scholarly journals Refuting the myth of a ‘tsunami’ of mental ill-health in populations affected by COVID-19: Evidence that response to the pandemic is heterogenous, not homogeneous

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
Sarah Butter ◽  
Orla McBride ◽  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Jilly Gibson Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Health Response ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Research Consortium ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background: The current study argues that population prevalence estimates for mental health disorders, or changes in mean scores over time, may not adequately reflect the heterogeneity in mental health response to the COVID-19 pandemic within the population.Methods: The COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) Study is a longitudinal, nationally representative, online survey of UK adults. The current study analysed data from its first three waves of data collection: Wave 1 (March 2020, N=2025), Wave 2 (April 2020, N=1406) and Wave 3 (July 2020, N=1166). Anxiety-depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale (a composite measure of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7) and COVID-19 related PTSD with the International Trauma Questionnaire. Changes in mental health outcomes were modelled across the three waves. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify subgroups of individuals with different trajectories of change in anxiety-depression and COVID-19 PTSD. Latent class membership was regressed on baseline characteristics.Results: Overall prevalence of anxiety-depression remained stable, while COVID-19 PTSD reduced between Waves 2 and 3. Heterogeneity in mental health response was found, and hypothesised classes reflecting (i) stability, (ii) improvement, and (iii) deterioration in mental health were identified. Psychological factors were most likely to differentiate the improving, deteriorating and high-stable classes from the low-stable mental health trajectories. Conclusions: A low-stable profile characterised by little-to-no psychological distress (‘resilient’ class) was the most common trajectory for both anxiety-depression and COVID-19 PTSD. Monitoring these trajectories is necessary moving forward, in particular for the ~30% of individuals with increasing anxiety-depression levels.

Psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are heterogeneous but have stabilised over time: One year longitudinal follow-up of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
Sarah Butter ◽  
Orla McBride ◽  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Jilly Gibson Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Psychological Responses ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
One Year ◽  
Research Consortium ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Over Time

Shevlin et al. (2021) recently demonstrated heterogeneity in mental health and psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic over time from a nationally representative sample of UK adults (March–July 2020). Five subpopulations representing either stability, deterioration or improvement in both anxiety-depression and COVID-19 PTSD were identified. The majority of the sample were characterised by low levels of anxiety-depression (56.6%) and COVID-19 traumatic stress (68.3%) during this early phase of the pandemic but some showed deterioration and some showed mental health benefits. Here we extend these findings using two additional survey waves from the C19PRC Study, thereby modelling mental health trajectories for the UK population within the entire first year of the pandemic.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Related Knowledge and Mental Health: Case of Croatia

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marko Galić ◽  
Luka Mustapić ◽  
Ana Šimunić ◽  
Leon Sić ◽  
Sabrina Cipolletta
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Hospital Anxiety ◽  
Biological Features ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Mediation Models

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to radical and unexpected changes in everyday life, and it is plausible that people’s psychophysical health has been affected. This study examined the relationship between COVID-19 related knowledge and mental health in a Croatian sample of participants.MethodsAn online survey was conducted from March 18 until March 23, 2020, and a total of 1244 participant responses were collected (85.5% were women and 58.4% completed secondary education). Measures included eight questions regarding biological features of the virus, symptoms, and prevention, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Optimism-Pessimism Scale. According to the answers given on the questions on COVID-19 related knowledge, participants were divided in two groups: (1) informed and (2) uninformed on each question. They were then compared in the expressed levels of anxiety, depression, pessimism, and optimism. Full vs. partial mediation models with optimism/pessimism as a mediator in the relationship between anxiety/depression and the accuracy of responses for questions about handwashing and ways of transmission were estimated.ResultsParticipants who responded correctly on the question about handwashing had higher levels of anxiety, depression, and pessimism than those participants whose answer was incorrect, while participants who answered correctly on the question about the percentage of patients who develop serious breathing problems had higher levels of depression than those who answered incorrectly. Lower levels of anxiety and pessimism were observed in the participants who answered correctly about ways of transmission. Higher levels of pessimism were found in participants who scored incorrectly on questions about the efficiency of antibiotics, most common symptoms, and the possibility of being infected by asymptomatic carriers. Higher levels of knowledge about handwashing were predicted by higher levels of anxiety and pessimism. Higher levels of knowledge about ways of transmission were predicted by lower levels of anxiety and lower levels of pessimism. The examined relationships between anxiety/depression and knowledge were mediated by pessimism.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that knowledge about COVID-19 may be useful to reduce anxiety and depression, but it must be directed to the promotion of health behaviors and to the recognition of fake news.

