scholarly journals Prevalence and Risk Factors of COVID-19 Symptoms among U.S. Adults with Allergies

Author(s):  
Marlene Camacho-Rivera ◽  
Jessica Yasmine Islam ◽  
Denise Christina Vidot ◽  
Sunit Jariwala

Background: This study sought to evaluate COVID-19 associated physical and mental health symptoms among adults with allergies compared to the general U.S. adult population. Methods: Data for these analyses were obtained from the publicly available COVID-19 Household Impact Survey, which provides national and regional statistics about physical health, mental health, economic security, and social dynamics among U.S. adults (ages 18 and older). Data from 20–26 April 2020; 4–10 May 2020; and 30 May–8 June 2020 were included. Our primary outcomes for this analysis were physical and mental health symptoms experienced in the last seven days. The primary predictor was participants’ self-report of a physician diagnosis of an allergy. Results/Discussion: This study included 10,760 participants, of whom 44% self-reported having allergies. Adults with allergies were more likely to report physical symptoms compared to adults without allergies including fever (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.44–1.99), cough (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.60–2.26), shortness of breath (aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.71–2.43), and loss of taste or sense of smell (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.58–2.28). Adults with allergies were more likely to report feeling nervous (cOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.13, 1.60), depressed (cOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11–1.57), lonely (cOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.04–1.47), hopeless (cOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.21–1.72), or having physical reactions when thinking about COVID-19 pandemic (cOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.44–2.82), compared to those without allergies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, adults with allergies are more likely to report physical and mental health symptoms compared to individuals without allergies. These findings have important implications for diagnostic and treatment challenges for allergy physicians.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 3981
Author(s):  
Lulu Wei ◽  
Jessica Y. Islam ◽  
Eduardo A. Mascareno ◽  
Argelis Rivera ◽  
Denise C. Vidot ◽  
...  

Adults living with chronic respiratory diseases are at higher risk of death due to COVID-19. Our objective was to evaluate the physical and mental health symptoms among US adults living with chronic respiratory conditions. We used data of 10,760 US adults from the nationally representative COVID-19 Impact Survey. Chronic respiratory conditions were self-reported and included asthma (14.7%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD (4.7%), and bronchitis/emphysema (11.6%). We used multivariable Poisson regression to evaluate physical health symptoms. We estimated associations of mental health symptoms using multinomial logistic regression. In multivariable models, adults with asthma were more likely to report physical symptoms including runny or stuffy nose, chest congestion, fever, and chills. In addition, adults with COPD were more likely to report several physical symptoms including fever (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.72), chills (aPR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.67–2.64), runny or stuffy nose (aPR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.39–2.27), chest congestion (aPR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.74–2.61), sneezing (aPR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.23–2.05), and muscle or body aches (aPR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.06–1.81). Adults with chronic respiratory conditions are more likely to report physical and mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to others. Providers should prioritize discussing mental health symptom management as the pandemic continues to be a public health concern in the US.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Somerville ◽  
Sarah E. MacPherson ◽  
Sue Fletcher-Watson

Camouflaging is a frequently reported behaviour in autistic people, which entails the use of strategies to compensate for and mask autistic traits in social situations. Camouflaging is associated with poor mental health in autistic people. This study examined the manifestation of camouflaging in a non-autistic sample, examining the relationship between autistic traits, camouflaging, and mental health. In addition, the role of executive functions as a mechanism underpinning camouflaging was explored. Sixty-three non-autistic adults completed standardised self-report questionnaires which measured: autistic traits, mental health symptoms, and camouflaging behaviours. In addition, a subset (n=51) completed three tests of executive function measuring inhibition, working memory, and set-shifting. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyse data. Results indicated that autistic traits are not associated with mental health symptoms when controlling for camouflaging, and camouflaging predicted increased mental health symptoms. Camouflaging did not correlate with any measure of executive function. These findings have implications for understanding the relationship between autistic traits and mental health in non-autistic people and add to the growing development of theory and knowledge about the mechanism and effects of camouflaging.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-380
Author(s):  
Teona Serafimova ◽  
Maria Loades ◽  
Daisy Gaunt ◽  
Esther Crawley

Background: One in three adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) have mental health problems. Multi-informant perspectives are key to psychological assessment. Understanding parent-child agreement is crucial to accurate diagnosis, particularly where severe fatigue limits self-report. Methods: Agreement on the revised children’s anxiety and depression scale (RCADs) was assessed between parents and children with CFS/ME ( n = 93) using Bland-Altman plots, cross tabulations and regression analyses. Results: Diagnostic thresholds were met more frequently based on child-report. Parent- and child-report had similar sensitivity and specificity on RCADS compared to gold-standard diagnostic interviews. Regression analysis found similar accuracy between both reports. For anxiety diagnoses, odds ratio (OR) for child-report was 1.10 (CI = 1.06–1.14), and 1.10 (CI = 1.05–1.14) for parent-report. For depression, OR for child report was 1.26 (CI = 1.11–1.43), while for parent-report is was 1.25 (CI = 1.10–1.41). For total score, OR for child-report was 1.10 (CI = 1.05–1.13) while OR for parent-report was 1.09 (CI = 1.05–1.13). Conclusions: Reasonable agreement was observed between parent- and child-report of mental health symptoms in paediatric CFS/ME. While parent-report can facilitate psychological evaluation in CFS/ME, this is not a substitute for a child’s own report.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad N. AlHadi ◽  
Mohammed A. Alarabi ◽  
Khulood M. AlMansoor

