Tag: statistics

BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 28;13(1):841. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03204-y.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a prevalent concern among adolescent girls. Childhood experiences of security or insecurity are recognized as significant foundational factors influencing body image and, consequently, the development of BDD. Adolescents with a history of childhood trauma may face an elevated risk of developing psychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and BDD. This study, therefore, aimed to predict BDD symptoms based on childhood trauma, with self-compassion acting as a mediating factor. This framework integrates principles from cognitive-behavioral theory and attachment theory. Specifically, cognitive distortions stemming from cognitive-behavioral patterns, coupled with diminished self-esteem and self-worth as conceptualized by attachment theory, are believed to contribute to lower self-compassion, subsequently leading to a higher incidence of BDD symptoms.

METHODS: A cross-sectional design employing structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to construct an optimal model for BDD symptoms, where the mediating role of self-compassion was tested in the relationship between childhood trauma and BDD symptoms. The study population comprised female students aged 16 to 22 in the cities of Meybod and Ardakan during the 2023-2024 academic year. A non-random convenience sample of 300 participants was selected. Data were collected using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Modified for BDD (BDD-YBOCS), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression, were performed using SPSS-26 software. SEM analyses were conducted using AMOS-24 software.

RESULTS: The study’s results indicated several significant relationships among the variables. Childhood trauma was found to have a significant negative direct effect on self-compassion (β=-0.704, p < 0.001), suggesting that higher levels of trauma are associated with lower self-compassion and vice versa. Conversely, childhood trauma exhibited a significant positive direct effect on BDD symptoms (β = 0.321, p < 0.001), indicating that increased trauma predicts more severe BDD symptoms. Furthermore, self-compassion demonstrated a considerable negative direct impact on BDD symptoms (β=-0.765, p < 0.001), implying that low self-compassion is linked to increased BDD symptomatology and vice versa. Crucially, the Sobel test statistic of 3.216 (exceeding the critical value of 1.96) confirmed that self-compassion significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and BDD symptoms (β = 0.538, p < 0.001). This mediation model suggests that self-compassion plays a vital role in explaining how childhood trauma contributes to the development of BDD symptoms.

CONCLUSION: The finding demonstrates a robust model fit, confirming self-compassion’s mediating role in the association between childhood trauma and BDD symptoms. Consequently, interventions aimed at enhancing self-compassion, such as group education programs and therapeutic approaches grounded in self-compassion therapy delivered in established treatment centers, could effectively mitigate the impact of childhood trauma. Such interventions are anticipated to lead to a reduction in BDD symptomatology, particularly by decreasing cognitive distortions related to body image and fostering greater self-acceptance.

PMID:40721837 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-03204-y

Neurol Res Pract. 2025 Jul 28;7(1):53. doi: 10.1186/s42466-025-00409-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In Germany, multidisciplinary care for people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP, PD) is mainly provided in the inpatient setting. Differences in user groups between established and effective interventions like PD Multimodal Complex Therapy (PD-MCT) and Geriatric Complex Therapy (GCT) have not been investigated.

METHODS: This real-world bicenter prospective observational study involved PwP undergoing 14-day inpatient multidisciplinary therapies at two German university hospitals providing either PD-MCT or GCT. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded before and device-based gait variables before and after therapy. Non-parametric and parametric tests including ANCOVA with age as covariate were conducted to compare groups at baseline, and an exploratory binomial logistic regression (LR) to identify predictors of ‘therapy response’ concerning gait speed.

RESULTS: Between 09/2017 and 09/2022, 100 (41% female) and 102 (34.3% female) PwP received GCT or PD-MCT, with significant (p < 0.003) mean or median differences (GCT vs. PD-MCT) in age (74.7 vs. 65.6 years), disease duration (9.9 vs. 7.4 years), and HY stage (3 vs. 2.5). The GCT group showed significantly reduced lower extremity (SPPB), global cognitive (MoCA) and executive function (TMT), lower quality of life, and higher fear of falling (FES-I). There were significant (p < 0.004) between-group differences in gait parameters at both normal and fast pace, e.g., reduced gait speed and step length among GCT users. After age-adjustment, differences in gait speed, fast-pace step length, lower extremity and executive function, fear of falling and quality of life persisted. The exploratory LR model was statistically significant (p < 0.05, R² = 0.312) and revealed lower fear of falling and gait speed as predictors of ‘therapy response’, independent of therapy type, age, sex, disease duration or stage.

