scholarly journals The psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns: a review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies and natural experiments

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-211
Author(s):  
Gabriele Prati ◽  
Anthony D. Mancini
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractLockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have had profound effects on everyday life worldwide, but their effect on mental health remains unclear because available meta-analyses and reviews rely mostly on cross-sectional studies. We conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies and natural experiments investigating the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and mental health. A total of 25 studies involving 72 004 participants and 58 effect sizes were analyzed. Using a random effects model, we found that lockdowns had small effects on mental health symptoms, g = 0.17, s.e. = 0.05, 95% CI (0.06–0.24), p = 0.001, but the effects on positive psychological functioning, g = −0.12, s.e. = 0.11, 95% CI (−0.33 to 0.09), p = 0.27, were not significant. Multivariate analysis of effect sizes revealed significant and relatively small effect sizes for anxiety and depression, while those for social support, loneliness, general distress, negative affect, and suicide risk were not significant. The results indicated substantial heterogeneity among studies, but meta-regression analyses found no significant moderation effects for mean age, gender, continent, COVID-19 death rate, days of lockdown, publication status or study design. The psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdowns is small in magnitude and highly heterogeneous, suggesting that lockdowns do not have uniformly detrimental effects on mental health and that most people are psychologically resilient to their effects.

scholarly journals The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns: A Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies and Natural Experiments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Prati ◽  
Anthony D Mancini
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Meta Analyses

Lockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have had profound effects on everyday life worldwide, but their effect on mental health remains unclear because available meta-analyses and reviews rely mostly on cross-sectional studies. We conducted a rapid review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies and natural experiments investigating the relationship between COVID-19 lockdowns and mental health. A total of 25 studies involving 72,004 participants and 58 effect sizes were analyzed. Using a random effects model, we found that lockdowns had small effects on mental health symptoms, g = 0.17, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [0.06, 0.24], p = .001, but the effects on positive psychological functioning, g = -0.12, SE = 0.11, 95% CI [-0.33, 0.09], p = .27, were not significant. Multivariate analysis of effect sizes revealed significant and relatively small effect sizes for anxiety and depression, while those for social support, loneliness, general distress, negative affect, and suicide risk were notsignificant. Results indicated substantial heterogeneity among studies, but meta-regression analyses found no significant moderation effects for mean age, gender, continent, COVID-19 death rate, days of lockdown, publication status or study design. The psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdowns is small in magnitude and highly heterogeneous, suggesting that lockdowns do not have uniformly detrimental effects on mental health and that most people are psychologically resilient to their effects.

scholarly journals Is Sensory Loss an Understudied Risk Factor for Frailty? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 2461-2470
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kye Jyn Tan ◽  
Ryan Eyn Kidd Man ◽  
Alfred Tau Liang Gan ◽  
Eva K Fenwick ◽  
Varshini Varadaraj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sensory Loss ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sensory Impairments ◽  
Subgroup Analyses ◽  
Meta Regression ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Background Age-related sensory loss and frailty are common conditions among older adults, but epidemiologic research on their possible links has been inconclusive. Clarifying this relationship is important because sensory loss may be a clinically relevant risk factor for frailty. Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 3 databases for observational studies investigating 4 sensory impairments—vision (VI), hearing (HI), smell (SI), and taste (TI)—and their relationships with frailty. We meta-analyzed the cross-sectional associations of VI/HI each with pre-frailty and frailty, investigated sources of heterogeneity using meta-regression and subgroup analyses, and assessed publication bias using Egger’s test. Results We included 17 cross-sectional and 7 longitudinal studies in our review (N = 34,085) from 766 records. Our cross-sectional meta-analyses found that HI and VI were, respectively, associated with 1.5- to 2-fold greater odds of pre-frailty and 2.5- to 3-fold greater odds of frailty. Our results remained largely unchanged after subgroup analyses and meta-regression, though the association between HI and pre-frailty was no longer significant in 2 subgroups which lacked sufficient studies. We did not detect publication bias. Longitudinal studies largely found positive associations between VI/HI and frailty progression from baseline robustness, though they were inconclusive about frailty progression from baseline pre-frailty. Sparse literature and heterogenous methods precluded meta-analyses and conclusions on the SI/TI–frailty relationships. Conclusions Our meta-analyses demonstrate significant cross-sectional associations between VI/HI with pre-frailty and frailty. Our review also highlights knowledge gaps on the directionality and modifiability of these relationships and the impact of SI/TI and multiple sensory impairments on frailty.

scholarly journals Loneliness and the onset of new mental health problems in the general population: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhana Mann ◽  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Ellie Pearce ◽  
Ruimin Ma ◽  
Merle Schleif ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Issue ◽  
Narrative Synthesis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
New Onset

AbstractBackgroundLoneliness is associated with poor health including premature mortality. There are cross-sectional associations with depression, anxiety, psychosis and other mental health outcomes. However, the direction of causation is unclear and clarifying the evidence from longitudinal studies is a key step in understanding this relationship.AimsWe synthesized evidence from longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between loneliness and new onset of mental health problems, in the general population.MethodWe systematically searched six electronic databases, unpublished sources and hand-searching of references, up to March 2020. We conducted a meta-analysis of eight independent cohorts, and narrative synthesis of the remaining studies.ResultsWe included 20 studies, of which the majority focused on depression. Our narrative synthesis concluded that loneliness at baseline is associated with subsequent new onset of depression. The few studies on anxiety also showed an association. Our meta-analysis found a pooled adjusted odds ratio of 2.33 (95% C.I. 1.62 – 3.34) for risk of new onset depression in adults who were often lonely compared with people who were not often lonely. This should be interpreted with caution given evidence of heterogeneity. Most of the studies were in older adults.ConclusionLoneliness is a public mental health issue. There is growing evidence it is associated with the onset of depression and other common mental health problems. Future studies should explore its impact across the age range, look beyond depression, and explore the mechanisms involved.

scholarly journals Association Between Breakfast Skipping and Body Weight – a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Longitudinal Studies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Wicherski ◽  
Sabrina Schlesinger ◽  
Florian Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Breakfast Skipping ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Meta Analyses

Globally, increasing rates of obesity are one of the most important health issues. The association between breakfast skipping and body weight is contradictory between cross-sectional and interventional studies. The systematic review and meta-analyses aim to summarize this association based on observational longitudinal studies. We included prospective studies on breakfast skipping and overweight/obesity or weight change in adults. Literature was searched until September 2020 in PubMed and Web of Science. Summary RRs with a 95% CI were estimated in pairwise meta-analyses by applying a random-effects model. In total, 9 studies were included in the systematic review and 6 of them were included in the meta-analyses. The meta-analysis indicated an 13% increased RR for overweight/obesity when breakfast was skipped on ≥ 3 days per week compared to ≤ 2 days per week (95% CI: 1.06, 1.21, n=3 studies). The meta-analysis on weight change displays a 21% increased RR for weight gain for breakfast skippers compared to breakfast eaters (95% CI: 1.05, 1.40, n=2 studies). The meta-analysis on BMI change displayed no difference between breakfast skipping and eating (RR=1.02, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.05, n=2 studies). This study provides low meta-evidence for an increased risk for overweight/obesity and weight gain for breakfast skipping.

scholarly journals Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization in Youth: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Marciano ◽  
Peter J Schulz ◽  
Anne-Linda Camerini
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Cyberbullying perpetration (CP) and victimization (CV) are prevalent issues in adolescent development. However, previous meta-analyses focused only on cross-sectional findings. The present study aims to meta-analytically summarize 56 longitudinal studies on CP, CV, and related factors in children and adolescents. Forty meta-analyses on CP and CV as both predictors and outcomes of person-related, Internet activity-related, and contextual factors were performed. Additional moderator analyses took into account study design, sample population, and quality of the studies. Results highlight reciprocal longitudinal effects among CP, CV, and both traditional bullying and victimization: CP causes externalizing problem behaviors over time, whereas CV constitutes a risk factor of internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety. Conversely, behavioral problems and increased Internet use predict involvement in CP, while depression, anxiety, and Internet use also predict CV over time. Further longitudinal research is needed to provide empirical evidence on understudied concepts.

