Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire Research Articles

Effect of Emergency Green Channel Optimization on Ischemic Stroke Patients: Impact on Emergency Response Time, Effectiveness, Anxiety, and Acute Stress.

The aim was to assess the effectiveness of an optimized emergency green channel in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients and its effect on emergency response time, effectiveness, anxiety, and acute stress. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 349 AIS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis from January 2019 to May 2022. The patients were divided into those who received optimized emergency green channel treatment (155) and those who did not (194). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the admission pathways, living conditions, insurance methods, and residential locations of the 2 patient groups. The key metrics comprised the times from onset to admission, admission to computed tomography (CT), CT to thrombolysis, admission to thrombolysis (door-to-needle time (DNT)), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at various intervals post thrombolysis, heart rate, blood pressure, and scores in Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ). Post PSM, 118 patients were analyzed (54 control and 64 observation). The observation group showed significantly lower time results than the control group, which included the following: the time from onset to admission (t = 31.428, P < .001), door-to-imaging time (t = 27.317, P < .001), imaging-to-needle time (t = 20.951, P < .001, and DNT (t = 25.954, P < .001). Significant differences were observed in 24 hour-post thrombolysis NIHSS scores, heart rate, blood pressure, SAS, and SASRQ scores (P < .05) but not in NIHSS scores at 7 and 30 days. The optimized emergency green channel process effectively reduced the treatment time for ischemic stroke patients, improved rescue efficiency, and positively influenced the psychological stress levels of patients post treatment.

Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use

BackgroundWhile clinical diagnosis of mental health issues focuses on factual details represented by literal language (e.g., the onset and process of the triggering event and duration of symptom), the relationship between metaphorical language and psychopathological experiences remains an intriguing question. Focusing on psychological trauma triggered by the 2019–2020 Hong Kong social unrest, this study explored the correlations between trauma victims’ quantitative metaphor usage patterns and their experience of specific Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms.MethodsForty-six individuals with trauma exposure within 28 days were recruited through convenience sampling. Each completed a 20– to 30-minute semi-structured interview and filled out the Chinese version of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ; 1). Metaphors in the interviews were identified using the discourse dynamic approach (2), and clinically interesting categories related to trauma and emotion expression, as revealed by previous literature, were sorted out. Standardized frequencies of the categories were correlated with participants’ SASRQ scores of five major ASD symptoms, and the correlational patterns were interpreted from a discourse analytic perspective.ResultsThe study reveals how metaphor usage patterns can reflect the speakers’ differentiated experiences of psychopathological symptoms. Compared with individuals who experienced less trauma, those more disturbed by the re-experiencing symptom were more inclined to use emotion-related metaphors and to metaphorize about the self and the self-society relationship. Individuals who experienced more severe anxiety and hyperarousal showed a heightened awareness of self-related issues and diminished attention to others. Those who suffered from more severe impairment in functioning produced more metaphors in the negative valence. Dissociation and avoidance, which were less experientially salient and intense than the others, were not significantly correlated with metaphor usage patterns.ConclusionThis study establishes symptom-level metaphor usage patterns as a previously overlooked but interesting avenue in trauma evaluation, treatment, and research. While the study is confined to a single context, it nevertheless reveals the potential for metaphor research findings to be incorporated as useful materials in psychology education and therapist training.

Estrés y ansiedad en estudiantes de enfermería durante la primera ola de la pandemia de COVID-19.

To compare anxiety and acute stress levels among nursing students who joined the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and those who did not. A cross-sectional, multicentre descriptive study across three Spanish public universities. A total of 216 nursing students participated in our study. Data collection was carried through an online questionnaire, that included variables on conditions for entering the labour market, the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Overall, 42.6% (n=92) of the students entered the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global anxiety score was x?=36.31 (SD=5.71) and the stress score was x?=82.39 (SD=30.84). Lower anxiety levels were observed among those who joined the labour market (x?=35.67; SD=5.78) as compared to those who did not (x?=36.73; SD=5.67). Overall 92.4% of the students were acutely stressed. Acute stress was higher among those who did not work (x?=84.35; SD=32.38) and significantly in women. Conclusions: Nursing students were able to cope with stress in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A healthy worker effect could not be ruled out. Stress and anxiety among nursing students should be considered by clinical practice preceptors and at the time students first enter the labour market.

