scholarly journals Sociodemographic Correlates of Perceived Psychosocial Health in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Community-Based Online Study in China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganyi Wang ◽  
Shangfeng Tang

Abstract The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ensuing sociopolitical measures to control and curb its spread have been affecting people's psychosocial health and well-being through various complex pathways and in unprecedented ways. The present study aims to assess the sociodemographic correlates of psychosocial health situation of Chinese community-dwelling residents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey that was carried out online and using a structured questionnaire during April 2020. In total, 4788 men and women with the age range of 11-98 years were included in the analysis. Outcome variables were the change in the experience of hopelessness, loneliness and depression before and during the pandemic, and the explanatory variables included demographic and social capital related variables.Results: Respectively 34.80%, 32.50% and 44.84% of the participants expressed feeling more hopeless, lonely, and depressed during the pandemic. The percentage of all three indicators was comparatively higher among women than among men: hopelessness (50.67% vs 49.33%), loneliness (52.44% vs 47.56%), and depression (56.22% vs 43.78%). Being married was associated lower odds of loneliness among men [Odds ratio= 0.63, 95% CI=0.45,0.90]. Loneliness was negatively associated with smoking [Odds ratio= 0.67, 95% CI=0.45,0.99] and positively with drinking [Odds ratio= 1.45, 95% CI=1.04,2.02]. Compared with those in the lowest income bracket (<10K), men [Odds ratio= 0.34, 95% CI=0.21,0.55] and women [Odds ratio= 0.36, 95% CI=0.23,0.56] in the highest (>40K) had the lowest odds of reporting perceived hopelessness [Odds ratio= 0.35, 95% CI=0.25,0.48]. Smoking also showed negative association with depression only among men [Odds ratio=0.63, 95% CI=0.43,0.91]. Conclusion: More about one-third of the participants reported worsening in the experience of hopelessness and loneliness, with more than two-fifth of worsening depression during the pandemic compared with the time before. Several socioeconomic and lifestyle factors were found to be associated with the outcome variables, most notably participants marital status, household income, smoking, alcohol drinking, existing chronic conditions, and urbanicity.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gan-Yi Wang ◽  
Shang-Feng Tang

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been affecting people's psychosocial health and well-being through various complex pathways. The present study aims to investigate the perceived psychosocial health and its sociodemographic correlates among Chinese community-dwelling residents. Methods This cross-sectional survey was carried out online and using a structured questionnaire during April 2020. In total, 4788 men and women with the age range of 11–98 years from eight provinces in eastern, central and western China were included in the analysis. We adopted a tactical approach to capture three key domains of perceived psychosocial health that are more likely to occur during a pandemic including hopelessness, loneliness, and depression. Multiple regression method, binary logistic regression model and variance inflation factor (VIF) were used to conduct data analysis. Results Respectively 34.8%, 32.5% and 44.8% of the participants expressed feeling more hopeless, lonely, and depressed during the pandemic. The percentage of all three indicators was comparatively higher among women than among men: hopelessness (50.7% vs 49.3%), loneliness (52.4% vs 47.6%), and depression (56.2% vs 43.8%). Being married was associated with lower odds of loneliness among men (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.45–0.90). Loneliness was negatively associated with smoking (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.45–0.99) and positively associated with drinking (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.04–2.02). Compared with those in the lowest income bracket (< CNY 10 000), men (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.21–0.55) and women (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.23–0.56) in the highest level of annually housed income (> CNY 40 000) had the lowest odds of reporting perceived hopelessness (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.25–0.48). Smoking also showed negative association with depression only among men (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43–0.91). Conclusions More than one-third of the participants reported worsening in the experience of hopelessness and loneliness, with more than two-fifth of worsening depression during the pandemic compared with before the outbreak. Several socioeconomic and lifestyle factors were found to be associated with the outcome variables, most notably participants' marital status, household income, smoking, alcohol drinking, existing chronic conditions. These findings may be of significance to treat patients and help them recover from the pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 290-290
Author(s):  
Maritza Dowling ◽  
Hiroko Dodge ◽  
Antonio Puente ◽  
Beverly Lunsford