scholarly journals Association between Breakfast Skipping and Body Weight—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Longitudinal Studies

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 272
Author(s):  
Julia Wicherski ◽  
Sabrina Schlesinger ◽  
Florian Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Breakfast Skipping ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Meta Analyses

Globally, increasing rates of obesity are one of the most important health issues. The association between breakfast skipping and body weight is contradictory between cross-sectional and interventional studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize this association based on observational longitudinal studies. We included prospective studies on breakfast skipping and overweight/obesity or weight change in adults. The literature was searched until September 2020 in PubMed and Web of Science. Summary risk ratios (RRs) or β coefficients with a 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively, were estimated in pairwise meta-analyses by applying a random-effects model. In total, nine studies were included in the systematic review and three of them were included in the meta-analyses. The meta-analyses indicated an 11% increased RR for overweight/obesity when breakfast was skipped on ≥3 days per week compared to ≤2 days per week (95% CI: 1.04, 1.19, n = two studies). The meta-analysis on body mass index (BMI) change displayed no difference between breakfast skipping and eating (β = −0.02; 95% CI: −0.05, 0.01; n = two studies). This study provides minimal evidence that breakfast skipping might lead to weight gain and the onset of overweight and obesity.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Family Violence and Self-Control in Adolescence: A Multi-Level Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yayouk E. Willems ◽  
Jian-bin Li ◽  
Anne M. Hendriks ◽  
Meike Bartels ◽  
Catrin Finkenauer
Keyword(s):  
Family Violence ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Low Self Control

Theoretical studies propose an association between family violence and low self-control in adolescence, yet empirical findings of this association are inconclusive. The aim of the present research was to systematically summarize available findings on the relation between family violence and self-control across adolescence. We included 27 studies with 143 effect sizes, representing more than 25,000 participants of eight countries from early to late adolescence. Applying a multi-level meta-analyses, taking dependency between effect sizes into account while retaining statistical power, we examined the magnitude and direction of the overall effect size. Additionally, we investigated whether theoretical moderators (e.g., age, gender, country), and methodological moderators (cross-sectional/longitudinal, informant) influenced the magnitude of the association between family violence and self-control. Our results revealed that family violence and self-control have a small to moderate significant negative association (r = -.191). This association did not vary across gender, country, and informants. The strength of the association, however, decreased with age and in longitudinal studies. This finding provides evidence that researchers and clinicians may expect low self-control in the wake of family violence, especially in early adolescence. Recommendations for future research in the area are discussed.

scholarly journals The Association Between Coffee Consumption and Metabolic Syndrome in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy H T Wong ◽  
Chi Ho Wong ◽  
Xiaoyu Zhang ◽  
Yunpeng Zhou ◽  
Jinfeng Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Coffee Consumption ◽  
Temporal Association ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Consumption Level ◽  
Meta Analyses

ABSTRACT Previous meta-analyses that found an inverse association between coffee consumption and metabolic syndrome pooled data from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, which could lead to potentially misleading conclusions. Hence, this work aimed to reassess this association by analyzing data from the 2 types of studies separately and including recent studies. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Plus, and Science Direct were searched for relevant studies published up to July 2020. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were included if published after 1999, reported both effect estimates and CIs, and presented results adjusted for confounding variables. Data of the highest coffee consumption level in each study, as well as those of medium consumption levels in studies with ≥3 consumption categories, were pooled using random-effect models, with sex-stratified and sex-adjusted results being analyzed separately. Results were obtained based on data from 13 cross-sectional studies involving 280,803 participants and 2 longitudinal studies involving 17,014 participants. The overall sex-adjusted association of the highest consumption level was not significant (n = 9 studies; OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.10; I2: 91.5%) and the 2 longitudinal studies both yielded no association. Subgroup analysis revealed inverse associations in both males and females, as well as in Caucasians with medium coffee consumption (n = 4 studies, OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.93; I2: 0%). Although residual confounding could affect the results of this meta-analysis, our findings suggested with a low certainty that coffee consumption may not be associated with metabolic syndrome, a finding that is different from those of previous meta-analyses and could be due to variation in characteristics of study participants. More longitudinal studies are also needed to further assess the temporal association between coffee consumption and metabolic syndrome. This meta-analysis was registered at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero as CRD42018110650.

