Search results for: mental health stigma

Authors: Pedro Dias, Lurdes Verissimo, Maria Joao Baptista, Ana Pinheiro, Patricia Oliveira-Silva, Sofia Serra, Daniela Coimbra

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To achieve a high standard in performance, a musician must be well in all aspects of health (physical, mental and social). Anxiety in performance is related to the high level of coordination and skill needed in performance, as well as to the public evaluation of the performer. It affects some key elements of performance, such as concentration, memory, motor coordination, and relaxation. This work presents two studies focused on the adaptation and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (MPAI-A) in young Portuguese music students. The first study was conducted with a sample of 161 adolescent music students, who responded to the Portuguese version of this instrument, and to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC-c2). Validity and reliability were examined, and this measure revealed robust psychometric properties in this sample. The second study aimed to adapt the MPAI to a younger population (one hundred 8-10 years-old music students). Again, the MPAI and the STAIC c-2 were used in this study. Exploratory factor analysis, correlations, and internal consistency were used to evaluate the final children version of the instrument (MPAI-C), presenting a different factor structure compared to the adolescent version (10 items organized in 2 factors) and high levels of reliability and convergent validity.

Keywords: anxiety, assessment, children and adolescents, music performance

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Authors: Yunshi Peng, Shanshan Gao, Sang Qin

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The sense of humor is an integration of cognition, emotion and behavioral tendencies in the process of expressing humor. Previous studies evidenced the positive impact of sense of humor on promoting mental health. However, very few studies investigated this with Chinese populations. The absence of a validated questionnaire limits empirical research on sense of humor in China. This study aimed to develop a Chinese instrument to examine the sense of humor among college students in China. A pool of 72 items was developed by conducting a series of qualitative methods including open-ended questionnaire, individual interviews and literature analysis, followed by an expert rating. A total of 500 college students were recruited from 7 provinces in China to complete all 72 items. The factor structure of sense of humor was established and 25 items were eventually formed by utilizing the exploratory factor analyses (EFA). The questionnaire composed 4 subscales: humor comprehension, humor creativity, attitudes towards humor and optimism level. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) from a follow-up study with a different sample of 1200 colleges students showed good model fit. All subscales and the overall questionnaire display satisfying internal consistency. Correlations with criterion variables demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity. The sense of humor questionnaire is a psychometrically-sound instrument for the population of college students in China. This is applicable for future studies to identify the structure of sense of humor and evaluate the levels of humor for individuals.

Keywords: college students, EFA and CFA, questionnaire, sense of humor

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Authors: Gheorghe Giurgiu, Manole Cojocaru, Mihnea Andrei Nicodin

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Background: Inflammation has the main role in the progression of endometriosis. The mechanisms by which endometriosis induces a chronic pain state remain poorly understood. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for endometriosis. But you can manage it with medication and at-home treatments. Some findings have highlighted the main role of inflammation in endometriosis by acting on proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. The introduction of new agents can be effective in improving the condition of patients; for example, plants are promising sources of bioactive natural components. Objectives: These natural compounds could be interesting strategies in therapy. While there is no absolute cure for this condition, some home remedies can relieve the pain and discomfort it brings. The purpose of this study is to summarize the potential action of Deniplant nutraceuticals in endometriosis by acting on inflammation. Materials and Methods: The primary symptoms of endometriosis are pelvic pain and infertility. The use of Deniplant nutraceuticals could be interesting in disease management for women. Results: Treating pain-related aspects of endometriosis would contribute to the improvement of mental health and daytime function. Because the microbiome can influence inflammation, new therapies can develop through its natural modulation. There are other options, including natural remedies, herbs like cinnamon twigs or licorice root, or supplements such as thiamine, magnesium, or omega-3 fatty acids. Conclusion: Deniplant nutraceuticals can downregulate inflammation in endometriosis. Nevertheless, the limited number of studies focusing on the different interactions of Deniplant nutraceuticals in endometriosis restricts its clear and immediate use in a therapeutic strategy.

Keywords: endometriosis, diet, Deniplant nutraceuticals, pain

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Authors: Emanuela Zilli, Suana Tikvina, Davide Bonaldo, Monica Varotto, Scilla Rizzardi, Barbara Ruzzante, Raffaele Napolitano, Stefano Bevilacqua, Antonella Ruffatto

