Patient perspective in perceived comparative genetic mutation risk: An exploratory review.

The genetic risk of chronic diseases represents a complex medical setting in which individuals need to adapt to health conditions that manage daily living towards to healthy behaviours. This exploratory review focused on psychological counselling for genetic risk diagnosis. This study aimed to address the psychological management of the impact of genetic risk on chronic diseases. We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus for articles from May 2012 to August 2023. A descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the included studies was conducted. Based on the exclusion/inclusion criteria, the literature search yielded 250 studies. Seventeen full texts were assessed for eligibility and 207 articles were excluded. Observational (n = 15) and randomised clinical trials (n = 2) were examined. Most studies have been conducted on oncological diagnoses; the emotional dimensions examined have been worry, depression, anxiety and stress in most diseases. Psychological measures are based on self-reports and questionnaires; few studies have investigated the connections between quality of life, psychological traits and emotional dimensions. The complexity of clinics and from daily diagnostic and treatment practices to the everyday experience of those living with the risk of disease might be addressed in counselling settings to improve quality of life in genetic risk, increasing mental adaptation to tailored chronic conditions. Thus, the empowerment of communication of genetic risk information should be part of the general trend towards personalised medicine.

Early Diagnosis of Melanoma and Breast Cancer in Women: Influence of Body Image Perception.

The diagnosis of melanoma and breast cancer may impact many aspects of life with significant reductions in emotional functioning and quality of life. The aim of the study was to analyze the emotional traits of female patients with oncological in early-stage diagnosis, investigating predictors for psychological distress and analyzing body image perception. An observational study was conducted, A sample of 84 female cancer patients (age range 30-55 years) with melanoma (n = 42) and breast cancer diagnosis (n = 42). The examined emotional variables were psychological distress; depression, stress, and anxiety; metacognitions; and body self-perception. Findings showed higher psychological distress in breast cancer than in melanoma patients (p = 0.00), which was related to lower positive self-perception of body image (p = 0.03). Furthermore, psychological distress was negatively correlated with consequences of clinical treatment on body image, and low well-being affected the social interaction and well-being with own body. There was no significant difference between cancer staging and timing from diagnosis. Prevention and therapeutic psychological protocols might be adapted and tailored to the unmet needs of the patients in medical treatments to promote and enhance the Quality of Life in survivorship.

[Metacognitions and quality of life in survivorship after breast cancer diagnosis]. / Metacognizione e qualità della vita nella survivorship delle donne con diagnosi di cancro al seno.

AIM: Aim of the study was to measure the belief and metacognition strategies trend in the survivorship of fertile women with breast cancer. We wanted to observe the metacognitive performance of young women went out primary treatment getting survivors; we wanted to assess the impact of metacognitive strategies in coping with survivorship in cancer patients who have been diagnosed at an early age. METHODS: Seventy two women in age range 30-55 year olds (mean 48; sd= ±6) with breast cancer diagnosis participated in the study. Depression and anxiety, psychological distress and metacognitions thinking have been measured. RESULTS: Results evidenced age as vulnerable variable in emotions dealing with oncological post-treatment living (higher anxiety in young patients), but with some features: in our study, patients appeared resilient to the psychological distress and depression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our finding showed that early diagnosis in early age and early stage of disease might be related to emotional trend starting from fragility in early post-treatment and then in survivorship it tends to get positively by resilient dynamics.

An Integrated Approach for a New Pattern in Pediatric Primary Care: Interaction Mediation for Active and Efficient Medical Consultations.

Introduction: This study analyzed the impact of an innovative integrated approach in pediatric care on children's behavior and cooperation during care. Methods: The participants included 75 children aged 3-8 years (30 girls and 45 boys) recruited from a pediatric surgery department. The sample was categorized into three groups according to experimental condition: the Control, Playing, and Interaction groups. Results: A one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in cooperation between the three groups [F (2,1) = 5.52; p = 0.006]. A post-hoc analysis showed better performance in the Interaction group (p = 0.002) compared to the Control group during clinical care. The Control group also showed less cooperation compared to the Playing group (p = 0.009). Conclusions: The findings indicate that distraction before medical care can positively influence children's behavior, increasing their cooperation in medical settings. Future studies could objectively analyze physiological changes in children during medical care to better relieve anxiety and provide them with more efficient care.