The Stressed Executive: Sources and Predictors of Stress Among Participants in an Executive Health Program

Background Stress is highly prevalent in the U.S. society, especially in executives, and is a well-documented risk factor for a wide range of medical disorders. Knowledge of common sources of stress and predictive factors may help identify executives at risk of high stress and allow us to appropriately refer them for stress management treatment. Objective The primary aim of this study was to identify common sources of stress, predictors of high stress, and other correlates among executives. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of executives who requested a stress management consult at our institution. We abstracted the data from a 14-item intake survey as well as from the patient interview. Results Of the 839 executives, 827 executives (98.6%) who were referred for individual stress management consults completed the stress-related questions of the survey; 51.3% of these executives reported having a high stress level. Study participants mostly struggled with the well-being measures of sleep, anxiety, energy level, and diet. The majority reported that their main stressor was work related (n = 540, 64.4%) followed by family related (n = 371, 44.2%), health related (n = 170, 20.3%), and work–life balance (n = 62, 7.4%). In unadjusted analysis, high stress was associated with younger age ( P = .006), lower quality-of-life scores ( P < .001), and less physical activity ( P < .001). In multivariable analyses, the strongest predictors for high stress level were younger age (odds ratios [OR] = 0.84, P = .045) and worse quality-of-life indicators such as anxiety (OR = 2.72, P < .001), diet (OR = 0.78, P = .02), and sleep (OR = 0.74, P < .003). Conclusion These findings suggest that executives with a high level of stress might be best helped through a multimodality stress management program. Our findings merit replication in larger studies and more definitive confirmation with prospective clinical trials.

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Cross Cultural Differences in Cultural Intelligence and Quality of Life among Adults

International Journal of Indian Psychology ◽

10.25215/0203.086 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Nayanika Singh ◽

Prathma Sharma ◽

Mahasweta Bose

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Speech Acts ◽

Cultural Intelligence ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Self Report ◽

Cultural Environment ◽

Wide Range ◽

Quality Of Life Scale

Cultural Intelligence refers to an individual’s ability to successfully adapt oneself to culturally diverse environments’, the capacity to act and behave appropriately, according to one’s cultural environment. It refers to an individual’s capability to function effectively across cultures. To have high levels of cultural intelligence may be based on various aspects of intelligence like social and emotional intelligence (Earley and Ang, 2003).The idea of cultural intelligence has emerged in the last few years, owing to the process of globalization which has turned the world into a global village. There are mainly four factors affecting cultural intelligence: Motivational which refers to an individual’s drive and interest to adapt one to a cross-cultural environment; Cognitive which id the knowledge dimension of CQ; Metacognitive which includes awareness, planning and checking and Behavioral component which refers to the verbal, non verbal speech acts. The term quality of life (QOL) references the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. This study attempts to study the effect of gender and culture on both the cultural intelligence and the quality of life of adults. The sample consisted of 120 adults aged between 18-40 years, with 60 males and 60 females belonging to Himachali and Punjabi cultures. The Cultural Intelligence scale developed by Soon et al (2007) was used to measure the cultural intelligence of the adults. This scale measures the 4 components of CQ- motivational, cognitive, meta-cognitive and behavioral. Quality of life was measured by using the Quality Of Life Scale (Burakhardt, Carol S., 1993). This questionnaire is a self – report inventory that consists of 16 items, pertaining to the various aspects of quality of life i.e. emotional, cognitive and behavioral. The hypothesis stated that males of both the cultures (Himachali and Punjabi) will have a higher cultural intelligence than females of both the cultures, there will be no significant differences in the quality of life of males and females. Punjabi adults will have a better quality of life and higher cultural intelligence than Himachali adults. Findings of the study indicated a) that male adults were found to be higher than their female counter parts on cultural intelligence, b) no significant differences were found between male and female adults on QOL, c) Punjabis were found to higher on both cultural intelligence and QOL than their Himachali counter parts; significantly proving the stated hypotheses. This is one of the first of its kind study conducted in the Indian set-up and further research is needed to substantiate the same.

