Distressed Personality Research Articles

Association between Type D personality, illness perception, and coping strategies in patients undergoing open-heart surgery.

A combination of social inhibition and negative affectivity characterizes Type D personality. Type D, or distressed personality, is an established risk factor for the development and prognosis of coronary heart disease. It occurs in approximately 1 in 4 patients with coronary heart disease. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Type D personality, illness perception, and coping strategies in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. This retrospective and cross-sectional study was conducted in a university hospital psychiatry and cardiovascular surgery clinics between February 2022 and April 2022. Seventy-one volunteered patients over the age of 18 who underwent open-heart surgery in the cardiovascular surgery clinic were included in the study. Cardiovascular surgeons recorded the sociodemographic and clinical data of the patients and referred them to the psychiatry clinic for further evaluation. Subsequently, patients underwent psychiatric evaluation and were assessed using the Type D Personality Scale, Coping Attitudes Assessment Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Illness Perception Questionnaire. According to this study, individuals with Type D personality tended to have higher scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Analysis of the subdimensions of the Stress Coping Styles Scale revealed that individuals with Type D personalities showed a significantly lower optimistic approach and a considerably higher helpless approach. In terms of the subdimensions of the Illness Perception Questionnaire, it was found that individuals with Type D personality had a statistically lower treatment control approach and a statistically higher emotional representations approach. Identifying Type D personality traits in patients undergoing open-heart surgery can help manage negative illness perceptions through effective coping mechanisms.

Distressed personality is associated with late adverse effects in long-term survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma.

There are few studies of personality traits in long-term Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (HLSs) treated according to contemporary stage-and risk-adapted approaches. The Distressed Personality (DP) Scale covers negative affectivity and social inhibition. We examined differences in self-reported late adverse effects (LAEs) between HLSs with and without DP and other explanatory variables. This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study included a population-based cohort of HLSs treated from 1997 to 2006, aged 8-49 years at diagnosis, and alive in 2016. Among 518 eligible HLSs, 303 responded (58%), and 294 completed the DP scale. DP was defined by scores above cut-off on both the negative affectivity and social inhibition subscales. LAEs studied were major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep problems, obesity, neuropathy, fatigue, memory problems, and general health. DP and 10 other explanatory variables were tested against LAEs as dependent variables in multivariable regression analyses. The mean age at survey was 45.9 years (standard deviation [SD] 4.6), mean follow-up time 16.7 years (SD 3.0), and 48% were females. Eighty-two HLSs had DP (28%, 95% confidence interval 23% - 33%). All LAEs except obesity were significantly more common/had higher mean score in HLSs with DP. In multivariable analyses, presence of DP was significantly associated with all LAEs except obesity. The presence of DP is common among HLSs. The presence of DP was associated with most self-report LAEs examined. Including assessment of personality traits in the survivorship care plans of HLSs should be considered. Prospective studies assessing the influence of pretreatment DP on LAEs are warranted.

Lunar distress communications: Interoperability, frequencies, and harmful interference, which normative model for the artemis accords?

A new space era begins with the Artemis Accords. These will allow the return of humans to the Moon. The starting point of this historic period was marked by the signing of this international agreement on October 13, 2020. Eight States are at the origin of these accords: the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Since then, thirteen other governments – including France – have joined this international space program led by NASA. Artemis will require the implementation of a new communication architecture called “LunaNet”, encompassing the search and rescue service known as “LunaSAR”. Therefore, like on Earth, on the Moon, search and rescue of people in distress will require the interoperability of international communications. From a legal point of view, the Artemis Accords are based on existing space law, particularly the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. According to this, Lunar missions shall be conducted for peaceful purposes. Transparency in the implementation of international partnerships is another key principle of this space program. From this, at the operational level, interoperability of the systems based on existing or future standards naturally follows. Beyond the technical or commercial aspects, what takes precedence over all other considerations is the safety of the astronauts working for the completion of the Artemis program. Thus, generally, the possible assistance brought to the astronauts in distress is foreseen in the United Nations treaties and principles on outer space. Regarding the implementation of the Artemis program, personnel will operate on board a spacecraft, a space station, or from the surface of the Moon. This is why NASA plans to implement the Astronaut's Lunar Lifeline, known as Lunar Search and Rescue or LunaSAR. Integrated with the LunaNet system, this system will assist workers in distress. In this study, therefore, we will focus on standards for communications interoperability, in the context of search and rescue of persons in distress. To do so, we will examine the Artemis program through the lens of satellite-assisted Earth search and rescue principles and techniques. In particular, we will focus on the COSPAS-SARSAT alerting service and the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual. In this context, issues such as, for example, the implementation of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies of 1967, the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space of 1968 and the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies of 1979 as well as the protection of SAR frequencies and potential harmful interference will be addressed.

