Search Results (600)

The aim of the study was to explore the psychosocial perceptions that young adults have regarding gender-based violence, including those based on their personal experiences, and to highlight perceptions related to social media and how its use might be connected to gender-based violence. The participants were 40 university students from Northwestern Italy with an average age of 21.8 years (range: 19–25); 50% were women. Sampling was non-probabilistic and followed a purposive convenience strategy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online and audio-recorded, and data were analyzed using the reflective thematic approach. The results revealed that young adults are very aware, at a theoretical level, of “offline” physical, psychological, and verbal gender-based violence and its effects, while they do not give much consideration to online violence, despite often being victims of it, as revealed by their accounts, for example, through unsolicited explicit images or persistent harassment on social media. Therefore, the results of this research highlight the need to develop primary prevention programs focused on increasing awareness and providing young people with more tools to identify when they have been victims of violence, both online and offline, and to process the emotional experiences associated with such events. Full article

Background: Preschool bedroom television placement represents an established risk factor for negative psychological and behavioral outcomes in adolescence. Girls and boys have different risk factors for developmental psychopathology. It is unclear if childhood sport participation can act as a protective factor for the potential maladaptive behaviors associated with having a bedroom television in early childhood. Methods: This study aims to evaluate the impact of having a bedroom television in early childhood on later externalizing behaviors while examining the potential beneficial role of extracurricular sport participation in middle childhood using the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (Canada). We examine subsequent teacher-reported psycho-social outcomes by the end of sixth grade. Linear regression is used to examine the interaction between child-reported bedroom television placement (age 4 years) and parent-reported childhood sport participation trajectories (ages 6 to 10 years) in predicting behavioral outcomes at age 12 years. Results: For boys, extracurricular sport amplified the relationship between having a preschool bedroom television and subsequent physical aggression (b = 0.95, SE = 0.32, p < 0.001) and ADHD symptoms (b = 0.59, SE = 0.30, p ≤ 0.05), beyond individual and family characteristics. No interaction results were found for girls; however, consistent sport participation between ages 6 and 10 years resulted in a decrease in ADHD symptoms in girls (b = −0.329, SE = 0.102, p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Unexpectedly, for boys exposed to early bedroom television, consistently participating in extracurricular sport in childhood exacerbated long-term behavioral risks. Social unpreparedness from bedroom television placement countered the intended benefits of sport. This private access to screens might influence sedentary, unsupervised, isolated activity that increases the chances of viewing violence and reduces opportunities for social interaction. Full article

There is little research exploring the grey area of sexual violence (SV), considered in the literature as being a more subtle manifestation of SV, and therefore tending to be trivialized, legitimized, and normalized by society. This study aimed to compare students’ perceptions of the grey area of SV based on the gender of those involved, in a cis-hetero context, as well as potential sex differences in these perceptions. A vignette methodology was employed to gain valuable insights into the topic. The sample consisted of 164 university students living in Portugal, 71.3% (n = 117) female, with an average age of 23 (SD = 5.84). The thematic analysis revealed a central theme, Severity, reflecting participants’ perceptions of the seriousness of sexual violence within the “grey area”. This theme is expressed through four sub-themes: Attribution of severity, referring to how seriousness is assigned depending on context and beliefs; Identifying sexual violence, highlighting difficulties in recognizing certain behaviors as abusive; Frequency, capturing perceptions of how often such situations occur; and Report, addressing the barriers and facilitators to formal reporting. Our results indicated that while some participants minimized the scenario, the majority of the sample considered the situation as somewhat or very serious. Only few participants trivialized subtle forms of SV, perceiving incidents without overt physical force as less severe. Notably, sex differences emerged, despite being in the minority of the sample, female participants were more inclined to recognize these behaviors as abusive and to view the allegations as credible, whereas male participants tended to downplay the severity. Full article

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has far-reaching health and social consequences, particularly for survivors experiencing polyvictimization—multiple forms of IPV such as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. This study examined help-seeking behaviors and the perceived helpfulness of formal support sources (police, medical professionals, and psychologists) among a nationally representative sample of 2387 IPV survivors drawn from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) in the United States. Latent class analysis identified three distinct polyvictimization profiles: Coercive Control and Psychological Aggression (CCPA), Psychological and Physical Violence (PPV), and Multiple Violence (MV). Survivors’ patterns of formal help-seeking varied significantly by gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and type of victimization. Psychologists were the most commonly contacted and perceived as the most helpful overall, though disparities emerged. Female survivors and those with less severe victimization were more likely to rate support as helpful, whereas male and sexual/gender minority (SGM) survivors, particularly those facing severe or multiple forms of violence, were less likely to find formal sources helpful—especially law enforcement. These findings highlight the need for more inclusive, culturally competent, and trauma-informed services tailored to the diverse experiences of IPV survivors. Full article

