Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; Saliva ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Stress, Psychological ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the validity and reliability of the Occupational Stress Scale (OSS) for Chinese offshore oil platform workers.

METHODSA 51-item self-administered questionnaire developed in the light of Cooper's questionnaire and company's special situation was used to investigate 561 subjects.

RESULTS51 occupational stress items relating to offshore oil production were subjected to factor analysis, and nine latent factors were identified, which explained 62.5% of the total variance. According to the contents described by the items included in each factor, they were respectively defined as: "the interface between job and family/social life (factor 1)", "career and achievement (factor 2)", "safety (factor 3)", "management problem and relationship with others at work (factor 4)", "physical factors of workplace (factor 5)", "platform living environment (factor 6)", "role in management (factor 7)", "ergonomics (factor 8)" and "organization structure (factor 9)". Significant difference in the score of five factors was observed among 12 different job categories by analysis of variance. After adjusting for potential confounding factors (age, educational level), hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the score of the OSS was significantly and positively correlated with the poor mental health of the workers (P < 0.01). The consistent test between OSS and each factor showed that Cronbach's alpha were 0.72 - 0.91.

CONCLUSIONThe OSS is a valid and reliable tool for measuring occupational stress, and can be used to explore occupational stress and its influence on health and safety problems in offshore oil workers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing Symptoms of Stress among hospital staff nurses. METHOD: Data was collected by questionnaires from 249 hospital staff nurses in three General Hospital. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The score of the symptoms of stress showed a significantly positive correlation with the score of work stress(r=.22, p=.00). The symptoms of stress showed a significantly negative correlation with the score of social support(r=-.28, p=.00), self efficacy(r=-.31, p=.00), and hardiness(r=-.24, p=.00). The most powerful predictor of symptoms of stress was social support and the variance explained was 16%. A combination of social support, ways of coping, and work stress account for 32% of the variance in symptoms of stress among hospital staff nurses. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that social support, ways of coping, self efficacy, hardiness, and work stress are significantly influencing factors on symptoms of stress among hospital staff nurses.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Self Efficacy ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological/diagnosis/etiology/*psychology

PURPOSE: This study examined self-efficacy, self-care behavior, posttraumatic growth, and quality of life in cancer patients and their levels by disease characteristics groups to identify patient groups that require psychosocial intervention. METHODS: We surveyed 107 patients using a structured questionnaire about the four factors and analyzed the factors by stratifying the patients by the period after the cancer diagnosis, by stage and by current treatment status. RESULTS: The mean score for self-efficacy was 37.78, and that for self-care behavior 49.96. Patients who were diagnosed less than one year ago scored higher on medication, a sub-category of self-care behavior, than the post-diagnosis period of 1~2 year group. The score was higher in the currently-treated group than the follow-up and distant metastasis groups. For posttraumatic growth, the mean was 56.17, and the factor was higher in the 1~2 year post-diagnosis group after than the less than one year group. The score was higher in the follow-up group than the currently-treated group. With regard to quality of life, the mean score was 25.79, and no significant correlation was found with disease characteristics. CONCLUSION: A shorter post-diagnosis period increased self-care behavior, and the greatest posttraumatic growth was reported by the 1~2 year post-diagnosis group. It may be necessary to provide cancer patients with an education program and other strategies less than one year after the diagnosis to improve self-efficacy and self-care behavior. To promote post-traumatic growth, it may be helpful to provide patients with psychosocial intervention within two years after the diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Quality of Life* ; Self Care* ; Stress, Psychological

Bruxism is defined as 'diurnal or nocturnal parafunctional activity including clenching, bracing, gnashing, and grinding of the teeth'. Bruxism and clenching are two of the most common contributing factors in patients with temporomandibular disorders and craniofacial pain disorders. Even though many studies report the high prevalence of bruxism, its cause is still not clear. Occlusal interference has been regarded as a major etiologic factor. Nowadays, psychological stress and sleeping disorders are generally regarded as major possible etiologic factors. More than likely, the cause is multifactoral and overlapping, which makes it difficult for the practitioner to apply comprehensive and effective management strategies. Although dentists and psychologists generally believe that effective treatment is best achieved with a better understanding of the etiology of a given disorder, for now treatment for this type of disorder must proceed without a clear understanding of etiology. To overcome this obstacle, evidence-based comprehensive management protocols based on accumulated scientific findings should be provided. In this presentation, epidemiology, etiology, and the characteristics of bruxism are reviewed. Diagnostic procedures and management strategies focused on occlusal appliances and behavioral approaches are also discussed.
Braces ; Bruxism* ; Dentists ; Diagnosis* ; Epidemiology ; Facial Pain ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Psychology ; Stress, Psychological ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

