Psychosocial Indicators Research Articles

A study of factors affecting the alcohol consumption in Turkey

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study is to contribute to the decision-makers in terms of creating awareness to prevent and reduce the harmful consumption of alcohol by revealing sociodemographic, health-related, social and environmental indicators-related factors affecting the consumption of alcohol of individuals in Turkey, and sizes of the effect. We believe that the results will be useful these days in which the COVID 19 pandemic has helped us better understand the importance of our health. Method The data set obtained from Turkish Statistical Institute, was used by weighting. Factors affecting individuals’ alcohol consumption were determined using gompit regression analysis. Result It was determined that age, education level, marital status, employment status, health status, and psychosocial status indicators are important factors affecting alcohol use. Conclusion As a result of the study, it is recommended that decision-makers and policymakers develop alcohol consumption prevention policies for individuals between the ages of 25 and 64, men, university graduates, divorced-widowed-single individuals, individuals with psychosocial problems and receiving support.

Traditional versus extended hybrid cardiac rehabilitation based on the continuous care model for coronary artery bypass surgery patients in a middle-income country: an embedded mixed method

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a proven method to reduce the risk of disease, but unfortunately in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is either unavailable or done in small quantities. Purpose To compare traditional (1-month supervised) vs hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (CR; usual care) with an additional 3 months offered remotely based on the continuous care model (intervention) in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methods The embedded method has been used for the conduction of this study in two phases. The first phase of the study was carried out using a randomised clinical trial. Of 107 eligible patients who were referred to CR during the period of study, 82.2% (N=88) were enrolled (target sample size). Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 (concealed; 44 per parallel arm). After CR, participants were given a mobile application and communicated biweekly with the nurse from months 1-4 to control risk factors. Quality of life (QOL, Short Form-36, primary outcome); functional capacity (treadmill test); and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale were evaluated pre-CR, after 1 month, and 3 months after CR (end of intervention), as well as re-hospitalisation. In the second phase, a qualitative study was conducted using the conventional content analysis method. 17 patients from the intervention group and 3 members of their families were interviewed. Results The results of the quantitative stage showed the analysis of variance interaction effects for the physical and mental component summary scores of QOL were <.001, favoring intervention (per protocol); there were also significant increases from pre-CR to 1 month, and from 1 month to the final assessment in the intervention arm (P<.001), with change in the control arm only to 1 month. The effect sizes were 0.115 and 0.248, respectively. Similarly, the interaction effect for functional capacity was significant (P<.001), with a clinically significant 1.5 metabolic equivalent of task increase in the intervention arm. There were trends for group effects for the psychosocial indicators, with paired t tests revealing significant increases in each at both assessment points in the intervention arm. At 4 months, there were 4 (10.3%) re-hospitalisations in the control arm and none in intervention (P=.049). Intended theoretical mechanisms were also affected by the intervention. From the analysis of qualitative data, 20 subcategories, 6 categories, and three themes, including promotion and continuity of self-care, self-efficacy enhancement, belief, and lifestyle modification were extracted. Finally, qualitative findings supported quantitative findings. Conclusions Extending CR in this accessible manner, rendering it more comprehensive was effective in improving outcomes. Therefore, using the CCM can greatly reduce the gap due to cardiac rehabilitation in LMICs.

Psychosocial Indicators of Adolescent Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use: An Analysis of Normalized, Harmonized, and Pooled Data.

We normalized, harmonized, and pooled 344,429 surveys collected from 106,470 research participants from 25 research studies that assessed past 30-day alcohol use, drunkenness, smoking cigarettes, using marijuana, and a host of psychosocial variables. After normalizing and harmonizing psychosocial measures, we completed analyses to examine the ability of psychosocial variables to serve as proxy indicators of use. Intentionality, peer descriptive normative beliefs, and age emerged as being of primary importance in indicating use. Additional variables - peer injunctive norms, beliefs about the positive and negative consequences of use, and attitudes - were also demonstrated to have the potential to serve as proxies in the assessment of substance use risk. There were developmental patterns in how intentionality and descriptive normative beliefs changed with age. Young adolescents had scores that are protective; they have positive intentionality and do not see the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use as widespread. These and other psychosocial variable's mean scores generally erode with age while the distribution of scores widens as youth grow older. The goal of analyses was to define age-related psychosocial profiles that can be used prospectively to estimate substance use risk. These profiles are useful in creating virtual control cases for evaluating disseminated prevention programs.

