scholarly journals Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States with Explainable Artificial Intelligence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indra Prakash Jha ◽  
Raghav Awasthi ◽  
Ajit Kumar ◽  
Vibhor Kumar ◽  
Tavpritesh Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Bayesian Network ◽  
Network Inference ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chronic Medical Condition ◽  
Learning Approaches

Importance: COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the health, economic, and social fabric of nations. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Objective: This work is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID pandemic. Data Sources and Study design: In this study, We have used a survey of 17764 adults in the USA at different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Methods: Through initial statistical analysis followed by Bayesian Network inference, we have identified key factors affecting Mental health during the COVID pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches lead to effective modeling of the level of mental health. Results: Overall, females are more stressed than males, and people of age-group 18-29 are more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian Network Model, we found that people with chronic medical condition of mental illness are more prone to mental disorders during the COVID age. The new realities of working from home, home-schooling, and lack of communication with family/friends/neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during COVID generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised ML models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy.

scholarly journals Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States With Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Observational Study

10.2196/25097 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e25097
Author(s):  
Indra Prakash Jha ◽  
Raghav Awasthi ◽  
Ajit Kumar ◽  
Vibhor Kumar ◽  
Tavpritesh Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Bayesian Network ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Key Factors

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health, economic, and social fabric of many nations worldwide. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Objective This study is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this study, we have used a survey of 17,764 adults in the United States from different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Through initial statistical analysis and Bayesian network inference, we have identified key factors affecting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches led to effective modeling of the level of mental health prevalence. Results Overall, females were more stressed than males, and people in the age group 18-29 years were more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian network model, we found that people with a chronic mental illness were more prone to mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new realities of working from home; homeschooling; and lack of communication with family, friends, and neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during the COVID-19–generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised machine learning models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy. Conclusions Multiple factors such as social isolation, digital communication, and working and schooling from home were identified as factors of mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regular in-person communication with friends and family, a healthy social life, and social security were key factors, and taking care of people with a history of mental disease appears to be even more important during this time.

scholarly journals Stress, functioning, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from an online convenience sample

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alayna Park ◽  
Clarissa V. Velez ◽  
Kamini Kannan ◽  
Bruce F. Chorpita
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Behavioral Activation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Managing Stress ◽  
And Coping

This study explored how individuals living in the United States were experiencing and responding to stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. Participants (N = 408; 60% non-Hispanic White) completed an online survey regarding traumatic stress, functional impairment, and use of and perceived helpfulness of various coping strategies. Results showed that 37% of participants endorsed clinically-elevated PTSD symptoms. Approximately half of participants reported changes in their daily functioning from before the pandemic to present, most notably in their number of social interactions, physical activity, and time spent working. To cope, participants reported engaging in safety planning and behavioral activation, which they also perceived to be helpful in managing stress. Avoidance coping strategies involving use of alcohol, tobacco products, or recreational substances were infrequently endorsed and perceived to be minimally helpful. These findings offer an initial, data-based glimpse into the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shed light onto opportunities for promoting mental health and well-being during this unprecedented and multifaceted crisis.

scholarly journals Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States With Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Observational Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indra Prakash Jha ◽  
Raghav Awasthi ◽  
Ajit Kumar ◽  
Vibhor Kumar ◽  
Tavpritesh Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Bayesian Network ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Key Factors

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health, economic, and social fabric of many nations worldwide. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being. OBJECTIVE This study is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS In this study, we have used a survey of 17,764 adults in the United States from different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Through initial statistical analysis and Bayesian network inference, we have identified key factors affecting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches led to effective modeling of the level of mental health prevalence. RESULTS Overall, females were more stressed than males, and people in the age group 18-29 years were more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian network model, we found that people with a chronic mental illness were more prone to mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new realities of working from home; homeschooling; and lack of communication with family, friends, and neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during the COVID-19–generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised machine learning models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Multiple factors such as social isolation, digital communication, and working and schooling from home were identified as factors of mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regular in-person communication with friends and family, a healthy social life, and social security were key factors, and taking care of people with a history of mental disease appears to be even more important during this time.

scholarly journals The COVID States Project #23: Depression among young adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy H. Perlis ◽  
Jon Green ◽  
Alexi Quintana ◽  
Adina Gitomer ◽  
Hanyu Chwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Unintentional Injury ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Demographic Subgroups ◽  
The Impact

Alongside the direct health impact of COVID-19 itself, there has been increasing recognition of the consequences of the pandemic for mental health. Initial attention focused on the front line health workers impacted by the first surge, but Americans have felt the impact of the pandemic and the strategies required to contain it far more broadly.Prior to COVID-19, the mental health of young adults in the United States had already been recognized as a major concern, with suicide representing the 2nd-leading cause of death among individuals age 10-34 (unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in this age group). With the advent of the pandemic, many in this group have experienced disruption in college or graduate school plans, family life, or employment -- particularly as they tend to have jobs with less flexibility or capacity for remote work.In our earlier 50-state survey wave in May, we noted substantial elevation in rates of depression (up to 27% across age groups), compared to historical norms using the same screening measure - in those aged 20-39, rates of moderate depression between 2013 and 2016 averaged to 7.7%. In this report, we examine whether rates of depression among people aged 18-24 changed during the summer and early fall, as the pandemic expanded and shifted to new regions of the US. We characterize mental health in more detail, looking at individual symptoms, including thoughts of suicide, generalized anxiety, and disruption in sleep1. We also consider whether particular demographic subgroups are differentially impacted in terms of mental health.

