The mental health of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: two-wave Scottish cohort study

Background Health and social care workers (HSCWs) are at risk of experiencing adverse mental health outcomes (e.g. higher levels of anxiety and depression) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can have a detrimental effect on quality of care, the national response to the pandemic and its aftermath. Aims A longitudinal design provided follow-up evidence on the mental health (changes in prevalence of disease over time) of NHS staff working at a remote health board in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigated the determinants of mental health outcomes over time. Method A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted from July to September 2020. Participants self-reported levels of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7) and mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) at baseline and 1.5 months later. Results The analytic sample of 169 participants, working in community (43%) and hospital (44%) settings, reported substantial levels of depression and anxiety, and low mental well-being at baseline (depression, 30.8%; anxiety, 20.1%; well-being, 31.9%). Although mental health remained mostly constant over time, the proportion of participants meeting the threshold for anxiety increased to 27.2% at follow-up. Multivariable modelling indicated that working with, and disruption because of, COVID-19 were associated with adverse mental health changes over time. Conclusions HSCWs working in a remote area with low COVID-19 prevalence reported substantial levels of anxiety and depression, similar to those working in areas with high COVID-19 prevalence. Efforts to support HSCW mental health must remain a priority, and should minimise the adverse effects of working with, and disruption caused by, the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The mental health of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: a two-wave cohort study

10.1101/2021.06.17.21259076 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Johannes H. De Kock ◽

Helen Latham ◽

Richard Gregory Cowden ◽

Breda Cullen ◽

Katia Narzisi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Longitudinal Design ◽

Well Being ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Health Board ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

The Uk ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Over Time

Abstract: Background Health and social care workers(HSCWs) are at risk of experiencing adverse mental health (MH) outcomes (e.g., higher levels of anxiety and depression) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can have a detrimental impact on quality of care, the national response to the pandemic and its aftermath. Aims A longitudinal design provided follow-up evidence on the MH(changes in the prevalence of disease over time) of NHS staff working in a remote health board in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated the determinants of MH outcomes over time. Method A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted from July to September 2020. Participants self-reported levels of depression(PHQ-9), anxiety(GAD-7), and mental well-being(WEMWBS) at baseline and again 1.5 months later. Results The analytic sample of 169 participants, working in community(43%) and hospital(44%) settings reported substantial levels of probable clinical depression, anxiety and low mental well-being(MWB) at baseline(depression:30.8%, anxiety:20.1%, low-MWB:31.9%). Whilst the MH of participants remained mostly constant over time, the proportion of participants meeting the threshold for clinical anxiety increased to 27.2% at follow-up. Multivariable modelling indicated that working with, and disruption due to COVID-19 were associated with adverse MH changes over time. Conclusions HSCWs working in a remote area with low COVID-19 prevalence, reported similar levels of substantial anxiety and depression as those working in areas of the UK with high rates of COVID-19 infections. Efforts to support HSCW MH must remain a priority and should minimize the adverse effects of working with, and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Transition to Parenthood, Gender and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study of the United Kingdom

10.31235/osf.io/8vcyn ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Sandrine Metzger ◽

Pablo Gracia

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Transition To Parenthood ◽

Energy Levels ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

The Uk ◽

Over Time

Previous studies have omitted a dynamic analysis to examine systematically how the transition into parenthood shapes gendered mental health trajectories. This paper adopts a life-course approach to study gender differences in how the transition into parenthood affects multiple indicators of parents’ mental health over time, using high-quality panel data from the ‘UK Household Longitudinal Study’ (2009-2020). Results from fixed effects models with discrete-time trends show that: (1) mothers’ mental health is more largely affected –both positively and negatively– by the transition to parenthood than fathers’; (2) mothers’ overall mental health shows a distinctive positive anticipation and adaptation around childbirth, while fathers show insignificant changes in this transition; (3) becoming a parent decreases the risks of depressive moods for both genders, with long-lasting effects for mothers; (4) stress and energy levels show a deterioration during care-intensive years for both parents, particularly among women; (5) mothers from higher socioeconomic backgrounds experience lower mental health outcomes during care-intensive years. Overall, this study demonstrates the relevance of parenthood transitions in shaping gendered effects on specific mental health outcomes, with distinct implications for women and men over time, as well as across socioeconomic groups.

