scholarly journals Use of Alcohol and Addictive Drugs During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Norway: Associations With Mental Health and Pandemic-Related Problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Bonsaksen ◽  
Øivind Ekeberg ◽  
Inger Schou-Bredal ◽  
Laila Skogstad ◽  
Trond Heir ◽  
...  

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a major impact on people's daily life. This study aimed to examine use of alcohol and addictive drugs during the COVID-19 outbreak in Norway and examine their association with mental health problems and problems related to the pandemic.Methods: A sample of 4,527 persons responded to the survey. Use of alcohol and addictive drugs were cross-tabulated with sociodemographic variables, mental health problems, and problems related to COVID-19. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the strength of the associations.Results: Daily use of alcohol was associated with depression and expecting financial loss in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. Use of cannabis was associated with expecting financial loss in relation to COVID-19. Use of sedatives was associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Use of painkillers was associated with insomnia and self-reported risk of complications if contracting the coronavirus.Conclusion: The occurrence of mental health problems is more important for an understanding of the use of alcohol and addictive drugs during the COVID-19 outbreak in Norway, compared to specific pandemic-related worries.

Author(s):  
Tore Bonsaksen ◽  
Øivind Ekeberg ◽  
Inger Schou-Bredal ◽  
Laila Skogstad ◽  
Trond Heir ◽  
...  

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a major impact on people’s daily life. This study aimed to examine use of alcohol and addictive drugs during the COVID-19 outbreak and examine their association with mental health problems and problems related to the pandemic. A sample of 4527 persons responded to the survey. Use of alcohol and addictive drugs were cross-tabulated with sociodemographic variables, mental health problems and problems related to COVID-19. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the strength of the associations. Daily use of alcohol was associated with depression and expecting financial loss in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. Use of cannabis was associated with expecting financial loss in relation to COVID-19. Use of sedatives was associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Use of painkillers was associated with insomnia and self-reported risk of complications if contracting the coronavirus. We conclude that the occurrence of mental health problems is more important for an understanding of the use of alcohol and addictive drugs during the COVID-19 outbreak compared to specific pandemic-related worries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Hull ◽  
Lily Levy ◽  
Meng-Chuan Lai ◽  
K. V. Petrides ◽  
Simon Baron-Cohen ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Jensen ◽  
Ellen Haug ◽  
Børge Sivertsen ◽  
Jens Christoffer Skogen

Objective: Recent studies have shown that today's college students more than ever are struggling with mental health and alcohol problems. While poor satisfaction with life and mental health problems have been linked to higher alcohol consumption, there is still a lack of studies examining in detail the shape and nature of the relationship between mental health and alcohol consumption.Aim: To investigate the associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems among Norwegian university students. The shape of the associations was also examined.Methods: Data were drawn from a 2018 national survey of students in higher education in Norway (the SHoT-study). Associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems (AUDIT; risky and harmful alcohol use) were investigated using logistic regression. Both crude models and models adjusted for age, gender and marital status were conducted. To investigate the shape of the associations, logistic regression with quadric and cubic terms was tested.Results: Decreased satisfaction with life and increased mental health problems were associated with potential alcohol-related problems. For satisfaction with life, a curvilinear association with risky alcohol use and a linear association with harmful alcohol use was identified. For mental health problems, curvilinear associations were found for both risky and harmful alcohol use.Conclusion: Many students report potential alcohol-related problems. Students with harmful alcohol use seem to be more at risk of reduced satisfaction with life and increased mental health problems than students with risky alcohol use. Educational institutions may be an ideal setting for raising awareness of mental health issues and responsible alcohol consumption among students. The present study contributes with important information about the shape of the associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems in the student population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Qiu ◽  
Ruiqi Li ◽  
Yilu Li ◽  
Jun He ◽  
Feiyun Ouyang ◽  
...  