scholarly journals Contribution of researchers in the Arab region to peer-reviewed literature on mental health and well-being of university students

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Waleed M. Sweileh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
University Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Search Query ◽  
Research Gaps ◽  
Arab Region ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Objective The current study aimed at investigating the contribution of researchers in the Arab region to the field of mental health and well-being of university students using bibliometric tools. Method Relevant literature was obtained from the Scopus database for the period from 2001–2020. Examples of keywords used in the query included “college student”, “university student”, and undergraduate student” combined with keywords such as wellbeing, wellness, suicide, and anxiety. No language restriction was used. Only research articles were considered. The search query was validated. Bibliometric indicators and mappings such as active countries, institutions, authors, highly cited documents, and the most frequently encountered topics were identified and discussed to shed light on research gaps in the Arab region. Research gaps were also identified. The analysis was carried out on February 12, 2021. Results The search query returned 309 research articles published by authors from 17 different Arab countries. Less than one-third (n = 97, 31.4%) of the retrieved articles were carried out in collaboration with authors from 39 non-Arab countries, mainly from the United Kingdom and the United States. The overall contribution of researchers from the Arab region to global research in the field was 5.6%. In total, 1212 authors from 791 different institutions participated in publishing the retrieved research articles. At the country level, Saudi Arabia (n = 125, 40.5%) ranked first, followed by Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon. At the institutional level, The University of Jordan (n = 25, 8.1%) ranked first, followed by King Saud University, and Kuwait University. The retrieved articles included 132 (42.7%) articles on stress/distress, 95 (30.7%) on anxiety, 61 (19.7%) on depression. Knowledge gaps on suicide, eating disorders, substance use, and happiness were identified. The retrieved articles appeared in 193 different journals and approximately two-thirds of the active journal were in general medicine, public health, and education. Conclusions The contribution of researchers in the Arab region to the field showed a noticeable increase with time. However, important research gaps were identified. The contribution was confined to authors from a limited number of Arab countries. Funding and international research collaboration for the mental health and well-being of students need to be strengthened.

scholarly journals Incidence of Benign Meningiomas in the United States: Current and Future Trends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Bhala ◽  
Douglas R Stewart ◽  
Victoria Kennerley ◽  
Valentina I Petkov ◽  
Philip S Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cancer Registries ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Benign Meningioma ◽  
Case Count ◽  
Future Burden ◽  
Rate Ratios

Abstract Background Benign meningiomas are the most frequently reported central nervous system tumors in the United States (US), with increasing incidence in past decades. However, the future trajectory of this neoplasm remains unclear. Methods We analyzed benign meningioma incidence of cases identified by any means (eg, radiographically with or without microscopic confirmation) in US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries among 35–84-year-olds during 2004–2017 by sex and race/ethnicity using age-period-cohort (APC) models. We employed APC forecasting models to glean insights regarding the etiology, distribution, and anticipated future (2018–2027) public health impact of this neoplasm. Results In all groups, meningioma incidence overall increased through 2010, then stabilized. Temporal declines were statistically significant overall and in most groups. JoinPoint analysis of cohort rate-ratios identified substantial acceleration in White men born after 1963 (from 1.1% to 3.2% per birth year); cohort rate-ratios were stable or increasing in all groups and all birth cohorts. We forecast that meningioma incidence through 2027 will remain stable or decrease among 55–84-year-olds but remain similar to current levels among 35–54-year-olds. Total meningioma burden in 2027 is expected to be approximately 30,470 cases, similar to the expected case count of 27,830 in 2018. Conclusions Between 2004–2017, overall incidence of benign meningioma increased and then stabilized or declined. For 2018–2027, our forecast is incidence will remain generally stable in younger age groups but decrease in older age groups. Nonetheless, the total future burden will remain similar to current levels because the population is aging.

scholarly journals A Faith to Move Mountains? Childhood Abuse, Religious Change, and Mental Health at Midlife

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 461-461
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Religious Importance ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Of all the various forms of adversity experienced during childhood, childhood maltreatment (emotional and physical abuse) is shown to have the largest impacts on mental health and well-being. Yet we still have a limited understanding of why some victims of early maltreatment suffer immense mental health consequences later on in the life course, while others are able to cushion the blow of these early insults. Using two waves of data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), this study considers change in religiosity as a buffer across three dimensions for victims of childhood abuse: religious importance, attendance, and the specific act of seeking comfort through religion. Results suggest that increases in religious comfort during adulthood are positively associated with adult mental health for victims of abuse, while decreases in religious comfort over time were associated with worse mental health. Changes in religious attendance and religious importance were not significant associated with mental health for victims of abuse. Taken together, my results show that the stress-moderating effects of religion for victims of childhood maltreatment are contingent on the stability or increases or decreases in religiosity over the life course, which has been overlooked in previous work.

