Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Well-Being of Health Care Professionals in India

Introduction and Objective Health care professionals (HPs) have been at the forefront facing the pressures and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus have a higher psychological vulnerability. The incidence of psychological distress, which can negatively affect an HP's work efficiency and long-term well-being, has not been studied in depth in India.Materials and Methods A multicentric study was conducted using the digital means of communication across Max Healthcare between June and August 2020. HPs in the department of oncology, including doctors, nurses, and other support staff, were invited to voluntarily participate in the self-administered online survey. A total of 87 HPs in oncology (41 doctors, 28 nurses, and 18 in other fronts) were assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Outcome of interest was psychological distress (defined as a GHQ-12 score >15).Results The overall incidence of psychological distress among HPs in oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic was 17.20%. Significantly higher levels of psychological distress were observed among HPs with a history of psychiatric illness ( p = 0.003), and among HPs with a work experience of less than 10 years ( p = 0.017).Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the psychological well-being of HPs in India. This study implicated the recognition of the psychological well-being of HPs in oncology as an unmet need during the COVID-19 pandemic, further recommending efforts toward increasing accessibility of mental health services for them.

Psychometric Evaluation of GHQ-12 as a Screening Tool for Psychological Impairment of Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is a widely used tool in clinical and research settings due to its brevity and easy administration. Researchers often adopt a dichotomous measurement method, considering a total score above or below a certain threshold, leading to an extreme simplification of the gathered data and, therefore, the loss of clinical details. In a multistep evaluation study aimed at assessing health care workers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, GHQ-12 proved to be the most effective tool to detect psychological distress compared to other scales. These results deepened the understanding of GHQ-12 properties through a statistical study focusing on items' properties and characteristics. Methods: GHQ-12 responses were analyzed using Item Response Theory (IRT), a suitable method for scale assessment. Instead of considering the single overall score, in which each item accounts equally, it focuses on individual items' characteristics. Moreover, IRT models were applied combined with the latent class (LC) analysis, aiming to determine subgroups of individuals according to their level of psychological distress. Results: GHQ-12 was administered to 990 healthcare workers, and responses were scored using the binary method (0-0-1-1). We applied the two-parameter logistic (2-PL) model, finding that the items showed different ways of responses and features. The latent class analysis classified subjects into three sub-groups according to their responses to GHQ-12 only: 47% of individuals with general well-being, 38% expressing signs of discomfort without severity, and 15% of subjects with a high level of impairment. This result almost reproduces the subjects' classification obtained after administering the six questionnaires of the study protocol. Conclusions: Accurate statistical techniques and a deep understanding of the latent factors underlying the GHQ-12 resulted in more effective usage of such a psychometric questionnaire - i.e., a more refined gathering of data and significant time and resource efficiency. We underlined the need to maximize the extraction of data from questionnaires and the necessity of them being less lengthy and repetitive.

The relationship between the psychological distress derived from COVID-19 and the loss aversion is modulated by the alexithymia trait

studies on stress and decision-making usually address acute and artificial stressors. However, COVID-19 outbreak set the perfect scena-rio to address how decision-making, and specifically loss aversion, could be affected by a real and persistent stressor, able to promote a significant psychological distress. In parallel, alexithymia has been identified as a potential moderator of the loss aversion expression, since it could impair the incorporation of emotional information when making a decision, leading to "cold" decisions. Through a within-subjects design (N = 70), our aim was to study the relationship between the psychological distress caused by the pandemic context and the loss aversion changes, considering alexithymia as a moderating factor. Our results show a significant increment in both psychological distress and loss aversion, merely one month after the confinement's onset. Moreover, both variables were positively associated only when alexithymia was low, i.e., the alexithymia buffered the effect of psychological distress on decision-making: a higher alexithymia implied a lower loss aversion increase.

