Psychobehavioral Factors Research Articles

Health status and mortality in Holocaust survivors living in Jerusalem 40–50 years later

The long-term health sequelae of the Holocaust were assessed 40-50 years later in the framework of a Jerusalem community health study. Holocaust survivors (N = 288, mean age = 67.6 years) and European-born Jews, not exposed to the Holocaust (N = 486, mean age = 68.9 years), were studied in 1985-87. Our objective was to compare psychobehavioral factors, clinical variables, and mortality outcomes. The comparisons revealed higher emotional distress scores in female Holocaust survivors than in unexposed women and poorer self-appraised health status in male Holocaust survivors than unexposed men. A 10-year mortality follow-up that terminated in April 1996 showed no significant association with Holocaust exposure. Long-term Holocaust survivors may represent a selective resilient group.

Pouch dilatation following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: psychobehavioral factors (can psychiatrists predict pouch dilatation?).

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is increasingly being performed in morbidly obese individuals for weight loss. Some patients develop pouch dilatation as a postoperative complication that limits the utility of the procedure. Surgical variables are poor predictors of this complication. 5 patients from a series of 157 who underwent LAGB at a single center developed the condition. Psychiatric and surgical case-notes were analyzed retrospectively for the presence of operationally defined psychiatric disorders and compared to 10 controls from the same population. Cases were significantly more likely to have past or current binge eating, emotionally triggered eating with reduced awareness of the link, a history of affective disorder, reduced sexual functioning and successful preoperative weight loss. No difference between groups was observed for compliance with orlistat, childhood sexual abuse, relationships with parents, history of bulimia nervosa, rate of band inflation or preoperative BMI. Psychological factors may be better predictors of pouch dilatation than biomedical variables. Disordered eating can be an attempt to modulate negative emotions. Pouch dilatation may be a consequence of this eating behavior.

Évaluation de la qualité de vie des personnes handicapées à domicile et approche de l'action d'une équipe pluridisciplinaire de soutien

Objective: To obtain a quality of life analysis of a population of disabled people at home, to establish correlations between factors such as depression, disability, handicap and personality, and to observe the evolution of these factors one year after the intervention of a home support multidisciplinary team. Material and method: Prospective study led over one year in the form of two interviews, before and after intervention. The studied population is represented by the patients having contacted the team with the aim of resolving a technical or social problem at home. The questionnaire is exhaustive, established around the international classification of handicaps, with validated tools (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Reintegration to Normal Life Index, Nottingham Health Profile, Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life, Rorschach test). For processing the statistics, we used univariate tests to produce the descriptive analysis of quantitative or qualitative data and to estimate progress at one year. Links among the various variables were made by Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, analysis of variance (Anova) and multivariate analysis (correlations matrix and principal component analysis). Results: At one year 72 subjects were seen again, of whom 38 were men and 34 women, mean age of 43 years (from 19 to 73 years). This population contained 57% of patients suffering from brain damage, 28% from spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular pathologies and 7% from rheumatologic pathologies. Disability does not vary. Perceived handicap improves in a significant way ( P = 0.0008). The quality improves significantly ( P = 0.009). The evaluation of the personality objectivizes two pathological features: depression and deficit of coping. The quality of life and the handicap are strongly positively correlated ( P < 0.0001), while the quality of life is strongly negatively correlated with depression ( P < 0.0001). In the end, we find no correlation between the disability scale and the quality of life scales, leaving us to suppose that disability is not predictive of quality of life. Finally, one notices a very strong correlation between deficit of coping, the depression scale and quality of life scales. On the individual plan, handicap coping abilities seem to represent a fundamental quality of life predictive factor in this population. Conclusion: Mood and psychobehavioral factors are of great importance in the perception of handicap and quality of life. Therefore rehabilitation and/or support strategies for the handicapped population should contain more often, if not systematically, psycho-educational intervention.

Predisposition to and Development and Persistence of Chronic Insomnia: Importance of Psychobehavioral Factors

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, occurring more frequently with increasing age and among women.1-3The onset of insomnia is usually associated with stressful life events. Increased prevalence also has been associated with emotional stresses, psychologic disturbances, and lower socioeconomic status. Further, insomnia is associated with increased morbidity,4and possibly mortality,5rates, as well as with the potential development of major psychiatric disorders.6Chronic insomnia is difficult to treat and has major psychosocial consequences, including its frequent negative impact on the patient's family and employment. Thus, there is a great need for the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies for this disorder. One strategy for the prevention of chronic insomnia is to search for and identify risk factors or high-risk groups that tend to be associated with the development of this condition. The results of the study by Klink et al7indicate that

Predisposition to and development and persistence of chronic insomnia: importance of psychobehavioral factors

Predisposition to and development and persistence of chronic insomnia: importance of psychobehavioral factors

Geophysical, Cultural and Behavioral Differences between High and Low Risk Areas of Gastric Cancer in Liaonin Province in China

Geophysical and socio-medical backgrounds including dietary habits between high risk and low risk areas of gastric cancer in Liaonin Province, China, were compared and analysed. Case-control study on psychobehavioral factors was carried out. The characteristics of high risk area was acid brown soil, drinking water with high nitrates, high rate of illiterates, unfavorable eating behavior and frequent intake of salty foods and foods with mutagens. Psychobehavioral factors may associate with higher incidence of gastric cancer.