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A healthy workplace increases productivity, creativity and decreases absenteeism and turnover. It also contributes to creating a more secure work environment with fewer risks of violence. In the past 3 years, the healthcare system has suffered the psychological, economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the healthcare staff reductions determine high levels of work-related stress that are often unsustainable. The Hospital of Cittadella (in the province of Padua) has 400 beds and serves a territory of 300,000 inhabitants. The hospital itself counts 1.250 healthcare employees (healthcare professionals). This year, the Medical Board of Directors has requested additional staff; however, the economic situation of Italy can not sustain additional hires. At the same time, we have initiated projects that aim to increase well-being, decrease stress and encourage activities that promote self-care. One of the projects that the hospital has organized is the psychomotor practice. It is held by therapists and trainers who operate according to the traditional method. According to the literature, the psychomotor practice is specifically intended for the staff operating in the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department and Pneumology Ward. The project consisted of one session of 45 minutes a week for 3 months. This method brings focus to controlled breathing, posture, muscle work and movement that help manage stress and fatigue, creating a more mindful and sustainable lifestyle. In addition, a Qigong course was held every two weeks for 5 months. It is an ancient Chinese practice designed to optimize the energy within the body, reducing stress levels and increasing general well-being. Finally, Tibetan singing crystal bowls sessions, held by a music therapist, consisted of monthly guided meditation sessions using the sounds of the crystal bowls. Sound therapy uses the vibrations created from the crystal bowls to balance the vibrations within the body to promote relaxation. In conclusion, well-being and organizational performance are closely related to each other. It is crucial for any organization to encourage and maintain better physical and mental health of the healthcare staff as it directly affects productivity and, consequently, user satisfaction of the services provided.

Keywords: health promotion, healthcare workers management, Weel being and organizational performance, Psychomotor practice

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Authors: Seyed Ziya Tabatabaei, Azimi Bin Hj Hamzah, Fatemeh Ebrahimi

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The increase in proportion of older people in Malaysia has led to a significant growth of health care demands. The aim of this study is to explore how perceived health care needs influence on quality of life among elderly Malay residents who reside in a Malaysian residential home. This study employed a method known as ethnographic research from May 2011 to January 2012. Four data collection strategies were selected as the main data-collecting tools including participant observation, field notes, in-depth interviews, and review of related documents. The nine knowledgeable participants for the present study were selected using the purposive sampling method. Two themes were identified: (1) Medical concerns: Feeling secure, lack of information, inadequate medical staff; and (2) Health promotion: Body condition, health education, physiotherapy and rehabilitation. These results could evoke the attention of policy-makers and care providers to better meet elderly residents’ health care needs.

Keywords: ethnographic study, health care needs, Malay elderly people, Malaysia, Quality of life, Residential home

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Authors: Jerlin George, R. Chitra

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The devices with sensors that can monitor your temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs and link to the internet, known as the Internet of Things (IoT), have completely transformed the way we control health. Providing real-time health data, these sensors improve diagnostics and treatment outcomes. Security and privacy matters when IoT comes into play in healthcare. Cyberattacks on centralized database systems are also a problem. To solve these challenges, the study uses blockchain technology coupled with proxy re-encryption to secure health data. ThingSpeak IoT cloud analyzes the collected data and turns them into blockchain transactions which are safely kept on the DriveHQ cloud. Transparency and data integrity are ensured by blockchain, and secure data sharing among authorized users is made possible by proxy re-encryption. This results in a health monitoring system that preserves the accuracy and confidentiality of data while reducing the safety risks of IoT-driven healthcare applications.

Keywords: internet of things, healthcare, sensors, electronic health records, blockchain, proxy re-encryption, data privacy, data security

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Authors: Jolai R. Garca, Sergio Mahinay Jr., Fathma Dubpaleg, Rhea Jaberina, Jovanne Mabit II

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The COVID-19 pandemic has still been going on for almost two years now, but because of the health and safety practices of the citizens, together with the action of the Local Government Unit, it has slowly dissipated. This study investigated the relationship between the health and safety protocols as well as the status of governance of the Local Government Unit of Midsayap using the evidence-based key indicators of Good Governance aggregated from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). A quantitative research design was employed to determine the relationship of the variables under study. Findings showed that the residents of Midsayap often practice the necessary health and safety measures against COVID-19 and that the Local Government Unit of Midsayap is effective in responding to the pandemic.

Keywords: governance, health and safety practices, covid-19, local government unit

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Authors: John Monro, Suman Mishra

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Choosing foods for health benefits requires information that accurately represents the relative effectiveness of foods with respect to specific health end points, or with respect to responses leading to health outcomes. At present consumers must rely on nutrient composition data, and on health claims to guide them to healthy food choices. Nutrient information may be of limited usefulness because it does not reflect the effect of food structure and food component interactions – that is, whole food effects. Health claims demand stringent criteria that exclude most foods, even though most foods have properties through which they may contribute to positive health outcomes in a diet. In this presentation, we show how the functional efficacy of foods may be expressed in the same format as nutrients, with weight units, as virtual food components that allow a nutrition information panel to show not only what a food is, but also what it does. In the presentation, two body responses linked to well-being are considered – glycaemic response and colonic bulk – in order to illustrate the concept. We show how the nutrient information on available carbohydrates and dietary fibre values obtained by food analysis methods fail to provide information of the glycaemic potency or the colonic bulking potential of foods, because of failings in the methods and approach taken to food analysis. It is concluded that a category of food values that represent the functional efficacy of foods is required to accurately guide food choices for health.

