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Sample records for subjective psycho-physiological complaints

  1. Behavioral, psycho-physiological and salivary cortisol modifications after short-term alprazolam treatment in patients with recent myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruneti, Carlo; Giusti, Mariarosa; Boem, Adriano; Luisi, Michele

    2002-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the behavioral and physiological effects of the central nervous system depressant alprazolam on a group of cardiac patients. Immediately after hospital discharge, the Crown and Crisp Experiential Index (CCEI) was administered, the salivary cortisol was detected and a psycho-physiological profile was recorded in 52 subjects who had suffered from myocardial infarction. Half of the subjects represented the experimental group and the remaining 26 individuals acted as a control group not undergoing treatment. The benzodiazepine alprazolam (0.25 mg) was administered twice daily to the treated group only. With the exception of the administration of the drug, all recruited subjects underwent the same clinical evaluation. The CCEI data of the treated group showed significant decreases for the following scales: free floating anxiety (p anxiety (p < 0.01), somatic complaints (p < 0.05), and depression (p < 0.01). In the same group, with regard to the physiological parameters, the skin conductance response significantly decreased during the baseline phase (p < 0.01), and almost all parameters showed decreased values during mental stress test administration. Cortisol levels also decreased during the recovery phase of the psycho-physiological profile assessment. Alprazolam seems to be able to reduce sympathetic discharge and some stress-related behavioral and physiological responses. This could be of benefit for selected cardiac patients for whom increases in sympathetic tone may constitute a risk factor.

  2. SOME PSYCHO CULTURAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS AS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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    This study sought to find out the extent to which some psycho cultural and ... psycho cultural and physiological variables (gender, age, traditional beliefs about ..... (Ed.) Confronting the AIDS Epidemic, ... Counselling Psychology, 6 (1): 39-57.

  3. [Effects of Different Genres of Music on the Psycho-Physiological Responses of Undergraduates].

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    Lee, Hsin-Ping; Liu, Yu-Chen; Lin, Mei-Feng

    2016-12-01

    responses. In the present study, participants with high-state anxiety registered elevated parasympathetic activity after listening to 10 minutes of tense and sad music. Simultaneous listening effects were detected only in joyful and peaceful music, which reduced subjective anxiety and depression. The results of the present study advocate that music interveners and clinical care providers select joyful, peaceful, and tense music to help alleviate the anxiety and negative emotions of their patients. Furthermore, the psycho-physiological changes of these patients should be assessed after listening to this music.

  4. Different geomagnetic indices as an indicator for geo-effective solar storms and human physiological state

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    Dimitrova, Svetla

    2008-02-01

    A group of 86 healthy volunteers were examined on each working day during periods of high solar activity. Data about systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, heart rate and subjective psycho-physiological complaints were gathered. MANOVA was employed to check the significance of the influence of three factors on the physiological parameters. The factors were as follows: (1) geomagnetic activity estimated by daily amplitude of H-component of the local geomagnetic field, Ap- and Dst-index; (2) gender; and (3) the presence of medication. Average values of systolic, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and subjective complaints of the group were found to increase significantly with geomagnetic activity increment.

  5. [PSYCHO PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF ACCELERATED AGING AMONG THOSE WORKING WITH OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bashkireva, A S; Kachan, Ye Yu; Kulapina, M E

    2015-01-01

    We assessed the significance of psycho physiological markers of accelerated aging of the function of attention using comparative analysis of two occupational groups in order to reveal how the working process affects mental work capacity. We revealed peculiarities of systemic structure of functions which determine mental work capacity depending on the age and length of service in lorry drivers. It was proved that decrease in the mnestic functions of lorry-drivers takes place 10-15 years earlier compared to the control group. Psycho physiological indices, reflecting the functioning of attention, decreased not only with aging but also with longer driving experience. Our results show that it is necessary to conduct further studies of psycho physiological markers of age-related decrease in short-term memory depending on the activities at work in order to prevent accelerated aging and achieve professional longevity.

  6. Geo-Effective Heliophysical Variations and Human Physiological State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitrova, S.

    2006-03-01

    A group of 86 volunteers was examined on each working day in autumn 2001 and in spring 2002. These periods were chosen because of maximal expected geomagnetic activity. There were 26 persons in the group on a drug treatment, mainly because of hypertension. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were registered. Pulse pressure was calculated. Data about subjective psycho-physiological complaints of the persons examined were also gathered. Altogether 2799 recordings were obtained and analyzed. MANOVA was employed to check the significance of the influence of three factors on the physiological parameters under consideration. The factors were as follows: 1) geomagnetic activity estimated by H-component of the local geomagnetic field and divided into five levels; 2) gender - males and females; 3) presence of medication. Post hoc analysis was performed to elicit the significance of differences in the factors' levels. The average arterial blood pressure, pulse pressure and the percentage of the persons in the group with subjective psycho-physiological complaints were found to increase significantly with the increase of geomagnetic activity. The maximal increment of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 10-11% and for pulse pressure 13.6%. Analyses revealed that females and persons on a medication were more sensitive to the increase of geomagnetic activity than respectively males and persons with no medication.

  7. Beyond memory problems: multiple obstacles to health and quality of life in older people seeking help for subjective memory complaints.

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    Rotenberg Shpigelman, Shlomit; Sternberg, Shelley; Maeir, Adina

    2017-08-29

    Preliminary evidence suggests that older people who seek medical help for subjective memory complaints (SMC) may be at risk for depression, poor quality of life (QoL), and functional limitations. This study aims to: (1) further investigate bio-psycho-social characteristics, participation in personally meaningful activities and QoL of help-seekers; and (2) examine the relationship of these characteristics to QoL, and explore the unique contribution of participation to QoL. Cognitive, meta-cognitive, emotional, social, participation, and QoL measures were used to compare 51 help-seekers referred from geriatric clinics to 40 age-matched controls who did not seek help for memory problems. Help-seekers exhibited lower participation and QoL, had lower mean cognitive scores, reported more memory mistakes and negative memory-beliefs, more depression, worse self-efficacy, and less positive social interaction than non-help-seekers. Quality of life in help-seekers was significantly correlated with most variables. Participation contributed to the explained variance of QoL in help-seekers, beyond that accounted for by cognition and emotional status. Help-seekers with SMC exhibited a complex health condition that includes not only SMC, but also objective memory impairment, depression, functional restrictions, negative memory beliefs, low perception of memory abilities, reduced self-efficacy and insufficient social interactions, all associated with lower QoL. This multi-faceted condition should be considered in the treatment of help-seekers. Implications for Rehabilitation Older people who seek help for subjective memory complaints may be facing a larger problem involving bio-psycho-social factors, affecting participation in meaningful activities and quality of life. Quality of life may be improved via treatment of depression, functional restrictions, memory beliefs, self-efficacy, and positive social interactions. Participation in meaningful activities is an especially important

  8. [Role of some psycho-physiological factors on driving safety].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergomi, M; Vivoli, G; Rovesti, S; Bussetti, P; Ferrari, A; Vivoli, R

    2010-01-01

    Within a research project on the role played by human factors on road accidents, the aim of the present study is to evaluate, in young adults, the relationships between driver behaviour and personality factors as well as to assess the neuroendocrine correlates of psychological and behavioural factors investigated. Another aim is to estimate in what measure the performance levels are affected by demographic, psychological and chronobiological variables. It has been found a positive relation between highway code violations, extroversion trait of personality and Sensation Seeking scores, so confirming that this component of personality can affect risky behaviour. Furthermore the subjects more oriented to morningness chronotype were found to be prone to adopt safe driving behaviour. Regarding the relations of the neuroendocrine parameters and driving behaviour a positive correlation was observed between dopamine levels and frequency of driving violations while a negative relationship was found between adrenaline levels and frequency of driving errors. In conclusion the identification of psycho-physiological variables related to driving risky behaviour might be a useful instrument to design traffic safety programs tailored to high risk subjects.

  9. Motion nature projection reduces patient's psycho-physiological anxiety during CT imaging.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zijlstra, Emma; Hagedoorn, Mariët; Krijnen, Wim; van der Schans, Cees; Mobach, Mark P.

    2017-01-01

    A growing body of evidence indicates that natural environments can positively influence people. This study investigated whether the use of motion nature projection in computed tomography (CT) imaging rooms is effective in mitigating psycho-physiological anxiety (vs. no intervention) using a

  10. Relationship between human physiological parameters and geomagnetic variations of solar origin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimitrova, S.

    Results presented concern influence of increased geomagnetic activity on some human physiological parameters. The blood pressure and heart rate of 86 volunteers were measured on working days in autumn 2001 (01/10 09/11) and in spring 2002 (08/04 28/05). These periods were chosen because of maximal expected geomagnetic activity. Altogether 2799 recordings were obtained and analysed. Questionnaire information about subjective psycho-physiological complaints was also gathered. MANOVA was employed to check the significance of the influence of three factors on the physiological parameters under consideration. The factors were the following: (1) planetary geomagnetic activity level estimated by Ap-index and divided into five levels; (2) gender males and females; (3) blood pressure degree persons in the group examined were divided into hypotensive, normotensive and hypertensive. Post hoc analysis was performed to elicit the significance of differences in the factors’ levels. The average arterial blood pressure of the group was found to increase significantly with the increase of geomagnetic activity level. The average increment of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the group examined reached 9%. This effect was present irrespectively of gender. Results obtained suppose that hypertensive persons have the highest sensitivity and the hypotensive persons have the lowest sensitivity of the arterial blood pressure to increase of geomagnetic activity. The results did not show significant changes in the heart rate. The percentage of the persons who reported subjective psycho-physiological complaints was also found to increase significantly with the geomagnetic activity increase and the highest sensitivity was revealed for the hypertensive females.

  11. PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH HIGH RISK OF DEVELOPMENT OF BEER DEPENDENCE

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    A.G. Solov’ev

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of present trial is study of psycho physiological peculiarities of adolescents with high risk of development of beer dependence. 143 schoolchildren from 5-11 form of Archangelsk schools of general education took part in trial. 3 groups of adolescents were formed, depending of summarized indices of beer alcoholization: group of high grade of alcoholization (35.5%, medium grade (45.2% and low grade (19.3%. Adolescents with high risk of development of beer dependence are characterized with lowering of simple visual-motor and audio-motor response rate, complex visual-motor response rate, complex sensomotor response rate on moving object, decrease of stability of sensomotor processes and attention stability, stability of mental work and mental efficiency depending on time, efficiency in deficit of time and information. These disorders may be used in early diagnostics of beer dependence in structure of primary and secondary psycho prophylactic measures.Key words: adolescents, beer dependence, psycho physiological peculiarities, prophylaxis.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2009;8(1:25-29

  12. Assessment of Psychological and Psycho-physiological Problems Among Visually Impaired Adolescents.

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    Bhuvaneswari, Mohanraj; Immanuel Selvaraj, Chinnadurai; Selvaraj, Balakrishnan; Srinivasan, Thiruvengadam

    2016-03-01

    Visual impairment tends to evoke more discomfiture than any other disability. Primarily, the biggest issue may be that blindness is visible. Furthermore, visual impairment develops serious medical, psychological, social and economic problems. The focus of the current study was to investigate the psychological and psycho physiological problems of visually impaired adolescent students. Purposive sampling was adopted to select 150 visually impaired students (71 males and 72 females) from five schools in Coimbatore city of the Tamil Nadu state, India. Anxiety, frustration, aggression and social and personal adjustment levels of the visually impaired students were measured in this study using Taylor's manifest anxiety scale, frustration test, aggression scale and the adolescent adjustment inventory, respectively. Anxiety (χ(2) = 185.66, P = 0 at P < 0.01), frustration (χ(2) = 167.23, P = 0 at P < 0.01) and aggression (χ(2) = 57.66, P = 0 at P < 0.01) were significantly related to adjustment among visually impaired students. The adjustment score had a significant positive correlation with anxiety (r = 0.919, P = 0 at P < 0.01), frustration (r = 0.887, P = 0 at P < 0.01) and aggression levels (r = 0.664, P = 0 at P < 0.01), anxiety was significantly correlated with frustration (r = 0. 961, P = 0 at P < 0.01) and aggression levels (r = 0.727, P < 0.01) and frustration was significantly correlated with aggression level (r = 0. 637, P = 0 at P < 0.01) of visually impaired adolescents. There was a positive relationship between psycho-physiological disorders and anxiety frustration, aggression and adjustment among visually impaired students. Visually impaired students exhibited significant levels of psychological and psycho-physiological problems.

  13. Psycho-physiological response of soldiers in urban combat

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    Vicente J. Clemente-Suárez

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Current armed conflicts are asymmetrical and are developed m urban areas. These new requirements have not been studied for current literature. The aim of this study was to analyse changes in cortical arousal, blood lactate, muscle strength, autonomic modulation and rate of perceived exertion in a simulated urban combat. We analyzed 20 soldiers before and after an urban combat simulation. The results showed how urban combat produced high sympathetic nervous system activation, increasing the muscle strength, heart rate and blood lactate concentration of the soldiers. Despite this effort, rate of perceived exertion were not consistent with the physiological response that soldiers presented, the rate of perceived exertion was lower than the physiological response evaluated. Furthermore, the information processing and cortical arousal decreased after the urban combat simulation. These results have showed the psycho-physiological response of soldiers in combat, helping to better understanding and enabling an improvement of current training methods of soldiers.

  14. Who is sleepier on the night shift? The influence of bio-psycho-social factors on subjective sleepiness of female nurses during the night shift.

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    Zion, Nataly; Drach-Zahavy, Anat; Shochat, Tamar

    2018-07-01

    Sleepiness is a common complaint during the night shift and may impair performance. The current study aims to identify bio-psycho-social factors associated with subjective sleepiness during the night shift. Ninety-two female nurses working rotating shifts completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Munich ChronoType Questionaire for shift workers, the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, and the Pre-sleep Arousal Scale. Subjective sleepiness was measured hourly during two night shifts using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, and activity monitors assessed sleep duration 24-h before each shift. Findings showed that increased sleepiness was associated with increased age in nurses with early chronotypes and with more children. High cognitive pre-sleep arousal, but not sleep, was associated with increased sleepiness, especially in late chronotypes. The impact of bio-psycho-social factors on night shift sleepiness is complex, and depends on mutual interactions between these factors. Nurses most prone to increased sleepiness must develop personal strategies for maintaining vigilance on the night shift. Practitioner Summary: This study aims to identify bio-psycho-social factors associated with subjective sleepiness of female nurses during the night shift. Increasing sleepiness was associated with increased age in nurses with early chronotypes and with more children. Increased cognitive pre-sleep arousal, but not sleep, was associated with increased sleepiness, especially in late chronotypes.

  15. Psycho-Physiological Associates of Dyspnea in Hospitalized Patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study.

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    Zhou, Yan Hua; Mak, Yim Wah

    2017-10-24

    Dyspnea has been found to be an independent predictor of mortality among patients with respiratory diseases and is often regarded as a difficult symptom to control in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Previous studies have found an association of psychological and physiological factors with dyspnea among patients with chronic obstructive airway diseases. However, symptom management of hospitalized patients with ILDs has been hampered by difficulty in priority, since they are often admitted with multiple psycho-physiological needs. This study examined the prevalence of dyspnea and the psycho-physiological factors associated with it among hospitalized Chinese patients with ILDs. We studied 165 hospitalized patients with ILDs recruited consecutively over three months in a public hospital in Guangzhou, China. Dyspnea and common psycho-physiological factors, including cough symptoms, activity capacity, lung function, physical and mental health status, and anxiety and depression symptoms, were measured. By ordered logistic regression, level of dyspnea statistically significantly affected performance in a six-minute walk test and physical functioning in work or other regular daily activities in hospitalized patients with ILDs. Respiratory rehabilitation with an appropriate intensity of exercise training or other strategies for enhancing the physical functioning of this population with moderate and severe levels of dyspnea should be prioritized.

  16. Shirodhara : A psycho-physiological profile in healthy volunteers

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    Kalpana D Dhuri

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Shirodhara is a classical and a well-established ayurvedic procedure of slowly and steadily dripping medicated oil or other liquids on the forehead. This procedure induces a relaxed state of awareness that results in a dynamic psycho-somatic balance. Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the psychological and physiological effects of Shirodhara in healthy volunteers by monitoring the rating of mood and levels of stress, electrocardiogram (ECG, electroencephalogram (EEG, and selected biochemical markers of stress. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the human pharmacology laboratory. The study design was open labeled, comparing the baseline variables with values after Shirodhara. The subjects (n = 16 chosen were healthy human volunteers who gave an informed consent. Shirodhara was preceded by Abhyanga - whole body massage. The Shirodhara method was standardized for rate of dripping with peristaltic pump and temperature was controlled with a thermostat. Mood and stress levels were assessed by validated rating scales. The pre- and post-Shirodhara ECG and EEG records were evaluated. Results: Student′s paired "t" test was applied to the means + SE of the variables to calculate statistical significance at P <0.05. There was a significant improvement in mood scores and the level of stress (P <0.001. These changes were accompanied by significant decrease in rate of breathing and reduction in diastolic blood pressure along with reduction in heart rate. The relaxed alert state, after Shirodhara, was co-related with an increase in alfa rhythm in EEG. Conclusion : A standardized Shirodhara leads to a state of alert calmness similar to the relaxation response observed in meditation. The clinical benefits observed with Shirodhara in anxiety neurosis, hypertension, and stress aggravation due to chronic degenerative diseases could be mediated through these adaptive physiological effects.

  17. Psycho-physiological reactions to violent video gaming : Experimental studies of heart rate variability, cortisol, sleep and emotional reactions in teenage boys

    OpenAIRE

    Ivarsson, Malena

    2014-01-01

    Playing violent video games may provoke aggression. Psycho-physiological methods may provide knowledge about the underlying psychological processes. Most previous studies have been performed in laboratory settings at daytime with adults. Thus the aim of this thesis was to investigate psycho-physiological (autonomic and HPA related reactions), sleep-related and emotional responses in teenage boys to playing a violent and a non-violent video game at home before going to sleep. In Study I the au...

  18. Stress-related psycho-physiological disorders: randomized single blind placebo controlled naturalistic study of psychometric evaluation using a radio electric asymmetric treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a radio electric asymmetric treatment on psycho-physiological disorders (PPD). PPD are often stress related and are under the unconscious control of the patient and cannot be traced back to any serious physical disease. The brain stimulation treatment protocol used is called Neuro Psycho Physical Optimization (NPPO) with a Radio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer (REAC) device. Methods Psychological stress and PPD were measured for a group of 888 subjects using the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM) test, a self-administered questionnaire. Data were collected immediately before and after the 4-weeks of REAC treatment cycle. Results This study showed a significant reduction in scores measuring subjective perceptions of stress for subjects treated with a cycle of NPPO REAC treatment. At the end-point the number of subjects reporting symptoms of stress-related PPD on the PSM test was significantly reduced, whereas in the placebo group the difference was not significant. Conclusion A cycle of NPPO treatment with REAC was shown to reduce subjective perceptions of stress measured by the PSM test and in particular on PPD. Trial Registration This trial has been registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) with the number: ACTRN12607000463471. PMID:21771304

  19. The psycho-physiological responses of partners in the process of divorce

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    Brigita Kričaj Korelc

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to establish whether the partners who are in the process of separating and those, who evaluate their partnership as successful, differ from each other in emotional, behavioural and somatic responses, and whether there are differences between them in personal strenght, tackling and in different styles of defensive behaviour. According to that, the author followed a psycho-physiological integrational model of disease existence and biopsychosocial model of health and disease. The results showed that the separating partners of both gender experience subjectively stronger emotional states with negative hedonic note and manifest more mood and adaptable emotional disturbances in quality and quantity as a reaction to the stressful events. They also respond strongly with somatic disturbances without organic basis or defined physical causes. Partners in separation also engage more nonadaptive and risk taking behaviors. In addition their use of all disposable strategies of coping is more vigorous and frequent. Obtained results also show some specific cross gender features and differences in receiving and responding to the separation of a matrimony.

  20. Health complaints among subjects involved in oil cleanup operations during oil spillage from a Greek tanker "Tasman Spirit".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meo, Sultan Ayoub; Al-Drees, Abdul Majeed; Rasheed, Shahzad; Meo, Imran Mu; Al-Saadi, Muslim M; Ghani, Hamza A; Alkandari, Jasem Ramadan

    2009-01-01

    Oil spillage in the sea water is a disaster for marine life and humans in the vicinity. The study aimed at investigating health complaints among subjects involved in oil cleanup operations during a spillage from a Greek oil tanker "Tasman Spirit". The project was conducted under the supervision of the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study concerned the respiratory and general health complaints in 50 apparently healthy, non-smoking male workers exposed to crude oil during oil cleanup operations. The exposed group was matched with a similar number of male, non-smoking controls. The health complaints were evaluated based on a comprehensive interview. The subjects involved in oil cleanup operations had significantly higher rates of health complaints including cough (38%), runny nose (36%), eye irritation/redness (32%), sore throat (28%), headache (28%), nausea (24%) and general illness (18%), compared to their matched controls. Air pollution due to crude oil spillage into sea water may cause respiratory and general health complaints in workers involved in oil cleanup operations.

  1. Psycho-physiological characteristics of students-powerlifters of different training experience, who have affections of muscular skeletal apparatus

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    V.S. Lobko

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: study of many years’ power lifting trainings influence on psycho-physiological and other characteristics of students, who have affections of muscular skeletal apparatus. Material: the research covered 73 students of 18-22 yrs. Age, who have different training experience. To exclude influence of previous training on experiment’s results, researches were conducted after 2-3 days of rest. The author studied personality’s features (by T. Elers. Psychological diagnostic was conducted by methodic of M.V. Makarenko. Results: different psycho-physiological characteristics, indicators of psychological state and personality’s features were found in students, depending on their power lifting training experience. Improvement of functional and nervous power indicators under influence of systemic power lifting trainings was detected. Conclusions: it was determined that improvement of students’ sportsmanship is accompanied by noticeable improvement of practically all tested indicators.

  2. Physiological blushing in social anxiety disorder patients with and without blushing complaints: Two subtypes?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voncken, M.J.; Bogels, S.M.

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates whether social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients with blushing complaints show heightened physiological blushing and arousability in social situations than SAD patients without blushing complaints and healthy controls. SAD blushers (n = 32), SAD non-blushers (n = 34), and

  3. Psycho-physiological assessment of a prosthetic hand sensory feedback system based on an auditory display: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, Jose; Soma, Hirokazu; Sekine, Masashi; Yu, Wenwei

    2012-06-09

    Prosthetic hand users have to rely extensively on visual feedback, which seems to lead to a high conscious burden for the users, in order to manipulate their prosthetic devices. Indirect methods (electro-cutaneous, vibrotactile, auditory cues) have been used to convey information from the artificial limb to the amputee, but the usability and advantages of these feedback methods were explored mainly by looking at the performance results, not taking into account measurements of the user's mental effort, attention, and emotions. The main objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of using psycho-physiological measurements to assess cognitive effort when manipulating a robot hand with and without the usage of a sensory substitution system based on auditory feedback, and how these psycho-physiological recordings relate to temporal and grasping performance in a static setting. 10 male subjects (26+/-years old), participated in this study and were asked to come for 2 consecutive days. On the first day the experiment objective, tasks, and experiment setting was explained. Then, they completed a 30 minutes guided training. On the second day each subject was tested in 3 different modalities: Auditory Feedback only control (AF), Visual Feedback only control (VF), and Audiovisual Feedback control (AVF). For each modality they were asked to perform 10 trials. At the end of each test, the subject had to answer the NASA TLX questionnaire. Also, during the test the subject's EEG, ECG, electro-dermal activity (EDA), and respiration rate were measured. The results show that a higher mental effort is needed when the subjects rely only on their vision, and that this effort seems to be reduced when auditory feedback is added to the human-machine interaction (multimodal feedback). Furthermore, better temporal performance and better grasping performance was obtained in the audiovisual modality. The performance improvements when using auditory cues, along with vision

  4. Subthreshold depression and subjective cognitive complaints in Parkinson's disease.

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    Santangelo, G; Vitale, C; Trojano, L; Angrisano, M G; Picillo, M; Errico, D; Agosti, V; Grossi, D; Barone, P

    2014-03-01

    Subthreshold depression (SubD) is characterized by clinically relevant depressive symptoms not meeting criteria for major depression. The possible association of SubD with subjective cognitive complaints and/or objective cognitive impairments was investigated in a sample of consecutive, non-demented Parkinson's disease (PD) outpatients. Amongst 115 patients, SubD was identified in 30 patients, major depression in 33; 36 patients were classified as non-depressed. Enrolled patients were administered tests and questionnaires validated in PD for assessing objective and subjective cognitive dysfunctions. On objective cognitive measures SubD patients did not differ from non-depressed patients, whereas depressed patients achieved significantly lower scores than the other two groups. SubD and depressed patients reported more cognitive complaints than non-depressed patients. SubD is a non-motor aspect of PD that is not related to objective cognitive deficits but is associated with subjective cognitive complaints, thus impacting on patients' well-being. © 2013 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2013 EFNS.

  5. Subjective memory complaints and their relation with verbal fluency in active older people.

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    Bernardes, Flavia Rodrigues; Machado, Camila Kretzer; Souza, Monique Coan; Machado, Marcos José; Belaunde, Aline Megumi Arakawa

    2017-05-22

    To verify subjective memory complaints and their relation to verbal fluency in older people participating in community groups. An epidemiological quantitative study performed in community groups for older people in Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data were collected by structured interview using the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q) and the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) by semantic categories "animals/minute". For an inferential descriptive analysis, data with p people in question and added to the questionnaire). We found no relation between subjective memory complaints and verbal fluency of active older people. Mnemonic complaints were correlated to the negative perception of memory and to the duration of the complaint. However, subjective memory complaints were an indicator for those individuals with negative perception of memory, being one aspect that must be considered in older people's speech when investigating a possible cognitive deterioration. Such data can assist in formulating public health care policies aimed at older people in the city, which emphasizes the importance of verifying subjective memory complaints in this population.

  6. GPs' negotiation strategies regarding sick leave for subjective health complaints

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsen, Stein Tore; Malterud, Kirsti; Werner, Erik L.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives: To explore general practitioners ’(GPs’) specific negotiation strategies regarding sick-leave issues with patientssuffering from subjective health complaints. Design: Focus-group study. Setting: Nine focus-group interviews in three citiesin different regions of Norway. Participants: 48...... GPs (31 men, 17 women; age 32–65), participating in a course dealing with diagnostic practice and assessment of sickness certifi cates related to patients with subjective health complaints. Results: TheGPs identified some specific strategies that they claimed to apply when dealing with the question...... to sick leave. Conclusions and implications: GPs seem to have a conscious approach to negotiations of sickness certification, as they report applying specific strategies to limit the duration of sick leave due to subjective health complaints. This give-and-take way of handling sick leave negotiations has...

  7. Psycho-physiological assessment of a prosthetic hand sensory feedback system based on an auditory display: a preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalez Jose

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prosthetic hand users have to rely extensively on visual feedback, which seems to lead to a high conscious burden for the users, in order to manipulate their prosthetic devices. Indirect methods (electro-cutaneous, vibrotactile, auditory cues have been used to convey information from the artificial limb to the amputee, but the usability and advantages of these feedback methods were explored mainly by looking at the performance results, not taking into account measurements of the user’s mental effort, attention, and emotions. The main objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of using psycho-physiological measurements to assess cognitive effort when manipulating a robot hand with and without the usage of a sensory substitution system based on auditory feedback, and how these psycho-physiological recordings relate to temporal and grasping performance in a static setting. Methods 10 male subjects (26+/-years old, participated in this study and were asked to come for 2 consecutive days. On the first day the experiment objective, tasks, and experiment setting was explained. Then, they completed a 30 minutes guided training. On the second day each subject was tested in 3 different modalities: Auditory Feedback only control (AF, Visual Feedback only control (VF, and Audiovisual Feedback control (AVF. For each modality they were asked to perform 10 trials. At the end of each test, the subject had to answer the NASA TLX questionnaire. Also, during the test the subject’s EEG, ECG, electro-dermal activity (EDA, and respiration rate were measured. Results The results show that a higher mental effort is needed when the subjects rely only on their vision, and that this effort seems to be reduced when auditory feedback is added to the human-machine interaction (multimodal feedback. Furthermore, better temporal performance and better grasping performance was obtained in the audiovisual modality. Conclusions The performance

  8. Subjective memory complaints are associated with brain activation supporting successful memory encoding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, Jessica M; Tang, Lingfei; Viviano, Raymond P; van Rooden, Sanneke; Ofen, Noa; Damoiseaux, Jessica S

    2017-12-01

    Subjective memory complaints, the perceived decline in cognitive abilities in the absence of clinical deficits, may precede Alzheimer's disease. Individuals with subjective memory complaints show differential brain activation during memory encoding; however, whether such differences contribute to successful memory formation remains unclear. Here, we investigated how subsequent memory effects, activation which is greater for hits than misses during an encoding task, differed between healthy older adults aged 50 to 85 years with (n = 23) and without (n = 41) memory complaints. Older adults with memory complaints, compared to those without, showed lower subsequent memory effects in the occipital lobe, superior parietal lobe, and posterior cingulate cortex. In addition, older adults with more memory complaints showed a more negative subsequent memory effects in areas of the default mode network, including the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Our findings suggest that for successful memory formation, older adults with subjective memory complaints rely on distinct neural mechanisms which may reflect an overall decreased task-directed attention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Do subjective memory complaints herald the onset of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erro, Roberto; Santangelo, Gabriella; Barone, Paolo; Picillo, Marina; Amboni, Marianna; Longo, Katia; Giordano, Flavio; Moccia, Marcello; Allocca, Roberto; Pellecchia, Maria Teresa; Vitale, Carmine

    2014-12-01

    Longitudinal studies on healthy participants have shown that subjective memory impairment (defined as subjective cognitive complaints with normal cognitive objective performance) might be a strong predictor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Parkinson disease (PD) also manifests cognitive disturbances, but whether subjective memory complaints may predict the development of MCI in PD has not yet been explored. We prospectively screened newly diagnosed, untreated patients with PD in order to evaluate whether subjective memory complaints may predict development of MCI over a 2-year follow-up evaluation. We enrolled 76 de novo untreated patients with PD. Of the 76 patients, 23 (30.3%) complained memory issues. Among the patients cognitively unimpaired at baseline, those with subjective complaints were more likely to develop MCI at follow-up. The regression model confirmed that presence of subjective memory complaints at baseline was an independent predictor of development of MCI at follow-up. This is the first prospective study to explore the relationship between subjective and objective cognitive deficits in newly diagnosed, untreated patients. Our results provide preliminary evidence that subjective memory complaints might predict future development of MCI. © The Author(s) 2014.

  10. Association between subjective memory complaints and nursing home placement: a four-year follow-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waldorff, Frans Boch; Siersma, Volkert; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2009-01-01

    nursing home placements were observed. Subjective memory complaints were associated with an adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) of 2.59 for nursing home placement. Other statistical significant covariates were MMSE depression...... (HR = 4.74). The effect of subjective memory complaints is seen to moderate when subjects are older. CONCLUSION: The data of this study indicated that in an elderly primary care population the presence of subjective memory complaints was a significant independent predictor for nursing home placement......OBJECTIVE: In order to evaluate whether elderly persons with subjective memory complaints may be regarded as a group of potentially vulnerable patients who need close follow-up, we investigated the risk of nursing home placement during a 4-year follow-up period. METHODS: Prospective cohort survey...

  11. A closed-loop hybrid physiological model relating to subjects under physical stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Samahy, Emad; Mahfouf, Mahdi; Linkens, Derek A

    2006-11-01

    The objective of this research study is to derive a comprehensive physiological model relating to subjects under physical stress conditions. The model should describe the behaviour of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, thermoregulation and brain activity in response to physical workload. An experimental testing rig was built which consists of recumbent high performance bicycle for inducing the physical load and a data acquisition system comprising monitors and PCs. The signals acquired and used within this study are the blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, body temperature, and EEG signals. The proposed model is based on a grey-box based modelling approach which was used because of the sufficient level of details it provides. Cardiovascular and EEG Data relating to 16 healthy subject volunteers (data from 12 subjects were used for training/validation and the data from 4 subjects were used for model testing) were collected using the Finapres and the ProComp+ monitors. For model validation, residual analysis via the computing of the confidence intervals as well as related histograms was performed. Closed-loop simulations for different subjects showed that the model can provide reliable predictions for heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiration, and the EEG signals. These findings were also reinforced by the residual analyses data obtained, which suggested that the residuals were within the 90% confidence bands and that the corresponding histograms were of a normal distribution. A higher intelligent level was added to the model, based on neural networks, to extend the capabilities of the model to predict over a wide range of subjects dynamics. The elicited physiological model describing the effect of physiological stress on several physiological variables can be used to predict performance breakdown of operators in critical environments. Such a model architecture lends itself naturally to exploitation via feedback control in a 'reverse

  12. Subjective cognitive complaints after stroke : A systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijsbergen, M.W.A.; Mark, R.E.; de Kort, P.L.; Sitskoorn, M.M.

    2014-01-01

    Background Most studies to date have assessed poststroke cognitive impairment objectively, whereas less attention is paid to subjective cognitive complaints (SCC). We, therefore, systematically searched the literature to summarize and evaluate the current knowledge about poststroke SCC. Methods

  13. Associations between long commutes and subjective health complaints among railway workers in Norway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terhi Urhonen

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Commuting is an important aspect of daily life for many employees, but there is little knowledge of how this affects individual commuters' health and well-being. The authors investigated the relationship between commuting and subjective health complaints, using data from a web-based questionnaire. In a sample of 2126 railway employees, 644 (30.3% had long commute times. A 29-item inventory was used to measure the number and degree of the subjective health complaints. Those who commuted 60 min or more each way were characterized by significantly higher numbers and degrees of subjective health complaints compared with their peers with short commutes. The mean number of complaints was 7.5 among the former group and 6.4 for the latter group (p = 0.009. In a regression model, in which the authors controlled for age, gender, education, self-rated health, and coping, the employees with long commutes reported more complaints than those with short commutes. Significant associations were found between those with long commutes and the number and degree of incidences of self-reported musculoskeletal pain, pseudo-neurologic complaints, and gastrointestinal problems. Commuters who had had long commutes for more than 10 years reported more gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal complaints than those with long commutes for less than 2 years. Also, commuters with long commutes spent less time with their families and leisure activities compared with those with short commutes. The authors conclude that the association between long commute times and higher levels of subjective health complaints should attract the attention of transport planners, employers, and public health policymaker.

  14. Cerebral atrophy in elderly with subjective memory complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palm, Walter M; Ferrarini, Luca; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Westendorp, Rudi G J; Bollen, Eduard L E M; Middelkoop, Huub A M; Milles, Julien R; van der Grond, Jeroen; van Buchem, Mark A

    2013-08-01

    To evaluate ventricular shape differences along the complete surface of the lateral and third ventricles of persons with subjective memory complaints (MC). We included 28 controls and 21 persons with MC. FLAIR, T2, and PD-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired at 1.5 Tesla, followed by semi-automated segmentation of the lateral and third ventricles, and local shape difference analysis based on growing and adaptive meshes. Ventricular meshes were used to highlight local areas with significant differences between controls and persons with MC, determined by permutation tests with a predefined threshold (P = 0.01). Compared with control subjects, relevant differences were found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the thalamus and corona radiata in persons with MC. Before correction for multiple comparisons, relevant differences were also found in the shape of the ventricular surface adjacent to the corpus callosum, hippocampus, and amydala. Our findings suggest the presence of localized structural brain differences in patients with subjective memory complaints in the thalamus and the corona radiata. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Subjective memory complaints and the risk of stroke

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. Sajjad (Ayesha); S.S. Mirza (Saira); M.L.P. Portegies (Marileen); M.J. Bos (Michiel); A. Hofman (Albert); P.J. Koudstaal (Peter Jan); H.W. Tiemeier (Henning); M.A. Ikram (Arfan)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground and Purpose-Persons with cognitive impairment, as assessed by cognitive tests, are at a higher risk of stroke. Subjective memory complaints might be an earlier marker for stroke, especially in persons with higher education. Their cognitive reserve might mask their cognitive

  16. Subjective health complaints in relation to sickness absence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, Corne A. M.; Koopmans, Petra C.; Groothoff, Johan W.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: The Dutch population is healthy in terms of living and working conditions, but the levels of subjective health complaints (SHC) and sickness absence are high in the Dutch workforce. Are SHC related to sickness absence? Participants: The study population included the personnel of four

  17. GPs' negotiation strategies regarding sick leave for subjective health complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsen, Stein; Malterud, Kirsti; Werner, Erik L; Maeland, Silje; Magnussen, Liv Heide

    2015-03-01

    To explore general practitioners' (GPs') specific negotiation strategies regarding sick-leave issues with patients suffering from subjective health complaints. Focus-group study. Nine focus-group interviews in three cities in different regions of Norway. 48 GPs (31 men, 17 women; age 32-65), participating in a course dealing with diagnostic practice and assessment of sickness certificates related to patients with subjective health complaints. The GPs identified some specific strategies that they claimed to apply when dealing with the question of sick leave for patients with subjective health complaints. The first step would be to build an alliance with the patient by complying with the wish for sick leave, and at the same time searching for information to acquire the patient's perspective. This position would become the basis for the main goal: motivating the patient for a rapid return to work by pointing out the positive effects of staying at work, making legal and moral arguments, and warning against long-term sick leave. Additional solutions might also be applied, such as involving other stakeholders in this process to provide alternatives to sick leave. GPs seem to have a conscious approach to negotiations of sickness certification, as they report applying specific strategies to limit the duration of sick leave due to subjective health complaints. This give-and-take way of handling sick-leave negotiations has been suggested by others to enhance return to work, and should be further encouraged. However, specific effectiveness of this strategy is yet to be proven, and further investigation into the actual dealings between doctor and patients in these complex encounters is needed.

  18. Subjective memory complaints in primary care patients and death from all causes: a four-year follow-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Waldemar, Gunhild; Waldorff, Frans Boch

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the prognostic value of subjective memory complaints for all-cause mortality in order to determine whether elderly persons with subjective memory complaints may be regarded as a group of vulnerable patients who need close follow-up.......To investigate the prognostic value of subjective memory complaints for all-cause mortality in order to determine whether elderly persons with subjective memory complaints may be regarded as a group of vulnerable patients who need close follow-up....

  19. Gender differences in subjective health complaints in adolescence: The roles of self-esteem, stress from schoolwork and body dissatisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aanesen, Fiona; Meland, Eivind; Torp, Steffen

    2017-06-01

    The aims of this study were to examine subjective health complaints among Norwegian adolescents and assess the development of gender differences in subjective health complaints between age 14 and 16; to investigate whether self-esteem, stress from schoolwork or body dissatisfaction affected adolescents' subjective health complaints; and determine whether these factors could explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls. We used multiple linear regression analyses to analyse longitudinal survey data from 751 Norwegian adolescents at the ages of 14 and 16. The results from various cross-sectional and prospective analyses were compared. Girls reported more subjective health complaints than boys, and gender differences increased from age 14 to 16. Self-esteem and stress from schoolwork had cross-sectional and prospective associations with subjective health complaints. Stress from schoolwork at age 14 was also associated with changes in subjective health complaints from age 14 to 16. The cross-sectional mediation analyses indicated that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork accounted for 61% of the excess of subjective health complaints among girls at age 16. The same variables measured at age 14 accounted for 24% of the gender differences in subjective health complaints two years later. The investigated factors could not account for the increase in gender differences in subjective health complaints between ages 14 and 16. The findings showed that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork were associated with subjective health complaints during adolescence. These factors could partially explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls.

  20. Cerebral atrophy in elderly with subjective memory complaints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palm, W.M.; Ferrarini, L.; van der Flier, W.M.; Westendorp, R.G.J.; Bollen, E.L.E.M.; Middelkoop, H.A.M.; Milles, J.R.; van der Grond, J.; van Buchem, M.A.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose To evaluate ventricular shape differences along the complete surface of the lateral and third ventricles of persons with subjective memory complaints (MC). Materials and Methods We included 28 controls and 21 persons with MC. FLAIR, T2, and PD-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired at 1.5

  1. Memory complaints in subjective cognitive impairment, amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Seon Young; Lee, Sang Bong; Kim, Tae Woo; Lee, Taek Jun

    2016-12-01

    Memory complaints are a frequent phenomenon in elderly individuals and can lead to opportunistic help-seeking behavior. The aim of this study was to compare different aspects of memory complaints (i.e., prospective versus retrospective complaints) in individuals with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study included a total of 115 participants (mean age: 68.82 ± 8.83 years) with SCI (n = 34), aMCI (n = 46), and mild AD (n = 35). Memory complaints were assessed using the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), which consists of 16 items that describe everyday memory failure of both prospective memory (PM) and retrospective memory (RM). For aMCI and AD subjects, informants also completed an informant-rating of the PRMQ. All participants completed detailed neuropsychological tests. Results show that PM complaints were equivalent among the three groups. However, RM complaints differed. Specifically, RM complaints in aMCI were higher than SCI, but similar to AD. Informant-reported memory complaints were higher for AD than aMCI. Our study suggests that RM complaints of memory complaints may be helpful in discriminating between SCI and aMCI, but both PM and RM complaints are of limited value in differentiating aMCI from AD.

  2. [Subjective memory complaints in older people. Is it a symptom of dementia?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogel, A.

    2008-01-01

    Subjective memory complaints are common in older people. They are inconsistently related to current cognitive impairment, but are more consistently correlated to future development of dementia. Subjective memory complaints are also related to depression and personality traits. Many patients...... with dementia have impaired awareness of deficits even in the early stages of dementia and therefore do not complain about memory problems. Reports about impaired memory in older people should lead to diagnostic examination Udgivelsesdato: 2008/5/12...

  3. Using Psycho-Physiological Interaction Analysis with fMRI-Data in IS Research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hubert, Marco; Linzmajer, Marc; Riedl, René

    2017-01-01

    The integration of neuroscientific methods in Information Systems (IS) research to better understand how the brain interacts with IS-relevant context has gained in importance. Many papers that highlight the potential of neuroIS and that discuss methodological issues associated with using functional...... brain imaging already exist. However, neuroIS researchers have to keep in mind that the emergence of complex mental processes such as trust in IS contexts is based on activity in a network of brain regions rather than on activity in one area alone. Accordingly, we introduce psycho......-physiological interaction (PPI) analysis, a technique that one can use to analyze fMRI data. Specifically, we review how one can conduct PPI analysis, provide a concrete research example, and show how this analysis can inform IS trust research. Thus, we introduce neuroIS researchers working in the domain of functional...

  4. The Nature of Subjective Cognitive Complaints of Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newson, Rachel S.; Kemps, Eva B.

    2006-01-01

    The current study investigated the nature of subjective cognitive complaints of older adults in relation to a broad array of individual cognitive functions known to decline with age. A 60-item questionnaire was developed to examine: (1) whether older adults experience problems with these cognitive functions (problems with cognition); (2) the…

  5. Subjective cognitive complaints included in diagnostic evaluation of dementia helps accurate diagnosis in a mixed memory clinic cohort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salem, L C; Vogel, Asmus Mejling; Ebstrup, J

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the quantity and profile of subjective cognitive complaints in young patients as compared with elderly patients referred to a memory clinic. METHODS: Patients were consecutively recruited from the Copenhagen University Hospital Memory Clinic at Rigshospitalet....... In total, 307 patients and 149 age-matched healthy controls were included. Patients were classified in 4 diagnostic groups: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, affective disorders and no cognitive impairment. Subjective memory was assessed with subjective memory complaints (SMC) scale. Global cognitive...... with dementia have a significantly higher level and a different profile of subjective cognitive complaints as compared with elderly patients with dementia. Furthermore, young patients, diagnosed with an affective disorder, had the highest level of subjective cognitive complaints of all patients in a memory...

  6. Psychological factors are associated with subjective cognitive complaints 2 months post-stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nijsse, Britta; van Heugten, Caroline M; van Mierlo, Marloes L; Post, Marcel W M; de Kort, Paul L M; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate which psychological factors are related to post-stroke subjective cognitive complaints, taking into account the influence of demographic and stroke-related characteristics, cognitive deficits and emotional problems. In this cross-sectional study, 350 patients were assessed at 2 months post-stroke, using the Checklist for Cognitive and Emotional consequences following stroke (CLCE-24) to identify cognitive complaints. Psychological factors were: proactive coping, passive coping, self-efficacy, optimism, pessimism, extraversion, and neuroticism. Associations between CLCE-24 cognition score and psychological factors, emotional problems (depressive symptoms and anxiety), cognitive deficits, and demographic and stroke characteristics were examined using Spearman correlations and multiple regression analyses. Results showed that 2 months post-stroke, 270 patients (68.4%) reported at least one cognitive complaint. Age, sex, presence of recurrent stroke(s), comorbidity, cognitive deficits, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and all psychological factors were significantly associated with the CLCE-24 cognition score in bivariate analyses. Multiple regression analysis showed that psychological factors explained 34.7% of the variance of cognitive complaints independently, and 8.5% (p psychological factors, proactive coping was independently associated with cognitive complaints (p cognitive complaints. Because cognitive complaints are common after stroke and are associated with psychological factors, it is important to focus on these factors in rehabilitation programmes.

  7. Hemispheric asymmetry of the brain as a psycho-physiological basis of individual and typological features of the formation of a sense of humour.

    OpenAIRE

    Shportun, O. N.

    2016-01-01

    The article describes the psycho-physiological peculiarities of hemispheric asymmetry of the brain as the basis of individual and typological features of the formation of a sense of humour. The analysis of the impact of the functional brain hemispheric asymmetry on emotional, intellectual and physiological features of development of sense of humour in ontogeny is conducted. Analysis of studies of inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the brain makes it possible to ascertain the impact of the functio...

  8. Cognitive Impairments and Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Fabry Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loeb, Josefine; Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla; Madsen, Christoffer Valdorff

    2018-01-01

    Fabry disease is a rare progressive X-linked lysosomal storage disorder which leads to neuropathic pain, organ dysfunction and cerebral pathology. Few studies have investigated cognitive impairment in Fabry disease and these previous studies are difficult to compare due to heterogeneous methodolo......Fabry disease is a rare progressive X-linked lysosomal storage disorder which leads to neuropathic pain, organ dysfunction and cerebral pathology. Few studies have investigated cognitive impairment in Fabry disease and these previous studies are difficult to compare due to heterogeneous...... methodological designs and small cohorts. The objective was to investigate the frequency of cognitive impairment in the Danish nationwide cohort of Fabry patients. Further, we examined if subjective cognitive complaints were associated with objective cognitive performances in this patient group....... Neuropsychological tests (17 measures) and evaluation of subjective complaints with the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ) were applied in 41 of 63 patients. According to an a priori definition, 12 patients (29.3%) were cognitively impaired. Tests tapping psychomotor speed, attention and executive functions had...

  9. Subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbe, Tammy; Kimble, Laura P; Rubenstein, Cynthia

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care. Cognitive functioning is a critical component for nurses in the assurance of error prevention, identification and correction when caring for patients. Negative changes in nurses' cognitive and psychosocial functioning can adversely affect nursing care and patient outcomes. A descriptive correlational design with stratified random sampling. The sample included 96 nurses from the major geographic regions of the United States. Over 9 months in 2016-2017, data were collected using a web-based survey. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine relationships among subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function. Overall, participants reported minimal work function impairment and low levels of subjective cognitive complaints, depression and stress. In multivariate analyses, depression was not associated with nurses' work function. However, perceived stress and subjective concerns about cognitive function were associated with greater impairment of work function. Nurses experiencing subjective cognitive complaints should be encouraged to address personal and environmental factors that are associated with their cognitive status. Additionally, stress reduction in nurses should be a high priority as a potential intervention to promote optimal functioning of nurses providing direct patient care. Healthcare institutions should integrate individual and institutional strategies to reduce factors contributing to workplace stress. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The association between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive function in older people with previous major depression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chung-Shiang Chu

    Full Text Available The goal of this study is to investigate associations between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive performance in older people with previous major depression-a high-risk sample for cognitive impairment and later dementia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in people aged 60 or over with previous major depression but not fulfilling current major depression criteria according to DSM-IV-TR. People with dementia or Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 17 were excluded. Subjective memory complaint was defined on the basis of a score ≧4 on the subscale of Geriatric Mental State schedule, a maximum score of 8. Older people aged equal or over 60 without any psychiatric diagnosis were enrolled as healthy controls. Cognitive function was evaluated using a series of cognitive tests assessing verbal memory, attention/speed, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, and cognitive flexibility in all participants. One hundred and thirteen older people with previous major depression and forty-six healthy controls were enrolled. Subjective memory complaint was present in more than half of the participants with depression history (55.8%. Among those with major depression history, subjective memory complaint was associated with lower total immediate recall and delayed verbal recall scores after adjustment. The associations between subjective memory complaint and worse memory performance were stronger in participants with lower depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score<7. The results suggest subjective memory complaint may be a valid appraisal of memory performance in older people with previous major depression and consideration should be given to more proactive assessment and follow-up in these clinical samples.

  11. The association between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive function in older people with previous major depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Chung-Shiang; Sun, I-Wen; Begum, Aysha; Liu, Shen-Ing; Chang, Ching-Jui; Chiu, Wei-Che; Chen, Chin-Hsin; Tang, Hwang-Shen; Yang, Chia-Li; Lin, Ying-Chin; Chiu, Chih-Chiang; Stewart, Robert

    2017-01-01

    The goal of this study is to investigate associations between subjective memory complaint and objective cognitive performance in older people with previous major depression-a high-risk sample for cognitive impairment and later dementia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in people aged 60 or over with previous major depression but not fulfilling current major depression criteria according to DSM-IV-TR. People with dementia or Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 17 were excluded. Subjective memory complaint was defined on the basis of a score ≧4 on the subscale of Geriatric Mental State schedule, a maximum score of 8. Older people aged equal or over 60 without any psychiatric diagnosis were enrolled as healthy controls. Cognitive function was evaluated using a series of cognitive tests assessing verbal memory, attention/speed, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, and cognitive flexibility in all participants. One hundred and thirteen older people with previous major depression and forty-six healthy controls were enrolled. Subjective memory complaint was present in more than half of the participants with depression history (55.8%). Among those with major depression history, subjective memory complaint was associated with lower total immediate recall and delayed verbal recall scores after adjustment. The associations between subjective memory complaint and worse memory performance were stronger in participants with lower depressive symptoms (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scorememory complaint may be a valid appraisal of memory performance in older people with previous major depression and consideration should be given to more proactive assessment and follow-up in these clinical samples.

  12. A Multi-Disciplinary Examination of Psycho-Physiological Performance Among Youth and Junior Ball Sport Athletes: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    József Márton Pucsok

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives The primary purpose of our review was to systematically review the evolution of psycho-physiological performance analysis. Our secondary aim was to investigate the role of specific, multi-disciplinary performance indicators to identify future talents in the sport of soccer, handball and basketball. Methods A review protocol was set up in order to avoid individual bias and ensure an efficient searching prodedure. This enabled a search strategy to define which literature was to be included or excluded from our research. Certain inclusion criteria were identified, before performing a search using three electronic databases (Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar and reference lists for English-language articles, published from the year 1980 till 2017. Results The comprehensive search yielded 82 documents to be relevant to our purpose of the study, according to our inclusion criteria criteria, 58 were fully-reviewed and referred to in our study. As we previously expected, the review of related literature resulted investigations involving mostly soccer and basketball players, studies conducted on handball players are significantly fewer. The majority of those studies examined physical performance characteristics via various field test. Conclusions We concluded that further analysis is necessary to identify relevant psycho-physiological performance indicators, in order to properly enhance sports performance in the younger athlete population and in general too. Vienna Test System protocols may offer a great potential to provide valuable information for athletes and their coaches to enhance athletic performance. Future research should focus on specifically identify Vienna Test System test protocols that may be linked to each particular sport.

  13. The need for psycho-oncological support for melanoma patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Simone; Teufel, Martin; Schaeffeler, Norbert; Keim, Ulrike; Garbe, Claus; Eigentler, Thomas Kurt; Zipfel, Stephan; Forschner, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Despite an increasing number of promising treatment options, only a limited number of studies concerning melanoma patients’ psycho-oncological distress have been carried out. However, multiple screening tools are in use to assess the need for psycho-oncological support. This study aimed first to identify parameters in melanoma patients that are associated with a higher risk for being psycho-oncologically distressed and second to compare patients’ self-evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support with the results of established screening tools. We performed a cross-sectional study including 254 melanoma patients from the Center for Dermatooncology at the University of Tuebingen. The study was performed between June 2010 and February 2013. Several screening instruments were included: the Distress Thermometer (DT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the patients’ subjective evaluation concerning psycho-oncological support. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors that indicate the need for psycho-oncological support. Patients’ subjective evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support, female gender, and psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment at present or in the past had the highest impact on values above threshold in the DT. The odds ratio of patients’ self-evaluation (9.89) was even higher than somatic factors like female gender (1.85), duration of illness (0.99), or increasing age (0.97). Patients’ self-evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support indicated a moderate correlation with the results of the screening tools included. In addition to the results obtained by screening tools like the DT, we could demonstrate that patients’ self-evaluation is an important instrument to identify patients who need psycho-oncological support. PMID:28906378

  14. Psycho-physiologic emergentism; four minds in a body

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David L. Rowland

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The mind-body problem represents one of the most debated topics in the neurosciences. From a psychological standpoint, abstract/non-material data are an intrinsic part of the mind, intervening to a large extent in reasoning and decision making processes. Imaging studies also show a strong correlation between higher cognitive functions (such as working memory and specific cerebral brain regions (a fronto-parietal network of interacting left and right brain areas. In contrast, the physical/material brain would be unable to interact with abstract-immaterial data, such that the psychological processing of abstract data (processes such as thinking, reasoning, and judgment is attributed to the mind, with the mind representing a distinct entity interposed between the brain and abstract-immaterial data. Recent data suggest that the mind-body problem may simply be an artifact of human experience/ understanding, as the brain actually represents actually an intrinsic part of the mind. Even if the physical brain is not able to interact with abstract mental data, the brain still could process abstract data through a dynamic association between the abstract data and cerebral stimuli/ impulses. This form of processing without interaction defines the mind as a complex neurobiological structure, with the unconscious part of the mind processing abstract-immaterial data in a conscious/ mental format. In this overview, important concepts of psycho-physiologic emergentism, including internal mental reality, internal mental existence, internal mental interaction, and structural and informational dichotomies of the brain, are iterated. Such concepts/properties represent a neuro-informational support system capable of generating four distinct minds within the single brain. Future studies should further develop the dynamic and immaterial-material nature of the mind, as a possible premise for a scientific definition and understanding of mental events like affectivity

  15. Psychological factors and subjective cognitive complaints after stroke : Beyond depression and anxiety

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijsbergen, Marielle; Mark, R.E.; Kop, W.J.; Kort, P.L.M.; Sitskoorn, M.M.

    2018-01-01

    Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC) are common after stroke and adversely affect quality of life. In the present study, we determined the associations of depression, anxiety, perceived stress and fatigue with post-stroke SCC, and whether these associations were independent of objective cognitive

  16. Subjective health complaints, work-related stress and self-efficacy in Norwegian aircrew.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omholt, M L; Tveito, T H; Ihlebæk, C

    2017-03-01

    The European civilian aviation industry has undergone major changes in the last decade. Despite this, there is little knowledge about work-related stress and subjective health complaints (SHCs) affecting Norwegian aircrew. To investigate the relationships between work-related stress, self-efficacy and SHCs in commercial aircrew in Norway and to explore differences between cockpit and cabin crew. Aircrew members from the three major airlines operating from Norway completed an electronically distributed questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate the association between work-related stress, self-efficacy and SHCs. There was a 21% response rate. Among the 843 study subjects, tiredness, sleep problems, bloating, low back pain, headaches and neck pain were the most prevalent SHCs. Cabin crew reported significantly higher numbers, prevalences and mean values for all SHCs compared with cockpit crew (P stress levels. High levels of work-related stress were significantly associated with all SHC factors in both groups. Self-efficacy partly moderated the relationship between stress and psychological complaints in both cockpit and cabin crew, and for musculoskeletal complaints in cockpit crew. The model explained 23 and 32% of the variance in psychological complaints for cockpit and cabin crew, respectively. Commercial aircrew in Norway reported high numbers of SHCs, and high levels of work-related stress were associated with high numbers of SHC. More knowledge is needed on the physical, organizational and psychosocial stressors affecting cockpit and cabin crew in order to create a healthier work environment for these groups. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  17. Subjective memory complaint only relates to verbal episodic memory performance in mild cognitive impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gifford, Katherine A; Liu, Dandan; Damon, Stephen M; Chapman, William G; Romano Iii, Raymond R; Samuels, Lauren R; Lu, Zengqi; Jefferson, Angela L

    2015-01-01

    A cognitive concern from the patient, informant, or clinician is required for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the cognitive and neuroanatomical correlates of complaint are poorly understood. We assessed how self-complaint relates to cognitive and neuroimaging measures in older adults with MCI. MCI participants were drawn from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and dichotomized into two groups based on the presence of self-reported memory complaint (no complaint n = 191, 77 ± 7 years; complaint n = 206, 73 ± 8 years). Cognitive outcomes included episodic memory, executive functioning, information processing speed, and language. Imaging outcomes included regional lobar volumes (frontal, parietal, temporal, cingulate) and specific medial temporal lobe structures (hippocampal volume, entorhinal cortex thickness, parahippocampal gyrus thickness). Linear regressions, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, mood, and apolipoprotein E4 status, found that cognitive complaint related to immediate (β = -1.07, p memory performances assessed on a serial list learning task (β = -1.06, p = 0.001) but no other cognitive measures or neuroimaging markers. Self-reported memory concern was unrelated to structural neuroimaging markers of atrophy and measures of information processing speed, executive functioning, or language. In contrast, subjective memory complaint related to objective verbal episodic learning performance. Future research is warranted to better understand the relation between cognitive complaint and surrogate markers of abnormal brain aging, including Alzheimer's disease, across the cognitive aging spectrum.

  18. Subjective memory complaint only relates to verbal episodic memory performance in mild cognitive impairment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gifford, Katherine A.; Liu, Dandan; Damon, Stephen M.; Chapman, William G.; Romano, Raymond R.; Samuels, Lauren R.; Lu, Zengqi; Jefferson, Angela L.

    2015-01-01

    Background A cognitive concern from the patient, informant, or clinician is required for the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); however, the cognitive and neuroanatomical correlates of complaint are poorly understood. Objective We assessed how self-complaint relates to cognitive and neuroimaging measures in older adults with MCI. Method MCI participants were drawn from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and dichotomized into two groups based on the presence of self-reported memory complaint (no complaint n=191, 77±7 years; complaint n=206, 73±8 years). Cognitive outcomes included episodic memory, executive functioning, information processing speed, and language. Imaging outcomes included regional lobar volumes (frontal, parietal, temporal, cingulate) and specific medial temporal lobe structures (hippocampal volume, entorhinal cortex thickness, parahippocampal gyrus thickness). Results Linear regressions, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, mood, and apolipoprotein E-4 status, found that cognitive complaint related to immediate (β=−1.07, pmemory performances assessed on a serial list learning task (β=−1.06, p=0.001) but no other cognitive measures or neuroimaging markers. Conclusions Self-reported memory concern was unrelated to structural neuroimaging markers of atrophy and measures of information processing speed, executive functioning, or language. In contrast, subjective memory complaint related to objective verbal episodic learning performance. Future research is warranted to better understand the relation between cognitive complaint and surrogate markers of abnormal brain aging, including Alzheimer’s disease, across the cognitive aging spectrum. PMID:25281602

  19. The Role of Life-Space, Social Activity, and Depression on the Subjective Memory Complaints of Community-Dwelling Filipino Elderly: A Structural Equation Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Guzman, Allan B.; Lagdaan, Lovely France M.; Lagoy, Marie Lauren V.

    2015-01-01

    Subjective memory complaints are one of the major concerns of the elderly and remain a challenging area in gerontology. There are previous studies that identify different factors affecting subjective memory complaints. However, an extended model that correlates life-space on subjective memory complaints remains a blank spot. The objective of this…

  20. VREPAR projects: the use of virtual environments in psycho-neuro-physiological assessment and rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riva, G; Bacchetta, M; Baruffi, M; Borgomainerio, E; Defrance, C; Gatti, F; Galimberti, C; Fontaneto, S; Marchi, S; Molinari, E; Nugues, P; Rinaldi, S; Rovetta, A; Ferretti, G S; Tonci, A; Wann, J; Vincelli, F

    1999-01-01

    Due, in large part, to the significant advances in PC hardware that have been made over the last 3 years, PC-based virtual environments are approaching reality. Virtual Reality Environments for Psychoneurophysiological Assessment and Rehabilitation (VREPAR) are two European Community funded projects (Telematics for health-HC 1053/HC 1055, http:// www.psicologia.net) that are trying to develop a PC-based virtual reality system (PC-VRS) for the medical market that can be marketed at a price that is accessible to its possible endusers (hospitals, universities, and research centres) and that would have the modular, connectability, and interoperability characteristics that the existing systems lack. In particular, the projects are developing three hardware/software modules for the application of the PCVRS in psycho-neuro-physiological assessment and rehabilitation. The chosen development areas are eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia, and obesity), movement disorders (Parkinson's disease and torsion dystonia) and stroke disorders (unilateral neglect and hemiparesis). This article describes the rationale of the modules and the preliminary results obtained.

