scholarly journals Explanatory Model of Perceived Stress in the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Peru During the COVID-19 Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Boluarte-Carbajal ◽  
Alba Navarro-Flores ◽  
David Villarreal-Zegarra

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impact mental health worldwide. High prevalence of stress had been previously reported in populations during this context. Many theoretical frameworks had been proposed for explaining the stress process, we aim to proposed and explanatory model for the genesis of perceived stress in Peruvian general population.MethodWe conducted an online survey in Peruvian general population assessing sociodemographic variables and evaluating mental health conditions by using The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and a numerical rating scale (NRS) for fear of COVID-19. Correlation analysis was conducted for the variables of interest. Two regression models were constructed to explore related factor to the dimensions of perceived stress. Finally, a structural regression model was performed with the independent variables.ResultsData of 210 individuals was analyzed. Ages ranged from 15 to 74 years and 39% were women. Additionally, 65.2% of the participants had at least one mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, or stress symptoms). Perceived self-efficacy and positive affect (PA) were correlated, as perceived helplessness with anxious symptoms and negative affect (NA). Regression analysis showed that sex, anxiety symptoms, and NA explained perceived helplessness while positive and NA explained self-efficacy. The structural regression model analysis identified that fear of COVID-19 (composed of fear of infecting others and fear of contagion), predicted mental health conditions (i.e., depressive or anxiety symptoms); also, mental health conditions were predicted by PA and NA. Perceived helplessness and Perceived self-efficacy were interrelated and represented the perceived stress variable.ConclusionWe proposed an explanatory model of perceived stress based on two correlated dimensions (self-efficacy and helplessness) in the Peruvian general population during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with two out of three individuals surveyed having at least one mental health condition.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiting Xie

BACKGROUND Many people are affected by mental health conditions, yet its prevalence in certain populations are not well documented. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to describe the attributes of people with mental health conditions in U.S and SG in terms of: perception of mental health recovery and its correlates such as strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience. With the findings, not only could the knowledge base for mental health recovery in both countries be enhanced but interventions and policies relating to self-efficacy, resourcefulness and de-stigmatization for mental health recovery could be informed. METHODS A A cross-sectional, descriptive study with convenience sample of 200 community dwelling adults were selected, 100 pax from the United States (U.S) and 100 pax from Singapore (SG). Adults with serious mental illnesses without substance abuse impacting on their recovery were recruited. Participants completed self-administered questionaires measuring their mental health recovery, strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience. RESULTS This study offered the unique opportunity to examine mental health recovery as well as its correlates such as strengths self-efficacy, resourcefulness and stigma experience from both the United States and Singapore. While the perception of mental health recovery and positive attributes like strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness remained strong in participants with serious mental illnesses across both countries, people with serious mental illnesses in both countries still experienced negative perception like stigma. The findings would not only inform strategies to promote mental health recovery but also enhance the focus on correlates such as strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness across both countries. CONCLUSIONS The findings would not only inform strategies to promote mental health recovery but also enhance the focus on correlates such as strengths self-efficacy and resourcefulness across both countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-89
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jin Jun ◽  
Jordan E DeVylder ◽  
Lisa Fedina

