Study finds possible early predictor of successful transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for major depression

UCLA Health researchers say findings show more than half of patients reported positive response to treatment

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - LOS ANGELES HEALTH SCIENCES

A new study from UCLA Health researchers demonstrates that a novel treatment is effective in most patients with major depressive symptoms even after multiple failed courses of antidepressant medication. The treatment, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), may work even more rapidly than past findings have suggested, starting to alleviate symptoms as quickly as one week.

Researchers from the Neuromodulation Division of UCLA’s Semel Institute analyzed the outcomes of hundreds of patients treated at UCLA Health from 2009 to 2022 with rTMS therapy, which uses magnetic fields to effectively “rewire” the brain’s circuitry.  The new study published this week in Psychiatry Research found that 54% of patients exhibited clinical response (at least a 50% improvement) in mood symptoms when examined using multiple depression rating scales.

“We have a unique approach to rTMS treatment at UCLA,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Michael K. Leuchter, a senior psychiatry resident at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.  “In our ‘precision TMS’ model, patients see a psychiatrist at every treatment and we measure symptoms weekly with multiple rating scales, following a measurement-based care approach.” 

This approach allowed UCLA researchers to assess treatment benefit with greater fidelity and accuracy than previous studies using fewer measurement scales.

“What we're seeing in our analysis of our large data set is that a majority of patients get significantly better,” Leuchter said. “What’s most exciting to see is that these patients generally start reporting improvement within a week of starting treatment, even though the treatment itself continues for several weeks to build the full benefit.”

TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate brain circuits and can target those involved in mood regulation. Patients generally receive 20-30 minute treatment sessions five days per week for a period of six to eight weeks.

Compared to most antidepressant medications, rTMS is relatively new, having been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008 for treatment of medication-resistant major depressive disorder.

The effectiveness of rTMS has previously been observed as quite variable, with reported response rates ranging from 30-60%. Researchers at UCLA have been working to understand this variability and improve predictions of which patients are most likely to benefit from the therapy.

Leuchter and his colleagues studied the outcomes of 708 patients treated with TMS for a six-week period at UCLA with four widely used depression rating scales. They found that the depression rating scales that doctors use to assess the effectiveness of the treatment could be a large factor contributing to this variability. Across all four scales studied, researchers discovered that 54% of patients reported a significant response on at least one rating scale.  If only one scale was used, up to a third of positive responses to treatment could be missed, according to Leuchter. 

“Using multiple scales rather than one allows us to better detect and characterize the effectiveness of rTMS treatment for the many different faces of depression,” Leuchter said.

Additionally, early improvements reported within five or 10 treatments were found to be significant predictors of how well a patient will respond throughout the course of treatment. Leuchter said this could help doctors determine whether or when to modify their clinical approach for a patient.

A Comparison of Self- and Observer-Rated Scales for Detecting Clinical improvement During Repetitive Transcranial Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment of Depression Leuchter et al. Psychiatry Research, 2023, 330:115608, ISSN 0165-1781, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115608  

Journal Link: Psychiatry Research

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JOURNAL

Psychiatry Research

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115608 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

A comparison of self- and observer-rated scales for detecting clinical improvement during repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS) treatment of depression

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

18-Nov-2023

COI STATEMENT

Within the past 36 months, MKL has served as a consultant to Neuroelectrics, Inc. RT is supported by grants from NIMH and Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. AFL received research support from the NIH, the Department of Defense, MagVenture, and NeurOptics. He has served as a consultant to NeoSync, Inc., eFovea, Options MD, Kernel, Inc., and ElMindA. He was Chief Scientific Officer of Brain Biomarker Analytics LLC (BBA) and had equity interest in BBA.

Apology psychology: Breaking gender stereotypes leads to more effective communication

From social media to the workplace, non-stereotypical apologies can help repair trust, according to new study involving a University of Arizona researcher.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Saying "I'm sorry," especially in the workplace, can be tricky terrain. Delivering an effective apology can help resolve conflicts, restore trust and promote collaboration among coworkers.