CONCLUSION: GCT users show higher age and severity, particularly concerning mobility impairments independent of age. It is unclear if, on a national level, actual PD-MCT/GCT user groups align with intended target groups. Health insurance data analyses could help refine clinical recommendations and public health policies for more targeted multidisciplinary PD care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Park Move Study: DRKS, DRKS00020948. Registered 30 March 2020-retrospectively registered, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00020948/details.

PMID:40721836 | DOI:10.1186/s42466-025-00409-9

BMC Psychol. 2025 Jul 28;13(1):844. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03210-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sleep problems faced by college students have become an important global health issue that requires immediate attention. This study investigates the relationship between dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (DBAS) and sleep quality among college students, with a focus on examining the mediating effects of anxiety, stress, and depression in this relationship.

METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected through a survey conducted from January to March 2024 among Chinese university students. The survey evaluated DBAS, anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep quality. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were performed using SPSS 27.0, subsequently applying PROCESS models (Model 4 and Model 6) to develop parallel and chain mediation models.

RESULTS: A total of 864 valid responses were retained, comprising 629 male participants (72.8%) and 235 female participants (27.2%), with ages ranging from 16 to 23 years (M = 18.8, SD = 1.0). The findings demonstrated that DBAS negatively predicted sleep quality (B = – 0.15, 95% CI [- 0.20, – 0.09]). Anxiety (B = – 0.03, 95% CI [- 0.06, – 0.01]) and stress (B = – 0.05, 95% CI [- 0.08, – 0.02]) performed as parallel mediators in the association between DBAS and sleep quality. Furthermore, DBAS influenced sleep quality indirectly through the chain mediation of anxiety and stress (β = -0.04, 95% CI [- 0.07, – 0.02]).

CONCLUSIONS: DBAS has a direct negative impact on sleep quality and affects it indirectly through the parallel mediation of anxiety and stress. Additionally, DBAS may indirectly influence sleep quality through the chain-mediating effects of anxiety and stress. The study highlights the significance of addressing DBAS, as it directly affects students’ emotional well-being and sleep quality. Future research should concentrate on creating targeted interventions to reduce DBAS, thus enhancing emotional health and sleep quality in university students.

PMID:40721835 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-03210-0

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2025 Jul 28;17(1):217. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01262-8.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the injury profile of a professional football team over five consecutive seasons and assess the predictive value of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), offering insights to optimize injury prevention strategies in professional football.

DESIGN: Injury data for 169 players between the 2016-2017 and 2020-2021 seasons were recorded, including the number of missed training sessions, injury severity, and injury types. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze these factors. The relationship between preseason FMS composite scores, asymmetry findings, and injury profiles was assessed using Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and Logistic Regression Analysis.

RESULTS: Over the five seasons, the injury incidence was 7.76 injuries per 1,000 training hours (95% CI: 7.59-7.93), 15.47 injuries per 1,000 match hours (95% CI: 15.23-15.71), and 8.9 injuries per 1,000 combined hours (95% CI: 8.72- 9.0). Injury data, including severity, type, and training or match absence, were meticulously recorded and analyzed. The study established an injury profile for players over five consecutive seasons but found that FMS was ineffective in predicting injuries, either within individual seasons or across the entire period. This suggests that the FMS may not be a reliable tool for forecasting injury risk in high-performance football.

CONCLUSION: The injury frequency was 8.9 per 1,000 h of exposure, with 26% of injuries classified as severe, leading to over 28 missed training days per injury. Given that the FMS test battery alone did not reliably predict injury risk, we recommend its use in combination with other multifactorial screening methods to enhance the accuracy of injury risk assessment. Hamstring injuries were the most common, while goalkeepers primarily experienced back issues. Factors such as age, height, and body mass may influence injury risk. These findings underscore the need for multifaceted injury prevention programs that consider a wider range of risk factors beyond FMS scores, including age, height, and body mass, to effectively manage and reduce the risk of injuries in professional football. Additionally, these insights can assist technical staff in managing training absences and planning player availability more effectively.

PMID:40721830 | DOI:10.1186/s13102-025-01262-8

BMC Pharmacol Toxicol. 2025 Jul 28;26(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s40360-025-00973-5.

