scholarly journals Strategies for Delivering Mental Health Services in Response to Global Climate Change: A Narrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8562
Author(s):  
Lawrence A. Palinkas ◽  
Meaghan L. O’Donnell ◽  
Winnie Lau ◽  
Marleen Wong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Civil Conflict ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Extreme Weather Events

This narrative review examined strategies for preparedness and response to mental health impacts of three forms of climate change from a services perspective: (1) acute and extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, (2) sub-acute or long-term events such as droughts and heatwaves; and (3) the prospect of long-term and permanent changes, including higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and an uninhabitable physical environment. Strategies for acute events included development and implementation of programs and practices for monitoring and treating mental health problems and strengthening individual and community resilience, training of community health workers to deliver services, and conducting inventories of available resources and assessments of at-risk populations. Additional strategies for sub-acute changes included advocacy for mitigation policies and programs and adaptation of guidelines and interventions to address the secondary impacts of sub-acute events, such as threats to livelihood, health and well-being, population displacement, environmental degradation, and civil conflict. Strategies for long-lasting changes included the implementation of evidence-based risk communication interventions that address the existing and potential threat of climate change, promoting the mental health benefits of environmental conservation, and promoting psychological growth and resilience.

Comparing the social networks of service users with long term mental health needs living in community with those in a general adult in-patient unit

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110175
Author(s):  
Roberto Rusca ◽  
Ike-Foster Onwuchekwa ◽  
Catherine Kinane ◽  
Douglas MacInnes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Practical Support ◽  
The Social

Background: Relationships are vital to recovery however, there is uncertainty whether users have different types of social networks in different mental health settings and how these networks may impact on users’ wellbeing. Aims: To compare the social networks of people with long-term mental illness in the community with those of people in a general adult in-patient unit. Method: A sample of general adult in-patients with enduring mental health problems, aged between 18 and 65, was compared with a similar sample attending a general adult psychiatric clinic. A cross-sectional survey collected demographic data and information about participants’ social networks. Participants also completed the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to examine well-being and the Significant Others Scale to explore their social network support. Results: The study recruited 53 participants (25 living in the community and 28 current in-patients) with 339 named as important members of their social networks. Both groups recorded low numbers in their social networks though the community sample had a significantly greater number of social contacts (7.4 vs. 5.4), more monthly contacts with members of their network and significantly higher levels of social media use. The in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Conclusions: People with serious and enduring mental health problems living in the community had a significantly greater number of people in their social network than those who were in-patients while the in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Recommendations for future work have been made.

scholarly journals Loneliness and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Among Dutch Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theo G van Tilburg ◽  
Stephanie Steinmetz ◽  
Elske Stolte ◽  
Henriëtte van der Roest ◽  
Daniel H de Vries
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Emotional Loneliness ◽  
Consequent Reduction ◽  
Policy Measures

Abstract Objectives With the spread of COVID-19, the Netherlands implemented a policy to keep citizens physically distanced. We hypothesize that consequent reduction in the frequency of social contacts, personal losses, and the experience of general threats in society reduced well-being. Methods Data were collected from 1,679 Dutch community-dwelling participants aged 65–102 years comprising a longitudinal online panel. Social and emotional loneliness and mental health were measured in May 2020, that is, 2 months after the implementation of the measures, and earlier in October and November 2019. Results In this pandemic, the loneliness of older people increased, but mental health remained roughly stable. The policy measures for physical distancing did not cause much social isolation but personal losses, worries about the pandemic, and a decline in trust in societal institutions were associated with increased mental health problems and especially emotional loneliness. Discussion The consequences of long-term social isolation and well-being must be closely monitored.

scholarly journals Strategies for Delivering Mental Health Services in Response to Global Climate Change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Palinkas ◽  
Meaghan O’Donnell ◽  
Winnie Lau ◽  
Marleen Wong
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Sea Levels ◽  
Services Delivery

This review examines from a services perspective strategies for preparedness and response to mental health impacts of three types of climate-related events: 1) acute climate-related events such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires, 2) sub-acute or long-term changes in the environment such as drought and heat stress; and 3) the existential threat of long-lasting changes, including higher temperatures, rising sea levels and a permanently altered and potentially uninhabitable physical environment. Strategies for acute events include development and implementation of guidelines and interventions for monitoring and treating adverse mental health outcomes and strengthening individual and community resilience, training of non-mental health professionals for services delivery, and the mapping of available resources and locations of at-risk populations. Additional strategies for sub-acute changes include advocacy for mitigation policies and programs and adaptation of guidelines and interventions to address the secondary impacts of sub-acute events such as economic loss, threats to livelihood, health and well-being, population and family displacement, environmental degradation and collective violence. Strategies for long-lasting changes include implementation of evidence-based risk communication interventions that address the existential threat of climate change, promoting the mental health benefits of environmental conservation, and promoting positive mental health impacts of climate change.

