scholarly journals Feasibility of a surveillance programme based on gargle samples and pool testing to prevent SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Sweeney-Reed ◽  
Doreen Wolff ◽  
Sarah Hörnschemeyer ◽  
Henriette Faßhauer ◽  
Antonia Haase ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Priority Score ◽  
Surveillance Programme ◽  
Positive Response Rate ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Rate Limiting ◽  
Infection Monitoring

AbstractSchool closures have a negative impact on physical and mental well-being, and education, of children and adolescents. A surveillance programme to detect asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection could allow schools to remain open, while protecting the vulnerable. We assessed the feasibility of a programme employing gargle samples and pool testing of individually extracted RNA using rRT-qPCR in a primary and a secondary school in Germany, based on programme logistics and acceptance. Twice a week, five participants per class were selected to provide samples, using an algorithm weighted by a risk-based priority score to increase likelihood of case detection. The positive response rate was 54.8% (550 of 1003 pupils). Logistics evaluation revealed the rate-limiting steps: completing the regular pre-test questionnaire and handing in the samples. Acceptance questionnaire responses indicated strong support for research into developing a surveillance programme and a positive evaluation of gargle tests. Participation was voluntary. As not all pupils participated, individual reminders could lead to participant identification. School-wide implementation of the programme for infection monitoring purposes would enable reminders to be given to all school pupils to address these steps, without compromising participant anonymity. Such a programme would provide a feasible means to monitor asymptomatic respiratory tract infection in schools.

scholarly journals ELECTRONIC USE AND SLEEP, SURPRISING BEDFELLOWS: RESTFULNESS EFFECTS OF ELECTRONICS USE PRIOR TO BEDTIME FOR THE 40-PLUS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S526-S526
Author(s):  
G Rainville ◽  
Cheryl Lampkin
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Stressful Life Events ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Relaxation Effects ◽  
Conditional Effects ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
E Mail

Abstract Getting restful sleep is essential to well-being but stress and poor sleep habits may make sleeping through the night challenging. This research explored life event stressors and pre-sleep activities among 2,464 randomly selected Americans age 40 and older (using Ipsos’ KnowledgeNetwork panel) to determine their joint effects on mental well-being. Respondents reported how often they engaged in twelve individual behaviors within an hour of going to sleep. These behaviors (found to be inter-correlated) were combined using EFA into four factors representing levels of engagement in each of four classes of pre-sleep activities: pre-sleep electronics use (e.g. texting/e-mail before bed), deep relaxation activities, reliance on sleep-aids, and “nightowl” behaviors (i.e., snacking). Counter to expectations, only electronics use had significant conditional effects on the path between a life events stressor index (a count of current, potentially stressful life events) and scores on the positively-framed Warwick Edinburgh well-being scale (WEMWBS). How often one sleeps through the night also had unexpected effects in a conditional path analysis. A somewhat-involved relationship emerges between each of the theoretically-relevant measures. First, the negative impact of stress is moderated by sleeping through the night. Sleeping through the night is, counter to previous studies on electronics use and sleep, mediated by the use of electronics prior to sleep. We propose that mechanisms (such as the nature of backlighting used in electronics) that hamper restfulness may be offset by relaxation effects or by setting one’s ducks in a row by texting/emailing before going to sleep.

scholarly journals Impact of enhanced personal protective equipment on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers during COVID-19

2020 ◽  
pp. postgradmedj-2020-139150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramanathan Swaminathan ◽  
Bimantha Perera Mukundadura ◽  
Shashi Prasad
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the use of enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) in healthcare workers in patient-facing roles. We describe the impact on the physical and mental well-being of healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE consistently.MethodsWe conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals who use enhanced PPE. A web-based questionnaire was disseminated to evaluate the effects on individuals’ physical and mental well-being. Physical and mental impact was assessed through a visual analogue scale.ResultsProspective analysis of the views of 72 respondents is reported. 63.9% were women and 36.1% were men. Physical impact included exhaustion, headache, skin changes, breathlessness and a negative impact on vision. Communication difficulties, somnolence, negative impact on overall performance and difficulties in using surgical instrumentation were reported.ConclusionOur study demonstrates the undeniable negative impact on the front-line healthcare workers using enhanced PPE and lays the ground for larger multicentric assessments given for it to potentially be the norm for the foreseeable future.

scholarly journals Weight stigma and health – Repercussions on the health of adolescents and adults: integrative review of the literature

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruna Barbosa Siqueira ◽  
Marina Cunha Assumpção ◽  
Sabrina Martins Barroso ◽  
Camila Cremonezi Japur ◽  
Fernanda Rodrigues de Oliveira Penaforte
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Weight Stigma ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
The Social ◽  
Adolescents And Adults ◽  
Mental Well Being

ABSTRACT Objective To conduct an integrative review in order to understand the repercussions of the social stigma of overweight on the health of adults and adolescents. Methods The international protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis studies PRISMA was adopted to guide the writing of this review. The databases used were PubMed, Psycinfo, SciELO, Medline, Lilacs and Pepsic, considering studies published in the period from 2000 to 2020. Sixty-seven (67) articles were analyzed, and 4 categories emerged: repercussions on physical well-being; repercussions on social well-being; repercussions on mental well-being; and mixed category (physical and psychological impact). Results In the vast majority of studies analyzed, weight stigma had a negative impact on the different spheres that make up the health construct, that is, the physical, social and mental spheres. Conclusions The consequences of weight stigma are a source of intense suffering, with an impact that reduces the quality of life of individuals who experience stigmatization, involving physical, emotional and social aspects.

scholarly journals COVID-19: impact on the mental health of university students

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 4891
Author(s):  
Priyanka Aswal ◽  
Parvesh Singh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Entire Country ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Detrimental Impact

Background: Ever since the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, education institutions in the entire country were shut down. This shutdown of universities caused the students to stay at home which caused a detrimental impact on their mental health.Methods: This survey-based study aims to decipher the impact the lockdown has caused on the mental well-being of the students. The survey was conducted through a set of online questionnaires.Results: The results of the study show that the students suffered from various psychological problems. Anxiety and stress were the most prevalent amongst mental illnesses and were reportedly increased due to uncertainty about future prospects like job and graduation.Conclusions: The study confirms that the pandemic has had a negative impact on the psychological health of the patients and has amplified stress and fear amongst them. 

scholarly journals Effect of Long Working Hours on Depression and Mental Well-Being among Employees in Shanghai: The Role of Having Leisure Hobbies

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 4980
Author(s):  
Zan Li ◽  
Junming Dai ◽  
Ning Wu ◽  
Yingnan Jia ◽  
Junling Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Working Time ◽  
World Health ◽  
Long Working Hours ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Our aim is to examine the associations between long working hours and depression and mental well-being among the working population in Shanghai, as well as to identify the impact of having hobbies on these relationships. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shanghai, with depression assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale and mental well-being assessed by the World Health Organization five-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5) scale. The phenomenon of long working hours (69.3%) was quite common among employees in Shanghai, and the rate of working over 60 h was 19.3%. Those who worked over 60 h had the highest prevalence of poorer mental health compared with individuals working ≤40 h per week. After adjustment in the logistic regression model, those who reported weekly working time over 60 h were 1.40 (95%CI: 1.03–1.90) and 1.66 (95%CI: 1.26–2.18) times more likely to have depression and poor mental well-being (PMWB), respectively. Adjusted ORs for having hobbies were 0.78 (95%CI: 0.62–0.97) and 0.62 (95%CI: 0.51–0.75), respectively. Meanwhile, having hobbies could significantly lower the mean score on the PHQ-9 and elevate the mean score on the WHO-5 in each working time group, with no interaction effect. Long working hours could have a significantly negative impact on workers’ psychological health. Importantly, having hobbies in their daily lives might help to mitigate the adverse effects of long working hours on workers’ depression and mental well-being.