  1. Some psycho-physiological aspects of ecstasy in recent research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nora Ahlberg

    1982-01-01

    Full Text Available The intention of this article is to present some psycho-physiological perspectives of recent date concerned with the phenomenon of ecstasy. As almost none of this research has yet been assimilated by comparative religion, the focus here is on illustrating some of the background for renewed speculation on the relationship between psyche and soma. Traditional Western science has usually operated with a distinction between external and internal processes. Perhaps owing to this idea of the independence of our internal processes from our intentional consciousness, reports from other cultures such as those concerning the extraordinary achievements of holy men (e.g. their capacity to lie buried for days, or survive unclothed at very low temperatures have tended to be ignored as fantastic rumours (which, to some extent, is certainly true and myths. In a similar way the varieties of religious ecstatic states have often been countered with a shrug by psychiatrists. The recently renewed interest in consciousness within general psychology, together with what may be called marginal psychology and the drug revolt of youth culture have, however, provoked new speculation concerning human potential, speculation which in due time might also benefit comparative religion. From the perspective of comparative religion the primary concern is with cultural tradition and interpretation. Among our many new potential methods for better understanding ecstatic phenomena by means of experimental methods, biofeedback has been the most sensational one. It is above all the research in biofeedback that has forced many scientists to reconsider their view of the autonomic nervous system as a system completely independent of human will and control.

  2. An introduction to the 'Psycho-Physiological-Stress-Test' (PPST-A standardized instrument for evaluating stress reactions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth Neureiter

    Full Text Available Using a standardized instrument to evaluate patients' stress reactions has become more important in daily clinical routines. Different signs or symptoms of stress are often unilaterally explored: the physiological, psychological or social aspects of stress disorders are each viewed on a single dimension. However, all dimensions afflict patients who have persistent health problems due to chronic stress. Therefore, it is important to use a multidimensional approach to acquire data. The 'Psycho-Physiological-Stress-Test' (PPST was established to achieve a comprehensive understanding of stress and was further developed at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin in collaboration with the Psychological Department of Freie Universität Berlin. The PPST includes a series of varying stress phases, embedded in two periods of rest. Physiological and psychological parameters are simultaneously measured throughout the test session. Specifically, the PPST activates the sympathetic stress axis, which is measured by heart rate, blood pressure, respiration depth and rate, electro dermal activation and muscle tension (frontalis, masseter, trapezius. Psychological data are simultaneously collected, and include performance, motivation, emotion and behavior. After conducting this diagnostic test, it is possible to identify individual stress patterns that can be discussed with the individual patient to develop and recommend (outpatient treatment strategies. This paper introduces the PPST as a standardized way to evaluate stress reactions by presenting the results from a sample of psychosomatic inpatients (n = 139 who were treated in Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. We observed that the varying testing conditions provoked adjusted changes in the different physiological parameters and psychological levels.

  3. The efficacy of short-term psycho-oncological interventions for women with gynaecological cancer: a randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goerling, Ute; Jaeger, Carolin; Walz, Annette; Stickel, Anna; Mangler, Mandy; van der Meer, Elke

    2014-01-01

    We aimed to examine the efficacy of two psycho-oncological interventions in anxiety, depression, and self-perceived as well as physiological stress in inpatients with gynaecological cancer. Forty-five women were included in the trial. Thirty-five were categorized as being at high risk of anxiety and depression, and were randomized to either a single psycho-oncological therapy session or a single-session relaxation intervention. A significant decrease in anxiety [mean (t0) = 12, mean (t1) = 7.47, p = 0.001] and depression [mean (t0) = 9.71, mean (t1) = 6.35, p psycho-oncological intervention group. In the relaxation group, anxiety also significantly decreased [mean (t0) = 11.67, mean (t1) = 8.22, p = 0.003], whereas depression did not. A comparative analysis of both interventions showed a trend in favour of psycho-oncological therapy for the treatment of depression (F = 3.3, p = 0.078). However, self-reported stress (p = 0.031) and different objective stress parameters only significantly decreased in the relaxation group. Psycho-oncological interventions should represent an essential part of interdisciplinary care for gynaecological cancer patients. Both types of intervention may reduce anxiety. However, the single psycho-oncological therapy session might be slightly more effective in treating depression, whereas the single-session relaxation intervention seems to have a stronger effect on physiological stress parameters. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. subjective approach to subjective approach to human physiological

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    eobe

    the only physiological variables that influence the heat balance [4]. Yao et al [2] .... between the human responses and outdoor climate. 4.1 Subjective Response ... months seem to be influenced by cloud cover rather than the altitude.

  5. Aortic stiffness and hypotension episodes are associated with impaired cognitive function in older subjects with subjective complaints of memory loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scuteri, Angelo; Tesauro, Manfredi; Guglini, Letizia; Lauro, Davide; Fini, Massimo; Di Daniele, Nicola

    2013-11-20

    Though CV risk factors and markers of arterial aging are recognized risky for cognition, no study has simultaneously investigated the impact of multiple cardiac, arterial (large and small vessels), and hemodynamic parameters on cognitive function in older subjects. Two hundred eighty older subjects with subjective complaints of memory loss and no previous stroke (mean age 78.3 ± 6.3 years) were studied. Global cognitive function was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cognitive impairment was defined as a MMSE cognitive function-controlling for age, sex, education, depression, traditional CV risk factors, and medications. LV mass was no longer associated with cognition in multiple regression. Older subjects with stiffer arteries or episodes of hypotension presented a 4-fold and an 11-fold, respectively, greater odds for progression from normal cognitive function to cognitive impairment. A synergistic effect between PWV, WML, and hypotension was observed: the occurrence of any two of PWV, WML, or hypotension was accompanied by lower MMSE; in the presence of all three factors, a further significant decline in cognitive function was observed. Systemic hemodynamic parameters (higher PWV and hypotension) together with cerebral microvascular damage (WML) are significantly associated with poorer cognitive function and may identify older subjects with subjective complaints of memory loss at higher risk of cognitive decline. © 2013.

  6. Association between subjective memory complaints and health care utilisation: a three-year follow up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waldorff, Frans Boch; Siersma, Volkert; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2009-01-01

    their general practitioner and reporting subjective memory complaints (SMC). METHODS: This study was conducted as a prospective cohort survey in general practice with three-year follow-up. Selected health care utilisation or costs relative to SMC adjusted for potential confounders were analyzed in a two......BACKGROUND: Subjective memory complaints (SMC) are common among elderly patients and little is know about the association between SMC and health care utilisation. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate health care utilisation during a three-year follow-up among elderly patients consulting......-part model where the incidence of use of a selected health care service were analyzed separately from the quantity of use for those that use the service. The former analyzed in a Poisson regression approach, the latter in a generalized linear regression model. RESULTS: A total 758 non-nursing home residents...

  7. Regional Hippocampal Atrophy and Higher Levels of Plasma Amyloid-Beta Are Associated With Subjective Memory Complaints in Nondemented Elderly Subjects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cantero, Jose L; Iglesias, Juan E.; Van Leemput, Koen

    2016-01-01

    Background: Evidence suggests a link between the presence of subjective memory complaints (SMC) and lower volume of the hippocampus, one of the first regions to show neuropathological lesions in Alzheimer's disease. However, it remains unknown whether this pattern of hippocampal atrophy is region...

  8. Subjective health complaints in older adolescents are related to perceived stress, anxiety and gender - a cross-sectional school study in Northern Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiklund, Maria; Malmgren-Olsson, Eva-Britt; Ohman, Ann; Bergström, Erik; Fjellman-Wiklund, Anncristine

    2012-11-16

    Negative trends in adolescent mental and subjective health are a challenge to public health work in Sweden and worldwide. Self-reported mental and subjective health complaints such as pain, sleeping problems, anxiety, and various stress-related problems seem to have increased over time among older adolescents, especially girls. The aim of this study has therefore been to investigate perceived stress, mental and subjective health complaints among older adolescents in Northern Sweden. Data were derived from a cross-sectional school-based survey with a sample consisting of 16-18 year olds (n = 1027), boys and girls, in the first two years of upper secondary school, from different vocational and academic programmes in three public upper secondary schools in a university town in northern Sweden. Prevalence of perceived stress, subjective health complaints, general self-rated health, anxiety, and depression were measured using a questionnaire, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A large proportion of both girls and boys reported health complaints and perceived stress. There was a clear gender difference: two to three times as many girls as boys reported subjective health complaints, such as headache, tiredness and sleeping difficulties and musculoskeletal pain, as well as sadness and anxiety. High pressure and demands from school were experienced by 63.6% of girls and 38.5% of boys. Perceived stress in the form of pressure and demands correlated strongly with reported health complaints (r = 0.71) and anxiety (r = 0.71). The results indicate that mental and subjective health complaints are prevalent during adolescence, especially in girls, and furthermore, that perceived stress and demands may be important explanatory factors. Future studies should pay attention to the balance between gender-related demands, perceived control and social support, particularly in the school environment, in order to prevent negative strain and stress

  9. Subjective health complaints in patients with chronic Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD. Relationships with physical, psychological, and collision associated factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camilla Ihlebæk

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available  Aims: Investigate subjective health complaints (SHC in chronic whiplash associated disorder (WAD, grade I & II patients, and to identify physical, psychological, and collision associated factors that might be associated with high levels of comorbidity. Method: During the years 2000-2002 171 chronic WAD patients filled in questionnaires and underwent physical examination. The prevalence of SHC was recorded and compared with a representative sample of the Norwegian population (n=1014. Results: The chronic WAD patients reported higher number of subjective health complaints (median: 9 than the general population (median: 5. They showed significantly higher risk of reporting all musculoskeletal complaints, palpitation, heat flushes, sleep problems, tiredness, dizziness, anxiety, depression, breathing difficulties, chest pain, coughing, heartburn, gas discomfort, and obstipation. The patients with the highest level of comorbid subjective health complaints also reported more function loss, reading difficulties, poorer quality of life, higher psychological distress, higher use of medication, and less optimism about their situation. There were no differences however, in any collision factors or physical meassures recorded by physiotherapists between the high, medium and low comorbidity groups. Conclusion: The high comorbidity of other complaints, the strong relationships between degree of comorbidity and psychological factors, and the lack of relationships between degree of comorbidity and collision factors and physical tests, suggest that chronic WAD is best understood as a syndrome and not simply as a neck injury. Sensitization is suggested as a possible psychobiological mechanism

  10. Hemispheric asymmetry of the brain as a psycho-physiological basis of individual and typological features of the formation of a sense of humour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shportun O.N.

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The article describes the psycho-physiological peculiarities of hemispheric asymmetry of the brain as the basis of individual and typological features of the formation of a sense of humour. The analysis of the impact of the functional brain hemispheric asymmetry on emotional, intellectual and physiological features of development of sense of humour in ontogeny is conducted. Analysis of studies of inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the brain makes it possible to ascertain the impact of the functioning of each hemisphere on the formation of the perception of humour. Studies show that in the process of developing of sense of humour, two functional hemispheres of the brain are involved. As the emotion of humour – is an intellectual emotion, and in the development of intelligence a lot of mental processes are involved, in the formation of humour two hemispheres of the brain are functioned. The right hemisphere is responsible for the emotional nature of humour (intonation, sound level of language, speed of response to a joke ..., the left hemisphere – for processing verbal information (content of the joke, category, purpose, content analysis .... After analysing the research of hemispheric functional asymmetry of the human brain, its psycho-physiological and neurochemical characteristics, it can be assumed that people with more developed left hemisphere in perceiving humour are more prone to displays of gelotophilia and “right hemisphere” people – show signs of gelotophobia and katagelasticism. Examining gender differences of hemisphere asymmetry of the brain, it can be argued that diagnosing sense of humour is important to take into account gender-specific functioning of hemispheres, because men have more clearly functioning the left hemisphere, and women – the right one. This fact of sexual peculiarities of functioning of inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the brain allows diagnosing objectively sense of humour, as well as different variations

  11. Protocol for the atWork trial: a randomised controlled trial of a workplace intervention targeting subjective health complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Tone Langjordet; Indahl, Aage; Baste, Valborg; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Tveito, Torill Helene

    2016-08-19

    Subjective health complaints, such as musculoskeletal and mental health complaints, have a high prevalence in the general population, and account for a large proportion of sick leave in Norway. It may be difficult to prevent the occurrence of subjective health complaints, but it may be possible to influence employees' perception and management of these complaints, which in turn may have impact on sick leave and return to work after sick leave. Long term sick leave has many negative health and social consequences, and it is important to gain knowledge about effective interventions to prevent and reduce long term sick leave. This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effect of the modified atWork intervention, targeting non-specific musculoskeletal complaints and mental health complaints. This intervention will be compared to the original atWork intervention targeting only non-specific musculoskeletal complaints. Kindergartens in Norway are invited to participate in the study and will be randomly assigned to one of the two interventions. Estimated sample size is 100 kindergartens, with a total of approximately 1100 employees. Primary outcome is sick leave at unit level, measured using register data from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. One kindergarten equals one unit, regardless of number of employees. Secondary outcomes will be measured at the individual level and include coping, health, job satisfaction, social support, and workplace inclusion, collected through questionnaires distributed at baseline and at 12 months follow up. All employees in the included kindergartens are eligible for participating in the survey. The effect evaluation of the modified atWork intervention is a large and comprehensive project, providing evidence-based information on prevention of long-term sick leave, which may be of considerable benefit both from a societal, organisational, and individual perspective. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02396797

  12. Subjective health complaints in older adolescents are related to perceived stress, anxiety and gender – a cross-sectional school study in Northern Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiklund Maria

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Negative trends in adolescent mental and subjective health are a challenge to public health work in Sweden and worldwide. Self-reported mental and subjective health complaints such as pain, sleeping problems, anxiety, and various stress-related problems seem to have increased over time among older adolescents, especially girls. The aim of this study has therefore been to investigate perceived stress, mental and subjective health complaints among older adolescents in Northern Sweden. Methods Data were derived from a cross-sectional school-based survey with a sample consisting of 16–18 year olds (n = 1027, boys and girls, in the first two years of upper secondary school, from different vocational and academic programmes in three public upper secondary schools in a university town in northern Sweden. Prevalence of perceived stress, subjective health complaints, general self-rated health, anxiety, and depression were measured using a questionnaire, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS. Results A large proportion of both girls and boys reported health complaints and perceived stress. There was a clear gender difference: two to three times as many girls as boys reported subjective health complaints, such as headache, tiredness and sleeping difficulties and musculoskeletal pain, as well as sadness and anxiety. High pressure and demands from school were experienced by 63.6% of girls and 38.5% of boys. Perceived stress in the form of pressure and demands correlated strongly with reported health complaints (r = 0.71 and anxiety (r = 0.71. Conclusions The results indicate that mental and subjective health complaints are prevalent during adolescence, especially in girls, and furthermore, that perceived stress and demands may be important explanatory factors. Future studies should pay attention to the balance between gender-related demands, perceived control and social support, particularly in the

  13. Employee subjective well-being and physiological functioning: An integrative model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren Kuykendall

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Research shows that worker subjective well-being influences physiological functioning—an early signal of poor health outcomes. While several theoretical perspectives provide insights on this relationship, the literature lacks an integrative framework explaining the relationship. We develop a conceptual model explaining the link between subjective well-being and physiological functioning in the context of work. Integrating positive psychology and occupational stress perspectives, our model explains the relationship between subjective well-being and physiological functioning as a result of the direct influence of subjective well-being on physiological functioning and of their common relationships with work stress and personal resources, both of which are influenced by job conditions.

  14. Employee subjective well-being and physiological functioning: An integrative model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuykendall, Lauren; Tay, Louis

    2015-01-01

    Research shows that worker subjective well-being influences physiological functioning-an early signal of poor health outcomes. While several theoretical perspectives provide insights on this relationship, the literature lacks an integrative framework explaining the relationship. We develop a conceptual model explaining the link between subjective well-being and physiological functioning in the context of work. Integrating positive psychology and occupational stress perspectives, our model explains the relationship between subjective well-being and physiological functioning as a result of the direct influence of subjective well-being on physiological functioning and of their common relationships with work stress and personal resources, both of which are influenced by job conditions.

  15. Subjective memory complaints in general practice predicts future dementia: a 4-year follow-up study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waldorff, Frans Boch; Vogel, Asmus Mejling; Siersma, Volkert Dirk

    2012-01-01

    Many older patients in general practice have subjective memory complaints (SMC); however, not all share this information with their general practitioner (GP). The association between SMC and future cognitive decline or dementia is not clear, especially in a general practice population. The aim...

  16. Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Objective Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Jin Yong; Lee, Yoonju; Sunwoo, Mun Kyung; Sohn, Young H; Lee, Phil Hyu

    2018-01-01

    Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are very common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relationship between SCCs and objective cognitive impairment is still unclear. This study aimed to determine whether SCCs are correlated with objective cognitive performance in patients with PD. Totals of 148 cognitively normal patients, 71 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 31 demented patients were recruited consecutively from a movement-disorders clinic. Their SCCs and cognitive performances were evaluated using the Cognitive Complaints Interview (CCI) and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The CCI score increased with age, duration of PD, and depression score, and was inversely correlated with cognitive performance. The association between CCI score and performance remained significant after adjustment for the depression score, age, and duration of PD. The CCI score could be used to discriminate patients with dementia from cognitively normal and MCI patients [area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.80], but not patients with MCI or dementia from cognitively normal patients (AUC of 0.67). SCCs as measured by the CCI are strongly correlated with objective cognitive performance in patients with PD. The CCI can also be used to screen for dementia in patients with PD. Copyright © 2018 Korean Neurological Association.

  17. Help-Seeking Response to Subjective Memory Complaints in Older Adults: Toward a Conceptual Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begum, Aysha; Whitley, Rob; Banerjee, Sube; Matthews, David; Stewart, Robert; Morgan, Craig

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Subjective memory complaint is a term used to refer older adults who report memory problems. Extensive literature exists on its etiology and impact on long-term cognitive decline, and some physicians consider it important in the early detection of dementia. Despite the salient features reported by both patients and clinicians, few people…

  18. Subjective memory complaints among patients on sick leave are associated with symptoms of fatigue and anxiety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Kristine Aasvik

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to identify symptoms associated with subjective memory complaints among subjects who are currently on sick leave due to symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, subjects (n = 167 who were currently on sick leave were asked to complete an extensive survey consisting of the following: items addressing their sociodemographics, one item from the SF-8 health survey measuring pain, Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index and Everyday Memory Questionnaire – Revised. General linear modeling (GLM was used to analyze variables associated with SMCs. Results: Symptoms of fatigue (p-value <= 0.001 and anxiety (p-value = 0.001 were uniquely and significantly associated with perceived memory failures. The associations with symptoms of pain, depression and insomnia were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints should be recognized as part of the complex symptomatology among patients who report multiple symptoms, especially in cases of fatigue and anxiety. Self-report questionnaires measuring perceived memory failures may be a quick and easy way to incorporate and extend this knowledge into clinical practice.

  19. Predictive factors of subjective sleep quality and insomnia complaint in patients with stroke: implications for clinical practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PATRICIA C. DA ROCHA

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The complaints regarding sleep problems have not been well identified after a stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive factors of sleep quality and insomnia complaints in patients with stroke. A total of 70 subjects, 40 patients (57 ± 7 years and 30 healthy controls (52 ± 6 years assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI and the Sleep Habits Questionnaire took part in the study. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test, the Student's t-test and logistic regression analysis. On average, the patients showed poor sleep quality (patients: 6.3 ± 3.5; controls: 3.9 ± 2.2; p= 0.002 and insomnia complaint was the most prevalent (patients: 37.5%; controls: 6.7%; p= 0.007. The absence of insomnia complaint (OR= 0.120; 95%CI= 0.017-0.873; p= 0.036 and the decreased latency of sleep (OR= 0.120; 95%CI= 0.017-0.873; p= 0.036 were the protective factors of sleep quality. Female sex (OR= 11.098; 95%CI= 1.167-105.559; p= 0.036 and fragmented sleep (OR= 32.040; 95%CI= 3.236-317.261; p= 0.003 were the risk factors for insomnia complaint. We suggest that complaints of poor sleep quality and insomnia should be given priority assessment during clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders in stroke.

  20. Protocol for the atWork trial: a randomised controlled trial of a workplace intervention targeting subjective health complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tone Langjordet Johnsen

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Subjective health complaints, such as musculoskeletal and mental health complaints, have a high prevalence in the general population, and account for a large proportion of sick leave in Norway. It may be difficult to prevent the occurrence of subjective health complaints, but it may be possible to influence employees’ perception and management of these complaints, which in turn may have impact on sick leave and return to work after sick leave. Long term sick leave has many negative health and social consequences, and it is important to gain knowledge about effective interventions to prevent and reduce long term sick leave. Methods/Design This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effect of the modified atWork intervention, targeting non-specific musculoskeletal complaints and mental health complaints. This intervention will be compared to the original atWork intervention targeting only non-specific musculoskeletal complaints. Kindergartens in Norway are invited to participate in the study and will be randomly assigned to one of the two interventions. Estimated sample size is 100 kindergartens, with a total of approximately 1100 employees. Primary outcome is sick leave at unit level, measured using register data from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. One kindergarten equals one unit, regardless of number of employees. Secondary outcomes will be measured at the individual level and include coping, health, job satisfaction, social support, and workplace inclusion, collected through questionnaires distributed at baseline and at 12 months follow up. All employees in the included kindergartens are eligible for participating in the survey. Discussion The effect evaluation of the modified atWork intervention is a large and comprehensive project, providing evidence-based information on prevention of long-term sick leave, which may be of considerable benefit both from a societal

  1. The need for psycho-oncological support for melanoma patients: Central role of patients' self-evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Simone; Teufel, Martin; Schaeffeler, Norbert; Keim, Ulrike; Garbe, Claus; Eigentler, Thomas Kurt; Zipfel, Stephan; Forschner, Andrea

    2017-09-01

    Despite an increasing number of promising treatment options, only a limited number of studies concerning melanoma patients' psycho-oncological distress have been carried out. However, multiple screening tools are in use to assess the need for psycho-oncological support. This study aimed first to identify parameters in melanoma patients that are associated with a higher risk for being psycho-oncologically distressed and second to compare patients' self-evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support with the results of established screening tools.We performed a cross-sectional study including 254 melanoma patients from the Center for Dermatooncology at the University of Tuebingen. The study was performed between June 2010 and February 2013. Several screening instruments were included: the Distress Thermometer (DT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the patients' subjective evaluation concerning psycho-oncological support. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors that indicate the need for psycho-oncological support.Patients' subjective evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support, female gender, and psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment at present or in the past had the highest impact on values above threshold in the DT. The odds ratio of patients' self-evaluation (9.89) was even higher than somatic factors like female gender (1.85), duration of illness (0.99), or increasing age (0.97). Patients' self-evaluation concerning the need for psycho-oncological support indicated a moderate correlation with the results of the screening tools included.In addition to the results obtained by screening tools like the DT, we could demonstrate that patients' self-evaluation is an important instrument to identify patients who need psycho-oncological support.

  2. Comorbid subjective health complaints in patients with sciatica: a prospective study including comparison with the general population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grøvle, Lars; Haugen, Anne J; Ihlebaek, Camilla M; Keller, Anne; Natvig, Bård; Brox, Jens I; Grotle, Margreth

    2011-06-01

    Chronic nonspecific low back pain is accompanied by high rates of comorbid mental and physical conditions. The aims of this study were to investigate if patients with specific back pain, that is, sciatica caused by lumbar herniation, report higher rates of subjective health complaints (SHCs) than the general population and if there is an association between change in sciatica symptoms and change in SHCs over a 12-month period. A multicenter cohort study of 466 sciatica patients was conducted with follow-up at 3 months and 1 year. Comorbid SHCs were measured by 27 items of the SHC inventory. Odds ratios (ORs) for each SHC were calculated with comparison to a general population sample (n=928) by logistic regression. The SHC number was calculated by summing all complaints present. At baseline, the ORs for reporting SHCs for the sciatica patients were significantly elevated in 15 of the 27 items with a mean (S.D.) SHC number of 7.5 (4.4), compared to 5.2 (4.4) in the general population (Psciatica, the SHC number was reduced to normal levels. Among those with persisting or worsening sciatica, the number increased to a level almost double that of the general population. Compared to the general population, the prevalence of subjective health complaints in sciatica is increased. During follow-up, the number of health complaints increased in patients with persisting or worsening sciatica. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Exploring cognitive complaints in schizophrenia: the subjective scale to investigate cognition in schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stip, E; Caron, J; Renaud, S; Pampoulova, T; Lecomte, Y

    2003-01-01

    While it has become commonplace to test the various components of memory in schizophrenia with paper-and-pencil or in-lab tasks, very little data exist on the subjective complaints of patients regarding their memory. Few instruments have been designed to collect systematically the complaints of patients with schizophrenia. We present a work in progress on the Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia (SSTICS), a 21-item, Likert-type scale that is simple and easy to use. It allows a quantitative approach to the subjective and cognitive dimensions of schizophrenia. Stip constructed the scale based on a questionnaire covering several cognitive domains: memory (working memory, explicit long-term memory), attention (divided, distractibility, alertness, sustained), language, and praxia. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the SSTICS in a population of 114 French-speaking patients in Montreal. Patients were recruited in the community and assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale (ESRS). Cognition was measured using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) (long-term memory), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (verbal fluency), and Trails A and B. Preliminary analyses showed very good internal consistency for the global score (alpha=0.88), and alphas varying from 0.57 to 0.72 for the subscales. Stability over time was very good. The principal components analysis accounted for a multiple structure. Correlations between subjective scores and objective cognitive assessment were significant for several domains. Validation of the SSTICS needs to be completed through further exploration of the factorial structure and testing of the English version.

  4. Subjective memory complaints, depressive symptoms and instrumental activities of daily living in mild cognitive impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Seon Young; Lee, Sang Bong; Kim, Tae Woo; Lee, Taek Jun

    2016-03-01

    The diagnostic relevance of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains to be unresolved. The aim of this study is to determine clinical correlates of SMCs in MCI. Furthermore, we examined whether there are the differences due to different aspects of complaints (i.e. prospective memory (PM) versus retrospective memory (RM) complaints). We examined the cross-sectional associations between SMCs and depressive symptoms, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and cognitive measures in sixty-six individuals with MCI (mean age: 65.7 ± 8.01 years). The criteria for MCI included SMCs, objective cognitive impairment, normal general cognitive function, largely intact functional activities, and absence of dementia. SMCs were assessed using the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), which contains 16 items describing everyday memory failure of both PM and RM. SMC severity (i.e. PRMQ total score) was associated with stronger depressive symptoms and worse IADL performance. SMCs were not related to cognitive measures. For PM and RM subscores, both depressive symptoms and IADL were related to the PRMQ-PM and -RM scores. The main contributors to these PM and RM scores were depressive symptoms and IADL impairment, respectively. This study suggests that SMCs are more associated with depressive symptoms and IADL problems than with cognitive performance in individuals with MCI. Furthermore, while PM and RM complaints are related to both depressive symptoms and IADL, the differences between these main contributors suggest that RM complaints based on IADL could be more associated with the organically driven pathological features of MCI.

  5. Social support and subjective health complaints among patients participating in an occupational rehabilitation program

    OpenAIRE

    Øyeflaten, Irene; Gabriele, Jeanne M.; Fisher, Edwin B.; Eriksen, Hege R.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives: To examine differences in rehabilitation patients' social support received from rehabilitation staff and from support providers outside rehabilitation, and to examine the relationships between social support and the patients' reports of subjective health complaints (SHC). Methods: 131 patients (68 % females, mean age 45 years) participating in a 4-week, inpatient, occupational rehabilitation program were included. All patients completed questionnaires on demographic variables, SHC...

  6. PlanHab study: assessment of psycho-neuroendocrine function in male subjects during 21 d of normobaric hypoxia and bed rest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strewe, C; Zeller, R; Feuerecker, M; Hoerl, M; Kumprej, I; Crispin, A; Johannes, B; Debevec, T; Mekjavic, I; Schelling, G; Choukèr, A

    2017-03-01

    Immobilization and hypoxemia are conditions often seen in patients suffering from severe heart insufficiency or primary pulmonary diseases (e.g. fibrosis, emphysema). In future planned long-duration and exploration class space missions (including habitats on the moon and Mars), healthy individuals will encounter such a combination of reduced physical activity and oxygen tension by way of technical reasons and the reduced gravitational forces. These overall unconventional extraterrestrial conditions can result in yet unknown consequences for the regulation of stress-permissive, psycho-neuroendocrine responses, which warrant appropriate measures in order to mitigate foreseeable risks. The Planetary Habitat Simulation Study (PlanHab) investigated these two space-related conditions: bed rest as model of reduced gravity and normobaric hypoxia, with the aim of examining their influence on psycho-neuroendocrine responses. We hypothesized that both conditions independently increase measures of psychological stress and enhance neuroendocrine markers of stress, and that these effects would be exacerbated by combined treatment. The cross-over study composed of three interventions (NBR, normobaric normoxic horizontal bed rest; HBR, normobaric hypoxic horizontal bed rest; HAMB, normobaric hypoxic ambulatory confinement) with 14 male subjects during three sequential campaigns separated by 4 months. The psychological state was determined through three questionnaires and principal neuroendocrine responses were evaluated by measuring cortisol in saliva, catecholamine in urine, and endocannabinoids in blood. The results revealed no effects after 3 weeks of normobaric hypoxia on psycho-neuroendocrine responses. Conversely, bed rest induced neuroendocrine alterations that were not influenced by hypoxia.

  7. Future Research in Psycho-Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goerling, Ute; Mehnert, Anja

    2018-01-01

    Since the mid-1970s psycho-oncology and psycho-oncological research have been systematically developed in many industrialized countries and have produced nationally and internationally accepted guidelines. In this article developments and challenges are presented and discussed. From the perspective of various oncological treatment options, different needs for further psycho-oncological research are considered.

  8. The Effects of Exercising in Different Natural Environments on Psycho-Physiological Outcomes in Post-Menopausal Women: A Simulation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathew P. White

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The current study examined potential psycho-physiological benefits from exercising in simulated natural environments among a sample of post-menopausal women using a laboratory based protocol. Participants cycled on a stationary exercise bike for 15 min while facing either a blank wall (Control or while watching one of three videos: Urban (Grey, Countryside (Green, Coast (Blue. Blood pressure, heart rate and affective responses were measured pre-post. Heart rate, affect, perceived exertion and time perception were also measured at 5, 10 and 15 min during exercise. Experience evaluation was measured at the end. Replicating most earlier findings, affective, but not physiological, outcomes were more positive for exercise in the simulated Green and, for the first time, Blue environment, compared to Control. Moreover, only the simulated Blue environment was associated with shorter perceived exercise duration than Control and participants were most willing to repeat exercise in the Blue setting. The current research extended earlier work by exploring the effects of “blue exercise” and by using a demographic with relatively low average levels of physical activity. That this sample of postmenopausal women were most willing to repeat a bout of exercise in a simulated Blue environment may be important for physical activity promotion in this cohort.

  9. The Effects of Exercising in Different Natural Environments on Psycho-Physiological Outcomes in Post-Menopausal Women: A Simulation Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Mathew P.; Pahl, Sabine; Ashbullby, Katherine J.; Burton, Francesca; Depledge, Michael H.

    2015-01-01

    The current study examined potential psycho-physiological benefits from exercising in simulated natural environments among a sample of post-menopausal women using a laboratory based protocol. Participants cycled on a stationary exercise bike for 15 min while facing either a blank wall (Control) or while watching one of three videos: Urban (Grey), Countryside (Green), Coast (Blue). Blood pressure, heart rate and affective responses were measured pre-post. Heart rate, affect, perceived exertion and time perception were also measured at 5, 10 and 15 min during exercise. Experience evaluation was measured at the end. Replicating most earlier findings, affective, but not physiological, outcomes were more positive for exercise in the simulated Green and, for the first time, Blue environment, compared to Control. Moreover, only the simulated Blue environment was associated with shorter perceived exercise duration than Control and participants were most willing to repeat exercise in the Blue setting. The current research extended earlier work by exploring the effects of “blue exercise” and by using a demographic with relatively low average levels of physical activity. That this sample of postmenopausal women were most willing to repeat a bout of exercise in a simulated Blue environment may be important for physical activity promotion in this cohort. PMID:26404351

  10. Subjective health complaints and illness perception amongst adults with Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-HypermobilityType - a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hope, Lena; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Løvaas, Helene; Løvvik, Camilla; Maeland, Silje

    2017-10-17

    To investigate the prevalence and severity of subjective health complaints and describe illness perception in a population of Joint Hypermobility Syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type. This study was a postal survey with a questionnaire battery on demographic data, subjective health complaints inventory, and illness perception. A total of 110 individuals diagnosed with Joint Hypermobility Syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type from two specialized hospitals in Norway were offered participation. Further, 140 gender- and age-matched healthy controls from statistics Norway representing the general population were sent the questionnaire for reference. Overall response rate was 30.4% (n = 76), with 44.5% (n = 49) in Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type and 19.3% (n = 27) in controls. Subjective health complaints were significantly higher in Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type - than in the controls (32.06 vs. 11.08; p Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type had low understanding of their illness and symptoms (understanding, mean: 3.93, SD 2.88), and reported to have moderate personal and treatment control over their illness. Adults with Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type reported higher frequency and severity of subjective health complaints than the matched controls from the general adult population in Norway. Furthermore, Joint Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-Hypermobile Type reported low understanding of their illness and associated symptoms, and moderate belief that their illness can be kept under control through self-management or treatment. This may indicate one of the reasons why prognosis for these patients is poor. Implications for rehabilitation Awareness of the complexity of the subjective health complaints and inquiry into illness perception could contribute with valuable information about these

  11. Subjective memory complaints and cognitive performance in a sample of healthy elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Caramelli

    Full Text Available Abstract Memory loss is a major complaint among the elderly population. However, the clinical significance of this symptom is variable and also controversial in the scientific literature. Objective: To compare the cognitive performance of two groups of healthy elderly, one group with and the other without, subjective memory complaints (SMC. Methods: Sixty cognitively intact elderly individuals (39 females and 21 males, aged 69.9±6.3 years and with educational level of 8.5±5.5 years, were included in the study. Participants were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination and to the Cornell depression scale in order to rule out global cognitive impairment and depression, respectively. Moreover, they answered the MAC-Q, a questionnaire devised to evaluate subjective impression of memory function. Subsequently, they were submitted to the digit span forward and backward, the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery, and to the Frontal Assessment Battery. Results: Twenty-seven individuals had MAC-Q scores <25 and thus were classified as not having SMC, while 33 had MAC-Q scores ³25 and were considered to have SMC. No differences for age, gender, education and MMSE scores were found between the two groups. The comparison between the performance of the groups of complainers and non-complainers on the different cognitive tests yielded no significant difference, although there was a trend toward non-complainers performing better on incidental memory. Conclusions: The presence of SMC was not associated to objective memory impairment or to other cognitive deficits in this group of elderly individuals.

  12. Cross-sectional variations of white and grey matter in older hypertensive patients with subjective memory complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Chetouani

    2018-01-01

    Altogether, our findings show that cross-sectional variations in overall white brain matter are linked to the metabolism of Alzheimer-like cortical areas and to cognitive performance in older hypertensive patients with only subjective memory complaints. Additional relationships with central BP strengthen the hypothesis of a contributing pathogenic role of hypertension.

  13. Subjective memory complaints in preclinical autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norton, Daniel J; Amariglio, Rebecca; Protas, Hillary; Chen, Kewei; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel C; Pulsifer, Brendan; Castrillon, Gabriel; Tirado, Victoria; Munoz, Claudia; Tariot, Pierre; Langbaum, Jessica B; Reiman, Eric M; Lopera, Francisco; Sperling, Reisa A; Quiroz, Yakeel T

    2017-10-03

    To cross-sectionally study subjective memory complaints (SMC) in autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD). We examined self-reported and study partner-based SMC in 52 young, cognitively unimpaired individuals from a Colombian kindred with early-onset ADAD. Twenty-six carried the PSEN-1 E280A mutation, averaging 7 years of age younger than the kindred's expected clinical onset. Twenty-six were age-matched noncarriers. Participants also underwent structural MRI and cognitive testing. Self-reported SMC were greater in carriers than noncarriers ( p = 0.02). Study partner-based SMC did not differ between groups ( p = 0.21), but in carriers increased with age ( r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and decreased with hippocampal volume ( r = -0.35, p = 0.08). Cognitively unimpaired PSEN-1 carriers have elevated SMC. Self-reported SMC may be a relatively early indicator of preclinical AD, while partner- reported SMC increases later in preclinical AD, closer to clinical onset. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

  14. Citation analysis of Canadian psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hack, Thomas F; Crooks, Dauna; Plohman, James; Kepron, Emma

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a historical review of psycho-oncology and supportive care research in Canada using citation analysis and to review the clinical impact of the research conducted by the most highly cited researchers. The lifetime journal publication records of 109 psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers in Canada were subject to citation analysis using the Scopus database, based on citations since 1996 of articles deemed relevant to psychosocial oncology and supportive care, excluding self-citations. Three primary types of analysis were performed for each individual: the number of citations for each journal publication, a summative citation count of all published articles, and the Scopus h-index. The top 20 psycho-oncology/supportive care researchers for each of five citation categories are presented: the number of citations for all publications; the number of citations for first-authored publications; the most highly cited first-authored publications; the Scopus h-index for all publications; and the Scopus h-index for first-authored publications. The three most highly cited Canadian psycho-oncology researchers are Dr. Kerry Courneya (University of Alberta), Dr. Lesley Degner, (University of Manitoba), and Dr. Harvey Chochinov (University of Manitoba). Citation analysis is useful for examining the research performance of psycho-oncology and supportive care researchers and identifying leaders among them.

  15. Memory Complaints Associated with Seeking Clinical Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pires, Carolina; Silva, Dina; Maroco, João; Ginó, Sandra; Mendes, Tiago; Schmand, Ben A.; Guerreiro, Manuela; de Mendonça, Alexandre

    2012-01-01

    Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment relies on the presence of memory complaints. However, memory complaints are very frequent in healthy people. The objective of this study was to determine the severity and type of memory difficulties presented by elderly patients who seek for clinical help, as compared to the memory difficulties reported by subjects in the community. Assessment of subjective memory complaints was done with the subjective memory complaints scale (SMC). The mini-mental state examination was used for general cognitive evaluation and the geriatric depression scale for the assessment of depressive symptoms. Eight-hundred and seventy-one nondemented subjects older than 50 years were included. Participants in the clinical setting had a higher total SMC score (10.3 ± 4.2) than those in the community (5.1 ± 3.0). Item 3 of the SMC, Do you ever forget names of family members or friends? contributed significantly more to the variance of the total SMC score in the clinical sample (18%) as compared to the community sample (11%). Forgetting names of family members or friends plays an important role in subjective memory complaints in the clinical setting. This symptom is possibly perceived as particularly worrisome and likely drives people to seek for clinical help. PMID:22536537

  16. The relationship between social functioning and subjective memory complaints in older persons : a population-based longitudinal cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuiper, Jisca S; Oude Voshaar, Richard C; Zuidema, Sytse U; Stolk, Ronald P; Zuidersma, Marij; Smidt, Nynke

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Poor social functioning is associated with cognitive decline in older adults. It is unclear whether social functioning is also associated with subjective memory complaints (SMC). We investigated the association between social functioning and incident SMC and SMC recovery. METHODS: A

  17. Psycho-oncology in Australia: a descriptive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butow, P; Dhillon, H; Shaw, J; Price, M

    2017-01-01

    Australia has a thriving Psycho-Oncology research and clinical community. In this article, the Australian health system in which Psycho-Oncology is embedded is described. Clinical Psycho-Oncology services are outlined, in terms of their composition, processes and reach. The development of the internationally ground-breaking Australian Psychosocial guidelines for the care of adults with cancer is described. Two large Psycho-Oncology organisations which are strongly linked to mainstream Oncology organisations are discussed: the Australian Psycho-Oncology Society (OzPos, a primarily clinician-led and focused organisation) and the Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG, a national cancer clinical trial group). OzPos is a special interest group within the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, while PoCoG is one of 14 cancer clinical trial groups funded by the national government. It is these strong connections with major multidisciplinary cancer organisations, and a culture of collaboration and co-operation, that have made Psycho-Oncology grow and thrive in Australia. Examples of large collaborative programs of Psycho-Oncology research are provided, as well as the mechanisms used to achieve these outcomes.

  18. Virtual reality in Latin American clinical psychology and the VREPAR project. Virtual Reality Environments for Psycho-Neuro-physiological Assessment and Rehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Mauro Rubens

    2002-10-01

    Starting with the excellent collective work done by the European Community (EC)-funded Virtual Reality Environments for Psycho-Neuro-physiological Assessment and Rehabilitation (VREPAR) projects, I try to indicate some possible pathways that would allow a better integration of this advanced technology into the reality of Latin American psychology. I myself use analyses that I did in my master's degree in the PUCSP-Catholic University in São Paulo, Brazil. I also include a brief description of the CD-ROM Clinical Psychology Uses of Virtual Reality (CPUVR) that accompanies my thesis. I point out the importance of collaboration between psychology and other disciplines, including computer science. I explain the method that I used to work with digital information, important for the formation of a critical mass of people thinking in Portuguese and Spanish to accelerate a technological jump.

  19. Subjective sleep complaints indicate objective sleep problems in psychosomatic patients: a prospective polysomnographic study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linden M

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Michael Linden,1,2 Marie Dietz,1 Christian Veauthier,3 Ingo Fietze3 1Research Group Psychosomatic Rehabilitation, Charité University Medicine Berlin, 2Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rehabilitation Centre Seehof, Teltow, 3Interdisciplinary Center of Sleep Medicine, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany Objective: To elucidate the relationship between subjective complaints and polysomnographical parameters in psychosomatic patients.Method: A convenience sample of patients from a psychosomatic inpatient unit were classified according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI as very poor sleepers (PSQI >10, n=80 and good sleepers (PSQI <6, n=19. They then underwent a polysomnography and in the morning rated their previous night’s sleep using a published protocol (Deutschen Gesellschaft für Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin morning protocol [MP].Results: In the polysomnography, significant differences were found between very poor and good sleepers according to the PSQI with respect to sleep efficiency and time awake after sleep onset. When comparing objective PSG and subjective MP, the polysomnographical sleep onset latency was significantly positively correlated with the corresponding parameters of the MP: the subjective sleep onset latency in minutes and the subjective evaluation of sleep onset latency (very short, short, normal, long, very long were positively correlated with the sleep latency measured by polysomnography. The polysomnographical time awake after sleep onset (in minutes was positively correlated with the subjective time awake after sleep onset (in minutes, evaluation of time awake after sleep onset (seldom, normal often, and subjective restfulness. The polysomnographical total sleep time (TST was positively correlated with the subjective TST. Conversely, the polysomnographical TST was negatively correlated with the evaluation of TST (high polysomnographical TST was correlated with the subjective

  20. Subjective health complaints and psychosocial work environment among university personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, B E; Wieslander, G; Bakke, J V; Norbäck, D

    2013-01-01

    Questionnaires are often used to study health problems in working populations. An association between self-reported symptoms and psychosocial strain has been suggested, but results from such studies are difficult to interpret, as a gender difference might be present. The knowledge in this area is not clear. To compare the prevalence of subjective health symptoms and their relation to psychosocial work strain among men and women in different age groups, all working as university staff. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among university personnel. The questionnaire included a subjective health complaint inventory consisting of 29 items about subjective somatic and psychological symptoms experienced during the last 30 days and psychosocial work factors. Regression analyses were performed. In total, 172 (86%) of 201 eligible employees participated. Women had a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms than men. Significant differences were found between the genders for headaches, neck pain and arm pain. There was a significant relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and work strain for both genders. This was found for both men and women below 40 years and among men above the age of 40. No significant difference was found between genders regarding pseudoneurological, gastrointestinal, allergic and flu-like symptoms. More female than male university personnel reported musculoskeletal symptoms. The musculoskeletal symptoms were associated with high work strain in both genders, but, for women, this was limited to employees under the age of 40. The cause of this gender difference is unknown.

  1. The Relationship between Human Operators' Psycho-physiological Condition and Human Errors in Nuclear Power Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Arryum; Jang, Inseok; Kang, Hyungook; Seong, Poonghyun

    2013-01-01

    The safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is substantially dependent on the performance of the human operators who operate the systems. In this environment, human errors caused by inappropriate performance of operator have been considered to be critical since it may lead serious problems in the safety-critical plants. In order to provide meaningful insights to prevent human errors and enhance the human performance, operators' physiological conditions such as stress and workload have been investigated. Physiological measurements were considered as reliable tools to assess the stress and workload. T. Q. Tran et al. and J. B. Brooking et al pointed out that operators' workload can be assessed using eye tracking, galvanic skin response, electroencephalograms (EEGs), heart rate, respiration and other measurements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the human operators' tense level and knowledge level to the number of human errors. For this study, the experiments were conducted in the mimic of the main control rooms (MCR) in NPP. It utilized the compact nuclear simulator (CNS) which is modeled based on the three loop Pressurized Water Reactor, 993MWe, Kori unit 3 and 4 in Korea and the subjects were asked to follow the tasks described in the emergency operating procedures (EOP). During the simulation, three kinds of physiological measurement were utilized; Electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG and nose temperature. Also, subjects were divided into three groups based on their knowledge of the plant operation. The result shows that subjects who are tense make fewer errors. In addition, subjects who are in higher knowledge level tend to be tense and make fewer errors. For the ECG data, subjects who make fewer human errors tend to be located in higher tense level area of high SNS activity and low PSNS activity. The results of EEG data are also similar to ECG result. Beta power ratio of subjects who make fewer errors was higher. Since beta power ratio is

  2. Psychosocial explanations of complaints in Dutch general practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Joosten, A; Mazeland, H; Meyboom-de Jong, B

    BACKGROUND: Dutch GPs are frequently consulted by patients presenting physical complaints which have a psychosocial cause. Until now, this type of complaint has often been the subject of study, but the way in which psychosocial explanations for complaints are broached and discussed has not yet been

  3. Modelling and management of subjective information in a fuzzy setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchon-Meunier, Bernadette; Lesot, Marie-Jeanne; Marsala, Christophe

    2013-01-01

    Subjective information is very natural for human beings. It is an issue at the crossroad of cognition, semiotics, linguistics, and psycho-physiology. Its management requires dedicated methods, among which we point out the usefulness of fuzzy and possibilistic approaches and related methods, such as evidence theory. We distinguish three aspects of subjectivity: the first deals with perception and sensory information, including the elicitation of quality assessment and the establishment of a link between physical and perceived properties; the second is related to emotions, their fuzzy nature, and their identification; and the last aspect stems from natural language and takes into account information quality and reliability of information.

  4. Memory complaints are frequent but qualitatively different in young and elderly healthy people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ginó, Sandra; Mendes, Tiago; Maroco, João; Ribeiro, Filipa; Schmand, Ben A.; de Mendonça, Alexandre; Guerreiro, Manuela

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people. OBJECTIVE: To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective

  5. Memory complaints are frequent but qualitatively different in young and elderly healthy people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ginó, S.; Mendes, T.; Maroco, J.; Ribeiro, F.; Schmand, B.A.; de Mendonca, A.; Guerreiro, M.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Subjective memory complaints are frequently reported by the elderly. There is less information about the characterization of subjective memory complaints in young people. Objective: To determine different memory complaints between young and elderly people with the use of the Subjective

  6. Subjective memory complaints are associated with poorer cognitive performance in adults with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamkwalala, Asante; Hulgan, Todd; Newhouse, Paul

    2017-05-01

    With successful antiretroviral therapy in the US, HIV-positive adults now routinely survive into old age. However, increased life expectancy with HIV introduces the added complication of age-related cognitive decline. Aging with HIV has been associated with poorer cognitive outcomes compared to HIV-negative adults. While up to 50% of older HIV-positive adults will develop some degree of cognitive impairment over their lifetime, cognitive symptoms are often not consistently monitored, until those symptoms are significant enough to impair daily life. In this study we found that subjective memory complaint (SMC) ratings correlated with measurable memory performance impairments in HIV-positive adults, but not HIV-negative adults. As the HIV-positive population ages, structured subjective cognitive assessment may be beneficial to identify the early signs of cognitive impairment, and subsequently allow for earlier interventions to maintain cognitive performance as these adults continue to survive into old age.

  7. The predictive value of self-rated health in the presence of subjective memory complaints on permanent nursing home placement in elderly primary care patients over 4-year follow-up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anni Brit Sternhagen; Siersma, Volkert Dirk; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2013-01-01

    self-rated health (SRH) predicts nursing home (NH) placement; subjective memory complaints (SMC) too. However, the predictive value of SRH in the presence of SMC is unclear.......self-rated health (SRH) predicts nursing home (NH) placement; subjective memory complaints (SMC) too. However, the predictive value of SRH in the presence of SMC is unclear....

  8. Headache and musculoskeletal complaints among subjects with self reported whiplash injury. The HUNT-2 study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nygaard Oystein

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate the life-time prevalence of self reported whiplash injury and the relationship to chronic musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs and headache in a large unselected adult population. Methods Between 1995 and 1997, all inhabitants 20 years and older in Nord-Trondelag county in Norway were invited to a comprehensive health survey. Out of 92,936 eligible for participation, a total of 59,104 individuals (63.6% answered the question about whiplash injury (whiplash. Among these, 46,895 (79.3% responded to the questions of musculoskeletal complaints and headache. Results The total life-time prevalence of self reported whiplash injury was 2.9%, for women 2.7% and for men 3.0%. There was a significant association between self reported whiplash injury and headache (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.8-2.4, and chronic MSCs (OR = 3.3; 95% CI 2.8-3.8, evident for all ten anatomical sites investigated. The association was most pronounced for those with a combination of headache and chronic MSC for both men (OR = 4.8; 95% CI 3.6-6.2 and women (OR = 5.2; 95% CI 3.7-7.1. Conclusions Subjects with self reported whiplash injury had significantly more headache and musculoskeletal complaints than those without, and may in part be due to selective reporting. The causal mechanism remains unclear and cannot be addressed in the present study design.

  9. Need for recovery from work related fatigue and its role in the development and prediction of subjective health complaints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sluiter, J.K; de Croon, E.M; Meijman, T.F.; Frings-Dresen, M.H.W.

    Aims: To present the available empirical evidence for the assumed position of the concept of work related fatigue as: (1) short term effect of the working day; and (2) an intermediate variable between work demands and the development of subjective health complaints and sickness absence. Methods:

  10. Psycho-oncology in Korea: past, present and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun Jeong; Lee, Kwang-Min; Jung, Dooyoung; Shim, Eun-Jung; Hahm, Bong-Jin; Kim, Jong-Heun

    2017-01-01

    Psycho-oncology in Korea was introduced among the circle of consultation-liaison psychiatrists, in the 1990s. For almost 25 years, the field has been developing at a steady pace as the psychosocial needs of patients with cancer continue to increase. In this study, we review the history of psycho-oncology in Korea, in a chronological order, within the domains of clinical practice, research activity, training, and public policy. Before the 1990s, patients with cancer with psychiatric comorbidities were usually taken care of by consultation-liaison psychiatrists in general hospitals. In 1993, psycho-oncology was first introduced by psychiatrists. Psychologists, nurses, and social workers have also been increasingly involved in providing psychosocial care for patients with cancer. Professionals from various disciplines began to communicate, and agreed to found the Korean Psycho-Oncology Study Group (KPOSG) in 2006, the first academic society in this field. In 2009, National Cancer Center published the "Recommendations for Distress Management in Patients with Cancer", which are consensus-based guidelines for Korean patients. In 2014, the KPOSG was dissolved and absorbed into a new organization, the Korean Psycho-Oncology Society (KPOS). It functions as a center of development of psycho-oncology, publishing official journals, and hosting annual conferences. There are many challenges, including, low awareness of psycho-oncology, presence of undertreated psychiatric disorders in patients with cancer, shortage of well-trained psycho-oncologists, stigma, and suicide risk. It is important to improve the cancer care system to the extent that psycho-oncology is integrated with mainstream oncology. Considering the socio-cultural characteristics of Korean cancer care, a Korean model of distress management is being prepared by the KPOS. This article provides an overview of the development, current issues, and future challenges of psycho-oncology in Korea. Through its long journey

  11. The Relationship between Human Operators' Psycho-physiological Condition and Human Errors in Nuclear Power Plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Arryum; Jang, Inseok; Kang, Hyungook; Seong, Poonghyun [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-05-15

    The safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is substantially dependent on the performance of the human operators who operate the systems. In this environment, human errors caused by inappropriate performance of operator have been considered to be critical since it may lead serious problems in the safety-critical plants. In order to provide meaningful insights to prevent human errors and enhance the human performance, operators' physiological conditions such as stress and workload have been investigated. Physiological measurements were considered as reliable tools to assess the stress and workload. T. Q. Tran et al. and J. B. Brooking et al pointed out that operators' workload can be assessed using eye tracking, galvanic skin response, electroencephalograms (EEGs), heart rate, respiration and other measurements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the human operators' tense level and knowledge level to the number of human errors. For this study, the experiments were conducted in the mimic of the main control rooms (MCR) in NPP. It utilized the compact nuclear simulator (CNS) which is modeled based on the three loop Pressurized Water Reactor, 993MWe, Kori unit 3 and 4 in Korea and the subjects were asked to follow the tasks described in the emergency operating procedures (EOP). During the simulation, three kinds of physiological measurement were utilized; Electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG and nose temperature. Also, subjects were divided into three groups based on their knowledge of the plant operation. The result shows that subjects who are tense make fewer errors. In addition, subjects who are in higher knowledge level tend to be tense and make fewer errors. For the ECG data, subjects who make fewer human errors tend to be located in higher tense level area of high SNS activity and low PSNS activity. The results of EEG data are also similar to ECG result. Beta power ratio of subjects who make fewer errors was higher. Since beta

  12. Differences in male and female subjective experience and physiological reactions to emotional stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poláčková Šolcová, Iva; Lačev, Alek

    2017-07-01

    Research based on self-reported data often indicates that women are the more emotional sex. The present study examined differences in emotion between the sexes across two components of the emotional process: subjective experience and physiological reactions to emotional stimuli. During the experimental study, participants (N=124; 22.5±2.88; 51 males) subjectively rated their emotional experience (valence and intensity) towards presented positive and negative affective stimuli, while physiological reactions (facial electromyography, heart rate, skin conductance, and finger skin temperature) were measured during expositions. Results from self-reports suggest that women declared more intensive emotional experiences for positive and negative stimuli and rated negative stimuli as more negative in comparison to men. Physiological measurements showed differences between the sexes in the physiological baseline measurements (facial electromyography, skin conductance and finger skin temperature). However, physiological responses towards positive or negative emotional stimuli did not prove to be different between men and women, except for finger skin temperature. Relations between self-reported subjective experiences and physiological changes were weak and insignificant. Collectively, our findings suggest certain emotional differences experienced between men and women. These differences can be found specifically in self-reported subjective experiences, while significant differences were not predominantly present in recorded physiological reactions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Subjective memory complaints, cognitive performance, and psychological factors in healthy older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinberg, Susanne I; Negash, Selamawit; Sammel, Mary D; Bogner, Hillary; Harel, Brian T; Livney, Melissa G; McCoubrey, Hannah; Wolk, David A; Kling, Mitchel A; Arnold, Steven E

    2013-12-01

    To determine whether subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are associated with performance on objective cognitive measures and psychological factors in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. The cohort was composed of adults, 65 years and older with no clinical evidence of cognitive impairment (n = 125). Participants were administered: CogState computerized neurocognitive battery, Prospective Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, personality and meaning-in-life measures. SMCs were associated with poorer performance on measures of executive function (p = 0.001). SMCs were also associated with impaired delayed recall (p = 0.006) but this did not remain significant after statistical adjustment for multiple comparisons. SMCs were inversely associated with conscientiousness (p = 0.004) and directly associated with neuroticism (p cognitive changes and are associated with personality traits and meaning-in-life in healthy, older adults.

  14. No association of cortical amyloid load and EEG connectivity in older people with subjective memory complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Teipel

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Changes in functional connectivity of cortical networks have been observed in resting-state EEG studies in healthy aging as well as preclinical and clinical stages of AD. Little information, however, exists on associations between EEG connectivity and cortical amyloid load in people with subjective memory complaints. Here, we determined the association of global cortical amyloid load, as measured by florbetapir-PET, with functional connectivity based on the phase-lag index of resting state EEG data for alpha and beta frequency bands in 318 cognitively normal individuals aged 70–85 years with subjective memory complaints from the INSIGHT-preAD cohort. Within the entire group we did not find any significant associations between global amyloid load and phase-lag index in any frequency band. Assessing exclusively the subgroup of amyloid-positive participants, we found enhancement of functional connectivity with higher global amyloid load in the alpha and a reduction in the beta frequency bands. In the amyloid-negative participants, higher amyloid load was associated with lower connectivity in the low alpha band. However, these correlations failed to reach significance after controlling for multiple comparisons. The absence of a strong amyloid effect on functional connectivity may represent a selection effect, where individuals remain in the cognitively normal group only if amyloid accumulation does not impair cortical functional connectivity.

  15. Gender differences in public office workers' satisfaction, subjective symptoms and musculoskeletal complaints in workplace and office environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sangbok; Park, Myoung Hwan; Jeong, Byung Yong

    2018-06-01

    This study investigates differences between male and female public office workers' satisfaction levels, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) complaints in workplace and office environments. Questionnaire surveys were performed in 30 offices from 15 public institutions. Male and female workers of the same age were coupled and selected from each office, gathering a total of 120 male and 120 female subjects. The results show that differences exist between genders in noise and lighting satisfaction levels, SBS-related symptoms (eye, nose, skin) and MSD complaints of hand/wrist/finger, while there is no difference in overall satisfaction level of office environments. The study also suggests that office design for public office workers should take into account gender differences in preventing MSDs and also SBS. The findings of this study are expected to serve as basic data for designing effective public office environments.

  16. Predicting Cognitive, Functional, and Diagnostic Change over 4 Years Using Baseline Subjective Cognitive Complaints in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, Melissa J; Sachdev, Perminder S; Kochan, Nicole A; Woolf, Claudia; Crawford, John D; Giskes, Katrina; Reppermund, Simone; Trollor, Julian N; Draper, Brian; Delbaere, Kim; Brodaty, Henry

    2015-09-01

    There is limited understanding of the usefulness of subjective cognitive complaint(s) (SCC) in predicting longitudinal outcome because most studies focus solely on memory (as opposed to nonmemory cognitive) complaints, do not collect data from both participants and informants, do not control for relevant covariates, and have limited outcome measures. Therefore the authors investigate the usefulness of participant and informant SCCs in predicting change in cognition, functional abilities, and diagnostic classification of mild cognitive impairment or dementia in a community-dwelling sample over 4 years. Nondemented participants (N = 620) in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study aged between 70 and 90 years completed 15 memory and 9 nonmemory SCC questions. An informant completed a baseline questionnaire that included 15 memory and 4 nonmemory SCC questions relating to the participant. Neuropsychological, functional, and diagnostic assessments were carried out at baseline and again at 4-year follow-up. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were carried out to determine the association between SCC indices and neuropsychological, functional, and diagnostic data while controlling for psychological measures. Once participant characteristics were controlled for, participant complaints were generally not predictive of cognitive or functional decline, although participant memory-specific complaints were predictive of diagnostic conversion. Informant-related memory questions were associated with global cognitive and functional decline and with diagnostic conversion over 4 years. Informant memory complaint questions were better than participant complaints in predicting cognitive and functional decline as well as diagnoses over 4 years. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Defining of medical and psychological assistance volume to women with physiological pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Bozhuk

    2015-05-01

    Summary. Mother and prenate are in close symbiotic relationship, which manifests itself in the interaction at physiological and psychological levels of organisms’ functioning. Reflexive accepting yourself as a pregnant woman depends also on the the motives of conception, planed / not planed parenthood, social situation and level of psychological and social support. The aim of the research is to determine the volume and structure of medical and psychological assistance. The research was conducted in maternity hospital prenatal consultation centre of Chernihiv City Council and Municipal nonprofit company "Consultation and Diagnostic Center" of Golosiivsky district in Kyiv in 2010-2014. The research involved 185 pregnant women whose age ranged from 17 to 36 years old (group 1 μ = 25,5 ± 0,27, group 2 -μ = 24,8 ± 0,27. Women of group 1 show some fear of future childbirth, which applies to both the woman herself and the unborn child. The course of psychological education was developed for women of group 1, which included not only the educational part regarding the physiology of pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum, etc. but also the part aimed at reducing anxiety and overcoming identified fears. For the women of group 2 psychological influence is required in all researched spheres (personal, psycho-social, psycho-emotional and reproductive if the fear of future birth is present and vivid. According to conducted research for women of group 2 there were found the next targets of psycho-therapeutic influence which have been taken into account when developing the course of psycho- correction: to normalize psycho-emotional state of the pregnant woman, to reduce anxiety level; to work with identified fears; to normalize emotional relation in the dyad "prenate - mother" and creating the triad "father-mother-prenate"; to normalize family relations and to construct optimal types of family systems; to harmonize personal traits of the pregnant woman. Based on the results of

  18. Effectiveness of psycho-educational intervention in improving outcome of unipolar depression: results from a randomised clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, K; Gupta, M

    2015-03-01

    Depressive disorders are one of the leading components of the global burden of disease with a prevalence of up to 14% in the general population. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pharmacotherapy combined with non-pharmacological measures offer the best treatment approach. Psycho-education as an intervention has been studied mostly in disorders such as schizophrenia and dementia, less so in depressive disorders. The present study aimed to assess the impact of psycho-education of patients and their caregivers on the outcome of depression. A total of 80 eligible depressed subjects were recruited and randomised into 2 groups. The study group involved an eligible family member and all were offered individual structured psycho-educational modules. Another group (controls) received routine counselling. The subjects in both groups also received routine pharmacotherapy and counselling from the treating clinician and were assessed at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI). Results from both groups were compared using statistical methods including Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Student's t test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, as well as univariate and multiple regression analyses. Baseline socio-demographic and assessment measures were similar in both groups. The study group had consistent improvement in terms of outcome measures with HDRS, GAF, and PGWBI scores showing respective mean change of -15.08, 22, and 60 over 12 weeks. The comparable respective changes in the controls were -8.77, 18.1, and 43.25. Structured psycho-education combined with pharmacotherapy is an effective intervention for people with depressive disorders. Psycho-education optimises the pharmacological treatment of depression in terms of faster recovery, reduction in severity of depression, and improvement in subjective wellbeing and social functioning.