scholarly journals Prevalence of anxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare students in Jordan and its effect on their learning process: A national survey

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0249716
Author(s):  
Iman A. Basheti ◽  
Qassim N. Mhaidat ◽  
Hala N. Mhaidat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Students ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Rational During pandemics, including the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of university healthcare students’ is expected to be affected negatively, impacting the students’ learning process. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the level of anxiety and depression of healthcare students living in Jordan, and the effect on their learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey completed by students studying a healthcare-oriented degree in a university in Jordan. Participants were recruited through social media (Facebook and WhatsApp). The validated previously published Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire was used as a part of the online survey to assess students’ anxiety/depression scores. Students’ responses regarding their learning process during the COVID-19 was also assessed. Results The mean age of participants was 21.62 (SD = 4.90), with the majority being females (67.1%). The HADs’ assessment revealed that 43.8% and 40.0% of participants had normal anxiety and depression scores, while 22.4% showed borderline abnormal anxiety/depression scores (33.8%). Many students (33.8%) were classified to have abnormal anxiety scores, while a smaller proportion (26.2%) was classified to have abnormal depression scores. Smoking (p = 0.022), lower family income (p = 0.039), and use of medications (p = 0.032) were positively associated with higher (worse) anxiety scores. Ranking the learning process during COVID-19 showed that 45.8% of the participants believed it was a ‘good/very good/excellent’ process. Conclusions Anxiety and depression levels amongst university healthcare students in Jordan were found to be high when assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the learning process during the pandemic was not accepted by more than half of the students. Implementing psychological interventions for healthcare students during pandemics is strongly recommended in order to optimize students’ mental health and their learning process alike.

An overview of the context, design and conduct of the first two waves of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orla McBride ◽  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
Jilly Gibson Miller ◽  
Todd K. Hartman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retention Rate ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Household Composition ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Quota Sampling ◽  
Research Consortium ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Baseline Sample

The C19PRC Study aims to assess the psychological, social, and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Spain. This paper describes the the first two waves of the UK survey (the ‘parent’ strand of the Consortium) during March-April 2020. A longitudinal, internet panel survey assessed: (1) COVID-19 related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours; (2) the occurrence of common mental health disorders (e.g. anxiety, depression); as well as the role of (3) psychological factors (e.g. personality, locus of control, resilience) and (4) social and political attitudes (e.g. authoritarianism, social dominance), in influencing the public’s response to the pandemic. Quota sampling was used to recruit a nationally representative (in terms of age, sex, and household income) sample of adults (N=2025), 1406 of whom were followed-up one month later (69.4% retention rate). The baseline sample was representative of the UK population in terms of economic activity, ethnicity, and household composition. Attrition was predicted by key socio-demographic characteristics, and an inverse probability weighting procedure was employed to ensure the follow-up sample was representative of the baseline sample. C19PRC Study data has strong generalisability to facilitate and stimulate interdisciplinary research on important public health questions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anxiety Depression and Burden among the Caregivers of Persons with Neurological Illness

