scholarly journals COVID-19 and high-skilled workers: Experiences and perspectives from India

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15
Author(s):  
Hussain Patrawala ◽  
Ruchi Singh
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has been in the news since the beginning of the year 2020 and within a couple of months of its origination, it was declared as ‘global pandemic’ by WHO. The pandemic has a substantial economic impact and has attracted wide attention from various scholars and policymakers across the globe. Though a lot has been mentioned about the economic implications of the pandemic, very few attempts have been made to address the impact of the pandemic on psycho-social and mental well being. Moreover, numerous attempts have been made to understand and analyse the impact on unskilled and low paid workers, less work has been initiated in a direction to understand the impact on skilled professionals who as well are not untouched by the impact of the pandemic. With this given background, the study tries to fill this void. The main objective of the study is to comprehend the socio-psychological impact of COVID-19 on the high-skilled labourers, including women workers in the Indian context. The study puts forth high-skilled migrants’ perspective on various sociological amd psychological aspects. An exhaustive literature review has been done to disentangle existing thoughts. To substantiate the findings from the literature and to meet the objectives primary survey was conducted targetting 30 odd skilled workers across various occupations. The study also offers suggestions and policy recommendations for government and policymakers for framing inclusive policies across migrant segments.

scholarly journals Perspective on Living With a Skin Condition and its Psychological Impact: A Survey

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Kanji
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Skin Condition ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Chronic Skin ◽  
Skin Conditions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background: Chronic skin conditions can have a profound impact on people’s lives, both physically and psychologically, and may predispose to mental health disorders. Providing sufferers with appropriate psychological support is important. Objective: In this study, we captured the views of people suffering from a chronic skin condition who were attending the “Skin Matters” conference, held on 20 May 2017, in London. Methods: Delegates were provided with a 5-point questionnaire to complete. Questions related to the impact of their chronic skin condition on their life, the nature of any psychological support they had found helpful and whether they felt they could benefit from greater support in managing their condition. Results: 59% of the delegates completed the questionnaire. The survey results showed that skin conditions can have an impact of many areas of daily living as well as on mental well-being. The most popular source of psychological support was the Internet. The majority of survey participants felt they would benefit from increased psychological support in managing their condition. Conclusions: In the United Kingdom, there is a need to improve the availability of resources for people/patients with skin conditions in order to provide better support.

scholarly journals Physical Activity Among Predominantly White Middle-Aged and Older US Adults During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Results From a National Longitudinal Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney P. Joseph ◽  
Keenan A. Pituch ◽  
M. Aaron Guest ◽  
Molly Maxfield ◽  
Allie Peckham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
General Health ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Past ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Us ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Background: The first COVID-19 case in the US was diagnosed late January 2020. In the subsequent months, cases grew exponentially. By March 2020, SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19) was a global pandemic and the US declared a national emergency. To mitigate transmission, federal guidelines were established for social and physical distancing. These events disrupted daily routines of individuals around the world, including Americans. The impact of the pandemic on PA patterns of Americans is largely unknown, especially among those at greater risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess levels of PA over time during the pandemic among US adults aged >50 years.Methods: Data were collected as part of a web-based, longitudinal, 3-wave study examining health and well-being among adults aged > 50. PA data were collected at Waves 2 and 3 using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). At Wave 2 (conducted mid-May to early June, 2020), participants completed the IPAQ-SF twice, once in reference to a typical 7-day period before the pandemic, and again in reference to the past 7 days. At Wave 3 (conducted mid-June to early July 2020), participants completed the IPAQ-SF once, with reference to the past 7 days. Potential predictors of PA change were collected using items from previously established surveys and included demographic characteristics, pre-pandemic PA levels, perceived COVID-19 threat, self-rated general health, and number of chronic disease conditions.Results: Respondents (N = 589) had a mean age of 63 ± 7.39 years and were mostly female (88%) and non-Hispanic White (96%). Mean MET-min/week across the three time-referents were 2,904 (pre-pandemic), 1,682 (Wave 2 past 7-days), and 2,001 (Wave 3 past 7-days), with PA declining between the first and second time referents (d = −0.45, p < 0.001) and remaining below pre-pandemic levels at the third (d = −0.34, p < 0.001). Changes over time were predicted by pre-pandemic PA and self-rated general health (p's < .05).Conclusions: Effective strategies are needed to promote safe and socially-distanced PA among adults aged >50 years until the risk of contracting COVID-19 subsides. In the post-pandemic era, PA programming will be imperative to address pandemic-associated declines in PA.