청년층 스트레스 집단별 실내환경요소 치유효과 인식 차이

The purpose of this study is to identify the differences in the perception of the therapeutic effects of interior environmental factors in relation to the stress levels of young adults in their 20s, who are the generation experiencing the highest stress levels. This research seeks to provide evidence-based results for a user-centered therapeutic environmental plan. Five studies from abroad examining therapeutic environmental factors were analyzed and subsequently reorganized to be utilized as an investigative tool. The Psychosocial Wellbeing Index Scale-Short Form (PWI-SF) was employed to measure the stress levels of young adults in their 20s. Further, 411 adults in this age group completed an online questionnaire to assess their general perception of stressful environments and that of the therapeutic effects of interior environmental factors. The results are as follows: First, the group with higher stress levels had a higher level of stress regarding the environment and a lower level of satisfaction with space. Second, the higher the stress, the more the participants tended to perceive the therapeutic effects of interior environmental factors negatively. Third, regardless of their stress levels, the respondents noted that the protection of privacy and provision of personal territory helped alleviate stress. Fourth, different perceptions of therapeutic effects were revealed toward positive distraction and interaction-supporting space factors in relation to stress levels. Fifth, there was a high level of perception that factors related to humidity control, sanitation, and finishing materials did not help with stress relief.

Understanding Predictive Factors of Dementia for Older Adults: A Machine Learning Approach for Modeling Dementia Influencers

Dementia in the older population has become a major issue in health research. Given the prevalence of dementia worldwide, various approaches have been applied to examine the causes of dementia incidence and a wide range of factors are captured from many different perspectives. Despite multifaceted data collected from representative samples, most of the findings are merely based on a small set of certain aspects without utilizing a holistic approach to support a comprehensive overview. The present study introduces advanced machine learning algorithms to examine the longitudinal dataset and to the detection of the important predictive factors associated with dementia changes for older adults. The results are consistent with previous research findings, confirming the importance of subject characteristics (age, gender, and education), and further suggest both physiological (physical ability) and psychosocial (social support) factors to be the critical predictors for dementia status. Instead of evaluating the general relationships among possible causes and dementia incidence, our findings also signify the importance of data stratification to distinguish the distinctive requirements and expectations from different older cohorts. These observations indicate physical performance should be regularly evaluated and psychosocial indicators need to be incorporated into the assessment processes for early detection of dementia, where different interactive schemes (interventions or treatments) should be offered to particular older cohorts. The research findings provide critical dementia predictors that can serve as basic research guidelines to improve dementia care, develop timely interventions, and optimize the effectiveness in promoting the cognitive performance of older persons.

The Moderating Role of Incarcerated Mothers’ Psychosocial Functioning on the Association Between Maternal Sensitivity and Their Co-Residing Toddlers’ Attachment

The role of incarcerated mothers’ caregiving quality on their co-residing children’s development may not be fully understood without considering mothers’ psychosocial functioning. The current study aims to investigate the moderating role of incarcerated mothers’ psychosocial functioning (i.e., relationship with their outside children’s caregivers, psychological symptoms, and social support) on the associations between maternal sensitivity and their co-residing children’s attachment. The study sample consisted of 68 mothers and their 12- to 43-month-old co-residing children. Maternal sensitivity and child’s attachment were assessed based on a semi-structured mother–child interaction observation. Mothers reported their psychosocial functioning indicators that were determined based on the common distress factors that these mothers experience. Findings suggest that for the mothers who have the lowest relationship quality with their outside children’s caregivers, maternal sensitivity negatively predicts children’s disorganized attachment. Moreover, maternal sensitivity predicted children’s secure attachment positively and anxious attachment negatively only when maternal psychological symptoms were higher.

