[Health and social problems in the aged].

Science.gov (United States)

Grujić, V; Martinov-Cvejin, M; Ac-Nikolić, E

1997-01-01

This study reviews data from a poll conducted in three municipalities of Vojvodina on health and social problems of 60-year old and older people (n = 104). Poverty and illness are the main two problems aged people have to deal with, whereas exhaustion, pains, moving around with difficulty, poor vision, heart and breathing problems, as well as cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system are the most frequent health problems. Socializing is poor in the old age. Every third aged person visits nobody, while every fifth aged person is visited by nobody. About 3% of examinees describe their relationships with children as negative. That is why it is necessary to organize a health care of the aged which should maintain health and functional abilities into the old age with adequate social care of both closed and open type as long as possible.

Person-centered osteopathic practice: patients' personality (body, mind, and soul) and health (ill-being and well-being).

Science.gov (United States)

Fahlgren, Elin; Nima, Ali A; Archer, Trevor; Garcia, Danilo

2015-01-01

Background. Osteopathic philosophy and practice are congruent with the biopsychosocial model, a patient-centered approach when treating disease, and the view of the person as a unity (i.e., body, mind, and soul). Nevertheless, a unity of being should involve a systematic person-centered understanding of the patient's personality as a biopsychosociospiritual construct that influences health (i.e., well-being and ill-being). We suggest Cloninger's personality model, comprising temperament (i.e., body) and character (i.e., mind and soul), as a genuine paradigm for implementation in osteopathic practice. As a first step, we investigated (1) the relationships between personality and health among osteopathic patients, (2) differences in personality between patients and a control group, and (3) differences in health within patients depending on the presenting problem and gender. Method. 524 osteopathic patients in Sweden (age mean = 46.17, SD = 12.54, 388 females and 136 males) responded to an online survey comprising the Temperament and Character Inventory and measures of health (well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, harmony in life, energy, and resilience; ill-being: negative affect, anxiety, depression, stress, and dysfunction and suffering associated to the presenting problem). We conducted two structural equation models to investigate the association personality-health; graphically compared the patients' personality T-scores to those of the control group and compared the mean raw scores using t-tests; and conducted two multivariate analyses of variance, using age as covariate, to compare patients' health in relation to their presenting problem and gender. Results. The patients' personality explained the variance of all of the well-being (R (2) between .19 and .54) and four of the ill-being (R (2) between .05 and .43) measures. Importantly, self-transcendence, the spiritual aspect of personality, was associated to high levels of positive emotions and

A Path Analysis of the Effects of Mental Health and Socio-personal Factors on Breastfeeding Problems in Infants Aged Less than Six Months

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Zohreh Mahmoodi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite the large number of studies conducted on breastfeeding, no studies have yet examined the direct and indirect effects of socio-personal factors and mental health on breastfeeding. Aim: This study aimed to analyze of the effects of mental health and socio-personal factors on breastfeeding in infants aged less than six months. Method: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 465 eligible mothers visiting general health centers in a northern city of Iran, in 2015. Data were collected using the researcher-made scale of socio-personal factors of breastfeeding, Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck’s Depression Inventory, Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, the Breastfeeding Difficulties Questionnaire, the Access to Healthcare Questionnaire, and the Poor Health Behaviors Questionnaire. Results: The path analysis of the mental health variables showed that breastfeeding problems are associated through a direct path with depression, through an indirect path with stress, and through both paths with anxiety; a positive correlation was thus observed between these variables and breastfeeding problems. Poor health behaviors also contributed to mothers’ breastfeeding problems through a direct path and indirectly by affecting their level of depression. Income had the highest positive effect (B=0.66, while the number of children had the highest negative effect (B=-3.16 on breastfeeding problems through a direct path. Poor health behaviors had the highest positive effect (B=0.75 and family support had the highest negative effect (B=-0.11 on breastfeeding. Implications for Practice: The early diagnosis of poor postpartum mental health in mothers can help reduce breastfeeding problems.

Resilients, overcontrollers and undercontrollers: A systematic review of the utility of a personality typology method in understanding adult mental health problems.

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Bohane, Laura; Maguire, Nick; Richardson, Thomas

2017-11-01

The person-centred typological approach to personality makes the distinction between overcontrolled and undercontrolled personality types. This review systematically searched for research on the utility of these personality types in adult mental health. A total of 43 papers were included, which were divided broadly into cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies and studies with clinical populations. Three personality types have been largely replicated in both normal and clinical populations: resilients, overcontrollers and undercontrollers. These types show utility in predicting long-term functioning and mental health, understanding heterogeneous personalities within clinical subgroups and have implications for treatment. Some disagreement on the number of personality types deemed replicable across samples and differing methodologies do exist, with some finding a dimensional approach to personality to have greater predictive utility. These personality types have been shown to be important in a number of mental health problems such as eating disorders, which may prove helpful in developing new psychological interventions. These studies point to the importance of overcontrolled personality types as well as undercontrolled in mental health. More research is needed with a greater range of clinical populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Person-centered osteopathic practice: patients’ personality (body, mind, and soul and health (ill-being and well-being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elin Fahlgren

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background. Osteopathic philosophy and practice are congruent with the biopsychosocial model, a patient-centered approach when treating disease, and the view of the person as a unity (i.e., body, mind, and soul. Nevertheless, a unity of being should involve a systematic person-centered understanding of the patient’s personality as a biopsychosociospiritual construct that influences health (i.e., well-being and ill-being. We suggest Cloninger’s personality model, comprising temperament (i.e., body and character (i.e., mind and soul, as a genuine paradigm for implementation in osteopathic practice. As a first step, we investigated (1 the relationships between personality and health among osteopathic patients, (2 differences in personality between patients and a control group, and (3 differences in health within patients depending on the presenting problem and gender.Method. 524 osteopathic patients in Sweden (age mean = 46.17, SD = 12.54, 388 females and 136 males responded to an online survey comprising the Temperament and Character Inventory and measures of health (well-being: life satisfaction, positive affect, harmony in life, energy, and resilience; ill-being: negative affect, anxiety, depression, stress, and dysfunction and suffering associated to the presenting problem. We conducted two structural equation models to investigate the association personality-health; graphically compared the patients’ personality T-scores to those of the control group and compared the mean raw scores using t-tests; and conducted two multivariate analyses of variance, using age as covariate, to compare patients’ health in relation to their presenting problem and gender.Results. The patients’ personality explained the variance of all of the well-being (R2 between .19 and .54 and four of the ill-being (R2 between .05 and .43 measures. Importantly, self-transcendence, the spiritual aspect of personality, was associated to high levels of positive emotions

Personal health record systems and their security protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Win, Khin Than; Susilo, Willy; Mu, Yi

2006-08-01

The objective of this study is to analyze the security protection of personal health record systems. To achieve this we have investigated different personal health record systems, their security functions, and security issues. We have noted that current security mechanisms are not adequate and we have proposed some security mechanisms to tackle these problems.

Male mental health problems, psychopathy, and personality traits: key findings from the first 14 years of the Pittsburgh Youth Study.

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Loeber, R; Farrington, D P; Stouthamer-Loeber, M; Moffitt, T E; Caspi, A; Lynam, D

2001-12-01

This paper reviews key findings on juvenile mental health problems in boys, psychopathy, and personality traits, obtained in the first 14 years of studies using data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study. This is a study of 3 samples, each of about 500 boys initially randomly drawn from boys in the 1st, 4th, and 7th grades of public schools in Pittsburgh. The boys have been followed regularly, initially each half year, and later at yearly intervals. Currently, the oldest boys are about 25 years old, whereas the youngest boys are about 19. Findings are presented on the prevalence and interrelation of disruptive behaviors, ADHD, and depressed mood. Results concerning risk factors for these outcomes are reviewed. Psychological factors such as psychopathy, impulsivity, and personality are described. The paper closes with findings on service delivery of boys with mental health problems.

Problem-solving intervention for caregivers of children with mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerkensmeyer, Janis E; Johnson, Cynthia S; Scott, Eric L; Oruche, Ukamaka M; Lindsey, Laura M; Austin, Joan K; Perkins, Susan M

2013-06-01

Building Our Solutions and Connections (BOSC) focused on enhancing problem-solving skills (PSS) of primary caregivers of children with mental health problems. Aims were determining feasibility, acceptability, and effect size (ES) estimates for depression, burden, personal control, and PSS. Caregivers were randomized to BOSC (n=30) or wait-list control (WLC) groups (n=31). Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 and 6 months post-intervention. Three-months post-intervention, ES for burden and personal control were .07 and .08, respectively. ES for depressed caregivers for burden and personal control were 0.14 and 0.19, respectively. Evidence indicates that the intervention had desired effects. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Differences in mental health among young adults with borderline personality symptoms of various severities

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Wei-Hsin Lu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study examined the differences in mental health and behavioral problems among young adults with borderline personality symptoms of various severities. Methods: 500 college students participated in this study. Borderline personality symptoms were evaluated using the Taiwanese version of the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23. Mental health problems were assessed using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Scale. Suicidality and other behavioral problems were assessed using questions from the epidemiological version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia and BSL-23 Supplement. According to the distribution of BSL-23 scores at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, the participants were divided into 4 groups: No/Mild, Moderate, Severe, and Profound. Analysis of variance and the chi-square test were used to compare mental health and behavioral problems among the 4 groups. Results: All mental health problems differed significantly among the 4 groups. The severity of nearly all mental health problems increased with that of borderline personality symptoms. The proportions of most behavioral problems differed significantly among the 4 groups. The Profound group was more likely to have behavioral problems than the other 3 groups. Conclusion: Young adults who had more severe borderline personality symptoms had more severe mental health and behavioral problems. Keywords: Borderline personality, Mental health, Suicidality

Problems and opportunity of personality inventories in clinical - psychological practice

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Emil Benedik

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with possibilities and problems of usage of personality inventories in psychological diagnostic of persons with "heavy pathology", from aspect of validity and applicability in the first place. Personality inventories are usually designed for health population. By their usage in clinical psychology we often meet problems like specific tendencies when answering defined questions. This could be the result of situational factors but also the impact of their disorders and personality. The possibilities of classical interpretation of results are in this way limited. Do we have the opportunity of development of the diagnostic instruments that we could, not only recognise, but use such deformations (which represent cognitive style or defence of person in diagnostic purpose? The MMPI-2, most famous inventory in this field, offer us great aid, especially because its items are selected empirically. By the analysis of its items from aspect of sensing and localisation of subjects problems, we found differences between clinical scales which represent patients of different clinical groups. These differences are in accordance with psychoanalytical assumptions about characteristics of sensing self and other people.

Reproductive autonomy, the non-identity problem, and the non-person problem.

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DiSilvestro, Russell

2009-01-01

The Non-Identity Problem is the problem of explaining the apparent wrongness of a decision that does not harm people, especially since some of the people affected by the decision would not exist at all were it not for the decision. One approach to this problem, in the context of reproductive decisions, is to focus on wronging, rather than harming, one's offspring. But a Non-Person Problem emerges for any view that claims (1) that only persons can be wronged and (2) that the person-making properties allow for there to be human non-persons. Consider an individual human organism that is prevented from ever possessing the person-making properties. On person-only accounts of the victims of wronging, this organism cannot be wronged by anyone. Hence even individuals whose decisions prevent it from ever possessing the person-making properties cannot wrong it. But this is counter-intuitive. We can think of examples where a human organism is wronged by precisely those decisions that prevent it from possessing the person-making properties. The best solution to this problem, in the case where the person-making property is rational self-governance in pursuit of a meaningful life, is to adjust the concept of a person so that it refers, not merely to those with the immediate capacity for rational self-governance in pursuit of a meaningful life, but also to those with a higher-order capacity for such self-governance. Any solution to the Non-Identity Problem that focuses on wronging rather than harming should incorporate this sort of solution to the Non-Person Problem.

Disclosure of minor mental health problems: an exploratory theoretical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, B; Healy, D

2001-07-01

The aim of this study was to explore people's experiences, concerns and beliefs about disclosing minor mental health problems by focusing on the ways in which such disclosures are interpreted. Approximately half of people with mental health problems do not seek help. The decision to consult represents just one aspect of the process of revealing one's illness to others. People with mental health problems are known to be reluctant to reveal the existence of those problems through fear of how others might then view them. A qualitative approach was employed. In-depth interviews were carried out with 47 users and nonusers of community mental health services. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed. The data suggest that when people reveal minor mental health problems others interpret these in relation to a number of perceived contextual factors. These include perceptions of the severity and duration of any possible causes, the inner 'strength' of the person, the expected ability of the person to either solve or suppress the experience, and the form and context of the expression itself. The data presented included individuals who were seeking help for relatively 'minor' mental health problems (primarily depression and anxiety) and individuals who had no current mental health problems but routinely managed expressions of their own emotions. Throughout the data there appeared to be no distinct difference between these two groups other than one of the severity of psychological experience. The key elements involved in the interpretation of people's expressions of sadness were essentially the same as those involved in the interpretation of expressions of depression. An appreciation of these contextual factors influencing the interpretation and disclosure of minor mental health problems may aid the development of more person-centred mental health services and inform the content of health education in the mental health field.

Is borderline personality disorder only a mental health problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Cailhol, Lionel; Francois, Margot; Thalamas, Claire; Garrido, Cécile; Birmes, Philippe; Pourcel, Laure; Lapeyre-Mestre, Maryse; Paris, Joel

2016-11-01

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been shown to have increased rates of the use of medical services. The objective of this multicentre study was to compare the utilization of physical health services by patients with severe BPD (n = 36) with that of two control groups: one with other personality disorders (PDs) (n = 38) and one with matched subjects randomly selected from the general population (n = 165). Information was drawn from an insurance database collected over a 5-year period. The results showed that the BPD group had a higher mean number of medication prescriptions (377.3 vs. 97.4, p groups with BPD and other PDs. The annual health-care cost for each BPD patient is estimated to be 12 761 euros, of which 17.6% is due to somatic care. In the BPD group, co-morbidity for narcissistic PD (NPD) contributed to the overall use of medications and hospitalization use. Combined with other data, this exploratory study shows that BPD is a medical burden and not just a psychiatric one. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Integrative Treatment in Persons with Intellectual Disability and Mental Health Problems

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Dosen, A.

2007-01-01

Background: Clinical experience has proven thus far that a monodisciplinary treatment approach to behavioural and psychiatric problems in persons with intellectual disability (ID), such as psychotropic medication or behaviour modification programmes, has yielded limited success. It is clear that the complexity of behavioural and psychiatric…

Trajectories of mental health problems in children of parents with mental health problems: results of the BELLA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Plass-Christl, Angela; Otto, Christiane; Klasen, Fionna; Wiegand-Grefe, Silke; Barkmann, Claus; Hölling, Heike; Schulte-Markwort, Michael; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike

2017-11-24

Children of parents with mental health problems (CPM) have an increased risk for behavioral and psychological problems. This study investigated the age- and gender-specific course as well as predictors of mental health problems in CPM using the longitudinal data (baseline 1- and 2-year follow-ups) of a German general population sample from the BELLA study. Children and adolescents aged 11-17 years (at baseline) who had a parent with mental health problems (n = 325) were analyzed. The mental health problems of the children were assessed by the self-reported version of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). We used individual growth modeling to investigate the age- and gender-specific course, and the effects of risk as well as personal, familial and social protective factors on self-reported mental health problems in CPM. Additionally, data were examined differentiating internalizing and externalizing mental health problems in CPM. Results indicated that female compared to male CPM showed increasing mental health problems with increasing age. Mental health problems in CPM were associated with lower self-efficacy, worse family climate and less social competence over time. Internalizing problems were associated with lower self-efficacy, less social competence and more severe parental mental health problems. Externalizing problems were associated with lower self-efficacy, worse family climate and lower social competence. The main limitations of the study are the short time period (2 years) covered and the report of mental health problems by only one parent. Our findings should be considered in the development of treatment and prevention programs for mental health problems in CPM.

GENDER FEATURES OF THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS HEALTH OF PERSONS OF MATURE AGE

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T. V. Mayasova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In article the attitude towards health and a healthy lifestyle at men and women of middle age is investigated. One of the main problems which exist in our society, the problem of the passive or indifferent attitude towards the health of adults is. Other important problem is that the value of health becomes more tool and its value as means to live long and fully is lost. Installations and representations of the person about health depend on conditions of socialization of the person, including on gender (polorolevykh stereotypes and expectations, characteristic for concrete society and culture. The analysis of the results received during empirical research confirms that there are certain divergences in the attitude towards health at men and women. Reliable distinctions of valuable orientation concerning a healthy lifestyle at men and women are revealed. Statistically reliable distinctions in men's and women's groups concerning the factors influencing health of the person are defined

Personal Professional Reflection as Interdisciplinary Problem

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Rezvan Oksana

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Consideration of professional reflection as interdisciplinary problem is the necessary condition of quality analysis for personal professional becoming. Personal becoming in a profession is related to forming the necessary professional skills of a person, behaviour stereotypes which is the area of pedagogics. Reflection processes are inalienable part of self-knowledge of a person which result must lead to his self-perfection (including professional one and studying within the psychology increasingly. Thus the aim of the article is to ground the determination of professional reflection as an interdisciplinary problem in pedagogics and psychology.

Personality-Related Problems and the Five-Factor Model of Personality

OpenAIRE

Boudreaux, Michael

2014-01-01

This research identifies a broad and inclusive set of personality-related problems and examines their empirical associations with both the high and low poles of the five-factor model of personality (FFM). McCrae, Widiger, and colleagues (e.g., McCrae, 1994; McCrae, Löckenhoff, & Costa, 2005; Widiger, Costa, & McCrae, 2002, 2012) have proposed that individuals with particular personality traits may be predisposed to particular kinds of problems in life, and suggested that the FFM serve as a ba...

El personal sanitario no percibe la violencia doméstica como un problema de salud Intimate partner violence is not identified as a health problem by health care workers

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Blanca Coll-Vinent

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar la opinión del personal sanitario de nuestro hospital frente al fenómeno de la violencia doméstica. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo de prevalencia, utilizando un cuestionario diseñado ad hoc. Se preguntó a 321 profesionales, seleccionados aleatoriamente, acerca de la violencia doméstica y su relación con la salud. Resultados: Respondieron 287 profesionales. La mayoría de encuestados (87,1% consideró que era un problema importante, pero no lo consideraban un problema de salud. El 60% consideró que podía tener un papel relevante en la detección de esta situación. En general, valoraron como muy baja su preparación para atender a este tipo de pacientes. El personal de enfermería era más sensible al problema y se consideraba más preparado que el personal médico. Conclusiones: Los profesionales de la salud están sensibilizados frente al problema de la violencia de género, pero no lo consideran un problema de salud y aducen falta de preparación para abordar este tema.Objective: To determine attitudes, opinions and knowledge of domestic violence among medical and nursing staff. Methods: We performed a descriptive study of prevalence using an ad hoc questionnaire. A random sample of 321 health professionals were asked about their opinions and knowledge of domestic violence and its relationship with health. Results: A total of 287 health professions completed the questionnaire. Most (87.1% considered that intimate partner violence was an important problem, but not a health issue. Sixty percent of the health professionals believed that they could play an important role in detecting patients in this situation. Knowledge about the management of this problem was low. Nursing professionals were more sensitive to this issue and better prepared than medical staff. Conclusions: Healthcare personnel are sensitive to the problem of intimate partner violence but do not consider this issue to be a health problem. Education about

Health Problems and Health Care Seeking Behaviour of Rohingya Refugees

OpenAIRE

Masud, Abdullah Al; Ahmed, Md. Shahoriar; Sultana, Mst. Rebeka; Alam, S. M. Iftekhar; Kabir, Russell; Arafat, S. M. Yasir; Papadopoulos, Konstantinos

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Rohingya refugees are one of the most vulnerable group due to lack of health care system, personal hygiene, shelter, sanitation and violence. Aim: The present study aims to find out the health problems and health care seeking behavior of rohingya refugee peoples, to identify the socio-demographic information for such exposure group in relation to age, sex, occupation, living areas, to explore the patient's physical, emotional, perceptions, attitudes and environmen...

Oral health matters for the nutritional status of older persons-A population-based study.

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Lindmark, Ulrika; Jansson, Henrik; Lannering, Christina; Johansson, Linda

2018-03-01

To explore the association between oral health and nutritional status in the context of daily care for older people. Oral problems often increase with age and affect a person's ability to chew and swallow. They might also influence the ability to maintain a satisfactory nutritional status. Oral health awareness is therefore of great importance in nursing care for older people. A retrospective cross-sectional study. Data from the Swedish quality register, Senior Alert, were used, including structured assessments of both oral and nutritional status using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping and the Mini Nutritional Assessment. In total, 1,156 persons (mean age: 82.8 ± 7.9) had both oral and nutritional assessments registered by the nursing staff in daily care. Approximately 29% of participants had moderate oral health problems. Another 12% had severe problems. Over 60% of the persons were considered at risk of malnutrition or were malnourished. There was a weak correlation between poor nutritional status and poor oral health, and approximately one-third of the persons who were at risk or malnourished had simultaneous oral problems. A multivariate logistic regression revealed that when problems involving voice and swallowing were present, there was also a greater possibility of being assessed as at risk of malnourishment or being malnourished. There is a relationship between oral health problems and nutritional status, indicating the importance of evaluating oral health status in older persons with nutritional problems. Nursing staff involved in care for older people should be aware of the importance of including regular oral health check-ups in their work. There is also a need for nursing staff members and oral health professionals to exchange knowledge. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The language of mental health problems in social media

OpenAIRE

Gkotsis, George; Oellrich, Anika; Hubbard, Tim; Dobson, Richard JB; Liakata, Maria; Velupillai, Sumithra; Dutta, Rina

2016-01-01

Online social media, such as Reddit, has become an important resource to share personal experiences and communicate with others. Among other personal information, some social media users communicate about mental health problems they are experiencing, with the intention of getting advice, support or empathy from other users. Here, we investigate the language of Reddit posts specific to mental health, to define linguistic characteristics that could be helpful for further applications. The latte...

Prevalence of work-related health problems among providers of car ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence of work-related health problems among providers of car battery ... the use of personal protective devices and safety measures should be promoted. Keywords: Prevalence, work-related, battery chargers, occupational health, Nigeria ...

Relationship between personal, maternal, and familial factors with mental health problems in school-aged children in Aceh province, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Saputra, Fauzan; Yunibhand, Jintana; Sukratul, Sunisa

2017-02-01

Recently, mental health problems (MHP) in school-aged children have become a global phenomenon. Yet, the number of children affected remains unclear in Indonesia, and the effects of mental health problems are of concern. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of MHP in school-aged children and its relationship to personal, maternal, and familial factors in Aceh province, Indonesia. Participants were 143 school-aged children with MHP and their mothers. They completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Social Competence Questionnaire, Brief Family Relationship Scale, Parental Stress Scale, Parent's Report Questionnaire, and Indonesian Version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Mainly, children were rated to have emotional symptoms by their mothers (37.8%). Factors such as academic competence, family relationships, and maternal parenting stress are related to MHP. Given the high prevalence of school-aged children that have emotional symptoms, child psychiatric mental health nurses should give special attention to assist them during their school years. Moreover, nurses should aim to improve family relationships and reduce maternal parenting stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accessibility to health services by persons with disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Shamyr Sulyvan; Lefèvre, Fernando; Lefèvre, Ana Maria Cavalcanti; Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão

2011-02-01

To analyze the difficulties in accessibility to health services experienced by persons with disabilities. A qualitative study was performed with individuals who reported having a certain type of disability (paralysis or amputation of limbs; low vision, unilateral or total blindness; low hearing, unilateral or total deafness). A total of 25 individuals (14 women) were interviewed in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between June and August 2007, responding to questions about transportation and accessibility to health services. Collective Subject Discourse was the methodology used to analyze results and analyses were performed with the Qualiquantisoft software. The analysis of discourses on transportation to health services revealed a diversity in terms of the user going to the service alone or accompanied; using a private car, public transportation or ambulance or walking; and requiring different times to arrive at the service. With regard to the difficulties in accessibility to health services, there were reports of delayed service, problems with parking, and lack of ramps, elevators, wheelchairs, doctors and adapted toilets. Individuals with a certain type of disability used various means of transportation, requiring someone to accompany them in some cases. Problems with accessibility to health services were reported by persons with disabilities, contradicting the principle of equity, a precept of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

Does neuroticism explain variations in care service use for mental health problems in the general population?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Have, M; Oldehinkel, A; Vollebergh, W; Ormel, J

Little is known about the role of personality characteristics in service utilisation for mental health problems. We investigate whether neuroticism: 1) predicts the use of primary and specialised care services for mental health problems, independently of whether a person has an emotional disorder;

Advance directives and personal identity: what is the problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Furberg, Elisabeth

2012-02-01

The personal identity problem expresses the worry that due to disrupted psychological continuity, one person's advance directive could be used to determine the care of a different person. Even ethicists, who strongly question the possibility of the scenario depicted by the proponents of the personal identity problem, often consider it to be a very potent objection to the use of advance directives. Aiming to question this assumption, I, in this paper, discuss the personal identity problem's relevance to the moral force of advance directives. By putting the personal identity argument in relation to two different normative frameworks, I aim to show that whether or not the personal identity problem is relevant to the moral force of advance directives, and further, in what way it is relevant, depends entirely on what normative reasons we have for respecting advance directives in the first place.

Hypertension – a public health problem

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Zélia Maria de Sousa Araújo Santos

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Hypertension is considered an important public health problem in Brazil,which is aggravated by its high prevalence and late detection. In addition, it is oneof the major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Hypertension, considered a “silent murder”, is the largest social problem indeveloped countries and in a large number of developing countries. Despite of knownefficacy and affectivity of various preventive and control measures, including thepharmacological ones, hypertension will continue, for decades, representing oneof the largest health challenges and high cost disease for individuals and society. Ifcontrol of existed cases, as well as control and prevention of risks factors for thisdisease are not implemented, this problematic will affect a large proportion of thepopulation in our country, which, in 2020, will have had increase significantly over60 years of age.Hypertension is a multifactor, multisystem syndrome. It can be cause bymultiple causes, being related to inadequate life style, constitutional factors, suchas: sex, age, race/color and family history; as well as environmental issues, suchas: sedentary lifestyle, stress, smoking, alcoholism, inadequate diet and obesity.Due to its silent course, a person can be surprised by its complications, beingnecessary learn to live with its chronic nature on an every day basis. Nevertheless,this type of problem is influenced by a series of determinants, including personalitycharacteristics, forms to face the disease, self-concept, self-image, experience withthe disease and health care professionals attitudes.One of the difficulties found in the treatment of persons with hypertensionis the lack of adhesion to the treatment, as 50% of the known patients withhypertension don’t treat themselves, and among those who do, few have controlledblood pressure. Between 30 and 50% of persons with hypertension stop treatmentwithin the first year of treatment, and 75% after five

Addiction is one of the social problems which has a significant role in the spiritual and physical health of the person, family

OpenAIRE

Fereshte Jaliliyan

2009-01-01

Addiction is one of the social problems which has a significant role in the spiritual and physical health of the person, family, and specially the health of the society. One of the main factors for continuance and intensity of involvement in addiction, is that the individuals, the network positive (healthy) relations is low. There fore, in this study, the role of the network positive (healthy) and the network negative (unhealthy) relations in degree (intensity) of the person’s involvement in ...

Teachers' Personal Constructs on Problem Behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H.A. Everaert; J.T.E. van Beukering; J.M.F. Touw

2005-01-01

Present study focuses on revealing and developing personal constructs regarding problem behaviour in classrooms. The main idea is that teachers’ opinions about their students and themselves influence the way they interact with them. Their thoughts and ideas about students - their personal constructs

A Study on Mental Health Status and Personality Traits of Pet Owners

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H Choobineh

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Many Iranian families manage to keep pets at home. Examining psychological consequences and personality traits of pet owners is important. The aim of this study was to examine mental health status and personality traits of pet owners. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive study, 612 pet owners (143 cat owners, 162 dog owners, 155 bird owners and 152 other pet owners were asked to complete General Health Questionnaire (GHQ and IPIP Personality Scale from January to December 2006. Results: Bird owners had the highest (234 cases (38.3% and other pet owners had the lowest (129 cases (42.3% mental health problems. In general, 188 cases (30.7% of all groups had mental health problems. 122 cases (20% of them had somatic compliance, 182 cases (29.7% had anxiety, 149 cases (24.3% had social dysfunction and 84 cases (13.7% had depression. Bird owners had significant high level of social dysfunction than other pet owners. With respect to personality traits, dog owners had low level of agreeableness and openness to experience than other groups. Other pet owners had high level of emotional stability than other groups. Conclusion: Contrary to other countries, it seems that having a pet in home enhances the probability of mental disorders in Iran. It is possible that lower mental health persons were keeping pets in Iran. In personality perspectives, dog owners are more disagreeable people and other pet owners are more emotionally stable ones.

Secure management of personal health records by applying attribute-based encryption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Asim, M.; Petkovic, M.

2009-01-01

The confidentiality of personal health records is a major problem when patients use commercial Web-based systems to store their health data. Traditional access control mechanisms have several limitations with respect to enforcing access control policies and ensuring data confidentiality. In

Secure Management of Personal Health Records by Applying Attribute-Based Encryption

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Asim, Muhammad; Petkovic, M.

2009-01-01

The confidentiality of personal health records is a major problem when patients use commercial Web-based systems to store their health data. Traditional access control mechanisms, such as Role-Based Access Control, have several limitations with respect to enforcing access control policies and

Older depressed Latinos' experiences with primary care visits for personal, emotional and/or mental health problems: a qualitative analysis.

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Izquierdo, Adriana; Sarkisian, Catherine; Ryan, Gery; Wells, Kenneth B; Miranda, Jeanne

2014-01-01

To describe salient experiences with a primary care visit (eg, the context leading up to the visit, the experience and/or outcomes of that visit) for emotional, personal and/or mental health problems older Latinos with a history of depression and recent depressive symptoms and/or antidepressant medication use reported 10 years after enrollment into a randomized controlled trial of quality-improvement for depression in primary care. Secondary analysis of existing qualitative data from the second stage of the continuation study of Partners in Care (PIC). Latino ethnicity, aged > or =50 years, recent depressive symptoms and/or antidepressant medication use, and a recent primary care visit for mental health problems. Of 280 second-stage participants, 47 were eligible. Both stages of the continuation study included participants from the PIC parent study control and 2 intervention groups, and all had a history of depression. Data analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using grounded theory methodology. Five themes were identified: beliefs about the nature of depression; prior experiences with mental health disorders/treatments; sociocultural context (eg, social relationships, caregiving, the media); clinic-related features (eg, accessibility of providers, staff continuity, amount of visit time); and provider attributes (eg, interpersonal skills, holistic care approach). Findings emphasize the importance of key features for shaping the context leading up to primary care visits for help-seeking for mental health problems, and the experience and/or outcomes of those visits, among older depressed Latinos at long-term follow-up, and may help tailor chronic depression care for the clinical management of this vulnerable population.

Shift work-related health problems in

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S. Khavaji

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Background and aimsShift work is a major feature of working life that affects diverse aspects of human life. The main purposes of this study were to investigate shift work-related health problems and their risk factors among workers of "12-hour shift" schedule.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out at 8 petrochemical industries in Asalooyeh area. Study population consisted of 1203 workers including 549 shift worker (46% and 654 day worker (54%. Data on personal details, shift schedule and adverse effects of shift work werecollected by anonymous questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS, version 11.5. The level of significance was set at 5%.ResultsAlthough, the results showed that health problems among shift workers was more prevalent than day workers, but the differences were just significant in gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal disorders (p<0.05. Multiple linear regressions indicated that in addition to shift working, other variants such as long work hours, type of employment, second job, number of children and job title were associated with health problems.ConclusionPrevalence rates of gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal problems among shift workers were significantly higher than that of day workers. Although, working in shift system was the main significant factor associated with the reported problems, but other demographic andwork variables were also found to have association.

Children with mental versus physical health problems: differences in perceived disease severity, health care service utilization and parental health literacy.

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Dey, Michelle; Wang, Jen; Jorm, Anthony Francis; Mohler-Kuo, Meichun

2015-03-01

To compare children with mental and physical health problems regarding (1) perceived disease severity; (2) the impact of their condition on their families; (3) their utilization of health care services (including satisfaction with care); and (4) parents' health literacy about their child's condition and its treatment. Furthermore, we examined whether parents' health literacy differs between types of mental health condition. Parental reports about their 9- to 14-year-old children with mental (n = 785) or physical health problems (n = 475) were analyzed from the population-based National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs in Switzerland. Mental health problems were perceived as being more severe (p mental health problem mentioned having a particular person or place to contact if they needed information or advice regarding the child's condition (p = 0.004) and were satisfied with the health care services their child received (p mental health problems vs. parents of children with physical health problems (OR in the adjusted model = 1.92; 95 % CI 1.47-2.50; p mental health problem (although only a trend was observable for internalizing problems). The large impact of children's mental health conditions on themselves and their families might be reduced by adapting the provision of health care and by increasing parents' health literacy.

A review of physical and mental health in homeless persons.

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Martens, W H

2001-01-01

To review the physical and mental status in homeless people. A MEDLINE database search covering 5 decades was supplemented by tracing back through references from existing review work. Over 200 articles were extracted, and 106 were selected for review. Homeless persons suffer frequently from physical health problems like tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, HIV infection, and as a consequence, they run an increased risk for premature mortality. The prevalence of mental disorders among homeless individuals varies from 80-95% in the USA, Australia, Canada, Norway, and Germany to 25-33% in Ireland and Spain. The most prominent mental disorders among the homeless, which vary from country to country, are depression, affective disorders, substance abuse, psychotic disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Homelessness is a major public health problem that should have our special interest.

[Empowerment of children and adolescents--the role of personal and social resources and personal autonomy for subjective health].

Science.gov (United States)

Erhart, M; Wille, N; Ravens-Sieberer, U

2008-12-01

Scientific research on empowerment so far is nearly exclusively focused on the adult population. Nevertheless, it is possible to show a link between empowerment and a) the developmental psychology concepts of resilience, b) autogenetic concepts and c) concepts of risks and resources. This paper aims to study the role of personal, familial and other social resources as well as personal autonomy for subjective health-ratings. A secondary analysis of the health data of 7,000 children and adolescents aged 10-17 years of the German health behaviour in school-aged children (HBSC) study as well as 1,700 children aged 11-17 years of the mental health module (BELLA Study) within the German health interview and examination survey for children and adolescents (KiGGS) was performed. Statistical analyses encompassed analyses of variance and linear regression. Analyses of the HBSC study showed a protective effect for school-class climate as well as parental support, whereby school was associated with fewer self-reported health complaints. Analyses of the BELLA/KiGGS study showed personal, familial and other social resources as well as personal autonomy as unique predictors for a better health-related quality of life (KINDL-R). This was true even if psychological problems were observed. The results confirm the importance of strengthening personal, familial and other social resources as well as the principal importance of personal autonomy for coping with health risks and health impairments. Future research explicitly focussed on empowerment could relate to the role of personal resources within children's and adolescents' contact with the medical and health care system. It can be expected that strengthening personal resources benefits and improves the communication and active participation of children and adolescents within treatment-decision and -evaluation.

Personal Reflection: Reflections on a Family Health History Assignment for Undergraduate Public Health and Nursing Students

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Rooks, Ronica N.; Ford, Cassandra

2013-01-01

This personal reflection describes our experiences with incorporating the scholarship of teaching and learning and problem-based techniques to facilitate undergraduate student learning and their professional development in the health sciences. We created a family health history assignment to discuss key concepts in our courses, such as health…

Exploring Type-and-Identity-Based Proxy Re-Encryption Scheme to Securely Manage Personal Health Records

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ibraimi, L.; Gangopadhyay, Aryya; Tang, Qiang; Hartel, Pieter H.; Jonker, Willem

2010-01-01

Commercial Web-based Personal-Health Record (PHR) systems can help patients to share their personal health records (PHRs) anytime from anywhere. PHRs are very sensitive data and an inappropriate disclosure may cause serious problems to an individual. Therefore commercial Web-based PHR systems have

The personal health future

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Spil, Antonius A.M.; Klein, Richard

2015-01-01

Despite several personal health record (PHR) product offerings from major technology sector players over the past years, the notion of tracking and maintaining one׳s personal health information electronically has failed to takeoff among consumers. Accordingly, we explore factors potentially shaping

Mental, physical and social health problems of call centre workers

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P Bhuyar

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Call centre workers in BPO face unique occupational hazards - mental, physical and psychosocial. Material & Method: A sample 100 call centre workers of both sexes and from two cities Pune and Mumbai were surveyed by both qualitative and quantitative methods for the above health problems. Results: A high proportion of workers faced sleep disturbances and associated mental stress and anxiety. Sleep disturbance and anxiety was significantly more in international call centres compared to domestic. There was also disturbance in circadian rhythms due to night shift. Physical problems such as musculoskeletal disorders, obesity, eye, and hearing problems were also present. Psychosocial problems included disruption in family life, use of tobacco and alcohol, and faulty eating habits. Conclusion: Better personal management, health education and more research is indicated to study the health problems in this emerging occupation.

Work as treatment? The effectiveness of re-employment programmes for unemployed persons with severe mental health problems on health and quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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van Rijn, Rogier M; Carlier, Bouwine E; Schuring, Merel; Burdorf, Alex

2016-04-01

Given the importance of unemployment in health inequalities, re-employment of unemployed persons into paid employment may be a powerful intervention to increase population health. It is suggested that integrated programmes of vocational reintegration with health promotion may improve the likelihood of entering paid employment of long-term unemployed persons with severe mental health problems. However, the current evidence regarding whether entering paid employment of this population will contribute to a reduction in health problems remains unambiguous. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of re-employment programmes with regard to health and quality of life. Three electronic databases were searched (up to March 2015). Two reviewers independently selected articles and assessed the risk of bias on prespecified criteria. Measures of effects were pooled and random effect meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was conducted, where possible. Sixteen studies were included. Nine studies described functioning as an outcome measure. Five studies with six comparisons provided enough information to calculate a pooled effect size of -0.01 (95% CI -0.13 to 0.11). Fifteen studies presented mental health as an outcome measure of which six with comparable psychiatric symptoms resulted in a pooled effect size of 0.20 (95% CI -0.23 to 0.62). Thirteen studies described quality of life as an outcome measure. Seven of these studies, describing eight comparisons, provided enough information to calculate a pooled effect size of 0.28 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.52). Re-employment programmes have a modest positive effect on the quality of life. No evidence was found for any effect of these re-employment programmes on functioning and mental health. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Physical health problems in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome.