Keywords: dietary fibre, glycaemic response, food values, food effects, health

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Authors: Marianne Simons, Sinan Kurt, Marjolein Stefens, Kai Karos, Johan Lataster

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As cultural diversity within older populations in European countries increases, the role of cultural background should be taken account of in aging studies. Bonding social capital (BSC), containing someone’s socio-emotional resources, is recognised as an important ingredient for wellbeing in old age and found to be associated with someone’s cultural background. The current study examined the association between BSC, loneliness and wellbeing in a sample including older Turkish migrants with a collectivistic cultural background and native Dutch older adults, both living in the Netherlands, characterised by an individualistic culture. A sample of 119 Turkish migrants (64.7% male; age 65-87, M(SD)=71.13(5.04) and 124 native Dutch adults (32.3% male, age 65-94, M(SD)= 71.9(5.32) filled out either an online or printed questionnaire measuring BSC, psychological, social and emotional well-being, loneliness and relevant demographic covariates. Regression analysis - including confounders age, gender, level of education, physical health and relationship - showed positive associations between BSC and respectively emotional, social and psychological well-being and a negative association with loneliness in both samples. Moderation analyses showed that these associations were significantly stronger for the Turkish older migrants than for their native peers. Measurement invariance analysis indicated partial metric invariance for the measurement of BSC and loneliness and non-invariance for wellbeing, calling for caution comparing means between samples. The results stress the importance of BSC for wellbeing of older migrants from collectivistic cultures living in individualistic countries. Previous research, shows a trend of older migrants displaying lower levels of BSC as well as associated variables, such as education, physical health, and financial income. This calls for more research of the interplay between demographic and psychosocial factors restraining mental wellbeing of older migrant populations. Measurement invariance analyses further emphasize the importance of taking cultural background into account in positive aging studies.

Keywords: positive aging, cultural background, wellbeing, social capital, loneliness

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Authors: Olcay Çam, Ayşegül Bilge, Merve Uğuryol, Hacer Demirkol

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Complementary and alternative medicine are important for human health. It has stood out that from past to present people have resorted to particularly Turkish bath houses, cupping therapy, mud bath, hirudotheraphy and healing waters for the purpose of recovering from diseases and refresh their souls. Now, methods such as herbal treatments, massage, aromatherapy, prayer, meditation, yoga and thermal springs have been recently observed to be the most frequently used complementary therapies in Turkey. These methods are not known by people exactly. As a result, complementary therapies are applied along with the modern therapies in Turkey, we are considered to be effective in maintaining and improving individuals’ health.

Keywords: complementary therapy, health, health services, modern therapies

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Authors: Alan S. Weber

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This contribution reviews the current biomedical and qualitative arts research on arts-in-health interventions to improve both individual and population health outcomes. Arts therapies–for example, music therapy with roots in Aristoxenus’s Ἁρμονικὰ στοιχεῖα and the Pythagorean sect–have long been employed in therapeutic contexts. However, the 20th century witnessed the increasing use of the visual and plastic arts (drawing, painting, sculpting), performing arts (drama and dance), and other expressive arts modalities into occupational therapy, well-being medicine, and psychological and psychiatric counselling, diagnosis, and treatment. A significant body of peer-reviewed evidence in the medical and neurological sciences on the role of arts-in-health has developed, and specifically, research on music and art therapy has led to their inclusion within the current biomedical paradigm of evidence-based practice. The arts cannot only aid in public and population health promotion (promoting healthy behaviors and lifestyles, preventing disease onset) but also in addressing psychological issues (regulation of emotion; stress, anxiety, and depression reduction), behavioural issues (basic life skills, coping), and physiological response (immune system function, hormonal regulation, homeostatis). Working as a cross-disciplinary researcher in the arts in an American medical college, the author has developed several successful arts-in-health programs at the national and international level.

Keywords: arts-in-health, evidence based medicine, arts for health, expressive arts therapies

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Authors: Parveen Kumar

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This article discusses institute information resources. Information, in its most restricted technical sense, is a sequence of symbols that can be interpreted as message information can be recorded as signs, or transmitted as signals. Information is any kind of event that affects the state of a dynamic system. Conceptually, information is the message being conveyed. This concept has numerous other meanings in different contexts. Moreover, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, representation, and especially entropy.

Keywords: institutions, information institutions, information services for mission-oriented institute, pattern

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Authors: Naeemeh Silvari

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The phenomenon of the spread and epidemic of the corona virus caused many aspects of the social life of the people of the world to face various challenges. In this regard, and in order to improve the living conditions of the people, the World Health Organization has tried to publish the necessary instructions for its contacts in the world in the form of its media capacities. Considering the importance of cultural differences in the discussion of health communication and the distinct needs of people in different societies, some production contents were produced and published exclusively. This research has studied six videos published on the official page of the World Health Organization in Iran as a case study. The published content has the least semantic affinity with Iranian culture, and it has been tried to show a uniform image of the Middle East with the predominance of the image of the culture of the developing Arab countries.