  19. Technical structure of Complaint Poetry Until 3 A.H

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Technical structure of Complaint Poetry Until 3 A.H       * Gholam Abbas Rezai   * * Sherafat Karimi     Abstract   Complaint refers to the poetic works in which the poet talks about the Vehemence of his/her painful feeling. It is the description of pains, personal and social problems and in a way is confiding whatever has annoyed his/her soul and body. Complaint can be categorized into social and personal ones. The personal complaints composed at the time of Islam were generally complaining about the Time, death, aging and separation from the beloved. This was due to the poets' shallow viewpoint on life and their nihilistic inclinations. These subjects were still present in first three centuries and were added by new subjects such as complaining about sensual desires.   The general characteristic, style, structure and elements of meaning were simplicity in word and meaning , sincere and ample feeling, using many words with denotative meanings, utilizing maxims, proverbs and wise sayings, rhetorical statements, rich cadence (musical tones, as well as uniformity and simple imagination. Complaint is an independent poetic technique which as a result of the close relation to other sorts of poetic subjects is threaded through various sorts of elegy and sometimes is composed as an independent elegy.     Key words : Complaint Poetry Structure Style Poetic Subject       * Associate Professor, Department of Arabic Language and Literature, university of Tehran . E-mail: GHREZAEE@UT.AC.IR .   ** PhD .candidate university of Tehran .E-mail: KARIMI.SHARAFAT@yahoo.com

  20. Effects of work-related sleep restriction on acute physiological and psychological stress responses and their interactions: A review among emergency service personnel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Wolkow

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Emergency work can expose personnel to sleep restriction. Inadequate amounts of sleep can negatively affect physiological and psychological stress responses. This review critiqued the emergency service literature (e.g., firefighting, police/law enforcement, defense forces, ambulance/paramedic personnel that has investigated the effect of sleep restriction on hormonal, inflammatory and psychological responses. Furthermore, it investigated if a psycho-physiological approach can help contextualize the significance of such responses to assist emergency service agencies monitor the health of their personnel. The available literature suggests that sleep restriction across multiple work days can disrupt cytokine and cortisol levels, deteriorate mood and elicit simultaneous physiological and psychological responses. However, research concerning the interaction between such responses is limited and inconclusive. Therefore, it is unknown if a psycho-physiological relationship exists and as a result, it is currently not feasible for agencies to monitor sleep restriction related stress based on psycho- physiological interactions. Sleep restriction does however, appear to be a major stressor contributing to physiological and psychological responses and thus, warrants further investigation.

  1. [Diastolic dysfunction in the elderly subjects. Disease or a physiological manifestation of ageing?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meluzín, J; Podroužková, H; Gregorová, Z; Panovský, R

    2013-05-01

    The purpose of this summary paper is to discuss the current knowledge of the impact of age on diastolic function of the left ventricle. Data from the literature: Reports published till this time have convincingly demonstrated a significant relationship of age to diastolic function of the left ventricle. Ageing is a physiological process accompanied by structural changes in both myocardium and arterial bed resulting in worsening of parameters characterizing the left ventricular diastolic function. This "physiological" diastolic dysfunction in the elderly subjects can be explained by the deterioration of passive left ventricular filling properties and by worsening of left ventricular relaxation. The detailed analysis of published reports shows problems in distiguishing this "physiological" diastolic dysfunction resulting from physiological tissue ageing from "pathological" diastolic dysfunction reflecting a disease of cardiovascular system. To interprete correctly values of parameters quantifying diastolic function of the left ventricle, one should take into account the age of subjects under the examination. Further studies are necessary to distinguish exactly "physiological" deterioration of diastolic function associated with ageing from really "pathological" diastolic dysfunction in the elderly subjects.

  2. A Global Perspective on Psycho-Educational Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilmore, Linda; Islam, Shaheen; Su, Hui; Younesian, Sharifeh

    2015-01-01

    For psychologists in less developed countries, psycho-educational assessment is often challenging due to a lack of specialist training and a scarcity of appropriate, psychometrically robust instruments. This article focuses on school psychology and psycho-educational assessment in three countries: Bangladesh, China and Iran. Despite differences in…

  3. Genetic Influences on Physiological and Subjective Responses to an Aerobic Exercise Session among Sedentary Adults

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karoly, H. C.; Stevens, C.; Harlaar, N.; Hutchison, K. E.; Bryan, A. D.; Magnan, R. E.

    2012-01-01

    To determine whether genetic variants suggested by the literature to be associated with physiology and fitness phenotypes predicted differential physiological and subjective responses to a bout of aerobic exercise among inactive but otherwise healthy adults. Method. Participants completed a 30-minute submaximal aerobic exercise session. Measures of physiological and subjective responding were taken before, during, and after exercise. 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been previously associated with various exercise phenotypes were tested for associations with physiological and subjective response to exercise phenotypes. Results. We found that two SNPs in the FTO gene (rs8044769 and rs3751812) were related to positive affect change during exercise. Two SNPs in the CREB1 gene (rs2253206 and 2360969) were related to change in temperature during exercise and with maximal oxygen capacity (VO 2 max). The SLIT2 SNP rs1379659 and the FAM5C SNP rs1935881 were associated with norepinephrine change during exercise. Finally, the OPRM1 SNP rs1799971 was related to changes in norepinephrine, lactate, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise. Conclusion. Genetic factors influence both physiological and subjective responses to exercise. A better understanding of genetic factors underlying physiological and subjective responses to aerobic exercise has implications for development and potential tailoring of exercise interventions.

  4. Relations between job insecurity and job satisfaction, subjective health complaints, and organizational attitudes among industrial workers in Norway

    OpenAIRE

    Hauge, Lars Johan

    2004-01-01

    In order to stay vital and competitive in a changing labour market, organizations engage in various adaptive strategies such as downsizing and mergers. Adaptation strategies may vary but they all have one ting in common; they expose the workforce to feelings of uncertainty and job insecurity. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the relationships between job insecurity and job satisfaction, subjective health complaints, and organizational attitudes. The definition of job insecurity used i...

  5. Subjective Health Complaints in Individuals with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Associations with the Severity of the Skin Condition and Illness Perceptions - A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordbø, Emma Charlott Andersson; Aamodt, Geir; Ihlebæk, Camilla Martha

    2017-06-01

    High comorbidity has been reported among persons with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but the occurrence of subjective health complaints (SHCs) in these patient groups is poorly understood. The study aimed to describe the prevalence of SHCs among individuals with psoriasis and PsA in Norway, and investigate whether the severity of their skin condition and their illness perceptions were associated with the number and severity of health complaints. Participants were recruited through the Psoriasis and Eczema Association of Norway (PEF) (n = 942). The participants answered a self-administered questionnaire covering subjective health complaints, the severity of their skin condition, and their illness perceptions measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ-R). The prevalence and severity of SHCs were high. Participants with PsA reported more complaints and higher severity of complaints compared with participants with psoriasis. In both groups, the severity of the skin condition was associated with the number and severity of SHCs. Cognitive illness perceptions (consequences) and emotional illness perceptions (emotional affect) were associated with SHCs in participants with psoriasis, whereas only cognitive illness perceptions (consequences and identity) were associated with SHCs in participants with PsA. The high prevalence and severity of SHCs among individuals with psoriasis and PsA were associated with the severity of the skin condition and illness perceptions. Somatic and cognitive sensitizations are proposed as possible mechanisms. The findings suggest that holistic approaches are essential when managing these patient groups in health care institutions and clinical practice.

  6. Real-Time Physiological and Psycho-Physiological Status Monitoring (Suivi en Temps reel de l’Etat Physiologique et Psycho-Physiologique)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    Physiol, 98:591-597. [35] Maggiorini, M., Melot, C., Pierre, S., Pfeiffer, F., Greve, I., Sartori, C., Lepori, M., Hauser , M., Scherrer, U. and Naeije, R...A PHYSIOLOGICAL MONITORING SYSTEM (DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC) Pavel Smrcka, Karel Hana, Jan Kaspar , Radek Fiala Clever...variability analysis in general medicine. Indian Pacing Electrophysiol. Journal, 2003; 3(1):34. [6] Hana, K., Fiala, R., Kaspar , J., Smrcka, P. and Brada

  7. Physiological and psychological assessment of sound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanagihashi, R.; Ohira, Masayoshi; Kimura, Teiji; Fujiwara, Takayuki

    The psycho-physiological effects of several sound stimulations were investigated to evaluate the relationship between a psychological parameter, such as subjective perception, and a physiological parameter, such as the heart rate variability (HRV). Eight female students aged 21-22 years old were tested. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and the movement of the chest-wall for estimating respiratory rate were recorded during three different sound stimulations; (1) music provided by a synthesizer (condition A); (2) birds twitters (condition B); and (3) mechanical sounds (condition C). The percentage power of the low-frequency (LF; 0.05<=0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF; 0.15<=0.40 Hz) components in the HRV (LF%, HF%) were assessed by a frequency analysis of time-series data for 5 min obtained from R-R intervals in the ECG. Quantitative assessment of subjective perception was also described by a visual analog scale (VAS). The HF% and VAS value for comfort in C were significantly lower than in either A and/or B. The respiratory rate and VAS value for awakening in C were significantly higher than in A and/or B. There was a significant correlation between the HF% and the value of the VAS, and between the respiratory rate and the value of the VAS. These results indicate that mechanical sounds similar to C inhibit the para-sympathetic nervous system and promote a feeling that is unpleasant but alert, also suggesting that the HRV reflects subjective perception.

  8. Effects of work-related sleep restriction on acute physiological and psychological stress responses and their interactions: A review among emergency service personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolkow, Alexander; Ferguson, Sally; Aisbett, Brad; Main, Luana

    2015-01-01

    Emergency work can expose personnel to sleep restriction. Inadequate amounts of sleep can negatively affect physiological and psychological stress responses. This review critiqued the emergency service literature (e.g., firefighting, police/law enforcement, defense forces, ambulance/paramedic personnel) that has investigated the effect of sleep restriction on hormonal, inflammatory and psychological responses. Furthermore, it investigated if a psycho-physiological approach can help contextualize the significance of such responses to assist emergency service agencies monitor the health of their personnel. The available literature suggests that sleep restriction across multiple work days can disrupt cytokine and cortisol levels, deteriorate mood and elicit simultaneous physiological and psychological responses. However, research concerning the interaction between such responses is limited and inconclusive. Therefore, it is unknown if a psycho-physiological relationship exists and as a result, it is currently not feasible for agencies to monitor sleep restriction related stress based on psycho- physiological interactions. Sleep restriction does however, appear to be a major stressor contributing to physiological and psychological responses and thus, warrants further investigation. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  9. [Psycho-oncology : the psyche and cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heussner, P; Hiddemann, W

    2012-11-01

    The relationships between the psyche and cancer are manifold. Psycho-oncology focuses on the psychological adjustment to life-threatening illnesses. Crises are not unusual in health care, but the perception of cancer is totally different because the diagnosis of cancer often results in an irrational shock reaction in all parties involved. A diagnosis of cancer is much more negatively perceived than any other incurable disease, such as cardiopathy or neuropathy with a comparable or worse prognosis. During the shock of having received a diagnosis of cancer, there is no awareness that cancer can be cured. Improvement of quality of life, identification of psychological distress and prevention of mental disorders are the main tasks of psycho-oncology. Psycho-oncological services are not longer regarded a luxury, but are recognized by health care politicians as being important. However, the financing of services remains unclear.

  10. A module for psycho-social assessment of personal health monitoring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muehlan, Holger; Rhode, Dieter; Schmidt, Silke

    2013-01-01

    This contribution to an interdisciplinary methodology on Personal Health Monitoring (PHM) aims at developing a psycho-social module for health technology assessment on PHM applications. It covers important aspects that should be taken into account for conducting a health technology assessment from a psycho-social perspective. As it could be used in addition to other tools within the PHM-Ethics approach to health technology assessment it is considered as a module of the interdisciplinary methodology. As a prerequisite, we provide a conceptual framework on psycho-social issues of PHM applications. From that framework we delineate an integrated module for psycho-social health technology assessment for PHM applications, consisting of a map highlighting selective psycho-social issues that may appear when applying a PHM system. This psycho-social tool is at least twofold in its intention as a sole HTA tool on the one hand and as an integral part of the interdisciplinary PHM methodology on the other hand. It provides a quick overview on potential benefits and risks from the user's point of view.

  11. Subjective health complaints, functional ability, fear avoidance beliefs, and days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation - a mediation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Øyeflaten, Irene; Opsahl, Jon; Eriksen, Hege R; Braathen, Tore Norendal; Lie, Stein Atle; Brage, Søren; Ihlebæk, Camilla M; Breivik, Kyrre

    2016-05-23

    Long-term sick leave and withdrawal from working life is a concern in western countries. In Norway, comprehensive inpatient work rehabilitation may be offered to sick listed individuals at risk of long-term absence from work. Knowledge about prognostic factors for work outcomes after long-term sick leave and work rehabilitation is still limited. The aim of this study was to test a mediation model for various hypothesized biopsychosocial predictors of continued sick leave after inpatient work rehabilitation. One thousand one hundred fifty-five participants on long-term sick leave from eight different work rehabilitation clinics answered comprehensive questionnaires at arrival to the clinic, and were followed with official register data on sickness benefits for 3 years. Structural equation models were conducted, with days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation as the outcome. Fear avoidance beliefs for work mediated the relation between both musculoskeletal complaints and education on days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation. The relation between musculoskeletal complaints and fear avoidance beliefs for work was furthermore fully mediated by poor physical function. Previous sick leave had a strong independent effect on continued sick leave after work rehabilitation. Fear avoidance beliefs for work did not mediate the small effect of pseudoneurological complaints on continued sick leave. Poor coping/interaction ability was neither related to continued sick leave nor fear avoidance beliefs for work. The mediation model was partly supported by the data, and provides some possible new insight into how fear avoidance beliefs for work and functional ability may intervene with subjective health complaints and days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation.

  12. Increased Working Memory-Related Brain Activity in Middle-Aged Women with Cognitive Complaints

    OpenAIRE

    Dumas, Julie A.; Kutz, Amanda M.; McDonald, Brenna C.; R.Naylor, Magdalena; Pfaff, Ashley C.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Newhouse, Paul A.

    2012-01-01

    Individuals who report subjective cognitive complaints but perform normally on neuropsychological tests may be at increased risk for pathological cognitive aging. The current study examined the effects of the presence of subjective cognitive complaints on functional brain activity during a working memory task in a sample of middle-aged postmenopausal women. Twenty-three postmenopausal women aged 50–60 completed a cognitive complaint battery of questionnaires. Using 20% of items endorsed as th...

  13. Brief psycho-education affects circadian variability in nicotine craving during cessation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nosen, Elizabeth; Woody, Sheila R

    2013-09-01

    Nicotine cravings are a key target of smoking cessation interventions. Cravings demonstrate circadian variation during abstinence, often peaking during the morning and evening hours. Although some research has also shown diurnal variation in the efficacy of nicotine replacement medications, little research has examined how brief psychosocial interventions affect temporal patterns of craving during abstinence. The present study examined the impact of two brief psycho-education interventions on circadian variations in cravings during a 24-h period. 176 adult smokers interested in quitting participated in two lab sessions. During the first session, participants received (a) mindfulness psycho-education that encouraged acceptance of cravings as a normal, tolerable part of quitting that people should not expect to perfectly control, (b) standard cessation psycho-education, or (c) no psycho-education. Half the sample initiated a cessation attempt the following day. Dependent variables were assessed using ecological momentary assessment (24-h of monitoring, immediately after first lab session) and questionnaires four days later. Partially consistent with hypotheses, both forms of psycho-education were associated with differential diurnal variation in cravings during cessation. Relative to those receiving no psycho-education, standard smoking cessation psycho-education decreased morning cravings. Psycho-education encouraging acceptance of cravings was associated with lower craving in both the morning and evening, albeit only among successfully abstinent smokers. Results demonstrate that brief non-pharmacological interventions can affect circadian craving patterns during smoking cessation. Further investigation of mechanisms of change and of the impact of psycho-education on cessation outcomes is warranted. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The Societal Nature of Subjectivity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Henning Salling

    2013-01-01

    The HSR Focus presents a psycho-societal approach to qualitative empirical research in several areas of everyday social life. It is an approach which integrates a theory of subjectivity and an interpretation methodology which integrates hermeneutic experiences from text analysis and psychoanalysis....... In terms of methodology it revives the themes originally launched in FOS exactly ten years ago: "Subjectivity and Reflectivity in Qualitative Research" (Breuer, Mruck and Roth 2002; Mruck and Breuer 2003). This editorial introduction presents the intellectual background of the psycho-societal methodology......, reflects on its relevance and critical perspectives in a contemporary landscape of social science, and comments the way in which an international and interdisciplinary research group has developed this approach to profane empirical research....

  15. Correlations between tests of aging in Hiroshima subjects: an attempt to define physiologic age

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hollingsworth, J W; Hashizume, Asaji; Jablon, Seymour

    1964-12-01

    Nine physiologic functions which change with age were measured in 437 subjects during their regular visits to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission clinic in Hiroshima, Japan. This pilot study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of collecting such data in a population sample physiologic age score. Tests conducted consisted of: skin elasticity, systolic blood pressure, vital capacity, hand grip strength, light extinction time, vibrometer, visual activity, audiometry, and serum cholesterol. The study demonstrated that adequate sample data could be obtained, and that statistical treatment could construct a physiologic age for individual subjects. However, the tests were of limited value below age 40, and the validation of the concept of physiologic age requires eventual correlation with mortality. Since the ABCC program includes a highly accurate mortality survey, it is hoped that data on physiologic aging can be collected and eventually related to mortality. 11 references, 3 figures, 6 tables.

  16. A Psycho-Societal Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mellon, Karsten

    This is a project about Danish vocational bachelor students admitted on the basis of an Individual Competency Assessment (VPL/IKV) in light of a Psycho-Societal Approach. The core idea of this paper is to present a PhD project which aims to contribute findings regarding students enrolled in a Dan...... in a Danish vocational Bachelor’s education program (teachers program under the frame of University College) through Validation of Prior Learning by the use of an Individual Competencies Assessment (VPL/IKV).......This is a project about Danish vocational bachelor students admitted on the basis of an Individual Competency Assessment (VPL/IKV) in light of a Psycho-Societal Approach. The core idea of this paper is to present a PhD project which aims to contribute findings regarding students enrolled...

  17. Psycho-echo-biofeedback: a novel treatment for anismus--results of a prospective controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Popolo, F; Cioli, V M; Plevi, T; Pescatori, M

    2014-10-01

    Anismus or non-relaxing puborectalis muscle (PRM), detectable with anal/vaginal ultrasound (US), is a cause of obstructed defecation (OD) and may be treated with biofeedback (BFB). Many patients with anismus are anxious and/or depressed. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the outcome of the novel procedure psycho-echo-BFB in patients with anismus and psychological disorders. Patients presenting at our unit with anismus and psychological disorders between January 2009 and December 2013, and not responding to conventional conservative treatment, were enrolled in the study. All underwent four sessions of psycho-echo-BFB, carried out by two psychologists and a coloproctologist, consisting of guided imagery, relaxation techniques and anal/vaginal US-assisted BFB. A validated score for OD was used, and PRM relaxation on straining measured before and after the treatment. PRM relaxation was also measured in a control group of 7 patients with normal bowel habits. Ten patients (8 females, median age 47 years, range 26-72 years) underwent psycho-echo-BFB. The OD score, evaluated prior to and at a median of 25 months (range 1-52 months) after the treatment, improved in 7 out of 10 patients, from 13.5 ± 1.2 to 9.6 ± 2.2 (mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM)), p = 0.06. At the end of the last session, PRM relaxed on straining in all cases, from 0 to 7.1 ± 1.1 mm, i.e., physiological values, not statistically different from those of controls (6.6 ± 1.5 mm). Two patients reported were cured, 3 improved and 5, all of whom had undergone prior anorectal surgery, unchanged. No side effects were reported. Psycho-echo-BFB is safe and inexpensive and allows all patients with anismus to relax PRM on straining. Previous anorectal surgery may be a negative predictor.

  18. Psycho-social aspects of personal health monitoring: a descriptive literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muehlan, Holger; Schmidt, Silke

    2013-01-01

    We aimed at providing a short review on already published studies addressing psycho-social issues of personal health monitoring (PHM). Both core questions addressed within this review are: What is the impact of PHM on intended psycho-social and health-related outcomes? And which psycho-social issues affected by or related to PHM have already been investigated? This descriptive review based on a literature search using various databases (Psycinfo, Psyndex, Pubmed, SSCI). Resulting 428 abstracts were coded regarding their psycho-social content. Inspection of results was carried out along the relevance of the papers regarding psycho-social issues. Research in PHM focuses on telemonitoring and smart home applications: Tele-monitoring studies are directed to outcome-related questions, smart home studies to feasibility issues. Despite of technological matters, comparability of both systems in psycho-social issues is lacking. Tele-monitoring has been proven for impact on patient groups with chronic diseases, yet smart home still lacks evidence in health-related and psycho-social matters. Smart home applications have been investigated with respect to attitudes, perceptions and concerns of end-users, telemonitoring regarding acceptance and adherence.

  19. The impact of subjective memory complaints on quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maki, Yohko; Yamaguchi, Tomoharu; Yamagami, Tetsuya; Murai, Tatsuhiko; Hachisuka, Kenji; Miyamae, Fumiko; Ito, Kae; Awata, Shuichi; Ura, Chiaki; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of memory complaints on quality of life (QOL) in elderly community dwellers with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants included 120 normal controls (NC) and 37 with MCI aged 65 and over. QOL was measured using the Japanese version of Satisfaction in Daily Life, and memory complaints were measured using a questionnaire consisting of four items. The relevance of QOL was evaluated with psychological factors of personality traits, sense of self-efficacy, depressive mood, self-evaluation of daily functioning, range of social activities (Life-Space Assessment), social network size, and cognitive functions including memory. The predictors of QOL were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. QOL was not significantly different between the NC and MCI groups. In both groups, QOL was positively correlated with self-efficacy, daily functioning, social network size, Life-Space Assessment, and the personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness; QOL was negatively correlated with memory complaints, depressive mood, and the personality trait of neuroticism. In regression analysis, memory complaints were a negative predictor of QOL in the MCI group, but not in the NC group. The partial correlation coefficient between QOL and memory complaints was -0.623 (P negative predictor in both groups. Positive predictors were Life-Space Assessment in the NC group and sense of self-efficacy in the MCI group. Memory complaints exerted a negative impact on self-rated QOL in the MCI group, whereas a negative correlation was weak in the NC group. Memory training has been widely practised in individuals with MCI to prevent the development of dementia. However, such approaches inevitably identify their memory deficits and could aggravate their awareness of memory decline. Thus, it is critical to give sufficient consideration not to reduce QOL in the intervention for those with MCI. © 2014 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics

  20. iComplaints

    Data.gov (United States)

    US Agency for International Development — iComplaints is a web-based Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint tracking and reporting system. The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs uses iComplaints to...

  1. Self-rated health status and subjective health complaints associated with health-promoting lifestyles among urban Chinese women: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Jingru; Wang, Tian; Li, Fei; Xiao, Ya; Bi, Jianlu; Chen, Jieyu; Sun, Xiaomin; Wu, Liuguo; Wu, Shengwei; Liu, Yanyan; Luo, Ren; Zhao, Xiaoshan

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate whether self-rated health status (SRH) and subjective health complaints (SHC) of urban Chinese women are associated with their health-promoting lifestyles (HPL). We conducted a cross-sectional study on 8142 eligible Chinese participants between 2012 and 2013. Demographic and SHC data were collected. Each subject completed the SRH questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II). Correlation and binary regression analyses were performed to examine the associations of SRH and SHC with HPL. Both SRH and HPL of urban Chinese women were moderate. The most common complaints were fatigue (1972, 24.2%), eye discomfort (1571, 19.3%), and insomnia (1542, 18.9%). Teachers, highly educated subjects and elderly women had lower SRH scores, while college students and married women had better HPL. All items of HPLP-II were positively correlated with SRH (r = 0.127-0.533, P = 0.000) and negatively correlated with SHC to a significant extent (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40-11.37). Aspects of HPL, particularly stress management and spiritual growth, are associated with higher SRH and lower SHC ratings among urban Chinese women. Physical activity and health responsibility are additionally related to reduced fatigue and nervousness. We believe that these findings will be instrumental in encouraging researchers and urban women to adopt better health-promoting lifestyles with different priorities in their daily lives.

  2. Executive functioning complaints and escitalopram treatment response in late-life depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manning, Kevin J; Alexopoulos, George S; Banerjee, Samprit; Morimoto, Sarah Shizuko; Seirup, Joanna K; Klimstra, Sibel A; Yuen, Genevieve; Kanellopoulos, Theodora; Gunning-Dixon, Faith

    2015-05-01

    Executive dysfunction may play a key role in the pathophysiology of late-life depression. Executive dysfunction can be assessed with cognitive tests and subjective report of difficulties with executive skills. The present study investigated the association between subjective report of executive functioning complaints and time to escitalopram treatment response in older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). 100 older adults with MDD (58 with executive functioning complaints and 42 without executive functioning complaints) completed a 12-week trial of escitalopram. Treatment response over 12 weeks, as measured by repeated Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores, was compared for adults with and without executive complaints using mixed-effects modeling. Mixed effects analysis revealed a significant group × time interaction, F(1, 523.34) = 6.00, p = 0.01. Depressed older adults who reported executive functioning complaints at baseline demonstrated a slower response to escitalopram treatment than those without executive functioning complaints. Self-report of executive functioning difficulties may be a useful prognostic indicator for subsequent speed of response to antidepressant medication. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Psycho-Neurological Status in Children with Malocclusions and Muscle Pressure Habits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubleva, Irina A; Persin, Leonid S; Slabkovskaya, Anna B; Zavadenko, Nikolay N; Deregibus, Andrea; Debernardi, Cesare L

    2015-01-01

    Non-nutritive sucking behaviors such as finger- and tongue-sucking, tongue thrust, lips- or cheek-sucking, nail-, lip- or tongue-biting and other pressure habits represent risk factors for malocclusion. The association between psycho-neurological disorders and different types of malocclusion in children with sucking habits was long studied. During neurological examination, many children with sucking habits are diagnosed as Minimal Cerebral Dysfunction or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) bearers. The aim of this study is to assess the psycho-neurological status and motor disorders in children with malocclusion and normal occlusion. 135 children, aged between 8 and 12 years old, were examined, 42 children with normal occlusion and 93 children with different types of malocclusion. Besides clinical examination, all children were studied by the following psychoneurological methods: 1) Parent's Questionnaire, 2) Diagnostic interview Kiddie-Sads 3) Physical and Neurological Exam for Subtle Signs and 4) stabilometric tests. This study shows as in presence of dentofacial anomalies, pressure habits, ADHD reports significant effects on the functional state of the motor system: increases are noted in all basic parameters of statokinesiograms (crossed distance, sway area and ellipse surface), which lead to increased physiologic energy costs to maintain the vertical position of the body.

  4. An Integrative Bio-Psycho-Social Theory of Anorexia Nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munro, Calum; Randell, Louise; Lawrie, Stephen M

    2017-01-01

    The need for novel approaches to understanding and treating anorexia nervosa (AN) is well recognized. The aim of this paper is to describe an integrative bio-psycho-social theory of maintaining factors in AN. We took a triangulation approach to develop a clinically relevant theory with face validity and internal consistency. We developed theoretical ideas from our clinical practice and reviewed theoretical ideas within the eating disorders and wider bio-psycho-social literature. The synthesis of these ideas and concepts into a clinically meaningful framework is described here. We suggest eight key factors central to understanding the maintenance and treatment resistance of anorexia nervosa: genetic or experiential predisposing factors; dysfunctional feelings processing and regulation systems; excessive vulnerable feelings; 'feared self' beliefs; starvation as a maladaptive physiological feelings regulation mechanism; maladaptive psychological coping modes; maladaptive social behaviour; and unmet physical and psychological core needs. Each of these factors serves to maintain the disorder. The concept of universal physical and psychological core needs can provide an underpinning integrative framework for working with this distinctly physical and psychological disorder. This framework could be used within any treatment model. We suggest that treatments which help address the profound lack of trust, emotional security and self-acceptance in this patient group will in turn address unmet needs and improve well-being. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The concept of unmet physical and psychological needs can be used as an underlying integrative framework for understanding and working with this patient group, alongside any treatment model. A functional understanding of the neuro-biological, physiological and psychological mechanisms involved in anorexia nervosa can help patients reduce self-criticism and shame. Fears about being or becoming fat, greedy, needy

  5. Psychosocial working conditions and cognitive complaints among Swedish employees.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia U D Stenfors

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751 and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints. CROSS/SECTIONAL RESULTS: High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT demands, under qualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and over qualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders. PROSPECTIVE RESULTS: Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and under qualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively

  6. Psycho-Oncology: A Patient's View.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Prieto, Patricia

    2018-01-01

    Culturally the most important, valued, and less stigmatized part of cancer care is the medical part: The surgeon cutting the tumors out and the oncologist leading the strategic decision-making of the medical treatments available. The least valued and stigmatized part of cancer remains the psychosocial care. This chapter describes-through the eyes of an academic, psychologist, stage IV melanoma patient, and patient advocate-how one patient navigated changing psycho-oncological needs from early stage-to-stage IV through a whole range of psychological interventions available. Her voice joins that of all cancer patients around the world whom are urgently calling for psycho-oncological care to be fully recognized as a central part of cancer treatment.

  7. 22 CFR 96.72 - Referral of complaints to the Secretary and other authorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Through Review of Complaints § 96.72 Referral of complaints to the Secretary and other authorities. (a) An... authority, the Attorney General, or other law enforcement authorities any substantiated complaints that involve conduct that is: (1) Subject to the civil or criminal penalties imposed by section 404 of the IAA...

  8. The Psycho-sensorial Value of the Food Products – a Provocative Component in Purchase Decision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Bobe

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The psycho-sensorial value is a specific, complex and determinant concept of the food products that is reflected by means of psycho-sensorial properties such as: shape, size, aspect, colour, taste, smell, fragrance, bouquet, density, clarity. The assessment of these properties by the consumers is decisive for the acceptance or the rejection of foods and classifies the products into savoury, or non-savoury, attractive, indifferent, or unattractive. The psycho-sensorial features of food products allow us to make quick assessments of their qualities, but with a high degree of subjectivity among the common consumers and big individual variations, assessments that are highly influenced by the hedonic value of food products. The sensory analysis of foods is part of the modern analytical methods: when correctly and scientifically applied, it allows a real assessment of the quality of these products, evaluation which could not be obtained only by assessing physicochemical and microbiological methods. However, the scientific methods for sensorial assessment have a higher degree of objectivity and are used successfully in industry and trade, in evaluating the qualitative level of foods by authorised and qualified people. Otherwise, the design of the psycho-sensorial value of food products involves tests and sensorial analyses and has as main objective the establishment of concordances among the consumers’ demands and the level of the sensorial characteristics of the products. The present paper aims at underlining the necessity to design the psycho-sensorial value of processed foods, as well as the importance of educating and informing the consumers for a better capacity to get oriented on the market, and implicitly, for a right purchase decision.

  9. The Relieving Effects of BrainPower Advanced, a Dietary Supplement, in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

    OpenAIRE

    Zhu, Jingfen; Shi, Rong; Chen, Su; Dai, Lihua; Shen, Tian; Feng, Yi; Gu, Pingping; Shariff, Mina; Nguyen, Tuong; Ye, Yeats; Rao, Jianyu; Xing, Guoqiang

    2016-01-01

    Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are common in older adults that can often predict further cognitive impairment. No proven effective agents are available for SMCs. The effect of BrainPower Advanced, a dietary supplement consisting of herbal extracts, nutrients, and vitamins, was evaluated in 98 volunteers with SMCs, averaging 67 years of age (47?88), in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjective hypomnesis/memory loss (SML) and attention/concentration deficits (SAD) w...

  10. Obesity and body mass index (BMI) in relation to life-style and psycho-social aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcellini, F; Giuli, C; Papa, R; Tirabassi, G; Faloia, E; Boscaro, M; Polito, A; Ciarapica, D; Zaccaria, M; Mocchegiani, E

    2009-01-01

    Obesity is increasing in middle-aged adults and the elderly. This multifactorial phenomenon may have different causes, such as incorrect nutritional and dietary habits, psycho-social aspects and sedentary life-style. It is becoming a serious problem, due also to the world's ageing society. The aim of this study is to provide preliminary results on BMI, life-style and psycho-social aspects in a sample of Italian subjects, which also assesses the relationship between obesity and psychological health. We hypothesize that obesity is related to many factors, such as life-style, behavioral, socio-economic, and psychological aspects. The sample was made up of 107 obese and non-obese subjects, aged 50-74. All participants were given a multidimensional assessment, which included anthropometric, psycho-social and life-style evaluation. As per the protocol a structured life-style questionnaire designed to gather information on anthropometric measurements, socio-economic factors, physical activity, smoking, alcohol and food intake. The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) for the evaluation of a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychopathology; the Binge Eating Scale (BES) for the assessment of disorders in the eating habits were administered. BMI was associated with age and education, socio-economic status and smoking in both genders. Psychological factors for obesity differed between overweight men and women. In conclusion, obesity and non-obesity appear as two different entities in some aspects. The increase in the prevalence of obesity in elderly subjects could lead to disability and age-related diseases. For this reason, greater insight of the factors related to the development of obesity is required to develop treatment strategies weight-loss prevention programs.

  11. Security analysis and improvements to the PsychoPass method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumen, Bostjan; Heričko, Marjan; Rozman, Ivan; Hölbl, Marko

    2013-08-13

    In a recent paper, Pietro Cipresso et al proposed the PsychoPass method, a simple way to create strong passwords that are easy to remember. However, the method has some security issues that need to be addressed. To perform a security analysis on the PsychoPass method and outline the limitations of and possible improvements to the method. We used the brute force analysis and dictionary attack analysis of the PsychoPass method to outline its weaknesses. The first issue with the Psychopass method is that it requires the password reproduction on the same keyboard layout as was used to generate the password. The second issue is a security weakness: although the produced password is 24 characters long, the password is still weak. We elaborate on the weakness and propose a solution that produces strong passwords. The proposed version first requires the use of the SHIFT and ALT-GR keys in combination with other keys, and second, the keys need to be 1-2 distances apart. The proposed improved PsychoPass method yields passwords that can be broken only in hundreds of years based on current computing powers. The proposed PsychoPass method requires 10 keys, as opposed to 20 keys in the original method, for comparable password strength.

  12. [Gestalt therapy of complaints].

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Baranchuk, J Z; Dayan, A; Gomez, A; Grimaldi, S; Morra, A

    1980-03-01

    People can express their suffering voicing it, complaining with their body, with gestures, movements; for alerts eyes it is even more comprehensive and true than words. Complaints that human beings are capable of expressing are not so many, there are only a handful, and this work intends to be exhaustive in its exposition. It is possible to complain against third persons. It is also possible to do so against oneself assuming either the intransigent attitude of a father who judges a son who does not fulfill his expectancies, or as a son who resents the paternal demands which he feels he cannot comply. Other kind of complaints include physical symptoms, either isolated (cephalea, dysnea, urticaria) or constituting syndromes or illnesses. Losses suffered are also a source of complaints, whatever the lost object might be (person, situation, material things or a part of oneself). It can be mourned because of its absence, or else by feeling guilty of the real or imaginary damage inflicted or else by feeling indisolubly linked to it with a phantom tie. Other types of complaints are the feeling of dependancy towards something oppressive, be it a substance, such as alcohol, smoking, drugs or overeating, or it may be a person or a situation. In view of the compulsive addiction characteristics with which the subject lives, it is possible to assimilate this dependancy and the feeling of oppression and damage to the link with a toxic.

  13. Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Functional Disability in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder and Their Nonaffected First-Degree Relatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruocco, Anthony C; Lam, Jaeger; McMain, Shelley F

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To examine the contributions of subjective cognitive complaints to functional disability in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and their nonaffected relatives. Method: Patients with BPD (n = 26), their first-degree biological relatives (n = 17), and nonpsychiatric control subjects (n = 31) completed a self-report measure of cognitive difficulties and rated the severity of their functional disability on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Results: After accounting for group differences in age and severity of depressive symptoms, patients and relatives endorsed more inattention and memory problems than control subjects. Whereas probands reported greater disability than relatives and control subjects across all functional domains, relatives described more difficulties than control subjects in managing multiple life activities, including domestic activities and occupational and academic functioning, and participating in society. For both probands and relatives, inattention and memory problems were linked primarily to difficulties with life activities, independent of depression and other comorbid psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: Problems with inattention and forgetfulness may lead to difficulties carrying out activities of daily living and occupational or academic problems in patients with BPD, as well as their nonaffected first-degree relatives. PMID:25007408

  14. WEATHER CONDITIONS AND COMPLAINTS IN FIBROMYALGIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEBLECOURT, ACE; KNIPPING, AA; DEVOOGD, N; VANRIJSWIJK, MH

    1993-01-01

    Patients with musculoskeletal disorders, including fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), often state that weather conditions modulate their complaints. There have been a few studies concerning this issue, but the results appear to be contradictory. We tried to relate the subjective symptoms of pain,

  15. WEATHER CONDITIONS AND COMPLAINTS IN FIBROMYALGIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEBLECOURT, ACE; KNIPPING, AA; DEVOOGD, N; VANRIJSWIJK, MH

    Patients with musculoskeletal disorders, including fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), often state that weather conditions modulate their complaints. There have been a few studies concerning this issue, but the results appear to be contradictory. We tried to relate the subjective symptoms of pain,

  16. Schizophrenia-Window-of-Hope.com: Development of a psycho ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Psycho-educational programmes for families of persons with schizophrenia have been shown to reduce relapse rates, subsequently reducing the burden on the family as well as health care systems. Although various South African helplines and psycho-educational websites exist, none of these focused specifically on ...

  17. Hyperventilation complaints in music performance anxiety among classical music students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Studer, Regina; Danuser, Brigitta; Hildebrandt, Horst; Arial, Marc; Gomez, Patrick

    2011-06-01

    Despite the importance of respiration and hyperventilation in anxiety disorders, research on breathing disturbances associated with hyperventilation is rare in the field of music performance anxiety (MPA, also known as stage fright). The only comparable study in this area reported a positive correlation between negative feelings of MPA and hyperventilation complaints during performance. The goals of this study were (a) to extend these previous findings to the period before performance, (b) to test whether a positive correlation also exists between hyperventilation complaints and the experience of stage fright as a problem, (c) to investigate instrument-specific symptom reporting, and (d) to confirm gender differences in negative feelings of MPA and hyperventilation complaints reported in other studies. We assessed 169 university students of classical music with a questionnaire comprising: the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for negative feelings of MPA, the Nijmegen Questionnaire for hyperventilation complaints, and a single item for the experience of stage fright as a problem. We found a significant positive correlation between hyperventilation complaints and negative feelings of MPA before performance and a significant positive correlation between hyperventilation complaints and the experience of stage fright as a problem. Wind musicians/singers reported a significantly higher frequency of respiratory symptoms than other musicians. Furthermore, women scored significantly higher on hyperventilation complaints and negative feelings of MPA. These results further the findings of previous reports by suggesting that breathing disturbances associated with hyperventilation may play a role in MPA prior to going on stage. Experimental studies are needed to confirm whether hyperventilation complaints associated with negative feelings of MPA manifest themselves at the physiological level. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Self-rated health status and subjective health complaints associated with health-promoting lifestyles among urban Chinese women: a cross-sectional study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingru Cheng

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate whether self-rated health status (SRH and subjective health complaints (SHC of urban Chinese women are associated with their health-promoting lifestyles (HPL.We conducted a cross-sectional study on 8142 eligible Chinese participants between 2012 and 2013. Demographic and SHC data were collected. Each subject completed the SRH questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II. Correlation and binary regression analyses were performed to examine the associations of SRH and SHC with HPL.Both SRH and HPL of urban Chinese women were moderate. The most common complaints were fatigue (1972, 24.2%, eye discomfort (1571, 19.3%, and insomnia (1542, 18.9%. Teachers, highly educated subjects and elderly women had lower SRH scores, while college students and married women had better HPL. All items of HPLP-II were positively correlated with SRH (r = 0.127-0.533, P = 0.000 and negatively correlated with SHC to a significant extent (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40-11.37.Aspects of HPL, particularly stress management and spiritual growth, are associated with higher SRH and lower SHC ratings among urban Chinese women. Physical activity and health responsibility are additionally related to reduced fatigue and nervousness. We believe that these findings will be instrumental in encouraging researchers and urban women to adopt better health-promoting lifestyles with different priorities in their daily lives.

  19. Psycho-oncology and primary prevention in cancer control plans: an absent voice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Jeff; Holland, Jimmie; Hyde, Melissa K; Watson, Maggie

    2015-07-27

    One third of cancer deaths are attributable to modifiable lifestyle, behaviour and psychosocial risk factors. Psycho-oncology can contribute significantly to prevention initiatives such as those described in national cancer control plans (NCCPs), to reduce or eliminate these risk factors. However, the extent to which psycho-oncology expertise has informed prevention objectives in plans is unclear. Accordingly, 35 English language NCCPs were located via existing databases and were searched using Adobe text searches ('psycho', 'social', 'behav' and 'intervention') to identify (a) representations of psycho-oncology, its dimensions (psychological, social and behavioural) and roles (e.g. psychologist); and (b) behaviour/lifestyle change interventions. A third of NCCPs included the term psycho- or psychosocial-oncology; approximately half referred to a psycho-oncology dimension regarding prevention and early detection and half included actions/objectives relating to health professionals and provision of psychosocial care. The majority of cancer plans included prevention outcomes and focussed primarily on smoking cessation and alcohol reduction. Interventions commonly proposed were education, regulation and service provision; however, many were aspirational statements of intent rather than specific interventions. Psycho-oncology was represented in NCCPs but was limited in reference to prevention with few behavioural interventions utilised. Psycho-oncology input is needed to prescribe evidence-based interventions in cancer plans that not only educate, regulate and provide resources but also motivate, empower and create a supportive normative environment for behaviour change. In this manuscript, and throughout this Special Issue on Cancer Prevention, important principles, ideas and evidence within psycho-oncology are outlined which, if properly implemented, can help reduce the global cancer burden. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley

  20. Nature contact and organizational support during office working hours: Benefits relating to stress reduction, subjective health complaints, and sick leave.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjørnstad, Siv; Patil, Grete G; Raanaas, Ruth K

    2015-01-01

    Improving social support, and providing nature contact at work are potential health promoting workplace interventions. The objective was to investigate whether nature contact at work is associated with employee's health and participation, and to study whether the possible associations between nature contact and health can be explained by perceived organizational support. Data were collected through a web-based, cross-sectional survey of employees in seven public and private office workplaces in Norway (n = 707, 40% response rate). Multiple linear and logistic regression analysis were performed on 565 participants fulfilling inclusion criteria. A greater amount of indoor nature contact at work was significantly associated with less job stress (B = -0.18, CI = -0.318 to -0.042), fewer subjective health complaints (B = -0.278, CI = -0.445 to -0.112) and less sickness absence (B = -0.061, CI = -0.009 to -0.002). Perceived organizational support mediated the associations between indoor nature contact and job stress and sickness absence, and partly mediated the association with subjective health complaints. Outdoor nature contact showed no reliable association with the outcomes in this study. Extending nature contact in the physical work environment in offices, can add to the variety of possible health-promoting workplace interventions, primarily since it influences the social climate on the workplace.

  1. Psycho-oncological care in certified cancer centres--a nationwide analysis in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Susanne; Dieng, Sebastian; Wesselmann, Simone

    2013-06-01

    Over the last few years, a nationwide voluntary certification system for cancer centres has been established in Germany. To qualify for certification, cancer centres must provide psycho-oncological care to every patient who needs it. The aim of this study was to find out how many patients have been treated by a psycho-oncologist in the certified centres. All cancer centres in Germany that were re-certified in 2010 provided data documenting how many patients with primary cancer received at least 30 min of psycho-oncological consultation in 2009. Data from n = 456 certified cancer centres were available. In the centres, a total of 36,165 patients were seen by a psycho-oncologist for at least 30 min, representing 37.3% of all patients in the centres. The highest percentage of patients who received psycho-oncological care was found in breast cancer centres (66.7%), and the lowest in prostate cancer centres (6.8%). Half of the patients (50.0%) in gynaecological cancer centres, 37.7% in colon cancer centres and 25.4% in lung cancer centres received psycho-oncological care. Compared with non-certified centres, the proportion of patients receiving psycho-oncological care in certified cancer centres has increased. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. The missing piece: cancer prevention within psycho-oncology - a commentary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosberger, Zeev; Perez, Samara; Bloom, Joan; Shapiro, Gilla K; Fielding, Richard

    2015-09-10

    In this commentary, we review the place of prevention within the field of Psycho-Oncology. The thrust of Psycho-Oncology's clinical and research efforts have historically focused on behavioral and social factors implicated in the cancer patients' experience from detection and diagnosis, to treatment, survivorship and end of life along the cancer trajectory. This conceptualization has raised the standards for research, leading to a better understanding of the patient experience and the delivery of highly effective interventions to improve quality of life. Emerging data on the role of potential prevention behaviors (e.g., diet and exercise, smoking cessation, screening, etc.) suggests that Psycho-Oncology has a significant role to play in understanding and intervening on a population level to reduce cancer incidence. We present and describe an expanded model of research in Psycho-Oncology which incorporates psychosocial variables in prevention research to complement Holland et al.'s (1998, 2010) original model. The implications of this model are discussed in relation to research, clinical work and training within the discipline of Psycho-Oncology. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. 20 CFR 658.401 - Types of complaints handled by the JS complaint system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Types of complaints handled by the JS... § 658.401 Types of complaints handled by the JS complaint system. (a)(1) The types of complaints (JS related complaints) which shall be handled to resolution by the JS complaint system are as follows: (i...

  4. The relationship between complaints of night-time heartburn and sleep-related gastroesophageal reflux.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, W C; Goodrich, S; Estep, M E; Shepherd, K

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated whether the complaint of night-time heartburn (NHB) as opposed to daytime heartburn (DHB) is a reliable reflection of actual sleep-related reflux events. Three groups of individuals were studied: individuals with complaints of NHB at least twice per week (n = 24), individuals with complaints of DHB (n = 23), and normal participants without any complaints of regular heartburn during the day or night (n = 25). All three groups were studied on one occasion with combined pH monitoring and polysomnography, and subjective questionnaires about sleep disturbance and sleep quality were given to all participants. The NHB group had significantly more sleep-related reflux events compared with both DHB and control groups (P < 0.01). DHB subjects had significantly (P < 0.05) more sleep-related reflux events than normal controls. Total acid contact time (ACT) was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in the NHB group compared with both the DHB and control group. Sleep-related ACT was also significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in the NHB group compared with the other two groups, while upright (daytime) ACT was not significantly different. The NHB group was significantly (P < 0.05) worse regarding measures of both objective and subjective sleep quality. Subjects with exclusively DHB do have sleep-related reflux that is greater than normal controls. Subjects with NHB have significantly more sleep-related reflux, and both objective and subjective sleep abnormalities compared with normal controls. Complaints of NHB reflect sleep-related reflux events and may be indicative of a more clinically significant condition. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  5. Increased working memory-related brain activity in middle-aged women with cognitive complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, Julie A; Kutz, Amanda M; McDonald, Brenna C; Naylor, Magdalena R; Pfaff, Ashley C; Saykin, Andrew J; Newhouse, Paul A

    2013-04-01

    Individuals who report subjective cognitive complaints but perform normally on neuropsychological tests might be at increased risk for pathological cognitive aging. The current study examined the effects of the presence of subjective cognitive complaints on functional brain activity during a working memory task in a sample of middle-aged postmenopausal women. Twenty-three postmenopausal women aged 50-60 completed a cognitive complaint battery of questionnaires. Using 20% of items endorsed as the threshold, 12 women were categorized as cognitive complainers (CC) and 11 were noncomplainers (NC). All subjects then took part in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning session during which they completed a visual-verbal N-back test of working memory. Results showed no difference in working memory performance between CC and NC groups. However, the CC group showed greater activation relative to the NC group in a broad network involved in working memory including the middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann area [BA] 9 and 10), the precuneus (BA 7), and the cingulate gyrus (BA 24 and 32). The CC group recruited additional regions of the working memory network compared with the NC group as the working memory load and difficulty of the task increased. This study showed brain activation differences during working memory performance in a middle-aged group of postmenopausal women with subjective cognitive complaints but without objective cognitive deficit. These findings suggest that subjective cognitive complaints in postmenopausal women might be associated with increased cortical activity during effort-demanding cognitive tasks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Patients’ experience on complaint handling; a comparison between Complaint Committees and Disciplinary Boards.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kruikemeier, S.; Coppen, R.; Friele, R.D.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Handling patient complaints about health care issues is important. However, many patients who lodge a complaint are dissatisfied with the way their complaints are dealt with. In the Netherlands, there are two institutions to lodge a complaint: the Complaints Committee and the

  7. The Impact of Psycho-Education on in Vitro Fertilisation Treatment Efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belevska, Jana

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the efficiency of psycho-education of candidates for the IVF in stress, anxiety and depression decreasing, and the impact of the psycho educative techniques on the successfulness of the treatment. A random sample of 64 candidates for IVF treatment is divided in two groups: control group without psycho-education (32 candidates) and intervention group of 32 candidates included in psycho-education. Depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS) was used as a psychometric test. It's a multiple choice, self-reported inventory for measuring the levels of stress, anxiety and severity of depression. For statistic evaluation SPSS software was used. The study shows that the intervention group included in psycho-education has a signifycantly lower scores on stress (t = 3.201, p stress decreasing, as well as significant impact in the successfulness of the treatment. It was pointed out that psychological support of candidates for IVF is important for the lessening of the negative emotional reactions of candidates as well as for the successfulness of the treatment.

  8. [Non-drug psycho-active substance use and pregnancy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ammouri, A; Sabir, M; Ahid, S; Toufiq, J; El Omari, F

    2015-09-01

    The consumption of psycho-active substances (PAS) by pregnant women is in a growing increase around the world. It is a major problem of public health in some countries due to serious and negative consequences for children and society as well as for pregnant women. This problem has also increased among women in Morocco. However, it is still neglected and underrated in the absence of any official statistical data. This is the first study leading to a better profiling of pregnant women who may consume psycho-active substances during their pregnancy; it would permit better medical and psychosocial care of both women and children. To determine the prevalence and the factors associated with the psycho-active substances used by pregnant women and describe their socio-demographic characteristics. A trans-sectional study was carried out from September to October 2010, including pregnant women consulting at the obstetrical service of the provincial hospital Moulay Abdellah in the city of Salé. The study included women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, and not having any serious mental disorders that could have upset their cognitive abilities. The data was collected through a straight questionnaire of 25 items specifying the socio-demographic characteristics, data about pregnancy and habits of using psycho-active substances. One hundred and fifty pregnant women were included in the study. The majority of them (83.2%) were aged 20 to 40 years old, 94.6% were married, 96% were unemployed and depended on their spouses for their financial resources and 80% had normal domestic relationships (from average to good quality). Among the women, 31.3% of them reported traumatic events in the past. The prevalence of psycho-active substance consumption by the pregnant women of our sample was 11.3%. The used substances were tobacco (9.3%) and cannabis (4%). These women were more likely to have a low level of education (47.1 vs 16.5). They were victims of abuse or neglect in

  9. Psycho-oncology: structure and profiles of European centers treating patients with gynecological cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasenburg, Annette; Amant, Frederic; Aerts, Leen; Pascal, Astrid; Achimas-Cadariu, Patriciu; Kesic, Vesna

    2011-12-01

    Psycho-oncological counseling should be an integrated part of modern cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the structures and interests of psycho-oncology services within European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO) centers. In 2010, a survey, which consisted of 15 questions regarding organization of psycho-oncological services and interests in training and research, was sent to all ESGO-accredited centers (n = 41). The response rate was 65.8% (27 centers). 96.3% (n = 26) of the surveys came from universities, and 3.7% (n = 1) came from nonacademic institutions. Most of the institutions (92.6%, n = 25) offer psycho-oncological care, mainly by psychologists (64%, n = 16) or psycho-oncologists (48%, n = 12). Fifty-two percent of patients are evaluated for sexual dysfunction as sequelae of their disease or treatment-related adverse effects. Fifty-two percent (n = 14) of institutions offer psychological support for cancer care providers. Eighty-five percent (n = 23) of all centers are interested in psycho-oncological training, and the preferred teaching tools are educational workshops (87%). The main issues of interest are sexual problems in patients with cancer, communication and interpersonal skills, responses of patients and their families, anxiety and adjustment disorders, and palliative care. Eighty-five percent (n = 17) of the 20 institutions look for research in the field of psycho-oncology, and 55% (n = 11) of those are already involved in some kind of research. Although psycho-oncological care is provided in most of the consulted ESGO accredited centers, almost 50% of women lack information about sexual problems. The results of the survey show the need for and interest in psycho-oncology training and research, including sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, psychological support should be offered to all cancer care providers.

  10. Directive and nondirective social support in the workplace - is this social support distinction important for subjective health complaints, job satisfaction, and perception of job demands and job control?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Tone Langjordet; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Indahl, Aage; Tveito, Torill Helene

    2018-05-01

    Social support is associated with well-being and positive health outcomes. However, positive outcomes of social support might be more dependent on the way support is provided than the amount of support received. A distinction can be made between directive social support, where the provider resumes responsibility, and nondirective social support, where the receiver has the control. This study examined the relationship between directive and nondirective social support, and subjective health complaints, job satisfaction and perception of job demands and job control. A survey was conducted among 957 Norwegian employees, working in 114 private kindergartens (mean age 40.7 years, SD = 10.5, 92.8% female), as part of a randomized controlled trial. This study used only baseline data. A factor analysis of the Norwegian version of the Social Support Inventory was conducted, identifying two factors: nondirective and directive social support. Hierarchical regression analyses were then performed. Nondirective social support was related to fewer musculoskeletal and pseudoneurological complaints, higher job satisfaction, and the perception of lower job demands and higher job control. Directive social support had the opposite relationship, but was not statistically significant for pseudoneurological complaints. It appears that for social support to be positively related with job characteristics and subjective health complaints, it has to be nondirective. Directive social support was not only without any association, but had a significant negative relationship with several of the variables. Nondirective social support may be an important factor to consider when aiming to improve the psychosocial work environment. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02396797. Registered 23 March 2015.

  11. Evaluation of the Factors which Contribute to the Ocular Complaints in Computer Users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwal, Smita; Goel, Dishanter; Sharma, Anshu

    2013-02-01

    Use of information technology hardware given new heights to professional success rate and saves time but on the other hand its harmful effect has introduced an array of health related complaints causing hazards for our human health. Increased use of computers has led to an increase in the number of patients with ocular complaints which are being grouped together as computer vision syndrome (CVS). In view of that, this study was undertaken to find out the ocular complaints and the factors contributing to occurrence of such problems in computer users. To evaluate the factors contributing to Ocular complaints in computer users in Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, U.P. India. Community-based cross-sectional study of 150 subjects who work on computer for varying period of time in Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Two hundred computer operators working in different institutes offices and bank of were selected randomly in Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad, and Uttar Pradesh. 16 were non responders 18 did not come for assessment and 16 were excluded due to complaints prior to computer use making no response rate Twenty-one did not participate in the study, making the no response rate 25%. Rest of the subjects (n = 150) were asked to fill a pre-tested questionnaire, after obtaining their verbal consent Depending on the average hours of usage in a day, they were categorized into three categories viz. 6 hrs of usage. All the responders were asked to come to the Ophthalmic OPD for further interview and assessment. Simple proportions and Chi-square test. Among the 150 subjects studied major ocular complaint reported in descending order were eyestrain. (53%). Occurrence of eye strain, ( 53.8%), itching ( 47.6%) and burning (66.7%) in subjects using computer for more than 6 hours. distance from computer screen with respect to eyes, use of antiglare screen, taking frequent breaks, use of LCD monitor and adjustment of brightness of

  12. Quality of life in individuals with tinnitus with and without hearing loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregorina Silva Ribeiro Rocha

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: to evaluate the perception of the level of quality of life in subjects with tinnitus, with and without hearing loss. Methods: a cross-sectional quantitative study. A total of 189 subjects (mean age 53.06 years divided into four groups. Group 1: subjects with normal auditory thresholds without tinnitus complaint; Group 2: subjects with normal auditory thresholds and tinnitus complaint; Group 3: subjects with sensorineural hearing loss without tinnitus complaint; Group 4: subjects with sensorineural hearing loss and with tinnitus complaint. Levels of quality of life were investigated through the World Health Organization Quality Of Life (WHOQOL website - brief and psycho-emotional and functional aspects of patients with tinnitus through the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI. Statistical analyzes, comparisons among groups and descriptive analysis were performed, considering a significance level of 5%. Results: the overall mean scores of quality of life in group 4 (56.07 were smaller than those of group 1 (64.67 (p<0.05. The subjects with tinnitus complaint presented a moderate level of disturbance of the symptom. Conclusion: tinnitus interferes in the quality of life of individuals who had preserved or altered auditory thresholds. Therefore, means to reduce the discomfort caused by tinnitus symptom should be developed, in order to improve patients' quality of life.

  13. Do subjective cognitive complaints correlate with cognitive impairment in systemic lupus erythematosus? A Danish outpatient study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogel, A; Bhattacharya, S; Larsen, J L

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its association with depressive symptoms and self-reported cognitive complaints in Danish outpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fifty-seven consecutive female SLE-outpatients were examined with a comprehensive neuropsyc......This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its association with depressive symptoms and self-reported cognitive complaints in Danish outpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fifty-seven consecutive female SLE-outpatients were examined with a comprehensive...

  14. Socioeconomic Status, Subjective Social Status, and Perceived Stress: Associations with Stress Physiology and Executive Functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursache, Alexandra; Noble, Kimberly G; Blair, Clancy

    2015-01-01

    Several studies have investigated associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and indicators of children's physiological and cognitive self-regulation. Although objective measures of family SES may be good proxies for families' experiences of disadvantage, less is known about subjective aspects of families' experiences. We hypothesize that subjective social status (SSS) and perceived stress may be important independent predictors of children's stress physiology and executive functioning (EF). Eighty-two children from diverse SES backgrounds were administered EF measures and provided saliva samples for cortisol assay. Caregivers reported on objective SES, SSS, and perceived stress. Results suggest that SES and SSS are both independently and positively related to EF. In models predicting stress physiology, higher perceived stress was associated with lower baseline cortisol. Moreover, SES and age interacted to predict cortisol levels such that among younger children, lower SES was associated with higher cortisol, whereas among older children, lower SES was associated with lower cortisol. Results highlight the importance of considering both objective and subjective indicators of families' SES and stressful experiences in relation to multiple aspects of children's self-regulation.

  15. Real driving at night - Predicting lane departures from physiological and subjective sleepiness

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hallvig, D.; Anund, A.; Fors, C.; Kecklund, L.G.; Äkerstedt, T.

    2014-01-01

    Only limited information is available on how driving performance relates to physiological and subjective sleepiness on real roads. This relation was the focus of the present study. 33 volunteers drove for 90 min on a rural road during the afternoon and night in an instrumented car, while

  16. Psycho-Cognitive Intervention for ASD from Cross-Species Behavioral Analyses of Infants, Chicks and Common Marmosets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshiba, Mamiko; Karino, Genta; Mimura, Koki; Nakamura, Shun; Yui, Kunio; Kunikata, Tetsuya; Yamanouchi, Hideo

    2016-01-01

    Educational treatment to support social development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an important topic in developmental psychiatry. However, it remains difficult to objectively quantify the socio-emotional development of ASD children. To address this problem, we developed a novel analytical method that assesses subjects' complex behaviors using multivariate analysis, 'Behavior Output analysis for Quantitative Emotional State Translation' (BOUQUET). Here, we examine the potential for psycho-cognitive ASD therapy based on comparative evaluations of clinical (human) and experimental (animal) models. Our observations of ASD children (vs. their normally developing siblings) and the domestic chick in socio-sensory deprivation models show the importance of unimodal sensory stimulation, particularly important for tactile- and auditory-biased socialization. Identifying psycho-cognitive elements in early neural development, human newborn infants in neonatal intensive care unit as well as a New World monkey, the common marmoset, also prompted us to focus on the development of voluntary movement against gravity. In summary, striking behavioral similarities between children with ASD and domestic chicks' socio-sensory deprivation models support the role of multimodal sensory-motor integration as a prerequisite step for normal development of socio-emotional and psycho-cognitive functions. Data obtained in the common marmoset model also suggest that switching from primitive anti-gravity reflexes to complex voluntary movement may be a critical milestone for psycho-cognitive development. Combining clinical findings with these animal models, and using multivariate integrative analyses may facilitate the development of effective interventions to improve social functions in infants and in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

  17. Directive and nondirective social support in the workplace – is this social support distinction important for subjective health complaints, job satisfaction, and perception of job demands and job control?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Tone Langjordet; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Indahl, Aage; Tveito, Torill Helene

    2017-01-01

    Aims: Social support is associated with well-being and positive health outcomes. However, positive outcomes of social support might be more dependent on the way support is provided than the amount of support received. A distinction can be made between directive social support, where the provider resumes responsibility, and nondirective social support, where the receiver has the control. This study examined the relationship between directive and nondirective social support, and subjective health complaints, job satisfaction and perception of job demands and job control. Methods: A survey was conducted among 957 Norwegian employees, working in 114 private kindergartens (mean age 40.7 years, SD = 10.5, 92.8% female), as part of a randomized controlled trial. This study used only baseline data. A factor analysis of the Norwegian version of the Social Support Inventory was conducted, identifying two factors: nondirective and directive social support. Hierarchical regression analyses were then performed. Results: Nondirective social support was related to fewer musculoskeletal and pseudoneurological complaints, higher job satisfaction, and the perception of lower job demands and higher job control. Directive social support had the opposite relationship, but was not statistically significant for pseudoneurological complaints. Conclusions: It appears that for social support to be positively related with job characteristics and subjective health complaints, it has to be nondirective. Directive social support was not only without any association, but had a significant negative relationship with several of the variables. Nondirective social support may be an important factor to consider when aiming to improve the psychosocial work environment. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02396797. Registered 23 March 2015. PMID:28820017

  18. Self-regulation method: psychological, physiological and clinical considerations. An overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikemi, A; Tomita, S; Kuroda, M; Hayashida, Y; Ikemi, Y

    1986-01-01

    Body-oriented therapies as relaxation training and certain forms of meditation are gaining popularity in the treatment and prevention of psychosomatic disorders. In this paper, a new method of self-control called self-regulation method (SRM), derived from autogenic training and Zen meditation, is presented. The technique of SRM is introduced. Secondly, physiological studies on SRM using skin temperature, galvanic skin response, and cortical evoked potentials are presented. Thirdly, the results of psychological tests conducted on SRM are presented. These psycho-physiological studies suggest that SRM may elicit a state of 'relaxed alertness'. Fourthly, clinical applications of SRM are discussed, and 3 cases are presented. Finally, SRM is discussed in relation to the psychology and physiology of 'relaxed alertness'.