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A rapid review of the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers: implications for supporting psychological well-being

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-10070-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Johannes H. De Kock ◽

Helen Ann Latham ◽

Stephen J. Leslie ◽

Mark Grindle ◽

Sarah-Anne Munoz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Social Care ◽

Close Contact ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Care Workers ◽

Health And Social Care

Abstract Background Health and social care workers (HSCWs) have carried a heavy burden during the COVID-19 crisis and, in the challenge to control the virus, have directly faced its consequences. Supporting their psychological wellbeing continues, therefore, to be a priority. This rapid review was carried out to establish whether there are any identifiable risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes amongst HSCWs during the COVID-19 crisis. Methods We undertook a rapid review of the literature following guidelines by the WHO and the Cochrane Collaboration’s recommendations. We searched across 14 databases, executing the search at two different time points. We included published, observational and experimental studies that reported the psychological effects on HSCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results The 24 studies included in this review reported data predominantly from China (18 out of 24 included studies) and most sampled urban hospital staff. Our study indicates that COVID-19 has a considerable impact on the psychological wellbeing of front-line hospital staff. Results suggest that nurses may be at higher risk of adverse mental health outcomes during this pandemic, but no studies compare this group with the primary care workforce. Furthermore, no studies investigated the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social care staff. Other risk factors identified were underlying organic illness, gender (female), concern about family, fear of infection, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and close contact with COVID-19. Systemic support, adequate knowledge and resilience were identified as factors protecting against adverse mental health outcomes. Conclusions The evidence to date suggests that female nurses with close contact with COVID-19 patients may have the most to gain from efforts aimed at supporting psychological well-being. However, inconsistencies in findings and a lack of data collected outside of hospital settings, suggest that we should not exclude any groups when addressing psychological well-being in health and social care workers. Whilst psychological interventions aimed at enhancing resilience in the individual may be of benefit, it is evident that to build a resilient workforce, occupational and environmental factors must be addressed. Further research including social care workers and analysis of wider societal structural factors is recommended.

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Association between personality traits and mental health outcomes in older adults with lifetime trauma exposure: a nationwide community sample

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610216000077 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 28 (9) ◽

pp. 1533-1543 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jee Eun Park ◽

Hye Won Suk ◽

Su Jeong Seong ◽

Ji Hoon Sohn ◽

Bong-Jin Hahm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Traumatic Events ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Lifetime Trauma ◽

Mental Well Being

ABSTRACTBackground:This study evaluated the impacts of earlier traumatic events on the mental health of older adults, in terms of mental disorders and mental well-being, according to sociodemographic variables, trauma-related characteristics, and personality traits in a nationally representative sample of older Koreans.Methods:A total of 1,621 subjects aged 60 to 74 years from a Korean national epidemiological survey of mental disorders responded face-to-face interviews. The Korean Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to investigate lifetime trauma exposure (LTE) and psychiatric diagnoses. The EuroQol health classification system and life satisfaction scale were used to assess quality of life (QoL), and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10) to measure personality traits.Results:Five-hundred and seventy-seven subjects (35.6%) reported a history of LTE (mean age at trauma, 30.8 years old). Current mental disorders were more prevalent in elderly people with LTE, while better current QoL was more frequent in those without LTE. Among older people with LTE, lower extraversion and higher neuroticism increased the risk of current mood or anxiety disorders, whereas higher extraversion increased the probability of experiencing mental well-being after adjusting for sociodemographic and trauma-related variables.Conclusion:Personality traits, especially extraversion, and neuroticism, may be useful for predicting the mental health outcomes of LTE in older adults. Further longitudinal studies investigating the relationship between traumatic events and mental health outcomes are needed.

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Sustained negative mental health outcomes among healthcare workers over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study

10.1101/2021.11.21.21266594 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Roberto Mediavilla ◽

Eduardo Fernandez-Jimenez ◽

Irene Martinez-Morata ◽

Fabiola Jaramillo ◽

Jorge Andreo-Jover ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Over Time

Objective: To characterize the evolution of healthcare workers' mental health status over the 1-year period following the initial COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and to examine baseline characteristics associated with resolution or persistence of mental health problems over time. Methods: We conducted an 8-month follow-up cohort study. Eligible participants were healthcare workers working in Spain. Baseline data were collected during the initial pandemic outbreak. Survey-based self-reported measures included COVID-19-related exposures, sociodemographic characteristics, and three mental health outcomes (psychological distress, depression symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms). We examined three longitudinal trajectories in mental health outcomes between baseline and follow-up assessments (namely asymptomatic/stable, recovering, and persistently symptomatic/worsening). Results: We recruited 1,807 participants. Between baseline and follow-up assessments, the proportion of respondents screening positive for psychological distress and probable depression decreased, respectively, from 74% to 56% and from 28% to 21%. Two-thirds remained asymptomatic/stable in terms of depression symptoms and 56% remained symptomatic or worsened over time in terms of psychological distress. Conclusions: Poor mental health outcomes among healthcare workers persisted over time. Occupational programs and mental health strategies should be put in place.

