Risk Of Abuse Research Articles

Dynamic polysaccharide/platelet-rich plasma hydrogels with synergistic antibacterial activities for accelerating infected wound healing

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been recognized as an effective therapy in regenerative medicine and surgery, which can reduce the risk of antibiotic abuse and promote the healing of infected wounds. Recent advances in PRP-based treatments have focused on the controlled release of growth factors in PRP with biocompatible hydrogels and antimicrobial promotion by introducing hydrogel components or antibiotics, while the inherent antimicrobial activity of PRP is mostly neglected or sacrificed. Here, we demonstrate the combination of an antimicrobial polysaccharide, carboxymethyl chitosan, and PRP to construct an antimicrobial hydrogel via dynamic bonding with oxidized chondroitin sulfate. Significant inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (95 % of inhibition rate) are achieved through the synergistic contributions of the polysaccharide and PRP. Additionally, the resulting hydrogel promotes the migration of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and collagen deposition by approximately 1.7 and 1.8 times, respectively, thereby accelerating the healing process of infected wounds. This work may bring new perspectives for potent applications of PRP-based hydrogel dressings for antibiotic-free management of infected wounds.

The contribution of addictovigilance data to the French medical cannabis experimentation

In France, cannabis is the most widely used illicit psychoactive substance. Recently, a new market for cannabidiol (CBD) products has emerged called "cannabis light" or "cannabis well-being". In parallel, the experimentation of medical cannabis began on March 26, 2021, for specific indications. Some clinical effects of cannabis have been put forward for medical purposes; however, these are counterbalanced by adverse events (AEs). Data from addictovigilance and international literature on the risks associated with non-medical cannabis use have helped establish exclusion criteria for patients at risk of complications when using medical cannabis (such as those with psychotic disorders, severe cardiovascular, renal, or liver conditions). This also enables the early identification of AEs. Cannabis-based medications are composed of cannabidiol (CBD) and/or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in varying concentrations. We aimed to present the contribution of the addictovigilance data regarding cannabis-related reports to the ongoing French experimentation on cannabis used for medical purposes, to anticipate potential adverse drug reactions in the treated patients. Among the 3164 patients included in the French experimentation, 1186 of them presented at least one AE. Some of the AEs reported in addictovigilance surveys on non-medical cannabis and CBD were observed during the experimentation of medical cannabis such as cardiovascular AEs (myocardial infarction, strokes, transient ischemic attack), psychiatric AEs (suicidal idea and attempt, depression), worsening of epilepsy, cognitive and/or sedative disorders. Given the potential for pharmacodependence of cannabis medications, it seems important for clinicians to gather the addiction history of their patients (past or present), particularly the use of non-medical cannabis (illicit) and non-medical CBD, to prevent and early detect any risk of abuse. The generalization of the use of medical cannabis was adopted and defined in the 2024 Social Security Financing Act. These medications will be accessible to patients by medical prescription for defined indications. Addictovigilance as well as pharmacovigilance monitoring is crucial in this context of continuing to make medical cannabis available in France. Adverse effects of interest will need to be monitored in particular, including neurological disorders (epilepsy exacerbation, cognitive disorders), psychiatric disorders (substance use disorder, suicidal behaviour), and cardiovascular disorders as well as any unexpected AEs. Close addictovigilance monitoring contributes to increasing the awareness of professionals involved in the clinical management of patients treated with medical cannabis.

Assessment of Sexual Violence against Girls and Young Women with Disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

This review looks into the prevalence of sexual violence against disabled girls and young women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding this issue is vital for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seek to eliminate all forms of violence in the region. The research specifically examines the nature of sexual violence faced by girls and young women with disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve the desired outcomes, a comprehensive desk review was carried out on the subject of sexual violence against this demographic. The study highlights factors that contribute to vulnerability, the environments where offenders operate, the repercussions of sexual abuse, and the coping strategies employed by victims. The findings indicate that girls and young women with disabilities are at a heightened risk of sexual abuse due to perceptions of weakness and a lack of adequate protection. Additionally, disability and poverty further exacerbate the risk of gender-based violence. It was found that many women with disabilities experienced sexual abuse due to circumstances such as limited mobility, financial hardship, familial rejection, and unemployment, which often confined them to their homes and made them easy targets. In terms of repercussions, sexual violence has been linked to unintended pregnancies, homelessness, divorce, and challenges in finding marriage partners. There is a pressing need for further research to guide policymakers in implementing effective multi-sectoral strategies that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at reducing all forms of violence in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Strategi BNNK Sleman dalam Mengurangi Penyalahgunaan dan Peredaran Gelap Narkoba: Perspektif Collaborative Governance

