scholarly journals Mental health benefits of interactions with nature in children and teenagers: a systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 958-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Tillmann ◽  
Danielle Tobin ◽  
William Avison ◽  
Jason Gilliland
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Attention Deficit Disorder ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Study Designs

BackgroundIt is commonly believed that nature has positive impacts on children’s health, including physical, mental and social dimensions. This review focuses on how accessibility to, exposure to and engagement with nature affects the mental health of children and teenagers.MethodsTen academic databases were used to systematically search and identify primary research papers in English or French from 1990 to 1 March 2017. Papers were included for review based on their incorporation of nature, children and teenagers (0–18 years), quantitative results and focus on mental health.ResultsOf the 35 papers included in the review, the majority focused on emotional well-being and attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity disorder. Other outcome measures included overall mental health, self-esteem, stress, resilience, depression and health-related quality of life. About half of all reported findings revealed statistically significant positive relationships between nature and mental health outcomes and almost half reported no statistical significance.ConclusionsFindings support the contention that nature positively influences mental health; however, in most cases, additional research with more rigorous study designs and objective measures of both nature and mental health outcomes are needed to confirm statistically significant relationships. Existing evidence is limited by the cross-sectional nature of most papers.

scholarly journals Association of Socioeconomic Changes due to the COVID-19 Pandemic With Health Outcomes in Patients With Skin Diseases: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/22288 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. e22288
Author(s):  
Yeye Guo ◽  
Minxue Shen ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Shuang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

Background The outbreak of COVID-19 has profoundly influenced people’s lifestyles; these impacts have varied across subgroups of people. The pandemic-related impacts on the health outcomes of people with dermatological conditions are unknown. Objective The aim of this paper was to study the association of COVID-19 pandemic–related impacts with health-related quality of life in patients with skin diseases. Methods This was a cross-sectional study among Chinese patients with skin diseases. A self-administered web-based questionnaire was distributed through social media. Demographic and clinical data and pandemic-related impacts (isolation status, income changes, and employment status) were collected. The main outcomes included perceived stress (Visual Analog Scale), symptoms of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) and depression (9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire), quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index), and health utility mapping based on the EQ-5D-3L descriptive system. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the associations. Results A total of 506 patients with skin diseases completed the survey. The mean age of the patients was 33.5 years (SD 14.0), and 217/506 patients (42.9%) were male. Among the 506 respondents, 128 (25.3%) were quarantined, 102 (20.2%) reported unemployment, and 317 (62.6%) reported decrease or loss of income since the pandemic. The pandemic-related impacts were significantly associated with impaired mental well-being and quality of life with different effects. Unemployment and complete loss of income were associated with the highest risks of adverse outcomes, with increases of 110% to 162% in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and impaired quality of life. Conclusions Isolation, income loss, and unemployment are associated with impaired health-related quality of life in patients with skin diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Association of Socioeconomic Changes due to the COVID-19 Pandemic With Health Outcomes in Patients With Skin Diseases: Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeye Guo ◽  
Minxue Shen ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Shuang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

BACKGROUND The outbreak of COVID-19 has profoundly influenced people’s lifestyles; these impacts have varied across subgroups of people. The pandemic-related impacts on the health outcomes of people with dermatological conditions are unknown. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper was to study the association of COVID-19 pandemic–related impacts with health-related quality of life in patients with skin diseases. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study among Chinese patients with skin diseases. A self-administered web-based questionnaire was distributed through social media. Demographic and clinical data and pandemic-related impacts (isolation status, income changes, and employment status) were collected. The main outcomes included perceived stress (Visual Analog Scale), symptoms of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) and depression (9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire), quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index), and health utility mapping based on the EQ-5D-3L descriptive system. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the associations. RESULTS A total of 506 patients with skin diseases completed the survey. The mean age of the patients was 33.5 years (SD 14.0), and 217/506 patients (42.9%) were male. Among the 506 respondents, 128 (25.3%) were quarantined, 102 (20.2%) reported unemployment, and 317 (62.6%) reported decrease or loss of income since the pandemic. The pandemic-related impacts were significantly associated with impaired mental well-being and quality of life with different effects. Unemployment and complete loss of income were associated with the highest risks of adverse outcomes, with increases of 110% to 162% in the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and impaired quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Isolation, income loss, and unemployment are associated with impaired health-related quality of life in patients with skin diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Efficacy of an adaptive kayaking intervention for improving health-related quality of life among wounded, ill, and injured service members

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 8-16
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Scherer, PT, PhD, NCS ◽  
Daniel M. Gade, PhD ◽  
Kathleen E. Yancosek, PhD, OTR/L, CHT
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