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Sinnema, Margje; Maaskant, Marian A; van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, Henny M J; van Nieuwpoort, I Caroline; Drent, Madeleine L; Curfs, Leopold M G; Schrander-Stumpel, Constance T R M

2011-09-01

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder which is characterized by severe hypotonia and feeding problems in early infancy. In later childhood and adolescence, this is followed by hyperphagia and extreme obesity if the diet is not strictly controlled. Data on physical health problems in adults with PWS are scarce. We report on the prevalence of physical health problems in a Dutch cohort of adults with PWS in relation to age, BMI, and genetic subtype. Participants (n = 102) were retrieved via the Dutch Prader-Willi Parent Association and through physicians specializing in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). Details regarding physical health problem spanning the participants' lifespan were collected from caretakers through semi-structured interviews. Cardiovascular problems included diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cerebrovascular accidents. Respiratory infections were frequent in adulthood. In males, cryptorchidism was almost universal, for which 28/48 males had a history of surgery, mostly orchidopexy. None of the women had a regular menstrual cycle. Sixteen individuals had a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Spinal deformation, hip dysplasia, and foot abnormalities were common. Skinpicking, leg edema, and erysipelas were frequent dermatological problems. The findings in our group support the notion that the prevalence of physical health problems is underestimated. This underscores the importance of developing monitoring programs which would help to recognize physical health problems at an early stage. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Mental health problems among clinical psychologists: Stigma and its impact on disclosure and help-seeking.

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Tay, Stacie; Alcock, Kat; Scior, Katrina

2018-03-24

To assess the prevalence of personal experiences of mental health problems among clinical psychologists, external, perceived, and self-stigma among them, and stigma-related concerns relating to disclosure and help-seeking. Responses were collected from 678 UK-based clinical psychologists through an anonymous web survey consisting of the Social Distance Scale, Stig-9, Military Stigma Scale, Secrecy Scale, Attitudes towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form, alongside personal experience and socio-demographic questions. Two-thirds of participants had experienced mental health problems themselves. Perceived mental health stigma was higher than external and self-stigma. Participants were more likely to have disclosed in their social than work circles. Concerns about negative consequences for self and career, and shame prevented some from disclosing and help-seeking. Personal experiences of mental health problems among clinical psychologists may be fairly common. Stigma, concerns about negative consequences of disclosure and shame as barriers to disclosure and help-seeking merit further consideration. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Heterogeneity of interpersonal problems among depressed young adults: Associations with substance abuse and pathological personality traits

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Dawood, Sindes; Thomas, Katherine M.; Wright, Aidan G.C.; Hopwood, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

This study extended previous theory and research on interpersonal heterogeneity in depression by identifying groups of depressed young adults who differ in their type and degree of interpersonal problems, and by examining patterns of pathological personality traits and alcohol abuse among these groups. We examined the interpersonal problems, personality traits, and alcohol-related problems of 172 college students with at least moderate levels of self-reported depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire (Spitzer, Kroenke, & Williams, 1999). Scores from the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems – Short Circumplex (Soldz, Budman, Demby, & Merry, 1995) were subjected to latent profile analysis, which classified individuals into five distinct groups defined by the types of interpersonal problems they experience (dominant, warm, submissive, cold, and undifferentiated). As hypothesized, groups did not differ in depression severity, but did show predicted patterns of differences on normative and maladaptive personality traits, as well as alcohol-related problems. The presence of clinically meaningful interpersonal heterogeneity in depression may have important implications for designing more individualized treatments and prevention efforts for depression that target diverse associated interpersonal problems. PMID:23560433

Mercury exposure of workers and health problems related with small-scale gold panning and extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.; Shah, M.T.; Din, I.U.; Rehman, S.

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate mercury (Hg) exposure and health problems related to small-scale gold panning and extraction (GPE) in the northern Pakistan. Urine and blood samples of occupational and non-occupational persons were analyzed for total Hg, while blood's fractions including red blood cells and plasma were analyzed for total Hg and its inorganic and organic species. The concentrations of Hg in urine and blood samples were significantly (P<0.01) higher in occupational persons as compared to non-occupational and exceeded the permissible limits set by World Health Organization (WHO) and United State Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). Furthermore, the data indicated that numerous health problems were present in occupational persons involved in GPE. (author)

Health problems of victims before and after disaster: a longitudinal study in general practice.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yzermans, C.J.; Donker, G.A.; Kerssens, J.J.; Dirkzwager, A.J.E.; Soeteman, R.J.H.; Veen, P.M.H. ten

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: We aimed to quantify the health problems and to assess the possible risk factors for developing health problems in persons affected by the explosion of a firework depot at Enschede, The Netherlands, on May 13, 2000. The explosion considerably damaged buildings in the local neighbourhood

An interview study of persons who attribute health problems to dental filling materials--part two in a triangulation study on 65 and 75 years old Swedes.

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Ståhlnacke, Katri; Söderfeldt, Björn

2013-01-01

Dental materials are perceived as a health problem by some people, although scientists do not agree about possible causes of such problems. The aim of this paper was to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of experiences from living with health problems attributed to dental materials. Addressed topics were the type of problem, both as to general and oral health, perceived causes of the problems,their experienced effect on life, and reception by health professionals. Persons, who in a previous large questionnaire study had answered that they had experienced troubles from dental materials and also agreed to answer follow-up questions, were contacted with a request to take part in an interview study. Eleven individual interviews were held.The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the material was analysed according to the Qualitative Content Analysis method. Meaning units were extracted and condensed into a number of codes, which were combined into subcategories, categories, and themes. Four themes were identified: 1) Long-term oral, mental, and somatic difficulties of varying character, caused by dental amalgam. 2) Problems treated mainly by replacement of dental material in fillings. 3) Powerful effects on life, mostly negative. 4) The reception by health professionals was generally good, but with elements of encounters where they felt treated with nonchalance and lack of respect. In conclusion, people who attributed their health difficulties to dental materials had a complex range of problems and the perception was that amalgam/mercury was the cause of the troubles. The reception from health professionals was perceived as generally good, although with occasional negative experiences.

Childhood and Adult Trauma Experiences of Incarcerated Persons and Their Relationship to Adult Behavioral Health Problems and Treatment

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Jing Shi

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Rates of childhood and adult trauma are high among incarcerated persons. In addition to criminality, childhood trauma is associated with the risk for emotional disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety and co-morbid conditions such as alcohol and drug abuse and antisocial behaviors in adulthood. This paper develops rates of childhood and adult trauma and examines the impact of age-of-onset and type-specific trauma on emotional problems and behavior for a sample of incarcerated males (N~4,000. Prevalence estimates for types of trauma were constructed by age at time of trauma, race and types of behavioral health treatment received while incarcerated. HLM models were used to explore the association between childhood and adult trauma and depression, anxiety, substance use, interpersonal problems, and aggression problems (each model estimated separately and controlling for age, gender, race, time incarcerated, and index offense. Rates of physical, sexual, and emotional trauma were higher in childhood than adulthood and ranged from 44.7% (physical trauma in childhood to 4.5% (sexual trauma in adulthood. Trauma exposure was found to be strongly associated with a wide range of behavioral problems and clinical symptoms. Given the sheer numbers of incarcerated men and the strength of these associations, targeted intervention is critical.

Mental Health Problems and Related Factors in Ecuadorian College Students

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Claudia Torres

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Although the mental health problems of college students have been the subject of increasing research, there are no studies about its prevalence in Ecuadorian college students. The aim of this study was to determine the mental health problems and their associated factors in Ecuadorian freshmen university students. A sample of 1092 students (53.7% women; mean age = 18.3 years were recruited from the Technical Particular University of Loja (Ecuador. Socio-demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics were gathered, as well as information on the participants’ mental health through a number of mental health screens. Prevalence of positive screens was 6.2% for prevalence of major depressive episodes, 0.02% for generalized anxiety disorders, 2.2% for panic disorders, 32.0% for eating disorders, 13.1% for suicidal risk. Mental health problems were significantly associated with sex, area of study, self-esteem, social support, personality and histories of mental health problems. The findings offer a starting point for identifying useful factors to target prevention and intervention strategies aimed at university students.

Mental Health Problems and Related Factors in Ecuadorian College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Claudia; Otero, Patricia; Bustamante, Byron; Blanco, Vanessa; Díaz, Olga; Vázquez, Fernando L

2017-05-15

Although the mental health problems of college students have been the subject of increasing research, there are no studies about its prevalence in Ecuadorian college students. The aim of this study was to determine the mental health problems and their associated factors in Ecuadorian freshmen university students. A sample of 1092 students (53.7% women; mean age = 18.3 years) were recruited from the Technical Particular University of Loja (Ecuador). Socio-demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics were gathered, as well as information on the participants' mental health through a number of mental health screens. Prevalence of positive screens was 6.2% for prevalence of major depressive episodes, 0.02% for generalized anxiety disorders, 2.2% for panic disorders, 32.0% for eating disorders, 13.1% for suicidal risk. Mental health problems were significantly associated with sex, area of study, self-esteem, social support, personality and histories of mental health problems. The findings offer a starting point for identifying useful factors to target prevention and intervention strategies aimed at university students.

Testing developmental pathways to antisocial personality problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Diamantopoulou; F.C. Verhulst (Frank); J. van der Ende (Jan)

2010-01-01

textabstractThis study examined the development of antisocial personality problems (APP) in young adulthood from disruptive behaviors and internalizing problems in childhood and adolescence. Parent ratings of 507 children's (aged 6-8 years) symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,

Personality Disorder Models and their Coverage of Interpersonal Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Trevor F.; Simms, Leonard J.

2015-01-01

Interpersonal dysfunction is a defining feature of personality disorders (PDs) and can serve as a criterion for comparing PD models. In this study, the interpersonal coverage of four competing PD models was examined using a sample of 628 current or recent psychiatric patients who completed the NEO Personality Inventory-3 First Half (NEO-PI-3FH; McCrae & Costa, 2007), Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5; Krueger et al., 2012), Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder-Static Form (CAT-PD-SF; Simms et al., 2011), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Questionnaire (SCID-II PQ; First, Spitzer, Gibbon, & Williams, 1995). Participants also completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Circumplex (IIP-SC; Soldz, Budman, Demby, & Merry, 1995) to assess interpersonal dysfunction. Analyses compared the severity and style of interpersonal problems that characterize PD models. Previous research with DSM-5 Section II and III models was generally replicated. Extraversion and Agreeableness facets related to the most well defined interpersonal problems across normal-range and pathological traits. Pathological trait models provided more coverage of dominance problems, whereas normal-range traits covered nonassertiveness better. These results suggest that more work may be needed to reconcile descriptions of personality pathology at the level of specific constructs. PMID:26168406

Health behaviour changes and onset of chronic health problems in later life

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Marijke Veenstra

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To assess five-year changes in health behaviours in later life and associations with onset of chronic health problems. The results may inform policy and interventions to promote healthy life years in ageing populations.Methods: Data are derived from the Norwegian study on Life-course, Ageing and Generation (NorLAG, a five-year (2002-2007 panel survey comprising a nation wide community sample. The present analyses include a sample of 1,019 respondents aged 60 years and older. Five-year changes in smoking, alcohol use, physical exercise and Body Mass Index (BMI are assessed according to prevalent and incident chronic health problems. Multivariate logistic analyses of “healthy” behavioural changes are conducted.Results: A total of 453 respondents (45% reported at least one chronic condition and 13% (N=133 reported onset of chronic conditions in the course of the past five years. Over a five-year period, there was an overall reduction in smoking rates and a decrease in regular physical activity. Alcohol consumption in older people slightly increased over time, but the incidence of chronic health problems tended to reduce alcohol intake. Older persons experiencing chronic health problems were less likely to initiate physical activity.Conclusions: The results provide limited support for the assumption that the onset of a chronic health condition triggers improved health behaviours. This suggests that the health care system could do more in targeting a potential “window of opportunity” for individuals to adopt new healthy behaviours in later life.

Psychopathology, Personal and Relationship Problems in Men Who Enact Family Violence

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Parvaneh Mohammadkhani

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study aimed at determing psychopathology and personal and relationship problems in violent husband. Materials & Methods: In this cross – sectional study 230 male were selected through a multi clustral sampling from four different regions of Tehran. Then they completed Conflict Tactics Scales-2, personal and relationship Profile and Symptoms Check list-90-Revised. Based on their response to Conflict Tactics Scales-2, they were devided in to two groups. Then the psychopathological profile and personal and Relationship problems were compaired. Results: Psychopathology, personal and relationshoip Profile were drawn. It showed that violence is associated with Psychopathology and excessive personal and relationship problems in violent husband (P&le0/05. Conclusion: Violent husband in compare with nonviolent husband have more severe psychological symptomathology and more personal and relationship problems.

Adjustment and mental health problem in prisoners

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Sudhinta Sinha

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background : "Crime" is increasing day by day in our society not only in India but also all over the world. In turn, the number of prisoners is also increasing at the same rate. They remain imprisoned for a long duration or in some cases for the whole life. Living in a prison for long time becomes difficult for all inmates. So they often face adjustment and mental health problems. Recent findings suggest that mental illness rate in prison is three times higher than in the general population. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the adjustment and the mental health problem and its relation in the prisoners. Materials and Methods : In the present study, 37 male prisoners of district jail of Dhanbad District of Jharkhand were selected on purposive sampling basis. Each prisoner was given specially designed Performa - Personal Data Sheet, General Health Questionnaire-12 and Bell Adjustment Inventory. Appropriate statistical tools were used to analyze the data. Results: The results obtained showed poor adjustment in social and emotional areas on the adjustment scale. The study also revealed a significant association between adjustment and mental health problem in the prisoners. Conclusion: The prisoners were found to have poor social and emotional adjustment which has strong association with their mental health.

Testing Developmental Pathways to Antisocial Personality Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Diamantopoulou, Sofia; Verhulst, Frank C.; van der Ende, Jan

2010-01-01

This study examined the development of antisocial personality problems (APP) in young adulthood from disruptive behaviors and internalizing problems in childhood and adolescence. Parent ratings of 507 children's (aged 6-8 years) symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and anxiety, were linked to…

Personalism for public health ethics

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Carlo Petrini

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In public health ethics, as in bioethics, utilitarian approaches usually prevail, followed by Kantian and communitarian foundations. If one considers the nature and core functions of public health, which are focused on a population perspective, utilitarianism seems still more applicable to public health ethics. Nevertheless, faulting additional protections towards the human person, utilitarianism doesn't offer appropriate solutions when conflicts among values do arise. Further criteria must be applied to protect the fundamental principles of respect for human life. Personalism offers similar advantages to utilitarianism but warrants more protection to the human person. We suggest a possible adaptation of personalism in the specific field of public health by means of four principles: absolute respect for life or principle of inviolability; subsidiarity and the "minimum" mandatory principle; solidarity; justice and non discrimination.

Personalism for public health ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrini, Carlo; Gainotti, Sabina; Requena, Pablo

2010-01-01

In public health ethics, as in bioethics, utilitarian approaches usually prevail, followed by Kantian and communitarian foundations. If one considers the nature and core functions of public health, which are focused on a population perspective, utilitarianism seems still more applicable to public health ethics. Nevertheless, faulting additional protections towards the human person, utilitarianism doesn't offer appropriate solutions when conflicts among values do arise. Further criteria must be applied to protect the fundamental principles of respect for human life. Personalism offers similar advantages to utilitarianism but warrants more protection to the human person. We suggest a possible adaptation of personalism in the specific field of public health by means of four principles: absolute respect for life or principle of inviolability; subsidiarity and the "minimum" mandatory principle; solidarity; justice and non discrimination.

EMOTIONAL MATURITY OF PERSONALITY: THE PRACTICAL PROBLEM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

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O. I. Afonina

2013-03-01

Full Text Available In the dif?cult conditions of the contemporary society which are far from being favorable to maintain one’s emotional and physical health the problem of development and achievement of emotional maturity as a factor of the well-being is getting more signi?cant. Based on the theoretical concepts of different scientists who de?ned the construct of emotional maturity three groups of psychological methods for assessing emotional maturity are analyzed. The ?rst group includes the methods that are used to assess emotional maturity explicitly and have a theoretical or empirical veri?cation. The second group includes the methods that are intended to assess emotional maturity as a separate scale complimented by other scales, related to evaluating other aspects of emotionality in  the  structure  of  the  personality.  The  third  group  includes  the  methods  in  which  emotional maturity is mentioned in the description of other psychic phenomena, or in the interpretation of certain factors (scales. Psychodiagnostic methods studying different parameters depending on the theoretical concepts of the authors about the structure and content of the emotional maturity of the personality make references to concepts of emotional development, consciousness, cognitive and volitional capacities of the personality and the coping strategies the individual prefer to use. The problem of developing valid and reliable psychodiagnostic methods of studying emotional maturity of the adult personality as a holistic phenomenon still awaits attention and retains its signi?cance.

School nurses’ experiences working with students with mental health problems : A qualitative study

OpenAIRE

Jönsson, Julia; Maltestam, Malin; Bengtsson-Tops, Anita; Garmy, Pernilla

2017-01-01

The aim was to describe school nurses’ experiences working with students with mental health problems. In this inductive qualitative study, interviews were conducted with 14 school nurses in Sweden. The content analysis revealed three themes:(1) sense of worriedness about working with students with mental health problems, (2) taking care of students with mental health issues was an opportunity for personal and professional development, and (3) the experience of making a difference for young pe...

How does maternal oxytocin influence children's mental health problem and maternal mental health problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Wai S; Siu, Angela F Y; Wong, Tracy K Y

2017-12-01

This study aims to explore the interrelationship among maternal oxytocin (OT) responsiveness, maternal mental health, maternal parenting behavior, and mental health of children under a free-play interaction. 61 mother-child dyads were recruited for the study. Maternal mental health problem and parenting self-efficacy were measured using self-reported questionnaires. The mental health problems of children were also evaluated using a mother-reported questionnaire. Furthermore, salivary OT was collected before and after a standardized 10min free-play interaction. Parenting behaviors, including eye gaze and touch, were measured during the free-play interaction. Maternal OT responsiveness was significantly associated with less maternal mental health problem, touch frequency, and mental health problem of children but not with parenting self-efficacy. In the multivariate linear regression analysis that considers maternal OT responsiveness and maternal and children's mental health problems, maternal OT responsiveness was not associated with the mental health problems of children. This result suggested that maternal mental health problem played a mediational role between maternal OT responsiveness and the mental health problem of children. Results supported the assertion that maternal OT responsiveness contributed to the increased risk of maternal mental health problems and, subsequently, the risk of mental health problems of their children. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Typology of person-environment fit constellations: a platform addressing accessibility problems in the built environment for people with functional limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Slaug, Björn; Schilling, Oliver; Iwarsson, Susanne; Carlsson, Gunilla

2015-09-02

Making the built environment accessible for all regardless of functional capacity is an important goal for public health efforts. Considerable impediments to achieving this goal suggest the need for valid measurements of acccessibility and for greater attention to the complexity of person-environment fit issues. To address these needs, this study aimed to provide a methodological platform, useful for further research and instrument development within accessibility research. This was accomplished by the construction of a typology of problematic person-environment fit constellations, utilizing an existing methodology developed to assess and analyze accessibility problems in the built environment. By means of qualitative review and statistical methods we classified the person-environment fit components covered by an existing application which targets housing accessibility: the Housing Enabler (HE) instrument. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used as a conceptual framework. Qualitative classification principles were based on conceptual similarities and for quantitative analysis of similarities, Principal Component Analysis was carried out. We present a typology of problematic person-environment fit constellations classified along three dimensions: 1) accessibility problem range and severity 2) aspects of functioning 3) environmental context. As a result of the classification of the HE components, 48 typical person-environment fit constellations were recognised. The main contribution of this study is the proposed typology of person-environment fit constellations. The typology provides a methodological platform for the identification and quantification of problematic person-environment fit constellations. Its link to the globally accepted ICF classification system facilitates communication within the scientific and health care practice communities. The typology also highlights how relations between aspects of functioning

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL MOBILITY: THE CONJUGACY PROBLEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara B. Sergeeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available RETRACTED ARTICLEThe purpose of the paper is to develop a theoretical model conjugation of personal and professional mobility on the high school teachers’ example. Specific research problems of the study are to analyze the correlation properties of the mobile identity and mobile professional; the possibilities of forming professional mobility of teachers in the absence or underdevelopment of personal preconditions for mobility; search the features that can compensate this deficiency.Methods. The study is based on a theoretical analysis of different methodological approaches to the description of the personal and professional mobility. Also there were used the results of non-formal interview which was aimed at identifying the characteristics of the mobile professional teacher of high school.Results and scientific novelty. The concepts of «personal mobility» and «professional mobility» are clarified. Personal mobility is defined in the work as an integrative personal qualities, based on the individual properties (activity, plasticity, flexibility, adaptability, high energy source and manifests itself in the behavior and activities of the entity in the form of commitment, independence, openness to new experience, creativity and motivation for self-development, speed decisionmaking. Professional mobility is interpreted as a strategy to adapt to the changing conditions of professional activity, which is a special case of the general personal life strategy.Psychological readiness for pedagogical activity is considered as a link between the personal and professional mobility. Nine types of teacher's professional mobility, emerging as a result of different levels of personal mobility combined with the severity of psychological readiness for pedagogical activity are described.Practical significance. The analysis of the conjugacy problem of personal and professional mobility creates an informational basis for prolonged work on the formation of

Challenges and opportunities of using recommender systems for personalized health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Karlsen, Randi; Vognild, Lars K

2009-01-01

The use of computers in health education started more than a decade ago, mainly for tailoring health educational resources. Nowadays, many of the computer-tailoring health education systems are using the Internet for delivering different types of health education. Traditionally, these systems are designed for a specific health problem, with a predefined library of educational resources. These systems do not take advantage of the increasing amount of educational resources available on the Internet. One of the reasons is that the high availability of content is making it more difficult to find the relevant one. The problem of information overload has been addressed for many years in the field of recommender systems. This paper is focused on the challenges and opportunities of merging recommender systems with personalized health education. It also discusses the usage of social networks and semantic technologies within this approach.

Personalized health care: from theory to practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyderman, Ralph

2012-08-01

The practice of medicine stands at the threshold of a transformation from its current focus on the treatment of disease events to an emphasis on enhancing health, preventing disease and personalizing care to meet each individual's specific health needs. Personalized health care is a new and strategic approach that is driven by personalized health planning empowered by personalized medicine tools, which are facilitated by advances in science and technology. These tools improve the capability to predict health risks, to determine and quantify the dynamics of disease development, and to target therapeutic approaches to the needs of the individual. Personalized health care can be implemented today using currently available technologies and know-how and thereby provide a market for the rational introduction of new personalized medicine tools. The need for early adoption of personalized health care stems from the necessity to reduce the egregious and wasteful burden of preventable chronic diseases, which is not effectively addressed by our current approach to care. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Development of Personality and Problem Behaviour in Adolescence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akse, J.

2006-01-01

This dissertation focuses on the development of personality and problem behaviour in adolescence. It has long been debated whether personality is stable or whether it changes over time. Personality could change due to the many changes that occur during adolescence, such as attending a new school,

ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

OpenAIRE

SÜLEYMAN DÜNDAR

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze problem solving skills of university students according to their personal characteristics. We try to find out if there is a difference in problem solving skills considering sex, class and personality harmony characteristics. Personal data form, Problem Solving Scale and Hacettepe Personality Scale are used as measurement tools. The results of the study indicate that there is no difference between male and female students in problem solving skills. Problem s...

Old persons' contact with general practitioners in relation to health: a Danish population study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almind, G; Holstein, B E; Holst, E

1991-01-01

The study describes health, social situation, and contact with general practitioners in a random sample of non-institutionalized persons 70-95 years old in Denmark. There was a strong correlation between health and contact with general practitioners. A small group, 3% of the respondents, had...... no health problems, but had been in contact with a general practitioner within the previous month. This group was characterized by a strong social network and a high degree of life satisfaction. Another small group, including 3% of the respondents, had extensive health problems, but had nevertheless...

Adaptations of Personal Health Record Platform for Medical Research on Chronic Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Krukowski

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The article reports on experiences in e-Health platforms and services for supporting medical research into the causes and relationships among physiological parameters and health problems concerning different chronic diseases. The Personal Health Record (PHR is a way of standardizing electronic management of medical information between patients and their physicians, including medical bodies collaborating in providing integrated medical care services. We describe roles and aims behind electronic health records, follow with applicable legal and standardizations frameworks and relevant European activities, leading to the presentation of common commercial and open-source implementations of such systems, concluding with the indication of specific adaptations enabling a use of stored personal health data for scientific research into causes and evaluation of chronic illnesses. We describe ethical and privacy concerns that are relevant to using and exchanging electronic health information.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL MOBILITY: THE CONJUGACY PROBLEM

OpenAIRE

Tamara B. Sergeeva

2015-01-01

RETRACTED ARTICLEThe purpose of the paper is to develop a theoretical model conjugation of personal and professional mobility on the high school teachers’ example. Specific research problems of the study are to analyze the correlation properties of the mobile identity and mobile professional; the possibilities of forming professional mobility of teachers in the absence or underdevelopment of personal preconditions for mobility; search the features that can compensate this deficiency.Methods. ...

Adolescent Personality in Social Contexts: Pals, Partners, and Problems

OpenAIRE

Yu, R.

2014-01-01

The aim of the current dissertation was to show how adolescent personality was linked to youths’ developmental outcomes. Our findings suggest that adolescent personality has concurrent and predictive relations to a variety of important developmental outcomes. Specifically, adolescent personality was associated with internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors at an individual level. Also, adolescent personality was related to conflict frequency and conflict resolution strategies as well ...

Factors Affecting Usage of a Personal Health Record (PHR) to Manage Health

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Taha, Jessica; Czaja, Sara J.; Sharit, Joseph; Morrow, Daniel G.

2018-01-01

As the health care industry shifts into the digital age, patients are increasingly being provided with access to electronic personal health records (PHRs) that are tethered to their provider-maintained electronic health records. This unprecedented access to personal health information can enable patients to more effectively manage their health, but little is actually known about patients’ ability to successfully use a PHR to perform health management tasks or the individual factors that influence task performance. This study evaluated the ability of 56 middle-aged adults (40–59 years) and 51 older adults (60–85 years) to use a simulated PHR to perform 15 common health management tasks encompassing medication management, review/interpretation of lab/test results, and health maintenance activities. Results indicated that participants in both age groups experienced significant difficulties in using the PHR to complete routine health management tasks. Data also showed that older adults, particularly those with lower numeracy and technology experience, encountered greater problems using the system. Furthermore, data revealed that the cognitive abilities predicting one’s task performance varied according to the complexity of the task. Results from this study identify important factors to consider in the design of PHRs so that they meet the needs of middle-aged and older adults. As deployment of PHRs is on the rise, knowledge of the individual factors that impact effective PHR use is critical to preventing an increase in health care disparities between those who are able to use a PHR and those who are not. PMID:24364414

Measuring the Core Components of Maladaptive Personality: Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-118)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Andrea (Helene); R. Verheul (Roel); C.C. Berghout (Casper); C. Dolan (Conor); P.J.A. van der Kroft (Petra); A.W. Bateman (Anthony); P. Fonagy (Peter); J.J. van Busschbach (Jan)

2007-01-01

textabstractThis report describes a series of studies among 2231 subjects on the development of the Severity Indices for Personality Problems (SIPP), a self-report questionnaire measuring the core components of (mal)adaptive personality functioning. Results show that the 16 facets have good

Health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) among homeless persons compared to a general population sample in Stockholm County, 2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Sun; Irestig, Robert; Burström, Bo; Beijer, Ulla; Burström, Kristina

2012-03-01

To describe and compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among homeless persons with a general population sample in Stockholm County, 2006, and to analyse the importance of certain social determinants of health among the homeless. Face-to-face interviews with 155 homeless persons and a postal survey to a general population sample, mainly based on the same questionnaire, including questions on social determinants of health and HRQoL measured with the EQ-5D. Chronic illness was three times more common among the homeless. HRQoL was worse among homeless persons than in the general population sample: the homeless reported more problems, especially more severe problems, in all the EQ-5D dimensions and had considerably lower EQ-5D(index) and EQ(VAS) score than the general population. Most problems were reported in the dimension anxiety/depression. Among the homeless, longer duration and more severe degree of homelessness lowered HRQoL, but few determinants were statistically significantly related to HRQoL. Having mental disease significantly lowered HRQoL. This study was an attempt to include hard-to-reach groups in an assessment of population health. Homeless persons had considerably worse HRQoL than the general population and reported most problems in the dimension anxiety/depression. Some diseases may contribute to causing homelessness; others may be seen as consequences. Homeless persons are a vulnerable group in society. Further interview studies are needed based on larger sample of homeless persons to explore health determinants such as sex, age, socioeconomic factors, duration and degree of homelessness, and health-related behaviours among the homeless persons.

Mental health problems among internally displaced persons in Darfur.

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Hamid, Abdalla A R M; Musa, Saif A

2010-08-01

War victims are regarded as one of the highest risk groups for mental disturbances. This study investigated the effects of the Darfur conflict on mental health of 430 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from three camps located around Fasher and Nyala towns. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select participants. Male participants represented 50.6% of the sample while female participants represented 49.4%. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used in addition to a questionnaire measuring demographic variables and living conditions. It was hypothesized that high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and of nonpsychotic psychiatric symptoms will be evident. Results showed a high dissatisfaction rate (72%) with living conditions among IDPs. There was also high prevalence of PTSD (54%) and general distress (70%) among IDPs. Female participants showed more somatic symptoms than their male counterparts. Married participants were more distressed, anxious, and showed more social dysfunction, while single ones reported more avoidance symptoms. Significant differences related to date of displacement were found in PTSD and hyperarousal. The group of IDPs displaced in 2003 scored higher on these scales than those displaced in 2004 and 2005. There was also significant difference related to date of displacement in distress, somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, and social dysfunction. IDPs displaced in 2003 scored higher on these scales. Results are discussed in light of the study hypotheses and previous findings. It is concluded that three factors might affect the dissatisfaction of IDPs with living conditions inside camps. These are: lack of employment, unsuitability of food items, and lack of security around camps. It was recommended that psychological support services should be among the prime relief services provided by aid agencies.

Importance of Personalized Health-Care Models: A Case Study in Activity Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Zdravevski, Eftim; Lameski, Petre; Trajkovik, Vladimir; Pombo, Nuno; Garcia, Nuno

2018-01-01

Novel information and communication technologies create possibilities to change the future of health care. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is seen as a promising supplement of the current care models. The main goal of AAL solutions is to apply ambient intelligence technologies to enable elderly people to continue to live in their preferred environments. Applying trained models from health data is challenging because the personalized environments could differ significantly than the ones which provided training data. This paper investigates the effects on activity recognition accuracy using single accelerometer of personalized models compared to models built on general population. In addition, we propose a collaborative filtering based approach which provides balance between fully personalized models and generic models. The results show that the accuracy could be improved to 95% with fully personalized models, and up to 91.6% with collaborative filtering based models, which is significantly better than common models that exhibit accuracy of 85.1%. The collaborative filtering approach seems to provide highly personalized models with substantial accuracy, while overcoming the cold start problem that is common for fully personalized models.

Information Seeking When Problem Solving: Perspectives of Public Health Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Kristine; Dobbins, Maureen; Yost, Jennifer; Ciliska, Donna

2017-04-01

Given the many different types of professionals working in public health and their diverse roles, it is likely that their information needs, information-seeking behaviors, and problem-solving abilities differ. Although public health professionals often work in interdisciplinary teams, few studies have explored their information needs and behaviors within the context of teamwork. This study explored the relationship between Canadian public health professionals' perceptions of their problem-solving abilities and their information-seeking behaviors with a specific focus on the use of evidence in practice settings. It also explored their perceptions of collaborative information seeking and the work contexts in which they sought information. Key Canadian contacts at public health organizations helped recruit study participants through their list-servs. An electronic survey was used to gather data about (a) individual information-seeking behaviors, (b) collaborative information-seeking behaviors, (c) use of evidence in practice environments, (d) perceived problem-solving abilities, and (e) demographic characteristics. Fifty-eight public health professionals were recruited, with different roles and representing most Canadian provinces and one territory. A significant relationship was found between perceived problem-solving abilities and collaborative information-seeking behavior (r = -.44, p public health professionals take a shared, active approach to problem solving, maintain personal control, and have confidence, they are more likely collaborate with others in seeking information to complete a work task. Administrators of public health organizations should promote collaboration by implementing effective communication and information-seeking strategies, and by providing information resources and retrieval tools. Public health professionals' perceived problem-solving abilities can influence how they collaborate in seeking information. Educators in public health

[Personal health records: the case of the Personal Health Folder of Catalonia (Spain)].

Science.gov (United States)

Saigí, Francesc; Cerdá Calafat, Ismael; Guanyabens Calvet, Joan; Carrau Vidal, Elisenda

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to explore the possibilities of the Personal Health Folder and to identify the gap between the potential applications of this tool and what it offers through the Internet. The Personal Health Folder is presented, a project linked to the Shared Medical Record of Catalonia (Spain), which provides citizens with an access point to information about their health insurance, customized and supported by information and communication technologies. The project was carried out by the Ministry of Health of the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya) and data were gathered through an anonymous survey. The results were critical to obtain information on the suitability of the published data and on the expectations of a tool aimed at the general population. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A randomized controlled trial of a personalized feedback intervention for problem gamblers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John A Cunningham

Full Text Available Personalized feedback is a promising self-help for problem gamblers. Such interventions have shown consistently positive results with other addictive behaviours, and our own pilot test of personalized normative feedback materials for gamblers yielded positive findings. The current randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness, and the sustained efficacy, of the personalized feedback intervention materials for problem gamblers.Respondents recruited by a general population telephone screener of Ontario adults included gamblers with moderate and severe gambling problems. Those who agreed to participate were randomly assigned to receive: 1 the full personalized normative feedback intervention; 2 a partial feedback that contained all the feedback information provided to those in condition 1 but without the normative feedback content (i.e., no comparisons provided to general population gambling norms; or 3 a waiting list control condition. The primary hypothesis was that problem gamblers who received the personalized normative feedback intervention would reduce their gambling more than problem gamblers who did not receive any intervention (waiting list control condition by the six-month follow-up.The study found no evidence for the impact of normative personalized feedback. However, participants who received, the partial feedback (without norms reduced the number of days they gambled compared to participants who did not receive the intervention. We concluded that personalized feedback interventions were well received and the materials may be helpful at reducing gambling. Realistically, it can be expected that the personalized feedback intervention may have a limited, short term impact on the severity of participants' problem gambling because the intervention is just a brief screener. An Internet-based version of the personalized feedback intervention tool, however, may offer an easy to access and non-threatening portal that can be used to

Criminal Justice Contact, Stressors, and Obesity-Related Health Problems Among Black Adults in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Archibald, Paul C; Parker, Lauren; Thorpe, Roland

2018-04-01

Criminal justice contact-defined as lifetime arrest, parole, or incarceration, seems to exacerbate chronic conditions, and those who are most likely to have had contact with the criminal justice system, such as Black adults, often already have pre-existing disproportionately high rates of stress and chronic conditions due to the social determinants of health that affect underrepresented minorities. Findings from this study suggest that there is a mechanism that links the stressors among Black adults manifested by such factors as family, financial, neighborhood, and personal problems with criminal justice contact to obesity-related health status. Using the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), modified Poisson regression analyses were used to determine the association between criminal justice contact, stressors, and obesity-related health problems among a national sample of Black adults (n = 5008). In the full model, the odds of experiencing obesity-related health problems for Black adults who had criminal justice contact was reduced (PR, 1.23 to 1.14) and not statistically significant. Black adults who reported experiencing family stressors (PR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08, 1.36), financial stressors (PR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.16, 1.47), and personal stressors (PR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02, 1.31) were statistically significant and higher than those who reported not experiencing any of these stressors; neighborhood stressors was not statistically significant. The evidence suggests a relationship between the stressors associated with criminal justice contact and obesity-related health status. These findings emphasize the need to further explore the family, financial, and personal stressors for Black adults with criminal justice contact in order to further our understanding of their obesity-related health problems.ᅟ.

Recruitment strategies for caregivers of children with mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Oruche, Ukamaka M; Gerkensmeyer, Janis E; Austin, Joan K; Perkins, Susan M; Scott, Eric; Lindsey, Laura M; Mullins, Kristen

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe strategies for recruiting participants into an intervention study that focused on improving problem-solving skills in caregivers of children with mental health problems. Caregivers of children with mental health problems report feeling physically and psychologically overwhelmed and have high rates of depression because of the demands of caregiving. Research on the needs of these caregivers and interventions to ameliorate their stress is needed. However, recruiting this population can be particularly difficult because of the stigma of mental illness. Available literature on recruitment of caregivers of persons with physical illness cannot be transferred to caregivers of children with mental health problems because of the different caregiving situations. There is a need to identify effective recruitment strategies to reduce cost and answer research questions. Clinical nurse specialists have the skills to facilitate the recruitment of research participants. We revised and expanded health system referrals, community outreach, and recruiting advertisement (ads). When these strategies did not increase recruitment, radio ads were used. The Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization was selected as a guiding framework. Radio ads were the most effective strategy for recruiting caregivers of children with mental health problems for this study. Recruitment was ultimately successful because we were flexible and made decisions consistent with the Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization. Clinical nurse specialists who study this population of caregivers should really consider the use of radio ads and systematically track which recruitment strategies lead to the greatest number of participants screened, eligible, and enrolled into studies.

Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Students' Internalising Problems of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Science.gov (United States)

Bryer, Fiona; Signorini, Jessica

2011-01-01

An emerging national agenda for the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians has fostered an expectation that primary teachers can recognise and respond to students with internalising problems. A mixed method survey of fourth-year preservice teachers revealed patchy personal and practicum exposure to internalising problems and scant…

Mental health problems among young doctors: an updated review of prospective studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyssen, Reidar; Vaglum, Per

2002-01-01

Previous studies have shown the medical community to exhibit a relatively high level of certain mental health problems, particularly depression, which may lead to drug abuse and suicide. We reviewed prospective studies published over the past 20 years to investigate the prevalence and predictors of mental health problems in doctors during their first postgraduate years. We selected clinically relevant mental health problems as the outcome measure. We found nine cohort studies that met our selection criteria. Each of them had limitations, notably low response rate at follow-up, small sample size, and/or short observation period. Most studies showed that symptoms of mental health problems, particularly of depression, were highest during the first postgraduate year. They found that individual factors, such as family background, personality traits (neuroticism and self-criticism), and coping by wishful thinking, as well as contextual factors including perceived medical-school stress, perceived overwork, emotional pressure, working in an intensive-care setting, and stress outside of work, were often predictive of mental health problems. The studies revealed somewhat discrepant findings with respect to gender. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Personality and mental health treatment: Traits as predictors of presentation, usage, and outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Thalmayer, Amber Gayle

2018-03-08

Self-report scores on personality inventories predict important life outcomes, including health and longevity, marital outcomes, career success, and mental health problems, but the ways they predict mental health treatment have not been widely explored. Psychotherapy is sought for diverse problems, but about half of those who begin therapy drop out, and only about half who complete therapy experience lasting improvements. Several authors have argued that understanding how personality traits relate to treatment could lead to better targeted, more successful services. Here self-report scores on Big Five and Big Six personality dimensions are explored as predictors of therapy presentation, usage, and outcomes in a sample of community clinic clients (N = 306). Participants received evidence-based treatments in the context of individual-, couples-, or family-therapy sessions. One measure of initial functioning and three indicators of outcome were used. All personality trait scores except Openness associated with initial psychological functioning. Higher Conscientiousness scores predicted more sessions attended for family therapy but fewer for couples-therapy clients. Higher Honesty-Propriety and Extraversion scores predicted fewer sessions attended for family-therapy clients. Better termination outcome was predicted by higher Conscientiousness scores for family- and higher Extraversion scores for individual-therapy clients. Higher Honesty-Propriety and Neuroticism scores predicted more improvement in psychological functioning in terms of successive Outcome Questionnaire-45 administrations. Taken together, the results provide some support for the role of personality traits in predicting treatment usage and outcome and for the utility of a 6-factor model in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Validating Female Psychopathy Subtypes: Differences in Personality, Antisocial and Violent Behavior, Substance Abuse, Trauma, and Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Brian M.; Vaidyanathan, Uma; Patrick, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

Recent empirical investigations utilizing male prisoners have begun to validate clinical conceptualizations of primary and secondary psychopathy subtypes. We extended this literature by identifying similar psychopathic subtypes in female prisoners on the basis of personality structure using model-based cluster analysis. Secondary psychopaths (n = 39) were characterized by personality traits of negative emotionality and low behavioral constraint, an early onset of antisocial and criminal behavior, greater substance use and abuse, more violent behavior and institutional misconduct, and more mental health problems including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide attempts. Primary psychopaths (n = 31) exhibited few distinguishing personality features but were prolific criminals especially in regards to non-violent crime, and exhibited relatively few mental health problems despite substantial exposure to traumatic events. The results support alternative etiological pathways to antisocial and criminal behavior that are evident in personality structure as well as gender similarities and differences in the manifestation of psychopathic personalities. PMID:20582155

The documentation of health problems in relation to prescribed medication in people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heide, D. C.; van der Putten, A. A. J.; van den Berg, P. B.; Taxis, K.; Vlaskamp, C.

Persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) suffer from a wide range of health problems and use a wide range of different drugs. This study investigated for frequently used medication whether there was a health problem documented in the medical notes for the drug prescribed.

Personality Diagnosis for Personalized eHealth Services

Science.gov (United States)

Cortellese, Fabio; Nalin, Marco; Morandi, Angelica; Sanna, Alberto; Grasso, Floriana

In this paper we present two different approaches to personality diagnosis, for the provision of innovative personalized services, as used in a case study where diabetic patients were supported in the improvement of physical activity in their daily life. The first approach presented relies on a static clustering of the population, with a specific motivation strategy designed for each cluster. The second approach relies on a dynamic population clustering, making use of recommendation systems and algorithms, like Collaborative Filtering. We discuss pro and cons of each approach and a possible combination of the two, as the most promising solution for this and other personalization services in eHealth.

Personality and Social Problem-Solving: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem

Science.gov (United States)

Koruklu, Nermin

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine direct and indirect relationships among personality, selfesteem and social problem-solving, as well as the mediating role of self-esteem in the link between personality and social problem-solving among Turkish youth. The study utilized a cross-sectional design comprising several self-reports. Data…

Personality and problem-solving in common mynas (Acridotheres tristis).

Science.gov (United States)

Lermite, Françoise; Peneaux, Chloé; Griffin, Andrea S

2017-01-01

Animals show consistent individual differences in behaviour across time and/or contexts. Recently, it has been suggested that proactive personality types might also exhibit fast cognitive styles. The speed with which individuals sample environmental cues is one way in which correlations between personality and cognition might arise. Here, we measured a collection of behavioural traits (competitiveness, neophobia, neophilia, task-directed motivation and exploration) in common mynas (Acridotheres tristis) and measured their relationship with problem solving. We predicted that fast solving mynas would interact with (i.e. sample) the problem solving task at higher rates, but also be more competitive, less neophobic, more neophilic, and more exploratory. Mynas that were faster to solve a novel foraging problem were no more competitive around food and no more inclined to take risks. Unexpectedly, these fast-solving mynas had higher rates of interactions with the task, but also displayed lower levels of exploration. It is possible that a negative relation between problem solving and spatial exploration arose as a consequence of how inter-individual variation in exploration was quantified. We discuss the need for greater consensus on how to measure exploratory behaviour before we can advance our understanding of relationships between cognition and personality more effectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Living with Stigma: Depressed Elderly Persons’ Experiences of Physical Health Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Lise Holm

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to deepen the understanding of depressed elderly persons’ lived experiences of physical health problems. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 depressed elderly persons who suffer from physical health problems. A hermeneutic analysis was performed, yielding one main theme, living with stigma, and three themes: longing to be taken seriously, being uncertain about whether the pain is physical or mental, and a sense of living in a war zone. The second theme comprised two subthemes, feeling like a stranger and feeling dizzy, while the third had one subtheme: afraid of being helpless and dependent on others. Stigma deprives individuals of their dignity and reinforces destructive patterns of isolation and hopelessness. Nurses should provide information in a sensitive way and try to avoid diagnostic overshadowing. Effective training programmes and procedures need to be developed with more focus on how to handle depressive ill health and physical problems in older people.

More Stamina, a Gamified mHealth Solution for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Research Through Design

Science.gov (United States)

Mylonopoulou, Vasiliki; Rivera Romero, Octavio

2018-01-01

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world’s most common neurologic disorders. Fatigue is one of most common symptoms that persons with MS experience, having significant impact on their quality of life and limiting their activity levels. Self-management strategies are used to support them in the care of their health. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions are a way to offer persons with chronic conditions tools to successfully manage their symptoms and problems. Gamification is a current trend among mHealth apps used to create engaging user experiences and is suggested to be effective for behavioral change. To be effective, mHealth solutions need to be designed to specifically meet the intended audience needs. User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy that proposes placing end users’ needs and characteristics in the center of design and development, involving users early in the different phases of the software life cycle. There is a current gap in mHealth apps for persons with MS, which presents an interesting area to explore. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the design and evaluation process of a gamified mHealth solution for behavioral change in persons with MS using UCD. Methods Building on previous work of our team where we identified needs, barriers, and facilitators for mHealth apps for persons with MS, we followed UCD to design and evaluate a mobile app prototype aimed to help persons with MS self-manage their fatigue. Design decisions were evidence-driven and guided by behavioral change models (BCM). Usability was assessed through inspection methods using Nielsen’s heuristic evaluation. Results The mHealth solution More Stamina was designed. It is a task organization tool designed to help persons with MS manage their energy to minimize the impact of fatigue in their day-to-day life. The tool acts as a to-do list where users can input tasks in a simple manner and assign Stamina Credits, a representation of perceived

Access to HIV/AIDS services for disabled persons in Uganda - problems of stigma and discrimination?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Helle Elisabeth

2014-01-01

This project is based on five weeks’ ethnographically inspired fieldwork in May 2006 in the Republic of Uganda. The study started out with the hypothesis that there was some kind of discrimination going on in the interaction between health workers at HIV/AIDS clinics, and person with disabilities...... (PWDs) coming for HIV/AIDS testing or treatment. However, problems with discriminatory attitudes towards PWDs could not be confirmed from my fieldwork observations at five different HIV/AIDS clinics in Uganda. That observation was confirmed in my interviews with PWDs and health workers. Health workers...... said that PWDs were entitled to the same care and treatment as everybody else. However, I observed that only few PWDs seem to attend those HIV/AIDS services, and the question arose why that is so. Problems with access and confidence (for example lack of sign language interpreters) are often reported...

Relations of Personality to Substance Use Problems and Mental Health Disorder Symptoms in Two Clinical Samples of Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Battista, Susan R.; Pencer, Alissa; McGonnell, Melissa; Durdle, Heather; Stewart, Sherry H.

2013-01-01

There is a high overlap between substance misuse and mental health disorders in adolescents. Certain personality traits (i.e., sensation seeking, impulsivity, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) may be related to increased risk for mental health symptoms and/or substance misuse. The current study examined the relationships between personality…

Health services needs of older persons: emerging findings from Tarakan City, East Kalimantan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rina K. Kusumaratna

2011-12-01

Full Text Available As older persons are steadily increasing in number and there are no specialized comprehensive healthcare services for older persons in Indonesia, including East Kalimantan, the aim of the present study was to determine the extent of the problems facing healthcare staff and officials in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan, in providing comprehensive healthcare services attuned to the needs of older persons.This study was a qualitative interview-based survey with focus group discussions, involving heads and healthcare officials of seven puskesmas in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan district, with the addition of a number of district health planning officials. The results revealed a difference between daily hospital referral rate of older persons by puskesmas staff and actual daily hospital admission rate for the referrals. None of the consulted healthcare staff had any speciality education in geriatrics or older persons health. The older persons most frequently presented to the hospital with hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial insufficiency. On the other hand, at the health centers the presenting conditions were hypertension, gastroenteritis, rheumatism, sleep disorders, and upper respiratory tract infections. Improved access to healthcare for older persons should be achieved by improving knowledge and skills of human resources, including communication skills, and of supporting healthcare service infrastructure at puskesmas, specifically oriented towards the needs of and designed for use by older persons, such as ramps for wheelchairs, and handrails in corridors. Local governments should strengthen the appropriate service delivery to older persons, and provide support for the maintenance, sustainability and strengthening of community-based care for older persons.

Health service needs of older persons: emerging findings from Tarakan City, East Kalimantan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rina K. Kusumaratna

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As older persons are steadily increasing in number and there are no specialized comprehensive healthcare services for older persons in Indonesia, including East Kalimantan, the aim of the present study was to determine the extent of the problems facing healthcare staff and officials in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan, in providing comprehensive healthcare services attuned to the needs of older persons.This study was a qualitative interview-based survey with focus group discussions, involving heads and healthcare officials of seven puskesmas in Tarakan City, East Kalimantan district, with the addition of a number of district health planning officials. The results revealed a difference between daily hospital referral rate of older persons by puskesmas staff and actual daily hospital admission rate for the referrals. None of the consulted healthcare staff had any speciality education in geriatrics or older persons health. The older persons most frequently presented to the hospital with hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial insufficiency. On the other hand, at the health centers the presenting conditions were hypertension, gastroenteritis, rheumatism, sleep disorders, and upper respiratory tract infections. Improved access to healthcare for older persons should be achieved by improving knowledge and skills of human resources, including communication skills, and of supporting healthcare service infrastructure at puskesmas, specifically oriented towards the needs of and designed for use by older persons, such as ramps for wheelchairs, and handrails in corridors. Local governments should strengthen the appropriate service delivery to older persons, and provide support for the maintenance, sustainability and strengthening of community-based care for older persons.

Speech Problems

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Speech Problems KidsHealth / For Teens / Speech Problems What's in ... a person's ability to speak clearly. Some Common Speech and Language Disorders Stuttering is a problem that ...

Home care assistants’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among community-dwelling seniors with multimorbidity

Science.gov (United States)

Grundberg, Åke; Hansson, Anna; Religa, Dorota; Hillerås, Pernilla

2016-01-01

Introduction Elderly people with multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, are at risk of developing poor mental health. These seniors often remain in their homes with support from home care assistants (HCAs). Mental health promotion by HCAs needs to be studied further because they may be among the first to observe changes in clients’ mental health status. Aim To describe HCAs’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among homebound seniors with multimorbidity. Methods We applied a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Content analyses were performed on five focus group interviews conducted in 2014 with 26 HCAs. Results Most HCAs stated that they were experienced in caring for clients with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and high alcohol consumption. The HCAs mentioned as causes, or risk factors, multiple chronic conditions, feelings of loneliness, and social isolation. The findings reveal that continuity of care and seniors’ own thoughts and perceptions were essential to detecting mental health problems. Observation, collaboration, and social support emerged as important means of detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health. Conclusion The HCAs had knowledge of risk factors, but they seemed insecure about which health professionals had the primary responsibility for mental health. They also seemed to have detected early signs of mental health problems, even though good personal knowledge of the client and continuity in home visits were crucial to do so. When it came to mental health promotion, the suggestions related to the aim of ending social isolation, decreasing feelings of loneliness, and increasing physical activity. The results indicate that the HCAs seemed dependent on supervision by district nurses and on care managers’ decisions to support the needed care, to schedule assignments related to the detection of mental health

An Examination of the Personality Constructs Underlying Dimensions of Creative Problem-Solving Style

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Isaksen, Scott G.; Kaufmann, Astrid H.; Bakken, Bjørn T.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the personality facets that underpin the construct of problem-solving style, particularly when approaching more creative kinds of problem-solving. Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire and VIEW--An Assessment of Problem Solving Style were administered to 165 students from the Norwegian Business School. We…

VA Personal Health Record Sample Data

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — My HealtheVet (www.myhealth.va.gov) is a Personal Health Record portal designed to improve the delivery of health care services to Veterans, to promote health and...

Personality and problem gambling: a prospective study of a birth cohort of young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Slutske, Wendy S; Caspi, Avshalom; Moffitt, Terrie E; Poulton, Richie

2005-07-01

Individual differences in dimensions of personality may play an important role in explaining risk for disordered gambling behavior as well as the comorbidity between disordered gambling behavior and other substance-related addictive disorders. To identify the personality correlates of problem gambling in a representative non-treatment-seeking sample, as well as to determine whether these are similar to the personality correlates of other substance-related addictive disorders and whether individual differences in personality might account for the comorbidity between disordered gambling behavior and other substance-related addictive disorders. Longitudinal population-based study. A complete birth cohort of young adults born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973 (N = 939; 475 men, 464 women). Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire assessments of personality were obtained at age 18 years; structured interview-based diagnoses of past-year problem gambling and alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependence were obtained at age 21 years. Problem gambling at age 21 years was associated with higher scores on the higher-order personality dimension of negative emotionality (d = 0.90) and with lower scores on the personality dimension of constraint (d = -0.72) measured at age 18 years compared with control subjects who did not have a past-year addictive disorder at age 21 years. Problem gambling was also associated with Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire indicators of risk-taking (d = 0.50) and impulsivity (d = 0.56). The personality profile associated with problem gambling was similar to the profiles associated with alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependence. The relations between problem gambling and the substance-related addictive disorders (odds ratios = 3.32-3.61) were reduced after controlling for individual differences in personality (odds ratios = 1.90-2.32). From the perspective of personality, problem gambling has much in common

Personal responsibility in oral health: ethical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Albertsen, Andreas

2012-11-30

Personal responsibility is a powerful idea supported by many values central to West European thought. On the conceptual level personal responsibility is a complex notion. It is important to separate the concept of being responsible for a given state of affairs from the concept of holding people responsible by introducing measures that decrease their share of available resources. Introducing personal responsibility in oral health also has limitations of a more practical nature. Knowledge, social status and other diseases affect the degree to which people can be said to be responsible for their poor oral health. These factors affect people's oral health and their ability to take care of it. Both the conceptual and practical issues at stake are not reasons to abandon the idea of personal responsibility in oral health, but they do affect what the notion means and when it is reasonable to hold people responsible. They also commit people who support the idea of personal responsibility in oral health to supporting the idea of societal responsibility for mitigating the effects of factors that diminish people's responsibility and increase the available information and knowledge in the population.

Mental health problems in adolescents with cochlear implants: Peer problems persist after controlling for additional handicaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria eHuber

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aims of the present multi-center study were to investigate the extent of mental health problems in adolescents with a hearing loss and cochlear implants (CIs in comparison to normal hearing (NH peers and to investigate possible relations between the extent of mental health problems of young CI users and hearing variables, such as age at implantation, or functional gain of CI. The survey included 140 adolescents with CI (mean age = 14.7, SD = 1.5 years and 140 NH adolescents (mean age = 14.8, SD = 1.4 years, their parents and teachers. Participants were matched by age, gender and social background. Within the CI group, 35 adolescents were identified as risk cases due to possible and manifest additional handicaps, and 11 adolescents were non-classifiable. Mental health problems were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ in the versions Self, Parent, and Teacher. The CI group showed significantly more Peer Problems than the NH group. When the CI group was split into a risk-group (35 risk cases and 11 non-classifiable persons and a non-risk group (n = 94, increased peer problems were perceived in both CI subgroups by adolescents themselves. However, no further differences between the CI non-risk group and the NH group were observed in any rater. The CI-risk group showed significantly more hyperactivity compared to the NH group and more hyperactivity and conduct problems compared to the CI non-risk group. Cluster analyses confirmed that there were significantly more adolescents with high problems in the CI-risk group compared to the CI non-risk group and the NH group. Adolescents with CI, who were able to understand speech in noise had significantly less difficulties compared to constricted CI users. Parents, teachers, and clinicians should be aware that CI users with additionally special needs may have mental health problems. However, peer problems were also experienced by CI adolescents without additional handicaps

Medical students' preferences for problem-based learning in relation to culture and personality: a multicultural study.

Science.gov (United States)

Holen, Are; Manandhar, Kedar; Pant, Devendra S; Karmacharya, Biraj M; Olson, Linda M; Koju, Rajendra; Mansur, Dil I

2015-07-19

The aim of this study was to explore positive and negative preferences towards problem-based learning in relation to personality traits and socio-cultural context. The study was an anonymous and voluntary cross-sectional survey of medical students (N=449) in hybrid problem-based curricula in Nepal, Norway and North Dakota. Data was collected on gender, age, year of study, cohabitation and medical school. The PBL Preference Inventory identified students' positive and negative preferences in relation to problem-based learning; the personality traits were detected by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. The determinants of the two kinds of preferences were analyzed by hierarchical multiple linear regressions. Positive preferences were mostly determined by personality; associations were found with the traits Extra-version, Openness to experience, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism; the first three are related to sociability, curiosity and orderliness, the last, to mental health. The learn-ing environments of such curricula may be supportive for some and unnerving for others who score high on Neuroticism. Negative preferences were rather determined by culture, but also, they correlated with Neuroticism and Conscientiousness. Negative preferences were lower among females and students living in symmetrical relationships. Some high on Conscientiousness disliked group work, and the negative correlation with Agreeableness indicated that less sociable students were not predisposed to this kind of learning activity. Preferences related to problem-based learning were significantly and independently determined both by personality traits and culture. More insights into the nature of students' preferences may guide aspects of curriculum modifications and the daily facilitation of groups.

FastStats: Older Persons' Health

Science.gov (United States)

... Whooping Cough or Pertussis Family Life Marriage and Divorce Health Care and Insurance Access to Health Care ... tables 10, 11 [PDF – 4.4 MB] Leading causes of death among persons aged 65 and over ...

[Perceptions on healthcare in people with self-identified mental health problems in the rural areas of Peru].

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, Javier E; Uchofen-Herrera, Verousckha

2016-01-01

Person-centered health and community health perspectives on its needs and resources are mandatory in healthcare policies in highly cultural diverse contexts. From this point of view, epidemiology needs to be centered not only on the disease, but also on the health diagnosis and its context, including the points of view of people and the community about their problems and needs. This article describes and qualitatively analyzes the views of adults with self-identified mental health disorders (MHD) in rural regions on the coast, highlands, and jungle of Peru, as causal factors, personal resources, and healthcare expectations from health facilities, using the narrative approach of ideographic formulation proposed by the World Psychiatric Association. The database of mental health epidemiological studies from the National Mental Health Institute was used. The qualitative analysis on answers from 235 people reveals that a large part of MHD is linked to the dynamics of troubled families and to the loss of loved ones. The presence of scarce community resources that help overcome these problems is noted. Counseling is stressed among the expectations of healthcare at facilities; nevertheless, many people do not know what to expect from such healthcare. We believe that the narrative approach is an important tool as regards to community- and person-centered medicine and intervention strategy planning.

Behavioral Health Providers for Persons Who Are Deaf, Deafblind, or Hard-of-Hearing: A National Survey of the Structural and Process Domains of Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, Beth A D; Mathos, Kimberly; Fusco, Laura E; Post, Edward P

2015-01-01

Research suggests higher prevalence of mental health problems for those with hearing problems than in the general population. Despite barriers, mental health services for persons who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (HOH) have developed to meet the cultural and communication needs of this population. The authors conducted a national survey of mental health service providers to persons who are deaf, deafblind, or HOH, to learn about their structural and process domains of care. Results indicate that services for persons who are deaf, deafblind, or HOH are inadequate for consumers with serious mental illness. Results also uncovered unique pathways to care and practitioners.

The Personal Health Technology Design Space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bardram, Jakob Eyvind; Frost, Mads

2016-01-01

. To enable designers to make informed and well-articulated design decision, the authors propose a design space for personal health technologies. This space consists of 10 dimensions related to the design of data sampling strategies, visualization and feedback approaches, treatment models, and regulatory......Interest is increasing in personal health technologies that utilize mobile platforms for improved health and well-being. However, although a wide variety of these systems exist, each is designed quite differently and materializes many different and more or less explicit design assumptions...

More Stamina, a Gamified mHealth Solution for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Research Through Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Giunti, Guido; Mylonopoulou, Vasiliki; Rivera Romero, Octavio

2018-03-02

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the world's most common neurologic disorders. Fatigue is one of most common symptoms that persons with MS experience, having significant impact on their quality of life and limiting their activity levels. Self-management strategies are used to support them in the care of their health. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions are a way to offer persons with chronic conditions tools to successfully manage their symptoms and problems. Gamification is a current trend among mHealth apps used to create engaging user experiences and is suggested to be effective for behavioral change. To be effective, mHealth solutions need to be designed to specifically meet the intended audience needs. User-centered design (UCD) is a design philosophy that proposes placing end users' needs and characteristics in the center of design and development, involving users early in the different phases of the software life cycle. There is a current gap in mHealth apps for persons with MS, which presents an interesting area to explore. The purpose of this study was to describe the design and evaluation process of a gamified mHealth solution for behavioral change in persons with MS using UCD. Building on previous work of our team where we identified needs, barriers, and facilitators for mHealth apps for persons with MS, we followed UCD to design and evaluate a mobile app prototype aimed to help persons with MS self-manage their fatigue. Design decisions were evidence-driven and guided by behavioral change models (BCM). Usability was assessed through inspection methods using Nielsen's heuristic evaluation. The mHealth solution More Stamina was designed. It is a task organization tool designed to help persons with MS manage their energy to minimize the impact of fatigue in their day-to-day life. The tool acts as a to-do list where users can input tasks in a simple manner and assign Stamina Credits, a representation of perceived effort, to the task to help energy management

Rapid progress or lengthy process? electronic personal health records in mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denis Mike

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract A major objective of many healthcare providers is to increase patients' participation in their own care. The introduction of electronic personal health records (ePHRs may help to achieve this. An ePHR is an electronic database of an individual's health information, accessible to and maintained by the patient. ePHRs are very much in vogue, with an increasing number of studies reporting their potential utility as well as cost. However, the vast majority of these studies focus on general healthcare. Little attempt has been made to document the specific problems which might occur throughout the implementation of ePHRs in mental health. This review identifies such concerns through an electronic search of the literature. Several potential difficulties are highlighted and addressed, including access to information technology, identifying relevant populations and the handling of sensitive information. Special attention is paid to the concept of 'empowerment' and what this means in relation to ePHRs.

Is Disability a Health Problem?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malcolm MacLachlan

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We welcome Andrew Haig's critique of our paper, "Disability & Health: A research agenda" in Social Inclusion. Our paper sought to identify research priorities to better understand, provide enhanced services and a better quality of life for people with disabilities, particularly in relation to their health and wellbeing. Haig's critique makes several important points that deserve serious consideration. His comments reflect a view of the relationship between disability and health which is different from the one we have espoused. Specifically, Haig argues that (a disability is a health problem, (b medical rehabilitation should be separated from Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR, and (c the evidence base for medical rehabilitation is much stronger than for CBR. We address each of these points below arguing that while some types of disability clearly result from health problems; often disability is not experienced as a health problem; and sometimes, disability in interaction with restricted access is the cause of health problems.

A Concept Analysis of Personalized Health Care in Nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Claire Jungyoun

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to identify the concept of personalized health care in nursing and to address future direction in person-centered nursing care. Personalized health care has attracted increased attention in the twenty-first century. As more and more preclinical studies are focusing on cost-effective and patient-centered care, there also has been an identified need for a personalized health care in nursing. Yet the term lacks clear definition and interests among healthcare professionals. Rodgers' strategy for concept analysis was used in this analysis. A literature review for 1960-2014 was conducted for the following keywords: nursing care, personalized, and health care. The analysis demonstrates that personalized health care in nursing is an intangible asset, including explicit attributes (interprofessional collaboration and individualized care approach) and implicit attributes (managing personal vulnerabilities: molecular-based health information and self-health-seeking behaviors). The result of this analysis provides a guide for further conceptual and empirical research and clinical practice in the personalized healthcare era. This concept analysis represents an effort to describe the attributes of a concept regarded as representing an important feature of nursing care and to promote discourse that will enhance maturation of the concept into one that is established with clearly delineated characteristics. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Teachers’ personal constructs on problem behaviour: towards professional development & Personal constructs on (problem) pupils: a teacher’s view

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Everaert; J.T.E. van Beukering; J.M.F. Touw; P. Kos

2005-01-01

This study focuses on revealing and developing personal constructs regarding problem behaviour in classrooms. Twenty-nine teachers (initial and in-service students) took part in the project. The main idea is that teachers’ opinions about their pupils and themselves influence the way they act in

Are doctors who have been ill more compassionate? Attitudes of resident physicians regarding personal health issues and the expression of compassion in clinical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Warner, Teddy D; Moutier, Christine; Geppert, Cynthia M A; Green Hammond, Katherine A

2011-01-01

Compassion is an attribute central to professionalism and modern clinical care, yet little is known about how compassion is acquired and preserved in medical training. We sought to understand whether personal illness experiences are thought by residents to foster compassion. The authors surveyed 155 (71% response rate) second- and third-year residents at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine regarding their views of the relationship of personal life experience with illness to compassion and empathy for patients. Residents believe that experience with personal health issues enhances physician compassion for patients. Residents who report more personal health concerns, such as physical or mental health problems and family health problems, endorse the connection between direct experience with illness and empathy. Health care trainees' own illness experiences may increase compassionate patient care practices and foster empathy. Copyright © 2011 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An XML-based framework for personalized health management.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hiye-Ja; Park, Seung-Hun; Jeong, Byeong-Soo

2006-01-01

This paper proposes a framework for personalized health management. In this framework, XML technology is used for representing and managing the health information and knowledge. Major components of the framework are Health Management Prescription (HMP) Expert System and Health Information Repository. The HMP Expert System generates a HMP efficiently by using XML-based templates. Health Information Repository provides integrated health information and knowledge for personalized health management by using XML and relational database together.

Personality Development and Problem Behavior in Russian Children and Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Slobodskaya, Helena R.; Akhmetova, Olga A.

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore child and adolescent personality in the Russian culture, addressing gender and age differences, and to examine personality and family effects on children's Internalizing and Externalizing problems. Parents of 1,640 Russian children aged 3-18 years completed the Inventory of Child Individual Differences…

Workplace bullying and subsequent health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Magerøy, Nils; Gjerstad, Johannes; Einarsen, Ståle

2014-07-01

Cross-sectional studies demonstrate that exposure to bullying in the workplace is positively correlated with self-reported health problems. However, these studies do not provide a basis to draw conclusions on the extent to which bullying leads to increased health problems or whether health problems increase the risk of being bullied. To provide better indications of a causal relationship, knowledge from prospective studies on the association between bullying in the workplace and health outcomes is therefore summarised. We conducted a systematic literature review of original articles from central literature databases on longitudinal associations between bullying in the workplace and health. Average associations between bullying and health outcomes are calculated using meta-analysis. A consistent finding across the studies is that exposure to bullying is significantly positively related to mental health problems (OR =1.68; 95% KI 1.35-2.09) and somatic symptoms (OR = 1.77; 95% KI 1.41-2.22) over time. Mental health problems are also associated with subsequent exposure to bullying (OR = 1.74; 95% KI 1.44-2.12). Bullying is positively related to mental health problems and somatic symptoms. The association between mental health problems and subsequent bullying indicates a self-reinforcing process between mental health and bullying. The methodological quality of the studies that were conducted is relatively sound. However, based on the existing knowledge base there are no grounds for conclusions regarding an unambiguous causal relationship between bullying and health.

Oral health-related quality of life in socially endangered persons in Copenhagen, Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Øzhayat, Esben Boeskov; Østergaard, Peter; Gotfredsen, Klaus

2016-01-01

: The OHRQoL is highly impaired in the socially endangered persons and at least to the level of persons with great tooth loss about to have an RDP. The problems seem to be more handicapping in the socially endangered compared with other patient groups known to have high impairment.......OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate and describe the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in a socially endangered group of people and to compare the OHRQoL to other patient groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: About 294 socially endangered persons attending a volunteer clinic...... in Copenhagen Denmark filled in the OHIP-14 questionnaire. The group was compared in mean score and reported problems to a group of patients with tooth loss and about to have a removable dental prosthesis (RDP), a group with tooth loss about to have a fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) and a control group without...

Prevalence of Mental Health problems in sentenced men in prisons from Andalucía (Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

López, M; Saavedra, F J; López, A; Laviana, M

2016-12-01

To estimate the prevalence of different mental health problems in men serving prison sentences in Andalusia. Descriptive, cross-sectional study of a random sample of 472 men interned in two prisons located in Andalusia. We collected socio-demographic and general criminal and penitentiary data, and we identified mental health problems with two validated instruments for epidemiological research in mental health: the SCID-I interview to diagnose Axis 1 disorders of the DSM-IV and the self-applied questionnaire IPDE to estimate personality disorders. We analyzed the data (proportions and confidence intervals) with the SPSS-18 statistical package. 82.6% of the sample had a history of having suffered some type of mental health problem throughout their life (prevalence-life) and 25.8 have suffered from them in the past month (month prevalence). The most common disorders of the Axis I (DSM-IV) are related to abuse of and dependence on psychoactive substances (prevalence life of 65.9% and month prevalence of 6.6%), with an important but less frequent presence of affective (31.4%-9.3%), anxiety (30.9%-10, 4%) and psychotic disorders (9.5%-3, 4%). As regards personality disorders, the estimated probable prevalence lies between the 56.6% ("5" cutoff point) and the 79.9 ("4" cut-off point). The male inmate population in prisons in Andalucía shows a high prevalence of mental health problems, similar to that found in other Spanish and international prisons, but their care needs should take into account the different pathologies that they present.

Prevalence of Mental Health problems in sentenced men in prisons from Andalucía (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. López

Full Text Available Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of different mental health problems in men serving prison sentences in Andalusia. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study of a random sample of 472 men interned in two prisons located in Andalusia. We collected socio-demographic and general criminal and penitentiary data, and we identified mental health problems with two validated instruments for epidemiological research in mental health: the SCID-I interview to diagnose Axis 1 disorders of the DSM-IV and the self-applied questionnaire IPDE to estimate personality disorders. We analyzed the data (proportions and confidence intervals with the SPSS-18 statistical package. Results: 82.6% of the sample had a history of having suffered some type of mental health problem throughout their life (prevalence-life and 25.8 have suffered from them in the past month (month prevalence. The most common disorders of the Axis I (DSM-IV are related to abuse of and dependence on psychoactive substances (prevalence life of 65.9% and month prevalence of 6.6%, with an important but less frequent presence of affective (31.4%-9.3%, anxiety (30.9%-10, 4% and psychotic disorders (9.5%-3, 4%. As regards personality disorders, the estimated probable prevalence lies between the 56.6% ("5" cutoff point and the 79.9 ("4" cut-off point. Conclusions: The male inmate population in prisons in Andalucía shows a high prevalence of mental health problems, similar to that found in other Spanish and international prisons, but their care needs should take into account the different pathologies that they present.

Does personality predict health and well-being? A metasynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Strickhouser, Jason E; Zell, Ethan; Krizan, Zlatan

2017-08-01

To derive a robust and comprehensive estimate of the overall relation between Big Five personality traits and health variables using metasynthesis (i.e., second-order meta-analysis). Thirty-six meta-analyses, which collectively provided 150 meta-analytic effects from over 500,000 participants, met criteria for inclusion in the metasynthesis. Information on methodological quality as well as the type of health outcome, unreliability adjustment, population sampled, health outcome source, personality source, and research design was extracted from each meta-analysis. An unweighted model was used to aggregate data across meta-analyses. When entered simultaneously, the Big Five traits were moderately associated with overall health (multiple R = .35). Personality-health relations were larger when examining mental health outcomes than physical health outcomes or health-related behaviors and when researchers adjusted for measurement unreliability, used self-report as opposed to other-report Big Five scales, or focused on clinical as opposed to nonclinical samples. Further, effects were larger among agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism than extraversion or openness to experience. This metasynthesis provides among the most compelling evidence to date that personality predicts overall health and well-being. In addition, it may inform research on the mechanisms by which personality impacts health as well as research on the structure of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Condition of Health Problems in The District Health Offi ce Parigi Moutong Central Sulawesi Province, Efforts in Response of Health Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Erlan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: District Parigi Moutong, Central Sulawesi Province is one of the Regional District Health Problems. Ranking Public Health Development Index Parigi Moutong to the level of Central Sulawesi was ranked 6 out of 9 districts/cities, while at the national level comes out to 320 of 440 districts/cities in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to provide a picture of the health problems in Parigi Moutong. In more detail the objectives are observed after the implementation of such interventions and Booster Kalakarya prevention efforts in the area of health problems. Methods: The study is qualitative observational study of participatory design. Samples were taken by using purposive sampling to conduct in-depth interviews and document searches. Results: The results of in-depth interviews obtained information of some constraints inthe implementation of health programs, ie no actions/movements that were signifi cant in the response to the problem. Infant mortality in 2012, registered 7 cases. Substitution head of the health center too fast. This happens because the head of the health center has held PTT doctor working period of one year, which resulted in problems in sustainability programs in health centers. Internal monthly meeting at the Department of Health and the District Health Offi ce with the entire health center no. Effort or movement to address the problems associated Regional Health Problems has not be percieved. Conclusions: Implementation of Regional Booster Kalakarya and Health Troubled make changes to the head of health policy by forming groups Conscious Movement IHC and revitalization partnership TBA and midwives who are increasing numbers toddlersweighing scope and aid delivery by health personnel.

Research on Relationship Among Internet-Addiction, Personality Traits and Mental Health of Urban Left-Behind Children

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Ge, Ying; Se, Jun; Zhang, Jingfu

2015-01-01

Aim: In this research, we attempted at exploring the relationships among urban left-behind children’s internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. Methods: In the form of three relevant questionnaires (Adolescent Pathological Internet Use Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Children’s Edition in Chinese and Mental Health Test), 796 urban left-behind children in China were investigated, concerning internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. Results: (1) The internet-addiction rate of urban left-behind children in China reached10.8%—a relatively high figure, with the rate among males higher than that among females. In terms of internet-addition salience, the figure of urban left-behind children was obviously higher than that of non-left-behind children. (2) In China, the personality deviation rate of the overall left-behind children was 15.36%; while the personality deviation rate of the internet-addicted urban left-behind children was 38.88%, a figure prominently higher than that of the non-addicted urban left-behind children group, with the rate among females higher than that among males. (3) The mental health problem rate of the overall urban left-behind children in China was 8.43%; while the rate of the internet-addicted urban left-behind children was 27.77%, a figure significantly higher than that of the non-addicted urban left-behind children. (4) There were significant relationships among internet-addiction, personality traits and mental health. The total score of internet-addiction and its related dimensions can serve as indicators of personality neuroticism, psychoticism and the total scores of mental health. PMID:25946911

Health, work, social trust, and financial situation in persons with Usher syndrome type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehn, Mattias; Wahlqvist, Moa; Danermark, Berth; Dahlström, Örjan; Möller, Claes

2018-05-28

Research has demonstrated that persons with Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) have significantly poorer physical and psychological health compared to a reference group. To explore the relation between work, health, social trust, and financial situation in USH1 compared to a reference group. Sixty-six persons (18-65 y) from the Swedish Usher database received a questionnaire and 47 were included, 23 working and 24 non-working. The reference group comprised 3,049 working and 198 non-working persons. The Swedish Health on Equal Terms questionnaire was used and statistical analysis with multiple logistic regression was conducted. The USH1 non-work group had a higher Odds ratio (95% CI) in poor psychological and physical health, social trust, and financial situation compared to the USH1 work group and reference groups. Age, gender, hearing, and vision impairment did not explain the differences. The relation between the USH1 work and non-work groups showed the same pattern as the reference groups, but the magnitude of problems was significantly higher. Both disability and unemployment increased the risk of poor health, social trust and financial situation in persons with USH1, but having an employment seemed to counteract the risks related to disability.

Report on the Recovery of a Personality Problem in a Case with Borderline Personality Disorder after Head Trauma

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M Nasiri

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Borderline personality disorder which constantly changes the mood, identity and interpersonal relationship is a mental disorder classified in category B. Besides, it leads to behaviors such as drug abuse, impulsive sex and suicide which make more difficult the treatment of these patients. The aim of this study was to report the recovery of a personality problem in a case with borderline personality disorder after the head trauma. CASE REPORT: The personality signs of a 28-year-old boy who had the full criteria of borderline personality disorder including drug abuse, impulsivity, mood instability, periods of anger and aggression were significantly decreased after hitting. Personality difference and improvement of patient were shown in MMPI test and MRI indicated the structural changes in his brain. He had no problem in 4-year-follow up. CONCLUSION: This report suggested the personality and behavioral changes after head trauma. MRI results indicated that the recovery is probably caused by the destruction area in the frontal lobe and the anterior temporal lobe (near the hippocampus. Thus the importance of neuropsychological factors should be considered in creating the diagnostic criteria.

Personality Accounts for the Connection Between Volunteering and Health.

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King, Hannah R; Jackson, Joshua J; Morrow-Howell, Nancy; Oltmanns, Thomas F

2015-09-01

Existing literature has shown that volunteering is related to better physical and mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to examine whether personality traits and volunteering are independent predictors of physical and mental health. The current study utilizes data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN), a representative sample of community-based adults between the ages of 55 and 64. Using hierarchical linear regressions, we test whether volunteering is a significant predictor of both physical and mental health while controlling for personality traits. We find that volunteering is not significantly related to either physical or mental health while controlling for personality traits. We also find that lower neuroticism is related to better physical functioning and mental health, whereas higher extraversion is related to better mental health. These results indicate that volunteering may be related to health outcomes because of the personality characteristics of volunteers, not the volunteering experience in and of itself. Future longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the relationship between personality, volunteering, and health. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Healthy Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in an Inclusive Society

Science.gov (United States)

van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, H. M. J.

2009-01-01

Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) have twice as many health problems than the general public. The author discusses evidence-based research on prevalence and best treatment of primary and secondary health problems in persons with ID. Citing the pan-European Pomona project, European data were collected on training for health professionals…

[Insomnia. A severe health care problem].

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Cárdenas, Ana Gabriela; Navarro-Gerrard, Christian; Nellen-Hummel, Haiko; Halabe-Cherem, José

2016-01-01

The magnitude which sleep has on personal well-being is similar to the effects of diet and exercise. Sleep deprivation has severe negative effects on an individual's overall health, and this is usually overseen. From 30 to 40 % of the population has presented insomnia at a certain moment of life and from 9 to 15 % have evolved into a chronic and severe insomnia. Recent investigations have related sleep deprivation with obesity, metabolic disorders, heart disease, mental health problems and dementia. Recently, more investigations have focused on the multiple alterations suffered by the immune system in cases of sleep deprivation. In order to make an opportune diagnosis of insomnia, it is vital to obtain a detailed history of the patients' sleep habits. In the physical exam one must search for signs and symptoms which might suggest an organic cause that generates the patient's insomnia. One of the pillars in treatment of these patients consists in acquiring an adequate sleep hygiene based on the optimization of the environment and the behavior that are associated with sleep.

