Association of Fatigue with Emotional-Eating Behavior and the Response to Mental Stress in Food Intake in a Young Adult Population

Fatigue is a common complaint among young adults. We investigated whether eating behaviors are associated with fatigue in this population. The participants consisted of 117 healthy students attending Osaka City University. They completed questionnaires assessing fatigue and eating behaviors. To identify the factors associated with the prevalence of fatigue, multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender was performed. The Emotional Eating subscale score of the Japanese version of Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised 21-item and stress response in food intake (large decrease vs. no change) were positively associated with the prevalence of fatigue assessed by the Japanese version of the Chalder Fatigue Scale. The finding suggests that emotional eating and decrease in amount of food intake under mental stress were associated with fatigue in healthy young adults. Our findings may help to clarify the mechanisms underlying fatigue–eating coupling as well as the etiology of diseases related to abnormal eating behavior.     

Relationship Between Fatigue and Photosensitivity

It is considered that photosensitivity is one of the most important factors to cause video-game epilepsy. Since photosensitivity is thought to cause various signs of hypersensitivity in the central nervous system and hypersensitivity is believed to be related to fatigue, whether fatigue is associated with photosensitivity was determined. The study group consisted of 68 healthy medical students attending Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine. They completed questionnaires dealing with fatigue (Chalder Fatigue Scale) and photosensitivity. On simple regression analyses, fatigue score was positively associated with photosensitivity score. Similarly, on multiple regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and sleeping hours, fatigue score was positively associated with photosensitivity score. Fatigue is associated with photosensitivity. Our findings provide new perspectives on fatigue.     

Relationship between fatigue and photosensitivity

It is considered that photosensitivity is one of the most important factors to cause video-game epilepsy. Since photosensitivity is thought to cause various signs of hypersensitivity in the central nervous system and hypersensitivity is believed to be related to fatigue, whether fatigue is associated with photosensitivity was determined. The study group consisted of 68 healthy medical students attending Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine. They completed questionnaires dealing with fatigue (Chalder Fatigue Scale) and photosensitivity. On simple regression analyses, fatigue score was positively associated with photosensitivity score. Similarly, on multiple regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and sleeping hours, fatigue score was positively associated with photosensitivity score. Fatigue is associated with photosensitivity. Our findings provide new perspectives on fatigue.     

Fatigue of survivors following cardiac surgery: Positive influences of preoperative prayer coping

Objectives. Fatigue symptoms are common among individuals suffering from cardiac diseases, but few studies have explored longitudinally protective factors in this population. This study examined the effect of preoperative factors, especially the use of prayer for coping, on long-term postoperative fatigue symptoms as one aspect of lack of vitality in middle-aged and older patients who survived cardiac surgery. Method. The analyses capitalized on demographics, faith factors, mental health, and on medical comorbidities previously collected via two-wave preoperative interviews and standardized information from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' national database. The current participants completed a mailed survey 30 months after surgery. Two hierarchical regressions were performed to evaluate the extent to which religious factors predicted mental and physical fatigue, respectively, after controlling for key demographics, medical indices, and mental health. Results. Preoperative prayer coping, but not other religious factors, predicted less mental fatigue at the 30-month follow-up, after controlling for key demographics, medical comorbidities, cardiac function (previous cardiovascular intervention, congestive heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction, New York Heart Association Classification), mental health (depression, anxiety), and protectors (optimism, hope, social support). Male gender, preoperative anxiety, and reverence in secular context predicted more mental fatigue. Physical fatigue increased with age, medical comorbidities, and preoperative anxiety. Including health control beliefs in the model did not eliminate this effect. Conclusions. Prayer coping may have independent and positive influences on less fatigue in individuals who survived cardiac surgery. However, future research should investigate mechanisms of this association.     

Cardiovascular Risk: Gender Differences in Lifestyle Behaviors and Coping Strategies

Background

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) does not occur until mid to late life for most adults, the presence of risk factors, such as high blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol, has increased dramatically in young adults.

