Psychosocial effects of gender-based violence among women in Vhembe district: A qualitative study.

Background: The phenomenon of gender-based violence is a pertinent social problem in South Africa. The fear of reporting gender-based violence contributes to its continuation, marginalisation and silencing of victims. Objectives: The study sought to explore the psychosocial effects of gender-based violence among women in Vhembe district. Methods: An exploratory phenomenological research design was used and sampling was performed purposively from a population of women who experienced gender-based violence in a low-resource, rural setting of Vhembe district. Semi-structured telephonic interviews were used as the main method of data collection after permissions and informed consent were sought for conducting the study. Thematic content analysis was applied to convert the participants' statements into a meaningful framework to derive the findings. Results: A total of 15 participants aged from 19 to 35 years participated in the study. Their psychosocial experiences of gender-based violence were depression, worthlessness, social isolation and anger directed towards children. Conclusion: This research confirms that gender-based violence remains one of the most challenging problems associated with mental health problems in Vhembe district. It affirms the need to focus on awareness in rural areas afflicted by patriarchal attitudes, norms and stereotypes. Gender-based violence should to be viewed as human rights violation for victims' protection. Contribution: The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the experiences of gender-based violence among marginalised women from rural areas.

Explaining the Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 Among Older Hong Kong Chinese People-A Qualitative Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Social distancing and "stay-at-home" orders are essential to contain the coronavirus outbreak; however, there are growing concerns about physical and other mental distress in older people. Apart from quantitative data, their feelings, thoughts, and experience are essential to inform the implementation of patient-centered health care policy. AIM: This study explained the psychosocial effects of COVID-19 on Hong Kong Chinese older people. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a qualitative study. Twenty-three participants aged between 63 and 86 were recruited in primary care through purposive sampling. METHOD: Semi-structured in-depth telephone interviews were conducted to explore participants' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded theory was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three themes, nine subthemes, and 24 quotes were identified. The 3 themes included the psychological response of fear, annoyance, and worrisome; social isolation leading to loneliness and physical exhaustion; and the coping strategies in adversity. Fear was the major emotional response, which was not entirely explained by the uncertainty of the disease, but also the embedded routines norms and values. Loneliness was aggravated by the depleted family and community support. Physical distancing had intensified ones physical demand on self-care, especially among those with comorbid illnesses. The use of digital tools and telecommunications maintained the social connection, but the overexposure had led to a vicious cycle of anxiety and distress. CONCLUSION: Self-isolation has disproportionately affected older individuals whose only social contact is out of the home. Online technologies can be harnessed to provide social support networks and a sense of belonging, but its adaptive and positive uses should be encouraged. Interventions can also involve more frequent telephone contact with significant others, close family and friends, voluntary organizations, or health-care professionals, or community outreach teams. Enhancing the values of older people's in calamity through active engagement may also potentially reduce the detrimental effect of social isolation.

The psychosocial impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: Type 1 diabetes mellitus has a large psychosocial impact on children and their families. This study's primary aim was to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects the psychosocial impact of T1DM and glycaemic control. METHODS: During the 2020 lockdown, New South Wales residents were not allowed to leave home except for essential activities. After 3 months, children with T1DM and their parents were invited to complete online questionnaires. Data on glycaemic control were extracted from the children's clinical records with informed consent. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to analyse the responses. RESULTS: Out of 149 families, 99 responses were received, with 92 participants identified. Comparable proportions of parents (56%) and children (45%) were anxious about the child's increased risk of contracting severe illness due to COVID-19. Most responses from parents and children were closely correlated (r > 0.5, P ≤ 0.001) There was no consistent effect of lockdown on HbA1c levels, but there was a significant inverse correlation between HbA1c levels and parents' perception of the child having clear and concrete goals for diabetes care (r = -0.25, P < 0.05). The HbA1c also correlated positively with the child feeling depressed and alone with their diabetes when isolated (r = 0.36, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Despite life-style changes and a negative psychosocial impact, we did not find objective evidence of any detrimental impact of the lockdown on diabetic control. However, higher HbA1c correlated with children feeling more depressed and alone. There was a comparable frequency of anxiety concerning the risk of severe COVID illness in children and their parents.