  19. Magnetic Resonance Volumetry: Prediction of Subjective Memory Complaints and Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Associations with Genetic and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigbjørn Rogne

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Subjective memory complaints (SMC are strong predictors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI and subsequent Alzheimer’s disease. Our aims were to see if fully automated cerebral MR volume measurements could distinguish subjects with SMC and MCI from controls, and if probable parental late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD, apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype, total plasma homocysteine, and cardiovascular risk factors were associated with MR volumetric findings. Methods: 198 stroke-free subjects comprised the control (n = 58, the SMC (n = 25 and the MCI (n = 115 groups. Analysis of covariance and receiver operating characteristic curve was used to see if MR volumetry distinguished subjects with SMC and MCI from controls. Results: Subjects with SMC and MCI had significantly larger lateral ventricles and smaller hippocampal volumes than controls. The area under the curve in subjects with SMC and MCI compared to that of controls was less than 0.68 for all volumes of intracranial structures. There was an interaction between sex and probable parental LOAD for hippocampal volume, with a significant association between probable parental LOAD and hippocampal volume in women. Conclusions: Fully automated MR volumetry can distinguish subjects with SMC and MCI from controls in a general population, but insufficiently to assume a clear clinical role. Research on sporadic LOAD might benefit from a sex-specific search for genetic risk factors.

  20. [Association of the meaning of life with satisfaction, the occurrence of subjective complaints and the family's economic status in the population of lower secondary school students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zawadzka, Dorota; Stalmach, Magdalena; Oblacińska, Anna; Tabak, Izabela

    Feeling of meaning in life is extremely crucial factor of mental health. The lack of it can result in various disorders. Many authors, especially those connected with current of humanistic psychology underline the teenagers' life sense. The aim of the paper was to examine the level of satisfaction with life, the frequency of psychosomatic complaints by junior high school students as well as the estimation of economical status of family and the analysis of meaning in life with above mentioned factors. The research was carried out in 2015 at 70 schools from all over the country, in group of 3695 lower secondary school students of I-III classes at the age of 13-17 (M=14,9; SD=0,87). The analysis connected with meaning in life using the shorten version of Purpose in Life Test (PIL) as well as analysis of life satisfaction using Cantril scale were taken up. What is more, the subjective physical complaints using single-factor shorten scale and economic status of family with the usage of material resources FAS scale (Family Affluence Scale) were examined. The statistical analysis included a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-student test post-hoc test as well as multivariate logistic regression model. The average level of meaning in life among the examined students was 24,7 points (the summary scale 0-36 points), the boys achieved higher score than girls. The students satisfied with life (t=28,0; plife than students who were dissatisfied with their life, often or fairly suffer from health complaints and live in families of at most average level of affluence. The meaning in life is positively connected with satisfaction with life, lack of subjective complaints and family affluence. Because there is a lack of analysis linked with school teenagers' meaning in life in Polish literature, another research involved not only shorten but also full version of this tool should be conducted.

  1. Psycho-social training for man in space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kass, R.; Kass, J. R.

    1999-11-01

    In preparation for the international manned space station various international and national space agencies are already participating with the Russian MIR programme with short, medium, and long term presence on the MIR station. Although selection criteria for all crew include careful psychological screening, with some effort also regarding team build-up, this has proved insufficient; moreover, little or no effort is expended in the area of psycho-social- or team training. This paper propounds the authors' thesis that, in addition to the steps already being taken, psycho-social training is essential for long-duration flight. A concrete proposal is made for such a training program, with an overview of how such a program will look like; examples of past applications are given.

  2. Psycho-social outcome in liver transplanted children: beware of emotional self-assessment!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calinescu, Ana Maria; McLin, Valérie A; Belli, Dominque; Wildhaber, Barbara E

    2012-08-10

    Psycho-social outcome in children after liver transplantation (LT) is known to be inferior to age-related peers. Yet, when children and their parents are questioned by their nurse or physician about the child's psycho-social well-being, the answers usually are very positive. We hypothesized that patients and their parents after LT report their psycho-social well-being too enthusiastically when enquired by their personal care takers. LT at the Children's University Hospital of Geneva 1992-2007, age >3 years, 2 years. Children and their parents were questioned by their well-known, familiar nurse at the annual follow up visit about their personal well-being. To allow for evaluation of answers, scores (good, medium, bad) were attributed to the different questions. 46 children were included in the study. Mean age at enquiry was 9.7 years (SD 4 years), mean time after LT was 7.5 years (SD 4.2 years). The different themes were reported as good for: parent-child relationship (83%), relationship with peers (98%), relation with siblings (39%), sport activities (54%), play activities (78%), school performance (87%), expression skills (67%), and general behavior (89%). Most of our LT children and their parents consider, during a personal interview with a closely related, familiar nurse, that the child's psycho-social outcome is good. Yet, it is generally acknowledged that children after LT have negatively altered psycho-social outcomes. Thus, emotionally influenced reports about psycho-social outcome in children after LT must be looked at with care.

  3. A good complaints system

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    system for handling complaints. While complaints often provide invaluable feedback on an individual's performance, they also offer dissatisfied patients an opportunity to air their views. Even if a complaint .... Communications Manager, Medical. Protection Society, Victoria House,. 2 Victoria Place, Leeds, UK. Pieter Carstens.

  4. PROFESSIONAL CODES OF CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGY: DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF COMPLAINTS REVIEWED BY THE COPC ETHICS COMMITTEE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mila Arch

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In recent decades a significant increase has been observed in the number of complaints filed with ethical committees. The possibility of being the subject of a complaint is therefore a growing concern for professionals. However, research on ethics and codes of conduct in psychology is still very limited and real data on the complaints filed with Ethics Committees against psychologists are practically nonexistent. This article describes the results of a descriptive analysis of the complaints reviewed by the COPC Ethics Committee from 1998 to 2011. A total of 324 complaints were filed, but only 20% led to opening disciplinary proceedings, the judicial context being the professional area in which the highest percentage of complaints were filed (85%. Among the most prevalent reasons for complaints were making assessments without prior examination and partiality.

  5. Bio Psycho Social Obstetrics and Gynaecology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paarlberg, KM; van de Wiel, Henricus

    2017-01-01

    This book will assist the reader by providing individually tailored, high-quality bio-psycho-social care to patients with a wide range of problems within the fields of obstetrics, gynaecology, fertility, oncology, and sexology. Each chapter addresses a particular theme, issue, or situation in a

  6. Memory Complaint Questionnaire performed poorly as screening tool : validation against psychometric tests and affective measures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reid, Meagan; Parkinson, Lynne; Gibson, Richard; Schofield, Peter; D'Este, Catherine; Attia, John; Tavener, Meredith; Byles, Julie

    Objective: This study examined the internal and external validity of the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q), a brief measure of subjective memory complaint in people with normal cognitive function. Study Design and Setting: The Study of Health Outcomes in Aircraft Maintenance Personnel was a

  7. [Presentation of the Psycho-Cardiological schedule and convergence levels analyses among the psycho-cardiological screening and the psychological assessment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierobon, Antonia; Callegari, Simona; Giardini, Anna; Ferrari, Marina; Olmetti, Francesca; Corbellini, Daniela; Febo, Oreste; Majani, Giuseppina

    2012-06-01

    In Cardiovascular Rehabilitation the increasing inpatients complexity suggests the necessity to develop screening methods which allow to identify those patients that require a psychological intervention. A Psycho-Cardiological Schedule (PCS) was developed with the aim of detecting the critical situation indicators or the presence of psychological, social and cognitive problems. The PCS, compiled by a nurse or cardiologist in collaboration with a psychologist, allows to assess the need for a deeper psychological examination, clinical and/or with tests. Aim of the present study is to identify the convergence levels among the observational and anamnestic data of the PCS collected by a nurse and the clinical and/or test data of the psychological deeper assessment. Among the 87 patients recruited in January-February 2010, 28 (aged 53.5 +/- 12.6, M = 20, F = 8) fulfilled the criteria for a deeper psychological examination: age psychological/behavioural problems, neuropsychological disorders, low adherence to prescriptions, inadequate disease knowledge/representation. From data comparisons emerged convergence levels with 100% concordance as to smoke habits and problems in social-family support. High convergence levels also resulted as to emotional and/or behavioural problems (92.8%) and inadequate adherence to prescriptions (89.3%). Lower levels of concordance (82.1%) emerged when considering disease knowledge/representation, issues specifically linked to cognition and subjective illness experience, not directly detectable from behaviour. our data confirm the synergic efficacy of the two evaluations: the Psycho-Cardiological Schedule reliably identifies the problematic macro-categories, mainly if they are characterized by behavioural indicators, which facilitate the detection. The psychological approach appears more suitable for better specifing macro-categories characteristics and for detecting critical aspects not overt but not less important, providing therefore advice

  8. Complaint in Shahriyar’s poems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yadoolah Nasroolahi

    2016-06-01

    , Shahriyar is of a spiritual mystic old face who has fallen far away from the right and truth and desirably plays the return song to Sugar Cane plantation like Mawlanaw’s reed. In the Philosophical Complaint, one can find sort of Khayyam’s thought in not finding and not obtaining a response to truth. Despite the fact that Shahriyar’s grievances are diverse, one can say that their tone is sad and is accompanied by a sharp and stinging rebuke and protest in order to express the atmosphere of this chain of emotional vocabularies, words and phrases like emotional, sentence composition, using Monada he employs appropriate rhymes. Apart from the tone of the speech, he has also used other literary devices.  He has mostly used symbols of classical Persian poetry to express grievances and complaints. Another feature of Shariyar’s grievances is expression of regret and nostalgia of the soul. The sense of being a stranger and loss of time and youth are among the most significant subjects. Yet another feature of Shahriyar’s Complaint is the simple expression of and invocation to the common expressions of the slang and street appeal in which the poet contributes a lot to their beauty and strength by selecting exact titles to them. The poet has mostly chosen the form of Ghazal to express his Complaint.   Finally, the experience of the poet’s emotional breakdown was a minor wickedness that transformed Shahriyar into one of the greatest poets, at least in the area of composing Complaint. This was the alchemy that transformed him from school and the limited environment into a mate of the sun and the moon and the Ghazal’s Shahriyar.

  9. Analysis of heart rate variability and possibility of its utilization in psychology and psycho-physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kovaleva A.V.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Indices of heart rate variability are reliable and objective indicators of autonomic nervous systemtonus (of its sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions which in its turn reflect the changes in psycho-emotional state of a person, development of stress or any kind of tension. The purpose of this article was to describethe contemporary methods of objective study of a person’s functional state by the definition of autonomic regulation of heart rate and also the review of foreign studies which discuss the possibility of utilizing this method in psychology and psychophysiology. The review describes two approaches to the analysis of heart rate variability: temporal and frequency-response analyses. The indices used for temporal analysis include average duration of RR-intervalsand percentage of couples of RR-intervals, differing in more than 50ms(рNN50. The indices of frequency-response analysis included intensity of HF component, reflecting influences of parasympathetic outflow; intensity of LF component, reflecting sympathetic influences; intensity of VLF components; correlation of LF and HF waves, reflecting vegetal balance.

  10. [Features of psycho-emotional state of patients with central serous chorioretinopathy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shchuko, A A; Yureva, T N; Zlobina, A N

    to investigate peculiarities of psycho-emotional reactions in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). The study involved 35 patients with CSCR (mean age of 47.7±8.5 years) and 26 volunteers without visual impairment (mean age of 35.8±4.5 years). Their psycho-emotional state was studied using the SCL-90-R questionnaire (the severity of psychopathological symptomatology), TOBOL method (the type of attitude to the disease), Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) (strategies for controlling behavior), Spielberger-Hanin method (the level of anxiety), and the VFQ-25 questionnaire (quality of life). The psycho-emotional state of CSCR patients is characterized by elevated levels of depressive and paranoiac symptoms, obsessions, compulsions, and anxiety. Such patients tend to show supernatural, sthenic desire to maintain their professional status. They tend to try to resolve the conflict by denying the problem, imagining things and distracting oneself. They also show reactive and personal anxiety. In this study, their quality of life was significantly lower than that in healthy volunteers, vision-related criteria particularly concerned. Patients with CSCR demonstrate certain psycho-emotional features that can aggravate their general medical condition as well as the ophthalmic status.

  11. Stress, Visual and Musculoskeletal Complaints in Open Plan Office Staff

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vangelova K.

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to identify the main ergonomic and organizational risks contributing to stress, visual and musculoskeletal disorders in open plan office workers. A total of 73 subjects of mean age 28.3 ±4.7 years were studied. Measurements of salivary cortisol and self-ratings for strain, fatigue, stress symptoms, visual and musculoskeletal complaints were performed. The work places were organized well, but the studied staff reported high work load and time pressure. The data showed higher cortisol levels during the workday under time pressure. High incidence of visual and musculoskeletal complaints mainly in the region of the back and the neck were found, associated with flickering and blinks on the screen monitors and overtime. Optimizing workplace organization could help reduce stress and health complaints of office staff.

  12. Effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on the formation of psycho-vegetative syndrome with brain injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selyanina N.V.

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to determine the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the formation and forecasting of psycho-vegetative syndrome in patients with cerebral mild to moderate injury. Material and Methods. There have been 150 patients with contusion of the brain, examined. Indicators of neurological, psycho-vegetative status, quantitative content of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF and nerve growth factor (NGF in the serum were studied. Results. At patients with brain contusion neurological, psycho-vegetative disturbances and decrease neurotrophic factors are determined. It was found to depend of the content of BDNF and psycho-vegetative indicators. Conclusion. The level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum (less than 300 pg/ml is a predictor of psycho-vegetative syndrome in the long term of the brain injury.

  13. Complaints against an EMS system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colwell, Christopher B; Pons, Peter T; Pi, Randy

    2003-11-01

    Complaints against Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies represent a concerning and potentially time-consuming problem for all involved in the delivery of prehospital emergency medical care. The objective of this study was to identify the source of complaints against an EMS system to help focus quality and performance improvement and customer service efforts. We conducted a retrospective review of complaints filed against a busy urban EMS agency over a 6-year period. All complaints were included, totaled by season and by year, and categorized by originator and nature of the complaint. A total of 286 complaints were registered during the 6-year period, with an average of 48 per year and 9.3 per 10,000 responses. The most common originators of complaints were patients (53%) followed by medical personnel (19%) and family members or friends (12%). Rude behavior accounted for 23% of the complaints registered, followed by technical skills (20%), transport problems (18%), and loss of belongings (13%). The identification of areas of dissatisfaction will allow focused quality and performance improvement programs directed at customer service and risk management.

  14. Physiological and subjective responses to low relative humidity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunwoo, Yujin; Chou, Chinmei; Takeshita, Junko; Murakami, Motoko; Tochihara, Yutaka

    2006-01-01

    In order to investigate the influence of low relative humidity, we measured saccharin clearance time (SCT), frequency of blinking, heart rate (HR), blood pressure, hydration state of skin, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), recovery sebum level and skin temperature as physiological responses. We asked subjects to judge thermal, dryness and comfort sensations as subjective responses using a rating scale. Sixteen non-smoking healthy male students were selected. The pre-room conditions were maintained at an air temperature (Ta) of 25 degrees C and a relative humidity (RH) of 50%. The test room conditions were adjusted to provide a Ta of 25 degrees C and RH levels of 10%, 30% and 50%.RH had no effect on the activity of the sebaceous gland and on cardiovascular reactions like blood pressure and HR. However, it was obvious that low RH affects SCT, the dryness of the ocular mucosa and the stratum corneum of the skin and causes a decrease in mean skin temperature. Under 30% RH, the eyes and skin become dry, and under 10% RH the nasal mucous membrane becomes dry as well as the eyes and skin, and the mean skin temperature decreases. These findings suggested that to avoid dryness of the eyes and skin, it is necessary to maintain an RH greater than 30%, and to avoid dryness of the nasal mucous membrane, it is necessary to maintain an RH greater than 10%. Subjects felt cold immediately after a change in RH while they had only a slight perception of dryness at the change of humidity.

  15. Subject-independent emotion recognition based on physiological signals: a three-stage decision method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jing; Hu, Bin; Wang, Yue; Moore, Philip; Dai, Yongqiang; Feng, Lei; Ding, Zhijie

    2017-12-20

    Collaboration between humans and computers has become pervasive and ubiquitous, however current computer systems are limited in that they fail to address the emotional component. An accurate understanding of human emotions is necessary for these computers to trigger proper feedback. Among multiple emotional channels, physiological signals are synchronous with emotional responses; therefore, analyzing physiological changes is a recognized way to estimate human emotions. In this paper, a three-stage decision method is proposed to recognize four emotions based on physiological signals in the multi-subject context. Emotion detection is achieved by using a stage-divided strategy in which each stage deals with a fine-grained goal. The decision method consists of three stages. During the training process, the initial stage transforms mixed training subjects to separate groups, thus eliminating the effect of individual differences. The second stage categorizes four emotions into two emotion pools in order to reduce recognition complexity. The third stage trains a classifier based on emotions in each emotion pool. During the testing process, a test case or test trial will be initially classified to a group followed by classification into an emotion pool in the second stage. An emotion will be assigned to the test trial in the final stage. In this paper we consider two different ways of allocating four emotions into two emotion pools. A comparative analysis is also carried out between the proposal and other methods. An average recognition accuracy of 77.57% was achieved on the recognition of four emotions with the best accuracy of 86.67% to recognize the positive and excited emotion. Using differing ways of allocating four emotions into two emotion pools, we found there is a difference in the effectiveness of a classifier on learning each emotion. When compared to other methods, the proposed method demonstrates a significant improvement in recognizing four emotions in the

  16. Perceived job demands relate to self-reported health complaints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roelen, C.A.M.; Schreuder, K.J.; Koopmans, P.C.; Groothoff, J.W.

    Background Illness and illness behaviour are important problems in the Dutch workforce. Illness has been associated with job demands, with high demands relating to poorer health. It has not been reported whether subjective health complaints relate to job demands. Aims To investigate whether

  17. Patient complaints as a means to improve quality of hospital care. Results of a qualitative content analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Susanne; Dreher-Hummel, Thomas; Dollinger, Claudia; Frei, Irena Anna

    2018-04-01

    Background: Many hospitals have defined procedures for a complaint management. A systematic analysis of patient complaints helps to identify similar complaints and patterns so that targeted improvement measures can be derived (Gallagher & Mazor, 2015). Aim: Our three-month, nurse-led practice development project aimed 1) to identify complaints regarding communication issues, 2) to systemise and prioritise complaints regarding communication issues, and 3) to derive clinic-specific recommendations for improvement. Method: We analysed 273 complaints of patients documented by the quality management (secondary data analysis). Using content analysis and applying the coding taxonomy for inpatient complaints by Reader, Gillespie and Roberts (2014), we distinguished communication-related complaints. By further inductive differentiation of these complaints, we identified patterns and prioritised fields of action. Results: We identified 186 communication-related complaints divided into 16 subcategories. For each subcategory, improvement interventions were derived, discussed and prioritised. Conclusions: Thus, patient complaints provided an excellent opportunity for reflection and workplace learning for nurses. The analysis gave impulse to exemplify the subject “person-centered care” for nurses.

  18. A psycho-societal perspective on neoliberal welfare services in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Linda Lundgaard

    2016-01-01

    This article introduces a psycho-societal approach to the micro-processes of Danish neoliberal welfare services, elaborating a learning and identity perspective. My many years of encounters with professionals in welfare services have illuminated how they display a strong identification with...... of neoliberal policies and practices has dominated the Danish welfare sector. By applying a psycho-societal conceptual approach - illustrated by an empirical example - I sketch out how identification, ambivalence and defence are significant features of welfare service professionals’ learning and practices...

  19. SOLVING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS: A STUDY OF MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL SETTINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gurau Calin

    2012-12-01

    ’s satisfaction, and that will shape the final perception of the complaint service, will be different. On the other hand, the study presents and discusses the effect of various dimensions of the complaints handling strategy on the customer satisfaction. Implications: The findings of this study indicate the specific elements that should be improved by companies in order to enhance the quality of the complaint-handling process in various transactional situations. Contribution of author/authors: The present paper compares the importance of the various dimensions already identified by researchers in relation to four different situations defined by the variation of two subjective dimensions: the importance associated by the customer to the product and the emergency level of the product/service failure.

  20. Acceptance and commitment therapy and family psycho education for clients with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ema Komala, Encik Putri; Anna Keliat, Budi; Yulia Wardani, Ice

    2018-02-01

    This study aims to determine the effectiveness of combining acceptance and commitment therapy with family psycho education on increased insight, diminished symptoms, and the client's improved ability to control violent behavior. The design of this study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest utilizing intervention and control groups. The intervention group consisted of 33 people, and the control group was composed of 33 people. Data was collected before and after respondents received both acceptance and commitment therapy and family psycho education. The study showed that patient insight improved significantly, the signs and symptoms of violent behavior decreased, and the client's ability to control such behavior improved with a p value psycho education. In the control group, patient insight did not improved significantly, showing a p value > 0.05. Therefore, our study recommends that acceptance and commitment therapy and family psycho education should be given to patients with schizophrenia to improve insight into their disease, decrease signs and symptoms of violent behavior and improve their ability to control violent behavior. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  1. A worldview of the professional experiences and training needs of pediatric psycho-oncologists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oppenheim, Daniel; Breyer, Joanna; Battles, Haven; Zadeh, Sima; Patenaude, Andrea Farkas

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND Thirty years after the origin of the field of psycho-oncology, limited data exist about the work practices of professionals providing psychosocial care to children with cancer and their families. METHOD A survey was designed to assess training, work environment, theoretical orientation, services provided, sub-specialty areas or areas of special interest, satisfactions, challenges and continuing education needs of pediatric psycho-oncologists. Members of national and international psycho-oncology organizations were invited to participate in the web-based survey. RESULTS 786 professionals from 63 countries responded. The sample consisted mostly of psychologists (41%), physicians (20%), and social workers (14%). Approximately half of the participants worked in a designated psycho-oncology unit. Psychologists and social workers provided the majority of psychosocial services. Individual sessions with parents were most common (42%), followed by sessions with children (41%), survivors (36%), families (31%) and siblings (25%). Therapies provided include CBT (50%), relaxation (43%), psychodynamic psychotherapy (27%), play therapy (26%), and imagery (23%). Two-thirds report having appropriate supervision; 37% conduct research; only half feel their salary is appropriate. Differences in therapeutic modalities were found by country. Clinicians desire training on clinical interventions, improving communication with medical staff, research and ethics. CONCLUSIONS An international cohort of clinicians providing pediatric psycho-oncology services perform a wide variety of tasks, use a range of therapeutic approaches and report considerable work satisfaction. Problem areas include professional inter-relations, inadequate supervision and needs for additional, specialized training. Opportunity exists for global collaboration in pediatric psycho-oncology research and practices to enhance clinical effectiveness and reduce professional isolation. PMID:22461180

  2. Validation of Universal Scale in Oral Surgery (USOS) for Patient’s Psycho-emotional Status Rating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinchasov, Ginnady; Gervickas, Albinas; Sakavicius, Dalius; Juodzbalys, Gintaras

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objectives There aren’t any objective methods that may help in standard evaluation of oral surgery patient’s psycho-emotional status. Without any standardized evaluation, two main problems appear: heterogeneity between studies and ineffective patient’s evaluation. Therefore, Universal Scale in Oral Surgery (USOS) for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating has previously been proposed by authors. The aim of present study is to assess the clinical effectivity and validate the Universal Scale in Oral Surgery in case of outpatient tooth extraction for adult healthy patients. Material and Methods Clinical trial to validate the USOS for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating was performed. In total 90 patients, that came for outpatient dental extraction to Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department ambulatory, were enrolled in clinical trial. Patients filled self-reported questionnaires before the procedure. Operating surgeon rated USOS for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating doctor’s part questionnaire after the procedure. 4 - 6 weeks later all patients were asked to fill USOS for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating questionnaire retrospectively. Results According to the statistical analysis, the final composition of USOS for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating that would fit to reliability coefficient should be composed from 6 patient part questions and 3 general doctor part questions. Conclusions Universal Scale in Oral Surgery for patient’s psycho-emotional status rating is a novel, doctor and patient rated scale which is suitable for clinical and scientific usage. PMID:29435204

  3. Space Physiology and Operational Space Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheuring, Richard A.

    2009-01-01

    The objectives of this slide presentation are to teach a level of familiarity with: the effects of short and long duration space flight on the human body, the major medical concerns regarding future long duration missions, the environmental issues that have potential medical impact on the crew, the role and capabilities of the Space Medicine Flight Surgeon and the environmental impacts experienced by the Apollo crews. The main physiological effects of space flight on the human body reviewed in this presentation are: space motion sickness (SMS), neurovestibular, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, immune/hematopoietic system and behavioral/psycho-social. Some countermeasures are discussed to these effects.

  4. A psycho-societal approach to life histories

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Henning Salling

    2016-01-01

    Life histories represent lived lives past, present and anticipated future. As such they are interpretations of individuals’ experiences of the way in which societal dynamics take place in the individual body and mind, either by the individual him/herself or by another biographer. I have been...... particularly interested in the relations between the culturally mediated and the sensory/bodily aspects of experience processes because this is the boundary zones of knowledge and seat of the dynamics of learning. My psycho-societal approach was developing from interpreting autobiographical and later certain...... other forms of language interactive material as moments of life history, i.e. it is basically a hermeneutic approach. Talking about a psycho-societal approach indicates the ambition of attacking the dichotomy of the social and the psychic, both in the interpretation procedure and in some main...

  5. [Complex of psycho-hygienic correction measures of personality features of hiv-infected men and evaluation of their efficiency].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serheta, Ihor V; Dudarenko, Oksana B; Mostova, Olha P; Lobastova, Tetiana V; Andriichuk, Vitalii M; Vakolyuk, Larysa M; Yakubovska, Olha M

    2018-01-01

    Introduction: In addition to adequate diagnosis and treatment of HIV-infected individuals, development, scientific substantiation and implementation of psycho-hygienic measures aimed at correcting the processes of forming personality traits and improving the psycho-emotional state of HIV-infected individuals are of particular importance. The aim: The purpose of the scientific research was to determine the most significant changes of situational and personal anxiety indicators, the degree of gravity of the asthenic state and depressive manifestations that were recorded in the context of the introduction of a number of measures for psycho-hygienic correction. Materials and methods: To determine the peculiarities of the impact of the proposed measures of psycho-hygienic correction and the study of the consequences of their implementation, two groups of comparison were created: a control group and an intervention group. 30 HIV-infected men who used a complex of measures for psycho-hygienic correction of personality traits and improvement of psycho-emotional state in their daily activities were included in the intervention group; 30 HIV-infected men who did not use this complex in their daily activities were included in the control group. Diagnosis and assessment of the anxiety of HIV-infected persons were carried out on the basis of The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The absence or presence of manifestations of an asthenic personality disorder in the subjects was determined by means of a test method created by L. Malkova for assessing asthenia. In order to determine the degree of manifestation of this characteristic, the psychic state of a person, as a level of expression of a depressive state, the psychometric Zung Depression Rating Scale was used to assess depression. Results: Studies have found that there was a statistically valid decrease of the level of indicators of situational anxiety among the representatives of the intervention group which reduced from

  6. Can we predict cognitive deficits based on cognitive complaints?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether the intensity of cognitive complaints can, in conjunction with other selected variables, predict the general level of cognitive functions evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA test. Current reports do not show clear conclusions on this subject. Some data indicate that cognitive complaints have a predictive value for low scores in standardised tasks, suggesting cognitive dysfunction (e.g. mild cognitive impairment. Other data, however, do not support the predictive role of complaints, and show no relationship to exist between the complaints and the results of cognitive tests. Material and methods: The study included 118 adults (58 women and 60 men. We used the MoCA test, a self-report questionnaire assessing the intensity of cognitive complaints (Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cognitive Impairment – PROCOG and Dysexecutive Questionnaire/Self – DEX-S, and selected subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R PL. On the basis of the results from the MoCA test, two separate groups were created, one comprising respondents with lower results, and one – those who obtained scores indicating a normal level of cognitive function. We compared these groups according to the severity of the complaints and the results obtained with the other methods. Logistic regression analysis was performed taking into account the independent variables (gender, age, result in PROCOG, DEX-S, and neurological condition and the dependent variable (dichotomized result in MoCA. Results: Groups with different levels of performance in MoCA differed in regards of some cognitive abilities and the severity of complaints related to semantic memory, anxiety associated with a sense of deficit and loss of skills, but provided similar self-assessments regarding the efficiency of episodic memory, long-term memory, social skills and executive functions. The severity of complaints does not allow

  7. Use of the distress thermometer to evaluate symptoms, outcome and satisfaction in a specialist psycho-oncology service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blenkiron, Paul; Brooks, Alexander; Dearden, Richard; McVey, Joanne

    2014-01-01

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends the use of structured tools to improve holistic care for patients with cancer. The Distress Thermometer and Problem Checklist (DT) is commonly used for screening in physical health settings. However, it has not been integrated into the clinical pathway within specialist psycho-oncology services. We used the DT to examine the broad clinical effectiveness of psycho-oncology intervention and to ascertain factors from the DT linked to an improved outcome. We also evaluated patients' satisfaction with their care. We asked 111 adult outpatients referred to York Psycho-Oncology Service to complete the DT at their first appointment. Individuals offered a period of psycho-oncology care re-rated their emotional distress, problems and service satisfaction on the DT at discharge. Median distress scores decreased significantly (from 6 to 4, Wilcoxon's z = -4.83, P psycho-oncology care. It may also provide evidence to support the effectiveness of specialist psycho-oncology interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The network organisation of consumer complaints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, L. E. C.; Holme, P.

    2010-07-01

    Interaction between consumers and companies can create conflict. When a consensus is unreachable there are legal authorities to resolve the case. This letter is a study of data from the Brazilian Department of Justice from which we build a bipartite network of categories of complaints linked to the companies receiving those complaints. We find the complaint categories organised in an hierarchical way where companies only get complaints of lower degree if they already got complaints of higher degree. The fraction of resolved complaints for a company appears to be nearly independent of the equity of the company but is positively correlated with the total number of complaints received. We construct feature vectors based on the edge-weight —the weight of an edge represents the times complaints of a category have been filed against that company— and use these vectors to study the similarity between the categories of complaints. From this analysis, we obtain trees mapping the hierarchical organisation of the complaints. We also apply principal component analysis to the set of feature vectors concluding that a reduction of the dimensionality of these from 8827 to 27 gives an optimal hierarchical representation.

  9. Self-perceived memory complaints predict progression to Alzheimer disease. The LADIS study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verdelho, Ana; Madureira, Sofia; Moleiro, Carla

    2011-01-01

    the follow-up (ß = 2.7, p = 0.008; HR = 15.5, CI 95% [2.04, 117.6]), independently of other confounders, namely depressive symptoms, WMC severity, medial temporal lobe atrophy, and global cognition status at baseline. Self perceived memory complaints did not predict vascular dementia. In the LADIS study......Memory complaints are frequent in the elderly but its implications in cognition over time remain a controversial issue. Our objective was to evaluate the risk of self perceived memory complaints in the evolution for future dementia. The LADIS (Leukoaraiosis and Disability) prospective multinational...... battery. Dementia and subtypes of dementia were classified. Self perceived memory complaints in independent elderly were collected during the interview. MRI was performed at entry and at the end of the study. 639 subjects were included (74.1 ± 5 years old, 55% women, 9.6 ± 3.8 years of schooling). At end...

  10. BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrie Prasetyo

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Complaining is one form of communication for consumers to express their dissatisfaction. Understanding the consumer complaint behavior is an important thing for businesses; however, it is not easy to do. The initial step in understanding this behavior of consumer complaints is to map consumers based on their behavior of complaints and analyze the factors that influence this. This study examines the complaint behavior of consumers in Cibubur who have experienced dissatisfaction with a product.  The objectives of this study are to map the consumer complaint behavior and identify its relationship with various factors such as consumer demographics, personality, attitude to businesses, attribution of the causes of dissatisfaction, and product attributes. A crosstab descriptive analysis method was used to map the consumers, while the Pearson correlation analysis methods was used to analyze consumer complaint behavioral relationships with various factors. The results of this study indicated that consumers in Cibubur based on their complaint behavior are classified into four groups: passive, voicers, irates and activist. The passive consumers dominate the category with a percentage of 49%.  The voicers, irates, and activist belong to the complaining type and are dominated by young women, with high levels of education and income. Keywords: consumer complaint behavior, product, crosstab, pearson correlation

  11. A worldview of the professional experiences and training needs of pediatric psycho-oncologists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiener, Lori; Oppenheim, Daniel; Breyer, Joanna; Battles, Haven; Zadeh, Sima; Patenaude, Andrea Farkas

    2012-09-01

    Thirty years after the origin of the field of psycho-oncology, limited data exist about the work practices of professionals providing psychosocial care to children with cancer and their families. A survey was designed to assess training, work environment, theoretical orientation, services provided, subspecialty areas or areas of special interest, satisfactions, challenges, and continuing education needs of pediatric psycho-oncologists. Members of national and international psycho-oncology organizations were invited to participate in the web-based survey. Seven hundred eighty-six professionals from 63 countries responded. The sample consisted mostly of psychologists (41%), physicians (20%), and social workers (14%). Approximately half of the participants worked in a designated psycho-oncology unit. Psychologists and social workers provided the majority of psychosocial services. Individual sessions with parents were most common (42%), followed by sessions with children (41%), survivors (36%), families (31%), and siblings (25%). Therapies provided include cognitive behavioral therapy (50%), relaxation (43%), psychodynamic psychotherapy (27%), play therapy (26%), and imagery (23%). Two-thirds reported having appropriate supervision, 37% were conducting research, and only half felt their salary was appropriate. Differences in therapeutic modalities were found by country. Clinicians desire training on clinical interventions, improving communication with medical staff, research, and ethics. An international cohort of clinicians providing pediatric psycho-oncology services perform a wide variety of tasks, use a range of therapeutic approaches, and report considerable work satisfaction. Problem areas include professional inter-relations, inadequate supervision, and need for additional specialized training. Opportunity exists for global collaboration in pediatric psycho-oncology research and practices to enhance clinical effectiveness and reduce professional isolation

  12. CGB - Consumer Complaints Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Communications Commission — Individual informal consumer complaint data detailing complaints filed with the Consumer Help Center beginning October 31, 2014. This data represents information...

  13. Complaints and satisfaction after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grøntved, A M; Karup, P

    2000-01-01

    A questionnaire administered 2 years after classical laser uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) showed that 42% of 69 patients had complaints. Most of the complaints, however, were comparatively minor. The most frequent complaint was a tendency to nasal regurgitation (13%), although only two patients...

  14. The effect of antenatal education in small classes on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Lauemøller, Stine Glenstrup

    2015-01-01

    of small group antenatal education on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient evidence exists as to whether antenatal education in small classes is effective in regard to obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. We recommend updating this review following the emergence of well......, with participation of a small number of participants, may differ from the effect of other forms of antenatal education due to, for example, group dynamic. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effects of antenatal education in small groups on obstetric as well as psycho-social outcomes. METHODS...

  15. Generating Stimuli for Neuroscience Using PsychoPy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peirce, Jonathan W

    2008-01-01

    PsychoPy is a software library written in Python, using OpenGL to generate very precise visual stimuli on standard personal computers. It is designed to allow the construction of as wide a variety of neuroscience experiments as possible, with the least effort. By writing scripts in standard Python syntax users can generate an enormous variety of visual and auditory stimuli and can interact with a wide range of external hardware (enabling its use in fMRI, EEG, MEG etc.). The structure of scripts is simple and intuitive. As a result, new experiments can be written very quickly, and trying to understand a previously written script is easy, even with minimal code comments. PsychoPy can also generate movies and image sequences to be used in demos or simulated neuroscience experiments. This paper describes the range of tools and stimuli that it provides and the environment in which experiments are conducted.

  16. Phenomenological characterization of memory complaints in preclinical and prodromal Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckley, Rachel F; Ellis, Kathryn A; Ames, David; Rowe, Christopher C; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Maruff, Paul; Villemagne, Victor L; Macaulay, S Lance; Szoeke, Cassandra; Martins, Ralph N; Masters, Colin L; Savage, Greg; Rainey-Smith, Stephanie R; Rembach, Alan; Saling, Michael M

    2015-07-01

    To explore the subjective experience of memory change in groups at risk of dementia (those with mild cognitive impairment MCI or high β-amyloid (Aβ+) burden) to determine the existence of potential phenomenological typologies. We recruited 123 healthy controls (HC) and individuals with MCI from the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study. Sixty-7 (HC = 47,MCI = 20) had Aβ scans available for analysis. Semistructured interviews were administered, transcribed, and meaningful phrases extracted from transcripts. Twelve themes were defined and compared across diagnostic status and Aβ status. MCI endorsed more complaints of burdensome coping strategies, increasing frequency, sense of predomination, poor contextualization, progression, dependency, impact on affect, and dismissive attitudes. HCAβ+ acknowledged a progressive memory decline compared to HCAβ-, while MCIAβ+ expressed more burdensome coping strategies, dismissive attitudes, and dependency comparative to either healthy group. Depression was more likely to be related to complaint themes in HCs, while complaint themes were associated with poorer list-learning performance in individuals with MCI. Complaint themes in those with MCI align with the MCI symptom complex, particularly when accompanied with high Aβ load. Healthy Aβ+ individuals acknowledged progressive memory change, suggesting they are aware of memory changes not yet detectable via neuropsychological measures. Depressive symptomatology associated with HC complaints, suggesting certain themes are affect-driven, while complaints in MCI are associated with organically driven functional impairment. Qualitative analysis of SMCs can inform the earliest clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease. Our findings can inform diagnostic approaches to the clinical evaluation of memory complaints in the nondemented elderly. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Consumer Complaints and Company Market Value

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danny Pimentel Claro

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Consumer complaints affect company market value and common sense suggests that a negative impact is expected. However, do complaints always negatively impact company market value? We hypothesize in this study that complaints may have a non-linear effect on market value. Positive (e.g. avoiding high costs to solve complaints and negative (e.g. speedy and intense diffusion tradeoffs may occur given the level of complaints. To test our non-linear hypothesis, a panel data was collected from cell phone service providers from 2005 to 2013. The results supported our tradeoff rationale. Low levels of complaints allow for companies to increase market value, while high levels of complaints cause increasing harm to market value. The sample, model and period considered in this study, indicates a level of 0.49 complaints per thousand consumers as the threshold for a shift in tradeoffs. The effects on market value become increasingly negative when trying to make reductions to move below this level, due to negative tradeoffs.

  18. Forms of psycho-pedagogical work to overcome the negative factors in professional self-determination of teenagers with deviant behavior

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikitskaya E. A.

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the problem of professional orientation of students of adolescence with deviant behavior in secondary school. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding that without psycho-pedagogical assistance to professional orientation component development of "difficult" teenagers is very difficult and often even impossible. These difficulties caused by both objective reasons – the complexity of the process of professional selection in the current socio-economic situation and subjective age and personality characteristics of adolescents with deviant behavior. In this regard, the article describes the main factors affecting the formation of deviant adolescents the ability to professional self-determination, and proposes to the understanding and application of some form of psycho-pedagogical work on overcoming difficulties in professional self-determination of this category of students. The forms were tested in real teaching practice.

  19. Focusing on cancer patients' intentions to use psycho-oncological support: a longitudinal, mixed-methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tondorf, T; Grossert, A; Rothschild, S I; Koller, M T; Rochlitz, C; Kiss, A; Schaefert, R; Meinlschmidt, G; Hunziker, S; Zwahlen, D

    2018-04-15

    Distress screening programs aim to ensure appropriate psycho-oncological support for cancer patients, but many eligible patients do not use these services. To improve distress management, we need to better understand patients' supportive care needs. In this paper, we report the first key finding from a longitudinal study that focused on patients' intentions to use psycho-oncological support, and its association with distress and uptake of the psycho-oncology service. We conducted a prospective, observational study in an Oncology Outpatient Clinic and assessed distress, intention to use psycho-oncological support, and uptake of the psycho-oncology service using the Distress Thermometer (DT), a semi-structured interview, and hospital records. We analyzed data with a mixed-methods approach. Of 333 patients (mean age 61 years; 55% male; 54% DT≥5), 25% intended to use the psycho-oncology service (yes), 33% were ambivalent (maybe), and 42% reported no intention (no). Overall, 23% had attended the psycho-oncology service four months later. Ambivalent patients reported higher distress than patients with no intention (odds ratio (OR)=1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI)[1.06-1.32]) but showed significantly lower uptake behavior than patients with an intention (OR=14.04, 95%CI [6.74-29.24]). Qualitative analyses revealed that ambivalent patients (maybe) emphasized fears and uncertainties, while patients with clear intentions (yes/no) emphasized knowledge, attitudes, and coping concepts. We identified a vulnerable group of ambivalent patients with high distress levels and low uptake behavior. To optimize distress screening programs, we suggest addressing and discussing patients' supportive care needs in routine clinical practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  20. Complaints about noise from windmills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-10-01

    With the aim of examining the subject of noise made by windmills and discovering the characteristics that are commonly found with regard to complaints in this respect, 10 cases were selected from a total of 40 in order to carry out a critical examination of the matter. The chosen cases were concerned with both small and medium-sized wind turbines located in groups or standing alone. The authors of the complaints lived within a distance of 160-166 meters from the cited windmills which could be described as producing an average amount of noise in relation to their size. It was clear from available material (including telephone interviews) that noise was experienced as being the most disturbing, although light-flashing from turbine blades, shadowing and aesthetic considerations related to scenic location were also named. In most cases the noise was so distressing that it influenced people's decisions on whether, or where, to go outside their homes and whether or not to open their windows. Most complaints were about machine noise and other audible tones, and about half of them concerned the swish of turning blades. Most people were especially bothered when the wind did not blow so hard (so that the wind in the trees etc. was not so loud). The persistancy of the noise generated was considered to contribute most to the depreciation of life quality. It was found that the amount of irritation coincided with noise loads of L r at a wind velocity of 5 or 8 m/s. A table is presented to illustrate registered noise conditions. (AB)

  1. A score based on screening tests to differentiate mild cognitive impairment from subjective memory complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Henrique de Gobbi Porto

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available It is not easy to differentiate patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI from subjective memory complainers (SMC. Assessments with screening cognitive tools are essential, particularly in primary care where most patients are seen. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of screening cognitive tests and to propose a score derived from screening tests. Elderly subjects with memory complaints were evaluated using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE and the Brief Cognitive Battery (BCB. We added two delayed recalls in the MMSE (a delayed recall and a late-delayed recall, LDR, and also a phonemic fluency test of letter P fluency (LPF. A score was created based on these tests. The diagnoses were made on the basis of clinical consensus and neuropsychological testing. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to determine area under the curve (AUC, the sensitivity and specificity for each test separately and for the final proposed score. MMSE, LDR, LPF and delayed recall of BCB scores reach statistically significant differences between groups (P=0.000, 0.03, 0.001 and 0.01, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity and AUC were MMSE: 64%, 79% and 0.75 (cut off <29; LDR: 56%, 62% and 0.62 (cut off <3; LPF: 71%, 71% and 0.71 (cut off <14; delayed recall of BCB: 56%, 82% and 0.68 (cut off <9. The proposed score reached a sensitivity of 88% and 76% and specificity of 62% and 75% for cut off over 1 and over 2, respectively. AUC were 0.81. In conclusion, a score created from screening tests is capable of discriminating MCI from SMC with moderate to good accurancy.

  2. Generating stimuli for neuroscience using PsychoPy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan W Peirce

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available PsychoPy is a software library written in Python, using OpenGL to generate very precise visual stimuli on standard personal computers. It is designed to allow the construction of as wide a variety of neuroscience experiments as possible, with the least effort. By writing scripts in standard Python syntax users can generate an enormous variety of visual and auditory stimuli and can interact with a wide range of external hardware (enabling its use in fMRI, EEG, MEG etc.. The structure of scripts is simple and intuitive. As a result, new experiments can be written very quickly, and trying to understand a previously written script is easy, even with minimal code comments. PsychoPy can also generate movies and image sequences to be used in demos or simulated neuroscience experiments. This paper describes the range of tools and stimuli that it provides and the environment in which experiments are conducted.

  3. Temporomandibular joint disorder complaints in tinnitus: further hints for a putative tinnitus subtype.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veronika Vielsmeier

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus is considered to be highly heterogeneous with respect to its etiology, its comorbidities and the response to specific interventions. Subtyping is recommended, but it remains to be determined which criteria are useful, since it has not yet been clearly demonstrated whether and to which extent etiologic factors, comorbid states and interventional response are related to each other and are thus applicable for subtyping tinnitus. Analyzing the Tinnitus Research Initiative Database we differentiated patients according to presence or absence of comorbid temporomandibular joint (TMJ disorder complaints and compared the two groups with respect to etiologic factors. METHODS: 1204 Tinnitus patients from the Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI Database with and without subjective TMJ complaints were compared with respect to demographic, tinnitus and audiological characteristics, questionnaires, and numeric ratings. Data were analysed according to a predefined statistical analysis plan. RESULTS: Tinnitus patients with TMJ complaints (22% of the whole group were significantly younger, had a lower age at tinnitus onset, and were more frequently female. They could modulate or mask their tinnitus more frequently by somatic maneuvers and by music or sound stimulation. Groups did not significantly differ for tinnitus duration, type of onset (gradual/abrupt, onset related events (whiplash etc., character (pulsatile or not, hyperacusis, hearing impairment, tinnitus distress, depression, quality of life and subjective ratings (loudness etc.. CONCLUSION: Replicating previous work in tinnitus patients with TMJ complaints, classical risk factors for tinnitus like older age and male gender are less relevant in tinnitus patients with TMJ complaints. By demonstrating group differences for modulation of tinnitus by movements and sounds our data further support the notion that tinnitus with TMJ complaints represents a subgroup of tinnitus with clinical

  4. The life and work of Melanie Klein in the British Psycho-Analytical Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, P H

    1983-01-01

    This paper describes certain aspects of the life and work of Melanie Klein in the British Psycho-Analytical Society. It attempts to highlight the reciprocity of the relationship between Melanie Klein and other members of that Society by showing how the climate of psychoanalytical opinion that was prevalent among members of that Society during the first decade of her stay in London, and which encouraged discussion of clinical work and interest in psychoanalytical discovery, provided a congenial setting for her to become firmly established as an active member of the British Society and to continue her contributions to psychoanalytic theory and clinical expertise. The paper also traces the development of Melanie Klein's main theoretical contributions, together with relevant criticisms of them as they emerged, against the background of the history of the British Psycho-Analytical Society. It describes the controversies that arose as to whether or not her ideas could properly be viewed within the framework of psychoanalytic theory, as formulated by Freud, and the attempted resolution of these controversies, together with some comments on the repercussions of these theoretical disagreements on relationships within the Society. An extensive list of references is included to facilitate a more detailed study of the subject.

  5. 6 CFR 13.7 - Complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Complaint. 13.7 Section 13.7 Domestic Security DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES § 13.7 Complaint. (a) On or after the date the Department of Justice approves the issuance of a Complaint in accordance...

  6. 29 CFR 1614.302 - Mixed case complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Mixed case complaints. 1614.302 Section 1614.302 Labor... EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Related Processes § 1614.302 Mixed case complaints. (a) Definitions—(1) Mixed case complaint. A mixed case complaint is a complaint of employment discrimination filed with a federal agency...

  7. High levels of sound pressure: acoustic reflex thresholds and auditory complaints of workers with noise exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Scalli Mathias Duarte

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The clinical evaluation of subjects with occupational noise exposure has been difficult due to the discrepancy between auditory complaints and auditory test results. This study aimed to evaluate the contralateral acoustic reflex thresholds of workers exposed to high levels of noise, and to compare these results to the subjects' auditory complaints.METHODS: This clinical retrospective study evaluated 364 workers between 1998 and 2005; their contralateral acoustic reflexes were compared to auditory complaints, age, and noise exposure time by chi-squared, Fisher's, and Spearman's tests.RESULTS: The workers' age ranged from 18 to 50 years (mean = 39.6, and noise exposure time from one to 38 years (mean = 17.3. We found that 15.1% (55 of the workers had bilateral hearing loss, 38.5% (140 had bilateral tinnitus, 52.8% (192 had abnormal sensitivity to loud sounds, and 47.2% (172 had speech recognition impairment. The variables hearing loss, speech recognition impairment, tinnitus, age group, and noise exposure time did not show relationship with acoustic reflex thresholds; however, all complaints demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with Metz recruitment at 3000 and 4000 Hz bilaterally.CONCLUSION: There was no significance relationship between auditory complaints and acoustic reflexes.

  8. 25 CFR 11.1000 - Complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Complaint. 11.1000 Section 11.1000 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAW AND ORDER COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE Juvenile Offender Procedure § 11.1000 Complaint. A complaint must be filed by a law enforcement officer or...

  9. The Societal Nature of Subjectivity: An Interdisciplinary Methodological Challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henning Salling Olesen

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The thematic issue presents a psycho-societal approach to qualitative empirical research in several areas of everyday social life. It is an approach which integrates a theory of subjectivity and an interpretation methodology which integrates hermeneutic experiences from text analysis and psychoanalysis. Its particular focus is on subjectivity—as an aspect of the research object and as an aspect of the research process. By the term "approach" is indicated the intrinsic connection between the theorizing of an empirical object and the reflection of the research process and the epistemic subject. In terms of methodology it revives the themes originally launched in FQS exactly ten years ago: "Subjectivity and Reflectivity in Qualitative Research" (BREUER, MRUCK & ROTH, 2002; MRUCK & BREUER, 2003. This editorial introduction presents the intellectual background of the psycho-societal methodology, reflects on its relevance and critical perspectives in a contemporary landscape of social science, and comments the way in which an international and interdisciplinary research group has developed this approach to profane empirical research. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs120345

  10. Demands and Needs for Psycho-Oncological eHealth Interventions in Women With Cancer: Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ringwald, Johanna; Marwedel, Lennart; Junne, Florian; Ziser, Katrin; Schäffeler, Norbert; Gerstner, Lena; Wallwiener, Markus; Brucker, Sara Yvonne; Hautzinger, Martin; Zipfel, Stephan; Teufel, Martin

    2017-11-24

    Over the last decade, a growing body of studies regarding the application of eHealth and various digital interventions has been published and are widely used in the psycho-oncological care. However, the effectiveness of eHealth applications in psycho-oncological care is still questioned due to missing considerations regarding evidence-based studies on the demands and needs in cancer-affected patients. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the cancer-affected women's needs and wishes for psycho-oncological content topics in eHealth applications and whether women with cancer differ in their content topics and eHealth preferences regarding their experienced psychological burden. Patients were recruited via an electronic online survey through social media, special patient Internet platforms, and patient networks (both inpatients and outpatients, University Hospital Tuebingen, Germany). Participant demographics, preferences for eHealth and psycho-oncological content topics, and their experienced psychological burden of distress, quality of life, and need for psychosocial support were evaluated. Of the 1172 patients who responded, 716 were included in the study. The highest preference for psycho-oncological content topics reached anxiety, ability to cope, quality of life, depressive feelings, and adjustment toward a new life situation. eHealth applications such as Web-based applications, websites, blogs, info email, and consultation hotline were considered to be suitable to convey these content topics. Psychological burden did not influence the preference rates according to psycho-oncological content and eHealth applications. Psycho-oncological eHealth applications may be very beneficial for women with cancer, especially when they address psycho-oncological content topics like anxiety, ability to cope, depressive feelings, self-esteem, or adjustment to a new life situation. The findings of this study indicate that psycho-oncological eHealth applications are a

  11. The optimal timing of stimulation to induce long-lasting positive effects on episodic memory in physiological aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manenti, Rosa; Sandrini, Marco; Brambilla, Michela; Cotelli, Maria

    2016-09-15

    Episodic memory displays the largest degree of age-related decline. A noninvasive brain stimulation technique that can be used to modulate memory in physiological aging is transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). However, an aspect that has not been adequately investigated in previous studies is the optimal timing of stimulation to induce long-lasting positive effects on episodic memory function. Our previous studies showed episodic memory enhancement in older adults when anodal tDCS was applied over the left lateral prefrontal cortex during encoding or after memory consolidation with or without a contextual reminder. Here we directly compared the two studies to explore which of the tDCS protocols would induce longer-lasting positive effects on episodic memory function in older adults. In addition, we aimed to determine whether subjective memory complaints would be related to the changes in memory performance (forgetting) induced by tDCS, a relevant issue in aging research since individuals with subjective memory complaints seem to be at higher risk of later memory decline. The results showed that anodal tDCS applied after consolidation with a contextual reminder induced longer-lasting positive effects on episodic memory, conceivably through reconsolidation, than anodal tDCS during encoding. Furthermore, we reported, providing new data, a moderate negative correlation between subjective memory complaints and forgetting when anodal tDCS was applied after consolidation with a contextual reminder. This study sheds light on the best-suited timing of stimulation to induce long-lasting positive effects on memory function and might help the clinicians to select the most effective tDCS protocol to prevent memory decline. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. 39 CFR 3030.10 - Complaint contents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Initial Pleadings § 3030.10 Complaint contents. (a) A complaint must: (1) Set forth the facts and... to be similarly affected by the issues involved in the complaint, if applicable; (5) State the nature...

  13. Caregiver's Burden, Coping, and Psycho-Education in Indian Households with Single- and Multiple-Affected Members with Schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Satabdi; Bhatia, Triptish; Anderson, Carol; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Deshpande, Smita N

    2013-01-01

    There is considerable evidence that family psycho-education combined with pharmacological intervention for patients with schizophrenia increases family understanding of the illness, reduces the familial burden of care, and improves patient outcomes. However, no studies have determined whether the burden of care is greater for those families with more than one ill member (multiplex) than for families with a single-affected individual (simplex), and whether psycho-educational programs should be adapted to meet the specific needs of multiplex families. This study was conducted at a tertiary care postgraduate teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. Caregivers in simplex [n = 50] and multiplex families [n = 30] were compared with regard to levels of burden, coping, and the impact of psycho-education on family functioning. All the caregiver participants attended eight bimonthly, psycho-educational intervention sessions. They were assessed on the Burden Assessment Schedule (BAS) and the Coping Check List (CCL) before and after psycho-education. Caregivers from the multiplex families reported significantly more burden on two domains of the BAS, but there were no significant differences between the groups with regard to coping on the CCL. Following psycho-education, significant improvement occurred in the majority of domains of the BAS and the CCL; the effect sizes varied by domain and family type. Multiplex families face a greater burden of care compared with simplex families. Currently, available psycho-education programs are moderately effective for such families.

  14. The joy of heartfelt music: An examination of emotional and physiological responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynar, Emily; Cvejic, Erin; Schubert, Emery; Vollmer-Conna, Ute

    2017-10-01

    Music-listening can be a powerful therapeutic tool for mood rehabilitation, yet quality evidence for its validity as a singular treatment is scarce. Specifically, the relationship between music-induced mood improvement and meaningful physiological change, as well as the influence of music- and person-related covariates on these outcomes are yet to be comprehensively explored. Ninety-four healthy participants completed questionnaires probing demographics, personal information, and musical background. Participants listened to two prescribed musical pieces (one classical, one jazz), an "uplifting" piece of their own choice, and an acoustic control stimulus (white noise) in randomised order. Physiological responses (heart rate, respiration, galvanic skin response) were recorded throughout. After each piece, participants rated their subjective responses on a series of Likert scales. Subjectively, the self-selected pieces induced the most joy, and the classical piece was perceived as most relaxing, consistent with the arousal ratings proposed by a music selection panel. These two stimuli led to the greatest overall improvement in composite emotional state from baseline. Psycho-physiologically, self-selected pieces often elicited a "eustress" response ("positive arousal"), whereas classical music was associated with the highest heart rate variability. Very few person-related covariates appeared to affect responses, and music-related covariates (besides self-selection) appeared arbitrary. These data provide strong evidence that optimal music for therapy varies between individuals. Our findings additionally suggest that the self-selected music was most effective for inducing a joyous state; while low arousal classical music was most likely to shift the participant into a state of relaxation. Therapy should attempt to find the most effective and "heartfelt" music for each listener, according to therapeutic goals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Evidence of Rapid Modulation by Social Information of Subjective, Physiological, and Neural Responses to Emotional Expressions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mermillod, Martial; Grynberg, Delphine; Pio-Lopez, Léo; Rychlowska, Magdalena; Beffara, Brice; Harquel, Sylvain; Vermeulen, Nicolas; Niedenthal, Paula M; Dutheil, Frédéric; Droit-Volet, Sylvie

    2017-01-01

    Recent research suggests that conceptual or emotional factors could influence the perceptual processing of stimuli. In this article, we aimed to evaluate the effect of social information (positive, negative, or no information related to the character of the target) on subjective (perceived and felt valence and arousal), physiological (facial mimicry) as well as on neural (P100 and N170) responses to dynamic emotional facial expressions (EFE) that varied from neutral to one of the six basic emotions. Across three studies, the results showed reduced ratings of valence and arousal of EFE associated with incongruent social information (Study 1), increased electromyographical responses (Study 2), and significant modulation of P100 and N170 components (Study 3) when EFE were associated with social (positive and negative) information (vs. no information). These studies revealed that positive or negative social information reduces subjective responses to incongruent EFE and produces a similar neural and physiological boost of the early perceptual processing of EFE irrespective of their congruency. In conclusion, the article suggests that the presence of positive or negative social context modulates early physiological and neural activity preceding subsequent behavior.

  16. Evidence of Rapid Modulation by Social Information of Subjective, Physiological, and Neural Responses to Emotional Expressions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martial Mermillod

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent research suggests that conceptual or emotional factors could influence the perceptual processing of stimuli. In this article, we aimed to evaluate the effect of social information (positive, negative, or no information related to the character of the target on subjective (perceived and felt valence and arousal, physiological (facial mimicry as well as on neural (P100 and N170 responses to dynamic emotional facial expressions (EFE that varied from neutral to one of the six basic emotions. Across three studies, the results showed reduced ratings of valence and arousal of EFE associated with incongruent social information (Study 1, increased electromyographical responses (Study 2, and significant modulation of P100 and N170 components (Study 3 when EFE were associated with social (positive and negative information (vs. no information. These studies revealed that positive or negative social information reduces subjective responses to incongruent EFE and produces a similar neural and physiological boost of the early perceptual processing of EFE irrespective of their congruency. In conclusion, the article suggests that the presence of positive or negative social context modulates early physiological and neural activity preceding subsequent behavior.

  17. A Relationship Between Hemisphericity and Psycho-Epistemology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rancourt, Richard; Dionne, Jean-Paul

    This review of two distinct areas of research--brain research and psycho-epistemology--indicates a possible link between the two which may potentially help to identify an as yet unknown molar trait which could be responsible for divergent opinions regarding teaching and learning theories, and may help to explain differential achievement when these…

  18. WITHDRAWAL OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. A COMPARISON OF THE OLD AND THE NEW CRIMINAL CODE. PROBLEMS OF COMPARATIVE LAW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alin Sorin NICOLESCU

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In criminal law previous complaint has a double legal valence, material and procedural in nature, constituting a condition for criminal liability, but also a functional condition in cases expressly and limitatively provided by law, a consequence of criminal sanction condition. For certain offenses criminal law determines the initiation of the criminal complaint by the introduction of previous complaint by the injured party, without its absence being a question of removing criminal liability. From the perspective of criminal material law conditioning of the existence of previous complaint ,its lack and withdrawal, are regulated by art. 157 and 158 of the New Penal Code, with significant changes in relation to the old regulation of the institution . In terms of procedural aspect , previous complaint is regulated in art. 295-298 of the New Code of Criminal Procedure. Regarding the withdrawal of the previuos complaint, in the case of offenses for which the initiation of criminal proceedings is subject to the existence of such a complaint, we note that in the current Criminal Code this legal institution is regulated separately, representing both a cause for removal of criminal liability and a cause that preclude criminal action. This unilateral act of the will of the injured party - the withdrawal of the previous complaint, may be exercised only under certain conditions, namely: it can only be promoted in the case of the offenses for which the initiation of criminal proceedings is subject to the introduction of a previous complaint; it is made exclusively by the rightholder, by legal representatives or with the consent of the persons required by law for persons lacking legal capacity or having limited legal capacity;it must intervene until giving final judgment and it must represent an express and explicit manifestation. A novelty isrepresented by the possibility of withdrawing previous complaint if the prosecution was driven ex officio, although for

  19. The efficacy of psycho-educational group program on medication adherence and global functioning of patients with bipolar disorder type I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahredar, Mohammad Jafar; Asgharnejad Farid, Ali Asghar; Ghanizadeh, Ahmad; Birashk, Behrooz

    2014-01-01

    Psycho-education is now considered as part of the integrated treatment for bipolar disorder. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of group psycho-education on medication adherence and global functioning of patients with bipolar disorder type I. 45 patients with bipolar disorder type I were allocated one of the three groups of psycho-education plus pharmacotherapy, pharmacotherapy and placebo plus pharmacotherapy. A psycho-educational program was conducted for the psycho-educational group during 9 weekly sessions. Medication adherence and global functioning of all the three groups were evaluated before the intervention, three months and six months after the intervention using Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). ANOVA was performed to examine the data. In the first and second assessments, the mean score of medication adherence and gobal functioning for patients in the psycho-educational group was significantly higher than that in the control and placebo groups (P=0.001). Medication adherence score of the psycho-educational group was increased from 6.27(0.88) to 7.92(1.38). while the mean score of the psycho-educational group increased from 56.6 (3.58) to 64.17 (2.12):, the global functioning reduced from 56.27(3.17) to 54.17(5.08) in the control group and from 56.67 (3.58) to 56 (4.36) in the placebo group. Psycho-educational program plus pharmacotherapy was effective in improvement medication adherence and global functioning of bipolar patients.

