Depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD symptoms during the first and second COVID-19 waves: a comparison of elderly, middle-aged, and young people in Iran.

BACKGROUND: A widespread outbreak of epidemics like Covid-19 is a lethal threat to physical and mental health. Recent studies reported a higher prevalence of mental problems in younger individuals, contrary to the general assumption expected in older people. Therefore, it is necessary to compare anxiety, stress, depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms in different age groups during the Covid-19 crisis. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was performed (from Dec. 2020 to Feb. 2021) on three age groups of elderly, middle-aged and young people. Data were collected by DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) and IES-R (Impact of Event Revised Scale) and analyzed using ANOVA, χ2 test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 601 participants completed the questionnaires, including 23.3% of the elderly (≥ 60 years), 29.5% of the young (18-29 years) and 47.3% of the middle-aged (30-59 years) with 71.4% of women. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of PTSD in young people was higher than in the elderly (ß = 2.242, CI: 1.03-4.87, P = 0.041), while the risk of depression, anxiety and stress did not differ significantly among the three age groups. Female gender, occupation, lower economic status, solitary life, and chronic disease were risk factors for psychological symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Findings on the higher odds ratio of PTSD symptoms in younger individuals have interestingly potential implications to meet the needs of mental health services during Covid-19.

Coping strategies and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in pregnant women: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women are vulnerable to psychological problems depending on the adaptive capacities of their personality and coping strategies. This study aimed to investigate the association between coping strategies of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic and depression. METHODS: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 on 318 pregnant women in Amol, Iran. Data collection was performed via questionnaires (Brief cope, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, CDA, and Demographic questionnaire). The questionnaires were completed through the WhatsApp and Telegram applications. Data were analyzed using the hierarchical regression analysis and SPSS software (v. 21) at the significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: About 40% of participants had depression. The most prevalent coping strategy used by pregnant women was the avoidance strategy. Hierarchical regression revealed that the coping strategy of avoidance was a significant predictor of depression (ß = 0.226, p = 0.046) after controlling background characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that avoidance style associated with depression in pregnant women. Therefore, obtaining further knowledge about impacts of coping strategies on pregnant women seems to be essential.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and determinant factors in the Iranian population: a web-based study.

BACKGROUND: Iran had a high rate of death in several COVID 19 waves. Vaccination is a method for prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Success in controlling the pandemic is not solely dependent on the effectiveness of the vaccines. It is also dependent on the global acceptance and vaccine coverage rate. This study aimed to determine the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination in the Iranian population and the factors affecting it. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study was a cross-sectional research on 1564 Iranian people above 18. Study data were collected using a web-based questionnaire and analyzed using linear regression analysis and logistics at a significance level of 0.05 using SPSS. RESULTS: Approximately 70% of the participants reported acceptance of the vaccines. Ten percent of the people were against and 20% were hesitant to get vaccinated. The results showed that risk perception (P = .003), Knowledge of the disease (P < .001), trust in the health system (P < .001), attitude towards vaccination (P < .001), and vaccination literacy (P < .001) were predictors of vaccine acceptance. People with higher levels of education and mistrust towards the health system had a reduced vaccine acceptance rate. CONCLUSIONS: The acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine in Iran was higher than in the other countries in the Middle East. Extensive interventions are important to increase the trust in the health system and improve the knowledge of vaccine efficacy and literacy.

Anxiety, Depression, and Predictors amongst Iranian Students Aged 8 to 18 Years during the COVID-19 Outbreak First Peak.

Objective: This study aimed to assess anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 outbreak among students aged 8 to 18 years and to determine related demographic and other related factors. Method : A descriptive and analytical cross sectional study was conducted through web-based data collection which included 348 students aged 8 to 18 years in the state of Mazandaran, Iran during the first peak of COVID-19. Demographic and Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-P) questionnaires were used to collect the data. The statistical tests including independent sample t test, ANOVA as well as linear regression were employed. Results: The average age of the subjects was reported to be 12.2 ± 3.59 years. Age, father's occupation, following COVID-19 related news, and also nervousness related to infection were predictors of anxiety (11%). Moreover, age, mother's occupation, family communication and also the safety protocols practiced by the family were found to be predictors of depression in students (17%). A significant relationship was also found between the effect of quarantine on family communication and the anxiety and depression in students (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Demographic characteristics affect student mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, family preventive protocols can predict depression in students aged 8 to 18 years. Better preventive precautions encourage less anxiety and depression.