Drug abuse and illicit trafficking remain pressing issues for Indonesia through 2024. This is evident from the increase in drug abuse prevalence in Indonesia by 1.73%, according to a National survey conducted in 2023. The widespread negative impacts make addressing this issue increasingly complex and multidimensional. Sleman has become one of the districts in Yogyakarta that receives special attention in this matter topic. Factors such as student migration, urbanization, and tourism development are the main drivers of the high risk of drug abuse in this area. BNNK Sleman is responsible for designing and implementing effective strategies to reduce and prevent drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the Sleman District. The primary goal of this study is to identify and analyze BNNK Sleman's strategies through the lens of Collaborative Governance. The research method used in this study is a descriptive qualitative approach, with purposive sampling selected as the sampling method. Data were collected through three main methods: direct observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The comparison of observational and interview data reveals that the principles of inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, cross-sector collaboration, face-to-face dialogue, and trust-building have been integrated into effective strategies with varying degrees of success. Active community participation, the use of digital technology, and strong accountability are key elements of this strategy. This study highlights the importance of enhancing transparency and accountability through technology to improve public participation and the sustainability of cross-sector collaboration, while also providing significant insights into the implementation of Collaborative Governance at the local level.

Purchasing medicines and functional foods on the internet: a cross-sectional study investigating the knowledge, attitudes, and experience of Vietnamese people in 2023

ObjectiveTo investigate Vietnamese people’s knowledge, attitudes, and experience in purchasing medicines and functional foods online.MethodsVia an online survey, the data of 1,070 participants were collected, including their general characteristics, Internet use, previous experience, knowledge, and attitudes towards purchasing medicines/functional foods online. Factors associated with their knowledge and attitudes were identified via multivariate linear regression models.ResultsDuring 2022–2023, about 97.2% of participants used the Internet to seek health information (self-diagnosis: 65.0%, self-medication: 72.6%). Roughly 52.8% bought medicines and/or functional foods online. Among 565 buyers, 41.8% felt satisfied. Only 19.9% understood that selling medicines online was illegal in Vietnam. The main benefits of purchasing medicines/functional foods online that many people agreed on included convenience (87.1%), freedom from location (84.8%), and being able to order/buy products after opening hours (84.7%). Many people felt worried about the ability to buy counterfeit or substandard products (87.7%), inaccurate product information (85.0%), the lack of supervision of the authorities (83.7%), and increasing risks of drug abuse, self-medication, and treatment non-adherence (82.5%). Roughly 84.3% found distinguishing between legal and illegal online pharmacies difficult. Participants’ average knowledge and attitude scores were 6.514 ± 2.461 (range: 0–16) and 89.330 ± 13.720 (range: 23–115), respectively. The main factors associated with people’s knowledge and attitudes towards purchasing these products online included their frequency of Internet use, seeking health information online for self-medication, feeling satisfied with previous experience, and having at least one chronic disease.ConclusionsMany Vietnamese people’s knowledge about purchasing medicines/functional foods online was limited. With the increasing need for online shopping, enhancing their knowledge is paramount. In the forthcoming years, when the Ministry of Health and relevant authorities publish legal documents and enact laws involving online pharmacies and trading medicines on the Internet, ways to recognize licensed online pharmacies must be widely propagated and disseminated in the community.

Health Workers in Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Care for Refugees: Insights from Frontline Health and Humanitarian Professionals in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, Uganda

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a marked global increase in cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) has been noted (Johnson et al. 2020). In the refugee settlements of Uganda, this is dramatically illustrated by an escalating crisis of teenage pregnancies (UN Women 2020; Diallo et al. 2023). During lockdowns, conflicts among families and couples increased and vulnerable community members, particularly children and young people, were exposed to heightened risks of abuse (Datzberger et al. 2023). For the humanitarian community, the escalation of the past years highlights the urgent need to sustainably improve SGBV prevention, care and case management in refugee settings.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced Veteran Parents’ Harsh Parenting: Do Parental PTSD and Parental Role Matter?