Both sex-related factors and gender-related factors affect the immediate and long term mental and physical health impacts of disasters, including those resulting from public health emergencies, climate-related events, and naturally occurring phenomena. These include sex-specific biological, physiological and genetic processes, mechanisms underlying reproduction, disease outcomes, and stress, immune, and trauma responses. Gendered factors such as roles, relations, identity, and institutional policies that have an impact on caregiving, occupation, gender-based violence, and access to healthcare, also influence the impacts of disasters and emergencies. Sex/gender factors interact with a range of social determinants to affect the equitability of impacts. A rapid review was conducted to examine evidence from Australia, Canada, countries from the European Union, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA) on the influence of sex- and gender-related factors in the context of disasters, such as COVID-19, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. This article describes and categorizes this evidence with attention to real-world impacts of the interactions between sex, gender, and other equity related factors. Broad considerations for improving research and practices to support more sex and gender research in this area and ultimately, to improve emergency and disaster management, are discussed. Full article

Background/Objectives: South Korea is rapidly transitioning into a super-aged society, increasing the importance of care services to ensure the health and quality of life of older adults. Although the number of professional caregivers has steadily grown, these workers face a high risk of depression due to the emotional labor inherent to their roles. This study aimed to analyze factors influencing depression among female professional caregivers by employment type (full-time and part-time) and to explore policy and practical intervention strategies to promote their mental health. Methods: Using data from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, we selected 223 professional caregivers with at least 1 year of work experience. After excluding insincere responses and male participants, 217 participants were included in the final analysis: 121 full-time and 96 part-time professional caregivers. Results: We found that full-time workers experienced higher levels of depression when they lacked access to health and safety education and could not use paid leave. Part-time workers experienced high levels of depression when engaging in physical activity <3 days per week and when exposed to violence. Conclusions: Based on these findings, the study recommends regular and systematic health and safety education, the establishment of substitute worker support to facilitate paid leave use, promotion of physical activity through education and community programs, regular violence prevention education, and comprehensive support systems for victims. This study is significant in empirically identifying depression risk factors by employment type among female professional caregivers. Future research should include male professional caregivers and employ more advanced measurement tools and longitudinal designs. Full article

Background: Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) have a higher likelihood of experiencing detrimental physical, psychological and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. However, a gap remains in published literature on SRH interventions available to women experiencing IPV. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken to examine: What is the nature of sexual and reproductive healthcare interventions provided to women experiencing IPV? Five databases (APA PsycInfo, CINAHL Complete, Informit, PubMed and Scopus) were searched on 9 October 2023 for peer-reviewed systematic reviews or primary research published from 1 January 2004–present. The search was repeated on 11 June 2025 to ensure recency of studies. Two researchers independently screened studies at title and abstract, and full-text levels. The two searches yielded a total of 10,844 studies, of which nine were included in the review. Results: Due to the heterogenous nature of the studies, thematic analysis was undertaken with four themes being identified: Outcomes of interventions; Positive impact of personalised and patient-centred care; Professionals’ knowledge, education and training as a facilitator; and Barriers to effective IPV intervention implementation in healthcare. SRH interventions available to women who experienced IPV can empower survivors, improve access to care, and enhance service quality. Conclusions: Evidence-based models of care that are intersectional, trauma-informed and integrated into SRH and IPV services are critical to ensure future work supports women of differing backgrounds who have experienced IPV. Future research should include evaluating effectiveness of interventions, identifying and addressing systemic barriers, and supporting underrepresented groups. Full article

Background: In light of the concerning increase in burnout among healthcare professionals, it is essential to identify the specific factors that contribute to this phenomenon and can be addressed. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the relationship between burnout and emotional intelligence (EI) among healthcare professionals, alongside additional factors that may influence both concepts. Methods: A structured search in OVID, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000–2024) was conducted. The inclusion criteria were English language and peer-reviewed studies assessing both burnout and EI in healthcare professionals. The exclusion criteria were non-English papers, studies without EI–burnout correlation, or involving non-healthcare populations. Thirty-one eligible studies were included in this analysis. Results: The findings suggest a consistent inverse correlation between EI and burnout across various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and residents. Higher EI was associated with reduced levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and a greater sense of personal accomplishment. Burnout was found to be prevalent among younger healthcare workers, particularly residents, with contributing factors including exposure to workplace violence, high workload, and diminished psychological ownership. In contrast, associations that suggest protective influences on emotional intelligence included spiritual intelligence, self-control, income, and healthy habits, such as sufficient sleep and physical activity. Conclusions: This narrative review highlights a consistent inverse association between EI and burnout in healthcare professionals. Given that both burnout and EI are affected by adjustable individual and organizational elements, specific interventions aimed at enhancing EI and improving workplace conditions may provide effective techniques to boost clinician occupational well-being and performance. Full article

