The health of adolescents returning to face-to-face school activities after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic - school-based cross-sectional study in Pelotas/RS / A saúde de adolescentes na volta às atividades escolares presenciais após dois anos de pandemia do Covid-19 ­ estudo transversal de base escolar em Pelotas/RS / La salud de los adolescentes que retornan a las actividades escolares presenciales después de dos años de la pandemia de Covid-19 - estudio transversal escolar en Pelotas/RS

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a percepção sobre a massa corporal, comportamentos relacionados à saúde, e a saúde mental de escolares adolescentes durante o período de retorno às atividades escolares presenciais com o período anterior à pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo foi realizado com 425 escolares (16,96±1,39 anos; 60,2% do sexo feminino) selecionados aleatoriamente de escolas das redes pública e privada de Pelotas/RS. Para a coleta dos dados foi utilizado um questionário de autopreenchimento contendo perguntas retrospectivas e atuais sobre as variáveis analisadas. Os resultados indicaram que a percepção sobre a massa corporal, o nível de atividade física, o tempo de sono, e a saúde mental (apenas para as meninas) estão piores (p<0,05) no momento atual quando comparados ao período anterior à pandemia. Por outro lado, hábitos alimentares e tempo de tela recreativo apresentaram melhores resultados (p<0,05) no momento atual do que no período anterior à pandemia. Estes resultados mostram um complexo panorama em relação à saúde de adolescentes no período de retomada das atividades presencias, tornando o retorno às atividades escolares presenciais um desafio para os próprios adolescentes, seus familiares, para professores, e para as escolas.

The aim of this study was to compare the perception of body mass, health- related behaviors and mental health of adolescent schoolchildren during the period of return to face to face school activities with the period before COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried out with 425 students (16.96±1.39 years; 60.2% female) randomly selected from public and private schools in Pelotas/RS. For data collection, a self-completion questionnaire was used, containing retrospective and current questions about analyzed outcomes. The results indicated that the perception of body mass, level of physical activity, sleep time, and mental health (only for girls) are worse (p<0.05) at present when compared to the period before the pandemic. On the other hand, eating habits and recreational screen time showed better results (p<0.05) at present than in the period before the pandemic. These results show a complex panorama concerning the health of adolescents in the period of resumption of face to face activities, making this return a challenge for the adolescents themselves, their families, teachers and for schools.

El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la percepción de masa corporal, comportamientos relacionados a la salud y salud mental de escolares adolescentes durante el período de retorno a las actividades escolares presenciales con el período anterior a la pandemia de COVID-19. El estudio fue realizado con 425 alumnos (16,96±1,39 años; 60,2% del sexo femenino) seleccionados aleatoriamente de escuelas públicas y privadas de Pelotas/RS. Para la recolección de datos, se utilizó un cuestionario auto-completado, conteniendo preguntas retrospectivas y actuales sobre los resultados analizados. Los resultados indicaron que la percepción de la masa corporal, el nivel de actividad física, el tiempo de sueño y la salud mental (sólo para las niñas) son peores (p<0,05) en la actualidad en comparación con el período anterior a la pandemia. Por otro lado, los hábitos alimentarios y el tiempo de pantalla recreativo mostraron mejores resultados (p<0,05) en la actualidad que en el periodo anterior a la pandemia. Estos resultados muestran un panorama complejo en relación a la salud de los adolescentes en el período de reanudación de las actividades presenciales, haciendo de este retorno un desafío para los propios adolescentes, sus familias, profesores y para las escuelas.

