scholarly journals Lifestyle Interventions Improving Cannabinoid Tone During COVID-19 Lockdowns May Enhance Compliance With Preventive Regulations and Decrease Psychophysical Health Complications

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viola Brugnatelli ◽  
Enrico Facco ◽  
Gastone Zanette
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Exercise Interventions ◽  
Negative Thoughts ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Affective Change ◽  
Physical Impact ◽  
Health Complications ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Physiologic System

Studies investigating the psychosomatic effects of social isolation in animals have shown that one of the physiologic system that gets disrupted by this environment-affective change is the Endocannabinoid System. As the levels of endocannabinoids change in limbic areas and prefrontal cortex during stressful times, so is the subject more prone to fearful and negative thoughts and aggressive behavior. The interplay of social isolation on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and cannabinoid tone triggers a vicious cycle which further impairs the natural body's homeostatic neuroendocrine levels and provokes a series of risk factors for developing health complications. In this paper, we explore the psychosomatic impact of prolonged quarantine in healthy individuals, and propose management and coping strategies that may improve endocannabinoid tone, such as integration of probiotics, cannabidiol, meditation, and physical exercise interventions with the aim of supporting interpersonal, individual, and professional adherence with COVID-19 emergency public measures whilst minimizing their psycho-physical impact.

scholarly journals Reducing Loneliness in Stationary Geriatric Care with Robots and Virtual Encounters—A Contribution to the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4846
Author(s):  
Andreas Follmann ◽  
Franziska Schollemann ◽  
Andrea Arnolds ◽  
Pauline Weismann ◽  
Thea Laurentius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Observational Trial ◽  
General Acceptance ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Geriatric Hospital ◽  
Hospital Patients ◽  
The Subject

The bans on visiting nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, while intended to protect residents, also have the risk of increasing the loneliness and social isolation that already existed among the older generations before the pandemic. To combat loneliness and social isolation in nursing homes, this trial presents a study during which social networks of nursing home residents and elderly hospital patients were maintained through virtual encounters and robots, respectively. The observational trial included volunteers who were either residents of nursing homes or patients in a geriatric hospital. Each volunteer was asked to fill in a questionnaire containing three questions to measure loneliness. The questionnaire also documented whether video telephony via the robot, an alternative contact option (for example, a phone call), or no contact with relatives had taken place. The aim was to work out the general acceptance and the benefits of virtual encounters using robots for different roles (users, relatives, nursing staff, facilities). Seventy volunteers with three possible interventions (non-contact, virtual encounters by means of a robot, and any other contact) took part in this trial. The frequency of use of the robot increased steadily over the course of the study, and it was regularly used in all facilities during the weeks of visitor bans (n = 134 times). In the hospital, loneliness decreased significantly among patients for whom the robot was used to provide contact (F(1,25) = 7.783, p = 0.01). In the nursing homes, no demonstrable effect could be achieved in this way, although the subject feedback from the users was consistently positive.

scholarly journals Current Issues in Early Warning and Development Initiatives Towards Enhanced Flood-Related Resilience in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugonna C. Nkwunonwo
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Disaster Recovery ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Flood Hazards ◽  
Coping Capacity ◽  
Local Initiative ◽  
Present Context ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
And Coping

More than 4 years since the UNISDR Sendai framework replaced its predecessor, Hyogo, communities’ resilience to flooding is still a major issue for especially the developing countries (DCs) such as Nigeria where there are unresolved limitations with early warning systems. The recent increase in human and economic damages caused by floods and the inability of communities to recover from the effects, despite years after the disaster, indicate that the global concept of resilience has not been fully grasped. Nigeria, which is the subject of this chapter, typifies this situation. Evidently, the historic flooding of 2012 and its predecessors affected many communities and individual victims most of whom are still struggling with disaster recovery and reconstruction. This raises important research questions. What is not understood in the present context is that government institutions have made a lot of politicizing various interventions and local initiative, but the present reality is a “pathetic travesty of disaster recovery.” This chapter elucidates on these issues through theoretical discussions on community participation, risk-informed investment, and rural adaptation, all of which can be advocated to facilitate community resilience and coping capacity to all variants of flood hazards in Nigeria.

scholarly journals A preliminary study on the Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs about Stuttering (UTBAS) questionnaire in Croatia

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51
Author(s):  
Ena Klarin ◽  
Ana Leko Krhen ◽  
Suzana Jelčić Jakšić
Keyword(s):  
Therapy Outcome ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Socially Anxious ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Negative Thoughts ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Adults Who Stutter ◽  
The Relationship

