scholarly journals Examining air pollution (PM10), mental health and well-being in a representative German sample

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Petrowski ◽  
Stefan Bührer ◽  
Bernhard Strauß ◽  
Oliver Decker ◽  
Elmar Brähler
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Stress Resilience ◽  
German Sample ◽  
Health And Well Being

AbstractThere is a growing debate on the role of the physical environment and what constitute risk and protective factors for mental health. Various forms of air pollution have shown links to physical and mental health concerns and considering that Germany does not meet the WHO air quality standards—poor air quality affects a large proportion of Germans and is more important now than ever. This study investigates the physical environmental factor, air pollution, measured by particulate matter of particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 µm (PM10) and effects on determinants of mental health and well-being (life satisfaction, stress resilience, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem). A representative sample of N = 3020 German adults with 54% females (46% males) and an age range between 18 and 92 years (M = 49.04, S.D. ± 17.27) was used. Multivariate linear regression analyses show that higher life satisfaction, more self-esteem and higher stress resilience are predicted by less air pollution (PM10). Individual income, age, and gender were taken into account for each regression model. Gender specific sub-analyses revealed similar predictions for PM10 and stress resilience whereas PM10 and self-esteem were only significantly associated for females. Associations between mental health or well-being determinants and air pollution (PM10) are found in the representative German sample.

scholarly journals Case Study on Anthropogenic Air Pollution in Nagpur City

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (VI) ◽  
pp. 2279-2282
Author(s):  
Mukul Dayaramani
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Central India ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Corporate Community ◽  
Health And Well Being

Air pollution is a very serious problem worldwide. Anthropogenic air pollution is mostly related to the combustion of various types of fuels. Air pollutant levels remain too high and air quality problems are still not solved. The presence of pollutants in the air has a harmful effect on the human health and the environment. Good air quality is a prerequisite for our good health and well-being. Nagpur city is located in Maharashtra state of central India. Business hub and increased industrialization in study area is affecting the environment adversely. n. Changing life style of corporate community and their effects on other population enhancing the contamination of environment

scholarly journals Mediating Effect of Personal Meaning in the Prediction of Life Satisfaction and Mental Health Problems Based on Coronavirus Suffering

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gökmen Arslan ◽  
Murat Yıldırım ◽  
Mega M. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Personal Meaning ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Health And Well Being

Research Problem: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a multi-faceted crisis worldwide. Researchers and health authorities in various parts of the world echoed the dire condition of the public's mental health. This study sought to examine the mediating effect of personal meaning on the association between coronavirus (COVID-19)-related suffering, mental health problems, and life satisfaction. Participants included 231 adults (mean age = 46.65 ± 13.98; 68% female) and completed measures of suffering related to COVID-19, meaning, life satisfaction, and mental health problems online.Results: Findings from mediation analysis showed that suffering had significant associations with personal meaning, mental health, and well-being. Furthermore, personal meaning was significantly associated with adults' mental health and well-being and mediated the negative effect of suffering on mental health and well-being.Discussion: Overall, results from this study indicate that personal meaning is an important promotive factor that may help to understand the negative effect of coronavirus-related suffering on mental health and well-being amid the public health crisis.

The glass is not half empty: optimism, pessimism, and health among older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Barnett ◽  
Ellen A. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Life Orientation Test ◽  
Health And Well Being

ABSTRACTObjectives:Optimism and pessimism are distinct constructs that have demonstrated independent relationships with aspects of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether optimism or pessimism is more closely linked with physical and mental health among older adults.Design:Cross-sectional survey.Participants:Community-dwelling older adults (N = 272) ages 59–95 in the southern United States.Measurements:The Life Orientation Test—Revised and the Short Form 8.Results:At the bivariate level, optimism was associated with higher physical health and mental health, while pessimism was associated with lower physical health and mental health. Multiple-regression analyses as well as comparison of correlation coefficients found that pessimism was more closely associated with physical health and mental health than optimism.Conclusions:These results add to the literature suggesting that, in terms of older adults’ health and well-being, avoiding pessimism may be more important than being optimistic.

