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BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is adversely affecting the mental health of the patients infected with the virus and the psychological impact on recovered COVID-19 patients is not clear. The study aimed to assess Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression among COVID-19 patients post recovery from the disease. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from November 09, 2020, to December 23, 2020. The study enrolled recovered COVID-19 patients through telemedicine mode from the database of patients provided by the health authorities. National Stressful Events Survey PTSD Short Scale [NSESSS] for adults was used for assessing PTSD symptoms and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used for assessing depression. RESULTS: The study enrolled 503 recovered COVID-19 patients with a mean age of 41.90 years. The majority were asymptomatic (64.6%) while 21.5% developed moderate to severe form of the disease. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms and depression was found to be 56.9% and 29.0% respectively. COVID-19 patients with severe form of disease were significantly more affected with PTSD symptoms [vs mild, Odds Ratio (OR)= 18.7, Confidence Interval (CI)= 9.9-35.5] and depression (vs mild, OR= 19.8, CI= 9.9-39.5). Similarly, the patients who required oxygen or ventilator support reported a significantly higher PTSD symptoms (vs managed at home, OR= 17.4, CI= 8.3-36.4) and depression (vs managed at home, OR= 22.0, CI= 10.1-47.7). CONCLUSION: The study reported that recovered COVID-19 patients suffered from a significant amount of depression and experienced significant PTSD symptoms. It will help in addressing a major psychological concern among the recovered subjects.
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This research examines the influence that emotional distress, socially demanding contexts, and the coronavirus pandemic have had on the mental health of young adults. It highlights how active engagement in one's mental health can help mitigate the negative influence of emotional distress on mental health. A research model outlines the importance of mental health engagement in combating and controlling mental health symptoms. Implications from findings underscore the significance of creating a culture that assigns parity to both mental and physical healthcare. Direction is offered for healthcare providers in fostering mental health engagement by promoting mental health literacy and increasing access.
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INTRODUCTION: Suicide in physicians outlines a public health problem that deserves more consideration. A recently performed meta-analysis and systematic review evaluated suicide mortality in physicians by gender and investigated several related risk factors. It showed a post-1980 suicide mortality ratio 46% higher in female physicians than women in the general population and a 33% lower risk in male physicians than men in general, despite an overall contraction in physicians' mortality rates in both genders. METHODS: This narrative review was conducted through a search and analysis of relevant articles/databases to address questions raised by the meta-analysis, and how they may be affected by COVID-19. The process included unstructured searches on physician suicide, burnout, medicine judicialization, healthcare organization and COVID-19 on Pubmed, and Google searches for relevant databases, medical society, expert and media commentaries on these topics. We focus on three factors critical to address physician suicides: epidemiological data limitations, psychiatric comorbidities, and professional overload. RESULTS: We found relevant articles on suicide reporting, physician mental health, effects of healthcare judicialization and organization on physician and patient health, and how COVID-19 may impact such factors. This review addresses information sources, underreporting/misreporting of physicians' suicide rates, inadequate diagnosis and management of psychiatric comorbidities and chronic effects on physicians' work capacity, and finally, medicine judicialization and organization failure increasing physician "burnout". We discuss these factors in general and in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: We describe an overview of the above factors, discuss possible solutions, and specifically address how COVID-19 may impact such factors.
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OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic on university students in the U.S. by: (1) characterizing COVID-19-related disruptions; (2) evaluating health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive (OC), depression, and stress symptoms; and (3) analyzing the unique role of COVID-19 anxiety on mental health outcomes, after accounting for relevant variables. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 263 students (63.9% female). METHODS: Data were collected online between March 19, 2020 and May 1, 2020. RESULTS: Participants screened positive for health anxiety (6.5%), OC symptoms (48.7%), or depression (29.7%). COVID-19 anxiety was positively associated with mental health symptoms. After controlling for demographics and COVID-19 impact, COVID-19 anxiety accounted for significant variance in health anxiety, OC symptoms, and stress. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate the vast impact of COVID-19 on mental health among university students and provide guidance for identifying mental health priorities in the context of public health crises.
