scholarly journals Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on performance and image enhancing drug use

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Dunn ◽  
Timothy Piatkowski
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Exercise Habits ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Image Enhancing ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Emerging research has suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic has had some impact on substance use patterns. The aim of the study was to conduct a rapid survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) use and training, and any subsequent negative physical or mental health outcomes. Methods During 2020, a convenience sample of 60 PIED consumers (mean age = 26.69; 68.3% located outside Australia) completed a quantitative anonymous online survey exploring how the coronavirus pandemic impacted patterns of PIED use and associated exercise habits. The survey was administered via the Qualtrics platform and distributed online through PIED forums as well as through the investigators’ networks. Participants were asked about their PIED use and exercise habits prior to and during restricted movement ‘lockdowns’. Results During pre-COVID, the majority of the sample opted to ‘blast-cruise’ (an initial high dose, followed by a lower maintenance dose; 71.7%, n = 43). During lockdown, 45% (n = 27) reported a change in PIED use as a result of the restrictions. In light of health concerns during COVID-19, a majority of men (60%, n = 36) did not take any extra precautions relating to their PIED use. A subgroup of men ceased using PIEDs completely (16.7%, n = 10) with the majority (80%, n = 8) of that subgroup following post-cycle therapy (PCT) of some kind. Only a small proportion of the sample reported negative mental health issues as a result of PCT access issues. Conclusions This study contributes to the emerging literature of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on substance use, specifically PIED use among men. The results suggest that the pandemic did influence the choice of PIEDs that participants consumed, although there was little disruption to patterns of exercise, an important aspect of PIED use. Of the men who did cease use completely, the majority reported little issue with PCT access; those who reported difficulty accessing PCT compounds indicated experience some mental health concerns related to ceasing their PIED use. Clinicians and those who come into contact with this group should be alert for any negative physical or mental health concerns resulting from disrupted or ceased PIED use.

scholarly journals Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on performance and image enhancing drug use

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Dunn ◽  
Timothy Piatkowski
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Exercise Habits ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Image Enhancing ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Emerging research has suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic has had some impact on substance use patterns. The aim of the study was to conduct a rapid survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) use and training, and any subsequent negative physical or mental health outcomes. Methods During 2020, a convenience sample of 60 PIED consumers (mean age = 26.69; 68.3% located outside Australia) completed a quantitative anonymous online survey exploring how the coronavirus pandemic impacted patterns of PIED use and associated exercise habits. The survey was administered via the Qualtrics platform and distributed online through PIED forums as well as through the investigator's networks. Participants were asked about their PIED use and exercise habits prior to and during restricted movement ‘lockdowns’. Results Pre-COVID, the majority of the sample opted to ‘blast-cruise’ (an initial high dose, followed by a lower maintenance dose; 71.7%, n = 43). During lockdown, (45%, n = 27) reported a change in PIED use as a result of the restrictions. In light of health concerns during COVID-19, a majority of men (60%, n = 36) did not take any extra precautions relating to their PIED use. A subgroup of men ceased using PIEDs completely (16.7%, n = 10) with the majority (80%, n = 8) of that subgroup following post-cycle therapy (PCT) of some kind. Conclusions This study contributes to the emerging literature of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on substance use, specifically PIED use among men. The results suggest that the pandemic did influence the choice of PIEDs that participants consumed, although there was little disruption to patterns of exercise, an important aspect of PIED use. Of the men who did cease use completely, the majority reported little issue with PCT access; those who reported difficulty accessing PCT compounds indicated experience some mental health concerns related to ceasing their PIED use. Clinicians and those who come into contact with this group should be alert for any negative physical or mental health concerns resulting from disrupted or ceased PIED use.

