scholarly journals Digital phenotyping of complex psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Hull ◽  
Jacob Levine ◽  
Niels Bantilan ◽  
Angel N. Desai ◽  
Maimuna S. Majumder
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Clinical Assessments ◽  
Digital Phenotyping ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Therapy Service

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted mortality, economic conditions, and mental health and these impacts are likely to continue after the pandemic comes to an end. OBJECTIVE At present, no method has characterized the mental health burden of the pandemic distinct from pre-COVID-19 levels. Accurate detection of illness is critical to facilitate pandemic-related treatment to prevent worsening symptoms. METHODS An algorithm for the isolation of pandemic-related concerns on a large digital mental health service is reported that utilized natural language processing (NLP) on unstructured therapy transcript data, in parallel with brief clinical assessments of depression and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS Results demonstrate a significant increase in COVID-related intake anxiety symptoms, but no detectable difference in intake depression symptoms. Transcript analyses identified terms classifiable into 24 symptoms in excess of those included in the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS Findings for this large digital therapy service suggest that treatment seekers are presenting with more severe intake anxiety levels than before the COVID-19 outbreak. Importantly, monitoring additional symptoms as part of a new COVID-19 Syndrome category could be advised to fully capture the effects of COVID019 on mental health.

scholarly journals Analyzing Digital Evidence From a Telemental Health Platform to Assess Complex Psychological Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Content Analysis of Text Messages

10.2196/26190 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. e26190
Author(s):  
Thomas D Hull ◽  
Jacob Levine ◽  
Niels Bantilan ◽  
Angel N Desai ◽  
Maimuna S Majumder
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Telemental Health ◽  
The Novel

Background The novel COVID-19 disease has negatively impacted mortality, economic conditions, and mental health. These impacts are likely to continue after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. There are no methods for characterizing the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, and differentiating this burden from that of the prepandemic era. Accurate illness detection methods are critical for facilitating pandemic-related treatment and preventing the worsening of symptoms. Objective We aimed to identify major themes and symptom clusters in the SMS text messages that patients send to therapists. We assessed patients who were seeking treatment for pandemic-related distress on Talkspace, which is a popular telemental health platform. Methods We used a machine learning algorithm to identify patients’ pandemic-related concerns, based on their SMS text messages in a large, digital mental health service platform (ie, Talkspace). This platform uses natural language processing methods to analyze unstructured therapy transcript data, in parallel with brief clinical assessment methods for analyzing depression and anxiety symptoms. Results Our results show a significant increase in the incidence of COVID-19–related intake anxiety symptoms (P<.001), but no significant differences in the incidence of intake depression symptoms (P=.79). During our transcript analyses, we identified terms that were related to 24 symptoms outside of those included in the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and depression. Conclusions Our findings for Talkspace suggest that people who seek treatment during the pandemic experience more severe intake anxiety than they did before the COVID-19 outbreak. It is important to monitor the symptoms that we identified in this study and the symptoms of anxiety and depression, to fully understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

scholarly journals Depression and Anxiety Symptoms of British Adoptive Parents: A Prospective Four-Wave Longitudinal Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 5153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca E. Anthony ◽  
Amy L. Paine ◽  
Katherine H. Shelton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Adoptive Parents ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Parental Anxiety ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Adoptive Families ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

The mental health of birth parents has gained attention due to the serious negative consequences for personal, family, and child outcomes, but depression and anxiety in adoptive parents remains under-recognized. Using a prospective, longitudinal design, we investigated anxiety and depression symptoms in 96 British adoptive parents over four time points in the first four years of an adoptive placement. Depression and anxiety symptom scores were relatively stable across time. Growth curve analysis showed that higher child internalizing scores and lower parental sense of competency at five months post-placement were associated with higher initial levels of parental depressive symptoms. Lower parental sense of competency was also associated with higher initial levels of parental anxiety symptoms. Parents of older children and those with higher levels of parental anxiety and sense of competency at five months post-placement had a steeper decrease in depressive symptoms over time. Support for adoptive families primarily focuses on child adjustment. Our findings suggest that professional awareness of parental mental health post-placement may be necessary, and interventions aimed at improving parents’ sense of competency may be beneficial.