ABSTRACT

Although considered safe and widely used, some natural remedies are responsible for health ailments to their users that deserve to be investigated. SAYE PLUS is one of the most widely used traditional recipes as antimalaria for decades and recently against Covid-19 in Burkina Faso and beyond, and is commonly regarded as safe to use. In the present study, sub-chronic toxicity tests were performed orally in Wistar rats at daily doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg for 90 days, following the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The results revealed neither symptoms of toxicity nor mortality. Depending on the dose, time frame, or animal sex, compared with the control, SAYE PLUS powder caused a statistically significant reduction in the water and food consumption of the treated rats. Significantly increases in serum creatinine, total protein, hydrogen phosphate ion (PO₄²), and potassium ion (K⁺) levels were detected in females at all doses. Compared to control values, the male rats’ glucose decreased while its PO₄^2- increased significantly at the daily dose of 1000 mg/kg of SAYE PLUS. Histopathological analysis revealed that the rat heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen histostructure were unaffected by sub-chronic exposure to SAYE PLUS up to 1000 mg/kg/d. The Findings provide some scientific information on the toxicological profile of the phytomedicine SAYE PLUS when administered in repeated doses for 90 days. However, they are limited by the absence of analysis of the animals’ hematological parameters. Nevertheless, results show that for patient safety, it is not advisable to use SAYE PLUS for more than two consecutive weeks. Furthermore, herbal remedies need careful evaluation before or during their human use, especially when a new form of use other than the traditional one is proposed. Further long-term studies focusing on the hematological parameters and certain kidney and liver functional indicators will add the scientific merit and interest of the present work.

PMID:40721828 | DOI:10.1186/s40360-025-00973-5

J Eat Disord. 2025 Jul 28;13(1):156. doi: 10.1186/s40337-025-01259-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nomothetic (i.e., on average) eating disorder interventions generally provide insufficient guidance for managing suicidality. The present proof-of-concept study demonstrates how idiographic network models can be used to inform a modular, highly personalized approach to treatment for individuals experiencing suicidality in the context of Anorexia Nervosa spectrum disorders (ANSD).

METHODS: Using 21 days of ecological momentary assessment data (105 assessment points), contemporaneous and temporal idiographic symptom networks were generated for three patients with unique clinical presentations of ANSD. For each patient, we identify the most central symptoms in their network, as well as potentially important bridge symptoms linking eating pathology and suicidality. We then provide guidelines for using this information to guide the delivery of evidence-based intervention strategies.

RESULTS: Intervention strategies may vary substantially depending upon which network statistics are used to guide treatment target selection. Bridge symptoms, or symptoms that serve as links between eating pathology and suicidality, may represent particularly promising intervention targets for individuals experiencing these conditions concurrently. Interventions which target the symptoms with the highest strength centrality may also yield symptom improvement throughout the entire network.

CONCLUSIONS: Although the viability of network-informed, personalized treatment is contingent upon continued intervention development research, this approach has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with co-occurring eating disorders and suicidality.

PMID:40721825 | DOI:10.1186/s40337-025-01259-1

Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 28;15(1):27389. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-12746-5.

ABSTRACT

This study examines long-term air temperature trends in Bhubaneswar, a rapidly urbanizing coastal city in eastern India, using data from 1901 to 2023. By analyzing maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures, we assess both natural climate variability and anthropogenic influences, including urban expansion. Statistical techniques such as homogenization, persistence analysis, and low-pass filtering reveal a pronounced warming trend, particularly in minimum temperatures, as an indication of an intensifying urban heat island effect. A weak but positive correlation between minimum temperature and population growth supports the role of urbanization in shaping local climate. These findings contribute to understanding urban climate evolution in tropical coastal settings where natural and human factors interact. Our results underscore minimum temperatures compared to maximum temperatures, indicating a warming trend likely driven by anthropogenic activities. Regression analysis between population growth and minimum temperature affirms a weak but notable positive correlation, indicating the gradual intensification of Bhubaneswar’s local microclimate due to urban development. This study contributes to understanding climate dynamics in tropical, coastal, and urban regions, where natural and human factors converge, shaping distinct local climate patterns. Nonetheless, the climatic trends are less pronounced than the interannual fluctuations in temperature measurements. The little climatic differences across several generations are unlikely to have influenced human activities compared to the substantial impacts of interannual temperature variability.

PMID:40721820 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-12746-5

Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2025 Jul 28;33(1):132. doi: 10.1186/s13049-025-01445-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We studied adult hypothermic cardiac arrest (CA) patients admitted to a University Hospital (UH) and a Regional Hospital (RH) for whom Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) was implemented. We used the HOPE score to estimate individual survival probabilities and to compare overall results between hospitals.

METHODS: We included hypothermic CA patients who underwent ECLS between 2000 and 2022. We assessed the predicted survival probabilities by calculating the HOPE scores, both at individual and hospital levels. We assessed the performance of a HOPE score cutoff of 10% in predicting survival to hospital discharge, as ECLS rewarming is currently recommended when the HOPE is ≥ 10%. We also assessed the utility of the HOPE score in evaluating and comparing patient management within and between two hospitals.

