Search Results (85)

In the 21st century, rapid urban development during global urbanization has led to high-density environments. These settings have become a significant cause of stress-related health problems for residents. Healing street design plays an important role in helping address mental health challenges caused by this process. Current research often focuses on healing elements and methods from only a single field. As a result, it lacks the integration of multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder perspectives. To address this gap, this paper formed a Delphi expert panel with multidisciplinary scholars, urban managers, and practicing designers. The panel developed a quantitative evaluation model. This model covers four core dimensions: Safety (0.3210), Attractiveness (0.1080), Friendliness (0.2155), and Comfort (0.3553). It also includes eleven healing elements, such as Pedestrian Right-of-Way (0.4131), Night Lighting (0.3209), Visual Landscape (0.759), Street Furniture (0.4000), and Street Scale (0.3274). Using this model, the healing potential of Jingliu Road in Zhengzhou was assessed. The analysis identified the overall healing potential, core healing dimensions, and shortcomings of the street. This finding provides a clear direction for future healing-oriented street design. This paper builds a healing system for pedestrian spaces in high-density urban streets in China. It thus offers an evidence-based scientific tool for environmental design. Healing environments have expanded from less accessible spaces, such as squares and parks, to interactive and accessible streets. This transition enhances urban spaces’ capacity to address residents’ mental health concerns and promotes public health. Additionally, this paper offers specific recommendations for planners and policymakers to prioritize healing elements in urban renewal projects. Full article

Background and Objectives: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and can lead to serious long-term consequences, increased hospital length stay, higher rates of antibiotic resistance, and additional financial costs. The study aim was to highlight important aspects related to the level of knowledge of HAIs, risk factors for HAI and methods of preventing HAIs among nurses from urban hospitals in the North-East of Romania. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on the level of knowledge of HAI problems among medical personnel (nurses). The study group consisted of 288 nurses who responded online to a questionnaire. Results: Multivariate analysis suggested that 45.5% of the value of the knowledge score of prevention and limitation of HAIs could be determined by the answers to the questions regarding the importance of the nurse role, professional experience, and training. Moreover 84.6% of the knowledge score could be determined by the answers to the questions regarding the assessment of the importance of factors related to lack of medical personnel, professional burnout, insufficient knowledge and staff training, inefficient team, poor collaboration within departments, stressful work environment, staff health status, multiple tasks at work (p = 0.038). While 50% of the knowledge score could be explained by responses regarding personal problems related to daily activity; physical and mental health status; and physical, psychological, and social components (p = 0.038). Conclusions: Our study highlighted aspects of the level of knowledge regarding HAIs among nurses, an issue that plays a key role in hospital management. Overall, the knowledge score for the prevention and limitation of HAIs was higher in nurses/females aged over 40 and in nurses with more than 15 years of experience. Full article

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have become a leading occupational health problem in health-care professionals. This study aims to bring attention to a growing problem by reporting the prevalence, risk factors, and workplace interventions related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Singapore podiatric physicians. Methods: All of the podiatric physicians in Singapore were eligible to participate. A selfadministered survey that included questions from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to understand their work practice and musculoskeletal symptoms. Data on workplace interventions for prevention were also collected. Results: A 50% response rate was achieved (n = 50); 72% of respondents attributed their musculoskeletal pain to work, of which 40% had pain affecting activities of daily living and almost half recorded consequent absenteeism. The neck, wrist/hand, and lower back were most frequently affected. For one-third, pain onset occurred early in professional practice. Ergonomic factors were the predominant cause. Women (odds ratio, 6.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–42.8) and those with self-reported poor posture during clinical work (odds ratio, 6.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–45.1) were possible risk factors. Trends of higher body mass index, long hours of continuous clinical work, and higher mental stress at work were also observed. Only 26% of respondents reported workplace interventions. Work organization and ergonomic interventions were thought to be most effective. Conclusions: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a significant health problem in podiatric physicians that cause disability and impact work through absenteeism. Occupational health practitioners should raise awareness of work-related risks and engage the profession to identify mitigating strategies. (JAmPodiatr Med Assoc 115(6), 2025; doi:10.7547/23-217) Full article