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Resumo Objetivo Analisar os impactos da infodemia de COVID-19 nos sintomas sugestivos de depressão e transtorno de ansiedade generalizada (TAG) em idosos que utilizam as mídias digitais. Método Dados coletados por web-based survey, de julho a dezembro de 2020, na população acima de 60 anos (n=103.636) residente no município de Juiz de Fora, interior de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram analisadas variáveis sociodemográficas, de exposição a informações sobre COVID-19 e a associação a sintomas de depressão e TAG . Para o rastreio de depressão e de TAG foram utilizados a Escala de Depressão Geriátrica (EDG) e o Inventário de Ansiedade Geriátrica (GAI-BR), respectivamente. Para análise bivariada utilizou-se o teste do qui-quadrado e, posteriormente, a regressão de Poisson, controlada por possíveis fatores de confusão (RP ajustada) na análise múltipla, com intervalo de confiança de 95%. Resultados Dos 470 idosos respondentes, 26,1% apresentou sintomas de depressão e 18,4% TAG. Mostraram-se associados a sintomas de depressão: tempo de exposição nas redes sociais, sentir-se afetado pelas informações sobre COVID-19 veiculadas nas redes sociais e na televisão, e apresentar rastreio positivo para sofrimento psíquico causado e/ou agravado pela exposição às informações sobre COVID-19. Já para TAG, além do rastreio positivo para sofrimento psíquico, as variáveis que permaneceram associadas foram: respostas geradas pela divulgação de notícias falsas nas redes sociais e de medo relacionado à COVID-19 veiculadas no rádio. Conclusão Todas as variáveis associadas aos desfechos se referiam à exposição às informações sobre COVID-19, indicando o evidente impacto da infodemia nos sintomas de depressão e TAG em idosos.
Resumen Objetivo Analizar los impactos de la infodemia de COVID-19 en los síntomas sugestivos de depresión y trastorno de ansiedad generalizada (TAG) en adultos mayores que utilizan los medios digitales. Métodos Datos recopilados por web-based survey, de julio a diciembre de 2020, en la población de más de 60 años (n=103.636) domiciliados en el municipio de Juiz de Fora, interior de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Se analizaron variables sociodemográficas, de exposición a información sobre COVID-19 y su relación con síntomas de depresión y TAG. Para el rastreo de depresión y de TAG se utilizó la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (EDG) y el Inventario de Ansiedad Geriátrica (GAI-BR), respectivamente. Para el análisis bivariado se utilizó la prueba de Ji cuadrado y, posteriormente, la regresión de Poisson, controlada por posibles factores de confusión (RP ajustada) en el análisis múltiple, con intervalo de confianza del 95 %. Resultados De los 470 adultos mayores que lo respondieron, el 26,1 % presentó síntomas de depresión y el 18,4 % TAG. Se mostraron asociados a síntomas de depresión los factores: tiempo de exposición en las redes sociales, sentirse afectado por la información sobre COVID-19 difundida en redes sociales y televisión, y presentar un rastreo positivo de sufrimiento psíquico causado o agravado por la exposición a la información sobre COVID-19. Por otro lado, las variables que permanecieron asociadas al TAG, además del rastreo positivo de sufrimiento psíquico, fueron: respuestas generadas por la divulgación de noticias falsas en las redes sociales y del miedo relacionado con el COVID-19 difundidas en la radio. Conclusión Todas las variables asociadas a los desenlaces mencionaron la exposición a información sobre COVID-19, lo que indica el evidente impacto de la infodemia en los síntomas de depresión y TAG en adultos mayores.
