Work-related stress and coping methods of internists and primary care physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A mixed-method study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of health care workers. This study aimed to investigate the stress factors that cause burnout in Japanese physicians and their coping methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-method study to investigate the psychological responses of physicians in the early stages of the pandemic. A cross-sectional, web-based, anonymous survey was conducted among members of the American College of Physicians Japan Chapter to quantitatively investigate the stress factors and prevalence of burnout. An open-ended questionnaire with questions about stress factors and coping methods was additionally administered. The qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Among the 1173 physicians surveyed, 214 (18.2%) responded. Among the participants, 107 (50.0%) responded "yes" to the question "I feel or have felt very stressed at work during the COVID-19 pandemic," and 68 (31.8%) reported burnout symptoms. Those who reported feeling stress (117 respondents) were asked to select 12 items of the stress factors related to COVID-19. The most significant stress factor related to COVID-19 was "Perceived risk of spreading COVID-19 to family members" (n = 47). Content analysis identified 12 categories for the stress factors and 7 for stress-coping methods corresponding to COVID-19 (Cohen's kappa = 0.84 and 0.95, respectively). Conclusion: Several distinct stressors existed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which might be related to burnout among physicians. Practicing stress-coping strategies, as identified in the present study, may help reduce work-related stress and prevent burnout.

Prevalence of Burnout among Internal Medicine and Primary Care Physicians before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.

Objective To evaluate the change in the prevalence of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic among internists and primary care physicians in Japan, and to identify factors associated with the exacerbation of burnout among these populations during this period. Methods This was a cross-sectional study based on two web-based surveys conducted in January 2020 (before the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic) and June 2020 (during the pandemic). The participants were internists and primary care physicians of the Japanese Chapter of the American College of Physicians. The main outcome was the change in the prevalence of burnout between before and during the "first wave" of the pandemic. We also examined factors associated with the exacerbation of burnout during this period. Results Among the 283 respondents in the first survey and 322 in the second survey, 98 (34.6%) and 111 (34.5%) reported symptoms of burnout, respectively. In June 2020, 82 respondents (25.5%) reported that their level of burnout exacerbated compared to January 2020. Only the experience of self-quarantine was associated with the exacerbation of burnout [odds ratio (OR) 3.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49-6.50; p=0.002], while being a woman, being a resident physician, and an experience of having worked in a prefecture under a state of emergency were not. Conclusions No marked change in the prevalence of burnout among internists and primary care physicians in Japan was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole. However, self-quarantine was associated with the exacerbation of the burnout level.

Psychological Backgrounds of Medically Compromised Patients and Its Implication in Dentistry: A Narrative Review.

The number of medically compromised dental patients is increasing every year with the increase in the super-aged population. Many of these patients have underlying psychiatric problems and diseases, which need to be recognized by dental professionals for better treatment outcomes. The aim of this narrative review article is to summarize the psychological and psychiatric backgrounds of medically compromised patients who are frequently visited and taken care of by dentists using findings from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Anxiety and symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, panic disorders, poor cognitive functions, and poor quality of life were some of the common psychological backgrounds in medically compromised patients. Additionally, the consequences of these psychological problems and the considerations that need to be taken by the dentist while treating these patients have been discussed. Dental professionals should be aware of and recognize the different psychological backgrounds of medically compromised dental patients in order to provide appropriate dental treatment and to prevent oral conditions from worsening.

Sarcolipin expression is repressed by endoplasmic reticulum stress in C2C12 myotubes.

Sarcolipin is a transmembrane protein expressed in the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum of skeletal and atrial muscles in large animals. Sarcolipin plays crucial roles in heat production through modifying the function of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase, thereby being involved in thermogenesis and systemic metabolism. In skeletal muscle, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in several conditions, such as insulin resistance, muscle diseases, and hypo/hyper-contraction. Here, we investigated the effect of ER stress on sarcolipin expression in skeletal muscle cells, C2C12 myotubes. First, gene expression of sarcolipin was confirmed in the cells during myogenesis. Then, ER stress was induced in C2C12 myotubes by treatment with tunicamycin or thapsigargin. Sarcolipin messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression were significantly reduced by ER stress induction. The reduction was independent of inositol-requiring element 1 (IRE1), which is activated by ER stress and has potent endonuclease activity, when evaluated by treatment with an IRE1 inhibitor, 4µ8C. On the other hand, sarcolipin mRNA stability was reduced under the ER stress when evaluated by treatment with actinomycin D. In conclusion, these results show that ER stress represses sarcolipin expression due to changes in mRNA stability in C2C12 myotubes.

Stress-induced hemorrhagic gastric ulcer after successful Helicobacter pylori eradication: two case reports.

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori infection is a major cause of gastric ulcers, and Helicobacter pylori eradication drastically reduces ulcer recurrence. It has been reported, however, that severe physical stress is closely associated with gastric ulceration even in Helicobacter pylori -negative patients. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the cases of a 47-year-old Japanese man and a 69-year-old Japanese man who developed psychological stress-induced hemorrhagic gastric ulcers, in both of whom Helicobacter pylori had been successfully eradicated. CONCLUSION: Our cases strongly suggest that not only physical but also psychological stress is still an important pathogenic factor for peptic ulceration and accordingly that physicians should pay attention to the possible presence of psychological stress in the management of patients with peptic ulcers.