Displaying publications 81 - 100 of 422 in total

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  1. Kalok A, Sharip S, Abdul Hafizz AM, Zainuddin ZM, Shafiee MN
    PMID: 33212969 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228522
    The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia and the subsequent closure of all educational institutions. We aimed to examine the psychological impact of the MCO among clinical undergraduates. A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-reported questionnaires that were distributed online using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS 21), Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS), and the newly designed MCO effect questionnaire. Seven hundred seventy-two students completed the survey. The prevalence of psychological distress was 52.8%, with around 60% of respondents reporting disruption to their daily lives. Older (p = 0.015) and more senior students (p < 0.001) were less likely to be anxious than their younger and junior counterparts, respectively. A greater number of social support (three or more) was linked to a lower score of depression (p = 0.005) and stress (p = 0.045). Undergraduates who received family support demonstrated lower depression scores (p = 0.037) and higher mental wellbeing (p = 0.020) compared to those without. Government support was independently associated with a lesser risk of depressive symptoms (Adjusted odds ratio, AOR 0.68; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.47-0.99) and a greater sense of mental wellbeing (AOR 1.54; 95% CI 1.06-2.22). The present finding provides evidence of a high prevalence of psychological distress among clinical undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appropriate social support is important in alleviating anxiety and stress and promoting greater mental wellbeing amongst students during the nationwide quarantine.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/epidemiology*
  2. Ong J, Ong AML, Ong S, Xin X, Lee YY, Pausawasdi N, et al.
    BMJ Open Gastroenterol, 2020 11;7(1).
    PMID: 33148790 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgast-2020-000534
    BACKGROUND: Clinician burnout is an important occupational hazard that may be exacerbated by the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Within Southeast Asia, burnout in gastroenterology is understudied. The primary objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of burnout symptoms within gastroenterology, in member states of the Associations of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary objective is to identify work-related stressors that contribute to burnout in ASEAN gastroenterologists.

    METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is an observational study that will use anonymised online surveys to estimate the prevalence of burnout symptoms at two time points: during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and in 2022 (assumed to be after the pandemic). Gastroenterologists from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei will be invited to participate in the online survey through their national gastroenterology and endoscopy societies. Burnout will be assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey tool. Supplementary questions will collect demographic and qualitative data. Associations between demographic characteristics and burnout will be tested by multiple regression.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of burnout symptoms in gastroenterology during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the baseline prevalence after COVID-19, will be established in the above-mentioned countries. Work-related stressors commonly associated with burnout will be identified, allowing the introduction of preventative measures to reduce burnout in the future.

    ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was granted by the Singhealth Centralised Institutional Review Board (2020/2709). Results will be submitted for publication.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/epidemiology*
  3. Alkhawaldeh JM, Soh KL, Mukhtar F, Peng OC, Alkhawaldeh HM, Al-Amer R, et al.
    J Adv Nurs, 2020 Nov;76(11):3123-3135.
    PMID: 32856353 DOI: 10.1111/jan.14506
    AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the stress management interventional program in reducing occupational stress and improving coping strategies among public health nurses.

    DESIGN: A double-blind, cluster-randomized approach was used as a randomization method for this study to evaluate the stress management interventional program.

    METHODS: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was carried out in eight comprehensive healthcare centres in Amman city, Jordan; four centres were randomly assigned to each experimental and control group. One hundred and seventy nurses were selected randomly from March 2019 - August 2019 and data were collected by using the Nursing Stress Scale & brief COPE over three data collection times. Both descriptive and inferential statistics (repeated measure ANOVA, Independent t test, and chi-squared) were used to answer the research questions of this study.

    RESULTS: The results showed that both the levels of occupational stress and coping strategies were significantly different between the two study groups over the three data collection points (p stress management program is an effective non-invasive method that can be used to reduce stress levels and improve coping strategies for public health nurses. The implementation of stress management interventions in health care is likely to help nurses manage occupational stress in practice.

