scholarly journals Community Workforce Differences in Mental Health Across Gender and Job Description in Southwest Indiana

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Rone ◽  
Majed Koleilat ◽  
Kara Garcia

Background and Hypothesis: In May 2020, a community partnership was built in Southwest Indiana to determine the local prevalence of COVID-19 to guide reopening in the region. One year later, a follow-up survey study was launched to address new, pressing questions related to mental health in the community workforce. We hypothesized that adverse mental health symptoms would be disproportionately experienced by specific worker groups based on degree of in-person contact over the past year and demographic characteristics such as age and gender.   Methods: For the 2021 survey, participants were invited through their place of employment or via phone to participate in a short online survey consisting of questions related to demographics, general work roles, company policies over the past year, and wellness. When examining mental health, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and General Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) were used to determine feelings of depression and anxiety, respectively.   Results: 480 participants filled out the 2021 online survey (73% of which were returning). 442 of these responses were complete and eligible for analysis of mental health and degree of in-person contact. 345 responses were complete and eligible for information regarding age. No correlation was found between age and mental health. However, differences were observed based on gender and job description. Women (n=244) and customer-facing employees (n=99) reported more frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression, with customer-facing women reporting the most. Comparing only employees that did not work remotely during the pandemic, customer-facing employees still reported more frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression.  Conclusion and Potential Impact: The impacts of COVID-19 on the workforce are still being studied, but the pandemic continues to take its toll. These mental health trends will help guide future policies to support and improve employee wellbeing, both within participating companies and the workforce at large.  

Author(s):  
Huiyang Dai ◽  
Stephen X. Zhang ◽  
Kim Hoe Looi ◽  
Rui Su ◽  
Jizhen Li

Research identifying adults’ mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relies solely on demographic predictors without examining adults’ health condition as a potential predictor. This study aims to examine individuals’ perception of health conditions and test availability as potential predictors of mental health—insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress—during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey of 669 adults in Malaysia was conducted during 2–8 May 2020, six weeks after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was issued. We found adults’ perception of health conditions had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress. Perceived test availability for COVID-19 also had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with anxiety and depression. Younger adults reported worse mental health, but people from various religions and ethnic groups did not differ significantly in reported mental health. The results indicated that adults with worse health conditions had more mental health problems, and the worse degree deepened for unhealthy people. Perceived test availability negatively predicted anxiety and depression, especially for adults perceiving COVID-19 test unavailability. The significant predictions of perceived health condition and perceived COVID-19 test availability suggest a new direction for the literature to identify the psychiatric risk factors directly from health-related variables during a pandemic.


Author(s):  
Kearnan Myall ◽  
Jesus Montero-Marin ◽  
Willem Kuyken

The COVID-19 pandemic created stressors that raised the likelihood of elite athletes experiencing mental health problems. Understanding how individual traits promote resilience is key to offering treatments specific to this population. This prospective study explores the relationship between mindfulness skills, resilience, and athletic identity on anxiety and depression. The initial assessment was during the first UK lockdown April–May 2020 (T1), and the second during the return to competition July-August 2020 (T2). The sample was 160 elite rugby players. Measures included: Personal Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Cognitive Affective Mindfulness Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Athletic Identity Measurement. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was profiled with descriptive statistics, and relationships between variables with bi-variate correlations and forward stepwise regression modelling. Depression decreased significantly between lock down (T1) and return to competition (T2) (MT1 = 4.20, MT2 = 3.24, p < 0.01), with no significant change in anxiety. Significant correlations were found between mindfulness, resilience, and anxiety and depression (≤0.001). Regression showed that mindfulness (T1) predicted lower anxiety and depression during the return to competition (T2) after controlling for baseline mental health symptoms. Returning to competition after lockdown was associated with a reduction in depression but not anxiety. Mindfulness skills potentially confer protection against anxiety and depression.


2020 ◽  
pp. oemed-2020-106774
Author(s):  
Fan-Yun Lan ◽  
Christian Suharlim ◽  
Stefanos N Kales ◽  
Justin Yang

ObjectivesTo investigate SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) infection and exposure risks among grocery retail workers, and to investigate their mental health state during the pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2020 in a single grocery retail store in Massachusetts, USA. We assessed workers’ personal/occupational history and perception of COVID-19 by questionnaire. The health outcomes were measured by nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) results, General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).ResultsAmong 104 workers tested, 21 (20%) had positive viral assays. Seventy-six per cent positive cases were asymptomatic. Employees with direct customer exposure had an odds of 5.1 (95% CI 1.1 to 24.8) being tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after adjustments. As to mental health, the prevalence of anxiety and depression (ie, GAD-7 score >4 or PHQ-9 score >4) was 24% and 8%, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, those able to practice social distancing consistently at work had odds of 0.3 (95% CI 0.1 to 0.9) and 0.2 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.99) screening positive for anxiety and depression, respectively. Workers commuting by foot, bike or private cars were less likely to screen positive for depression (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.7).ConclusionsIn this single store sample, we found a considerable asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among grocery workers. Employees with direct customer exposure were five times more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Those able to practice social distancing consistently at work had significantly lower risk of anxiety or depression.


