Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in an anonymous online survey between April 19–May 3, 2020. The GAD-7 and K10 measures were used to assess anxiety and psychological distress. Logistic regression models assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, worry, and levels of anxiety and psychological distress.Results: A total of 481 HCWs participated in this study. The majority of HCWs were female (73.6%) and aged 25–34 years (52.6%). More than half were nurses (55.7%) and had good knowledge of COVID-19 (86.3%). Over a third (37%) of HCWs reported moderate/severe psychological distress in the K10 measure and moderate/severe anxiety (32.3%) in the GAD-7, with frontline workers significantly reporting higher levels of anxiety (36%). Knowledge of COVID-19 did not predict anxiety and psychological distress, however, HCWs who believed COVID-19 was difficult to treat and those who perceived they were at high risk of infection had worse mental health outcomes. Worry about spreading COVID-19 to family, being isolated, contracting COVID-19 and feeling stigmatized had 1.8- to 2.5-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems. Additionally, HCWs who felt the need for psychological support through their workplace showed increased odds of psychological distress.Conclusion: HCWs in the UAE reported a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety while responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The findings from this study emphasize the public, emotional and mental health burden of COVID-19 and highlight the importance for health systems to implement, monitor, and update preventive policies to protect HCWs from contracting the virus while also providing psychological support in the workplace.

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Lifestyle Changes among Polish University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189571 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9571

Author(s):

Karolina Fila-Witecka ◽

Adrianna Senczyszyn ◽

Agata Kołodziejczyk ◽

Marta Ciułkowicz ◽

Julian Maciaszek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

University Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Psychiatric Treatment ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Daily Routine ◽

Eating Pattern

Students worldwide have been impacted by nationwide safety closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, creating an environment with loss of interaction with colleagues, social isolation, boredom, and economic uncertainty. Since university students were considered uniquely vulnerable to mental health problems even before the pandemic, this study aimed to investigate lifestyle and behavioral changes experienced by this population due to the epidemiological situation and their effect on their mental health. Data were collected via an online survey conducted among university students across Poland. The survey addressed recent lifestyle changes that were a result of the pandemic as well as psychological distress, symptoms of insomnia and symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The results indicate that protective factors include maintaining a daily routine, staying physically active, following a usual eating pattern and taking care of sleep hygiene. Changes in behavior contributing to poorer mental health included giving up a daily routine, neglecting meals, tidiness, hygiene as well as social relationships, changes in food intake, sleeping schedule, a decrease in physical activity and the onset of sexual dysfunctions. A history of psychiatric treatment and an increase in self-harm as well as an increase in alcohol and tobacco consumption were also found to be associated with psychological distress. Experienced lifestyle and behavioral changes and their impact on mental health were apparent throughout the obtained data, highlighting the need for psychological support in the studied population. Based on the results we were able to establish a list of protective and risk factors influencing the everyday life and psychological wellbeing of students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which could also be translated into life skills.

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Changes in Substance Use and Mental Health Burden among Women during the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Germany

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189728 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9728

Author(s):

Henrike Schecke ◽

Madeleine Fink ◽

Alexander Bäuerle ◽

Eva-Maria Skoda ◽

Adam Schweda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Burden ◽

Second Wave

Unlike men, who are disproportionately affected by severe disease progression and mortality from COVID-19, women may be more affected by the economic, social and psychological consequences of the pandemic. Psychological distress and mental health problems are general risk factors for increases in the use of alcohol and other substances as a dysfunctional coping mechanism. Methods: An analysis was carried out of the female subset (n = 2153) of a population-based, cross-sectional online survey (October–December 2020), covering the “second wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Results: Among women, 23% increased their alcohol use, 28.4% increased their nicotine use and 44% increased their illicit substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty percent reported major depressive symptoms and 23.4% symptoms of generalized anxiety. Generalized anxiety proved to be a significant predictor of increases in alcohol and nicotine use in logistic regression. Discussion: The mental health burden remained high during the second wave of COVID-19 and alcohol, nicotine and other substance use increased. However, the association between mental health and substance use was weak. Psychological distress does not seem to be the main motivator of substance use.