Keywords: corona, representation, semiotics, instagram, health communication

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Authors: Frederik Schulte, Stefan Voß

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The adverse effects of air pollution on public health are an increasingly vital problem in planning for urban regions in many parts of the world. The issue is addressed from various angles and by distinct disciplines in research. Epidemiological studies model the relative increase of numerous diseases in response to an increment of different forms of air pollution. A significant share of air pollution in urban regions is related to transport emissions that are often measured and stored in emission inventories. Though, most approaches in transport planning, engineering, and operational design of transport activities are restricted to general emission limits for specific air pollutants and do not consider more nuanced exposure models. We conduct an extensive literature review on exposure models and emission inventories used to study the health impact of transport emissions. Furthermore, we review methods applied in both domains and use emission inventory data of transportation hubs such as ports, airports, and urban traffic for an in-depth analysis of public health impacts deploying medical exposure models. The results reveal specific urban health risks related to transport emissions that may improve urban planning for environmental health by providing insights in actual health effects instead of only referring to general emission limits.

Keywords: emission inventories, exposure models, transport emissions, urban health

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Authors: Liliane Clark

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Immigrating to a different country may imply having to handle many difficult exertions. There is a particular issue that has to be endured by some immigrants: the children they had to leave behind. It is a phenomenon that occurs with certain frequency. Surprisingly, despite the fact that immigration in the United States is such a large proceeding, there is not much research about the topic in America exploring the trauma of the abandonment caused by this separation and its consequences on the mental health of those children. The term “left behind children” is usually applied to children who were left behind by their parents in their original nation under the care of a noteworthy relative, frequently the grandparents, when they moved to another country. This preliminary research, which is a partial study projected for a doctoral thesis, investigated whether the trauma of abandonment experienced by ten left behind children had affected their emotional development. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a brief interview were utilized to assess the information. The SDQ explored scales such as emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behavior. In this pilot study, the results indicated that all these issues had some sort of significant correlation between them. During the interviews, the participants or their parents identified a range of symptoms: anxiety disorder, eating disorders, panic attacks, psychotic-like experiences, drug use and depression. Hence, it seems that there is a connection between the trauma of abandonment suffered due to the separation and the children’s consequent symptomatic behavior. Further studies are indeed necessary to validate the initial results of this investigation.

Keywords: abandonment, parent migration, psychological problems, trauma

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Authors: Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen

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School connectedness, or the sense of belonging at school, is a critical factor in adolescent health, academic achievement, and socioemotional well-being. In educational research, the construct of the psychological sense of school membership is often referred to as school engagement, school bonding, or school attachment. While current research recognizes school connectedness as integral to a child’s mental health and academic success, many schools have yet to develop adequate interventions to promote a child’s overall sense of belonging at school. However, prior researches in music education indicates that, among other benefits, music classrooms may provide an environment where students feel they belong. While studies indicates that music learning environments, specifically performing ensemble learning environments, instill a sense of school connectedness and, more broadly, contribute to a student’s socio-emotional development, there has been inadequate research on how the actions of music teachers contribute to this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school connectedness and music learning environments with middle school music students enrolled in a school-based music ensemble. In addition, the study aimed to provide a descriptive analysis of the instructional practices that music teachers use to promote an inclusive environment in their classrooms and an overall sense of belonging in their students. Using 191 student surveys of school membership, student reflective writings, 5 teacher interviews, and 10 classroom observations, this study examined the relationship between 7th and 8th-grade student-reported levels of connectedness within their school-based music ensemble and teacher instructional practice. The study found that students reported high levels of positive school membership within their music classes. Students who participate in school-based orchestra ensembles reported a positive change in emotional state during music instruction. In addition, evidence in this study found that music teachers use instructional practices to build connectedness through de-emphasizing competition and strengthening a student’s sense of relational value within their music learning experience. The findings offer implications for future music teacher instruction to create environments of inclusion, strengthen student-teacher relationships, and promote strategies that enhance student connection to school.

