Estudo longitudinal de famílias / Longitudinal study of families / Estudio longitudinal de familias

Introdução: O desenvolvimento da família é influenciado por diversos fatores de sua organização interna e de ordem ambiental, social, cultural, econômica e política. Em contexto de pobreza os riscos são maiores. Fatores de proteção, como boa organização familiar e rede social de apoio podem diminuir as consequências negativas da pobreza. São escassas as pesquisas longitudinais sobre vulnerabilidade e resiliência nas famílias. Objetivo: Este artigo descreve o desenvolvimento de três famílias ao longo de 15 anos, estudadas por meio de entrevistas em casa, parte de uma coorte populacional de um bairro de Porto Alegre (RS). Buscaram-se associações entre a qualidade das relações nessas famílias e sua saúde física e mental, especialmente a do filho, foco da pesquisa. Métodos: Selecionaram-se no arquivo da pesquisa as três primeiras famílias (do total de 148) das quais se tinham os resultados completos das cinco visitas realizadas aos quatro meses e aos dois, quatro, nove e 15 anos de um filho. Realizou-se análise qualitativa dos registros em busca de categorias para compreender a vida e as relações interpessoais nas famílias. O estudo foi realizado em conjunto por duas pesquisadoras, médicas especialistas em desenvolvimento humano. As categorias identificadas na análise e estudadas nas cinco etapas foram: configuração familiar, situação socioeconômica, situações traumáticas, saúde física, saúde relacional e mental, evolução cognitiva e escolar do filho. Resultados: As três famílias, todas de classe C, com filhos sem problemas de saúde física, tiveram evolução suficientemente boa, apesar de todas enfrentarem múltiplos problemas, inclusive separações e mortes precoces. A relação com o sistema de saúde e escola era boa e similar para as três. A jovem com menos problemas de saúde mental foi aquela que sofreu perdas mais importantes: morte dos pais. Tinha uma estrutura familiar multigeracional sólida desde a primeira infância, com relações interpessoais predominantemente colaborativas e amorosas. Conclusões: O artigo busca avançar na compreensão da resiliência nas famílias em situações de vulnerabilidade. Concluímos que essas três famílias, uma delas mais que as outras, foram suficientemente saudáveis na tarefa de educar seus filhos sem desenvolverem problemas mentais graves. Propomos que o bom desenvolvimento se associa com a adequação e amorosidade dos cuidados com a etapa do ciclo vital, mesmo enfrentando situações problemáticas. Essas qualidades precisam estar associadas à estabilidade socioeconômica básica e a bons serviços de saúde e escola.

Introduction: Family development is influenced by it's internal organization and environmental factors, socioeconomic, cultural and political. In poor contexts there are more risks to development. Protection factors like good family organization and social network may decrease the risks. Longitudinal research about vulnerability and resilience in families is scarse. Objective: This article describes the development of three families over 15 years through interviews at home. The families were part of a populational cohort of a neighborhood in Porto Alegre (RS). We looked for links between the quality of relationships and the physical and mental health of these families, especially of the child focus of the research. Methods: We selected in the research archives the first three families (of a total of 148) for which we had full results of the five interviews at four months and two, four, nine and fifteen years of a child. We did a qualitative analysis of the records looking for parameters to understand the life and interpersonal relationships of these families. This study was done by two researchers, both experts in Human Development. The categories identified in the analysis of the five phases were: family structure, socioeconomic situation, traumatic experiences, physical, mental and relational health and cognitive evolution of the child. Results: All three families belonged to economical class C. The children were in good physical health and had sufficiently good general development, having faced multiple problems, including parental separation and early parental death. The relationship with the health and school systems was good in all of them. The youth with less mental health problems was the one who suffered the heaviest loss: early death of both parents. Her family had strong multigenerational ties since her early days, with predominant collaborative and loving relationships. Conclusions: This article aims to contribute to the comprehension of resilience in families in the context of vulnerability. We can say that these three families were healthy enough in the task of bringing up children without any serious mental health problem. We suggest that healthy development is associated with loving interfamily relationships adequate to each phase of development, notwithstanding dramatic events. This needs to be supported by basic economic stability and adequate school and health systems.