But what works best?

A research team including a University of Arizona faculty member says that to make your next apology more effective, use language that goes against gender stereotypes.

Sarah Doyle, associate professor in the Department of Management and Organizations in the Eller College of Management, said the team wanted to find out what constitutes an effective apology in the workplace – and whether the content of a successful apology looks different depending on the gender of the apologizer. The research was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

The team used past research to define "masculine" and "feminine" language, including a study from 2003 that defined masculine language as having more agency and being more assertive, confident and self-assured, and feminine language as warm, communal and nurturing. The team labeled apologies with more masculine language as "agentic," and those with more feminine language as "communal." Overall, Doyle's team found that those who "violated" gender stereotypes were seen as delivering more effective apologies.

"We found that women delivering masculine-style apologies benefited because they were seen as displaying higher levels of assertiveness and enhancing their perceived competence," Doyle said. "The men delivering apologies with more stereotypically feminine language were seen as having greater interpersonal sensitivity that enhanced their perceived benevolence or warmth."

Starting with celebrities

The team began its series of four studies by searching through a platform that is a well-known hotspot for celebrity apologies: X, formerly known as Twitter. They ultimately examined 87 apology tweets from celebrities, including rapper and singer Lizzo, comedian Kevin Hart, actor Tyler Posey and television personality Kendra Wilkinson. Public reaction to those tweets supported the idea of apologizers benefiting by violating gender stereotypes, especially for the women in the sample, Doyle said.

"The female celebrities who delivered apologies that were higher in these masculine qualities were especially likely to receive these benefits," Doyle said. "There were higher 'like' counts and the sentiments in response to those apology tweets were much more positive."

For women delivering an apology on the platform, a one-point increase in agentic language, as measured on a five-point scale, returned an average of more than 17,000 additional likes, Doyle said.

Everyday apologies

In the second study, 366 working adults participated in a scenario in which their accountant sends them an email apologizing for making a mistake on their taxes. Individuals were randomly assigned to one of four groups classified by a male or female accountant delivering a stereotypically masculine or feminine apology. Participants then rated different components of the apology and determined whether they would like to continue using the accountant. The data lined up with the results from the first study, showing, for both male and female apologizers, that the counter-stereotypical apology was more effective.

The third study involved 441 individuals participating in the same accounting scenario but asked them to respond to the accountant's apology and determine whether they wanted to keep working with them. The fourth study was similar to the third, but used a scenario involving a paperwork error by a nurse to see if using a more traditionally female occupation would change the results. The data from each study showed counter-stereotypical apologies were seen as more effective, especially for female apologizers.

Across the studies using the accounting or nursing scenarios, researchers found that, for women, delivering a counter-stereotypical apology increased the apology's perceived effectiveness by an average of 9.7%. For men, using a counter-stereotypical apology increased perceived effectiveness by an average of 8.2%.

"It's important to mention that we did not find that men and women are penalized for giving a stereotypical apology," Doyle said, "Rather, they benefit from giving a counter-stereotypical one. Thus, any apology is likely to be better than no apology at all."

Sorry to ask, but what did we learn?

Put simply, there are a lot of different ways to apologize, and it can help to think it through, Doyle said.

"I think people assume that 'I'm sorry' is a consistent and effective way to apologize, but there are a lot of different ways to say that," Doyle explained. "Not all apologies are the same, and it can help to be a little bit more deliberate about the language that you're using and the content that is included in your apology."

The research team is hoping the results can lead people to think beyond how often we apologize, and to put more focus on how we communicate.

"Much of the literature suggests women apologize too much and men don't apologize enough," Doyle said. "But I think the frequency conversation is a bit oversimplified. It's not just about whether people should apologize more or less, but how we can construct apologies differently. It's what you include in that apology that's really going to matter."