scholarly journals Mental health policy issues and development in Lithuania

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
I R Rubikas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Mental Health Policies ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Background Lithuanian has experienced rapid and relatively successful transition to capitalism and transatlantic-Western values and practices in recent decades. Suicide and legal alcohol consumption rates remain the highest in the EU and OECD, and Lithuania's Positive emotions index score has been consistently amongst the 10 lowest in the world in recent years. Emigration rate is the highest in the EU and OECD, social inequality is amongst the highest in the same groups. Despite a relatively strong economy these changes are not automatically transferred to better social and emotional well-being. Methods This unconventional situation calls for strong and unconventional policy responses in the area of mental health, amongst others. Health impact assessment using theory-based approach and desk research. Results Recent attempts include strategic reorientation towards social and emotional well-being, stronger focus on prevention and promotion and primary care, intensifying efforts to reduce suicide rates, and implementation of strong regulatory measures to reduce alcohol use. Suicide rates have been declining since 2013 but remain high. Effort is made to implement best practices in media reporting, recognition and providing appropriate help for those in suicide crisis, expanding prevention efforts. Conclusions Finally, WHOs “best buys” in alcohol control were implemented since 2017, including steep increases in excise taxes, ban on alcohol advertisement, increase of allowed age, reducing alcohol trading hours and others. This resulted in the steepest decline of legal alcohol consumption in decades. The chosen policy route may be called iterative policy-making, whereby improvements are made along the way, which allows for quicker policy decisions and results. Key messages Mental health policies need to be based on the socio-political context of the specific country. Smaller countries such as Lithuania might benefit form flexible approaches to mental health policies.

Aspiring to Do All Things Through Him Who Strengthens? Quixotic Hope, Religiosity, and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood

2021 ◽  
pp. 215686932110085
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Educational Expectations ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
National Study ◽  
Health Consequences

Beliefs about the probability of educational success tend to be very optimistic in the United States. However, scholars are beginning to uncover mental health consequences associated with quixotic hope—the unrealistic outstripping of expectation by aspiration. Using longitudinal data from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Study of Youth and Religion, this study asks, (1) does religiosity promote or diminish the likelihood of quixotic hope? and (2) does religious attendance and closeness to God mitigate long-term mental health consequences of quixotic hope? Results show that weekly religious attendance had a modest negative relationship with the likelihood of experiencing quixotic hope, while increasing religious attendance over time attenuated the negative mental health consequences of quixotic hope on increases in depression. Closeness to God neither predicted quixotic hope nor played a moderating role for depression. As educational expectations rise, regular religious practice may help protect the emotional well-being of youth.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Outcomes in Adult Survivors of Retinoblastoma

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (31) ◽  
pp. 3608-3614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Ford ◽  
Joanne F. Chou ◽  
Charles A. Sklar ◽  
Kevin C. Oeffinger ◽  
Danielle Novetsky Friedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Psychosocial Outcomes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fear Of Cancer Recurrence ◽  
Chronic Medical Condition ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic

Purpose Survival rates for individuals diagnosed with retinoblastoma (RB) exceed 95% in the United States; however, little is known about the long-term psychosocial outcomes of these survivors. Patients and Methods Adult RB survivors, diagnosed from 1932 to 1994 and treated in New York, completed a comprehensive questionnaire adapted from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), by mail or telephone. Psychosocial outcomes included psychological distress, anxiety, depression, somatization, fear of cancer recurrence, satisfaction with facial appearance, post-traumatic growth, and post-traumatic stress symptoms; noncancer CCSS siblings served as a comparison group. Results A total of 470 RB survivors (53.6% with bilateral RB; 52.1% female) and 2,820 CCSS siblings were 43.3 (standard deviation [SD], 11) years and 33.2 (SD, 8.4) years old at the time of study, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, RB survivors did not have significantly higher rates of depression, somatization, distress, or anxiety compared with CCSS siblings. Although RB survivors were more likely to report post-traumatic stress symptoms of avoidance and/or hyperarousal (both P < .01), only five (1.1%) of 470 met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. Among survivors, having a chronic medical condition did not increase the likelihood of psychological problems. Bilateral RB survivors were more likely than unilateral RB survivors to experience fears of cancer recurrence (P < .01) and worry about their children being diagnosed with RB (P < .01). However, bilateral RB survivors were no more likely to report depression, anxiety, or somatic complaints than unilateral survivors. Conclusion Most RB survivors do not have poorer psychosocial functioning compared with a noncancer sample. In addition, bilateral and unilateral RB survivors seem similar with respect to their psychological symptoms.

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