Attempted suicide and shame

A suicide attempt constitutes not only a risk factor for suicide, but also an expression of human suffering. As therapists, physicians and caring personnel we have an opportunity to reach out to this suffering individual and offer help. However, suicidal individuals often decline psychiatric follow-up or drop out of treatment prematurely. An improved understanding of these patients’ needs and problems may enhance our capability to treat them. This thesis is focusing on attempted suicide patients’ experiences. In the first study, eighteen patients were interviewed about their experiences of psychiatric inpatient treatment after a suicide attempt. Mixed feelings of relief and shame were common. Since shame is an emotion that triggers avoidance behaviors, and thus could lead to help negation, non-attendance and treatment drop-out, the following studies focused on shame in attempted suicide patients. The second study explored the shame theme in the interviews from the first study. The finding of shame with qualitative method also raised the question whether suicide attempters were generally shame-prone, that is, if suicide attempters in common were inclined to react with shame. A self-rating scale of shame-proneness, the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA), was translated into Swedish and used as measurement of shame in the last two studies. In the third study, the propensity to shame in suicide attempters was compared with shame-proneness in non-suicidal psychiatric patients and healthy controls. In the fourth study, the TOSCA results of a small group of individuals who completed suicide were explored. The interviews with attempted suicide patients (study I and II) indicated that shame was common after a suicide attempt; thirteen out of eighteen participants described feelings and behaviors that were interpreted as shame reactions. Most women and two thirds of the men described shame reactions in the interviews. In the investigation of shame-proneness in groups of suicide attempters and non-suicidal controls, a more complex pattern emerged. Large gender differences in shame-proneness were found among the attempted suicide patients (but also among the non-suicidal controls). Female suicide attempters with borderline personality disorder (BPD) had the highest shame scores, while male suicide attempters (without BPD) had the lowest shame scores in the study. Shame-proneness among patients was also investigated with multiple regressions. It was found that shame-proneness in these samples of psychiatric patients was predicted by BPD and depression severity (but not by suicidality) in women, and level of depression and non-suicidality in men. Our studies indicated that shame reactions after attempted suicide are common, but that shame-proneness in everyday life is not typical for all groups of suicide attempters. A small group of suicide attempters who subsequently committed suicide did not differ in shame-proneness, from suicide attempters who were alive

Psychometric Evaluation of the HIV Stigma Scale in a Swedish Context

Background HIV-related stigma has negative consequences for infected people's lives and is a barrier to HIV prevention. Therefore valid and reliable instruments to measure stigma are needed to enable mapping of HIV stigma. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HIV stigma scale in a Swedish context with regard to construct validity, data quality, and reliability. Methods The HIV stigma scale, developed by Berger, Ferrans, and Lashley (2001), was distributed to a cross-sectional sample of people living with HIV in Sweden (n = 194). The psychometric evaluation included exploratory factor analysis together with an analysis of the distribution of scores, convergent validity by correlations between the HIV stigma scale and measures of emotional well-being, and an analysis of missing items and floor and ceiling effects. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α. Results The exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution, similar to the original scale, with the dimensions personalised stigma, disclosure concerns, negative self-image, and concerns with public attitudes. One item had unacceptably low loadings and was excluded. Correlations between stigma dimensions and emotional well-being were all in the expected direction and ranged between −0.494 and −0.210. The instrument generated data of acceptable quality except for participants who had not disclosed their HIV status to anybody. In line with the original scale, all subscales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's α 0.87–0.96. Conclusion A 39-item version of the HIV stigma scale used in a Swedish context showed satisfactory construct validity and reliability. Response alternatives are suggested to be slightly revised for items assuming the disclosure of diagnosis to another person. We recommend that people that have not disclosed should skip all questions belonging to the dimension personalised stigma. Our analysis confirmed construct validity of the instrument even without this dimension

The Relationship Between Stigma and Health-Related Quality of Life in People Living with HIV Who Have Full Access to Antiretroviral Treatment: An Assessment of Earnshaw and Chaudoir's HIV Stigma Framework Using Empirical Data.