    IMPACT: Nurses suffer from a high level of occupational stress. In particular, approximately74% of nurses experience severe occupational stress, which can lead to many mental and physical disorders. However, nurses were less able to utilize the correct stress preventive strategies due to gaps in knowledge, skills, and awareness. This study contributed to the provision of empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the stress management program in reducing occupational stress and improving coping strategies among public health nurses. A stress management intervention program is a valuable non-invasive method that can be used by healthcare organizations to reduce stress levels and improve coping strategies for nurses in practice.

    CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03833986.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
  4. Wan Ismail WS, Sim ST, Tan KA, Bahar N, Ibrahim N, Mahadevan R, et al.
    Perspect Psychiatr Care, 2020 Oct;56(4):949-955.
    PMID: 32363648 DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12517
    PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study examined the cyber-psychological correlates of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality among public university students in Klang Valley, Malaysia.

    DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling methods from three public universities in the study location. Participants completed measures of internet and smartphone addictions, depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality, along with sociodemographic items.

    FINDINGS: At bivariate level, both internet and smartphone addictions were found to have significant positive correlations with depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality. At multivariate level, only internet addiction emerged as a consistent significant predictor for depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality.

    PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The present findings have implications for mental health professionals to routinely screen for psychological disturbance in young adults who have potential risks for internet addiction.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/epidemiology*
  5. Dhar BK, Ayittey FK, Sarkar SM
    Glob Chall, 2020 Sep 28.
    PMID: 33042575 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202000038
    The purpose of the study is to find out the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students. The study focuses on the university students from different public and private universities of Bangladesh through a set of questionnaires according to the guideline of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). The result among 15 543 respondents shows that 44.59% are suffering from severe anxiety, 48.41% moderate anxiety, and only 3.82% mild anxiety. The results highlight that all epidemic-related stressors are positively correlated with the level of anxiety. Among the epidemic-related stressors, worry about economic influences during and after COVID-19 (r = 0.342, p < 0.001) and worry about the influence of COVID-19 on daily life (r = 0.340, p < 0.001) have a highly positive impact on the level of anxiety. Following these stressors, worry about academic delays due to COVID-19 (r = 0.326, p < 0.001) and worry about the social support during COVID-19 (r = 0.321, p < 0.001) have moderately and positively correlated with the level of anxiety. The study suggests that proper government support, as well as social awareness, should be monitored during epidemics for decreasing anxiety and maintaining a good mental health of the university students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
  6. Chan CMH, Wong JE, Wee LH, Jamil NA, Yeap LLL, Swarna Nantha Y, et al.
    Occup Med (Lond), 2020 Sep 09;70(6):400-406.
    PMID: 32537649 DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqaa107
    BACKGROUND: Past research on work engagement has focused almost exclusively on either psychological or work-related factors in almost wholly separate literature. There is therefore a need to examine how these factors collectively influence work engagement.

    AIMS: To determine levels of work engagement and to identify psychological and work-related characteristics predicting work engagement in employees in Malaysia.

    METHODS: We recruited 5235 employees from 47 public and private organizations in Malaysia who responded to an online health survey. We assessed work engagement with the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and psychological distress using the 6-item Kessler scale. We performed multiple linear regression to determine predictors of work engagement.

    RESULTS: Employee mean age was 33.8 years (standard deviation [SD] ± 8.8). The mean work engagement score on the UWES-9 was 3.53 (SD ± 0.94). Eleven of 18 variables on multiple regression predicted work engagement, F(18, 4925) = 69.02, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.201. Factors that predicted higher work engagement were age, marital status, education level, job type, job permanency, longer sleep duration, lower psychological distress and no history of workplace bullying.

