Stress and Dehumanizing Behaviors of Medical Staff Toward Patients

Understanding empathy and theory of mind in Romanian dental students for improved educational strategies

Empathy and theory of mind (ToM) are critical components of social cognition that significantly impact patient care. This study evaluates the levels of empathy and ToM among dental students in Romania, examining demographic influences and predictors of high empathy. Utilizing the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and sociodemographic questions, the study involved 300 dental students, 78.3% females, with a median age of 22. Statistical analyses included the chi-square, Mann-Whitney and correlation tests. Logistic regression was used for the prediction of the highest tertile of empathy. The findings revealed that 73.3% of students had higher-than-average levels of empathy. High empathy is associated in a multivariate model with female gender (OR 2.032, 95% CI 1.041-3.963), excellent or very good perceived health status (OR 1.903, 95% CI 1.143-3.167), and theory of mind (OR 1.078, 95% CI 1.011-1.149). However, the year of study and perceived stress levels did not significantly influence empathy scores. A subset of students (25.6%) showing below-average ToM scores raises concerns, emphasizing the need for further investigation and screening of possible related conditions to enable early detection and intervention. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating empathy training and cognitive skill development into dental education to foster patient-centered care and address the emotional and cognitive needs of future practitioners.

Measurement of Dehumanization, Self-Dehumanization, and Empathy as Mediating Factors Among Healthcare Professionals

BACKGROUND

Dehumanization refers to the tendency of individuals or groups to attribute fewer human characteristics to other individuals or groups (referred to as hetero-dehumanization) or to themselves (referred to as self-dehumanization). This phenomenon currently seems to predominate in the medical and nursing professions. Indeed, healthcare environments facilitate latent forms of dehumanization due to their structure, organization, and inherent professional demands. This study aimed to investigate the association between hetero- or self-dehumanization and personality traits of healthcare professionals, as well as the possible key mediating role of empathy in this relationship.

METHODS

A total of 1150 healthcare employees were recruited for the current study with a mean age of 45.13 years. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by health professionals.

RESULTS

Statistically significant relationships were found between self- and hetero-dehumanization and most personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness). A mediation analysis revealed that empathy mediates the effects of personality traits on hetero- and self-dehumanization.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study addresses the vital role of personality traits of healthcare professionals on dehumanizing oneself or patients, offering insights into improving therapeutic relationships through the cultivation of empathy.

Education Research: The Neurohumanities in Training: Integrating a Humanities Curriculum Within Neurology Residency Programs

Background and Objectives

Perhaps stemming from the central role of detailed examinations and a focus on the subjective sphere that grounds their clinical practice, neurologists have frequently opined on experiences traditionally a province of humanities. The increasingly technological focus on medical education and care can be seen to devalue the subjective aspects of medicine. As a counter to this, we report on the existence of neurohumanities curricula within neurology residency training.

Methods

We conducted an exploratory descriptive analysis of a convenience sample of 6 neurology residency programs in the United States with neurohumanities curricula. We reported the objectives of each program and feedback from participants. Finally, we described and identified patterns within the curricula and participant feedback.

Results

A shared feature of all programs was recency because all were started within the past decade. Seven sources of variability were timing, target audience, setting, scope of didactics, funding, regional differences, and objectives. The events ranged from mandatory to optional, from fully integrated in residency didactics to extracurricular. While residents were the primary audience across all programs, medical students and faculty were included as optional in some of the curricula. Objectives varied from clinical skill enhancement (e.g., improving observation through art), wellness (e.g., narrative medicine, self-reflection), to the scholarly exploration of the intersection between humanities and neuroscience.

Discussion

Our findings illustrated different ways of integrating humanities into neurology residency training. We highlighted the diverse approaches and objectives adopted by each program, which ranged from pedagogy to wellness. We hope this preliminary study will serve as a first step in the broader assessment of the needs, which neurohumanities curricula can address within neurology training. We also hope that this will lead to more formal assessment of the possible benefits of such implementation, which may include reflecting on clinical practice, debriefing from stressful events, and engaging with humanities.

Humanizing medicine: a patient perspective

The purpose of this research was to explore patients' shared perceptions of what makes them feel valued and devalued during in-patient and out-patient medical visits and patients' recommendations for increasing feelings of value. A criterion-based snowball sampling method was used to recruit participants who are adults living in Anchorage, Alaska, and have had an in-patient or out-patient medical visit within at least the past year. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted using eight open-ended questions via Zoom web conferencing. Data were stored and managed electronically. A thematic analysis approach guided data analysis. A phenomenological approach was applied to capture participants' shared experiences. This study's key findings highlight a shared patient perception that communication is paramount in conveying value: conversations with healthcare providers instill value, feeling valued is essential to well-being, feeling devalued is driven by depersonalization, and devaluation perpetuates discontinuity in healthcare.

Personality traits and attitude towards euthanasia among medical students in Serbia

OBJECTIVE

Various factors may influence the attitudes of medical students towards euthanasia, including personal values, beliefs, and personality traits. The objective of this study was to examine the attitudes of 2nd and 5th year medical students about euthanasia and the relationship between these attitudes and students' personality traits.

