scholarly journals The psychological impact of COVID-19 disease on nurses in two tertiary healthcare centers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Henry E. Jambo ◽  
Timothy Amos Ekwere ◽  
Victor A. Umoh ◽  
Nkemakolam F. Ndionuka ◽  
Effiong E. Akpan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Simple Random Sample ◽  
Tertiary Healthcare ◽  
High Level

Background: The onset of COVID-19 disease pandemic worldwide has been associated with a high level of psychological distress. Health workers are amongst the high-risk groups for contracting COVID-19 and may be particularly vulnerable to a variety of mental health problems. This study was conducted to determine the psychological impact of the pandemic on mental well-being of Nigerian nurses who are among the frontline health workers in the fight against the disease.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of nurses in two tertiary healthcare setting. A simple random sample of 111 nurses completed the general healthcare questionnaire (GHQ 12).Results: The mean age of respondents was 36.86±8.2 years, consisting of 38.7% males and 61.3% females. The prevalence of psychological distress was 64.9%. Females had significantly higher psychological distress than males (p=0.003). Also, respondents performing duties in COVID-19 ICU hosting institution had significantly higher distress score than those from non COVID-19 hosting centre (p=0.02). Psychological distress was also significantly higher for respondents with a history of exposure to suspected (p=0.001) or confirmed cases (p<0.001). Formal infection prevention training was a protective factor for the development of psychological stress (p=0.002).Conclusions: A large proportion of nursing staffs have a high level of psychological distress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health interventions may be required to mitigate mental health risks in these health workers. 

scholarly journals Strategies for Delivering Mental Health Services in Response to Global Climate Change: A Narrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8562
Author(s):  
Lawrence A. Palinkas ◽  
Meaghan L. O’Donnell ◽  
Winnie Lau ◽  
Marleen Wong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Civil Conflict ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Extreme Weather Events

This narrative review examined strategies for preparedness and response to mental health impacts of three forms of climate change from a services perspective: (1) acute and extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, (2) sub-acute or long-term events such as droughts and heatwaves; and (3) the prospect of long-term and permanent changes, including higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and an uninhabitable physical environment. Strategies for acute events included development and implementation of programs and practices for monitoring and treating mental health problems and strengthening individual and community resilience, training of community health workers to deliver services, and conducting inventories of available resources and assessments of at-risk populations. Additional strategies for sub-acute changes included advocacy for mitigation policies and programs and adaptation of guidelines and interventions to address the secondary impacts of sub-acute events, such as threats to livelihood, health and well-being, population displacement, environmental degradation, and civil conflict. Strategies for long-lasting changes included the implementation of evidence-based risk communication interventions that address the existing and potential threat of climate change, promoting the mental health benefits of environmental conservation, and promoting psychological growth and resilience.

scholarly journals The Acute Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children’s Mental Health in Southwestern Ontario

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Mactavish ◽  
Carli Mastronardi ◽  
Rosanne Menna ◽  
Kimberley A. Babb ◽  
Marco Battaglia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Children And Parents ◽  
The Impact

Objective: COVID-19 is an unprecedented global crisis. Research is critically needed to identify the acute and long-term impacts of the pandemic to children’s mental health including psychosocial factors that predict resilience, recovery, and persistent long-term distress. The present study collected data in June-July 2020 to enumerate the acute impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health, including the magnitude and nature of psychiatric and psychological distress in children, and to evaluate social support as a putative psychosocial correlate of children’s distress.Method: 190 families of children aged 8 to 13 from the Windsor-Essex region of Southwestern Ontario reported on the impact of the pandemic on children’s well-being (e.g., worry, happiness); irritability; social support; and symptoms of anxiety, depressive, and posttraumatic stress disorder at baseline assessment of an ongoing longitudinal study of the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Children and parents reported worsened well-being and psychological distress during the pandemic compared to retrospective report of pre-pandemic well-being. Children and parents also reported higher depressive and anxiety symptoms, but fewer PTSD symptoms, compared to epidemiological samples that used the same measures prior to the pandemic. Finally, child-perceived social support from family and friends was associated with lower symptom severity.Conclusions: Study findings indicate broad psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and are consistent with prior research that indicates a protective role of social support to mitigate the negative psychological impact of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Conversational Agents in the Treatment of Mental Health Problems: Mixed-Method Systematic Review