The research team also included Beth Polin from Eastern Kentucky University; Sijun Kim from Texas A&M University; Roy Lewicki from The Ohio State University; and Nitya Chawla from the University of Minnesota.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Applied Psychology

DOI

10.1037/apl0001128 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Sorry to ask but … how is apology effectiveness dependent on apology content and gender?

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

Poor nutrition contributes to poor mental health and risk of diabetes

New literature reviews from College of Public Health researchers advance understanding of connection between nutrition and mental health 

Peer-Reviewed Publication

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

People with diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus) are two-to-three times more likely to have depression than people without, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Current treatment includes therapy, medicine, or both. However, the understanding of the multifaceted relationship between nutrition, mental health, and DM is relatively new in scientific discourse. Mason researchers sought to learn about the connection between nutrition, diabetes, and mental health. 

Two literature reviews from assistant professor Raedeh Basiri show that poor nutrition plays a dual role, contributing to both the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and impacting mental health, including anxiety and depression. According to the findings, mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and diabetes is also linked with an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. Nutrition interventions can aid in both of these health issues. 

“Our findings underscore the pivotal role of dietary choices in reducing the risks associated with both diabetes and mental health. The implications of these findings extend beyond the scientific community, as they hold promise for informing public health policies, health care practices, and dietary recommendations that can positively impact the general population, said Basiri, the lead author of the papers.  

“Ultimately, the research seeks to empower individuals to make informed and health-promoting dietary choices that can serve as a proactive strategy for the prevention and management of diabetes, as well as anxiety and depression,” Basiri said. 

More specifically, the team’s findings provide a comprehensive view of the relationship between dietary patterns, health outcomes, and the critical role of eating behavior in the context of type 2 diabetes and mental health. 

The team found that eating foods rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Conversely, a diet with a large number of processed foods was found to have a negative effect, increasing the susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety.  

Additionally, the research team found that a diet with energy-dense foods but lacking in essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, selenium, chromium, and magnesium, is associated with the exacerbation of unfavorable symptoms in both mental health and the development of type 2 diabetes. This connection emphasizes the importance of nutrient-rich dietary choices for overall health and well-being. 

“Current scientific evidence underscores the potential benefits of adopting a well-balanced dietary regimen in decreasing anxiety and depression symptoms while enhancing glycemic control in individuals with diabetes,” said Basiri. 

“Exploring the Interrelationships between Diabetes, Nutrition, Anxiety, and Depression: Implications for Treatment and Prevention Strategies” was published in Nutrients in September 2023 with Mason Master of Science in Nutrition students Blessing Seidu and Mark Rudich as co-authors.  

“Key Nutrients for Optimal Blood Glucose Control and Mental Health in Individuals with Diabetes: A Review of the Evidence” was published in Nutrients in September 2023 with Seidu and Mason Professor Lawrence Cheskin as co-authors. 

Neither study received external funding. 

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JOURNAL

Nutrients

DOI

10.3390/nu15194226 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Exploring the Interrelationships between Diabetes, Nutrition, Anxiety, and Depression: Implications for Treatment and Prevention Strategies

 

Consumers, florists differ on floral arrangements

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

NC STATE RESEARCHERS LEARNED THAT CONSUMERS HIGHLY VALUE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS WITH ROSES AND DON'T CARE MUCH FOR CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

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CREDIT: PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL KELLETT.

Consumer preferences in floral arrangements don’t necessarily match the designs that florists are taught to make, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University.

Particular flower species are important to consumers, while they also pay attention to the overall symmetry of the arrangement as well as the colors presented, the research suggests.

Specifically, the study shows that surveyed consumers absolutely love roses – and are quite willing to pay more to have them included in floral arrangements – while having little use for chrysanthemums, a Mother’s Day staple.

The findings could be beneficial to florists, says Vanessa Woods, an NC State doctoral student in horticultural science and co-author of a paper describing the study.

