scholarly journals Identifying significant contributors for smoking cessation among male prisoners in Australia: results from a randomised clinical trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. e034046
Author(s):  
Handan Wand ◽  
Robyn Richmond ◽  
Armita Adily ◽  
Andrea Le ◽  
Kay Wilhelm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Randomised Clinical Trial ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Continuous Abstinence ◽  
Population Attributable Risks ◽  
Drug Problems ◽  
Male Prisoners

IntroductionIn Australia, an estimated 90% of those entering prison are current tobacco smokers and three-quarters of current prisoners are tobacco smokers.AimsTo identify factors and their relative contributions to smoking cessation among male prisoners.MethodsA total of 425 male tobacco smokers with a median age of 32 years in Australian prisons. The primary outcome was continuous abstinence at 3, 6 and 12 months. We measured various sociodemographic characteristics, drug use, psychological distress and the mental and physical health status of the participants. Multivariate logistic regression models and population attributable risks (PAR%) were used to identify the significant factors and their contributions to smoking cessation rates.ResultsThe median age of participants was 32 years (IQR 25–41 years). High smoking cessation rates were collectively associated with not using drugs, lower psychological distress, good mental health scores and better physical health (PAR%: 93%, 98% and 88% at 3, 6 and 12 months).ConclusionOur study suggests that not using drugs and being in good mental/physical health are the important contributors to continuous abstinence among prisoners. Thus, effective smoking cessation programmes require a multicomponent approach that includes addressing drug problems and mental health functioning.Trial registration number12606000229572.

scholarly journals Mental health of undergraduate distance learners: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayani P. Gamage ◽  
H.M.Chulani J. Herath
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Distance Learners ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

PurposeMental health is as important as physical health and new university entrants report high prevalence of depression. In open and distance learning (ODL), students must manage both work and studies. Those who are unable to effectively balance these aspects may experience negative outcomes such as dropping out, distress and physical health problems. Therefore, the study aims to investigate psychological distress amongst distance-learning undergraduate students to gather evidence for recommending necessary interventions.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted using depression, anxiety, stress scale (DASS-21). Participants were undergraduate students from the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL). The students' socio-demographic details, history of physical and mental illnesses were also recorded.FindingsAccording to scoring, 51% of the sample was categorised as “psychologically distressed” relating to the anxiety levels they reported whilst depression (35%) and stress remained (20%) at low levels. The three-factor structure of DASS-21 was also confirmed with reliability scores of 0.8 obtained for all three sub-scales.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations were low-response rate (less than 50%) and inability to provide causal explanations for psychological distress. Further research could address these.Practical implicationsThe current research identified anxiety as a psychologically distressing factor for ODL students with the use of a reliable screening tool. Therefore, exploring reasons and interventions to help reduce anxiety could be developed.Social implicationsMajority of distance learners are contributing to a country's economy whilst learning to improve their current socio-economic status. Therefore, addressing these negative impacts is important.Originality/valueThe study explored ODL students' psychological distress and highlighted the need to identify causes and development of support systems to enhance mental well-being.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress among College Students: Role of Food Insecurity and Other Social Determinants of Mental Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monideepa B. Becerra ◽  
Benjamin J. Becerra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Determinant ◽  
Physical Health Status ◽  
Gender Specific

Food insecurity is a major social determinant of health and an assessment of how it may impact college students’ mental health is imperative, as well as differential associations by self-identified gender. A cross-sectional survey was used among college students of a mid-size minority-serving institution with a final sample size of 302 participants aged 18 years or above. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regressions were conducted, by gender, to assess the role of food insecurity (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) six-item questionnaire), on mental health outcomes (Kessler-6 scale and self-perception). All the statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS version 24 (IBM, Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA) with an alpha less than 0.05 used to denote significance. Among those with food insecurity, the odds of reporting psychological distress (odds ratio (OR) = 3.645, p < 0.05) and an average to very poor self-perceived mental health status (OR = 2.687, p <0.05) were higher compared to their food-secure counterparts, with the results consistent in a gender-specific analysis as well. Compared to men, however, women had higher odds of psychological distress (OR = 2.280, p < 0.05), as well as reporting average to very poor self-perceived mental health statuses (OR = 2.700, p < 0.05). Among women, any alcohol use in the past 12 months (OR = 2.505, p < 0.05) and a low self-perceived physical health status (OR = 3.601, p < 0.05) were associated with an average to very poor self-perceived mental health status. Among men, a low perceived physical health status was associated with higher odds of psychological distress (OR = 3.477, p < 0.05). The results of our study highlight that food insecurity should be considered a social determinant of mental health wellbeing. In addition, gender-specific trends in mental health highlight the need for targeted interventions for prevention and treatment.