Abstract Objective To analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 infodemic on symptoms suggestive of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults who use digital media. Method Data collected by web-based survey, from July to December 2020, in the population over 60 years old (n=103,636) residing in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, in the countryside of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sociodemographic variables, exposure to information about COVID-19 and the association with symptoms of depression and GAD were analyzed. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI-BR) were used to screen for depression and GAD, respectively. For bivariate analysis, the chi-square test was used and, later, Poisson regression, controlled for possible confounding factors (adjusted PR) in the multiple analysis, with a 95% confidence interval. Results Of the 470 older adults who responded, 26.1% had symptoms of depression, and 18.4%, GAD. They were associated with symptoms of depression: time of exposure on social media; feeling affected by information about COVID-19 transmitted on social media and TV; and presenting positive screening for psychological distress caused and/or aggravated by exposure to information about COVID-19. For GAD, in addition to the positive screening for psychological distress, the variables that remained associated were: responses generated by dissemination of fake news on social media; and fear COVID-19-related fear published on the radio. Conclusion All variables associated with outcomes referred to exposure to information on COVID-19, indicating the evident infodemic impact on symptoms of depression and GAD in older adults.
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Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and psychosocial comorbidities in undergraduate dental students in a southern Brazilian university, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, it aimed to verify the association between psychosocial factors and TMD. Methods: Fonseca Anamnestic Index, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), a socioeconomic questionnaire, and questions about academic performance and social distancing were applied. Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the association of predictive variables with TMD. Results: The prevalence of TMD was found to be 82.4%, and more than half of the students had some degree of stress, anxiety, and depression. Students who had symptoms of stress (RR 1.11; 95% CI 1.04-1.19), anxiety (RR 1.19; 95% CI 1.12-1.27) and reported academic performance worsening (RR 1.12; 95% CI 1.07-1.19) had higher TMD scores. Conclusion: The findings suggest that TMD was highly prevalent among dental students at a federal university in southern Brazil during the pandemic, being associated with high levels of stress, anxiety, poor academic performance, and greater social distancing
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Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Anxiety , Students, Dental , Temporomandibular Joint Disorders/epidemiology , Depression , COVID-19ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lifelong provision of care to chronically ill patients increase the risk of physical and mental diseases in informal caregivers and adversely affects their quality of life. The present study examined the correlation between caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life among the informal caregivers of thalassemia and hemodialysis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in southeastern Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional correlational study used convenience sampling to select 200 informal caregivers involved in providing direct care for patients undergoing hemodialysis (n = 70) and patients with thalassemia (130) for at least 6 months. A demographic questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), the Quality-Of-Life Questionnaire (SF-36), and the Zarit Burden Interview were used to collect data in 2021. The data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 19) using frequency, percentage, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Most of the informal caregivers of the thalassemia and hemodialysis patients (58% and 43%) reported moderate levels of caregiver burden. There were significant correlations between the caregiver burden and depression (P < 0.0001) and between the caregiver burden and the quality of life (P < 0.009). The level of depression in informal caregivers of patients undergoing hemodialysis was higher than that of the informal caregivers of patients with thalassemia, but the quality of life in the informal caregivers of the patient's undergoing hemodialysis was higher than that of the informal caregivers of the patients with thalassemia. CONCLUSION: Considering the significant correlations between caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life in this study, healthcare providers are recommended to develop educational and supportive interventions to meet informal caregivers' needs, mitigate their emotional distress, fears, and concerns, and prevent caregiver burden in times of greater uncertainty.
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BACKGROUND: Medical students have higher risk of psychological disorders due to the relatively stressful environment. Educators are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of stresses on the students general well-being. The objective of the current study was to examine the prevalence of and risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms among first-year and fifth-year medical students. Additionally, we aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students' mental well-being. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed at the College of Medicine at King Saud University between September 2020 and January 2021. The target population was first-year and fifth-year medical students. Depressive symptoms were screened using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), while anxiety symptoms were screened using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD-7). Students were also directly asked about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental well-being. Outcomes were compared between groups using the chi-squared test and Student's t test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 182 medical students were included. Depressive symptoms (52.9% versus 35.8%, p = 0.020) and anxiety symptoms (35.6% versus 26.3%, p = 0.176) were higher in the first-year students than in the fifth-year students. Approximately 19.2% of the students were worried about acquiring COVID-19, 49.4% were worried about academic performance, and 30.8% were feeling sad, depressed or anxious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent risk factors for depressive symptoms included having concomitant anxiety, being worried about acquiring COVID-19, being worried about academic performance, and feeling sad, depressed or anxious. Independent risk factors for anxiety included having a lower grade point average and having concomitant depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Medical students have an alarmingly high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, which might have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for a special mental health program targeting new and current medical students.
