Unwell People Research Articles

Principles of safe inter-hospital transfer of critically unwell adults.

The purpose of this article is to explore the key themes and safety considerations connected to the inter-hospital transfer of critically unwell adults. First, the evidence base surrounding the subject is critically explored and clinical guidelines and national policy are discussed. Second, safety considerations are explored that highlight the risks and challenges associated with the inter-hospital transfer of critically unwell people.

Dementia in-patient units in psychiatric hospitals: research priority setting

Aims and method Dementia in-patient units (DIU) are mental health wards that care for people living with dementia (PLWD) whose symptoms are causing severe distress or potential risk. DIUs look after some of the most vulnerable and unwell people in society, yet they are environments that are underresearched: a recent systematic review revealed only 36 articles worldwide relating to DIUs. To better understand research priorities in DIUs, we undertook a two-round online Delphi survey of PLWD with experience of DIUs, their carers and professionals who work in DIUs. Results Ten research priorities were described and ranked. The top three were how to use non-pharmacological techniques to manage non-cognitive symptoms of dementia, supporting families and better understanding of how to discharge PLWD safely and healthily. Clinical implications This is the first Delphi consensus to describe DIU research priorities. This paper will help researchers focus on the areas that matter most to people who use DIUs.

So Why Do They Not Engage? Grounded Theory Research to Understand and Explain Why Medical Students Disengage from Undergraduate Psychiatry Education in India.

For almost 60 years, Indian psychiatry literature has called for all medical students to learn psychiatry so that millions of mentally unwell people across India might receive appropriate treatment. Yet for almost 60 years, medical students have disengaged from psychiatry education, resulting in limited learning. The literature has repeatedly cited the solution as one that involves longer exposure on posting and more exam questions, with little impact. This research sought to understand why medical students disengage from psychiatry education so that meaningful change might occur. The research utilized constructivist grounded theory, initially in one medical college in Mumbai, followed by a quantitative survey to test the findings with a wider group of interns across 10 states of India. An iterative process of data gathering and analysis was undertaken using the constant comparison method and theoretical integration. Findings identified that 98% of interns believe all MBBS (doctors) should "know" psychiatry, with "know" meaning practical skills-how to assess and treat people with mental illness. The majority of students attend psychiatry to learn those skills, but on finding faculty too overworked to teach, they disengage, saying: "there's nothing in it for me." The findings indicate that more exam questions would not increase engagement. Medical students want to learn skills to help those in mental distress. Faculty do not have time and, arguably, the training to teach them. To address the nation's mental health needs, the government needs to prioritize teaching of psychiatry skills by releasing and enabling psychiatry faculty, alongside the certification of psychiatry skills.

A study protocol for vitamin-D level in sepsis and its outcome in patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit

Vitamin D functions as a prohormone that promotes bone mineralization by regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the skeletal system. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is required for immunomodulation, cytokine regulation, and cell proliferation. As a result, Vitamin D is a powerful hormone with pleiotropic effects that improve overall health. Sepsis is the leading cause of death in critically unwell people. According to a recent study, numerous trace minerals and nutrients have the ability to alter the human body, and supplementing these nutrients can improve the prognosis of sepsis patients. A considerable number of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) have low vitamin D levels, a frequent condition that can increase the risk of infectious diseases. According to various studies, severely ill patients admitted to the ICU who have a vitamin D deficiency are at a higher risk of requiring mechanical ventilation and facing a higher likelihood of mortality. Nonetheless, the connection between insufficient vitamin D levels and mortality in sepsis patients remains a topic of debate.

Forensic mental health issues for women in contact with the criminal justice system.

This review demonstrates that women who encounter the Australian criminal justice system include some of the most disadvantaged and mentally unwell people in society, particularly Aboriginal women. Women in custody are a heterogeneous group and have different psychosocial needs when compared to male prisoners. The approaches to female offending must address their significant psychosocial and mental health issues at every point of contact with the criminal justice system, be culturally informed and specifically address Indigenous overrepresentation.

