scholarly journals Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training on Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health: Results from a Pilot Study Testing Its Predictive Validity in a Specialized Hospital Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9420
Author(s):  
Math Janssen ◽  
Beatrice Van der Heijden ◽  
Josephine Engels ◽  
Hubert Korzilius ◽  
Pascale Peters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Predictive Validity ◽  
Stress Level ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Post Intervention

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training and to examine positive and negative symptom-focused mental health variables. The mental health variables were used to test the predictive validity of the training among healthcare professionals. Thirty healthcare professionals participated in this non-randomized pre-post intervention pilot study. The questionnaire on mental health was filled in twice. Baseline and post-intervention differences were tested with paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The participants’ evaluation of the training was assessed with a five-item questionnaire. The recruitment and retention were successful, and participants’ evaluation of the training itself was positive but the influence on daily life was rated only moderately positive. In comparison with baseline at post-intervention participants showed significant improvements in general mindfulness, the burnout dimension personal accomplishment, quality of sleep, positive emotions, and self-efficacy. A significant decrease was found in the burnout dimension emotional exhaustion, stress level, negative emotions at work, and worrying. No significant changes were found for the burnout dimension mental distance, and work engagement. The measures showed ample within-person differences and low, medium, or high effect sizes. The current trial approach of the MBSR training seems feasible and acceptable. Our results suggest that mindfulness, burnout, stress level, quality of sleep, positive emotions at work, negative emotions at work, self-efficacy, and worrying are meaningful mental health variables for inclusion in a larger-scale Randomized Controlled Trial on the effects of MBSR.

scholarly journals Psychological Resilience of Healthcare Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
pp. 003329412096547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faruk Bozdağ ◽  
Naif Ergün
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Psychological Resilience ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Emotional Resilience

The COVID-19 pandemic as a public health issue has spread to the rest of the world. Although the wellbeing and emotional resilience of healthcare professionals are key components of continuing healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals have been observed in this period to experience serious psychological problems and to be at risk in terms of mental health. Therefore, this study aims to probe psychological resilience of healthcare workers. The findings of this study showed that in order to raise psychological resilience of healthcare professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic their quality of sleep, positive emotions and life satisfaction need to be enhanced. Psychological resilience levels of healthcare workers in their later years were found to be higher. Doctors constitute the group with the lowest levels of psychological resilience among healthcare workers. The current study is considered to have contributed to the literature in this regard. Primary needs such as sleep which are determinants of quality of life, life satisfaction and psychological resilience should be met.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneus neuromodulation on peripheal neuropathies induced by chemotherapy: a pilot study

2019 ◽  
Vol 02 (02) ◽  
pp. 084-085
Author(s):  
López-Garzón MC ◽  
Lozano-Lozano M. ◽  
Álvarez-Salvago F. ◽  
Galiano-Castillo N.
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Treatment Protocol ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Eortc Qlq

Abstract Background and Aims Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most invalidating secondary effects (60%) both of colorectal cancer as well as breast cancer and is a reason for abandoning medical treatment. The symptoms are based on pain, tingling, numbness, and can affect quality of sleep. It is known that analgesia induced by TENS is multifactorial and probably comprises peripheral, spinal and supraspinal mechanisms. Besides, these effects could be greater if the application is performed percutaneously. Therefore, the principal aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guide percutaneous neuromodulation on the quality of life of patients who suffer CIPN. Material and Methods Three patients (n = 2 breast cancer and n = 1 colorectal cancer) were recruited from the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves (Granada, Spain). This study received ethics committee approval (0110-N-18) The radial, cubital and median nerves were treated in the upper limb, and the tibial, peroneal, sural and saphenous nerves were treated for the lower limb. In total, eight treatment sessions were performed per affected limb, using the treatment protocol of NMP® (20 seconds of TENS 10Hz 2mA and 10 minutes of TENS 2Hz 1-10mA and in the sural nerve. Besides, 5 minutes of TENS was applied TENS 50Hz 1-10mA) in a weekly session during two months. Before and after treatment, the following variables were evaluated: 1) neuropathy specific quality of life (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) consisting of three subscales (0-100): sensory, autonomic, motor (greater conduction); 2) intensity of symptoms (numbness, pain and tingling) using the visual analog scale (VAS) (0-10); and 3) sleep according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (0-21) using its total component. For the analyses, the normality of the population was assumed due to the nature of the study (N = 3) and therefore the Student's t-test was used to analyze the differences in the baseline and post-intervention means using the IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY). Results Regarding the autonomic subscale (baseline mean, SD 38.89 ± 5.56) of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 the difference of means was statistically significant (-38.89 ± 9.62) (t = -6.99; P = 0.020). The remaining subscales were not significant (P > 0.05) despite the fact that the results also improved: sensory (-2.47 + -16.7); motor (-26.89 ± 19.25); and conduction (-11.11 ± 19.25). The VAS for pain (baseline mean, SD: 5 ± 2.52) obtained a difference in means of −1.67 ± 2.08, although it was not significant (P > 0.05) it did reach a clinically relevant difference (1.1 points). For the remaining VAS scales, numbing and tingling, no statistically significant differences were obtained −1.17 ± 2.021 and −1.5 ± 1.80, respectively (P > 0.05). Lastly, the Pittsburgh questionnaire (baseline mean: 10) decreased by −3.67 ± 1.53 showing a trend towards significance (t = -4.19; P= 0,053). Conclusion Despite this being a pilot study, percutaneous neuromodulation is shown to improve the symptoms of neuropathy induced by chemotherapy, specifically autonomic symptoms and quality of sleep. Our results may represent a change of paradigm in physical therapy treatment.