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COVID-19 , Students, Medical , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Students, Medical/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Prevalence , Pandemics , Depression/etiology , Anxiety/psychologyABSTRACT
In Portugal, like in other European countries, the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the risk of poverty and social exclusion faced by migrants. This study aimed to assess mental health and well-being, and their social determinants, among Brazilian and Cape Verdean immigrant populations two years after the COVID-19 pandemic while exploring the role of positive psychological factors such as resilience and perceived social support. We conducted a cross-sectional survey combining online and face-to-face questionnaires for data collection between February and November 2022 on dimensions of mental health considered potentially relevant to the post-pandemic context: psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. Overall, 604 immigrants were included (322 Brazilian and 282 Cape Verdean); 58.5% of those surveyed were women and 41.5% were men. The results revealed that gender (being a woman) was associated with both psychological distress and depression, higher education was associated with anxiety, and that, for the three mental health dimensions under analysis, the perception of discrimination and resilience were negative and positive predictors, respectively. Findings can inform the design and implementation of relevant public mental health promotion programs with a focus on equity targeted to the general population. Such programs would help to address the psychological and social impacts of this long-term, insidious global pandemic that has challenged governments, health care systems, health care professionals, individuals, families, and communities worldwide.
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Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a pandemic of international concern that has caused significant physical and psychological health challenges to healthcare workers worldwide. This study aimed to assess and evaluate the psychological responses of healthcare workers who provided hands-on care for patients with COVID-19 at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as it was converted to a dedicated COVID-19 hospital during the pandemic. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design to recruit 500 participants at KFMC between April 10 and May 5, 2020. This study used the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess the psychological responses among the study participants. Results: The findings of this study showed that of 500 respondents, 304 (60.9%) reported having depressive symptoms, 281 (56.3%), 318 (63.3%) having stress and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, 250 participants (50%) who lived with their families reported severe stress and anxiety. However, the results of our study indicated that healthcare workers were committed to providing care to COVID-19 patients. Conclusions: Depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were highly prevalent among healthcare workers at KFMC. Therefore, there is an urgent need for psychological interventions to identify healthcare workers with heavy psychological burdens.
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OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate depression and anxiety in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the post-coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) period and their potential association with the disease activity and related organ damage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a case-control study including 120 adult Egyptian patients with SLE: sixty patients with SLE who were proven previously to be positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and recovered during the 3 months prior to the study were included in the case group and an equal number of age- and sex-matched patients with SLE and no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in the control group. Patients' clinical history was collected, and they underwent clinical evaluation, including SLE disease activity, damage assessment, and psychological assessment. RESULTS: The mean depression and anxiety scores were significantly higher in cases than in the control group. Both scores showed a significant positive correlation with age, disease duration, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index for SLE (SDI), and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and a significant negative correlation with education years. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses revealed that COVID-19 infection was a predictor for severe depression and moderate-to-severe anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SLE, who are already vulnerable to physiological stressors, are especially predisposed to more risk of anxiety and depression when they are contracted with COVID-19 disease. Furthermore, anxiety and depression are associated with SLE activity and damage scores, and COVID-19 infection is a significant predictor for their severity. These results suggest that healthcare providers should give special attention to the mental health of SLE patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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COVID-19 , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Adult , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/epidemiology , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/psychology , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/etiology , Case-Control Studies , Pandemics , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/epidemiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Anxiety/epidemiology , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Returning to social life after the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown may increase risk of social anxiety, which is highly co-morbid with depression. However, few studies have reported the association between them. AIMS: To explore the complex relationship between social anxiety and depression symptoms in left-behind children after the lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted 6 months after the lockdown removal. A total of 3,107 left-behind children completed the survey with a mean age of 13.33 and a response rate of 87.77%. Depression and social anxiety severity were assessed by the DSM-5 Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents and the DSM-5 Social Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, respectively. The symptom-level association between the two disorders was examined using network analysis. RESULTS: After the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown, the prevalence of depression and social anxiety in left-behind children was 19.57% and 12.36%, respectively, with a co-morbidity rate of 8.98%. Network analysis showed that "Social tension" and "Social avoidance" had the greatest expected influence; "Humiliation" and "Motor" were bridge symptom nodes in the network. The directed acyclic graph indicated that "Social fright" was at the upstream of all symptoms. CONCLUSION: Attention should be paid to social anxiety symptoms in left-behind children after the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown. Prevention and intervention measures should be taken promptly to reduce the comorbidity of social anxiety and depression symptoms in the left-behind children after the lifting of lockdown.
