scholarly journals Prevalence and associated factors of psychosocial distress among seafarers during COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fereshteh Baygi ◽  
Nami Mohammadian Khonsari ◽  
Arash Agoushi ◽  
Saeed Hassani Gelsefid ◽  
Armita Mahdavi Gorabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Distress ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In the context of growing concerns about seafarers’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of psychosocial distress among seafarers of ocean-going vessels during the current health emergency. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 470 multinational seafarers working on two oil tanker international shipping companies. Psychosocial distress was assessed by using Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21). General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used to assessed genral psychiatry disorders and self-rate anxiety. Perceived health status was assessed by a single-item question. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between demographic and work-related variables with mental health outcomes. Results Overall, 439 out of 470 invited seafarers with a mean age of 34.5 (SD: 8.05) participated in this study (participation rate: 93.4%). The prevalence (95% confidence interval) of depression, anxiety, stress, self-rated anxiety, general psychiatric disorders, and poor perceived health status was 12.3% (9.4–15.7), 11.6% (8.7–15.0), 5.9% (3.9–8.5), 2.1% (0.9–3.8), 42.6% (38.0–47.4), and 4.3% (2.6–6.6), respectively. In the multivariate model, by increasing the duration of stay (per month) on board, the odds of depression increased by 20% (OR: 1.20 (95% CI: 1.02–1.40)). Also, non-officer seafarers experienced significantly lower psychosocial distress such as anxiety and stress levels than officers. Conclusion High prevalence of depression, anxiety, and general psychiatric disorders among seafarers during COVID-19 was observed. Our findings also highlight the factors that need to be considered to protect seafarers’ mental well-being. Further studies to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on psychological health issues at sea are recommended.

scholarly journals Should Psychological Distress Screening in the Community Account for Self-Perceived Health Status?

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 526-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Schmitz ◽  
Alain Lesage ◽  
JianLi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
Screening Performance

Objective: Psychological distress questionnaires are often used as screening instruments for mental disorders in clinical and epidemiologic settings. Poor physical health may affect the screening properties of a questionnaire. We evaluate the effect of self-perceived health status on the screening performance of the Kessler K10 and K6 scales in a community sample. Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (CCHS 1.2). Psychological distress was measured by the 6–item (K6) and the 10–item (K10) Kessler instrument. Depression and anxiety disorders were assessed using the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (1–month estimates). Optimal cut-off points regarding health status were determined by finding the K6 and K10 values that allowed for the best balance between sensitivity and specificity. Stratum-specific likelihood ratios (SSLRs) were computed to define strata with discriminating power. Results: There was a strong association between the screening performance of the K6 and K10 scales and self-perceived health status: for the K10 scale, a cut-off point of 5/6 yielded the best balance between sensitivity and specificity for subjects with excellent or very good health status, while a cut-off point of 14/15 yielded the best balance between sensitivity and specificity for subjects with poor health status. Conclusions: The combination of the K6 and K10 scales, with a self-rated health status item, may improve screening properties of the 2 scales.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Disaster-Incident-Related Impacts on Korean Nursing Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 5111
Author(s):  
Minkyung Gu ◽  
Ran Kim ◽  
Hyunjung Lee ◽  
Sohyune Sok
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Coping Skill ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Impact

The frequency of earthquakes in South Korea is increasing. This study aimed to examine and identify the factors influencing the degree of disaster-incident-related impacts among Korean nursing students who have actual disaster experience. The study sample consisted of 153 nursing students living around the Phohang-si area in Gyeongsang-do, South Korea, and who have actual disaster-incident-related experience. Measures used in this study were the Impact of Event Scale, Perceived Health Status Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scale, and Coping Strategy Indicator (Korean version). The data collection period was from October to December 2018. Factors that influence disaster-incident-related impacts among Korean nursing students in descending order are as follows: perceived health status (β = 0.48), gender (β = −0.28), coping skill (β = 0.18), psychological well-being (β = 0.14), need for disaster education (β = 0.12), and major satisfaction (β = −0.12). This study provides preliminary evidence that perceived health status is a major and primary predictor of disaster-incident-related impacts among Korean nursing students, followed by coping skill and psychological well-being. The findings can be reflected in a pertinent curriculum by actively considering these factors in designing nursing education interventions for managing disaster-incident-related impacts among Korean nursing students.

scholarly journals Effects of Residential Instability of Renters on Their Perceived Health Status: Findings from the Korean Welfare Panel Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7125
Author(s):  
Kiduk Park ◽  
Wonseok Seo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
Residential Instability ◽  
The Impact

