Coping, COVID knowledge, communication, and HBCU student's emotional well-being: Mediating role of perceived control and social connectedness.

The pandemic has disproportionately affected African American college students, who have experienced significant work-related, academic, financial, and socio-emotional challenges due to COVID-19. The purpose of the study is to investigate how African American students cope with the severe impact of COVID-19 on their emotional well-being leveraging the benefits of self-care coping measures, COVID-19 knowledge, and communication with others to enhance perceived control and social connectedness. A structural equation modeling and a path analysis of 254 responses from a Historically Black College and University showed that emotional well-being was positively predicted by self-care coping strategies, feelings of being in control in life, and social connectedness. In addition, respondents who adopted mind-body balance coping strategies, those who are knowledgeable about COVID-19, and those in more constant communication with others attained a strong sense of being in control, and in turn the empowerment increased their emotional well-being.

Ethnic inequalities in mental health and socioeconomic status among older women living with HIV: results from the PRIME Study.

OBJECTIVES: Women living with HIV in the UK are an ethnically diverse group with significant psychosocial challenges. Increasing numbers are reaching older age. We describe psychological and socioeconomic factors among women with HIV in England aged 45-60 and explore associations with ethnicity. METHODS: Analysis of cross-sectional data on 724 women recruited to the PRIME Study. Psychological symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 and social isolation with a modified Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Scale. RESULTS: Black African (BA) women were more likely than Black Caribbean or White British (WB) women to have a university education (48.3%, 27.0%, 25.7%, respectively, p<0.001), but were not more likely to be employed (68.4%, 61.4%, 65.2%, p=0.56) and were less likely to have enough money to meet their basic needs (56.4%, 63.0%, 82.9%, p<0.001). BA women were less likely to report being diagnosed with depression than WB women (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.40, p<0.001) but more likely to report current psychological distress (aOR 3.34, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We report high levels of poverty, psychological distress and social isolation in this ethnically diverse group of midlife women with HIV, especially among those who were BA. Despite being more likely to experience psychological distress, BA women were less likely to have been diagnosed with depression suggesting a possible inequity in access to mental health services. Holistic HIV care requires awareness of the psychosocial needs of older women living with HIV, which may be more pronounced in racially minoritised communities, and prompt referral for support including psychology, peer support and advice about benefits.

Perception towards E-learning and COVID-19 on the mental health status of university students in Malaysia.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of all including university students. With the preventive measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, all face-to-face teaching and learning are converted to e-learning. The COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of e-learning may influence these students' mental conditions. This study aimed to determine the association of factors with mental health status (depression, anxiety and stress) among university students in Malaysia. Study participants were tertiary education students from both the private and public universities in Malaysia. Participants were recruited via university emails and social media. The survey was administered via the online REDCap platform, from April to June 2020, during the movement control order period in the country. The questionnaire captured data on socio-demographic characteristics, academic information, implementation of e-learning, perception towards e-learning and COVID-19; as well as DASS 21 to screen for depression, anxiety and stress. The levels of stress, anxiety and depression were 56.5% (95% CI: 50.7%, 62.1%), 51.3% (95% CI: 45.6%, 57.0%) and 29.4% (95% CI: 24.3%, 34.8%) respectively. Most participants had good perception towards e-learning but negative perception on COVID-19. From the multivariate analysis, participants with positive perception on COVID-19 were protective towards stress (aOR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.92, 0.99), anxiety (aOR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.98) and depression (aOR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91, 0.99). Older students were 14% (aOR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.94) and 11% (aOR: 0.89: 95% CI: 0.80, 0.99) less likely for anxiety and depression, respectively. Students originated from the Malay ethnicity had higher odds (aOR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.56) for depression. These findings demonstrated that the mental status of university students was greatly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Timely and credible information should be disseminated to alleviate their negative perception towards COVID-19.

Addressing Emotional Wellness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Role of Promotores in Delivering Integrated Mental Health Care and Social Services.

INTRODUCTION: The disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latino communities has resulted in greater reports of depression, anxiety, and stress. We present a community-led intervention in Latino communities that integrated social services in mental health service delivery for an equity-based response. METHODS: We used tracking sheets to identify 1,436 unique participants (aged 5-86) enrolled in Latino Health Access's Emotional Wellness program, of whom 346 enrolled in the pre-COVID-19 period (March 2019-February 2020) and 1,090 in the COVID-19 period (March-June 2020). Demographic characteristics and types of services were aggregated to assess monthly trends using Pearson χ2 tests. Regression models were developed to compare factors associated with referrals in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods. RESULTS: During the pandemic, service volume (P < .001) and participant volume (P < .001) increased significantly compared with the prepandemic period. Participant characteristics were similar during both periods, the only differences being age distribution, expanded geographic range, and increased male participation during the pandemic. Nonreferred services, such as peer support, increased during the pandemic period. Type of referrals significantly changed from primarily mental health services and disease management in the prepandemic period to affordable housing support, food assistance, and supplemental income. CONCLUSION: An effective mental health program in response to the pandemic must incorporate direct mental health services and address social needs that exacerbate mental health risk for Latino communities. This study presents a model of how to integrate both factors by leveraging promotor-led programs.

Coping with Racism: a Perspective of COVID-19 Church Closures on the Mental Health of African Americans.

Academic medical literature and news outlets extensively document how older individuals in communities of color, especially African American communities, are dying disproportionately of COVID-19 due to ongoing societal, racial, and healthcare disparities. Fear of death and suffering are acutely elevated in Black communities; yet, African Americans have been facing, coping with, and overcoming American societal racism and subsequent detriments to our mental health for centuries. Predominately African American churches (hereafter referred to as the "Black Church") have always served a historical, cultural, contextual, and scientifically validated role in the mental health well-being of African American communities coping with American racism. Nonetheless, buildings of worship closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020. This article is a first-hand perspective of five Black internists/psychiatrists who are deeply involved in both academic medicine and leadership positions within the Black Church. It will explore how the physical closure of Black Churches during this period of increased mental stress, as caused by healthcare inequities revealed by the COVID-19 epidemic, is likely to be uniquely taxing to the mental health of African Americans, particularly older African Americans, who must cope with American racism without physical access to the Black Church for the first time in history.

