scholarly journals Healthcare Providers on the Frontline: A Quantitative Investigation of the Stress and Recent Onset Psychological Impact of Delivering Health Care Services During COVID-19 in Kashmir

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-367
Author(s):  
Aaliya Khanam ◽  
Shabir Ahmad Dar ◽  
Zaid Ahmad Wani ◽  
Naveed Nazir Shah ◽  
Inaamul Haq ◽  
...  

Background: Frontline healthcare workers (FHCWs) are at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. We aimed to assess the stress and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among FHCWs. Methods: This was an exploratory hospital-based study. A semistructured e-questionnaire was developed and shared through emails, WhatsApp groups, Facebook, and Twitter. The study instruments used were stress questionnaire and the impact of event scale—revised. Results: We received 133 valid responses. A total of 81 (61.4%) of the respondents were single, 74 (55.6) were male, 70 (52.6%) were between 20 and 29 years of age, and 91 (68.4%) were from urban background. A total of 83 (62.4%) of respondents were doctors and 28 (21.1%) were registered nurses. A total of 36 (27.1%) were posted in emergency and 34 (25.6%) were in the in-patient department. Feeling sad and pessimistic, feeling of being avoided by others, the burden of change in the quality of work, and worrying whether the family will be cared for in their absence were significantly more in nurses as compared to the doctors. Stress due to burden in an increase in the quantity of work was seen more in FHCWs working in the swab collection center as compared to those working in the in-patient department, emergency, or theaters. Severe psychological impact was seen in 81 (60.9%) of FHCWs. The psychological impact was significantly more in males and in those who were married. It was also significantly related to the place of posting. Conclusion: More than half of the FHCWs had a severe psychological impact owing to COVID-19. The psychological impact was more in males and those who were married, and it was related to the place of posting of the FHCWs. Nurses had significantly higher stress as compared to doctors.

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s83-s84 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.N. Vranda ◽  
K. Sekar

A Disaster is the tragedy of a natural or human made hazard that negatively affects society or environment. Disaster impacts physical, psychological, social and economic areas of the individual and family and community. Most of the time these are interlinked to each other and its total impact on the survivors is substantial. Children are more susceptible to disaster suffering, and it is noticeable in many complex psychological and behavioral symptoms. On the other hand, the post-disaster psychological effects on children are not recognized and underestimated by the mental health professionals. India is highly prone to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been recurrent phenomenon in India. Out of 602 districts in the country, 125 districts have been identified as most hazard prone areas. The recent heavy rainfall and flood between 28th September to 2nd October 2009 in the Northern region of Karnataka State caused several deaths and massive destructions. This was the first time that North Karnataka received highest rainfall. The incessant rainfall that poured for four days caused the flood and devastated and destroyed the entire social fabric of the community. Floods carry greater risks to psychological as well as physical health of children. The psychological impact of the floods on children has been carried out both qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative assessment was done to assess the severity of floods impact on children using the Impact of Event Scale (Dyregrov and Yule, 1995). The results showed the children showed higher level of intrusion and avoidance aftermath of floods. Boys had significantly higher psychological impact than girls. However, both boys and girls showed moderate to severe level of psychological impact on the domains of intrusion, avoidance and hypervegilence. The implication of the findings are discussed in the context of framing psychosocial programmes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-168
Author(s):  
A.M.F. Schreurs ◽  
M.C.I. LIER ◽  
D.B.M. Koning ◽  
C.W.A. Brals ◽  
M.A. De Boer ◽  
...  

Background: Spontaneous Haemoperitoneum in Pregnancy (SHiP) is a rare, but life-threatening complication of pregnancy that occurs predominantly in the third trimester of pregnancy and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recently the largest case series in literature was published describing 11 Dutch cases of SHiP in women with endometriosis. Purpose: To investigate experiences, psychological impact, and quality of life after SHiP. Methods: A mixed-methods study was performed in women with a history of SHiP and their partners, including all known cases in the Netherlands between 2007 to 2015. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were organized between 2016 and 2017 and analysed thematically with a framework approach. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires investigating the impact of the event (Impact of Event Scale) and Quality of Life (RAND-36). Results: Out of a total of 11 known cases, 7 women agreed for be individually interviewed. From these, all women described a freeze response at the moment of SHiP, combined with either an anxious reaction or a survival mode mind-set. All women received psychological help after SHiP. Still, the feeling of not being heard by the medical staff was present in all women. Other themes such as postpartum period, bonding with their child, effect on daily life, reviving the event, and future pregnancies were also identified in the interviews. In regard to their partners, 3 were interviewed, hence no saturation was achieved. Finally, the questionnaires showed lower Quality of Life and an impact score of ≥ 8/10. Conclusion: SHiP had a profound impact on women and their partners. Dedicated psychological help should be offered to all women after experiencing SHiP.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Davico ◽  
Ada Ghiggia ◽  
Daniele Marcotulli ◽  
Federica Ricci ◽  
Federico Amianto ◽  
...  