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound disruptions in socioeconomic, and health domains, with significant implications for mental well-being. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on stress, anxiety, and depression, alongside perceived social support, coping flexibility and related factors, and to examine how these issues vary across different age groups. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in Türkiye between August and December 2020. Data were collected through an online questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, pandemic-related concerns, and validated scales: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Coping Flexibility Scale (CFS), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Statistical analyses included descriptive and comparative tests, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression models, and correspondence analysis. Results: Among 1699 participants, 58.0% were female; 24.5% and 42.1% reported anxiety and depressive symptoms above thresholds, respectively. Younger age correlated negatively with stress, anxiety, and depression scores (p < 0.001). Feelings of loneliness, loss of control, ostracism, and sleep or concentration problems were positively associated with anxiety, depression, and stress, but negatively associated with coping flexibility and social support (p < 0.001). The 15–20 age group had the highest anxiety and depression levels and the lowest social support; the 15–30 group showed the highest stress, while the 61–75 group exhibited the lowest coping flexibility. Regression models explained 62.7% of anxiety and 56.6% of depressive symptom variances. Major predictors of anxiety included depressive symptoms, stress, and fear of dying from COVID-19, while depressive symptoms were predicted by age, stress, coping flexibility, social support, and anxiety. Conclusions: The findings highlight the considerable psychological burden and distinct vulnerabilities among age groups. Mental health interventions should be tailored according to age, emphasising the enhancement of social support and coping flexibility to strengthen resilience in future pandemics. Full article

This study investigated consumer perception of food insecurity by refining data collected from social media platforms. Text mining and TF-IDF were used to extract core keywords closely related to food insecurity and analyze their meanings. In addition, time series analysis and sentiment analysis were used to examine temporal and emotional changes. The analysis results showed that keywords, such as health, stress, mental, and depression, appeared frequently, indicating that food insecurity is closely related to psychological and mental problems. In addition, consumers showed high emotional sensitivity to essential nutrients, such as vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, and omega. Furthermore, stress indices and mental and physical response indices increased simultaneously during this period, indicating that food insecurity is a factor that causes emotional and physical responses. The results of the sentiment analysis showed that negative emotions (anxiety, fear, and sadness) were higher than positive emotions, suggesting that discussions related to food insecurity have a negative emotional impact. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused lasting disruption to healthcare systems and the mental health of frontline workers. Though the acute crisis has passed, many healthcare workers (HCWs) continue to experience long-term psychological effects, including anxiety, grief, and burnout. This mixed-methods study investigates the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of physicians in a low-resource country. Methods: Drawing on data from the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) or otolaryngology department at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, the study employed an explanatory mixed-methods design, combining structured surveys and semi-structured interviews. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Brief COPE Inventory were administered to 42 ENT specialists, trainees, and house officers, alongside semi-structured interviews with eight ENT physicians. Results: Survey results revealed moderate to high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress that persisted beyond the acute crisis phase of the pandemic. Interviews provided nuanced insights into the emotional burden experienced by physicians, including persistent concerns about contagion risk, professional isolation, and increased workload. Physicians described maladaptive responses and employed active coping strategies, such as seeking peer support and utilizing adaptive problem solving. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had enduring effects on the mental well-being of physicians. Targeted interventions and policy reforms that address the ongoing pressures frontline physicians face in resource-constrained environments may help mitigate these burdens, support healthcare professionals more effectively, and improve their mental health. Full article

Workplace violence (WV) is a ubiquitous risk in healthcare settings where it has been associated with physical and mental health problems. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the violence experienced by healthcare workers (HCWs) and the presence of eating disorders (EDs). During routine health surveillance, 1215 HCWs were questioned about their experience of WV and the short version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-QS) was used to assess their eating behaviors. Sleep quality, stress, and the presence of common mental illnesses and metabolic disorders were also evaluated. HCWs who had experienced one or more assaults in the previous year had a significantly higher EDE score than their colleagues. In a multivariate model, WV doubled the risk of EDs (odds ratio 2.33, confidence intervals 95% 1.30; 4.18, p < 0.01). A very significant association was observed between common mental disorders and EDs (OR 1.13, CI 95% 1.04; 1.23, p < 0.01), while low sleep quality almost reached a significant level (OR 1.09, CI 95% 0.99; 1.20). The higher frequency of EDs among workers subjected to violence may result from maladaptive coping mechanisms used when stress and mental health problems caused by WV lead to compensatory overeating. However, reverse causation, where WV is induced by stigmatization, cannot be ruled out. Because of the considerable impact EDs have on physical and mental health, productivity, and patient care, healthcare organizations should adopt programs designed to prevent these disorders in HCWs. Full article

