State Of Distress Research Articles

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) systems: Promoting cocaine pursuit without distress via incentive motivation.

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) systems in limbic structures are posited to mediate stress-induced relapse in addiction, traditionally by generating distress states that spur drug consumption as attempts at hedonic self-medication. Yet evidence suggests that activating CRF-expressing neurons in the central amygdala (CeA) or nucleus accumbens (NAc) can magnify incentive motivation in absence of distress, at least for sucrose rewards. However, traditional CRF hypotheses in addiction neuroscience are primarily directed toward drug rewards. The question remains open whether CRF systems can similarly act via incentive motivation mechanisms to promote pursuit of drug rewards, such as cocaine. Here we tested whether optogenetic excitation of CRF-containing neurons in either NAc medial shell, lateral CeA, or dorsolateral BNST of transgenic Crh-Cre+ rats would spur preference and pursuit of a particular laser-paired cocaine reward over an alternative cocaine reward, and whether excitation served as a positively-valenced incentive itself, through laser self-stimulation tests. We report that excitation of CRF-containing neurons in either NAc or CeA recruited mesocorticolimbic circuitry to amplify incentive motivation to pursue the laser-paired cocaine: focusing preference on the laser-paired cocaine reward in a two-choice task, and spurred pursuit as doubled breakpoint in a progressive ratio task. Crucially indicating positive-valence, excitation of CRF neurons in NAc and CeA also was actively sought after by most rats in self-stimulation tasks. Conversely, CRF neuronal activation in BNST was never self-stimulated, but failed to enhance cocaine consumption. Collectively, we find that NAc and CeA CRF-containing neurons can amplify pursuit and consumption of cocaine by positively-valenced incentive mechanisms, without any aversive distress.

Effectiveness of mandala coloring in reducing anxiety in women with early-stage breast cancer receiving chemotherapy for the first time

ContextMany people with cancer experience fear or anxiety when starting chemotherapy for the first time. Mandala coloring is an art therapy approach commonly used for anti-stress therapy. ObjectiveTo assess whether mandala coloring reduces the anxiety experienced by women with early-stage breast cancer during their first chemotherapy session. DesignA quasi-experimental controlled study with pretest/posttest design. SettingThe study was conducted in the outpatient chemotherapy unit of the Istanbul University Institute of Oncology between March 2017 and May 2018. ParticipantsEight-four women with early-stage breast cancer who presented for their first session of chemotherapy were included, 41 in the intervention group and 43 in the control group. InterventionPatients in the intervention group were asked to color a mandala for 30 min while receiving premedication prior to chemotherapy. No intervention was applied to the control group. Main outcome measuresLevels of distress and anxiety were assessed before and after premedication using the distress thermometer and State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. ResultsThe sample group consisted primarily of women who had primary school education, were married, and were homemakers. Average distress levels were low in both the intervention and control group before premedication, and state anxiety scores did not differ statistically between the groups before or after premedication. However, patients in the intervention group who had high distress levels before premedication showed a significant decrease in state anxiety score after premedication, while patients in the control group showed no decrease.

Psychological distress and associated factors among patients attending orthopedic unit, Dilla university referral hospital, Dilla, Gedeo zone, South Ethiopia 2021

