RESUMEN

Introduction: Strabismus influences health-related quality of life. Individuals may have functional and psychosocial consequences of strabismus that impact their well-being. As strabismus is prevalent in all age groups, patients are seen in varied specialties in healthcare organizations. Therefore, healthcare professionals need to be aware of the psychosocial consequences when caring for strabismic individuals. Objective: To describe strabismic adults' experiences of the psychosocial influence of strabismus. Methods: Twelve strabismic adults participated in face-to-face or online semistructured individual interviews to share their experiences of the psychosocial influence of strabismus. The participants were selected purposefully. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: The participating adults described challenges with social environments, which showed stress in social situations and pressure in interactions. Strabismic adults had experienced staring from others, avoided social situations, and were uncomfortable with photography. They hid their strabismus, avoided eye contact, and struggled with intimate relationships. They also expressed struggles with mental well-being, which were emotional and psychological burdens. The adults described feeling negative emotions, worry, and irritation due to their condition. Struggles with self-confidence, difficulties with acceptance, negative thoughts about their appearance, experiences of bullying, and dealing with being different were described. Conclusion: Strabismic adults experience psychosocial consequences of strabismus, influencing their psychosocial health-related quality of life. Further studies should focus on how healthcare professionals could support strabismic individuals' psychosocial well-being.

RESUMEN

Older women with HIV face challenges to their quality of life, including neurocognitive decline, early-onset menopause, and chronic health issues. Chief among these concerns is depression, the most common psychiatric comorbidity among people living with HIV, with rates twice as high among women as men. However, tailored interventions among older women living with HIV and depression are lacking. Following the ADAPT-ITT framework to adapt existing interventions for cultural relevance among groups of people living with HIV, the study team revised an evidence-based intervention, the 'Stress Management and Relaxation Training/Expressive Supportive Therapy Women's Project (SMART/EST),' for online implementation. Working with two community stakeholders, the study team conducted focus groups, theater testing, and manual adaptation. This resulted in the development of e-SMART/EST, an online teletherapy group co-facilitated by a Licensed Psychologist and a credentialed Peer Counselor. The adapted, eight-session weekly intervention was tested with an exploratory pilot sample of eight older women (55 years and older) with HIV and depression. Participants rated the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of the intervention, as well as symptoms of depression and HIV-related quality of life before and after the group. The e-SMART/EST Women's Project demonstrated high acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness. Engagement was high, as women attended an average of 6.8 sessions. In qualitative interviews, participants reported peer co-facilitation, culturally relevant themes (e.g., HIV-related minority stress, critical consciousness, grief, and sex and pleasure), mindfulness techniques, and cohesion with other women as main favorable elements of the intervention. Barriers to online implementation included technological issues, distractions due to remote participation, and hindered emotional attunement compared with in-person group therapy. Findings support further research to test similar interventions in full-scale trials with older women living with depression and HIV.

