The Support Systems and Coping Strategies of Infertile Women Attending the Out-Patient Consultation Unit of CHRACERH Yaoundé, Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Infertility is a complex disorder with significant psycho-social and economic consequences. It globally affects 10% - 15% of couples. In Cameroon, little is known about what women do to overcome the psychosocial aspects of the disease. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the support systems and coping strategies of infertile women attending the outpatient consultation unit of the Gynaecological Endoscopic Surgery and Reproductive Teaching Hospital (CHRACERH), Yaoundé, Cameroon. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from the 14th of March to the 6th of April 2023 at CHRACERH Yaoundé. A total of 190 participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics, support systems and coping strategies were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and analytic statistics were conducted using SPSS version 25. Results: The mean age of participants was 39.52 ± 7.64 years. The majority 78.9% of participants were workers (public, private sector, or traders) and were Christians 95.8%. The most common source of psychological support was from family 76.8 and husbands 72.63%. Most of the participants 89.5% resorted to prayer and getting busy 48.4% as a coping strategy. There was no statistically significant relationship between coping strategies and psychological disorders p > 0.05. Conclusion: The main support system of participants was family, husband, and friends. Prayer, getting busy and adoption were the most common coping strategies. There is a need for the Ministry of Public Health and other stakeholders to put in place other support systems and coping strategies (FELICIA) used elsewhere and provide adequate health education and infection control to prevent infertility in Cameroon.

Perspectives and Challenges of Family Members in Providing Mental Support to Cancer Patients:A Qualitative Study in Beijing,China

This study explores the perspectives and challenges faced by family members providing mental support to cancer patients in Beijing,China.The primary objective is to understand the emotional and practical roles family members undertake and the difficulties they encounter.Utilizing a qualitative research design,data were collected through semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of cancer patients.Thematic analysis revealed several key themes:the dual burden of emotional support and caregiving responsibilities,the impact on daily life and personal well-being,the role and effectiveness of external support systems,perceptions of medical staff support,and the common challenges and conflicts faced in caregiving.The findings highlight the critical need for comprehensive support systems that address both the emotional and practical needs of family caregivers.Recommendations for enhancing family-centered support programs in oncology settings are discussed.

Experience of Mental Health Professionals Collaborating with Peer Supporters in a Community Mental Health Service Team

This study explored how mental health professionals collaborate with peer supporters with mental disabilities in a community mental health institution.From January 19 to February 23,2021,three 60 min interviews were conducted with six mental health professionals working at a Korean community center.The results were qualitatively analyzed and divided into four themes and eight categories.The four themes were the perceptions of and challenges in working with peer supporters with mental disabilities,conflict and confusion about working with peer supporters,forming partnerships with peer supporters,and policy support for peer supporters’job security.Participants reported vague anxiety about working with a peer supporter and difficulties with the trial-and-error process of adjusting to the role as challenging.Over time,however,they realized that they needed to make an effort to develop meaningful relationships with peer supporters and mental health professionals.Thus,through this study,we realized that there was a need to improve the system,such as building infrastructure for job stability for peer support workers and capacity building tailored to the mental disorders.Although peer supporters play various roles while working with mental health professionals,this study showed the possibility of mutual growth through communication and cooperation.These findings will help prepare systems necessary for collaboration between the two teams amidst the increasing institutionalization of peer support for mental disorders.

The Impact of Social Support on the Mental Health of Cancer Patients:Evidence from China

Exploring the relationship between social support and the mental health of cancer patients is a vital endeavor for enhancing mental well-being.The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between social support and psychological well-being in cancer patients and to provide new empirical evidence for psychological improvement in cancer patients.This research holds significant practical implications for optimizing China’s public health system and strengthening the development of a healthy China.Using data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)database,we empirically examined the influence of social support on the mental health of cancer patients.Models such as Ordered Probit and OLogit were used to provide empirical evidence and theoretical insights for enhancing the mental health of cancer patients in a context marked by a high prevalence of cancer.The findings indicated that both formal and informal social support mechanisms were effective in improving the mental health of cancer patients.Furthermore,we utilized the propensity score matching(PSM)model to eliminate the endogeneity issue associated with sample selectivity bias.The results obtained through PSM demonstrated robustness,underscoring the importance of addressing sample selectivity bias when assessing the impact of social support on the mental health of cancer patients.Therefore,the Chinese government is recommended to prioritize the use of social support as a means to proactively enhance the mental health of cancer patients,thereby continuously elevating their overall quality of life.