    CONCLUSIONS: Key factors associated with poorer work engagement in Malaysian employees include inadequate sleep, psychological distress and a history of workplace bullying. These are modifiable factors that individuals and employers can target to improve work engagement, ideally tailored according to occupational type.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/epidemiology*
  7. Sundarasen S, Chinna K, Kamaludin K, Nurunnabi M, Baloch GM, Khoshaim HB, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Aug 27;17(17).
    PMID: 32867024 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176206
    The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown has taken the world by storm. This study examines its impact on the anxiety level of university students in Malaysia during the peak of the crisis and the pertinent characteristics affecting their anxiety. A cross-sectional online survey, using Zung's self-rating anxiety questionnaire was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Out of the 983 respondents, 20.4%, 6.6%, and 2.8% experienced minimal to moderate, marked to severe, and most extreme levels of anxiety. Female gender (OR = 21.456, 95% CI = 1.061, 1.998, p = 0.020), age below 18 years (OR = 4.147, 95% CI = 1.331, 12.918, p = 0.014), age 19 to 25 (OR = 3.398, 95% CI = 1.431, 8.066, p = 0.006), pre-university level of education (OR = 2.882, 95% CI = 1.212, 6.854, p = 0.017), management studies (OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.526, 3.399, p < 0.001), and staying alone (OR = 2.208, 95% CI = 1.127, 4.325, p = 0.021) were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety. The main stressors include financial constraints, remote online teaching and uncertainty about the future with regard to academics and career. Stressors are predominantly financial constraints, remote online learning, and uncertainty related to their academic performance, and future career prospects.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/epidemiology
  8. Mat Saruan NA, Mohd Yusoff H, Mohd Fauzi MF, Wan Puteh SE, Muhamad Robat R
    PMID: 32846878 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176132
    Unplanned absenteeism (UA), which includes medically certified leave (MC) or emergency leave (EL), among nurses may disturb the work performance of their team and disrupt the quality of patient care. Currently, there is limited study in Malaysia that examines the role of stressors in determining absenteeism among nurses. Therefore, apart from estimating the prevalence and the reasons of UA among nurses in Malaysia, this study aims to determine its stressor-related determinants. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 697 randomly sampled nurses working in Selangor, Malaysia. Most of them were female (97.3%), married (83.4%), and working in shifts (64.4%) in hospital settings (64.3%). In the past year, the prevalence of ever taking MC and EL were 49.1% and 48.4%, respectively. The mean frequency of MC and EL were 1.80 (SD = 1.593) and 1.92 (SD = 1.272) times, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean duration of MC and EL were 4.24 (SD = 10.355) and 2.39 (SD = 1.966) days, respectively. The most common reason for MC and EL was unspecified fever (39.2%) and child sickness (51.9%), respectively. The stressor-related determinants of durations of MC were inadequate preparation at the workplace (Adj.b = -1.065) and conflict with doctors (adjusted regression coefficient (Adj.b) = 0.491). On the other hand, the stressor-related determinants of durations of EL were conflict with spouse (Adj.b = 0.536), sexual conflict (Adj.b = -0.435), no babysitter (Adj.b = 0.440), inadequate preparation at workplace (Adj.b = 0.257), lack of staff support (Adj.b = -0.190) and conflict with doctors (Adj.b = -0.112). The stressor-related determinants of the frequency of MC were conflicts over household tasks (Adj.b = -0.261), no time with family (Adj.b = 0.257), dangerous surroundings (Adj.b = 0.734), conflict with close friends (Adj.b = -0.467), and death and dying (Adj.b = 0.051). In contrast, the stressor-related determinants of frequency of EL were not enough money (Adj.b = -0.334), conflicts with spouse (Adj.b = 0.383), pressure from relatives (Adj.b = 0.207), and inadequate preparation (Adj.b = 0.090). In conclusion, apart from the considerably high prevalence of unplanned absenteeism and its varying frequency, duration and reasons, there is no clear distinction in the role between workplace and non-workplace stressors in determining MC or EL among nurses in Malaysia; thus, preventive measures that target both type of stressors are warranted. Future studies should consider longitudinal design and mixed-method approaches using a comprehensive model of absenteeism.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
  9. Ghawadra SF, Lim Abdullah K, Choo WY, Danaee M, Phang CK
    J Nurs Manag, 2020 Jul;28(5):1088-1097.
    PMID: 32432795 DOI: 10.1111/jonm.13049
    AIM: To assess the effect of a 4-week mindfulness-based training intervention on improving stress, anxiety, depression and job satisfaction among ward nurses.

