BMC Medicine
February 1, 2018
J. Jesuthasan, E. Sönmez, I. Abels et al.
68 citations
Refugee women arriving in Germany in 2015–2016 reported moderate quality of life, slightly worse than European populations. War, terror, and threats to life were the most common reasons for fleeing. Eighty-seven percent used smugglers, which was linked to living in a war zone and homelessness before fleeing. Lower quality of life correlated with older age, near-death experiences, family attacks, and lack of healthcare. The findings suggest that multiple traumatic experiences, some gender-specific, affect current well-being and may hinder integration.
BMC Medicine
April 12, 2024
Melissa A Day, Marcia A Ciol, M Elena Mendoza et al.
9 citations
Group, videoconference-delivered cognitive therapy, behavioral activation, and mindfulness meditation all produced medium-to-large reductions in pain interference for adults with chronic low back pain, with gains maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The three treatments showed similar effectiveness, with no significant differences between them except that behavioral activation improved sleep disturbance more than mindfulness meditation from pre- to post-treatment. Effect sizes for secondary outcomes were generally small to medium across all conditions. These findings indicate that telehealth-delivered psychological treatments are effective for chronic low back pain and can expand access to evidence-based care.
BMC Medicine
November 28, 2025
Florian Naudet, Claude Pellen, Liviu A Fodor et al.
5 citations
Intranasal esketamine plus an antidepressant reduced depression scores by about 3 points on the MADRS scale after 4 weeks, a statistically significant but small improvement that falls below the 6.5-point threshold for clinical significance used in the pivotal trials. A continuation trial showed reduced relapse risk, but a monotherapy trial had a larger effect with concerns about bias. Esketamine increased risks of sedation, dissociation, and other adverse events without increasing serious adverse events. No moderation by age or treatment resistance level was found. The clinical relevance of the benefit is unclear given the adverse event risks.
BMC Medicine
July 6, 2026
Hannah Adler, Rebecca Filipic, Dr Maria Gonzalez et al.
Healthcare professionals show interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin for existential distress in people with cancer, but face knowledge gaps, barriers, and a desire for more research. Interviews with 11 professionals from Australian cancer centers revealed four themes: varied knowledge about the therapy, conceptualizing its practical use, navigating complex provision and engagement, and envisioning future applications. Professionals preferred delivery by multidisciplinary teams that are culturally sensitive and ethically rigorous. Some saw it as a last resort, while others viewed it as another needed tool. The findings offer preliminary insights into implementation pathways for this therapy in oncology settings.
BMC Medicine
May 19, 2026
Rebecca Morris, Ayse Gundogan, Vanessa Lawrence et al.
A meta-ethnography of eight qualitative studies examined how people with eating disorders and their providers experience psychedelic-assisted therapy. Five meta-themes emerged: core transformative processes (Mind-Body-Spirit, Emotional Processing) unfold within specific contextual conditions (Navigating Challenges and Risks, Enabling Safe and Supportive Experiences) and lead to meaningful outcomes (Therapeutic Improvements). Psychedelics may improve emotion processing and enhance perception of and connection with the body and self, which is pertinent to eating disorder recovery. However, low weight and physical vulnerabilities increase risks for adverse side effects. To achieve therapeutic outcomes, eating-disorder-specific contextual conditions are required, including dual competency in psychedelic treatment and eating disorder psychopathology.