Background: Psychological discomfort is a state of emotional distress caused by everyday stressors and obligations that are difficult to manage. It’s one of the most common mental health problems on the planet. The physical status of a person has an impact on his or her psychological well-being, and if not handled well, it will eventually have an impact on his or her well-being. Orthopedic trauma has a wide range of effects on survivors’ physical health, as well as a variety of mental health concerns that impede recovery. Psychiatric problems and behavioral abnormalities are 3-5 times more common in people who have been harmed, and they are a predictor of poor outcomes. It is crucial to begin further therapies as soon as possible. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken at Dilla University Referral Hospital on an institutional basis. The data was collected via a face-to-face interview and the Kessler psychological distress scale (K-10) was used to assess psychological distress. A total of 366 people were chosen using simple random selection. SPSS21 was used to enter and evaluate the data. To find related factors, bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used. Variables having a p-value of less than 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Result: Out of all respondents, 114 (31.4%) of the individuals have experienced psychological anguish. Independent variables such as being female (adjusted odds ratio (AOR=5.8, 95 percent CI (3.5-11.1), being under 27 years old (AOR=2.34, 95 percent CI (1.89-3.68), being unable to read and write educational status, married (adjusted odds ratio (AOR=2.67(1.24-5.34), poor social support (AOR=1.4, 95 percent CI (1.21-2.89), and poor sleep quality (AOR=1.5, 95 percent). Conclusion: The prevalence of psychological distress was high. Being female, having poor social support, and having a high PSQI score were significantly associated factors with psychological distress. It is good if clinicians emphasize orthopedic patients especially females and those having poor social support and low sleep quality symptoms.

ICU bereaved surrogates\u2019 comorbid psychological-distress states and their associations with prolonged grief disorder

Background/objectiveBereaved ICU family surrogates’ psychological distress, e.g., anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is usually examined independently, despite the well-recognized comorbidity of these symptoms. Furthermore, the few studies exploring impact of psychological distress on development of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) did not consider the dynamic impact of symptom evolution. We identified surrogates’ distinct patterns/states of comorbid psychological distress and their evolution over the first 3 months of bereavement and evaluated their associations with PGD at 6-month postloss.MethodsA longitudinal observational study was conducted on 319 bereaved surrogates. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and PGD were measured by the anxiety and depression subscales of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised scale, and the PGD-13, respectively. Distinct psychological-distress states and their evolution were examined by latent transition analysis. Association between psychological-distress states and PGD symptoms was examined by logistic regression.ResultsThree distinct comorbid psychological-distress states (prevalence) were initially identified: no distress (56.3%), severe-depressive/borderline-anxiety distress (30.5%), and severe-anxiety/depressive/PTSD distress (13.3%). Except for those in the stable no-distress state, surrogates tended to regress to states of less psychological distress at the subsequent assessment. The proportion of participants in each psychological-distress state changed to no distress (76.8%), severe-depressive/borderline-anxiety distress (18.6%), and severe-anxiety/depressive/PTSD distress (4.6%) at 3-month postloss. Surrogates in the severe-depressive/borderline-anxiety distress and severe-anxiety/depressive/PTSD-distress state at 3-month postloss were more likely to develop PGD at 6-month postloss (OR [95%] = 14.58 [1.48, 143.54] and 104.50 [10.45, 1044.66], respectively).ConclusionsA minority of family surrogates of ICU decedents suffered comorbid severe-depressive/borderline-anxiety distress and severe-anxiety/depressive/PTSD symptoms during early bereavement, but they were more likely to progress into PGD at 6-month postloss.

Obesity, Psychological Distress, and Resting State Connectivity of the Hippocampus and Amygdala Among Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

ObjectiveOverweight and obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2] are associated with poorer prognosis among women with breast cancer, and weight gain is common during treatment. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are also highly prevalent in women with breast cancer and may be exacerbated by post-diagnosis weight gain. Altered brain function may underlie psychological distress. Thus, this secondary analysis examined the relationship between BMI, psychological health, and resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) among women with breast cancer.MethodsThe sample included 34 post-menopausal women newly diagnosed with Stage 0-IIa breast cancer (Mage = 63.59 ± 5.73) who were enrolled in a 6-month randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise vs. usual care. At baseline prior to randomization, whole-brain analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between BMI and seed-to-voxel rsFC of the hippocampus and amygdala. Connectivity values from significant clusters were then extracted and examined as predictors of self-reported depression and anxiety.ResultsMean BMI was in the obese range (M = 31.83 ± 6.62). For both seeds examined, higher BMI was associated with lower rsFC with regions of prefrontal cortex (PFC), including ventrolateral PFC (vlPFC), dorsolateral PFC, and superior frontal gyrus (z range = 2.85–4.26). Hippocampal connectivity with the vlPFC was negatively correlated with self-reported anxiety (β = 0.47, p < 0.01).ConclusionHigher BMI was associated with lower hippocampal and amygdala connectivity to regions of PFC implicated in cognitive control and emotion regulation. BMI-related differences in hippocampal and amygdala connectivity following a recent breast cancer diagnosis may relate to future worsening of psychological functioning during treatment and remission. Additional longitudinal research exploring this hypothesis is warranted.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Addiction

