Psychological distress among health professional students during the COVID-19 outbreak.

BACKGROUND: Due to the drastic surge of COVID-19 patients, many countries are considering or already graduating health professional students early to aid professional resources. We aimed to assess outbreak-related psychological distress and symptoms of acute stress reaction (ASR) in health professional students and to characterize individuals with potential need for interventions. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1442 health professional students at Sichuan University, China. At baseline (October 2019), participants were assessed for childhood adversity, stressful life events, internet addiction, and family functioning. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined associations of the above exposures with subsequent psychological distress and ASR in response to the outbreak. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty-four (26.63%) participants demonstrated clinically significant psychological distress, while 160 (11.10%) met the criterion for a probable ASR. Individuals who scored high on both childhood adversity and stressful life event experiences during the past year were at increased risks of both distress (ORs 2.00-2.66) and probable ASR (ORs 2.23-3.10), respectively. Moreover, internet addiction was associated with elevated risks of distress (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.60-2.64) and probable ASR (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.50-3.10). By contrast, good family functioning was associated with decreased risks of distress (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.33-0.55) and probable ASR (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.33-0.69). All associations were independent of baseline psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that COVID-19 related psychological distress and high symptoms burden of ASR are common among health professional students. Extended family and professional support should be considered for vulnerable individuals during these unprecedented times.

Special Report from the CDC: Strengthening social connections to prevent suicide and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): Actions and opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: During this time ofintensified hardship and disruption due to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, communities, practitioners, and state and local governments have had to rapidly implement and adapt strategies that support mental health and wellbeing during a global pandemic. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and at least half of the top 10 leading causes of death have been associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). A number of established risk factors for suicide and ACEs may have been exacerbated by the pandemic, including loneliness and the lack of connectedness. METHOD: This article briefly considers the effects of COVID-19 on social connection and outlines the importance of adapting and developing programming and resources that address suicide and ACEs prevention during a time of infrastructure disruption. Practical Applications: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the ways that many individuals are able to safely interact and socially connect due to public health prevention strategies implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. Local, city, and state government, community organizations, and public health and medical practitioners should consider the adaptation and development of existing and new programming, resources, and activities that support and strengthen social connection. In addition to implementing programs, policies may help address systemic and structural barriers to social connection, such as access to parks and open space, public transportation, or digital connectivity.

A Prospective Study of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Childhood Trauma-Exposed Individuals: Social Support Matters.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its unprecedented social restrictions may have serious mental health implications, especially in individuals who have experienced childhood traumatic experiences (CTEs). This prospective study aimed to investigate whether general psychopathology and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity increased during the pandemic as compared to prepandemic baseline data collected approximately 1 year earlier. Furthermore, we investigated whether an increase in symptomatology was linked to CTEs and mediated by a lack of perceived social support and fear of COVID-19. An online survey was administered to 85 individuals, including both participants with PTSD, major depression, or somatic symptom disorder (n = 63) and healthy volunteers (n = 22), during a period of the most severe social restrictions in Germany. The survey included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, ENRICHD Social Support Inventory, and Fear of COVID-19 Scale. In the whole sample, we found significant increases in general psychopathology and PTSD symptom severity, ω2 = .07-.08, during as compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, with CTEs predicting increased PTSD symptom severity, ß = .245, p = .042. This effect was mediated by a lack of perceived social support, indirect effect = .101, 95% CI [.013, .209], but not fear of COVID-19, indirect effect = .060, 95% CI [-.035, .167]. These findings emphasize the importance of interventions that promote social inclusion to mitigate the potentially detrimental effects of public health actions implemented against the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals with CTEs.