Patient Needs and Treatment Goals in Chronic Atopic Pruritus: Does Eczema Make a Difference?

Chronic pruritus (≥ 6 weeks) is a frequent symptom in atopic diseases, with phenotypes ranging from non-lesional skin to inflammatory diseases like atopic dermatitis. Data on patients' needs and treatment goals depending on the skin phenotype and disease burden are limited. This study aimed to analyse the impact of distinct phenotypes of chronic atopic pruritus on disease burden and treatment goals.

Patient experiences in multidisciplinary care for persistent somatic symptoms across four European countries: a cross-sectional comparison.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore patients with persistent somatic symptoms and functional disorders' (PSS/FD) experiences of and preferences for multidisciplinary care across Europe. A further aim is to compare the experiences of and preferences for multidisciplinary care of patients to those of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the Netherlands.

Design: Cross-sectional online survey.

Collaborative and Stepped Care for Mental Disorders: Results of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Outpatient Care (the COMET Study).

Background: Collaborative and stepped care (CSC) models are recommended in guidelines because of their documented effectiveness in treating depression and anxiety disorders. The evidence for their efficacy against other mental disorders is limited. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a collaborative and stepped care model (COMET) for patients with depressive, anxiety, somatoform and/or alcohol-related disorders and related comorbidities in the outpatient care setting in Germany.

Predictors of quality of life and resilience in patients with ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the psychosocial burdens of patients with ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Ovarian cancer patients answered a quantitative survey assessing their resilience (BRS) and quality of life (FACT-G7) as well as clinical (first- vs. ≥ second-line treatment), demographic (age < 65 vs.

The overlooked burden of persistent physical symptoms: a call for action in European healthcare.

Regardless of their cause, persistent physical symptoms are distressing somatic complaints that occur on most days for at least several months. They are common in patients with somatic diseases, functional somatic disorders, mental disorders, and undiagnosed medical conditions and are often associated with significant impairment and medical costs. Despite their prevalence and impact, persistent physical symptoms are often overlooked in medical care.

Persistent physical symptoms: definition, genesis, and management.

Persistent physical symptoms (synonymous with persistent somatic symptoms) is an umbrella term for distressing somatic complaints that last several months or more, regardless of their cause. These symptoms are associated with substantial disability and represent a major burden for patients, health-care professionals, and society. Persistent physical symptoms can follow infections, injuries, medical diseases, stressful life events, or arise de novo.

Healthcare professionals' views on factors influencing persistent somatic symptoms - ARISE-HCP online survey across countries.

Objective: The Health Care Online Survey Europe-Healthcare Professionals (ARISE-HCP) cross-sectionally investigated healthcare professionals' (HCPs) views on healthcare factors influencing the symptom course of persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) across four European countries.

Methods: An online survey was developed for HCPs experienced in PSS care in Germany, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands. The study employed a mixed-methods approach.

Psychological risk factors for Long COVID and their modification: study protocol of a three-arm, randomised controlled trial (SOMA.COV).

Background: Growing evidence suggests that in addition to pathophysiological, there are psychological risk factors involved in the development of Long COVID. Illness-related anxiety and dysfunctional symptom expectations seem to contribute to symptom persistence.

Aims: With regard to the development of effective therapies, our primary aim is to investigate whether symptoms of Long COVID can be improved by a targeted modification of illness-related anxiety and dysfunctional symptom expectations.

Factors influencing the duration of untreated illness among patients with anorexia nervosa: A multicenter and multi-informant study.

Introduction: The duration of untreated illness (DUI), that is, the interval between the onset of anorexia nervosa (AN) symptoms and start of specialized treatments, has a strong influence on the prognosis.

Objective: To quantify modifiable predictors of the DUI and to derive recommendations for secondary prevention strategies.

Methods: Within a multicenter, multi-informant study, DUI was assessed in interviews with patients undergoing first specialized AN treatment.

Healthcare-related factors influencing symptom persistence, deterioration, or improvement in patients with persistent somatic symptoms: A scoping review of European studies.

Objective: This scoping review explored healthcare-related factors associated with symptom persistence, deterioration, or improvement in patients with persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) across Europe.

Methods: Articles were systematically searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO by combining terms of PSS and healthcare-related factors. Studies published in English, German, Polish, or Dutch between 2000 and 2022 were included.

Beliefs about emotions predict psychological stress related to somatic symptoms.

Background: Previous research has shown that the more people believe their emotions are controllable and useful (BECU), the less they generally report psychological distress. Psychological distress, in turn, impacts health outcomes, and is among the most frequently reported complaints in psychotherapeutic and psychosomatic practice.

Objective: We aimed to examine how BECU predicts psychological distress related to somatic symptoms in a prospective sample from the general population and to replicate this association in two cross-sectional samples of psychosomatic patients.

Helpful explanatory models for persistent somatic symptoms (HERMES): Results of a three-arm randomized-controlled pilot trial.

Objective: This three-arm randomized controlled trial aimed to test the efficacy of an etiological model for persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) translated into video-animated explanatory models in comparison to a control group, and to examine additional value of personalization of the explanatory models (i.e. possibility to choose information based on mechanisms of symptom persistence).

Patients' acceptance of explanatory models for persistent somatic symptoms: A qualitative analysis within the HERMES study.

Objective: The aim of this qualitative study was to provide an in-depth analysis of participants' experiences with video-animated explanatory models developed within the three-arm randomized controlled HERMES study ('Helpful explanatory models for somatic symptoms') and suggestions for further intervention improvement.

Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with psychosomatic outpatients with persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) after they were randomized to view one of three psychoeducational videos on a tablet computer: a) an explanatory model without personalization or b) an explanatory model with personalization in the two experimental groups or c) PSS guidelines without an explanatory model in the control group. Qualitative interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed applying thematic analysis.

Absence of self-reported neuropsychiatric and somatic symptoms after Omicron variant SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections.

Persistent somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms have been frequently described in patients after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 even after a benign clinical course of the acute infection during the early phases of the coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic and are part of Long COVID. The Omicron variant emerged in November 2021 and has rapidly become predominant due to its high infectivity and suboptimal vaccine cross-protection. The frequency of neuropsychiatric post-acute sequelae after infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron and adequate vaccination status is not known.

Symptom Perceptions in Functional Disorders, Major Health Conditions, and Healthy Controls: A General Population Study.

Background: The present study investigated differences in symptom perceptions between individuals with functional disorders (FD), major health conditions, and FDs + major health conditions, respectively, and a group of healthy individuals. Furthermore, it investigated the relevance of FDs among other health-related and psychological correlates of symptom perceptions in the framework of the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CMS).

Method: This cross-sectional study used epidemiological data from the Danish Study of Functional Disorders part two (N = 7,459 participants, 54% female, 51.

Risk factors for worsening of somatic symptom burden in a prospective cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Little is known about risk factors for both Long COVID and somatic symptoms that develop in individuals without a history of COVID-19 in response to the pandemic. There is reason to assume an interplay between pathophysiological mechanisms and psychosocial factors in the etiology of symptom persistence.

Objective: Therefore, this study investigates specific risk factors for somatic symptom deterioration in a cohort of German adults with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Predictors of somatic symptom burden in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: an 8-week follow-up study.

Background: Literature investigating the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals barely addresses predictors of somatic symptom burden during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims: As biopsychosocial models propose that not only the disease but also sociodemographic and psychosocial factors contribute to the development and maintenance of symptoms, this study investigates the predictive value of these factors for bothersome somatic symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 negative healthcare professionals.

Methods: German healthcare professionals were assessed with self-rating questionnaires and underwent SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody tests at baseline and 8 weeks later between April and August 2020.

"Belly Only Pregnancy" content on social media and in internet blogs: a qualitative analysis on its definition and potential risks and benefits.

Purpose: Social media enlarge the impact of health and fitness trends on body image and lifestyle choices, also in birthing parents. A new and yet to investigate social media trend addressing expectant mothers is "Belly Only Pregnancy". This qualitative study sought to define this new trend and clarify whether content related to this trend might disrupt body image or eating habits in expectant mothers.

[Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Compared to Influenza Vaccination Among Hospital Staff].

This cross-sectional study compared hospital staff who had received influenza or COVID-19 vaccination or who had refused COVID-19 vaccination in terms of attitudes towards each vaccination, uptake of influenza vaccination and reasons for refusing COVID-19 vaccination. COVID-19 vaccine refusers rated the risk of infection for themselves and in general and the effectiveness of the vaccination lowest and the vaccination risk highest compared to the other two groups. They also reported the lowest past uptake of influenza vaccination.

Somatic symptom disorder: a scoping review on the empirical evidence of a new diagnosis.

Background: In 2013, the diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder (SSD) was introduced into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This review aims to comprehensively synthesize contemporary evidence related to SSD.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library.

The development and psychometric evaluation of FABIANA-checklist: a scale to assess factors influencing treatment initiation in anorexia nervosa.

Background: A long duration of untreated illness (DUI) is an unfavorable prognostic factor in anorexia nervosa (AN) and is associated with chronic illness progression. Although previous preventive measures aimed at reducing DUI and thus improving short- and long-term treatment outcomes have been partially successful, a better understanding of the factors involved in the sensitive phase prior to treatment initiation is needed. To date, there is no validated instrument available to assess these factors specifically for patients with AN.

How do care providers evaluate collaboration? - qualitative process evaluation of a cluster-randomized controlled trial of collaborative and stepped care for patients with mental disorders.

Background: Collaborative and stepped care (CSC) models are recommended for mental disorders. Their successful implementation depends on effective collaboration between involved care providers from primary and specialist care. To gain insights into the collaboration experiences of care providers in CSC against the backdrop of usual mental health care, a qualitative process evaluation was realized as part of a cluster-randomized controlled trial (COMET) of a collaborative and stepped care model in Hamburg (Germany).

Helpful explanatory models for somatoform symptoms (HERMES): study protocol of a randomised mixed-methods pilot trial.

Introduction: Persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) are common both in the general population and primary care. They are bothersome in terms of psychological and somatic symptom burden. Health professionals often struggle with communication, as there is a lack of scientifically supported explanatory models for PSS or a focus merely on somatic aspects of the complaints, which both frustrate patients' needs.

Facilitators and barriers in anorexia nervosa treatment initiation: a qualitative study on the perspectives of patients, carers and professionals.

Background: An early psychotherapeutic treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) is crucial for a good prognosis. In order to improve treatment initiation, knowledge about facilitators and barriers to treatment is needed.

Objective: Against this background, we aimed to identify facilitators and barriers from the perspectives of patients, carers and professionals using a qualitative approach.

Psychotherapists' perspective on the treatment of patients with somatic symptom disorders.

Objective: Guidelines recommend psychotherapy in addition to primary care for patients with moderate to severe somatic symptom disorders. While general practitioners' experiences have been well studied, psychotherapists' experiences with this patient group and the explanatory models psychotherapists use in psychotherapy are unknown.

Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted between April and July 2018 with 20 German licensed outpatient psychotherapists with either a medical or a psychological background, using the label "somatoform disorders".