Jurisdiction of a State Party under Article 2(1) of the ICCPR: A Comment on A.S. and Others v. Italy

Abstract In A.S. and others v. Italy, the question of the jurisdiction of a State party under Article 2(1) of the ICCPR is formulated as “whether the alleged victims could be considered to have been within the power or effective control of the State party”. Per HRC’s earlier views, one form of “within the power or effective control” of a State party may be identified by the impact on the enjoyment of rights caused by a State party’s action. This can be considered as the “functional impact model”. Apparently this is what the HRC applied in this case. But a State party’s inaction cannot cause any impact unless it owes prior positive obligations towards the allegedly impacted person. As the applicable instruments allow considerable discretion to a State party to decide whether to rescue the persons in distress at sea, Italy’s “obligations” to rescue and to cooperate do not necessarily trigger Italy’s positive obligations towards the relevant persons. Taking Italy’s jurisdiction as a consequence of the causal link between the sinking of the vessel and the resulting sufferings (and deaths in some cases) of the persons on the vessel and Italy’s decisions (inaction) is the result of an expansive and improper application of the special approach adopted in other cases. To be non-arbitrary, one may find that affected persons are “within the power or effective control” of a State party: (1) where harm is caused by affirmative acts of a State party, the impact can be deemed as a manifestation that the person impacted is “within the power or effective control” of the State party; or (2) where harm is caused by an omission of a State party, there must be a prior specific legal relationship between the allegedly impacted person and the State party.

КАЧЕСТВО ЖИЗНИ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ С ИНФАРКТОМ МИОКАРДА В ЗАВИСИМОСТИ ОТ НАЛИЧИЯ ТИПА ЛИЧНОСТИ Д

Introduction. Type D personality, or distress personality, i. e., a combination of negative affectivity and social inhibition, as well as poor life quality, are considered the predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there is insufficient data on the role of Type D personality as a determinant of life quality in myocardial infarction patients. Aim is to assess the Q-positive myocardial infarction patients’ life quality and its association with Type D personality. Materials and Methods. The study included 158 patients aged 58.2±2.5 years, who were admitted to the hospital for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction was diagnosed in accordance with the Clinical Guidelines of the Russian Society of Cardiology, 2020. Пациентам анализируемых групп проведено определение общеклинических параметров, психологическое тестирование с применением оценочных шкал тревоги и депрессии, опросников DS-14 и SF-36. Patients of the groups studied were tested for general clinical parameters and psychological characteristics using anxiety and depression rating scales, DS-14 and SF-36 questionnaires. Individuals with and without Type D personality were identified in the group of myocardial infarction patients. Results and Discussion. Type D personality was detected in 29.1% of myocardial infarction patients. In this group, an unfavorable psychological profile is noted: Their negative excitability, social suppression, depression, and personal/situational anxiety levels are higher than in the group without Type D personality. In patients with myocardial infarction and Type D personality, a lower quality of life and a decrease in the integral indicators of physical and psychologic components. Conclusions. Type D personality was proven to provide an adverse effect on the life quality in myocardial infarction patients. Cardiac rehabilitation programs should include interventions to reduce the Type D personality traits, especially social inhibition.

"ReachOut": Pilot Evaluation of a Help-Seeking Intervention for Common Mental Health Concerns Among Distressed Non-Treatment-Seeking Young Adults.

