-
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance Jun 2024Suicide is a significant public health issue. Many risk prediction tools have been developed to estimate an individual's risk of suicide. Risk prediction models can go...
BACKGROUND
Suicide is a significant public health issue. Many risk prediction tools have been developed to estimate an individual's risk of suicide. Risk prediction models can go beyond individual risk assessment; one important application of risk prediction models is population health planning. Suicide is a result of the interaction among the risk and protective factors at the individual, health care system, and community levels. Thus, policy and decision makers can play an important role in suicide prevention. However, few prediction models for the population risk of suicide have been developed.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to develop and validate prediction models for the population risk of suicide using health administrative data, considering individual-, health system-, and community-level predictors.
METHODS
We used a case-control study design to develop sex-specific risk prediction models for suicide, using the health administrative data in Quebec, Canada. The training data included all suicide cases (n=8899) that occurred from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2010. The control group was a 1% random sample of living individuals in each year between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2010 (n=645,590). Logistic regression was used to develop the prediction models based on individual-, health care system-, and community-level predictors. The developed model was converted into synthetic estimation models, which concerted the individual-level predictors into community-level predictors. The synthetic estimation models were directly applied to the validation data from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2019. We assessed the performance of the synthetic estimation models with four indicators: the agreement between predicted and observed proportions of suicide, mean average error, root mean square error, and the proportion of correctly identified high-risk regions.
RESULTS
The sex-specific models based on individual data had good discrimination (male model: C=0.79; female model: C=0.85) and calibration (Brier score for male model 0.01; Brier score for female model 0.005). With the regression-based synthetic models applied in the validation data, the absolute differences between the synthetic risk estimates and observed suicide risk ranged from 0% to 0.001%. The root mean square errors were under 0.2. The synthetic estimation model for males correctly predicted 4 of 5 high-risk regions in 8 years, and the model for females correctly predicted 4 of 5 high-risk regions in 5 years.
CONCLUSIONS
Using linked health administrative databases, this study demonstrated the feasibility and the validity of developing prediction models for the population risk of suicide, incorporating individual-, health system-, and community-level variables. Synthetic estimation models built on routinely collected health administrative data can accurately predict the population risk of suicide. This effort can be enhanced by timely access to other critical information at the population level.
Topics: Humans; Quebec; Male; Suicide; Female; Case-Control Studies; Adult; Risk Assessment; Middle Aged; Aged; Adolescent; Young Adult; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38941610
DOI: 10.2196/52773 -
Psychological Research Jun 2024Previous research has suggested that math anxiety may contribute to poor math performance by interfering with working memory. However, only a limited number of studies...
Previous research has suggested that math anxiety may contribute to poor math performance by interfering with working memory. However, only a limited number of studies investigated the mediating role of working memory in the math anxiety-math performance link in school-aged children. Unlike math anxiety, ego-resiliency is a personality resource that promotes the management of challenges and has been positively associated with math performance and negatively with anxiety. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding regarding the specific role of ego-resiliency in math learning and how it relates to math anxiety. This study aimed to investigate conjunctly the interplay between primary school children's ego-resiliency, math anxiety, working memory, and performance on two different math tasks (i.e., arithmetic task and word problem-solving task), after controlling for general anxiety and age. The study involved 185 Italian children from grades 3 to 5. Serial multi-mediational analyses revealed that: (1) ego-resiliency has a positive indirect effect on math achievement through two paths - math anxiety, and math anxiety and working memory; (2) the study replicated previous findings showing that working memory partially mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; (3) similar patterns of results were found for both math skills. The study identifies ego-resiliency as a possible protective factor in the development of math anxiety and suggests that ego-resiliency could be worth considering when designing interventions aimed at reducing negative emotions towards mathematics.
PubMed: 38940822
DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01995-0 -
Nutrition Bulletin Jun 2024The prevalence of mental health issues among UK undergraduate students is growing, and poor diet quality appears to be a risk factor for poor mental health although with...