Prior studies show a heightened risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because of financial difficulties and parenting stress, but little is known about what happened to the veteran families. This study aimed to examine the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on veteran parents’ harsh parenting – creating a potential for child maltreatment. Further, we explored the potential moderating effects of parental PTSD and parental role on the association between COVID-19 impacts and veteran harsh parenting. We recruited 509 veteran parents from Qualtrics online research panel and assessed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., perceived threat, financial and psychological impacts) on the participants, parental PTSD, and parents’ past year prevalence of corporal punishment and psychological aggression. We used Mplus 8.8 to build main models, two-way moderation models, and three-way moderation models. There was a significant association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting (Corporal punishment: β = 0.09, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.10, p < 0.05), while parental PTSD was a significant moderator (Corporal punishment: β = 0.10, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.08, p < 0.05). Parents with higher levels of PTSD were more vulnerable to the negative influences of COVID-19 on their harsh parenting. However, the association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting did not differ by parental role. Our study findings contribute to the current knowledge of veteran families during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide implications for both Veteran Affairs services and child protective services.

Marriage migration, intimacy and genre in Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test (2019) and Brigitte Bautista’s You, Me, U.S. (2019)

A significant strand of cultural and social studies research on late modernity has focused on intimacies; in particular, ‘mediated intimacies’ (Attwood et al., 2017; Barker et al., 2018; Gill, 2009), exploring how the media, in its various forms, represents and affects intimate relationships. Romance fiction, the most popular global genre, offers a key source text for exploring intimate and romantic relationships and the ways culturally and politically specific forms of intimacy are shared transnationally. Of particular interest is the increase in the twenty-first century of romantic stories that deal with the intersection of intimacy and migration. This article brings together critical work on intimacy and affect, scholarship on popular romance, and research on migration and transcultural exchange to explore how contemporary Anglophone popular romance fiction mediates intimate relationships in the context of migration. Focusing on two romance novels featuring South East Asian migration to the USA — Brigitte Bautista’s You, Me, U.S. (2019) and Helen Hoang’s The Bride Test (2019) — I explore how these novels represent marriage migration and its relationship to and impact on intimacy. Both novels are aware of existing stigmas around marriage migration (the risk of abuse or fraudulent marriage), but the association of marriage with ‘authentic’ romantic love in the romance genre ultimately serves to uphold such stigmas, rather than challenge them. The texts pay equally close attention to the performativity of romantic love, noting how heteronormative, western norms of romance are required for migrants but, in the case of You, Me, U.S., can also be queered. These texts are concerned with the movement of people and cultures while themselves travelling across borders as products of a transnational, global publishing market. These fictions, then, showcase how their particular articulations of intimacy offer new insights for scholars interested in marriage migration.

Between a rock and a hard place: domestic abuse and being a migrant woman in England and Wales

Legal responses to domestic abuse have been a political priority of the UK Government since at least 2010, eventually leading to the passing of the seminal legislation in this area for England and Wales, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. However, the exclusion of protection for migrant victim-survivors with precarious immigration statuses under the Act demonstrates a failure in understanding that the experience and risk of domestic abuse differ for these individuals from that of the mainstream, due to their intersectional identities as (predominantly) migrant women. Many migrant victim-survivors still find themselves trapped in abusive situations, as the law fails to safeguard their rights to reside legally should they choose to present themselves to authorities by reporting their abuse. A distinct lack of acknowledgment as to inequalities faced by those at the intersection of migrant status and gender (Crenshaw, 1989; 1991) has led to increased insecurity for some of the most vulnerable. This article shines a light on this discrimination under the law in England and Wales. It adopts an intersectionality framework to examine such inequality, analysing Appendix Violence Domestic Abuse and the Migrant Victim Domestic Abuse Concession in UK immigration law, as well as the Support for Migrant Victims Pilot and its relevant Evaluation Report, against the international standards of the Istanbul Convention. It argues that the UK Government is failing to tackle the problem of migrant victim-survivors’ protection concerning domestic abuse, and in some situations, has made it worse.This article aims to state the law as of 1 May 2024.