Purpose

The present study examined the relationships between gender and coping strategies, lifestyle behaviors, and cardiovascular risks.

Method

The sample consisted of 297 (71% female) university students. Participants completed a survey to assess demographics, lifestyle behaviors, and coping strategies, and a physiological assessment including lipid and blood pressure (BP) measurements. Data collection occurred from January 2007 to May 2008.

Results

Analyses revealed that age, ethnicity, greater body mass index (BMI), greater use of social support, and less frequent exercise were associated with higher cholesterol, while gender, age, greater BMI, and less frequent exercise were associated with higher systolic BP. There were two significant interactions: one between gender and avoidant coping and the other between gender and exercise on systolic BP, such that for men greater use of avoidant coping or exercise was associated with lower systolic BP.

Conclusion

Understanding how young adults manage their demands and cope with stress sets the stage for understanding the developmental process of CVD. Both coping strategies and lifestyle behaviors must be considered in appraising gender-related cardiovascular risk at an early age before the disease process has begun.     

医学生疲劳与正负情绪、一般自我效能感的现状及关系

目的 探讨医学生疲劳、正负情绪、一般自我效能感的现状及三者之间的关系.方法 采用疲劳量表-14、正负性情绪量表及一般自我效能感问卷,对某医科大学大一～大四754名医学生进行施测.结果 ①医学生疲劳检出率为36.9％；②男医学生的正性情绪显著高于女医学生(F=3.71,P=0.054)；③男生一般自我效能感显著高于女生(F=17.62,P＜0.001)；④医学生的疲劳与正性情绪、一般自我效能感呈负相关,与负性情绪呈正相关.结论 医学生的疲劳受到正负情绪和一般自我效能感的影响.     

飞行人员疲劳状况及心理社会多因素研究

目的分析飞行人员疲劳状况,探讨其影响因素及相互作用方式和途径。方法用疲劳评定量表(FAI)、艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)、特质应对方式问卷(TCSQ)、社会支持评定量表(SSRS)和症状自评量表(SCL-90)对497名飞行人员进行量表测评。结果①飞行人员在疲劳的严重程度上与健康组无明显差异,而明显低于慢性疲劳综合征(CFS)病人组(t=-41.06,P<0.01),不同战机飞行人员在疲劳的严重程度(F=4.19,P<0.01)和情境特异性(F=3.00,P<0.05)方面存在显著性差异,其中轰炸机人员的疲劳程度显著高于歼击机人员,情境特异性显著高于运输机人员,不同专业飞行人员在情境特异性(F=5.47,P<0.01)方面存在显著性差异,其中机械师在疲劳的情境特异性方面明显偏低;②飞行人员疲劳状况与EPQ、TCSQ、SSRS及SCL-90各因子呈不同程度的相关;③对疲劳状况的总效应按影响大小依次为人格特征(0.532)、应对方式(-0.118)、心理健康(-0.089)、社会支持(-0.073)。结论飞行人员疲劳状况受人格特征、应对方式、社会支持及心理健康等多因素的综合影响。     

Fatigue in coccidioidomycosis. Quantification and correlation with clinical, immunological, and nutritional factors.

While described in the past, the frequency and degree of fatigue associated with symptomatic coccidioidomycosis has never been quantified. Using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), severe fatigue (FSS score = 41) was found in 65% of cases of active coccidioidomycosis compared to 42% in cohort of control subjects with chronic medical diseases (P=0.024). Fatigue in patients with symptomatic coccidioidomycosis declined significantly over four months (P=0.023). Severe fatigue in patients with symptomatic coccidioidomycosis was significantly associated with low body mass index (BMI; P=0.024) but was not significantly associated with either serum leptin (r2=0.078, P=0.261) or serum TNF-alpha (r2=0.028, P=0.504) concentrations. Severe fatigue is a common condition among patients with active coccidioidomycosis and is associated with a declining BMI.     