Identifying the impact of housing instability on the health status of renters with relatively high economic difficulties is important for the improvement of renters’ quality of life and their social security. Accordingly, this study adopted a panel data regression approach to examine the associations between residential instability and perceived health status—including physical and mental health—using 14 waves (2006–2019) of longitudinal data collected by the Korean Welfare Panel Study. The results showed that residential instability significantly affected perceived health status, and renters who experienced residential instability perceived worse health status and had more severe depression than those who did not experience residential instability. Moreover, failure to meet the minimum housing standard worsened depression in renters. Despite assistance benefits from the government, permanent rental housing and the national basic living security were also factors that worsened depression. Dissatisfaction with one’s residential environment and social relationships were also associated with increased depression. We recommend that the overall quality of housing welfare services, including a focus on the mental health of low-income renters, be improved by expanding the range of services, increasing the number of professional housing welfare workers, and supplying community facilities for increasing residential and social relationship satisfactions.

scholarly journals Self-reported Well-being and Perceived Health Status of Women in Child-Producing Age Living in Rural Communities on the Atlantic Ocean Coast in Southwest Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr Bamgboye M Afolabi ◽  
Prof Emmanuel N Ezedinachi ◽  
Dr Iwara Arikpo ◽  
Prof Bassey Igri Okon ◽  
Prof Martin Meremikwu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
Southwest Nigeria ◽  
Status Of Women

scholarly journals Declining mental health among disadvantaged Americans

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (28) ◽  
pp. 7290-7295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noreen Goldman ◽  
Dana A. Glei ◽  
Maxine Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Modest Improvement ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Although there is little dispute about the impact of the US opioid epidemic on recent mortality, there is less consensus about whether trends reflect increasing despair among American adults. The issue is complicated by the absence of established scales or definitions of despair as well as a paucity of studies examining changes in psychological health, especially well-being, since the 1990s. We contribute evidence using two cross-sectional waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study to assess changes in measures of psychological distress and well-being. These measures capture negative emotions such as sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, and positive emotions such as happiness, fulfillment, and life satisfaction. Most of the measures reveal increasing distress and decreasing well-being across the age span for those of low relative socioeconomic position, in contrast to little decline or modest improvement for persons of high relative position.

The impact of giving support to others on older adults' perceived health status

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yadollah Abolfathi Momtaz ◽  
Rahimah Ibrahim ◽  
Tengku A. Hamid
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Health Status Perception of People Close to Retirement Age: Relationship with Mental Health and Healthy Habits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Monge-Martín ◽  
Fernando Caballero-Martínez ◽  
Maria João Forjaz ◽  
Manuel J. Castillo ◽  
Carmen Rodríguez-Blázquez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Physical Work ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Sleep Habits ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Healthy Habits

Abstract Background: The ageing of today's society intensifies the need for the correct and healthy ageing of the elderly, in order to ensure their overall well-being. Practical strategies are needed to acquire healthy habits at this stage of life. The aim of this study is to analyse the life habits of subjects close to retirement age and the factors that could influence these habits (gender, physical and mental health). Methods: A national (Spain) observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study, in which people close to retirement age are surveyed. The online survey included matters regarding socio-demographic, family, work, leisure, social participation and health indicators. Results: The study comprised of 1,700 participants (581 working; 714 retired), average age = 63 years (DT 5.7); 52% women. Most reported having a satisfactory social life (90%), living in pairs (74%), not smoking (80%), following a Mediterranean diet (73%) and taking medicines daily (70%). Disability (WHODAS-12) was higher in men (8.2 vs 6.5, p<0.001) although women showed more health problems and depression (mild-severe) (27% vs 17%, p<0.001), with a healthier diet and lower physical/work activity. The multivariate model showed a significant association of health status (EQ-VAS) with disability level, number of chronic diseases, sleep habits, exercise, diet, and alcohol consumption. When the level of depression was introduced, age and being a woman were also found to be related. In the subgroup of those retired or working (n=1295), retirees reported a better health status, associated with less disability, fewer chronic illnesses, lower depression, good eating and sleeping habits, and exercise. Conclusions: The results show that retirement does not necessarily mean worse health, but rather an opportunity in life to reinforce favourable health activities and correct those lifestyle factors that deteriorate it. This, together with the differences observed according to gender in the perception of clinical and psychological health, will allow for the design of strategies that promote healthy ageing.

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