Psychological Impact on Healthcare Workers of Past SARS and Current COVID-19 Outbreak: A Global Review

The emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China during late 2019 spread quickly and creating international emergency and tremendous challenges for healthcare workers (HCWs) including dental and oral healthcare professionals. The brisk spread of this new viral disease forced HCWs to suffer from different types of stress including mortality and morbidity, delayed patient dealing, scarcity of complete personal protective equipment (PPE), and fear of being COVID-19 virus target and carriers to their family members. The dental and oral HCWs were also advised to apply mobility restrictions and social distancing measures. All of a sudden, most of the regular medical check-ups including dental clinic appointments were cancelled, reducing the number of patients flow. The abrupt cancellation of appointments put a sudden break on medical profession including dental practice. Different scales like progression of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Chinese Health Questionnaire-12 (CHd-12), Davidson Trauma Scale-Chinese (DTS-C), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Impact of Event Scale (IES), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) etc. have been devised in different countries to assess the overall mental health status. The reports from earlier SARS outbreak in 2007 had also put a psychological impact on HCWs but least has been learned from this out break. The reports from previous Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks and early COVID-19 pandemic have a considerable negative impact (short and long-term) on mental status of HCWs. Different types of negative impacts on mental health like depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and distress were reported in HCWs during COVID-19 pandemic. The current COVID-19 pandemic given a broader understanding of how much, how far and how fast an outbreak can occur and affect HCWs psychologically. In this review, authors summarize the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the psychology of HCWs, as reported from different countries.Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Mental Health of Students at Polish Universities after Two Years of the Outbreak of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Mental health deterioration in young adults in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is being increasingly studied. It is clear that the psychological consequences of the pandemic will be evident for many years, especially among the younger generation, who did not have time to acquire adaptive coping strategies before the outbreak of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to assess the condition of the mental health of students at Polish universities after two years of the pandemic. The types of coping strategies used by the respondents to deal with stress were also evaluated in order to establish which of them could have a beneficial effect on the psyche of young people. METHODS: This study included 721 participants (age [years]: M = 25.7, SD = 5.3; 269 (37.2%) males) recruited using snowball sampling from students at two universities in Lodz, Poland, and full-time doctoral students from across Poland (phase I of the study was conducted in March 2019 (N = 352); phase II of the study was conducted in April 2022 (N = 369)). The following tools were used in this study: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) by D. Goldberg, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE) by Carver et al. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results detailing the condition of the mental health of the subjects, as measured using GHQ-28, were significantly worse in the group surveyed after two years of the pandemic than the results of the survey conducted in March 2019 (adjusted odds ratio for GHQ-28 ≥ 5: 3.66, 95%CI 2.12-6.30, p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were seen for each of the subscales of the GHQ-28 questionnaire. Most often, the subjects complained of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders, in addition to somatic symptoms. The risk factors for worsening mental health included female (odds ratio 1.70, 95%CI 1.20-2.40, p = 0.003) and professional inactivity (odds ratio 1.55, 95%CI 1.04-2.31, p = 0.031). On the other hand, the ages of the people surveyed, their relationship status, whether they had children, or the type of university they attended all proved to be insignificant. The following coping strategies had a positive impact on the mental health of the respondents: positive reframing (Z = -2.951; p = 0.003) and seeking emotional support (Z = -2.351; p = 0.019). In contrast, strategies such as self-distraction (Z = 2.785; p = 0.005), denial (Z = 2.948; p = 0.003), venting (Z = 2.337; p = 0.019), self-blame (Z = 5.511; p < 0.001) and behavioral disengagement (Z = 4.004; p < 0.001) were associated with poorer mental health among the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Of the students surveyed, 33% reported elevated stress levels after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. The overall mental health of students at Polish universities, as measured by GHQ-28, was significantly worse in the group evaluated after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly in respect of anxiety symptoms and sleep disorders. 3. Female gender and professional inactivity appeared to be risk factors for the students' worsening mental health, which may be an indication of the need for further research and planning of psychotherapeutic interventions.

Mental Health of Mothers of Preschoolers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the government's emergency declarations in Japan may have influenced people's mental health. In particular, among women, there are concerns about the occurrence of neuroses, such as depression and anxiety. Objective(s): This study aimed to identify the factors related to mental distress among women in Japan who were raising children amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): An online survey was conducted in 2020 among 730 Japanese women raising preschoolers. The survey included questions about child-rearing, anxiety, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The average age of the respondents was 34.4 years (21-52 years), and 31.5% of the respondents were living in "Prefectures under Specific Cautions" areas. Result(s): The prevalence of clinically significant levels of mental distress according to GHQ-12 scores was 41.5%. The highest predictor of mental distress was "Maternal anxiety about child-rearing" (Odds Ratio = 3.27, 95% Confidence Interval: 2.41-4.45). Other factors that affected their mental condition included concerns about children's health and avoiding visiting hospitals for treatment. Conclusion(s): Mothers raising preschoolers experienced increased mental distress because of pandemic-related closures and heightened maternal anxiety about child-rearing. Thus, women who are raising preschoolers and confined to their homes need to be provided mental healthcare. Copyright © 2022 Sumiyoshi et al.

