Factors associated with fear of hypoglycaemia among the T1D Exchange Glu population in a cross-sectional online survey

ObjectivesFear of hypoglycaemia (FoH) has been associated with suboptimal diabetes management and health outcomes. This study investigated factors associated with behavioural and emotional aspects of FoH among adults living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) mellitus.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingOnline survey hosted on T1D Exchange Glu, an online community for patients living with T1D mellitus.MeasuresThe Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey II-short form and the Hypoglycaemic Attitudes and Behaviour Scale were used to assess FoH. Multivariable regressions were performed on assessment scores.ResultsThe study included 494 participants (mean±SD age 43.9±12.2 years, duration of T1D mellitus 16.6±16.8 years, self-reported glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 6.9%±0.8% (52±9 mmol/mol)), 63% men, 89% on insulin pump, 25% experienced a severe hypoglycaemic event in the last 6 months. Multivariable regression analyses showed higher anxiety, depression severity and diabetes distress were independently associated with FoH (all p<0.01). Longer diabetes duration was associated with lower FoH (p<0.01). Past experience with severe hypoglycaemia was associated with higher worry of hypoglycaemia (p<0.01) but not avoidance behaviour (ns).ConclusionsThese results highlighted the multifaceted nature of FoH, which warrants further discussion between providers and patients to uncover drivers of and actions required to reduce FoH and improve patient care and outcomes.

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Urinary Incontinence in Physically Active Older Women of Northeast Brazil

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115878 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5878

Author(s):

Thais Sousa Rodrigues Guedes ◽

Marcello Barbosa Otoni Gonçalves Guedes ◽

Hévila Kilvia Miguel de Oliveira ◽

Rodrigo Lopes Soares ◽

Vitor Leandro da Cunha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Urinary Incontinence ◽

Older Women ◽

Short Form ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Protection Factor ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Physically Active ◽

Factors Associated ◽

International Consultation ◽

Loss Of Balance

Low- and moderate-impact physical activity (PA) is associated with the prevention of urinary incontinence (UI). The objective of the cross-sectional study presented herein is to analyze the factors associated with UI in physically older active women who participate in senior community groups. The variable UI was measured by the International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Socioeconomic variables were also collected, along with data on life habits and clinical history. The multivariate analysis employed Poisson’s Regression with robust variance for factors associated with UI. Of the 106 participants evaluated, 54.7% presented UI, of which stress incontinence was more frequent, with 40.6%. UI presented a statistically significant association with dizziness/loss of balance during Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (prevalence ratio-PR 1.48; 95% CI 1.06–2.07) and nocturia (PR 1.63; 95% CI 1.05–2.55). Despite PA being a protection factor, UI presented an elevated prevalence in the older population, and therefore, other biological, social, and cultural aspects could also contribute to the occurrence of UI in this age group. Moreover, physically active older women with UI presented nocturia and dizziness/loss of balance during ADL, regardless of education levels and the number of births. These findings can help improve multi-professional programs aimed at promoting, preventing, and managing UI in the public.

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Prevalence and family factors associated with loneliness during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study from South India

INDIAN JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROSCIENCES ◽

10.32746/10.32746/ijmhns.2020.v3.i2.52 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (02) ◽

pp. 61-67

Author(s):

G. Sanjana ◽

Vijaya Raghavan

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

South India ◽

Survey Design ◽

Southern India ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Family Discord ◽

The Impact

Background: Loneliness can affect anyone at any point in their life. It can be detrimental to the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals and communities. In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness is considered as a public health crisis. Hence, the objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of loneliness and family related factors associated with loneliness among general population in south India. Materials and Methods: The study employed a crosssectional online survey design. The data was collected in the first phase of the lockdown in 2020 from adults in Southern India. Socio-demographic profile and family related variables were collected using a semistructured proforma. Loneliness was assessed by UCLA loneliness scale. Results: Of 573 total respondents to the survey, aged between 18-65 years, 43% were male and 57% were female. The overall prevalence of loneliness was 63% (358/573). No significant gender differences were observed in the prevalence of loneliness. Family discord was associated with higher rates of loneliness (p less than 0.01). Other factors associated were younger age and being single. Conclusion: Rates of loneliness during the COVID-19 lockdown were high in Southern India. Findings suggest that interventions should prioritize younger people. Increasing social support and improving interpersonal skills, which in turn would help reduce family discord and may reduce the impact of COVID-19 on loneliness.

