Self-reported Problems Research Articles

Self-reported Health Problems of Professional Dancers from Five German Opera Houses or State Theatres: A Prospective Study with Weekly Follow-ups during One Season

BackgroundMost studies on injuries of professional dancers used a medical-attention and/or time-loss definition and did not analyse all health problems. Further, almost all studies included just one company. The aim was to analyse all self-reported health problems of professional ballet and contemporary dancers during one season and compare sexes and five companies in Germany.MethodsDancers of five professional companies completed weekly health questionnaires during the season (September 2022 to June 2023). Numerical rating scales were used for severity of all health problems, musculoskeletal pain, impairment of the ability to dance at full potential, physical and mental workload in the previous seven days. If the severity of all health problems were rated greater than “0”, the dancers were asked to report the type and consequences of their most severe health problem.ResultsDuring 43 weeks, 98 dancers (39.8% male) completed 3123 weekly reports (response rate 74.1%). The season prevalence of any health problem was 100% and of time-loss health problems 74.5%. The average weekly prevalence of any health problem was 62.7%, of musculoskeletal pain 83.4% and of impaired ability to dance at full potential, due to health problem 48.6%. While the season prevalence and type of health problems was similar between sexes, the average weekly prevalence of severe health problems was higher in female than in male dancers (Chi2 = 23.2; p < .001), and female dancers saw a qualified health professional more often than male dancers (Chi2 = 19.5; p < .001). Companies differed in almost all investigated variables, with more health problems in companies where more dancers rated their workload higher than “ideal”.ConclusionHealth problems are frequent in professional dancers and affect their ability to dance. Future studies should analyse the impact of physical and mental workload on health problems.

Association of erectile dysfunction and peripheral arterial disease in NHANES 2001-2004: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between Erectile dysfunction (ED) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in adult American males using a large database.MethodsThe relationship between ED and PAD prevalence among participants in the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database was assessed using a series of statistical analyses. ED was evaluated based on a single-item measure of self-reported erection problems from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. PAD was defined as ankle-brachial index (ABI) &amp;lt; 0.9 in at least one leg. Multifactorial logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between ED and PAD.ResultsA total of 2394 participants were enrolled, of whom 905 individuals (37.8%) were diagnosed with ED. After adjusting for confounding variables, the association between ED and PAD remained positive, with an odds ratio of 2.05 (95% confidence interval 1.24-3.39). Subgroup analysis revealed that the relationship between ED and PAD was significant in patients aged &amp;gt;50 years old, without hypertension, without diabetes, without cardiovascular disease, without high cholesterol, former smokers, low physical activity levels, and a body mass index of 25-30 (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In addition, all subgroups analyzed were evaluated for any potential interaction, and no statistically significant association was discovered.ConclusionsIn a sample of US adults aged ≥40, this cross-sectional study found that ED is related to a higher occurrence of PAD. ED may be an independent predictor of PAD, and thus it should be considered in the treatment of patients with ED.

Association of self-reported health problems and interpersonal violence in sport: a cross-sectional study in world-level performing athletes

ObjectivesA paucity of studies assesses the intersection of physical health (injury and illness), mental health and experiences of interpersonal violence (IV, also known as harassment and abuse) in sport. The...

Identifying transdiagnostic and multidimensional prognostic indicators among veterans with PTSD symptoms in brief integrated care settings.