The prevalence of mental health issues among UK undergraduate students is growing, and poor diet quality appears to be a risk factor for poor mental health although with limited research in this area. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between diet quality and common mental disorders (CMD) such as depression and anxiety in UK undergraduate students. A cross-sectional survey consisting of demographic information and validated questionnaires (the Short-Form Food Frequency Questionnaire [SFFFQ] and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) was conducted to measure diet quality and anxiety and depression in young adults in 44 UK-based universities. Multiple regression analysis adjusting for confounding factors was used to assess the associations between them. Undergraduate university students (n = 202, 67% female) with a mean age of 20.9 ± 3.6 years and a mean body mass index (n = 170) of 22.6 ± 3.2 kg/m took part in the study. Prevalence of anxiety was high, with 40% of the sample having an anxiety score in the severe range (≥12 points) while the prevalence of depression was lower, with 6% of the population having a depression score in the severe range (≥12 points). Diet quality was significantly higher for females than males (p = 0.034) and was poor for 38% of the sample, being more common in males compared to females, although not significantly so (43% and 36%, respectively). Diet quality was inversely associated with anxiety (β = -0.427; p = 0.029) and was more likely to be associated with anxiety in females than males (β = 0.743; p = 0.043). No significant relationship between diet quality and depression was found. Better self-reported health, father's qualification and smoking status were also associated with less anxiety and depression. This research supports other research suggesting that UK universities should explore whether the implementation of dietary interventions and improving the food environment would be a cost-effective option to reduce the high prevalence of anxiety among students.
PubMed: 38940391
DOI: 10.1111/nbu.12694 -
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 2024Elite and recreational climbers may be at risk for disordered eating, low energy availability (LEA), and increased injury as a result. Social media use among athlete and...
INTRODUCTION
Elite and recreational climbers may be at risk for disordered eating, low energy availability (LEA), and increased injury as a result. Social media use among athlete and non-athletes can lead to body image disturbances resulting in unhealthy weight loss practices exacerbating LEA and injury risk. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine relationships between social comparative behaviors on social media, body type ideals and outcomes, and health behaviors among adult recreational climbers.
METHODS
Participants ( = 324) were adult recreational climbers from the U.S. (29.30 ± 9.99 years old and 50% female). Participants answered a 66-item questionnaire comprised of demographics, climbing characteristics, social media behaviors, body type ideals, training and nutrition-seeking behaviors, and weight and food tracking behaviors.
RESULTS
Most participants (78.7%) indicated strength-to-weight ratio was important for climbing performance. Many participants perceived they could perform better at rock climbing if their body proportions were different (59.3%). These body type ideals were found to be significant predictors of performing weight loss and food-tracking behaviors (all < 0.001). Higher amounts of social comparative behaviors on social media and social physique anxiety independently and significantly predicted attempting weight loss to improve climbing ability ( < 0.001 and = 0.001 respectively). Those who followed climbing influencers, used Instagram frequently for training and nutrition information, perceived they could perform better at rock climbing if their body proportions were different, or were female and college-aged had significantly higher mean social comparative behavior scores (all < 0.01).
DISCUSSION
This study expands on prior work with elite climbers by providing a possible explanation for how climbing-related body type ideals and certain social media behaviors can perpetuate negative body image and compensatory behaviors among a general climbing population. Because unhealthy weight management behaviors can lead to injury and health disturbances, broad education programming and social media campaigns should be developed to shift body ideals and nutrition behaviors among recreational climbers.
PubMed: 38939753
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1408209 -
Cureus May 2024Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection powerful enough to permit pleasurable sexual activity. There are four...
BACKGROUND
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection powerful enough to permit pleasurable sexual activity. There are four categories for ED grades. The illness may be influenced by vascular, neurological, psychological, and hormonal factors. Anxiety about performance and relationship issues are common psychological triggers.
AIM
This study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and awareness of ED and its management in the population of Saudi Arabia.