Research on Network Security and Privacy Protection Technology of Autonomous Vehicle

With the rapid development of information technology and the increasing maturity of intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, as an important carrier of future travel, are gradually moving from concept to commercial application. However, the highly connected and intelligent nature of autonomous vehicles also makes them face unprecedented cybersecurity and privacy protection challenges. This paper deeply discusses the security threats and privacy disclosure risks of autonomous vehicles in network architecture, data transmission, data processing and other links, and systematically reviews the current technical means and research progress to address these challenges. This paper Outlines the data collection and transmission mechanism of autonomous vehicles, including the collection and processing of sensor data as well as the communication process between vehicles and the cloud, other vehicles and transportation infrastructure, and analyzes in detail the network security threats faced by autonomous vehicles, including remote control attacks, malware attacks, communication hijacking, etc. These threats can lead to serious consequences such as vehicle failure, data breach, or system crash. At the same time, the paper also points out the challenges faced by autonomous vehicles in terms of privacy protection, such as the risk of leakage of sensitive data such as personal location information and driving habits, as well as the risk of data abuse and sharing. In order to address the above challenges, this paper focuses on the technical research progress of cybersecurity and privacy protection of autonomous vehicles. In the aspect of network security, this paper discusses the key technical means such as data encryption, access control, intrusion detection and response system, and emphasizes the importance of security hardware and software in improving the overall security of the system. In terms of privacy protection, this paper proposes strategies such as anonymization and desensitization technology, privacy protection protocols and standards to protect users' privacy from invasion.

Mental health conditions of Colombian adolescent population: An approach to risk.

To determine the mental health conditions of adolescents in the city of Manizales, Colombia, and explore risk regarding gender-based differences. Quantitative, nonexperimental, descriptive research with associative scope. A total of 316 adolescents were assessed using five scales to evaluate mental health conditions: the Perceived Stress Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Penn Alcohol Craving Scale and The Substance Dependence Severity Scale. Univariate and bivariate analysis was performed, Chi square and Odds Ratio were tested. The findings indicated that being female is a risk factor for high levels of perceived stress, depressive episodes and anxiety. Additionally, adolescents who are not attending school are at higher risk for dependence and abuse of psychoactive substances. Conversely, being female acts as a protective factor against dependence on psychoactive substances. The findings suggest a higher tendency among the participants towards experiencing depressive episodes. Regarding perceived stress, 71.5% of the participants fell into the low category, while 70.6% experienced a current episode of generalized anxiety.

Adverse childhood experiences and multimorbidity of internalising and cardiometabolic conditions in an older-age population.

BackgroundTackling multimorbidity (ICM-MM) of internalising conditions (IC) and cardiometabolic conditions (CM) is key to improving the future of healthcare. Early life factors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to long term, poor mental and physical health conditions. AimsThis study investigated whether: 1) ACEs increase the risk of IC, CM and ICM-MM; 2) the effect of ACEs on risk of developing CM depends on the presence of IC and vice versa; 3) how risk differs by gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity. MethodsIn UK Biobank, the Childhood Trauma Screener was used to identify 157,256 participants with ACE data. Electronic healthcare records (EHR) and interview data identified those with anxiety or depression (IC) and those with hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia or chronic kidney disease (CM). Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to find associations between ACEs and IC, CM and ICM-MM. Covariates included age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, diet, alcohol intake, smoking behaviour and physical activity. ResultsAll ACEs significantly increase risk for IC (all ACEs, p = &lt;2e-16). Emotional neglect, physical neglect and emotional abuse increase risk of CM (e.g. physical neglect, OR = 1.43, CF = 1.30-1.58, p = 1.88e-13). ACEs appear to increase IC and CM risk independently. ConclusionsThe effects of ACEs last well into adulthood and confer risk for IC and, sometimes, CM. ACE history should be included in routine primary care and the development of therapeutic interventions tailored to older adults with ACEs is key to reducing poor health.

Unlocking data to inform public health policy and practice: A pilot study on utilising police data for linked population data research

ObjectiveThe UK Government increasingly emphasises a comprehensive, multi-agency approach to tackling crime. This pilot study explores the feasibility of integrating police data with routine health data to develop a holistic understanding of the predictors of domestic abuse (DA). ApproachThe study encompasses three work-packages a) coding the narrative data from Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Harassment (DASH) risk assessment report from Public Protection Notifications (PPNs), which are information-sharing documents recording safeguarding concerns and shared with partner agencies b) exploring to identify what works to harmonise different software systems within police data-sharing approach, c) constructing a case study by linking PPN DASH data with routine health and administrative records. These efforts illustrate the potential of national data-sharing initiatives. Results a) Text mining methods successfully identified and coded (with over 95% accuracy) 17 refereed/involved agencies from the PPN DASH data. b) Barriers to data sharing were attributed to a lack of clarity and consensus regarding appropriate information sharing, rather than technical obstacles. This barrier can be overcome by an unambiguous framework, endorsed at an elevated level, highlighting which data should be shared. c) The data-linkage study revealed that victims of DA had prior interactions with healthcare services before their initial PPN, and younger pregnant victims had higher risk of future healthcare emergency visits. Conclusion and ImplicationPolice and health data integration enhances evidence-based prevention and early identification of vulnerable individuals by both law enforcement and public health services.