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Study Of Depression in Elderly: Prevalence and Factors Associated

Journal of Psychiatrists Association of Nepal ◽

10.3126/jpan.v7i2.24609 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 16-23

Author(s):

S. Subedi ◽

P. Shrestha ◽

D.K. Thapa

Keyword(s):

Elderly People ◽

Short Form ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Community Sample ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Mild Depression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Prevalence Of Depression

Introduction: Ageing is a normal phenomenon. Various studies shows that there is a sharp rise in the elderly population in the last few years. Prevalence of depression in elderly is found to around 13% in the community sample in various countries. There is a dearth of study related to psychiatric illness in elderly in Nepal. This study was aimed to find the prevalence of depression in elderly and see for various factors associated with elderly depression. Material And Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Siddharthnagar Municipality, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi. 316 elderly were selected by using systematic random sampling technique. A Semi- structured interview schedule was developed to collect Socio-demographic data. The Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SF-GDS) was used to find out the prevalence of depression among elderly people. Ethical Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee, Chitwan Medical College and permission was obtained from Siddharthnagar Municipality, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi. The collected data was entered in Epidata 3.1 and the data was exported and analyzed in IBM SPSS 20. Results: There were a total of 316 samples in this study. The mean age of respondents was 68.47 years of age. Majority of the respondents (54.1%) were female and living in joint Family (72.2%). Almost 45.9% respondents were from upper caste groups, 90.5% of respondents were Hindus. Among the married (100%) respondents, 54.6% of respondents were living with spouse and 3.2% were divorced and separated from spouse. Depression was present in 49.4% of respondents were depressed. Among depressed respondents, 46.7% of respondents were having mild depression, 39.2% moderate depression and 14.1% severe depression. Conclusion: The finding of this study concluded that depression among elderly people was a substantial problem in Siddharthnagar Municipality, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi.

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Profilaxia Pré-Exposição para o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana no Currículo Médico em Portugal: Uma Análise Transversal

Acta Médica Portuguesa ◽

10.20344/amp.15446 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 35 (13) ◽

Author(s):

Francisco Duarte ◽

Nuno Rua ◽

David Gomes ◽

Vasco Ricoca Peixoto ◽

Daniela Azevedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

School Year ◽

Exposure Prophylaxis

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has gained relevance as a method of prevention for HIV in certain people and settings. Following the publication of the guideline on PrEP prescribing in Portugal, we aimed to assess the knowledge of Portuguese Medical Students about PrEP.Material and Methods: An online survey was sent to Medical students of Portuguese Medical Schools. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the results and an analytic cross-sectional study to identify factors associated with “knowing about PrEP”, “having had one class about PrEP” and “identifying eligible groups correctly”.Results: Of the 796 students that responded to the survey, 64.6% were aware of what PrEP is. Of these, 34.44% acquired this knowledge during their training. Out of the total amount of respondents, 4.77% could identify correctly and completely the eligible groups for PrEP. As the training years went by, the probability of being aware of PrEP, having had one class about PrEP, and identifying the eligible groups correctly, increased. Of the sixth-year students, 43.48% had had one class about PrEP and among the students that were aware of PrEP, 28% identified what the eligible groups were. After adjusting for the school year, we found differences between Medical Schools regarding the outcomes. The association between the different ways of learning about PrEP and the ability to correctly identify eligible groups for PrEP was not statistically significant.Conclusion: The differences between Medical Schools could be harmonized through changes in the medical curricula that would allow this topic to be addressed more often.

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Factors Associated With the Experience of Cognitive Training Apps for the Prevention of Dementia: Cross-sectional Study Using an Extended Health Belief Model

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/31664 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. e31664

Author(s):

Jaegyeong Lee ◽

Jung Min Lim

Keyword(s):

Health Belief Model ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Health Belief ◽

Female Gender ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Belief Model

Background The prevalence and economic burden of dementia are increasing dramatically. Using information communication technology to improve cognitive functions is proven to be effective and holds the potential to serve as a new and efficient method for the prevention of dementia. Objective The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the experience of mobile apps for cognitive training in middle-aged adults. We evaluated the relationships between the experience of cognitive training apps and structural variables using an extended health belief model. Methods An online survey was conducted on South Korean participants aged 40 to 64 years (N=320). General characteristics and dementia knowledge were measured along with the health belief model constructs. Statistical analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Higher dementia knowledge (odds ratio [OR] 1.164, P=.02), higher perceived benefit (OR 1.373, P<.001), female gender (OR 0.499, P=.04), and family history of dementia (OR 1.933, P=.04) were significantly associated with the experience of cognitive training apps for the prevention of dementia. Conclusions This study may serve as a theoretical basis for the development of intervention strategies to increase the use of cognitive training apps for the prevention of dementia.