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Anil Kumar Roy ◽  
Nilesh Maruti Gujar ◽  
Arif Ali ◽  
Utpal Borah
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Hospital Anxiety ◽  
Care Burden ◽  
Neurological Illness ◽  
Rehabilitation Sciences ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background: Studies have shown that caregivers of the persons with the neurological illness have high levels of psychological distress, depression and caregiver’s burden. The aim of the study was to find out anxiety, depression and caregiver’s burden among the caregivers of persons with neurological illness (PWNI). Method: Thirty caregivers of PWNI attending the Centre of Rehabilitation Sciences, LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam were selected using purposive sampling technique for the present study. Socio-demographic and clinical data sheet, Zarit Burden Interview Scale and The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used. Results: The results shown that in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 26.6% of the caregivers' scores were in the abnormal range in the domain of depression. While in the domain of anxiety, 16.6% scored in the abnormal range. In Zarit Burden of Scale, 13.3% of the caregivers were having little or no burden, 26.6% of the caregivers were having mild to moderate level of burden, 20% were having moderate to severe burden and 30% were having a severe burden of care. Care burden has significant positive correlation with depression (r= .124, p≤ 0.01 and anxiety (r= .124, p≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Caregivers of PWNI have been found to be at higher risk of mental health problems and care burden. The importance of addressing the burden of caregivers involved in the care of PWNI need to be taken into consideration while providing treatment and rehabilitation of PWNI.     Keywords: Anxiety, depression, burden, neurological illness

scholarly journals Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Hull ◽  
Lily Levy ◽  
Meng-Chuan Lai ◽  
K. V. Petrides ◽  
Simon Baron-Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Abstract Background There is inconsistent evidence for a clear pattern of association between ‘camouflaging’ (strategies used to mask and/or compensate for autism characteristics during social interactions) and mental health. Methods This study explored the relationship between self-reported camouflaging and generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety in a large sample of autistic adults and, for the first time, explored the moderating effect of gender, in an online survey. Results Overall, camouflaging was associated with greater symptoms of generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety, although only to a small extent beyond the contribution of autistic traits and age. Camouflaging more strongly predicted generalised and social anxiety than depression. No interaction between camouflaging and gender was found. Limitations These results cannot be generalised to autistic people with intellectual disability, or autistic children and young people. The sample did not include sufficient numbers of non-binary people to run separate analyses; therefore, it is possible that camouflaging impacts mental health differently in this population. Conclusions The findings suggest that camouflaging is a risk factor for mental health problems in autistic adults without intellectual disability, regardless of gender. We also identified levels of camouflaging at which risk of mental health problems is highest, suggesting clinicians should be particularly aware of mental health problems in those who score at or above these levels.

scholarly journals Public Concerns during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Multicultural Cross-Sectional Study among Internet Survey Respondents in Three Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1577
Author(s):  
Alona Emodi-Perlman ◽  
Ilana Eli ◽  
Nir Uziel ◽  
Joanna Smardz ◽  
Anahat Khehra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Internet Survey ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Culturally Different ◽  
Patient Health

(1) Background: this study aimed to evaluate the worries, anxiety, and depression in the public during the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in three culturally different groups of internet survey respondents: Middle Eastern (Israel), European (Poland), and North American (Canada). (2) Methods: a cross-sectional online survey was conducted in the mentioned countries during the lockdown periods. The survey included a demographic questionnaire, a questionnaire on personal concerns, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). A total of 2207 people successfully completed the survey. (3) Results: Polish respondents were the most concerned about being infected. Canadian respondents worried the most about their finances, relations with relatives and friends, and both physical and mental health. Polish respondents worried the least about their physical health, and Israeli respondents worried the least about their mental health and relations with relatives and friends. Canadian respondents obtained the highest score in the PHQ-4, while the scores of Israeli respondents were the lowest. (4) Conclusions: various factors should be considered while formulating appropriate solutions in emergency circumstances such as a pandemic. Understanding these factors will aid in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of stress, social isolation, and uncertainty on the well-being and mental health of culturally different societies.

scholarly journals Suffering and mental health among older people living in nursing homes - a mixed-methods study

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorunn Drageset ◽  
Elin Dysvik ◽  
Birgitte Espehaug ◽  
Gerd Karin Natvig ◽  
Bodil Furnes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Bodily Pain ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Emotional Role ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Cognitively Intact

Background. Knowledge about mixed-methods perspectives that examine anxiety, depression, social support, mental health and the phenomenon of suffering among cognitively intact NH residents is scarce. We aimed to explore suffering and mental health among cognitively intact NH residents. Methods. This study used a mixed-methods design to explore different aspects of the same phenomena of interest to gain a more comprehensive understanding. The qualitative core component comprised a qualitative interview from 18 nursing home residents (≥65 years) about experiences related to pain, grief and loss. The supplementary component comprised interview from the same respondents using the SF-36 Health Survey subscales , the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Social Provisions Scale. Results. The individual descriptions reveal suffering caused by painful experiences during life. The quantitative results indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were related to mental health and symptoms of anxiety were related to bodily pain and emotional role limitations. Attachment and social integration were associated with vitality and social functioning. Discussion. To improve the situation, more attention should be paid to the residents’ suffering related to anxiety, depression and psychosocial relations.