METHOD
This community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among adult Saudi males in all five regions of Saudi Arabia (Central, Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern). A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among participants using an online survey. The questionnaire includes sociodemographic data (i.e., age, region, marital status, education), medical history, and erectile function (International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5)) as a diagnostic tool for ED.
RESULTS
In total, 924 men took part. About 512 (55.4%) were aged between 18 and 25 years old, and nearly two-thirds (595, 64.4%) were single. The Internet was the most common source of ED information 495 (53.6%). Based on respondents' knowledge, the most common risk factor of ED was depression (561, 60.8%), while the most common treatment option was lifestyle modification (654, 70.8%). The prevalence of ED among adult Saudi men was 198 (21.4%). Independent risk factors for ED include having been married, being an employee, and previous operation of the perineum.
CONCLUSION
ED was common among the Saudi male population. ED was more prevalent among older men with associated chronic diseases and had elevated body mass index (BMI). Having been married, being an employee, and having a previous perineum operation were identified as the significant independent risk factors for ED. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the cause and effect of the recognized risk factors for ED among men.
PubMed: 38939275
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61233 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024Even simple tapping tasks require cognitive processes. Some variants of the Finger Tapping Test (FTT) may reveal cognitive aspects associated with frontal processing,...
INTRODUCTION
Even simple tapping tasks require cognitive processes. Some variants of the Finger Tapping Test (FTT) may reveal cognitive aspects associated with frontal processing, including executive functions such as inhibition, or emotional aspects such as anxiety. A context of particular interest for the application of cognitive-motor-anxiety interactions is sports. Although athletes generally exhibit better anxiety levels, they may experience heightened anxiety before important competitions. The problem lies in determining whether the application of anxiety control techniques can be useful in pre-competition situations, given the lack of quick and easy methods to detect if an athlete is experiencing anxiety at a particular moment.
METHODS
This exploratory study evaluated anxiety using online versions of questionnaires (ISRA, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, and STAI) and applied a variant of the FTT to 204 participants, both athletes and non-athletes. The scores were compared and correlated.
RESULTS
Athletes exhibited lower general anxiety and greater cognitive resistance to interference (better cognitive inhibition). Non-athletes displayed a particular parameter in the FTT variant that differed from the one obtained by athletes and exhibited higher anxiety levels. In the athletes' group only, anxiety was correlated with a specific parameter of the FTT task.
DISCUSSION
Our conclusion is that this parameter holds potential relevance in elite sports performance to detect if an athlete is experiencing anxiety. It could be of particular interest in psychological interventions in sports. Further investigation is warranted to fully explore this potential.
PubMed: 38939223
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1424152 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2024To explore the intervention effect of mindfulness training on athletes' performance using meta-analysis method.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the intervention effect of mindfulness training on athletes' performance using meta-analysis method.
METHODS
A total of 11 articles and 23 effect sizes were included through retrieval of Chinese and English databases, with a total sample size of 582.
RESULT
Mindfulness training improves the level of mindfulness [SMD =1.08, 95%CI (0.30, 1.86), < 0.01], fluency (The optimal competitive psychological state of the athlete, the athlete's attention is all focused on the task, and other things no longer attract their attention) [SMD =1.47, 95%CI (0.87, 2.08), < 0.001] and performance [SMD =0.92, 95% CI (0.40, 1.43), < 0.01], reduced psychological anxiety [SMD = -0.87, 95% CI (-1.54, -0.20), < 0.05], and all reached the level of large effect size.
CONCLUSION
The effect of mindfulness training on athletes' sports performance is effective, and it can be used as an effective psychological skill intervention method to improve athletes' sports performance. In the future, we should further expand the sample size, strengthen the comparative study of different sports and intervention modes, and pay attention to the difference between the time effect and trait mindfulness level in fluency state.
PubMed: 38939219
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1375608 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024Individuals with anxiety disorders (ADs) often display hypervigilance to threat information, although this response may be less pronounced following psychotherapy. This...
