Severe Levels Of Anxiety Research Articles

The Effect of Hypnobirthing on Maternal Anxiety Levels and Length of Labor in Independent Practicing Midwives in the Panyabungan Area, Mandailing Natal Regency

The birth process is a natural event of conception in the form of a baby and placenta from the uterus which can cause anxiety. Anxiety in pregnant women, if not managed properly, will have an impact on the physical and psychological health of the mother and baby. This research uses a descriptive method. The research will take place in December 2021–May 2022 at PMB Lutfiana. A total of 40 mothers in active phase I labor were obtained using total sampling techniques. The data collection technique uses the STAI scale. Data analysis uses descriptive analysis. The age characteristics of respondents aged 20–35 years included 34 respondents (85%). The majority of elementary-middle school students with low education amounted to 21 respondents (52.5%). The majority of respondents did not work, 27 respondents (67.5%), and the majority of multiparous respondents, 31 respondents (77.5%). The majority of maternal anxiety during the active phase was at the severe anxiety level, namely 28 respondents (70%). The average anxiety score was 46.43, with a 95% CI of 43.01-49.84. The majority of mothers' anxiety levels in the active phase of labor are severe anxiety levels.

Social Risk Factors Contributing to Anxiety, Depression and Stress among Indian Healthcare Students during Lockdown

Background The increase in mental health disorders among the general population, healthcare workers and students during the pandemic was evident. There are scanty reports regarding the mental health status of students in the health care services from India during the pandemic lockdown. This study aims to find the risk factors of anxiety and stress among these students and to evaluate the adapting mechanisms to alleviate the same. Methods A web-based cross-sectional survey was perfomed in students undergoing undergraduate courses in various healthcare services after institutional ethical clearance. The study tool was a pre-validated self-administered questionnaire in the google form. The link was shared in various WhatsApp groups to be shared among students with a brief description of the study after proper content validation. Results Of the 527 respondents, 291 (56%) were females, 385 (74%) were in MBBS Courses, and 178 (34%) were from government colleges. Prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress were 372 (70.6%), 360 (68.3%) and 262 (49.7%), respectively. The mean scores of anxiety, depression and stress were 14.33 ± 10.4, 17.24 ± 12.21 and 16.60 ±10.4, respectively. The presence of anxiety, depression and stress was not associated with age, course and year of study, type of Institutions in which they study, socioeconomic status and performance in the recent written examination. There was no association of gender with anxiety and depression, but females had more stress than males (p = .025). Extremely severe levels of anxiety, depression and stress were seen in 158 (30%), 124 (23.5%) and 43 (8%), respectively. A total of 296 (57%) of the students started a new hobby during the lockdown. Students who felt relaxed after talking to their teachers or mentors, students who shared talks with family members and friends, students whose parental fights were less, and students who opened up with parents were less likely to have anxiety and stress. Conclusion The prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress in healthcare students from our country was very high. Most of the students needed motivation during the pandemic lockdown. Proper psychological support to students of health care services is a necessity in such a crisis situation.

Level of anxiety among children with cancer and their parents in Riyadh City

Objective: This study aimed to assess the anxiety levels of children with cancer and their parents following admission to the Military Hospital in Riyadh City.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a proforma between May 2019 to July 2019. Data collection involved the utilization of two tools. The first tool was a structured interview questionnaire design for children, while the second tool was intended for the parents of the children. The study sample comprised children and their parents who accompanied the child during hospitalization and chemotherapy. Approximately 74 children, aged 6-14 years old, diagnosed with cancer and admitted to the Riyadh Military Hospital, were enrolled in this study using convenience consecutive sampling.Results: A total of 148 individuals participated in this study. Seventy-four parents were enrolled, with 68.9% being mothers and 31.1% fathers. Among the parents in the study, 29.7% experienced severe anxiety, 41.9% reported a moderate level of anxiety, and 20.3% had a low level of anxiety. Seventy-four children were included in the study sample, with 48.6% being boys and 51.4% girls. Among the children, 37.8% exhibited high levels of anxiety, 41.9% displayed moderate anxiety, and 20.3% reported low levels of anxiety. Additionally, a relationship was observed between the anxiety levels of parents and the anxiety levels of their children.Conclusions: This study revealed that both children with cancer and their parents are experiencing moderate to severe levels of anxiety. The psychological well-being of cancer patients and their families is not a topic to be overlooked; rather, it is an important subject that requires attention and consideration.

