Anxiety in Mexican adults throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Perceived fear during a pandemic along with measures used to contain it can develop or intensify anxiety symptoms. In Mexico, information on the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the general population is scarce. OBJECTIVE: We examined the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak in a Mexican sample. METHOD: We conducted a cross sectional study from June 15, 2020, to January 31, 2021, in a state in north-eastern Mexico, using an online survey. Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to determine the prevalence and severity of anxiety. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anxiety was 43.5 %. Categories with the highest anxiety prevalence within their groups were women (46.2 %), age group of 18-30 years (47.3 %), higher level of education (43 %), students (48.8 %) and people who weren't currently with a couple (47.3 %). Additionally, we found that people who reported clinically significant anxiety were more likely to be women, ages 18-30 years, not currently partnered and currently living with a psychiatric disorder. Moreover, patients with clinically significant anxiety were more likely to be diagnosed with a mood, anxiety, trauma and stress, or an eating disorder. We also observed that being a woman and having at least one psychiatric disorder were independent factors related to a positive anxiety screening. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: COVID-19 outbreak results in considerable increase in anxiety symptoms among the Mexican population. It is important to acknowledge the psychological impact of contingency situations to provide information that can allow establishing preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Prevalence of suicidality, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety among female sex workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The purpose was to assess prevalence of suicidality, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety among female sex workers (FSW). A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Search strategy was performed in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Ovid and Cochrane Central Database from inception until March 2020. Considered for inclusion were cross-sectional studies performed on FSW that assessed prevalence of any of the following: suicide attempt or suicidal ideation, depression, PTSD, or anxiety. Five reviewers, independently and in duplicate, selected all eligible articles in an abstract and full-text screening phase and, moreover, extracted information from each study. A binomial-normal generalized linear mixed model was employed to estimate prevalence of the conditions. From 8035 studies yielded in the search strategy, 55 were included for analysis. The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt was 27% (95% C.I. 18-39%) and 20% (95% C.I. 13-28%), respectively. Furthermore, overall prevalence of depression and PTSD was 44% (95% C.I. 35-54%) and 29% (95% C.I. 18-44%), respectively. Eleven studies were classified as high quality. Findings indicate that there is an overall high prevalence of suicidality, depression, and PTSD among FSW. Development of accessible large-scale interventions that assess mental health among this population remains critical.

Predictors of the length of stay of psychiatric inpatients: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Length of stay (LOS) for inpatient psychiatric services is an important factor with serious drawbacks when it is extended more than needed. Impacts on economy, social functioning, and stigma can hamper improvement and affect the patients' experiences on future mental healthcare. Predictions of which patients have a higher chance for prolonged LOS have been extensively researched. Previous systematic reviews found consistent predictors of both longer and shorter LOS. However, they do not provide an estimate from the pooled effect sizes. Furthermore, to our knowledge, there is no meta-analysis on the influence of these factors. The primary objective of this study will be to provide point estimates on the effect sizes of all studied predictors of the LOS of psychiatric inpatients. METHODS: We will conduct a systematic search in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for observational studies evaluating the effect size of independent factors on the length of stay of psychiatric inpatients. Prospective and retrospective cohorts that assess the influence of predictors through the reporting of standardized regression coefficients will be included. We will provide a qualitative synthesis of the findings from each study and perform a meta-analysis from pooled regression coefficients that were adjusted for other variables or confounders in order to obtain a point estimate and confidence interval for all factors extracted from the included studies. DISCUSSION: The results from this study may provide more accurate predictions for mental health institutions, psychiatrists, mental health service providers, patients, and families on the prognosis regarding the length of stay for needed inpatient care. This information may be used to anticipate individuals with a higher chance for prolonged hospitalization to plan the necessary interventions for these specific situations. Considering both the benefits and disadvantages of longer and shorter stays, the pooled estimates for independent factors may be used by mental healthcare providers and patients for informed decision-making. The results from this study will also update results presented in previous studies and identify the strengths and limitations from the current available evidence. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ID CRD42020172840.

Preliminary efficacy and tolerability profiles of first versus second-generation Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of second generation (SG) long-acting antipsychotics (LAIAs) versus first generation (FG) LAIAs in schizophrenia. We conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO until May 2019. Inclusion criteria for randomized trials included: (1) patients ≥18 years with schizophrenia, (2) efficacy evaluated through the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), (3) safety assessment through clinimetry, laboratory analysis, somatometry or adverse events, and (4) treatment duration ≥12 weeks. Data was synthesized using mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes using a random-effect model. Of 1872 citations, 17 trials were included, and direct comparisons of SG vs FG-LAIAs were observed in 3 (n = 459). SG and FG-LAIAs had similar effects on PANSS scores (MD -1.35; 95% CI -8.33-5.64), tardive dyskinesia (RR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.47-2.07), all-cause discontinuation (RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.75-1.36), discontinuation due to inadequate efficacy (RR 1.13; 95% CI 0.81-1.59) or adverse events (RR 1.08; 95% CI 0.55-2.11). SG-LAIAs reduced the risk of using antiparkinsonian drugs (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.54-0.76) but significantly increased serum prolactin, weight and BMI. For long-term management, depot preparations of paliperidone, haloperidol, risperidone and fluphenazine were equally effective at symptom control and adherence, with significant differences in their safety profiles. These results however are considerably limited due to the small number of included studies and are therefore preliminary, not generalizable. More clinical trials are required to obtain a broader perspective of SG-LAIAs compared to FG-LAIAs.