-
Epidemiologia E Prevenzione 2022to evaluate the impact of school closures, as a measure to contain the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, on the psychological well-being of students of all levels... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
to evaluate the impact of school closures, as a measure to contain the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, on the psychological well-being of students of all levels starting from the 2020-2021 school year.
DESIGN
a systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 Guidelines. The literature search was conducted on 4 different databases: MedLine, Embase, PsycINFO, and L.OVE Platform. Quantitative observational studies published until 10.01.2022 were included. Studies conducted during the first pandemic wave, i.e., during the 2019-2020 school year and/or during the mandatory lockdown or confinement period, were excluded. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with validated scales. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were carried out independently by two authors.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
children, adolescents, and young people attending all levels of education (including universities) and, for reasons related to COVID-19, having a suspension of "in presence" school or attending classes remotely.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
a. outcomes directly related to mental health: suicides, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations for psychiatric problems; anxiety and depression, emotional difficulties, feelings of loneliness and isolation; b. well-being outcomes: sleep quality, perceived well-being (by child/adolescent/youth or referred by parents); c. health-related behaviours: tobacco smoking, alcohol, drug use. Outcomes related to school/academic performance, physical health, and those related to parents were not considered.
RESULTS
after having removed duplicate articles, 2,830 records were retrieved with the bibliographic search. Twelve studies (2 uncontrolled before-after studies and 10 cross sectional surveys) were included, involving a total of 27,787 participants. Three studies involved university students, 2 involved high school students, and the remaining involved a mixed population of students attending primary and middle schools. The studies were conducted between September 2020 and April 2021. The methodological quality was rated as high in five studies and intermediate in the remaining studies. Due to the high heterogeneity of outcome measures and statistical analyses performed among the included studies, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis of the results of the considered publications. Nevertheless, the present review showed a clear signal of increase in mental health problems in relation to school closure or virtual instruction. In particular, results suggest evidence of association between school closure and risk of suicidal attempts or thoughts, mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, emotional disorders, psychological stress. Sleeping problems, drug and alcohol addiction were poorly studied.
CONCLUSIONS
despite the limitations of the included studies and possible residual confounding and contamination due to restrictive measures and social isolation implemented during the pandemic, the available evidence confirms the negative impact on students' mental health associated with school closures and distance learning. Given the availability of vaccination also for young children, a long period of school closure should be avoided also in the case of the emergence of new pandemic waves.
Topics: Child; Adolescent; Humans; Child, Preschool; Mental Health; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Suicide; Communicable Disease Control; SARS-CoV-2; Italy; Health Behavior
PubMed: 36384255
DOI: 10.19191/EP22.5-6.A542.089 -
PloS One 2022This systematic review assesses the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of organisational-level workplace mental health interventions on stress, burnout,...
The effectiveness of organisational-level workplace mental health interventions on mental health and wellbeing in construction workers: A systematic review and recommended research agenda.
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review assesses the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of organisational-level workplace mental health interventions on stress, burnout, non-clinical depressive and anxiety symptoms, and wellbeing in construction workers.
METHODS
Eligibility criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCTs), controlled or uncontrolled before- and after studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and May 2022 in five databases (Academic Search Complete, PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science). Outcomes were stress, burnout and non-clinical depression and anxiety symptoms, and wellbeing (primary) and workplace changes and sickness absenteeism (secondary). Quality appraisal was conducted using the QATQS scale, a narrative synthesis was applied. The protocol was published in PROSPERO CRD42020183640 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020183640.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified five articles (four studies) with a total sample size of 260, one cRCT, one controlled before- and after study, and two uncontrolled before- and after studies. The methodological quality of one study was rated as moderate, while for three studies it was weak. One study showed significant effects of a work redesign programme in short-term physiological stress parameters, one study showed a significant employee perceived improvement of information flow after supervisor training and one study showed a substantial non-significant decline in sick leave. There was no significant effect on general mental health (SF12) nor on emotional exhaustion. The focus of all studies was on physical health, while detailed mental health and wellbeing measures were not applied.
MAIN CONCLUSIONS
The evidence for the effectiveness of organisational-level workplace mental health interventions in construction workers is limited with opportunities for methodological and conceptual improvement. Recommendations include the use of a wider range of mental health and wellbeing outcomes, interventions tailored to the specific workplace and culture in construction and the application of the principles of complex interventions in design and evaluation.
