The mediating role of psychological capital between post-traumatic growth and uncertainty in illness among patients with Parkinson's disease

Psychological stress associated with prognostic uncertainties in recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease patients: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that negatively impacts thousands of patients in Canada. The unexpected nature of PD is associated with a decline in mental health. The highest level of psychological stress occurs during the early years following the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES

To understand the psychological stress associated with prognostic uncertainties in recently diagnosed PD patients, uncover the gaps in the current support systems, and recommend areas for improvement in the support services that aim to decrease the psychological stress associated with receiving the PD diagnosis.

METHODS

An exploratory qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 13 PD patients diagnosed for more than 6 months and less than 5 years. Participants were recruited from the Toronto Western Hospital Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, Canada until saturation of key themes was reached.

RESULTS

Five major themes were identified capturing the lived experiences of PD patients following diagnosis: 1) the circumstances of receiving the diagnosis and its psychological impact on PD patients, 2) the impact of intrapersonal factors on the PD journey, 3) the role of social relationships in PD patient's life, 4) the interaction of PD patients with different elements of the healthcare system, and 5) support services available for recently diagnosed PD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study uncovers the psychological burden faced by PD patients due to prognostic uncertainties and insufficient support systems. It emphasizes the importance of a patient-centered approach for improving their quality of life and healthcare experiences through personalized support services.

Psychological resilience in the relationship between family function and illness uncertainty among family members of trauma patients in the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Severe trauma accounts for a main factor inducing mortality for individuals aged < 45 years in China, which requires admission to intensive care unit (ICU) to receive comprehensive treatment. Family members of patients with unanticipated and life-threatening trauma during their ICU stays often experience psychosocial distress due to illness uncertainty. Previous research has shown that family function and psychological resilience are associated with illness uncertainty, respectively. However, little is known about the current situation and interacting mechanism between family function, psychological resilience, and illness uncertainty of family members for ICU trauma patients. Therefore, this study focused on exploring the current situation and relationships between these three factors in family members for ICU trauma patients.

METHODS

The convenience sampling approach was adopted in the present cross-sectional survey, which involved 230 family members for ICU trauma patients from 34 hospitals in Chongqing, China. Related data were extracted with self-reporting questionnaires, which included sociodemographic characteristic questionnaire, the Family Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve Scale (APGAR), the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (10-CD-RISC) and the Mishel's Illness Uncertainty Scale for Family Members (MUIS-FM). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlations between various variables. Additionally, a structural equation model was adopted to assess the mediating effect of psychological resilience on family function and illness uncertainty.

RESULTS

According to our results, family members for ICU trauma patients experienced high illness uncertainty with moderate family dysfunction and low psychological resilience. Family function directly affected illness uncertainty and indirectly affected illness uncertainty through psychological resilience in family members of ICU trauma patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Family function and psychological resilience are the protective factors for reducing illness uncertainty. Healthcare providers should take effective measures, including family-functioning improvement and resilience-focused interventions, for alleviating illness uncertainty in family members of ICU trauma patients.

The mental health and well-being implications of a mesothelioma diagnosis: A mixed methods study

PURPOSE

Mesothelioma is an incurable, asbestos-related cancer with a poor prognosis. There is scant evidence about the mental health and well-being impacts on patients and carers living with the illness. This study aimed to investigate mesothelioma's impact on mental health and well-being and the scale of mental health conditions in patients and informal carers.

METHODS

A mixed-methods design was used: a cross-sectional survey of mesothelioma patients and informal carers plus semi-structured interviews with patients and carers. The survey used validated scales collecting data on mental health aspects of mesothelioma: the EQ5D to assess health-related quality-of-life; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale; the PCL-5 to assess Posttraumatic Stress; and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The datasets were integrated during analysis.

RESULTS

96 useable survey responses were received. A clinical level of depression was reported by 29 participants (30.21%), of anxiety by 48 (50%), of posttraumatic distress disorder by 32 (33.33%), and of posttraumatic growth by 34 (35.42%). Carers had worse scores than patients. Three main themes were developed from interviews with 10 patients and 11 carers: 'Prognosis', 'Support from services', and 'Social connections and communication'.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare professionals delivering a mesothelioma diagnosis require regular training in communication skills plus updating in current treatment options, so they provide an appropriate mix of realism and hope. Better signposting to mental health support is needed for patients and carers. Our introduction of posttraumatic growth into the mesothelioma literature is novel. We recommend specialist nurses are trained to recognise, understand, and foster posttraumatic growth.