Learning Strategies Assessment Scale for High School (EAVAP-EM) / Escala de Avaliação das Estratégias de Aprendizagem para o Ensino Médio (EAVAP-EM) / Escala de evaluación de estrategias de aprendizaje para el bachillerato (EAVAP-EM)

This study aimed to estimate validity evidence based on the internal structure and accuracy of the adapted version of the Learning Strategies Assessment Scale for High School (EAVAP-EM), using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Participants were 701 first- to third-year high school students (M = 16.1; SD = 1.0), from public and private institutions in the states of Paraná and São Paulo. The CFA indicated the presence of the three factors of the EAVAP-EM, with adequate internal consistency. The instrument also showed good fit indices. There were positive and significant correlations between the factors, with magnitude ranging from medium to large. Moreover, students reported making more use of metacognitive strategies. The results evinced significant advances regarding measures with good psychometric parameters to assess learning strategies, considering their relevance to the psychoeducational context (AU).

Objetivou-se no presente estudo estimar indicadores de validade com base na estrutura interna e precisão da versão adaptada da Escala de Avaliação das Estratégias de Aprendizagem para o Ensino Médio (EAVAP-EM), por meio de uma análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC). Participaram 701 alunos do primeiro ao terceiro ano do Ensino Médio (M = 16,1; DP = 1,0), provenientes de instituições públicas e particulares dos estados do Paraná e de São Paulo. A AFC indicou a presença dos três fatores da EAVAP-EM, com consistência interna considerada adequada, sendo que o instrumento apresentou bons índices de ajuste. Houve correlações positivas e significativas entre os fatores, com magnitude variando de média a grande. Ainda, os estudantes reportaram fazer mais uso de estratégias metacognitivas. Os resultados evidenciam importantes avanços no que concerne a medidas com bons indicadores psicométricos para avaliação das estratégias de aprendizagem, considerando sua relevância ao contexto psicoeducacional (AU).

El objetivo del presente estudio fue estimar evidencias de validez a partir de la estructura interna y la precisión de la versión adaptada de la Escala de Evaluación de Estrategias de Aprendizaje para la Escuela Preparatoria (EAVAP-EM), mediante un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio (AFC). Participaron 701 estudiantes de primero a tercer año de secundaria (M = 16.1; DS = 1.0), de instituciones públicas y privadas de las provincias de Paraná y São Paulo. El AFC indicó la presencia de los tres factores del EAVAP-EM, con consistencia interna considerada adecuada. El instrumento mostró índices de ajuste adecuados. Hubo correlaciones positivas y significativas entre los factores, cuya magnitud varió de moderada a alta. Además, los estudiantes informaron que hacen un mayor uso de las estrategias metacognitivas. Los resultados evidencian avances importantes en cuanto a medidas con buenos indicadores psicométricos para evaluar estrategias de aprendizaje, considerando su relevancia para el contexto psicoeducativo (AU).

Effects of media exposure on PTSD symptoms in college students during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the influence of media on college students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: After the COVID-19 outbreak, we used cross-sectional surveys through online questionnaires to investigate the mental health of college students in lockdown at home. We identified the influencing factors of PTSD symptoms using the Chi-Square test and ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results: In 10,989 valid questionnaires, 9,906 college students with no PTSD symptoms, 947 college students with subclinical PTSD symptoms (1-3 items), and 136 college students with four or more PTSD symptoms were screened out. The results showed that media content impacted the mental health of college students in lockdown at home. Positive media content was negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms among college students. PTSD symptoms were not associated with sources of information. Moreover, College students with PTSD symptoms would reduce their willingness to learn and could not complete online learning efficiently. Conclusion: PTSD symptoms are related to media exposure and excessive information involvement of COVID-19 in college students, which influences the willingness to attend online classes.