Alcohol abuse among adolescents and suicide risk - is there a correlation?

Introduction: Adolescent alcohol abuse is a critical public health issue with far-reaching consequences for individual development and societal well-being. Adolescent alcohol consumption poses significant health risks, particularly due to its effects on brain development and its association with increased suicide risk. Purpose of the work: This study aims to investigate the relationship between alcohol abuse and suicide risk in adolescents. Materials and methods: A comprehensive analysis of research papers available on PubMed and Google Scholar was undertaken using the search terms including the following keywords: alcohol abuse/ alcohol abuse in adolescence/ alcohol consumption in adolescence/ alcohol abuse and suicide risk in adolescence/ suicide risk factors in adolescence/ suicidal tendencies among teenagers. Conclusions:Adolescent alcohol abuse has profound implications for brain development and mental health, significantly increasing the risk of suicide. Effective public health strategies, including early intervention, education, and strong support systems, are essential to mitigate these risks and promote healthier environments for young individuals. Addressing the underlying causes of alcohol abuse and providing targeted support can reduce its long-term consequences and improve adolescent well-being.

A Systematic Review of Phenibut Withdrawals.

Phenibut is an anxiolytic agent that was originally used as a treatment for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia. It is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) mimetic, which stimulates GABA receptors in the brain. This increases the inhibitory effects of GABA leading to a greater chance of a sedative response and risk for abuse. It is not currently registered in Western countries but is easily accessible online as a supplement. This is a systematic review of case reports of phenibut patients with withdrawal symptoms published in the PubMed database between January 2010 and October 2023. Following the inclusion criteria application, 15 articles were included. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results. The average age of patients with phenibut withdrawals was 31.8 years (SD=12.66 years), and 13 cases (87%) were males. The average dosage was 13.6 g/day (SD=8 g), ranging from 1.5 to 28.5 g/day. Nine cases (60%) presented at an emergency department, and three cases (17%) were presented at a clinic setting facility. The most common history of patients who took phenibut was alcohol or drug abuse (73%). A history of anxiety and depression (60%) was also seen in the majority of patient presentations. Phenibut is never prescribed in the United States, and there are no official guidelines for phenibut use. Educating all physicians about the potentially harmful supplements available to patients and their biological mechanisms is essential. This review highlights the importance of collecting a thorough patient history, including supplements, to help prevent phenibut misuse and subsequent withdrawals.

Estimating the alcohol-related burden of child maltreatment among Māori in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

To assesses the alcohol-related burden of child maltreatment among Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. We compared the risk of child maltreatment among Māori (0-17 years) exposed to parents with alcohol-related hospitalisation or mental health/addiction service use. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to estimate the number of cases of maltreatment that could be attributed to alcohol among Māori. A cohort study of 16,617 Māori aged 0-17 and their parents from 2000 to 2017 was conducted using the Statistics New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure. A Bayesian piecewise exponential model estimated the risk of time to first child maltreatment event. This analysis used data from child protection, hospital, mortality and police records, and specifically focused on the risk associated with exposure to parents with an alcohol-attributable hospitalisation or mental health/addiction service use event. Potential confounders for both parents and Māori (0-17 years) were included. We calculated a population-attributable fraction to estimate the proportion of maltreatment cases that could be attributed to alcohol in 2017. Results showed a 65% increased risk for young Māori exposed to parents with heavy alcohol use. We estimated 17% of substantiated child maltreatment among Māori could be attributed to parental hazardous alcohol consumption. Severe or hazardous alcohol consumption among parents is a risk factor for child maltreatment among Māori. Māori alcohol consumption and harm are symptomatic of wider inequities related, among other things, to the ongoing effects of colonisation, as well as gaps in the regulation of alcohol sales.