scholarly journals Relationship between taking medical care of people infected with COVID-19 and mental health of healthcare professionals

2019 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-147
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szambor ◽  
Jolanta Masiak ◽  
Anna Urbańska ◽  
Maciej Składanowski
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Health Burden ◽  
Spread Of Infection ◽  
Somatization Disorders

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic induced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes huge health burden. It influences physical and mental state of both, people who are infected and those who take care of them. The particularly exposed are healthcare professionals who have direct contact with patients infected with the SARS- CoV-2 virus. Workers belonging to this group especially often report anxiety, fear, mood disorders, frustration, loneliness, low quality of sleep, somatization disorders and phobias. Current efforts of the authorities are focused on preventing and limiting the spread of infection. What is missing, are specific interventions aimed at mental health care of the whole society, including healthcare professionals – doctors, nurses, paramedics, especially exposed to infection due to performed profession.

The Surprise Question and Serious Illness Conversations: A pilot study

2021 ◽  
pp. 096973302098339
Author(s):  
Kathy Le ◽  
Jenny Lee ◽  
Sameer Desai ◽  
Anita Ho ◽  
Holly van Heukelom
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Acute Medicine ◽  
Serious Illness ◽  
Patient Goals ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Seriously Ill Patients ◽  
Surprise Question ◽  
Seriously Ill

Background: Serious Illness Conversations aim to discuss patient goals. However, on acute medicine units, seriously ill patients may undergo distressing interventions until death. Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of using the Surprise Question, “Would you be surprised if this patient died within the next year?” to identify patients who would benefit from early Serious Illness Conversations and study any changes in the interdisciplinary team’s beliefs, confidence, and engagement as a result of asking the Surprise Question. Design: A prospective cohort pilot study with two Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. Participants/context: Fifty-eight healthcare professionals working on Acute Medicine Units participated in pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. The intervention involved asking participants the Surprise Question for each patient. Patient charts were reviewed for Serious Illness Conversation documentation. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was granted by the institutions involved. Findings: Equivocal overall changes in the beliefs, confidence, and engagement of healthcare professionals were observed. Six out of 23 patients were indicated as needing a Serious Illness Conversation; chart review provided some evidence that these patients had more Serious Illness Conversation documentation compared with the 17 patients not flagged for a Serious Illness Conversation. Issues were identified in equating the Surprise Question to a Serious Illness Conversation. Discussion: Appropriate support for seriously ill patients is both a nursing professional and ethical duty. Flagging patients for conversations may act as a filtering process, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on conversations with patients who need them most. There are ethical and practical issues as to what constitutes a “serious illness” and if answering “no” to the Surprise Question always equates to a conversation. Conclusion: The barriers of time constraints and lack of training call for institutional change in order to prioritise the moral obligation of Serious Illness Conversations.

