by Alejandro Ochoa-Ramirez  , Evelyn M. Kuhn  , Jitsupa Sirinit  and Theresa A. Mikhailov

Received: 11 October 2021;  Published: 26 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201003

Many clinical, biochemical, and anthropometric factors have been used to determine the nutritional status of critically ill children. One of the most commonly used anthropometric measurements in children is the head circumference. It is used to assess their development, and in some instances, can be an indicator of chronic malnutrition. We aim to study the association between head circumference and the nutritional status of critically ill children under 2 years old. We retrospectively obtained the head circumferenc [...]

by Jean-Lionel BAGOT

Received: 22 April 2022;  Published: 11 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203026

The application of targeted therapies (TT) in oncology has prolonged survivals and even enabled complete remission of cancers previously considered incurable. With small therapeutic indices, the reduction in dosage or spacing out of the doses of TT due to side effects, represents a significant loss of treatment opportunity for the patients. In the absence of drug interaction and significant side effects, homeopathy used in supportive care improves the quality of life of patients, compliance with oncological treatme [...]

by Alberto Dubbini

Received: 02 April 2023;  Published: 07 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303035

This article aims to analyze how Western researchers can be influenced by their epistemic and ethical foundations, which are also expressed through a culturally shared idea of therapy, and how this influence can significantly hinder the understanding of a different cultural reality and its resources in terms of knowledge and practices. While examining a collection of research cases in the field of psychedelic therapy, the present paper focuses on the obstacles created by ethical and epistemic conflicts in the mind [...]

by Lucy Watts  , Joanna Smith  , Wilfred McSherry  , Michael Tatterton  and Alison Rodriguez

Received: 04 November 2019;  Published: 03 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001012

In palliative and end of life care settings supporting people to make sense of their lives is as important as managing disease symptoms. Dignity Therapy is a validated psychotherapeutic intervention designed to bring about a sense of meaning and purpose for individuals at the end of life. Dignity Therapy has primarily been implemented and evaluated in adult palliative care settings. Prior to designing studies that evaluate Dignity Therapy for children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditi [...]

by Im Quah-Smith

Received: 09 May 2018;  Published: 25 June 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802012

The Auricular approach to diagnostics and therapeutics has gained momentum over the last 15 years. Battlefield Acupuncture has taken on a life of its own and has been adopted into NATO and even been introduced into neonatal intensive care. It is time to take on the challenge of Auricular Medicine - the application of the neurophysiological phenomenon referred to as the Vascular Autonomic Signal or VAS to identify active ear sites in Auricular interventions. It is time to utilize the VAS in therapeutics, recognizing [...]

by Ferah Armutcu

Received: 01 June 2024;  Published: 24 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403055

Intermittent fasting practices, recommended as a potential nutritional approach against obesity and metabolic diseases, have become increasingly widespread in recent years. Although convincing data on the anti-obesity and cardio-metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting are obtained mostly from experimental studies, religious and traditional fasting practices have been among the treatment methods applied for human health for centuries. Both intermittent fasting and religious fasting may be a promising strategy for [...]

by Zoi Portokalidou  , Anna Huysse-Gaytandjieva  and Madelon L. Peters

Received: 09 January 2022;  Published: 12 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203027

Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease affecting mainly middle-aged women. Hormonal replacement is the most common therapy; however, it tackles only the functionality of the thyroid and not the autoimmunity components. Thus, patients experience persistent somatic and psychological symptoms, thereby affecting their quality of life. The cause of HT remains uncertain. Primary evidence suggests that adverse experiences in childhood are associated with autoimmune disease manifestation in adulthood; therefor [...]

by Neil E Clapton  and Syd Hiskey

Received: 31 July 2022;  Published: 04 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301001

Traditional Martial Arts practice(s) can be construed as forms of fully embodied Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Integration of these body-mind systems can be a powerful means to cultivate and entrain important therapist competencies in compassionate engagement and action. Through such training and personal practice, compassion-focused therapists can develop and enhance their abilities to stimulate and access compassionate motivation at a deeply embodied level. Martial arts-informed CMT thus has the potential to [...]

by Antonella Sansone  , Peta Stapleton  , Alan Patching  and Zoe Lawrence

Received: 06 July 2023;  Published: 02 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401001

