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International Journal of Behavioral... Oct 2023People with advanced cancer experience psychological distress due to physical symptoms, functional decline, and a limited prognosis. Difficult thoughts, feelings, and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
People with advanced cancer experience psychological distress due to physical symptoms, functional decline, and a limited prognosis. Difficult thoughts, feelings, and emotions may exacerbate distress and lead to avoidance of these experiences which is sometimes referred to as experiential avoidance (EA). Advanced cancer patients may be more likely to engage in EA especially when no obvious solutions to their problems exist. This study aims to examine the terms used to describe EA, the processes that might indicate EA, associations between EA and psychological distress, and to understand why individuals might engage in EA.
METHODS
A mixed-methods review. Literature search of Medline, Embase, Psych INFO, and CINAHL 1980-October 2019.
INCLUSION
adults ≥ 18 years; advanced cancer not amenable to cure.
EXCLUSION
no measures of EA or psychological distress. Risk of bias and study quality assessed. Evidence of statistical techniques collected. Themes coded, grouped, and developed based on meaning.
RESULTS
Nineteen studies identified, 13 quantitative studies and 6 qualitative. The quantitative of which 6 compared early-stage cancers with advanced cancers and examined subscales of EA alongside mood, quality of life, and psychological distress. EA covers a range or terms of which 'avoidant coping' is the commonest. EA is manifest as cognitive, behavioural, and emotional avoidance. A thematic synthesis suggests the function of EA is to protect people from distress, and from confronting or expressing difficult emotions by avoiding communication about cancer, controlling negative information, and maintaining normality and hope and optimism.
CONCLUSIONS
EA may be beneficial in the short term to alleviate distress, but in the longer term, it can impair function and limit engagement in life. Greater clinical awareness of the complexity of EA behaviours is needed. Clinicians and researchers should define EA precisely and be aware of the function it may serve in the short and longer term. Future research studies may consider using specific measures of EA as a primary outcome, to assess the impact of psychological interventions such as ACT.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Stress, Psychological; Quality of Life; Emotions; Affect; Neoplasms
PubMed: 36284042
DOI: 10.1007/s12529-022-10131-4 -
BMC Public Health Oct 2014The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in developed countries appears to be levelling off. As trends in childhood obesity prevalence have not been examined... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in developed countries appears to be levelling off. As trends in childhood obesity prevalence have not been examined over the past decade in the Republic of Ireland, this systematic review aims to compile and synthesise all available information on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in primary school aged children between 2002 and 2012.
METHODS
Systematic review of published and grey literature containing data on objectively measured height and weight. Inclusion criteria included studies where data was collected between 2002 and 2012 from at least 200 primary school aged children in the Republic of Ireland. Database searching, Google searching, reference searching and contact with obesity experts was undertaken. Overweight, obesity and morbid obesity were defined using standard International Obesity Taskforce definitions. Study quality was assessed.
RESULTS
Fourteen studies (16 prevalence estimates) met the inclusion criteria. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity within the studies ranged from 20-34%. No significant trend in overweight prevalence over time was observed (p=0.6). However, there was evidence of a slight decrease in obesity prevalence over the period (p=0.01), with a similar though non-significant decline in the prevalence of morbid obesity (p=0.2).
CONCLUSION
The findings of this systematic review require cautious interpretation though the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the Republic of Ireland has reached a plateau and may be falling. These findings provide some ground for optimism though the current plateau is at an unacceptably high level. Thus current population based preventive strategies need to be sustained and intensified.
Topics: Child; Female; Humans; Ireland; Male; Overweight; Pediatric Obesity; Prevalence; School Health Services; Schools
PubMed: 25312652
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-974 -
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes Oct 2021Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is determined by multiple factors that include components such as spirituality and religiousness (S/R). Even though various... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is determined by multiple factors that include components such as spirituality and religiousness (S/R). Even though various systematic reviews have investigated the association between S/R and improved health outcomes in the most different groups, healthy young individuals are seldom addressed.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between S/R and HRQoL among young, healthy individuals.
