Factors Associated With Psychological Distress of Individuals With COVID-19 Isolating at Home: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study.

The purpose of the current study was to clarify the effects of illness perceptions, coping styles, and social support on psychological distress of individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) isolating at home. A cross-sectional study was performed in a state hospital in Turkey with 112 individuals with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Data were collected online using self-report scales between June 8, 2020, and December 25, 2020. Regression models were used to determine predictors of psychological distress. Significant predictors were cognitive and emotional illness representations, self-blame, and positive reinterpretation coping methods. Health care providers should consider individuals' illness perceptions and coping methods and their effect on psychological distress when providing in-home and follow-up care. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(12), 27-36.].

Psychological Distress in Patients with COVID-19 During Hospitalization.

To determine the changes in psychological distress levels of patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the characteristics of patients at risk. This longitudinal study included 76 patients. The psychological distress was evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale thrice (on the 1st day of hospitalization and isolation (t0), sixth day (t1), and when the discharge decision was made). The prevalence of anxiety was 22.4%, 14.5%, and 9.2%, whereas the prevalence of depression was 36.8%, 42.1%, and 43.4% at t0, t1, and t2, respectively. The patients' anxiety level decreased, whereas the depression level increased during hospitalization (p < .001). Increasing age, a chronic physical disease, and at least one COVID-19-positive relative increased the risk of psychological distress (p < .05). The assessment and intervention of psychological distress should not be neglected in patients with COVID-19, particularly the group determined to be at a risk.

A qualitative study on the experiences of the first nurses assigned to COVID-19 units in Turkey.

AIM: To explore the experiences of the first nurses assigned to work in COVID-19 units with the onset of the outbreak in Turkey. BACKGROUND: Even though the risks faced by nurses while performing a dangerous task during the epidemic are similar, their experiences may differ. METHOD: This qualitative study was carried out with 17 nurses. The interviews were carried out individually and online. The data were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. RESULTS: From the analyses of the data, four key themes have emerged as follows: 'needs', 'anger', 'questioning' and 'decision'. Needs include visibility, support, adaptation and sleep/rest. Nurses were angry because of their unmet expectations, feelings of injustice, and selfish and insensitive behaviours they faced. They questioned their profession and decided to either alienate from the profession or continue with the gains they had made. CONCLUSION: This study found that nurses perceived an imbalance between their efforts and their achievements. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study provides evidence for nursing managers to anticipate problems that may arise both during and after the outbreak. Nurses should be made to feel that they are valued members of the health care institution, and effective strategies should be implemented to improve their perceptions of organisational justice.

The spread of COVID-19 virus through population density and wind in Turkey cities.

Beyond the contact and respiratory transmission of the COVID-19 virus, it has recently been reported in the literature that humidity, temperature, and air pollution may be effective in spreading the virus. However, taking the measurements regionally suspects the accuracy or validity of the data. In this research, climate values (temperature, humidity, number of sunny days, wind intensity) of 81 provinces in Turkey were collected in March 2020. Also, the population, population density of the provinces, and average air pollution data were taken. The findings of the study showed that population density and wind were effective in spreading the virus and both factors explained for 94% of the variance in virus spreading. Air temperature, humidity, the number of sunny days, and air pollution did not affect the number of cases. Besides, population density mediated the effect of wind speed (9%) on the number of COVID-19 cases. The finding that COVID-19 virus, invisible in the air, spreads more in windy weather indicates that the virus in the air is one threatening factor for humans with the wind speed that increases air circulation.

Compassion Fatigue in Chest Disease Clinicians: The Effect of Psychological Capital and the Relationship between Colleagues.