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COVID-19 , Adolescent , Humans , Child , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2 , Depression/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , East Asian People , Communicable Disease Control , Anxiety/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the association between depression and non-compliance with COVID-19 preventive behaviors among community-dwelling South Korean older adults. METHODS: We utilized the 2020 Korean Community Health Survey-a community-based nationwide survey. A score of 10 points or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was defined as depression. Non-compliance with COVID-19 preventive behaviors was assessed on the following three behaviors: washing hands, wearing masks, and watching distance. We also included socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and COVID-19-related characteristics as covariates. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, and all statistical analyses were stratified by sex. RESULTS: The 70,693 participants included 29,736 men and 40,957 women. Notably, 2.3% of men and 4.2% of women had depression. Non-compliance with washing hands was significantly higher in men than women (1.3% vs. 0.9%), whereas no significant differences were observed in wearing masks and watching distance. The adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that depression was positively associated with non-compliance with washing hands and watching distance in both sexes. The association between depression and non-compliance with wearing masks was significant only in women. CONCLUSIONS: There was an association between depression and non-compliance with COVID-19 preventive behaviors in South Korean older adults. This signifies that health providers need to reduce depression to improve compliance with preventive behaviors in older adults.
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COVID-19 , Depression , Male , Female , Humans , Aged , Depression/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Sexual Behavior , Patient Compliance , Republic of Korea/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Context: Health-care professionals who are involved in treating COVID patients use multiple coping strategies to overcome stress. Studies have shown that individuals having poor coping strategies and resilience are more prone toward psychological symptoms. Aims: The study was conducted to assess the coping strategies and resilience and its association with psychological symptoms of frontline doctors working in a COVID care center. Settings and Design: It was a cross-sectional study using convenient sampling conducted among 150 frontline doctors working in a COVID care center. Materials and Methods: The study tools included were sociodemographic questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21, Brief-COPE Scale, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale which was sent using Google Forms to participants after obtaining informed consent. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square test for categorical variables, t-test for continuous variables, and Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal data, Spearman correlation for correlations, and backward multiple linear regression to predict psychological symptoms. Results: Doctors with severe stress had higher dysfunctional coping and lower resilience scores (P = 0.001). There was a positive correlation of stress, anxiety, and depression with problem-focused, emotional-focused, and dysfunctional coping, and there was a negative correlation between total resilience scores with stress and depression. Stress and anxiety were predicted by dysfunctional coping and resilience. Depression was predicted by dysfunctional coping (ß = 1.25, P < 0.001), resilience (ß = -0.08, P = 0.005), and duration of working hours per month (ß = -0.008, P = 0.05). Conclusions: There is an urgent need to look at therapeutic strategies and factors which enhance resilience and promote better coping in this population.
