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This study revisits the concept of anxiety and affective dimensions through an analysis of social media related to affordable housing property in Hegang, a small city located in the northeastern part of China. We build on Calum Matheson’s reconceptualization of anxiety as arising from networks of affective investment along with Sara Ahmed’s concept of the sociality of emotions and Lauren Berlant’s notion of cruel optimism. The essay sees rhetorical anxieties as affective vacillations from constant adaptions to an impasse caused by the polarizing effect of a rising neoliberal order, manifested as shifted orientations toward objects of desire and happiness. Constant vacillations may lead to a state of restlessness where anxiety is sedimented to routines and thus recedes to the background, making anxiety ambivalent in shape and unpredictable in trajectory. Viewing rhetorical anxieties as affective vacillations offers insights into their manifestations as anxious encounters and constant affective (re)investments. This reimagination of anxiety has implications on both theoretical inquiries of rhetorical anxieties as affects and practical understandings of the rise of the recent youth counternarratives in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Music therapy has been used as a complementary intervention to provide synergistic analgesia for various procedures. Objective: To evaluate the effects of natural sound therapy on pain intensity and agitation scores in intubated adult Chinese patients who received endotracheal suctioning in a critical care unit. Methods: A prospective, real-world, randomized, double-blind, controlled study was conducted from July 2021 through February 2022 among intubated surgical intensive care unit patients in a Chinese hospital. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group receiving conventional treatment or an intervention group receiving natural sound therapy plus conventional treatment (50 patients in each group). Patients' pain intensity and agitation levels were analyzed before, during, immediately after, 5 minutes after, and 15 minutes after completion of endotracheal suctioning. Pain intensity was assessed with the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT); agitation was assessed with the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). Results: According to CPOT scores, patients in the intervention group had significant relief of pain intensity during, immediately after, and 5 minutes after endotracheal suctioning compared with patients in the control group (all P <.001). The RASS scores showed that agitation levels were significant lower in the intervention group than in the control group during (P =.002) and immediately after (P <.001) endotracheal suctioning. Conclusions: In this real-world study, natural sound therapy was part of a holistic bundle of interventions used to reduce pain and agitation in surgical intensive care unit patients during endotracheal suctioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment (CM) is a major global public health issue, and a strong association exists between CM and aggression. However, the underlying mechanism of this association has not been understood to date. The objective of this study was to explore the mediating role of irritability in the association between CM and aggression in Chinese early adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-report questionnaire to evaluate the levels of CM, aggression, and irritability in 5,724 middle school students from the Anhui Province, China. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis of the mediating effect of irritability on the relationship between CM and aggression. We further investigated gender differences in this association using multiple group analyses. CM was positively related to both irritability and aggression, and irritability was positively associated with aggression (p <.01). The mediating effects of irritability between CM and aggression were significant (β =.107, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.077–0.133, p <.05). Males had a higher indirect effect size of the pathway from CM to aggression via irritability compared with females. Overall, irritability was a crucial mediator in the relationship between CM and aggression in Chinese adolescents, and males were more prone to engage in aggression compared with females through the pathway of irritability. Therefore, early irritability characteristics should be carefully monitored in adolescents, and they should be provided adequate support to acquire critical emotion regulation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) on acute and chronic post-surgical pain in patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods: A total of 94 patients, who underwent elective unilateral video-assisted thoracoscopic lobotomy from August 2021 to December 2021 were randomly divided into general anesthesia group (group A, n = 46) and ESPB combined with general anesthesia group (group B, n = 48) by computer. Patient controlled intravenous analgesia(PCIA) was performed in both groups after operation. The numerical rating scale(NRS) of rest