Psychological first aid intervention: rescue from psychological distress and improving the pre-licensure nursing students' resilience amidst COVID-19 crisis and beyond.

Background: The public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mental and psychological ramifications on the healthcare professionals. The pre-licensure nursing students found themselves not only fighting against the baneful virus but also weak ego resilience. At this point, enriching the pre-licensure nursing students with psychological first aid (PFA) could help them to recover from the feeling of psychological distress and improve their resilience capacity to encounter any upcoming outbreaks. Methods: A quasi-experimental two groups, a pre-post-test study was used in which sixty-four pre-licensure nursing students completed a baseline survey which revealed high levels of psychological distress and low resilience capacity due to the COVID-19 crisis. The study group engaged in the Psychological First- aid Intervention (PFA) at the end of the clinical practicum course period, while the comparison group received routine psychological support. Results: A significant reduction in the psychological distress levels among students in the PFA group (FET=7.83, P = 0. 001). Likewise, significant improvements in the students' resilience capacity level immediately after the intervention (FET=3.34, P = 0.019) and during the two-month follow-up (FET=12.94, P = 0. 001). The implementation of PFA enhanced the pre-licensure nursing students' psychological health status and resilience capacity levels after their clinical training amid the ambiance of the COVID-19 crisis. Conclusion: The PFA effectively fostered the pre-licensure nursing students' recovery from the COVID-19 related- psychological distress and improve their resilience capacity. The application of RAPID model is recommended to reduce stress and prevent burnout among novice and future nurses who show signs of psychological exhaustion.

The effect of living alone on the mental health of the economically active floating population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic broke out at the end of 2019 in China. Through a strict Zero-Tolerant strategy, the pandemic was nearly controlled in the first half of 2020, and production resumed in most regions of China. A survey was performed to explore the effect of living alone on the mental health of the economically active floating population (EAFP) in developed regions of China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The online cross-sectional survey was conducted in work resumed time in the first half of 2020 in several developed regions of China. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is used to assess the mental health status. The Multi-level ordinary least squares regression was performed on a total of 4,405 samples to examine the relationships between living alone and the participants' mental health. Results: Many participants lived alone during the COVID 19 pandemic. Living alone is negatively associated with mental health (p < 0.01) for EAFP. The effect of living alone on mental health is stronger for females than males and for people with a lover than those without a lover. It is also stronger for the seniors (aged 56-70) than younger ones (aged 16-35), and has no significant influence on the middle-aged population (36-55). The effect is significant for self-employed people and employees, and is not significant for unemployed ones. Furthermore, the right amount of online entertainment can lower the effect of living alone on mental health. Conclusion: The results show that living alone strongly affected the mental health of EAFP during the COVID 19 pandemic. Moreover, this effect has generated new inequalities among different groups. In addition, to provide more public services to support people against the pandemic, the government should provide more psychological support to those who live alone and guide them to establish a correct view of marriage and love to reduce living alone negative effect and prevent them from mental health problems.

Quality of Life and Mental Health Status in Recovered COVID-19 Subjects at Two Years after Infection in Taizhou, China: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

According to previous studies, mental status in 1-year COVID-19 survivors might range from 6-43%. Longer-term psychological consequences in recovered COVID-19 subjects are unknown, so we analyzed longer-term quality of life and mental status in recovered COVID-19 subjects at 2 years after infection. Among 144 recovered COVID-19 subjects in the Taizhou region, 73 and 45 completed face-to-face follow-ups at the first year and second year after infection, respectively, with a 61.7% follow-up rate. The questionnaire, which was administered at both follow-ups, included questions about quality of life, psychological health, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to the differences of each scale between the first and second year. Among the 45 people who completed both follow-up visits, the incidence of psychological problems was 4.4% (2/45) in the first year, and no new psychological abnormalities were observed in the second year. Quality of life improved, while the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) scores did not improve over time. The incidence of mental disorders was lower than those in previous studies. Multidisciplinary management for COVID-19 in this study hospital may have reduced the frequency to a certain extent. However, among those with mental health problems, such problems may exist for a long time, and long-term attention should be given to the psychological status of recovered COVID-19 subjects.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON HEALTH CARE WORKERS OF TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of mental health issues when faced with the challenges associated with pandemics. This study was conducted to assess the psychological impact of pandemic o n HCWs working in tertiary care hospitals of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. This cross-sectional study was conducted between April & June 2020. By convenience sampling an electronic form of Goldberg General Health Questionnaire was distributed among HCWs of the private sector and public tertiary care hospitals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Inferential analysis was done. The significant level was considered at p=< 0. 05. Total of 186 HCWs among which 105 (56.5%) males and 81 (43.5%) females participated in the survey, a mean age of 37.6 +/- 9.28 years. The highest prevalence was found for social dysfunction 184 (97.8%) followed by somatization, 169 (92.8%). Significance of difference was found between age group and anxiety (p=0.018), specialty of HCWs with somatization and social dysfunction (p=0.041 and 0.037 respectively). Pandemic poses a significant risk for the mental health of HCWs. During pandemics at its peak, proper mental health support program, personal and family protection assurance is highly recommended for provision of quality care by HCWs.