Canadian Cancer Trials Group SC.26 - Emotion and Symptom-Focused Engagement (EASE): A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention for Individuals with Acute Leukemia

Background: Despite the rapid onset and life-threatening nature of acute leukemia (AL) and its treatment, there is a lack of research on its psychological and physical consequences and even less on interventions to alleviate them [Bryant 2016]. A longitudinal study of individuals with newly diagnosed or recently relapsed AL showed substantial physical and psychological distress in this population [Rodin 2013; Zimmermann 2013]. Based on these findings, an integrated psychosocial and early palliative care intervention, Emotion And Symptom-focused Engagement (EASE), was developed for patients with AL [Rodin 2015]. A phase II randomized pilot trial of EASE vs. usual care demonstrated feasibility and showed promising positive effects on traumatic stress symptoms (primary outcome) and other secondary outcomes, including depressive symptoms, number and severity of physical symptoms and related distress, pain, quality of life (QOL), satisfaction with care, and attachment security [Rodin 2020]. Study design and methods:The Canadian Cancer Trials Group SC.26 (NCT04224974) randomized phase III trial is underway to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the EASE intervention in AL. EASE is a novel manualized intervention that combines psychological support with routine symptom screening plus triggered referral to palliative care for symptom control. The goal is to reduce psychological distress and symptom burden, and enhance QOL and satisfaction with care in individuals with newly diagnosed AL undergoing induction therapy. Participants are randomized in a 1:1 unblinded ratio to usual care (UC) or UC and EASE (EASE). EASE consists of two components: the psychotherapy intervention (EASE-psy) and triggered early palliative care (EASE-phys). EASE-psy involves tailored supportive psychotherapy delivered by trained therapists over the initial 8 weeks following hospital admission for treatment of AL. It combines elements of relational support, affect regulation, and trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy. All patients randomized to EASE receive weekly symptom screening during the initial inpatient treatment period with triggered referral to early palliative care (EASE-phys). Subjects are stratified by centre, age (≤60 vs. &amp;gt;60) and type of acute leukemia (acute myeloid leukemia vs. acute lymphoblastic leukemia). For patients diagnosed with a mixed phenotype acute leukemia, the dominant sub-type is used for stratification purposes. Patients are ≥18 years, newly diagnosed and recruited within 2 weeks of hospital admission, and receiving or expected to receive induction therapy with curative intent. Current exclusion criteria include major communication difficulties at the time of recruitment; receipt of on-site psychological/psychiatric counselling or palliative care services at the time of recruitment; a diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia or acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage. The two primary outcomes reflect the dual nature of the physical and psychosocial components of the EASE intervention: Mean severity of traumatic stress symptoms at 4 weeks using the 30-item Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ) [Cardeña 1996] updated to be DSM-5-concordant [American Psychiatric Association 2013] and mean physical symptom severity at 4 weeks using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) [Portenoy 1994]. Hypotheses will be tested using multilevel modeling with maximum likelihood estimation, conducted as intention-to-treat analyses. Economic analysis will be conducted to measure the cost-effectiveness of the EASE intervention. Utilities will be derived from the EQ-5D-5L [Herdman 2011] and FACIT-Sp [Webster 2003] questionnaires. The planned sample size of this study is 266. Since January 2022, 53 patients at 4 Canadian centres have undergone randomization. Conclusion: The information obtained from this study will inform clinicians and decision makers of the value of implementing the EASE intervention in adults with AL.

Stress Symptoms Among Children and Their Parents After ICU Hospitalization.

Objective: Child survival after intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization has increased, yet many children experience acute stress that may precipitate mental/behavioral health comorbidities. Parents report stress after their child's hospitalization. Little is known about the individual and family characteristics that may moderate intergenerational relationships of acute stress. Design: Following ICU admission at a large academic medical center, a prospective cross-sectional cohort study assessed the associations between intergenerational characteristics and acute stress among children and families. Patients: Parent-child dyads (N = 88) were recruited from the pediatric ICU and pediatric cardiovascular ICU (CVICU) following ICU discharge. Eligible children were between 8 and 18 years old with ICU stays longer than 24 hours. Children with developmental delays were excluded. Caregivers were proficient in English or Spanish. Surveys were collected before hospital discharge. Measurements/Main Results: The primary outcome was "child stress" defined as a score≥17, measured by the Children's Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES-8). "Parent stress" was defined as an elevated composite score on the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. We used validated scales to assess the child's clinical and family social characteristics. Acute stress was identified in 34 (39.8%) children and 50 (56.8%) parents. In multivariate linear regression analyses adjusting for social characteristics, parent stress was associated with increased risk of child stress (adjusted odds ratio 2.58, 95% confidence interval 0.69, 4.46, p < .01). In unadjusted analyses, Hispanic ethnicity was associated with greater child stress. In adjusted analyses, race, income, ICU length of stay, and language were not associated with child stress and did not moderate the parent-child stress relationship. Conclusions: Parent stress is closely correlated with child stress during ICU hospitalization. Hispanic ethnicity may be associated with increased risk for child stress, but further studies are required to define the roles of other social and clinical measures.