The quality of sleep: evaluation among university students.

This study explored the quality of sleep among university students in the South of Italy during the Covid-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2022 and January 2023 and involved students over the age of 18, who were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire using an online application. Overall, 88% of men and 94.5% of women had Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores of ≥5 and a mean PSQI score of 9.2 ± 3. Students with severe or extremely depression score, with sever or extremely stress score, male and who did not had Covid-19 infection were more likely to have a PSQI global score. Moreover, 62.6% of the students declared a reduction in social relations and 72.3% an increase in the use of social media during the pandemic period. The majority of respondents reported an extremely severe level of depression (68.1%), anxiety (84.4%) and stress (71.9%). This finding indicate that a relevant percentage of students are poor sleepers with a higher overall PSQI score with depression and stress and underline the role the implementation of public health interventions to promote healthy life styles and in particular focus on the duration of long night sleep.

Relationship between Cigarette Smoking and Anxiety Level among Nurses

Background: This study aims to determine whether cigarette smoking and anxiety degrees are related among nurses. Methods: A correlation design study was conducted at Baquba Teaching Hospital in Diyala Governorate, and the study period extended from September 10th, 2023, to January 28th, 2024. A nonprobability purposive sample was used to include 200 nurses working at Baquba Teaching Hospital, Iraq. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from January 10th to February 7th, 2024. There were two components to the study instruments. Initially, the demographic sheet contained the individuals' sociodemographic data. The Taylor manifest anxiety scale is included in the second section. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: Findings of the current study showed that 47.5% of nurses had a moderate level of anxiety, while 35.5% experienced a small level of anxiety, and 17.0% suffered from a severe level of anxiety regarding smoking cigarettes. The nonparametric correlation analysis (Spearman's rho) carried out to examine the relationship between cigarette smoking and anxiety levels among nurses yielded a significant correlation coefficient of 0.01 (p > 0.05). The findings revealed a strong and positive correlation between all aspects related to cigarette smoking and anxiety levels. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, it concluded that nurses reported moderate levels of anxiety, and it was displayed that there was a relationship between nurses' anxiety levels and cigarette smoking depending on their age groups and length of hospital employment. Recommendation: It is recommended that training and educational programs be implemented to cultivate a suitable health promotion culture among nurses, thereby enabling them to offer more effective support to patients who smoke.

Stress and sleep deprivation-related biomarkers in saliva in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) commonly experience sleep-related issues and are susceptible to stress. Moreover, variatiaons in their vision are often linked to anxiety, stress and drowsiness, indicating that stress and sleep deprivation lead to a decline in vision, and vision improves when both are mitigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of salivary biomarkers as biochemical indicators of anxiety and sleep deprivation in RP patients. Seventy-eight RP patients and 34 healthy controls were included in this observational study. Anxiety and sleep-quality questionnaires, a complete ophthalmological exam for severity grading and, the collection of salivary samples from participants were assessed for participants. The activity of biomarkers was estimated by ELISA, and statistical analysis was performed to determine associations between the parameters. Associations between underlying psychological factors, grade of disease severity, and biomarkers activity were also examined. Fifty-two (67%) of patients had a severe RP, and 26 (33%) had a mild-moderate grade. Fifty-eight (58,9%) patients reported severe levels of anxiety and 18 (23.,1%) a high level. Forty-six (59%) patients obtained pathological values in sleep-quality questionaries and 43 (55.1%) in sleepiness. Patients with RP exhibited significant differences in testosterone, cortisol, sTNFαRII, sIgA and melatonin as compared to controls and patients with a mild-moderate and advanced stage of disease showed greater differences. In covariate analysis, patients with a severe anxiety level also showed greater differences in mean salivary cortisol, sTNFαRII and melatonin and male patients showed lower IgA levels than female. The present findings suggest that salivary biomarkers could be suitable non-invasive biochemical markers for the objective assessment of sleep deprivation and anxiety in RP patients. Further research is needed to characterize the effects of untreated negative psychological states and sleep deprivation on increased variability of vision and disease progression, if any.

