OBJECTIVES: To study the influence of family structure on depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and its mechanism. METHODS: The cluster sampling method was used to select the students from seven middle schools in Shanghai, China. An online questionnaire survey was conducted using a self-made general status questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Children's Depression Inventory, and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. The methods including one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, binary logistic regression analysis, and mediating effect analysis were used to evaluate depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents and the difference in childhood trauma and its mediating effect. RESULTS: Compared with the adolescents from nuclear families, the adolescents from three-generation lineal families had a lower risk of depression symptoms (OR=0.794, 95%CI: 0.649-0.972, P<0.05), while those from host families had a higher risk of depression symptoms (OR=4.548, 95%CI: 1.113-18.580, P<0.05). The adolescents from inter-generational families and host families had a significantly higher score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire subscale of emotional neglect (P<0.05). Emotional neglect played a mediating role in the influence of inter-generational families and host families on depression symptoms in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Parents and grandparents have a certain positive effect in family structures. Separation from parents may make adolescents perceive more emotional neglect, which may increase the occurrence of depression symptoms.
Child ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Family Structure ; Child Abuse/psychology* ; China ; Anxiety/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: Shelter hospital was an alternative way to provide large-scale medical isolation and treatment for people with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Due to various reasons, patients admitted to the large shelter hospital was reported high level of psychological distress, so did the healthcare workers. This study aims to introduce a comprehensive and multifaceted psychosocial crisis intervention model. METHODS: The psychosocial crisis intervention model was provided to 200 patients and 240 healthcare workers in Wuhan Wuchang shelter hospital. Patient volunteers and organized peer support, client-centered culturally sensitive supportive care, timely delivery of scientific information about COVID-19 and its complications, mental health knowledge acquisition of non-psychiatric healthcare workers, group activities, counseling and education, virtualization of psychological intervention, consultation and liaison were exhibited respectively in the model. Pre-service survey was done in 38 patients and 49 healthcare workers using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item (PHQ-2) scale, and the Primary Care PTSD screen for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (PC-PTSD-5). Forty-eight healthcare workers gave feedback after the intervention. RESULTS: The psychosocial crisis intervention model was successfully implemented by 10 mental health professionals and was well-accepted by both patients and healthcare workers in the shelter hospital. In pre-service survey, 15.8% of 38 patients were with anxiety, 55.3% were with stress, and 15.8% were with depression; 16.3% of 49 healthcare workers were with anxiety, 26.5% were with stress, and 22.4% were with depression. In post-service survey, 62.5% of 48 healthcare workers thought it was very practical, 37.5% thought more practical; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to relief anxiety and insomnia, and 27.1% thought much helpful; 37.5% of them thought it was very helpful to recognize patients with anxiety and insomnia, and 29.2% thought much helpful; 35.4% of them thought it was very helpful to deal with patients' anxiety and insomnia, and 37.5% thought much helpful. CONCLUSIONS Psychological crisis intervention is feasible, acceptable, and associated with positive outcomes. Future tastings of this model in larger population and different settings are warranted.
Humans ; COVID-19 ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Crisis Intervention ; Psychosocial Intervention ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Mental Health ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Health Personnel/psychology* ; Anxiety/etiology*

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an adverse impact on the physical and mental health of the public worldwide. In addition to illness in patients with COVID-19, isolated people and the general population have experienced mental health problems due to social distancing policies, mandatory lockdown, and other psychosocial factors, and the prevalence of depression and anxiety significantly increased during the pandemic. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the epidemiology, contributing factors, and pathogenesis of depression and anxiety. during the pandemic. These findings indicate that physicians and psychiatrists should pay more attention to and identify those with a high risk for mental problems, such as females, younger people, unmarried people, and those with a low educational level. In addition, researchers should focus on identifying the neural and neuroimmune mechanisms involved in depression and anxiety, and assess the intestinal microbiome to identify effective biomarkers. We also provide an overview of various intervention methods, including pharmacological treatment, psychological therapy, and physiotherapy, to provide a reference for different populations to guide the development of optimized intervention methods.
Female ; Humans ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Pandemics ; Depression/therapy* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Communicable Disease Control ; Anxiety/psychology*

