scholarly journals Changes in work and life patterns associated with depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study of health app (CALO mama) users

2021 ◽  
pp. oemed-2020-106945
Author(s):  
Koryu Sato ◽  
Ryohei Sakata ◽  
Chiaki Murayama ◽  
Mai Yamaguchi ◽  
Yoko Matsuoka ◽  
...  

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many people refrained from going out, started working from home (WFH), and suspended work or lost their jobs. This study examines how such pandemic-related changes in work and life patterns were associated with depressive symptoms.MethodsAn online survey among participants who use a health app called CALO mama was conducted from 30 April to 8 May 2020 in Japan. Participants consisted of 2846 users (1150 men (mean age=50.3) and 1696 women (mean age=43.0)) who were working prior to the government declaration of a state of emergency (7 April 2020). Their daily steps from 1 January to 13 May 2020 recorded by an accelerometer in their mobile devices were linked to their responses. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Two-Question Screen.ResultsOn average, participants took 1143.8 (95% CI −1557.3 to −730.2) fewer weekday steps during the declaration period (from 7 April to 13 May). Depressive symptoms were positively associated with female gender (OR=1.58, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.87), decreased weekday steps (OR=1.22, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.45) and increased working hours (OR=1.73, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.26). Conversely, starting WFH was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.99).ConclusionsDecreased weekday steps during the declaration period were associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms, but WFH may mitigate the risk in the short term. Further studies on the longitudinal effects of WFH on health are needed.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenning Fu ◽  
Shijiao Yan ◽  
Li Zou ◽  
Qiao Zong ◽  
Xingyue Song ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives:To assess the mental status of Chinese teachers during the COVID-19 epidemic, and to provide theoretical evidences for psychological intervention. Methods:From October 23, 2020 to December 12, 2020, we conducted the online survey. Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. Classified and continuous data were reported as numbers, percentages, and Mean ± SD, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between different factors and anxiety symptoms. Results:A total of 10302 university teachers participated in this study, 4416 of them (40.0%) showed anxiety symptoms. Female gender (OR=1.207) and the age of ≥60 years old (OR=2.004) were associated with anxiety. Being married (OR=1.319) was the risk factor for anxiety; being neutral (OR=1.292), or not-support on returning school (OR=1.620) was common risk factors for anxiety. Conclusions:About two-fifths of Chinese university teachers reported anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 epidemic. The government should pay more attention to the mental health of teachers, take timely and appropriate psychological intervention measures, improve the psychological adjustment ability of teachers, and reduce the psychological harm of COVID-19 epidemic to teachers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 42-62
Author(s):  
Mikhail Denisenko ◽  
Vladimir Mukomel

The introduction of quarantine measures in connection with the coronavirus pandemic was accompanied by the blocking of cross-border communications and the restriction of the activities of enterprises in most sectors of the economy. Labor migrants and members of their families staying on the territory of Russia found themselves in a difficult situation. The decline in employment, primarily in those areas where migrants work, has made foreign citizens one of the most vulnerable social groups. The first layer of issues considered in the article is associated with an assessment of the situation in which migrants have found themselves in Russia. In what types of    economic activity has the decline in employment become particularly painful for migrants? What is their financial situation? To what extent are they ready to leave Russia if transport communications are restored? What are their immediate and long-term plans related to work and life in Russia? The second focus of the study is on potential migrants who were unable to enter Russia after the severance of international transport links. What is their economic situation at home? How quickly are they going to leave for Russia if restrictions on international travel are lifted? What are their short-term and long-term plans related to their stay in Russia? This article is devoted to finding answers to these questions, based on an online survey of 2,695 foreign citizens (including 1,304 migrants located in Russia and 1,391 abroad), as well as a telephone survey of 300 labor migrants in the Moscow metropolis conducted in the first half of June 2020.


Author(s):  
Tanu Anand ◽  

Introduction: Unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 pandemic has generated uncertainties in minds of people thereby impacting their mental health. Global evidence supports rising trend of symptoms of depression among general population during the pandemic. Material and Method: It was a cross-sectional study conducted between April 15 and May 01, 2020. Data were collected using pre-structured questionnaire that was circulated through a web-based link via messages and mails. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Result: Out of the total 500 telephonic contacts who were sent the survey link, 478 had (95.6%) responded. There were 114 (23.8%), 64 (13.4%), 40 (8.4%) and 29 (6.1%) participants who were classified as having mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression respectively. Female gender, religion, education status, unemployment and professional occupation, income less than Rs. 20000 and more than Rs. 40000, ‘scare for coronavirus infection’ were found to be significantly associated with severity of depression (p<0.05). Adjusted analysis revealed that age was protective factor where as those who were scared from coronavirus infection were found to be two times more at risk of having symptoms of depression. Increasing family income was also associated with presence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The proportion of participants with depressive symptoms was 51.7%. There is a need for assessing psychosocial impact of COVID-19 among populations and communities in varied settings over a long period of time.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 675-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varun Agrawal ◽  
Laura Plantinga ◽  
Khaled Abdel-Kader ◽  
Kurtis Pivert ◽  
Anthony Provenzano ◽  
...  