Mental Health Care Utilization and its Barriers among Iranian Breast Cancer Survivors: A Cross-sectional Study.

Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities complicating the care of breast cancer patients, but many patients do not receive the needed care. We aimed to assess utilization of mental health care and its barriers in breast cancer survivors. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 311 patients with breast cancer, in Iran, November 2021 to March 2022. Perceived need and utilization of mental health care and barriers to service utilization were measured based on self-report. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress as well as social support, respectively. A linear and logistic regression model was used to analyze the data using SPSS version 22. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. 70.1% of the participants perceived need for mental health care, 28.0% of them had used mental health services, and 72% were classified as having unmet needs. The most common perceived barrier to service use was patients' self-adequacy. The prevalence of extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress was 14.8%, 23.5%, and 10.6%. Also, 48.6%, 78.5%, and 75.6% of patients received a high level of social support from friends, family, and significant others. Findings highlight a substantial unmet need for mental health care and low utilization of mental health services among breast cancer survivors. Given the significant prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in this population, it is imperative to address the underutilization of mental health services and to further examine the barriers preventing patients from seeking the care they require.

Differences in Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Relation to Changes in Living Conditions, Work Conditions, and Daily Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jordan.

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with numerous changes in daily life conditions that could affect the psychological response of individuals worldwide. The study aimed to describe and examine differences in depression, anxiety, and stress in relation to living conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional design was used. Purposive snowball sampling was employed to include 642 participants. Arabic versions of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze the data. The total mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were 12.26 (SD = 10.53), 9.04 (SD = 9.34), and 13.49 (SD = 10.72), respectively. Of the study sample, 122 (19.5%), 139 (22.2%), and 99 (15.9%) had severe to extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Significant differences were found in depression, anxiety, and stress in relation to age, chronic diseases, and house size. The findings showed an increased prevalence of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health practitioners need to recognize the impact of pandemics on youth, females, low-income populations, and individuals with chronic diseases. Preventive mental health services among these populations, such as screening and counseling, would help reduce the health risks.

The Mediating Role of Anxiety in the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Psychosocial Functions of Nurses and Pediatricians in PICUs.

Job satisfaction refers to an individual's overall attitude towards their job. It is influenced by various factors such as work environment, job role, work-life balance, compensation, anxiety, opportunities for growth and development. However, low levels of job satisfaction can have a significant impact on an individual's mental health and overall well-being. We contacted this study in order to assess the effect of PICU nurses' and pediatricians' job satisfaction on their psychosocial functioning and to examine the role of anxiety as a mediating factor in this relationship. A sample of 155 nurses and pediatricians at 7 University Hospitals in Greece has consented to participate in the study. Socio-demographic data, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire -short form and a Brief Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning were used to evaluate anxiety, job satisfaction and psychosocial functions. According to our results, participants with moderate or severe levels of anxiety showed moderate or low job satisfaction, while moderate or severe anxiety was also associated with low levels of participants' psychosocial functioning. Job satisfaction is a dynamic situation that is affected by the levels of anxiety of each worker in PICU. The presence of anxiety may be related to comorbid mental health disorders since it affects the psychosocial functions of the worker. We propose a longer rest period, a change of department in case an employee wishes it or shows symptoms of increased stress or another mental health disorder, regular assessments by mental health experts for all PICU's staff and support after a diagnosis of a mental health problem.

Ansiedade em Profissionais dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários na Primeira Vaga da Pandemia COVID-19

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic led to the adoption of paramount measures to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection and prevent its spread, causing anxiety in the general population. Health professionals have been considered one of the most vulnerable groups for mental health problems, as observed in past epidemics. The present study aimed to assess the anxiety in primary healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify the factors that influenced it. Methodology This cross-sectional study was performed via an online anonymous survey, disseminated primarily through social networks and institutional mailing lists, between March 29th and April 5th 2020, applied to primary healthcare professionals in mainland Portugal. Anxiety levels were obtained by applying the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with anxiety levels. Results The study included 696 participants, of which 61.9% were physicians, 84.8% were women and 43.8% presented mild to severe levels of anxiety. Factors such as personal history of previous mental health disorders (p<0.001), having a family member with risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 complications (p=0.012) and being an administrative clerk (p=0.014), showed to relate with higher levels of anxiety. On the other hand, the existence of a workspace contingency plan was associated with lower anxiety levels (p=0.048); nevertheless, 6.9% considered it inadequate, mainly due to inappropriate protective equipment for professionals (79.6%). Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of anxiety among health professionals and reinforces the need of, in future pandemics, promoting the adoption of adequate measures to protect their mental health and, ultimately, safeguard the quality of patient care. Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, anxiety, health personnel, occupational health, occupational medicine.

