Changes in substance use and other reinforcing behaviours during the COVID-19 crisis in a general population cohort study of young Swiss men

Abstract Background and Aims There are concerns about the potential impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on substance use (SU) and other reinforcing behaviours (ORB). This paper investigates changes in SU and ORB among young men during the COVID-19 crisis (i.e. March–June 2020). Methods Before and during the COVID-19 crisis, 2,344 young Swiss men completed questionnaires covering SU (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, illegal cannabis), ORB (i.e. gaming, watching TV series, internet pornography) and sociodemographic and work-related characteristics (i.e. deterioration in the work situation, change in working hours, change in working hours from home, healthcare workers’ and other professionals’ contacts with potentially infected people, linguistic region, call up to military or civil protection unit, living situation, age). Results Latent-change score models showed significant decreases of 17% for drinking volume and frequency of heavy episodic drinking, and a significant increase of 75% for time spent gaming and watching TV series. Subgroups showed greater relative increases. French-speaking participants, those who experienced a deterioration in their work situation and healthcare workers in contact with potentially infected people reported increased cigarette use. Those without children increased gaming, whereas those who worked fewer hours, experienced a deterioration in their work situation or were French-speaking did more gaming and watched more TV series. Those who lived alone or were German-speaking watched more internet pornography. Conclusion During the COVID-19 crisis, young Swiss men drank less alcohol and spent more time gaming and watching TV series. Changes in SU and ORB were not homogenous in the young Swiss men population.

Download Full-text

An Inquiry into Unionizing Home Healthcare Workers: Benefits for Workers and Patients

American Journal of Law & Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0098858800002355 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 117-138

Author(s):

Kristin Jenkins Gerrick

Keyword(s):

Health Insurance ◽

Chest Pain ◽

Healthcare Worker ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Constant Stress ◽

Home Healthcare ◽

Client Needs

Susan Carter has not been feeling well for days. She would like to see a doctor about her chest pain and wheezing, but Susan knows that missing work will leave her client without a replacement and, worse, she could be fired. Susan is a home healthcare worker in Illinois. Like many of her fellow workers, Susan has no health insurance and cannot afford to risk losing her job by going to see a doctor.Often, Susan feels unable to handle the constant stress of her job. She helps her clients bathe and dress, prepares their meals and assists them with their medications and housekeeping. Susan travels by bus daily to care for two to five clients. She carries a pager day and night in case a client needs help with a plugged catheter or another emergency. Susan often has to work seven days a week, and she steps in to care for patients whose caregivers have left for better-paying jobs.

Download Full-text

Stress and Associated Factors among Frontline Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Epicenter of Da Nang City, Vietnam

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147378 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7378

Author(s):

Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen ◽

Duong Dinh Le ◽

Robert Colebunders ◽

Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo ◽

Trung Dinh Tran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Stress Component ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Working Hours ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Laboratory Workers ◽

Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽

Second Wave

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in the COVID-19 response have a higher risk of experiencing psychosocial distress amidst the pandemic. Between July and September 2020, a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in Vietnam with Da Nang city being the epicenter. During the outbreak, HCWs were quarantined within the health facilities in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19 to their respective communities. Using the stress component of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), we assessed the level of stress among HCWs in Da Nang city. Between 30 August and 15 September 2020, 746 frontline HCWs were recruited to fill in an online structured questionnaire. Overall, 44.6% of participants experienced increased stress and 18.9% severe or extremely severe stress. In multivariable analysis, increased stress was associated with longer working hours (OR = 1.012; 95% CI: 1.004–1.019), working in health facilities providing COVID-19 treatment (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04–2.39), having direct contact with patients or their bio-samples (physicians, nurses and laboratory workers; OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02–1.99), low confidence in the available personal protective equipment (OR = 0.846; 95% CI: 0.744–0.962) and low knowledge on COVID-19 prevention and treatment (OR = 0.853; 95% CI: 0.739–0.986). In conclusion, many frontline HCWs experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang city. Reducing working time, providing essential personal protective equipment and enhancing the knowledge on COVID-19 will help to reduce this stress. Moreover, extra support is needed for HCWs who are directly exposed to COVID-19 patients.

Download Full-text

An ecological latent class model of adolescent risk and protective factors: Implications for substance use and depression prevention

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/01650254211005567 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 016502542110055

Author(s):

Benjamin L. Bayly ◽

Sara A. Vasilenko

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Native American ◽

Latent Class ◽

Latent Class Model ◽

Single Parent ◽

Low Risk ◽

Heavy Episodic Drinking ◽

Health Study ◽

Adolescent Risk ◽

Parent Relationship

To provide a comprehensive view of the unique contexts shaping adolescent development in the U.S., we utilized latent class analysis (LCA) with indicators of risk and protection across multiple domains (family, peers, school, neighborhood) and examined how latent class membership predicted heavy episodic drinking, illicit substance use, and depression in adolescence and 6 years later when participants were young adults. Data came from Wave 1 (W1) and Wave 3 (W3) of the nationally representative U.S.-based Add Health study ( N = 6,649; Mage W1 = 14.06; Mage W3 = 20.38; 53.8% female; 56.1% White/European American, 22.8% Black/African American, 9.5% Hispanic, 6.7% Biracial, Asian or Pacific Islander 4.2%, American Indian/Native American 0.7%). A six-class solution was selected with classes named: Two Parent: Low Risk, Two Parent: Relationship Risks, Two Parent: Neighborhood Risks, Single Parent: Low Risk, Single Parent: Relationship Risks, and Single Parent: Multidimensional Risk. Subsequent analyses suggested that adolescent social relationships are particularly important for prevention interventions as the classes marked by substance using peers and a lack of closeness to parents and teachers in adolescence (Two Parent: Relationship Risks and Single Parent: Relationship Risks) had consistently poorer outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood.

