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Journal of Interpersonal Violence Jun 2024A quarter of women and 11% of men report being survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetimes in the United States. Despite being victims...
A quarter of women and 11% of men report being survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetimes in the United States. Despite being victims themselves, people who kill their IPV abuser can still be subject to criminal proceedings. Given this complexity, the law has employed battered spouse syndrome (BSS) as a tool used in some jurisdictions to support a claim that an IPV survivor killed in self-defense. A defendant who is attempting to claim self-defense using BSS may introduce testimony of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, a diagnosis of PTSD can pose problems in admission during litigation as the occurrence of a traumatic event is often what is being decided. The present study examined how college students, living on the U.S.-México border, perceive survivors-turned-defendants in a BSS mock trial. Specifically, we had each participant read a written trial transcript of a mock trial where gender of the defendant and clinical diagnosis of PTSD were manipulated. The current study hypothesized that jurors would be more lenient toward female defendants than male defendants (), jurors would be influenced by a PTSD diagnosis of the defendant (), and female jurors would be more lenient than male jurors (). We also wanted to examine the impact of victim blaming, sexism, stigma of PTSD, and prior exposure to IPV on decision-making (. Findings showed jurors were more lenient with female defendants than male defendants, however there was no effect of clinical diagnosis except on difficulty of decision. Implications of the role defendant gender has in decision-making is discussed.
PubMed: 38907659
DOI: 10.1177/08862605241257594 -
Critical Reviews in Oncology/hematology Jun 2024Genitourinary cancers (GUCs) encompass malignancies affecting the urinary and reproductive systems, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC), urothelial carcinoma (UC), and... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Genitourinary cancers (GUCs) encompass malignancies affecting the urinary and reproductive systems, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC), urothelial carcinoma (UC), and prostate cancer (PC). With the rapidly evolving therapeutic domain of these cancers, cutaneous adverse events (AEs) remain among the most observed toxicities.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the dermatologic AEs linked to novel GUC treatments, their underlying pathophysiology, clinical presentations, and risk factors.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A narrative review of the literature from PubMed and Embase databases was conducted. The search strategy included dermatologic/cutaneous adverse events, risk factors, and pathophysiology in conjunction with the following classes of therapies; immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), antiangiogenic therapies, enfortumab vedotin (EV), erdafitinib, and androgen receptor antagonists (ARAs).
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
Maculopapular rash, pruritus, and alopecia are present among the five classes of therapies. ICIs demonstrate the highest incidence of severe drug AEs including Steven Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis. Unique cutaneous AEs present with specific therapies including hand-foot skin reaction and subungual splinter hemorrhage with antiangiogenic drugs, stomatitis/mucositis and onycholysis with erdafitinib. Incidence and type of cutaneous AE also differed within therapies in the same class as seen with apalutamide displaying the highest risk of cutaneous AEs within ARAs. Risk factors for development of cutaneous AEs can be general to therapies, or specific, and include age, immune status, BMI, and gender.
CONCLUSIONS
Dermatologic AEs may impact patients' quality of life and increase the tendency to dose reduce, hold or discontinue life-saving therapies, underscoring the need for vigilant monitoring, early recognition, and collaborative management between medical oncologists, pharmacists, dermatologists and other specialists.
PubMed: 38906514
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104420 -
Circulation. Heart Failure Jun 2024Caring for someone with heart failure takes an emotional and physical toll. Engaging in self-care may decrease stress and improve the health of informal caregivers. We...
BACKGROUND
Caring for someone with heart failure takes an emotional and physical toll. Engaging in self-care may decrease stress and improve the health of informal caregivers. We conducted a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a virtual health coaching intervention, compared with health information alone, on the self-care, stress, coping, and health status of heart failure caregivers.
METHODS
We enrolled 250 caregivers providing care at least 8 hours/week, reporting poor self-care, and able to use technology. All received a tablet device programmed with websites providing vetted information on heart failure and caregiving. Half were randomized to also receive 10 synchronous support sessions virtually with a health coach over 6 months. Data on self-care, stress, coping, and health status were collected at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the interaction between time and treatment group.
RESULTS
The sample was majority female (85.2%), White (62.2%), spouses (59.8%), and aged 55±13.6 years. Many were employed full time (41.8%). They had been caring for the patient 8 hours/day for a median of 3.25 years. In the intention-to-treat analysis, caregivers who received the health coach intervention had statistically and clinically greater improvement across 6 months compared with the control group in the primary outcome of self-care maintenance (5.05±1.99; =0.01) and stress (-4.50±1.00; <0.0001). Self-care neglect declined significantly (-0.65±0.32; =0.04), but the difference between the treatment arms disappeared when the results were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Mental health status improved statistically but not clinically (3.35±1.61; =0.04). Active coping improved in both groups but not significantly more in the intervention group (=0.10). Physical health status was unchanged (=0.27).
CONCLUSIONS
This virtual health coaching intervention was effective in improving self-care and stress in heart failure caregivers.
