scholarly journals Psychosocial stressors among Ghanaians in rural and urban Ghana and Ghanaian migrants in Europe

2020 ◽  
pp. 135910532096354
Author(s):  
Raphael Baffour Awuah ◽  
Ama de-Graft Aikins ◽  
F Nii-Amoo Dodoo ◽  
Karlijn AC Meeks ◽  
Eric JAJ Beune ◽  
...  

Psychosocial stressors have significant health and socio-economic impacts on individuals. We examined the prevalence and correlates of psychosocial stressors among non-migrant and migrant Ghanaians as there is limited research in these populations. The study was cross-sectional and quantitative in design. A majority of the study participants had experienced stress, discrimination and negative life events. Increased age, female sex, strong social support and high sense of mastery were associated with lower odds of experiencing psychosocial stressors in both populations. Interventions should be multi-level in design, focusing on the correlates which significantly influence the experience of psychosocial stressors

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e027931 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Nana Adjei ◽  
Karien Stronks ◽  
Dwomoa Adu ◽  
Erik Beune ◽  
Karlijn Meeks ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe association between psychosocial stressors (PS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) among sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations is unknown. We examined the association between PS and CKD prevalence among rural and urban Ghanaians and Ghanaian migrants living in three European cities. We also assessed if the influence of PS on CKD is partially mediated by primary risk factors (hypertension and diabetes) of CKD.DesignA multi-centred cross sectional data from the Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants study.SettingRural and urban Ghana and three European cities (Amsterdam, Berlin and London).ParticipantsA random sample of 5659 adults (Europe 3167, rural Ghana 1043 and urban Ghana 1449) aged 25–70 years.Explanatory measuresPS defined by negative life events, perceived discrimination, perceived stress at work/home and depressive symptoms. Three CKD outcomes were considered using the 2012 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes severity of CKD classification. Comparisons between PS and CKD outcomes were made using logistic regression analyses across all sites.ResultsWe observed higher proportion of negative life events (68.7%) and perceived permanent stress (15.9%) among Ghanaians living in Ghana than Ghanaians living in Europe. Depressive symptoms (7.5%) and perceived discrimination (29.7%) were more common among Ghanaians living in Europe than Ghanaians living in Ghana. No significant association was observed between any of the PS constructs and CKD outcomes across sites except for positive association between stress at work/home and albuminuria (2.81, 95% CI 1.46 to 5.40) and CKD risk (2.78, 95% CI 1.43 to 5.43) among Ghanaians living in Berlin.ConclusionOur study found a positive association between stress at work/home and albuminuria and CKD risk. There was no convincing evidence of associations between the other PS constructs and the prevalence of CKD risk. Further studies are needed to identify potential factors driving the high prevalence of CKD among these populations.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Fei Huang ◽  
Zhi Peng Wen ◽  
Qi Li ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
Wen Jie Weng

Abstract BackgroundUnderstanding the factors influencing cognitive reactivity (CR) may help identify individuals at risk for first episode depression and relapse, and facilitate routine access to preventative treatments. However, few studies have examined CR to depression in Asian countries. This study was performed to ascertain the current status of CR among Chinese young adults and explore the factors that influence their CR. MethodsA national cross-sectional online study using convenience sampling was conducted among 1637 healthy young adults in China (96.29%). ResultsThe mean CR score was 1.73±0.64. Binary logistic regression showed that a low level of CR was associated with the following factors: high self-compassion, high social support, high resilience, high monthly household income, and living in a rural area, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.14 to 0.70. Young adults in full-time employment, experiencing poor sleep, with high neuroticism, who reported frequent sad mood, and who had a high intensity of negative life events had increased CR to depression, with ORs ranging from 1.18 to 6.66. The prediction probability of these factors was 75.40%. Any causal relationships among the influencing factors and CR cannot be established. ConclusionsThe self-reported CR levels among Chinese young adults were moderate. Enhancing self-compassion, resilience, and social support for young adults and reducing negative life events, neuroticism, and poor sleep may facilitate reducing CR. These findings may help healthcare providers or researchers determine how to cultivate and improve the CR of young adults by establishing documented policies and/or improving intervention efficacies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e021820
Author(s):  
Xiaoshuang Xia ◽  
Xiaolin Tian ◽  
Tianli Zhang ◽  
Peilu Wang ◽  
Yanfen Du ◽  
...  

