scholarly journals Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic: looking back and moving forward

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 247-249
Author(s):  
B. Gavin ◽  
J. Lyne ◽  
F. McNicholas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Psychological Medicine ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Looking Back

AbstractCOVID-19 continues to exert unprecedented challenges for society and it is now well recognised that mental health is a key healthcare issue related to the pandemic. The current edition of the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine focusses on the impact of COVID-19 on mental illness by combining historical review papers, current perspectives and original research. It is important that psychiatrists leading mental health services in Ireland continue to advocate for mental health supports for healthcare workers and their patients, while aiming to deliver services flexibly. As the pandemic evolves, it remains to be seen whether the necessary funding to deliver effective mental healthcare will be allocated to psychiatric services. Ongoing service evaluation and research is needed as the myriad impacts of the pandemic continue to evolve. In a time of severe budgetary constraints, ensuring optimum use of scare resources becomes an imperative.

scholarly journals The impact of SARS-CoV-2 transmission fear and COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders, severe asthma, and other high-risk groups (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatih Çölkesen ◽  
Oguzhan Kilincel ◽  
Mehmet Sozen ◽  
Eray Yıldız ◽  
Sengul Beyaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Primary Immunodeficiency ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
High Risk Group ◽  
Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND The adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of high-risk group patients for morbidity and mortality and its impact on public health in the long term have not been clearly determined. OBJECTIVE To determine the level of COVID-19 related transmission fear and anxiety in healthcare workers and patients with primary immunodeficiency disorder (PID), severe asthma, and the ones with other comorbidities. METHODS The healthcare workers and patients with PID, severe asthma (all patients receiving biological agent treatment), malignancy, cardiovascular disease, hypertension (90% of patients receiving ACEI or ARB therapy), diabetes mellitus (42 % of patients receiving DPP-4 inhibitor therapy) were included in the study. A total of 560 participants, 80 individuals in each group, were provided. The hospital anxiety and depression scale ( HADS ) and Fear of illness and virus evaluation (FIVE ) scales were applied to the groups with face to face interview methods. RESULTS The mean age was 49.30 years and 306 (55 %) were female. The FIVE Scale and HADS-A scale scores of health care workers were significantly higher than other groups' scores (p = 0.001 and 0.006). The second-highest scores belonged to patients with PID. There was no significant difference between the groups for the HADS-D score (p=0.07). The lowest score in all scales was observed in patients with hypertension. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that in the pandemic process, patients with primary immunodeficiency, asthma patients, and other comorbid patients, especially healthcare workers, should be referred to the centers for the detection and treatment of mental health conditions.

scholarly journals The impact of first COVID-19 peak on patient referrals to Liaison Psychiatry Service and staff perception about service provision in Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust Birmingham - a service evaluation project

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S329-S329
Author(s):  
Saima Jehanzeb ◽  
Muhammad Suleman ◽  
Ella Tumelty ◽  
Joanne Okusanya ◽  
Laxsan Karunanithy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Clinical Databases ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health Trust

AimsBased on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, this project aimed to evaluate the impact of the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic on referral patterns to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) Liaison Psychiatry (LP) service. Additionally, we aimed to explore staff experiences in LP services across Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust (BSMHFT) in order to generate Trust recommendations promoting optimal healthcare provision amidst the on-going pandemic.MethodA mixed method service evaluation was conducted using quantitative and qualitative analysis. Quantitative methods involved reviewing referrals made to the QEHB LP service from March to June 2020, compared with the equivalent time period in 2019. Data were retrospectively extracted from the electronic clinical databases RIO and PICS, and subsequently analysed using Microsoft Office. The number of, and reasons for referrals to LP were identified, whilst focus groups were conducted to explore the subjective experiences of staff working across BSMHFT LP services.ResultBetween 1st March and 30th June 2020, 984 referrals were made to the QEHB LP service, compared to 1020 referrals in 2019, representing a 3.5% reduction. From 2019 to 2020, referrals due to psychotic symptoms and deliberate self-harm rose by 12.8% and 14.1% respectively, whilst referrals for drug and alcohol-related causes reduced by 28.3%. A significant increase (150%) in referrals for medication or management advice was seen. Focus groups indicated that staff perceived an initial reduction in number of referrals, but an increase in the acuity of patient presentations.Staff reported anxiety around contracting and transmitting SARS-Cov-2, exacerbated by uncertainty around patients’ COVID-19 status. In QEHB, sixty-five of the 984 referrals (7%) had a positive SARS-Cov-2 PCR swab, with the remaining 919 referrals being either negative (68%) or unknown (25%). Ninety-six percent of consultations were conducted face-to-face in QEHB. There were conflicting views amongst staff regarding whether more consultations could have been conducted remotely. Furthermore, varying perceptions of support and communication from both the physical and mental health trust were reported.ConclusionQuantitative data indicates that COVID-19 impacted LP healthcare provision in BSMHFT. Whilst referral numbers remained similar between the equivalent period in 2019 and 2020, a change in the nature of referrals to LP at QEHB was seen. This was corroborated by qualitative data which highlighted a perceived change in acuity of referrals. These findings have been disseminated across the Trust and subsequent recommendations are being implemented during the on-going pandemic.