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Brief self-affirmation intervention for adults with psoriasis for reducing anxiety and depression and boosting well-being: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721004499 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Patryk Łakuta

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Active Control ◽

Implementation Intentions ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Control Group ◽

Post Intervention

Abstract Background There are relatively few studies to address mental health implications of self-affirming, especially across groups experiencing a chronic health condition. In this study, short- and longer-term effects of a brief self-affirmation intervention framed in terms of implementation intentions (if-then plans with self-affirming cognitions; S-AII) were evaluated against an active control group (non-affirming implementation intentions; N-AII), matched to the target condition, and mere goal intention condition (a non-active control) in adults with psoriasis. The three pre-registered primary outcomes captured depression, anxiety, and well-being. Methods Adults with psoriasis (N = 175; Mage = 36.53, s.d. = 11.52) were randomized into S-AII, N-AII, or control. Participants' mental health outcomes were assessed prior to randomization (at baseline), at week 2 (post-intervention), and at a 1-month follow-up. Results Linear mixed models were used and results were reported on the intention-to-treat principle. Analyses revealed that S-AII exerted significantly more improvement in the course of well-being (ds > 0.25), depressive symptoms (ds > −0.40), and anxiety (ds > −0.45) than the N-AII and control group at 2-week post-intervention. Though the differences between groups faded at 1-month follow-up, the within-group changes over time for S-AII in all mental health outcomes remained significant. Conclusions Brief and low-intensity S-AII intervention exerted in the short-term a considerable impact on mental health outcomes. The S-AII shows promising results as a relevant public mental health strategy for enhancing well-being and reducing psychological distress. Future studies could consider whether these effects can be further enhanced with booster interventions.

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Changes in physical activity levels and mental health during COVID-19: Prospective findings among adult twin pairs

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0260218 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e0260218

Author(s):

Glen E. Duncan ◽

Ally R. Avery ◽

Siny Tsang ◽

Bethany D. Williams ◽

Edmund Seto

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adult Twins ◽

Over Time

Background Physical distancing and other COVID-19 pandemic mitigation strategies have negatively impacted physical activity (PA) levels and mental health in cross-sectional studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between changes in PA and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, following implementation of mitigation strategies, in a sample of adult twins. Methods This was a prospective study of 3,057 adult twins from the Washington State Twin Registry. Study participants completed online surveys in 2020, at baseline (March 26 –April 5), and three follow-up waves (W1: April 20 –May 3; W2: Jul 16 –Aug 2; W3: Sept 16 –Oct 1). Physical activity was operationalized as self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and neighborhood walking (minutes/week), and mental health outcomes, operationalized as self-reported anxiety and perceived stress were assessed in the three waves of follow-up. Latent growth curve models (LGCMs) were used to assess changes in PA and mental health outcomes over time. Parallel LGCMs were used to estimate the cross-sectional, parallel, and prospective associations between PA and mental health over time. All models took into within-pair correlations and adjusted for age, sex, and race. Results Individuals’ amount of MVPA and walking decreased over time, whereas levels of anxiety remained stable, and stress increased slightly. Cross-sectional associations observed between both PA predictors and mental health outcomes were weak. After taking into account cross-sectional associations between PA and mental health outcomes, changes in PA over time were not associated with changes in mental health outcomes over time. Conclusions Over a time period aligned with COVID-19 mitigation strategies and social restrictions, changes in physical activity was not associated with changes in anxiety or stress levels in the current sample. Nonetheless, the average decline in PA over time is worrisome. Public health resources should continue to promote PA as a means to improve physical health during the pandemic.