Keywords: music education, belonging, instructional practice, school connectedness

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Authors: Gubair Tarabeh, Ghadir Zriek, David Oppenheim, Avi Sagi-Schwartz, Nina Koren-Karie

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Introduction: Mind-Mindedness (MM) focuses on mothers' attunement to their infant's mental states as reflected in their speech to the infant. Appropriate MM comments are associated with attachment security in individualistic Western societies where parents value their children’s autonomy and independence, and may therefore be more likely to engage in mind-related discourse with their children that highlights individual thoughts, preferences, emotions, and motivations. Such discourse may begin in early infancy, even before infants are likely to understand the semantic meaning of parental speech. Parents in collectivistic societies, by contrast, are thought to emphasize conforming to social norms more than individual goals, and this may lead to parent-child discourse that emphasizes appropriate behavior and compliance with social norms rather than internal mental states of the self and the other. Therefore, the examination of maternal MM and its relationship with attachment in Arab collectivistic culture in Israel was of particular interest. Aims of the study: The goal of the study was to examine whether the associations between MM and attachment in the Arab culture in Israel are the same as in Western samples. An additional goal was to examine whether appropriate and non-attuned MM comments could, together, distinguish among mothers of children in the different attachment classifications. Material and Methods: 76 Arab mothers and their infants between the ages of 12 and 18 months were observed in the Strange Situation Procedure (49 secure (B), 11 ambivalent (C), 14 disorganized (D), and 2 avoidant (A) infants). MM was coded from an 8-minute free-play sequence. Results: Mothers of B infants used more appropriate and less non-attuned MM comments than mothers of D infants, with no significant differences with mothers of C infants. Also, mothers of B infants used less non-attuned MM comments than both mothers of D infants and mothers of C infants. In addition, Mothers of B infants were most likely to show the combination of high appropriate and low non-attuned MM comments; Mothers of D infants were most likely to show the combination of high non-attuned and low appropriate MM comments; and a non-significant trend indicated that mothers of C infants were most likely to show a combination of high appropriate and high non-attuned MM comments. Conclusion: Maternal MM was associated with attachment in the Arab culture in Israel with combinations of appropriate and non-attuned MM comments distinguishing between different attachment classifications.

Keywords: attachment, maternal mind-mindedness, Arab culture, collectivistic culture

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Authors: Jessy Rugeyo, William Donner

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This research delves into the resilience of Rwanda's public health infrastructure amidst natural disasters, a critical issue given that the Northern Province alone has witnessed no fewer than 1500 cases of disaster ranging from floods and landslides in the last five years, with more than 200 people killed and thousands of homes destroyed, according to MINEMA. In an era where climate change escalates the frequency and intensity of such disasters, fortifying the resilience of public health systems is paramount. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the existing state of Rwanda's public health infrastructure and its ability to manage such crises. Employing a mix of literature review, case studies, and policy analysis, the study discerns key vulnerabilities and brings to light the intricacies of disaster management in Rwanda. Case studies centered around past natural disasters in Rwanda provide critical insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the existing disaster response mechanisms. A thorough critique of related disaster management and public health infrastructure policies reveals areas of commendable practice, along with gaps calling for policy enhancements. Findings guide the proposition of targeted strategies to bolster the resilience of Rwanda's public health infrastructure. This research serves as a significant contribution to the domains of disaster studies and public health, offering valuable insights for policymakers, public health and disaster management professionals in Rwanda and similar contexts. It presents actionable recommendations for improvement, underscoring the potential for enhancing Rwanda's disaster management capacity. By advocating for the strengthening of public health infrastructure resilience, the research highlights the potential for improved public health outcomes following natural disasters, thereby showcasing significant implications for public health and disaster management in the country, particularly in the face of a changing climate.

Keywords: public health infrastructure, disaster resilience, natural disaster, disaster management, emergency preparedness, health policy

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Authors: Reza Zarei

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The result of the present study is to determine the relation between spiritual intelligence and organizational health and job satisfaction among the female staff in Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht. The population of the study includes the female staff and the faculty of Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht. The method is correlational and the instrument in the research is three questionnaires namely the spiritual intelligence by (ISIS), Amraam and Dryer, organizational health by Fieldman and Job satisfaction questionnaire. In order to test the hypotheses we used interpretive statistics, Pearson and regression correlation coefficient. The findings show that there is a significant relation between the spiritual intelligence and organizational health among the female staff of this unit. In addition, the organizational health has a significant relation with the elements of self-consciousness and social skills and on the other hand, job satisfaction is in significant relation with the elements of self-consciousness, self-control, self-provocation, sympathy and social skills in the whole sample regardless of the participants' gender. Finally, the results of multiple regression and variance analysis showed that using the variables of the spiritual intelligence of the female staff could predict the organizational health and their job satisfaction.

