Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors

Background Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, having an age-standardised prevalence rate of 27.0 per 1000 population in 2019. This literature review describes the global epidemiology and trends associated with neck pain, before exploring the psychological and biological risk factors associated with the initiation and progression of neck pain. Methods The PubMed database and Google Scholar search engine were searched up to May 21, 2021. Studies were included that used human subjects and evaluated the effects of biological or psychological factors on the occurrence or progression of neck pain, or reported its epidemiology. Results Psychological risk factors, such as long-term stress, lack of social support, anxiety, and depression are important risk factors for neck pain. In terms of the biological risks, neck pain might occur as a consequence of certain diseases, such as neuromusculoskeletal disorders or autoimmune diseases. There is also evidence that demographic characteristics, such as age and sex, can influence the prevalence and development of neck pain, although further research is needed. Conclusions The findings of the present study provide a comprehensive and informative overview that should be useful for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of neck pain.

Does group-based cognitive therapy improve functional ability, pain, catastrophic thoughts and quality of life in patients with persistent low back pain and psychological risk factors? A randomised controlled trial in a secondary care setting

Objective To investigate the effects of a group-based cognitive behavioural intervention for patients with persistent low back pain (LBP) and psychological risk factors referred to secondary care. Design A randomised controlled trial. Setting Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Denmark. Subjects A total of 136 participants with chronic LBP and psychological risk factors. Interventions Participants were randomised to the standard care group, including examination by a rheumatologist and/or a physiotherapist, or the intervention group, including standard care plus a multidisciplinary group-based pain management programme. Main measures Patient-reported outcomes were collected at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome was disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire). Secondary outcomes included low back pain intensity, pain catastrophising, health-related quality of life, and sick leave. Results Among 136 participants, 68 (mean age: 41.7 years (SD 11.8)) were randomised to standard care and 68 (mean age: 46.0 years (SD 10.8)) were randomised to the intervention group. Except for age, baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. 12-month follow-up was completed by 92.6% in the intervention group and 80.9% in the standard care group. Both groups achieved significant improvements on disability, with a reduction of −4.8 points (SD 6.1) in the intervention group compared to −3.7 points (SD 5.2), resulting in an insignificant difference between groups. No significant differences were found in the secondary outcomes. Conclusion A group-based pain management programme was no more effective than standard care for patients with persistent LBP and psychological risk factors.

Coping with COVID: Risk and Resilience Factors for Mental Health in a German Representative Panel Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic might affect mental health. Data from population-representative panel surveys with multiple waves including pre-COVID data investigating risk and protective factors are still rare.Methods: In a stratified random sample of the German household population (n=6,684), we conducted survey-weighted multiple linear regressions to determine the association of various psychological risk and protective factors with changes in psychological distress (PD; measured via PHQ-4) from pre-pandemic (average of 2016 and 2019) to peri-pandemic (both 2020 and 2021) time points. Control analyses on PD change between two pre-pandemic time points (2016 and 2019) were conducted. Regularized regressions were computed to inform on which factors were statistically most influential in the multicollinear setting. Results: PHQ-4 in 2020 (M=2.45) and 2021 (M=2.21) was elevated compared to 2019 (M=1.79). Several risk factors (catastrophizing, neuroticism, asking for instrumental support) and protective factors (perceived stress recovery, positive reappraisal, optimism) were identified for the peri-pandemic outcomes. Control analyses revealed that in pre-pandemic times, neuroticism and optimism were predominantly related to PD changes. Regularized regression mostly confirmed the results and highlighted perceived stress recovery as most consistent influential protective factor across peri-pandemic outcomes. Conclusions: We identified several psychological risk and protective factors related to PD outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison to pre-pandemic data stress the relevance of longitudinal assessments to potentially reconcile contradictory findings. Implications and suggestions for targeted prevention and intervention programs during highly stressful times such as pandemics are discussed.

The Importance of Suicide Risk Formulation in Schizophrenia

Suicide is a cause of early mortality in nearly 5% of patients with schizophrenia, and 25–50% of patients with schizophrenia attempt suicide in their lifetime. Evidence points to numerous individual, clinical, social, and psychological risk factors for suicide in patients with schizophrenia. Although recognizing suicidal risk factors in schizophrenia is extremely important in suicidal risk assessment, we have recently witnessed a change in suicide risk management that shifts the focus from suicide risk assessment to suicide risk formulation. Suicide risk formulation is dependent on the data gathered in the suicide risk assessment and assigns a level of suicide risk that is indispensable for the choice of treatment and the management of patients with a high suicidal risk. In this article, we extend the suicide risk formulation model to patients with schizophrenia. Suicide risk formulation results from four different areas that help clinicians collect as much information as possible for the management of suicidal risk. The four distinct judgments comprise risk status (the risk relating to the specific group to which the patient belongs), risk state (the risk for the person compared with his baseline or another reference point in the course of his life), available resources (on whom the person can count during a crisis) and foreseeable events (which can exacerbate the crisis). In schizophrenia, the suicide risk formulation model allows the clinician to evaluate in depth the clinical context of the patient, the patient's own history and patient-specific opportunities for better choosing and applying suicide prevention strategies.