Objective: The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in early 2020 has caused widespread stress and psychological distress. The lockdown and social distancing aggravated the state of loneliness and psychological distress. The purpose of this study was to ex mine the changes in the various addictive behavior reported since the outbreak of the pandemic. Methods: Authors reviewed studies and reports published between March 2020 and January 2022 that examined changes in addictive behavior. Results: The restriction of pleasure-seeking activities due to social distancing has increased the use of addictive substances and digital media. Globally, many studies have examined the increase in addictive behavior and disorders related to COVID-19. Although mainly cross-sectional, studies have consistently reported that alcohol consumption, alcohol use disorder, substance abuse, and the use of digital media such as the Internet, Internet games, online gambling, pornography, and social media have increased. Such increase in addictive behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic is related to a combination of biopsychosocial factors. These include the need for intrinsic reward due to isolation and loneliness, the increase in psychological vulnerability that triggers depression, anxiety, and addiction, and the lack of environmental resources that provide alternative ways to satisfy pleasure-seeking desires. Conclusion : This review calls for an integrative strategy that includes education, campaign, and therapeutic intervention at the individual level, and efforts to change our environment and emphasize social responsibility of the related industry at the institutional level.

Design and Implementation of Attention Depression Detection Model Based on Multimodal Analysis

Depression is becoming a social problem as the number of sufferers steadily increases. In this regard, this paper proposes a multimodal analysis-based attention depression detection model that simultaneously uses voice and text data obtained from users. The proposed models consist of Bidirectional Encoders from Transformers-Convolutional Neural Network (BERT-CNN) for natural language analysis, CNN-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-BiLSTM) for voice signal processing, and multimodal analysis and fusion models for depression detection. The experiments in this paper are conducted using the DAIC-WOZ dataset, a clinical interview designed to support psychological distress states such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress. The voice data were set to 4 seconds in length and the number of mel filters was set to 128 in the preprocessing process. For text data, we used the subject text data of the interview and derived the embedding vector using a transformers tokenizer. Based on each data set, the BERT-CNN and CNN-BiLSTM proposed in this paper were applied and combined to classify depression. Through experiments, the accuracy and loss degree were compared for the cases of using multimodal data and using single data, and it was confirmed that the existing low accuracy was improved.

Psychiatrization of Resistance: The Co-option of Consumer, Survivor, and Ex-patient Movements in the Global South.

This article examines contemporary examples of psychiatrization as a tool of disciplinary control and repression, focusing on new research on the co-option of consumer/survivor/ex-patient movements within the Global South. Here, we understand psychiatrization as (1) the process of imposing certain interpretive limits on states of difference and distress and (2) the conceptualization of treatment and recovery through the teleological notion of normalcy. By interpreting difference solely in psychiatric terms, psychiatrization functions as a tool of disciplinary control in both domestic and international contexts by reterritorializing efforts to resist hegemonic norms and political institutions of gendered and racialized oppression, colonialism, and imperialism. After setting out our understanding of psychiatrization as a political process in the sense that it enacts a particular “ontological politics”, one that foregrounds psychiatric interpretations of difference and dissent to the exclusion of other possible meanings, we examine the reach and complexity of psychiatrization in the suppression of political and social movements that attempt to resist oppressive norms and institutions. We then present new research within the consumer/survivor/ex-patient and psychosocial disability movements in the Global South to show how psychiatrization can thwart activist's aims of transforming how we view both the end goals of mental health treatment and the political valence of mental distress.