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

BJPsych Open ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Vital spaces and mental health

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-140
Author(s):  
Steven D Brown ◽  
Paula Reavey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Diagnostic Categories ◽  
Material Conditions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Individual Body

The impact of social and material conditions on mental health is well established but lacking in a coherent approach. We offer the concept of ‘vitality’ as means of describing how environments facilitate ‘feelings of being alive’ that cut across existing diagnostic categories. Drawing on the work of Stern, Fuchs, Worms and Duff, we argue that vitality is not solely a quality of an individual body, but rather emerges from attunements and resonances between bodies and materials. We use vitality as a lens to explore how movements within and between assembled sets of relations can facilitate or disable feelings and expressions of being alive. Building on extended discussions of both inpatient and community-based mental healthcare, we sketch out a research agenda for analysing ‘vital spaces’.

scholarly journals The impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 on the mental health of healthcare workers in a hospital setting—A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaspinder Sanghera ◽  
Nikhil Pattani ◽  
Yousuf Hashmi ◽  
Kate F. Varley ◽  
Manikandar Srinivas Cheruvu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
The Impact

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

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S258-S259
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.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on referrals for physical and mental health care

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S88-S89
Author(s):  
Petros Lekkos ◽  
Joanna Thorpe ◽  
Janet Obeney-Williams ◽  
Fiona Xing
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
College Hospital ◽  
Cancer Services ◽  
Rate Of Recovery ◽  
Population Demographic ◽  
The Impact

AimsTo determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on referrals to mental health and physical health services.MethodWe analysed referral data from three psychiatric services in the boroughs of Camden and Islington across 2018-2020: Early Intervention Services (for patients with a 1st episode of psychosis), Crisis Resolution Teams and inpatient admissions. We also analysed GP referral data to Cancer Services (two-week wait referrals) to Whittington Hospital, Royal Free Hospital and University College Hospital (all of North Central London). We examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these referrals and compared the findings between physical and mental health. We chose to use EIS and Cancer services as comparable services since they both operate with the two-week target of achieving diagnosis of psychosis and cancer respectively.ResultThe number of referrals to EIS and CRT both decreased to 61% in April 2020 with respect to their baseline; EIS referrals continued to decrease to 48% in May before starting to recover. Inpatient admissions saw a smaller reduction to 87% in April 2020. The number of cancer two-week wait referrals similarly decreased and reached a trough of 37% in April 2020. The rate of recovery back to the baseline number of referrals and admissions relative to previous years differed between services, with acute care recovering faster. Referrals to CRT and inpatient admissions recovered by 98% and 115% respectively by June 2020; comparatively, referrals to EIS recovered to 102% by December 2020. In contrast, cancer two-week wait referrals returned to 106% by September 2020, a rate faster than EIS, but slower than CRT and inpatient admissions.ConclusionThe reduction in the number of referrals across all examined services correlated with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of decrease was similar across all services, coinciding with the peak of COVID-19 infections. However, the ultimate degree of decrease and following rate of recovery in numbers differed across both psychiatric and non-psychiatric services. These differences likely have multifactorial origins. The authors discuss contributing factors, such as changes in health seeking behaviours observed during the pandemic, potential impact of reduction in face to face consultations in primary care, as well as temporary changes in the population demographic of Camden and Islington resulting in absent target groups (i.e. students who make up a large proportion of referrals to EIS opting to return home). It remains important to not neglect mental health and face a hidden epidemic once COVID-19 pandemic settles.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document