Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and homelessness: Global perspectives on the 'dual pandemic

Homelessness has been identified as a 'social evil' worldwide, a growing social pandemic in itself. Unfortunately, it needs a large-scale infectious outbreak like COVID-19 to alarm us about the possible health risks to the homeless. As COVID-19 strikes the world hard, and societies appear concerned about economies and international relations, millions of homeless globally suffer from their unique vulnerabilities, either on open streets or temporary shelters. When pandemics cross paths with homelessness, a critical zone of unmet needs is created, that needs urgent attention from stakeholders at all levels. Accountability, empathy, understanding, awareness, and research can help influence policy reforms. COVID-19 will surely modify pandemic legislation all across the world. It remains to be seen whether the challenges of the homeless and their special subgroups (such as the mentally ill) get addressed or not. The societal blind eye turned towards them, enhanced by socioeconomic class difference and capitalism, can be counterproductive, to eventually boomerang the larger community as the viral spread will not respect these arbitrary human-made classes. Keeping that in context, this chapter summarizes the global problems of homelessness and the ongoing pandemic, their special needs, the policy implications so far, and the possible way forward. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Artificial intelligence and prevention of panic buying during disasters

Panic buying occurs when unusually excess amounts of goods are bought in an anticipation of a crisis, perceived crisis, or in the aftermath of a crisis. Especially during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it was influenced by individuals' threat perception, fear of uncertainty, maladaptive coping, and social modeling. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an ever-evolving field, and its role in mental health has been widely studied. The traditional aspects of AI, namely, probability, linguistics, learning, reasoning, knowledge representation, and perception, may all be helpful in targeting various correlates of panic buying. Even though literature on the use of AI and machine learning to prevent panic buying is very limited, the existing models in healthcare can be extrapolated to that effect. Predicting buying patterns during crisis, personalizing supplies, warning signals for optimal threshold of buying, surveillance in markets, and ensuring enough resources of essential items are some of the areas that can be helped by AI. However, specific research, understanding, funding, standardization, and technical optimization are needed in this area before the promising field of AI helps prevent panic buying. This chapter provides a bird's-eye view related to the intersections of AI and panic buying as well as the directions ahead. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Perceptions, Experiences, and Challenges of Physicians Involved in Dementia Care During the COVID-19 Lockdown in India: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: With 5.3 million people living with dementia in India and the pandemic wreaking havoc, dementia care has faced unique challenges during the outbreak, with reduced healthcare access, travel restriction, long-term lockdown and fear of hospitalization. We explored the experiences and barriers faced by the physicians involved in dementia care during the lockdown period. Methods: A qualitative approach was used with purposive sampling. After an initial pilot, 148 physicians were included in the study. They were virtually interviewed in-depth based on a pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire, in areas related to tele-consultations, attributes related to dementia care, challenges faced and way forward. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed using Nvivo-10 software. Triangulation, peer debriefing and respondent validation were used to ensure rigor. Results: The overarching categories that emerged were "Tele-medicine as the future of dementia care in India," "people living with dementia being uniquely susceptible to the pandemic with a triple burden of: age, ageism and lack of autonomy" and "markedly reduced healthcare access in this population with significant mental health burden of caregivers." The experiences of the physicians were categorized into their challenges during the lockdown period and perceptions related to specific facets of dementia care during the crisis. The general physicians expressed special "unmet needs" of dementia-specific training and specialist collaboration. Most of the participants perceived ambiguity related to the newly released telepsychiatry guidelines. Conclusion: Resource constraints and pandemic burden are currently high. This study looks at the "voices" of those actively providing dementia care during the ongoing crisis and to the best of our knowledge, is the first one from India to do so. Concurring with their experiences, PwD and their families are exposed to multiple vulnerabilities during COVID-19, need tailored care, especially at the primary healthcare level which includes general physicians. These relevant "voices" are discussed in light of the new tele-psychiatry guidelines and further optimization of dementia care in an aging India.