Along with disrupted speech fluency, people who stutter often develop a fear of speaking or fear of social situations that may lead to the emergence of social anxiety disorder. This has been the subject of numerous studies during recent decades, and specific questionnaires have been developed to assess relationships between stuttering and anxiety. The Unhelpful Thoughts and Beliefs About Stuttering (UTBAS) Questionnaire (St Clare et al. 2009) was developed recently and has been applied to evaluate the frequency and belief in thoughts about stuttering and the degree of anxiety induced by such thoughts. The aim of our preliminary study was to test the Croatian translation of the UTBAS (UTBAS-C) on people who stutter and those who do not stutter and to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between these two groups, i.e. whether people who stutter are more socially anxious than people who do not stutter. Participants were 16 adults who stutter and 16 controls with normal fluence, aged 18-40 years. Because the results were not distributed normally, all data were analyzed with a non-parametric statistical method. The results showed a statistically significant difference between adults who stutter and those who do not. People who stutter had higher total scores on the Questionnaire, i.e. they are more socially anxious or have more negative thoughts and beliefs regarding speech-related situations than fluent adults. The results of our preliminary study are not unexpected and are consistent with most previous studies on the relationship between stuttering and anxiety. However, as there is a lack of specific instruments in the Croatian language that can be used in diagnosing adults who stutter, especially their attitudes and emotions, our translation of and further research on the UTBAS should help to fill that absence. This study should also alert clinicians working with adults who stutter of the importance and influence of attitudes and beliefs on therapy outcome.

scholarly journals Challenges and perspectives of “rainbow families” in Serbia

Temida ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-77
Author(s):  
Zorica Mrsevic
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Family Situation ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Coping

This paper analyzes two types of ?rainbow families?, those in which same- sex people raise children, as well as those in which children (most often) or other members belong to the LGBT + category. The duality of the approach of this paper is based on the fact that ambient homophobia affects not only one LGBT + person and not only one type of rainbow families but is a source of a whole range of challenges typical for all such families. The activist orientation that functions both regionally and in Serbia uses the term ?rainbow family? to refer to the family situation of broadly understood target families where any member belongs to the LGBT + group. The subject of this paper is the specifics of the challenges and perspectives of both types of ?rainbow families? whose social situation is most often characterized by victimization by violence, discrimination, rejection, stigmatization, marginalization and coping with a range of daily denials and violations of human rights. Special attention is paid to the situation of LGBT + children as the weakest and potentially the most exposed to the challenges. The paper aims to identify strategies and successful empowerment experiences and ways of (self) protecting ?rainbow families? in addition to addressing existing challenges. As a methodology, the paper contains the most recent violence case studies, data and expertise, as well as relevant domestic, regional and international analysis and activities related to the functioning of rainbow families.

scholarly journals The Stable Instability of People with Borderline Personality Disorder

2019 ◽  
pp. 29-31
Author(s):  
Jaime Senabre
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Written Expression ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Coping

If something characterizes the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is its diagnostic complexity, its comorbidity with other types of conditions and its high ignorance on the part of many health professionals, in general, and mental health, in particular. To understand the BPD, on many occasions, we are going to have to go back to childhood and early adolescence. In this review of the subject we will try to put some light on this type of psychopathology; a necessary light, not so much for the professional as for the hidden victim of this ailment, the great protagonist; not because of its stigma of illness, but because of its degree of vulnerability and widespread instability. We will try to outline a characteristic profile of the borderline personality based on the background and consequences of the individual. Also, we will glimpse some aspects such as comorbidity, which can make diagnosis difficult. We will distinguish the different types of BPD and give a few strokes on the Therapeutic approach, based on: self-observation, self-care, psychoeducation, intermediate evaluations, emotion management and coping techniques, written expression and psychoeducation have given the best results with this type of patients. At last, we emphasize the importance of self-care of the mental health professional.

scholarly journals Emotional burnout of police officers: phenomenology and prevention

2021 ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Marina Pryahina ◽  
Anton Dushkin ◽  
Natal'ya Goncharova ◽  
Yuriy Sharanov ◽  
Alexander Shakhmatov
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Coping Behavior ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Burnout Syndrome ◽  
Organizational Role ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Professional Occupation ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Emotional Burnout