10.2196/14166 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. e14166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Gaffney ◽  
Warren Mansell ◽  
Sara Tai
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Conversational Agent ◽  
Conversational Agents ◽  
Control Groups

Background The use of conversational agent interventions (including chatbots and robots) in mental health is growing at a fast pace. Recent existing reviews have focused exclusively on a subset of embodied conversational agent interventions despite other modalities aiming to achieve the common goal of improved mental health. Objective This study aimed to review the use of conversational agent interventions in the treatment of mental health problems. Methods We performed a systematic search using relevant databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane library). Studies that reported on an autonomous conversational agent that simulated conversation and reported on a mental health outcome were included. Results A total of 13 studies were included in the review. Among them, 4 full-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The rest were feasibility, pilot RCTs and quasi-experimental studies. Interventions were diverse in design and targeted a range of mental health problems using a wide variety of therapeutic orientations. All included studies reported reductions in psychological distress postintervention. Furthermore, 5 controlled studies demonstrated significant reductions in psychological distress compared with inactive control groups. In addition, 3 controlled studies comparing interventions with active control groups failed to demonstrate superior effects. Broader utility in promoting well-being in nonclinical populations was unclear. Conclusions The efficacy and acceptability of conversational agent interventions for mental health problems are promising. However, a more robust experimental design is required to demonstrate efficacy and efficiency. A focus on streamlining interventions, demonstrating equivalence to other treatment modalities, and elucidating mechanisms of action has the potential to increase acceptance by users and clinicians and maximize reach.

Psychosocial and Mental Health Problems of Older People in Postearthquake Nepal

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 945-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh P. Adhikari ◽  
Nawaraj Upadhaya ◽  
Sasmita Paudel ◽  
Ruja Pokhrel ◽  
Nagendra Bhandari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Programs

Objective: To identify community perceptions on psychosocial and mental health problems of older people in postearthquake situation in Nepal. Method: A qualitative methodology was adopted to explore the experience and opinions of older people, social workers, school teachers, health workers, and nongovernmental organization workers on the psychosocial and mental health problems of older people in Nepal, using key informant interviews. Results: Major local vocabulary for older peoples’ psychosocial and mental health problems were “bichalan” (variation in mood and feeling), “ekohoro” (becoming single minded), “athmabiswasko kami” (low self-esteem), and “bina karan rune” (crying without any reason). The major causes attributed to older people’s problems were physical injury, disability, family conflict, and economic problems. Forgetfulness, tiredness, loss of concentration, restlessness, and isolation were observed in older people since the 2015 earthquake. Discussion: The findings suggest that earthquake had negative impact on older people’s psychosocial well-being; however, little support or treatment options have been made available to these individuals. The tailor-made community-based psychosocial and mental health programs for older people are needed.

scholarly journals Conversational Agents in the Treatment of Mental Health Problems: Mixed-Method Systematic Review (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Gaffney ◽  
Warren Mansell ◽  
Sara Tai
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Conversational Agent ◽  
Conversational Agents ◽  
Control Groups

