Assessing Mental Health of Women Living in Karachi During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Women are more susceptible to mental health disorders and have been reported to experience higher levels of depression and anxiety during previous large-scale disease outbreaks. Stressful events like the COVID-19 pandemic can add extra burdens to women's already multifaceted lives. Keeping the gender implications of COVID-19 in mind can assist health care workers to offer more effective management. In our study, we aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of women in Karachi, Pakistan and investigate the possible risk factors.Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to women on social media platforms in the month of June 2020. The questionnaire had two self-assessment scales, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale which measures the symptoms of depression and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale which measures anxiety.Results: Three hundred and ninety three individuals completed the questionnaire with the mean age calculated to be 27.6 ± 11.7 years. Age, education, marital status, number of children, financial issues, employment status, smoking, comorbidities and mental illnesses were significantly associated with participants' mean anxiety and depression scores. The depression scores were generally higher compared to anxiety scores in each category. As the age increased, their scores decreased, with women aged 18–30 having a significantly higher mean depression and anxiety scores compared to women who were above 50. Severe anxiety was identified in 21.9% women and severe depression was noted in 17.8% women. A frightening number of 148 (37.7%) was found of women who had self-destructive thoughts at one time or another. Out of these women, surprisingly 97 (65.5%) individuals were not previously diagnosed with any mental illnesses.Discussion: This study supports the existing literature regarding the disturbed psychological state of women close to the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. We noted increased percentage of depressive women as compared to studies conducted before the covid-19 era. This raises concern especially with our thought provoking finding of self-harm or suicidal thoughts among women. Most of our female population is also seen to be anxious. This study highlights the importance for help and support groups of mental health to effectively reach women during this period of social isolation.

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of nursing students in Japan: protocol for a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. e055916

Author(s):

Jun Kako ◽

Yoshiyasu Ito ◽

Kohei Kajiwara ◽

Yasutaka Kimura ◽

Takahiro Kakeda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Large Scale ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Self Report ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic is spreading globally with a high risk of mortality. It is also significantly affecting mental health. For nursing students, the impact of COVID-19 on mental health is predicted to be significant; however, sufficient data have not been obtained. Therefore, this study will aim to assess the mental health of nursing students and evaluate the related factors.Methods and analysisThis proposed study is a cross-sectional survey using a self-report questionnaire. An online questionnaire will be distributed among all nursing students of eight universities in Japan. The survey questionnaire will consist of questions related to demography, life satisfaction, fear of COVID-19, mental health and physical activities. The target sample size is 1300 nursing students. We will calculate descriptive statistics for each measurement item and perform univariate and logistic regression analyses to evaluate the potential risk factors for anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms in nursing students. The strength of association will be assessed using the OR and its 95% CIs. Statistical significance will be set at a p<0.05.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University of Hyogo on 22 March 2021 (ID: 2020F29). In addition, all of the participating facilities required ethical approval from their local IRBs. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. We believe that the proposed large-scale investigation of the mental health of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship between mental health and fear of COVID-19 are novel and will be a strength of this study.

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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic and Mental Health Status in the General Adult Population of Serbia: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041957 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1957

Author(s):

Isidora Vujčić ◽

Teodora Safiye ◽

Bojana Milikić ◽

Emina Popović ◽

Draško Dubljanin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Status ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Adult Population ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

State Of Emergency ◽

The Impact

Since its outbreak, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread throughout the world. The Serbian government declared a state of emergency on 15 March 2020, implementing some of Europe’s strictest measures to combat the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the mental health of the general adult Serbian population and to identify associated factors during the state of emergency and lockdown. Data were collected with a snowball sampling method between 23 March and 25 April 2020, by using an online questionnaire. Multiple ordinal regression was performed to establish the associations between socio-demographic characteristics, self-estimated health status, and depression, anxiety, and stress. Out of 1057 participants included in the study, 28.9%, 36.9%, and 38.1% reported moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Uneasiness related to COVID-19 news, the feeling of helplessness, likeliness of impending death, and presence of COVID-19 symptoms were associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores. Current smoking status was associated with a higher risk of depression and stress. Students had a significantly higher level of depression and stress, while older age was protective against anxiety and stress. Higher socioeconomic status was significantly associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.