ObjectivesStroke survivors require assistance and support in their daily lives. This survey aims to investigate the needs and rights awareness in Chinese stroke survivors and caregivers in rural and urban settings.SettingThis survey was adapted from the one created by the World Stroke Organization. The questionnaire included demands for psychological support, treatment and care, social support and information. From January 2015 to January 2016, the survey was pilot tested with urban and rural-dwelling stroke survivors and caregivers from 12 hospitals. Stroke survivors were invited to participate if they were over 18 years old and had experienced a stroke. Exclusion criteria were patients who had disorders of consciousness, significant cognitive impairment, aphasia, communication difficulties or psychiatric disorders. Only caregivers who were family members of the patients were chosen. Paid caregivers were excluded.ParticipantsOne thousand, one hundred and sixty-seven stroke survivors and 1119 caregivers were enrolled.Primary outcome measuresThe needs of stroke survivors and caregivers in rural and urban areas were compared. The correlations between needs of rural and urban stroke survivors and caregivers and potential effect factors were analysed, respectively.ResultsAmong the cohort, 93.5% reported the need for psychological support, 88.6% for treatment and care, 84.8% for information and 62.7% for social support. The total needs and each aspect of needs of stroke survivors in urban settings were greater than of those in rural settings (p<0.01). In rural areas, total needs and each aspect of needs were positively correlated with education level (p<0.01).ConclusionsNeeds and rights awareness of stroke survivors should also be recognised in both urban and rural China. According to the different needs of patients and their caregivers, regional and individualised services were needed by stroke survivors and their caregivers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 396-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatmeh Ahmad Alzoubi ◽  
Ahmed Mohammad Al-Smadi ◽  
Yazeed Mohammad Gougazeh

This study examined the coping strategies used by Syrian refugees in Jordan in relation to their demographics. A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with a convenient sample of 550 Syrian refugees. Out of all the study participants, 88% reported seeking social support, 64.5% reported using avoidance, and 39.5% reported using problem solving. Participants who were male, single, and younger, and who had a higher education and a higher total income were satisfied with their income, were employed and free of chronic illnesses, and had higher problem-solving scores. Higher social support-seeking scores were associated with being female, older, and widowed; having a lower education and lower total income; being dissatisfied with their income; being nonemployed; and having chronic illnesses. A number of significant predictors were identified for each coping strategy. The results of this study could be used to formulate programs and develop services regarding the stressors encountered by Syrian refugees and their coping strategies.


Author(s):  
Nitisha Dabas ◽  
Shiv Prakash ◽  
Khurshid Parveen ◽  
Richa Singh

Background: Adolescence is an intermediary phase from childhood to adulthood and is a very delicate phase of life. WHO has defined Adolescence as the period between 10-19 years of life. Among adolescents, girls constitute a more vulnerable group, particularly in developing countries, where they are traditionally married at an early age and are exposed to greater risk of reproductive morbidity and mortality. Nutritional deficiency disorders (stunting, wasting), menstrual disorders, mental health problems etc. appear as serious problem during this stage. The study was done with objective to assess the morbidity pattern in school going adolescent girls in Urban and Rural Prayagraj.Methods: A school based cross-sectional study was carried out in Prayagraj district. Study participants were 800 adolescent girls, 400 urban and 400 rural of age groups 10–19 years studying in class 6th to 12th. The data was collected by using predesigned, pretested, semi structured questionnaire and analyzed by using SPSS 21.0 version.Results: It was observed that most prevalent morbidity in rural and urban school going adolescent girls were dysmenorrhoea 381 (47.6%), pallor 296 (37%), psychological problems 325 (40.6%) and ocular diseases 191 (23.8%). Other morbidities were hypertension, dental problems, overweight/obesity, skin diseases, ear diseases, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and injury.Conclusions: Out of 800 study participants, 275 adolescent girls were having morbidity. Significant difference in proportion of morbidities was found among rural and urban adolescent girls with ear diseases, eye diseases, pallor, dysmenorrhoea, overweight/obesity and hypertension. 


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
fei fei huang ◽  
Zhi Peng Wen ◽  
qi li ◽  
bin chen ◽  
Wen Jie Weng

Abstract Background: Understanding the factors influencing cognitive reactivity (CR) may help identify individuals at risk for first episode depression and relapse and facilitate routine access to preventative treatments. However, few studies have examined the relationship between CR and depression in Asian countries. This study was performed to assess the current status of CR among Chinese young adults and explore influencing factors. Methods: A national cross-sectional online study using convenience sampling was conducted among 1597 healthy young adults in China (93.94%) with a mean age of 24.34 (SD=5.76) years. Results: The mean CR score was 51.36±18.97 (range 0-130). Binary logistic regression showed that a low level of CR was associated with the following factors: high self-compassion, high social support, high resilience, high monthly household income, and living in a rural area, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.14 to 0.70. Young adults in full-time employment, experiencing poor sleep, with high neuroticism, who reported frequent sad mood, and who had a high intensity of negative life events had increased CR to depression, with ORs ranging from 1.18 to 6.66. The prediction probability of these factors was 75.40%. Causal relationships among the influencing factors and CR could not be established. Conclusions: The self-reported CR levels among Chinese young adults were moderate. Enhancing self-compassion, resilience, and social support for young adults and reducing negative life events, neuroticism, and poor sleep may help decrease CR. These findings may help healthcare providers or researchers determine how to cultivate and improve the CR of young adults by establishing documented policies and/or improving intervention efficacies.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluseye Ogunmoroti ◽  
Olatokunbo Osibogun ◽  
Robyn L McClelland ◽  
Mariana Lazo ◽  
Lena Mathews ◽  
...  

