Women's Physical Health Research Articles

Citrus polymethoxyflavones degrade estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) and combine with tamoxifen for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer seriously endangers the women's physical and mental health worldwide and ER targeting therapy is vital. Here, we found that a citrus polymethoxyflavones (PMFs)-rich hydrolysate (C–H) and its major components (nobiletin and 3-methoxynobiletin) potently degrade ERα protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, thereby impairing the proliferation of ER+ breast cancer cells. Moreover, our study exhibited that C–H combined with tamoxifen (TAM) inhibited the cell proliferation of ER+ breast cancer in vitro. It was further confirmed that C–H decreased tumor growth of ER+ breast cancer in tumor-bearing 129 mice in vivo and improved the efficacy of tamoxifen. Our study revealed that the citrus PMFs have potential applications as pharmaceutical and healthcare products in breast cancer treatment by targeting ERα protein degradation.

Leading Stressors and Coping Strategies Associated With Maternal Physical and Mental Health During the Extended Postpartum Period.

A critical gap exists in understanding stressors and coping that affect women's health beyond 6 weeks postpartum. Using new stressor and coping scales tailored to postpartum women, we examined the relationship of postpartum-specific stressors and coping to women's physical and mental health between 2 to 22 months after childbirth. A total of 361 women of diverse race, ethnicity, and functional abilities recruited through clinical and online methods completed online surveys that included Sources of Stress-Revised subscales, such as overload, changes after pregnancy, and low support resources; Postpartum Coping Scale subscales, such as self-regulation, self-care, and health promotion; Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health, covering physical and mental health dimensions; and social demographic items. Analyses included hierarchical linear regression models adjusted for social factors. Education and employment were the only social factors associated with physical and mental health, respectively. After adjusting for social factors, overload (P <.001) and coping through health promotion (P =.020) were the only additional variables associated with physical health. After adjusting for social factors, overload (P <.001) and low support resources (P =.002) and coping through self-care (P =.036) were the only additional variables associated with mental health. Thus, being overloaded was the key stressor associated with decreases in physical and mental health. Health promotion was associated with increases in physical health, and self-care was associated with increases in mental health. These findings point to directions for health care and community interventions to promote health for postpartum women under stress. Strengths of our study include application of stress and coping scales tailored to postpartum women, whereas a limitation is use of a cross-sectional design.

"Proud, brave, and tough": women in the Canadian combat arms.

Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, emphasizes the importance of leveraging Canada's diversity to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently, women in the Canadian military are underrepresented across most elements and occupations, especially in the combat arms occupations, including among officers and non-commissioned personnel in combat units such as infantry, armored corps, artillery, and combat engineering. Research suggests that the benefits associated with the inclusion of women in combat arms occupations include an increase in collective intelligence, operational effectiveness, task cohesion, and diversity. This article explores the gender gap in the Canadian combat arms by examining the findings from two recent qualitative research studies on the perceptions of women in the Regular Force and Primary Reserve. The authors analyze female military personnel's perceptions of women serving in the combat arms, and the ways to increase their inclusion in the military. The key findings reveal the following themes on women's perceptions of servicewomen in the combat arms: great job for those who want it; challenging environment (e.g., working within a masculinized culture, necessary toughness, tokenism and the "pink list," being treated differently, and family loyalty); unique challenges faced by women in combat roles; combat takes a toll on women's mental and physical health; and benefits of women's participation in multinational operations. The discussion highlights the need to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, promote a culture change that fosters greater inclusion of women in the combat arms, and increase operational effectiveness through training and policies.

