Psychosocial and mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown: A rapid qualitative study in migrant shelters at the Mexico-United States border

Salud Mental ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-175
Author(s):  
Ietza Bojórquez ◽  
Olga Odgers-Ortiz ◽  
Olga L. Olivas-Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
The One

Introduction. Migrants could be at increased risk of the psychosocial and mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research is needed to assess their needs and the most useful interventions in this regard. Objective. To describe the mental health consequences of the pandemic and lockdown measures among migrants living in shelters in Tijuana, Mexico, during the COVID-19 pandemic, barriers to mental healthcare during this period, and the key elements of psychosocial support provided by civil society organizations (CSOs), as described by shelters’ staff. Method. In April-May 2020, we conducted a rapid qualitative study through interviews with persons providing services at eight migrant shelters, complementing the information with data from an ongoing ethnographic project. We situated the results within the levels of the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) pyramid of psychosocial and mental health support. Results. In addition to fear of contagion and economic insecurity, migrants experienced emotional distress associated with hardening migration policies, and the difficulties of having to find shelter in place in non-private spaces. Some CSOs continued or adapted previous psychosocial support activities, helping migrants navigate these issues, but other activities stopped amidst physical distancing measures and because of limited resources. Migrants themselves implemented some group activities. There was a surge of civil society initiatives of online support, but some shelters laeked the technological and other resources to benefit from them. Discussion and conclusion. Migrants require a tailor made response to their mental health needs in the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the one provided by CSOs.

scholarly journals Impact of arthritis on the perceived need and use of mental healthcare among Canadians with mental disorders: nationally representative cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e041371
Author(s):  
Alyssa Howren ◽  
J Antonio Aviña-Zubieta ◽  
Deborah Da Costa ◽  
Joseph H Puyat ◽  
Hui Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between having arthritis and the perceived need for mental healthcare and use of mental health support among individuals with mental disorders.DesignA cross-sectional analysis using data from Canadian Community Health Survey—Mental Health (2012).SettingThe survey was administered across Canada’s 10 provinces using multistage cluster sampling.ParticipantsThe study sample consisted of individuals reporting depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.Study variables and analysisThe explanatory variable was self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and outcomes were perceived need for mental healthcare and use of mental health support. We computed overall and gender-stratified multivariable binomial logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income and geographical region.ResultsAmong 1774 individuals with a mental disorder in the study sample, 436 (20.4%) reported having arthritis. Arthritis was associated with increased odds of having a perceived need for mental healthcare (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.71, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.77). In the gender-stratified models, this association was increased among men (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.49) but not women (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 0.78 to 2.82). Evaluation of the association between arthritis and use of mental health support resulted in an aOR of 1.50 (95% CI 0.89 to 2.51). Individuals with arthritis tended to use medications and professional services as opposed to non-professional support.ConclusionComorbid arthritis among individuals with a mental disorder was associated with an increased perceived need for mental healthcare, especially in men, underscoring the importance of understanding the role of masculinity in health seeking. Assessing the mental health of patients with arthritis continues to be essential for clinical care.

scholarly journals Silencing Their Critics: How Government Restrictions Against Civil Society Affect International ‘Naming and Shaming’

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Smidt ◽  
Dominic Perera ◽  
Neil J. Mitchell ◽  
Kristin M. Bakke
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
The Other ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The One ◽  
Naming And Shaming ◽  
Flow Of Information ◽  
Cross National

Abstract International ‘naming and shaming’ campaigns rely on domestic civil society organizations (CSOs) for information on local human rights conditions. To stop this flow of information, some governments restrict CSOs, for example by limiting their access to funding. Do such restrictions reduce international naming and shaming campaigns that rely on information from domestic CSOs? This article argues that on the one hand, restrictions may reduce CSOs’ ability and motives to monitor local abuses. On the other hand, these organizations may mobilize against restrictions and find new ways of delivering information on human rights violations to international publics. Using a cross-national dataset and in-depth evidence from Egypt, the study finds that low numbers of restrictions trigger shaming by international non-governmental organizations. Yet once governments impose multiple types of restrictions, it becomes harder for CSOs to adapt, resulting in fewer international shaming campaigns.