Background/Objective: Frontline healthcare staff who contend diseases and mitigate their transmission were repeatedly exposed to high-risk conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were at risk of mental health issues, in particular, psychological stress, depression, anxiety, financial stress, and/or burnout. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the occupational stress of medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and other hospital support crew during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We collected both qualitative and quantitative data from a survey given to public and private hospitals using methods like correspondence analysis, cluster analysis, and structural equation models to investigate the work-related stress (WRS) and anxiety of the staff. Since health-related factors are unclear and uncertain, a fuzzy association rule mining (FARM) method was created to address these problems and find out the levels of work-related stress (WRS) and anxiety. The statistical results and K-means clustering method were used to find the best number of fuzzy rules and the level of fuzziness in clusters to create the FARM approach and to predict the work-related stress and anxiety of healthcare staff. This innovative approach allows for a more nuanced appraisal of the factors contributing to work-related stress and anxiety, ultimately enabling healthcare organizations to implement targeted interventions. By leveraging these insights, management can foster a healthier work environment that supports staff well-being and enhances overall productivity. This study also aimed to identify the relevant health factors that are the root causes of work-related stress and anxiety to facilitate better preparation and motivation of the staff for reorganizing resources and equipment. Results: The results and findings show that when the financial burden (FIN) of healthcare staff increased, WRS and anxiety increased. Similarly, a rise in psychological stress caused an increase in WRS and anxiety. The psychological impact (PCG) ratio and financial impact (FIN) were the most influential factors for the staff’s anxiety. The FARM results and findings revealed that improving the financial situation of healthcare staff alone was not sufficient during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: This study found that while the impact of PCG was significant, its combined effect with FIN was more influential on staff’s work-related stress and anxiety. This difference was due to the mutual effects of PCG and FIN on the staff’s motivation. The findings will help healthcare managers make decisions to reduce or eliminate the WRS and anxiety experienced by healthcare staff in the future. Full article

Background: Loneliness is both a social and a health-related problem, and among LGBT people, feelings of loneliness are often exacerbated. According to the minority stress theory, stress and loneliness can be directly related to the discrimination and stigma that are experienced over time in a heteronormative society. Exposure to social stigma causes mental health problems, stress, and loneliness, coupled with increased social and economic vulnerability. Method: The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory analysis of homosexual men’s feelings of loneliness and their relationship with experiences of discrimination throughout their life. A qualitative methodology involving focus groups and individual interviews was utilized. Results: The results show the double or overlapping discriminations that gay men experience as a result of their age and sexual orientation and, in some cases, their HIV status, and the relationship between said discrimination and the feeling of unwanted loneliness. Exposure to such intolerance is more common among those with a reduced social network, which limits their social participation and has a negative impact on their well-being. Conclusion. The aging process of LGBT people implies a new context of intervention and research that must be addressed to prevent episodes of unwanted loneliness that negatively affect the quality of life among this demographic. Full article