Uterine leiomyoma causes an increase in systolic blood pressure: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Hypertension and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are common diseases in women at different stages, which affect women's physical and mental health, and the impact of the latter on the offspring cannot not be ignored. Observational studies have investigated the correlation between uterine leiomyoma (UL) and the above conditions, but the relationship remains unclear. In this study, we employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the association between UL and hypertension, HDP, as well as blood pressure. We collected genetic association data of UL (35,474 cases), hypertension (129,909 cases), HDP (gestational hypertension with 8,502 cases, pre-eclampsia with 6,663 cases and eclampsia with 452cases), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (both 757,601 participants) from published available genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with UL phenotype were used as instrumental variables, and hypertension, three sub-types of HDP, SBP and DBP were used as outcomes. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was employed as the primary method of causal inference. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test, and sensitivity analyses were conducted using MR-Egger regression and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) tests to evaluate the pleiotropy of instrumental variables. PhenoScanner search was used to remove confounding SNP. Robustness and reliability of the results were assessed using methods such as the weighted median and weighted mode. The IVW analysis revealed a positive correlation between genetically predicted UL and SBP [odds ratio (OR)= 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.24~2.25, P = 0.0007], and no statistical association was found between UL and hypertension, HDP, or DBP. The MR-Egger regression suggested that the above causal relationships were not affected by horizontal pleiotropy. The weighted median method and weighted model produced similar results to the IVW. Based on large-scale population GWAS data, our MR analysis suggested a causal relationship between UL and SBP. Therefore, women with UL, especially pregnant women, should pay attention to monitoring their blood pressure levels. For patients with hypertension who already have UL, interventions for UL may serve as potential therapeutic methods for managing blood pressure.

A Review of Artificial Intelligence in Breast Imaging.

With the increasing dominance of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, the important prospects for their application have extended to various medical fields, including domains such as in vitro diagnosis, intelligent rehabilitation, medical imaging, and prognosis. Breast cancer is a common malignancy that critically affects women's physical and mental health. Early breast cancer screening-through mammography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-can substantially improve the prognosis for breast cancer patients. AI applications have shown excellent performance in various image recognition tasks, and their use in breast cancer screening has been explored in numerous studies. This paper introduces relevant AI techniques and their applications in the field of medical imaging of the breast (mammography and ultrasound), specifically in terms of identifying, segmenting, and classifying lesions; assessing breast cancer risk; and improving image quality. Focusing on medical imaging for breast cancer, this paper also reviews related challenges and prospects for AI.

Women’s Empowerment and its Relationship to Intimate Partner Violence in Palpa District, Lumbini, Nepal

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) violates women's human rights and is a major public health concern. Intimate relationship violence or non-partner sexual assault affects about one in three (30%) women worldwide at some point in their lives. These types of violence harm women's sexual, emotional, physical, and reproductive health. This kind of abuse against women is preventable. Women's empowerment encompasses six common qualities: psychological, political, legal, economic, physical, and social empowerment, encompassing various aspects of life. Objectives: To assess the relationship between women’s empowerment and intimate partner violence. To identify the prevalence and contributing factors of intimate partner violence among married women. Materials and method: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted for the study. The sample size was 352 and a purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews using per-tested questionnaire during April, May, June, and July 2023. Questionnaire related to Socio-demographic information, Standard valid tool Conflict Tactics Scale tools (CTS) were used as instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS version 22. Results: Out of 352 respondents, nearly half (43.2%) were between the ages of 30 and 39. Half of the respondents (50.3%) had low decision-making levels. Likewise, the lowest proportion of the respondents (16.2%) had a moderate level. More than half of the respondents (58.5%) had a low level of empowerment, whereas only 3.4% of the respondents had a high level of empowerment. Regarding violence, physical was 20.2%, sexual was 24.1%, emotional was 33.2%, controlling behavior was 53.7%, and overall intimate partner violence was 68.5%. There is a statistically significant relationship between intimate partner violence and women’s age (p =&lt;0.010*), duration of marriage (p=&lt;0.009*), socioeconomic class (p = &lt;0.01*), member of the organization (p = 0.005*), bank account (p=0.006*), empowerment (p = 0.020*), husband's alcohol habit (p = &lt;0.01*), and husband's smoking habit (p = &lt;0.01*). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that more empowered women had less experience with intimate partner violence, whereas less empowered women had more experience with emotional, sexual, and physical abuse, as well as dominating actions from their close relationships. Having children, household decision-making, and property ownership had no noticeable effect on the prevalence of intimate relationship violence. The likelihood of intimate relationship violence was not significantly impacted by having children, making decisions, or possessing property.