Unraveling the complexities of adolescent depression:A call for action

The adolescent years are a period of profound change,both physically and psychologically.For many,these years are marked by excitement and exploration,but for others,they are fraught with challenges that can lead to significant mental health issues.Depression,in particular,has become an increasingly prevalent concern among adolescents worldwide,and its multifaceted etiology requires a comprehensive approach to understanding and intervention.A recent study on the relationships among negative life events,dysfunctional attitudes,social support,and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between various factors contributing to adolescent depression.The authors explore a moderated mediation model to better understand how these factors interact with and contribute to the onset of depression.This article aims to delve into the key findings of the study,highlight its implications for clinical practice,and encourage further research in this critical area.

Application of Social Support System in the Rehabilitation of Vagrants and Beggars with Mental Illness

Objective:Analyze the specific role of social support in vagrants and beggars with mental illness.Methods:80 patients with vagrant psychosis admitted into our hospital from April 2020 to April 2021 were randomly selected.The patients were treated for more than 6 months.The patients were randomly divided into two groups by drawing lots,with 40 cases in each group.The control group received routine nursing,and the observation group received routine nursing along with social support.The objective support,subjective support,and the utilization of support,which were combined into total social support of the two groups were compared after different nursing interventions.Results:After different nursing interventions,through the comparison of social support scale,the scores of objective support,subjective support,and utilization of support,and the total social support in the observation group were higher than the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of social support system and while providing routine nursing among vagrants and beggars with psychosis can effectively improve their mental status,make them feel more valued and supported,and help improve their mental health and quality of life.

Development of Human Rights-Based Practices in Psychiatry from People Living with Mental Health Problems During Involuntary Hospitalization or Treatment - A Secondary Publication

This article presents the research protocol of an interpretative phenomenological study that aims to understand the lived experiences of coercion and human rights-based practices in psychiatry from the perspectives of people living with mental health problems during involuntary hospitalization or treatment.This qualitative study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis design.In-depth,one-on-one interviews along with a socio-demographic questionnaire were conducted with approximately 10 participants.Data analysis was followed by an iterative and hermeneutic emergence coding process.By centering human rights-based practices on the lived experiences of people living with mental health problems who encountered coercion,this study highlighted the contributing and limiting factors to the recognition of human rights in nursing practices.This study also promoted the development of nursing knowledge and practices that can significantly contribute to an individual’s recovery process.

The Relationship between Mental Health Literacy and Subjective Well-Being of Young and Middle-Aged Residents: Perceived the Mediating Role of Social Support and Its Urban-Rural Differences

This study investigates mental health literacy among young and middle-aged urban and rural residents and the differences in mental health literacy,perceived social support and subjective well-being.From January to February 2022,620 participants(320 rural and 300 urban residents)from three provinces of China were selected by con-venience sampling.A general data questionnaire,mental health literacy scale,perceived social support scale and subjective well-being scale were administered.The mental health literacy scores of urban residents were 3.34±0.57 and those of rural residents were 2.73±0.79.The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the mental health literacy scores of rural residents were more significant than those of urban residents in terms of sex and age,while urban residents’mental health literacy scores were more significant than those of rural resi-dents in terms of monthly income.Mental health literacy,perceived social support and subjective well-being of young and middle-aged urban and rural residents were all positively correlated(P<0.01).While the level of mental health literacy is better among urban residents than rural residents,perceived social support plays a partial mediating role between mental health literacy and subjective well-being of both urban and rural residents,and should be the focus of researchers seeking to improve the level of well-being of residents.

So if we like the idea of peer workers, why aren't we seeing more?

The employment of peer support workers is widely encouraged in recovery-oriented mental health systems and services, providing a tangible example of how to translate recovery values and principles into actions. In Scotland, despite a long-term policy commitment to recovery approaches, the creation of peer worker roles has been slow and patchy. This paper describes findings from a study on the levers and barriers to the development of peer worker roles in two Scottish health board areas. Findings suggest that new evidence on effective implementation and cost effectiveness should be prioritised to support potentially complex role development in time of reduced resources. We argue that additional evidence on effectiveness is unlikely, by itself, to lead to country-wide employment of peer workers. We therefore suggest that a policy commitment to peer working would be reinforced by not only a strengthened evidence base but also strengthened accountability mechanisms. In the absence of such accountability, decision-makers and planners might reasonably continue to ask "why bother"?