Brief integrated care settings hold promise for accessible and effective trauma-informed interventions. However, clinicians often have difficulty efficiently forecasting who is most appropriate for interventions in such settings and how to target individualized care. Multidimensional and transdiagnostic evaluations may provide valuable information to improve stepped-care and treatment practices for veterans. A middle-out approach was used to concurrently evaluate self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, and physical health problems using cross-sectional (latent profile analysis) and longitudinal (latent growth mixture modeling) analyses that identified unique symptom profiles, trajectories of traumatic stress reactions, and correlates of these health outcomes. Data from 234 veterans who participated in a randomized controlled trial of primary care PTSD intervention were analyzed at 0, 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Latent profile analysis identified two homogenous baseline profiles: global symptoms (33.8%); low dysphoria-lower negative cognitions, mood, and depressive symptoms (66.2%). Low dysphoria participants reported more social relationships (OR = 1.32) and fewer environmental (OR = 0.89) and financial (OR = 0.23-0.35) stressors. Latent growth mixture modeling identified three trajectories: (a) reducing symptoms ("responders"; 21.3%) and chronic symptoms of (b) moderate (59.6%) and (c) high (19.1%) severity. Low dysphoria participants were 4.35 times more likely to be responders over time compared to participants with moderate severity symptoms. Findings indicated that veterans with moderate PTSD symptoms and physical health problems but low dysphoria may respond best to trauma-informed intervention in brief integrated care settings, while others may require further individualized stepped care. Findings demonstrate unique traumatic stress reactions that support individualized stepped care and may offer greater treatment utilization, retention, and efficacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Prenatal alcohol exposure and health at midlife: Self-reported health outcomes in two cohorts.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis (DOHaD) suggests prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) should have implications for adult physical and mental health. Since the health profile of older adults with PAE and diagnoses of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is unknown, the current study evaluates self-reported health problems of midlife adults with and without a history of PAE to describe these outcomes. Participants (N = 357) recruited from longitudinal cohorts in Atlanta, GA and Seattle, WA completed a health survey assessing a range of physical conditions. Initial analysis compared the frequency of conditions between alcohol-exposed and nonexposed groups. To identify patterns within groups, 10 problem areas were subjected to latent class analysis (LCA). Finally, the direct effect of PAE on health outcomes was evaluated using multilevel modeling, controlling for effects of other factors. Compared with unexposed controls, individuals with PAE reported significantly higher frequencies of problems with hearing, dentition, heart, cancer, gastritis, kidney stones, bladder, diabetes, thyroid, skin, and seizures. LCA found that controls yielded two classes, with 45% reporting sleep and vision problems and 55% reporting sleep, vision, cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and dental problems. The PAE group yielded three classes, with 13% endorsing few health problems, 43% reporting sleep, vision, immune, and dental problems, and 43% reporting sleep, vision, cardiovascular, urinary, endocrine, skin, immune, dental, and gastrointestinal problems. With multivariate analysis, controlling for other influences, PAE was associated directly with hearing, urinary, dental, and gastrointestinal problems. A similar pattern was found for alcohol-exposed individuals who did and did not meet criteria for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Patients affected by alcohol may report greater frequency and range of health adversity. That PAE was only uniquely associated with a limited set of problems suggests that many health outcomes in midlife result from an initial vulnerability potentiated by postnatal stress resulting from other associated factors.

Examining Lifestyle Risk Factor Clusters and Mental Health in Adults

Abstract Background Lifestyle risk factors often cluster, impacting both physical and mental health. Studies reveal bidirectional relationships between lifestyle factors and health. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-reported depression, and lifestyle risk factors in a sample of the adult population in Turkey. Methods 2022 Turkey Health Survey (THS) data were used. The sample group was made using cross-sectional data of approximately 22742 individuals in the adult population over 15 years of age. Two-stage clustering method was used to determine vital risk factor clusters. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between vital risk factor clusters and self-reported depression and mental health problems. Results Lifestyle risk factors were grouped into 4 clusters. It was observed that unhealthy diet, inadequate physical activity, and smoking, which are modifiable lifestyle risk factors, were together in the clusters. It was also observed that self-reported depression and mental problems were more associated with clusters with more than one lifestyle risk factor. In addition, women, married individuals, and individuals over 65 years of age were more associated with mental problems. Conclusions As a result of the findings, there was an association between people with mental problems and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, and insufficient physical activity. These findings may help to plan and implement more effective health policies and individual interventions targeting groups with multiple lifestyle risk factors in the future. Key messages • The target group was determined to improve community mental health and to make necessary interventions. • Since inadequate physical activity, which is one of the vital risk factors, and unhealthy nutrition and smoking tend to cluster together, it was determined that these problems should be prioritised

Sleeping for two: a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in pregnancy.