Magnitude of common mental disorders and factors associated among people living in Addis Ababa Ethiopia 2018: community based cross-sectional study

BackgroundCommon mental disorders are a group of distress states manifesting with anxiety, depressive and unexplained somatic symptoms, affecting individuals in different age groups, causes suffering to the individuals, families and community.ObjectiveThis study assessed the magnitude of Common mental disorder and associated factors among people living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsCommunity based cross sectional study design was conducted from November 1 to 30, 2018 among people living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Multistage sampling technique was used to get a total of 755 samples. Common Mental Disorder was assessed through interview using Self-Reported questionnaire (SRQ-20). The collected data were coded, entered into EPI-Info 7 and analysed by using SPPS version 20. Descriptive, analytical statistical procedure; bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions with odds ratios and 95% confidence interval was employed. The statistical significance was accepted at p value < 0.05.ResultIn this study a total of 723 study subjects were participated, with response rate of95.7%.The prevalence of common mental disorders was 24.7% with [95%CI; 21.6 – 27.7]. Females (AOR=2.1; 95% CI; 1.39- 3.23), Divorced/widowed (AOR=2.55; 95% CI; 1.16- 5.59), daily labourers (AOR=2.52; 95% CI; 1.3- 4.88, chronic medical illness (AOR=4.5; 95% CI; 2.46- 8.24). are independent predictors of CMD and educational status (primary, secondary and diploma) was positively associated with CMD. in this study. Regarding education (primary, secondary and diploma) (AOR=0.34; 95% CI; 0.17-0.66) and (AOR=0.35; 95% CI; 0.19-0.67) has positively associated with common mental disorders.ConclusionThe prevalence of common mental disorders was found high. Female sex, marital status like Divorced/Widowed, daily labour workers and chronic medical illness were found to be independent predictors of CMD and educational status (primary, secondary school and diploma holders) was were found to be protective factors.

Existential Distress in Cancer Patients

Existential distress is a widely used concept used in describing cancer patients. However, this concept is vague and has failed to achieve a consensus. The lack of a recognized conceptual framework could hinder future research on existential distress. The aim of this study was to clarify and analyze the concept of existential distress in cancer patients. The Walker and Avant concept analysis approach was applied. For cancer patients, the concept of existential distress included 5 core attributes: (a) lack of meaning; (b) loss of autonomy; (c) loss of dignity; (d) hopelessness; and (e) death anxiety. Existential distress is a key factor causing poor quality of life, a poor emotional state, demoralization, and even suicide. It is often underpinned by uncontrolled physical pain, serious psychological morbidity, and a perceived sense of being a burden on others. The concept analysis provides a theoretical framework for healthcare providers to better understand existential distress in cancer patients, to improve patient well-being. On the basis of the antecedents of this concept, cancer patients experiencing uncontrolled physical pain, severe psychological morbidity, and a perceived sense of being a burden on others are at a high risk of existential distress. These factors should be eliminated in a timely manner to prevent cancer patients from being caught in a state of existential distress. The 5 defining attributes and empirical referents of this concept could be used to develop tools to screen for existential distress in cancer patients and distinguish it from similar concepts.

COVID-19-Related Psychological Trauma and Psychological Distress Among Community-Dwelling Psychiatric Patients: People Struck by Depression and Sleep Disorders Endure the Greatest Burden.