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has abruptly changed the life of millions as travel and social contacts have been severely restricted. We assessed the psychological impact of COVID-19 on adults and children, with special attention to health care workers (HCWs).Methods: A self-rated online survey, including the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) for adults and the Children Revised Impact of Event Scale-Revised-13 items (CRIES-13) for their 8–18-year-old offspring, was conducted in Italy on March 20–26, 2020. Linear mixed-effects models were applied to the data, accounting for age, sex, education, and other demographic characteristics.Results: Data were available from 2,419 adults (78.4% females, mean age 38.1 ± SD 13.1 years; 15.7% HCW) and 786 children (50.1% male, mean age 12.3 ± 3.2 years). Median (IQR) IES-R score was 30.0 (21.0–40.0), corresponding to mild psychological impact, with 33.2% reporting severe psychological impact. IES-R was lower in HCWs (29.0) than non-HCWs (31.0), but HCWs directly involved in COVID-19 care had higher scores [33.0 (26.0–43.2)] than uninvolved HCWs [28.0 (19.0–36.0)]. Median CRIES-13 score was [21.0 (11.0–32.0)], with 30.9% of the children at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. Parent and child scores were correlated.Conclusions: Up to 30% of adult and children in the pandemic area are at high risk for post-traumatic stress disturbances. The risk is greater for HCWs directly involved in COVID-19 care and for their children.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 2976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini Campos ◽  
Bianca Gonzalez Martins ◽  
Lucas Arrais Campos ◽  
João Marôco ◽  
Rayya Ahmed Saadiq ◽  
...  

Background: Isolation measures used to contain epidemics generate social interaction restrictions and impose changes in routines of the public that increase negative psychological outcomes. Anxiety and depression are the most common symptoms. Objective: To evaluate the mental health of the Brazilian population during the SARs-CoV-2 pandemic and its relationship with demographic and health characteristics. Methods: Adults from all Brazilian States participated (n = 12,196; women: 69.8%, mean age = 35.2 years). The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and the Impact of Event Scale–revised were used (online survey). Data validity and reliability were verified by confirmatory factor analysis and ordinal alpha coefficient. The probability of presenting psychological symptoms was calculated by multiple logistic regression and odds ratio (OR) (0 = without symptoms, 1 = with mild, moderate, and severe levels of symptoms). Results: High prevalence of depression (61.3%), anxiety (44.2%), stress (50.8%), and psychological impact (54.9%) due to the isolation experienced from the pandemic was found. Younger individuals (OR = 1.58–3.58), those that felt unsafe (OR = 1.75–2.92), with a previous diagnosis of mental health (OR = 1.72–2.64) and/or had general health problems before the pandemic (OR = 1.17–1.51), who noticed changes in their mental state due to the pandemic context (OR = 2.53–9.07), and excessively exposed to the news (OR = 1.19–2.18) were at increased risk of developing symptoms. Women (OR = 1.35–1.65) and those with lower economic status (OR = 1.38–2.69) were more likely to develop psychological symptoms. Lower educational levels increased the likelihood of depressive (OR = 1.03–1.34) and intrusive symptoms (OR = 1.09–1.51). Conclusions: The pandemic and related factors can have a high impact on the mental health of the population. Demographic characteristics can influence the occurrence of psychological symptoms.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e135-e136
Author(s):  
E.T. Kok ◽  
E.L. Turner ◽  
M.J. Davis ◽  
C. Metcalfe ◽  
J.A. Lane ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-84
Author(s):  
Cuiyan Wang ◽  
Mohammad A. Fardin ◽  
Mahmoud Shirazi ◽  
Riyu Pan ◽  
Xiaoyang Wan ◽  
...  

Background: This study aimed to compare the severity of psychological impact, anxiety and depression between people from two developing countries, Iran and China, and to correlate mental health parameters with variables relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although China and Iran are developing countries based on the World Bank’s criteria, these two countries are different in access to resources and health care systems. We hypothesized that Iranians would show higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress as compared to Chinese. Methods: This study collected information related to the COVID-19 pandemic including physical health, precautionary measures and knowledge about the pandemic. We also used validated questionnaires such as the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess the mental health status. Results: There were a total of 1411 respondents (550 from Iran; 861 from China). The mean IES-R scores of respondents from both countries were above the cut-off for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Iranians had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression (p < 0.01). Significantly more Iranians believed COVID-19 was transmitted via contact, practised hand hygiene, were unsatisfied with health information and expressed less confidence in their doctors, but were less likely to wear a facemask (p < 0.001). Significantly more Iranians received health information related to COVID-19 via television while Chinese preferred the Internet (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This cross-country study found that Iranians had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression as compared to Chinese. The difference in reported measures between respondents from Iran and China were due to differences in access to healthcare services and governments’ responses to the pandemic.