scholarly journals Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e028179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa Picco ◽  
Sherilyn Chang ◽  
Edimansyah Abdin ◽  
Boon Yiang Chua ◽  
Qi Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Latent Class Analysis ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Class Analysis ◽  
Associative Stigma

Objectives(1) Investigate and explore whether different classes of associative stigma (the process by which a person experiences stigmatisation as a result of an association with another stigmatised person) could be identified using latent class analysis; (2) determine the sociodemographic and employment-related correlates of associative stigma and (3) examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction, among mental health professionals.DesignCross-sectional online survey.ParticipantsDoctors, nurses and allied health staff, working in Singapore.MethodsStaff (n=462) completed an online survey, which comprised 11 associative stigma items and also captured sociodemographic and job satisfaction-related information. Latent class analysis was used to classify associative stigma on patterns of observed categorical variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic and employment-related factors and the different classes, while multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction.ResultsThe latent class analysis revealed that items formed a three-class model where the classes were classified as ‘no/low associative stigma’, ‘moderate associative stigma’ and ‘high associative stigma’. 48.7%, 40.5% and 10.8% of the population comprised no/low, moderate and high associative stigma classes, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression showed that years of service and occupation were significantly associated with moderate associative stigma, while factors associated with high associative stigma were education, ethnicity and occupation. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that high associative stigma was significantly associated with lower job satisfaction scores.ConclusionAssociative stigma was not uncommon among mental health professionals and was associated with sociodemographic factors and poorer job satisfaction. Associative stigma has received comparatively little attention from empirical researchers and continued efforts to address this understudied yet important construct in conjunction with future efforts to dispel misconceptions related to mental illnesses are needed.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic- knowledge, perception, anxiety and depression among frontline doctors of Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faridah Amin ◽  
Salman Sharif ◽  
Rabeeya Saeed ◽  
Noureen Durrani ◽  
Daniyal Jilani
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Burden ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Modifiable Factors ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Self Reporting Questionnaire

Abstract Background COVID-19 is a global pandemic and has become a major public health burden worldwide. With already fragile healthcare systems it can have long lasting effects in developing countries. Outbreaks especially a pandemic situation evokes fear related behaviors among healthcare professionals and there is always an increased risk of mental health disorders. Therefore, this study aims to determine knowledge and perception about this pandemic, prevalence and factors associated with anxiety/depression among frontline physicians of Pakistan. Methods Data were collected through an online survey released in the last week of March-2020. 389 frontline physicians from all four provinces and 65 cities of Pakistan participated. Survey questionnaire consisted of 4 parts including informed consent section, demographic section, knowledge and perception about COVID-19 pandemic and assessment of depression through World Health Organization Self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20). A score of 8 or above on SRQ-20 was used as cut-off to label the participant as depressed. Data was analyzed using SPSS version22. Results A 43% prevalence of anxiety/depression among frontline physicians of Pakistan was reported. Almost all the doctors had moderate to high knowledge score. Majority of participants marked N-95 mask as “essential” during aerosol generating procedures, assessing patients with respiratory symptoms, in COVID patient-care area, ER triage and direct care of COVID-19 patient. Only 12% of the doctors were fully satisfied with the provision of PPEs and almost 94% felt unprotected. In multivariable model, assessing more than five COVID suspects/day (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.65–4.52), working 20 h/week or less (aOR = 2.11, 1.27–3.49), having children among household members (aOR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.00–2.50) and moderate to low knowledge of the infection (aOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.68–4.31) were found to be independent predictors of anxiety/depression among physicians. Conclusion Anxiety/depression among more than a third of frontline doctors of Pakistan warrants the need to address mental health of doctors caring for patients during this pandemic; control modifiable factors associated with it and explore the effectiveness of interventions to promote psychological well-being of physicians.

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