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INTRODUCTION: Our study (part of multicentric "MindCOVID") investigates risk factors for anxiety and depression among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study used a prospective cross-sectional design. Data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire. Standardized scales, general anxiety disorder (GAD)-7 and patient health questionnaire (PHQ)-9 were administered online. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to evaluate the relationship between sociodemographic, medical and psychological variables. RESULTS: The Czech sample included 1830 pregnant women. An increase of depressive and anxiety symptoms measured by PHQ-9 and GAD-7 in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with unfavorable financial situation, low social and family support, psychological and medical problems before and during pregnancy and infertility treatment. Fear of being infected and adverse effect of COVID-19, feeling of burden related to restrictions during delivery and organization of delivery and feeling of burden related to finances were associated with worse anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Social and emotional support and lack of financial worries are protective factors against mood disorders in pregnant women in relation to COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, adequate information about organization of delivery and additional support from healthcare professionals during the delivery are needed. Our findings can be used for preventive interventions, given that repeated pandemics in the future are anticipated.
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Increased workload during the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened nurses' mental health. This study aimed to identify factors associated with job stress in COVID-19 nurses compared to other nurses. Nurses were recruited from four hospitals in Republic of Korea in November 2020. The general sociodemographic questionnaire, job stress, anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (PHQ-9) were used to conduct an online survey. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with job stress. A total of 290 participants were analyzed: 122 in the dedicated ward and 168 in the nondedicated ward nurse groups. Job stress, anxiety, and depression were higher in nurses dedicated to COVID-19 (4.19 ± 0.59, 5.98 ± 3.92, and 6.97 ± 4.47, respectively) than in the nondedicated group (3.92 ± 0.72 (p = 0.001), 4.98 ± 4.20 (p = 0.042), and 5.92 ± 4.36 (p = 0.047), respectively). Among COVID-19 nurses, job stress levels were higher in 30-39 year olds than in 20-29 year olds (3.71 ± 0.43 vs. 4.04 ± 0.54, p = 0.006) and in non-smokers compared with smokers (3.85 ± 0.49 vs. 3.38 ± 0.53, p = 0.24). Anxiety (ß = 0.34, standard error (SE) = 0.01, p < 0.001) and clinical experience of 5-10 years (ß = 0.23, SE = 0.10, p = 0.004) were associated with job stress. These findings can be applied when devising response strategies for infectious diseases and developing psychological and organizational intervention programs for alleviating job stress in nurses.
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Mental health is an important issue for students during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty. Students suffer from mental health issues due to delayed academic years and prolong stay at home during the lockdown. This study aimed to identify factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate health sciences students of different medical institutions in Nepal. Materials and Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 493 health sciences students between 14 July and 16 August 2020. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors of mental health outcomes. Results: Overall, 50.5, 52.5, and 44.6% of students had symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Significantly higher odds of experiencing stress symptoms [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.166; 95% CI: 1.075-4.363] were found with the participants whose relatives were infected with COVID-19. Participants with age less than or equal to 21 years among undergraduate health sciences students were significantly associated with higher odds of experiencing symptoms of stress (AOR: 1.626; 95% CI: 1.110-2.383) and anxiety (AOR: 1.6251; 95% CI: 1.110-2.379) in comparison with age above 21. Staying in quarantine was significantly associated with higher odds of experiencing depressive symptoms (AOR: 2.175; 95% CI: 1.142-4.143). Participants who had internet facilities at the residence had less likely to have depressive symptoms than those who are lacking internet services (AOR: 0.420; 95% CI: 0.195-0.905). Conclusions: Staying in quarantine had higher odds of having depression and students who had internet facilities had lower odds of having depression. While staying in quarantine or isolation, it would be better to provide things to engage like the internet. A focus on improving the mental well-being of health sciences students should be initiated immediately after such a pandemic and lockdown.
