scholarly journals Suboptimal diabetic control and psychological burden after the triple disaster in Japan: the Fukushima Health Management Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e002007
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Hirai ◽  
Kanako Okazaki ◽  
Tetsuya Ohira ◽  
Masaharu Maeda ◽  
Akira Sakai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Diabetic Control ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Mental Health Distress

IntroductionA triple disaster struck eastern Japan in March 2011. We investigated the psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms caused by the disaster in people without or with diabetes mellitus.Research design and methodsThis cross-sectional analysis examined the 16 097 evacuees (1820 (11.3%) with and 14 277 (88.7%) without diabetes mellitus) included in the Fukushima Health Management Survey. Non-specific mental health distress was assessed using the Kessler-6 Scale, and traumatic symptoms were evaluated using the PTSD Checklist. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the OR and 95% CI associated with symptoms, adjusted for diabetes-related and disaster-related factors.ResultsIn the age-adjusted and sex-adjusted logistic models, suboptimal diabetic control (hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥7%) was associated with both psychological distress and possible PTSD. In the same models, current smoking, evacuation, and sleep dissatisfaction were associated with psychological distress and possible PTSD. In the multivariate-adjusted logistic models, HbA1c ≥7% was associated with psychological distress, independent of job change, evacuation, or sleep dissatisfaction.ConclusionAfter the triple disaster, non-specific mental health distress was associated with suboptimal diabetic control. Thus, patients with diabetes, especially those with suboptimal diabetic control, may be vulnerable to postdisaster psychological burden.

scholarly journals Exploring nurses’ experiences of psychological distress during care of patients with COVID-19: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrin Galehdar ◽  
Aziz Kamran ◽  
Tahereh Toulabi ◽  
Heshmatolah Heydari
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Purposeful Sampling ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
The Family ◽  
Mental Health Distress ◽  
Delivering Bad News

Abstract Background COVID-19 infection is a new disease that infects a large number of people, killing a ratio of whom every day in the world. Healthcare staff, especially nurses, experience a great deal of psychological distress during care of COVID-19 patients. Detecting factors that disturb nurses’ mental health during care of these patients can help to reduce their psychological distress. Therefore, this study aimed to explore nurses’ experiences of psychological distress during care of patients with COVID-19. Methods The present qualitative research was performed using the conventional content analysis method in Iran from March to May 2020. Participants in this study included the nurses caring for patients with COVID-19, and they were selected based on the purposeful sampling method. The data was collected through 20 phone call interviews and analyzed based on the method proposed by Lundman and Graneheim. Results Qualitative data analysis revealed 11 categories including death anxiety, anxiety due to the nature of the disease, anxiety caused by corpse burial, fear of infecting the family, distress about time wasting, emotional distress of delivering bad news, fear of being contaminated, the emergence of obsessive thoughts, the bad feeling of wearing personal protective equipment, conflict between fear and conscience, and the public ignorance of preventive measures. Conclusion The data showed that the nurses experienced a variety of psychological distress during care of patients with COVID-19. Through proper planning by authorities, it is possible to manage the risk factors of mental health distress in nurses and improve their mental health status.

Economic Recession and Mental Health Distress: Does Age Matter?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S171-S171
Author(s):  
D. Frasquilho ◽  
G. Cardoso ◽  
A. Ana ◽  
M. Silva ◽  
J.M. Caldas-de-Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Important Determinant ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Mental Health Distress

IntroductionThe association between economic crises and mental health problems can be attributed to a number of factors. Among these, age seems to be an important determinant.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess whether mental health of the Portuguese population following the onset of the 2008 recession, differs by age groups.MethodsA follow-up study (2015) on the population aged 18 to > 65 years old, using the National Mental Health Survey (n = 911). The age-group prevalence of mental health distress assessed by the ten-item Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was calculated using Chi2 statistics and mental distress as a categorical variable (P < 0.05).ResultsMean mental distress score differed significantly according to age group, χ2(3) = 10.684, P < = 0.05. The results showed that the older groups (50–64 and 65 = years old) were more frequently under mental distress (17–19%) compared to younger people (18–49 = years old), which were less likely to report being distressed (8–12%).ConclusionsAge seems to be an important determinant of distress levels during the economic crisis in Portugal. Older adults reported to be more distressed compared to younger individuals. There are several hypotheses for a differential expression of psychological distress between age groups such as working status and retirement, which can express differential access to coping resources under such contextual negative pressure of economic recession. Further research on age groups is thus needed to better understand how recession generates adverse effects on mental well-being.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Gender differences on mental health distress: Findings from the economic recession in Portugal

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s902-s902 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Frasquilho ◽  
G. Cardoso ◽  
A. Ana ◽  
M. Silva ◽  
J.M. Caldas-de-Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Distress ◽  
Distress Scale

IntroductionEvidence from past economic recessions shows that increased risk of mental distress is likely to occur. Until now, little is known whether distress levels differ by gender in countries highly hit by the economic recession.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to characterize and analyze the differences in mental health distress in men and women during the current economic recession in Portugal.MethodsA subsample of 911 participants from the 2008 national mental health survey, were re-interviewed in 2014/2015. Sociodemographic data was collected and mental health distress was evaluated using the 10-item Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Chi-square statistics were used to investigate differences between men and women in mental distress as a categorical variable.ResultsMean mental distress differed significantly according to gender, Chi2 (1) = 13.716, P = 0.001. The results showed that a much higher proportion of women (18.5%) revealed to be under psychological distress compared to men (9.9%).ConclusionsDistress levels during the economic crisis in Portugal differ significantly by gender. More women reported to be distressed compared to men. There are several hypotheses for a differential expression of psychological distress between women and men during the recession, such as different gender roles which asserts that differences are due to gender and country based coping resources but also due to several determinants of mental health such as income, employment and social status. Further research is needed to better predict a variety of characteristics that are important for this outcome.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Depression Symptoms and Perceived Anxiety Among Community-Dwelling U.S. Adults Reporting Tinnitus