Big Data Analysis for Personalized Health Activities: Machine Learning Processing for Automatic Keyword Extraction Approach

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Jun-Ho Huh

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The obese population is increasing rapidly due to the change of lifestyle and diet habits. Obesity can cause various complications and is becoming a social disease. Nonetheless, many obese patients are unaware of the medical treatments that are right for them. Although a variety of online and offline obesity management services have been introduced, they are still not enough to attract the attention of users and are not much of help to solve the problem. Obesity healthcare and personalized health activities are the important factors. Since obesity is related to lifestyle habits, eating habits, and interests, I concluded that the big data analysis of these factors could deduce the problem. Therefore, I collected big data by applying the machine learning and crawling method to the unstructured citizen health data in Korea and the search data of Naver, which is a Korean portal company, and Google for keyword analysis for personalized health activities. It visualized the big data using text mining and word cloud. This study collected and analyzed the data concerning the interests related to obesity, change of interest on obesity, and treatment articles. The analysis showed a wide range of seasonal factors according to spring, summer, fall, and winter. It also visualized and completed the process of extracting the keywords appropriate for treatment of abdominal obesity and lower body obesity. The keyword big data analysis technique for personalized health activities proposed in this paper is based on individual’s interests, level of interest, and body type. Also, the user interface (UI that visualizes the big data compatible with Android and Apple iOS. The users can see the data on the app screen. Many graphs and pictures can be seen via menu, and the significant data values are visualized through machine learning. Therefore, I expect that the big data analysis using various keywords specific to a person will result in measures for personalized

Health Problems of Mentally Disabled Individuals

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Hatice Yildirim Sari

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Mentally disabled individuals are at risk of health problems. In fact, health problems are more frequent in mentally disabled individuals than in the general population and mentally disabled individuals less frequently use health care facilities. It has been shown that mentally disabled individuals frequently have nutritional problems. They may suffer from low weight, malnutrition, high weight, pica, iron and zinc deficiencies and absorption and eating disorders. Activities can be limited due to motor disability and restricted movements. Depending on insufficient liquid intake and dietary fiber, constipation can be frequent. Another problem is sleep disorders such as irregular sleep hours, short sleep, waking up at night and daytime sleepiness. Visual-hearing losses, epilepsy, motor disability, hepatitis A infection and poor oral hygiene are more frequent in mentally disabled children than in the general population. The mentally disabled have limited health care facilities, poorer health status than the general population and difficulties in demanding for health care and expressing health problems. Therefore, they should be provided with more health promotion services. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2010; 9(2.000: 145-150

Health problems and stress in Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing employees.

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Padma, V; Anand, N N; Gurukul, S M G Swaminatha; Javid, S M A Syed Mohammed; Prasad, Arun; Arun, S

2015-04-01

Stress is high in software profession because of their nature of work, target, achievements, night shift, over work load. 1. To study the demographic profile of the employees. 2. To access the level of job stress and quality of life of the respondents. 3. To study in detail the health problems of the employees. All employees working in IT and BPO industry for more than two years were included into the study. A detailed questionnaire of around 1000 IT and BPO employees including their personal details, stress score by Holmes and Rahe to assess the level of stress and master health checkup profile were taken and the results were analysed. Around 56% had musculoskeletal symptoms. 22% had newly diagnosed hypertension,10% had diabetes, 36% had dyslipidemia, 54% had depression, anxiety and insomnia, 40% had obesity. The stress score was higher in employees who developed diabetes, hypertension and depression. Early diagnosis of stress induced health problems can be made out by stress scores, intense lifestyle modification, diet advice along with psychological counselling would reduce the incidence of health problems in IT sector and improve the quality of work force.

How to Help When Personal Problems Stymie Your Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Wandalyn

1983-01-01

A number of school districts have set up employee assistance programs (EAP) that offer help for employees having personal or family problems that affect their job performance. Guidelines for establishing an EAP are offered. (MLF)

Influence of personality, age, sex, and estrous state on chimpanzee problem-solving success

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hopper, Lydia M; Price, Sara A; Freeman, Hani D

2014-01-01

Despite the importance of individual problem solvers for group- and individual-level fitness, the correlates of individual problem-solving success are still an open topic of investigation. In addition to demographic factors, such as age or sex, certain personality dimensions have also been revealed...... as reliable correlates of problem-solving by animals. Such correlates, however, have been little-studied in chimpanzees. To empirically test the influence of age, sex, estrous state, and different personality factors on chimpanzee problem-solving, we individually tested 36 captive chimpanzees with two novel...... with the luteinizing hormone surge of a female's estrous cycle) and again when it was detumescent. Although we found no correlation between the chimpanzees' success with either puzzle and their age or sex, the chimpanzees' personality ratings did correlate with responses to the novel foraging puzzles. Specifically...

Evaluation design of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE): Preventive integrated health and social care for community-dwelling older persons in five European cities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Franse, C.B. (Carmen B.); A.J. Voorham; Van Staveren, R. (Rob); E. Koppelaar (Elin); Martijn, R. (Rens); Valía-Cotanda, E. (Elisa); Alhambra-Borrás, T. (Tamara); Rentoumis, T. (Tasos); Bilajac, L. (Lovorka); Marchesi, V.V. (Vanja Vasiljev); Rukavina, T. (Tomislav); Verma, A. (Arpana); Williams, G. (Greg); Clough, G. (Gary); Garcés-Ferrer, J. (Jorge); F.U.S. Mattace Raso (Francesco); H. Raat (Hein)

2017-01-01

textabstractBackground: Older persons often have interacting physical and social problems and complex care needs. An integrated care approach in the local context with collaborations between community-, social-, and health-focused organisations can contribute to the promotion of independent living

The influence of personality traits and emotional and behavioral problems on repetitive nonsuicidal self-injury in a school sample.

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Lüdtke, Janine; Weizenegger, Benedict; Rauber, Rachel; Contin, Brigitte; In-Albon, Tina; Schmid, Marc

2017-04-01

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is highly prevalent among adolescents and associated with various mental health problems and suicidality. Previous studies have found that certain personality traits are related to NSSI behavior, however only few studies examined personality traits in adolescents with NSSI. Our study aimed to assess the relationship between personality traits and emotional and behavioral problems in predicting repetitive NSSI among adolescents from a school sample. Four hundred and forty-seven students (M=14.95years, SD=0.74, 52% male) completed self-report measures on NSSI, personality traits, and emotional and behavioral problems. The past year prevalence of occasional and repetitive NSSI was 4.9% and 6.3% respectively. Repetitive NSSI was significantly associated with female gender, higher levels of age, novelty seeking, harm avoidance, self-transcendence, antisocial behavior, and positive self and lower levels of persistence and self-directedness in univariate analyses. However, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that only high levels of antisocial behavior and low levels of self-directedness significantly predicted repetitive NSSI. The association between a lack of self-directedness and NSSI emphasizes the significance of targeting self-directedness in psychotherapy by strengthening self-awareness, affect tolerance and emotion regulation, as well as establishing and pursuing long-term goals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolution of a web-based, prototype Personal Health Application for diabetes self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonda, Stephanie J; Kedziora, Richard J; Vigersky, Robert A; Bursell, Sven-Erik

2010-10-01

Behaviors carried out by the person with diabetes (e.g., healthy eating, physical activity, judicious use of medication, glucose monitoring, coping and problem-solving, regular clinic visits, etc.) are of central importance in diabetes management. To assist with these behaviors, we developed a prototype PHA for diabetes self-management that was based on User-Centered Design principles and congruent with the anticipatory vision of Project Health Design (PHD). This article presents aspects of the prototype PHA's functionality as conceived under PHD and describes modifications to the PHA now being undertaken under new sponsorship, in response to user feedback and timing tests we have performed. In brief, the prototype Personal Health Application (PHA) receives data on the major diabetes management domains from a Personal Health Record (PHR) and analyzes and provides feedback based on clinically vetted educational content. The information is presented within "gadgets" within a portal-based website. The PHR used for the first implementation was the Common Platform developed by PHD. Key changes include a re-conceptualization of the gadgets by topic areas originally defined by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, a refocusing on low-cost approaches to diabetes monitoring and data entry, and synchronization with a new PHR, Microsoft® HealthVault™. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Home care assistants’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among community-dwelling seniors with multimorbidity

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Grundberg Å

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Åke Grundberg,1,2 Anna Hansson,2 Dorota Religa,1 Pernilla Hillerås1,2 1Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, 2Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden Introduction: Elderly people with multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity, are at risk of developing poor mental health. These seniors often remain in their homes with support from home care assistants (HCAs. Mental health promotion by HCAs needs to be studied further because they may be among the first to observe changes in clients’ mental health status. Aim: To describe HCAs’ perspectives on detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health among homebound seniors with multimorbidity. Methods: We applied a descriptive qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Content analyses were performed on five focus group interviews conducted in 2014 with 26 HCAs. Results: Most HCAs stated that they were experienced in caring for clients with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and high alcohol consumption. The HCAs mentioned as causes, or risk factors, multiple chronic conditions, feelings of loneliness, and social isolation. The findings reveal that continuity of care and seniors’ own thoughts and perceptions were essential to detecting mental health problems. Observation, collaboration, and social support emerged as important means of detecting mental health problems and promoting mental health. Conclusion: The HCAs had knowledge of risk factors, but they seemed insecure about which health professionals had the primary responsibility for mental health. They also seemed to have detected early signs of mental health problems, even though good personal knowledge of the client and continuity in home visits were crucial to do so. When it came to mental health promotion, the suggestions related to the aim of ending social isolation, decreasing feelings of

Personality Traits, Sexual Problems, and Sexual Orientation: An Empirical Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Peixoto, Maria Manuela; Nobre, Pedro

2016-01-01

Personality traits, namely neuroticism, have been suggested as vulnerability factors for the development and maintenance of sexual dysfunction in heterosexual samples. However, no evidence was found regarding homosexual samples. This study aimed to analyze the differences on personality traits between heterosexual and homosexual men and women with and without sexual problems. Participants were 285 individuals (142 men, 143 women) who completed a web-based survey. Participants answered the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Brief Symptomatology Inventory, and questions regarding sexual problems. The groups of men and women with and without sexual problems were matched for sociodemographic variables. A 2 (Group) × 2 (Sexual Orientation) multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted separately for each gender. Results indicated a significant main effect for group and for sexual orientation in male and female samples. Men with sexual problems scored higher on neuroticism, whereas women with sexual problems scored higher on neuroticism and lower on extraversion when compared with healthy controls, regardless of sexual orientation. In addition, gay men scored higher on neuroticism and lesbian women scored higher on conscientiousness compared with the heterosexual groups. The present findings emphasize the central role of neuroticism on sexual problems in both men and women regardless of sexual orientation.

The SADI Personal Health Lens: A Web Browser-Based System for Identifying Personally Relevant Drug Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandervalk, Ben; McCarthy, E Luke; Cruz-Toledo, José; Klein, Artjom; Baker, Christopher J O; Dumontier, Michel; Wilkinson, Mark D

2013-04-05

The Web provides widespread access to vast quantities of health-related information that can improve quality-of-life through better understanding of personal symptoms, medical conditions, and available treatments. Unfortunately, identifying a credible and personally relevant subset of information can be a time-consuming and challenging task for users without a medical background. The objective of the Personal Health Lens system is to aid users when reading health-related webpages by providing warnings about personally relevant drug interactions. More broadly, we wish to present a prototype for a novel, generalizable approach to facilitating interactions between a patient, their practitioner(s), and the Web. We utilized a distributed, Semantic Web-based architecture for recognizing personally dangerous drugs consisting of: (1) a private, local triple store of personal health information, (2) Semantic Web services, following the Semantic Automated Discovery and Integration (SADI) design pattern, for text mining and identifying substance interactions, (3) a bookmarklet to trigger analysis of a webpage and annotate it with personalized warnings, and (4) a semantic query that acts as an abstract template of the analytical workflow to be enacted by the system. A prototype implementation of the system is provided in the form of a Java standalone executable JAR file. The JAR file bundles all components of the system: the personal health database, locally-running versions of the SADI services, and a javascript bookmarklet that triggers analysis of a webpage. In addition, the demonstration includes a hypothetical personal health profile, allowing the system to be used immediately without configuration. Usage instructions are provided. The main strength of the Personal Health Lens system is its ability to organize medical information and to present it to the user in a personalized and contextually relevant manner. While this prototype was limited to a single knowledge domain

The SADI Personal Health Lens: A Web Browser-Based System for Identifying Personally Relevant Drug Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Vandervalk, Ben; McCarthy, E Luke; Cruz-Toledo, José; Klein, Artjom; Baker, Christopher J O; Dumontier, Michel

2013-01-01

Background The Web provides widespread access to vast quantities of health-related information that can improve quality-of-life through better understanding of personal symptoms, medical conditions, and available treatments. Unfortunately, identifying a credible and personally relevant subset of information can be a time-consuming and challenging task for users without a medical background. Objective The objective of the Personal Health Lens system is to aid users when reading health-related webpages by providing warnings about personally relevant drug interactions. More broadly, we wish to present a prototype for a novel, generalizable approach to facilitating interactions between a patient, their practitioner(s), and the Web. Methods We utilized a distributed, Semantic Web-based architecture for recognizing personally dangerous drugs consisting of: (1) a private, local triple store of personal health information, (2) Semantic Web services, following the Semantic Automated Discovery and Integration (SADI) design pattern, for text mining and identifying substance interactions, (3) a bookmarklet to trigger analysis of a webpage and annotate it with personalized warnings, and (4) a semantic query that acts as an abstract template of the analytical workflow to be enacted by the system. Results A prototype implementation of the system is provided in the form of a Java standalone executable JAR file. The JAR file bundles all components of the system: the personal health database, locally-running versions of the SADI services, and a javascript bookmarklet that triggers analysis of a webpage. In addition, the demonstration includes a hypothetical personal health profile, allowing the system to be used immediately without configuration. Usage instructions are provided. Conclusions The main strength of the Personal Health Lens system is its ability to organize medical information and to present it to the user in a personalized and contextually relevant manner. While this

Socio-economic differences in self-esteem of adolescents influenced by personality, mental health and social support.

Science.gov (United States)

Veselska, Zuzana; Madarasova Geckova, Andrea; Gajdosova, Beata; Orosova, Olga; van Dijk, Jitse P; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2010-12-01

Previous studies indicate that self-esteem is lower among adolescents of low socio-economic status and is associated with a number of intrapersonal, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors. Evidence on the mechanisms by which these factors contribute to the connection between socio-economic status and developing self-esteem is incomplete, however. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to assess whether personality, mental health and social support contribute to the relationship between socio-economic status and self-esteem. A sample of 3694 elementary-school students from Slovakia (mean age = 14.3 years, 49% boys) filled out the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Family Affluence Scale, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Hierarchical linear regression showed family affluence, personality dimensions of extroversion, emotional stability and openness to experience, as well as mental health subscales and social support from family and significant others to be associated with self-esteem. Results indicate that personality dimensions and mental health subscales contribute to the association between family affluence and self-esteem. The contribution of personality and mental problems in the relation between socio-economic status and self-esteem may have important implications for the design of promotional programs aimed at enhancing self-esteem.

Building the national health information infrastructure for personal health, health care services, public health, and research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Detmer Don E

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Improving health in our nation requires strengthening four major domains of the health care system: personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and health-related research. Many avoidable shortcomings in the health sector that result in poor quality are due to inaccessible data, information, and knowledge. A national health information infrastructure (NHII offers the connectivity and knowledge management essential to correct these shortcomings. Better health and a better health system are within our reach. Discussion A national health information infrastructure for the United States should address the needs of personal health management, health care delivery, public health, and research. It should also address relevant global dimensions (e.g., standards for sharing data and knowledge across national boundaries. The public and private sectors will need to collaborate to build a robust national health information infrastructure, essentially a 'paperless' health care system, for the United States. The federal government should assume leadership for assuring a national health information infrastructure as recommended by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics and the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee. Progress is needed in the areas of funding, incentives, standards, and continued refinement of a privacy (i.e., confidentiality and security framework to facilitate personal identification for health purposes. Particular attention should be paid to NHII leadership and change management challenges. Summary A national health information infrastructure is a necessary step for improved health in the U.S. It will require a concerted, collaborative effort by both public and private sectors. If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it. Lord Kelvin

Evaluation design of Urban Health Centres Europe (UHCE): preventive integrated health and social care for community-dwelling older persons in five European cities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.J.J. Voorham; R. van Staveren; E. Koppelaar; L.F.J. Martijn; E. Valía-Cotanda; T. Alhambra-Borrás; T. Rentoumis; L. Bilajac; V. Vasiljev Marchesi; T. Rukavina; A. Verma; G. Williams; G. Clough; J. Garcés-Ferrer; F. Mattace Raso; H. Raat; C.B. Franse

2017-01-01

Older persons often have interacting physical and social problems and complex care needs. An integrated care approach in the local context with collaborations between community-, social-, and health-focused organisations can contribute to the promotion of independent living and quality of life. In

[How do the obese persons perceive their overall health?].

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos-Martínez, Blanca P; Rangel-Rodríguez, Gabriela; Pedraza-Moctezuma, Luis G

2013-01-01

the purpose was to investigate how the obese person perceives their health in different areas of their life. the SF-36 instrument, which measures various dimensions (social and physical functioning, mental and physical health, bodily pain, limitations due to physical and/or emotional problems, vitality and general health), was applied to 224 patients. It was analyzed whether there were differences between gender, which were channeled to the treatment (surgical and nonsurgical) and the degree of obesity (overweight, obesity and morbid obesity). A descriptive analysis, Student t test, Anova and Tukey t test were used. significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in some dimensions, like tendency to feel tired, exhausted and feeling that their health has been and will continue to deterioration. Women had a worse social and emotional functioning than men; patients with gastric bypass reported more fatigue than patients with gastric band; in regards to the degree of obesity, those who had morbid obesity showed less physical functioning, more pain and worse overall health than those who were just obese. the perception of the obese patients was that their health had deteriorated. Women were more affected in social and emotional functioning than men.

Defining the XML schema matching problem for a personal schema based query answering system

OpenAIRE

Smiljanic, M.; van Keulen, Maurice; Jonker, Willem

2004-01-01

In this report, we analyze the problem of personal schema matching. We define the ingredients of the XML schema matching problem using constraint logic programming. This allows us to thourougly investigate specific matching problems. We do not have the ambition to provide for a formalism that covers all kinds of schema matching problems. The target is specifically personal schema matching using XML. The report is organized as follows. Chapter 2 provides a detailed description of our research ...

PERSONALIZED MEDICINE AS AN UPDATED MODEL OF NATIONAL HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM.PART 1. STRATEGIC ASPECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Suchkov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article considers the key problems of the transition of the national health-care system to a new platform of personalized medicine and, in particular, pediatrics. The first part, published in this issue, analyzes the most important of the necessary aspects of the infrastructure of the new model. Evidence is given of the extreme urgency of introducing a new model of predictive, preventive and personalized medicine (PPPM. The result of implementation should be breakthrough success in solving many epidemiological, diagnostic, curative, preventive, social and economic problems. It is emphasized that neonatology and pediatrics are the most important link in this paradigm. When considering the potential architectonics of the model, important characteristics of its main segments are revealed. Diagnostic principles (genotyping, targeting, and dynamic screening of biomarkers and arsenal (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, mathematical modeling tools, etc. of personalized medicine are presented. Attention is focused on the need to create information (global, regional and target-specific banks that are necessary for monitoring individual health. The need to create a new social decision-making mechanism for selecting a preventive protocol that minimizes the risks of the disease or prevents its development is discussed. Four categories of basic programs of medical and social support of persons from the risk category are considered. The necessary conditions for translating these programs into practice are presented. The main tasks and problems of developing the principles for the preparation of preventive-prophylactic and protocols of medical rehabilitation for personalized medicine were discussed. 

The problem of distressed personality in a group of female footballers representing a club in the women’s first football league in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rutkowska Katarzyna

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. One of the keys to identifying health problems from the holistic perspective is the knowledge of Type D personality (distressed personality. Diagnosing this personality disorder among female football players may help sports psychologists, coaches, parents/caregivers, and all those engaged in training new sports entrants develop guidelines on how to resolve the problem. Methods. The study involved female footballers representing a Polish Ekstraliga football club, AZS-PSW Biała Podlaska, and was conducted with the use of the Polish adaptation of the DS14 scale. Results. In a group of 21 footballers, 7 (33.3% were diagnosed with Type D personality. Besides, a negative correlation was noted between the level of satisfaction with playing football and one of the dimensions of Type D personality - negative emotionality. Conclusions. The results of the study may be applicable in formulating practical recommendations while preparing mental training programmes.

Personality and Longevity: Knowns, Unknowns, and Implications for Public Health and Personalized Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Benjamin P.; Roberts, Brent; Duberstein, Paul

2011-01-01

We review evidence for links between personality traits and longevity. We provide an overview of personality for health scientists, using the primary organizing framework used in the study of personality and longevity. We then review data on various aspects of personality linked to longevity. In general, there is good evidence that higher level of conscientiousness and lower levels of hostility and Type D or “distressed” personality are associated with greater longevity. Limited evidence suggests that extraversion, openness, perceived control, and low levels of emotional suppression may be associated with longer lifespan. Findings regarding neuroticism are mixed, supporting the notion that many component(s) of neuroticism detract from life expectancy, but some components at some levels may be healthy or protective. Overall, evidence suggests various personality traits are significant predictors of longevity and points to several promising directions for further study. We conclude by discussing the implications of these links for epidemiologic research and personalized medicine and lay out a translational research agenda for integrating the psychology of individual differences into public health and medicine. PMID:21766032

Challenges and Opportunities with Empowering Baby Boomers for Personal Health Information Management Using Consumer Health Information Technologies: an Ecological Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

LeRouge, Cynthia M; Tao, Donghua; Ohs, Jennifer; Lach, Helen W; Jupka, Keri; Wray, Ricardo

2014-01-01

"Baby Boomers" (adults born between the years of 1946 and 1964) make up the largest segment of the population in many countries, including the United States (about 78 million Americans) [1]. As Baby Boomers reach retirement age and beyond, many will have increasing medical needs and thus demand more health care resources that will challenge the healthcare system. Baby Boomers will likely accelerate the movement toward patient self-management and prevention efforts. Consumer Health Information Technologies (CHIT) hold promise for empowering health consumers to take an active role in health maintenance and disease management, and thus, have the potential to address Baby Boomers' health needs. Such innovations require changes in health care practice and processes that take into account Baby Boomers' personal health needs, preferences, health culture, and abilities to use these technologies. Without foundational knowledge of barriers and opportunities, Baby Boomers may not realize the potential of these innovations for improving self-management of health and health outcomes. However, research to date has not adequately explored the degree to which Baby Boomers are ready to embrace consumer health information technology and how their unique subcultures affect adoption and diffusion. This position paper describes an ecological conceptual framework for understanding and studying CHIT aimed at satisfying the personal health needs of Baby Boomers. We explore existing literature to provide a detailed depiction of our proposed conceptual framework, which focuses characteristics influencing Baby Boomers and their Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) and potential information problems. Using our ecological framework as a backdrop, we provide insight and implications for future research based on literature and underlying theories represented in our model.

Personality and Health Care Decision-Making Style

OpenAIRE

Kathryn E. Flynn; Maureen A. Smith

2007-01-01

Using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate Survey (N = 5,830), a population-based cohort of older adults (most aged 63–66 years), we explored relationships between five factors of personality and four preference types that account for multiple components of the health care decision-making process (information exchange, deliberation, and selection of treatment choice). After adjustment for personal, health, social, and economic factors, we found that increased conscientiousness and openne...

The problem of moral choice personality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Kadievskaya

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Article is dedicated to the comprehension of the problems of the moral selection of personality. It is substantiated, that the moral consciousness is the complex system, because of which in the society are established the specific rules of interrelations between the people.   The concepts are analyzed: morals, relativity, moral absolutism, general human values, globalization, manipulation by consciousness, spiritual­ moral training. The specific character of the moral relativity, which denies absolute nature, i.e., is established universality and compulsion of morals, emphasizing conditionality and situationality of moral n. Moral absolutism is contradicted to moral relativity. Moral absolutism corresponds to persuasion, that there are absolute standards, which can be used for the permission of questions of morals, and that the specific actions can be correct or incorrect by themselves independent of their context. The two­digit (positive and negative axiological understanding of the phenomenon of globalization, which dually influences our consciousness, spiritual peace and moral selection, is represented. Under the conditions for large­scale information manipulations the translation of moral values as information, modifies their essence. Is shown the role of spiritual­ moral training in the formation, which must be variative and voluntary, allow for the possibility of ideological selection. The moral freedom of each person is manifested in the transformation of moral requirements into the internal needs of personality, into its own persuasions.

The development of personality extremity from childhood to adolescence: relations to internalizing and externalizing problems.

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Van den Akker, Alithe L; Prinzie, Peter; Deković, Maja; De Haan, Amaranta D; Asscher, Jessica J; Widiger, Thomas

2013-12-01

This study investigated the development of personality extremity (deviation of an average midpoint of all 5 personality dimensions together) across childhood and adolescence, as well as relations between personality extremity and adjustment problems. For 598 children (mean age at Time 1 = 7.5 years), mothers and fathers reported the Big Five personality dimensions 4 times across 8 years. Children's vector length in a 5-dimensional configuration of the Big Five dimensions represented personality extremity. Mothers, fathers, and teachers reported children's internalizing and externalizing problems at the 1st and final measurement. In a cohort-sequential design, we modeled personality extremity in children and adolescents from ages 6 to 17 years. Growth mixture modeling revealed a similar solution for both mother and father reports: a large group with relatively short vectors that were stable over time (mother reports: 80.3%; father reports: 84.7%) and 2 smaller groups with relatively long vectors (i.e., extreme personality configuration). One group started out relatively extreme and decreased over time (mother reports: 13.2%; father reports: 10.4%), whereas the other group started out only slightly higher than the short vector group but increased across time (mother reports: 6.5%; father reports: 4.9%). Children who belonged to the increasingly extreme class experienced more internalizing and externalizing problems in late adolescence, controlling for previous levels of adjustment problems and the Big Five personality dimensions. Personality extremity may be important to consider when identifying children at risk for adjustment problems. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Personality traits predict perceived health-related quality of life in persons with multiple sclerosis.

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Zarbo, Ignazio Roberto; Minacapelli, Eleonora; Falautano, Monica; Demontis, Silvia; Carpentras, Giovanni; Pugliatti, Maura

2016-04-01

Personality traits can affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in different disorders. In multiple sclerosis (MS), personality traits can determine patients' willingness to take on more risky treatment options, predispose to neuropsychiatric symptoms and affect coping strategies. We investigated the role of personality traits as possible predictors of HRQoL in a large cohort of persons with MS (PwMS). In total, 253 consecutively recruited PwMS were screened for intellectual deficits with Raven Colour Progressive Matrices (RCPM), state anxiety with STAI-X1 and major depression on a clinical basis. PwMS' self-perceived mental and physical health status was measured with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the personality profile with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R). The correlation between HRQoL and personality traits was investigated by means of analysis of variance, adjusting for possible confounders. Of the 253 MS patients, 195 (F:M=2.75), aged 41.7±10.2 years were included in the analysis. The variance of SF-36 mental and physical composite score was largely explained by extraversion and neuroticism. Our data confirm that PwMS' HRQoL is largely influenced by personality traits, which may therefore act as predictors of perceived quality of life and should be included in clinical and experimental settings focusing on HRQoL. © The Author(s), 2015.

A Scalable Framework to Detect Personal Health Mentions on Twitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Zhijun; Fabbri, Daniel; Rosenbloom, S Trent; Malin, Bradley

2015-06-05

Biomedical research has traditionally been conducted via surveys and the analysis of medical records. However, these resources are limited in their content, such that non-traditional domains (eg, online forums and social media) have an opportunity to supplement the view of an individual's health. The objective of this study was to develop a scalable framework to detect personal health status mentions on Twitter and assess the extent to which such information is disclosed. We collected more than 250 million tweets via the Twitter streaming API over a 2-month period in 2014. The corpus was filtered down to approximately 250,000 tweets, stratified across 34 high-impact health issues, based on guidance from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We created a labeled corpus of several thousand tweets via a survey, administered over Amazon Mechanical Turk, that documents when terms correspond to mentions of personal health issues or an alternative (eg, a metaphor). We engineered a scalable classifier for personal health mentions via feature selection and assessed its potential over the health issues. We further investigated the utility of the tweets by determining the extent to which Twitter users disclose personal health status. Our investigation yielded several notable findings. First, we find that tweets from a small subset of the health issues can train a scalable classifier to detect health mentions. Specifically, training on 2000 tweets from four health issues (cancer, depression, hypertension, and leukemia) yielded a classifier with precision of 0.77 on all 34 health issues. Second, Twitter users disclosed personal health status for all health issues. Notably, personal health status was disclosed over 50% of the time for 11 out of 34 (33%) investigated health issues. Third, the disclosure rate was dependent on the health issue in a statistically significant manner (P<.001). For instance, more than 80% of the tweets about migraines (83/100) and allergies (85

Personal health records

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kensing, Finn

2012-01-01

The paper addresses the complex interplay between patients, healthcare professionals, and technology in relation to the treatment of chronic patients. It reflects on an ongoing interdisciplinary action research project striving to design and implement IT support for communication and collaboration...... in the distributed heterogeneous network of chronic patients and the healthcare professionals that take care of them. An interactive personal health record (PHR) has been designed as part of the project. As such it is part of a trend to find ways to include patients in their own care process. This has been motivated...... by expected health benefits for the patients as well as promises to lead to reduced costs for a burdened healthcare system....

Choosing health: qualitative evidence from the experiences of personal health budget holders.

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Davidson, Jacqueline; Baxter, Kate; Glendinning, Caroline; Irvine, Annie

2013-10-01

Personal health budgets were piloted in the English National Health Service between 2009 and 2012. Semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of early budget holders aimed to explore their experiences of receiving and using a budget. Over 2000 people from 20 pilot sites were recruited to a multi-method evaluation of the personal health budget pilots. A sub-sample of 58 people was selected for qualitative interviews three months after the offer of a budget; 52 were re-interviewed six months later. The purposively selected sample reflected a range of health conditions, locality, age and gender. Personal health budgets were reported to have positive impacts on health, health care and relatives/family. Benefits often extended beyond the condition for which the budget had been awarded. However, interviewees rarely knew the level of their budget; some reported difficulty in agreeing acceptable uses for their budget; and delays could occur in procuring chosen services or equipment. Patients' experiences offer valuable insights for the roll-out of personal health budgets beyond the pilot phase. Flexibility in how budgets are used may allow maximum benefits to be derived. Clear information about what budgets can and cannot be used for, with suggestions offered, will be useful. People with newly diagnosed or recent sudden onset conditions may need more help to plan their support, but all budget holders are likely to benefit from regular contact with staff for reassurance and continued motivation.

Alleviating the new user problem in collaborative filtering by exploiting personality information

OpenAIRE

Fernández-Tobías, Ignacio; Braunhofer, Matthias; Elahi, Mehdi; Ricci, Francesco; Cantador, Iván

2016-01-01

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11257-016-9172-z The new user problem in recommender systems is still challenging, and there is not yet a unique solution that can be applied in any domain or situation. In this paper we analyze viable solutions to the new user problem in collaborative filtering (CF) that are based on the exploitation of user personality information: (a) personality-based CF, which directly improves the recommendation prediction ...

Transitioning to adolescence: how changes in child personality and overreactive parenting predict adolescent adjustment problems.

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van den Akker, Alithe L; Deković, Maja; Prinzie, Peter

2010-01-01

The present study examined how changes in child Big Five personality characteristics and overreactive parenting during the transition from childhood to adolescence predict adolescent adjustment problems. The sample included 290 children, aged 8-9 years. At three moments, with 2-year intervals, mothers, fathers, and a teacher reported on the child's personality, and mothers and fathers reported on their parenting behavior. At the third measurement moment, mothers, fathers, and children reported on the child's adjustment problems. Rank-order stability of the personality dimensions and overreactive parenting were high. Univariate latent growth models revealed mean-level decreases for extraversion, conscientiousness, and imagination. Mean levels of benevolence, emotional stability, and overreactive parenting were stable. Multivariate latent growth models revealed that decreases in extraversion and emotional stability predicted internalizing problems, whereas decreases in benevolence, conscientiousness, and emotional stability predicted externalizing problems. Increases in overreactive parenting predicted externalizing, but not internalizing problems. The associations were similar for boys and girls. The results indicate that changes in child personality and overreactive parenting during the transition to adolescence are associated with adolescent adjustment problems. Overall, child personality was more important than overreactive parenting, and children were more likely to "act out" than to "withdraw" in reaction to overreactive parenting.

Health effects of daily airborne particle dose in children: Direct association between personal dose and respiratory health effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, Giorgio; Marks, Guy B.; Morawska, Lidia

2013-01-01

Air pollution is a widespread health problem associated with respiratory symptoms. Continuous exposure monitoring was performed to estimate alveolar and tracheobronchial dose, measured as deposited surface area, for 103 children and to evaluate the long-term effects of exposure to airborne particles through spirometry, skin prick tests and measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). The mean daily alveolar deposited surface area dose received by children was 1.35 × 10 3 mm 2 . The lowest and highest particle number concentrations were found during sleeping and eating time. A significant negative association was found between changes in pulmonary function tests and individual dose estimates. Significant differences were found for asthmatics, children with allergic rhinitis and sensitive to allergens compared to healthy subjects for eNO. Variation is a child's activity over time appeared to have a strong impact on respiratory outcomes, which indicates that personal monitoring is vital for assessing the expected health effects of exposure to particles. -- Highlights: •Particle dose was estimated through personal monitoring on more than 100 children. •We focused on real-time daily dose of particle alveolar deposited surface area. •Spirometry, skin prick and exhaled Nitric Oxide tests were performed. •Negative link was found between changes in pulmonary functions and individual doses. •A child's lifestyle appeared to have a strong impact on health respiratory outcomes. -- The respiratory health effects of daily airborne particle dose on children through personal monitoring

Reclaiming the best of the biopsychosocial model of mental health care and 'recovery' for older people through a 'person-centred' approach.

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Roderick; McDonald, Regina; Lie, David; McGowan, Helen

2012-12-01

The 'biopsychosocial', 'person-centred care' (PCC) and 'recovery' models of care can be seen as distinct and competing paradigms. This paper proposes an integration of these valuable perspectives and suggestions for effective implementation in health services for the elderly. An overview of PCC and recovery models, and their application for older people with mental health problems, is provided. Their overlap and contrast with the familiar 'biopsychosocial' model of mental health care is considered, together with obstacles to implementation. Utilisation of PCC and recovery concepts allow clinicians to avoid narrow application of the biopsychosocial approach and encourages clinicians to focus on the person's right to autonomy, their values and life goals. Service reform and development is required to embed these concepts into core clinical processes so as to improve outcomes and the quality of life for older people with mental health problems.

Health professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration in mental health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita Sommerseth

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Rita Sommerseth, Elin DysvikUniversity of Stavanger, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Studies, Stavanger, NorwayObjective: The basic aim in this paper is to discuss health care professionals’ experiences of person-centered collaboration and involvement in mental health rehabilitation and suggest ways of improving this perspective. Furthermore, the paper explains the supportive systems that are at work throughout the process of rehabilitation.Method: The study design is a qualitative approach using three focus group interviews with a total of 17 informants with different professional backgrounds such as nurses, social workers, and social pedagogies. In addition, one nurse and one social worker participated in a semistructured in-depth interview to judge validity.Results: Our results may demonstrate deficits concerning mental health care on several levels. This understanding suggests firstly, that a person-centered perspective and involvement still are uncommon. Secondly, multidisciplinary work seems uncommon and only sporadically follows recommendations. Thirdly, family support is seldom involved. Lastly, firm leadership and knowledge about laws and regulations seems not to be systematically integrated in daily care.Conclusion: Taking these matters together, the improvement of a person-centered perspective implies cooperation between different services and levels in mental health care. In order to bring about improvement the health care workers must critically consider their own culture, coordination of competence must be increased, and leadership at an institutional and organizational level must be improved so that scarce rehabilitation resources are used to the optimal benefit of people with a mental illness.Keywords: multidisciplinary teams, person-centered collaboration, supportive systems, rehabilitation

Exploring the Role of In-Person Components for Online Health Behavior Change Interventions: Can a Digital Person-to-Person Component Suffice?

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Santarossa, Sara; Kane, Deborah; Senn, Charlene Y; Woodruff, Sarah J

2018-04-11

The growth of the digital environment provides tremendous opportunities to revolutionize health behavior change efforts. This paper explores the use of Web-based, mobile, and social media health behavior change interventions and determines whether there is a need for a face-to-face or an in-person component. It is further argued that that although in-person components can be beneficial for online interventions, a digital person-to-person component can foster similar results while dealing with challenges faced by traditional intervention approaches. Using a digital person-to-person component is rooted in social and behavioral theories such as the theory of reasoned action, and the social cognitive theory, and further justified by the human support constructs of the model of supportive accountability. Overall, face-to-face and online behavior change interventions have their respective advantages and disadvantages and functions, yet both serve important roles. It appears that it is in fact human support that is the most important component in the effectiveness and adherence of both face-to-face and online behavior change interventions, and thoughtfully introducing a digital person-to-person component, to replace face-to-face interactions, can provide the needed human support while diminishing the barriers of in-person meetings. The digital person-to-person component must create accountability, generate opportunities for tailored feedback, and create social support to successfully create health behavior change. As the popularity of the online world grows, and the interest in using the digital environment for health behavior change interventions continues to be embraced, further research into not only the use of online interventions, but the use of a digital person-to-person component, must be explored. ©Sara Santarossa, Deborah Kane, Charlene Y Senn, Sarah J Woodruff. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 11.04.2018.

Electronic Personal Health Record Use Among Nurses in the Nursing Informatics Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartrell, Kyungsook; Trinkoff, Alison M; Storr, Carla L; Wilson, Marisa L

2015-07-01

An electronic personal health record is a patient-centric tool that enables patients to securely access, manage, and share their health information with healthcare providers. It is presumed the nursing informatics community would be early adopters of electronic personal health record, yet no studies have been identified that examine the personal adoption of electronic personal health record's for their own healthcare. For this study, we sampled nurse members of the American Medical Informatics Association and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society with 183 responding. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify those factors associated with electronic personal health record use. Overall, 72% were electronic personal health record users. Users tended to be older (aged >50 years), be more highly educated (72% master's or doctoral degrees), and hold positions as clinical informatics specialists or chief nursing informatics officers. Those whose healthcare providers used electronic health records were significantly more likely to use electronic personal health records (odds ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-25.61). Electronic personal health record users were significantly less concerned about privacy of health information online than nonusers (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.70) adjusted for ethnicity, race, and practice region. Informatics nurses, with their patient-centered view of technology, are in prime position to influence development of electronic personal health records. Our findings can inform policy efforts to encourage informatics and other professional nursing groups to become leaders and users of electronic personal health record; such use could help them endorse and engage patients to use electronic personal health records. Having champions with expertise in and enthusiasm for the new technology can promote the adoptionof electronic personal health records among healthcare providers as well as

Requirements and Solutions for Personalized Health Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Blobel, Bernd; Ruotsalainen, Pekka; Lopez, Diego M; Oemig, Frank

2017-01-01

Organizational, methodological and technological paradigm changes enable a precise, personalized, predictive, preventive and participative approach to health and social services supported by multiple actors from different domains at diverse level of knowledge and skills. Interoperability has to advance beyond Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) concerns, including the real world business domains and their processes, but also the individual context of all actors involved. The paper introduces and compares personalized health definitions, summarizes requirements and principles for pHealth systems, and considers intelligent interoperability. It addresses knowledge representation and harmonization, decision intelligence, and usability as crucial issues in pHealth. On this basis, a system-theoretical, ontology-based, policy-driven reference architecture model for open and intelligent pHealth ecosystems and its transformation into an appropriate ICT design and implementation is proposed.

