Search Results (8,869)

Background and Objectives: Diabetes affects quality of life (QoL) in physical, psychological, and social aspects. With high prevalence rates in Saudi Arabia, this study aimed to assess QoL in adults with diabetes across different regions and identify associated factors, addressing research gaps on complications and demographic influences. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited adults diagnosed with diabetes from all regions of Saudi Arabia through phone interviews and the distribution of self-administered questionnaires via social media platforms. Data on demographics, health behaviors, diabetes-related complications, comorbidities, and diabetes management were collected. QoL was assessed using the Diabetic Quality of Life (DQoL) tool. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate regression, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Among the 527 individuals with diabetes, 57.7% were married, 56.1% were female, 93.7% lived in urban areas, and 37.2% had at least a bachelor’s degree. Common comorbidities included hypertension (29.2%) and hypercholesterolemia (22.8%). Physical activity and healthy weight were linked to improved DQoL. Diabetic complications, such as neuropathy (6.6%) and diabetic foot (4.9%), were significantly associated with lower DQoL scores. Depression was reported in 4.7% of participants and was the strongest predictor of poor QoL (β = −2.01, p < 0.001). Furthermore, individuals who exercised less than five times per week had significantly lower QoL scores (beta = −1.83; 95% CI = −2.56 to −1.10; p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: The study highlights the significant impact of education, health behaviors, diabetes complications, and comorbid depression on QoL. Comprehensive diabetes care that addresses both physical and psychological factors is essential for achieving improved outcomes. Full article

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive alcohol seeking, loss of control over drinking, and negative emotional states when not using. It has significant psychological, physiological, and social consequences, often co-occurring with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Psychological resilience is gaining more recognition. Sense of coherence (SOC) could be treated as a health factor, and individual predispositions play a crucial role in fighting disease and addiction. Our study examines whether SOC and its components—comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness—predict life satisfaction in patients with AUD and whether perceived stress and health behaviors mediate these relationships. Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 100 adult patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. Results: We found that the higher the manageability and meaningfulness, the lower the level of perceived stress and the higher the level of preventive behavior. Notably, perceived stress emerged as a significant mediator between SOC and satisfaction with life, while health behaviors did not show a mediating effect. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the protective role of SOC in enhancing psychological well-being among individuals with AUD and suggest that interventions aimed at strengthening SOC may reduce stress and improve overall life satisfaction in this population. Full article

Background: A significant body of research has identified ongoing unmet needs among cancer survivors. However, there is limited information about the survivorship experiences of patients in low- and middle-income countries. This study examined the experiences of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors in Thailand to understand their post-treatment needs and priorities. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 24 colorectal cancer survivors purposively recruited from a large university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The interviews lasted 60–90 min, were audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using hybrid content analysis, guided by the five domains of the Survivors Unmet Needs Survey (SUNS): information, emotional health, financial concerns, access and continuity of care, and relationships. Results: Participants had a mean age of 57 (SD = 10.9) years. Most were male (58.3%) and diagnosed at a late stage (62.5%). All participants had undergone surgical treatment, and the average time since treatment completion was approximately 3.85 (SD = 2.8) years. Participants most often reported unmet needs in the information and emotional health domains. They also described inadequate physical infrastructure (e.g., overcrowded clinic spaces) and minimal involvement of multidisciplinary providers. Despite these challenges, survivors expressed strong trust in physicians and a preference for physician-led care. Telehealth was viewed as a potential solution to reduce access barriers and improve continuity of care. Conclusions: Guided by the SUNS framework, this study identified significant unmet needs among colorectal cancer survivors in Thailand, particularly in health information, psychological support, and care system infrastructure. Strengthening health information delivery, establishing dedicated survivorship clinics, and exploring scalable care models supported by telehealth could help bridge these gaps and promote more equitable survivorship care in low-resource settings. Full article

Background: Children with cancer frequently experience pain, which may persist into survivorship. Furthermore, many undergo body composition changes throughout their disease trajectory. However, little is still known about the interplay between pain and body composition. Methods: This cross-sectional case–control study compared pain and anthropometric characteristics between 30 children with cancer (8–18 years) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls and examined whether pain was associated with anthropometric characteristics and cancer diagnosis. Pain in the past two weeks, chronic pain, and pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the tibialis anterior and trapezius pars descendens muscles were assessed. Anthropometric measures included waist circumference, fat %, fat-free mass, muscle mass, body water %, and Body Mass Index. Results: Children with cancer had a higher prevalence of chronic pain (p = 0.011), lower PPTs at the tibialis anterior (p = 0.030), and fewer pain locations (p = 0.037). They also showed lower body water % (p = 0.020), and higher waist circumference (p = 0.012) and fat % (p = 0.026). Cancer diagnosis and lower muscle mass were associated with lower PPTs at both locations (tibialis anterior: p = 0.016, β = −0.305; p = 0.033, β = 0.267; trapezius pars descendens: p = 0.020, β = −0.286; p = 0.004, β = 0.361, respectively). Conclusions: Children with cancer differ from their healthy peers in both pain and body composition profiles. These findings underscore the need for systematic pain assessment and body composition monitoring in pediatric oncology and may help identify children at risk for heightened pain sensitivity and adverse body composition changes who could benefit from early, targeted interventions. Full article

