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Cureus Sep 2023Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurological ailments. With diverse motor affectations (postural instability, resting tremor, bradykinesia, and... (Review)
Review
Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurological ailments. With diverse motor affectations (postural instability, resting tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity), people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) have a broad spectrum of non-motor symptoms. These include autonomic function changes, cognitive deterioration, neuropsychiatric difficulties, and sleep interruptions. Psychological disturbances, such as anxiety and sadness, are common among PwP. This discomfort is often accompanied by a decrease in general functioning, both at work and in social contacts. Furthermore, people who are experiencing psychological distress have a quick decrease in both physical and cognitive capacities. Furthermore, Pwp who also suffer from anxiety and depression are more likely to acquire dementia. It is worth noting that studies have shown good outcomes in the treatment of physical disabilities in PWP and the various therapeutics available for each affected body part, such as in the legs when they have walking problems, resting tremor in their hands, or micrography, which is a common symptom in these patients. The medical research databases PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library were used to look for relevant materials. Upon meticulous scrutiny, a thorough investigation was conducted on the papers at hand. A total of 10 publications were meticulously selected based on stringent qualifying criteria. The present investigation examines various perspectives regarding the physical rehabilitation of individuals diagnosed with PD. The majority of therapeutic interventions employed revolve around cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), combined with exercise regimens. These interventions have demonstrated notable statistical significance in terms of enhancing various physical aspects, including endurance, performance, gait capacity, perception, and overall independence in daily life activities. One of the gathered studies makes use of the therapeutic benefits of yoga to help PwP deal with their anxiety and improve their mental health. Based on the aforementioned information, further investigation is required to ascertain the optimal approach for physical rehabilitation management and develop diverse strategies aimed at assisting individuals with PD in attaining physical autonomy.
PubMed: 37809151
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.44739 -
Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences 2023Social anxiety is common and can have far-reaching implications for affected individuals, both on social life and working performance. Usage of virtual reality exposure... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Social anxiety is common and can have far-reaching implications for affected individuals, both on social life and working performance. Usage of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has gained traction. The aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the effect of stand-alone VRET on social anxiety symptoms.
METHOD
We searched systematically in , , , and in May 2022 for studies with participants with social anxiety symptoms receiving stand-alone VRET. Two reviewers independently selected relevant studies in a two-step procedure, and the risk of bias was assessed.
RESULTS
Of 158 hits, 7 studies were selected for full-text reading, 6 were chosen for evaluation, and 5 were included in meta-analyses. VRET resulted in a significantly lower anxiety score in treated individuals with a standard mean difference of -0.82, 95% confidence interval -1.52 to -0.13, compared to controls.
CONCLUSION
Stand-alone VRET may reduce social anxiety symptoms. However, despite promising results, there is still uncertainty as the effect estimate is based on few studies with few participants each and a high risk of bias.
Topics: Humans; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy; Anxiety
PubMed: 37807998
DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v128.9289 -
International Journal of Mental Health... Feb 2024The stressful environment of any healthcare setting can be detrimental to nurses' mental and emotional health. In recent years, emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged... (Review)
Review
The stressful environment of any healthcare setting can be detrimental to nurses' mental and emotional health. In recent years, emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a vital psychological resource that positively impacts mental and emotional health and improves organizational functioning and success. This scoping review aimed to collate, synthesize and outline the research conducted on EI training programmes among nurses to assess their effectiveness in improving staff nurses' EI. Electronic databases of MEDLINE via PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, ProQuest, Embase and Web of Science were comprehensively searched for related studies published between 1990 and 2021 (updated in May 2022). Two investigators independently screened the abstracts of the retrieved studies against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Out of 728 initially retrieved studies, only 7 were included in the final synthesis. The PRISMA-ScR (2018) checklist was used to report the study findings. All the studies included in the review reported a significant improvement in nurses' EI after a training programme. The results also indicate that EI interventions are an effective way to improve nurses' psychological resources (improve resilience and coping skills; reduce anxiety and stress), leadership qualities, job performance and patient experience of nursing care. As nurses are exposed to a wide range of emotions, human pain and suffering, the results of this review suggest that improving the EI skills of nurses through short training programmes is an effective way to maintain their emotional and mental well-being. This scoping review is preregistered in Prospero (CRD42020161084).
Topics: Humans; Emotional Intelligence; Emotions; Mental Health; Resilience, Psychological; Nurses
PubMed: 37772479
DOI: 10.1111/inm.13235 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023Stress in the healthcare environment causes negative effects in nurses such as burnout, anxiety, and depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased pressure...