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BACKGROUND: Under the state of emergency, it has been reported that the amount of physical activity among community-dwelling older adults has decreased significantly due to refraining from going out, and there are strong concerns about the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale and deterioration of mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether the depressive state before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the 25-Geriatric Locomotive (GLFS) score during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The participants were 194 community-dwelling older adults (45 men, 149 women) with an average age of 75.5 ± 5.5 years who responded to a self-administered survey conducted three times (preliminary, second, and third) from before the 2018 COVID-19 pandemic to March 2021. Individuals with a score of ≥ 10 on the Geriatric Depression Scale 15 (GDS 15) were excluded. The survey items included the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS25), GDS 15, and other basic attributes. Those with scores of 5 to 9 on the GDS 15 and those with scores of 0 to 4 were assigned to the depressive symptoms (DS) group and the non-DS group, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons between the groups. RESULTS: In total, 187 patients were included in the analysis, excluding 7 patients. GLFS 25 showed a significant increase in scores at the second and third time points compared with baseline, and a main effect was confirmed in both groups, with no interaction effect. The second time, the score was 10.0 ± 8.5 and 13.7 ± 10.5 in the non-DS and DS groups, respectively. The third time, the non-DS and DS groups scored 10.8 ± 10.5 and 14.9 ± 10.1 points, respectively, indicating a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed that the increase in the GLFS 25 score in community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic was related to their DS during normal times before the pandemic. Evaluating such individuals and providing social support may effectively reduce the deterioration of the GLFS 25 score.
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COVID-19 , Depression , Male , Humans , Female , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/psychology , Independent Living , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Background: The causal impact of income shocks on mental well-being in developing countries is an under-researched area. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the economic recession caused by the lockdowns to reduce transmission, provides a natural experimental setting to examine the causal impact of a decline in monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) on mental health of the general population in India during the pandemic. Aim: To evaluate the impact of income shocks on mental health of adults in metro cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The data were collected using the abridged version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Schedule administered through a telephonic survey on adult residents of six metropolitan cities in September-August 2020 and July-August 2021. Results: In the present study, 994 adults participated from six metropolitan cities. Average treatment effects were estimated using Propensity Score Matching. The mean normalized scores are significantly higher for respondents whose MPCE had fallen (treated) vis-à-vis respondents whose MPCE had remained same or increased (control): anxiety (0.21 for treated vs -0.19 for control), stress (0.16 vs -0.14), and depression (0.04 vs -0.19). Propensity score matching reveals that the normalized scores for anxiety, stress, and depression were 33 (95% confidence intervals, CI: 20.0-46.7), 25 (95% CI: 12.9-36.9), and 36 (95% CI: 18.6-53.1) higher among the treated group vis-a-vis control group. The ATET was 34 (95% CI: 18.9-48.9), 26 (95% CI: 10.1-42.9), and 32 (955 CI: 12.3-50.7) for these three outcomes, respectively. The post-estimation tests indicated that the results are valid. Conclusions: The study advocates that policies to ensure income security should be made an integral part of the response packages to tackle pandemics like COVID-19.
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BACKGROUND: The prevalence of depression among children has dramatically increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: Through focusing on verbal fights, the most common form of family conflict, this study examined the association between interparental conflict and children's depression and explored the mediating role of parent-child conflict. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A total of 1005 children (47.0 % females) aged between 9 and 12 years old constituted the analytical subjects, who had been drawn from the 2020 survey of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). METHODS: Descriptive statistics were obtained, and bivariate correlation analysis and mediation analysis were performed. RESULTS: According to the Spearman correlation analysis, interparental conflict and children's depression were positively correlated (ρ = 0.214, p < 0.01); moreover, parent-child conflict was significantly positively associated with both interparental conflict (ρ = 0.450, p < 0.01) and children's depression (ρ = 0.224, p < 0.01). Additionally, mediation analysis demonstrated that, after controlling for sociodemographic factors, parent-child conflict operated as a mediator between interparental conflict and children's depression. More specifically, parent-child conflict accounted for 47.6 % of the total effect of interparental conflict on children's depression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that frequent conflicts between parents predicted increased parent-child conflict, which, in turn, elevated the risk of depression for children. To reduce the risk of children's depression, it is necessary to create a good environment and build a harmonious relationship within the family. At the same time, specific supportive services, such as family therapy, filial therapy, and couple relationship education, should be provided.