scholarly journals Post-secondary Student Mental Health During COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenney Zhu ◽  
Nicole Racine ◽  
Elisabeth Bailin Xie ◽  
Julianna Park ◽  
Julianna Watt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Post Secondary Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed notable challenges to post-secondary students, causing concern for their psychological well-being. In the face of school closures, academic disruptions, and constraints on social gatherings, it is crucial to understand the extent to which mental health among post-secondary students has been impacted in order to inform support implementation for this population. The present meta-analysis examines the global prevalence of clinically significant depression and anxiety among post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several moderator analyses were also performed to examine sources of variability in depression and anxiety prevalence rates. A systematic search was conducted across six databases on May 3, 2021, yielding a total of 176 studies (1,732,456 participants) which met inclusion criteria. Random-effects meta-analyses of 126 studies assessing depression symptoms and 144 studies assessing anxiety symptoms were conducted. The pooled prevalence estimates of clinically elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms for post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic was 30.6% (95% CI: 0.274, 0.340) and 28.2% (CI: 0.246, 0.321), respectively. The month of data collection and geographical region were determined to be significant moderators. However, student age, sex, type (i.e., healthcare student vs. non-healthcare student), and level of training (i.e., undergraduate, university or college generally; graduate, medical, post-doctorate, fellow, trainee), were not sources of variability in pooled rates of depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. The current study indicates a call for continued access to mental health services to ensure post-secondary students receive adequate support during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO website: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42021253547.

scholarly journals Excessive Worrying as the Driving Force of Anxiety During the First COVID-19 Lockdown-Phase in Belgium

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Heeren ◽  
Bernard HANSEEUW ◽  
Louise-Amélie Cougnon ◽  
Grégoire Lits
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Graphical Model ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Sum Score ◽  
Unitary Approach ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Network Approaches ◽  
Core Features

Since the WHO declared the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has profoundly impacted public health and the economy worldwide. But there are not the only ones to be hit. The COVID-19 pandemic has also substantially altered mental health, with anxiety symptoms being one of the most frequently reported problems. Especially, the number of people reporting anxiety symptoms increased significantly during the first lockdown-phase compared to similar data collected before the pandemic. Yet, most of these studies relied on a unitary approach to anxiety, wherein its different constitutive features (i.e., symptoms) were tallied into one sum-score, thus ignoring any possibility of interactions between them. Therefore, in this study, we seek to map the associations between the core features of anxiety during the first weeks of the first Belgian COVID-19 lockdown-phase (n = 2,829). To do so, we implemented, in a preregistered fashion, two distinct computational network approaches: a Gaussian graphical model (GGM) and a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Despite their varying assumptions, constraints, and computational methods to determine nodes (i.e., the variables) and edges (i.e., the relations between them), both GGM and DAG pointed to excessive worrying as a node playing an especially influential role in the network system of the anxiety features. Altogether, our findings offer novel data-driven clues for the ongoing field's larger quest to elucidate, and eventually alleviate, the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Comparison of levels of anxiety and depression between women and men living with HIV of a Mexico City clinic

Salud Mental ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Patricia Caballero-Suárez ◽  
◽  
Evelyn Rodríguez Estrada ◽  
María Candela-Iglesias ◽  
Gustavo Reyes-Terán
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Living With Hiv