What can individuals do to reduce personal health risks from air pollution?

Science.gov (United States)

Laumbach, Robert; Meng, Qingyu; Kipen, Howard

2015-01-01

In many areas of the world, concentrations of ambient air pollutants exceed levels associated with increased risk of acute and chronic health problems. While effective policies to reduce emissions at their sources are clearly preferable, some evidence supports the effectiveness of individual actions to reduce exposure and health risks. Personal exposure to ambient air pollution can be reduced on high air pollution days by staying indoors, reducing outdoor air infiltration to indoors, cleaning indoor air with air filters, and limiting physical exertion, especially outdoors and near air pollution sources. Limited evidence suggests that the use of respirators may be effective in some circumstances. Awareness of air pollution levels is facilitated by a growing number of public air quality alert systems. Avoiding exposure to air pollutants is especially important for susceptible individuals with chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, children, and the elderly. Research on mechanisms underlying the adverse health effects of air pollution have suggested potential pharmaceutical or chemopreventive interventions, such as antioxidant or antithrombotic agents, but in the absence of data on health outcomes, no sound recommendations can be made for primary prevention. Health care providers and their patients should carefully consider individual circumstances related to outdoor and indoor air pollutant exposure levels and susceptibility to those air pollutants when deciding on a course of action to reduce personal exposure and health risks from ambient air pollutants. Careful consideration is especially warranted when interventions may have unintended negative consequences, such as when efforts to avoid exposure to air pollutants lead to reduced physical activity or when there is evidence that dietary supplements, such as antioxidants, have potential adverse health effects. These potential complications of partially effective personal interventions to reduce exposure or

Persons with rheumatoid arthritis challenge the relevance of the health assessment questionnaire: a qualitative study of patient perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebbevi, David; Essén, Anna; Forsberg, Helena Hvitfeldt

2017-05-12

The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ) is widely used to measure functional ability in persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The instrument was developed with limited involvement from persons with RA, and their perception of the instrument has not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to explore how persons with RA experience the use of the HAQ in care. The study used secondary data analysis. Persons with RA participated in semi-structured interviews in previous research projects. Thirty-nine interviews were included based on data fit, and thematic analysis applied. The participants questioned the relevance of the HAQ but nevertheless experienced that the instrument had a profound effect on their understanding of health and how care is delivered. The analysis resulted in three themes: Problems with individual items, meaning of the summative score, and effects on care and health perceptions. To make the HAQ relevant to persons with RA, it needs to be revised or to include an option to select items most meaningful to the respondent. To ensure relevance, the HAQ update should preferably be co-created by researchers, clinicians and persons with RA.

Health risk perception, optimistic bias, and personal satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bränström, Richard; Brandberg, Yvonne

2010-01-01

To examine change in risk perception and optimistic bias concerning behavior-linked health threats and environmental health threats between adolescence and young adulthood and how these factors related to personal satisfaction. In 1996 and 2002, 1624 adolescents responded to a mailed questionnaire. Adolescents showed strong positive optimistic bias concerning behaviorlinked risks, and this optimistic bias increased with age. Increase in optimistic bias over time predicted increase in personal satisfaction. The capacity to process and perceive potential threats in a positive manner might be a valuable human ability positively influencing personal satisfaction and well-being.

Can health care providers recognize a fibromyalgia personality?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Da Silva, J.A.P.; Jacobs, J.W.G.; Branco, J.; Canaipa, R.; Gaspar, M.F.; Griep, E.N.; van Helmond, T.; Oliveira, P.J.; Zijlstra, T.R.; Geenen, R.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To determine if experienced health care providers (HCPs) can recognise patients with fibromyalgia (FM) based on a limited set of personality items, exploring the existence of a FM personality. METHODS: From the 240-item NEO-PI-R personality questionnaire, 8 HCPs from two different

Big Five personality and health in adults with and without cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rochefort, Catherine; Hoerger, Michael; Turiano, Nicholas A; Duberstein, Paul

2018-01-01

Personality is associated with health, but examinations in patients with illnesses are lacking. We aimed to determine whether personality-physical health associations differed between community and cancer samples. This cross-sectional study involved 168 participants without cancer, 212 men with prostate cancer, and 55 women with breast cancer. We examined whether the Big Five personality dimensions were associated with health behaviors and multiple health indicators. Higher conscientiousness and lower neuroticism were associated with better health behaviors and health ( r max  = .31), with few differences between community and cancer samples. Findings call for research on the implications of personality in patients with serious illnesses.

Gratitude, hope, mindfulness and personal-growth initiative: buffers or risk factors for problem gambling?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jasmine M Y Loo

Full Text Available The majority of prevention and intervention research in problem gambling (PG has focused on identifying negative risk factors. However, not all at-risk individuals go on to develop anticipated disorders and many thrive in spite of them. In healthcare settings, PG and other disorders are typically conceptualized from the biomedical perspective that frame disorders as something negative residing within the individual and reduction in negativity is seen as success. Indeed, this problem-focused conceptualization may be adequate in many cases as reducing PG behaviour is undoubtedly an important outcome, but the focus on negativity alone is too narrow to capture the complexity of human behaviour. Hence, this study attempts to bridge the gap in literature by providing an evaluation of the predictive ability of the positive dispositions on problem gambling severity, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges. The positive psychological dispositions examined were curiosity, gratitude, hope, personal growth initiative, and mindfulness. Participants consisted of 801 Taiwanese Chinese students and community individuals (Mean age = 25.36 years. Higher levels of gratitude and hope have been found to predict lower PG, gambling-related cognitions, or gambling urges. Meanwhile, higher mindfulness predicted lower PG, but only among Chinese males. However, lower personal growth initiative predicted lower PG, gambling-related cognitions, and gambling urges. These analyses have small to medium effect sizes with significant predictions. Findings of this study have essential implications in understanding and treating Chinese problem gamblers. These positive dispositions should be addressed by mental health professionals in preventative and treatment programs among Chinese individuals. Further implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Personal health records: retrieving contextual information with Google Custom Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahsan, Mahmud; Seldon, H Lee; Sayeed, Shohel

2012-01-01

Ubiquitous personal health records, which can accompany a person everywhere, are a necessary requirement for ubiquitous healthcare. Contextual information related to health events is important for the diagnosis and treatment of disease and for the maintenance of good health, yet it is seldom recorded in a health record. We describe a dual cellphone-and-Web-based personal health record system which can include 'external' contextual information. Much contextual information is available on the Internet and we can use ontologies to help identify relevant sites and information. But a search engine is required to retrieve information from the Web and developing a customized search engine is beyond our scope, so we can use Google Custom Search API Web service to get contextual data. In this paper we describe a framework which combines a health-and-environment 'knowledge base' or ontology with the Google Custom Search API to retrieve relevant contextual information related to entries in a ubiquitous personal health record.

Indivo: a personally controlled health record for health information exchange and communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crawford William CR

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Personally controlled health records (PCHRs, a subset of personal health records (PHRs, enable a patient to assemble, maintain and manage a secure copy of his or her medical data. Indivo (formerly PING is an open source, open standards PCHR with an open application programming interface (API. Results We describe how the PCHR platform can provide standard building blocks for networked PHR applications. Indivo allows the ready integration of diverse sources of medical data under a patient's control through the use of standards-based communication protocols and APIs for connecting PCHRs to existing and future health information systems. Conclusion The strict and transparent personal control model is designed to encourage widespread participation by patients, healthcare providers and institutions, thus creating the ecosystem for development of innovative, consumer-focused healthcare applications.

Stressors, social support, depressive symptoms and general health status of Taiwanese caregivers of persons with stroke or Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chiung-Yu; Sousa, Valmi D; Perng, Shao-Jen; Hwang, Mei-Yi; Tsai, Chun-Ching; Huang, Mei-Huang; Yao, Shu-Ying

2009-02-01

This study examined the relationships among stressors, social support, depressive symptoms and the general health status of Taiwanese caregivers of individuals with stroke or Alzheimer's disease. Caring for a disabled or cognitively impaired person can be extremely stressful and often has adverse effects on caregivers' health. While research on caregiving in Taiwan has examined caregivers' characteristics, caregivers' need and caregivers' burden in caring for older people in general, little is known about Taiwanese caregivers of individuals with stroke or Alzheimer's disease. Cross-sectional, descriptive correlation design. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 103 Taiwanese informal caregivers in the South of Taiwan and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlations, multiple and hierarchical regressions and t-tests. Caregivers who had lower household incomes and were taking care of individuals with more behaviour problems had more depressive symptoms. In addition, caregivers who were older and were taking care of individuals with more behaviour problems had worse general health. Caregivers who had more emotional support had less depressive symptoms. Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease had more depressive symptoms and worse general health than caregivers of persons with stroke. Only emotional support moderated the relationship between one of the stressors (household income) and depressive symptoms. The findings of this study may be helpful for nurses and other health care professionals in designing effective interventions to minimise the negative impacts of stressors on the psychological and general health of caregivers in Taiwan.

What does facial symmetry reveal about health and personality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Švegar Domagoj

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Over the last two decades, facial symmetry has been intensively researched. The present article aims to summarize empirical research concerning relations between facial symmetry and health and facial symmetry and personality. A systematic review of the literature shows that facial symmetry is one of the most influential visual markers of attractiveness and health, important for mate selection, while asymmetry can be considered a consequence of an individual’s inability to resist environmental and genetic stressors during development of the organism. However, in spite of evidence suggesting that preferences for facial symmetry are deeply rooted in our evolutionary history, a strong connection between facial symmetry and health is demonstrated only in studies measuring perceived health, while there is only scarce evidence corroborating the link between symmetry and actual health. The interconnections between facial symmetry and personality have not yet been extensively researched. Less than a dozen studies have addressed that issue and they have reached different conclusions. Some evidence suggests that facial symmetry signals personality attributes that indicate good psychological health, while other findings imply that pro-social personality traits negatively correlate with facial symmetry.

Oral health problems and mortality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jung Ki Kim

2013-06-01

Conclusion: Individual oral health conditions—tooth loss, root caries, and periodontal disease—were not related to mortality when sociodemographic, health, and/or health behavioral factors were considered, and there was no differential pattern between the three conditions. Multiple oral health problems were associated with a higher risk of dying.

Application of ubiquitous computing in personal health monitoring systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunze, C; Grossmann, U; Stork, W; Müller-Glaser, K D

2002-01-01

A possibility to significantly reduce the costs of public health systems is to increasingly use information technology. The Laboratory for Information Processing Technology (ITIV) at the University of Karlsruhe is developing a personal health monitoring system, which should improve health care and at the same time reduce costs by combining micro-technological smart sensors with personalized, mobile computing systems. In this paper we present how ubiquitous computing theory can be applied in the health-care domain.

Public dental health care program for persons with disability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Lisa Bøge; Hede, Børge; Petersen, Poul Erik

2005-01-01

The objectives of the study were (1) to describe the organization and content of the Danish public oral health care program for persons with disability, and (2) to analyse possible variations in relation to the goals and requirements set by the health authorities. Data were collected by means......) payment of service, (4) providers of oral health care, (5) special training of staff, 6) dental services delivered, (7) ethical issues, and (8) patient rights. Less than one-third of persons estimated by the health authorities were enrolled in the program. On average, 0.4% of the municipal population...... of knowledge of oral health and oral health care for persons with disability were barriers to equal access to the program. Preventive dental services were the most frequent services delivered, although relatively few oral hygienists were involved in the program. Special training was most frequent in large...

Do work factors modify the association between chronic health problems and sickness absence among older employees?

Science.gov (United States)

Leijten, Fenna R M; van den Heuvel, Swenne G; Ybema, Jan Fekke; Robroek, Suzan J W; Burdorf, Alex

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to (i) assess how common chronic health problems and work-related factors predict sickness absence and (ii) explore whether work-related factors modify the effects of health problems on sickness absence. A one-year longitudinal study was conducted among employed persons aged 45-64 years from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (N = 8984). The presence of common chronic health problems and work-related factors was determined at baseline and self-reported sickness absence at one-year follow-up by questionnaire. Multinomial multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between health, work factors, and sickness absence, and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) techniques were used to test effect modification. Common health problems were related to follow-up sickness absence, most strongly to high cumulative sickness absence (> 9 days per year). Baseline psychological health problems were strongly related to high sickness absence at follow-up [odds ratio (OR) 3.67, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.80-4.82]. Higher job demands at baseline increased the likelihood of high sickness absence at follow-up among workers with severe headaches [RERI 1.35 (95% CI 0.45-2.25)] and psychological health problems [RERI 3.51 (95% CI 0.67-6.34)] at baseline. Lower autonomy at baseline increased the likelihood of high sickness absence at follow-up among those with musculoskeletal [RERI 0.57 (95% CI 0.05-1.08)], circulatory [RERI 0.82 (95% CI 0.00-1.63)], and psychological health problems [RERI 2.94 (95% CI 0.17-5.70)] at baseline. Lower autonomy and higher job demands increased the association of an array of common chronic health problems with sickness absence, and thus focus should be placed on altering these factors in order to reduce sickness absence and essentially promote sustainable employability.

Transfer of information from personal health records: a survey of veterans using My HealtheVet.

Science.gov (United States)

Turvey, Carolyn L; Zulman, Donna M; Nazi, Kim M; Wakefield, Bonnie J; Woods, Susan S; Hogan, Timothy P; Weaver, Frances M; McInnes, Keith

2012-03-01

Personal health records provide patients with ownership of their health information and allow them to share information with multiple healthcare providers. However, the usefulness of these records relies on patients understanding and using their records appropriately. My HealtheVet is a Web-based patient portal containing a personal health record administered by the Veterans Health Administration. The goal of this study was to explore veterans' interest and use of My HealtheVet to transfer and share information as well as to identify opportunities to increase veteran use of the My HealtheVet functions. Two waves of data were collected in 2010 through an American Customer Satisfaction Index Web-based survey. A random sample of veterans using My HealtheVet was invited to participate in the survey conducted on the My HealtheVet portal through a Web-based pop-up browser window. Wave One results (n=25,898) found that 41% of veterans reported printing information, 21% reported saving information electronically, and only 4% ever sent information from My HealtheVet to another person. In Wave Two (n=18,471), 30% reported self-entering medication information, with 18% sharing this information with their Veterans Affairs (VA) provider and 9.6% sharing with their non-VA provider. Although veterans are transferring important medical information from their personal health records, increased education and awareness are needed to increase use. Personal health records have the potential to improve continuity of care. However, more research is needed on both the barriers to adoption as well as the actual impact on patient health outcomes and well-being.

Security and privacy issues of personal health.

Science.gov (United States)

Blobel, Bernd; Pharow, Peter

2007-01-01

While health systems in developed countries and increasingly also in developing countries are moving from organisation-centred to person-centred health service delivery, the supporting communication and information technology is faced with new risks regarding security and privacy of stakeholders involved. The comprehensively distributed environment puts special burden on guaranteeing communication security services, but even more on guaranteeing application security services dealing with privilege management, access control and audit regarding social implication and connected sensitivity of personal information recorded, processed, communicated and stored in an even internationally distributed environment.

Categorizing Health Outcomes and Efficacy of mHealth Apps for Persons With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bateman, Daniel R; Srinivas, Bhavana; Emmett, Thomas W; Schleyer, Titus K; Holden, Richard J; Hendrie, Hugh C; Callahan, Christopher M

2017-08-30

Use of mobile health (mHealth) apps is growing at an exponential rate in the United States and around the world. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer disease, and related dementias are a global health problem. Numerous mHealth interventions exist for this population, yet the effect of these interventions on health has not been systematically described. The aim of this study is to catalog the types of health outcomes used to measure effectiveness of mHealth interventions and assess which mHealth interventions have been shown to improve the health of persons with MCI, Alzheimer disease, and dementia. We searched 13 databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, the full Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Ei Compendex, IEEE Xplore, Applied Science & Technology Source, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar from inception through May 2017 for mHealth studies involving persons with cognitive impairment that were evaluated using at least one quantitative health outcome. Proceedings of the Annual ACM Conferences on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the ACM User Interface Software and Technology Symposium, and the IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers were searched in the ACM Digital Library from 2012 to 2016. A hand search of JMIR Publications journals was also completed in July 2017. After removal of duplicates, our initial search returned 3955 records. Of these articles, 24 met final inclusion criteria as studies involving mHealth interventions that measured at least one quantitative health outcome for persons with MCI, Alzheimer disease, and dementia. Common quantitative health outcomes included cognition, function, mood, and quality of life. We found that 21.2% (101/476) of the fully reviewed articles were excluded because of a lack of health outcomes. The health outcomes selected were observed to be inconsistent between studies. For those studies with quantitative health outcomes, more than half (58%) reported

How do people with long-term mental health problems negotiate relationships with network members at times of crisis?

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Sandra; Kennedy, Anne; Vassilev, Ivaylo; Rogers, Anne

2018-02-01

Social network processes impact on the genesis and management of mental health problems. There is currently less understanding of the way people negotiate networked relationships in times of crisis compared to how they manage at other times. This paper explores the patterns and nature of personal network involvement at times of crises and how these may differ from day-to-day networks of recovery and maintenance. Semi-structured interviews with 25 participants with a diagnosis of long-term mental health (MH) problems drawn from recovery settings in the south of England. Interviews centred on personal network mapping of members and resources providing support. The mapping interviews explored the work of network members and changes in times of crisis. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a framework analysis. Three key themes were identified: the fluidity of network relationality between crisis and recovery; isolation as a means of crises management; leaning towards peer support. Personal network input retreated at times of crisis often as result of "ejection" from the network by participants who used self-isolation as a personal management strategy in an attempt to deal with crises. Peer support is considered useful during a crisis, whilst the role of services was viewed with some ambiguity. Social networks membership, and type and depth of involvement, is subject to change between times of crisis and everyday support. This has implications for managing mental health in terms of engaging with network support differently in times of crises versus recovery and everyday living. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experiences of discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems: Findings from an Australian national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Reavley, Nicola J; Jorm, Anthony F

2015-10-01

Stigma and discrimination are central concerns for people with mental health problems. The aim of the study was to carry out a national survey in order to assess experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment in people with mental health problems. In 2014, telephone interviews were carried out with 5220 Australians aged 18+, 1381 of whom reported a mental health problem or scored highly on a symptom screening questionnaire. Questions covered experiences of avoidance, discrimination and positive treatment by friends, spouse, other family, workplace, educational institution and others in the community. In most domains, respondents reported more positive treatment experiences than avoidance or discrimination. Friends and family were more likely to avoid the person than to discriminate. The results can provide input into the design of anti-discrimination interventions and further empower people with mental health problems as they advocate for change in the area of discrimination. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

The internet of things for personalized health.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreier, Günter

2014-01-01

Advances in information and communications technologies (ICT) enable new personalized health care concepts which are often characterized by four "P" terms, i.e. personalized, predictive, preventive and participatory. However, real world implementations of the complete 4P spectrum hardly exist today. The Internet of Things (IoT) has been defined as an extension to the current Internet that enables pervasive communication between the physical and the virtual world. Smart devices and enabling elements like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology already exist and increasingly will be a mainstream element of our lives. This future vision paper attempts to assess if and how the Internet of Things for personalized health (IoT4pH) can help to facilitate the 4P healthcare paradigm and discusses related challenges and opportunities.

Co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems among homeless persons: Suggestions for research and practice

Science.gov (United States)

Polcin, Douglas L.

2016-01-01

Abstract Communities throughout the U.S. are struggling to find solutions for serious and persistent homelessness. Alcohol and drug problems can be causes and consequences of homelessness, as well as co-occurring problems that complicate efforts to succeed in finding stable housing. Two prominent service models exist, one known as “Housing First” takes a harm reduction approach and the other known as the “linear” model typically supports a goal of abstinence from alcohol and drugs. Despite their popularity, the research supporting these models suffers from methodological problems and inconsistent findings. One purpose of this paper is to describe systematic reviews of the homelessness services literature, which illustrate weaknesses in research designs and inconsistent conclusions about the effectiveness of current models. Problems among some of the seminal studies on homelessness include poorly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, inadequate measures of alcohol and drug use, unspecified or poorly implemented comparison conditions, and lack of procedures documenting adherence to service models. Several recent papers have suggested broader based approaches for homeless services that integrate alternatives and respond better to consumer needs. Practical considerations for implementing a broader system of services are described and peer-managed recovery homes are presented as examples of services that address some of the gaps in current approaches. Three issues are identified that need more attention from researchers: (1) improving upon the methodological limitations in current studies, (2) assessing the impact of broader based, integrated services on outcome, and (3) assessing approaches to the service needs of homeless persons involved in the criminal justice system. PMID:27092027

A Big Five approach to self-regulation: personality traits and health trajectories in the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Barckley, Maureen; Goldberg, Lewis R; Dubanoski, Joan P; Hillier, Teresa A

2016-01-01

Self-regulatory processes influencing health outcomes may have their origins in childhood personality traits. The Big Five approach to personality was used here to investigate the associations between childhood traits, trait-related regulatory processes and changes in health across middle age. Participants (N = 1176) were members of the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health. Teacher assessments of the participants' traits when they were in elementary school were related to trajectories of self-rated health measured on 6 occasions over 14 years in middle age. Five trajectories of self-rated health were identified by latent class growth analysis: Stable Excellent, Stable Very Good, Good, Decreasing and Poor. Childhood Conscientiousness was the only childhood trait to predict membership in the Decreasing class vs. the combined healthy classes (Stable Excellent, Stable Very Good and Good), even after controlling for adult Conscientiousness and the other adult Big Five traits. The Decreasing class had poorer objectively assessed clinical health measured on one occasion in middle age, was less well-educated, and had a history of more lifespan health-damaging behaviors compared to the combined healthy classes. These findings suggest that higher levels of childhood Conscientiousness (i.e. greater self-discipline and goal-directedness) may prevent subsequent health decline decades later through self-regulatory processes involving the acquisition of lifelong healthful behavior patterns and higher educational attainment.

Examining the Role of Anxiety and Apathy in Health Consumers' Intentions to Use Patient Health Portals for Personal Health Information Management

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Carlos A.

2011-01-01

This study investigated college students' attitudes toward and intentions to use personal health portals (PHPs) for managing their personal health information using a survey method. The study also aimed to examine the roles electronic Personal Health Information Management (PHIM) anxiety and apathy play in influencing students' attitudes toward…

Privacy by design in personal health monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordgren, Anders

2015-06-01

The concept of privacy by design is becoming increasingly popular among regulators of information and communications technologies. This paper aims at analysing and discussing the ethical implications of this concept for personal health monitoring. I assume a privacy theory of restricted access and limited control. On the basis of this theory, I suggest a version of the concept of privacy by design that constitutes a middle road between what I call broad privacy by design and narrow privacy by design. The key feature of this approach is that it attempts to balance automated privacy protection and autonomously chosen privacy protection in a way that is context-sensitive. In personal health monitoring, this approach implies that in some contexts like medication assistance and monitoring of specific health parameters one single automatic option is legitimate, while in some other contexts, for example monitoring in which relatives are receivers of health-relevant information rather than health care professionals, a multi-choice approach stressing autonomy is warranted.

False Teeth Still a Public Health Problem among Children in Kanungu District--South Western Uganda 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen, Sebudde

2006-01-01

False teeth among children are a Public Health problem which has not received adequate attention in Uganda. This study was therefore developed as a community-based descriptive cross-sectional carried out in Kanungu District using qualitative methods of data collection among caregivers of children, Community Owned Resource Persons and Service…

Right to property, inheritance, and contract and persons with mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhugra, Dinesh; Pathare, Soumitra; Joshi, Rajlaxmi; Nardodkar, Renuka; Torales, Julio; Tolentino, Edgardo Juan L; Dantas, Rubens; Ventriglio, Antonio

2016-08-01

Discrimination against people with mental illness is rife across the globe. Among different types of discrimination is the policy in many countries where persons with mental illness are forbidden to inherit property, and they are not able to enter into a contract in a large number of countries. Using various databases, legislations dealing with law of contract, law of succession/inheritance, and law relating to testamentary capacity (wills) of all UN Member states (193 countries) were studied. With respect to federal countries, the laws of the most populous state as a representative state in the respective country were studied. Only 40 Member States (21%) recognize/allow persons with mental health problems to enter into contracts. Of these, however, only 16 Member States (9%) recognize the right of persons with mental health problems to enter into a contract without any restrictions. The remaining 24 Member States (12%) allow a contract entered into by a person with mental health problems to be invalidated under certain conditions. These countries also make the validity of the contract subject to the capacity to consent or based on the level of understanding of the person with mental health problems. They may allow persons with mental health problems to enter into contracts only for transactions of an insignificant nature or of personal rights. Only 9% of the countries allow people with mental illness to enter into contracts in an unrestricted way. Furthermore, there remain variations between high income and low income states. In spite of international laws in many countries, laws remain discriminatory.

10 years beyond the Health Security Act failure: subsequent developments and persistent problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Budetti, Peter P

2004-10-27

Ten years after the failure of President Clinton's Health Security Act (HSA), the United States continues to face multiple stresses in health care, including large numbers of uninsured individuals, increasing costs, questions about quality, and dissatisfaction with managed care. Using the framework of the HSA-particularly universal coverage, spending and managed competition, insurance for low-income persons, and patients' rights-the post-HSA evolution and current status of the US health care system is traced and lessons to guide future actions are outlined. Neither incremental legislation nor private sector changes in health care organization and financing during the past decade have ameliorated the problems addressed by the HSA, and new troubles have emerged. These problems affect every group in the country and continue to deteriorate health care, yet there has been no political support for large-scale reform. The core components of a vision for future action-universal coverage, quality improvement, cost containment, and subsidies for the economically vulnerable-are essential. There is a pressing need to construct a clear vision that would tie together incremental steps into a rational approach to comprehensive reform and to actually move toward the realization of that vision.

Personality and the perception of health and happiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloninger, C Robert; Zohar, Ada H

2011-01-01

Health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Personality traits measure individual differences in adaptive functioning and mental health, but little is known about how well personality accounts for health's affective aspects (i.e., "happiness") and its non-affective aspects (i.e., "wellness") in the general population. 1102 volunteer representatives of the Sharon area of Israel completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (PSS), and the subjective health assessment of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Multidimensional personality profiles were used to evaluate the linear and non-linear effects of interactions among dimensions on different aspects of well-being. Self-directedness was strongly associated with all aspects of well-being regardless of interactions with other dimensions. Cooperativeness was strongly associated with perceived social support, and weakly with other aspects of well-being, particularly when Self-directedness was low. Self-transcendence was strongly associated with positive emotions when the influence of the other character dimensions was taken into account. Personality explained nearly half the variance in happiness and more than one-third of the variance in wellness. Our data are cross-sectional and self-reported, so they are subject to personal perceptual bias. The emotional, social, and physical aspects of well-being are interdependent, but specific configurations of TCI Self-directedness, Cooperativeness, and Self-transcendence influence them differentially. Interactions among different combinations of character traits have strong effects on the perception of both wellness and happiness. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does personality affect health-related quality of life? A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, I-Chan; Lee, Joy L.; Ketheeswaran, Pavinarmatha; Jones, Conor M.; Revicki, Dennis A.; Wu, Albert W.

2017-01-01

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is increasingly measured as an outcome for clinical and health services research. However, relatively little is known about how non-health factors affect HRQOL. Personality is a potentially important factor, yet evidence regarding the effects of personality on HRQOL measures is unclear. Methods This systematic review examined the relationships among aspects of personality and HRQOL. Eligible studies were identified from Medline and PsycINFO. The review included 76 English-language studies with HRQOL as a primary outcome and that assessed personality from the psychological perspective. Individuals with various health states, including ill (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disorders), aging, and healthy, were included in this review study. Results Some personality characteristics were consistently related to psychosocial aspects more often than physical aspects of HRQOL. Personality characteristics, especially neuroticism, mastery, optimism, and sense of coherence were most likely to be associated with psychosocial HRQOL. Personality explained varying proportions of variance in different domains of HRQOL. The range of variance explained in psychosocial HRQOL was 0 to 45% and the range of explained variance in physical HRQOL was 0 to 39%. Conclusions Personality characteristics are related to HRQOL. Systematic collection and analysis of personality data alongside HRQOL measures may be helpful in medical research, clinical practice, and health policy evaluation. PMID:28355244

ANANKASTIK PERSONALITY DISORDER IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PARANOID PATIENT: A CASE REPORT

OpenAIRE

Damarnegara ..; A. A. Ngr. Andika

2014-01-01

Anankastik personality disorder is a health problem that can disturb the activities of person and can accompany a variety of other mental health problems. The patient in thiscase is a patient with an anankastik or obsessive compulsive personality disorder withthe axis I diagnoses is Paranoid Schizophrenia and was given haloperidol 2x5mg, buthave not done psychotherapy because the patient has not been cooperative. Theprognosis is dependent on patient compliance in taking medication and control...

Personal financial incentives in health promotion: where do they fit in an ethic of autonomy?

Science.gov (United States)

Ashcroft, Richard E

2011-06-01

This paper reviews the ethical controversy concerning the use of monetary incentives in health promotion, focussing specifically on the arguments relating to the impact on personal autonomy of such incentives. Offering people small amounts of money in the context of health promotion and medical care has been attempted in a number of settings in recent years. This use of personal financial incentives has attracted a degree of ethical controversy. One form of criticism is that such schemes interfere with the autonomy of the patient or citizen in an illegitimate way. This paper presents a thematic analysis of the main arguments concerning personal autonomy and the use of monetary incentives in behaviour change. The main moral objections to the uses of incentives are that they may be in general or in specific instances paternalistic, coercive, involve bribery, or undermine the agency of the person. While incentive schemes may engage these problems on occasion, there is no good reason to think that they do so inherently and of necessity. We need better behavioural science evidence to understand how incentives work, in order to evaluate their moral effects in practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Decision-making deficits in normal elderly persons associated with executive personality disturbances.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Christopher M; Barrash, Joseph; Koenigs, Anna L; Bechara, Antoine; Tranel, Daniel; Denburg, Natalie L

2013-11-01

The problems that some community-dwelling elderly persons develop in real-world decision-making may have disastrous consequences for their health and financial well-being. Investigations across the adult life span have identified personality as an important individual differences variable that is related to decision-making ability. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality characteristics, as rated by an informant, and complex decision-making performance among elderly persons. It was hypothesized that deficits in decision-making would be associated with personality characteristics reflecting weak executive functioning (Lack of Planning, Poor Judgment, Lack of Persistence, Perseveration, Lack of Initiative, Impulsivity, and Indecisiveness). Fifty-eight elderly persons participated. Their health and cognitive status were deemed intact via comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. The Iowa Scales of Personality, completed by an informant, was used to assess personality characteristics, and the Iowa Gambling Task, completed by the participant, was used to assess complex decision-making abilities. Longstanding disturbances in executive personality characteristics were found to be associated with poor decision-making, and these disturbances remained predictive of poor decision-making even after taking into consideration demographic, neuropsychological, and mood factors. Acquired personality disturbances did not add significantly to prediction after longstanding disturbances were taken into account. Disturbances in other dimensions of personality were not significantly associated with poor decision-making. Our study suggests that attentiveness to the personality correlates of difficulties with aspects of executive functioning over the adult years could enhance the ability to identify older individuals at risk for problems with real-world decision-making.

Citizenship as practice: Handling communication problems in encounters between persons with dementia and social workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jh, Österholm; L-C, Hydén

2016-11-01

The overall aim of the study was to investigate if and how persons with dementia were able to take part in negotiations for formal support, as cases of citizenship as practice The transcripts used for analysis were from 11 assessment meetings conducted in Sweden, in which the formal applicant was a person with dementia. The findings suggest that the actual participation of persons with dementia in assessment meetings varies. Communication problems were found in the meetings to different degrees and were dealt with differently and with various consequences. For those persons with dementia contributing at the same levels as the other participants, there was an attempt at mutual understanding. For those making fewer contributions, the other interlocutors took over the initiative and thus affected the practice of citizenship by persons with dementia in a negative way. The practice of citizenship is situation based and varies depending on all participants. When the person with dementia is able to participate in the conversation, social workers can facilitate for them to overcome communication problems by giving them more time and signaling acceptance. If the person with dementia has great problems in participating, the other participants can find different strategies to at least involve her or him in the conversation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Another missed opportunity? Recognition of alcohol use problems by mental health providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Freimuth, Marilyn

2008-09-01

Alcohol use problems (AUPs) are prevalent among people seeking psychotherapy. Despite mandates from managed care companies to routinely screen for AUPs, little is known about the screening practices of providers or their ability to identify AUPs based on presenting symptoms. Participants (N = 117) read two case vignettes and suggested initial diagnoses and questions they would ask in order to clarify a diagnosis. Participants were more likely to ask about substance use and diagnose an AUP when the vignette contained explicit reference to the client's substance use as compared to a vignette where the signs of an AUP were more subtle. In both vignettes, a mental health problem was a more likely diagnosis than an AUP. Neither participant attributes nor personal or professional experiences with AUPs reliably shaped responses to the vignettes. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for future research and improved training in addictions for mental health providers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Do nurses' personal health behaviours impact on their health promotion practice? A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Muireann; Wills, Jane; Sykes, Susie

2017-11-01

There is a growing expectation in national and international policy and from professional bodies that nurses be role models for healthy behaviours, the rationale being that there is a relationship between nurses' personal health and the adoption of healthier behaviours by patients. This may be from patients being motivated by, and modelling, the visible healthy lifestyle of the nurse or that nurses are more willing to promote the health of their patients by offering public health or health promotion advice and referring the patient to support services. An integrated systematic review was conducted to determine if nurses' personal health behaviour impacted on (1) their health promotion practices, and (2) patient responses to a health promotion message. Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and PsycINFO databases were searched. A narrative synthesis was conducted. 31 studies were included in the review. No consistent associations were noted between nurses' weight, alcohol use, or physical activity level and their health promotion practice, although smoking appeared to negatively impact on the likelihood of discussing and engaging in cessation counselling. Nurses who reported confidence and skills around health promotion practice were more likely to raise lifestyle issues with patients, irrespective of their own personal health behaviours. The two studies included in the review that examined patient responses noted that the perceived credibility of a public health message was not enhanced by being delivered by a nurse who reported adopting healthy behaviours. Although it is assumed that nurses' personal health behaviour influences their health promotion practice, there is little evidence to support this. The assertion in health care policy that nurses should be role models for healthy behaviours assumes a causal relationship between their health behaviours and the patient response and adoption of public health messages that is not borne out by the research evidence. Copyright �

Advancing a conceptual model to improve maternal health quality: The Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudhinaraset, May; Afulani, Patience; Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Donnay, France; Montagu, Dominic

2017-11-06

Background: Globally, substantial health inequities exist with regard to maternal, newborn and reproductive health. Lack of access to good quality care-across its many dimensions-is a key factor driving these inequities. Significant global efforts have been made towards improving the quality of care within facilities for maternal and reproductive health. However, one critically overlooked aspect of quality improvement activities is person-centered care. Main body: The objective of this paper is to review existing literature and theories related to person-centered reproductive health care to develop a framework for improving the quality of reproductive health, particularly in low and middle-income countries. This paper proposes the Person-Centered Care Framework for Reproductive Health Equity, which describes three levels of interdependent contexts for women's reproductive health: societal and community determinants of health equity, women's health-seeking behaviors, and the quality of care within the walls of the facility. It lays out eight domains of person-centered care for maternal and reproductive health. Conclusions: Person-centered care has been shown to improve outcomes; yet, there is no consensus on definitions and measures in the area of women's reproductive health care. The proposed Framework reviews essential aspects of person-centered reproductive health care.

Prevalence and incidence of mental health problems among Dutch medical students and the study-related and personal risk factors: a longitudinal study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borst, Jorien M.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.; Sluiter, Judith K.

2016-01-01

A high prevalence of mental health problems (i.e. depression and/or anxiety) has been found in medical students in comparison with the general population. Therefore, the objective was first to study the prevalence and 1-year incidence of symptoms of depression, anxiety and any mental health problems

Nonevent stress contributes to mental health disparities based on sexual orientation: evidence from a personal projects analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, David M; LeBlanc, Allen J

2014-09-01

This study examined the role of nonevent stress--in the form of frustrated personal project pursuits in the arenas of relationships and work--as a contributing factor to mental health disparities between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations. A purposive sample of 431 LGB (55%) and heterosexually identified (45%) individuals living in the United States and Canada completed the Personal Project Inventory by describing and rating core personal projects they were pursuing. The intensity of perceived barriers to the achievement of relationship- and work-related personal projects served as indicators nonevent stress. Hierarchical linear regression models tested the hypothesis that nonevent stress contributes to the association between sexual orientation and two indicators of mental health: depressive symptoms and psychological well-being. LGB individuals had significantly more depressive symptoms and lower levels of psychological well-being than heterosexuals. Indicators of nonevent stress were significantly associated with mental health outcomes and their inclusion in models attenuated sexual orientation differences in mental health. The critical indirect pathway leading from sexual minority status to mental health occurred via barriers to relationship projects from interpersonal sources. This research suggests that nonevent stress because of structural and interpersonal stigma may contribute to mental health disparities between LGB and heterosexual individuals. The findings have important implications for policy reform around same-sex relationship recognition and workplace discrimination. Future research and clinical work will benefit by expanding existing foci on stress to include nonevent stressors to better understand and address mental health problems, particularly in LGB populations.

How do people respond to health news? The role of personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Weston, Sara J; Jackson, Joshua J

2016-06-01

When a patient receives a health diagnosis, their response (e.g. changes in behaviour, seeking support) can have significant consequences for long-term health and well-being. Characteristics of health news are known to influence these responses, but personality traits have been omitted from this line of research. The current study examines the role of personality traits in predicting response to health news. Participants (N = 298) read scenarios in which they received health news that was manipulated to vary in severity, controllability and likelihood of outcomes. Participants then rated how likely they were to engage in a number of response behaviours. We examined the main effects and interaction of situational manipulations and personality traits on ratings of these behaviours. Both situations and personality traits influenced behavioural responses to health events. In particular, conscientiousness predicted taking action and seeking social support. Neuroticism predicted both maladaptive and adaptive behavioural responses, providing support for the 'healthy neurotic' hypothesis. Moreover, personality traits predicted best in weak (unlikely, controllable) situations. Both personality traits and situational characteristics contribute to behavioural responses to health news.

