Mental Health and Well-Being Among Individuals With a Sensory Loss During COVID-19 Lockdown Measures

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 409-409
Author(s):  
Natascha Merten ◽  
Amy Schultz ◽  
Matthew Walsh ◽  
Suzanne van Landingham ◽  
Paul Peppard ◽  
...  

Abstract Hearing and vision impairment are highly prevalent chronic conditions and are associated with poorer mental health and well-being. Mental health problems may be exacerbated by COVID-19-related lockdown measures and limitations of in-person contacts may affect those with sensory impairments more severely. We aimed to determine whether hearing and/or visual impairment were associated with worse mental health and psychological well-being during lockdown measures in Spring/Summer 2020 in Wisconsin. We included 1341 (64% women, aged 20-92 years) Survey of the Health of Wisconsin participants of a COVID-19 survey (May-June, 2020). We assessed self-reported current mental health and psychological well-being and vision and hearing impairment. Logistic regression models with vision and hearing impairments as determinants and multiple mental health and well-being outcomes were used and adjusted for age, gender, race, education, heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. In preliminary analyses, we found associations of vision impairment with increased odds of generalized anxiety disorder (odds ratio=2.10; 95% confidence interval=1.32-3.29) and depression (2.57; 1.58-4.11). Individuals with a vision impairment were more likely to be taking medication for depression (1.75; 1.13-2.68), report being lonely (1.65; 1.00-2.64) and report hopelessness (1.45; 1.01-2.08). Individuals with a hearing impairment were more likely to be taking depression medications (1.72; 1.07-2.73) and to report being lonely (1.80; 1.05-2.98). Sensory impairment was not associated with stress levels or sense of purpose in life. Individuals with sensory impairment may represent a particularly vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should determine underlying reasons and interventions to mitigate this populations’ disadvantages.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Bell ◽  
Marie Reid ◽  
Judith Dyson ◽  
Annette Schlosser ◽  
Tim Alexander

This study aims to critically discuss factors associated with a recent dramatic rise in recorded mental health issues amongst UK youth. It draws from interviews and focus groups undertaken with young people, parents and professionals. We offer valuable new insights into significant issues affecting young people’s mental health and well-being that are grounded in their lived experiences and in those who care for and work with them. By means of a thematic analysis of the data, we identified an increase in anxiety related to: future orientation, social media use, education, austerity, and normalization of mental distress and self-harm. We apply the notion of ontological security in our interpretation of how socio-cultural and political changes have increased anxiety amongst young people and consequent uncertainty about the self, the world and the future, leading to mental health problems. There are also problems conceptualizing and managing adolescent mental health, including increased awareness, increased acceptance of these problems, and stigmatisation. We relate this to the tendency for moral panic and widespread dissemination of problems in a risk society. In our conclusion, we highlight implications for future research, policy and practice.


2021 ◽  
pp. 263207702199826
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Pavlacic ◽  
Stefan E. Schulenberg ◽  
Erin M. Buchanan

Values-based interventions encourage engagement in valued living as a means to promote psychological well-being. Valued living is best operationalized as ongoing, reinforcing behavioral patterns consistent with idiographic values that facilitate psychological well-being and improved mental health. Cross-sectional research illustrates positive associations between valued living and well-being and negative associations between valued living and psychopathology. However, it is important to have an understanding of different daily-level factors that predict fluctuations in valued living. Consistent with cognitive and behavioral models, meaning may positively relate to engagement in valued living, while experiential avoidance negatively relates to valued living. To address these relationships at the daily level, we systematically examined valued living, meaning, and experiential avoidance using ecological momentary assessment across 14 days with 73 college students. Multilevel modeling supported a positive relationship between meaning (i.e., at both the within- and between-person level) and daily valued living, above and beyond the within-person effects of experiential avoidance. The results elucidate a daily link between valued living and aspects of well-being. Further, these results show that constructs commonly assessed cross-sectionally fluctuate at the daily level, which sets the stage for future research programs that examine factors promoting and inhibiting fluctuations in meaning, experiential avoidance, and valued living. These results have important implications for prevention of mental health problems and promotion of psychological well-being.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 797-797
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Garcia Morales ◽  
Nicholas Reed