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships and the underlying mechanisms between work stress and mental health problems, and potential mediation effects through job dissatisfaction in a working population.Methods: A large population-based study among workers in China was conducted. The self-reported scales of assessing job dissatisfaction and work stress were included in the questionnaire. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 were used for assessment of mental health. Univariate logistic regression was conducted to test the associations between work stress and mental health. Path analysis was conducted to test the proposed mediation model.Results: Of the 6,190 included employees, 27.72% reported that they perceived work stress, 14.84% of them reported that they were not satisfied with their work, 5.01% of the employees reported depressive symptoms, and 3.75% of the employees reported anxiety symptoms. The results of univariate logistic regression showed that employees who perceived work stress were more likely to report anxiety symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.78; 95% CI: 2.03–3.79) or depressive symptoms (AOR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.22–2.12). The path analysis showed that work stress was positively associated with job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction mediated the relationship between work stress and mental health problems among Chinese working adults.Conclusion: This study suggests the importance of psychosocial work environment for mental health among Chinese working adults. Work dissatisfaction is a stressor that may induce negative consequences on the mental health among Chinese workers. Interventions to help workers with stress management may be beneficial for their mental health.


2015 ◽  
Vol 206 (6) ◽  
pp. 456-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kinderman ◽  
Sara Tai ◽  
Eleanor Pontin ◽  
Matthias Schwannauer ◽  
Ian Jarman ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe relationship between well-being and mental ill health is complex; people may experience very low levels of well-being even in the absence of overt mental health problems.AimsThis study tested the hypothesis that anxiety, depression and well-being have different causal determinants and psychological mediating mechanisms.MethodThe influence of causal and mediating factors on anxiety, depression and well-being were investigated in a cross-sectional online questionnaire survey hosted on a UK national broadcasting website.ResultsMultivariate conditional independence analysis of data from 27 397 participants revealed different association pathways for the two constructs. Anxiety and depression were associated with negative life events mediated by rumination; low levels of subjective well-being were associated with material deprivation and social isolation, mediated by adaptive coping style.ConclusionsOur findings support the ‘two continua’ model of the relationship between psychological well-being and mental health problems, with implications for both treatment and prevention.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-201
Author(s):  
Herbert C. Covey ◽  
Leah McCoy Grubb ◽  
Robert J. Franzese ◽  
Scott Menard

The present study investigates how adolescent exposure to violence (AEV), in the form of parental physical abuse, witnessing parental violence, and exposure to violence in the neighborhood, is related to adult anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, controlling for more general adolescent violent victimization and for self-reports and parent reports of mental health problems in adolescence, on a national household-based probability sample of individuals who were adolescents in the mid-1970s and who were followed through early adulthood in the early 2000s. The results suggest that AEV is associated with mental health problems in adolescence but not, controlling for other variables, in adulthood, but there is continuity in mental health problems associated with AEV from adolescence to adulthood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuxuan Li ◽  
Haifeng Zhang ◽  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Wanxin Ma ◽  
...  

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep problems among caregivers of persons living with neurocognitive disorders (PLWND) during the COVID-19 pandemic in China and investigate whether the COVID-19-related experiences were associated with the presence of anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.Methods: From March 1 to 31, 2020, 160 caregivers of PLWND participated in an online cross-sectional survey on the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. The 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was administered to measure anxiety symptoms, and the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Questions on sleep duration and sleep quality enquired about sleep problems. Six items were used to explore the COVID-19-related experiences, including community-level infection contact and the level of exposure to media information. We computed the prevalence rate of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and sleep problems. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate factors associated with these mental health problems.Results: The prevalence rate of anxiety, depression, and sleep problems were 46.9%, 36.3%, and 9.4%. Approximately 55 participants (34.4%) presented with two or more mental health problems. Women had a higher risk of developing anxiety symptoms (OR, 5.284; 95% CI, 2.068–13.503; p = 0.001). Having a mental disorder (OR, 5.104; 95% CI, 1.522–17.114; p = 0.008) was associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. Caregivers who preferred to access positive information (OR, 0.215; 95% CI, 0.058–0.793; p = 0.021) was associated with decreased risk of sleep problems.Conclusion: Anxiety and depressive symptoms were common among caregivers of older adults with dementia or mild cognitive impairment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being female was an independent risk factor for experiencing anxiety symptoms. Preexisting mental disorders increased the risk of depressive symptoms among caregivers, while caregivers who prefer to access positive media information decreased sleep problems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Fredrick Dermawan Purba ◽  
Titi Sahidah Fitriana