Psychosocial Difficulties Experienced By Parents Of Babies Treated In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit During The Coronavirus Pandemic.

AIM: This study had two objectives: (1) to investigate the psychosocial difficulties experienced by parents of babies treated in a neonatal intensive care unit during the coronavirus pandemic and (2) to determine parent-infant attachment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study adopted phenomenology, a qualitative research design in order to answer the research questions design. The sample consisted of 20 parents of babies treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a City Hospital in Turkey between July and August 2021. Participation was voluntary. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and a semi-structured qualitative interview form. Each participant was interviewed face to face. Each interview was recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 32.2 ± 3.61 years and at least secondary school degrees. Babies were admitted to the NICU for congenital anomalies (n = 3) or preterm birth (n = 7). Participants experienced anxiety, worry, and loneliness and produced less milk because they could not see and touch their babies. Their greatest source of support was their spouses. CONCLUSION: Parents of babies treated in the NICU during the COVID-19 pandemic experience anxiety, sadness, unhappiness, and loneliness. The preventive measures against the pandemic affect parents psychosocially. Healthcare professionals should plan and implement care practices and establish effective communication with parents to identify their physiological, psychological, and social needs and help them produce breastmilk and bond with their babies.

Hidden disability: a study of the psychosocial impact of living with pituitary conditions.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary patients often experience psychosocial symptoms associated with their condition. AIMS: To explore the condition management experiences of pituitary patients and their psychosocial symptoms and to explore the impact of these on quality of life. METHODS: A sample of 748 individuals aged 18 to more than 65 years) completed a questionnaire relating to quality of life and the psychosocial impact of pituitary conditions. FINDINGS: Analysis of the qualitative sections using content analysis identified four themes: social isolation, emotional and behavioural issues, appearance distress and physical and cognitive effects including fatigue and pain. An overarching theme of hidden disability emerged. CONCLUSION: The study identified multiple biopsychosocial factors that impact quality of life, with symptoms not visible to others most likely to impact negatively. Nurses are well placed to provide support and information to patients about the possible psychosocial impact of pituitary conditions to enable positive adjustment.

COVID-19 quarantine stressors and management among Lebanese students: a qualitative study.

The aim of this research paper is to examine the current situation, emotional reactions of university students and their coping mechanisms during and after the COVID-19 quarantine. The study was undertaken in a major higher education institution in Lebanon. An exploratory qualitative research design was adopted. A phenomenological qualitative method was employed where, semi-structured interviews were carried out among 20 university students during and 3 months after release from quarantine. The qualitative analysis have revealed 5 themes during quarantine period namely "Concerns regarding learning and evaluation methods", "Overwhelming load", "Dealing with technical difficulties", "Confinement", and "Coping with problems", in addition to 3 themes after the quarantine period namely "Relief of academic stress", "Fear of becoming infected and jeopardizing family health", "Stigma of being infected". The quarantine has inflicted multiple psychological challenges among university students, which should be highlighted and mediated by higher education institution in order to support the students' learning and their academic achievement.

School and sports participation post-transplant.

Pediatric recipients of life-saving organ transplants are living longer, with improved graft and overall survivals. After successful transplant, children are encouraged to return to "normal life," with school attendance and participation in age-appropriate physical activities. This transition may cause stress to the recipients, parents, teachers, and other participating caregivers and staff. Planning for school reentry and assuring education for and open lines of communication with the school staff can help alleviate some of this discomfort and ease the process for the patient and the family. Cardiovascular disease has emerged as the leading cause of death in survivors of pediatric transplantation and is contributed to by modifiable risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and the MS. Physical activity is a proven tool in decreasing surrogate markers of this risk. Sports participation is an important way to promote an enjoyment of physical activity that can ideally persist into adulthood, but conflicting advice and opinions exist regarding type and participation in physical activity. Moreover, specific recommendations are likely not applicable to all recipients, as certain degrees of rehabilitation may be needed depending on degree and length of illness. In general, a program of rehabilitation and increased physical activity has been shown to be safe and effective for most pediatric transplant recipients. Focusing on optimizing the "normal" childhood activities of going to school and participating in sports can improve the physical, social, cognitive, and mental health outcomes of this population after transplant and should be prioritized.

