The negative impact of technological advancements on mental health: An epidemiological approach

In Hong Kong, social distancing has been adopted in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the changes in physical health, mental health, and social well-being experienced by local residents who were homebound during the pandemic. An online questionnaire in both Chinese and English versions was completed by 590 eligible participants from 24 April to 13 May 2020. The questionnaire found that individuals aged 18 to 25 years spent more time resting and relaxing but experienced more physical strain. Working status was associated with social contact, with participants working full-time jobs scoring higher in “maintaining social communication via electronic means” and “avoiding social activities outside the home”. Additionally, approximately one third of the participants (29.7%) had moderate to severe depression, and participants aged 18 to 25 were found to have higher scores in PHQ-9. Changes in physical health and social contact were significantly associated with developing depressive symptoms. From the results, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exert a negative impact on the mental health status of individuals.

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Mental Health, Information and Being Connected: Qualitative Experiences of Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Trans-National Sample

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9060735 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 735

Author(s):

Schoultz Mariyana ◽

Leung Janni ◽

Bonsaksen Tore ◽

Ruffolo Mary ◽

Thygesen Hilde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Health Information ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

National Study ◽

Free Text ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mental Health Information ◽

The Uk

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict national policies regarding social distancing behavior in Europe, America and Australia, people became reliant on social media as a means for gathering information and as a tool for staying connected to family, friends and work. This is the first trans-national study exploring the qualitative experiences and challenges of using social media while in lockdown or shelter-in-place during the current pandemic. Methods: This study was part of a wider cross-sectional online survey conducted in Norway, the UK, USA and Australia during April/May 2020. The manuscript reports on the qualitative free-text component of the study asking about the challenges of social media users during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, USA and Australia. A total of 1991 responses were included in the analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted independently by two researchers. Results: Three overarching themes identified were: Emotional/Mental Health, Information and Being Connected. Participants experienced that using social media during the pandemic amplified anxiety, depression, fear, panic, anger, frustration and loneliness. They felt that there was information overload and social media was full of misleading or polarized opinions which were difficult to switch off. Nonetheless, participants also thought that there was an urge for connection and learning, which was positive and stressful at the same time. Conclusion: Using social media while in a shelter-in-place or lockdown could have a negative impact on the emotional and mental health of some of the population. To support policy and practice in strengthening mental health care in the community, social media could be used to deliver practical advice on coping and stress management. Communication with the public should be strengthened by unambiguous and clear messages and clear communication pathways. We should be looking at alternative ways of staying connected.

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Health risk assessment and countermeasure analysis of the elderly population exposed to PM2.5 microenvironment

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-205361 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Yan Xu ◽

Wantian Cui

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Risk ◽

Elderly Population ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Negative Impact ◽

The Elderly ◽

Exposure Concentration ◽

Physical Diseases ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND: China’s atmospheric PM2.5 pollution is serious, and PM2.5 exerts a negative impact on the human respiratory system, cardiovascular, and mental health, and even more serious health risk for the elderly with weak immunity. OBJECTIVE: This work aims to analyse the impacts of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure on the health of the elderly and provide corresponding countermeasures. METHODS: The survey subjects are 118 retired elderly people in the community. PM2.5 exposure concentrations are monitored in summer (June 10 ∼ July 10, 2019) and winter (November 25 ∼ December 25, 2019). RESULTS: The exposure concentration in winter is higher than that in summer, with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Under the impact of PM2.5 microenvironment exposure, smoking in the elderly can increase the concentration of PM2.5, and long-term exposure to PM2.5 in the elderly can cause mental health problems. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure of the elderly to the PM2.5 microenvironment leads to physical diseases and even psychological problems, which requires attention.

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Sleep Disorders in Adults with Down Syndrome

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10143012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (14) ◽

pp. 3012

Author(s):

Sandra Giménez ◽

Miren Altuna ◽

Esther Blessing ◽

Ricardo M. Osorio ◽

Juan Fortea

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Sleep Disorders ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Sleep Disruption ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Future Directions

Sleep disorders, despite being very frequent in adults with Down syndrome (DS), are often overlooked due to a lack of awareness by families and physicians and the absence of specific clinical sleep guidelines. Untreated sleep disorders have a negative impact on physical and mental health, behavior, and cognitive performance. Growing evidence suggests that sleep disruption may also accelerate the progression to symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in this population. It is therefore imperative to have a better understanding of the sleep disorders associated with DS in order to treat them, and in doing so, improve cognition and quality of life, and prevent related comorbidities. This paper reviews the current knowledge of the main sleep disorders in adults with DS, including evaluation and management. It highlights the existing gaps in knowledge and discusses future directions to achieve earlier diagnosis and better treatment of sleep disorders most frequently found in this population.