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study aims to explore the experiences of care, psychosocial support, and psychosocial wellbeing among patients treated for COVID-19 in intensive care 12 to 18 months after discharge. METHODS: This study used a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 20 adult patients treated for COVID-19 12 to 18 months after being discharged from a university hospital in Sweden. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: The participants were severely affected by COVID-19 both during the hospital stay and afterwards. They experienced overwhelming fears and uncertainties related to their wellbeing and possibility to recover. The care was described chaotic with staff that were stressed; however, the efforts of the staff during this strenuous circumstance were still positively acknowledged. Difficulties to stay in touch with family and friends due to visiting restrictions affected the patient's psychosocial wellbeing. CONCLUSION: Contracting COVID-19 in the beginning of the pandemic was a stressful event. Being seen and heard is of importance as it has the possibility to create a feeling of security and being cared for despite unclarities about treatment and illness trajectory. Accordingly, healthcare staff play an important role for the psychosocial wellbeing of patients treated for COVID-19.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome is a severe complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children (MIS-C). To date, data on long-term sequelae mainly concern cardiac outcomes. All ≤ 18 year olds consecutively admitted to the Buzzi Children's Hospital with a diagnosis of MIS-C between October 1, 2020, and May 31, 2022, were followed up for up to 12 months by a dedicated multidisciplinary team. They underwent laboratory tests, multi-organ clinical and instrumental assessments, and psychosocial evaluation. 56/62 patients, 40 M, mean age 8.7 years (95% CI 7.7, 9.7), completed the follow-up. Cardiological, gastroenterological, pneumological, and neurological evaluations, including IQ and EEG, were normal. Alterations of HOMA-IR index and/or TyG index, observed in almost all patients during hospitalisation, persisted in about a third of the population at 12 months. At 6 and 12 months respectively, impairment of adaptive functions was observed in 38/56 patients (67.9%) and 25/56 (44.6%), emotional and behavioural problems in 10/56 (17.9%) and 9/56 (16.1%), and decline in QoL in 14/56 (25.0%) and 9/56 (16.1%). Psychosocial well-being impairment was significantly more frequent in the subgroup with persistent glycometabolic dysfunction at 12 months (75% vs. 40.9% p < 0.001). CONLUSION: The mechanisms that might explain the long-term persistence of both metabolic alterations and neuro-behavioural outcomes and their possible relationship are far from being clarified. Our study points out to the potential long-term effects of pandemics and to the importance of a multidisciplinary follow-up to detect potential negative sequelae in different areas of health, both physical and psychosocial. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection. • Few data exist on the medium- and long-term outcomes of MIS-C, mostly focused on cardiac involvement. Emerging evidence shows neurological and psychological sequelae at mid- and long-term follow-up. WHAT IS NEW: • This study reveals that MIS-C may lead to long-term glycometabolic dysfunctions joined to impairment in the realm of general well-being and decline in quality of life, in a subgroup of children. • This study highlights the importance of a long-term multidisciplinary follow-up of children hospitalised with MIS-C, in order to detect the potential long-term sequelae in different areas of health, both physical and psychosocial well-being.

RESUMEN

Research on the lived experiences of HIV survivors, including young people living with HIV, has primarily emphasized broader sociocultural concerns, such as stigmatization and cultural attitudes toward sexuality and gender, while giving less attention to the interconnectedness of these issues with the mental well-being of those affected by the illness. This study, drawing on relational ethnography including observations and interviews at four antiretroviral-administering healthcare facilities in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria, explores how young people living with HIV strive toward viral suppression and how they develop collaborative psychosocial support along with the global efforts in eradicating the HIV epidemic. We found that, in and between themselves, young people living with HIV weave for themselves a network of relationships, though discreetly, to foster and encourage survivorship. Such relatedness, where mutual trust and support have emerged and rebuilt HIV survivors' faith in a livable life, forms what we conceptualize as "sero-kinship." That is, sero-kinship, which focuses on how people create and change meanings in their everyday lives that ultimately contribute to controlling HIV and treatment management, forms an essential foundation on which a life with HIV becomes thinkable, bearable, then manageable, and acceptable.

RESUMEN

Cyberbullying is a growing problem in the Italian educational sector, with a prevalence of 17%. This study analyzes its impact on the psychosocial well-being and academic performance of Italian adolescents. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 502 students from six schools in different Italian regions, using the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIPQ) to assess cyberbullying, in addition to collecting data on satisfaction, friends, and academic performance. Chi-square and ANOVA analyses were conducted to identify significant associations between the variables. RESULTS: The analyses showed significant associations between cyberbullying and gender and in psychosocial well-being, with significant differences in personal satisfaction and body satisfaction. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in academic performance or in the ability to make new friends, although victims showed a significantly lower ability to make new friends compared to those who were neither victims nor aggressors. CONCLUSIONS: Cyberbullying has a significant impact on students' psychosocial well-being, especially on personal satisfaction and school happiness, making it essential to implement interventions that promote safe school environments to mitigate these negative effects.