COVID-19-associated impact and post-traumatic stress symptoms 39 days after pandemic in a sample of home-quarantined Chinese college students: the mediating effecting of past stressful events, psychological resilience, and social support.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 outbreak, most Chinese college students were home-quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus. COVID-19-associated impact has been shown to be a risk factor for the development of post-traumatic symptoms disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about the psychological processes that mediate this association. This study investigated the association between COVID-19-associated impact and PTSD and examined whether past stressful events, psychological resilience, and social support have mediating effects on this association. METHODS: The 12,397 valid responses from 31cities in China via an online survey assessed PTSD symptoms, past stressful events, psychological resilience, social support and social-demographic variables. AMOS was used to test the hypotheses of mediating effects. RESULTS: On the 39th day of the declared COVID-19 epidemic in China, 6.75% of the surveyed sample showed PTSD symptoms. A positive mediating effect of past stressful events was found between COVID-19-associated impact and PTSD, whereas psychological resilience and social support had negative mediating effects. The fit indices for the path model were found to be significant (ß = 0.28, p < 0.001), COVID-19-associated impact indirectly affects the risk of PTSD through mediating pathways (past stressful events → psychological resilience → social support) on PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Attention should be paid to the effects of past stressful events of Chinese college students who were home-quarantined during the COVID-19 epidemic, and strategies should also be implemented to improve social support and develop psychological resilience. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Southwest Minzu University.

Remote learning and mental health during the societal lockdown: a study of primary school students and parents in times of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to families around the world. The prolonged school closures in Hong Kong have forced young students to stay at home and adapt to remote learning for over a year, putting their mental health conditions at risk. Focusing on primary school students and their parents, the main objective of our research is to investigate the socioemotional factors and their associations with mental health conditions. METHODS: A total of 700 Hong Kong primary schoolers (mean age = 8.2) reported their emotional experiences, loneliness, and academic self-concept via a user-friendly online survey; 537 parents reported depression and anxiety, perceived child depression and anxiety, and social support. Responses from students and parents were paired to account for the family context. Structural Equation Modeling was used for correlations and regressions. RESULTS: The results of students' responses showed that positive emotional experiences were negatively associated with loneliness and positively related to academic self-concept among students. Furthermore, the paired sample results showed that, during the one-year societal lockdown and remote learning period, the socioemotional factors were associated with mental health conditions among primary school students and their parents. Among our family sample in Hong Kong, evidence supports the unique negative association between students-reported positive emotional experiences and parents-reported child depression and anxiety, as well as between social support and parents' depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlighted the associations between socioemotional factors and mental health among young primary schoolers during the societal lockdown. We thus call for more attention to the societal lockdown and remote learning context, especially since the social distancing practice could be "the new normal" for our society to handle the future pandemic crisis.

Pathway from interpersonal sensitivity to depression among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 campus lockdown.

BACKGROUND: Due to the continuous spread of the epidemic, some colleges and universities have implemented a campus lockdown management policy in China. In the context of the campus lockdown, this study aimed to explore whether anxiety mediated the association between interpersonal sensitivity and depression, and investigate whether psychological capital moderated the indirect or direct effect of mediation model. METHODS: A total of 12945 undergrad students were recruited in China from April 10 to 19, 2022. These participants were asked to complete the online questionnaires measuring interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, psychological capital, and depression. A moderated mediation model was examined by using PROCESS macro for SPSS 25.0, in which anxiety was a mediating variable, and psychological capital was a moderating variable. RESULTS: Interpersonal sensitivity was positively associated with depression among Chinese college students (r = 0.47, P < 0.001). Anxiety partially mediated the association between interpersonal sensitivity and depression (indirect effect = 2.31, 95%CI [2.18, 2.44], accounting for 70% of the total effect). Moreover, the interaction effect of interpersonal sensitivity and psychological capital on anxiety (ß = -0.04, t = -17.36, P < 0.001) and the interaction effect of anxiety and psychological capital on depression (ß = 0.002, t = 1.99, P < 0.05) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The current study explained the mediation role of anxiety and the moderation role of psychological capital in the relation between interpersonal sensitivity and depression. The findings suggested that strict monitoring anxiety and promoting psychological capital may decrease the risk of depression among Chinese college students during the campus lockdown.

