scholarly journals Asthma patients experience increased symptoms of anxiety, depression and fear during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 147997312110296
Author(s):  
Geertje M de Boer ◽  
Laura Houweling ◽  
Rudi W Hendriks ◽  
Jan H Vercoulen ◽  
Gerdien A Tramper-Stranders ◽  
...  

Population studies showed a decrease in psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asthma is associated with a negative effect on anxiety and depression, which might worsen during the COVID-19 lockdown. The aim of the study was to compare fear, anxiety and depression between asthma patients and patients wit hout asthma pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic. This study compares fear, anxiety and depression in asthma patients and controls between pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 lockdown with a cross-sectional online survey. Participants were invited to fill out several questionnaires pertaining to fear, anxiety, depression, asthma control and quality of life. Asthma patients (N = 37) displayed, during the course of the pandemic, a clinically relevant increase in anxiety (3.32 ± 2.95 vs. 6.68 ± 3.78; p < 0.001) and depression (1.30 ± 1.15 vs. 3.65 ± 3.31; p < 0.001), according to the hospital anxiety and depression levels (HADS) compared to pre-COVID-19 assessment. This was not seen in controls. Also, asthma patients displayed more anxiety about acquiring COVID-19 disease compared to controls ((5.11 ± 1.99 vs. 3.50 ± 2.79), p = 0.006). Patients with asthma experienced an increase in anxiety and depression levels and were more afraid of acquiring COVID-19 disease compared to controls. Also, patients with asthma were more likely to avoid healthcare facilities due to fear of acquiring COVID-19 disease compared to controls. Therefore, we advise health care workers to address these possible negative effects on mental health by phone or e-consults.

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy Osagiator Ariyo ◽  
Ebenezer Olutope Akinnawo ◽  
Bede Chinonye Akpunne ◽  
Daniel Oluwasanmi Kumuyi ◽  
Deborah Foluke Onisile

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are the frontline of coping COVID-19 pandemic, which indicates the importance of improving their mental wellness to better cope with the situation. Objectives: The current study aimed to firstly assess the severity of anxiety and depression and perceived vulnerability to diseases, and secondly to investigate their association with the fear of COVID-19 among Nigerian HCWs. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a purposefully selected sample of 413 HCWs from two tertiary healthcare institutions in Benin City, Edo State, South-South Nigeria, responded to the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale. Data was collected between October 2020 and February 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize socio-demographic variables, while inferential statistics (t-test for independent samples, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression) were used to test hypotheses. Results: A high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and perceived vulnerability to diseases (PVD) was observed. Perceived infectability (β = 0.244, P = 0.000), germ aversion (β = 0.166, P = 0.000), and composite PVD (β = 0.96, P = 0.000) were identified as independent and significant predictors of fear of COVID-19, accounting for 7.5; 3.3, and 9.9% variance in the severities of Fear of COVID-19, respectively. Anxiety and depression showed a significant joint prediction of Fear of COVID-19 severity, accounting for a 4.0% variance in the severity. Fear of COVID-19 was not found to be influenced by sex or job type differences among the HCWs. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a high incidence of anxiety, depression, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 among Nigerian HCWs. These reported symptoms of psychopathology are also strong independent and joint predictors of fear of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Farhat Jan ◽  
Muhammad Azeem Qureshi ◽  
Dr. Malik Mureed Hussain

Psychological pressures leading towards instability of psychological states like anxiety, stress, fear and depression. The main objectives of present study were to explore the existence of anxiety, depression and fear among public. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 15th April to 4th May, 2020. Three research instruments including Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used. 530 valid questionnaires were received in response to online survey. The results showed that 518 (97.7%) of individuals have fear. The results indicated that those 403 (76.0%) respondents were non-anxious and 127 (46.0%) people were anxious. Depression and non-depression rate was 55.5% and 45.5% respectively. It was revealed that anxiety, depression and fear have significant positive correlation. It was also found that females faced more anxiety, fear and depression than males. Results indicated that following precaution against coronavirus reduces anxiety, depression and fear. Students were found to have higher mean scores on FCS, SAS and SDS as compare to working and unemployed individuals. Compared to students of intermediate, graduation and post-graduation, Undergraduates had higher mean scores which show more fear, anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is requirement due to outbreak of COVID-19 to facilitate psychological state of general public. Keywords: COVID-19, Anxiety, Depression, Fear, Correlation