PubMed: 38904103
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.123.011475 -
Nordisk Alkohol- & Narkotikatidskrift :... Jun 2024Research has shown that a family member's problematic substance use has significant deleterious mental and physical health impacts on other members of the family. Women...
Research has shown that a family member's problematic substance use has significant deleterious mental and physical health impacts on other members of the family. Women are more often affected than men. These negative health effects persist as the person with problematic substance use ages, and they vary according to the relationship status. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how women experience and are affected by their family member's substance use problems. A metaphorical analysis of narrative interviews with 11 daughters and five wives of older adults (>65 years) with problematic substance use. We identified four areas of signification in which metaphors were employed: (1) experiences (chaos and crash and walking on eggshells); (2) strategies (complicity and silencing); (3) dilemmas (deceit or a disease and open or closed dilemmas); and (4) consequences (obtaining or retaining an identity, health and different types of help). Family life with a parent or spouse with a substance use problem was described as chaotic, unsafe, uncertain and with no prospects of change. The study illustrates how metaphors are used to mediate experiences and worldviews pertaining to existential matters founded in deep negative emotions, deceit, shame and stigma. Metaphors make up a crucial material for communicating emotions and themes that are difficult to convey due to shame and stigma.
PubMed: 38903891
DOI: 10.1177/14550725241230744 -
Aging & Mental Health Jun 2024Little is known about the heterogeneity and transitions between psychological adaptation patterns in Chinese older internal migrants. This study addressed two questions:...
OBJECTIVES
Little is known about the heterogeneity and transitions between psychological adaptation patterns in Chinese older internal migrants. This study addressed two questions: (a) Do distinct patterns of psychological adaptation exist among Chinese older internal migrants? (b) If so, what factors predict different trajectories?
METHOD
The study drew on two waves of data and involved 405 older internal migrants into Nanjing, China. First, a latent transition analysis was performed to visualize the different patterns of psychological adaptation. Second, an ecological model of resilience was used to identify the factors explaining the differences between adaptation patterns.
RESULTS
Three main trajectories of psychological adaptation among Chinese older internal migrants over time were: recovery, stability and deterioration. Adaptation trajectories were associated with age, gender, length of stay, psychological resilience, self-esteem, family support, social participation, and living with a spouse.
CONCLUSION
Chinese older internal migrants undertake heterogeneous psychological adaptation trajectories, and their positive adaptation is closely associated with coping resources. Our data may provide references for the identification of vulnerable older internal migrants, as well as the making of targeted interventions.
PubMed: 38902974
DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2368630 -
Supportive Care in Cancer : Official... Jun 2024Lung cancer is a disease with high mortality and morbidity, impacting both the patient and their closest contact, referred to in this paper as their care partner. There...
PURPOSE
Lung cancer is a disease with high mortality and morbidity, impacting both the patient and their closest contact, referred to in this paper as their care partner. There is limited evidence on how to support mental health and quality of life (QOL) for patient-care partner dyads during cancer treatment. This pilot study examines yoga as an intervention to improve well-being for the dyad.
METHODS
A single-group, 12-week pilot trial of yoga for patients and their care partners recruited from two hospitals during cancer treatment (N = 23 patient-partner dyads or 46 individuals). Most care partners were spouses (70%), with the remainder being adult children (22%), a sibling (4%), or a friend (4%). Descriptive statistics, Cohen's d effect sizes, and paired t-tests for validated psychosocial measures were calculated at baseline and 12 weeks.
RESULTS
Sixty-five percent of dyads (N = 13) completed the study, with withdrawals mostly due to disease progression. Among care partners, there was a decrease in depression symptomology on the PHQ-8 (p = 0.015, Cohen's d = 0.96) and improvement in QOL on the Caregiver QOL-Cancer scale (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.61). Fifty percent of dyads experienced concordant improvement in depressive symptoms and 77% in QOL.
CONCLUSION
Patient-partner yoga is a promising intervention for improving mental health and QOL for patient-partner dyads among lung cancer survivors. This study demonstrates yoga to be acceptable, feasible, and with high concordance within patient-partner dyads for improvements in QOL. Yoga shows promise for patients and care partners to alleviate the negative psychosocial impacts of lung cancer, though more research is needed to confirm effects.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03649737, 12/9/2020.
Topics: Humans; Yoga; Female; Male; Lung Neoplasms; Pilot Projects; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Caregivers; Aged; Depression; Adult
PubMed: 38902487
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-08638-5 -
Ultraschall in Der Medizin (Stuttgart,... Jun 2024This continuing medical education article highlights the central role of transcutaneous sonography in diagnosing parenchymal pancreatic diseases. It emphasizes the...
This continuing medical education article highlights the central role of transcutaneous sonography in diagnosing parenchymal pancreatic diseases. It emphasizes the importance of in-depth knowledge of sonographic imaging of organ anatomy and a structured examination methodology, particularly for identifying acute and chronic pancreatitis and related complications. The article provides detailed guidance for optimized examination techniques and equipment settings, even under challenging conditions, and discusses the application of ultrasound in various scenarios of pancreatic diseases. Moreover, the relevance of advanced sonographic techniques such as high-frequency sonography, elastography, and contrast-enhanced sonography is illuminated in the context of expanded diagnostic workup.
PubMed: 38901437
DOI: 10.1055/a-2336-1700 -
Midwifery Jun 2024The benefits of partner support have been well documented for maternal and child health and wellbeing. Chinese women who practice traditional postpartum rituals may lack...
BACKGROUND
The benefits of partner support have been well documented for maternal and child health and wellbeing. Chinese women who practice traditional postpartum rituals may lack support during the confinement and often rely heavily on their partners. Currently, there is no validated measure to assess postpartum partner support in China.
AIM
To translate the Postpartum Partner Support Scale (PPSS) into Chinese, evaluate its psychometric properties and assess postpartum support among Chinese women.
METHODS
The PPSS was translated into Chinese using a validated process and administered to 428 postpartum women residing in the city of Quanzhou in the Fujian Province in China between September 2021 and July 2022.
RESULTS
Reliability analysis demonstrated a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.97, a split-half coefficient of 0.93, and a retest correlation coefficient of 0.91 (p < 0.01). The item analysis and content validity results fell within the recommended range, with no items requiring deletion. Exploratory factor analysis revealed the extraction of a single common factor, which accounted for 74.05% of the cumulative variance. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a χ2/df ratio of 1.48 and an RMSEA value of 0.05. Several demographic variables were associated with significantly lower levels of postnatal partner support including older maternal and paternal age, lower maternal education, higher household income, fair relationship with in-law family, female infant sex, and premature birth.
CONCLUSION
The Chinese version of the PPSS exhibited good reliability and validity providing evidence that it may be suitable for evaluating partner support among postpartum women in China.
PubMed: 38901127
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2024.104067 -
PLOS Global Public Health 2024Smokeless tobacco (ST) use in South Asia is culturally ingrained and socially accepted. A better understanding of these sociocultural influences could inform behavioural...
Smokeless tobacco (ST) use in South Asia is culturally ingrained and socially accepted. A better understanding of these sociocultural influences could inform behavioural approaches to prevent ST use. We sought to understand how family members influence pregnant women's behaviour, attitudes, and perceptions towards ST use. Moreover, we captured the influence of community health workers in this context. A qualitative study using a framework analysis was conducted in selected Indian populations. Eight in-depth interviews among pregnant and postpartum women were conducted in Gujarati, the local language, investigating ST use during pregnancy and the influence of family and peers. All transcripts were transcribed verbatim and translated into English and analyzed in NVivo. The social norms and expectations around ST during pregnancy appeared to have shifted away from promoting towards discouraging its use in the past few years. Women described how their spouses and other family members encouraged them to stop using ST during pregnancy, with some women must hide their ST use from their family members. They also received advice on the harms of ST use from community health workers (Accredited Social Health Activist-ASHA workers). Influenced by the advice received from such workers, several women tried to reduce their ST use during pregnancy. Our findings suggest that the acceptability of ST use in pregnancy may be in decline among families in India. Hence, efforts to promote ST prevention during pregnancy are likely to be "pushing against an open door". Furthermore, community health workers appeared to play an influential role in supporting women to abstain from ST use during pregnancy.
PubMed: 38900772
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002828 -
Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ban =... Jun 2024To compare the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) with fresh or frozen embryos for male patients with severely low sperm count...
OBJECTIVES
To compare the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) with fresh or frozen embryos for male patients with severely low sperm count and motility.
METHODS
A total of 2300 male patients with severely low sperm count and motility underwent IVT-ET in the Reproduction Medicine Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from April 2018 to April 2022. After applying the propensity score matching (PSM), 473 fresh embryo transferred cycles and 473 frozen embryo transferred cycles were selected in the study, and the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were compared between two groups.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes and neonatal outcomes between fresh and frozen embryo groups (all >0.05). In the stratification analysis, the number of retrieved oocytes in the fresh good-quality embryo transfer group was significantly increased compared with the fresh poor-quality embryo group (<0.05), but the very early pregnancy loss rates were similar between the two groups, while the rate in fresh good-quality embryo transfer group was significantly higher than that in the frozen good-quality embryo transfer group (<0.05). Among different age groups of women, the number of retrieved oocytes and the level of estrogen in the fresh embryo transfer group was significantly higher in the 20 to <30 years old group than that in the 30 to <35 years old group (both <0.05), but the clinical pregnancy rate was lower in the 20 to <30 years old group than that in the 30 to <35 years old group (>0.05). Additionally, the very early pregnancy loss was significantly increased in the fresh embryo group compared with the frozen embryo group in the 20 to <30 years age group (<0.05)
CONCLUSIONS
There is no significant difference in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes between fresh embryo transfer and frozen embryo transfer for male patients with severely low sperm count and motility undergoing IVF-ET. Due to shorter transfer time, less embryo freezing damage and reduced costs, fresh embryo transfer can be considered a first choice. However, it is not necessary to pursue fresh embryo transfer if maternal oestrogen levels are too high and there is a tendency of overstimulation.
PubMed: 38899349
DOI: 10.3724/zdxbyxb-2024-0078