Impacts of social distancing during COVID-19 pandemic on the daily life of forestry students.

University life has changed profoundly due to social distancing measures to control the spread of COVID-19. Over the longer term, the coronavirus crisis may affect the mental health of undergraduate students who are required to cope with remote options and forgo the usual campus life. The aim of this study is thus to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on undergraduate students' mental health and daily life in order to assist policymakers improve pandemic control plans and help educators and healthcare experts provide support to affected undergraduates. Results are based on quantitative data collected via online questionnaires which were completed by 181 Greek undergraduate forestry students. The analysis indicated that the students were highly affected by the closure of universities and the transition to distance learning. Moreover, they experienced negative emotions, mostly concern and anger, during the lockdown. T-test showed that female respondents experienced strong negative emotions like fear, panic and despair to a higher degree than male students who were more optimistic about the pandemic. Surprisingly, the students did not exercise outdoors every day even though it was allowed during the 42-day quarantine. In addition, they used mostly television and scientific articles to obtain information about COVID-19. The results presented in this study offer insights into university students' experience with the pandemic and reveal their reaction to remote education. It is recommended to monitor university students' mental health frequently and to provide them with psychological counselling and practical advice on how to manage anxiety and fear. Finally, education and training on remote learning could help reduce students' anxiety over online classes and exams.

Psychosocial Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Large-scale Quasi-Experimental Study on Social Media.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused several disruptions in personal and collective lives worldwide. The uncertainties surrounding the pandemic have also led to multifaceted mental health concerns, which can be exacerbated with precautionary measures such as social distancing and self-quarantining, as well as societal impacts such as economic downturn and job loss. Despite noting this as a "mental health tsunami", the psychological effects of the COVID-19 crisis remain unexplored at scale. Consequently, public health stakeholders are currently limited in identifying ways to provide timely and tailored support during these circumstances. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to provide insights regarding people's psychosocial concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging social media data. We aim to study the temporal and linguistic changes in symptomatic mental health and support expressions in the pandemic context. METHODS: We obtained about 60 million Twitter streaming posts originating from the United States from March 24 to May 24, 2020, and compared these with about 40 million posts from a comparable period in 2019 to attribute the effect of COVID-19 on people's social media self-disclosure. Using these data sets, we studied people's self-disclosure on social media in terms of symptomatic mental health concerns and expressions of support. We employed transfer learning classifiers that identified the social media language indicative of mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, stress, and suicidal ideation) and support (emotional and informational support). We then examined the changes in psychosocial expressions over time and language, comparing the 2020 and 2019 data sets. RESULTS: We found that all of the examined psychosocial expressions have significantly increased during the COVID-19 crisis-mental health symptomatic expressions have increased by about 14%, and support expressions have increased by about 5%, both thematically related to COVID-19. We also observed a steady decline and eventual plateauing in these expressions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have been due to habituation or due to supportive policy measures enacted during this period. Our language analyses highlighted that people express concerns that are specific to and contextually related to the COVID-19 crisis. CONCLUSIONS: We studied the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 crisis by using social media data from 2020, finding that people's mental health symptomatic and support expressions significantly increased during the COVID-19 period as compared to similar data from 2019. However, this effect gradually lessened over time, suggesting that people adapted to the circumstances and their "new normal." Our linguistic analyses revealed that people expressed mental health concerns regarding personal and professional challenges, health care and precautionary measures, and pandemic-related awareness. This study shows the potential to provide insights to mental health care and stakeholders and policy makers in planning and implementing measures to mitigate mental health risks amid the health crisis.

Reasons for Initiation of Areca Nut and Related Products in Patients with Oral Submucous Fibrosis within an Endemic Area in Gujarat, India.