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Impact of an educative program on dialysis patients’ knowledge and mental health: controlled before and after program

Education thérapeutique du patient - Therapeutic patient education ◽

10.1051/tpe/2018015 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 20204

Author(s):

Laetitia Idier ◽

Aurélie Untas ◽

Nicole Rascle ◽

Michèle Koleck ◽

Maider Aguirrezabal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Vascular Access ◽

Educational Program ◽

Psychological State ◽

Control Group ◽

Dialysis Patients ◽

Emotional Change ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

Introduction:Psychological impact of Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE) for dialysis patients is rarely evaluated since the focus of many studies is on medical variables (i.e., adherence).Objectives:The aims of this study were: 1) to estimate the impact of a TPE program on knowledge, depression and anxiety, 2) to examine change in knowledge as a mediator of the effects of a TPE program on mental health.Method:This study was conducted in three hemodialysis units and comprised two groups: an experimental group with education and a control group with routine care. The program was based of 5 educative sessions. Knowledge, depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed with self-reported outcomes measured before and 3 months after the program.Results:The sample comprised 125 patients. Knowledge about vascular access and nutrition (p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms increased in the experimental group (p < 0.01). Analysis of mediation showed that changes in knowledge about vascular access were a significant mediator of the effects of the program on depressive symptoms (F = 4.90;p = 0.01).Discussion:Knowledge acquired during an educational program could lead to an emotional change. Improving knowledge often leads to an awareness of the risks that can modify the psychological state of patients by reminding them of their vulnerability. This study shows that it is required to be attentive to the way of transmitting knowledge. It’s necessary adapting this transmission to the needs of patients and promoting the acquisition of psychosocial competence too.Conclusion:This study shows that knowledge acquired during an educational program can lead to an emotional change in the short term. A long-term follow-up of the population should be interesting to observe these emotional effects.

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African American Women and Depression: Promoting the Need for Culturally Competent Treatment

10.35455/brk123456 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Bernice Kennedy ◽

Chalice Jenkins ◽

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

African American ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

African American Women ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

American Woman ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Diagnostic Process ◽

American Women

Abstract Depression is gradually increasing in African American women. These women are experiencing role changes and additional life stressors. Depressed African American women may perceive themselves as being devalued by society with fewer support systems to buffer stressful events. Depressive symptoms may develop into clinical depression and a further decrease in the quality of life for the African American woman. The assumption that all women share similar experiences does not allow for differences to emerge regarding the diagnostic process, measuring tools, and successful treatment strategies for various cultures. The authors developed a Multifaceted Model of Depression in African American Women for improving treatment of African American women with depression and future research needs. Cultural background plays a vital role in how the symptoms of mental illnesses are developed, reported, interpreted, and how women are treated. African Americans who subscribed to the Strong Black Women Archetype (SBWA) are naturally strong, resilient, self-contained, and self-sacrificing. This self-reliance prevents them from reaching out for social support. This, in turn, can contribute to depressive symptoms with negative health outcomes. The African American women are more apt to have less access to routine medical care where early diagnosis and interventions can be done, so their mental health problems (e.g., depression, stress, etc.) are often more developed, complicated, and their social supports more depleted when they do access treatment. When African American women do have access to mental health care, they receive poor quality care compared to Whites.

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Relationships between Physical and Social Behavioural Changes and the Mental Status of Homebound Residents in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17186653 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (18) ◽

pp. 6653

Author(s):

Ben Y. F. Fong ◽

Martin C. S. Wong ◽

Vincent T. S. Law ◽

Man Fung Lo ◽

Tommy K. C. Ng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Physical Health ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Social Contact ◽

Well Being ◽

Full Time ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Physical Strain

In Hong Kong, social distancing has been adopted in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the changes in physical health, mental health, and social well-being experienced by local residents who were homebound during the pandemic. An online questionnaire in both Chinese and English versions was completed by 590 eligible participants from 24 April to 13 May 2020. The questionnaire found that individuals aged 18 to 25 years spent more time resting and relaxing but experienced more physical strain. Working status was associated with social contact, with participants working full-time jobs scoring higher in “maintaining social communication via electronic means” and “avoiding social activities outside the home”. Additionally, approximately one third of the participants (29.7%) had moderate to severe depression, and participants aged 18 to 25 were found to have higher scores in PHQ-9. Changes in physical health and social contact were significantly associated with developing depressive symptoms. From the results, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exert a negative impact on the mental health status of individuals.