Predictors of ‘problematic internet use’ among adolescents and adults amid the pandemic in India

BackgroundGlobally, problematic internet use (PIU) is acknowledged as a significant behavioural problem in adolescents and youth. It is being researched for further clarity as an independent behavioural disorder. It is crucial to explore predictors of PIU to understand the high-risk psychosocial indicators of problematic internet use, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic in India. AimThe present study aimed at studying age, gender, mental health, coping strategies and lifestyle indicators as predictors for PIU in adolescents, young adults and middle-aged adults. MethodsThe study used a cross-sectional design, and the data was collected using Perceived Stress Scale, Internet Gaming Disorders-9, DSM-5 Self-Rated Level-1, and Brief-COPE scale. Multiple regression analysis was employed to find the predictors of PIU in a sample of 1027 i.e., adolescents (13–19 years), young adults (20–39 years), and middle-aged adults (40–60 years). Separate regression analyses were carried out for the three subgroups as well. ResultsResults showed that the age, perceived stress, maladaptive coping strategies (substance use, self-blaming, self-distraction, behavioural disengagement), repetitive thoughts and actions, and impact of COVID-19 were significant independent predictors of PIU. Furthermore, differences in independent predictors were found in different sub-groups of age. DiscussionThis study indicated that adolescents and youth are more susceptible to PIU. In addition, maladaptive coping strategies predicted PIU significantly, which indicates that PIU is not an effective coping strategy but can be understood as maladaptive behaviour involving escapism. Furthermore, only repetitive thoughts and actions predicted PIU, which clarifies PIU as an independent pathology. ConclusionThis study found specific predictors for the three sub-groups – adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults - that would further aid management plans for problematic internet use. Moreover, the role of the COVID-19 pandemic on PIU is also critical.

Psychosomatic syndromes are associated with IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokine in heart failure patients.

Psychosomatic syndromes have emerged as an important source of comorbidity in cardiac patients and have been associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Understanding of the mechanisms underlying this connection is limited, however immune activity represents a possible pathway. While there have been numerous studies connecting immune activity to psychosomatic psychopathology, there is a lack of research on patients with HF. We examined forty-one consecutive outpatients affected by HF. We assessed psychosomatic psychopathology using the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). The Psychosocial Index (PSI) was used for assessing stress and psychosocial dimensions. Depression was evaluated with Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha were ascertained. Univariate and multivariable regression models were used to test for associations between inflammatory cytokines and psychosomatic psychopathology (i.e., DCPR syndromes, PHQ-15) and psychological dimensions (i.e., BDI-II, PSI). A significant positive correlation was found between IL-6 levels and psychosomatic psychopathology even when controlling for any confounding variables (i.e., Body-mass index (BMI), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, statin use, aspirin use, beta blockers use, age, and gender). In contrast, the associations between TNF-alpha levels were non-significant. These findings can contribute to research in support of a psychoneuroimmune connection between psychosomatic psychopathology and HF. Findings also suggest the possibility that elevated IL-6 levels are more relevant for the pathogenesis of psychosomatic syndromes than for depression in patients with HF.

Causes of perinatal deaths in Australia: Slow progress in the preterm period.

AimThe majority of perinatal deaths occur in the preterm period; however, current approaches predominantly focus on prevention in the term period. Reducing perinatal deaths in the preterm period is, therefore, key to reducing the rates of perinatal death overall in Australia. The aim was to understand the classifications of causes of preterm stillbirth and neonatal death in Victoria over time and by gestation.Materials and methodsRetrospective study using state‐wide, publicly available data. All births in Victoria between 2010 and 2018 included in the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection, excluding terminations of pregnancy for maternal psychosocial indications, were studied. Differences in causes of preterm perinatal mortality gestation group and over time were determined.ResultsOut of 7977 perinatal deaths reported, 85.9% (n = 6849) were in the preterm period. The most common cause of preterm stillbirths was congenital anomalies (n = 1574, 29.8%), followed by unexplained antepartum deaths (n = 557, 14.2%). The most common cause of preterm neonatal death was spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB; n = 599, 38.2%), followed by congenital anomalies (n = 493, 31.4%). The rate of preterm stillbirths due to hypertension (−14.9% (95% CI −27.1% to −2.7%; P = 0.02)), maternal conditions (−24.1% (95% CI −44.2% to −4.0%; P = 0.03)) and those that were unexplained (−5.4% (95% CI −9.8% to −1.2%; P = 0.02)) decreased per annum between 2010 and 2018. All other classifications did not change significantly over time.ConclusionPrevention of congenital anomalies and sPTB is critical to reducing preterm perinatal mortality. Greater emphasis on understanding causes of preterm deaths through mortality investigations may reduce the proportion of those considered ‘unexplained’.