Purpose There is a pressing need for interventions with the potential for scalability to enhance help-seeking inclination and behavior among individuals experiencing common mental health concerns. These interventions are important for addressing the widespread treatment gap. This study aimed to test the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of a newly developed simple technology-based multi-component help-seeking intervention ("ReachOut") for common mental health concerns among distressed, non-treatment-seeking young adults. Methods "ReachOut" was delivered to 172 young adults aged 20-35 years, scoring above the cut-off on the Kessler Psychological Distress scale. Effectiveness was studied using a single-group short-term prospective study design to examine changes in help-seeking barriers, inclination, and behavior. We assessed intervention feasibility in terms of demand, implementation, practicality, and limited efficacyand acceptability was determinedbased on the rate of participation consent, the extent of pro-active initiation of contact with the facilitatorduring the intervention, feedback obtained on various "ReachOut" componentsand ratings on the likelihood of recommendingthe interventiontoa person in distress. Results Significant reductions in the mean barriers and improvement in mean help-seeking inclination from mental health professionals (MHPs) were observed on the Friedman test from baseline to the two-month follow-up period after the intervention. Thirty-eight percent of participants (N=41) reported seeking help from MHPs by two-month follow-up. Feedback from participants, assessments, and observations indicated that "ReachOut" was feasible and acceptable among the target sample. Conclusions The study provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of the help-seeking intervention "ReachOut" in reducing barriers and improving help-seeking inclination and behavior for common mental health concerns among distressed non-treatment-seeking young adults.

Practices of primary health care nurses in the care for people in psychological distress.

To understand the practices of nurses working in Primary Health Care in caring for people in psychological distress. Qualitative study conducted with 30 nurses working directly in Primary Health Care. Data were collected from January to March 2023 through semi-structured interviews, which were fully transcribed. The resulting material was organized in the IRaMuTeQ® software and subjected to the thematic content analysis, anchored in the precepts of Eric Cassell's Theory of the Nature of Human Suffering. Five categories emerged: 1. Causes of Psychological Distress (14.65%), 2. Needs of the person in psychological distress (31.3%), 3. Team case discussions (26.5%), 4. Care network for the person in psychological distress (15.99%) and 5. Care instruments (11.57%). The practices that nurses perform involve listening spaces to express feelings, case discussions within the team and matrixing and the understanding that psychological distress is the result of environmental, social, and family factors. However, they report a lack of training to assess individuals experiencing psychological distress and request the development of institutional protocols and training to support care.

An unmanned device designed for drowning rescue

Prevention and rescue work is considered an urgent and crucial job to ensure the safety and life of people. However, this job contains many unpredictable dangers and difficulties that rescuers encounter during the rescue process due to the lack of timely support equipment. Causing a threat to the safety and life of the victim as well as the rescue force. In this paper, we propose to design a drone to assist in rescue and help people in distress get out of drowning more quickly to increase the chance of survival for people in distress by using unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to carry a self-pumping buoy. When detecting people drowning, the rescuer can control the drone carrying a buoy to automatically pump out the drowning person's position and release the buoy to the person in distress. Experimental results in a controlled environment show the feasibility of the device in service of rescue work. The device has been tested in specific areas such as football fields, lakes, and open spaces as well as areas with obstacles, and achieved the required results.

Interrelationship of psychological and sociological factors after a first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) : Implications for secondary prevention