scholarly journals Investigation on the Physical and Mental Health of College Students Based on Statistics

2021 ◽  
Vol 275 ◽  
pp. 03044
Author(s):  
Jianjian Wang ◽  
Guofang Shen ◽  
Zeyu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Psychological Adjustment ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Student Groups

Contemporary college students face pressures from employment, emotion, and academic work, so the physical and mental health of college students has gradually become the focus of social attention. Through a questionnaire survey, this paper investigates five aspects : college students’sense of physical health, physical exercise, psychological distress, stress resistance and psychological adjustment methods. College students’ physical and mental health has been analyzed from the basic situation, differences in different student groups, main problems and suggestions, trying to objectively reflect the physical and mental health of college students and provide a basis for the development of college students’ideological and political education.

Expressive Writing and Stress-Related Disorders

2018 ◽  
pp. 704-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Wilhelm ◽  
Joanna Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Benefit Finding ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Health Domains ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Emotional Events ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Expressive writing (EW) was developed in the 1980s by Pennebaker and colleagues, who defined it as “writing focusing on traumatic, stressful or emotional events, and the feelings inspired by these.” There have been developments in terms of process, covering a range of instructions, target groups, and writing conditions and, more recently, benefit-finding writing (BFW) about benefits derived from stress or traumatic situations. EW has now been trialed across a broad range of situations, involving mental and physical health domains. Results from meta-analyses find small but significant improvements more related to physical health than mental health parameters. It is thought to be best suited to people with mild-to-moderate psychological distress who are addressing stress-related conditions and situations. The chapter describes common forms of EW and explores the place of BFW. Some mechanisms for expressive writing are discussed, but these are still speculative.

scholarly journals Common Mental Disorders and Economic Uncertainty: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S.

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0260726
Author(s):  
Wing Wah Tham ◽  
Elvira Sojli ◽  
Richard Bryant ◽  
Michael McAleer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Economic Uncertainty ◽  
Financial Uncertainty ◽  
The U.S

Mental health disorders represent an enormous cost to society, are related to economic outcomes, and have increased markedly since the COVID-19 outbreak. Economic activity contracted dramatically on a global scale in 2020, representing the worst crisis since the Great Depression. This study used the COVID Impact Survey to provide insights on the interactions of mental illness and economic uncertainty during COVID-19. We used a probability-based panel survey, COVID Impact Survey, conducted in the U.S. over three waves in the period April-June 2020. The survey covered individual information on employment, economic and financial uncertainty, mental and physical health, as well as other demographic information. The prevalence of moderate mental distress was measured using a Psychological Distress Scale, a 5-item scale that is scored on a 4-point scale (total range: 0–15). The mental distress effect of employment, economic, and financial uncertainty, was assessed in a logit regression analysis conditioning for demographic and health information. It is found that employment, health coverage, social security, and food provision uncertainty are additional stressors for mental health. These economic factors work in addition to demographic effects, where groups who display increased risk for psychological distress include: women, Hispanics, and those in poor physical health. A decrease in employment and increases in economic uncertainty are associated with a doubling of common mental disorders. The population-representative survey evidence presented strongly suggests that economic policies which support employment (e.g., job keeping, job search support, stimulus spending) provide not only economic security but also constitute a major health intervention. Moving forward, the economic uncertainty effect ought to be reflected in community level intervention and prevention efforts, which should include strengthening economic support to reduce financial and economic strain.