Implementing structured follow-up of neonatal and paediatric patients: an evaluation of three university hospital case studies using the functional resonance analysis method

BackgroundIn complex critical neonatal and paediatric clinical practice, little is known about long-term patient outcomes and what follow-up care is most valuable for patients. Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC (Netherlands), implemented a follow-up programme called Follow Me for neonatal and paediatric patient groups, to gain more insight into long-term outcomes and to use such outcomes to implement a learning cycle for clinical practice, improve follow-up care and facilitate research. Three departments initiated re-engineering and change processes. Each introduced multidisciplinary approaches to long-term follow-up, including regular standardised check-ups for defined age groups, based on medical indicators, developmental progress, and psychosocial outcomes in patients and their families. This research evaluates the implementation of the three follow-up programmes, comparing predefined procedures (work-as-imagined) with how the programmes were implemented in practice (work-as-done).MethodsThis study was conducted in 2019–2020 in the outpatient settings of the neonatal intensive care, paediatric intensive care and paediatric surgery departments of Emma Children’s Hospital. It focused on the organisational structure of the follow-up care. The functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) was applied, using documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, observations and feedback sessions.ResultsOne work-as-imagined model and four work-as-done models were described. The results showed vast data collection on medical, developmental and psychosocial indicators in all work-as-done models; however, process indicators for programme effectiveness and performance were missing. In practice there was a diverse allocation of roles and responsibilities and their interrelations to create a multidisciplinary team; there was no one-size-fits-all across the different departments. Although control and feedback loops for long-term outcomes were specified with respect to the follow-up groups within the programmes, they were found to overlap and misalign with other internal and external long-term outcome monitoring practices.ConclusionImplementing structured long-term follow-up may provide insights for improving daily practice and follow-up care, with the precondition of standardised measurements. Lessons learned from practice are (1) to address fragmentation in data collection and storage, (2) to incorporate the diverse ways to create a multidisciplinary team in practice, and (3) to include timely actionable indicators on programme effectiveness and performance, alongside medical, developmental and psychosocial indicators.

The modulatory role of internet-supported mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on extracellular vesicles and psychological distress in people who have had cancer: a protocol for a two-armed randomized controlled study

BackgroundMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used in oncology contexts as a promising tool with numerous benefits for various health-related and psychosocial outcomes. Despite the increasing popularity of MBIs, few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined their effects upon biological parameters. Specifically, no previous study has examined the effects of MBIs on extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are potentially important markers of health, disease, and stress. Moreover, the lack of RCTs is even more limited within the context of technology-mediated MBIs and long-term effects.MethodsThe current study protocol presents a two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled study investigating the effects of internet-supported mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) compared with treatment as usual (TAU). Primary outcomes are psychological distress and EV cargo of distressed participants with previous breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer diagnoses. Secondary outcomes are self-reported psychosocial and health-related measures, and additional biological markers. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 4 weeks after baseline (mid-point of the intervention), 8 weeks after baseline (immediately post-intervention), 24 weeks after baseline (after booster sessions), and 52 weeks after baseline. Our goal is to recruit at least 111 participants who have been diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer (cancer stage I to III), are between 18 and 65 years old, and have had primary cancer treatments completed between 3 months and 5 years ago. Half of the participants will be randomized to the TAU group, and the other half will participate in an 8-week online MBCT intervention with weekly group sessions via videoconference. The intervention also includes asynchronous homework, an online retreat after the fifth week, and 4 monthly booster sessions after completion of the 8-week programme.DiscussionThis study will allow characterizing the effects of internet-based MBCT on psychosocial and biological indicators in the context of cancer. The effects on circulating EVs will also be investigated, as a possible neurobiological pathway underlying mind-body intervention effects.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT04727593 (date of registration: 27 January 2021; date of record verification: 6 October 2021).

YES-10 Improves Stress, Tension, and Fatigue by Reducing Cortisol and IL-6 Levels.

