I am a psychologist and currently I am doing my dissertation in Panteion University in Greece, in the Deparment of Psychology . The subject my dissertation is "Dehumanization in hospital".
Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, Nov 11, 2020
Introduction: The covid-19 pandemic is a phenomenon that has found society, political systems and... more Introduction: The covid-19 pandemic is a phenomenon that has found society, political systems and health systems around the world unprepared, causing mental health issues to health professionals in addition to its socioeconomic impact. Purpose: working with health professionals consists of identifying, investigating, and intervening early in mental health issues. Method: from April-June 2020, six groups of eight health professionals were formed, 5 with nursing staff and 1 with doctors. Psychotherapeutic techniques from systemic psychotherapy were used. Results: the issues that arose were fear, anxiety, stigma, insomnia, anger. With the use of psychotherapeutic techniques, we tried to make sense of what is happening, to bring to the surface the positive emotions and successful ways of dealing with crises as well as what is important to everyone in this life. Conclusion: The covid-19 pandemic has affected the quality of life of health professionals. Psychotherapeutic interventions are needed to enhance mental resilience and optimism.
Objective: Psychological distress is not a new phenomenon in oncology. It has been considered a s... more Objective: Psychological distress is not a new phenomenon in oncology. It has been considered a serious subject for patients diagnosed with cancer. The main method of measurement of distress is the Distress Thermometer which consists of an analogical scale from 0-10 and of 5 groups of problems which cause concern to the patient: 1. Practical problems 2. Family problems 3. Emotional problems 4. Spiritual/religious uncertainties 5. Physical problems. Purpose: Is the presentation of Distress Thermometer in greek for taking measures promptly with the aim of ensuring a better quality of life for lung cancer patients. Method: The sample consisted of 88 males, 26 females, the average age of 64,95 +- 9,3, with lung cancer from the pulmonology clinics of “Swtiria” hospital. Results: Only 18,4% of the sample showed normal values (0-4) on the analogical scale while 37,3% showed serious distress (7-10). Regarding the practical problems 36% had difficulties in movement while 22% mentioned having economic, work or insurance problems. In reference to family problems 7,9% quoted problems with their spouses. As for the emotional side it was found that nervousness accounted for 71,9% of the sample and fear 60,5%. Furthermore 20,2% started to take an interest in spiritual/religious themes. In the field of physical problems, walking proved to be a difficulty for 70,2% of the patients. Conclusion: The distress thermometer may be used as a screening tool for detecting and promptly dealing with distress.
Introduction Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pa... more Introduction Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanying cancer and its treatment have a significant negative influence on the patient’s life quality. Aims To investigate the correlation between anxiety, pain and perceived family support in a sample of lung cancer patients. Methods The sample consists of a total of 101 lung cancer patients hospitalized at the oncology department of a general hospital. Anxiety, pain (severity and interference) and perceived family support were assessed using Spielberger’s State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (SSTAI), the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Family Support Scale (FSS) respectively. Results Analysis showed that there is a correlation between anxiety, pain and family support as perceived by the patients. Pain intensity (severity and interference) has a positive correlation to both state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation to family support. The effects of pain in everyday life also exhibit a positive correlation to state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation to family support. Anxiety (state and trait) has a significant negative correlation to family support. Conclusions Pain intensity in lung cancer patients seems to have an effect on patient anxiety and perceived family support. Treating patients’ pain could lead to a decrease in anxiety symptoms as well as an increase in perceived family support.
Objective: Periods of financial crises have been associated with impairment of mental health and ... more Objective: Periods of financial crises have been associated with impairment of mental health and increased suicidality. The purpose of this research is to study the potential impact of the consequences of the financial crisis, such as unemployment, job insecurity, debts, poverty, social exclusion on the suicidality in the Greek population. Method: The records of patients who were hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinics of a general hospital after attempting suicide in the years 2007 and 2011, before and during the financial crisis respectively, were studied. Demographic data, methods of suicide attempt, psychiatric history and severity of psychopathology at the time of suicide attempt, were recorded for each patient. Results: The statistical analysis showed that during the financial crisis there is an increase in the number of suicide attempts. Most affected are those who are unemployed, married, who are reaching the age of retirement or are already retired and have no history of psychiatric disorder or suicide attempt. Furthermore, there was evidence suggesting that a decreased threshold of psychopathology was adequate for individuals to exhibit suicidal behavior. Conclusions: It seems that the economic crisis in Greece has a negative impact on the mental health of its population and causes an increase in suicidal behavior. Consequently, mental health promotion and suicidality prevention programs are essential for the accurate and timely identification and the immediate and effective management of high risk individuals.
Previous research findings demonstrate that both savoring ability and the presence of high-qualit... more Previous research findings demonstrate that both savoring ability and the presence of high-quality friendships play a significant role in enhancing one’s overall sense of wellbeing. However, these associations have not been thoroughly investigated within a diverse range of adults across their lifespans, nor have they been explored in the specific cultural context of Greece. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to delve into the relationships between close friendship quality, the utilization of savoring techniques, and wellbeing within the Greek cultural framework. The study involved 771 adults from Greece with an average age of 38.35 years, who completed the McGill Friendship Functions Questionnaire, the PERMA Profiler, and the Abridged Ways of Savoring Checklist. Results revealed that there exists a positive correlation between friendship quality and savoring strategies with overall wellbeing. Moreover, the study identified a significant association wherein a greater emplo...
Introduction Dehumanization is defined as the denial to people of their humanness. It is distingu... more Introduction Dehumanization is defined as the denial to people of their humanness. It is distinguished into animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization. The aim of this study is to examine whether professionals in a public hospital dehumanize the patient and self-dehumanize. Methods We used the Dehumanization Questionnaire, the Mechanistic Self-Dehumanization Scale, the Human Nature and Human Uniqueness Characteristics Questionnaire, the General Causality Orientation Scale and the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 135 mental health professionals (20 from a general hospital and 115 from a psychiatric hospital), 134 other health professionals from the general hospital and 84 people from the general population. Results Health professionals dehumanize the hospitalized patient more than the general population. The secure attachment acts protectively on self-dehumanization and negatively on the dehumanization of the hospitalized patient. Finally, autonomous people are not self-dehumanized. Conclusions Our findings indicate that measures should be taken for health professionals so that they do not dehumanize the patient.
Mental health problems, behavior changes, and addictive issues have been consistently documented ... more Mental health problems, behavior changes, and addictive issues have been consistently documented among healthcare workers during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of anger and aggression in relation to psychological resilience and alcohol abuse among healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 120 physicians and 123 nurses completed an online survey of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5 (DAR-5), the Brief Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the Alcohol Screening questionnaire CAGE which is an acronym for the focus of the questions (Cutting down, Annoyance by criticism, Guilty feeling, and Eye-openers). Demographic and professional data were also recorded. A total of 53 men and 190 women participated in the study. Almost one-third of the participants had a positive score on the DAR-5 scale and one out of ten respondents presented with current problematic alcohol use. Male partic...
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause mental health issues, especially for healthcare professi... more The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause mental health issues, especially for healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate levels of perceived stress, insomnia, and the sense of family support among nurses in pandemic conditions. We administered in a sample of 150 nurses from different hospital departments during the COVID-19 pandemic the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Family Support Scale (FSS). Individual and demographic data were recorded. In total, 120 women and 30 men completed the study questionnaires. Almost half of the participants (49.7%) reported the presence of insomnia and more than half (50.3%) experienced increased stress levels. Scores on the Athens Insomnia Scale correlated positively with Perceived Stress Scale scores (p < 0.01), and negatively with Family Support Scale scores (p < 0.01). Significantly negative correlations were observed among scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the Family Support Scal...
Summary Genetic instability is a major concern for successful application of stem cells in regene... more Summary Genetic instability is a major concern for successful application of stem cells in regenerative medicine. However, the mutational consequences of the most applied stem cell therapy in humans, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), remain unknown. Here we characterized the mutation burden of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) of human HSCT recipients and their donors using whole-genome sequencing. We demonstrate that the majority of transplanted HSPCs did not display altered mutation accumulation. However, in some HSCT recipients, we identified multiple HSPCs with an increased mutation burden after transplantation. This increase could be attributed to a unique mutational signature caused by the antiviral drug ganciclovir. Using a machine learning approach, we detected this signature in cancer genomes of individuals who received HSCT or solid organ transplantation earlier in life. Antiviral treatment with nucleoside analogs can cause enhanced mutagenicity in transplant recipients, which may ultimately contribute to therapy-related carcinogenesis.
This study aims to explore and compare the extent and the forms of patients’ dehumanization among... more This study aims to explore and compare the extent and the forms of patients’ dehumanization among Greek health professionals, mental health professionals and the general population.
IntroductionIt is known that patients with chronic and life - threatening diseases often presents... more IntroductionIt is known that patients with chronic and life - threatening diseases often presents anxiety and depressive symptoms.ObjectivesThe comparison of the levels of anxiety and depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in patients with lung cancer.MethodsThe completion of the HADS scale was requested in 42 randomly selected patients (21 with lung cancer and 21 with COPD).ResultsHigher rates appeared in the subscales of anxiety and depression of the HADS (12.88 SD 5.03 and 13.45 SD 5.60, respectively) compared to the general hospitalized patients. Pathological rates of anxiety appeared at the 59.5% of the sample, while pathological rates of depression were found at 45.2%. Patients with lung cancer presented higher total score at HADS against patients with COPD (29.48 SD 9.3 vs 23.19 SD 8.26, t test p < 0. 05). In the subscale of anxiety appeared statistically higher average rate in patients with cancer against patients with COPD (14.43 SD ...
Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanyi... more Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanying cancer and its treatment have a significant negative influence on the patient’s quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between anxiety, pain, and perceived family support in a sample of lung cancer patients. The sample consisted of a total of 101 lung cancer outpatients receiving treatment at the oncology department of a general hospital. Anxiety, pain (severity and impact on everyday life), and perceived family support were assessed using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the Family Support Scale, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed correlations between anxiety, pain, and family support as perceived by the patients. The intensity of pain had a positive correlation with both state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation with family support. Anxiety (state and trait) had a significant negative corr...
Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life o... more Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life of both the general population and health professionals and has increased the levels of psychopathology among them. The present study aims to map the levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological resilience, and quality of life of healthcare professionals who work in a COVID-19 reference hospital in Athens, Greece, one year after the onset of the pandemic. Also, this study focuses on investigating the relationships among the study variables and demographics and examining possible mediating effects.
Methods
The sample consisted of 400 health professionals from Sotiria Hospital, of whom 102 were men. Participants were asked to complete the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. The survey was conducted from May to July 2021.
Results
The findings show statistical differences in resilience levels regarding marital status and employee education. Also, 13.5% of the staff reported significant PTSD levels, which relate to low levels of psychological resilience and every pillar of quality of life.
Conclusions
Thus, research findings indicate that resilience levels could have a protective effect on the development of PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the design of group interventions that aim at building health workers’ resilience will be discussed.
The nursing profession is considered to be an emotionally demanding profession often lead to vari... more The nursing profession is considered to be an emotionally demanding profession often lead to various psychological difficulties and extend level stress. Religiosity and religion in general, have been associated with positive outcomes in an individual’s life such as higher self-esteem, better quality of life and psychological wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between nurses’ religiosity, psychological resilience, and psychological wellbeing. In this cross-sectional study, 378 nurses participated. Dada were collected by using Centrality of Religiosity Scale, The Patient Health Questionnaire Two-Item Depression Scale, The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25. Percentages, means, and standard deviations were calculated. In addition the parametric t-test and ANOVA were used. Also, logistic regression analyses were used to determine which factors affect the depression and anxiety of nurses. Results indicated differe...
Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ig (ALG12‐CDG) is a rare inherited metabolic disease ca... more Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ig (ALG12‐CDG) is a rare inherited metabolic disease caused by a defect in alpha‐mannosyltransferase 8, encoded by the ALG12 gene (22q13.33). To date, only 15 patients have been diagnosed with ALG12‐CDG globally. Due to a newborn Slovak patient's clinical and biochemical abnormalities, the isoelectric focusing of transferrin was performed with observed significant hypoglycosylation typical of CDG I. Furthermore, analysis of neutral serum N‐glycans by mass spectrometry revealed the accumulation of GlcNAc2Man5–7 and decreased levels of GlcNAc2Man8–9, which indicated impaired ALG12 enzymatic activity. Genetic analysis of the coding regions of the ALG12 gene of the patient revealed a novel homozygous substitution mutation c.1439T>C p.(Leu480Pro) within Exon 10. Furthermore, both of the patient's parents and his twin sister were asymptomatic heterozygous carriers of the variant. This comprehensive genomic and glycomic approach led to the confirmation of the ALG12 pathogenic variant responsible for the clinical manifestation of the disorder in the patient described.
Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, Nov 11, 2020
Introduction: The covid-19 pandemic is a phenomenon that has found society, political systems and... more Introduction: The covid-19 pandemic is a phenomenon that has found society, political systems and health systems around the world unprepared, causing mental health issues to health professionals in addition to its socioeconomic impact. Purpose: working with health professionals consists of identifying, investigating, and intervening early in mental health issues. Method: from April-June 2020, six groups of eight health professionals were formed, 5 with nursing staff and 1 with doctors. Psychotherapeutic techniques from systemic psychotherapy were used. Results: the issues that arose were fear, anxiety, stigma, insomnia, anger. With the use of psychotherapeutic techniques, we tried to make sense of what is happening, to bring to the surface the positive emotions and successful ways of dealing with crises as well as what is important to everyone in this life. Conclusion: The covid-19 pandemic has affected the quality of life of health professionals. Psychotherapeutic interventions are needed to enhance mental resilience and optimism.
Objective: Psychological distress is not a new phenomenon in oncology. It has been considered a s... more Objective: Psychological distress is not a new phenomenon in oncology. It has been considered a serious subject for patients diagnosed with cancer. The main method of measurement of distress is the Distress Thermometer which consists of an analogical scale from 0-10 and of 5 groups of problems which cause concern to the patient: 1. Practical problems 2. Family problems 3. Emotional problems 4. Spiritual/religious uncertainties 5. Physical problems. Purpose: Is the presentation of Distress Thermometer in greek for taking measures promptly with the aim of ensuring a better quality of life for lung cancer patients. Method: The sample consisted of 88 males, 26 females, the average age of 64,95 +- 9,3, with lung cancer from the pulmonology clinics of “Swtiria” hospital. Results: Only 18,4% of the sample showed normal values (0-4) on the analogical scale while 37,3% showed serious distress (7-10). Regarding the practical problems 36% had difficulties in movement while 22% mentioned having economic, work or insurance problems. In reference to family problems 7,9% quoted problems with their spouses. As for the emotional side it was found that nervousness accounted for 71,9% of the sample and fear 60,5%. Furthermore 20,2% started to take an interest in spiritual/religious themes. In the field of physical problems, walking proved to be a difficulty for 70,2% of the patients. Conclusion: The distress thermometer may be used as a screening tool for detecting and promptly dealing with distress.
Introduction Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pa... more Introduction Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanying cancer and its treatment have a significant negative influence on the patient’s life quality. Aims To investigate the correlation between anxiety, pain and perceived family support in a sample of lung cancer patients. Methods The sample consists of a total of 101 lung cancer patients hospitalized at the oncology department of a general hospital. Anxiety, pain (severity and interference) and perceived family support were assessed using Spielberger’s State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (SSTAI), the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Family Support Scale (FSS) respectively. Results Analysis showed that there is a correlation between anxiety, pain and family support as perceived by the patients. Pain intensity (severity and interference) has a positive correlation to both state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation to family support. The effects of pain in everyday life also exhibit a positive correlation to state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation to family support. Anxiety (state and trait) has a significant negative correlation to family support. Conclusions Pain intensity in lung cancer patients seems to have an effect on patient anxiety and perceived family support. Treating patients’ pain could lead to a decrease in anxiety symptoms as well as an increase in perceived family support.
Objective: Periods of financial crises have been associated with impairment of mental health and ... more Objective: Periods of financial crises have been associated with impairment of mental health and increased suicidality. The purpose of this research is to study the potential impact of the consequences of the financial crisis, such as unemployment, job insecurity, debts, poverty, social exclusion on the suicidality in the Greek population. Method: The records of patients who were hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinics of a general hospital after attempting suicide in the years 2007 and 2011, before and during the financial crisis respectively, were studied. Demographic data, methods of suicide attempt, psychiatric history and severity of psychopathology at the time of suicide attempt, were recorded for each patient. Results: The statistical analysis showed that during the financial crisis there is an increase in the number of suicide attempts. Most affected are those who are unemployed, married, who are reaching the age of retirement or are already retired and have no history of psychiatric disorder or suicide attempt. Furthermore, there was evidence suggesting that a decreased threshold of psychopathology was adequate for individuals to exhibit suicidal behavior. Conclusions: It seems that the economic crisis in Greece has a negative impact on the mental health of its population and causes an increase in suicidal behavior. Consequently, mental health promotion and suicidality prevention programs are essential for the accurate and timely identification and the immediate and effective management of high risk individuals.
Previous research findings demonstrate that both savoring ability and the presence of high-qualit... more Previous research findings demonstrate that both savoring ability and the presence of high-quality friendships play a significant role in enhancing one’s overall sense of wellbeing. However, these associations have not been thoroughly investigated within a diverse range of adults across their lifespans, nor have they been explored in the specific cultural context of Greece. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to delve into the relationships between close friendship quality, the utilization of savoring techniques, and wellbeing within the Greek cultural framework. The study involved 771 adults from Greece with an average age of 38.35 years, who completed the McGill Friendship Functions Questionnaire, the PERMA Profiler, and the Abridged Ways of Savoring Checklist. Results revealed that there exists a positive correlation between friendship quality and savoring strategies with overall wellbeing. Moreover, the study identified a significant association wherein a greater emplo...
Introduction Dehumanization is defined as the denial to people of their humanness. It is distingu... more Introduction Dehumanization is defined as the denial to people of their humanness. It is distinguished into animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization. The aim of this study is to examine whether professionals in a public hospital dehumanize the patient and self-dehumanize. Methods We used the Dehumanization Questionnaire, the Mechanistic Self-Dehumanization Scale, the Human Nature and Human Uniqueness Characteristics Questionnaire, the General Causality Orientation Scale and the Adult Attachment Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 135 mental health professionals (20 from a general hospital and 115 from a psychiatric hospital), 134 other health professionals from the general hospital and 84 people from the general population. Results Health professionals dehumanize the hospitalized patient more than the general population. The secure attachment acts protectively on self-dehumanization and negatively on the dehumanization of the hospitalized patient. Finally, autonomous people are not self-dehumanized. Conclusions Our findings indicate that measures should be taken for health professionals so that they do not dehumanize the patient.
Mental health problems, behavior changes, and addictive issues have been consistently documented ... more Mental health problems, behavior changes, and addictive issues have been consistently documented among healthcare workers during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of anger and aggression in relation to psychological resilience and alcohol abuse among healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 120 physicians and 123 nurses completed an online survey of the Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5 (DAR-5), the Brief Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the Alcohol Screening questionnaire CAGE which is an acronym for the focus of the questions (Cutting down, Annoyance by criticism, Guilty feeling, and Eye-openers). Demographic and professional data were also recorded. A total of 53 men and 190 women participated in the study. Almost one-third of the participants had a positive score on the DAR-5 scale and one out of ten respondents presented with current problematic alcohol use. Male partic...
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause mental health issues, especially for healthcare professi... more The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause mental health issues, especially for healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate levels of perceived stress, insomnia, and the sense of family support among nurses in pandemic conditions. We administered in a sample of 150 nurses from different hospital departments during the COVID-19 pandemic the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Family Support Scale (FSS). Individual and demographic data were recorded. In total, 120 women and 30 men completed the study questionnaires. Almost half of the participants (49.7%) reported the presence of insomnia and more than half (50.3%) experienced increased stress levels. Scores on the Athens Insomnia Scale correlated positively with Perceived Stress Scale scores (p < 0.01), and negatively with Family Support Scale scores (p < 0.01). Significantly negative correlations were observed among scores on the Perceived Stress Scale and the Family Support Scal...
Summary Genetic instability is a major concern for successful application of stem cells in regene... more Summary Genetic instability is a major concern for successful application of stem cells in regenerative medicine. However, the mutational consequences of the most applied stem cell therapy in humans, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), remain unknown. Here we characterized the mutation burden of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) of human HSCT recipients and their donors using whole-genome sequencing. We demonstrate that the majority of transplanted HSPCs did not display altered mutation accumulation. However, in some HSCT recipients, we identified multiple HSPCs with an increased mutation burden after transplantation. This increase could be attributed to a unique mutational signature caused by the antiviral drug ganciclovir. Using a machine learning approach, we detected this signature in cancer genomes of individuals who received HSCT or solid organ transplantation earlier in life. Antiviral treatment with nucleoside analogs can cause enhanced mutagenicity in transplant recipients, which may ultimately contribute to therapy-related carcinogenesis.
This study aims to explore and compare the extent and the forms of patients’ dehumanization among... more This study aims to explore and compare the extent and the forms of patients’ dehumanization among Greek health professionals, mental health professionals and the general population.
IntroductionIt is known that patients with chronic and life - threatening diseases often presents... more IntroductionIt is known that patients with chronic and life - threatening diseases often presents anxiety and depressive symptoms.ObjectivesThe comparison of the levels of anxiety and depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in patients with lung cancer.MethodsThe completion of the HADS scale was requested in 42 randomly selected patients (21 with lung cancer and 21 with COPD).ResultsHigher rates appeared in the subscales of anxiety and depression of the HADS (12.88 SD 5.03 and 13.45 SD 5.60, respectively) compared to the general hospitalized patients. Pathological rates of anxiety appeared at the 59.5% of the sample, while pathological rates of depression were found at 45.2%. Patients with lung cancer presented higher total score at HADS against patients with COPD (29.48 SD 9.3 vs 23.19 SD 8.26, t test p < 0. 05). In the subscale of anxiety appeared statistically higher average rate in patients with cancer against patients with COPD (14.43 SD ...
Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanyi... more Lung cancer is a stressful condition for both patient and family. The anxiety and pain accompanying cancer and its treatment have a significant negative influence on the patient’s quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between anxiety, pain, and perceived family support in a sample of lung cancer patients. The sample consisted of a total of 101 lung cancer outpatients receiving treatment at the oncology department of a general hospital. Anxiety, pain (severity and impact on everyday life), and perceived family support were assessed using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Brief Pain Inventory, and the Family Support Scale, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed correlations between anxiety, pain, and family support as perceived by the patients. The intensity of pain had a positive correlation with both state and trait anxiety and a negative correlation with family support. Anxiety (state and trait) had a significant negative corr...
Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life o... more Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life of both the general population and health professionals and has increased the levels of psychopathology among them. The present study aims to map the levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological resilience, and quality of life of healthcare professionals who work in a COVID-19 reference hospital in Athens, Greece, one year after the onset of the pandemic. Also, this study focuses on investigating the relationships among the study variables and demographics and examining possible mediating effects.
Methods
The sample consisted of 400 health professionals from Sotiria Hospital, of whom 102 were men. Participants were asked to complete the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. The survey was conducted from May to July 2021.
Results
The findings show statistical differences in resilience levels regarding marital status and employee education. Also, 13.5% of the staff reported significant PTSD levels, which relate to low levels of psychological resilience and every pillar of quality of life.
Conclusions
Thus, research findings indicate that resilience levels could have a protective effect on the development of PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the design of group interventions that aim at building health workers’ resilience will be discussed.
The nursing profession is considered to be an emotionally demanding profession often lead to vari... more The nursing profession is considered to be an emotionally demanding profession often lead to various psychological difficulties and extend level stress. Religiosity and religion in general, have been associated with positive outcomes in an individual’s life such as higher self-esteem, better quality of life and psychological wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between nurses’ religiosity, psychological resilience, and psychological wellbeing. In this cross-sectional study, 378 nurses participated. Dada were collected by using Centrality of Religiosity Scale, The Patient Health Questionnaire Two-Item Depression Scale, The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25. Percentages, means, and standard deviations were calculated. In addition the parametric t-test and ANOVA were used. Also, logistic regression analyses were used to determine which factors affect the depression and anxiety of nurses. Results indicated differe...
Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ig (ALG12‐CDG) is a rare inherited metabolic disease ca... more Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ig (ALG12‐CDG) is a rare inherited metabolic disease caused by a defect in alpha‐mannosyltransferase 8, encoded by the ALG12 gene (22q13.33). To date, only 15 patients have been diagnosed with ALG12‐CDG globally. Due to a newborn Slovak patient's clinical and biochemical abnormalities, the isoelectric focusing of transferrin was performed with observed significant hypoglycosylation typical of CDG I. Furthermore, analysis of neutral serum N‐glycans by mass spectrometry revealed the accumulation of GlcNAc2Man5–7 and decreased levels of GlcNAc2Man8–9, which indicated impaired ALG12 enzymatic activity. Genetic analysis of the coding regions of the ALG12 gene of the patient revealed a novel homozygous substitution mutation c.1439T>C p.(Leu480Pro) within Exon 10. Furthermore, both of the patient's parents and his twin sister were asymptomatic heterozygous carriers of the variant. This comprehensive genomic and glycomic approach led to the confirmation of the ALG12 pathogenic variant responsible for the clinical manifestation of the disorder in the patient described.
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Papers by Dimitra Lekka
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life of both the general population and health professionals and has increased the levels of psychopathology among them. The present study aims to map the levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological resilience, and quality of life of healthcare professionals who work in a COVID-19 reference hospital in Athens, Greece, one year after the onset of the pandemic. Also, this study focuses on investigating the relationships among the study variables and demographics and examining possible mediating effects.
Methods
The sample consisted of 400 health professionals from Sotiria Hospital, of whom 102 were men. Participants were asked to complete the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. The survey was conducted from May to July 2021.
Results
The findings show statistical differences in resilience levels regarding marital status and employee education. Also, 13.5% of the staff reported significant PTSD levels, which relate to low levels of psychological resilience and every pillar of quality of life.
Conclusions
Thus, research findings indicate that resilience levels could have a protective effect on the development of PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the design of group interventions that aim at building health workers’ resilience will be discussed.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the quality of life of both the general population and health professionals and has increased the levels of psychopathology among them. The present study aims to map the levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological resilience, and quality of life of healthcare professionals who work in a COVID-19 reference hospital in Athens, Greece, one year after the onset of the pandemic. Also, this study focuses on investigating the relationships among the study variables and demographics and examining possible mediating effects.
Methods
The sample consisted of 400 health professionals from Sotiria Hospital, of whom 102 were men. Participants were asked to complete the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. The survey was conducted from May to July 2021.
Results
The findings show statistical differences in resilience levels regarding marital status and employee education. Also, 13.5% of the staff reported significant PTSD levels, which relate to low levels of psychological resilience and every pillar of quality of life.
Conclusions
Thus, research findings indicate that resilience levels could have a protective effect on the development of PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the design of group interventions that aim at building health workers’ resilience will be discussed.