Clubhouse Model and Its Impact on Psychiatric Hospitalization in Canada: A Cohort Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Matthew Joseph Russell ◽  
Natasha Lifeso ◽  
Jordan Fazio ◽  
Carley Piatt ◽  
Frank Kelton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitalization ◽  
Bipolar Disorders ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Clubhouse Model ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
The Relationship

We investigated the relationship between membership in an accredited Clubhouse for mental health support and psychiatric hospitalization in Canada using linked administrative data. Results show that Clubhouse members were less likely to be hospitalized after enrollment and after longer-term enrollment, and younger members diagnosed with schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorders were at increased risk of hospitalization compared to older members without such diagnoses. These findings provide evidence of the possible benefits of Clubhouses in Canada and the characteristics of members who may benefit from support.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Suicide Survivors—A Hidden Grieving Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pinto ◽  
Joana Soares ◽  
Alzira Silva ◽  
Rosário Curral ◽  
Rui Coelho
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
The Impact

Present time has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. People are grieving several non-death related situations: the loss of a job, of a status, of a role, of their life. Restrictive measures and uncertainty about the future makes individuals vulnerable to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Mental health support has been hindered and teams are reinventing themselves to reach people in need. Nevertheless, decompensation of previous psychiatric disorders, increasing levels of depression and anxiety, economical handicaps and fear of the infection, are prompting several cases of COVID-19 related suicides worldwide. Every suicide affects between 5 and 80 individuals, which are known as suicide survivors. Suicide grief is particularly challenging, with rates of complicated grief as high as 40%. Suicide survivors are at increased risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders and of suicidal behaviors. Moreover, feelings of guilt and shame, as well as social stigma, are major obstacles for them to reach form help. This article aims to review the existing literature on COVID-19 related suicides, complicated grief in suicide survivors and highlight modifiable risk factors for both conditions, as well as propose some public health measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic context on self-inflicted harm and its consequences on families, friends and the community. Obstacles to access to mental health support need to be overcome through the use of technology. Technicians should actively approach populations more vulnerable to develop suicidal ideation. Social media have the obligation to provide accurate an non-sensationalistic information. Families and friends should maintain social proximity, despite the need for physical distancing. When a suicide death occurs, police forces and health staff should be prepared to share the news with the family using an empathic and humane approach and providing psychological support. Funerals, memorials and other services should be held as much as possible. Closer contacts should be signalized and closely followed in order to detect the need for specific interventions. Help seeking behaviors should be promoted. Additionally, people should be educated on suicide and its impacts, in order to reduce stigma.

scholarly journals Stabilizing Techniques and Guided Imagery for Traumatized Male Refugees in a German State Registration and Reception Center: A Qualitative Study on a Psychotherapeutic Group Intervention

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharina Zehetmair ◽  
Inga Tegeler ◽  
Claudia Kaufmann ◽  
Anne Klippel ◽  
Luise Reddemann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Guided Imagery ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
German State ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
State Registration

Refugees have an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Due to the unstable setting in refugee state registration and reception centers, recommended trauma-focused treatment approaches are often not applicable. For this purpose, we devised a suitable therapeutic approach to treat traumatized refugees in a German state registration and reception center: Group therapy, focusing on stabilizing techniques and guided imagery according to Reddemann (2017). From May 2017 to April 2018, we conducted semi-structured interviews with n = 30 traumatized refugees to assess their experiences with the stabilizing techniques and guided imagery in group sessions and self-practice. Participants mainly reported that they had more pleasant feelings, felt increasingly relaxed, and could better handle recurrent thoughts. Additionally, the participants noticed that their psychosocial functioning had improved. The main difficulties that participants encountered were feeling stressed, having difficulties staying focused, or concentrating on the techniques. During self-practice, the participants found it most challenging that they did not have any verbal guidance, were often distracted by the surroundings in the accommodation, and had recurrent thoughts about post-migratory stressors, such as insecurity concerning the future or the application for asylum. Our results show that stabilizing techniques and guided imagery according to Reddemann (2017) are a suitable approach to treat traumatized refugees living in volatile conditions.

scholarly journals Access to community-based mental healthcare and psychosocial support within a disaster context

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine P O'Hanlon ◽  
Boris Budosan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Clear Vision ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Mental Health Effects

After a large-scale humanitarian disaster, 30–50% of victims develop moderate or severe psychological distress. Rates of mild and moderate mental disorders increase by 5–10% and severe disorders by 1–2%. Those with such disorders need access to mental healthcare. Primary care clinics are appropriate due to their easy accessibility and the non-stigmatising environment. There is a consensus among experts that the mental health effects of disaster are best addressed by existing services, that is, through capacity building rather than by establishing parallel systems. Mental health interventions in emergencies should begin with a clear vision for the long-term advancement of community services.

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