Psychological Effects on Healthcare Workers in Syria During COVID-19

Abstract Introduction:Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of infected cases. Thus, the number of hospital admissions has peaked during a short period, which in return has created a huge burden on healthcare workers. The effect of this pandemic on HCWs can be more severe in war-torn countries. This research aims to explore the psychological effects of the current pandemic on healthcare providers in Syria and compare it with the situation of Syrian HCP outside Syria.Materials and methods:660 has participated in this cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire during two phases (two months apart). The first sample included 76 participants which were used for comparison only, and the second sample consisted of 584 participants (118 outside Syria, 466 inside Syria). The study included demographic, social, and workplace-related questions, as well as three scoring systems including The Pittsburgh, Sleep quality index (PSQI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD 7).Results: 72.4% of the first sample had poor sleep quality compared to 80% for the second sample, while over 40% of the first sample had scored well on the Kessler scale and 17% scored severe stress disorder, the second sample scored 29.8% and 27.9% on the same index retrospectively. Over 70% of the two samples scored mild on the generalized stress disorder index. Both inside and outside Syria samples had very similar results on the three indices, and no significant difference was noticed between the sample inside Syria and the sample outside Syria for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (P=0.900), and for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder score (P=0.798), and no significant difference was noticed between the two samples for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (P=0.231). Conclusion: The current pandemic has imposed new concerns related to the preparedness of health systems worldwide but especially in countries with limited resources. Additionally, addressing mental health issues has become vital to ensure that healthcare systems are more effective.Regions of low income and those suffering from armed conflict may benefit from the conclusions of this study to ameliorate the medical practice conditions in the setting of such pandemics as COVID-19.

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Psychological Effects on Healthcare Workers in Syria During COVID-19

10.21203/rs.3.rs-260487/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

MHD Bahaa Aldin Alhaffar ◽

MHD Alaa Aldin Alhaffar ◽

Chaza Kouchaji ◽

Tamim Alsuliman

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

Psychological Effects ◽

Two Samples ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Distress Scale ◽

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

Abstract Background:Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of infected cases. Thus, the number of hospital admissions has peaked during a short period, which in return has created a huge burden on healthcare workers. The effect of this pandemic on HCWs can be more severe in war-torn countries. This research aims to explore the psychological effects of the current pandemic on healthcare providers in Syria and compare it with the situation of Syrian HCP outside Syria.Methods:660 has participated in this cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire during two phases (two months apart). The first sample included 76 participants which were used for comparison only, and the second sample consisted of 584 participants (118 outside Syria, 466 inside Syria). The study included demographic, social, and workplace-related questions, as well as three scoring systems including The Pittsburgh, Sleep quality index (PSQI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD 7).Results: 72.4% of the first sample had poor sleep quality compared to 80% for the second sample, while over 40% of the first sample had scored well on the Kessler scale and 17% scored severe stress disorder, the second sample scored 29.8% and 27.9% on the same index retrospectively. Over 70% of the two samples scored mild on the generalized stress disorder index.Both inside and outside Syria samples had very similar results on the three indices, and no significant difference was noticed between the sample inside Syria and the sample outside Syria for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (P=0.900), and for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder score (P=0.798), and no significant difference was noticed between the two samples for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (P=0.231).Conclusion: The current pandemic has imposed new concerns related to the preparedness of health systems worldwide but especially in countries with limited resources. Additionally, addressing mental health issues has become vital to ensure that healthcare systems are more effective.Regions of low income and those suffering from armed conflict may benefit from the conclusions of this study to ameliorate the medical practice conditions in the setting of such pandemics as COVID-19.

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A Survey on Mental Health Impact Caused by COVID-19 Pandemic in Italian Pediatric Healthcare Workers.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-34827/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Paola Di Filippo ◽

Marina Attanasi ◽

Giulia Dodi ◽

Annamaria Porreca ◽

Massimiliano Raso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Secondary Care ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Psychological Effects ◽

Pediatric Healthcare

Abstract Background: Few studies investigated COVID-19 pandemic psychological effects on pediatric healthcare staff. The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep quality and psychological effects of pediatric healthcare workers during COVID-19 epidemic in Italy and to evaluate potential differences between Primary and Secondary Care operators. Methods: Pediatric healthcare workers were involved in an online survey aimed to characterize responders and to define their clinical expertise in the management of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients during pandemic. Using validated scores, the online questionnaire assessed sleep quality, stress and anxiety level, self-efficacy and social support in pediatric healthcare workers. Results: During COVID-19 outbreak, 67.43% of our population were suffering sleep disturbance, and we found a positive correlation between sleep disturbances with stress and anxiety. Furthermore, 19.42% of subjects were suffering anxiety and 53% were at risk of developing an acute stress disorder. Stress resulted inversely correlated with self-efficacy and social support.Secondary care operators were more affected than family pediatricians by sleep disturbances, stress but especially by anxiety. Social support was considerably higher in secondary care operators compared to family pediatricians.Conclusions: Despite the less exposure and the less infection probability, much of pediatric healthcare workers were suffered sleep disturbance, anxiety and potential stress disorder. In the Pediatric Units, these psychological effects could be related to other factors compared to frontline departments, such as the early confused situation, the difficulties in workplaces managing and in finding personal protective equipment, as well as the subsequent sense of helplessness and frustration.

