The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents

AbstractThere has been significant disruption to the lives and mental health of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological and lifestyle impact of the pandemic on Australian adolescents, using an online survey, administered during the outbreak. Self-report surveys were administered online to a sample of 760 Australian adolescents aged 12–18 years assessing impact on a range of domains including behaviour, education, relationships, lifestyle factors (exercise, technology use, and sleep), and mental health outcomes (psychological distress, loneliness, health anxiety and well-being). Results showed that three quarters of the sample experienced a worsening in mental health, since the pandemic began, with negative impacts reported on learning, friendships and family relationships. There were also high higher levels of sleep disturbance, psychological distress and health anxiety, relative to normative samples. Effects on mental health were worse among those who reported a previous diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety relative to those without no such history. Adolescents are already vulnerable to the onset of mental illness at this developmental stage, and the current research underscores the need to find rapid and accessible ways to support adolescent mental health during times of crisis.

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The impact of COVID-19 on the lives and mental health of Australian adolescents

10.1101/2020.09.07.20190124 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Li ◽

Joanne Beames ◽

Jill Newby ◽

Kate Maston ◽

Helen Christensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Young People ◽

Family Relationships ◽

Technology Use ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Exact Nature ◽

Distress Scale ◽

The Impact

Objective: There has been significant disruption to the lives and mental health of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the exact nature of the effects is not known. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological and lifestyle impact of the pandemic on Australian adolescents, using an online survey, administered during and after the peak of the outbreak (June-July 2020). Method: Self-report surveys were administered online to a sample of 760 Australian adolescents aged 12-18 years old. Surveys assessed worry about contracting COVID-19, behavioral change in response to the pandemic, impact on education, peer and family relationships, lifestyle factors including exercise, technology use and sleep, as well as mental health outcomes including psychological distress, loneliness, health anxiety and wellbeing. Results: Overall, young people expressed significant concern and worry about contracting the virus, and most (>85%) engaged in behaviors to reduce the risk of transmission. Three quarters of the sample reported a worsening of their mental health since the pandemic began, with negative impacts reported by most respondents on learning, friendships and family relationships. More than 40% of young people reported a decrease in exercise and 70% reported an increase in technology use since the outbreak. There were high levels of uncertainty about the future reported by respondents, and their scores on validated measures indicated higher levels of sleep disturbance, psychological distress and health anxiety, and lower levels of wellbeing, relative to normative samples. Reponses on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale indicated that 48.3% of the sample were experiencing distress consistent with a probable mental illness, which is much higher than pre-pandemic prevalence rates. Effects on mental health were worse among those who reported a previous diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety relative to those without a history of depression and/or anxiety. Conclusion: These results indicate high levels of disruption and psychological distress experienced by adolescents during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents are already vulnerable to the onset of mental illness at this developmental stage, and the current research underscores the need to find rapid and accessible ways to support adolescent mental health during times of crisis. There is a need for longitudinal research to evaluate the enduring effects of the pandemic on adolescents.

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Psychological distress and resilience in a sample of Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

10.1101/2021.03.29.21254529 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Clare Jacobson ◽

Rebecca Mulholland ◽

Nicola Miller ◽

Laura Baker ◽

Daniel Glazer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Self Report ◽

Patient Health ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

AbstractBACKGROUNDAdolescents and young people (AYA) with cancer are at greater risk of psychological distress which can impact treatment. COVID-19 has resulted in changes to cancer care delivery and AYA have been disproportionately affected by economic and educational effects of COVID-19, potentially impacting on mental health. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on AYA with cancer is important to inform care.METHODSOnline survey of 16-24 year olds receiving cancer treatment at 8 cancer centres in the UK in December 2020. We measured: self-perceived increased anxiety since COVID-19, impact of COVID-19 on treatment, life and relationships and used the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-8), 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale(GAD) and the 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC).RESULTS112 AYA participated (17.8% of total eligible). 62.8% were female, 67.3% were 21-24 years. 83% were white. 59.8% had previously experienced mental health difficulties. 67.9% received cancer treatment during the pandemic and 33.9% were diagnosed during the pandemic. 78.6% reported COVID-19 having a significant impact on their life, 55.4% on their key relationship and 39.3% on their treatment. 79% reported experiencing some degree of increased anxiety since COVID-19.43.4% had moderate-severe PHQ-8 scores and 37.1% for GADS-7. Self-report of impact on life was associated with greater anxiety during COVID-19 and moderate-severe PHQ-8 score (OR 3.64, 95% CI 2.52 to 19.40, p <0.01; OR 5.23, 95%CI 1.65 to 16.56, p < 0.01). Impact on relationships was associated with greater anxiety and moderate-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 score (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.11 to 7.54, p = 0,03; OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.32 to 15.17, p<0.01; OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.25, p =0.03). Greater CD-RISC score was associated with lower risk of anxiety and mod-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 scores (OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.41 to 0.81, p <0.01; OR 0.55 95% CI 0.4 to 0.72, p <0.01; OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.69, p <0.01)CONCLUSIONSWe found high levels of psychological distress in AYA with cancer, which is important knowledge for clinical teams working with this age group. Perceived impact of COVID-19 on relationships and life was predictive of poorer mental health, with resilience a potential protective factor.