BACKGROUND
Individuals with anxiety disorders (ADs) often display hypervigilance to threat information, although this response may be less pronounced following psychotherapy. This study aims to investigate the unconscious recognition performance of facial expressions in patients with panic disorder (PD) post-treatment, shedding light on alterations in their emotional processing biases.
METHODS
Patients with PD (n=34) after (exposure-based) cognitive behavior therapy and healthy controls (n=43) performed a subliminal affective recognition task. Emotional facial expressions (fearful, happy, or mirrored) were displayed for 33 ms and backwardly masked by a neutral face. Participants completed a forced choice task to discriminate the briefly presented facial stimulus and an uncovered condition where only the neutral mask was shown. We conducted a secondary analysis to compare groups based on their four possible response types under the four stimulus conditions and examined the correlation of the false alarm rate for fear responses to non-fearful (happy, mirrored, and uncovered) stimuli with clinical anxiety symptoms.
RESULTS
The patient group showed a unique selection pattern in response to happy expressions, with significantly more correct "happy" responses compared to controls. Additionally, lower severity of anxiety symptoms after psychotherapy was associated with a decreased false fear response rate with non-threat presentations.
CONCLUSION
These data suggest that patients with PD exhibited a "happy-face recognition advantage" after psychotherapy. Less symptoms after treatment were related to a reduced fear bias. Thus, a differential facial emotion detection task could be a suitable tool to monitor response patterns and biases in individuals with ADs in the context of psychotherapy.
PubMed: 38938460
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1375751 -
MicroPublication Biology 2024A Continuous Performance Task is an example of a mental stressor which requires vigilance, attention, and effort. We hypothesized that a sympathetic nervous system...
A Continuous Performance Task is an example of a mental stressor which requires vigilance, attention, and effort. We hypothesized that a sympathetic nervous system response would be evident from a resting baseline period to this attention test, and explored if physiological measures were correlated to state and trait anxiety, perceived stress, mindfulness, and performance on the task. In 20 undergraduates, blood pressure and skin conductance increased due to the attention test but heart rate variability did not change. The physiological variables did not correlate to psychological variables; there was a trend of higher perceived stress correlating to lower foil accuracy rate ( = 0.09). ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06098352.
PubMed: 38938412
DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001059 -
Brain Research Jun 2024Drug addiction may result in sleep problems. Importantly, sleep deprivation (SD) is known as an important risk factor for relapse to drug abuse as SD mimics the effects...
Drug addiction may result in sleep problems. Importantly, sleep deprivation (SD) is known as an important risk factor for relapse to drug abuse as SD mimics the effects of psychostimulants on dopamine system of the brain. Moreover, aging may affect sleep and drug addiction. This study, therefore, set out to assess the effects of methamphetamine (METH) and REM sleep deprivation (RSD) on locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior and spatial memory in adult and adolescent rats. Adult and adolescent male Wistar rats received a neurotoxic METH regimen; four subcutaneous injections of 6 mg/kg, at 2 h intervals. Five days later, the animals underwent a 48-h RSD episode using the multiple platforms method. They were then examined using the open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM) and Y-maze tasks. We found that the METH and RSD paradigms showed synergistic effects to increase locomotion and risk-taking behavior in both adult and adolescent animals, while only adolescent rats revealed RSD-induced anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, adolescent animals revealed greater sensitization for vertical activity following METH plus RSD episode. In addition, METH and RSD paradigms revealed synergistic effects to impair spatial working memory, but neither METH nor RSD alone affected performance of animals in the Y-maze task. Our findings may indicate that there are important relationships between METH and RSD to induce hyperlocomotion, risk-taking behavior and spatial memory impairment, particularly in adolescent animals. Moreover, it seems that adolescent rats may be more susceptible to anxiety-like behavior and hyperlocomotion than adults.
PubMed: 38936532
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149096