BACKGROUND
Stress in the healthcare environment causes negative effects in nurses such as burnout, anxiety, and depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased pressure on medical staff globally, highlighting the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing nurses' stress levels. Despite numerous studies exploring the effect of mindfulness-based training on nurses, the results remain inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically evaluate the impact of mindfulness training on nurse's performance and increase the certainty of existing evidence.
METHODS
This study searched various databases, including EBSCO, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Cochrane Online Library, Wanfang, SinoMed, CNKI, and VIP, for randomized controlled trials on the impact of mindfulness-based interventions for nurses up until 02 December 2022. Two investigators independently screened and extracted data from the articles, while also assessing the risk of bias. The data was analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software.
RESULTS
This review identified 15 studies out of the 2,171 records retrieved, consisting of a total of 1,165 participants who were randomized. Post-intervention analysis provided very-low certainty evidence of moderate effectiveness of mindfulness-based training in reducing stress [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.11 to -0.52], with no significant effect on anxiety (SMD = -0.30; 95% CI = -0.72 to 0.13) or depression (SMD = -0.24; 95% CI = -0.55 to 0.07). However, the training was effective in reducing burnout, as demonstrated by the lower scores for emotional exhaustion (SMD = -4.27; 95% CI = -5.94 to -2.59) and depersonalization (SMD = -2.89; 95% CI = -4.24 to -1.54) and higher scores for personal accomplishment (SMD = 2.81; 95% CI = 0.12 to 5.50). There was a sustained improvement in stress levels in the short-term (≤3 months), with delayed benefits for burnout. However, only two studies were available for later follow-ups, and there was no significant evidence of long-term effects.
CONCLUSION
Mindfulness-based training may be a viable intervention for improving the psychological wellbeing of nurses, including reducing stress, burnout.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023387081.
PubMed: 37599884
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1218340 -
BMC Public Health Aug 2023Despite being easily corrected with eyeglasses, over two-thirds of the world's child population presents with vision impairment (VI) due to uncorrected refractive...
BACKGROUND
Despite being easily corrected with eyeglasses, over two-thirds of the world's child population presents with vision impairment (VI) due to uncorrected refractive errors. While systematic reviews have shown that VI can significantly impact children's depression and anxiety, none have reviewed the existing literature on the association between spectacle correction and well-being. This review aims to address this knowledge gap.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The main outcome measures were i) cognitive and education well-being which included mathematics and english literacy, reading fluency, school function, academic performance and grades; ii) psychological and mental health well-being which included physical anxiety, learning anxiety and mental health test scores and iii) quality of life.
METHODS
We searched eight databases for articles published between 1999 to 2021 that assessed the associations between spectacle correction and children's (0 to 18 years) well-being. There were no restrictions on language or geographic location. Two reviewers independently screened all publications using validated quality checklists. The findings of the review were analysed using narrative synthesis. [PROSPERO CRD42020196847].
RESULTS
Of 692 records found in the databases, six randomised control trials, one cohort, one cross-sectional and one qualitative study (N = 9, 1.3%) were eligible for analysis. Data were collected from 25 522 children, 20 parents and 25 teachers across the nine studies. Seven were rated as good quality (67 to 100% of quality criteria fulfilled), and two were satisfactory (33 to 66% of quality criteria fulfilled). Spectacle correction was found to improve children's educational well-being (n = 4 very strong evidence; n = 2 strong evidence), quality of life (n = 1, very strong evidence) and decrease anxiety and increase mental health scores (n = 1, strong evidence).
CONCLUSION
Evidence suggests that spectacle correction improves children's cognitive and educational well-being, psychological well-being, mental health, and quality of life. More research is needed, given the paucity of published literature and the focus on only three aspects of well-being.
Topics: Humans; Child; Quality of Life; Cross-Sectional Studies; Eyeglasses; Educational Status; Anxiety
PubMed: 37596579
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16484-z -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023Performance anxiety is a widespread issue that can affect musicians across their education and career. It can develop in musicians from a young age leading to short-term...