The extract of Clematis mandshurica Rupr. (CMR) inhibits the production of proinflammatory mediators from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peritoneal macrophages and concanavalin A-stimulated splenocytes. Erigeron annuus Pers. (EAP) extract suppresses the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from preadipocytes. Furthermore, the mixture of the leaf extracts of CMR and EAP, YES-10®, protected against nerve injuries induced by ischemia/reperfusion, suggesting a ROS-scavenging action. These observations show the anti-inflammatory action of YES-10. Inflammatory cytokines can cause alterations in mental function, including depression, by influencing the neurotransmitter system. Thus, it was hypothesized that YES-10 could improve mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and sense of well-being. Seventy-two subjects were recruited and randomly divided into YES-10 or placebo groups (n = 36 per group). Each group was daily administered two capsules orally, containing 200 mg of YES-10 or placebo, for 4 weeks in a double-blinded manner and tested for levels of depression, anxiety, well-being, and mental fitness using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Psychosocial Well-being Index (PWI), and Mental Fitness Scale (MFS). In addition, the levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (an inflammatory cytokine), and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG; a marker of oxidative stress) in the serum were measured. The BDI, BAI, PWI, and MFS scores decreased significantly, and the serum levels of cortisol, IL-6, and 8-OHdG were lowered significantly (P < .05), suggesting that YES-10 has the ability to improve mental health by relieving stress and by decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress.

Disability and Health in African Americans: Population Research and Implications for Occupational Therapy Community-Based Practice.

Population-based research and community-based interventions are integral to occupational therapy's scope of practice, yet they are underdeveloped in actual implementation. Therefore, this paper focuses on some health challenges facing the African American population, guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance Model. Using data from an observational cross-sectional nationwide telephone survey of African American adults, we examined differences between African Americans who are receiving disability payments (RDP) and those who are employed full time (FTE) on several physical health behaviors and psychosocial health indicators. We further compared the differences between African Americans RDP versus those FTE on those physical health behaviors and psychosocial health indicators across five US regions. Findings suggest that African Americans RDP are engaging in fewer positive physical health behaviors and experiencing worse psychosocial health compared to their counterparts FTE. There are also nuanced regional variations in the differences between African Americans RDP and FTE in physical health behaviors and psychosocial health indicators. This research highlighted some health challenges of African Americans RDP and FTE using a regional lens, demonstrating the value of OT population-based research. There is a need for OT population-specific community-based practice to address the health disparities of underserved and minority populations, such as African Americans.

Ecological momentary assessment of mental health in adults at suicide risk: An observational study protocol.

AimsTo describe the research protocol for an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) designed to examine patterns of suicidal ideation and relevant psychosocial stress indicators in adults at risk for suicide.DesignThis observational and longitudinal study will collect data for 28 consecutive days.MethodsA total of 150 adults at risk for suicide will be recruited from a single suicide prevention centre and an outpatient clinic in Korea. Self‐report questionnaires will be administrated during weeks 0, 1, 3 and 5. Participants will receive text messages three times a day for 4 weeks prompting them to access an online survey link for daily mood survey including depression, anxiety, stress and suicidal ideation. In addition, for the first 2 weeks, they will wear an actigraphy device designed to collect actigraphic data in terms of sleep patterns and physical activity. Data analyses such as descriptive statistics, independent t‐tests, one‐way ANOVA, chi‐squared statistics and time‐series and correlation analyses will be performed using IBM SPSS 26.0 and SAS version 9.3. The study received funding from National Research Foundation of Korea in February 2020. Institutional Review Board approval for our study was obtained in April 2021.DiscussionsThis study will yield fundamental information about daily patterns of suicide ideation and psychosocial stress indicators to develop preventive interventions for adults at risk for suicide.ImpactOur study will contribute to the development of EMAs and interventions for adults at risk for suicide aimed at providing timely and individualized mental health services in a community setting.Trial Registration: The trial is registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS). CRIS Registration Number: KCT0006165.