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The Perceived Impact of The First UK Covid-19 Lockdown on Companion Animal Welfare and Behaviour: A Mixed-Method Study of Associations with Owner Mental Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116171 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6171

Author(s):

Emily Shoesmith ◽

Luciana Santos de Assis ◽

Lion Shahab ◽

Elena Ratschen ◽

Paul Toner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Animal Welfare ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Principal Component ◽

Companion Animal ◽

Free Text ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Human Animal

Background: Companion animals may be a positive presence for their owners during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the welfare of a companion animal is strongly influenced by the behaviour of their owners, as well as their physical and social environment. We aimed to investigate the reported changes in companion animal welfare and behaviour and to examine the association between these changes and companion animal owners’ mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of UK residents over 18 years of age was conducted between April and June 2020 (n = 5926). The questionnaire included validated, bespoke items measuring outcomes related to mental health, human-animal bonds and reported changes in animal welfare and behaviour. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe experiences associated with human-animal relationships during the first UK lockdown phase. Results: Animal owners made up 89.8% of the sample (n = 5323), of whom 67.3% reported changes in their animal’s welfare and behaviour during the first lockdown phase (n = 3583). These reported changes were reduced to a positive (0–7) and negative (0–5) welfare scale, following principal component analysis (PCA) of 17 items. Participants reported more positive changes for cats, whereas more negative changes were reported for dogs. Thematic analysis identified three main themes relating to the positive and negative impact on companion animals of the Covid-19 pandemic. Generalised linear models indicated that companion animal owners with poorer mental health scores pre-lockdown reported fewer negative changes in animal welfare and behaviour. However, companion animal owners with poorer mental health scores since lockdown reported more changes, both positive and negative, in animal welfare and behaviour. Conclusion: Our findings extend previous insights into perceived welfare and behaviour changes on a very limited range of species to a wider a range of companion animals. Owner mental health status has a clear, albeit small, effect on companion animal welfare and behaviour.

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What is the impact of staff wearing uniforms in psychiatric inpatient settings?

Journal of Psychiatric Intensive Care ◽

10.20299/jpi.2021.006 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Collingwood ◽

Laura McKenzie-Smith

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Psychiatric Inpatient ◽

Ideal Self ◽

Search Terms ◽

Mental Health Settings ◽

Inpatient Settings ◽

The Impact

Background: Uniform has traditionally been worn in psychiatric inpatient and other mental health settings, but there has been a move to non-uniform in recent years. Some services have made the change back to uniform, raising questionsabout the potential impact on patients and staff.Aim: To review the impact of uniform within a psychiatric inpatient or mental health setting.Method: Databases were searched for articles exploring the impact of uniform use using specified search terms. Articles were assessed for suitability with inclusion and exclusion criteria, critically appraised, then analysed for themes using thematic analysis.Results: 17 papers were included in the review. Thematic analysis identified five main themes and 29 subthemes. Main themes were Attitudes and interactions, A freer environment, Are you both nurses?, The ‘ideal self’ and There are more important things. A critical appraisal of the articles suggested issues with validityand reliability, which are discussed.Discussion: Studies identified that wearing non-uniform facilitated positive changes in both patients and staff. This raises the potential negative impact of uniform on both patients and staff, and the role of power imbalance in these settings is discussed. Further themes around identification of staff out of uniform were considered.Implications for practice: The use of uniform in mental health and psychiatric inpatient settings should be considered carefully, due to the potential negative impact, whilst also recognising the importance of staff identification and supporting professional identity.

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Ketidakstabilan Emosi dan Mood Masyarakat Dimasa Pandemi Covid-19

Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis ◽

10.38043/jmb.v18i1.2747 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 22-34

Author(s):

Dira Anjania Rifani ◽

Dedi Rianto Rahadi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Qualitative Research ◽

Family Environment ◽

Social Economic ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Emotional Instability ◽

Business People ◽

The Family ◽

Health Related ◽

Anxiety And Fear

The Covid-19 pandemic has a major impact on all aspects of life. One of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic is human mental health. Human mental health related to emotions and moods is an important factor in carrying out all human activities. The emotional stability and mood of an individual are influenced by heredity, environment and current circumstances. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, everythings have changed drastically from usual, people are forced to be able to face the pressure that occurs from a social, economic and cultural side. Therefore, special attention is needed so that this pandemic can all be passed even though it is more difficult and complicated. The formulation of the problem is how the Emotional Instability and Mood of the Community During the Covid-19 Pandemic. This study uses a causal research design and adopts qualitative research methods with subjects consisting of parents, students, workers, and business people. The results of his research are that the Covid-19 pandemic certainly has a major negative impact on people's mental health, which begins with stress, anxiety and fear in the community and then leads to conflicts within the family, environment, and country.