Performance anxiety is a widespread issue that can affect musicians across their education and career. It can develop in musicians from a young age leading to short-term and long-term impacts on not only their performance, but also their wellbeing. There is potentially a significant role that music educators hold in the development of their students and how they handle performance anxiety, though it is not clear how, or how often, teachers support their students in this way. Through a PRISMA-based systematic review, this paper explores what is known about the strategies used by music educators to help manage their students' performance anxiety. The paper also discusses the role that instrumental/vocal tutors and school classroom teachers might hold in this area. The findings show that music educators are implementing multiple strategies to assist their students with MPA, with the most common being simulated performance, positive outlook, preparation and breathing. It was found that there is a role for teachers to address MPA management with their students. While some students prefer to receive MPA support from experts in the field of psychology, students still expressed a need to have this support come from their teacher. Though many teachers felt a need for additional training for them to help their students cope with MPA, many of the strategies were found to be multifunctional and embedded into the regular teaching practices or teaching styles of the educator. Although these strategies might be implicit rather than explicit, the findings suggest that music educators could represent a valuable source of support for MPA management.
PubMed: 37588244
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1205150 -
Advances in Experimental Medicine and... 2023Higher education's expectations place demands on students' attainment, leading them to experience stress and anxiety, which negatively affect their academic improvement...
Higher education's expectations place demands on students' attainment, leading them to experience stress and anxiety, which negatively affect their academic improvement and life satisfaction. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate (a) if mindfulness as an inner ability is related to academic attainment, through dependent variables, including compassion, engagement, stress or anxiety state, depression, self-efficacy, mindfulness's facets (non-reactivity, acting with awareness) and (b) if mindfulness-based interventions positively affect the academic performance of college and university students. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Wiley were screened to identify studies published relevant to the topic. In total, 568 papers were retrieved in the initial search. Five papers met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review: a randomized controlled trial, a non-randomized controlled trial, a quasi-experimental study, a quantitative exploratory pilot study, and a longitudinal randomized controlled study. Most interventional studies revealed a non-significant direct effect of practicing mindfulness technique on academic attainment. Further research, especially randomized controlled trials are necessary to clarify the effect of mindfulness on academic performance of college and university students.
Topics: Humans; Academic Performance; Depression; Mindfulness; Pilot Projects; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stress, Psychological; Students; Universities
PubMed: 37581795
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31986-0_20 -
International Journal of Mental Health... Dec 2023The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely used self-report instrument to screen for postpartum depression (PPD). Assessing the relevance of the EPDS as...
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely used self-report instrument to screen for postpartum depression (PPD). Assessing the relevance of the EPDS as a screening tool for minority ethnic populations is pertinent for ensuring culturally appropriate care. This scoping review aimed to explore what is known about the cultural adaptations of the EPDS in antepartum and postpartum mothers and fathers in East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian populations, and to what extent these adaptations are able to accurately screen for postpartum depression symptoms among these cultural groups. The scoping review was guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The search strategy included databases of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL and Grey literature. Included studies were primary articles published in English language peer-reviewed journals that investigated the validation or cultural adaptation of the EPDS in mothers who were pregnant and/or had recently given birth, or fathers who were new parents, and were limited to the following cultural groups, whether living locally or abroad in a foreign country: East Asian, Southeast Asian or South Asian populations. Thirty-six of 2469 studies met criteria for inclusion. Twenty-one of 36 studies utilizing a culturally validated EPDS demonstrated a cut-off score lower than the original recommended cut-off. Important themes identified included the Role of Culture, Somatization of PPD, Method of Interview, and contrasting performance compared to other scales used to assess depression and/or anxiety. Accessibility to translated and validated EPDS and mindfulness of ethnically relevant EPDS cut-off scores are critical when using this tool among minority ethnic populations.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Depression, Postpartum; Mothers; Postpartum Period; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Southeast Asian People; Validation Studies as Topic
PubMed: 37574716
DOI: 10.1111/inm.13202 -
PloS One 2023eHealth is the use of information and communications technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including healthcare services, health surveillance,...
BACKGROUND
eHealth is the use of information and communications technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including healthcare services, health surveillance, health literature, and health education knowledge and research, has the potential to improve the delivery and support of healthcare services by promoting information sharing and evidence-based health practice. Acceptance of e-health in Ethiopia using systematic review is uncertain. As a result, this study aimed to assess barriers and facilitators of the sustainable acceptance of e-health system adoption in Ethiopia through a systematic review of the literature.
METHODS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist was used to conduct this study. Relevant articles have been searched in Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Embrace, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and empirical research done in Ethiopia is the main emphasis of the search strategy. The total number of studies that satisfied the criteria for inclusion was ten. In this research, empirical data related to e-health acceptance factors were retrieved, examined, and summarized by the authors.
