bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How to create a healthy kindergarten – lessons learned from a participatory project in Germany
Authors: Kuchler M , Rauscher M , Kaczmarczyk D , Leimann J , Tollmann P , Quilling E 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Issue/problem
Families play a central role in children's health. However, many health-promoting programs do not reach families who would need these the most. Through the involvement of families in the planning and implementation of health promotion activities, e.g. in kindergarten, acceptance and the adoption of health-promoting behavior can be increased in the family setting.

Description of the problem
The central question was how to successfully involve families in the planning and implementation, especially those who are otherwise not reached by programs. In a three-year project, six kindergartens in Germany planned and implemented health-promoting actions with families and network partners. Each institution organized search conferences and formed project groups. A youth welfare agency trained and accompanied the kindergarten staff to coordinate the participatory processes.

Results
Participatory processes emerged in all institutions despite corona-specific challenges. However, the degree of involvement varied. Staff, families and network partners identified needs and implemented appropriate actions. These were somewhat similar to existing programs also in other countries, but the involvement of multiple parties produced different results because the participants tied in with their own interests and resources.

Lessons
All parents are keen to be involved in their children's health. However, in order to involve them, a suitable framework is needed that corresponds to their family life for example, through the appropriate choice of place, time and form. In addition to the resources available, the participatory culture of the institutions and the attitudes of the staff had a major impact on involvement. Training and support in participatory processes are necessary to develop dialogue and joint action and to involve families in a sustainable way. These findings are transferable internationally.

Key messages
• Family involvement in children's health promotion is essential to make a real contribution to their healthy development.
• It is therefore essential to create low-threshold opportunities that take into account families’ living environments and lifestyles.
The rise of depression and the risk of suicide: Understanding dysphoria in modern society
Authors: Overholser J , McGovern C , Silva C 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Problem
Depression is on the rise and can result in the intense despair that underlies suicide risk.

Description of the Problem
Modern society has changed in ways that disrupt personal life, reduce lasting values, and create a disconnect from close interpersonal relations. It is important to understand the prevalence of despair and the high rates of death by suicide.

Results
A comprehensive scoping review identified five relevant factors that play a role in the rise of distress and despair across society. First, many people rely on alcohol or drugs to temporarily suppress emotional reactions. Drug abuse has become commonplace. Further, the over-use of antidepressant medications may result in the social and emotional causes of depression remaining untreated. Second, prescription pills and guns are the most common methods used in a suicidal act and both are commonplace throughout the U.S. Third, many adults struggle with occupational stress and chronic financial worries. In addition, many adults feel their job is repetitive and mundane, providing a source of income but little benefit to person or society. Fourth, many people experience pervasive feelings of loneliness and social isolation, often feeling disconnected from family and friends. Some aspects of social isolation may be related to an excessive use of technology that has changed social interactions in ways that are not helpful. Fifth, many people have been losing hope or lack meaning in life. As society becomes filled with interpersonal conflict, political strife, and suppressed hatred, feelings of hopelessness can grow. Some people have reached a level of fatigue over the assorted crises facing the world today.

Lessons
The rising suicide rates are not a time-limited epidemic, but despair has become endemic to modern society, quietly undermining the emotional lives of many people. Societal changes can promote positive mental health by addressing each of these five factors.

Key messages
• Mental Health professionals can promote non-pharmacological means of managing stress and depression.
• All fields can encourage supportive and compassionate bonds when confronted with people in distress.
Educational attainment and symptoms of anxiety and depression in young adulthood
Authors: Östberg V , Åhlén J , Brolin Låftman S 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Young adulthood is a life phase when mental health problems are common. Although education is known to exert an influence on health, increased knowledge about the links between educational attainment and mental health problems in young adults is needed. The aim of this study was to analyse if educational attainment at the end of upper secondary (U.S.) school (i.e. age 19) predicted self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms two years later.

Methods
Data was derived from the Swedish population-based cohort study Futura01 (n = 3247; 56% women). Anxiety and depression were measured by self-reports in 2022 (age 21) through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4). Educational attainment was measured through linked registry information from 2020 (age 19). Linear regression analysis was used. Covariates included parental country of birth, parental education and family type.

