Loneliness in Professional Caring Relationships, Health, and Recovery

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liisa Karhe ◽  
Marja Kaunonen ◽  
Anna-Maija Koivisto

This study investigated patients’ experiences of loneliness in professional caring relationships and their associations with perceived recovery, health, psychological distress, and general loneliness in life. The sample consisted of 406 patients who had undergone breast cancer or heart surgery 6 months earlier. The data were collected in May 2014-March 2015 using a postal survey including the Caring Loneliness Scale (CARLOS), questions concerning perceived health and recovery, 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and a question concerning perceived general loneliness in life. Data analysis was done using Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test. The variables showing a statistically significant association with professional caring loneliness were perceived health, recovery, psychological distress, and general loneliness in life. It is necessary for health care professionals to identify the phenomenon of this dimension of loneliness because it is bound to affect patients’ experiences. Further studies with different patient groups are required.

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 954-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Gao ◽  
Daniel Stark ◽  
Michael I. Bennett ◽  
Richard J. Siegert ◽  
Scott Murray ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 977-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hamer ◽  
Nico T. Malan ◽  
Kobus Scheepers ◽  
Muriel Meiring ◽  
Leonè Malan ◽  
...  

SummaryThe risk of cardiovascular disease is dramatically increasing in Africans (black). The prothrombotic stress response contributes to atherothrombotic disease and is modulated by depressive symptoms. We examined coagulation reactivity to acute mental stress and its relation to psychological well-being in Africans relative to Caucasians (white). A total of 102 African and 165 Caucasian school teachers underwent the Stroop Color-Word Conflict test. Circulating levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were measured before and after the Stroop. Cardiovascular reactivity measures were also obtained. All participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the General Health Questionnaire-28 for the assessment of depressive symptoms and total psychological distress, respectively. After controlling for covariates, resting levels of VWF, fibrinogen, and D-dimer were higher in Africans than in Caucasians (all p-values ≤0.006). Depressive symptoms and psychological distress were not significantly associated with resting coagulation measures. Stress reactivity in VWF (p<0.001) and fibrinogen (p=0.016), but not in D-dimer (p=0.27), were decreased in Africans relative to Caucasians with Africans showing greater reactivity of total peripheral resistance (p=0.017). Depressive symptoms, but not general psychological distress, were associated with greater VWF increase (p=0.029) and greater fibrinogen decrease (p=0.030) in Africans relative to Caucasians. In conclusion, Africans showed greater hypercoagulability at rest but diminished procoagulant reactivity to acute mental stress when compared with Caucasians. Ethnic differences in the vascular adrenergic stress response might partially explain this finding. Depressive symptoms were associated with exaggerated VWF reactivity in Africans relative to Caucasians. The clinical implications of these findings for Africans need further study.


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Cheung ◽  
George Spears

A community postal survey of minor psychiatric morbidity among Chinese women living in Dunedin was conducted. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used as the case identification instrument. The overall rate of psychiatric morbidity of Dunedin Chinese women did not differ from their European counterparts. The sociodemographic factors found to be associated with minor psychiatric morbidity included having no children, and being either very well or very poorly educated. Among (foreign born) migrants, those who were born in China, whose reason for migration was “follow the lead of their family” or “family reunion”, had resided in NewZealand for ten years or more and spoke English infrequently tended to have higher psychiatric morbidity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 252-255
Author(s):  
Alex Mears ◽  
Sarah Pajak ◽  
Tim Kendall ◽  
Cornelius Katona ◽  
Jibby Medina ◽  
...  

Aims and MethodTo explore relationships between different styles of working and measures of occupational pressure in consultant psychiatrists. A random sample of 500 consultant psychiatrists were sent a questionnaire about working patterns and lifestyle factors, with other sections using validated tools (such as the 12-item General Health Questionnaire; GHQ).ResultsThere were 185 useable questionnaires returned (an adjusted response rate of 39%). Significant relationships were identified between job content and GHQ and burnout scores, indicating that occupational pressures are rendering some consultant posts ‘problem posts', leading to problematic levels of psychological distress among some consultants.Clinical ImplicationsAlthough consultant psychiatrists are more satisfied than not with their jobs, steps need to be taken to address the causes of ‘problem posts', to reduce attrition in the most pressured individuals.


1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 365-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne Tyrrell ◽  
Howard Smith

This study measured levels of psychological distress among a sample of Irish occupational therapy students. Students from all four undergraduate classes (n=102) were surveyed, using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Over 40% of the students scored as having a ‘just significant clinical disturbance’ on the GHQ-28. Mean GHQ scores (or symptom levels) varied throughout the 4-year course and were highest just before examinations and during fieldwork placements. Students who had unhealthy diets or who smoked had significantly higher levels of psychiatric symptomatology. The prevalence of psychological distress among occupational therapy students was similar to that found in students from four other disciplines; however, the university students had much higher levels of symptomatology than the non-university peer group. The article concludes with some suggestions for dealing with stressful aspects of professional education and some recommendations for further research.