Multiple mental tasks classification based on nonlinear parameter of mean period using support vector machines

Mental task classification is one of the most important problems in Brain-computer interface.This paper studies the classification of five-class mental tasks.The nonlinear parameter of mean period obtained from frequency domain information was used as features for classification implemented by using the method of SVM(support vector machines).The averaged classification accuracy of 85.6% over 7 subjects was achieved for 2-second EEG segments.And the results for EEG segments of 0.5s and 5.0s compared favorably to those of Garrett's.The results indicate that the parameter of mean period represents mental tasks well for classification.Furthermore,the method of mean period is less computationally demanding,which indicates its potential use for online BCI systems.

Illness Experience in a Very Low Income/Poor District of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Tuberculosis, Medication Adherence and Common Mental Disorders

Introduction: Tuberculosis is a global health problem. Improving medication adherence is an important attribute concerning the outcome of tuberculosis treatment. This study investigates illness experience of patients belonging to a low-income district within Manguinhos catchment area. Narrative studies are able to unfold features concerning patient adherence and co-occurrence of depressive symptoms. Methods: Twenty-three patients under treatment were interviewed using McGill Illness Narrative Interview (MINI-McGILL), besides depression screening with “Self-Report Questionnaire-20” (SRQ-20) and “Beck Depression Inventory” (BDI). Results: Explanatory models disregarded airborne microorganism contagion, known but not considered relevant while bohemian or deviant lifestyle was rather perceived as a causal model. Patients mentioned contiguous events suggesting pneumonia or influenza misdiagnosis before final tuberculosis diagnosis (testing or suspicion). Therapeutic pathways were erratic, suggesting low literacy level and postponed or inadequate diagnosis accuracy. Emergency units or private services usually stood for primary care units considered first choice by planners. Expressions such as “dreadful/shameful disease” or “very heavy illness” acknowledged stigma. Research data detected the importance of social network role, highlighting the family through financial and affective support. Hopelessness and depression were closely related to illness suffering and adversities. The percentage of patients for positive common mental disorder and depression approaches 30%. Conclusion: Tuberculosis remains a stigmatizing disease. Building effective health services networks, comprising treatment facilities, community and family resources are very important to improve medication adherence. Effective tuberculosis management through health teams training seems necessary. Incorporating simple screening instruments for depression assessment might promote well-being and patient adherence.

Mental Functioning of Workers with Cancer Diagnosis by Brazilian Version of the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire—WRFQ-Br

Aim: To evaluate data related to mental work functioning of workers with cancer diagnosis in radiotherapy in a private service in the city of Campinas, State of S&atilde;o Paulo, Brazil. Method: It consists in a cross-sectional, observational and analytical study with comparison between cancer patients and healthy people, using the Brazilian version of the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ-Br). Descriptive and statistical analysis is performed by the Mann-Whitney test. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups in the evaluation of mental demand;however, the population diagnosed with malignant neoplasm submitted to radiotherapy had unexpected higher scores, reflecting lower mental exigency. Conclusions: The observed context may occur due to extensive support of family, government and interdisciplinary team of health care for individuals diagnosed with cancer. This data provide support for new research studies related to the importance of the work to promote mental health, considering aspects related to social interaction and productivity as the support system members. The importance of disseminating these results and limitation is based in the necessity of investments to improve research and actions to promote the permanence and early return to work for cancer survivors in Brazil and Latin America.

Moderating Mechanism in the Relationship between Social Isolation and Mental Health among College Students during High-Risk Period of COVID-19 Transmission in Hubei, China

This study explored the effect of perceived social isolation on the mental health of college students during the high-risk period of COVID-19 transmission in Hubei,China and the role of social support from online friends in alleviating this effect.The questionnaire responses of 213 college students from four universities in Hubei were included.Measurement and structural models were constructed using structural equation modeling.The findings revealed that perceived social isolation while under home quarantine was a negative predictor of the mental health of college students in Hubei.Low social support from online friends may lead to a relatively strong relationship between perceived social isolation and mental health in these college students,whereas high social support from online friends may lead to a relatively weak relationship between perceived social isolation and mental health.