Introducción: El desarrollo de la familia es influenciado por su organización interna y factores ambientales, sociales, culturales, económicos y políticos. En contextos pobres los riesgos son mayores. Factores de protección como buena organización familiar y red social de apoyo pueden disminuir las consecuencias negativas de la pobreza. Son pocas las investigaciones longitudinales de vulnerabilidad y resiliencia de las familias. Objetivo: Este artículo describe el estudio del desarrollo de tres familias a lo largo de 15 años, a través de entrevistas en domicilio, parte de una cohorte poblacional de un barrio de Porto Alegre (RS). Se buscaron correlaciones entre la calidad de las relaciones de esas familias y su salud física y mental, especialmente la del hijo foco de la investigación. Métodos: Fueron seleccionadas en el archivo de la investigación las tres primeras familias (de un total de 148) de las cuales se tenían los resultados completos de las cinco visitas realizadas, a los 4 meses, y a los 2, 4, 9, y 15 años de un hijo. Fue realizado un análisis cualitativo de los registros en busca de categorías para comprender la vida y las relaciones interpersonales en las familias. El estudio fue hecho en conjunto por dos investigadoras, médicas especialistas en desarrollo humano. Las categorías identificadas en el análisis y estudiadas en las cinco etapas fueron: configuración familiar, situación socioeconómica, situaciones traumáticas, salud física, salud relacional y mental, evolución cognitiva y escolar del hijo. Resultados: Las tres familias, todas de clase C, con hijos sin problemas de salud física, tuvieron evolución suficientemente buena, a pesar de que todas enfrentaron múltiples problemas, incluso separaciones y muertes precoces. La relación con el sistema de salud y escuela era buena y similar para las tres. La joven con menos problemas de salud mental fue aquella que sufrió las mayores pérdidas: muerte de los padres. Tenía una estructura familiar multigeneracional sólida desde la primera infancia, con relaciones interpersonales predominantemente colaborativas y amorosas. Conclusiones: El artículo pretende avanzar en la comprensión de la resiliencia en las familias en situaciones de vulnerabilidad. Concluimos que esas tres familias, una de ellas más que las otras, fueron suficientemente saludables en la tarea de educar a sus hijos sin que desarrollaran problemas mentales graves. Proponemos que el buen desarrollo se asocia con el amor y adecuación de los cuidados a la etapa del ciclo vital, aun enfrentando situaciones problemáticas. Esas calidades necesitan estar asociadas a la estabilidad socioeconómica básica y buenos servicios de salud y escuela.

Depleted Housing Elicits Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction After a Single Flaming Eucalyptus Wildfire Smoke Exposure in a Sex-Specific Manner in ApoE Knockout Mice.

Although it is well established that wildfire smoke exposure can increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the combined effects of non-chemical stressors and wildfire smoke remains understudied. Housing is a non-chemical stressor that is a major determinant of cardiovascular health, however, disparities in neighborhood and social status have exacerbated the cardiovascular health gaps within the United States. Further, pre-existing cardiovascular morbidities, such as atherosclerosis, can worsen the response to wildfire smoke exposures. This represents a potentially hazardous interaction between inadequate housing and stress, cardiovascular morbidities, and worsened responses to wildfire smoke exposures. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of enriched (EH) versus depleted (DH) housing on pulmonary and cardiovascular responses to a single flaming eucalyptus wildfire smoke (WS) exposure in male and female apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice, which develop an atherosclerosis-like phenotype. The results of this study show that cardiopulmonary responses to WS exposure occur in a sex-specific manner. EH blunts adverse WS-induced ventilatory responses, specifically an increase in tidal volume (TV), expiratory time (Te), and relaxation time (RT) after a WS exposure, but only in females. EH also blunted an increase in isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and the myocardial performance index (MPI) 1-week after exposures, also only in females. Our results suggest that housing alters the cardiovascular response to a single WS exposure, and that DH might cause increased susceptibility to environmental exposures that manifest in altered ventilation patterns and diastolic dysfunction in a sex-specific manner.

The Feasibility and Impact of an Asynchronous Interprofessional Well-Being Course on Burnout in Health Care Professionals.