Temperament and job stress in Japanese company employees

BACKGROUND: This study aims to demonstrate the relevance of temperament to job stress. METHOD: The subjects were 848 male and 366 female Japanese company employees. Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire version (TEMPS-A) and Munich Personality Test (MPT) were administered to assess temperaments, and the NIOSH Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ) to assess job stress. We used hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis in order to demonstrate whether temperament variables added any unique variance after controlling the effects of other predictors such as gender, age and job rank. RESULTS: In all subscales of the GJSQ, temperament predicted a large share of the variance in job stress. Remarkably, for interpersonal relationship stressors, the temperament variables added greater variance than that predicted by gender, age and job rank. Summary of the hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that the irritable temperament was associated with the most prominent vulnerability, followed by cyclothymic and anxious temperaments. The schizoid temperament had difficulty in the area of social support. On the other hand, the hyperthymic temperament displayed significant robustness in facing most job stressors; the melancholic type showed a similar pattern to a lesser degree. LIMITATION: The findings may be different in a clinical Japanese sample, or a cohort of healthy employees from a different cultural background. CONCLUSIONS: Temperament influences job stress significantly-indeed, it impacts on such stress with greater magnitude than age, gender and job rank in most areas examined. Temperament influences interpersonal relationship stressors more than workload-related stressors. Interestingly, in line with previous clinical and theoretical formulations, the hyperthymic and melancholic types actually appear to be "hyper-adapted" to the workplace.     

Fatigue Severity, Attributions, Medical Utilization, and Symptoms in Persons with Chronic Fatigue

This study examined the roles of ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) in predicting fatigue severity, symptoms, medical utilization, and attributions among a sample of individuals with chronic fatigue. Using path analysis, a model was tested and revised. In the new model, gender predicted fatigue, ethnicity predicted attributions, fatigue predicted medical utilization and attributions, and attributions predicted medical utilization. Women reported more fatigue and were more likely to feel that stress and depression were causing their fatigue. Higher-SES participants were more likely to cite stress and overwork as causing their fatigue. Latinos reported more physical symptoms than African Americans and Whites. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Age, dehydration and fatigue crack growth in dentin

A preliminary study of the effects from age and dehydration on fatigue crack growth in human dentin was conducted. Compact tension (CT) fatigue specimens of coronal dentin were prepared from extracted molars and subjected to high cycle fatigue (10(5)相似文献   

Validation of the Korean Version of Schedule of Fatigue and Anergia: General Physician Questionnaire

The Schedule of Fatigue and Anergy/General Physician (SOFA/GP) was developed to screen for prolonged fatigue in the primary care setting. We aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the SOFA/GP (SOFA/GP-K), which is adapted from the original English version. We performed translation and back translation, and after conducting a pilot study, we tested the final version of the questionnaire for its reliability and validity in a Korean primary care setting. Two hundred participants that visited a health examination center in a university hospital completed the survey between September and November 2012. A second survey was performed within 2 weeks of the primary survey to test for reliability. We evaluated concurrent validity between the SOFA/GP-K score, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Brief Fatigue Index (BFI) scores. The Spearman correlation coefficient between SOFA/GP-K and FSS was 0.71 and 0.61 between SOFA/GP-K and BFI. Internal consistency of SOFA/GP-K was observed (Cronbach''s alpha = 0.82) and construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis. The Kappa scores for test-retest reliability for each survey item were between 0.28 and 0.64. The SOFA/GP-K is a valid and reliable questionnaire for screening fatigue in a primary care setting.     

Stress, Active Coping, and Academic Performance Among Persisting and Nonpersisting College Students

This article compares the stress, active coping, and academic performance of college students who persisted through an academic year with the same measures among a group of students who left after the fall semester. The hypothesis that stress is related to active coping efforts among persisters, but not among nonpersisters, was strongly supported. However, the hypothesis that stress is related to higher grade point averages (GPAs) among persisters and lower GPAs among nonpersisters was not strongly supported. Stress had a negative effect on GPA among persisters, but there was some evidence of a positive indirect effect through active coping efforts. Finally, a logistic regression analysis found that active coping, thinking it was important to get to know other students, gender, enrollment in more credit hours, GPA, and not being employed lead to greater retention. Active coping was strongly related to retention, and men were more likely to persist. The study provides support for the idea that social support is an active form of coping and that behavioral measures of active coping may be beneficial in studying the relationship between stress and coping.     

