Loneliness in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: Cross-sectional results from The COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study

Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health issue. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdown measures limiting social contact. The UK public are worried about the impact of these measures on mental health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of loneliness at this time is a priority issue for research. Design: The study employed a cross-sectional online survey design. Method: Baseline data collected between March 23rd and April 24th 2020 from UK adults in the COVID-19 Psychological Wellbeing Study were analysed (N = 1963, 18-87 years, M = 37.11, SD = 12.86, 70% female). Logistic regression analysis was used to look at the influence of sociodemographic, social, health and COVID-19 specific factors on loneliness. Results: The prevalence of loneliness was 27% (530/1963). Risk factors for loneliness were younger age group (OR: 4.67 – 5.31), being separated or divorced (OR: 2.29), meeting clinical criteria for major depression (OR: 1.74), greater emotion regulation difficulties (OR: 1.04), and poor quality sleep due to the COVID-19 crisis (OR: 1.30). Higher levels of social support (OR: 0.92), being married/co-habiting (OR: 0.35) and living with a great number of adults (OR: 0.87) were protective factors. Conclusions: Rates of loneliness during the initial phase of lockdown were high. Risk factors were not specific to the COVID-19 crisis. Findings suggest that supportive interventions to reduce loneliness should prioritise younger people and those with mental health symptoms. Improving emotion regulation and sleep quality may be optimal initial targets to reduce the impact of COVID-19 regulations on mental health outcomes.

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Longitudinal Effects of Gendered Harassment Perpetration and Victimization on Mental Health Outcomes in Adolescence

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260517723746 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (23-24) ◽

pp. 5997-6016 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sarah J. Rinehart ◽

Dorothy L. Espelage ◽

Kristen L. Bub

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Harassment ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Negative Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact ◽

Homophobic Name Calling ◽

Gendered Harassment

Gendered harassment, including sexual harassment and homophobic name-calling, is prevalent in adolescents and is linked to negative outcomes including depression, anxiety, suicidality, substance abuse, and personal distress. However, much of the extant literature is cross-sectional and rarely are perpetrators of these behaviors included in studies of outcomes. Therefore, the current study examined the effects of longitudinal changes in gendered harassment perpetration and victimization on changes in mental health outcomes among a large sample of early adolescents. Given that these behaviors commonly occur in the context of a patriarchal society (males hold power), we also investigated the impact of gender on gendered harassment. Participants included 3,549 students from four Midwestern middle schools (50.4% female, 49% African American, 34% White) at two time points (13 and 17 years old). Results indicated that increases from age 13 to 17 years in sexual harassment perpetration and victimization and homophobic name-calling perpetration and victimization predicted increases in depression symptoms and substance use. Gender did not moderate these pathways. These findings highlight that negative outcomes are associated with changes in gendered harassment among adolescents and emphasize the importance of prevention efforts. Implications for school interventions are discussed.

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Financial stress and mental health among higher education students in the UK up to 2018: rapid review of evidence

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health ◽

10.1136/jech-2019-212154 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 73 (10) ◽

pp. 977-984 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Tayla McCloud ◽

David Bann

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Financial Stress ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Education Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Uk

IntroductionIn the United Kingdom and many other countries, debt accrued during higher education has increased substantially in recent decades. The prevalence of common mental health problems has also increased alongside these changes. However, it is as yet unclear whether there is an association between financial stress and mental health among higher education students.MethodsWe conducted a rapid review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Eligible studies were English-language publications testing the association between any indicator of financial stress and mental health among higher education students in the UK. Papers were located through a systematic search of PsychINFO, PubMed and Embase up to November 2018.ResultsThe search strategy yielded 1272 studies—9 met the inclusion criteria. A further two were identified through hand-searching. The median sample size was 408. Only three of seven studies found an association between higher debt and worse mental health. There was a consistent cross-sectional relationship between worse mental health and both experience of financial difficulties (seven of seven studies) and debt worry/financial concern (four of five studies), though longitudinal evidence was mixed and limited to six studies.ConclusionAmong higher education students in the UK, there is little evidence that the amount of debt is associated with mental health. However, more subjective measures of increased financial stress were more consistently associated with worse mental health outcomes. Nevertheless, the identified evidence was judged to be weak; further research is required to examine whether links between financial stress and mental health outcomes are robust and causal in nature.