OBJECTIVE: Patients with gynecological cancer commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods to cope with the disease. However, despite the existence of treatment strategies, the effect of fear and anxiety caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on attitudes about CAM use is unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fear and anxiety experienced by patients with gynecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic on their attitudes towards the use of CAM. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study that included 177 women with gynecological cancer; participants were recruited from a social networking site for cancer patients in Turkey between June and December 2021. Data were collected using an online survey that included the Personal Information Form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, and the Attitude Towards Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and simple linear and multiple regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. RESULTS: During the pandemic, 55.4% of the participants reported using CAM methods, but only 22.6% were using CAM before the pandemic. The participants who used CAM during the pandemic also scored higher on the fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety scales (20.69 ± 5.37 and 13.09 ± 6.29, respectively) compared to the participants who did not use CAM (9.29 ± 2.72 and 6.35 ± 2.06, respectively). Fear of COVID-19 accounted for 52% of the CAM attitude score, while coronavirus anxiety accounted for 15% of the CAM attitude score. Fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety together accounted for 53% of CAM attitude. CONCLUSION Gynecological cancer patients with high levels of COVID-19-related anxiety and fear during the pandemic used CAM more. Given that the psychological effects of the pandemic will continue in the coming years, CAM use should be evaluated as a coping strategy, especially due to the COVID-19-related anxiety and fear experienced by patients with gynecological cancer. While the rational and effective CAM methods should be supported, strategies should be developed to prevent misuse of CAM and its interference in prescribed medical treatments. Please cite this article as: Uslu-Sahan F, Yesilcınar I, Kurt G, Hancer E, Guvenc G. Effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine use in women with gynecological cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(4): 377-384.
Humans ; Female ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Anxiety/psychology* ; Attitude ; Neoplasms ; Fear ; Complementary Therapies/psychology*

Chronic pruritus seriously affects the quality of life of patients, which is closely related to stress, anxiety and depression. Prolonged and repeated pruritus can induce negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, while continued increased negative emotions can also promote exacerbation of pruritus, which drives the itch scratch cycle, thereby further aggravating skin damage. More and more studies have explored the mechanism of pruritus, anxiety and depression. This article mainly reviews the clinical relationship between pruritus and anxiety, depression and the new progress of its possible mechanism, providing reference for the prevention, control and effective treatment of chronic pruritus, anxiety and depression.
Humans ; Depression ; Quality of Life ; Anxiety ; Pruritus/psychology*

Objective: To analyze the association between exposure patterns of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and anxiety symptom trajectories in medical college students. Methods: A survey was conducted on first-year students from Anhui Medical College and Anqing Medical College, using the Childhood Abuse Questionnaire, Family Disability Questionnaire, Childhood Adverse Social Experience Item, and Anxiety Self Rating Scale. The baseline survey was conducted from November to December 2019, and two follow-up visits were conducted once every six months until November to December 2020. The latent class analysis (LCA) was used to analyze the exposure patterns of ACEs. The latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was used to analyze the development trajectory of anxiety symptoms. The multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between different exposure patterns of ACEs and the trajectory of anxiety symptom trajectories. Results: A total of 3 662 college students aged (19.2±1.0) were surveyed. The LCA showed that the exposure patterns of ACEs could be divided into the "high ACEs" group (13.4%), "high neglect/emotional abuse" group (25.7%), "high family dysfunction" group (6.9%), "high neglect" group (27.1%), and "low ACEs" group (26.3%). The LCGA divided anxiety trajectories into four groups: "high anxiety decline" (7.1%),"anxiety increase "(4.1%), "moderate anxiety"(52.9%), and "low anxiety"(35.9%). Using the low ACEs group as a reference group, compared with the low anxiety trajectory, the high ACEs group, high neglect/emotional abuse group, high family dysfunction group, high neglect group, and medium to high-level anxiety trajectory were all associated with an increased risk (P<0.05). Conclusion: There is heterogeneity in ACEs exposure patterns among medical college students, and ACEs exposure patterns are important influencing factors for anxiety symptom trajectories.
Humans ; Adverse Childhood Experiences ; Anxiety/epidemiology* ; Child Abuse/psychology* ; Students/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Adolescent ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To establish a model of long-term free drinking mouse by feeding mice with alcohol to simulate the state of human voluntary long-term drinking, and on this basis, to further discuss the evaluation criteria of long-term free drinking mice model in sports, anxiety and cognitive behavior. METHODS: Forty six-week-old SPF C57BL/6 male mouse were randomly divided into two groups: Long-term free drinking group (n=20) and normal control group (n=20). The two groups were given solid feed normally. The long-term free drinking group was free to take 10% alcohol and water every day, while the normal drinking group only took water every day. The mice were fed for 7 months, and were evaluated by a series of behavioral methods, including Rota-rod test, balance beam test, open filed test, the elevated plus maze, two-box social behavior, new object recognition, Y maze and water maze. RESULTS: With the increase of drinking days, the mice showed significant alcohol addiction in the alcohol preference test. With the increase of alcohol intake, the mice in the long-term free choice drinking group had slightly shiny fur and reduced diet. Compared with the control group, the weight gain began to slow down from the third month, and the weight decreased significantly by the sixth and seventh months (P=0.006, P < 0.001). The mice showed reduced balance locomotion ability (P=0.003, P=0.001) in the rotary bar and balance beam test. In the open field and elevated cross test, the mice had obvious anxiety-like behavior (P < 0.001). The mice showed decreased social ability in the two boxes of social behavior (P < 0.016). In the experiment of new object recognition and Y maze, the exploration of new object decreased (P=0.018, P=0.040). In the water maze, cognitive functions, such as learning and spatial memory were reduced (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The successful establishment of the long-term free drinking mouse model is more convenient for us to carry out further research on the neural mechanism of alcohol addiction, and lays an experimental foundation for exploring the neural mechanism of alcohol addiction and related new targets.
Mice ; Male ; Humans ; Animals ; Alcoholism ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Alcohol Drinking/psychology* ; Anxiety ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention on depression, anxiety, fear of childbirth (FOC), and life satisfaction of pregnant women in China. METHODS: Women experiencing first-time pregnancy ( n = 104) were randomly allocated to the intervention group or a parallel active control group. We collected data at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), 3 days after delivery (T2), and 42 days after delivery (T3). The participants completed questionnaires for the assessment of the levels of depression, anxiety, FOC, life satisfaction, and mindfulness. Differences between the two groups and changes within the same group were analyzed at four time points using repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Compared with the active control group, the intervention group reported lower depression levels at T2 ( P = 0.038) and T3 ( P = 0.013); reduced anxiety at T1 ( P = 0.001) and T2 ( P = 0.003); reduced FOC at T1 ( P < 0.001) and T2 ( P = 0.04); increased life satisfaction at T1 ( P < 0.001) and T3 ( P = 0.015); and increased mindfulness at T1 ( P = 0.01) and T2 ( P = 0.006). CONCLUSION The mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention effectively increased life satisfaction and reduced perinatal depression, anxiety, and FOC.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Mental Health ; Mindfulness ; Pregnant Women/psychology* ; Anxiety/prevention & control* ; China ; Depression/prevention & control*

