Physical Health Ailments Research Articles

Acute stress, worry, and impairment in health care and non-health care essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health care and non-health care essential workers working in face-to-face interactions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be vulnerable to psychosocial distress. Limited empirical research on COVID-19-related psychosocial outcomes has utilized probability-based samples including both health care and non-health care essential workers. We surveyed a sample of 1,821 United States self-identified essential workers, collected using probability-based methods, working in face-to-face interactions during the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak (March 18, 2020 through April 18, 2020), in three consecutive 10-day cohorts. We assessed acute stress, health-related worries, and functional impairment. Demographics, secondary stressors (lack of childcare or health care, lost wages), and pre-COVID-19 mental and physical health were examined as predictors of psychological outcomes. Acute stress (β = .08, p = .001), health-related worries (β = .09, p = .001), and functional impairment (β = .05, p = .034) increased over time in the early weeks of the outbreak. Health care essential workers reported lower functional impairment (β = -.06, p = .009) and acute stress (β = -.06, p = .015) compared with non-health care essential workers. Across the sample, prior mental and physical health ailments, inability to obtain health care, lost wages, younger age, female gender, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with acute stress (βs = -.14 to .15, ps ≤ .001), health-related worries (βs = -.09 to .14, ps ≤ .001), and functional impairment (βs = -.08 to .16, ps ≤ .006). Lack of childcare (β = .09, p < .001) was positively associated with acute stress. Non-health care essential workers may be vulnerable to negative psychosocial outcomes. Targeted training and support may help facilitate coping with the effects of working in-person during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Findings may help inform intervention efforts, critical as COVID-19 becomes endemic and society must learn to live with its evolving variants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Graph Representation Learning to Predict Salivary Cortisol Levels in Pancreatic Cancer Patients.

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that is critical to immune system functioning. Studies show that prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol can lead to a range of physical health ailments including the progression of tumor growth. The ability to monitor cortisol levels over time can therefore be used to facilitate decision-making during cancer treatment. However, collecting serum or saliva samples to monitor cortisol in situ is inconvenient, costly, and impractical. In this paper, we propose a general predictive modeling process that uses passively sensed actigraphy data to predict underlying salivary cortisol levels using graph representation learning. We compare machine learning models with handcrafted feature engineering and with graph representation learning, which includes Graph2Vec, FeatherGraph, GeoScattering and NetLSD. Our preliminary results generated from data from 10 newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients demonstrate that machine learning models with graph representation learning can outperform the handcrafted feature engineering to predict salivary cortisol levels.

Effects of Crude Oil Exploration on the Physical and Mental Health of Residents of Okpai Community, Delta State, Nigeria

One of the adverse effects that may accompany prolonged exposure to gas flaring (as with Niger Delta region of Nigeria) is increasing incidences of health anomalies amidst inhabitants. Current study investigated the effects of oil exploration and exploitation on the physical and mental health of residents of Okpai community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, southern Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to draw a total of three hundred and forty (340) participants from the estimated population of Okpai community who have lived for a minimum of 3 years within the targeted area. Participants were then randomly recruited into three groups of equal number of interviewees of age range 18-30 (30%), 31-45 (37%) and 18-30 (33%) respectively. Majority of the respondents were in the age group of 18-30 (83%), with only 17% from 31-45 year old age group, similar to group 1. Following administration of questionnaire to participants, Socio-demographic variables were obtained after which their informed consents and approval was given. Obtained results were expressed in simple percentages, while presenting in appropriate statistical tables and graphs. Upon analysis, study observed an increase in the percentage of crude oil exploration on the physical and mental health of Okpai residents, suggesting that crude oil exploration greatly negatively affected the health status of Okpai community inhabitants. Study also established from the participants’ perception that the oil companies appeared not to be concerned or cares about the area investigated. Also from participants’ assertions, the consumption of contaminated fish and water created health problems. Participants also felt their healthcare needs were marginalized and ignored by representatives from oil companies and the local government. Most respondents described simply dealing with physical health ailments on their own or visiting their local chemist for treatments. Further studies aimed at corroborating these findings are highly recommended.

