scholarly journals POSSIBILITIES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR ASSESSMENT OF PRENOSOLOGICAL CHANGES OF HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (11) ◽  
pp. 1115-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Bolshakov ◽  
Vyacheslav N. Krutko ◽  
V. I. Dontsov

Additionally to the assessment of the external environment for the evaluation of the hygienic welfare of the population it is ultimately important to assess the health status, the index of which should be monitored as early as possible. Prenosological changes are the most early and common, they reflect the cumulative impact of adverse effects of the external environment of very different nature and their evaluation on human health is the most important. For a more accurate and standardized assessment of such effects we have developed a number of computer systems, allowing to estimate both physical and mental health and performance, and also biological age of a person. Our programs involve individual records of customer data, both physical and mental activity in everyday life, the degree of stress tolerance, the presence of occupational hazards, exercise, food tastes etc. Design of programs includes standardized windows: data entry, tabular and graphical output of results in comparison with age-related standards, output of the text and conclusion the database with the ability to view them and compare the results of several visits. Database programs have similar form and can be presented in a ExCel format for the statistical treatment. Overall, we have developed a computer system for the assessment of physical and mental health, working capability and biological age, that is a powerful tool for the accurate and standardized evaluation of the external adverse environmental influences on the health and general well-being, provides ways to an early preclinical diagnosis and environmental well-being and can be widely used in sanitary and hygienic monitoring of the health status of the population.

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 802-822
Author(s):  
Roger Yat-Nork Chung ◽  
Jonathan Ka-Long Mak

There has been a rising trend of labor migration globally. Given their alien status within the legal framework of the host countries, migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are especially vulnerable to poor employment conditions that may affect their health status, yet there is still a lack of quantitative evidence in this population hitherto. Using randomly sampled data from a cross-sectional survey of 2,017 live-in female MDWs in Hong Kong, a setting with a high concentration of MDWs, this study examined the association of employment conditions with physical and mental health among the MDWs. We observed poorer physical and mental health status among the MDWs when compared with the general population in Hong Kong. Our findings suggest that employment conditions, including household size, working on the rest day, and housing type, and age were associated with physical health, while employment conditions, including not ever receiving wages on time, frequency of financial remittances, paying the employment agency, having a private room, fulfillment of work-related needs, physical abuse, and discrimination, and sociodemographic characteristics, including age and duration of migration, were associated with mental health. Social support in general did not confound these associations, but religious activities and daily contact with friends were also associated with mental health. Our findings have important implications in designing interventions and policies to improve the physical and mental well-being of this vulnerable migrant population.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. 73-73
Author(s):  
Nikhil Satchidanand ◽  
Jeffrey Fine ◽  
Gregory S. Cherr

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: To explore associations among bio-psychosocial factors predictive of overall physical and mental health status as assessed using the SF-12 Health Survey. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Community-dwelling, male and female elders with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were administered an assessment battery to identify factors associated with self-assessed physical and mental health status using the SF-12 Health Survey. The battery included an assessment of pain, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, perceived psychological stress, physical function, as well as selected demographic variables. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Preliminary linear regression analyses have identified several factors predictive of physical and mental health status including depressive symptoms, pain, perceived stress, and physical function. A more in-depth examination using path analysis is anticipated to reveal important mediational associations, wherein physical function is a strong mediator between bio-psychosocial factors and overall physical and mental health status. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Aging is often associated with a reduction in physical and mental well-being, frequently exacerbated by the development and progression of chronic disease. PAD is a common chronic condition that places significant burden on the older patient and their family. Identifying and developing a more in-depth understanding of the factors that impact health status in PAD is an important and timely objective. We anticipate that our findings will inform development of more targeted and effective intervention strategies we can employ to improve the quality of life among elders struggling to manage PAD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
Md Safikul Islam ◽  
Kazi Safiqul Halim ◽  
Kazi Fardana Mostary ◽  
Atiya Tasnim Muna ◽  
Bushra E Zannat Khan ◽  
...  

Gradual rising of crime among adolescents is now a social and public health concern worldwide. A total of 1.9 million children getting incarcerated worldwide yearly where in Bangladesh, 1.3 million of children engaged in hazardous job most of them involved in crime. Again, physical and mental well-being is the legal and constitutional rights of the every adolescent including detained adolescent of Juvenile Development Centers. This is a cross-sectional study conducted to assess the physical and mental health status as well as socio-demographic status of adolescents of two Government Juvenile Development Center, Tongi and Konabari, Gazipur from January to December 2017. 191 adolescents were selected purposively (male: female=1.41:1). Data were collected by face to face interview and record review and height and weight of the respondents were measured. The mental health status was measured by WHO-5 Well-being Scale. The age range was from 13 to 17 years. Age of the respondents were significantly correlated with score of the WHO-5 well-being scale (p=0.028). The study observed higher score among respondents who had detained here for more than 2 months which was highly significant (p<0.001). Most of the respondents (75.9%) belong to poor family. The mean score of the WHO-5 well-being scale of the respondent was 52.20±10.0, where 35.1% had good and 64.9% had poor psychological well-being status and higher among male respondents (52.92±10.40) than the female respondents (51.29±9.45). The respondents who were employee prior to this institution had significantly high score (p=0.024). A significant relationship was observed between type of crime and the score of WHO-5 well-being scale (p=0.003). The mean body mass index was 20.26±1.27 kg/m2. Almost every respondent (92.7%) belongs to normal nutritional category. Well-being score of the respondents was significantly increased with the body mass index (p=0.005). This study revealed score of WHO-5 well-being scale was significantly associated with duration of stay of the respondents (p<0.001, R=0.540). Thus this study provides prevalence of mental health status and nutritional status as well as socio-demographic condition of adolescents of Government Juvenile Development Centre in Bangladesh which may provide the Government, sociologists and psychologists valid and reliable data for making plans and policies for improving or updating the living conditions of detainee of Juvenile development Centre. Bangladesh Med J. 2018 May; 47 (2): 7-11


2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.