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Diabetes Management Experience and the State of Hypoglycemia: National Online Survey Study

JMIR Diabetes ◽

10.2196/17890 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. e17890

Author(s):

Karim Zahed ◽

Farzan Sasangohar ◽

Ranjana Mehta ◽

Madhav Erraguntla ◽

Khalid Qaraqe

Keyword(s):

Blood Sugar ◽

Online Survey ◽

Diabetes Management ◽

Nonparametric Tests ◽

Mobile App ◽

Survey Study ◽

Management Tool ◽

False Alarms ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Cross Sectional

Background Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, in people with diabetes can be a serious life-threatening condition, and serious outcomes can be avoided if low levels of blood sugar are proactively detected. Although technologies exist to detect the onset of hypoglycemia, they are invasive or costly or exhibit a high incidence of false alarms. Tremors are commonly reported symptoms of hypoglycemia and may be used to detect hypoglycemic events, yet their onset is not well researched or understood. Objective This study aimed to understand diabetic patients’ perceptions of hypoglycemic tremors, as well as their user experiences with technology to manage diabetes, and expectations from a self-management tool to ultimately inform the design of a noninvasive and cost-effective technology that detects tremors associated with hypoglycemia. Methods A cross-sectional internet panel survey was administered to adult patients with type 1 diabetes using the Qualtrics platform in May 2019. The questions focused on 3 main constructs: (1) perceived experiences of hypoglycemia, (2) experiences and expectations about a diabetes management device and mobile app, and (3) beliefs and attitudes regarding intention to use a diabetes management device. The analysis in this paper focuses on the first two constructs. Nonparametric tests were used to analyze the Likert scale data, with a Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Games-Howell post hoc test as applicable, for subgroup comparisons to highlight differences in perceived frequency, severity, and noticeability of hypoglycemic tremors across age, gender, years living with diabetes, and physical activity. Results Data from 212 respondents (129 [60.8%] females) revealed statistically significant differences in perceived noticeability of tremors by gender, whereby males noticed their tremors more (P<.001), and age, with the older population reporting lower noticeability than the young and middle age groups (P<.001). Individuals living longer with diabetes noticed their tremors significantly less than those with diabetes for ≤1 year but not in terms of frequency or severity. Additionally, the majority of our participants (150/212, 70.7%) reported experience with diabetes-monitoring devices. Conclusions Our findings support the need for cost-efficient and noninvasive continuous monitoring technologies. Although hypoglycemic tremors were perceived to occur frequently, such tremors were not found to be severe compared with other symptoms such as sweating, which was the highest rated symptom in our study. Using a combination of tremor and galvanic skin response sensors may show promise in detecting the onset of hypoglycemic events.

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Factors that influence mothers’ prenatal decision to breastfeed in Spain

International Breastfeeding Journal ◽

10.1186/s13006-020-00341-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ana Ballesta-Castillejos ◽

Juan Gómez-Salgado ◽

Julián Rodríguez-Almagro ◽

Inmaculada Ortiz-Esquinas ◽

Antonio Hernández-Martínez

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Ethics Committee ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Online Study ◽

Multiple Factors ◽

Intention To Breastfeed ◽

Significant Factors

Abstract Background Parents’ decisions about how to feed their newborns are influenced by multiple factors. Our objective was to identify the factors that can influence the decision to breastfeed. Methods Cross-sectional observational online study was conducted in Spain on women who gave birth between 2013 and 2018. The total number of participants was 5671. Data collection was after approval by the ethics committee in 2019. The data were collected retrospectively because the information was obtained from women who were mothers during the years 2013–2018. An online survey was distributed to breastfeeding associations and postpartum groups. Multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression was done to calculate the Adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR). The main result variable was “intention to breastfeed”. Results Ninety-seven percent (n = 5531) of women made the decision to breastfeed prior to giving birth. The internet played a role in deciding to breastfeed in 33.7% (n = 2047) of women, while 20.1% (n = 1110) said the same thing about their midwife. We identified five significant factors associated with the mother’s prenatal decision to breastfeed: attending maternal education (aOR 2.10; 95% CI 1.32, 3.34), having two (aOR 0.52; 95% CI 0.28, 0.99) and three children (aOR 0.24; 95% CI 0.10, 0.59), previous breastfeeding experience (aOR 6.99; 95% CI 3.46, 14.10), support from partner (aOR 1.58; 95% CI 1.09,2.28) and having a condition during pregnancy (aOR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43, 0.91). Conclusions Factors related with previous breastfeeding experience and education for mothers are decisive when it comes to making the decision to breastfeed. Given the proven influence that partners have in decision-making, it is important for them to be fully involved in the process.