Topics: Humans; Workplace; Mental Health; Construction Industry; Absenteeism; Health Status; Burnout, Professional
PubMed: 36383613
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277114 -
Nutrients Nov 2022The gut microbiota is seen as an emerging biotechnology that can be manipulated to enhance or preserve cognition and physiological outputs of anxiety and depression in... (Review)
Review
The gut microbiota is seen as an emerging biotechnology that can be manipulated to enhance or preserve cognition and physiological outputs of anxiety and depression in clinical conditions. However, the existence of such interactions in healthy young individuals in both non-stressful and stressful environments is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between the human gut microbiota, including modulators of the microbiota on cognition, brain function and/or stress, anxiety and depression. A total of = 25 eligible research articles from a possible 3853 published between October 2018 and August 2021 were identified and included. Two study design methods for synthesis were identified: cross-sectional or pre/post intervention. Few cross-sectional design studies that linked microbiota to cognition, brain activity/structure or mental wellbeing endpoints existed ( = 6); however, correlations between microbiota diversity and composition and areas of the brain related to cognitive functions (memory and visual processing) were observed. Intervention studies targeting the gut microbiota to improve cognition, brain structure/function or emotional well-being ( = 19) generally resulted in improved brain activity and/or cognition (6/8), and improvements in depression and anxiety scores (5/8). Despite inherit limitations in studies reviewed, available evidence suggests that gut microbiota is linked to brain connectivity and cognitive performance and that modulation of gut microbiota could be a promising strategy for enhancing cognition and emotional well-being in stressed and non-stressed situations.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cognition; Brain; Microbiota
PubMed: 36364881
DOI: 10.3390/nu14214623 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022Background: Many COVID-19 patients presented with detrimental features, such as impaired respiratory function, physical capacity, and overall poor quality of life. The... (Review)
Review
Background: Many COVID-19 patients presented with detrimental features, such as impaired respiratory function, physical capacity, and overall poor quality of life. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation on COVID-19 patients. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar from 2019 to 2021. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD42021273618. We performed statistical analyses via random effects and expressed the outcomes as standardized mean difference (SMD) for continuous variables, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: We included six trials involving 432 patients. The primary outcome showed a significant improvement in physical function (SMD 0.83, 95% CI −0.58 to 1.09; p < 0.001; four trials, 266 participants; high-quality evidence). There was significant difference in anxiety (SMD −0.80, 95% CI −1.23 to −0.37; p = 0.003), physical activity intensity levels (SMD −1.27, 95% CI −2.23 to −0.32; p = 0.009), sleep quality (MD −0.05, 95% CI −0.83 to −0.16; p = 0.004), peripheral muscle performance of lower limbs (SMD 0.90, 95% CI −0.60 to 1.20; p < 0.001), and dyspnoea outcomes (SMD −0.55, 95% CI −0.87 to −0.23; p = 0.007). Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective adjuvant therapy that minimizes COVID-19 severity in the intervention group compared to the conventional treatment. The findings of this study will need to be considered in the framework of the clinical outcome as observed in the intervention outcome. Additionally, safer data on guideline rehabilitation would be needed to examine whether pulmonary rehabilitation would be a fruitful intervention to reduce COVID-19 severity.
PubMed: 36360471
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10112130 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2022: Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are a group of disorders characterised by an abnormal number of sex chromosomes. Collective prevalence rate of SCAs is estimated to... (Review)
Review
: Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are a group of disorders characterised by an abnormal number of sex chromosomes. Collective prevalence rate of SCAs is estimated to be around 1 in 400-500 live births; sex chromosome trisomies (e.g., XXX, XXY, XYY) are most frequent, while tetra- and pentasomies (e.g., XXXX, XXXXX, XXXY, XXXXY) are rarer, and the most common is 48, XXYY syndrome. The presence of additional X and/or Y chromosomes is believed to cause neurodevelopmental differences, with increased risk for developmental delays, language-based learning disabilities, cognitive impairments, executive dysfunction, and behavioural and psychological disorders. : Our review has the purpose of analysing the neurocognitive, linguistical and behavioural profile of patients affected by sex chromosomes supernumerary aneuploidies (tetrasomy and pentasomy) to better understand the specific areas of weakness, in order to provide specific rehabilitation therapy. : The literature search was performed by two authors independently. We used MEDLINE, PubMed, and PsycINFO search engines to identify sources of interest, without year or language restrictions. At the end of an accurate selection, 16 articles fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. : International literature has described single aspects of the neuropsychological profile of 48, XXYY and 49, XXXXY patients. In 48, XXYY patients, various degrees of psychosocial/executive functioning issues have been reported and there is an increased frequency of behavioural problems in childhood. Developmental delay and behavioural problems are the most common presenting problems, even if anxiety, depression and oppositional defiant disorder are also reported. They also show generalized difficulties with socialization and communication. Cognitive abilities are lower in measures of verbal IQ than in measures of performance IQ. Visuospatial skills are a relative strength compared to verbal skills. In patients with 49, XXXXY, both intellectual and adaptive functioning skills fall into the disability range, with better non-verbal cognitive performance. Speech and language testing reveals more deficits in expressive language than receptive language and comprehension. Anxiety, thought problems, internalizing and externalizing problems, and deficits in social cognition and communication are reported. Behavioural symptoms lessen from school age to adolescence, with the exception of thought problems and anxiety. Individuals affected by sex chromosome aneuploidies show testosterone deficiency, microorchidism, lack of pubertal progression and infertility. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is usually recommended for these patients: different studies have found that testosterone-based HRT benefit a wide range of areas initiated in these disorders, affecting not only neuromotor, cognitive and behavioural profile but also structural anomalies of the brain (i.e., increase of volume of grey temporal lobe matter). In conclusion, further studies are needed to better understand the neuropsychological profile with a complete evaluation, including neurocognitive and psychosocial aspects and to establish the real impact of HRT on improving the cognitive and behavioural profile of these patients.
