The impact of current smoking, regular drinking, and physical inactivity on health care-seeking behavior in China

Background People with lifestyle behaviors, such as current smoking, regular drinking, and physical inactivity, may experience a lack of or delayed health care, leading to severe sickness and higher health care expenditures in the future. Hence, the current study aims to ascertain the effects of current smoking, regular drinking, and physical inactivity on health care-seeking behavior among adults who report physical discomfort in China. Methods The data used in this study were obtained from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The final sample consisted of 44,362 individuals who participated in all five waves of data collection. Logistic regression models were used for the analysis. Results The results of fixed effects logistic regression showed that among those who reported physical discomfort, adults who currently smoked cigarettes were 0.65 times less likely to seek health care than those who formerly smoked. Compared to nondrinkers, adults who regularly drank alcohol had a decreased likelihood of seeking health care. Adults who never engaged in physical exercise had 24% lower odds of seeking health care than those who engaged in physical exercise. Conclusions Current smoking, regular drinking, and physical inactivity decreased the probability of seeking health care among adults who reported physical discomfort. Therefore, screening and brief advice programs should be delivered by primary-level care and should pay more attention to individuals who engage in lifestyle behaviors such as current smoking, regular drinking, and physical inactivity, thus avoiding missed opportunities to treat chronic conditions and detect new diseases early.

Depressive and anxiety disorders and the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has quickly become a global health emergency resulting in not only physical health concerns but also psychological concerns as people are exposed to unexpected deaths or threats of death. For example, healthcare workers who have close contact with COVID-19 patients are not only exposed to the virus on a regular basis, but they may also be witnessing increased illnesses, deaths, and supply shortages. In addition, patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 experience social isolation, physical discomfort, and fear for survival. These exposures increase the risk of developing PTSD. In addition, the risk may further be enhanced during the subsequent weeks when these individuals may lack immediate social support due to the need to self-quarantine. Moreover, the rates of depressive and anxiety disorders are presumably increasing, however, data are inconsistent.

Usefulness of Vocal Fatigue Index for Hypertension of Extrinsic Laryngeal Muscles

Background and Objectives This study compares Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) scores according to the presence or absence of external laryngeal tension in hyperfunctional voice disorder. And through this, it is to confirm the usefulness of VFI to hypertension of extrinsic laryngeal muscles.Materials and Method The subjects were 61 female diagnosed with hyperfunctional voice disorder (hypertension group 41, non-hypertension group 20). The author palpated extrinsic laryngeal muscles for evaluation of hypertension and classified them as the presence or absence. The voice measurements were jitter, shimmer, Korean-Voice Handicap Index-10 (K-VHI-10), and Korean-Vocal Fatigue Index (K-VFI). The voice compared were according to the diagnosis and presence of hypertension only for patients with hyperfunctional voice disorder.Results As a result of comparing the voice measurement according to the presence or absence of hypertension, there was no significant difference in the acoustic variables, K-VHI-10 and K-VFI-Total, K-VFI-Fatigue. Whereas, K-VFI-Physical (p=0.006) and K-VFI-Rest (p=0.022) were significantly higher in the hypertension group.Conclusion These results indicate that the hypertension group has more physical discomfort and less voice recovery than the group without hypertension. It means that K-VFI can measure the physical discomfort and limitations of voice recovery due to hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle. The VFI can be used as one of the methods to evaluate the hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle in Hyperfunctional voice disorder.

Being in Control of Noise Levels Improves the Perception of Airplane Seat Comfort

The aviation industry is constantly making compromises when designing comfortable airplane cabins. Providing passengers with a pleasant acoustic environment without adding weight to the cabin structure is a field of tension that challenges cabin interior designers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether noise levels affect the comfort and physical discomfort experienced by airplane passengers, and whether control influences comfort perception. To this end, 30 participants experienced three conditions (silence, aircraft engine noise at 75 dB, and the same noise with the ability to use earplugs), and comfort and discomfort were measured using a questionnaire. It was concluded that aircraft engine noise negatively affected the airplane passengers’ comfort experiences. Having the ability to control this noisy environment with earplugs resulted in the lowest reported physical discomfort.

Digital Downsides in Teacher Education

This paper is particularly relevant in the context of a global pandemic when the majority of teaching is conducted online or in a hybrid environment that requires long hours in front of a screen. Online teaching is becoming increasingly important throughout education, and our findings draw attention to some of the challenges and possible pitfalls of the extensive use of digital technologies and, consequently, implications for teacher education. In the paper, we explore student teachers’ perceptions of digital downsides, their teaching tools self-efficacy, their resilience to digital distractions, and physical discomfort from the use of digital technology. We aim to identify these four concepts and examine whether and how they interconnect. A cross-sectional design was used to analyse data from 561 first-year student teachers enrolled in two teacher education programmes in two universities in Norway in 2019. The findings indicate that resilience to digital distractions decreases and a higher level of reported physical discomfort from digital technology increases student teachers’ perceived downsides of digital technologies. Overall, 38% of the variation in perceived digital downsides within the two teacher education programmes can be explained by these two concepts, as well as to the study programme the student teachers attended.

“No Pain and No Consciousness”

This chapter examines pain’s importance to the sensitized, embodied consciousness valued by William, Henry, and Alice James. All three siblings disdained what Henry once called “the odd numbness of the general sensibility.” Yet William insisted that an individual’s higher capacities along with a more profound reality could best be accessed while physicality was numbed and waking consciousness was suppressed. For him anesthesia provided a gateway to the higher reaches of consciousness that his two siblings typically anchored in the feeling, suffering body. Henry and Alice repeatedly represent pain as comparable to an intense aesthetic experience in that it arouses the senses, increases responsiveness to stimuli, and heightens consciousness while still tethering the sufferer to the material world. They both count themselves among the rare few who possess this capacity for an aesthetic aliveness to suffering, which distinguishes them from purportedly less animate humans who in their assessment suffer less and hence invariably live less. Both siblings simultaneously stage the reconciliation of physical discomfort with material comfort at a time when their peers tended to view the two conditions as fundamentally antagonistic.