  20. The sensitivity and specificity of subjective memory complaints and the subjective memory rating scale, deterioration cognitive observee, mini-mental state examination, six-item screener and clock drawing test in dementia screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramlall, S; Chipps, J; Bhigjee, A I; Pillay, B J

    2013-01-01

    The effectiveness of dementia screening depends on the availability of suitable screening tools with good sensitivity and specificity to confidently distinguish normal age-related cognitive decline from dementia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the discriminant validity of 7 screening measures for dementia. A sample of 140 participants aged ≥60 years living in a residential facility for the aged were assessed clinically and assigned caseness for dementia using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revised diagnostic criteria. Sensitivity and specificity of a selection of the following screening measures were tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for individual and combined tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Six-Item Screener (SIS), Subjective Memory Complaint, Subjective Memory Complaint Clinical (SMCC), Subjective Memory Rating Scale (SMRS), Deterioration Cognitive Observee (DECO) and the Clock Drawing Test (CDT). Using ROC analyses, the SMCC, MMSE and CDT were found to be 'moderately accurate' in screening for dementia with an area under the curve (AUC) >0.70. The AUCs for the SIS (0.526), SMRS (0.661) and DECO (0.687) classified these measures as being 'less accurate'. At recommended cutoff scores, the SMCC had a sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 45.7%; the MMSE had a sensitivity of 63.6% and a specificity of 76.0%, and the CDT had a sensitivity of 44.4% and a specificity of 88.9%. Combining the SMCC and MMSE did not improve their predictive power except for a modest increase when using the sequential rule. The SMCC is composed of valid screening questions that have high sensitivity, are simple to administer and ideal for administration at the community or primary health care level as a first level of 'rule-out' screening. The MMSE can be included at a second stage of screening at the general hospital level and the CDT in specialist clinical settings. Sequential use of the

  1. Hot complaint intelligent classification based on text mining

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    XIA Haifeng

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The complaint recognizer system plays an important role in making sure the correct classification of the hot complaint,improving the service quantity of telecommunications industry.The customers’ complaint in telecommunications industry has its special particularity which should be done in limited time,which cause the error in classification of hot complaint.The paper presents a model of complaint hot intelligent classification based on text mining,which can classify the hot complaint in the correct level of the complaint navigation.The examples show that the model can be efficient to classify the text of the complaint.

  2. 8 CFR 1003.104 - Filing of complaints; preliminary inquiries; resolutions; referral of complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... authorities within the Department to ensure that neither the disciplinary process nor criminal prosecutions... Professional Conduct for Practitioners-Rules and Procedures § 1003.104 Filing of complaints; preliminary... Immigration Courts shall be filed with the EOIR disciplinary counsel. Disciplinary complaints must be...

  3. From Psycho-Economics to Neuro-Economics

    OpenAIRE

    Bernard WALLISER

    2012-01-01

    In economics, three nested organizational levels, namely behavioural, mental and neural, can be distinguished. They introduce specific theoretical or observable concepts and suggest their own models for choice making. If psycho-economics relates implemented actions to declared mental states, neuro-economics relates mental states to brain areas. Bridge principles can be defined which link concepts with similar interpretations at two successive levels. Thanks to these principles, relations or e...

  4. Relationship between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and physician referral to psycho-oncology services on an oncology/hematology ward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Won-Hyoung; Bae, Jae-Nam; Lim, Joohan; Lee, Moon-Hee; Hahm, Bong-Jin; Yi, Hyeon Gyu

    2018-03-01

    This study was performed to identify relationships between physicians' perceived stigma toward depression and psycho-oncology service utilization on an oncology/hematology ward. The study participants were 235 patients in an oncology/hematology ward and 14 physicians undergoing an internal medicine residency training program in Inha University Hospital (Incheon, South Korea). Patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and residents completed the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale that evaluates perceived stigma toward depression. A total PHQ-9 score of ≥5 was defined as clinically significant depression. Physicians decided on referral on the basis of their opinions and those of their patients. The correlates of physicians' recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services and real referrals psycho-oncology services were examined. Of the 235 patients, 143 had PHQ-9 determined depression, and of these 143 patients, 61 received psycho-oncology services. Physicians recommended that 87 patients consult psycho-oncology services. Multivariate analyses showed that lower physicians' perceived stigma regarding depression was significantly associated with physicians' recommendation for referral, and that real referral to psycho-oncology services was significantly associated with presence of a hematologic malignancy and lower physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Physicians' perceived stigma toward depression was found to be associated with real referral to psycho-oncology services and with physician recommendation for referral to psycho-oncology services. Further investigations will be needed to examine how to reduce physicians' perceived stigma toward depression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. SUBJECTIVE COGNITIVE COMPLAINTS IN A PATIENT WITH KERATOCONUS: COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT OR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ara G. Kaprelyan

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Keratoconus is a disorder affecting the cornea, characterized by its variably progressive central thinning, which results in conically shaped protrusion. Patients with keratoconus are sometimes described as having peculiar personality characteristics. We present the case of a patient with keratoconus, complaining of impairment of concentration and memory disturbances. He reported slow progression of the complaints but was fully capable of performing his professional and social activities. Neuropsychological assessment confirmed fluctuations of active attention and diminished concentration. Long term memory was within normal limits, but closer to the lower level. MMSE score was 27. No significant changes were observed one year after baseline assessment. No major psychiatric disorder was found. In this clinical case we are tempted to discuss the possible role of keratoconus, which, as it has been described in the literature, could lead to some slight changes of behavior, forming a "keratoconic personality".

  6. PTSD symptom severity relates to cognitive and psycho-social dysfunctioning - a study with Congolese refugees in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ainamani, Herbert E; Elbert, Thomas; Olema, David K; Hecker, Tobias

    2017-01-01

    Background : In the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), civilians have been heavily exposed to traumatic stressors. Traumatizing experiences cumulatively heighten the risk for trauma-related disorders, and with it affect cognitive and psycho-social functioning. Objectives : We aimed at investigating the association between trauma-related disorders and cognitive and psycho-social functioning and hypothesized that PTSD symptom severity would negatively correlate with executive functioning, working memory and psycho-social functioning in everyday life. Method : In total, 323 Congolese refugees (mean age: 31.3 years) who arrived in the Ugandan Nakivale refugee settlement after January 2012 were assessed regarding their exposure to traumatic events, PTSD symptom severity (posttraumatic symptom scale interview), executive functioning (Tower of London), working memory performance (Corsi block tapping task) and psycho-social dysfunctioning (Luo functioning scale). Results : Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant negative association between PTSD symptom severity and working memory (β = -0.32, p  psycho-social functioning in everyday life was positively related with PTSD symptom severity (β = 0.70, p  psycho-social dysfunctioning (β = 0.09, p  > 0.05). Conclusion : Trauma survivors not only suffer from the core PTSD symptoms but also from impaired cognitive functioning. PTSD symptom severity seems furthermore to be related to impaired psycho-social functioning. Our findings suggest that trauma-related mental health problems may heighten the risk for poverty and lack of prospect and further aggravate the consequences of war and conflict.

  7. 20 CFR 658.412 - Complaint resolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE JOB SERVICE SYSTEM Job Service Complaint System State Agency Js Complaint System § 658.412... satisfaction with the outcome, or (2) The complainant chooses not to elevate the complaint to the next level of...

  8. Complaint Attitudes and Behavior in Academic Libraries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiao-Feng Su

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available After experiencing library service failure, the user may directly or indirectly voice his/her complaint, which is the best prescription to improve library public services. The paper explores the academic librarians and users’ attitudes towards complaints. Through surveying six hundred students from twenty universities and applying descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, the study investigates student users’ complaint preference and behavior afterwards, and perception of complaint handling and outcome. The study reports and compares their attitudes and perspectives towards library complaints. It further examines the differences in attitudes and behavior intention among respondents who had prior experience in filing complaints at libraries, did not complain, and had no prior experience in service failure. An ultimate analysis was made to contrast the user’s perception towards complaint handling of the library and of for-profit organization. [Article content in Chinese

  9. Differing Relationship of Psycho-Social Variables with Active Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarid, Orly; Slonim-Nevo, Vered; Schwartz, Doron; Friger, Michael; Sergienko, Ruslan; Pereg, Avihu; Vardi, Hillel; Chernin, Elena; Singer, Terri; Greenberg, Dan; Odes, Shmuel

    2018-03-09

    How psycho-social variables affect the degree of disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) is incompletely understood. Therefore, we measured and compared the impact of psycho-social variables on the active disease state in UC and CD. One hundred and twenty-two UC and 305 CD patients with active disease completed questionnaires detailing their psychological symptoms, threatening experiences, disease-coping strategies, satisfaction with life, quality of life, and demographics. UC and CD patients were aged (mean, SD) 38.6 ± 14.0 and 45.2 ± 15.1 years, respectively. The psychological symptom index (median, IQR) was greater in UC 1.24 (0.8) than CD 0.9 (0.8), p psycho-social variables on the active disease state differs between UC and CD, thus indicating a need for specifically tailored psychotherapies.

  10. Caregiver’s Burden, Coping, and Psycho-Education in Indian Households with Single- and Multiple-Affected Members with Schizophrenia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Satabdi; Bhatia, Triptish; Anderson, Carol; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L.; Deshpande, Smita N.

    2017-01-01

    There is considerable evidence that family psycho-education combined with pharmacological intervention for patients with schizophrenia increases family understanding of the illness, reduces the familial burden of care, and improves patient outcomes. However, no studies have determined whether the burden of care is greater for those families with more than one ill member (multiplex) than for families with a single-affected individual (simplex), and whether psycho-educational programs should be adapted to meet the specific needs of multiplex families. This study was conducted at a tertiary care postgraduate teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. Caregivers in simplex [n = 50] and multiplex families [n = 30] were compared with regard to levels of burden, coping, and the impact of psycho-education on family functioning. All the caregiver participants attended eight bimonthly, psycho-educational intervention sessions. They were assessed on the Burden Assessment Schedule (BAS) and the Coping Check List (CCL) before and after psycho-education. Caregivers from the multiplex families reported significantly more burden on two domains of the BAS, but there were no significant differences between the groups with regard to coping on the CCL. Following psycho-education, significant improvement occurred in the majority of domains of the BAS and the CCL; the effect sizes varied by domain and family type. Multiplex families face a greater burden of care compared with simplex families. Currently, available psycho-education programs are moderately effective for such families. PMID:29449743

  11. Air Compliance Complaint Database (ACCD)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — THIS DATA ASSET NO LONGER ACTIVE: This is metadata documentation for the Region 7 Air Compliance Complaint Database (ACCD) which logs all air pollution complaints...

  12. A cross-sectional study of psychological complaints and quality of life in severely injured patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Delft-Schreurs, C C H M; van Bergen, J J M; van de Sande, P; Verhofstad, M H J; de Vries, J; de Jongh, M A C

    2014-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of psychological complaints and the relationship of these complaints with the quality of life (QOL) and accident- and patient-related factors among severely injured patients after the rehabilitation phase. Patients of 18 years or older with an injury severity score above 15 were included 15-53 months after their accident. Accident and patient characteristics were obtained from questionnaires and the trauma registry. Several questionnaires (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Events Scale, and Cognitive Failure Questionnaire) were used to determine the symptoms of psychological problems (anxiety or depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or subjective cognitive complaints, respectively). The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref was used to determine QOL. A reference group of the Dutch general population was used for comparison of QOL scores. The participation rate was 62 % (n = 173). At the time of the study, 30.1 % (n = 52) of the investigated patients had psychological complaints. No relation between psychological complaints and somatic severity or type of injury was found. Patients who were employed before the accident or resumed working reported less psychological complaints. Use of any medication before the accident and treatment for pre-accidental psychological problems were positively related to psychological complaints afterwards. QOL of severely injured patients was impaired in comparison with the general Dutch population, but only for those with psychological complaints. Psychological complaints seem to be an important and underestimated factor for a decreased QOL among severely injured patients.

  13. Psycho-social attributes of elite African women volleyball players ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Psycho-social attributes of elite African women volleyball players. ... 78% of them were influenced by family members to play volleyball, 81% continued to play the game due to success, and 64% envisaged that ... AJOL African Journals Online.

  14. A basic experimental study on characteristics of on-line human information processing associated with man-machine interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshikawa, Hidekazu; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Nagai, Yoshinori; Kojima, Shin-ichi.

    1990-01-01

    Regarding human factors research on man-machine interface, a basic psychological experiment was conducted to observe psycho-physiological characteristics of on-line human cognitive behavior when cognitive tasks on learning and pattern classification were given to subjects by personal computer using a simple state transition model. During the experiment, three different types of subjects' data were recorded: (i) eye movement data by eye mark recorder, (ii) physio-electric signals by polygraph and (iii) verbal reports. Those subjects' data were analyzed with respect to: (i) the related human cognitive characteristics concerning problem solving strategy, measures of problem difficulty and mental image effect, (ii) observed eye movement characteristics such as saccade, attention, pupil reaction and blinking, etc., and (iii) obtained characteristics of skin potential response and heart rate. It was found that the application of psycho-physiological measurement would serve to objective and detailed analysis of on-line cognitive process. (author)

  15. Emotions over time: synchronicity and development of subjective, physiological, and facial affective reactions to music.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grewe, Oliver; Nagel, Frederik; Kopiez, Reinhard; Altenmüller, Eckart

    2007-11-01

    Most people are able to identify basic emotions expressed in music and experience affective reactions to music. But does music generally induce emotion? Does it elicit subjective feelings, physiological arousal, and motor reactions reliably in different individuals? In this interdisciplinary study, measurement of skin conductance, facial muscle activity, and self-monitoring were synchronized with musical stimuli. A group of 38 participants listened to classical, rock, and pop music and reported their feelings in a two-dimensional emotion space during listening. The first entrance of a solo voice or choir and the beginning of new sections were found to elicit interindividual changes in subjective feelings and physiological arousal. Quincy Jones' "Bossa Nova" motivated movement and laughing in more than half of the participants. Bodily reactions such as "goose bumps" and "shivers" could be stimulated by the "Tuba Mirum" from Mozart's Requiem in 7 of 38 participants. In addition, the authors repeated the experiment seven times with one participant to examine intraindividual stability of effects. This exploratory combination of approaches throws a new light on the astonishing complexity of affective music listening.

  16. Impact of Subject Specialists on Teaching: Application to Physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. V. Owoyele

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The study investigated the impact of teachers on the teaching of a physiology course to performing arts students of the University of Ilorin. Questionnaires and personal observations were used to assess students' perception of the course and performance, the examination results in the two years before and after the takeover of the course by physiology teachers were obtained and analysed. The results showed that the students appreciated the teaching by core physiology teachers than the teaching by performing arts teachers and the initial phobias of the students were significantly doused. The average performance by the students did not change significantly and this further justified the taking over of the course by physiology teachers.

  17. Neurophysiological correlates of persistent psycho-affective alterations in athletes with a history of concussion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Robert Davis; Sauve, William; Ellemberg, Dave

    2016-12-01

    Understanding the neuropathological underpinnings of sport-related concussion are critical for diagnosis, prognosis, and remediation. Although electro-encephalographic (EEG) methods have proven invaluable for understanding psycho-affective pathologies in various clinical conditions, they have not been used to understand the psycho-affective outcomes of concussive injuries. Accordingly, we evaluated the relation of electroencephalographic (EEG) power in collegiate athletes to psycho-affective measures. We predicted that athletes with a history of concussion would exhibit alterations in frontal EEG asymmetries indicative of increased depression, anxiety and more general mood disturbance. During this cross-sectional study, resting EEG and measures of mood and affect, including the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were collected in 81 young-adult male athletes (52 concussion history; 29 controls). All athletes with a history of concussion (9+ months from injury) reported to be symptom free, and all participants were actively taking part in their sport at the time of testing. Compared to control athletes, the athletes with a history of concussion exhibited alterations in frontal-alpha and frontal-beta asymmetry (p's psycho-affective health before they manifest as clinical disorders.

  18. Psycho-social correlates of stressful experiences among primary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory, employed to examine the psycho-social environments of serving primary school teachers in Olugbo-Less City, Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. 100 rural active teachers currently undergoing in-service training in Ogun State Universal Basic Education ...

  19. Quality in dementia care: A cross sectional study on the Bio-Psycho-Social competencies of health care professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Vriendt, Patricia; Cornelis, Elise; Desmet, Valerie; Vanbosseghem, Ruben; Van de Velde, Dominique

    2018-01-01

    Professionals in dementia-care ought to be able to work within a Bio-Psycho-Social model. The objectives were to examine whether dementia-care is delivered in a Bio-Psycho-Social way, to explore the influencing factors and to evaluate the factorial validity of the 'Bio-Psycho-Social-Dementia-Care scale'. 413 healthcare-professionals completed the 'Bio-Psycho-Social-Dementia-Care scale'. Differences between groups (settings, professions, years of experience) were calculated with a student's t-test and one-way ANOVA. The facture structure of the scale was evaluated using a confirmatory factor analysis. The factor-analysis confirmed the 5 subscale-structure (1) networking, (2) using the client's expertise, (3) assessment and reporting, (4) professional knowledge and skills and (5) using the environment. (No significant differences were found between professionals in residential care and community care for the subscales 'networking' and 'using the client's expertise'. Professionals in residential care score higher than community care for 'assessment and reporting' (pPsycho-Social-Dementia-scale is a valid tool and offers opportunities not only to rate, but also to improve Bio-Psycho-Social functioning in dementia-care: increase interdisciplinary collaboration, facilitate assessment, combine the strengths of the different professions and install a heterogeneous team with regard to age and experience.

  20. Psycho-education for substance use and antisocial personality disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thylstrup, Birgitte; Schrøder, Sidsel; Hesse, Morten

    2015-01-01

    Background: Antisocial personality disorder often co-exists with drug and alcohol use disorders. Methods: This trial examined the effectiveness of offering psycho-education for antisocial personality disorder in community substance use disorder treatment centers in Denmark. A total of 176 patients......%) of participants randomized to psycho-education attended at least one counselling session, and 21 (23%) attended all six sessions. The Median number of sessions was 2. All patients reduced drug and alcohol problems at 9 months with small within-group effect sizes. Intention-to-treat analyses indicated significant...... differences between ILC and TAU in mean drugs composite score (p = .018) and in PDA (p = .041) at 3 months. Aggression declined in both groups, but no differences between ILC and TAU were observed in terms of alcohol problems or aggression at any follow-up. Conclusions: Moderate short-term improvements...

  1. The secret life of objects. A psycho-social analysis of consumption's imaginary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrés Almagro González

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Advertising in general, and television advertising in particular, is an important communication channel through which values, lifestyles, and even the socially-shared "imaginary" are transmitted. A psycho-social analysis of the imaginary contents in television advertisements is specially called-for, given that contemporary culture, strongly marked by the use of the images, constitutes what some theoreticians call "the audio-visual age". In this article we analyse advertisements from a psycho-social perspective, to identify the way in which advertisements articulate, through images, the social imaginary.

  2. The secret life of objects. A psycho-social analysis of consumption's imaginary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Almagro González, Andrés

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Advertising in general, and television advertising in particular, is an important communication channel through which values, lifestyles, and even the socially-shared "imaginary" are transmitted. A psycho-social analysis of the imaginary contents in television advertisements is specially called-for, given that contemporary culture, strongly marked by the use of the images, constitutes what some theoreticians call "the audio-visual age". In this article we analyse advertisements from a psycho-social perspective, to identify the way in which advertisements articulate, through images, the social imaginary.

  3. Rancang Bangun STIKI Class Facilities E-Complaint

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ni Kadek Ariasih

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available STMIK STIKOM Indonesia is one of the institutions in the field of computer-based education. In order to support the effectiveness of the implementation of teaching and learning activities that take place, it is need a service that support the availability of adequate class facilities and complaints services if there are constraints on facilities in the classroom. So far, the management of complaints complaints against classroom facilities or in the labarotorium which is handled by the Household Management Section is still on manua basis. In terms of record and handle complaints it is required information system which called STIKI Class Facilities E-Complaint. This system can assist the Household Management Section in monitoring complaints from the condition of existing room facilities if experiencing problems and also can improve the quality of service in handling complaints. The software development process model used is prototype and Web-based model with PHP and MySQL database.

  4. Student perceptions and learning outcomes of blended learning in a massive first-year core physiology for allied health subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, Janelle; Meehan-Andrews, Terri; Weerakkody, Nivan; Hughes, Diane L; Rathner, Joseph A

    2017-03-01

    Evidence shows that factors contributing to success in physiology education for allied health students at universities include not only their high school achievement and background but also factors such as confidence with their teachers and quality of their learning experience, justifying intensive and continued survey of students' perceptions of their learning experience. Here we report data covering a 3-yr period in a physiology subject that has been redesigned for blended and online presentation. Consistent with previous reports, we show that when we undertook a blended mode of delivery, students demonstrated better grades than traditional modes of teaching; however the absence of didactic teaching in this subject resulted in lower grades overall. Students have very strong positive attitudes to weekly quizzes (80% positive approval) but report ambivalent attitudes to online self-directed learning (61% negative perception), even though they had 2-h weekly facilitated workshops. Overwhelmingly, students who undertook the subject in a self-directed online learning mode requested more face-to-face-teaching (70% of comments). From these data, we suggest that there is a quantifiable benefit to didactic teaching in the blended teaching mode that is not reproduced in online self-directed learning, even when face-to-face guided inquiry-based learning is embedded in the subject. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  5. Mother chair reparation to decrease subjective disorders in exclusive breast-feeding period

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santiana, M. A.; Yusuf, M.; Lokantara, W. D.

    2018-01-01

    Exclusive breastfeeding is the responsibility of the mother after childbirth. A specific constraint arise for the mother when during the breastfeeding process, the place is not in accordance with the physiological condition of the mother's body. A not physiologically corrected lactation place will cause subjective disorders for breastfeeding mothers. Complaints that arise include quick tiredness, with certain muscles sore and pain, which will ultimately decrease the motivation of the mothers to perform exclusive breastfeeding especially in the first six months of the baby's birth. An improved ergonomic designed chair, this research used experimental method with group within treatment (treatment by subject) to solve the problem. The study took place in Maternity Clinic “CB” Badung regency, Bali. Subjective disorders are measured based on general fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders mothers breastfeeding. Fatigue is predicted using 30 items of questionnaires while musculoskeletal compaints are predicted from the Nordic Body Map questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially in an experiment condition using using t-pair test. The results showed that there were significant differences in fatigue in general and skeletal musculoskeletal disorders between treatment 1 (using old chair) with treatment 2 (using repaired seats) in breastfeeding mothers. Fatigue in general decreased by 35.6% and skeletal musculoskeletal disorders decreased by 26.8%. It was concluded that improved breastfeeding mothers' seats may decrease subjective disorders during exclusive breastfeeding. It is therefore advisable for breastfeeding mothers to use seats that match their anthropometry.

  6. PTSD symptom severity relates to cognitive and psycho-social dysfunctioning – a study with Congolese refugees in Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ainamani, Herbert E.; Elbert, Thomas; Olema, David K.; Hecker, Tobias

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: In the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), civilians have been heavily exposed to traumatic stressors. Traumatizing experiences cumulatively heighten the risk for trauma-related disorders, and with it affect cognitive and psycho-social functioning. Objectives: We aimed at investigating the association between trauma-related disorders and cognitive and psycho-social functioning and hypothesized that PTSD symptom severity would negatively correlate with executive functioning, working memory and psycho-social functioning in everyday life. Method: In total, 323 Congolese refugees (mean age: 31.3 years) who arrived in the Ugandan Nakivale refugee settlement after January 2012 were assessed regarding their exposure to traumatic events, PTSD symptom severity (posttraumatic symptom scale interview), executive functioning (Tower of London), working memory performance (Corsi block tapping task) and psycho-social dysfunctioning (Luo functioning scale). Results: Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant negative association between PTSD symptom severity and working memory (β = –0.32, p psycho-social functioning in everyday life was positively related with PTSD symptom severity (β = 0.70, p psycho-social dysfunctioning (β = 0.09, p > 0.05). Conclusion: Trauma survivors not only suffer from the core PTSD symptoms but also from impaired cognitive functioning. PTSD symptom severity seems furthermore to be related to impaired psycho-social functioning. Our findings suggest that trauma-related mental health problems may heighten the risk for poverty and lack of prospect and further aggravate the consequences of war and conflict. PMID:28326164

  7. 46 CFR 502.62 - Complaints and fee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Proceedings; Pleadings; Motions; Replies § 502.62 Complaints and fee. (a) The complaint must be verified and... reparation is sought and the nature of the proceeding so requires, the complaint shall set forth: the ports...

  8. Developing the Immunology Book for Animal and Human Physiology Subject

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuni Mitasari

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available he objective of the study was to develop an immunology book for Animal and Human Physiology subject. This book was developed based on the Thiagarajan development model which was modified of: Define, Design, Develop, dan Disseminate (4D. The data expert validation instrument was questionnaire using Likert scales, comments, and recommendation sheets. Expert appraisal was done by material expert and media and design learning expert. The developmental testing was conducted using questionnaire to test the readibility. The expert validation was conducted by material expert as well as design and media learning expert validator; meanwhile, the field test was done to measure the readability. The validity test results were: the material expert state that the material is valid (97.14%, as well as the design and learning media expert (84.88% and field test by students (88.17%.

  9. Understanding key performance indicators for breast support: An analysis of breast support effects on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risius, Debbie; Milligan, Alexandra; Berns, Jason; Brown, Nicola; Scurr, Joanna

    2017-05-01

    To assess the effectiveness of breast support previous studies monitored breast kinematics and kinetics, subjective feedback, muscle activity (EMG), ground reaction forces (GRFs) and physiological measures in isolation. Comparing these variables within one study will establish the key performance variables that distinguish between breast supports during activities such as running. This study investigates the effects of changes in breast support on biomechanical, physiological and subjective measures during running. Ten females (34D) ran for 10 min in high and low breast supports, and for 2 min bare breasted (2.8 m·s -1 ). Breast and body kinematics, EMG, expired air and heart rate were recorded. GRFs were recorded during 10 m overground runs (2.8 m·s -1 ) and subjective feedback obtained after each condition. Of the 62 variables measured, 22 kinematic and subjective variables were influenced by changes in breast support. Willingness to exercise, time lag and superio-inferior breast velocity were most affected. GRFs, EMG and physiological variables were unaffected by breast support changes during running. Breast displacement reduction, although previously advocated, was not the most sensitive variable to breast support changes during running. Instead breast support products should be assessed using a battery of performance indicators, including the key kinematic and subjective variables identified here.

  10. Teacher's Psycho-Diagnostic Activities in School Educational System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minakhmetova, Albina Z.; Pyanova, Ekaterina N.; Akhmetshina, Enze M.

    2016-01-01

    The urgency of the problem stated in the article stems from the fact that in modern conditions the study of the psycho-diagnostic component of the teacher's activities is relevant in practical terms, since the functions of these activities affect the efficiency of pedagogical activity and the educational process itself, including the effectiveness…

  11. Relationship between Otolaryngologic Complaints and Systemic Comorbidities Observed in a Group of Hearing Aid Users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ribas, Angela

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Optimization of the selection, adaptation, and benefit of hearing aids is necessary to characterize and manage hearing loss, user expectations, otolaryngologic symptoms, and systemic comorbidities. Objective To compare the occurrence of otologic complaints, systemic diseases, and effective use of hearing aids in men and women with deafness. Methods Patients from a Unified Health System–accredited hearing health service, who reported problems in adapting to their hearing aids, were evaluated by a physician and audiologist. An anamnesis, ENT evaluation, and audiological evaluation were performed. Results During the data collection period, 278 subjects came in for follow-up visits; of these, 61 (21% reported otologic or operational problems with their equipment. The most prevalent type of hearing loss was basocochlear, a characteristic of presbycusis, in both men and women; the most frequently reported comorbidities were hypercholesterolemia (more significant in women and hypertension (more significant in men. Fourteen subjects reported using their device discontinuously, with no significant difference between genders; the reasons for discontinuation of use were itching and ringing, with more complaints from women. Conclusion The incidence of systemic and audiological complaints is high in this population. These patients should be evaluated thoroughly, as resolutions of these complaints can contribute to improving the quality of life and assist in the process of hearing aid fitting.

  12. Psycho-education for substance use and antisocial personality disorder: a randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thylstrup, Birgitte; Schrøder, Sidsel; Hesse, Morten

    2015-11-14

    Antisocial personality disorder often co-exists with drug and alcohol use disorders. This trial examined the effectiveness of offering psycho-education for antisocial personality disorder in community substance use disorder treatment centers in Denmark. A total of 176 patients were randomly allocated to treatment as usual (TAU, n = 80) or TAU plus a psycho-educative program, Impulsive Lifestyle Counselling (ILC, n = 96) delivered by site clinicians (n = 39). Using follow-up interviews 3 and 9 months after randomization, we examined changes in drug and alcohol use (Addiction Severity Index Composite Scores), percent days abstinent (PDA) within last month, and aggression as measured with the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form and the Self-Report of Aggression and Social Behavior Measure. Overall engagement in psychological interventions was modest: 71 (76 %) of participants randomized to psycho-education attended at least one counselling session, and 21 (23 %) attended all six sessions. The Median number of sessions was 2. All patients reduced drug and alcohol problems at 9 months with small within-group effect sizes. Intention-to-treat analyses indicated significant differences between ILC and TAU in mean drugs composite score (p = .018) and in PDA (p = .041) at 3 months. Aggression declined in both groups, but no differences between ILC and TAU were observed in terms of alcohol problems or aggression at any follow-up. Moderate short-term improvements in substance use were associated with randomization to Impulsive Lifestyle Counselling. The findings support the usefulness of providing psycho-education to outpatients with antisocial personality disorder. ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN67266318 , 17/7/2012.

  13. The Role of Nature in Coping with Psycho-Physiological Stress: A Literature Review on Restorativeness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Berto

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Physical settings can play a role in coping with stress; in particular experimental research has found strong evidence between exposure to natural environments and recovery from physiological stress and mental fatigue, giving support to both Stress Recovery Theory and Attention Restoration Theory. In fact, exposure to natural environments protects people against the impact of environmental stressors and offer physiological, emotional and attention restoration more so than urban environments. Natural places that allow the renewal of personal adaptive resources to meet the demands of everyday life are called restorative environments. Natural environments elicit greater calming responses than urban environments, and in relation to their vision there is a general reduction of physiological symptoms of stress. Exposure to natural scenes mediates the negative effects of stress reducing the negative mood state and above all enhancing positive emotions. Moreover, one can recover the decrease of cognitive performance associated with stress, especially reflected in attention tasks, through the salutary effect of viewing nature. Giving the many benefits of contact with nature, plans for urban environments should attend to restorativeness.

  14. Physiological and subjective responses to low relative humidity in young and elderly men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunwoo, Yujin; Chou, Chinmei; Takeshita, Junko; Murakami, Motoko; Tochihara, Yutaka

    2006-05-01

    In order to compare the physiological and the subjective responses to low relative humidity of elderly and young men, we measured saccharin clearance time (SCT), frequency of blinking, hydration state of the skin, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum level recovery and skin temperatures as physiological responses. We asked subjects to evaluate thermal, dryness and comfort sensations as subjective responses using a rating scale. Eight non-smoking healthy male students (21.7+/-0.8 yr) and eight non-smoking healthy elderly men (71.1+/-4.1 yr) were selected. The pre-room conditions were maintained at an air temperature (Ta) of 25 degrees C and a relative humidity (RH) of 50%. The test-room conditions were adjusted to provide 25 degrees C Ta and RH levels of 10%, 30% and 50%. RH had no effect on the activity of the sebaceous gland or change of mean skin temperature. SCT of the elderly group under 10% RH was significantly longer than that of the young group. In particular, considering the SCT change, the nasal mucous membrane seems to be affected more in the elderly than in the young in low RH. Under 30% RH, the eyes and skin become dry, and under 10% RH the nasal mucous membrane becomes dry as well as the eyes and skin. These findings suggested that to avoid dryness of the eyes and skin, it is necessary to maintain greater than 30% RH, and to avoid dryness of the nasal mucous membrane, it is necessary to maintain greater than 10% RH. On the thermal sensation of the legs, at the lower humidity level, the elderly group felt cooler than the young group. On the dry sensation of the eyes and throat, the young group felt drier than the elderly group at the lower humidity levels. From the above results, the elderly group had difficulty in feeling dryness in the nasal mucous membrane despite being easily affected by low humidity. On the other hand, the young group felt the change of humidity sensitively despite not being severely affected by low humidity. Ocular mucosa and

  15. Characterization of the psychological, physiological and EEG profile of acute betel quid intoxication in naïve subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Peter G; Chou, Tung-Shan; Shen, Tsu-Wang

    2011-01-01

    Betel quid use and abuse is wide spread in Asia but the physiological basis of intoxication and addiction are unknown. In subjects naïve to the habit of betel quid intoxication, the psychological and physiological profile of intoxication has never been reported. We compared the effect of chewing gum or chewing betel quid, and subsequent betel quid intoxication, on psychological assessment, prospective time interval estimation, numerical and character digit span, computerized 2 choice tests and mental tasks such as reading and mathematics with concurrent monitoring of ECG, EEG and face temperature in healthy, non-sleep deprived, male subjects naïve to the habit of chewing betel quid. Betel quid intoxication, dose dependently induced tachycardia (max 30 bpm) and elevated face temperature (0.7°C) (Pbetel quid intoxication. Betel quid intoxication strongly influenced the psychological aspects of perception such as slowing of the prospective perception of passage of a 1 minute time interval in 8 subjects (Pbetel quid intoxication in 10 subjects. The prevalence of betel quid consumption across a range of social and work settings warrants greater investigation of this widespread but largely under researched drug.

  16. Chronic Widespread Pain Drawn on a Body Diagram is a Screening Tool for Increased Pain Sensitization, Psycho-Social Load, and Utilization of Pain Management Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, Eric J; Ramachenderan, Jonathan; Davies, Stephanie J; Parsons, Richard

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that chronic widespread pain, (CWP) drawn by patients on a body diagram, could be used as a screening tool for increased pain sensitization, psycho-social load, and utilization of pain management strategies. The triage questionnaires of 144 adults attending a chronic pain outpatients' clinic were audited and the percentage pain surface area (PPSA) drawn on their body diagrams was calculated using the "rule of nines" (RON) method for burns area assessment. Outcomes were measured using the painDETECT Questionnaire (PD-Q) and other indices and compared using a nonrandomized, case-control method. It was found that significantly more subjects with CWP (defined as a PPSA ≥ 20%) reported high (≥ 19) PD-Q scores (suggesting pain "sensitization" or neuropathic pain) (P = 0.0002), "severe" or "extremely severe" anxiety scores on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items Questionnaire (P = 0.0270), ≥ 5 psycho-social stressors (P = 0.0022), ≥ 5 significant life events (P = 0.0098), and used ≥ 7 pain management strategies (PMS) (P psycho-social load, and utilizing pain management resources. © 2014 World Institute of Pain.

  17. The interaction between erectile dysfunction complaints and depression in men: a cross-sectional study about sleep, hormones and quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soterio-Pires, J H; Hirotsu, C; Kim, L J; Bittencourt, L; Tufik, S; Andersen, M L

    2017-03-01

    Depression (DEP) is one of the main disabling diseases and is considered a contributor factor for erectile dysfunction (ED). Both of these conditions may be associated with hormonal changes and sleep disturbances. We aimed to evaluate the interaction between ED complaints and depression symptoms on sleep parameters, hormone levels and quality of life in men. This was a cross-sectional study of 468 men aged 20-80 years. The participants were classified according to the presence of ED and/or DEP in groups of healthy individuals, ED, DEP and DEP with ED (DEP-ED). All participants completed questionnaires about sleep, clinical history and quality of life, and underwent polysomnography with blood collection the following morning. ED participants showed higher frequency of insomnia symptoms (65.5%), whereas DEP group had more complaints of difficulty in falling asleep and early morning awakening. In the polysomnography, all groups showed similar parameters. No differences were found in cortisol and total testosterone levels; however, free testosterone levels and the physiological domain of quality of life were lower in DEP-ED group. ED and DEP, as independent factors, negatively affected subjective sleep parameters. The interaction between these factors led to a low quality of life and was related to a decrease in free testosterone levels.

  18. Clinical relevance of specific cognitive complaints in determining Mild Cognitive Impairment from Cognitively Normal States in a study of Healthy Elderly Controls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Avila Villanueva

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Subjective memory complaints in the elderly have been suggested as an early sign of dementia. This study aims at investigating whether specific cognitive complaints are more useful than others to discriminate Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI by examining the dimensional structure of the Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ.Material and Methods: A sample of community-dwelling elderly individuals was recruited (766 controls and 78 MCI. The Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ was administered to measure self-perception of cognitive complaints. All participants also underwent a comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological battery. Combined exploratory factor analysis and item response theory were performed to identify the underlying structure of the EMQ. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses were conducted to study whether single cognitive complaints were able to predict MCI.Results: A suitable five-factor solution was found. Each factor focused on a different cognitive domain. Interestingly, just three of them, namely forgetfulness of immediate information, executive functions and prospective memory proved to be effective in distinguishing between cognitively healthy individuals and MCI. Based on these results we propose a shortened EMQ version comprising 10 items (EMQ-10.Discussion: Not all cognitive complaints have the same clinical relevance. Only subjective complaints on specific cognitive domains are able to discriminate MCI. We encourage clinicians to the EMQ-10 as a useful tool to quantify and monitor the progression of individuals who report cognitive complaints.

  19. Brief Distress Screening in Clinical Practice: Does it Help to Effectively Allocate Psycho-Oncological Support to Female Cancer Inpatients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermelink, Kerstin; Höhn, Henrik; Hasmüller, Stephan; Gallwas, Julia; Härtl, Kristin; Würstlein, Rachel; Köhm, Janna

    2014-05-01

    The usefulness of distress screening in cancer inpatient settings has rarely been investigated. This study evaluated a brief distress screening of inpatients in a breast cancer centre and a gynaecological cancer centre. Hospitalised patients with breast or gynaecological cancers were screened with the Distress Thermometer. Patients who scored above the cut-off, were referred by the medical staff, or self-referred were offered bedside psycho-oncological counselling. Of 125 patients, 68 (54.4%) received an offer of counselling, and 62 patients (49.6%) accepted. Most of the counselling was induced by distress screening. Only 4 (3.2%) patients self-referred to the counselling service. Of the counselled patients, 65.8% stated that they had substantially benefited from psycho-oncological support; only 5.6% of the non-counselled patients indicated that they might have benefited from psycho-oncological support. Almost all patients who will accept and benefit from psycho-oncological counselling can be identified if distress screening is used in conjunction with referrals by physicians and nurses. Distress screening is a worthwhile component in a framework of psycho-oncological support in a cancer inpatient setting. It paves the way to counselling for cancer inpatients who need it and are willing to accept it but hesitate to self-refer to psycho-oncological services.

  20. Factors Associated With Psycho-Cognitive Functions in Patients With Persistent Pain After Surgery for Femoral Neck Fracture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitayama, Atsushi; Hida, Mitsumasa; Takami, Hidenobu; Hirata, Naoki; Deguchi, Yuko; Miyaguchi, Kazuya; Nakazono, Masako; Nakagawa, Rie; Fukumoto, Noriyuki; Hamaoka, Katsumi

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the study was to address issues arising from fracture of the femoral neck in elderly individuals, the prevalence of which continues to increase in Japan. The prevalence is increasing in Japan and there have been many reports on physical functions such as prevention of a fall. However, there have been a few studies that focus on psycho-cognitive functions. We must examine factors in patients with fractured femur necks to develop methods to assist affected patients. The current study aimed to examine factors associated with psycho-cognitive functions after surgery for fractured femoral neck in the Japanese elderly. In this study, we examined the relationships among sex, age, fracture site, operative procedure, body mass index, lifestyle, psycho-cognitive functions, and types of pain in 142 patients, performed multiple regression analysis using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) scores as dependent variables, and created MMSE and MADRS models. Analysis of MMSE and MADRS models identified night pain and the number of family members as factors that affected mental function in a population with persistent pain for 1 week after surgery for fractured femoral neck. In addition, the number of family members was identified in multiple regression analysis models as a factor associated with psycho-cognitive functions. Pain, and night pain in particular, affect psycho-cognitive functions. We speculated that emotional changes were associated with number of family members. Patients living with family members maintained psycho-cognitive functions better than did those living alone, even when they experienced pain in their daily lives.

  1. Learning and the Psycho-Societal Nature of Social Practice: Tracing the Invisible Social Dimension in Work and Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henning Salling Olesen

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces a psycho-societal approach to empirical learning research combining a materialist theory of socialization with a hermeneutic interpretation methodology. The focus is on individual subjectivity as well as subjective aspects of social interaction. The term “approach” indicates the intrinsic connection between the theorizing of an empirical object, the research process and the epistemic subject. The practical method is an interpretation procedure based in interview transcripts or field observation notes. By interpreting articulations and interactions in the perspective of the subjective meaning for agents and interlocutors, it seeks to understand learning as a subjective process of experiencing social reality. In particular, this methodology is interested in the relation between what is “visible,” i.e., a conscious level of knowing and learning by participating in social interaction, and “invisible,” i.e., collective unconscious meanings that can be traced in texts and interaction by sensitive interpretation.

  2. Is Healthier Nutrition Behaviour Associated with Better Self-Reported Health and Less Health Complaints? Evidence from Turku, Finland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walid El Ansari

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available We examined nutrition behaviour, self-reported health and 20 health complaints of undergraduates in Finland. Students at the University of Turku in Finland participated in a cross-sectional online survey (N = 1189. For nutrition behaviour, we computed two composite food intake pattern scores (sweets, cakes and snacks; and fruits and vegetables, a dietary guideline adherence index and the subjective importance of healthy eating. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the association of students’ nutrition behaviour with three levels of self-reported health, controlling for many potential confounders (age, sex, living with partner, economic situation, moderate physical activity, Faculty and BMI. Factor analysis of the 20 health complaints revealed three components (psychological, pains/aches and circulatory/breathing symptoms. Multiple linear regression tested the association of students’ eating habits with the three components of health complaints, controlling for the same confounders. Fruits and raw and cooked vegetable consumption, dietary guideline adherence index and subjective importance of healthy eating were highest among students with excellent/very good self-reported health, exhibiting a decreasing trend for those individuals with poor/fair self-reported health. High levels of psychological symptoms were associated with decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables, less dietary guideline adherence and less subjective importance of healthy eating. Pain/aches symptoms were associated with a higher consumption of sweets, cookies and snacks and a lower adherence to dietary guidelines. More healthy nutrition behaviour was consistently associated with better self-reported health and less health complaints. Of the four nutrition behaviour indicators we employed, the dietary guideline adherence index was the best indicator and exhibited the most consistent associations with self-reported health and health complaints.

  3. Is Healthier Nutrition Behaviour Associated with Better Self-Reported Health and Less Health Complaints? Evidence from Turku, Finland

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ansari, Walid; Suominen, Sakari; Berg-Beckhoff, Gabriele

    2015-01-01

    We examined nutrition behaviour, self-reported health and 20 health complaints of undergraduates in Finland. Students at the University of Turku in Finland participated in a cross-sectional online survey (N = 1189). For nutrition behaviour, we computed two composite food intake pattern scores (sweets, cakes and snacks; and fruits and vegetables), a dietary guideline adherence index and the subjective importance of healthy eating. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the association of students’ nutrition behaviour with three levels of self-reported health, controlling for many potential confounders (age, sex, living with partner, economic situation, moderate physical activity, Faculty and BMI). Factor analysis of the 20 health complaints revealed three components (psychological, pains/aches and circulatory/breathing symptoms). Multiple linear regression tested the association of students’ eating habits with the three components of health complaints, controlling for the same confounders. Fruits and raw and cooked vegetable consumption, dietary guideline adherence index and subjective importance of healthy eating were highest among students with excellent/very good self-reported health, exhibiting a decreasing trend for those individuals with poor/fair self-reported health. High levels of psychological symptoms were associated with decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables, less dietary guideline adherence and less subjective importance of healthy eating. Pain/aches symptoms were associated with a higher consumption of sweets, cookies and snacks and a lower adherence to dietary guidelines. More healthy nutrition behaviour was consistently associated with better self-reported health and less health complaints. Of the four nutrition behaviour indicators we employed, the dietary guideline adherence index was the best indicator and exhibited the most consistent associations with self-reported health and health complaints. PMID:26473918

  4. Is Healthier Nutrition Behaviour Associated with Better Self-Reported Health and Less Health Complaints? Evidence from Turku, Finland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ansari, Walid; Suominen, Sakari; Berg-Beckhoff, Gabriele

    2015-10-14

    We examined nutrition behaviour, self-reported health and 20 health complaints of undergraduates in Finland. Students at the University of Turku in Finland participated in a cross-sectional online survey (N = 1189). For nutrition behaviour, we computed two composite food intake pattern scores (sweets, cakes and snacks; and fruits and vegetables), a dietary guideline adherence index and the subjective importance of healthy eating. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the association of students' nutrition behaviour with three levels of self-reported health, controlling for many potential confounders (age, sex, living with partner, economic situation, moderate physical activity, Faculty and BMI). Factor analysis of the 20 health complaints revealed three components (psychological, pains/aches and circulatory/breathing symptoms). Multiple linear regression tested the association of students' eating habits with the three components of health complaints, controlling for the same confounders. Fruits and raw and cooked vegetable consumption, dietary guideline adherence index and subjective importance of healthy eating were highest among students with excellent/very good self-reported health, exhibiting a decreasing trend for those individuals with poor/fair self-reported health. High levels of psychological symptoms were associated with decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables, less dietary guideline adherence and less subjective importance of healthy eating. Pain/aches symptoms were associated with a higher consumption of sweets, cookies and snacks and a lower adherence to dietary guidelines. More healthy nutrition behaviour was consistently associated with better self-reported health and less health complaints. Of the four nutrition behaviour indicators we employed, the dietary guideline adherence index was the best indicator and exhibited the most consistent associations with self-reported health and health complaints.

  5. Executive functioning performance predicts subjective and physiological acute stress reactivity: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendrawan, Donny; Yamakawa, Kaori; Kimura, Motohiro; Murakami, Hiroki; Ohira, Hideki

    2012-06-01

    Individual differences in baseline executive functioning (EF) capacities have been shown to predict state anxiety during acute stressor exposure. However, no previous studies have clearly demonstrated the relationship between EF and physiological measures of stress. The present study investigated the efficacy of several well-known EF tests (letter fluency, Stroop test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) in predicting both subjective and physiological stress reactivity during acute psychosocial stress exposure. Our results show that letter fluency served as the best predictor for both types of reactivity. Specifically, the higher the letter fluency score, the lower the acute stress reactivity after controlling for the baseline stress response, as indicated by lower levels of state anxiety, negative mood, salivary cortisol, and skin conductance. Moreover, the predictive power of the letter fluency test remained significant for state anxiety and cortisol indices even after further adjustments for covariates by adding the body mass index (BMI) as a covariate. Thus, good EF performance, as reflected by high letter fluency scores, may dampen acute stress responses, which suggests that EF processes are directly associated with aspects of stress regulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. [Somatic complaints, emotional awareness and maladjustment in schoolchildren].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ordóñez, A; Maganto, C; González, R

    2015-05-01

    Somatic complaints are common in childhood. Research has shown their relationship with emotional awareness and maladjustment. The study had three objectives: 1) to analyze the prevalence of somatic complaints; 2) To explore the relationships between the variables evaluated: somatic complaints, differentiating emotions, verbal sharing of emotions, not hiding emotions, body awareness, attending to others' emotions, analysis of emotions, and personal, social, family, and school maladjustments; and 3) To identify predictors of somatic complaints. The study included a total of 1,134 randomly selected schoolchildren of both sexes between 10-12 years old (M=10.99; SD=0.88). The Somatic Complaint List, Emotional Awareness Questionnaire, and Self-reported Multifactor Test of Childhood Adaptation were used to gather information. The results showed that the prevalence of somatic complaints was 90.2%, with fatigue, headache and stomachache being the most frequently. Dizziness and headache were more common in girls, and the frequency of complaints decreases with age. Somatic complaints are negatively related to emotional awareness, and positively related to maladjustment. The variables that contribute the most to the prediction of somatic complaints are personal maladjustment (25.1%) and differentiating emotions (2.5%). The study shows that personal maladjustment is the best predictor of somatic complaints; the more emotional awareness and better adapted the child, the fewer somatic complaints they lodge. Childhood is a stage with significant physical discomfort. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  7. [Presenteeism and workers' health: effects of mediation on psycho-physical stress in a longitudinal study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falco, Alessandra; Girardi, Damiano; Parmiani, Gianluca; Bortolato, Stefano; Piccirelli, Alessandra; Bartolucci, Giovanni Battista; De Carlo, Nicola A

    2013-01-01

    The present work aims to investigate the phenomenon of presenteeism, a construct still little studied, especially in Italy, in its medical, psychological, social and economic implications. In the first part we propose a review of the international literature, and of the meanings, causes and consequences of the phenomenon on individual and organizational health. In the second part, we present a study which involved, for a period of about a year, 326 workers of a company in the engineering industry. This study is, in this writers' knowledge, the first survey--characterized by a longitudinal design and a multi-method approach, both not very present also in the international literature--carried out in our country on the phenomenon of presenteeism. The survey examines the mediating role of presenteeism in the relationship between specific risk factors of work context and content--career growth, conflict with colleagues, social rewards--and the psycho-physical strain. The risk factors were detected through a self-report instrument at the beginning of the year. The workers, at the end of the same year, were subjected to a healthcare surveillance visit in which the competent physician evaluated the psycho-physical strain. The hypothesized relations have been tested by estimating a structural equation model with observed variables. What emerged was a negative association between social rewards and presenteeism and a positive relation between conflict with colleagues and presenteeism. Instead, no association between growth and presenteeism emerged. Presenteeism, in turn, predicts psycho-physical strain. Overall, presenteeism mediates the relationship between social rewards and strain, as well as between interpersonal conflict and strain, but not between growth and strain. This work is characterized by some innovative aspects compared to previous studies conducted on the subject, both in theory and methodology. From a theoretical point of view the hypothesized model aims to

  8. Subjective memory impairment and well-being in community-dwelling older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuniga, Krystle E; Mackenzie, Michael J; Kramer, Arthur; McAuley, Edward

    2016-01-01

    The relationship between subjective memory impairment (SMI), future cognitive decline, and negative health status provides an opportunity for interventions to reduce memory complaints in high-risk groups. This study aimed to examine the relationship between SMI and indicators of well-being in older adults enrolled in an exercise trial. Additionally, the study examined whether two different modes of exercise training, aerobic walking and non-aerobic flexibility, toning, and balance, differentially influenced subjective memory across the trial. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 179, mean age = 66.4 years) were randomly assigned to a walking or flexibility, toning, and balance group for 12 months. Subjective memory, happiness, perceived stress, and symptom reporting were measured at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. A main effect of subjective memory indicated that individuals with the fewest memory complaints had lower perceived stress (P happiness levels (P memory complaints in high-risk groups. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

  9. 20 CFR 658.421 - Handling of JS-related complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Handling of JS-related complaints. 658.421... ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE JOB SERVICE SYSTEM Job Service Complaint System Federal Js Complaint System § 658.421 Handling of JS-related complaints. (a) No JS-related complaint shall be handled at the...

  10. 47 CFR 76.1402 - CPST rate complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... local franchise authority may file rate complaints with the Commission within 180 days of the effective... that increase the local franchise authority receives more than one subscriber complaint concerning the increase. (b) Before filing a rate complaint with the Commission, the local franchise authority must first...

  11. Shoulder complaints after nerve sparing neck dissections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Wilgen, CP; Dijkstra, PU; van der Laan, BFAM; Plukker, JTM; Roodenburg, JLN

    The purpose of the study was to analyse the prevalence of shoulder complaints after nerve sparing neck dissection at least I year after surgery, and to analyse the influence of radiation therapy on shoulder complaints. Patients were interviewed for shoulder complaints, and patients filled out the

  12. Regulating healthcare complaints: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaupert, Fleur; Carney, Terry; Chiarella, Mary; Satchell, Claudette; Walton, Merrilyn; Bennett, Belinda; Kelly, Patrick

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore approaches to the regulation of healthcare complaints and disciplinary processes. A literature review was conducted across Medline, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Google Scholar and the health, law and social sciences collections of Informit, using terms tapping both the complaints process and regulation generally. A total of 118 papers dealing with regulation of health complaints or disciplinary proceedings were located. The review reveals a shift away from self-regulation towards greater external oversight, including innovative regulatory approaches including "networked governance and flexible or "responsive" regulation. It reports growing interest in adoption of strategic and responsive approaches to health complaints governance, by rejecting traditional legal forms in favor of more strategic and responsive forms, taking account of the complexity of adverse health events by tailoring responses to individual circumstances of complainants and their local environments. The challenge of how to collect and harness complaints data to improve the quality of healthcare at a systemic level warrants further research. Scope also exists for researching health complaints commissions and other "meta-regulatory" bodies to explore how to make these processes fairer and better able to meet the complex needs of complainants, health professionals, health services and society.

  13. 12 CFR 528.8 - Complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Complaints. 528.8 Section 528.8 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY NONDISCRIMINATION REQUIREMENTS § 528.8... of Thrift Supervision, Washington, DC 20552 for processing under Office regulations. Complaints...

  14. Gastrointestinal Physiology During Head Down Tilt Bedrest in Human Subjects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaksman, Z.; Guthienz, J.; Putcha, L.

    2008-01-01

    Introduction: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility plays a key role in the physiology and function of the GI tract. It directly affects absorption of medications and nutrients taken by mouth, in addition to indirectly altering GI physiology by way of changes in the microfloral composition and biochemistry of the GI tract. Astronauts have reported nausea, loss of appetite and constipation during space flight all of which indicate a reduction in GI motility and function similar to the one seen in chronic bed rest patients. The purpose of this study is to determine GI motility and bacterial proliferation during -6 degree head down tilt bed rest (HTD). Methods: Healthy male and female subjects between the ages of 25-40 participated in a 60 day HTD study protocol. GI transit time (GITT) was determined using lactulose breath hydrogen test and bacterial overgrowth was measured using glucose breath hydrogen test. H. Pylori colonization was determined using C13-urea breath test (UBIT#). All three tests were conducted on 9 days before HDT, and repeated on HDT days 2, 28, 58, and again on day 7 after HDT. Results: GITT increased during HTD compared to the respective ambulatory control values; GITT was significantly lower on day 7 after HTD. A concomitant increase in bacterial colonization was also noticed during HDT starting after approximately 28 days of HDT. However, H. Pylori proliferation was not recorded during HDT as indicated by UBIT#. Conclusion: GITT significantly decreased during HDT with a concomitant increase in the proliferation of GI bacterial flora but not H. pylori.

  15. Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Childs, Emma; de Wit, Harriet

    2006-05-01

    Caffeine produces mild psychostimulant effects that are thought to underlie its widespread use. However, the direct effects of caffeine are difficult to evaluate in regular users of caffeine because of tolerance and withdrawal. Indeed, some researchers hypothesize that the psychostimulant effects of caffeine are due largely to the reversal of withdrawal and question whether there are direct effects of caffeine consumption upon mood, alertness, or mental performance in nondependent individuals. This study investigated the physiological, subjective, and behavioral effects of 0, 50, 150, and 450 mg caffeine in 102 light, nondependent caffeine users. Using a within-subjects design, subjects participated in four experimental sessions, in which they received each of the four drug conditions in random order under double blind conditions. Participants completed subjective effects questionnaires and vital signs were measured before and at repeated time points after drug administration. Forty minutes after the capsules were ingested, subjects completed behavioral tasks that included tests of sustained attention, short-term memory, psychomotor performance, and behavioral inhibition. Caffeine significantly increased blood pressure, and produced feelings of arousal, positive mood, and high. Caffeine increased the number of hits and decreased reaction times in a vigilance task, but impaired performance on a memory task. We confirm that acute doses of caffeine, at levels typically found in a cup of coffee, produce stimulant-like subjective effects and enhance performance in light, nondependent caffeine users. These findings support the idea that the drug has psychoactive effects even in the absence of withdrawal.

  16. 25 CFR 141.59 - Customer complaint procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Customer complaint procedures. 141.59 Section 141.59... THE NAVAJO, HOPI AND ZUNI RESERVATIONS Enforcement Powers, Procedures and Remedies § 141.59 Customer complaint procedures. (a) Any customer of a licensee may file a complaint with the Commissioner alleging...

  17. [Patient's Autonomy and Information in Psycho-Oncology: Computer Based Distress Screening for an Interactive Treatment Planning (ePOS-react)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schäffeler, Norbert; Sedelmaier, Jana; Möhrer, Hannah; Ziser, Katrin; Ringwald, Johanna; Wickert, Martin; Brucker, Sara; Junne, Florian; Zipfel, Stephan; Teufel, Martin

    2017-07-01

    To identify distressed patients in oncology using screening questionnaires is quite challenging in clinical routine. Up to now there is no evidence based recommendation which instrument is most suitable and how to put a screening to practice. Using computer based screening tools offers the possibility to automatically analyse patient's data, inform psycho-oncological and medical staff about the results, and use reactive questionnaires. Studies on how to empower patients in decision making in psycho-oncology are rare.Methods Women with breast and gynaecological cancer have been consecutively included in this study (n=103) at time of inpatient surgical treatment in a gynaecological clinic. They answered the computer based screening questionnaire (ePOS-react) for routine distress screening at time of admission. At the end of the tool an individual recommendation concerning psycho-oncological treatment is given ( i) psycho-oncological counselling, ii) brief psycho-oncological contact, iii) no treatment suggestion). The informed patients could choose autonomously either the recommended treatment or an individually more favoured alternative possibility. Additionally, a clinical interview (approx. 30 min) based on the "Psychoonkologische Basisdiagnostik (PO-Bado)" has been carried out for a third-party assessment of patients' need for treatment.Results 68.9% followed the treatment recommendation. 22.3% asked for a more "intense" (e. g. counselling instead of recommended brief contact) and 8,7% for a "less intense" intervention than recommended. The accordance of third-party assessment (clinical interview "PO-Bado") and treatment recommendation is about 72.8%. The accordance of third-party assessment and patient's choice (ePOS-react) is about 58.3%. The latter is smaller because 29.1% asked for a brief psycho-oncological contact for whom from the third-party assessment's perspective no indication for treatment has been existent.Discussion A direct response of the

  18. After the Biomedical Technology Revolution: Where to Now for a Bio-Psycho-Social Approach to Social Work?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healy, Karen

    2016-07-01

    In the late twentieth century, the bio-psycho-social framework emerged as a powerful influence on the conceptualisation and delivery of health and rehabilitation services including social work services in these fields. The bio-psycho-social framework is built on a systems view of health and well-being ( Garland and Howard, 2009). The systems perspective encourages medical and allied health professions, including social work, to recognise and to respond to the multiple systems impacting on individual health and well-being ( Engel, 2003). This paper analyses how advances in biomedical technology, particularly in the fields of neuroscience and human genomics, are challenging the bio-psycho-social approach to practice. The paper examines the pressures on the social work profession to embrace biomedical science and points to the problems in doing so. The conclusion points to some tentative ways forward for social workers to engage critically with biomedical advances and to strengthen the bio-psycho-social framework in the interests of holistic and ethical approaches to social work practice.

  19. The evaluation of the causes of complaint to Khorramabad Medical Council Organization from 2006 to 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    sedighe Nadri

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Background : Complaint against physicians is one of the problems that every physician may be subjected to it during practice. According to the existing statistics, the number of complaints is increasing in Iran. Identification of these causes may be effective in preventing such complaints. This research was conducted to identify the causes of complaints made to the Medical Council Organization of Khorramabad from 2006 to 2011. Materials and Methods: This study is descriptive cross-sectional and retrospective. To carry out the research, all of the complaints to the Medical Council Organization of Khorramabad from early 2006 to 2011, were studied. The required data were transferred from the files to the questionnaires. Finally, the collected data were entered into statistical software and analyzed with statistical tests. Results: In this research, 260 complaints made to the Medical Council Organization of Khorramabad were studied. A major part of the complaints was made against public hospitals(68.8%. The highest cause of complaints was recklessness(55.4%, while the lowest state was neglecting public regulations(21%. Of the 260 cases of complaints investigated by the preliminary committee, 80 cases (30.8% were recognized as negligence and 180 cases (69.2% were considered as non-negligence. According to the disciplinary committee, of the 260 cases, 61 cases (23.5% were recognized as negligence and 199 cases (76.5% were considered as non-negligence. Conclusion: Observing medical ethics and career commitment, establishing proper communication by physicians and treatment staff with patients and their companions, lack of exaggerating the treatment results, continuous study and updating medical knowledge, physician’s adequate skill and experience, lack of applying the methods which he has never passed their training courses, proper selection of patients, and obtaining the informed consent of patients and aquittance may lead to reduce the number of

  20. Concordance between women's physiological and subjective sexual arousal is associated with consistency of orgasm during intercourse but not other sexual behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brody, Stuart; Laan, Ellen; van Lunsen, Rik H. W.