Associations between exposure to childhood bullying and abuse and adulthood outcomes in a representative national U.S. sample

BackgroundNegative childhood experiences are associated with poor health and psychosocial outcomes throughout one’s lifespan. ObjectiveWe examined associations between childhood bullying and maltreatment and several adulthood outcomes: psychological distress, functional impairment, generalized fear, and physician-diagnosed mental and physical health ailments. The potential mediating role of recent negative life events was also explored. Participants and SettingData were collected through web-based surveys of a U.S. representative national sample of adults. MethodsAt Wave 1 (N = 3,598), participants reported exposure to negative childhood experiences; at Wave 2 (N = 3,497), physician-diagnosed mental and physical health ailments were provided; at Wave 3 (N = 2,906), participants reported exposure to recent negative life events and psychosocial outcomes. ResultsOf the sample, 26.29% (weighted n = 946) reported childhood bullying, 15.02% (weighted n = 540) reported physical abuse, 15.56% (weighted n = 560) reported witnessing parental violence, 11.42% (weighted n = 411) reported sexual abuse, and 8.64% (weighted n = 311) reported parental neglect. Respondents who reported bullying, physical abuse, or sexual abuse during childhood reported greater distress, functional impairment, and fear of the future in adulthood, as mediated through recent negative life events, compared to those who did not (ßs: 0.04–.06). Those reporting bullying, neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse in childhood reported more mental health ailments in adulthood (IRRs: 1.44–1.66) compared to those who did not. Those reporting bullying or sexual abuse in childhood reported more physical health ailments (IRRs: 1.25–1.39). ConclusionsSpecific negative childhood experiences have unique links with poor outcomes in adulthood. Recent negative life events partially mediate these associations.

Depression, social support, and long-term risk for coronary heart disease in a 13-year longitudinal epidemiological study

Depression has been linked with long-term risk for a variety of physical health ailments, including coronary heart disease (CHD). Little is known about resilience factors that may attenuate this relationship. The current study assessed whether social support moderates the long-term risk for CHD associated with this disorder. Data were drawn from the Americans’ Changing Lives study, a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults in the United States. Participants (unweighted n=1636) completed initial assessments of functional social support, body mass index, recent history of major depression, CHD, hypertension, and diabetes. Participants were again assessed for CHD at a follow-up assessment 13 years later. Social support was found to moderate the relationship between depression and the occurrence of CHD 13 years later. Specifically, among individuals with low social support, depression was prospectively associated with CHD. In contrast, depression was not prospectively associated with CHD among individuals with high social support. The results indicate that social support may function as a resilience factor against the long-term cardiovascular risk associated with depression. Clinical interventions focusing on the development of social support systems are important not only for addressing depression itself, but also for associated long-term physical health outcomes.

Mental resilience training modulates stress physiology of active duty marines preparing for deployment

COMMENTARY ON: Johnson DC, Thom NJ, Stanley EA, et al. Modifying resilience mechanisms in at-risk individuals: a controlled study of mindfulness training in marines preparing for deployment. Am J Psychiatry...

FKBP5 and CRHR1 polymorphisms moderate the stress–physical health association in a national sample.

Stressful life events experienced during childhood and as an adult negatively impact mental and physical health over the life span. This study examined polymorphisms from 2 hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis-related genes previously associated with posttraumatic stress disorder-FKBP5 and CRHR1-as moderators of the impact of child abuse and adult stress on physical health. A national, community-based subsample of non-Hispanic European American respondents (n = 527) from a prospective longitudinal 3-year study of stress and coping (N = 2,729) provided saliva for genotyping. FKBP5 (rs1360780) and CRHR1 (rs12944712) polymorphisms significantly interacted with child abuse and adult stress to predict increases in physical health ailments over 3 years. Child abuse and adult stress were strongly related to physician-diagnosed physical ailments among individuals with the risk alleles of both single nucleotide polymorphisms. Individuals carrying the low-risk homozygotic genotypes were protected from the long-term negative health implications of experiencing both child abuse and adult stress. Consistent with theories linking the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with stress-related disease, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis polymorphism genotypes moderated the association between exposure to child abuse/adult stress and long-term physical health outcomes in a national sample.