    BACKGROUND: Previous literature showed that mindfulness-based training is useful for helping nurses cope with stress.

    METHOD: Nurses who have mild to moderate levels of stress, anxiety and depression identified from a teaching hospital were invited to a randomized control trial. The intervention group had a 2-hr Mindfulness-Based Training workshop, followed by 4 weeks of guided self-practice Mindfulness-Based Training website. Both the intervention group (n = 118) and the control group (n = 106) were evaluated pre- and post-intervention, and 8 weeks later (follow-up) using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21, Job Satisfaction Scale and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale.

    RESULTS: There was a significant effect over time on stress, anxiety, depression and mindfulness level (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/psychology; Stress, Psychological/therapy
  10. Chu SY, Park H, Lee J, Shaharuddin KKB, Gan CH
    Child Care Health Dev, 2020 07;46(4):485-494.
    PMID: 32396218 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12771
    BACKGROUND: This study explored the relationship between self-perceived stigmatization (affiliate stigma), stress and quality of life among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

    METHOD: Participants (N = 110) filled-in the Affiliate Stigma Scale, the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the CarerQOL scale.

    RESULTS: Parents reported low scores on stigma and fair levels of stress and quality of life, indicating that parents do not feel stigmatized by affiliation with a child with ASD nor are they stressed from affiliate stigma. After controlling for demographic factors, both the relationships of affiliate stigma with stress and with quality of life were weak, indicating that stigma may have little to no effect on stress and quality of life.

