Ginsenoside Rg1 ameliorates stress-exacerbated Parkinson's disease in mice by eliminating RTP801 and α-synuclein autophagic degradation obstacle.

Emerging evidence shows that psychological stress promotes the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) and the onset of dyskinesia in non-PD individuals, highlighting a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. We previously reported that chronic restraint-induced psychological stress precipitated the onset of parkinsonism in 10-month-old transgenic mice expressing mutant human α-synuclein (αSyn) (hαSyn A53T). We refer to these as chronic stress-genetic susceptibility (CSGS) PD model mice. In this study we investigated whether ginsenoside Rg1, a principal compound in ginseng notable for soothing the mind, could alleviate PD deterioration induced by psychological stress. Ten-month-old transgenic hαSyn A53T mice were subjected to 4 weeks' restraint stress to simulate chronic stress conditions that worsen PD, meanwhile the mice were treated with Rg1 (40 mg· kg-1 ·d-1, i.g.), and followed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a variety of neurobehavioral tests. We showed that treatment with Rg1 significantly alleviated both motor and non-motor symptoms associated with PD. Functional MRI revealed that Rg1 treatment enhanced connectivity between brain regions implicated in PD, and in vivo multi-channel electrophysiological assay showed improvements in dyskinesia-related electrical activity. In addition, Rg1 treatment significantly attenuated the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and reduced the pathological aggregation of αSyn in the striatum and SNc. We revealed that Rg1 treatment selectively reduced the level of the stress-sensitive protein RTP801 in SNc under chronic stress conditions, without impacting the acute stress response. HPLC-MS/MS analysis coupled with site-directed mutation showed that Rg1 promoted the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of RTP801 at residues K188 and K218, a process mediated by the Parkin RING2 domain. Utilizing αSyn A53T+; RTP801-/- mice, we confirmed the critical role of RTP801 in stress-aggravated PD and its necessity for Rg1's protective effects. Moreover, Rg1 alleviated obstacles in αSyn autophagic degradation by ameliorating the RTP801-TXNIP-mediated deficiency of ATP13A2. Collectively, our results suggest that ginsenoside Rg1 holds promise as a therapeutic choice for treating PD-sensitive individuals who especially experience high levels of stress and self-imposed expectations.

Factors associated with health personnel-chaplain interactions in the hospital setting: a cross-sectional survey study.

Health personnel may seek chaplain support to discuss stressors related to complex patient cases, difficult team dynamics, and personal issues. In this survey study of 1376 healthcare interprofessional clinicians, participants reported interacting with chaplains most frequently over patient-related stressors in the prior 12 months. Factors associated with chaplain interactions to discuss all three stressors included: reporting chaplains provide spiritual support to health personnel, more years of service, seeking professional help to deal with stressors, and higher levels of secondary traumatic stress. Being a registered nurse (RN) and working in a critical care specialty were associated with increased odds of interactions with a chaplain to discuss patient-related stressors while identifying as Catholic or Protestant was associated with chaplain interactions to discuss team-related and personal stressors. Chaplains should tailor interventions to promote health personnel's spiritual well-being based on patient-related, team-related, and personal stressors. Healthcare institutions which do not employ chaplains should advocate for this resource. Leaders in healthcare settings with chaplains should promote increased staff awareness that chaplains are available to support wellbeing by discussing patient, team, or personal stressors.

African American Family Caregivers' Experiences and Mental Health: A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Caregiving in the African American community is informed by strong cultural expectations but may be associated with negative experiences and poor mental health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study is to understand the relationship between caregiving experiences and mental health and explore stress management strategies in African American family caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling conditions. METHODS: African American family caregivers (N = 100) were recruited using community-engaged methods and completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D-10) Scale. A subsample (n = 24) participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using linear regression and content analysis. A matrix was developed to integrate quantitative and qualitative results. RESULTS: Participants were on average 59 years old. Most were women and provided care to a parent. Lack of family support (B = 1.37, P = .03) and impact of caregiving on caregivers' finances (B = 1.74, P = .004), schedule (B = 2.92, P < .001), and health (B = 3.26, P < .001) were associated with depressive symptoms and were reported as stressful experiences. Negative interactions with the care recipient and caring for multiple people emerged as other sources of stress. Participants used independent and interpersonal coping strategies, as well as strategies to facilitate their caregiving role to reduce their stress. Values of reciprocity, limited use of community-based resources, and mental health stigma emerged as important cultural considerations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the need for culturally-sensitive interventions to improve communication and care coordination within African American family caregiving networks and educational programs about mental health and caregiving resources endorsed by trusted community sources.

