Zung Self-Rating Research Articles

Exploring the Association between Anxiety and Atrial Fibrillation using two Quantitative Psychometric Tools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Anxiety is widely prevalent, exhibiting higher rates among individuals with chronic health conditions, notably cardiovascular diseases such as atrial fibrillation (AF). Studies have shown interventions targeting anxiety can improve AF outcomes, while AF management can reduce anxiety levels. This study explores the association between AF and anxiety by comparing anxiety levels in AF populations with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: A systematic review adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) principles was conducted to identify relevant studies through medical databases and grey literature sources. Various psychometric tools, including the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were considered for assessing anxiety severity. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to analyse continuous variables, with the overall effect size quantified as the standardized mean difference (SMD). Results: 5 study samples (327 AF patients for STAI-State, 171 AF patients for STAI-Trait) and 3 study samples (209 AF patients) using Zung's SAS were included in the meta-analysis, along with 3 respective control samples. Compared to control groups, AF patients exhibited significantly higher scores for STAI-State (SMD 1.13; CI: 0.57-1.69, p<0.01, I²=81%), STAI-Trait (SMD 0.54; CI: 0.09-0.99, p=0.02, I²=67%), and Zung's SAS (SMD 1.85; CI: 1.58-2.13, p<0.01, I²=22%). Conclusions: AF patients demonstrated elevated levels of anxiety, as indicated by higher STAI and Zung's SAS scores compared to controls. These findings suggest an association between AF and anxiety. The study highlights the importance of addressing mental health disorders in AF patients and vice versa.

Diagnosis of Student’s Anxiety on Undergraduate Thesis Writing at Raden Wijaya State Buddhist College

This research aims to measure the level of anxiety and analyze the factors that cause student anxiety in writing their thesis. The research was conducted at the Raden Wijaya State Buddhist College, Wonogiri, Central Java using descriptive quantitative research. The sample for this research consisted of 55 students in semester VII of the 2023/2024 academic year. The instruments used were Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale and questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The research results show that students' anxiety level in writing their thesis is in the medium category with an average score of 40.8. Factors that cause student anxiety include: lack of understanding of research methodology, difficulty in finding references, fear of failure and disappointing parents, and worry about the thesis trial.

Does brain-derived neurotrophic factor play a role in the association between maternal prenatal mental health and neurodevelopment in 2-year-old children?

ObjectiveTo evaluate the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)—a crucial modulator of neural development and plasticity—in the association between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, and perceived stress and child neurodevelopment in a prospective cohort study. MethodsWe included 526 eligible mother-child pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort in the study. Maternal mental health was assessed at mid-pregnancy using Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. The concentration of BDNF in cord blood was measured by ELISA. The offspring neurodevelopment at 24 months of age was assessed using the Bayley Scales. Linear and non-linear regression models were used. ResultsThe average cord blood BDNF levels were higher in female newborns and those born via vaginal delivery, full term, and normal birth weight. Prenatal maternal anxiety (β = −0.32; 95 % CI: −0.55, −0.09), depression (β = −0.30; 95 % CI: −0.52, −0.08), and perceived stress (β = −0.41; 95 % CI: −0.71, −0.12) scores were negatively associated with social-emotional performance at 24 months of age. However, no significant associations were found between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, or perceived stress at mid-pregnancy and cord blood BDNF levels, as well as between cord blood BDNF levels and child neurodevelopment. LimitationsMaternal mental health at different timepoints during pregnancy and generalizability of the results warrant further assessment. ConclusionsPrenatal mental health was not associated with cord blood BDNF level and that BDNF may not be a mediator in the association between prenatal mental health and child neurodevelopment.