PURPOSE: The SPAN, which is acronym standing for its four components: Startle, Physiological arousal, Anger, and Numbness, is a short post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) screening scale. This study sought to develop and validate a Korean version of the SPAN (SPAN-K). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-three PTSD patients (PTSD group), 73 patients with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders (psychiatric control group), and 88 healthy participants (normal control group) were recruited for this study. Participants completed a variety of psychiatric assessments including the SPAN-K, the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability values for the SPAN-K were both 0.80. Mean SPAN-K scores were 10.06 for the PTSD group, 4.94 for the psychiatric control group, and 1.42 for the normal control group. With respect to concurrent validity, correlation coefficients were 0.87 for SPAN-K vs. CAPS total scores (p<0.001) and 0.86 for SPAN-K vs. DTS scores (p<0.001). Additionally, correlation coefficients were 0.31 and 0.42 for SPAN-K vs. STAI-S and STAI-T, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of SPAN-K showed good diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.87. The SPAN-K showed the highest efficiency at a cutoff score of 7, with a sensitivity of 0.83, a specificity of 0.81, positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.88, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.73. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the SPAN-K had good psychometric properties and may be a useful instrument for rapid screening of PTSD patients.
Humans ; *Psychological Techniques ; Republic of Korea ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/*diagnosis/psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self efficacy (SE), health promoting behaviors (HPB) and symptoms of stress (SOS) among university students. METHOD: Data was collected by questionnaires from 369 university students in Seoul, Korea. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: The mean score for SE was 3.42, the mean score for HPB was 2.48, and the mean score for SOS was 2.31. The score of SOS showed a significantly negative correlation with the score of SE (r=-.24, p=.00) and HPB (r=-.13, r=.00). Also, SOS showed a significantly negative correlation with diet HPB (r=-.15, p=.00), spiritual growth HPB (r=-.17, p=.00), interpersonal relationship HPB (r=-.17, p=.00), and stress management HPB (r=-.10, p=.04). The most powerful predictor of SOS was SE and the variance was 10%. A combination of SE, diet, problems related to drinking, and responsibility for health HPB account for 16% of the variance in SOS among university students. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that SE and HPB are significant influencing factors on SOS among university students.
Universities ; Students/*psychology ; *Stress, Psychological/diagnosis ; *Self Efficacy ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Adult

BACKGROUND: Although stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SCMP) is reported to be more common in women, little is known about gender differences in patients with SCMP. The aim of the study was to describe clinical features of patients with SCMP according to gender. METHODS: One hundred and three patients diagnosed with definite SCMP at a single tertiary institute from January 1997 to August 2014 were enrolled. SCMP was more common in women than in men. RESULTS: Age at presentation was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.758). Preceding physical stress, especially acute medical illness, was more common in male patients (p = 0.014), whereas emotional stress was more common in female patients (p = 0.016). Severity of medical illness classified by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score at the time of SCMP diagnosis was not significantly different between men and women (p = 0.752). Clinical characteristics, including symptoms, laboratory and electrocardiographic findings, were similar. However, pump failure was more severe in men (p = 0.024). Clinical outcomes were not statistically different (p = 0.220). Preceding physical stress and lower left ventricular systolic function after 2 months were independent risk factors for all-cause mortality for both genders. Women with an APACHE II score ≥ 15 and men with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction after 2 months had a greater risk of poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: SCMP was more common in female patients. Female patients more commonly experienced preceding emotional stress, whereas physical stress was more common in male patients. Systolic dysfunction was more severe in men. Long-term clinical outcomes appeared to be similar between men and women.
APACHE ; Cardiomyopathies* ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; Stroke Volume

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a depigmented disorder, causing serious cosmetic problems for patients. In diagnostic and therapeutic aspects, vitiligo should be differentiated from other hypopigmented disorders as the therapeutic approach and prognosis are different for each disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the usefulness of several markers for melanocytes or melanin in differential diagnosis of vitiligo. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were studied, who were diagnosed clinically as suffering from one of the following diseases: vitiligo, nevus depigmentosus, pityriasis alba, postinflammatory hypopigmentation, and idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis. Skin samples (frozen or paraffin-fixed) were obtained from depigmented patches and normal neighboring skin (control). Histological staining was performed by using Fontana-Masson, S-100, MART-1, and DOPA. The staining level of lesional skin was compared with that of normal skin. RESULTS: When the staining level of vitiligo was compared with that of others, vitiligo was significantly lower in Fontana-Masson (13.3+/-17.2% vs 44.4+/-23.7%), S-100 (49.5+/-14.9% vs 74.7+/-24.2%), MART-1 (7.4+/-8.7% vs 68+/-33.9%), and DOPA (9.5+/-11.3% vs 58.2+/-29.5%) (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: MART-1 and DOPA are valuable markers in differential diagnosis of vitiligo. However, Fontana-Masson, a marker of melanin, had some limits in detecting melanocytes, and S-100 showed non-specific staining other than melanocytes.
Cosmetics ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Nevus ; Pityriasis ; Prognosis ; Skin ; Stress, Psychological ; Vitiligo

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to discover the structure of the lived experience of suffering of families with cancer patients to develop a theoretical foundation that can be used to reinforce nursing practice for cancer patients and their families. METHODS: A qualitative study was performed using Parse's research method. Participants were four families with cancer patients. From February 2009 through April 2010, data were collected via dialogicalengagement between participants and the researcher and analyzed through the extraction-synthesis and heuristic interpretation processes. RESULTS: The structure was identified as follows. The families' lived experience of suffering was a process through which they experienced a psychological shock of cancer diagnosis and difficulties associated with reshuffled roles among family members, and made efforts to care for the patients. CONCLUSION: Amidst sadness, pain, anxiety, guilt, fear and agony, the families focused on the human-health-universe aspect and found meanings of their experiences as love, triumphant, responsibility and hope. As such, the study results suggest that the suffering of families with cancer patients is a human becoming process of positive transformation.
Anxiety ; Diagnosis ; Guilt ; Heuristics ; Hope ; Humans ; Humans* ; Love ; Methods* ; Nursing ; Qualitative Research ; Shock ; Stress, Psychological