Understanding Women's Knowledge, Awareness, and Perceptions of STIs/STDs in Asia: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to conduct a scoping review to collect current literature on the knowledge, awareness, and perception (KAP) of sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STIs/STDs) among women in Asia. METHODOLOGY: The PRISMA-Scoping methodology was used in this study to extract papers from four databases published between 2018 and 2022. Sixty-eight articles were included after screening and elimination. RESULTS: The studies on KAP of STIs/STDs among women were largely undertaken in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam) and South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). Regardless of the specific cohort of women studied, research indicates consistently low levels of knowledge and awareness across Asia. This trend seems to be more prevalent among female commercial sex workers, women with lower educational levels, and those in poorer socioeconomic positions. In South Asia, cultural, sociological, economic, and gender inequalities, particularly male domination, all have a significant impact on KAP levels. CONCLUSION: As education is a major factor that influences health behaviour, this review underscores the need to allocate more resources to educational initiatives, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as sex workers, transgender women, pregnant women, and rural housewives. This strategic focus may contribute significantly to preventing STIs/STDs, particularly in less developed regions/countries.

Mental Health Risk Factors and Coping Strategies among Students in Asia Pacific during COVID-19 Pandemic-A Scoping Review.

The impact of COVID-19 has forced higher education institutes to go into lockdown in order to curb the situation. This sudden change caused students within the institutions to forgo traditional face to face classroom settings and to attend immediate online classes. This review aims to summarize the evidence of the social demographic mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students in higher education institutes within the Asia Pacific region and identify the coping mechanisms adopted during these times. A systematic literature search was conducted using three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus), out of which 64 studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The findings revealed that the social demographic groups most at risk were female students, those who were in the final years of their studies (i.e., students who were almost graduating), and postgraduate students as well as students studying medical fields (nursing, dental, medicine, health sciences etc.). The majority of the studies identified that students were relying on mobile devices and extended screen time to cope with the pandemic. Having proper social support, be it through a network of friends or positive family cohesion, can be a good buffer against the mental impacts of COVID-19. Students in higher education institutes are at risk of mental consequences due to COVID-19. By reducing their screen time, finding a healthier coping system, increasing the availability of support within the family and community, as well as actively engaging in beneficial activities students may be able to alleviate general negative emotions, specifically during the pandemic.

COVID-19 mental health prevalence and its risk factors in South East Asia.

With the record surge of positive cases in Southeast Asia, there is a need to examine the adverse mental effects of COVID-19 among the under-researched countries. This study aims to synthesize the extant literature reporting the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological outcomes of people in Southeast Asia, and its risk factors. A scoping review was adopted targeting articles published in PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus from January 2020 to March 30, 2021. Articles were screened using predetermined eligibility criteria, resulting in 26 papers. Elevated prevalence of adverse mental effects was noted in most of the countries as the pandemic progressed over time, with Malaysia and Philippines reporting higher prevalence rates. Mental decline was found to be more profound among the general population compared to healthcare workers and students. Dominant risk factors reported were age (younger), sex (females), education (higher), low coping skill and social/family support, and poor reliability in COVID-19 related information. Adverse mental effects were noted among population, healthcare workers and students in most of the Southeast Asian countries. Intervention and prevention efforts should be based at community-level and prioritize young adults, females, and individuals with dire financial constraints.

COVID-19 depression and its risk factors in Asia Pacific - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesize the extant literature reporting the effects of COVID-19 pandemic based on the pooled prevalence of depression among affected populations in Asia Pacific, as well as its risk factors. METHOD: A systematic review and meta-analysis approach was adopted as per the PRISMA guidelines, targeting articles published in PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus from January 2021 to March 30, 2021. The screening resulted in 82 papers. RESULTS: The overall pooled depression prevalence among 201,953 respondents was 34% (95%CI, 29-38, 99.7%), with no significant differences observed between the cohorts, timelines, and regions (p > 0.05). Dominant risk factors found were fear of COVID-19 infection (13%), gender (i.e., females; 12%) and deterioration of underlying medical conditions (8.3%), regardless of the sub-groups. Specifically, fear of COVID-19 infection was the most reported risk factor among general population (k = 14) and healthcare workers (k = 8). Gender (k = 7) and increased workload (k = 7) were reported among healthcare workers whereas education disruption among students (k = 7). LIMITATION: The review is limited to articles published in three electronic databases. Conclusion The pandemic has caused depression among the populations across Asia Pacific, specifically among the general population, healthcare workers and students. Immediate attention and interventions from the concerned authorities are needed in addressing this issue.