The fundamental association between mental health and life satisfaction: results from successive waves of a Canadian national survey

Informing the measurement of wellbeing among young people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa for policy evaluations: a mixed-methods systematic review

Young people living with HIV (YPLHIV) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are at high risk of having a poor quality of life. Addressing wellbeing explicitly within HIV/AIDS policies could assist mitigation efforts. However, guidance on wellbeing measures to evaluate policies for YPLHIV is scarce. The aims of this mixed-methods review were to identify: i) key dimensions of wellbeing and ii) wellbeing measures that align to these dimensions among YPLHIV (15-24 years) in SSA. We searched six social science and medical databases, including grey literature. We included studies that examined correlates and lived experiences of wellbeing, among YPLHIV in SSA, from January 2000 to May 2019. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts and assessed methodological quality of included articles. We analysed quantitative and qualitative data using descriptive and meta-ethnographic approaches, respectively. Thereafter, we integrated findings using a framework approach. We identified 6527 citations. Of these, 10 quantitative and 30 qualitative studies were included. Being male, higher educational status, less stigma and more social support were likely correlates of wellbeing. Themes that shaped experiences suggestive of wellbeing were: 1) acceptance and belonging- stigma, social support; 2) coping; 3) standard of living. Our final synthesis found that the following dimensions potentially characterise wellbeing: self-acceptance, belonging, autonomy; positive relations, environmental mastery, purpose in life. Wellbeing for YPLHIV is multi-dimensional and relational. Relevant measures include the Personal Wellbeing Index, Ryff's Psychological Wellbeing Scale and Mental Health Continuum Short Form. However, psychometric evaluations of these scales among YPLHIV in SSA are needed.

Prevalence of Positive Mental Health and Associated Factors Among Postpartum Women in Canada: Findings from a National Cross-Sectional Survey

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of three positive mental health (PMH) outcomes (self-rated mental health, life satisfaction, sense of community belonging) in postpartum women to the general population, and to examine the relationship between protective factors and the three PMH outcomes among postpartum women.

Methods

The national cross-sectional Survey on Maternal Health (n = 6558) was analyzed. Analyses were weighted and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Three adjusted logistic regression models were generated. To compare this sample to the general population of women, estimates from the Canadian Community Health Survey—Annual Component (2018) were used.

Results

Compared to the general population of women, a larger proportion of postpartum women reported a strong sense of community belonging. The odds of postpartum women with high self-rated physical health having high self-rated mental health were approximately seven times greater (aOR 6.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.9, 8.1) than postpartum women with lower self-rated physical health. The absence of symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and high self-rated physical health were significantly associated with all three PMH outcomes. Frequent availability of maternal support was associated with greater odds of high life satisfaction (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4, 1.9) and sense of community belonging (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2, 1.6).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that availability of maternal support, self-rated physical health and absence of symptoms of PPD or GAD were associated with PMH among postpartum women. As physical health had the strongest association with mental health, we encourage further examination of this relationship.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s10995-020-02920-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Salutogenic constructs across Pakistan and Germany: A cross sectional study

Background/Objective

Protective factors are relevant for mental health in general, however, universality of the instruments has been rarely tested. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine psychometric properties and cross-cultural measurement invariance of salutogenic constructs.

Method

Data was collected from university students of Pakistan (n = 1,841) and Germany (n = 7,890). Single-group confirmatory analysis (CFA) and multiple-group CFA was tested to examine the proposed factor structure and measurement invariance of Positive Mental Health Scale, Resilience Scale, Perceived Social Support Questionnaire, and Life Satisfaction Scale across student samples from Pakistan and Germany respectively.

Results

We found strong measurement invariance for the Positive Mental Health Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and partial strong measurement for the Resilience Scale, and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire.

Conclusions

The results indicate that these scales could be recommended for the meaningful comparison of latent means across cultures. Understanding these differences would further advance our knowledge about the mechanism underlying positive mental health.

Locating oneself in the past to influence the present: Impacts of Neolithic landscapes on mental health well-being

There are well-established links between mental health and the environment. Mental illness is a global issue, and international policies increasingly focus on promoting mental health well-being through community-based approaches, including non-clinical initiatives such as therapeutic landscapes and the use of heritage assets. However, the empirical evidence-base for the impact of such initiatives is limited. This innovative study, known as Human Henge, used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the impact of immersive experiences of prehistoric landscapes on the well-being of participants with mental health issues. Uniquely, the study followed participants for a year after their participation in the project to explore the long-term impact of their experiences on their mental well-being. Findings highlight that, overall, participants experienced improved mental health well-being from baseline to mid- and end-of programme (p = 0.01 & 0.003), as well as one-year post-programme (p = 0.03). Qualitative data indicated the reconnection of participants with local communities, and with other people, in ways that improved their mental health well-being. These data highlight the effectiveness of using heritage as a means of improving the well-being of people with mental health issues.

Workplace spirituality and the ethical behaviour of project managers

Orientation: Despite increased interest in the topic of ethical behaviour, the unethical behaviour of individuals in various professions is increasing. In order to support professional bodies in their quest to promote ethical behaviour of professionals, one needs to consider what organisations can do to promote ethical conduct.Research purpose: The purpose of this research study was to investigate whether organisations that have spiritual values, that is, workplace spirituality, have a significant impact on the ethical behaviour of project managers.Motivation for the study: Project management as a profession has always been concerned about quality and ethics, but ethical behaviour seems to be on the increase rather than on the decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to consider factors within the organisational context that can promote ethical behaviour.Research approach/design and method: The study was quantitative in nature, and data were collected from individuals studying towards a project management qualification. A descriptive case study design was used and data were collected once-off by means of a survey.Main findings: The findings of the study indicated that workplace spirituality influenced ethical behaviour to some extent, as it promotes responsibility and fairness, which are key values of the Project Management Institute.Practical/managerial implications: If organisations adopt spiritual values and promote a spirituality-based culture, ethical behaviour could be encouraged. However, workplace spirituality should not be seen as a quick fix to reduce unethical behaviour, and unless there is honest commitment by organisational leaders to transform organisations into humanised and spirituality-based workplaces, not much will be achieved in terms of promoting ethical behaviour.Contribution/value-add: The study contributes to the literature regarding ethical behaviour and workplace spirituality.