Salinas, Manisha

Objective: Mental health problems among children and adolescents are increasingly observed during the outbreak of COVID-19, leading to significant healthcare concerns. Survey studies provide unique opportunities for research during this pandemic, while there are no existing systematic reviews in this setting. The objective was to summarize existing survey studies addressing the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents. Methods: For this systematic review, we performed an electronic search in multiple databases from December 2019 to December 2020. The quality appraisal of the included studies was performed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. Because of the high methodological heterogeneity between studies, a narrative synthesis of the qualitative data was used. Results: In total, 35 survey studies with 65,508 participants, ranging from 4 to 19 years of age, are included in this review. Anxiety (28%), depression (23%), loneliness (5%), stress (5%), fear (5%), tension (3%), anger (3%), fatigue (3%), confusion (3%), and worry (3%) were the most common mental health issues reported. Children and adolescents with psychiatric and/or developmental disorders, such as severe obesity, chronic lung disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cystic fibrosis, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, were especially vulnerable to the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Age, gender, psychological quality, and negative coping strategies were identified as risk factors for the development of mental health problems. Social and family support, along with a positive coping style, was associated with better outcomes. Conclusion: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of children and adolescents is multifaceted and substantial. Survey studies regarding child and adolescent mental health amid COVID-19 indicated that anxiety, depression, loneliness, stress, and tension are the most observed symptoms. Positive coping strategies with family and social support may be important to achieving better outcomes. Due to limited available evidence, more well-designed studies in this area are urgently needed.

Systemic racism is embedded in healthcare settings and is linked to high maternal mortality rates for Black women in US Society. Doulas, or birth support workers, are uniquely positioned to advocate for women of color going through the birthing process, but little is understood on how doulas come to terms with race, racism, and whiteness in maternal healthcare settings. Using qualitative in-depth interviews with 11 doulas in northeast Florida, this research study found that doulas’ advocacy for maternal justice leads to an intersection with racial justice through their support of minority women clients. Doulas shared stories of racial injustice when they compared their white and Black client experiences, leading to shifting strategies to address racism in maternal healthcare settings. Doulas also grappled with their connection to whiteness through their own identities and interaction with white and minority clients. Many doulas shared a need for anti-racism training and recruitment of Black doulas to meet the needs of women of color going through the birthing process.

Background Employee wellness programs can help manage stress and alleviate burnout. Objective To pilot and disseminate the Intentional Action(InAct) concept for employee wellbeing. Methods Five independent interactive workshop-lectures with an automated audience response system. Descriptive analysis of participant response data. Results Participants (n = 275): rated spirituality, physical environment and nutrition the most highly in contributing to their present well-being. Ninety-eight percent (n = 269) of participants identified a focus area to work on. The well-being area most selected was Exercise, (35% n = 95), however, other non-traditional areas, including Personal and Professional Development (18% n = 48), Relationships and Communication (17% n = 47), were selected, along with mind-body connection and mindful awareness (6% n = 15 and n = 16). Conclusion The pilot engaged employees to reflect and set goals for their future well-being. Healthcare institutions implementing programs should consider a broad range of whole person strategies addressing employee well-being, which go beyond the traditional focus on exercise and nutrition.

Abstract Background: Chronic conditions are placing a serious burden on individuals as well as the health care system. Health coaching (HC) has emerged as a promising approach that can support effective lifestyle interventions for chronic conditions. However, until now there is no particularly comprehensive systematic review of HC impact on a chronic condition from the angle of patient improvement and detail coaching characteristics reported. Objective: To synthesize available studies on the efficacy and current status of HC interventions on the health of chronically ill adult patients. Methods: The literature search will be conducted for trials published in English within the past four years. Electronic databases CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus will be searched with keywords describing HC for chronic diseases. Randomized controlled trials that compare HC interventions to conventional care or other alternative therapies will be included. Data extraction will be conducted by two reviewers independently, and enrolled trials will be evaluated for quality and bias assessment. If appropriate, meta-analysis will be conducted on the last stage of the review; otherwise, the study findings will be described narratively. The software Review Manager (Revman version 5.3.5.) provided by the Cochrane Collaboration will be applied for the meta-analysis. Results: This is the first study to comprehensively explore the effectiveness and current status of HC intervention for patients with chronic conditions. Discussion: Study findings from this review will advance the appropriate utilization of coaching practice by determining whether HC is effective and feasible among patients with chronic disease. If proven effective, this approach may be applied more broadly through public health interventions. The current status findings will also provide evidence to inform decisions for integrating HC interventions into the current management pathway for individuals with chronic conditions. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020153280.