scholarly journals Compositional, Contextual, and Collective Community Factors in Mental Health and Well-Being in Australian Rural Communities

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 677-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Collins ◽  
Bernadette M. Ward ◽  
Pamela Snow ◽  
Sandra Kippen ◽  
Fiona Judd
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Community Factors ◽  
Health And Well Being

There are disproportionately higher and inconsistently distributed rates of recorded suicides in rural areas. Patterns of rural suicide are well documented, but they remain poorly understood. Geographic variations in physical and mental health can be understood through the combination of compositional, contextual, and collective factors pertaining to particular places. The aim of this study was to explore the role of “place” contributing to suicide rates in rural communities. Seventeen mental health professionals participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Principles of grounded theory were used to guide the analysis. Compositional themes were demographics and perceived mental health issues; contextual themes were physical environment, employment, housing, and mental health services; and collective themes were town identity, community values, social cohesion, perceptions of safety, and attitudes to mental illness. It is proposed that connectedness may be the underlying mechanism by which compositional, contextual, and collective factors influence mental health and well-being in rural communities.

scholarly journals Health and well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people aged 50 years and over

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
General Population ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Diversity ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Health And Well Being

Objectives The aim of the present study was to examine the health and well being of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, the health issues that concern them, the services they use and challenges accessing services. Methods This study comprised a survey of the health and well being of 312 LGBTI people aged 50 years and over in New South Wales. The survey included the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) measure of health-related quality of life, the Kessler 10 (K10) measure of psychological distress, and the three-item Loneliness Scale. Results Higher levels of psychological distress, lower mental health and greater loneliness were found among this sample than is typically found in the general population. Mental health was lower among carers and those not in a relationship, while psychological distress was greater among those living alone and those experiencing higher rates of loneliness. The most commonly accessed health service was a general practitioner (GP), with most respondents reporting that they were open about their sexuality to their GP and that they had a regular GP. Some reported difficulties accessing health services because of their gender or sexual diversity. Conclusions Although many older LGBTI people are well, both physically and mentally, they do appear to face increased risk of certain health issues compared with the general population. What is known about the topic? Overseas research indicates that older LGBTI people may be at greater risk of certain physical and mental health conditions than the general population. What does this paper add? This paper provides Australian data, using well-validated instruments, on the health and well being of older LGBTI people. It provides evidence of the health issues that older LGBTI people are most concerned about and the barriers they face in accessing services. What are the implications for practitioners? It is important for health practitioners to be aware that older LGBTI people appear to be at increased risk of certain physical and mental health issues, such as loneliness and psychological distress. Providing opportunities for clients to identify their gender or sexual diversity may assist in monitoring risk factors and enable referral to promote healthy aging.

scholarly journals Belief in a COVID-19 Conspiracy Theory as a Predictor of Mental Health and Well-Being of Health Care Workers in Ecuador: Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Stephen X Zhang ◽  
Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi ◽  
Aldo Alvarez-Risco ◽  
Huiyang Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health And Well Being

BACKGROUND During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, social media platforms have become active sites for the dissemination of conspiracy theories that provide alternative explanations of the cause of the pandemic, such as secret plots by powerful and malicious groups. However, the association of individuals’ beliefs in conspiracy theories about COVID-19 with mental health and well-being issues has not been investigated. This association creates an assessable channel to identify and provide assistance to people with mental health and well-being issues during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to provide the first evidence that belief in conspiracy theories regarding the COVID-19 pandemic is a predictor of the mental health and well-being of health care workers. METHODS We conducted a survey of 252 health care workers in Ecuador from April 10 to May 2, 2020. We analyzed the data regarding distress and anxiety caseness with logistic regression and the data regarding life and job satisfaction with linear regression. RESULTS Among the 252 sampled health care workers in Ecuador, 61 (24.2%) believed that the virus was developed intentionally in a lab; 82 (32.5%) experienced psychological distress, and 71 (28.2%) had anxiety disorder. Compared to health care workers who were not sure where the virus originated, those who believed the virus was developed intentionally in a lab were more likely to report psychological distress and anxiety disorder and to have lower levels of job satisfaction and life satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS This paper identifies belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories as an important predictor of distress, anxiety, and job and life satisfaction among health care workers. This finding will enable mental health services to better target and provide help to mentally vulnerable health care workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Belief in Conspiracy Theory about COVID-19 Predicts Mental Health and Well-being: A Study of Healthcare Staff in Ecuador