Adaptive sports are popular within military and civilian rehabilitation communities as a means to promote fitness, independence, self-efficacy, and return to participation in life roles. Although widely prescribed, there is little evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of such interventions. This study surveyed 40 wounded, ill, and injured active duty and veteran service members (SMs) who participated in a week-long adaptive kayaking program. Validated health-related quality of life instruments assessing physical and behavioral health domains following trauma were administered before and after participation in a week-long adaptive kayaking trip. Postintervention analysis of these measures revealed clinically significant improvements in depression (+7 percent), anxiety (+5 percent), posttraumatic stress disorder (+4 percent), and social interaction (+7 percent) subscales on the Trauma Outcome Profile (TOP) which trended toward, but did not achieve, statistical significance. Analysis of Veterans RAND (VR-12) data revealed a mean four-point improvement in participant mental health component summary (MCS) scores (p _ 0.05) following intervention indicating clinically and statistically significant improvement in behavioral health symptoms. No improvement was observed on the mean postintervention physical health component summary (PCS) score suggesting minimal short-term effects of kayaking on self-assessment of physical well-being. In aggregate, findings from this study suggest that adaptive kayaking may be an effective intervention to remediate behavioral health sequelae commonly experienced by SM following trauma. Future research should explore the effectiveness of adaptive kayaking relative to standard of care clinical rehabilitation strategies to optimize physical as well as mental health outcomes.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Mental Health Outcomes Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Collapsing Economy: A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Hajj ◽  
Danielle A Badro ◽  
Carla Abou Selwan ◽  
Hala Sacre ◽  
Randa Aoun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background: Emergency plans to contain the COVID-19 failed to take into consideration the repercussions of the combined economic and sanitary crisis among the most vulnerable populations who might be disproportionately affected, including women and abused people. This study primarily aimed to assess the effects of the COVID-19 and economy-related variables on Lebanese adults’ mental health, focusing on gender differences.Methods: An online-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May 10-20, 2020, using validated scales. All adults living in Lebanon, with access to the internet, were eligible, regardless of their age, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender identity, religion, geography, ability, and culture (n=502).Results: The multivariate analysis, adjusted on sociodemographic characteristics, economic, and coronavirus-related variables, showed that women exhibit higher levels of stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) than men. Moreover, violence at home was associated with more stress and insomnia, with borderline results for anxiety and well-being. No significant difference was found for PTSS. Conclusion: In the context of combined health and economic crises, mental health outcomes are not equally felt by women. Additional studies in a few months would help better understand the long-term impact, especially on PTSS and QOL, which might not be perceptible during the crisis. Focused public health strategies are warranted to support and protect the most vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Examining associations between smartphone use, smartphone addiction, and mental health outcomes: A cross-sectional study of college students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44
Author(s):  
Namyun Kil ◽  
Junhyoung Kim ◽  
Justin T. McDaniel ◽  
Jun Kim ◽  
Kari Kensinger
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Smartphone Use

Background: Prior studies have indicated the complex relationships of smartphone use and smartphone addiction with mental health and life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relationships among smartphone use, smartphone addiction, mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress [DAS] and satisfaction with life [SWL]). Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected by convenience sampling via an online survey of undergraduate students at a Midwestern university in the United States. The sample size of601 collected from undergraduate students that owned a smartphone and completed responses to the variables was utilized in this study. We assessed the hypothesized variables, including smartphone use, smartphone addiction, and mental health outcomes variables on a Likert-type scale. Structural analysis was used to examine the relationships. Results: Results suggested that smartphone use had a significant negative association with DAS symptoms (β = -.31, t = -3.81, P < .001) and was positively associated with SWL (β =.25, t = 3.41, P < .001). However, smartphone use had a significant positive relationship with smartphone addiction (β = .48, t = 5.51, P < .001). Smartphone addiction was positively related to DAS (β = .44, t = 6.33, P < .001), but it was not related to SWL (β = -.08, t = -1.26, P > .05). Conclusion: This study enhances our understanding of the associations between smartphone use and the health and well-being of undergraduate students. Implications for supporting their psychological health are discussed.

Health-related quality of life and mental health outcomes in Mexican TBI caregivers.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaina L. Gulin ◽  
Paul B. Perrin ◽  
Lillian F. Stevens ◽  
Teresita J. Villaseñor-Cabrera ◽  
Miriam Jiménez-Maldonado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

scholarly journals Mental health outcomes of ICU and non-ICU healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Wozniak ◽  
Lamyae Benzakour ◽  
Grégory Moullec ◽  
Niccolò Buetti ◽  
Alice Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Peritraumatic Distress

