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Many people experience high burden by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its consequences for health and everyday life. The present cross-national study investigated potential factors that can reduce the burden by COVID-19 in China and Germany. Cross-sectional and longitudinal (China: N = 474, baseline, BL: 2015, follow-up, FU: 2020; Germany: N = 359, BL: 2019, FU: 2020) data on physical activity (e.g., jogging) (BL/FU), positive mental health (PMH) (BL/FU), and burden by COVID-19 (FU) were collected via online surveys. In both countries, physical activity was positively associated with PMH, and both variables were negatively related to burden by COVID-19. Furthermore, PMH mediated the link between physical activity and burden. The mediation model was significant when physical activity and PMH were assessed at the BL, while burden was measured at the FU; and it was also significant when all variables were assessed at the FU. The present findings reveal that physical activity in combination with PMH can reduce the experience of burden by COVID-19. Conscious fostering of physical activity and PMH is supported as an effective strategy to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic outbreak on mental and physical health. Additional benefits such as increased adherence to governmental measures around COVID-19 are discussed.

The present study aims to understand the current situation and developmental trend of college students’ positive mental health, explore the relationship among social support and positive mental health.749 college students from 6 colleges in Shanghai participated for the follow-up survey in May 2013, May 2015 and May 2016. The social support scale (F-SozU) and psychological resilience scale (RS-11) and the life satisfaction scale (SWLS) were used to examine the changes in social support, resilience and life satisfaction. This study finds that the development of social support and life satisfaction of college students showed an upward first and then downward trend, while the development of resilience showed an upward trend. The mutually reinforcing relationship between social support and positive mental health was different during the college. Identifying the interaction between social support and positive mental health of college students, social workers working with college students need to recognize the important role of social support in positive mental health, provide suggestions for college students’ education of mental health, and further help them improve their positive mental health.

The Cambodian community is the largest Southeast Asian cultural identity in Rhode Island (RI) with high poverty rates and limited healthcare access. Investigators conducted a cross-sectional observational survey study from 2016 to 2017 on eligible Cambodians to better understand their healthcare experiences. Questions were reviewed by the RI Cambodian Society for cultural sensitivity. 123 surveys were collected; 98 respondents had medical providers. Respondents with providers reported difficulty understanding of their providers (59%) and limited access to medical interpreters (50%). The non-provider group were less likely to have medical insurance (54.2% vs. 88.8%, p = .0001) and more likely to visit the emergency department (47.1% vs. 15.3%; p

Health professions education has benefitted from standardized patient (SP) programs to develop and refine communication and interpersonal skills in trainees. Effective case design is essential to ensure an SP encounter successfully meets learning objectives that are focused on communication skills. Creative, well-designed case scenarios offer learners the opportunity to engage in complex patient encounters, while challenging them to address the personal and emotional contexts in which their patients are situated. Therefore, prior to considering the practical execution of the patient encounter, educators will first need a clear and structured strategy for writing, organizing, and developing cases. The authors reflect on lessons learned in developing standardized patient-based cases to train learners to communicate to patients during times of diagnostic uncertainty, and provide suggestions to develop a set of simulation cases that are both standardized and diverse. Key steps and workflow processes that can assist educators with case design are introduced. The authors review the need to increase awareness of and mitigate existing norms and implicit biases, while maximizing variation in patient diversity. Opportunities to leverage the breadth of emotional dispositions of the SP and the affective domain of a clinical encounter are also discussed as a means to guide future case development and maximize the value of a case for its respective learning outcomes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41077-021-00176-y.

In Western cultural context, grandiose (overt) narcissism has been shown to be either unrelated or negatively related to negative mental health (depression, suicide ideation). Grandiose narcissism may be differently related to depression and suicide ideation variables in Eastern cultural contexts. The current study therefore aims to investigate associations between grandiose narcissism, depression, and suicide ideation in a sample of metropolitan Chinese students as well as in a sample of German students. A total of N = 935 Chinese students (73.3% female; Mage = 22.62, SDage = .89) and of N = 389 German students (75.6% female; Mage = 23.13, SDage = 2.94) completed paper-and-pencil and/or online measures of grandiose narcissism, depression, and suicide ideation. Grandiose narcissism was positively associated with depression and suicide ideation in Chinese students. Depression fully mediated the association between grandiose narcissism and suicide ideation – controlling for gender, age, and survey method. In contrast, in the German sample, no significant associations could be found. Grandiose narcissism obviously has different consequences in China than in Germany.

Resuscitative hysterotomy is a daunting and rarely performed procedure in the emergency department (ED). Given the paucity of clinical exposure to this intervention, resuscitative hysterotomy is an ideal opportunity for simulation-mediated deliberate practice. The authors propose a novel training program using a homegrown, realistic, simulation device as a means to practice resuscitative hysterotomy. Two high-fidelity, tissue-based task-trainer models were constructed and tested on a convenience sample of 14 emergency medicine (EM) residents. The simulated human placenta, bladder, amniotic sac, and uterus were constructed through the use of porcine skin, porcine stomach, transparent plastic bag, Foley tubing, and squid mantle, all secured with nylon sutures. A Gaumard S500 Articulating Newborn was inserted in the simulated uterus, and the entire model was placed into a Gaumard S500 Childbirth Simulator. Each model required less than 1 h for assembly. Emergent hysterotomy was first demonstrated by an EM faculty facilitator, followed by hands-on deliberate practice. Formal feedback on the learners’ self-reported confidence and satisfaction levels was solicited at the end of the workshop through a survey previously cited for use with a low-fidelity resuscitative hysterotomy. Quantitative evaluation of the simulated training session was extracted through a 5-item questionnaire using a 5-point Likert-type scale (i.e., from 1, strongly disagree, to 5, strongly agree). Item scores were added for a cumulative total score, with a possible maximum score of 25 and minimum score of 5. Responses were overwhelmingly positive [24.13 (± 1.36)]. Qualitative feedback was extracted from the survey through open-ended questions; these responses highlighted learners’ appreciation for hands-on practice and the development of a novel, tissue-based simulation task trainer. All participants recommended the training session be available to future learners. Resuscitative hysterotomy is a high-stakes, low-frequency procedure that demands provider practice and confidence. Our hybrid, tissue-based hysterotomy model represents a feasible opportunity for training. The model is cost conscious, easily reproducible, and portable and allows for ample deliberate practice. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s41077-018-0078-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.