Background: While the patterns of consumption of areca nut and its by-products (ANBP) vary across South Asia and the rest of the world, all users share the probable severe outcome of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), and this is well reported. The role of psychosocial drivers of habit initiation and addiction is reported less. Objective: To reveal the burden of ANBP abuse, exploring the psychosocial relationship between sex, age at first exposure (AFE), the reason for initiation (RFI) with the type of habit (TOH). Methodology: Data came from the prospective hospital-based study conducted at K.M. Shah Dental College and Hospital covering years 2017 and 2018. Patients with oral lesions were assessed with complete history recording demographics, TOH, AFE, RFI, duration of habit, and clinical diagnosis of any oral and systemic diseases. Patients with a history of scleroderma, facial burns, and oral malignancy were excluded. Results: Of the 13,874 patients, 9.89% reported ANBP. We included 1000 OSMF patients. The mean age of the study cohort was 38.97 ± 14.29 years, with a range of 17-75 years. Males constituted the majority (80.1%). The most common TOH reported was regular use of gutkha (60.1%) followed by mawa (31.4%) with tension and stress (30.3%) being the most common RFI among the cohort. TOH was notably different in relation to AFE. Interestingly, mawa chewing (38.69%) was observed more in females. Importance: This study reveals the burden of ANBP abuse and reports the complex psychosocial relationships between sex, AFE, and RFI with TOH in OSMF patients in this high incidence population.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: The Effects Are More Than Skin Deep.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the psychosocial effects of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) diagnosis on the households of children with MRSA skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). STUDY DESIGN: We constructed and administered an interview to the primary caregiver within the home of a child with a history of MRSA SSTI. RESULTS: Seventy-six households were enrolled. Survey responses were analyzed and grouped into 4 themes: health behavior changes, disclosure, social interactions, and knowledge/awareness. The most common theme was disclosure; 91% of participants reported sharing their child's MRSA diagnosis with someone outside of the household. Forty-two percent of respondents reported a change in the manner in which household contacts interacted as a result of the index patient's MRSA diagnosis, including isolating the index patient from other children in the household. Many households reported adopting enhanced personal hygiene behaviors and environmental cleaning routines. Thirty-eight percent of participating households reported altering how they interact with people outside of their home, largely to avoid spreading MRSA to vulnerable individuals. In addition, many participants perceived that others regarded them with caution, especially at daycare, whereas other affected households were excluded from family gatherings. CONCLUSION: Primary caregivers of children with MRSA SSTI reported changing their health behaviors, altering their interactions with people outside of their home, and feeling isolated by others in response to their child's MRSA diagnosis. The findings of our study highlight a need for community interventions and education to prevent the negative psychosocial repercussions associated with MRSA.

EEG Neurofeedback Is Under Strong Control of Psychosocial Factors.

Recently, a deep impact of psychosocial effects on the outcomes of neurofeedback training was suggested. Previous findings point out an association between locus of control in dealing with technology and the individual ability to up-regulate the sensorimotor rhythm (12-15 Hz) in the EEG. Since the antecedents of locus of control in dealing with technology differ between males and females, we have investigated the effect of sex of participant and experimenter on the outcomes of neurofeedback training. Mindfulness and SMR baseline power also were assessed as possible confounding variables. Undergraduate psychology students (n = 142) took part in a single session of neurofeedback training conducted by either male or female experimenters. Male participants as well as those female participants instructed by male experimenters were able to upregulate SMR, while female participants trained by female experimenters were not. A strong positive correlation between training outcomes and locus of control in dealing with technology was observed only in the female participants trained by female experimenters. These results are suggestive about the impact of psychosocial factors-particularly gender-related effects-on neurofeedback training outcomes and the urgent need to document it in neurofeedback studies.

Adult-children's perspectives on a parent's hearing impairment and its impact on their relationship and communication.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe third-party disability experienced by adult-children as a result of hearing impairment (HI) in a parent. DESIGN: Using semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to describe the impact of a parent's HI on their relationship and communication. Interpretative phenomenological analysis, a qualitative method to explore participant's perceptions and viewpoints, was used as the method of analysis. STUDY SAMPLE: Twelve participants between the ages of 22 and 58 who each had a parent with confirmed HI who owned hearing aids. RESULTS: Within the contextual factors of family relationships, communication situations, and the parent's personality, adult-children considered their coping strategies and feelings that arose as a result of the HI. Coping strategies included putting forth effort in communication, yelling as an ineffective communication strategy, and providing support to the parent with HI. The described feelings included frustration, uncertainty, and loss surrounding their communication and relationship with their parent with HI. These feelings arose as a result of implementing coping strategies, plus these feelings drove the employment of coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Adult-children of parents with HI experience third-party disability, however, the participation restrictions and activity limitations experienced by children appear less than experienced by spouses.

