Healthcare

Background/Objective: Hypertension is a major global health concern and a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Lifestyle behaviors, such as diet, physical activity, stress management, and self-confidence, markedly influence hypertension control. Exploring these behaviors can inform culturally relevant interventions for improving the prevention and management of hypertension and health outcomes of affected individuals. This study aimed to determine the effects of lifestyle behaviors, including dietary habits, physical activity, stress management, and self-confidence, on optimizing hypertension control among individuals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive–correlational design was used. Data were collected from 136 patients with hypertension attending primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia using validated scales for dietary habits, physical activity, perceived stress, and self-confidence, alongside blood pressure measurements. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. Results: The study revealed that most participants reported reasonably healthy dietary practices, low physical activity, and moderate stress and self-confidence. Significant sex differences (p < 0.05) were observed, with men and women reporting higher physical activity and stress, respectively. Education and age influenced dietary habits and self-confidence. Regression analysis identified age, education, and urban residence as predictors (p < 0.05) of blood pressure status, while stress, diet, and physical activity affected self-confidence and perceived stress levels. Conclusions: Hypertension management is influenced by interconnected lifestyle and psychosocial factors, and improving dietary habits, physical activity, stress management, and self-confidence is essential. Tailored interventions addressing demographic differences can enhance self-care behaviors and facilitate better hypertension control among Saudi individuals.

Background: The Transformative, Resilient, and Youth-Led/Driven (TRY) Gym, a school-based co-creative mental health training programme, is grounded in the Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach. It seeks to improve adolescents’ mental health and well-being by strengthening their resilience and competence. Additionally, it prepares them to deliver peer-led mental health activities, promoting mental wellness and fostering a stigma-free, supportive environment. Methods: This study evaluated the programme using a mixed-method design. In total, 94 students from eight secondary schools in Hong Kong were recruited, with 80 participating in the evaluation. Results: Five outcomes showed significant improvements from baseline to the post-implementation phase, including social competence, cognitive competence, emotional competence, resilience, and mental well-being. Common features were identified across interviews, which may possibly account for the significant results and participants’ improved mental health. Conclusions: The TRY Gym programme’s fidelity was demonstrated by its completion, which included high participant responsiveness, and a co-creative and youth-driven approach in the project. In addition, the positive outcomes of the programme underscore its effectiveness in improving mental health among adolescents by imparting mental health knowledge and providing opportunities for participants to apply learnt techniques in everyday life situations.

Background: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and sensation seeking in the relationship between basic psychological needs and problematic social media use. Furthermore, the moderating effect of gender on indirect effects has been examined. Method: The sample of the study consisted of 838 Turkish adolescents aged between 14 and 18 (46.2% female; Mean = 15.6, SD = 1.71). Participants completed the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Basic Psychological Needs Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, and the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the AMOS 26.0 program. Results: A significant relationship was found between basic psychological needs and problematic social media use (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Both cognitive flexibility and sensation seeking partially mediated this relationship in girls (β = −0.23, p < 0.001), while fully mediating it in boys (β = 0.03, p = 0.675). Conclusions: The findings suggest that problematic social media use in adolescents may be associated with cognitive flexibility and increased sensation-seeking tendencies stemming from unmet psychological needs, and that gender plays an important role in this relationship.