Assessing the impact of durable flooring structures on refugee sleep quality and duration

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas James Greene ◽  
Christina Ann Chao
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
The Impact

Conflict and persecution continue to displace people from their homes adding to an already overwhelming refugee crisis worldwide. Overall, refugee health is difficult to measure objectively and is influenced by a number of factors including transient, and often inadequate, housing conditions. Emergency Floor (EF) is a quickly deployable, lightweight, insulated flooring system intended to protect temporary structures from extreme temperatures and outdoor conditions. A pilot study was conducted in two informal tented settlements in Hermel-Baalbek, Lebanon to assess how installing Emergency Floors in tented shelters impacted sleep duration and quality, indicators of overall wellness, among refugees. A baseline survey was administered, and Emergency Floors were installed in all households in both settlements in October 2016. A follow-up survey was conducted to record outcomes in April 2017. Thirty-four households consisting of 150 individuals participated in the baseline survey. Seven households were were not available for follow-up survey due to moving away from the area. The final sample yielded a total of 27 households and 120 individuals. Results indicated that sleep duration significantly increased, and sleep quality significantly improved after EF installation. Furthermore, respondents reported feeling more comfortable, warmer, safer, and cleaner when sleeping in a shelter with EF installed. These encouraging results suggest an overall increase in perceived well-being. Future research should continue monitoring floors to assess long term wear and explore additional uses for EF in other temporary structures.

scholarly journals Effects of Educational Counseling as Solitary Therapy for Chronic Primary Tinnitus and Related Problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Qing Liu ◽  
Zhi-Ji Chen ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Dan Lai ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Dietary Advice ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Educational Counseling ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and sustained effects of tinnitus educational counseling on chronic primary tinnitus and related problems. A descriptive longitudinal cohort study was conducted with 159 adult patients suffering from chronic primary tinnitus and sleep problems. All patients received tinnitus educational counseling, sleep adjustment, and vegan dietary advice. At short-term assessment within 3 months and long-term follow-up at 6–26 months, perceived changes in tinnitus were assessed with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ), respectively. In TEQ, the volume of subjective tinnitus was scored according to realistic environments in which tinnitus could be heard. Sleep quality was assessed with questionnaires developed in our laboratory. Most of the subjects showed significant early improvement in their THI scores (96/159, 60.38%; from 46.11 ± 22.74 to 31.94 ± 20.41,t= 11.16,p< 0.001, Cohen’sd= 0.66). Tinnitus volume (39/159, 24.53%, from 2,2 to 2,1,z= -3.56,p< 0.001) and sleep quality (68/159, 42.77%; from 7.13 ± 3.11 to 6.31 ± 2.75,t= 3.73,p< 0.001, Cohen’sd= 0.28) were also improved. Long-term follow-up TEQ results indicated that tinnitus loudness, the impact of tinnitus on sleep, concentration, and emotional state were all improved since the prior consultation (p= 0.001, 0.026, 0.012, and <0.001). Short-term improvement of tinnitus severity correlated directly with improvement of sleep quality (odds ratio (OR) = 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14–0.64,p= 0.002), initial THI score (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.04,p= 0.006), compliance with sleep advice (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.02–5.05,p= 0.044), and nervous disposition (OR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.25–6.30,p= 0.013). A future randomized controlled trial would be carried out to examine the effect of sole tinnitus educational counseling.

scholarly journals 407 - Living through the pandemic as an older person: Long-term psychological impacts in low- and middle-income countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 33-33
Author(s):  
Clarissa Giebel ◽  
Bwire Ivan ◽  
Maria Isabel Zuluaga ◽  
Suresh Kumar ◽  
Mark Gabbay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background:The pandemic has put a huge strain on people’s mental health, with varying restrictions affecting people’s lives. Little is known how the pandemic affects older adults’ mental health, particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where restrictions are affecting people’s access to basic necessities. Thus, the aim of this 3-country study was to understand the long- term impacts of the pandemic on the mental well-being of older adults with and without dementia in LMICs.Methods:We are collecting 30 baseline and 15 follow-up interviews with older adults (aged 60+), people with dementia, and family carers in Colombia, India, and Uganda, as well as a baseline and follow-up focus group with health and social are professionals in each country. Interviews are conducted remotely over the phone due to pandemic restrictions, with data collection taking place between March and July 2021. Transcripts are translated into English before being analysed using thematic analysis.Results:To date, we have completed close to 90 baseline interviews and 3 focus groups with health and social care professionals. Analysis is ongoing, but findings are capturing the detrimental second wave in India and follow-up interviews will capture the longitudinal impacts on mental health.Conclusions:Whilst vaccines are starting to be rolled out in LMICs, albeit at different rates, the virus will likely take much longer to be somewhat managed in LMICs. This leaves more room for people’s physical as well as mental health to be impacted by the restrictions, and with often limited mental health service coverage, it is all the more important o understand the impact of the pandemic on older people’s mental health.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Sleep Quality in People Living With Disabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki Heinze ◽  
Syeda F. Hussain ◽  
Claire L. Castle ◽  
Lauren R. Godier-McBard ◽  
Theofilos Kempapidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Sleep Medication ◽  
Quality Sleep ◽  
The Impact