BackgroundPhysician burnout and emotional distress are associated with work dissatisfaction and provision of suboptimal patient care. Little is known about burnout among nephrology fellows.MethodsValidated items on burnout, depressive symptoms, and well being were included in the American Society of Nephrology annual survey emailed to US nephrology fellows in May to June 2018. Burnout was defined as an affirmative response to two single-item questions of experiencing emotional exhaustion or depersonalization.ResultsResponses from 347 of 808 eligible first- and second-year adult nephrology fellows were examined (response rate=42.9%). Most fellows were aged 30–34 years (56.8%), male (62.0%), married or partnered (72.6%), international medical graduates (62.5%), and pursuing a clinical nephrology fellowship (87.0%). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were reported by 28.0% and 14.4% of the fellows, respectively, with an overall burnout prevalence of 30.0%. Most fellows indicated having strong program leadership (75.2%), positive work-life balance (69.2%), presence of social support (89.3%), and career satisfaction (73.2%); 44.7% reported a disruptive work environment and 35.4% reported depressive symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression revealed a statistically significant association between female gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.09 to 3.32), poor work-life balance (OR, 3.97; 95% CI, 2.22 to 7.07), or a disruptive work environment (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.48 to 4.66) and burnout.ConclusionsAbout one third of US nephrology fellows surveyed reported experiencing burnout and depressive symptoms. Further exploration of burnout—especially that reported by female physicians, as well as burnout associated with poor work-life balance or a disruptive work environment—is warranted to develop targeted efforts that may enhance the educational experience and emotional well being of nephrology fellows.


Author(s):  
Gaurav Upreti ◽  
Ishwar Chandra Upreti ◽  
Puran Chandra Lohani

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown was used as a public health measure throughout the world including India to reduce transmission of the disease. Not only did the lockdown significantly decrease the growth rate of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also immediately and drastically changed patterns of daily life and behavior of people across India.Methods: This online survey was conducted during phases 2 and 3 of lockdown to study the effect of lockdown on the daily routine of people, find out its psychological impact and study the factors contributing to it.Results: During the lockdown, 75.2% of respondents were working from home with 36.8% reporting a decrease in the number of working hours. There was a significant increase in the mean duration of sleep, exercise/meditation, and time spent with family, on social media/OTT platforms during the lockdown. The lockdown resulted in widespread compliance with public health directives. There was a wide spectrum of symptoms of psychological distress among the study subjects the commonest being anxiety (70%) followed by fear of infection (about 35%). Female gender, extrovert personality, married status, having children, lower socioeconomic status, fear of infection, loneliness, inadequate basic supplies, a longer period of lockdown, and inadequate information were found to be associated with negative psychological impact.Conclusions: Lockdown brought significant changes in the daily routine and behaviour of people with a wide spectrum of negative psychological impacts. Effective measures should be taken to mitigate its effect as a part of the quarantine planning process.


Author(s):  
Gabrielle Mitchell

Objectives This study sought to investigate the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of depressive and anxiety symptoms among Jamaicans during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This was a cross-sectional, population-based online survey. Persons 18 years and older, who reside in Jamaica were targeted via the Facebook social media platform. Those interested in participating were routed to a separate survey platform. The questionnaire captured data related to socio-demographics, knowledge of COVID-19, and beliefs and attitudes about COVID-19. Mental health issues including depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed with questionnaire items from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2). Results There were 485 participants in the study (90.8% female and 9.2% male). Almost all (97.7%) of participants felt that COVID-19 had greatly affected their lives. The prevalence of notable depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms was 54.7% and 49.2% respectively. Binary logistic regression found significant associations between younger age, lower educational level, unemployment and significant depressive symptoms. While younger age and lower educational level were associated with significant anxiety symptoms. Conclusion The findings suggest the need for the government to develop targeted mental health initiatives for young adults, the under- or unemployed and those with lower levels of education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-258
Author(s):  
Debora Jeske ◽  
Carol Linehan

PurposeMany employers experiment with virtual working modes for project-based work. Virtual internships are one such mode that is gaining increasing popularity worldwide, particularly e-internships that require remote working with employers. However, little is known about the extent to which e-internships present learning opportunities to such e-interns.Design/methodology/approachThe current study examined mentoring experiences among a cross-sectional sample of 158 e-interns working for different companies. Data were collected using an online survey in two data collection rounds.FindingsThe length of the e-internships did not increase mentoring satisfaction, but the likelihood of e-interns having a mentor was higher the longer the e-internships. Mentoring was offered irrespective of working hours per week. Mentoring increased reported skill development, particularly in relation to their communication skills and their ability to think strategically about problems. In addition, mentored e-interns were more likely to have opportunities to cooperate with and help others. They likewise had opportunities to share information, knowledge and experiences.Research limitations/implicationsThe study recruited interns from various countries. Potentially relevant cultural differences were not explored as part of this study.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that the benefits of mentoring observed in relation to traditional internships can be fostered in e-internships. E-internships represent an opportunity for managers and employees, regardless of company size, to become mentors. E-internships thus represent another work-integrated as well as work-applied learning and skill development opportunity that creates additional options for many interns and organisations alike.Originality/valueThe evidence suggests that mentoring is becoming a regularly available feature for virtual and temporary workers such as e-interns, many of which are hired for short-term projects. As remote working has become a standard practice, e-internships are on the rise – and worthy of further study in order to promote best practices.