Psychosocial indicators of individual behavior during COVID 19: Delphi approach

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the weakness of the health care system to incorporate indicators of human behavior in the rapid response to the virus. This study aims to establish consensus on the psychosocial indicators of COVID-19 preventive behaviors during the initial phase of the outbreak in Arab countries. This qualitative study used a combined scoping review of the literature to develop the 24 psychosocial indicators and the Delphi approach with a panel of 27 experts from nine Arab countries to achieve a consensus on preventive behavior indicators. The most robust agreement with an average rating of at least 4 was found for five social indicators including Belief System with an average rating (5). Income Status average rating (4.9). Family Commitment average rating (4). Faith average rating (4). Kinship System average rating (3.9). Four psychological indicators were identified namely Self-Efficacy with an average rating of (5). Perception of Hazard with an average rating of (4.5). Motivation with an average rating of (4.5). Stigma with an average rating of (4.2). The nine indicators provide a strong base for redesigning pandemic control interventions. The Delphi study demonstrates the feasibility of a participatory approach during the outbreak of COVID-19. Moreover, future interventions need to accommodate individual psychological and social determinants to increase adherence and decrease resistance to public health guidelines.

Anxiety-Induced Sleep Disturbances among in-School Adolescents in the United Arab Emirates

Introduction: The goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety-induced sleep disturbance (AISD) and assess its relationship with psychosocial distress, socio-environmental variables, and health risk indicators among adolescent schoolchildren in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2016 UAE “Global School-Based Student Health Survey” (n = 5849) were analyzed. The nationally representative sample of all students in grades 8–12 in the UAE was selected through a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Schools were included with probability proportional to enrollment size, and classes were randomly selected, with all students present in selected classes being eligible to participate. Results: The overall prevalence of AISD was 16.2%, 11.9% had AISD among males, and 20.5% had AISD among females. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, older age (16 years or older), lower economic status (hunger), loneliness, frequent bullying victimization (10–30 days), frequently physically attacked (≥6 times), parental emotional neglect, parents never check homework, parental disrespect of privacy, passive smoking on all past 7 days, sedentary behavior (&gt;8 h/day) during leisure time, and multiple (≥4 times) injuries were positively and being male was negatively associated with AISD. Conclusion: Almost one in six participants reported AISD, and several factors associated with AISD were identified.

Estabilidade e mudança em medidas prospectivas de satisfação com a vida em idosos: Estudo Fibra

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and variables associated with stability and change in life satisfaction (LS) between baseline and 9-year follow-up, in community-dwelling-older adults. Method A prospective longitudinal study of baseline (BL; 2008-2009) and follow-up (FW; 2016-2017) data from the Frailty in Elderly Brazilians Study involving 360 individuals aged 71.7±5.0 years at BL, 68.9% women, was conducted. Associations of sociodemographic and psychosocial variables, and objective and subjective health indicators measured at BL with the incidence of stability and change in LS between BL and FW were investigated. Results Nine years after the BL collection, the following results were observed: higher incidence of stability (61.1%) than of worsening (26.4%) or improvement (12.5%) in LS; lower incidence of worsening of LS in the ≥80 age group than in the 70-79 years group; higher incidence of change than stability of LS among the participants with multimorbidities and scores &gt; 6 for depressive symptoms; higher incidence of LS worsening among participants with low self-rated health (relative risk; RR=2.26) and low satisfaction with memory (RR=2.33). Conclusions The incidence of stability in LS was more frequent than that of worsening or improvement. Subjective indicators of physical health and satisfaction with memory may serve as indicators of deterioration in wellbeing over time and the presence of depressive symptoms may suggest instability in self-assessments, possibly accompanying a reduction or increase in LS over time. There was considerable heterogeneity in the manifestations of LS among the older adults assessed.

Impact of the first wave of COVID-19 on the health and psychosocial well-being of Māori, Pacific Peoples and New Zealand Europeans living in aged residential care.