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The impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes among hospital fever clinic attendants across Nepal: A cross-sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0248684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0248684

Author(s):

Hridaya Raj Devkota ◽

Tula Ram Sijali ◽

Ramji Bogati ◽

Meraj Ahmad ◽

Karuna Laxmi Shakya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mental Health Programs ◽

The Impact

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been creating a panic and distressing situations among the entire population globally including Nepal. No study has been conducted assessing the psychological impact of this pandemic on the general public in Nepal. The objective of this study is to assess the mental health status during COVID-19 outbreak and explore the potential influencing factors among the population attending the hospital fever clinics with COVID–19 symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May—June, 2020 with a sample of 645 participants aged 18 and above in 26 hospitals across Nepal. Telephone interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire along with a validated psychometric tool, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-21) scale. The metrics and scores of symptoms and their severity were created and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of potential covariates with outcome variables. Results The prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress were 14%, 7% and 5% respectively. In reference to Karnali, participants from Bagmati province reported higher level of anxiety (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.31–9.06), while stress (OR 4.27, 95% CI 1.09–18.32) and depressive symptoms (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.05–9.23) observed higher among the participants in Province 1. Women were more at risk of anxiety (OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.83–6.36) than men. Similarly, people currently living in rented houses reported more stress (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.05–8.43) and those living far from family reported higher rates of depressive symptoms (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.03–11.46). Conclusion The study identified increased prevalence of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms during the initial stage of COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Considering the findings, there is urgent need to develop and implement appropriate community-based mental health programs targeting individuals who have had COVID-19 symptoms and who are prone to develop adverse mental health outcomes.

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Initial cohort characteristics and protocol for SIGMA: An accelerated longitudinal study of environmental factors, inter- and intrapersonal processes, and mental health in adolescence

10.31234/osf.io/jp2fk ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Olivia J Kirtley ◽

Robin Achterhof ◽

Noëmi Hagemann ◽

Karlijn Susanna Francisca Maria Hermans ◽

Anu Pauliina Hiekkaranta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Environmental Risk ◽

Daily Life ◽

Experience Sampling ◽

Environmental Risk Factors ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

The Impact

Background: Over half of all mental health conditions have their onset in adolescence. Large-scale epidemiological studies have identified relevant environmental risk factors for mental health problems. Yet, few have focused on potential mediating inter- and intrapersonal processes in daily life, hampering intervention development. Objectives: To investigate 1) the impact of environmental risk factors on changes in inter- and intrapersonal processes; 2) the impact of altered inter- and intrapersonal processes on the development of (sub)clinical mental health symptoms in adolescents and; 3) the extent to which changes in inter- and intrapersonal processes mediate the association between environmental risk factors and the mental health outcomes in adolescents.Methods: ‘SIGMA’ is an accelerated longitudinal study of adolescents aged 12 to 18 from across Flanders, Belgium. Using self-report questionnaires, experience sampling, an experimental task, and wearables, we are investigating the relationship between environmental risk factors (e.g. trauma, parenting), inter- and intrapersonal processes (e.g. real-life social interaction and interpersonal functioning) and mental health outcomes (e.g. psychopathology, self-harm) over time. Results: N= 1913 adolescents (63% female) aged 11 – 20, from 22 schools, participated. The range of educational trajectories within the sample was broadly representative of the Flemish general adolescent population.Conclusions: Our findings will enable us to answer fundamental questions about inter- and intrapersonal processes involved in the development and maintenance of poor mental health in adolescence. This includes insights regarding the role of daily-life social and cognitive-affective processes, gained by using experience sampling. The accelerated longitudinal design enables rapid insights into developmental and cohort effects.

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Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182212257 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (22) ◽

pp. 12257

Author(s):

Zubair Ahmed Ratan ◽

Anne-Maree Parrish ◽

Sojib Bin Zaman ◽

Mohammad Saud Alotaibi ◽

Hassan Hosseinzadeh

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Smartphone Addiction ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Background: Smartphones play a critical role in increasing human–machine interactions, with many advantages. However, the growing popularity of smartphone use has led to smartphone overuse and addiction. This review aims to systematically investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on health outcomes. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to carry out the systematic review. Five electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus were searched to identify eligible studies. Eligible studies were screened against predetermined inclusion criteria and data were extracted according to the review questions. This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181404). The quality of the articles was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results: A total of 27 of 2550 articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies were cross-sectional and focused on physical, mental, and neurological health outcomes. The majority of the studies focused on mental health outcomes and consistent associations were observed between smartphone addiction and several mental health outcomes. Anxiety and depression were commonly found to mediate mental health problems. A wide range of physical health sequelae was also associated with smartphone addiction. Furthermore, there was an association between smartphone addiction and neurological disorders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there are consistent associations between smartphone addiction and physical and mental health, especially mental health. Social awareness campaigns about smartphone addiction and its impact on physical and mental health are needed. Further studies, especially randomized controlled trials, are warranted to validate the impacts of smartphone addiction.

