Examining the 16-year trajectories of mental health and wellbeing through the transition into widowhood

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 1979-1986 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Burns ◽  
C. J. Browning ◽  
H. L. Kendig
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Generalized Estimating Equations ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
Piecewise Regression ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTBackground:Becoming widowed is a significant event. There is considerable evidence that surviving partners report substantial changes in their wellbeing and mental health. Changes can occur prior to partner's death as an anticipatory effect and consequently during the period after partner's death. For most, declines in wellbeing and mental health dissipate over time. However, there is a limited long-term evidence to compare age-normative trajectories in mental health and wellbeing with the trajectories of those who transition into widowhood.Methods:Participants (n = 652) were older adults (aged 65–94 years at baseline) from the 16-year Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing project who were either married or de facto (n = 577), or recently widowed (n = 75). Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) examined the immediate and long-term impact of widowhood. GEE piecewise regression analyses examined the trajectories of wellbeing and mental health in those who transitioned into widowed with time centered at time of partner's death. Analyses were stratified by gender.Results:For both men and women, becoming widowed was strongly related to a strong decline in positive affect post partner's death. Otherwise, no long-term impact of widowhood on negative affect or depressive symptomology was reported.Conclusions:The impact of widowhood reports differential impacts on different indicators of wellbeing and mental health, which were inconsistent between men and women.

Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Females: Toward a Developmental, Psychobiological Integration

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penelope K. Trickett ◽  
Frank W. Putnam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Average Duration ◽  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Basic Theme ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

In the last decade, it has become clear that the sexual abuse of children is much more prevalent than previously realized and that such abuse has extensive mental health sequelae. Females are reported victims of sexual abuse much more often than males. The peak age of onset of sexual abuse for females is prepubertal—7 or 8 years of age—and the average duration fends to be about 2 years. The basic theme of this article is that there may be directly traceable mechanistic relationships between the impact of sexual abuse on specific psychological and biological developmental processes for females and some of the adult outcomes of that abuse. Specifically, it is proposed that, to understand the long-term impact of sexual abuse, it is necessary to investigate how it may interfere with both the psychological and the biological processes of pubertal development.

scholarly journals Hidden scars: the impact of violence and the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Najat Maalla M’jid
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hidden Scars ◽  
Do So

Abstract More than 1 billion children are exposed to violence every year. The devastating immediate and long-term impact of violence on the mental health of children is well established. Despite commitments made by the international community to end violence against children and support their mental health, there has been a serious lack of investment and capacity to provide quality, rights-based, culturally appropriate mental health care globally. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified these challenges. This article outlines how the risk of children experiencing violence has increased and how the pandemic has weakened the capacity of child protection and mental health services to respond. The article argues for child protection, mental health and other core services to be prioritized during and after the pandemic. A failure to do so will undermine the international community’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and to fulfil its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Mental Health of U.S. Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-335
Author(s):  
Margaret R. Lamar ◽  
Megan Speciale ◽  
Lisa K. Forbes ◽  
Courtney Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Higher Alcohol ◽  
Problem Alcohol Use ◽  
History Of ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Evidence suggests parents experience unique pandemic-related stressors related to isolation, food insecurity, school closures, and unemployment. This study examined 1,048 U.S. parents’ depression, anxiety, stress, and alcohol and substance use behaviors during March and April 2020 to better understand the impact of pandemic-related conditions on parents’ mental health. Mean scores indicated severe levels of depression and stress and extremely severe anxiety. Nearly two thirds (74.7%) indicated alcohol use in the past month, with 26.5% scoring in the range for problem alcohol use. Almost half of the sample reported using at least one substance in the previous 2 weeks. Men had significantly higher alcohol consumption and substance use than women. Depression, anxiety, and stress were higher for parents who consumed alcohol or substances and had a history of depression or anxiety. The long-term impact of COVID-19 is unknown, and mental health care is likely to be in high demand moving forward.

scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being of people living with a long-term physical health condition: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Fisher ◽  
A. Roberts ◽  
A. R. McKinlay ◽  
D. Fancourt ◽  
A. Burton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Being There ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions caused major global disruption. Individuals with long-term physical health conditions (LTCs) are at higher risk of severe illness and often subject to the strictest pandemic guidance, so may be disproportionally affected. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore how living with a LTC during the COVID-19 pandemic affected people’s mental health and wellbeing. Methods Participants were people living with LTCs who participated in telephone/video call interviews based on a semi-structured topic guide. Key themes and subthemes were determined using deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Results The sample included 32 participants with LTCs (most commonly cancer, respiratory conditions or cardiovascular diseases), mean age 57 (SD 13) years, 66% female and 72% white British. There were four overarching themes specific to living with a LTC. These were 1) high levels of fear and anxiety related to perceived consequences of catching COVID-19, 2) impact of shielding/isolation on mental health and wellbeing, 3) experience of healthcare during the pandemic and 4) anxiety created by uncertainty about the future. Fourteen subthemes were identified, including concerns about accessing essential supplies and the importance of social support. Individuals who lived alone and were advised to shield could be profoundly negatively affected. Conclusions This study found that there were a number of aspects of living with a LTC during the pandemic that had a significant impact on mental health and well-being. There should be focus on how best to provide practical and social support to people with LTCs during a pandemic, particularly if they have to shield or isolate.