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Medical student perceptions of curricular influences on their wellbeing: a qualitative study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-21364/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Christine Byrnes ◽

Anu Ganapathy ◽

Melinda Lam ◽

Lise Mogensen ◽

Wendy CY Hu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Medical Student ◽

Student Perceptions ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Large Scale ◽

Self Care ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Prevalence Studies ◽

Contact Hours ◽

Long Course

Abstract Background Medical student mental health and wellbeing is highly topical worldwide. Research has tended to be either large-scale, quantitative, prevalence studies of wellbeing and associated factors such as burnout, or evaluations of single institution interventions. While theoretically informed definitions of wellbeing abound, how do medical students themselves understand and perceive wellbeing? What aspects of the curriculum do they regard as affecting their wellbeing and mental health? This study explored these questions, and aimed to identify factors associated with student acceptability of wellbeing programs and interventions. Methods All students at an Australian undergraduate medical school were invited to complete a qualitative online questionnaire between 2017 and 2018 following the introduction of several wellbeing initiatives, including “Wellbeing Days” (WBD). WBD allow students to take single absence days for self-care. Open-ended questions were asked about perceptions and experience of wellbeing and mental health, and views on interventions to improve wellbeing such as WBD. Thematic analysis was performed , initially by three authors who developed preliminary themes, then confirmed by all researchers . Thematic saturation was achieved within the 68 responses, which included participants from all cohorts. Results Participants described wellbeing as positively experienced work/life balance, impacted by four factors; contact hours, peer relationships, staff relationships, and trust in how wellbeing initiatives were used. Long course contact hours were deemed incompatible with self-care activities, maintaining employment, and seeking professional medical/psychological help. Peers could promote wellbeing by offering social and academic support, but also undermine wellbeing by being competitors. Degree of trust, engagement and communication with staff influenced acceptability of interventions. Participants viewed initiatives such as WBD favourably, but distrust of peers, and of staff, led to perceptions that WBD could be prone to misuse, or used for surveillance rather than support. Conclusion Our findings suggest that wellbeing days which allow self-care, reduction in contact hours, and peer support may promote student wellbeing, but the acceptability of any interventions is influenced by relationships between students and staff, and with peers. Further research is recommended to investigate the relationship between trust, perceptions of wellbeing in self and peers, and the effectiveness of wellbeing interventions.

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Prevalence of Depression Symptoms and Associated Sociodemographic and Clinical Correlates Among Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

10.21203/rs.3.rs-62968/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hady Naal ◽

Dana Nabulsi ◽

Nour El Arnaout ◽

Lina Abdouni ◽

Hani Dimassi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Large Scale ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Syrian Refugees ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Clinical Correlates ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Prevalence Of Depression

Abstract Background: Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011, close to 6 million Syrian refugees have escaped to Syria’s neighbouring countries, including Lebanon. Evidence suggests rising levels of mental health disorders among Syrian refugee populations. Yet, to the best of our knowledge, large-scale studies addressing the mental health of adult Syrian refugees in Lebanon are lacking. Aims: We examined the prevalence of depression symptoms, which represent a common and debilitating mental health disorder among Syrian refugee populations in Lebanon, along with their sociodemographic and clinical correlates.Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was conducted as part of a collaborative project-“Sijilli”- led by the Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon) across 4 informal tented settlements for refugees (Beirut, Bekaa, North, South) in Lebanon among adult Syrian refugees (≥18), over a period extending from 2018 to 2020. The survey inquired about participants’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and screened participants for symptoms of depression through sequential methodology using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2 and PHQ-9). Results: A total of 3255 adult Syrian refugees were enrolled in the study. Of those refugees, only 51.6% (n=1678) screened positive on the PHQ-2 and were therefore eligible to complete the PHQ-9. The PHQ-9 analysis revealed high prevalence (25%) of moderate to severe depression in the total sample, suggestive of high probability for major depression disorder (MDD). Further analyses indicate that being ≥45 years of age (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.22-2.36), a woman (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.07-1.69), divorced/separated (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.57-7.01), reporting a neurological (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.20-2.61) or a mental health condition (OR 5.30, 95% CI 2.40-11.66) are major risk factors for MDD.Conclusion: Our study suggests that one in four Syrian refugees in Lebanon have probable MDD, and our findings have important public health and clinical implications on refugee health. There is a need to enhance screening efforts, to improve access and referral to mental health services, and to improve post-migration factors among Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