Results
Co-occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression were more common among young adults with a compulsory than a U.S. academic degree (women: b = 0.79, 95% CI 0.49, 1.09; men: b = 0.77, 95% CI 0.37, 1.17). Symptoms of depression only were more common among women with a compulsory degree (b = 0.60, 95% CI 0.20, 1.00), and among participants with a U.S. vocational degree (women: b = 0.51, 95% CI 0.09, 0.94; men: b = 0.50, 95% CI 0.08, 0.91), compared to those with a U.S. academic degree. Symptoms of anxiety only were, in contrast, less common among men and women with a compulsory degree compared to those with a U.S. academic degree, although statistically significant only among women (b=-0.50, 95% CI -0.88, -0.12).

Conclusions
Educational level in young adulthood was clearly associated with subsequent symptoms of anxiety and depression but the social patterning varied between symptoms. Lower educational level was linked to a higher reporting of co-occurring anxiety and depression and of depression only, while a higher educational level was linked to a higher reporting of anxiety only.

Key messages
• Young adult educational attainment was negatively associated with symptoms of co-occurring anxiety and depression and of depression only, but positively associated with symptoms of anxiety only.
• In young adulthood educational level is associated with anxiety and depression in complex ways. Efforts to improve educational attainment and/or mental health need to consider this complexity.
What impact does informal caring have on Mental Wellbeing? A cross-sectional analysis of survey data
Authors: Beaumont A , Gulliford M 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
It is estimated that 1 in 8 of the English & Welsh population are unpaid informal carers. There is an upward trend in the number of carers in a growing and ageing population. This study aimed to quantify the mental wellbeing of informal carers as compared to the English general population.

Methods
The study drew from secondary analysis of the Health Survey for England, including 10,300 participants of all ages. The outcome measure was the Warwick Edinburgh mental wellbeing scale (WEMWBS) a 14-item validated survey which measures subjective well-being and psychological function with higher scores denoting greater wellbeing. Derived caring status, age & sex were explanatory variables. Multiple linear regression was employed to estimate associations.

Results
Of the 7,297 eligible adult participants, 1,244 were carers. The adjusted mean difference in WEMBS for men compared to women was 0.53 (0.10 to 0.96, P = 0.016). When including caring status, the mean difference for carers compared to non-carers was -1.71 (-2.29 to -1.13, p &lt; 0.001) adjusted for age and sex. In sub groups of age, (&lt;25, 25-64, and &gt;65) there was evidence that caring was associated with lower wellbeing for ages &lt;64 but no evidence of difference in &gt; 65 years.

Conclusions
There is compelling evidence that informal carers have a lower WEMWBS score, indicating poorer mental wellbeing. However, this does impact all age groups equally as there was only evidence of carers &lt;64 having a lower WEMWBS. This is one of the first studies to quantify the mental wellbeing of carers, and could lead to further studies to identify a causal link, and better support carers.

Key messages
• Informal unpaid carers &lt;64 years, have quantifiably reduced mental wellbeing, compared to the wider population. Further research is needed to reduce the disparity.
• In an ageing population, and with increasing numbers of people informally caring, policy should support them in caring, and to also improve their own health.
Association between Instagram addiction and well-being: the role of resilience and self-esteem
Authors: Lin W C , Zou M L , Hsu H W , Lin W Y , Chen Y H 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, particularly among young adults. While social media use was found to impact negatively on mental health, few studies have focused solely on Instagram, and research on young adults’ positive mental health is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between Instagram addiction, subjective well-being (SWB), and depression among college students, as well as investigate the moderating effects of resilience and self-esteem.

Methods
A total of 441 college students in Taipei, Taiwan participated in this study through convenience sampling between December 2022 and February 2023. Participants completed paper-based questionnaires that evaluated Instagram addiction using the Instagram Addiction Scale, SWB using items adapted from OECD Guidelines, and resilience and self-esteem using the Resilience Scale for Adults and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, respectively. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression.

Results
The sample consisted of 441 undergraduate students and the mean Instagram usage time was 67.4 minutes per day, and the mean addiction score was 27.3. After adjusting for potential confounders, Instagram addiction was negatively associated with life satisfaction (β=-0.06, 95% CI=-0.09∼-0.03), eudaimonia (β=-0.07, 95%CI=-0.12∼-0.03), and positive affect (β=-0.03, 95%CI=-0.05∼-0.01), and positively associated with negative affect (β = 0.05, 95%CI=0.03∼0.08) and depression (β = 0.16, 95%CI=0.12∼0.20). The correlation between addiction and mental health status was even stronger in the low resilience and low self-esteem groups.

Conclusions
College student with higher addiction to Instagram reported poorer mental well-being, with resilience and self-esteem showing moderation effects. Education on proper use and interventions promoting resilience and self-esteem are recommended to prevent the impacts of Instagram addiction on mental health.