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Association between Perceived Stress and Rhinitis-Related Quality of Life: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10163680 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (16) ◽

pp. 3680

Author(s):

Il Gyu Kong ◽

Chae-Seo Rhee ◽

Jung Woo Lee ◽

Hyojin Yim ◽

Min Jung Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Allergic Rhinitis ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress Level ◽

Explanatory Power ◽

High Stress ◽

Study Data ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Common Chronic Disease

Allergic rhinitis (AR), a common chronic disease, impairs patients’ quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to determine the effect of perceived stress on disease-related QoL in AR patients. There were 741 patients from eight medical centers of the Allergic Rhinitis Cohort (ARCO) study. Data on sociodemographics, chronic conditions, AR severity, perceived stress level and Rhinoconjunctivitis QoL Questionnaire (RQLQ) results, and laboratory test findings were collected. The relationship between perceived stress and total RQLQ was analyzed using multiple linear regression. Potential confounding variables were adjusted. A high perceived stress level was associated with a high total RQLQ, which reflected worsening disease-related QoL. The high stress level was associated with an increased total RQLQ of 1.210 (95% confidence interval, 0.831–1.589; p < 0.0001) compared with the very low level. In the final model, the multiple regression-adjusted R2 for RQLQ in AR participants was 0.5279, and perceived stress levels contributed 4.08% in additional explanatory power to RQLQ in AR patients. In conclusion, perceived stress is a potentially modifiable risk factor for decreased disease-related QoL in patients with AR, which may be improved with stress management.

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How to Relax in Stressful Situations: A Smart Stress Reduction System

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare8020100 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 100 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yekta Said Can ◽

Heather Iles-Smith ◽

Niaz Chalabianloo ◽

Deniz Ekiz ◽

Javier Fernández-Álvarez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Stress Management ◽

Stress Level ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Detection System ◽

High Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

Smart Devices ◽

Relaxation Methods ◽

Stress Levels

Stress is an inescapable element of the modern age. Instances of untreated stress may lead to a reduction in the individual’s health, well-being and socio-economic situation. Stress management application development for wearable smart devices is a growing market. The use of wearable smart devices and biofeedback for individualized real-life stress reduction interventions has received less attention. By using our unobtrusive automatic stress detection system for use with consumer-grade smart bands, we first detected stress levels. When a high stress level is detected, our system suggests the most appropriate relaxation method by analyzing the physical activity-based contextual information. In more restricted contexts, physical activity is lower and mobile relaxation methods might be more appropriate, whereas in free contexts traditional methods might be useful. We further compared traditional and mobile relaxation methods by using our stress level detection system during an eight day EU project training event involving 15 early stage researchers (mean age 28; gender 9 Male, 6 Female). Participants’ daily stress levels were monitored and a range of traditional and mobile stress management techniques was applied. On day eight, participants were exposed to a ‘stressful’ event by being required to give an oral presentation. Insights about the success of both traditional and mobile relaxation methods by using the physiological signals and collected self-reports were provided.

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Influencing Factors and Effects of Treatment on Quality of Life in Patients With Gastric Cancer—A Systematic Review

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.656929 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sophia Kristina Rupp ◽

Andreas Stengel

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Gastric Cancer ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Well Being ◽

Treatment Method ◽

Impact Factors ◽

Social Burden ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Wide Range

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is associated with several disease-related impairments contributing to the psycho-social burden of those patients, such as deterioration of well-being and overall quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study is to present the wide range of factors potentially impacting patients' overall well-being and possible preventive interventions.Methods: This systematic review was conducted in October 2020 with a search in the PubMed, MedLine, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar databases. We used the keywords “gastric cancer,” “gastric neoplasm,” and each of them combined with “quality of life,” “depression,” and “anxiety” to identify all relevant articles reporting about potential impact factors influencing the overall well-being of patients suffering from gastric cancer.Results: Finally, 125,490 articles were found, of which 125,431 were excluded in several steps of screening. Inclusion criteria were studies carried out on human ≥18 years of age, studies in English or German language, clinical trials, registry-based studies, cohort studies, population-based studies, and certain titles and abstracts. After screening for eligibility 35 potential factors influencing overall well-being in patients with GC were identified and classified into 9 important categories: genetic condition, treatment method, blood markers, nutritional status, daily living, state of health, mental state, supportive care, and alternative treatment.Conclusion: Since various factors are involved in the development of patients' overall well-being, timely treatment of psycho-social impairments by physicians and psychologists is of enormous importance. Preventing psycho-social burden by improving patients' QOL should be of high importance in the treatment regimen of patients with GC.

