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Child Abuse & Neglect Dec 2023Children who grow up in residential care are at high risk for mental health problems. Existing studies have focused on negative mental health indicators and risk...
BACKGROUND
Children who grow up in residential care are at high risk for mental health problems. Existing studies have focused on negative mental health indicators and risk factors. There has been less emphasis on identifying protective factors, particularly those associated with positive mental health outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores positive and negative dimensions of mental health and their links to risk and protective factors in children who have experienced early adversity and trauma and have been placed in residential care.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTINGS
Children aged 11 to 18 (N = 264) were recruited from residential care homes in Luxembourg, a small, high-income European country.
METHODS
The children completed self-report questionnaires on mental health, perceived stress, school pressure, and participation. Residential care workers provided information on demographic factors, developmental and care history, and pre-care experiences of early adversity and trauma.
RESULTS
Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that subjective well-being, internalising problems, and externalising problems are separate yet interconnected components of mental health. Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes models showed that individual, contextual, and psychosocial predictors contribute differentially to positive and negative mental health outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Using a national sample of children in residential care in Luxembourg, this research indicates that subjective well-being, internalising problems, and externalising problems are distinct but related aspects of mental health. 'Child participation' and 'school pressure' displayed strong links with positive mental health outcomes and may serve as a potential path for improving public health interventions for children in care.
Topics: Child; Humans; Mental Health; Luxembourg; Protective Factors; Child Behavior; Schools
PubMed: 37922618
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106522 -
Chirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) Feb 2024Surgery represents a challenging medical discipline. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Surgery represents a challenging medical discipline.
AIM
This article focuses on psychological stress in surgery and explains resilience as a protective factor against the consequences of psychological stress, based on selected literature references and own relevant clinical experiences. In this context, the sense of coherence, social support and self-efficacy expectation are discussed in more detail as resilience factors.
METHOD
Narrative review.
RESULTS (CORNER POINTS)
Surgery is classified as a challenging medical subspecialty with a high reputation but associated with diverse and varied physical and psychological stress factors. Stress factors differ individually in terms of requirements (can be overdemanding or underdemanding but also stimulating, relevant to learning and meaningful, thus positively or negatively stressful) and resources (potentially beneficial working conditions, experience, or behavior, e.g., social support, scope for action). Fluctuations within surgical specialties and a high dropout rate during residency training are well known and the causes include high psychological stress. In the case of persistent and at the same time insufficient compensation of work stress caused by a lack of or insufficient resources, these can be associated with mental illnesses. Nonetheless, many physicians spend their entire lives working in hospital or private surgical settings and remain healthy, a strong sense of resilience to mental illness may be fundamental to this. Resilience can be present as a personal characteristic or it can be learnt through a process or adapted through positive or negative influences, thus strengthening the personal characteristics. Overall, data on surgeon resilience or interventional studies in resilience research in the surgical setting are limited and provide another research gap. Resilience training (directed at a sense of coherence, social support, strengthening knowledge of coping skills, positive emotions, optimism, hope, self-efficacy expectations, control beliefs or robustness), also clearly indicated in the "robust" medical specialty of surgery, is always individual and should not be generalized. If the surgeon cannot retrieve sufficient resources due to the stressful situation, stress management with its methods is helpful to reduce the psychological stress and to be able to maintain the performance and health of this person.
CONCLUSION
The consolidation of resilience as a notable aspect of employee management. In collegial interactions, resilience must be based on workplace-based approaches to strengthen coping mechanisms in the face of work stress. Workplace-related stress should also be perceived, addressed and counteracted within the organization, certainly also as an elementary management task.
Topics: Humans; Resilience, Psychological; Stress, Psychological; Occupational Stress; Social Support; Physicians
PubMed: 37987763
DOI: 10.1007/s00104-023-01977-9 -
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 2023Although athletes seem to hold uniform views towards non-dopers, their perception of dopers is more nuanced, reflecting positive and negative attributes. Research also...