Status of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress among the Pre-Clinical Students of Dentistry in Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Background: Mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression are increasingly recognized as significant challenges among dental students globally. These issues can impact their academic performance and overall well-being, necessitating a deeper understanding within the context of dental education. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among pre-clinical dental students at the Institute of Dentistry, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, and to explore any potential gender differences in these mental health parameters. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to recruit first and second-year BDS students, both male and female, aged 18-22 years. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was employed to evaluate the participants. Data was collected through Google's online software, ensuring confidentiality of participants' information. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were utilized for data analysis, using SPSS version 24. Results: The study included 186 students, with an average age of 20.73±1.24 years. The gender distribution was 41% male and 59% female. The findings revealed that 87% of students had extremely severe anxiety levels, 45% had extremely severe depression, and 31% experienced extreme levels of stress. However, there was no statistically significant relationship between gender and levels of depression (P=0.333), anxiety (P=0.786), or stress (P=0.363). Conclusion: The study highlighted a high prevalence of mental health issues among pre-clinical dental students, with particularly severe levels of anxiety. Despite no significant gender differences, the overall elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression point to the need for targeted mental health interventions in dental education programs.

Mediating Effects of Fear on Mental Health among Undergraduate Students during Open Distance Learning.

Online distance learning (ODL) known as the flexible learning environment can trigger a negative impact on students' mental health. The study aimed to identify the influence of fear as mediator between mental health problem and university students' perception on ODL. This is a cross-sectional study involving a convenient sampling of 258 undergraduate students. Self-administered structured questionnaires adapted from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), were used to assess the severity of psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety and stress) and fear. The perception towards ODL is also designed to assess the students' perception related to ODL implementation. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). Overall, 84.2%, 95.0% and 67.4% of the participants experienced moderate to very severe level of depression, anxiety and stress, respectively. In addition, 82.6% of them suffering with moderate to extreme level of fear, of which 81.8% of participants had a negative view on ODL. The results of SEM-PLS revealed that there are complementary partial mediation effects of fear on the relationship between depression and students' perception during ODL (β = 0.502, t-value = 0.828, P-value = 0.017). The anxiety (β = 0.353, t-value = 5.401, P-value = 0.000) and stress (β = 0.542, t-value = 8.433, P-value = 0.000) have directly influenced on fear. This study demonstrated that university students had the prevalence of psychological symptoms and fear during ODL. In line with this, fear contributes significantly to the mental health status of university students and has negatively impacted the students' perception during ODL implementation.

Continued deterioration in university student mental health: Inevitable decline or skirting around the deeper problems?

BackgroundScientific literature indicates a continued global decline in mental health, including among university students, with continued efforts to comprehend potential contributors. Our cross-sectional study sought to build upon our previous work and investigate the current dynamic of mental health and potential stressors reported among a sample of university students, as well as potential similarities/differences to previous years. MethodsUniversity students (n = 820 participants who met inclusion criteria; aged 18+) were administered an anonymous survey consisting of questions assessing: (1) demographics, (2) mental health (depression, anxiety, stress), and (3) potential stressors. ResultsOur results indicate a significant proportion of students reporting severe and extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety and stress, with a substantial increase in severe and extremely severe levels relative to previous years. Similar to our previous work, academic performance, pressure to succeed and quality of sleep were among the top stressors reported. Significant predictors of mental health included pressure to succeed, self-esteem, body image and relationship with friends and family. LimitationsA key limitation of this study includes its cross-sectional, rather than longitudinal, design. ConclusionsThe university student population appears to be experiencing a continued shift towards worse mental health. In addition to the traditional college-related sources of stress, consideration is also necessary of the impact of non-college-specific stressors that could linger beyond the individual's time in college. This approach, along with consideration of the deeper underlying contributors to such stressors, may potentially assist in more appropriately, proactively, and successfully addressing the global mental health pandemic.