    CONCLUSION: Cultural and religious beliefs may play a part in the acceptance of a child's condition, resulting in less impact of stigma on the parents.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/etiology*
  11. Liu G, Chong HX, Chung FY, Li Y, Liong MT
    Int J Mol Sci, 2020 Jun 29;21(13).
    PMID: 32610495 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134608
    We have previously reported that the administration of Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 for 12 weeks reduced stress and anxiety in stressed adults as compared to the placebo group, in association with changes along the brain neurotransmitters pathways of serotonin and dopamine-norepinephrine. We now aim to evaluate the effects of DR7 on gut functions, gut microbiota compositional changes, and determine the correlations between microbiota changes and the pathways of brain neurotransmitters. The administration of DR7 prevented an increase of defecation frequency over 12 weeks as compared to the placebo (p = 0.044), modulating the increase of stress-induced bowel movement. Over 12 weeks, alpha diversity of gut microbiota was higher in DR7 than the placebo group across class (p = 0.005) and order (p = 0.018) levels, while beta diversity differed between groups at class and order levels (p < 0.001). Differences in specific bacterial groups were identified, showing consistency at different taxonomic levels that survived multiplicity correction, along the phyla of Bacteroides and Firmicutes and along the classes of Deltaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Bacteroidetes, Bacteroidia, and Bacteroidales which were reduced in abundance in the placebo group showed opposing correlation with gene expression of dopamine beta hydrolase (DBH, dopamine pathway; p < 0.001), while Bacteroidia and Bacteroidales showed correlation with tryptophan hydroxylase-II (TPH2, serotonin pathway; p = 0.001). A correlation was observed between DBH and Firmicutes (p = 0.002), Clostridia (p < 0.001), Clostridiales (p = 0.001), Blautia (p < 0.001), and Romboutsia (p < 0.001), which were increased in abundance in the placebo group. Blautia was also associated with TDO (p = 0.001), whereas Romboutsia had an opposing correlation with TPH2 (p < 0.001). Deltaproteobacteria and Desulfovibrionales which were decreased in abundance in the placebo group showed opposing correlation with DBH (p = 0.001), whereas Bilophila was associated with TPH2 (p = 0.001). Our present data showed that physiological changes induced by L. plantarum DR7 could be associated with changes in specific taxa of the gut microbiota along the serotonin and dopamine pathways.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/microbiology; Stress, Psychological/physiopathology
  12. Jahan I, Begum M, Akhter S, Islam Z, Haque M, Jahan N
    J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol, 2020 06 11;27(2):e68-e77.
    PMID: 32543162 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27i2.675
    Alternate nostril breathing (ANB) is one of the best and easiest breathing exercises. ANB exercise has beneficial effects on cardiac function in healthy and diseased people. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of ANB exercise on cardiac physiology among healthy medical students. This was a prospective interventional study that was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Chittagong Medical College (CMC), Chattogram, Bangladesh, from July 2017 to June 2018. A total of 100 research participants (RPs) aged 18-20 years, Year-I medical students of CMC, were selected. A simple random sampling method was adopted. The selection was done after the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The age and body mass index (BMI) of the RPs were analogous in both the control and experimental groups. Cardiac parameters, like pulse and blood pressure (BP), were measured. The initial baseline data were recorded for both groups and after 4 weeks. The research respondents of the experimental group performed ANB exercise for 4 weeks. The mean value pulse and BP were significantly (p < 0.001) changed after breathing exercise, compared to the values before the breathing exercise. The results of this study suggest that cardiac function significantly improves after the breathing exercise. Therefore, ANB can be recommended for increasing cardiac efficiency.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/therapy*
  13. Lim CH, Soga T, Levavi-Sivan B, Parhar IS
    Sci Rep, 2020 05 06;10(1):7666.
    PMID: 32376994 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64639-4
    Spexin (SPX), a neuropeptide evolutionarily conserved from fish to mammals, is widely distributed in the brain and peripheral tissues and associated with various physiological functions. Recently SPX has been suggested to be involved in neurological mechanism of stress. The current study investigates the involvement of SPX in chronic social defeat stress, using male teleost, the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as an animal model due to its distinct social hierarchy of dominant and subordinate relationship. The tilapia genome has SPX1a and SPX1b but has no SPX2. In the Nile tilapia, we localized SPX1a and SPX1b in the brain using in-situ hybridization. Next, using qPCR we examined gene expression of SPX1a and SPX1b in chronically stress (socially defeated) fish. SPX1a expressing cells were localized in the semicircular torus of the midbrain region and SPX1b expressing cells in the telencephalon. Chronically stress fish showed elevated plasma cortisol levels; with an upregulation of SPX1a and SPX1b gene expression in the brain compared to non-stress (control) fish. Since social defeat is a source of stress, the upregulated SPX mRNA levels during social defeat suggests SPX as a potentially inhibitory neuropeptide capable of causing detrimental changes in behaviour and physiology.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological*
  14. Nachiappan M, Bikramjit P, Aung WT, Htoo HKS, Sudipta P
    Med J Malaysia, 2020 05;75(3):209-215.
    PMID: 32467534
    INTRODUCTION: Simulation of the clinical setting incorporates an educational approach connecting a learner to a particular environment of learning. Undergraduate students in the health sector experience anxiety during simulation that influences their performance which ultimately affects their learning outcome. This study attempts to correlate the impact of stressors on learning outcome of high-fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) in undergraduate medical education.

    OBJECTIVE: This research is to analyze the impact of stressors and its relevance on the learning outcome of HFPS as a teaching-learning tool for the management of emergency surgical conditions including trauma.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a Quasi-experimental time series design. A total number of 347 final-year undergraduate (MBBS) students of Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Malaysia. They were grouped and assessed individually by pre-test and post-tests on their knowledge, performance and associated stressor scores. The one-way repeated measure of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistically significant differences in total score at pre-test simulation and post-test-simulation sessions. Friedman test was used for assessment of individual components of stressors. Pre-test and post-tests scores were compared to note progress in confidence and stress reduction. P value <0.001 was considered statistically significant.

    RESULTS: ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis showed a statistically significant (p <0.001) difference in stressor score over time. The drop-in stress was significant initially but flattened out later.