Quality of service and commitment to tobacco dependence treatment for individuals living with mental disorders in France: A pilot study

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110429
Author(s):  
João M Castaldelli-Maia ◽  
Priscila D Gonçalves ◽  
Danielle R Lima ◽  
Helena F Moura ◽  
Gisèle Apter
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Quality Of Service ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Tobacco Dependence ◽  
Treatment Quality ◽  
Tobacco Treatment

Background: There are remarkably high smoking rates in patients living with mental disorders (PLWMD), and the absence of a specific treatment policy for smoking cessation for these patients worldwide. The present study aimed to (i) investigate the quality of service and commitment to tobacco dependence treatment, and (ii) produce high-quality French versions of the Index of Tobacco Treatment Quality (ITTQ) and Tobacco Treatment Commitment Scale (TTCS). Methods: ITTQ and TTCS were used to assess French mental health professionals ( n = 80). Both scales were translated from their original language following standard procedures (i.e. forward translation). Descriptive analysis for total score, each factor and item were calculated for the entire sample, followed by subgroup analysis by gender, and role of the practitioner. Results: Nurses presented higher levels of both treatment commitment and treatment quality in their mental health care units, compared to psychiatrists, and residents. Overall, counseling offering was low and there was a perception that it is unfair to take tobacco away from PLWMD. In the other hand, there were high levels of smoking assessment and perceptions that nicotine dependence should be included in drug treatment programs. Conclusions: There is a gap in tobacco treatment implementation for French PLWMD. The present pilot study alerts about the problem, and should stimulate larger studies validating such measures for wide use with French-speaking mental health professionals. French nurses presented higher levels of both treatment commitment and quality, and could be in a leadership position for such implementation. Encouraging the implementation of tobacco counseling within conventional mental health treatment is critical to improve cessation rates among this population. There is a potential for the sustainability of tobacco treatment interventions since the levels of commitment observed here were higher than in previous studies conducted abroad.

scholarly journals Addressing the Disparity in Refugee Mental Health Services: a Pilot Study of a Traumatic Stress Intervention Utilizing a Language‑Free mHealth Application

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Mazzulla ◽  
Karen M. Fondacaro ◽  
Holly C Weldon ◽  
Marguerite Dibble ◽  
Matthew Price
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Somali Bantu ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Mental Health Treatments ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Objective: After resettlement, an overwhelming number of refugees struggle with Chronic Traumatic Stress (CTS), the persistence of traumatic events (e.g., re-experiencing past trauma; news of on-going war) coupled with daily post-migration stressors (e.g., poverty, lack of transportation). CTS significantly increases the burden of mental health challenges experienced by refugees. Evidence-based mental health treatments often rely on worksheets, mobile applications, websites, or telephone calls to facilitate the management of distress outside of treatment sessions. Language barriers prevent these strategies from being incorporated into mental health treatment for refugees, which results in a significant disparity in care. Treatments delivered via mobile devices can address this barrier through the use of intuitive images that eliminate the need for text or language-based instruction.Methods: A six-week pilot study assessing the effectiveness of group intervention utilizing a language free, culturally relevant mobile health (mHealth) application was conducted in a sample of Somali-Bantu and Nepali-Bhutanese adult refugee men and women (N=18). Paired-samples t-tests were conducted to compare pre- and post-intervention levels of psychosocial distress, anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress, on the Refugee Health Screener (RHS-15) and an investigator generated coping measure.Results: Results indicated significant reduction (p<.001) in symptoms related to traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints in addition to a significant increase (p<.001) in the use of coping skills.Conclusions: The use of a mobile mental health app, in combination with in-person therapy, was effective in reducing mental health symptomology and in increasing the use of coping skills in Somali-Bantu and Nepali-Bhutanese refugees.

Evolution of Quality of Life, Mental Health, and Coping Strategies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Pilot Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1181-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Montel ◽  
Laurence Albertini ◽  
Claude Desnuelle ◽  
Elisabeth Spitz
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

“The effects of family therapeutic interventions on mental health and quality of life of children with cancer: A systematic review”

2022 ◽  
pp. 135910452110618
Author(s):  
Konstantina Vasilopoulou ◽  
Angeliki Skoutari ◽  
Konstantinos Siomos ◽  
Nikolaos Christodoulou
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Children With Cancer

Background: The diagnosis of a childhood malignancy and the following period are very stressful for the little patient and the whole family. Depression, anxiety, and poor quality of life (QoL) are some of the negative effects of pediatric cancer to the children and their parents. Family therapeutic interventions aim to improve mental health and QoL of these children. Methods: A systematic search of the electronic database PubMed was conducted for articles that studied the effect of family therapeutic interventions on mental health and QoL of children with cancer. Results: A total of 634 articles were evaluated, of which 10 articles met the inclusion criteria. A percentage of 70% of the studies, representing seven different types of interventions, seemed to be beneficial for the participant’s mental health and QoL. The remaining three studies did not significantly improve mental health and QoL. Conclusion: The results of our review indicate that family psychosocial interventions are beneficial for children with cancer. These children and their families are a growing population requiring more patient-centered, time flexible interventions which may enhance family bonding and patients’ positive emotions.

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