Background: Research exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep in people with disabilities has been scarce. This study provides a preliminary assessment of sleep in people with disabilities, across two timepoints during the pandemic, with a focus on those with visual impairment (VI).Methods: Two online surveys were conducted between April 2020 and March 2021 to explore sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A convenience sample of 602 participants completed the first survey and 160 completed the follow-up survey.Results: Across both timepoints, participants with disabilities reported significantly poorer global sleep quality and higher levels of sleep disturbance, use of sleep medication and daytime dysfunction than those with no disabilities. Participants with VI reported significantly higher levels of sleep disturbance and use of sleep medication at both timepoints, poorer global sleep quality, sleep duration and latency at time 1, and daytime dysfunction at time 2, than those with no disabilities. Global sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and self-rated sleep quality deteriorated significantly in participants with no disabilities, but daytime dysfunction increased in all three groups. Disability and state anxiety were significant predictors of sleep quality across both surveys.Conclusion: While sleep was consistently poorer in people with disabilities such as VI, it appears that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a greater impact on sleep in people with no disabilities. State anxiety and, to a lesser extent, disability, were significant predictors of sleep across both surveys, suggesting the need to address anxiety in interventions targeted toward improving sleep.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developmental care practices for infants born preterm

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Scala ◽  
Virginia A. Marchman ◽  
Edith Brignoni-Pérez ◽  
Maya Chan Morales ◽  
Katherine E. Travis
Keyword(s):  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Clinical Staff ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Developmental Care ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
Care Practices ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of hospital visitation and rates and durations of developmental care practices for infants born preterm delivered by both families and clinical staff.MethodsWe analyzed electronic medical record data from infants born at less than 32 weeks gestational age (GA) cared for in the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a COVID-19-affected period (March 8, 2020 to May 31, 2020) and the analogous period in 2019. Our final sample consisted of 52 infants (n=27, 2019 cohort; n=25, 2020 cohort). Rates of family visitation and of family- and clinical staff-delivered developmental care were compared across cohorts, adjusting for GA at start of study period.ResultsResults indicated that families of infants in the 2020 cohort visited less frequently (47% of available days) than those in the 2019 cohort (97%; p=0.001). Infants received developmental care activities less frequently in the 2020 cohort (3.51 vs. 4.72 activities per day; p=0.04), with a lower number of minutes per day (99.91 vs. 145.14; p=0.04) and a shorter duration per instance (23.41 vs. 29.65; p=0.03). Similar reductions occurred in both family- and staff-delivered developmental care activities.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted family visitation and preterm infant developmental care practices in the NICU, both experiences associated with positive health benefits. Hospitals should create programs to improve family visitation and engagement, while also increasing staff-delivered developmental care. Careful attention should be paid to long-term follow up of preterm infants and families.

scholarly journals Aspects of Grit Among Dementia Family Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 8-8
Author(s):  
Jyoti Savla ◽  
Karen Roberto ◽  
Jennifer Margrett
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Spiritual Support ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Dementia Caregiver ◽  
Caregiving Roles ◽  
Caregiver Role ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Dementia family caregivers often show deep devotion and a strong sense of purpose and duty toward their relatives needing care. The concept of grit, which includes aspects of commitment, purpose, perseverance, and resilience, is a novel theoretical approach to expanding understanding of dementia family caregiver strengths amidst the challenges they face. Multiple psychosocial and contextual factors are likely to interact with and influence grit among these caregivers. This symposium addresses commitment to the family dementia caregiver role, willingness to embrace the stressful work of caregiving, and perseverance in finding ways to sustain caregiving roles under typical and adverse circumstances. Blieszner focuses on associations between grit and stressors and strains that challenge caregiver well-being and jeopardize continued caregiving. Wilks considers the impact of spiritual support on sustaining resilience among Caucasian and African American dementia caregivers. McCann explores caregivers’ responses to changes in informal support and social interactions available to assist with home care tasks over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Albers examines the strengths and resources caregivers draw upon to manage the challenges of caring for and supporting a relative in long-term residential care during the pandemic. Collectively, these presentations provide new insights into the range of influences on aspects of grit and circumstances in which grit sustains caregiving. Discussant Margrett considers the value of the concept of grit for furthering understanding of caregivers’ abilities to manage typical and unique challenges in their caregiver roles and offers suggestions for future research and interventions to enhance grit among dementia family caregivers.

