scholarly journals Mental Health Crisis and Stress Coping among Healthcare College Students Momentarily Displaced from Their Campus Community Because of COVID-19 Restrictions in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7245
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Tahara ◽  
Yuki Mashizume ◽  
Kayoko Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Stress Coping ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis

College students are one of the most affected groups by self-quarantine due to COVID-19, as they may live in loneliness and anxiety, increasing their risk of mental health crisis. This study aimed to identify risk factors for poor mental health and stress coping strategies among healthcare college students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted over 7 consecutive days starting on 28 April 2020 using a web-based questionnaire. The survey assessed socioeconomic characteristics and the General Health Questionnaire-12 score, self-reported health status, anxiety, and satisfaction with daily life, work, leisure, and new activities. Approximately 70% of 223 respondents had poor mental health. Less communication with friends was the main risk factor for mental health problems. Good health status and satisfaction with leisure and new activities were associated with reduced risk of mental health problems. Students with poor mental health tended to seek social support as a stress coping strategy. This study showed that the mental health of students declined during self-quarantine, and loneliness could be the major reason. There is a need for a new form of communication and learning that deals with the isolation and loneliness of students, especially for students living alone.

scholarly journals The profundity of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-105
Author(s):  
Avilasha Singh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Future ◽  
Physical Health Problems

Mental health has always been stigmatised and overlooked. Since, anxiety and stress are natural responses while facing a threat of new diseases. Hence, this pandemic has shown us the importance of mental health. During this time there have been many triggers that have caused repercussions in people’s mental health. Mental health crisis is on the rise. So, it is important to be able to tackle mental health problems as effectively as physical health problems, not only now but in the future as well, once and for all.

scholarly journals COVID-19: Emergence of Mental Health Upheaval and Transition in Human Future Perspectives: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
Saba Khurshid ◽  
Sidra Mumtaz ◽  
Hafsa Khalil Toor ◽  
Rubina Hanif
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Major Transition

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic is constantly posing warning and creating mental health crisis among people without any discrimination. Therefore, the current study purpose is to explore mental health upheaval and transition in future perspectives due to COVID-19. Using exploratory study design, semi structure interviews were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed by using Thematic Content Analysis. The major themes which were identified showed that COVID-19 is constantly eliciting panic and mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression, fears of death, xenophobia, OCD and uncertainty about future among general population. Results also indicated the major transition in public future perspectives and perception. Concern related to adjustability in life after pandemic is major emerging future concern among Pakistani People. During pandemic outbreak, people are becoming vulnerable to different mental health problems. To overcome these issues successfully, role of mental health professionals cannot be denied. There is strong need to devise activities and strategies which help people to increase resilience and build strong relationships during the period of social distancing. This paper gives a deep insight into mental health problems among general population due to COVID-19 and it also implicates need of psychological services to overcome these issues.

What Twitter Can Tell Us About User Experiences of Crisis Text Lines: A Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna Coady ◽  
Keeley Lainchbury ◽  
Rebecca Godard ◽  
Susan Holtzman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Mental Health Crisis ◽  
User Experiences ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Crisis Services ◽  
Communication Modalities

BACKGROUND Mental health problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the prevalence and cost of mental illness, there are insufficient health services to meet this demand. Crisis hotlines have a number of advantages for addressing mental health challenges and reducing barriers to support. Further, mental health crisis services have recently expanded beyond telephone hotlines to include other communication modalities such as crisis chat and text messaging services, largely in response to the increased use of mobile phones and text messaging for social communication. OBJECTIVE Despite the high uptake of crisis text line services (CTLs) and rising mental health problems worldwide, CTLs remain understudied. Thus the current study aimed to address an urgent need to evaluate user experiences with text-based crisis services. METHODS The current study explored user experiences of CTLs by accessing users’ publicly available Twitter posts that describe personal use and experience with CTLs. Data were qualitatively analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS Six main themes were identified from 776 tweets: (1) approval of CTLs, (2) helpful counselling, (3) invalidating or unhelpful counselling, (4) problems with how the service is delivered, (5) features of the service that facilitate accessibility, and (6) indication that the service suits multiple needs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, there was strong evidence to support the value of text-based crisis support, as many users reported positive experiences of effective counselling that provided helpful coping skills, de-escalation, and reduction of harm. Results also identified areas in need of improvement, particularly ensuring more timely service delivery and effective communication of empathy and support. Text-based services may require targeted training to apply methods that effectively convey empathy in this medium. Moving forward, CTL services will require systematic attention in the clinical research literature to ensure their continued success and popularity among users.

scholarly journals Coping Mechanisms: Exploring Strategies Utilized by Japanese Healthcare Workers to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Tahara ◽  
Yuki Mashizume ◽  
Kayoko Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Coping Strategy ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major problem affecting the mental health of millions of people, including healthcare workers. In this study, we analyzed risk factors and coping mechanisms that could reduce the risk of poor mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted for 7 days from 30 April 2020 using a web-based questionnaire. The survey assessed various outcome measures, including the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), health status, satisfaction with daily life activities, work, leisure, and new activities, and anxiety over COVID-19. Data from 661 participants were analyzed, and 440 participants (66.6%) showed poor mental health (GHQ-12 ≥ 4). Also, our result showed that female gender, lower levels of communication with friends, and high anxiety were associated with poorer mental health. In contrast, good health status, high work satisfaction, and high satisfaction from new activities were associated with buffering mental health problem. Most participants chose an escape-avoidance coping strategy, and participants with worse mental health were more likely to adopt seeking social support as a coping strategy. These results may support healthcare workers to cope with mental health problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Association Between Social Support and Mental Health Status Among College Students: A Nationwide Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Shijiao Yan ◽  
Yong Gan ◽  
Heng Jiang ◽  
Yingying Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
College Students ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Cluster Sampling

Abstract BackgroundSocial support could improve college students’ mental health status. However, mental health varies across different geographic areas, and most of previous studies only included small sample sizes, thus the nationwide survey are warranted. This study sought to estimate the association between social support quality (SSQ) and mental health among Chinese college students using data yielding from a nationwide survey.MethodsA cross-sectional study with a web-based questionnaire survey was conducted in Wuhan, China, from October 2017 to February 2018. A total of 11093 college students were recruited from 18 colleges or universities through multi-stage random cluster sampling method. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support scale and 12-items General Health Questionnaire were used to estimate students’ SSQ and mental health status, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between SSQ and the mental health disorder in college students.ResultsA total of 10,676 (96.24%) college students were included in this study. Of them, 21.4% were identified as having a mental disorder. Students being a female, aged 18-22 years old, whose mother held a college degree and above, and drinking alcohol had more risks of being mental health problems (P <0.05). However, having general or higher family economic levels, working and resting regularly, and sleeping ≥ 7 hours could be preventive factors for mental health problem (P <0.05). Especially, with the improvement of SSQ, there was a decreasing trend in the risk of being mental disorder.ConclusionMental health disorder is an important public health challenge among college students in China. Improving SSQ could be the practical and valuable method to prevent college students’ mental problem.

scholarly journals Mental health of college students and associated factors in Hubei of China

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254183
Author(s):  
Xiaosheng Lei ◽  
Chaojie Liu ◽  
Heng Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
College Students ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Significant Difference

Background Although many studies have analyzed mental health problems in college students in China, the associations of mental health with individual and family circumstances, academic performance, and social support were rarely discussed. Objectives The study aimed to determine the mental health status and its associated factors among college students in China. Methods An online survey was conducted on 300 students selected through a cluster sampling strategy in a university in Hubei, China, tapping into sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, their mental health status measured by the modified Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and social support measured by the Social Support Rating Scale. Multivariate linear regression models were established to identify predictors of the SCL-90 scores. Results Mental health disorders were found in 8% of the respondents, with obsessive compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity and depression as the top three reported problems. Compared with the national population norms of university students in 2014, our study participants had higher scores in SCL-90. There were statistically significant difference in the Global Severity index (GSI) and all nine subscales scores (p<0.05). Poorer self-rated health, higher study pressure, and lower social support were significant predictors of higher SCL-90 scores (p<0.05) after adjustment for variations in other variables. Conclusions College students in Hubei, China may experience a range of different mental health problems, which are associated with their individual, study, and social circumstances.

scholarly journals Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program on Mental Health Status Among Medical Student in Palestine During COVID Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Hanani ◽  
Manal Badrasawi ◽  
Souzan Zidan ◽  
Marah Hunjul
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Post Intervention

Abstract Background: Mental illnesses are widely acknowledged among medical students, at the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on medical students. The main purpose of this study to (1) determine the prevalence of mental disorders among medical students and their associated factors, and (2) to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy on mental health problems among medical students. Methods: Between March and May 2021, we conducted a randomized controlled study on two phases among medical students at An-Najah National University. Data were collected using an online questionnaire and the Arabic version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). We also used the MEDAS tool to assess their Mediterranean Diet (MD) adherence. In the second phase, sixty-six student were recruited and assigned randomly to control and intervention groups. Intervention impact was assessed using 12-item General Health Questionnaire at two time points; baseline, and 8 weeks post-intervention. The interventional model used was the cognitive behavioral therapy, and the control group received no treatment. Results: A total of 329 students were included in the analysis of the first phase of the study. Approximately 28% of students had mental health problems. We found a significant relationship between good mental health status with higher level of physical activity level, longer sleeping hours and shorter entertainment time (p< 0.05). In the second phase of the study, a total of 91 students were included. Overall, using CBT program showed a significant improvement in the outcome measures. At 8 weeks post-intervention, students had lower scores on total GHQ-12, depression and anxiety, and social dysfunction. Conclusion: These findings propose that adequate attention must be paid to the mental health of medical students, and that CBT program can be used for the management of mental health problems among medical students.

scholarly journals The Cost Effectiveness of Ecotherapy as a Healthcare Intervention, Separating the Wood from the Trees

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11599
Author(s):  
Sebastian Hinde ◽  
Laura Bojke ◽  
Peter Coventry
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Healthcare Intervention ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Patient Pathways ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems

Internationally, shifts to more urbanised populations, and resultant reductions in engagements with nature, have been a contributing factor to the mental health crisis facing many developed and developing countries. While the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced recent trends in many countries to give access to green spaces more weight in political decision making, nature-based activities as a form of intervention for those with mental health problems constitute a very small part of patient pathways of care. Nature-based interventions, such as ecotherapy, are increasingly used as therapeutic solutions for people with common mental health problems. However, there is little data about the potential costs and benefits of ecotherapy, making it difficult to offer robust assessments of its cost-effectiveness. This paper explores the capacity for ecotherapy to be cost-effective as a healthcare intervention. Using a pragmatic scoping review of the literature to understand where the potential costs and health benefit lie, we applied value of information methodology to identify what research is needed to inform future cost-effectiveness assessments. We show that there is the potential for ecotherapy for people with mild to moderate common mental health problems to be cost-effective but significant further research is required. Furthermore, nature-based interventions such as ecotherapy also confer potential social and wider returns on investment, strengthening the case for further research to better inform robust commissioning.

scholarly journals Nationwide assessment of the mental health of UK Doctoral Researchers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassie M Hazell ◽  
Jeremy Niven ◽  
Laura Chapman ◽  
Paul Roberts ◽  
Sam Cartwright-Hatton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Common Mental Health Problems

Doctoral Researchers (DRs) are an important part of the academic community and, after graduating, make substantial social and economic contributions. Despite this importance, DR wellbeing has long been of concern. Recent studies have concluded that DRs may be particularly vulnerable to poor mental health problems, but direct comparisons of the prevalence of mental health problems between them and a control group is lacking. Here, by comparing DRs with educated working controls, we show that DRs report significantly greater anxiety and depression, and that this difference is not explained by a higher rate of pre-existing mental health problems. Moreover, most DRs perceive poor mental health as a ‘normal’ part of the PhD process. Thus, our findings suggest a hazardous impact of PhD study on mental health, with DRs being particularly at risk of developing common mental health problems. This provides an evidence-based mandate for universities and funders to reflect upon practices related to DR training and mental health. Our attention should now be directed towards understanding what factors may explain heightened anxiety and depression among DRs so as to inform preventative measures and interventions.

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