Sex as a biological determinant in anthropometric, biochemical, and dietary changes during Ramadan intermittent fasting in healthy people: A systematic review

AimsObserving Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) is associated with different behavioral, dietary, and health-related outcomes among healthy and unwell people. Sex is a major biological determinant that affects various health outcomes and impacts the effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle modifications. This systematic review aimed to identify differences in health-related outcomes following the practice of RIF by the sex of study participants. MethodsA systematic search was conducted across several databases to qualitatively identify studies focused on dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical outcomes associated with RIF in females and males. ResultsOf 3870 retrieved studies, sex-based differences were reported in 29 studies that included 3167 healthy people (females n = 1558, 49.2%). Most differences between males and females were reported both before and during RIF. Sex differences were examined for 69 outcomes following RIF and included dietary factors (17 outcomes), anthropometrics (13 outcomes), and biochemical factors (39 outcomes), with the latter including metabolic, hormonal, regulatory, inflammatory, and nutrition-related biochemical markers. ConclusionsSex-based differences were observed in the examined dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical outcomes associated with the observance of RIF. More attention needs to be directed toward including both sexes in studies focused on the impact of observing RIF and differentiating outcomes based on sex.

Imprisonment following discharge from mental health units: A developing trend in New Zealand.

Contemporary models of care for people with mental disorders continue to shift to community-based care, requiring fewer inpatient mental health beds, shorter inpatient lengths of stay, and less use of coercion. It has been suggested that some mentally unwell people, whose behavior can no longer be safely contained in overstretched mental health units where seclusion and restraint are discouraged, are now left to the criminal justice system to manage. It is unclear whether the risk of imprisonment following discharge from a mental health unit has increased over recent years. A quantitative, retrospective cohort study design was used to investigate any association between an acute inpatient mental health service admission in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and referral to a prison mental health team within 28 days of hospital discharge, from 2012 to 2020. Data were extracted from the national mental health dataset managed by the Ministry of Health. Risk of imprisonment within 28 days of inpatient discharge increased over the study period. People experiencing this outcome were more likely to be younger, male, of Mâori or Pacific ethnicity, presenting with substance use and psychotic disorders who were aggressive or overactive, and were subject to coercive interventions such as seclusion and compulsory treatment during their admission. We concluded that contemporary models of less coercive predominantly community based mental health care may be increasingly reliant on the criminal justice system to manage aggressive and violent behavior driven by mental illness. It is argued from a human rights perspective that mental health inpatient units should retain the capacity to safely manage this type of clinical presentation.

'I have to-day seen all the 671 patients in residence in this institution': not listening to patients in the long 1920s.

In the 1920s, patients and former patients produced oral and written accounts of their mental hospital experiences. Many aimed to inform the public about the institutions and to improve standards of care, but their views were usually ignored. The assumption that mental disorders affected all aspects of a person's judgement, plus defensive and disparaging attitudes of hospital authorities and formal committees of inquiry, contributed to this. Various other public agendas, financial crises and rising unemployment detracted from the needs of mentally unwell people. Small improvements in care materialized, but lay, professional and institutional cultures generally preserved the status quo. Regarding learning from patients' feedback, some hurdles encountered in the 1920s resonate with challenges in today's National Health Service.

Developing variable swimming technique skills among Iraqi schoolchildren during physical education courses

Variable education technology is now more prevalent in Iraq's higher education institutions, notably in physical education courses. The rise in the number of unwell people living in society stands out among the numerous unfavorable phenomena. Another is the decrease in physical activity brought on by technological development, which impacts people's capacity to improve their overall physical functionality and ability to develop their physical qualities. And physical health is the most valuable resource in any state, including Iraq. Thus it is crucial to find answers to the problems with physical education that affect students of all ages, especially young children. The project aims to develop and evaluate a method for teaching swimming to Iraqi kids in physical education classes while they are learning various skills. We selected several strategies to design a methodology for teaching swimming to Iraqi children in physical education classes. The approach used to categorize the study's results on the extent to which, among Iraqi students in the experimental and control groups, the essential physical features necessary for developing a variable capacity in teaching swimming had formed. The results were interpreted differently for each method.

