Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms related to work in pediatric departments aremajor public health problems, as they directly affect health organizations, healthcare workers, and, due to the poor quality of care, the patients as well. The post-traumatic symptoms that a healthcare worker may experience are related to intrusion, avoidance, negative changes in cognition and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. The aim of the present investigation was to identify risk factors that contribute to the development of PTSD in pediatric healthcare workers, in order to implement necessary workplace measures. A sample of four hundred and forty-five pediatric workers at seven Greek public hospitals consented to participate in the survey. Socio-demographic data and a post-traumatic checklist (5th edition) were used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the results, risk factors for the development of post-traumatic symptoms include medical or nursing errors, threats to a child’s life, and incidents of workplace bullying. More specifically, 25.2% of the participants had a provisional PTSD diagnosis, 72.8%of the sample experienced an incident involving a medical or nursing error in their workplace related to the treatment or care of a child, 56% experienced an incident involving a child’s death or a threat to a child’s life due to a serious illness or injury, and 55.5% experienced an incident of workplace bullying. In addition, it was found that having a university-level education, master’s, or PhD, working in a circular shift, being assigned to a department by management rather than the worker, and dissatisfaction with salary were associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. The high rates of PTSD symptoms among participants highlight the need for prevention and management measures to protect and support the mental health of workers in pediatric departments. We propose frequent evaluations of the mental health of employees, more time for rest, incentives for professional development, utilization of their specializations and specialties, support from mental health specialists when symptoms are diagnosed, and the option for employees to change departments if they wish or if they show symptoms of mental trauma.

Background: The Zika virus outbreak has affected pregnant women and their infants. Affected infants develop microcephaly and other congenital malformations referred to as congenital Zika syndrome. The neurological manifestations of congenital Zika syndrome may result in some feeding disorders, including dysphagia, swallowing dysfunction and choking while feeding. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of feeding and breastfeeding difficulties in children with congenital Zika syndrome and to estimate the risk of developing feeding disabilities. Methods: We searched PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus for studies published from 2017 to 2021. From the total of 360 papers, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and publications in languages other than English were excluded. Therefore, the final sample of our study consisted of 11 articles about the feeding/breastfeeding difficulties of infants and children with congenital Zika syndrome. Results: Infants and children with congenital Zika syndrome were likely to suffer from feeding difficulties at various levels, including breastfeeding. Dysphagia problems ranged from 17.9% to 70%, and nutritional and non-nutritive suckling of infants was also affected. Conclusions: In addition to continuing to investigate the neurodevelopment of affected children, future research should also focus on the severity of factors influencing the degree of dysphagia, as well as the impact of breastfeeding on the child’s overall development.

It was late 2015 when Northeast Brazil noticed a worrying increase in neonates born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations. These abnormalities, characterized by an abnormally small head and often neurological impairment and later termed Congenital Zika Syndrome, describe the severity of neurodevelopmental and nephrological outcomes in early childhood, and the implication of microcephaly at birth. The purpose of the study was to describe the neurodevelopmental outcomes in children exposed to Zika virus during fetal life, with and without microcephaly at birth. The systematic review included research studies about the neurodevelopmental outcomes with and without microcephaly, as well as nephrological outcomes in early childhood. We searched PubMed, Crossref, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Google Scholar publications and selected 19 research articles published from 2018 to 2021. Most studies have linked the severity of microcephaly in childbirth to the neurodevelopmental and urinary outcomes in early childhood. However, most children without microcephaly at birth develop typically, while others may be at risk for language impairment.

The correlation between the kind of cesarean section and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Greek women after a traumatic birth experience has been recognized in previous studies along with other risk factors, such as perinatal conditions and traumatic life events. Data from early studies have suggested some possible links between some vulnerable factors and the potential development of postpartum PTSD. The classification of each case in three possible states (PTSD, profile PTSD, and free of symptoms) is typically performed using the guidelines and the metrics of the version V of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) which requires the completion of several questionnaires during the postpartum period. The motivation in the present work is the need for a model that can detect possible PTSD cases using a minimum amount of information and produce an early diagnosis. The early PTSD diagnosis is critical since it allows the medical personnel to take the proper measures as soon as possible. Our sample consists of 469 women who underwent emergent or elective cesarean delivery in a university hospital in Greece. The methodology which is followed is the application of random decision forests (RDF) to detect the most suitable and easily accessible information which is then used by an artificial neural network (ANN) for the classification. As is demonstrated from the results, the derived decision model can reach high levels of accuracy even when only partial and quickly available information is provided.

Background: Job satisfaction refers to an individual’s overall attitude towards their job. It is influenced by various factors such as work environment, job role, work-life balance, compensation, anxiety, opportunities for growth and development. However, low levels of job satisfaction can have a significant impact on an individual’s mental health and overall well-being. Objective: We contacted this study in order to assess the effect of PICU nurses’ and pediatricians’ job satisfaction on their psychosocial functioning and to examine the role of anxiety as a mediating factor in this relationship. Methods: A sample of 155 nurses and pediatricians at 7 University Hospitals in Greece has consented to participate in the study. Socio-demographic data, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire -short form and a Brief Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning were used to evaluate anxiety, job satisfaction and psychosocial functions. Results: According to our results, participants with moderate or severe levels of anxiety showed moderate or low job satisfaction, while moderate or severe anxiety was also associated with low levels of participants’ psychosocial functioning. Job satisfaction is a dynamic situation that is affected by the levels of anxiety of each worker in PICU. Conclusion: The presence of anxiety may be related to comorbid mental health disorders since it affects the psychosocial functions of the worker. We propose a longer rest period, a change of department in case an employee wishes it or shows symptoms of increased stress or another mental health disorder, regular assessments by mental health experts for all PICU’s staff and support after a diagnosis of a mental health problem.

Background: Although childbirth is considered a natural process, a high percentage of postpartum women consider it traumatic. Any previous traumatic event in a woman’s life can be revived through a traumatic birth experience, especially after a complicated vaginal delivery or cesarean delivery. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between previous traumatic life events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in postpartum women after cesarean section and which specific events exerted the greatest influence. Methods: A sample of 469 women who had undergone cesarean sections at a Greek university hospital consented to participate in this prospective study. Data from a medical/demographic questionnaire, life events checklist, perinatal stressor criterion A, and posttraumatic stress checklist were used to evaluate past traumatic life events and diagnose postpartum posttraumatic stress. Results: Out of 469 women, 25.97% had PTSD and 11.5% a PTSD profile, while 2.7% had PTSD and 2.7% a PTSD profile. Also, it appeared that only specific direct exposure to a traumatic event and/or witnessing one were predictors of postpartum PTSD. Conclusions: This survey identified specific traumatic life events, psychiatric history, stressor perinatal criterion A, preterm birth, and emergency cesarean section as risk factors for the development of PTSD or a PTSD profile in women after cesarean delivery.