Business Class Travel Preserves Sleep Quality and Quantity and Minimizes Jet Lag During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Benita J. Lalor ◽  
Jacqueline Tran ◽  
Shona L. Halson ◽  
Justin G. Kemp ◽  
Stuart J. Cormack
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Jet Lag ◽  
World Cup ◽  
Sleep Quantity ◽  
Total Travel Time ◽  
Median Split ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: To determine the impact of the quality and quantity of sleep during an international flight on subsequent objective sleep characteristics, training and match-day load, self-reported well-being, and perceptions of jet lag of elite female cricketers during an International Cricket Council Women’s T20 World Cup. Methods: In-flight and tournament objective sleep characteristics of 11 elite female cricketers were assessed using activity monitors. Seated in business class, players traveled west from Melbourne, Australia, to Chennai, India. The outbound flight departed Melbourne at 3:30 AM with a stopover in Dubai for 2 hours. The arrival time in Chennai was 8:10 PM local time (1:40 AM in Melbourne). The total travel time was 19 hours 35 minutes. Perceptual ratings of jet lag, well-being, and training and competition load were collected. To determine the impact of in-flight sleep on tournament measures, a median split was used to create subsamples based on (1) in-flight sleep quantity and (2) in-flight sleep quality (2 groups: higher vs lower). Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the bivariate associations between sleep measures, self-reported well-being, perceptual measures of jet lag, and internal training and match-day load. Results: Mean duration and efficiency of in-flight sleep bouts were 4.72 hours and 87.45%, respectively. Aggregated in-flight sleep duration was 14.64 + 3.56 hours. Players with higher in-flight sleep efficiency reported higher ratings for fatigue (ie, lower perceived fatigue) during the tournament period. Tournament sleep duration was longer, and bed and wake times were earlier compared with habitual. Compared with other nights during the tournament, sleep duration was shorter following matches. Conclusions: Maximizing in-flight sleep quality and quantity appears to have implications for recovery and sleep exhibited during competition. Sleep duration was longer than habitual except for the night of a match, which suggests that T20 matches may disrupt sleep duration.

scholarly journals Patients’ experiences of life after bariatric surgery and follow-up care: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e035013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen D Coulman ◽  
Fiona MacKichan ◽  
Jane M Blazeby ◽  
Jenny L Donovan ◽  
Amanda Owen-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Adjustable Gastric Band ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Follow Up Care

ObjectivesBariatric surgery is the most clinically effective treatment for people with severe and complex obesity, however, the psychosocial outcomes are less clear. Follow-up care after bariatric surgery is known to be important, but limited guidance exists on what this should entail, particularly related to psychological and social well-being. Patients’ perspectives are valuable to inform the design of follow-up care. This study investigated patients’ experiences of life after bariatric surgery including important aspects of follow-up care, in the long term.DesignA qualitative study using semistructured individual interviews. A constant comparative approach was used to code data and identify themes and overarching concepts.SettingBariatric surgery units of two publicly funded hospitals in the South of England.ParticipantsSeventeen adults (10 women) who underwent a primary operation for obesity (mean time since surgery 3.11 years, range 4 months to 9 years), including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band and sleeve gastrectomy, agreed to participate in the interviews.ResultsExperiences of adapting to life following surgery were characterised by the concepts of ‘normality’ and ‘ambivalence’, while experiences of ‘abandonment’ and ‘isolation’ dominated participants’ experiences of follow-up care. Patients highlighted the need for more flexible, longer-term follow-up care that addresses social and psychological difficulties postsurgery and integrates peer support.ConclusionsThis research highlights unmet patient need for more accessible and holistic follow-up care that addresses the long-term multidimensional impact of bariatric surgery. Future research should investigate effective and acceptable follow-up care packages for patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

scholarly journals Understanding the Relation Between Sleep and Health in Adulthood: Daily Experiences to Long-Term Health Outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 635-635
Author(s):  
Hye Won Chai ◽  
David Almeida ◽  
Soomi Lee
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Short Sleep Duration ◽  
Restorative Sleep