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Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression-Based Violence in Catalan Universities: Qualitative Findings from University Students and Staff

10.21203/rs.3.rs-97327/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Elena Maria Gallardo Nieto ◽

Aitor Gómez González ◽

Regina Gairal-Casadó ◽

Maria del Mar Ramis Salas

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Sexual Orientation ◽

Gender Identity ◽

University Students ◽

Well Being ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Gender Expression ◽

Wide Range ◽

And Gender

Abstract BackgroundHate crimes have raised in Spain and the gender and sexuality-based conflict persist worldwide which leads to this problem having an effect on health and wellbeing. Following a focus of transforming Higher Education Institutions (HEI), this research focusses on analysing how this problem affects undergraduate students in six Spanish universities. The goal of this study is to improve the quality of life of LGBTQI+ University students, breaking the silence that exists about the violence that this group suffer in Catalonia, Spain.MethodsFollowing the Communicative Methodology, this study has identified violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression in the target universities and provided guidelines to improve anti-discrimination protocols. A qualitative method has reached experiences of university students, heads of equality commissions, professors and administrative staff regarding this conflict. Focussing on the qualitative research tools, 30 half-structured interviews were conducted with university students, staff and professors around issues related to LGBTQI-phobic violence: 1) perception of violence and discrimination, 2) institutional measures, 3) actions against violence. An analysis of exclusionary and transformative dimensions was used to identify emergent themes. ResultsWe have identified two dimensions for the analysis: exclusionary -those that maintain the problem-, and transformative, -those that contribute to transform the problem of LGBTQI-phobia-. On the one hand, exclusionary facts have been described by participants in the study as a wide range of forms of violence against the LGBTQI+ community perpetrated at university, mainly verbal and psychological. Moreover, equality commissions have not received reports of LGBTQI-phobic violence, and university staff and professors show certain unfamiliarity regarding measures and politics to prevent and intervene in cases of violence on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. On the other hand, in the study of variables that contribute to overcoming this conflict, actions of LGBTQI groups against violence and the professors’ commitment to intervene show relevant changes in student’s wellbeing. An improvement and implementation of anti-discrimination protocols with mandatory measures has also been documented.ConclusionsFindings highlight the need for evidence that contributes to the improvement of protocols, measures and politics to protect the LGBTQI community at university. A better understanding of violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in HEI’s may guide national and international governments to improve the LGBTQI collectives’ health and well-being. This study provides relevant information regarding this pressing challenge and presents an important impact achieved contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of the LGBTQI+ community.Trial registrationNot applicable

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The Impact of Atopic Dermatitis on Quality of Life

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1159/000370226 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 66 (Suppl. 1) ◽

pp. 34-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Carlos Lifschitz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Skin Diseases ◽

Well Being ◽

Broad Concept ◽

Wide Range ◽

Health Related Qol ◽

Negative Effect ◽

The Impact

Approximately 5-20% of children worldwide suffer from atopic dermatitis (AD), a kind of dermatitis characterized as an inflammatory, relapsing, noncontagious and itchy skin disorder. Children often develop AD during their first year of life. An increased rate of sensitization to both food and aeroallergens has been shown to coexist in patients with AD. Sensitization to well-known allergens such as cow's milk protein can occur on average in 50% of children with AD. In general, quality of life (QoL) is perceived as the quality of an individual's daily life, that is, an assessment of their well-being or lack thereof. QoL is a broad concept that includes such things as standard of living, community, and family life. Patients with skin diseases experience a wide range of symptoms ranging from trivial problems to major handicaps which affect their lives. The misery of living with AD cannot be overstated for it may have a profoundly negative effect on the health-related QoL of children and their families in many cases. Physicians taking care of children with AD should consult parents on how their child's illness has impacted their lifestyle and recommend professional intervention if deemed necessary.

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Destination management: a perspective article

Tourism Review ◽

10.1108/tr-07-2019-0311 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 75 (1) ◽