Exploring Healthcare Consumer Acceptance of Personal Health Information Management Technology through Personal Health Record Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Huijuan

2013-01-01

Healthcare technologies are evolving from a practitioner-centric model to a patient-centric model due to the increasing need for technology that directly serves healthcare consumers, including healthy people and patients. Personal health information management (PHIM) technology is one of the technologies designed to enhance an individual's ability…

Mental, neurological, and substance use problems among refugees in primary health care: analysis of the Health Information System in 90 refugee camps.

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Jeremy C; Ventevogel, Peter; Spiegel, Paul; Bass, Judith K; van Ommeren, Mark; Tol, Wietse A

2014-11-24

Population-based epidemiological research has established that refugees in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) are at increased risk for a range of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) problems. Improved knowledge of rates for MNS problems that are treated in refugee camp primary care settings is needed to identify service gaps and inform resource allocation. This study estimates contact coverage of MNS services in refugee camps by presenting rates of visits to camp primary care centers for treatment of MNS problems utilizing surveillance data from the Health Information System (HIS) of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Data were collected between January 2009 and March 2013 from 90 refugee camps across 15 LMIC. Visits to primary care settings were recorded for seven MNS categories: epilepsy/seizure; alcohol/substance use; mental retardation/intellectual disability; psychotic disorder; emotional disorder; medically unexplained somatic complaint; and other psychological complaint. The proportion of MNS visits attributable to each of the seven categories is presented by country, sex and age group. The data were combined with camp population data to generate rates of MNS visits per 1,000 persons per month, an estimate of contact coverage. Rates of visits for MNS problems ranged widely across countries, from 0.24 per 1,000 persons per month in Zambia to 23.69 in Liberia. Rates of visits for epilepsy were higher than any of the other MNS categories in nine of fifteen countries. The largest proportion of MNS visits overall was attributable to epilepsy/seizure (46.91% male/35.13% female) and psychotic disorders (25.88% male/19.98% female). Among children under five, epilepsy/seizure (82.74% male/82.29% female) also accounted for the largest proportion of MNS visits. Refugee health systems must be prepared to manage severe neuropsychiatric disorders in addition to mental conditions associated with stress. Relatively low rates of emotional and

Trait impulsivity and change in mental health problems after violent crime victimization: a prospective analysis of the dutch longitudinal internet studies for the social sciences database.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunst, Maarten; Van Wilsem, Johan

2013-05-01

Violent crime victimization can have serious mental health consequences, but what it is that makes victims at risk of mental health problems or delayed recovery from such problems is largely unknown. Previous research has focused on, amongst other things, the disabling impact of personality factors involved in the regulation of emotions. Using data from the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel (n = 2628), this study explored whether the association between violent crime victimization and change in mental health problems over a 1-year time span also varies by trait impulsivity (TI)--a personality factor involved in regulating behavior. TI may serve as a risk factor for mental health problems, but research into this topic is scarce and inconsistent. Results suggested that low TI subjects are prone to experience an increase in mental health problems following victimization. As a possible explanation for this finding, it was speculated that subjects with low TI do not perceive themselves at risk of victimization and thus see this positive assumption shattered when victimization does occur. Results were further discussed in terms of study limitations and strengths and implications for future research.

Problem-solving deficits in Iranian people with borderline personality disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbari Dehaghi, Ashraf; Kaviani, Hossein; Tamanaeefar, Shima

2014-01-01

Interventions for people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), such as dialectical behavior therapy, often include a problem-solving component. However, there is an absence of published studies examining the problem-solving abilities of this client group in Iran. The study compared inpatients and outpatients with BPD and a control group on problem-solving capabilities in an Iranian sample. It was hypothesized that patients with BPD would have more deficiencies in this area. Fifteen patients with BPD were compared to 15 healthy participants. Means-ends problem-solving task (MEPS) was used to measure problem-solving skills in both groups. BPD group reported less effective strategies in solving problems as opposed to the healthy group. Compared to the control group, participants with BPD provided empirical support for the use of problem-solving interventions with people suffering from BPD. The findings supported the idea that a problem-solving intervention can be efficiently applied either as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other available psychotherapies to treat people with BPD.

Los registros de salud personal: el caso de la Carpeta Personal de Salud de Cataluña Personal health records: the case of the Personal Health Folder of Catalonia (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesc Saigí

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo explora las posibilidades de la Carpeta Personal de Salud e identifica la brecha entre el potencial de esta herramienta y las aplicaciones que ofrece a través de Internet. Se presenta la Carpeta Personal de Salud, un proyecto vinculado a la Historia Clínica Compartida de Cataluña, que ofrece un punto de acceso a la información sobre la propia salud que es seguro, personalizado y soportado por las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. La experiencia, realizada íntegramente por la Consejería de Salud de la Generalitat de Cataluña, escogió una metodología mediante encuesta anónima. Los resultados han sido de gran relevancia para obtener información sobre la idoneidad de los datos publicados y las expectativas de una herramienta dirigida a la población en general.The aims of this study were to explore the possibilities of the Personal Health Folder and to identify the gap between the potential applications of this tool and what it offers through the Internet. The Personal Health Folder is presented, a project linked to the Shared Medical Record of Catalonia (Spain, which provides citizens with an access point to information about their health insurance, customized and supported by information and communication technologies. The project was carried out by the Ministry of Health of the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya and data were gathered through an anonymous survey. The results were critical to obtain information on the suitability of the published data and on the expectations of a tool aimed at the general population.

Personalized Computer-Assisted Mathematics Problem-Solving Program and Its Impact on Taiwanese Students

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chiu-Jung; Liu, Pei-Lin

2007-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of a personalized computer-assisted mathematics problem-solving program on the performance and attitude of Taiwanese fourth grade students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the personalized computer-assisted program improved student performance and attitude over the nonpersonalized program.…

The development of personality extremity from childhood to adolescence: relations to internalizing and externalizing problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Akker, A.L.; Prinzie, P.; Deković, M.; de Haan, A.D.; Asscher, J.J.; Widiger, T.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the development of personality extremity (deviation of an average midpoint of all 5 personality dimensions together) across childhood and adolescence, as well as relations between personality extremity and adjustment problems. For 598 children (mean age at Time 1 = 7.5

Reaching out: Social Support and Mental Health Problems of Bosnian Immigrants in Switzerland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selvira Draganović

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A state of well being in which one realizes own potentials, can cope with every day stressors, can work productively and is able to constructively contribute to community is called mental health. Many stressful and negative events can interfere with these abilities and thus endanger someone’s mental health. Migration is one of them. With its’ pre and post phases/stages, migration represents great sources of stress and stressors. Immigrants need good personal and social resource in order to lessen down negative effects of migration on their mental health. The aim of this study is to explore presence of mental health problems in non clinical population of Bosnian immigrants (N=101, F=48, M=53 in Switzerland. It was assumed that migration stress acts negatively on immigrant’s mental health. General health questionnaire was used to test this hypothesis. Participants mean score results on total GHQ28 questionnaire were M=51.06, S.D. =14.30, its subscales on depression M=10.12 S.D.=3.75, somatic complaints M=13.04 S.D.=4.5, anxiety/insomnia M=13.34 S.D. 4.8, and social dysfunction M=14.37 S.D.=3.5. This indicates presence of mental health problems among Bosnian immigrants. At the same time, the study shows presence of social support seeking (N=83 subjects listed family and friends as primary coping strategy used by Bosnian immigrants while dealing with difficulties and problems rather than seeking professional help (N=3 subjects listed professional help seeking. Thus, social support seeking acts positively on mental health of Bosnian immigrants.

Alcohol problems, mental disorder and mental health among suicide attempters 5-9 years after treatment by child and adolescent outpatient psychiatry.

Science.gov (United States)

Skarbø, Tove; Rosenvinge, Jan H; Holte, Arne

2006-01-01

Many studies report associations between alcohol problems, mental disorder, mental health and suicidal behaviour. Still, more knowledge is needed about possible differential characteristics of these factors in risk groups. This naturalistic and retrospective study included former patients who received emergency treatment in child and adolescent outpatient clinics for their mental health problems. One hundred patients were personally interviewed 5-9 years after treatment referral about alcohol problems and mental disorders. Also, they completed questionnaires about 11 indicators of mental health. At the follow-up, those who had attempted suicide during the follow-up period had more alcohol problems and mental disorders than the non-attempters. However, no association was found between suicide attempt in the follow-up period and the mental health indicators. Among the attempters, a high psychological burden as indicated by mental health disorders and poor mental health were associated with suicide re-attempt (lifetime) and an intention to die.

Organising healthcare services for persons with an intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh, Robert; McMorris, Carly A; Lunsky, Yona; Ouellette-Kuntz, Helene; Bourne, Laurie; Colantonio, Angela; Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela C

2016-04-11

When compared to the general population, persons with an intellectual disability have lower life expectancy, higher morbidity, and more difficulty finding and obtaining healthcare. Organisational interventions are used to reconfigure the structure or delivery of healthcare services. This is the first update of the original review. To assess the effects of organisational interventions of healthcare services for the mental and physical health problems of persons with an intellectual disability. For this update we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and other databases, from April 2006 to 4 September 2015. We checked reference lists of included studies and consulted experts in the field. Randomised controlled trials of organisational interventions of healthcare services aimed at improving care of mental and physical health problems of adult persons with an intellectual disability. We employed standard methodological procedures as outlined in the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions, in addition to specific guidance from the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group. We identified one new trial from the updated searches.Seven trials (347 participants) met the selection criteria. The interventions varied but had common components: interventions that increased the intensity and frequency of service delivery (4 trials, 200 participants), community-based specialist behaviour therapy (1 trial, 63 participants), and outreach treatment (1 trial, 50 participants). Another trial compared two active arms (traditional counselling and integrated intervention for bereavement, 34 participants).The included studies investigated interventions dealing with the mental health problems of persons with an intellectual disability; none focused on physical health problems. Four studies assessed the effect of organisational interventions on behavioural problems for persons with an intellectual disability, three assessed care giver burden, and

Reentry challenges facing women with mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Visher, Christy A; Bakken, Nicholas W

2014-01-01

Women entering the correctional system represent a population at high risk for mental health and the body of research on the mental health needs of women offenders is growing. These mental health problems pose challenges for women at every stage of the criminal justice process, from arrest to incarceration to community reentry and reintegration. In this article, we examined mental health status among a sample of 142 women leaving confinement and the role that mental health problems played in shaping their reentry outcomes using data collected between 2002 and 2005 in Houston, Texas. In the year after leaving prison, women with mental health problems reported poorer health, more hospitalizations, more suicidal thoughts, greater difficulties securing housing and employment, more involvement in criminal behavior, and less financial support from family than women with no indication of mental health problems. However, mental health status did not increase the likelihood of substance use relapse or reincarceration. The article concludes with a discussion of recommendations for improved policy and practice.

Intelligent Personal Supercomputer for Solving Scientific and Technical Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khimich, O.M.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available New domestic intellіgent personal supercomputer of hybrid architecture Inparkom_pg for the mathematical modeling of processes in the defense industry, engineering, construction, etc. was developed. Intelligent software for the automatic research and tasks of computational mathematics with approximate data of different structures was designed. Applied software to provide mathematical modeling problems in construction, welding and filtration processes was implemented.

Health and wellness characteristics of persons with traumatic brain injury.

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Braden, Cynthia A; Cuthbert, Jeffrey P; Brenner, Lisa; Hawley, Lenore; Morey, Clare; Newman, Jody; Staniszewski, Kristi; Harrison-Felix, Cynthia

2012-01-01

To describe health and wellness characteristics of persons with TBI living in the community, compare to other disability populations and evaluate the associations between health-related constructs. Observational. Outpatient rehabilitation hospital and a Veterans Affairs Medical Centre. Seventy-four community-dwelling adults with moderate-to-severe TBI. None. Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), Self Rated Abilities Health Practices Scale (SRAHP), Barriers to Health Promoting Activities for Disabled Scale (BHPAD), Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Health Status Survey Short Form (SF-12), Personal Resource Questionnaire-adapted (PRQ-a), Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS), Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective (PART-O). Health-promoting behaviours, self-efficacy and barriers to health were comparable to other disability populations. Perceived health status, participation and life satisfaction were decreased. Measures of health promotion and self-efficacy were positively associated with perceived mental health status, life satisfaction and participation. Barriers to healthy activities were negatively associated with health promotion, self-efficacy and perceived mental health status. Health and wellness status was below desired levels for the study cohort, and comparable to other disability populations. Better understanding of associations among health-related constructs is needed. Continued research on conceptually-based health and wellness interventions for persons with TBI is recommended.

Are personal health records safe? A review of free web-accessible personal health record privacy policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrión Señor, Inmaculada; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio

2012-08-23

Several obstacles prevent the adoption and use of personal health record (PHR) systems, including users' concerns regarding the privacy and security of their personal health information. To analyze the privacy and security characteristics of PHR privacy policies. It is hoped that identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the PHR systems will be useful for PHR users, health care professionals, decision makers, and designers. We conducted a systematic review using the principal databases related to health and computer science to discover the Web-based and free PHR systems mentioned in published articles. The privacy policy of each PHR system selected was reviewed to extract its main privacy and security characteristics. The search of databases and the myPHR website provided a total of 52 PHR systems, of which 24 met our inclusion criteria. Of these, 17 (71%) allowed users to manage their data and to control access to their health care information. Only 9 (38%) PHR systems permitted users to check who had accessed their data. The majority of PHR systems used information related to the users' accesses to monitor and analyze system use, 12 (50%) of them aggregated user information to publish trends, and 20 (83%) used diverse types of security measures. Finally, 15 (63%) PHR systems were based on regulations or principles such as the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode). Most privacy policies of PHR systems do not provide an in-depth description of the security measures that they use. Moreover, compliance with standards and regulations in PHR systems is still low.

Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Wesseldijk, Laura W; Bartels, Meike; Vink, Jacqueline M; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Ligthart, Lannie; Boomsma, Dorret I; Middeldorp, Christel M

2017-06-21

Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis. We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and unique environmental factors on variation in conduct problems measured at childhood and adolescence and antisocial personality problems measured at adulthood and on the covariation across ages. We also tested whether these estimates differed by sex. Longitudinal data were collected in the Netherlands Twin Register over a period of 27 years. Age appropriate and comparable measures of conduct and antisocial personality problems, assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, were available for 9783 9-10-year-old, 6839 13-18-year-old, and 7909 19-65-year-old twin pairs, respectively; 5114 twins have two or more assessments. At all ages, men scored higher than women. There were no sex differences in the estimates of the genetic and environmental influences. During childhood, genetic and environmental factors shared by children in families explained 43 and 44% of the variance of conduct problems, with the remaining variance due to unique environment. During adolescence and adulthood, genetic and unique environmental factors equally explained the variation. Longitudinal correlations across age varied between 0.20 and 0.38 and were mainly due to stable genetic factors. We conclude that shared environment is mainly of importance during childhood, while genetic factors contribute to variation in conduct and antisocial personality problems at all ages, and also underlie its stability over age.

Health Care Finance Executive Personalities Revisited: A 10-Year Follow-up Study.

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Lieneck, Cristian; Nowicki, Michael

2015-01-01

A dynamic health care industry continues to call upon health care leaders to possess not one but multiple competencies. Inherent personality characteristics of leaders often play a major role in personal as well as organizational success to include those in health care finance positions of responsibility. A replication study was conducted to determine the Myers-Briggs personality-type differences between practicing health care finance professionals in 2014, as compared with a previous 2003 study. Results indicate a significant shift between both independent samples of health care finance professionals over the 10-year period from original high levels of introversion to that of extraversion, as well as higher sensing personality preferences, as compared with the original sample's high level of intuition preferences. Further investigation into the evolving role of the health care finance manager is suggested, while continued alignment of inherent, personal characteristics is suggested to meet ongoing changes in the industry.

Culture of health of a person as a part of physical culture

OpenAIRE

A.P. Khalajtsan

2014-01-01

Purpose: to determine the general concepts of the theory and methods of physical education. On the basis of their form defining the components of physical culture and personality reflect the place of culture health of individuals among these components. Material: processed more than 40 references. Results: a definition of generalizing concepts of "culture", "health", "physical culture", "culture of health" formulated defining components of physical culture personality: health culture personal...

Seamless personal health information system in cloud computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Wan-Young; Fong, Ee May

2014-01-01

Noncontact ECG measurement has gained popularity these days due to its noninvasive and conveniences to be applied on daily life. This approach does not require any direct contact between patient's skin and sensor for physiological signal measurement. The noncontact ECG measurement is integrated with mobile healthcare system for health status monitoring. Mobile phone acts as the personal health information system displaying health status and body mass index (BMI) tracking. Besides that, it plays an important role being the medical guidance providing medical knowledge database including symptom checker and health fitness guidance. At the same time, the system also features some unique medical functions that cater to the living demand of the patients or users, including regular medication reminders, alert alarm, medical guidance, appointment scheduling. Lastly, we demonstrate mobile healthcare system with web application for extended uses, thus health data are clouded into web server system and web database storage. This allows remote health status monitoring easily and so forth it promotes a cost effective personal healthcare system.

Defining the XML schema matching problem for a personal schema based query answering system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smiljanic, M.; van Keulen, Maurice; Jonker, Willem

In this report, we analyze the problem of personal schema matching. We define the ingredients of the XML schema matching problem using constraint logic programming. This allows us to thourougly investigate specific matching problems. We do not have the ambition to provide for a formalism that covers

Evaluation of primary health workers training program to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers of persons with psychotic disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla Raymondalexas Marchira

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABTRACT Many persons suffering psychotic illnesses, such as schizophrenia, are largely untreated in low income countries. In these settings, most persons with severe mental illness live with their families. Thus, families play a particular critical role in determining whether a person with a psychotic illness will receive treatment and what the quality of treatment. Psychoeducation has proven to be extremely effective in helping families develop the knowledge and skills which is necessary to help their family members. Indonesia has a national policy to integrate the management of mental health problems into the primary health care system. However, in practice, such care does not implemented effectively. A preliminary study in primary health centers in two districts of Bantul and Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta province, showed that there was very little or there is not any training for health care workers on diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorder. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program for health workers in three primary health centers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers for persons with psychotic disorder. A quasi-experimental study with the approach of one group pre and posttest design was performed in this study. Fortythree health workers in 3 primary health centers in Bantul and Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta were trained every week for a month to provide psychoeducation to family caregivers who live with psychotic disorder patient. Result showed that the baseline score of knowledge of schizophrenia among health workers in 3 primary health centers in Bantul and Gunung Kidul before training were not significantly different (p=0.162. After the psychoeducation training program there were significantly different (p=0.003 of the score of knowledge of schizophrenia among health workers in 3 primary health care centers compared with before training. For conclusion, the

Health Problems at School

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... the Word Shop AAP Find a Pediatrician Ages & Stages Prenatal Baby Toddler Preschool Gradeschool Fitness Nutrition Puberty School Teen Young Adult Healthy Children > Ages & Stages > Gradeschool > School > Health Problems at School Ages & Stages ...

Twelve-month use of herbal medicines as a remedy for mental health problems in Japan: A cross-national analysis of World Mental Health Survey data.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwanaga, Mai; Iwanaga, Hiroo; Kawakami, Norito

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to clarify the frequencies and sociodemographic and other characteristics around use of herbal medicine as a remedy for mental health problems in Japan. Data from the World Mental Health Japan (WMHJ) Survey and US National Comorbidity Survey Replications were analyzed. The WMHJ was conducted in 2002 to 2006, with 4129 respondents. National Comorbidity Survey Replications was conducted in 2002 to 2003, with 9282 respondents. The interview asked the respondents about their use of several types of herbs for mental health problems. Frequencies of use of herbal medicine were compared between Japan and the United States. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine sociodemographic and mental health-related correlates of 12-month herbal medicine use. Relevant sampling weights were used to adjust for the sampling designs. The proportion for use of herbal medicines as a remedy for mental health problems in the past 12 months was lower (0.4%) in Japan than that in the United States (3.7%). Low education in both countries (P herbal medicine. Any anxiety disorder in Japan was significantly associated with herbal medicine use (P herbal medicine among patients with mental health problems in the past 12 months was much lower in Japan compared to the United States. Persons with high educational attainment and anxiety disorders used herbal medicine as a remedy for mental health problems more frequently in Japan. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Health Behaviour and Body Mass Index Among Problem Gamblers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst Algren, Maria; Ekholm, Ola; Davidsen, Michael

2015-01-01

Problem gambling is a serious public health issue. The objective of this study was to investigate whether past year problem gamblers differed from non-problem gamblers with regard to health behaviour and body mass index (BMI) among Danes aged 16 years or older. Data were derived from the Danish...... pattern and obesity was higher among problem gamblers than among non-problem gamblers. The associations found in this study remained significant after adjustment for sex, age, educational and cohabiting status as well as other risk factors. Our findings highlight the presence of a potential, public health...... Health and Morbidity Surveys in 2005 and 2010. Past year problem gambling was defined using the lie/bet questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between past year problem gambling and health behaviour and BMI. Problem gambling was associated with unhealthy...

Issues in Worksite Health Promotion: A Personal Viewpoint.

Science.gov (United States)

Shephard, Roy J.

2002-01-01

Attempts to change employees' personal behavior to promote a healthy workplace raise ethical and professional questions. Needs for successful wellness programs must be balanced against individual rights to remain unhealthy. The paper discusses potential fiscal benefits of wellness programs, ethics of motivation, personal responsibility for health,…

Emotional versus cognitive rumination: are they differentially affecting long-term psychological health? The impact of stressors and personality in dental students.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamesch, Ulla; Cropley, Mark; Lang, Jessica

2014-08-01

In the process of recovery from work, rumination is considered as an important mediating variable in the relationship between work demands and psychological health outcomes. Past research differentiated affective rumination from problem-solving pondering. The aim of the present study was to test a moderated mediation model for these two distinct ruminative states and to show how personality (i.e. neuroticism and conscientiousness) can alter the mediating effect. The present study is based on 119 surveys from dental students with a time lag of 6 months. Participants filled out questionnaires assessing specific study-relevant performance demands, rumination and personality and a screening measure for psychological health status. Neuroticism was found to moderate the demand-affective rumination association, but conscientiousness did not moderate the demand-problem-solving pondering association. Moderated mediation analysis revealed that affective rumination mediates the impact of demands on psychological health only for individuals low in neuroticism. Findings are discussed regarding potential interventions for dental students to prevent negative psychological health outcomes due to increased work-related demands in the long term. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Travel-related health problems in Japanese travelers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizuno, Yasutaka; Kudo, Koichiro

2009-09-01

Although the number of Japanese individuals traveling abroad has increased steadily, reaching approximately 17.3 million in 2007, the incidence of various travel-related health problems in Japan remains unknown. The travel-related health problems of Japanese travelers returning to Japan from abroad are analyzed by assessing the records. Data were collected retrospectively on returning travelers who visited the authors' travel clinic during the period from January 2005 through to December 2006 with any health problem acquired overseas. A total of 345 patients were included in this study (200 male, 145 female; average age, 34+/-12.3 years). Reasons for travel included leisure (45.8%); business (39.1%); visiting friends and relatives or accompanying other travelers (8.7%); volunteering (3.8%); and long stays in order to study or live (2.6%). The most visited destination was Asia (n=260), followed by Africa (n=105). The most commonly reported health problems were gastro-intestinal infections (39.1%), followed by respiratory tract infections (16.2%), animal bites (8.1%), and skin problems (5.8%). Together, malaria and dengue accounted for 10% of diagnoses in 125 febrile patients (36.2%). Although the profile of travel-related health problems in Japanese travelers is similar to that of Western travelers, the characteristics of travel were quite different. Therefore Japanese travel advice should be tailored to suit the Japanese traveler.

Immigrants' use of primary health care services for mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Straiton, Melanie; Reneflot, Anne; Diaz, Esperanza

2014-08-13

Equity in health care across all social groups is a major goal in health care policy. Immigrants may experience more mental health problems than natives, but we do not know the extent to which they seek help from primary health care services. This study aimed to determine a) the rate immigrants use primary health care services for mental health problems compared with Norwegians and b) the association between length of stay, reason for immigration and service use among immigrants. National register data covering all residents in Norway and all consultations with primary health care services were used. We conducted logistic regression analyses to compare Norwegians' with Polish, Swedish, German, Pakistani and Iraqi immigrants' odds of having had a consultation for a mental health problem (P-consultation). After accounting for background variables, all immigrants groups, except Iraqi men had lower odds of a P-consultation than their Norwegian counterparts. A shorter length of stay was associated with lower odds of a P-consultation. Service use varies by country of origin and patterns are different for men and women. There was some evidence of a possible 'healthy migrant worker' effect among the European groups. Together with previous research, our findings however, suggest that Iraqi women and Pakistanis in particular, may experience barriers in accessing care for mental health problems.

Food preferences, personality and parental rearing styles: analysis of factors influencing health of left-behind children.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Sha; Yu, Lina; Gao, Wanlin; Xue, Wentong

2016-11-01

To understand the health status and problems of left-behind children (LBC) in rural China, those whose parents have moved to urban areas without them, and to focus on ways to improve their physical and mental health. The study examined 827 children between 7 and 15 years old, selected using stratified cluster random sampling from five towns in Xiji County of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Each child was classified as either LBC or non-LBC. Measures included age- and sex-specific height and body mass index (kg/m 2 ), a food preference questionnaire, the Revised Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and the Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran-My Memories of Upbringing (EMBU). Malnutrition rates for LBC and non-LBC were 14.83 % (70/472) and 7.04 % (25/355) (χ 2  = 11.86, p health status of LBC is problematic. Food preferences, personality type and parenting styles should be taken into account when measures are developed to improve the health of these children.

Maternal problem drinking and child mental health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Husky, M.M.; Keyes, K.M.; Hamilton, A.; Stragalinou, A.; Pez, O.; Kuijpers, R.C.W.M.; Lesinskiene, S.; Mihova, Z.; Otten, R.; Kovess-Masfety, V.

2017-01-01

Background: Offspring of individuals with alcohol use disorders have been shown to have elevated risk for mental health problems. Objectives: To examine the association between maternal problem drinking and child mental health as assessed by three informants in three European countries. Methods:

Personal, Electronic, Secure National Library of Medicine Hosts Health Records Conference

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... Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues EHR Personal, Electronic, Secure: National Library of Medicine Hosts Health Records ... One suggestion for saving money is to implement electronic personal health records. With this in mind, the ...

Interoperable eHealth Platform for Personalized Smart Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mihaylov, Mihail Rumenov; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Kyriazakos, Sofoklis

2015-01-01

personalized context-aware applications to serve the user's needs. This paper proposes the use of advised sensing, context-aware and cloud-based lifestyle reasoning to design an innovative eHealth platform that supports highly personalized smart services to primary users. The architecture of the platform has...... been designed in accordance with the interoperability requirements and standards as proposed by ITU-T and Continua Alliance. In particular, we define the interface dependencies and functional requirements needed, to allow eCare and eHealth vendors to manufacture interoperable sensors, ambient and home...

Problems of older persons using a wheeled walker.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindemann, Ulrich; Schwenk, Michael; Klenk, Jochen; Kessler, Max; Weyrich, Michael; Kurz, Franziska; Becker, Clemens

2016-04-01

Wheeled walkers (WWs) are used to improve mobility and for fall prevention in older persons, but not all users are satisfied with the usability of WWs. Intelligent WWs are being developed to improve the usability. The aim of this study was to support the development of intelligent WWs by investigating possible problems of using a WW. This study investigated 22 geriatric in-patients (median age 82 years) with and without their WW while opening a door against the direction of walking and passing through. Other possible problems when using WWs were identified by interview. Walking through the door was faster without than with using the WW (8.71 versus 12.86 s, p < 0.001), while interference between door and WW was documented in 41 of 44 (93 %) cases. Backward walking performance was better when using a WW with regard to gait speed, step width and walk ratio (all p < 0.002). Most referred problems when using a WW were walking downhill (83 %) and uphill (77 %) and obstacle crossing in general (77 %). Problems with opening a door against the direction of walking and the optimization of downhill and uphill walking as well as obstacle crossing should be regarded when developing an intelligent WW.

ANANKASTIK PERSONALITY DISORDER IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PARANOID PATIENT: A CASE REPORT

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Damarnegara ..

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Anankastik personality disorder is a health problem that can disturb the activities of person and can accompany a variety of other mental health problems. The patient in thiscase is a patient with an anankastik or obsessive compulsive personality disorder withthe axis I diagnoses is Paranoid Schizophrenia and was given haloperidol 2x5mg, buthave not done psychotherapy because the patient has not been cooperative. Theprognosis is dependent on patient compliance in taking medication and controls for thesetting of the dose, and the support of her family. 

Psychological profile: the problem of modeling the unknown criminal personality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Г. М. Гетьман

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The article investigates the problem of modeling an unknown person in the preparation of criminal psychological profile. Some approaches to the concept of "psychological profile" and "psychological portrait", in particular the proposed delineation of these terms. We consider the system steps in the development of the psychological profile of an unknown perpetrator.

Student’s Critical Thinking in Solving Open-Ended Problems Based on Their Personality Type

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Fitriana, L. D.; Fuad, Y.; Ekawati, R.

2018-01-01

Critical thinking plays an important role for students in solving open-ended problems. This research aims at describing student’s critical thinking in solving open-ended problems based on Keirsey’s personality types, namely rational, idealist, guardian, and artisan. Four students, with the higher rank in the mathematics’ test and representing each type of Keirsey personality, were selected as the research subjects. The data were collected from the geometry problem and interviews. The student’s critical thinking is described based on the FRISCO criteria. The result underlines that rational and idealist students fulfilled all FRISCO criteria, and but not for guardian and artisan students. Related to the inference criteria, guardian and artisan students could not make reasonable conclusions and connect the concepts. Related to the reason of criteria, rational student performed critical thinking by providing logical reason that supported his strategy to solve the problem. In contrast, the idealist student provided subjective reason. This results suggest that teachers should frequently train the students’ logical thinkingin every lesson and activity to develop student’s critical thinking and take the student’s personality character into account, especially for guardian and artisan students.

Toward a personal health society in cardiology.

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Fayn, Jocelyne; Rubel, Paul

2010-03-01

In this paper, we present a new generation of health services that has emerged due to the development of advanced information and communication technology (ICT) solutions, like the Enhanced Personal, Intelligent, and Mobile system for Early Detection and Interpretation of Cardiac Syndromes (EPI-MEDICS). It is a personal self-care system that allows any citizen to self-record high-quality ECGs on demand with a smart portable device, which is endowed with powerful ICT capabilities: self-adaptive embedded intelligence, mobile health record management support on SmartMedia card, embedded Web server, and wireless communication. The EPI-MEDICS solution design also provides ambient, intelligent, and pervasive computing services offering any citizen a ubiquitous, reliable, and efficient management of his/her own cardiac status. A multicentric evaluation performed in Europe with a series of device prototypes and the performance assessment of the original methods of signal synthesis that were designed to guarantee a high interoperability level of the recorded data within the clinical practice, as well as of the decision-support methodologies that were developed for an early detection of life-threatening myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia, at home or anywhere, demonstrate the pertinence of going toward a personal health society in cardiology, which still yields the highest mortality rate in industrialized countries.

Health of women: associations among life events, social support, and personality for selected patient groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Norlander, T; Dahlin, A; Archer, T

2000-02-01

This study examined the effects of life events, social support, personality traits, and siblings' birth-order on the health of women. 199 middle-class participants were included. 95 women, randomly assigned from four different patient groups, were compared with a control group of 96 randomly selected women without any special health problems. They completed a questionnaire which included questions regarding family background, health, different life events, social support, and signs of disease and a projective test, the Sivik Psychosomatism Test. Analysis indicated that report of negative life events was associated with more physical symptoms than positive life events and that the patient groups reported more negative life events and less social support than the control group.

Personal Health and Finance Quiz: A Tool for Outreach, Research, and Evaluation

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Barbara O'Neill

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Rutgers Cooperative Extension developed an online self-assessment tool called the Personal Health and Finance Quiz available at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/health-finance-quiz/. Believed to be among the first public surveys to simultaneously query users about their health and personal finance practices, the quiz is part of Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ (SSHW, a Cooperative Extension program developed to motivate Americans to take action to improve both their health and personal finances (see http://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/. Respondents indicate one of four frequencies for performance of 20 daily activities and receive a Health, Finance, and Total score indicating their frequency of performing activities that health and financial experts recommend. In addition to providing users with personalized feedback, the quiz collects data for research about the health and financial practices of Americans to inform future Extension outreach and can be used as a pre-/post-test to evaluate the impact of SSHW programs. Initial research analyses are planned for 2015.

The Emergence of Personalized Health Technology.

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Allen, Luke Nelson; Christie, Gillian Pepall

2016-05-10

Personalized health technology is a noisy new entrant to the health space, yet to make a significant impact on population health but seemingly teeming with potential. Devices including wearable fitness trackers and healthy-living apps are designed to help users quantify and improve their health behaviors. Although the ethical issues surrounding data privacy have received much attention, little is being said about the impact on socioeconomic health inequalities. Populations who stand to benefit the most from these technologies are unable to afford, access, or use them. This paper outlines the negative impact that these technologies will have on inequalities unless their user base can be radically extended to include vulnerable populations. Frugal innovation and public-private partnership are discussed as the major means for reaching this end.

Geometric data perturbation-based personal health record transactions in cloud computing.

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Balasubramaniam, S; Kavitha, V

2015-01-01

Cloud computing is a new delivery model for information technology services and it typically involves the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources over the Internet. However, cloud computing raises concerns on how cloud service providers, user organizations, and governments should handle such information and interactions. Personal health records represent an emerging patient-centric model for health information exchange, and they are outsourced for storage by third parties, such as cloud providers. With these records, it is necessary for each patient to encrypt their own personal health data before uploading them to cloud servers. Current techniques for encryption primarily rely on conventional cryptographic approaches. However, key management issues remain largely unsolved with these cryptographic-based encryption techniques. We propose that personal health record transactions be managed using geometric data perturbation in cloud computing. In our proposed scheme, the personal health record database is perturbed using geometric data perturbation and outsourced to the Amazon EC2 cloud.

Geometric Data Perturbation-Based Personal Health Record Transactions in Cloud Computing

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramaniam, S.; Kavitha, V.

2015-01-01

Cloud computing is a new delivery model for information technology services and it typically involves the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources over the Internet. However, cloud computing raises concerns on how cloud service providers, user organizations, and governments should handle such information and interactions. Personal health records represent an emerging patient-centric model for health information exchange, and they are outsourced for storage by third parties, such as cloud providers. With these records, it is necessary for each patient to encrypt their own personal health data before uploading them to cloud servers. Current techniques for encryption primarily rely on conventional cryptographic approaches. However, key management issues remain largely unsolved with these cryptographic-based encryption techniques. We propose that personal health record transactions be managed using geometric data perturbation in cloud computing. In our proposed scheme, the personal health record database is perturbed using geometric data perturbation and outsourced to the Amazon EC2 cloud. PMID:25767826

Geometric Data Perturbation-Based Personal Health Record Transactions in Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Balasubramaniam

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing is a new delivery model for information technology services and it typically involves the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources over the Internet. However, cloud computing raises concerns on how cloud service providers, user organizations, and governments should handle such information and interactions. Personal health records represent an emerging patient-centric model for health information exchange, and they are outsourced for storage by third parties, such as cloud providers. With these records, it is necessary for each patient to encrypt their own personal health data before uploading them to cloud servers. Current techniques for encryption primarily rely on conventional cryptographic approaches. However, key management issues remain largely unsolved with these cryptographic-based encryption techniques. We propose that personal health record transactions be managed using geometric data perturbation in cloud computing. In our proposed scheme, the personal health record database is perturbed using geometric data perturbation and outsourced to the Amazon EC2 cloud.

[Characteristics of mental health problems among Japanese young workers and their measures--a cross-sectional survey using an open-ended questionnaire].

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Ikegami, Kazunori; Eguchi, Masafumi; Osaki, Yohei; Nakao, Tomo; Nakamoto, Kengo; Hino, Ayako; Hiro, Hisanori

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of mental health problems faced by young workers and the effectiveness of measures implemented for improving their mental health. We sent anonymous open-ended questionnaires to 386 occupational physicians in Japan, and received questionnaire responses from 109 of them. The questionnaire was comprised of two parts. The first part addressed the age-specific characteristics of workers with mental health problems. The second part focused on the mental health measures implemented for young workers and opinions on their effectiveness. The responses were entered in a database. Frequently appearing words were identified and the number of times of the appearance was counted for each question. We conducted statistical analysis to examine the association between word frequency and age group in the first part. Ten investigators and collaborators of this study arranged the descriptions of the mental health measures for young workers and the opinions on their effectiveness in the second part. For mentally ill subjects in their 20s, we identified a range of frequently occurring words using correspondence analysis. The frequently occurring words were: "personality", "immaturity", "extrapunitive", "developmental disorder", "schizophrenia," "new-type depression", "maladjustment", "entering a company", "society", "superior," and "co-worker", Work-related words, such as "qualitative workloads" and "quantitative workloads", were identified for those in their 30s, and greater numbers of words on life outside of the workplace, such as "home," "child" and "nursing care" were identified for those in their 40s. Among the responses about the types of measures implemented for young workers, education and interviews were most common, and most respondents indicated that the effectiveness of these measures was unknown. A few respondents indicated that coordination between young workers' families and the persons concerned in the

Exploring the health status of older persons in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Audain, Keiron; Carr, Michelle; Dikmen, Derya; Zotor, Francis; Ellahi, Basma

2017-11-01

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has traditionally had a low life expectancy due to the onslaught of the HIV epidemic, high levels of chronic diseases, injuries, conflict and undernutrition. Therefore, research into public health concerns of older persons has largely been overlooked. With a growing population, the roll-out of antiretroviral treatment, and the effects of globalisation, SSA is experiencing an increase in the number of people over 50 years of age as well as an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). The aim of this review is to highlight available research on the health status of older persons in SSA, and to identify the current gaps that warrant further investigation. A literature search was conducted across multiple databases to identify studies in SSA on older persons (aged 50 years and older) related to health indicators including nutritional status, NCD and HIV burden. While it was concluded that older persons are at an increased risk of poor health, it was also determined that significant gaps exist in this particular area of research; namely nutrient deficiency prevalence. Resources should be directed towards identifying the health concerns of older persons and developing appropriate interventions.

Does Prevention Pay? Costs and Potential Cost-savings of School Interventions Targeting Children with Mental Health Problems.

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Wellander, Lisa; Wells, Michael B; Feldman, Inna

2016-06-01

In Sweden, the local government is responsible for funding schools in their district. One funding initiative is for schools to provide students with mental health problems with additional support via extra teachers, personal assistants, and special education classes. There are evidence-based preventive interventions delivered in schools, which have been shown to decrease the levels of students' mental health problems. However, little is known about how much the local government currently spends on students' mental health support and if evidence-based interventions could be financially beneficial. The aim of this study was to estimate the costs of providing additional support for students' mental health problems and the potential cost-offsets, defined as reduced school-based additional support, if two evidence-based school interventions targeting children's mental health problems were implemented in routine practice. This study uses data on the additional support students with mental health problems received in schools. Data was collected from one school district for students aged 6 to 16 years. We modeled two Swedish school interventions, Comet for Teachers and Social and Emotional Training (SET), which both had evidence of reducing mental health problems. We used a cost-offset analysis framework, assuming both interventions were fully implemented throughout the whole school district. Based on the published studies, the expected effects and the costs of the interventions were calculated. We defined the cost-offsets as the amount of predicted averted additional support for students with ongoing mental health problems who might no longer require receiving services such as one-on-one time with an extra teacher, a personal assistant, or to be placed in a special education classroom. A cost-offset analysis, from a payer's perspective (the local government responsible for school financing), was conducted comparing the costs of both interventions with the potential cost

Subjective Age and Health Perceptions of Older Persons: Maintaining the Youthful Bias in Sickness and in Health.