Development of a sexual consent intervention for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Tailored sexuality education for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities is a crucial, yet unmet, need as this population is particularly at risk for sexual abuse and victimisation. However, there are no evidence-based interventions to specifically address this need. This paper presents the development of an intervention framework to address equity in sexuality education and support adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities to understand and provide sexual consent, a foundational aspect of sexuality education and sexual health. The Sexual Health Equity Project team used a Community-Based Participatory Research approach to develop a four-module sexual consent intervention for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We leveraged a diverse, interdisciplinary team in a suburban Midwestern school district, and used Backward Design to create objectives and assessments which were rooted in findings from qualitative data by special education teachers. The resulting sexual consent intervention, Ask Me First-Choices, is comprised of four modules covering topics including definition of sexual consent; decision-making strategies and practice; communicating consent and refusal, identifying situations of consent and non-consent; and legal issues surrounding consent. Each module is divided into five components for content delivery: (1) introduction, (2) lecture, (3) supplemental activity, (4) assessment, and (5) conclusion. We detail the intervention's unique aspects, emphasising areas where we used Universal Design for Learning principles to support teachers' instruction and students' learning. Our efforts to create a sexual consent intervention directly address sexuality education equity issues. We offer commentary on our design process and decisions, as well as recommendations for future groups who want to develop sexual health interventions in similar contexts for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Next steps include further testing and validation of the sexual consent intervention to build the evidence-base of sexuality education for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

CONCEPT OF SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER IN AYURVEDA: A REVIEW

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a minor mental illness characterized by substantial degree of fear in one or more social situations. The condition becomes clinically relevant when the fear is persistent for a period of six months or more. A few outcomes of Social Anxiety Disorder are depression and substance abuse. It can be seen more in teenagers than in young adults. In common populaces, women are having more rates of Social Anxiety Disorder than in men. The contemporary management of Social Anxiety Disorder are with the usage of anxiolytic drugs and their practice is limited owing to the risk of drug abuse and dependency. As per Ayurveda, Social Anxiety Disorder can be considered under the Shareerika - Manasika Vikara (psychosomatic disorder). This involves Udvega avastha of Manas (hesitant state of mind) along with the predominance of Vata and Pitta dosa. As the references are scattered, the paper is an attempt to understand the concept of Social Anxiety Disorder. This article is an endeavor to bring light to understanding the concept and find out suitable solutions for Social Anxiety Disorder through an Ayurvedic perspective.

Perspective: Clinical care of pedophilic individuals in Zurich, Switzerland.

Individuals with pedophilia are considered to have an elevated risk for child sexual abuse (CSA). Nevertheless, it is assumed that pedophilic sexual impulses can be controlled from acting out. To prevent CSA an outpatient treatment facility for people with pedophilia was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2021. The program focuses on the prevention of CSA and improvement of quality of life, incorporating empirically validated treatment principles, such as the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model and the Good Lives Model (GLM). Within the initial 24-month 142 individuals sought help, 46 individuals (mean age 36.0 ± 12.4 years) completed the assessment phase, two-thirds suffered from psychiatric comorbidities, and 67.4% reported sexual delinquency. The high drop-out rate was predominantly due to ongoing criminal proceedings, or other mental health conditions. Overall patients at this facility generally sought treatment voluntarily, leading to good treatment adherence, with severe self-harm being more prevalent than acute danger to others. A treatment approach focused solely on pedophilia is considered insufficient; psychiatric and psychosocial factors must also be addressed.

Psychosocial consequences of growing up as Austrian occupation children in post-World-War II Austria

ABSTRACT Background: During the post-World War II occupation of Austria, approximately 20,000–30,000 ‘children born of war’ (CBOW), also called occupation children were born through intimate contacts between Austrian women and occupation soldiers. Research on other CBOW populations indicates that CBOW mostly grow up under difficult conditions, sometimes with strong long-term mental health consequences. Objective: To examine whether comparable psychosocial consequences can be found in Austrian occupation children (AOC), a first quantitative study was carried out. Method: Child maltreatment, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and somatization, and general life satisfaction were assessed in a sample of 98 AOC using self-report instruments. Results were compared to a sample of German occupation children (GOC; N = 146). Results: High prevalence of above threshold full (10.2%) and partial (14.3%) PTSD, somatic (16.3%) and depressive (11.1%) symptomatology were found in AOC. They were at high risk of child maltreatment (e.g. emotional abuse: 53.6%), which was associated with current symptomatology. Notably, AOC tended to report high levels of general life satisfaction. No differences were found between GOC and AOC. Conclusions: Findings highlight the complex and long-term effects of developmental conditions and childhood maltreatment on mental health of CBOW, even decades later. Findings of high life satisfaction provide evidence of resilience and maturation processes across the lifespan.