Influence of childhood trauma and traumatic stress on a woman's risk of having a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Maternal risk factors for having a child diagnosed on the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) continuum are complex and include not only the quantity, frequency, and timing of alcohol use but also a woman's physical stature, socio-economic status, and pregnancy-related factors. Exposure to trauma may predispose women to a range of physiological and mental disorders. A woman's mental and physical health may in turn influence her probability of having a child with FASD. This study investigated the role of maternal childhood trauma and lifetime traumatic stress on prenatal alcohol consumption and on the risk of having a child with FASD. A nested, case-control study was conducted for maternal risk assessment. Study participants were mothers of first-grade learners from five rural communities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa who were assessed for FASD. Face-to-face surveys were conducted, which included mental health and trauma assessment questionnaires. In logistic regression analyses, higher maternal childhood trauma scores were associated with an increased likelihood of having a child diagnosed with FASD, although the increase in risk was modest (OR = 1.014, p = 0.015). In addition, structural equation modeling investigated relationships between maternal drinking, childhood trauma, traumatic stress, and a child's FASD diagnosis. Traumatic stress and drinking during pregnancy, but not lifetime alcohol use, were associated with maternal childhood trauma. Lifetime alcohol use influenced drinking during pregnancy, which in turn was significantly associated with having a child diagnosed on the continuum of FASD. No direct influence of maternal childhood trauma on FASD diagnosis could be demonstrated. However, maternal trauma may indirectly contribute to the risk of having a child diagnosed with FASD.

Examine the Predictive Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Perceived Stress among Pregnant Women

The woman's mental and physical health will unavoidably suffer throughout her pregnancy. Extreme mood swings and, in rare occasions, mental instability can occur. These factors make pregnancy a time when a woman has to undertake bio-psycho-social modifications, such as establishing strong social support systems, in order to alleviate the stress that comes with being pregnant. Objective: To investigate the predictive relationship between perceived social support and perceived stress among pregnant women in Pakistan. Methods: The study used a correlational cross-sectional research design. The sample consisted of (N=72) pregnant females in their third trimester with an age range between 18 to 37 years (Mean age= 26.3; SD=4.4) was selected from departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology of various hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan by using purposive sampling technique. The data were collected from December 2022 till January 2023. The demographic information form, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Perceived Stress Scale were used, and analysis of data were done by using Regression analysis and One-way ANOVA through SPSS version 25.0. Results: The findings revealed a significant negative predictive relationship between perceived social support from friends and perceived stress of pregnant women (b= -.482, p&lt;.05). The analysis of variance reveals that significant mean differences in socioeconomic status and number of miscarriages on perceived stress are present among pregnant women. Conclusions: These results emphasize the need to develop comprehensive strategies for assisting pregnant women by taking into account the aspects of social support, and make interventions to tackle stress successfully, and enhance maternal well-being throughout the pregnancy.

Effect of acupuncture combined with Ningshen mixture on climacteric insomnia: A randomized controlled trial.

In recent years, the incidence of menopause insomnia has gradually increased, seriously affecting women's physical and mental health. Total 82 climacteric insomnia patients received from January 2021 to January 2023 were divided into 2 groups at random. In control group, 41 cases received conventional Western medicine, and in study group, 41 cases received acupuncture combined with Ningshen mixture. Clinical effectiveness of both groups was compared, neurotransmitter levels, TCM syndrome integral and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were assessed in both groups. Meanwhile, the recurrence rate and safety were evaluated in 2 groups. The curative effect in study group was better than that in control group (P < .05). After treatment, the expressions of 5-hydroxytryptamine and β-endorphin (β-EP) in study group were higher than control group (P < .05); TCM syndrome scores and PSQI scores in study group were lower than control group (P < .05). The total recurrence rate in study group was obviously lower than control group at 3 months after treatment (P < .05). There were no serious adverse reactions in both group, and no distinct difference between 2 groups was found (P > .05). Acupuncture united with Ningshen mixture has a significant therapeutic effect and high safety in climacteric insomnia patients. It can effectively improve the neurotransmitter levels, clinical symptoms and sleep quality, and reduce the recurrence rate of climacteric insomnia patients, which has high clinical application value and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Impact of Premenstrual Syndrome on Productivity in a Pressure Cooker Manufacturing Industry

