OBJECTIVE Researchers have previously reported that law students and medical students experience significant distress during their first year. The authors suspected that freshmen undergraduates might experience similar distress in their transition to college. PARTICIPANTS They surveyed 242 undergraduate freshmen at the beginning and end of their first year. METHODS The authors asked partici...

The psychological impact for patients with wounds can be significant, and adverse psychological effects frequently occur when there are permanent changes in the body's structure or function. Evidence suggests that anxiety, depression and stress can adversely affect the wound healing process. An integrative review examined any paper that discussed any patient in any health care setting who had e...

Infertility affects 15% of the world’s population. It is a deeply intimate matter, often deemed as taboo to discuss publically, with pervasive social and psychological consequences. Over the last few decades, research has enlightened our understanding of the biomedical causes and treatment options of infertility and the psychological impact of the experience. However, less attention is given to...

Adolescents with diabetes require strict self-management in all aspects of their lives and are strongly advised to follow treatment guidelines that cover insulin self-administration, glucose tests, regular exercise, and dietary regimens. Without proper glycemic control, diabetic adolescents will experience hypoglycemic shock, ensuing emotional anxiety, and psychological withdrawal due to concer...

Survey data collected in 1984-85 from a community sample of 637 gay and bisexual men were used to determine the features of social relationships that were most conductive to changes in both psychological health and AIDS-related sexual risk behavior. Multiple regression analyses showed that both the perceived availability of social support and the absence of conflicts in the social network were ...

More than 90 percent of all amputations are now due to the complications of chronic disease. Because most amputations can be anticipated, the preoperative period allows the opportunity for psychological preparation of the patient. This article highlights the important contribution family physicians can make before patients undergo amputation. Common patient reactions before and after amputation...