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Stephen X. Zhang ◽  
Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi ◽  
Aldo Alvarez-Risco ◽  
Huiyang Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Conspiracy Theory ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Health And Well Being

AbstractBackgroundSocial media are becoming hotbeds of conspiracy theories, which aim to give resolute explanations on the cause of COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, no research has investigated whether individuals’ belief in conspiracy theory about COVID-19 is associated with mental health and well-being issues. This association enables an assessable channel to identify and reach people with mental health and well-being issues during the pandemic.ObjectiveWe aim to provide the first evidence of belief in conspiracy theory regarding the COVID-19 virus as a predictor of the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers.MethodsWe conducted a survey of 252 healthcare workers in Ecuador from April 10 to May 2, 2020. We analyzed the data of distress and anxiety caseness with logistic regression and life and job satisfaction with linear regression.ResultsAmong the sampled healthcare workers in Ecuador, 24.2% believed that the virus was developed intentionally in a lab; 32.54% experienced distress disorder, and 28.17% had anxiety disorder. Compared to healthcare workers who were not sure where the virus originated, those who believed the virus was developed intentionally in a lab were more likely to have distress disorder and anxiety disorder and had lower levels of job satisfaction and life satisfaction.ConclusionsThis paper identifies belief in a COVID-19 conspiracy theory as an important predictor of distress, anxiety, and job and life satisfaction of healthcare workers. It enables mental health services to better target and help mentally vulnerable healthcare workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Weight-Making Strategies in Professional Jockeys: Implications for Physical and Mental Health and Well-Being

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 785-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Wilson ◽  
Barry Drust ◽  
James P. Morton ◽  
Graeme L. Close
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Well Being

scholarly journals Evidence on the contribution of community gardens to promote physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals: A systematic review

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255621
Author(s):  
Tarsila Lampert ◽  
Joana Costa ◽  
Osvaldo Santos ◽  
Joana Sousa ◽  
Teresa Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Community Gardens ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Community Gardening ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Health Gains ◽  
Health And Well Being

Introduction There has been growing interest in community gardens as an effective and affordable health promotion strategy. However, most available evidence is derived from qualitative studies, whereas quantitative research on this subject is limited. Objectives To synthetize the literature about physical and mental health outcomes associated with community gardening. Two main questions were addressed: a) is there evidence, from quantitative studies, that community gardening is associated to physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals? b) Does community gardening provokes any discomfort in terms of physical health, i.e., bodily pain, to their beneficiaries? Methods A systematic review of the literature was carried out following PRISMA guidelines by searching relevant electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Empirical, quantitative studies published in English with no restrictions concerning the date of publication were considered eligible. The quality of the evidence was appraised using the tool developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results Overall, 8 studies were considered eligible, of which seven studies were rated as having good methodological quality (one scored as fair). Community gardeners had significantly better health outcomes than their neighbours not engaged in gardening activities in terms of life satisfaction, happiness, general health, mental health, and social cohesion. Conclusion Community gardens are associated to health gains for their users, irrespective of age, being an affordable and efficient way of promoting physical and mental health and well-being. To encourage the design, maintenance, and prospective evaluation of supportive urban environments promoting healthy and, at the same time, sustainable lifestyles, is essential to achieve public health gains and environmental sustainability.

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