Background: Light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and favorable cardiovascular health (CVH). However, the association between alcohol type and ideal CVH is yet to be established. This study examined the relationship between alcohol type and ideal CVH as measured by the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) metrics. Methods: We analyzed data from 6,389 men and women aged 45-84 years from a multi-ethnic cohort free of CVD at baseline. Alcohol type (wine, beer and liquor), assessed from a food frequency questionnaire, was categorized as never, >0 but <1 drink/day, 1-2 drinks/day and >2 drinks/day. Each LS7 metric (smoking, physical activity, body mass index, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol and blood glucose) was scored 0-2 points, with 2 indicating “ideal”, 1 “intermediate” and 0 “poor”. The maximum CVH score attainable ranged from 0-14 points (inadequate score, 0-8; average, 9-10; optimal, 11-14). We used multinomial logistic regression to examine the association between alcohol type and CVH adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, health insurance and study site. Results: The mean (SD) age of study participants was 62 (10) years and 53% were women. Participants who consumed 1-2 drinks/day of wine had higher odds of having optimal CVH scores compared to those who never drank wine [prevalence odds ratio (POR) 1.50 (1.02-2.20), Table ]. In comparison to participants who never drank beer, those who consumed 1-2 and >2 drinks/day of beer had lower odds of having optimal scores [POR 0.49 (0.27-0.86) & 0.27 (0.12-0.58), respectively]. Additionally, those who consumed 1-2 and >2 drinks/day of liquor had lower odds of having optimal scores compared to those who never drank liquor [POR 0.52 (0.30-0.89) & 0.28 (0.14-0.55), respectively]. Conclusion: In this cross sectional analysis, moderate consumption of wine was associated with favorable CVH. However, consumption of beer or liquor was associated with poorer CVH.


Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Eick ◽  
Dana E. Goin ◽  
Lara Cushing ◽  
Erin DeMicco ◽  
Sabrina Smith ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Prenatal exposure to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and psychosocial stressors has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth. Previous studies have suggested that joint exposure to environmental chemical and social stressors may be contributing to disparities observed in preterm birth. Elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) during mid-gestation may represent one biologic mechanism linking chemical and nonchemical stress exposures to preterm birth. Methods Using data from a prospective birth cohort (N = 497), we examined the cross-sectional associations between five individual PFAS (ng/mL; PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and Me-PFOSA-AcOH) and CRH (pg/mL) using linear regression. PFAS and CRH were measured during the second trimester in serum and plasma, respectively. Coefficients were standardized to reflect change in CRH associated with an interquartile range (IQR) increase in natural log-transformed PFAS. We additionally examined if the relationship between PFAS and CRH was modified by psychosocial stress using stratified models. Self-reported depression, stressful life events, perceived stress, food insecurity, and financial strain were assessed using validated questionnaires during the second trimester and included as binary indicators of psychosocial stress. Results An IQR increase in PFNA was associated with elevated CRH (β = 5.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.79, 8.55). Increased concentrations of PFOA were also moderately associated with CRH (β = 3.62, 95% CI = −0.42, 7.66). The relationship between PFNA and CRH was stronger among women who experienced stressful life events, depression, food insecurity, and financial strain compared to women who did not experience these stressors. Conclusions This cross-sectional study is the first to examine the relationship between PFAS exposure and CRH levels in mid-gestation. We found that these associations were stronger among women who experienced stress, which aligns with previous findings that chemical and nonchemical stressor exposures can have joint effects on health outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (16) ◽  
pp. 145-151
Author(s):  
Akehsan Dahlan ◽  
Mahjabin Shahid ◽  
Mohamad Ghazali Masuri

Depression affects one's feeling and thinking, leading to a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. Depression could lead to suicidal ideations, decrease a person's ability to functions and quality of life.  A cross-sectional study was conducted to 143 samples to determine the relationship between demographic variables, depression, suicidal ideation, social support and distress.  The findings show that the level of suicidal ideation is high, and there is a relationship between variables under study.  The main predictors of the suicidal ideation were the high level of distress and low social support level among the study participants. Keywords: Depression; suicidal ideations; mental health eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i16.2619


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Ashwani Sharma ◽  
Shantanu Aggarwal ◽  
Saumya Mohanty ◽  
Puneet Ohri ◽  
S. K Gupta

Introduction:- Adolescence is the transitional stage of development between childhood and adulthood. Hall denoted this period as “Storm and Stress” and states “conflict at this developmental stage is normal” leading to psychosocial problems. This study is conducted to compare the psychosocial problems between adolescents in urban and rural area. Material and methods:- A Cross-sectional study was done in November 2018 in rural and urban schools of Dehradun. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using Epi info software. Results:- A total of 170 students participated in the study out of which 111 were males and 59 females. Psychosocial problems were seen in 11.2% of study participants (11.7% in males and 10.1% in females. Conclusion and recommendations:- Psychosocial problems were seen on rise among adolescents and needs to be addressed at school level.


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