Gender Differences in Experiences and Expectations of Hemodialysis in a Frail and Seriously Unwell Patient Population

Surprisingly few studies have explored the experiences of seriously unwell people with kidney disease on hemodialysis therapy: we conducted a mixed-methods study to investigate gender differences in illness experience, symptom burden, treatment considerations or expectations in this cohort. Seriously unwell people on hemodialysis (1-year mortality risk of >20%) at 3 hospital-based units were invited to take part in a structured interview or to complete the same questions independently via a questionnaire. A total of 54 people took part (36 males, 18 females); data analysis was undertaken using a thematic approach. "Desire to keep living" is the most important and basic thought process when starting dialysis. Fear also predominates influencing risk assessment and decision-making. Once fear is managed, there are physical, social, practical and emotional issues to rationalize, but choice only seems possible if shared decision-making is part of the consultation.Gender differences were seen in perceived hopes and expectations of treatment. Males were more likely to prioritize achievement of physical goals, with females prioritizing a wish to feel well. Both genders reported significantly higher symptom scores than their health care provider perceived, however this difference was more marked in females. Dialysis regret existed in >50% of participants and 6 out of 54 (11%) stated that they would have chosen no dialysis at all. Females were more likely to report feeling depressed (P= 0.001). Different genders approach treatment decisions and prioritize treatment expectations differently. Recognizing this will allow personalized care plans to be developed and improve the experiences of seriously unwell people with kidney disease.

Family attendance during critical illness episodes: Reflection on practices in Arabic and Muslim contexts.

It is common practice in healthcare systems in the Arabic region to exclude relatives when patients receive treatment for critical emergent incidents or illnesses. This exclusion is despite family members' wishes for proximity and cultural and religious values that mean being with unwell people is considered a form of worship or religious act. The marked lack of implementation of relatives' wishes in this regard is coupled with a paucity of relevant policies, guidelines, and research, despite patient populations in these countries being traditional in nature, religious, and having strong connections within their families and extended social units. The present authors reflected on this concern and advocated for increased attention to the needs and rights of critically ill patients and their families to support better quality, holistic care, especially during critical illness incidents. Healthcare professionals should consider allowing families to be present with their patients in such circumstances and appreciate the importance of family presence, despite the acknowledged challenges. The recommendations presented in this reflection may support the implementation of effective, holistic healthcare services in these countries. This reflection is also relevant to any context where care for Arabic or Muslim patients is provided.

Coronavirus disease 2019 Critical Care Essentials course for nurses: development and implementation of an education program for healthcare professionals

Objective: To describe development, implementation, and evaluation of an evidence-based online critical care nursing education program to upskill a registered nurse workforce in response to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: As Australian federal, and state governments prepared for the possible influx of critically ill patients associated with COVID-19, initiatives were sought to assist frontline healthcare workers meet the complex care requirements of these patients. Study design and methods: A team of experienced acute and critical care nursing, medical practitioners, and education specialists, online and mobile learning specialists, and front-line workers were assembled. This team developed 10 online educational modules for rapid delivery and upskilling of registered nurses in Victoria, Australia. Nurses undertaking these modules were invited to complete a satisfaction survey. Survey questions were answered in Likert style or free text. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively, whilst freeform answers were explored for themes. Results: An online Critical Care Essentials course was launched in May 2020. In its first month 2,875 students had accessed this course. Course evaluation (n = 395 students) found over 92% responded favourably (Strongly Agree or Agree) to all 14 Likert style questions. Qualitative course feedback revealed four core themes: applicability, accessibility, engagement, and endorsement. Discussion: This innovative project demonstrated how a university department of nursing collaborated with government and industry partners to rapidly respond to develop and implement an online educational program. This program was immediately responsive to local, national, and international urgency. Obtained student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. However, future areas for development and evaluation are presented. Conclusion: An inter-professional and interorganisational model is proposed for the development and implementation of future online programs. This focused online flexible learning, specific to care of critically unwell people with COVID-19, provides an approach to rapid upskilling of registered nurses. This approach appears favourably to its intended target audience. Furthermore, this program could be adapted for a national or international community. What is already known about the topic? Globally, Coronavirus disease 2019 quickly overran advanced healthcare systems with vast numbers of critically ill patients requiring specialist care. To address surging critical care numbers, healthcare staff require increased knowledge to care for higher acuity patients. Online educational packages can be one element of fulfilling healthcare staff training needs. What this paper adds: Description of development, implementation, and evaluation of a novel evidence-based online criticalcare nursing education program. Evidence of how an online education can be made accessible to frontline healthcare workers to support the demand for a scalable resource that is responsive to emergent global health pandemic. Using a tripartite model for knowledge translation is one potential approach for the future responses to urgent educative program development.

