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Effect of Minimal Individual or Group Enhancement in an eHealth Program on Mental Health, Health Behavior, and Work Ability in Employees With Obesity: Randomized Controlled Trial.3 months agoMental health problems and adverse health behaviors are enriched in individuals with obesity and need to be considered in weight loss interventions. Regarding weight loss, hybrid interventions combining digital and in-person elements have proven superior to eHealth-only interventions. However, it remains unclear whether minimal group or individual enhancement could bring additional benefits to the mental health and health behavior domains in individuals with obesity.
This study aimed to explore whether minimal group or individual enhancements could offer additional benefits to an eHealth intervention in relation to mental health, perceived work ability, and health behavior in a sample of occupational health patients with obesity. In addition, the study sought to examine the overall effects of the health behavior-focused intervention across these domains.
This study was a randomized controlled trial with a 12-month intervention (March 2021-2022), with selected variables followed for another 12 months without additional support. Recruited from occupational health care, 111 working-age adults with BMI 30-40 kg/m2 were randomized to one of the 3 treatment arms, such as eHealth, eHealth+Group, or eHealth+Individual. All treatment arms received a web-administered, coach-assisted eHealth program based on acceptance and commitment therapy, and, in addition, the eHealth+Group and eHealth+Individual arms received 3 remotely facilitated group or individual meetings. The overall intervention effects were evaluated quasi-experimentally by combining the 3 treatment arms into a single eHealth arm. Participants were assessed for depression (the Beck Depression Index 21 [BDI-21]), burnout (Bergen Burnout Inventory 18 [BBI-15]), perceived work ability, eating behavior (ecSatter 2.0, Three Factor Eating Questionnaire [TFEQ], and Binge Eating Scale [BES]), and physical activity (Baecke Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire, BHPAQ).
We observed inconsistent fluctuations between the treatment arms in depression and burnout scores, indicating a lack of meaningful intervention effects despite statistical significance. Therefore, none of the treatment arms showed superiority over another. Across all participants, depression showed an estimated mean decrease of 2.5 BDI-21 points, with older participants experiencing a greater reduction in depressive symptoms. Furthermore, binge eating tendency decreased by 4.9 BES points during the 12-month intervention. We also observed increases in eating competence, controlled restraint, and physical activity. However, the 24-month measurements showed an adverse effect on eating competence, especially on attitudes toward eating and food, during the follow-up period without further support.
Minimal enhancement through either group or individual video-conference meetings did not provide additional benefits in the mental health or eating habit domains compared with the eHealth intervention alone. Nevertheless, our results indicate that eHealth interventions for weight loss have the potential to reduce depression symptoms and binge-eating tendencies, while also improving eating competence and physical activity across the study population. Continued support may be necessary to sustain positive changes.Mental HealthAccessCare/Management -
Healthy emotionality protects from the detrimental well-being consequences of low economic status.3 months agoLow economic status is linked to poorer mental and physical well-being, but individual differences in emotional and cognitive resources may buffer this relationship. Indeed, previous research has shown that people with low income but a high sense of control have comparable levels of life satisfaction and health to people with higher income. Building on this, we conducted two cross-sectional online studies with US participants to examine whether healthy emotionality-a predisposition to adaptive affective responses-buffers the negative effects of low economic status on well-being. In Study 1 (N = 259), participants completed the Emotional Style Questionnaire, rated their life satisfaction and health, and reported annual household income. In Study 2 (N = 902), we used more comprehensive assessments of income and well-being, and additionally compared the moderating effects of healthy emotionality and sense of control. In both studies, healthy emotionality significantly moderated the relationship between income and well-being: individuals with high healthy emotionality maintained higher well-being despite low economic status. This buffering effect remained significant when the sense of control was included in the model. These results suggest that healthy emotionality is a robust resilience factor against socioeconomic adversity that goes beyond the protective role of perceived control.Mental HealthAccessAdvocacy
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"From Homelessness to Safety": Short-Term Outcomes of Low-Threshold Shelter on Individuals Experiencing Substance Use Disorder and Unsheltered Homelessness.3 months agoTo address the urgent housing needs of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness and substance use disorder (SUD) living in an encampment, Boston established six harm reduction low-threshold shelter (LTS) sites in January 2022.