COVID-19 Worry and Mental Health Among the Economically Active Population in Guangdong, China.

Background: The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused people to worry, which has affected their mental health. This study aimed to access the impact of COVID-19 worry on the mental health of the economically active population (EAP) in a province of China. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey study was conducted during an outbreak of COVID-19 in Guangdong, China. The survey used the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to evaluate participants' mental health status and was completed by 1,584 of the 1,708 participants (a response rate of 92.74%). Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were used to identify the correlation between COVID-19 worry and mental health. Results: Approximately 42.05% of participants reported that they were very worried or extremely worried about the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 worry was negatively correlated with mental health (p < 0.01) and exhibited a stronger influence on the mental health of participants who were male, younger (aged 16-45), or unemployed than on the mental health of participants who were women, older (aged over 45), or employed. Conclusion: The findings suggest that COVID-19 worry has generated new inequalities in mental health among the EAP of China. The government should provide more public reassurance and psychological support to the EAP to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 worry and prevent mental health disorders.

Investigating the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Psychological Health of University Students and Their Attitudes Toward Mobile Mental Health Solutions: Two-Part Questionnaire Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 outbreak was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019, and it was officially declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. The COVID-19 outbreak and the safety measures taken to control it caused many psychological issues in populations worldwide, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to assess the psychological effects of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to investigate the students' awareness of mobile mental health care apps as well as their attitudes toward the use of these apps. METHODS: A two-part self-administered web-based questionnaire was delivered to students at United Arab Emirates University. The first part of the questionnaire assessed the mental state of the participants using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), while the second part contained questions investigating the participants' awareness of and attitudes toward mental health care apps. Students were invited to fill out the web-based questionnaire via social media and mailing lists. RESULTS: A total of 154 students participated in the survey, and the majority were female. The results of the GHQ-12 analysis showed that the students were experiencing psychological issues related to depression and anxiety as well as social dysfunction. The results also revealed a lack of awareness of mental health care apps and uncertainty regarding the use of such apps. Approximately one-third of the participants (44/154, 28.6%) suggested preferred functionalities and characteristics of mobile mental health care apps, such as affordable price, simple design, ease of use, web-based therapy, communication with others experiencing the same issues, and tracking of mental status. CONCLUSIONS: Like many groups of people worldwide, university students in the UAE were psychologically affected by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although apps can be useful tools for mental health care delivery, especially in circumstances such as those produced by the outbreak, the students in this study showed a lack of awareness of these apps and mixed attitudes toward them. Improving the digital health literacy of university students in the UAE by increasing their awareness of mental health care apps and the treatment methods and benefits of the apps, as well as involving students in the app creation process, may encourage students to use these tools for mental health care.

Prevalence and correlates of psychological distress amongst healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: An online survey.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the mental health needs of healthcare workers during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with a view of mitigating its impact on occupational functioning is vital. AIM: To determine the prevalence and correlates of psychological distress amongst healthcare workers. SETTING: The study was carried out in Nigeria during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative study using a convenience sample was conducted amongst healthcare workers. The survey comprised of two Google formatted self-report questionnaires, a 12-item General Health Questionnaire and a questionnaire containing socio-demographic, work related and knowledge of COVID-19 variables. Questionnaires were distributed via closed professional WhatsApp platforms. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 313 respondents and prevalence of psychological distress was 47.0%. Females were almost twice as likely to have psychological distress as males (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.21-3.04, p = 0.006). Healthcare workers who had no contact with COVID-19 positive patients had an 87% reduced risk of psychological distress (OR = 0.13, 95%CI: 0.23-0.25, p = 0.018) compared with those who had contact with COVID-19 positive patients. Healthcare workers with poor knowledge of COVID-19 had a 44% reduced risk of psychological distress compared with those with good knowledge (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.93, p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Findings revealed that healthcare workers in Nigeria reported psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic. Greater risk was amongst females and those who had contact with COVID-19 positive patients whilst poor knowledge was protective.

