Psychological Factors
https://oxfordhealth-nhs.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/123456789/62
2023-10-03T21:16:32Z
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Empathy and the work of clinical psychiatrists: narrative review
https://oxfordhealth-nhs.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/123456789/1225
Empathy and the work of clinical psychiatrists: narrative review
Barrera, Alvaro; De La Motte de Broöns de Vauvert, Salik J G N
Clinical research suggests that empathy is associated with better clinical outcomes in various areas of medical care, raising the question of whether a similar effect occurs in psychiatry. The aim of this review is to explore philosophical, neuroscientific and psychological perspectives on the concept of empathy in the context of the day-to-day work of clinical psychiatrists. The definition of empathy is outlined and sociodemographic factors, working conditions and psychiatrists’ beliefs that can potentially affect empathy in clinical encounters are explored; educational and training aspects are also reviewed. The review concludes suggesting that research on empathy is needed to understand contextual, training and relational factors that could benefit mental healthcare as well as the working conditions of clinical psychiatrists, both inextricably linked.
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Copyright © The Author(s), 2023
2023-01-01T00:00:00Z
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The Power Threat Meaning Framework and the Climate and Ecological Crises
https://oxfordhealth-nhs.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/123456789/1182
The Power Threat Meaning Framework and the Climate and Ecological Crises
Shukla, Kirsten
Climate change poses an existential threat to today’s and future generations. Within this context, important debates are taking place about the risk of individualising and de-contextualising both climate-related distress and denial. Seeking to re-centre context and power, we tentatively share our thoughts on how the Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) might provide a useful lens to understand different responses to climate change. The paper draws on existing research, theory and experiences to elaborate on the domains of the PTMF, which include Power, Threat, Meaning, Threat Responses and Strengths. We focus on ideological and ecological power, with the latter proposed as a new aspect of power to be considered for future iterations of the PTMF. We illustrate how the different domains of the PTMF can be brought together to generate meta-narratives by offering a climate trauma pattern. We hope this article will be of use to activists, academics and professionals in supporting non-pathologising understandings of different reactions to climate breakdown while also suggesting ways to move forward.
2022-09-01T00:00:00Z
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Understanding health anxiety in the COVID-19 pandemic
https://oxfordhealth-nhs.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/123456789/1000
Understanding health anxiety in the COVID-19 pandemic
Heinen, Anna; Vargheses, Sherin; Kraymen, Amani; Molodynski, Andrew
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be one of the greatest public health challenges faced by the UK. Reported rates of psychiatric difficulties have increased and the mechanisms by which the pandemic has affected mental health requires investigation.
Aims:
The aim of the study was to understand the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health anxiety in the general population, with a focus on Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, which provides specialist mental health care within Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Methods:
We invited participants aged 18+ across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to complete an online questionnaire consisting of standardised questionnaires measuring psychological wellbeing, non-standardised questions to provide demographic information, and information about social circumstances and behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were then invited via email to complete a 3-month follow-up questionnaire.
Results:
About 324 participants completed the baseline survey while 199 completed the follow-up. Our analysis demonstrated that higher scores on a health anxiety inventory were related to reports of depression, anxiety, loneliness, poor quality of life and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and panic. We also identified several predictors of health anxiety such as being female, having a pre-existing physical or mental health condition, and poor tolerance of uncertainty. Lifestyle and demographic factors such as changes in financial situation, changes in employment status, having a close relative or friend with COVID-19, being able to do grocery shopping, being a key worker, and ethnicity were not found to predict health anxiety.
Conclusions:
Awareness of the impact of health anxiety on people needs to be consistently high among healthcare professionals, especially in the continuing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between health anxiety and fatigue, sleep quality, gender and co-morbid mental and physical health difficulties needs to be investigated further to determine areas of intervention.
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2021-11-01T00:00:00Z
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Use of Over-The-Counter Analgesics for Pain and Psychological Distress Among Adolescents: A Mixed Effects Approach in Cross-Sectional Survey Data From Norway
https://oxfordhealth-nhs.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/123456789/637
Use of Over-The-Counter Analgesics for Pain and Psychological Distress Among Adolescents: A Mixed Effects Approach in Cross-Sectional Survey Data From Norway
Harmer, Catherine J
Background: Over-the-counter analgesics (OTCA) such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are frequently used
by adolescents, and the route of administration and access at home allows unsupervised use.
Psychological distress and pain occur simultaneously and are more common among females than
among males. There is a dynamic interplay between on-label pain indications and psychological distress,
and frequent OTCA use or misuse can exacerbate symptoms. No studies have to date provided an
overview of frequent OTCA use in a larger population-based study. The current study used survey data to
explore associations between and the relative predictive value of on-label pain indication and measures
of psychological distress, together with sex differences for weekly OTCA use.
Methods: This study included 349,528 adolescents aged 13-19. The data was collected annually between
January 2014 and December 2018 as part of the Norwegian Young Data survey. Performance analysis
was conducted to explore the relative roles and associations between on-label pain indication and
psychological distress in weekly OTCA use. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to explore
the unique contributions from four domains of on-label pain indication and psychological distress as
measured by a combined measure of anxiety and depression (HSCL-10) and peer-bullying involvement as
victims or bullies.
Results: Thirty percent of females and thirteen percent of males use OTCA weekly. Headache is the
strongest on-label pain predictor of weekly OTCA use, followed by abdominal pain. Depression and
anxiety are the strongest psychological predictor of weekly OTCA use, and higher symptom levels and
being female increase the strength of this association. Anxiety and depression also predict weekly OTCA
use after controlling for physiological pain.
Conclusions: Sex, pain and anxiety and depression are inter-correlated and strong predictors of frequent
OTCA use. Frequent OTCA use in the context of psychological distress may be a form of self-medication
that can exacerbate symptoms and decrease psychosocial function. Longitudinal studies that explore
causal trajectories between frequent on-label OTCA use and psychological distress are required. OTCA
use among adolescents, and particularly among females, with anxiety and depression should be
administered with caution and closely monitored.
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License
2020-10-01T00:00:00Z