Obstetric outcome and emotional reactions to childbirth in women with dyspareunia: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo assess obstetrical outcomes, perceptions of childbirth experience and emotional adjustment, in women with dyspareunia. Study designIn this cross-sectional study, 440 women were recruited within 48 h postpartum in the maternity ward of a large medical center, during the period of April 2018- August 2020. Self-report questionnaires were administered which addressed demographic and reproductive background, dyspareunia, perceptions of control during labor (Labor Agentry Scale), perceived professional support (Intrapartum Care Scale), and maternal adjustment, implicated in perinatal dissociation (Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire), acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms (Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire), bonding (Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale), anticipated maternal self-efficacy (Maternal Self-Efficacy Scale) and well-being (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). Obstetrical information was retrieved from clinical files and included pregnancy complications, week and mode of delivery, nature of labor onset, analgesia during delivery, birthweight, perineal tears. ResultsThe dyspareunia group included 71 women (18.3%) and the comparison group 317 (81.7%). Demographic data were similar among groups. No difference was observed in nature of labor onset, type of analgesia, route of delivery, perineal tears. More participants with dyspareunia had premature delivery versus comparisons (14.1% vs 5.6%, p = 0.02). Women with dyspareunia reported lower levels of control (p = 0.01) and perceived support during childbirth (p < 0.001), higher levels of perinatal dissociation (p < 0.001) ASD symptoms (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.02), negative affect (p < 0.001), and reported lower levels of maternal bonding (p < 0.001) and anticipated maternal self-efficacy (p = 0.01). ConclusionDyspareunia was associated with more premature deliveries, parameters of emotional distress during childbirth and poorer maternal adjustment following childbirth. Perinatal caregivers should be cognizant of such cognitive and emotional reactions in women with dyspareunia, so as to assess for a history of dyspareunia in pregnant women and provide adequate support during pregnancy and delivery.

Medical malpractice in hospitals-how healthcare staff feel.

Literature is limited on quantified acute stress reaction, the impact of event scale on medical staff when facing medical malpractice (MMP), and how to individually care for staff. We analyzed data in the Taichung Veterans General Hospital from October 2015 to December 2017, using the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the medical malpractice stress syndrome (MMSS). Of all 98 participants, most (78.8%) were women. Most MMPs (74.5%) did not involve injury to patients, and most staff (85.7%) indicated receiving help from the hospital. The internal-consistency evaluations of the three questionnaires showed good validity and reliability. The highest score of IES-R was the construct of intrusion (30.1); the most severe construct of SASRQ was "Marked symptoms of anxiety or increased arousal," and the most were having mental and mild physical symptoms for MMES. A higher total IES-R was associated with younger age (<40 y/o), and more severe injury on patients (mortality). Those who indicated receiving very much help from the hospital were those having significantly lower SASRQ sores. Our study highlighted that hospital authorities should regularly follow up on staff's response to MMP. With timely interventions, vicious cycles of bad feelings can be avoided, especially in young, non-doctor, and non-administrative staff.

Acute stress reaction, depression anxiety stress, and job withdrawal behavior in non-frontline pediatric nurses during the pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented healthy crisis to people worldwide. It is crucial to assess the psychological status of non-frontline nurses. More attention to the mental and physical health of non-frontline nurses during a public health emergency is necessary for a full understanding of the implications. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors that influence the acute stress reaction of non-frontline pediatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore factors associated with acute stress reactions of non-frontline pediatric nurses in Hunan province during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional design. Five hundred eighteen pediatric nurses from Hunan province, China, completed the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), and Job Withdrawal Behavior Scales (JWB). Multiple linear regression analyses and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze the results. The mean scores of DASS-21, JWB, SASRQ were 1.443 ± 0.500, 1.601 ± 0.544, and 1.858 ± 0.805, respectively. Stress, anxiety, depression (three sub-dimensions of DASS-21), JWB, monthly income and department were the major predictive factors for SASRQ (Adjusted R2 = 0.579, p < 0.001). Pearson's correlation showed that the mean score of SASRQ was positively correlated with JWB, DASS-21, and all its dimensions (p < 0.01). The study indicated that the SASRQ was greater with higher levels of DASS-21 and JWB. It revealed an acute stress reaction in non-frontline pediatric nurses and recommends more focus on the factors influencing the SASRQ.

Prevalence of mental health problems in mothers of preterm infants admitted to NICU: A cross-sectional study.

To study the prevalence of mental health problems among mothers of preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In this cross-sectional two-arm study, 130 mothers in each group, with either term infants not in NICU or preterm infants admitted to NICU, underwent mental health assessment using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire and Modified Parental Stress Scale-NICU. Their coping styles and quality of life were also assessed. Data were analyzed using SPSS IBM 25.0. Anxiety (66.2% versus 46.9%) and depression (45.4% versus 23.1%) were more common among NICU mothers. Regarding subdomains of acute stress reaction, a higher number of NICU mothers showed symptoms of anxiety, re-experience and functional impairment. For mothers with infants in NICU, sight, sound, and parental role alterations were stressful. They had reduced quality of life scores in domains of physical health, psychological health, and social relationships. Also, a higher number of these mothers exhibited problem-solving and emotion-focused coping. Preterm birth with NICU admission of the infant is more stressful for a mother than the term birth of a healthy neonate. It affects her mental health and quality of life. Both the obstetrician and the pediatrician should be mindful of this.

Metaphors and trauma: An image schematic analysis of symptom-specific metaphors

Metaphor analysis is known to be insightful for understanding how psychological trauma is conceptualized. While previous research on trauma metaphors mainly examined the subjective experience of general traumatic feelings, little has been said about post-traumatic symptoms of clinical significance. This paper investigates symptom-specific metaphors produced by five trauma victims, who were exposed to the 2019–2020 social unrest in Hong Kong and met the diagnostic criteria of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) as assessed by the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ). Sixty-four symptom-specific metaphors were categorized according to the post-traumatic symptoms they described and examined for their image schematic groundings. Although the participants had no professional knowledge about post-traumatic symptoms, they still described the feelings using experientially distinct constructs. The findings reveal the possibility for symptomatological manifestations to be captured in metaphorical language and distinguished at the image schematic level, highlighting the complementary value of symptom-level analysis in cognitive semantic analysis of trauma metaphors.

A randomised controlled trial: effect of the meticulous nursing model on the treatment compliance and quality of life of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the meticulous nursing model on the treatment compliance and quality of life of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). A total of 108 UGIB patients treated in Linyi Central Hospital from October 2018 to October 2019 were selected as the study subjects, and were randomly divided into a research group and reference group, with 54 cases in each group. The reference group received conventional nursing while the research group received meticulous nursing on this basis to compare the clinical intervention effect and the impact on quality of life in the 2 groups of patients. The Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 (GQOLI-74) scores in the 2 groups of patients after intervention were significantly higher than those before intervention (P<0.001), and the score of the research group after intervention was significantly higher than that of the reference group (P<0.001). The Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ) scores of the patients presented a trend opposite to GQOLI-74 (P<0.001). The number of fully satisfied cases in the research group was significantly higher than that in the reference group (P<0.05), while the number of dissatisfied cases was significantly lower than that in the reference group (P<0.05). The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores in the 2 groups of patients after intervention were significantly lower than those before intervention (P<0.001), and the score of the research group after intervention was significantly lower than that of the reference group (P<0.001). The total clinical effective rate and treatment compliance of the research group were significantly higher than those of the reference group (P<0.05). The meticulous nursing model can effectively improve the quality of life of UGIB patients, reduce the psychological stress response, and improve clinical treatment compliance and nursing satisfaction with a definite effect, making it worthy of promotion and application. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100048735.

Influencing Factors of Acute Stress Disorder Among Frontline Nurses in Wuhan, China.

The current study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of acute stress disorder (ASD) in frontline nurses delivering care in a hospital for COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. In this cross-sectional study, 298 frontline nurses were surveyed during the first month of direct care delivery for patients with COVID-19 via the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Through logistic regression analysis, we identified the influencing factors of ASD. Our results showed that 13.8% of participants had ASD; frontline nurses were affected by ASD symptoms in different degrees; higher perceived social support from friends and colleagues were the major protective factors of ASD; and a negative coping style was a risk factor for ASD. Psychological crisis management interventions aimed at frontline nurses may be essential to prevent ASD during public health crisis events. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(9), 38-47.].