METHODS

Medical students from the Universities of Kragujevac and Belgrade, Serbia, participated in this study. A questionnaire was administered assessing attitudes toward euthanasia and student personality traits (honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness using the HEXACO-60).

RESULTS

More than 50% of students in the second year and 60% of students in the fifth year were supportive of euthanasia. Students in the 5th year were 2.5 times more likely to express a concern that euthanasia needs to be clearly regulated by law compared to students in the second year. Adjusted analyses indicated that lower levels of honesty-humility and emotionality were positively correlated with students' belief that euthanasia should be legalized.

CONCLUSION

Many medical students in Serbia have a positive attitude towards euthanasia. It is important to consider the possible influences of culture, religion, and the law on attitudes towards euthanasia. Undergraduate medical training should include more hours dedicated to palliative care and end-of-life topics to raise awareness of patients' preferences in this regard.

The Impact of Canadian Medical Delays and Preventive Measures on Breast Cancer Experience: A Silent Battle Masked by the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the prioritization of breast cancer services towards patients who are currently in treatment or diagnosed with advanced stages of breast cancer, and the self-assessment of both tumor growth and treatment side effects. Alongside the stress associated with cancer itself, delays and complications due to COVID-19 may impact patients' mental health.

PURPOSE

To describe the experiences of Canadians living with breast cancer who received a diagnosis and/or treatment during the pandemic, and to identify their recommendations for improving patients well-being during future pandemics.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen women living with breast cancer who also completed the Distress Thermometer questionnaire. The transcripts were analyzed using a descriptive thematic content methodology.

RESULTS

Women who started their breast cancer screening or treatment before the pandemic reported fewer delays and less psychological distress than those who started during the pandemic. Participants reported feeling dehumanized while receiving their medical care, being unable to be accompanied during medical visits, and fearing treatment interruption during the pandemic. Patient recommendations for improving care and psychological support included the presence of family caregivers at consultations to receive the diagnosis and for the first treatment session.

CONCLUSION

Study findings provide new insights on how healthcare restrictions during the pandemic impacted on patient experiences and their well-being during screening and treatment for breast cancer. The need for cancer nursing practices and care delivery strategies that promote the delivery of compassionate, patient-centred care and the provision of psychological support during future pandemics are identified.

Profiling health professionals' personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Non-cognitive traits have been theorised to predict characteristics, career choice and outcomes of health professionals and could represent a homogenous group. This study aims to profile and compare personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence of health practitioners across a variety of professions.

METHODS

Empirical literature was systematically reviewed. A two-concept search strategy was applied to four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest). Title/abstract and full text articles were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data was synthesised narratively and meta-aggregated where feasible.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-one studies representing 153 assessment tools of personality (n = 83 studies), behaviour (n = 8), and emotional intelligence (n = 62) were included. Most studies (n = 171) explored personality (medicine, nursing, nursing assistants, dentistry, allied health, paramedics), revealing variation in traits across professions. Behaviour styles were least measured with only ten studies exploring these across four health professions (nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, psychology). Emotional intelligence (n = 146 studies) varied amongst professions (medicine, nursing, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiology) with all exhibiting average to above-average scores.

CONCLUSION

Personality traits, behaviour styles and emotional intelligence are all key characteristics of health professionals reported in the literature. There is both heterogeneity and homogeneity within and between professional groups. The characterisation and understanding of these non-cognitive traits will aid health professionals to understand their own non-cognitive features and how these might be useful in predicting performance with potential to adapt these to enhance success within their chosen profession.

Factors Associated with Burnout in Healthcare Professionals

Burnout in healthcare professionals remains an ongoing concern. There are a number of variables associated with reactivity to stress in healthcare staff. This study wants to identify risk factors which predispose healthcare professionals to burnout.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The cross-sectional study included a group of 200 subjects, medical staff and auxiliary staff from the national health units, who gave their free consent to answer the questions regarding the level of perceived stress at work. The screening tool used was disseminated through the Google Forms platform, maintaining the anonymity of the participants.

RESULTS

Resident doctors (42%) responded predominantly, reporting the highest level of burnout, with nurses (26.5%) being the least affected (χ² = 36.73, p < 0.01). Less work experience is correlated with increased burnout (rho = 0.29, p < 0.01). Reactivity to stress was highly associated with workplace, with ambulance staff being the most vulnerable (χ² = 6.58, p < 0.05). Participants' relationship status significantly influenced the burnout rate, the unmarried, with or without a partner, being more affected (χ² = 16.14, p < 0.01). There are no significant differences between male and female gender, regarding the average level of burnout (U = 1.47; p > 0.05), nor between living in a house or apartment (U = 4.66; p > 0.05). Positive associations were identified between the level of burnout and variables such as: management pressure, administrative work, routine, regretting decisions regarding patients, harassment at work and sacrifice of personal time.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study identify age, profession, workplace seniority and relationship status as factors associated with burnout in medical personnel.