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that affects a woman's emotions, physical health, and behaviour during certain days of the menstrual cycle, generally just before her menses. Past studies show that PMS harms daily activities. This study assessed the impact of PMS on work-related quality of life. Objectives: The study aims to conduct a premenstrual syndrome assessment, assess its impact on productivity, and provide a baseline premenstrual syndrome and Work-Related Quality of Life assessment so that subsequent assessments can be compared and interpreted. The study also aims to link the effectiveness of control measures, welfare programs, and employee engagement, promoting employee well-being and individual productivity. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the women employees of a pressure cooker manufacturing company. 71 eligible women employees were included in this study. Screening for premenstrual syndrome was done using a validated premenstrual syndrome (PMSS Scale), and the impact of premenstrual syndrome was assessed using a work-related quality of life scale (WRQoL). Results: Around 23% of participants had premenstrual syndrome, and 75% had good work-related quality of life. Around 88% of the study participants without premenstrual syndrome had good work-related quality of life, whereas among the participants with premenstrual syndrome, around 36% only had good WRQoL. Conclusions: This study’s results showed that one in four women employed had premenstrual syndromes. The majority of the participants had good work-related quality of life, but women employees with PMS had significantly lower quality of life.

Classification of Benign and Maligant using Deep Learning Technique

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women, which seriously affect women's physical and mental health and even threat to life. At present, microscopic images are the important criterion for doctors to diagnose breast cancer. However, due to the complex structure of microscopic images, it is relatively difficult for doctors to identify breast cancer features. Deep learning is the most mainstream image classification algorithm which uses Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). In this project first, the BreakHis400x (Breast Cancer Histopathological Images) images will undergo pre-processing such as enhancement and data augmentation in order to increase the number of images. Secondly, the pre-processed dataset will be trained on deep learning model that extracts the features and generate the performance evaluation metric of CNN models. We are going to use python software for classifying the images.

Discussion of Breast Health Promotion Strategies and Nursing Practice

Breast gland is an important organization unique to women, which has a great impact on women's physical and mental health. With the increase of women's work and life pressure, breast health problems are getting more and more people's attention. Health promotion refers to the process in which individuals or groups can actively maintain and improve their own health through a purposeful, planned and systematic way. In recent years, domestic and foreign scholars have conducted deep research on the strategies of breast health promotion and achieved certain results. Based on the literature review, this study explored breast health promotion strategies and nursing practices to provide better care services for patients with breast diseases.

Negative Aging Stereotypes: Fear of Dependency Impact on Anxiety and Depression in Middle and Older Adults, Examined by Gender.

Negative stereotypes of aging, such as dependency, tend to paint a picture of older adults as frail or a burden on society. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the Fear of Dependency Scale and anxiety and depression, evaluating gender, age, and physical health as moderators. Findings suggest that age moderated the relationship between fear of dependency and depression and anxiety in women, with middle-aged women reporting the highest levels of depression and anxiety. Similarly, poor physical health in women with high fear of dependency was related to higher levels of depression and anxiety. Fear of dependency was related to higher levels of depression, but not anxiety in men. Age did not moderate the relationship between fear of dependency and mental health measures, but physical health did moderate the relationship. Men with poor perceived health and a high fear of dependency reported higher levels of depression.

Genitourinary Fistula: 5 Years' Experience of Five Referral Centers in Iran.

Genitourinary fistula is a devastating ailment that has an impact on women's physical health, mental health, emotional health, and financial security. The management of genitourinary fistula depends on the type, size, and duration of fistula formation. The purpose of this study is to report the features of genitourinary fistula in Iranian women and our experience in the management of fistula. Retrospective chart reviews of 283 patients were performed to determine the cause of the fistula, prior repairs, tissue interposition, and the success rate. The operation was considered successful if the patient did not have any urine leakage during the observation time. The mean (SD) age of women was 49.51 (19.39; range: 21-70) years, Of these, 137 (52.9%) had a history of previous genitourinary fistula surgery. The average fistula was 1.53 (0.041) cm in size. The median (interquartile range) operation lasted 70 (15) min. The success rate after fistula repair was 91.5%. The typical follow-up period lasted 13.26 (range: 1-88) months. Forty-three (15.2%) patients had a big fistula (>2.5cm) and 4 patients (1.4%) had a history of pelvic radiation therapy, among other reasons for failure. After a second repair, all patients' initial failures were resolved. There were no significant complications, as classified by Clavien-Dindo class 2 or greater. Additionally, there were no bowel, ureteral, or nerve injuries. Our patients with genitourinary fistula had a successful outcome following repair techniques, without any significant morbidity or mortality.