This feasibility study sought to investigate the impact of an online 9-session Prenatal Mindfulness Relationship-Based (PMRB) group treatment program upon maternal mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), interoception, and mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum. The study was designed in two parts 1) a quantitative examination of pre, post-treatment and 10-12 weeks post-partum measures targeting 13 pregnant women from a non-clinical population and 2) a qualitative exploration of the sa [...]

by Eli Cwinn  , Tobyn Bell  and James Kirby

Received: 20 August 2023;  Published: 29 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304056

This paper reviews key theories underlying the interpersonal process in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and links these to purported mechanisms of action in CFT. The paper goes on to provide a concrete practice example of an exampled dialogue between a clinician and client and narrates the interpersonal processes and mechanisms of action in an attempt to elucidate how interpersonal processes can be leveraged to facilitate therapeutic change. In so doing, this paper seeks to advance scholarship on precise mechanism [...]

by Fengxia Liang  , Qi Huang  , Rui Chen  , Song Wu  , Gary Lu  , Jianmin Liu  , Jia Li  , Lu Wang  , Hua Wang  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 19 February 2017;  Published: 08 May 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1702002

Qigong is a form of traditional Chinese exercise combining breathing, movement, and meditation to improve fitness for the purpose of preventing disease and prolonging life. We review the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanism of the application of Qigong in the healthcare setting. In addition, we discuss topics such as the impacts on respiratory, cardiovascular function, and immune function, as well as studies of the influences on brain function and mental health. In summary, there is strong evidence of the cli [...]

by Yan Yang  , Gerhard Litscher  , Zemin Sheng  and Lu Wang

Received: 12 February 2020;  Published: 20 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001015

Pain could be directly related to autonomous imbalance. To date, only one scientific work examining heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate (HR) as the important parameters of autonomous nervous system (ANS) in the context of clinical routine acupuncture treatments for lumbosacral pain conditions is available in the listed databases. The present study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of HRV and HR, during and after the acupuncture needle stimulation in patients with lower back pain. Eighteen patients [...]

by Stephanie Bryan  , Maryellen Hamilton  and Elizabeth Finn

Received: 21 February 2018;  Published: 15 May 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802006

Purpose: High levels of mindfulness correspond with some positive health behaviors such as exercise participation, fruit and vegetable intake, and effective stress management. This study provided mindfulness meditation during an academic semester to a group of predominantly minority college students derived from a population in which 77.9% of the students are considered economically disadvantaged, to assess the effects of mindful meditation on various health behaviors and mindfulness to combat avoidable health ineq [...]

by Elliot Nyagumbo  , Trust Nyirenda  , Cephas Mawere  , Alfred M. Mutaramutswa  , Godwins Ngorima  , Donald T. Kapanga  , Fabian Maunganidze  , Marvellous Matsheza  , William Pote  , Lucy Mabaya  and Michael Bhebhe

Received: 05 March 2025;  Published: 19 August 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503036

Medicinal plants remain central to healthcare in Africa, where up to 80% of the population relies on traditional remedies to manage a range of health conditions, including skin ailments. In Zimbabwe, the country's rich biodiversity and favourable agroecological zones support a diverse range of ethnomedicinal plants. However, much of the knowledge surrounding these plants remains dispersed and scientifically under-evaluated. This review consolidates evidence from ethnobotanical surveys, peer-reviewed research, and g [...]

by Charlotte Grégoire  , Alexandra Paye  and Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse

Received: 16 October 2023;  Published: 09 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401007

Self-compassion consists of an attitude of self-support and self-benevolence. In the general population, increased self-compassion has been associated with well-being and decreased psychopathology. In oncology, higher self-compassion has also been linked with various benefits, such as lower emotional distress, fatigue, body-image disturbances, and sleep difficulties. Self-compassion also seems to foster treatment adherence. Various interventions based on self-compassion have recently been designed and tested in dif [...]

by Fung Kei Cheng

Received: 02 March 2018;  Published: 23 April 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802005

Background: Dementia erodes the quality of life of patients and their caregivers, and the growing dementia population threatens public finance in the health and social services. In addition to formal medical treatments, complementary and alternative medicine is applicable to dementia, in which acupuncture has become an option for prevention, remedy, and rehabilitation. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical method that uses needle penetration at acupoints (specific points throughout the body which will be sti [...]

by Francesco E. Negro  and Francesco V. Marino

Received: 26 April 2021;  Published: 07 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104044

The 19th century saw an explosion of serious epidemic diseases, such as smallpox and scarlet fever, which led to the development of a new medical system called homeopathy. Under this system, S. Hahnemann developed a rigorous methodology based on repeated observations on the field, leading to successful results. The aim of this work is to depict the birth and evolution of his thought. The correct understanding and application of this methodology became the reference model for subsequent generations of homeopaths, wh [...]

by Alyssa M. Krueger  , Kelsey Smith  , Arielle Pollock  , Christine Dunkel Schetter  and Nicole E. Mahrer

Received: 24 December 2023;  Published: 30 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402025

Residential and nonresidential fathers are taking an increasingly greater role in their children’s lives, and father involvement predicts positive child outcomes across development. This study utilized data from a large sample of racially and ethnically diverse fathers of low to middle income (n = 1,112) to test if paternal stress is associated with lower father involvement in early infancy and whether perceived social support is protective. Exploratory analyses examined whether the effects of stress on father invo [...]

by Rachel Snodgrass  , Joanna Carnell  and Tim Chapman

Received: 31 May 2022;  Published: 10 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203035

This study presents a mixed methods evaluation of a transdiagnostic Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) group intervention, for adults with long-term health conditions (LTHCs). It aims to assess whether group completion was associated with improved outcomes in mood, overall well-being and the extent of LTHC interference in confidence for managing daily activities. Additionally, it examines the extent to which changes were related to processes targeted by CFT. The ‘Living Well with Illness’ group consisted of eleven we [...]

by Mats Niklasson  , Irene Niklasson  and Peder Rasmussen

Received: 15 August 2021;  Published: 29 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201005

The aim of this commentary is to present characteristics of an “unidentified psychological barrier,” which we previously have speculated to be associated with vestibular underachievement, an overlooked part for the understanding of the resistance to physical activity as well as in the assessments and interventions of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Furthermore, we will discuss the importance of its identification and how to push knowledge forward. A delayed or partly absent sensorimotor devel [...]

by Kristen McHenry  , Megan Koster  , Gen Ludwig  , Yong Gao  and Jennifer Eichmeyer

Received: 25 October 2022;  Published: 14 February 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301014

This study aimed to examine and compare the extent of burnout among health science faculty at a higher education institution and their self-reported perception of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The design of the study was cross-sectional, descriptive survey research. An electronic questionnaire was developed to measure the constructs of burnout and well-being. Validated instruments used in the survey included the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index. The [...]

by Ryan A. Williams  , Lorna Hatch  and Simon B. Cooper

Received: 29 April 2019;  Published: 02 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903049

It is well documented that an acute bout of exercise has a positive effect on subsequent cognitive function in children and adolescents. However, the effect of: the exercise characteristics (i.e. intensity, duration and modality), the cognitive domain assessed, and moderating variables (such as the participant’s age, physical fitness and baseline cognitive abilities); all of which affect this relationship are poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the impact of these variables on the [...]

by Donald Moss

Received: 20 January 2020;  Published: 19 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001007

The face of illness has changed with progress in public health, immunizations, and antibiotic medication. Today, medical clinics are more likely to see patients with chronic illnesses, stress-related conditions, and complex bio-psycho-social conditions. This is a global trend, affecting patients worldwide, as Western lifestyle and diet have produced increases in chronic lifestyle-based disorders. Integrative medicine, which attends more fully to psychosocial dimensions of illness, appears to offer promise for today [...]

by Arksarapuk Jittirat  , Natsuki Eguchi  , Natthavat Tanphaichitr  , Myreen Tomas  , Praveen Gundelly  , Kai Zhao  , Leal Herlitz  , Yasolatha Chalicheemala  , Himabindu Yerneni  , Rachel C. Forbes  , Beatrice P. Concepcion  and Ekamol Tantisattamo

Received: 02 May 2021;  Published: 07 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201007

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted kidney transplantation worldwide. The rate of kidney transplantation decreased during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially living donor kidney transplantation. Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19 due to underlying comorbidities and immunosuppressed status. Management of immunosuppression, including the induction therapy and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen, has b [...]

by Katia Belvedere  , Elio Rossi  , Mariella Di Stefano  and Sonia Baccetti

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 10 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902022

Complementary Medicine (CM) is being increasingly used by European citizens in order to increase their overall state of health and well-being, as well as to treat various illnesses and diseases. The interest for these therapies has progressively risen also in Italy and in Tuscany as well. In response to the increasing demand in the past few years by the Tuscan citizens, the region of Tuscany has started their integration in the healthcare service. Since 1996, the Tuscan Regional Healthcare Plans (RHPs) have been co [...]