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The objective of this article is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the socio-environmental impact of childhood obesity in Mexico. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the various dimensions that contribute to this health crisis are explored, including the influences of the family, school, and community environment. In addition, the long-term consequences for affected individuals and for society as a whole are examined, in order to provide a comprehensive view to inform and guide intervention and prevention strategies. In this context, we seek not only to identify the factors that perpetuate childhood obesity in the country, but also to evaluate existing policies and programs aimed at mitigating this problem. Detailed understanding of the socio-environmental elements involved is essential for the design of effective and sustainable solutions that can reverse the growing trend of this disease and improve the quality of life of affected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aysun Damci,1,2 Janneke GJ Hoeijmakers,1,2 Marlies den Hollander,3– 5 Catharina G Faber,1,2 Sophie Waardenburg,6,7 Charlotte CM van Laake-Geelen,3– 5 Albère JA Köke,3,4 Jeanine AMCF Verbunt3– 5 1MHeNS, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands; 2Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, 6229 HX, The Netherlands; 3Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht university, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands; 4Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, 6229 HX, The Netherlands; 5Adelante Zorggroep, Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hoensbroek, 6432 CC, The Netherlands; 6Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, 6229 HX, The Netherlands; 7Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, 6229 HX, The NetherlandsCorrespondence: Aysun Damci, Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, P.O. Box 5800, Maastricht, 6202 AZ, The Netherlands, Tel +31-43-3877059, Fax +31-43-3877055, Email aysun.damci@mumc.nlPurpose: Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is characterized by neuropathic pain, associated with decreased quality of life (QOL). It remains unclear which psychosocial factors play a role in SFN. The experience sampling method (ESM) allows a profound understanding of the real-time fluctuations in reaction to events. The main goal of this study was to increase knowledge of the interrelationships between pain intensity, physical activity, and psychosocial factors in patients with SFN in daily practice over time.Patients and Methods: A prospective observational ESM study with the PsyMate© application (smart-eHealth GmbH, Luxembourg) was conducted at the Adelante location of Maastricht University Medical Center+ in the Netherlands. Participants with idiopathic SFN, older than 18 years, with an indication for rehabilitation, were included. Pain intensity, fatigue, positive and negative affect, physical activity, avoidance behavior, and pain catastrophic thoughts were incorporated into the ESM questions. Participants received 10 beep signals per day followed by the above-mentioned questions, for consecutive 7 days. The results were analyzed with linear mixed-effect models.Results: Twenty-one participants were included with a mean age of 48.24 (SD ± 13.89) years, of whom 76.2% were female. More pain (now) resulted in more physical activity (later) (a) and more physical activity (now) resulted in more pain (later) (b). The first association (a) is influenced by pain catastrophic thoughts and fatigue, and the second (b) by an increase in affective states and a lower level of avoidance behavior.Conclusion: In idiopathic SFN, pain intensity, and physical activity showed a 2-sided association, influenced by catastrophic thoughts, fatigue, affective states, and avoidance behavior.Keywords: chronic pain, rehabilitation therapy, biopsychosocial factors, small fiber neuropathy

Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains an intractable problem, especially in rural areas. Social workers are key players in efforts to address and treat rural opioid use disorder because of the profession's person-in-environment (PIE) perspective. PIE helps fine-tune strategies addressing persistent issues contributing to rural opioid use. The purposes of this article are: first, to present key findings from a secondary analysis study examining substance use treatment episode data collected by a U.S. state Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (N = 2,746) for biopsychosocial PIE factors influencing treatment outcomes for rural adults; and second, to discuss important social work roles. The data suggest that understanding influential biopsychosocial factors, promoting integrated and interprofessional collaboration, and training OUD service providers to use social work's PIE framework could shape more positive responses to OUD treatment in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of exercise interventions for managing nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) and explores their impact on related biopsychosocial factors, physical health variables, and inflammatory biomarkers. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search of five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library) was conducted, covering studies from 2019 to 2024. Fifteen randomized controlled trials involving 1338 participants aged 18 to 65 years with NSLBP were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (RoB 2.0). Results: Exercise significantly reduced pain intensity and improved biopsychosocial factors such as depression, disability, functionality, quality of life, and kinesiophobia. Additionally, it enhanced physical parameters like proprioception, muscle thickness, and physical performance. However, the review found insufficient evidence regarding the effects of exercise on inflammatory biomarkers in NSLBP patients. Conclusions: The findings suggest that physical exercise is an effective intervention for pain reduction and the improvement of overall health in NSLBP, though further research is needed to clarify its impact on inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicidal ideation is a process that is intertwined with suicidal behavior. It begins with the formation of an idea about whether it is worth continuing to live, an idea that can evolve and trigger a series of actions ranging from planning to the execution of the suicidal act. This is a descriptive observational study based on numerical measurements with its respective statistical analysis that established the behavioral patterns of the phenomenon studied. The research proposal was approved by the research committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, URSE; data collection was performed through the instruments: Beck Suicidal Ideation Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Abbreviated Scale of School Bullying Questionnaire, Drug Dependence Identification Questionnaire, and Family Apgar. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 5.4%; 19.7% of the medical students have been victims of bullying in any form; 22.2% reported regular use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other addictive substances; in addition, 17.7% had mild family dysfunction, moderate in 9.9% and severe with 15.3%; depression was recorded to a mild degree with 6.4%, followed by moderate in 1.5% of cases. Suicidal ideation among medical students is of concern; these problems must be addressed comprehensively, promoting a supportive environment that promotes the mental health and well-being of medical students.

Abstract Background Although significant and disabling consequences are presented due to geriatric population-related depression, an insufficient comprehension of various biological, psychological, and social factors affecting this issue has been observed. Notably, these factors can contribute to geriatric population-related depression with low social support. This study aimed to identify factors associated with depression among the community-dwelling geriatric population with low social support in Malaysia. Methods This study used secondary data from a population-based health survey in Malaysia, namely the National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Elderly Health. The analysis included 926 community-dwelling geriatric population aged 60 and above with low social support. The primary data collection was from August to October 2018, using face-to-face interviews. This paper reported the analysis of depression as the dependent variable, while various biological, psychological and social factors, guided by established biopsychosocial models, were the independent variables. Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify the factors. Analysis was performed using the complex sampling module in the IBM SPSS version 29. Results The weighted prevalence of depression among the community-dwelling geriatric population aged 60 and above with low social support was 22.5% (95% CI: 17.3–28.7). This was significantly higher than depression among the general geriatric Malaysian population. The factors associated with depression were being single, as compared to those married (aOR 2.010, 95% CI: 1.063–3.803, p: 0.031), having dementia, as opposed to the absence of the disease (aOR 3.717, 95% CI: 1.544–8.888, p: 0.003), and having a visual disability, as compared to regular visions (aOR 3.462, 95% CI: 1.504–7.972, p: 0.004). The analysis also revealed that a one-unit increase in control in life and self-realisation scores were associated with a 32.6% (aOR: 0.674, 95% CI: 0.599–0.759, p

