scholarly journals The Impact of U.S. Housing Type and Residential Living Situations on Mental Health during COVID-19

Author(s):  
Jyotsna Ghimire ◽  
Andrew T. Carswell ◽  
Ramesh Ghimire ◽  
Pamela R. Turner

Residential environments could be associated with the mental health of residents, in general, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, limited studies have investigated the relationship between these two. This study used data from the Household Pulse Survey, collected between 23 April 2020 and 23 November 2020 to explore the relationship between mental health status as perceived by the residents and housing tenure (own or rent), building type, and the number of household members, while accounting for sociodemographic characteristics, general health-related variables, and week-specific unobserved heterogeneities. The findings suggest that renters had higher odds of experiencing mental health issues than homeowners. Residents in multifamily housing units had higher odds of experiencing mental health problems than single-family units. Further, more people in the household were associated with lower odds of experiencing mental health episodes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1996 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 731-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Stedman

Objectives: This paper describes the ‘sociological’ and ‘health-related’ approaches to the measurement of quality of life and aims to describe their major findings, shortcomings and potential uses with mental health problems. Method: The literature is selectively reviewed to illustrate the major developments and conclusions. Results: Despite the lack of an accepted definition of quality of life, sociological approaches have repeatedly shown in general populations, the mentally ill and the elderly that subjective assessments are more influential in determining expressions of happiness, wellbeing and life satisfaction than are the objective circumstances of a person's life. This supports the use of subjective judgements as the basis for quality-of-life determinations. Conclusions: The quality-of-life approaches can help to answer a broad range of questions of interest to psychiatry. Health-related quality-of-life approaches are potentially useful methods of demonstrating the impact of mental illness and the benefit of interventions. Further work is required to determine whether the commonly used measures are sensitive to change.


Author(s):  
Ankica Kosic ◽  
Tamara Džamonja Ignjatović ◽  
Nebojša Petrović

Previous studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in different countries found an increase in anxiety, stress, and an exacerbation of previous mental health problems. This research investigated some of the protective and risk factors of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, among which were the perception of receiving social support from family members and friends, and a chronic tendency to worry. The study was conducted in three European countries: Italy, Serbia, and Romania. A total of 1100 participants (Italy n = 491; Serbia n = 297; Romania n = 312) responded to a questionnaire. Results from this study show that distress during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher for people who are chronic worriers and those who have higher levels of fear of COVID-19. More specifically, it is confirmed that a chronic tendency to worry exacerbates the relationship between fear and distress: it is stronger for people who have a greater tendency to worry.


Author(s):  
Morten Birkeland Nielsen ◽  
Michael Rosander ◽  
Stefan Blomberg ◽  
Ståle Valvatne Einarsen

Abstract Objective This study examines under which conditions being an observer of bullying can be detrimental to health and well-being. It was hypothesized that health-related problems following observations of bullying are determined by (1) whether the observer has been exposed to bullying her/himself and (2) whether the observer have tried to intervene in the bullying situation that they witnessed. Methods The study was based on a longitudinal probability survey of the Swedish workforce, with an 18-month time lag between assessment points (N = 1096). Results Witnessing bullying at work were associated with an increase in subsequent levels of mental distress among the observers, although this association became insignificant when adjusting for the observers’ own exposure to bullying. Intervening against bullying moderated the relationship between observations of bullying and mental health problems. Observers who did not try to intervene reported a significant increase in mental health problems at follow-up, whereas there were no significant changes in levels of mental health problems among those who did intervene. Conclusions the findings suggest that observer interventions against bullying may be highly beneficial for both the targets and observers of bullying. Organizations should therefore invest in ways to increase constructive bystander behavior in negative social situations at the workplace.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Cristiano Scandurra ◽  
Andrea Pennasilico ◽  
Concetta Esposito ◽  
Fabrizio Mezza ◽  
Roberto Vitelli ◽  
...  

Bisexual people are a strongly stigmatized population experiencing health disparities caused by social stigmatization. The predominant framework helping to understand these health disparities and the impact of stigma on mental health of social groups belonging to a sexual minority identity constitutes the minority stress theory. In Italy, studies assessing this model in bisexual populations are very limited. Within this framework, the current study aimed at assessing in 381 Italian bisexual individuals (62 men and 319 women) the effects of anti-bisexual discrimination, proximal stressors (i.e., anticipated binegativity, internalized binegativity, and outness), and resilience on psychological distress. The results suggested that only anti-bisexual discrimination and internalized binegativity were positively associated with psychological distress, and that resilience was negatively associated with mental health issues. Furthermore, the results suggested that internalized binegativity mediated the relationship between anti-bisexual discrimination and mental health problems. No moderating effect of resilience was found. This is the first study to have thoroughly applied minority stress in Italian bisexual people, providing Italian clinicians and researchers with an outline of the associations between minority stress, stigma, resilience, and psychological distress within this population.


2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Clement ◽  
O. Schauman ◽  
T. Graham ◽  
F. Maggioni ◽  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
...  