Ultrafiltration for acute heart failure.

Pharmacotherapies such as loop diuretics are the cornerstone treatment for acute heart failure (AHF), but resistance and poor response can occur. Ultrafiltration (UF) is an alternative therapy to reduce congestion, however its benefits, efficacy and safety are unclear. To assess the effects of UF compared to diuretic therapy on clinical outcomes such as mortality and rehospitalisation rates. We undertook a systematic search in June 2021 of the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science CPCI-S and ClinicalTrials.gov.We also searchedthe WHO ICTRP platform in October 2020. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared UF to diuretics in adults with AHF. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We contacted study authors for any further information, and language interpreters to translate texts. We assessed risk of bias in included studies using Risk of Bias 2 (RoB2) tooland assessed the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. We included 14 trials involving 1190 people. We included people who had clinical signs of acute hypervolaemia. We excluded critically unwell people such as those with ischaemia or haemodynamic instability. Mean age ranged from 57.5 to 75 years, and the setting was a mix of single and multi-centre. Two trials researched UF as a complimentary therapy to diuretics, while the remaining trials withheld diuretic use during UF. There was high risk of bias in somestudies, particularly with deviations from the intended protocols from high cross-overs as well as missing outcome data for long-term follow-up. We are uncertain about the effect of UF on all-cause mortality at 30 days or less (risk ratio (RR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 2.85; 3 studies, 286 participants; very low-certainty evidence). UF may have little to no effect on all-cause mortality at the longest available follow-up (RR1.00, 95% CI 0.73 to1.36; 9 studies, 987 participants; low-certainty evidence). UF may reduce all-cause rehospitalisation at 30 days or less (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.09; 3 studies, 337 participants; low-certainty evidence). UF may slightly reduce all-cause rehospitalisation at longest available follow-up (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.05; 6 studies, 612 participants; low-certainty evidence). UF may reduce heart failure-related rehospitalisation at 30 days or less (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.04; 2 studies, 395 participants; low-certainty evidence). UF probably reduces heart failure-related rehospitalisation at longest available follow-up, with a number needed to treat for an additional beneficial effect (NNTB) of 10(RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53 to0.90; 4 studies, 636 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No studies measured need for mechanical ventilation. UF may have little or no effect on serum creatinine change at 30 days since discharge (mean difference (MD) 14%, 95% CI -12% to 40%; 1 study, 221 participants; low-certainty evidence). UF may increase the risk of new initiation of renal replacement therapy at longest available follow-up (RR 1.42, 95% CI 0.42 to 4.75; 4 studies, 332 participants; low-certaintyevidence). There is an uncertain effect of UF on the risk of complications from central line insertion in hospital (RR 4.16, 95% CI 1.30 to13.30; 6 studies, 779 participants; very low-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This review summarises the latest evidence on UF in AHF. Moderate-certainty evidence shows UF probably reduces heart failure-related rehospitalisationin the long term, with an NNTB of 10. UF may reduce all-cause rehospitalisation at 30 days or less and at longest available follow-up. The effect of UF on all-cause mortality at 30 days or less is unclear, and it may have little effect on all-cause mortality in the long-term. While UF may have little or no effect on serum creatinine change at 30 days, it may increase the risk of new initiation of renal replacement therapy in the long term. The effect on complications from central line insertion is unclear. There is insufficient evidence to determine the true impact of UF on AHF. Future research should evaluate UF as an adjunct therapy, focusing on outcomes such as heart failure-related rehospitalisation, cardiac mortality and renal outcomes at medium- to long-term follow-up.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Australia's emergency departments: evidence from two lockdowns.