scholarly journals Substance use disorders and suicidality in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis with a focus on the direction of the association

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255799
Author(s):  
Charlie Rioux ◽  
Anne-Sophie Huet ◽  
Natalie Castellanos-Ryan ◽  
Laurianne Fortier ◽  
Myriam Le Blanc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Psychiatric Disorder ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Secondary Substance ◽  
Bidirectional Associations ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background Reviews and meta-analyses suggest that substance use and suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideations and attempts) are associated in youth, but the direction of this association remains unclear. Theoretically, the secondary psychiatric disorder hypothesis (SPDH) posits that substance use leads to suicidality, while the secondary substance use disorder hypothesis (SSUDH) posits that suicidality leads to substance use. To clarify these associations, this meta-analysis systematically reviewed studies that examined the prospective associations between SUDs and suicidality in youth (age 25 and younger) and compared results according to the direction of the association. Methods Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global were searched from inception to March 8, 2020, and 55 effect sizes from 23 samples were included and analyzed using a three-level meta-analysis. Results SUDs significantly predicted subsequent suicidality (OR = 2.16, 95%CI 1.57–2.97), suicidality significantly predicted subsequent SUDs (OR = 2.16, 95%CI 1.53–3.04), and these effect sizes did not differ (p = 0.49). Conclusions Considering that 65% of reviewed studies only examined the SPDH, this review highlights that more attention should be given to the SSUDH, and that studies should examine bidirectional associations between SUDs and suicidality across time. Clinically, because SUDs and suicidality were found to influence each other, results suggest that mental health and SUDs should ideally be detected and treated early, and that co-occurring disorders should be assessed and treated concomitantly.

The Orchard Plot: Cultivating a Forest Plot for Use in Ecology, Evolution and Beyond

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinichi Nakagawa ◽  
Malgorzata Lagisz ◽  
Rose E O'Dea ◽  
Joanna Rutkowska ◽  
Yefeng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
R Package ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Point Estimates ◽  
Aggregate Effect ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Heterogeneous Effect ◽  
Intuitive Interpretation

‘Classic’ forest plots show the effect sizes from individual studies and the aggregate effect from a meta-analysis. However, in ecology and evolution meta-analyses routinely contain over 100 effect sizes, making the classic forest plot of limited use. We surveyed 102 meta-analyses in ecology and evolution, finding that only 11% use the classic forest plot. Instead, most used a ‘forest-like plot’, showing point estimates (with 95% confidence intervals; CIs) from a series of subgroups or categories in a meta-regression. We propose a modification of the forest-like plot, which we name the ‘orchard plot’. Orchard plots, in addition to showing overall mean effects and CIs from meta-analyses/regressions, also includes 95% prediction intervals (PIs), and the individual effect sizes scaled by their precision. The PI allows the user and reader to see the range in which an effect size from a future study may be expected to fall. The PI, therefore, provides an intuitive interpretation of any heterogeneity in the data. Supplementing the PI, the inclusion of underlying effect sizes also allows the user to see any influential or outlying effect sizes. We showcase the orchard plot with example datasets from ecology and evolution, using the R package, orchard, including several functions for visualizing meta-analytic data using forest-plot derivatives. We consider the orchard plot as a variant on the classic forest plot, cultivated to the needs of meta-analysts in ecology and evolution. Hopefully, the orchard plot will prove fruitful for visualizing large collections of heterogeneous effect sizes regardless of the field of study.

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