The aim was to empirically test the tenets of Earnshaw and Chaudoir's HIV stigma framework and its potential covariates for persons living with HIV in Sweden. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used on survey data from 173 persons living with HIV in Sweden. Experiencing stigma was reported to a higher extent by younger persons and by women who had migrated to Sweden. As expected, anticipated stigma was related to lower Physical functioning, and internalized stigma to lower Emotional wellbeing. In contrast to that hypothesized by the HIV stigma framework, enacted stigma was not related to Physical functioning and no relationships were found between HIV-related stigma and antiretroviral adherence. These results indicate that the HIV stigma framework may need to be revised for contexts where a very high proportion of persons living with HIV are diagnosed and under efficient treatment

Five-year follow-up of the OptiTrain trial on concurrent resistance and high-intensity interval training during chemotherapy for patients with breast cancer

The protocol predefined aim of this study is to assess sustained effects of the OptiTrain trial on several health outcomes, 5 years after the baseline assessment. The OptiTrain study was a prospective, randomised controlled trial with 240 patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy that compared the effects of 16 weeks of two exercise programs, RT-HIIT and AT-HIIT, with usual care (UC). After a 5-year follow-up, eligible participants were evaluated for the primary outcome of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and secondary outcomes including quality of life, symptoms, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Statistical analysis was conducted using linear mixed models adjusted for baseline values. Tumour profile and menopausal status were additionally adjusted for CRF. Mean differences (MD), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and standardized effect sizes (ES) were reported. At the 5-year follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in total CRF between the intervention groups and the UC group. RT-HIIT reported significantly reduced pain sensitivity at the gluteus MD = 79.00 (95% CI 10.17, 147.83, ES = 0.55) compared to UC. Clinically meaningful differences for an increase in cognitive CRF and cardiorespiratory fitness were observed for the AT-HIIT versus UC group, and for lower limb strength for the RT-HIIT versus UC group, albeit without statistical significance. Engaging in targeted exercise during adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer provides short-term benefits in reducing fatigue and maintaining physical function. However, our 5-year follow-up indicates that these effects are limited in the long term. This underscores the need to support breast cancer survivors maintain their PA levels throughout their survivorship journey.publishedVersio

Cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer (RCAC) scale

BACKGROUND: Reproductive concerns are common among young cancer survivors and include worries related to different aspects of fertility and parenthood. The Reproductive Concerns After Cancer (RCAC) scale is an 18-item scale with six dimensions, developed to capture a variety of such concerns. The aim of the present study was to describe the cultural adaptation of the RCAC scale into Swedish and evaluate its psychometric properties among young women who have undergone treatment for cancer. METHODS: The RCAC was forward translated from English into Swedish and assessed for cultural adaptation based on a two-panel approach followed by cognitive interviews with the target group. For the psychometric evaluation, a Swedish cohort of 181 female young adult breast cancer survivors completed a survey including the RCAC scale approximately 1.5 years post-diagnosis. Psychometric properties were examined by analyses of construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity), data quality (score distribution, floor and ceiling effects), reliability and known-groups validity. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis yielded an acceptable fit (RMSEA 0.08, SRMR 0.09, CFI 0.92). Convergent validity was demonstrated by a negative correlation of moderate size (- 0.36) between the RCAC total score and the emotional function scale of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Reliability measured with Revelle Ω total was satisfactory (0.73-0.92) for five of the dimensions, and poor for the dimension Becoming pregnant (Revelle Ω total = 0.60); Cronbach's alpha showed a similar pattern. Known-groups validity was indicated by significant RCAC mean score differences (MD), reflecting more concerns among women with a certain (MD 4.56 [95% CI 3.13 to 5.99]) or uncertain (MD 3.41 [95% CI 1.68 to 5.14]) child wish compared to those with no wish for (additional) children. CONCLUSION: The translation and cultural adaptation of the Swedish RCAC has resulted in a scale demonstrating construct and known-groups validity, and satisfactory reliability for five of six dimensions. The dimension Becoming pregnant showed non-optimal internal consistency and should undergo further evaluation. The Swedish RCAC is recommended to be used in research settings for measurement of concerns related to fertility and parenthood in young women with cancer

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

Varför har den psykiska ohälsan ökat bland barn och unga i Sverige under perioden 1985–2014?