pp. 165-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Alan Fyall ◽

Brian Garrod

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Urban Planning ◽

Economic Inequality ◽

Well Being ◽

Content Type ◽

Tourist Destinations ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Future ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose Destinations are focal points for tourist activity and thus for the study of tourism. They are, however, notoriously difficult to manage due to their complex systems of stakeholders. Such complexity implies that destinations are driven by a wide range of forces in their internal and external environments. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the diversity and depth of the challenges at play in destination management and, in doing so, review the primary contributions in the field. Design/methodology/approach This is a "perspective" paper (i.e. critical literature review). Findings The study of destinations remains an area of active research interest, with the many challenges that arise from within and external to destinations offering much food for thought with respect to their longevity as viable, sustainable and competitive places for tourists to visit. For the future, the need to view destinations as part of a wider system is paramount with them being inescapable from debates on urban planning, economic inequality, transportation and housing and the omnipresence of all things “smart”. Such debates need to incorporate both tourists and resident communities, as the well-being and quality of life of both groups is under threat in many destinations, particularly heritage and culturally rich city destinations around the world, where the term “overtourism” is increasingly heard. Research limitations/implications This study has implications for the integrated and more holistic management of tourist destinations. Practical implications This is a "perspective" paper, so it does not offer individual practical implications for destinations. Moreover, it offers a concise and precise summary of core studies in the field and provides a platform for a more future-looking critical debate on the sustainable management of tourist destinations. Social implications Looking ahead, destinations need to be considered as part of a wider system, one that is inclusive of urban planning, economic inequality, transportation and housing, and “smart” initiatives among others. Most importantly, the views of tourist and resident communities need to be considered and incorporated into future planning at the destination level with wellbeing and quality of life indicators being used to identify the real benefits of tourism to both communities. Originality/value Integrated and holistic forms of destination management is the way forward, with the exponential growth of technology, as well as the need to manage the exchange of knowledge and data at the destination level, critical to the sustainability of the competitive destination long into the future.

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Quality of life instruments in depression

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(97)89104-3 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 194-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

P Bech

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Major Depression ◽

Beck Depression Inventory ◽

Well Being ◽

Medical Disorders ◽

The Future ◽

Quality Of Life Instruments

SummaryMajor depression is one of the medical disorders in which quality of life instruments have most often been applied. It is important to distinguish between disease-dependent scales (ie, scales measuring the symptoms of major depression, such as the Beck Depression Inventory) and generic scales (ie, scales measuring self-reported states without reference to a specific disorder, such as the WHO well-being scale). The empirical use of generic scales for quality of life major depression has indicated that they can predict relapse and compliance. In the future, more trials comparing the different treatments with cost-effectiveness vs quality of life in major depression are required.

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A Review on Quality of Life and Depression in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900026894 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 13 (S14) ◽

pp. 16-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Steffen Moritz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Well Being ◽

Symptom Clusters ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Therapeutic Success ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Life Problems ◽

Wide Range

AbstractQuality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognized as a pivotal outcome parameter in research on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While the concept remains somewhat ill-defined, there is now little dispute that the patients’ personal goals deserve foremost consideration during the course of treatment as the primary aim of treatment should be relief from individual despair, which is related but by no means synonymous to symptom reduction. Studies using generic (ie, illness-unspecific) instruments have confirmed poor QoL in OCD patients across a wide range of domains, especially with respect to social, work role functioning, and mental health aspects. Scores are sometimes as low as those obtained by patients with schizophrenia. Depression and obsessions are the symptom clusters that most strongly contribute to low QoL. Findings from a novel survey of 105 OCD participants point to multiple daily life problems, poor work status, and tense social networks in these patients. In order to achieve therapeutic success and improve QoL, functional problems at work and comorbid disorders such as secondary depression and physical impairments should be targeted. While successful treatment sometimes positively impacts well-being, in some studies symptom decline did not translate into improved QoL.

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Effectiveness of Affirmation Stress Management on The Stress level Among Caregivers of Shizophrenia Patient

Jurnal Ners dan Kebidanan Indonesia ◽

10.21927/jnki.2020.8(2).82-86 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 82

Author(s):

Mulyanti Ners ◽

Brune Indah Yulitasari ◽

Tri Paryati

Keyword(s):

Stress Management ◽

Stress Level ◽

Family Relationships ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Severe Disease ◽

High Stress ◽

Measuring Instruments ◽

P Value ◽

Management Intervention ◽

High Stress Level

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe disease so they need caregivers to help their daily activities. Caregivers of patients with schizophrenia have experienced chronic stress in their daily lives. The effects of caregiver of Schizophrenia with high stress level are the disruption of family relationships, constraints in social, leisure and work activities, financial difficulties, and negative impact on their own physical health. Affirmation stress management one of the intervention to reduce the level stress on caregiver of patients with Schizophrenia.This study aimed to prove effect affirmation stress management on the stress level among caregivers of Schizophrenia people.This research was quasi-experimental with one group pretest-postest without control. Subjects of this study were 29 caregivers of schizophrenia patients. Subjects selection technique used purposive sampling. Measuring instruments used perceived stress scale. The technique of data analysis used correlation of paired t-test. The results showed that the average level of stress caregiver before the stress management action was 15.17 (SD: 6.54) and the average stress level after the action was 13.59 (5.39). Statistical test results showed that there were significant differences between the stress level values before and after the affirmative stress management intervention was given (p. Value = 0.015). The conclusion of this research is there was an influence of affirmation stress management on stress level on caregivers of Schizophrenia patient.

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