Perceived Program Components of <i>Omotenashi Family Experiences Learning Program</i>in Japan: Qualitative Study of Families of Persons with Mental Disorders

Families need sufficient learning opportunities about mental illness. Therefore, family peer education program has been developed in Japan following the U.S. and Hong Kong. We aimed to identify program components that families recognize which would provide suggestions in modifying the program. We used qualitative and inductive study design. Data were collected through group interviews for six family research participants. We coded the data to focus on relationships between program components, program processes, and impacts. Data Analysis resulted in seven assumptions based on causal relationships and three types of program components: program form, learning style and facilitation skills. The program form is family-led peer group, closed-membership, 5 times per course, and small group. The learning style is combination of textbook and experiential knowledge, family peer learning, and sharing experiences. The facilitation skills are group work focusing on strengths of family members, the acceptance of emotional disclosure, omotenashi, and teamwork skills.

Sociopsychological impact factors of depression patients during the COVID-19 epidemic period

Objective:To investigate the impact factors of the COVID-19 epidemic on the mental health of patients with depression.Methods:The relevant data of 242 residents aged 18-50 years in a certain area were collected,118 patients and 124 healthy people were analyzed by general information questionnaire,the PsychoSocial Index(PSI)questionnaire,Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS)and Symptom Checklist 90(SCL-90).Compare the differences in social and psychological factors between the two groups.Then use logistic regression to evaluate the social and psychological influencing factors of depression patients during the epidemic.Results:Two results of logistic regression analysis showed that marital status,occupational status,abnormal pathological behavior,and utilization of support were still significantly associated with depression.Compared to working,unemployed/unemployed/retired,students are closely related to depression,followed by abnormal pathological behavior and utilization of support.Conclusion:Under the epidemic,depression groups lacking social relationships should actively pay attention to their mental health status and comprehensively enhance their social and psychological support.To avoid the exacerbation of psychological and psychological symptoms caused by the epidemic.

A meta-analysis of Chinese herbal medicines for vascular dementia

OBJECTIVE： To investigate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicines in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia. DATA RETRIEVAL： We retrieved publications from Cochrane Library （2004 to July 2011）, PubMed （1966 to July 2011）, the Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database （1977 to July 2011）, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （1979 to July 2011）, Google Scholar （July 2011）, and the Chinese Biomedical Database （1977 to July 2011） using the key words ＂Chinese medicine OR Chinese herbal medicine＂ and ＂vascular dementia OR mild cognition impair OR multi-infarct dementia OR small-vessel dementia OR strategic infarct dementia OR hypoperfusion dementia OR hemorrhagic dementia OR hereditary vascular dementia＂. SELECTION CRITERIA： Randomized controlled trials comparing Chinese herbal medicines with placebo/western medicine in the treatment of patients with vascular dementia were included. Diagnostic standards included Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Association Internationale pour la Recherche et I＇Enseignement en Neurosciences. Two participants independently conducted literature screening, quality evaluation and data extraction. The quality of each trial was assessed according to the Cochrane Reviewers＇ Handbook 5.0. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Effective rate, Mini-Mental State Examination scores, Hasegawa Dementia Scale scores, and incidence of adverse reactions. RESULTS： We identified 1 143 articles discussing the effects of Chinese medicine on vascular dementia. Thirty-one of these were included in the analysis. These studies involved a total of 2 868 participants （1 605 patients took Chinese medicine decoctions （treatment group）; 1 263 patients took western medicine or placebo）. The results of our meta-analysis revealed that Chinese herbal remedies in the treatment group were more efficacious than the control intervention （relative risk （RR） = 1.27; 95% confidence interval （C/）： 1.18-1.38, P 〈 0.01）. Mini-Mental State Examination scores were higher in patients taking Chinese herbal medicines than in those in the control group （weighted mean difference （WMD） = 2.83; 95%CI： 2.55-3.12, P 〈 0.01）. Patients in the treatment group showed better disease amelioration than those in the control group （Hasegawa Dementia Scale scores; WMD = 2.41, 95%CI： 1.48-3.34, P 〈 0.01）. There were also considerably fewer adverse reactions among those in the treatment group compared with those in the control group （RR = 0.20, 95%CI： 0.08-0.47, P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Chinese herbal medicine appears to be safer and more effective than control measures in the treatment of vascular dementia. However, the included trials were generally low in quality. More well-designed, high-quality trials are needed to provide better evidence for the assessment of the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicines for vascular dementia.