The "Labeled" Side of COVID-19 in India: Psychosocial Perspectives on Islamophobia During the Pandemic.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a global public health threat over the last few months. Historically, infectious disease outbreaks like the plague, Influenza, cholera, HIV, etc. have generated stigma, prejudice, "othering" and xenophobia, against certain communities. One such prevalent form of xenophobia, is Islamophobia or "fear and discrimination against the Muslims." Though debated over its various facets and definitions, it is on the rise worldwide. India, being a socio-politically diverse and populous nation, has been facing unique challenges during COVID-19. Considering Hinduism and Islam are the two major religious communities, the subcontinent has witnessed complex dynamics in their relationship throughout history. The pandemic has further instigated Islamophobia, and consequent discrimination, as well as unrest. This can have significant effect of public behavior and health. In the recent past, few legislations in India were interpreted to be Islamophobic and generated nation-wide protest, which provided a fertile backdrop against the discriminative effects of the pandemic. Keeping this in background, this commentary highlights the social contexts of increase in Islamophobia in India during the pandemic, discusses the possible psychological explanations and public health impact, as well as outlines some ways to mitigate it focusing on collectivism.

Artificial intelligence and prevention of panic buying during disasters

Panic buying occurs when unusually excess amounts of goods are bought in an anticipation of a crisis, perceived crisis, or in the aftermath of a crisis. Especially during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it was influenced by individuals' threat perception, fear of uncertainty, maladaptive coping, and social modeling. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an ever-evolving field, and its role in mental health has been widely studied. The traditional aspects of AI, namely, probability, linguistics, learning, reasoning, knowledge representation, and perception, may all be helpful in targeting various correlates of panic buying. Even though literature on the use of AI and machine learning to prevent panic buying is very limited, the existing models in healthcare can be extrapolated to that effect. Predicting buying patterns during crisis, personalizing supplies, warning signals for optimal threshold of buying, surveillance in markets, and ensuring enough resources of essential items are some of the areas that can be helped by AI. However, specific research, understanding, funding, standardization, and technical optimization are needed in this area before the promising field of AI helps prevent panic buying. This chapter provides a bird's-eye view related to the intersections of AI and panic buying as well as the directions ahead. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Revisiting 'The Plague' by Camus: Shaping the 'social absurdity' of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19 has emerged as a global health threat. The catastrophic reaction to a pandemic in spite of knowing the deadly outcomes, has been referred to as the 'social absurdity'. Such reaction creates a negativistic outlook with regard to the infection, thus contributing to chaos and preventing containment. In this article, the current pandemic of COVID-19 is revisited through the lens of Camus' 'La Peste, 1947'. The philosophical roots of social 'absurdity' during a pandemic are critically discussed in the context of death anxiety. Subsequently, ways of reshaping it are highlighted, borrowing from the theories of existentialism and positive psychology.

Social rhythm disruption, psychosocial stressors, and the COVID-19 pandemic: Possible role of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy

Besides public health, life and living themselves have been constantly adapting to rapid changes, due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. New norms such as working from home, global lockdown, travel restrictions, lack of “social touch,” increased digitalization, and rising misinformation have disrupted the “social structure” and led to evolving role transitions in daily living. Added to that are the grief and bereavement due to fatalities of the pandemic. Besides the immense impact on psychosocial health and the “funneling” effect on interpersonal relationships, the rapidly changing routines throughout the last few months due to the outbreak have challenged the biological clock, social rhythm, and sleep-wake structure. These vital parameters form the zeitgebers responsible for tuning the body and physiological responses, disrupting which can lead to biopsychosocial dysfunction, and thus increasing the risk of psychiatric disorders. Most of the psychosocial offshoots of the pandemic have been mediated by “daily schedule disruption” of the society and sleep-wake disturbances. Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT), originally proposed by Frank, has the capacity to target sleep-wake cycles, alertness, energy, and appetite, with evidence-based efficacy in mood disorders. In this article, we discuss this structural disruption caused by COVID-19 in social and interpersonal domains and the possible role of IPSRT in mitigating these effects by stabilizing the circadian rhythms for better emotional health as well as psychosocial well-being.

Suicide, Stigma and COVID-19: A Call for Action From Low and Middle Income Countries.

Suicide is a global health issue that needs to be addressed. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increased mental health burden. Stigma has obstructed efforts to prevent suicide as individuals who need urgent support do not seek appropriate help. The influence of stigma is likely to grow in tandem with the COVID-19 pandemic. The stigmatization of persons with mental illnesses is widespread worldwide, and it has substantial effects on both the individual and society. Our viewpoints aim to address the probable link between stigma and suicide in the wake of the current pandemic and propose ideas for reducing suicide-related stigma.