Introduction. Studies show that women with HIV have higher depression, anxiety symptoms and worse quality of life than men with HIV, but limited data on mental health status of people living with HIV (PLWH) is available in Mexico, hindering the development of specific mental health interventions. Objective. To compare the frequency and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms between men and women of a HIV specialized clinic of Mexico City. Method. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey on condom use and serostatus disclosure carried out between 2012-2013. Data from Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and sociodemographic characteristics were included in this study. Non-parametric tests were used to compare sociodemographic, clinical and psychological variables and odds ratio were calculated. Results. 291 PLWH were included, 13.1% (n = 38) were women. Significant differences between genders were found in sociodemographic variables (age, marital status, occupation, education, sexual orientation), but not in clinical variables. Depression symptoms were present in 45% of women versus 18.6% of men (x2 = 13.17, p < .001) and anxiety symptoms were present in 47.4% of women and 30% of men (x2 = 4.53, p = .033). In unadjusted analysis, women had 3.5 times higher risk than men of presenting depression symptoms (OR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1.61-7.65, p < .001) and 2 times higher risk of having anxiety symptoms than men (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 0.98-4.42, p < .033). Discussion and conclusion. An important percentage of participants had depression and anxiety symptoms; women showed greater frequency and severity of symptoms as well as greater socioeconomic vulnerability. Mental health interventions are needed and should take into consideration the gender specific differences.

scholarly journals Mental Health Burden of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Germany: Predictors of Mental Health Impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272095368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Bäuerle ◽  
Jasmin Steinbach ◽  
Adam Schweda ◽  
Jil Beckord ◽  
Madeleine Hetkamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Subjective Level

Introduction: COVID-19 is causing an enormous psychological burden for most people. This study aims to assess individual changes in mental health and health status before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, and to explore potential predictors of change. Methods: A cross-sectional study in Germany (n = 15 037) were conducted. Demographics, depression and anxiety symptoms (PHQ-2, GAD-2), distress (DT), and health status (EQ-5D-3L) were assessed. Additionally, all instruments used were adapted to measure the participants’ mental health and health status before the COVID-19 outbreak. COVID-19-related fear, trust in governmental actions to face COVID-19, and the subjective level of information about COVID-19 were examined. Results: Overall, the participants showed a significant increase in depression and anxiety symptoms, and distress, while health status deteriorated since the COVID-19 outbreak. Impairment in mental health was predicted by COVID-19-related fear. Pre-existing mental illness predicted an increase in depression symptoms and a deterioration in health status. Trust in governmental actions and the subjective level of information predicted less increase in psychological burden. Conclusions: Our data revealed that there have been changes in mental health and health status at an individual level since the outbreak of COVID-19. In order to maintain mental health, the observed predictors should be addressed.

scholarly journals Gender differences of depression and anxiety among social media users during the COVID-19 outbreak in China:a cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengsu Hou ◽  
Fengying Bi ◽  
Rong Jiao ◽  
Dan Luo ◽  
Kangxing Song
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression

Abstract Background Studies have shown that the outbreak of infectious diseases would result in mental health problems. Females are in greater risk for psychological problems than males. The present study investigated gender differences of depression and anxiety and explored associated factors during the COVID-19 epidemic among Chinese social media users. Methods We recruited 3088 participants through social media cross China. Participants completed sociodemographic and the COVID-19 epidemic related questions, the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), and the 2-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2), the Chinese version of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. We applied Chi-square test and ANOVA for data description and linear regression analysis for exploring factors associated with depression and anxiety. Results Of 3063 participants eligible for analysis, the total prevalence of depression and anxiety was 14.14 and 13.25%. Females were experiencing more severe stress and anxiety symptoms, while males showed better resilience to stress. The severity of depression symptoms would decrease with the increase of age resilience, and it would increase if being unemployed, feeling less adapted, being more stressed. The severity of anxiety symptoms would decrease with higher education and better resilience, and it would increase if being female, spending over 60 min on COVID-19 related information, less adapted, and being more stressed. Conclusion The findings show the increased prevalence of depression and anxiety in Chinese population during the COVID-19 epidemic, and females are experiencing more severe anxiety symptoms than males. As social media is the current main resource of information related to COVID-19, interventions should be implemented to help users to limit the time they spend on social media and to get key information related to the epidemic from authoritative and authentic resource to avoid infodemic and prevent mental health problems.

