scholarly journals Does living close to a petrochemical complex increase the adverse psychological effects of the COVID-19 lockdown?

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0249058
Author(s):  
Paloma Vicens ◽  
Luis Heredia ◽  
Edgar Bustamante ◽  
Yolanda Pérez ◽  
José L. Domingo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Petrochemical Complex

The petrochemical industry has made the economic development of many local communities possible, increasing employment opportunities and generating a complex network of closely-related secondary industries. However, it is known that petrochemical industries emit air pollutants, which have been related to different negative effects on mental health. In addition, many people around the world are being exposed to highly stressful situations deriving from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns adopted by national and regional governments. The present study aims to analyse the possible differential effects on various psychological outcomes (stress, anxiety, depression and emotional regulation strategies) stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown experienced by individuals living near an important petrochemical complex and subjects living in other areas, nonexposed to the characteristic environmental pollutants emitted by these kinds of complex. The sample consisted of 1607 subjects who answered an ad hoc questionnaire on lockdown conditions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). The results indicate that people living closer to petrochemical complexes reported greater risk perception [K = 73.42, p < 0.001, with a medium size effect (η2 = 0.061)]. However, no significant relationship between psychological variables and proximity to the focus was detected when comparing people living near to or far away from a chemical/petrochemical complex. Regarding the adverse psychological effects of the first lockdown due to COVID-19 on the general population in Catalonia, we can conclude that the conditions included in this survey were mainly related to changes in the participants’ impulsivity levels, with different total impulsivity scores being obtained if they had minors in their care (p<0.001), if they had lost their jobs, if they were working (p<0.001), if they were not telecommuting (p<0.001), if they went out to work (p<0.001) or if they established routines (p = 0.009). However, we can also be fairly certain that the economic effects are going to be worse than those initially detected in this study. More research will be necessary to corroborate our results.

scholarly journals Does living close to petrochemical complex increase the adverse psychological effects of COVID-19 lockdown?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paloma Vicens ◽  
Luis Heredia ◽  
Edgar Bustamante ◽  
Yolanda Pérez ◽  
José L. Domingo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Petrochemical Complex

ABSTRACTThe petrochemical industry has made possible the economic development of many local communities, increasing the employment opportunities and generating a complex network of secondary industries closely related to those. However, it is known that petrochemical industries emit air pollutants, which are related to different negative effects on mental health. In addition, many people around the world are being exposed to highly stressful situations derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown adopted by the national and regional governments. The present study was aimed at analysing the possible differential effects on different psychological outcomes (stress, anxiety, depression and emotional regulation strategies) derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown in individuals living near an important petrochemical complex and subjects living in other areas, non-exposed to the characteristic environmental pollutants emitted by this kind of complexes. The sample was composed by 1607 subjects which respond a questionnaire developed ad hoc about the confinement conditions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) and the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). The results indicated that people living closer to petrochemical complexes reported greater risk perception. However, no significant relationships between psychological variables and proximity to the focus were detected when compared people living near to or far away from a chemical/petrochemical complex. Regarding the adverse psychological effects of the first lockdown due to COVID-19 on the general population in Catalonia, we can conclude that the lockdown conditions included in this survey were mainly related to changes in the impulsivity levels of participants. However, we can also suggest that the economic effects are going to be harder than those initially detected in this study. More studies are necessary to corroborate our results.Author ContributionsConceptualization: Paloma Vicens, Luis Heredia, José L. Domingo, Margarita TorrenteFunding Acquisition: José L. DomingoData Curation and Formal Analysis: Paloma Vicens, Luis Heredia, Edgar Bustamante, Yolanda Pérez, Margarita TorrenteMethodology: Paloma Vicens, Luis Heredia, Margarita TorrenteWriting-original draft: Paloma Vicens, Luis HerediaWriting- review and editing: Paloma Vicens, Luis Heredia, Yolanda Pérez, José L. Domingo, Margarita Torrente

The Effect of Suicide-Related Internet Use on Users’ Mental Health

Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajime Sueki
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Suicide Methods ◽  
Internet Users

Background: Previous studies have shown that suicide-related Internet use can have both negative and positive psychological effects. Aims: This study examined the effect of suicide-related Internet use on users’ suicidal ideation, depression/anxiety tendency, and loneliness. Method: A two-wave panel study of 850 Internet users was conducted via the Internet. Results: Suicide-related Internet use (e.g., browsing websites about suicide methods) had negative effects on suicidal ideation and depression/anxiety tendency. No forms of suicide-related Internet use, even those that would generally be considered positive, were found to decrease users’ suicidal ideation. In addition, our results suggest that the greater the suicidal ideation and feelings of depression and loneliness of Internet users, the more they used the Internet. Conclusion: Since suicide-related Internet use can adversely influence the mental health of young adults, it is necessary to take measures to reduce their exposure to such information.

scholarly journals Teaching during the Pandemic: A Comparison in Psychological Wellbeing among Smart Working Professions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4850
Author(s):  
Emanuela Mari ◽  
Giulia Lausi ◽  
Angelo Fraschetti ◽  
Alessandra Pizzo ◽  
Michela Baldi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Group Methods ◽  
Random Probability ◽  
Smart Working ◽  
Restrictive Measures

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, since March 2020, the Italian population was forced into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. The restrictive measures imposed forced many organizations and workers to work through online platforms and no longer in-person. Smart working, enjoyed by some workers for its flexibility, affected several professional categories. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in the psychological variables related to four groups of professional categories (practitioners, managers, executive employees, teachers), particularly the teachers group. Methods: A total sample of 628 individuals was recruited through a random probability sample across Italy. Due to the lockdown, an online questionnaire was developed; several validated scales were chosen, and some ad hoc constructed items related to the smart working experience were included. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences between the four groups of examined smart workers. Conclusions: All workers have had to readjust to this new way of working, but our results show that teachers were the most affected, both in the perception of their psychological well-being and in the management of the smart working mode.

scholarly journals Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Hungarian Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9565
Author(s):  
Csanád Szabó ◽  
Judit Pukánszky ◽  
Lajos Kemény
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Measuring Instruments ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Ways Of Coping ◽  
General Anxiety Disorder ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
Patient Health

We aimed to explore psychological effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Hungarian adults in the time of the national quarantine situation in May 2020.We conducted a cross-sectional observational study with the use of an anonymous online questionnaire that consisted of 65 items. The following measuring instruments were used: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10); The General Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD)-2; The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2; European Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS); Self-administered inventory of complaints (Hungarian questionnaire); Shortened (Hungarian) version of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire; 2 open-ended questions to examine the participants’ mood and ways of coping during the pandemic. The data of 431 participants were analyzed, their average age was 47.53 ± 11.66 years, and the percentage of females was 90%. The mean of participants’ scores were the following: 19.34 ± 7.97 for perceived stress, 73.05 ± 21.73 for health status, and 8.68 ± 4.65 for neurotic complaints. Thirty-four and one-tenth percent of participants were depressed, 36.2% were anxious, and they tended to use problem-focused coping strategies more frequently than emotion-focused ones. We found significant correlations between all of the seven examined psychological variables. Our results highlight the importance of stress management in the psychological support of healthy adults in quarantine situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Varieties of Public Attitudes toward Immigration: Evidence from Survey Experiments in Japan

2021 ◽  
pp. 106591292199355
Author(s):  
Rieko Kage ◽  
Frances M. Rosenbluth ◽  
Seiki Tanaka
Keyword(s):  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Survey Experiments ◽  
Attitudes Toward Immigration ◽  
The Doors

What factors shape attitudes toward immigration? Previous studies have typically debated whether citizens oppose immigration more for economic or cultural reasons. We broaden this debate by exploring how different segments of the citizenry feel about immigration. Our original surveys conducted in Japan reveal two separate axes along which many citizens view immigration: (1) its cultural and economic effects, and (2) its positive and negative effects. Even in Japan, whose relatively closed policy toward immigration is conventionally believed to reflect widespread public intolerance of outsiders, over 60 percent of our respondents favor widening the doors to immigrants for economic or cultural reasons or both.

scholarly journals Proportions of social capital allocation in the society as a key to defining the vector of its effect on social welfare

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-162
Author(s):  
Ganna Gerasymenko
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
Capital Allocation ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
The Way

The article investigates different approaches to social capital defining as well as to the role of social capital in the economy. The author has found out that social capital can bring forth the range of positive social and economic effects,stimulating the economic development of the country. It also can bring force some negative effects, keeping a check on economic development and proliferating social disproportions. It has been elicited that the way of social capital impact on social welfare is a function of the equitability of its allocation in the society.

scholarly journals Pollution Problems in Koya City due to Private Electrical Generators

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Hayder H. Abbas ◽  
Fakhri H. Ibraheem ◽  
Ahmed A. Maaroof
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Number Of Generators ◽  
The World ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Annual Amount

Koya city, like any other city in the world, faces a critical environmental problem which is global warming and the increase in the rate of production of gaseous pollutants. This research is involved with the negative effects of private Electrical Power Generators (EPGs) on the environment in Koya City. The environmental pollutants resulted from EPGs were investigated by performing an actual study on land for the number of (EPGs), types, and distribution. Koya city is divided into 18 quarters. The investigation covers a period from 2009 to 2017, included. The production of power was increased due to the increase in the number of generators and supplying hours. The power production in 2009 was 23,850 megawatt (MW) whereas it was 49,635 MW in 2017. The amount of fuel consumed in 2009–2017 was relatively increased from 30,000 to 62,500 barrel/year. The total amount of pollutants was increased by about 108% during the period 2009–2017. The results showed that the most significant increase in pollutants was carbon dioxide (CO2). The annual amount of (CO2) emitted in 2009 was 6588 tons whereas it has increased in 2017–13710 tons. The conclusion of this study was that the highest pollution occurred in the center of Koya City in Nabeel quarter, which represented 22% of the whole pollutants.

