Background: Globally 117.3 million people are displaced due to war, with one in five refugees experiencing psychological distress. Despite the availability of numerous psychological interventions for war refugees, their overall efficacy is still unexplored. Thus, this review examines the effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing the mental health issues of war refugees. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, APA PsycNET, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar for studies published on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for mental health issues among war refugees in July 2024. JBI and NHLBI checklists were employed to appraise the risk of bias in the included studies. Review Manager version 5.4 was used to run the meta-analysis. Results: Out of 22,197 initially identified records, a total of 21 studies were included for systematic review and eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for meta-analysis. Random effects meta-analysis showed significant medium effect size for psychological interventions (SMD = -0.69; 95 % CI:0.87, -0.51; p < .00001) in reducing the mental health issues among war refugees. Sub group analysis based on the mode of delivery revealed that interventions delivered through in-person mode reported a significant large effect size (SMD = -1.03; 95 % CI:1.36, -0.71; p < .00001) while, telehealth interventions showed significant small effect size (SMD = -0.44; 95 % CI:0.61, -0.28; p < .00001). Conclusion: In-person and telehealth based psychological interventions offer promising findings in addressing mental health issues among war refugees. However, given the barriers to accessing face to face treatments and limited evidence on telehealth interventions, future research on digital interventions is recommended.

Each year, millions of individuals are impacted by warfare and compelled to seek refuge in other nations for protection, resulting in more mental health problems than any other phenomenon. With the promising advancement of digital interventions, the present systematic review aims to understand the effectiveness of such interventions on different mental health problems of war-affected populations. From databases such as APA PsycNet, Google Scholar, Harvard Library, JSTOR, PubMed, Sage, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Wiley, articles were screened adhering to the PICOS model in August 2024 and reported using PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Among 1757 articles, 11 were eligible for systematic review and 10 for meta-analysis. Appropriate JBI checklists were used for quality assessment. Narrative synthesis was performed to identify different digital interventions for various mental health problems of war-affected populations. Meta-analysis was done to estimate the effectiveness of the interventions using STATA 17. The review highlighted the available digital interventions for mental health problems among war-affected individuals. The meta-analysis yielded medium to large significant effect sizes for the digital interventions among different mental health problems (Depression = −0.57, Anxiety = −0.82, PTSD = −0.42, Insomnia = −0.59). Subgroup analyses and meta-regression revealed a significant contribution of provider, communication, and intervention duration on some outcome measures. The present study findings can guide clinicians, therapists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to develop, modify and execute advanced cost-effective treatment methods for mental health problems of the war-affected.

Purpose of Review: Cutaneous allodynia is a frequent complaint among individuals with migraine and serves as a critical marker of central sensitization, which plays a pivotal role in migraine pathophysiology. This can exacerbate migraine severity and diminish quality of life. Understanding the risk factors associated with cutaneous allodynia is essential, as it can help identify individuals at higher risk of developing this condition and guide early intervention strategies. Identifying its consequences provides critical insights into disease progression, treatment response, and disability. Hence, this scoping review aimed to determine the risk factors and consequences of cutaneous allodynia in individuals with migraine. Recent Findings: A total of 47 studies were included from the 2116 retrieved studies. Most of the studies adopted a cross-sectional design (n = 29). Other designs included cohort (n = 8), longitudinal (n = 4), experimental (n = 2), qualitative (exploratory) (n = 2), and observational (n = 1) research designs. Most participants were individuals diagnosed with migraine aged 18–65 (n = 40), and some studies included the pediatric population (n = 5). The study highlighted various risk factors such as psychological, migraine-associated, neurophysiological, biological, socio-demographic, and lifestyle-related factors. The identified consequences were classified as mental health, physical health, neurophysiological, migraine-associated, and treatment-related consequences. Summary: The evaluation of risk factors and consequences of cutaneous allodynia among individuals with migraine significantly highlighted the multidimensional risk factors of cutaneous allodynia and its debilitating effects on the lives of the affected individuals. These factors are significant for designing targeted, multifaceted interventions for managing cutaneous allodynia and thus provide an essential step in effective migraine management.

Objectives: Constant exposure to trauma and death adversely affects the physical, emotional, and mental stability of the helping professionals, leading to compassion fatigue (CF). Although research has explored the effect of various psychological interventions (PIs) on CF, no studies have quantitatively synthesized their effectiveness. Thus, the current systematic review and meta-analysis address this gap by examining the efficacy of PIs in reducing CF among helping professionals. Methods: Databases such as Scopus,Web of Science, PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched to identify studies published between 2004 and 2023. Quantitative studies published in English that used any PI to reduce CF of helping professionals were selected for analysis. The risk of bias in studies was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment tool. Results: Of the 1995 records identified from databases, 82 intervention studies were included in the systematic review, and 11 randomized controlled trials were chosen for meta-analysis. Post-intervention means and SDs of the intervention group and the control group were used to run the meta-analysis. Random effects meta-analysis results revealed that PIs are highly effective in reducing CF (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.95; 95% CI, −1.63 to −0.27; P = .006). Conclusion: Evidence suggests that PIs, especially online-delivered PIs, could reduce the CF of helping professionals. Health policymakers, concerned authorities, and intervention designers should focus on reducing the CF of helping professionals, as they need to work with vulnerable populations efficiently.