    2003-01-01

    Many studies have found a discordance between women's genital (vaginal pulse amplitude) and subjective sexual arousal responses to erotica. We hypothesized that the association between the physiological and subjective domains would be greater for women with greater orgasmic consistency during

  1. Targeted drugs and Psycho-oncological intervention for breast cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Abramo, Flavio; Goerling, Ute; Guastadisegni, Cecilia

    2016-04-01

    Personalized medicine is a new field based on molecular biology and genomics in which targeted tumor therapies are administered to patients. Psycho-oncology is a complementary approach that considers social and psychological aspects of patients as part of the treatments for cancer patients. The aim of this mini-review is to weigh clinical benefits for breast cancer patients of both treatments and possibly enhance benefits by modulating the use of both interventions. We have compared and evaluated on the one hand the use of anti Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and, on the other hand, psycho-oncological interventions in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer patients.Both treatments did not increase survival of metastatic breast cancer patients, while in a selected study psycho-oncological interventions extended lifespan of non-metastatic breast cancer patients and ameliorate psychological and social factors of metastatic breast cancer patients. Because the two approaches address completely different aspects of cancer patients, if the comparison is limited to the extension of survival, the value of these two treatments cannot be assessed and compared.It is likely that by comparing patients reported outcomes, possibly by using standardized Quality of Life questionnaires, both patients and health care providers can weigh the benefits of the two treatments. It is therefore important to evaluate the use of cancer patients' quality of life measures as a mean to improve their experiences about life and treatment, and possibly to extend their survival.

  2. Characterization of the Psychological, Physiological and EEG Profile of Acute Betel Quid Intoxication in Naïve Subjects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Peter G.; Chou, Tung-Shan; Shen, Tsu-Wang

    2011-01-01

    Betel quid use and abuse is wide spread in Asia but the physiological basis of intoxication and addiction are unknown. In subjects naïve to the habit of betel quid intoxication, the psychological and physiological profile of intoxication has never been reported. We compared the effect of chewing gum or chewing betel quid, and subsequent betel quid intoxication, on psychological assessment, prospective time interval estimation, numerical and character digit span, computerized 2 choice tests and mental tasks such as reading and mathematics with concurrent monitoring of ECG, EEG and face temperature in healthy, non-sleep deprived, male subjects naïve to the habit of chewing betel quid. Betel quid intoxication, dose dependently induced tachycardia (max 30 bpm) and elevated face temperature (0.7°C) (Pchewing gum (max 12 bpm and 0.3°C) in 12 subjects. Gross behavioral indices of working memory such as numerical or character digit span in 8 subjects, or simple visual-motor performance such as reaction speed or accuracy in a two choice scenario in 8 subjects were not affected by betel quid intoxication. Betel quid intoxication strongly influenced the psychological aspects of perception such as slowing of the prospective perception of passage of a 1 minute time interval in 8 subjects (Pincreased arousal (Pchewing gum by betel quid intoxication in 10 subjects. The prevalence of betel quid consumption across a range of social and work settings warrants greater investigation of this widespread but largely under researched drug. PMID:21909371

  3. Psycho-educational program for high school females

    OpenAIRE

    Perla Caridad López Hernández; Laura López Angulo; Eneida Bravo Polanco; Carmen Benítez Cabrera; Lisbet Cepero Águila; Rafael Luis Pino Pich

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: sex education provides knowledge, values and attitudes that both, men and women need to live with dignity and develop fully and happily. Objective: to determine the usefulness of applying a psycho-educational program on female sexuality in high school. Methods: a quasi-experimental study conducted between September 2007 and June 2008, based on a sample composed of 180 ninth grade females living in Cumanayagua's urban area. Variables analyzed: adolescents knowledge on sex-relate...

  4. 6 CFR 13.8 - Service of Complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Service of Complaint. 13.8 Section 13.8 Domestic Security DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY PROGRAM FRAUD CIVIL REMEDIES § 13.8 Service of Complaint. (a) Service of a Complaint must be Made by certified or registered mail or by...

  5. Gonadotropins studies in female egyptian subjects under different physiological conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Nabarawy, F.S.; Megahed, Y.M.; Ibrahim, M.

    2002-01-01

    This study is concerned with the role of the hypothalamic hypophyseal regulatory hormonal mechanisms in the control of gonadal secretions in a selected normal egyptian female subjects with varying ages under different physiological conditions. The study allowed precise definition of the modulator influence of a number of key factors triggering appropriate alteration in circulating serum levels of FSH and LH determined by IRMA technique in pre-pubertal female children (9-11), post-pubertal adolescents females (13-16). Adult married females (27-33) and post-menopausal (58-63). The levels of FSH and LH were increased markedly with age but children less than 11 years old had only nocturnal increase in levels of FSH (p.O.I) and LH(P< 0.001). post-pubertal aged girls had significant nocturnal elevation only of LH levels (P< 0.001), adult married females did not exhibit significant difference in gonadotropin concentrations. whereas significant elevation in FSH and LH levels (P<0.001) in post-menopausal females were observed

  6. 20 CFR 901.36 - Service of complaint and other papers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Service of complaint and other papers. 901.36... Termination of Enrollment § 901.36 Service of complaint and other papers. (a) Complaint. The complaint or a... papers other than complaint. Any paper other than the complaint may be served upon the respondent as...

  7. Disparities in psychosocial cancer care: a report from the International Federation of Psycho-oncology Societies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassi, Luigi; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Odyio, Philip; Asuzu, Chioma; Ashley, Laura; Bultz, Barry; Travado, Luzia; Fielding, Richard

    2016-10-01

    The aim of the study was to understand the characteristics of the International Federation of Psycho-oncology Societies (FPOS) and possible disparities in providing psychosocial care in countries where psycho-oncology societies exist. A survey was conducted among 29 leaders of 28 countries represented within the FPOS by using a questionnaire covering (i) characteristics of the society; (ii) characteristics of the national health care system; (iii) level of implementation of psycho-oncology; and (iv) main problems of psycho-oncology in the country. Twenty-six (90%) FPOS returned the questionnaires. One-third reported to have links with and support from their government, while almost all had links with other scientific societies. The FPOS varied in their composition of members' professions. Psychosocial care provision was covered by state-funded health services in a minority of countries. Disparities between countries arose from different causes and were problematic in some parts of the world (eg, Africa and SE Asia). Elsewhere (eg, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe), austerity policies were reportedly responsible for resource shortages with negative consequences on psychosocial cancer care. Half of FPOS rated themselves to be integrated into mainstream provision of care, although lack of funding was the most common complain. The development and implementation of psycho-oncology is fragmented and undeveloped, particularly in some parts of the world. More effort is needed at national level by strong coalitions with oncology societies, better national research initiatives, cancer plans, and patient advocacy, as well as by stronger partnership with international organizations (eg, World Health Organization and Union for International Cancer Control). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Subjective Population of Personality: Socio-Psychological Aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vadym Zavatskyi

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper is aimed at identifying the influence of socio-psychological factors on the formation of subjective wellbeing of a married person. The following methods were used: questionnaire, psycho diagnostic techniques for investigating satisfaction with marriage, personal self-fulfillment in the family (on the operational level and the level of values and role sets, socio-psychological adaptation, conformity of family values and role expectations in marriage. The data about the content, structural components (cognitive and evaluation, value and motivational, emotional and behavioral and functions (regulatory, prognostic, developmental of subjective well-being of a married person have been presented. Socio-psychological factors of subjective well-being of a married person have been specified.

  9. Psycho-Pedagogical Measuring Bases of Educational Competences of Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenzhegaliev, Kulush K.; Shayakhmetova, Aisulu A.; Zulkarnayeva, Zhamila A.; Iksatova, Balzhan K.; Shonova, Bakytgul A.

    2016-01-01

    The relevance of the research problem is conditioned by the weak development of measurement, assessment of educational competences at an operational level, at the level of actions, by insufficient applications of psycho-pedagogical theories and methods of mathematical statistics. The aim of the work is to develop through teaching experiments the…

  10. Subjective deficits of attention, cognition and depression in patients with narcolepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamarian, Laura; Högl, Birgit; Delazer, Margarete; Hingerl, Katharina; Gabelia, David; Mitterling, Thomas; Brandauer, Elisabeth; Frauscher, Birgit

    2015-01-01

    Patients with narcolepsy often complain about attention deficits in everyday situations. In comparison with these subjective complaints, deficits in objective testing are subtler. The present study assessed the relationships between subjective complaints, objectively measured cognitive performance, disease-related variables, and mood. A total of 51 patients with narcolepsy and 35 healthy controls responded to questionnaires regarding subjectively perceived attention deficits, sleepiness, anxiety and depression. Moreover, they performed an extensive neuropsychological assessment tapping into attention, executive functions, and memory. Patients rated their level of attention in everyday situations to be relatively poor. In an objective assessment of cognitive functioning, they showed only slight attention and executive function deficits. The subjective ratings of attention deficits significantly correlated with ratings of momentary sleepiness, anxiety, and depression, but not with objectively measured cognitive performance. Momentary sleepiness and depression predicted almost 39% of the variance in the ratings of subjectively perceived attention deficits. The present study showed that sleepiness and depression, more than objective cognitive deficits, might play a role in the subjectively perceived attention deficits of patients with narcolepsy. The results suggested that when counselling and treating patients with narcolepsy, clinicians should pay attention to potential depression because subjective cognitive complaints may not relate to objective cognitive impairments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Influence of cognition, premorbid adjustment and psychotic symptoms on psycho-social functioning in first-episode psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grau, Norma; Rubio-Abadal, Elena; Usall, Judith; Barajas, Ana; Butjosa, Anna; Dolz, Montserrat; Baños, Iris; Sánchez, Bernardo; Rodríguez, Maria José; Peláez, Trinidad; Sammut, Stephanie; Carlson, Janina; Huerta-Ramos, Elena; Ochoa, Susana

    2016-08-30

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between psycho-social functioning and symptoms, cognitive function, and premorbid adjustment, in patients with a first-episode psychosis. Clinical data were obtained from 90 patients, who were assessed with the Disability Assessment Scale (DAS-sv), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS-S) and with a battery of cognitive tests including Trail Making Tests A and B (TMTA- B), Continous Performance Test (CPT), some subscales of the Wechler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and the Verbal Learning Test España-Complutense (TAVEC). The results of the study suggest that psycho-social functioning in first-episode psychosis is significantly related to: positive, negative, excitative, affective and disorganized symptoms, social premorbid adjustment, cognitive flexibility, working memory, short term and long term memory. Of these, those which best explained psycho-social functioning are the positive and excitative symptoms, premorbid adjustment, flexibility and memory. These findings highlight the importance early intervention on cognitive and clinical variables to help provide a better psycho-social functioning in people with a first-episode of psychosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Subjective executive difficulties – a study using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Subjective executive difficulties, understood as a sense of disruption of planning, control and correction of one’s own activity, is often reported by healthy as well as clinical individuals. Self-report measures such as the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX-S are used to assess the severity of this feeling. The diagnostic value of this method is debated due to the numerous factors affecting the beliefs on executive deficits. Aim of the study: With reference to inconclusive data concerning the underlying factors of subjective executive deficits and the value of self-report measures the following aims of the present study were established: a determination of the demographic, clinical and cognitive characteristics of individuals with various levels of subjective executive difficulties, b finding which of these variables contribute to the risk of subjective executive difficulties increase. Material and methods: The study included 213 adult individuals. DEX-S as well as measures of cognitive assessment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA; subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, WAIS-R and depressive mood assessment [Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form, GDS-15] were used. Demographic variables (age, gender and educational level as well as clinical variables (lack of/presence of central nervous system disease history, including lateralised brain pathology were also taken into consideration. Based on DEX-S results a cluster analysis was performed and two groups of subjects with a different level of subjective executive difficulties were identified: low-severity group (individuals reporting no complaints regarding executive deficits and high-severity group (individuals with complaints. Group comparisons demonstrated that individuals complaining about executive deficits have a higher depressive mood index and lower scores on some subtests used to assess cognitive functions. The results of logistic regression analysis

  13. Psycho-social and Mental Variables and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Traffic Accident Survivors in Northern Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodadadi-Hassankiadeh, Naema; Dehghan-Nayeri, Nahid; Shahsavari, Hooman; Yousefzadeh-Chabok, Shahrokh; Haghani, Hamid

    2017-07-01

    To assess the psycho-social and mental variables associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a series of Iranian patients. A total of 528 eligible accident survivors in pre-sampling of a randomized controlled trial targeting PTSD were included in this cross-sectional study. Psycho-social characteristics associated to PTSD were explored in these survivors in an outpatient clinic. They completed the questionnaires via interview between six weeks to six months after accident. Data collection tools were PSS (DSM-V version) for PTSD and BDI-II for depression and a researcher-made questionnaire for psycho-social variables. There was a significant association between PTSD and the following variables; family communication, current depression, return to work, history of death of relatives, witnessed the death, length of amnesia, hospitalization, injured situation, and accident severity. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that some variables were associated with PTSD such as accident severity, ( p severe accident and poor family communication who do not return to work. Thus, routine assessment of PTSD, depression and psycho-social variables after traffic accidents must be taken into account.

  14. Subjective health complaints in adolescent victims of cyber harassment: moderation through support from parents/friends - a Swedish population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fridh, Maria; Lindström, Martin; Rosvall, Maria

    2015-09-23

    Victimization in cyberspace has emerged as a new public health issue among the young. The main purpose of this study was to analyze associations between cyber victimization defined as cyber harassment (CH) (a somewhat broader concept than cyberbullying) and subjective health complaints (SHC), to study whether these associations were modified by parental/friend support (measured as communication), and to explore the influence of traditional bullying victimization (TBV) on the association between CH and SHC. The study population consisted of 8544 students in 9th grade (around 15 years old) who participated in the 2012 Scania public health survey of children and adolescents. The survey was a cross-sectional total-population study conducted in school, with a response rate of 83 %. Main and interaction (stress-buffering) effects of social support on the relationship between CH and SCH were investigated by hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses, adjusted for potential confounders, including TBV. The past-year prevalence of CH (once or several times) was 14 % among boys and 20 % among girls. Having been cyber harassed once or several times during the past year was associated with higher levels of SHC, controlling for age, parental occupation, parental origin, daily smoking, intense alcohol consumption, and disability. Among both boys and girls, the associations were stronger for CH occurring several times than for CH occurring only once. Main effects of parental/friend support were seen for both boys and girls, while stress-buffering effects were indicated for boys only. Additional analysis further adjusting for TBV did not change the associations substantially, indicating that CH has an effect of its own on SHC. Intervention programs aimed at improving the quality of peer and family relationships among children and adolescents might reduce the incidence of both cyber harassment and traditional bullying and lower the prevalence of psychosomatic complaints.

  15. PSYCHO-LEGAL PUBLICATIONS ABOUT PARENTAL ALIENATION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW OF LITERATURE IN PORTUGUESE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josimar Antônio de Alcântara Mendes

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available After the enactment of Law No. 12,318 in 2010, awareness and discussion of Parental Alienation - AP increased not only in the psycho-legal context, but also social. This phenomenon also reflected in academic publications on the subject. This article analysed the publications on Parental Alienation, in Portuguese, between the years 2008 and 2014 in order to investigate the scientific quality of journals - based on the Qualis CAPES system, and the issues associated with the theme. 816 results were found with the descriptor "parental alienation" with a significant increase after 2010. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 articles followed for further analysis. Of these, 80% were publications of law, only 6.7% were empirical, 86% corroborated with the postulates of AP and ¾ were among the strata B4 and C. The most associated issues were slopes memories and / or sexual abuse allegations (42% and shared custody (12%. The study concluded that there are many publications on the subject, but there are also publications in Portuguese, a deficit in term structure, methodology and scientific rigor.

  16. Sleep complaints and fatigue of airline pilots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Cátia; Mestre, Catarina; Canhão, Helena; Gradwell, David; Paiva, Teresa

    2016-01-01

    This work aimed to determine daytime sleepiness and sleep complaints prevalence and the corresponding influence on perceived fatigue and to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic parameters and labour variables on sleep complaints, sleepiness and fatigue. A questionnaire was developed including socio-economic and labour issues and instruments, focused in sleep and fatigue. The response rate was 32% and the final sample had 435 pilots. The prevalence of sleep complaints was 34.9%, daytime sleepiness 59.3% and fatigue 90.6%. The high prevalence of sleep complaints, sleepiness and fatigue was disclosed in pilots, with those who fly short/medium having an added risk of fatigue.

  17. The effects of exercise on self-rated sleep among adults with chronic sleep complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Erlacher

    2015-09-01

    Conclusion: Improvements on subjective sleep quality after a combined intervention cannot be attributed to the cognitive component alone, but PA has an independent effect. Adults with chronic sleep complaints benefit from exercise. Therefore structured PA should be implemented in any sleep management programs.

  18. A Review of Psycho-Physiological Responses to Parabolic Flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brummer, Vera; Schneider, Stefan; Guardiera, Simon; Struder, Heiko K.

    2008-06-01

    This review combines and correlates data of several studies conducted in the recent years where we were able to show an increase in stress hormone concentrations, EEG activity and a decrease in mood during parabolic flights. The aim of these studies was to consider whether previous results showing a decrease in mental and perceptual motor performance during weightlessness were solely due to the changes in gravity itself or were also, at least partly, explainable by an increase of stress and/or arousal during parabolic flights. A correlation between stress hormones and mood but not between EEG activity and mood nor between stress hormones and EEG activity could be found. We propose two different stressors: First an activation of the adrenomedullary system, secondly a general increase of cortical arousal. Whereas the first one is perceived by subjects, this is not the case for the second one.

  19. Clinical pattern of gynaecological / early pregnancy complaints and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    complaints of vaginal bleeding with or without pains, history of amenorrhea or infertility ; clinical and ultrasound impressions of early pregnancy complaints including ectopic pregnancies and pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) with exclusion of uro-genital and gastrointestinal complaints/ cases. Pregnancies greater than 12 ...

  20. Interaction between physiological and subjective states predicts the effect of a judging panel on the postures of cellists in performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoshi eEndo

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effect of a panel of judges on the movements and postures of cellists in performance. 24 expert cellists played a short piece of music, to a metronome beat, in the presence and absence of the panel. Kinematic analyses showed that in the presence of the panel the temporal execution of left arm shifting movements became less variable and closer to the metronome beat. In contrast, the panel's presence had no reliable effect on their spatial accuracy. A detailed postural analysis indicated that left elbow angle during execution of a given high note was correlated with level of heart rate, though the nature of this correlation was systematically affected by the relevant participant's subjective state: if anxious, a higher heart rate correlated with a more flexed elbow, if not anxious then with a more extended elbow. Our results suggest a change in physiological state alone does not reliably predict a change in behaviour in performing cellists, which instead depends on the interaction between physiological state and subjective experience of anxiety. This highlights a need to distinguish performance anxiety from physiological arousal, to which end we advocate currency for the specific term performance arousal to describe heightened physiological activity in a performer.

  1. 20 CFR 658.416 - Action on JS-related complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Action on JS-related complaints. 658.416... ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE JOB SERVICE SYSTEM Job Service Complaint System State Agency Js Complaint System § 658.416 Action on JS-related complaints. (a) The appropriate State agency official handling an...

  2. 77 FR 35659 - Request for Information Regarding Complaints From Private Education Loan Borrowers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-14

    ..., including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to... student loans? Among other things, responses can address topics that relate to some or all of following... personally identifiable information. 2. What processes do institutions have in place to respond to complaints...

  3. The evaluation of psycho-emotional state in junior students of medical university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tetiana Pavliuk

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Currently, psychosocial factors, stress and mental exhaustion are considered by WHO experts and the International Labour Organization as an important new factor affecting the health, working capacity, training and career. Young generation, especially students, who are an industrial and intellectual potential of the country can be attributed to the risk group because of the extremely high burden of adaptation. The intensity and tension of modern life at a psychological level preceding the occurrence of negative emotional experiences and stress reactions that, accumulating, cause the formation of depressions. The aim of the study was to examine the level of psycho-emotional stress in the junior students of medical university. The observations of the medical students of the second year of study were performed. To determine the psycho-emotional stress we have used adaptive varint of H.Ayzenko method that include an anxiety, frustration, aggressiveness and rigidity, through questionnaires. According to a survey results of the state of psycho-emotional state low levels of stress resistance were found in students in learning activities, indicating that students are exposed to the negative impact of the environment. It should also be noted that the level of emotional condition of students depends on the personal experience of stressful situations that arise in students’ lives.

  4. Bio-Psycho-Social Obstetrics and Gynecology : A Competency-oriented Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paarlberg, K Marieke; van de Wiel, Harry B M

    2017-01-01

    This book will assist the reader by providing individually tailored, high-quality bio-psycho-social care to patients with a wide range of problems within the fields of obstetrics, gynaecology, fertility, oncology, and sexology. Each chapter addresses a particular theme, issue, or situation in a

  5. The effects of unemployment and perceived job insecurity: a comparison of their association with psychological and somatic complaints, self-rated health and life satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griep, Yannick; Kinnunen, Ulla; Nätti, Jouko; De Cuyper, Nele; Mauno, Saija; Mäkikangas, Anne; De Witte, Hans

    2016-01-01

    Research has provided convincing evidence for the adverse effects of both short- and long-term unemployment, and perceived job insecurity on individuals' health and well-being. This study aims to go one critical step further by comparing the association between short- and long-term unemployment, and perceived job insecurity with a diverse set of health and well-being indicators. We compare four groups: (1) secure permanent employees (N = 2257), (2) insecure permanent employees (N = 713), (3) short-term unemployed (N = 662), and (4) long-term unemployed (N = 345) using cross-sectional data from the nationally representative Living Conditions Survey in Finland. Covariance analyses adjusted for background variables support findings from earlier studies that long-term unemployment and perceived job insecurity are detrimental: short-term unemployed and secure permanent employees experienced fewer psychological complaints and lower subjective complaints load, reported a higher self-rated health, and were more satisfied with their life compared to long-term unemployed and insecure permanent employees. Second, whereas unemployment was found to be more detrimental than insecure employment in terms of life satisfaction, insecure employment was found to be more detrimental than unemployment in terms of psychological complaints. No differences were found regarding subjective complaints load and self-rated health. Our findings suggest that (1) insecure employment relates to more psychological complaints than short-term unemployment and secure permanent employment, (2) insecure employment and long-term unemployment relate to more subjective complaints load and poorer health when compared to secure permanent employment, and (3) insecure employment relates to higher life satisfaction than both short- and long-term unemployment.

  6. 20 CFR 405.30 - Discrimination complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Discrimination complaints. 405.30 Section 405... INITIAL DISABILITY CLAIMS Introduction, General Description, and Definitions § 405.30 Discrimination... that an adjudicator has improperly discriminated against you, you may file a discrimination complaint...

  7. Office complaint redressal committee | About IASc | Indian Academy ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Office complaint redressal committee. CIRCULAR. In terms of the guidelines issued by DoPT vide its office memorandum dated 13.02.1998 an appropriate complaint mechanism should be created in every organization for redressal of the complaint in connection with sexual harassment of working women. Accordingly ...

  8. Strengthening of Existing Episodic Memories Through Non-invasive Stimulation of Prefrontal Cortex in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosa Manenti

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Episodic memory is critical to daily life functioning. This type of declarative memory declines with age and is the earliest cognitive function to be compromised in Alzheimer’s disease (AD. Subjective memory complaints are commonly reported by older adults and have been considered a risk factor for developing AD. The possibilities for prevention of memory disorders in older adults have increased substantially in recent years. Previous studies have shown that anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS applied over the left lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC after a contextual reminder strengthened existing verbal episodic memories, conceivably through reconsolidation, in elderly people. In this study, we hypothesized that anodal tDCS applied over the left lateral PFC after a contextual reminder would improve delayed memory retrieval relative to placebo (sham stimulation in elderly individuals with SMC. Twenty-two subjects learned a list of words. Twenty-four hour later, tDCS (anodal or placebo was applied over the left lateral PFC after a contextual reminder. Memory retrieval was tested 48h and 30 days later. These findings showed that anodal tDCS over the left lateral PFC strengthened existing episodic memories, a behavioral effect documented by improved recognition up to 30 days, relative to placebo stimulation. This study suggests that tDCS after a contextual reminder can induce long-lasting beneficial effects by facilitating the consolidation processes and opens up the possibility to design specific non-invasive interventions aimed at preventing memory decline in this at-risk population.

  9. Socio-economic factors and psycho-physical well-being as ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to assess the influence of socio-economic factors and psycho-physical well-being on the popularity of sauna usage among male university students. The research was conducted in 2012 on 550 first-year male university students aged 19 to 20 years (20.23±0.83yrs). The participants were asked to ...

  10. 'American Psycho': a double portrait of serial yuppie Patrick Bateman

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kooijman, J.; Laine, T.

    2003-01-01

    Kooijman and Laine analyze Mary Harron's "American Psycho," a 2000 film adaptation of the 1980s satirical novel by Bret Easton Ellis in which Patrick Bateman, a narcissistic Wall Street young urban professional ("yuppie"), assumes an alternate identity as a serial killer. The authors examine the

  11. Responses to environmental smoking in never-smoking children: can symptoms of nicotine addiction develop in response to environmental tobacco smoke exposure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuck, Kathrin; Kleinjan, Marloes; Otten, Roy; Engels, Rutger C M E; DiFranza, Joseph R

    2013-06-01

    A recent line of studies has brought attention to the question whether repeated exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is capable of producing psycho-physiological effects in non-smokers and whether symptoms of nicotine dependence can develop in the absence of active smoking. Children seem to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of ETS. We examined the occurrence of psycho-behavioural symptoms, designed to assess nicotine addiction and nicotine withdrawal, in a sample of 778 never-smoking children aged 9-12 years using cross-sectional survey data collected in 15 Dutch primary schools. In the present study, 6% of never-smoking children reported symptoms of craving, 8% reported cue-triggered wanting to smoke, and 20% reported subjective symptoms in response to ETS exposure. In never-smoking children, a higher number of smokers in the child's social environment was associated with more symptoms of cue-triggered wanting to smoke and more subjective symptoms in response to ETS. Never-smoking children and children who had initiated smoking were equally likely to report subjective symptoms in response to ETS exposure. In conclusion, environmental smoking is associated with self-reported psycho-behavioural symptoms in never-smoking children. Future research needs to investigate whether symptoms in children exposed to ETS are physiologically based or whether they reflect other characteristics which predispose youth for smoking initiation in the future.

  12. 45 CFR 98.32 - Parental complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Parental complaints. 98.32 Section 98.32 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND Program Operations (Child Care Services)-Parental Rights and Responsibilities § 98.32 Parental complaints...

  13. Combined influence of media use on subjective health in elementary school children in Japan: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Harunobu; Ohara, Kumiko; Kouda, Katsuyasu; Fujita, Yuki; Mase, Tomoki; Miyawaki, Chiemi; Okita, Yoshimitsu; Ishikawa, Tetsuya

    2012-06-13

    In recent years in Japan, electronic games, home computers, and the internet have assumed an important place in people's lives, even for elementary school children. Subjective health complaints have also become a problem among children. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between media use and health status in elementary school children in Japan. A cross-sectional school-based population survey was conducted in 2009 with a sample of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children (age range: 10-12 years old) in elementary schools in Japan (n = 3,464). Self-reported health, lifestyle habits, and time spent using media were assessed. The use of games, television, and personal computers was significantly associated with lifestyle (p media used for more than 1 hour was, the higher the odds ratio of the association of media use with unhealthy lifestyle and subjective health complaints was. The plural use of these media had stronger associations with unhealthy lifestyle and subjective health complaints. Game, television, and personal-computer use were mutually associated, and the plural use of these media had stronger associations with unhealthy lifestyle and subjective health complaints. Excessive use of media might be a risk for unhealthy lifestyle and subjective health complaints.

  14. Subjective cognitive decline: The first clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adalberto Studart Neto

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Mild cognitive impairment is considered as the first clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD, when the individual exhibits below performance on standardized neuropsychological tests. However, some subjects before having a lower performance on cognitive assessments already have a subjective memory complaint. Objective: A review about subjective cognitive decline, the association with AD biomarkers and risk of conversion to dementia. Methods: We performed a comprehensive non-systematic review on PubMed. The keywords used in the search were terms related to subjective cognitive decline. Results: Subjective cognitive decline is characterized by self-experience of deterioration in cognitive performance not detected objectively through formal neuropsychological testing. However, various terms and definitions have been used in the literature and the lack of a widely accepted concept hampers comparison of studies. Epidemiological data have shown that individuals with subjective cognitive decline are at increased risk of progression to AD dementia. In addition, there is evidence that this group has a higher prevalence of positive biomarkers for amyloidosis and neurodegeneration. However, Alzheimer's disease is not the only cause of subjective cognitive decline and various other conditions can be associated with subjective memory complaints, such as psychiatric disorders or normal aging. The features suggestive of a neurodegenerative disorder are: onset of decline within the last five years, age at onset above 60 years, associated concerns about decline and confirmation by an informant. Conclusion: These findings support the idea that subjective cognitive complaints may be an early clinical marker that precedes mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.

  15. A cost effectiveness analysis of midwife psycho-education for fearful pregnant women - a health system perspective for the antenatal period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toohill, J; Callander, E; Gamble, J; Creedy, D K; Fenwick, J

    2017-07-11

    Psycho-education can reduce childbirth fear and caesarean section numbers. This study determines the cost-effectiveness of a midwife-led psycho-education intervention for women fearful of birth. One thousand four hundred ten pregnant women in south-east Queensland, Australia were screened for childbirth fear (W-DEQ A ≥ 66). Women with high scores (n = 339) were randomised to the BELIEF Study (Birth Emotions and Looking to Improve Expectant Fear) to receive psycho-education (n = 170) at 24 and 34 weeks of pregnancy or to the control group (n = 169). Women in both groups were surveyed 6 weeks postpartum with total cost for health service use during pregnancy calculated. Logistic regression models assessed the odds ratio of having vaginal birth or caesarean section in the study groups. Of 339 women randomised, 184 (54%) women returned data at 6 weeks postpartum (Intervention Group n = 91; Control Group n = 93). Women receiving psycho-education had a higher likelihood of vaginal birth compared to controls (n = 60, 66% vs. n = 54, 58%; OR 2.34). Mean 'treatment' cost for women receiving psycho-education was AUS$72. Mean cost for health services excluding the cost of psycho-education, was less in the intervention group (AUS$1193 vs. AUS$1236), but not significant (p = 0.78). For every five women who received midwife counselling, one caesarean section was averted. The incremental healthcare cost to prevent one caesarean section using this intervention was AUS$145. Costs of delivering midwife psycho-education to women with childbirth fear during pregnancy are offset by improved vaginal birth rates and reduction in caesarean section numbers. Australian New Zealand Controlled Trials Registry ACTRN12612000526875 , 17th May 2012 (retrospectively registered one week after enrolment of first participant).

  16. A Qualitative Exploration of Date Rape Survivors' Physical and Psycho-Social Experiences in a Nigerian University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogunwale, Akintayo Olamide; Oshiname, Frederick Olore

    2015-05-14

    Date rape (DR) is a serious but under-recognized public health problem that affects female university undergraduates. The burden of the problem in Nigerian universities is, however, yet to be fully investigated. The study was designed to explore the physical and psycho-social experiences of DR female survivors at the University of Ibadan. The study was qualitative in nature and involved eight consenting DR survivors. A pre-tested In-Depth Interview (IDI) guide that included questions relating to survivors' personal profile, context of DR experienced, factors that promoted survivors' vulnerability, reported adverse health consequences, help-seeking behaviors, and effects of the rape episode on dating relationship was used to facilitate the conduct of the narrative interview. The interviews were conducted in accordance to the protocol approved by the Joint University of Ibadan and University College Hospital Ethics Review Committee, and were taped-recorded and subjected to content analysis. Participants' mean age was 17.3 ± 2.3 years. All the participants were teenagers when they were first raped. Coercive and deceptive means were used to perpetrate the act of rape. Participants' use of verbal appeals, crying, and physical resistance to prevent being raped proved abortive. The experienced adverse physical health consequences included vaginal bleeding and injury. Major psycho-social effects of the experienced DR included self-blame, depression, hatred for men, and suicidal feelings. DR experiences occurred mainly in isolated settings, and most participants could not seek for medical help and other forms of care due to fear of being stigmatized. Some of the DR survivors continued their dating relationships when apologies were tendered by the perpetrators. DR is a traumatic experience, which is characterized by physical and psycho-social adverse effects. DR survivors, however, rarely seek for help as a result of the fear of being stigmatized. Multiple behavioral change

  17. Complying with US and European complaint handling requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donawa, M E

    1997-09-01

    The importance of customer complaints for providing valuable information on the use of medical devices is clearly reflected in United States (US) and European quality system requirements for handling complaints. However, there are significant differences in US and European complaint handling requirements. This article will discuss those differences and methods for ensuring compliance.

  18. Generating Stimuli for Neuroscience Using PsychoPy

    OpenAIRE

    Peirce, Jonathan W.

    2009-01-01

    PsychoPy is a software library written in Python, using OpenGL to generate very precise visual stimuli on standard personal computers. It is designed to allow the construction of as wide a variety of neuroscience experiments as possible, with the least effort. By writing scripts in standard Python syntax users can generate an enormous variety of visual and auditory stimuli and can interact with a wide range of external hardware (enabling its use in fMRI, EEG, MEG etc.). The structure of scrip...

  19. Psycho-vegetative status of children suffering from giardiasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.B. Yershova

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background. The study of psycho-vegetative disorders in children with Giardia lamblia infection was the objective of the study. Materials and methods. The study involved 86 children with giardiasis aged 7–18 years. To evaluate the autonomic changes, there were applied a questionnaire by A. Wayne. The autonomic tone was determined by the table of Guillaume-Veyn, vegetative reactivity — using Dagnini-Aschner reflex, vegetative supply of reactivity — by means of orthostatic test. Psychological examination of children was conducted using the methodology “Personality disorder diagnosis” by Z. Karpenko, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory. Results. 75.6 % of сhildren had signs of autonomic dysfunction syndrome, 41.9 % — the parasympathetic autonomic tone, 43.0 % — the vagotonic type of autonomic reactivity. Inadequate maintenance of vegetative reactivity was detected in 39.5 % of patients. Psychological testing showed uncertainty in 55.9 % of child­ren, anxiety — in 42.6 %, decrease in self-esteem — in 41.2 %; depression — in 38.2 %, isolation — in 27.9 %. Conclusions. Vegetative disorders in children with giardiasis occur in 75.6 % of cases. There is a tendency to vagotonia. Changes of psycho-functional status are manifested by increasing isolation, depression, anxiety.

  20. EPA iComplaints

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The iComplaints system is an enterprise-level COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) product that provides all of the funtionality required to collect, track, manage,...

  1. Rancang Bangun STIKI Class Facilities E-Complaint

    OpenAIRE

    Ni Kadek Ariasih; I Made Gede Sri Artha

    2017-01-01

    STMIK STIKOM Indonesia is one of the institutions in the field of computer-based education. In order to support the effectiveness of the implementation of teaching and learning activities that take place, it is need a service that support the availability of adequate class facilities and complaints services if there are constraints on facilities in the classroom. So far, the management of complaints complaints against classroom facilities or in the labarotorium which is handled by the Househo...

  2. [Complaint to the disciplinary board about a resident].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linthorst, Gabor E; Lauw, Fanny N; Hanekamp, Lilian A; Hoekstra, Joost B L

    2014-01-01

    We describe the course of two complaints that were filed by patients to the Dutch Medical Disciplinary Board against two internal medicine residents. In the procedure following the complaints the supervisor and the teacher were actively involved, which resulted in one complaint being dropped. We describe the importance of adequate moral support in such cases, as the complaint may lead to loss of work satisfaction or self-esteem, especially for those in training. We make some recommendations on how the resident and the supervisor/head of the department should engage in complaints filed to the Medical Disciplinary Board. In addition, we suggest that routine 'error-meetings' may help to provide an open atmosphere where disclosure of errors and the various procedures at the hospital or disciplinary boards are promoted.

  3. Work load and musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, J A; van Dijk, F J; Frings-Dresen, M H

    1994-06-01

    Many pregnant women have musculoskeletal complaints, the onset and aggravation of which are thought to be associated with their activity or work postures. The purpose of this paper was to obtain more insight into the influence of pregnancy on the load of the musculoskeletal system at work to provide a better basis for preventing complaints. To this end, literature pertinent to a model called "work load of the musculoskeletal system" was reviewed. The model was developed to describe how work contributes to musculoskeletal complaints. It was found that pregnancy causes changes in a worker's characteristics. These changes can lead to changes in the work situation, activity pattern, and postural characteristics and possibly result in a change in work load. In addition, physical changes such as weight gain increase the work load in a given posture. The load-bearing capacity of the musculoskeletal system decreases due to pregnancy. The changes in load and the decrease in load-bearing capacity singly or simultaneously increase the risk of musculoskeletal complaints. The multifactorial cause of musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy reveals various possibilities for prevention.

  4. Analysis of customer complaints and a field research on the logistics in electronic (online shopping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aydın Kayabaşı

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Logistics is a series of activities, which has a prominent role within the value chain. Logistics has become a very important means in the process of defining, constructing and transferring value within the current conditions of competition. The fact that logistic activities are developed with amendment and improvement highly affects customer satisfaction. On the other hand, managing customer complaints effectively has an important role in carrying out customer satisfaction. Providing high quality service depends on empathizing customers and evaluating activities from their aspects. The evaluation in question has two dimensions and one of them consists of customer satisfaction and another one consists of managing customer complaints effectively. Deficiencies will be able to be eliminated with the help of knowing customers’ dissatisfactions from activities and so the quality level of services will increase. In this study, it has been aimed to search for customers’ complaints on logistic activities. In accordance with this aim, content analysis and survey method have been used and the data obtained from these analyses has been analyzed. In consequence of analyses, customers’ basic complaint subjects have been determined and advices have been developed accordingly.

  5. Extending the psycho-historical framework to understand artistic production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozbelt, Aaron; Ostrofsky, Justin

    2013-04-01

    We discuss how the psycho-historical framework can be profitably applied to artistic production, facilitating a synthesis of perception-based and knowledge-based perspectives on realistic observational drawing. We note that artists' technical knowledge itself constitutes a major component of an artwork's historical context, and that links between artistic practice and psychological theory may yet yield conclusions in line with universalist perspectives.

  6. How Retailers Handle Complaint Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Torben; Wilke, Ricky; Zaichkowsky, Judy

    2009-01-01

    This article fills a gap in the literature by providing insight about the handling of complaint management (CM) across a large cross section of retailers in the grocery, furniture, electronic and auto sectors. Determinants of retailers’ CM handling are investigated and insight is gained as to the......This article fills a gap in the literature by providing insight about the handling of complaint management (CM) across a large cross section of retailers in the grocery, furniture, electronic and auto sectors. Determinants of retailers’ CM handling are investigated and insight is gained...... as to the links between CM and redress of consumers’ complaints. The results suggest that retailers who attach large negative consequences to consumer dissatisfaction are more likely than other retailers to develop a positive strategic view on customer complaining, but at the same time an increase in perceived...

  7. Association Between Cognitive Complaints and Vulnerability to Environmental Distraction in Multiple Sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randolph, John J; Randolph, Jennifer S; Wishart, Heather A

    2017-02-01

    Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) often report cognitive dysfunction, although neuropsychological evaluation findings may not correlate with subjective concerns. One factor that may explain this lack of correspondence is the controlled testing environment, which differs from busier settings where cognitive lapses are noted to occur. This study used a novel environmental manipulation to determine whether individuals with MS who report cognitive dysfunction are more vulnerable to the effects of auditory distraction during neuropsychological testing. Twenty-four individuals with clinically definite MS or clinically isolated syndrome were administered a cognitive battery during two counterbalanced auditory conditions: quiet/standard condition, and distraction condition with random office background noise. Participants were divided into high versus low cognitive complaint groups using a median split analysis of Perceived Deficits Questionnaire responses. Participants with more cognitive complaints showed a decrement in performance on the oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test during the distraction condition while those with fewer cognitive complaints demonstrated stable performance across conditions. These findings remained significant after controlling for education, premorbid intellect, fatigue, and depressed mood. These results suggest that individuals with MS with more cognitive complaints are vulnerable to environmental distraction, particularly regarding processing speed. Incorporating random environmental noise or other distraction conditions during selected measures may enhance the ecological validity of neuropsychological evaluation results in MS. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Social support and family communication as factors protecting adolescents against multiple recurrent health complaints related to school stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabak, Izabela; Mazur, Joanna

    2016-01-01

    One reason of increased psychological and somatic health problems in adolescence is intensification of stress in school and everyday life. There is little evidence to what extent the level of school achievements shapes this relationship. The aim of the study was to investigate determinants of subjective health complaints in schoolaged children, taking into account the interaction effects. Anonymous survey was conducted in Poland in 2013/2014 on the sample of 4,545 students, as a part of the HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) study. On the basis of prevalence of eight symptoms in the past 6 months, a standardized index of health complaints (SCL - Subjective Complaints Checklist) was calculated (0-100). To predict its variability three hierarchical linear models (five blocks) were estimated, separately for three levels of school achievements. Support from family, classmates and teachers as well as family communication were considered as protective factors, which can reduce the negative impact of stress. All analyses were adjusted for age, gender and family affluence. The standardized SCL index was equal to 23.2 in boys and 32.5 in girls. The high level of school stress was reported by 28.5% boys and 35.6% girls, respectively. Regarding these two measures, similar patterns of change were observed, increase with age and with deterioration of academic achievement. Final multivariate models explained 22-25% variability of SCL, slightly more among worst students. Accumulation of low family support and high level of school stress caused the highest increase in the SCL index in very good students. School performance is an important determinant of subjective health complaints in adolescence, also modifying the impact of other risk and protective factors.

  9. Hormone therapy in menopausal women with cognitive complaints: a randomized, double-blind trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maki, P M; Gast, M J; Vieweg, A J; Burriss, S W; Yaffe, K

    2007-09-25

    To evaluate the effects of hormone therapy (HT) on cognition and subjective quality of life (QoL) in recently postmenopausal women with cognitive complaints. Cognitive Complaints in Early Menopause Trial (COGENT) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, pilot study of 180 healthy postmenopausal women aged 45 to 55 years, randomly assigned to receive either placebo or conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg/medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg for 4 months. Outcome measures included memory, subjective cognition, QoL, sexuality, and sleep, which were assessed at baseline and month 4. The study was terminated before the expected final sample size of 275 due to a decrease in enrollment coinciding with the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative. There were no differences between groups on any cognitive or QoL measures, except for an increase in sexual interest and thoughts with HT. Modest negative effects on short- and long-term verbal memory approached significance (p or=0.45, this study suggests potential modest negative effects on verbal memory that are consistent with previous hormone therapy trials in older women.

  10. The Experience of Psychological Service of Rosenergoatom in Ensuring the Reliability of the Human Factor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernetckaia, E.D.; Belyh, T.

    2016-01-01

    To ensure the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants, since 1982 the laboratories of psycho-physiological support (LPPS) started being established at Russian NPPs. The methodological background for this was later summarised. The LPPS’ activity and professional development of LPPS specialists are currently supported by the scientific methodological centre “Psycho-Physiological Support of Professional Personnel Reliability” (PPSPPR) of Rosatom Central Institute for Continuing Education and Training (ROSATOMCICE& T). The present paper gives the outlines of the main LPPS tasks performed by above mentioned organizations at Russian NPPs: • psycho-physiological examination of candidates and employees (PFE); • psychological and physiological support of workers (PPS); • socio-psychological aspects of safety culture; • psycho-pedagogical support of the educational process.

  11. Endogenous sex hormones and memory performance in middle-aged Greek women with subjective memory complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armeni, Eleni; Apostolakis, Michail; Christidi, Foteini; Rizos, Demetrios; Kaparos, George; Panoulis, Konstantinos; Augoulea, Areti; Alexandrou, Andreas; Karopoulou, Evangelia; Zalonis, Ioannis; Triantafyllou, Nikolaos; Lambrinoudaki, Irene

    2018-02-01

    The changing hormonal milieu during the menopausal transition may contribute to the development of memory disorders. We aimed to assess the association of sex hormones with memory function in a sample of Greek middle-aged women. This pilot study included 44 women with subjective memory complaints. Memory performance was evaluated using the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT), the Brief Visuospatial Memory test (BVMT), and the verbal digits backwards test (VSPAN), to assess verbal, visuospatial, and working memory performance, respectively. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Green Climacteric Scale. VSPAN backwards scores were positively associated with log-transformed free androgen index (logFAI), in models adjusted for age, education, log-transformed free estrogen index (logFEI), hypertension, and the intensity of menopausal symptoms. BVMT total scores were predicted by logFAI (b-coefficient = 0.424, p value = 0.002), education, and combined climacteric symptomatology, in a model adjusted for age, logFEI, and hypertension. Women with circulating estradiol above the median value of 10 pg/mL had better total HTLV total scores compared to women with estradiol values below the median (HTLV total scores, estradiol ≤ 10 pg/mL vs. > 10 pg/mL: 24.2 ± 3.6 vs. 30.0 ± 7.9, p value = 0.007 unadjusted). This association was affected by education and remained independent of menopausal symptoms and testosterone levels, education, and hypertension (model R 2 = 22.3%; b-coefficient = 0.318, p value = 0.024). Endogenous total estradiol is associated with verbal episodic memory, while logFAI is associated with working memory performance and visuospatial episodic memory in this sample of postmenopausal women. These associations were not influenced by age, education, or menopausal symptoms. Larger studies are necessary to evaluate the significance of our findings.

  12. Characterization of the psychological, physiological and EEG profile of acute betel quid intoxication in naïve subjects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter G Osborne

    Full Text Available Betel quid use and abuse is wide spread in Asia but the physiological basis of intoxication and addiction are unknown. In subjects naïve to the habit of betel quid intoxication, the psychological and physiological profile of intoxication has never been reported. We compared the effect of chewing gum or chewing betel quid, and subsequent betel quid intoxication, on psychological assessment, prospective time interval estimation, numerical and character digit span, computerized 2 choice tests and mental tasks such as reading and mathematics with concurrent monitoring of ECG, EEG and face temperature in healthy, non-sleep deprived, male subjects naïve to the habit of chewing betel quid. Betel quid intoxication, dose dependently induced tachycardia (max 30 bpm and elevated face temperature (0.7°C (P<0.001 above the effects observed in response to chewing gum (max 12 bpm and 0.3°C in 12 subjects. Gross behavioral indices of working memory such as numerical or character digit span in 8 subjects, or simple visual-motor performance such as reaction speed or accuracy in a two choice scenario in 8 subjects were not affected by betel quid intoxication. Betel quid intoxication strongly influenced the psychological aspects of perception such as slowing of the prospective perception of passage of a 1 minute time interval in 8 subjects (P<0.05 and perceived increased arousal (P<0.01 and perceived decreased ability to think (P<0.05 in 31 subjects. The EEG spectral profile recorded from mental states associated with open and closed eyes, and mental tasks such as reading and eyes closed mental arithmetic were significantly modified (P<0.05 relative to chewing gum by betel quid intoxication in 10 subjects. The prevalence of betel quid consumption across a range of social and work settings warrants greater investigation of this widespread but largely under researched drug.

  13. Towards a New Kind of Experimental Psycho-Aesthetics? Reflections on the Parallellepipeda Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan Wagemans

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Experimental psycho-aesthetics—the science aimed at understanding the factors that determine aesthetic experience—is reviewed briefly as background to describe the Parallellepipeda project, a cross-over project between artists and scientists in Leuven. In particular, I sketch how it started and developed further, with close interactions between the participating artists and scientists. A few examples of specific research projects are mentioned to illustrate the kind of research questions we address and the methodological approach we have taken. We often found an effect of providing participants with additional information, a difference between novice and expert participants, and a shift with increasing experience with an artwork, in the direction of tolerating more complexity and acquiring more order from it. By establishing more connections between parts of an artwork and more associations to the artwork, it becomes a stronger Gestalt, which is more easily mastered by the viewer and leads to increased appreciation. In the final part of the paper, I extract some general lessons from the project regarding a possible new way of doing psycho-aesthetics research, which is able to solve some of the problems of traditional experimental psycho-aesthetics (eg, trade-off between experimental control and ecological validity.

  14. 20 CFR 658.414 - Referral of non-JS-related complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Referral of non-JS-related complaints. 658... ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE JOB SERVICE SYSTEM Job Service Complaint System State Agency Js Complaint System § 658.414 Referral of non-JS-related complaints. (a) To facilitate the operation of the...

  15. Clinical pattern of gynecological/early pregnancy complaints and the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... complaints of vaginal bleeding, with or without pain, history of amenorrhea or infertility, clinical and ultrasound impression of early pregnancy complaints, including ectopic pregnancies and pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID), with exclusion of urogenital and gastrointestinal complaints/cases. Pregnancies greater than 12 ...

  16. Coping strategies in teachers with vocal complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambon, Fabiana; Moreti, Felipe; Behlau, Mara

    2014-05-01

    To understand the coping strategies used by teachers with vocal complaints, compare the differences between those who seek and those who do not seek voice therapy, and investigate the relationships among coping and voice perceptual analysis, coping and signs and symptoms of voice, and coping and participation restrictions and limitations in vocal activities. Cross-sectional nonrandomized prospective study with control group. Ninety female teachers participated in the study, of similar ages, divided into three groups: group 1 (G1) comprised 30 teachers with vocal complaints who sought voice therapy, group 2 (G2) comprised 30 teachers with vocal complaints who never sought voice therapy, and group 3 (G3) comprised 30 teachers without vocal complaints. The following analysis were conducted: identification and characterization questionnaire, addressing personal and occupational description, recording speech material for voice perceptual analysis, Voice Signs and Symptoms Questionnaire, Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP), and Voice Disability Coping Questionnaire (VDCQ)-Brazilian Version. In relation to the voice perceptual analysis, there was statistically significant difference between the groups with vocal complaint (G1+G2), which had showed voices with mild-to-moderate deviation, and the group without vocal complaint (G1), which showed voices within the normal variability of voice quality (mean for G1 = 49.9, G2 = 43.7, and G3 = 32.3, P Teachers with vocal complaints who looked for voice therapy use more coping strategies. Moreover, they present a tendency to use more problem-focused coping strategies. Voice symptoms prompt the teachers into seeking treatment; however, they are not correlated with the coping itself. In general, the higher the perception of limitation and restriction of participating in vocal activities, the greater the use of coping strategies. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Profile and prevalence of hearing complaints in the elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magda Aline Bauer

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: Hearing is essential for the processing of acoustic information and the understanding of speech signals. Hearing loss may be associated with cognitive decline, depression and reduced functionality. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of hearing complaints in elderly individuals from Rio Grande do Sul and describe the profile of the study participants with and without hearing complaints. Methods: 7315 elderly individuals interviewed in their homes, in 59 cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, participated in the study. Inclusion criteria were age 60 years or older and answering the question on auditory self-perception. For statistical purposes, the chi-square test and logistic regression were performed to assess the correlations between variables. Results: 139 elderly individuals who did not answer the question on auditory self-perception and 9 who self-reported hearing loss were excluded, totaling 7167 elderly participants. Hearing loss complaint rate was 28% (2011 among the elderly, showing differences between genders, ethnicity, income, and social participation. The mean age of the elderly without hearing complaints was 69.44 (±6.91 and among those with complaint, 72.8 (±7.75 years. Elderly individuals without hearing complaints had 5.10 (±3.78 years of formal education compared to 4.48 (±3.49 years among those who had complaints. Multiple logistic regression observed that protective factors for hearing complaints were: higher level of schooling, contributing to the family income and having received health care in the last six months. Risk factors for hearing complaints were: older age, male gender, experiencing difficulty in leaving home and carrying out social activities. Conclusions: Among the elderly population of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the prevalence of hearing complaints reached 28%. The complaint is more often present in elderly men who did not participate in the generation of family

  18. 22 CFR 18.10 - Service of complaint and other papers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Service of complaint and other papers. 18.10... CONFLICT OF INTEREST Administrative Enforcement Proceedings § 18.10 Service of complaint and other papers.... (b) Service of papers other than complaint. Any paper other than the complaint may be served upon a...

  19. 20 CFR 658.415 - Transferring complaints to proper JS office.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Transferring complaints to proper JS office... Agency Js Complaint System § 658.415 Transferring complaints to proper JS office. (a) Where a JS-related... local office serving the area in which the employer is located. Where a JS-related complaint deals with...

  20. Development and investigation of the nanosensor-based apparatus to assess the psycho-emotional state of a person

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avdeeva, D. K.; Ivanov, M. L.; Natalinova, N. M.; Nguyen, D. K.; Rybalka, S. A.; Turushev, N. V.

    2017-08-01

    Psycho-emotional state is one of the factors effecting human health. Its evaluation allows revealing hidden psychological trauma which can be reason of chronic stress, depression or psychosomatic disorders. Modern techniques of objective psycho-emotional state assessment involve a device which detects electrophysiological parameters of human body connected with emotional reaction and psychological condition. The present study covers development and testing of psycho-emotional state assessment device. The developed implement uses three methods of electrophysiological activity evaluation: electrocardiography, electroencephalography and galvanic skin response detection. The device represents hardware-software complex consisting of nanosensors, measuring unit, lead wires and laptop. Filters are excluded from the measuring circuit due to metrological parameters and noise immunity of implemented nanosensors. This solution minimizes signal distortion and allows measuring signals of 0.3 μV and higher in a wide frequency range (0-10000 Hz) with minimal data loss. In addition, results of preliminary medical studies aimed to find correspondence between different psycho-emotional states and electrophysiological parameters are described. Impact of filters on electrophysiological studies was studied. According to the results conventional filters significantly distort EEG channel information. Further research will be directed to the creation of complete base of electrophysiological parameters related to a particular emotion.

  1. Influence of psycho-social factors on the emergence of depression and suicidal risk in patients with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pješčić, Katarina Dokić; Nenadović, Milutin M; Jašović-Gašić, Miroslava; Trajković, Goran; Kostić, Mirjana; Ristić-Dimitrijević, Radmila

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of certain psychosocial factors - insight, psycho-education, family and social support, loneliness and social isolation - on the appearance of depression and suicidal risk in schizophrenia. This was a cross-sectional study that comprised hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in the initial remission phase. The assessment of depression and suicidal risk was made by applying a semi-structured psychiatric interview that included scrutinized factors (insight, psycho-education, family and social support, loneliness and social isolation), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). On the basis of the assessment results, the sample was divided into two groups: Group of patients with depression and suicidal risk in schizophrenia (N = 53) and Control group (N = 159) of patients with schizophrenia without depression and suicidal risk. In the Group of patients with depression and suicidal risk, compared with the Control group, there was significantly higher frequency of insight in the mental status (χ² = 31.736, p risk in schizophrenia. This study shows that considered psycho-social factors - insight in the mental status, lack of psycho-education, as well as social isolation - could be predictors for appearance of depression and suicidal risk in schizophrenia.

  2. Patient complaints in healthcare services in Vietnam’s health system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bui Thi Thu Ha

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is growing recognition of patient rights in health sectors around the world. Patients’ right to complain in hospitals, often visible in legislative and regulatory protocols, can be an important information source for service quality improvement and achievement of better health outcomes. However, empirical evidence on complaint processes is scarce, particularly in the developing countries. To contribute in addressing this gap, we investigated patients’ complaint handling processes and the main influences on their implementation in public hospitals in Vietnam. Methods: The study was conducted in two provinces of Vietnam. We focused specifically on the implementation of the Law on Complaints and Denunciations and the Ministry of Health regulation on resolving complaints in the health sector. The data were collected using document review and in-depth interviews with key respondents. Framework approach was used for data analysis, guided by a conceptual framework and aided by qualitative data analysis software. Results: Five steps of complaint handling were implemented, which varied in practice between the provinces. Four groups of factors influenced the procedures: (1 insufficient investment in complaint handling procedures; (2 limited monitoring of complaint processes; (3 patients’ low awareness of, and perceived lack of power to change, complaint procedures and (4 autonomization pressures on local health facilities. While the existence of complaint handling processes is evident in the health system in Vietnam, their utilization was often limited. Different factors which constrained the implementation and use of complaint regulations included health system–related issues as well as social and cultural influences. Conclusion: The study aimed to contribute to improved understanding of complaint handling processes and the key factors influencing these processes in public hospitals in Vietnam. Specific policy implications for

  3. [The model program of psycho-social treatment and staff training].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikebuchi, Emi

    2012-01-01

    The model program of psycho-social treatment and staff training were reported in this issue. The mission of model program is supporting recovery of persons with mental illness and their family as well as empowering their hope and sense of values. The personal support specialists belonging to multi-disciplinary team have responsibility to support life-long process of recovery across hospitalization, out-patients clinic, day treatment, and outreach service. The shared value of multi-disciplinary team (the community life supporting team) is recovery so that the team renders self directive life, various alternatives of their lives, and peer group with models of recovery to persons with mental illness. There should be several technologies which are used in the team such as engagement, psycho-education, cognitive-behavior therapy, care-management, cooperating with other resources. The responsibility, assessment and evaluation techniques, guarantee of opportunities for training, and auditing system of the team and process of treatment are important factors to educate team staff. Raising effective multi-disciplinary team requires existence of a mentor or good model near the team.

  4. Integration Telegram Bot on E-Complaint Applications in College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosid, M. A.; Rachmadany, A.; Multazam, M. T.; Nandiyanto, A. B. D.; Abdullah, A. G.; Widiaty, I.

    2018-01-01

    Internet of Things (IoT) has influenced human life where IoT internet connectivity extending from human-to-humans to human-to-machine or machine-to-machine. With this research field, it will be created a technology and concepts that allow humans to communicate with machines for a specific purpose. This research aimed to integrate between application service of the telegram sender with application of e-complaint at a college. With this application, users do not need to visit the Url of the E-compliant application; but, they can be accessed simply by submitting a complaint via Telegram, and then the complaint will be forwarded to the E-complaint Application. From the test results, e-complaint integration with Telegram Bot has been run in accordance with the design. Telegram Bot is made able to provide convenience to the user in this academician to submit a complaint, besides the telegram bot provides the user interaction with the usual interface used by people everyday on their smartphones. Thus, with this system, the complained work unit can immediately make improvements since all the complaints process can be delivered rapidly.

  5. What can the treatment of Parkinson's disease learn from dementia care; applying a bio-psycho-social approach to Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Grant

    2017-12-01

    Within contemporary medical practice, Parkinson's disease (PD) is treated using a biomedical, neurological approach, which although bringing numerous benefits can struggle to engage with how people with PD experience the disease. A bio-psycho-social approach has not yet been established in PD; however, bio-psycho-social approaches adopted within dementia care practice could bring significant benefit to PD care. This paper summarises existing bio-psycho-social models of dementia care and explores how these models could also usefully be applied to care for PD. Specifically, this paper adapts the bio-psycho-social model for dementia developed by Spector and Orrell (), to suggest a bio-psycho-social model, which could be used to inform routine care in PD. Drawing on the biopsychosocial model of Dementia put forward by Spector and Orrell (), this paper explores the application of a bio-psycho-social model of PD. This model conceptualises PD as a trajectory, in which several interrelated fixed and tractable factors influence both PD's symptomology and the various biological and psychosocial challenges individuals will face as their disease progresses. Using an individual case study, this paper then illustrates how such a model can assist clinicians in identifying suitable interventions for people living with PD. This model concludes by discussing how a bio-psycho-social model could be used as a tool in PD's routine care. The model also encourages the development of a theoretical and practical framework for the future development of the role of the PD specialist nurse within routine practice. A biopsychosocial approach to Parkinson's Disease provides an opportunity to move towards a holistic model of care practice which addresses a wider range of factors affecting people living with PD. The paper puts forward a framework through which PD care practice can move towards a biopsychosocial perspective. PD specialist nurses are particularly well placed to adopt such a model

  6. Understanding why cancer patients accept or turn down psycho-oncological support: a prospective observational study including patients' and clinicians' perspectives on communication about distress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwahlen, Diana; Tondorf, Theresa; Rothschild, Sacha; Koller, Michael T; Rochlitz, Christoph; Kiss, Alexander

    2017-05-30

    International standards prioritize introducing routine emotional distress screening in cancer care to accurately identify patients who most need psycho-oncological treatment, and ensure that patients can access appropriate supportive care. However, only a moderate proportion of distressed patients accepts referrals to or uses psycho-oncological support services. Predictors and barriers to psycho-oncological support service utilization are under-studied. We know little about how patients and oncologists perceive the discussions when oncologists assess psychosocial distress with a screening instrument. We aim to 1) assess the barriers and predictors of uptake of in-house psycho-oncological support along the distress screening pathway in cancer patients treated at a University Oncology Outpatient Clinic and, 2) determine how patients and clinicians perceive communication about psychosocial distress after screening with the Distress Thermometer. This is a quantitative prospective observational study with qualitative aspects. We will examine medical and demographic variables, cancer patient self-reports of various psychological measures, and aspects of the patient-clinician communication as variables that potentially predict uptake of psycho-oncological support service. We will also assess the patients' reasons for accepting or refusing psycho-oncological support services. We assess at three points in time, based on paper-and-pencil questionnaires and two patient interviews during the study period. We will monitor outcomes (psycho-oncology service uptake) four months after study entry. The study will improve our understanding of characteristics of patients who accept or refuse psycho-oncological support, and help us understand how patients' and oncologists perceive communication about psychosocial distress, and referral to a psycho-oncologist. We believe this is the first study to focus on factors that affect uptake or rejection of psycho-oncological support services

  7. Increased Brain Connectivity In Early Postmenopausal Women with Subjective Cognitive Impairment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer N Vega

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Cognitive changes after menopause are a common complaint, especially as the loss of estradiol at menopause has been hypothesized to contribute to the higher rates of dementia in women. To explore the neural processes related to subjective cognitive complaints, this study examined resting state functional connectivity in 31 postmenopausal women (aged 50-60 in relationship to cognitive complaints following menopause. A cognitive complaint index was calculated using responses to a 120-item questionnaire. Seed regions were identified for resting state brain networks important for higher-order cognitive processes and for areas that have shown differences in volume and functional activity associated with cognitive complaints in prior studies. Results indicated a positive correlation between the executive control network and cognitive complaint score, weaker negative functional connectivity within the frontal cortex, and stronger positive connectivity within the right middle temporal gyrus in postmenopausal women who report more cognitive complaints. While longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis, these data are consistent with previous findings suggesting that high levels of cognitive complaints may reflect changes in brain connectivity and may be a potential marker for the risk of late-life cognitive dysfunction in postmenopausal women with otherwise normal cognitive performance.

