Social Support Health Research Articles

SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH COMORBIDITIES

Abstract Psychological distress is common and problematic for older adults with comorbidities. Social media has great potential to help older adults engage in meaningful social activities and relationships that might improve mental health. However, little information exists about the actual use and the beneficial effects of the use of social media on mental health among this particular population. Using data from the 2019-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we aimed to describe the prevalence of social media use, and whether social media use is related to better self-care confidence and thus related to better mental health among U.S. older adults with comorbidities. Data were analyzed using weighted logistic models and mediation analyses that considered the complex survey design with jackknife replications. Variables were assessed by self-reports. The prevalence of social media use increased rapidly from 41% in 2017 to 54% in 2020 among U.S. older adults with comorbidities. Those who were of younger age, women, higher education, or higher income were more likely to use social media, whereas those who were Hispanic or Black were less likely to use social media. Social media use was related to better self-care confidence (b=0.17, 95% CI=0.07-0.26, P< 0.001) and is further related to better mental health (b=1.07, 95% CI=0.86-1.28, P< 0.001). Our results suggest that social media is a beneficial supplement to traditional sources of social support for mental health. However, more attention is needed to those who are not only affected by commodities but also socially disadvantaged (e.g., Hispanic or Black with lower education).

Health literacy of home care service professionals in a Brazilian capital

Objective: To evaluate professionals working with healthy literacy in the Home Care Service (HCS) in a Brazilian capital. Method: This was a cross-sectional, analytical study of 29 professionals working in the HCS, using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brazilian version of the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Results: Most respondents were female (93.10%), licensed practical nurses (31.03%); had another employment relationship (53.57%); daily workload of 12 hours (37.93%); parents schooling elementary level (34.48%); had a reading habit (86.21%); average amount of reading (48%). Limitations were identified in the scales "Sufficient information to take care of health" and "Social support for health". Strenghts were related to "Understanding health information and knowing what to do" and "Ability to find good health information". Conclusion: The disseminate the theme among HCS professionals, enabling reflection on the care offered to patients and caregivers in home care, as well as improving the approach and communication between professionals and caregivers.

A Pilot Study Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptability of Digitally Mediated Team Communication in Primary Schools

With high demand on specialist child mental health services internationally, there is significant interest in prevention and early intervention, as well as innovative and efficient approaches for increasing access to high-quality care. Digital communication technologies can improve communication between different professionals and agencies involved in young people’s lives, which is especially important in rural locations and became more necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the perceived value, feasibility, and acceptability of digitally mediated team communication for responding to emerging social, emotional, and mental health support needs in primary school settings in a rural county in the UK. A pre-/post-study design was used as a process evaluation of digitally mediated team communication and pilot test of feasibility and perceived value. Fifteen individual children (aged 4–9 years) were referred to a digitally mediated multidisciplinary team (with representation from relevant children’s services) where formulation was used to develop specialised action plans implemented by education staff and parents/carers. Findings suggest that digitally mediated team communication was highly valued for enhancing practice in supporting individual children by education staff and for making progress towards personalised goals by both education staff and parents/carers. Analysis further suggests that digitally mediated team communication was feasible and acceptable to education staff and parents/carers. A digitally mediated model for an early and multidisciplinary team response holds promise for empowering education staff as an extended mental health workforce, with a need for future research with larger samples to investigate service efficiency and outcomes of this health service delivery model.

Navigating the support landscape: Bridging the divide between social support in business schools and student mental health

Post-secondary institutions continue to face increased pressure to address the mental health challenges of their students. Yet, many internal stakeholders (e.g., faculty, student peers, administrators, and staff) are unsure or unaware of ways in which they can engage to improve student mental health outcomes on campus. In this study, we surveyed 205 current business school students in the United States and Canada to learn about their mental health as well as their perceptions of the support that they have received from these four focal internal stakeholder groups. The results suggest that students’ mental health is positively related to perceived support from faculty and student peers, but this was not the case for support from administrators and staff. Based on these results, we draw from previous work on student mental health and well-being to provide concrete actions for business school stakeholders to improve support through crafting policies, developing programs, and offering individualized services that meet the emerging mental health needs of students. By viewing mental health as a shared responsibility, working together to improve student outcomes, and embedding mental health and wellness into core institutional activities, business schools have the opportunity to strengthen their mandate of contributing to business and society.

