Introduktion

Ungdomars hälsobesvär betraktas i dag som ett globalt folkhälsoproblem. Hälsobesvär kan vara både kroppsliga och psykiska, och kan komma till uttryck genom exempelvis ledsenhet, sömnsvårigheter och smärta. Eftersom hälsobesvär uttrycks på olika sätt kan de vara svåra att förstå och därigenom bemöta. Ledsenhet är en känsla som människor återkommande erfar under livet, men ledsenhet är också ett av symtomen vid depression. Forskning har hittills fokuserat på depression hos ungdomar, men ledsenhet är däremot inte lika utforskad, och inte heller relationen mellan ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär.

Syfte

Syftet var att utforska ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär hos ungdomar.

Metod

En kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie baserad på enkätdata insamlade på gymnasieskolor i södra Sverige (n = 1489; 15–17 år) (svarsfrekvens 71,3 %).

Resultat

Ledsenhet var vanligt hos ungdomar. 21,8 % av ungdomarna uppgav att de upplevde ledsenhet ofta eller alltid (flickor: 17,9 %, pojkar: 26,7 %, annat kön: 28,0 %). Ledsenhet var relaterat till sömnsvårigheter, huvudvärk, koncentrationssvårigheter, spänningar och nedsatt aptit.

Diskussion

Ett sätt att tolka relationen mellan ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär är att förstå ledsenhet som en förkroppsligad känsla. Med förkroppsligande menas att känslor tar sig kroppsliga uttryck, och ledsenhet kan på så vis manifesteras genom exempelvis huvudvärk och sömnsvårigheter. Olika sätt att förstå hur känslor uppkommer och yttrar sig leder till olika behandling och stöd. Det finns en risk att vardagliga känslouttryck betraktas som sjukliga och därför medicineras. Tidigare forskning har visat att flickors och pojkars känslouttryck tolkas och bemöts på olika sätt, och att grunden till deras besvär inte alltid kommer upp till ytan.

Slutsats

Som hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal är det viktigt att försöka förstå vad hälsobesvär är ett uttryck för, för att kunna erbjuda personcentrerat stöd som har positiv effekt på den ungas välbefinnande.

Artikeln i sin helhet

Garnow, T.; Einberg, E.-L.; Edberg, A.-K.; Garmy, P. Sadness and Other Health Complaints among Swedish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3999. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083999

Introduction

There is growing concern that adolescents’ mental health is deteriorating. Additionally, concepts of embodiment have gained increasing importance in research in recent decades. Since emotions are expressed in the body, it can be challenging to understand what adolescents’ health complaints stand for and how they can be responded to.Sadness is a common emotion that repeatedly occurs during life, but sadness is also one of the main symptoms of depression. A large body of previous research has examined depression among adolescents, but little is known about nonpathological sadness and the relationship between sadness and other health complaints.

Aim

The study aimed to investigate sadness and other health complaints among adolescents.

Methods

Swedish adolescents completed a survey with a cross-sectional design (n = 1489, 15–17 years old), and a logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between sadness and other health complaints.

Results

Sadness was related to health complaints[headache (OR: 1.58), sleeping difficulties (OR: 2.00), reduced appetite (OR: 1.43), tension (OR: 2.44), and concentration difficulties (OR: 2.75)].

Conclusion

A possible interpretation of the relationship between sadness and other health complaints may be an embodiment of emotions. Different understandings of how emotions arise and are expressed lead to different treatments and care. By not considering embodied emotions, there is a risk of medicating a normal emotional state. Therefore, it is important to reflect on what adolescents’ health complaints are an expression of and take into account the body as physical and psychological intertwined. This might entail person-centered support that hopefully leads to an improvement in adolescents’ well-being.

Reference

Garnow, T.; Einberg, E.-L.; Edberg, A.-K.; Garmy, P. Sadness and Other Health Complaints among Swedish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3999. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1808999

Health complaints are increasing among adolescents and are recognized as a global public health issue. Health complaints are an indicator for subjective ill-being, but little is known about the relationship between sadness and other health complaints. The aim of this study was to investigate sadness and other health complaints among Swedish adolescents. A survey with a cross-sectional design was completed by adolescents (n = 1489, 15–17 years old) in the south of Sweden. A logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between sadness and other health complaints. The result show that sadness and other health complaints were common among adolescents, and sadness was related to health complaints (headache (OR: 1.58), sleeping difficulties (OR: 2.00), reduced appetite (OR: 1.43), tension (OR: 2.44), and concentration difficulties (OR: 2.75)). When adolescents express sadness or other health complaints it is important to reflect on what these complaints are an expression of, and take into account the body as physical and psychological intertwined. This might entail person-centered support that hopefully leads to an improvement in adolescents’ well-being. Future research that profoundly highlights adolescents’ existential health is needed.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe how EL was eased, as narrated by frail older people.

BACKGROUND: Existential loneliness (EL) is an unavoidable part of the human condition. It is a complex phenomenon that has been described as disconnection from life. If EL is acknowledged in the care of older people, the experience of EL can be reduced.

DESIGN: In this qualitative study, we used an exploratory and descriptive design.

METHODS: The study was based on 22 narrative interviews with frail older people, 76 to 101 years old, who were receiving long-term care and services. We analysed the data using conventional content analysis.

RESULTS: Being acknowledged by others, that is, being the focus of others' concern, eased the experience of EL, as did encountering intimacy and having meaningful exchanges of thoughts and feelings. Further, EL was pushed into the background and eased when participants could bracket negative thoughts and feelings, that is, when they could adjust and accept the present situation, view life in the rear-view mirror, be in contact with spiritual dimensions and withdraw and distract themselves.

CONCLUSION: Existential loneliness can be eased by experiencing meaningful togetherness with others and oneself when something else comes to the forefront, pushing EL to the background. Frail older peoples' opportunities to ease EL may be facilitated by health care staff (HCS) providing person-centred care and create possibilities for solitary time and meaningful togetherness.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: If frail older people's ongoing processes of adjusting and accepting their situation are understood and confirmed by people in their environment, for example, by nurses, family and friends, the experience of living a meaningful life can be supported, which, in turn, can ease EL.