BACKGROUND The use of conversational agent interventions (including chatbots and robots) in mental health is growing at a fast pace. Recent existing reviews have focused exclusively on a subset of embodied conversational agent interventions despite other modalities aiming to achieve the common goal of improved mental health. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to review the use of conversational agent interventions in the treatment of mental health problems. METHODS We performed a systematic search using relevant databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane library). Studies that reported on an autonomous conversational agent that simulated conversation and reported on a mental health outcome were included. RESULTS A total of 13 studies were included in the review. Among them, 4 full-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The rest were feasibility, pilot RCTs and quasi-experimental studies. Interventions were diverse in design and targeted a range of mental health problems using a wide variety of therapeutic orientations. All included studies reported reductions in psychological distress postintervention. Furthermore, 5 controlled studies demonstrated significant reductions in psychological distress compared with inactive control groups. In addition, 3 controlled studies comparing interventions with active control groups failed to demonstrate superior effects. Broader utility in promoting well-being in nonclinical populations was unclear. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy and acceptability of conversational agent interventions for mental health problems are promising. However, a more robust experimental design is required to demonstrate efficacy and efficiency. A focus on streamlining interventions, demonstrating equivalence to other treatment modalities, and elucidating mechanisms of action has the potential to increase acceptance by users and clinicians and maximize reach.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basema Saddik ◽  
Iffat Elbarazi ◽  
Mohamad-Hani Temsah ◽  
Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari ◽  
Waad Kheder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
High Level

Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in an anonymous online survey between April 19–May 3, 2020. The GAD-7 and K10 measures were used to assess anxiety and psychological distress. Logistic regression models assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, worry, and levels of anxiety and psychological distress.Results: A total of 481 HCWs participated in this study. The majority of HCWs were female (73.6%) and aged 25–34 years (52.6%). More than half were nurses (55.7%) and had good knowledge of COVID-19 (86.3%). Over a third (37%) of HCWs reported moderate/severe psychological distress in the K10 measure and moderate/severe anxiety (32.3%) in the GAD-7, with frontline workers significantly reporting higher levels of anxiety (36%). Knowledge of COVID-19 did not predict anxiety and psychological distress, however, HCWs who believed COVID-19 was difficult to treat and those who perceived they were at high risk of infection had worse mental health outcomes. Worry about spreading COVID-19 to family, being isolated, contracting COVID-19 and feeling stigmatized had 1.8- to 2.5-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems. Additionally, HCWs who felt the need for psychological support through their workplace showed increased odds of psychological distress.Conclusion: HCWs in the UAE reported a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety while responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The findings from this study emphasize the public, emotional and mental health burden of COVID-19 and highlight the importance for health systems to implement, monitor, and update preventive policies to protect HCWs from contracting the virus while also providing psychological support in the workplace.

Psychological Distress in Bullied Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adolescents

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
An-Wen Cheng ◽  
Yu-Ching Chou ◽  
Fu-Gong Lin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Bullying Victimization ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Psychological Well Being

AbstractBullying victimization at school is an important concern in terms of mental health, in particular, for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) adolescents who may be more vulnerable than hearing peers. This study determined the prevalence of bullying victimization among DHH adolescents in Taiwan and ascertained the relation of bullying victimization experiences and family and school variables with their psychological well-being. Data were collected from the 2011 Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study database. Multivariate regression analysis was performed on variables comprising seven items measuring psychological distress; four types of bullying victimizations; and family-, school-, and peer-related factors. Approximately 65% of DHH adolescents experienced at least one type of bullying victimization. Factors such as exclusion bullying, female gender, delayed bedtime, conflicts with parents, unfavorable relationship with parents, inability to get along with friends, dislike for school, and bullying victimization experiences increased psychological distress in the DHH adolescents. Bullying victimization of DHH adolescents is a risk factor for poor mental health. However, a good relationship of these adolescents with their parents and peers could be protective for their psychological well-being. Therefore, parents and teachers should understand the needs of DHH adolescents and establish antibullying strategies to diminish their mental health problems.

scholarly journals Pandemic and mental health of the front-line healthcare workers: a review and implications in the Indian context amidst COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. e100284
Author(s):  
Snehil Gupta ◽  
Swapnajeet Sahoo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Indian Context