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Longitudinal Correlates of Loneliness and Psychological Distress During the Lockdown Situation due to COVID-19. Effects of Age and Self-Perceptions of Aging

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbab012 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽

José Ángel Martínez-Huertas ◽

Lucía Jiménez-Gonzalo ◽

María del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro ◽

Laura Gallego-Alberto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Stressful Situation ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Personal Variables ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Perceptions Of Aging

Abstract Objectives To longitudinally analyze the correlates of loneliness and psychological distress in people exposed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, exploring the effects of age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Methods A longitudinal follow-up of 1,549 participants was carried out at four different time points during the lockdown in Spain. Questions about the risk of COVID-19, age, SPA, family and personal resources, loneliness, and psychological distress were measured. Results Changes in loneliness showed a linear longitudinal trajectory through time, but changes in psychological distress showed a U-shaped relationship with time. Age was a relevant predictor of differences in distress, with older people reporting less psychological distress. Change in both dependent variables was related to change in different predictors like family and personal variables and also to negative SPA. Discussion In a stressful situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults may be more resilient to adverse mental health outcomes by using more adaptive resources that strengthen their resilience. Support is provided for the importance of stereotyped views of the aging process that, independently of chronological age, may put people at risk of suffering adverse mental health outcomes such as loneliness and psychological distress in times of crisis.

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Compassion toward others and self-compassion predict mental and physical well-being: a 5-year longitudinal study of 1090 community-dwelling adults across the lifespan

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-021-01491-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ellen E. Lee ◽

Tushara Govind ◽

Marina Ramsey ◽

Tsung Chin Wu ◽

Rebecca Daly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adult Lifespan ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Over Time

AbstractThere is growing interest in the role of compassion in promoting health and well-being, with cross-sectional data showing an inverse correlation with loneliness. This is the first longitudinal study examining both compassion toward others (CTO) and compassion toward self (CTS) as predictors of mental and physical health outcomes including loneliness, across adult lifespan. We followed 552 women and 538 men in San Diego County for up to 7.5 (mean 4.8 and SD 2.2) years, using validated rating scales for CTO, CTS, and loneliness. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to examine age- and sex-related trajectories of CTO and CTS over time. Linear regression models were used to evaluate baseline and longitudinal relationships of CTO and CTS with mental well-being, physical well-being, and loneliness. CTS and CTO were weakly intercorrelated. Women had higher baseline CTO than men. While CTO was stable over time and across the lifespan, CTS scores had an inverse U-shaped relationship with age, peaking around age 77. There were significant baseline × slope interactions of both CTO and CTS predicting improvements in physical well-being in adults <60 years old. Increases in CTO and CTS predicted improvements in mental well-being. Higher baseline CTO and CTS as well as increases in CTO and CTS scores predicted lower loneliness scores at follow-up. Thus, CTO and CTS were associated with better mental well-being and loneliness across the adult lifespan, and physical well-being in younger adults, and are promising targets for interventions to improve health outcomes.

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Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors Related to Better Mental Health Outcomes following Child Abuse: Results from a Nationally Representative Canadian Sample

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0706743716651832 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 61 (12) ◽

pp. 776-788 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Tracie O. Afifi ◽

Harriet L. MacMillan ◽

Tamara Taillieu ◽

Sarah Turner ◽

Kristene Cheung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Abuse ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Well Being ◽

Canadian Community Health Survey ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Abuse History ◽

Good Mental Health ◽

Nationally Representative

Objective: Child abuse can have devastating mental health consequences. Fortunately, not all individuals exposed to child abuse will suffer from poor mental health. Understanding what factors are related to good mental health following child abuse can provide evidence to inform prevention of impairment. Our objectives were to 1) describe the prevalence of good, moderate, and poor mental health among respondents with and without a child abuse history; 2) examine the relationships between child abuse and good, moderate, and poor mental health outcomes; 3) examine the relationships between individual- and relationship-level factors and better mental health outcomes; and 4) determine if individual- and relationship-level factors moderate the relationship between child abuse and mental health. Method: Data were from the nationally representative 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health ( n = 23,395; household response rate = 79.8%; 18 years and older). Good, moderate, and poor mental health was assessed using current functioning and well-being, past-year mental disorders, and past-year suicidal ideation. Results: Only 56.3% of respondents with a child abuse history report good mental health compared to 72.4% of those without a child abuse history. Individual- and relationship-level factors associated with better mental health included higher education and income, physical activity, good coping skills to handle problems and daily demands, and supportive relationships that foster attachment, guidance, reliable alliance, social integration, and reassurance of worth. Conclusions: This study identifies several individual- and relationship-level factors that could be targeted for intervention strategies aimed at improving mental health outcomes following child abuse.

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