Studies have found that mental health problems are more prevalent in urban areas compared to rural ones, including in Indonesia. About 6% of Indonesian people report having mental health problems, and 1.7 out of every thousand residents are diagnosed with a psychiatric problem. This study examines the sociodemographic determinants of reporting mental health problems among Indonesia’s general population living in urban areas. One thousand forty participants aged 17 years and over answered sociodemographic questions (i.e., residence, gender, age, education level, income, marital status) and completed the EQ-5D-5L. Their responses to the Anxiety/Depression item of the EQ-5D-5L (no problem vs. any level of problem) were the dependent variable sociodemographic factors were the explanatory variables. About one-third (35.37%) of the participants reported experiencing problems with anxiety/depression. Logistic regression found that marital status was significantly associated with reporting any problems of anxiety/depression in the EQ-5D-5L: single/divorced participants were 58% more likely to report that they suffered from anxiety/depression in comparison to their married counterparts. These results highlight the importance of social support; that is, having a spouse or extended family member whom one can count on for help when facing a problem is essential, regardless of one’s gender, age, educational level, or income.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Chen ◽  
Mengying Li ◽  
Ling Zhang ◽  
Li Ran ◽  
Xuyu Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to survey the general public in China to better understand their levels of psychological state and its influencing factors after the Wuhan shutdown on 23 Jan.Methods: A survey was conducted on Feb 20-24, using an online self-administrated questionnaire among 4071 participants. Data on subjective indicators of daily-life change was collected, and individual scores on changes in anxiety, depression, and stress were generated by 8-item, 11-item, and 6-item questions. After bivariate analyses, multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate independent associations between socio-demographic variables, subjective indicators of changes in daily life, and summary scores including anxiety, depression, and stress scores.Results: Information from 3803 participants was available for analysis. Multivariable regression analyses showed that the anxiety (B=-1.27, 95%CI=-1.71 to -0.82), depression (B=-1.47, 95%CI=-2.06 to -0.88), and stress (B=-0.79, 95%CI=-1.13 to -0.46) scores of people in rural areas are lower than those in urban areas. People living in the other regions except Hubei, higher education were independent correlates of less negative emotions, while people with relatively high incomes had poor psychological status in anxiety (B=0.73, 95%CI=0.08 to 1.38),depression (B=1.45, 95%CI=0.60 to 2.30) and stress (B=0.65, 95%CI=0.17 to 1.13). Married people were less anxious (B=-0.67, 95%CI=-1.30 to -0.05), depressed (B=-1.14, 95%CI=-1.96 to -0.33), and stressed (B=-0.47, 95%CI=-0.93 to 0.00) than single people. The level of attention, self-assessed infection risk, impact of the daily life and mental-health help-seeking tended to be positively associated with the scores of anxiety, depression, and stress (p<0.001).Conclusions: Usual residence, education, marital status, monthly income, the level of attention, self-assessed infection risk, impact of the daily life and mental-health help-seeking are important correlates of the scores of anxiety, depression, and stress. Awareness of these relevant factors could help the government and related personnel to prevent more severe psychological trauma in the later period.


2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402096602
Author(s):  
Héctor Badellino ◽  
María Emilia Gobbo ◽  
Eduardo Torres ◽  
María Emilia Aschieri

Background: On March 20 2020, the Argentine Ministry of Health enforced a mandatory quarantine throughout the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims: The object of this study is to determine the initial impact on mental health of Argentine population, by measuring the prevalence of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and self-perceived stress and by determining the associated risk factors, and to analyze that impact in relation to the number of confirmed cases and deaths. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through a digital questionnaire, which was completed by 1,985 respondents between March 29 and April 12. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia was measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale (GAD-7), the 9-Item Patients Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Results: The 62.4% of the surveyed population reported signs of psychological distress. It was found that being a woman, being 18 to 27 years old, living with family members or a partner, smoking, and having a poor sleep quality were the significant risk factors. Conclusion: Despite the low number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths at that time, a strong impact on mental health indicators was revealed. The authors of this study recommend the monitoring of the population at risk over time and early interventions in order to avoid long-lasting mental health problems.


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