First the Pandemic then the Tsunami: COVID-19 and Its Impact on Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keng Chuan SOH ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Behavioural Patterns

Introduction: COVID-19 has undeniably and profoundly impacted everyday lives of the general public. One particular emphasis is the mental wellbeing of populations. This review serves to examine the mental health impact of the current pandemic. Methods: A review of the literature on PubMed was conducted, drawing from systematic reviews and large population studies about mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The content was synthesized with the writer’s experience of daily life across different perspectives. Certain demographic sub-groups were examined, such as those under home quarantine or isolation, those who had contracted COVID-19, those with pre-existing psychiatric disorders, as well as healthcare workers and medical students. Results: Psychological well-being was adversely affected by the pandemic, although there is some controversy about the magnitude of this impact which is likely in relation to the timeline of the pandemic’s progression. Behavioural patterns such as spending habits during lockdowns might provide an early indication of mental health problems. Those who had contracted COVID-19 were found to have heightened levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms and depressive symptoms. Healthcare workers and medical students have faced comparable levels of anxiety, depressed mood and insomnia. The final results of some of the systematic reviews are still pending. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted everyday life. If not already thecase, there is likely to be an anticipated tsunami of mental health concerns. This wouldmake a strong case for the anticipatory need of increased resource allocation to allowmental health services to meet this demand.

scholarly journals Maternal mental health services in Sri Lanka: challenges and solutions

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Aruni Hapangama ◽  
K.A.L.A. Kuruppuarachchi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Integration Of Services ◽  
Grass Root Level

Sri Lanka boasts of making significant strides in the indicators of maternal healthcare during the past few decades. However, these indicators mostly look only at the physical well-being of women. Lack of awareness regarding maternal mental health problems among grass-root level healthcare workers, poor integration of services, and the culture and stigma regarding perinatal mental disorders are barriers to improving services in maternal mental healthcare in Sri Lanka.

scholarly journals The mental health and well-being benefits of exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study of medical students and newly qualified doctors in the UK

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor Coyle ◽  
Hanya Ghazi ◽  
Ioannis Georgiou
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mood Score ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Background University students have been uniquely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is currently little data upon the measures that medical students and newly qualified doctors have taken to help their mental well-being and mood during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim We aimed to identify the activities respondents found beneficial for their well-being and mental health and recorded a mood score from survey respondents. Methods A nationwide study was completed to investigate the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon medical students and newly qualified doctors (interim foundation year one). We received 2075 respondents from across the UK. Results Physical activity was found to be the most common activity used by the survey respondents to help with their mental well-being (80.1%) (medical students, 83.7%; interim foundation doctors, 72.3%). Participants who stated that exercise helped their well-being had a mean score (SD) of 52.3 (20.7) which was significantly higher (P = 0.048) than those who reported that they did not exercise (49.8 (21.1)). Respondents who stated they had used exercise to help with their mental well-being had (on average) a higher mood score than those who did not. This was seen in both the medical student and interim foundation doctor subgroups. Discussion Exercise can help to benefit the well-being of medical students and interim foundation doctors. It is hoped that higher education providers and employers recognise the importance of promoting physical activity for the well-being of their students and staff, respectively.

A descriptive study of mental health and burnout among Nigerian medical students

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110577
Author(s):  
Olatunde Olayinka Ayinde ◽  
Eniola Racheal Akinnuoye ◽  
Andrew Molodynski ◽  
Oliver Battrick ◽  
Oye Gureje
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Mental Health Conditions

Background: Increasing attention is being paid to medical students’ mental wellbeing globally due in part to their exposure to stressors inherent in medical education and the numerous reports of elevated rates of mental health conditions in this population. Aims: This study aimed to identify stressors and determine prevalence rates of psychiatric morbidity, substance use and burnout in a sample of Nigerian medical students. Methods: In a cross-sectional online survey, 505 medical students from 25 Nigerian medical schools completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, short version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the CAGE questionnaire and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). Result: The most commonly reported sources of stress were study (75.6%), money (52.3%) and relationships (30.1%). Nine students (1.8%) had received a mental health diagnosis prior to medical school but this number had increased to 29 (5.7%) whilst in medical school, with the majority being cases of anxiety and depressive disorders. The prevalence of psychological distress was 54.5%, but <5% of affected students had received any help for their mental health conditions. Twenty five students (5%) met criteria for problematic alcohol use and 6% had used cannabis. The proportions of students who met criteria for disengagement and exhaustion domains of the OLBI were 84.6% and 77.0% respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of psychological distress and burnout is high among medical students. Interventions for medical students’ well-being should be tailored to their needs and should target risk factors related to personal, organisational and medical school academic structure attributes.

Mental health and wellbeing among Iranian medical students: a descriptive study

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110478
Author(s):  
Agaah Ashrafi ◽  
Murtaza Kadhum ◽  
Andrew Molodynski ◽  
Dinesh Bhugra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Alcohol Problems ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
National Initiatives ◽  
Very High

Background: The psychological wellbeing and stresses on medical students are currently under a global spotlight. Under a wider initiative supported by the British Medical Association (BMA), international surveys have been conducted to understand and begin to tackle these issues. Method: This study aimed at describing the mental wellbeing and levels of burnout of Iranian medical students. A total of 179 medical students from 19 different cities participated voluntarily in the survey by answering an online questionnaire between April and August 2020. We detected a trend toward higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders (namely depressive disorders) and substance misuse when compared to previous national studies. Results: About 6% of students screened positive for alcohol problems with the CAGE questionnaire. About 77% of medical students screened positive for mental health problems with the GHQ12 questionnaire. Very high rates of burnout were also reported. These findings emphasize the urgent need to define methods to screen at risk medical students and implement local and national initiatives to curtain their potential detrimental effects.