Digital transformation in the health sector can revolutionize a country’s healthcare system. However, the effective sustainability of digital health relies on various factors that influence its implementation. Addressing such implementation challenges is crucial in designing and delivering digital health services. Therefore, this systematic review attempted to identify the potential barriers to the implementation of digital transformation in the health sector of India. Systematic searches were employed across databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for studies that reported digital transformation in India from inception to December 2022. Following narrative synthesis, studies were assessed for quality using JBI and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Out of 1129 initially identified records, 26 studies that met the inclusion criteria were deemed eligible for final analysis. Although digital transformation in India’s health sector occurred rapidly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still potential barriers that impede its successful implementation in the country. Barriers identified are mainly associated with limited technological and medical infrastructure, data security and privacy, and a lack of physical examination. The need to address these barriers, recommendations for government and healthcare practitioners, and implications for future research are discussed.

Background: Being able to forgive one’s own wrongdoings improves the health and well-being of a person. People find it difficult to forgive themselves due to different reasons. It is essential to enhance the ability to accept one’s deeds and thereby enhance self-forgiveness. The current systematic review’s objective is to comprehend the application and efficiency of numerous interventions that improve self-forgiveness. Methods: The search was done on electronic databases such as PubMed, ERIC, Web of Science, PsycNet, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The initial search yielded 399 articles. After the duplicate removal, 19 articles met the eligibility criteria. Two studies were identified through related references. Thus, 21 articles were finalized for review. The study adhered to the PRISMA recommendations for systematic reviews. Results: The 21 finalized articles varied in method, participants, research design, duration, measurement tools used, and observed outcomes. Thirteen of the 21 finalized articles followed interventions specifically designed to promote self-forgiveness. Interventions are seen to be applied at both individual and group levels. Conclusion: The review categorizes the interventions into self-directed and group. The self-directed interventions, notably those based on Enright’s process model, demonstrate its efficiency in nurturing self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness interventions are also found to be effective in promoting other positive psychological and clinical variables. Further implications and future research avenues are outlined.

Background: Recent research identified that cancer bereavement can lead to post-traumatic growth (PTG). Although PTG and its correlates are well explored in cancer patients and survivors, persons bereaved from cancer have received scant attention. Therefore, the present review attempts to identify the correlates of PTG among persons bereaved from cancer. Methods: A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, APA PsycNet, Science Direct, Scopus, and Wiley was conducted to identify quantitative studies published in English, resulting in 12 eligible reports being included in the final analysis. JBI critical checklists were employed to appraise the risk of bias. Results: The review identified 17 correlates, which were classified into four categories: demographic factors (age, gender, religious status, level of education), loss-related factors (time since death, quality of death, prolonged grief symptoms), interpersonal factors (relationship to the deceased, social support, attachment style, bereavement behaviours) and intrapersonal factors (resilience, coping, rumination, benevolence, meaningfulness, self-worth). Random effects meta-analyses on six correlates revealed correlation coefficients of age = -0.02 (95% CI: -0.35–0.31), gender = 0.27 (95% CI: 0.08–0.45), time since death = 0.09 (95% CI: -0.02–0.20), quality of death = 0.29 (95% CI: -0.01–0.54), prolonged grief symptoms = 0.22 (95% CI: 0.08–0.35) and relationship to the deceased = 0.13 (95% CI: -0.03–0.29). Fixed effects meta-analysis was performed for social support (r = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04–0.21). However, PTG was found to be significantly associated with gender, prolonged grief symptoms, and social support. Conclusions: Very few studies examined PTG among persons bereaved from cancer, highlighting the need for increased attention, understanding, and conceptualisation of PTG in the population.

Despite a global call to action, many deaths occur yearly in developing nations from contagious diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene. Although hand hygiene (HH) behavior was critical in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic, the sustainability of such practices is still questionable. Therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the prevalence and determinants of HH behavior among the Indian population (PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42022344961). Systematic searches on electronic databases, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, PubMed, and Google Scholar, targeted qualitative and quantitative studies that report HH behaviors in India. Pooled effect sizes were calculated with the inverse-variance method using random-effects models, acknowledging the study heterogeneity. Out of 1053 studies, 15 studies that met eligibility criteria were included in the qualitative synthesis. Among them, five studies were included in the meta-analyses. The overall prevalence of HH before food was 55% (95% CI = 31–78), and after the toilet was 84% (95% CI = 65–96). Subgroup analysis showed that before-food HH prevalence pre- and post-COVID-19 was 61% and 36%, respectively, whereas after-toilet HH prevalence was 91% and 74%, respectively. Meta-regression revealed statistically non-significant results for COVID-19 status. While it could not adequately explain the heterogeneity of the ‘before-food prevalence’ studies (Adj. R2 = − 34.80%), it did account for more than 19% in ‘after-toilet prevalence’ (Adj. R2 = 19.72%). This systematic review highlights various demographic, psychosocial, and environmental determinants of HH behavior. The results offer the potential for a deeper comprehension of the key factors influencing HH in India and could find implications for developing viable interventions. This aids in planning efficient promotional campaigns to enhance personal hygiene and control infectious diseases in the nation.