Insomnia and sleep problems are common in pregnancy and have potentially negative impacts on both parental and infant health. This study examined the sleeping for two adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in pregnancy. A parallel (1:1) randomized controlled trial evaluated CBT-I (n=32) compared to a treatment as usual (TAU) waitlist (n=32) among pregnant individuals from Alberta, Canada experiencing insomnia. Five weekly individual sessions of CBT-I pivoted from in-person delivery to telehealth due to COVID-19 pandemic physical distancing regulations. Insomnia symptom severity (primary outcome), insomnia diagnosis by structured interview, self-reported sleep problems, as well as sleep parameters measured by diary and actigraphy, were assessed pre-treatment at 12-28 weeks gestation (T1), one-week post-treatment (T2), and six months postpartum (T3). Birth information (secondary outcomes) were collected via delivery record and parent report of infant sleep (exploratory outcome) was taken at T3. Multilevel modeling using an intention-to-treat approach showed that CBT-I was associated with a decrease in insomnia symptoms and improved sleep quality across time compared to TAU. The CBT-I group had fewer diagnoses of insomnia post-treatment, but the difference did not reach statistical significance until 6-months postpartum. Participants with worse sleep quality at baseline benefitted substantially more from CBT-I vs. TAU waitlist. CBT-I delivered in pregnancy can reduce symptoms of insomnia and improve sleep quality, which could in turn minimize risk of negative consequences for birthing parent and infant health. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Identifier: NCT03918057; Name: Sleeping for Two: RCT of CBT-Insomnia in Pregnancy; URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03301727.

The prevalence of patient-reported cognitive complaints and dementia risk factors in the audiology clinic

Background Hearing-dementia research mainly focuses on determining the causal direction of this association. Little is known about the prevalence of cognitive problems in a representative audiology patient population. Aim To examine the occurrence of self-reported cognitive complaints (SCC) and dementia risk factors (RF) in an audiology patient population. Materials and methods Patients visiting audiology clinics (n = 1100, 51% female and avg. age 61yrs) were administered an online intake tool based on the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health. Domains extracted for analyses were memory and concentration (SCC) and loneliness, depression, sleep and vision (dementia RF) and self-reported hearing problems (SHP). Prevalence rates and associations with demographic variables and SHP were examined. Results SCC were highly prevalent, with over half of the patients reporting memory or concentration problems. Regarding dementia RF, 68% reported sleeping problems and > 50% reported sadness, anxiety or depressed mood. SHP correlated significantly with self-reported memory problems, loneliness, and vision problems. Conclusion This descriptive cohort-study suggests a high risk of cognitive issues within the audiology clinic population, indicated by the high prevalence of SCC and some dementia RF. Our findings underscore the importance of considering closer cooperation between care pathways like audiology and neurology and use of a holistic patient-centered approach.

Latent classes of sleep problems and subjective cognitive decline among middle-aged and older adults in the United States

ObjectivePrevious studies have linked sleep problems to subjective cognitive decline (SCD) using a variable-centered approach (e.g., adding sleep symptoms to form a score); however, sleep problems may cluster differently between individuals. Thus, employing a person-centered approach, we aimed to: 1) identify profiles of self-reported sleep problems among U.S. middle-aged and older adults; 2) examine the cross-sectional association between these classes and SCD. MethodsWe studied 33,922 adults aged 45+ years from the 2017 U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) with data on sleep problems, including short or long sleep duration, trouble falling or staying asleep, unintentionally falling asleep, snoring loudly, and observed apneas. Latent class analysis classified participants based on their responses to sleep items. We then used a subsample from Oregon, the only state that administered both sleep and SCD modules (n = 2,747), to examine the association between class membership and SCD using logistic regression, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. ResultsWe identified and labeled four classes: “Healthy Sleep” (48.0 %); “Primarily Apnea” (25.8 %); “Primarily Insomnia” (17.6 %); and “Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea (COMISA)” (8.6 %). In adjusted models, individuals in the “COMISA” class had almost twice the odds of SCD, compared to those in the “Healthy Sleep” class (OR=1.91, 95 % CI =1.15–3.15). ConclusionsCompared to U.S. middle-aged and older adults with healthy sleep, those with COMISA were significantly more likely to report SCD, which is a risk factor for dementia. Studies are needed investigating whether sleep interventions delay cognitive decline in these individuals.

Reporting heterogeneity in the associations between personality and health problems: Anchoring self-reports with health vignettes.