scholarly journals Brief Research Report on Adolescent Mental Well-Being and School Closures During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjhin Wiguna ◽  
Gina Anindyajati ◽  
Fransiska Kaligis ◽  
Raden Irawati Ismail ◽  
Kusuma Minayati ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Research Report ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Mental Well Being

scholarly journals Experienced Burden of and Adherence to Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment in Persons with Affective Disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire R. van Genugten ◽  
Josien Schuurmans ◽  
Femke Lamers ◽  
Harriëtte Riese ◽  
Brenda W. J. H. Penninx ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Perceived Burden ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Momentary Assessment

(1) Background: The use of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) questionnaires in affective disorder research has rapidly increased. Though, a thorough understanding of experienced burden of and adherence to EMA is crucial in determining the usefulness of EMA. (2) Methods: Persons with current affective disorders (n = 100), remitted persons (n = 190), and healthy controls (n = 94) participated in a smartphone-based EMA two-week monitoring period. Our primary outcomes were (momentary) perceived burden of and adherence to EMA. (3) Results: In the whole sample, lower positive and higher negative affect were associated with slightly higher levels of perceived momentary burden (B = −0.23 [95%CI = −0.27–0.19], B = 0.30 [95%CI = 0.24–0.37], respectively). The persons with current affective disorders reported slightly higher levels of experienced momentary burden (Mdn = 1.98 [IQR = 1.28–2.57]), than the remitted persons (Mdn = 1.64 [IQR = 1.11–2.24]) and healthy controls (Mdn = 1.28 [IQR = 1.04–1.92]). Nevertheless, the persons with current affective disorders still showed very high adherence rates (Mdn = 94.3% [IQR = 87.9–97.1]), at rates on a par with the remitted persons (Mdn = 94.3% [IQR = 90.0–97.1]) and healthy controls (Mdn = 94.3% [IQR = 90.0–98.6]). (4) Discussion: Frequent momentary questionnaires of mental well-being are slightly more burdensome to the persons with current affective disorders, but this does not seem to have a negative impact on adherence. Their high rate of adherence to EMA—which was similar to that in remitted persons and healthy controls —suggests that it is feasible to apply (short-duration) EMA.

scholarly journals Design at the root of biophilia. Imitation. Nature.

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 047-058
Author(s):  
Marcin Marciniak ◽  
Dżoana Latała-Matysiak
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Current State ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Structural Solutions

According to the current state of research on the phenomenon of biophilia, the positive influence of nature's elements on humans has long been widely understood. Since the negative impact of urbanised areas on quality of life was noticed, human-friendly architecture has been redefined, where the physical and mental well-being of people using buildings, remains highly dependent on their contact with the environment. Selected examples of existing buildings analyzed two different approaches to contemporary biophilic architecture; one where nature is the pedestal of the whole building and one where the interpretation of nature translates into technological, engineering or structural solutions. The architectural examples modelled on nature, have gained recognition in local communities and worldwide renown, so it can be concluded that the flourishing of organic and bionic architecture is fully justified. Biophilia determines human well-being, while remaining closely related to the natural environment.

scholarly journals Approach Coping Mitigates Distress of COVID-19 Isolation for Young Men With Low Well-Being in a Sample of 1,749 Youth From Australia and the USA

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip (Xin) Cheng ◽  
Haeme R. P. Park ◽  
Justine M. Gatt
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Approach Coping ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has led to lockdowns across the world with people being separated from their loved ones including partners, family, and friends. Here, using a large sample of 1,749 Australians and Americans, we investigated the impact of COVID-19 isolation on younger populations (13–25 years), and the influence of coping strategies and mental well-being on this impact. Overall, COVID-19 isolation had a more negative impact on adolescence (13–17 years) than young adulthood (18–25 years), but with no difference apparent between men and women, or between Australian and American residents. However, a deeper analysis revealed a gender-specific effect: the type of coping strategies differentially influenced the negative impact of COVID-19 isolation on men with various levels of well-being, an interaction effect not apparent in women. For men with lower levels of mental well-being, COVID-19 isolation appeared to have a less negative impact on them if they used more approach-oriented coping strategies (e.g., actively focusing on the problem). Our results provide cross-sectional evidence for a differential impact on young men at low levels of wellbeing by pandemic isolation. In sum, young men and adolescent boys with lower well-being coped better with COVID-19 isolation when they used more approach coping strategies.

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