scholarly journals Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Health Care Workers in Ebonyi State, Southeast, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (09) ◽  
pp. 400-406
Author(s):  
Okechukwu B. Anozie ◽  
Johnbosco I. Nwafor ◽  
Ephraim I. Nwokporo ◽  
Chidi U. Esike ◽  
Richard L. Ewah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcome ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Mental Health Outcome ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
The Impact

Background: Globally, mental health issues have become one of the predominant public health concerns as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline healthcare workers has not been fully described in Nigeria. Aim: To determine the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among frontline healthcare workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Materials and methods: This was an online cross-sectional study conducted among 315 frontline healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The mental health outcome of the participants was assessed using the short form of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC-SF). Results: The prevalence of mental health outcome for different categories was 47% (n = 148) for flourishing, 28.3% (n = 89) for moderate and 24.7% (n = 78) for languishing mental health. The predictors of languishing mental health outcome were being married (OR = 3.12, 95%CI 1.67 - 4.09, p = 0.035), a physician (OR = 4.09, 95%CI 1.98 - 5.61, p = 0.002), a nurse (OR = 2.21, 95%CI 0.05 - 0.24, p < 0.001), limited access to personal protective equipment (OR = 3.25, 95%CI 1.62 - 6.22, p = 0.043) and self-isolation and quarantine due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 3.03, 95%CI 0.02 - 0.95, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Nigeria’s frontline healthcare workers, especially physicians and nurses, are experiencing COVID-19 related psychological distress. There is need to develop and implement interventions to reduce the impact of prolonged psychological distress on long-term mental wellbeing in healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

scholarly journals Impact of Covid-19 on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers: Predisposing factors, prevalence and supportive strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 260-265
Author(s):  
Pranjali Pujari ◽  
Purvi Pujari ◽  
Anuj Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Primary Reason ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Direct Feedback

The massive upsurge of hospitalizations and deaths in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented strain on the psychological well-being of the healthcare workers (HCW) worldwide. The concern about being viewed as unfit for duty by employers or “mentally weak” was the primary reason given. In addition, a majority of HCWs insisted that improvements on the administrative front would have a better impact. An extensive literature review for this paper has been done through databases like Pubmed (Medline) and Google scholar to compile information from various sources. A study of the causative and exacerbating factors, corrective and preventative measures applied, and direct feedback from HCW reveals that much work is yet to be done to develop a satisfactory approach towards ensuring the mental wellbeing of one of the greatest assets in the fight against the pandemic. (*The paper was presented at the 2nd Conference on Business Data Analytics: Innovation in emerging trends in management data analytics. Apeejay School of Management, Dwarka, Delhi, India. November 2021)

Die andere pandemie: inzichten in en suggesties voor een betere public mental health (care)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. VAN DEN BROECK
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Public Mental Health Care

That other pandemic: insights and suggestions for a better public mental health (care). Like Covid-19, mental health problems threaten to undermine our society and the personal well-being of many – perhaps more dormantly, but not less destructively. Many people suffer from mental health problems and high suicide rates, skyrocketing psychopharmaceutical use and endless waiting times suggest that the quality of care today – despite the efforts of dedicated professionals –is sub-optimal. These staggering figures make the rollout of a larger plan to prevent, early identify and promptly treat mental health problems an urgent matter. This article focuses on how we can intervene in the mental wellbeing of our population: what bottlenecks underlie the current situation, what societal changes need to be made, and what data can contribute in the matter.

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 Well-being and Mental Health Impact of Household Flooding in Guyana, the Caribbean

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 18-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muge Akpinar-Elci ◽  
Shanomae Rose ◽  
Michele Kekeh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Personal Behavior

AbstractGuyana has annually experienced excessive rainfall and flooding since 2005. This study investigated the general well-being and mental health problems among occupants of households affected by the December 2008 flooding in Guyana. A cross-sectional study design was used to administer validated questionnaires, which included sections on demographics, environmental exposure, general health, and personal behavior. The response rate to the survey was 70% (130/185). The findings indicate an increased self-reported poor health for study participants who smelled moldy odors inside of their home (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 2.0‐12.0) and for individuals who had mold or mildew inside of their homes (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.2‐7.5). Individuals whose homes had flooded previously were also shown to be slightly more at risk for experiencing diminished interest in daily activities (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 0.5‐2.9) as well as diminished involvement in social activities (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.7‐4.8). Also, participants who had their houses previously flooded reported an increased difficulty in concentrating (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 0.9‐6.4). Flooding might be a possible risk factor for well-being and mental health problems among the occupants of affected households.

scholarly journals The Impact of Social Support on Students’ Behavior in the Context of Iraqi Medical Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (E) ◽  
pp. 1553-1559
Author(s):  
I. D. Al-Hasani ◽  
H. S. Salih ◽  
A. T. Abdul Wahid ◽  
Mohammed Jabarah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Mental health problems are reflected and linked to human behavior in many aspects. Medical students are susceptible to a wide variety of events that compromise their mental well-being, social life as well as their academic achievements. AIM: This study aimed to find the impact of social support on medical students’ behavior in Iraq via assessing their depression, anxiety, and stress status. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey-based study targeted all medical students in Iraq. The employed questionnaires covered mental health status of participants by evaluating their perceptions of depression, anxiety, and stress using. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System. RESULTS: The study revealed a significant influence of social support on students’ perceptions of depression and anxiety, but not of their perception of stress. CONCLUSION: Lending social support to medical student is crucial to improve their depression and anxiety with all the positive results that the support brings to their behavior and social life. However, they need more than the social support to keep them safe from academic and daily life stressors.

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