Does a short-term intervention promote mental and general health among young adults? – An evaluation of counselling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since 1988, self-reported mental health problems in Sweden have increased more among young people than in any other age group. Young adults aged 18 – 29 with minor mental health problems were welcomed to four (at most) counselling sessions led by psychotherapists. The present study aimed to evaluate the method's appropriateness and usefulness.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study population was recruited consecutively during six months (N = 74) and consisted of 59 women and 15 men. Fifty-one, 46 women and five men, met the criterion for a <it>personal semi-structured interview </it>three months post intervention. Self-assessed health data were collected on three occasions using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Pearlin's Personal Mastery Scale and two items from the Swedish Living Conditions Surveys. Thirteen women and six men were not statistically assessed due to incomplete data, but were <it>interviewed by telephone</it>. Four men refused to be interviewed and became <it>dropouts</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The largest group of the study population had long been troubled by their problem(s): 43 percent for over three years and 28 percent for over one year. Among those <it>personally interviewed</it>, 76 percent reported psychological distress (> 3 GHQ points) before the counselling. After the counselling, GHQ-12 distress decreased by 50 percent while mastery and perceived health status increased significantly. A majority experienced an improved life situation, found out something new about themselves and could make use of the sessions afterwards. Personal participant session contentment was about 70 percent and all counsellees would recommend the intervention to a friend. Those <it>interviewed by telephone </it>were not statistically assessed due to incomplete health data. Their personal contentment was just under 50 percent, though all except one would recommend the counselling to a friend. Their expectations of the intervention were more result-orientated compared to the more process-directed personally-interviewed group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This evaluation shows a clear improvement in self-rated mental and general health, mastery and control in the group completing the study agreement. The intervention seems to be effective for young adults with minor mental health problems, but due to the skewed gender-distribution it is unclear if the method is appropriate for men. After the proposed internal quality improvements, this short-term counselling could enhance mental and general health among young people.</p

The lived neighbourhood : understanding how people with dementia engage with their local environment

In this paper, we report progress on “Neighborhoods: our people, our places” an international study about how people living with dementia interact with their neighborhoods. The ideas of social health and citizenship are drawn upon to contextualize the data and make a case for recognizing and understanding the strengths and agency of people with dementia. In particular, we address the lived experience of the environment as a route to better understanding the capabilities, capacities, and competencies of people living with dementia. In doing this, our aim is to demonstrate the contribution of social engagement and environmental support to social health. The study aims to “map” local spaces and networks across three field sites (Manchester, Central Scotland and Linkoping, Sweden). It employs a mix of qualitative and participatory approaches that include mobile and visual methods intended to create knowledge that will inform the design and piloting of a neighborhood-based intervention. Our research shows that the neighborhood plays an active role in the lives of people with dementia, setting limits, and constraints but also offering significant opportunities, encompassing forms of help and support as yet rarely discussed in the field of dementia studies. The paper presents new and distinctive insights into the relationship between neighborhoods and everyday life for people with dementia that have important implications for the debate on social health and policy concerning dementia friendly communities. We end by reflecting on the messages for policy and practice that are beginning to emerge from this on-going study

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Activity pattern and personal exposure to nitrogen dioxide in indoor and outdoor microenvironments

People are exposed to air pollution from a range of indoor and outdoor sources. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is hazardous to health, can be significant in both types of environments. This paper reports on the measurement and analysis of indoor and outdoor NO2 concentrations and their comparison with measured personal exposure in various microenvironments during winter and summer seasons. Furthermore, the relationship between NO2 personal exposure in various microenvironments and including activities patterns were also studied. Personal, indoor microenvironments and outdoor measurements of NO2 levels were conducted using Palmes tubes for 60 subjects. The results showed significant differences in indoor and outdoor NO2 concentrations in winter but not for summer. In winter, indoor NO2 concentrations were found to be strongly correlated with personal exposure levels. NO2 concentration in houses using a gas cooker was higher in all rooms than those with an electric cooker during the winter campaign, whereas there was no significant difference noticed in summer. The average NO2 levels in kitchens with a gas cooker were twice as high as those with an electric cooker, with no significant difference in the summer period. A time-weighted average personal exposure was calculated and compared with measured personal exposures in various indoor microenvironments (e.g. front doors, bedroom, living room and kitchen); including non-smokers, passive smokers and smoker. The estimated results were closely correlated, but showed some underestimation of the measured personal exposures to NO2 concentrations. Interestingly, for our particular study higher NO2 personal exposure levels were found during summer (14.0 ± 1.5) than winter (9.5 ± 2.4).Peer reviewe

Terrestrial and aquatic bryophytes as monitors of environmental contaminants in urban and industrial habitats

The widespread distribution of bryophytes and the tolerance of many species to certain contaminants has led to their use for monitoring purposes. Early this century, changes in the distribution of mosses in urban habitats indicated deteriorating air quality; alterations in species composition in rivers has reflected changing water quality. The main focus in the past 10 to 20 years has been on measuring levels of contaminants in both terrestrial and aquatic bryophytes. Concentrations of metals, organic chemicals, radionuclides and derivatives of acidic gases have been widely reported in species from contaminated and background areas. More rarely, physiological and biochemical parameters are monitored. This paper describes the approaches which have been used and results obtained from monitoring bryophytes in urban and industrial habitats. Data are reviewed from a range of countries illustrating the increasing interest in low cost methods for monitoring contaminationPeer reviewe

Vegetation damage during an episode of selenium pollution

Necrotic lesions were observed on the leaves of trees and herbaceous species in the vicinity of a copper refinery. Analysis of leaf samples revealed the presence of excessive concentrations of selenium and copper. The maximum levels, on a dry weight basis, were 550 μg/g Se and 340 μg/g Cu in the leaves of white poplar. Silver maple leaves from a nearby site contained 141 μg/g Se compared with 2 μg/g at an urban control site. Visual damage could be replicated by applying selenium dioxide to the leaf surface. These values are greatly in excess of selenium concentrations measured in vegetation in other industrial situations.Peer reviewe

Responses of tomato CVs grown to fruit-harvest stage under zinc stress in glasshouse conditions

A glasshouse pot experiment, with three tomato cultivars (CVs), Blizzard, Calypso, and Liberto, was carried out to investigate the effects of three levels of Zn (0.01, 0.5, and 30 mg L-1), supplied in nutrient solution, on plant growth, fruit yield, and nutrient composition. Maximum plant growth and fruit yield in all three cultivars were in the 0.5 mg L-l treatments. Plants treated with Zn at 30 mg L-1 had lower total dry matter content at fruit set as compared with the 0.5 mg L-1 treatment (reduced by 34% in Calypso, 30% in Blizzard, and 21% in Liberto). The percent reduction was similar at the low-Zn treatment (27, 27, and 29%, respectively), and plants exhibited Zn deficiency symptoms. Fruit yield was significantly reduced under both conditions of Zn stress, but only in Calypso was the yield significantly lower at the high rather than at the low-Zn treatment. Zinc concentrations in all plant parts (in particular in roots) increased with increasing Zn concentration in nutrient solution. Concentrations of phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and iron (Fe) in the leaves and fruit of plants grown at 30 mg L-1 Zn were significantly lower than the 0.5 mg L-1 treatment and, with the exception of P in the leaves, lower than in the 0.01 mg L-1 treatment. Zinc stress appears to affect the distribution of macro- and micronutrients in tomato plants with corresponding adverse effects on growth and yield. In this experiment there were no consistent cultivar differences at these zinc concentrations.Peer reviewe