Accessibility and utilization of healthcare services among diabetic patients: Is diabetes a poor man's ailment?

Diabetes is a non-communicable ailment that has adverse effects on the individual's overall well-being and productivity in society. The main objective of this study was to examine the empirical literature concerning the association between diabetes and poverty and the accessibility and utilization of medical care services among diabetic patients. The diabetes literature was explored using a literature review approach. This review revealed that diabetes is an ailment that affects all individuals irrespective of socioeconomic status; however, its pre-valence is high in low-income countries. Hence, despite the higher prevalence of diabetes in developing countries compared with developed countries, diabetes is not a poor man's ailment because it affects individuals of all incomes. While the number of diabetic patients that access and utilize diabetes medical care services has increased over the years, some personal and institutional factors still limit patients' access to the use of diabetes care. Also, there is a lacuna in the diabetes literature concerning the extent of utilization of available healthcare services by diabetic patients.

Intervention for depression among undergraduate religious education students: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This research was designed to investigate the management of depression among undergraduate religious education students and identify the research implications for school-based religious intervention. METHODS: This research is a randomized controlled trial. The treatment condition had 34 undergraduate religious education students but 33 undergraduate religious education students were in the control condition. The treatment process involved a 12-week application of religious rational emotive behavior therapy (RREBT). With Beck's depression inventory, version 2 (BDI-II), data collection was made possible. RESULTS: Compared to students in the control condition, undergraduate religious education students in the treatment condition demonstrated a significant drop in mean BDI-II scores at post-test (F [1, 65] = 592.043, P < .05, η2p = .90). The effect of RREBT among students in the treatment condition stayed consistent at 2 weeks follow-up (F [1, 65] = 786.396, P < .05, η2p = .92, ΔR2 = .922). CONCLUSION: The effect of RREBT on depression treatment among undergraduate religious education students was positive and can be consistent. The study results underscore the importance of expanding this treatment approach for these undergraduate education students in Nigeria.

Potential influences of religiosity and religious coping strategies on people with diabetes.

Diabetes is a significant health issue that threatens patients' overall wellbeing and quality of life. Critical public health concerns center on creating the best approach for diabetes management. Patients and caregivers have different approaches to diabetes management; however, this and the associated physiological, physical and mental health issues remain challenging. This review explores the potential influences of religiosity and religious coping strategies on people with diabetes. This study used a literature review approach to investigate how religiosity and religious coping strategies can influence the effective management of diabetes among patients. Based on the literature search, the researchers were able to identify and cite published papers that were analyzed using the descriptive-narrative analysis. An important goal of the descriptive-narrative analysis was to provide descriptions of the selected literature and take implications from the literature. The results of studies reviewed show some religious coping strategies for managing chronic diseases such as diabetes. The studies did establish a relationship between religiosity and diabetes management and suggest that religious coping strategies could positively impact the management of diabetes; however, they reported some adverse effects. Hence, we propose a pathway for the development of religion-oriented interventions and support framework for the management of diabetes.

Assisting individuals with diabetes in the COVID-19 pandemic period: Examining the role of religious factors and faith communities.

With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, diabetes management has become more challenging than it has ever been. Studies on the management of diabetes during this time are required. Unfortunately, the lack of information on the potential role of religious factors and faith communities in diabetes management during the COVID-19 era prevents us from fully understanding the issue of diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic period. People with chronic conditions such as diabetes may benefit from some form of religious support from faith communities and their ability to cope could be fostered by some religious factors. It is unclear how religious factors and faith communities contribute to diabetes management. In this article, the authors examine how people with diabetes can be aided in the COVID-19 pandemic period from the perspective of religious factors and faith communities. Based on the studies identified, it appears that religious factors and faith communities play an important role in managing diabetes among patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Academic burnout among undergraduate history students: Effect of an intervention.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the effect of an online psychological intervention on academic burnout of undergraduate history students in Nigeria. METHOD: The sample for the study consists of burned-out undergraduate history students selected randomly from public universities. A total of 18 undergraduate history students with moderate to high burnout symptoms were randomly allocated to the online intervention group, while 17 were randomly assigned to the waitlist control group. RESULTS: The use of online rational emotive behavior therapy (online REBT) effectively reduced academic burnout and sustained this significant reduction among Nigerian undergraduate history students compared with a waitlist control condition. CONCLUSION: Online rational emotive behavior therapy intervention delivered to undergraduate history students brought about a significant decrease in academic burnout. Further studies should expand the benefits of online psychological intervention for burnout treatment among Nigerian undergraduate history students.

