Coping, Social Support and Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Effect on Depression and Anxiety: Patients' Experiences in Community Mental Health Centers in Norway.

Background: Little is known about psychiatric patients' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of coping strategies, social support and loneliness with mental health symptoms among these patients. Methods: We recruited 164 patients from Community Mental Health Centers in June-July 2020. Participants responded to an online questionnaire on corona-related questions, Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experience, Crisis Support Scale, a 3-item Loneliness Scale, and Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25. We used linear regression models to investigate associations between these and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results: Almost 51% were aged 31-50 years and 77% were females. Forty-six (28%) participants reported worsened overall mental health due to the pandemic. The reported rates of clinical depression and anxiety were 84% and 76%, respectively. Maladaptive coping was independently associated with both depression and anxiety symptoms. Loneliness was independently associated with depression symptoms. Conclusions: Patients in Community Mental Health Centers in Norway reported high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms. Many of them reported worsening of their mental health due to the pandemic, even at a time when COVID-19 infections and restrictive measures were relatively low. Maladaptive coping strategies and loneliness may be possible explanations for more distress.

COVID-19 across Countries: Situation and Lessons for Pandemic control

In the context of rapid worldwide spread of COVID-19 pandemic, many facts and issues are coming up. Some are general across borders while some others specific to particular context. We intend to review situation (condition, trend) and lessons (observations, and messages) from 9 different countries across the continents (in brief as contributed by respective authors). We have, here, the accounts and observations from Nepal, India, Japan (Asia);Norway and United Kingdom (Europe);United States of America (North America), Ecuador (South America), Australia and South Africa. General fact is that all need to maintain social distancing, adequate testing, aggressive contact tracing and treatment along with strategies to limit movements and crowds (e.g. lockdown). This pandemic has again shown that there is no border for disaster and pestilence. Borders are artificial. We all human being and whole world is a single unit. We have certain weaknesses, drawbacks and deficits as well as strengths that we need to understand and positively stand together in the battle against this pandemic.