This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on medical students’ mental health in Italy using a repeated cross-sectional survey with a nested longitudinal subsample (first timepoint: 2018; ...second: 2020/2021). Three research questions (RQs) were investigated. Study 1 (longitudinal sub-sample) explored whether medical students had higher levels of depressive symptoms and stress during the pandemic compared with a pre-pandemic period (RQ1) and what variables were associated with these conditions during the pandemic adjusting for baseline levels (RQ2). Study 2 (repeated cross-sectional data) aimed to examine whether medical students had higher levels of these conditions during the pandemic compared with their same-year peers during a pre-pandemic period (RQ3). In Study 1, higher levels of depressive symptoms and stress were shown during the pandemic (RQ1). Multivariable models highlighted associations between poor mental health and worsening of the judgment of medical school choice, worsened psychological condition due to the pandemic, economic repercussions due to the pandemic, and baseline levels of symptoms (RQ2). In Study 2, our findings reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and stress during the pandemic, also adjusting for other variables (RQ3). In conclusion, depressive symptoms and stress were greater during the pandemic. The most relevant variables were pandemic-related items and medical school choice judgment.
The growing amount of evidence about the role of supportive care in enhancing cancer patients' outcomes has made healthcare providers more sensitive to the need for support that they experience ...during cancer's trajectory. However, the lack of a consensus in the definition of supportive care and lack of uniformity in the theoretical paradigm and measurement tools for unmet needs does not allow for defined guidelines for evidence-based best practices that are universally accepted. Contemporary cancer literature confirms that patients continue to report high levels of unmet supportive care needs and documents the low effectiveness of most of the interventions proposed to date. The aim of this critical review is to consolidate the conceptual understanding of the need for supportive care, providing definitions, areas of expertise and a careful overview of the measurement tools and intervention proposals developed to date. The possible reasons why the currently developed interventions do not seem to be able to meet the needs, and the issues for future research were discussed.
Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of the prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms in Italian medical students and to identify the ...associated factors.
Design and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to second-sixth year medical students of the University of Torino, collecting data on the students’ sociodemographics, COVID-19 exposure, anxiety, depression and stress symptoms. Three hierarchical regressions adjusted for age, gender and year of study were executed.
Results: The sample size was 1359. The prevalence of anxiety, depression symptoms, moderate perceived stress and severe perceived stress was 47.8%, 52.1%, 56.2% and 28.4%, respectively. The factors associated with mental health symptoms were: being a woman, a family history of psychiatric disorders, living off-site, competitive/hostile climates and unsatisfying friendships among classmates, poor relationships with cohabitants, negative judgment of medical school choice, fear of COVID-19 infection, feelings of loneliness, distressing existential reflections, and a worsening psychological condition related to the pandemic. Being in the fourth or sixth year constituted a protective factor for depression symptoms.
Conclusions: Mental health in medical students was associated with both COVID-independent and COVID-related factors. Accessibility to effective interventions must be increased to counteract these changes.
Partial trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 1 is a relatively rare cytogenetic anomaly. Its phenotype has still not been completely defined, because of the cytogenetic heterogeneity of the cases so ...far described. We report a prenatal case of partial 1q trisomy associated with partial monosomy 4q, secondary to balanced maternal translocation t(1;4). The trisomic segment extended from 1q31.1 to qter and the monosomy 4q was from 4q35.2 to qter. The phenotypic anomalies found by post‐mortem and autopsy examinations were compared with those of similar cases reported in the literature. We performed standard cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cerebral ventriculomegaly, present in our case, seemed to be a constant feature in partial 1q trisomies, so this cerebral malformation could be considered as the main echographic marker for this chromosomal imbalance and trisomy 1q should be added to the list of chromosomal abnormalities associated with ventriculomegaly.
Literature shows that medical students often have higher levels of anxiety, stress and depression than the general population. Free and usable psychological support within universities is therefore ...increasingly necessary. The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Turin can boast a dedicated psychological help service (SAP). The present study aims to illustrate the cohort of students who used the service in socio-demographic, clinical and psychopathological terms. The project includes a first interview at the end of which, if necessary, a psychological and / or psychiatric interview will follow; students are also asked to complete some psychometric tests to assess depression, anxiety and stress. From January 2019 to August 2020, 166 students applied for a first interview. According to the literature, a depressive and / or anxious symptomatology is present in users. The data collected and also the feedback received from students demonstrate the usefulness of the service.
Literature shows that medical students often have higher levels of anxiety, stress and depression than the general population. Free and usable psychological support within universities is therefore ...increasingly necessary. The Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Turin can boast a dedicated psychological help service (SAP). The present study aims to illustrate the cohort of students who used the service in socio-demographic, clinical and psychopathological terms. The project includes a first interview at the end of which, if necessary, a psychological and / or psychiatric interview will follow; students are also asked to complete some psychometric tests to assess depression, anxiety and stress. From January 2019 to August 2020, 166 students applied for a first interview. According to the literature, a depressive and / or anxious symptomatology is present in users. The data collected and also the feedback received from students demonstrate the usefulness of the service. Keywords: medical education, mental health in medical students, academic psychological support. Dalla letteratura emerge come gli studenti di medicina spesso presentino livelli di ansia, stress e depressione superiori alla popolazione generale. Si rende quindi sempre piu necessario un supporto psicologico gratuito e fruibile interno alle universita. La facolta di Medicina e Chirurgia deN'Universita degli Studi di Torino puo vantare un servizio di aiuto psicologico (SAP) dedicato. Il presente studio ha lo scopo di illustrare in termini sociodemografici, clinici e psicopatologici la coorte di studenti che ha usufruito del servizio. Il progetto prevede un colloquio conoscitivo al termine del quale, se necessario, seguira una presa in carico dal punto di vista psicologico e/o psichiatrico; agli studenti inoltre viene chiesto di compilare alcuni test psicometrici per valutare depressione, ansia e stress. Da gennaio 2019 ad agosto 2020, 166 studenti hanno fatto richiesta per un primo colloquio. Dal nostro studio emerge come, in linea con la letteratura, una sintomatologia depressiva e/o di tipo ansioso sia presente negli utenti. I dati raccolti e altresi il feedback ricevuto dagli studenti dimostrano l'utilita del servizio. Parole chiave: educazione medica, salute mentale negli studenti di medicina, supporto psicologico universitario.
Abstract We report a 12-year-old patient with Patau syndrome, in whom two cell lines were present from birth, one with total trisomy 13 due to isochromosome (13q), and one with partial trisomy 13. A ...cytogenetic re-evaluation at 9 years of age brought to light in skin fibroblasts a third cell line, partially monosomic for chromosome 13. The derivatives (13) present in the three cell lines were characterized through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) experiments with suitable probes; the results suggested a sequence of rearrangements which beginning from an isochromosome (13q) could have led to the other two derivatives. We report the clinical data at birth and at the age of 12; at this age pigmentary lesions with phylloid pattern were noted. Cytogenetic findings of the chromosomal analyses on different tissues, including skin fibroblasts from differently pigmented areas, are also reported.
