This article examines the transformative changes in how mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is being delivered in cancer care, focusing on innovations aimed at increasing patient access, engagement, and personalization. Traditional methods of MBSR delivery face obstacles such as physical limitations, geographical constraints, and scheduling conflicts, which can inhibit patient involvement. To address these challenges, digital solutions such as online platforms and mobile applications have
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Cancer poses numerous challenges for the elderly and affects various aspects of their lives, including economic, family, psychological, social, and physical well-being. This study aimed to investigate the supportive care needs of the elderly with cancer. In this descriptive-analytical research, 248 elderly individuals (144 men and 104 women) with a mean age of 67.17 ± 6.94 years, who were diagnosed with cancer, were selected from the Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Japan, in 2023 using a non
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Written by Sivaramakrishnan Muthanandam
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Long-distance heavy vehicle drivers are often a marginalized group, with limited research on their awareness and understanding of oral cancer. This survey, part of a larger research project funded by the ICMR, aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of oral cancer among truck drivers who regularly stop in and around Pondicherry. A total of 2340 truck drivers participated by completing a pre-validated questionnaire. Responses were analyzed based on frequency and total knowledge sc
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Written by Fei Hsiu Hsiao
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health problems faced by children and adolescents. These conditions can negatively impact their performance at home, at school, and in social interactions. Identifying the most effective behavioral and psychiatric treatments for these disorders is crucial. This study examines the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety in children and adolescents. Many of the studies reviewed presented methodological and theoreti
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Cancer remains a major global public health challenge and is among the leading causes of disease burden in various countries. This study aimed to examine the relationship between key factors such as screening, awareness, and beliefs about cancer, a critical health issue. Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6) were used to analyze responses from 6,252 American adults. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to assess the association between cancer screening, awaren
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Written by Cristian Delcea
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
This study examines how certain maladaptive cognitive schemas—such as feelings of defectiveness, failure, dependence, vulnerability to harm or illness, social isolation, incompetence, and enmeshment/undeveloped self—can predict suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research, conducted from 2020 to 2022, included 58 adolescents (61% male, 39% female), all of whom had at least 9 years of schooling. The Young Cognitive Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3) and the
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Written by Francisco J Ruiz
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Chronic illness in a child affects all aspects of family life and affects all family members. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the life satisfaction of mothers of children with cancer. The study included mothers of children with cancer, with a total of 32 participants selected through convenient sampling. These participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: an experimental group (16 mothers) and a control group (16 mothers). The D
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Written by Vladimir Vladimirovich Shotaev
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Obesity is a multifaceted chronic disease that poses a significant health risk due to its association with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Among the various factors contributing to obesity, adipokines—hormones secreted by adipose tissue—such as leptin, adiponectin, and visfatin play a key role in regulating metabolic processes. This study investigated the effect of chronic emotional stress on the secretion of these adipokines in the blood serum of obese rats. The analysis showed that str
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Written by Madeeha Malik
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Burnout and mental health disorders are widely recognized as important factors in the global health crisis. This study aimed to investigate the stigma associated with burnout and mental health conditions among healthcare providers in Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for the study. To assess burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used, while anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and the severity of work-related depress
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Written by Elena Petrova
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
The objective of this research was to assess the quality of life (QoL) experienced by individuals managing long-term indwelling urinary catheters (IUC) in their homes in Northwestern Tanzania. As far as we are aware, this represents the initial report on QoL for home-dwelling patients with long-term IUC across Africa. A descriptive cross-sectional investigation was carried out from December 2016 to September 2017. We conveniently enrolled 202 adult outpatients (aged 18 years or older) who were r
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Written by Patricia L. Morgan
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Substance and drug misuse leads to serious health consequences and imposes a significant financial strain on global economies as well as individual households. Nevertheless, there is scarce information regarding socioeconomic inequalities in the consumption of substances of abuse in low- and middle-income nations, including Kenya. This research sought to examine the socioeconomic differences in the patterns of drug and substance use within Murang’a County in central Kenya. A cross-sectional stud
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Written by Mohammed A. Rahman
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