Background: Addressing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients’ psychological well-being is crucial, yet psychosocial support interventions that can facilitate effective coping, ultimately decreasing stress-related physiological, mental health, and cognitive sequelae, are not currently included in clinical practice guidelines and standards. Objective: To identify and synthesize research evidence on psychosocial support interventions in the ICU, including types of outcomes and measures of effectiveness, and to explore research gaps and barriers to implementation. Method: The review was directed by a protocol based on current guidance for scoping reviews. The quality of studies was assessed using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The review focused on articles containing evaluations of psychosocial interventions through an experimental or quasi-experimental design or pretest-posttest comparisons. Databases searched included Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo, and the Cochrane Library. Results: Ten highly heterogeneous studies were identified, encompassing diverse interventions (e.g., relaxation, psychotherapy, spirituality, and positive suggestions) and patient populations. Across the 10 studies, no intervention type was replicated, and most samples were small and quasi-experimental, limiting internal validity and preventing quantitative synthesis. Despite these limitations, the evidence reviewed supports that various psychosocial interventions, including positive suggestions (constructive, reassuring thoughts), relaxation techniques, psychotherapy (emotional, behavioral guidance), and spiritual and/or religious support can alleviate psychological sequelae, such as depression, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress in ICU patients. Conclusions: This review highlights the positive impact of psychosocial interventions on alleviating psychological distress in ICU patients. However, a critical gap exists in understanding their effects on other clinical and physiological outcomes, necessitating comprehensive research. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative tool in the treatment of phobias and the cultivation of emotional resilience. This study aims to explore the potential of VR to create controlled, immersive environments that facilitate exposure therapy, enabling individuals to confront and desensitize themselves to their fears in a safe and personalized manner. The flexibility of VR systems allows therapists to tailor scenarios to the unique needs of patients, addressing specific phobias such as acrophobia, arachnophobia, and social anxiety disorders. Beyond phobia treatment, VR’s capacity to simulate challenging or stress-inducing scenarios presents opportunities for fostering emotional resilience by building adaptive coping mechanisms and reducing stress responses over time. The integration of biofeedback and machine learning further enhances VR applications, enabling real-time adjustments based on physiological and psychological responses. In this article, the current advancements, underlying mechanisms, and challenges in leveraging VR technology for therapeutic purposes are discussed with a focus on its implications for mental health care. By combining immersive technology with evidence-based practices, VR offers a promising pathway for improving mental health outcomes and expanding the accessibility of therapeutic interventions. Full article

Remote work, as a technologically possible and widely applicable working mode, gained renewed attention during lockdowns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. On one hand, remote work ensured that working remained sustainable; on the other hand, the unexpected and widespread nature of the immediate shift to remote work led to issues in terms of practicing and adapting to the process. Moreover, remote work can have strong social, economic, and environmental effects that have to be comprehensively understood. The high interest of employees in continuing with full or hybrid remote work calls for effective coping strategies at the individual and organizational levels in the future. This article focuses on academic studies documenting the peculiarities of remote work during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The aim is to identify the issues relating to remote work during the COVID-19 lockdowns that are documented in academic studies and thematically classify them into a range of factors. In this study, bibliometric and content analyses were employed, leading to comprehensive insights into the following areas: (1) remote work as a cause for changes in physical and psychological health; (2) remote work as a cause for changes in daily behavior, routine, and lifestyle; (3) factors that affect the process and productivity of remote work; (4) societal, economic, and environmental consequences of remote work; and (5) the distribution of the effects of remote work on individuals, economic subjects, and sectors. In conclusion, this study on working practices during the COVID-19 lockdowns that were documented in academic studies offers several benefits and areas of novelty: first, a comprehensive overview of the widespread process of adjusting to this new working mode; second, a classification of factors that affected the process at different stages and in different areas; and third, common factors that had more widespread effects during the remote working period. The findings also offer the following theoretical and practical implications: For researchers, this article can be a reference offering a holistic view of remote working during these lockdowns. For practitioners, it can provide an understanding of the impacting factors and their contextualization in terms of health, sociodemographic, and sectoral aspects can allow for more accurate human resource management strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) often requires prolonged brace use to prevent curve progression. However, adherence is challenging due to discomfort, mobility restrictions, and psychosocial stressors. This study evaluated the feasibility and clinical utility of a mobile health (mHealth) system for real-time tracking of brace adherence and treatment-related experiences in adolescents with AIS. Methods: Thirty adolescents with AIS (mean age = 12.9, SD = 1.8) undergoing brace treatment at a tertiary care center used a custom app for 90 days. The app collected daily self-reports on brace wear duration, discomfort, movement limitations, emotional distress, and social challenges. A clinical alarm system alerted providers when patient input indicated potential concerns. Primary outcomes were feasibility (adherence to daily use and usability ratings) and brace adherence. Secondary outcomes included the app’s capacity to identify treatment-related challenges and its association with changes in stress, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Results: Participants reported meeting recommended brace wear time (≥16 h/day) on 84.8% of days. The app triggered 186 clinical alarms, with the most frequent related to emotional distress (23.1%) and pain (15.6%). Alarm frequency declined over time. Improvements of ≥20% in psychological outcomes were observed in 20–26.7% of participants, while group-level changes were nonsignificant. Conclusions: mHealth-based monitoring appears feasible and acceptable for digitally engaged adolescents with AIS. The app supported early detection of treatment barriers and prompted timely clinical responses. Despite limitations, it shows promise as a tool to improve treatment engagement and address psychosocial challenges in scoliosis care. Full article