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): This study is supported with a young investigator grant from Vísindaráð Landspítala [the science committee of Landspitali-University Hospital] awarded to dr. Erla Svansdóttir. Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of death, disability, and health-care burden worldwide. Advances in medical technology combined with identification of CAD risk factors has resulted in lower CAD mortality rates in western countries in the past decades. Secondary prevention constitutes a crucial factor for hindering further CAD development by helping patients with risk factor modification. Psychological and sociological factors have been identified as risk factors for progression of CAD and adverse well-being following adverse CAD events, and should be given consideration in secondary prevention. Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of psycho- and sociological factors in patients undergoing a first Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and to explore how the interrelationship of these factors affect patients’ well-being. This study is a part of a larger study investigating the psychological well-being and rehabilitation success of patients after an initial PCI procedure up to six months post-PCI. Methods Participants were 97 patients (mean age 60±7.6 years) who underwent a PCI in Iceland from December 2021 to May 2022. Questionnaires assessing somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression, perceived stress, cardiac anxiety, and distress personality were administered during hospitalization. Results Majority of participants were male (79%), in a relationship (79%), had secondary/higher education (83%), worked full time (72%) and lived in the capital area (69%). Overall, nearly half of PCI patients showed some depression symptoms (47%) and 38% some anxiety symptoms. Of these, 15% and 10% had moderate or severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Women scored higher than men on cardiac anxiety and cardiac-related avoidance (p’s<0.05). Age had a negative correlation with somatic symptom scores (r=-0.26, p<0.05), anxiety (r=-0.32, p<0.01), cardiac anxiety (r=-0.24, p<0.01), cardiac fear and worry (r=-0.39, p<0.01) and social inhibition (r=-0.26, p<0.01). Higher education level was linked with lower anxiety, depression, perceived stress, negative affectivity and social inhibition (table 1). Not being in a relationship was associated with more somatic symptoms (ß=0.27), perceived stress (ß=0.24) and cardiac-related avoidance (ß=0.25), independent of age, gender, and education status (see table 2, all p’s<0.05). In secondary analyses patients not in a relationship had higher odds of current smoking (OR 5.4, 95% CI:1.7-17.6) and of having some depression symptoms (OR 2.7, 95% CI:1.0-7.4). Conclusion Nearly half of PCI patients in Iceland had some depression or anxiety symptoms, and psychological distress was higher among patients of younger age or lower education levels. Single patients may pose a group in need of specific support in secondary prevention given their elevated somatic symptoms, cardiac-related avoidance and perceived stress which may hinder rehabilitation efforts.

Private sector engagement in humanitarian financing, logistics and technology and implementation of humanitarian aid projects in Kenya

Humanitarian crisis across the globe continue to increase in size, frequency, and complexity in the 21 Century challenging the ability of Organizations in disaster relief to save lives of persons in distress. This has been a challenge in Countries prone to natural disaster as well as those prone to human conflict such as Syria, Southern Sudan, Central Africa Republic, Yemen, Somalia and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Kenya, humanitarian crises have occurred in the form of recurrent drought, floods, malnutrition and food security, disease outbreak, post election violence; resource based intercommunal conflicts as well as terror attacks. These crises often require immediate response in order to save lives, as a result there is increasing need to engage private sector in humanitarian logistics, financing and technology when implementing humanitarian aid projects. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of combined private sector engagement and the implementation of humanitarian aid projects. The paradigm guiding the study is pragmatism and the study employed a cross sectional-survey design. The sample was drawn from Organizations in disaster relief programmes using both probability and non-probability sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data was utilized in data collection. Primary data was collected using self administered questionnaires, Key Informant Interview, and Focus Group Discussions Guides. Questionnaires issued were 117 out of these, 85 which is 72.6% were returned for analysis. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. For descriptive analysis, mean, percentages and frequencies were used. For inferential analysis, correlations and regressions were used. For p<0.05, H 0 was rejected and H1 accepted. For the strength of the relationships, r values were considered where: +0.10< r <+0.29; weak correlation +0.30< r <+0.49; moderate correlation +0.5 < r <+1.0; Strong correlation. The qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. The study findings indicate that combined private sector engagement influence on implementation of humanitarian aid projects in Kenya. The study concludes that combined private sector engagement is critical in implementation of humanitarian aid projects and there is need to put more emphasis on collaboration. The study recommended that there is need for more academic research on humanitarian aid.