RESULTS
This systematic review identified a total of 25 predictors that have been found in the ten studies. The identified facilitators were effort expectancy, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influences, attitude, computer literacy, participant age, perceived enjoyment, and educational status, duration of mobile device use, organizational culture, and habit. Moreover, technology anxiety was the most barrier to sustainable acceptance of e-health systems in Ethiopia.
CONCLUSIONS
The most common facilitator identified from the predictors was effort expectancy, which played a major role in the adoption of the e-health system in Ethiopia. Therefore, eHealth implementers and managers in those settings should give users of the system priority in improving the technical infrastructure by regularly providing them with basic facilitating conditions. They should also pay attention to the system they want to implement because doing so will improve the users' perception of the system's value and attitude.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; Attitude; Telemedicine; Educational Status; Health Services
PubMed: 37561684
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287991 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2023Schizophrenia and other psychoses are thought to be associated with a substantial increase in aggressive behaviour, violence and violent offending. However, acts of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia and other psychoses are thought to be associated with a substantial increase in aggressive behaviour, violence and violent offending. However, acts of aggression or violence committed by people with severe mental illness are rare and circumscribed to a small minority of individuals. We know little about the frequency and variability of violent episodes for people with schizophrenia who present chronic or recurrent aggressive episodes, and of available interventions to reduce such problems. A psychological intervention, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), aims to challenge dysfunctional thoughts and has been used since the mid-1970s to improve mental health and emotional disorders. CBT includes different interventional procedures, such as cognitive therapy, elements of behavioural therapy, problem-solving interventions, and coping skills training, among others. Although CBT presents much diversity, interventions are characteristically problem-focused, goal-directed, future-oriented, time-limited (about 12 to 20 sessions over four to six months), and empirically based. CBT has shown clinically beneficial effects in persistent positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and its use as an add-on therapy to medication in the treatment of schizophrenia is supported by treatment guidelines. However, several Cochrane Reviews recently concluded that, due to the low quality of evidence available, no firm conclusions can currently be made regarding the effectiveness of adding CBT to standard care for people with schizophrenia, or about CBT compared to other psychosocial treatments for people with schizophrenia. Whereas CBT is not an emergency or crisis intervention that acts immediately on the known or unknown triggers underlying aggressive behaviour, might be a timely treatment used to manage persistent aggression or repeated aggressive episodes in people with schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the efficacy and safety of CBT) plus standard care versus standard care alone for people with schizophrenia and persistent aggression.
SEARCH METHODS
On 18 January 2023, we searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Study-Based Register of Trials which is based on CENTRAL, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.Gov, Embase, ISRCTN, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and WHO ICTRP. We also inspected references of all identified studies for more studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
All randomised controlled trials comparing CBT plus standard care with standard care alone for people with schizophrenia and persistent aggression.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We independently inspected citations, selected studies, extracted data and appraised study quality. For binary outcomes, we calculated risk ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For continuous outcomes we calculated mean differences (MD) and their 95%CIs for outcomes reported with the same measurement scale. Post hoc, for counts over person-time outcomes, we calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and their 95%CIs. If feasible, we combined study outcomes with the random-effects model. We assessed the risk of bias for included studies and created a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach.
MAIN RESULTS
We included two studies with 184 participants with psychotic disorder (mainly schizophrenia) and violence. The studies were run in forensic units and prison. Both studies were at high risk of bias on blinding (performance and detection bias). CBT plus standard care as compared with standard care may result in little to no difference in the frequency of physical violence at end of trial (IRR 0.52; 95% CI 0.23 to 1.18) and follow-up (IRR 0.86; 95% CI 0.44 to 1.68). The confidence interval did not exclude the null effect, and the certainty of the evidence is very low due to lack of blinding and to the small sample size. One study reported no deaths in both arms and zero serious and other adverse events. The other study did not report any figure for deaths or adverse events. CBT plus standard care as compared with standard care may result in little to no difference in leaving the study early for any reason (RR 1.04; 95% CI 0.53 to 2.00). Confidence interval did not exclude the null effect and the certainty of the evidence is low due to lack of blinding and the small sample size.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Whereas the evidence from only two studies with 184 participants suggests the use of CBT plus standard care may reduce some aggressive behaviours in patients with schizophrenia, the grading of the certainty of the evidence is very low. It implies that there is not yet reliable evidence to guide clinical decisions and therefore more evidence is needed to get a more precise estimate of the effect of the intervention. Currently, we have very little confidence in the effect estimate, and the true effect could be substantially different from its estimate.
Topics: Humans; Schizophrenia; Psychotic Disorders; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Aggression; Anxiety
PubMed: 37490701
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013511.pub2