Radiation Exposure of Crystalline Bodies during Interventional Therapy and Related Research Status

The aim of this study was to estimate the exposure dose level of ocular corpuscles during the common interventional procedures of interventional radiology workers. This article retrospectively analyzed the general instruments and equipment of interventional therapy, the general methods and steps of interventional therapy, and the influence of X-ray of interventional surgery. The related contents of eye protection for interventional radiology workers were summarized. This study found that there was a significant linear correlation between the equivalent dose of lens and the exposure time. The tube voltage, tube current, and the size of fluoroscopic field of vision also have an impact on the radiation of workers during surgical exposure. Interventional surgery is difficult and easy. The exposure time of difficult surgery is relatively long, so the dose received by interventional staff is large. The intervention staff should improve their professional knowledge, be proficient in the operation technology, and try to reduce the exposure without affecting the diagnosis and treatment effect. During the intervention operation, the eye substance of the operator is exposed to a certain dose of radiation, and the wearing rate of protective lead glasses of the intervention staff is very low. Therefore, we must pay attention to the protection of the eyes, strengthen the protection management, and reduce the exposure dose of the intervention staff as much as possible.

“I Personally Wouldn’t Know Where to Go”: Adolescents’ Perceptions of Mental Health Services

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of mental health services from the perspectives of adolescents with no prior service experience. Thirty students in the Transition Year (fourth year) of secondary school participated in this study: 22 females and 8 males, aged 15 to 16. There was equal distribution across rural and urban settings. Participants had no prior experience of accessing mental health services. Data were collected in secondary school settings in the Republic of Ireland. An interpretive description approach guided this study. Data were collected through individual interviews. To complement interviews, participants drew images of mental health care environments and mental health staff members; drawings were not subjected to analysis. Data (participant interviews) were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three themes were identified. Participants suggested that “mental health services” differed from “psychiatric services,” with the latter term perceived more negatively. Uncertainty about how to access these services was voiced. Considering the vulnerability of adolescents to the experience of mental distress, education around mental health services is warranted. It is expected that provision of education in this area would enhance service delivery, improve adolescents’ help-seeking behaviors for mental distress, and reduce stigma.

Understanding Mental Health in the Context of Adolescent Pregnancy and HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review Identifying a Critical Evidence Gap

Adolescent (10-19 years) mental health remains an overlooked global health issue. Rates of adolescent pregnancy within sub-Saharan Africa are some of the highest in the world and occur at the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic. Both experiencing adolescent pregnancy and living with HIV have been found to be associated with adverse mental health outcomes, when investigated separately. Poor mental health may have implications for both parent and child. The literature regarding mental health within groups experiencing both HIV and adolescent pregnancy is yet to be summarised. This systematic review sought to identify (1) the prevalence/occurrence of common mental disorder amongst adolescents who are living with HIV and have experienced pregnancy, (inclusive of adolescent fathers) in sub-Saharan Africa (2) risk and protective factors for common mental disorder among this group, and (3) interventions (prevention/treatment) for common mental disorder among this group. A systematic search of electronic databases using pre-defined search terms, supplemented by hand-searching, was undertaken in September 2020. One author and an independent researcher completed a title and abstract screening of results from the search. A full-text search of all seemingly relevant manuscripts (both quantitative and qualitative) was undertaken and data extracted using pre-determined criteria. A narrative synthesis of included studies is provided. Quality and risk of bias within included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A systematic keyword search of databases and follow-up hand searching identified 2287 unique records. Of these, thirty-eight full-text quantitative records and seven full-text qualitative records were assessed for eligibility. No qualitative records met the eligibility criteria for inclusion within the review. One quantitative record was identified for inclusion. This study reported on depressive symptomology amongst 14 pregnant adolescents living with HIV in Kenya, identifying a prevalence of 92.9%. This included study did not meet the high methodological quality of this review. No studies were identified reporting on risk and protective factors for common mental disorder, and no studies were found identifying any specific interventions for common mental disorder for this group, either for prevention or for treatment. The limited data identified within this review provides no good quality evidence relating to the prevalence of common mental disorder among adolescents living with HIV who have experienced pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. No data was available relating to risk and protective factors or interventions for psychological distress amongst this group. This systematic review identifies a need for rigorous evidence regarding the mental health of pregnant and parenting adolescents living with HIV, and calls for granular interrogation of existing data to further our understanding of the needs of this group. The absence of research on this topic (both quantitative and qualitative) is a critical evidence gap, limiting evidence-based policy and programming responses, as well as regional development opportunities.