A Time-Domain Planning Method for Surface Rescue Process of Amphibious Aircraft for Medium/Distant Maritime Rescue

Medium/distant maritime rescue is significantly important in the development of maritime business. For typical medium/distant maritime rescue, the range limitation of helicopters and many difficulties between helicopter and ship cooperation lead to unsatisfactory rescue results. Compared to helicopters and ships, amphibious aircrafts could effectively solve the problems faced by helicopters and ships and meet the medium/distant maritime rescue demands with their long cruise range, high speed, high rescue capability and surface landing capability. Therefore, a time-domain planning method (TPM) based on the k-means* clustering algorithm and the genetic algorithm* is proposed in this study for the surface rescue process (SRP) of amphibious aircrafts in medium/distant maritime rescue. To simulate the SRP of amphibious aircrafts, an agent-based simulation environment of medium/distant maritime rescue was constructed based on the Python platform. Finally, a case study was carried out to verify its effectiveness and applicability. The results show that the TPM exhibits satisfactory rescue results for the SRP of the amphibious aircraft and that less than 1 h of delay time is recommended for the amphibious aircraft to rescue the persons in distress by using TPM.

Stock Reliever/Inhaler Implementation in Illinois: Survey Results from Illinois School Nurses and Administrators

In Illinois, 11% of children are living with asthma, and over half are uncontrolled, but many children lack consistent access to rescue inhalers at school. Illinois Public Act 100-0726 allows schools to stock rescue/reliever inhalers for any person in respiratory distress. We surveyed school nurses and administrators regarding their perceptions, policies, and implementation barriers about stock relievers.

Psychosocial predictors for cardiac rehabilitation participation for patients with coronary artery disease

AimsCardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a class Ia recommendation by international guidelines. However, the participation remains disappointingly low. Multiple barriers were already identified. Nevertheless, the relationship with psychosocial factors remains unsettled. The aim of this study is to analyse the role of psychosocial factors in CR participation. Methods and resultsA prospective study on 165 patients with a percutaneous coronary intervention. The main outcome was participation in a centre-based CR programme. The independent relationship between participation and optimism, type D personality or distressed personality, health literacy, depression, social support and self-efficacy.A total number of 165 patients were included in the study of which 81 (49.1%) participated in a centre-based CR programme. Participants were predominantly male. Solely, patients participating in CR were significantly younger (P = 0.005). Participants of CR had significantly higher levels of social support especially from their significant other (P = 0.020) and family (P = 0.050). Furthermore, the health literacy score was significantly higher in the participants group (P = 0.030). A multiple logistic regression demonstrated that higher age, higher social support, not working, being obese and being able to drive a car were significant statistical predictors for CR participation. ConclusionsThis study is one of the first to demonstrate the role of social support and health literacy in the participation of CR. Other well-known barriers for CR participation such as age, transport and scheduling issues were identified as barriers in this study.

Coping strategies and associated factors among people with physical disabilities for psychological distress in Ethiopia

BackgroundCoping strategies are frequently used among individuals with physical disabilities when they face adversities. Low- and middle-income countries are not investigated coping styles among psychological distress persons with disabilities despite the high prevalence of psychological distress. The aim of this study was to identify coping strategies among people with physical disabilities for their psychological distress in Ethiopia has a crucial role to improve the health status of persons with physical disabilities.MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was employed among individuals living with physical disabilities at the University of Gondar staff and students from May to June 2021. All staff and students with physical disabilities were screened for psychological distress (n = 269). The census sampling technique was used to select the study participants for psychological distress. The Brief Cope with Problems Experienced (COPE-28) was used to assess coping strategies. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with coping strategies. An odd ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) at P < 0.05 was computed to assess the strength of the association.ResultsThe emotional-focused coping strategy was the most frequently used when dealing with psychological distress among participants with physical disabilities. The most commonly used emotional-focused coping strategy was spirituality. In the multivariate analyses; urban residence (β = 3.05, 95% CI: 0.98, 5.12), and stigma (β = 3.10, 95% CI: 0.61, 2.83) were factors positively associated with emotion-focused coping strategy, and World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHO QOL) (β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.22), and stigma (β = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.61, 2.83) were factors significantly associated with problem-focused coping. Urban residence (β= -0.96, 95% CI: -1.69, -0.22) was negatively associated with dysfunctional coping strategy, but WHO QOL (β = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.38) was positively correlated with dysfunctional coping.ConclusionIn this study revealed that spirituality is the most frequently used coping strategy among the study participants. Urban residents, stigma, and WHO QOL significantly correlated with coping strategies among such patients. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and other concerned organizations may find the present findings useful to strengthen the coping styles to minimize psychological distress among people with physical disabilities.