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on people’s lives globally. The outbreak in Saudi Arabia worsened when the number of cases and deaths rose in March and April of 2020, leading to a national lockdown. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with mental health symptoms in a sample of people residing in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study using an online survey distributed via social media, completed by 3032 respondents from all Saudi regions. We collected demographic data, illness history, and scores of validated self-report scales to assess mental health symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping strategies. Results In total, respondents indicated moderate to very severe symptoms during the pandemic as follows: 20.9% for depression, 17.5% for anxiety, and 12.6% for stress. Younger age, female gender, and history of mental illness were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Intolerance of uncertainty and certain coping strategies (such as denial or self-blame) were associated with more severe symptoms. Conclusions Mental health is a key concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the identified vulnerable groups. Agencies concerned with mental health during crises may use the studied associated factors of mental health symptoms to generate targeted policies or interventions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 475-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loren C. Tapp ◽  
Sherry Baron ◽  
Bruce Bernard ◽  
Richard Driscoll ◽  
Charles Mueller ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Hammond ◽  
Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽  
Anna McKinnon ◽  
Tim Dalgleish ◽  
Patrick Smith ◽  
...  

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by children can have a large impact on the wider family. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018) recommend that parents are involved in their child’s PTSD treatment. Studies have found that parents themselves also report high levels of PTSD and other mental health symptoms but few have explored whether these symptoms reduce following their child receiving trauma-focused CBT. In this study, parents (N=29) whose children (ages 8-17 years) were randomly assigned to either 10 sessions of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) or a wait-list control condition (WL) completed the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; to measure depression), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28; to measure general mental health) for pre-post comparison. Parents whose children were allocated to CT-PTSD reported greater improvements on self-report PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health, relative to the WL condition. This trial provides preliminary support for the efficacy of CT-PTSD delivered to children for reducing parent PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health symptoms. Replication is needed as well as further exploration of parent factors and frequency of parental involvement required to predict improvements.


2008 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randolph B. Goossen ◽  
J. Douglas Staley ◽  
Michelle L. Pearson

This study reports the results of two self-report measures (PHQ & SF-12v2) completed before and at the end of a therapeutic intervention in a shared mental health care program. A significant reduction in symptoms was noted for 5 diagnostic categories, including depression. Statistically significant improvement was found for items assessing general health, interference in activities and work due to emotional problems or pain, feelings of calm and peace, level of energy, depression, and interference with social activities. The results suggest that integration of mental health therapists within primary care practice settings may significantly improve participants' mental health symptoms and functioning.


Author(s):  
Yoshifumi Takagi ◽  
Sho Takahashi ◽  
Yasuhisa Fukuo ◽  
Tetsuaki Arai ◽  
Hirokazu Tachikawa

This study analyzed the support activities that the Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team (DPAT) in Japan provided following four previous disasters (a volcanic eruption, a mudslide, a flood, and an earthquake) to identify links between the disaster type and the characteristics of acute stage mental disorders observed. Using Disaster Mental Health Information Support System database records of consultations with patients supported by the DPAT during the survey period from 2013 (when DPAT was launched) to 2016, we performed cross-tabulations and investigated significant differences using chi-squared tests. For expected values less than 5, Fisher’s exact test was performed. Frequently occurring acute-stage symptoms after a disaster include anxiety, sleep problems, mood and affect, and physical symptoms. The affected population characteristics, victim attributes, severity of damage sustained, and evacuation status were the chief factors that influenced acute-stage mental health symptoms. The psychiatric symptoms detected in our study together with the results of diagnoses are important for determining the types of early interventions needed during the acute stage of a disaster. By sharing baseline mental health information, together with disaster-related characteristics highlighted in this study, mental health providers are better able to predict future possible mental disorders and symptoms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 925-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Blomqvist ◽  
Eva Henje Blom ◽  
Bruno Hägglöf ◽  
Anne Hammarström

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest an overall increase of adolescent mental health symptoms globally since the 1980s until today, especially an increase of internalizing symptoms in girls. Due to methodological limitations of these studies, further studies are warranted to obtain a more solid knowledgebase. Methods This study was cross-sectional and compared two separate but geographically identical groups of adolescents in a middle-sized industrial municipality in Northern Sweden at two time-points [(i) 1981, n = 1083, (505 girls, 577 boys), response rate 99.7%; (ii) 2014, n = 682, (338 girls, 344 boys), response rate 98.3%]. All students in their last year of compulsory school were included. The same self-report questionnaire, consisting of four sub-scales (functional somatic-, anxiety-, depressive symptoms and conduct problems), was used at both occasions. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, two-way ANOVA and general linear model. Results Symptoms of anxiety and depression and functional somatic symptoms, increased among both boys and girls from 1981 until 2014 (P < 0.001 for all subscales), and the increase of these symptoms was higher in girls. Conduct problems were significantly higher in boys in 1981 and decreased over time so that in 2014 there was no longer a significant difference between boys and girls regarding conduct problems (P = 0.286). Conclusion In this population-based study spanning over 30 years, both girls and boys showed increasing internalizing problems, while conduct problems decreased. To halt this trend, we need a deeper understanding of the impact of the major societal changes that have occurred during the last three decades.


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