PERSEPSI RISIKO ATAS IMBAUAN SOCIAL DISTANCING AKIBAT PANDEMI COVID-19

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan persepsi risiko masyarakat atas pandemi Covid-19 dan imbauan social distancing di Kabupaten Sidenreng Rappang (Sidrap), Sulawesi Selatan. Temuan penelitian diharapkan memberi rekomendasi gagasan kepada pemangku kepentingan. Penelitian ini menggunakan data berupa data primer dengan menyebarkan kuesioner secara online. Jumlah sampel mempertimbangkan jumlah perumahan sebagai populasi yaitu 5.989. Jumlah responden penelitian adalah 105. Teknik sampling adalah purposive sampling. Teknik analisis data adalah deskriptif kuantitatif, menggunakan program SPSS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan dari keenam tipe persepsi risiko menunjukkan bahwa psychological risk (risiko psikologis) termasuk kategori sangat tinggi yakni 82.34%, Physical risk (risiko fisik) termasuk kategori tinggi yakni 71.45%, dan performance risk (risiko realitas informasi), finance risk (risiko keuangan), time-losss risk (risiko kehilangan waktu), social risk (risiko sosial) berada pada kategori sedang dengan masing-masing persentasi yakni 49.63%, 57.29%, 55.94%, 44.46%. Data ini bisa dipahami bahwa semakin tinggi persentase berarti semakin tinggi persepsi risiko masyarakat dan begitupun sebaliknya.

Reaching 80 Years of Age: Clinical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Related Risk Factors in a Large Cohort of Israeli Working Men

The objective of this study was to estimate the probability of long-term overall survival based on total number of risk factors (RF). We also sought to examine the role of midlife clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial predictors of longevity in a large cohort of Israeli men. This study was based on the Israeli Ischemic Heart Disease (IIHD) cohort that included over 10,000 men who were followed up for mortality over more than four decades. During the 43 years of follow-up, 4634 (46.1%) men survived to 80 years of age or older. We considered cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, high systolic blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, low socioeconomic status, and serious family problems as RF at ages 40–65. Cox proportional hazards regression models, with age as the time scale, were constructed to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) for failure to survive 80 years of age. Compared with men free of all the above RF, those with one identified RF (HR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.42–1.75) and counterparts with two identified RF (HR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.96–2.43) were at a significantly greater risk of death before 80. Additional RF further increased the risk of early mortality (HR = 3.62, 95% CI: 1.50–8.73 for men with 5 RF). The results suggest a role of physiological, behavioral, and psychological risk factors at midlife in predicting longevity.

Differentiating Categories of Violent Adolescent Offending and the Associated Risks in Police and Youth Offending Service Records

Historical risk assessment forms for a sample of 173 males with a history of violent offending and under supervision by Merseyside Youth Offending Services (YOS) were investigated. Subsequent arrest records were scrutinised in order to obtain a better understanding of the relationship of social and psychological risk factors to offending behavior. The mean age of the sample at the point of contact with YOS was 16.01 ( SD = 1.37) with a range between 12 and 18 years. Assault was associated with solo expressive offending, a history of domestic violence, low school attendance and an inability to control impulsivity and aggression. Robbery was associated instrumental and escalated violent offending, psychological disorders, and deviant groups, including family criminal involvement. Risk assessments by professionals and the young people indicated that substance misuse co-occurred with robbery. The findings suggest that solo offenders commit the majority of violent offences and that targeted interventions should distinguish between expressive and instrumental offending.

Customers’ Intention to Recommend Takeaway Food during COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: The aim of this study is to predict perceived risk and consumer willingness in recommending takeaway food from restaurant served in buffet style. Methodology/Approach: This study used an online survey of 170 consumers who were selected based on purposive sampling method. The research questionnaire was adapted from previous research. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), with Smart PLS. Findings: The research findings show that health risk and psychological risk have a positive effect on intention to recommend takeaway food. Meanwhile, quality risk and trust have no effect on intention to recommend takeaway food. In addition, psychological risk and quality risk have no effect on trust. This study also shows that trust does not function as a mediator of the relationship between health risk, psychological risk, quality risk, trust, and intention to recommend. Research Limitation/Implication: This study only uses a self-report questionnaire by customers. For further research, to enrich the discussion, it is recommended to use interviews or FGD. In addition, this study only uses three risk variables. For the future, it is advisable to add other risk variables. Originality/Value of paper: In other countries such as China, Korea and the United States, related research has been carried out, however for the context of RM Padang which is unique with all the menus served (Buffet) on the visiting customers’ table has not been found in literature.

Psychological Risk and Resilience of Older People’s Exposure to Climate Change

Climate change places older people at physical and psychological risk. Even small changes in temperature (+/- 1 degree) results in increased morbidity and mortality. Further, the burden of climate change is not borne equally. The stress and mental ill health associated with disasters are especially borne by women, older adults, persons of color, low-income populations, those with preexisting conditions, poor support networks, and those residing in sub-standard housing. Older people are disproportionately represented in these groups, but interventions can ameliorate these risks. At the same time, older people, with the wisdom of experience, can be important assets for families and communities struggling with the effects of climate change. Both addressing the vulnerabilities and enhancing the strengths of older people can serve to meet the immediate needs and the long-term SDGs goals of (3) health and well-being (5) gender equality (10) reduced inequalities (11) sustainable cities and communities (13) climate action.