies were coping strategies and barriers to coping. The main coping strategies were denial/scepticism, self-management, spirituality and religion. Within each population, there was variation in ways of coping. The review highlights the complex role of religion in influencing coping strategies. It demonstrates how personal and minority ethnic populations' experiences of service use are connected with stigma, fear and mistrust, which also act as barriers to seeking help and to coping. Coping with a chronic or mental health condition in the Irish and African Caribbean populations is under-researched. Stigma, fear and mistrust in services act as key barriers to help-seeking and religion is a prominent coping strategy. However, few detailed examples were given on how it was used to assist individuals when managing a chronic or mental health condition. Also due to a lack of research, firm conclusions cannot be drawn for the Irish population.

Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life (APPEAL): the impact of peanut allergy on children, adolescents, adults and caregivers in France

BackgroundPeanut allergy (PA) has increased in developed countries and can have a dramatic effect on quality of life but data surrounding this is limited in France. Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life study (APPEAL) investigated the experience and impact of living with PA in France.MethodsRespondents affected by PA directly (children aged 8–12 years, teenagers aged 13–17 years, or adults aged ≥ 18 years) or indirectly (caregiver) completed either an online questionnaire (APPEAL-1, N = 198), or provided in-depth interviews (APPEAL-2, N = 32). Quantitative data was evaluated using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, using MAXQDA software.ResultsOf 198 responders in APPEAL-1, 88% stated that PA affects their daily activities, and 74% felt isolated as a result of living with PA. Feelings of worry about exposure to peanuts on social occasions where food is involved was reported by 91%. A total of 44% reported some restrictions in their job options, 85% in socializing. Psychological impact of PA included responders feeling emotions of frustration (89%), uncertainty (87%), and stress (93%) and 93% reporting encountering instances of feeling different due to their PA. Main factors that drove PA impact included social activities and relationships; whereas main coping strategies to avoid peanuts included monitoring, communication and planning.ConclusionThe analysis of French respondents from the APPEAL study demonstrates the impact and burden of PA on allergic children, teenagers, adults and their caregivers, and highlights the unmet need to be addressed.

Homesickness in developing world expatriates and coping strategies

This article examines the developing world expatriates’ experience of homesickness when they are deployed to western countries. The research considers the consequences of being homesick on the expatriates and their organisations; the paper then clarifies the strategies used by the expatriates to cope with the condition. The research employed qualitative research built on unstructured interviews with expatriates from the developing world who have been deployed in western countries by their employing multinational. The findings revealed that homesickness has consequences for both expatriates and organisations. These consequences include psycho-social disorder, deterioration of physical health which damagingly affect individual wellbeing, work outcomes and organisational commitment. The practical implications centre on the opportunity for policy and strategy formulation by international HRM within organisations to improve the mental health of developing world expatriates, thus seeding the ingredients for better performance and job satisfaction. Our study makes significant additions to the expatriate literature in exposing the homesickness experiences of expatriates from the developing world in advanced economies. We identify two main coping strategies used by expatriates. The research explicates how developing world expatriates use these strategies in practices.

O enfrentamento do câncer fora de possibilidade terapêutica: uma revisão integrativa

Objetivou-se identificar quais são as principais estratégias de enfrentamento apresentadas por pacientes em cuidados paliativos oncológicos. Trata-se de uma Revisão integrativa nas bases de dados MEDLINE, BDENF – Enfermagem, LILACS e IBECS – ES em artigos nos idiomas inglês, espanhol e português, no período de 2015 a 2019, selecionando-se 11 artigos por meio de leitura exploratória e crítica dos títulos, resumos e resultados alcançados nos estudos. Foram identificadas estratégias de enfrentamento, tais como enfrentamento familiar, religioso, autoculpa e adaptação, com prioridade ao enfrentamento religioso. No entanto, houve predominância do coping religioso positivo. Os estudos apresentaram diferenças em relação à metodologia e instrumentos utilizados. Emergiram categorias de enfrentamento positivo, negativo e recursos relacionados à rede social de apoio do paciente. A religião/espiritualidade e a rede social de apoio foram as principais estratégias de enfrentamento apresentadas pelos pacientes em cuidados paliativos oncológicos.

Prison staff’s views and understanding of the role of emotions in prisoner suicide and violence

ABSTRACT Suicide and violence are a major concern in prisons, and it has been suggested that alexithymia may be associated with these behaviours. Alexithymia can be defined as the inability to identify and describe emotions. This study aimed to explore staff’s understanding and attitudes about identifying and discussing emotions in prisoner suicide and violence. Twenty prison staff across departments were interviewed about their understanding of how emotional difficulties contribute towards prisoner suicide and violence. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Analysis revealed five main themes and nine subthemes. Staff felt that prisoners struggled to identify, understand and communicate their emotions which led to intense and sudden outbursts of emotion. In turn, prisoners responded to these outbursts using two main maladaptive coping strategies; drug and alcohol use and harming self or others. This process was placed in a broader context of both upbringing and the prison environment. These findings therefore suggest that a change to prison regime and culture is crucial to encouraging prisoners to overcome difficulties with identifying, understanding and communicating emotions which, in turn, could help to reduce rates of suicide and violence in prison.

Responding to Maternal Loss: A Phenomenological Study of Older Orphans in Youth-Headed Households in Impoverished Areas of South Africa.

The aim of this study was to explore how older orphans in youth-headed households (YHHs) experience and respond to maternal death and to examine the strategies they employ to care for their younger siblings. We interviewed 18 older orphans who were purposively selected from YHHs located in informal settlements in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. After the death of their mothers, the orphans lost the family home, lost support from their relatives, lost friendships, lost educational opportunities, and lost childhood. The orphans experienced prolonged pain, sadness, anxieties, fear, loneliness despondency, and deep-rooted and persistent anger towards their mother for dying. They suffered from prolonged bereavement because they had been denied the opportunity to mourn the loss of their parents and yearned persistently but silently for their dead mothers. Dropping out of school to seek employment in order to care for their siblings was one of the main coping strategies that older orphans used. However, dropping out of school early robbed them of their future goals of getting an educational qualification. The orphans had not been prepared for taking on an adult role and were given no support or counselling to help them recover from their parents’ death. Continuous grief counselling should form an integral component of the psychosocial support services that are provided to orphans soon after the death of a parent.