Key messages
• Instagram addictions is associated with lower positive and worse negative mental health status.
• Resilience and self-esteem are protective factors for the potential harm of Instagram addiction.
Trends in adolescent mental health problems and the role of lifestyle factors
Authors: Buli B , Larm P , Nilsson K W , Hellström-Olsson C , Lehtinen-Jacks S , Giannotta F 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Adolescent mental health problems are on the rise globally, including in Sweden. One indicator is an increase in psychosomatic symptoms (PSS) over time. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity (PA), diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption may influence the trends in PSS. However, we found limited research on such associations.

Methods
This study is based on data collected every four years from nationally representative samples of 15-year-old boys and girls in Sweden (N = 9,196, 50.5% girls), as part of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. PSS was measured using a scale developed from the HBSC symptom checklist. We analyzed the trends in PSS from 2002 to 2018 and fitted models to investigate the associations between the trends and lifestyle factors. We included interaction terms between time and each lifestyle factor and fitted separate models for the high and low socioeconomic status (SES) groups.

Results
In general, the mean scores for PSS increased from 2.26 in 2002 to 2.49 in 2018 (p&lt;.001). Compared to the average mean scores during preceding years, the changes in PSS mean scores at each survey year were also significant in all years except 2010. More frequent breakfast intake, daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, and higher PA were associated with lower PSS mean scores while smoking and alcohol consumption had the opposite association. The only significant interaction (B = .050; CI: .015, ¬ .085; p&lt;.01) was observed in the high SES group, indicating that the increasing trend in PSS was stronger among those who had been drunk once or more in a lifetime, compared to those who had never been drunk.

Conclusions
The results indicate increasing trends in mental health problems among young people in Sweden. Furthermore, the study revealed that alcohol drunkenness was associated with a more substantial rise in PSS over time among those in the high SES group. Further research is needed to understand the reasons behind these findings.

Key messages
• Psychosomatic complaints have increased among Swedish adolescents in recent decades.
• Although alcohol drunkenness has significantly declined among Swedish adolescents, it was not sufficient to influence trends in psychosomatic symptoms among those in the high socioeconomic group.
Strengthening mental health for migrant population: An ecosystem approach
Authors: Yong E , Talib H , Lee H Y , Lam M C 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

COVID-19 and its impact and containment measures accentuated the challenges that migrant workers (MWs) faced including mental health. In Sep 2020, Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) formed a multi-agency taskforce called Project DAWN, and seeded a population health framework for MWs’ mental health support through: 1.Mental and social wellness awareness and promotion; 2. Identification of at-risk patients and risk factors; 3. Screening for mental health issues; 4. Surveillance for mental and emotional distress: 5. Counselling, and training of para-counsellors; 6. Timely escalation of care; 7. Provision of post-intervention support.
Project DAWN's initiatives were co-created and co-delivered with social services agencies for effectiveness and relevance. It built on existing systems for expedited implementations while keeping the initiatives sustainable. Appropriate solutions were introduced to address care gaps. At the 2-year mark, a mixed-method analysis was done comprising focused group discussions with 84 stakeholders and data from helplines and distress incidents. Qualitatively, respondents cited materials to raise awareness were clear and helpful, trained peer support leaders (PSLs) could apply skills, processes were formed to enable officers, nurses and hospitals to support MWs’ recovery. Quantitatively, there was doubling of helpline callers from 2021 vs 2022 and a stabilisation of distress incidents. Other findings include:
a) Creation and dissemination of translated mental health information to stakeholders
b) Campaigns garnering &gt;320k FB views and &gt;1.7M TikTok views
c) &gt;750 MWs and &gt;90% ground officers trained in basic psychological first aid
d) Mental health assessment and basic psychiatric treatment included in primary care services coverage

Key messages
• Project DAWN and Singapore’s mental health programmes for MWs harnessed the public, private, civil and philantrophic communities and adopted an ecosystem approach for effectiveness and sustainability.
• This is extended for another 3-year series of interventions.
Comparison of psychotropic medication use before and after parental death by number of siblings
Authors: Luukkonen J , Pitkänen J , Junna L , Bister L , Laakso S , Martikainen P , Remes H 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Ageing populations and decreasing family size suggest more persons might need to take care of their aging parents for longer periods and eventually cope with the loss of their parents with fewer siblings. However, little is known about how number of siblings or specific causes of death, such as dementia, may moderate the burden of impending parental death and coping with parental loss.