Anxiety, depression, and stress among radiography undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted education and other aspects of life, causing psychological distress. The current study aims to identify anxiety, depression, and stress among radiography undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2021 on a sample of 140 radiography undergraduates at the Department of Radiography/Radiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya. An online survey with two sections: demographic characteristics and a psychometric scale (DASS-42) was used for data collection. RESULTS: A total of 107 undergraduates responded to the questionnaire giving a response rate of 76.2%. The results revealed that the majority of radiography undergraduate students suffered from mild to extremely severe depression (87.85%), anxiety (92.52%), and stress (73.83%) levels. In addition, more than two-thirds of the students (>73% of participants) reported at least one symptom of depression, anxiety, or stress to varying degrees. Scores for depression, anxiety, and stress did not differ significantly across gender and academic year. However, a significant difference was observed between the two age groups, 23-26 years and > 27 years, regarding depression. The older students reported severe depression, whereas younger students reported moderate depression. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of negative psychological impact was observed among radiography undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This necessitates taking proactive steps to address, safeguard, and nurture undergraduates' mental health and well-being during the current and future pandemic crises to mitigate the negative impacts.

Collective Efficacy and Perceived COVID-19 Severity Predict Preparedness and Response Behaviors: A Longitudinal Study of Intersectionally Vulnerable University Students.

OBJECTIVE: To promote equity for intersectionally disaster-vulnerable individuals and address three literature gaps: (1) incremental effects of collective and self-efficacy as preparedness predictors, (2) differentiation of fear and perceived severity of a disaster, and (3) clarification of the relationship between fear and preparedness. METHODS: Due to infection risks associated with communal housing, early in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many universities permitted students to remain in campus housing only if they were housing insecure, including many international students. We surveyed intersectionally-vulnerable students and their partners at a southeast US university, N = 54, who were international (77.8%), Asian (55.6%), and/or housing insecure at baseline (79.6%). In 14 waves from May-October 2020, we assessed pandemic preparedness/response behaviors (PPRBs) and potential PPRB predictors. RESULTS: We examined within- and between-person effects of fear, perceived severity, collective efficacy, and self-efficacy on PPRBs. Within-person perceived severity and collective efficacy both significantly, positively predicted greater PPRBs. All effects of fear and self-efficacy were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived severity and confidence that one's actions positively impact one's community fluctuated throughout the pandemic and are linked to greater PPRB engagement. Public health messages and interventions to improve PPRB may benefit from emphasizing collective efficacy and accuracy over fear.

The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological well-being of college students: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns regarding college students' mental health were on the rise due to the increasing number of students afflicted with mental health issues. Exposure to numerous pandemic-related measures exacerbated existing issues with anxiety, depression, and stress. This study aimed to assess depression, anxiety, and stress levels among university students in the Aseer region in Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected from eligible individuals using a web-based, self-administered DASS-21 questionnaire. This questionnaire consists of 21 questions with a rating scale of 0-3. Each of the psychological factors of depression, anxiety, and stress was categorized as normal, mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe. Results were expressed using descriptive statistics as proportions, and the Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis' test was used to evaluate the presence of a significant difference between each of the socio-demographic factors of the respondents and the psychological outcomes. RESULTS: Respondents aged between 18-24 years reported higher rates of extremely severe depression than other age groups. Females had higher rates of depression, especially severe and extremely severe forms. Extremely severe anxiety had a relatively high prevalence across all age groups. Extremely severe stress was more common among respondents aged between 18-24 years, while respondents older than 34 years reported the highest prevalence of severe stress. The Mann-Whitney/Kruskal-Wallis' tests showed statistically significant differences between participants in the different groups. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic had a high psychological impact on university students, which indicates that a psychological support program should be implemented to reduce this impact.

Risk Factors and Protective Factors of Internet Addiction in University Students during the Pandemic: Implications for Prevention and Treatment.