Self-compassion influences the caring behaviour and compassion competence among saudi nursing students: A multi-university study

AIM

This research investigated the perceptions of Saudi nursing students regarding self-compassion and examined its influence on their caring behaviour and compassion competence.

DESIGN

This is a quantitative and cross-sectional study.

METHODS

This multiuniversity study surveyed a convenience sample of 961 nursing using the Self-compassion Scale, Compassion Competence Scale and Caring Behavior Inventory-16 version. Standard multiple analysis was performed separately for caring behaviour and compassion competence as dependent variables. For both models, the self-compassion dimensions and the demographic variables were considered predictor variables.

RESULTS

The students reported their self-compassion moderately, with mindfulness receiving the highest mean and self-judgment receiving the lowest mean. Significant differences were observed on self-compassion of students between universities. Caring behaviour and compassion competence were also rated moderately by the students. "Self-kindness" and "common humanity" were identified as significant predictors of caring behaviour, whereas "self-kindness," "self-judgment," "common humanity" and "mindfulness" were significant predictors of compassion competence.

Influences of Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation on Stress Responses during Short-Duration Sleep Cycles: A Pilot Study

Lavender essential oil (LEO) was reported to improve sleep quality. We investigated the influence of aromatherapy by testing the effects of LEO on stress responses during a short-duration sleep in a single-blind, randomized, crossover trial. The subjects were twelve healthy adults who were nonsmokers without any known disease and who were not prescribed medications, and nine of these completed the study. After the subjects had fallen asleep, they were sprayed with LEO using an aroma diffuser. Before and after 90 min of sleep, α-amylase, chromogranin A (CgA), and cortisol levels in saliva were measured as objective stress indicators, and the Japanese version of the UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist was used as a subjective indicator. A comparison of changes before and after sleep, with and without LEO, revealed that the cortisol level did not significantly change; however, α-amylase (p < 0.05) and CgA (p < 0.01) levels significantly decreased after LEO inhalation. A mood test indicated no change in mood before and after sleep, with or without LEO. Since α-amylase and CgA reflect the sympathetic nervous system response, these results indicate that LEO aromatherapy during a short-duration sleep cycle suppresses the stress response, especially that of the sympathetic nervous system.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Empathy and Emotion Management: Key to a Work Environment for Humanized Care in Nursing

Introduction

At the present time, technological advances have increased the technification of healthcare services, in which high priority is given to efficiency and results achieved, leading healthcare personnel to prioritize administrative and procedural aspects to the detriment of humanization of care and the work environment.

Objective

This study was intended to continue progress in research on the work environment based on the humanization construct by analyzing the explanatory value of emotional intelligence and empathy in nursing personnel.

Materials and Methods

The study was quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional. The sample was made up of 338 Spanish nurses with a mean age of 32.20 (SD = 7.54; range 22–56). The instruments employed for analysis were the Healthcare Professional Humanization Scale (HUMAS), Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Adults, and Basic Empathy Scale (BES).

Results

Mood and stress management—both emotional intelligence components—and cognitive empathy explained over half (51%) of the variability found in humanization of care in a sample of nurses. Furthermore, the mediation models proposed emphasized the mediating role of cognitive empathy in stress management and improvement in mood and its relationship to humanization.

Conclusion

It is recommended that healthcare professionals reinforce their personal competencies in order to tend to the needs of their patients empathetically and improve emotional competencies for coping successfully with potentially stressful situations.

Relationship between Mentalizing and Working Conditions in Health Care

Mentalizing describes the human ability to comprehend one's own and others' mental states and is seen as one of the core competencies of psychotherapists. Current research has emphasized the importance of both early dyadic attachment as well as broader sociocultural environmental input on the development of mentalizing. This study investigates whether mentalizing skills, operationalized via reflective functioning (RF), might be influenced by training and working conditions. This study was a matched case-control comparison, cross-sectional study. RF was assessed in a total of 10 psychotherapy trainees working in private practice at the beginning (group A; n = 5) and end (group B; n = 5) of their psychotherapy training (training association: Gestalt Therapy, Institute of Integrative Gestalttherapy Vienna) and in a total of 40 health professionals (institution: General Hospital Vienna-Social Medical Center South, Vienna, Department of Psychiatry, acute psychiatric ward) at the beginning of (group C; n = 20) and without (group D; n = 20) mentalization based therapy training. The participants differed from each other regarding their training, but participants of the same institution were matched. RF scores were significantly higher in group A and B than in group C and D (A,C: p = 0.0065, Odds Ratio (OR): 0.0294; A,D: p = 0.0019, OR: 0.0132; B,C: p = 0.0065, OR: 0.0294, B,D: p = 0.0019, OR: 0.0132). RF scores were not significantly different among groups A and group B (A,B: p > 0.9999) or between groups C and D (C,D: p = 0.6050). The current study suggests that mentalizing skills might be rather slow to improve by training, but that they might be influenced by the context.