Background: Although significant and disabling consequences are presented due to geriatric population-related depression, an insufficient comprehension of various biological, psychological, and social factors affecting this issue has been observed. Notably, these factors can contribute to geriatric population-related depression with low social support. This study aimed to identify factors associated with depression among the community-dwelling geriatric population with low social support in Malaysia. Methods: This study used secondary data from a population-based health survey in Malaysia, namely the National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Elderly Health. The analysis included 926 community-dwelling geriatric population aged 60 and above with low social support. The primary data collection was from August to October 2018, using face-to-face interviews. This paper reported the analysis of depression as the dependent variable, while various biological, psychological and social factors, guided by established biopsychosocial models, were the independent variables. Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify the factors. Analysis was performed using the complex sampling module in the IBM SPSS version 29. Results: The weighted prevalence of depression among the community-dwelling geriatric population aged 60 and above with low social support was 22.5% (95% CI: 17.3–28.7). This was significantly higher than depression among the general geriatric Malaysian population. The factors associated with depression were being single, as compared to those married (aOR 2.010, 95% CI: 1.063–3.803, p: 0.031), having dementia, as opposed to the absence of the disease (aOR 3.717, 95% CI: 1.544–8.888, p: 0.003), and having a visual disability, as compared to regular visions (aOR 3.462, 95% CI: 1.504–7.972, p: 0.004). The analysis also revealed that a one-unit increase in control in life and self-realisation scores were associated with a 32.6% (aOR: 0.674, 95% CI: 0.599–0.759, p < 0.001) and 24.7% (aOR: 0.753, 95% CI: 0.671–0.846, p < 0.001) decrease in the likelihood of developing depression, respectively. Conclusion: This study suggested that conducting depression screenings for the geriatric population with low social support could potentially prevent or improve the management of depression. The outcome could be achieved by considering the identified risk factors while implementing social activities, which enhanced control and self-fulfilment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use among older adults, often denied, is a real public health problem in view of the harmful consequences it induces. The objective of this systematic review was to identify articles on the biopsychosocial factors, assessment tools, and treatment options that have proved useful for the early detection and management of alcohol use among older adults. With a view to producing a narrative synthesis from several databases, 66 articles were identified and studied, of which 45.4% (n = 30) were published between 2015 and 2020. The review is reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Although differences appear to exist between the samples studied, the analyses show that biopsychosocial factors such as quality of life, well-being, emotions, perceived stress, coping strategies, and mood disorders are associated with unhealthy alcohol use. Psychosocial factors such as strong social support appear to be correlated with low levels of alcohol use and abstinence. In general, the tools used to screen for alcohol use are AUDIT, CAGE, DPI, CARET, and SMAST-G. Interventions to prevent and manage alcohol use in older adults include CBT and brief interventions. This review of the literature provides a better understanding of which assessment tools should be used for screening. Emphasis should be placed on process-oriented scientific studies, which to date do not exist. Psychological processes mediated by biopsychosocial factors would enable the development of effective prevention interventions to be conducted in order to improve the quality of life of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Psicoespacios is the property of Institucion Universitaria de Envigado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: the diagnostic criteria of craving for substance use addition disorder was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5 in 2013. However, this remains a complex phenomenon that requires further attention. Objective: the present study aimed to review explanatory models of craving, describe the factors involved in the anxiety of maintaining an addictive behavior and point out the treatments that have been proposed so far to control craving. Method: systematic review of literature oriented according to the criteria of Cochrane Collaboration, included 100 articles selected from keywords and Boolean search engines in the databases of Scielo, Dialnet, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and EBSCOhost. Results: craving represents a phenomenon of great complexity underlying all kinds of addictive behavior, which is interpreted from different models such as: neurobiological, tolerance and abstinence, emotional regulation, learning and conditioning, information processing and meeting needs. Likewise, multiple factors associated with the phenomenon are evident from the cognitive, emotional, social and environmental aspects, forcing the search for and implementation of therapeutic approaches of a broad range from pharmacological, cognitive-behavioral to innovative with virtual reality and mindfulness. Conclusions: contribution of the diagnostic criteria of craving obliges to consider the integral and interdisciplinary intervention and prevention processes, aimed at addressing biopsychosocial and environmental factors and aspects to optimize recovery and prevent relapses in both chemical and behavioral addictions.Keywords: craving, chemical and behavioral addictions, explanatory models, biopsychosocial factors, therapeutic approaches.

