Sex Differences in Cognitive Distortions in Individuals with Fibromyalgia

Chronic pain is a significant problem in both clinical practice and research, which does not occur equally in all groups of people. Of the 2% of adults with fibromyalgia in the United States, 3.4% of them are women. Understanding these differences may be useful in informing treatment (Jahan et al., 2012). One such area is distorted thinking, which can have a negative impact on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and pain sensitivity (Varallo et al., 2021). This study examined how cognitive distortions may play a role in the disparities seen between men and women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This study used a between-groups research design and MANOVA to assess the difference between the frequency of cognitive distortions measured by the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (magnification, labeling, and fortune telling); physical and mental health pathology (as determined by scores on anxiety, depression, and pain interference domains of the Patient Report Outcome Measure Information Systems); and pain catastrophizing as measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale for men and women with fibromyalgia. The results indicated that hypotheses one and two were not supported and it was concluded that female fibromyalgia patients did not score statistically significant in the hypothesized areas. However, hypothesis three was supported, and it was concluded that there was a significant relationship between the magnification, labeling, and fortune-telling subscales of the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions and the magnification, rumination, and helplessness subscales of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale

Using Personality Traits To Predict Boundary Management Strategies

This research attempted to answer the question if it possible to predict an individual’s boundary management strategies by using their personality traits. Participants (N = 99) were recruited on the website LinkedIn to answer a survey that included questions about their personality traits, their workplace culture around boundary management, the type of boundary management strategy they preferred to use, and the strategies they used. The traits Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness were found to be significant personality traits to use when predicting preferred boundary management strategies with a moderately strong relationship to preferring Segmentation boundary management strategies. Contrary to previous research, my data suggest that Neuroticism has a weak relationship with preference for Segmentation boundary management. It was also found that segmentation preferences and workplace segmentation culture showed no significant mediation or moderating effects. Finally, the data suggest that a workplace’s boundary management culture affects participants’ use of boundary management strategies

TITUS: Visualization of Neutrino Events in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

The amount and complexity of data recorded by high energy physics experiments are rapidly growing, and with these grow the difficulties in visualizing such data. To study the physics of neutrinos, a type of elementary particles, scientists use liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) detectors among other technologies. LArTPCs have a very high spatial resolution and resolve many of the elementary particles that come out of a neutrino interacting within the argon in the detector. Visualizing these neutrino interactions is of fundamental importance to understand the properties of neutrinos, but also monitor and check on the detector conditions and operations. From these ideas, we have developed TITUS, an event display that shows images recorded by these neutrino detectors. TITUS is a software that reads data coming from LArTPC detectors (as well as corresponding simulation) and allows users to explore such data in multiple ways. TITUS is flexible to enable fast prototyping and customization.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Partnering with healthcare: The experiences of consumer representatives

The importance of consumer advocacy in person-centred healthcare service planning and delivery is growing. In Australia, the role of the Consumer Representative (known internationally as Patient and Family Advisors ) is to advocate for patients and their families\u27 needs to improve service planning, healthcare design, and service evaluation. As the role of consumer representatives evolves and matures within the healthcare setting, it is crucial to comprehend their experiences and identify key insights to support and enhance their role within healthcare organizations. To achieve this, a focus group of four Consumer Representatives was conducted and their views were compiled into a single commentary. Our findings suggest that Consumers Representatives are driven by a desire to assist others, but they may feel dissatisfied if their role is perceived as tokenistic or lacks meaningful engagement. Consumer Representatives suggested various ways to improve consumer participation, including role clarification, meeting facilitation, and the development of supportive consumer networks. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Patient, Family & Community Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens

The Evolution of Patient Experience: From Holistic Care to Human Experience

Patient experience has evolved as a critical concept and outcome in health systems internationally. Evolving from consumer-led movements, coupled with shifts in the positioning of patients among clinical professions, the global focus on patient experience is now evident in nationally mandated measurement tools, the creation of dedicated institutional leadership roles, and outlets such as the Patient Experience Journal. By critically analysing the pivotal factors and milestones that have shaped its evolution throughout healthcare history, this review provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of patient experience. In doing so, the review provides a critical analysis of the application of patient experience in health systems and future directions required to drive change for improvement

Does Patient Experience Change with Age? Exploring Associations Between Patient Experience, Gender and Age

Patient experience measurement is important for healthcare organizations to support the provision of high-quality care. Although previous research suggests age and gender may influence patient experiences, a thorough analysis of these associations remains unexplored. To address this gap, our research investigates the association of age and gender on patient experience ratings, using data from two widely used assessment tools: the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). Data analysis was performed on a total of 19,228 survey responses, collected from 2018 to 2022, in a public metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia. Our findings reveal that patient experience ratings differ significantly for people in different age groups, with older adults (\u3e65 years) consistently reporting substantially higher satisfaction levels compared to younger adults (18–34 years). This finding was observed in both NPS and HCAHPS data; however gender-related disparities in patient experience ratings were not significantly different. These insights have substantial implications for healthcare organizations striving to optimize the patient experience and ensure that care delivery aligns with the evolving needs of patients across different age groups. Consequently, it is important for healthcare organizations to understand the varied experiences across diverse patient groups and to implement age-specific strategies, especially targeting the unique needs and expectations of young adults