Abstract Despite the clear and compelling association between social connections and well-being, the underlying mechanisms that help stave off adverse health impacts are not well understood, particularly among older adults in disadvantaged groups. Social relationships in older age may be instrumental for exchanging and gaining knowledge that further influence health and help increase awareness about misconceptions and lifestyle behaviors known to delay or reduce cognitive decline. This study used cross-sectional survey data from 147(aged 58-90 years; 75% female) low-income African American homebound community dwellers to investigate heterogeneity in dementia literacy profiles and its association with social connectedness. Eleven items (false=0, true=1, don’t know=2) from a validated instrument were used to measure dementia literacy (DL). The Lubben’s social network scale was used for a social connectedness construct. We employed a 2-stage latent class modeling approach to examine heterogeneity in DL and estimate the regressions among the derived classes and the predictors (social connectedness, education level and age). A 3-class model produced a reasonable fit and classification (entropy=0.852) of “dementia literacy patterns” labeled as (high-literacy:37%), moderate-literacy:45.2%), low-literacy:17.8%)). Social connectedness was highly predictive of class membership. A high level of social relationships increased the probability of being in the “high-dementia-literacy” class compared to the “low-dementia-literacy” class (OR=2.189, p=0.016). For a unit increase in social connectedness, the odds of being in the “high-dementia-literacy” class compared to the “low-dementia-literacy” class increased by a factor of 2.2. Tailored and focused interventions to reduce social disconnectedness may also help increase dementia awareness and reduce barriers to early diagnosis.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0243194
Author(s):  
Simone De Sio ◽  
Giuseppe La Torre ◽  
Giuseppe Buomprisco ◽  
Ekaterina Lapteva ◽  
Roberto Perri ◽  
...  

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 12, 2020. Italy has been the most affected country in the world, right after China. Healthcare workers (HCWs) were among the hardest hit by this event from both a working and psychological point of view. The aim of this web-based cross-sectional study is to assess the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on Italian Occupational Physicians’ well-being and psychological distress, in relation to demographic and occupational characteristic, lifestyle and habits during the lockdown period. We conducted a web-based cross-sectional survey questionnaire from April 1 to April 21st, 2020. To evaluate the level of psychological distress and the level of well-being, the general Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index were utilized. Since the statistical assumptions were respected, we proceeded with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to ascertain the differences between the averages of the scores of the GHQ-12. Doctors who live in the most affected regions have a prevalence of psychological distress higher than their colleagues from the rest of Italy. ANOVA shows significant differences relating to the female gender, and to the life changes provoked by the lockdown for example not feeling sheltered at home or suffering from loneliness. This study showed a high prevalence of psychological distress in occupational physicians. To prevent the occurrence of mental disorders among Occupational Physicians, it is urgent to put in place policies of psychological support and well-being preservation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
luma K.Mohammed ◽  
Hanadi Hanadi Tawfeeq Hassoon Al-Maneaea

Abstract BackgroundChildren are largely spared from the direct health effects of COVID-19, nevertheless, they are among the biggest victims because of the profound effect on their mental well-being, social development, safety, privacy, and their economic security.ObjectivesStudying the effect of home quarantine on the mental and psychological wellbeing of the under five years' children compared with their own status prior to the quarantine.Subjects and Methods: A comparative retrospective cross sectional survey study was carried out online. A sample of 200 under-five age children was taken and their primary care giver had answered the questions. The study was done in 2020.ResultsA statistically significant difference between the mean score of the children before and after quarantine (t= -6.8, p=.0001),most of the changes were increase screen time, increase stubbornness, clinging to parents, anger and sleeping problems.ConclusionsHome quarantine had a significant effect on the psychological status and behaviour of under-five age children.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-07
Author(s):  
Alfred Eboh

Background: The hawking of wares by children has been a serious issue confronting the Nigerian society. Children hawk in some of the most horrible conditions conceivable, where they face a serious risk of injury, chronic illness, kidnapping, rape or death. Objective: The focus of this study was to assess the perceived effects of street hawking on the well-being of children in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. Methods: The population of this study consists of parents of the street hawkers in Anyigba while cross-sectional survey design was used through the purposive sampling technique to choose the sample size of one hundred and sixty-two (162) respondents. The validated structured questionnaire and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) served as the instruments for the data collection respectively. The hypotheses were tested using Chi-Square at a predetermined 0.05 level of significance. The quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the SPSS (version 20). Results: The results indicated among others that street hawking had significant social implications and physical consequences on children's moral behaviour as well as health status in the study area. Conclusion: The study, therefore, concluded that the government of Kogi State should carry out an enlightenment campaign through the media and religious institutions on the negative consequences of street hawking are recommended as panacea. Also, the child right act instrument and its implementation should be strengthened in order to curb street hawking in the study area.