SammanfattningDenna artikel redovisar huvudresultaten från Folkhälsomyndighetens undersökning av faktorer som skulle kunna förklara den ökade förekomsten av psykosomatiska symtom bland barn och unga i Sverige. Rapporten bygger på analyser av svenska data från studien Skolbarns hälsovanor (1985/86−2013/14), trenddata från olika källor och vetenskaplig litteratur.Sammanfattningsvis tycks brister i skolans funktion, indikerat av de sjunkande skolprestationerna och den utbredda skolstressen, tillsammans med förändringar på arbetsmarknaden troligen ha bidragit till utvecklingen av psykosomatiska symtom bland unga. Däremot tycks inte faktorer inom familjen eller ekonomisk utsatthet i absoluta termer hos barnfamiljer, ha påverkat utvecklingen av psykosomatiska symtom bland barn och unga.På grund av ämnenas komplexitet och begränsat vetenskapligt underlag är det osäkert i vilken utsträckning faktorer som ökad individualisering, ökad öppenhet kring psykisk ohälsa, lägre krav på barnen, medikalisering av barndomen och digital medieanvändning har påverkat utvecklingen.AbstractThis article presents the main findings from the Swedish Public Health Agency's study of factors that could explain the increase of psychosomatic symptoms among children and young people in Sweden. The report is based on analyses of Swedish data from the international study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children, HBSC (1985/86−2013/14), trend data from various sources and scientific literature.In summary, deteriorated school functioning indicated by declining school performance and widespread school stress, together with the changes in the labour market, have probably contributed to the development of psychosomatic symptoms among young people. Factors within the family do not appear to have influenced the development of psychosomatic symptoms among children and adolescents, neither financial vulnerability in absolute terms among families.Due to the complexity of the subjects and limited scientific evidence, it is uncertain to what extent factors such as increased individualization, increased openness about mental ill health, lower demands on children, medicalisation of childhood and digital media use have affected the development.Key words:Psychosomatic symptoms, psychosomatic problems, mental ill health, children, adolescents, Sweden, school, labour marke

Role of rehabilitation in chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder: A narrative review

Objective: An increase in numbers of cases of sick leave due to stress have been reported from several European countries during recent decades. Chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder is associated with physiological and neurobiological perturbations that may contribute to cognitive problems and long-term exhaustion. Rehabilitation of patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder is therefore challenging. This narrative review summarizes the evidence regarding the effectiveness of different interventions for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder. Methods: Both structured and unstructured searches of research studies and reports were performed in order to find knowledge sources. The structured search had 2 predefined inclusion criteria: (i) chronic stress-induced exhaustion/clinical burnout/severe burnout/stress-induced exhaustion; and (ii) rehabil-itation with improvement of symptoms and/or return to work as outcomes. Results: Cognitive behavioural interventions and multimodal interventions seem to reduce symptoms. Workplace interventions, either work-focused cognitive behavioural or workplace dialogue, seem to improve return to work. Sleep is important for both symptom improvement and return to work, and interventions for improving sleep might therefore be important. For improvement of cognitive function, which is a main complaint among patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder, aerobic and cognitive training may have some effect. Conclusion: In summary, the few studies of high-quality that examine interventions for rehabilitation of chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder show only marginal effects. Thus, it is important to prevent the onset of chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder

Depression symptoms 6 years after stroke are associated with higher perceived impact of stroke, limitations in ADL and restricted participation

AbstractLate post-stroke depression symptoms are understudied. This study aimed to investigate depression symptoms 6 years after stroke, and associations with perceived impact of stroke, activities of daily living (ADL), and participation in social and everyday activities. Data was collected in a 6-year follow-up in a longitudinal study of stroke. Assessments included Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for depression symptoms, Stroke Impact Scale 3.0. for perceived impact of stroke, Barthel Index for ADL, Frenchay Activities Index for participation in social and everyday activities. The research questions were addressed by bivariate analyses (with HADS-D ≥ 4 as cut-off), and hierarchical multiple regression analyses using continuous HADS-D scores. Forty percent of the 105 participants (57% men, age 30–91) showed depression symptoms (HADS-D ≥ 4). Depression symptoms were associated with higher perceived impact of stroke, more dependence in ADL, and more restrictions in participation in social and everyday activities. Most of those with depression symptoms had low scores on HADS, indicating that even mild depression symptoms might be relevant to identify and target in treatment and rehabilitation of long-term consequences of stroke.</jats:p