Determining the optimal cut-off scores for the Chinese version of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC)

PurposeAnxiety is a common emotion experienced by patients with prostate cancer (PCa), and can be exacerbated by testing the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) index. The Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) was developed to assess the cancer-specific anxiety of these patients, but lack of appropriate thresholds for this scale limits its use. This study aimed to utilize ROC curve analysis to identify the best cut-off values for the Chinese version of the MAX-PC scale.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Chinese version of the MAX-PC scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD). ROC curve analysis, Youden index, Kappa consistency test and McNemar test were used for the optimal cutoff points for screening mild, moderate, and severe cancer-specific anxiety levels in patients with PCa, on the Chinese version of the MAX-PC scale.ResultsTwo hundred eighty-seven patients with PCa completed the survey. The appropriate cut-off values for the MAX-PC scale for screening patients with PCa for cancer-specific anxiety were 20, 28, and 38 for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively with the highest Youden indices. The Kappa and McNemar’s test showed the best level of consistency with values of 0.627, 0.580, and 0.606 for screening mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively.ConclusionsThe scores 20, 28, and 38 are the best cut-off values for the Chinese version of the MAX-PC scale. This scale should be used for screening cancer-specific anxiety for patients with PCa to assess and evaluate their anxiety levels and provide targeted interventions.

Association Between Sleep Quality and Mental Illness Among Undergraduate Students

Introduction: Understanding the association between sleep quality and mental illness is indeed crucial for promoting the well-being of undergraduate students and addressing potential challenges before they become clinically significant. There is an association between sleep quality and mental health, and disruptions in one can affect the other. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the association between sleep quality and mental illness among undergraduate students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a probability simple random sampling method among 347 International Islamic University Malaysia undergraduate students from February to April 2022. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire via Google Form. Two questionnaires were used in this study, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep quality and DASS-21 for mental health status. Results: The study findings showed that 176 individuals (50.7%) experience mild sleep difficulty, moderate levels of depression (23.3%), extremely severe levels of anxiety (13.3%), and moderate levels of stress (14.4%). Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of promoting good sleep habits for the overall students’ well-being.

Nomophobia and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS Scale), among Young Adults in Greece.

Smartphones with their numerous applications have become essential daily equipment, prompting scientific research to deal with the impact of their use on psychosocial health. Under this spectrum, the aim of the present cross-sectional study was to examine the association between nomophobia and the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress, in relation to self-esteem and sociodemographic data, among the young adult population. The study sample consisted of 1408 young adults aged 18-25 years, participating on a voluntary basis with an online anonymous questionnaire. Data were collected through the "Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q)", "Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-short form (DASS-21)", and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The questionnaire also included socio-demographic characteristics and smartphone use variables. Data analysis showed that women were identified with severe depression and stress to a greater extent than men (63.3% vs. 55.1% for depression and 18.1% vs. 13.8% for stress scale). With respect to nomophobia, participants with severe levels of nomophobia also exhibited severe levels of negative emotional states in all DASS components, i.e., 40.6% in depression, 73.7% in anxiety, and 32.7% in stress (all p values < 0.001). Participants with severe levels of depression and anxiety were very often checking their phone and used it in all daily activities. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that self-esteem had a moderating effect on the relationship between nomophobia and DASS, a fact that modifies the association between the involved variables: stronger relationships appeared between nomophobia and DASS components in individuals with normal/high self-esteem than in individuals with low self-esteem.