Background: Well-being initiatives are essential components in fostering an engaged workforce and creating an effective health care ecosystem. Health care professional (HCP) burnout is widespread and has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, with Health Resources and Services Administration funding support, the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine created an online course for HCP well-being. It was subsequently studied in medical residents and revised in 2020. In this study, we explore the impact of the course across larger systems, as well as the long-term impact on HCPs. Methods: The Health Care Professional Well-Being course is 4.5 hours of interactive online education that explores personal well-being, promoters and detractors of well-being, and systemic factors that influence the overall impact of well-being in health care systems. Participants were recruited through institutional members of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health and were randomized to either active or waitlist control groups. Assessments were taken pre-course, 1-month post-course, and 6-months post-course in the areas of burnout, compassion, resiliency, and lifestyle behaviors. Results: Burnout measures of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion showed a significant improvement amongst active participants, sustained for 6 months after the course. However, no significant improvement in either the resiliency or the compassion measurements was noted for the active group. Initially, the active group showed improvement in personal accomplishment; however, both groups showed a decline overall. Most noteworthy, a large number of active participants demonstrated adoption of new health-promoting behavior; 95% incorporated at least 1 new lifestyle behavior learned from the course. Conclusion: This study of a brief, asynchronous, online well-being course with interprofessional HCPs, demonstrates that the course is associated with improvement in individual burnout measures and can educate HCPs about healthy behaviors and a framework for professional engagement.

Power system transformation in emerging countries: A SWOT/PESTLE analysis approach towards resiliency and reliability.

Most developing countries' electric power system is stressed by an unprecedented demand growth as well as obstacles that call for urgent actions. Therefore, tackling the present-day power-related challenges and ensure dependable and safe electricity may result in improving living conditions. This research aims to comprehend the primary factors that impede power companies in emerging economies and propose ways of addressing them with a focus on Togolese electricity system as a case study., The methodology utilized to study a complex and dynamic system like electricity sector is an integrated model composed of a survey and review of available literature, an interview with energy experts and the SWOT/PESTLE analysis to perform an in-depth and all-encompassing analysis. The study revealed that the electrification poverty was 39.47 % at countrywide level that requires an additional power of 220.95 MW to that of 2021 to achieve 100 % of electricity access by 2030. Moreover, the system's performance is hindered by a number of internal and external bottlenecks. They include but not limited to limitations in policies and regulations; technical difficulties in the transmission, distribution and off-grid subsystems; insufficient investments; and a lack of incentives and taxes rebates. In light of these findings, a model prioritizing a resilient power system was proposed for transforming the outdated power infrastructure in developing countries laying stress upon energy mix planning, transmission and distribution subsectors innovation and effective regional collaboration.

The relationship of intimate partner violence on depression: the mediating role of perceived social support and the moderating role of the Big Five personality.

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the influence of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on depression, the mediating role of social support, and the moderating role of the Big Five personality traits in the relationship between social support and depression. Methods: Participants were recruited from Mainland China, using a stratified random sampling and quota sampling method. From June to August 2022, a diverse group of 21,916 participants (ranging from 12 to 100 years old) completed the Intimate Partner Violence Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Big Five Inventory-Short Version. Results: IPV was significantly positively correlated with depression and significantly negatively correlated with perceived social support. Perceived social support plays a mediating role in the link between IPV and depression. Discussion: Healthcare workers should assess social support and provide adequate care or recommendations for increasing social support when patients with IPV report depressive symptoms. Patients can be coached by professionals to improve their resiliency by developing or nurturing more optimistic personality traits.

Heterogeneity promotes resilience in restored prairie: Implications for the environmental heterogeneity hypothesis.