Mental Health Status before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Patients First Visiting a Psychosomatic Internal Medicine Clinic in Tokyo, Japan.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has aggravated anxiety and depression worldwide, particularly in patients with chronic illnesses and mental disorders. Using validated questionnaires, in this paper, we examine the psychological effects of the pandemic in Japan in detail. The General Mental Health Scale (GHQ), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were used to assess mental health, state and trait anxiety, and depression, respectively. The survey was completed during the patients' first visits to the clinic of Psychosomatic Internal Medicine from November 2018 to April 2021. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare data from 226 participants before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The GHQ total, GHQ subscales of "social dysfunction" and "anxiety and dysphoria", and state anxiety scores were significantly higher during than before the pandemic. The GHQ total, some GHQ subscales, and state anxiety scores were significantly higher among male than female participants during the pandemic. The GHQ total, some GHQ subscales, CES-D, and state anxiety scores in those aged 10-39 years were significantly higher. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused mental health changes in many individuals based on their gender, age, and with time.

The Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress in the United Kingdom: An update.

This paper extends earlier on socioeconomic inequality in mental health, measured by the General Health Questionnaire, to include the second national lockdown up to March 2021.

Psychological distress in Spanish airline pilots during the aviation crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and psychometric analysis of the 12-item general health questionnaire.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological distress of Spanish airline pilots, a group of professionals undergoing an unprecedented work situation as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. To do so, we administered the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). A total of 342 questionnaires were obtained, with the largest respondent age group being 41-50 years. The psychometric properties of the instrument were also evaluated, with an exploratory factor analysis revealing a unidimensional structure that explained 59.23% of the variance. The total score on the standard GHQ-12 was 4.54 ± 3.31 very close to the cut-off point established to determine psychological distress. The score increased among those unemployed and was also higher among pilots on furlough compared to those whose work situation was relatively normal. Furthermore, the reliability measured by the total Cronbach's alpha was above 0.8 of each across all employment status considered. These results show the desirability of conducting periodic psychological distress assessments of pilots so that effective measures can be implemented to ensure their psychological and socio-emotional well-being. Practitioner summary: This article evaluates psychological distress in a group of professionals that has received scant attention in the field. Moreover, it does so against the background of an atypical situation, evaluating the psychological distress suffered by pilots in different employment categories during the current severe crisis in the aviation sector.Abbreviations: CFI: comparative fit index; COPAC: Official College of Commercial Aviation Pilots; ECA: European Cockpit Association; EFA: exploratory factor analysis; GHQ-12: general health questionnaire-12; IATA: International Air Transport Association; KMO: Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test; PA: optimal implementation of parallel analysis; ULS: unweighted least squares.

Learning it the hard way - how enjoying life and positive appraisal buffer the negative effects of stressors on mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Higher levels of stress and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression have been reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it remains less clear how positive emotions, such as hedonic capacity, may be affected. Further, during lockdowns, the ability to learn new pleasurable activities (hedonic learning) may be particularly relevant. Here, we investigated if state hedonia and/or hedonic learning mediated the relationship between COVID-19 stress and mental health. Moreover, we explored whether positive appraisal style (PAS), a major resilience factor, influenced these relationships. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 5000 German-speaking participants filled out online questionnaires targeting stressors, mental health, state hedonia, hedonic learning, and PAS between April 9 and May 15, 2020. After confirming the factor structure of our constructs, we applied latent structural equation modeling to test mediation as well as moderated mediation models. RESULTS: Stress showed a positive association with mental health symptoms, which was buffered by both state hedonia and hedonic learning. While higher stress was related to lower state hedonia, participants reported more hedonic learning with greater stressor load. The latter effect was greater for individuals with high PAS. LIMITATIONS: The present results should be replicated in longitudinal designs with representative samples to confirm the directionality and generalizability of effects. CONCLUSIONS: Both state hedonia and hedonic learning buffered the effect of stress on mental health in an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning new rewarding activities in combination with a PAS may be especially relevant for maintaining mental health during lockdowns.

