Self-perception of health and physical activity levels among the youth and adults before and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Emerging research indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions led to decreased physical activity levels and poorer health globally. However, most studies on this topic have focused on advanced countries, leaving a gap in understanding the impact in countries like Ghana. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing self-perceived health status and physical activity levels among youth and adults in Ghana before, during, and after the COVID-19 restrictions. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for informing public health interventions and policies to promote well-being during and beyond the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using online data collection methods was conducted, involving 937 participants. Data included demographic information, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Analysis was done using SPSS version 25, with descriptive statistics and multinomial regression. Results: Most participants (89.6%) reported good health. Male participants were significantly more likely to engage in moderate (1.78 times) and high (3.17 times) physical activity during the COVID-19 period compared to females. Conclusion: This study highlights gender disparities in physical activity levels during the pandemic in Ghana. Addressing these disparities and promoting healthier lifestyles, especially during crises, is crucial for general and mental health. Further research should explore socio-demographic factors' role in health behaviors during pandemics.

Anxiety sensitivity and psychological distress among hypertensive patients: the mediating role of experiential avoidance.

Hypertension is often associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes and psychological factors have been advanced for better explanatory models and to enhance the development of effective interventions in the treatment of hypertensive patients. Although the link between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and poor mental health outcomes has been established, the mechanism through which it results in psychological distress (PD) is not yet well understood. In addition to investigating the direct associations of AS and experiential avoidance (EA) to PD, the present study examines whether AS predicts adverse mental health outcomes via EA. Hypertensive patients (N = 240; women = 135; Mean age = 41.09, SD = 9.11 years) drawn from cardiology unit of a Nigerian teaching hospital completed the following measures: Psychological Distress Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index - 3, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Results showed that that greater AS and greater EA predicted increased PD, even when controlling for age and gender. The mediation hypothesis was further supported suggesting that the association between AS with increase in PD was a function of heightened EA. These findings are consistent with the notion that acceptance of daily experiences may serve to buffer against the potential adverse mental health outcomes and may be a critical target for interventions to ameliorate PD in patients with chronic health conditions such as hypertension. Psychological interventions that deals with experiential avoidance could be used in the management of distressed hypertensive patients.

Development and primary validation of the School Health Assessment Tool for Primary Schools (SHAT-PS).

BACKGROUND: School health programs need to target all aspects of physical, psychological, and social well-being. Using a slightly modified version of the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist, we developed and conducted the first validation of the School Health Assessment Tool for Primary Schools (SHAT-PS). METHOD: The exploratory sequential mixed method was used in this study. In the first phase, scientific databases were systematically searched to find school health models and instruments and 65 interviews were conducted with school stakeholders. The Colaizzi's method was used to code the qualitative data into themes. Then, a pool of items was created for each theme, rechecked by psychometric experts and then validated for content (i.e., relevance, clarity, and comprehensiveness) by psychometric experts and individuals of the target population (i.e., school personnel). In the second phase, classical test theory was utilized to analyze the validity and reliability of the resulting items from phase 1 among 400 individuals working at primary schools. RESULTS: The coding of the interviews resulted in ten themes that we labeled based on the theoretical literature: school health policies, community connections, health education, physical activity, health services, nutrition, psychological services, physical environment, equipment and facilities, and school staff's health. The items created for each theme ended up in an initial pool of 76 items. In the final stage of phase 1, 69 items remained after the content validity assessment by experts and school personnel. In phase 2, the SHAT-PS items were tested using maximum likelihood exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Of the 69 items from phase 1, 22 items were removed due to low factor loadings. The results showed that the 8-factor model was the best solution (chi-square/df = 2.41, CFI = .98, TLI = .97, RMSEA = .06). The discriminant and convergent validity of the SHAT-PS were evaluated as satisfactory and the scale had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha for all subscales > .93). The test-retest reliability was satisfactory-the intraclass correlation coefficient pooled was .95 (99% CI [.91-.98]). Moreover, the standard error of measurement resulted in an SEM pooled equal to 4.4. No discrepancy was found between subgroups of gender and subgroups of staffs' positions at schools. CONCLUSION: The SHAT-PS is a valid and reliable tool that may facilitate school staff, stakeholders and researchers to evaluate the presence of the factors that promote health at primary schools. Nevertheless, in the process of validation, many of the items related to staff's health were eliminated due to poor factor loadings. Obviously, staff health is an important factor in the measurement of school health. Hence, we recommend that the validity and reliability of the SHAT-PS in other cultures should be done using the original 76-item version.

Post-partum depression, anxiety and marital satisfaction: A perspective from Southeastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have noted the high prevalence of post-partum depression (PPD) and anxiety associated with poor marital satisfaction, albeit amidst a dearth of literature on comorbid PPD and anxiety among women in Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed to assess the prevalence of PPD and anxiety, and to investigate their relationship with marital satisfaction in low-risk women in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 309 randomly selected nursing mothers at two tertiary health institutions. Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) were used to collect data on demography, anxiety and depression and marital relationship respectively. All statistical tests were performed at a significant level of 0.05. RESULTS: The age range of the respondents was 20-46 years; mean and s.d. was 29.65 and ± 4.87, respectively, and most of them were graduates of tertiary educational institutions (74.1%). The prevalence of post-partum anxiety was 31.1% and of PPD was 33.3%. Marital dissatisfaction was observed in 39.5% (122) of the respondents who were mothers. Those with co-morbid depression and anxiety (22.0%) had worse marital dissatisfaction. The strongest correlation with depression and anxiety was item 12 of IMS ('feel that my partner doesn't confide in me'). CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of marital dissatisfaction, PPD and anxiety among nursing mothers in Enugu, but with low detection rate. The effects of PPD and anxiety on the mother, her marital relationship and her infant make them essential conditions for early diagnosis, prevention and treatments.

Post-partum depression, anxiety and marital satisfaction: A perspective from Southeastern Nigeria

Background: Many studies have noted the high prevalence of post-partum depression (PPD) and anxiety associated with poor marital satisfaction, albeit amidst a dearth of literature on comorbid PPD and anxiety among women in Nigeria. Objective: The study was aimed to assess the prevalence of PPD and anxiety, and to investigate their relationship with marital satisfaction in low-risk women in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional study of 309 randomly selected nursing mothers at two tertiary health institutions. Socio-demographic Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) were used to collect data on demography, anxiety and depression and marital relationship respectively. All statistical tests were performed at a significant level of 0.05. Results: The age range of the respondents was 20­46 years; mean and s.d. was 29.65 and ±4.87, respectively, and most of them were graduates of tertiary educational institutions (74.1%). The prevalence of post-partum anxiety was 31.1% and of PPD was 33.3%. Marital dissatisfaction was observed in 39.5% (122) of the respondents who were mothers. Those with co-morbid depression and anxiety (22.0%) had worse marital dissatisfaction. The strongest correlation with depression and anxiety was item 12 of IMS ('feel that my partner doesn't confide in me').Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of marital dissatisfaction, PPD and anxiety among nursing mothers in Enugu, but with low detection rate. The effects of PPD and anxiety on the mother, her marital relationship and her infant make them essential conditions for early diagnosis, prevention and treatments