COVID-19 has created a general state of worry and distress, especially among vulnerable groups such as those with psychiatric diagnoses. Worldwide, psychiatric care provision has drastically suffered during the pandemic, with many patients unable to access proper care, which may have implications for increased mental health consequences in patients with psychiatric disorders (e.g., relapse and suicide). This cross-sectional study used structural equation modeling to investigate COVID-19-related trauma and distress among Arab psychiatric population during COVID-19 quarantine. Patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders (N = 168) completed an online survey that comprised the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and a questionnaire on COVID-19-related attitudes/perceptions, sources of information, used protective measures, and socio-demographic information. Respondents commonly reported feeling down-hearted/blue, trouble concentrating, along with symptoms of avoidance and rumination related to the pandemic. Patients with depression and sleep disorders expressed higher COVID-19-related trauma than patients with other disorders. Perceived physical health mediated the effect of co-morbid chronic physical disorders on COVID-19 trauma, psychological distress, perceived vulnerability to COVID-19, and perceived likelihood of recovery in case of contracting COVID-19. Perceived physical health and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 were strong direct predictors of COVID-19-related trauma and psychological distress. Staying at home negatively predicted COVID-19 trauma and exerted an indirect negative effect on psychological distress via COVID-19 trauma. COVID-19 trauma, age, and marital status directly predicted psychological distress, with COVID-19 trauma being the strongest predictor. Educational level, income, having family members working in the medical field, keeping up to date with the news on deaths/infected cases or the development of COVID-19 drugs or vaccines, satisfaction with available information on COVID-19, and using different protective measures were not associated with significant differences in COVID-19 trauma and psychological distress scores. Immuno-psychiatric interventions should be designed to target COVID-19-trauma and distress among younger single patients with perceived poor physical health, especially those diagnosed with depression and sleep disorders.

DISORDERS OF ADAPTATION OF COMBATANTS AND THEIR MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION AT THE SANATORIUM STAGE OF TREATMENT

The aim of the study was on the basis of the study of clinical manifestations and mechanisms of the formation of disorders of psychological adaptation among the combatants, to develop the principles and program of their medical and psychological rehabilitation. Materials and methods: The study was attended by 153 people at the sanatorium and resort stage of treatment, of which 98 people were combatants and 55 people were civilians. The study used a set of methods aimed at the study of emotional disorders (HDRS, BDI, Spielberger Scale, “Asthenic state scale”), individual psychological features (Multilevel personal questionnaire “Adaptability,” Test questionnaire G. Shmishek, K. Leonhard), features of psychosocial functioning (Mississippian scale of PTSD-military version) and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). Results: At the stage of sanatorium treatment of combatants is important readaptation to peaceful living conditions. A clinical and psychological analysis of combatants showed that the presence of experienced state of subjective distress and emotional disorder leads to a decrease in the productivity of adaptation to a stressful event. The stress factor disrupted the integrity of the micro-social network of combatants and their system of social support and social values, with the prevailing sense of inability to overcome problems and build plans. A detailed analysis of the nature of depressive and anxiety manifestations was carried out, which allowed to determine the predictors of the violation of adaptation in combatants. Thus, on the basis of the study of clinical manifestations and mechanisms of the formation of disorders of psychological adaptation among the participants of hostilities, the principles of their medical and psychological rehabilitation at the sanatorium and resort stage of treatment are developed. Conclusions: The peculiarities of stress response in combatants as a component of personal potential play a role in the formation of predictors of psychological adaptation disorders among combatants. Psychological intervention at the tertiary stage of rehabilitation (sanatorium-resort) should be targeted, taking into account individual-psychological characteristics (preventors) and psychosocial factors (predictors)

Psychological implications of Covid-19 in healthcare workers.

The Covid-19 outbreak has led to an unprecedented burden on the healthcare infrastructure. High morbidity and mortality rates have resulted in a state of stress and distress among the general population which has also impacted health professionals. This study was conducted to identify mental health disturbances among health professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a cross-sectional study, conducted in a Medical College in Himachal Pradesh, India. A self-administered anonymized questionnaire was administered to the healthcare workers. Mental health status was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety-Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS). In addition, a 15-item questionnaire was prepared to identify the probable causes of stress in HCWs during the Covid-19 Pandemic. A statistical analysis used t-test was used to find the significance of the correlation between the PHQ-ADS score and the agreement score of different factors. The response rate for the questionnaire was 27%. Anxiety and depression were seen in 29% of participants, ranging from mild (18.3%), moderate (4.7%), and severe (5.9%). Among females 43.7% of the participants and among males, 13.1% had anxiety and depression. High PHQ-ADS scores were seen in nursing staff (70%) and postgraduate students (30%), who were in the third decade of life. Most (81.7%) of the HCWs were concerned about transmitting the disease to their near ones. Fear of coming to the hospital and dealing with patients. Even sub-threshold syndromes among HCWs need to be identified before they evolve into overt diseases. The psychological needs of healthcare workers should be prioritized as they are key players in the fight against Covid-19.