Associations between personality and self-reported health problems may be biased by reporting heterogeneity, that is, tendency to rate the severity of the same health problem differently. This study used hypothetical health vignettes to examine the magnitude of such heterogeneity. Participants were from Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 3950; mean age 65 years, range from 30 to 97) and Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS; n = 8664; mean age 64 years, range from 34 to 87). Personality traits of the Five Factor Model (extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience) were only weakly associated with vignette ratings (rs < 0.10). Associations between personality and self-reported health problems were not substantially changed when the thresholds of self-reported severity were allowed to vary by personality, based on the participants' ratings of the vignettes. Reporting heterogeneity does not appear to be a major source of bias in the associations between personality traits and self-reported health problems.

Digital voice analysis as a biomarker of acromegaly.

There is a considerable diagnostic delay in acromegaly contributing to increased morbidity. Voice changes due to orofacial and laryngeal changes are common in acromegaly. Our aim was to explore the use of digital voice analysis as a biomarker for acromegaly using broad acoustic analysis and machine learning. Voice recordings from patients with acromegaly and matched controls were collected using a mobile phone at Swedish university hospitals. Anthropometric and clinical data and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) were assessed. Digital voice analysis of a sustained and stable vowel [a] resulted in 3274 parameters, which were used for training of machine learning models classifying the speaker as "acromegaly" or "control". The machine learning model was trained with 76% of the data and the remaining 24% was used to assess its performance. For comparison, voice recordings of 50 pairs of participants were assessed by 12 experienced endocrinologists. We included 151 Swedish patients with acromegaly (13% biochemically active and 10% newly diagnosed) and 139 matched controls. The machine learning model identified patients with acromegaly more accurately [area under the receiver operating curve (ROC AUC) 0.84] than experienced endocrinologists (ROC AUC 0.69). Self-reported voice problems were more pronounced in patients with acromegaly than matched controls (median VHI 6 vs 2, P < .01) with higher prevalence of clinically significant voice handicap (VHI ≥20: 22.5% vs 3.6%). Digital voice analysis can identify patients with acromegaly from short voice recordings with high accuracy. Patients with acromegaly experience more voice disorders than matched controls.

Prevalence of Voice Problems and Associated Risk Factors in Islamic Religious Orators

Islamic leadership is a diverse profession and previous research has highlighted the increased risk of voice problems among Islamic leaders. The prevalence and risk factors for voice problems among Malayalam-speaking Islamic religious orators have not been adequately investigated. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-reported voice problems among Islamic religious orators who recite the Adhaan and those who do not and to examine the impact of age and associated risk factors. This study employed a non-experimental research design using survey research. The current findings report a high prevalence of voice problems among Islamic Adhaan reciters and suggest that age-related differences may influence the risk factors associated with voice problems in this population. Only two participants from the older group of Adhaan reciters had received voice therapy, suggesting that the majority of Islamic religious reciters lack knowledge about voice care and voice therapy. A limitation of the study is the lack of otorhinolaryngological examination, particularly laryngoscopy and voice analysis of Islamic religious orators. Further studies can investigate the effect of vocal hygiene training or similar voice management programs on Islamic religious orators' voices.

Prevalence of problem drinking in the Swedish workforce: differences between labour market industries based on gender composition and main job activity

BackgroundIdentifying problem drinking patterns across industries is essential for addressing drinking problems in the workforce. Still, it is not well understood how problem drinking differs across industries and whether it is associated with industry gender composition. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of problem drinking (PPD) across Swedish industries and investigate possible associations between gender-typed industries and problem drinking.Methods9,155 current workers were selected from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) data collected in 2020. Participants’ work industries were identified through the Swedish Standard Industrial Classification (SNI) codes. Seven gender-typed industry categories were created based on gender composition and main job activity in each industry. Self-reported problem drinking was measured using a slightly modified Cut-down, Annoyed, Guilt, Eye-opener (CAGE) questionnaire and a cut-off score 2 was used to determine problem drinking. Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to investigate the association between gender-typed industries and problem drinking.ResultsPPD in the workforce was 6.6%. Men (8.5%) had a higher prevalence than women (5.3%). Across industries, PPD varied from 2.3% in Water supply and waste management to 15.4% in Mining and quarrying. The highest prevalence for men was in Mining and quarrying (18.2%), whereas for women it was in Construction (11.1%). Within gender-typed industries, the highest PPD was in male-dominated Goods and Energy Production (7.7%), and the lowest was in female-dominated Health and Social Care (4.7%). In the regression analysis, both Education (aPR: 1.39, p = 0.03) and Labour-intensive Services (aPR: 1.39, p = 0.02) had higher adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) compared with Health and Social Care. However, there was no significant difference in aPR among gender-typed industries when considering the gender composition of industries only.ConclusionsPPD in the Swedish workforce varied significantly across industries, with differences observed between men and women. Problem drinking differed between industries when categorized by gender composition and main job activity, but not when categorized by gender composition only. Future research should investigate how industry-specific psychosocial factors influence individual alcohol consumption.