Predicting Concerns During Pregnancy Based on Marital Quality and Cognitive SelfRegulation with the Mediating Role of Mental Security

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Introduction: During pregnancy, the marital quality and mental security of women are threatened. A woman's physical, mental and psychological health during this period has significant effects on the health of the fetus, success in natural childbirth and breastfeeding, and improving health. Maintaining psychological security, cognitive self-regulation of emotions, and the quality of marital relations during pregnancy can reduce the worries of this period to some extent. The current research aims to predicting design a structural model of marital quality and cognitive self-regulation with the mediating role of psychological security to predict concerns during pregnancy.&#x0D; Methods: The present study was a descriptive-correlation type using the structural equation modeling method. The study population included all the pregnant women of 25 to 40who referred to health centers and clinics in Yazd in 2023. 275 women were randomly selected by cluster sampling method. Data was collected using Aldersey and Lin's (2011) pregnancy anxiety questionnaires, Busby et al.'s marital quality (1995), Maslow's psychological security (2004), and Garnevsky et al.'s (2002) cognitive self-regulation of emotion. Data analysis was done through Pearson correlation methods and structural equation modeling using SPSS-19 and AMOS-20 software.&#x0D; Results: The results of multivariate regression test showed that the variables of cognitive self-regulation of emotion (positive emotion (R=0/49), negative emotion (R=0/056), and marital quality (R=0/089) with the mediation of psychological security on concerns during pregnancy, had a direct and significant effect (P&lt;0/05). Psychological security also had a direct, negative, and significant effect on worries during pregnancy (P&lt;0/05).&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the present study shows that the structural model of concerns during pregnancy based on cognitive self-regulation of emotion and marital quality with the mediation of psychological security had favorable fit indices, and therefore, the knowledge of these variables can help to reduce worries during pregnancy&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

The Role of Metabolomics and Microbiology in Urinary Tract Infection.

One of the common illnesses that affect women's physical and mental health is urinary tract infection (UTI). The disappointing results of empirical anti-infective treatment and the lengthy time required for urine bacterial culture are two issues. Antibiotic misuse is common, especially in females who experience recurrent UTI (rUTI). This leads to a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the microorganisms that cause the infection. Antibiotic therapy will face major challenges in the future, prompting clinicians to update their practices. New testing techniques are making the potential association between the urogenital microbiota and UTIs increasingly apparent. Monitoring changes in female urinary tract (UT) microbiota, as well as metabolites, may be useful in exploring newer preventive treatments for UTIs. This review focuses on advances in urogenital microbiology and organismal metabolites relevant to the identification and handling of UTIs in an attempt to provide novel methods for the identification and management of infections of the UT. Particular attention is paid to the microbiota and metabolites in the patient's urine in relation to their role in supporting host health.

The Treatment of Tubal Inflammatory Infertility using Yinjia Tablets through EGFR/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway based on Network Pharmacology.

<p>Background: Salpingitis obstructive infertility (SOI) refers to infertility caused by abnormal conditions such as tubal adhesion and blockage caused by acute and chronic salpingitis. SOI has a serious impact on women's physical and mental health and family harmony, and it is a clinical problem that needs to be solved urgently. <p> Objective: The purpose of the present study was to explore the potential pharmacological mechanisms of the Yinjia tablets (Yin Jia Pian, YJP) on tubal inflammation. <p> Methods: Networks of YJP-associated targets and tubal inflammation-related genes were constructed through the STRING database. Potential targets and pathway enrichment analysis related to the therapeutic efficacy of YJP were identified using Cytoscape and Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (metascape). E. coli was used to establish a rat model of tubal inflammation and to validate the predictions of network pharmacology and the therapeutic efficacy of YJP. H&E staining was used to observe the pathological changes in fallopian tubes. TEM observation of the ultrastructure of the fallopian tubes. ELISA was used to detect the changes of IL-6 and TNF-α in fallopian tubes. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of ESR1. The changes of Bcl-2, ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, MEK, p-MEK, EGFR, and p-EGFR were detected by western blot. <p> Results: Through database analysis, it was found that YJP shared 105 identical targets with the disease. Network pharmacology analysis showed that IL-6, TNF, and EGFR belong to the top 5 core proteins associated with salpingitis, and EGFR/MEK/ERK may be the main pathway involved. The E. coli-induced disease rat model of fallopian tube tissue showed damage, mitochondrial disruption, and increased levels of the inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α. Tubal inflammatory infertility rats have increased expression of Bcl-2, p-ERK1/2, p-MEK, and p-EGFR, and decreased expression of ESR1. In vivo, experiments showed that YJP improved damage of tissue, inhibited shedding of tubal cilia, and suppressed the inflammatory response of the body. Furthermore, YJP inhibited EGFR/MEK/ERK signaling, inhibited the apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and upregulated ESR1. <p> Conclusion: This study revealed that YJP Reducing tubal inflammation and promoting tissue repair may be associated with inhibition of the EGFR/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.</p>.