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Psychological Distress and Resilience in a Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic

10.21203/rs.3.rs-373545/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Clare Jacobson ◽

Nicola Miller ◽

Rebecca Mulholland ◽

Laura Baker ◽

Daniel Glazer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Online Survey ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Self Report ◽

Patient Health ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Abstract BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young people (AYA) with cancer are at greater risk of psychological distress which can impact treatment. COVID-19 has resulted in changes to cancer care delivery and AYA have been disproportionately affected by economic and educational effects of COVID-19, potentially impacting on mental health. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on AYA with cancer is important to inform care. METHODS: Online survey of 16-24 year olds receiving cancer treatment at 8 cancer centres in the UK in December 2020. We measured: self-perceived increased anxiety since COVID-19, impact of COVID-19 on treatment, life and relationships and used the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-8), 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale(GAD) and the 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC). RESULTS: 112 AYA participated (17.8% of total eligible). 62.8% were female, 67.3% were 21-24 years. 83% were white. 59.8% had previously experienced mental health difficulties. 67.9% received cancer treatment during the pandemic and 33.9% were diagnosed during the pandemic. 78.6% reported COVID-19 having a significant impact on their life, 55.4% on their key relationship and 39.3% on their treatment. 79% reported experiencing some degree of increased anxiety since COVID-19.43.4% had moderate-severe PHQ-8 scores and 37.1% for GADS-7. Self-report of impact on life was associated with greater anxiety during COVID-19 and moderate-severe PHQ-8 score (OR 3.64, 95% CI 2.52 to 19.40, p <0.01; OR 5.23, 95%CI 1.65 to 16.56, p < 0.01). Impact on relationships was associated with greater anxiety and moderate-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 score (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.11 to 7.54, p = 0,03; OR 3.54, 95% CI 2.32 to 15.17, p<0.01; OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.25, p =0.03). Greater CD-RISC score was associated with lower risk of anxiety and mod-severe GADS-7and PHQ-8 scores (OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.41 to 0.81, p <0.01; OR 0.55 95% CI 0.4 to 0.72, p <0.01; OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.69, p <0.01) CONCLUSIONS: We found high levels of psychological distress in AYA with cancer, which is important knowledge for clinical teams working with this age group. Perceived impact of COVID-19 on relationships and life was predictive of poorer mental health, with resilience a potential protective factor.

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Psychological distress during COVID-19 pandemic in low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study of older persons in Thailand

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e047650

Author(s):

Wiraporn Pothisiri ◽

Paolo Miguel Manalang Vicerra

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Low Income ◽

Older Persons ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Ageing Society ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Middle Income ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 situation in Thailand was controlled with various social measures. Much of the information covered in the media and in studies focused on the public health and economic aspects of the pandemic. This study aimed to explore the psychological well-being of older people, which is important especially in an ageing society categorised as low income or middle income due to the limits of economic and healthcare resources.SettingThe impact of COVID-19 on older persons in Thailand, an online survey, taken across nine provinces within the five regions of the country.ParticipantsInformation was collected from 1230 adults aged at least 60 years old.If an older person was illiterate, unable to access the internet or had a disability preventing them from responding to the survey, an intermediary residing in the community conducted the survey interview.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe analysis focused on the worries of older adults and the factors associated with psychological distress experienced during the pandemic using logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe majority of people aged at least 60 years old experienced psychological distress during COVID-19. Employment loss (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.38), inadequate income (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.44) and debt incursion (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.57 to 4.80) were detrimental to psychological well-being. The negative changes in the perception of their health status (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.99) and decreased life satisfaction (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.87) also weighed on older Thais. The protective factors for psychological well-being were residing in rural areas (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.61) and being married (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.01).ConclusionObserving the concerns of the older population is important for introducing policies that can alleviate their precarious financial and health statuses.