OBJECTIVE: Compassion fatigue is representative of the cost of caring and is reported to have significant negative effects. Compassion fatigue needs to be better understood in order to define, prevent, and intervene. The aim of this study is to determine the level of compassion fatigue and possible predictors (demographics, vocational features, satisfaction, and psychological capital) in physicians and nurses working in chest diseases and thoracic surgery hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 205 clinicians (83 physicians, 122 nurses) working face-toface with in-patients. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and the Psychological Capital Scale. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 31.96 ± 8.60 years, most of them (67.3%) were women. The average compassion fatigue score was 20.15 ± 8.58 for the physicians and 17.16 ± 9.49 for the nurses, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = .01). However, in the regression analysis, it was determined that the profession did not have a significant effect, and that dissatisfaction with the colleagues increased the compassion fatigue 2.5-fold (P = .03). It was found that low resilience, one of the subscales of the Psychological Capital Scale, increased compassion fatigue 2.14-fold (P = .007). Other professional variables and demographic characteristics were not significantly related to compassion fatigue (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the importance of the relationship and resilience among colleagues in the prevention of compassion fatigue. It also points out that physicians are at risk of developing compassion fatigue.

The Relationship Between Psychological Capital and the Occupational Psychologic Risks of Nurses: The Mediation Role of Compassion Satisfaction.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between psychological capital (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) and burnout and compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress among general hospital nurses, and the mediating role of compassion satisfaction in this relationship. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. Participants were 697 nurses working in different nursing departments in tertiary university hospitals in a metropolitan city in Turkey. METHODS: The semistructured interview form, Professional Quality of Life Scale, and Psychological Capital Scale were used to gather data. Descriptive analysis, the Spearman correlation analyzer, hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis, and mediation analyzer with PROCESS and the Sobel test were used to analyze data. FINDINGS: There were moderate relationships between psychological capital total score, all subscales, and burnout, and weak negative correlations between these variables and compassion fatigue. For burnout, self-efficacy and optimism in the first model explained 26% of the variance; when compassion satisfaction was added in the second model, 45% of the total variance was explained. For compassion fatigue, self-efficacy in the first model explained 5% of the variance; adding compassion satisfaction in the second model, the variance did not change at all. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the current study may contribute to enhancing the protection of nurses' well-being in their general hospital settings by developing knowledge about the resources that are needed to prevent or decrease occupational psychological risks. Increasing psychological capital levels of nurses enhances the quality of care and the sustainability of their working conditions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings of this study can be used to design interventions to better assist nurses in addressing their psychological health. Because psychological capital is a malleable resource, nursing managers can invest in the development and improvement of nurses' resources.

Psychosocial care from the perspective of nurses working in oncology: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: In cancer patients, unmet psychosocial needs are a common occurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine the views, obstacles, and needs of the nurses working with adult oncology patients with regards to psychosocial care. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive research design conducted through focus group interviews was adopted for the study. Thirty nurses providing care for cancer patients in adult oncology departments of three hospitals in Turkey with comprehensive oncology centers were involved in the interviews. The interviews were conducted via a semi-structured interview form. In analyzing the data, content analysis technique was utilized. RESULTS: In the study, three main themes and seven sub-themes were determined. These were as follows: "Challenge" (Sub-themes: The nature of the disease: A thin line between life and death; Lack of team/institutional support; Lack of time, staff, and knowledge; Vulnerability of the patient and their family), "reward and cost" (Sub-themes: Satisfaction; Personal growth; Exhaustion), and "essential but hard to define". CONCLUSIONS: This study reveal that nurses have difficulty delivering psychosocial care, which they perceive in abstract terms, in an environment where the disease is still considered fatal, the conditions of the patients change constantly, and they cannot receive the necessary support. It can be important that, as well as supportive institutional regulations, the nurses are in need of necessary assistance to help them change their own perceptions on cancer, to become emotionally stronger, and to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to give psychosocial care.

Possible role of stress, coping strategies, and life style in the development of breast cancer.

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the possibility of the effect of life long stressful events, along with coping method used, perception of social support, and life style on the development of breast cancer. Methods In this hospital-based case control study, the study group comprised 250 women with breast cancer who were followed by Florence Nightingale Breast Study Group. Control group included 250 women, who had similar sociodemographic characteristics to the study group. Data were collected with semi-structured interview form, Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale, Coping Strategy Indicator, and Stress Evaluation Form developed by us. Results In multivariate analysis, family history of cancer (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 2.29-1.05), inadequate social support (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.23-2.73), and loss of father during childhood (OR: 2.68, 95% CI: 5.52-1.30) and serious stressor within the last five years (OR: 4.72, 95% CI: 7.03-3.18) were found to be risk factors increasing the risk of breast cancer. When family history of cancer was excluded from the model, the presence of psychiatric disorder history (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 3.26-1.17) and major life events (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 4.07-1.24) were added to the model as risk factors. Conclusion The present study indicates that especially the stressful events experienced within the last five years plays an undeniable role in the risk of breast cancer. Social support may be as important in the period before the diagnosis as in the period after diagnosis.