국제법상 난민처리와 P&amp;I 보험에서의 난민비용 보상문제

This paper aims to raise the problem of the weakening of the obligation to provide relief that may occur due to non-compensation for the resulting loss due to refugee rescue under P&I insurance and to suggest improvement measures. To this end, the definition of refugee stipulated in international conventions and the obligation to rescue survivors at sea were reviewed, and P&I rules and refugee recognition application procedures of each major country were reviewed. The Protection and Indemnity(P&I) rules do not define refugees. However, the scope of ‘refugee’ in international conventions is very narrow, and there are many different types of survivors encountered at sea. Therefore, the definition of refugee in the P&I rules should be interpreted broadly. However, if a person in distress at sea is identified, the captain has a duty to use reasonable care to rescue refugees, but there are no clear rule or guideline on disembarking the persons saved at sea. If the port state refuses to disembark the persons saved at sea, the ship will have to wait for an available berth to delivery and there is a possibility of inflicting huge economic losses. Moreover, even if the ship does not rescue refugees, there is no disadvantage, so the obligation to rescue is further weakened. Therefore, if economic compensation is not provided for the shipowner

Rethinking ‘Jurisdiction’ in International Human Rights Law in Rescue Operations at Sea in the Light of AS and Others v Italy and AS and Others v Malta: A New Right to be Rescued at Sea?

AbstractIn January 2021 the Human Rights Committee determined that Italy and Malta had both failed to protect the right to life of more than 200 migrants who perished in a shipwreck in 2013. The Committee tackled for the first time the question of extraterritorial application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to persons in distress at sea. While finding the decision against Malta to be inadmissible, the Committee engaged in a significant analysis of the concept of jurisdiction in both decisions. This article analyses how the decisions interpret the concept of ‘jurisdiction’ and juxtaposes this analysis against the approaches taken in other international legal regimes. The article then theorises on the impact of these two decisions in helping to crystallise a new ‘right to be rescued at sea’.

Water search and rescue (SAR) for ship accidents in China: analysis of 12 years’ data

Maritime search and rescue (SAR) remains a great global challenge because of the long distances, harsh environment and complicated trauma. A systematic investigation and analysis of China Maritime Search and Rescue Center (CMSRC) data has been lacking. This study aimed to provide more insightful information for future development of a better maritime and aquatic SAR system in China. This retrospective study retrieved and analyzed data on the water traffic volume from The Ministry of Transportation, People's Republic of China website and SAR data on ship accidents between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2019. Spearman's correlation test was performed to analyze the data for the number of ship accidents, number of persons in distress, number of rescued persons, SAR success rate, and SAR forces. The χ2 test was used to assess significant changes in the proportion of ship accident locations, categories, dispatched SAR forces, and location of deaths annually. The Cox Stuart test was applied to determine the trends in the data from 2008 to 2019. Between 2008 and 2019, a total of 24,013 ship accidents were reported and recorded by the CMSRC surveillance system; 209,948 persons in distress because of ship accidents were reported; 8,051 individual deaths from ship accidents. Water traffic volume and ship carrying capacity increased while the annual number of persons in distress, ship collisions, and ship collision-related deaths decreased. The SAR success rate (96.17%±0.92%) did not improve despite an increase in the number of rescue ships dispatched during this period. Helicopters (92.40±20.58 min) arrived faster than rescue ships (283.75±40.96 min) but the dispatched number of helicopters did not increase during this period. The average arrival time of nearby passing ships (41.90±7.98 min) was the shortest. CMSRC efforts mitigated the growth of ship accidents despite increasing traffic volume. More dispatched rescue ships did not improve the SAR success rate without saving arrival time. Future SAR protocols may need to increase and strengthen the role of helicopters and nearby passing ships to improve the SAR success rate.