The Barriers and Perceived Benefits to Vulvar Self-examination in the Management of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus.

It is common practice to advise people with vulvar lichen sclerosus to perform vulvar self-examination (VSE) to optimize topical therapy and detect changes that may represent active disease, scarring, and/or squamous cell carcinoma development. The aim of this study was to better understand people's willingness and potential barriers to performing VSE. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken of all patients with vulvar LS presenting to a tertiary referral vulvar dermatology clinic in Australia, from June 2022 to January 2023. Patients who did not speak and read English were excluded. Ethics approval was obtained. Seventy-eight (66%) of 118 eligible patients completed the survey. Fifty-three (68%) of patients had examined their vulva at least once. Forty-one (49%) had been recommended VSE by a medical practitioner. All those recommended VSE had performed VSE at least once. In contrast, only 10 (27%) of the 37 patients not recommended VSE by a health professional had ever performed VSE. Seventy-nine percent of all patients reported that they were very likely or likely to perform VSE if it was recommended.Patients with higher education level and tampon use were more likely to perform VSE. Self-reported back problems were associated with being less likely to perform VSE. More widespread VSE may result in earlier detection of the complications of vulvar lichen sclerosus. Most women would perform VSE if recommended by a health care provider; however, currently only half are receiving this advice. Further research should be performed to determine whether VSE affects clinical outcomes.

The Immigration–Crime Nexus: Inner and Outer Containment Buffer or A Push Toward Delinquency

The ongoing debate over the immigration–crime nexus has continued to attract a wide range of research efforts in the criminal justice field. To build on these initiatives, this study not only examines the relationship between immigrants and adolescent crime but also explores attributes derived from containment effects that may contribute to or shield individuals from deviant behavior in America. Results showed that both immigrant and native-born adolescents share similar external attributes rather than internal traits that affect delinquency. For instance, inherent immigration status and identity is relatively more influential on self-reported substance problems among immigrant youth compared to their native-born counterparts. Interestingly, among external attributes, immigrant and native-born adolescents are responsive to legitimate opportunity and neighborhood order in different ways which thrust them into different deviant pathways.

B - 96 Relationships between Self-Reported Cognitive Dysfunction, Functional Activities, and Intraindividual Cognitive Variability in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (Pwms)

Abstract Objective To examine the relationships between intraindividual cognitive variability (IIV) and self-reported cognitive and functional difficulties in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). We hypothesized higher perceived cognitive and functional difficulties would be associated with higher IIV. Method Participants (n = 35) were pwMS from a prospective memory intervention study. During the baseline evaluation, participants completed an objective neuropsychological test battery and a self-report measure of cognitive functioning (Perceived Deficits Questionnaire; PDQ Total). Participants were asked if they had problems in eight different functional areas due to their memory, with the number of endorsed problems summed. Two measures of IIV, an intraindividual standard deviation (ISD) score and maximum discrepancy score (MDS), were created from 11 indices. The relationship between the IIV and PDQ were assessed with individual linear regressions, controlling for demographics and disease-related characteristics, while Spearman correlations examined the associations with the number of reported functional memory problems. Results The PDQ was not significantly associated with either the ISD (b = −0.03, 95% CI: −0.15, 0.10, p = 0.672) or MDS (b = −0.01, 95% CI: −0.51, 0.32, p = 0.645). The overall number of functional memory problems was correlated with both the PDQ (ρ = 0.40, p = 0.018) and ISD (ρ = −0.35, p = 0.039), but not MSD (ρ = −0.22, p = 0.201). Conclusion(s) Perceived cognitive dysfunction was not associated with IIV. However, self-reported functional problems with memory were associated with perceived cognition, as well as one metric of IIV. ISD may better reflect moment to moment fluctuations that lead to difficulties with daily functioning, as opposed to MDS which may reflect underlying variation (e.g., base rates of impairment) in cognitive performance.