Background: Sexual violence poses a significant challenge to European lawmakers, impacting the victim’s physical and psychological health. This study examines sexual violence legislation across EU member states, Switzerland, and the UK, analyzing similarities, differences, challenges, and potential solutions for effective policy development. The research was motivated by the adoption of EU Directive 2024/1385. Methods: This study analyzes sexual violence legislation across European countries in a comparative and qualitative way, highlighting differences, commonalities, and the potential for uniform regulation. The data were collected from the literature published between 2015 and 2024, focusing the EU member states, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Results: The examination of the norms governing sexual offenses in various European countries revealed significant differences in legislative frameworks, reflecting diverse cultural, ethical, and legal perspectives. Conclusions: Despite European countries sharing the goal of protecting victims and combating sexual violence, there are significant legislative disparities. Key recommendations include enhancing EU member state cooperation, implementing joint training programs, developing a specific EU directive, and creating coordinated prevention and education programs. While respecting national legal diversity, a unified approach is needed for effective prevention and prosecution of sexual violence across Europe. Full article

(1) Background: Violence against healthcare professionals is becoming a growing concern for healthcare systems and a public health issue, and in Portugal it remains undocumented at a national level, leaving a critical knowledge gap. This scenario compromises the development of effective public policies and evidence-based institutional strategies, which are essential for guiding policymakers in the implementation of preventive measures and appropriate safety protocols to assess the nature, frequency, and key factors contributing to violence against healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses) in clinical settings. (2) Methods: This is a quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. The sample size was 440 professionals (n = 440). Between January and May 2024, healthcare professionals (physicians and nurses) working in four local health units located in the south of Portugal were invited to participate in this study via institutional e-mail. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire on the healthcare professional’s sociodemographic and work-related characteristics and aspects related to violence towards healthcare professionals in the workplace. Unconditional logistic regression models were fitted to compute crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for the association between sociodemographic and work-related characteristics and violence at work. (3) Results: Nearly 40% of the healthcare professionals sampled reported having been victims of violence in the workplace, and, among these, the majority reported experiencing psychological violence (94.2%), followed by physical violence (46.2%), another type of violence (39.1%), and sexual violence (4.1%). Incidents were mostly occasional (65.5%), occurring during the daytime (51.5%) and on weekdays (84.8%). Healthcare professionals aged between 34 and 55 years old were approximately twice as likely to experience violence compared to those who were 56 years old or older (OR = 2.28; 95%CI 1.33–3.90). Also, those who had been with the organization for more than 4 years (5–7 years: OR = 2.37; 95%CI 1.05–5.37. ≥8 years: OR = 1.87; 95%CI 1.00–3.50), as well as those who worked shifts (OR = 1.84; 95%CI 1.25–2.72), reported incidents of violence more frequently. (4) Conclusions: The low response rate (12.5%) and cross-sectional design limit the generalizability of the results, which should be interpreted considering these methodological limitations. Workplace violence in Portugal is a reality, and it requires solutions. Information related to violent incidents must be comprehensively gathered to understand the full extent of the problem and develop prevention strategies based on potentially changeable risk factors to minimize the negative effects of workplace violence. Full article

Background/Objectives: The adolescent and youth phase is characterized by rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development during which adolescents encounter numerous challenges. These challenges include experiences of sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, mental health issues, poverty, lack of education, social discrimination, and high fertility rates. The Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Services (AYFS) program in South Africa aims to enhance young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS). This study explores the healthcare providers’ (HCPs’) experiences in implementing the AYFS within public health facilities in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study employed individual in-depth interviews to gather data from eight HCPs. The target population consisted of HCPs working in the public health facilities that offer AYFS. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to select HCPs who met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was conducted following the steps outlined by Braun and Clarke. Results: The participants consisted of black females and one male, aged 34 to 50, with 1 to 14 years of experience. The four main themes emerged from the study: appropriate service provision, HCPs’ competency, accessibility of AYFS, and adherence to the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Overall, HCPs reported a positive experience in implementing AYFS. Conclusions: The findings indicated that AYFS was delivered as a comprehensive package addressing the needs of adolescents; however, there is a pressing need to enhance demand-creation initiatives in schools and communities to raise awareness and promote service utilization among this vulnerable population. The implications of these findings are to ensure thorough implementation and utilization of AYFS in the country. Full article