Impact of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Pregnant Women: A Review

Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saima Habeeb ◽  
Manju Chugani
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fetal Outcome ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

: The novel coronavirus infection (COVID‐19) is a global public health emergency.Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the infection has spread at an alarming rate across the globe and humans have been locked down to their countries, cities and homes. As of now, the virus has affected over 20million people globally and has inflicted over 7 lac deaths. Nevertheless, the recovery rate is improving with each passing day and over 14 million people have recuperated so far. The statistics indicate that nobody is immune to the disease as the virus continues to spread among all age groups; newborns to the elders, and all compartmentsincluding pregnant women. However, pregnant women may be more susceptible to this infection as they are, in general, highly vulnerable to respiratory infections. There is no evidence for vertical transmission of the COVID-19 virus among pregnant women, but an increased prevalence of preterm deliveries. Besides this, the COVID-19 may alter immune response at the maternal-fetal interface and affect the well-being of mothers as well as infants. Unfortunately, there is limited evidence available in the open literature regarding coronavirus infection during pregnancy and it now appears that certain pregnant women have infected during the present 2019-nCoV pandemic. In this short communication, we study the impact of the COVID-19 infection on vertical transmission and fetal outcome among pregnant women.

scholarly journals OP0082-PARE THE EFFECT COVID-19 HAS ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES. FROM DATA TO INTERVENTIONS.

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 44-45
Author(s):  
S. Mingolla ◽  
A. Celano ◽  
M. Santopietro
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rheumatic Diseases ◽  
Rare Diseases ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
National Association ◽  
The Impact

Background:Covid-19 has had an important impact on the mental health conditions of over 5 million Italians suffering from one of the over 150 rheumatic diseases. In order to understand the psychological impact of the Covid-19 emergency and the restrictions imposed to counter it, the Italian National Association of People with Rheumatic and Rare Diseases – APMARR APS launched the research “Living with a rheumatic pathology”.Objectives:Gather data directly from Italian patients about the impact of the COVID-19 and consequent restrictions on their mental health and feelings; evaluate the most effective intervention to be implemented to face the pandemic by Patients organization.Methods:A qualitative-quantitative survey was carried out through a questionnaire administered throughout the national territory to a sample of N = 1,001 people. The people invited to complete the questionnaire were women (55,9%) and men (44,1%), aged 18-85 years (age 18-41=26,7%; age 42-65=64%; age >65=9,3%) with at least one rheumatic pathology. The questionnaire was made up of 39 questions, of which 29 were closed and 10 were open. For the administration of the questionnaires, the CAWI (Computer Aided Web Interview) methodology of on-line survey was used. The 1,001 interviews were carried out from 7 to 14 August 2020.Results:More than 4 out of 10 people (total sample 44.2%; male 60%, female 35,7%; age 18-41=39,1%; age 42-65=45,9%; age >65 = 50%) declared that the emergency period has somehow caused a worsening of their health condition. People declared that the deterioration of their health is due to the emergency period for the following reasons: 1) Psychological: such as stress and anxiety: “Too much stress and anxiety made the symptoms worse.”; “The stress of the quarantine affected my problem”; “Insomnia. Nervousness. General ailments. Depression. Strong stress” 2) Inability to perform physiotherapy and motor activities due to the lockdown 3) Postponement of examinations, visits and checks 4) remote working, in some cases described as harmful for people’s mental and physical health: “Due to Covid19 I had to do remote working and I worked even 12 hours a day including holidays to the detriment of my family life”.Furthermore, from January 31, 2020 a significant increase emerged in communication problems with rheumatology specialist compared to the period before the emergency due to Covid-19. The sharp increase may be due to the situation of severe psychological stress to which also the doctors were subjected in the emergency phase: people could not find the comfort of being empathically listened to.Conclusion:The research shows that the most frequent symptoms among people with rheumatic diseases were depression and high levels of anxiety due to strong emotional stress. Psychological malaise caused direct effects in worsening the symptoms of rheumatic disease as well as other related effects, for example, insomnia. The forced isolation due to the lockdown has made people lack the social support that is fundamental for the psychological well-being especially for those suffering from some chronic pathology. Starting from the data collected, APMARR promptly activated a completely free psychological support service with 6 professional psychologists, two of them specialized in emergency psychology. The service is accessible online and is still going on for all who are not able to overcome the anxiety and fear related to the pandemic and its evolution. Thousands of accesses to the service have been measured to date.References:S Mingolla1, A Celano1, M Santopietro2[1]NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATIC AND RARE DISEASES - APMARR APS[2]WeResearch. Ricerche di marketingDisclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals COVID-19 restrictions and changing sexual behaviours in HIV-negative MSM at high risk of HIV infection in London, UK