Short-latency afferent inhibition and its relationship to covert sensory and motor hand impairment in multiple sclerosis

ObjectiveTo investigate sensorimotor integration by quantifying short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) in people with MS who experience manual dexterity problems compared to controls. Methods22 people with MS with self-reported manual dexterity problems and 10 sex and age-matched controls were assessed using various upper extremity clinical tests. SAI was assessed by a transcranial magnetic stimulation pulse over the primary motor cortex preceded by peripheral nerve stimulation to the median nerve at 6 interstimulus intervals 2 – 8 ms longer than individualized N20 latencies. ResultsAlthough within normal limits, persons with MS exhibited significantly slower Nine Hole Peg Test performance and pinch strength in the dominant hand. They also exhibited greater sensory impairment (monofilament test) in the dominant hand. Persons with MS showed significantly greater disinhibition of SAI in the dominant hand compared to controls, which was significantly correlated with weaker pinch strength. ConclusionReduced SAI in people with MS, particularly in the dominant hand, signifies disruptions in cortical cholinergic inhibitory activity and is associated with lower pinch strength. SignificanceEvaluating changes in SAI may offer insight into the disrupted cortical cholinergic inhibitory activity that contributes to sensorimotor disintegration, potentially advancing disease management in persons with MS.

Longitudinal Changes in Preschoolers' Self-reported Psychological and Social Problems: Feasibility, Reliability, and Cross-informant Agreement.

For decades, parental report was used to assess children's psychological symptoms and social problems. The Berkeley Puppet Interview (BPI) utilizes hand puppets to collect questionnaire-style data from children, allowing consideration of children's own perspective. The current longitudinal study compared the feasibility and reliability of preschoolers' self-report with BPI at age 4 (M = 4.03, SD =0.16; 52% boy, 82% White American) and 5 (M = 5.22, SD = 0.36; 51% boy, 85% White American) as well as cross-informant agreement among children, mothers (74% above college education), alternate caregivers (>90% biological fathers), and coders. Children completed symptomatology, social, and parenting scales of BPI and their parents completed surveys assessing similar constructs. Our findings revealed both similarities and changes across ages. Specifically, the reliability and cross-informant agreement of the broad symptomatology and parenting scales were promising at both timepoints; however, 4-year-olds showed lower internal consistency in social scales.

Assessment of the Mental and Physical Health Problems of Clients Undergoing Opioid Substitution Therapy: A Hospital-based Cross-sectional Study

Background: Opioid substitution therapy (OST) is one of the most effective treatment options for opioid dependence. However, there are not enough credible studies available on the health-care problems of clients undergoing OST. Materials and Methods: The study recruited 100 patients undergoing OST on an outpatient basis using a consecutive sampling technique. The mental and physical health problems were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder Scale 7, and a self-reported physical symptom checklist. Results: The estimates of depression and anxiety were 52% and 39%, respectively. The general physical ailments were more often reported by the subjects followed by musculoskeletal problems and neurological problems. A significant correlation was observed between physical health problems with anxiety (r = 0.40, P &lt; 0.01) and depression (r = 0.37, P &lt; 0.01). Conclusion: The clients undergoing OST have a high degree of self-reported health problems and psychological distress in this setting.

Barriers to Seeking Psychological Help among First-Year Medical Students: A Cross- Sectional Study from Turkey.

Despite high rates of psychological symptoms, many medical students often avoid psychological help. Determining the mental status of medical students at an early stage is very important for developing necessary interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the barriers to seeking psychological help among first-year medical students. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2-20, 2023. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire comprising students' self-reported psychological problems and treatment status, help-seeking barriers, and a validated mental health tool (Patient Health Survey 4). The response rate was 58.8% (n = 250). Of them, 34.4% had anxiety symptoms and 25.2% had depressive symptoms. The prevalence of self-reported psychological problems and serious psychological problems were 61.2% and 10.4%, respectively. Only 7.6% of students reported receiving psychological treatment. It was found that 5.6% of the students used psychiatric drugs (2% officially prescribed and 3.6% not officially prescribed). The most common barriers to help-seeking were not were not serious problems, lack of time, difficulty explaining psychological problems, fear of being recorded, and fear of stigmatization. The results indicated that a significant number of students had psychological problems, and some did not seek psychological help.