ABSTRACT
Pregnancies with cardiovascular (CV) complications are more likely to involve additional complications, poorer short and long-term health, and worse fetal outcomes. Additionally, CV complications are associated with poorer mental health, lower socioeconomic status, and non-White race/ethnicity. The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects on mental well-being and disproportionately affects people of lower socioeconomic status and non-White race/ethnicity. Thus, we hypothesized that the pandemic would differentially affect pregnant people with and without CV complications. We performed a cross-sectional survey of 465 pregnant people in California from June 6 through July 29, 2020. Twenty-three participants reported CV complications (e.g., hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes) and 29 participants reported non-CV complications. The CV group was 56.5% (13 of 23) Latinx and 43.5% (10 of 23) White versus the uncomplicated pregnancy group, which was 33.7% (137 of 407) Latinx and 66.3% (270 of 407) White (chi-square, p=0.03;6 respondents did not answer). The CV complications group was 9.5% (2 of 21) African American and the uncomplicated pregnancy group was 4.9% (19 of 392) African American (Fisher's Exact, p=0.053;23 respondents did not answer). We assessed 64 health behaviors reported on a Likert scale with the Wilcoxon 2-Sample Test and found the CV group reported more healthpromoting behaviors, including: less likely to eat sweets (p=0.004), more likely to sanitize frequently used areas in their homes and their groceries (p=0.049 and 0.069, respectively). However, they were also more likely to smoke cigarettes (p=0.02). While the two groups did not differ significantlyon stress, depression, or anxiety, the CV group was more likely to worry that their babies may behospitalized after birth (p=0.01) and their provider may be unavailable during delivery (p=0.047).Concerns for self and baby trended towards significance for the CV group, which reported beingmore likely to worry about getting sick (p=0.077) and their babies being born early (p=0.079) orgetting sick (p=0.098). While preliminary, these data suggest that COVID-19 disproportionatelyaffects pregnant people with prenatal CV complications. Given limited research on pregnancy duringCOVID-19 and the primary focus on biological outcomes, these findings indicate a clear need toaddress the pandemic's influence on behavioral and emotional health during pregnancy-especiallyfor those with CV complications who are at higher risk of poor maternal and fetal outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Pre-existing issues regarding the wellbeing and mental health of university students have subsequently been compounded by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Research signals that anxiety and depression symptomology has increased in university students’ following the COVID-19 outbreak, and mental wellbeing has declined. In response to concerns around mental health of students in Higher Education (HE), and to support the transition to remote working during the pandemic, we designed and implemented an 8-week wellbeing program based on positive education frameworks and practices. The online program was delivered in a West Midlands-based university in the United Kingdom, to undergraduate and postgraduate psychology students. The weekly sessions [ran through a virtual learning environment (VLE)] aimed to 1) provide students with a community and an opportunity to feel connected with other students, 2) introduce students to key concepts of wellbeing, and 3) equip students with knowledge and resources that would help sustain/improve their wellbeing. In this paper we outline how positive education, and specifically the “PERMA” wellbeing framework, has inspired the development of this wellbeing program (including the accompanying VLE webpages and sources of support) and future plans for evaluation. We further describe the content and delivery of this program alongside practical implications, lessons learned and important constraints. We situate this discussion alongside consideration of ongoing wellbeing support requirements following the pandemic and issues regarding wider integration of PERMA approaches in university contexts. © Copyright © 2021 Morgan and Simmons.