  8. 22 CFR 96.70 - Operation of the Complaint Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... AND APPROVAL OF PERSONS UNDER THE INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION ACT OF 2000 (IAA) Oversight Through Review of... resolution of complaints; (4) Generate reports designed to show possible patterns of complaints; and (5... will be accessible through the Department's website to persons who wish to file complaints. Such forms...

  9. Associations of psychosocial working conditions and working time characteristics with somatic complaints in German resident physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Nina; Degen, Christiane; Li, Jian; Loerbroks, Adrian; Müller, Andreas; Angerer, Peter

    2016-05-01

    Somatic complaints (SC) are highly prevalent in working populations and cause suffering and extensive health-care utilization. Adverse psychosocial working conditions as conceptualized in the Job Demand-Control-Support Model (JDC-S) and adverse working time characteristics (WTC) are potential risk factors. This combination is particularly common in hospital physicians. This study examines associations of JDC-S and WTC with SC in resident physicians from Germany. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 physicians at the end of residency training. SC were measured using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24) containing the sub-categories exhaustion, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular complaints. Data on working conditions were collected by a self-report method for work analysis in hospitals (TAA-KH-S) and by questions on WTC (i.e., working hours). Multivariable stepwise regression analyses were applied. Workload showed the most pronounced relationship with all sub-categories of SC except gastrointestinal complaints. Job autonomy was not significantly related to any SC sub-category. Social support at work was inversely associated with all SC sub-categories except for cardiovascular complaints. Free weekends were associated with reduced SC except for exhaustion. Shift work was related to an increased SC total score and musculoskeletal complaints. Working hours showed no association with SC. In resident physicians, high workload and shift work are associated with increased SC, while social support at work and free weekends are associated with decreased SC. These insights may inform the development of preventive measures to improve the health of this professional group. Prospective studies are needed though to corroborate our findings.

  10. Characterizing Psychological Dimensions in Non-Pathological Subjects through Autonomic Nervous System Dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mimma eNardelli

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective assessment of psychological traits of healthy subjects and psychiatric patients has been growing interest in clinical and bioengineering research fields during the last decade. Several experimental evidences strongly suggest that a link between Autonomic Nervous System (ANS dynamics and specific dimensions such as anxiety, social phobia, stress and emotional regulation might exist. Nevertheless, an extensive investigation on a wide range of psycho-cognitive scales and ANS non-invasive markers gathered from standard and nonlinear analysis still needs to be addressed. In this study, we analyzed the discerning and correlation capabilities of a comprehensive set of ANS features and psycho-cognitive scales in 29 non-pathological subjects monitored during resting conditions. In particular, the state of the art of standard and nonlinear analysis was performed on Heart Rate Variability, InterBreath Interval series, and Inter-Beat Respiration series, which were considered as monovariate and multivariate measurements. Experimental results show that each ANS feature is linked to specific psychological traits. Moreover, nonlinear analysis outperforms the psychological assessment with respect to standard analysis. Considering that the current clinical practice relies only on subjective scores from interviews and questionnaires, this study provides objective tools for the assessment of psychological dimensions.

  11. Excessive working hours and health complaints among hospital physicians: a study based on a national sample of hospital physicians in Germany

    OpenAIRE

    Rosta, Judith; Gerber, Andreas

    2007-01-01

    Objectives: To determine correlations between excessively long working hours and subjectively experienced somatic health complaints among hospital physicians. Methods: Quantitative data were collected as part of the survey “Working life, Lifestyle and Health of Hospital Physicians in Germany 2006” using self-reporting questionnaires. The individually experienced health was assessed on the basis of Zerssen’s [1] list of somatic complaints. The indicator of excessively long working hours was de...

  12. 49 CFR 1111.6 - Satisfaction of complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Satisfaction of complaint. 1111.6 Section 1111.6 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RULES OF PRACTICE COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES § 1111.6 Satisfaction of...

  13. Accessibility, Availability, and Potential Benefits of Psycho-Oncology Services: The Perspective of Community-Based Physicians Providing Cancer Survivorship Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmermann-Schlegel, Verena; Hartmann, Mechthild; Sklenarova, Halina; Herzog, Wolfgang; Haun, Markus W

    2017-06-01

    As persons of trust, community-based physicians providing survivorship care (e.g., general practitioners [GPs]) often serve as the primary contacts for cancer survivors disclosing distress. From the perspective of physicians providing survivorship care for cancer patients, this study explores (a) the accessibility, availability, and potential benefits of psycho-oncology services; (b) whether physicians themselves provide psychosocial support; and (c) predictors for impeded referrals of survivors to services. In a cross-sectional survey, all GPs and community-based specialists in a defined region were interviewed. In addition to descriptive analyses, categorical data were investigated by applying chi-square tests. Predictors for impeded referrals were explored through logistic regression. Of 683 responding physicians, the vast majority stated that survivors benefit from psycho-oncology services (96.8%), but the physicians also articulated that insufficient coverage of psycho-oncology services (90.9%) was often accompanied by impeded referrals (77.7%). A substantial proportion (14.9%) of physicians did not offer any psychosocial support. The odds of physicians in rural areas reporting impeded referrals were 1.91 times greater than the odds of physicians in large urban areas making a similar report (95% confidence interval [1.07, 3.40]). Most community-based physicians providing survivorship care regard psycho-oncology services as highly beneficial. However, a large number of physicians report tremendous difficulty referring patients. Focusing on those physicians not providing any psychosocial support, health policy approaches should specifically (a) raise awareness of the role of physicians as persons of trust for survivors, (b) highlight the effectiveness of psycho-oncology services, and (c) encourage a proactive attitude toward the assessment of unmet needs and the initiation of comprehensive care. Community-based physicians providing survivorship care for cancer

  14. A study of psycho-pathology and treatment of children with phagophobia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okada, Ayumi; Tsukamoto, Chiaki; Hosogi, Mizuho; Yamanaka, Eriko; Watanabe, Kumi; Ootyou, Keiko; Morishima, Tsuneo

    2007-10-01

    Phagophobia is a disorder characterized by a conditioned excessive fear of eating and is initiated by an event such as vomiting or choking. During childhood, vomiting often occurs as a result of infection or overeating, and painful experiences bring about maladaptive eating behavior like food refusal. There have been few reports of phagophobia, and patients have sometimes been misdiagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN). The objective of this study was to elucidate the psycho-pathology and current treatment of patients with phagophobia by analyzing case studies. We describe 6 cases with phagophobia. Patients with strong obsessions were refractory to treatment, indicating that evaluation of premorbid personality is crucial to the prognosis. It is important to classify this disorder according to psycho-pathology into "post-traumatic type" and "gain-from-illness type" to make a treatment plan. A solution focused approach is also effective for patients and their family. Paying close attention to these conditions and to the diagnostic concept referred as "hagophobia" is useful in achieving these aims.

  15. Characteristics of ocular pain complaints in patients with idiopathic dry eye symptoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalangara, Jerry P.; Galor, Anat; Levitt, Roy C.; Covington, Derek B.; McManus, Katherine T.; Sarantopoulos, Constantine D.; Felix, Elizabeth R.

    2016-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the severity and quality of ocular pain complaints in patients with dry eye symptoms. Methods Subjects with clinically-relevant dry eye symptoms (dryness, discomfort, tearing) of unknown origin seen in the Miami Veterans Affairs eye clinic were administered questionnaires for dry eye symptoms and ocular pain and underwent a standardized ocular examination. Qualities and severity ratings of ocular pain in subjects with idiopathic dry eye were compared to similar measures from published data in other chronic pain populations. Results The study sample consisted of 154 subjects, of which 91% were male and ranged in age from 27 to 89 (mean age = 61). Fifty-three percent of participants reported an average ocular pain of at least moderate intensity (numerical rating scale (NRS) ≥ 4), with specific characteristics (i.e., “burning” spontaneous pain) reported at frequencies comparable to prevalent chronic neuropathic pain syndromes as reported in the literature. Significant correlations were found between ocular pain metrics and dry eye symptom severity scores (r=0.57 to 0.66). Dry eye signs, however, did not generally correlate with ocular pain severity. Conclusions A significant proportion of subjects with idiopathic dry eye symptoms reported moderate or greater ocular pain intensity, with the majority endorsing descriptors commonly used by patients with non-ocular neuropathic pain conditions. Identifying sub-groups of dry eye patients based on the presence and characteristics of ocular pain complaints may improve dry eye sub classification and better individualize treatment strategies. PMID:26925537

  16. Psycho-trauma, psychosocial adjustment and symptomatic Post-traumatic stress disorder among internally displaced persons in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taiwo Lateef Sheikh

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background In April 2011, a post election violent conflict in Northern Nigeria led to resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs in a camp in Kaduna, the worst affected state. We set out to determine prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD among IDPs. We also determined types of psycho-trauma experienced by the IDPs and their psychosocial adjustment.MethodsCross-sectional systematic random sampling was used to select 258 adults IDPs. We used Harvard trauma questionnaire to diagnose symptomatic PTSD, composite international diagnostic interview for diagnosis of depression, and communal trauma event inventory to determine exposure to psycho-trauma. We assessed social adjustment using social provision scale. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of PTSD. Results Of the 258 IDPs, 109 (42.2% had a diagnosis of PTSD, 204 (79.1% had poor living conditions, and only12 (4.7% had poor social provision. The most frequent psycho-traumas were destruction of personal property (96.1%, been evacuated from their town (96% and witnessing violence (88%. More than half (58% of IDPs had experienced 11 – 15 of the 19 traumatic events. Independent predictors of PTSD among respondents were, having a CIDI diagnosis of depression (Adjusted Odd Ratio [AOR]3.5, 95% CI 1.7 – 7.5; p= 0.001 and witnessing death of a family member ( 3.7, 1.2 – 11.5; p=0.0259.ConclusionWe concluded that exposure to psycho-trauma among IDPs in Kaduna led to post conflict PTSD. Death of a family member and co-morbid depression were independent predictors of PTSD among IDPs. Though their living condition was poor, the IDPs had good psychosocial adjustment. We recommended a structured psychosocial intervention among the IDP targeted at improving living condition and dealing with the psychological consequences of psycho-trauma.Key words Post traumatic stress disorder, psychosocial adjustment

  17. Redefining NHS complaint handling--the real challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seelos, L; Adamson, C

    1994-01-01

    More and more organizations find that a constructive and open dialogue with their customers can be an effective strategy for building long-term customer relations. In this context, it has been recognized that effective complaint-contact handling can make a significant contribution to organizations' attempts to maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty. Within the NHS, an intellectual awareness exists that effective complaint/contact handling can contribute to making services more efficient and cost-effective by developing customer-oriented improvement initiatives. Recent efforts have focused on redefining NHS complaint-handling procedures to make them more user-friendly and effective for both NHS employees and customers. Discusses the challenges associated with opening up the NHS to customer feedback. Highlights potential weaknesses in the current approach and argues that the real challenge is for NHS managers to facilitate a culture change that moves the NHS away from a long-established defensive complaint handling practice.

  18. Tattoo complaints and complications: diagnosis and clinical spectrum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serup, Jørgen; Carlsen, Katrina Hutton; Sepehri, Mitra

    2015-01-01

    Tattoos cause a broad range of clinical problems. Mild complaints, especially sensitivity to sun, are very common and seen in 1/5 of cases. Medical complications are dominated by allergy to tattoo pigment haptens or haptens generated in the skin, especially in red tattoos but also in blue and green tattoos. Symptoms are major and can be compared to cumbersome pruritic skin diseases. Tattoo allergies and local reactions show distinct clinical manifestations, with plaque-like, excessive hyperkeratotic, ulcero-necrotic, lymphopathic, neuro-sensory, and scar patterns. Reactions in black tattoos are papulo-nodular and non-allergic and associated with the agglomeration of nanoparticulate carbon black. Tattoo complications include effects on general health conditions and complications in the psycho-social sphere. Tattoo infections with bacteria, especially staphylococci, which may be resistant to multiple antibiotics, may be prominent and may progress into life-threatening sepsis. Contaminated tattoo ink is an open-window risk vector that can lead to epidemic tattoo infections across national borders due to contaminated bulk production. Hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transferred by tattooing remain a significant risk needing active prevention. It is noteworthy that cancer arising in tattoos, in regional lymph nodes, and in other organs due to tattoo pigments and ingredients has not been detected or noted as a significant clinical problem hitherto, despite millions of people being tattooed for decennia. Clinical observation and epidemiology disagree with register data, which indicate an increased risk of cancer due to chemical carcinogens present in some inks. Registers rely on chronic dosaging of cell lines and animals. However, tattooing in humans is essentially a single-dose exposure, which might explain the observed discrepancy. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deo, Guru; Itagi R, Kumar; Thaiyar M, Srinivasan; Kuldeep, Kushwah K

    2015-01-01

    Mindfulness along with breathing is a well-established meditation technique. Breathing is an exquisite tool for exploring subtle awareness of mind and life itself. This study aimed at measuring changes in the different parameters of electrophotonic imaging (EPI) in anapanasati meditators. To carry out this study, 51 subjects comprising 32 males and 19 females of age 18 years and above (mean age 45.64 ± 14.43) were recruited voluntarily with informed consent attending Karnataka Dhyana Mahachakra-1 at Pyramid Valley International, Bengaluru, India. The design was a single group pre- post and data collected by EPI device before and after 5 days of intensive meditation. Results show significant changes in EPI parameter integral area with filter (physiological) in both right and left side, which reflects the availability of high functional energy reserve in meditators. The researchers observed similar trends without filter (psycho-physiological) indicating high reserves of energy at psycho-physiological level also. Activation coefficient, another parameter of EPI, reduced showing more relaxed state than earlier, possibly due to parasympathetic dominance. Integral entropy decreased in the case of psycho-physiological parameters left-side without filter, which indicates less disorder after meditation, but these changes were not significant. The study showed a reversed change in integral entropy in the right side without filter; however, the values on both sides with filter increased, which indicates disorder. The study suggests that EPI can be used in the recording functional physiological and psychophysiological status of meditators at a subtle level.

  20. Digestibility, palatability and emotional status after ingestion of an iced dessert: analysis of subjective responses in 100 healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garzaro, M; Raimondo, L; Pecorari, G; Sensini, M; Riva, G; Palmo, A; Giordano, C

    2011-01-01

    Food choices are influenced by many factors, perhaps the most important being availability. However, the desire to consume one item over another may be viewed as an outcome of sensory hedonic likes, situation and current internal state. In a previous preliminary report, an improvement of joy and mood, associated with good data of digestibility and palatability, was observed in a group of 30 healthy female subjects who consumed a coffee-flavoured iced dessert immediately after a standardized meal. The aim of this study is to confirm the results previously obtained in a smaller population and to investigate whether any differences between male and female subjects could be observed concerning the digestive process and emotional status. One hundred volunteers, after ENT and psychological assessment, were asked to fill out a Psycho-Emotional Questionnaire to assess their basal emotional pattern before the consumption of an iced coffee-flavoured dessert after a standard meal. After the meal they completed an Organoleptic-Sensory questionnaire, a Dynamic Digestibility questionnaire and again the Psycho-Emotional Questionnaire. In our study, most of the 100 subjects found the tested coffee-flavoured iced dessert pleasant according to the Organoleptic-Sensorial Questionnaire (OSQ), in terms of taste, aspect, texture and smell; moreover, the Dynamic Digestibility Questionnaire (DDQ) showed a good digestive experience in 71 subjects. According to the Psycho-Emotional Questionnaire (PEQ), an improvement of joy, activation and mood, associated with good data of digestibility and palatability was recorded. All these observations are statistically significant and the results seem to show a positive correlation between pleasure in eating such a product and emotional status. No statistically significant differences were recorded between male and female subjects.

  1. Characteristics of complaints resulting in disciplinary actions against Danish GPs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    S, Birkeland; RD, Christensen; N, Damsbo

    2013-01-01

    The risk of being disciplined in connection with a complaint case causes distress to most general practitioners. The present study examined the characteristics of complaint cases resulting in disciplinary action.......The risk of being disciplined in connection with a complaint case causes distress to most general practitioners. The present study examined the characteristics of complaint cases resulting in disciplinary action....

  2. [Autonomic regulation at emotional stress under hypoxic conditions in the elderly with physiological and accelerated aging: effect of hypoxic training].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Os'mak, E D; Asanov, É O

    2014-01-01

    The effect of hypoxic training on autonomic regulation in psycho-emotional stress conditions in hypoxic conditions in older people with physiological (25 people) and accelerated (28 people) aging respiratory system. It is shown that hypoxic training leads to an increase in vagal activity indicators (HF) and reduced simpatovagal index (LF/HF), have a normalizing effect on the autonomic balance during stress loads in older people with different types of aging respiratory system.

  3. [Culture sensitive analysis of psychosomatic complaints in migrants in Germany].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bermejo, Isaac; Nicolaus, Leonhard; Kriston, Levente; Hölzel, Lars; Härter, Martin

    2012-05-01

    To ensure an adequate health care of migrants, differentiated information on the association of cultural background and migration related factors and psychosomatic complaints are necessary. Cross-sectional questionnaire based survey regarding psychosomatic complaints of migrants from Turkey (n = 77), Italy (n = 95), and Spain (n = 67) and ethnic German resettled from the states of the former Soviet Union (n = 196). Questionnaires distributed by non-health specific counselling agencies of welfare associations. The cultural background was a relevant factor for psychosomatic complaints, showing higher complaints in Turkish and ethnic German resettled migrants, also compared to a sample of age corresponding Germans. In contrast, Spanish and Italian migrants showed a lower risk for psychosomatic complaints. Also gender, feeling unwell in Germany and fatalism showed a significant association with psychosomatic complaints. Migrants in Germany do not have per se a higher risk for psychosomatic complaints. A distinct differentiation by cultural background is necessary. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  4. 47 CFR 76.1606 - Rate change while complaint pending.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Rate change while complaint pending. 76.1606... MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Notices § 76.1606 Rate change while complaint pending. A regulated cable operator that proposes to change any rate while a cable service tier complaint is pending...

  5. Subjective daytime functioning assessment in people with insomnia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabowski, Karol; Nowicka-Sauer, Katarzyna; Zdrojewski, Tomasz; Rutkowski, Marcin; Bandosz, Piotr; Nowicki, Zbigniew

    2017-10-29

    The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of subjective daytime functioning impairment among people with insomnia complaints. Another goal was to establish its relationships with age, gender, type and duration of subjective insomnia. Study group consisted of NATPOL study participants - 2,413 people (1,245 women and 1,168 men) aged 18-79. We extracted group with declared insomnia complaints, consisting of 1,221 people (736 women and 485 men) aged 18-79. Data on insomnia symptoms characteristics, their duration and subjective functioning impairment were further analyzed. Functioning impairment was declared by 825 people (67.7% of those who declared subjective insomnia) and it was more common in women. It was most common among people with insomnia complaints lasting over two weeks - 72.4%. In people with symptoms lasting less than two weeks or for a few days it was 70.7% and 64.9% respectively. People with insomnia symptoms lasting over two weeks accounted for 20% of group with severe functioning impairment. For shorter duration of symptoms it was 8.6% and 6.9% respectively. Among people with mild functioning impairment, persons with symptoms lasting for a few days and less than two weeks were predominant - 32.5% and 35.3% respectively. In people aged 18-24 years mild functioning impairment was predominant (66.66%). Subjective daytime functioning impairment is common in people declaring insomnia symptoms. It is more common in women and its prevalence and intensity are greater in people with longer duration of sleep problems. Its prevalence is not correlated with age and it is the mildest in people aged 18-24.

  6. Urgensi Pengaturan Perkara Constitutional Complaint Dalam Kewenangan Mahkamah Konstitusi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahmat Muhajir Nugroho

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the mechanism for settling disputes in the Constitutional Court containing elements of constitutional complaint. In particular, this study focused on two things: first assessing the urgency/ importance of the idea of setting constitutional complaint in the Constitutional Court's authority. Secondly, to formulate recommendations on setting constitutional complaint in the Constitutional Court's authority. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. This type of research is a doctrinal law. This research studied the concept and implementation of the judicial settlement of cases that contain elements of constitutional complaint (complaint constitution by the Constitutional Court. The conclusion of this study is an important constitutional complaint mechanism is contained within the competence of the Constitutional Court to solve problems of injustice experienced by citizens as a result of public policies undertaken by the government in a broad sense, namely the executive, legislature and judiciary. Setting constitutional complaint within the competence of the Constitutional Court does not have to be explicitly stipulated in the constitution, but enough in the explanation of the Constitutional Court Act. That is not to add direct authority of the Court, but expand the meaning of the authority of the Court in testing the law.

  7. A 30-month study of patient complaints at a major Australian hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, K; Allan, D; Finucane, P

    2001-12-01

    Health practitioners often regard complaints about the quality of patient care in a negative light. However, complaints can indicate strategies to improve care. Therefore, an audit was undertaken of all formal complaints about patient care at a major Australian hospital over a 30-month period. The profile of complainants, the reasons for complaints, and the outcome were analysed. A total of 1308 complaints, concerning the care of 1267 patients, were received. The complaint rate was 1.12 per 1000 occasions of service. In all, 57% of complaints were lodged by advocates and 71% of complaints related to poor communication or to the treatment provided. In 97% of occasions, an explanation and/or an apology resulted. To date, no complaint has proceeded to litigation. Complaints are potentially useful quality assurance tools and can identify remediable system flaws. Health professionals and employers should understand why patients complain and be able to respond appropriately.

  8. Cochlear implantation in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection accompanied by psycho-neurological disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamazaki, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Rinko; Moroto, Saburo; Yamazaki, Tomoko; Fujiwara, Keizo; Nakai, Masako; Ito, Juichi; Naito, Yasushi

    2012-04-01

    Cochlear implantation was effective for deaf children with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, but their cochlear implant (CI) outcomes were often impaired, depending on the types of CMV-associated psycho-neurological disorders. Evaluation of cognitive development and autistic tendency of implantees might be useful to predict their CI outcomes. To reveal the influence of CMV-associated psycho-neurological disorders on CI outcomes. This was a retrospective evaluation of 11 implantees with congenital CMV infection (CMV-CIs) and 14 implantees with autosomal recessive hearing loss (genetic-CIs). Nine of 11 CMV-CIs suffered from psycho-neurological disorders; one from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, two from pervasive developmental disorder, and six from mental retardation. Aided hearing thresholds with CIs in the two groups did not differ, but two autistic and two mentally retarded CMV-CIs showed significantly low scores in speech discrimination tests. Language-Social (L-S) developmental quotients (DQs) evaluated by the Kyoto Scale of Psychological development were improved after the implantation in both groups, but the postoperative increase of L-S DQs was significantly smaller in the CMV-CIs than that of genetic-CIs. Interestingly, the postoperative L-S and Cognitive-Adaptive (C-A) DQs showed statistically significant correlation in all cases except for two autistic CMV-CIs whose L-S DQs were much lower than those expected from their C-A DQs.

  9. Non-Smoker Exposure to Secondhand Cannabis Smoke II: Effect of Room Ventilation on the Physiological, Subjective, and Behavioral/Cognitive Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Evan S.; Cone, Edward J; Mitchell, John M.; Bigelow, George E.; LoDico, Charles; Flegel, Ron; Vandrey, Ryan

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug. Many individuals are incidentally exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke, but little is known about the effects of this exposure. This report examines the physiological, subjective, and behavioral/cognitive effects of secondhand cannabis exposure, and the influence of room ventilation on these effects. Methods Non-cannabis-using individuals were exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke from six individuals smoking cannabis (11.3% THC) ad libitum in a specially constructed chamber for one hour. Chamber ventilation was experimentally manipulated so that participants were exposed under unventilated conditions or with ventilation at a rate of 11 air exchanges/hour. Physiological, subjective and behavioral/cognitive measures of cannabis exposure assessed after exposure sessions were compared to baseline measures. Results Exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke under unventilated conditions produced detectable cannabinoid levels in blood and urine, minor increases in heart rate, mild to moderate self-reported sedative drug effects, and impaired performance on the Digit Symbol Substitution Task (DSST). One urine specimen tested positive at using a 50 ng/mL cut-off and several specimens were positive at 20 ng/mL. Exposure under ventilated conditions resulted in much lower blood cannabinoid levels, and did not produce sedative drug effects, impairments in performance, or positive urine screen results. Conclusions Room ventilation has a pronounced effect on exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke. Under extreme, unventilated conditions, secondhand cannabis smoke exposure can produce detectable levels of THC in blood and urine, minor physiological and subjective drug effects, and minor impairment on a task requiring psychomotor ability and working memory. PMID:25957157

  10. Selection related to musculoskeletal complaints among employees

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Zwart, B. C.; Broersen, J. P.; van der Beek, A. J.; Frings-Dresen, M. H.; van Dijk, F. J.

    1997-01-01

    To (a) describe differences in the outcome of cross sectional and longitudinal analysis on musculoskeletal complaints relative to age and work demands, and (b) to assess the entrance and drop out selection on musculoskeletal complaints among groups of employees relative to age and work demands. A

  11. 5 CFR 1201.122 - Filing complaint; serving documents on parties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Disciplinary Actions § 1201.122 Filing complaint; serving documents on parties. (a) Place of filing. A Special Counsel complaint seeking disciplinary action under 5 U.S.C. 1215(a)(1) (including a complaint alleging a...

  12. Biofeedback on heart rate variability in cardiac rehabilitation: practical feasibility and psycho-physiological effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Climov, Daniela; Lysy, Camille; Berteau, Sylvain; Dutrannois, Jacques; Dereppe, Hubert; Brohet, Christian; Melin, Jacques

    2014-06-01

    Biofeedback is a self-regulation therapy by which the patient learns how to optimize the functioning of his autonomic nervous system. It has been applied to patients with various cardiovascular disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practical feasibility and the psychophysiological effects of biofeedback applied to heart rate variability (HRV biofeedback) in order to increase cardiac coherence in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation programme. In this randomised and controlled study, 31 CAD patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or to a control group. The experimental group participated in a programme of 10 sessions of cardiac coherence biofeedback training, in addition to the rehabilitation programme. The control group participated in the usual cardiac rehabilitation programme only. Physiological variables (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, SDNN) and psychosocial variables (anxiety, depression, type D personality) were measured at the start and at the end of the programme in both groups. Statistical comparisons assessed the inter and intra group differences. The small sample size precludes any firm conclusions concerning the effect of cardiac coherence biofeedback on physiological or psychological variables. However, we observed a significant increase of the percentage of cardiac coherence, in relation with an increased SDNN index. Our study demonstrated the practical feasibility of cardiac coherence biofeedback training in CAD patients. Further research is desirable to investigate the potential benefit of cardiac coherence biofeedback as an adjunct to stress management in cardiac rehabilitation.

  13. The next challenge for psycho-oncology in the UK: targeting service quality and outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Alex

    2016-12-01

    The acceptance and provision of psychosocial cancer care in the UK is moving forward positively, aided by patient advocacy and psychologically minded healthcare policies. The unfolding challenge now is of targeting the quality and outcomes of clinical psycho-oncology services. This report outlines the clinically led development of UK-focused guidance to challenge psycho-oncology services to achieve and demonstrate their potential. It discusses how the guidance was particularly framed to encourage small, low-resource services, and outlines the potential benefits for patients. Overall, setting ourselves the challenge of quality on the same terms as physical healthcare, we can shape a direct path to achieving parity of esteem in mental with physical healthcare.

  14. Core competencies necessary for a managerial psycho-educational training programme for business team coaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeanette E. Maritz

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to explore and describe core competencies necessary for a managerial psycho-educational training programme for business team coaches. The total number of participants in this qualitative research was 30. A purposive and snowball sampling strategy was used. Triangulation was achieved through focus groups, in-depth individual interviews and naïve sketches. Data were analysed through an open inductive approach and descriptive analysis. The results describe core competencies of a business team coach as situated within an Outcomes Based Education framework and relate to the knowledge to be discovered, skills to be mastered and the attitudes to be formed during a managerial psycho-educational training programme.

  15. Effectiveness of Psycho-Educational Intervention in HIV Patients' Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Clarisse; Sarmento E Castro, Rui; Dinis-Ribeiro, Mário; Fernandes, Lia

    2014-01-01

    Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is the main prognostic factor associated with HIV disease progression and death. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-educational program to promote adherence to HAART in HIV patients. A longitudinal study (n = 102) over 9 months in an Infectious Diseases Hospital was carried out. Adherence to HAART was measured with standardized scales and values of viral load. Two groups were defined: adherents and non-adherents. In the latter, a psycho-educational program was implemented and 6 months later measured adherence to HAART. Knowledge about the infection, CD4 T lymphocytes and HIV-ribonucleic acid values were measured before and after this program. The sample was predominantly male (70%), heterosexual (78%), with a mean age of 49 (SD = 12.7) years, and 48% of participants were not adhering to HAART. After the program, non-adherence decreased to 21.6%. Knowledge about the infection increased from 79 to 97%. A significant increase in CD4 T lymphocytes (mean 540-580) and a decrease in viral load (mean 5411-3052) were observed, the latter of statistical significance. This program seems to be feasible and efficient, improving adherence to HAART.

  16. 5 CFR 1201.123 - Contents of complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... AND PROCEDURES Procedures for Original Jurisdiction Cases Special Counsel Disciplinary Actions § 1201... to file briefs, memoranda, or both in any disciplinary action complaint the Special Counsel brings... actions listed below, he or she must file a written complaint in accordance with § 1201.122 of this part...

  17. Socio-Psycho-Pedagogical Support of Migrant Children Adjustment in Educational Institutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konkina, Evgeniya Vladimirovna; Lutovina, Ekaterina Emeljanovna; Anatolievna, Nikolaev? Natalia; Egorova, Yulia Nikolaevna; Thyssen, Petr Pavlovich

    2015-01-01

    The article deals with the problem of migration, the formation of cultural identity and the establishment of intercultural dialogue at various levels of adjustive interaction from the perspective of the need to implement the socio-psycho-pedagogical support to migrant children when adjusting in educational institutions. Analysis of foreign and…

  18. Bullying in School: Case Study of Prevention and Psycho-Pedagogical Correction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribakova, Laysan A.; Valeeva, Roza A.; Merker, Natalia

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was the theoretical justification and experimental verification of content, complex forms and methods to ensure effective prevention and psycho-pedagogical correction of bullying in school. 53 teenage students from Kazan took part in the experiment. A complex of diagnostic techniques for the detection of violence and…

  19. 20 CFR 658.410 - Establishment of State agency JS complaint system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Establishment of State agency JS complaint... Agency Js Complaint System § 658.410 Establishment of State agency JS complaint system. (a) Each State... State Administrator shall have overall responsibility for the operation of the State agency JS complaint...

  20. Family-focused cognitive behaviour therapy versus psycho-education for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: long-term follow-up of an RCT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, Samantha; Chalder, Trudie; Rimes, Katharine A

    2012-11-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the long term efficacy of family-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) compared with psycho-education in improving school attendance and other secondary outcomes in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). A 24 month follow-up of a randomised controlled trial was carried out. Participants received either 13 one-hour sessions of family-focused CBT or four one-hour sessions of psycho-education. Forty-four participants took part in the follow-up study. The proportion of participants reporting at least 70% school attendance (the primary outcome) at 24 months was 90% in CBT group and 84% in psycho-education group; the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (OR = 1.29, p = 0.80). The proportion of adolescents who had recovered in the family-focused CBT group was 79% compared with 64% in the psycho-education, according to a definition including fatigue and school attendance. This difference was not statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.34). Family-focused CBT was associated with significantly better emotional and behavioural adjustment at 24 month follow-up compared to psycho-education, as reported by both adolescents (F = 6.49, p = 0.02) and parents (F = 4.52, P = 0.04). Impairment significantly decreased in both groups between six and 24 month follow-ups, with no significant group difference in improvement over this period. Gains previously observed for other secondary outcomes at six month follow-up were maintained at 24 month follow-up with no further significant improvement or group differences in improvement. In conclusion, gains achieved by adolescents with CFS who had undertaken family-focused CBT and psycho-education generally continued or were maintained at two-year follow-up. The exception was that family-focused CBT was associated with maintained improvements in emotional and behavioural difficulties whereas psycho-education was associated with

  1. Psycho-educational interventions for children and young people with Type 1 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Murphy, H. R.; Rayman, G.; Skinner, T. C.

    2006-01-01

    Background: A systematic review of the literature in 2000 revealed numerous methodological shortcomings in education research, but in recent years progress has been made in the quantity and quality of psycho-educational intervention studies. Summary of contents: This review focuses on diabetes ed...

  2. Behaviour Change Policy Agendas for "Vulnerable" Subjectivities: The Dangers of Therapeutic Governance and Its New Entrepreneurs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ecclestone, Kathryn

    2017-01-01

    Apocalyptic crisis discourses of mental health problems and psycho-emotional dysfunction are integral to behaviour change agendas across seemingly different policy arenas. Bringing these agendas together opens up new theoretical and empirical lines of enquiry about the symbioses and contradictions surrounding the human subjects they target. The…

  3. Cinema Seminar as a guidance resource in the election of undergraduate dissertation in the subject of physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Germán DOMÍNGUEZ VÍAS

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Physiology, in the medical and other health sciences or experimental degrees, is one of the subjects with morevariety of themes that a student can choose for the development of his undergraduate dissertation. The complexityof the syllabus, together with the disorientation to the lack of ideas, incapacitates the students to choose theirproject. As a main objective, the development of a seminar using the Cinema as an auxiliary tool would help to guidein the choice of an initial idea of the whole physiology syllabus. The review of each theme, or specific thematic block, would be linked to the visualization of short film fragments (30 seconds ? 3 minutes that would reflect a crucial moment of different physiological states of an individual. The transition of topics should be paused to opt to comment or reflect on aspects and ideas. A template with different options per unit helps to mark the most valued aspects. From the conclusions obtained, a final summary of the assimilated allows to obtain a previous idea of a possible chosen theme. We can assure that the Cinema offers the students a useful experience for the resolution ofconflicts after acquiring knowledge, thinking skills, attitudes and values.

  4. Physiological and subjective evaluation of a human-robot object hand-over task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dehais, Frédéric; Sisbot, Emrah Akin; Alami, Rachid; Causse, Mickaël

    2011-11-01

    In the context of task sharing between a robot companion and its human partners, the notions of safe and compliant hardware are not enough. It is necessary to guarantee ergonomic robot motions. Therefore, we have developed Human Aware Manipulation Planner (Sisbot et al., 2010), a motion planner specifically designed for human-robot object transfer by explicitly taking into account the legibility, the safety and the physical comfort of robot motions. The main objective of this research was to define precise subjective metrics to assess our planner when a human interacts with a robot in an object hand-over task. A second objective was to obtain quantitative data to evaluate the effect of this interaction. Given the short duration, the "relative ease" of the object hand-over task and its qualitative component, classical behavioral measures based on accuracy or reaction time were unsuitable to compare our gestures. In this perspective, we selected three measurements based on the galvanic skin conductance response, the deltoid muscle activity and the ocular activity. To test our assumptions and validate our planner, an experimental set-up involving Jido, a mobile manipulator robot, and a seated human was proposed. For the purpose of the experiment, we have defined three motions that combine different levels of legibility, safety and physical comfort values. After each robot gesture the participants were asked to rate them on a three dimensional subjective scale. It has appeared that the subjective data were in favor of our reference motion. Eventually the three motions elicited different physiological and ocular responses that could be used to partially discriminate them. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and the Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  5. The Psycho-Affective Echoes of Colonialism in Fieldwork Relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Garot

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the varieties of relations with African immigrant interviewees in Tuscany as experienced by a white male interviewer from the United States. Franz FANON's discussion of the psycho-affective consequences of colonialism is vital for understanding how naïve and romantic notions of fieldwork relations are disingenuous, counter-productive and perhaps destructive in a neo-colonial landscape. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1401125

  6. Web-based office ergonomics intervention on work-related complaints: a field study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meinert, Marina; König, Mirjam; Jaschinski, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was a proof of concept to examine the effects of a Web-based office ergonomics intervention on subjects' individual workplace adjustments. An intervention study was conducted with 24 office workers lasting 6 weeks with three consecutive phases (before, 1 and 5 weeks after the intervention). Employees used a purpose-made website for adjusting their computer workplaces without any personal support of ergonomics experts. Workplace measurements were taken directly on site and by analysing photos taken of the employee. Self-reported complaints were assessed by filling in a questionnaire. It was found that 96% of the employees changed their workplaces on their own and retained them mostly unchanged after the intervention. Furthermore, self-reported musculoskeletal complaints and headache symptoms decreased significantly after the intervention. These findings suggest an improvement of workplace conditions so that cost-effective ergonomic Web-based interventions appear promising in further research and application.

  7. Intra-individual psychological and physiological responses to acute laboratory stressors of different intensity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skoluda, Nadine; Strahler, Jana; Schlotz, Wolff; Niederberger, Larissa; Marques, Sofia; Fischer, Susanne; Thoma, Myriam V; Spoerri, Corinne; Ehlert, Ulrike; Nater, Urs M

    2015-01-01

    The phenomenon of stress is understood as a multidimensional concept which can be captured by psychological and physiological measures. There are various laboratory stress protocols which enable stress to be investigated under controlled conditions. However, little is known about whether these protocols differ with regard to the induced psycho-physiological stress response pattern. In a within-subjects design, 20 healthy young men underwent four of the most common stress protocols (Stroop test [Stroop], cold pressor test [CPT], Trier Social Stress Test [TSST], and bicycle ergometer test [Ergometer]) and a no-stress control condition (rest) in a randomized order. For the multidimensional assessment of the stress response, perceived stress, endocrine and autonomic biomarkers (salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and heart rate) were obtained during the experiments. All stress protocols evoked increases in perceived stress levels, with the highest levels in the TSST, followed by Ergometer, Stroop, and CPT. The highest HPA axis response was found in the TSST, followed by Ergometer, CPT, and Stroop, whilst the highest autonomic response was found in the Ergometer, followed by TSST, Stroop, and CPT. These findings suggest that different stress protocols differentially stimulate various aspects of the stress response. Physically demanding stress protocols such as the Ergometer test appear to be particularly suitable for evoking autonomic stress responses, whereas uncontrollable and social-evaluative threatening stressors (such as the TSST) are most likely to elicit HPA axis stress responses. The results of this study may help researchers in deciding which stress protocol to use, depending on the individual research question. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Effects of worry on physiological and subjective reactivity to emotional stimuli in generalized anxiety disorder and nonanxious control participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llera, Sandra J; Newman, Michelle G

    2010-10-01

    The present study examined the effect of worry versus relaxation and neutral thought activity on both physiological and subjective responding to positive and negative emotional stimuli. Thirty-eight participants with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 35 nonanxious control participants were randomly assigned to engage in worry, relaxation, or neutral inductions prior to sequential exposure to each of four emotion-inducing film clips. The clips were designed to elicit fear, sadness, happiness, and calm emotions. Self reported negative and positive affect was assessed following each induction and exposure, and vagal activity was measured throughout. Results indicate that worry (vs. relaxation) led to reduced vagal tone for the GAD group, as well as higher negative affect levels for both groups. Additionally, prior worry resulted in less physiological and subjective responding to the fearful film clip, and reduced negative affect in response to the sad clip. This suggests that worry may facilitate avoidance of processing negative emotions by way of preventing a negative emotional contrast. Implications for the role of worry in emotion avoidance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Simple pain measures reveal psycho-social pathology in patients with Crohn's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odes, Shmuel; Friger, Michael; Sergienko, Ruslan; Schwartz, Doron; Sarid, Orly; Slonim-Nevo, Vered; Singer, Terri; Chernin, Elena; Vardi, Hillel; Greenberg, Dan; Israel Ibd Research Nucleus

    2017-02-14

    To determine whether pain has psycho-social associations in adult Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Patients completed demographics, disease status, Patient Harvey-Bradshaw Index (P-HBI), Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and five socio-psychological questionnaires: Brief Symptom Inventory, Brief COPE Inventory, Family Assessment Device, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire. Pain sub-scales in P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ measures were recoded into 4 identical scores for univariate and multinomial logistic regression analysis of associations with psycho-social variables. The cohort comprised 594 patients, mean age 38.6 ± 14.8 years, women 52.5%, P-HBI 5.76 ± 5.15. P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ broadly agreed in their assessment of pain intensity. More severe pain was significantly associated with female gender, low socio-economic status, unemployment, Israeli birth and smoking. Higher pain scores correlated positively with psychological stress, dysfunctional coping strategies, poor family relationships, absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity loss and activity impairment and all WPAI sub-scores. Patients exhibiting greater satisfaction with life had less pain. The regression showed increasing odds ratios for psychological stress (lowest 2.26, highest 12.17) and female gender (highest 3.19) with increasing pain. Internet-recruited patients were sicker and differed from hardcopy questionnaire patients in their associations with pain. Pain measures in P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ correlate with psycho-social pathology in CD. Physicians should be aware also of these relationships in approaching CD patients with pain.

  10. Inspector General Complaints

    Science.gov (United States)

    to file an online IG complaint. Active Duty Resources dfas logo Defense Finance Accounting Service Inspector General Air Force Reserve Resources dfas logo Defense Finance Accounting Service ARPC Air Reserve National Guard Resources dfas logo Defense Finance Accounting Service VPC-GR myPers AFPC Air Force Review

  11. 12 CFR 268.302 - Mixed case complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Mixed case complaints. 268.302 Section 268.302... RULES REGARDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Related Processes § 268.302 Mixed case complaints. A mixed case... discrimination or it may contain additional allegations that the MSPB has jurisdiction to address. A mixed case...

  12. 12 CFR 227.2 - Consumer complaint procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... convenience of the user, the revised text is set forth as follows: § 227.2 Consumer-complaint procedure. (a... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Consumer complaint procedure. 227.2 Section 227... SYSTEM UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRACTICES (REGULATION AA) General Provisions § 227.2 Consumer...

  13. 77 FR 37558 - Disclosure of Certain Credit Card Complaint Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-22

    ... Certain Credit Card Complaint Data AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. ACTION: Notice of... Bureau plans to exercise its discretion to publicly disclose certain credit card complaint data that do not include personally identifiable information. The Bureau receives credit card complaints from...

  14. 40 years of Bio-Psycho-Social model: what’s new?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kholmogorova A.B.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Bio-Psycho-Social Model, proposed by George Engel in 1977, was recognized as a turning point in the praxis of medical diagnosis and treatments. Bio-Psycho-Social Model should be seen in a historical context as bucking against the trend of biological reductionism. Social Neuroscience has been formed ten years. Social neuroscience aims to investigate the biological systems that underlie people’s thoughts, feelings and actions in light of the social context in which they operate. Social neuroscience has captured the interest of anthropologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and experts in other disciplines, as well as the general public who more and more draw upon the insights and methods of social neuroscience to explain, predict and change social behavior. An analysis of the current situation in neurosciences shows that new methods of instrumental brain research do not exclude biological reductionism. The authors qualify the situation in modern studies of social neuroscience as a methodological crisis associated with the prevalence of reductionist approaches that ignore the uniqueness of the human psyche. He substantiates the heuristic provisions of the cultural and historical development of Vygotsky’s psyche theory to overcome any contradictions

  15. Psycho-Social Determinants of Gender Prejudice in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nnachi, N. O.; Okpube, M. N.

    2015-01-01

    This work focused on the "Psycho-social Determinants of Gender Prejudice in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)". The females were found to be underrepresented in STEM fields. The under-representation results from gender stereotype, differences in spatial skills, hierarchical and territorial segregations and…

  16. Subjective health complaints and self-rated health: are expectancies more important than socioeconomic status and workload?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ree, Eline; Odeen, Magnus; Eriksen, Hege R; Indahl, Aage; Ihlebæk, Camilla; Hetland, Jørn; Harris, Anette

    2014-06-01

    The associations between socioeconomic status (SES), physical and psychosocial workload and health are well documented. According to The Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress (CATS), learned response outcome expectancies (coping, helplessness, and hopelessness) are also important contributors to health. This is in part as independent factors for health, but coping may also function as a buffer against the impact different demands have on health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effect of SES (as measured by level of education), physical workload, and response outcome expectancies on subjective health complaints (SHC) and self-rated health, and if response outcome expectancies mediate the effects of education and physical workload on SHC and self-rated health. A survey was carried out among 1,746 Norwegian municipal employees (mean age 44.2, 81 % females). Structural Equation Models with SHC and self-rated health as outcomes were conducted. Education, physical workload, and response outcome expectancies, were the independent 28 variables in the model. Helplessness/hopelessness had a stronger direct effect on self-rated health and SHC than education and physical workload, for both men and women. Helplessness/hopelessness fully mediated the effect of physical workload on SHC for men (0.121), and mediated 30 % of a total effect of 0.247 for women. For women, education had a small but significant indirect effect through helplessness/hopelessness on self-rated health (0.040) and SHC (-0.040), but no direct effects were found. For men, there was no effect of education on SHC, and only a direct effect on self-rated health (0.134). The results indicated that helplessness/hopelessness is more important for SHC and health than well-established measures on SES such as years of education and perceived physical workload in this sample. Helplessness/hopelessness seems to function as a mechanism between physical workload and health.

  17. Impact of a Psycho-Educational Team in early Breast Cancer Patients' Coping Strategies. The Venere Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreis, Federica; Meriggi, Fausto; Codignola, Claudio; Frigoli, Ilaria; Prochilo, Tiziana; Mutti, Stefano; Huscher, Alessandra; Libertini, Michela; Di Biasi, Brunella; Abeni, Chiara; Ogliosi, Chiara; Noventa, Silvia; Rota, Luigina; Pedrali, Chiara; Zaniboni, Alberto

    2018-04-09

    The main purpose of our psycho-educational groups was to help women with breast cancer learn how to cope with the physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes associated with cancer as well as with medical treatments that can be painful and traumatic. With this study, we wanted to detect the effects that group action had on the women who participated in it. We studied a total of 97 patients who participated in 13 psycho-education groups. The whole sample was female patients who had breast cancer with no recurrence or metastases. All patients were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Body Image Scale (BIS). We found no significant effect on anxiety and body image for the brief psycho-educational group for women with breast cancer in this study. It is possible to highlight a statistical difference (Table 3) and hence an improvement between the results of the HADS depression test at T0 (first evaluation at the first meeting) and T1 (retest in the final meeting). The tests did not show a significant effect on anxiety and body image perception, but the patients reported that the psycho-educational group was an important intervention for their life. Outcome measurement is more complex in psychosocial research because many variables come into play and each phase of treatment is characterized by different types of problems for the patient: physical, relational and psychological aspects are involved. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  18. The role of complaint management in the service recovery process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bendall-Lyon, D; Powers, T L

    2001-05-01

    Patient satisfaction and retention can be influenced by the development of an effective service recovery program that can identify complaints and remedy failure points in the service system. Patient complaints provide organizations with an opportunity to resolve unsatisfactory situations and to track complaint data for quality improvement purposes. Service recovery is an important and effective customer retention tool. One way an organization can ensure repeat business is by developing a strong customer service program that includes service recovery as an essential component. The concept of service recovery involves the service provider taking responsive action to "recover" lost or dissatisfied customers and convert them into satisfied customers. Service recovery has proven to be cost-effective in other service industries. The complaint management process involves six steps that organizations can use to influence effective service recovery: (1) encourage complaints as a quality improvement tool; (2) establish a team of representatives to handle complaints; (3) resolve customer problems quickly and effectively; (4) develop a complaint database; (5) commit to identifying failure points in the service system; and (6) track trends and use information to improve service processes. Customer retention is enhanced when an organization can reclaim disgruntled patients through the development of effective service recovery programs. Health care organizations can become more customer oriented by taking advantage of the information provided by patient complaints, increasing patient satisfaction and retention in the process.

  19. 31 CFR 8.55 - Contents of complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Contents of complaint. 8.55 Section 8.55 Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary of the Treasury PRACTICE BEFORE THE BUREAU OF... he or she is able to prepare a defense. (b) Demand for answer. The complaint will give notification...

  20. Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Objective Cognitive Function in Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Cross-Sectional Findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burmester, Bridget; Leathem, Janet; Merrick, Paul

    2016-12-01

    Research investigating how subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) might reliably indicate impairments in objective cognitive functioning has produced highly varied findings, and despite attempts to synthesise this literature (e.g., Jonker et al. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15, 983-991, 2000; Reid and MacLullich Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 22(5-6), 471-485, 2006; Crumley et al. Psychology and Aging, 29(2), 250-263, 2014), recent work continues to offer little resolution. This review provides both quantitative and qualitative synthesis of research conducted since the last comprehensive review in 2006, with the aim of identifying reasons for these discrepancies that might provide fruitful avenues for future exploration. Meta-analysis found a small but significant association between SCCs and objective cognitive function, although it was limited by large heterogeneity between studies and evidence of potential publication bias. Often, assessments of SCCs and objective cognitive function were brief or not formally validated. However, studies that employed more comprehensive SCC measures tended to find that SCCs were associated independently with both objective cognitive function and depressive symptoms. Further explicit investigation of how assessment measures relate to reports of SCCs, and the validity of the proposed 'compensation theory' of SCC aetiology, is recommended.

  1. Knowledge on the subject of human physiology among Polish high school students--a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwinczewska, Helena; Rozwadowska, Joanna; Traczyk, Anna; Majda, Szymon; Wysocki, Michał; Grabowski, Kamil; Kopeć, Sylwia; Głowacki, Roman; Węgrzyn, Katarzyna; Tomaszewski, Krzysztof A; Walocha, Jerzy A

    2014-01-01

    responsible decisions regarding their health. Our results suggest that more emphasis should be put on properly teaching human physiology in high school, especially to those students who do not plan a career in medicine-related fields. This study brings to light the disturbing fact that about a year after a student finishes his basic physiology course his knowledge of the subject returns to a pre high school level.

  2. Non-smoker exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke II: Effect of room ventilation on the physiological, subjective, and behavioral/cognitive effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, Evan S; Cone, Edward J; Mitchell, John M; Bigelow, George E; LoDico, Charles; Flegel, Ron; Vandrey, Ryan

    2015-06-01

    Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug. Many individuals are incidentally exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke, but little is known about the effects of this exposure. This report examines the physiological, subjective, and behavioral/cognitive effects of secondhand cannabis exposure, and the influence of room ventilation on these effects. Non-cannabis-using individuals were exposed to secondhand cannabis smoke from six individuals smoking cannabis (11.3% THC) ad libitum in a specially constructed chamber for 1h. Chamber ventilation was experimentally manipulated so that participants were exposed under unventilated conditions or with ventilation at a rate of 11 air exchanges/h. Physiological, subjective and behavioral/cognitive measures of cannabis exposure assessed after exposure sessions were compared to baseline measures. Exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke under unventilated conditions produced detectable cannabinoid levels in blood and urine, minor increases in heart rate, mild to moderate self-reported sedative drug effects, and impaired performance on the digit symbol substitution task (DSST). One urine specimen tested positive at using a 50 ng/ml cut-off and several specimens were positive at 20 ng/ml. Exposure under ventilated conditions resulted in much lower blood cannabinoid levels, and did not produce sedative drug effects, impairments in performance, or positive urine screen results. Room ventilation has a pronounced effect on exposure to secondhand cannabis smoke. Under extreme, unventilated conditions, secondhand cannabis smoke exposure can produce detectable levels of THC in blood and urine, minor physiological and subjective drug effects, and minor impairment on a task requiring psychomotor ability and working memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effectiveness of Psycho-Educational Intervention in HIV Patients? Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Ribeiro, Clarisse; Sarmento e Castro, Rui; Dinis-Ribeiro, M?rio; Fernandes, Lia

    2015-01-01

    Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is the main prognostic factor associated with HIV disease progression and death. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-educational program to promote adherence to HAART in HIV patients. A longitudinal study (n=102) over 9 months in an Infectious Diseases Hospital was carried out. Adherence to HAART was measured with standardized scales and values of viral load. Two groups were defined: adherents and non-adherents. In th...

  4. Life perceptions of patients receiving palliative care and experiencing psycho-social-spiritual healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lingsheng; Sloan, Danetta H; Mehta, Ambereen K; Willis, Gordon; Weaver, Meaghann S; Berger, Ann C

    2017-07-01

    It is important to identify, from the patients' perspectives, the different factors that contribute toward psycho-social-spiritual healing. This was a qualitative study that took place at a large research center, an underserved clinic, and a community hospital. We used a needs assessment questionnaire and open-ended questions to assess the constituents of psycho-social-spiritual healing: (I) how previous life experiences affected patients' present situations in dealing with their illnesses; (II) barriers to palliative care, and (III) benefits of palliative care. Of a total of 30 participants from 3 different study sites, 24 (80%) were receiving inpatient or outpatient palliative care at a research center. Thirteen (43%) participants were female, 10 (33%) were Black/African American, and 16 (53%) reported being on disability. While the initial shock of the diagnosis made participants feel unprepared for their illnesses, many looked to role models, previous work experiences, and spiritual as well as religious support as sources of strength and coping mechanisms. Barriers to palliative care were identified as either external (lack of proper resources) or internal (symptom barriers and perceived self-limitations). The feeling of "being seen/being heard" was perceived by many participants as the most beneficial aspect of palliative care. The needs assessment questionnaire and open-ended questions presented in this study may be used in clinical settings to better help patients achieve psycho-social-spiritual healing through palliative care and to help clinicians learn about the person behind the patient.

  5. Psycho-Trauma, Psychosocial Adjustment, and Symptomatic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Internally Displaced Persons in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikh, Taiwo Lateef; Mohammed, Abdulaziz; Agunbiade, Samuel; Ike, Joseph; Ebiti, William N; Adekeye, Oluwatosin

    2014-01-01

    In April 2011, a post election violent conflict in Northern Nigeria led to resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in a camp in Kaduna, the worst affected state. We set out to determine prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among IDPs. We also determined types of psycho-trauma experienced by the IDPs and their psychosocial adjustment. Cross-sectional systematic random sampling was used to select 258 adults IDPs. We used Harvard trauma questionnaire to diagnose "symptomatic PTSD," composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI) for diagnosis of depression, and communal trauma event inventory to determine exposure to psycho-trauma. We assessed social adjustment using social provision scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of PTSD. Of the 258 IDPs, 109 (42.2%) had a diagnosis of PTSD, 204 (79.1%) had poor living conditions, and only 12 (4.7%) had poor social provision. The most frequent psycho-traumas were destruction of personal property (96.1%), been evacuated from their town (96%) and witnessing violence (88%). More than half (58%) of IDPs had experienced 11-15 of the 19 traumatic events. Independent predictors of PTSD among respondents were having a CIDI diagnosis of depression (adjusted odds ratios 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.7-7.5; p = 0.001) and witnessing death of a family member (3.7, 1.2-11.5; p = 0.0259). We concluded that exposure to psycho-trauma among IDPs in Kaduna led to post conflict PTSD. Death of a family member and co-morbid depression were independent predictors of PTSD among IDPs. Though their living condition was poor, the IDPs had good psychosocial adjustment. We recommended a structured psychosocial intervention among the IDP targeted at improving living condition and dealing with the psychological consequences of psycho-trauma.

  6. Decoding ClassDojo: Psycho-Policy, Social-Emotional Learning and Persuasive Educational Technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williamson, Ben

    2017-01-01

    ClassDojo is one of the world's most successful educational technologies, currently used by over 3 million teachers and 35 million children globally. It reinforces and enacts emerging governmental "psycho-policies" around the measurement and modification of children's social and emotional learning in schools. This article focuses…

  7. Empirical Psycho-Aesthetics and Her Sisters: Substantive and Methodological Issues--Part II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konecni, Vladimir J.

    2013-01-01

    Empirical psycho-aesthetics is approached in this two-part article from two directions. Part I, which appeared in the Winter 2012 issue of "JAE," addressed definitional and organizational issues, including the field's origins, its relation to "sister" disciplines (experimental philosophy, cognitive neuroscience of art, and neuroaesthetics), and…

  8. Making Sense of Inconsistencies in Psycho-Educational Assessment: A Case Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilmore, Linda; Miller, Robyn; Ward, Heather

    2015-01-01

    The case is presented of an 8-year-old boy who was referred for psycho-educational assessment because of difficulties with writing. The article provides an example of the way in which a case unfolds as further assessment data become available, and describes a number of challenging aspects of the assessment process. In this case, dilemmas arose…

  9. Didactic aspects of cognition of human as a bio-psycho-socio-cultural personality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palamar, Borys I; Vaskivska, Halyna O; Palamar, Svitlana P

    Modern education, according to leading Ukrainian scientists, requires the development of a new paradigm, which will consider the phenomenon of man holistically. The article describes didactic aspects of cognition of human as a bio-psycho-socio-cultural personality, as social fact, as a phenomenon. For the actualization of the didactic aspects of the problem, the authors used the methods of scientific literature analysis, systemic analysis and generalizations, analysis own practice of didactic and methodological character. Reforming the systems of education and medicine should occur in the context of providing active, creative, productive human life. Practice of system analysis proved that man as a subject of study should be considered as a biological entity, a social being, the bearer of consciousness and culture. A holistic approach to the study of man, viewing him as creatures of the natural (bodily) and social individual (society, culture) and the subject of mental and spiritual (creative and deliberate) activity can reveal its unique originality. The uniqueness of the phenomenon of man as the subject and object of research lies in its indivisibility, which is based on the unity of the laws of nature and society. Therefore, when studying the person should take into account the interests of social and natural Sciences. This once again confirms the idea of the necessity of human studies with the help of a systematic approach, which generates true and holistic view of the person, that involves the development of meta-perception of world and ourselves.

  10. 7 CFR 1924.259 - Handling dwelling construction complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Handling dwelling construction complaints. 1924.259 Section 1924.259 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) RURAL HOUSING... Construction Defects § 1924.259 Handling dwelling construction complaints. This section describes the procedure...

  11. EVALUATING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE COMPLAINT BEHAVIOR OF MALAYSIAN CONSUMERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelson Oly Ndubisi

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate whether male and female Malaysian consumers differ in their dissatisfaction complaint behavior and its aftermath. The study examines the moderation effect of gender in the relationship between public complaint behavior, private complaint behavior and customer defection. Data for the study was collected from 218 randomly selected customers of retail banks in Malaysia. The results show that public and private complaints are significantly associated with defection. These findings are generic across sex-type. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

  12. The effectiveness of separating theory and practicum as a conduit to learning physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuijers, Johannes A; McDonald, Stuart J; Julien, Brianna L; Lexis, Louise A; Thomas, Colleen J; Chan, Siew; Samiric, T

    2013-06-01

    Many conventional science courses contain subjects embedded with laboratory-based activities. However, research on the benefits of positioning the practicals within the theory subject or developing them distinctly from the theory is largely absent. This report compared results in a physiology theory subject among three different cohorts of students: those taking the theory subject alone, those taking it concurrent with a physiology practicum subject, and those who previously took the subject when it had practicums embedded within the one subject. The path model shows that students taking both physiology theory and physiology practicum attained a significantly higher result in online tests compared with those who took the theory subject alone (P physiology theory and the physiology practicum attained a significantly higher end-examination result compared with those who took the physiology subject in previous years when the practicums were embedded within the theory subject (P physiology theory and the physiology practicum likely performed better in the theory subject due to better problem-solving skills and a more developed understanding of theoretical content. We suggest that consideration be given in all science curricula to the separation of theory and practicum by developing two subjects with clearly defined different learning outcomes.

  13. Complaint-severity and cervical spine problems successfully classified patients with shoulder complaints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenier, KH; de Winter, AF; Winters, JC; de Vet, HCW; Meyboom-de Jong, B

    Objective: To construct a classification of patients with shoulder complaints based on their physical examination. To investigate (1) the interobserver reliability, (2) to what extent the setting in which the patients were recruited, and demographic and clinical characteristics are related to the

  14. 77 FR 37616 - Disclosure of Consumer Complaint Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-22

    ... Protection Bureau, at (202) 435-7700. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background A. Credit Card Policy... disclosure of data from consumer complaints about financial products and services other than credit cards... Statement'') describing its plans to disclose consumer credit card complaint data. The present notice (the...

  15. 78 FR 21218 - Disclosure of Consumer Complaint Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-10

    ... companies, consumer groups, and trade associations to obtain feedback prior to beginning to accept new types... industry group suggesting distinguishing company response categories according to the type of company and... contains certain fields for each unique \\3\\ complaint \\4\\--complaints about other types of consumer...