Keywords: job satisfaction, spiritual intelligence, organizational health, Islamic Azad University

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Authors: Shu-Lien Chou, Chung-Feng Liu

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Self-health management of chronic illnesses plays an important part in chronic illness treatments. However, various kinds of health information (health education materials) which government or healthcare institutions provide for patients may not achieve the expected outcome. One of the critical reasons affecting patients’ use intention could be patients’ perceived Information overload regarding the health information. This study proposed an extended model of Theory of Planned Behavior, which integrating perceived information overload as another construct to explore patients’ use intention of the health information for self-health management. The independent variables are attitude, subject norm, perceived behavior control and perceived information overload while the dependent variable is behavior intention to use the health information. The cross-sectional study used a structured questionnaire for data collection, focusing on the chronic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), who are the potential users of the health information, in a medical center in Taiwan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of the basic information distribution of the questionnaire respondents, and the Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation model to study the reliability and construct validity for testing our hypotheses. A total of 110 patients were enrolled in this study and 106 valid questionnaires were collected. The PLS analysis result indicates that the patients’ perceived information overload of health information contributes the most critical factor influencing the behavioral intention. Subjective norm and perceived behavioral control of TPB constructs had significant effects on patients’ intentions to use health information also, whereas the attitude construct did not. This study demonstrated a comprehensive framework, which extending perceived information overload into TPB model to predict patients’ behavioral intention of using heath information. We expect that the results of this study will provide useful insights for studying health information from the perspectives of academia, governments, and healthcare providers.

Keywords: chronic patients, health information, information overload, theory of planned behavior

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Authors: Nadia Jurkovic, Sarven McLinton, Alyson Crozier, Amber Mosewich, Ed O'Connor

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Retiring from elite sport can have detrimental effects on the mental health and life satisfaction of retired elite athletes. To aid in this transition, sporting organisations use retirement interventions. The aim of this study is to understand the experience of elite sport retirement from a holistic perspective, exploring the experiences of retiring athletes, retired athletes, and sport support staff. A secondary aim is used to uncover any recommendations both retiring/retired athletes and sport support staff suggest towards improving retirement programs or interventions. A total of N=15 participants took part in semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences with sport retirement. Retiring and retired elite athletes were asked about how they felt during their transition into retirement, and sport support staff were asked about their experience working with retiring athletes. Data collection and iterative qualitative analysis are still ongoing; however, it is anticipated that the final key themes to emerge will include isolation, identity loss, and lack of support, with varying sub-themes such as organisational support and family support. Relationships across and within themes will be explored within the study. The anticipated findings present retiring from elite sports as a challenging life and career transition; however, current support and resources for elite athletes are not addressing the core difficulties experienced by retiring elite athletes. The findings of this study will inform future development of new co-designed elite sport retirement interventions.

Keywords: elite athlete, retired elite athlete, retirement interventions, transition into retirement, interviews

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Authors: Yuri Kitahara

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Background: Cognitive reappraisal refers to an emotion regulation strategy in which one changes the interpretation of emotion-eliciting events. Numerous studies show that cognitive reappraisal is associated with mental health and better social functioning. However the examination of the predictive factors of adaptive emotion regulation remains as an issue. The present study examined the factors contributing to the habitual use of cognitive reappraisal, with a focus on emotional awareness and working memory. Methods: Data was collected from 30 junior high school students, using a Japanese version of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale for Children (LEAS-C), and N-back task. Results: A positive correlation between emotional awareness and cognitive reappraisal was observed in the high-working-memory group (r = .54, p < .05), whereas no significant relationship was found in the low-working-memory group. In addition, the results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant interaction between emotional awareness and working memory capacity (F(1, 26) = 7.74, p < .05). Subsequent analysis of simple main effects confirmed that high working memory capacity significantly increases the use of cognitive reappraisal for high-emotional-awareness subjects, and significantly decreases the use of cognitive reappraisal for low-emotional-awareness subjects. Discussion: These results indicate that under the condition when one has an adequate ability for simultaneous processing of information, explicit understanding of emotion would contribute to adaptive cognitive emotion regulation. The findings are discussed along with neuroscientific claims.

Keywords: cognitive reappraisal, emotional awareness, emotion regulation, working memory

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Authors: Stephanie Giordano, Eric Lam, Rosa Plasencia

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An important piece of active aging is ensuring people have the right support to meet individual needs. Using NCI-AD data, we will look at measures of satisfaction with community access and needed services among people with physical disabilities receiving LTSS in the US. National Core Indicators—Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) is a voluntary effort by State Medicaid, aging, and disability agencies across the US to measure and track their own performance. NCI-AD uses a standardized survey – the Adult Consumer Survey (ACS), to hear directly from people receiving services about the quality of services and supports they receive. Data from the 2018-19 ACS found that compared to people without a physical disability, those with a physical disability were more likely to make choices about the services they receive, including when and how often they receive those services. Yet people with a physical disability were less likely to report they get enough assistance with everyday activities (e.g., shopping, housework, and taking medications) and self-care (e.g., dressing or bathing) and more likely to report that services and supports do not fully meet their needs and goals. A further breakdown by age shows that people 40-65 years old with a physical disability experienced even greater barriers to being as active in the community as they would like to be, indicating a need to better support people as they age with or into a disability. We will explore how these and other outcomes were affected by COVID-19, take a closer look at outcomes by demographics (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, and mental health diagnoses) and discuss implications on the future needs of service systems.

Keywords: quality-of-life, long-term services and supports, person-centered, community

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Authors: Belayet Hossain, Laura Lamb

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The study investigates the importance of health and social capital in determining the labour force status of Canada’s Indigenous population using data from 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey. An instrumental variable ordered probit model has been specified and estimated. The study finds that health status and social capital are important in determining Indigenous peoples’ employment status along with other factors. The results of the study imply that human resource development initiatives of Indigenous Peoples need to be broadened by including health status and social capital. Poor health and low degree of inclusion of the Indigenous Peoples need to be addressed in order to improve employment status of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.

Keywords: labour force, human capital, social capital, aboriginal people, Canada

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Authors: Elaine Wong

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This research protocol aims to explore and justify the need for nutrition and physical activity intervention to improve health outcomes among SME (Small Medium Enterprise) employees. It was found that the worksite is an ideal and convenient setting for employees to take charge of their health thru active participation in health programmes since they spent a great deal of time at their workplace. This study will examine the impact of both general or/and targeted health interventions in both SME and non-SME companies utilizing the Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) grant over a 12 months period and assessed the improvement in chronic health disease outcomes in Singapore. Random sampling of both non-SME and SME companies will be conducted to undergo health intervention and statistical packages such as Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 25 will be used to examine the impact of both general and targeted interventions on employees who participate and those who do not participate in the intervention and their effects on blood glucose (BG), blood lipid, blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage. Using focus groups and interviews, the data results will be transcribed to investigate enablers and barriers to workplace health intervention revealed by employees and WHP coordinators that could explain the variation in the health screening results across the organisations. Dietary habits and physical activity levels of the employees participating and not participating in the intervention will be collected before and after intervention to assess any changes in their lifestyle practices. It makes economic sense to study the impact of these interventions on health screening outcomes across various organizations that are existing grant recipients to justify the sustainability of these programmes by the local government. Healthcare policy makers and employers can then tailor appropriate and relevant programmes to manage these escalating chronic health disease conditions which is integral to the competitiveness and productivity of the nation’s workforce.

Keywords: chronic diseases, health screening, nutrition and fitness intervention , workplace health

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Authors: Neşe Alkan

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Purpose: The point that applied/clinical psychology, which is the practice and research discipline of the mental health field, has reached today can be summarized as the necessity of handling the psychological well-being of people from multiple perspectives and the goal of moving it to a higher level. Clients' subjective assessment of their own condition and wellbeing is an integral part of evidence-based interventions. There is a need for tools through which clients can evaluate the effectiveness of the psychotherapy/intervention performed with them and their contribution to the wellbeing and wellbeing of this process in a valid and reliable manner. The aim of this research is to meet this need, to test the reliability and validity of the index in Turkish, and explore its usability in the practices of both researchers and psychotherapists. Method: A total of 213 adults aged between 18-54, 69.5% working and 29.5% university students, were included in the study. Along with their demographic information, the participants were administered a set of scales: wellbeing, life satisfaction, spiritual satisfaction, shopping addiction, and loneliness, namely via an online platform. The construct validity of the wellbeing scale was tested with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, convergent and discriminant validity were tested with two-way full and partial correlation analyses and, measurement invariance was tested with one-way analysis of variance. Results: Factor analyzes showed that the scale consisted of six dimensions as it is in its original structure. The internal consistency of the scale was found to be Cronbach α = .82. Two-way correlation analyzes revealed that the wellbeing scale total score was positively correlated with general life satisfaction (r = .62) and spiritual satisfaction (r = .29), as expected. It was negatively correlated with loneliness (r = -.51) and shopping addiction (r = -.15). While the scale score did not vary by gender, previous illness, or nicotine addiction, it was found that the total wellbeing scale scores of the participants who had used antidepressant medication during the past year were lower than those who did not use antidepressant medication (F(1,204) = 7.713, p = .005). Conclusion: It has been concluded that the 12-item wellbeing scale consisting of six dimensions can be used in research and health sciences practices as a valid and reliable measurement tool. Further research which examines the reliability and validity of the scale in different widely used languages such as Spanish and Chinese is recommended.

Keywords: wellbeing, intervention effectiveness, reliability and validity, effectiveness

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Authors: Jabulani Gilford Kheswa

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This paper reports on the effects of unemployment on the sexual behaviour of male youth. Drawing from Jahoda’s deprivation theory, unemployed male youth is prone to psychological distress and as a result, they resort to drugs and alcohol abuse as a way to cope with discrimination. Studies showed that such youth is more inclined to be sexually aggressive and very often engage in criminal activities and risky sexual behaviour such as multiple sexual partners and unprotected sex to cover their feelings of emotional insecurities and negative self-concept. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of unemployment on the sexual behaviour of Xhosa- speaking male youth, aged 19-35, from Quzini Location, Eastern Cape, South Africa. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was followed using phenomenological method. The purposively sampled comprised fifteen unemployed males who gave their informed consent to be interviewed. For trustworthiness of the study, the researcher met the Lincoln and Guba’s principles, namely; credibility, dependability confirmability and transferability. The following themes were identified, namely; patriarchy, gender- based violence, drug abuse, stigma and discrimination, criminal activities, depression and low- self-esteem. Based on the findings, the recommendations are that the government and private sectors should create jobs aimed at reducing unemployment for unemployed youth and psycho-educational programmes that will equip them in the areas of sexual values and attitudes, communication and decision-making skills.