Readiness to manage domestic violence among medical interns - an observational study in a medical college and hospital in India.

Domestic violence is a deeply entrenched issue in Indian society, with global implications, especially for women's physical and mental health. Healthcare providers play important role in early identification and support of the victims. Medical interns, the future generation of Health care professionals, often acting as primary caregivers are uniquely positioned and expected to recognize and assist victims. This study aims to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and readiness to manage domestic violence and its associating factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 157 medical interns at a Medical college and hospital in West Bengal, India, from December 2022 to February 2023. Simple random sampling was done. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, Medical Intern Readiness to manage domestic violence scale (MIREDS), validated after adoption from Physician Readiness to manage Intimate partner violence scale (PREMIS). Ethical approval was obtained, and participants gave informed written consent for inclusion. Satisfactory threshold was determined to be more than 50 percent. Data analysis was performed using MS Excel and SPSS software, including descriptive and inferential statistics, with a significance level of p less than 0.05, along with logistic regression analysis. Only 45.2% of medical interns demonstrated satisfactory knowledge, 54.8% had a satisfactory attitude. Most interns (91.7%) exhibited poor practice in dealing with domestic violence cases, only 31.2% considered themselves ready to manage domestic violence cases. Interns who attend more patients was found to have better attitude. Positive associations were found between knowledge, attitude, and readiness to manage domestic violence cases among doctors . A substantial proportion of medical interns demonstrated inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practice and inadequate readiness to manage domestic violence. Comprehensive training and education with cultural sensitivity training along with more practical exposures are in need to address this issue properly.

A study on the effects of informal care on the health of older adults-Evidence from China.

This study aimed to explore the impact of informal care on the health of older adults, providing data to inform the development of informal care systems and social support policies for long-term care services in developing countries. Based on data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), this study employed the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to empirically analyze the effects of informal care on older adults' self-rated health, depression, and anxiety. A total of 4790 older adults were included in the study sample, with 3194 receiving informal care and 1596 not receiving informal care. The results indicated that older adults who received informal care reported better self-rated health and had lower depression and anxiety scores compared to those who did not receive informal care. Among different groups, the positive effects of informal care on physical and mental health were more significant for very old adults, rural residents, and those without a spouse. Informal care had a greater positive impact on the physical health of women and the mental health of men. Government agencies should promote effective coordination between informal and formal care through financial support, awareness campaigns, and policy incentives. This will help to accelerate the improvement of the long-term care system and effectively meet the long-term care needs of older adults.

Health Behaviors and Health Status in Couples Experiencing Pandemic Stress

When individuals are in duress, they often neglect health habits. Research shows romantic partners often adopt similar health habits. This study sought to examine the relationship between health habits and current health status as couples endured the winter (2020–2021) peak of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic. Mixed gender couples ( N = 228) completed this ecological momentary assessment designed study over a 2-week period. Regression analysis tested the relationship between physical health status and health habits including healthy weekday eating, weekend emotional eating, exercise, sleep quality, troubled sleep, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Tobacco and alcohol use were not significant, and all other predictors were significant. Next, we tested actor partner effects between physical health status and health habits using the predictors that were significant in the regression model. Weekday healthy eating and sleep quality were related to physical health status for both men and women. Weekend emotional eating was related to health status for women. Exercise showed actor effects for women only and partner effects for men only. Sleep quality showed partner effects for men only. Surprisingly, our findings showed no potential regulatory effects for men regulating women's physical health status through their health habits. However, women's health habits were related to their male partners’ physical health status. This adds to the growing body of research showing a regulatory effect for women to men in different-gender relationships.