Health literacy profiling of parents in two disadvantaged inner-city areas in the United Kingdom

Abstract Background Health literacy refers to the ability to understand, access and use health information and services. Limited parental health literacy is associated with ineffective preventive behaviours and worse child health outcomes. Limited financial and social resources are associated with low health literacy. Profiling the health literacy strengths and limitations of individuals allows the multidimensional nature of health literacy to be considered and highlight patterns of need. This study aims to identify the health literacy profiles of parents using family hubs in two disadvantaged UK regions using the Optimising Health Literacy and Access framework. Methods A mixed method study using the Health Literacy Questionnaire Parent (HLQ-Parent) and semi-structured focus groups was conducted among parents attending family hubs or libraries in two cities. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to identify clusters with varying health literacy strengths and needs based on the HLQ-Parent domains. Clusters were translated into health literacy profiles using HLQ-Parent patterns and demographic data. Then, using an explanatory sequential approach, vignettes were created to represent the different health literacy profiles. Results Participants’ (n = 175, age range 18-59 yrs., mean age 33 yrs., 98% female) lowest mean HLQ-Parent score in city 1 was present in domain 4 “Social support for health” and domain 2 “Having sufficient information to manage my child's health” in city 2. Eight clusters were identified each with unique health literacy profiles. Both cities had one cluster (44% of participants) scoring highly on all domains and one cluster (20% of participants) reported difficulties across all domains. Conclusions Eight distinct health literacy profiles were identified among parents attending family hubs. These profiles in vignette format will facilitate the co-design and co-development of parental health literacy interventions. Key messages • This study emphasises the health literacy challenges faced by parents in disadvantaged areas, and the potential barriers they face in navigating and using health services for their children. • The vignettes developed in this study provide an authentic description of the health literacy profiles of parents in this context proving a promising starting point for co-designing interventions.

Digital Tools in the Service of Peer and Social Support for Perinatal Mental Health.

This study is critically evaluating the current status of digital tools for perinatal mental health, specifically focusing on how these tools can enhance peer and social support. Digital tools could be used to: (1) identify individuals in need and guide them towards appropriate human-supportive care; (2) autonomously train and allocate peers to aid women experiencing perinatal mental health challenges; and (3) amplify support from their natural social network. Despite clear evidence supporting the significance of social support for perinatal mental health, there is a dearth of studies on digital tools aimed at boosting such support, leaving a gap in the evidence. Findings underscore the necessity of developing digital initiatives that explicitly aim to augment social support as an active ingredient of therapeutic change for women's perinatal mental health. To establish clear evidence of digital tools' value in providing digital peer-support, further development and research are indispensable.

Health literacy among fathers and fathers-to-be: a multi-country, cross-sectional survey.

During pregnancy and early fatherhood, men are at higher risk of poor health, exacerbated by low engagement by healthcare services. Yet the transition to fatherhood presents an opportunity for men to improve their health and health behaviours. Health literacy refers to individuals' competence in accessing and applying health information. Poor health literacy is associated with poor health and low help-seeking. The aim of this study was to identify health literacy strengths, needs and profiles among fathers. Men who were expecting a baby ('antenatal') or had become fathers in the past 18 months ('postnatal') were recruited through an international, online paid survey platform. The survey included the nine-scale Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Of 889 survey respondents (n = 416, 46.5% antenatal; n = 473, 53.5% postnatal), 274 (31.0%) were residing in the USA and 239 (27.0%) in the UK. Relatively higher scores were reported for HLQ scales relating to having sufficient information and finding and understanding this information, as well as social support for health. Relatively lower scores were obtained for scales relating to actively managing one's own health and navigating the health care system. Three scale scores were significantly lower among nulliparous than multiparous men. Seven health literacy profiles were identified. In conclusion, while fathers have some health literacy strengths, they also experience some barriers, particularly first-time fathers. Awareness of diverse health literacy profiles among fathers may assist in developing strategies to strengthen health services' capacity to meet fathers' needs and reduce risks to their health at this critical juncture in families' lives.

How Does the Health Literacy of Adults Residing in Social Housing Compare with That of Those Living in Other Housing Tenures in Australia? A Secondary Analysis of the Australian National Health Survey 2017-2018 Dataset.