Enhancing resilience in formerly degraded ecosystems is an important goal of restoration ecology. However, evidence for the recovery of resilience and its underlying mechanisms require long-term experiments and comparison with reference ecosystems. We used data from an experimental prairie restoration that featured long-term soil heterogeneity manipulations and data from two long-term experiments located in a comparable remnant (reference) prairie to (1) quantify the recovery of ecosystem functioning (i.e., productivity) relative to remnant prairie, (2) compare the resilience of restored and remnant prairies to a natural drought, and (3) test whether soil heterogeneity enhances resilience of restored prairie. We compared sensitivity and legacy effects between prairie types (remnant and restored) and among four prairie sites that included two remnant prairie sites and prairie restored under homogeneous and heterogeneous soil conditions. We measured sensitivity and resilience as the proportional change in aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) during and following drought (sensitivity and legacy effects, respectively) relative to average ANPP based on 4 pre-drought years (2014-2017). In nondrought years, total ANPP was similar between remnant and restored prairie, but remnant prairie had higher grass productivity and lower forb productivity compared with restored prairie. These ANPP patterns generally persisted during drought. The sensitivity of total ANPP to drought was similar between restored and remnant prairie, but grasses in the restored prairie were more sensitive to drought. Post-drought legacy effects were more positive in the restored prairie, and we attributed this to the more positive and less variable legacy response of forb ANPP in the restored prairie, especially in the heterogeneous soil treatment. Our results suggest that productivity recovers in restored prairie and exhibits similar sensitivity to drought as in remnant prairie. Furthermore, creating heterogeneity promotes forb productivity and enhances restored prairie resilience to drought.

Stress adaptive plasticity from Aegilops tauschii introgression lines improves drought and heat stress tolerance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Aegilops tauchii is a D-genome donor of hexaploid wheat and is a potential source of genes for various biotic and abiotic stresses including heat and drought. In the present study, we used multi-stage evaluation technique to understand the effects of heat and drought stresses on Ae. tauschii derived introgression lines (ILs). Preliminary evaluation (during stage-I) of 369 ILs for various agronomic traits identified 59 agronomically superior ILs. In the second stage (stage-II), selected ILs (i.e., 59 ILs) were evaluated for seedling heat (at 30 °C and 35 °C) and drought (at 20% poly-ethylene glycol; PEG) stress tolerance under growth chambers (stage-II). Heat and drought stress significantly reduced the seedling vigour by 59.29 and 60.37 percent, respectively. Genotype × treatment interaction analysis for seedling vigour stress tolerance index (STI) identified IL-50, IL-56, and IL-68 as high-performing ILs under heat stress and IL-42 and IL-44 as high-performing ILs under drought stress. It also revealed IL-44 and IL-50 as the stable ILs under heat and drought stresses. Furthermore, in the third stage (stage-III), selected ILs were evaluated for heat and drought stress tolerance under field condition over two cropping seasons (viz., 2020-21 and 2021-22), which significantly reduced the grain yield by 72.79 and 48.70 percent, respectively. Stability analysis was performed to identify IL-47, IL-51, and IL-259 as the most stable ILs in stage-III. Tolerant ILs with specific and wider adaptability identified in this study can serve as the potential resources to understand the genetic basis of heat and drought stress tolerance in wheat and they can also be utilized in developing high-yielding wheat cultivars with enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.

A formative evaluation of 'Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resiliency' with Hispanic adolescents prior to and during Covid-19.

Youth living in poverty are more likely to experience cumulative stressors including multiple adverse childhood events. Further, the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionality affected Hispanic youth and communities, leading to unprecedented levels of trauma. This research responded to a need for a youth resiliency-building program in an urban and impoverished area with a majority Hispanic population. We conducted a formative evaluation of a youth intervention entitled Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience, which aims to help youth overcome adversity and to build resilience via psychoeducation and skill development. Just prior to the pandemic in the United States (August-December, 2019), youth (N=12) participated in Mind Matters as part of an after-school program. Immediately following, we utilized focus groups to solicit youth's perspectives on the acceptability of the program, what they had learned, content areas they liked best, and their recommendations for program improvement. Follow-up phone interviews were also conducted three months later (March 2020) while youth were at home as a result of the pandemic. Youth enjoyed the program and were able to apply skills learned to cope with stress in their daily lives and across ecological contexts. Findings point to the program as particularly well-suited to older adolescents. During the pandemic, most youth continued to utilize self-soothing and mindfulness skills to emotionally self-regulate while facing challenges related to home schooling. Findings highlight the importance of trauma-resiliency programming for youth and offer recommendations to practitioners utilizing the Mind Matters program.

Integrating science-based and local ecological knowledge: a case study of mangrove restoration and rehabilitation projects in the Philippines.