and cough pain at post anesthesia care unit(PACU), 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 and 48 h after operation, frequency of PCIA in 24 h after operation, frequency of rescue analgesia, patient satisfaction, adverse reactions and complications were recorded in the two groups. Incidence of chronic pain at 3 months and 6 months after operation, the effect of daily life and rating of chronic pain management measures were recorded in the two groups. Results: Compared with group A, rest and cough NRS score at 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 and 48 h after surgery, frequency of PCIA use at 24 h after surgery, frequency of rescue analgesia were significantly decreased in group B (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in NRS scores of rest and cough at PACU after operation between 2 groups after surgery at post anesthesia care unit (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative chronic pain between the 2 groups(P > 0.05);The effect of postoperative chronic pain on daily life and pain management measures in group B were significantly lower than those in group A(P < 0.05). Compared with group A, patients in group B had higher satisfaction degree, lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting(PONV), and lower incidence of agitation during anesthesia recovery (P < 0.05). There were no pneumothorax, hematoma and toxicity of local anesthetic in the 2 groups. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block can significantly reduce acute post-surgical pain, can not reduce the incidence of chronic post-surgical pain, but can significantly reduce the severity of chronic pain in patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. Trial registration: ChiCTR2100050313,date of registration:26/08/2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Changzhou University (Social Science Edition) is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Changzhou University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Coughing caused by tracheal extubation is common following general anaesthesia. Heavy aerosol production by coughing during recovery from general anaesthesia in patients with respiratory infections (especially COVID-19) may be one of the highest risk factors for infection in healthcare workers. The application of local anaesthetics to the endotracheal tube is an effective method to reduce coughing. The most commonly used anaesthetics are compound lidocaine/prilocaine cream and tetracaine spray. However, coughing still occurs when the two anaesthetics are used alone. We speculated that the application of compound lidocaine/prilocaine combined with tetracaine spray would better prevent coughing caused by tracheal extubation. Methods: Patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy or cholecystectomy combined with common bile duct exploration under general anaesthesia were randomly assigned to Group C (saline spray), Group L (2 g compound lidocaine/prilocaine cream contains 5 mg of lidocaine and 5 mg prilocaine)), Group T (tetracaine) and Group F (compound lidocaine/prilocaine cream combined with tetracaine). The incidence of coughing, the endotracheal tube tolerance assessment, the incidence of agitation, the active extubation rate, the incidence of postoperative pharyngeal pain and the incidence of postoperative cough were recorded and analysed. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and the plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were measured immediately before extubation and 1 min after extubation. Results: A total of 211 patients were randomly assigned to Group C (53 cases), Group L (52 cases), Group T (52 cases) and Group F (54 cases). The primary result is assessment of the incidence of cough. The patients emerged from general anaesthesia, 96% of Group C had cough, which was significantly reduced in Group L (61.5%, P < 0.001), Group T (75%, P < 0.05) and Group F (22.2%, P < 0.001). Group F had a significantly reduced incidence of cough compared to Group L and Group T (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01, respectively). The secondary results were assessed. The endotracheal tube tolerance score in Group C ((1, 3) 4, P < 0.001) was higher than Group L ((0, 1) 2), Group T ((0, 1.25) 3) and Group F ((0, 0) 1). Group F had a significantly lower score than Group L and Group T (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). The incidence of agitation and the active extubation rate were also higher in Group C (96.2% and 71.7%, respectively, P < 0.001) than Group L (48.1% and 15.4%, respectively), Group T (61.5% and 26.9%, respectively) and Group F (17.3% and 7.7%, respectively). Blood pressure, HR and plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were significantly higher in Group C than in all other groups at the time of extubation and 1 min after extubation (P < 0.001). Group F exhibited significantly reduced blood pressure, heart rate and plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine compared to Group L and Group T (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 or P < 0.001, respectively). The incidence of postoperative pharyngeal pain and the incidence of postoperative cough were not significantly different among the groups. Conclusions: Compound lidocaine/prilocaine cream combined with tetracaine may be a more effective approach for preventing coughing and stabilising circulation during extubation following general anaesthesia. This may play an important role in preventing medical staff from contracting respiratory infectious diseases. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2200058429 (registration date: 09–04-2022) "retrospectively registered". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To conduct a comprehensive comparison of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in Chinese people with early‐onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) and analyse the factors of differences. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey of 93 EOAD and100 LOAD and their caregivers in China from November 2018 to May 2019. Results: The total Neuropsychiatric Inventory score was significantly higher in LOAD. A higher level of agitation in EOAD was related to a lower quality of life of caregivers and the emotional expression of ignoring people with dementia. Higher euphoria scores in LOAD were associated with reduced negative coping by caregivers and reduced stability and predictability at home. Conclusion: The early identification and management of specific BPSD of EOAD and LOAD by family members and health professionals may improve the quality of care and life for people with dementia and that of caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delirium affects up to 80% of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) and is associated with higher mortality, physical dependence, and health care costs. The 2018 pain, agitation, delirium, immobility, and sleep guideline recommended ABCDEF care bundle for delirium prevention and management. However, limited information is available regarding the adoption of the care bundle in ICUs in Mainland China. Aims and objectives: To assess the current implementation of the ABCDEF care bundle for delirium prevention as reported by ICU nurses in Mainland China. Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted. Methods: A cross‐sectional online survey using a validated questionnaire about the practices of the ABCDEF care bundle was conducted among 334 registered nurses in 167 ICUs of 65 cities in Mainland China. Results: Almost 50% of the sampled ICU nurses were unaware of the ABCDEF care bundle, though 86.83% of the surveyed ICUs implemented pain assessments and 95.51% implemented sedation assessments. Nearly half (46.41%) of the surveyed ICUs performed routine spontaneous awaking trials, with 21.26% performing them daily. Spontaneous breathing trials were performed in 38.32% of the surveyed ICUs. Only 47% of the surveyed ICUs routinely monitored patients for delirium. About one‐third (38.35%) of the surveyed ICUs were supported by specialist teams that implemented the mobilization programmes. Most ICUs restricted the duration of family visits per day (<0.5 hour: 61.67%; 0.5‐2 hours: 23.65%; >2 hours: 3.29%) and only 28.14% of the surveyed ICUs employed dedicated staff to support the families. Conclusions: Although most of the surveyed ICUs implemented pain and sedation assessments, many of them did not implement structured delirium assessments. Early mobilization programmes and family participation should be encouraged. Relevance to clinical practice: Promoting the uses of a reliable delirium assessment tool such as Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit patients, building an early mobilization team, and engaging family caregivers in the care plan may contribute to improved patients' clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: To investigate the use of physical restraints among Chinese long‐term care facilities older adults and to identify its risk factors. Design: Observational and cross‐sectional study. Methods: A total of 1,026 older adults from six long‐term care facilities in Chongqing were recruited by cluster sampling method from July ‐ November 2019. Data on physical restraint use and older adults' characteristics were collected using physical restraints observation forms and older adults' records. Organizational data were collected by questionnaires asking nursing managers. The independent risk factors for physical restraints use were assessed using chi‐square test and binary logistic regression. Results: The study found that the prevalence of physical restraints in six long‐term care facilities in China was 25.83%. Waist belt (55.47%) and wrist restraint (52.83%) were most frequently used. Only 61.51% of physical restraints were signed with informed consent. 