Correction

Reports an error in "Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic" by Sk. Faijan Bin Halim, Sojal Mridha, Nishad Nasrin, Md. Karimul Islam and Md. Tanvir Hossain (Sociological Spectrum, 2022, Vol 42[2], 119-134). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2022-75958-003). Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported in Vol 42(3) of Sociological Spectrum (see record 2022-84985-006). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue.] Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Correction

Reports an error in "Socioeconomic crisis and mental health stress among the middle-income group during the COVID-19 pandemic" by Sk. Faijan Bin Halim, Sojal Mridha, Nishad Nasrin, Md. Karimul Islam and Md. Tanvir Hossain (Sociological Spectrum, 2022, Vol 42[2], 119-134). The article listed above was intended to publish as part of the forthcoming "COVID-19: Health Inequities and Pandemic Disasters Yet to Come" special issue, but was mistakenly published in a previous issue. (The following of the original article appeared in record 2022-75958-003). Following the spread of COVID-19, the prolonged lockdown has adversely affected not only the mental health but also the socioeconomic well-being of people, particularly the underprivileged population, across the world. This study was designed to assess the mental health of middle-income people and its association with the socioeconomic crises that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. A semi-structured interview schedule in Bangla was administered to conveniently collect the data from 150 participants based on certain specifications. Findings suggest that COVID-19 status, household debt, and depression were significantly associated with mental stress among middle-income people. Depression, on the other hand, was substantially affected by socio-demographic and socioeconomic status as well as their hygiene and government support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, an individual's anxiety was determined by income during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine status, personal hygiene, and socio-demographic factors. To reduce the pandemic-induced stress, depression, and anxiety, the government should provide financial assistance through social safety net and create alternative livelihood opportunities using existing resources. Besides, policymakers should implement community awareness programs about the risk of COVID-19 to minimize both risk of infection and mental health stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Healthcare concerns of older adults during the COVID-19 outbreak in low- and middle- income countries: Lessons for health policy and social work

This reprinted chapter originally appeared in Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 2020, 63[6-7], 717-723. (The following of the original article appeared in record 2021-00510-034.) Older people have been identified to be one of the most vulnerable population groups to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). At the same time, more health workers in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Ghana are contracting COVID-19. This poses healthcare utilization concerns for older adults. As a result, many older adults are changing their health-seeking behavior by staying at home and resorting to informal healthcare such as the use of traditional therapies and over-the-counter medicines for self-treatment or to boost their immune system. This commentary calls for social workers to collaborate with health authorities and community pharmacists to develop social and health programs to increase older adults' access to healthcare during the COVID-19 crisis. Policies are also required to deal with the pandemic and its impact on health systems in LMICs for both short and long term. We have suggested in this commentary how governments, health institutions, and local authorities in LMICs can address the healthcare concerns of older adults during this and any future pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Depressive and anxiety symptoms and COVID-19-related factors among men and women in Nigeria

Despite the greater adverse economic impacts in low and middle-income (LAMI) compared to high-income countries, fewer studies have investigated the associations between COVID-19-related stressor and mental health in LAMI countries. The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between COVID-19-related stressors and anxiety and depressive symptoms while controlling for known risk and protective factors and to investigate any sex differences. An online survey was carried out to assess sociodemographic, psychosocial (previous mental health conditions, sexual orientation, intimate partner violence and perceived social support) and COVID-19-related variables. Hierarchical linear regression was carried out with anxiety and depressive symptoms as separate out- comes. Of the COVID-19-related factors, testing positive for COVID-19 infection, having COVID-19 symptoms, having other medical conditions, self-isolating due to COVID-19 symptoms, worry about infection, perception of the pandemic as a threat to income and isolation during the lockdown were significantly associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms. Of these, worry about infection, isolation during lockdown and disruption due to the pandemic retained independent associations with both outcomes. The variance in anxiety and depressive symptoms explained by COVID-19-related factors was larger in women (11.8%) compared to men (6.1% and 0.8% respectively). COVID-19-related stressors are associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, with these effects being larger in men compared to women. Enhancing social support can be an affordable strategy to mitigate this risk but this needs to be investigated using appropriate designs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Experience during COVID-19 lockdown and self-managing strategies among caregivers of children with epilepsy: A study from low middle income country

Purpose: Abrupt halt of service provision due to pandemic state of COVID-19, significantly affected care of patients with chronic diseases like epilepsy;its impact being greater on caregivers of vulnerable groups such as children with epilepsy. We performed this study to describe difficulties posed by the lockdown to caregivers of children with epilepsy in a low-middle income country and describe their responses and self-management strategies to overcome difficulties and prepare for a recurrence. Method: A cross-sectional all-island survey was carried out at paediatric neurology centers in Sri Lanka. Data was gathered via a face-to-face interview after the lockdown period. Parental stress level was evaluated using a self-rating Stress Assessment Questionnaire. Results: Caregivers of 140 children with epilepsy from seven centers served by paediatric neurologists were interviewed. Mean duration of epilepsy was 7.9 years(SD 4). Majority were on one (52.1 %) or two (20 %) antiseizure medications regularly. The pandemic did not affect epilepsy control in majority (87.3 %), however, signficant proportion faced difficulties over regular reviews and presecription refills. Despite difficluties, 87.1 % of parents maintained dispensing anti-seizure medications to their child regularly. Caregivers demonstrated healthy self-management strategies such as awareness on medications and access methods to healthcare during lockdown and remained confident of accessability to services. Stress was experienced in < 5%. Conclusion: Lockdown status for COVID-19 did not significantly affect the control of epilepsy in children though it posed difficulties for regular reviews and obtaining medications. Self-management strategies will help caregivers to adopt to new-normal status and potential future outbreaks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)