Abstract Police violence is reportedly common among those diagnosed with mental disorders characterized by the presence of psychotic symptoms or pronounced emotional lability. Despite the perception that people with mental illness are disproportionately mistreated by the police, there is relatively little empirical research on this topic. A cross-sectional general population survey was administered online in 2017 to 1,000 adults in two eastern U.S. cities to examine the relationship between police violence exposure, mental disorders, and crime involvement. Results from hierarchical logistic regression and mediation analyses revealed that a range of mental health conditions are broadly associated with elevated risk for police violence exposure. Individuals with severe mental illness are more likely than the general population to be physically victimized by police, regardless of their involvement in criminal activities. Most of the excess risk of police violence exposure related to common psychiatric diagnoses was explained by confounding factors including crime involvement. However, crime involvement may necessitate more police contact, but does not necessarily justify victimization or excessive force (particularly sexual and psychological violence). Findings support the need for adequate training for police officers on how to safely interact with people with mental health conditions, particularly severe mental illness.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Bradway ◽  
Elia Gabarron ◽  
Monika Johansen ◽  
Paolo Zanaboni ◽  
Patricia Jardim ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Despite the prevalence of mobile health (mHealth) technologies and observations of their impacts on patients’ health, there is still no consensus on how best to evaluate these tools for patient self-management of chronic conditions. Researchers currently do not have guidelines on which qualitative or quantitative factors to measure or how to gather these reliable data. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to document the methods and both qualitative and quantitative measures used to assess mHealth apps and systems intended for use by patients for the self-management of chronic noncommunicable diseases. METHODS A scoping review was performed, and PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Research Library were searched for literature published in English between January 1, 2015, and January 18, 2019. Search terms included combinations of the description of the intention of the intervention (eg, self-efficacy and self-management) and description of the intervention platform (eg, mobile app and sensor). Article selection was based on whether the intervention described a patient with a chronic noncommunicable disease as the primary user of a tool or system that would always be available for self-management. The extracted data included study design, health conditions, participants, intervention type (app or system), methods used, and measured qualitative and quantitative data. RESULTS A total of 31 studies met the eligibility criteria. Studies were classified as either those that evaluated mHealth apps (ie, single devices; n=15) or mHealth systems (ie, more than one tool; n=17), and one study evaluated both apps and systems. App interventions mainly targeted mental health conditions (including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), followed by diabetes and cardiovascular and heart diseases; among the 17 studies that described mHealth systems, most involved patients diagnosed with cardiovascular and heart disease, followed by diabetes, respiratory disease, mental health conditions, cancer, and multiple illnesses. The most common evaluation method was collection of usage logs (n=21), followed by standardized questionnaires (n=18) and ad-hoc questionnaires (n=13). The most common measure was app interaction (n=19), followed by usability/feasibility (n=17) and patient-reported health data via the app (n=15). CONCLUSIONS This review demonstrates that health intervention studies are taking advantage of the additional resources that mHealth technologies provide. As mHealth technologies become more prevalent, the call for evidence includes the impacts on patients’ self-efficacy and engagement, in addition to traditional measures. However, considering the unstructured data forms, diverse use, and various platforms of mHealth, it can be challenging to select the right methods and measures to evaluate mHealth technologies. The inclusion of app usage logs, patient-involved methods, and other approaches to determine the impact of mHealth is an important step forward in health intervention research. We hope that this overview will become a catalogue of the possible ways in which mHealth has been and can be integrated into research practice.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Hughes-McCormack ◽  
Ewelina Rydzewska ◽  
Angela Henderson ◽  
Cecilia MacIntyre ◽  
Julie Rintoul ◽  
...  

BackgroundThere are no previous whole-country studies on mental health and relationships with general health in intellectual disability populations; study results vary.AimsTo determine the prevalence of mental health conditions and relationships with general health in a total population with and without intellectual disabilities.MethodNinety-four per cent completed Scotland's Census 2011. Data on intellectual disabilities, mental health and general health were extracted, and the association between them was investigated.ResultsA total of 26 349/5 295 403 (0.5%) had intellectual disabilities. In total, 12.8% children, 23.4% adults and 27.2% older adults had mental health conditions compared with 0.3, 5.3 and 4.5% of the general population. Intellectual disabilities predicted mental health conditions; odds ratio (OR)=7.1 (95% CI 6.8–7.3). General health was substantially poorer and associated with mental health conditions; fair health OR=1.8 (95% CI 1.7–1.9), bad/very bad health OR=4.2 (95% CI 3.9–4.6).ConclusionsThese large-scale, whole-country study findings are important, given the previously stated lack of confidence in comparative prevalence results, and the need to plan services accordingly.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 184-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katy Harker ◽  
Hazel Cheeseman

Purpose Mental health conditions affect almost a quarter of the population who die on average 10-20 years earlier than the general population. Smoking is the single largest cause of this gap in life expectancy. Smoking rates among people with mental health conditions have barely changed over the last 20 years during a time when rates have been steadily falling in the general population. Action is needed to address the growing difference in smoking rates among those with a mental health condition compared to the general population. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This work has been informed by the input of a wide range of experts and professionals from across public health, mental health and the wider NHS. Findings People with a mental health condition are just as likely to want to stop smoking as other smokers but they face more barriers to quitting and are more likely to be dependant and therefore need more support. Quitting smoking does not exacerbate poor mental health; in fact the positive impact of smoking cessation on anxiety and depression appears to be at least as large as antidepressants. Originality/value The full report outlines the high-level ambitions and the specific actions that must be realised to drive down smoking rates among those with a mental health condition.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bu Zhong ◽  
Zhibin Jiang ◽  
Wenjing Xie ◽  
Xuebing Qin