Шкалы самооценки депрессии у китайских подростков: анализ надежности

<p style="text-align: justify;">This paper reviews several studies on depressive tendencies among adolescents in some regions of China (Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province, Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province, rural Yueyang County in Hunan Province, inner-city Beijing, and suburban Beijing), and evaluates scientificity of research processes as well as the validity of several depression questionnaires, including the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II-C), the Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item Depression Screen (PHQ-2-C) of adolescents. It also examines the shortcomings of multiple depression questionnaires in assessing depression among teenagers in various regions, as well as the causes behind them, taking into consideration regional differences in economic and educational development. It was concluded that when used with adolescents across China, each of the depression scales produced good results, that the CES-D is more sensitive to gender differences in adolescent depression than the SDS and BDI-II-C.</p>

Standardized Treatment and Shortened Depression Course can Reduce Cognitive Impairment in Adolescents With Depression.

This study aimed to explore the influence of depression severity, disease course, treatment status, and other factors on cognitive function in adolescents with depressive disorders. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic data of each participant were recorded, including age, sex, and family history of mental disorders. Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess depression status in adolescents. Moreover, P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN) were used to objectively evaluate the participants' cognitive function. Only 26.8% of the adolescents with depression received standard antidepressant treatment. The latencies of N2 (267.80±23.34 ms), P3 (357.71±32.09 ms), and MMN (212.10±15.61 ms) in the adolescent depression group were longer than those in the healthy control group (p<0.01). Further analysis revealed that the latency of MMN was extended with increased levels of depression in adolescents. The MMN latency was short in participants with depression receiving standardized treatment. Furthermore, the latency of MMN was positively correlated with the severity and duration of depression (correlation coefficients were 0.465 and 0.479, respectively) (p<0.01). Receiving standardized treatment and shortening the course of depression can reduce cognitive impairment in adolescents with depression.

The effect of virtual reminiscence therapy on depression and anxiety in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

To determine the effect of virtual reminiscence therapy on depression and anxiety in patients with gastric cancer (PwGC) undergoing chemotherapy. In this quasi-experimental study, we randomly allocated 152 PwGC who met the inclusion criteria as 1:1 ratio to control (N = 76) and intervention (N = 76) groups. The patients in the control group received routine post-chemotherapy care, while those in the intervention group received reminiscence therapy over the phone in addition to routine care. The participants of both groups completed Beck's Depression Inventory and Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale before the study, 6 weeks after the beginning of the study, and 3 months after the intervention. Although the mean depression score before chemotherapy indicated moderate depression in both groups, the reminiscence therapy group showed a significant reduction in the depression score compared to the control group (P < 0.001) following intervention. The mean anxiety scores indicated mild to moderate anxiety in both groups, which was later placed within the normal range, there was a significant difference between the two groups. Intra-group comparison revealed that the mean depression and anxiety scores decreased significantly in the reminiscence therapy group (P < 0.001). This study indicated that virtual reminiscence therapy can decrease anxiety and depression in PwGC undergoing chemotherapy. Therefore, it can be a supportive psychological method for these patients.

Development and validation of non-invasive prediction models for migraine in Chinese adults

BackgroundMigraine is a common disabling neurological disorder with severe physical and psychological damage, but there is a lack of convenient and effective non-invasive early prediction methods. This study aimed to develop a new series of non-invasive prediction models for migraine with external validation.MethodsA total of 188 and 94 subjects were included in the training and validation sets, respectively. A standardized professional questionnaire was used to collect the subjects' 9-item traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) scores, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale scores. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk predictors of migraine, and a series of prediction models for migraine were developed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve were used to assess the discrimination and calibration of the models. The predictive performance of the models were further validated using external datasets and subgroup analyses were conducted.ResultsPSQI score and Qi-depression score were significantly and positively associated with the risk of migraine, with the area of the ROC curves (AUCs) predicting migraine of 0.83 (95% CI:0.77–0.89) and 0.76 (95% CI:0.68–0.84), respectively. Eight non-invasive predictive models for migraine containing one to eight variables were developed using logistic regression, with AUCs ranging from 0.83 (95% CI: 0.77–0.89) to 0.92 (95% CI: 0.89–0.96) for the training set and from 0.76 (95% CI: 0.66–0.85) to 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75–0.91) for the validation set. Subgroup analyses showed that the AUCs of the eight prediction models for predicting migraine in the training and validation sets of different gender and age subgroups ranged from 0.80 (95% CI: 0.63–0.97) to 0.95 (95% CI: 0.91–1.00) and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.64–0.84) to 0.93 (95% CI: 0.82–1.00), respectively.ConclusionsThis study developed and validated a series of convenient and novel non-invasive prediction models for migraine, which have good predictive ability for migraine in Chinese adults of different genders and ages. It is of great significance for the early prevention, screening, and diagnosis of migraine.