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Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

PsycTESTS Dataset ◽

10.1037/t08324-000 ◽

2002 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. C. Kessler ◽

G. Andrews ◽

L. J. Colpe ◽

E. Hiripi ◽

D. K. Mroczek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Distress Scale ◽

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

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Validation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PSQI-A) in U.S. Male Military Veterans

Journal of Traumatic Stress ◽

10.1002/jts.21793 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 192-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Salvatore P. Insana ◽

Martica Hall ◽

Daniel J. Buysse ◽

Anne Germain

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Quality Index ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

Military Veterans

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Clinical Efficacy of a New Robot-assisted Gait Training System for Acute Stroke Patients

Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering ◽

10.1007/s40846-020-00590-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andy Chien ◽

Fei-Chun Chang ◽

Nai-Hsin Meng ◽

Pei-Yu Yang ◽

Ching Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Quality Index ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

Gait Training ◽

Training System ◽

Control Group ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Robot Assisted ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Purpose Robot-assisted gait rehabilitation has been proposed as a plausible supplementary rehabilitation strategy in stroke rehabilitation in the last decade. However, its exact benefit over traditional rehabilitation remain sparse and unclear. It is therefore the purpose of the current study to comparatively investigate the clinical benefits of the additional robot-assisted training in acute stroke patients compared to standard hospital rehabilitation alone. Methods Ninety acute stroke patients (< 3 month) were recruited. All participants received the standard hospital neurorehabilitation comprises 45–60 min sessions daily for 3 weeks. Sixty patients also received an additional 30 min of robot-assisted gait training with the HIWIN MRG-P100 gait training system after each of the standard neurorehabilitation session. Outcome measures included: 1. Berg Balance Scale (BBS); 2. Brunnstrom Stage; 3. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and 4. Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) which were assessed pre-treatment and then after every five training sessions. Results Both groups demonstrated significant improvement pre- and post-treatment for the BBS (robotic group p = 0.023; control group p = 0.033) but no significant difference (p > 0.1) between the groups were found. However, the robotic training group had more participants demonstrating larger BBS points of improvement as well as greater Brunnstrom stage of improvement, when compared to the control group. No significant within and between group statistical differences (p > 0.3) were found for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire. Conclusion The addition of robotic gait training on top of standard hospital neurorehabilitation for acute stroke patients appear to produce a slightly greater improvement in clinical functional outcomes, which is not transferred to psychological status.

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Exploring the Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Sleep Hygiene, and Psychological Distress in a Sample of Canadian Varsity Athletes

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jcsp.2020-0037 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Jessica Murphy ◽

Christopher Gladney ◽

Philip Sullivan

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Quality Index ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

Sleep Hygiene ◽

Hygiene Practice ◽

Quality Sleep ◽

Distress Scale ◽

The Relationship

Student athletes balance academic, social, and athletic demands, often leading to increased levels of stress and poor sleep. This study explores the relationship between sleep quality, sleep hygiene, and psychological distress in a sample of student athletes. Ninety-four student athletes completed the six-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale, and four components from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Age, gender, and sport were also collected. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index revealed that 44.7% of student athletes received ≥6.5 hr of sleep each night; 31% of athletes showed signs of severe mental illness according to the K6. Stepwise regression predicted K6 scores with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale scores as independent variables. A significant model accounting for 26% of the variation in K6 scores emerged; sleep schedule and sleep disturbances were significant predictors. Athletic staff should highlight the importance of sleep for mental health; suggestions on how to help athletes are provided.

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Validation of the French version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for posttraumatic stress disorder

European Journal of Psychotraumatology ◽

10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.19298 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 19298 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Malik Ait-Aoudia ◽

Pierre P. Levy ◽

Eric Bui ◽

Salvatore Insana ◽

Capucine de Fouchier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Quality Index ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ◽

French Version

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Development and validation of a parent-proxy health-related quality of life survey for Australian First Nations children

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e046007

Author(s):

Kaley Butten ◽

Lee Jones ◽

Peter A Newcombe ◽

Anne B Chang ◽

Jeanie K Sheffield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

First Nations ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Distress Scale ◽

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Parent Proxy

ObjectiveWithin Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) populations perceive health and well-being differently to non-Indigenous Australians. Existing health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) measurement tools do not account for these differences. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a culturally specific parent-proxy HR-QoL measurement tool for First Nations children.DesignScale development was informed by parents/carers of children with a chronic illness and an expert panel. The preliminary 39-item survey was reviewed (n=12) and tested (n=163) with parents/carers of First Nations children aged 0–12 years at baseline with comparative scales: the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, generic HR-QoL (Paediatric QoL Inventory 4.0, PedsQL4.0) and Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, and repeated (n=46) 4 weeks later. Exploratory Factor Analysis was used for scale reduction. Reliability and validity were assessed by internal consistency, test–retest, and correlations with comparison scales.ResultsItems within our First Nations-Child Quality of Life (FirstNations-CQoL) were internally consistent with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of ≥0.7 (quality of life, 0.808; patient experience, 0.880; patient support, 0.768) and overall test–retest reliability was good (r=0.75; 95% CI 0.593 to 0.856). Convergent validity was observed with the PedsQL4.0 with Pearson’s coefficients of r=0.681 (ages 2–4 years); r=0.651 (ages 5–12 years) and with the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (r=−0.513). Divergent validity against the Spence Anxiety Scale was not demonstrated.ConclusionsThe FirstNations-CQoL scale was accepted by the participants, reliable and demonstrated convergent validity with comparison measures. This tool requires further evaluation to determine responsiveness, its minimal important difference and clinical utility.

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