RESUMEN

This study investigated the impact of language learning in comparison to other complex learning activities on cognitive functioning and psychosocial well-being in cognitively healthy, community-dwelling older adults. In a randomized controlled trial, 43 Dutch functionally monolinguals aged 65-78 completed a three-month English course (n = 15), music training (n = 13), or a lecture series (n = 15). Cognitive functioning (global cognition, cognitive flexibility, episodic memory, working memory, verbal fluency, and attention) and psychosocial well-being were assessed before and immediately after the intervention, and at a four-month follow-up. The language learners significantly improved on episodic memory and cognitive flexibility. However, the magnitude of cognitive change did not significantly differ between the language learning and music training conditions, except for a larger positive change in cognitive flexibility for the language learners from pretest to follow-up. Our results suggest that language learning in later life can improve some cognitive functions and fluency in the additional language, but that its unique effects seem limited.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Research indicates harmful associations between parental weight-focused conversations and markers of pediatric health and well-being. However, little is known about the prevalence and consequences of parent conversations focused on weight or health behaviors (i.e., physical activity or nutrition) with emerging adult children. METHODS: Data are from the 2018 follow-up survey of the population-based EAT 2010-2018 (Eating and Activity over Time) in cohort from Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. Participants were emerging adults at follow-up with ages 18-26. Regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics were conducted. RESULTS: Over two-thirds (68%) of mothers and 44% of fathers engaged in weight-focused conversations with their emerging adult children; 25% of both parents reported engaging in conversations focused only on health behaviors; and 8% of mothers and 26% of fathers reported not engaging in either type of conversation. Health-focused conversations by both parents were associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and disordered eating behaviors, higher intake of fruit and vegetables, and psychosocial well-being in emerging adult children. Weight-focused conversations with both parents were associated with higher BMI and disordered eating behaviors in emerging adults. There were gender moderated associations of paternal conversations about weight and health with vegetable intake, binge eating, and depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: The high prevalence and negative health outcomes associated with weight-focused conversations coupled with the low prevalence and positive health outcomes associated with health-focused conversations by parents suggests the need for public health messaging and intervention development aimed at reducing parental weight talk with emerging adult children.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of immediate breast reconstruction with mastectomy in the local population. METHODS: The quasi-experimental, control study was conducted at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised patient data from April 2017 to December 2020, of breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy with or without immediate breast reconstruction. Those who underwent mastectomy were labelled as control group A, while patients with immediate breast reconstruction were labelled as intervention group B. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 66 patients, 33(50%) were in each of the 2 groups. Group B had significantly more patients aged <40 years than group A (p=0.01), more patients with graduate-level education (p=0.04), and more patients who were either unmarried or divorced (p=0.05) than group A. Group B patients had higher mean scores for satisfaction with breasts (p=0.001) and psychosocial wellbeing (p=0.001) than those in in group A. Mean scores for adverse effects of radiotherapy were significantly higher in group B than in group A (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Better health-related outcomes were reported by patients who underwent immediate breast reconstruction with mastectomy.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study quantified the effect of 48 psychosocial constructs on all-cause mortality using data from 7,698 individuals in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study. METHODS: Latent class analysis was used to divide participants into mutually exclusive psychosocial wellbeing groups (good, average, or poor) which was subsequently considered as the exposure. Mediation analysis was then conducted to determine the direct effect of the psychosocial wellbeing groups and the indirect (mediating) effects of physical health (functional status and comorbid conditions) and lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption) on overall survival. We also created a composite health index measure representing the summative effect of the mediators. RESULTS: We observed a strong and statistically significant total effect (TE) between survival time and psychosocial wellbeing group (survival time ratio (SR) = 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.50,2.01 when comparing good to poor). Mediation analysis revealed that the direct effect via psychosocial wellbeing group accounted for more than half of the TE (SR = 1.46, 95% CI:1.27,1.67). The composite health index measure mediated 36.2% of the TE with the natural indirect effect SR of 1.18 (95% CI:1.13,1.22). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate the interconnectedness between psychosocial wellbeing and physical health and lifestyle factors on survival.

RESUMEN

Previous studies have examined how various aspects of positive psychological well-being (PPWB) independently relate to healthy aging, yet a notable gap remains in understanding the effects of their overlap (i.e., shared variance). We used data from two longitudinal cohorts, the Midlife Development in the United States Study and the Health and Retirement Study (N = 3,302 and 7,209), each of which assessed hedonic and eudaimonic facets of PPWB (positive affect, purpose in life, personal growth, and self-acceptance) and tracked mortality status across 14-15 years of follow-up. We derived a global factor identifying elements common across PPWB facets and also specific PPWB factors from a bifactor model. Then, we examined if higher PPWB levels (global and specific) are associated with mortality risk. Across cohorts, higher global well-being factor levels were associated with reduced mortality risk, even after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. Fewer independent associations were evident with the specific PPWB factors. Findings suggest that variance common across hedonic and eudaimonic facets of PPWB is associated with lower mortality risk. Considering the shared versus unique effects of different PPWB facets can offer valuable insights for theorizing mechanisms underlying health benefits of PPWB and guiding decisions about intervention targets.