Roles of Biopsychosocial Factors in the Development of Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the roles of biopsychosocial risk factors in the development of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This hospital-based case-control study included 491 women with breast cancer (study group) and 512 women who did not have cancer or other serious diseases (control group). Biological, psychological, and social risk factors were compared between the two groups. Data were collected using the semi-structured interview, the Stress Assessment Form, and the Coping Strategy Indicator to assess these factors. RESULTS: When the significantly different biopsychosocial variables between the study and the control groups were evaluated together, independent breast cancer risk factors were found as follows: a stressor experienced in the last 5 years, age 40 years and older, inadequate social support perception, use of avoidance coping strategy, being a housewife, having a family history of cancer, and having a body mass index ≥25. CONCLUSION: This study showed a relationship between breast cancer risk and manageable variables (obesity, stressor and coping strategy, social support, and employment status), age and family history of cancer, which are biopsychosocial factors. Biopsychosocial aspects are becoming a greater part of many different healthcare systems.

Temporomandibular dysfunction and risk factors for anxiety and depression.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression may cause temporomandibular joint (TMJ) complaints or TMJ disorders may trigger some of psychiatric problems. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors and the interactive role of anxiety and depression in patients with TMJ dysfunction. METHOD: A total of 273 patients who presented to the multidisciplinary outpatient clinic of TMJ diseases that were followed up for temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), were included in this trial. Patients were classified in three sub-groups: patients with myofacial pain alone (group-1), patients with TMJ disorder alone (group-2), and patients with TMJ disorder and also myofacial pain (group-3). All patients were examined using the standard TMJ examination and were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety Depression (HAD) scale in order to determine anxiety and depression. RESULTS: According to the univariate analysis, risk factors for patients with confirmed anxiety and/or depression were being female (p= 0.005), existence of myofacial pain (p= 0.01), effects of stress on complaints (p= 0.005) and insufficient social support (p< 0.001). According to regression analysis, presence of psychopathology was increased 3.7 times in those being female, 3.5 times with insufficient social support, and 1.2 times with myofacial pain. CONCLUSIONS: Among the patients with TMD, the groups who were considered to have anxiety and depression were female patients, patients with deficient social support system, and patients with myofacial pain alone or patients with myofacial pain accompanying an existing TMJ disorder. The existence of anxiety and depression should be considered in addition to musculoskeletal pathologies during the treatment plan of patients with TMJ who have these risk factors.

Oncology staff: burnout, job satisfaction and coping with stress.

OBJECTIVE: The oncology staff is at high risk for developing psychological disorders and burnout. In this study, we aimed to evaluate their burnout levels, job satisfaction, psychological statement and ways of coping with stress and the relationship between these variables and their sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. METHODS: Among all health workers at the Istanbul University Institute, of Oncology, 159 were included in the study. A sociodemographic data form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the Styles of Coping Inventory-Short Form were used to evaluate burnout and its contributing factors. RESULTS: High levels of 'emotional exhaustion', 'depersonalization' and 'low sense of personal accomplishment' were determined in 30.2%, 8.2% and 44% of all participants, respectively. The variables that affected emotional exhaustion were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Accordingly, the ratio of emotional exhaustion was approximately 10 times higher in those for whom job stress was the most important stress factor compared with those who indicated nonjob stress for each one point increase on the GHQ and depersonalization scores, which were other predictors, with odds ratio (OR) : 1.23, p = 0.006 and OR : 1.67, p < 0.001, respectively. A negative correlation was detected between adaptive coping styles and 'burnout,' and a positive correlation was found between maladaptive coping strategies and exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to monitor the psychological status of employees in oncology units with scanning tools such as GHQ to understand their job stress perceptions and to help them develop adaptive coping methods.