Global prevalence of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines and associated factors in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women and its determinants. METHOD: We searched the bibliographic databases (Scopus, Medline, and Web of Science) for the relevant studies from 1 January 2020 to 11 July 2021. We pooled the prevalence of vaccine acceptance among pregnant women using a random-effects model and conducted subgroup analyses to explore its determinants. The result was expressed as a pooled prevalence percentage and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% CIs. RESULTS: We found ten studies that were suitable, with 16, 696 participants from 32 countries. COVID-19 vaccination acceptability in pregnant women was 54 percent globally (95% CI: 45, 62; I2= 99.05). There was no association between sociodemographic factors including age >35 years (aOR: 1.17, 95%CI: 0.95, 1.43), high education (aOR: 1.03, 95%CI: 0.79, 1.35), income levels (aOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 0.80, 1.75), knowledge scores (aOR: 2.55, 95% CI: 0.78, 8.34) and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. CONCLUSION: About half of pregnant women accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. We did not find any association between sociodemographic factors and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. However, these findings should be considered with caution due to small number of studies and the substantial heterogeneity between them.

Pregnancy-related anxiety and its associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Iranian pregnant women: a web-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a risk factor for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pregnant women suffer from varying levels of pregnancy-related anxiety (PRA) which can negatively affect pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess PRA and its associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 on 318 pregnant women purposively recruited from primary healthcare centers in Sari and Amol, Iran. Data were collected using questionnaires (PRAQ, Edinburg, KAP of COVID-19, CDA-Q and Demographic questionnaire), which were provided to participants through the social media or were completed for them over telephone. Data were analyzed with the linear regression and the logistic regression analysis, at the significance level of 0.05 using the SPSS software (v. 21). RESULTS: Around 21% of participants had PRA, 42.1% had depression, and 4.4% had COVID-19 anxiety. The significant predictors of PRA were number of pregnancies (P = 0.008), practice regarding COVID-19 (P < 0.001), COVID-19 anxiety (P < 0.001), depression (P < 0.001), and social support (P = 0.025) which explained 19% of the total variance. Depression and COVID-19 anxiety increased the odds of PRA by respectively four times and 13%, while good practice regarding COVID-19 decreased the odds by 62%. CONCLUSION: Around 21% of pregnant women suffer from PRA during the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant predictors of PRA during the pandemic include number of pregnancies, practice regarding COVID-19, COVID-19 anxiety, depression, and social support. These findings can be used to develop appropriate strategies for the management of mental health problems during pregnancy in the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 preventive behaviors and influencing factors in the Iranian population; a web-based survey.

BACKGROUND: COVID19 is a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus. As there has been no definitive treatment for the disease so far, the only way to control the spread is to break the chain of infection. Our study aimed to analyze the preventive behaviors and influencing factors in the Iranian population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was a web-based survey in the Iranian population. We performed the study during the first peak of COVID-19 outbreak (from March 25th, 2020 to April 5th). We used demographic and Preventive behaviors questionnaires to collect the data. This web-based survey was publicized on the internet through the common platforms used by the Iranian population. This survey was released on the website " Porsline.com ". A total of 2097 acceptable questionnaires were filled. All data were analyzed, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19. RESULTS: 61.9% of the participants checked the hand-washing question as "Always". 55.7 and 58.2% checked the wearing masks and gloves as "Always", respectively. We found a significant relationship between gender and hand washing behavior (P = 0.006) and the use of masks and gloves (P < 0.001). Results showed that wearing gloves had a significant relation with the education status (P = 0.029) and economic status (P = 0.011). Wearing masks had a significant relation with economic status (P = 0.032). Overall women had better preventive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Preventive behaviors have a significant relation with some socio-demographic characteristics. According to the 3 main preventive behaviors of hand-washing, wearing masks and gloves 50% of the population has not taken these behaviors seriously.