RESUMEN

Gamified health interventions can offer child-centered and tailored health-promoting strategies. Evidence suggests that its various mechanics foster engagement that can be utilized to promote health and well-being and influence health behavior. At present, psychosocial challenges among school-aged children are becoming a global predicament. We conducted a scoping review to explore the range and nature of evidence on gamified interventions for promoting the psychosocial well-being of school-aged children from the general population. We followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework and extracted sources of evidence from five databases. Our review findings were summarized with basic numerical analysis and provided with narrative accounts based on a gamification taxonomy and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). We identified 12 gamified interventions and included 23 records that reported their development and evaluation. Theories on emotions, behaviors, social skills, and mental health were commonly applied frameworks. Narrative was found as the most commonly used gamification mechanic (11/12, 91.7%), followed by avatar and tasks (10/12, 83.3%), feedback system and level progression (9/12, 75%), points (7/12, 58.3%), badges (5/12, 41.7%), progress bar (4/12, 33.3%), and virtual goods, reminders, and time pressure (2/12, 16.7%). The included sources of evidence reported significant improvements in some of the measured psychosocial outcomes; however, studies on this domain for this particular target group are still considerably limited. Further research is needed to determine how the applied theories and gamification mechanics brought about the change in psychosocial outcomes, bridging the gap in current evidence.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: This study explored the behaviours of people living with HIV in Singapore and Hong Kong in terms of achieving and maintaining their physical and psychological wellbeing in relation to HIV, to identify the challenges and support needed in HIV care. METHODS: This qualitative study involved 90-minute interviews among Singapore and Hong Kong people living with HIV aged ≥18 years to explore health-related quality of life perceptions and gaps in patient empowerment in HIV care during February-May 2022. The COM-B (C: Capability; O: Opportunity; M: Motivation; B: Behaviour) framework was used during data analysis to identify behaviour facilitators and barriers for people living with HIV to achieve and maintain their wellbeing. Detailed accounts of respondents' experience of living with and managing HIV, that is what worked well, unmet needs and perceived significance of wellbeing indicators, were analysed qualitatively via a combination of inductive content and deductive frameworks. RESULTS: A total of 30 and 28 respondents were recruited from Singapore (SG) and Hong Kong (HK), respectively. Most respondents were aged 20-49 years (SG: 83.3%; HK: 64.3%), males (SG: 96.7%; HK: 92.9%), men who have sex with men (SG: 93.3%; HK: 71.4%), had university or higher education (SG: 73.3%; HK: 50.0%) and were fully employed (SG: 73.3%; HK: 57.1%). In both Singapore and Hong Kong, physical health was considered a key focus of overall wellbeing, albeit attention to long-term health associated with cardiovascular and renal health was less salient. The impact of symptoms, side effects of treatment, mood and sleep were among the top wellbeing indicators of importance. Respondents felt that insufficient information was provided by physicians, citing consultation time and resource constraints impeding further expression of concerns to their physicians during consultation. Respondents prioritized functional wellness and delegated psychosocial health to supportive care professionals, patient groups, families and/or friends. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need in Singapore and Hong Kong to empower people living with HIV to establish better communications with their physicians and be more involved in their treatment journey and equally prioritize their psychosocial wellbeing.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: Patients from diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing undue social and financial burdens ("collateral damage") from a metastatic breast cancer (mBC) diagnosis; however, these challenges have not been well explored in diverse populations. METHODS: From May 2022 to May 2023, English- or Spanish-speaking adults with mBC treated at four New York-Presbyterian (NYP) sites were invited to complete a survey that assessed collateral damage, social determinants of health, physical and psychosocial well-being, and patient-provider communication. Fisher's exact and the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum tests assessed differences by race and ethnicity. RESULTS: Of 87 respondents, 14% identified as Hispanic, 28% non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 41% non-Hispanic White (NHW), 7% Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI), and 10% other/multiracial. While 100% of Hispanic, NHW, and AAPI participants reported stable housing, 29% of NHB participants were worried about losing housing (p = 0.002). Forty-two percent of Hispanic and 46% of NHB participants (vs. 8%, NHW and 0%, AAPI, p = 0.005) were food insecure; 18% of Hispanic and 17% of NHB adults indicated lack of reliable transportation in the last year (vs. 0%, NHW/AAPI, p = 0.033). Participants were generally satisfied with the quality of communication that they had with their healthcare providers and overall physical and mental well-being were modestly poorer relative to healthy population norms. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, NHB and Hispanic mBC patients reported higher levels of financial concern and were more likely to experience food and transportation insecurity compared to NHW patients. Systematically connecting patients with resources to address unmet needs should be prioritized to identify feasible approaches to support economically vulnerable patients following an mBC diagnosis.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in psychosocial well-being of adolescents under the COVID-19 pandemic, the explanatory factors and their potential variations across contexts remained understudied. Hence, this cross-regional study compared the extent of inequalities and the mediating pathways across Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Netherlands. METHODS: Between July 2021 and January 2022, 25 secondary schools from diverse socioeconomic background were purposively sampled from Hong Kong, Zhejiang (Mainland China), and Limburg (the Netherlands). 3595 junior students completed an online survey during class about their socioeconomic position, psychosocial factors, and well-being. Socioeconomic inequalities were assessed by multiple linear regressions using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII), whereas the mediating pathways through learning difficulty, overall worry about COVID-19, impact on family' financial status, resilience, trust in government regarding pandemic management, and adaptation to social distancing were examined by mediation analyses moderated by regions. RESULTS: The adverse psychosocial impact of COVID-19 was stronger in the Netherlands and Hong Kong compared with Mainland China. The greatest extent of socioeconomic inequalities in the change in psychosocial well-being was observed among students in the Netherlands (SII = 0.59 [95% CI = 0.38-0.80]), followed by Hong Kong (SII = 0.37 [0.21-0.52]) and Mainland China (SII = 0.12 [0.00-0.23]). Learning difficulty and resilience were the major mediators in Mainland China and Hong Kong, but to a lesser extent in the Netherlands. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic inequalities in psychosocial well-being were evident among adolescents under the pandemic, with learning difficulty and resilience of students as the key mediators. Differences in the social contexts should be considered to better understand the variations in inequalities and mediating pathways across regions.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Following stroke, a sense of well-being is critical for quality of life. However, people living with stroke, and health professionals, suggest that well-being is not sufficiently addressed within stroke services, contributing to persistent unmet needs. Knowing that systems and structures shape clinical practice, this study sought to understand how health professionals address well-being, and to examine how the practice context influences care practice. METHODS: Underpinned by Interpretive Description methodology, we interviewed 28 health professionals across multiple disciplines working in stroke services (acute and rehabilitation) throughout New Zealand. Data were analysed using applied tension analysis. RESULTS: Health professionals are managing multiple lines of work in stroke care: biomedical work of investigation, intervention and prevention; clinical work of assessment, monitoring and treatment; and moving people through service. While participants reported working to support well-being, this could be deprioritised amidst the time-oriented pressures of the other lines of work that were privileged within services, rendering it unsupported and invisible. CONCLUSION: Stroke care is shaped by biomedical and organisational imperatives that privilege physical recovery and patient throughput. Health professionals are not provided with the knowledge, skills, time or culture of care that enable them to privilege well-being within their work. This has implications for the well-being of people with stroke, and the well-being of health professionals. In making these discourses and culture visible, and tracing how these impact on clinical practice, we hope to provide insight into why well-being work remains other to the 'core' work of stroke, and what needs to be considered if stroke services are to better support people's well-being. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS: People with stroke, family members and people who provide support to people with stroke, and health professionals set priorities for this research. They advised on study conduct and have provided feedback on wider findings from the research.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: To examine if intergenerational transmission of parent weight talk occurs, the contextual factors prompting weight talk, and whether parent weight talk is associated with child weight, dietary intake, psychosocial outcomes, and food parenting practices. STUDY DESIGN: Children aged 5-9 years and their families (n = 1307) from 6 racial and ethnic groups (African-American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali/Ethiopian, White) were recruited for a longitudinal cohort study through primary care clinics in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota from 2016 through 2019. Parents filled out surveys at 2 time points, 18 months apart. Adjusted regression models examined associations of interest. RESULTS: Intergenerational transmission of parent weight talk was observed. In addition, significant associations were found between parent engagement in weight talk and higher weight status and poorer psychosocial outcomes in children 18 months later. Parent engagement in weight talk was also associated with more restrictive food parenting practices 18 months later. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' exposure to weight talk as children increased the likelihood of engaging in weight talk with their own children and had harmful associations over time with parent restrictive feeding practices, child weight, and psychosocial wellbeing in children. Health care providers may want to consider both modeling positive health-focused conversations and educating parents about the potential harmful and long-lasting consequences of engaging in weight talk with their children.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Becoming a caregiver can be a transformative journey with profound, multifaceted implications for well-being. However, existing research predominantly emphasizes the negative aspects of caregiving, paying less attention to the positive sides. This study aims to explore the impact of transitioning into a caregiving role on various well-being indicators, such as negative hedonic, positive hedonic, eudaimonic, and social well-being. METHODS: We use Norwegian panel data (2019-2021) and employ a combination of nearest-neighbour matching and a difference-in-differences approach to analyse well-being trajectories among new caregivers (n = 304) and non-caregivers (n = 7822). We assess ten items capturing the dimensions of negative hedonic (anxiousness, sadness, and worriedness), positive hedonic (happiness and life satisfaction), eudaimonic (contributing to others' happiness, engagement, and meaning), and social (strong social relations and loneliness) well-being. RESULTS: Our results show a general increase in negative hedonic well-being and a decline in positive hedonic well-being for new caregivers. These impacts are larger for caregivers providing daily care, compared to those providing weekly and monthly care, and for those providing care inside rather than outside their own household. We observe only minor differences regarding gender and age. Interestingly, we also notice neutral or beneficial changes for eudaimonic aspects of well-being; of note, caregivers generally experience an increased sense of contributing to others' happiness. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that adopting a caregiving role often leads to significant psychosocial challenges, especially in intensive caregiving situations. However, it also uncovers potential positive influences on eudaimonic aspects of well-being. Future research should explore underlying explanatory mechanisms, to inform strategies that enhance caregivers' well-being.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Epidemiological data show that human reproductive disorders are a common problem worldwide, affecting almost one in six people of reproductive age. As a result, infertility has been identified by the World Health Organization as a public health disease. Reproductive problems can take a heavy toll on the psychosocial well-being of couples suffering from infertility. This is especially true for women, who tend to be the ones who undergo the most treatment. The main objective of the present study is to find out whether a sex-based infertility diagnosis influences the quality of life of couples with infertility. Also, we aim to find out whether the degree of adherence to gender norms influences their quality of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Fertility Quality of Life Questionnaire (FertiQoL) and the Conformity to Feminine and Masculine Norms Inventories in a sample of 219 infertile Spanish couples (438 participants). The results show that, in all cases, regardless of the degree of conformity to gender norms and whether the infertility diagnosis was of female or male origin, women have lower scores on the self-perceived quality of life. This suggests that being female is already a psychosocial risk factor when assessing the psychosocial consequences of infertility.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Acne scarring is a frequent complication of acne. Scars negatively impact psychosocial and physical well-being. Optimal treatments significantly improve the appearance, quality of life, and self-esteem of people with scarring. A wide range of interventions have been proposed for acne scars. This narrative review aimed to focus on facial atrophic scarring interventions. The management of acne scarring includes various types of resurfacing (chemical peels, lasers, and dermabrasion); the use of injectable fillers; and surgical methods, such as needling, punch excision, punch elevation, or subcision. Since the scarred tissue has impaired regeneration abilities, the future implementation of stem or progenitor regenerative medical techniques is likely to add considerable value. There are limited randomized controlled trials that aimed to determine which treatment options should be considered the gold standard. Combining interventions would likely produce more benefit compared to the implementation of a single method.