Psychosocial and Mental Health Problems of Older People in Postearthquake Nepal

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 945-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh P. Adhikari ◽  
Nawaraj Upadhaya ◽  
Sasmita Paudel ◽  
Ruja Pokhrel ◽  
Nagendra Bhandari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Programs

Objective: To identify community perceptions on psychosocial and mental health problems of older people in postearthquake situation in Nepal. Method: A qualitative methodology was adopted to explore the experience and opinions of older people, social workers, school teachers, health workers, and nongovernmental organization workers on the psychosocial and mental health problems of older people in Nepal, using key informant interviews. Results: Major local vocabulary for older peoples’ psychosocial and mental health problems were “bichalan” (variation in mood and feeling), “ekohoro” (becoming single minded), “athmabiswasko kami” (low self-esteem), and “bina karan rune” (crying without any reason). The major causes attributed to older people’s problems were physical injury, disability, family conflict, and economic problems. Forgetfulness, tiredness, loss of concentration, restlessness, and isolation were observed in older people since the 2015 earthquake. Discussion: The findings suggest that earthquake had negative impact on older people’s psychosocial well-being; however, little support or treatment options have been made available to these individuals. The tailor-made community-based psychosocial and mental health programs for older people are needed.

Sports person psychological behaviour signal analysis during Thfeir activity session

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Priyan Malarvizhi Kumar ◽  
Adhiyaman Manickam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Great Difficulty ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Sports Activity ◽  
Sport And Exercise ◽  
Mental Well Being

Mental well-being is a significant resource for athletes about their success and growth. Athletes are now facing additional risk factors in mental health in the sporting community, such as heavy workout loads, rough races, and demanding lifestyles. The great difficulty is to diagnose conditions and acquire sport and exercise features that contribute to daily or long-term practice to detrimental emotional reactions. In this paper, the sports activity session monitoring system (SASMS) has been proposed using wearable devices and EEG signal by monitoring the sports person’s heart rate and psychological behaviour. The proposed SASMS mental-health analysis focused on model spectrum forms representing the best results, mental illness, and mental health. The paper’s key conclusions concerned with the athletes’ performance, occupational and personal advancement of athletes in mental health problems, strategies intended to track and sustain athletes’ mental health, and outflow of different mental illness types. This research’s findings provide the basis for implementing actions that promote a healthy emotional state in the sport to enhance activity and fitness.

scholarly journals Are climate change and mental health correlated?

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. e100648
Author(s):  
Abdullah Mohammed Hassan Ramadan ◽  
Ahmed G Ataallah
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Climate Crisis

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time and is likely to affect human beings in substantial ways. Recently, researchers started paying more attention to the changes in climate and their subsequent impact on the social, environmental and economic determinants of health, and the role they play in causing or exacerbating mental health problems. The effects of climate change-related events on mental well-being could be classified into direct and indirect effects. The direct effects of climate change mostly occur after acute weather events and include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse disorder, depression and even suicidal ideation. The indirect effects include economic losses, displacement and forced migration, competition over scarce resources and collective violence. The risk factors for developing those mental health issues include young age, female gender, low socioeconomic status, loss or injury of a loved one, being a member of immigrant groups or indigenous people, pre-existing mental illness and inadequate social support. However, in some individuals, especially those undisturbed by any directly observable effects of climate change, abstract awareness and acknowledgement of the ongoing climate crisis can induce negative emotions that can be intense enough to cause mental health illness. Coping strategies should be provided to the affected communities to protect their mental health from collapse in the face of climate disasters. Awareness of the mental health impacts of climate change should be raised, especially in the high-risk groups. Social and global attention to the climate crisis and its detrimental effects on mental health are crucial.This paper was written with the aim of trying to understand the currently, scientifically proven impact of climate change-related disasters on mental health and understanding the different methods of solving the problem at the corporate level, by trying to decrease greenhouse gas emissions to zero, and at the individual level by learning how to cope with the impacts of those disasters.