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Exposure to COVID-19-Related Information and its Association With Mental Health Problems in Thailand: Nationwide, Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25363 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pajaree Mongkhon ◽

Chidchanok Ruengorn ◽

Ratanaporn Awiphan ◽

Kednapa Thavorn ◽

Brian Hutton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Related Information ◽

Information Exposure

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on both the physical and mental health of individuals worldwide. Evidence regarding the association between mental health problems and information exposure among Thai citizens during the COVID-19 outbreak is limited. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the relationship between information exposure and mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. METHODS Between April 21 and May 4, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional, nationwide online survey of the general population in Thailand. We categorized the duration of exposure to COVID-19-related information as follows: <1 h/day (reference group), 1-2 h/day, and ≥3 h/day. Mental health outcomes were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and the Insomnia Severity Index for symptoms of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and insomnia, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between information exposure and the risk of developing the aforementioned symptoms. An ancillary analysis using multivariable multinomial logistic regression models was also conducted to assess the possible dose-response relationship across the severity strata of mental health problems. RESULTS Of the 4322 eligible participants, 4004 (92.6%) completed the online survey. Of them, 1481 (37.0%), 1644 (41.1%), and 879 (22.0%) participants were exposed to COVID-19-related information for less than 1 hour per day, 1 to 2 hours per day, or 3 or more hours per day, respectively. The major source of information related to the COVID-19 pandemic was social media (95.3%), followed by traditional media (68.7%) and family members (34.9%). Those exposed to information for 3 or more hours per day had a higher risk of developing symptoms of depression (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% CI 1.03-1.76; P=.03), anxiety (adjusted OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.43-2.46; P<.001), and insomnia (adjusted OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.17-1.97; P=.001) than people exposed to information for less than 1 hour per day. Meanwhile, people exposed to information for 1 to 2 hours per day were only at risk of developing symptoms of anxiety (adjusted OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.69; P=.008). However, no association was found between information exposure and the risk of perceived stress. In the ancillary analysis, a dose-response relationship was observed between information exposure of 3 or more hours per day and the severity of mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that social media is the main source of COVID-19-related information. Moreover, people who are exposed to information for 3 or more hours per day are more likely to develop psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Longitudinal studies investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19-related information exposure on mental health are warranted.

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Epidemiology of Sleep Disturbances and Their Effect on Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Large National Study in China

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.615867 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Xilong Cui ◽

Yuqiong He ◽

Jingbo Gong ◽

Xuerong Luo ◽

Jianbo Liu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Health Status ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Status ◽

National Study ◽

Moderation Analysis ◽

The Relationship

Background: The purpose of the current study was to assess the prevalence of sleep disturbances among Chinese people during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large national survey, analyze the relationship between sleep disturbances and mental health status, and explore the influencing factors of the relationship between sleep disturbances and mental health status.Methods: An online survey was accessed by 19,740 people throughout China from February 14 to 21, 2020. The survey included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) to measure psychological distress and two questions about sleep disturbances. Logistic regression analyses and moderation analysis were performed.Results: (1) Among the 14,505 respondents included in analyses, 3,783 (26.08%) reported sleep disturbances at least 3 days during the past week. (2) Sleep disturbances increased the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress (p < 0.05). (3) Gender, age, education, occupation, frequency of attending to epidemic information, nervousness about supplies, receiving provisions of living necessities from the service department during the outbreak, number of correct responses to questions about the epidemic, and isolation/quarantine affected the risk of mental health problems among participants experiencing sleep disturbances (p < 0.05). (4) A moderation analysis found that sleep problems were more likely to affect depression, anxiety, and stress scores in men than women during the COVID-19 outbreak.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, 26.08% people surveyed experienced sleep disturbances, and the presence of sleep disturbances was positively related to depression, anxiety, and stress, especially among front-line anti-epidemic workers, younger people, people living in isolation/quarantine, people with a college or greater education, and males.

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Psychological Distress, Loneliness, and Boredom Among the General Population of Tyrol, Austria During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.691896 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Franziska Tutzer ◽

Beatrice Frajo-Apor ◽

Silvia Pardeller ◽

Barbara Plattner ◽

Anna Chernova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

General Population ◽

Low Income ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Short Form ◽

Health Problems ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Federal State

Background: COVID-19-related mental health problems are considered a public health challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate psychological distress, loneliness, and boredom among the general population of the federal state of Tyrol, Austria.Methods: Residents of Tyrol aged ≥ 18 years were recruited via dissemination of a link through social media and other advertisements and invited to complete an online survey from June 26th to August 20th, 2020. Next to the collection of sociodemographic and COVID-19 related variables the Brief Symptom Checklist (BSCL), the Three-Item Loneliness Scale (TILS), and the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale-Short Form (MSBS-SF) were used to assess psychological distress, loneliness, and boredom.Results: 961 participants took part in the survey (68.3% woman). Of these, 14.4% were burdened from psychological distress (BSCL), 22.6% reached a TILS score ≥ 7 and were therefore classified as severely lonely, and boredom levels lay by a mean of 25.9 ± 11.0 points in the MSBS-SF (range: 7–56). Women, singles, low-income people as well as those who were unemployed were significantly more often affected by all of the selected outcomes compared to the remaining sample and they had significantly more frequently consumed alcohol or other substances since the outbreak of the pandemic in order to feel better. In addition, young and middle-aged adults were particularly burdened by loneliness and boredom.Discussion: Our findings identify vulnerable groups and factors associated with higher psychological distress, loneliness, and boredom in the context of the pandemic. In order to prevent mental health problems it will be critical to identify options of maintaining social contacts and remaining active despite pandemic-related restrictions.