PubMed: 36360447
DOI: 10.3390/children9111719 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2022Through featuring a historical review of the L2 speaking assessment scales applied in related studies, this paper targets at providing responses for the following three...
Through featuring a historical review of the L2 speaking assessment scales applied in related studies, this paper targets at providing responses for the following three questions (a) How are the scales assessing L2 speaking anxiety developed and adapted in related research? (b) What are the frequently adopted methods for validating speaking anxiety scales? (c) How is L2 speaking anxiety represented and interpreted with a dynamic approach? Based on analyzing the development process of frequently-used scales for assessing test anxiety, foreign language classroom anxiety, and speaking anxiety, the author classified the scales into three categories: test-based scales measuring speaking anxiety, classroom-based scales measuring speaking anxiety, and activity-based scales measuring L2 speaking anxiety. As for the scale validation methods, Classical Testing Theory (CTT) and Rasch measurement were introduced as two major statistical paradigms for guaranteeing the reliability of the scales. This paper also summarizes the emerging themes generalized from research focusing speaking anxiety assessment, where the dynamic approach is discussed as a guideline to interpret the relationship among anxiety, language performance, and other factors involved in language learning. This paper ends with highlighting possible directions for anxiety-related research in the future, where technology intervention and the "positivity ratio" might become new attempts for pedagogical design.
PubMed: 36337559
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.972671 -
BMJ Open Nov 2022Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based therapy originally recommended for stress management. However, it is currently used to alleviate sleep... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based therapy originally recommended for stress management. However, it is currently used to alleviate sleep disturbances. Therefore, this contemporary systematic review aimed to elucidate the clinical effects of MBSR on sleep quality and sleep-related daytime impairment in adults with sleep disturbances, including chronic insomnia disorders.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted using the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, AMED, Ovidembase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and four domestic databases: KoreaMed, KISS, KMbase and NDSL. The final search update was performed in June 2022. Two researchers independently selected relevant studies, assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data.
RESULTS
Of the 7516 records searched, 20 RCTs and 21 reports were included. In the subgroup analysis, MBSR did not improve objective or subjective sleep quality in chronic insomnia and cancers. However, MBSR versus waitlist control might have been effective in improving subjective sleep quality, but with substantial heterogeneity (standardised mean difference=-0.32; 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.08; I=71%). In addition, MBSR compared with active control did not improve the sleep-related daytime impairments including depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue and quality of life. The overall risk of bias included in this review was a concern because of performance and detection bias.
CONCLUSIONS
MBSR might be ineffective for improving sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia and cancers. In addition, more than half of the RCTs included in this review had small sample sizes and were vulnerable to performance and detection biases. Therefore, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the clinical effects of MBSR in adults with sleep disturbances.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42015027963.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Mindfulness; Stress, Psychological; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sleep Wake Disorders; Neoplasms; Sleep
PubMed: 36332952
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058032 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2022This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of acupuncture on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in adults with lung cancer.
PURPOSE
This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of acupuncture on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in adults with lung cancer.
METHODS
Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (CQVIP), Wanfang Data, SinoMed, and gray literatures were retrieved from inception to 1 July 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Acupuncture was defined as an experimental intervention, and the patients of the control groups included either treatment including conventional therapy (usual care, sham/placebo acupuncture, pharmacotherapy including Western medicine and Chinese traditional medicine). PROs for this study were measured by seven scales of primary outcomes including the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Lung Cancer Subscale, Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ score), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) item short form health survey (SF-36), and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire, and 12 scales of secondary outcomes. Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risks of bias. Data were combined and analyzed with RevMan 5.4 and Stata/SE 16.0.