Social housing tenants have poorer health outcomes than homeowners or those renting privately. Health literacy is associated with access to care and health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the health literacy of Australian adults residing in social housing compared with that of people living in other housing types. A secondary analysis of the Australian National Health Survey 2017-2018 dataset was undertaken. A total of 5275 respondents were included in the sample and completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Respondents were categorised according to their housing tenure: 163 (3.1%) respondents were living in social housing, 873 (17%) were living in private rentals, 2085 (40%) were homeowners, and 2154 (41%) were homeowners/mortgages. Mean scores were calculated for each of the nine health literacy domains in the HLQ and compared across housing tenure using linear regression models. Social housing tenants had lower mean domain scores than either homeowners, owner mortgagees, or private renters on six of the nine health literacy domains. This included 'having sufficient information to manage my health', 'social support for health', 'ability to engage with healthcare providers', 'navigating the healthcare system' 'ability to find good health information', and being able to 'understand health information enough to know what to do'. However, the differences in mean scores were small. Increasing health literacy may be an important part of multicomponent interventions seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of social housing tenants.

Exploring the relationships between health literacy, social support, self-efficacy and self-management in adults with multiple chronic diseases

BackgroundSelf-management in chronic diseases is essential to slowing disease progression and preventing complications. However, empirical research on the associations of critical factors, such as health literacy, social support, and self-efficacy with self-management in the context of multiple chronic diseases is scarce. This study aimed to investigate these associations and provides insights for healthcare providers to develop effective educational strategies for people with multiple chronic diseases.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional survey design, adults (n = 600) diagnosed with at least two chronic diseases were conveniently recruited. To measure health literacy, social support, self-efficacy, and chronic disease self-management behaviours, the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ), Medical Outcome Study - Social Support Survey, Self-efficacy in Managing Chronic Disease, and Self-management in Chronic Diseases instruments were utilized respectively. Comorbidity status was assessed using Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI). A generalised linear regression model was used with a backward technique to identify variables associated with self-management.ResultsParticipants’ mean age was 61 years (SD = 15.3), 46% were female, and most had up to 12 years of education (82.3%). Mean scores for HLQ domains 1–5 varied from 2.61 to 3.24 (possible score 1–4); domains 6–9 from 3.29 to 3.65 (possible score 1–5). The mean scores were 52.7 (SD = 10.4, possible score 0–95), 5.46 (SD = 1.9, possible score 0–10) and 82.1 (SD = 12.4, possible score 30–120) for social support, self-efficacy, and self-management, respectively. Mean ACCI was 6.7 (SD = 2.1). Eight factors (age > 65 years, being female, 4 health literacy domains, greater social support, and higher self-efficacy levels) were significantly associated with greater self-management behaviours while comorbidity status was not. The factors that showed the strongest associations with self-management were critical health literacy domains: appraisal of health information, social support for health, and healthcare provider support.ConclusionsDeveloping critical health literacy abilities is a more effective way to enhance self-management behaviours than relying solely on self-confidence or social support, especially for people with multiple chronic diseases. By facilitating communication and patient education, healthcare providers can help patients improve their critical health literacy, which in turn can enhance their self-management behaviours.

Levels of health literacy among people living with HIV in outpatient care: a cross-sectional study from Denmark

BackgroundLow health literacy (HL) among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) encounter more disease related complications, more difficulty understanding health-related information and low adherence. Considering that, the HL levels among PLWHIV needs to be further investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of HL and patient involvement among PLWHIV in an outpatient clinic in Denmark. A second objective was to examine differences in HL levels across socio-demographic characteristics.MethodsIn 2019, a population of 682 PLWHIV from a Danish outpatient hospital clinic were enrolled in cross-sectional study. Patients who had a digital postbox received an electronic questionnaire including following domains; health literacy, patient involvement, and socio-demographic status. Health literacy was measured using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) through scores on three subscales: social support for health (HLQ4), engaging with healthcare providers (HLQ6), and understanding health information (HLQ9). An unpaired t-test was used to investigate mean differences in the HLQ scores across socio-demographic variables.ResultsA total of 338 (55%) patients responded to the questionnaire. The included participants demonstrated high levels of HLQ4 (mean = 4.2) and HLQ6 (mean = 4.2), but lower for HLQ9 (mean = 2.9). In total 70–80% reported being involved in decisions about their health. We found a positive association between high level of HL (HLQ9) and living with a partner and higher levels of HL (HLQ4, HLQ6, and HLQ9) and employment.ConclusionPLWHIV in a Danish out-patient care population were found to have high levels of HL despite differences in demographic characteristics. Further research is needed to examine the levels of HL among non-responders to develop HL approaches and strategies to meet the needs of individuals with different HL skills.

Do surgeons postpone offer of discretionary surgery when patients are experiencing difficult life events?