Mangrove forest is an ecosystem-based solution for disaster risk reduction in the Philippines, but its historical deforestation has hampered its capacity to protect coastal communities. With the increasing occurrence of storm surge in the Philippines, mangrove reforestation projects have received renewed attention, but many have failed. Community participation was deemed to be essential in those projects that did well. Hence, this paper examines successful mangrove restoration and rehabilitation projects in the Philippines to find out how community participation contributed to the accomplishments. The study found that while the transfer of science-based ecological knowledge from project managers to the community is an important factor in ensuring successful initial planning and implementation, its integration into existing local ecological knowledge-'localisation' of science-based ecological knowledge or hybrid ecological knowledge formation-helped to facilitate long-term community-based mangrove management beyond project duration by empowering community members and enabling project acceptance and ownership. Still, continuous local institutional support is a necessary anchor for community resilience.

The interplay between ego-resiliency, math anxiety and working memory in math achievement.

Previous research has suggested that math anxiety may contribute to poor math performance by interfering with working memory. However, only a limited number of studies investigated the mediating role of working memory in the math anxiety-math performance link in school-aged children. Unlike math anxiety, ego-resiliency is a personality resource that promotes the management of challenges and has been positively associated with math performance and negatively with anxiety. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding regarding the specific role of ego-resiliency in math learning and how it relates to math anxiety. This study aimed to investigate conjunctly the interplay between primary school children's ego-resiliency, math anxiety, working memory, and performance on two different math tasks (i.e., arithmetic task and word problem-solving task), after controlling for general anxiety and age. The study involved 185 Italian children from grades 3 to 5. Serial multi-mediational analyses revealed that: (1) ego-resiliency has a positive indirect effect on math achievement through two paths - math anxiety, and math anxiety and working memory; (2) the study replicated previous findings showing that working memory partially mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; (3) similar patterns of results were found for both math skills. The study identifies ego-resiliency as a possible protective factor in the development of math anxiety and suggests that ego-resiliency could be worth considering when designing interventions aimed at reducing negative emotions towards mathematics.

The mental and behavioral health crisis in youth: Strategic solutions post COVID-19 pandemic: An American Academy of Nuring consensus paper.

The COVID-19 pandemic wrought significant negative impacts on youth well-being, particularly among Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, and LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) youth. The pandemic disrupted connections to family, school, and community, which are essential supports for youth mental health. Lessons learned from the pandemic suggest the role of stress and windows of opportunity to build resiliency. Drawing from a policy dialog on the youth mental health crisis conducted by 4 American Academy of Nursing Expert Panels, we present approaches to the current increase in youth mental health problems. Included is emerging literature on building youth resilience, particularly via re-establishing school and community connections. The role of families, schools, and community support is emphasized, particularly by creating a healing school environment and the pivotal role of school nurses. Recommendations include increased support for families, engaging the school nurse role, and developing school-based innovative programs to build connections and youth wellness.

Temporal trajectories of artificial radiocaesium 137Cs in French rivers over the nuclear era reconstructed from sediment cores.

137Cs is a long-lived man-made radionuclide introduced in the environment worldwide at the early beginning of the nuclear Era during atmospheric nuclear testing's followed by the civil use of nuclear energy. Atmospheric fallout deposition of this major artificial radionuclide was reconstructed at the scale of French large river basins since 1945, and trajectories in French nuclearized rivers were established using sediment coring. Our results show that 137Cs contents in sediments of the studied rivers display a large spatial and temporal variability in response to the various anthropogenic pressures exerted on their catchment. The Loire, Rhone, and Rhine rivers were the most affected by atmospheric fallout from the global deposition from nuclear tests. Rhine and Rhone also received significant fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and recorded significant 137Cs concentrations in their sediments over the 1970-1985 period due to the regulatory releases from the nuclear industries. The Meuse River was notably impacted in the early 1970s by industrial releases. In contrast, the Seine River display the lowest 137Cs concentrations regardless of the period. All the rivers responded similarly over time to atmospheric fallout on their catchment, underlying a rather homogeneous resilience capacity of these river systems to this source of contamination.

Aging well in an aging society: physical health in older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults.