Author(s):  
Lucía del Río-Casanova ◽  
Milagrosa Sánchez-Martín ◽  
Ana García-Dantas ◽  
Anabel González-Vázquez ◽  
Ania Justo

Background: Current research has pointed out an increased risk of mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in women compared to men, however the reason for this difference remains unclear. The aim of this research is to study early psychological responses to the pandemic in the Spanish general population, focusing on gender differences. Methods: Nine to 14 days after the declaration of a state of emergency an online survey was conducted assessing sociodemographic, health, behavioral and COVID-19-related variables. Mental health status was evaluated by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Self-Care Scale (SCS). Results: The study included 3520 respondents: 2611 women and 909 men. Women scored significantly higher in DASS-21 and IES-R (p < 0.05) and were more likely to somatize, suffer from hypochondriasis, sleeping disturbances and claustrophobia (p < 0.05). Being a woman can be considered a risk factor for intrusive thoughts, avoidance mechanisms, stress and anxiety (Odd Ratio = 2.7/2.3/2.3/1.6). The risk of presenting posttraumatic symptoms and emotional distress was greater in women (Odd Ratio = 6.77/4.59). General linear models to predict IES-R and DASS-21 scores clarified which variables were gender specific, such as main concerns. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that at early stages of the pandemic, women mental health was more impacted and that both genders show different concerns. Gender perspective in secondary and tertiary prevention strategies must be taken into account when facing the distress associated with the pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 119-125
Author(s):  
Dev Priya ◽  
Monika Saini

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, a novel coronavirus in December 2019 was first identified in Wuhan, the capital city of China, Hubei Province that rapidly spread as worldwide pandemic, a global health emergency condition. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared as Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, by the World Health Organization and later a world pandemic on March 11, 2020. In India, the first COVID-19 case was reported on January 30, 2020, and with increasing number of cases later nationwide lockdown was implemented on March 24, 2020. The COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and gradually country’s economy and health-care services started to resume. According to the international and national guidelines on COVID-19, all the non-essential medical services were suspended including majority of fertility services across the globe. The strategy was followed to minimize the virus transmission with physical distancing and less human interaction. The unplanned shutdown of fertility services to support the overwhelmed health-care services possessed a serious psychological impact and mental distress on the patients undergoing fertility treatments. The aim of this review is to briefly summarize the current knowledge regarding the psychological impact of abrupt suspension of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, closure of IVF clinics and the impact it had on the couples who had to postpone their treatments due to the restrictions. The surveys reviewed are majorly based on observational, cross-sectional community-based study with certain limitations. The study suggested future implication of introducing more structured planning to combat the psychological distress caused during fertility treatments. In future, the psychological consequences of increased anxiety and mental distress need to be addressed during the treatment at fertility clinics. Further, the article also provides brief insights on the legal aspects of assisted reproductive technology rights and how it can help in protecting reproductive rights of child and the women.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Álvaro Planchuelo-Gómez ◽  
Paula Odriozola-González ◽  
María Jesús Irurtia-Muñiz ◽  
Rodrigo de Luis-García

The aim of this study was to assess the temporal evolution of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown from two surveys carried out in Spain with a time difference of about one month. Symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and the psychological impact of the situation were longitudinally analyzed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES) respectively. The Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) and the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN) were also employed to evaluate resilience and social anxiety. There was a total of 4,724 responses from both surveys. Symptomatic scores of anxiety, depression and stress were exhibited by 37.22%, 46.42% and 49.66% of the second survey respondents, showing a significant increase compared to the first survey (32.45%, 44.11% and 37.01%, respectively). There was no significant longitudinal change of the IES scores, with 48.30% of the second survey participants showing moderate to severe impact of the confinement. Low resilience was shown by 40.5% of the respondents, and high social anxiety by 34.8%. Constant news consumption about COVID-19 was found to be positively associated with symptomatic scores in the different scales. On the other hand, daily physical activity was found to be negatively associated with DASS-21 scores. Results indicate that people with social anxiety might be especially vulnerable to the development of other mental disorders after the relaxation of the confinement measures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Odriozola-González ◽  
Álvaro Planchuelo-Gómez ◽  
María Jesús Irurtia-Muñiz ◽  
Rodrigo de Luis-García

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychological impact of COVID-19 in the university community during the first weeks of confinement. A cross-sectional study was conducted. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was employed to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The emotional impact of the situation was analyzed using the Impact of Event Scale. An online survey was fulfilled by 2530 members of the University of Valladolid, in Spain. Moderate to extremely severe scores of anxiety, depression, and stress were reported by 21.34%, 34.19% and 28.14% of the respondents, respectively. A total of 50.43% of respondents presented moderate to severe impact of the outbreak. Students from Arts &amp; Humanities and Social Sciences &amp; Law showed higher scores related to anxiety, depression, stress and impact of event with respect to students from Engineering &amp; Architecture. University staff presented lower scores in all measures compared to students, who seem to have suffered an important psychological impact during the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown. In order to provide timely crisis-oriented psychological services and to take preventive measures in future pandemic situations, mental health in university students should be carefully monitored.


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