BACKGROUND
Although athletes seem to hold uniform views towards non-dopers, their perception of dopers is more nuanced, reflecting positive and negative attributes. Research also indicates that rarely a single factor can explain doping, but a host of reasons that intertwine. A holistic understanding of how values play a role in decisions in anti-doping and the elements that influence athletes' doping vulnerability is timely and warranted.
METHODS
We recruited elite athletes from 13 countries representing 27 sports at a national or international level ( = 60) to participate as part of a larger research project. Data were collected via focus group interviews focusing on values, value priorities and perceptions about the role of values in doping as a phenomenon and in dopers' actions. Data were analysed using iterative thematic analysis.
RESULTS
Three themes were identified: (1) athletes' personal stance on doping, (2) dopers in the eyes of the anti-doping-compliant athletes, and (3) doping vulnerability is a balance. Athletes in this study strongly opposed doping but showed empathy and understanding toward athletes who doped under certain circumstances. Furthermore, athletes believed that "clean" and "doping" athletes are not always distinguished by the values they hold, leading to the realisation that all athletes can be vulnerable to doping at some point. This vulnerability is a balance between risks and protective factors in a complex interaction between environmental, personal, and situational influences. Each element (e.g., values, environment) can be a motivator or a barrier. Consequently, doping vulnerability is highly idiosyncratic and dynamic.
CONCLUSION
If doping is not due to a lack of moral values but the consequences of combined risk factors that override the guiding function of values, then doping can happen to anyone, "good" athletes included. Developers and facilitators of anti-doping education programmes are advised to embrace this important aspect. The results also contribute to developing the doping vulnerability concept as a balance between risks and protective factors and draw attention to the clean athlete vulnerability, which is rooted in the combination of strategic performance enhancement via non-prohibited means, their exposure to anti-doping requirements and the constant high level of suspicion that surrounds them.
PubMed: 38162700
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1229679 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Oct 2023Exploring the relationship between intake of probiotics and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis.
OBJECTIVES
Exploring the relationship between intake of probiotics and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis.
METHODS
Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, dietary supplement labels were examined to identify products containing probiotics and prebiotics. Statistical methods were used to analyze the factors influencing the prevalence of allergic rhinitis, and further stratified analysis was conducted to control for confounding factors.
RESULTS
The proportion of individuals not consuming probiotics was significantly higher in the allergic rhinitis (AR) group than in those consuming them, suggesting a correlation between probiotics and AR. In the male subgroup with probiotic intake, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 0.28 (0.10-0.75), = .02, indicating that probiotic intake was a protective factor for AR in the male population. In the probiotic-intake group, the odds ratio for age < 65 was 0.26 (0.07-0.94), = .04, and for age ≥ 80 was less than 1 with < .0001, suggesting that probiotic intake was a protective factor for AR in age < 65 and age ≥ 80 populations, both with statistical significance.
CONCLUSION
Intake of probiotics is associated with a reduced prevalence of allergic rhinitis, particularly in the male population and individuals aged <65 years and ≥ 80 years.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level 4.
PubMed: 37899852
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.1158 -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia Dec 2023Central Illustration : Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection in Patients Undergoing Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Risk factors for surgical site infection in patients...
BACKGROUND
Central Illustration : Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection in Patients Undergoing Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Risk factors for surgical site infection in patients undergoing pediatric cardiac surgery.
BACKGROUND
Surgical site infection is an important complication after pediatric cardiac surgery, associated with increased morbidity and mortality.
OBJECTIVES
We sought to identify risk factors for surgical site infection after pediatric cardiac surgeries.
METHODS
A case-control study included patients aged between 1 year and 19 years and 11 months of age, submitted to cardiac surgery performed at a tertiary cardiac center from January 1 st , 2011, through December 31, 2018. Charts were reviewed for pre-, intra, and postoperative variables. We identified two randomly selected control patients with the same pathophysiological diagnosis and underwent surgery within thirty days of each index case. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05.