While the prevalence rates of Internet addiction (IA) amongst young people during the pandemic are disturbing, few studies have investigated the risk and protective factors of IA in Hong Kong university students under COVID-19. In this study, we examined the relationship between COVID-19-related stress and IA and the role of psychological morbidity and positive psychological attributes in the relationship. In summer 2022, 978 university students completed a survey assessing pandemic-related stress, psychological morbidity, and positive psychological attributes. While psychological morbidity was indexed by depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal behavior, positive psychological attributes included life satisfaction, flourishing, adversity beliefs, emotional competence, resilience, and family functioning measures. Results showed that stress and psychological morbidity positively predicted IA, and psychological morbidity mediated the association between stress and IA. Positive psychological attributes negatively predicted stress and IA, and mediated the connection between stress and IA. Positive psychological attributes moderated the mediating effect of psychological morbidity on the relationship between stress and IA. In addition to theoretical contributions, this study contributes to IA prevention and treatment: reducing psychological morbidity and promoting positive psychological attributes are promising strategies to address IA issues in young people.

The Ongoing Mental Health Plight of Depressed College Students: Clinical Recommendations and the Importance of Early Screening and Detection.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of college students. The psychological distress from the pandemic increased risk for provisional rates of Major Depression Disorder (MDD) during an already crucial developmental period. Using an online survey, participants were assessed for a provisional diagnosis of MDD using a validated screening tool, along with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and psychosocial correlates. Findings showed a significant increase in the prevalence of MDD, and significant differences in social support, loneliness, substance use, GAD and suicidality were identified. Early screening and detection for potential MDD symptoms can reduce the severity, duration, and reoccurrence of future MDD episodes for college students.

[The new target population of stroke awareness campaign: Kindergarten students]. / "Stroke-ovi". A lakossági felvilágosítás új célközönsége: az óvodások.

Background and purpose:

 Thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy have been proven effective in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Due to the narrow time window, the number of patients suitable for these treatments is low. The main limitation is the pre-hospital stage, few people call an ambulance in time. The delay may be caused by the population’s insufficient health knowledge, but also by the loneliness and isolation of the population most prone to stroke. Among the latter, there are many grandparents who spend considerable time with their grandchildren. This gave rise to the idea of educating even younger children about the symptoms of a stroke, enabling them to call an ambulance if necessary. To this end, we adapted the Angels Initiative project previously tested in Greece. The Hungarian pilot study Budapest District XII. took place in district kindergartens. The Angels’ original role-playing program could not be implemented due to the COVID epidemic, so the necessity called for a new, Hungarian version: the online “Stroke Ovi” program. We introduced this in several stages, and in the third we also carried out an impact study.

 We adapted the Angels Initiative’s international program and its Hungarian translation to our program. We prepared the original, live role-playing form, with a parent meeting in the selected “test kindergarten”. Due to the uncertainly lingering impact of the COVID epidemic, we reevaluated our plan, using the Hungarian storybook and take-home workbook created in the meantime, we developed our own online version in several kindergartens in Budapest. We held 10 and then 25 minute sessions a week for 5 weeks. In the third educational cycle, which always targets new groups, we already examined the impact of the program by taking pre- and post-tests, in which not only the children but also their parents participated. In addition to neurologists and kindergarten teachers, we also included psychologists and speech therapists in our work, because we believed that in a social environment that includes parents and children, results can only be achieved through multidisciplinary cooperation.

 In the third cycle of the program, tests were taken before (pre-test) and after (post-test) among children and their parents. We only took into account those answers where we received an evaluable answer in the survey before and after the program. Our most important results: 1. there was no negative change in any question, so it was not the case that the total score of any question in the pre-test was higher than in the post-test. 2. The children learned that not only adults can call the ambulance. 3. Before the program, all children were already aware that if “someone is very ill”, the ambulance should be called. 4. Among the questions about stroke symptoms, it is important that hemiparesis, facial paresis and speech/language disorder are clear symptoms for children. Based on the parental questionnaires, the knowledge of the adults can be judged to be very good. The same number of correct answers were received during the pre-test and the post-test, on the basis of which we could not calculate a transfer effect. However, it is important that the parents considered the program useful, motivating and important for the children, so cooperation can be expected in the future.