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Levels and Prevalence of Mental Health Functioning in Canadian University Student-Athletes

Canadian Journal of Higher Education ◽

10.47678/cjhe.v48i2.188105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 149-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Krista J. Van Slingerland ◽

Natalie Durand-Bush ◽

Scott Rathwell

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Living Situation ◽

Mental Health Functioning ◽

Health Functioning ◽

The Impact

We examined the level and prevalence of mental health functioning (MHF) in intercollegiate student-athletes from 30 Canadian universities, and the impact of time of year, gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport on MHF. An online survey completed in November 2015 (N = 388) and March 2016 (n = 110) revealed that overall, MHF levels were moderate to high, and more student-athletes were flourishing than languishing. MHF levels did not significantly differ across time based on gender, alcohol use, living situation, year of study, and type of sport. Eighteen percent reported a previous mental illness diagnosis and yet maintained moderate MHF across time. These findings support Keyes’ (2002) dual-continua model, suggesting that the presence of mental illness does not automatically imply low levels of well-being and languishing. Nonetheless, those without a previous diagnosis were 3.18 times more likely to be flourishing at Time 1 (November 2015).

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Psychological Distress Among the U.S. General Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.642918 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Christi J. Guerrini ◽

Sophie C. Schneider ◽

Andrew G. Guzick ◽

Gifty N. Amos Nwankwo ◽

Isabel Canfield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Healthy Behaviors ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Amazon's Mechanical Turk

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant global toll on emotional well-being, but evidence of mental health impacts in the United States remains limited. In April 2020, we conducted an exploratory survey of U.S. residents to understand prevalence of and factors associated with psychological distress during the pandemic. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics, an online survey platform, and U.S. adult respondents were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. Among 1,366 respondents, 42% (n = 571) reported clinically significant anxiety and 38% (n = 519) reported clinically significant depression. Factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms included Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; younger age; lower income; employment as or living with a health care worker-first responder; caregiver status; SARS-CoV-2 infection status; decreased frequency of engagement in healthy behaviors; and changed frequency of engagement in unhealthy behaviors. That some of these factors are associated with elevated distress during the pandemic is not yet widely appreciated and might be useful in informing management of mental health care resources.

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Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers in different regions of the world

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.689 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (S1) ◽

pp. S258-S258

Author(s):

Mahfuja Islam ◽

Philip George ◽

Sindhu Sankaran ◽

Janet Leu Su Hui ◽

Tzun Kit

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Assessment ◽

Survey Tool ◽

Frontline Workers ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

AimsThe global health system is facing a serious challenge after the recent outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus infection which was first identified in Wuhan, China in November 2019 and declared as a pandemic in March 2020 by WHO. There is a wide consensus that this pandemic has negative psychosocial consequences as well as unforeseeable provision of mental health care services and just not on physical health alone. The aim of this research study is to determine the prevalence of psychological distress and to identify the sociodemographic variables with the main attributable factors associated with the psychological distress among healthcare workers and suggestions on how to reduce the impact on the mental health of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in different regions of the world.MethodWe performed a cross-sectional study from September-November 2020. We used a self-administered survey tool which was distributed electronically to healthcare workers across the globe. The data were stored on an online database with password protected devices where survey responses were restricted to investigators exclusively.Data collected were: 1) Socio-demographic data (age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, religion, role in the healthcare, region of practice); 2) Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) questionnaire which contains 22 standardized items. This is a subjective assessment to score the degree of psychological well-being by focusing on 6 domains: depression; anxiety; positive-well-being; self-control; vitality and general health; 3) Subjective assessment from respondents of the main attributable factors causing psychological distress and suggested methods to help reduce the impact on mental health on health care workers.ResultMajority out of the 217 respondents were from a younger age group; females and married/domestic partnership, mainly from Western Pacific Region, South East Asian and the African Region. More than half the respondents were moderate-severely psychologically distressed and the three main attributable factors causing psychological distress were: fear of family/friends contracting COVID-19 followed by lack of PPE and discomfort caused by wearing PPE for long hours. Respondents suggested that the distress would be reduced if: more resources were provided in hospital; protocols and guidelines were implemented and counselling facilities with recreational activities were available to frontline workers.ConclusionThis study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of healthcare workers and more support or strategies need to come in place to protect frontline workers at the time of crises.

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Moderation role of proactive coping between psychological place attachment and its mental health consequences in sojourners

Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association ◽

10.47391/jpma.02-336 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rida Muhammad Akbar ◽

Muhammad Naveed Riaz

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Place Attachment ◽

Well Being ◽

Place Identity ◽

Self Report ◽

Proactive Coping ◽

Preventive Coping ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

The Relationship

Objective The study also examined the moderating impact of proactive coping strategies in the relationship of psychological place attachment and mental health related outcomes in sojourners. Methods The study was based upon self-report measures including Psychological Place Attachment Scale, Proactive Coping Inventory, Warwick Edinburg Mental Well-being Scale and Kasler Psychological Distress Scale. Total 300 sojourners participated in the study. Participants Academic sojourners are students who stay in a place for a limited period of time. Data of sojourners (N = 300) was collected from Sargodha using four self-report measures. Results Data analysis through PROCSS 3.2 revealed that Proactive coping, preventive coping and reflective coping were significantly moderated the relationship between affective and psychological distress. Proactive coping and reflective coping were significantly moderated the relationship between affective bonding and mental wells-being. Proactive coping preventive coping and avoidance coping significantly moderated the relationship home meaning and psychological distress. Proactive coping was moderated the relationship between home meaning and psychological distress. Proactive coping and reflective coping were moderated the relationship between place identity and psychological distress. Proactive coping was moderated the relationship between place identity and mental well-being. Instrumental support seeking was moderating the relationship between place dependence and psychological distress. Preventive coping and reflective coping were moderated the relationship between psychological place attachment and psychological distress. Reflective coping, strategic planning and preventive coping were significantly moderated the relationship between psychological place attachment and mental well-being. Continuous...