scholarly journals Examining Depression Symptoms With/Without Coexisting Anxiety Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Persons With Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 153331752199026
Author(s):  
Alexandra A. Sibley ◽  
Srijana Shrestha ◽  
Martha Lipovac-Dew ◽  
Mark E. Kunik
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Mental Health Service Use ◽  
Health Service Use ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Depression And Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common in persons with dementia (PWD) and associated with poor outcomes. We explored frequency, pharmacologic management and mental health service use in PWD and depression symptoms with/without coexisting anxiety symptoms. The sample comprised 160 community-dwelling PWD in a trial to prevent development of aggression. Baseline data on depression and anxiety symptoms, psychotropic medications and mental health service use were examined. Regarding participants, 65 (41%) lacked clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, 45 (28%) had depression symptoms, 43 (27%) had depression and anxiety symptoms, and 7 (4%) had anxiety symptoms. Comorbid anxiety was associated with more severe depression symptoms. One third with depression symptoms and one half with depression and anxiety symptoms were taking an antidepressant. Mental health service use was very low, regardless of depression symptom severity or coexisting anxiety. Research needs to evaluate therapies for depressed PWD, but treatment of those with comorbid anxiety and depression is more urgent. Clinical Trial Registration for Parent Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02380703)

scholarly journals Immigration Policy Vulnerability Linked to Adverse Mental Health Among Latino Day Laborers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alein Y. Haro-Ramos ◽  
Hector P. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Immigration Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Day Laborers ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Latino Day Laborers

AbstractLatino day laborers in the United States are socially and economically vulnerable due to exclusionary immigration policies. Using data from a multi-mode survey, we examine the relationship between immigration policy legal vulnerability and mental health outcomes among 138 Latino, male day laborers (mean age = 45.65, SD = 12.05). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models separately estimated the effect of legal vulnerability, as measured by the Perceived Immigration Policy Effects Scale, on anxiety and depression symptoms and a positive depression and anxiety screening, respectively. Approximately 26.1% and 27.9% of day laborers reported depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. In each adjusted model, we find a positive relationship between legal vulnerability and adverse mental health. Immigration policy legal vulnerability is associated with more depression and anxiety symptoms among Latino day laborers. Policies to reduce legal vulnerability, such as pathways to citizenship and employment authorization, may support Latino day laborers' mental health outcomes.

Depression and anxiety symptoms in 17 teams of female football players including 10 German first league teams

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 471-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Junge ◽  
Birgit Prinz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Generalised Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression

BackgroundInformation on the prevalence of mental health problems of elite athletes is inconclusive, most probably due to methodological limitations, such as low response rates, heterogeneous samples.AimsTo evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of depression and anxiety symptoms in high-level female football players.MethodsFemale football players of 10 German first league (Bundesliga) and 7 lower league teams were asked to answer a questionnaire on players’ characteristics, the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale.ResultsA total of 290 players (184 first and 106 lower league players) took part in the study. The CES-D score indicated mild to moderate symptoms of depression in 48 (16.6%) and severe symptoms in 41 (14.1%) players. The GAD-7 score indicated an at least moderate generalised anxiety disorder in 24 (8.3%) players. The prevalence of depression symptoms and generalised anxiety disorders was similar to the female general population of similar age. However, significantly more second league players reported symptoms of depression than first league players, and thus the prevalence of depression symptoms in second league players was higher than in the general population. Only a third of the 45 (15.7%) players who stated that they currently wanted or needed psychotherapeutic support received it.ConclusionThe prevalence of depression and generalised anxiety symptoms in elite football players is influenced by personal and sport-specific variables. It is important to raise awareness of athletes’ mental health problems in coaches and team physicians, to reduce stigma and to provide low-threshold treatment.

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