“There’s little research about what consumers prefer in floral arrangements, which is seen by many in the horticulture industry to be an art form,” Woods said. “This is an industry in which products need to be sold quickly, but there’s not much information on what people actually want.”

The researchers brought in more than 120 people and used eye-trackers in the lab to test whether certain elements of floral design theory – used by many florists to create arrangements – are supported by consumer preferences. 

The researchers tested a number of design theory elements, including line, whether a straight or moving line can be drawn through the center of the arrangement; symmetry, or whether the arrangements mirrors itself when you draw a straight line through the middle of the arrangement; and color, or whether the arrangements have one, contrasting, similar or assorted colored flowers.

To test these elements, the researchers provided photos of various flower arrangements and asked consumers about their preferences and the prices they’d be willing to pay for arrangements. The researchers used the eye-tracking technology to get insight into the flower arrangements that captured consumer attention and where the eye was drawn to in the designs.

The results showed that consumers were more concerned with flower species than with any of the design theory elements, which was not surprising to the research team.

“Americans have a love affair with roses,” Woods said. “When roses are part of an arrangement, people really value that. They think it’s more expensive, they’re willing to pay more for it and they spend more time looking at that arrangement.”

Consumers showed no preference about the line element – they preferred straight lines and curving lines in designs equally. But they preferred floral arrangements that are more symmetrical rather than less. And consumers were wary of arrangements with just one flower color, preferring instead similar colors or colors close to each other on the color wheel – purples with reds, for example.

“Our study is about general preferences of consumers,” said Melinda Knuth, assistant professor of horticultural science at NC State and certified floral designer. “There is still room for creativity and flair in floristry – someone’s perfect bouquet might not be everyone’s. We are just trying to quantify these general preferences in a way that helps the floral industry thrive. This study gives us ground work to begin looking at niche preferences of floral consumers. Just like other art forms, there’s variety in preferences.”

The study appears in the open access journal HortScience. The research was supported by the Floral Marketing Research Fund. Xuan (Jade) Wu, Charlie Hall and Marco Palma from Texas A&M University also co-authored the paper.

-kulikowski-

Note to editors: The paper abstract follows.

“Elements of style in floral arrangements: How discerning are consumers towards floristry design principles and how much are they willing to pay”

Authors: Melinda Knuth and Vanessa Woods, NC State University; Xuan (Jade) Wu, Charlie Hall, Marco Palma, Texas A&M University

Published: Nov. 20, 2023 in HortScience

DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI17273-23

Abstract: Florists use design theory to create arrangements they assume will be pleasing to consumers, increasing purchase rates and spending. However, certain elements of design theory and their relationship with consumer acceptance and spending have not been empirically tested. Using mixed logit models and eye-tracking technology, we investigated whether consumer preferences support three key elements of existing floral design theory: line, color, and form. We also examined consumer preferences for floral species, which, although not a traditional element of design theory, may influence consumer purchasing decisions. Our findings challenge existing design theory, as consumers did not uniformly favor it. Instead, they valued symmetrical form, arrangements with similar (but not identical) colors, and, surprisingly, the presence of roses in an arrangement was the most crucial factor in capturing consumer attention and increasing willingness to pay.

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JOURNAL

HortScience

DOI

10.21273/HORTSCI17273-23 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

“Elements of style in floral arrangements: How discerning are consumers towards floristry design principles and how much are they willing to pay”

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

Nostalgia and memories after ten years of social media

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

As possibilities have changed and technology has advanced, memories and nostalgia are now a significant part of our use of social media. This is shown in a study from the University of Gothenburg and University West.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and University West have been following a group of eleven active social media users for ten years, allowing them to describe and reflect on how they use the platforms to document and share their lives. The study provides insight into the role of technology in creating experiences and reliving meaningful moments.

"These types of studies help us look back and understand the culture as it was in the 2010s and 2020s when social media was a central part of it," says Beata Jungselius, senior lecturer of informatics at University West and one of the researchers behind the study.

