Women's body dissatisfaction, physical appearance comparisons, and Instagram use throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the evolution of Instagram use, body dissatisfaction and physical appearance comparisons throughout the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to explore whether there was a relationship between the changes in Instagram use throughout the pandemic and body dissatisfaction and physical appearance comparisons. METHOD: A total of 272 Spanish women (16-70 years old) were followed-up across four waves of assessment between November 2019 (before the pandemic started) and July 2021. Body dissatisfaction, social appearance comparisons, and Instagram use were assessed using the Eating Disorders Inventory-3, the Physical Appearance Comparison Scale-Revised, and an ad hoc questionnaire for Instagram use, respectively. RESULTS: No statistically significant changes were found in the frequency of Instagram use, nor on the proportion of women following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram, among the data collection periods. Body dissatisfaction significantly increased from T1 to T4, and physical appearance comparisons significantly increased from T1 to T2, T3, and T4. These increases were not found to be significant for those with eating disorder risk. No significant differences were found in body dissatisfaction and physical appearance comparisons depending on whether participants' frequency of Instagram use had changed or remained the same, or whether they had started/stopped/continued following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram during the pandemic. DISCUSSION: Women's body dissatisfaction and physical appearance comparisons seem to have increased throughout the pandemic. The experiences of individuals with eating disorder risk throughout the pandemic, and the relationship between the pandemic and Instagram use, might be complex and need further research. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that women's body dissatisfaction and physical appearance comparisons have increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this increase might not be as clear for those who had eating disorder risk before the pandemic. Instagram frequency of use, and the percentage of women following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram, do not seem to have significantly increased. More research is needed to explore the impact of the pandemic.

Global Healthcare Needs Related to COVID-19: An Evidence Map of the First Year of the Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps and areas of need in health systems worldwide. This work aims to map the evidence on COVID-19-related healthcare needs of adult patients, their family members, and the professionals involved in their care during the first year of the pandemic. We searched the databases MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts and assessed full texts for eligibility. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Descriptive data were extracted and inductive qualitative content analysis was used to generate codes and derive overarching themes. Thirty-six studies met inclusion criteria, with the majority reporting needs from the perspective of professionals (35/36). Professionals' needs were grouped into three main clusters (basic, occupational, and psycho-socio-emotional needs); patients' needs into four (basic, healthcare, psycho-socio-emotional, and other support needs); and family members' needs into two (psycho-socio-emotional and communication needs). Transversal needs across subgroups were also identified and grouped into three main clusters (public safety, information and communication, and coordination and support needs). This evidence map provides valuable insight on COVID-19-related healthcare needs. More research is needed to assess first-person perspectives of patients and their families, examine whether needs differ by country or region, and evaluate how needs have evolved over time.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on eating disorder risk and emotional distress among adolescents and young people in Spain

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on emotional distress and disordered eating in a community sample of Spanish youngsters. A total of 2847 participants (95% women;aged 14-35) completed depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and disordered eating measures. Given the small proportion of men and as significant differences were found between genders in several variables, most results were only reported for women. Severe levels of depression, anxiety and stress were found in 30.8%, 25.4% and 20.5% of the sample, respectively. Sleep quality, eating habits, appearance concerns, preoccupation about one's future, health concerns and other life domains were also affected by lockdown. Younger age, being single, being unemployed, not having contracted COVID-19 or not being sure about it, having a loved one infected or deceased due to coronavirus, and not having a place to relax at home were significantly associated with psychological distress and disordered eating. A structural equation model confirmed the direct influence of lockdown-related variables into psychopathology symptoms. The findings of this study suggest that COVID-19 and its associated lockdown might have a significant effect on psychological wellbeing and eating disturbances. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el impacto psicologico del confinamiento por COVID-19 en una muestra comunitaria espanola. 2847 participantes de entre 14 y 35 anos (95% mujeres) completaron medidas de depresion, ansiedad, estres, autoestima y alteraciones alimentarias. Considerando la pequena proporcion de hombres y al hallar diferencias significativas entre sexos, la mayoria de resultados fueron informados solo para las mujeres. Un 30,8%, 25,4% y 20,5% de la muestra presento niveles graves o muy graves de depresion, ansiedad y estres respectivamente. La calidad del sueno, los habitos alimentarios, las preocupaciones por la apariencia fisica, por el futuro y por la salud habian empeorado a raiz del confinamiento. Una menor edad, no tener pareja, el desempleo, no haber contraido COVID-19 o no estar seguro de ello, el fallecimiento de un ser querido por COVID-19, y no tener un lugar donde relajarse fueron factores asociados al malestar psicologico y las alteraciones alimentarias. El analisis de ecuaciones estructurales confirmo la influencia directa de las variables relacionadas con el confinamiento en la psicopatologia. Esto sugiere que la pandemia puede haber tenido un impacto significativo en la salud mental y en la conducta alimentaria. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on social network sites use, body image disturbances and self-esteem among adolescent and young women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on social network sites (SNS) use and to explore whether SNS use is associated with body image disturbances and low self-esteem. METHODS: A total of 2601 women living in Spain aged 14-35 years completed questionnaire measures of SNS use, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. In the survey, participants were asked about their use of SNS at the moment of answering the survey and before lockdown. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase was found in the frequency of use of all studied SNS (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook) during lockdown, as well as in the number of women following appearance-focused Instagram accounts. Moreover, significant relationships were found between the frequency of Instagram use and body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and low self-esteem in the younger age group (14-24), and between the frequency of Instagram use and drive for thinness in the older age group (25-35). Following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram was related to body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness in the younger group, and only to drive for thinness in the older group (25-35). Following appearance-focused accounts on Instagram and a higher frequency of use of Instagram significantly predicted higher levels of drive for thinness. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that lockdown has had an impact on SNS use, and this might be linked to increased drive for thinness and eating disorder risk among adolescent and young women.