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9-THC or THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, can lead to adverse health conditions, including mental health issues, brain impairment, and cardiac and respiratory problems. The amount of THC in cannabis has steadily climbed over the past few decades, with today’s cannabis having three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. Inhalation is a major route of exposure, allowing substances to enter the body via the respiratory tract. THC exposure causes cell death in the airway epithelium; however, the molecular underpinning of THC exposure-induced bronchial epithelial cell death is not clearly understood. To address the mechanisms involved in this process, the present study examined the cell viability, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and transcriptional alterations caused by various concentrations of Δ-9-THC (0, 800, 1000, 1200, and 1500 ng/mL) in a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) in vitro. Δ-9-THC exposure caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell viability after 24 h exposure. Transcriptome analysis showed a distinct dose-dependent response. HIF-1 signaling, ferroptosis, AMPK signaling, and immunogenic pathways were activated by Δ-9-THC-upregulated genes. Glutathione and fatty acid metabolic pathways were significantly altered by Δ-9-THC-dependent downregulated genes. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) revealed several top canonical pathways altered by Δ-9-THC exposure, including ferroptosis, NRF-2-mediated oxidative stress response, caveolar-mediated endocytosis (loss of cell adhesion to the substrate), tumor microenvironment, HIF1alpha signaling, and the unfolded protein response pathway. Δ-9-THC-induced cell death was ameliorated by inhibiting the ferroptosis pathway, whereas treatments with ferroptosis agonist exacerbated the cell death process, suggesting that Δ-9-THC-induced bronchial epithelial cell death potentially involves the ferroptosis pathway. Full article

Many females experience physical problems caused by menstruation, such as menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome, which disrupt their daily lives and work. Knowing when menstruation begins is essential for managing such physical conditions. However, menstrual periods are not always cyclic and can be extended by physical and mental stress. Currently used menstrual management applications rely on self-reported cycle length and basal body temperature (BBT), which makes it challenging to predict irregular periods. Advances in smart wearables have made continuous, non-invasive health monitoring accessible, such as heart rate variability (HRV). HRV characteristics reflect autonomic nervous system activity and are used as physical and mental health status indices. This study aims to explore the relationship between HRV indices and the menstrual cycle using smart wearables. A total of 13 females aged from 18 to 20 participated in this study and measured their indices using an underwear-type wearable device for six months. The device measured HRV and body acceleration. Participants recorded their BBT every morning and answered questionnaires about their physical and mental status every morning and evening. They also reported the start and end dates of menstruation. The HRV data were split into sleep and wake phases using acceleration and calculated time- and frequency-domain HRV indices. Cross-correlation and regression analysis were conducted to assess the relation between the menstrual cycle and phases, such as follicular and luteal, and the HRV indices. A significant relationship between HRV indices and the menstrual cycle length was found, particularly in the difference between the follicular and luteal phases of HRV indices. This difference showed a relatively high association with menstrual cycle length. Importantly, the regression analysis results suggested that HRV indices can be used to predict the length of the menstrual cycle and potential physical and mental disorders. These findings significantly contributed to menstrual health management and the Femtech industry. Full article

Over the past five years, the proliferation of virtual reality platforms and the advancement of metahuman technologies have underscored the importance of natural interaction and emotional expression. As a result, there has been significant research activity focused on developing emotion recognition techniques based on speech data. Despite significant progress in emotion recognition research for the Korean language, a shortage of speech databases applicable to such research has been regarded as the most critical problem in this field, leading to overfitting issues in several models developed by previous studies. To address the issue of overfitting caused by limited data availability in the field of Korean speech emotion recognition (SER), this study focuses on integrating the data augmentation–saturation (DA-S) technique into a traditional ResNet model to enhance SER performance. The DA-S technique enhances data augmentation by adjusting the saturation of an image. We used 11,192 utterance numbers provided by AI-HUB, which were converted into images to extract features such as pitch and intensity of speech. The DA-S technique was then applied to this dataset, using weights of 0 and 2, to augment the utterance numbers to 33,576. This augmented dataset was utilized to classify four emotion categories: happiness, sadness, anger, and neutrality. The results of this study showed that the proposed model using the DA-S technique overcame overfitting issues. Furthermore, its performance for SER increased by 34.19% compared to that of existing ResNet models not using the DA-S technique. This demonstrates that the DA-S technique effectively enhances model performance with limited data and may be applicable to specific areas such as stress monitoring and mental health support. Full article