Феномен сценічного бар’єру у виконавській практиці піаніста-виконавця

The main objective of the study is to analyze the coverage of the concept of the stage barrier in the scientific literature. The author defines the concept of the stage barrier and finds out the reasons for it during a performance stage. Research methodology focuses on the analysis of the literature on this topic. The paper has a scientific novelty. The article examines the problem of the stage barrier through of philosophical and cultural discourse; the study clarifies the possible causes of the stage barrier for both "beginner" pianists and "experienced" performers; distinguishes the concepts of "fear" and "phobia", describes the states of distress and eustress. The author concludes that the better the performer feels on stage, the more convincing and interesting the performance will be. Therefore, we consider the prospect of further exploration in finding methods and techniques to ensure good stage health.

The role of psychological distress in the relationship between lifestyle and compulsivity: An analysis of independent, bi-national samples.

Poor mental health is a state of psychological distress that is influenced by lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, and physical activity. Compulsivity is a transdiagnostic phenotype cutting across a range of mental illnesses including obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders, and is also influenced by lifestyle. Yet, how lifestyle relates to compulsivity is presently unknown, but important to understand to gain insights into individual differences in mental health. We assessed (a) the relationships between compulsivity and diet quality, sleep quality, and physical activity, and (b) whether psychological distress statistically contributes to these relationships. We collected harmonized data on compulsivity, psychological distress, and lifestyle from two independent samples (Australian n=880 and US n=829). We used mediation analyses to investigate bidirectional relationships between compulsivity and lifestyle factors, and the role of psychological distress. Higher compulsivity was significantly related to poorer diet and sleep. Psychological distress statistically mediated the relationship between poorer sleep quality and higher compulsivity, and partially statistically mediated the relationship between poorer diet and higher compulsivity. Lifestyle interventions in compulsivity may target psychological distress in the first instance, followed by sleep and diet quality. As psychological distress links aspects of lifestyle and compulsivity, focusing on mitigating and managing distress may offer a useful therapeutic approach to improve physical and mental health. Future research may focus on the specific sleep and diet patterns which may alter compulsivity over time to inform lifestyle targets for prevention and treatment of functionally impairing compulsive behaviors.

Coping with COVID-19: The sociomaterial dimensions of living with pre-existing mental illness during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis

In this article, we use the case study method to detail the experiences of five participants who reported living with pre-existing mental illness during COVID-19. We adopted a sociomaterial analytical approach, seeking to identify how human and nonhuman agents came together to generate states of wellbeing or distress during this challenging period. As the case studies show, feelings of anxiety, fear and risk were generated from the following sociomaterial conditions: loss of face-to-face contact with friends and family members; concerns about hygiene and infecting others; financial stress; loss of regular paid employment or volunteering work; public spaces; and the behaviour of unknown others in public spaces. The agents and practices that emerged as most important for opening capacities for coping and maintaining wellness during lockdown included: the space of the home; contact with a small number of intimate others; online therapeutic care; practising self-care skills learnt from previous difficult times; helping and supporting others; engaging in leisure activities; and the companionship of pets. Contributing to an affirmative approach to more-than-human assemblages of health, distress and recovery, these findings demonstrate what bodies can do in times of crisis and the agents and practices that can generate capacities for coping.

Psychological distress of dementia patient caregivers residing in Russia and Kazakhstan

The present work addresses the question of psychological distress of the caregivers of patients with dementia. The research covers caregivers residing in Russia and Kazakhstan. The thesis starts with concluding the pre-existing knowledge on the research question, from which the author develops the methods for collection of the primary data. Methodology of the research is designed to analyze the data in a qualitative approach. The thesis builds an understanding of the state of psychological distress in which caregivers of Kazakhstan and Russia live in. To do that, the author conducted a survey with range of multiple choice and open questions that examined the stress triggers and proof of the existence of stress in their lives based on answers. A total of 52 active caregivers answered to a survey consisting of 22 questions. The results show that Russian and Kazakhstani caregivers experience moderate to severe levels of psychological distress due to insufficient funding and informational support, among other reasons.