The Hungarian “Stroke Ovi” program has so far proven to be clearly effective. This was proven by the impact assessments even if, instead of the original role-playing game, we implemented it “only” online due to the COVID epidemic. This constraint also forced and created a new “Hungarian version”. Despite the small number of samples caused by the circumstances, we consider this positive effect to be measurable. However, as the main result and evidence, we evaluated the children’s reaction, which took shape in spontaneous drawings and displayed professional values in addition to positive emotional reactions, such as the drawing of ambulances, the recurring representation of the 112 number. With the involvement of the media, we think online education is also a good option in the series of stroke campaigns, but we think the original role-playing form is really effective. At the same time, we can see that the application of the new method requires great caution due to the education of developing children. For this reason, results can only be achieved through social and multidisciplinary cooperation involving neurologists, psychologists, kindergarten teachers, and parents.

[Characteristics of student response to pandemic in cross-cultural context]. / Osobennosti reagirovaniya studentov pri pandemii v krosskul'tural'nom kontekste.

OBJECTIVE: Of the work is a cross-cultural analysis of the characteristics of student response in a pandemic situation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample consisted of students of NSMU and the Kazakh National University. Al-Farabi in the amount of 37 people aged 20 to 23; The battery of psychological methods was compiled by Spielberger and Khanina; Mississippi Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale (civil version) and PSM-25 Psychological Stress Scale. RESULTS: 52.7% of respondents showed an average level of stress, 47.3% - a low level, which indicates insufficient psychological adaptation to psychological stress. High rates of personal and situational anxiety were diagnosed in 67.57% of cases; the average level of reactive anxiety - in 29.73% of cases and personal - in 27.03% of respondents. The majority of respondents showed average levels of post-traumatic stress reactions (50%, n=37), while a low level of post-traumatic stress reactions occurs in 11 (14.87%) people, a low level - in 17 (22.97%) people and increased - in 9 (12.16%) people. Stress level indicators tend to have significant differences: the frequency of occurrence of average stress indicators in the sample of students from Kazakhstan is higher (75.6%) compared to Russian students (24.32%) (p<0.05).Adapting to changing academic workloads in a pandemic situation does not contribute to the psychological well-being of students, as evidenced by the results of diagnosing anxiety and post-traumatic stress reactions. The results obtained emphasize the importance of taking into account cultural factors in stressful situations. CONCLUSION: Cross-cultural differences in the level of emotional response of students in a pandemic situation were revealed.

University students' mental well-being during COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of resilience between meaning in life and mental well-being.

The current study aims to examine (a) the mental well-being of university students, who were taking online classes, and (b) and test whether resilience would mediate the relationship between meaning in life and mental well-being. The sample of 302 university students (Mage = 20.25 years; 36.1% men, 63.9% women) was taken from the universities of Punjab, Pakistan. The participants were recruited online and they completed a cross-sectional survey comprising the scales of meaning in life, resilience, and mental well-being during COVID-19. Findings from the study indicated that participants had a normal to a satisfactory level of overall mental wellbeing during COVID-19. Resilience acted as a mediator for both the presence of meaning in life, the search for meaning in life, and mental well-being. Demographic variables including family size were significantly and positively related to resilience while the availability of personal room showed a significant positive relationship with mental well-being. These findings suggest that meaning in life and resilience supports mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and that effective steps should be taken to make the lives of university students more meaningful and resilient.