Objective This study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency departments (EDs) in South Australia, measured by changes in the number and casemix of patients in the system over time. Methods Data from the South Australia Emergency Department Dashboard, updated every 30min, were analysed for the period 4 October-21 December 2020. The Dashboard reports live counts of the number and type of patients in each of the six adult metropolitan public EDs in Adelaide, South Australia. Results There was a significant difference in the mean daily average occupied ED capacity before and during two distinct increases in COVID-19 cases in South Australia. An increase in COVID-19 cases coincided with a decrease in patients in EDs (Pearson's r =-0.93 and -0.67; P Conclusions During the two periods of COVID-19 case growth in South Australia, there was a significant drop in the number of patients presenting to the major public EDs and a change in the casemix of patients over time. What is known about the topic? EDs in Australia often operate at or over capacity, with frequent reports of ambulance ramping, access block and long waiting times. There have been reports internationally of significant declines in ED presentations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. What does this paper add? This paper uses a novel publicly available data source that is available in real time to contribute a new perspective from South Australia, which has experienced two distinct periods of strict restrictions and lockdown. The research showed that the number of mental health presentations remained consistently high, despite a significant overall decline in ED occupancy. What are the implications for practitioners? This study demonstrates that South Australians are accessing emergency medical treatment differently in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the context of an overall decline in presentation numbers, the number of mental health-related presentations has not changed significantly, suggesting that this trend should be closely monitored. The findings corroborate the national concern that unwell people have avoided accessing emergency medical care during the pandemic, leading to worse outcomes and increased need for healthcare resources at a later date. It will be important to monitor and quickly detect further changes in ED usage using real-time data as the pandemic evolves, as well as in any future significant health crises.

Burnout: really, really tired of COVID

Burnout: really, really tired of COVID

Lived experiences of palliative care among people living with HIV/AIDS: a qualitative study from Bihar, India

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the lived experiences of palliative care among critically unwell people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), caregivers and relatives of deceased patients. It also aimed to understand...

Remote Patient Health and Medicine Monitoring by Data Logging using IOT

Considering the day by day rapid increase in the population of the world, providing appropriate healthcare to elderly or unwell people becomes a crucial issue and needs high attention from mainly medical, also industrial and academic fields of the society. Nowadays on the Internet of Things (IoT), there is extensive research on finding the solution for improving the quality of life of the people. In this Project we are presenting a prototype of a health monitoring system which is based on IoT and makes use of wearable sensors, thereby providing remote and continuous monitoring of a patient’s health. The system continuously monitors the patient’s heartbeat, temperature and medicines consumed, by using a web application. Various sensors will be used such as heartbeat sensor and temperature sensor for patients as well as load sensor to get data about how many medicines patient have and when to refill the medicine box. Based on the values acquired from temperature and heartbeat sensor predictions are given about the patient’s condition. All sensors will be communicating with an application through a remote web server where all data will be hosted using IoT protocols.

A wild ride sparked by a silver car

A wild ride sparked by a silver car Venus Fultz KH Canobi. Mindcull. Melbourne: Ford Street, 2019. 290 pp. A$19.95 ISBN: 9781925804232 "A big, silver car slows down next to me. I'm ambling-gazing at a tree frog on a mossy branch" (1) These are the first sentences of Mindcull, KH Canobi's debut novel, and the last time the main character Eila is allowed to "amble." These sentences immediately set the tone of the novel and suck readers into the story by centering them in clashing action and visuals. Eila is "ambling," but she and readers are already unsettled by the car slowing down beside her. From this point Eila and readers are thrust into a journey that never quite slows down, one filled with murder plots, groundbreaking virtual technology, looming characters who are both adversary and ally and a competition that will change Eila's life forever. While Mindcull is a novel that hits the ground running, it also manages to balance explaining the near-future society that Eila inhabits seamlessly. Mindcull's society is immersed in virtual reality (VR), which will not be new to readers, especially not the intended audience of young adults. However, Canobi takes this technology further by establishing VR headsets and earpieces as everyday items that consumers never really take off. This reality quickly sets up Eila's first obstacle when she is kidnapped by the silver car, taken to a government facility (ILEO), and forced to give consent to be a spy for a global VR competition for which Eila is a short-listee. The young, rich inventor Pita Henare has invited popular social media influencers to vlog their experience trying his new invention: Pearl, a VR bodysuit. ILEO wants the specs of this new VR tech and threatens Eila with a torture device and images of her best friend and cousin who raised her, forcing her to gather information for them. However, as we hope from a juicy plot, the following events are not straightforward. Canobi sufficiently juggles a fast-paced, ever-twisting plot alongside Eila's emotional narrative of being used as a pawn, coupled with a traumatic backstory. Readers easily delve into the world of Mindcull because it is familiar enough that Canobi need not bog us down with information about countries, politics, or the technology. The murder [End Page 450] plot of the rich entrepreneur Henare, a big-brother government, groundbreaking technology, and a scheme by a disgraced politician to exploit the lives of mentally unwell people are all believable because they are well-established devices of science fiction. However, Canobi keeps Mindcull from becoming cliché because Eila's first-person narration is rich and engaging. Eila guides the reader through this narration, which mirrors the internal pressure, stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress in Eila's life, and details her actions to stop a murder, to keep her loved ones safe, and eventually to save the minds and lives of potentially millions, all while having to keep much of it a secret. Mindcull's YA audience will easily recognize themselves in Eila's struggle during the uncertain times we live in today. Eila's juggling of family and friendship is just as relatable as it is thrilling when adding the high-stakes plot. As with many YA protagonists, Eila's journey is that of the reluctant hero archetype. However, though she is forced into a wild and dangerous situation, Eila's empathy spurs her into becoming an active participant. When she tries to discover more about her situation, she discovers a murder plot against Henare. She cannot tell ILEO or warn the police or risk exposing her friend Mei's underground activist organization. Nor can she let Henare be murdered without trying to warn him, even if she is only a teenager and one he has never met. Eila's empathy is a trait that some adults in the novel try to exploit by threatening loved ones or taking advantage of the loss of her parents. Because readers have warmed to her character and see that others try to exploit Eila for her naivete, her goals engage reader sympathy throughout. Eila arrives at the...