Work-Family Conflict, Emotional Intelligence, and General Self-Efficacy Among Medical Practitioners During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PurposeIn Pakistan, medical professionals face multiple challenges comprising long, fixed working hours and workload overburdening, which leads to emotional fatigue. These conflicts in work–life scenarios, brought about by high work demands causing emotional exhaustion, can create a state of distress among the medical professionals. The present study investigates the association between work–family conflict (WFC), emotional intelligence (EI), and self-efficacy (SE) among medical practitioners during COVID-19 in Pakistan.Patients and MethodsThe study sample included 140 medical professionals from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Cross-section correlational research design was used, and information was gathered employing online surveys through a purposive sampling technique. The scales utilized were the WFC, EI, and SE Scale.ResultsThe current study hypothesized a significant relationship between work–family conflict, general self-efficacy (GSE) and emotional intelligence among medical practitioners during COVID-19 in Pakistan. The results showed that those with more family-to-work conflict had less EI and GSE. Furthermore, findings uncovered that there is a significant positive relationship between EI and GSE.ConclusionThe findings propose that it is important for medical professionals to have a high level of EI and GSE to navigate through the WFC more healthily. In future, awareness seminars could be arranged related to EI and its significance to stimulate the psychological well-being of medical professionals. Future studies could also consider other healthcare workers, including nurses and internees doing house jobs and other medical staff, as they are also exposed to several stresses due to the workload and family demands.

The use of digital technologies in social and hygienic monitoring of the health status of workers in harmful working conditions

Introduction. To increase the effectiveness of social and hygienic monitoring of the health status of workers in harmful and/or dangerous occupation conditions by objectifying the analysis of the health status of workers and timely detection of premorbid forms of pathology, an informational medical advisory and diagnostic system is proposed that ensures the efficiency of using the previously developed methodological recommendations MR 2.2.9.0148-19 “Assessment of the risk of developing states of distress in workers in harmful working conditions”. Materials and methods. The design of the developed computer program is based on the principles of critical assessment of the employee’s health status; multiparametric characteristics of the functional reserves of the body; unity of the information base; the possibility of dynamic monitoring of the health status of employees; automation of data storage and analysis; protection of personal data. Results. The method used by the information system is based on a comprehensive assessment of the functional reserves of the body, correlated by the degree of adaptive stress, including the ranking of the employee health status according to the group of dispensary records, the indicator of adaptive compliance and the level of adaptive immunity. To facilitate the operator’s information support system integrated the List of harmful and (or) hazardous occupation factors, the presence of which is a mandatory preliminary and periodic medical examinations (surveys) and reference weight values, heart rate and blood pressure corresponding to the physiological norm concerning gender and age of the employee. Conclusion. The proposed information system can be used during periodic medical examinations to form risk groups for the development of occupational and production-related morbidity, as well as to assess the effectiveness of hygienic and therapeutic and preventive measures aimed at improving the health of workers in harmful occupation conditions.

Relationship Analysis Between Financial Literacy and Financial Distress (Among Young Adult Medan City)

Lack of skills in financial management and low knowledge of finances in young adults can cause errors in financial decision making and cause financial stress, which can be a challenge in the development of Medan City. This study aims to determine the relationship between financial literacy and financial distress in young adults in Medan City using quantitative methods by distributing questionnaires to 400 respondents. The results showed that the level of financial literacy in young adults in Medan City was high and the level of financial distress among young adults in Medan was moderate. Also, there is a strong positive relationship between financial literacy and financial distress in young adults in Medan City. This means that although young adults in Medan City are quite capable of making effective financial assessments and decisions, young adults in Medan City can be in a state of financial distress even though it is not significant.&#x0D; Keywords: Financial Literacy, Financial Distress, Medan City.