Tele-mental Healthcare as the “New Normal”: Revisiting the Nuances

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a significant rise in the demand for mental health services. Technology advancement and pandemic restrictions have revolutionised the mental health field with mental health professionals adapting and shifting towards online platforms. Recent research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy for various mental health conditions. Online psychotherapy isn’t a new practice, rather it has been used during pre-covid times with caution. Several studies have proven the effectiveness of telemental health indicating that both clients and providers who use telehealth generally view it favourably. Online psychotherapy and telemedicine could be more approachable, convenient while increasing access to out-of-state professionals. Online therapy and tele-consultation have its strengths as well as challenges including flexibility in scheduling, convenience, saving time from commuting to and from appointments, enhancing vulnerability and disclosure. However, it has its own set of challenges and ethical concerns, particularly revolving around privacy and confidentiality in the digital space. This symposium will highlight the strengths and challenges of telemental health based on empirical researches and personal experiences of psychotherapists and psychiatrists. With increasing onus over the providers, it becomes important to discuss and address the new demands. It will enable the mental health practitioners to be more equipped and competent to continue offering telehealth as demand for mental health services grows, particularly services offered virtually. Finally, the symposium glances at the future of tele mental healthcare in the light of the recent guidelines and what it possibly holds for service providers. TableName of the sub-topicSpeakerTelemental healthcare: A contemporary overviewMs. Padmaja Mushahary and Ms.Angana Mukherjee SharmaOnline psychotherapy: Scope and challengesDr Amanpreet KaurThe 'New Normal' of Telepsychiatry: Where do we stand?Dr. Debanjan BanerjeeEthics in tele-mental health and the curve aheadDr. Ananya Sinha

The Rohingya refugees: a conceptual framework of their psychosocial adversities, cultural idioms of distress and social suffering.

Rohingya refugees, a group of religious and ethnic minorities, primarily reside in the South Asian nations. With decades of displacement, forced migration, limited freedom of movement, violence and oppression, they have been termed by the United Nations (UN) as the 'most persecuted minority group' in world history. Literature shows an increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, insomnia, etc., in this population. However, beyond 'medicalisation', the psychosocial challenges of the Rohingyas need to be understood through the lens of 'social suffering', which results from a complex interplay of multiple social, political, environmental and geographical factors. Lack of essential living amenities, poverty, unemployment, overcrowding, compromised social identity, and persistent traumatic stressors lead to inequality, restricted healthcare access, human rights deprivation and social injustice in this group. Even though the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has taken a renewed interest in Rohingya re-establishment with well-researched standards of care, there are several pragmatic challenges in their implementation and inclusion in policies. This paper reviews these multi-dimensional psychosocial challenges of the Rohingyas by synthesising various intersecting conceptual models including minority stress, health-stigma-discrimination framework, refugee ecological model and capability approach. Furthermore, it highlights multidisciplinary interventions to mitigate these adversities, improve their living situation and eventually foster healing via means which are culturally relevant and contextually appropriate. These interventions need to involve various stakeholders from a human rights and dignity based lens, including the voices of the Rohingyas and supported by more research in this area.

A Psychosocial Exploration of Body Dissatisfaction: A Narrative Review With a Focus on India During COVID-19.

COVID-19 has been an unprecedented global crisis. Besides the public health impact, the pandemic necessitated measures, such as quarantine, travel restrictions, and lockdown, that have had a huge effect on digital screen time, dietary habits, lifestyle measures, and exposure to food-related advertising. At the same time, a reduction in physical activity, an increase of social media consumption, and an increase in fitness tutorials during the lockdown have contributed to body image issues. Emerging evidence from India suggests that peer conversations about appearance as negative body talk (fat talk) is particularly salient in contributing to body dissatisfaction and body perception ideals, which are more prevalent in women. Even though there has been an increase in research on the psychosocial impact of COVID-19, its influence on body image perceptions and consequent distress have been stigmatized and classified as under-spoken areas. With this background, this article reviews research on the biopsychosocial factors that influence body dissatisfaction among women, particularly the role of media. It also highlights the development of body image concerns in India, one of the worst-hit countries in the pandemic, through liberalization, importing Western notions of body instrumentality, demographic shift, and resultant social changes. Finally, the psychosocial strategies for positive body image ideas to prevent and mitigate the adverse effects of body dissatisfaction are discussed, particularly those that focus on cognitive behavioral techniques (CBTs) from the perspectives of positive psychology, media literacy programs, and involvement of the media. Interventions and further research to address body dissatisfaction among women, especially in the post-COVID aftermath, need to be a recognized as a public health goal.

