11 research outputs found
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The Impact of Sex on Heart Rate Variability during Bereavement
Women have been identified as possessing higher heart rate variability (HRV) which in turn creates a cardio-protective barrier from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) related deaths (Abhishekh et al 2013, Furholz et al 2013). It is then menopausal status and not biological age that causes high HRV in women and would explain why CVD is the number one killer for women world-wide (WHO 2013). As women age and experience menopause the cardio-protective ability of estrogen is decreased. Furthermore, by studying estrogen levels of bereaved persons the relationship between HRV and bereavement can be seen as moderated by certain sex hormones. Menopausal status did show to have a strong effect on HRV (p=0.023), but there was no significant difference between men's HRV and those of either pre- or post-menopausal women. However the results for post-menopausal women do trend towards the expected and with more participants may become significant
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Individual Differences in Vigilant Behavior, Attention Bias to Emotions, and Cardiovascular Correlates
Social vigilance refers to the process of monitoring one’s social environment for potential threats or monitoring a threat to determine a change in status that may require coping. Vigilance itself may be an outcome of attentional bias for ambiguous and negative social cues. Recent work has examined the effects of vigilant behavior on cardiovascular reactivity as a potential health-moderating pathway; however, a connection between attention bias and vigilance has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between individual differences in social vigilance, attention bias for negative social cues, and cardiovascular reactivity. A diverse sample of 96 young adults (55 women) completed an observational laboratory study involving a baseline followed by an attention bias dot-probe task and later a 5-min video observation period. Participants were selected based on outer tertile scores on the social vigilance questionnaire to represent high and low individual differences in social vigilance. An incentive condition was created by informing half the participants that their 5 dollars had a decrease in reaction time when presented with a happy stimulus. Incentive type and SVQ did not interact to predict reaction time to any stimulus valence-types. There was no interaction between incentive, SVQ, or stimulus valence. Social Vigilance did however predict a lowering of reaction time, quicker responses, for vigilance towards threat equations by 4.408/ms, t(1066)=-2.072, p<.04. A significant interaction between incentive type, vigilance, and gender was discovered F(1,65) = 7.99, p< 0.01 for systolic blood pressure during the task. During rest, a significant main effect of vigilance on systolic blood pressure arose at F(1,61)=5.221, p<0.05. Contributions to the understanding of vigilance as a consequent behavior from attention bias and as a moderating factor of stress effects on cardiovascular reactivity are discussed
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A controlled trial of two mind-body interventions for grief in widows and widowers
Objective: Following bereavement, yearning and grief rumination are repetitive cognitive processes that can lead to disordered grief. Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to reduce maladaptive repetitive thought. The current quasi-randomized controlled trial examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of MT for bereavement-related grief. Method: Ninety-five widow(er)s (Mage = 67.5, 79% women, 98% White) between 6 months to 4 years post-loss were assigned to a 6-week MT intervention or a progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) intervention, or a wait-list condition. Outcome measures were grief severity (Revised Inventory of Complicated Grief), yearning (Yearning in Situations of Loss), rumination (Utrecht Grief Rumination Scale), and decentering (Experiences Questionnaire-Decentering) assessed at baseline, Weeks 2 and 4 of intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month post-intervention. Growth curve analysis examined group differences in rates of improvement in outcomes through follow-up and associations with improvement in grief severity. Results: The MT and PMR groups showed significant rates of decline in grief severity and yearning, though only the PMR group showed a greater rate of decline in grief severity than wait-list. All groups showed significant rates of decline in grief rumination. The PMR and wait-list groups showed significant rates of increase in decentering compared to the MT group. Conclusions: Results support the feasibility and acceptability of MT and PMR for widow(er)s as well as the preliminary efficacy of PMR for improving grief severity in widow(er)s compared to a wait-list control condition. With replication, PMR could be a standalone intervention for non-disordered grief or a component of treatment for disordered grief.Immediate accessThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
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Longitudinal parental perception of COVID-19 vaccines for children in a multi-site, cohort study
Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake is not well understood. Among parents of a prospective cohort of children aged 6 months-17 years, we assessed COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), and uptake over 15 months.