BackgroundIndividuals often avoid or delay seeking professional help for mental health problems. Stigma may be a key deterrent to help-seeking but this has not been reviewed systematically. Our systematic review addressed the overarching question: What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking for mental health problems? Subquestions were: (a) What is the size and direction of any association between stigma and help-seeking? (b) To what extent is stigma identified as a barrier to help-seeking? (c) What processes underlie the relationship between stigma and help-seeking? (d) Are there population groups for which stigma disproportionately deters help-seeking?MethodFive electronic databases were searched from 1980 to 2011 and references of reviews checked. A meta-synthesis of quantitative and qualitative studies, comprising three parallel narrative syntheses and subgroup analyses, was conducted.ResultsThe review identified 144 studies with 90 189 participants meeting inclusion criteria. The median association between stigma and help-seeking was d = − 0.27, with internalized and treatment stigma being most often associated with reduced help-seeking. Stigma was the fourth highest ranked barrier to help-seeking, with disclosure concerns the most commonly reported stigma barrier. A detailed conceptual model was derived that describes the processes contributing to, and counteracting, the deterrent effect of stigma on help-seeking. Ethnic minorities, youth, men and those in military and health professions were disproportionately deterred by stigma.ConclusionsStigma has a small- to moderate-sized negative effect on help-seeking. Review findings can be used to help inform the design of interventions to increase help-seeking.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S277-S277
Author(s):  
E. Naomi Smith ◽  
Emily Finch ◽  
Colin Drummond

AimsInput from Assertive Alcohol Outreach Teams (AAOTs) reduces the ‘burden’ on already overstretched community mental health teams (CMHTs).AAOTs are specialist addictions services. This project focuses on an AAOT based in the London, which engages with people with severe alcohol and illicit substance misuse problems.Previous research has shown that input from AAOTs reduces hospital admissions. This project examined the impact of AAOT input on reducing the ‘burden’ on CMHTs.MethodThe full caseload of the Southwark-based AAOT was reviewed, including mental health records, general practitioner notes, hospital notes and discharge summaries. We collected data on diagnoses and previous hospital admissions. Patients were assessed to determine whether they met criteria to be open to a CMHT (the presence of complex or serious mental health problems, in addition to addictions).ResultThe caseload was made up of 39 patients, 85% of patients were deemed to meet criteria for being under the care of a CMHT. Only 15% of patients are currently under the care of a CMHT. 87% of patients had at least one comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. 72% of patients had had at least one emergency department or medical hospital admission due to mental health-related problems. 39% had previous admissions to mental health wards. 21% of patients has been admitted under Section of Mental Health Act.ConclusionThe majority of AAOT patients have severe mental health problems in addition to addictions. The patients are complex and often have a history of disengagement from standard mental health services. Formal diagnosis and treatment of comorbid mental health problems is challenging in the presence of protracted drug and alcohol misuse. AAOT input appears to address a serious ‘gap’ in supporting patients with complex mental health needs who are often ineligible for CMHT input or disengage from CMHT support.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Vergara-Buenaventura ◽  
Carmen Castro-Ruiz

Since March 2020, the COVID-19 disease has declared a pandemic producing a worldwide containment. For months, many people were subjected to strict social isolation away from family and loved ones to prevent disease transmission, leading to anxiety, fear, and depression. On the other hand, many had to close down their businesses and stop working, resulting in financial issues. Previous studies have reported that pandemics, epidemics, and some diseases can lead to mental disorders such as fear, anxiety, stress, and depression. Among those most affected, healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those on the front line, often develop mental health problems. Although there is data available on the management and care of HCWs, little attention has been paid to the mental health and well-being of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, this chapter aims to review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dentists’ mental health and mental health-related symptoms. Finally, to recommend specific measures to avoid consequent potential implications for dentists, dental students, and dental patients.


Author(s):  
Cynthia A. Graham ◽  
John Bancroft

Sexual relationships are central to the lives of most of us. The sexual component of those relationships can go wrong in various ways. This may be secondary to other difficulties in the relationship, mental health problems, specific sexual vulnerabilities of the individual, or the impact of disease or medication on sexual response. This chapter will describe the more common sexual problems and their prevalence. Evidence related to aetiology of sexual problems and treatment evaluation will be briefly reviewed. In the final section of the chapter, guidelines for the assessment and practical management of sexual problems will be presented.


Author(s):  
Guoliang Yang ◽  
Zhihua Wang ◽  
Weijiong Wu

Little is known about the relationship between social comparison orientation and mental health, especially in the psychological capital context. We proposed a theoretical model to examine the impact of ability- and opinion-based social comparison orientation on mental health using data from 304 undergraduates. We also examined the mediating effect of the four psychological capital components of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism in the relationship between social comparison orientation and mental health. Results show that an ability (vs. opinion) social comparison orientation was negatively (vs. positively) related to the psychological capital components. Further, the resilience and optimism components of psychological capital fully mediated the social comparison orientation–mental health relationship. Our findings indicate that psychological capital should be considered in the promotion of mental health, and that the two social comparison orientation types have opposite effects on psychological capital.


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