Abstract Background Intensive care workers are known for their stressful work environment and for a high prevalence of mental health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mental health, well-being and changes in lifestyle among intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare workers (HCW) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare these results with those of HCW in other hospital units. Another objective was to understand which associated factors aggravate their mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods This cross-sectional survey collected socio-demographic data, lifestyle changes and mental health evaluations as assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 items (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 items (PHQ-9), the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) from the 28th May to 7th July 2020. The study was carried out at Geneva University Hospitals, a group of eight public hospitals in Switzerland. ICU HCW were analyzed for mental health outcomes and lifestyles changes and then compared to non-ICU HCW. A series of linear regression analyses were performed to assess factors associated with mental health scores. Results A total of 3461 HCW were included in the study, with 352 ICU HCW. Among ICU HCW, 145 (41%) showed low well-being, 162 (46%) symptoms of anxiety, 163 (46%) symptoms of depression and 76 (22%) had peritraumatic distress. The mean scores of GAD-7, PHQ-9 and WHO-5 were worse in ICU HCW than in non-ICU HCW (p < 0.01). Working in the ICU rather than in other departments resulted in a change of eating habits, sleeping patterns and alcohol consumption (p < 0.01). Being a woman, the fear of catching and transmitting COVID-19, anxiety of working with COVID-19 patients, work overload, eating and sleeping disorders as well as increased alcohol consumption were associated with worse mental health outcomes. Conclusion This study confirms the suspicion of a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, peritraumatic distress and low well-being during the first COVID-19 wave among HCW, especially among ICU HCW. This allows for the identification of associated risk factors. Long-term psychological follow-up should be considered for HCW.

scholarly journals Well-Being and Perceived Stress of Adolescent Young Carers: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Wepf ◽  
Agnes Leu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Young Carers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAdolescent young carers have been described as a hidden group at risk of mental health problems. However, research has not yet clarified the effect of caring when considering the related family situation. We aimed to examine the impact of a caring role on adolescents’ mental health and to gain knowledge about adolescent young carers’ specific needs. We collected cross-sectional data from adolescents (15–21 years, N = 2525) recruited through educational institutions in German-speaking Switzerland. Based on self-reported answers regarding the presence or absence of a family member with health problems and youth’s caring activities, the participants were grouped into three subsamples. We compared mental health outcomes (well-being and perceived stress) in current carers and their peers, and we conducted multiple regression analyses for predicting these outcomes among all adolescents and the subsample of carers. Adolescent young carers had lower levels of well-being and higher levels of perceived stress than their peers. However, when controlling for background variables, well-being levels were lower only when carers were compared to adolescents from a healthy family background. Indicators of family instability predicted mental health outcomes independently of being a carer. More recognition for the caring role predicted better well-being and perceived stress outcomes, and more support in caring predicted better well-being but not perceived stress outcomes. The findings suggest that a caring role is not necessarily related to decreased well-being in adolescents, but it is associated with higher levels of perceived stress. The way professionals and services respond to young carers’ specific needs should be improved.

scholarly journals Self-reported mental health status of pregnant women in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ho-Fung Chung ◽  
Ewa Andersson ◽  
Hsuan-Ying Huang ◽  
Ganesh Acharya ◽  
Simone Schwank
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Acute Stress Reaction

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to unprecedented worries and challenges for pregnant women due to social restrictions and changes in maternity care provision. We aimed to investigate the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant women in Sweden and explore factors associated with poor perinatal mental health in this specific context. Method: This was a nation-wide cross-sectional survey of pregnant women living in Sweden. Validated questionnaires were distributed through non-profit organizations´ websites and social media channels from May 2020 to February 2021. Perinatal depression, anxiety, and acute stress reaction were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7) and Impact Event Scale (Revised)(IES-R), respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics and self-perceived mental well-being were also obtained. Factors associated with mental health outcomes were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Among a total of 522 participants, 42.5% (n=222) reported depression (EPDS ≥13), 25.3% (n=132) moderate to severe anxiety (GAD-7 score≥10), and 23.4% (n=122) moderate to severe acute stress reaction (IES-R ≥33). 27.4% participants (n=143, 27.4%) expressed concerns regarding their mental well-being during the pandemic. Pregnant mothers who had sick family members reported more severe poor mental health outcomes than those who did not (median [Interquartile range (IQR)] EPDS scores: 14.0 [8.75 – 18.0] vs 10.0 [6.0 – 14.0], p<.001; median [IQR] GAD7 scores: 7.0 [4.0 – 12.25] vs 5.0 [3.0 – 9.0], p<.001; median (IQR) IES-R scores: 20.0 [9.0 – 38.0] vs 15.0 [7.0 – 28.0], p=.008). Logistic regression analyses revealed that risk factors for poor mental health outcomes were having a sick family member with any illness, unemployment, giving birth, and experiencing an exceptional stressful life event. Having a higher educational level, younger age, and changing career during the pandemic were protective. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety were highly prevalent among pregnant women in Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a need for professional mental health support for this vulnerable group of population. Unemployment was an associated risk factor whereas younger age and higher educational level were protective suggesting an important role of socio-economic factors in modulating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on perinatal mental health.

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