Social media users engage in what researchers define as "social media nostalgizing," meaning they actively seek out content that evokes feelings of nostalgia.

Alexandra Weilenmann, professor of interaction design at the University of Gothenburg, explains that participants in the study have described it as "treating themselves" to a nostalgia trip now and then.

"Going back and remembering what has happened earlier in life becomes a bigger part of it over time than posting new content," she says, and explains that in later interviews, it becomes clear that the platforms often serve as diary-like tools that allow memories to be relived.

Social media platforms are introducing increasingly advanced features to help users interact with older content. Personal, music-infused photo albums generated for us or reminders of pictures we posted on the same date one, three, or ten years ago allow for nostalgic experiences, which are often seen as positive. The study describes how these features can lead to users reconnecting with old friends by "tagging" them in a shared memory. Alexandra Weilenmann and Beata Jungselius believe this could be a deliberate move by social media platforms to encourage users to stay active since the publication of new content has decreased.

The researchers have noted that it's not just the content itself that evokes feelings of nostalgia but also memories of the actual usage of social media play a significant role. For example, one of the interviewees reminisces about how rewarding the intense communication in forums was and how it often led to real-life meetings and interactions.

"It's only now that we've lived with social media long enough to make and draw conclusions from a study like this. Through our method of studying the same users over ten years, we've been able to follow how their usage and attitudes toward the platforms have changed as they have evolved," says Beata Jungselius.

Read the full article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20563051231207850

Contact:

Beata Jungselius, senior lecturer of informatics at University West
beata.jungselius@hv.se
073-508 08 88

Alexandra Weilenmann, professor of interaction design at the University of Gothenburg
alexandra.weilenmann@ait.gu.se
031-786 56 34

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JOURNAL

Social Media + Society

DOI

10.1177/20563051231207850 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Keeping Memories Alive: A Decennial Study of Social Media Reminiscing, Memories, and Nostalgia

 

What leads people to take action on disease prevention?

Researchers from Osaka University demonstrate that the steps we personally take to prevent the spread of disease depend on our own individual circumstances

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OSAKA UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

STRENGTH OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INFORMATION EXPOSURE AND NEW IMPLEMENTATION OF MASK-WEARING AND HAND DISINFECTION AFTER THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. ERROR BARS REPRESENT 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVALS. A VALUE GREATER THAN 1 INDICATES A STRONG POSITIVE ASSOCIATION. THE VALUES WERE ADJUSTED BY COVARIATE (GENDER, AGE, POPULATION DENSITY, DREAD PERCEPTION OF COVID-19, UNKNOWN PERCEPTION OF COVID-19, PATHOGEN-AVOIDANCE TENDENCY, AND INTEREST IN COVID-19).

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CREDIT: MICHIO MURAKAMI, MEI YAMAGATA, AND ASAKO MIURA: EXPLORATION OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MASK-WEARING AND HAND DISINFECTION IN JAPAN AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, 2023, DOI: 10.1016/J.IJDRR.2023.104107

Osaka, Japan – When making important decisions about disease prevention, who do you listen to? Medical institutions? Or perhaps the people around you? Your answer might reveal more about your personal circumstances than you would expect.

In a study published this month in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, researchers from Osaka University have revealed that, when taking steps to prevent the spread of disease, we are affected by certain factors surrounding us, such as where we get our information and whether we currently live under a pandemic.

In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, many countries implemented social measures, such as lockdowns, and mandated preventive behaviors, such as mask-wearing, for their residents. In Japan, behaviors that prevent infection, such as hand sanitizing and mask-wearing, have been left to individual discretion since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Since COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, it is important to determine the associations between individual characteristics and preventive behaviors to understand how to promote discretion-based preventive behaviors,” explains Michio Murakami, lead author of the study. “We are particularly interested in developing a risk communication strategy for promoting infection-preventive behavior in a timely manner.”

To address this, the researchers investigated the association between certain individual characteristics before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Using 23 waves of panel data from January 2020 to January 2023, the researchers examined whether individuals consumed medical information on government or medical institution websites, whether they wore masks, and whether they disinfected their hands.

“The results were intriguing,” explains Asako Miura, senior author. “We found that, while medical information had the strong effect on infection-preventive behavior before the COVID-19 outbreak, people who exchanged information with acquaintances were more likely to newly start mask-wearing and hand disinfection after the COVID-19 outbreak.”

The researchers found that people who consumed medical information were more likely to wear masks and disinfect hands even before the COVID-19 outbreak. There were also slight differences in the rates of infection-preventive behavior and gender, with men less likely to implement preventive behaviors than women.

“Our findings clearly show that, in Japan, mask-wearing and hand-disinfection behaviors were the result of different information sources before and after the outbreak,” says Murakami.

Given that infection-preventive behaviors protect not only against COVID-19, but also seasonal and emerging infectious diseases, the insights from this study are a valuable contribution to public health. In particular, implementing the appropriate communication strategies for certain demographics can be an effective aid to disease prevention.

 

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The article, “Exploration of factors associated with mask-wearing and hand disinfection in Japan after the coronavirus disease outbreak: A longitudinal study,” was published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104107

 

About Osaka University

Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and is now one of Japan's leading comprehensive universities with a broad disciplinary spectrum. This strength is coupled with a singular drive for innovation that extends throughout the scientific process, from fundamental research to the creation of applied technology with positive economic impacts. Its commitment to innovation has been recognized in Japan and around the world, being named Japan's most innovative university in 2015 (Reuters 2015 Top 100) and one of the most innovative institutions in the world in 2017 (Innovative Universities and the Nature Index Innovation 2017). Now, Osaka University is leveraging its role as a Designated National University Corporation selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to contribute to innovation for human welfare, sustainable development of society, and social transformation.

Website: https://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en

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JOURNAL

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

DOI

10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104107 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Exploration of factors associated with mask-wearing and hand disinfection in Japan after the coronavirus disease outbreak: A longitudinal study

 

Reducing cyberattacks on Canadian health systems

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL

Cyberattacks targeting health information systems can cause considerable damage and stress, but there are ways to reduce the risk of these events, write authors in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230436.

"With respect to cybersecurity, a bit of prevention is worth a terabyte of cure," writes Vinyas Harish, MD/PhD candidate at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, with coauthors, in an article outlining the impact of cyberattacks on Canadian health information systems and how clinicians in hospitals and individual clinics can improve their cybersecurity practices.

This advice is particularly relevant, with several hospitals in southwestern Ontario reporting a recent cyberattack that has caused substantial disruptions in patient care.

The authors outline stages to help navigate cyberattacks, based on the US National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cybersecurity Framework:

• Prevention — be vigilant for phishing emails, use strong password and 2-factor authentication, ensure adequate network protection and other actions. This includes creating a cyberattack plan to use in case of an event.
• Detection — use antivirus software and be alert to suspicious activities, such as barred access to files, installation of unrecognized software and more.
• Response — immediately disconnect devices from the Internet, activate your cyberattack plan and notify individuals affected by the attack.
• Recovery — this depends heavily on having health information systems that allow for restoration from back-ups, ensuring external vendors help with data recovery and conducting an internal debrief on the response.

"Preventing cyberattacks involves navigating trade-offs between keeping workflows efficient and reducing risk amid threats that are growing in frequency, severity and sophistication. As national and regional policies develop, health organizations, practices and individual clinicians must take a proactive approach to improving their cybersecurity posture," the authors conclude.