To understand the LTS guest experience of persons who had been living in the tent encampment, assess early outcomes of the LTS service model, and inform concurrent implementation of this new shelter model, the Boston Public Health Commission implemented a point-in-time survey of 50 individuals who moved from the encampment into LTS three to six months after the encampment closure. The in-person survey assessed participant experience, quality of life, and service access.
Seventy-two percent to 90.0% of survey participants reported improvements in sleep quality, food security, and connection with others since moving into LTS. Sixty-eight percent to 92.0% of participants indicated increased access to mental health and healthcare providers and housing navigation services. Over 80.0% of respondents reported increased confidence in overdose response since moving into LTS, and almost half reported being in some form of treatment for SUD. Importantly, 90.0% of participants agreed that they had hope for the future.
Harm reduction transitional shelter spaces remove access barriers to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and SUD and promote safety, well-being, and access to critical support services and housing navigation.Mental HealthAccessCare/Management -
Exploring factors influencing complementary feeding practices in Asia from parents' and caregivers' perspectives: A qualitative systematic review.3 months agoChild malnutrition remains a significant issue worldwide, particularly in developing regions like Asia. Age 6-23 months is critical for preventing malnutrition, yet numerous children within this range do not receive nutritionally sufficient complementary foods. This study aimed to explore factors influencing complementary feeding practices among Asian parents and caregivers.
Searches for this qualitative systematic review were undertaken in May-June 2023, in five databases (Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, PubMed, and Global Health). The review included studies from Asian countries that utilised qualitative or mixed methods, published in English. Studies involving infants with pre-existing conditions or mothers with mental health conditions were excluded. The 2018 Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist was used to evaluate the included studies, and data were synthesised to extract key themes related to complementary feeding practices. The appraisal certainty of review findings were assessed using the GRADE-certainty of qualitative evidence approach.
This review identified 14 findings from 16 studies with 955 participants. Influencing factors were categorised into four groups: individual factors (child's preferences, knowledge gaps, sources of information, the mother's self-efficacy, time constraints, insufficient breast milk), household factors (family dynamics, secondary caregivers support, economic status), socio-environmental factors (sociocultural norms, media influences, social support, access to food), and health services.
This study emphasises the need to consider parents' and caregivers' experiences when developing interventions. The presence of diverse factors across settings suggests customised nutrition education that considers local contexts and involves all relevant stakeholders.Mental HealthAccessEducation -
Association Between Smartphone Attachment and Mental Health in Adolescents.3 months agoThe surge in adolescent smartphone use has coincided with the rise in the adolescent mental health crisis, raising public health concerns. Moving beyond the traditional focus on screen time, this study examined the association between smartphone attachment and mental health among adolescents.
Data were analyzed from 137 community-dwelling adolescents (aged 16.5-18 years). Smartphone attachment was measured by the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ). Patient Reporting Outcome Measures (PROMIS) pediatric short forms were used to measure anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and general health. t-tests and ANOVAs compared anxiety and depression scores between groups above and below the MPIQ threshold for moderate-to-severe attachment. Multivariable regressions estimated associations between smartphone attachment and mental health outcomes, adjusting for demographics and health factors.
Participants were a mean age of 17.7 ± 0.6 years, 51.1% female, and 79.6% White and 96.4% non-Hispanic. Mean MPIQ score was 28.90 ± 8.85, with females scoring higher than males (30.5 vs. 27.2, p = 0.03). Adolescents above the MPIQ threshold for moderate-severe attachment ( ≥ 32) reported significantly higher anxiety (52.9 vs. 46.3, p < 0.001) and depression (51.4 vs. 46.3, p = 0.002). In regression models, MPIQ scores were significantly associated with anxiety (adj. ß = 0.26, p < 0.01, CI = [0.099, 0.41]) and depression (adj. ß = 0.15, p < 0.05, CI = [0.16, 0.28]), adjusting for demographics and health factors.