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Staats, Sara; And Others

1993-01-01

Self-reports of 250 persons over age 50 confirmed increasing bias toward reporting more youthful age as one ages. Optimistic perceptions of health were maintained in older subjects. Results from two subsets of sample (n=48) indicated that youthful and optimistic bias occurred both in older persons with poorer/failing health and in persons in…

Children's Mental Health: Problems and Services. Background Paper.

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Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

This background paper on children's mental health indicates that less than one-third of the children who have mental health problems receive treatment. Types of mental health problems are discussed, including intellectual, developmental, behavior, emotional, psychophysiological, and adjustment disorders. Enviromental risk factors of poverty and…

Traditional bullying and cyberbullying: Differences in emotional problems, and personality. Are cyberbullies more Machiavellians?

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Resett, Santiago; Gamez-Guadix, Manuel

2017-12-01

Few studies have examined differences in emotional problems and personality of traditional bullies and cyberbullies. The present study aimed to determine whether those engaged in cyberbullying differ in emotional problems, and personality from those engage in traditional bullying perpetration. An Argentinean sample of 898 high school students was recruited (56% female; mean age = 15.2 SD = 1.6). Adolescents completed measures of traditional bullying, cyberbullying, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and personality. A 6% were traditional bullies; 8%, cyberbullies; and 4% were involved in both forms; the remainders were non involved. Results indicated that cyberbullies showed less depression and anxiety than traditional bullies. Also, cyberbullies scored low in neuroticism and high in agreeableness compared to traditional bullies. The results suggest that cyberbullies are characterized by an emotional and personality profile different from traditional bullies. In the discussion we analyze the implications of these results. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Prevalence of Comorbid Personality Disorders in Treatment-Seeking Problem Gamblers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Dowling, Nicki A; Cowlishaw, S; Jackson, A C; Merkouris, S S; Francis, K L; Christensen, D R

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence of comorbid personality disorders among treatment-seeking problem gamblers. Almost one half (47.9%) of problem gamblers displayed comorbid personality disorders. They were most likely to display Cluster B disorders (17.6%), with smaller proportions reporting Cluster C disorders (12.6%) and Cluster A disorders (6.1%). The most prevalent personality disorders were narcissistic (16.6%), antisocial (14.0%), avoidant (13.4%), obsessive-compulsive (13.4%), and borderline (13.1%) personality disorders. Sensitivity analyses suggested that these prevalence estimates were robust to the inclusion of clinical trials and self-selected samples. Although there was significant variability in reported rates, subgroup analyses revealed no significant differences in estimates of antisocial personality disorder according to problem gambling severity, measure of comorbidity employed, and study jurisdiction. The findings highlight the need for gambling treatment services to conduct routine screening and assessment of co-occurring personality disorders and to provide treatment approaches that adequately address these comorbid conditions.

personal characteristics and compliance to health education among

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Global Journal

2016-10-08

Oct 8, 2016 ... This study investigated personal characteristics (individual factors) ... Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to ... Literature ... good nutrition, exercise, clothing and travel during ... health education, she must be aware of the benefits of ..... International Journal for Women's Health.

Is Personality Associated with Health Care Use by Older Adults?

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Friedman, Bruce; Veazie, Peter J; Chapman, Benjamin P; Manning, Willard G; Duberstein, Paul R

2013-01-01

Context The patterns of health care utilization in the United States pose well-established challenges for public policy. Although economic and sociological research has resulted in considerable knowledge about what influences the use of health services, the psychological literature in this area is underdeveloped. Importantly, it is not known whether personality traits are associated with older adults’ use of acute and long-term care services. Methods Data were collected from 1,074 community-dwelling seniors participating in a Medicare demonstration. First they completed a self-report questionnaire measuring the “Big Five” personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. During the next two years, the participants maintained daily journals of their use of health care services. We used regression models based on the Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization to test for associations. Findings Our hypothesis that higher Neuroticism would be associated with greater health care use was confirmed for three services—probability of any emergency department (ED) use, likelihood of any custodial nursing home use, and more skilled nursing facility (SNF) days for SNF users—but was disconfirmed for hospital days for those hospitalized. Higher Openness to Experience was associated with a greater likelihood of custodial home care use, and higher Agreeableness and lower Conscientiousness with a higher probability of custodial nursing home use. For users, lower Openness was associated with more ED visits and SNF days, and lower Conscientiousness with more ED visits. For many traits with significant associations, the predicted use was 16 to 30 percent greater for people high (low) versus low (high) in specific traits. Conclusions Personality traits are associated with Medicare beneficiaries’ use of many expensive health care services, findings that have implications for health services research and

Mental health problems and acculturative issues among married immigrant women in Korea: A qualitative study.

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Choi, Yun-Jung

2016-01-01

Through this research the author explored immigrant women's mental health problems with the goal of deepening understanding to develop a framework for preventing mental disorders and improving their mental health. A qualitative research design was used to examine the women's lived experiences. The data were collected from February 2014 to October 2014. Twenty women were recruited from multicultural community service centers. Inclusion criteria were the ability to communicate and the absence of acute physical or psychological problems; participants were excluded if they were under 18 years old or separated. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with participants regarding their experiences of living in Korean society. The data were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. A conceptual framework-Embracing Cultural Conflict Model-was constructed based on the personal-family-community context as well as the paradigm of the immigrant woman using eleven concepts. The conceptual framework suggests that multicultural programs and services should take into account a historical understanding of Korean society and family, address problem-solving strategies including improving mental health literacy, build support from both the Korean family and family of origin, and offer multicultural activities to satisfy homeland-related cultural needs.

Are inmates’ subjective sleep problems associated with borderline personality, psychopathy, and antisocial personality independent of depression and substance dependence?

OpenAIRE

Harty, Laura; Duckworth, Rebecca; Thompson, Aaron; Stuewig, Jeffrey; Tangney, June P.

2010-01-01

Previous research investigating the relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and sleep problems, independent of depression, has been conducted on small atypical samples with mixed results. This study extends the literature by utilizing a much larger sample and by statistically controlling for depression and substance dependence. Subjective reports of sleep problems were obtained from 513 jail inmates (70% male) incarcerated on felony charges. Symptoms of BPD were significant...

Schooling relates to mental health problems in adolescents with cochlear implants – mediation by hearing and family variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria eHuber

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of this multicenter study was to investigate whether schooling relates to mental health problems of adolescents with cochlear implants (CI and how this relationship is mediated by hearing and family variables. 140 secondary school students with CI (mean age = 14.7 years, SD = 1.5, their hearing parents and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ. Additional audiological tests (speech comprehension tests in quiet and noise were performed. Students of special schools for hearing impaired persons (SSHIs showed significantly more conduct problems (p<0.05 and a significantly higher total difficulty score (p<0.05 compared to students of mainstream schools. Mental health problems did not differ between SSHI students with sign language education and SSHI students with oral education. Late implanted students and those with indication for additional handicaps were equally distributed among mainstream schools and SSHIs. However, students in SSHIs were more restricted to understand speech in noise, had a lower social background and were more likely to come from single-parent families. These factors were found to be partial mediators of the differences in mental health problems between the two school types. However, no variable could explain comprehensively, why students of SSHIs have more mental health problems than mainstream pupils.

Influence of Child Factors on Health-Care Professionals' Recognition of Common Childhood Mental-Health Problems.

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Burke, Delia A; Koot, Hans M; de Wilde, Amber; Begeer, Sander

Early recognition of childhood mental-health problems can help minimise long-term negative outcomes. Recognition of mental-health problems, needed for referral and diagnostic evaluation, is largely dependent on health-care professionals' (HCPs) judgement of symptoms presented by the child. This study aimed to establish whether HCPs recognition of mental-health problems varies as a function of three child-related factors (type of problem, number of symptoms, and demographic characteristics). In an online survey, HCPs ( n  = 431) evaluated a series of vignettes describing children with symptoms of mental-health problems. Vignettes varied by problem type (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Conduct Disorder (CD) and Major Depressive Disorder), number of symptoms presented (few and many), and child demographic characteristics (ethnicity, gender, age and socio-economic status (SES)). Results show that recognition of mental-health problems varies by problem type, with ADHD best recognised and GAD worst. Furthermore, recognition varies by the number of symptoms presented. Unexpectedly, a child's gender, ethnicity and family SES did not influence likelihood of problem recognition. These results are the first to reveal differences in HCPs' recognition of various common childhood mental-health problems. HCPs in practice should be advised about poor recognition of GAD, and superior recognition of ADHD, if recognition of all childhood mental-health problems is to be equal.

Personal health records: Consumer attitudes toward privacy and security of their personal health information.

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Lafky, Deborah Beranek; Horan, Thomas A

2011-03-01

Personal health record (PHR) systems are a subject of intense interest in the move to improve healthcare accessibility and quality. Although a number of vendors continue to put forward PHR systems, user-centered design research has lagged, and it has not been clear what features are important to prospective PHR users. Here, we report on a user-centered design study that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate several dimensions relevant to PHR design, and to look at the effect of health status on user needs. The results indicate that health status, especially disability and chronic illness, is relevant to PHR design. Further, the results provide empirical evidence about the role of privacy and security in users' attitudes toward PHR use. The exact nature of these attitudes differs from widely held perceptions about consumer values in healthcare information management. © The Author(s) 2011.

Interaction of Occupational and Personal Risk Factors in Workforce Health and Safety

Science.gov (United States)

Pandalai, Sudha; Wulsin, Victoria; Chun, HeeKyoung

2012-01-01

Most diseases, injuries, and other health conditions experienced by working people are multifactorial, especially as the workforce ages. Evidence supporting the role of work and personal risk factors in the health of working people is frequently underused in developing interventions. Achieving a longer, healthy working life requires a comprehensive preventive approach. To help develop such an approach, we evaluated the influence of both occupational and personal risk factors on workforce health. We present 32 examples illustrating 4 combinatorial models of occupational hazards and personal risk factors (genetics, age, gender, chronic disease, obesity, smoking, alcohol use, prescription drug use). Models that address occupational and personal risk factors and their interactions can improve our understanding of health hazards and guide research and interventions. PMID:22021293

Use of patients' mobile phones to store and share personal health information: results of a questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Tawara, Satoru; Yonemochi, Yasuhiro; Kosaka, Takayuki; Kouzaki, Yanosuke; Takita, Tomohiro; Tsuruta, Toshihisa

2013-01-01

To explore the opinions of outpatients concerning a new communication method: the self-management of assessed personal problems in health information records (SAPPHIRE) using patients' mobile phones to store and share medical content (medical SAPPHIRE, or m-SAPPHIRE). A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Patients Outpatients who visited us from March 1 to May 30, 2012, were asked to complete a questionnaire survey regarding SAPPHIRE and m-SAPPHIRE. The m-SAPPHIRE data consisted of a problem list, height, weight, waist size and active medication list. Ten questions were asked regarding the usefulness of m-SAPPHIRE, the sharing of m-SAPPHIRE and the use of mobile phones to store m-SAPPHIRE data. One hundred and ninety-three patients (male/female, 79/114; mean age, 57±21 years) were registered: 95.9% answered that m-SAPPHIRE would be useful, 98% agreed to manage their personal health records by themselves, and 95.8%, 93.8%, and 92.8% of the patients responded that they would allow m-SAPPHIRE information to be shared with family members, medical workers, and health care providers, respectively. Of the patients, 75.1% responded that they owned a mobile phone, and 43.5% answered that they could enter m-SAPPHIRE information into a mobile phone by themselves, while 27.5% responded that they could do so with someone's help. Patients believe that m-SAPPHIRE would be useful for retrieving their health records during emergency situations or for sharing with family members and medical and health care providers. SAPPHIRE using mobile phones could be an inexpensive and legal method for sharing medical data.

Health-related quality of life among children with mental health problems: a population-based approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dey Michelle

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Children with mental health problems have been neglected in health-related quality of life (HRQOL studies. Therefore, the aims of the current study were 1 to assess the influence of the presence of mental or physical health problems on HRQOL; and 2 to analyze the effects of item overlap between mental health problems and HRQOL-measurements. Methods Proxy- and self-rated HRQOL (KIDSCREEN-27 of children 9–14 years old was assessed across children with mental health problems (n = 535, children with physical health problems (n = 327, and healthy controls (n = 744. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with health status, severity of symptoms, status of medication use, gender and nationality as independent, and HRQOL scores as dependent variables. The effects of item overlap were analyzed by repeating regression analyses while excluding those HRQOL items that contextually overlapped the most frequently-occurring mental health problem (attention deficits. Results Severity of symptoms was the strongest predictor of reduced HRQOL. However, all other predictors (except for the status of medication use also contributed to the prediction of some HRQOL scores. Controlling for item overlap did not meaningfully alter the results. Conclusions When children with different health constraints are compared, the severity of their particular health problems should be considered. Furthermore, item overlap seems not to be a major problem when the HRQOL of children with mental health problems is studied. Hence, HRQOL assessments are useful to gather information that goes beyond the clinical symptoms of a health problem. This information can, for instance, be used to improve clinical practice.

Bangladesh women report postpartum health problems.

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Goodburn, L

1994-02-01

The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee conducted operational research in Bangladesh to examine postpartum health problems. Researchers conducted focus groups, indepth interviews, and observation. More than 40% of the postpartum women had a delivery-related health problem by 2 weeks after delivery. 52% had signs or symptoms of anemia. Body needs after pregnancy, lactation, and blood loss during delivery exacerbate the nutritional anemia common to Bangladeshi women. 17% of the postpartum women had signs of infections. More than 50% had severe malnutrition, worsened by food taboos during the postpartum period. 60% of infant deaths occur in the neonatal period. The mortality risk is elevated in low birth weight (LBW) infants. In this study, more than 50% of the newborns were LBW infants. Many Bangladeshi mothers discard the colostrum and begin breast feeding several days after delivery. 11% of the postpartum women had breast problem (e.g., cracked nipples). Women believed that susceptibility to evil spirits accounted for their being more vulnerable to health problems during the postpartum. They feared leaving the household. These findings show a need for home visits to provide valuable postpartum care.

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF SAFEGUARDING HEALTH ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

observes that problems of safeguarding health values and right to health in ... through organized strategies and new approaches deliberately instituted to ... conceptions of a group about what is bad, undesirable and improper towards their ...

Travel agents and the prevention of health problems among travelers in Québec.

Science.gov (United States)

Provost, Sylvie; Gaulin, Colette; Piquet-Gauthier, Blandine; Emmanuelli, Julien; Venne, Sylvie; Dion, Réjean; Grenier, Jean-Luc; Dessau, Jean-Claude; Dubuc, Martine

2002-01-01

Among the factors influencing travelers to seek preventive health advice before departure, the travel agent's recommendation plays an important role. The objective of our study was to document the practices and needs of travel agents in Québec (Canada) in relation to the prevention of health problems among travelers. In June 2000, a cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out among travel agents from all travel agencies in Québec. One agent per agency was asked to answer our questions. Data were collected using a 32-item telephone questionnaire. Altogether, 708 travel agents from the 948 agencies contacted answered our questionnaire (participation rate: 75%). Most respondents (81%) believed that the travel agent has a role to play in the prevention of health problems among travelers, especially to recommend that travelers consult a travel clinic before departure. Although over 80% of the agents interviewed mentioned recommending a visit to a travel clinic before an organized tour to Thailand or a backpacking trip in Mexico, less than half said they make the same recommendation for a stay in a seaside resort in Mexico. The majority of respondents were acquainted with the services offered in travel health clinics, and these clinics were the source of travel health information most often mentioned by travel agents. However, nearly 60% of the agents questioned had never personally consulted a travel clinic. When asked about the best way to receive information about travelers' health, more than 40% of respondents favoured receiving information newsletters from public health departments regularly whereas 28% preferred the Internet. Despite the limits of this study, our results should help the public health network better target its interventions aimed to inform travel agents on prevention of health problems among travelers.

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Schutgens, Christine A E; Schuring, Merel; Voorham, Toon A J; Burdorf, Alex

2009-06-19

The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion programme for long-term unemployed persons with health complaints, to evaluate changes in physical health among participants, and to investigate determinants of improvement in physical health. A longitudinal, non-controlled design was used. The programme consisted of two weekly exercise sessions and one weekly cognitive session during 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were body mass index, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and low back and hamstring flexibility. Potential determinants of change in physical health were demographic variables, psychological variables (self-esteem, mastery, and kinesiophobia), and self-perceived health. The initial response was 73% and 252 persons had complete data collection at baseline. In total, 36 subjects were lost during follow-up. Participants were predominantly low educated, long-term unemployed, and in poor health. Participation in the programme was not influenced by demographic and psychological factors or by self-reported health. Drop-outs were younger and had a lower body mass index at baseline than subjects who completed the programme. At post-test, participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and flexibility had increased by 6.8%-51.0%, whereas diastolic and systolic blood pressures had decreased by 2.2%-2.5%. The effect sizes ranges from 0.17-0.68. Participants with the poorest physical health benefited most from the programme and gender differences in improvement were observed. Physical health of unemployed persons with health complaints improved after participation in this health promotion programme, but not sufficiently, considering their poor physical health at baseline.

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schuring Merel

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion programme for long-term unemployed persons with health complaints, to evaluate changes in physical health among participants, and to investigate determinants of improvement in physical health. Methods A longitudinal, non-controlled design was used. The programme consisted of two weekly exercise sessions and one weekly cognitive session during 12 weeks. The main outcome measures were body mass index, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and low back and hamstring flexibility. Potential determinants of change in physical health were demographic variables, psychological variables (self-esteem, mastery, and kinesiophobia, and self-perceived health. Results The initial response was 73% and 252 persons had complete data collection at baseline. In total, 36 subjects were lost during follow-up. Participants were predominantly low educated, long-term unemployed, and in poor health. Participation in the programme was not influenced by demographic and psychological factors or by self-reported health. Drop-outs were younger and had a lower body mass index at baseline than subjects who completed the programme. At post-test, participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, abdominal muscle strength, and flexibility had increased by 6.8%–51.0%, whereas diastolic and systolic blood pressures had decreased by 2.2%–2.5%. The effect sizes ranges from 0.17–0.68. Conclusion Participants with the poorest physical health benefited most from the programme and gender differences in improvement were observed. Physical health of unemployed persons with health complaints improved after participation in this health promotion programme, but not

Assisting an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person with gambling problems: a Delphi study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Kathy S; Dart, Katrina M; Jorm, Anthony F; Kelly, Claire M; Kitchener, Betty A; Reavley, Nicola J

2017-08-02

Gambling problems appear to be more prevalent in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population than in the non-Indigenous population. Although gambling harms can be significant, treatment-seeking rates are low. The Delphi expert consensus method was used to develop a set of guidelines on how a family or community member can assist an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person with gambling problems. Building on a previous systematic review of websites, books and journal articles a questionnaire was developed that contained items about the knowledge, skills and actions needed for supporting an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person with gambling problems. These items were rated over three rounds by an expert panel comprising professionals who provide treatment to or conduct research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with gambling problems. A total of 22 experts rated 407 helping statements according to whether they thought the statements should be included in these guidelines. There were 225 helping statements that were endorsed by at least 90% of participants. These endorsed statements were used to develop the guidelines. Experts were able to reach substantial consensus on how someone can recognise the signs of gambling problems and support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to change.

The mental health of preschoolers in a Norwegian population-based study when their parents have symptoms of borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic personality disorders: at the mercy of unpredictability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berg-Nielsen Turid

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical studies have shown that children of parents with mental health problems are most likely to develop psychiatric problems themselves when their parents have a Personality Disorder characterized by hostility. The Personality Disorders that appear most associated with hostility, with the potential to affect children, are Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The question addressed in this study is whether the risk to children’s mental health extends to the normal population of parents who have subclinical symptomlevels of these disorders. Methods This inquiry used data from a Trondheim, Norway community sample of 922 preschoolers and one parent for each child. The mean age of the children was 53 months (SD 2.1. Parents reported symptoms of Borderline, Antisocial and Narcissistic Personality Disorders on the DSM-IV ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire, and the children’s symptoms of DSM-IV behavioral and emotional diagnoses were measured with the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment, a comprehensive interview. Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling was used to assess the effect of parents’ symptoms on their preschoolers’ behavioral and emotional problems. Results The analyses yielded strongly significant values for the effect of parents’ Personality Disorder symptoms on child problems, explaining 13.2% of the variance of the children’s behavioral symptoms and 2.9% of the variance of internalizing symptoms. Biological parents’ cohabitation status, i.e., whether they were living together, emerged as a strong moderator on the associations between parental variables and child emotional symptoms; when parents were not cohabiting, the variance of the children’s emotional problems explained by the parents’ Personality Disorder symptoms increased from 2.9% to 19.1%. Conclusions For the first time, it is documented that parents’ self

The mental health of preschoolers in a Norwegian population-based study when their parents have symptoms of borderline, antisocial, and narcissistic personality disorders: at the mercy of unpredictability.

Science.gov (United States)

Berg-Nielsen, Turid Suzanne; Wichström, Lars

2012-07-09

Clinical studies have shown that children of parents with mental health problems are most likely to develop psychiatric problems themselves when their parents have a Personality Disorder characterized by hostility. The Personality Disorders that appear most associated with hostility, with the potential to affect children, are Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The question addressed in this study is whether the risk to children's mental health extends to the normal population of parents who have subclinical symptomlevels of these disorders. This inquiry used data from a Trondheim, Norway community sample of 922 preschoolers and one parent for each child. The mean age of the children was 53 months (SD 2.1). Parents reported symptoms of Borderline, Antisocial and Narcissistic Personality Disorders on the DSM-IV ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire, and the children's symptoms of DSM-IV behavioral and emotional diagnoses were measured with the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment, a comprehensive interview. Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling was used to assess the effect of parents' symptoms on their preschoolers' behavioral and emotional problems. The analyses yielded strongly significant values for the effect of parents' Personality Disorder symptoms on child problems, explaining 13.2% of the variance of the children's behavioral symptoms and 2.9% of the variance of internalizing symptoms. Biological parents' cohabitation status, i.e., whether they were living together, emerged as a strong moderator on the associations between parental variables and child emotional symptoms; when parents were not cohabiting, the variance of the children's emotional problems explained by the parents' Personality Disorder symptoms increased from 2.9% to 19.1%. For the first time, it is documented that parents' self-reported symptoms of Borderline, Antisocial, and Narcissistic Personality Disorders at a

HealthATM: personal health cyberinfrastructure for underserved populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Botts, Nathan E; Horan, Thomas A; Thoms, Brian P

2011-05-01

There is an opportunity for personal health record (PHR) systems to play a vital role in fostering health self-management within underserved populations. If properly designed and promoted, it is possible that patients will use PHRs to become more empowered in taking an active role toward managing their health needs. This research examines the potential of a cyberinfrastructure-based PHR to encourage patient activation in health care, while also having population health implications. A multi-phased, iterative research approach was used to design and evaluate a PHR system called HealthATM, which utilizes services from a cloud computing environment. These services were integrated into an ATM-style interface aimed at providing a broad range of health consumers with the ability to manage health conditions and encourage accomplishment of health goals. Evaluation of the PHR included 115 patients who were clients of several free clinics in Los Angeles County. The majority of patients perceived ease of use (74%) and confidence (73%) in using the HealthATM system, and thought they would like to use it frequently (73%). Patients also indicated a belief in being responsible for their own health. However, fewer felt as though they were able to maintain necessary life changes to improve their health. Findings from the field tests suggest that PHRs can be a beneficial health management tool for underserved populations. In order for these types of tools to be effective within safety-net communities, they must be technically accessible and provide meaningful opportunities to increase patient engagement in their health care. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Associations between Modifiable Health-Risk Behaviors and Personality Types

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Jon C. Schommer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The first objective for this study was to explore if characteristics of personality type (using the Preferred Communication Style Questionnaire are associated with the following modifiable health-risk behaviors: smoking, exercise, alcohol consumption, nutrition, sleep, depression-related stress, anxiety-related stress, healthcare professional usage, and self-discipline. The second objective for this study was to explore if characteristics of personality type are associated with (1 the quality of patient-physician relationships, (2 patient-physician communication, and (3 preferred method for receiving information. Methods: Data were collected from 10,500 adult individuals residing in the United States via an on-line, self-administered survey coordinated by Qualtrics Panels from March 14-30, 2016. Chi-square analysis was used for making comparisons between categories of personality types and items related to health-risk behaviors. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. However, chi-square analysis with large sample sizes (e.g. 10,500 in this study readily yields statistical significance. Practical significance was set at four or more percentage points above or below the overall mean. Results: Regarding objective 1, personality type was associated with all nine health-risk behaviors studied. Personality types within the Experiencer temperament (17% of the U.S. population accounted for 46% of the undesirable scores we computed for health-risk behaviors. The Idealist temperament (17% of population accounted for 32% of the undesirable scores. Conceptualizers (10% of population accounted for 17% of the undesirable scores and Traditionalists (46% of population accounted for 5% of the undesirable scores. Regarding objective 2, the findings showed that personality type was associated with (1 the importance people place on the patient-physician relationship, (2 which characteristics of that relationship are most desirable, (3 desire for

Ageing and mental health resources for older persons in the African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To better understand the organisation of care for older persons, data are being collected to reduce the imbalance between 'disease information\\' and 'resource information\\' – information that addresses older persons\\' needs in terms of mental health care. This review presents some results from the continent. Mental health ...

Experiencing 'pathologized presence and normalized absence'; understanding health related experiences and access to health care among Iraqi and Somali asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Mei Lan; Sixsmith, Judith; Lawthom, Rebecca; Mountian, Ilana; Shahrin, Afifa

2015-09-19

Asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status have been reported to experience a range of difficulties when accessing public services and supports in the UK. While research has identified health care barriers to equitable access such as language difficulties, it has not considered the broader social contexts of marginalization experienced through the dynamics of 'othering'. The current study explores health and health care experiences of Somali and Iraqi asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status, highlighting 'minoritization' processes and the 'pathologization' of difference as analytical lenses to understand the multiple layers of oppression that contribute to health inequities. For the study, qualitative methods were used to document the lived experiences of asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. Thirty-five in-depth interviews and five focus groups were used to explore personal accounts, reveal shared understandings and enable social, cognitive and emotional understandings of on-going health problems and challenges when seeking treatment and care. A participatory framework was undertaken which inspired collaborative workings with local organizations that worked directly with asylum seekers, refugees and persons without legal status. The analysis revealed four key themes: 1) pre-departure histories and post-arrival challenges; 2) legal status; 3) health knowledges and procedural barriers as well as 4) language and cultural competence. Confidentiality, trust, wait times and short doctor-patient consultations were emphasized as being insufficient for culturally specific communications and often translating into inadequate treatment and care. Barriers to accessing health care was associated with social disadvantage and restrictions of the broader welfare system suggesting that a re-evaluation of the asylum seeking process is required to improve the situation. Macro- and micro-level intersections of accustomed societal

Type D personality and health status in cardiovascular disease populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Versteeg, Henneke; Spek, Viola; Pedersen, Susanne S.

2012-01-01

Background: Knowledge of the factors associated with individual differences in patient-reported outcomes is essential to identify high-risk patients and improve secondary prevention. Design: In this meta-analysis, we examined the association between Type D personality and the individual differences...... in patient-reported physical and mental health status among cardiovascular patients. Methods: A computerized search of the literature through PUBMED and PsychINFO (from 1995 to May 2011) was performed and prospective studies were selected that analysed the association between Type D personality and health...... status in cardiovascular patients. Two separate meta-analyses were performed for the association of Type D personality with physical and mental health status, respectively. Results: Of all identified studies, ten studies met the selection criteria. The meta-analyses showed that Type D was associated...

Experiences With Insurance Plans and Providers Among Persons With Mental Illness.

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Rowan, Kathleen; Shippee, Nathan D

2016-03-01

This study used nationally representative household survey data to examine the association between mental illness and experiences with usual care providers and health plans among persons with public or private insurance (N=25,176). Data were from the 2004-2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. Mental illness was assessed with symptom scales of serious psychological distress and depression at two time points, and persons were categorized by whether mental illness was episodic or persistent over time. Questions about experiences with providers (four questions) and plans (five questions) were based on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Rates of problems with plans and providers were reported for each category of mental illness, and multivariate regression was used to examine the association of problems with mental illness. Rates of problems with health plans were high, specifically for treatment approvals, finding information, and customer service, and were higher among persons with mental illness. Rates of problems with providers were lower than problems with plans, but persons with mental illness were more likely to report problems, specifically that doctors do not explain treatment options, respect treatment choices, or seek participation in decisions. Persons with mental illness reported experiencing more clinical and administrative problems at their usual source of care, although the reasons were not clear. Efforts by plans to improve health care before and after the clinical encounter and by providers to design treatments in line with patient preferences may improve experiences for all patients and particularly for those with mental illness.

Have they done what they should? Moral reasoning in the context of translating older persons' everyday problems into eligible needs for home modification services.

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Johansson, Karin

2013-09-01

This study explores how moral reasoning is expressed in matching health care with the problems older persons experience in their everyday life. Narrative data were collected from older persons who had applied for home modification services and from professionals involved in these services in Sweden. A theoretical framework, based on theories on the anthropology of morals, was applied to explore how the participants made conclusions about "what should be done." Moral reasoning was found to be guided by ideologies related to the historical and cultural context of the Swedish welfare state. Different interpretations of how these values should be expressed in specific situations led to different conclusions about what should be done. The study highlights the importance of understanding how values are enacted rather than what values different social agents have in order to understand how health care services can be designed and provided to support older persons' everyday life. © 2013 by the American Anthropological Association.

Association of work-related stress with mental health problems in a special police force unit.

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Garbarino, Sergio; Cuomo, Giovanni; Chiorri, Carlo; Magnavita, Nicola

2013-01-01

Law and order enforcement tasks may expose special force police officers to significant psychosocial risk factors. The aim of this work is to investigate the relationship between job stress and the presence of mental health symptoms while controlling sociodemographical, occupational and personality variables in special force police officers. At different time points, 292 of 294 members of the 'VI Reparto Mobile', a special police force engaged exclusively in the enforcement of law and order, responded to our invitation to complete questionnaires for the assessment of personality traits, work-related stress (using the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) and the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) models) and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and burnout. Regression analyses showed that lower levels of support and reward and higher levels of effort and overcommitment were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms. Psychological screening revealed 21 (7.3%) likely cases of mild depression (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI≥10). Officers who had experienced a discrepancy between work effort and rewards showed a marked increase in the risk of depression (OR 7.89, 95% CI 2.32 to 26.82) when compared with their counterparts who did not perceive themselves to be in a condition of distress. The findings of this study suggest that work-related stress may play a role in the development of mental health problems in police officers. The prevalence of mental health symptoms in the cohort investigated here was low, but not negligible in the case of depression. Since special forces police officers have to perform sensitive tasks for which a healthy psychological functioning is needed, the results of this study suggest that steps should be taken to prevent distress and improve the mental well-being of these workers.

Core Self-Evaluations as Personal Factors in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Model: An Application in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Yaghmanian, Rana; Smedema, Susan Miller; Thompson, Kerry

2017-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate Chan, Gelman, Ditchman, Kim, and Chiu's (2009) revised World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model using core self-evaluations (CSE) to account for Personal Factors in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Method: One hundred eighty-seven adults with SCI were…

Personality differences predict health-risk behaviors in young adulthood: evidence from a longitudinal study.

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Caspi, A; Begg, D; Dickson, N; Harrington, H; Langley, J; Moffitt, T E; Silva, P A

1997-11-01

In a longitudinal study of a birth cohort, the authors identified youth involved in each of 4 different health-risk behaviors at age 21: alcohol dependence, violent crime, unsafe sex, and dangerous driving habits. At age 18, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) was used to assess 10 distinct personality traits. At age 3, observational measures were used to classify children into distinct temperament groups. Results showed that a similar constellation of adolescent personality traits, with developmental origins in childhood, is linked to different health-risk behaviors at 21. Associations between the same personality traits and different health-risk behaviors were not an artifact of the same people engaging in different health-risk behaviors; rather, these associations implicated the same personality type in different but related behaviors. In planning campaigns, health professionals may need to design programs that appeal to the unique psychological makeup of persons most at risk for health-risk behaviors.

Personal health systems and value creation mechanisms in occupational health care.

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Auvinen, Ari-Matti

2007-01-01

Personal Health Systems are believed to have great business potential among citizens, but they might reach also an important market in occupational health care. However, in reaching the occupational health care market, it is important to understand the value creation and value configuration mechanisms of this particular market. This paper also claims that in such a business-to-business market service integrators are needed to compose for the various customers specific offerings combing a tailored variety of products and services to suit their specific needs.

Mental health inequalities in Slovenian 15-year-old adolescents explained by personal social position and family socioeconomic status.

Science.gov (United States)

Klanšček, Helena Jeriček; Ziberna, Janina; Korošec, Aleš; Zurc, Joca; Albreht, Tit

2014-03-28

Mental health inequalities are an increasingly important global problem. This study examined the association between mental health status and certain socioeconomic indicators (personal social position and the socioeconomic status of the family) in Slovenian 15-year-old adolescents. Data originate from the WHO-Collaborative cross-national 'Health Behavior in School-aged Children' study conducted in Slovenia in 2010 (1,815 secondary school pupils, aged 15). Mental health status was measured by: KIDSCREEN-10, the Strength and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), a life satisfaction scale, and one question about feelings of depression. Socioeconomic position was measured by the socioeconomic status of the family (Family Affluence Scale, perceived material welfare, family type, occupational status of parents) and personal social position (number of friends and the type of school). Logistic regression and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were performed. Girls had 2.5-times higher odds of suffering feelings of depression (p mental health than those with a higher socioeconomic position. Because of the financial crisis, we can expect an increase in social inequalities and a greater impact on adolescents' mental health status in Slovenia in the future.

Problem alcohol use and healthcare utilization among persons with cannabis use disorder in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

John, William S; Wu, Li-Tzy

2017-09-01

The emergency department (ED) and hospital settings represent crucial opportunities for engaging treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Thus, there is a need to identify factors associated with healthcare utilization among persons with CUD to improve screening and intervention approaches. Problematic alcohol use may be a salient risk factor. Using data from the 2005-2013 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, we determined factors, including different patterns of alcohol use, associated with past-year ED admission and inpatient hospitalization among persons aged 12 years or older meeting criteria for CUD in the past year (N=16,757). We also determined the prevalence and correlates of problem alcohol use among persons with CUD to further inform its association with healthcare utilization. Among persons with CUD, 40.15% and 10.04% reported past-year ED admission and inpatient hospitalization, respectively. Severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) (≥6 AUD symptoms), female sex, Black race, low income, major depressive episode (MDE), and other substance use disorders were associated with increased odds of healthcare utilization; current (i.e., last month) alcohol use patterns were not. Persons with CUD that were males, ages 18-25 (vs. ages 12-17), Hispanic (vs. White), and with low income, other drug use disorders, or MDE had increased odds of AUD. Findings suggest that screening and intervention efforts for improving treatment initiation or engagement for CUD may target cannabis-using women, blacks, low-income adults or those with severe AUD in the past year, another substance use disorder, or MDE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of Personalized Medicine in an Academic Health System: Educational Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorderstrasse, Allison; Katsanis, Sara Huston; Minear, Mollie A; Yang, Nancy; Rakhra-Burris, Tejinder; Reeves, Jason W; Cook-Deegan, Robert; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Ann Simmons, Leigh

Prior reports demonstrate that personalized medicine implementation in clinical care is lacking. Given the program focus at Duke University on personalized medicine, we assessed health care providers' perspectives on their preparation and educational needs to effectively integrate personalized medicine tools and applications into their clinical practices. Data from 78 health care providers who participated in a larger study of personalized and precision medicine at Duke University were analyzed using Qualtrics (descriptive statistics). Individuals age 18 years and older were recruited for the larger study through broad email contacts across the university and health system. All participants completed an online 35-question survey that was developed, pilot-tested, and administered by a team of interdisciplinary researchers and clinicians at the Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine. Overall, providers reported being ill-equipped to implement personalized medicine in clinical practice. Many respondents identified educational resources as critical for strengthening personalized medicine implementation in both research and clinical practice. Responses did not differ significantly between specialists and primary providers or by years since completion of the medical degree. Survey findings support prior calls for provider and patient education in personalized medicine. Respondents identified focus areas in training, education, and research for improving personalized medicine uptake. Given respondents' emphasis on educational needs, now may be an ideal time to address these needs in clinical training and public education programs.

Sepsis is a preventable public health problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Kempker, Jordan A; Wang, Henry E; Martin, Greg S

2018-05-06

There is a paradigm shift happening for sepsis. Sepsis is no longer solely conceptualized as problem of individual patients treated in emergency departments and intensive care units but also as one that is addressed as public health issue with population- and systems-based solutions. We offer a conceptual framework for sepsis as a public health problem by adapting the traditional model of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

The use of biometrics in the Personal Health Record (PHR).

Science.gov (United States)

Bonney, Wilfred

2011-01-01

The emergence of the Personal Health Record (PHR) has made individual health information more readily accessible to a wide range of users including patients, consumers, practitioners, and healthcare providers. However, increased accessibility of PHR threatens the confidentiality, privacy, and security of personalized health information. Therefore, a need for robust and reliable forms of authentication is of prime concern. The concept of biometric authentication is now highly visible to healthcare providers as a technology to prevent unauthorized access to individual health information. Implementing biometric authentication mechanisms to protect PHR facilitates access control and secure exchange of health information. In this paper, a literature review is used to explore the key benefits, technical barriers, challenges, and ethical implications for using biometric authentication in PHR.