Objective: Exposure of emergency service personnel to disasters can lead to significant mental health challenges. The psychological impact of intentionally caused disasters, such as terrorist attacks, tends to be more severe than that of natural disasters. While much research has focused on terrorist attacks, little is known about the effects of intentional vehicular assaults (IVAs). This study examines the impact of an IVA on the mental health of firefighters. We hypothesized that firefighters deployed to the scene (deployed group (DG)) would experience more mental health problems compared to those not on duty (comparison group (CG)). Methods: The study included n = 115 firefighters, with 60 in the DG and 55 in the CG from the same units. Validated psychometric tools were used to assess anxiety, panic attacks (PHQ-D), and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PCL-5). Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained. The study received approval from the Charité Berlin Ethics Committee (number: EA4/085/18). Results: A significantly higher prevalence of panic attacks was found in the DG (12.5%) compared to the CG (1.8%), with an odds ratio of 8.0 (95% CI: 1.0–67.3). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between non-occupational tasks and hostility (r = 0.312, p = 0.015, n = 60), while parenthood had no significant effect on panic attacks or generalized anxiety. Conclusion: These results highlight the severe mental health impact of intentional disasters like IVAs on firefighters, emphasizing the need for targeted psychological support and interventions. Future research should focus on tailored interventions to address the high prevalence of panic attacks among this population. Full article

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of permanent vision loss worldwide and has a profound impact on patients’ quality of life. Vision impairment is strongly associated with several psychiatric disorders, like depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. These psychiatric issues are often exacerbated by the gradual, irreversible, and typically silent progression of the disease, contributing to increased mental health challenges for affected individuals. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across six different databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) and one gray literature source (Google Scholar), covering the period from 2013 to 2024. Twenty-nine studies involving a total of 13,326,845 subjects were included in the synthesis, highlighting a considerable prevalence of psychiatric disorders among glaucoma patients. Depression and anxiety were the most common conditions identified, with depression rates ranging from 6.6% to 57% and anxiety from 12.11% to 49%. Other less frequent but still significant conditions like sleep disorders, psychosis, dementia, and post-traumatic stress disorder were also observed. The findings also indicated that psychiatric severity was influenced by socio-demographic factors, glaucoma severity, and treatment duration. Given the high occurrence of psychiatric pathologies among individuals with glaucoma, it is essential to develop comprehensive care strategies that address both eye and mental health needs. Multidisciplinary collaboration among ophthalmologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and primary care physicians is crucial for developing personalized treatment plans that effectively manage both the ocular and psychological aspects of the disease. Full article

Intestinal mucosal barrier damage is regarded as the critical factor through which chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) leads to a variety of physical and mental health problems. However, the exact mechanism by which CUMS induces intestinal mucosal barrier damage is unclear. In this study, 14, 28, and 42 d CUMS model mice were established. The indicators related to ileal mucosal barrier damage (IMBD), the composition of the ileal microbiota and its amino acid (AA) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolic functions, and free amino acid (FAA) and SCFA levels in the ileal lumen were measured before and after each stress period. The correlations between them are analyzed to investigate how CUMS induces intestinal mucosal barrier damage in male C57BL/6 mice. With the progression of CUMS, butyric acid (BA) levels decreased (14 and 28 d) and then increased (42 d), and IMBD progressively increased. In the late CUMS stage (42 d), the degree of IMBD is most severe and positively correlated with significantly increased BA levels (p < 0.05) in the ileal lumen and negatively correlated with significantly decreased FAAs, such as aspartic, glutamic, alanine, and glycine levels (p < 0.05). In the ileal lumen, the abundance of BA-producing bacteria (Muribaculaceae, Ruminococcus, and Butyricicoccus) and the gene abundance of specific AA degradation and BA production pathways and their related enzymes are significantly increased (p < 0.05). In addition, there is a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the abundance of core bacteria (Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Turicibacter, Blautia, and Barnesiella) that rely on these specific AAs for growth and/or are sensitive to BA. These changes, in turn, promote further colonization of BA-producing bacteria, exacerbating the over-accumulation of BA in the ileal lumen. These results were validated by ileal microbiota in vitro culture experiments. In summary, in the late CUMS stages, IMBD is related to an excessive accumulation of BA caused by dysbiosis of the ileal microbiota and its overactive AA degradation. Full article