The brain-skin axis in vitiligo.

Vitiligo is an acquired autoimmune skin disease characterized by patchy depigmentation of the skin, often accompanied by white hair. The aetiology of vitiligo is complex and difficult to cure, and its disfiguring appearance significantly impacts patients' mental and physical health. Psychological stress is a major factor in inducing and exacerbating vitiligo, as well as affecting its treatment efficacy, though the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Increasing research on the brain-skin axis in skin immunity suggests that psychological stress can influence local skin immunity through this axis, which may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. This review focuses on the role of brain-skin axis in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and explores the possible mechanism of brain-skin axis mediating the pathogenesis of vitiligo from the aspects of sympathetic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hormones and neuropeptides, aiming to provide the necessary theoretical basis for psychological intervention in the prevention and treatment of vitiligo.

Burnout, stress, and their correlates among bank employees of South India: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The banking sector is one of the job sectors that experience high stress, workload, complex interpersonal relationships, and job burnout as it involves interaction with the public and financial responsibilities, which leads to high burnout and stress. The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of burnout and stress among bank employees and to find the associated factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 282 bank employees of Kollam district, Kerala, India. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire related to the socio-demographic and professional details. We used the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) to screen for burnout levels. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21) to screen for the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among study participants. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with the levels of burnout and stress. RESULTS: Of 282 study participants, moderate to high levels of burnout were observed in 232 participants (82.2%), and 74 participants (26.2%) had mild to extremely severe levels of stress. Daily average working duration showed an association with higher levels of burnout (adjusted odds ratio [ORAdj]: 2.391; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-5.10) and stress (ORAdj: 3.37; 95% CI: 1.58-7.16). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of burnout and stress was observed in the present study. The duration of working hours was associated with both burnout and stress. Therefore, regulating the working hours may help adequately manage stress and burnout, thereby improving the mental health of bank employees.

Rates and psychological stress predictors of problematic internet use (PIU) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a racially diverse sample of young adults.

BACKGROUND: Problematic internet use (PIU), which includes social media misuse (SMM) and gaming misuse (GM), is uncontrollable and associated with significant psychological impairment. PIU is a coping behavior for COVID-19-related stress. We explored distress-related predictors of PIU in a young adult racially diverse sample during the pandemic. METHODS: Analyses used cross-sectional survey data (N = 1956). Psychological diagnoses, financial distress, COVID-19-related emotions, psychological distress, distress tolerance, social support, loneliness, SMM and GM were measured. Hierarchical multiple regressions identified predictors of PIU. Race-stratified exploratory analyses sought to understand if predictors held true across racial groups. RESULTS: Low distress tolerance was associated with SMM and GM, as were depression symptoms, with racial differences observed. SMM was associated with younger age, and GM was associated with male gender. PTSD symptoms predicted more GM. SMM and GM rates varied between racial groups. COVID-19-related adjustment challenges and stress predicted SMM and GM respectively, with racial differences observed. CONCLUSION: Individual psychological distress and low distress tolerance markedly increased PIU risk. Clinicians should screen for stress-related PIU risk factors and bolster distress tolerance in vulnerable patients. Comparing PIU to different forms of coping in a larger sample would further clarify groups differences in stress coping behaviors.