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 959-970
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Reavis ◽  
James A. Henry ◽  
Lynn M. Marshall ◽  
Kathleen F. Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Mental Health Distress

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between tinnitus and self-reported mental health distress, namely, depression symptoms and perceived anxiety, in adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examinations Survey between 2009 and 2012. A secondary aim was to determine if a history of serving in the military modified the associations between tinnitus and mental health distress. Method This was a cross-sectional study design of a national data set that included 5,550 U.S. community-dwelling adults ages 20 years and older, 12.7% of whom were military Veterans. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between tinnitus and mental health distress. All measures were based on self-report. Tinnitus and perceived anxiety were each assessed using a single question. Depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, a validated questionnaire. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for key demographic and health factors, including self-reported hearing ability. Results Prevalence of tinnitus was 15%. Compared to adults without tinnitus, adults with tinnitus had a 1.8-fold increase in depression symptoms and a 1.5-fold increase in perceived anxiety after adjusting for potential confounders. Military Veteran status did not modify these observed associations. Conclusions Findings revealed an association between tinnitus and both depression symptoms and perceived anxiety, independent of potential confounders, among both Veterans and non-Veterans. These results suggest, on a population level, that individuals with tinnitus have a greater burden of perceived mental health distress and may benefit from interdisciplinary health care, self-help, and community-based interventions. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12568475

Child development and family mental health in war and military violence: The Palestinian experience

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Qouta ◽  
Raija-Leena Punamäki ◽  
Eyad El Sarraj
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Peer Relations ◽  
Cognitive Capacity ◽  
Palestinian Authority ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Developmental Issues ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
Military Violence

The article reviews developmental research among Palestinians living in Gaza. The aims are, first, to analyze how exposure to traumatic events associates with children's mental health and their cognitive, emotional and social development. Second, we aimed to model familial and symbolic processes that can either harm or protect the mental health of children. Third, we wanted to learn who the resilient children are in conditions of war and military violence. The reviewed research has been conducted in the context of a Palestinian non-governmental organization, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, during the political upheavals involving hopes for peace and intensive war and violence: the First Intifada (1987—1993), the Palestinian Authority rule (1994— ) and the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (2001— ). The results show that life threat, violence and losses form a risk for increased psychological distress. There are, however, a myriad of child, family and society related factors and psycho-socio-physiological processes that protect child development and mental health. They include, e.g. loving and wisely guiding parenting, children's flexible and high cognitive capacity, flexible and multiple coping strategies and narrative and symbolic nocturnal dreaming, as well as social support and good peer relations. Different models explain psychological distress and positive resources, including child resilience. Exposure to trauma is crucial in predicting distress, while familial and developmental issues are important in building resilience. Children's conscious and unconscious cognitive-emotional processes are crucial for underlying mental health and knowledge about them is important in tailoring evidence-based preventive interventions among war victims.

scholarly journals Causal Factors of Effective Psychosocial Outcomes in Online Mental Health Communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koustuv Saha ◽  
Amit Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Psychosocial Outcomes ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
Mental Health Distress ◽  
And Control

Online mental health communities enable people to seek and provide support, and growing evidence shows the efficacy of community participation to cope with mental health distress. However, what factors of peer support lead to favorable psychosocial outcomes for individuals is less clear. Using a dataset of over 300K posts by ∼39K individuals on an online community TalkLife, we present a study to investigate the effect of several factors, such as adaptability, diversity, immediacy, and the nature of support. Unlike typical causal studies that focus on the effect of each treatment, we focus on the outcome and address the reverse causal question of identifying treatments that may have led to the outcome, drawing on case-control studies in epidemiology. Specifically, we define the outcome as an aggregate of affective, behavioral, and cognitive psychosocial change and identify Case (most improved) and Control (least improved) cohorts of individuals. Considering responses from peers as treatments, we evaluate the differences in the responses received by Case and Control, per matched clusters of similar individuals. We find that effective support includes complex language factors such as diversity, adaptability, and style, but simple indicators such as quantity and immediacy are not causally relevant. Our work bears methodological and design implications for online mental health platforms, and has the potential to guide suggestive interventions for peer supporters on these platforms.

Does Assessment Method Matter in Detecting Mental Health Distress among Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Israeli Women with Breast Cancer?

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-109
Author(s):  
Ora Nakash ◽  
Leeat Granek ◽  
Michal Cohen ◽  
Gil Bar-Sela ◽  
David Geffen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Health Distress ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Structured Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Mental Health Distress

Abstract Authors examined differences in assessment method (structured diagnostic interview versus self-report questionnaire) between ethnic groups in the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders among women with breast cancer. A convenience sample of 88 Mizrahi (Jews of Middle Eastern/North African descent, n = 42) and Ashkenazi (Jews of European/American descent, n = 46) women with breast cancer from oncology units in three health centers across Israel participated in the study. Participants were within eight months of diagnosis. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a structured diagnostic interview, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Approximately one-third (31.8 percent, n = 28) of participants were diagnosed with at least one mood or anxiety disorder based on the MINI. Significantly more Mizrahi participants (42.9 percent) were diagnosed with at least one mood or anxiety disorder, compared with their Ashkenazi counterparts (21.7 percent). Mean score on HADS was below the optimal cutoff score (≥13) among all participants, with no significant difference in mean score for emotional distress based on HADS between the two ethnic groups. The findings highlight the role of measurement variance in assessing mental health distress among women with breast cancer in general and among ethnic and racial minorities in particular.

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