ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between illness perception, avoidance behavior, perception of obsession and personality traits in healthcare workers after the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods: An online survey was conducted with 652 healthcare professionals in May 2020 to assess their perceptions of obsession and related factors. Sociodemographic data form, COVID-19 Disease Perception Scale, COVID-19 Avoidance Attitudes Scale, Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Questionnaire and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire were used in the study.Results: Significant predictors of COVID-19-related contagiousness perception were young age (beta=-0.235, p<0.001), low psychoticism (beta=-0.091, p=0.018), and high cleansing obsessions (beta=0.127, p=0.004). It has been found that individuals with high extroverted personality traits (beta=0.123, p=0.002) and more intense ruminative thoughts (beta=0.117, p=0.003) have more cognitive avoidance from COVID-19, and those in the young age group (beta=-0.184, p<0.001) with high education level (beta=0.128, p=0.001) and intensive cleaning obsessions (beta=0.090, p=0.030) have a behavioral avoidance attitude from COVID-19.Conclusion: In the course of the COVID 19 pandemic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms may be a response to protecting yourself and others from the virus. Our data support the suggestion that public health advice during pandemics should include mental health campaigns aimed at reducing the psychological effects of pandemics.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Seroconversion after a two-dose course of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in kidney transplant recipients ranges between 30% and 50% in different series. We previously demonstrated that a substantial proportion of patients (35%) without a humoral response, develop a cellular response after the second dose assessed by the ELISpot technique. We aim to study the evolution of both humoral and cellular responses in the same cohort before and 1 month after the administration of the third dose of 100 mcg of mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. METHOD: Final population included 129 KTRs studied at four time-points: at baseline before the first dose, after the second dose (median 42 days) and before (203 days) and after (232 days) the third dose. At all the time-points, IgG and IgM were assessed as well as N- and S-protein specific ELISpot. The main outcome was seroconversion after the third dose. RESULTS: After the second dose, 26.7% of naïve cases experienced seroconversion. Before the third dose and in the absence of clinically evident COVID-19, this percentage increased to 61.9%. After the third dose, seroconversion was observed in 80.0% of patients. S-ELISpot positivity after the second dose was significantly associated with final seroconversion [OR (95% CI) 3.14 (1.10-8.96);P = .032], while transplantation < 1 year and previous kidney transplant were negatively associated with [OR (95% CI) 0.23 (0.07-0.80);P = .021 and OR (95% CI) 0.22 (0.06-0.78);P = .020, respectively). IgG after third dose were significantly higher (P < .001) in patients who maintained S-ELISpot positivity throughout the study (34.3%) and were correlated with S-spots after the second dose (r = 0.344, P < .001). CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of KTRs vaccinated with mRNA-1273 develops a late seroconversion after two doses and only a fifth remained seronegative after a third. Cellular immunity seems to play a major role in the development of a final strong humoral response.
ABSTRACT
Objective: We aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 related fears and marital adjustment on distress in pregnant women. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample of the study consisted of 161 pregnant women who were followed up in a private hospital in Ankara between May and September 2020. Sociodemographic data form, Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale (TPDS), and Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS) were used in the study. Results: The mean age of the pregnant women in the sample was 29.64 +/- 4.47 years. While the rate of chronic disease was 8.7% (n=14), the rate of psychiatric disease was 2.5% (n=4). 7.5% (n=12) of the sample described their current pregnancy as unwanted pregnancy. The negative affect sub-dimension scores of TPDS were predicted by the FCV-19S score (beta=0.473, p<0.001) and the desired state of pregnancy (beta=0.147, p=0.036). The total score of the MAS (beta=0.480, p<0.001), the desirability of pregnancy (beta=-0.253, p<0.001), and the total scores of the FCV-19S (beta=0.239, p<0.001) predicted the sub-dimension score of partner involvement. Conclusion: One of the important sources of distress in pregnant women is fear of COVID-19. Fear of COVID-19 creates negative psychological symptoms in pregnant women as well as increasing partner involvement. This result is remarkable. Further studies are needed to investigate the positive or negative effects of COVID-19 on partner involvement.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Post- disaster somatization symptoms are common. However, these symptoms are among the psychiatric symptoms that are often overlooked. This study evaluates the relationship between somatization symptoms and empathy skills during the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: The study has a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study sample consists of a total of 1029 people, 658 of whom are healthcare workers and 371 of whom are non-health workers. The study used the measurement tools of Somatization Scale, Empathy Quotient Scale, Perception of COVID-19 (sub-dimension;dangerousness, contagiousness), and Avoidance Attitudes from COVID-19 (subdimension;behavioral avoidance, cognitive avoidance). Results: There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of marital status (p<0.001). The perception that the COVID-19 may lead to dangerous outcomes was an important variable that predicted healthcare workers' somatization symptoms (p<0.001). There was no significant relationship between somatization symptoms and the perception of COVID-19 dangerousness in non-healthcare workers (p=0.097). An increased risk perception associated with COVID-19 both in healthcare workers and other workers was found to have a reducing effect on the empathy ability of individuals. Conclusion: The vicious circle between somatization symptoms and perception of danger is a serious problem for healthcare workers. Increasing perception of the dangerousness associated with COVID-19 in both healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers has decreased the empathy ability of individuals. This may disrupt interpersonal relationships in the later stages of the pandemic.