"Crisis Within the Walls": Rise of Intimate Partner Violence During the Pandemic, Indian Perspectives.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has been a social "un-equalizer," besides being a global health threat. Gender inequality has been globally prominent during the outbreak and the consequent lockdown. Although domestic abuse and intimate partner violence have increased due to chronic entrapment, overcrowding in families, enhanced substance use, distorted relationship dynamics, travel restrictions, and reduced healthcare access, coercive sexual practices have also been on the rise. In low- and middle-income countries, the lack of awareness, societal pressure, administrative apathy, fear of legal hassles, and inadequate knowledge-attitude-practice related to help-seeking lead to underreporting and mismanagement of domestic abuse, which can perpetuate its vicious cycle during the ongoing crisis. India, with its socio-culturally diverse population, has been one of the nations worst hit by the pandemic. With the rise in reports of gender-based violence on the premise of preexisting gender inequality and minority stress, concerns behind "closed doors" are as threatening as the infection itself. With this background, the authors highlight the backdrop of domestic violence as a "hidden pandemic" during the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, drawing on perspectives from India and briefly reviewing the data from other nations. The role of mental health education and digital literacy as mitigating strategies is subsequently discussed.

COVID-19 Vaccination: crucial roles and opportunities for the mental health professionals.

Besides addressing the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders, social challenges, and building community resilience during the crisis, mental health professionals (MHPs) are in a unique position to assist the vaccination drive against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in various nations. Vaccination programs are adversely affected by misinformation, fake news and vaccine hesitancy fuelled by social media. MHPs can enable this vital public health strategy by prioritizing vaccination for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders, promote awareness and public education, debunk misinformation and integrate psychosocial care into the vaccination drives. In order to target the health inequity and discrimination faced by people with SMI coupled with their additional risks, the authors urge the global mental health fraternity to tailor these crucial roles with respect to COVID-19 vaccination based on the regional needs and contexts.

COVID-19 as an "Infodemic" in Public Health: Critical Role of the Social Media.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as a significant and global public health crisis. Besides the rising number of cases and fatalities, the outbreak has also affected economies, employment and policies alike. As billions are being isolated at their homes to contain the infection, the uncertainty gives rise to mass hysteria and panic. Amidst this, there has been a hidden epidemic of "information" that makes COVID-19 stand out as a "digital infodemic" from the earlier outbreaks. Repeated and detailed content about the virus, geographical statistics, and multiple sources of information can all lead to chronic stress and confusion at times of crisis. Added to this is the plethora of misinformation, rumor and conspiracy theories circulating every day. With increased digitalization, media penetration has increased with a more significant number of people aiding in the "information pollution." In this article, we glance at the unique evolution of COVID-19 as an "infodemic" in the hands of social media and the impact it had on its spread and public reaction. We then look at the ways forward in which the role of social media (as well as other digital platforms) can be integrated into social and public health, for a better symbiosis, "digital balance" and pandemic preparedness for the ongoing crisis and the future.

Psychosocial Framework of Resilience: Navigating Needs and Adversities During the Pandemic, A Qualitative Exploration in the Indian Frontline Physicians.

INTRODUCTION: Frontline healthcare workers (HCW) have faced significant plight during the ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Studies have shown their vulnerabilities to depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia. In a developing country like India, with a rising caseload, resource limitations, and stigma, the adversities faced by the physicians are more significant. We attempted to hear their "voices" to understand their adversities and conceptualize their resilience framework. METHODS: A qualitative approach was used with a constructivist paradigm. After an initial pilot, a socio-demographically heterogeneous population of 172 physicians working in COVID-designated centers were purposively sampled from all over India. Following in-depth virtual interviews using a pre-formed semi-structured guide, the data was transcribed and translated verbatim. The interview was focused on their challenges, needs, and processes of coping and support. Charmaz's grounded theory was used for analysis supplemented by NVivo 10 software. RESULTS: Fear of infection, uncertainty, stigma, guilt, and social isolation emerged as the main challenges. Simultaneously, their "unmet needs" were flexible work policies, administrative measures for better medical protection, the sensitivity of media toward the image of HCW, effective risk communication for their health, and finally, social inclusion. Their resilience "framework" emerged as a process while navigating these adversities and consisted of three facets: forming a "resilient identity," managing the resilience, and working through the socio-occupational distress. The role of mental well-being, social network, peer support, problem negotiation, and self-care emerged as the key coping strategies. CONCLUSION: The study findings support the global call for better psychosocial health and quality of life of the frontline HCWs. Their "unheard voices" explored in the study can anchor subsequent resilience-enhancing interventions and policies. Guidelines focusing on the psychological wellbeing of frontline HCWs need to be grounded in their unmet needs and lived experiences.