scholarly journals A Longitudinal Study on the Mental Health of College Students in Jinan During the Peak Stage of the COVID-19 Epidemic and the Society Reopening

2021 ◽  
pp. 102-110
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Zheng ◽  
Yuji Guo ◽  
Wen Ma ◽  
Hui Yang ◽  
Liyan Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Peak Versus

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> COVID-19, a continuously emerging human-to-human infectious disease, has exerted a significant impact on the mental health of college students. However, little is known regarding the variations in the mental health issues experienced by college students during the peak versus reopening stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in China. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> To assess these issues, an online longitudinal survey was conducted via a WeChat applet. Undergraduates (<i>n</i> = 300) were recruited from 26 universities throughout Jinan in February 2020 (T1 – the epidemic peak stage) and in January 2021 (T2 – the society reopening stage). Their mental status was determined using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 item, and the Insomnia Severity Index. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Of the original 300 college students recruited for this survey, 294 responses at T1 and 285 at T2 were analyzed. Compared with responses obtained at T1, college students at T2 showed a greater prevalence of depression (65.3 vs. 51.0%; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and anxiety (47.7 vs. 38.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.019), and experienced more severe depression (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and anxiety (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Both males (<i>p</i> = 0.03) and females (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.01) showed higher levels of depression at T2 versus T1, while no differences were obtained with regard to anxiety and insomnia. At T1, Grade 4 students showed greater levels of depression (<i>p</i> = 0.005) and anxiety (<i>p</i> = 0.008) than that of Grade 1 students. While at T2, only greater levels of depression (<i>p</i> = 0.004) were present when compared with that of Grade 1 students. Additionally, Grade 4 college students demonstrated a greater prevalence of depression at T2 versus T1 (<i>p</i> = 0.03), but no statistically differences were present for anxiety and insomnia. No statistically significant differences were obtained among the 4 grades of college students for insomnia at either the T1 or T2. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> With progression of the COVID-19 epidemic, college students showed increasing levels of depression and anxiety, with Grade 4 college students being most seriously affected. It is imperative that intervention strategies be implemented to mitigate against these mental health issues resulting from the COVID-19 epidemic.

scholarly journals 403Mental Health Needs in International Students of African Descent: Findings from the Healthy Minds Network

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeinab Baba ◽  
Heather Edelblute
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

Abstract Background Mental health issues are becoming of increasing concern for college students while universities are also becoming more internationalized with students from diverse countries. Students of sub-Sahara African (SSA) descent represent a group understudied in the mental health literature who may have unique mental health needs. Methods Data on students of SSA descent (n = 916) was obtained for academic years 2016-2019 of the Healthy Minds Network (HMN), a yearly web-based survey conducted on US university campuses. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with ever receiving counseling or therapy for mental health concerns. Results Over half (57%) were female with a mean age of 25.7. On the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 23% scored in the moderate, moderately severe, or severe depression range. Two-thirds expressed not receiving counseling or therapy for mental health concerns. In multivariate models, males (OR 0.5 (0.3-0.8), p = 0.01)) were less likely to receive counseling or therapy compared to females; students with more days of emotional or mental difficulties were increasingly more likely to ever receive counseling or therapy compared to students with no days of emotional or mental difficulties. Ever receiving counseling or therapy was associated with a rarely stressful financial situation (OR 2.6 (1.2-5.9), p = 0.02)). Conclusions Males may require incentives to get assistance with mental health issues. Making counseling more affordable could improve usage rates by students with more stressful financial situations. Key messages University administrators should consider options to address mental health concerns of this student group..

scholarly journals Yoga of Immortals Intervention Reduces Symptoms of Depression, Insomnia and Anxiety

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadhna Verma ◽  
James Donovan ◽  
Hari S. Tunuguntla ◽  
Renuka Tunuguntla ◽  
Babu V. Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Previous Diagnosis ◽  
Patient Health

Background: Depression, anxiety, and disordered sleep are some common symptoms associated with sub-optimal mental health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues have grown increasingly more prevalent in the population. Due to social distancing and other limitations during the pandemic, there is a need for home-based, flexible interventions that can improve mental health. The Yoga of Immortals (YOI) mobile application provides a structured intervention that can be used on any mobile device and applied from the user's home.Methods: A total of 1,505 participants were enrolled in the study and used the YOI app for an 8-week period. Participants were asked to fill out three questionnaires: The Patient Health Questionnaire, 8 items (PHQ-8), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). These three items were completed by 1,297 participants a total of four times: before starting YOI, two more times during use, and a fourth time after the 8-week usage period. Changes in PHQ8, GAD7 and ISI in participants were compared to a control group, who did not use the YOI app but completed all questionnaires (590 controls finished all questionnaires).Results: Participants reported significant decreases in depression and anxiety-related symptoms. Compared to baseline, PHQ-8 scores decreased 50% on average after the 8-week period. GAD-7 scores also decreased by 40–50% on average, and ISI scores decreased by 50%. These changes were significantly greater (p &lt; 0.05) than that observed in the control group. Participants who reported a previous diagnosis of depression and generalized anxiety reported significantly larger decreases in PHQ-8 and GAD-7 as compared to participants with no prior diagnosis (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: Regular use of the YOI intervention over an 8-week period led to significant decreases in symptoms of both depression and anxiety, as well as alleviation of insomnia.