Currently, police work is considered a stressful professional occupation that requires police officers to be able to cope with danger, uncertainty and unpredictability, which, together with other factors, determines the development of emotional burnout syndrome in police officers. The article presents a phenomenological analysis of the scientific positions of domestic and foreign authors, which allowed us to establish the characteristic manifestations of emotional burnout and establish the consistency of views on this phenomenon within the framework of three main directions: individual psychological, socio-psychological and organizational-psychological. The purpose of the study was to update and bring together views on a significant problem, the solution of which provides the subject of the law enforcement sphere with the preservation of working capacity, well-being, and psychological health. As a result of the conducted research, groups of factors of personal, organizational, role and motivational genesis that affect the development of emotional burnout are established. The features of emotional burnout of police officers are revealed, which are manifested in the reduction of the performance of official duties due to irrational or reduced emotional expression, a sense of dissatisfaction with oneself, personal alienation, depression, emotional lability, irritability, neuroticism with a tendency to spontaneous and reactive aggression. The protective and coping behavior of police officers is associated with the predominance of non-constructive coping of the antisocial, passive and manipulative type, as well as the priority use of the "regression"mechanism of psychological protection. On the basis of the conducted research, the directions of psychological prevention of emotional burnout of police officers are determined

scholarly journals Fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic: perception of health professionals and their families

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayckel da Silva Barreto ◽  
Carolina da Silva Caram ◽  
José Luís Guedes dos Santos ◽  
Rebeca Rosa de Souza ◽  
Herbert Leopoldo de Freitas Goes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Patient Relationship ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Professional Patient Relationship ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Perception Of Health

ABSTRACT Objective: To know the perception of health professionals and their families about fake news related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach. Twenty-eight individuals participated, including seven physicians, seven nurses, and 14 family members. Data collection took place between August and October 2020, with audio-recorded interviews. After transcription, the content was analyzed using Content Analysis, thematic modality. Results: Three categories were identified: “Context of the occurrence and dissemination of fake news in times of pandemic”; “Consequences of fake news on the experience of the pandemic”; and “Coping strategies to contain/combat fake news”. Conclusion: Sociocultural, political, educational, and technological aspects influence the occurrence and dissemination of fake news, which have consequences such as: misinformation, self-medication, worsening in the professional-patient relationship, increased need for additional research, and fear in the population. To face the current situation, greater control by the State is required, with investigation and punishment of people who disseminate fake news, as well as greater awareness among the population on the subject.

scholarly journals Guia prático de referências e recomendações nutricionais para indivíduos acometidos pelo coronavírus e para a população em isolamento social durante a pandemia: COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (35) ◽  
pp. 181-186
Author(s):  
Hadassa Hillary Novaes Pereira Rodrigues ◽  
Wanderson Hugo Drescher ◽  
Ana Carolina Pinheiro Volp
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Nutritional Support ◽  
Respiratory Syndrome Virus ◽  
Reference Guide ◽  
Nutritional Recommendations ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Needy

Introduction: After an outbreak of pneumonia caused by an unknown cause registered in China in December 2019, a disease of zoonotic origin was detected, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome virus (SARS-CoV), which became known as coronavirus disease due to days sickness 2019 (COVID-19). Of those affected, a portion needs hospitalization and nutritional support is necessary. However, those who are in social isolation must amplify their nutritional status, as well as their immunity, in the process of creating more resistance if they are affected. The goal of care is not to overload the health system, so that little by little the needy have dignified care. Considering the need for greater ammunition for health professionals and the population in general, and in a simplified way in the face of the “rain” of information that everyone is receiving, the objective of the present work was to summarize and present a practical reference guide for the population in social isolation during the pandemic. Methods: A literary search was carried out on references already published on the subject on scientific websites, including the main themes: nutritional status, nutritional recommendations, immunity and coronavirus. Results: The following were included in this guide, presented very clearly: guidelines for the population that is in social isolation; lactating with COVID-19; immunomodulation; shopping and returning home. Conclusion: This article has summarized what is available on the subject in the literature until today. We believe that this material can help professionals and the general population in times of pandemic.

scholarly journals VA Connection Plans: A Whole Health Intervention to Promote Social Connections for Older Veterans

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 205-205
Author(s):  
Samantha Hack ◽  
Anjana Muralidharan ◽  
Amanda Peeples
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Brief Intervention ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Negative Thoughts

Abstract The Connection Plan intervention was created as a brief intervention to assist older adults experiencing social isolation during COVID-19. Based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), it is designed to help older adults create a “Connection Plan” to cope with distress related to social isolation. In 1-2 sessions, interventionists work with the older adult to create a Connection Plan with three parts: Mind (ways to change negative thoughts), Body (ways to change unpleasant body sensations), and Connections (ways to increase social engagement). Through soliciting feedback from key stakeholders (Veterans and VA clinicians), the Connection Plan intervention was adapted for the VA context. This paper will present this process of creating the VA Connection Plans manual, as well as associated efforts to disseminate the intervention to 900 VA staff and deliver it to 600 older Veterans with (age 50+) and without (age 65+) serious mental illness.

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