The PROTECT study collected sociodemographic characteristics of children at enrollment and COVID-19 vaccination data and parental KAPs quarterly. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the effect of KAPs on vaccine uptake; McNemar's test for paired samples was used to evaluate KAP change over time.
A total of 2,837 children were enrolled, with more than half (61 %) vaccinated by October 2022. Positive parental beliefs about vaccine safety and effectiveness strongly predicted vaccine uptake among children aged 5-11 years (aOR 13.1, 95 % CI 8.5-20.4 and aOR 6.4, 95 % CI 4.3-9.6, respectively) and children aged 12+ years (aOR 7.0, 95 % CI 3.8-13.0 and aOR 8.9, 95 % CI 4.4-18.0). Compared to enrollment, at follow-up parents (of vaccinated and unvaccinated children) reported higher self-assessed vaccine knowledge, but more negative beliefs towards vaccine safety, effectiveness, and trust in government. Parents unlikely to vaccinate their children at enrollment reported more positive beliefs on vaccine knowledge, safety, and effectiveness at follow-up.
The PROTECT cohort allows for an examination of factors driving vaccine uptake and how beliefs about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines change over time. Findings of the current analysis suggest that these beliefs change over time and policies aiming to increase vaccine uptake should focus on vaccine safety and effectiveness
Parental Intentions and Perceptions Toward COVID-19 Vaccination Among Children Aged 4 Months to 4 Years - PROTECT Cohort, Four States, July 2021-May 2022
Interim Estimate of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) Vaccine in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Adolescents Aged 12-17 Years - Arizona, July-December 2021
Effectiveness of 2-Dose BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) mRNA Vaccine in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children Aged 5-11 Years and Adolescents Aged 12-15 Years - PROTECT Cohort, July 2021-February 2022
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Pediatric Research Observing Trends and Exposures in COVID-19 Timelines (PROTECT): Protocol for a Multisite Longitudinal Cohort Study (Preprint)
BACKGROUND
Assessing the real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and understanding the incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 illness in children is essential to inform policy and guide healthcare professionals advising parents and caregivers of children who test positive for SARS-CoV-2.
OBJECTIVE
This report describes the objectives and methods for conducting the Pediatric Research Observing Trends and Exposures in COVID-19 Timelines (PROTECT) study. PROTECT is a longitudinal prospective pediatric cohort study designed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 incidence and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection among children aged 6 months to 17 years as well as differences in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine response between children and adolescents.
METHODS
The PROTECT multisite network was initiated in July 2021 and aims to enroll approximately 2,305 children across four U.S. locations and collect data over a two-year surveillance period; the enrollment target was based on prospective power calculations and account for expected attrition and nonresponse. Study sites recruit parents and legal guardians (PLGs) of age-eligible children participating in the existing HEROES-RECOVER network as well as from surrounding communities. Child demographics, medical history, COVID-19 exposure, vaccination history, and PLGs’ knowledge and attitudes about COVID-19 are collected at baseline and throughout the study. Mid-turbinate nasal specimens are self- or PLG-collected weekly, regardless of symptoms, for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza testing via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and the presence of COVID-like-illness (CLI) is reported. Children who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 or influenza or report CLI are monitored weekly by online surveys to report exposure and medical utilization until no longer ill. Children, with their PLG’s permission, may elect to contribute blood at enrollment, following SARS-CoV-2 infection, following COVID-19 vaccination, and at the end of the study period. PROTECT uses electronic medical records (EMR) linkages where available and verifies COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations through EMR or state vaccine registries.
RESULTS
Data collection began in July 2021 and is expected to continue through Spring 2023. As of 02/07/2022, 2,161 children are enrolled in PROTECT. Enrollment is ongoing at all study sites.
CONCLUSIONS
As COVID-19 vaccine products are authorized for use in pediatric populations, PROTECT study data will provide real-world estimates of VE in preventing infection. In addition, this prospective cohort provides a unique opportunity to further understand SARS-CoV-2 incidence, clinical course, and key knowledge gaps that may inform public health.
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