2021 ◽  
pp. sextrans-2020-054768
Author(s):  
Iain Hyndman ◽  
Diarmuid Nugent ◽  
Gary George Whitlock ◽  
Alan McOwan ◽  
Nicolò Girometti
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Hiv Negative

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic and its related restrictions have affected attendance to and delivery of UK sexual healthcare services (SHS). We surveyed the impact on sexual behaviour of men having sex with men (MSM) to inform future SHS provision.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based survey among HIV-negative MSM at high risk of HIV infection who attended 56 Dean Street, a sexual health and HIV clinic. The survey was conducted over a 7-day period in August 2020. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviour and related mental well-being experienced during lockdown (defined as 23 March–30 June 2020) were extracted. Categorical and non-categorical variables were compared according to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use.Results814 MSM completed the questionnaire: 75% were PrEP users; 76% reported they have been sexually active, of which 76% reported sex outside their household. 75% reported fewer partners than prior to lockdown. Isolation/loneliness (48%) and anxiety/stress (27%) triggered sexual activity, and 73% had discussed COVID-19 transmission risks with their sexual partners. While 46% reported no change to emotions ordinarily experienced following sex, 20% reported guilt for breaching COVID-19 restrictions. 76% implemented one or more changes to their sexual behaviour, while 58% applied one or more steps to reduce COVID-19 transmission during sex. 36% accessed SHS and 30% reported difficulties in accessing testing/treatment. Of those who accessed SHS, 28% reported an STI diagnosis. PrEP users reported higher partner number, engagement in ‘chemsex’ and use of SHS than non-PrEP users.ConclusionsCOVID-19 restrictions had a considerable impact on sexual behaviour and mental well-being in our survey respondents. High rates of sexual activity and STI diagnoses were reported during lockdown. Changes to SHS provision for MSM must respond to high rates of psychological and STI-related morbidity and the challenges faced by this population in accessing services.

scholarly journals Anxiety, depression, and glycemic control during Covid-19 pandemic in youths with type 1 diabetes

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cusinato ◽  
Mariangela Martino ◽  
Alex Sartori ◽  
Claudia Gabrielli ◽  
Laura Tassara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Glycemic Control ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Glucose Monitoring ◽  
Severe Hypoglycemia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Glucose Variability ◽  
Threshold Score ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Our study aims to assess the impact of lockdown during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on glycemic control and psychological well-being in youths with type 1 diabetes. Methods We compared glycemic metrics during lockdown with the same period of 2019. The psychological impact was evaluated with the Test of Anxiety and Depression. Results We analyzed metrics of 117 adolescents (87% on Multiple Daily Injections and 100% were flash glucose monitoring/continuous glucose monitoring users). During the lockdown, we observed an increase of the percentage of time in range (TIR) (p<0.001), with a significant reduction of time in moderate (p=0.002), and severe hypoglycemia (p=0.001), as well as the percentage of time in hyperglycemia (p<0.001). Glucose variability did not differ (p=0.863). The glucose management indicator was lower (p=0.001). 7% of youths reached the threshold-score (≥115) for anxiety and 16% for depression. A higher score was associated with lower TIR [p=0.028, p=0.012]. Conclusions Glycemic control improved during the first lockdown period with respect to the previous year. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with worse glycemic control; future researches are necessary to establish if this improvement is transient and if psychological difficulties will increase during the prolonged pandemic situation.

scholarly journals A pilot study on the impact of a first-time central heating intervention on resident mental wellbeing

2020 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2097546
Author(s):  
Richard A Sharpe ◽  
Andrew J Williams ◽  
Ben Simpson ◽  
Gemma Finnegan ◽  
Tim Jones
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Central Heating ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
Mental Well Being

Fuel poverty affects around 34% of European homes, representing a considerable burden to society and healthcare systems. This pilot study assesses the impact of an intervention to install a new first time central heating system in order to reduce fuel poverty on household satisfaction with indoor temperatures/environment, ability to pay bills and mental well-being. In Cornwall, 183 households received the intervention and a further 374 went onto a waiting list control. A post-intervention postal questionnaires and follow-up phone calls were undertaken ( n = 557) to collect data on household demographics, resident satisfaction with indoor environment, finances and mental well-being (using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale). We compared responses between the waiting list control and intervention group to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. A total of 31% of participants responded, 83 from the waiting list control and 71 from the intervention group. The intervention group reported improvements in the indoor environment, finances and mental well-being. However, these benefits were not expressed by all participants, which may result from diverse resident behaviours, lifestyles and housing characteristics. Future policies need to consider whole house approaches alongside resident training and other behaviour change techniques that can account for complex interactions between behaviours and the built environment.