Health status and health care utilization following collective trauma: A 3-year national study of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks (9/11) presented a unique opportunity to assess the physical health impact of collective stress in the United States. This study prospectively examined rates of physical ailments and predictors of health care utilization in a U.S. nationally representative sample over three years following the attacks. A sample of adults (N = 2592) completed a survey before 9/11/01 that assessed MD-diagnosed physical and mental health ailments. Follow-up surveys were administered at one (N = 1923), two (N = 1576), and three (N = 1950) years post-9/11 to assess MD-diagnosed physical health ailments (e.g., cardiovascular, endocrine) and health care utilization. Reports of physical ailments increased 18% over three years following 9/11. 9/11-related exposure, lifetime and post-9/11 stress, MD-diagnosed depression/anxiety, smoking status, age, and female gender predicted increased incidence of post-9/11 ailments, after controlling for pre-9/11 health. After adjusting for covariates (demographics, somatization, smoking status, pre-9/11 mental and physical health, lifetime and post-9/11 stress, and degree of 9/11-related exposure), increases in MD-diagnosed cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and hematology-oncology ailments predicted greater utilization of health care services over two years. After the collective stress of 9/11, rates of physical ailments increased and predicted greater health care utilization in a U.S. national sample.

Health and social impacts of a flood disaster: responding to needs and implications for practice

Carlisle in northwest England suffered its worse floods for more than 180 years in 2005. A study, reported here, was undertaken to assess the health and social impacts of these floods via in-depth, taped individual and focus-group interviews with people whose homes had been flooded and with agency workers who helped them. Respondents spoke of physical health ailments, psychological stress, water health-and-safety issues related to the floods, and disputes with insurance and construction companies, which they felt had caused and exacerbated psychological health problems. Support workers also suffered from psychological stress. Furthermore, it was found that people had low expectations of a flood and were not prepared. The findings are presented in five sections covering flood risk awareness, water contamination issues, physical health, mental health, and impact on frontline support workers. The discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for policy and practice vis-à-vis psychological health provision, contamination issues, training and support for frontline support workers, matters relating to restoration, and preparation for flooding.

A Literature Review Describing the Role of Return-to-Work Coordinators in Trial Programs and Interventions Designed to Prevent Workplace Disability

Return-to-work (RTW) coordination has been suggested as an effective strategy for preventing workplace disability, but the scope of these services is not well described. The objective of this study was to describe the activities of RTW coordinators in published trials to provide a basis for establishing necessary competencies. A keyword search of MEDLINE and CINAHL databases was conducted to identify intervention studies with a RTW coordinator providing direct, on-site workplace liaison to reduce work absences associated with physical health ailments. This search yielded 2,383 titles that were inspected by two examiners. Using a stepwise process that allowed for assessment of inter-observer agreement, 90 full articles were selected and reviewed, and 40 articles (22 studies) met criteria for inclusion. All but two studies (of traumatic brain injury) focused on musculoskeletal conditions or work injuries. Twenty-nine RTW coordinator activities were identified, but there was variation in the training background, workplace activities, and contextual setting of RTW coordinators. Based on reported RTW coordinator activities, six preliminary competency domains were identified: (1) ergonomic and workplace assessment; (2) clinical interviewing; (3) social problem solving; (4) workplace mediation; (5) knowledge of business and legal aspects; and (6) knowledge of medical conditions. Principal activities of RTW coordination involve workplace assessment, planning for transitional duty, and facilitating communication and agreement among stakeholders. Successful RTW coordination may depend more on competencies in ergonomic job accommodation, communication, and conflict resolution than on medical training.