Elevated insomnia symptom severity in university students: The role of sexual orientation and internalizing symptoms.

Objectives: Sexual minority (SM) individuals experience a disproportionate health burden relative to their heterosexual peers; however, less is known about their experience of insomnia. Participants: The sample consisted of a subset of students, N = 1543, Mage = 21.25 years, SD = 3.95, in the 2019-2020 Healthy Minds Study. Adjusting for non-response weights, approximately 16.95% of the sample identified as a sexual minority. Methods: Participants completed measures of insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index) and psychopathology symptoms (PHQ-9 for depression and GAD-7 for generalized anxiety). Results: Sexual orientation was significantly positively associated with insomnia severity, such that SM students exhibited higher insomnia symptom severity, B = 1.71, SE = 0.35, p < .001, 95% CI [1.01, 2.40]. Including depression and anxiety symptom severity in the model completely attenuated this effect. Conclusions: Insomnia symptoms in SM students may be understood in the context of internalizing symptoms; however, study design precluded examining causal pathways.

Key stakeholders' experiences and expectations of the care system for individuals affected by borderline personality disorder: An interpretative phenomenological analysis towards co-production of care.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) consists of extreme emotional dysregulation and long-term disability when left untreated. It is associated with ineffective use of health care systems and mismanaged care in emergency departments, which can result in a revolving door phenomenon of urgent system usage, poor treatment outcomes, or patients falling out of care entirely-all of which primarily affect patients with BPD as well as their caregivers and clinicians. This crisis must be addressed with a comprehensive understanding of key stakeholder perspectives on the challenges of the system and potential solutions. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the perspectives of three key stakeholder groups (i.e., patients, clinicians, and caregivers) in relation to their experiences with and future expectations of the care system for those affected by BPD. METHODS: Four patients with BPD, three generalist clinicians with experience treating BPD, and three caregivers of individuals with BPD participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Participants were asked about their experiences with the current healthcare system and their suggestions for improvement. Responses were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. FINDINGS: In-depth analysis of the qualitative data revealed twelve shared themes and three themes that were unique to each key stakeholder group. These themes are discussed and used to inform recommendations for promising practices, policies, and training in this area. CONCLUSION: Findings support the importance of a comprehensive mental health system approach for improving the accessibility, effectiveness, and acceptability of the management and treatment of BPD.

Bridging the Gap in Community Care for Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder: Protocol for Qualitative Inquiry Into Patient, Caregiver, and Clinician Perspectives on Service Gaps and Potential Solutions for Severe Emotion Dysregulation.

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe emotion dysregulation that is often complicated by comorbid diagnoses, deliberate self-harm, and chronic suicidal ideation. Unfortunately, current care pathways for individuals with BPD are strained by limited resources, inadequate training, and an overuse of emergency departments and crisis teams. Such barriers result in delayed access to effective treatment, which increases risk of deterioration, disability, and morbidity. A first step toward addressing these limitations of the current care pathway is to understand key stakeholders' lived experiences in this pathway and their perspectives on potential solutions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to present a protocol for a study that explores the lived experiences of the current care pathway from the perspectives of patients with BPD, as well as their caregivers and clinicians. METHODS: A qualitative approach is most appropriate for the exploratory nature of the research objective. Accordingly, 3 to 6 patients with a diagnosis of BPD, 3 caregivers of individuals with BPD, and 3 clinicians of patients diagnosed with BPD will be invited to participate in individual, semistructured interviews that focus on service experiences. RESULTS: It is anticipated that results will yield insight into the lived experiences of patients with BPD, caregivers, and clinicians and provide a better understanding of the perceived gaps in services and potential solutions. Results are expected to be available in 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: This paper describes a protocol for a qualitative study that seeks to understand the lived experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders (patients, caregivers, and clinicians) on the current care pathway for BPD. Results will provide a basis for future research in this area and will have the potential to inform training, practice, and policy. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/14885.

Late-onset Sepsis in Preterm Infants Can Be Detected Preclinically by Fecal Volatile Organic Compound Analysis: A Prospective, Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: The intestinal microbiota has increasingly been considered to play a role in the etiology of late-onset sepsis (LOS). We hypothesize that early alterations in fecal volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reflecting intestinal microbiota composition and function, allow for discrimination between infants developing LOS and controls in a preclinical stage. Methods: In 9 neonatal intensive care units in the Netherlands and Belgium, fecal samples of preterm infants born at a gestational age ≤30 weeks were collected daily, up to the postnatal age of 28 days. Fecal VOC were measured by high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS). VOC profiles of LOS infants, up to 3 days prior to clinical LOS onset, were compared with profiles from matched controls. Results: In total, 843 preterm born infants (gestational age ≤30 weeks) were included. From 127 LOS cases and 127 matched controls, fecal samples were analyzed by means of FAIMS. Fecal VOCs allowed for preclinical discrimination between LOS and control infants. Focusing on individual pathogens, fecal VOCs differed significantly between LOS cases and controls at all predefined time points. Highest accuracy rates were obtained for sepsis caused by Escherichia coli, followed by sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Conclusions: Fecal VOC analysis allowed for preclinical discrimination between infants developing LOS and matched controls. Early detection of LOS may provide clinicians a window of opportunity for timely initiation of individualized therapeutic strategies aimed at prevention of sepsis, possibly improving LOS-related morbidity and mortality.