Crisis ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Sarfati ◽  
Blandine Bouchaud ◽  
Marie-Christine Hardy-Baylé

Summary: The cathartic effect of suicide is traditionally defined as the existence of a rapid, significant, and spontaneous decrease in the depressive symptoms of suicide attempters after the act. This study was designed to investigate short-term variations, following a suicide attempt by self-poisoning, of a number of other variables identified as suicidal risk factors: hopelessness, impulsivity, personality traits, and quality of life. Patients hospitalized less than 24 hours after a deliberate (moderate) overdose were presented with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and Impulsivity Rating Scales, Hopelessness scale, MMPI and World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire (abbreviated versions). They were also asked to complete the same scales and questionnaires 8 days after discharge. The study involved 39 patients, the average interval between initial and follow-up assessment being 13.5 days. All the scores improved significantly, with the exception of quality of life and three out of the eight personality traits. This finding emphasizes the fact that improvement is not limited to depressive symptoms and enables us to identify the relative importance of each studied variable as a risk factor for attempted suicide. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as in particular the nongeneralizability of the sample and setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fradhana Putra Disantara

This study aims to analyze the relevance of the �health emergency� status to the existing legal theory and condition as well as to identify the validity of the Circular Letter of the Rector of State Universities. To this end, this study applied the statute and conceptual approach. The study was conducted by inventorying primary and secondary legal materials to obtain a proper and critical review of the legal issues under study. The results showed that the determination of the �health emergency� status by the government was inappropriate due to the uncertainty of the regulations issued by the government to determine the current condition. Thus, the status of the COVID-19 pandemic is a �legal emergency� status. Further, the Rector�s policy through the Circular Letter is valid judicially, sociologically, and philosophically. The determination of the �legal emergency� status can be done by issuing a Perppu without a �state of emergency� from the President. Finally, it is suggested to firstly get an approval from the Ministry of Education and Culture regarding the issuance of the Rector�s Circular Letter. Besides, further study is needed as this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.�Keabsahan Surat Edaran Rektor Perguruan Tinggi dalam Pandemi Covid-19Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisa relevansi status �darurat kesehatan� dengan teori hukum dan kondisi yang ada dan keabsahan atas Surat Edaran Rektor Perguruan Tinggi Negeri. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah statute approach dan conseptual approach. Penelitian dilakukan dengan menginventarisasi bahan hukum primer dan sekunder, guna mendapatkan kajian yang seyogianya dan telaah kritis terkait isu hukum. Hasil penelitian menyatakan penetapan status darurat kesehatan oleh pemerintah kurang tepat, dikarenakan tidak menentu-nya peraturan yang dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah untuk menetapkan kondisi saat ini. Sehingga, status pandemi COVID-19 merupakan status darurat hukum. Kebijakan rektor melalui Surat Edaran adalah absah secara aspek yuridis, sosiologis, dan filosofis. Penetapan darurat hukum cukup dilakukan dengan menerbitkan Perppu tanpa pernyataan darurat dari Presiden. Saran peneliti adalah di perlukan persetujuan pada Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan terkait terbitnya Surat Edaran Rektor, dan dibutuhkan penelitian lebih lanjut dikarenakan penelitian ini dilakukan pada masa COVID-19 yang bersifat temporal.�


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Towaf Totok Irawan

Until now the government and private sector have not been able to address the backlog of 13.5 million housing units for ownership status and 7.6 million units for residential status. The high price of land has led to the high price of the house so that low-income communities (MBR) is not able to reach out to make a home purchase. In addition to the high price of land, tax factors also contribute to the high price of the house. The government plans to issue a policy for the provision of tax incentives, ie abolish VAT on home-forming material transaction. This policy is expected to house prices become cheaper, so the demand for housing increases, and encourage the relevant sectors to intensify its role in the construction of houses. It is expected to replace the lost tax potential and increase incomes. Analysis of the impact of tax incentives housing to potential state revenue and an increase in people's income, especially in Papua province is using the table IO because in addition to looking at the role each sector can also see the impact on taxes (income tax 21 Pph 25 Pph, VAT), and incomes (wage). Although in the short-term impact is still small, but very rewarding in the long run. Keywords: Backlog, Gross Input, Primary Input, Intermediate Input


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