Factors influencing spiritual wellbeing among pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients receiving chemotherapy.

Spiritual wellbeing emphasizes optimistic and positive attitudes while self-regulating negative emotions when coping with stress. However, there have only been a few small studies of spiritual wellbeing of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients undergoing chemotherapy. The core factors influencing spiritual wellbeing in this clinical population are still unclear. To identify factors influencing spiritual wellbeing among patients with PDAC receiving chemotherapy. A total of 143 PDAC patients receiving chemotherapy were enrolled from January to December 2022. Patients completed general information questionnaires including: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being 12 Item Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were adopted for statistical analyses. P < 0.05 (two-tailed) was considered statistically significant for all tests. Total spiritual wellbeing (FACIT-Sp-12) score was 32.16 ± 10.06 points, while dimension sub-scores were 10.85 ± 3.76 for faith, 10.55 ± 3.42 for meaning, and 10.76 ± 4.00 for peace. Total spiritual wellbeing score was negatively correlated with SAS score for anxiety and with the symptom domain of EORTC QLC-C30. Conversely, spiritual wellbeing score was positively correlated with global health status and EORTC QLQ-C30 role functioning domain score. Multivariate regression analysis identified educational level, health insurance category, symptom domain, functional role domain, and global health status as significant independent factors influencing spiritual wellbeing among PDAC patients undergoing chemotherapy (R2 = 0.502, P < 0.05). Individualized spiritual support is needed for PDAC patients. Health, daily functioning, emotional, cognitive, and social function status should be taken into account to promote implementation of spirituality in nursing practice.

Associations between anxiety, depression with migraine, and migraine-related burdens.

Anxiety and depression are the most common psychiatric comorbidities in migraine, but their impact on the risk of developing migraine and their gender and age differences are unclear, and research on their associations with migraine-related burdens are limited. To systematically explore the association between anxiety and depression with migraine and migraine-related burdens, including the risk of developing migraine, as well as migraine frequency, severity, disability, headache impact, quality of life and sleep quality. A total of 170 migraineurs and 85 sex-and age-matched healthy control subjects were recruited consecutively for this study. Anxiety and depression were assessed using Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. Logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used to explore the associations between anxiety and depression with migraine and its burdens. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of SAS score and SDS score on migraine and its severe burdens. After adjusting for confounders, anxiety and depression remained significantly associated with an increased risk of developing migraine, with odds ratios of 5.186 (95% CI:1.755-15.322) and 3.147 (95% CI:1.387-7.141), respectively. Meanwhile, there were significant additive interactions between the association of anxiety and depression with the risk of developing migraine in gender and age (P for interaction <0.05), and the stronger correlations were found in participants with an age ≤ 36 years old and females. In addition, anxiety and depression were significantly independently associated with the migraine frequency, severity, disability, headache impact, quality of life, and sleep quality in migraine patients (P trend <0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of SAS score in predicting developing migraine was significantly higher than that of SDS score [0.749 (95% CI: 0.691-0.801) vs. 0.633 (95% CI: 0.571-0.692), p < 0.0001]. Anxiety and depression were significantly independently associated with the increased risk of migraine and migraine-related burdens. Enhanced assessment of SAS score and SDS score is of great clinical value for the early prevention and treatment of migraine and its burdens.

