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Demirel S, Roke Y, Hoogendoorn AW, Hoefakker J, Hoeberichts K, van Harten PN. Assessing the Effectiveness of STAPP@Work, a Self-Management Mobile App, in Reducing Work Stress and Preventing Burnout: Single-Case Experimental Design Study. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e48883. [PMID: 38275128 PMCID: PMC10940977 DOI: 10.2196/48883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Work-related stress and burnout remain common problems among employees, leading to impaired health and higher absenteeism. The use of mobile health apps to promote well-being has grown substantially; however, the impact of such apps on reducing stress and preventing burnout is limited. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the effectiveness of STAPP@Work, a mobile-based stress management intervention, on perceived stress, coping self-efficacy, and the level of burnout among mental health employees. METHODS The study used a single-case experimental design to examine the use of STAPP@Work among mental health employees without a known diagnosis of burnout (N=63). Participants used the app for 1 week per month repeatedly for a period of 6 months. Using a reversal design, the participants used the app 6 times to assess replicated immediate (1 week after use) and lasting (3 weeks after use) effects. The Perceived Stress Scale, the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Burnout Assessment Tool were used to measure the outcomes. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the data. RESULTS After 6 months of app use for 1 week per month, the participants showed a statistically significant decrease in perceived stress (b=-0.38, 95% CI -0.67 to -0.09; P=.01; Cohen d=0.50) and burnout symptoms (b=-0.31, 95% CI -0.51 to -0.12; P=.002; Cohen d=0.63) as well as a statistically significant improvement in problem-focused coping self-efficacy (b=0.42, 95% CI 0-0.85; P=.049; Cohen d=0.42). Long-term use of the app provided consistent reductions in burnout symptoms over time, including in the level of exhaustion and emotional impairment. CONCLUSIONS The use of an app-based stress management intervention has been shown to reduce burnout symptoms and enhance coping self-efficacy among mental health workers. Prevention of burnout and minimization of work-related stress are of utmost importance to protect employee health and reduce absenteeism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevda Demirel
- Expertise Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder, GGz Centraal, Almere, Netherlands
| | - Yvette Roke
- Expertise Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder, GGz Centraal, Almere, Netherlands
| | - Adriaan W Hoogendoorn
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Mental Health Program, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Kirsten Hoeberichts
- Expertise Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder, GGz Centraal, Almere, Netherlands
| | - Peter N van Harten
- Department of Psychiatry, GGz Centraal, Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Zhang X, Ren H, Wang C, Zhang Y, Zhou Q, Fan J. The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health outcomes and wellbeing of informal caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2024. [PMID: 38291626 DOI: 10.1111/inm.13295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of mental illness has resulted in a growing burden on informal caregivers. Mindfulness-based interventions, as a form of psychotherapy, have shown efficacy in alleviating psychological stress and enhancing emotional and physical well-being. However, the utilisation of mindfulness-based interventions for informal caregivers of individuals with mental illness remains limited. The aim of the meta-analysis is to evaluate the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on the mental health and well-being among informal caregivers of people with mental illness. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, APA PsycINFO and CINAHL Ultimate) from the inception of these databases until 20 July 2023. Two authors independently screened the studies and extracted the relevant data. The meta-analysis was performed by using Stata 12.0 software, and the effect sizes were calculated utilising standardised mean difference (SMD) along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). The meta-analysis included 13 studies with 1007 participants, and the results demonstrated that mindfulness-based interventions were efficacious in reducing stress (SMD = -0.80, 95% CI [-1.33, -0.28], p = 0.003), depression (SMD = -0.43, 95% CI [-0.62, -0.24], p < 0.001) and caregiver burden (SMD = -0.21, 95% CI [-0.40, -0.01], p = 0.038), and enhancing the mindfulness level (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI [0.09, 0.65], P = 0.010) and quality of life (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI [0.04, 0.39], p = 0.015) among informal caregivers of people with mental illness, but not on anxiety reduction (SMD = -0.19, 95% CI [-0.49, 0.10], p = 0.198). Furthermore, future research should aim to employ more rigorous methodologies to confirm the effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Huilin Ren
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Caixia Wang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yongping Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Qilun Zhou
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jianming Fan
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Petros NG, Alvarsson-Hjort J, Hadlaczky G, Wasserman D, Ottaviano M, Gonzalez-Martinez S, Carletto S, Scilingo EP, Valenza G, Carli V. Predictors of the Use of a Mental Health-Focused eHealth System in Patients With Breast and Prostate Cancer: Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of a Prospective Study. JMIR Cancer 2023; 9:e49775. [PMID: 37698900 PMCID: PMC10523218 DOI: 10.2196/49775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND eHealth systems have been increasingly used to manage depressive symptoms in patients with somatic illnesses. However, understanding the factors that drive their use, particularly among patients with breast and prostate cancer, remains a critical area of research. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the factors influencing use of the NEVERMIND eHealth system among patients with breast and prostate cancer over 12 weeks, with a focus on the Technology Acceptance Model. METHODS Data from the NEVERMIND trial, which included 129 patients with breast and prostate cancer, were retrieved. At baseline, participants completed questionnaires detailing demographic data and measuring depressive and stress symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21, respectively. Over a 12-week period, patients engaged with the NEVERMIND system, with follow-up questionnaires administered at 4 weeks and after 12 weeks assessing the system's perceived ease of use and usefulness. Use log data were collected at the 2- and 12-week marks. The relationships among sex, education, baseline depressive and stress symptoms, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness (PU), and system use at various stages were examined using Bayesian structural equation modeling in a path analysis, a technique that differs from traditional frequentist methods. RESULTS The path analysis was conducted among 100 patients with breast and prostate cancer, with 66% (n=66) being female and 81% (n=81) having a college education. Patients reported good mental health scores, with low levels of depression and stress at baseline. System use was approximately 6 days in the initial 2 weeks and 45 days over the 12-week study period. The results revealed that PU was the strongest predictor of system use at 12 weeks (βuse at 12 weeks is predicted by PU at 12 weeks=.384), whereas system use at 2 weeks moderately predicted system use at 12 weeks (βuse at 12 weeks is predicted by use at 2 weeks=.239). Notably, there were uncertain associations between baseline variables (education, sex, and mental health symptoms) and system use at 2 weeks, indicating a need for better predictors for early system use. CONCLUSIONS This study underscores the importance of PU and early engagement in patient engagement with eHealth systems such as NEVERMIND. This suggests that, in general eHealth implementations, caregivers should educate patients about the benefits and functionalities of such systems, thus enhancing their understanding of potential health impacts. Concentrating resources on promoting early engagement is also essential given its influence on sustained use. Further research is necessary to clarify the remaining uncertainties, enabling us to refine our strategies and maximize the benefits of eHealth systems in health care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuhamin Gebrewold Petros
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jesper Alvarsson-Hjort
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics, and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Centre for Health and Social Change, Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gergö Hadlaczky
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Centre for Health Economics, Informatics, and Health Services Research, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Danuta Wasserman
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Manuel Ottaviano
- Life Supporting Technologies, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Sara Carletto
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Gaetano Valenza
- Research Center "E.Piaggio", School of Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Vladimir Carli
- National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bratt A, Kalmendal A. eHealth interventions can potentially provide cost-effective and accessible support for stress-related problems in healthcare professionals. Evid Based Nurs 2023:ebnurs-2023-103718. [PMID: 37479467 DOI: 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bratt
- Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
| | - André Kalmendal
- Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
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Iddrisu M, Poku CA, Mensah E, Attafuah PYA, Dzansi G, Adjorlolo S. Work-related psychosocial challenges and coping strategies among nursing workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review. BMC Nurs 2023; 22:210. [PMID: 37337228 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-023-01368-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurses and midwives have been stretched by the COVID-19 pandemic amidst the heroic roles they have played during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses stood tall among their peers in the healthcare industry saving lives. The pandemic has had a toll on nurses physically, psychologically, and socio-economically. The numerous deaths have traumatized nurses coupled with the fear of possible infection. Nurses have seen their colleagues and loved ones lose their lives to the pandemic, nevertheless, they still render care to patients no matter the circumstances. Due to that, it is imperative to ascertain the extent to which nurses who are much needed in healthcare delivery have been affected by this pandemic. This scoping review used Arksey and O'Malley's review methodology to investigate the nature of work-related psychosocial challenges nurses encountered during the peak of the pandemic, noting the major contributors to the challenges and the coping strategies used to address them. METHODS We performed a scoping review and searched for articles from five databases including PUBMED, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and Grey literature from December 2019 to December 2021. A total of 7,334 articles were retrieved for the study but 45 met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS Work-related psychosocial challenges identified included stress, burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Factors that accounted for the challenges were inadequate personal protective equipment (PPEs), discomfort using the PPEs, extreme workload, and fatigue. Nurses experienced job insecurity, business closure, and separation from family and loved ones, and these contributed to their challenges. Strategies used to deal with the challenges centred on emotion-focused and problem-focused coping. CONCLUSIONS The study recommends regular counselling and support for all nurses working at the frontline to help them better cope with the devastating effects of the pandemic so that they could build resilience towards future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merri Iddrisu
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Collins Atta Poku
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
- Department of Nursing, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
| | - Eva Mensah
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Gladys Dzansi
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Samuel Adjorlolo
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
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