71.70% of physical restraints were caused by the prevention of falls, 89.06% of physical restraints were without nursing documentation, and 13.58% restrained older adults were observed to have physical complications. According to the binary logistic regression analysis, facility type and ownership, older adults per nursing assistant, length of residence, cognitive impairment, care dependency, mobility restriction, fall risk, physical agitation, and indwelling tubes emerged as important risk factors for the use of physical restraints. Conclusion: The use of physical restraints among Chinese long‐term care facilities older adults was at a relatively high level and lack standardized and regulated practices. Moreover, Physical restraint use was associated with facility type and ownership, older adults per nursing assistant, length of residence, cognitive impairment, care dependency, mobility restriction, fall risks, physical agitation, and indwelling tube. Impact: This study will provide an effective reference for nursing staff in long‐term care facilities to assess high‐risk older adults in their use of physical restraints, which can support them to implement effective minimized restraint approaches to targeted people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boredom is an aversive feeling of weariness, restlessness and constraint, related to both unstimulating environments and individual characteristics such as inattention. The trait of boredom proneness, an individual's propensity to become bored, is associated with negative clinical and life outcomes. This study evaluated dispositional mindfulness, a personality characteristic relating to nonjudgmental attentiveness to thoughts and feelings in the moment, as a moderator of the relationship between boredom proneness and negative emotional symptoms. Participants were 186 adult Chinese residents of Hong Kong (60.8% female, 18 to 83 years of age), who completed the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Short Boredom Proneness Scale and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale -21 (DASS-21). Pairwise correlational analyses replicated published research in North America. Moderation and conditional analyses showed that of the five FFMQ mindfulness domains, two, FFMQ Acting with Awareness and Describing, moderated the relationship between boredom proneness and DASS-21 scores. Boredom proneness predicted negative emotional symptoms only at low levels of dispositional mindfulness. Average or greater dispositional mindfulness was associated with an uncoupling of the relationship between boredom proneness and negative affect. Additional research is recommended to explore the possibility that cultivation of mindfulness may reduce the negative outcomes associated with characterological boredom proneness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence about prescribing patterns of dementia medication in China is lacking. This study aimed to examine prescribing rates of antidementia and psychotropic drugs and factors associated with drug prescription for dementia in China. A multicenter observational study. This study employed cross-sectional data from the Clinical Pathway for Alzheimer's Disease in China study that was conducted in 28 memory clinics at tertiary hospitals across 14 provinces between 2012 and 2013. Patients aged ≥45 years with a diagnosis of dementia were included. Antidementia and psychotropic drugs were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes. Odds ratios (ORs) of putative factors associated with prescription patterns were estimated using logistic regressions. A total of 751 respondents were included in this study, 77.8% of whom were prescribed antidementia drugs, and 33.0% were prescribed at least 1 psychotropic drug. The concomitant prescription rate of antidementia and psychotropic drugs was 24.1%. Frontotemporal dementia [OR 9.92 (99.17% CI 3.08-42.70)], severe dementia [4.25 (1.88-9.79)], and apathy [1.94 (1.18-3.20)] were significantly associated with an elevated likelihood of memantine prescription. Psychotic symptoms [1.84 (1.02-3.35)], agitation [1.91 (1.08-3.40)], and depressive symptoms [2.10 (1.12-3.94)] were significantly associated with the coprescription of antidementia and psychotropic agents. The prescribing rate of antidementia drugs in the study sample was higher, whereas the rate of coprescription of psychotropic and antidementia drugs was lower than reported in Western studies. Dementia prescription practice was generally consistent with clinical guidelines in memory clinics in China, whereas the prescription of antidementia and psychotropic medication mainly depended on patients' clinical symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is well established that there is anxiety-related variation between observers in the very earliest, pre-attentive stage of visual processing of images such as emotionally expressive faces, often leading to enhanced attention to threat in a variety of disorders and traits. Whether there is also variation in early-stage affective (i.e. valenced) responses resulting from such images, however, is not yet known. The present study used the subliminal affective priming paradigm to investigate whether people varying in trait social anxiety also differ in their affective responses to very briefly presented, emotionally expressive face images. Methodology/Principal Findings: Participants (n = 67) completed a subliminal affective priming task, in which briefly presented and smiling, neutral and angry faces were shown for 10 ms durations (below objective and subjective thresholds for visual discrimination), and immediately followed by a randomly selected Chinese character mask (2000 ms). Ratings of participants' liking