Findings highlight a clinical concern for adolescents with elevated smartphone attachment, particularly among females. Targeted interventions are needed to prevent worsening mental health related to smartphone attachment.Mental HealthAccessCare/ManagementAdvocacy -
Analysis on Care Service Preferences of Community Patients With Severe Mental Disorders in Beijing Based on Discrete Choice Experiment.3 months agoObjective To gain insights into the care service preferences and willingness of patients with severe mental disorders in Beijing,analyze the main factors affecting their participation in care services,and provide data support and decision-making reference for the optimal design of care services for patients with severe mental disorders and the improvement of relevant policies.Methods In July 2022,a questionnaire survey was conducted for a part of Beijing community patients with severe mental disorders selected by multi-stage stratified sampling,including the basic personal information and the preferences of discrete choice experiment.A mixed Logit model was used to perform regression analysis on the care service preferences,and the trade off between general and monetary attributes was quantified by willingness to pay(WTP).Results A total of 242 questionnaires were distributed,and 181 valid questionnaires were collected,with a response rate of 74.79%.The regression coefficients for the four attributes-service type,service content,service frequency,and service cost-all showed statistical significance(all P<0.05).Patients' most preferred attribute level was a service frequency covering about 90% of the time per month/year( β=1.059),while the least preferred was full-time residential care( β=-1.025).Increasing the service frequency from 30% to 90% corresponded to a WTP of 492.5 yuan,while changing the service type from home-based care to full-time residential care resulted in a WTP of -476.6 yuan.Moreover,there were differences in care service preferences and WTP among patient groups with different characteristics(all P<0.05).Conclusions Service type,service content,service frequency,and service cost all significantly affect the care service preferences of patients with severe mental disorders.There is heterogeneity in care service preferences among patient groups with different characteristics.Mental HealthAccessCare/ManagementAdvocacy
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Validity and Cost-Consequence Analysis of the Brief Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for Discriminating Cognitive Impairment in a Community-Based Middle-Aged and Elderly Population.3 months agoObjective To evaluate the reliability and validity and perform cost-consequence analysis of the brief version of the Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)for identifying cognitive impairment in a community-based population ≥50 years of age.Methods The internal consistency and retest reliability of the brief version of the MoCA were analyzed,and the area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,and specificity were determined to discriminate mild cognitive impairment(MCI)and dementia with the clinical dementia rating(CDR)as the diagnostic criterion.The consistency between the brief version and the full version was analyzed by the Kappa test and the Bland-Altman method,and the number of individuals entering the diagnostic assessment and the overall assessment time were estimated and compared between the two versions.Results A total of 303 individuals were included in this study,of whom 192,94,and 17 had normal cognitive function,MCI,and dementia,respectively.The Cronbach's α and re-test coefficients of the brief version of MoCA were 0.754 and 0.711(P<0.001),respectively.The brief version showed the AUC,sensitivity,and specificity of 0.889,74.5%,and 93.8% for identifying MCI,and 0.994,100%,and 93.8% for identifying dementia,respectively.When the brief version of MoCA was used to identify 94 patients with MCI in 303 individuals,107 individuals required additional diagnostic assessment,with an overall assessment time of 142.4 h,which represented decreases of 21.3% and 32.7%,respectively,compared with those of the full version.When the brief version of MoCA was used to identify 17 patients with dementia in 303 individuals,35 individuals required additional diagnostic assessment,with an overall assessment time of 70.4 h,a decrease of 29.5% in the time cost compared with the full version.Conclusions The brief version of MoCA can identify cognitively impaired individuals in a community-based middle-aged and elderly population,with diagnostic validity comparable to that of the full version but less time cost and fewer individuals needing additional diagnostic assessment to detect true-positive cases.It could be expanded for use in the community-based primary screening setting.Mental HealthAccessCare/ManagementAdvocacy
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Characteristics of Japanese Elite Athletes Who Utilized Mental Health Services at the Japan High Performance Sports Center During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the COVID-19 Pandemic.3 months agoBackground and objective Reports on the mental health of Japanese athletes have been increasing in recent years, although many focus on specific sports, such as rugby. In this study, we hypothesized that the mental health of elite Japanese athletes was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, leading to a rise in mental health issues. The aim of this study was to clarify the impact of these events on the mental health of elite athletes and to identify trends and characteristics of those who sought care at the clinic. Methods We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study using medical records from the Sports Clinic at the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences (JISS), covering the period from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022. All athletes who received psychiatric or counseling services during this time were included. There were no exclusion criteria or age restrictions. Participant characteristics were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Welch t-test for continuous variables. All tests were two-tailed, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05. Results A total of 85 athletes (23 men and 62 women) received treatment during the study period. Most of the patients visiting the mental health department at the JISS Sports Clinic were female athletes involved in individual sports, particularly in record-oriented disciplines. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of athletes seeking mental health support has increased significantly. Reasons for consultation included both psychological issues, such as sleep disorders, and physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal problems. Conclusions Mental health issues among elite Japanese athletes often manifest as psychosomatic symptoms. Recognizing this pattern is important for sports physicians, especially those without psychiatric training, and can support the development of effective care systems tailored to athletes' needs.Mental HealthAccess
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From molecular mechanism to plant intervention: the bidirectional regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress in bone aging.3 months agoThis article systematically elaborates the central role of inflammatory response and oxidative stress in osteoporosis (OP) and cartilage injury, and reveals the molecular mechanism by which the two damage bone homeostasis through NF-κB, RANKL and other signaling pathways. Studies have shown that plant natural products (such as hesperidin, curcumin, Epimedin B, etc.) can improve bone metabolism imbalance and delay the process of bone aging by regulating inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β) and antioxidant pathways (Nrf2/HO-1). Osteoporosis and cartilage damage promote each other to form a vicious cycle, and the intervention of plant active ingredients can target this common pathological process. Based on the current evidence, the strategy of combining anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and mechanical regulation may provide a new direction for the prevention and treatment of bone aging-related diseases.Mental HealthAccessCare/ManagementPolicy
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Caregiving burdens of task time and task difficulty among paid and unpaid caregivers of persons living with dementia.3 months agoDemands of caregivers of persons living with dementia (PLWD) are often influenced by the context of their caregiving situation. This study examines common and unique factors associated with caregiving burden in terms of task time and task difficulty among paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD.
Cross-sectional baseline survey data were analyzed from 107 paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD participating in a larger NIH-funded study assessing the feasibility of using a novel in-situ sensor system. Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale constructs of task time and task difficulty served as dependent variables. Two least squares regression models were fitted, controlling for contextual items related to the caregiver, care recipient, and caregiving logistics.
Caregivers whose care recipients were female (B = -0.29, p = 0.006), had more chronic conditions (B = 0.31, p = 0.011), and had lower Mini-Mental State Exam scores (B = -0.20, p = 0.015) reported higher task time burdens. Caregivers whose care recipients had other paid caregivers (B = 0.30, p = 0.031) and spent more months/years caring for their care recipients (B = 0.28, p = 0.004) reported higher task time burdens. Caregivers' task time burden was positively associated with their emotional stress level (B = 0.30, p = 0.020). Caregivers' task difficulty burden was positively associated with their emotional stress (B = 0.30, p = 0.029) and depressive symptomatology (B = 0.32, p = 0.002).
Results reinforce the relationship between caregiver burden and mental health impacts. While the care recipient's disease profile and needs were drivers of task time burden, which may also require coordination with other paid caregivers, task difficulty was emotionally driven. Findings highlight the importance of caregiver support services and programming for mental health.Mental HealthAccessAdvocacy