Abstract An increasing number of studies evinces the significant role of sleep in health outcomes including physical symptoms, cardiometabolic functioning, and chronic health conditions. To further advance the field’s knowledge on sleep and health in adulthood, it is necessary to have an integrative understanding of this topic that pulls together short-term determinants to long-term health consequences of sleep. As such, this symposium places diverse aspects of sleep across multiple contexts, ranging from predictors and consequences of sleep in daily life to the role of sleep in long-term changes in health across adulthood. The first paper by Lee and colleagues examines the role of daily positive and negative events as precursors of concurrent and next-day sleep duration. The second paper by Joo and colleagues addresses the moderating role of nightly sleep duration in the association between daily stressor severity and intensity of headaches. The third paper by Chai and colleagues explores how the association between daily emotional well-being and cardiometabolic syndrome differs by sleep deficiency and by age. The fourth paper by Sin and colleagues focuses on daily affective vulnerability to short sleep duration as a risk factor for developing chronic conditions 10 years later. The final paper by Reither and colleagues assesses within-person changes and between-person differences in restorative sleep and their associations with body mass trajectories across 15 years. The discussant, Dr. Soomi Lee, will integrate key points from the studies, discuss the utilization of diverse measurements of sleep, and address considerations for future research on sleep and health.

scholarly journals The impact of telephone crisis services on suicidal users: a systematic review of the past 45 years

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Assing Hvidt ◽  
Thomas Ploug ◽  
Søren Holm
Keyword(s):  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crisis Services ◽  
Long Term Follow Up ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Telephone Crisis

Purpose – Telephone crisis services are increasingly subject to a requirement to “prove their worth” as a suicide prevention strategy. The purpose of this paper is to: first, provide a detailed overview of the evidence on the impact of telephone crisis services on suicidal users; second, determine the limitations of the outcome measures used in this evidence; and third, suggest directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach – MEDLINE via Pubmed (from 1966), PsycINFO APA (from 1967) and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses (all to 4 June 2015) were searched. Papers were systematically extracted by title then abstract according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings – In total, 18 articles met inclusion criteria representing a range of outcome measures: changes during calls, reutilization of service, compliance with advice, caller satisfaction and counsellor satisfaction. The majority of studies showed beneficial impact on an immediate and intermediate degree of suicidal urgency, depressive mental states as well as positive feedback from users and counsellors. Research limitations/implications – A major limitation pertains to differences in the use of the term “suicidal”. Other limitations include the lack of long-term follow-up and of controlled research designs. Future research should include a focus on long-term follow-up designs, involving strict data protection. Furthermore, more qualitative research is needed in order to capture the essential nature of the intervention. Originality/value – This paper attempts to broaden the study and the concept of “effectiveness” as hitherto used in the literature about telephone crisis services and offers suggestions for future research.

Abstract P342: Associations Between Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality and Long-Term Weight Status in Post-Bariatric Surgery Patients

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elsa Thomas ◽  
Devon Roeshot ◽  
Dympna Gallagher ◽  
Marie-Pierre St-Onge
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
Post Bariatric Surgery

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity continues to rise since 1980. This obesity epidemic has been paralleled by a trend of reduced sleep duration and sleep quality throughout the years. However, there is limited research on the relation between sleep duration and quality and its association with weight loss maintenance. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sleep duration and quality and weight status in post-bariatric surgery patients at 9-y post-surgery. We tested the hypothesis that participants’ post-surgical weight change would be related to sleep duration and quality at 9-y. Methods: Sleep data were collected on a subset of participants (mean body weight = 94.1 kg ± 18.9) enrolled in an ancillary study to the Longitudinal Assessment for Bariatric Surgery trial. Self-reported hours of sleep per night and overall sleep quality were assessed once, at the 9-y visit using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Results: Complete data were available on 14 participants (10 females and 4 males, age 52.1 ± 15.6 y), current weight 94 kg ± 18.9. Average total weight loss from pre-surgery was 28.5% ± 10.6, with an average weight gain of 0.3 ± 6.2 % over the last 2 y of follow-up. Participants reported average sleep duration of 6.8 ± 2.0 h/night at the 9-y evaluation visit and an average score of 7.9 ± 3.7 on the PSQI. There was no relation between sleep duration and current weight or percent weight change after maximum weight loss, which occurred around 2-y post-surgery. However, there were trends for an association between sleep quality and percent weight change after maximum weight loss (p=0.057) and percent weight change in the last 2-y of follow-up (p=0.066). In general, participants who lost more weight over the last 2 y of the study had lower scores on the PSQI, indicating better quality of sleep. Conclusion: Our results showed no association between sleep quality or duration and long-term changes in weight for patients who underwent bariatric surgery. However, those with better sleep quality tended to have more beneficial changes in weight over the latest 2-y. It is important to note that this study cannot address causality and whether improved weight influenced sleep quality or whether sleep quality influenced weight change. Further studies should examine the temporality of these association. Sleep quality may be an important sleep metric to consider for long-term weight loss maintenance.

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