Author(s):  
L. Burke-Furey ◽  
F. McNicholas

Individuals with mental illness have poorer physical health, nutritional status, and lowered life expectancy. Optimising their physical and nutritional status has become an increasingly important therapeutic goal. Current experience with COVID-19 has further emphasised the susceptibility to physical illness and poorer outcomes amongst individuals with mental illness and those who are nutritionally compromised. Although life as we knew it has been suspended until the widespread roll-out of a vaccine, individuals can take immediate action to improve physical and mental health by attending to and optimising their nutritional well-being. Clinicians within mental health services have a crucial role to play in assisting such change, and reminding their patients of the importance of pursuing a healthy and balanced diet.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1577
Author(s):  
Alona Emodi-Perlman ◽  
Ilana Eli ◽  
Nir Uziel ◽  
Joanna Smardz ◽  
Anahat Khehra ◽  
...  

(1) Background: this study aimed to evaluate the worries, anxiety, and depression in the public during the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in three culturally different groups of internet survey respondents: Middle Eastern (Israel), European (Poland), and North American (Canada). (2) Methods: a cross-sectional online survey was conducted in the mentioned countries during the lockdown periods. The survey included a demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire on personal concerns, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). A total of 2207 people successfully completed the survey. (3) Results: Polish respondents were the most concerned about being infected. Canadian respondents worried the most about their finances, relations with relatives and friends, and both physical and mental health. Polish respondents worried the least about their physical health, and Israeli respondents worried the least about their mental health and relations with relatives and friends. Canadian respondents obtained the highest score in the PHQ-4, while the scores of Israeli respondents were the lowest. (4) Conclusions: various factors should be considered while formulating appropriate solutions in emergency circumstances such as a pandemic. Understanding these factors will aid in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of stress, social isolation, and uncertainty on the well-being and mental health of culturally different societies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Thomson ◽  
Maureen Wilson-Genderson ◽  
Laura A Siminoff

Abstract Background Informal caregivers play a fundamental role in the care of hematological cancer patients, but less is known about how secondary caregivers are involved. We assessed the presence or absence of a secondary caregiver, the types of caregiving activities performed by primary and secondary caregivers and examined whether the presence of a secondary caregiver was associated with primary caregiver characteristics and wellbeing over time. Methods A case series of hematological cancer patient-caregiver dyads (n = 171) were recruited from oncology clinics in Virginia and Pennsylvania and followed for 2 years. Multi-level models were developed to examine the associations between presence of a secondary caregiver and the primary caregivers’ well-being. Results Most (64.9%) primary caregivers reported having secondary caregivers. Multilevel models showed primary caregivers without help had higher baseline mental and physical health, but experienced deteriorating physical health overtime, compared to supported primary caregivers. Supported primary caregivers reported improvements in mental health over time that was associated with improvements in physical health. Conclusions Primary caregivers in good physical and mental health at the beginning of their caregiving journey but who have the least assistance from others may be at greatest risk for detrimental physical health effects long term. Attention to the arrangement of caregiving roles (i.e., who provides what care) overtime is needed to ensure that caregivers remain healthy and well supported.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E.P. Seligman

As president of the American Psychological Association in 1998, I organized researchers and practitioners to work on building well-being, not just on the traditional task of reducing ill-being. Substantial research then found that well-being causes many external benefits, including better physical and mental health. Among the applications of Positive Psychology are national psychological accounts of well-being, Positive Psychotherapy, the classification of strengths and virtues, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, and Positive Education. Positive Psychology has spread beyond psychology into neuroscience, health, psychiatry, theology, and even to the humanities. Positive Psychology has many critics, and I comment on the strongest criticisms. I conclude with the hope that the building of well-being will become a cornerstone of morality, politics, and religion.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenora Campbell ◽  
Dana L. Carthron ◽  
Margaret Shandor Miles ◽  
LaShanda Brown

Researchers have identified complex needs of custodial grandparent families and lack of access to needed resources such as housing, financial and legal assistance, and health care. Case management links these families with needed services while helping them develop skills to promote their health and well-being. This paper describes a case management program for custodial grandparent families using a nurse-social worker case management team. data were collected from 50 grandparents and 33 children using surveys and semi-structured instruments. Physical and mental health outcomes were measured using Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF 12) to measure the perceived quality of health for grandparents and the Child Behavior Checklist to measure the emotional and behavioral functioning of grandchildren. Grandparents more positively perceived their mental health after participating in the program. Perceptions about physical health were generally the same before and after the program. Grandparents' reported that many grandchildren had emotional and behavioral problems in the clinical range. These findings highlight the need for further research on the mental health needs of children being parented by grandparents as well as determining effective models and interventions to minimize adverse effects of parenting on grandparents.


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