Associations of medical student empathy with clinical competence

ObjectiveEmpathy is a crucial skill for medical students that can be difficult to evaluate. We examined if self-reported empathy in medical students was associated with clinical competence.MethodsThis study combined cross-sectional data from four consecutive years of medical students (N = 590) from the Boston University School of Medicine. We used regression analysis to evaluate if self-reported empathy (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE)) predicted scores in clinical clerkships, United States Medical Licensing Examinations, andObjectiveStructured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). We separately analyzed overall and OSCE communication scores based on interpersonal skills reported by standardized patients. We controlled for age, gender, debt, and specialty affinity.ResultsJSPE scores of medical students were positively associated with OSCE communication scores, and remained significant when controlling for demographics. We found that JSPE score was also predictive of overall OSCE scores, but this relationship was confounded by gender and age. JSPE scores were associated with performance in the Pediatrics clerkship, but not other clerkships or standardized tests.ConclusionJSPE scores were positively associated with OSCE communication scores in medical students.Practice implicationsThis study supports that self-reported empathy may predict OSCE performance, but further research is needed to examine differences by gender and age.     

Gender-Specific Associations of Perceived Stress and Coping Strategies with C-Reactive Protein in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women

Background

Perceived stress and coping strategies may influence the risk of cardiovascular disease through their possible association with inflammation, but data remain controversial for perceived stress or scanty for coping strategies.

Purpose

We examined the associations of perceived stress and coping strategies with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in a Japanese general population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 2,971 men and 4,902 women aged 40–69 years who were enrolled between 2005 and 2007. Subjects with possible inflammation-related disease, CRP levels ≥3,000 ng/mL, or currently used analgesics or lipid-lowering drugs were excluded. Analyses were performed by gender with adjustment for lifestyle, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors.

Results

Unexpectedly, elevated perceived stress was significantly associated with lower CRP levels in men (P _trend?P _trend?=?0.90) after adjustment for age and covariates. Among five items of coping strategies evaluated, “disengagement” showed a significant inverse association with CRP in men only (P _trend?=?0.027). In addition, a possible interaction between “emotional support seeking” and perceived stress on CRP was detected in men (P _interaction?=?0.021); “emotional support seeking” was associated with lower CRP at the high stress level only (P _trend?=?0.028).

Conclusions

Both perceived stress and coping strategies may be associated with systemic inflammation in Japanese men, yet caution must be exercised before accepting the stress–inflammation–disease pathway.     

乳腺癌化疗患者癌性疲乏、应对方式与生活质量的相关性

目的:探讨乳腺癌化疗患者癌性疲乏、应对方式与生活质量之间的相关性.方法:本研究是横断面研究,采用方便抽样法选择乳腺癌改良根治术后行药物化疗的女性患者120例,用癌性疲乏自评量表 (the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale,PFS)、Jalowiec的应对量表 (Jalowiec Coping Scale,JCS)和欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织开发的癌症患者生命质量测定系列量表的核心问卷[Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30,QLQ-C30(V3.0)]和针对乳腺癌人群的特异性问卷 (Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast 23,QLQ-BR23),分别测评患者的癌性疲乏水平、应对方式和生活质量状况.采用Spearman相关分析患者癌性疲乏状况、应对方式以及生活质量三者之间的相关性.结果:乳腺癌化疗患者的癌性疲乏总分与QLQ-C30的功能和总体健康状况呈负相关(r＝-0.24,-0.39;均P<0.01);积极的应对方式如勇敢面对、乐观与PFS的感知维度呈负相关(r＝-0.25,-0.18;均P<0.05),与QLQ-BR23的功能维度呈正相关(r＝0.35,0.21;均P<0.05);消极应对方式如情感、听天由命与PFS的认知维度呈正相关(r＝0.33,0.18;均P<0.05),与QLQ-BR23的功能维度呈负相关(r＝-0.40,-0.32;均P<0.05),与QLQ-BR23症状维度呈正相关(r＝0.40,0.28;均P<0.05).结论:乳腺癌化疗患者所经历的癌性疲乏状况、采取的应对方式及其生活质量三者间存在一定程度的关联,此发现对临床护理有指导意义.     