  16. Cognitive rehabilitation of neuropsychological deficits and mild cognitive impairment: A review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Correa Miotto

    Full Text Available Abstract Neuropsychological rehabilitation is related to the treatment or optimization of disabilities, handicaps and cognitive deficiencies including emotional, behavioral and personality alterations, aiming at the best cognitive, neurobiological and social re-adaptation. Objective: The main aim of this paper is to review scientific studies published over the last five years on cognitive training with rehabilitation, focusing on elderly subjects with cognitive complaints and patients diagnosed with MCI. Methods: Data were generated from Medline, PsychoInfo and EMBASE including publications from 2002 to 2007 using the search terms "Mild Cognitive Impairment", "Cognitive Complaints", "Rehabilitation" and "Intervention Studies". Data collection criteria were restricted to the quality of evidence Class I. Results: Eight articles out of sixty eight previously selected were chosen because of their randomized studies, including techniques of cognitive rehabilitation in patients with cognitive complaints, MCI and neuropsychological training. Conclusions: The studies showing generalization of rehabilitation techniques to practical real life situations and use of an errorless learning approach were considered more effective in terms of maintaining treatment follow up, although further studies are recommended.

  17. The experience of cancer survivors in community-based psycho-social support activities in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ji-Wei; Zhang, Tian-Rui; Shen, Qian; Yang, Zhi-Qi; Liu, Cong; Chen, Si-Jia; Li, Jiang; Luo, Zheng-Nian; Yuan, Zheng-Ping; Yu, Jin-Ming

    2015-12-01

    Cancer survivors are often embroiled in various physical and psycho-social issues as a consequence of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Psycho-social support activities in the phase of rehabilitation were provided to enhance their quality of life. This study seeks to explore and understand their experience of engagement in Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club (SCRC). Sixty-eight participants attended eight semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis framework was adopted for data analysis. The participants reported benefits such as psychological support, informational provision and tangible support in the activities. Public services were reported to have restored their dignity and enabled them to rediscover their own meaning of life. Participants also pointed out challenges on functioning and opportunity for development of SCRC. The psycho-social support activities of SCRC had influenced cancer survivor's life. Public health resources and supportive policies should be in place to support local self-help cancer rehabilitation groups.

  18. Problemas da educação: o caso da psicopedagogia Problems in education: the case of psycho-pedagogy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Odair Sass

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Neste artigo é discutida a relevância dos problemas psicopedagógicos recorrentes das determinações internas e externas à educação escolar, a par do equívoco da pretensão de regulamentar a psicopedagogia como mais uma profissão da esfera educacional. Destaca a questão da regulamentação das profissões de nível superior no Brasil e as raízes variadas da psicopedagogia desde o período imediato após a Segunda Guerra Mundial.Discussed in this article is the relevance of recurring psycho-pedagogical problems originated inside and outside formal education, as well as the dubious intention to regularize psycho-pedagogy as yet another profession within the educational sphere. Emphasized here is the question of regularizing the university professions in Brazil and the varied roots of psycho-pedagogy from the period immediately following the Second World War onward.

  19. Visual Complaints and Eye Problems in Orchestral Musicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beckers, Henny Jm; van Kooten-Noordzij, Marina Aw; de Crom, Ronald Mpc; Schouten, Jan Sag; Webers, Carroll Ab

    2016-09-01

    To study visual complaints and eye diseases among professional and amateur orchestral musicians in the Netherlands. In this observational study, members from professional and amateur symphony or wind orchestras were asked to complete a questionnaire collecting demographic data, musical, medical, and family history, and data on present visual complaints and/or eye diseases. Questions about playing in the orchestra were also asked. Data from 70 professionals and 48 amateurs showed that most musicians needed glasses or contact lenses for playing in the orchestra (61% of the professionals, 63% of the amateurs). A majority (66% of professionals, 71% of amateurs) had visited an ophthalmologist at least once during their lifetime, and 10% of the professionals and 23% of the amateurs were currently under treatment of an ophthalmologist. Visual complaints while playing in the orchestra were quite common and included poor lighting conditions, problems with reading small notes, blurred vision, tired eyes, and itching or burning eyes. Professional musicians especially reported adverse effects of eye complaints encountered in the orchestra for daily life; 35% got tired earlier and 33% felt that they could not adequately perform their tasks in the orchestra. The results show that visual complaints and eye problems probably are quite common among orchestral musicians and therefore warrant further interest and research.

  20. Emotion Analysis of Telephone Complaints from Customer Based on Affective Computing

    OpenAIRE

    Gong, Shuangping; Dai, Yonghui; Ji, Jun; Wang, Jinzhao; Sun, Hai

    2015-01-01

    Customer complaint has been the important feedback for modern enterprises to improve their product and service quality as well as the customer's loyalty. As one of the commonly used manners in customer complaint, telephone communication carries rich emotional information of speeches, which provides valuable resources for perceiving the customer's satisfaction and studying the complaint handling skills. This paper studies the characteristics of telephone complaint speeches and proposes an anal...

  1. Hygienic characteristic of working conditions and use of some evaluation methods of health of persons subjected to concomitant effect of industrial factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karpov, V.B.

    1987-01-01

    To study peculiarities of hygienic-occupational effect of low-dose irradiation a comparative evaluation of working conditions and health of persons occupied in exhausting and testing of electron-beam tubes is carried out. Evaluation was based on results of 5-year prophylactic medical examinations and with due account of physiological, hematological and some other factors. To study general condition of people a modernized Dembo-Rubinstein test and specially developed questionnaire of health self-evaluation is used. Along with helth self-evaluation Dembo-Rubinstein test includes helth self- evaluation accounting public complaints. The given investigation methods demonstrated its sufficient informativity and applicabi lity for evaluation of health of persons subjected to concomitan t effect of industrial factors

  2. Schizophrenia: a five-year follow-up of patient outcome following psycho-education for caregivers.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McWilliams, S

    2012-01-01

    There is evidence that psycho-education courses for caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia improve the short-term outcome of the condition. However, most of the outcome studies are limited to two-year follow-up.

  3. The pattern of complaints about Australian wind farms does not match the establishment and distribution of turbines: support for the psychogenic, 'communicated disease' hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, Simon; St George, Alexis; Waller, Karen; Cakic, Vince

    2013-01-01

    With often florid allegations about health problems arising from wind turbine exposure now widespread, nocebo effects potentially confound any future investigation of turbine health impact. Historical audits of health complaints are therefore important. We test 4 hypotheses relevant to psychogenic explanations of the variable timing and distribution of health and noise complaints about wind farms in Australia. All Australian wind farms (51 with 1634 turbines) operating 1993-2012. Records of complaints about noise or health from residents living near 51 Australian wind farms were obtained from all wind farm companies, and corroborated with complaints in submissions to 3 government public enquiries and news media records and court affidavits. These are expressed as proportions of estimated populations residing within 5 km of wind farms. There are large historical and geographical variations in wind farm complaints. 33/51 (64.7%) of Australian wind farms including 18/34 (52.9%) with turbine size >1 MW have never been subject to noise or health complaints. These 33 farms have an estimated 21,633 residents within 5 km and have operated complaint-free for a cumulative 267 years. Western Australia and Tasmania have seen no complaints. 129 individuals across Australia (1 in 254 residents) appear to have ever complained, with 94 (73%) being residents near 6 wind farms targeted by anti wind farm groups. The large majority 116/129(90%) of complainants made their first complaint after 2009 when anti wind farm groups began to add health concerns to their wider opposition. In the preceding years, health or noise complaints were rare despite large and small-turbine wind farms having operated for many years. The reported historical and geographical variations in complaints are consistent with psychogenic hypotheses that expressed health problems are "communicated diseases" with nocebo effects likely to play an important role in the aetiology of complaints.

  4. 20 CFR 655.185 - Job service complaint system; enforcement of work contracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Job service complaint system; enforcement of... Job service complaint system; enforcement of work contracts. (a) Filing with DOL. Complaints arising under this subpart must be filed through the Job Service Complaint System, as described in 20 CFR part...

  5. Psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune mechanisms of action of yoga in type II diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Vijay Pratap; Khandelwal, Bidita; Sherpa, Namgyal T

    2015-01-01

    Yoga has been found to benefit all the components of health viz. physical, mental, social and spiritual well being by incorporating a wide variety of practices. Pathophysiology of Type II DM and co-morbidities in Type II DM has been correlated with stress mechanisms. Stress suppresses body's immune system and neuro-humoral actions thereby aff ecting normal psychological state. It would not be wrong to state that correlation of diabetes with stress, anxiety and other psychological factors are bidirectional and lead to difficulty in understanding the interrelated mechanisms. Type II DM cannot be understood in isolation with psychological factors such as stress, anxiety and depression, neuro-endocrine and immunological factors. There is no review which tries to understand these mechanisms exclusively. The present literature review aims to understand interrelated Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine and Immunological mechanisms of action of Yoga in Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Published literature concerning mechanisms of action of Yoga in Type II DM emphasizing psycho-neuro-endocrine or immunological relations was retrieved from Pubmed using key words yoga, Type II diabetes mellitus, psychological, neural, endocrine, immune and mechanism of action. Those studies which explained the psycho-neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms of action of yoga were included and rest were excluded. Although primary aim of this study is to explain these mechanisms in Type II DM, some studies in non-diabetic population which had a similar pathway of stress mechanism was included because many insightful studies were available in that area. Search was conducted using terms yoga OR yogic AND diabetes OR diabetic IN title OR abstract for English articles. Of the 89 articles, we excluded non-English articles (22), editorials (20) and letters to editor (10). 37 studies were considered for this review. The postulated mechanism of action of yoga is through parasympathetic activation and the associated anti

  6. The Identification of Attention Complaints in the General Population and Their Effect on Quality of Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholtissen-In de Braek, Dymphie M. J. M.; Hurks, Petra P. M.; van Boxtel, Martin P. J.; Dijkstra, Jeanette B.; Jolles, Jelle

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To provide more insight into subjective attention complaints in a healthy adult and elderly population and how these affect Quality of Life (QoL). Method: A group of 1,550 healthy Dutch participants complete a postal questionnaire including items from the Maastricht Attention and Memory Checklist (MAC). The impact of attention…

  7. Complaint go: an online complaint registration system using web services and android

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mareeswari, V.; Gopalakrishnan, V.

    2017-11-01

    In numerous nations, there are city bodies that are the nearby representing bodies that help keep up and run urban communities. These administering bodies are for the most part called MC (Municipal Cooperation). The MC may need to introduce edit cameras and other observation gadgets to guarantee the city is running easily and productively. It is imperative for an MC to know the deficiencies occurring inside the city. As of now, this must be for all intents and purposes conceivable by introducing sensors/cameras and so forth or enabling nationals to straightforwardly address them. The everyday operations and working of the city are taken care by administering bodies which are known as Government Authorities. Presently keeping in mind the end goal to keep up the huge city requires that the Government Authority should know about any issue or deficiency either through (sensors/CCTV cameras) or by enabling the nationals to grumble about these issues. The second choice is generally granted on the grounds that it gives the best possible substantial data. The GA by and large enables its residents to enlist their grievance through a few mediums. In this application, the citizens are facilitated to send the complaints directly from their smartphone to the higher officials. Many APIs are functioning as the web services which are really essential to make it easier to register a complaint such as Google Places API to detect your current location and show that in Map. The Web portal is used to process various complaints well supported with different web services.

  8. The effect of psycho-educational intervention on the life quality of major depressive patients referred to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz-Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharif, Farkhondeh; Nourian, Kheirollah; Ashkani, Hamid; Zoladl, Mohamad

    2012-09-01

    Depression is the world's fourth most prevalent health problem which is associated with substantial mortality, direct medical cost, diminished life quality, and significant physical and psychosocial impairment. This study aimed to investigate the effect of psycho-educational intervention on the life quality of major depressive patients. Sixty patients who were willing and had met the required criteria for participation were selected from hospitals in Shiraz city, Iran. So 30 of the patients were assigned to the experimental group and 30 others to the control group. For data collection, a two part questionnaire was developed, the first part consists of 13 items related to general characteristics and the second part with 36 items on life quality were used. The experimental group was divided into five subgroups of 6 patients. For each group, six intervention sessions were scheduled. The control group did not receive the intervention. The questionnaires were completed for all subjects in the experimental and control groups before and 1 month after the end of psycho-educational intervention. Tabulated data were analyzed using chi-square, independent and pair T-test. The results of the study indicated that psycho-educational intervention in comparison with other available treatments proved to be more effective on eight domains of life quality in the experimental group. A significant difference was observed for all the domains (P educational intervention can be used as an auxiliary treatment in improving life quality and decreasing depression in patients suffering from major depressive disorder.

  9. Patient-reported denials, appeals, and complaints: associations with overall plan ratings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quigley, Denise D; Haviland, Amelia M; Dembosky, Jacob W; Klein, David J; Elliott, Marc N

    2018-03-01

    To assess whether Medicare patients' reports of denied care, appeals/complaints, and satisfactory resolution were associated with ratings of their health plan or care. Retrospective analysis of 2010 Medicare Advantage Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey data. Multivariate linear regression of data from 154,766 respondents (61.1% response rate) tested the association of beneficiary ratings of plan and care with beneficiary reports of denied care, appeals, complaints, and complaint resolution, adjusting for beneficiary demographics. Beneficiaries who reported being denied needed care rated their plans and care significantly less positively, by 17.2 points (on a 100-point scale) and 9.1 points, respectively. Filing an appeal was not statistically significantly associated with further lower ratings. Beneficiaries who filed a complaint that was satisfactorily resolved gave slightly lower ratings of plans (-3.4 points) and care (-2.5 points) than those not filing a complaint (P plans. Our results suggest that beneficiaries may attribute the actions that lead to complaints or denials to plans more than to the care they received. Successful complaint resolution and utilization management review might eliminate most deficits associated with complaints and denied care, consistent with the service recovery paradox. High rates of complaints and denied care might identify areas that need improved utilization management review, customer service, and quality improvement. Among those reporting being denied care, filing an appeal was not associated with lower patient ratings of plan or care.

  10. Subjective cognitive complaints and the role of executive cognitive functioning in the working population: a case-control study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia U D Stenfors

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cognitive functioning is important for managing work and life in general. However, subjective cognitive complaints (SCC, involving perceived difficulties with concentration, memory, decision making, and clear thinking are common in the general and working population and can be coupled with both lowered well-being and work ability. However, the relation between SCC and cognitive functioning across the adult age-span, and in the work force, is not clear as few population-based studies have been conducted on non-elderly adults. Thus, the present study aimed to test the relation between SCC and executive cognitive functioning in a population-based sample of employees. METHODS: Participants were 233 employees with either high (cases or low (controls levels of SCC. Group differences in neuropsychological test performance on three common executive cognitive tests were analysed through a set of analyses of covariance tests, including relevant covariates. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: In line with the a priori hypotheses, a high level of SCC was associated with significantly poorer executive cognitive performance on all three executive cognitive tests used, compared to controls with little SCC. Additionally, symptoms of depression, chronic stress and sleeping problems were found to play a role in the relations between SCC and executive cognitive functioning. No significant associations remained after adjusting for all these factors. The current findings contribute to an increased understanding of what characterizes SCC in the work force and may be used at different levels of prevention of- and intervention for SCC and related problems with executive cognitive functioning.

  11. Managing complaints in health and social care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes-Bonney, Kathy

    2010-04-01

    An important aspect of allowing patients to take control of their health care is the introduction of new procedures for dealing with complaints. This article examines the concepts that underpin the new Department of Health regulations on complaints management and what they will mean for health and social care professionals. It also explains why these regulations focus on restorative justice rather than blame when adverse events occur.

  12. The eye-complaint questionnaire in a visual display unit work environment: Internal consistency and test-retest reliability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steenstra, Ivan A.; Sluiter, Judith K.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

    2009-01-01

    The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of a 10-item eye-complaint questionnaire (ECQ) were examined within a sample of office workers. Repeated within-subjects measures were performed within a single day and over intervals of 1 and 7 d. Questionnaires were completed by 96 workers (70%

  13. SUPPORT OF PSYCHO-PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF A PRE-SCHOOL CHILD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radovan Čokorilo

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available In this work are analyzed needs, ability and the ways of supporting psychophysical activity of a pre-school child. Primary child’s need for movement, which should be invented by play, boosts impulses for growth and development of the organism and is considered as a main condition of it’s psycho-physical development. In the way of physical development child should be encouraged on many different ways of movement: walking, running, jumping, but also crawling, climbing, throwing, catching… For the development of skill of detection optimal senses stimulation is good way, in point of making communication with nature and social surroundings. Thru play and practical activity it is possible to contribute to acceptable way of showing emotional condition of the child. Thinking and imagination at start are very dependable of emotions, and they develop also thru playing and practical activity. It is also possible to contribute a start of development of the main character line which are made from imitation and identification of child with parents and teachers. Functional contribution of psycho-physical activity of pre-school child is possible to achieve if, with skill and a lot of pedagogy talent, awards and compliment are given to child, and giving to them honor and promises

  14. Quality Service Evaluation through the System of Complaints and Praise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeta Krstić Vukelja

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Complaint, as the expression of customer dissatisfaction with the quality of products or services, is very valuable information. Well-built system for collecting, processing and analysis of complaints allows organizations to create the information base for making decisions based on facts. This data base provides an effective adoption and implementation of measures for continuous improvement of products/services quality. To make the system work effectively, it is necessary to continuously use the same methodology for collecting and processing complaints to be able constant comparisons from period to period. Greater investment in quality of products/services does not mean reducing the number of complaints in the same time due to the effects of the phenomenon of “unrealistic expectations”. In addition to complaints, a valuable source of information on customer satisfaction is the system of praise.

  15. Psycho-endocrine disorders in adolescents with Graves’ disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sh.T. Muratova

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background. Thyroid dysfunction and mental disorders are common among the general population. In population studies, that thyrotoxicosis has been established to be accompanied by depression and anxiety. The purpose was to study the features of the psycho-emotional state in adolescents with Graves’ disease (GD. Materials and methods. Clinical and hormonal indices and features of the psycho-emotional state were studied in 19 adolescence with Graves’ disease using the Spielberg questionnaire (State Trait Personal Inventory, STPI and the drawing test House-Tree-Man (HTM, proposed by J. Buk. The control group consisted of 12 healthy adolescents without thyroid pathology. Results. The average age of the examined adolescents with Graves’ disease was 13.0 ± 0.6 years; thyrotoxicosis was diagnosed 5.3 times more often in girls compared to boys. Endocrine orbitopathy was diagnosed in 68.4 % of adolescents with thyrotoxicosis. All the examined adolescents with GD had signs of the autonomic nervous system disorder. Also there were identified nonspecific symptoms such as: increased response to suddenness or fear (63.2 %, difficult concentra­ting or emptiness in the head due to worry or anxiety (47.4 %, persistent irritability (94.7 %, difficult falling asleep due to anxiety (63.2 %. The results of the anxiety study by the STPI questionnaire revealed that among children with thyrotoxicosis the phenomena of anxiety and negative emotional experiences predominated (p < 0.05, but cognitive activity was lower (p < 0.05 when compared with those of the control group. While in a group of teenagers with toxic goiter, 100 % of children showed a high level of anxiety (range of scores of 24–40, in this group children with a high degree of negative emotional feelings (68.4 % prevailed; and in the third of children (31.6 % the average degree of negative emotional experiences was diagnosed. At the same time, in the control group 91.7 % of children had high

  16. Anaesthesiologists, fees and complaints to the Health Professions ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Does the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) receive more complaints about anaesthesiologists than any other speciality, and if they do, are these complaints mainly restricted to billing issues, i.e. relating to the financial consent process or costs? Although disputed, and subsequently corrected, the South ...

  17. 5 CFR 1201.124 - Rights; answer to complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES Procedures for Original Jurisdiction Cases Special Counsel Disciplinary Actions... Special Counsel files a complaint proposing a disciplinary action against an employee under 5 U.S.C. 1215... Counsel disciplinary action complaint may file an answer with the Clerk of the Board within 35 days of the...

  18. 19 CFR 210.53 - Motion filed after complaint.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Motion filed after complaint. 210.53 Section 210.53 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.53 Motion filed after complaint. (a) A...

  19. Short-Term Family-Focused Psycho-Educational Program for Bipolar Mood Disorder in Mashhad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atefeh Soltanifar

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Bipolar mood disorder type 1 is one of the mostserious psychiatric disorders. We aimed to assess the efficacyof a short-term family–focused treatment for patients with bipolarmood disorder type 1 in a one-year follow-up period.Methods: Sixty patients with bipolar mood disorder and acutemania episodes who referred to Ibn-e-Sina Psychiatric Hospitalin Mashhad were recruited. Half of them were randomly assignedto the psycho-education group. Their available adultfamily members received a psycho-educational training sessionbefore the patients' discharge from the hospital. All patients receivedconcurrent appropriate pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.All the patients were evaluated by a blind home-visit teamevery 3 months for a period of one year. The evaluation includedthe number of psychiatric visits, patients' adherence, relapsestatus, number of re-hospitalizations, and time to relapse.Results: Fifty-seven patients completed the trial. In the experimentalgroup, there were four patients with relapse(13.79% and in the control group nine patients (31.58% hadrelapse of the disorder (P=0.006. The mean time of takingmedications in the education group was 11.41 months. Thistime was 9.14 months in the control group (P<0.001. Therewas also a significant difference between the two groups interms of frequency of psychiatric visits (P<0.001.Conclusion: Short–term family-focused psycho-education isan effective adjunct to pharmacotherapy for bipolar mood disorder.Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy andcost-effectiveness of long-term family-focused psychoeducationaltreatment for patients with bipolar mood disorder.

  20. Text mining to decipher free-response consumer complaints: insights from the NHTSA vehicle owner's complaint database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazizadeh, Mahtab; McDonald, Anthony D; Lee, John D

    2014-09-01

    This study applies text mining to extract clusters of vehicle problems and associated trends from free-response data in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle owner's complaint database. As the automotive industry adopts new technologies, it is important to systematically assess the effect of these changes on traffic safety. Driving simulators, naturalistic driving data, and crash databases all contribute to a better understanding of how drivers respond to changing vehicle technology, but other approaches, such as automated analysis of incident reports, are needed. Free-response data from incidents representing two severity levels (fatal incidents and incidents involving injury) were analyzed using a text mining approach: latent semantic analysis (LSA). LSA and hierarchical clustering identified clusters of complaints for each severity level, which were compared and analyzed across time. Cluster analysis identified eight clusters of fatal incidents and six clusters of incidents involving injury. Comparisons showed that although the airbag clusters across the two severity levels have the same most frequent terms, the circumstances around the incidents differ. The time trends show clear increases in complaints surrounding the Ford/Firestone tire recall and the Toyota unintended acceleration recall. Increases in complaints may be partially driven by these recall announcements and the associated media attention. Text mining can reveal useful information from free-response databases that would otherwise be prohibitively time-consuming and difficult to summarize manually. Text mining can extend human analysis capabilities for large free-response databases to support earlier detection of problems and more timely safety interventions.

  1. The Relieving Effects of BrainPower Advanced, a Dietary Supplement, in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingfen Zhu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Subjective memory complaints (SMCs are common in older adults that can often predict further cognitive impairment. No proven effective agents are available for SMCs. The effect of BrainPower Advanced, a dietary supplement consisting of herbal extracts, nutrients, and vitamins, was evaluated in 98 volunteers with SMCs, averaging 67 years of age (47–88, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjective hypomnesis/memory loss (SML and attention/concentration deficits (SAD were evaluated before and after 12-week supplementation of BrainPower Advanced capsules (n=47 or placebo (n=51, using a 5-point memory questionnaire (1 = no/slight, 5 = severe. Objective memory function was evaluated using 3 subtests of visual/audio memory, abstraction, and memory recall that gave a combined total score. The BrainPower Advanced group had more cases of severe SML (severity ⩾ 3 (44/47 and severe SAD (43/47 than the placebo group (39/51 and 37/51, < 0.05, < 0.05, resp. before the treatment. BrainPower Advanced intervention, however, improved a greater proportion of the severe SML (29.5%(13/44 (P<0.01 and SAD (34.9%(15/43(P<0.01 than placebo (5.1% (2/39 and 13.5% (5/37, resp.. Thus, 3-month BrainPower Advanced supplementation appears to be beneficial to older adults with SMCs.

  2. The Relieving Effects of BrainPower Advanced, a Dietary Supplement, in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Complaints: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jingfen; Shi, Rong; Chen, Su; Dai, Lihua; Shen, Tian; Feng, Yi; Gu, Pingping; Shariff, Mina; Nguyen, Tuong; Ye, Yeats; Rao, Jianyu; Xing, Guoqiang

    2016-01-01

    Subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are common in older adults that can often predict further cognitive impairment. No proven effective agents are available for SMCs. The effect of BrainPower Advanced, a dietary supplement consisting of herbal extracts, nutrients, and vitamins, was evaluated in 98 volunteers with SMCs, averaging 67 years of age (47-88), in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjective hypomnesis/memory loss (SML) and attention/concentration deficits (SAD) were evaluated before and after 12-week supplementation of BrainPower Advanced capsules (n = 47) or placebo (n = 51), using a 5-point memory questionnaire (1 = no/slight, 5 = severe). Objective memory function was evaluated using 3 subtests of visual/audio memory, abstraction, and memory recall that gave a combined total score. The BrainPower Advanced group had more cases of severe SML (severity ⩾ 3) (44/47) and severe SAD (43/47) than the placebo group (39/51 and 37/51, < 0.05, < 0.05, resp.) before the treatment. BrainPower Advanced intervention, however, improved a greater proportion of the severe SML (29.5%)(13/44) (P < 0.01) and SAD (34.9%)(15/43)(P < 0.01) than placebo (5.1% (2/39) and 13.5% (5/37), resp.). Thus, 3-month BrainPower Advanced supplementation appears to be beneficial to older adults with SMCs.

  3. Consumer evaluation of complaint handling in the Dutch health insurance market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendel, Sonja; de Jong, Judith D; Curfs, Emile C

    2011-11-15

    How companies deal with complaints is a particularly challenging aspect in managing the quality of their service. In this study we test the direct and relative effects of service quality dimensions on consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in a company in the Dutch health insurance market. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Survey data of 150 members of a Dutch insurance panel who lodged a complaint at their healthcare insurer within the past 12 months were surveyed. The data were collected using a questionnaire containing validated multi-item measures. These measures assess the service quality dimensions consisting of functional quality and technical quality and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations consisting of complaint satisfaction and overall satisfaction with the company after complaint handling. Respondents' trust in a company after complaint handling was also measured. Using factor analysis, reliability and validity of the measures were assessed. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables. Overall, results confirm the hypothesized direct and relative effects between the service quality dimensions and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in the company. No support was found for the effect of technical quality on overall satisfaction with the company. This outcome might be driven by the context of our study; namely, consumers get in touch with a company to resolve a specific problem and therefore might focus more on complaint satisfaction and less on overall satisfaction with the company. Overall, the model we present is valid in the context of the Dutch health insurance market. Management is able to increase consumers' complaint satisfaction, overall satisfaction with the company, and trust in the company by improving elements of functional and technical quality. Furthermore, we show that functional and technical quality do not influence consumer satisfaction evaluations and

  4. Consumer evaluation of complaint handling in the Dutch health insurance market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wendel Sonja

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background How companies deal with complaints is a particularly challenging aspect in managing the quality of their service. In this study we test the direct and relative effects of service quality dimensions on consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in a company in the Dutch health insurance market. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was used. Survey data of 150 members of a Dutch insurance panel who lodged a complaint at their healthcare insurer within the past 12 months were surveyed. The data were collected using a questionnaire containing validated multi-item measures. These measures assess the service quality dimensions consisting of functional quality and technical quality and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations consisting of complaint satisfaction and overall satisfaction with the company after complaint handling. Respondents' trust in a company after complaint handling was also measured. Using factor analysis, reliability and validity of the measures were assessed. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables. Results Overall, results confirm the hypothesized direct and relative effects between the service quality dimensions and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in the company. No support was found for the effect of technical quality on overall satisfaction with the company. This outcome might be driven by the context of our study; namely, consumers get in touch with a company to resolve a specific problem and therefore might focus more on complaint satisfaction and less on overall satisfaction with the company. Conclusions Overall, the model we present is valid in the context of the Dutch health insurance market. Management is able to increase consumers' complaint satisfaction, overall satisfaction with the company, and trust in the company by improving elements of functional and technical quality. Furthermore, we show that functional and

  5. Consumer evaluation of complaint handling in the Dutch health insurance market

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background How companies deal with complaints is a particularly challenging aspect in managing the quality of their service. In this study we test the direct and relative effects of service quality dimensions on consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in a company in the Dutch health insurance market. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was used. Survey data of 150 members of a Dutch insurance panel who lodged a complaint at their healthcare insurer within the past 12 months were surveyed. The data were collected using a questionnaire containing validated multi-item measures. These measures assess the service quality dimensions consisting of functional quality and technical quality and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations consisting of complaint satisfaction and overall satisfaction with the company after complaint handling. Respondents' trust in a company after complaint handling was also measured. Using factor analysis, reliability and validity of the measures were assessed. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables. Results Overall, results confirm the hypothesized direct and relative effects between the service quality dimensions and consumer complaint satisfaction evaluations and trust in the company. No support was found for the effect of technical quality on overall satisfaction with the company. This outcome might be driven by the context of our study; namely, consumers get in touch with a company to resolve a specific problem and therefore might focus more on complaint satisfaction and less on overall satisfaction with the company. Conclusions Overall, the model we present is valid in the context of the Dutch health insurance market. Management is able to increase consumers' complaint satisfaction, overall satisfaction with the company, and trust in the company by improving elements of functional and technical quality. Furthermore, we show that functional and technical quality do not

  6. ANTECEDENCE DAN CONSEQUENCES DARI SATISFACTION WITH RECOVERY TERHADAP FUTURE COMPLAINT INTENTIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franciskus Maya Praba

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available The background of this research is managers need to analyze that customer service failure can arise customer complaint. It must be managed by service recovery to get customer satisfaction. Future complaint intentions has relationship with customer satisfaction. Every company need to investigate which is the compatible perceived justice to applied. The objective of this research is to investigate service recovery effects toward customer satisfaction, especially perceived justice ( interactional, procedural, distributive and how justice effects customer satisfaction and future complaint intentions. The design of this research applies to customer Bank BCA in Semarang which is has variants occupation and the questionnaires were spreaded away to 100 respondents by using purposive sampling. The result of this research are interactional justice and procedural justice has more influence on future complaint intentions. Despite, distributive justice and satisfaction with recovery decrease future complaint intentions. Keywords: Antacedence, satisfaction with recovery, future complaint intentions

  7. The physiological cost index of walking with a powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis in subjects with poliomyelitis: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arazpour, Mokhtar; Ahmadi Bani, Monireh; Samadian, Mohammad; Mousavi, Mohammad E; Hutchins, Stephen W; Bahramizadeh, Mahmood; Curran, Sarah; Mardani, Mohammad A

    2016-08-01

    A powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis was developed to provide restriction of knee flexion during stance phase and active flexion and extension of the knee during swing phase of gait. The purpose of this study was to determine its effect on the physiological cost index, walking speed and the distance walked in people with poliomyelitis compared to when walking with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with drop lock knee joints. Quasi experimental study. Seven subjects with poliomyelitis volunteered for the study and undertook gait analysis with both types of knee-ankle-foot orthosis. Walking with the powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis significantly reduced walking speed (p = 0.015) and the distance walked (p = 0.004), and also, it did not improve physiological cost index values (p = 0.009) compared to walking with the locked knee-ankle-foot orthosis. Using a powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis did not significantly improve any of the primary outcome measures during walking for poliomyelitis subjects. This powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis design did not improve the physiological cost index of walking for people with poliomyelitis when compared to walking with a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with drop lock knee joints. This may have been due to the short training period used or the bulky design and additional weight of the powered orthosis. Further research is therefore warranted. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2015.

  8. Achieving patient satisfaction: resolving patient complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oxler, K F

    1997-07-01

    Patients demand to be active participants on and partners with the health care team to design their care regimen. Patients bring unique perceptions and expectations and use these to evaluate service quality and satisfaction. If customer satisfaction is not achieved and a patient complaint results, staff must have the skills to respond and launch a service recovery program. Service recovery, when done with style and panache, can retain loyal customers. Achieving patient satisfaction and resolving patient complaints require commitment from top leadership and commitment from providers to dedicate the time to understand their patients' needs.

  9. Effect of a psycho-educational intervention for family members on caregiver burdens and psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia in Shiraz, Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background This study explored the effectiveness of family psycho-education in reducing patients’ symptoms and on family caregiver burden. Methods Seventy Iranian outpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder and their caregivers were randomly allocated to the experimental (n = 35) or control groups (n = 35). Patients in the experimental group received antipsychotic drug treatment and a psycho-educational program was arranged for their caregivers. The psycho-educational program consisted of ten 90-min sessions held during five weeks (two session in each week). Each caregiver attended 10 sessions (in five weeks) At baseline, immediately after intervention, and one month later. Validated tools were used to assess patients’ clinical status and caregiver burden. Results Compared with the control group, the case group showed significantly reduced symptom severity and caregiver burden both immediately after intervention and one month later. Conclusions These results suggest that even need based short-term psycho-educational intervention for family members of Iranian patients with schizophrenic disorder may improve the outcomes of patients and their families. Trial registration IRCT Number:138809122812 N1` PMID:22632135

  10. Rationality, emotional expression and control: psychometric characteristics of a questionnaire for research in psycho-oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleiker, E M; van der Ploeg, H M; Hendriks, J H; Leer, J W; Kleijn, W C

    1993-12-01

    In some studies rationality, anti-emotionality and the control of (negative) emotions were found to be psychological risk factors for cancer. In the present study instruments were developed in order to cross-validate the role of the 'rationality/anti-emotionality (RAE)'-concept and the 'emotional expression and control (EEC)'-concept. The psychometric characteristics of a RAE-scale and EEC-scales were investigated in 4302 healthy women attending a breast cancer screening programme in The Netherlands. Principal components analysis revealed three factors for the RAE-scale: (1) Rationality; (2) Emotionality; and (3) Understanding. The EEC-scales consist of three factors that indicate: (1) expression of emotions to oneself; (2) expression of emotions towards others; and (3) control of emotions. These RAE and EEC scales can be of importance in psycho-oncological research, especially when: (1) the more refined subscales are used; and (2) age of the subjects is taken into account.

  11. Ocular physiology and comfort in neophyte subjects fitted with daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Philip B; Chamberlain, Paul; Moody, Kurt; Maldonado-Codina, Carole

    2013-06-01

    To evaluate the performance of a silicone hydrogel daily disposable lens in neophyte subjects over 12 months. Seventy four subjects with no previous contact lens experience were randomised to wear narafilcon A (1 DAY ACUVUE(®) TruEye™) lenses (LW group) or to wear no contact lenses (NLW group) for 12 months. Biomicroscopy (performed by a masked investigator), visual acuity and subjective response scores were recorded at an initial visit and six follow-up visits, in addition to lens fit and surface evaluation for the LW group. Comfort was recorded with SMS messaging. Fifteen of the LW group discontinued before the end of the study, compared with six of the NLW group. Measured visual acuity was about half a line better for the NLW group as these subjects were provided with their full sphero-cylindrical over-refraction, compared to the LW group in their best spherical corrected contact lenses; subjective scores for vision were similar for the two groups. Bulbar conjunctival hyperaemia, limbal hyperaemia, corneal staining, conjunctival staining and papillary conjunctivitis were clinically equivalent for the two groups whereas conjunctival staining was higher in the LW group. Comfort scores assessed by SMS were equivalent for the LW and NLW groups; there was a measurable improvement in comfort during the first month of wear for the LW group. This work has demonstrated that modern soft lenses (narafilcon A daily disposable silicone hydrogel lenses) offer an excellent, comfortable form of vision correction, and are able to exhibit minimal alterations to ocular physiology. Copyright © 2012 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Low-frequency-noise complaints

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Christian Sejer; Møller, Henrik; Persson-Waye, Kerstin

    2008-01-01

    From 203 cases of low-frequency complaints a random selection of twenty-one cases were investigated. The main aim of the investigation was to answer the question whether the annoyance is caused by an external physical sound or by a physically non-existing sound, i.e. low-frequency tinnitus. Noise...... of the complainants are annoyed by a physical sound (20-180 Hz), while others suffer from low-frequency tinnitus (perceived frequency 40-100 Hz). Physical sound at frequencies below 20 Hz (infrasound) is not responsible for the annoyance - or at all audible - in any of the investigated cases, and none...... of the complainants has extraordinary hearing sensitivity at low frequencies. For comparable cases of low-frequency noise complaints in general, it is anticipated that physical sound is responsible in a substantial part of the cases, while low-frequency tinnitus is responsible in another substantial part of the cases....

  13. The effects of extended nap periods on cognitive, physiological and subjective responses under simulated night shift conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davy, Jonathan; Göbel, Matthias

    2018-02-01

    Extended nap opportunities have been effective in maintaining alertness in the context of extended night shifts (+12 h). However, there is limited evidence of their efficacy during 8-h shifts. Thus, this study explored the effects of extended naps on cognitive, physiological and perceptual responses during four simulated, 8-h night shifts. In a laboratory setting, 32 participants were allocated to one of three conditions. All participants completed four consecutive, 8-h night shifts, with the arrangements differing by condition. The fixed night condition worked from 22h00 to 06h00, while the nap early group worked from 20h00 to 08h00 and napped between 00h00 and 03h20. The nap late group worked from 00h00 to 12h00 and napped between 04h00 and 07h20. Nap length was limited to 3 hours and 20 minutes. Participants performed a simple beading task during each shift, while also completing six to eight test batteries roughly every 2 h. During each shift, six test batteries were completed, in which the following measures were taken. Performance indicators included beading output, eye accommodation time, choice reaction time, visual vigilance, simple reaction time, processing speed and object recognition, working memory, motor response time and tracking performance. Physiological measures included heart rate and tympanic temperature, whereas subjective sleepiness and reported sleep length and quality while outside the laboratory constituted the self reported measures. Both naps reduced subjective sleepiness but did not alter the circadian and homeostatic-related changes in cognitive and physiological measures, relative to the fixed night condition. Additionally, there was evidence of sleep inertia following each nap, which resulted in transient reductions in certain perceptual cognitive performance measures. The present study suggested that there were some benefits associated with including an extended nap during 8-h night shifts. However, the effects of sleep inertia

  14. Exploring the nature of resilience in paramedic practice: A psycho-social study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clompus, S R; Albarran, J W

    2016-09-01

    Previous research has identified that paramedics experience high levels of stress and sickness rates which have escalated in recent years due to changes to workforce restructuring. While a number of studies have investigated resilience among healthcare professionals, there is little research exploring how paramedics address work challenges and how they become resilient. Using psycho-social methodology, seven paramedics participated in Free Association Narrative interviewing; all were based at one regional centre. In line with the study design, data analysis adopted a psycho-social approach that generated four themes and 10 sub-themes which, characterised participants' experiences. Coping and resilience was impacted upon via formal methods of support including management, debriefing and referral to outside agencies. Alongside this, more informal methods aided resilience. Informal methods included peer support, support from family and friends and the use of humour. Uniquely, this study uncovered how detachment is used to manage emotions. The study has implications for the services need to support the emotional needs of paramedics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Interpersonal complaints regarding cancer care through a gender lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsson, Erik Masao

    2016-07-11

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate healthcare customer complaints concerning interpersonal matters in cancer care. Design/methodology/approach - Complaints from cancer patients and their relatives (n=116) that dealt with interpersonal matters registered between 2009 and 2011 at four local Patients' Advisory Committees in Western Sweden were sampled and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings - Complaints concerned lack of information and consideration from healthcare providers. Lack of empathy and civility also caused dissatisfaction, the latter particularly for women. Relatives complained that they did not feel included in the care process or were not offered proper support. Most complaints by relatives were filed by a female relative and concerned a male patient. Research limitations/implications - Information about patient demographics other than gender could not be investigated due to database limitations. Hence, factors such as age, country of birth, and geographical residence were not included for analysis. In addition, neither the type nor stage of cancer among the sampled patients was able to be addressed. Practical implications - Patient complaints should not only be viewed as a post-consumption judgment, but also as a service interaction activity. This may require healthcare providers to enhance their interpersonal skills, allowing patients and relatives to provide feedback during service interaction to satisfactorily address dissatisfaction. Visualizing gender disparities may help healthcare providers prevent stereotypical encounters. In addition, the provider should be invited to participate in the customer's value creating network, which may also include knowledge and skills from other sources, such as relatives. Originality/value - Value co-creation offers a different view on patient complaints. Incorporating social construction into value co-creation may reveal socially constructed disparities. The paper provides

  16. Focal physiological uncoupling of cerebral blood flow and oxidative metabolism during somatosensory stimulation in human subjects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fox, P.T.; Raichle, M.E.

    1986-01-01

    Coupling between cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ) was studied using multiple sequential administrations of 15 O-labeled radiotracers and positron emission tomography. In the resting state an excellent correlation between CBF and CMRO 2 was found when paired measurements of CBF and CMRO 2 from multiple (30-48) brain regions were tested in each of 33 normal subjects. Regional uncoupling of CBF and CMRO 2 was found, however, during neuronal activation induced by somatosensory stimulation. Stimulus-induced focal augmentation of cerebral blood flow (29% mean) far exceeded the concomitant local increase in tissue metabolic rate (mean, 5%), when resting-state and stimulated-state measurements were obtained in each of 9 subjects. Stimulus duration had no significant effect on response magnitude or on the degree of CBF-CMRO 2 uncoupling observed. Dynamic, physiological regulation of CBF by a mechanism (neuronal or biochemical) dependent on neuronal firing per se, but independent of the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen, is hypothesized

  17. Analysis of psycho-physiological features of a subject in simple tests with the registration of electroencephalograms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Runnova, Anastasiya; Zhuravlev, Maxim; Kulanin, Roman; Protasov, Pavel; Efremova, Tatiana

    2018-04-01

    In this paper we found a correlation between the characteristics of a person revealed in classical psychological testing on the basis of Schulte tables, and its neurophysiological features of the functioning of the brain obtained from the time-frequency analysis of EEG. The results obtained are interesting from the point of view of the choice of training strategies for a particular individual. We believe that the obtained results are of interest for fundamental science and applied works of psychological testing and diagnostics. The study of such forming strategies on EEG data can be automated and do not require the work of highly skilled psychologists.

  18. Dilated examination of patients referred with minor lid complaints--is it necessary?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomlins, P J; Benskin, S; Tahhan, M; Tyagi, A K

    2007-07-01

    To evaluate whether dilated fundus examination is necessary on patients presenting to clinic with lid complaints and normal vision. Patients with lid complaints were recruited from general and emergency clinics. Patients with visual symptoms or previous ophthalmic history were excluded. Subjects were examined by a junior ophthalmologist with slit-lamp biomicroscopy and Goldmann tonometry. Dilated posterior segment examination was performed with a Volk lens and the peripheral retina was examined with a three-mirror contact lens. A total of 100 patients (200 eyes) were recruited, 63 females and 37 males with an average age of 45 years (SD of 19 years). The majority of lid abnormalities were chalazia (66) and papilloma (21). Posterior segment findings were early cataracts in five cases (eight eyes), macular drusen in three cases (five eyes), peripheral retinal lattice degeneration in two cases (three eyes), retinal pigment epithelial changes in one case (two eyes), a choroidal naevus in one eye, choroidal atrophy in one eye, and one case with asymmetric disc cupping. Six patients were seen by senior ophthalmologists and all were discharged after the first visit. In our sample of 100 patients presenting with lid complaints and normal visual acuity, dilated examination revealed no sight-threatening conditions that required further treatment or regular follow-up. Therefore, a single episode of screening for nonspecified retinal disease in a group with no particular risk factors is an inefficient screening method.

  19. Psycho-social factors are important for the perception of disease in patients with acute coronary disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bekke-Hansen, Sidsel; Weinman, John; Thastum, Mikael

    2014-01-01

    the role of socio-demographic, illness-related and psycho-social factors (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, General Self-Efficacy Scale and Life Orientation Test-Revised) for perceived consequences, controllability and causes (Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire) with standard......INTRODUCTION: Little is presently known about determinants of cardiac illness perceptions, especially regarding psycho-social factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Questionnaire study among 97 consecutively recruited inpatients (72.2% male; mean age 60.6 years) with acute coronary syndrome. We examined...... multiple regression. RESULTS: In final models, dispositional pessimism was associated with perceptions of more severe consequences, less personal control and more attribution of illness to immune system factors. Dispositional optimism was associated with less severe perceived consequences. Higher general...

  20. Differences in quantitative methods for measuring subjective cognitive decline - results from a prospective memory clinic study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogel, Asmus; Salem, Lise Cronberg; Andersen, Birgitte Bo

    2016-01-01

    influence reports of cognitive decline. METHODS: The Subjective Memory Complaints Scale (SMC) and The Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q) were applied in 121 mixed memory clinic patients with mild cognitive symptoms (mean MMSE = 26.8, SD 2.7). The scales were applied independently and raters were blinded...... decline. Depression scores were significantly correlated to both scales measuring subjective decline. Linear regression models showed that age did not have a significant contribution to the variance in subjective memory beyond that of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Measures for subjective cognitive...... decline are not interchangeable when used in memory clinics and the application of different scales in previous studies is an important factor as to why studies show variability in the association between subjective cognitive decline and background data and/or clinical results. Careful consideration...

  1. Some complaints of seniors to the state of physical health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khokhlova L.A.

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Results are considered screening test student relatively complaints about a feel. In an experiment took part a 165 student 9 and 11 classes. It is marked that at a student 9 classes of complaints about a feel anymore. The most widespread diseases among schoolboys are respirator diseases (quinsy, cold, cough. Also complaints take place about frequent fatigueability and head pains after completion of educational process.

  2. 20 CFR 658.411 - Filing and assignment of JS-related complaints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Filing and assignment of JS-related... Agency Js Complaint System § 658.411 Filing and assignment of JS-related complaints. (a) JS-related... office personnel shall be as follows: (1) All JS-related complaints filed with a local office, and...

  3. Classifying patients' complaints for regulatory purposes : A Pilot Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouwman, R.J.R.; Bomhoff, Manja; Robben, Paul; Friele, R.D.

    2018-01-01

    Objectives: It is assumed that classifying and aggregated reporting of patients' complaints by regulators helps to identify problem areas, to respond better to patients and increase public accountability. This pilot study addresses what a classification of complaints in a regulatory setting

  4. Effectiveness of a Psycho-Education Program on Learned Helplessness and Irrational Beliefs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulusoy, Yagmur; Duy, Baki

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a psycho-education program aimed at reducing learned helplessness and irrational beliefs of eight-grade elementary students. The study was an experimental study based on the pre-test-post-test model with control and placebo group. A total of 27 participants, 9 group members in each group,…

  5. Empirical Psycho-Aesthetics and Her Sisters: Substantive and Methodological Issues--Part I

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konecni, Vladimir J.

    2012-01-01

    Empirical psycho-aesthetics--an interdisciplinary field with a long tradition--is approached in this two-part article from two directions, in each case with several objectives. Part I, in this issue of "JAE", is devoted to the first direction, which is mainly definitional and organizational: the objectives are to present an outline of the field's…

  6. Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Clinical Neurology, Department of Neuroscience (DINOGMI), Largo P. Daneo, 3, 16132, Genoa (Italy); Polidori, M.C. [University of Cologne, Institute of Geriatrics, Cologne (Germany); Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia [University of Perugia, Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Perugia (Italy); Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene [University of Genoa and IRCCS San Martino-IST, Nuclear Medicine, Department of Health Science (DISSAL), Genoa (Italy); Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio [Nuclear Medicine, S. M. della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia (Italy)

    2014-04-15

    The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain{sup 18}F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

  7. Plasma antioxidants and brain glucose metabolism in elderly subjects with cognitive complaints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Picco, Agnese; Ferrara, Michela; Arnaldi, Dario; Brugnolo, Andrea; Nobili, Flavio; Polidori, M.C.; Cecchetti, Roberta; Baglioni, Mauro; Bastiani, Patrizia; Mecocci, Patrizia; Morbelli, Silvia; Bossert, Irene; Fiorucci, Giuliana; Dottorini, Massimo Eugenio

    2014-01-01

    The role of oxidative stress is increasingly recognized in cognitive disorders of the elderly, notably Alzheimer's disease (AD). In these subjects brain 18 F-FDG PET is regarded as a reliable biomarker of neurodegeneration. We hypothesized that oxidative stress could play a role in impairing brain glucose utilization in elderly subjects with increasing severity of cognitive disturbance. The study group comprised 85 subjects with cognitive disturbance of increasing degrees of severity including 23 subjects with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 34 patients with mild AD. In all subjects brain FDG PET was performed and plasma activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (eSOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase were measured. Voxel-based analysis (SPM8) was used to compare FDG PET between groups and to evaluate correlations between plasma antioxidants and glucose metabolism in the whole group of subjects, correcting for age and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Brain glucose metabolism progressively decreased in the bilateral posterior temporoparietal and cingulate cortices across the three groups, from SCI to mild AD. eSOD activity was positively correlated with glucose metabolism in a large area of the left temporal lobe including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri and the fusiform gyrus. These results suggest a role of oxidative stress in the impairment of glucose utilization in the left temporal lobe structures in elderly patients with cognitive abnormalities, including AD and conditions predisposing to AD. Further studies exploring the oxidative stress-energy metabolism axis are considered worthwhile in larger groups of these patients in order to identify pivotal pathophysiological mechanisms and innovative therapeutic opportunities. (orig.)

  8. 20 CFR 658.420 - Establishment of JS complaint system at the ETA regional office.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Establishment of JS complaint system at the... Complaint System Federal Js Complaint System § 658.420 Establishment of JS complaint system at the ETA regional office. (a) Each Regional Administrator shall establish and maintain a JS complaint system at the...

  9. Assessment of subjective and objective cognitive function in bipolar disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Demant, Kirsa M; Vinberg, Maj; Kessing, Lars V

    2015-01-01

    Cognitive dysfunction is prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD). However, the evidence regarding the association between subjective cognitive complaints, objective cognitive performance and psychosocial function is sparse and inconsistent. Seventy seven patients with bipolar disorder who presented...

  10. Psycho-Physical Theatre Practice as Embodied Learning for Young People with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trowsdale, Jo; Hayhow, Richard

    2015-01-01

    In a dominant Western tradition that reveres cerebral learning, embodied learning approaches have received limited research attention--and less in education than other disciplines. This paper draws on previously reported empirical data from a five-year Creative Partnerships study to argue that psycho-physical theatre practice can promote embodied…

  11. Correlation between temperature satisfaction and unsolicited complaint rates in commercial buildings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, D; Federspiel, C C; Arens, E

    2005-02-01

    This paper analyzes the relation between temperature satisfaction ratings expressed on a questionnaire and unsolicited complaint rates recorded in a maintenance database. The key findings are as follows: (i) the satisfaction ratings and complaint rates are negatively correlated with a moderate magnitude (r(s) = -0.31 to -0.36), and the correlation is statistically significant (P = 0.01-0.005), and (ii) the percent dissatisfied with temperature and the complaint rate are positively correlated with moderate magnitude (r(s) = 0.31-0.36), and the correlation is statistically significant (P = 0.01-0.004). Both data sets contain 'real-world' measures of temperature satisfaction, with the complaints contributing directly to the cost of operations and maintenance. The relationship between two validates a new method of assessing the economic cost of thermal discomfort in commercial buildings. Complaints in commercial buildings indicate occupants' dissatisfaction to their environments. It not only deteriorates occupants' performance and organization productivity, but also increases building maintenance and operating cost. Nailing economic consequences of complaints will enable monetary comparison of discomfort cost with building and operating costs. This comparison may be desirable for building owners and tenants to make well-informed decisions on construction, rental, and retrofit. It may also be used to evaluate complaint diagnostic and eliminating techniques.

  12. Relationship between hearing complaint and hearing loss among older people

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teixeira, Adriane Ribeiro

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Presbycusis is a public health problem. Despite its high prevalence, many elders do not have their hearing ability investigated periodically, because they do not have a specific complaint. Objective: To check whether there is a relationship between the complaint and the presence of hearing loss in elder people. Method: Transversal study in elders from a neighborhood in the city of Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul. After the definition of the neighborhood's geographic boundaries, all houses were visited, the older people's addresses were ascertained and the invitations to take part in the research were provided. A questionnaire survey was applied which had a question about hearing loss complaint and air-conducted hearing thresholds were obtained and studied. Out of the 72 identified elders 50 elders agreed to participate, 35 (70% women, and 15 (30% men. Results: It was confirmed that only 12 (24% elders showed a specific complaint of hearing loss, although 33 (66% elders showed slight, moderate, severe and profound hearing losses. Conclusion: Data analysis confirmed there was no relationship between the complaint and the presence of hearing loss in the assessed group, and demonstrated the need to forward the elders for audiological evaluation even without any specific complaint.

  13. The Complaint Letter and Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, P. K.

    1998-01-01

    Describes an assignment in which students write a letter of complaint, and discusses how this assignment aids students in seeing the importance of effective written communication to their daily lives. (SR)

  14. Physiological scoring: an aid to emergency medical services transport decisions?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Challen, Kirsty; Walter, Darren

    2010-01-01

    Attendance at UK emergency departments is rising steadily despite the proliferation of alternative unscheduled care providers. Evidence is mixed on the willingness of emergency medical services (EMS) providers to decline to transport patients and the safety of incorporating such an option into EMS provision. Physiologically based Early Warning Scores are in use in many hospitals and emergency departments, but not yet have been proven to be of benefit in the prehospital arena. The use of a physiological-social scoring system could safely identify patients calling EMS who might be diverted from the emergency department to an alternative, unscheduled, care provider. This was a retrospective, cohort study of patients with a presenting complaint of "shortness of breath" or "difficulty breathing" transported to the emergency department by EMS. Retrospective calculation of a physiological social score (PMEWS) based on first recorded data from EMS records was performed. Outcome measures of hospital admission and need for physiologically stabilizing treatment in the emergency department also were performed. A total of 215 records were analyzed. One hundred thirty-nine (65%) patients were admitted from the emergency department or received physiologically stabilizing treatment in the emergency department. Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) for hospital admission was 0.697 and for admission or physiologically stabilizing treatment was 0.710. No patient scoringemergency department to alternative, unscheduled, care providers.

  15. Randomized control trial to assess the efficacy of metacognitive training compared with a psycho-educational group in people with a recent-onset psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa, S; López-Carrilero, R; Barrigón, M L; Pousa, E; Barajas, A; Lorente-Rovira, E; González-Higueras, F; Grasa, E; Ruiz-Delgado, I; Cid, J; Birulés, I; Esteban-Pinos, I; Casañas, R; Luengo, A; Torres-Hernández, P; Corripio, I; Montes-Gámez, M; Beltran, M; De Apraiz, A; Domínguez-Sánchez, L; Sánchez, E; Llacer, B; Pélaez, T; Bogas, J L; Moritz, S

    2017-07-01

    Aims were to assess the efficacy of metacognitive training (MCT) in people with a recent onset of psychosis in terms of symptoms as a primary outcome and metacognitive variables as a secondary outcome. A multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed. A total of 126 patients were randomized to an MCT or a psycho-educational intervention with cognitive-behavioral elements. The sample was composed of people with a recent onset of psychosis, recruited from nine public centers in Spain. The treatment consisted of eight weekly sessions for both groups. Patients were assessed at three time-points: baseline, post-treatment, and at 6 months follow-up. The evaluator was blinded to the condition of the patient. Symptoms were assessed with the PANSS and metacognition was assessed with a battery of questionnaires of cognitive biases and social cognition. Both MCT and psycho-educational groups had improved symptoms post-treatment and at follow-up, with greater improvements in the MCT group. The MCT group was superior to the psycho-educational group on the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) total (p = 0.026) and self-certainty (p = 0.035) and dependence self-subscale of irrational beliefs, comparing baseline and post-treatment. Moreover, comparing baseline and follow-up, the MCT group was better than the psycho-educational group in self-reflectiveness on the BCIS (p = 0.047), total BCIS (p = 0.045), and intolerance to frustration (p = 0.014). Jumping to Conclusions (JTC) improved more in the MCT group than the psycho-educational group (p = 0.021). Regarding the comparison within each group, Theory of Mind (ToM), Personalizing Bias, and other subscales of irrational beliefs improved in the MCT group but not the psycho-educational group (p tolerance to frustration. It seems that MCT could be useful to improve symptoms, ToM, and personalizing bias.

  16. Recovery of Work-Related Stress: Complaint Reduction and Work-Resumption are Relatively Independent Processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vente, Wieke; Kamphuis, Jan Henk; Blonk, Roland W B; Emmelkamp, Paul M G

    2015-09-01

    The process of recovery from work-related stress, consisting of complaint reduction and work-resumption, is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of complaint reduction and work-resumption, as well as testing complaint reduction as a mediator in the association between predictors and work-resumption. Seventy-one patients on sickness-leave because of work-related stress complaints were followed over a period of 13 months. Predictors comprised personal (demographics, coping, cognitions), work-related (job-characteristics, social support), and illness-related (complaint duration, absence duration) variables. Dependent variables were distress complaints, burnout complaints, and work-resumption. Complaints reduced considerably over time to borderline clinical levels and work-resumption increased to 68% at 13 months. Predictors of stronger reduction of distress complaints were male gender, less working hours, less decision authority, more co-worker support, and shorter absence duration. Predictors of stronger reduction of burnout complaints were male gender, lower age, high education, less avoidant coping, less decision authority, more job security, and more co-worker support. Predictors of work-resumption were lower age and stronger reduction of burnout complaints. No indication for a mediating role of burnout complaints between the predictor age and work-resumption was found. Complaint reduction and work-resumption are relatively independent processes. Symptom reduction is influenced by individual and work-related characteristics, which holds promise for a multidisciplinary treatment approach for work-related stress.

  17. Customer complaints and recovery effectiveness : A customer base approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knox, G.; van Oest, R.D.

    2014-01-01

    Although customer complaints are a well-studied aspect of business, no study has measured the impact of actual complaints and recoveries on subsequent customer purchasing. The authors develop a customer base model to investigate the effectiveness of recovery in preventing customer churn. They

  18. The relationship between social functioning and subjective memory complaints in older persons: a population-based longitudinal cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuiper, Jisca S; Oude Voshaar, Richard C; Zuidema, Sytse U; Stolk, Ronald P; Zuidersma, Marij; Smidt, Nynke

    2017-10-01

    Poor social functioning is associated with cognitive decline in older adults. It is unclear whether social functioning is also associated with subjective memory complaints (SMC). We investigated the association between social functioning and incident SMC and SMC recovery. A population-based sample of 8762 older adults (aged ≥65 years) with good objective cognitive functioning at baseline (MMSE ≥26) from the LifeLines Cohort Study were followed for 1.5 years. Self-reported SMC were measured at baseline and after 1.5 years follow-up. Aspects of social functioning included marital status, household composition, social network size, social activity, quality of social relationships, social support, affection, behavioral confirmation, and status. Thirteen percent (513/3963) developed SMC during follow-up (incident SMC). Multivariate logistic regression analyses (adjusted for age, gender, education level, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking status, depression, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke) showed that participants with better feelings of affection, behavioral confirmation and stable good social support had a lower risk of incident SMC. Thirty-four percent (1632/4799) reported recovery. Participants with good social functioning at baseline on all determinants reported more SMC recovery. People who remained stable in a relationship, stable in good quality of social relationships or increased in quality of social relationships more often report SMC recovery. Good social functioning is associated with less incident SMC and more SMC recovery over a follow-up period of 1.5 years. Albeit future confirmative studies are needed, we argue for targeting also social functioning when designing multidomain interventions to prevent or slow down cognitive decline. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Characteristics of complaints resulting in disciplinary actions against Danish GPs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birkeland, Søren; Depont Christensen, Rene; Damsbo, Niels; Kragstrup, Jakob

    2013-09-01

    The risk of being disciplined in connection with a complaint case causes distress to most general practitioners. The present study examined the characteristics of complaint cases resulting in disciplinary action. The Danish Patients' Complaints Board's decisions concerning general practice in 2007 were examined. Information on the motives for complaining, as well as patient and general practitioner characteristics, was extracted and the association with case outcome (disciplinary or no disciplinary action) was analysed. Variables included complaint motives, patient gender and age, urgency of illness, cancer diagnosis, healthcare settings (daytime or out-of-hours services), and general practitioner gender and professional seniority. Cases where the complaint motives involved a wish for placement of responsibility (OR = 2.35, p = 0.01) or a wish for a review of the general practitioner's competence (OR = 1.95, p = 0.02) were associated with increased odds of the general practitioner being disciplined. The odds of discipline decreased when the complaint was motivated by a feeling of being devalued (OR = 0.39, p = 0.02) or a request for an explanation (OR = 0.46, p = 0.01). With regard to patient and general practitioner characteristics, higher general practitioner professional seniority was associated with increased odds of discipline (OR = 1.97 per 20 additional years of professional seniority, p = 0.01). None of the other characteristics was statistically significantly associated with discipline in the multiple logistic regression model. Complaint motives and professional seniority were associated with decision outcomes. Further research is needed on the impact of professional seniority on performance.

  20. A Single Session of Autogenic Training Increases Acute Subjective and Physiological Sexual Arousal in Sexually Functional Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanton, Amelia; Meston, Cindy

    2017-10-03

    Heart rate variability (HRV) has recently been associated with female sexual function (Stanton, Lorenz, Pulverman, & Meston, 2015). Below-average HRV was identified as a possible risk factor for sexual arousal dysfunction and overall sexual dysfunction in women. Based on this newly established relationship between HRV and female sexual function, the present study examined the effect of autogenic training to increase HRV on acute physiological and subjective sexual arousal in women. Specifically, vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA), an index of genital sexual arousal, and subjective sexual arousal were assessed in 33 sexually functional women, aged 18 to 27, before and after a short session of autogenic training. Autogenic training, a relaxation technique that restores the balance between the activity of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system, has been shown to significantly increase HRV (Miu, Heilman, & Miclea, 2009). After autogenic training, significant increases in both VPA (p <.05) and subjective sexual arousal (p <.005) were observed. Moreover, change in HRV from pre- to postmanipulation significantly moderated changes in subjective sexual arousal (p <.05) when it was measured continuously during the presentation of the erotic stimulus. This cost-effective, easy-to-administer behavioral intervention may have important implications for increasing sexual arousal in women.