RESULTS: In the 46 patients with successful ECLS implementation, a HOPE score < 10% would have contraindicated and therefore prevented futile ECLS rewarming procedures for 17 patients (37%) who did not survive, while finding that ECLS was indicated for 100% of survivors. The observed survival rate was 24% (UH: 35%, RH: 11%) whereas the HOPE score predicted a survival rate of 35% (UH: 41%, RH: 26%), suggesting underperformance of ECLS rewarming among both hospitals. The difference of survival between the two hospitals was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the utility of the HOPE score in estimating individual survival probabilities. The HOPE score may also be used to estimate the overall survival rate in a patient cohort, enabling internal quality-control and outcome results comparisons between different settings.

PMID:40721803 | DOI:10.1186/s13049-025-01445-9

BMC Surg. 2025 Jul 28;25(1):322. doi: 10.1186/s12893-025-03056-8.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intussusception is the leading cause of pediatric abdominal emergencies worldwide, requiring timely diagnosis and intervention to prevent life-threatening complications. In low-resource settings such as Ethiopia, delayed presentation and limited access to non-surgical management often necessitate surgical intervention. However, comprehensive data on surgical outcomes and complications remain scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical presentation, surgical management, and postoperative outcomes of pediatric intussusception in Ethiopia.

METHODS: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Data were extracted on patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic. methods, surgical procedures, complications, and mortality. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model with heterogeneity assessed by I² statistics. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s test.

RESULTS: Seven studies with a total of 672 patients were included. The mean age of affected children was 12 months (95% CI: 11.35, 12.67), with a male predominance (66%). Delayed presentation was common, with a mean time of 3.1 days from symptom onset. The classic triad of symptoms-abdominal pain, bloody stools, and a palpable mass-was present in 52% of cases (I² = 96.24%). Ultrasound was the most common diagnostic tool (74%). The most frequent surgical intervention was manual reduction (62%), followed by bowel resection with anastomosis (35%) and stoma creation. The overall complication rate was 26%, with surgical site infections (15%) being the most common. The pooled mortality rate was 9% (95% CI: 5%, 13%), significantly higher than in high-income countries. Egger’s test (p = 0.03) suggested potential publication bias.

CONCLUSION: This study found that surgically managed pediatric intussusception in Ethiopia had a high morbidity and mortality rate. These outcomes may reflect delays in presentation, and advanced disease at intervention. The development and implementation of context-specific clinical guidelines could help optimize care and improve survival rates. In addition, further research is needed to evaluate the impact of non-surgical reduction techniques.

PMID:40721796 | DOI:10.1186/s12893-025-03056-8

J Agromedicine. 2025 Jul 28:1-12. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2025.2539968. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Agricultural workers may experience various health problems as a result of exposure to toxic substances, particularly to pesticides. Adequate health literacy is necessary to protect and enhance the well-being of agricultural workers. Agricultural workers have a poor rate of participation in cancer screening. This study aimed to explore the relationship between health literacy levels and participation in cancer screening among agricultural workers.

METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted with 340 agricultural workers between December 2023 and May 2024. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire, Turkey Health Literacy Scale-32 (THLS-32), and Cancer Screening Participation Status Questionnaire.

RESULTS: Participants were found to have a 32.6% adequate health literacy level. In this study, of the female agricultural workers, 37.3% had HPV DNA testing, 35.7% had mammography, 56.7% performed breast self-examination, and 26.3% had clinical breast examination. Among the participants, 27.6% participated in the fecal occult blood test and 21.1% in colonoscopy. An urologist examined 38.8% of male agricultural workers, and 34.9% had their prostate specific antigen levels checked. The health literacy levels of individuals who were older, female, single, of lower education level, had more annual working time and daily working hours in agriculture were significantly lower. A statistically significant relationship was found between participants’ status of performing breast self-examination or participating in prostate cancer screenings and their health literacy levels.

CONCLUSION: Two-thirds of agricultural workers did not have adequate health literacy. The percentage of participants who took part in cancer screening did not exceed one-third. Therefore, qualitative studies should be conducted to investigate why agricultural workers do not participate in cancer screening initiatives to increase health literacy should be planned, and cancer screening should be recommended to agricultural workers by health professionals. Furthermore, future efforts to improve the health literacy of agricultural workers should focus on target individuals who are older, female, single, of lower education level, and more experienced (more daily working hours and years) in agriculture.

PMID:40720903 | DOI:10.1080/1059924X.2025.2539968