Evaluating the impact of a standardised intervention for announcing decisions of withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatments on the stress of relatives in emergency departments (DISCUSS): protocol for a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial

Introduction
The decisions of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments are difficult to make in the context of emergency departments (EDs) because most patients are unable to communicate. Relatives are thus asked to participate in the decision-making process, although they are unprepared to face such situations. We therefore aimed to develop a standardised intervention for announcing decisions of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments in EDs and assess the efficacy of the intervention on the stress of relatives.

Methods and analysis
The DISCUSS trial is a multicentre stepped-wedge cluster randomised study and will be conducted at nine EDs in France. A standardised intervention based on human simulation will be codesigned with partner families and implemented at three levels: the relatives, the healthcare professionals (HCP) and the EDs. The intervention will be compared with a control based on treatment as usual. A total of 538 families are planned to be included: 269 in the intervention group and 269 in the control group. The primary endpoint will be the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 90 days. The secondary endpoints will be symptoms of PTSD at 7 and 30 days, diagnosis of PTSD at 90 days and anxiety and depression scores at 7, 30 and 90 days. Satisfaction regarding the training, the assertiveness in communication and real-life stress of HCPs will be measured at 90 days.

Ethics and dissemination
This study was approved by the ethics committee Est III from Nancy and the French national data protection authority. All relatives and HCPs will be informed regarding the study objectives and data confidentiality. Written informed consent will be obtained from participants, as required by French law for this study type. The results from this study will be disseminated at conferences and in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number
NCT06071078.

Leggi
Settembre 2024

Current situation and relationship between occupational stress, burn-out and sleep quality among ambulance drivers: a cross-sectional study

Objective
To understand the current status of occupational stress, occupational burn-out and sleep quality among ambulance drivers in Hengyang, China and to analyse the relationship between occupational stress, occupational burn-out and sleep quality of ambulance drivers.

Design
A cross-sectional study.

Setting
Prehospital emergency centre of third-class hospital in Hengyang, China.

Participants
From October 2023 to December 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted, with 213 ambulance drivers from Hengyang, China, selected as participants.

Methods
General demographic questionnaires, the Chinese Occupational Stress Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used for data collection and analysis.

Results
Occupational stress among ambulance drivers was positively correlated with occupational burn-out and sleep quality (r=0.528, 0.447, both p

Leggi
Settembre 2024

Linkage between role stress and work engagement among specialty nurses: a cross-sectional study of China

Objectives
Specialty nurses play a significant role in improving patient care; however, little is known about the factors affecting their work engagement. This study aimed to explore the relationship between role stress and work engagement among specialty nurses in China.

Design
A descriptive, cross-sectional study was applied in this study.

Setting
The study was conducted in the Henan Provincial People’s Hospital in China.

Participants
From March to April 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, using convenience sampling to recruit 972 specialty nurses from 42 specialised fields in China.

Methods
An online questionnaire survey was conducted using the Basic Information Questionnaire, Role Stress Scale and Specialty Nurse Work Engagement Scale. The collected data were analysed by using SPSS 21.0 software. The differences in total work engagement scores between subgroups were investigated using a single-factor analysis of variance. A Spearman’s rank correlation and a Pearson’s correlation were used to determine the relationship between general information, role stress and work engagement. A ridge regression analysis explored the impact of role stress on work engagement.

Results
The total score of role stress was (52.44±19.92) and the total score of work engagement was (140.27±17.76). Among the scores of various dimensions of specialty nurses’ work engagement, the standardised score for work attitude was the highest (4.54±0.56), followed by work values (4.46±0.64); the standardised score of work enthusiasm and focus was the lowest (4.22±0.64). Additionally, role ambiguity (r=–0.352, p

Leggi
Agosto 2024

How is momentary well-being and stress associated in persons with spinal cord injury and their romantic partners? A study protocol for a dyadic everyday life study

Introduction
Very little is known about daily life dynamics and mutual influences that tie together well-being and psychobiological stress responses in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their romantic partners in particular. The role of social support and physical activity in the associations between emotional well-being and stress has not been investigated in the context of SCI yet and studies applying a dyadic approach, exploring the role of a romantic partner, are currently unavailable. The overall objective is thus to better understand the interplay between emotional well-being and the psychobiological stress marker cortisol, and to investigate the potentially moderating role of social support and physical activity in the well-being–stress association among persons with SCI and their romantic partners using a dyadic perspective.

Methods and analysis
The stRess and Health Among romantic couPles with Spinal cOrD injurY study, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (10001C_204739), aims to recruit N=150 community-dwelling persons with SCI and their romantic partners including three phases of data collection. The first phase includes a baseline questionnaire. The second phase, the time sampling phase, comprises an ecological momentary assessment design in the everyday life of couples where both partners provide concurrent salivary cortisol samples five times a day and complete assessments four times a day over seven consecutive days. Wrist-worn accelerometers record physical activity during this period. The third phase is an observational study in the laboratory, where a couples’ discussion on the SCI management in their everyday life is recorded and coded to identify a couple-specific coping with SCI to enrich data. The dyadic data will be analysed using multilevel modelling, based on the actor–partner interdependence model framework.

Ethics and dissemination
The study was approved by the ethics committee of Northwest and Central Switzerland (2022–01072) and findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Leggi
Luglio 2024

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following exposure to acute psychological trauma in children aged 8-16 years in South Africa: protocol for the Sinethemba longitudinal study

Introduction
Children exposed to trauma are vulnerable to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other adverse mental health outcomes. In low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), children are at increased risk of exposure to severe trauma and co-occurring adversities. However, relative to high-income countries, there is limited evidence of the factors that predict good versus poor psychological recovery following trauma exposure in LMIC children, and the role of caregiver support in these high-adversity communities.

Methods and analysis
We will conduct a longitudinal, observational study of 250 children aged 8–16 years and their caregivers in South Africa, following child exposure to acute trauma. Dyads will be recruited from community hospitals following a potentially traumatic event, such as a motor vehicle accident or assault. Potential participants will be identified during their hospital visit, and if they agree, will subsequently be contacted by study researchers. Assessments will take place within 4 weeks of the traumatic event, with 3-month and 6-month follow-up assessments. Participants will provide a narrative description of the traumatic event and complete questionnaires designed to give information about social and psychological risk factors. Child PTSD symptoms will be the primary outcome, and wider trauma-related mental health (depression, anxiety, behavioural problems) will be secondary outcomes. Regression-based methods will be used to examine the association of psychosocial factors in the acute phase following trauma, including caregiver support and responding, with child PTSD and wider mental health outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approvals have been granted by Stellenbosch University and the University of Bath, with additional approvals to recruit via hospitals and healthcare clinics being granted by the University of Cape Town, the Department of Health and the City of Cape Town. Study findings will be disseminated via publication in journals, workshops for practitioners and policy-makers, and public engagement events.

Leggi
Luglio 2024

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, fatigue and stress among gas station workers in China: a cross-sectional study

Introduction
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are disorders of the musculoskeletal system that have the highest prevalence among workers worldwide. Workers in gas stations usually work in poor ergonomic working conditions, including prolonged standing and repetitive posturing.

Objective
The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of WMSDs and fatigue and to identify the predictors of WMSDs among gas station workers.

Design
The present study was a cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants
2962 gas station workers from an oil and gas company in China, with ages ranging from 17 to 75 years old, 55.47% female.

Results
The prevalence of WMSDs within the 12 months prior to the study was 73.23%, with the highest prevalence in the neck, shoulders, ankles and feet. Furthermore, a correlation was observed between fatigue, stress and WMSDs. Fatigue and job role were the strongest predictors of WMSDs, with an OR range of 2.211–3.413.

Conclusions
This research identified the detrimental impact of WMSDs and fatigue on gas station workers, indicating the critical need for interventions to reduce WMSDs and relieve fatigue.

Leggi
Luglio 2024