Methodological issues in measuring psychosocial safety climate: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review aims to highlight the methodological inconsistencies in studying psychosocial safety climate (PSC). Highlighting the diverse dimensions and implications of PSC, this review seeks to enhance the replicability and comparability of studies, contributing to the development of standardised measurement techniques for the construct. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The methodology encompasses a comprehensive search strategy in PubMed Central, Web of Science, Scopus, JSTOR, Embase, Science Direct, ProQuest, Google and Google Scholar from 28 January 2024 to 30 September 2024. A team of trained reviewers, under the guidance of the authors, will scrutinise eligible studies for inclusion based on predefined criteria. This will ensure a diverse yet focused selection of articles aligned with the research objectives. Robust data extraction and appraisal processes will be followed. Adopting a qualitative synthesis approach, the review aims to generate descriptive and analytical themes, uncovering nuanced dimensions of PSC beyond individual study findings. The protocol emphasises consultation with domain experts and a chartered librarian to refine research questions and optimise search strategies for selecting very relevant articles for the review. We will adopt qualitative data synthesis in summarising and presenting the results and findings for our review of PSC methodological issues. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not needed for this systematic review because the data for this review will be extracted from already published journal articles. The protocol for this review has been registered in the Open Science Framework. This review and its findings will be published in an academic journal and or presented at scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: OSF registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3UZC2.

Impact pathways of personality and psychosocial stress on depression among adult community residents in China: a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.

Objective: Depression is a common mental illness with a high prevalence rate and is a significant contributor to the global burden of diseases. Various factors are associated with depression, and its etiology is complex. Instead of focusing on single-factor effects, this study aimed to explore a combination of high-risk factor sets for depression among adult community residents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Shenzhen, China, from January 2021 to March 2021. A simple sampling method was used to enroll participants. A total of 1,965 adult residents completed the survey and were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC), and the Psychosocial Stress Survey for Groups (PSSG). The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method was used to explore the high-risk factor sets for depression among adult community residents. Results: The prevalence of depression among the surveyed adult residents in Shenzhen was 6.36%. The mean scores of PHQ-9 were higher among women and unmarried residents. The combination of low extroversion (e) and high neuroticism (N) in personality traits, along with high scores for life events (V), negative emotional responses to events (G), positive emotional responses to events (O), and positive coping styles to events (I) (denoted as e*N*V*G*O*I) constituted a high-risk factor set for depression. The overall consistency was 0.843, and the overall coverage was 0.330. Conclusion: Our study suggested that stressful life events together with personality traits including neuroticism and introversion serve as crucial factors for depression among adult community residents, regardless of the coping strategies they adopt. This study provides data for developing comprehensive interventions such as regulating neuroticism and introversion levels and reducing stressors to prevent the occurrence of depression among adult community residents.

How to Reduce the Influence of COVID-19 Epidemic on Employees' Anxiety of Continuous Work in China? Empirical Analysis Based on Industrial Enterprises.

The COVID-19 epidemic not only impacted China's economy but also induced periodic anxiety among employees, especially during its peak. Even as governmental controls relaxed, enterprises seemed unaffected externally. However, beneath the surface, the lingering effects on employee mental health persisted. Many faced dual stressors concerning their job and personal well-being due to the epidemic, heightening work-related anxieties. This research, a year after China resumed work, delves into the psychological stress influencing this sustained anxiety. A survey of 516 employees helped test the hypothesis using a multiple regression model. Findings indicated heightened continuous work anxiety due to the epidemic, particularly in hard-hit areas. However, individual resilience, organizational, and social support were found to mitigate these effects. The study underscores the sustained psychological aftermath of the epidemic on employees, urging health authorities to address it.

A preliminary investigation of worry, cortical amyloid burden, and stressor-evoked brain and cardiovascular reactivity in older adults.

Worry is a transdiagnostic symptom common to many neurocognitive disorders of aging, including early stages of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Severe worry is associated with amyloid burden in cognitively intact older adults, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. We hypothesize that this relationship involves altered brain and cardiovascular reactivity to acute stressors, a brain-body phenotype that also increases risk for cardiovascular disease. Twenty cognitively normal older adults (age 60 to 80) with varying levels of worry severity underwent positron emission tomography using Pittsburgh Compound-B and functional magnetic resonance imaging. We examined associations of worry severity and amyloid burden with cardiovascular reactivity, brain activation, and brain connectivity using a cognitive stressor task. Worry severity was not associated with global amyloid burden, but was associated with greater resting levels of cardiovascular physiology and lower systolic blood pressure reactivity. Worry severity also was associated with altered stressor-evoked activation and effective connectivity in brain circuits implicated in stress processing, emotion perception, and physiological regulation. These associations showed small to medium effect sizes. These preliminary findings introduce key components of a model that may link severe worry to ADRD risk via stressor-evoked brain-body interactions.