There is substantial surgeon-to-surgeon variation in offering discretionary surgery. Part of this variation may relate to awareness of, and sensitivity to, mental and social health priorities. This survey-based experiment randomized features of patient scenarios to measure the relative association of a patient's difficult life event (DLE) in the last year on surgeon decision to (1) delay consideration of discretionary surgery and (2) suggest prioritizing mental and social health with appropriate referral. We invited hand and upper extremity surgeon members of the Science of Variation Group to review six scenarios of patients considering discretionary surgery for de Quervain tendinopathy, lateral epicondylitis, trapeziometacarpal arthritis, wrist osteoarthritis, non-displaced scaphoid wrist fractureand displaced partial articular radial head fracture and 106 participated. The following aspects of the scenarios were randomized: gender, age, symptoms and limitations, socioeconomic status, feelings of worry and despair regarding symptoms, and experience of a DLE in the last 12 months. Multi-level logistic regression was used to seek patient and surgeon factors associated with offer of operative treatment now (vs. postponing) and formal referral for counselling. Accounting for potential confounders, surgeons were less likely to offer discretionary surgery to patients who experienced a DLE in the last year, womenand non-trauma diagnosis. Surgeon referral for mental and social health support was associated with disproportionate symptom intensity and magnitude of incapability, notable symptoms of worry or despairand a DLE in the last year. The observation that a recent DLE is associated with surgeon delay in offer of discretionary surgery reflects that surgeons may prioritize mental and social health in this context.

Predictive and Protective Role of Grit, Internal Locus of Control and Social Support in Mental Health of Cardiac Patients

Individuals diagnosed with cardiac diseases often experience poor mental health outcomes. However, grit, social support and internal locus of control can provide protective effects against poor mental health in patients diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present study was to assess the predictive and protective role of grit, internal locus of control and social support with regard to mental health of cardiac patients. A total of 250 cardiac patients had been sampled comprising 130 males and 120 females in the age range of 30 to 70 years selected through purposive sampling. Data collection was done using Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Duckworth Grit Scale and DASS-21. Data analysis was done using Pearson correlation and regression analyses using dummy coding. Results showed that among cardiac patients, being a male in the age range of 30 to 45 years of age, being married, having higher levels of education, higher scores on grit with an internal locus of control is associated with improved mental health. It is thus concluded that having an internal locus of control, higher levels of social support and being gritty is associated with improved mental health outcomes in cardiac patients.

Examining sociocultural factors in widowhood and cognitive function among older Chinese immigrants: findings from the PINE study

Objectives: Although there is growing evidence on widowhood and cognitive function, existing studies have shown mixed results. Little is known about protective factors that may contribute to resilience, thereby ameliorate the adverse effect of widowhood on cognition among older Asian immigrants. This study explored potential moderators (i.e. social support, acculturation, leisure activities) in the association between widowhood and cognitive function among older Chinese immigrants. Method: The study sample included 2,515 adults aged 60 or older who completed two waves (2011–2013 and 2013–2015) of the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Cognitive function was indexed by global cognitive function and episodic memory. Linear regression analyses were conducted with interaction terms. Results: Our results show that social support moderated the relationship between widowhood and global cognitive function, and acculturation moderated the relationship between widowhood and episodic memory. The adverse effect of widowhood on cognitive function was more pronounced at lower levels of social support and acculturation. Conclusion: Our findings indicate buffering roles of social support and acculturation in cognitive health among older Chinese immigrants who experience widowhood. Providing supportive programs and interventions to increase social support and acculturation is suggested to promote cognitive function in this population.

Supporters First: Understanding Online Social Support on Mental Health from a Supporter Perspective

Social support or peer support in mental health has successfully settled down in online spaces by reducing the potential risk of critical mental illness (e.g., suicidal thoughts) of support-seekers. While the prior work has mostly focused on support-seekers, particularly investigating their behavioral characteristics and the effects of online social supports to support-seekers, this paper seeks to understand online social support from supporters' perspectives, who have informational or emotional resources that may affect support-seekers either positively or negatively. To this end, we collect and analyze a large-scale of dataset consisting of the supporting comments and their target posts from 55 mental health communities in Reddit. We also develop a deep-learning-based model that scores informational and emotional support to the supporting comments. Based on the collected and scored dataset, we measure the characteristics of the supporters from the behavioral and content perspectives, which reveals that the supporters tend to give emotional support than informational support and the atmosphere of social support communities tend also to be emotional. We also understand the relations between the supporters and the support-seekers by giving a notion of "social supporting network'', whose nodes and edges are the sets of the users and the supporting comments. Our analysis on top users by out-degrees and in-degrees in social supporting network demonstrates that heavily-supportive users are more likely to give informational support with diverse content while the users who attract much support exhibit continuous support-seeking behaviors by uploading multiple posts with similar content. Lastly, we identified structural communities in social supporting network to explore whether and how the supporters and the support-seeking users are grouped. By conducting topic analysis on both the support-seeking posts and the supporting comments of individual communities, we revealed that small communities deal with a specific topic such as hair-pulling disorder. We believe that the methodologies, dataset, and findings can not only expose more research questions on online social supports in mental health, but also provide insight on improving social support in online platforms.