Methods
Using Finnish population registers, we assess annual psychotropic medication use among adult offspring around the time of parental death. We use deaths that occurred in Finland during 2004 to 2016 and assess medication use up to two years before and after parental death with generalized estimation equations while controlling for sociodemographic factors. We assess whether sibship size moderates medication use and whether the associations differ by parental causes of death (e.g. dementia, neoplasms or cardiovascular diseases) that convey information about the abruptness of death and care burden prior to death.

Results
Before and after parental death, psychotropic medication use increased more among individuals with fewer siblings. The differences were largest in the first year after parental death, e.g., the increase in medication prevalence was 2.8% (95% CI: 2.5; 3.1) among only children, 2.2% (2.0; 2.2) with those with one to two siblings and 1.1% (0.4; 1.8) with those with three or more siblings. There were little differences between causes of death. Our results are preliminary and based on a 10% subsample of deaths in Finland (n = 110,000).

Conclusions
Parental death was associated with an increase in adult offspring psychotropic medication use that was larger among those with fewer siblings. Decreases in sibship sizes may significantly increase the care burden on offspring caring for their aging parents. Yet, more studies are needed to establish how sibling characteristics moderate these associations.

Key messages
• There is a clear increase in adult offspring psychotropic medication use in the event of a parental death, yet there was little variation according to cause of death.
• Having more siblings was associated with a smaller and belated increase in psychotropic medication use in the event of parental death, which could be interpreted as sharing the burden.
Use of technology as a mediator for loneliness
Authors: Queen C , Sabzevari R , Pasupathy R 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

This study seeks to identify the significant predictors of loneliness among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and asks if using technology can help older adults mitigate the effects of loneliness during periods of social isolation. Data from Wave 9, COVID-19 Survey 2 (Summer, 2021) of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used to determine which factors were meaningful influences on loneliness among older adults during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic N = 10 countries in 3 healthcare system clusters. Statistical analysis for this study consists of two steps: Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis and the Dunn-Bonferroni tests; then, logistic regression analyses were used to examine differences between 3 cluster identities. The Kruskal-Wallis test shows that the rate of loneliness varies significantly different countries [χ2(9)=583.6;p&lt; .001], with Latvia/Lithuania having the highest rates. Dunn's pairwise tests were conducted for the 3 country clusters with very strong evidence (p &lt; 0.001) of a difference between rate of loneliness between clusters, with cluster 3 countries of Latvia/Lithuania reporting greatest loneliness; and, age, home care, employment, and financial support (p &lt; 0.001) being significant for the use of technology with all clusters having significance. Only cluster 1 showed significance for use of technology for mitigating loneliness (p &lt; 0.05). Findings from this study suggest that, among higher performing health system countries, technology was a significant mediator of loneliness during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings demonstrate that poorer performing countries could benefit from increased capacity for technology-based public health interventions to reduce loneliness among older adults.

Key messages
• Public health interventions can use technology to mitigate feelings of loneliness among older adults.
• Public health programming can focus on introducing technology-based interventions for older adults.
Study conditions and exhaustion in German higher education students: results of the StudiBiFra study
Authors: Stock C , Lehnchen J , Burian J , Deptolla Z , Heinrichs K 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
A body of research indicates that a high proportion of higher education students suffers from poor mental health. Several individual factors have been found to be associated with different aspects of mental health. However, it remains unclear which specific factors in the study environment demonstrate strong links with mental health outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to identify which domains of study conditions show the strongest associations with exhaustion among students.

Methods
The StudiBiFra Study collected data from 20.060 students at 10 German higher education institutions between June 2021 and August 2022. The questionnaire comprised 20 domains of study conditions with 3-8 items in each domain rated on 5-point Likert scales. Exhaustion was measured with 4 items from the Maslach's Burnout Inventory. Scale means and linear regression analyses adjusted for gender and institution were calculated.

Results
The highest satisfaction with study conditions was found in the domains of “culture at the university” and “cooperation of students” and the lowest satisfaction in the domains “time requirements” and “examination and academic achievement”. Significant negative associations were found between all 20 domains of satisfaction with study conditions and level of exhaustion. Regression coefficients were highest for time requirements (ß=-0.58, p &lt; 0.001), examination and academic achievement (ß=-0.51, p &lt; 0.001), and fit of course content (ß=-0.41, p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
In order to address exhaustion and to improve health and well-being of students, curricula and study organisation should reduce student burdens. Support systems for students need to be extended and resources such as social support among students should be strenghened.

Key messages
• All measured aspects of study conditions had significant impact on exhaustion of students.
• Existing burdens for students should be reduced and resources should be strengthened.