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Self-reported psychological distress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Nepal: findings from an online survey

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-020-00497-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kamal Gautam ◽

Ramesh P. Adhikari ◽

Aman Sen Gupta ◽

Rajan Kumar Shrestha ◽

Pitambar Koirala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Family Income ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Psychological Wellbeing ◽

The Past ◽

Psychological Impacts ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background A lower respiratory tract infection caused by novel coronavirus termed as Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) was first identified in China and subsequently took the form of pandemic. Studies on disease outbreak in the past and recent COVID-19 outbreak have demonstrated increased psychological distress and adverse impacts on mental health and psychological wellbeing of people. However, the impact of COVID-19 on psychological wellbeing of people in Nepal hasn't been studied adequately. So, this paper aims to report the findings from a social media survey on psychological impacts of COVID-19 in Nepal. Methods Data were collected through social media from 2082 Nepalese respondents between 23rd April, 2020 and 3rd May, 2020. A total of 2014 respondents who were currently residing in Nepal were included in the analysis. Results The study suggested that half of the respondents suffered from at least one symptom of psychological distress whereas 32% suffered from two or more symptoms of psychological distress such as restlessness, fearfulness, anxiety and worry and sadness in the past 2 weeks preceding the survey date. The findings further suggested that respondents having lower family income, residing in rented room, and participants from province 2 were more likely to suffer from both single and multiple symptoms of psychological distress. Conclusion The study has shown high prevalence of psychological distress amongst the Nepalese respondents following COVID-19 outbreak. Appropriate mental health and psychosocial support response needs to be instituted to adequately respond to psychological impacts of the epidemic.

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Workplace Stress, Presenteeism, Absenteeism, and Resilience Amongst University Staff and Students in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.588803 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Christina Maria Van Der Feltz-Cornelis ◽

D. Varley ◽

Victoria L. Allgar ◽

Edwin de Beurs

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

High Stress ◽

Female Gender ◽

Workplace Stress ◽

University Staff ◽

Stress Levels ◽

The Impact

Background: This study explored how the COVID-19 outbreak and arrangements such as remote working and furlough affect work or study stress levels and functioning in staff and students at the University of York, UK.Methods: An invitation to participate in an online survey was sent to all University of York staff and students in May-June 2020. We measured stress levels [VAS-scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ)], mental health [anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9)], physical health (PHQ-15, chronic medical conditions checklist), presenteeism, and absenteeism levels (iPCQ). We explored demographic and other characteristics as factors which may contribute to resilience and vulnerability for the impact of COVID-19 on stress.Results: One thousand and fifty five staff and nine hundred and twenty five students completed the survey. Ninety-eight per cent of staff and seventy-eight per cent of students worked or studied remotely. 7% of staff and 10% of students reported sickness absence. 26% of staff and 40% of the students experienced presenteeism. 22–24% of staff reported clinical-level anxiety and depression scores, and 37.2 and 46.5% of students. Staff experienced high stress levels due to COVID-19 (66.2%, labeled vulnerable) and 33.8% experienced low stress levels (labeled resilient). Students were 71.7% resilient vs. 28.3% non-resilient. Predictors of vulnerability in staff were having children [OR = 2.23; CI (95) = 1.63–3.04] and social isolation [OR = 1.97; CI (95) = 1.39–2.79] and in students, being female [OR = 1.62; CI (95) = 1.14–2.28], having children [OR = 2.04; CI (95) = 1.11–3.72], and social isolation [OR = 1.78; CI (95) = 1.25–2.52]. Resilience was predicted by exercise in staff [OR = 0.83; CI (95) = 0.73–0.94] and in students [OR = 0.85; CI (95) = 0.75–0.97].Discussion: University staff and students reported high psychological distress, presenteeism and absenteeism. However, 33.8% of staff and 71.7% of the students were resilient. Amongst others, female gender, having children, and having to self-isolate contributed to vulnerability. Exercise contributed to resilience.Conclusion: Resilience occurred much more often in students than in staff, although psychological distress was much higher in students. This suggests that predictors of resilience may differ from psychological distress per se. Hence, interventions to improve resilience should not only address psychological distress but may also address other factors.

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