METHODS
Systematic review of papers published in the last ten years and indexed in four academic research databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) and two gray literature databases. Inclusion criteria were studies assessing S/R and HRQoL using validated instruments and assessing healthy adults (i.e., non-clinical patients, not belonging to any specific group of chronic diseases), aged between 18 and 64 years old.
RESULTS
Ten out of 1,952 studies met the inclusion criteria: nine cross-sectional and one longitudinal cohort study, in which 89% of the participants were college students. Nine studies report a positive association between S/R and HRQoL, while one study did not report any significant association. The main HRQoL domains associated with S/R were the psychological, social relationships, and environment domains, while the S/R most influent facets/components were optimism, inner strength, peace, high control, hope, and happiness.
CONCLUSIONS
Higher S/R levels among healthy adult individuals were associated with higher HRQoL levels, suggesting the S/R can be an important strategy to deal with adverse environmental situations even among those without chronic diseases, enhancing the wellbeing of individuals. Registration of systematic review: PROSPERO-CRD42018104047.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Status; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Spirituality; Young Adult
PubMed: 34674713
DOI: 10.1186/s12955-021-01878-7 -
The American Journal of Drug and... Jan 2023Tools predicting individual relapse risk would invaluably inform clinical decision-making (e.g. level-of-care) in substance use treatment. Studies of neuroprediction -...
Tools predicting individual relapse risk would invaluably inform clinical decision-making (e.g. level-of-care) in substance use treatment. Studies of neuroprediction - use of neuromarkers to predict individual outcomes - have the dual potential to create such tools and inform etiological models leading to new treatments. However, financial limitations, statistical power demands, and related factors encourage restrictive selection criteria, yielding samples that do not fully represent the target population. This problem may be further compounded by a lack of statistical optimism correction in neuroprediction research, resulting in predictive models that are overfit to already-restricted samples. This systematic review aims to identify potential threats to external validity related to restrictive selection criteria and underutilization of optimism correction in the existing neuroprediction literature targeting substance use treatment outcomes. Sixty-seven studies of neuroprediction in substance use treatment were identified and details of sample selection criteria and statistical optimism correction were extracted. Most publications were found to report restrictive selection criteria (e.g. excluding psychiatric (94% of publications) and substance use comorbidities (69% of publications)) that would rule-out a considerable portion of the treatment population. Furthermore, only 21% of publications reported optimism correction. Restrictive selection criteria and underutilization of optimism correction are common in the existing literature and may limit the generalizability of identified neural predictors to the target population whose treatment they would ultimately inform. Greater attention to the inclusivity and generalizability of addiction neuroprediction research, as well as new opportunities provided through open science initiatives, have the potential to address this issue.
Topics: Humans; Substance-Related Disorders; Behavior, Addictive; Patient Selection; Research Design; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 36099534
DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2116712 -
Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and... Jun 2022To investigate whether psychological factors, such as avoidance behavior, fear, pain catastrophization, kinesiophobia, anxiety, depression, optimism, and expectation are... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To investigate whether psychological factors, such as avoidance behavior, fear, pain catastrophization, kinesiophobia, anxiety, depression, optimism, and expectation are associated with different subjective and functional baseline scores in patients with frozen shoulder contracture syndrome (FSCS).
METHODS
Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL Database), PEDro, Pubpsych, and PsychNET.APA without restrictions applied to language, date, or status of publication. Two authors reviewed study titles, abstract, and full text based on the following inclusion criteria: adult population (≥ 30 < 70 years old) with FSCS.
RESULTS
Seven hundred and seventy-six records were included by the search strategies. After title final screening, 6 studies were included for the qualitative synthesis. Psychological features investigated were anxiety, depression, pain-related fear, pain catastrophizing, and pain self-efficacy; reported outcomes included pain, function, disability, quality of life, and range of motion. Data suggest that anxiety and depression impact self-assessed function, pain, and quality of life. There is no consensus on the correlation between psychological variables and range of motion. Associations were suggested between pain-related fear, pain-related beliefs, and pain-related behavior and perceived arm function; pain-related conditions showed no significant correlation with range of motion and with perceived stiffness at baseline.
