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Psychological Distress (psychological + distress)
Kinds of Psychological Distress Terms modified by Psychological Distress Selected AbstractsIMPACT OF MARITAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS ON THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE IN COUPLES UNDERGOING COUPLE THERAPYJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 2 2005Salima Mamodhoussen In this study, we describe the psychometric properties of the Couple Therapy Alliance Scale, revised (CTAS,r) and investigates the impact of marital and psychiatric distress on alliance. Seventy-nine couples in therapy completed a French version of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and of the Psychiatric Symptoms Index at session one, and a French version of the CTAS,r at session three. Results indicate that the French version of the CTAS,r has adequate psychometric properties, although the subscales of the instrument are highly intercorrelated. Furthermore, marital adjustment predicts alliance scores, whereas psychiatric symptoms do not. Finally, male marital adjustment and female psychiatric symptoms are lower in couples where spouses have divergent perceptions of the alliance. Future research directions are discussed. [source] SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, SHARING OF TRAUMATIC REMINISCES, AND MARITAL QUALITY AMONG SPOUSES OF HOLOCAUST CHILD SURVIVORSJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 4 2001Rachel Lev-Wiesel In this study, we examined the issue of secondary traumatic stress (STS) among spouses of Holocaust survivors who were children during the World War II. STS is defined as comprising the same components as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), except that the person evidencing the symptoms has not actually been exposed to the traumatic event(s), but has developed them as a result of caring for someone with PTSD. Participants were 90 couples who completed self-report questionnaires regarding posttraumatic symptoms, psychological distress, and marital quality. The results showed that about one-third of the spouses suffered from some degree of STS symptoms. Secondary traumatic stress symptoms and psychological distress among spouses were significantly related to hostility, anger, paranoia, and interpersonal sensitivity in the survivor, but unrelated to whether the survivor had shared his/her reminiscences with the spouse. Female spouses were found to suffer more distress than male spouses, especially when their partner suffered high levels of PTSD. The results suggest that STS is, to a large degree, related to the demands of living with a symptomatic survivor, possibly more than to the empathic element thought to be central to this syndrome. [source] Population-Based U.S. Study of Severe Headaches in Adults: Psychological Distress and ComorbiditiesHEADACHE, Issue 2 2006Objective.,To examine the associations between severe headaches (SH), psychological distress, and comorbid conditions among U.S. adults. Background.,The lifetime prevalence of headaches is over 90% and headaches, particularly migraines, have been associated with disability, increased healthcare costs, and mood disorders. Methods.,We analyzed data obtained from adults aged 18 years or older (n = 29,828) who participated in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey, an ongoing, computer-assisted personal interview of a representative sample of the U.S. population. Results.,Approximately 15.1% of adults aged 18 years or older reported SH in the previous 3 months. Those reporting such headaches were significantly more likely, than those who did not, to report insomnia, excessive sleepiness, recurrent pain, and depressive or anxiety symptoms during the preceding 12 months. Approximately 88% of those who reported having had SH within the previous 3 months also indicated that they had at least one comorbid medical condition, relative to 67% of those without SH. Conclusion.,Despite their episodic nature, our results suggest that SH are associated with impairments in both physical and mental health. As the presence of SH may serve as an indicator of significant psychological distress and medical comorbidities, eliciting information about their occurrence during a standard medical examination appears to be warranted. [source] Pathways to help-seeking in bulimia nervosa and binge eating problems: A concept mapping approachINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 6 2007Natasha Hepworth PhD Abstract Objective: To conduct an in-depth study, using concept mapping, of three factors related to help-seeking for bulimia nervosa and binge eating: problem recognition, barriers to help-seeking, and prompts to help-seeking. Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted to elicit information about help-seeking with 63 women (18,62 years) with past or present bulimic behaviors. Results: Using Leximancer software, factors identified as associated with problem recognition were Changes in Behavior, Interference with Life Roles, Comments about Changes and Psychological Problems. Salient barriers to help-seeking were Fear of Stigma, Low Mental Health Literacy/Perception of Need, Shame, Fear of Change and Cost. Prompts to help-seeking were increased Symptom Severity, Psychological Distress, Interference with Life Roles, Health Problems, and Desire to Get Better. Conclusion: Results highlighted the need for awareness campaigns to reduce both self and perceived stigma by others towards bulimic behaviors, and the need to enhance awareness of available interventions for people ready to engage in treatment, to increase help-seeking. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Urinary Incontinence and Psychological Distress in Community-Dwelling Older African Americans and WhitesJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 11 2004Hillary R. Bogner MD Objectives: To compare the association between urinary incontinence (UI) and psychological distress in older African Americans and whites. Design: A population-based longitudinal survey. Setting: Continuing participants in a study of community-dwelling adults who were initially living in East Baltimore in 1981. Participants: African Americans and whites aged 50 and older at follow-up interviews performed between 1993 and 1996 for whom complete data were available (n=747). Measurements: Participants were classified as incontinent if any uncontrolled urine loss within the 12 months before the interview was reported. Psychological distress was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results: African Americans with UI were more likely to experience psychological distress as measured using the GHQ than were African Americans without UI (unadjusted odds ratio=4.22, 95% confidence interval=1.72,10.39). In multivariate models that controlled for age, sex, education, functional status, cognitive status, and chronic medical conditions, this association remained statistically significant. The association between UI and psychological distress did not achieve statistical significance in whites. Conclusion: The effect of UI on emotional well-being may be greater for African Americans than for whites. [source] Levels of Psychological Distress Experienced by Family Carers of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities in an Urban ConurbationJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2004Eric Emerson Background The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the level of psychological distress reported by family carers of children with intellectual disability living in a large urban conurbation. Method Information was collected by postal questionnaire (or interview for family carers who did not have English as their first language) from the family carers of 408 children with intellectual disability (31% of all children within the area administratively identified as having an intellectual disability). Results Results indicated that 47% of primary carers scored above the threshold for psychological distress on the GHQ and that scoring above the threshold was strongly related to the emotional and behavioural needs of the index child and South-Asian ethnicity and moderately associated with the severity of the child's delay in communication. Conclusions The rates of psychological distress (47% overall, 70% among South-Asian carers) were markedly higher than that found in previous studies of carers supporting a child with intellectual disabilities. It is suggested that these elevated rates of psychological distress may be mediated by socio-economic deprivation. [source] Unmitigated Communion, Social Constraints, and Psychological Distress Among Women With Rheumatoid ArthritisJOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 1 2004Sharon Danoff-Burg This longitudinal study is the first to examine the influence of unmitigated communion on adaptation to a chronic illness that affects a much greater proportion of women to men. Women with rheumatoid arthritis completed measures of unmitigated communion, social constraints, and psychological distress at study entry and repeated the distress measure one year later. As expected, unmitigated communion was associated with psychological distress. Cross-sectional moderation analyses indicated that low social constraints buffered the negative effects of unmitigated communion. [source] A Multilevel Analysis of Gender Differences in Psychological Distress Over TimeJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 2 2009Amanda L. Botticello Females have higher rates of depression than males, a disparity that emerges in adolescence and persists into adulthood. This study uses hierarchical linear modeling to assess the effects of school context on gender differences in depressive symptoms among adolescents based on two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N=9,709 teens, 127 schools). Analysis indicates significant school-level variation in both overall symptom levels and the average gender gap in depression net of prior symptoms and individual-level covariates. Aggregate levels of depressive symptomatology were positively associated with contextual-level socioeconomic status (SES) disadvantage. A cross-level contingency emerged for the relationship between gender and depressive symptoms with school SES and aggregate perceived community safety such that the gender "gap" was most apparent in contexts characterized by low SES disadvantage and high levels of perceived safety. These results highlight the importance of context to understanding the development of mental health disparities. [source] The Relation between Puberty and Psychological Distress in Adolescent BoysJOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, Issue 1 2001Xiaojia Ge This longitudinal study examined the relation between puberty, as measured by both pubertal status and timing, and adjustment problems, as measured by externalized hostile feelings and internalized distress symptoms, among adolescent males in grades 7 through 10. The results showed that boys who were physically more developed in grade 7, compared with their less physically developed peers, manifested more externalized hostile feelings and internalized distress symptoms in grades 8 through 10. Pubertal timing was significantly related to both internalized distress and externalized hostile