2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 0-0

Introduction: Healthcare workers face incomparable work and psychological demands that are amplified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in Jordan. Method: A cross-sectional design was used. Data was collected using an online survey during the outbreak of COVID-19. Results: Overall, of the 312 healthcare workers, almost 38% and 36% presented with moderate to severe anxiety and depression consecutively. Nurses reported more severe symptoms than other healthcare workers. And both anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with well-being. Getting infected was not an immediate worry among healthcare workers; however, they were worried about carrying the virus to their families. Implications for Practice: Stakeholders must understand the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers and plan to provide them with the required psychological support and interventions at an early stage.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajan Shrestha ◽  
Bijay Khatri ◽  
Suman Ranjitkar ◽  
Santoshi Adhikari ◽  
Prasanta Poudyal

Abstract BackgroundCOVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered, with more than 24 million cases worldwide. Geometrically increasing numbers of cases and deaths from COVID 19 in the world, both medical staff and the public have been experiencing psychological problems, which can cause disability and functional impairment of the individual. This study aimed to determine the burden of stress anxiety and depression among health care workers.MethodologyA hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among all the employees of Hospital for Children Eye ENT and Rehabilitation Services Bhaktapur during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown using an online questionnaire. The tools used were adopted from Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) Nepali version and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS2.0).ResultsThe mean age (SD) of the participants (n=86) was 32.53 (7.92) years. Male and female participants were equal in number. The point prevalence of anxiety and depression was 25.6% and 14.0%, respectively. Females had a higher prevalence of both anxiety (39.5% vs 11.6%, p<0.01) and depression (18.6% vs 9.3%, p=0.351). Clinical and non-clinical staff both had a higher prevalence of both anxiety (31.0% and 20.5%, p=0.265) and depression (16.7% and 11.4%, p=0.478). Mean disability score (WHODAS 2.0) among all participants and participants with anxiety and depression was 19.47 (95% CI: 18.13-20.80), 21.27 (95% CI: 18.08-24.46) and 19.92 (15.28-24.56), respectively.ConclusionAnxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown were highly prevalent both in clinical and non-clinical employees, without causing significant functional impairment among health care workers.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0249716
Author(s):  
Iman A. Basheti ◽  
Qassim N. Mhaidat ◽  
Hala N. Mhaidat

Rational During pandemics, including the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of university healthcare students’ is expected to be affected negatively, impacting the students’ learning process. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the level of anxiety and depression of healthcare students living in Jordan, and the effect on their learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey completed by students studying a healthcare-oriented degree in a university in Jordan. Participants were recruited through social media (Facebook and WhatsApp). The validated previously published Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire was used as a part of the online survey to assess students’ anxiety/depression scores. Students’ responses regarding their learning process during the COVID-19 was also assessed. Results The mean age of participants was 21.62 (SD = 4.90), with the majority being females (67.1%). The HADs’ assessment revealed that 43.8% and 40.0% of participants had normal anxiety and depression scores, while 22.4% showed borderline abnormal anxiety/depression scores (33.8%). Many students (33.8%) were classified to have abnormal anxiety scores, while a smaller proportion (26.2%) was classified to have abnormal depression scores. Smoking (p = 0.022), lower family income (p = 0.039), and use of medications (p = 0.032) were positively associated with higher (worse) anxiety scores. Ranking the learning process during COVID-19 showed that 45.8% of the participants believed it was a ‘good/very good/excellent’ process. Conclusions Anxiety and depression levels amongst university healthcare students in Jordan were found to be high when assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the learning process during the pandemic was not accepted by more than half of the students. Implementing psychological interventions for healthcare students during pandemics is strongly recommended in order to optimize students’ mental health and their learning process alike.


Author(s):  
Hasan Saeed Alamri ◽  
Wesam F. Mousa ◽  
Abdullah Algarni ◽  
Shehata F. Megahid ◽  
Ali Al Bshabshe ◽  
...  

Background: This study aims to investigate the mental health of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out targeting confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Due to travel and time constraints as well as the accessibility of patients, cases were included from East Jeddah Hospital, King Abdulaziz Hospital, and the Oncology Center in Jeddah. The data were collected using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed COVID-19 cases, personal data, medical history, smoking, traveling abroad, and work-related conditions. Additionally, data regarding contact level with COVID-19 cases were considered. The mental health statuses of the patients were assessed using a validated Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. The study included 261 COVID-19 patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years. Results: The survey findings revealed that 13% of COVID-19 patients had a borderline level of anxiety, 26.8% were considered anxiety cases, while 60.2% were normal. The findings also revealed that 29.9% had a borderline level of depression, 18.4% were considered depression cases, while 51.7% were normal. Conclusions: This study concluded that COVID-19 patients experience anxiety and depression, and as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread, the results of the study are particularly useful in developing a strategy to psychologically support COVID-19 patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Jialin Fan ◽  
Andrew P Smith

(1) Psychology must play an important role in the prevention and management of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present study was to examine associations between the perceptions of information overload and wellbeing in China during the initial phase of COVID-19. (2) Methods: The present research involved a cross-sectional online survey, which controlled for established predictors of wellbeing and the perception of general (not COVID-19-specific) information overload. The setting of the research was China, February 2020. A total of 1349 participants completed an online survey, and the results from 1240 members of the general public who stated that they were uninfected are reported here (55.6% female; 49.4% single; age distribution: 17–25 years: 26%; 26–30 years: 24.3%; 31–40 years: 23.9%; 41–50 years: 16.2%; 51 years+: 9.6%; the most frequent occupations were: 21.5% students; 19.5% teachers; 25.9% office workers; 10.8% managers, plus a few in a wide range of jobs). The outcomes were positive wellbeing (positive affect and life satisfaction) and negative wellbeing (stress, negative affect, anxiety and depression). (3) Results: Regressions were carried out, controlling for established predictors of wellbeing (psychological capital, general information overload, positive and negative coping). Spending time getting information about COVID-19 was associated with more positive wellbeing. In contrast, perceptions of COVID-19 information overload and feeling panic due to COVID-19 were associated with more negative wellbeing. (4) Conclusions: These results have implications for the communication of information about COVID-19 to the general public and form the basis for further research on the topic.


2015 ◽  
Vol 06 (03) ◽  
pp. 577-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.Y. Ting ◽  
M. Healey ◽  
S.R. Lipsitz ◽  
H. Ramelson ◽  
V. Suric ◽  
...  

Summary Background: A core measure of the meaningful use of EHR incentive program is the generation and provision of the clinical summary of the office visit, or the after visit summary (AVS), to patients. However, little research has been conducted on physician perceptions and beliefs about the AVS. Objective: Evaluate physician perceptions and beliefs about the AVS and the effect of the AVS on workload, patient outcomes, and the care the physician delivers. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of physicians at two academic medical centers (AMCs) in the northeast who are participating in the meaningful use EHR incentive program. Results: Of the 1 795 physicians at both AMCs participating in the incentive program, 853 completed the survey for a response rate of 47.5%. Eighty percent of the respondents reported that the AVS was easy (very easy or quite easy or somewhat easy) to generate and provide to patients. Nonetheless, more than three-fourths of the respondents reported a negative effect of generating and providing the AVS on workload of office staff (78%) and workload of physicians (76%).Primary care physicians had more positive beliefs about the effect of the AVS on patient outcomes than specialists (p<0.001) and also had more positive beliefs about the effect of the AVS on the care they delivered than specialists (p<0.001). Conclusions: Achieving the core meaningful use measure of generating and providing the AVS was easy for physicians but it did not necessarily translate into positive beliefs about the effect of the AVS on patient outcomes or the care the physician delivered. Physicians also had negative beliefs about the effect of the AVS on workload. To promote positive beliefs among physicians around the AVS, organizations should obtain physician input into the design and implementation of the AVS and develop strategies to mitigate its negative impacts on workload. Citation: Emani S, , Ting DY, Healey M, Lipsitz SR, Ramelson H, Suric V, Bates DW. Physician perceptions and beliefs about generating and providing a clinical summary of the office visit. Appl Clin Inform 2015; 6: 577–590http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2015-04-RA-0043


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waleed Ahmed Shahzad

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether anxiety and depression have a negative effect on academic performance. This small-scale study assessed the relationship between these factors. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out. A randomized sample of 52 high school students based in various schools across Lahore participated in the survey. Of the participants, 32 were males and 20 were females. As a measure of anxiety and depression 14 questions from the DASS-21 were utilized (The 7 questions pertaining to the measure of stress were not included in this study). Based on the DASS-21 score obtained by the respondents they were classified under categories of normal, mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe levels of anxiety and depression. As a measure of academic performance, the Grade Point Average (GPA) of the students was obtained via the survey. The mean average GPA was calculated for all the students falling under the aforementioned categories pertaining to anxiety and depression separately and these averages were compared. It was found that the mean average GPA was highest in students falling under the categories of normal and mild levels of anxiety and depression. Whereas, mean average GPA was lower in students suffering from severe levels of anxiety and depression. These findings suggest the need to come up with methods to combat anxiety and depression in high school students as these factors impede academic performance.


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