To explore the self-care practices of pregnant women in relation to COVID-19 prevention, and evaluate the impact of perceived stress levels during the epidemic period. This cross-sectional study focused on 228 pregnant women from Tabriz, Iran, who were attending health centers for their prenatal care. Cluster sampling was instrumental in their selection. The data collection process incorporated questionnaires pertaining to Demographic-Social Characteristics, the Self-Care Performance Questionnaire, and the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale. Spearman's rank correlation test was employed to study the correlation between self-care performance and perceived stress, as part of a broader bivariate and multivariate investigation. Multivariate linear regression, controlling for demographic-social and obstetric characteristics as potential confounders, was employed. ultrasound in pain medicine Based on the median (25th to 75th percentile) scores, participants' self-care performance was 0.71 (0.65-0.76) out of a maximum possible score of 80. Their mean perceived stress score was 2.55 (SD 0.56) on a scale of 0-56. Perceived stress was found to be inversely correlated with self-care performance scores according to the results of the Spearman rank correlation test (r = -0.13; p = 0.0041). Multivariate linear regression testing indicated that self-care efficacy, level of education, the spouse's educational attainment, and the number of family members influenced perceived stress levels in pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak. Pregnant women's self-care efforts in mitigating COVID-19, as assessed in this study, demonstrated a positive outcome, with stress levels reported as moderate. Self-care practices demonstrated an inverse correlation with perceived stress, possibly a reflection of the mother's commitment to the fetus's health and her adherence to COVID-19 health protocols, contributing to a reduction in stress and a sense of calmness.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global wave of fear, anxiety, and depression has touched the wider public. A study was initiated to determine the presence of fear, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing the contributing factors behind these conditions and contrasting these results with a year-prior study conducted in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to ascertain any alteration in the mental health patterns of the community. Using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patients Health Questionnaires (PHQs), an anonymous online survey was conducted among the general population in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Criegee intermediate A study involving 1096 subjects revealed 813% were female, 338% possessed a high school diploma, 564% were married, and 534% worked in intellectual professions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 423% experienced fear, 729% reported anxiety, and 703% displayed depressive symptoms. The average age of the subjects was 35.84 ± 1086. Of the subjects surveyed, 501% were confirmed COVID-19 positive, and an impressive 638% displayed COVID-19 related symptoms. COVID-19 related fear (OR = 1972), combined with moderate to severe depressive symptoms (OR = 9514), was connected to the development of mild to severe anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This anxiety was then linked to the emergence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms (OR = 10203) and COVID-19 related fear (OR = 2140), potentially indicating a cyclical pattern. Subjects diagnosed with COVID-19 (OR = 1454) exhibited a heightened predisposition to experiencing mild to severe anxiety symptoms throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In essence, the pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina resulted in a steep increase in the rates of fear, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The observed phenomena's interconnectedness was significantly correlated with variables including age, gender, marital status, and COVID-19 status. Consequently, a pressing mental health intervention is crucial for the avoidance of mental health issues.
The neuromodulatory procedure, Objective Non-constant current stimulation (NCCS), uses scalp or earlobe electrodes to administer weak alternating, pulsed, or random currents to the human head. Basic and translational studies frequently employ this approach. Despite this, the underpinnings of NCCS, responsible for brain-based biological and behavioral outcomes, remain largely unexplained. Within this review, we delineate the NCCS techniques presently employed in neuroscience studies, encompassing transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES). Our approach involved an unsystematic exploration of all applicable conference papers, journal articles, chapters, and textbooks related to the biological mechanisms of NCCS techniques. NCCS's fundamental premise is that these low-level currents can engage with neuronal activity, influencing neuroplasticity and synchronizing cortical networks, leading to changes in cognition and behavior. Each NCCS technique's mode of action is elucidated and its mechanisms are explored. Through mechanisms such as neural entrainment and stochastic resonance, the application of these techniques may have both microscopic and macroscopic consequences on the brain, affecting ion channels and neurotransmission systems at a microscopic level, and brain oscillations and functional connectivity at a macroscopic level. What makes NCCS appealing is its capacity for noninvasive neuroplasticity modulation, along with its ease of application and generally favorable patient tolerance. Intriguing and substantial evidence points towards NCCS's ability to modify neural circuits and the corresponding behaviors. Optimizing this advancement is the challenge of today. Further development of NCCS methodologies will allow researchers to gain a deeper understanding of how NCCS can be used to modulate nervous system activity and the resulting behaviors, with implications for both non-clinical and clinical settings.
The pattern of smartphone usage, marked by addiction, has amplified anxieties about potential difficulties. The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), a self-administered instrument, measures both smartphone usage patterns and dependence. This research project sought to translate and culturally adapt the short version of the Self-Assessment Scale (SAS) into Persian (SAS-SV-Pr) and subsequently assess its psychometric properties. A standardized method was implemented for SAS-SV translation, comprising a double-forward and backward translation process. For the purpose of completing the SAS-SV and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), a convenience sample of 250 students was enrolled from three medical universities located in Teheran. Content validity was analyzed with respect to both the content validity index (CVI) and the possible floor and ceiling effects. Internal consistency was evaluated by means of Cronbach's Alpha, and test-retest reliability was determined through the application of the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC21). Establishing criterion validity involved calculating Pearson's correlation coefficient (Pearson's r) between the summed scores of the SAS-SV-Pr and IAT. Construct validity was determined by first conducting exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to solidify the findings. Translation and cultural adaptation resulted in just slight modifications to the wording. The validity of the IAT was substantiated by a substantial correlation (r = 0.57) with the SAS-SV-Pr. The measures exhibited notable internal consistency (0.88), strong split-half reliability (0.84), a respectable composite reliability (0.78), and a highly consistent test-retest reliability (ICC(21) = 0.89). A follow-up EFA displayed an ambivalent factor structure, poised between one-factor and two-factor models, and contributed to the explanation of 50.28 percent of the total variance. The CFA ultimately determined the two-factor solution to be the preferred choice. Our investigation of the data concluded with no presence of floor or ceiling effects. The outcome of the Persian SAS-SV, a two-factor structure, quantifies smartphone user dependency. Demonstrating satisfactory psychometric properties—validity, reliability, and factor structure—the tool is appropriate for screening and research endeavors with Persian subjects.
Indonesian early childhood education programs frequently incorporate the memorization of the Quran, which studies indicate has a positive effect on the emotional development of children. The Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA) index is employed in this study to explore the impact of Quranic memorization on the emotional dynamics of children in a specific situation. The participants in the method were four children, from Surakarta's Islamic-based schools, with ages ranging from five to seven. Students engaged in three methods of Quran learning: visual learning by watching videos, auditory learning by listening to murattal recitations, and memorization by repetition. selleck compound The FAA index, a measurement derived from absolute power data in Electroencephalography (EEG) signals, calculates the natural logarithm (ln[right alpha power] – ln[left alpha power]) specifically from channels F8 and F7. Across nearly all tasks, a substantial portion of participants exhibited a positive FAA index. No significant disparity was found in the FAA index for different tasks, according to the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test, which yielded a p-value of 0.0592. A post hoc Mann-Whitney U test found no intervention to be exceptional when compared to the other interventions. Children's emotional responses, assessed using the FAA index, show a positive, happy, motivated, and excited emotional state when the Quran is learned through visual, auditory, and memory-based methods.
Adolescents and young adults can benefit greatly from mental health literacy, as this is the time when the majority of mental disorders begin to surface.