RESULTS
Sixty-six cases and 123 controls were included. Surgical site infection incidence ranged from 2% to 3.8%. The following risk factors were identified: Infant age (OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.26 to 8.66, p=0.014), presence of genetic syndrome (OR 6.20, CI 95% 1.70 to 21.65, p=0.004), categories 3 and 4 of RACHS-1 (OR 8.40, CI 95% 3.30 to 21.34, p<0.001), 48 h C-reactive protein level range was detected as a protective factor for this infection (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.98, p=0.023).
CONCLUSIONS
The risk factors defined in this study could not be modified. Therefore, additional surveillance and new preventive strategies need to be implemented to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection. The increased CRP in the postoperative period was a protective factor that needs further understanding.
Topics: Infant; Humans; Child; Surgical Wound Infection; Case-Control Studies; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Risk Factors; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 38126444
DOI: 10.36660/abc.20220592 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2023Work-family conflict is a prominent issue, especially in our society, where people are expected to fulfil many roles simultaneously. Work and family life demands... (Review)
Review
Work-family conflict is a prominent issue, especially in our society, where people are expected to fulfil many roles simultaneously. Work and family life demands significantly impact an individual's overall well-being, especially for women, since they typically balance caregiving for children and elderly relatives with careers. Therefore, highlighting which factors might protect women from experiencing work-family conflict is essential to enhance women's and their family's well-being. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to systematically review previous research on women's coping strategies and protective factors which can reduce the negative effects of work-family conflict. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a literature search of three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus). After the screening and the eligibility phases, we included a final set of 13 studies. Most of these studies adopted a cross-sectional design (N = 10), and a few adopted a longitudinal one (N = 3). Results highlighted the role of different personal (e.g., hardiness, self-esteem, locus of control) and relational factors (e.g., family and work support) that significantly reduce the negative effects of work-family conflict in women's lives. Findings, practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Female; Aged; Family Conflict; Protective Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies; Adaptation, Psychological; Family Relations
PubMed: 37947550
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20216992 -
Scandinavian Journal of Pain Jul 2023The field of pain psychology has taken significant steps forward during the last decades and the way we think about how to treat chronic pain has radically shifted from...
OBJECTIVES
The field of pain psychology has taken significant steps forward during the last decades and the way we think about how to treat chronic pain has radically shifted from a biomedical perspective to a biopsychosocial model. This change in perspective has led to a surge of accumulating research showing the importance of psychological factors as determinants for debilitating pain. Vulnerability factors, such as pain-related fear, pain catastrophizing and escape/avoidant behaviours may increase the risk of disability. As a result, psychological treatment that has emerged from this line of thinking has mainly focused on preventing and decreasing the adverse impact of chronic pain by reducing these negative vulnerability factors. Recently, another shift in thinking has emerged due to the field of positive psychology, which aims to have a more complete and balanced scientific understanding of the human experience, by abandoning the exclusive focus on vulnerability factors towards including protective factors.
METHODS
The authors have summarised and reflected on the current state-of-the-art of pain psychology from a positive psychology perspective.
RESULTS
Optimism is an important factor that may in fact buffer and protect against pain chronicity and disability. Resulting treatment approaches from a positive psychology perspective are aimed at increasing protective factors, such as optimism, to increase resilience towards the negative effects of pain.
CONCLUSIONS
We propose that the way forward in pain research and treatment is the inclusion of both and . Both have unique roles in modulating the experience of pain, a finding that had been neglected for too long. Positive thinking and pursuing valued goals can make one's life gratifying and fulfilling, despite experiencing chronic pain.
Topics: Humans; Chronic Pain; Optimism; Catastrophization; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 36803855
DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2022-0129 -
PloS One 2023Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of experiencing work-related stress, burnout syndrome, and depression, especially during infectious disease outbreaks like...