Abstract P508: Social Polarization and Parent Support for Child Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health

Healthy People 2030 estimates that 3 out of 4 children (ages 6-13) do not meet guidelines for aerobic physical activity, an important contributor to cardiovascular health. Determinants of physical activity (PA) occur at individual, household, and neighborhood levels yet little is known about how geospatial risk factors (neighborhood segregation and income inequity) interact with parental influences on child PA. The current study explored the association between index of concentration of extremes (ICE) and child cardiovascular health outcomes, and whether parents PA, child PA, and parent support of child PA modified this association. Methods: A subsample of parent-child dyads from the Family Matters Phase II cohort study (n=350) participated in a multi-method follow up study including survey, geospatial (American Community Survey), and biomarker data collection in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN (2019-2022). Parents self-reported PA, child PA and parent support of child PA, and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., family structure, educational attainment, annual household income) via an online survey. Children attended a clinic visit to measure height, weight, pulse, and systolic [SBP] and diastolic [DBP] blood pressure. ICE, used as a measure of census tract social polarization reflecting racial segregation and tract income inequity, was operationalized in these tertiles: concentrated deprivation, middle, and concentrated privilege. Multivariable linear regressions were used to evaluate the association between ICE tertiles and child cardiovascular health indicators (SBP, DBP, pulse, and BMI percentile). Models were adjusted for parent age, education, race and ethnicity, and household income. Interaction terms between ICE and parents PA, child PA, and parent support of child PA were further explored in these models. Results: Increases in parent engagement in light- and moderate-intensity PA (~30-45-minute increments) were associated with -2.65 mmHg lower DBP (P<0.001) and -2.39 mmHg lower SBP respectively (P=0.001) among children living in the least privileged tracts. The overall interaction of the relationship depended on the census tract privilege (Int. P=0.014), and there was no evidence of a favorable parent PA relationship in medium and most privileged tracts. Light parent PA and ICE interactions were consistent for child pulse and DBP (Int. P<0.05). Parent limiting of screen time had favorable interaction effects for child moderate PA in medium privilege tracts but not at the extremes (Int. P=0.024). Conclusions: Interventions targeting structural disadvantages should consider multilevel components that integrate parent support and modeling of PA to address cardiovascular health disparities in pre-adolescent children. In privileged contexts, alternative interventions may need to target sedentary behaviors to improve child PA.

Health literacy strengths and challenges among residents of a resource-poor village in rural India: Epidemiological and cluster analyses.

Cluster analysis can complement and extend the information learned through epidemiological analysis. The aim of this study was to determine the relative merits of these two data analysis methods for describing the multidimensional health literacy strengths and challenges in a resource poor rural community in northern India. A cross-sectional survey (N = 510) using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) was undertaken. Descriptive epidemiology included mean scores and effect sizes among sociodemographic characteristics. Cluster analysis was based on the nine HLQ scales to determine different health literacy profiles within the population. Participants reported highest mean scores for Scale 4. Social support for health (2.88) and Scale 6. Ability to actively engage with healthcare professionals (3.66). Lower scores were reported for Scale 3. Actively managing my health (1.81) and Scale 8. Ability to find good health information (2.65). Younger people (<35 years) had much higher scores than older people (ES >1.0) for social support. Eight clusters were identified. In Cluster A, educated younger men (mean age 27 years) reported higher scores on all scales except one (Scale 1. Feeling understood and supported by a healthcare professional) and were the cluster with the highest number (43%) of new hypertension diagnoses. In contrast, Cluster H also had young participants (mean age 30 years) but with low education (72% illiterate) who scored lowest across all nine scales. While epidemiological analysis provided overall health literacy scores and associations between health literacy and other characteristics, cluster analysis provided nuanced health literacy profiles with the potential to inform development of solutions tailored to the needs of specific population subgroups.

Evaluating the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health literacy and health-related factors in young adults.