scholarly journals Maternal Psychological Distress & Mental Health Service Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily E Cameron ◽  
Kayla M. Joyce ◽  
Chantal P Delaquis ◽  
Kristin Reynolds ◽  
Jennifer Protudjer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Service Use ◽  
Health Service Use ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Child Age

Background: Mental health problems are increasingly recognized as a significant and concerning secondary effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research on previous epidemics/pandemics suggest that families, particularly mothers, may be at increased risk, but this population has yet to be examined. The current study (1) described prevalence rates of maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms from an online convenience sample during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) identified risk and protective factors for elevated symptoms, and (3) described current mental health service use and barriers. Methods: Participants (N = 641) were mothers of children age 0-8 years, including expectant mothers. Mothers completed an online survey assessing mental health, sociodemographic information, and COVID-19-related variables. Results: Clinically-relevant depression was indicated in 33.16%, 42.55%, and 43.37% of mothers of children age 0-18 months, 18 months to 4 years, and 5 to 8 years, respectively. Prevalence of anxiety was 36.27%, 32.62%, and 29.59% for mothers across age groups, respectively. Binary logistic regressions indicated significant associations between risk factors and depression/anxiety across child age groups. Limitations: Cross-sectional data was used to describe maternal mental health problems during COVID-19 limiting the ability to make inferences about the long-term impact of maternal depression and anxiety on family well-being. Conclusions: Maternal depression and anxiety appear to be elevated in the context of COVID-19 compared to previously reported population norms. Identified risk factors for depression and anxiety across different child age ranges can inform targeted early intervention strategies to prevent long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family well-being and child development.

scholarly journals REVIEW ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS EFFECTS ON HEALTH

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (19) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress

In the twenty-first century, climate change is one of the most important problems threatening human health and life. The changes in the climate significantly affect not only physical health but also psychological health. Extreme weather events and natural disasters that occur as a result of climate change cause direct effects such as acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. This study addresses the direct and indirect effects of climate change on health, both physically and on the mental health and mental health and public health in Turkey aimed at drawing attention to the subject of researchers working. As a result of the review, it was determined that changing climates have three main effects on the individual: i) long-term stress and psychological distress, ii) aggression and violence, iii) ecological mourning. It was also observed that there is not enough study about the effects of climate change. It has been pointed out that studies should be carried out for custom observed climate changes to Turkey's geography and understand the effects it brings and ensuring the adaptation to these changes of the individuals and recommendations have been made in this regard. Keywords: Global warming, public health, psychological health, climate change, psychological well-being, psychological distress

scholarly journals Mental health from childhood to adulthood: Results of the 11-year follow-up of the BELLA study

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Wüstner ◽  
C Otto ◽  
F Reiss ◽  
C Voss ◽  
A-K Meyrose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Bella Study ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background Mental health problems in children, adolescents and young adults are highly prevalent and cause a significant burden for both individuals and society, resulting in a high relevance to public health. Longitudinal studies are needed to provide profound population-based data on mental health and well-being. In the present study, first results of the 11-year follow-up of the German BELLA study are presented. These include age- and gender-specific courses of general health and well-being, long-term health outcomes of mental health problems, and the utilisation of mental health services. Methods The longitudinal BELLA study is the module on mental health and well-being within the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). The BELLA study has gathered data since 2003 at five measurement points using standardised measures. In the most recent 11-year follow-up, N = 3,492 young people aged 7 to 31 years participated. Individual growth modeling, linear regression and descriptive analyses were conducted. Results Self-reported general health and well-being were both better in younger than older and in male compared to female participants using data from all five measurement points. Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence (measured at baseline) were associated with adverse general, mental and physical health outcomes at 6-year and 11-year follow-ups. About 75 % of children and adolescents with a diagnosed mental disorder were under mental health treatment. Conclusions With its 11-year follow-up, the longitudinal BELLA study provides new data on mental health and well-being in German children, adolescents and young adults. Our findings are important for the development of targeted mental health promotion and early prevention strategies. Promising future analyses are planned. Key messages The BELLA study provides data on developmental trajectories of mental health from childhood to adulthood, on long-term health outcomes of mental health problems and on mental health care use. The findings of the present study are of great relevance for the development of targeted health promotion and prevention programs.

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

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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