Optimizing Maintenance for Multi-Unit Industrial Gas Turbine Installations

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Bohlin ◽  
Mathias Wa¨rja
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Preventive Maintenance ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Component Level ◽  
Maintenance Schedule ◽  
Natural Gas Pipelines ◽  
Oil Platforms

High levels of availability and reliability are essential in many industries where production is subject to high costs due to downtime. Examples where gas turbines are used include the mechanical drive in natural gas pipelines and power generation on oil platforms, where it is common to use redundant gas turbines to mitigate the effects of service outage. In this paper, component-level maintenance of parallel multi-unit systems is considered, allowing production at a reduced level when some of the units are not operational. Units are themselves assumed to be composed out of components in a serial configuration; maintenance of one component implies shutdown of the unit. Parallel installations allow maintenance to be performed on one or a few gas turbines without taking down the entire installation. This allows maintenance to be optimized even further than in a serial system. However, the maintenance optimization process is made more complicated, since there now exist both positive and negative grouping effects. The positive grouping effects come from shared setup activities and costs, and the negative effects come from resource limitations, in this case the limited number of gas turbines which can be maintained at the same time. In the approach presented in this paper, each component has its individual preventive maintenance schedule, which is updated at inspections, changes in production and when indicated using remote condition monitoring. A minimal repair model for noncritical routine inspections and service tasks is assumed, which does not affect component state. In addition, previously developed procedures for estimating and measuring residual component lifetime for individual components during operation are used. The procedures are based on a Retirement For Cause (RFC) approach where components are not replaced until a potential failure has been detected. To maximize revenues for an operator, the available information is evaluated using software where scenario analysis and optimization is performed. To show the possible economic effects, gas turbine operation data is used together with maintenance and operator requirements as input for optimization of a production line consisting of a natural-gas compressor station having three SGT-600 gas turbines. Savings can be substantial compared to a traditional preventive maintenance plan.

Sexual behavior and sexual problems among patients with severe chronic psychoses

2003 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Raja ◽  
Antonella Azzoni
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Sexual Performance ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to investigate sexual behavior in a population of psychiatric patients affected by schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder by means of an ad hoc questionnaire designed to explore the three phases of the sexual response: desire (or interest), arousal, and performance. The study assessed patients’ attitude toward sexuality, several aspects of their sexual behavior, including patients’ awareness of the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), contraceptive strategy preferred by patients, and sexual effects of psychotropic medication. Patients reported a high frequency of sexual dysfunction, in particular, hyposexuality. Schizophrenia diagnosis and female gender were associated with lower levels of sexual performance. The impact of psychotropic drugs on patients’ sexuality was significant, with both positive and negative effects. Although 65.8% of patients reported to be concerned about the risk of contracting infections during sexual intercourse, most of them engaged in sexual behavior at high risk for acquisition and transmission of STD. Patients’ compliance with contraceptive measures was poor.

scholarly journals Mapping the patchy legislative landscape of non-native tree species in Europe

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Pötzelsberger ◽  
Katharina Lapin ◽  
Giuseppe Brundu ◽  
Tim Adriaens ◽  
Vlatko Andonovski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Regulatory Intensity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Legal Frameworks ◽  
June July

Abstract Europe has a history rich in examples of successful and problematic introductions of trees with a native origin outside of Europe (non-native trees, NNT). Many international legal frameworks such as treaties and conventions and also the European Union have responded to the global concern about potential negative impacts of NNT that may become invasive in natural ecosystems. It is, however, national and regional legislation in particular that affects current and future management decisions in the forest sector and shapes the landscapes of Europe. We identified all relevant legal instruments regulating NNT, the different legal approaches and the regulatory intensity in 40 European countries (no microstates). Information on hard and effective soft law instruments were collected by means of a targeted questionnaire and consultation of international and national legislation information systems and databases. In total, 335 relevant legal instruments were in place in June/July 2019 to regulate the use of NNT in the investigated 116 geopolitical legal units (countries as well as sub-national regions with their own legislation). Countries and regions were empirically categorized according to ad hoc-defined legislation indicators. These indicators pay respect to the general bans on the introduction of non-native species, the generally allowed and prohibited NNT, approval mechanisms and specific areas or cases where NNT are restricted or prohibited. Our study revealed a very diverse landscape of legal frameworks across Europe, with a large variety of approaches to regulating NNT being pursued and the intensity of restriction ranging from very few restrictions on species choice and plantation surface area to the complete banning of NNT from forests. The main conclusion is that there is a clear need for more co-ordinated, science-based policies both at the local and international levels to enhance the advantages of NNT and mitigate potential negative effects.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document