Social defeat stress impairs systemic iron metabolism by activating the hepcidin-ferroportin axis.

Chronic psychological stress has been reported to decrease circulating iron concentrations and impair hematopoiesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of psychological stress on biological iron metabolism by using the social defeat stress (SDS) model, a widely used model of depression. Compared with control mice, mice subjected to SDS (SDS mice) had lower social interaction (SI) behavior. The SDS mice also showed impaired hematopoiesis, as evidenced by reduced circulating red blood cell counts, elevated reticulocyte counts, and decreased plasma iron levels. In the SDS mice, the iron contents in the bone marrow decreased, whereas those in the spleen increased, suggesting dysregulation in systemic iron metabolism. The concentrations of plasma hepcidin, an important regulator of systemic iron homeostasis, increased in the SDS mice. Meanwhile, the concentrations of ferroportin, an iron transport protein negatively regulated by hepcidin, were lower in the spleen and duodenum of the SDS mice than in those of the control mice. Treatment with dalteparin, a hepcidin inhibitor, prevented the decrease in plasma iron levels in the SDS mice. The gene expression and enzyme activity of furin, which converts the precursor hepcidin to active hepcidin, were high and positively correlated with plasma hepcidin concentration. Thus, furin activation might be responsible for the increased plasma hepcidin concentration. This study is the first to show that psychological stress disrupts systemic iron homeostasis by activating the hepcidin-ferroportin axis. Consideration of psychological stressors might be beneficial in the treatment of diseases with iron-refractory anemia.

Exploring the Interplay between Sleep Quality, Stress, and Somatization among Teachers in the Post-COVID-19 Era.

(1) Background. The post-COVID-19 era has imposed unique challenges on educators, significantly impacting their psychological and physical well-being. This study examines the interrelationships among psychological stress, sleep quality, and somatization in a sample of teachers, elucidating the impact of these factors during the ongoing recovery from the pandemic. (2) Methods. Using validated instruments such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Mesure du Stress Psychologique (MSP), this research investigates how stress and sleep disturbances correlate with somatization among teachers. The study also considers the influence of demographic factors such as age, gender, and years of experience. (3) Results. The results indicated that sleep quality significantly correlates with both psychological stress and somatic pain, emphasizing the crucial role of sleep in managing stress-induced physical symptoms. Additionally, the fear of COVID-19 significantly exacerbates these effects, illustrating the complex interplay of psychological and physical health factors during the pandemic. Contrary to initial hypotheses, demographic factors such as gender, age, and years of experience did not significantly influence these primary relationships. (4) Conclusions. The findings emphasize the necessity of addressing both psychological stress and sleep quality to mitigate their combined effects on somatization. Educational institutions and policymakers are urged to develop targeted interventions that address these issues to support teachers' health and well-being in a post-pandemic landscape.

Effects of mindfulness meditation training offered in-person and via a virtual world on self-compassion: A study with U.S. military active duty and veterans.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based, in-person programs are effective at reducing stress and enhancing resilience in military and civilian samples, yet few studies have examined or compared training offered via real-time, interactive social media. Such a program would have a wider-reach and could include those unable to attend in-person. There is also interest in resolving ambiguity about the effects of mindfulness training on individual difference variables, such as self-compassion. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to compare pre/post self-compassion for three interventions; Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction delivered in-person (IP), mindfulness meditation training delivered via a Virtual World (VW), and a wait-list Control Group (CG) among active duty and veteran U.S. military. METHODS: A 2 (pre/post)×3 (group) factorial design was conducted with 250 active duty and veteran U.S. Military service members, with self-compassion measures as dependent variables. RESULTS: Self Compassion improved 10% for the IP group and 14% for the VW group, while the CG group did not improve. Combined treatment groups yielded a 10.3% improvement in self-compassion compared with no change in the CG and with a group×time interaction effect (p < 0.01). Participants with lower initial self-compassion experienced greater benefits than those with higher baseline self-compassion (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: IP and VW Mindfulness Meditation training were equally effective in increasing self-compassion. Adding effective on-line mindfulness delivery will promote self-compassion among a more extensive audience, likely yielding improved coping, confidence, connectedness, cheerfulness, steadiness, and self-satisfaction, while lessening anxiety, fear-of-failure, and stress among participants.