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O5C.3 The mental health impact of deployment to iraq and afghanistan: what does the current data show?

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oem-2019-epi.124 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. A46.1-A46

Author(s):

Sharon Stevelink ◽

Margaret Jones ◽

Lisa Hull ◽

David Pernet ◽

Shirlee MacCrimmon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Alcohol Misuse ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Health Impact ◽

Current Data ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

The longer term mental health outcomes of UK serving and ex-serving personnel have been the subject of much speculation. The latest research findings from the third phase of a longitudinal study will be presented, which is the only military cohort study of its kind in the UK. Data was collected among 8093 personnel between 2014 and 2016. The study examined the prevalence of mental disorders and alcohol misuse, whether rates differed between serving and ex-serving regular personnel and the impact of various deployment exposures. The prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder was 6.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5–6.9), 21.9% (95% CI 20.8–23.0) for common mental disorders and 10.0% (95% CI 9.2–10.9) for alcohol misuse. Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan and self-reported role during deployment were associated with significantly worse mental health outcomes and alcohol misuse in ex-serving regular personnel but not in currently serving regular personnel. There was no association with number of deployments for any outcome. The findings highlight the importance of the continued monitoring of following personnel throughout their military career and beyond. The implications of the study outcomes will be discussed in the light of the mental health provision for serving and ex-serving personnel.

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Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health in Germany: longitudinal observation of different mental health trajectories and protective factors

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-021-01508-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

K. F. Ahrens ◽

R. J. Neumann ◽

B. Kollmann ◽

J. Brokelmann ◽

N. M. von Werthern ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Daily Hassles ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Psychological State ◽

Cognitive Emotion Regulation ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic and resulting measures can be regarded as a global stressor. Cross-sectional studies showed rather negative impacts on people’s mental health, while longitudinal studies considering pre-lockdown data are still scarce. The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 related lockdown measures in a longitudinal German sample, assessed since 2017. During lockdown, 523 participants completed additional weekly online questionnaires on e.g., mental health, COVID-19-related and general stressor exposure. Predictors for and distinct trajectories of mental health outcomes were determined, using multilevel models and latent growth mixture models, respectively. Positive pandemic appraisal, social support, and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation were positively, whereas perceived stress, daily hassles, and feeling lonely negatively related to mental health outcomes in the entire sample. Three subgroups (“recovered,” 9.0%; “resilient,” 82.6%; “delayed dysfunction,” 8.4%) with different mental health responses to initial lockdown measures were identified. Subgroups differed in perceived stress and COVID-19-specific positive appraisal. Although most participants remained mentally healthy, as observed in the resilient group, we also observed inter-individual differences. Participants’ psychological state deteriorated over time in the delayed dysfunction group, putting them at risk for mental disorder development. Consequently, health services should especially identify and allocate resources to vulnerable individuals.

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The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health outcomes among hospital fever clinic attendants across Nepal: A community-based cross-sectional study

10.1101/2020.07.28.20163295 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hridaya Raj Devkota ◽

Tula Ram Sijali ◽

Ramji Bogati ◽

Meraj Ahmad ◽

Karuna Laxmi Shakya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Background: The COVID 19 pandemic has been creating a panic and distressing situations among the entire population globally including Nepal. No study has been conducted assessing the psychological impact of this pandemic on the general public in Nepal. The objective of this study is to assess the mental health status during COVID 19 outbreak and explore the potential influencing factors among the population attending the hospital fever clinics with COVID 19 symptoms. Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted between May to June, 2020 with a sample of 645 participants aged 18 and above in 26 hospitals across Nepal. Telephone interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire along with a validated psychometric tool, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS21) scale. The metrics and scores of symptoms and their severity were created and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of potential covariates with outcome variables. Results: The prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress were 14%, 7% and 5% respectively. Participants from Bagmati province reported higher level of anxiety (OR 3.87, 95% CI 1.42 10.59), while stress (OR 4.78, 95% CI 1.09 21.29) and depressive symptoms (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.10 10.35) observed higher among the participants in Province 1. Women were more at risk of anxiety (OR 4.26, 95% CI 2.21 8.20) and depression (2.75, 95% CI 1.16 6.51) than men. Similarly, people with primary level education found more prone to all factors, stress (OR 20.35, 95% CI 2.06 201.19), anxiety (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.24 7.91), and depression (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.29 15.07). More farmers than labors showed higher odds (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.01 5.01) for anxiety, while individuals surveyed who reported their health status as poor-had higher odds (OR 5.95, 95% CI 1.08 32.68) for depression. Also, people currently living in rented houses reported more stress (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.07 9.05) and those living far from family reported higher rates of depressive symptoms (OR 3.57, 95% CI 1.01 12.58). Conclusion: The study identified increased prevalence of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms during the initial stage of COVID 19 pandemic in Nepal. Considering the findings, there is urgent need to develop and implement appropriate community-based mental health programs targeting individuals who have had COVID 19 symptoms and who are prone to develop adverse mental health outcomes. Key words: COVID 19, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Pandemic, Public Health, Nepal

