ABSTRACT
The ongoing effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic have changed the very makeup of the American experience down to the acute onset of mental health care involvement for children and families. According to a recent systematic review of 35 survey studies of children and adolescents from 4 to 19 years of age (Theberath et al., 2022), the global pandemic has exacerbated the prevalence of mental health issues among youth for disorders ranging from depression and anxiety to post‐traumatic stress disorder and suicidality. However, innumerable disparities exist which have simultaneously increased mental health‐related visits for youth as well as decrease the likelihood of them accessing proper mental health care in this country to below 20% within the past three years (Abramson, 2022).
ABSTRACT
There have been significant concerns regarding the mental health impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to isolation, anxiety around the pandemic, and increased conflict in the home. The purpose of this study was to examine the rates of mental health symptoms of clinical concern and substance use, and to assess which COVID-19 related stressors were predictors of these symptoms and substance use in a large Canadian sample of adolescents, with comparisons across genders. Participants (N = 809, Mage = 15.67, SD = 1.37) identified as a girl (56.2%), boy (38.7%), or trans/nonbinary individuals (TNBI;5.1%) and were recruited via social media to complete an online survey. A high proportion of adolescents reported symptoms of clinical concern for depression (51%), anxiety (39%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (45%). Other mental health problems ranged from 9% to 20%. Adolescents were mainly concerned with the health of family members and vulnerable populations, as well as the increased family stress at home during COVID-19. Rates of substance use were higher than expected, with over 50% of youth engaging in some form of substance use in the past 90 days, and almost 20% engaging in substance use at least once a week. TNBI and girls reported higher rates of mental health problems compared to boys. Family stress due to confinement and violence at home predicted higher mental health symptoms, but not substance use problems. Increased rates of mental health problems and substance use necessitate targeted supports that encourage positive coping amidst the additional stresses of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The risk and prevalence of mental health concerns for health care workers has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Frontline health care workers are particularly vulnerable to professional burnout, anxiety, depression, substance use, and trauma. Although health care organizations have responded rapidly to the health and well-being needs of the patients and communities they serve, swiftly adapting to increased patient volumes, new protocols, resource shortages, and other needs as driven by the volatile environment, a similarly agile and robust effort is essential to support the mental and emotional well-being of health care workers. This article outlines the agile methodology used to mobilize a multidisciplinary team at a large academic medical center to amplify mental health support options for its workers and address barriers that prevent them from seeking that help. With the support of the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors and the People and Culture Committee through active executive sponsorship and funding, an internal team strategized and swiftly activated procedures to deal with urgent mental health barriers for frontline workers, despite the compounding challenges caused by the pandemic. This systematic approach to modeling a mental health strategic plan for health care workers featured engaging stakeholder teams through active listening, collective goal setting, and delineated short-term and long-term objectives while leveraging values-aligned and employee-centric principles. After 1 year, employees have increased the use of mental health services by as much as 14%-26%.
ABSTRACT
The perinatal period is a high risk for onset and relapse of mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic is a particularly stressful occurrence with reported negative impacts on perinatal mental health, hence the need to understand these impacts on pregnant and post-partum childbearing women and people, and prioritise interventions to alleviate them. This is the first of two articles.