scholarly journals Contributing Factors in Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being—The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Social Support, and Health Behavior

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9597
Author(s):  
Gabriella Nagy-Pénzes ◽  
Ferenc Vincze ◽  
Éva Bíró
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Unhealthy Eating ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Mental disorders are common in adolescents, and for effective interventions we should be aware of their determinants. However, there are only a small number of studies investigating the combined effect of multiple factors. Therefore, our aim is to assess the impact of socioeconomic status, social support, and health behavior on adolescents’ mental well-being. A cross-sectional health survey of 1641 children was carried out in accordance with the study protocol of the Hungarian Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. Multivariate multiple regression was used to analyze the main determinants of mental well-being. The boys’ mental well-being was favorable compared to girls; lower subjective family wealth was associated with lower life satisfaction and depressive mood. Life satisfaction was positively related to healthy eating, social support, and physical activity. Unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, and lower social support were associated with higher depression scores. Higher social support reduces psychosomatic symptoms, while unhealthy eating and spending a lot of time in front of the computer increase them. Both social support and healthy lifestyle seem to be protective against mental health problems among adolescents, and thus interventions should focus on these factors regardless of the socioeconomic status of the participants, with special attention given to girls.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on post graduate medical education and training

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon C. Enujioke ◽  
Kimberly McBrayer ◽  
Katherine C. Soe ◽  
Teresa M. Imburgia ◽  
Cynthia Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Equal Distribution ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Medical Education And Training ◽  
Home Work ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose The novel Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) has had a significant impact worldwide that led to changes in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on trainee’s mental health and educational preparedness. Methods Trainees at the Indiana University School of Medicine were surveyed regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their training. Using a Likert scale, participants were asked questions pertaining to educational preparedness, mental health, and clinical work during the pandemic. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 27. The study was approved as exempt by the Institutional review Board (IRB). Results 324 of the 1204 trainees responded to the survey. The respondents were 76% white with an equal distribution of males and females. A majority of the respondents were first year residents with an equal distribution of second, third, and fourth year residents. Twenty-three percent of respondents were in a procedural residency or fellowship program. Better perceived educational preparedness was associated with an improved home-work balance during COVID-19 (β = 0.506, p < 0.0001) and having a department that advocated/supported focus on mental health during COVID-19 (β = 0.177, p < 0.0001). Worse perceived educational preparedness was associated with being in procedural vs. non-procedural dominant training program (β = − 0.122, p = 0.01). Conclusion COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the training experience of residents and fellows. Departmental support increased mental well-being and perceived education preparedness in trainees. Trainees that felt they had a better home-work life balance had better educational preparedness compared to their peers. Also, trainees in procedural programs had less educational preparedness compared to their peers in non-procedural programs. This study highlights the importance for programs to find avenues to increase educational preparedness in their trainees while being attuned to the mental health of their trainees.

scholarly journals The Influence of COVID-19 on the Well-Being of People: Big Data Methods for Capturing the Well-Being of Working Adults and Protective Factors Nationwide

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiyang Zhang ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
Hanjia Lyu ◽  
Yipeng Zhang ◽  
Yubao Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Working Adults ◽  
Linguistic Inquiry Word Count ◽  
Text Content ◽  
Pandemic Severity ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected the lives of people across the globe. To investigate the mental impact of COVID-19 and to respond to the call of researchers for the use of unobtrusive and intensive measurement in capturing time-sensitive psychological concepts (e.g., affect), we used big data methods to investigate the impact of COVID-19 by analyzing 348,933 tweets that people posted from April 1, 2020 to April 24, 2020. The dataset covers 2,231 working adults, who are from 454 counties across 48 states in the United States. In this study, we theorize the similarity and dissimilarity between COVID-19 and other common stressors. Similar to other stressors, pandemic severity negatively influenced the well-being of people by increasing negative affect. However, we did not find an influence of pandemic severity on the positive affect of the people. Dissimilar to other stressors, the protective factors for people during COVID-19 are not common factors that make people resilient to stress and they echo the unique experience during COVID-19. Moreover, we analyzed the text content of 348,933 tweets through Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC) and word cloud analysis to further reveal the psychological impact of COVID-19 and why the protective factors make people resilient to the mental impact of COVID-19. These exploratory analyses revealed the specific emotions that people experienced and the topics that people are concerned about during the pandemic. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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