Psychologic Distress during the Menopausal Years in Women Attending a Menopause Clinic

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna E. Stewart ◽  
Katherine Boydell ◽  
Christine Derzko ◽  
Valerie Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Severity Index ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Normative Sample ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Perimenopausal Women ◽  
Psychologic Distress ◽  
Severity Criteria

Objective: This study measures psychologic distress in women attending a menopause clinic to determine if significant differences exist between perimenopausal and menopausal women. Method: Consecutive women attending a university hospital menopause clinic were administered the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a study questionnaire to determine menopausal symptoms, menstrual cycle status, and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The BSI results were compared between menopausal and perimenopausal women, and to a normative sample of middle-aged women who were nonpatients. Results: Two hundred and fifty-nine menopause clinic women completed the questionnaire: 113 perimenopausal and 146 menopausal women. There was significantly greater psychologic distress on the BSI among perimenopausal as compared to menopausal women on the global severity index, and each of the anxiety, hostility, somatization, depression, paranoid, and psychoticism subscales. Perimenopausal women met BSI caseness severity criteria significantly more often than did menopausal women on the global severity index, and on the subscales for depression, anxiety, and psychoticism. On the BSI, menopausal women showed results similar to those of a normative sample of nonpatient middle-aged women. Conclusions: Perimenopausal women attending menopause clinics have significantly higher levels of psychologic distress meeting case severity criteria on the BSI. Further research is warranted to define the subgroups of perimenopausal women who are at increased risk, in the hopes of developing effective interventions.

scholarly journals Short Term Caloric Restriction and Biofeedback Enhance Psychological Wellbeing and Reduce Overweight in Healthy Women

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1096
Author(s):  
Alexander Kautzky ◽  
Kathrin Heneis ◽  
Karin Stengg ◽  
Sabine Fröhlich ◽  
Alexandra Kautzky-Willer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Caloric Restriction ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Burn Out

Obesity is highly prevalent, causing substantial cardiovascular and mental health morbidity. Women show increased risk for mental health disorders, that is multiplied in obesity and related to cellular and psychological stress that can be targeted by non-pharmacological interventions. A total of 43 women underwent two weeks of caloric restriction, half of which also received 7 h of individualized clinical psychological intervention including psychoeducation, mindfulness, and heart-rate-variability biofeedback. Effects on body mass index (BMI), fatty liver index (FLI), bioimpedance measures, serum parameters, perceived stress (PSS), burn-out susceptibility (burn out diagnostic inventory) and dimensional psychiatric symptom load (brief symptom inventory, BSI) were analyzed with linear mixed effects models. Caloric restriction led to a reduction in BMI, body fat and FLI, decreased serum concentrations of leptin, PSS score, BSI dimensions and global severity index (all p ≤ 0.0001, withstanding Bonferroni–Holm correction). Benefits of add-on biofeedback were observed for BMI reduction (p = 0.041). Caloric restriction was effective in ameliorating both psychological wellbeing and metabolic functions following a BMI reduction. Biofeedback boosted effects on BMI reduction and the combinative therapy may be protective against common progression to mental health and cardiovascular disorders in overweight women while comparing favorably to pharmacological interventions in terms of side-effects and acceptability.

A Prospective Study of the Effectiveness of Brief Professionally-Led Support Groups for Infertility Patients

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna E. Stewart ◽  
Katherine M. Boydell ◽  
Karolina McCarthy ◽  
Susan Swerdlyk ◽  
Carol Redmond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Psychologic Distress ◽  
Infertility Patients

Objective: This study prospectively evaluates the effectiveness and patient acceptability of professionally-led support groups in alleviating psychologic distress in infertility patients. Method: Sixty-four consecutive patients in a university hospital infertility program were administered a battery of psychologic tests before and after attendance at an 8 weekly session support group. The comparison group consisted of 35 consecutive infertility referrals to the same unit who were not initially offered the support group and were similarly tested over an 8 week period. Results: Support group patients had significantly greater ( p ≤ 0.01) entry than exit scores on several measures of psychologic distress and depression (the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Global Severity Index, Anxiety, Depression, Hostility and Obsessive Compulsive Subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory). The Avoidance Coping Style on the Moos Coping Responses Inventory was correlated with a higher Global Severity Index ( p ≤ 0.01). Comparison group patients had similar psychometric scores to the support group patients at entry but showed no change over 8 weeks. Attenders expressed a high rate of satisfaction with the support group. Conclusions: Professionally-led support groups are a highly acceptable and effective intervention in self-referred patients in alleviating psychological distress related to infertility.

Psychological Distress in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: The Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1740-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Michel ◽  
Cornelia E. Rebholz ◽  
Nicolas X. von der Weid ◽  
Eva Bergstraesser ◽  
Claudia E. Kuehni
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Childhood Cancer ◽  
Adult Survivors ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Childhood Cancer Survivors ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Increased Risk

Purpose To evaluate the degree of psychological distress in adult childhood cancer survivors in Switzerland and to characterize survivors with significant distress. Methods Childhood cancer survivors who were age younger than 16 years when diagnosed between 1976 and 2003, had survived more than 5 years, and were currently age 20 years or older received a postal questionnaire. Psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Raw scores were transformed into T scores according to the German norm sample, and the proportion of participants being at increased risk for psychological distress was calculated (case rule: T ≥ 63). t tests and univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used for statistical analyses. Results One thousand seventy-six survivors (63.% of eligible survivors, 71.9% of contacted survivors) returned the questionnaire, 987 with complete data on BSI. Comparison with the norm populations showed lower T scores (T < 50) in the Global Severity Index (GSI; T = 46.2), somatization (T = 47.6), obsessive-compulsive tendencies (T = 46.9), and anxiety (T = 48.4). However, more childhood cancer survivors (especially women) had increased distress for GSI (14.4%), interpersonal sensitivity (16.5%), depression (13.4%), aggression (16.9%), and psychotic tendencies (15.6%) than the expected 10% from the norm population. Caseness was associated with female sex, being a single child, older age at study, and self-reported late effects, especially psychological problems. Conclusion Results show that childhood cancer survivors, on average, have less psychological distress than a norm population but that the proportion of survivors at risk for high psychological distress is disproportionally large. Monitoring psychological distress in childhood cancer survivors may be desirable during routine follow-up, and psychological support should be offered as needed.

LOCUS OF CONTROL AND SELF-REPORTED PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS

1992 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Young
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Native Americans ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Black College ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Internal Locus Of Control

For 53 Native American college students positive, moderate Pearson correlation coefficients were found for scores from the Nowicki-Strickland Internal Locus of Control Scale and the Anxiety and Depression subscales and the Global Severity Index from the Brief Symptom Inventory. These findings, in contrast to previous research with black college men, suggest a relationship between locus of control and self-reported psychopathology for a sample of nonwhite subjects.

scholarly journals Levels of Advanced Oxidation Protein Products in Blood Plasma of Peri- and Postmenopausal Women with Insomnia

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-74
Author(s):  
N. V. Semenova ◽  
I. M. Madaeva ◽  
A. S. Brichagina ◽  
L. I. Kolesnikova
Keyword(s):  
Postmenopausal Women ◽  
Advanced Oxidation ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Advanced Oxidation Protein Products ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Perimenopausal Women ◽  
Sleep Questionnaires ◽  
Insomnia Severity ◽  
Immunoenzymatic Assay

Background. Insomnia occurs in more than half of menopausal women. These disorders can contribute to a change in the prooxidant-antioxidant balance, causing the damage to structural cellular elements. Currently, there is a lack of research on this issue.Aim. To carry out a comparative analysis of the level of advanced oxidation protein products in in periand postmenopausal women with insomnia.Materials and methods. The study included peri(n = 30) and postmenopausal (n = 60) women, who were divided into 2 groups (control and main groups) in each menopausal phase after being questioned using special sleep questionnaires: Insomnia Severity Index; Epworth Sleepiness Scale; Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. The advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels was determined by immunoenzymatic assay using ImmunDiagnostik (German) kits on a BioTek EL×808 (USA) analyzer. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann – Whitney test.Results. Comparative analysis of the AOPP levels in control groups, depending on the menopausal periods, showed an increase in their levels in the postmenopausal period as compared to perimenopause (p < 0.05). When comparing the AOPP levels between the control and the main group in different menopausal periods, statistically significant differences were revealed only in the perimenopausal period towards a higher content in women with insomnia (p < 0.05). The presence of insomnia in postmenopausal women is accompanied by a higher AOPP levels as compared to the perimenopausal women (p < 0.05).Conclusion. The obtained results indicate the association between insomnia and oxidative proteins modification only in the perimenopausal period.

The Patient’s Experience of Fatigue: A Cross-Sectional Study of Cancer Patients.

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3356-3356
Author(s):  
David H. Henry ◽  
Hema N. Viswanathan ◽  
Shawn M. Wade ◽  
Mariana Servin ◽  
David Cella
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Symptom Inventory ◽  
Pearson's R ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Cancer-related anemia can contribute to fatigue among cancer patients (pts). Few large scale surveys of cancer pts have been conducted to characterize fatigue from the patient’s perspective. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of fatigue in cancer pts and examine relationships between fatigue, anxiety, depression, and somatization (physical symptoms). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to May 2006 using a random sample of pts from a chronic illness panel of 550,233 pts. Inclusion criteria were being at least 18 years of age, diagnosed with cancer, and receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy either currently or during the 12 months prior to participating in the study. An 8-item brief fatigue questionnaire developed from four validated instruments (scores ranging from 0–100, higher being better status) and the 13-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Fatigue (FACT-F; scores ranging from 0–52, higher being better status) were used to assess fatigue. The 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; scores ranging from 0–100, higher being worse status) was used to measure anxiety, depression, somatization and to obtain a global severity index. Single items with numerical rating scales ranging from 0 to 10 were used to assess degree of debilitation related to fatigue and importance of fatigue reduction. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess relationships between continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 1,569 cancer pts were surveyed. Online interviews were conducted with 1,302 pts and phone interviews with 267 pts. No significant differences were found between phone and online respondents. Most patients were white (84%) and 50% were males. Most females were diagnosed with breast cancer (56%) and most males with prostate cancer (40%). Approximately 79% of pts rated fatigue as the most common symptom of cancer treatment. One in three patients considered a reduction in fatigue to be very important. Approximately 54% of patients rated their fatigue to be debilitating (six or higher on a ten point scale). Worse levels of fatigue measured by the FACT-F were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety (r = −0.56, p < 0.0001), depression (r = −0.63, p < 0.0001), somatization (r = −0.75, p < 0.001), and the global severity index (−0.71, p < 0.001). Scores from the brief fatigue questionnaire confirmed results obtained with the FACT-F. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue was the most common symptom reported in this study and was significantly associated with anxiety and depression. More research is needed to examine the relationship between physical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients. Table 1. Correlations between Fatigue and Scores from the Brief Symptom Inventory among All Cancer Patients Brief Fatigue Questionnaire (n=1569) FACT-F (n=1569) Variable Pearson’s R Lower CI (95%) Upper CI (95%) Pearson’s R Lower CI (95%) Upper CI (95%) * p < 0.0001 Global Severity Index −0.71* −0.69 −0.73 −0.73 −0.71 −0.75 Anxiety −0.54* −0.5 −0.57 −0.56* −0.53 −0.59 Depression −0.61* −0.58 −0.64 −0.63* −0.6 −0.66 Somatization (physical symptoms) −0.75* −0.73 −0.77 −0.75* −0.73 −0.77

Reliability, Construct Validity, and Subscale Norms of the Brief Symptom Inventory When Administered to Bereaved Parents

1996 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Clark Johnson ◽  
Shirley A. Murphy ◽  
Margaret Dimond
Keyword(s):  
Construct Validity ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Summary Statistics ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Symptom Inventory ◽  
Bereaved Parents ◽  
Community Standard

The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was administered to parents (N = 260; 171 mothers and 89 fathers) whose adolescent and young adult children died unexpectedly and violently by accident, homicide, or suicide. Summary statistics and reliability coefficients (Cronbach’ s a) for the nine subscales and the Global Severity Index were calculated. A comparison of means and standard deviations confirmed the expectation that this sample is dramatically different from the normative American community standard. Raw scores for the subscales were transformed into standardized T scores and critical values for a screening heuristic presented. An attempt to obtain construct validity using factor analysis suggested that a five-factor solution provided a description of this population of bereaved parents that is more insightful than the nine standard subscales of the BSI. Implications for both clinicians and future research are discussed.

The Role of Educational Attainment in Supported Employment

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Waynor ◽  
Kenneth J. Gill ◽  
Dawn Reinhardt-Wood ◽  
Garth S. Nanni ◽  
Ni Gao
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Supported Employment ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Human Capital Theory ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Vocational Services ◽  
Study Support

Rehabilitation counselors provide vocational services to consumers living with serious mental illness (SMI) who have an estimated rate of workforce participation from 10% to 30%. Services, such as supported employment (SE), have strived to overcome these figures. Yet, people living with SMI are often only qualified for employment within the secondary labor market. Human capital theory offers a useful theoretical framework for employment for persons living with SMI. The Brief Symptom Inventory Global Severity Index (GSI) and educational level were used to predict employment outcomes in a sample which consists of 105 individuals with SMI recruited from five SE programs in the mid-Atlantic region. Logistic regression with the predictors of time in SE, GSI, and educational level achieved was used to predict whether someone became employed within the next 6 months. The variable educational level was a significant predictor of successful employment outcome at the 6-month follow-up, Wald χ2 = 7.6, p = .003. The other two variables were not statistically significant. The current study suggests that it is difficult to ignore an individual’s education when considering his or her future achievement in employment. Furthermore, the findings of this study support utilizing human capital theory.

scholarly journals Sex-specific effects of habitual aerobic exercise on brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in middle-aged and older adults

2010 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary L. Pierce ◽  
Iratxe Eskurza ◽  
Ashley E. Walker ◽  
Tara N. Fay ◽  
Douglas R. Seals
Keyword(s):  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Endurance Exercise ◽  
Brachial Artery ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Flow Mediated Dilation ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Post Menopausal

Brachial artery FMD (flow-mediated dilation) is impaired with aging and is associated with an increased risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease). In the present study, we determined whether regular aerobic exercise improves brachial artery FMD in MA/O (middle-aged/older) men and post-menopausal women. In sedentary MA/O adults (age, 55–79 years) without CVD, 8 weeks of brisk walking (6 days/week for approx. 50 min/day; randomized controlled design) increased treadmill time approx. 20% in both MA/O men (n=11) and post-menopausal women (n=15) (P<0.01), without altering body composition or circulating CVD risk factors. Brachial artery FMD increased >50% in the MA/O men (from 4.6±0.6 to 7.1±0.6%; P<0.01), but did not change in the post-menopausal women (5.1±0.8 compared with 5.4±0.7%; P=0.50). No changes occurred in the non-exercising controls. In a separate cross-sectional study (n=167), brachial artery FMD was approx. 50% greater in endurance-exercise-trained (6.4±0.4%; n=45) compared with sedentary (4.3±0.3%; n=60) MA/O men (P<0.001), whereas there were no differences between endurance-trained (5.3±0.7%, n=20) and sedentary (5.6±0.5%, n=42) post-menopausal women (P=0.70). Brachial artery lumen diameter, peak hyperaemic shear rate and endothelium-independent dilation did not differ with exercise intervention or in the endurance exercise compared with sedentary groups. In conclusion, regular aerobic exercise is consistently associated with enhanced brachial artery FMD in MA/O men, but not in post-menopausal women. Some post-menopausal women without CVD may be less responsive to habitual aerobic exercise than MA/O men.

Validation of a Five-Point Self-Rated Stress Score

2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 438-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lionel S. Lim ◽  
Donald E. Williams ◽  
Philip T. Hagen
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Outpatient Setting ◽  
Global Severity Index ◽  
Multivariate Adjustment ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Stress Score ◽  
Screening For Psychological Distress

Purpose. To validate a five-point self-rated stress score (SRSS) with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire in identifying psychological distress. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 266 consecutive patients seen in the division of clinical health psychology. Patients were asked to rate their stress level on a numeric score from 1 (low stress) to 5 (high stress). Patients also completed the SCL-90-R questionnaire, from which the Global Severity Index (GSI) was calculated. Results. The SRSS correlated positively with the GSI (r = .40, p < .001). After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratio of psychological distress for patients with an SRSS of 2, 3, 4, and 5 relative to those with low stress were 2.6 (p = .30), 2.4 (p = .30), 6.1 (p < .05), and 24.8 (p < .001). Discussion. Patients with the highest self-rated stress levels have a significantly increased risk of psychological distress. The SRSS is simple to administer in the outpatient setting and may be a useful instrument in screening for psychological distress.

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