CONCLUSION
Scores traditionally thought to assess physical dimensions like shoulder pain, disability, and function seem to be influenced by psychological variables. In FSCS patients, depression and anxiety were associated with increased pain perception and decreased function and quality of life at baseline. Moreover, pain-related fear and catastrophizing seem to be associated with perceived arm function.
PubMed: 35747628
DOI: 10.1016/j.asmr.2022.04.001 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2023There are currently no pharmacological treatments available that completely halt or reverse the progression of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Hence, there is an unmet need... (Review)
Review
There are currently no pharmacological treatments available that completely halt or reverse the progression of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Hence, there is an unmet need for neuroprotective therapies. Lewy bodies are a neuropathological hallmark of PD and contain aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn) which is thought to be neurotoxic and therefore a suitable target for therapeutic interventions. To investigate this further, a systematic review was undertaken to evaluate whether anti-α-syn therapies are effective at preventing PD progression in preclinical in vivo models of PD and via current human clinical trials. An electronic literature search was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE (Ovid), PubMed, the Web of Science Core Collection, and Cochrane databases to collate clinical evidence that investigated the targeting of α-syn. Novel preclinical anti-α-syn therapeutics provided a significant reduction of α-syn aggregations. Biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of rodent brain tissue demonstrated that treatments reduced α-syn-associated pathology and rescued dopaminergic neuronal loss. Some of the clinical studies did not provide endpoints since they had not yet been completed or were terminated before completion. Completed clinical trials displayed significant tolerability and efficacy at reducing α-syn in patients with PD with minimal adverse effects. Collectively, this review highlights the capacity of anti-α-syn therapies to reduce the accumulation of α-syn in both preclinical and clinical trials. Hence, there is potential and optimism to target α-syn with further clinical trials to restrict dopaminergic neuronal loss and PD progression and/or provide prophylactic protection to avoid the onset of α-syn-induced PD.
Topics: Humans; alpha-Synuclein; Parkinson Disease; Lewy Bodies; Brain; Disease Progression
PubMed: 37446200
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311022 -
Arthritis Care & Research Nov 2013Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life and can be life threatening. This... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life and can be life threatening. This study aimed to describe the experiences and perspectives of adults living with SLE.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies that explored the experiences of adults living with SLE. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL (to November week 1, 2012), Google Scholar, a thesis database, and reference lists of relevant articles.
RESULTS
Forty-six studies involving 1,385 participants were included. Five themes were identified: restricted lifestyle(including subthemes of pervasive pain, debilitating fatigue, mental deterioration, disruptive episodic symptoms, and postponing parenthood), disrupted identity (gaining diagnostic closure, prognostic uncertainty, being a burden, hopelessness, heightened self-consciousness, fearing rejection, and guilt and punishment), societal stigma and indifference(illness trivialization, socially ostracized, and averse to differential treatment), gaining resilience (optimism, control and empowerment, being informed and involved, and valuing mutual understanding), and treatment adherence (preserving health, rapport with clinicians, negotiating medication regimens, and financial burden).