Cephalalgia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 033310242110203
Author(s):  
Maria Lurenda Westergaard ◽  
Cathrine Juel Lau ◽  
Karen Allesøe ◽  
Anne Helms Andreasen ◽  
Rigmor Højland Jensen

Objective To explore the prevalence of poor social support and loneliness among people with chronic headache, and how these might be effect modifiers in the relationships between chronic headache and stress, medication overuse, and self-rated health. Background Poor social support and loneliness are consistently linked to worse health outcomes. There are few epidemiologic studies on their effect on headache. Methods The Danish Capital Region Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey, was conducted in 2017. Participants were asked about headache, pain medication use, social support, loneliness, perceived stress, and self-rated health. Data were accessed from sociodemographic registers. Logistic regression analyses were performed to test for effect modification. Results The response rate was 52.6% (55,185 respondents) and was representative of the target population. People with chronic headache were more likely to report poor social support and loneliness compared to those without chronic headache ( p < 0.0001 for both). Odds ratios for the combination of chronic headache and poor social support were very high for stress (odds ratio 8.1), medication overuse (odds ratio 21.9), and poor self-rated health (odds ratio 10.2) compared to those without chronic headache and with good social support. Those who reported both chronic headache and loneliness had a very high odds ratio for stress (odds ratio 14.4), medication overuse (odds ratio 20.1), and poor self-rated health (odds ratio 15.9) compared to those without chronic headache and low loneliness score. When adjusted for sociodemographic factors, poor social support and loneliness were not significant effect modifiers in almost all these associations. Loneliness was a significant effect modifier in the association between chronic headache and medication overuse, but exerted greater effect among those who did not report they were lonely. Conclusion Poor social support and loneliness were prevalent among people with chronic headache. The combination of chronic headache and poor social support or loneliness showed higher odds ratios for stress, medication overuse, and poor self-rated health compared to those with good social support and low loneliness scores. The effect of loneliness in the relationship between chronic headache and medication overuse warrants further study.


Nursing Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni’matuzahroh ◽  
Valendriyani Ningrum ◽  
Widayat ◽  
Myrtati Dyah Artaria ◽  
Mein‐Woei Suen

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerrald Lau ◽  
David Hsien-Yung Tan ◽  
Gretel Jianlin Wong ◽  
Yii-Jen Lew ◽  
Ying-Xian Chua ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Primary care physicians (PCPs) are first points-of-contact between suspected cases and the healthcare system in the current COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines PCPs’ concerns, impact on personal lives and work, and level of pandemic preparedness in the context of COVID-19 in Singapore. We also examine factors and coping strategies that PCPs have used to manage stress during the outbreak. Methods Two hundred and sixteen PCPs actively practicing in either a public or private clinic were cluster sampled via email invitation from three primary care organizations in Singapore from 6th to 29th March 2020. Participants completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire consisting of items on work- and non-work-related concerns, impact on personal and work life, perceived pandemic preparedness, stress-reduction factors, and personal coping strategies related to COVID-19. Results A total of 158 questionnaires were usable for analyses. PCPs perceived themselves to be at high risk of COVID-19 infection (89.9%), and a source of risk (74.7%) and concern (71.5%) to loved ones. PCPs reported acceptance of these risks (91.1%) and the need to care for COVID-19 patients (85.4%). Overall perceived pandemic preparedness was extremely high (75.9 to 89.9%). PCPs prioritized availability of personal protective equipment, strict infection prevention guidelines, accessible information about COVID-19, and well-being of their colleagues and family as the most effective stress management factors. Conclusions PCPs continue to serve willingly on the frontlines of this pandemic despite the high perception of risk to themselves and loved ones. Healthcare organizations should continue to support PCPs by managing both their psychosocial (e.g. stress management) and professional (e.g. pandemic preparedness) needs.


Nursing Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel King ◽  
Tony Ryan ◽  
Michaela Senek ◽  
Emily Wood ◽  
Bethany Taylor ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Angeline Jeyakumar ◽  
Swapnil Godbharle ◽  
Bibek Raj Giri

Background: Measuring undernutrition using composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) and identifying its determinants in tribal regions is essential to recognize the true burden of undernutrition in these settings. Objective: To determine anthropometric failure and its determinants among tribal children younger than 5 years in Palghar, Maharashtra, India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey employing CIAF was performed in children <5 years to estimate undernutrition in the tribal district of Palghar in Maharashtra, India. Anthropometric measurements, maternal and child characteristics were recorded from 577 mother–child pairs in 9 villages. Results: As per Z score, prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight were 48%, 13%, and 43%, respectively. According to CIAF, 66% of children had at least one manifestation of undernutrition and 40% had more than one manifestation of undernutrition. Odds of anthropometric failure were 1.5 times higher among children of mothers who were illiterate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =1.57, 95% CI: 1.0-2.3), children who had birth weight >2.5 kg had lesser odds (AOR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9) of anthropometric failure, and children who had initiated early breastfeeding had 1.5 times higher odds of anthropometric failure (crude odds ratio: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.1). However, when adjusted for other independent variables, the results were not significant. Conclusion: The alarming proportion of anthropometric failure among tribal children calls for urgent short-term interventions to correct undernutrition and long-term interventions to improve maternal literacy and awareness to prevent and manage child undernutrition.


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