Human Health Concerns from Pet Ownership After a Tornado

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian E. Heath ◽  
Max Champion
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Separation Anxiety ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
Human Animal Bond ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIntroduction:Although 50% to 60% of North American households own pets and many of these pets are considered family members, there is little information on the impact pet ownership on pet-owning families affected by disasters.Methods:This case report describes some of the effects of a tornado on 17 families whose dwellings were destroyed. The setting was a typical urban trailer park.Results:After a tornado at the Sagamore Village Trailer Park in north central Indiana, 104 families were evacuated. Seventeen (16.3%) of these families owned pets. For 14 families (13.5%), pet ownership had an important impact on the families' recovery from the tornado. Public- and mental-health concerns that arose from pet ownership included failure to evacuate a dangerous site, attempts to re-enter a dangerous site, separation anxiety leading to psychosomatic disturbances, and the need for additional animal care.Conclusions:In urban disasters, the behaviors of families with a human-animal bond are likely to pose a significant risk to their own and others' health and safety in urban disasters. In this small study of families affected by a tornado, the most prominent public-health concerns were failure to evacuate because of a pet and attempts of re-entry to save a pet; the most common mental-health concerns resulted from separation anxiety from a pet and refusal to accept medical treatment until a pet's well-being can be assured. These are thought to be typical issues that will arise out of the human-animal bond in urban disaster situations and differ considerably from traditional public-health concerns over dog bites, spread of zoonotic diseases, and human food contamination. Medical disaster preparedness planning should consider the substantial effects that the human-animal bond is likely to have on human recovery from large-scale urban disasters.

scholarly journals Youth in a pandemic: a longitudinal examination of youth mental health and substance use concerns during COVID-19

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e049209
Author(s):  
Lisa D Hawke ◽  
Peter Szatmari ◽  
Kristin Cleverley ◽  
Darren Courtney ◽  
Amy Cheung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Youth Mental Health ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Mood Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

ObjectiveThis study analyses longitudinal data to understand how youth mental health and substance use are evolving over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is critical to adjusting mental health response strategies.SettingParticipants were recruited from among existing participants in studies conducted in an urban academic hospital in Ontario, Canada.ParticipantsA total of 619 youth aged 14–28 years participated in the study (62.7% girls/young women; 61.4% Caucasian).MeasuresData on mood, substance use and COVID-19-related worries were collected over four time points, that is, every 2 months beginning in the early stages of the pandemic in April 2020. Latent class analyses were conducted on the longitudinal data to identify distinct groups of youth who have different trajectory profiles of pandemic impact on their mood, substance use and COVID-19-related worries.ResultsFor the majority of participants, mood concerns increased early in the pandemic, declined over Canada’s summer months and subsequently increased in autumn. Among the youth with the highest level of mood symptoms at the beginning of the pandemic, increases in mental health concerns were sustained. Substance use remained relatively stable over the course of the pandemic. COVID-19-related worries, however, followed a trajectory similar to that of mood symptoms. Girls/young women, youth living in urban or suburban areas, in larger households, and with poorer baseline mental and physical health are the most vulnerable to mental health concerns and worries during the pandemic.ConclusionsYouth mental health symptom levels and concerns are evolving over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with the evolution of the pandemic itself, and longitudinal monitoring is therefore required. It is also essential that we engage directly with youth to cocreate pandemic response strategies and mental health service adaptations to best meet the needs of young people.

scholarly journals The effect of COVID-19 on mental well-being in Switzerland: a cross-sectional survey of the adult Swiss general population

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Diaz Hernandez ◽  
Stéphanie Giezendanner ◽  
Roland Fischer ◽  
Andreas Zeller
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Background In addition to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic to physical health, mental health is challenged by the emotional response to the situation and the official measures taken to stop the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of impaired mental well-being due to COVID-19 and explore associated factors. Methods The study was an observational, population-based, nationwide, cross-sectional online survey of a representative sample of the general Swiss population performed between March and April 2020. Participants reported on mental well-being, self-isolation/quarantine, their risk for developing severe COVID-19, and their work situation. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed risk factors for impaired mental well-being due to the pandemic. Results Data from 1022 individuals were analysed. The median age was 44 years (range 18 to 78) and 49% were women. A third of respondents reported that the COVID-19 pandemic impaired their mental well-being and almost half reported specific mental health concerns. Impaired mental well-being was associated with having health problems (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.29–2.74, vs no problems), being or living with someone at risk for severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1–1.9,), smoking (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.24–2.61), living in urban residential environments (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.13–2.32, vs rural), not being able to work due to closed workplace (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.04–2.67), aged between 18 and 29 years old (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.32–3.01, vs 45 to 59 years old), and living in a single household (living with someone, OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.97,vs single household). Overall, the most significant covariates of impaired mental well-being were specific mental health concerns: feeling depressed (OR = 7.21, 95% CI: 4.5–11.55), feeling less pleasure in doing things than before (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 4.1–9.62), feeling anxious (OR = 6.13, 95% CI: 3.91–9.59) and feeling lonely (OR = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.53–6.58). Conclusion Impaired mental well-being can carry long-term consequences. We encourage policymakers to implement strategies to promote mental health during this pandemic situation. Special attention should be addressed to the youngest, those at risk for severe COVID-19 and those with government-imposed work restrictions.