for each Chinese character indicated the degree of valenced affective response made to the unseen emotive images. Participants' ratings of their liking for the Chinese characters were significantly influenced by the type of face image preceding them, with smiling faces generating more positive ratings than neutral and angry ones (F(2,128) = 3.107, p,0.05). Self-reported social anxiety was positively correlated with ratings of smiling relative to neutral-face primed characters (Pearson's r = .323, p,0.01). Individual variation in self-reported mood awareness was not associated with ratings. Conclusions: Trait social anxiety is associated with individual variation in affective responding, even in response to the earliest, pre-attentive stage of visual image processing. However, the fact that these priming effects are limited to smiling and not angry (i.e. threatening) images leads us to propose that the pre-attentive processes involved in generating the subliminal affective priming effect may be different from those that generate attentional biases in anxious individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred and thirty-eight Hong Kong and 195 Shanghai in-service teachers participated in this study. Three different scales were used namely the trait anxiety scale, the self-esteem scale and the teaching anxiety scale. Each scale was translated from English into Chinese. This study aims to compare the teaching anxiety level of in-service teachers in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and from a psychological perspective, it also aims to find out if trait anxiety and self-esteem can predict teaching anxiety. Overall, the study found that Hong Kong in-service teachers had higher teaching anxiety than their Shanghai counterparts. In addition, it was found that teaching anxiety was predicted by both trait anxiety and self-esteem as assumed. Teaching anxiety has been found to have many negative effects on both students and teachers. Thus, based on results from the questionnaires, factors that may reduce teaching anxiety of Hong Kong in-service teachers were suggested by interviewing 10 Hong Kong in-service teachers who also participated in the first part of the study, and their suggestions could be applied to professional developmental courses in reducing teaching anxiety for in-service teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the 1990s, many villagers in rural China were infected with HIV through commercial plasma/blood donation. These former plasma/blood donors (FPDs) experienced many HIV-related stressors. This study tested a cognitive appraisal model of stress and coping in a sample of HIV-positive adult FPDs. Participants ( N = 207) from multiple villages completed a battery of questionnaires assessing HIV-related stress, HIV symptoms, cognitive appraisal, coping behaviors, and psychological distress. Participants reported high levels of HIV-related stress, depression, and anxiety. In a structural equation model, greater HIV-related stress, HIV symptoms, and threat appraisal were directly associated with psychological distress. HIV-related stress was also indirectly associated with psychological distress through threat appraisal. In a second model, coping was found to mediate the relationship between challenge appraisal and psychological distress. Results support the utility of cognitive appraisal theory. Stress management interventions targeting HIV-positive FPDs in China are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is associated with psychological morbidity. There are only a few stress scales specially developed for PLWHA and none of them is in Chinese. This study develops and validates a new Chinese Perceived Stress Scale among PLWHA (PSSHIV) in Shenzhen of Guangdong Province and Hengyang of Hunan Province in China during September 2006 through July 2007. In-depth interviews were administered to 58 PLWHA (33 males, mean age, 32) to generate the items, while 215 other PLWHA were interviewed in another survey to validate the instrument (136 males, mean age, 33). Exploratory factor analysis yielded 8 factors (percent variance explained, 71.47%), namely: social/psychological problems, sexual relationship, functional problems, social acceptance/rejection issues, work-related issues, family/offspring issues, accessibility to treatment, and treatment outcomes. The Cronbach α values ranged from 0.76 to 0.94 for the overall scale and the 8 subscales. The scores of the overall scale, the social/psychological problems, and functional problems subscales of the PSSHIV were significantly correlated with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and all domains of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) (correlation coefficient = 0.50 to 0.71 for positive correlations, and −0.73 to −0.21 for negative correlations, p < 0.05). The other 6 subscales of the PSSHIV were significantly correlated with the PSS, subscales of the DASS, and MOS-HIV (correlation coefficient = 0.16 to 0.39 for positive correlation, −0.58 to −0.15 for negative correlation, p < 0.05). This new instrument collected information from the PLWHA from qualitative interviews and the items are specific to the HIV/AIDS context. PSSHIV