Analysis of mental health status before and after psychological intervention in response to public health emergencies by medical students: a prospective single-arm clinical trial.

Many human mobility restrictions have been adopted during the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Here we explored the effects of psychological interventions on the mental health status of medical students under the regular prevention and control of the pandemic. By voluntarily participating in interest groups, 121 third-year medical undergraduate students in a university in Jiangsu Province underwent psychological interventions for 1 year. Their mental status was assessed by using Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Somatic Self-rating Scale (SSS) before and after the interventions. Psychological coping styles were compared by using the trait coping style questionnaire (TCSQ). Each assessment scale is evaluated every 3 months, with the first survey results as the baseline data and compared with the last results. The resulting data was passed by SPSS 23 0 for normal testing and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). During the regular response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms was 25.62% vs. 7.44%, 28.93% vs. 18.18%, and 21.49% vs. 9.92%, respectively, before and after psychological interventions (all P<0.05). The positive (31.73±4.26 vs. 38.26±3.72) and negative (27.69±3.19 vs. 20.73±2.8) coping styles significantly differed before and after intervention (both P<0.05). Varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms can occur in medical students during the regular response to COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the impact of public health emergencies on college students. Interest group-based psychological intervention, along with individual mental health counseling, can positively promote the mental health of college students and effectively improve their anxiety.

A bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among college students: A cross-lagged panel model.

Smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with adverse consequences, especially for freshmen. Evidence indicates that SA is associated with depression, and it is necessary to conduct a longitudinal study to explore the association further. SA (measured by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version) and depression (measured by the Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale) among 1,186 freshmen were surveyed at baseline and a respective 12-month follow-up for each participant. The application of a cross-lagged panel model approach (CLPM) revealed an association between SA and depression after adjusting for demographic variables. The CLPM results showed a significant path from baseline SA to follow-up depression (β = 0.08, P < 0.001) and a significant path from baseline depression to follow-up SA (β = 0.08, P < 0.001). Compared with the overall cross-lagged model, the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline SA to follow-up depression increased in the female group (β = 0.10, P = 0.015), and the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline depression to follow-up SA also increased significantly (β = 0.15, P < 0.001). In contrast, the cross-lagged model in the male group showed no predictive effect between SA and depression (P > 0.05). The current study showed a significant bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among freshmen, but only in the female population.

Exploring the Associations between Happiness, Life-satisfaction, Anxiety, and Emotional Regulation among Adults during the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Russia.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a world health crisis, but also an ordeal for people's mental health and psychological well-being. The period of the COVID-19 lockdown has changed everyday life and increased anxiety, fears, and stress from habitual activities such as meetings, shopping, and the use of public transport. As the worry and nervousness increase, they threaten the cognitive (Life-satisfaction) and emotional (Happiness) components of well-being. Emotional regulation strategies are a mechanism to cope with the threat. This study assessed the impact of anxiety, perceived stress from COVID-19, and emotional regulation strategies on well-being during the first weeks of the lockdown in Russia. Questionnaire-based surveys were conducted online from March 31 to April 30, 2020. A total of 589 participants (18 to 73 years of age) were recruited. The Subjective Happiness Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Perceived Source of Stress from COVID-19 scales were used. Among the various sources of stress, only that from restrictions on everyday life impacted well-being. High anxiety, but not perceived stress, decreased the feelings of Happiness and Life-satisfaction. Additionally, emotional regulation strategies played different roles in their impact on well-being: Cognitive reappraisal lowered negative emotions, but emotional suppression increased dissatisfaction with life. These findings suggest that people's effective and relevant regulation of their emotions during public health emergencies and ability to avoid losses caused by crisis events, have become urgent needs, requiring the development of psychological interventions to support well-being.

Effects of health coaching on menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women.

This study aimed to determine the effects of health coaching on reducing menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women. This randomized controlled study was performed on 94 postmenopausal and perimenopausal women aged 45 to 55 years. The participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, health coaching was performed in five coaching sessions biweekly (30-45 minutes each) by a midwifery coach. The primary outcome of this study was the menopausal score based on the modified Kupperman Index at 4 months after randomization. Depression (based on Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale), physical activity (based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire), quality of life (based on the 12-Item Short-Form Survey), smoking, alcohol intake, and anthropometric indices were also evaluated as secondary outcomes. There was a significant mean difference between the coaching and control groups in terms of change in the scores of menopausal symptoms from baseline (T0) to 4 months after the intervention (T1; -12.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], -10.59 to -14.42; P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant mean difference was observed between the two groups in terms of change in depression symptoms from T0 to T1 (-5.72; 95% CI, -7.61 to -3.83; P < 0.001) and in terms of quality of life (4.13; 95% CI, 2.95 to 5.31; P < 0.001). Health coaching, however, had no effects on the physical activity of the participants. Based on the present results, the coaching intervention is a suitable method to improve quality of life by reducing weight, waist circumference, body mass index, depression, and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal and perimenopausal women. It can have important effects on the development of health promotion programs to reduce menopausal symptoms in menopause clinics.

Medical students' perceptions and performance in an online regional anatomy course during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The present study evaluated the students' psychological well-being, experiences, performance, and perception of learning regional anatomy remotely. A regional anatomy remote learning curriculum was designed and learning materials were delivered virtually to 120 undergraduate medical students at Jinan University, China. All the students consented and voluntarily participated in this study by completing self-administered online questionnaires including the Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales at the beginning and end of the learning session. A subset participated in focus group discussions. Most of the students (90.0%) positively evaluated the current distance learning model. More than 80% were satisfied with the content arrangement and coverage. Many students preferred virtual lectures (68.2%) and videos showing dissections (70.6%) during the distance learning sessions. However, writing laboratory reports and case-based learning were the least preferred modes of learning as they were only preferred by 23.2% and 14.1% of the students, respectively. There was no significant lockdown-related anxiety or depression reported by students using depression and anxiety scales as well as feedback from focus group discussions. The surveyed students' confidence scores in distance learning were significantly higher after 5 weeks than at the beginning of the session (3.05 ± 0.83 vs. 3.70 ± 0.71, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the present results showed no significant differences between the current group's academic performance in the unit tests as well as the final overall evaluation for different parts of the course compared to that of the previous year's cohort. The findings above were congruent with focus group discussion data that the use of the online teaching platform for regional anatomy significantly improved the students' confidence in virtual and self-directed learning and did not negatively affect their academic performance.

Sleep disturbance and anxiety symptom among public during the second wave of COVID-19 in Beijing: A web-based cross-sectional survey

PurposeThe global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has significantly impacted people's lives. This study aimed to examine the influence of the unexpected second wave of COVID-19 on sleep quality and anxiety of Chinese residents in Beijing in June 2020, compared with the initial outbreak at the beginning of 2020, and to investigate the associated factors. MethodsUsing a web-based cross-sectional survey, we collected data from 1,511 participants. assessed with demographic information, sleep quality and anxiety symptoms. The participants were asked to compare their recent sleep and sleep during the first outbreak. The Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used to assess their current insomnia severity. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between COVID-19 epidemic and risk of sleep disturbance and anxiety symptom. ResultsThe overall prevalence of sleep disturbance and anxiety symptoms were 50.8% and 15.3% respectively. People had significantly shorter sleep duration during the second wave of COVID-19(7.3 ± 1.3) h than the first outbreak (7.5 ± 1.4)h (p < 0.001). During the second outbreak, people were less concerned about infection and more concerned about financial stress and occupational inferference. Beijing residents did not have significant differences in sleep disturbance and anxiety compared with other regions, nor were occupations and nucleic acid testing associated risk factors. Home quarantine, health administrators, history of insomnia and anxiety-depression were significantly associated with sleep disturbance. Female gender, home quarantine, history of insomnia and anxiety-depression were significantly associated with anxiety. ConclusionHigh prevalence of sleep disturbance and depression symptom was common during the second wave of COVID-19 crisis in Beijing. Home quarantine and previous history of insomnia and anxiety-depressive risk factors were associated with sleep disturbance and anxiety. Female gender was impacting predictor of anxiety. We need continuous assessment of the sleep quality and anxiety symptoms of this epidemic.

Avoidant coping as mediator of the relationship between rumination and mental health among family caregivers of Chinese breast cancer patients.

Family caregivers of cancer patients were often referred to the 'forgotten patients', yet little researches have been conducted on their mental health. Rumination might put family caregivers at risk for psychological distress during the caregiving, such as stress and anxiety. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between rumination, stress and anxiety among family caregivers of breast cancer patients in China and examine the mediating role of avoidant coping in this relationship. Face-to-face questionnaire interviews were conducted with a sample of 99 caregivers from the public oncology hospital. They were assessed with stress, anxiety, rumination and avoidant coping by Chinese Perceived Stress Scale, Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Ruminative Responses Scale and Coping Strategy Indicator. Structural equation modelling was applied to assess the mediation analysis. The reporting scores of participants indicated the incidence of anxiety was 17.2%. Rumination could directly predict stress (β = 0.58, p < 0.01) and anxiety (β = 0.46, p < 0.01) and also predict stress and anxiety via the mediator of avoidant coping (stress: β = 0.087, p < 0.01; anxiety: β = 0.109, p < 0.01). The important role played by family caregivers in supporting breast cancer patients is well recognised. The findings suggested that rumination and avoidant coping may be two critical risk factors for family caregivers of breast cancer developing stress and anxiety. This study highlights the importance of preventing avoidant coping, which plays a critical role for developing interventions for this vulnerable group.

Depression and anxiety in Malaysian population during third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe outbreak of coronavirus posits deleterious consequences on global healthcare system while affecting human life in every aspect. Despite several measures undertaken to limit the socio-economic effect of coronavirus, various challenges remain pervasive, and one such challenge is mental health, particularly depression and anxiety. Therefore, this study examines the prevalence and determinants of depression and anxiety in Malaysian population during third wave of COVID-19. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was carried out via social media platforms and 1544 Malaysians were selected. The level of depression was assessed by Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ-9) and scored accordingly for categorization. Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used as a self-assessment survey to quantify the level of anxiety of persons experiencing anxiety-related symptoms. Percentage distribution and logistic regression analysis were used in the data analysis. ResultsResults showed that one-fourth (25.1%) of the participants had severe depressive symptoms. Almost one-sixth (18.7%) had mild depressive symptoms and one-third (34.1%) had mild to moderate anxiety symptoms. Age, gender, and friends infected with virus were the three important predictors of depression and anxiety. The odds of having depression (OR = 1.44; C·I. = 1.32–1.62) and anxiety (OR = 1.36; C·I. = 1.27–1.47) were significantly higher among females than in males. ConclusionA significant proportion of the study participants were facing mild to severe depression and anxiety symptoms which is very alarming as the pandemic is still now increasing across the country. Immediate interventions including community counselling programmes, TV and social media campaigns are urgently needed to reduce the psychological stress among the Malaysian population.

Family caregivers of rare disease: A survey on health-related quality of life in family caregivers for Gaucher disease patients in China.