Misinformation and Impact on Interprofessional Healthcare Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions, and Concerns of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of information sources (e.g., Internet, social media) and their role in spreading misinformation. PURPOSE: To describe the information sources and frequency of use by health professional students and to compare users of dependable and nontrustworthy news sources on stressors, stress relievers, safety, and preventative activities, worries, and attitudes toward COVID-19. METHODS: 123 students from nursing (38%), medicine (33%), and health professions (28%) completed online surveys on disaster preparedness training, knowledge of the COVID-19 virus, and safety and prevention practices. Students were mostly female (81%), white (59%), and aged 21-30 yrs (72%). RESULTS: Students who relied on credible news sources scored higher on knowledge of the COVID-19 condition and reported less stress than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: The findings emphasize the importance of students avoiding untrustworthy news sources. Informed students are less stressed and can help initiate necessary safety measures in the areas they serve.

Internet addiction and mental health disorders in high school students in a Peruvian region: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between internet addiction disorder (IAD) and anxiety and depressive symptomatology in high school students in two private schools in Chiclayo, Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analytical cross-sectional investigation of 505 adolescents from two private schools. The dependent variables were anxiety and depressive symptomatology, measured with the Beck Adapted Depression Questionnaire (BDI-IIA) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The main independent variable was IAD, measured with the Internet Addiction Test instrument(IATI). Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated. RESULTS: The average age was 14.16 years and 54.9% were women. 22.2% and 3.2% presented mild and moderate IAD; respectively. 9.3% presented severe anxiety and 34.3% severe depressive symptomatology. In the simple regression, adolescents with mild, moderate and severe IAD presented 19% (PR = 1.19; 95%CI: 1.05-1.35), 25% (PR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.02-1.53) and 53% (PR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.47-1.60) higher prevalence of depressive symptomatology; however, this association was not maintained in the multiple model. Anxiety increased 196% in adolescents with severe IAD (PR = 2.96; 95%CI: 1.86-4.71). CONCLUSION: We found that 2, 1, and 3 out of 10 students presented IAD, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety, respectively. We did not find an association between IAD and depressive symptomatology, but we did find an association with anxiety. Among the factors associated with the development of depressive symptomatology were the male sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, using devices for more than 2 h, and using the Internet for academic activities. About anxiety, the associated factors are the female sex, the presence of eating disorders, subclinical insomnia, and the use of the Internet as social interaction. We recommend implementing counseling programs in view of the imminent introduction of the Internet as a pillar in education.

Productivity costs associated with reactive school closures related to influenza or influenza-like illness in the United States from 2011 to 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Schools close in reaction to seasonal influenza outbreaks and, on occasion, pandemic influenza. The unintended costs of reactive school closures associated with influenza or influenza-like illness (ILI) has not been studied previously. We estimated the costs of ILI-related reactive school closures in the United States over eight academic years. METHODS: We used prospectively collected data on ILI-related reactive school closures from August 1, 2011 to June 30, 2019 to estimate the costs of the closures, which included productivity costs for parents, teachers, and non-teaching school staff. Productivity cost estimates were evaluated by multiplying the number of days for each closure by the state- and year-specific average hourly or daily wage rates for parents, teachers, and school staff. We subdivided total cost and cost per student estimates by school year, state, and urbanicity of school location. RESULTS: The estimated productivity cost of the closures was $476 million in total during the eight years, with most (90%) of the costs occurring between 2016-2017 and 2018-2019, and in Tennessee (55%) and Kentucky (21%). Among all U.S. public schools, the annual cost per student was much higher in Tennessee ($33) and Kentucky ($19) than any other state ($2.4 in the third highest state) or the national average ($1.2). The cost per student was higher in rural areas ($2.9) or towns ($2.5) than cities ($0.6) or suburbs ($0.5). Locations with higher costs tended to have both more closures and closures with longer durations. CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, we found significant heterogeneity in year-to-year costs of ILI-associated reactive school closures. These costs have been greatest in Tennessee and Kentucky and been elevated in rural or town areas relative to cities or suburbs. Our findings might provide evidence to support efforts to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza in these disproportionately impacted states or communities.