Issues in Child and Adolescent Inpatient Assessment and Evaluation After Discharge: Protocol for App Development and a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundNew methods are needed for collecting data of in- and outpatients and for improving outpatient compliance after discharge. Mobile technologies, such as smartphone apps, have shown promising results, (eg, helping unwell people by offering support and resources). Screening for the condition, including comorbidities, is a vital part of psychiatric care. Comorbid conditions, especially in emergency evaluation, are often missed, leading to inaccurate diagnosis and treatment. One way of improving diagnostic accuracy is to use a structured diagnostic process. Digitalized screening and follow-up have the advantage of making administration and scoring easier and less time consuming, thereby increasing response rate. To address these problems, we decided to create a smartphone app called The Blue App. The Blue App was developed through 6 steps, described in the manuscript.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to describe (1) the development of The Blue App and (2) 2 planned research studies to evaluate the app.MethodsTwo studies will be performed. Study 1 has a descriptive design, mapping comorbidities before and after the introduction of The Blue App. Study 2 has a randomized controlled design, measuring compliance with outpatient treatments as well as depressive symptoms, rated as changes in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale scores during a 1-year follow-up.ResultsWe have described app development. Data collection for Study 1 started in autumn 2017. Study 2 will start in autumn 2018. We expect to have enrolled the 150 patients in Study 2 by December 2019. Final results will be published in a scientific journal.ConclusionsA technically advanced and easy-to-use Web-based mobile phone app corresponding to the unit’s needs was developed, and 2 studies are planned to evaluate its usefulness.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR1-10.2196/10121

The effect of diet components on the level of cortisol

The way and the quality of nutrition are important factors that can have influence on behavior of both the health and well-being. Proper diet helps to maintain homeostasis in the body. Changes in lifestyle lead to increase the degree of food processing and hence reduce the nutritional value of available products. This forces the use of technological amendments in nourishment, i.e., fortification and formation of diet supplements. Modified food can complement diet in necessary nutrients. Environmental factors like activity can cause adaptation changes in endocrine system of every human. Cortisol is a corticosteroid, in which influence is varied depending on its concentration. Through its multipronged action, it mobilizes organism to fight stress, by ensuring a stable level of glucose, stimulating tissue’s regeneration and inhibiting inflammation processes. Factors like stressful work, personal problems, intensive trainings can lead to long-term sustained, excessive concentration of this hormone, affecting formation of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, increased blood pressure, abnormal bone regeneration and collagen synthesis or calcium deficiency in the organism. Diet supplementation is currently extensively used by both healthy and unwell people, in different age, but most commonly refers to physically active people. Lots of widely available dietary supplements contain nutrients which regulate steroid hormones homeostasis. Elaboration of optimal diet is one of the agents determining well-being, health and success. In this paper, we review the current knowledge on the effect of dietary components on level of cortisol.