EMDR and CBT for Cancer Patients: Comparative Study of Effects on PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

This pilot study examined the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment compared with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in oncology patients in the follow-up phase of the disease. The secondary aim of this study was to assess whether EMDR treatment has a different impact on PTSD in the active treatment or during the followup stages of disease. Twenty-one patients in follow-up care were randomly assigned to EMDR or CBT groups, and 10 patients in the active treatment phase were assigned to EMDR group. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were used to assess PTSD at pretreatment and 1 month posttreatment. Anxiety, depression, and psychophysiological symptoms were also evaluated. For cancer patients in the follow-up stage, the absence of PTSD after the treatment was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving EMDR rather than CBT. EMDR was significantly more effective than CBT in reducing scores on the IES-R and the CAPS intrusive symptom subscale, whereas anxiety and depression improved equally in both treatment groups. Furthermore, EMDR showed the same efficacy both in the active cancer treatment and during the follow-up of the disease

The Quality of Life and the Bio-Molecular Profile in Working Environment: A Systematic Review

Working life is characterised by various requirements and degrees of control in meeting these demands. The imbalance of these elements with workers’ resources can result in work-related stress involving the repeated activation of stress response systems. Modifications in the bio-molecular profile may represent a biological signature of individuals’ life experiences and provide evidence on pathways through which such stressors can result in health outcomes. The aim of our systematic review is to characterize the quality of life (QOL) and the bio-molecular profile in the working population, to highlight if the alteration observed might be related to the working conditions. The article query was performed on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL and results have been presented according to three molecular pathways involved in the stress response: oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuroendocrine activation. The epidemiological sample has been sub-grouped into “clinical” and “non-clinical” populations according to the presence of a diagnosis of psychological disorders. Besides some critical issues, the review highlights the importance of developing a valid array of biological indicators, measurable in non-invasive matrices, sensitive to both derangements from physiological conditions and stress reduction, useful for identifying those groups at higher risk of health outcomes and, eventually, promoting workers’ wellbeing

The NEVERMIND e-health system in the treatment of depressive symptoms among patients with severe somatic conditions: A multicentre, pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Background: This study assessed the effectiveness of the NEVERMIND e-health system, consisting of a smart shirt and a mobile application with lifestyle behavioural advice, mindfulness-based therapy, and cognitive behavioural therapy, in reducing depressive symptoms among patients diagnosed with severe somatic conditions. Our hypothesis was that the system would significantly decrease the level of depressive symptoms in the intervention group compared to the control group. Methods: This pragmatic, randomised controlled trial included 425 patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction, breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney failure, or lower limb amputation. Participants were recruited from hospitals in Turin and Pisa (Italy), and Lisbon (Portugal), and were randomly assigned to either the NEVERMIND intervention or to the control group. Clinical interviews and structured questionnaires were administered at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. The primary outcome was depressive symptoms at 12 weeks measured by the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Intention-to-treat analyses included 425 participants, while the per-protocol analyses included 333 participants. This trial is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00013391. Findings: Patients were recruited between Dec 4, 2017, and Dec 31, 2019, with 213 assigned to the intervention and 212 to the control group. The sample had a mean age of 59·41 years (SD=10·70), with 44·24% women. Those who used the NEVERMIND system had statistically significant lower depressive symptoms at the 12-week follow-up (mean difference=-3·03, p<0·001; 95% CI -4·45 to -1·62) compared with controls, with a clinically relevant effect size (Cohen's d=0·39). Interpretation: The results of this study show that the NEVERMIND system is superior to standard care in reducing and preventing depressive symptoms among patients with the studied somatic conditions. Funding: The NEVERMIND project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 689691

Impact of a physical activity program on the anxiety, depression, occupational stress and burnout syndrome of nursing professionals

OBJECTIVE: to assess the effects of a workplace physical activity (WPA) program on levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, occupational stress and self-perception of health and work-related quality of life of a nursing team in a palliative care unit.METHODS: the WPA was conducted five days per week, lasting ten minutes, during three consecutive months. Twenty-one nursing professionals were evaluated before and after the intervention, with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Maslch Burnout Inventory, and the Job Stress Scale. The changes in self-perceived health and work-related quality of life were measured using a semi-structured questionnaire.RESULTS: the WPA did not yield significant results on the levels of anxiety, depression, burnout or occupational stress. However, after the intervention, participants reported improved perceptions of bodily pain and feeling of fatigue at work.CONCLUSION: the WPA did not lead to beneficial effects on occupational stress and psychological variables, but it was well accepted by the nursing professionals, who reported improvement in perceptions of health and work-related quality of life