The Role of Communication and Commitment in COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among University Students in Jordan: Interaction and Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Several fields, such as public health, economy, and science, have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of the present study were to investigate knowledge, attitudes, communication, commitment, and behavioral practices of Jordan university students; and using structural equation modelling (SEM) to investigate the relationship among COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, communication, commitment and behavioral practices of students. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the primary data were collected from 1,095 students comprising 298 males (27.21%) and 797 females (72.79%) from three major universities in Jordan using an online-based questionnaire. RESULTS: It was found that scores of knowledge, attitudes, communication, commitment, and behavioral practices of students about COVID-19 were 81.4, 79.3, 70.0, 72.6, and 67.4%, respectively. The results also showed that significant association the variables of knowledge and attitudes as well as the commitment and communication are partial mediators in this relationship. Further, a clear positive relationship was observed between the communication, commitment, and behavioral practices of students. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the importance of communication and commitment to generate proactive behavioral practices.

Preventing Disordered Eating in Teenage Ballet Students: Evaluation of DancExcellent, a Combined CBT and Nutrition Education Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Disordered eating (DE) behaviors are relatively common among high-level dancers, especially in classical ballet. At the same time, interventions aimed at reducing DE behaviors in this population are scarce. METHODS: An 8-week exploratory preventive intervention for DE behaviors was carried out in a high-level ballet school for 40 teenagers aged 12-15 years (77.5% female). Both risk factors (perfectionism) and potentially protective factors (self-esteem, self-compassion) for the development of DE behaviors were considered. The intervention was created specifically for this study and consisted of five cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) workshops and four nutrition workshops. Additional components included newsletters for pupils and educational sessions and social media interactions with staff and parents. The intervention comprised two phases (control and intervention periods), with students acting as their own controls. Standardized questionnaires were completed before and after both phases. RESULTS: Questionnaire results did not indicate any changes in reported perfectionism, self-esteem, or self-compassion, nor were symptoms of DE affected during either the control or intervention periods. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention did not yield any discernible impact. However, it was affected by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limits our ability to draw conclusions about intervention effectiveness. Evaluations with pupils offer several considerations for future improvements.

Effects of physical activity on Chinese overseas students' mental health during the COVID-19: A multi-country cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 caused severe effects on the psychological well-being of Chinese students overseas (COS). Physical activity (PA) is critical to strengthen immunity, prevent infection, and reduce the psychological burden caused by COVID-19. However, there is a severe lack of effective PA intervention for mental health in most countries, and COS have limited access to mental healthcare during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: We aim to examine the effects of PA on COS' mental health during the pandemic abroad and to better understand that certain types of PA might be associated with a greater reduction in psychological burdens during the pandemic. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a multi-country cross-sectional analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to COS living in 37 foreign countries via WeChat Subscription using a snowball sampling strategy. A total of 10,846 participants were included. Descriptive statistics and Binary logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. We found that COS had negative psychology during the pandemic, especially with fear (2.90, 95% CI 2.88-2.92), anxiety (2.84, 95% CI 2.82-2.85), and stress (2.71, 95% CI 2.69-2.73). PA had meaningful effects on reducing COS self-reported mental health burdens (3.42, 95% CI 3.41-3.44) during the pandemic. The largest associations were seen for recreational and home-based PA (i.e., family games, home aerobic exercise), individual outdoor PA (i.e., walking or running, rope skipping), and PA with a duration of 30 to 70 min per session at frequencies of 4 to 6 times and a total of 150 to 330 min of moderate and vigorous intensity per week tends to be an optimal choice during social distancing times. CONCLUSIONS: COS had several poor mental health conditions during the pandemic. The improvement of PA on COS' psychology was positively effective during the pandemic. Specific types, intensities, durations, and frequencies of PA might have advantages over others for improving COS' mental health during periods of public health emergencies, and the topic may merit interventional study to reveal multiple factors causing COS' psychological burdens and enrich the PA forms for all COS' mental health improvement (i.e., infected, recovered, and asymptomatic COS).