Author(s):  
Fan-Yun Lan ◽  
Christian Suharlim ◽  
Stefanos N. Kales ◽  
Justin Yang

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo investigate SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) infection and exposure risks among grocery retail workers, and to investigate their mental health state during the pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2020 in a single grocery retail store in Massachusetts, USA. We assessed workers’ personal/occupational history and perception of COVID-19 by questionnaire. The health outcomes were measured by nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results, GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) and PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9).ResultsAmong 104 workers tested, twenty-one (20%) had positive viral assays. Seventy-six percent positive cases were asymptomatic. After multi-variate adjustments, employees with direct customer exposure had an odds of 4.7 (95% CI 1.2 to 32.0) being tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while smokers had an odds of 0.1 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.8) having positive assay. As to mental health, the prevalence of anxiety and depression (i.e. GAD-7 score > 4 or PHQ-9 score >4) was 24% and 8%, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, those able to practice social distancing consistently at work had odds of 0.2 (95% CI 0.1 to 0.7) and 0.1 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.6) screening positive for anxiety and depression, respectively.ConclusionsWe found a considerable asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among grocery workers. Employees with direct costumer exposure were 5 times more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, while cigarette smokers were 90% less likely to have positive assays. Those able to practice social distancing consistently at work had significantly lower risk of anxiety or depression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 059-063
Author(s):  
Chandra Ayush ◽  
Chandra Avinash ◽  
Sharma Nabina

Background: Anxiety and depression are under reported, underdiagnosed mental illness in health worker in Nepal especially during COVID pandemic. The study was carried out as an observational study on nurses in Nepal. In this study we attempted to assess the incidence and impact of depression and anxiety in nurses who are working upfront in different hospitals during this crisis. Objective: The purpose of the study is to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses in Nepal during COVID pandemic who are working in various hospitals. Method: A cross-sectional non-probability purposive sampling with observational analysis was carried out and the sample was collected from nurses working in different hospitals. Prevalence of anxiety and depression was assessed using a structured and validated questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaires (GAD) with a cut-off score for various levels of anxiety while Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to assess depression. Result: The analysis of these different scales revealed that disabling anxiety prevailed at highest (43.6%) in nursing staff according to HAM-A scale. Moderate anxiety also seemed to be higher (> 20%) in GAD questionnaire. Conclusion: This is the first study carried out in Nepal that investigates the mental health of nurses who are working in the frontline in this COVID pandemic situation. The study revealed that our nurses who have given their life in the line are suffering from serious mental health problems.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pramila Karki ◽  
George B. J. Katwal ◽  
Ayush Chandra ◽  
Avinash Chandra

Abstract BackgroundAnxiety and depression are under reported, underdiagnosed mental illness inhealth worker in Nepal especially during COVID pandemic.The study was carried out as an observational studyon nurses in Nepal. In this study we attempted to assess the incidence and impact of depression and anxietyin nurses who are working upfront in different hospitals during this crisis.ObjectiveThe purpose of the study is to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses in Nepal during COVID pandemic who are working in various hospitals.MethodA cross-sectional non-probability purposive sampling with observational analysis was carried out and the sample was collected from nurses working in different hospitals. Prevalence of anxiety and depression was assessed using a structured and validated questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed with theHamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaires (GAD) with a cut-off score for various levels of anxiety while Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)was used to assess depression.ResultThe analysis of these different scales revealed that disabling anxiety prevailed at highest (43.6%) in nursing staff according to HAM-A scale. Moderateanxiety also seemed to be higher (>20%) in GAD questionnaire. ConclusionThis is the first study carried out in Nepal that investigates the mental health of nurses who are working in the frontline in this COVID pandemic situation. The study revealed that our nurses who have given their life in the line are suffering from serious mental health problems.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bollwerk ◽  
Bernd Schlipphak ◽  
Joscha Stecker ◽  
Jens Hellmann ◽  
Gerald Echterhoff ◽  
...  

Threat perceptions towards immigrants continue to gain importance in the context of growing international migration. To reduce associated intergroup conflicts, it is crucial to understand the personal and contextual determinants of perceived threat. In a large online survey study (N = 1,184), we investigated the effects of ideology (i.e., Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation), subjective societal status (SSS) and their interaction effects in predicting symbolic and realistic threat perceptions towards Middle Eastern immigrants. Results showed that ideology (higher RWA and SDO) and lower SSS significantly predicted both symbolic and realistic threat, even after controlling for income, education, age, and gender. Furthermore, ideology and SSS interacted significantly in predicting realistic threat, with higher levels of SDO and RWA enhancing the effect of SSS. In the discussion, we focus on the implications of our findings with respect to understanding societal conflicts, discuss methodological limitations, and provide directions for future research.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng-Wei Wang ◽  
Wei-Hsin Lu ◽  
Yi-Lung Chen ◽  
Dian-Jeng Li ◽  
Yu-Ping Chang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a ‘public health emergency of international concern. Both worry and anxiety are the common psychological impact during the pandemic. The level of and determinants for worry and anxiety during COVID-19 are not well explored. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to explore the associations of demographic and environmental factors with worry toward COVID-19 and general anxiety among people in Taiwan. METHODS In total, 1970 respondents were recruited through a Facebook advertisement and completed an online survey on worry toward COVID-19, general anxiety during the pandemic, and individual and environmental factors. RESULTS In total, 51.7% and 43.4% of respondents reported high levels of worry toward COVID-19 and general anxiety, respectively. Worse self-rated mental health, lower self-confidence in COVID-19 management, and insufficient mental health resources were significantly associated with high levels of both worry toward COVID-19 and general anxiety. Lower perceived confidence in COVID-19 management by the regional government was significantly associated with a higher level of worry toward COVID-19. Lower perceived social support was significantly associated with a higher level of general anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS The results showed that high levels of worry toward COVID-19 and general anxiety were prevalent during the disease outbreak. Multiple individual and environmental factors related to worry toward COVID-19 and general anxiety were identified. CLINICALTRIAL


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