    CONCLUSION: Stress significantly decreased as the students were exposed to more sessions of HFPS which ultimately translated into better learning outcome.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological*
  15. Eow SY, Gan WY, Lim PY, Awang H, Mohd Shariff Z
    Res Dev Disabil, 2020 May;100:103632.
    PMID: 32179381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103632
    BACKGROUND: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) of different levels of symptom severity may exhibit a wide range of behaviours and characteristics. There is a limited nutrition-related study on children with ASD of different severity in Malaysia.

    AIMS: This cross-sectional study aims to determine the association between sociodemographic factors, parental factors, and lifestyle factors with autism severity in children with ASD.

    METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A total of 224 children with ASD were included in this study. Their mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, autism severity, parenting style, parental feeding practices, parenting stress, child's sleep habits and eating behaviours.

    OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: As high as 78.1 % of the children with ASD demonstrated a high level of autism severity. Multiple linear regression showed that father's employment status (B = 6.970, 95 % CI = 3.172, 10.768, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/psychology*
  16. Anwar A, Kee DMH, Ahmed A
    Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw, 2020 May;23(5):290-296.
    PMID: 32282237 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2019.0407
    Workplace cyberbullying (WCB) is a new form of hostility in organizations in which information technology is used as a means to bully employees. The objective of this study is to determine the association between WCB and the interpersonal deviance (ID) of victims through parallel mediation through the ineffectual silence of employees and emotional exhaustion (EE). Conservation of resource (COR) theory and affective events theory were used as the study's guiding framework, and data were drawn from 351 white-collar employees who were employed in a variety of industries-such as banking, telecommunications sector, education, health care, insurance, and consultancy-in Lahore, Pakistan. The results show that ineffectual silence negatively mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and deviance, decreasing the level of deviance of employees who used silence as a coping mechanism. EE, however, positively mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and deviance. This means that when employees felt emotionally overwhelmed they retaliated by engaging in deviant behaviors and acting as a bully toward colleagues. Drawing on the COR theory and the affective events theory, the findings show that WCB has an impact on ID. From a practical standpoint, the study reveals that WCB can lead to ID and it also may associate with large financial costs and workplace disruptions. Thus, organizations should establish a culture that prevent employees from engaging in WCB and adopt practices of prevention and intervention because it is not only harmful to the employees but also to the organization.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
  17. Aman Z, Liew SM, Ramdzan SN, Philp I, Khoo EM
    Singapore Med J, 2020 May;61(5):238-245.
    PMID: 31423540 DOI: 10.11622/smedj.2019100
    INTRODUCTION: Many older people rely on caregivers for support. Caring for older people can pose significant burdens for caregivers yet may also have positive effects. This study aimed to assess the impact on the caregivers and to determine factors associated with caregivers who were burdened.

    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 385 caregivers of older people who attended a community clinic in Malaysia. Convenience sampling was employed during the study period on caregivers who were aged ≥ 21 years and provided ≥ 4 hours of unpaid support per week. Participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Carers of Older People in Europe (COPE) index and the EASYCare Standard 2010 independence score. The COPE index was used to assess the impact of caregiving. A highly burdened caregiver was defined as one whose scores for all three COPE subscales were positive for burden. Care recipients' independence was assessed using the independence score of the EASYCare Standard 2010 questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with caregiver burden.

    RESULTS: 73 (19.0%) caregivers were burdened, of whom two were highly burdened. Caregivers' median scores on the positive value, negative impact and quality of support scales were 13.0, 9.0 and 12.0, respectively. Care recipients' median independence score was 18.0. Ethnicity and education levels were found to be associated with caregiver burden.