scholarly journals The unmet support needs of carers of older Australians: prevalence and mental health

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 1849-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeromey B. Temple ◽  
Briony Dow
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Psychological Distress Scale ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Distress Scale

ABSTRACTBackground:Population aging places greater demands on the supply of informal carers. The aims of this study were to examine (1) the types of unmet support needs of carers of older Australians and (2) the association of unmet needs with mental health.Methods:Utilizing new data from the 2015 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, we calculated the prevalence of carers experiencing specific and multiple unmet needs for support, using single and multiple item measures. Logistic regression models were fitted to examine the association between unmet needs and psychological distress (using the Kessler psychological distress scale), once demographic and health factors were controlled for.Results:In 2015, 35% of carers of older Australians cited at least one unmet need for support. Among this group, almost two-thirds cited multiple unmet support needs (64.7%). The most prevalent types of unmet needs included financial (18%), physical (13%), and emotional support (12%), as well as additional respite care and support to improve carer health (12%). After controlling for demographic and health characteristics of the carer, having any unmet need for support increased the odds of psychological distress by twofold (OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.65, 2.94). With each successive unmet need for support, the odds of psychological distress increased 1.37 times (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.22, 1.54). Those who had received assistance with care, but required further support were 1.95 times more likely (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.17, 3.24) to be in distress and those who had not received care assistance were about 2.4 times more likely (OR = 2.38 95% OR = 1.56, 3.62) to be in distress relative to those with no unmet need.Conclusions:Addressing unmet support needs of carers is important, not only for the planning of services for carers in an aging population, but also because of the association between unmet support needs and carers mental health.

scholarly journals The impact of work loss on mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a prospective cohort study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Griffiths ◽  
Luke Sheehan ◽  
Caryn Van Vreden ◽  
Dennis Petrie ◽  
Genevieve Grant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Work Loss ◽  
High Psychological Distress ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Objective: To determine if losing work during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with mental and physical health. To determine if social interactions and financial resources moderate the relationship between work loss and health. Design: Baseline data from a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Setting: Australia, 27th March to 12th June 2020. Participants: Australians aged 18+ years, employed in a paid job prior to the COVID-19 pandemic who responded to an online or telephone survey. Main Outcome Measures: Kessler-6 score > 18 indicating high psychological distress. Short Form 12 (SF-12) mental health or physical health component score <= 45 indicating poor mental or physical health. Results: 2,603 respondents including groups who had lost their job (N=541), were not working but remained employed (N=613), were working less (N=789) and whose work was unaffected (N=789). Three groups experiencing work loss had greater odds of high psychological distress (AOR=2.22-3.66), poor mental (AOR=1.78-2.27) and physical health (AOR=2.10-2.12) than the unaffected work group. Poor mental health was more common than poor physical health. The odds of high psychological distress (AOR=5.43-8.36), poor mental (AOR=1.92-4.53) and physical health (AOR=1.93-3.90) were increased in those reporting fewer social interactions or less financial resources. Conclusion: Losing work during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with mental and physical health problems, and this relationship is moderated by social interactions and financial resources. Responses that increase financial security and enhance social connections may partially alleviate the health impacts of work loss.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basema Saddik ◽  
Iffat Elbarazi ◽  
Mohamad-Hani Temsah ◽  
Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari ◽  
Waad Kheder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
High Level

Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in an anonymous online survey between April 19–May 3, 2020. The GAD-7 and K10 measures were used to assess anxiety and psychological distress. Logistic regression models assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, worry, and levels of anxiety and psychological distress.Results: A total of 481 HCWs participated in this study. The majority of HCWs were female (73.6%) and aged 25–34 years (52.6%). More than half were nurses (55.7%) and had good knowledge of COVID-19 (86.3%). Over a third (37%) of HCWs reported moderate/severe psychological distress in the K10 measure and moderate/severe anxiety (32.3%) in the GAD-7, with frontline workers significantly reporting higher levels of anxiety (36%). Knowledge of COVID-19 did not predict anxiety and psychological distress, however, HCWs who believed COVID-19 was difficult to treat and those who perceived they were at high risk of infection had worse mental health outcomes. Worry about spreading COVID-19 to family, being isolated, contracting COVID-19 and feeling stigmatized had 1.8- to 2.5-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems. Additionally, HCWs who felt the need for psychological support through their workplace showed increased odds of psychological distress.Conclusion: HCWs in the UAE reported a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety while responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The findings from this study emphasize the public, emotional and mental health burden of COVID-19 and highlight the importance for health systems to implement, monitor, and update preventive policies to protect HCWs from contracting the virus while also providing psychological support in the workplace.