2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (10) ◽  
pp. 717-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paressa Daniilidou ◽  
Paul Carding ◽  
Janet Wilson ◽  
Michael Drinnan ◽  
Vincent Deary

Objectives: We sought to investigate whether a brief period of training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can improve the treatment of functional dysphonia by a speech and language therapist and ameliorate the psychological distress associated with this condition. Methods: In a consecutive cohort design, a speech and language therapist treated a small cohort (n = 15) of dysphonic patients with voice therapy alone. After a brief period of CBT training, she treated the next cohort of dysphonic patients (n = 13) with CBT-enhanced voice therapy. Pretreatment and posttreatment measures were taken of voice quality and voice-related quality of life. The General Health Questionnaire 28 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used to assess psychological distress and general well-being. Results: All voice measures improved significantly in both cohorts. Both groups improved significantly on the General Health Questionnaire 28, with the CBT group improving significantly more than the control group. Only the CBT group improved significantly on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression subscale). Conclusions: Despite limitations of size, design, and between-group baseline differences, the results support the hypothesis that the addition of CBT skills to existing voice therapy is both feasible and clinically effective in the treatment of functional dysphonia.


Author(s):  
Eva Skillgate ◽  
My Isacson Hjortzberg ◽  
Petra Strömwall ◽  
Johan Hallqvist ◽  
Clara Onell ◽  
...  

Mental illness and psychological distress are global concerns. This study aimed to investigate the association between having non-preferred work and the incidence of spinal pain, psychological distress, and spinal pain with concurrent psychological distress, and if associations are modified by sleep disturbance. A prospective study of 4285 participants 23–62 years old was conducted, from years 2007 to 2010. Participants reported their work situation as preferred/non-preferred regarding profession/workplace with a high/low possibility to change. Psychological distress was measured with the General Health Questionnaire 12 and spinal pain with questions about neck/back pain. Binominal regression analyses calculated relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Non-preferred work with a low possibility to change was associated with a higher incidence of spinal pain (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6) and psychological distress (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4–2.4) compared to preferred work. The RR was 1.4 (95% CI 0.9–2.1) for spinal pain and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0–1.7) for psychological distress among those with a high possibility to change. Non-preferred work yielded a higher incidence of spinal pain with concurrent psychological distress (RR 1.9; 95% CI 1.0–3.7). Sleep disturbance did not modify associations. A replication based on newer data is needed to confirm the results. In conclusion, non-preferred work is associated with a higher incidence of spinal pain and psychological distress, especially if the possibility to change job is low.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (T3) ◽  
pp. 116-119
Author(s):  
Thomas Hendriko ◽  
Elmeida Effendy ◽  
Vita Camellia

AIM: We looked for differences in abstinence influence on Psychological Distress Scores, Social Dysfunction Scores, Total General Health Questionnaire – 12 (GHQ-12), and Total Quality of Life Scores on men with Methamphetamine dependence in the Therapeutic Community. METHODS: This study was conducted a numerical comparative analytical analysis paired with twice measurements with subject retrieval done using consecutive sampling. The participant of this study was 47 subjects who selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Found psychological distress score of the abuser was p ˂ 0.001, different with social dysfunction score there was no significant difference where the score was p = 0.062, the total GHQ-12 score was a significant difference where the score was p = 0.025 while in the total quality of life score (SF-36) there was a significant difference with the score of p ˂ 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: After abstinence, quarantine was found to improve attitude, behavior, cognitive, and social function such as appropriate communication and active social relationship with others compared with before abstinence quarantine.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
Oluyemi O. Akanni ◽  
Adeagbo F. Osundina ◽  
Imafidon O. Agbonile ◽  
Sunday O. Olotu ◽  
Olaniyi O. Ayilaraa ◽  
...  

Physicians are prone to psychological distress, and this has been poorly studied in association with religiousness. As a result, the prevalence of psychological distress among physicians and its relationship with religiousness was investigated. The study was conducted at two neuropsychiatric centers, and two teaching hospitals in the South-South and South-West regions of Nigeria. Demographics and practice-related characteristics of 231 physicians were collected in addition to report on psychological distress using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, and a religiousness measuring scale, Ironson–Woods Spirituality/Religiosity Index. Chi-square and t-test analyses were done using SPSS version 19. The prevalence rate of significant psychological distress among physicians was 19.05%. The physicians’ specialty of practice fell short of statistically significant association with religiousness (X2=9.02, p=0.06). There was no significant association between physicians’ state of health and religiousness. Psychological distress is fairly common among physicians and shows no relationship with religiousness.


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