Keywords: discrimination, male-youth, sex, unemployment

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Authors: Sisira Edirippulige

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Background: Digital health education and training (DHET) is imperative for preparing current and future clinicians to work competently in digitally enabled environments. Despite rapid integration of digital health in modern health services, systematic education and training opportunities for health workers is still lacking. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate healthcare professionals’ perspectives and expectations regarding the knowledge, skills and competency needs in digital health for current and future healthcare workforce. Methods: A qualitative study design with semi-structured individual interviews was employed. A purposive sample method was adopted to collect relevant information from the health workers. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) was followed when we reported this study. Results: Two themes emerged while analysing the data: (1) what to teach in DHET and (2) how to teach DHET. Overall, healthcare professionals agreed that DHET is important for preparing current and future clinicians for working competently in digitally enabled environments. Knowledge relating to what is digital health, types of digital health, use of technology and human factors in digital health were considered as important to be taught in DHET. Skills relating to digital health consultations, clinical information system management and remote monitoring were considered important to be taught. Blended learning which combined e-learning and classroom-based teaching, simulation sessions and clinical rotations were suggested by healthcare professionals as optimal approaches to deliver the above-mentioned content. Conclusions: This study is the first of its kind to investigate health professionals’ perspectives and expectations relating to the knowledge, skills and competency needs in digital health for current and future healthcare workforce. Healthcare workers are keen to acquire relevant knowledge, skills and competencies related to digital health. Different modes of education delivery is of interest to fit in with busy schedule of health workers.

Keywords: digital health, telehealth, telemedicine, education, curriculum

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Authors: Olga Muries-Cantan, Alice Schippers, Climent Gine, Noelle van den Heuvel

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A systematic review of the literature about the quality of life perceptions of siblings of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) has shown differences and similarities among siblings’ perceptions around the world. Some of these differences might be explained by the influence of cultural and religious backgrounds on siblings’ quality of life through values, beliefs, and perceptions of ‘normalcy’ and stigma. The main goal of the multiple case study that we present, is to explore the quality of life perceptions of two adolescent siblings of individuals with ID/DD in order to identify the role cultural influence has played in their perceptions of quality of life. Two siblings from different European regions will participate in the study: one from a Southern European country (Spain) and the other one from a Western European country (The Netherlands). Taking a cross-cultural perspective, concepts such as values, cultural beliefs regarding disability, expectations, identity, supports, desires, and sibling relationships, will be discussed in a semi-structured interview with each sibling. Data will be analysed following an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). It is expected that findings will show the particularities of the experience of having a brother or a sister with ID/DD and the singular influence of the culture on siblings’ perceptions of quality of life. The results of this study will help to spread awareness around the necessity that researchers, practitioners, and policymakers take into account the cultural background of the individuals in order to provide them with better services and support. In this line, more culturally situated research is required to enlarge the knowledge in this field.

Keywords: culture, intellectual disability, quality of life, siblings

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Authors: Ligia Florio, João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia

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Background: Food addiction (FA) emerged in the 1990s as a possible contributor to the increasing prevalence of obesity and overweight, in conjunction with changing food environments and mental health conditions. However, FA is not yet listed as one of the disorders in the DSM-5 and/or the ICD-11. Although there are controversies and debates in the literature about the classification and construct of FA, the most common approach to access it is the use of a research tool - the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) - which approximates the concept of FA to the concept diagnosis of dependence on psychoactive substances. There is a need to explore the dimensional phenotypes accessed by YFAS in different population groups for a better understanding and scientific support of FA diagnoses. Methods: The primary objective of this project was to investigate the construct validity of the FA concept by mYFAS 2.0 in individuals who underwent bariatric surgery (n = 100) at the Hospital Estadual Mário Covas since 2011. Statistical analyzes were conducted using the STATA software. In this sense, structural or factor validity was the type of construct validity investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item response theory (IRT) techniques. Results: EFA showed that the one-dimensional model was the most parsimonious. The IRT showed that all criteria contributed to the latent structure, presenting discrimination values greater than 0.5, with most presenting values greater than 2. Conclusion: This study reinforces a FA dimension in patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Within this dimension, we identified the most severe and discriminating criteria for the diagnosis of FA.

Keywords: obesity, food addiction, bariatric surgery, regain

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