To investigate the impact of New Zealand's (NZ) first wave of COVID-19, which included a nationwide lockdown, on the health and psychosocial well-being of Māori, Pacific Peoples and NZ Europeans in aged residential care (ARC). interRAI assessments of Māori, Pacific Peoples and NZ Europeans (aged 60years and older) completed between 21/3/2020 and 8/6/2020 were compared with assessments of the same ethnicities during the same period in the previous year (21/3/2019 to 8/6/2019). Physical, cognitive, psychosocial and service utilisation indicators were included in the bivariate analyses. A total of 538Māori, 276Pacific Peoples and 11,322NZ Europeans had an interRAI assessment during the first wave of COVID-19, while there were 549Māori, 248Pacific Peoples and 12,367NZ Europeans in the comparative period. Fewer Māori reported feeling lonely (7.8% vs. 4.5%, p=0.021), but more NZ Europeans reported severe depressive symptoms (6.9% vs. 6.3%, p=0.028) during COVID-19. Lower rates of hospitalisation were observed in Māori (7.4% vs. 10.9%, p=0.046) and NZ Europeans (8.1% vs. 9.4%, p<0.001) during COVID-19. We found a lower rate of loneliness in Māori but a higher rate of depression in NZ European ARC populations during the first wave of COVID-19. Further research, including qualitative studies with ARC staff, residents and families, and different ethnic communities, is needed to explain these ethnic group differences. Longer-term effects from the COVID-19 pandemic on ARC populations should also be investigated.

Psychopathologies and socioeconomic status as risk indicators for periodontitis: a survey-based investigation in German dental practices

ObjectivesPeriodontitis is a highly prevalent multifactorial disease associated with various mental disorders. However, study results about this association are still contradictory. One methodological reason could be the neglect of potential confounders, such as socioeconomic factors or mental comorbidity. Our study examined a wide range of potential psychosocial risk indicators to identify those with relevant associations to periodontitis.Materials and methodsIn a cross-sectional study, 111 patients with periodontitis (PERIO) (> 30% teeth with approximal attachment loss ≥ 5 mm) and 110 patients without periodontitis (NON-PERIO) were recruited in four dental practices in Germany. Clinical attachment loss, pocket depth, plaque, bleeding on probing, and DMFT were measured. Psychopathologic symptoms and socioeconomic status were recorded using self-report questionnaires (DAS, PHQ-8, GAD-7, CTS, SCOFF, AUDIT, FTND, SSS-8, SES).ResultsThe PERIO group reported significantly lower socioeconomic status (Cohen’s d = 0.49) and higher psychopathological symptom burden than the NON-PERIO regarding dental anxiety (d = 0.86) and avoidance behavior, nicotine dependency (d = 0.84), depressiveness (d = 0.46), general anxiety (d = 0.45), somatic symptoms (d = 0.42), and childhood traumatization (d = 0.34). No significant group differences existed for alcohol abuse and eating disorders. Dental anxiety was the strongest predictor of periodontitis and showed significant correlations with other psychopathologies and social status.ConclusionsOut of all psychosocial factors, socioeconomic status and dental anxiety showed the greatest association with periodontitis.Clinical relevanceDentists should encourage socially disadvantaged and dentally anxious patients in the utilization of prevention and dental care. Furthermore, physicians and psychotherapists can contribute to the early detection of dental anxiety, oral diseases, and avoidance behavior.

Intuitive eating and its association with psychosocial health in adults: A cross-sectional study in a representative Canadian sample

Intuitive eating has been proposed as a weight-inclusive, effective, and sustainable approach to eating that benefits psychosocial health compared to traditional restrictive dieting. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of intuitive eating with psychosocial health indicators and demographic characteristics in a representative Canadian sample of adults (n = 1,466). Participants completed an online survey consisting of validated measures on intuitive eating and psychosocial health. Average participant engagement in intuitive eating was moderate with males eating more intuitively than females. Intuitive eating was higher in participants ≥65 years compared to those <65 years, and no differences were found among ethnicities. Correlation tests revealed that intuitive eating was positively correlated with self-esteem and negatively correlated with perceived sociocultural pressure, weight concern, disordered eating behaviour, and cognitive restraint in eating. Compared to males, intuitive eating in females was more strongly correlated with sociocultural pressure and weight concern. Regression analyses showed that intuitive eating interacted with sex in predicting sociocultural pressure and weight concern after controlling for age and ethnicity. Sex-stratified regressions resulted in intuitive eating scores being significantly associated with all psychosocial health indicators investigated. This study provides evidence that intuitive eating is associated with better psychosocial health in a sex-balanced, ethnically diverse Canadian adult sample. Study findings suggest that intuitive eating can be an accessible approach to support a healthy lifestyle and demographic differences should be considered when designing interventions. Future studies need to determine whether intuitive eating improves eating behaviour and reduces disordered eating as well as interacts with other health-related behaviours at a population level.