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'Protection or punishment?' The implications of detention on the mental health and well-being of migrants, a review of the literature.

10.31234/osf.io/cp78r ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Edward Stagg

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Asylum Seekers ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Narrative Synthesis ◽

Immigration Detention ◽

The World ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Background: The number of individuals forced to leave their home and seek asylum in other countries has risen alongside political instability, conflict and persecution in many parts of the world. These individuals are therefore extremely vulnerable. Many asylum-seekers have witnessed and experienced traumatic events that have contributed to mental illness. Detention is often used to incarcerate asylum-seekers who are waiting for asylum decisions to be made, however many are held in inadequate conditions for long periods of time. With governments using immigration detention increasingly more often, there are serious questions surrounding the impact this has on the mental health of detainees.Methods: A systematic review was undertaken using a comprehensive search strategy across six databases. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in the review providing that the mental health implications of immigration detention were explored or measured. Grey literature was also searched. The quality of the included studies were appraised and a narrative synthesis conducted in order to establish the main findings of the review. The results of the narrative synthesis were included in a conceptual model that explains how detention works to influence mental health. Results: 22 studies were included in the review. Six themes were identified from analysis of study findings from around the world. Five of those themes also occurred within studies conducted within the UK. In both the UK and globally: detention was associated with poor and deteriorating mental health outcomes; specific conditions inside detention centres were found to contribute to poor mental health; longer durations spent in detention were associated with poorer mental health outcomes; several negative behavioural and emotional responses to the detention experience were observed – particularly in children; the trauma of detention and mental health difficulties developed while in detention remained with individuals after release. In addition to these five themes, a higher number of relocations between detention centres contributed to greater mental distress among detainees outside the UK.Conclusions: This review provides evidence to suggest that an association exists between immigration detention and poor mental health outcomes and that many of the mediators of this relationship are universal. The findings of this paper have several implications for further research and policy. The UK must end indefinite detention and move towards alternative solutions for dealing with asylum-seekers. Detention should only be used as a last resort. Vulnerable individuals, such as children and individuals with existing mental health issues should never be detained. Finally, greater care should be taken to ensure that families with young children are not separated from one-another. Due to the implications of the findings included in this review, it is vital that scientific research of this type is allowed to continue. Future research must evaluate the feasibility and suitability of alternative policies to detention.

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Well-Being and Perceived Stress of Adolescent Young Carers: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Journal of Child and Family Studies ◽

10.1007/s10826-021-02097-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hannah Wepf ◽

Agnes Leu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Young Carers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

AbstractAdolescent young carers have been described as a hidden group at risk of mental health problems. However, research has not yet clarified the effect of caring when considering the related family situation. We aimed to examine the impact of a caring role on adolescents’ mental health and to gain knowledge about adolescent young carers’ specific needs. We collected cross-sectional data from adolescents (15–21 years, N = 2525) recruited through educational institutions in German-speaking Switzerland. Based on self-reported answers regarding the presence or absence of a family member with health problems and youth’s caring activities, the participants were grouped into three subsamples. We compared mental health outcomes (well-being and perceived stress) in current carers and their peers, and we conducted multiple regression analyses for predicting these outcomes among all adolescents and the subsample of carers. Adolescent young carers had lower levels of well-being and higher levels of perceived stress than their peers. However, when controlling for background variables, well-being levels were lower only when carers were compared to adolescents from a healthy family background. Indicators of family instability predicted mental health outcomes independently of being a carer. More recognition for the caring role predicted better well-being and perceived stress outcomes, and more support in caring predicted better well-being but not perceived stress outcomes. The findings suggest that a caring role is not necessarily related to decreased well-being in adolescents, but it is associated with higher levels of perceived stress. The way professionals and services respond to young carers’ specific needs should be improved.

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