Representation Form of“Treating Employees as Customers”in the Hospitality Organization:The Case of Hoshino Resorts

“Treating employees as customers”is known as the core concept of internal marketing.In particular,it was born and developed for hospitality organizations.However,no specific method has been represented so far.In the previous research(Hashimoto,2018a;2018b;2019),it was verified the concrete method based on the core concept of internal marketing,“Treating employees as customers”.There are career support,mental support,and dialogue.In this paper,it is verified whether the concepts of these three methods are represented in the hospitality organization through interviewing staff of Japanese hotel company that is continuing to grow rapidly.As a result of the consideration,it is confirmed that the concepts of the three methods are certainly represented in the organization.It will provide new point of view for concrete methods of Internal Marketing that have not been shown so far.Hope that this paper will facilitate research on hospitality organizations such as hotels,which is not so considered in Japan.

Impact of Doctoral Student Training Process Fit on Doctoral Students’ Mental Health

Background:Doctoral students have much higher risk of anxiety or depression than general population.Doctoral students worldwide are facing varying degrees of mental health risks.Method:Based on the survey data of 6,812 doctoral students worldwide in Nature in 2019,Probit and Logit models are used to explore the correlation between thefit of doctoral education and training process and the mental health of doctoral students.Results:(1)The training environmentfit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health.(2)The academic professionfit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health.(3)The orga-nizational culturefit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health.(4)Thefinancial supportfit of doctoral students has a significant positive impact on their mental health.Conclusion:The higher the degree of doctoral students’training environmentfit,academic professionfit,organizational culturefit,andfinancial supportfit,the lower the possibility of anxiety or depression among doctoral students.The current research results can help reveal extensive factors that affect the mental health of doctoral students,facilitate the planning and development of effective intervention measures by universities,improve thefit of the doctoral education and training process,improve the mental health of doctoral students,and boost academic excellence.

Mediating Effect of Perceived Organizational Support on the Resilience and Mental Health of ICU Nurses

Objective:To investigate the mediating effect of organizational support on the relationship between resilience and anxiety-depression-stress by researching ICU nurses.Methods:A total of 675 ICU nurses in Shaanxi Province were surveyed using the organizational support scale,the resilience evaluation scale for medical staff,and the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale(DASS-21).Results:The resilience of ICU nurses had significant correlation with the level of organizational support(r=0.448,P<0.01),but was negatively correlated with depression(r=-0.238,P<0.001),anxiety(r=-0.287,P<0.01),and stress(r=-0.213,P<0.01);the level of organizational support of ICU nurses was also negatively correlated with depression(r=-0.452,P<0.01),anxiety(r=-0.410,P<0.01),and stress(r=-0.490,P<0.01).The sense of organizational support played a mediating role between the resilience of ICU nurses and their depression-anxiety-stress,the mediating effect accounted for 78%of the total effect.Conclusion:The perceived organizational support and resilience is an important external protective factor for the mental health and ability of ICU nurses.The management departments should continue to pay attention to the mental health of ICU nurses,take effective measures to improve the sense of organizational support and resilience of nurses,and ensure the good mental health of ICU nurses.

Magnetic resonance morphometry of the loss of gray matter volume in Parkinson's disease patients

Voxel-based morphometry can be used to quantitatively compare structural differences and func-tional changes of gray matter in subjects. In the present study, we compared gray matter images of 32 patients with Parkinson’s disease and 25 healthy controls using voxel-based morphometry based on 3.0 T high-field magnetic resonance T1-weighted imaging and clinical neurological scale scores. Results showed that the scores in Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were lower in patients compared with controls. In particular, the scores of visuospatial/executive function items in Montreal Cognitive Assessment were significantly reduced, but mean scores of non-motor symptoms significantly increased, in patients with Parkinson’s dis-ease. In addition, gray matter volume was significantly diminished in Parkinson’s disease patients compared with normal controls, including bilateral temporal lobe, bilateral occipital lobe, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral frontal lobe, bilateral insular lobe, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, bilateral amygdale, right uncus, and right posterior lobe of the cerebel um. These findings indicate that voxel-based morphometry can accurately and quantitatively assess the loss of gray matter volume in patients with Parkinson＇s disease, and provide essential neuroimaging evidence for multisystem pathological mechanisms involved in Parkinson’s disease.