The association of depression status with menopause symptoms among rural midlife women in China.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association of depression with menopausal status and some menopause symptoms (vasomotor symptoms and poor sleep). Methods: A total of 743 participants aged 40-60 years were recruited. Depression status was evaluated by using Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Sleep quality and vasomotor symptoms were evaluated by specific symptoms questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of depression among participants was 11.4%. Depression was found more likely to occur in participants with poor sleep (OR, 6.02; 95%CI, 3.61, 10.03) or with vasomotor symptoms (VMS) (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.20, 3.44) after controlling for age, education level, marital status, menopause status, monthly family income and chronic diseases. Menopause status was not associated with depression. Stratification analysis showed a significant association between poor sleep and depression across different menopause stages, while VMS were associated with depression only in premenopausal status. Conclusion: The majority of Chinese rural midlife women do not experience depression. The relationship between depression, VMS and sleep disturbances tends to change with menopausal status in Chinese rural midlife women.

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression, Psychological Well-Being and Feeling of Guilt in 7 - 15 Years Old Diabetic Children

Background: Diabetes imposes restrictions on physical, emotional, and social functioning of children and adolescents. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for depression, psychological well-being and feeling of guilt in 7 - 15 years old diabetic children. Patients and Methods: This was a clinical trial with pre-test and post-test design with control group. The study population consisted of 34 participants selected using convenient sampling out of all 7 - 15 years old patients that referred to the Diabetes Association of Tabriz. They were randomly allocated into two equal groups (experimental and control). The experimental group participated in therapy sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention. The research instruments were reynolds child depression scale (RCDS), eysenck feelings of guilt scale and satisfaction with life scale (SWLS). Results: Multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA) showed that the treatment was effective on variables of depression, psychological well-being and feeling guilty in 7 - 15 years old diabetic children (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The aforementioned treatment is effective and suggested to be used in other psychosomatic diseases of children.

Relationship between religiosity, religious coping and socio-demographic variables among out-patients with depression or diabetes mellitus in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Religion is a powerful coping strategy. Diabetes and depression are common conditions in our environment that induce psychological distress, thus requiring coping for better outcome. Studies indicate that increased religiosity is associated with better outcome in clinical and general populations. Therefore, studies of the distribution of religiosity and religious coping among these populations are essential to improve outcome. Objectives: To assess the association between religiosity, religious coping in depression and diabetes mellitus, and selected sociodemographic variables (age, gender and occupational status). Methods:Using simple random sampling we recruited 112 participants with diabetes and an equal number with depression consecutively, matching for gender. Religiosity was determined using religious orientation scale (revised), religious coping with brief religious coping scale and socio-demographic variables with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results: Intrinsic religiosity was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=5.02,p<0.001); no significant difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=1.47,p=0.15).Positive religious coping was greater among older people with depression than among older people with diabetes(t=2.31,p=0.02); no difference among young people with depression and diabetes(t=0.80,p=0.43). Females with depression had higher intrinsic religiosity scores than males with depression(t=3.85,p<0.001); no difference in intrinsic religiosity between females and males with diabetes(t=0.99,p=0.32).Positive religious coping was greater among participants with diabetes in the low occupational status(t=2.96,p<0.001) than those in the high occupational status. Conclusion: Religion is indeed a reliable coping method, most commonly used by the elderly and females with depression. Positive religious coping is more common among diabetic patients who are in the low occupational status.

Evaluation of Neurodevelopment and Factors Affecting it in Children With Acyanotic Congenital Cardiac Disease

Background: The rate of congenital heart disease is 0.8% in all live births. The majority of this, however, is acyanotic congenital heart disease. The survival rate of children with cardiac disease has increased with the developments provided in recent years and their lifetime is extended. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate neurodevelopment of children with uncomplicated acyanotic congenital heart disease in preschool period and determine the factors affecting their neurodevelopmental process. Patients and Methods: 132 children with acyanotic congenital heart disease aged 6 - 72 months were involved in the study. Mental development and intelligence levels of patients under 2 years old were assessed by using Bayley Development Scale-III, and Stanford Binet Intelligence test was employed for patients over 2 years old. Denver Developmental Screening Test II was applied to all patients for their personal-social, fine motor, gross motor and language development. Results: The average age of patients (67 girls, 65 boys) included in the study was 35.2 ± 19.6 months. It was determined that there were subnormal mental level in 13 (10%) patients and at least one specific developmental disorder in 33 (25%) patients. Bayley Mental Development Scale score of patients who had received incubator care in perinatal period was found significantly low (88 ± 4.2) compared to those with no incubator care (93.17 ± 8.5) (P = 0.028). Low educational level of father was established to be linked with low mental development scores at the age of 2 and following that age (P < 0.05). Iron deficiency anemia was discovered to be related to low psychometric test scores at every age (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Neurodevelopmental problems in children with acyanotic congenital heart disease were found higher compared to those in society. Mental development and intelligence levels of patients were determined to be closely associated with receiving incubator care, father’s educational level and iron deficiency anemia.