Introduction: Older sexual minority people meet a double stigma in our society related to their sexual identity and chronological age. The present study explores how experiences of discrimination and prejudice, coming out, and personal resiliency influence physical health of older lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. Methods: Respondents were recruited through online advertisements and an online-based survey. The sample included 82 Italian cisgender LGB adults over 65 years: young older adults (65-70 years; 78%) and old-old adults (over 71 years; 22%). Regarding sexual orientation, the sample was composed of sexual minority women (n = 30; 37%) and sexual minority men (n = 52; 63%). Results: ANOVAs' findings showed that sexual minority women described lower levels of physical health compared to sexual minority men. At the same time, old-old adults reported higher experiences of discrimination and prejudice compared to young older adults. Moreover, findings from hierarchical multiple regression analysis described that coming out, higher levels of personal resiliency, and fewer experiences of discrimination were predictors of physical health, regardless of age and sexual minority categories. Conclusion: These findings seem to align with previous studies that underline the relevance of investigating aging well in sexual minority people. Knowledge and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues are necessary for recognizing the unique needs and resources of older LGB people for promoting a healthy aging process.

A tabletop exercise approach to global disaster preparedness: insights from Nepal's first international conference on disaster preparedness and management.

Considering recent earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster preparedness has come to the forefront of the public health agenda in Nepal. To strengthen the developing health system, many initiatives are being implemented at different levels of society to build resiliency, one of which is through training and education. The first International Conference on Disaster Preparedness and Management convened in Dhulikhel, Nepal on December 1-3, 2023. It brought together international teaching faculty to help deliver didactic and simulation-based sessions on various topics pertaining to disaster preparedness and management for over 140 Nepali healthcare professionals. This paper focuses on the tabletop exercise-based longitudinal workshop portion of the conference on disaster leadership and communication, delivered by United States-based faculty. It delves into the educational program and curriculum, delivery method, Nepali organizer and US facilitator reflections, and provides recommendations for such future conferences, and adaptation to other settings.

The Puerto Rico Young Adults' Stress, Contextual, Behavioral & Cardiometabolic Risk (PR-OUTLOOK) Study: Design and Methods.

The Puerto Rico (PR) Young Adults' Stress, Contextual, Behavioral & Cardiometabolic Risk Study (PR-OUTLOOK) is investigating overall and component-specific cardiovascular health (CVH) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a sample of young (age 18-29) Puerto Rican adults in PR (target n=3,000) and examining relationships between individual-, family/social- and neighborhood-level stress and resilience factors and CVH and CVD risk factors. The study is conducting standardized measurements of CVH and CVD risk factors and demographic, behavioral, psychosocial, neighborhood, and contextual variables and establishing a biorepository of blood, saliva, urine, stool, and hair samples. The assessment methods are aligned with other National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute funded studies: the Puerto Rico Observational Study of Psychosocial, Environmental, and Chronic Disease Trends (PROSPECT) of adults 30-75 years, the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (BPRHS), and the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA). PR-OUTLOOK data and its biorepository will facilitate future longitudinal studies of the temporality of associations between stress and resilient factors and CVH and CVD risk factors among young Puerto Ricans, with remarkable potential for advancing the scientific understanding of these conditions in a high-risk but understudied young population.

Urban safety and psychological distress during the pandemic: the results of a longitudinal study.

Introduction: In the last decades, a large body of literature has explored the topic of perceived safety and fear of crime in urban environments. The effects of psychological factors on such feelings have been studied, but rarely using prospective studies, and never when these factors intercept a worldwide dramatic event like the pandemic. This research aimed to analyze the variations of the feelings of urban safety during the pandemic, the role of resiliency and the effect of psychological stressors such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Methods: During 2019 and 2022, before and after the pandemic, a face-to-face interview was administered to the same group of 195 participants. The PUSAS scale was used to measure unsafety, the ER89-R to assess for resiliency, the DASS-21 to collect data about the general distress (anxiety, stress and depression), and the CAS scale was used to evaluate the specific coronavirus anxiety. Structural equation models were applied to test a theoretical framework grounded on the relationships between these measures. Results: The research findings showed decreased feelings of unsafety across the pandemic, consistent with the literature. The positive effect of ego-resiliency was significant but only for its interaction with data collected before the pandemic, whilst stress and anxiety impacted unsafety in 2022 through different pathways. None of the symptoms of general distress influenced the concern about crime and sense of vulnerability, as the feelings of unsafety were found independent from the variations of the specific coronavirus anxiety. Discussion: Although the research findings did not confirm the impact of coronavirus, they presented some facets that disconfirm what the literature reported about the relationships between psychological distress and fear of crime. Implications about measurement issues are discussed.