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a growing public health challenge. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, complications, and therapeutic strategies in children and adolescents with T2D, highlighting the most recent evidence and the distinctive features that differentiate youth-onset from adult-onset disease. Over recent decades, its incidence has increased worldwide, closely linked to rising rates of childhood obesity, sedentary behavior, and socioeconomic disparities. The disease typically emerges around puberty, a period marked by physiological insulin resistance, and is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors. Diagnosis can be delayed or missed due to overlapping features with type 1 diabetes and limitations in current screening tools. The clinical course is often aggressive, with early onset of microvascular and macrovascular complications. Management is particularly challenging due to the limited number of pharmacologic agents approved for pediatric use and the psychological and behavioral complexities of adolescence. While metformin remains the first-line treatment, newer therapies such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors show promise in improving metabolic outcomes. In conclusion, early diagnosis, multidisciplinary management, and equitable access to effective therapies are essential to improve long-term outcomes in this vulnerable population. Full article

The functional beverage sector has experienced a remarkable transformation driven by evolving consumer decision-making patterns emphasizing therapeutic benefits alongside taste preferences. This comprehensive narrative review investigates how consumer psychology, neurobiological processes, and scientific product development converge through a hierarchical framework illustrating their dynamic interactions. Today’s consumers exhibit unprecedented sophistication when assessing bioactive ingredients, conducting independent research using scientific databases rather than relying on conventional marketing. Our analysis explores mechanisms underlying habit development, behavioral adaptation, and social proof factors driving functional beverage integration into daily routines. We trace evolution from broad-spectrum wellness drinks toward personalized nutrition solutions, recognizing individual metabolic requirements, with consumers viewing these products as preventive health investments requiring evidence-based validation. Key findings underscore the importance of clinically validated formulations at therapeutic dosages, nutritional transparency, and understanding consumer psychology for fostering lasting consumption behaviors driven by cost–benefit analysis. Results indicate future innovations must merge sophisticated bioactive delivery technologies with insights into consumer information-seeking patterns, social validation processes, and evidence-driven decision-making mechanisms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Post-discharge interventions addressing psychological, informational, and practical needs of brain tumor surgery patients are limited. This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a post-discharge care program for patients with benign brain tumors who underwent surgery. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest–post-test non-synchronized design was employed. The post-discharge care program was developed using the ADDIE model and delivered as an 8-week, 8-session program to 65 discharged patients (Intervention: n = 33, Control: n = 32). Outcomes were measured using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) for symptom clusters, Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale (PDCDS) for post-discharge adaptation, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) for quality of life. Results: Significant group × time interactions were found between intervention and control groups for symptom clusters (F = 74.878, p < 0.001), post-discharge adaptation (F = 144.687, p < 0.001), and all quality of life domains: physical (F = 38.996, p < 0.001), social/family (F = 50.865, p < 0.001), emotional (F = 39.110, p < 0.001), and functional (F = 38.917, p < 0.001). The intervention group showed clinically meaningful improvements across all outcomes. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the post-discharge care program was effective in improving symptom clusters, post-discharge adaptation, and quality of life in patients with benign brain tumors who underwent surgery. The program can contribute to achieving better health outcomes for this population in clinical practice. Full article