can be used for assessing the level of stress faced by PLWHA in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Agitated behaviours among persons with dementia are distressing to both patients and their caregivers. As pharmacological interventions may be limited by their potentially adverse effects, the use of complementary therapies for treatment of agitation has become more popular and aromatherapy is the fastest growing one. Objectives This study investigates the effectiveness of lavandula angustifolia (lavender) in treating agitated behaviours of demented people in Hong Kong. Methods It was a cross-over randomized trial. Seventy Chinese older adults with dementia were recruited; half were randomly assigned to the active group (lavender inhalation) for three weeks and then switched to control group (sunflower inhalation) for another three weeks; the other half did the opposite. Clinical response was evaluated using the Chinese versions of Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CCMAI) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (CNPI). Results The mean CCMAI total scores decreased from 24.68 to 17.77(t = 10.79, df = 69, p < 0.001). The CNPI scores changed from 63.17 (SD = 17.81) to 58.77 (SD = 16.74) (t = 14.59, df = 69, p < 0.001) after receiving Treatment A (Lavandula Angustifolia). There were no period and sequential effects noted. Conclusion In summary, lavender is effective as an adjunctive therapy in alleviating agitated behaviours in Chinese patients with dementia. In a patient population particularly vulnerable to side effects of psychotropic medications, aromatherapy using lavender may offer an alternative option. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Agitation was common in patients suffering from moderate to severe dementia, for which music therapy is one of the commonly used non-pharmacological interventions. This preliminary report addresses the effectiveness of music therapy for demented patients residing in a local care setting for the elderly. Patients and Methods: This was a crossover study. Fourteen patients with dementia exhibiting at least one type of agitated behaviour were recruited and divided into 2 groups. For 3 weeks, l group received music therapy and the other usual care with no special intervention. Thereafter, the 2 groups were crossed over with respect to the active and control interventions for further 3 weeks. Behaviour disturbances were measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory. Assessments were conducted before attending (pre-music or pre-control therapy); just after completion of music or control therapy (end-music or end-control therapy) and 3 weeks after music therapy (post-music therapy). Results: There were significant reductions of total Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory scores at the end-music therapy period (Wilcoxon signed rank tests, p < 0.001). Similar reductions were not found after usual care (end-control period). No lasting effects were observed after withdrawal of music therapy for 3 weeks (pre-music therapy vs post-music therapy; Wilcoxon signed rank tests, p = not significant). Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that music therapy may have positive effects on behavioural disturbances manifested by demented elders. Although the effects were not persistent, music therapy may be considered for further research as a continuous means of reducing agitation in care settings for the older persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To provide a description of medical and psychological aspects of Chinese psoriasis patients, and to examine the specific contribution of demographic, medical and psychological variables to the Psoriasis Disability Index. Methods Ninety-three Chinese psoriasis patients underwent a clinical assessment using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and completed a questionnaire that included questions on demographic and medical data, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI). Results Psoriasis patients with cosmetic involvement had higher levels of anxiety and depression and higher disability scores than those without cosmetic involvement. Thirty-four per cent of the patients reported a significant level of anxiety (HADS-anx. > 11). The clinical severity of psoriasis was not associated with psychological and PDI scores. Multiple regression analysis indicated that psychological variables were associated with PDI scores, and explained 30% of the variance. However, demographic and psoriasis severity variables explained only 6% of the variance. Conclusion Psoriasis patients suffer from anxiety and depression. Psychological factors are much stronger determinants of the PDI than demographic, disease related variables. Clinical management of the disease should consider both clinical and psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents case study of a 22-year-old Chinese national presenting with severe drug-induced psychosis. It mentions that the psychosis occurred after the ingestion of an over-the-counter (OTC) Chinese `Cold and Flu' medication containing an anti-viral medication amantadine. It adds stigma associated with mental illness in China.