Distressed (Type D) personality is predicted by avoidance: evidence from a computer-based avatar task.

BackgroundOne personality type associated with poor health outcomes is distressed (Type D) personality which involves high levels of both social inhibition (SI) and negative affectivity (NA). Type D is also linked to psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and depression. One mechanism through which personality temperament may result in these psychopathologies is avoidance. Recently, a computer-based measure designed to assess avoidant behaviors, in which the participant guides the behavior of an avatar interacting with strangers in social situations, has been found to be related to various forms of avoidance. In the current study, we extended this work with the avatar avoidance task to determine its relationship to distressed (Type D) personality. We hypothesized that Type D personality, along with SI, but not NA, would be positively related to avatar avoidance scores. We also hypothesized that avatar avoidance scores would be higher in Type D individuals than non-Type D individuals.MethodsA total of 302 undergraduates completed the Distressed Type D Personality Scale (DS-14), and a computer-based avatar avoidance task.ResultsType D and SI, and NA to a lesser degree, were positively correlated with avoidance scores on the avatar task. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that Type D and SI scores were best predicted by a model including avoidance scores and education level while NA scores were best predicted by a model including avoidance scores. Standard cut-off scores on the DS-14 scale resulted in four groups (i.e., low SI and NA, high SI, high NA, and Type D) which significantly differed in avoidance scores. Specifically, Type D individuals had higher avoidance scores than the other three groups. Taken together these findings support a role for avoidance in Type D personality. The computer-based avatar avoidance task may be particularly relevant as an ecologically valid measure to identify avoidance in a virtual setting for use with individuals expressing Type D personality who may be unwilling or unable to accurately self-report or describe their own avoidant tendencies.

Smartphone activated community first responders’ experiences of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests alerts, a qualitative study

AimThe aim was to illustrate how community first responders perceive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest alerts delivered via smartphone, what support they have and how they cope with potentially distressing experiences. MethodA qualitative interview study was conducted with a volunteer sample of 14 community first responders in two regions of Sweden. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis with a data-driven inductive approach supported by NVivo 1.3. ResultsThe responders’ experiences were illustrated in three main themes, each including several subthemes: 1) Profound wish to help, including the sense of importance and sense of emergency; 2) Facing the situation, including essential actions performed in collaboration, confidence from training and experience, challenges posed by unforeseen situations and ethical dilemmas, and coping with emotional reactions; and 3) Potential for improvements, including technical and communication development, feedback and debriefing, training and social marketing. ConclusionThe community first responders were motivated and eager to help but simultaneously feared the mission and were not always prepared for their own reactions in the emergency when dispatched. Although cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and experience gave them skills that enabled them to act constructively, they faced situations that might be facilitated by improvements in the community first responder system and further training. The responders were proud of their efforts and were good ambassadors for the system. Appreciation of their commitment, better preparation and providing support in the aftermath of an emergency appears to be a good investment in societies’ efforts to bring quick help to distressed persons.

“I’m Here”: Isolation and Presence in the Short Stories of Tobias Wolff

ABSTRACT This article argues that Tobias Wolff critiques a doctrine of individualism, formed particularly in America during the Eighties, which has informed a central dynamic in his writing. Wolff depicts characters who must struggle to move away from solipsistic ideologies by seeing beyond habitual cycles of stagnated and destructive behavior. In many of his stories, characters are caught between a guarded sense of distance, versus an imperative to connect with those around them. I argue that the perceived vulnerability of forming relationships and the complex duties of moral decision-making create a tension that forms the basis of much of Wolff’s storytelling. I argue that Wolff shows how a focus on the present rather than on fleeting impulses or a fixation with the past can elucidate his protagonists’ lives. Three of Wolff’s stories close with the same two words: “I’m here.” I explore why this short sentence has such resonance in his work by drawing connections between these stories which span thirty years. In each case, the speaker is doing far more than consoling a person in distress. These precise words depict characters tentatively seeking to redefine themselves in climactic moments of self-growth.