Effects of the Unpleasant Symptom-Relief Program on Preterm Labor Stress, Anxiety, Physical Discomfort, and Situational Discomfort among Hospitalized High-Risk Pregnant Women: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of the Unpleasant Symptom-Relief Program to mitigate preterm labor stress, anxiety, physical discomfort, and situational discomfort in hospitalized high-risk pregnant women.Methods: This study used a nonequivalent control group nonsynchronized design and analyzed 23 participants from the experimental group and 23 from the control group. The participants from both the groups were matched and diagnosed with preterm labor, incompetent internal os of the cervix, preterm premature rupture of membrane, placenta previa, or gestational diabetes mellitus. The effects of the Unpleasant Symptom-Relief Program were measured using tools such as preterm labor stress, anxiety, physical discomfort, and situational discomfort. The data were analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 21.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, paired t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance.Results: The Unpleasant Symptom-Relief Program was effective in reducing preterm labor stress (F= 8.24, p=0.001), anxiety (F=17.80, p≤0.001), and situational discomfort (F=5.95, p=0.004). However, it was not effective in reducing the physical discomfort (F=1.20, p=0.311). Post hoc analysis between time points revealed effective reduction in the preterm labor stress and anxiety in both the groups immediately after the end of the program and at 7 days after the program. Situational discomfort was reduced at 7 days after the end of the program in both the groups.Conclusion: The Unpleasant Symptom-Relief Program can be applied in practice by nurses. It can contribute to alleviating the symptoms and discomfort of high-risk pregnant women.

Brace treatment for patients with scoliosis: State of the art

Background: Physiotherapy, brace applications or surgery are the treatment options utilised to manage patients with scoliosis. Many different brace applications are used, and the success rates of orthoses vary.Objectives: Brace applications can have detrimental impacts on the patient leading to physical discomfort, psychological discomfort, and in some instance the use of braces may even be painful. Therefore, future developments in this field should be aimed at improving the success rate and reducing physical distress experienced by the patient while using brace applications. The purpose of this article is to provide recommendations with respect to the most appropriate bracing approach in general.Method: A narrative review of the scientific literature was carried out to substantiate the statements made in this article.Results: The most important braces provided for the treatment of patients with scoliosis and the treatment results that can be achieved are presented and discussed, taking into account the most recent systematic reviews. A wide range of success rates have been found for the different brace applications.Conclusion: Given that brace application may impact the patient leading to physical discomfort and psychological distress, good quality management in brace application for patients with scoliosis is needed to ensure the best possible outcome and the least stressful management.Clinical implications: Safety in brace application for patients with scoliosis needs improvement. The use of standardised and reliable computer aided design (CAD) libraries and appropriate patient information based on published guidelines is suggested.

Role of individualized homoeopathic medicine in the treatment of gout - An observational study

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of homoeopathic treatment on patient distress, sociodemographic factors and outcomes in patients with gout. Materials and Methods: This was an observational study conducted using secondary data from hospital records, pathological reports, patient prescription sheet and the sociodemographic data from computerised records in Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital. Results: A total of 150 patients (94 men and 56 women) were included in the study. Gout was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms and laboratory reports. All patients were prescribed homoeopathic medicines along with dietary management. The patients were prescribed Lycopodium (n=22, 14.67%), Colchicum (n=17, 11.38%), Natrum sulph (n=18, 12%) and nitric acid (n=14, 9.38%) on the basis of totality and symptoms and individualisation. Improvement was assessed in four different categories: Marked, moderate, mild and no improvement. The patients improved clinically as well as pathologically. Uric acid (UA) reduction was marked in 26 (17.33%) patients, moderate in 67 (44.67%) patients and mild in 25 (16.67%) patients. Almost 125 (83.33%) among the 150 reported reduction in physical discomfort and have been doing well after treatment. Conclusion: This study showed that homoeopathic treatment is very effective in reducing clinical symptoms and serum UA levels in subjects having gout.

Integration of Extended Reality and a High-Fidelity Simulator in Team-Based Simulations for Emergency Scenarios

Wearable devices such as smart glasses are considered promising assistive tools for information exchange in healthcare settings. We aimed to evaluate the usability and feasibility of smart glasses for team-based simulations constructed using a high-fidelity simulator. Two scenarios of patients with arrhythmia were developed to establish a procedure for interprofessional interactions via smart glasses using 15-h simulation training. Three to four participants formed a team and played the roles of remote supporter or bed-side trainee with smart glasses. Usability, attitudes towards the interprofessional health care team and learning satisfaction were assessed. Using a 5-point Likert scale, from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), 31 participants reported that the smart glasses were easy to use (3.61 ± 0.95), that they felt confident during use (3.90 ± 0.87), and that that responded positively to long-term use (3.26 ± 0.89) and low levels of physical discomfort (1.96 ± 1.06). The learning satisfaction was high (4.65 ± 0.55), and most (84%) participants found the experience favorable. Key challenges included an unstable internet connection, poor resolution and display, and physical discomfort while using the smart glasses with accessories. We determined the feasibility and acceptability of smart glasses for interprofessional interactions within a team-based simulation. Participants responded favorably toward a smart glass-based simulation learning environment that would be applicable in clinical settings.