feelings. This relation remained statistically significant, even after controlling for grade 7 maladjustment symptoms and concurrent stressful life events. Several significant interaction effects emerged between pubertal timing and concurrent stressful life events. The significant long-term effect of the pubertal transition, independent of stressful life experiences and symptom continuity, suggests that the past undifferentiated view of the favorable influence of early maturation on males needs to be modified. [source] The Contributions of Political Life Events to Psychological Distress Among South AfricanPOLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2000Michelle Slone The psychological consequences of adverse political experiences among South African youth were studied in a sample of 540 black and white adolescents from two age groups, evenly divided by gender. Three questionnaires were administered, measuring exposure to political life events, the presence of symptoms of psychopathology, and stressful personal life events during the previous 5 years. The first hypothesis, predicting a substantial contribution of stressful political experiences to psychopathology, was strongly supported; when stressful personal life events were partialed out, a significant effect for political life events remained both on general distress and symptomatology indices. The second hypothesis of a linear relation between exposure to political life events and severity of distress was also confirmed. The findings underscore the enduring impact on children's mental health of past apartheid policies in South Africa specifically, and adverse political environments in general. [source] Compassion Fatigue and Psychological Distress Among Social Workers: A Validation StudyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2006Richard E. Adams PhD Few studies have focused on caring professionals and their emotional exhaustion from working with traumatized clients, referred to as compassion fatigue (CF). The present study had 2 goals: (a) to assess the psychometric properties of a CF scale, and (b) to examine the scale's predictive validity in a multivariate model. The data came from a survey of social workers living in New York City following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Factor analyses indicated that the CF scale measured multiple dimensions. After overlapping items were eliminated, the scale measured 2 key underlying dimensions,secondary trauma and job burnout. In a multivariate model, these dimensions were related to psychological distress, even after other risk factors were controlled. The authors discuss the results in light of increasing the ability of professional caregivers to meet the emotional needs of their clients within a stressful environment without experiencing CF. [source] Psychological assessment of malingering in psychogenic neurological disorders and non-psychogenic neurological disorders: relationship to psychopathology levelsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 10 2009M. Van Beilen Background and purpose:, It remains unknown whether psychological distress causes malingering in patients with psychogenic symptoms. Methods:, We studied 26 patients with psychogenic neurological disorders on psychopathology and malingering in comparison with 26 patients with various neurological conditions and 18 matched healthy controls (HC). Results:, Psychogenic patients showed the highest levels of psychological complaints and malingering, but non-psychogenic neurological patients also showed significantly more psychological distress and malingering compared with HC. Psychological distress was related to the degree of malingering, in both patient groups. Conclusion:, This data does not formally support a causal relationship between psychological distress and psychogenic neurological disorders, but suggests that a part of the psychological complaints is a general result of having an illness. The clinical implication of this study is that psychological distress is not sufficient for diagnosing functional complaints. Also, if a patient scores normal on a test for malingering, this does not mean that he or she is not suffering from psychogenic symptoms. [source] Urinary Incontinence and Psychological Distress in Community-Dwelling Older African Americans and WhitesJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 11 2004Hillary R. Bogner MD Objectives: To compare the association between urinary incontinence (UI) and psychological distress in older African Americans and whites. Design: A population-based longitudinal survey. Setting: Continuing participants in a study of community-dwelling adults who were initially living in East Baltimore in 1981. Participants: African Americans and whites aged 50 and older at follow-up interviews performed between 1993 and 1996 for whom complete data were available (n=747). Measurements: Participants were classified as incontinent if any uncontrolled urine loss within the 12 months before the interview was reported. Psychological distress was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results: African Americans with UI were more likely to experience psychological distress as measured using the GHQ than were African Americans without UI (unadjusted odds ratio=4.22, 95% confidence interval=1.72,10.39). In multivariate models that controlled for age, sex, education, functional status, cognitive status, and chronic medical conditions, this association remained statistically significant. The association between UI and psychological distress did not achieve statistical significance in whites. Conclusion: The effect of UI on emotional well-being may be greater for African Americans than for whites. [source] Widespread pain symptoms and psychological distress in southern Chinese with orofacial painJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 1 2010A. S. MCMILLAN Summary, The study investigated the experience of widespread pain (WP) symptoms and psychological distress in southern Chinese with orofacial pain (OFP). A community-based, cross-sectional case,control study involving people aged 35,70 registered with the Hospital Authority/University of Hong Kong Family Medicine Clinic served as the sampling frame. People with recent OFP symptoms and a group without OFP took part. Standard questions were asked about OFP conditions in the previous month. Psychological status was evaluated through depression, and non-specific physical symptoms (NPS) scores were measured with depression and somatization sub-scales of the Symptom Checklist-90. Widespread pain was determined using body outline drawings to identify painful sites prior to a standard clinical examination. Two hundred people with OFP and 200 without OFP participated. Compared with 5·0% in the comparison group (P = 0·005), 13·5% of participants with OFP had WP (OFP/WP). Multiple OFP symptoms were more common in the OFP/WP sub-group than the OFP sub-group without WP (OFP/No WP) (P < 0·002). Sixty-three percent of the OFP/WP sub-group had moderate/severe depression scores compared with 26·0% in the OFP/No WP sub-group (P < 0·001). When pain items were included and excluded, 92·6% and 88·9% of the OFP/WP sub-group had moderate/severe NPS scores, respectively compared with 68·5% and 65·0% in the OFP/No WP sub-group (P = 0·004). Co-morbid WP occurred relatively often in southern Chinese with OFP. Psychological distress was common in OFP sufferers, particularly those with WP. A multidisciplinary approach to treatment including cognitive/behavioural therapy should be considered in Chinese people with OFP as part of a WP pattern. [source] Predictors of psychological distress in family caregivers of persons with psychiatric disabilitiesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2003H. L. PROVENCHER phd The purpose of the study was to determine the relationships of primary and secondary stressors, and informal and formal supports, to psychological distress in 154 family caregivers of persons with psychiatric disabilities. All caregivers were members of self-help groups located in the Province of Quebec in Canada. Psychological distress was significantly lower among older caregivers, those working full time, and those experiencing lower objective and subjective burdens. Contrary to the hypotheses, caregivers who perceived more support from friends and had more contacts with their relatives' primary mental health providers experienced a higher level of psychological distress. [source] Psychological distress and coping strategies in patients with psoriasis: the PSYCHAE StudyJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2007A Finzi Abstract Objective, Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of psychological distress in a large sample of Italian patients with psoriasis; to establish whether disease severity and psychological distress are associated; to identify the strategies employed to cope with psoriasis; to evaluate the coping strategies employed by dermatologists; and to identify potential predictors of psychological distress. Design, Cross-sectional. Setting, Thirty-nine Italian dermatology centres. Subjects, One thousand five hundred and eighty (1580) patients with psoriasis. Methods, Minor psychological distress was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and major psychopathological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI); coping strategies were evaluated using the Brief COPE questionnaire; disease severity was evaluated using the body surface area index. Results, Patients were aged 44 ± 13 years (mean ± SD) and were mainly men (57%). Minor psychological distress was present in 46% of patients and major psychopathological distress in 11% of them. Both minor (54% vs. 40%, P < 0.0001) and major (17% vs. 7%, P < 0.0001) distress were more frequent in women than in men. The psychological status of women was worse than that of men independently from the extension of psoriasis. There was no association between the presence of distress and the treatment prescribed by dermatologists. Planning and active coping were the strategies most commonly employed by patients to cope with psoriasis, but there were between-gender differences. Most dermatologists employed a ,problem-orientated' attitude in caring for patients. Conclusions, (i) Psychological distress was relatively frequent in our patients with psoriasis; (ii) female gender was the most important predictive factor for psychological distress; (iii) there was no association between psoriasis severity and psychological distress; (iv) planning and active coping were the coping strategies most frequently employed by patients; and (v) most dermatologists employed a problem-orientated attitude in caring for patients. [source] Burnout and job satisfaction comparing healthcare staff of a dermatological hospital and a general hospitalJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 2 2005C Renzi Abstract Background Psychological distress among healthcare professionals can have negative effects on the well-being of the professionals and also on the quality of care they provide to patients. Objectives To evaluate burnout and job satisfaction of dermatologists and nurses working with dermatological patients compared with physicians and nurses of other specialties. Methods, A self-completed anonymous questionnaire was distributed to the personnel of two hospitals in Rome, Italy: a dermatological hospital (IDI) and a general hospital (GH), belonging to the same non-profit organization. Standardized instruments were used to assess burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory) and job satisfaction. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between burnout and working in dermatology vs. other specialties, job satisfaction, years of employment and respondents' sex and age. Results We distributed 929 questionnaires to clinical and non-clinical staff of IDI and 494 questionnaires to the GH staff (response rates: 53% at IDI and 50% at the GH). Among respondents there were 67 physicians and 59 nurses at IDI and 70 physicians and 148 nurses at the GH. Subsequent analyses refer only to this clinical subsample. Factor analysis showed that among physicians and nurses the two main factors explaining job satisfaction were respondents',satisfaction with the management of their unit' and ,opportunities for personal growth'. Among nurses the likelihood of burnout decreased significantly with higher levels of job satisfaction [odds ratio (OR) = 0.78; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.7,0.9] and working in dermatology compared with other specialties (OR = 0.46; 95% CI 0.2,0.9). Among physicians a lower likelihood of burnout was associated with job satisfaction (OR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.5,0.8) and older age (OR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.1,0.8). Conclusions Among both physicians and nurses, job satisfaction was associated with a lower likelihood of burnout, independently of clinical specialty and other factors. Burnout was similar for dermatologists and other specialists. Nurses of the GH compared with those working in dermatology had a higher probability of burnout and were significantly less satisfied with the management of their units and with opportunities for personal growth. [source] Psychological distress in long-term survivors of solid tumors diagnosed in childhood: A report from the childhood cancer survivor studyPEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 1 2007Brad J. Zebrack PhD Abstract Purpose To evaluate and compare psychological distress in long-term survivors of solid tumors diagnosed in childhood and their siblings, and to identify significant correlates of psychological distress. Procedure Adult survivors (2,778) of solid tumors diagnosed in childhood and 2,925 siblings completed a long-term follow-up questionnaire assessing symptoms associated with depression, somatization, and anxiety, as well as demographic, health, and medical information. Results Overall, a large majority of siblings and survivors reported few, if any, symptoms of psychological distress. In the aggregate, solid tumor cancer survivors reported significantly higher levels of global distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), as well as higher levels of somatization and anxiety, when compared to siblings. However, when compared to population norms, both survivors and siblings reported lower levels of global and dimensional distress. Female gender, lower educational and income attainment, perceived poor health status and reports of current health problems all were associated with reporting psychological distress symptoms for both survivors and siblings. Among survivors, having a limb amputation was associated with reporting fewer symptoms of global and dimensional distress. Conclusion Poor health status, low levels of income, education, and employment appear to be predictors of distress for survivors of solid tumors. Thus, interventions that promote health and facilitate educational advancement, income attainment and social interaction to minimize isolation and maximize social support may reduce psychological distress and promote quality of life for childhood cancer survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:47,51. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Mediating Pathways Explaining Psychosocial Functioning and Revictimization as Sequelae of Parental Violence Among Adolescent MothersAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2009Taryn Lindhorst PhD Adolescent mothers are at high risk for negative life events, such as previous childhood physical abuse, impaired psychosocial functioning, and young adulthood revictimization. However, little is known about the potential pathways in these events; hence, little is known about opportunities for intervention. This study used structural equation modeling to investigate mediators of the effects of parental child abuse on later psychosocial functioning and revictimization (in the form of intimate partner violence and sexual violence) among adolescent mothers, with longitudinal data spanning 2.4 years. On psychological distress in the final time period, parental physical child abuse had an early and then maintained effect but also effects mediated by earlier psychological distress and revictimization. Psychological distress rather than substance use appeared as the primary psychosocial factor mediating the effects of parental violence on both future distress and revictimization. For prevention of further psychosocial impairment and revictimization, these findings indicate the need for early intervention with adolescent mothers who come from abusive families and who display higher levels of psychological distress. [source] Psychological distress and its correlates in ovarian cancer: a systematic reviewPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Emily Arden-Close Abstract Objective: Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, and consequently high levels of distress are often experienced. It is necessary to understand the factors associated with psychological distress in order to guide interventions to target those factors. The purpose of this systematic review was therefore to identify correlates of psychological distress in ovarian cancer. Methods: Included studies had to be quantitative and empirical, with standardized measures of psychological distress (anxiety or depression), and to present results for ovarian cancer patients specifically. Standard systematic search methods were used. Information about design, ovarian cancer sample size, disease stage, time since diagnosis, measures of distress used and findings was extracted from each study. The studies were quality assessed using experimenter-defined criteria as good, average and poor quality. Strength of the evidence (strong, some, inconclusive) was based on the quality and consistency of findings. Results: Eighteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. There was strong evidence for a relationship between younger age, being diagnosed with more advanced disease, more physical symptoms and shorter time since diagnosis with increased levels of anxiety and/or depression. Additional factors (e.g. immune) tested in a few studies also emerged as correlates of distress. Conclusions: Demographic, disease and quality of life factors correlated with distress. However, too few studies assessed possible psychological and immunological correlates, which could be potentially modified and should be assessed in future studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Psychological distress in long-term survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantationPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Anna Rusiewicz Abstract The prevalence of psychological distress is higher in cancers with poorer prognoses and speculated as higher in those receiving more aversive treatments. Since hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is one of the most taxing cancer treatments to endure and is therefore likely to have more long-term sequelae, this study examined psychological distress symptoms in long-term HSCT survivors who were at least 1 year post-transplant. Participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited from urban medical centers as part of a larger study of HSCT survivors. The sample comprised 236 adults who were on average 3.4 years since transplant. Psychological distress was measured by a commonly used self-report questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory. Clinically elevated psychological distress caseness was present in 43% of long-term HSCT survivors. Elevations were highest on clinical subscales of obsessive-compulsiveness, somatization, and psychoticism. However, item-level analyses revealed that the content of the most frequently reported symptoms included trouble with memory and feelings of loneliness. Results of this study suggest that HSCT survivors may experience memory and existential concerns and that such symptoms may not represent psychiatric sequelae. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Psychological distress and concerns of elderly patients treated with palliative radiotherapy for lung cancerPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 8 2007N. J. Turner Abstract We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 83 elderly patients (aged 75 and above) being treated with palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer, with a comparison group of 49 younger patients (aged 65 and under). Psychological distress and concerns were measured before and after treatment using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a Concerns Checklist. Psychosocial morbidity was common, however, prevalence was similar in both age groups. There was a trend towards worsening of both anxiety and depression scores after treatment, but this did not reach statistical significance. Younger patients reported more concerns than the older group (median 12 vs 10) but this too was not statistically significant. Concerns about the illness and symptoms were more likely to have been addressed by the care team than were concerns about psychosocial issues such as the family and the future. People of all ages have similar concerns and levels of anxiety and depression whilst receiving palliative radiotherapy for lung cancer. Further research is needed to explore the use of screening tools, like those used in this study, to identify patients' difficulties and target interventions to improve their quality of life. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Psychological distress and GI symptoms are related to severity of bloating in women with irritable bowel syndromeRESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 2 2008Hyo Jung Park Abstract Bloating is a frequent complaint of women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We compared retrospective and daily diary gastrointestinal and psychological distress symptoms in 183 women ages 18,48 in three IBS subgroups: Minimal-Bloating, Mild-Bloating, Moderate-Severe-Bloating. More women with moderate to severe levels of bloating reported a history of hard stools, straining to have a stool, a history of depressive disorders, and more severe daily symptoms of depression and anxiety as compared to women with minimal or mild bloating symptoms. Appraising the level of symptom severity and psychological distress is vital to the selection of appropriate treatment options. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 31:98,107, 2008 [source] Psychological distress amongst AIDS-orphaned children in urban South AfricaTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 8 2007Lucie Cluver Background:, South Africa is predicted to have 2.3 million children orphaned by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by 2020 (Actuarial Society of South Africa, 2005). There is little knowledge about impacts of AIDS-related bereavement on children, to aid planning of services. This study aimed to investigate psychological consequences of AIDS orphanhood in urban township areas of Cape Town, South Africa, compared to control groups of children and adolescents orphaned by other causes, and non-orphans. Method:, One thousand and twenty-five children and adolescents (aged 10,19) were interviewed using socio-demographic questionnaires and standardised scales for assessing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, peer problems, delinquency and conduct problems. Results:, Controlling for socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, formal/informal dwelling and age at orphanhood, children orphaned by AIDS were more likely to report symptoms of depression, peer relationship problems, post-traumatic stress, delinquency and conduct problems than both children orphaned by other causes and non-orphaned children. Anxiety showed no differences. AIDS-orphaned children were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Compared to Western norms, AIDS-orphaned children showed higher levels of internalising problems and delinquency, but lower levels of conduct problems. Conclusions:, Children orphaned by AIDS may be a particularly vulnerable group in terms of emotional and, to a lesser extent, behavioural problems. Intervention programs are necessary to ameliorate the psychological sequelae of losing a parent to AIDS. [source] Psychological distress is associated with a range of high-priority health conditions affecting working AustraliansAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2010Libby Holden Abstract Background: Psychological distress is growing in prevalence in Australia. Comorbid psychological distress and/or depressive symptoms are often associated with poorer health, higher healthcare utilisation and decreased adherence to medical treatments. Methods: The Australian Work Outcomes Research Cost-benefit (WORC) study cross-sectional screening dataset was used to explore the association between psychological distress and a range of health conditions in a sample of approximately 78,000 working Australians. The study uses the World Health Organization Health and Productivity Questionnaire (HPQ), to identify self-reported health status. Within the HPQ is the Kessler 6 (K6), a six-item scale of psychological distress which strongly discriminates between those with and without a mental disorder. Potential confounders of age, sex, marital status, number of children, education level and annual income were included in multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Psychological distress was significantly associated with all investigated health conditions in both crude and adjusted estimates. The conditions with the strongest adjusted association were, in order from highest: drug and alcohol problems, fatigue, migraine, CVD, COPD, injury and obesity. Conclusions: Psychological distress is strongly associated with all 14 health conditions or risk factors investigated in this study. Comorbid psychological distress is a growing public health issue affecting Australian workers. [source] Distress among rural residents: Does employment and occupation make a difference?AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2010Lyn Fragar Abstract Objective:,This study investigates the relationship between levels of mental health and well-being (in terms of self-reported levels of distress) with employment and occupational status of rural residents, to better inform the provision of mental health services to those in greatest need in rural communities. Method:,A stratified random sample of community residents in rural and remote New South Wales with over-sampling of remote areas as first stage of a cohort study. Psychological distress was measured using Kessler-10, inclusive of additional items addressing functional impairment (days out of role). Occupational data were classified using Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations categories. Results:,A total of 2639 adults participated in this baseline phase. Among them, 57% were in paid employment, 30% had retired from the workforce, 6% were permanently unable to work and 2% were unemployed. The highest levels of distress and functional impairment were reported in those permanently unable to work and the unemployed group with rates of ,caseness' (likely mental health disorder) varying from 57% to 69%, compared with 34% of farmers and farm managers and 29% of health workers (P < 0.01). Conclusion:,The rural unemployed suffer considerable psychological distress and ,disability', yet they are not the target of specific mental health promotion and prevention programs, which are often occasioned by rural adversity, such as drought, and delivered through work-based pathways. Policy-makers and health service providers need to consider the needs of the rural unemployed and those permanently unable to work and how they might be addressed. [source] A prospective study of the impact of laser treatment on vascular lesionsBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2000G. Gupta Background,Vascular lesions, especially on exposed sites, can be unsightly and may cause significant psychological distress. Lasers are effective in treating such lesions, but relatively few studies have been performed looking at psychological scoring before and after laser therapy. Objectives,To assess the change in psychological distress in patients with vascular lesions following laser treatment. Patients and methods,A prospective study was performed with patients recruited over a 3-month period. Psychological distress was measured using subjective scores on a standard questionnaire before treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. Each patient was treated every 4,8 weeks with an appropriate laser by the same dermatologist until discharge. Forty-two patients were recruited with one of four diagnoses: telangiectasia, port wine stain (PWS), vascular spider or cherry angioma, which occurred mainly on facial or exposed sites. Results,Following laser treatment, there was a significant decrease in subjective scores of patients with telangiectasia and vascular spiders. Patients with PWS showed objective improvement but this was not reflected in their subjective scores. Psychological distress had reduced significantly in patients with less severe vascular lesions. Conclusions,Laser treatment of minor vascular lesions leads to objective improvement, which is paralleled by psychological benefit, but objective benefit in PWS may not be perceived as beneficial by patients. [source] The Influence of Congenital Heart Disease on Psychological Conditions in Adolescents and Adults after Corrective SurgeryCONGENITAL HEART DISEASE, Issue 6 2006Kambiz Norozi MD ABSTRACT Objective., The present study was designed to examine psychological characteristics of adolescents and adults with operated congenital heart disease (ACHD). Particularly it was to be examined whether cardiological parameters may be associated with subjectively perceived impairments and measures of psychological distress. Patients., A total of 361 men (209) and women (152) between 14 and 45 years underwent medical checkups and an interview on psychological and sociological issues. Setting., The medical part consisted of a complete cardiological examination including the classification of residual symptoms according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA), and spiroergometry. The Brief Symptom Inventory was used for depicting current psychological and somatic symptoms. These were assessed on 9 subscales: somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. Results., The analyses revealed statistically significant associations between the degree of NYHA class and psychological symptoms. These findings could not be reproduced for physical fitness as measured by peak oxygen consumption. No gender differences emerged. Conclusions., Our results suggest that psychological measures of ACHD are not directly dependent on their physical fitness or on the severity of residual symptoms. Instead, patients' subjective appraisal of their disease severity and the conviction to what degree one can depend on the operated heart may be important determinants of psychological states. [source] The relationship between quality of life and levels of hopelessness and depression in palliative careDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 9 2008Kyriaki Mystakidou M.D., Ph.D. Abstract There is growing interest in the psychological distress and quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to compare the responses of 102 advanced cancer patients on a quality of life scale (as measured by the SF12) with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), as well as the impact of depression and hopelessness on quality of life. Significant associations were found between gender (P=.027), performance status (P=.003), opioids (P=.002), depression (P<.0005), and hopelessness (P<.0005) with the SF12-Mental Component Score (MCS). Gender (P=.07), metastasis (P=.001), opioids (P=.0005), and education (P=.045) correlated significantly with SF12-Physical Component Score (PCS). In the prediction of MCS, the dimensions of age, hopelessness, gender, and performance status were statistically significantly high (P<.0005), explaining 48% of variance. For PCS, the predictor variables were education, metastasis, and opioids (25% of variance). Quality of life, in this patient population, was predicted by the level of hopelessness and patients' demographic and clinical characteristics. Depression and Anxiety. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The effect of social networks and social support on common mental disorders following specific life eventsACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2010P. K. Maulik Maulik PK, Eaton WW, Bradshaw CP. The effect of social networks and social support on common mental disorders following specific life events. Objective:, This study examined the association between life events and common mental disorders while accounting for social networks and social supports. Method:, Participants included 1920 adults in the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Cohort who were interviewed in 1993,1996, of whom 1071 were re-interviewed in 2004,2005. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results:, Social support from friends, spouse or relatives was associated with significantly reduced odds of panic disorder and psychological distress, after experiencing specific life events. Social networks or social support had no significant stress-buffering effect. Social networks and social support had almost no direct or buffering effect on major depressive disorder, and no effect on generalized anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse or dependence disorder. Conclusion:, The significant association between social support and psychological distress, rather than diagnosable mental disorders, highlights the importance of social support, especially when the severity of a mental health related problem is low. 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