Knowledge and Attitude Towards COVID-19 and Associated Mental Health Status among Students of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

This study examined the COVID-19-related knowledge and attitude towards COVID-19 and associated mental health status during COVID-19 among the students of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman using an online cross-sectional survey conducted from 26 March - 25 April 2021 among the students of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including multiple logistic regression analysis, were used for data analysis. Of the 1,951 respondents, 60% were females with a mean age of 22 years. About 13% were tested COVID-19 positive and 3.6% were tested positive. Overall, students demonstrated a high level (81%) of knowledge and a positive attitude (83%) towards COVID-19. Knowledge appeared as a significant predictor of positive attitude. Despite the high level of knowledge and positive attitudes, there prevails some misconceptions or stigma to a group of students as about one-third of the students opined COVID-19 was a natural catastrophe and 13% of students were in favor of keeping it secrete if infected. The study documented a high prevalence of mild to severe levels of depression (66.3%), anxiety (69.2%), and stress (71%) among the students. Younger age, female, undergraduate students, single marital status, college of study, and good knowledge about COVID-19 appeared as significant predictors of mental health problems among the students. For improving the mental health and well-being of the students, the SQU authority should provide feasible psychological support to the students, with particular attention to the identified sub-group of students. Efforts should be made to remove the COVID-19-related stigma through mass-media campaigns.

Effects of auricular acupressure on test anxiety in medical students: a randomized parallel-group trial

BackgroundTest anxiety is a prevalent issue among students, including those in the medical field. The present study aims to examine the impact of auricular acupressure on reducing test anxiety specifically among medical students.MethodsIn this single-blind randomized parallel-group trial, a total of 114 medical students from Kermanshah, Iran, were allocated into two groups: intervention and control. Each group consisted of 57 students. The data collection instruments included a demographic information form and the Sarason Anxiety Inventory. In the intervention group, bilateral auricular acupressure was administered on the Shen Men point for a duration of 10 min. On the other hand, the control group received bilateral auricular acupressure on the Sham point, located in the earlobe, as a placebo, also for 10 min.ResultsThe mean test anxiety scores in the Shen Men acupressure group exhibited a significant reduction from 18.4 ± 5.3 before the intervention to 13.3 ± 4.8 after the intervention (P = 0.001). Conversely, in the Sham acupressure group, the mean test anxiety scores showed no significant change, with values of 16.36 ± 6.4 before the intervention and 16.4 ± 6.1 after the intervention (P = 0.963). Prior to the intervention, the majority of participants in both the intervention group (87.7%) and control group (86.0%) exhibited moderate to severe levels of test anxiety. Following acupressure, a significant improvement was observed in the intervention group, with 52.6% of participants experiencing a reduction to mild anxiety levels (P = 0.001); however, no notable change in anxiety levels was observed in the control group. Furthermore, a statistically significant difference in anxiety intensity after the intervention was found between the two groups (P = 0.001).ConclusionShen Men auricular acupressure demonstrates efficacy in reducing test anxiety among medical students. However, to validate its effectiveness, further research using objective measures is warranted.

Tingkat Kecemasan Keluarga Pasien yang Dirawat di Ruangan ICU Rumah Sakit Santa Elisabeth Medan

Background: While the patient is being treated in the ICU, the patient's family experiences difficulties in helplessness, temporary separation from the family, feelings of grief, feelings of hopelessness, resting and sleeping, and various emotions that can arise as reactions in each person. Objective: This study aims to determine the level of anxiety of the families of patients treated in the ICU at Santa Elisabeth Hospital, Medan. Methods: The type of research design used is quantitative with a descriptive design with a sample size of 32 people. The sampling technique used was total sampling. The research was conducted January-February 2023. The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS) questionnaire was used to measure anxiety levels. Results: The results showed that the majority of respondents had a severe level of anxiety, namely 29 people (90.60%) and 2 people (6,30%) was panic. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the majority showed severe anxiety. Researchers recommend that families always have positive thoughts by increasing spirituality and improving coping so that the anxiety experienced can be reduced.

Maternal Mental Health in the USA

Mothers face enormous mental health challenges that need to be addressed by counsellors. Women have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress due to environmental, cultural, and biological factors. Findings from a sample of 525 US mothers showed that younger mothers had higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, while mothers with lower incomes showed higher levels of anxiety and depression. Results also indicated that fewer mothers have levels of stress, anxiety, and depression that fall into a normal range than a normal, non-clinical population and that substantially more mothers report extremely severe levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than normal, non-mother populations. Implications for counsellors include making services accessible to low-income mothers, attending to personal gender bias, and assessing clients for anxiety, depression, and stress.