Prevalence of fatigue among postgraduate trainees in the United States and Japan

Cognition of the warning symptoms and risk factors for cancer among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study based on a summer social practice activity

BACKGROUND

To investigate the cognition of cancer warning symptoms and cancer risk factors among Chinese college students, analyze the influencing factors, and explain the correlations between cancer cognition and cancer symptom discrimination, cancer fear and psychological distress.

METHODS

Chinese college students were recruited in this cross-sectional study funded by a summer social practice activity in Yunnan Province, China. Cognition rates of cancer warning symptoms and cancer risk factors were evaluated using Cancer Warning symptoms Cognition Questionnaire (CWSCQ) and Cancer Risk Factors Cognition Questionnaire (CRFCQ), respectively. Factors associated with cognition of cancer warning symptoms, and factors associated with cognition of cancer risk factors were evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis. Interactions between cancer cognition, cancer symptom discrimination, psychological distress, and cancer fear were evaluated by structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

There were 846 effective samples, with an effective rate of 80.9%. The cognition rates of cancer warning symptoms were from 47.9% to 84.4%, which were affected by cancer symptom discrimination, education, attitudes towards cancer screening, living expenses, drinking history, and ways to obtain cancer knowledge (p < 0.05). The cognition rates of cancer risk factors were from 46.3% to 91.3% in participants, which were affected by education, cancer symptom discrimination, psychological distress, attitudes towards cancer screening, life satisfaction, cancer history in relatives and friends, ways to obtain cancer knowledge, smoking history, and nursing history for cancer patients (p < 0.05). Cancer cognition and cancer symptom discrimination showed intermediary effects on psychological distress and cancer fear (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The overall cancer cognition situation among Chinese college students is not optimistic, which highlights the necessity of improving the cancer health literacy among Chinese college students. With the increasing morbidity and mortality rates of cancer, it is necessary to raise awareness of early detection, and early treatment of cancer among the general public. Health education interventions are helpful to improve cancer health literacy.

The effect of flaxseed on physical and mental fatigue in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity: a randomised controlled trial

Anti-inflammatory agents such as long-chain n-3 fatty acids have been recognised to improve disease-related fatigue. We hypothesised that α-linolenic acid may also benefit in reduction of fatigue in low-grade inflammation such as overweight/obesity. Seventy-two healthy children and adolescents with BMI > 25 kg/m2 were randomised to flaxseed (n 38) and puffed wheat (n 34) groups. Participants consumed isoenergetic amounts of either 20 g/d flaxseed or 25 g/d puffed wheat for 4 weeks. Fatigue, mood feelings (depression, anxiety and stress), appetite, energy intake, weight, height and waist circumference were measured. Analysis was performed based on per-protocol and intention-to-treat (ITT) approaches. Consumption of flaxseed decreased mental fatigue and caused a significant between-group difference (P < 0·001). Although no significant change in physical and total score of fatigue was observed in either group, a significant between-group difference occurred due to a more remarkable change in these parameters in the flaxseed group. General fatigue, motivation, activity and mood feelings did not change significantly between groups. Flaxseed showed less benefit than puffed wheat on anthropometric measures as it caused a smaller increase in height (0·53 (sd 0·89) v. 1·09 (sd 0·87) cm, P = 0·03) and reduction in BMI (-0·25 (sd 0·63) v. -0·67 (sd 0·56) kg/m2, P = 0·01) than puffed wheat. Appetite and waist circumference decreased in both groups, but no significant difference was observed between groups. In ITT analysis, only alteration in mental fatigue was significant. In conclusion, consumption of flaxseed may improve mental fatigue in children with overweight/obesity. However, because of smaller increase in height, it is better to hinder administration of flaxseed during periods of growth.