Covid-19 and mental health of children and adolescents: A systematic review

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had imposed considerable risk on public health, and had generated unprecedented levels of panic. There are increasing concerns over the possible negative impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children/adolescents. This review was conducted to describe the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and the WHO Global Health database on COVID-19. The 2020 updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline and an adapted Joanna Briggs aetiology review methodology were followed in conducting this review. A total of 21 studies from 8 different countries located on 4 continents (Asia, Europe, North America & South America), reporting on sample size of 56,368 met the inclusion criteria. Using the JBI critical appraisal tool for studies reporting on prevalence data, the quality of most of the studies was assessed to be moderate. Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was estimated to range from 7.2% to 78%;of anxiety, from 15% to 78%, depression, from 7.2% to 43.7% and stress, at 17.3%. Correlates for COVID -19 related mental health outcomes were identified as female gender and social isolation among others. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of children and adolescents. It is recommended that governments and health agencies prioritize mental health, especially for children and adolescents to prevent long-term effects on them. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Seeking and receiving help for mental health services among pregnant women in Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: The heightened vulnerability of women to mental health issues during the period of pregnancy implies that seeking and receiving support for mental health services is a crucial factor in improving the emotional and mental well-being of pregnant women. The current study investigates the prevalence and correlates of seeking and receiving help for mental health services initiated by pregnant women and health professionals during pregnancy. DESIGN: Using a cross-sectional design and self-report questionnaires, data were collected from 702 pregnant women in the first, second and third trimesters from four health facilities in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: It was observed that 18.9% of pregnant women self-initiated help-seeking for mental health services whereas 64.8% reported that health professionals asked about their mental well-being, of which 67.7% were offered mental health support by health professionals. Diagnosis of medical conditions in pregnancy (i.e., hypertension and diabetes), partner abuse, low social support, sleep difficulty and suicidal ideation significantly predicted the initiation of help-seeking for mental health services by pregnant women. Fear of vaginal delivery and COVID-19 concerns predicted the provision of mental health support to pregnant women by health professionals. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of individual-initiated help-seeking implies that health professionals have a high responsibility of supporting pregnant women achieve their mental health needs.

Ghanaian nurses' and midwives' perspectives on technology adoption in nursing and midwifery education.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived benefits and challenges of online distance education and computer-based testing (CBT) among registered nurses and midwives in a sample of government-owned health facilities and health training institutions in Ghana. DESIGN: Exploratory descriptive qualitative design. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 participants (i.e. 25 nurses and 20 midwives). The data were manually processed and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis approach (November 2019-February 2020). RESULTS: Nurses and midwives prefer online distance education for three reasons: convenience, cost-effectiveness and learning centre proximity to the workplace. The course schedule's flexibility allowed participants to work and study simultaneously. Others acknowledged online distance education as a viable option for overcoming the challenges of obtaining study leave. However, the lack of recognition of certificates by some employers, poor Internet connectivity and perceived excessive course load were noted as deterrents. Regarding the CBT, many of the participants said that it was useful. Among the advantages of CBT are: (1) a decrease in examination malpractices, (2) a decrease in examination costs and (3) a rise in students' interest in information, communication and technology (ICT). This finding emphasizes the necessity of integrating ICT into nursing and midwifery education and examinations, as well as maximizing its benefits.

Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience among Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors: A Gendered Analysis.

The literature on behavioral outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is inundated with mental health burdens such as depression and stress disorders. The current study investigated gender invariance on resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) as positive psychological changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 381 survivors of the COVID-19 infection completed measurements of resilience, PTG, violence and stigma experience, and mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, multivariate regression, and a latent profile analysis. The results revealed that more than half of the participants had high scores on resilience (53.6%) and PTG (60.9%). The positive psychological changes, although independent of each other, were moderated by gender, and influenced by the negative experiences of participants such as stigma, violence, and PTSD. Latent profile analyses revealed three classes of participants, two of which were characterized by high scores on mental health problems and PTG. The clusters were invariant across gender. Surviving COVID-19 contributed to resilience and PTG. These can be targeted for intervention programs to mitigate the mental health burden occasioned by the pandemic.

Psychosis risk among pregnant women in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Psychotic illness, although is rare, has been reported in the perinatal period. Individuals diagnosed with psychotic illness tend to first exhibit psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), defined as subclinical psychotic symptoms that occur outside the context of sleep or drug use. However, there is a paucity of empirical data on PLEs in pregnancy to advance scholarly discourse and support professional practice. The current study investigated the prevalence and correlates of PLEs among pregnant women in Ghana, a West African state. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 702 pregnant women who responded to measures of PLEs, COVID-19 concerns and behavioral maladies such as anxiety and depressive symptoms. Descriptive and inferential statistics, namely chi square, exploratory factor analysis, MANOVA and multinomial logistic regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The results showed that 54.2%, 27.3% and 18.5% of participants were at no/low, moderate and high risk for psychosis, respectively. A total of 44.4% participants were not distressed by PLEs, whereas 32.2% and 23.4% were a bit/quite and very distressed, respectively. Psychosis risk was elevated among pregnant women who were more concerned about the COVID-19 effects, scored high in suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms and sleep difficulties. CONCLUSION: The study showed that psychosis risk is present in pregnancy. IMPLICATIONS: Screening for psychosis risk in pregnancy should be prioritized for pregnant women with behavioral maladies, including suicidal tendencies, depressive symptoms, sleep difficulties and heightened concerns about COVID-19.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are struggling with accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and COVID-19 has escalated the problem. The purpose of this review was to identify and assess the existing literature on the impact of the pandemic on SRH needs and access to services by adolescents in LMICs. A scoping review was conducted to collate findings on the topic. Searches were performed on eight databases. Data were extracted and categorized into various themes. After removing duplicates and performing a full-text reading of all articles, nine articles were included in our review. Our findings generated several themes related to adolescents' sexual and reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include (1) limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, (2) school closure and increased rate of early marriages, (3) sexual or intimate partner violence during COVID-19, (4) disruption in maternity care, (5) adolescents' involvement in risky or exploitative work, (6) intervention to improve sexual and reproductive health services during COVID-19, and (7) policy development related to adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Several recommendations were made on policies-for instance, the use of telemedicine and community-based programs as a way to deliver SRH services to adolescents during and after a pandemic.

A twin disaster: Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and a cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak simultaneously in a low-resource country.

Managing a deadly pandemic in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is challenging. The task becomes tougher when there is an outbreak of an equally deadly disease. This is the present situation of Ghana, a low-resource country, that is confronted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreak. Apart from the resource constraint at both governmental and individual levels, such a situation affects the overall wellbeing of ordinary citizens as well as healthcare professionals, particularly those in high-risk areas. Perhaps, more than ever, we have to ensure equitable distribution of scarce healthcare resources in our effort to manage this 'twin disaster' of COVID-19 and CSM. We evaluated Ghana's situation (outbreak response) and recommended measures to help us navigate this conundrum of a public health crisis.