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The psychological impact of COVID-19 disease on nurses in two tertiary healthcare centers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20210779 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 1037

Author(s):

Henry E. Jambo ◽

Timothy Amos Ekwere ◽

Victor A. Umoh ◽

Nkemakolam F. Ndionuka ◽

Effiong E. Akpan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Simple Random Sample ◽

Tertiary Healthcare ◽

High Level

Background: The onset of COVID-19 disease pandemic worldwide has been associated with a high level of psychological distress. Health workers are amongst the high-risk groups for contracting COVID-19 and may be particularly vulnerable to a variety of mental health problems. This study was conducted to determine the psychological impact of the pandemic on mental well-being of Nigerian nurses who are among the frontline health workers in the fight against the disease.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of nurses in two tertiary healthcare setting. A simple random sample of 111 nurses completed the general healthcare questionnaire (GHQ 12).Results: The mean age of respondents was 36.86±8.2 years, consisting of 38.7% males and 61.3% females. The prevalence of psychological distress was 64.9%. Females had significantly higher psychological distress than males (p=0.003). Also, respondents performing duties in COVID-19 ICU hosting institution had significantly higher distress score than those from non COVID-19 hosting centre (p=0.02). Psychological distress was also significantly higher for respondents with a history of exposure to suspected (p=0.001) or confirmed cases (p<0.001). Formal infection prevention training was a protective factor for the development of psychological stress (p=0.002).Conclusions: A large proportion of nursing staffs have a high level of psychological distress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health interventions may be required to mitigate mental health risks in these health workers.

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Prevalence and predictors of psychopathology in the war-afflicted Syrian population

Transcultural Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1363461520937931 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 136346152093793

Author(s):

Pirko Selmo ◽

Christine Knaevelsrud ◽

Nabil Mohamad ◽

Jürgen Rehm

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Political Violence ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Female Gender ◽

Daily Stressors ◽

Potentially Traumatic Events ◽

High Level

Research on the psychological impact of war on affected populations is important for the planning and provision of interventions. However, most studies that address the effects of political violence have been restricted to Western countries, and even after six years of civil war in Syria, there has been no study addressing its psychological impact on the general population. The present study used an online survey to examine the level of psychological symptoms and correlates of distress in a sample of 387 subjects from different areas of Syria. We used t-tests to compare symptoms across zones with different levels of war activity, and multiple regression models to identify predictors of distress. Results indicate a high level of psychological distress indicative of psychopathology in all regions across the country. Rates were higher in areas with more intensive exposure (‘hot’ zones). Greater symptom severity was associated with living in a hot zone, female gender, older age, the number of potentially traumatic events, daily stressors, and (low) perceived feeling of safety; whereas social support, religiosity, and religious coping were associated with lower levels of symptoms. The elevated levels of mental health problems and direct relation between the level of exposure to violence and poorer mental health point to the need for mental health services. Reducing daily stressors and ensuring safety could contribute significantly to better mental health, although this does not replace the need for evidence-based psychotherapy. The planning and delivery of psychological interventions by NGOs should be informed by issues related to stigma, lack of understanding and acceptance of psychological care.

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Exposure to COVID-19-Related Information and its Association With Mental Health Problems in Thailand: Nationwide, Cross-sectional Survey Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/25363 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. e25363

Author(s):

Pajaree Mongkhon ◽

Chidchanok Ruengorn ◽

Ratanaporn Awiphan ◽

Kednapa Thavorn ◽

Brian Hutton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Related Information ◽