医学生心理压力与应付方式的关系研究

目的探讨医学生不同程度心理压力与不同应付方式的关系。方法使用心身压力测试量表、应对方式问卷对426名学生进行调查。结果①24.4%的大学生心理压力程度较高,39.2%的大学生心理压力适中,36.4%的大学生心理压力程度较低;②高、中、低3个不同程度心理压力组学生应付方式各因子得分都有显著性差异(F=15.797,26.284,5.086,16.327,7.630,3.073;P<0.05);③心理压力较高的学生倾向于采取非成熟的应付方式,心理压力适中、较低的学生倾向于采取成熟的应付方式;④自责、幻想及解决问题对心理压力有非常显著的预测作用(R2=0.169,0.197,0.223;P<0.001)。结论倾向使用非成熟应付方式的医学生心理压力较高。     

医学生抑郁与生活事件、应对方式的关系

目的:探讨医学生抑郁与生活事件的关系,检验应对方式在两者间的中介作用,以期为医学院校心理健康教育提供依据。方法:采用抑郁自评量表(SDS)、青少年生活事件量表(ASLEC)和简易应对方式问卷(SCSQ)对徐州医学院的在校医学生进行问卷调查。结果:医学生的抑郁检出率为32.23%,不同性别、年级和专业的医学生抑郁得分有统计学差异(P0.01),抑郁与生活事件、应对方式均两两相关(P0.01),应对方式在抑郁和生活事件中起着部分中介作用。结论:应对方式在医学生的抑郁与生活事件之间存在着部分中介作用。     

Brazilian version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy: psychometric properties and factor analysis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Empathy is a central characteristic of medical professionalism and has recently gained attention in medical education research. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy is the most commonly used measure of empathy worldwide, and to date it has been translated in 39 languages. This study aimed to adapt the Jefferson Scale of Empathy to the Brazilian culture and to test its reliability and validity among Brazilian medical students. METHODS: The Portuguese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy was adapted to Brazil using back-translation techniques. This version was pretested among 39 fifth-year medical students in September 2010. During the final fifth- and sixth-year Objective Structured Clinical Examination (October 2011), 319 students were invited to respond to the scale anonymously. Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis, item-total correlation, and gender comparisons were performed to check the reliability and validity of the scale. RESULTS: The student response rate was 93.7 % (299 students). Cronbach's coefficient for the scale was 0.84. A principal component analysis confirmed the construct validity of the scale for three main factors: Compassionate Care (first factor), Ability to Stand in the Patient's Shoes (second factor), and Perspective Taking (third factor). Gender comparisons did not reveal differences in the scores between female and male students. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted Brazilian version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy proved to be a valid, reliable instrument for use in national and cross-cultural studies in medical education.     

Freshmen adaptation to university life: depressive symptoms, stress, and coping

Attending a university for the first time can be a stressful experience for many new college students. This study examines the relationships among femininity and masculinity, depressive symptomatology, levels of stress, and the types of coping strategies used by college freshmen. Results of this study suggest that these variables were related uniquely for first-year college students. Masculinity and femininity significantly predicted problem-focused coping, and femininity significantly predicted emotion-focused coping. Further, the levels of family and college stress reported by college students, as well as their endorsement of avoidant coping, significantly predicted their levels of depressive symptoms. Overall, the results of this study suggest that understanding the relationships among the gender role, the levels of depressive symptomatology, and the levels of stress exhibited by college freshmen may be important in facilitating their transition and adjustment to university life.