BACKGROUND Considerable research has been devoted to examining the mental health conditions of patients with COVID-19 and medical staff attending to these patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are few insights concerning how the pandemic may take a toll on the mental health of the general population, and especially of nonpatients (ie, individuals who have not contracted COVID-19). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the association between social media use and mental health conditions in the general population based on a national representative sample during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. METHODS We formed a national representative sample (N=2185) comprising participants from 30 provinces across China, who were the first to experience the COVID-19 outbreak in the world. We administered a web-based survey to these participants to analyze social media use, health information support received via social media, and possible psychiatric disorders, including secondary traumatic stress (STS) and vicarious trauma (VT). RESULTS Social media use did not cause mental health issues, but it mediated the levels of traumatic emotions among nonpatients. Participants received health information support via social media, but excessive social media use led to elevated levels of stress (<i>β</i>=.175; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), anxiety (<i>β</i>=.224; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), depression (<i>β</i>=.201; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), STS (<i>β</i>=.307; <i>P</i>&lt;.001), and VT (<i>β</i>=.688; <i>P</i>&lt;.001). Geographic location (or geolocation) and lockdown conditions also contributed to more instances of traumatic disorders. Participants living in big cities were more stressed than those living in rural areas (<i>P</i>=.02). Furthermore, participants from small cities or towns were more anxious (<i>P</i>=.01), stressed (<i>P</i>&lt;.001), and depressed (<i>P</i>=.008) than those from rural areas. Obtaining more informational support (<i>β</i>=.165; <i>P</i>&lt;.001) and emotional support (<i>β</i>=.144; <i>P</i>&lt;.001) via social media increased their VT levels. Peer support received via social media increased both VT (<i>β</i>=.332; <i>P</i>&lt;.001) and STS (<i>β</i>=.130; <i>P</i>&lt;.001) levels. Moreover, geolocation moderated the relationships between emotional support on social media and VT (<i>F</i><sub>2</sub>=3.549; <i>P</i>=.029) and the association between peer support and STS (<i>F</i><sub>2</sub>=5.059; <i>P</i>=.006). Geolocation also interacted with health information support in predicting STS (<i>F</i><sub>2</sub>=5.093; <i>P</i>=.006). CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 has taken a severe toll on the mental health of the general population, including individuals who have no history of psychiatric disorders or coronavirus infection. This study contributes to the literature by establishing the association between social media use and psychiatric disorders among the general public during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study findings suggest that the causes of such psychiatric disorders are complex and multifactorial, and social media use is a potential factor. The findings also highlight the experiences of people in China and can help global citizens and health policymakers to mitigate the effects of psychiatric disorders during this and other public health crises, which should be regarded as a key component of a global pandemic response.


10.2196/16814 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e16814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Bradway ◽  
Elia Gabarron ◽  
Monika Johansen ◽  
Paolo Zanaboni ◽  
Patricia Jardim ◽  
...  

Background Despite the prevalence of mobile health (mHealth) technologies and observations of their impacts on patients’ health, there is still no consensus on how best to evaluate these tools for patient self-management of chronic conditions. Researchers currently do not have guidelines on which qualitative or quantitative factors to measure or how to gather these reliable data. Objective This study aimed to document the methods and both qualitative and quantitative measures used to assess mHealth apps and systems intended for use by patients for the self-management of chronic noncommunicable diseases. Methods A scoping review was performed, and PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Research Library were searched for literature published in English between January 1, 2015, and January 18, 2019. Search terms included combinations of the description of the intention of the intervention (eg, self-efficacy and self-management) and description of the intervention platform (eg, mobile app and sensor). Article selection was based on whether the intervention described a patient with a chronic noncommunicable disease as the primary user of a tool or system that would always be available for self-management. The extracted data included study design, health conditions, participants, intervention type (app or system), methods used, and measured qualitative and quantitative data. Results A total of 31 studies met the eligibility criteria. Studies were classified as either those that evaluated mHealth apps (ie, single devices; n=15) or mHealth systems (ie, more than one tool; n=17), and one study evaluated both apps and systems. App interventions mainly targeted mental health conditions (including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), followed by diabetes and cardiovascular and heart diseases; among the 17 studies that described mHealth systems, most involved patients diagnosed with cardiovascular and heart disease, followed by diabetes, respiratory disease, mental health conditions, cancer, and multiple illnesses. The most common evaluation method was collection of usage logs (n=21), followed by standardized questionnaires (n=18) and ad-hoc questionnaires (n=13). The most common measure was app interaction (n=19), followed by usability/feasibility (n=17) and patient-reported health data via the app (n=15). Conclusions This review demonstrates that health intervention studies are taking advantage of the additional resources that mHealth technologies provide. As mHealth technologies become more prevalent, the call for evidence includes the impacts on patients’ self-efficacy and engagement, in addition to traditional measures. However, considering the unstructured data forms, diverse use, and various platforms of mHealth, it can be challenging to select the right methods and measures to evaluate mHealth technologies. The inclusion of app usage logs, patient-involved methods, and other approaches to determine the impact of mHealth is an important step forward in health intervention research. We hope that this overview will become a catalogue of the possible ways in which mHealth has been and can be integrated into research practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-420
Author(s):  
Charles H Van Wijk ◽  
◽  
Jarred H Martin ◽  
Nazneen Firfirey ◽  
◽  
...  

(Van Wijk CH, Martin JH, Firfirey N. Common mental health conditions among navy divers: A brief report. Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 2020 December 20;50(4):417–420. doi: 10.28920/dhm50.4.417-420. PMID: 33325025.) Introduction: A recent article reported on common mental health conditions among recreational scuba divers, and observed that the prevalence mirrored national population figures. This raised the question of the extent to which this might also be the case among professional divers. No data on commercial divers could be located; this paper presents the situation among navy divers. Methods: Mental health survey data from 132 South African Navy divers were reviewed to describe the 12-month prevalence of common mood, anxiety, and alcohol misuse disorders. Results: Prevalence of common mood and anxiety conditions appeared to reflect local general population estimates, and the occurrence of alcohol misuse was higher than local population figures, although the usefulness of the population data could be challenged. Conclusions: It appeared that common mental health conditions in both sport and navy divers may generally conform to their respective local general population estimates. If this were to be the case in the broader professional diving environment as well, the inclusion of some form of formal mental health screening during commercial diving medical examinations may be beneficial.


Author(s):  
Josefine Rothe ◽  
Judith Buse ◽  
Anne Uhlmann ◽  
Annet Bluschke ◽  
Veit Roessner

Abstract Background The novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has spread quickly worldwide with dramatic consequences on our daily lives. Adverse psychosocial consequences of Covid-19 might be particularly severe for children and adolescents, parents of young children and people with mental health conditions (mhc), who are more prone to the experience of psychosocial stress and who are more dependent on the access to professional psychosocial support. The present survey therefore aimed to explore perceived stress and the emotional responses of children and adolescents as well as adults with and without mhc during the social restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods The survey gathered information about 284 children and adolescent (parent-on-child-reports) and 456 adults (including 284 parents, self-reports). The participants were allocated to four groups: children and adolescents with mhc, children and adolescent without mhc, adults with mhc and adults without mhc. The survey included general questions about socio-demographic characteristics and mental health status, the CoRonavIruSHealth Impact Survey and the Perceived Stress Scale (only data on adults). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for comparing the emotional responses during the Covid-19 pandemic with emotions before the Covid-19 pandemic. Independent sample t-test were used to compare the level of perceived stress between the adult groups, linear regression analyses were conducted to examine which variables predicted perceived stress during the Covid-19 restrictions. Results An increase to the worse during the Covid-19 restrictions was observed for most emotions and worries in all four groups (children and adolescents with mhc, children and adolescents without mhc, adults with mhc, adults without mhc). Contrary to our expectations, a greater number of emotions worsened significantly for children and adolescents as well as adults without mhc as compared to those with mhc. We found higher perceived stress in parents as compared to adults without children in the same household and in adults with mhc as compared to those without mhc. Discussion Covid-19-related social restrictions and potential health risks seem to affect emotions and perceived stress in children, adolescents and adults. Especially, Covid-19 seems to be have worsened the mental well-being of children and adolescent and their families, who were mentally healthy before the Covid-19 pandemic.


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