Screening of metabolic side effects of antipsychotics in patients with mental disorder

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1274-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.T. Reddy ◽  
R. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Lipid Profile ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Due Dates ◽  
Metabolic Side Effects

This audit was undertaken to evaluate what screening is undertaken for metabolic side effects of antipsychotic drugs in patients under the care of Ceredigion Community Mental Health.Raise awareness with Local health Board regarding metabolic screening Raise awareness regarding four aspects of metabolic syndrome.Audit tool based on POMH (Prescribing Observatory for Mental Health) Topic 2B Audit Data was collected from medical notes, abstracted and inputted into Microsoft Excel. The sample consisted of 15 service users; 11(73%) male and 4(27%) female.Most individuals where of white British/Irish ethnicity, (14, 93%).Most (14, 93%) patients primary clinical psychiatric diagnosis based on the ICD10 category was F20–F29.Six (40%) individuals in the sample smoked, of which two (33%) were offered help with smoking cessation. There was evidence of diabetes in three case notes. In one (33%) case note it was Mental Health services that uncovered the diabetes. One service users file had evidence of a known diagnosis of Hypertension. This was not discovered by Mental Health services. Three service users had evidence of a disturbed lipid profile. In two (66%) of these notes it was Mental Health services that discovered the disturbed lipid profile.Lifestyle management pack: guidance and resources for staff and service users around diet, exercise, smoking cessation and other health lifestyle issues. Physical health check reminder cards: A patient-held card to record the results of physical health checks and due dates for new appointments.

scholarly journals Forgiveness of others and subsequent health and well-being in mid-life: a longitudinal study on female nurses

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn N. G. Long ◽  
Everett L. Worthington ◽  
Tyler J. VanderWeele ◽  
Ying Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Physical Health Outcomes ◽  
Female Nurses ◽  
Forgiveness Of Others

Abstract Background Forgiveness is a concept of growing interest within psychology and of potential relevance to public health. While there has been increasing evidence suggesting positive associations between forgiveness of others and a range of psychosocial well-being and mental health outcomes, its associations with health behaviors and physical health are less clear. Methods This study used longitudinal data from the Nurses’ Health Study II (2008 Trauma Exposure and Post-traumatic Stress Supplementary Survey to 2015 questionnaire wave, N = 54,703), to conduct an outcome-wide analysis among a cohort of female nurses in the United States (age range: 43–64 years). The study prospectively examines the association between spiritually motivated forgiveness of others and a number of of subsequent psychosocial well-being, mental health, health behavior, and physical health outcomes in midlife. A set of linear, logistic, and Poisson regression models were used to regress each outcome on forgiveness in separate models. Sociodemographic factors, prior religious service attendance, and prior values of all outcome variables were controlled for wherever data were available. To account for multiple testing, we performed Bonferroni correction. Results Forgiveness was associated with subsequent improved psychosocial well-being and reduced psychological distress outcomes in a monotonic pattern. For instance, the top versus bottom level of forgiveness was associated with substantially higher levels of subsequent positive affect (β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.21) and social integration (β = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.17), and was inversely associated with several indicators of subsequent psychological distress such as depressive symptoms (β = − 0.16, 95% CI: − 0.19, − 0.14). However, in this sample, there was little evidence that forgiveness was associated with health behaviors or physical health outcomes. Discussion This study suggests that forgiveness may be a health asset for promoting population mental health and psychosocial well-being, and moreover may also be understood as a good in itself. Further investigation on the dynamics between forgiveness and physical health is warranted to explore the discrepancy between the results here and some past research.

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