Backgrounds: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked to early and long-lasting mental health issues and somatic multimorbidity. Emerging evidence suggests ACEs may also accelerate physical frailty in old age. This study examines the association between ACEs and sarcopenia, an ageing-related disease and core component of frailty. Methods: Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), including 25,327 participants aged 45–85 years (50.3% female sex) were analyzed. Sarcopenia was defined using the revised European Working Group of Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) guidelines. ACE were assessed via the Childhood Experiences of Violence Questionnaire and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health Wave III questionnaire, covering eight ACE categories. Multiple logistic regression models examined the association between the number of ACE count and sarcopenia, which were adjusted for age, sex, education, income, and ethnicity. Results: Given a significant interaction between age and ACE (p < 0.01), analyses were stratified into four age groups (45–54, 55–64, 65–74, and 75–85 years). A significant association only emerged in the oldest group (75–85 years; OR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.86–1.00], p = 0.043), but this result was in the opposite direction we hypothesized. Sensitivity analyses confirmed findings across different operationalisations of ACE and sarcopenia. Conclusions: Higher ACE exposure was not associated with sarcopenia in middle aged and older adults. The unexpected protective association in the oldest-old subgroup may reflect survival bias. Age-stratified longitudinal studies are needed to clarify this relationship. Full article

(1) Background: Domestic violence (DV), including intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy and the puerperium, represents a major public health issue, significantly affecting maternal and child health. (2) Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, aimed to identify screening tools used to detect DV and IPV among pregnant and postpartum women and to estimate DV prevalence. The protocol was published in PROSPERO in advance (CRD42023473392). (3) Results: A comprehensive literature search across PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted on 1 January 2024, resulting in 34,720 records; 98 studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were conducted in over 40 countries, and most were cross-sectional. Commonly used screening tools included the WHO Women’s Health and Life Experiences Questionnaire, the Abuse Assessment Screen, and the WHO Violence Against Women Instrument. Meta-analyses showed that 10% of women experienced physical violence, 26% psychological violence, 9% sexual violence, 16% verbal violence, and 13% economic violence. The overall prevalence of IPV during pregnancy and the puerperium was 26%. Despite the widespread use of validated instruments, substantial heterogeneity was observed, underscoring the need for standardization. (4) Conclusion: These findings underline the urgent need to integrate routine IPV screening into maternal care pathways using validated, culturally adapted tools, ensuring women’s safety and confidentiality. Full article

Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) in infectious disease hospitals, particularly in high-risk settings, remains a critical yet understudied occupational hazard. A mixed-methods study was conducted at a Chinese infectious disease hospital, combining quantitative surveys (N = 675) and semi-structured interviews (28 HCWs, 17 patients/families). Logistic regression was used to analyze WPV incidence and predictors, while a thematic analysis of interview data identified contextual drivers. Psychological violence (34.1%) was significantly more prevalent than physical violence (2.2%), with outpatient departments (44.1%) and temporary staff (OR = 1.72) at the highest risk. Qualitative themes revealed systemic triggers, including communication breakdowns, environmental stressors, and organizational gaps in safety protocols and reporting. This study addressed a critical gap by incorporating the perspectives of HCWs and patients, revealing that WPV perceptions vary due to differing expectations and experiences. From these results, the CARE (Communication, Advocacy, Respect, Education) framework proposes actionable strategies: standardized SBAR communication protocols, enhanced security protocols in high-risk units, and mandatory anti-violence training. These findings underscore the need to strengthen the occupational health system to mitigate WPV and to improve healthcare quality. Full article

In recent years, Italy has experienced a significant increase in violence against healthcare workers, mirroring a global trend. Manifesting as verbal, physical, psychological, and material aggression, this phenomenon endangers both personnel safety and the foundational principles of the National Health Service (SSN) as outlined in Article 32 of the Italian Constitution. The escalation—most acute in emergency departments, psychiatric units, inpatient wards, and community services—affects a broad spectrum of professionals, compromising care quality and institutional integrity. Data from the FNOMCeO-CENSIS Report 2023–2024 reveal over 18,000 reported incidents in 2024, with verbal assaults disproportionately affecting female nursing staff. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated systemic vulnerabilities, heightening user dissatisfaction and psychological strain among healthcare providers. In response, legislative actions—such as Law No. 113/2020 and Decree-Law No. 137/2024—aim to strengthen prevention, monitoring, and penal measures. This article examines legal, institutional, and organizational responses, including on-the-ground and hospital-based strategies to mitigate violence. Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective, it analyzes recent policy developments, regional dynamics, and victim-perpetrator profiles, arguing that safeguarding healthcare environments is both a public security priority and an ethical imperative essential to preserving the dignity of care work and the resilience of the health system. Full article