Awarded innovative and educational good practices against chronic pain across Europe

In continuation with the second edition of the research project “European Civic Prize on Chronic Pain – Collecting Good Practices”, the third edition of the initiative led by Active Citizenship Network, whose term has spanned from 2020-2021, has recently selected several good practices in the fight against chronic pain in the European Union. This year’s edition of the Prize has been extremely significant, as it has taken place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, and a diverse approach has been taken in the collection and implementation of good practices. The project has included practices stemming from healthcare professionals, institutions, civic and patient organizations, and other advocative entities for patients in Europe. This article will focus on two of the winning good practices that have been selected by the Jury of experts and will examine initiatives related to Professional Education and Innovation.

Virtual reality among children with mental disorders: A mini-review

Background: Mental disorders are a group of disorders that affect thinking and behavior by causing discomfort or disability to the person. Almost one in eight people aged 5 to 19 deals with these kinds of disorders and his or her growth may be significantly affected. It seems that using novel technologies in such cases are helpful. One of these advanced technologies, which has recently attracted a lot of attention in many fields such as health, is Virtual Reality. Therefore, the present study aimed to provide a brief review about the use of Virtual Reality among children with mental disorders. Methods: In this study, articles in which Virtual Reality were used among children dealing with mental disorders published during 2012 to 2021 were investigated. PsycINFO electronic databases, PubMed Google Scholar, Medline, were searched. Results: Children deal with different types of mental disorders and Virtual Reality has been used for many of them. The most common of them, in which Virtual Reality have been used and caused improvements include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia Disorder, and Developmental Disability. Discussion and conclusion: According to the results, Virtual Reality is a very interesting, useful, effective and safe technology for patients dealing with mental disorders especially children and adolescence. It is actually a highly specialized technology which can provide improvement, and in some cases completely new ways of treatment for children suffering from mental disorders.

The effect of meditation on depression, anxiety, and stress in university students

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of meditation on depression, anxiety, and stress levels of university students. Design and Methods: In the study, the data were collected using personal information form and Depression, anxiety, and stress scale. The meditation group performed a 20-minute attention and awareness meditation once a week for 8 weeks. Findings: As a result of the statistical analysis, it was observed that there was no significant difference in the comparison of the anxiety, stress, and depression levels between two groups at the end of 8 weeks. Practice Implications: Consequently, it was determined that meditation was an ineffective approach for reducing the anxiety, stress, and depression levels.

Effects of an online treatment for pediatric sleep problems on emotion dysregulation in young children

Background: Pediatric sleep problems are strongly linked to future emotional problems. However, research regarding the effect of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (iCBT-I) in early childhood on the outcome of emotion dysregulation is missing. Participants: 200 children (47% female) aged 7 to 63 months (M = 23.13) suffering from behavioral insomnia participated in the Mini-KiSS 6-week online treatment. Methods: A prepost- follow-up design was implemented. Sleep disorders were stated according to ICSD-3 and DSM-5 criteria and emotional dysregulation was assessed with an emotion dysregulation profile for children. Difference scores were calculated, a repeated-measures ANOVA, and stepwise multiple linear regression was performed. Results: After iCBT-I Mini-KiSS for young children, emotion dysregulation significantly declined immediately after the intervention (p = 0.000) and in the follow-up measurement after three months (p = 0.002). Age was associated with the change in emotion dysregulation at follow-up measurement (p = 0.017). Gender or the type of sleep disturbance did not have statistically significant impact on change in emotion dysregulation at any measurement (p ≥ 0.05). Clinically significant improvement of emotional dysregulation was achieved in 14.5% of the children from pre- to post-measurement, and 25.3% improved at follow-up. Conclusions: The findings show that treatment of pediatric insomnia reduce emotion dysregulation of infants and toddlers. Therefore, early sleep intervention might prevent mental disorder in young children. In future, an extended longitudinal design is needed to examine the preventing power of early-improved sleep on later psychopathological disorders. Beyond, future studies should examine underlying mechanisms in more detail.

Actions and re-actions of civic society and Patients Advocacy Groups across Europe during Covid-19 pandemic: Sharing good practices for more resilient Health Care Systems

The recent pandemic seriously affected national health systems worldwide. The focus of the 2021 edition of the European Patients’ Rights Day was on patient organizations’ concrete reactions to it, offering answers to people and actions that should be put in place in order to have more resilient healthcare systems, starting from the 14 rights stated in the European Charter of Patients’ Rights. From their experiences emerged the great reforming force of civic organizations and Patient Advocacy Groups, capable of responding promptly to new needs by managing services, building alliances, quickly signalling necessary normative or procedural changes, mobilizing resources (both human and economic), introducing and promoting practices from which it will not be necessary to go back when everything is over. We still perceive the urgent need to better address the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence collected during the crisis show that Covid-19 has had a significant impact – for instance - on Non-Communicable Diseases. Indeed, oncological and chronic patients have been left almost alone for several months. Rather than recalling the impact of Covid, the 15th European Patients’ Rights Day wanted to highlight actions and reactions that have civic & patients' organizations as protagonists: actions realized despite the pandemic and reactions put in place to mitigate its impact.

COVID-19 surveillance: Results of activities

Following the rapid spread of a new Coronavirus identified in China, on 30.01.2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares a state of public health emergency of international importance and in Italy health surveillance measures are promptly strengthened. The aim of the study is to describe the surveillance system for the spread of the epidemic and how the surveillance contributes to the monitoring system and to the regional weekly risk classification.