Pandemic, being unprecedented, leads to several mental health problems, especially among the front-line healthcare workers (HCW). Front-line HCWs often suffer from anxiety, depression, burnout, insomnia and stress-related disorders. This is mediated to a large extent by the biopsychological vulnerabilities of the individuals; socioenvironmental factors such as the risk of exposure to infection, effective risk communication to HCWs, availability of personal protective equipment, job-related stress, perceived stigma and psychological impact of the isolation/quarantine and interpersonal distancing also play the major roles. Despite the huge magnitude of mental health problems among the front-line HCWs, their psychological health is often overlooked. Some of the potential measures to reduce the mental health problems of the front-line HCWs are effective communication, tangible support from the administration/seniors, mental health problem screening—and interventional—facilities, making quarantine/isolation less restrictive and ensuring interpersonal communication through the various digital platforms, proactively curtailing the misinformation/rumour spread by the media and strict legal measures against violence/ill treatment with the HCWs, and so on. India, along with other countries who lately got affected by the COVID-19, must learn from the experiences of the other countries and also from the previous pandemics as to how to address the mental health needs of their front-line HCWs and ensure HCWs’ mental well-being, thereby improving their productivity. Current review attempts to highlight the mental health aspects of the pandemic on the front-line HCWs, discusses some of the contentious issues and provides future directions particularly concerning COVID-19 in the Indian context and other low-resource countries.

scholarly journals Serious game to promote socioemotional learning and mental health (emoTIC): a study protocol for randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. e052491
Author(s):  
Usue De la Barrera ◽  
Silvia Postigo-Zegarra ◽  
Estefanía Mónaco ◽  
José-Antonio Gil-Gómez ◽  
Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Experimental Group

IntroductionThe development of emotional competences may be a protective factor for mental health problems, promoting well-being at such a complex age as adolescence. Technologies may be used to carry out this empowerment because adolescents are attracted to them. The purpose of the study is to design a serious game based on the Mayer et al’s emotional intelligence ability model and analyse the effectiveness of the emoTIC programme to develop emotional competences, well-being, mental health, and personal strengths immediately after completion and at 12 months.Methods and analysisThe new version of emoTIC will be designed following the suggestions of the adolescents who participated in the pilot study and the results obtained from the statistical analysis. The participants will be 385 adolescents aged 11–16 years who will be randomly assigned to the control group and the experimental group. The experimental group will complete the emoTIC programme. The primary outcomes include emotional competences and subjective well-being. The secondary outcomes are self-esteem; general self-efficacy; personality; social and personal responsibility; school social climate; somatic complaints; depression, anxiety and stress symptoms; emotional and behavioural difficulties; suicidal behaviour; and subjective happiness. Data will be collected at three moments: baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and 12-month follow-up (T3). The effectiveness of the programme will be analysed using different statistical packages.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the Ethics Commission of the University of Valencia (H152865096049), and the standards of the Declaration of Helsinki to collect the data will be followed. Results will be disseminated across the scientific community.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04414449).Trial sponsorUniversity of Valencia. Principal investigator: Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla.

scholarly journals Risk and Protective Factors for the Mental Health of Brazilian Healthcare Workers in the Frontline of COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flávia L. Osório ◽  
Isabella Lara Machado Silveira ◽  
Karina Pereira-Lima ◽  
José Alexandre de Souza Crippa ◽  
Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Risk And Protective Factors ◽  
High Rate

The objective was to compare the mental health indicators of health workers providing care to individuals with COVID-19 in Brazil, considering sociodemographic and occupational variables and the risk perception of contamination by the Sars-CoV-2 of workers from different professions, identifying risk and protective factors. A sample of 916 health workers was assessed: physicians, nursing workers, and workers from other professions (psychologists, physical therapists, nutritionists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, dentists, pharmacists, and social workers). REDCAP software was used to collect data online, using standardized instruments to assess anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and insomnia, and one questionnaire addressed risk and protective variables. Statistical techniques for comparing groups were used along with logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that all the groups presented indicators of significant mental health problems (&gt;36%), especially the nursing group. A larger percentage of participants, regardless of the profession, presented a high rate of insomnia disorders, while posttraumatic stress was the least expressive. Occupational variables stand out as risk factors for mental health, with specificities among the different groups. A protective factor for all the groups was having positive professional prospects. The protective factors for the physicians group included support provided by co-workers, being older and a man, while being satisfied with physical protective measures implemented by the employing institution was a protective factor for the groups composed of nursing workers and other professionals. These findings are relevant for devising mental health care strategies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document