Lifetime trauma, personality traits, and health: A pathway to midlife health status.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Goldberg, Lewis R; Barckley, Maureen; Klest, Bridget; Dubanoski, Joan P; Hillier, Teresa A

2016-07-01

This study investigated whether lifetime experience of trauma is related to personality through instrumental and reactive trait processes, and whether lifetime trauma is a mechanism underlying the association between childhood conscientiousness and objectively assessed adult physical health. Participants (N = 831) were 442 women and 389 men from the Hawaii longitudinal study of personality and health. Teacher assessments of personality were obtained when the participants were in elementary school. Self-reported adult personality assessments, lifetime histories of trauma experience, and objectively assessed physiological dysregulation were obtained between ages 45-55. Women tended to report more high-betrayal trauma than men, whereas men reported more low-betrayal trauma than women. Women who were judged by their teachers to be less agreeable and less conscientious in childhood reported more lifetime trauma, suggesting instrumental trait processes. For both genders, neuroticism and openness/intellect/imagination in adulthood, but not in childhood, were associated with lifetime trauma, suggesting reactive trait processes. For both genders, trauma experience was correlated with dysregulation and with Body Mass Index (BMI). The indirect paths from childhood conscientiousness to adult dysregulation and BMI through total teen and adult trauma were significant for women, but not for men (indirect effect for women's dysregulation = -.025, p = .040, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -.048, -.001; indirect effect for women's BMI = -.037, p = .009, 95% CI = -.067, -.008). Teen and adult trauma experience appears to be a hitherto unidentified mechanism in women underlying the association between conscientiousness and health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The antisocial family tree: family histories of behavior problems in antisocial personality in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, Michael G; Salas-Wright, Christopher P; DeLisi, Matt; Qian, Zhengmin

2015-05-01

Multiple avenues of research (e.g., criminal careers, intergenerational family transmission, and epidemiological studies) have indicated a concentration of antisocial traits and behaviors that cluster among families and within individuals in a population. The current study draws on each of these perspectives in exploring the intergenerational contours of antisocial personality disorder across multiple generations of a large-scale epidemiological sample. The analytic sample of persons meeting criteria for antisocial personality disorder (N = 1,226) was derived from waves I and II of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Path analytic, latent class, and multinomial models were executed to describe and elucidate family histories among persons diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Three classes of an antisocial family tree were found: minimal family history of problem behaviors (70.3 % of sample) who were characterized by higher socioeconomic functioning, parental and progeny behavior problems (9.4 % of sample) who were characterized by criminal behaviors, psychopathology, and substance use disorders, and multigenerational history of problem behaviors (20.3 % of sample) who were characterized by alcoholism, psychopathology, and versatile criminal offending. These findings add a typology to intergenerational studies of antisocial behavior that can assist in identifying etiological and treatment factors among those for whom crime runs in the family.

A Data Transmission Technique for Personal Health Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jih-Fu Tu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We used the modular technique to design a personal health data transmitter (PHDT that is composed of the following components: (1 the core is an embedded signal chip, (2 three kinds of transmutation modules such as USB, RF, and UART, (3 an I2C interface is used to acquire the users data, and (4 through Internet it links to the cloud server to store the personal-health data. By the experiment, we find that the modular manner is feasible, stable of functional, integral, and accurate, while it is exploited to design the PHDT. For the experiment, we present each module algorithm to find that our system is very helpful to people.

Interpersonal Problems Associated with Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Traits in Women during the Transition to Adulthood

Science.gov (United States)

Hopwood, Christopher J.; Burt, S. Alexandra; Keel, Pamela K.; Neale, Michael C.; Boker, Steven M.; Klump, Kelly L.

2013-01-01

Personality traits are known to be associated with a host of important life outcomes, including interpersonal dysfunction. The interpersonal circumplex offers a comprehensive system for articulating the kinds of interpersonal problems associated with personality traits. In the current study, traits as measured by the Multidimensional Personality…

Assessment of occupational hazards, health problems and safety ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Petrol station attendants encounter several hazards and health problems while working. This study was conducted to determine the ... Hazards reported included inhalation of petrol fumes 145 (67.4%), confrontation from customers 112 (52.1%) and noise 98 (45.6%). Health problems reported included ...

Health-relevant personality is associated with sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis).

Science.gov (United States)

Villaume, Karin; Hasson, Dan

2017-04-01

Hyperacusis, over-sensitivity to sounds, causes distress and disability and the etiology is not fully understood. The study aims to explore possible associations between health-relevant personality traits and hyperacusis. Hyperacusis was assessed using the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ), and clinical uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL). Personality was measured with the Health-relevant Personality (HP5i) Inventory. The study sample was 348 (140 men and 208 women; age 23-71 years). Moderate correlations were found between the personality trait negative affectivity (NA; a facet of neuroticism) and dimensions of the HQ and weak correlations were found with the ULLs. Hedonic capacity (a facet of extraversion) was significantly correlated with the HQ but not with the ULLs. Impulsivity (a facet of conscientiousness) was correlated with the HQ and the ULLs. A significant difference in mean values was found in all hyperacusis measures and different levels of NA - those with higher levels displayed more severe signs of hyperacusis. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that higher levels of NA increases the odds of having hyperacusis on average 4.6 times for men and 2.4 times for women. These findings imply that health-relevant personality traits should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperacusis. © 2017 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using Technology and Assessment to Personalize Instruction: Preventing Reading Problems.

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Connor, Carol McDonald

2017-09-15

Children who fail to learn to read proficiently are at serious risk of referral to special education, grade retention, dropping out of high school, and entering the juvenile justice system. Accumulating research suggests that instruction regimes that rely on assessment to inform instruction are effective in improving the implementation of personalized instruction and, in turn, student learning. However, teachers find it difficult to interpret assessment results in a way that optimizes learning opportunities for all of the students in their classrooms. This article focuses on the use of language, decoding, and comprehension assessments to develop personalized plans of literacy instruction for students from kindergarten through third grade, and A2i technology designed to support teachers' use of assessment to guide instruction. Results of seven randomized controlled trials demonstrate that personalized literacy instruction is more effective than traditional instruction, and that sustained implementation of personalized literacy instruction first through third grade may prevent the development of serious reading problems. We found effect sizes from .2 to .4 per school year, which translates into about a 2-month advantage. These effects accumulated from first through third grade with a large effect size (d = .7) equivalent to a full grade-equivalent advantage on standardize tests of literacy. These results demonstrate the efficacy of technology-supported personalized data-driven literacy instruction to prevent serious reading difficulties. Implications for translational prevention research in education and healthcare are discussed.

Investigating the incidence of youth mental health problem by merging person register and school level class room survey data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marko Merikukka

2017-04-01

It is possible to merge datasets from school level to an individual level register data. The merged big data offers new possibilities to study questions related to the prevalence of mental health problems. The new linked data can be further analyzed to hierarchical model.

Rating Students' Problem Behaviour: The Role of Teachers' Individual Characteristics

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Kokkinos, Constantinos M.; Kargiotidis, Apostolos

2016-01-01

This study examined the role of teachers' personal characteristics and mental health status on their frequency ratings of student problem behaviour. A sample of 121 primary school teachers were asked to rate the frequency of a student's behavioural problems, and to self-report their personality traits, psychopathology symptoms and burnout.…

Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Portal Implementation Toolkit for Ambulatory Clinics: A Feasibility Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahm, Eun-Shim; Diblasi, Catherine; Gonzales, Eva; Silver, Kristi; Zhu, Shijun; Sagherian, Knar; Kongs, Katherine

2017-04-01

Personal health records and patient portals have been shown to be effective in managing chronic illnesses. Despite recent nationwide implementation efforts, the personal health record and patient portal adoption rates among patients are low, and the lack of support for patients using the programs remains a critical gap in most implementation processes. In this study, we implemented the Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit in a large diabetes/endocrinology center and assessed its preliminary impact on personal health record and patient portal knowledge, self-efficacy, patient-provider communication, and adherence to treatment plans. Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit is composed of Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit-General, clinic-level resources for clinicians, staff, and patients, and Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit Plus, an optional 4-week online resource program for patients ("MyHealthPortal"). First, Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit-General was implemented, and all clinicians and staff were educated about the center's personal health record and patient portal. Then general patient education was initiated, while a randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the preliminary effects of "MyHealthPortal" using a small sample (n = 74) with three observations (baseline and 4 and 12 weeks). The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement than the control group in patient-provider communication at 4 weeks (t56 = 3.00, P = .004). For other variables, the intervention group tended to show greater improvement; however, the differences were not significant. In this preliminary study, Patient-Centered Personal Health Record and Patient Portal Implementation Toolkit showed potential for filling the gap in the current

Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wesseldijk, Laura W; Bartels, Meike; Vink, Jacqueline M; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Ligthart, Lannie; Boomsma, Dorret I; Middeldorp, Christel M

2017-01-01

Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis. We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and

Modeling the Personal Health Ecosystem.

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Blobel, Bernd; Brochhausen, Mathias; Ruotsalainen, Pekka

2018-01-01

Complex ecosystems like the pHealth one combine different domains represented by a huge variety of different actors (human beings, organizations, devices, applications, components) belonging to different policy domains, coming from different disciplines, deploying different methodologies, terminologies, and ontologies, offering different levels of knowledge, skills, and experiences, acting in different scenarios and accommodating different business cases to meet the intended business objectives. For correctly modeling such systems, a system-oriented, architecture-centric, ontology-based, policy-driven approach is inevitable, thereby following established Good Modeling Best Practices. However, most of the existing standards, specifications and tools for describing, representing, implementing and managing health (information) systems reflect the advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) represented by different evolutionary levels of data modeling. The paper presents a methodology for integrating, adopting and advancing models, standards, specifications as well as implemented systems and components on the way towards the aforementioned ultimate approach, so meeting the challenge we face when transforming health systems towards ubiquitous, personalized, predictive, preventive, participative, and cognitive health and social care.

Determinants of Internet use as a preferred source of information on personal health.

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Lemire, Marc; Paré, Guy; Sicotte, Claude; Harvey, Charmian

2008-11-01

To understand the personal, social and cultural factors likely to explain recourse to the Internet as a preferred source of personal health information. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a population of 2923 Internet users visiting a firmly established website that offers information on personal health. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the determinants of site use. The analysis template comprised four classes of determinants likely to explain Internet use: beliefs, intentions, user satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics. Seven-point Likert scales were used. An analysis of the psychometric qualities of the variables provided compelling evidence of the construct's validity and reliability. A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the correspondence with the factors predicted by the theoretical model. The regression analysis explained 35% of the variance in Internet use. Use was directly associated with five factors: perceived usefulness, importance given to written media in searches for health information, concern for personal health, importance given to the opinions of physicians and other health professionals, and the trust placed in the information available on the site itself. This study confirms the importance of the credibility of information on the frequency of Internet use as a preferred source of information on personal health. It also shows the potentially influential role of the Internet in the development of personal knowledge of health issues.

Interpersonal Problem Solving, Self-Compassion and Personality Traits in University Students

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Arslan, Coskun

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate interpersonal problem solving in terms of self-compassion and personality traits. The participants were 570 (274 females and 296 males) who participated in the research voluntarily. The mean age of the participants was 21.54 years (between 17-32 years old) with a standard deviation of 2.68 years. Data were…

Teaching Personal Finance Mathematical Problem Solving to Individuals with Moderate Intellectual Disability

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Root, Jenny; Saunders, Alicia; Spooner, Fred; Brosh, Chelsi

2017-01-01

The ability to solve mathematical problems related to purchasing and personal finance is important in promoting skill generalization and increasing independence for individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities (IDs). Using a multiple probe across participant design, this study investigated the effects of modified schema-based instruction…

Prospective Associations among Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms, Interpersonal Problems, and Aggressive Behaviors

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Stepp, Stephanie D.; Smith, Tiffany D.; Morse, Jennifer Q.; Hallquist, Michael N.; Pilkonis, Paul A.

2012-01-01

This study examined the prospective relationships among borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms, interpersonal problems, and types of aggressive behaviors (i.e., experiencing psychological and physical victimization and perpetrating psychological and physical aggression) in a psychiatric sample (N = 139) over the course of 2 years. We…

Mental health of internally displaced persons in Jalozai camp, Pakistan.

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Mujeeb, Arooj

2015-11-01

Internal displacement has been a distressing issue of Pakistan for last one decade. Few research works have been conducted on the psychological issues of internally displaced persons in Pakistan. The current research was aimed at determining the psychological effects of internal displacement, that is, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety and stress (internalizing problems) of the individuals who were displaced as a result of an armed conflict in Swat. A sample of 126 internally displaced persons was taken from Jalozai camp which included females (n = 65) and males (n = 61). Age of the sample ranged from 20 to 75 years with a mean of 47.5 years. Translated and adapted versions of Well-Being Affectometer-2 Scale and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were used in the current research. Results of the study indicated differences between males and females, females being higher on internalizing problems and lower on psychological well-being, whereas family loss during displacement affected the results in the same way. Well-being, gender and family loss emerged as significant predictors of internalizing problems, and gender moderated the relationship between well-being and internalizing problems. Internal displacement may bring psychological issues for internally displaced persons, that is, their well-being may decrease and depression, anxiety and stress may increase during displacement. Limitations and implications of the study were discussed further. © The Author(s) 2015.

Parent-reported Mental Health Problems and Mental Health Services Use in South Australian School-aged Children

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Jing Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background:Monitoring and reporting childhood mental health problems and mental health services utilization over time provide important information to identify mental health related issues and to guide early intervention. This paper aims to describe the recent prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among South Australian (SA children; to identify mental health problems associated characteristics; and to describe mental health services utilization and its related characteristics among this population. Methods:Parent-reported mental health problems were assessed against the first item of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. School-aged children were randomly sampled monthly and data were collected using a surveillance system between 2005 and 2015. Associations between mental health problems and various factors were analysed using univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression modelling. Results:Prevalence of parent-reported mental health problems among children was 9.1% and 9.3% for children aged 5 to 11 years and children aged 12 to 15 years, respectively. No change in prevalence was observed during the past decade. Mental health problems were associated with male sex, long-term illness or pain, negative school experiences, not living with biological parents, and living in a rental dwelling. Less than half (48.7% of the children with mental health problems received professional help. An increasing trend was found in mental health services utilisation among children aged 5 to 15 years. Utilization of mental health services was associated with male sex, older age, long-term illness or pain, and feeling unhappy at school. Conclusion:This study reports the prevalence of parent-reported mental and mental health services utilisation among SA school-aged children. Identified characteristics associated with mental health problems and mental health services utilisation provide useful information for the planning of

MyPHRMachines : lifelong personal health records in the cloud

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Gorp, P.M.E.; Comuzzi, M.; Soda, P.; Tortorella, F.

2012-01-01

Personal Health Records (PHRs) should remain the lifelong property of patients and should be showable conveniently and securely to selected caregivers. Regarding interoperability, current solutions for PHRs focus on standard data exchange formats and transformations to move data across health

An Integrated Framework to Achieve Interoperability in Person-Centric Health Management

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Fabio Vergari

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The need for high-quality out-of-hospital healthcare is a known socioeconomic problem. Exploiting ICT's evolution, ad-hoc telemedicine solutions have been proposed in the past. Integrating such ad-hoc solutions in order to cost-effectively support the entire healthcare cycle is still a research challenge. In order to handle the heterogeneity of relevant information and to overcome the fragmentation of out-of-hospital instrumentation in person-centric healthcare systems, a shared and open source interoperability component can be adopted, which is ontology driven and based on the semantic web data model. The feasibility and the advantages of the proposed approach are demonstrated by presenting the use case of real-time monitoring of patients' health and their environmental context.

Screening for intellectual disability in persons with a substance abuse problem: Exploring the validity of the Hayes Ability Screening Index in a Dutch-speaking sample.

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To, Wing Ting; Vanheule, Stijn; Vanderplasschen, Wouter; Audenaert, Kurt; Vandevelde, Stijn

2014-11-12

There is an increasing interest in screening instruments to detect intellectual disability (ID) in a quick and accurate way in mental health services as well as in the criminal justice system in order to provide appropriate support for people with undetected needs caused by ID. An instrument that has been proven to be useful in both settings is the Hayes Ability Screening Index (HASI). This study assessed the validity of the Dutch version of the HASI in persons with a substance abuse problem residing in mental health services, whether or not mandated to treatment by court order. The HASI was conducted along with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III as the criterion for validity to 90 participants. Additionally, the influence of psychiatric disorder and medication use on the HASI result was examined. A significant positive relationship was found between the two instruments, demonstrating convergent validity. Using a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the discriminative ability of the HASI with a cut-off score of 85 was found to be adequate, yielding in a good balance between sensitivity and specificity. The HASI was not distorted by the presence of the substance abuse problem or other psychiatric illnesses and medication did not influence the HASI scores in this study. These findings indicate that the HASI provides a time-efficient and resource-conscious way to detect ID in persons with a substance problem, thus addressing a critical need in mental health settings. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Making sense of personal and global problems: an analysis of the writings and lectures of Rauni-Leena Luukanen-Kilde

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Tommy Ramstedt

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Rauni-Leena Luukanen-Kilde (b. 1939 is a well-known figure in the Finnish alternative spiritual milieu. She is an author and lecturer on parapsychology and ufology and has been a guest on several talk shows in the Nordic countries. The topics discussed by Luukanen-Kilde range from the psychic abilities of mankind to visitations from extraterrestrial beings. Since the mid-1980s Luukanen-Kilde has developed conspiracy theories about an elite group governing the world in secret. Luukanen-Kilde is a bestselling author and draws audiences of several hundreds to her talks. Her conspiracy theory view of the world offers explanations for all kinds of personal, national, as well as global problems and disasters. Personal health problems, tragic incidents such as school shootings, economic crises and unemployment, earthquakes and floods can, according to her belief system, all be attributed to a single cause; namely to the actions of a clandestine, malevolent group. The popularity of Luukanen-Kilde’s books and lectures can be seen as an example of how people in late modernity are seeking alternative interpretations of themselves and of world events.

Yarsagumba Fungus: Health Problems in the Himalayan Gold Rush.

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Koirala, Pranawa; Pandit, Bidur; Phuyal, Pratibha; Zafren, Ken

2017-09-01

Seasonal migration of people in search of Yarsagumba fungus creates a population of collectors that faces hardship and health risks in austere high-altitude settings. In 2016, our 4-person team performed a 2-day health-needs survey of people collecting Yarsagumba fungus near the village of Yak Kharka (4020 m) in the Manang District of Nepal. There were approximately 800 people, both male and female, from age 10 to over 60, collecting Yarsagumba fungus. They had paid high prices for permits, hoping to recoup the cost and make a profit by selling specimens of Yarsagumba, but the fungus seemed scarce in 2016, resulting in a bleak economic forecast. Most collectors were living in austere conditions, walking long hours to the collection areas early in the morning and returning in the late afternoon. Most were subsisting on 1 daily meal. Health problems, including acute mountain sickness as well as respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses, were common. Yarsagumba has become harder to find in recent years, increasing hardships and risk of injury. Medical care was almost nonexistent. As abundance decreases and demand increases, there is increasing pressure on collectors to find Yarsagumba. The collectors are an economically disadvantaged population who live in austere conditions at high altitude with poor shelter and sanitation, strenuous work, and limited availability of food. Health care resources are very limited. There are significant risks of illness, injury, and death. Targeted efforts by government entities and nongovernmental organizations might be beneficial in meeting the health needs. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A longitudinal study of mental health symptoms in young prisoners: exploring the influence of personal factors and the correctional climate.

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Gonçalves, Leonel C; Endrass, Jérôme; Rossegger, Astrid; Dirkzwager, Anja J E

2016-04-06

Despite the high prevalence rate of mental health problems among young prisoners, little is known about the longitudinal course and covariates of their mental health symptoms during incarceration, especially the influence of the correctional climate. The current study aimed: (1) to examine changes in young prisoners' mental health symptoms during incarceration, (2) to identify personal factors associated with their mental health symptoms and perceptions of the correctional climate, and (3) to test the incremental effect of perceptions of the correctional climate on mental health symptoms. Data were obtained from a sample of 75 youths (aged 17 to 22 years) detained in a Portuguese young offender prison. Data were gathered 1, 3, and 6 months after their admission in this facility. Socio-demographic, clinical and criminological variables were collected. Mental health symptoms and perceptions of the correctional climate were assessed through self-report assessment tools. Linear and logistic (multi-level) regressions and tests for differences between means were performed to analyze the data. Overall, mental health symptoms marginally declined by the sixth month in prison. Prisoners with a history of mental health treatment were more likely to have increased symptoms. Higher levels of mental health symptoms were associated with a history of mental health treatment, remand status, and a lower educational level. Better perceptions of the correctional climate were associated with Black race and participation in prison activities. A negative perception of the correctional climate was the strongest covariate of young prisoners' mental health symptoms and had incremental validity over that of personal variables. The results highlight that both characteristics of the prisoners and of the prison environment influence young prisoners' mental health. Prison management can try to reduce young prisoners' mental health problems by developing scientific procedures for their mental

Sleep duration and sleep-related problems in different occupations in the Hordaland Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ursin, Reidun; Baste, Valborg; Moen, Bente E

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between occupation and sleep duration, sleepiness, insufficient sleep, and insomnia in day and shift workers (including night work and watches). The study was population-based and cross-sectional, and relied on self-administered questionnaires. It was conducted as part of the 1997-1999 Hordaland Health Study in collaboration with the Norwegian National Health Screening Service. Aged 40-45 years, 7782 participants answered a sleep questionnaire, reporting their occupation and whether or not they were employed in shift work. Our study found differences in sleep duration during the working week between occupational groups; in both shift and day workers. Craft workers, plant operators, and drivers slept less than leaders, and non-personal and personal service workers. Within some occupations (leaders, personal service workers, and plant operators), shift workers slept less than day workers. The mean sleep duration of shift workers was 15 minutes shorter than that of day workers. Rise times, but not bedtimes, were earlier in craft-and construction workers, plant operators, and drivers than in leaders and non-personal and personal service workers, particularly day workers. When adjusted for shift work and working hours - compared to leaders - craft workers, plant operators, and drivers had an increased risk of daytime sleepiness (odds ratio 1.5, 1.8, and 1.8 respectively) and of falling asleep at work (odds ratio 1.6, 2.1 and 2.0 respectively). Shift workers had an increased risk of falling asleep at work and insomnia. Occupation has separate effects on sleep duration and sleep-related problems, independent of the effects of shift work.

Potential and challenges of body area networks for personal health.

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Penders, Julien; van de Molengraft, Jef; Brown, Lindsay; Grundlehner, Bernard; Gyselinckx, Bert; Van Hoof, Chris

2009-01-01

This paper illustrates how body area network technology may enable new personal health concepts. A BAN technology platform is presented, which integrates technology building blocks from the Human++ research program on autonomous wireless sensors. Technology evaluation for the case of wireless sleep staging and real-time arousal monitoring is reported. Key technology challenges are discussed. The ultimate target is the development of miniaturized body sensor nodes powered by body-energy, anticipating the needs of emerging personal health applications.

Relationships between activities, participation, personal factors, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

van Leeuwen, Christel M; Post, Marcel W; Westers, Paul; van der Woude, Lucas H; de Groot, Sonja; Sluis, Tebbe; Slootman, Hans; Lindeman, Eline

2012-01-01

To clarify relationships between activities, participation, mental health, and life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and specify how personal factors (self-efficacy, neuroticism, appraisals) interact with these components. We hypothesized that (1) activities are related directly to participation, participation is related directly to mental health and life satisfaction, and mental health and life satisfaction are 2 interrelated outcome variables; and (2) appraisals are mediators between participation and mental health and life satisfaction, and self-efficacy and neuroticism are related directly to mental health and life satisfaction and indirectly through appraisals. Follow-up measurement of a multicenter prospective cohort study 5 years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Eight Dutch rehabilitation centers with specialized SCI units. Persons (N=143) aged 18 to 65 years at the onset of SCI. Not applicable. Mental health was measured by using the Mental Health subscale of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and life satisfaction with the sum score of "current life satisfaction" and "current life satisfaction compared with life satisfaction before SCI." Structural equation modeling showed that activities and neuroticism were related to participation and explained 49% of the variance in participation. Self-efficacy, neuroticism, and 2 appraisals were related to mental health and explained 35% of the variance in mental health. Participation, 3 appraisals, and mental health were related to life satisfaction and together explained 50% of the total variance in life satisfaction. Mental health and life satisfaction can be seen as 2 separate but interrelated outcome variables. Self-efficacy and neuroticism are related directly to mental health and indirectly to life satisfaction through the mediating role of appraisals. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does stress mediate the association between personal relative deprivation and gambling?

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Mishra, Sandeep; Meadows, Tyler J S

2018-04-01

Evidence has linked subjective feelings of personal relative deprivation with general gambling involvement and problem gambling tendencies. In turn, problem gambling tendencies have been linked with a wide array of damaging physical and mental health consequences. It has been theorized that the deleterious effects of perceived inequality on mental and physical health operate at the individual level through the experience of personal relative deprivation leading to psychosocial stress. We empirically examined whether the experience of perceived stress contributes to explaining the deprivation-gambling link using cross-sectional, self-reported survey data collected from a crowdsourced population of adults (n = 565). Results indicate that personal relative deprivation is associated with problem gambling tendencies (but not general gambling involvement) and that this association is mediated by perceived stress. These associations were particularly strong among participants who reported non-zero levels of problem gambling tendencies. Together, our results further emphasize the importance of individual-level social comparison reactions in the context of health. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Consumer Health Informatics Aspects of Direct-to-Consumer Personal Genomic Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Kathleen; Stephen, Remya; Terrill, Bronwyn; Wilson, Brenda; Middleton, Anna; Tytherleigh, Rigan; Turbitt, Erin; Gaff, Clara; Savard, Jacqueline; Hickerton, Chriselle; Newson, Ainsley; Metcalfe, Sylvia

2017-01-01

This paper uses consumer health informatics as a framework to explore whether and how direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing can be regarded as a form of information which assists consumers to manage their health. It presents findings from qualitative content analysis of web sites that offer testing services, and of transcripts from focus groups conducted as part a study of the Australian public's expectations of personal genomics. Content analysis showed that service offerings have some features of consumer health information but lack consistency. Focus group participants were mostly unfamiliar with the specifics of test reports and related information services. Some of their ideas about aids to knowledge were in line with the benefits described on provider web sites, but some expectations were inflated. People were ambivalent about whether these services would address consumers' health needs, interests and contexts and whether they would support consumers' health self-management decisions and outcomes. There is scope for consumer health informatics approaches to refine the usage and the utility of direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing. Further research may focus on how uptake is affected by consumers' health literacy or by services' engagement with consumers about what they really want.

Problem Gambling Among Ontario Students: Associations with Substance Abuse, Mental Health Problems, Suicide Attempts, and Delinquent Behaviours.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Steven; Turner, Nigel E; Ballon, Bruce; Paglia-Boak, Angela; Murray, Robert; Adlaf, Edward M; Ilie, Gabriela; den Dunnen, Wendy; Mann, Robert E

2015-12-01

This paper describes gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009 and examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problem indicators, and delinquent behaviors. Data were derived from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of Ontario students in grades 7-12. Gambling problems were measured as 2 or more of 6 indicators of problem gambling. In total 2.8% of the students surveyed endorsed two or more of the problem gambling items. The odds of problem gamblers reporting mental distress was 4.2 times higher than the rest of the sample and the odds of problem gamblers reporting a suicide attempt were 17.8 times greater than the rest of the sample. In addition compared to the rest of the students, delinquent behaviors were also more common among problem gamblers, including theft (OR = 14.5), selling marijuana (OR = 19.6), gang fights (OR = 11.3) and carrying a handgun (OR = 11.2). In a multivariate analysis, substance-use problems, mental health problems, and the participation in a variety of delinquent behaviors remained significantly associated with youth problem gambling behavior. Students who report problem gambling behaviors show increased substance abuse, mental health, and delinquency/criminal problems that are similar to those seen among adult problem gamblers. The association between these problems suggests that these problems could be addressed in a unified manner.

The detrimental impact of maladaptive personality on public mental health : a challenge for psychiatric practice

OpenAIRE

Hengartner, Michael Pascal

2015-01-01

Experts in personality psychology and personality disorders have long emphasized the pervasive and persistent detrimental impact of maladaptive personality traits on mental health and functioning. However, in routine psychiatric practice, maladaptive personality is readily ignored and personality traits are seldom incorporated into clinical guidelines. The aim of this narrative review is to outline how pervasively personality influences public mental health and how personality thereby challen...

Semantic Web, Reusable Learning Objects, Personal Learning Networks in Health: Key Pieces for Digital Health Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantinidis, Stathis Th; Wharrad, Heather; Windle, Richard; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2017-01-01

The knowledge existing in the World Wide Web is exponentially expanding, while continuous advancements in health sciences contribute to the creation of new knowledge. There are a lot of efforts trying to identify how the social connectivity can endorse patients' empowerment, while other studies look at the identification and the quality of online materials. However, emphasis has not been put on the big picture of connecting the existing resources with the patients "new habits" of learning through their own Personal Learning Networks. In this paper we propose a framework for empowering patients' digital health literacy adjusted to patients' currents needs by utilizing the contemporary way of learning through Personal Learning Networks, existing high quality learning resources and semantics technologies for interconnecting knowledge pieces. The framework based on the concept of knowledge maps for health as defined in this paper. Health Digital Literacy needs definitely further enhancement and the use of the proposed concept might lead to useful tools which enable use of understandable health trusted resources tailored to each person needs.

Gender and educational level modify the relationship between workplace mistreatment and health problems: a comparison between South Korea and EU countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Minsang; Lee, Saerom; Kang, Mo-Yeol

2015-01-01

This study investigated effects of workers' cultural and personal characteristics on the relationship between workplace mistreatment and health problems in both South Korea and EU Countries. Data were obtained from nationally representative interview surveys: the third Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) in 2011 (50,032 participants) and fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) in 2010 (41,302 participants). The Pressure-State-Response model was adapted to explore differences in the relationship between mistreatment and health problems according to country, and logistic regression analysis was used after stratification of moderating factors. Workplace mistreatment, such as discrimination, violence, harassment, and self-reported health problems, were assessed by gender and educational level. Among KWCS participants, there were 4,321 victims (14.70%) of workplace mistreatment; among EWCS participants, there were 5,927 victims (17.89%). There was a significant positive association between workplace mistreatment and self-reported health problems. A stronger association was found among workers with higher educational levels in Korea (2- to 4-fold higher odds for mental and physical health problems), but there was no significant difference by education level in workers of EU Countries. Female Koreans who worked alone had a higher risk of health problems related to workplace mistreatment than other gender compositions in the workplace (the OR for psychological symptoms reached 6.631). In contrast, the gender composition of the work place did not significantly affect EU workers. Workplace mistreatment is significantly associated with physical and mental health problems, especially among workers with higher educational levels and females who work alone in Korea.

Changes in physical health among participants in a multidisciplinary health programme for long-term unemployed persons

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.A. Schutgens (Christine); M. Schuring (Merel); T. Voorham (Toon); A. Burdorf (Alex)

2009-01-01

textabstractBackground. The relationship between poor health and unemployment is well established. Health promotion among unemployed persons may improve their health. The aims of this study were to investigate characteristics of non-participants and drop-outs in a multidisciplinary health promotion

It's "Supposed" to Be Personal: Personal and Educational Factors Associated with Sexual Health Attitudes, Knowledge, Comfort and Skill in Health Profession Students

Science.gov (United States)

West, Lindsey M.; Stepleman, Lara M.; Wilson, Christina K.; Campbell, Jeff; Villarosa, Margo; Bodie, Brittany; Decker, Matthew

2012-01-01

The health professional and the patient are cultural beings with beliefs and attitudes that are shaped by family traditions, social development, and exposure to novel experiences. As such, it is especially important for health profession students to gain awareness about the personal and educational factors that likely inform their practice and…

Anxiety and health problems related to air travel.

Science.gov (United States)

McIntosh, I B; Swanson, V; Power, K G; Raeside, F; Dempster, C

1998-12-01

A significant proportion of air travelers experience situational anxiety and physical health problems. Take-off and landing are assumed to be stressful, but anxiety related to other aspects of the air travel process, anxiety coping strategies, and in-flight health problems have not previously been investigated. We aimed to investigate frequency of perceived anxiety at procedural stages of air travel, individual strategies used to reduce such anxiety, and frequency of health problems on short-haul and long-haul flights. A questionnaire measuring the occurrence and frequency of the above was administered to two samples of intending travelers during a 3 month period to: (a) 138 travel agency clients, and (b) 100 individuals attending a hospital travel clinic. Of the 238 respondents, two thirds were women. Take-off and landing were a perceived source of anxiety for about 40% of respondents, flight delays for over 50%, and customs and baggage reclaim for a third of individuals. Most frequent anxiety-reduction methods included alcohol and cigarette use, and distraction or relaxation techniques. Physical health problems related to air travel were common, and there was a strong relationship between such problems and frequency of anxiety. Travel agency clients reported more anxiety but not more physical health symptoms overall than travel clinic clients. Women reported greater air-travel anxiety, and more somatic symptoms than men. Significant numbers of air travelers report perceived anxiety related to aspects of travel, and this is associated with health problems during flights. Airlines and travel companies could institute specific measures, including improved information and communication, to reassure clients and thereby diminish anxiety during stages of air-travel. Medical practitioners and travel agencies should also be aware of the potential stresses of air travel and the need for additional information and advice.

The Big Five personality dimensions and mental health: The mediating role of alexithymia.

Science.gov (United States)

Atari, Mohammad; Yaghoubirad, Mahsa

2016-12-01

The role of personality constructs on mental health has attracted research attention in the last few decades. The Big Five personality traits have been introduced as parsimonious dimensions of non-pathological traits. The five-factor model of personality includes neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness to experience. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between the Big Five dimensions and mental health considering the mediating role of alexithymia as an important emotional-processing construct. A total of 257 participants were recruited from non-clinical settings in the general population. All participants completed the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28). Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine the hypothesized mediated model. Findings indicated that the Big Five personality dimensions could significantly predict scores of alexithymia. Moreover, alexithymia could predict mental health scores as measured by indices of depression, anxiety, social functioning, and somatic symptoms. The fit indices (GFI=0.94; CFI=0.91; TLI=0.90; RMSEA=0.071; CMIN/df=2.29) indicated that the model fits the data. Therefore, the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and mental health is mediated by alexithymia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Occupational Hazards, Health Problems and Safety ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UNIBEN

Background: Petrol station attendants encounter several hazards and health problems while working. This study was conducted to determine the occupational hazards, health ..... engineering conference on sustainable ... Industrial Health.

Social problem solving ability predicts mental health among undergraduate students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjbar, Mansour; Bayani, Ali Asghar; Bayani, Ali

2013-11-01

The main objective of this study was predicting student's mental health using social problem solving- ability. In this correlational. descriptive study, 369 (208 female and 161 male) from, Mazandaran University of Medical Science were selected through stratified random sampling method. In order to collect the data, the social problem solving inventory-revised and general health questionnaire were used. Data were analyzed through SPSS-19, Pearson's correlation, t test, and stepwise regression analysis. Data analysis showed significant relationship between social problem solving ability and mental health (P Social problem solving ability was significantly associated with the somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression (P social problem solving ability and mental health.

Radon: A health problem and a communication problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, R.H.

1992-01-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is making great efforts to alert the American public to the potential health risks of radon in homes. The news media have widely publicized radon as a problem; state and local governments are responding to public alarms; and hundreds of radon open-quotes expertsclose quotes are now offering radon detection and mitigation services. Apparently, USEPA's communication program is working, and the public is becoming increasingly concerned with radon. But are they concerned with radon as a open-quotes healthclose quotes problem in the way USEPA intended? The answer is yes, partly. More and more, however, the concerns are about home resale values. Many homebuyers are now deciding whether to buy on the basis of a single radon screening measurement, comparing it with USEPA's action guide of 4 pCi L -1 . They often conclude that 3.9 is OK, but 4.1 is not. Here is where the communication problems begin. The public largely misunderstands the significance of USEPA's guidelines and the meaning of screening measurements. Seldom does anyone inquire about the quality of the measurements, or the results of USEPA performance testing? Who asks about the uncertainty of lifetime exposure assessments based on a 1-hour, 1-day, 3-day, or even 30-day measurement? Who asks about the uncertainty of USEPA's risk estimates? Fortunately, an increasing number of radiation protection professions are asking such questions. They find that USEPA's risk projections are based on many assumptions which warrant further evaluation, particularly with regard to the combined risks of radon and cigarette-smoking. This is the next communication problem. What are these radiation professions doing to understand the bases for radon health-risk projections? Who is willing to communicate a balanced perspective to the public? Who is willing to communicate the uncertainty and conservatism in radon measurements and risk estimates?

Personality change following internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for severe health anxiety.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erik Hedman

Full Text Available Personality traits have traditionally been viewed as stable, but recent studies suggest that they could be affected through psychological treatment. Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT for severe health anxiety (DSM-IV hypochondriasis has been shown to be effective in reducing health anxiety, but its effect on measures of personality traits has not been investigated. The main aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ICBT on personality traits in the three broad dimensions--neuroticism, extraversion and aggression. We hypothesized that participants in ICBT would reduce their level of neuroticism compared to controls that did not receive the active treatment. No specific predictions were made regarding extraversion and aggression. Data from a randomized controlled trial were used in which participants were allocated to 12 weeks of ICBT (n = 40 or to a basic attention control condition (n = 41. Personality traits were assessed with the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality and the primary outcome of health anxiety was the Health Anxiety Inventory. There was a significant interaction effect of group and time on neuroticism-related scales, indicating larger pre- to post-treatment reductions in the Internet-based CBT group compared to the control condition. Analyses at 6-month follow-up showed that changes were stable. Traits relating to extraversion and aggression were largely unchanged. This study is the first to demonstrate that a brief ICBT intervention for severe health anxiety causes long-term changes in measures of personality traits related to neuroticism. The treatment thus has a broader impact than just reducing health anxiety.Clinicaltrials.gov (ID NCT00828152.

Secondary health conditions in persons with a spinal cord injury for at least 10 years : design of a comprehensive long-term cross-sectional study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adriaansen, Jacinthe J. E.; van Asbeck, Floris W. A.; Lindeman, Eline; van der Woude, Lucas H. V.; de Groot, Sonja; Post, Marcel W. M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of secondary health conditions (SHCs) (urinary tract and bowel problems, pressure ulcers, spasticity, musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain, sexual dysfunction, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders) in persons with long-term spinal cord injury (SCI), and to

Commercial products that convey personal health information in emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Potini, Vishnu C; Weerasuriya, Dilani N; Lowery-North, Douglas W; Kellermann, Arthur L

2011-12-01

Describe commercially available products and services designed to convey personal health information in emergencies. The search engine Google®, supplemented by print ads, was used to identify companies and organizations that offer relevant products and services to the general market. Disease-specific, health system, and health plan-specific offerings were excluded. Vendor web sites were the primary sources of information, supplemented by telephone and e-mail queries to sales representatives. Perfect inter-rater agreement was achieved. Thirty-nine unique vendors were identified. Eight sell engraved jewelry. Three offer an embossed card or pamphlet. Twelve supply USB drives with various features. Eleven support password-protected web sites. Five maintain national call centers. Available media differed markedly with respect to capacity and accessibility. Quoted prices ranged from a one-time expenditure of $3.50 to an annual fee of $200. Associated features and annual fees varied widely. A wide range of products and services exist to help patients convey personal health information. Health care providers should be familiar with their features, so they can access the information in a disaster or emergency.

Cross-national comparison of Middle Eastern university students: help-seeking behaviors, attitudes toward helping professionals, and cultural beliefs about mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Krenawi, Alean; Graham, John R; Al-Bedah, Eman A; Kadri, Hafni Mahmud; Sehwail, Mahmud A

2009-02-01

This study is the first to use identical data collection processes and instruments in Egypt, Kuwait, Palestine, and Israeli Arab communities regarding help-seeking behaviors and attitudes towards perceived cultural beliefs about mental health problems. Data is based on a survey sample of 716, undergraduate students in the 4 countries, 61% female and 39% male. Results indicate that respondents within the various countries, based on nationality, gender and level of education, vary in terms of recognition of personal need, beliefs about mental health problems (i.e. stigmatization), and the use of traditional healing methods versus modern approaches to psychiatric therapy. The conclusion discusses differences between our respondents' expectations and prevailing mental health service provision and delivery.