Depressive symptoms, social support, and health-related quality of life: A community-based study in Shanghai, China

BackgroundDepressive symptoms erode both physical and mental aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Social support (SS) may improve HRQoL through its direct effects or buffering effects. The association among depressive symptoms, SS, and HRQoL has been studied in specific groups, but research in the general adult population remains limited. This study examined the association among depressive symptoms, SS, and HRQoL, including exploring whether SS (including its three dimensions: subjective SS, objective SS and support utilization) mediated or moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQoL among community-based adults.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey in six communities in Shanghai, China, and 1642 adult participants with complete information on depressive symptoms and/or SS, and HRQoL were included. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association among depressive symptoms, SS, and HRQoL. In addition, we explored the mediating and moderating role of SS in the relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQoL.ResultsMore depressive symptoms were associated with lower physical HRQoL (B = −0.64, p < .001) and lower mental HRQoL (B = −0.83, p < .001). SS (B = 0.07, p = .02), specifically subjective SS (B = 0.09, p = .03), was positively related to mental HRQoL. After adjusting for covariates, we found no evidence for a mediating role of SS in the relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQoL, while SS (subjective SS and objective SS) moderated the association between depressive symptoms and mental HRQoL.LimitationsDue to the low voluntary participation rate of employees, participants represented approximately 50% of the individuals approached, thus limiting the generalizability of our findings. Data collected through self-report scales could lead to information bias.ConclusionsSS does not appear to underlie the relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQoL. However, interventions to increase SS (in particular, subjective SS and objective SS) should be studied to determine whether they may be beneficial in alleviating the adverse impact of depressive symptoms on mental HRQoL

Mental health/illness and prisons as place: frontline clinicians’ perspectives of mental health work in a penal setting

This article takes mental health and prisons as its two foci. It explores the links between social and structural aspects of the penal setting, the provision of mental healthcare in prisons, and mental health work in this environment. This analysis utilises qualitative interview data from prison-based fieldwork undertaken in Her Majesty׳s Prison Service, England. Two themes are discussed: (1) the desire and practicalities of doing mental health work and (2) prison staff as mental health work allies. Concepts covered include equivalence, training, ownership, informal communication, mental health knowledge, service gatekeepers, case identification, and unmet need. Implications for practice are (1) the mental health knowledge and understanding of prison wing staff could be appraised and developed to improve mental healthcare and address unmet need. Their role as observers and gatekeepers could be considered. (2) The realities of frontline mental health work for clinicians in the penal environment should be embraced and used to produce and implement improved policy and practice guidance, which is in better accord with the actuality of the context – both socially and structurally

Employment of ex-prisoners with mental health problems, a realistic evaluation protocol

Background Offenders with a mental illness are routinely excluded from vocational services due to their mental health. Employment has shown to be very important in improving mental health, reducing recidivism, and connecting people to society. This study examines the effectiveness of an established intervention which is relatively untested in this population, Individual Placement and Support (IPS), to help offenders with mental health problems into competitive employment. The overall research question is whether IPS is effective in gaining and sustaining competitive employment for offenders with a Severe Mental Illness (SMI). The context is an English criminal justice setting across different populations. The study will also measure non-vocational outcomes such as recidivism, mental health and social stability. Methods/Design A Realistic Evaluation (RE) design will address the questions “What works, for whom, and in what circumstances?” This study includes pre and post comparisons for a cohort of approximately 20 people taking part in IPS, and a similar number of controls, over a one year period. The RE also consists of interviews with practitioners and offenders in order to understand how IPS works and develops within the criminal justice system (CJS). By applying this framework the research can go from discovering whether IPS works, to how and why (or why not) IPS works. This is achieved by examining where the intervention is occurring (Context (C)), the mechanisms (M) that create particular behaviours, and how the outcomes (O) from the intervention all come together (CMOs). Employment outcomes will also be examined for all participants. Discussion By applying RE the research will permit inferences to be drawn about how and why (or why not) IPS works, by examining context, mechanisms and outcomes. IPS has never been implemented within the CJS in the United Kingdom. As a result, this evaluative research will not only provide a novel insight into the core research areas, but also how the intervention can be improved for others in the future

Seemingly simple questions: determining the equity of pay using advanced modeling

Determining whether employees are paid equitably ought to be straightforward. We would like to simply use a t-test to determine, for example, if women are paid less than men. In practice however, when large organizations employ many individuals whom perform a diverse array of jobs, with each individual bringing genuinely unique qualifications to their job, it can be difficult to discern whether employee pay is determined by demographic traits (e.g., ethnicity), or can instead be explained by other factors, such as experience. To assess which factors account for variability in pay, we have leveraged a regression-based model and because employees are naturally nested within an organizational hierarchy, we used hierarchical-modeling techniques. This allowed us to better capture the context surrounding employees’ pay. Finally, we have abandoned null-hypothesis-significance testing in favor of a Bayesian approach to thinking about information. This final step introduced several key benefits, including allowing us to ask probabilistic questions of the model (e.g., how likely is it that women in job X are underpaid?), providing us a method for supporting a lack of equity issues where they legitimately do not exist (i.e., null effects), and forcing us to think critically and transparently about our a-priori beliefs

Process Challenges for Selective Soldering:Examining parameters for optimal processing

Selective soldering is now an extremely popular methodology for joining through-hole components to PCBs. After its inception in the 1990s, it has established itself as a mainstay production technique for printed circuit board manufacture in both hand-load machines and in-line conveyorized systems. Challenges in selective soldering generally can be attributed to either process requirements such as process speed or complexity of design requiring changes in soldering parameters to achieve good quality. This paper analyses the key process steps and parameters to achieve an optimal selective soldering process. Typical steps in a selective soldering process are fluxing, preheating and finally soldering. There are many variables and different technologies that can be employed in each of these processes that build into a complete soldering process. By analyzing the variables, technologies and challenging factors in selective soldering, this paper will present a methodological consideration on how to minimize errors and increase soldering quality. Selective soldering has now reached a stage of maturity where it can be considered its own processing technology distinct from but still bearing similarly to wave soldering. As such, PCBs should be designed with this processing technology in mind. Designation of through-hole areas late into design can lead to the implementation of difficult-to-achieve selective soldering. This can result from closeness to surface mount components or cycle time pressures due to lack of understanding of the selective soldering method. A full consideration of PCB design, component choice and manufacturing steps is essential for efficient and optimal selective soldering of through-hole components