Objective To investigate the status of exclusive breastfeeding and bottle feeding in remote rural areas of Sichuan province and explore the relationship between negative emotions of mothers and feeding patterns of infants.Methods Multistage cluster sampling was employed to select the infants aged 0-6 months and their mothers in remote rural areas of Sichuan province.A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect the demographic characteristics of mothers and infants and the basic family information.The Chinese version of Depression Anxiety Stress scale was used to evaluate mothers' negative emotions,and the Breastfeeding Self-efficacy scale to assess the confidence level of mothers' behavior of adhering to exclusive breastfeeding.Results Totally 723 pairs of infants and their mothers were included.The exclusive breastfeeding and bottle feeding rates were 34.16% (247/723) and 57.54% (416/723),respectively.Mothers with depression tendency were less likely to adopt exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.532,95%CI=0.291-0.974,P=0.041) and more likely to adopt bottle feeding (OR=1.877,95%CI=1.054-3.344,P=0.033).Further subgroup analysis of breastfeeding self-efficacy showed that in the group of low self-efficacy,the mothers with depression tendency were less likely to adopt exclusive breastfeeding (OR=0.461,95%CI=0.236-0.902,P=0.024) and more likely to adopt bottle feeding (OR=1.968,95%CI=1.047-3.701,P=0.036) than the mothers without depression tendency.In the group of high self-efficacy,mothers' depression,anxiety,and stress tendency had no significant correlation with infant feeding patterns (all P>0.05).Conclusions The mothers in the remote rural areas of Sichuan province are more likely to employ bottle feeding than exclusive breastfeeding.The mothers with stronger depression tendency demonstrate lower possibility of exclusive breastfeeding and higher possibility of bottle feeding.Breastfeeding self-efficacy may affect the association between maternal depression and infant feeding patterns.
Humans ; Infant ; Anxiety ; China ; Feeding Behavior ; Self Efficacy ; East Asian People ; Mothers/psychology* ; Depression/epidemiology*

Pathological anxiety is among the most difficult neuropsychiatric diseases to treat pharmacologically, and it represents a major societal problem. Studies have implicated structural changes within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and functional changes in the communication of the PFC with distal brain structures in anxiety disorders. Treatments that affect the activity of the PFC, including cognitive therapies and transcranial magnetic stimulation, reverse anxiety- and fear-associated circuit abnormalities through mechanisms that remain largely unclear. While the subjective experience of a rodent cannot be precisely determined, rodent models hold great promise in dissecting well-conserved circuits. Newly developed genetic and viral tools and optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques have revealed the intricacies of neural circuits underlying anxiety and fear by allowing direct examination of hypotheses drawn from existing psychological concepts. This review focuses on studies that have used these circuit-based approaches to gain a more detailed, more comprehensive, and more integrated view on how the PFC governs anxiety and fear and orchestrates adaptive defensive behaviors to hopefully provide a roadmap for the future development of therapies for pathological anxiety.
Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders/therapy* ; Fear/psychology* ; Humans ; Neural Pathways ; Prefrontal Cortex