Health Related Quality of Life and Mental Health in ICU Survivors: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Follow-Up and Correlations between the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28)

We investigated the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and psychological distress in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors 12 months after ICU discharge. The purpose of this study, conducted and completed before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, was to find correlations among psychiatric symptoms detected by a screening tool as the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the different domains of HRQOL measured with the SF-36 health survey (SF-36), in order to identify ICU survivors with Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) who need a specific psychiatric intervention to improve their HRQOL. Among 298 ICU survivors who stayed in the ICU for at least 72 hours, 48 patients were enrolled one year after discharge undergoing a clinical interview to assess their functional impairment (Barthel index), mental health (GHQ-28), and health-related quality of life (SF-36). 19% of those subjects had a GHQ-28 ≥ 5 and were identified as “psychiatric cases”, and they were older and experienced a greater impairment in HRQOL. Anxiety, insomnia, and depressive symptoms seemed to be particularly involved in the impairment of HRQOL. A negative correlation between GHQ-28 total scores and subscales and SF-36 subscales was found. Our findings highlighted that psychological distress in ICU survivors may negatively impact physical health recovery and quality of life;conversely, physical impairment and functional disability may trigger the onset of psychiatric symptoms after discharge. The present study is firstly to investigate the correlations between HRQOL and psychological distress in ICU survivors through the GHQ-28, and then affirms the need to carry out follow-up checks for psychiatric symptoms in ICU survivors.

Relationship of Smartphone Dependence to General Health Status and Personality Traits among University Students

We investigated associations between smartphone dependence and general health status or personality traits. To 197 medical university students, we administered a set of self-reporting questionnaires designed to evaluate these parameters. For males, smartphone dependence positively correlated with somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, and emotional instability, and negatively correlated with agreeableness. For females, smartphone dependence positively correlated with somatic symptoms, severe depression, and extraversion, and negatively correlated with social dysfunction. These findings suggest that smartphone dependence may be associated with general health status or personality traits and that there may be a gender difference in these associations.

The Effects of Fetal Movement Counting on Mental Health of Mother in Third Trimester A Randomized Controlled Trial

Anxiety is one of the psychological problems in pregnant women that sometimes takes the form of pathological and affects the mental health of mother. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of fetal movement counting on mental health of mother. In a randomized-controlled trial, 208 nulliparous women were randomly divided into two groups. At 28th weeks, both groups completed the GHQ-28. Then the intervention group started to count fetal movements from 28th to 37th weeks of gestation and the control group received routine prenatal care. Again, both groups completed the questionnaire at 37 weeks＇ gestation and the results were compared. Analysis was performed by SPSS and a P value 〈 0.05 was considered significant. The mean scores of mental health of mothers in 28th and 37th of pregnancy was respectively 23.52 ± 10.23 and 21.09 ± 10.12 in the intervention group and the difference was significant （P = 0.025）. The mean in the control group was 23.69 ± 9.43 and 23.88± 8.60 respectively, and the difference was not significant （P = 0.52）. In comparing the mean scores between the two groups, it was found that the difference was not significant at 28th weeks of gestation （P = 0.37）, but it was significant in 37th week （P = 0.002） and the counting of fetal movements could improve the mental health of mothers compared to control group. The women who had fetal movements counting at weeks 28 to 37 Of gestation reported better mental health than the control group. The mother renorted concerns about decreased fetal movement was similar in the two grouns.

Evaluation of factors affecting psychological morbidity in emergency medicine practitioners

BACKGROUND: Assessing and evaluating mental health status can provide educational planners valuable information to predict the quality of physicians' performance at work. These data can help physicians to practice in the most desired way. The study aimed to evaluate factors affecting psychological morbidity in Iranian emergency medicine practitioners at educational hospitals of Tehran.METHODS: In this cross sectional study 204 participants(emergency medicine residents and specialists) from educational hospitals of Tehran were recruited and their psychological morbidity was assessed by using a 28-question Goldberg General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-28). Somatization, anxiety and sleep disorders, social dysfunction and depression were evaluated among practitioners and compared to demographic and job related variables.RESULTS: Two hundreds and four participants consisting of 146(71.6%) males and 58(28.4%) females were evaluated. Of all participants, 55(27%) were single and 149(73%) were married. Most of our participants(40.2%) were between 30–35 years old. By using GHQ-28, 129(63.2%) were recognized as normal and 75(36.8%) suffered some mental health disorders. There was a signifi cant gender difference between normal practitioners and practitioners with disorder(P=0.02) while marital status had no significant difference(P=0.2). Only 19(9.3%) declared having some major mental health issue in the previous month.CONCLUSION: Females encountered more mental health disorders than male(P=0.02) and the most common disorder observed was somatization(P=0.006).

Emergency management of nursing human resources and supplies to respond to coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic

Objective:To introduce the emergency management of nursing human resources and supplies of a large general hospital when facing the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Method:The Nursing Department of the hospital fully executed its functional authority to establish a three-level echelon of sustainable support,allocate human recourses dynamically,organize pre-service training,supervise the key working steps,formulate positive incentive methods,and deploy medical supplies scientifically.Result:By taking these strategies,the hospital effectively improved the coping capacity of the nursing team and played a positive role in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.Conclusion:The emergency management of nursing human resources and material resources for COVID-19 of the hospital is successful.But several deficiencies were identified as well,which indicated that the hospital needs to establish an efficient emergency management system,and pay attention to the practice of nursing emergency plans to enhance coping capacities in public health emergencies.

Pesticide exposures and respiratory health in general populations

Human exposures to pesticides can occur in the workplace,in the household and through the ambient environment.While several articles have reviewed the impact of pesticide exposures on human respiratory health in occupational settings,to the best of our knowledge,this article is the first one to review published studies on the association between pesticide exposures and human respiratory health in the general populations.In this article,we critically reviewed evidences up to date studying the associations between non-occupational pesticide exposures and respiratory health in general populations.This article also highlighted questions arising from these studies,including our recent analyses using the data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey（CHMS）,for future research.We found few studies have addressed the impact of environmental pesticide exposures on respiratory health,especially on lung function,in general populations.In the studies using the data from CHMS Cycle 1,exposures to OP insecticides,pyrethroid insecticides,and the organochlorine pesticide DDT were associated with impaired lung function in the Canadian general population,but no significant associations were observed for the herbicide 2,4-D.Future research should focus on the potential age-specific and pesticide-specific effect on respiratory health in the general population,and repeated longitudinal study design is critical for assessing the temporal variations in pesticide exposures.Research findings from current studies of non-occupational pesticide exposures and their health impact in general population will help to improve the role of regulatory policies in mitigating pesticide-related public health problems,and thereafter providing greater benefit to the general population.