Download Full-text

The Challenges of Biomedical Waste Management During the Ongoing Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) Pandemic: The Current Scenario

Micro and Nanosystems ◽

10.2174/1876402913666210903164056 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Sabitha Vadakedath ◽

Venkataramana Kandi ◽

Tarun Kumar Suvvari ◽

L V Simhachalam Kutikuppala ◽

Vikram Godishala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Complex Nature ◽

The Novel ◽

Waste Collection ◽

Biomedical Waste ◽

Infected People ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Current Scenario ◽

Constant Observation ◽

Novel Coronavirus

: The novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that has emerged and spread throughout the world causing CoV disease-19 (COVID-19) has since its discovery affected not only humans and animals but also the environment. Because of the highly infectious nature of the virus, and the respiratory aerosol transmission route, face masks and personal protective equipment have become mandatory for public and healthcare workers, respectively. Also, the complex nature of the pathogenicity of the virus, wherein, it has been associated with mild, moderate, and severe life-threatening infections, has warranted increased laboratory testing and placing the infected people in isolation and under constant observation in quarantine centers or at dedicated hospitals. Some infected people, who are generally healthy, and do not show symptoms have been placed in home quarantines. At this juncture, there has been increased amount of biomedical waste (BMW), and infectious general waste along with plastic disposable recyclable and non-recyclable waste. The increased BMW along with the potentially hazardous plastic waste collection, segregation, transport, and disposal has assumed increased significance during the ongoing pandemic. Therefore, this review attempts to investigate the current scenario of BMW management and strategies to minimize BMW and prevent potential environmental pollution.

Download Full-text

New working conditions and consequences on activity of home healthcare workers

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-2012-0127-1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Corinne Van De Weerdt ◽

René Baratta

Keyword(s):

Working Conditions ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Home Healthcare

Download Full-text

A survey of Nipah virus infection among various risk groups in Singapore

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268801006422 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 128 (1) ◽

pp. 93-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

K. P. CHAN ◽

P. E. ROLLIN ◽

T. G. KSIAZEK ◽

Y. S. LEO ◽

K. T. GOH ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neutralizing Antibodies ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Past History ◽

Nipah Virus ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Asymptomatic Infection ◽

Infected People ◽

The People ◽

History Of ◽

Abattoir Workers

Following the Nipah virus (NV) outbreak in March 1999 in Singapore, a serological survey was undertaken to screen individuals potentially exposed to NV. Blood samples were tested for NV IgM, IgG and neutralizing antibodies. Twenty-two (1·5%) of 1469 people tested had antibodies suggesting NV infection. Although 12 of the 22 infected people (54·6%) were symptomatic, the remaining 10 (45·4%) were clinically well and had no past history of compatible pulmonary or neurological disease. Clinical and serological findings suggested three people had been infected with NV before the outbreak was recognized. All those who were infected were male abattoir workers. None of the people who had contact with horses, and no healthcare workers exposed to infected patients and their specimens had detectable antibodies. This study provides evidence that NV causes asymptomatic infection. All of the antibody positive individuals had direct contact with pigs and there was no evidence of human to human transmission.

Download Full-text

Burnout among Portuguese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09980-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ivone Duarte ◽

Andreia Teixeira ◽

Luísa Castro ◽

Sílvia Marina ◽

Carla Ribeiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Professional Organizations ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Infected People ◽

Work Related ◽

High Workload

Abstract Background During COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) have had high workload and have been exposed to multiple psychosocial stressors. The aim of this study was to evaluate HCWs in terms of the relative contributions of socio-demographic and mental health variables on three burnout dimensions: personal, work-related, and client-related burnout. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire spread via social networks. A snowball technique supported by health care institutions and professional organizations was applied. Results A total of 2008 subjects completed the survey. Gender, parental status, marriage status, and salary reduction were found to be significant factors for personal burnout. Health problems and direct contact with infected people were significantly associated with more susceptibility to high personal and work-related burnout. Frontline working positions were associated with all three dimensions. Higher levels of stress and depression in HCWs were significantly associated with increased levels of all burnout dimensions. Higher levels of satisfaction with life and resilience were significantly associated with lower levels of all burnout dimensions. Conclusions All three burnout dimensions were associated with a specific set of covariates. Consideration of these three dimensions is important when designing future burnout prevention programs for HCWs.

Download Full-text