BackgroundRare diseases affect the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients and their family caregivers (FCs). However, limited evidence is available on the HRQoL of FCs of patients with Gaucher disease (GD). This study aimed to assess HRQoL and related factors among FCs of patients with GD in China.MethodsA cross‐sectional online survey was conducted with 49 FCs recruited by convenience sampling. Participants completed the Medical Outcome Study Short Form‐36 (SF‐36), Zung's Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale, Zung's Self‐Rating Depression Scale, the Multi‐dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Herth Hope Index, and a questionnaire about FCs’ and patients’ sociodemographic characteristics. Single‐sample t tests, one‐way analysis of variance, and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data analysis.ResultsParticipating FCs had significantly lower scores in all eight SF‐36 domains compared with the general population in China (p < 0.01). FCs’ gender, education, daily care time, anxiety, and the perceived disease severity of patients were significant predictors of SF‐36 physical component summary scores. Caregiving help from others, anxiety, perceived disease severity, and medical insurance type were significant predictors of SF‐36 mental component summary scores.ConclusionThe findings showed FCs of patients with GD had lower HRQoL. There is an urgent need to address the health concerns of FCs of people with rare diseases including their HRQoL.

Psychological Status of Clinical Laboratory Staff During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

In early December 2019, during the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first detected in Wuhan, COVID-19 was suspected, detected, and confirmed in an increasing number of patients every day. The clinical laboratory staff have always played an important role in the laboratory diagnosis of patients. Currently, there are many research studies on the mental health of the first-line doctors or nurses managing the COVID-19 outbreak, both domestically and overseas, but data of the mental health and associated factors among the clinical laboratory staff who handle the blood or biological samples of confirmed cases and are consequently exposed to COVID-19 are limited. This cross-sectional survey-based study was performed via an online survey in a single designated hospital from April 20 to April 23, 2020 in Yiwu,China. The online survey included questions on sociodemographic and clinical variables. Totally, 45 clinical laboratory staff and 20 nonmedical health workers participated. Mental health variables were assessed via 4 Chinese versions of validated measurement tools : Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Significant differences were observed in the SDS and SAS scores, between the clinical laboratory staff and the nonmedical health workers (P < .001, P < .003, respectively). The scores for exposure risk and neuroticism of participants were the main factors influencing both the SDS scores of the clinical laboratory staff (P = .002, P = .005, respectively), and also their SAS scores (P = .003 P = .006, respectively). The results showed that a significant proportion of clinical laboratory staff experienced anxiety and depression symptoms. Their scores for mental health problems, exposure risk, and neuroticism were associated with severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Therefore, the high-risk group of the clinical laboratory staff and those individuals with higher neuroticism scores may need special attention.

Enabling cross-cultural data pooling in trials: linguistic validation of head and neck cancer measures for Indian patients

Head and neck cancers (HNC) and their treatments cause dysfunction and distress. Ongoing psychological assessment using disease-specific patient-reported measures may optimize clinical decision-making, facilitate interventions to reduce psychosocial burden. As most such measures are developed in English, non-English speaking patients are disadvantaged. This study translated HNC-specific measures (Body Image Scale, Patient Concerns Inventory, Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales and Patient Health Questionnaire-9) into three Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil and Telugu) and linguistically validated them. Translation followed established guidelines on translation and linguistic validation of measures. Process involved two independent forward translations, reconciliation, two independent backward translations by bilingual experts, and cognitive debriefing interviews with nine healthcare professionals (HCPs) and 29 HNC patients. Translated versions were compared with the original versions for semantic, cultural and conceptual equivalence. Overall, 17 Hindi items, 19 Tamil items and 13 Telugu items were identified to have semantic, cultural and/or conceptual issues. These were resolved to achieve equivalence with the original measures. Interviews with HCPs indicated that equivalent terms for words such as anxiety, panicky, sexuality, and self-conscious might be difficult to understand. Interviews with patients indicated all items were understandable, easy, sensitive, unambiguous and relevant. Hence, no further revisions were made. The translated Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions of the Body image scale, Patient concerns inventory, Zung's self-rating anxiety and depression scales and Patient health questionnaire-9 measures are conceptually and linguistically validated and equivalent with the original English versions. Psychometric validation of these measures with relevant patient populations is needed.