BACKGROUND
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of experiencing work-related stress, burnout syndrome, and depression, especially during infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19. Contributing factors include increased workload, lack of personal protective equipment, and inadequate support from the healthcare administration. Longitudinal studies have shown that the mental health status of HCWs has deteriorated over time. Social support and compassion satisfaction (CS) are protective factors that can mitigate adverse mental health effects. The present longitudinal study examined the mental health status of HCWs during the COVID-19 outbreak and aimed to identify potential predictors and protective factors.
METHODS
The study comprised 386 healthcare workers in Hungary and was conducted in two waves (T1 and T2) from January 2021 to January 2022. Participants completed an online survey including the Professional Quality of Life Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, demographic and work-related background factors. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, and a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM).
RESULTS
Frontline HCWs had higher levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS) and emotional exhaustion (EE) than non-frontline healthcare workers. Both groups experienced significant increases in these measures between T1 and T2. The CLPM indicated that EE had a significant lagged effect on STS among frontline workers, while STS had a significant lagged effect on EE among non-frontline workers. CS had a significant protective effect on both STS and EE in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that CS protects EE and STS, particularly among frontline HCWs. The study also showed that different causative relationships exist between these factors among frontline and non-frontline HCWs, which underlines the possible cyclical relationship between the two depending on the circumstances. The results provide insights into the protective role of positive work experiences and the importance of considering the needs of both frontline and non-frontline HCWs in preventive intervention programs.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Emotional Exhaustion; Protective Factors; Longitudinal Studies; Pandemics; Quality of Life; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Health Personnel; Burnout, Professional
PubMed: 38100495
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291650 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of sexual function throughout pregnancy and highlight the predicting factors of sexual dysfunction in pregnant women....
The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of sexual function throughout pregnancy and highlight the predicting factors of sexual dysfunction in pregnant women. Our study included 144 participants, aged 16 to 45. Patients were evaluated three times during pregnancy by filling out the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Body Exposure in Sexual Activities Questionnaire (BESAQ). At the time of the last evaluation, we asked patients to also fill out Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and a questionnaire regarding their psychological status and relationship satisfaction. We observed that the FSFI lubrication, satisfaction, and pain domains and the FSFI total score significantly decreased from the 1st to the 3rd evaluation. We observed that an increase in BDI score and the presence of abortion in the patient's history increase the risk of developing female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Higher BMIs were found to be a protective factor against FSD, as was being unmarried. The relationship satisfaction score was found to be an independent predictor of FSD. These findings support previous studies that indicate that pregnancy and postpartum sexuality are multifaceted phenomena and that psycho-social factors have a greater impact on sexuality than biological factors.
PubMed: 37444748
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131914 -
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Mar 2024The Nordic welfare model is often used as an example for the promotion of health and wellbeing, even in vulnerable groups of children, such as refugees. Nonetheless,... (Review)
Review
The Nordic welfare model is often used as an example for the promotion of health and wellbeing, even in vulnerable groups of children, such as refugees. Nonetheless, there are no published reviews on resilience and/or risk and protective factors for physical and mental health among refugee children living in Nordic countries. In this systematic review, we identified 5181 studies on the topic, screened titles, and abstracts, viewed 632, and finally included 26 studies. These studies described 18 samples with a total of 34,080 individuals ranging in ages 0-18 years. Overall, the studies were of good quality. Nearly all studies assessed adversity. Six studies reported physical health outcomes and all studies mental health outcomes, most often post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. None explicitly studied resilience. While we found that age and sex are the most frequently studied risk- and protective factors, findings are inconclusive, since the direction of the associations was different in the different studies. This systematic review indicates that there is still a need for well-designed and -powered studies using clear definitions of key study concepts to examine health outcomes and resilience among refugee children in Nordic countries.
Topics: Child; Humans; Resilience, Psychological; Refugees; Protective Factors; Mental Health; Scandinavian and Nordic Countries
PubMed: 35445318
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-01975-y