Depression, anxiety, stress and trauma-related symptoms and their association with perceived social support in medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine.

Purpose: In a public health crisis medical professionals face immense psychological tension that leads to onset of negative mental health outcomes. We aimed to estimate the self-reported level of posttraumatic, anxiety, depression, and stress-related symptoms and their association with the level of perceived social support among healthcare professionals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Ukraine. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey conducted during the second wave of the pandemic involved 330 participants. Mental health variables were assessed via the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The level of perceived social support was assessed via the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results: The DASS-21 median score was 42.0 (IQR = 28.0-56.0), with 50.5% of respondents reporting moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms; 55.4% had moderate-to-severe anxiety levels; 42.4% had moderate-to-severe stress levels. The PCL-5 median score was 21.0 (IQR = 12.0-32.0), with 20% of the participants meeting the full criteria for PTSD. The MSPSS median score was 5.3 (IQR = 4.3-6.1), with 61.8% of the participants reporting high, 29.4% medium, and 8.8% low levels of social support, respectively. Logistic analysis revealed that being a younger person, female, having had previous exposure to COVID-19, working in inpatient facilities with COVID patients, and experiencing a lower level of social support were significant risk factors for the onset of mental disorders. Almost 75% of participants exhibited low-to-moderate adherence to psychological/psychiatric care. Conclusions: Health professionals working with COVID patients need to be screened for mental disorders. A campaign aimed at achieving the de-stigmatization of mental care is required.

Depressive Syndromes Associated with Alcohol Dependence.

OBJECTIVE: Depressive syndromes (DSs) are some of the most common mental disorders in individuals suffering from alcohol dependence (AD). The aim of the study was to investigate the characteristics of DSs associated with AD in a group of inpatients admitted in a psychiatric hospital. METHOD: One hundred sixty inpatients between 25 and 58 years of age (mean ± SD: 37.30 ± 7.97), suffering from AD and DSs and recruited from a larger clinical sample, were included. They were evaluated by means of a battery of diagnostic/rating scales for assessment of both diagnosis and symptoms severity. RESULTS: Complete physical and psychiatric examinations of AD patients showed that DSs represent a very heterogeneous group that can be divided in: psychogenic (66.3%), endogenous (11.3%), organic (22.4%), and mixed. The following clinical depressive subtypes could be identified: hypochondriac (42.5%), asthenic (20.6%), agitated (19.4%), dysphoric (8.8%), simple (4.35%), and apathetic (4.35). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that DSs during AD represent a constant association that frequently complicates the clinical pictures, induces low quality of life and personal adjustment, and impairs remission. Investigation of the casual and intertwined factors, developmental patterns and clinical structure of the AD-associated DSs should allow optimizing a tailored and integrated system of medical rehabilitation help.