Information Exposure

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on both the physical and mental health of individuals worldwide. Evidence regarding the association between mental health problems and information exposure among Thai citizens during the COVID-19 outbreak is limited. Objective This study aimed to explore the relationship between information exposure and mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. Methods Between April 21 and May 4, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional, nationwide online survey of the general population in Thailand. We categorized the duration of exposure to COVID-19-related information as follows: <1 h/day (reference group), 1-2 h/day, and ≥3 h/day. Mental health outcomes were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and the Insomnia Severity Index for symptoms of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and insomnia, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between information exposure and the risk of developing the aforementioned symptoms. An ancillary analysis using multivariable multinomial logistic regression models was also conducted to assess the possible dose-response relationship across the severity strata of mental health problems. Results Of the 4322 eligible participants, 4004 (92.6%) completed the online survey. Of them, 1481 (37.0%), 1644 (41.1%), and 879 (22.0%) participants were exposed to COVID-19-related information for less than 1 hour per day, 1 to 2 hours per day, or 3 or more hours per day, respectively. The major source of information related to the COVID-19 pandemic was social media (95.3%), followed by traditional media (68.7%) and family members (34.9%). Those exposed to information for 3 or more hours per day had a higher risk of developing symptoms of depression (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% CI 1.03-1.76; P=.03), anxiety (adjusted OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.43-2.46; P<.001), and insomnia (adjusted OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.17-1.97; P=.001) than people exposed to information for less than 1 hour per day. Meanwhile, people exposed to information for 1 to 2 hours per day were only at risk of developing symptoms of anxiety (adjusted OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.69; P=.008). However, no association was found between information exposure and the risk of perceived stress. In the ancillary analysis, a dose-response relationship was observed between information exposure of 3 or more hours per day and the severity of mental health problems. Conclusions These findings suggest that social media is the main source of COVID-19-related information. Moreover, people who are exposed to information for 3 or more hours per day are more likely to develop psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Longitudinal studies investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19-related information exposure on mental health are warranted.

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Screening for mental health problems as indicator for evaluation of needs for mental health services

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.842 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S570-S571

Author(s):

N. Fanaj ◽

S. Mustafa ◽

F. Shkëmbi ◽

B. Kabashaj ◽

B. Fanaj

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Health Index ◽

Two Samples ◽

Significant Difference ◽

High Level

BackgroundScreening questionnaires for mental health problems are useful tools for research and clinical practice.ObjectivesTo identify mental health problems and overall emotional functioning among general population samples in Kosovo as indicators for evaluation of needs for mental health services.MethodsIt is cross-sectional quantitative study. Participants from two samples: students (filled-out directly) and online respondents (n = 540; mean age = 24.84; SD = 8.29) were included in this study. All participants were asked to complete the Albanian translation of Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38). Data processing was done with SPSS 21.0 and Microsoft Excel 2007.ResultsIn total 11.2% of participants ranged at low level of mental health index. Regarding anxiety the high level is found at 51.3% and regarding depression high level is found at 24.5% of participants. A significant gender difference is found whereas females show greater depression (P = .022, r = .09), greater psychological distress (P = .000, r = .17) and lover mental health index (P = .000, r = .17), than males. A significant difference between samples is found whereas online sample show greater psychological distress (P = .000, r = .18), less anxiety (P = .001, r = .13) and lower mental health index (P = .000, r = .22) than direct sample.ConclusionsThe findings are quite intriguing. Future research is needed to find out more understanding on gender, anxiety, depression, psychological distress and mental health. Socio-cultural aspects can be of great importance to be examined. Despite this, needs for mental health services are inevitably and must be addressed properly.Disclosure of InterestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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A Walk-In Clinic for Newly Arrived Mentally Burdened Refugees: The Patient Perspective

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052275 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2275

Author(s):

Catharina Zehetmair ◽

Valentina Zeyher ◽

Anna Cranz ◽

Beate Ditzen ◽

Sabine C. Herpertz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Psychosocial Support ◽

Support Service ◽

Psychiatric Medication ◽

Health Issues ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

High Level ◽

Past Experiences

Providing refugees with psychosocial support is particularly important considering the high level of mental health problems prevalent in this population. A psychosocial walk-in clinic operating within a state reception and registration center in Germany has been supporting mentally burdened refugees since 2016. This study focused on patients’ perspectives on their mental health burden, the psychosocial walk-in clinic, and future help seeking. We conducted interviews with n = 22 refugees attending the walk-in clinic from March to May 2019. Qualitative analysis focused on the following four topics: (1) mental burden from the patients’ perspective, (2) access to the psychosocial walk-in clinic, (3) perception of counseling sessions, and (4) perception of follow-up treatment. The results show that the majority of interviewees were burdened by psychological and somatic complaints, mostly attributed to past experiences and post-migratory stress. Therapeutic counseling and psychiatric medication were found to be particularly helpful. Most of the participants felt motivated to seek further psychosocial support. Key barriers to seeking psychosocial help included shame, fear of stigma, and lack of information. Overall, the psychosocial walk-in clinic is a highly valued support service for newly arrived refugees with mental health issues.

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