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Economic downturns and population mental health: research findings, gaps, challenges and priorities

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s003329171000173x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 41 (7) ◽

pp. 1343-1348 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

K. Zivin ◽

M. Paczkowski ◽

S. Galea

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Protection ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Mental Health Research ◽

Economic Downturns ◽

Economic Recessions ◽

Population Mental Health ◽

Research Findings ◽

Conceptual Explanations

Prior research suggests that the current global economic crisis may be negatively affecting population mental health. In that context, this paper has several goals: (1) to discuss theoretical and conceptual explanations for how and why economic downturns might negatively affect population mental health; (2) present an overview of the literature on the relationship between economic recessions and population mental health; (3) discuss the limitations of existing empirical work; and (4) highlight opportunities for improvements in both research and practice designed to mitigate any negative impact of economic declines on the mental health of populations. Research has consistently demonstrated that economic crises are negatively associated with population mental health. How economic downturns influence mental health should be considered in policies such as social protection programs that aim to promote recovery.

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Social anxiety symptoms and body image dissatisfaction in medical students: prevalence and correlates

Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0047-2085000000187 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 65-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jacqueline M. Oliveira Regis ◽

Ana Teresa A. Ramos-Cerqueira ◽

Maria Cristina P. Lima ◽

Albina R. Torres

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Body Image ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Medical Students ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽

Female Sex ◽

Making Friends

ABSTRACT Objective Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and body image dissatisfaction (BID) are common problems among college students, but few studies focused on medical students. We aimed to estimate the prevalence, severity and correlates of SAD symptoms and BID among medical students of a Brazilian public university. Methods A cross-sectional study with 479 students, using structured instruments: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Bivariate analyses were followed by logistic regression models to obtain independent predictors of SAD symptoms, BID and both outcomes combined. Results Most students were single (99%) and female (58.7%). The prevalence rates of SAD symptoms (SPIN ≥ 19) and BID (BSQ ≥ 81) were 36.3% and 34.7%, respectively. Depressive symptoms (BDI ≥ 19) occurred in 8.8% of the sample. SAD symptoms were independently associated with: BID, thoughts of abandoning the course, difficulty making friends, depressive symptoms, and mental health treatment prior to university. Besides SAD symptoms, BID was associated with female sex, difficulty making friends, depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI). Seventy-eight students (16.3%) presented SAD symptoms and BID, which was associated with female sex, difficulty making friends, dissatisfaction with the course, depressive symptoms and BMI. Conclusion SAD symptoms and BID are common and related problems that should be screened for among medical students. The identification of specific correlates could contribute to the elaboration of preventive measures, minimizing the distress and negative impact of these mental health problems on relationships and academic performance.

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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Adjustment Disorder in Lithuanian Healthcare in 2018–2020: A Nation-Wide Cohort Study of the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9111422 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 1422

Author(s):

Evaldas Kazlauskas ◽

Odeta Gelezelyte ◽

Auguste Nomeikaite ◽

Paulina Zelviene

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Large Scale ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Adjustment Disorder ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

National Healthcare

Multiple empirical studies have revealed significant pandemic effects of COVID-19 on mental health in various populations. This study aimed to analyze the incidences of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and adjustment disorder (AjD) in national healthcare in 2018–2020 in one of the European countries—Lithuania—and estimate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on PTSD and AjD incidences in 2020. The national healthcare registry was used for estimations of diagnosis of PTSD, AjD, and major depressive disorder (MD). The study revealed that stress-related disorders PTSD and AjD are diagnosed rarely, resulting in a considerable gap between the expected prevalence and incidences of these diagnoses in healthcare in Lithuania. Moreover, a significant decline in mental disorders incidence in healthcare in 2020, in comparison to 2018 and 2019, was found, revealing that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on access to healthcare services and increased barriers for mental disorders treatment. The study indicates that major developments in building up knowledge about the effects of trauma and life stressors on mental health are needed in Lithuania and other countries to increase awareness about stress-related disorders and improve care for trauma survivors, in particular in the context of the pandemics or other large-scale disasters.

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