Background: The 2020 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been raging for more than 20 months, putting significant strain on public health systems around the world. Despite the fact that the pandemic has been effectively managed in certain countries, regional outbreaks and viral mutations continue to pose a threat to people's lives. The likelihood of post-pandemic changes in people's psychological situations warrants more investigation. Design and participants: This study was conducted in the context of another outbreak in Zhangjiajie, China, respondents (infected patients, healthy population) were required to complete self-administered questions and standardized questionnaires, including the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). Measures: We conducted an anonymous questionnaire survey of infected patients (excluding critically ill patients) in the confirmed COVID-19 ward of Zhangjiajie City People's Hospital's East Hospital from August 14 to 24, 2021, and used convenience sampling to survey medical staff and the general public to assess the psychological reactions of different populations during the delta variant outbreak pandemic. Differences in anxiety and depression severity were compared between groups, with logistic regression models constructed to explore potential factors associated with scoring clinical significant levels of depression and/or anxiety. Results: There is no significant difference (p value = 0.228) between anxiety and depression in patients (n = 53), general public (n = 97), medical personnel (n = 103), and support workers (n = 65). Females reported higher scores on the GAD-7 and the BIPQ, reduced communication with family and friends appeared to be a risk factor for clinically significant anxiety and depression. Conclusions: There were no significant differences in anxiety and depression across populations explored in this study, but females had higher anxiety and illness perception than males, and effective communication may help improve mental health.

Owing to the special nature of work and practice environment, nurses face relatively higher mental health risks. The mental health problems of nurses in China’s tertiary hospitals are particularly prominent. However, nationally representative longitudinal data on nurses’ mental health in China are lacking. The present paper describes the design and initial findings of the Nurses’ Mental Health Study (NMHS). The study population comprised registered nurses employed at 67 tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces in mainland China. Survey content covers sociodemographic information, work-related factors, health status, lifestyle habits, objective experiences, family and social relationships, current affairs opinions, overall evaluation, and identity information. Data are collected annually and have been collected twice to date, with an initial follow-up period of five years. The baseline survey (December 2023-January 2024) collected 132,910 valid questionnaires (effective response rate 89.9%, 93.5% female, ages 18–65 years), and the first follow-up (December 2024-January 2025) collected 131,713 valid questionnaires (effective response rate 90.8%, 92.9% female, ages 18–66 years). A total of 84,252 questionnaires were successfully matched between baseline and the first follow-up (matching rate 63.4%). Among the participants, 55.2% of participants reported depressive symptoms, 39.3% reported anxiety symptoms, and 45.0% reported insomnia symptoms. It should be noted that severity bands (e.g., mild) reflect symptom burden rather than clinical diagnoses. Suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors were reported by 3.1% and 1.2% of participants, respectively. In the past year, 6.9% of nurses sought help from psychiatric or psychological services, and 15.4% participated in mental health promotion activities. Our findings suggest that a substantial proportion of NMHS participants reported experiencing mental and psychological symptoms. However, the mental health service use rate was low. These findings highlight the necessity of routine psychological screening and the optimization of mental health promotion services.

Adolescents hospitalised for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) represent a particularly severe subset within psychiatric care. The NSSI imposes significant challenges on parents, including lack of knowledge, ineffective coping strategies, and negative emotions, exacerbated by stigma. Parental empowerment is crucial for supporting adolescent recovery; however, current interventions often neglect parents. Single-session interventions (SSIs) may offer an accessible and promising approach to address this gap. This mixed-methods study assessed the short-term effects of project CSH-P: a mobile-based, self-guided SSI aimed at empowering parents of adolescents hospitalised for NSSI. 88 participants were randomly assigned to CSH-P (n = 46) or control group (n = 42). Online assessments measuring knowledge, attitudes, and stigma were administered at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and one week later. Additionally, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with participants who received CSH-P post-intervention. Compared to the control group, participants who received CSH-P showed significant improvements in NSSI-related knowledge (Cohen's d = .42, p = .027) and more positive attitudes toward their adolescents (Cohen's d = - .31, p = .047). Qualitative findings confirmed these results, with parents reporting highly positive engagement and perceived empowerment across cognitive, emotional, and behavioural dimensions. Furthermore, parents provided constructive feedback for further enhancing the intervention's impact. Project CSH-P demonstrates the potential to enhance parental empowerment in managing adolescent self-injurious behaviours. Its brevity, low cost, and ease of dissemination make it a promising strategy for widely applicable prevention and treatment efforts. Future research should explore the long-term sustainability of these improvements and assess the broader impact on parenting practices and adolescent treatment outcomes.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder lacking effective treatments. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the efficacy and safety of sulforaphane (SFN) for ASD. Eight databases were searched from inception to September 2024, identifying six randomized controlled trials for inclusion. Efficacy outcomes included ASD symptoms measured by the mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD), while safety outcomes included adverse events measured by relative risk. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool, and evidence certainty was evaluated via the Grade of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Results showed that SFN significantly improved total symptoms (SMD = -0.27, 95 % confidence interval (CI), -0.42, -0.12), aberrant behavior (SMD = -0.43, 95 % CI, -0.66, -0.19), hyperactivity (SMD = -0.58, 95 % CI, -1.03, -0.13), social interaction (SMD = -0.43, 95 % CI, -0.59, -0.27), social communication (SMD = -0.24, 95 % CI, -0.35, - 0.12), and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) (SMD = -0.16, 95 % CI, -0.31, -0.00). Effects on irritability, anxiety, sensory sensitivity, total social skills, social awareness, social cognition, and social motivation were not statistically significant. Adverse events were similar between intervention and control groups. In conclusion, SFN shows potential in improving ASD symptoms without significant adverse effects. However, results should be interpreted cautiously due to potential influences from assessment tools, outcome assessors, and treatment duration. Further research is needed to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of SFN for ASD.

Musculoskeletal pain is common among nurses and can lead to absenteeism, reduced productivity and impaired physical and mental health. Long-term pain may develop into chronic pain, which is a more serious and longer-lasting condition that will cause further harm to nurses’ health. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain and its associated factors among nurses in tertiary hospitals in China. This was a multicentre cross-sectional study of 147,832 nurses from 67 tertiary hospitals in China between December 2023 and January 2024, using cluster sampling and online methods. This study was a secondary analysis of the Nurses’ Mental Health Study. The variables included sociodemographic information (sex, age, ethnicity, etc.), work-related information (professional title, years of working, department, etc.), and chronic pain characteristics (presence of chronic pain and site of pain). The study followed the STROBE guidelines. Statistical analyses included descriptive, chi-square test and binary logistic regression. The prevalence of chronic pain among the participants was 8.2%, with the most common sites of pain being the low back (55.8%), neck and shoulder (40.0%), and head (37.6%). Factors associated with chronic pain in nurses included sex, age, ethnicity, education level, marital status, body mass index, weekly working hours, years of working, night shift, and exercise habit. Additionally, we analysed subgroups by different groups of sex, age, type of work, and night shifts. After comparing all binary logistic regression analyses, it was found that age > 40 years [odds ratio (OR) = 3.01], marital status (separated, widowed, or divorced) [OR = 1.64], body mass index ≥ 24 [OR = 1.27], working over 48 h per week [OR = 1.32], and no exercise habits [OR = 1.21] were stable risk factors for chronic pain in the nurse population. Nurses’ occupational health is vital for the quality and safety of patient care. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions (e.g., ergonomics training and education, work environment enhancement, shift optimization, healthy lifestyle promotion) to reduce chronic pain in nurses. Our findings may help provide a foundation for the prevention and management of chronic pain in nurses. Not applicable. This study was not a clinical trial.