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JOURNAL

Canadian Medical Association Journal

DOI

10.1503/cmaj.230436 

ARTICLE TITLE

Cyberattacks on Canadian health information systems

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

Disclaimer: AAA

 

Alarming rates of suicidal ideation among older transgender adults revealed on Transgender Day of Remembrance

More than one-quarter of respondents have seriously contemplated ending their lives within the past year, new study shows

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Transgender adults aged 50 or older in the United States face a significantly elevated risk of contemplating suicide due to the compounding impact of various challenges in different areas of their lives, according to a population-wide study. 

 

More than one-fourth (25.8%) of this large pool of older transgender people acknowledged having thought about ending their lives at least once the previous year.  
That is a much greater prevalence than the 4.7% figure currently estimated for the adult population-at-large and substantially greater than the current estimated prevalence of 11-17% older adults in the U.S. 

 

The new findings are published in the peer-reviewed journal Aging and Mental Health, today, the Transgender Day of Remembrance – an annual observance honoring the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost due to acts of anti-transgender violence. 

  
The paper’s conclusions highlight the urgent need for targeted support and interventions to reduce the prevalence of suicidal ideation within this vulnerable population. 

 

“Our research has exposed the distressing reality faced by many older transgender adults who are grappling with suicidal thoughts due to the cumulative impact of multiple adverse factors on their lives,” says co-author, Dr Thomas Alex Washington, professor and BASW Program Director in the School of Social Work,  College of Health and Human Services, at California State University, Long Beach. 

 

“This underscores the critical need for comprehensive support, advocacy, and mental health resources to address this growing concern." 

 

This study, which used data from the 2015 US National Transgender Survey, focused on a sample of 3,724 transgender adults aged 50 or older. More than one-quarter of respondents (25.8%) reported they had seriously contemplated ending their lives within the past year.  

 

Notably, this number decreased with age, ranging from 31.7% among those aged 50-54 to 12.0% among those aged 70 or older. 

 

The researchers examined five different areas of potentially-syndemic effects – workplace issues, interactions with professionals, use of public services, personal safety, and socioeconomic disadvantages. They wanted to determine the relationship between experiencing challenges in these areas and the likelihood of suicidal ideation. 

 

The analysis revealed that all five areas examined significantly increased the odds of older transgender individuals contemplating suicide. The risk was heightened: 

 

• by 96% to 121% among those experiencing challenges in any of the areas studied. 

 

• by 258% to 1,552%, depending on the specific area, when individuals faced all of the challenges within a particular domain. 

 

When all syndemic areas were combined, exposure to any of the challenges within an area raised the risk of contemplating suicide by 276%. Exposure to all the challenges examined increased the risk by 861%.  

 

“This study demonstrates that most older transgender individuals encounter persistent challenges in various domains of their lives, significantly increasing their risk of contemplating suicide. These challenges interact in a syndemic manner, amplifying the risk of suicidal ideation,” adds fellow co-author Dr. Hugh Klein, who is the founder and president of Kensington Research Institute, as well as a Research Faculty Associate in the School of Social Work at California State University -- Long Beach. 

 

“But encouragingly, we find that, among the older adults who participated in this large national study, the risk of contemplating suicide tends to diminish with advancing age, possibly due to greater resilience, adaptive strategies, changing life circumstances, and personal growth--all of which positive influence the mental health of transgender individuals as they get older.” 

 

However, the study is not without limitations. It relied on data over eight years old, potentially not fully reflecting the current situation for older transgender individuals in the rapidly evolving sociopolitical climate in the United States. Additionally, the study’s limited scope of syndemic effects examined may not encompass the full spectrum of experiences and factors affecting older transgender adults. 

 

The authors suggest that future research should explore a broader range of factors, compare different age groups and demographic subpopulations, and delve into nuanced aspects of mental health among older transgender individuals to better understand and address their unique needs and risks. 

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JOURNAL

Aging & Mental Health

DOI

10.1080/13607863.2023.2275153 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Evidence of syndemic effects influencing older transgender persons’ likelihood of contemplating suicide: results from a large national study

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023