In the context of limited social protection and health security in Ghana, individuals living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) depend heavily on intergenerational support to meet the recurring costs of care. This study assessed the extent of informal support received by patients with NCDs and examined the factors associated with the provision of such support. A total of 339 patients receiving care for NCDs at three hospitals in Ghana participated in a survey in which they identified members
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Grasping the factors that shape self-rated health (SRH), also known as subjective health, is critically important, given its strong association with objective health outcomes and mortality risk. Extensive prior research has explored the correlates, precursors, and potential drivers of SRH, typically assessed at a single point in time or as an outcome measure. In this investigation, we assess whether personal mastery—a key measure of personal agency—exerts a beneficial influence on SRH across an
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Written by Valeria Rossi
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Anemia remains one of the most widespread nutritional disorders among young children globally. In 2019 alone, nearly 270 million children aged 6–59 months were affected, with African countries bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. Ethiopia continues to face a high prevalence of childhood anemia, characterized by marked differences across administrative regions. Understanding how these regional disparities have evolved over time is essential for guiding equitable public health intervent
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Written by Santiago M. Lopez
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
This study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional association between return-to-work (RTW) status and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among cancer survivors after diagnosis and treatment. A questionnaire-based survey incorporating three validated HR-QOL measures was administered to Japanese cancer survivors during their initial post-discharge follow-up visit. Participants were enrolled by nurse researchers from inpatient wards between 2016 and 2017. The collected data underwent statist
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Written by Helen S. Brooks
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
This study aims to examine public attitudes and beliefs regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in Alberta, Canada, during the province’s fourth wave of the pandemic in September 2021. A total of 9,400 posts and comments published between September 1 and September 30, 2021, were collected from the r/Alberta subreddit using Pushshift.io. Content was manually reviewed to assess relevance to the study objectives and subsequently analyzed using inductive coding and an iterative qualitative
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Young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are known to appear within the youth justice system at markedly higher rates than in the general population, with research suggesting that such needs are present in the majority of young people who offend. When these communication-related difficulties are not adequately recognised or addressed, they can significantly limit young people’s ability to participate effectively in Youth Offending Services (YOS) and to express their view
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Written by Monica R. Alvarez
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Extensive evidence shows that COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in the United States have been unevenly distributed across racial and ethnic groups, with minority populations experiencing disproportionately severe outcomes. This study revisits the role of race and ethnicity in shaping COVID-19 mortality during the first year of the pandemic. Using county-level data and an ecological regression design, the analysis contributes in two key ways. First, it quantifies the association between racial/et
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Written by Grace A. O’Neill
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Since its emergence, COVID-19 has placed severe strain on societies worldwide, with deaths occurring more frequently among older adults and people with chronic health conditions. Marked international differences in infection outcomes and case fatality rates (CFRs) have prompted investigation into the role of demographic and social conditions in shaping COVID-19 mortality. This study assessed how population age structure, disparities in human development, healthcare resources, and pandemic respon
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Written by Chiara Lombardi
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the education sector. To reduce disruptions to teaching and learning, the majority of Malaysian universities transitioned to online delivery during this exceptional phase of the pandemic. As increasing numbers of Malaysians achieved full vaccination against COVID-19, the education sector was anticipated to resume in-person instruction in the current year. Evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding COVID-19 among undergraduates enga
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Written by Paul J. Stevens
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
This preliminary trial focused on adjusting a program that involves family or unpaid caregivers in collaborating with healthcare professionals to deliver support aimed at preserving or boosting daily physical abilities in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related forms of dementia. As far as we are aware, this marks the initial documentation of applying this program to individuals affected by these conditions. Over a period of five months, we carried out a mixed-methods follow-up study involv
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Written by Omar A. Khaled
Published in Vol 4 , 2024
Adolescents who have tried cannabis face a markedly higher likelihood of engaging in strongly habit-forming substances, including cocaine, heroin, and improper use of prescription medications. It remains unclear if this heightened likelihood extends to teenage cannabis users who have never used traditional cigarettes, a subgroup that has expanded significantly in recent times. This research tracks the recent expansion in the share of teenage cannabis users who avoid traditional cigarette smoking
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