Managing social anxiety among undergraduate adult education and extra-mural studies students: An intervention study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is a significant problem affecting University students including undergraduate adult education and extra-mural studies students. This research evaluated the impact of a group rational-emotive behavioral education intervention (group rational-emotive behavioral education intervention [REBEI]) on social anxiety symptoms among undergraduate adult education and extra-mural studies students. METHOD: Eighty six students participated in the study by belonging to either treatment group (n = 43) or control group (n = 43). A REBEI treatment program was developed by the researchers was used to implement the experiment and data was collected using a 22-item questionnaire on social anxiety. Analyzes of data were done using repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-test. RESULTS: Results showed that despite the social anxiety experienced before exposure to the intervention, the social anxiety symptoms of the undergraduate adult education and extra-mural studies students in the treatment group reduced significantly at post-treatment and follow-up compared to students in the control group. CONCLUSION: REBEI demonstrated its clinical usefulness in treating undergraduate adult education and extra-mural studies students with social anxiety problem.

Improving work-life balance among administrative officers in Catholic primary schools: Assessing the effect of a Christian religious rational emotive behavior therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Work-life balance (WLB) is an essential precursor of workers' mental health. The theory of rational emotive behaviour therapy proposes that an imbalance in work and family life may result from people's dysfunctional perceptions of their work and other aspects of their personal life. Also, the constructive philosophies of rational emotive behavior therapy are said to be congruent with most religious belief systems of Christian clients. Therefore, our research examined the efficacy of Christian religious rational emotive behaviour therapy (CRREBT) on WLB among administrative officers in Catholic primary schools. METHODS: This is a group randomized trial involving 162 administrative officers from Catholic primary schools in Southeast Nigeria. The treatment process involved an 8-session CRREBT programme. RESULTS: The scores for WLB of the administrative officers enrolled in the CRREBT programme were significantly improved compared to those in the control group at the end of the study. At the follow-up phase, the CRREBT programme proved to be effective over a 3-month period. CONCLUSION: CRREBT is an effective therapeutic strategy for managing WLB among Catholic school administrative officers.

Rational emotive education for reducing stress of undergraduate students of religious education program: An experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Rational emotive education (REE) program aims to improve the behavioral and mental health of students. This study objective was to evaluate the effect of an REE program on stress among undergraduate students of religious education program in Nigerian Universities. METHOD: One hundred and fifty (150) religious education undergraduates who had high level of stress participated in the study. Participants were assigned to 2 different groups. The treatment group had 75 participants and while control group also had 75 participants. Data collection was done using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) while data analysis was done using independent sample t test and paired t test statistics at .05 probability level. RESULTS: The REE program resulted in a significant decrease in level of stress among undergraduate students of religious education program in the treatment group compared with those students in the control group. Also, the effect of the REE program was maintained during the follow-up among undergraduate students of religious education program exposed to it. CONCLUSION: The REE program can be used to assist undergraduate students of religious education program to manage their stress.

Impact of spiritual beliefs and faith-based interventions on diabetes management.

Management of diabetes constitutes significant social and economic burdens worldwide. There is a shortage of empirical studies on the management of diabetes and the associated mental health issues through spiritual beliefs and faith-based interventions (FBIs). It is not also clear how spiritual beliefs and FBIs account for the effective management of diabetic conditions. This article discusses the impact of spiritual beliefs and FBIs in the management of diabetes, from relationship and efficacy studies that report outcomes from experimental procedures of related interventions. The majority of the relationship studies showed positive relationships, while efficacy studies showed a high efficacy of interventions in faith-based approaches. However, none of the studies clearly reported the mechanisms of change or modality of operation in a FBI that can serve as a model across culture and context. Possible mechanisms of change were discussed for further development of a standard faith-based model, and finally, suggestions for future research were also highlighted by the authors.