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The Impact of Shift Work on Occupational Health Indicators among Professionally Active Adults: A Comparative Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182111290 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (21) ◽

pp. 11290

Author(s):

Henrique Pereira ◽

Gergely Fehér ◽

Antal Tibold ◽

Samuel Monteiro ◽

Vítor Costa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Occupational Health ◽

Shift Work ◽

Work Engagement ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

The Impact ◽

Active Adults

The analysis of the impact of shift work on occupational health still needs further contributions. Therefore, we developed this research with the purpose of assessing the impact of shift work on occupational health indicators, namely burnout, work-engagement, occupational self-efficacy, and mental health functioning (symptoms of depression and anxiety), by comparing workers who did shift work (44.2% of participants) with workers who did not (55.8% of participants). A total of 695 Portuguese professionally active adults between 18 and 73 years of age (Mage = 37.71; SD = 12.64) participated in this study and completed a survey containing a sociodemographic questionnaire and four occupational health measures: The Burnout Assessment Tool, The Work-Engagement questionnaire (UWES), The Occupational Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and the BSI-18 for mental health symptoms. Results showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) for all indicators, demonstrating that participants who worked shifts presented lower scores of work-engagement and occupational self-efficacy, and higher scores of burnout, depression, and anxiety when compared to participants who did not work shifts. Linear regressions showed that shift work explained significant but low percentages of anxiety symptoms, low work-engagement, depression symptoms, low occupational self-efficacy, and burnout. We concluded that non-standard working hours (by shifts) are detrimental to employee occupational health, by increasing the risk of anxiety and depression levels, and burnout, and by reducing work-engagement (as a well-being indicator) and occupational self-efficacy perceptions.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on College Students: An Online Survey

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131910762 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 10762

Author(s):

Thien Khai Tran ◽

Hoa Dinh ◽

Hien Nguyen ◽

Dac-Nhuong Le ◽

Dong-Ky Nguyen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Online Education ◽

Large Scale ◽

Online Survey ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Human Life ◽

Negative Mood ◽

Psychological State ◽

Survey Analysis ◽

The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic, since its beginning in December 2019, has altered every aspect of human life. In Vietnam, the pandemic is in its fourth peak and is the most serious so far, putting Vietnam in the list of top 30 countries with the highest daily cases. In this paper, we wish to identify the magnitude of its impact on college students in Vietnam. As far as we’re concerned, college students belong to the most affected groups in the population, especially in big cities that have been hitting hard by the virus. We conducted an online survey from 31 May 2021 to 9 June 2021, asking students from four representative regions in Vietnam to describe how the pandemic has changed their lifestyle and studying environment, as well as their awareness, compliance, and psychological state. The collected answers were processed to eliminate unreliable ones then prepared for sentiment analysis. To analyze the relationship among the variables, we performed a variety of statistical tests, including Shapiro–Wilk, Mc Nemar, Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon, Kruskal–Wallis, and Pearson’s Chi-square tests. Among 1875 students who participated, many did not embrace online education. A total of 64.53% of them refused to think that online education would be the upcoming trend. During the pandemic, nearly one quarter of students were in a negative mood. About the same number showed signs of depression. We also observed that there were increasing patterns in sleeping time, body weight, and sedentary lifestyle. However, they maintained a positive attitude toward health protection and compliance with government regulations (65.81%). As far as we know, this is the first project to conduct such a large-scale survey analysis on students in Vietnam. The findings of the paper help us take notice of financial and mental needs and perspective issues for indigent students, which contributes to reducing the pandemic’s negative effects and going forwards to a better and more sustainable life.

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Reproductive and Mental Health during Natural Disaster

Advances in Human Services and Public Health - Transforming Public Health in Developing Nations ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8702-8.ch012 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 265-291

Author(s):

Jasim Anwar

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Reproductive Health ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Psychological Trauma ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

The Impact

With the ever-increasing number of natural disasters, it is important to understand the impact on the health and wellbeing of survivors, especially women. The reproductive and mental health of women contributes significantly to their overall wellbeing. The Chapter gives an overview of natural disasters with an emphasis on consequences of earthquakes of health and wellbeing of the survivors. It includes a critical review of published studies on psychological trauma and reproductive health following earthquake disasters. Among the psychological consequences of earthquakes, this chapter describes post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. The last section of this chapter reviewed reproductive health in relation to the mental health consequences following natural disasters.

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