scholarly journals Genesis of change: Substance use treatment for forensic patients with mental health concerns

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel McFadden ◽  
Katrina Prior ◽  
Helen Miles ◽  
Sunny Hemraj ◽  
Emma L. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Treatment ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Forensic Patients ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

The Impact of Gender, Culture, and Society on Korean Women's Mental Health

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Jung Choi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Women’S Mental Health ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Korean Culture ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Women's Mental Health ◽  
Gender Culture ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Disabilities

I review the issue of Korean women's anger from the perspectives of gender, culture, and society, and describe the influences of those factors on the women's mental health. Hwa-byung (HB) is a Korean culture-bound syndrome that translates into English as an anger disorder. In Korea, middle-aged women are the mostly highly represented societal group with HB, the symptoms of which are connected with complex psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social disabilities. In this paper, associations among elements related to Korean women's anger and HB are examined within the frameworks of gender, culture, and society. I concluded that the issue of Korean women's anger is not limited to its own context but is part of the wider issues of gender, culture, and society. These issues produce many difficulties, amplify problems, and generate interrelated women's mental health concerns.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Impact on Pediatric Health: A survey of families in Wayne County, MI

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2333794X2110261
Author(s):  
Raksha Raheja ◽  
Chaya Pitman-Hunt ◽  
Sara Haidar ◽  
Slavica Gjorgjevska ◽  
Jacqueline Leja
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Pediatric Health ◽  
Wayne County ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
The Impact

Background. In response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the state mandated “Stay At Home” order included closure of schools and public places and physical distancing measures. As a result, social interactions among children were significantly impaired and pediatric outpatient offices and vaccination rates declined. We sought to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health as well as access to health care in our pediatric population in Wayne County, Michigan. Design/Methods. We conducted a survey through the Wayne County Public School Districts to elicit information regarding subjects’ access to pediatric health care as well as experiences pertinent to their child(ren)’s mental health. Results. Approximately 8500 surveys were sent to families and 278 responses were received. Responses revealed that 46% of children spent more time alone during the pandemic, 36.9% had changes in sleep, 25.6% had little pleasure in doing things, and 32.5% were unhappy or sad. 66.2% were able to make new visits during the pandemic, however, 20.1% missed their child’s doctors’ visits for reasons including clinic cancellations and fear of entering a healthcare setting. Conclusions. The results of this survey demonstrate significant mental health concerns among our pediatric population as approximately 1/3 of families reported changes in behavior or mental health. As school closures persist in response to the ongoing pandemic and social interactions remain limited, it is imperative that pediatricians screen for depression, behavioral problems and other mental health concerns and offer families help to identify appropriate community mental health resources.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Ideation and Deliberate Self-harm in Canadian Adolescents During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 070674372110366
Author(s):  
Brianna J. Turner ◽  
Christina L. Robillard ◽  
Megan E. Ames ◽  
Stephanie G. Craig
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Self Harm

Objective In light of recent evidence that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in marked increases in depression, anxiety, substance use, and other mental health concerns among Canadian adolescents, we investigated the rates of self-harm thoughts and behaviours in this population. Specifically, this study explored: (1) the demographic and geographic distributions of suicidal ideation (SI) and deliberate self-harm (DSH), and (2) the associations of mental health and substance use with SI and DSH. Method A total of 809 Canadian adolescents, aged 12–18 years, completed an online survey between June 17, 2020 and July 31, 2020. Results 44% of adolescents reported experiencing SI since the pandemic began, while 32% reported engaging in DSH. SI and DSH were more common among youth who: identified as transgender, non-binary or gender fluid; who did not reside with both parents; and who reported psychiatric concerns or frequent cannabis use. Conclusion Canadian adolescents appear to be experiencing higher rates of self-harm thoughts and behaviours relative to before the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important for adults who are likely to interact with distressed youth to be aware of potential warning signs that a youth is struggling with self-harm, and to refer youth to specialty mental health services where appropriate.

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