Background and Objectives: This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of exercise interventions for managing nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) and explores their impact on related biopsychosocial factors, physical health variables, and inflammatory biomarkers. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search of five databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library) was conducted, covering studies from 2019 to 2024. Fifteen randomized controlled trials involving 1338 participants aged 18 to 65 years with NSLBP were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (RoB 2.0). Results: Exercise significantly reduced pain intensity and improved biopsychosocial factors such as depression, disability, functionality, quality of life, and kinesiophobia. Additionally, it enhanced physical parameters like proprioception, muscle thickness, and physical performance. However, the review found insufficient evidence regarding the effects of exercise on inflammatory biomarkers in NSLBP patients. Conclusions: The findings suggest that physical exercise is an effective intervention for pain reduction and the improvement of overall health in NSLBP, though further research is needed to clarify its impact on inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder. Standard treatment focuses on reducing the inflammatory burden, however, not all patients respond adequately to conventional medical therapy. These patients, referred to as Patients at Risk of Suboptimal Outcomes (PARSO), have not been studied collectively. The present study aimed to understand the biopsychosocial characteristics of patients with IBD at risk of sub-optimal outcomes for targeted multi-disciplinary treatment to encourage optimal outcomes. Two cross-sectional online surveys, including 760 PARSO and 208 control (non-PARSO) participants, were conducted and their data combined. Biopsychosocial factors included quality of life, pain, disease activity, wellbeing, fatigue, stress, social support, and sleep difficulties. Results suggest that active disease, quality of life, stress, social support, sleep difficulties, fatigue, wellbeing, smoking status, IBD subtype, and pain are significantly associated with membership in a subgroup of PARSO. We also used logistic regression to explore variables associated with the total likelihood of PARSO status. Overall, the model predicted the at-risk status to a substantial degree (R2−2ll =.41, x2 = 401.53, p <.001). Younger age in years, female sex, Crohn's disease, and greater measured and subjective disease activity significantly increased the likelihood of participants being identified as PARSO; OR CI95% = 0.96 (0.95, 0.97); OR CI95% = 4.46 (2.95, 6.71); OR CI95% = 1.58 (1.05, 2.37); OR CI95% = 3.52 (2.18, 5.69); OR CI95% = 45.99 (14.11, 149.89). A biopsychosocial and personalised approach to IBD care might be necessary to support those at risk of suboptimal outcomes in achieving better long-term wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain is a primary health problem in people living with HIV (PWH). However, there is limited research regarding chronic pain among PWH in Chinese health care settings. To investigate biopsychosocial factors of chronic pain severity, we conducted a crosssectional study in Shenzhen, China. Chronic pain was defined as pain lasting for more than three months. Pain intensity was measured using the numeric rating scale (NRS). Among 123 hospitalized PWH, 78.86% of participants had mild pain and 21.14% had moderate-severe pain. Multiple logistic regression results indicated thatPWHin moderate-severe pain group were more likely to have higher levels of interleukin [IL]-6 (OR51.034, 95% CI: 1.003-1.066, p5.029) and anxiety (OR51.334, 95% CI: 1.071-1.662, p5.010) than those in the mild chronic pain group. Targeted pain management interventions should be explored in clinical practices and future studies regarding PWH with high levels of IL-6 and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was primarily to identify the types of mHealth technologies for the rehabilitation of non-specific spinal disorders, second to evaluate their efficacy, and finally to determine their applicability in LMICs. Methods: Three databases (Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science) were searched for randomized controlled trials and clinical trials from January 2012 until December 2022. Studies were found eligible when using mHealth technologies for the rehabilitation of non-specific spinal disorders. To evaluate efficacy, the primary outcome was pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes were disability and quality of life. To evaluate the applicability in LMICs, information about financial and geographical accessibility, offline usability, and languages was extracted. Results: Fifteen studies were included comprising 1828 participants who suffer from non-specific low back pain (86.05%) and non-specific neck pain (13.95%). Fourteen distinct smartphone-based interventions and two sensor system interventions were found, with a duration ranging from four weeks to six months. All mHealth interventions demonstrated efficacy for the improvement of pain, disability and quality of life in non-specific spinal disorders, particularly low back pain. Five of the evaluated smartphone applications were free of charge accessible and had language features that could be adapted for use in LMICs. Conclusion: mHealth interventions can be used and integrated into the conventional treatment of non-specific spinal disorders in rehabilitation. They have demonstrated efficacy and could be implemented in LMICs with minor adaptations to overcome language barriers and the absolute necessity of the internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulvodynia is a chronic pain condition, without clearly identifiable and visible causes, associated with disability, sexual disfunction, and impaired quality of life. It is frequently under-reported and under-diagnosed, resulting in significant emotional burden. The pathophysiology of vulvodynia is complex and multidimensional. According to the integrated biopsychosocial model, main triggers of vulvodynia may be biological (infectious or inflammatory conditions inducing severe or prolonged nociceptive or neuropathic pain, genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalance), psychological (depression, anxiety), sexual (traumatic experiences, unhealthy intimate relationship), and social (adverse childhood experiences). The diagnostic approach is based on accurate medical history exploring the characteristics and timing of vulvar pain, as well as the presence of other chronic pain conditions that are often comorbid. Pelvic examination (vulvar and vaginal appearance, cotton swab test for vulvar sensitivity, pelvic floor evaluation) supports the diagnosis and excludes secondary vulvar pain disorders. Considering that pain is a complex human experience within a multidimensional frame, the best therapeutic strategy should be multidisciplinary encompassing different therapeutic targets. Pharmacological therapies have anti-nociceptive, neuromodulating, and anti-inflammatory purposes and include both topical and systemic treatments (antidepressants, anticonvulsants, hormonal creams). Physical therapy consists of pelvic floor physiotherapy, electrostimulation, and neuromodulation techniques, while cognitive behavioral therapy, psychosexual intervention, and neurobiological education address the psychosocial dimension of vulvodynia. If results are insufficient, a surgical approach is allowed. We present a clinical case linking amelioration of vulvodynia to a training program to increase muscle mass, especially in the lower limbs, in a girl reporting an eating disorder.

Introduction: Despite the traditional focus on assessment of athletes’ physical readiness to return to sport, mounting evidence suggests that consideration of psychological readiness is critically important in ensuring that individuals safely and effectively resume competitive activities. Objectives: The primary aims of this article are to: (1) evaluate existing measures assessing psychological readiness; among skiers and snowboarders (the focus of this special issue); (3) discuss biopsychosocial factors that facilitate or undermine psychological readiness; and (4) highlight implications of psychological readiness for return to sport outcomes and articulate future research directions. Methods: A literature search was performed in Scopus, PsycInfo, and PubMed using the keywords “psychological readiness,” “ski injuries,” “snowboard injuries,” “return to sport,” and “concussions.” Results: Existing measures of psychological readiness are limited by conceptual ambiguities and measurement shortcomings. Limited research with skiers and snowboarders suggests that cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements of psychological readiness outlined in past work is apparent among skiers. Physical (issue healing and body system recovery), psychological (personality, recovery motivation), and social (social support, trust in rehabilitation providers) factors can facilitate or undermine psychological readiness. Psychological readiness predicts salient postinjury outcomes, such as the likelihood of returning to sport, reinjury, as well as the quality of postinjury performance. Conclusions: Future research is needed to further delineate the nature of psychological readiness among skiers and snowboarders. Existing evidence, however, suggests a variety of biopsychosocial factors contribute to athletes’ psychological readiness which may be a key predictor of salient postinjury outcomes.

Doctors of various specialties face orofacial pain in their practice: dentists, maxillofacial surgeons, neurologists, otorhinolaryngologists, therapists, traumatologists, ophthalmologists, psychotherapists, physiotherapists, aesthetic medicine doctors, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, plastic surgeons and other specialists. The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, spread by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has become a challenge for all medical specialties and health care systems around the world. We searched the literature for the period from the beginning of the pandemic until June 15, 2022, on the study of the association of orofacial pain with a new coronavirus infection COVID-19 in the electronic search engines PubMed and Scopus. An analysis of the sources found indicates an increase in the frequency of various types of orofacial pain during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is due both to the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself and to a complex of biopsychosocial factors directly related to the pandemic. A number of used drugs, primarily non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause a number of side effects that complicate both dental treatment and negatively affect concomitant comorbid pathology. In this regard, the issues of drug safety and pharmacological "correction" of side effects – protective or protector therapy – become relevant. The use of the universal gastro- and enteroprotector rebamipide is especially important during the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

IntroductionAging is associated with physiological changes in multiple systems in the body and may impact the transportation choices of older adults. In this study, we examine the associations between biopsychosocial factors and the transportation choices of Malaysian older adults.MethodsOne hundred and nineteen (119) older adults, aged 60 and above, living in Klang Valley, Malaysia were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Participants were interviewed face-to-face to obtain sociodemographic data, health status (whether there were and, if yes, the number of comorbidities), outdoor mobility and transportation patterns, Instrumental Activity Daily Living (IADL) status and cognitive function. Participants’ physical performance (dominant handgrip strength, 10-m walk, and timed up and go tests), hearing threshold (pure tone audiometry), and vision function (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) were measured. Transportation patterns of older adults were categorized into three groups, that is, flexible (using public transport and/or private vehicles), using only private vehicles and restricted (relying on others or walking).ResultsFurther information is needed to enable such older adults as older women, those with comorbidities and poorer functional status to access transportation, especially to meet their health care needs.DiscussionThe majority (51%) of participants were in the ‘using only private vehicles’ group, followed by the ‘flexibles’ (25%) and the ‘restricted’ (24%). Factors significantly associated with the restricted transportation group were: (a) being female (AdjOR 15.39, 95% CI 0.86–23.39, p

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) face many workplace challenges. There are various laws that are intended to protect these individuals to have equal access to employment by requiring employers to provide workplace accommodations. To achieve benefits of workplace accommodations, individuals with MS need to disclose their disabilities and request accommodations. Limited research has examined psychosocial and demographic factors associated with requesting or not requesting workplace accommodations among people with MS. The current study aimed to fill this research gap. Eighty-six individuals with MS were recruited from agencies serving people with MS. Regarding psychosocial factors, findings show that requesters, in comparison with non-requesters, reported higher scores in self-efficacy (e.g., requesting accommodation and goal setting), outcome expectancy (e.g., perceived appropriateness and personal cost of accommodation requests), positive affect, knowledge of ADA and accommodations, job satisfaction, and a lower score in negative affect. Among demographic factors, only job tenure was significant. Rehabilitation professionals may need to assist employees with MS to foster psychosocial factors to facilitate individuals with MS, especially those with a short job tenure request accommodations and fully advantage of available workplace resources to enhance their job retention and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated factors related to postural sway during sit-to-stand movement in children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). Our assessment of participants followed the biopsychosocial model. Body function and structure were represented by muscle strength and postural sway during sit-to-stand movement, which were assessed by manual muscle testing and kinetics analysis, respectively. The Gross Motor Function Measure and Pediatric Balance Scale depicted the activity component. In addition, we included these relevant contextual factors: age, Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment, family income, and maternal schooling. A correlation analysis verified a suspected association between biopsychosocial and postural sway variables. There were significant separated correlations between postural sway in the three phases of the sit-to-stand movement, and age, GMFM-88 dimension D, and muscle strength. Thus, postural control in sit-to-stand movement was related to biopsychosocial factors involving different life aspects of children and adolescents with DS, and these factors should be addressed in rehabilitation therapy intended to improve postural control among these individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain infections are serious neurological events that require immediate care, with around 171 districts of 19 states in India reporting cases every year. Along with the biomedical factors, psychosocial factors of health (BPS) are influential in the outcomes of brain infections as well. Materials and Methods: A scoping review was conducted to understand the psychosocial factors explored in brain infections in the last decade. Articles focusing on social, psychological, public health factors, sequelae, and rehabilitation of inflammatory conditions, both pathogenic and autoimmune were covered. The search was conducted using keywords related to brain infections in electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Prisma-ScR guidelines were used to screen articles and the identified factors were categorized under eight psychosocial factors using Arksey and O'Malley's framework of analysis. Results: From a total of 6012 documents retrieved, 11 articles met the criteria. Global burden associated with brain infections, disability and death, the vulnerable population at risk of developing brain infections, gaps in existing literature, pathways to care, mental health, cognitive difficulty associated with infections and their sequelae were the major psychosocial factors identified. Conclusions: The review focussed to understand the multitude of psychosocial factors causing delay and damage in brain infections in LMIC context. Along with biomedical factors, there exist several psychosocial factors that could potentially influence the outcome of treatment in brain infections. However, only few have been explored, suggesting the need for more studies to inform the care and sustainable interventions at the macro level to improve the outcomes and reduce the burden in brain infections.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and related biopsychosocial factors in urban and rural communities in Benin. Methods: This is a population-based observational cross-sectional survey. An interviewer-administered electronic questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic, socio-economic, behavioral, and psychological factors relating to CLBP risk factors and medical history of participants. The numeric pain rating scale and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to assess pain intensity and the level of depression, respectively. Bivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between sociodemographic, behavioral, and psychological factors and CLBP. Sequential multiple regression analyses were subsequently performed to predict the occurrence of CLBP. Results: A total of 4320 participants, with a mean age ± SD of 32.9 ± 13.1 years, of which 40.7% were females and 50.1% from an urban area, were enrolled in the study. We found a global prevalence rate of CLBP of 35.5% [95% CI 34.1–36.9%]. The prevalence in urban areas was 30.68% [95% CI 28.9–32.8%]) while 40.2% was found in rural areas [95% CI 38.1–42.2%]). Age (p < 0.001), level of education (p = 0.046), marital status (p < 0.001), working status (p < 0.003), tobacco use (p < 0.016) and regular physical activity (p < 0.011) were associated with CLBP. In urban areas, only the level of education was able to predict the prevalence of CLBP (R2 = 61%). In rural areas, CLBP was predicted by age, marital and working status (R2 = 89%). Conclusions: This study showed a high prevalence of CLBP among urban and rural communities in Benin. Age, level of education, marital status, and working status were significantly associated with CLBP in Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain infections are serious neurological events that require immediate care, with around 171 districts of 19 states in India reporting cases every year. Along with the biomedical factors, psychosocial factors of health (BPS) are influential in the outcomes of brain infections as well. Materials and Methods: A scoping review was conducted to understand the psychosocial factors explored in brain infections in the last decade. Articles focusing on social, psychological, public health factors, sequelae, and rehabilitation of inflammatory conditions, both pathogenic and autoimmune were covered. The search was conducted using keywords related to brain infections in electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Prisma-ScR guidelines were used to screen articles and the identified factors were categorized under eight psychosocial factors using Arksey and O'Malley's framework of analysis. Results: From a total of 6012 documents retrieved, 11 articles met the criteria. Global burden associated with brain infections, disability and death, the vulnerable population at risk of developing brain infections, gaps in existing literature, pathways to care, mental health, cognitive difficulty associated with infections and their sequelae were the major psychosocial factors identified. Conclusions: The review focussed to understand the multitude of psychosocial factors causing delay and damage in brain infections in LMIC context. Along with biomedical factors, there exist several psychosocial factors that could potentially influence the outcome of treatment in brain infections. However, only few have been explored, suggesting the need for more studies to inform the care and sustainable interventions at the macro level to improve the outcomes and reduce the burden in brain infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the multiple processes involved in learning how to read can contribute towards the early detection of good and bad readers. However, it is necessary to take into consideration different biopsychosocial risk factors (pre- and perigestational, neonatal, medical, developmental and family-related) that may have a significant impact on neurodevelopment, producing atypical cognitive development that could lead to the presence of reading difficulties. The objective of this study was to identify the main psycholinguistic abilities involved in the early reading performance and analyse their relationship to biopsychosocial risk factors. A total of 110 subjects between the ages of 4 and 7 years old and enrolled in state-run schools in Spain participated in the study. Significant correlations were found between different psycholinguistic abilities and certain biopsychosocial risk factors (having had hyperbilirubinemia, having obtained a score lower than 9 on the Apgar test, having had language problems or a sibling with dyslexia). This relationship should be taken into account in the study of learning difficulties as a potential indicator to predict later reading development and even the presence of developmental dyslexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is an increasing burden worldwide. The biopsychosocial factors associated with CLBP-related activity limitations have not yet been investigated in Burundi. Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the biopsychosocial factors that influence the CLBP-related activity limitations in a Burundian sample population. Method: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 58 adults with nonspecific CLBP from Bujumbura city. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to investigate the association between biopsychosocial factors and CLBP activity limitations. Sequential multiple regression analyses were subsequently used to predict CLBP activity limitations. Results: Fifty-eight individuals with a mean age of 41.3 ± 10.20, 58.6% of female gender, were recruited. The univariate and bivariate analyses demonstrated that educational level, gender, healthcare coverage, profession, height, pain intensity, depression and physical fitness were significantly associated with CLBP-related activity limitations (p range, 0.001 to 0.05). The multivariate regression analysis showed that the significant biopsychosocial factors accounted for 49% of the variance in self-reported activity limitations. Predictors of activity limitations were education level (β = −0.369; p = 0.001), abdominal muscle endurance (β = −0.339; p = 0.002) and depression (β = 0.289; p = 0.011). Conclusions: Our study provides evidence of biopsychosocial factor associations with CLBP-related activity limitations in Burundi. Evidence-based management and prevention of CLBP in Burundi should incorporate a biopsychosocial model. Clinical implications: Biopsychosocial factors should be regularly evaluated in people with chronic low back pain and efforts to improve the burden of chronic low back pain in Burundi should take these factors into account.

Abstract Background Few studies have comprehensively and contextually examined the relationship of variables associated with opioid use. Our purpose was to fill a critical gap in comprehensive risk models of opioid misuse and use disorder in the United States by identifying the most salient predictors. Methods A multivariate logistic regression was used on the 2017 and 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included all 50 states and the District of Columbia of the United States. The sample included all noninstitutionalized civilian adults aged 18 and older (N = 85,580; weighted N = 248,008,986). The outcome of opioid misuse and/or use disorder was based on reported prescription pain reliever and/or heroin use dependence, abuse, or misuse. Biopsychosocial predictors of opioid misuse and use disorder in addition to sociodemographic characteristics and other substance dependence or abuse were examined in our comprehensive model. Biopsychosocial characteristics included socioecological and health indicators. Criminality was the socioecological indicator. Health indicators included self-reported health, private health insurance, psychological distress, and suicidality. Sociodemographic variables included age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, education, residence, income, and employment status. Substance dependence or abuse included both licit and illicit substances (i.e., nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, stimulants, sedatives). Results The comprehensive model found that criminality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.98–3.37, p

ObjectiveTo provide updated evidence on prognostic factors for return to work (RTW) in the early and late phases after acute orthopedic trauma from a biopsychosocial perspective.MethodsA systematic review of articles indexed in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase databases between 2010 and 2020 was performed. The inclusion criteria were cohort studies of employed populations sustaining acute orthopedic trauma with follow-up data on RTW. Biopsychosocial prognostic factors for RTW must be reported in the multiple regression models and divided into early (≤ 6 months) and late phases (> 6 months) postinjury. Two reviewers performed study selection, assessed the risk of bias and quality using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS), and extracted data independently.ResultsThirty articles were included with a follow-up period of 1–58 months. Based on the QUIPS tool, 7 studies (23%) were considered to have a low risk of bias, and 21 studies (70%) were considered to have a moderate risk of bias. Based on the NOS, the quality was high in 87% of the included studies. The RTW rates ranged from 22% to 74% in the early phase and from 44% to 94% in the late phase. In the early phase, strong evidence was found for injury severity. In the late phase, strong evidence was found for age, injury severity, level of pain, self-efficacy, educational level, blue-collar work, and compensation status; moderate evidence was found for recovery expectations and physical workload. There was limited or inconsistent evidence for the other factors.ConclusionBased on the levels of evidence, injury severity should be considered as one of the key barriers to RTW in the early and late phases postinjury. This finding underlines the need for serious injury prevention efforts. Our results also emphasize the multifaceted actions of the biopsychosocial model to facilitate RTW: promoting policies for older injured workers, improving access to medical and rehabilitation facilities, and adapting physical workload. Multiple other factors are likely important but require additional high-quality studies to assess their role in the RTW process.

This study aims to explore the biopsychosocial factors linked with the well-being of students and educators during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how these factors affect feelings, thoughts, behavior, family relationships, and work environment. We developed a questionnaire comprising three domains: biological, psychological, and social. These three domains covered some of the symptoms that occurred in people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample included educators and students who were randomly selected from two countries: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan. The sample consisted of 56 academic staff, 6 administrative staff, and 232 students at the tertiary level. The main findings showed that the most commonly reported biopsychosocial factors linked with educators’ and students’ well-being were the effect on family, depression, negative effect of media, headache, increased eating and sleep, physical comfort, and positive effect on goal achievement. In addition, the results showed that the demographic variables, gender and academic levels, had no statistically significant effect on the participants’ responses, but there was a significant effect of social status. In addition, the study highlighted the common coping strategies used by educators and students, such as doing physical exercise, finding a hobby, sleeping, and eating more meals.

Objectives: To analyze if socioeconomic characteristics as lower education and lower family income are associated factors with the combination of pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 140 participants aged 40 years or older with KOA grades II and III. Based on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), four groups were identified: non-catastrophic/non-kinesiophobic (NC/NK), non-catastrophic/non-kinesiophobic (NC/K), catastrophic/non-kinesiophobic (C/NK), and catastrophic/kinesiophobic (C/K). Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS). The 30-s chair stand test was performed to access physical function. Sociodemographic characteristics included age, sex, years of formal education (0 to 11 and > 11), and family income (up to 2 minimum wages and > 2). Multinomial regression analysis adjusted for age, radiographic severity, physical function, and pain intensity was used to determine the association between lower education and lower family income with the combination of pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia. Results: Only lower education was independently associated with the combination of pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia (OR = 3.96 CI 95% 1.01–15.51). Conclusions: Lower education but not lower family income was an important associated factor with the combination of pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Thus, physician and physical therapist must pay attention on this important socioeconomic characteristic while conducting the treatment, since specific strategies of approach could be necessary for those patients. Key points • Lower education is an important associated factor with the combination of pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. • Physician and physical therapist must pay attention on patients schooling while conducting the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) present as pain or discomfort in the musculoskeletal system that individuals experience from work-related activities. Substantial research evidence exists on qualified nurses with WRMSDs, but there is a distinct lack of research regarding nursing students and their work environment in South Africa. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to establish a baseline prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst undergraduate nursing students. The secondary aim was to identify the role of certain occupational and biopsychosocial factors in the development of MSDs. Setting: The University of Johannesburg, Health Sciences Faculty, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study conducted through a questionnaire (from 24 June to 29 July 2019) was initiated amongst the undergraduate nursing students at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. All 250 undergraduate nursing students were given the opportunity to participate by completing the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire-Extended (NMQ-E). A total of 125 questionnaires were collected and used in the study. Data analysis consisted of frequencies, descriptives and custom tables. The Chi-square test for association was used to test the associations between variables. Results: The study found an 83% prevalence of MSDs. Musculoskeletal disorders occurred most commonly in the lower back (81.1%), neck (65.9%) and shoulder (63.6%) regions. Factors that showed associations with overall MSDs were female gender (p = 0.002), height (p = 0.009) and studying at home (p = 0.040). Stress and tablet or smartphone use had significant associations with certain body regions. Conclusion: The findings indicate a high prevalence of MSDs in undergraduate nursing students in this sample, substantially higher than in other similar studies in which lower back disorders were most prevalent.

Introduction: Gerontogenesis is the stage in which the de-structuring processes that appear simultaneously with age acquire precedence over the processes of ontogenetic development and adaptation. Aging is a complex process that reflects the relationship between hereditary and environmental, the border between the two being the expression of a significant heterogeneity. Objectives: A team of psychologists from the Social Gerontology - GerontoPsychology Research Laboratory of the "Ana Aslan" National Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics initiated, in 2019, the longitudinal study "Biopsychosocial factors and the dynamics of the gerontopsychological profile - GeRoPsi". The general objective was to identify the psychological factors and other types of elements involved in the adaptation process, and the analysis of the protective factors that contribute to the conservation of capacities and tools for adaptation and modeling of the environment. Identifying the psychoemotional dynamics that accompanies gerontogenesis is a first step in the longitudinal study and the subject of this article. Methods: The analysis, by quantitative and qualitative methods, of a sample of 1638 people, aged between 65-95 years, gave us a representation of their psychoemotional life in the face of aging and its limitations. Results: The data obtained indicate the presence of specific environmental factors that produce a reactive affective symptomatology in the elderly, with specific impact at psychological, physiological and behavioral-attitudinal levels. Specific to the usual conditions, age-related stress integrates a specific negative affective symptomatology characterized by irritability, age dysphoria in men, and depressive, anxious-depressive symptoms in women. Conclusions: Gerontogenesis involves specific changes in psychoemotional dynamics, and the identification of factors that reduce the existence of negative affective symptoms contributes to better assimilation and adaptation to age and the possibility of developing integrated intervention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in how catastrophising negatively impacts patient outcomes, but little research on how osteopaths perceive and manage catastrophising within the realities of clinical practice. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore osteopaths' experiences, understanding and attitudes towards the construct of pain catastrophising in patients and the strategies they employ to manage it. This qualitative study used in-depth semi-structured interviews with a sample of 9 UK registered osteopaths. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and constructivist grounded theory was used as a framework for data collection, analysis and category generation. Three categories were constructed from the data, each with three subcategories: 1) Category: Perceptions of catastrophising; sub-categories: Awareness of catastrophising, specific properties of catastrophising, a useful clinical construct. 2) Category: Approach to patient management; sub-categories: Catastrophising first aid, educating patients, the use of physical evidence. 3) Category: Osteopaths' pPerceived competence at managing catastrophising in patients. sub-categories: Understanding their professional role, level of clinical knowledge and skills, attitudes towards patients showing signs of catastrophising. Osteopaths found the construct of catastrophising clinically useful as they felt it possessed properties distinct from other negative psychosocial factors. Also, they felt relatively comfortable at managing the state in patients. However, the term catastrophising is problematic and can inadvertently result in stigmatising patients. The findings suggest that osteopaths should avoid labelling patients as 'catastrophisers', and instead seek to identify catastrophising aspects of the patient's presentation, contextualised within the patient's unique experience and narrative. This helps understand why patients are catastrophising, reduces practitioners' judgement towards them and helps to target the specific barriers to recovery. With a growing focus on psychosocial factors in musculoskeletal healthcare, there is perhaps a greater imperative to mitigate against psychosocial labels being inadvertently used to stigmatise patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than one-third of adolescents experience recurrent headaches. Usually, these headaches are of primary origin and modulated by different biological and psychosocial factors. While parents are often consulted in scientific research and medical care about the nature of their child’s headache, it is unclear to what extent parents and their children agree upon the factors that cause them. Adolescents’ own attributions of headaches have rarely been investigated, and it is unclear how those attributions affect behavioral and emotional outcomes. In the present study, adolescents with chronic headaches (N = 248) and their parents (N = 120) rated the influence of various biological and psychosocial factors on the adolescents’ headaches. Associations between these factors and several behavioral and emotional outcomes were examined. The most frequently reported factor by both samples was stress; however, concordance between parents and adolescents was generally low. The factor “other disease” was significantly associated with medication consumption and school absence. This study is one of the first to provide insights into adolescents’ own attributions of headaches. Furthermore, the significant associations of the factor with behavioral outcomes reveal the importance of understanding personal explanatory models of headache. Future studies should examine associations between subjective headache causes and the individual’s experience of the disorder to improve headache interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have comprehensively and contextually examined the relationship of variables associated with opioid use. Our purpose was to fill a critical gap in comprehensive risk models of opioid misuse and use disorder in the United States by identifying the most salient predictors.Methods: A multivariate logistic regression was used on the 2017 and 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included all 50 states and the District of Columbia of the United States. The sample included all noninstitutionalized civilian adults aged 18 and older (N = 85,580; weighted N = 248,008,986). The outcome of opioid misuse and/or use disorder was based on reported prescription pain reliever and/or heroin use dependence, abuse, or misuse. Biopsychosocial predictors of opioid misuse and use disorder in addition to sociodemographic characteristics and other substance dependence or abuse were examined in our comprehensive model. Biopsychosocial characteristics included socioecological and health indicators. Criminality was the socioecological indicator. Health indicators included self-reported health, private health insurance, psychological distress, and suicidality. Sociodemographic variables included age, sex/gender, race/ethnicity, sexual identity, education, residence, income, and employment status. Substance dependence or abuse included both licit and illicit substances (i.e., nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, methamphetamine, tranquilizers, stimulants, sedatives).Results: The comprehensive model found that criminality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.98-3.37, p < 0.001), self-reported health (i.e., excellent compared to fair/poor [AOR = 3.71, 95% CI = 2.19-6.29, p < 0.001], good [AOR = 3.43, 95% CI = 2.20-5.34, p < 0.001], and very good [AOR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.90-3.98, p < 0.001]), no private health insurance (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.55-2.89, p < 0.001), serious psychological distress (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.55-2.89, p < 0.001), suicidality (AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.14, p = 0.004), and other substance dependence or abuse were significant predictors of opioid misuse and/or use disorder. Substances associated were nicotine (AOR = 3.01, 95% CI = 2.30-3.93, p < 0.001), alcohol (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.02-1.92, p = 0.038), marijuana (AOR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.40-3.58, p = 0.001), cocaine (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI = 2.14-7.17, p < 0.001), methamphetamine (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.96-5.64, p < 0.001), tranquilizers (AOR = 16.72, 95% CI = 9.75-28.65, p < 0.001), and stimulants (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.03-5.87, p = 0.044).Conclusions: Biopsychosocial characteristics such as socioecological and health indicators, as well as other substance dependence or abuse were stronger predictors of opioid misuse and use disorder than sociodemographic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To develop and test a biopsychosocial model using structural equation modeling for predicting orofacial pain symptoms in a sample of patients with masticatory muscle pain (MMP). Methods: Data were collected from clinic records of 251 adult patients who presented for initial evaluation to the Orofacial Pain Center at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and were subsequently diagnosed with MMP. Data were used to fit a model relating stressors, psychological distress, arousal, sleep problems, oral parafunction, and pain symptoms. Items from the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) and the IMPATH:TMJ, a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), were used to construct a measurement model of five latent variables. Results: Estimation of the model indicated a good fit to the data and significant associations between stressors, psychological distress, arousal, sleep problems, and pain symptoms. Sleep problems partially mediated the relation between arousal and pain symptoms. Contrary to hypotheses, no association occurred between oral parafunction and pain symptoms, possibly indicating that any relationship between oral parafunction and pain symptoms may not exist. Conclusion: Results from the model tested in the present study are an additional step toward developing a more comprehensive biopsychosocial model explaining the nature and etiology of MMP in orofacial pain and TMD. With additional development and testing, it may also serve as an aid to planning interventions, especially psychosocial interventions targeting stress management, psychophysiological regulation, psychological distress, and sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between chronic oral diseases and other major systemic health conditions, commonly referred to as the oral-systemic health connection, has been previously studied with several underlying common risk factors and pathways linking both groups of diseases. Psychosocial factors contribute to an increased susceptibility to chronic oral and non-oral diseases. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the role of psychosocial stress in chronic oral and systemic diseases., Methods: A search strategy was built and a literature search was conducted using four databases (CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO). A combination of search terms related to psychosocial stress, systemic disease, and oral conditions were used. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included human adults (aged 18 years and older), included psychosocial factors as an exposure measure, and outcome measures of both an oral and systemic condition. Only English-language articles were considered. Pilot testing of the data extraction form and calibration were conducted and data were extracted independently by one researcher., Results: A total of fifteen articles out of eighty full-text articles screened were determined to be eligible for inclusion in this review. Periodontal disease was the most commonly studied oral disease, measured in 53% of included articles, with the most commonly studied systemic diseases being of mental health conditions (40%) and diabetes (47%). Psychosocial stress was measured using a range of psychometric indicators and/or biomarkers, including perceived stress, individual behaviours, childhood adversity, and cortisol. In total, fourteen studies found a positive association between measures of psychosocial stress and oral-systemic health., Conclusion: Psychosocial stress may be a common contributor to both chronic oral and non-oral diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Hensel, Nicholson, Anderson and Gomaa.)

Disability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is under-investigated. Models theorize that disability is the result of a disease and its related impairments, limitations, and restrictions. This disablement process can be affected by psychosocial factors. Pain, depression, catastrophizing, and social support are associated with IBD-disability outcomes, but no studies have examined these factors concurrently. This study examined the role of psychosocial factors in the process of IBD disablement within the context of pain. Depressive symptoms, pain catastrophizing, and perceived social support were proposed as mediators in the relationship between pain and pain-related disability in cross-sectional and longitudinal models. Cross-sectionally, the mediation effects of depressive symptoms and pain catastrophizing, but not perceived social support, were significant. Longitudinally, depression was a significant mediator. Depressive symptoms and pain catastrophizing have mechanistic roles in the relationship between IBD patients' pain and pain-related disability and should be targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize patients who believe their temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms are caused by their prior dental treatment. Methods: A sample of 337 patients were selected and classified into dental treatment-related and non-dental treatment-related groups, according to their personal belief of their TMD etiology. The relationship between patients' perceived etiology and patient characterization was analyzed using Chi-square and t-test. Results: One-hundred and thirty-one patients perceived that the cause of their TMD was dental-related. Within this group, 27.5% of the 131 patients considered that their TMD was specifically caused by prior dental treatment. These patients possessed significantly greater disability (self-reported work disability, family interference, and higher level of depression) compared to the patients who did not believe their TMD was caused by dental treatment. Conclusion: Dentists should recognize that their dental treatments could possibly be the cause of patients' TMD symptoms, according to patients' beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) present as pain or discomfort in the musculoskeletal system that individuals experience from work-related activities. Substantial research evidence exists on qualified nurses with WRMSDs, but there is a distinct lack of research regarding nursing students and their work environment in South Africa. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to establish a baseline prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst undergraduate nursing students. The secondary aim was to identify the role of certain occupational and biopsychosocial factors in the development of MSDs. Setting: The University of Johannesburg, Health Sciences Faculty, Doornfontein Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study conducted through a questionnaire (from 24 June to 29 July 2019) was initiated amongst the undergraduate nursing students at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. All 250 undergraduate nursing students were given the opportunity to participate by completing the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire-Extended (NMQ-E). A total of 125 questionnaires were collected and used in the study. Data analysis consisted of frequencies, descriptives and custom tables. The Chi-square test for association was used to test the associations between variables. Results: The study found an 83% prevalence of MSDs. Musculoskeletal disorders occurred most commonly in the lower back (81.1%), neck (65.9%) and shoulder (63.6%) regions. Factors that showed associations with overall MSDs were female gender (p = 0.002), height (p = 0.009) and studying at home (p = 0.040). Stress and tablet or smartphone use had significant associations with certain body regions. Conclusion: The findings indicate a high prevalence of MSDs in undergraduate nursing students in this sample, substantially higher than in other similar studies in which lower back disorders were most prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a scheduled 30‐min nap and its interaction with individual factors on sleepiness and cognition during an 8‐hr night shift. Design: This prospective, within‐subjects study conducted between 2011–2014 compared sleepiness and cognition with/without a nap during the night shift, in 109 female nurses, tested on two nights with and two nights without a nap in counterbalanced order. Methods: Nurses completed the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire for Shiftwork, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Pre‐Sleep Arousal Scale at study onset. They reported sleepiness hourly and performed the Digit Symbol Substitution and the Letter Cancellation Tasks at 3:00 and 7:00 a.m. They took a nap at 4:00 a.m. on nap nights and worked as usual on no‐nap nights. Sleep–wake patterns were monitored using actigraphs 24 hr before and during the shift. Caffeine consumption, workload and adverse events were reported. To assess the effectiveness of a scheduled nap, mixed‐models and repeated measures analyses of variance were used. Results: Lower levels of sleepiness were found at 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. on nap versus no‐nap nights. Increments in performance between 3:00–7:00 a.m. were significantly greater on nap versus no‐nap nights for Digit Symbol Substitution Task correct responses and Letter Cancellation Task capacity. No interactions between the nap and any of the individual factors emerged. Conclusion: A scheduled nap provides an effective countermeasure against the negative consequences of night‐time shift work in female nurses above and beyond interpersonal differences. Impact: Changes in attitude and policy are required to implement this beneficial and cost‐effective strategy. Trial registration number: ACTRN12618001857291. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than one-third of adolescents experience recurrent headaches. Usually, these headaches are of primary origin and modulated by different biological and psychosocial factors. While parents are often consulted in scientific research and medical care about the nature of their child’s headache, it is unclear to what extent parents and their children agree upon the factors that cause them. Adolescents’ own attributions of headaches have rarely been investigated, and it is unclear how those attributions affect behavioral and emotional outcomes. In the present study, adolescents with chronic headaches (N = 248) and their parents (N = 120) rated the influence of various biological and psychosocial factors on the adolescents’ headaches. Associations between these factors and several behavioral and emotional outcomes were examined. The most frequently reported factor by both samples was stress; however, concordance between parents and adolescents was generally low. The factor “other disease” was significantly associated with medication consumption and school absence. This study is one of the first to provide insights into adolescents’ own attributions of headaches. Furthermore, the significant associations of the factor with behavioral outcomes reveal the importance of understanding personal explanatory models of headache. Future studies should examine associations between subjective headache causes and the individual’s experience of the disorder to improve headache interventions.

Background: A variety of biological and psychosocial factors are associated with women’s sexual health in midlife and older age. Evidence suggests a decline in sexual functioning in the context of aging and the menopausal transition, including changes in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, and/or contentment. However, not all women in midlife and older age experience such a decline, and it remains unclear how the endocrine environment and psychosocial aspects contribute to the maintenance of healthy sexual functioning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine psychobiological predictors of sexual functioning in healthy middle-aged and elderly females.Methods: A total of 93 healthy, sexually active women aged 40–73 years completed a battery of validated psychosocial questionnaires, including measures of sexual functioning (Female Sexual Function Index) and of protective psychological traits and interpersonal variables. The steroid hormones estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were determined in saliva samples, while follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined in dried blood spots. The findings were statistically adjusted for multiple testing.Results: Age and postmenopausal status were negatively associated with overall sexual functioning, arousal, and lubrication. Regression analyses revealed that relationship satisfaction, emotional support, self-esteem, optimism, and life satisfaction each significantly predicted overall sexual functioning or specific aspects of sexual functioning, including arousal, contentment, orgasm, and pain (all p < 0.029). For desire and lubrication, no associations were found with the tested psychosocial factors. In terms of steroid hormones, testosterone was positively linked to orgasm (p = 0.012). In this sample, 79.6% reported to have healthy sexual functioning according to the questionnaires’ cutoff. Younger age (OR = 0.911, 95% CI 0.854–0.970, p = 0.004) and a higher level of emotional support (OR = 1.376, 95% CI 1.033–1.833, p = 0.029) were associated with the presence of healthy sexual functioning.Discussion: Although aging and menopause negatively affected aspects of sexual functioning, the accompanying endocrine correlates were not predictive for sexual functioning in this healthy sample of middle-aged and older females. Instead, our findings suggest that sexual functioning is highly dependent on psychosocial aspects related to well-being. Accordingly, personality traits such as optimism, and interpersonal aspects such as emotional support and relationship satisfaction were identified as important predictors of sexual functioning.