scholarly journals The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being of people living with a long-term physical health condition: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Fisher ◽  
A Roberts ◽  
A.R. McKinlay ◽  
D Fancourt ◽  
A Burton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Being There ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions caused major global disruption. Individuals with long-term physical health conditions (LTCs) are at higher risk of severe illness and often subject to the strictest pandemic guidance, so may be disproportionally affected. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore how living with a LTC during the COVID-19 pandemic affected people’s mental health and wellbeing.Sample and methods32 participants, mean age 57 (SD 13) years, 66% female and 72% white British, who reported having LTCS (most commonly cancer, respiratory conditions or cardiovascular diseases), participated in telephone/video call interviews based on a semi-structured topic guide. Key themes and subthemes were determined using deductive and inductive thematic analysis.ResultsThere were four overarching themes specific to living with a LTC. These were 1) high levels of fear and anxiety related to perceived consequences of catching COVID-19, 2) impact of shielding/isolation on mental health and wellbeing, 3) experience of healthcare during the pandemic and 4) anxiety created by uncertainty about the future. Fourteen subthemes were identified, including concerns about accessing essential supplies and the importance of social support. Individuals who lived alone and were advised to shield could be profoundly negatively affected.ConclusionsThis study found that there were a number of aspects of living with a LTC during the pandemic that had a significant impact on mental health and well-being. There should be focus on how best to provide practical and social support to people with LTCs during a pandemic, particularly if they have to shield or isolate.

scholarly journals Increased Internet Searches for Insomnia as an Indicator of Global Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multinational Longitudinal Study

10.2196/22181 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. e22181
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Ting-Wei Chiang ◽  
Yu-Lun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
The United States ◽  
Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average ◽  
Internet Searches ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

Background Real-time global mental health surveillance is urgently needed for tracking the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective This study aimed to use Google Trends data to investigate the impact of the pandemic on global mental health by analyzing three keywords indicative of mental distress: “insomnia,” “depression,” and “suicide.” Methods We examined increases in search queries for 19 countries. Significant increases were defined as the actual daily search value (from March 20 to April 19, 2020) being higher than the 95% CIs of the forecast from the 3-month baseline via ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) modeling. We examined the correlation between increases in COVID-19–related deaths and the number of days with significant increases in search volumes for insomnia, depression, and suicide across multiple nations. Results The countries with the greatest increases in searches for insomnia were Iran, Spain, the United States, and Italy; these countries exhibited a significant increase in insomnia searches on more than 10 of the 31 days observed. The number of COVID-19–related deaths was positively correlated to the number of days with an increase in searches for insomnia in the 19 countries (ρ=0.64, P=.003). By contrast, there was no significant correlation between the number of deaths and increases in searches for depression (ρ=–0.12, P=.63) or suicide (ρ=–0.07, P=.79). Conclusions Our analysis suggests that insomnia could be a part of routine mental health screening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Brain Stress Mapping in COVID-19 Survivors Using MR Spectroscopy: New Avenue of Mental Health Status Monitoring

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Avantika Samkaria ◽  
Khushboo Punjabi ◽  
Shallu Sharma ◽  
Shallu Joon ◽  
Kanika Sandal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Stress Mapping ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has emerged as a human catastrophe worldwide, and it has impacted human life more detrimentally than the combined effect of World Wars I and II. Various research studies reported that the disease is not confined to the respiratory system but also leads to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders suggesting that the virus is potent to affect the central nervous system (CNS). Moreover, the damage to CNS may continue to rise even after the COVID-19 infection subsides which may further induce a long-term impact on the brain, resulting in cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging techniques provide the ability to detect and quantify pathological manifestations in the brain of COVID-19 survivors. In this context, a scheme based on structural, spectroscopic, and behavioral studies could be executed to monitor the gradual changes in the brain non-invasively due to COVID-19 which may further help in quantifying the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of the survivors. Extensive research is required in this direction for identifying the mechanism and implications of COVID-19 in the brain. Additionally, longitudinal follow-up studies are also needed to perform for monitoring the effects of this pandemic on individuals over a prolonged period.

scholarly journals Increased Internet Searches for Insomnia as an Indicator of Global Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Multinational Longitudinal Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Ting-Wei Chiang ◽  
Yu-Lun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
The United States ◽  
Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average ◽  
Internet Searches ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Real-time global mental health surveillance is urgently needed for tracking the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to use Google Trends data to investigate the impact of the pandemic on global mental health by analyzing three keywords indicative of mental distress: “insomnia,” “depression,” and “suicide.” METHODS We examined increases in search queries for 19 countries. Significant increases were defined as the actual daily search value (from March 20 to April 19, 2020) being higher than the 95% CIs of the forecast from the 3-month baseline via ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) modeling. We examined the correlation between increases in COVID-19–related deaths and the number of days with significant increases in search volumes for insomnia, depression, and suicide across multiple nations. RESULTS The countries with the greatest increases in searches for insomnia were Iran, Spain, the United States, and Italy; these countries exhibited a significant increase in insomnia searches on more than 10 of the 31 days observed. The number of COVID-19–related deaths was positively correlated to the number of days with an increase in searches for insomnia in the 19 countries (ρ=0.64, <i>P</i>=.003). By contrast, there was no significant correlation between the number of deaths and increases in searches for depression (ρ=–0.12, <i>P</i>=.63) or suicide (ρ=–0.07, <i>P</i>=.79). CONCLUSIONS Our analysis suggests that insomnia could be a part of routine mental health screening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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