Facing facial weakness: psychosocial outcomes of facial weakness and reduced facial function in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To assess the psychosocial outcomes of facial weakness in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study. The severity of facial weakness was assessed by patients (self-reported degree of facial weakness) and by physicians (part I FSHD clinical score). Questionnaires on facial function, psychosocial well-being, functioning, pain, and fatigue were completed. Regression analyses were performed to explain variance in psychosocial outcomes by demographic and disease variables. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-eight patients participated. They reported mild to moderate psychological distress, no to mild fear of negative evaluation, and moderate to good social functioning. However, patients with severe self-reported facial weakness scored lower in social functioning. Patients with more facial dysfunction experienced more fear of negative evaluation and lower social functioning. Furthermore, younger age, presence of pain, fatigue, walking difficulty, and current or previous psychological support were associated with lower psychosocial outcomes. Overall, patients report moderate to good psychosocial functioning in this study. The factors contributing to lower psychosocial functioning are diverse. CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary, personalized approach, focusing on coping with physical, emotional, and social consequences of FSHD is supposed to be helpful. Further research is needed to assess the psychosocial outcomes of facial weakness in younger patients.Implications for rehabilitationResearch on the psychosocial consequences of facial weakness in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is limited.Patients with FSHD experience mild to moderate psychosocial distress, partly due to overall disease severity, such as reduced mobility, and partly due to facial weakness and reduced facial function.Self-reported degree of facial weakness and facial dysfunction were related to lower psychosocial outcomes (social functioning, fear of negative evaluation, and psychological distress).Physician-reported degree of facial weakness was not related to psychosocial outcomes, suggesting an absence of a strong correlation between observed facial weakness and experienced disease burden in this study.This calls for a multidisciplinary, personalized approach with a focus on coping with physical, emotional, and social consequences of FSHD.

Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on Yemeni healthcare workers: A Web-based, Cross-sectional Survey.

Yemeni healthcare workers (HCWs) experience high levels of psychosocial stress. The current study provides a psychosocial assessment of Yemeni HCWs during the COVID19 pandemic and the factors that influence this. Between 6 November 2020, and 3 April 2021, 1220 HCWs inside Yemen self-reported levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression and quality of life using a web-based, cross-sectional survey. According to the findings, 73.0%, 57.3%, 49.8%, 53.2%, and 85.2% of all HCWs reported moderate or severe stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a lower quality of life, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between stress and anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores, as well as anxiety and insomnia and depression, and insomnia and depression (p < 0.001). There was also a significant inverse relationship between wellbeing scores and stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores (p < 0.001). A high percentage of respondents (85.8%) were 40 years old or younger and 72.7% had fewer than 10 years' experience, suggesting that experienced medics leave Yemen for safer and more secure jobs elsewhere. Psychosocial support to assist in building resilience to the prevailing conditions may need to be embedded in medical school training and continuing professional development to help support HCWs within Yemen and prevent even more from leaving the country.

Psychosocial and Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experienced by Staff Employed in Social Welfare Facilities in Poland and Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a very significant negative impact on the physical and mental health of various professional groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the psychosocial and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by staff employed in social welfare institutions in Poland and Spain. The study involved 407 people, including 207 from Poland and 200 from Spain (346 women and 61 men), working in social care facilities. The research tool was the authors' questionnaire consisting of 23 closed-ended, single- or multiple-choice questions. The study has indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had negative health and psychosocial effects on employees of social welfare facilities. In addition, it has been shown that the severity of the psychosocial and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic differed between the countries studied. Employees from Spain statistically significantly more often declared deterioration in most of the surveyed indicators, except for mood deterioration, which was experienced more by employees from Poland than their peers from Spain.

Benefits of animal-Assisted interventions in preschool children: A systematic review.