Purpose: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are well-validated interventions to enhance the favourable body image of individuals. Despite their wide application, the efficacy of MBIs in reducing body image dissatisfaction (BID) among various clinical populations remains unclear. This study aims to expand the literature on MBIs for BID and identify effective types of MBIs for reducing BID in diverse clinical populations for future research and practice. Methods: A systematic search for studies published in English on the effectiveness of MBIs for BID among the clinical population was done on APA PsycNet, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases in August 2023. Of the 1962 articles initially identified, 17 were found eligible and evaluated based on the JBI checklist. Results: Random effects meta-analyses on six MBIs revealed their effectiveness in reducing BID among the clinical population (SMD = −.59 and 95% CI = −1.03 to −.15, p = .009), with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (SMD = −1.29, 95% CI = −2.06 to −.52, p = .001) and My Changed Body (MyCB) (SMD = −.24, 95% CI = −.46 to −.01, p = .04) reporting significant effect sizes. Among the patients with breast cancer, MyCB (SMD = −.24, 95% CI = −.46 to −.01, p = .04) showed a significant effect size. Conclusions: MBIs appear to be promising interventions in reducing BID among the clinical population. However, findings should be considered cautiously due to the possible publication bias, high heterogeneity and fewer available studies.

Background: India, the seventh-largest country in the world and the second-most populated faces enormous challenges when it comes to healthcare. The country’s healthcare system was close to collapse due to the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth, which enables treating patients remotely, played a critical role during these challenging times. This systematic review investigates in detail the role of telehealth during COVID-19 and its application beyond the pandemic. Methods: Database searches on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science were carried out for studies published on telehealth, and articles were included if they focused on any audio or video telehealth consultation during the pandemic in India. Findings were synthesised into three main themes: applications, benefits and challenges of telehealth services. Methodological quality was assessed using JBI critical appraisal tools. Results: The initial search on databases yielded 1143 articles. Of those, 19 met the eligibility criteria. Findings highlight the effective utilisation of telehealth across multiple medical specialities. Although insufficient technological infrastructure and other barriers due to the virtual consultation challenge the successful implementation of telehealth in India, it has the potential to bridge the rural-urban healthcare divide with cost-effective and easily accessible services. Conclusion: High patient/provider satisfaction underscores the need to integrate telehealth into routine healthcare practices in the country. However, the review urges the government and healthcare practitioners to address the telehealth challenges with prime importance to ensure quality healthcare throughout the nation even after the pandemic.

Vaccine hesitancy plays a crucial role in worldwide pandemic-control efforts. The multifaceted nature of vaccine hesitancy entails many psychological factors that are widely discussed in the literature, although few studies specifically compile these factors. Thus, this systematic review aims to synthesize the psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. As per the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines, a systematic search was conducted on electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, PsycNET, and Web of Science, and a manual search was conducted on Google Scholar. Out of the 2289 articles obtained, 79 studies that met the inclusion criteria were deemed eligible for the review. The findings highlight appraisals of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine safety and side effects, vaccine confidence/trust, trust in government and healthcare professionals, scepticism around vaccine production, conspiracy beliefs, emotions, and information and knowledge about the vaccine as the major psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Concerningly, misinformation on COVID-19 vaccination spread through social media platforms, increasing vaccine hesitancy. Recommendations for government authorities, healthcare professionals, and implications for future research are also outlined.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unanticipated challenges that could impact how the family system operates across the world. Restrictions imposed to control the rapid spread of the virus substantially increased violence in families. The current study aims to review violence in the family and its impact on the mental health of children during the pandemic. Method: A systematic search was conducted using keywords in the electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, and a manual search was conducted on Google Scholar for articles from January 2020 to January 2021. Of the 50 records identified, seven studies that met eligibility criteria were selected for final analysis. Results: Results revealed that family violence during the pandemic has escalated the mental health problems of children, including aggressive and self-harming behaviours. Lockdown restrictions, social detachment, financial instability, fear of infection, and unemployment led to increased parental stress. Parents with a higher level of stress were more likely to maltreat their children. Conclusions: Exposure to short and long-term family violence can adversely impact the mental health of children and can negatively affect a child’s present and future life. Recommendations for researchers, mental health practitioners, public health authorities, and other service providers are also outlined.