Pandemic and immigration: haitian families facing COVID-19 in Brazil / Pandemia e imigração: famílias haitianas no enfrentamento da COVID-19 no Brasil / Pandemia e inmigración: familias haitianas que enfrentan COVID-19 en Brasil

Objetivo: compreender a vivência do enfrentamento e repercussões da COVID-19 na perspectiva das famílias de imigrantes haitianos no Brasil. Método: estudo qualitativo, do tipo ação-participante, fundamentado no Itinerário de Pesquisa de Paulo Freire, que possui três fases: Investigação Temática; Codificação e Descodificação; Desvelamento Crítico. Foi realizado Círculo de Cultura Virtual em maio de 2020, com 10 famílias de imigrantes haitianos, residentes no oeste de Santa Catarina. Resultados: os participantes discutiram preocupações geradas no enfrentamento da pandemia: trabalho e subsistência da família no Brasil e no Haiti; incerteza do futuro; risco de contaminação e de morrer no Brasil; cancelamento das aulas dos filhos; desânimo e solidão. Desvelaram oportunidades na vivência da pandemia: ajuda recebida; força pessoal e familiar; repensar a vida; confiança em Deus e esperança. Conclusões e implicações para a prática: os imigrantes haitianos se encontram em situação de vulnerabilidade social, econômica e de saúde mental no enfrentamento da COVID-19. A identificação dessa vulnerabilidade, considerando fatores sociais, econômicos e culturais é fundamental à proposição de políticas públicas e adoção de estratégias efetivas de enfrentamento da situação. O Círculo de Cultura Virtual amplia possibilidades para a enfermagem, pois possibilita as interações necessárias à promoção da saúde, mesmo diante da pandemia

Objective: to understand the experience of coping and repercussions of COVID-19 from the perspective of Haitian immigrant families in Brazil. Method: qualitative, action-participant study, based on Paulo Freire's Research Itinerary, which has three phases: Thematic Research; Encoding and Decoding; Critical Unveiling. A Virtual Culture Circle was held in May 2020, with 10 families of Haitian immigrants residing in western Santa Catarina. Results: the participants discussed concerns generated in facing the pandemic: work and family subsistence in Brazil and Haiti; uncertainty of the future; risk of contamination and dying in Brazil; cancellation of children's classes; discouragement and loneliness. They revealed opportunities in experiencing the pandemic: help received; personal and family strength; rethinking life; trust in God and hope. Conclusions and implications for practice: Haitian immigrants are in a situation of social, economic and mental health vulnerability when facing COVID-19. The identification of this vulnerability considering social, economic and cultural factors is fundamental to the proposition of public policies and the adoption of effective strategies to face the situation. The Virtual Culture Circle expands possibilities for nursing, as it enables the interactions necessary for health promotion, even in the face of the pandemic

Objetivo: comprender la experiencia de afrontamiento y las repercusiones de COVID-19 desde la perspectiva de las familias de inmigrantes haitianos en Brasil. Método: estudio cualitativo, de tipo acción-participante, basado en el Itinerario de Investigación de Paulo Freire, que tiene tres fases: Investigación temática; Codificación y decodificación; Revelación crítica. En mayo de 2020 se realizó un Círculo de Cultura Virtual, con 10 familias de inmigrantes haitianos que residen en el oeste de Santa Catarina. Resultados: los participantes discutieron las preocupaciones generadas al enfrentar la pandemia: el trabajo y la subsistencia familiar en Brasil y Haití; la incertidumbre del futuro; el riesgo de contaminación y muerte en Brasil; la cancelación de las clases infantiles; el desánimo y la soledad. Revelaron oportunidades en la experiencia de la pandemia: la ayuda recibida; fortaleza personal y familiar; el repensar la vida; la confianza en Dios y la esperanza. Conclusiones e implicaciones para la práctica: los inmigrantes haitianos se encuentran en una situación de vulnerabilidad social, económica y de salud mental en la confrontación de COVID-19. La identificación de esta vulnerabilidad, considerando los factores sociales, económicos y culturales es fundamental para la propuesta de políticas públicas y la adopción de estrategias efectivas para enfrentar la situación. El Círculo de Cultura Virtual amplía las posibilidades de la enfermería, ya que permite las interacciones necesarias para la promoción de la salud, incluso ante la pandemia

The mental health of those whose rights have been taken away: An essay on the mental health of indigenous peoples in the face of the 2019 Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

Background: : In Latin America there are about 45 million indigenous people in 826 communities that represent 8.3% of the population. An estimated 798,365 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander were in Australia, 5,2 million indigenous people living in America and 2,13 million in Canada. Racial/ethnic disparities in mental health service use have increased especially in the context of the new coronavirus pandemic. Thus, we aimed to describe the mental health situation of the indigenous population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: : The studies were identified in well-known international journals found in three electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE. The data were cross-checked with information from the main international newspapers. Results: : According to the literature, due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is a lack of specialized mental health services and professionals, a restricted access to quality information and a lack of access to inputs, causing negative feelings and it can exacerbate pre-existing mental problems (eg: depression, suicidal ideation, smoking and binge drink). The cultural differences are a risk factor to worsen the mental health of this already vulnerable population. Conclusion: : providing psychological first aid is an essential care component for indigenous populations that have been victims COVID-19 pandemic.