Addressing mental illness stigma in German higher education: study protocol for a mixed-methods evaluation of a psychosocial setting-based intervention.

INTRODUCTION: Mental illness stigma is associated with a range of negative consequences, such as reduced help-seeking for mental health problems. Since stigma affects individual, social, and structural aspects, multilevel interventions such as the Canadian programme The Working Mind have been proven to be the most effective. Given the solid evidence base for The Working Mind, it is our aim to implement and evaluate culturally adapted versions of the programme in German higher education, targeting students, employees and managers. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will evaluate the programme with regard to its effect on mental illness stigma, openness to mental health problems, willingness to seek help, and positive mental health outcomes. Further, we will investigate the programme's effectiveness dependent on gender and personal values, various mechanisms of change, and factors facilitating and hindering implementation. The study uses a sequential explanatory mixed-methods evaluation design (QUAN → qual) that consists of three steps: (1) quasi-experimental online survey with programme participants, (2) focus groups with programme participants, and (3) qualitative interviews with programme stakeholders. The quantitative data collected in step 1 will be analysed using 2×3 analysis of variances and a parallel multiple mediation analysis. The results will inform the qualitative data to be collected in steps 2 and 3, which will be analysed using qualitative content analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the local Ethics Committee (Ethics Committee of University Medicine Greifswald; BB 098/23). Participants have to provide written consent before taking part in a focus group or interview. As for the online survey, participants have to give their consent by agreeing to an online data protection form before they can start completing the survey. We will publish central results and the anonymised data in an Open Access Journal. Further, the statistical code will be included as a supplement to the paper(s) documenting the results of the study. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00033523.

Associations Among Lifetime Discrimination Typologies and Psychological Health in Black and Hispanic Women After Birth.

OBJECTIVE: To identify lifetime discrimination typologies and examine their associations with psychological health outcomes among Black and Hispanic women after birth. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the Community and Child Health Network study data. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,350 Black and 607 Hispanic women. METHODS: We built two latent class models for Black and Hispanic women using eight indicator variables from different life domains of discrimination (childhood, family, work, police, education, housing, health care, and loans). We used bivariate and multiple regression analyses to examine the association among the identified typologies and postpartum depression and perceived stress at 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: We selected the three-class model with best fit indices and interpretability: no lifetime discrimination (n = 1,029; 76.22%), high childhood-family racial discrimination (n = 224, 16.59%), and moderate lifetime discrimination (n = 97, 7.19%) among Black women and no lifetime discrimination (n = 493, 81.22%), high childhood-family racial discrimination (n = 93, 15.32%), and high education discrimination (n = 21, 3.46%) among Hispanic women. The adjusted postpartum depression and perceived stress scores were significantly greater in Typologies 2 and 3 than Typology 1 in Black women. The adjusted perceived stress scores were significantly greater in Typologies 2 and 3 than Typology 1 in Hispanic women. CONCLUSION: Lifetime discrimination experiences manifested in complex patterns. Women who experienced moderate to high discrimination across all or specific life domains had worse postpartum depression and perceived stress at 6 months after birth. It is crucial to address lifetime discrimination to improve maternal mental health.