The transition from secondary to higher education presents numerous academic, social, and psychological challenges that can negatively impact students’ well-being, particularly during the first year. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hypnosis as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing perceived stress among first-year nursing students at the Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Techniques (ISPITS) in Rabat, Morocco. A total of 166 students from five academic tracks were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups with comparable baseline characteristics. Their perceived stress levels were assessed using two validated instruments, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), administered before and after a five-session hypnosis program conducted over 10 weeks. The results showed a marked and statistically significant reduction in stress among the intervention group, with the mean VAS scores decreasing from 7.82 ± 2.05 to 3.00 ± 1.71 compared to a smaller reduction in the control group (from 7.65 ± 1.78 to 5.80 ± 1.72; between-group difference = 2.8, p < 0.0001). Similarly, the PSS-14 scores in the intervention group declined significantly from 26.42 ± 7.54 (moderate stress) to 24.32 ± 8.20 (still moderate), with a mean difference of 2.09 ± 7.70 (t = 2.21, p = 0.0307, 95% CI [0.20; 3.98]). These findings indicate that hypnosis is an effective mind–body approach for alleviating perceived stress, improving emotional regulation, and could be incorporated into academic support programs to enhance student well-being. Full article

Compared to non-smart communities, smart communities expand the boundaries of community management and provide a platform for the deep integration of fitness and health. However, a single-entity governance model reduces the management efficiency of smart communities and hinders the realization of fitness-health integration within them. A collaborative governance model involving governments, businesses, social organizations, and residents replaces the traditional linear governance model that relies on a single entity through resource integration. This study, based on collaborative governance theory, employs three scenario-based experimental designs and quantitative analysis, with Xiamen’s smart city community and non-smart urban village community as research subjects. It explores the multistakeholder collaborative governance model for the deep integration of fitness and health, compares the differences in fitness-health integration between smart communities and non-smart communities, and measures the effectiveness differences between multistakeholder collaborative governance and single-entity governance models. The findings indicate: (1) Residents in smart communities have higher satisfaction with comprehensive fitness-health services; (2) Residents in smart communities perceive shorter psychological distances when engaging in fitness-health activities compared to non-smart environments; (3) The governance model moderates the impact of psychological distance on service satisfaction. Compared to the single-actor model, multiactor collaborative governance more effectively enhances perceived psychological proximity and improves satisfaction. The research findings contribute theoretically to advancing understanding of collaborative governance theory while expanding the application of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the construal level theory in the context of community governance. Practically, they offer insights for public policymakers to optimize resource allocation and for community managers to strengthen digital governance. Full article

Background: Problematic overstudying has been conceptualized as an addictive behavior (study addiction) and an early form of work addiction. The majority of students showing compulsive studying behaviors experience chronic and high stress and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Caffeine is a widely used stimulant that enhances alertness and cognitive performance, especially under fatigue. University students, particularly those exhibiting problematic overstudying, may consume more caffeine to improve academic performance. Previous research has shown that caffeine consumption is positively associated with perceived stress and anxiety. This study examined the mediating role of caffeine consumption in the relationship between problematic overstudying and psychological distress (perceived stress, anxiety, and depression) among university students. Methods: Sample 1 consisted of 436 university students, and Sample 2 included 3421 students. The Bergen Study Addiction Scale, Perceived Stress Scale-4, and a measure of average daily caffeine consumption were used. Results: Results showed that caffeine consumption partially mediated the relationship between problematic overstudying and perceived stress. Students who study compulsively tended to consume more caffeine, which was, in turn, associated with higher perceived stress. This finding was replicated across both samples, and in the second, larger sample, caffeine intake also mediated between problematic overstudying and anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Excessive caffeine use among students who manifest problematic overstudying may increase their risk of developing, or aggravate existing, symptoms of anxiety or mood disorders. Limiting caffeine intake and promoting healthy alternatives, such as rest and recovery, is recommended to support mental health in this population. Full article

Background and Objectives: Data on mental health in university students have been increasingly concerning, with high prevalence rates of clinical conditions such as anxiety, stress, and depression. This study aims to evaluate the risk factors associated with mental health status and to develop a predictive model. Materials and Methods: A total of 242 university students were recruited (74.8% women). Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 56 years (M = 25.81; SD = 7.59). Data collection were conducted through the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE-28). Results: Overall, mean scores across the three clinical dimensions are within the moderate range, but anxiety shows the highest mean value (M = 8.67, SD = 5.69) and is categorized as “extremely severe.” Additionally, identifying as female, living with family or roommates, and having high scores on passive coping styles were significant risk factors for mental health deterioration. In contrast, identifying as male, living with a romantic partner (cohabitation), and having high scores on the Responsibility personality trait were identified as protective factors against mental health impairment. Conclusions: Additional research is warranted to explore additional mediating variables and to develop specific intervention protocols for improving university students’ psychological well-being. Full article