Mental Health of Teachers Who Have Teleworked Due to COVID-19.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education included school closures and the implementation of virtual teaching and teleworking without the knowledge or resources needed to do so. This situation accentuated the inequality in accessing quality education and generated high rates of stress, anxiety, and general discomfort in teachers. This study aimed to explore the mental health of teachers who were forced to telework because of COVID-19, and to analyze the association with sociodemographic, teacher-related, and working conditions. The sample was 278 classroom teachers in Chile who teleworked more than 50% during the 2020 academic year. The participants were mostly women (82%) who entered the teaching profession at age 30 or younger (87%) and worked two or more unpaid overtime hours per day (67%). The dependent variable was mental health measured through the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The independent variables were sociodemographic, teacher-related, and work conditions. The internal structure of the mental health construct was evaluated using the Rasch model. Crude odds ratios (cORs) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were estimated using logistic regression models. A high rate of poor mental health was identified in teachers (58%). The variables associated with poor mental health were working in a private-subsidized school (aOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.16-7.22), working two or more unpaid overtime hours (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.11-4.59), and being absent due to sickness (aOR = 3.82; 95% CI: 1.53-9.58). These results provide evidence suggesting the need for actions to improve the working conditions of teachers who telework in order to improve their mental health, and thus have a positive impact on the entire educational community.

The Mental Well-Being of Health Care Workers during the Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Nationwide Study in Poland.

INTRODUCTION: The current epidemiological situation has quickly led to several changes in the daily functioning of people around the world, especially among medical personnel, who in this difficult period were burdened with new professional duties, which significantly affects their mental health. MATERIALS: This study aims to assess the mental health of health professionals at a critical point in their workload, to compare the results with those the general population, and to explore the potential determinants affecting it. The CAWI survey includes a sociodemographic section, work experience and a standardised psychometric tool (GHQ-28). Data were collected during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (3-29 November 2020), which had the highest mortality rates and SARS-CoV-2 morbidity rates, as well as during the period of a significant increase in deaths, compared to the corresponding pre-pandemic period. RESULTS: A total of 2150 surveys were eligible for analysis. Among them, 848 (39.4%) were active health professionals. In the analysis of the scores of the GHQ-28 scale and its sub-scales, evaluating anxiety/insomnia and somatic symptoms, medical workers scored significantly higher scores than non-medical professions (p < 0.001). Frontline medical workers (p < 0.001) and those who were forcibly seconded to work with COVID-19-infected patients (p = 0.011) achieved significantly higher GHQ-28 scores. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental deterioration among health professionals, especially among those directly working with SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and those who were forcibly seconded to work with such patients. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, appropriate psychological care for medical personnel needs to be implemented.

Psychological Impact During the First Outbreak of COVID-19 on Frontline Health Care Workers in Shanghai.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant health threat. Health care worker (HCWs) are at a significant risk of infection which may cause high levels of psychological distress. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 on HCWs and factors which were associated with these stresses during the first outbreak in Shanghai. Methods: Between February 9 and 21, 2020, a total of 3,114 frontline HCWs from 26 hospitals in Shanghai completed an online survey. The questionnaire included questions on their sociodemographic characteristics, 15 stress-related questions, and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the 15 stress-related questions which produced four distinct factors for evaluation. Multiple linear regression models were performed to explore the association of personal characteristics with each score of the four factors. Binary logistic analysis was used to explain the association of personal characteristics and these four factors with the GHQ-12. Results: There were 2,691 valid surveys received. The prevalence of emotional distress (defined as GHQ-12 ≥ 12) was noted in 47.7% (95%CI:45.7-49.6%) HCWs. Females (OR = 1.43, 95%CI:1.09-1.86) were more likely to have a psychological distress than males. However, HCWs who work in secondary hospitals (OR = 0.71, 95% CI:0.58-0.87) or had a no contact history (OR = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.35-0.58) were less likely to suffer psychological distress. HCWs who were nurses, married, and had a known contact history were highly likely to have anxiety. HCWs working at tertiary hospitals felt an elevated anxiety regarding the infection, a lack of knowledge, and less protected compared to those who worked at secondary hospitals. Conclusions: Our study shows that the frontline HCWs had a significant psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai. HCWs felt a lack of knowledge and had feelings of being not protected. It is necessary for hospitals and governments to provide additional trainings and psychological counseling to support the first-line HCWs.