Relationship between Maternal Stress and Neurobehavioral Indicators of Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth and prolonged neonatal hospitalization are potential sources of stress for mothers of preterm and low birth weight infants. AIM: To evaluate maternal stress and its association with neurobehavioral indicators of preterm infants during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital in Goiânia, Brazil. The study included preterm and low birth weight infants of both genders and their mothers. The Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Neurobehavioral Assessment of the Preterm Infant were respectively applied to mothers and infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. RESULTS: The study involved 165 premature infants and their mothers. The mean age of the mothers was 26.3 years and most had a high school education level (57.6%). Mothers perceived the experience of having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit as moderately stressful (2.96 ± 0.81). The parental role alteration (4.11 ± 1.03) and sights and sounds (2.15 ± 0.90) subscales exhibited the highest and lowest stress levels, respectively. Significant correlations (rho < -0.3; p < 0.05) were found between maternal stress and neurobehavioral indicators of infants. In the multivariate analysis, low leg tone was a predictor of higher maternal stress. Low tone and limited arm movement were predictors of higher maternal stress in the maternal role item. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of having a preterm infant hospitalized was considered moderately stressful for mothers. Maternal stress levels were significantly correlated with low scores on neonatal neurobehavioral indicators.

The Relationship between Psychological Stress and Anthropometric, Biological Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Background and Objectives: Challenges and threats to global security and the growing demands of today's society lead to significantly increased exposure to stress. Stress can negatively affect numerous physiological processes, including metabolic changes. An unhealthy lifestyle might intensify this disruption. The aim of the systematic review was to establish the effect of psychological stress on metabolic and anthropometric factors in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines; and the risk of bias (ROB) assessment was based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A literature search of the MEDLINE/PubMed database was conducted using specific search terms. Results: We identified 32 articles meeting the inclusion criteria for the review with the different experimental designs and aims. Most of the papers were at high ROB. The included studies were conducted in groups of adults and children/teenagers. The most-often-applied tool to measure stress severity was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Twenty-two studies analyzed the connection between stress and body composition, and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) was the most often used method. For biological parameters, the most frequently analyzed was cortisol (n = 9). The other examined factors included glucose, insulin, parameters related to food intake regulation, carbohydrates, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The included studies were incompliance in relation to the assessment method and type of assessed biological fluids. Conclusions: The vast majority of studies do not support the effect of chronic distress on anthropometric measurements and biological markers levels. However, many of them suggest adverse, synergistic effects of unhealthy lifestyle patterns and the stress on the examined variables. Further experiments should implement a similar and repeatable methodology.

Unraveling psychological burden: the interplay of socio-economic status, anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, and stress in first-year medical students.

BACKGROUND: The escalating prevalence of mental health issues among young adults, set against the backdrop of a global healthcare system under pressure, underscores the necessity for cultivating a resilient medical workforce. This study investigates the influence of socio-economic status (SES) on psychological well-being, with a particular focus on Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) among first-year medical students. Understanding the psychological dimensions affecting medical students is crucial for fostering a future medical workforce that is both capable and mentally healthy. METHODS: This research involved 321 first-year medical students, evaluated using the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (UI-18), and the Student Self-Efficacy Scale (SSE), alongside socio-economic categorization. Employing descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and correlation analyses, the study aimed at elucidating the SES impact on AS and IU, among other psychological constructs. RESULTS: The analysis revealed significant SES-related differences, especially in the realms of Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty. Notably, ASI_C (cognitive concerns) exhibited strong positive correlations with both UI_A (reduced ability to act due to IU) (Pearson's r = 0.562, p < 0.001) and UI_B (burden due to IU) (Pearson's r = 0.605, p < 0.001), highlighting the link between cognitive aspects of anxiety and uncertainty intolerance. Furthermore, UI_C (vigilance due to IU) was significantly associated with SES (F(4, 316) = 2.719, p = 0.030, η² = 0.033), pointing to the complex ways in which socio-economic factors modulate responses to uncertainty. Self-efficacy emerged as a significant counterbalance, showing protective associations against the adverse effects of heightened Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that lower socio-economic status is associated with higher levels of Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty, which contribute to increased stress among first-year medical students. Additionally, Self-Efficacy emerged as a significant protective factor, mitigating the expressions of AS and IU. Although medical faculties cannot change SES characteristics within their student body, recognizing its impact allows for the development of tailored support systems to address the unique challenges faced by students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. This study underscores the necessity of considering social diversity, particularly regarding AS and IU characteristics, to foster a supportive and effective medical education environment with an outlook on sustainable mental health in a demanding work context.