CONCLUSION
SLE has a severe and pervasive impact on patients’ self-esteem and independence. Their physical and social functioning is limited and they feel anxious about their future. Patients perceive that SLE is trivialized, misunderstood,and stigmatized by their family, friends, and physicians, which intensifies their sense of isolation. Educational, psychosocial, and self-care interventions are needed to promote mental resilience, positive coping strategies, self-advocacy, and capacities for social participation, and thereby to achieve better treatment and health outcomes in patients with SLE.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Chronic Disease; Emotions; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life
PubMed: 23609952
DOI: 10.1002/acr.22032 -
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2016Numerous studies in the past have stressed the importance of travelers' psychology and perception in the implementation of preventive measures. The aim of this... (Review)
Review
Numerous studies in the past have stressed the importance of travelers' psychology and perception in the implementation of preventive measures. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the methodologies used in studies reporting on travelers' risk perception of infectious diseases. A systematic search for relevant literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. There were 39 studies identified. In 35 of 39 studies, the methodology used was that of a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) survey based on questionnaires. One study used a combination of questionnaires and a visual psychometric measuring instrument called the 'pictorial representation of illness and self-measurement" or PRISM. One study used a self-representation model (SRM) method. Two studies measured psychosocial factors. Valuable information was obtained from KAP surveys showing an overall lack of knowledge among travelers about the most frequent travel-associated infections and associated preventive measures. This methodological approach however, is mainly descriptive, addressing knowledge, attitudes, and practices separately and lacking an examination of the interrelationships between these three components. Another limitation of the KAP method is underestimating psychosocial variables that have proved influential in health related behaviors, including perceived benefits and costs of preventive measures, perceived social pressure, perceived personal control, unrealistic optimism and risk propensity. Future risk perception studies in travel medicine should consider psychosocial variables with inferential and multivariate statistical analyses. The use of implicit measurements of attitudes could also provide new insights in the field of travelers' risk perception of travel-associated infectious diseases.
Topics: Adult; Communicable Disease Control; Communicable Diseases; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Perception; Risk; Surveys and Questionnaires; Travel
PubMed: 27238906
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2016.05.012 -
Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation... Jun 2023After total hip arthroplasty (THA), over 30% of individuals report activity limitations and participation restrictions. This systematic review aimed to determine the... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
After total hip arthroplasty (THA), over 30% of individuals report activity limitations and participation restrictions. This systematic review aimed to determine the association between contextual factors and outcomes in the activity and participation domain after THA for hip osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODS
This systematic review was developed according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus were searched until August 2022. Risk of bias was assessed with the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool (QUIPS).
RESULTS
Twenty-nine articles were included. Eighteen had a high risk of bias, 3 had a low risk of bias, and 8 had a moderate risk of bias. Anxiety was only investigated in studies with high risk of bias but showed a consistent negative association with activities and participation after THA across multiple studies. Evidence was inconsistent regarding the associations between depression, trait anxiety, sense of coherence, big 5 personality traits, educational level, marital status, employment status, job position, expectations and social support, and the activity and participation domain. Optimism, general self-efficacy, cognitive appraisal processes, illness perception, ethnicity, and positive life events were associated with activities and participation but were only investigated in 1 study. No associations were identified across multiple studies for living or smoking status. Control beliefs, kinesiophobia, race, discharge location, level of poverty in neighbourhood, negative life events and occupational factors, were not associated with the activity and participation domain but were only investigated in 1 study.
CONCLUSION
Methodological quality of the included studies was low. Anxiety was the only factor consistently associated with worse outcomes in the activity and participation domain after THA but was only investigated in studies with high risk of bias. Further research is needed to confirm relationships between other contextual factors and activities and participation after THA.
REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42020199070.
Topics: Humans; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Prognosis; Osteoarthritis, Hip; Anxiety
PubMed: 36680879
DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101712 -
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes Nov 2012To identify the domains of quality of life important to people with mental health problems. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To identify the domains of quality of life important to people with mental health problems.
METHOD
A systematic review of qualitative research undertaken with people with mental health problems using a framework synthesis.
RESULTS
We identified six domains: well-being and ill-being; control, autonomy and choice; self-perception; belonging; activity; and hope and hopelessness. Firstly, symptoms or 'ill-being' were an intrinsic aspect of quality of life for people with severe mental health problems. Additionally, a good quality of life was characterised by the feeling of being in control (particularly of distressing symptoms), autonomy and choice; a positive self-image; a sense of belonging; engagement in meaningful and enjoyable activities; and feelings of hope and optimism. Conversely, a poor quality life, often experienced by those with severe mental health difficulties, was characterized by feelings of distress; lack of control, choice and autonomy; low self-esteem and confidence; a sense of not being part of society; diminished activity; and a sense of hopelessness and demoralization.
CONCLUSIONS
Generic measures fail to address the complexity of quality of life measurement and the broad range of domains important to people with mental health problems.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life
PubMed: 23173689
DOI: 10.1186/1477-7525-10-138