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Mental Health, Sense of Coherence, and Interpersonal Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Germany

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9113708 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 3708

Author(s):

Stefanie Jung ◽

Jonas Kneer ◽

Tillmann H. C. Krüger

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sense Of Coherence ◽

Interpersonal Violence ◽

Online Survey ◽

Short Form ◽

Well Being ◽

Western Country ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Patient Health

Preliminary data indicates that the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) pandemic may have a substantial impact on mental health and well-being. We assessed mental health in response to the lockdown in Germany between 1 April 2020 and 15 April 2020 using a cross-sectional online survey (n = 3545) with a mixed-methods approach. We found increased levels of psychosocial distress (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) stress module), anxiety, depressive symptoms (PHQ-4), irritability, and a decrease in overall well-being (WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5)), sense of coherence (Short Form of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-L9)), sexual contentment, and sleep quality. The four-week-prevalence of interpersonal violence was yet at 5% and included verbal, physical, and sexual violence. Participants reported finding comfort in family, friends, conversation, exercise, and activity. Findings are also in line with research showing that women seem to have more trouble coping with the pandemic and lockdown measures. Our observations demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures lead to a mental health burden even in a highly developed Western country and should, therefore, be taken seriously. The findings for interpersonal violence are alarming. Thus, we should sharpen our focus on the matter and activate and enhance supporting systems to help protect those affected.

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Diabetes Management Experience and the State of Hypoglycemia: National Online Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.17890 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Karim Zahed ◽

Farzan Sasangohar ◽

Ranjana Mehta ◽

Madhav Erraguntla ◽

Khalid Qaraqe

Keyword(s):

Blood Sugar ◽

Online Survey ◽

Diabetes Management ◽

Nonparametric Tests ◽

Mobile App ◽

Survey Study ◽

Management Tool ◽

False Alarms ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Cross Sectional

BACKGROUND Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, in people with diabetes can be a serious life-threatening condition, and serious outcomes can be avoided if low levels of blood sugar are proactively detected. Although technologies exist to detect the onset of hypoglycemia, they are invasive or costly or exhibit a high incidence of false alarms. Tremors are commonly reported symptoms of hypoglycemia and may be used to detect hypoglycemic events, yet their onset is not well researched or understood. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to understand diabetic patients’ perceptions of hypoglycemic tremors, as well as their user experiences with technology to manage diabetes, and expectations from a self-management tool to ultimately inform the design of a noninvasive and cost-effective technology that detects tremors associated with hypoglycemia. METHODS A cross-sectional internet panel survey was administered to adult patients with type 1 diabetes using the Qualtrics platform in May 2019. The questions focused on 3 main constructs: (1) perceived experiences of hypoglycemia, (2) experiences and expectations about a diabetes management device and mobile app, and (3) beliefs and attitudes regarding intention to use a diabetes management device. The analysis in this paper focuses on the first two constructs. Nonparametric tests were used to analyze the Likert scale data, with a Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Games-Howell post hoc test as applicable, for subgroup comparisons to highlight differences in perceived frequency, severity, and noticeability of hypoglycemic tremors across age, gender, years living with diabetes, and physical activity. RESULTS Data from 212 respondents (129 [60.8%] females) revealed statistically significant differences in perceived noticeability of tremors by gender, whereby males noticed their tremors more (P<.001), and age, with the older population reporting lower noticeability than the young and middle age groups (P<.001). Individuals living longer with diabetes noticed their tremors significantly less than those with diabetes for ≤1 year but not in terms of frequency or severity. Additionally, the majority of our participants (150/212, 70.7%) reported experience with diabetes-monitoring devices. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the need for cost-efficient and noninvasive continuous monitoring technologies. Although hypoglycemic tremors were perceived to occur frequently, such tremors were not found to be severe compared with other symptoms such as sweating, which was the highest rated symptom in our study. Using a combination of tremor and galvanic skin response sensors may show promise in detecting the onset of hypoglycemic events.

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