Oral issues and childhood stress in eight-to-ten-year-old schoolchildren: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether oral problems, harmful oral habits, and sociodemographic factors are associated with the occurrence of stress in schoolchildren. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study nested within a cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 375 schoolchildren eight to ten years of age in the city of Diamantina, Brazil. The case group (with childhood stress) and control group (without childhood stress) were matched for age and sex at a 1:4 ratio (75 cases to 300 controls). Data collection involved the self-administration of a questionnaire by parents/caregivers addressing sociodemographic characteristics and the child's history of harmful oral habits. The children answered the Child Stress Scale (CSS) and underwent a clinical oral examination to determine the presence/absence of dental caries, malocclusion, and traumatic dental injuries. Data analysis involved the calculation of frequencies, the chi-square test, and conditional logistic regression (95% CI; p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: The final adjusted conditional logistic regression model showed that dental caries (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.01 - 3.14, p = 0.044) and biting objects (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.02 - 3.22, p = 0.041) remained associated with stress in the schoolchildren analysed. CONCLUSION: The present results showed that children with dental caries and the habit of biting objects were more likely to have childhood stress. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study allows paediatric dentists to expand their knowledge with regards to the influence of oral problems and harmful habits on the occurrence of childhood stress and serves as a guide for decision-making related to oral problems in schoolchildren.

Work-related stress in Medical and Dentistry programs.

Introduction: Stress occurs more frequently in groups in which the degree of responsibility and decision-making power play notable roles in society, such as professors and health professionals. Objectives: To measure and understand the stress of professors in the undergraduate course of Medicine and Dentistry of a private educational institution in northeastern Brazil. Methods: Observational, descriptive and exploratory study with a quantitative approach was conducted between November 2018 and September 2019. A total of 184 professors participated in the study, answering the following instruments: demographic sociodata questionnaire, Stress Symptoms Inventory and the Preliminary Burnout Identification Questionnaire. The Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Scale was applied to the 60 professors with stress. The data obtained were submitted to data analysis through Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: Stress was present in 40.3% of the professors, with a predominance of the resistance phase (85%) and signs indicative of burnout. There was a significant correlation between the presence of stress and the time of traumatic event either with the individual himself or with some relative and/or close friend. There was no correlation between the traumatic events and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, although a significant correlation was observed between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and burnout. Conclusions: The results point to the need to properly identify and manage stress so that the teaching experience is healthy and conducive to the teaching-learning process.

Introdução: O estresse ocorre de forma mais recorrente em grupos em que o grau de responsabilidade e poder de decisão perpetram notáveis papéis na sociedade, tais como docentes e profissionais de saúde. Objetivos: Mensurar e compreender o estresse docente dos cursos de graduação de Medicina e Odontologia de uma instituição de ensino privada do Nordeste do Brasil. Métodos: Tratou-se de um estudo observacional, descritivo, analítico e exploratório, com abordagem quantitativa no período de novembro de 2018 a setembro de 2019. Participaram do estudo 184 docentes, respondendo aos seguintes instrumentos: um questionário sociodemográfico, o Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse e o Questionário Preliminar de Identificação de Burnout. Já a Escala de Sintomas de Estresse Pós-Traumático foi aplicada nos 60 docentes com estresse. Foi realizada a análise de dados através do teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson e de regressão logística. Resultados: O estresse estava presente em 40,3% dos docentes, com predomínio da fase de resistência (85%) e sinais indicativos de burnout. Houve correlação significativa entre estresse e tempo de acontecimento traumático, seja com o próprio indivíduo ou com algum familiar e/ou amigo próximo. Não houve correlação entre o acontecimento traumático e o transtorno de estresse pós-traumático, embora tenha sido observada correlação significativa de transtorno de estresse pós-traumático e burnout. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de identificar e manejar adequadamente o estresse para que a experiência docente seja salutar e propícia ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem.