Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.7
2.8
Journals
Healthcare
Special Issues
Beyond Healthcare Malaise: Risk and Protective Factors for Patients and...
share announcement

Beyond Healthcare Malaise: Risk and Protective Factors for Patients and Professionals Dealing with COVID-19, Acute and Chronic Diseases

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 1988

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marina Maffoni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Psychology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, IRCCS, Montescano Institute, 27040 Montescano, Italy
Interests: health psychology; qualitative research; moral distress; work-related stress; burnout; patient's adherence
Dr. Alessandra Gorini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
2. Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, IRCCS, Milano Institute, 20100 Milano, Italy
Interests: general psychology; decision making; psycho-cardiology; psycho-oncology; risk taking; health psychology; E-health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The modern healthcare landscape is even more characterized by unstoppable medical and technological upheavals which contribute to improve the patients’ and healthcare professionals’ well-being. These changes are expected to increase in the future so that new possibilities, knowledge, and challenges continue to grow every day. Moreover, further opportunities and challenges are posed by telemedicine, tele-rehabilitation and high technology rehabilitation.

On one hand, medical advancements increase the health-related quality of life and the life-expectancy of world population. However, people still strive with the challenges of both acute and chronic conditions, as well as with viral pandemics such as COVID-19. 

On the other hand, healthcare professionals are requested to handle new scenarios arising from a context of growing complexity. They need to provide cutting-edge care and to daily cope with new diseases, demanding communication and increasing paperwork, which slowly may erode energies and resources. This complex context is a fertile ground for burnout and distress which are well-known forms of malaise in healthcare professionals all around the world. This issue is internationally considered relevant and deserves high priority. The covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this issue, and healthcare professionals suffering from different forms of malaise and leaving the healthcare landscape is worldwide increasing. 

Therefore, paying attention to risk and protective factors for the patients’ and professionals’ well-being is not only an ethical imperative but also an urgent social necessity. Consequently, this special issue will welcome literature review, interventions, as well as quantitative and or qualitative research highlighting: 

  • Needs and disease experiences of patients’ suffering from acute, chronic diseases, COVID-19,
  • Risk and protective factors for patient’s well-being,
  • Healthcare professionals’ perspective in dealing with acute, chronic diseases, COVID-19,
  • Risk and protective factors for professionals’ well-being.
  • Perspective and challenges of telemedicine, tele-rehabilitation and high technology rehabilitation in the present and future healthcare scenario.

Dr. Marina Maffoni
Dr. Alessandra Gorini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • risk and protective factors
  • psychophysical malaise
  • patients
  • healthcare professionals
  • distress
  • burnout
  • well-being
  • acute and chronic diseases
  • COVID-19

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

10 pages, 281 KiB  
Article
A Machine Learning Approach Unveils the Relationships between Sickness Behavior and Interoception after Vaccination: Suggestions for Psychometric Indices of Higher Vulnerability
by Gaspare Alfì, Graziella Orrù, Danilo Menicucci, Mario Miccoli, Virginia Casigliani, Michele Totaro, Angelo Baggiani and Angelo Gemignani
Healthcare 2023, 11(22), 2981; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222981 - 18 Nov 2023
Viewed by 864
Abstract
Objective: Prior research has suggested a possible connection between vaccination and manifestations of Sickness Behavior; however, a need remains to first delve deeper into this association and second examine how Interoceptive Awareness and emotional factors may modulate individuals’ perceptions of their health status [...] Read more.
Objective: Prior research has suggested a possible connection between vaccination and manifestations of Sickness Behavior; however, a need remains to first delve deeper into this association and second examine how Interoceptive Awareness and emotional factors may modulate individuals’ perceptions of their health status post vaccination. Method: An online retrospective cross-sectional survey of 647 individuals who received a COVID-19 vaccination was conducted. Together with vaccination side effects, socio-demographic characteristics, health status, level of concern about vaccination, and Interoceptive Awareness were collected at the baseline level. Mood, sleep, and Sickness Behavior were assessed at baseline and after vaccination. Data were analyzed using inferential statistics and machine learning techniques. Results: After vaccination, there was a significant increase in Sickness Behavior levels (mean (±SD) SicknessQ T0 = 1.57 (±2.72), mean (±SD) SicknessQ T1 = 5.54 (±5.51); p-value = 0.001; ES = 0.77). A Machine Learning analysis revealed specific patterns of individual dispositions (sex and age), baseline emotional characteristics (levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and concern about adverse reactions), as well as some components of Interoceptive Awareness (Noticing, Body Listening, and Attention Regulation), as predictors of high levels of Sickness Behavior, both in terms of overall scores (JRIP: 72.65% accuracy, AUC = 0.692, d = 0.709; F1 = 0.726) and individual items (JRIP: 75.77% accuracy, AUC = 0.694; d = 0.717; F1 = 0.754). Conclusions: Our results provide new insight into post-immune reactions by highlighting the contribution of Interoceptive Awareness in modulating the severity of Sickness Behavior. This sheds light on the role of awareness of bodily sensations in modulating perceptions of health status, helping to identify the characteristics that make individuals more prone to feeling sick. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beyond Healthcare Malaise: Risk and Protective Factors for Patients and Professionals Dealing with COVID-19, Acute and Chronic Diseases)
15 pages, 3424 KiB  
Article
Patients’ Clinical and Psychological Status in Different COVID-19 Waves in Italy: A Quanti-Qualitative Study
by Martina Vigorè, Andrea Steccanella, Marina Maffoni, Valeria Torlaschi, Alessandra Gorini, Maria Teresa La Rovere, Roberto Maestri, Maurizio Bussotti, Sergio Masnaghetti, Francesco Fanfulla and Antonia Pierobon
Healthcare 2023, 11(18), 2477; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11182477 - 06 Sep 2023
Viewed by 654
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 waves have been characterized by different clinical manifestations, a decrease of functional abilities, and the presence of psychological symptoms. The aims of this study were to investigate differences in physical and psychological symptoms during the three Italian waves of the coronavirus [...] Read more.
Background: COVID-19 waves have been characterized by different clinical manifestations, a decrease of functional abilities, and the presence of psychological symptoms. The aims of this study were to investigate differences in physical and psychological symptoms during the three Italian waves of the coronavirus pandemic. Methods: Patients undergoing a functional, cardiological and pneumological check-up follow-up at ICS Maugeri Institutes, 2–3 months after recovery from COVID-19 were consecutively recruited to participate in the study, completing a quanti-qualitative questionnaire about anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and personal resources. Results: 104 patients were recruited: 44 and 60 during the first and second/third pandemic waves, respectively. Physical comorbidities were more present in the second/third waves compared to the first one, while no significant differences were found in anxious and depressive symptoms, which were significantly higher than normal during the three waves; PTSD symptoms were reported by 56.3% of patients. Family, social support, and a positive mindset were described as resources to cope with the COVID-19 burden. Negative affects arose during outbreaks (panic) and the disease (fear), while positive affect (joy) characterized only the follow-up period. Conclusion: This study shows how psychophysical symptoms might change during the pandemic waves and highlights the importance of protective factors to balance the subjective distress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beyond Healthcare Malaise: Risk and Protective Factors for Patients and Professionals Dealing with COVID-19, Acute and Chronic Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop