Perceived Stress in Relation to Demographics and Clinical Forms among Patients with Infective Endocarditis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a disease of the endocardial surface of the heart, caused by infection of the native or prosthetic valve or an indwelling cardiac device. Apart from IE predisposing risk factors that include heart conditions and medical procedures, the novel trajectories from demographic factors to perceived stress conditions have been under investigation in recent years. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations between perceived stress and demographic characteristics as well as clinical forms of IE among survivors of IE in Kaunas, Lithuania. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study among IE cases (n = 135) at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics Cardiology department during the period 2014-2017 was performed. Data about IE clinical features, sociodemographic characteristics and perceived stress level (Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)) upon diagnosis were collected. Package "SPSS 25.0" was used in the statistical analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed including gender, previous occupation, place of residence and clinical forms of IE in the analysis of perceived stress among survivors of IE. The STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was used in this study. (3) Results: Perceived stress was experienced by 54.8 percent of the respondents. In the final model, the OR (odds ratio) of perceived stress for females was 2.07 as compared to men; for rural residents, the OR was 2.25 as compared to urban residents. These results were statistically significant. A tendency for increased OR of perceived stress for low-skilled workers as compared to high-skilled ones and classical IE clinical form as compared to non-classical form was observed, but these results were not statistically significant. (4) Conclusions: The present study is an attempt to focus the attention of IE researchers on the effects of psychological state in the disease development. Differences in perceived stress and some demographic characteristics, as well as tendencies of IE clinical forms, were observed among survivors of IE in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress in female-dominated occupations in Lithuania.

Poor mental health, manifesting as psychological distress, has become a leading problem recently; therefore, determining associated factors is important, especially in female-dominated occupations, as women are more prone to psychological distress than men, in part due to demands of both professional and domestic tasks. The objective of the present study was to investigate associations between leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress, accounting for the possible relation of psychosocial factors at work (job demands, job control, social support at work, workplace bullying) and life events in representative samples of family physicians, internal medicine department nurses and secondary-school teachers in Lithuania. In total, 323 family physicians, 748 internal medicine department nurses and 517 secondary-school teachers were interviewed during 2012-2014 in Lithuania. Godin leisure-time exercise, Goldberg General Health, Job content, and Negative acts questionnaires were administered. Logistic regression was used. A high proportion of family physicians, nurses and teachers were physically inactive during leisure. Leisure-time physical inactivity was strongly associated with psychological distress, adjusting for age, workplace bullying, job demands, job control, social support at work and traumatic life events in all three female-dominated occupations. Efforts to increase leisure-time physical activity level in medical occupations could be beneficial.

Lifetime Traumatic Experiences and Leisure Physical Inactivity among Adolescent Boys.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between lifetime traumatic experiences and leisure physical inactivity among adolescent boys and to determine to what extent those associations are mediated by posttraumatic stress symptoms, unhealthy behaviors (smoking, alcohol use), the daily consumption of fresh fruit, and sense of coherence. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire combining 3 instruments measured leisure physical activity level (Godin and Shephard), symptoms of posttraumatic stress (IES-revised), lifetime traumatic experiences, sense of coherence (SOC-13, from Antonovsky), and behavioral and dietary patterns in a representative sample of eighth grade boys from a number of Kaunas, Lithuania, secondary schools (N = 885; response rate 88.6%). RESULTS: Fifty-six point eight percent of boys had experienced at least 1 lifetime traumatic event, with a 20.5% prevalence of PTS symptoms, and 5.4% were inactive during leisure time. In the logistic regression models, leisure physical inactivity was associated with lifetime traumatic experiences (adjusted OR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.09-4.98). Sense of coherence and posttraumatic stress symptoms did not mediate those associations. Less-than-daily consumption of fresh fruit showed an independent effect, while smoking and weekly consumption of alcohol did not. CONCLUSION: Consistent associations between lifetime traumatic experiences and leisure physical inactivity among adolescent boys indicate that the presence of lifetime traumatic events should be taken into account when employing intervention and prevention programs on unhealthy lifestyles (physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol).