Resilience in the Storm: Impacts of Changed Daily Lifestyles on Mental Health in Persons with Chronic Illnesses under the COVID-19 Pandemic

Studies have shown individuals with chronic illnesses tend to experience poorer mental health compared to their counterparts without a chronic illness under the COVID-19 pandemic. The pervasive disruption on daily lifestyles due to social distancing could be a contributing factor. In this study, we collaborated with local patient support groups to explore the psychological adjustment among a group of community-dwelling individuals with chronic illnesses under the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. We collected responses from 408 adults with one or more chronic illnesses using an online survey. Results show that about one in four participants experienced moderate to high levels of depression (26.0%), anxiety (26.2%) and stress (20.1%) symptoms measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index. While 62.3% (gatherings) to 91.9% (contact with others) of participants reported changes in their daily lifestyles, these changes—both an increase and a decrease—were related to poorer mental health. The relationship was mediated by psychological resilience, measured by the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, with an estimate of indirect effect of −0.28 (95% confidence interval −0.44 to −0.10). In light of our findings, we urge social and healthcare professionals to support chronic illness patients to continue their daily lifestyles such as exercises and social contacts as much as possible by educating the public on feasible and practical preventive measures and enhance the psychological resilience of community-dwelling patients with scalable and efficacious psychological interventions.

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COVID-19 pandemic- knowledge, perception, anxiety and depression among frontline doctors of Pakistan

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-020-02864-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Faridah Amin ◽

Salman Sharif ◽

Rabeeya Saeed ◽

Noureen Durrani ◽

Daniyal Jilani

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Public Health Burden ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Modifiable Factors ◽

Anxiety Depression ◽

Self Reporting Questionnaire

Abstract Background COVID-19 is a global pandemic and has become a major public health burden worldwide. With already fragile healthcare systems it can have long lasting effects in developing countries. Outbreaks especially a pandemic situation evokes fear related behaviors among healthcare professionals and there is always an increased risk of mental health disorders. Therefore, this study aims to determine knowledge and perception about this pandemic, prevalence and factors associated with anxiety/depression among frontline physicians of Pakistan. Methods Data were collected through an online survey released in the last week of March-2020. 389 frontline physicians from all four provinces and 65 cities of Pakistan participated. Survey questionnaire consisted of 4 parts including informed consent section, demographic section, knowledge and perception about COVID-19 pandemic and assessment of depression through World Health Organization Self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20). A score of 8 or above on SRQ-20 was used as cut-off to label the participant as depressed. Data was analyzed using SPSS version22. Results A 43% prevalence of anxiety/depression among frontline physicians of Pakistan was reported. Almost all the doctors had moderate to high knowledge score. Majority of participants marked N-95 mask as “essential” during aerosol generating procedures, assessing patients with respiratory symptoms, in COVID patient-care area, ER triage and direct care of COVID-19 patient. Only 12% of the doctors were fully satisfied with the provision of PPEs and almost 94% felt unprotected. In multivariable model, assessing more than five COVID suspects/day (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.65–4.52), working 20 h/week or less (aOR = 2.11, 1.27–3.49), having children among household members (aOR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.00–2.50) and moderate to low knowledge of the infection (aOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.68–4.31) were found to be independent predictors of anxiety/depression among physicians. Conclusion Anxiety/depression among more than a third of frontline doctors of Pakistan warrants the need to address mental health of doctors caring for patients during this pandemic; control modifiable factors associated with it and explore the effectiveness of interventions to promote psychological well-being of physicians.

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PSYCHO-SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF YOUTHS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: INSIGHTS FROM HARARE, ZIMBABWE

Business Excellence and Management ◽

10.24818/beman/2020.s.i.1-04 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol S.I. (1) ◽

pp. 46-59

Author(s):

Nicola Mazwi ◽

◽

Bongani Seremani ◽

Tsungai Kaseke ◽

Clemencia Lungu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health Organisation ◽

Social Experiences ◽

Psychological Services ◽

World Health ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Psychological Conditions ◽

As Stress ◽

Restrictive Measures

The COVID-19 pandemic that started in Wuhan, Hubei province in China in December 2019 has brought about varied psycho-social experiences to youths during the COVID-19 lockdown period. World Health Organisation warned that the coronavirus and the restrictive measures around it would have negative effects on people’s mental health and well-being. Current scientific literature reveals that in China, UK and Spain COVID-19 outbreak resulted in symptoms leading to psychological disorders while in Africa the 2014 Ebola outbreak resulted in social and economic breakdowns in people’s livelihoods. This qualitative study made use of document analysis as a research design. WhatsApp messages were analysed using thematic analysis. The study sought to explore how youths in Harare, Zimbabwe responded to the lockdown and ways in which the lives of the youths were psychologically and socially affected. Research questions were on; how youths in Harare responded to the lockdown; how the lockdown affected the youths; in what ways the lockdown affected psychological lives of the youths and what can be done in future in order to improve the lives of youths during pandemics. The study revealed that some youths of Harare presented psychological conditions leading to PTSD symptoms such as stress, confusion, anger, anxiety and depression while some embraced COVID-19 Lockdown as it improved family and social ties. It was also noted that youths should be able to access psychological services during epidemics in order to avert surges in mental health illnesses emanating from national lockdowns.

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The Influence of COVID-19 Stress on Psychological Well-Being Among Vietnamese Adults: The Role of Self-Compassion and Gratitude

10.31219/osf.io/mbg6z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Helpe Pape

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Human Life ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Self Compassion

COVID-19 has become an epidemic affecting all aspects of human life. Vietnam is now encountering the COVID-19 second wave, which puts the mental health of Vietnamese people at risk. Due to the adverse psychological effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on human psychological well-being in these challenging times, the aims of this study are to examine the relationship between self-compassion and psychological well-being and the role of gratitude and COVID-19 stress as a multimediators model in a cross-sectional study. Participants include 509 Vietnamese adults (Mage = 31.71; SD = 7.28 years) recruited through an online survey. A 26-item Self-Compassion Scale was used to measure self-compassion, gratitude was measured by the 6-item Gratitude in the COVID-19, psychological well-being was measured by the World Health Organization Well-Being Index, and the COVID-19 Stress Scale was used to measure stress and fears symptoms caused by the pandemic. The results support 3 main findings: (a) self-compassion has a direct influence on the psychological well-being (effect = 0.50, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.43, 0.57]), (b) the mediating role of gratitude in this model was significant (effect = 0.07, 95% CI [0.04, 0.10]), and (c) the mediating role of COVID-19 stress and fears in this model was also significant (effect = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.04]). The study’s results also show that increasing self-compassion and gratitude could help to improve psychological well-being and reduce the influence of COVID-19 stress and fears on the individuals’ mental health.

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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and initial period of lockdown on the mental health and well-being of adults in the UK

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2020.79 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ross G. White ◽

Catharina Van Der Boor

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Initial Period ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

Summary The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being were assessed in a convenience sample of 600 UK adults, using a cross-sectional design. Recruited over 2 weeks during the initial phase of lockdown, participants completed an online survey that included COVID-19-related questions, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the World Health Organization (Five) Well-Being Index and the Oxford Capabilities Questionnaire for Mental Health. Self-isolating before lockdown, increased feelings of isolation since lockdown and having COVID-19-related livelihood concerns were associated with poorer mental health, well-being and quality of life. Perceiving increased kindness, community connectedness and being an essential worker were associated with better mental health and well-being outcomes.

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21-Day Stress Detox: Open Trial of a Universal Well-Being Chatbot for Young Adults

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci10110416 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 416

Author(s):

Ruth Williams ◽

Sarah Hopkins ◽

Chris Frampton ◽

Chester Holt-Quick ◽

Sally Nicola Merry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young Adults ◽

Mode Of Delivery ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health Organisation ◽

Behavioural Therapy ◽

World Health ◽

Clinical Population ◽

Post Intervention ◽

First Year Students

There has been a lot of interest in digital mental health interventions but adherence to online programmes has been less than optimal. Chatbots that mimic brief conversations may be a more engaging and acceptable mode of delivery. We developed a chatbot, called 21-Day Stress Detox, to deliver stress management techniques for young adults. The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of this low-intensity digital mental health intervention in a non-clinical population of young adults. The content was derived from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and included evidence-informed elements such as mindfulness and gratitude journaling. It was delivered over 21 daily sessions using the Facebook Messenger platform. Each session was intended to last about 5–7 min and included text, animated GIFs, relaxation tracks and reflective exercises. We conducted an open single-arm trial collecting app usage through passive data collection as well as self-rated satisfaction and qualitative (open-ended) feedback. Efficacy was assessed via outcome measures of well-being (World Health Organisation (Five) Well-being Index; WHO-5; and Personal Well-being Measure; ONS4); stress (Perceived Stress Scale–10 item version; PSS-10); and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale; GAD-7). One hundred and ten of the 124 participants who completed baseline commenced the chatbot and 64 returned the post-intervention assessment. Eighty-one percent were female and 51% were first year students. Forty-five percent were NZ European and 41% were Asian. Mean engagement was 11 days out 21 days (SD = 7.8). Most (81%) found the chatbot easy to use. Sixty-three percent rated their satisfaction as 7 out of 10 or higher. Qualitative feedback revealed that convenience and relatable content were the most valued features. There was a statistically significant improvement on the WHO-5 of 7.38 (SD = 15.07; p < 0.001) and a mean reduction on the PSS-10 of 1.77 (SD = 4.69; p = 0.004) equating to effect sizes of 0.49 and 0.38, respectively. Those who were clinically anxious at baseline (n = 25) experienced a greater reduction of GAD-7 symptoms than those (n = 39) who started the study without clinical anxiety (−1.56, SD = 3.31 vs. 0.67, SD = 3.30; p = 0.011). Using a chatbot to deliver universal psychological support appears to be feasible, acceptable, have good levels of engagement, and lead to significant improvements in well-being and stress. Future iterations of the chatbot should involve a more personalised content.

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Mental health of patients with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: A questionnaire-based survey weighted for attrition

10.1101/2021.03.13.21253363 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pernille Kølbæk ◽

Oskar Hougaard Jefsen ◽

Maria Speed ◽

Søren Dinesen Østergaard

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Random Sampling ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Brief Symptom Inventory ◽

Psychiatric Services ◽

World Health ◽

Clinical Support

ABSTRACTImportanceIndividuals with pre-existing mental illness may be particularly vulnerable to the negative impact that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic seems to have on mental health. Most prior studies on this topic are limited by non-random sampling, lacking information on non-respondents, and self-reporting of mental illness. In the present study, we aimed to overcome these limitations via random sampling, acquisition of clinical and sociodemographic data on both respondents and non-respondents, and weighting of results informed by attrition.ObjectiveTo assess whether patients with mental illness experienced deterioration in mental health during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown of Denmark in the Spring of 2020.DesignA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey coupled with sociodemographic and clinical data from the medical records of all invitees. The latter enabled analysis of attrition and weighting of results.SettingThe psychiatric services of the Central Denmark Region.ParticipantsA total of 992 randomly drawn patients diagnosed with mental illness in the psychiatric services of the Central Denmark Region prior to the lockdown responded to the online survey (response rate of 21.6%).ExposureThe four-week nationwide lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic (from March 11 to April 15, 2020).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe online questionnaire included the 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), the five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and 14 questions evaluating worsening or improvement in symptoms during the lockdown using the pre-pandemic period as reference. Perceived reasons for deterioration of mental health were also reported.ResultsThe weighted mean WHO-5 and BSI-18 scores were 38 and 28, respectively. A total of 52% of the respondents reported that their mental health had deteriorated during the lockdown, while 33% reported no change, and 16% reported improvement. The most commonly reported reasons for deterioration were loneliness, disruption of routines, concerns about coronavirus, less frequent contact with family/friends, boredom, and reduced access to psychiatric care.Conclusion and RelevanceMore than half of the patients with mental illness reported worsening of their mental health during the pandemic lockdown. There should be increased emphasis on ensuring both social and clinical support for individuals with mental illness during pandemics.KEY POINTSQuestionsDid patients with mental illness experience worsening of their mental health during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown of Denmark in the Spring of 2020?FindingsOf the 925 respondents, 52% reported that their mental health had deteriorated during the lockdown, while 33% reported no change and 16% reported improvement. The most commonly reported reasons for deterioration were loneliness and disruption of routines.MeaningThese findings suggest that there should be increased emphasis on ensuring both social and clinical support for individuals with mental illness during the ongoing and potential future pandemics.

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Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of the Pakistani General Population

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.564364 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Adeel Ahmed Khan ◽

Fahad Saqib Lodhi ◽

Unaib Rabbani ◽

Zeeshan Ahmed ◽

Saidul Abrar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Chronic Illness ◽

General Population ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Female Gender ◽

Well Being ◽

Healthy Food ◽

World Health ◽

Similar Proportion ◽

Psychological Well Being

Background and Objectives: In order to curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the countries took preventive measures such as lockdown and restrictions of movements. This can lead to effects on mental health of the population. We studied the impact of COVID-19 on psychological well-being and associated factors among the Pakistani general population.Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted between 26th April and 15th May and included participants from all over the Pakistan. Attitudes and worriedness about COVID-19 pandemic were assessed using a structured questionnaire. A validated English and Urdu version of the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess the well-being. Factor analysis was done to extract the attitude item domains. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with poor well-being.Results: A total of 1,756 people participated in the survey. Almost half 50% of the participants were male, and a similar proportion was employed. About 41% of the participants were dependent on financial sources other than salary. News was considered a source of fear as 72% assumed that avoiding such news may reduce the fear. About 68% of the population was worried about contracting the disease. The most common coping strategies used during lockdown were spending quality time with family, eating healthy food, adequate sleep, and talking to friends on phone. Prevalence of poor well-being was found to be 41.2%. Female gender, being unemployed, living in Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), fear of COVID-19, and having chronic illness were significantly associated with poor well-being. Similarly, coping strategies during lockdown (doing exercise; spending time with family; eating healthy food; having good sleep; contributing in social welfare work and spending time on hobbies) were also significantly associated with mental well-being.Conclusion: We found a high prevalence 41.2% of poor well-being among the Pakistani general population. We also investigated risk factors of poor well-being which included female gender, unemployment, being resident of ICT and Sindh, fear, chronic illness, and absence of coping strategies. This calls for immediate action at population level in the form of targeted mass psychological support programs to improve the mental health of population during the COVID-19 crises.

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Research beyond biomedical confines: towards better mental health and well-being for all

Neuroscience Research Notes ◽

10.31117/neuroscirn.v2i4.43 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Jou Yin Teoh ◽

Kee Hean Lim

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Age Groups ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health Organisation ◽

World Health ◽

Neuroscience Research ◽

Working Together ◽

Health And Well Being

‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’ is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2019. According to the World Health Organisation, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 15-19 years old. One person dies of suicide every 40 seconds, with this form of death affecting people of all age groups in all countries. Hence in line with this year’s theme calling for a trans-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach to address this epidemic, we would like to invite all contributors and readers of Neuroscience Research Notes (NeurosciRN) to take a moment to reflect on how they - as researchers can contribute towards the facilitation, discussion and promotion of positive mental health, which in turn has been found to reduce suicide risk.

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Mental Health in Elite-Level Coaches: Prevalence Rates and Associated Impact of Coach Stressors and Psychological Resilience

International Sport Coaching Journal ◽

10.1123/iscj.2020-0066 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Jolan Kegelaers ◽

Paul Wylleman ◽

I. (Belle) N.A. van Bree ◽

Francesco Wessels ◽

Raôul R.D. Oudejans

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Online Survey ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Well Being ◽

The Self ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

Elite Level ◽

Perceived Impact ◽

Elite Sports

Coaching in elite sports can be a highly volatile and stressful profession. Nevertheless, limited knowledge is available on how coach stressors impact elite-level coaches’ mental health. The present study therefore aimed to assess the self-perceived impact of coach stressors on coaches’ mental health, in terms of psychological and social well-being, as well as the prevalence of symptoms of a number of common mental disorders. Furthermore, the role of resilience was examined as a potential protective resource against mental health issues in coaches. Data were collected cross-sectionally, using an online survey with 119 elite-level coaches from the Netherlands and Belgium. Results showed that, although coach stressors were commonly experienced, the self-perceived impact on mental health was low to moderate. Nevertheless, symptoms of common mental disorders were prevalent within the coaches, ranging from 39% for depression/anxiety to 19% for distress and adverse alcohol use. Furthermore, organizational stressors were found to be a positive predictor for symptoms of depression/anxiety, whereas resilience was a negative predictor. The results highlight the need for more research and attention to the mental health of coaches in elite sports.

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COVID-19 Pandemic- Knowledge, Perception, Anxiety and Depression Among Frontline Doctors of Pakistan

10.21203/rs.3.rs-27559/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Faridah Amin ◽

Salman Sharif ◽

Rabeeya Saeed ◽

Noureen Durrani ◽

Daniyal Jilani

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Well Being ◽

Direct Care ◽

World Health ◽

Public Health Burden ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Modifiable Factors ◽

Self Reporting Questionnaire

Abstract BackgroundCOVID-19 is a global pandemic and has become a major public health burden worldwide. With already fragile healthcare systems it can have long lasting effects in developing countries. Outbreaks especially a pandemic situation evokes fear related behaviors among healthcare professionals and there is always an increased risk of mental health disorders. Therefore, this study aims to determine knowledge and perception about this pandemic, prevalence and factors associated with depression/ anxiety among frontline physicians of Pakistan.MethodsData were collected through an online survey released in the last week of March-2020. 389 frontline physicians from all four provinces and 65 cities of Pakistan participated. Survey questionnaire consisted of 4 parts including informed consent section, demographic section, knowledge and perception about COVID-19 pandemic and assessment of depression through World Health Organization Self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20). A score of 8 or above on SRQ-20 was used as cut-off to label the participant as depressed. Data was analyzed using SPSS version22.ResultsA 43% prevalence of depression/anxiety among frontline physicians of Pakistan was reported. Almost all the doctors had moderate to high knowledge score. Majority of participants marked N-95 mask as essential while aerosol generating procedures, assessing patients with respiratory symptoms, in COVID patient care area, ER triage and direct care of COVID-19 patient. Only 12% of the doctors were fully satisfied with the provision of PPEs and almost 94% felt unprotected.In multivariable model, the odds of depression was high in physicians who were assessing more than five COVID suspects/patients per day (aOR=2.73, 95% CI: 1.65 – 4.52), who were working 20 hours/week or less (aOR=2.11, 1.27 – 3.49), had children among household members (aOR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.00 – 2.50) and had moderate to low knowledge of the infection (aOR=2.69, 95% CI: 1.68 – 4.31).ConclusionDepression/anxiety among more than a third of frontline doctors of Pakistan warrants the need to address mental health of doctors caring for patients during this pandemic; control modifiable factors associated with it and explore the effectiveness of interventions to promote psychological well-being of physicians.

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