    CONCLUSION: Most caregivers gained satisfaction and felt supported in caregiving. Ethnicity and education level were associated with a caregiver being burdened.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/psychology*
  18. Ogawa S, Parhar IS
    Int J Mol Sci, 2020 Apr 15;21(8).
    PMID: 32326396 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082724
    Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is essential for the initiation and maintenance of reproductive functions in vertebrates. To date, three distinct paralogue lineages, GnRH1, GnRH2, and GnRH3, have been identified with different functions and regulatory mechanisms. Among them, hypothalamic GnRH1 neurons are classically known as the hypophysiotropic form that is regulated by estrogen feedback. However, the mechanism of action underlying the estrogen-dependent regulation of GnRH1 has been debated, mainly due to the coexpression of low levels of estrogen receptor (ER) genes. In addition, the role of sex steroids in the modulation of GnRH2 and GnRH3 neurons has not been fully elucidated. Using single-cell real-time PCR, we revealed the expression of genes for estrogen, androgen, glucocorticoid, thyroid, and xenobiotic receptors in GnRH1, GnRH2, and GnRH3 neurons in the male Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. We further quantified expression levels of estrogen receptor genes (ERα, ERβ, and ERγ) in three GnRH neuron types in male tilapia of two different social statuses (dominant and subordinate) at the single cell level. In dominant males, GnRH1 mRNA levels were positively proportional to ERγ mRNA levels, while in subordinate males, GnRH2 mRNA levels were positively proportional to ERβ mRNA levels. These results indicate that variations in the expression of nuclear receptors (and possibly steroid sensitivities) among individual GnRH cells may facilitate different physiological processes, such as the promotion of reproductive activities through GnRH1 neurons, and the inhibition of feeding and sexual behaviors through GnRH2 neurons.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/genetics; Stress, Psychological/metabolism
  19. Jahan I, Begum M, Akhter S, Islam MZ, Jahan N, Haque M
    J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol, 2020 03 19;27(1):e104-e114.
    PMID: 32320171 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27i1.668
    Alternate nostril breathing (ANB) is one of the best and easiest breathing exercises (pranayama) of yoga that are good for health and physical fitness. ANB exercise has beneficial and therapeutic effects on respiratory function in both normal as well as diseased humans. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the physiological effects of short-term ANB exercise on respiratory function in healthy adult individuals leading a stressful life. This prospective interventional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Chittagong Medical College (CMC), Chattogram, Bangladesh from July 2017 to June 2018. A total of 100 participants aged 18-20 years, studying in the first year in CMC, were included by using a simple random sampling method. Among them, 50 participants were enrolled in the experimental group. Age- and BMI-matched 50 participants constituted the control group. Height, weight were measured, and BMI was calculated. The participants of the experimental group performed ANB exercise over 4 weeks for 10 min/day. The control participants were neither trained nor allowed to practice nostril breathing during the whole study period. Respiratory parameters like forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1st second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were measured by using a digital spirometer (Chest graph HI-101, Japan). Readings were taken in a healthy upright sitting posture in the control and experimental group initially and after 4 weeks. Student's t-test was conducted by using SPSS for windows version-23. The mean value of FVC, FEV1, PEFR were significantly (P < 0.001) changed after the ANB exercise when compared to the values before breathing exercise. The results of this study suggest that respiratory function is significantly improved after the ANB exercise. Therefore, ANB can be recommended for increasing respiratory efficiency.
    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/therapy*
  20. Alkhawaldeh JMA, Soh KL, Mukhtar FBM, Ooi CP
    J Nurs Manag, 2020 Mar;28(2):209-220.
    PMID: 31887233 DOI: 10.1111/jonm.12938
    AIM: The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of stress management interventional programme in reducing occupational stress among nurses.

    BACKGROUND: Nursing professionals are placed continuously at the forefront in the area of health care which makes them highly exposed to professional stress.

    EVALUATION: Randomized controlled trial studies (RCTs) were systematically searched in eight different databases for works published in English from 2011 to 2019; inclusion criteria were applied by two reviewers critically and assessed the risk of bias using Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT).

    KEY ISSUES: The systematic search contributed to the extraction of approximately 10 most relevant RCTs. Most of the RCTs considered in this systematic review revealed that the stress reduction interventions and strategies were effective in reducing the levels of occupational stress experienced by nurses.

    CONCLUSIONS: Current review shows that stress management interventional programme tends to be effective, but additional well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm their effectiveness.

    IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Implementing stress management interventions within health care organisations are likely to assist nurses in reducing occupational stress and in improving coping strategies used by nurses for dealing with stress.

    Matched MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological/psychology; Stress, Psychological/therapy
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