RESULTS
We retrieved 3,002 lung cancer patients from 33 trials. KPS included with 1,000 patients showed that acupuncture could significantly improve the quality of life (QOL) compared with the control group regardless of different tumor-node-metastasis stages or the different stages of disease. The study showed that acupuncture significantly improved lung cancer-related symptoms in the QOL, pain, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, anxiety and depression, fatigue, and constipation compared with the control group. Eight RCTs reported the occurrence of adverse events, whereas four reported none and four RCTs reported that the events in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group.
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture proved to be a promising intervention, both postoperatively and after chemotherapy, and should be recommended as a beneficial alternative strategy to promote PROs in lung cancer patients at all stages of application. Considering the low quality, we suggest more rigorous clinical trials of acupuncture for lung cancer in the future and more emphasis on the effect of acupuncture in patients with lung cancer on their PROs, mainly in the aspect of the QOL.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?, identifier [CRD42021274122].
PubMed: 36119472
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.921151 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2022The impact of bipolar spectrum (BS) disorders on professional functioning has not been systematically reviewed yet. Since even subsyndromal symptoms may disturb...
AIMS
The impact of bipolar spectrum (BS) disorders on professional functioning has not been systematically reviewed yet. Since even subsyndromal symptoms may disturb functioning, the determination of the prognostic value of the spectrum of bipolarity for employment seems extremely relevant. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of BS disorders on professional functioning.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review of the literature (namely, cohort and cross-sectional studies) investigating a link between BS disorders and employment was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. BS was defined based on the concept of two-dimensional BS by Angst. Occupational outcomes and factors affecting employment were evaluated as well.
RESULTS
Seventy-four studies were included. All disorders comprising BS had a negative impact on occupational status, work performance, work costs, and salary, with the greatest unfavorable effect reported by bipolar disorder (BD), followed by borderline personality disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and dysthymia. Employment rates ranged from 40 to 75% (BD), 33 to 67% (BPD), 61 to 88% (MDD), and 86% (dysthymia). The factors affecting employment most included: cognitive impairments, number/severity of symptoms, namely, subsyndromal symptoms (mainly depressive), older age, education, and comorbidity (substance abuse, personality disorders, anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD).
CONCLUSION
Bipolar spectrum symptoms exert a negative impact on professional functioning. Further evaluation of affecting factors is crucial for preventing occupational disability.
PubMed: 36090375
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.951008 -
Archives of Physical Medicine and... Mar 2023We systematically reviewed published clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) technology on functional improvement, pain relief, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
We systematically reviewed published clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) technology on functional improvement, pain relief, and reduction of mental distress among burn patients undergoing rehabilitation.
DATA SOURCES
Systematic searches were conducted in 4 databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science, from inception to August 2021.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating any type of VR for the rehabilitation in burn patients with dysfunction were included.
DATA EXTRACTION
Two reviewers evaluated the eligibility, and another 2 reviewers used the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool to assess the risk of bias. The extracted data included the main results of rehabilitation evaluation (quality of life [QOL], work performance, range of motion [ROM] of joints, hand grip and pinch strength, pain, fun, anxiety), the application performance of VR (realness and presence), adverse effects (fatigue and nausea), and characteristics of the included studies. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the chi-square tests and I statistics. Random- or fixed-effects models were conducted to pool the effect sizes expressed as standardized mean differences (SMDs).
DATA SYNTHESIS
Sixteen RCTs with 535 burn patients were included. VR-based interventions were superior to usual rehabilitation in QOL and work performance of burn patients and produced positive effect on the average gain of ROM (SMD=0.72) as well. VR was not associated with improved hand grip and pinch strength (SMD=0.50, 1.22, respectively) but was associated with reduced intensity, affective, and cognitive components of pain (SMD=-1.26, -0.71, -1.01, respectively) compared with control conditions. Ratings of fun in rehabilitation therapy were higher (SMD=2.38), and anxiety scores were lower (SMD=-0.73) than in control conditions.
CONCLUSIONS
VR-based burn rehabilitation significantly improves the QOL and work performance of burn patients, increases the ROM gain in the joints, reduces the intensity and unpleasantness of pain and the time spent thinking about pain, increases the fun in the rehabilitation therapy, reduces the anxiety caused by the treatment, and has no obvious adverse effects. However, it did not significantly improve hand grip or pinch strength.
Topics: Humans; Burns; Pain; Pain Management; Quality of Life; Virtual Reality
PubMed: 36030891
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2022.08.005