In current study, we aim to extend previous research by investigating the unique impact of loneliness on health literacy and health-related factors of young adults, after controlling for social isolation, depressive symptomology, and social anxiety, as well as evaluate how social isolation and loneliness differ in their impact on health literacy, and health-related factors among young adults, after accounting for abovementioned concomitant variables. Using a cross-sectional study design, 521 young adults completed an online survey in 2020, where they self-reported their loneliness, social isolation, health-related factors, and health literacy data. Increased loneliness was associated with decrease in several health literacy domains (e.g., poorer social support for health, lower appraisal of health information, among others) and increase in some health-related factors (e.g., higher perceived stress, higher negative affect), among young adults, even after controlling for social anxiety, depressive symptomology, and social isolation. Contrastingly, increase in social isolation was associated with changes in some health-related factors - more somatic health complaints, higher alcohol use, poorer cognitive and physical functioning, and lower scores for only one health literacy domain (i.e., social support for health) among young adults, after adjusting for the influence of social anxiety, depressive symptomology, and loneliness. Even after accounting for the influence of several co-occurring social and mental health symptoms, higher loneliness was associated poorer health literacy and health-related factors in young adults. We also found loneliness and social isolation may differ in the mechanisms through which they impact health literacy and health-related factors in young adults.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Health Literacy and Compliance to Treatment in Organ Transplant Recipients.

This study was conducted to determine the correlations between health literacy, transplant effects, and compliance to treatment in organ transplant recipients and to identify the factors influencing compliance to treatment. The participants (n = 130; males = 66.9%; mean age = 56.4 years) were organ transplant recipients visiting an organ transplantation center in Seoul, South Korea. The regression model explained 32% of the variance in participants' compliance to treatment. Among the health literacy variables, "Scale 3: Actively managing my health" (β = 0.38, p = 0.001) and "Scale 4: Social support for health" (β = 0.25, p = 0.019) had a significant effect on compliance to treatment. In this study, health literacy was identified as a key factor influencing compliance to treatment. Therefore, patients' health literacy should be assessed prior to transplantation to identify potential high-risk patients for treatment nonadherence. In addition, after transplantation surgery, patient-tailored interventions should be developed and provided for self-management that reflects the patient's health literacy level to ultimately enhance patient outcomes.

Prevalence and Comorbidity of Gender Dysphoria in Taiwan, 2010–2019

Gender dysphoria (GD) is a condition in which a person exhibits marked incongruence between their expressed or experienced gender and their sex assigned at birth. The last survey of individuals with GD in Taiwan was conducted approximately 10 years ago. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of GD in Taiwan within the last 10 years as well as comorbidities. A retrospective medical record review was performed for all patients in the database of the Health and Welfare Data Science Center covered by National Health Insurance in Taiwan from January 2010 until December 2019. The study population of persons with GD was defined as individuals who had been diagnosed with transsexualism (transgender or transsexual) or gender identity disorders. Our review found case numbers and prevalence of GD in 2019 were about twice that of patients in 2010 for both assigned males and assigned females at birth. Case numbers for 2010 versus 2019 were 440 versus 867 for assigned males at birth, and 189 versus 386 for assigned females at birth. The 1-year prevalence for 2010 versus 2019 was 3.8/100,000 versus 7.4/100,000 for assigned males at birth, and 1.6/100,000 versus 3.2/100,000 for assigned females at birth. Comorbidities of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and psychosis were more likely in children with GD younger than 12 years of age; comorbid depression was more likely in adolescents and adults with GD. Improvements in social and mental health support should be provided to help address these comorbidities of ADHD, ASD, and depression among individuals with GD.

The role of social support and sociocultural adjustment for international students' mental health

The study aims to assess the role of social support, sociocultural adjustment, and other social and demographic factors in international students' mental health. In total, 193 international first-year students studying Health and Technology Sciences in Lithuania filled out a self-report questionnaire. The study revealed that overall 59% of international students had symptoms of depression and 36%—of anxiety. Students' well-being was sufficient in 56% of the cases. The regression analyses were conducted to test the role of sociocultural adjustment, social support, English reading skills, and the study field for mental health and well-being. The multivariate regression model revealed that sociocultural adjustment is a stronger predictor compared to social support for depressiveness (βs = 0.42), anxiety (βs = 0.30), psychosomatic symptoms (βs = − 0.24), and subjective health (βs = 0.16), though social support was a stronger independent predictor for well-being (βs = 0.37). Moreover, sociocultural adjustment and social support were stronger predictors than gender, while English reading skills and study field were non-significant indicators.