Abstract Sensory impairment is prevalent among older adults and may increase risk for delirium via mechanisms including sensory deprivation and poor communication which may result in confusion and agitation. In the Medicare Current Beneficiary Study (MCBS), delirium was measured using a validated algorithm of claims data. Sensory impairment was defined as any self-reported trouble hearing or seeing, with the use of aids, and was categorized as no impairment, hearing impairment only (HI), vision impairment only (VI), and dual sensory impairment (DSI). Among, 3,240 hospitalized participants in 2016-2017, 346 (10.7%) experienced delirium. In a model adjusted for socio-demographic and health characteristics, those with HI only, VI only, and DSI had 0.84 (95% CI: 0.6-1.3), 1.1 (95% CI 0.7-1.7), and 1.5 (95% CI 1.0-2.1) times the odds of experiencing delirium compared to those without sensory impairment. Future research should focus on mechanisms underlying association and determine the impact of treatment of sensory loss.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 797-797
Author(s):  
Nicholas Reed ◽  
Charlotte Yeh

Abstract Communication is fundamental to patient-centered care. However, sensory impairment limits communication among older adults. Specifically, hearing impairment strains communication via degraded auditory encoding while vision impairment distresses ability to read and interpret visual cues. The presence of dual sensory impairment, defined as concurrent hearing and vision impairment, may exacerbate these effects. The potential consequence s of age-related sensory loss on health care interactions and outcomes are beginning to surface in epidemiologic studies demonstrating poorer patient-provider communication, higher medical expenditures, increased risk of 30-day readmission, and longer length of stay when compared to individuals without sensory loss. Importantly, these associations may be amenable to intervention via sensory aids; however, uptake to sensory care is low. Notably, less than 20% of persons with hearing impairment have hearing aids and over 55% of Medicare Beneficiaries with reported vision problems have not had an eye examination in the prior year. Affordability and access may contribute to lack of sensory care uptake as Medicare explicitly excludes coverage of vision and hearing services. In this symposium, we will review current and new evidence for whether sensory loss affects health care outcomes, including satisfaction with care, incident delirium during hospitalization, navigation of Medicare, and present data on how persons with sensory loss are more likely to delay their care independent of cost and insurance factors suggesting fundamental changes in health care system interaction. We will place these results within the context of current national quality care and policy initiatives and review methods to address sensory loss.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan A. Brown ◽  
Daniel L. Dickerson ◽  
David J. Klein ◽  
Denis Agniel ◽  
Carrie L. Johnson ◽  
...  

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth exhibit multiple health disparities, including high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, violence and delinquency, and mental health problems. Approximately 70% of AI/AN youth reside in urban areas, where negative outcomes on behavioral health and well-being are often high. Identity development may be particularly complex in urban settings, where youth may face more fragmented and lower density AI/AN communities, as well as mixed racial-ethnic ancestry and decreased familiarity with AI/AN lifeways. This study examines racial-ethnic and cultural identity among AI/AN adolescents and associations with behavioral health and well-being by analyzing quantitative data collected from a baseline assessment of 185 AI/AN urban adolescents from California who were part of a substance use intervention study. Adolescents who identified as AI/AN on their survey reported better mental health, less alcohol and marijuana use, lower rates of delinquency, and increased happiness and spiritual health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1422-1439
Author(s):  
Maria Luisa Indiana ◽  
Elisabetta Sagone ◽  
Salvatore Luciano Orazio Fichera

The main purpose of this cross-sectional study, carried out with deaf parents and blind parents, is to analyze the association of coping strategies, life satisfaction, well-being, and generalized self-efficacy, compared to a group of parents without a sensory loss. The Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, Satisfaction with Life, Generalized Self-efficacy, and Psychological Well-Being scales were applied. Results indicate that: (1) deaf parents and blind parents search for social support, use avoidance, and turn to religion more than those without a sensory loss; (2) deaf parents are more satisfied with life than blind parents and those without a sensory loss; (3) deaf parents and blind parents perceive themselves as less efficacious than those without a sensory loss; (4) deaf parents and blind parents report lower psychological well-being (autonomy and personal growth) than those without a sensory loss, except for self-acceptance. Searching for social support and turning to religion are negatively associated with life satisfaction in deaf parents and those without a sensory loss; further, these coping strategies (together with avoidance) affect the psychological well-being of deaf parents and parents without a sensory loss. Future research could investigate deeper into the effects of these dimensions on well-being and the styles of parenting in these families.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gökmen Arslan ◽  
Murat Yıldırım ◽  
Mega M. Leung

