Source: Image created by JMIR Publications/Authors Copyright: JMIR Publications License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) Study reveals VR’s potential in revolutionizing depression treatment, offering hope to millions worldwide.   (Toronto, May 6, 2024) A new study published in JMIR Mental Health sheds light on the promising role of virtual reality (VR) in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). Titled “Examining the Efficacy of Extended Reality–Enhanced Behavioral Activation for Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial,” the research, led by Dr Margot Paul and team from Stanford University, unveiled the efficacy of extended reality (XR)–enhanced behavioral activation (XR-BA) in easing symptoms of depression. MDD affects millions worldwide,Read More →

Source: Kognito Copyright: Kognito URL: https://kognito.com License: Licensed by the authors Brief interactive online mental health training can help teachers better respond to their pupils’ mental health difficulties, according to a new study. Researchers led by Dr Emma Soneson at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry questioned dozens of primary school teachers and teaching assistants to explore the potential value of a 1-hour training program they trialed. It comes at a time of increasing emphasis on schools’ role in supporting pupils’ mental health, as growing numbers of children and young people report issues with their well-being. The teaching staff from 6 different primary schoolsRead More →

Source: freepik.com Copyright: Freepik URL: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-having-video-call-home-laptop-device… License: Licensed by JMIR PITTSBURGH, April 4, 2024 – Coupling a smartphone app with a real-life health coach appears to be key to helping patients adhere to presurgical preparation and postsurgical recovery guidance and improving surgical outcomes, according to new findings led by UPMC and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine physician-scientists. The research, published today in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found that patients who used the digital health platform—named Pip Care—had to stay in the hospital for nearly a day less than their counterparts who did not use the app, and they cut in half theirRead More →

Source: Freepik Copyright: Drazen Zigic https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/closeup-doctor-advising-her-patient-about-medicines-via-video-call-coronavirus-pandemic_26922401.htm License: Licensed by JMIR In the current climate of increased medical mistrust, survey data show sexual minority adults are more open to using COVID-19 screening and tracking tools, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the need for inclusive health care solutions. [Toronto, March 11, 2024] — Little is known about the willingness of sexual minority adults—people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other nonheterosexual orientation identities—to use digital health tools. A new study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research by Dr Wilson Vincent of Temple University, has shed light on this question in the context of public healthRead More →

Source: DALLE-3 via BING Images Copyright: N/A (AI generated) URL: https://www.bing.com/images/create/aa-healthcare-worker-wearing-mask-she-is-l… License: Public Domain (CC0) An artificial intelligence tool effectively detected distress in hospital workers’ conversations with their therapists early during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows, suggesting a potential new technology that screens for depression and anxiety. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced many hospitals to operate beyond capacity, medical workers were faced with overwhelming numbers of work shifts, limited rest, and an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. At the same time, quarantine policies and fear of infecting family reduced their access to social support, with the combination increasing the risk of medical errorsRead More →

Source: Image created by JMIR Publications/Authors Copyright: JMIR Publications URL: https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e47254 License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) Reference intervals (RIs) are being used across many medical disciplines, allowing physicians to quickly pinpoint potentially pathological test results. RIs vary between populations and individuals, but, so far, personalized RIs are cumbersome to obtain. Researchers from the BioRef consortium of the University Hospital Bern (Inselspital), University Hospital Lausanne (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois [CHUV]), the University Children’s Hospital Zürich (Kinderspital Zürich), and Swiss Paraplegic Research have established a multicentric IT framework in collaboration with Tune Insight and the Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) to obtain patient group–specific RIs from routineRead More →

Members of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body Bureau continue the discussion on infodemic management in light of circulation of misinformation through social media during public health emergencies. (Toronto, September 21, 2023) The United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response on September 20, 2023, to continue discussions on finalizing a globally enforceable Pandemic Accord or Treaty that will be presented to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Health Assembly in May 2024. This treaty, if agreed to and eventually ratified, will be the second international treaty instrument under WHO auspices, and represents a critical juncture in global health needed toRead More →

Source: Unsplash Copyright: madison lavern URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/4gcqRf3-f2I License: Licensed by JMIR A global study analyzing more than 280,000 digital meditation sessions has found that the practice leads to significant improvements in mood, regardless of the length of a session. The University of Adelaide–led study, which used deidentified data provided by US-based meditation app Insight Timer, found that consistent practice had a greater influence on the effectiveness of meditation for a practitioner. A lot of people feel like they need to meditate every day for long periods of time to realise any benefit, and then become disheartened when they find this unsustainable. We found that practiceRead More →

Source: Freepik Copyright: freepik.com Source image URL: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/digital-nomad-working-remotly-their-project_21795560.htm License: Licensed by JMIR CONTACT: Lois E. Yoksoulian, Physical Sciences Editor 217-244-2788, leyok@illinois.edu. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New research led by data science experts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and United Nations Global Pulse found that there is no strong evidence that YouTube promoted antivaccine sentiments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, performs an algorithmic audit to examine if YouTube’s recommendation system acts as a “rabbit hole,” leading users searching for vaccine-related videos to antivaccine content. For the study, the researchers asked study participants to intentionally find an antivaccine video with asRead More →

Source: pxhere Copyright: rawpixel.com URL: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1451619 License: Public Domain (CC0) Receiving therapy for problematic social media use can be effective in improving the mental well-being of people with depression, finds a new study by researchers at University College London (UCL). The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found that social media use interventions could help adults for whom social media use has become problematic or interferes with their mental health. Problematic use is when a person’s preoccupation with social media results in a distraction from their primary tasks and the neglect of responsibilities in other aspects of their life. Previous research hasRead More →