Media exposure predicts acute stress and probable acute stress disorder during the early COVID-19 outbreak in China.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 has led to unprecedented psychological stress on the general public. However, the associations between media exposure to COVID-19 and acute stress responses have not been explored during the early COVID-19 outbreak in China.MethodsAn online survey was conducted to investigate the relationships between media exposure to COVID-19 and acute stress responses, and to recognize associated predictors of acute stress responses on a sample of 1,450 Chinese citizens from February 3 to February 10, 2020. Media exposure questionnaire related to COVID-19 was developed to assess media exposure time, media exposure forms and media exposure content. The Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ) was used to measure acute stress responses, including continuous acute stress symptom scores and the risk of probable acute stress disorder (ASD). A series of regression analyses were conducted.ResultsLonger media exposure time and social media use were associated with higher acute stress and probable ASD. Viewing the situation of infected patients was associated with higher acute stress, whereas viewing the latest news about pandemic data was associated with lower odds of probable ASD. Being females, living in Hubei Province, someone close to them diagnosed with COVID-19, history of mental illness, recent adverse life events and previous collective trauma exposure were risk factors for acute stress responses.ConclusionsThese findings confirmed the associations between indirect media exposure to pandemic events and acute stress responses. The governments should be aware of the negative impacts of disaster-related media exposure and implement appropriate interventions to promote psychological well-being following pandemic events.

Emergency stress management among nurses: A lesson from the COVID-19 outbreak in China-a cross-sectional study.

To assess the level of stress response, self-efficacy and perceived social support status of working nurses during the outbreak of the COVID-19 and investigate potential factors affecting their stress. The stress level of clinical nurses directly affects their physical and mental health and work efficiency. This study was a cross-sectional investigation, which was performed following the STROBE checklist. The current study was conducted in February 2020 by selecting clinical nurses from the Zigong First People's Hospital for investigation. At the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, we assessed clinical nurses with the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Specifically, the nurses were divided into three groups: (a) nurses supporting Wuhan; (b) nurses in the department of treating the COVID-19 patients in our hospital (epidemic department); and (c) nurses in the general department without the COVID-19 patients in our hospital (non-epidemic department). A total of 1092 clinical nurses were surveyed with 94 nurses in Wuhan, 130 nurses treating COVID-19 patients in our hospital and 868 nurses working without direct contact with diagnosed COVID-19 patients. The mean stress score of all surveyed nurses was 33.15 (SD: 25.551). There was a statistically significant difference in stress response scores between different departments. Noticeably, the nurses who went to support in Wuhan showed a weaker stress response than the nurses who stayed in our hospital (mean: 19.98 (Wuhan) vs. 32.70 (epidemic department in our hospital) vs. 34.64 (non-epidemic department in our hospital)). In addition, stress was negatively correlated with general self-efficacy and perceived social support. The present study suggested that the stress status of second-line nurse without direct contact with diagnosed COVID-19 patients was more severe than that of first-line nurses who had direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Our study indicated the importance of psychological status of second-line medical staff during the global pandemic.

Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on postgraduate trainees: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe present study aimed to evaluate psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak on postgraduate trainees in Pakistan by quantifying the symptoms of depression, anxiety and acute stress disorder and by analysing...

The effect of an emotional support training program on acute stress disorder among mothers of preterm infants hospitalized in neonatal intensive care units

Many mothers experience acute stress disorder after hospitalized their infant in NICU. The objective was to assess the impact of an emotional support training program on acute stress disorder level among mothers of preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. A pretest-posttest experimental randomized controlled trial design using the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire was used on 48 mothers (24 each in two groups) of premature infants in a level III NICU in the largest public teaching hospital in Amman at Jordan. The results revealed statistically significant differences between the interventional and control group for mean post intervention scores [t (23) = 6.07, p = .01], with mean scores of 18.53 (9.33) and, 25.588 (4.99) respectively. Hence, the emotional support training programs effectively reduce acute stress disorder symptoms in mothers of premature infants in neonatal intensive care units.

Social Capital and Sleep Quality in Individuals Who Self-Isolated for 14 Days During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in January 2020 in China.

BackgroundFrom the end of December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to spread in central China. Social capital is a measure of social trust, belonging, and participation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of social capital on sleep quality and the mechanisms involved in people who self-isolated at home for 14 days in January 2020 during the COVID-19 epidemic in central China.MethodsIndividuals (n=170) who self-isolated at home for 14 days in central China, completed self-reported questionnaires on the third day of isolation. Individual social capital was assessed using the Personal Social Capital Scale 16 (PSCI-16) questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) questionnaire, stress was assessed using the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction (SASR) questionnaire, and sleep was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Path analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between a dependent variable (social capital) and two or more independent variables, using Pearson’s correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsLow levels of social capital were associated with increased levels of anxiety and stress, but increased levels of social capital were positively associated with increased quality of sleep. Anxiety was associated with stress and reduced sleep quality, and the combination of anxiety and stress reduced the positive effects of social capital on sleep quality.ConclusionDuring a period of individual self-isolation during the COVID-19 virus epidemic in central China, increased social capital improved sleep quality by reducing anxiety and stress.

The Effects of Social Support on Sleep Quality of Medical Staff Treating Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January and February 2020 in China.

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), formerly known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan City, China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a multivariate analysis method to determine the structural relationship between measured variables. This observational study aimed to use SEM to determine the effects of social support on sleep quality and function of medical staff who treated patients with COVID-19 in January and February 2020 in Wuhan, China.Material/MethodsA one-month cross-sectional observational study included 180 medical staff who treated patients with COVID-19 infection. Levels of anxiety, self-efficacy, stress, sleep quality, and social support were measured using the and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction (SASR) questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS), respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis and SEM identified the interactions between these factors.ResultsLevels of social support for medical staff were significantly associated with self-efficacy and sleep quality and negatively associated with the degree of anxiety and stress. Levels of anxiety were significantly associated with the levels of stress, which negatively impacted self-efficacy and sleep quality. Anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy were mediating variables associated with social support and sleep quality.ConclusionsSEM showed that medical staff in China who were treating patients with COVID-19 infection during January and February 2020 had levels of anxiety, stress, and self-efficacy that were dependent on sleep quality and social support.

Acute stress disorder of malignancy inpatients informed with diagnosis

Objective To explore the situation of acute stress disorder (ASD) of malignancy patients informed with diagnosis and its influencing factors. Methods From January 2016 to June 2017, we selected 248 malignancy inpatients from a ClassⅢ Grade A hospital. All of the patients informed with diagnosis were investigated with the Stanford acute stress reaction questionnaire (SASRQ) . The SPSS 17.0 was used to statistical analysis of survey data. Results The incidence of ASD of 248 malignancy patients informed with diagnosis was 21.37%. There were statistical differences in the incidence of ASD among malignancy patients with different sexes, ages, education levels, characters, incomes and malignant degrees (χ2=43.68, 27.43, 40.16, 25.29, 10.64, 35.56; P<0.05) . Conclusions The incidence of ASD of malignancy patients informed with diagnosis is high. It prompts health care providers to pay more attention to patients' psychologic status, so as to ease patients' pain and burden. Key words: Neoplasms; Stress disorders, traumatic, acute; Correlative factor

The Effect of training Emotional Support to Fathers on Acute Stress Disorder in Mothers of Preterm Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Background & aim: Prematurity and the admission of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) may pose emotional and practical challenges for parents and can cause acute stress disorder (ASD) in their mothers in case of mismanagement. Emotional support training to fathers may prevent mothers from these symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of training emotional support to fathers on ASD symptoms in the mothers of preterm newborns admitted to NICUs. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 61 parents, 31 of whom were assigned into the intervention group, with preterm infants admitted in NICUs of Omolbanin Women's Hospital, Imam Reza Hospital, and Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, 2016. The parents in intervention group were trained the skills of emotional support in one 120-minute session. Then, they received the educational content in the form of a brochure. The participants in control group received routine care. Prior to the intervention and four weeks after the birth, the mothers in both groups completed the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ) and the emotional support scale (ESS). Data analysis was performed using independent and paired t-tests, as well as Mann-Whitney U, Chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact test and two-way analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 16. Results: The mean scores of SASRQ obtained by the intervention and control groups were 20.7±11.0 and 54.6±24.3, respectively in post-intervention phase. The results of the independent t-test showed a significant difference between the groups in terms of SASRQ scores (p <0.001). Conclusion: Given the positive effect of training emotional support to fathers on ASD symptoms in mothers of preterm newborns admitted to NICUs, it is recommended to plan and implement such training courses for fathers during and after birth.