Understanding body image from a psychosocial stance: how this connects with patients requesting cosmetic procedures

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 128-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Auer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health It ◽  
Additional Training ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Body Dysmorphia

There are many patients requesting cosmetic procedures who also struggle with mental health issues. These can include body dysmorphia, eating disorders, depression and anxiety. If aesthetic practitioners are able to recognise mental health, it will go some way to protect those for whom cosmetic procedures may not be the most appropriate course of treatment. This article will discuss the factors that contribute to the development of body image. The hope is that it will help practitioners question their own knowledge and understanding of mental health and how it can be connected with requests for cosmetic procedures. Practitioners may also identify areas where they need additional training and or understanding.

scholarly journals Developing Technology-Enabled Solutions for College Students to Cope with Factors Leading to Health Problems

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-60
Author(s):  
Timaf Ishak ◽  
Angelica Torres ◽  
Onur Asan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues

The purpose of this paper is to identify the leading causes of mental health issues among college students and determine a possible solution to mitigate these problems. The data presented was gathered through interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study concluded that college students typically use various technologies to alleviate their stress.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress in china during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review with meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 009121742097800
Author(s):  
Syeda Beenish Bareeqa ◽  
Syed Ijlal Ahmed ◽  
Syeda Sana Samar ◽  
Waqas Yasin ◽  
Sani Zehra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Early Period ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Background The novel coronavirus disease which is believed to have initially originated in Wuhan city of China at the end of 2019 was declared as pandemic by March 2020 by WHO. This pandemic significantly impacted the mental health of communities around the globe. This project draws data from available research to quantify COVID-19 mental health issues and its prevalence in China during the early period of the COVID-19 crisis. It is believed that this pooling of data will give fair estimate of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. Methods We conducted this study in accordance with PRISMA guidelines 2009. The protocol for this review is registered and published in PROSPERO (CRD42020182893). The databases used were Pubmed, Medline, Google scholar and Scopus. The studies were extracted according to pre-defined eligibility criteria and risk of bias assessment was conducted. The Meta-analysis was done using OpenMeta [analyst]. Results Total of 62382 participants in nineteen studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Stress was the most prevalent (48.1%) mental health consequence of Covid-19 pandemic, followed by depression (26.9%) and anxiety (21.8%). After performing subgroup analysis, prevalence of depression and anxiety in both females and frontline health care workers were high as compared to the prevalence in general Chinese population. Conclusion The prevalence of depression and anxiety is moderately high whereas pooled prevalence of stress was found to be very high in Chinese people during this Covid-19 crisis.

scholarly journals Mental Health and Academic Success of First-Year College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tammy Jordan Wyatt ◽  
Sara B Oswalt ◽  
Yesenia Ochoa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
College Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues

The prevalence and severity of mental health issues are increasing among college students, and such issues pose a threat to health and academic performance. Responses from 66,159 undergraduate students about mental health and academics from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II were examined using regression analyses. Differences in mental health diagnoses were found by classification with first-year students reporting higher rates of self-injury and seriously considering suicide. Upperclassmen reported higher rates of academic impact from mental health factors. Findings indicate one’s first-year of college as the prime time to promote awareness of and strategies to prevent mental health issues or negative academic effects; implications for first-year experience programs are discussed. 

scholarly journals Digital Cognitive Behavior Therapy Intervention for Depression and Anxiety: Retrospective Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aarathi Venkatesan ◽  
Lily Rahimi ◽  
Manpreet Kaur ◽  
Christopher Mosunic
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Behavior Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Behavior Therapy ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Cognitive Behavior ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Point Reduction ◽  
Therapy Program ◽  
Patient Health

BACKGROUND Digital mental health interventions offer a scalable solution that reduces barriers to seeking care for clinical depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the effectiveness of a 12-week therapist supported, app-based cognitive behavioral therapy program in improving symptoms of depression and anxiety within 9 months. METHODS A total of 323 participants with mild to moderately severe depression or anxiety were enrolled in a 12-week digital cognitive behavior therapy program. The analysis was restricted to participants who provided at least one follow-up assessment after baseline. As a result, 146 participants (45.2%) were included in the analysis—74 (50.7%) participants completed assessments at 3 months, 31 participants (21.2%) completed assessments at 6 months, and 21 participants (14.4%) completed assessments at 9 months. The program included structured lessons and tools (ie, exercises and practices) as well as one-on-one weekly video counseling sessions with a licensed therapist for 12 weeks and monthly check-in sessions for 1 year. The clinically validated Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were used to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. Linear mixed-effects modeling was employed to examine changes in depression and anxiety over time. RESULTS We observed a significant positive effect of program time on improvement in depression (β=–0.12, <i>P</i>&lt;.001) and anxiety scores (β=–0.10, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). At the end of the 12-week intervention, we observed an average reduction of 3.76 points (95% CI –4.76 to –2.76) in PHQ-8 scores. Further reductions in depression were seen at program month 6 (4.75-point reduction, 95% CI –6.61 to –2.88) and program month 9 (6.42-point reduction, 95% CI –8.66 to –6.55, <i>P</i>&lt;.001). A similar pattern of improvement emerged for anxiety, with a 3.17-point reduction at the end of the 12-week intervention (95% CI –4.21 to –2.13). These improvements were maintained at program month 6 (4.87-point reduction, 95% CI –6.85 to –2.87) and program month 9 (5.19-point, 95% –6.85 to 4.81). In addition, greater program engagement during the first 12 weeks predicted a greater reduction in depression (β=–0.29, <i>P</i>&lt;.001) CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that digital interventions can support sustained and clinically meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety. Furthermore, it appears that strong initial digital mental health intervention engagement may facilitate this effect. However, the study was limited by postintervention participant attrition as well as the retrospective observational study design.

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