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 421-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viswa Chaitanya Chandu ◽  
Yamuna Marella ◽  
Gnana Sarita Panga ◽  
Srinivas Pachava ◽  
Viswanath Vadapalli

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, associated with the economic consequences of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as lockdown, has led to mental health consequences among people worldwide. Protecting the mental well-being of populations is an imperative component of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review attempts to present an overview of the existing tools to measure COVID-19-related mental health problems. Methods: Literature search was conducted in the PubMed electronic database using developed key search terms. Reference lists of the identified eligible articles were reviewed to locate relevant articles missed from the electronic database search. Fifteen scales measuring COVID-19-associated mental health problems, validated among diverse populations across the world, were included in this review. Results: The majority of these scales were validated among middle-aged adults in Turkey. Only a few validated scales encompass the negative socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19. None of the available scales focused on the aspects of suicidal ideation or behavioral responses/coping strategies, neither were they inclusive of participants from diverse age, geographic, and COVID-19 exposure groups. Conclusion: This scoping review highlights the need for future research to develop and validate comprehensive psychometric tools to assess COVID-19-associated mental health problems. Also, in view of the vulnerable nature of healthcare professionals for developing mental health concerns in the course of providing services for COVID-19-affected individuals, future psychometric research needs to concentrate on the development of measures specific for these professionals.


In competitive sports, mental health and well-being is of great significance [1]. This applies to the active phase, as well as the time after the career. Mental disorders are common in competitive sports [2]. Physical and psychological well-being and performance in sports relate to each other [2]: Emotional strains and illnesses in sport may have an influence on the performance, may increase the risk for injuries and may lengthen rehabilitation. Injuries have an influence on the performance, too, and are strains and risks for mental health. The requirements in elite sports call for a safe and sound judgement and handling with strains and risks for mental health, as well as in diagnosis and treatment on illness [1].


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Martinez-Donate ◽  
J Tellez Lieberman ◽  
L Bakely ◽  
C Correa ◽  
C Valdez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In the United States (U.S.), over 4 million citizen children live with an unauthorized immigrant parent who is at risk of deportation. Children of Mexican immigrants are disproportionately represented among this population, as 1 out of 3 deported immigrants are from Mexico. Parental deportation can have profound and long-lasting consequences for children, yet research on this topic is sparse. We present preliminary findings from an ongoing, longitudinal study examining changes in health, well-being, behavior, and environmental factors among U.S. citizen children of recently deported Mexican immigrants. Methods Forty-eight deported Mexican parents were recruited from deportation processing stations on the Mexican border region. We completed phone interviews with one of their U.S.-based, citizen children and an adult caregiver, collecting retrospective information on health, health behavior, household, academics, and socio-ecological health determinants from a year earlier, as well as shortly after deportation of their parent. Pre-post analyses of caregivers' survey data were conducted to assess changes in outcomes associated with parental deportation. Results Following deportation of their parents, children were reported to have more frequent health problems (p=.008), including mental health problems (p=.002), externalizing (p=.040) and internalizing (p=.011) behaviors, school absences (p=.092), and experiences of food insecurity (p=.007) than a year before. Academic expectations were also significantly worse (p=.006) than those prior to parental deportation. Conclusions Children are the unintended victims of indiscriminate immigration enforcement. Deportation of parents is associated with significant deterioration of physical and mental health, behavior, academics, and home environment for their U.S. citizen children. Our results call for immigration policy reform and interventions to support families affected by the deportation of a parent. Key messages Immigration policies that separate families can have significant detrimental impacts on the health and well-being of U.S. citizen children. Policies must be revised to keep families together and protect children in mixed-legal status families.


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