Depleted housing elicits cardiopulmonary dysfunction after a single flaming eucalyptus wildfire smoke exposure in a sex-specific manner in ApoE knockout mice.

Although it is well established that wildfire smoke exposure can increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the combined effects of non-chemical stressors and wildfire smoke remains understudied. Housing is a non-chemical stressor that is a major determinant of cardiovascular health, however, disparities in neighborhood and social status have exacerbated the cardiovascular health gaps within the United States. Further, pre-existing cardiovascular morbidities, such as atherosclerosis, can worsen the response to wildfire smoke exposures. This represents a potentially hazardous interaction between inadequate housing and stress, cardiovascular morbidities, and worsened responses to wildfire smoke exposures. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of enriched (EH) versus depleted (DH) housing on pulmonary and cardiovascular responses to a single flaming eucalyptus wildfire smoke (WS) exposure in male and female apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice, which develop an atherosclerosis-like phenotype. The results of this study show that cardiopulmonary responses to WS exposure occur in a sex-specific manner. EH blunts adverse WS-induced ventilatory responses, specifically an increase in tidal volume (TV), expiratory time (Te), and relaxation time (RT) after a WS exposure, but only in females. EH also blunted a WS-induced increase in isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and the myocardial performance index (MPI) 1-wk after exposures, also only in females. Our results suggest that housing alters the cardiovascular response to a single WS exposure, and that DH might cause increased susceptibility to environmental exposures that manifest in altered ventilation patterns and diastolic dysfunction in a sex-specific manner.

A Look at Traumatic Brain Injury Community Programs in British Columbia: Barriers and facilitators of implementation.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: 1) Characterize the delivery of programs that support acceptance and resiliency for people with brain injury in the healthcare sector; 2) Understand the barriers and facilitators in implementation of programs to support self-acceptance and resiliency for people with brain injury. DESIGN: Participatory focus groups were used to explore experiences of conducting brain injury programs and knowledge of the barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Focus group data were analyzed with manifest content analysis to minimally deviate from broad and structural information provided by participants. SETTING: Four focus group sessions were conducted online through a video calling platform. PARTICIPANTS: 22 individuals from community associations conducting programs for people with brain injury. Participants were recruited from a public brain injury organization database. RESULTS: Systemic challenges such as access to and allocation of funding require navigation support. Resource consistency and availability, including stable program leaders and a welcoming atmosphere, are important for program implementation and sustainability. Shared experiences promote connection with the community and personal development. CONCLUSIONS: This study informs individual- and community-level approaches to promote meaningful life after brain injury. Findings highlight existing resources and support future programming for people with brain injury.

Job Demands and Mental Health Deterioration: Investigating the Mediating Role of Resiliency.

Introduction: In the past decade, China has witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of food delivery apps, with its industry now thrice the size of the U.S, employing approximately 7 million drivers navigating urban landscapes on electric bikes and scooters. Predominantly, the market is governed by two main players: Meituan Dianping (backed by Tencent) and Ele.me (supported by Alibaba). Notably, stress and absenteeism stand out as significant challenges in this service sector, with implications for occupational health that translate into considerable costs for both healthcare systems and companies. Existing research has largely overlooked how job demands affect the mental health of food delivery workers in China, and how resilience plays a role in this process. The present study addresses this gap by examining the direct impact of Workload Volume and Pace on the mental health of these workers, and by exploring how personal resilience can mediate this relationship. Furthermore, it delves into the mediating role of Resilience, a personal strength, in this relationship. Methods: Using a correlational design with 206 participants, multiple regression analysis suggested a notable variance in Mental Health Decline. Results: Subsequent bootstrapping-mediated analysis confirmed resilience's mediating role, highlighting its importance in managing stress from workload. Discussion: The results underscore the critical role of personal strengths in managing work-related stress, which can significantly impact both job performance and mental well-being.