Animal-assisted interventions are frequently used to stimulate and improve different skills in children with and without disabilities. However, the heterogeneity of AAI studies in preschool children is large, including different health conditions, duration, outcomes, study design or therapy animals. Therefore, the current study aims to summarize all intervention procedures and provide an updated analysis of the effectiveness of AAI intervention in the early childhood. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA), a systematic search was conducted in two databases: Pubmed (MedLine) and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool. A total of 319 articles were identified and 17 were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. Due to the large heterogeneity in terms of study design, intervention, and sample characteristics, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. Animal-assisted interventions might lead to a positive impact on physical, physiological, psychosocial, and language skills in preschool children. These enhancements may be observed both in healthy children and in those with different health conditions, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism disorder, or Down syndrome. Results must be interpreted with caution due to the large heterogeneity and risk of bias in the included articles.

Perceptions and effects of COVID-19 related information in Denmark and Sweden - a web-based survey about COVID-19 and social media.

Aim: Extensive COVID-19 information can generate information overload and confusion. Denmark and Sweden adopted different COVID-19 management strategies. Aim: This study aimed to compare search strategies, perceptions and effects of COVID-19 information, in general and specifically in social media, in residents in Denmark and Sweden. Subject and methods: Quantitative data from a sample of respondents (n = 616) from Denmark and Sweden on an international web-based survey was analysed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The results showed similarities between the countries regarding preferred and trusted information sources, use of (social) media, and psychosocial and behavioural effects of such information. Traditional media and social media were frequently used for COVID-19 information. Especially health authorities and researchers were trusted sources, representing the dominant medico-political discourse. There were no differences in negative effect and social behaviour. Residents in Denmark experienced significantly more positive effects than residents in Sweden. Conclusion: Summarily, the study showed similarities and small differences among residents in both countries related to usage patterns, perceptions and effects of COVID-19 information from (social) media, despite diverging strategies.

Digital Dilemmas: A Comprehensive Review of the Psychosocial and Sleep Effects of Web Streaming on the Indian Youth.

The rapid growth of web streaming platforms in India has ushered in a transformative era in entertainment consumption, particularly among the youth. This comprehensive review explores the psychosocial and sleep effects of web streaming on the younger generation. Examining the impact on social interactions, mental health, academic performance, cultural identity, and sleep patterns, the study delves into the intricate dynamics shaping the lives of Indian youth in the digital age. Key findings reveal the subtle yet significant changes in face-to-face interactions, the emergence of virtual relationships, and the potential influence on stress, anxiety, and depression due to addictive binge-watching behaviours. Moreover, the review highlights the challenges to academic performance through disruptions in study habits and increased screen time. Cultural and identity influences, both in terms of representation and misrepresentation, are explored, emphasizing the need to analyze the portrayal of Indian culture in web content critically. The sleep effects of web streaming, including sleep deprivation due to late-night binge-watching and the consequences of blue light exposure on melatonin production, add a crucial dimension to the discussion. Technological solutions such as screen time limitations, parental controls, and educational programs promoting media literacy and responsible digital consumption emerge as potential coping mechanisms. In conclusion, the study provides a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding web streaming and its impact on the youth in India. The implications for policy and practice underscore the importance of a balanced approach to digital consumption. At the same time, a call to action emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts in promoting responsible digital habits among the youth.

[Measures for optimal access to psychosocial care of children with rare diseases and their families]. / Maßnahmen für einen optimalen Zugang von Kindern mit seltenen Erkrankungen und ihrer Familien zur psychosozialen Versorgung.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in childhood can affect the quality of life and mental health of the entire family. The psychosocial challenges are significant for those affected and are often compounded by a lack of appropriate support services. RESEARCH QUESTION: This article aims to summarize the barriers of current pathways to psychosocial care and identify potential solutions for a care strategy adapted to the needs of families. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In three focus group sessions with 14 professionals from the field of rare pediatric diseases, the results of a previous qualitative study on barriers in current pathways to psychosocial care were presented. In the focus groups, the experts discussed possible solutions. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Despite an increased need for psychosocial support services, it is difficult for children with rare diseases and their families to access these. To facilitate access, interventions should address multiple levels. On the one hand, care should be increasingly adapted to the needs of families. At the same time, long-term and reliable care structures need to be established to ensure sustainable care. Structural interdisciplinary collaboration should be promoted, while the training of health professionals should also be more strongly geared to rare diseases.