Mental Health Impacts of Wildfire, Flooding and COVID-19 on Fort McMurray School Board Staff and Other Employees: A Comparative Study

Background: Fort McMurray, a city in northern Alberta, Canada, has experienced multiple traumas in the last five years, including the 2016 wildfire, the 2020 floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighteen months after the wildfire, major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms were elevated among school board employees in the city. Objective: This study aimed to compare employees of the school board and other employees of Fort McMurray in respect to the impact the 2016 wildfires, the 2019 COVID pandemic, and the 2020 floods had on their mental health. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Fort McMurray from 24 April to 2 June 2021. Online questionnaires were administered through REDCap and were designed to capture socio-demographic characteristics, clinical as well as wildfire, COVID-19, and flooding-related variables. Mental health outcome variables were captured using self-reported standardized assessment scales. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square/Fisher’s Exact tests, and binary regression analysis. Results: Of the 249 residents who accessed the online survey, 186 completed the survey, giving a response rate of 74.7%. Of these respondents, 93.5% (174) indicated their employment status and were included in the Chi-square analysis. Most of the respondents were female (86.2%, (150)), above 40 years (53.4%, (93)), and were in a relationship (71.3%, (124)). The prevalence values for MDD, GAD and PTSD among respondents were 42.4%, 41.0, and 36.8%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between employees of the school board and other employees with respect to likely PTSD prevalence (28% vs. 45%, respectively, p < 0.05), although with other factors controlled for, in a binary logistic regression model, employer type did not significantly predict likely PTSD. Conclusions: The study has established that likely PTSD symptoms were significantly higher in other employees compared to those of school board employees. Greater exposure to the traumatic events and a greater perceived lack of support from other employers might have contributed to the significantly higher prevalence of PTSD in other employees.

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The Invisible Enemy that Stopped the World: The Impact of the COVID‑19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Hospitalizations in a Portuguese Department

Revista Portuguesa de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental ◽

10.51338/rppsm.2021.v7.i2.207 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 50-56

Author(s):

Joana Freitas ◽

Mariana Marinho ◽

Liliana Castro ◽

Catarina Fonseca ◽

Marieta Osório

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Department ◽

International Classification Of Diseases ◽

World Health ◽

Chi Square ◽

Psychiatric Hospitalizations ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

Introduction: The World The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11th 2020. Since then, the containment measures are leading to increasing mental health problems in the general population and worsening of some pre‑existing psychiatric conditions. To our knowledge, there are no studies characterizing the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on psychiatric hospitalizations across the world. We aim to compare the number and characteristics of the hospitalizations in the mental health department of a Portuguese psychiatric hospital from March 2nd 2019 to October 31st 2019 with those that occurred in the same period in 2020. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study including all patients admitted to hospital during these periods (n=805). Sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics and information about the context of hospitalization were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using t Student Test, Mann‑Whitney and Chi‑square. Results: In the pandemic period there was a marked reduction in the number of psychiatric hospitalizations. There was a statistically significant difference in the median length of stay and in the percentage of involuntary hospitalizations between the two periods. In 2019, the most frequent International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) diagnostic categories were F30‑F39 (mood disorders) and in 2020 were F20‑F29 (schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders). Conclusion: The reorganization of services and the decrease in admissions through the emergency department may explain these results.

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PTSD symptoms related to COVID-19 as a high risk factor for suicide - Key to prevention

10.1101/2020.12.15.20246819 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Toshinori Chiba ◽

Taiki Oka ◽

Toshitaka Hamamura ◽

Nao Kobayashi ◽

Masaru Honjo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

High Risk ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Surrogate Endpoint ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Added Value ◽

National Database ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

The Impact

SummaryBackgroundRising rates of suicide, the most dreadful consequence of mental health effects elicited by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) are cause for grave concern. However, the exact association between mental health problems and suicide remains largely unknown in relation to COVID-19.MethodsTo determine the impact of COVID-19 on suicide trajectory, we used an interrupted time-series design to analyze monthly suicides rates extracted from Japan’s national database. We next used mixed-effects regression models to investigate the relationship between the nationwide suicide increase in August 2020 and psychiatric states of 4,348 individuals from an online survey performed immediately before (December 2019) and during (August 2020) the pandemic. Psychiatric states included depression, anxiety, and COVID-19-related PTSD, a form of severe event-related stress.FindingsIn Japan, suicides had gradually decreased before COVID-19 (β = −0·7×10−3, t57 = −14·2, p = 8·6×10−46), but increased drastically after a state of emergency was declared in April 2020 (β = 0·9×10−2, t57 = 17·3, p = 2·3×10−67). We found that PTSD symptoms reliably predict COVID-19’s impact on suicide rates (β = 6·3×10−4, t3936 = 5·96, p = 2·7×10−9). In contrast, depression scores are a reliable indicator of stress vulnerability (i.e. future suicide increases, β = 0·001, t3936 = 6·6, p = 4·5×10−11). Simulations revealed that a one-point reduction in PTSD score could decrease suicides by up to 3·1 per ten million people per month in Japan.InterpretationPTSD symptoms may help to identify high-risk groups so as to increase efficacy of prevention policies.FundingKDDI collaborative research contract, the Innovative Science and Technology Initiative for Security (JPJ004596), ATLA and AMED (JP20dm0307008).Research in contextEvidence before this studyWe searched PubMed on December 2, 2020, for “COVID” and “suicid*” in the titles or abstracts of published articles and obtained 269 hits. No language restrictions were applied to the search. Nearly all previous articles on suicide and COVID-19 have reported simulation studies of suicide counts and rates in case studies, editorials, letters, and commentaries. To date, no study has analyzed the association between psychiatric states and suicide increases in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Added value of this studyTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting a concrete approach to predict suicide rate increases from psychiatric states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings indicate that PTSD symptoms are a reliable surrogate endpoint of pandemic-related suicide increase.Implications of all available evidenceThis work provides a new perspective on preparing guidelines for suicide prevention. Efforts should focus on reducing PTSD severity for single individuals and populations to reduce the overall suicide risk.

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Knowledge and Awareness on the Effect of Lemon Grass Tea on Oral Health among College Students

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International ◽

10.9734/jpri/2020/v32i1730677 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 148-157

Author(s):

J. D. Monesh Babu ◽

Jothi Priya ◽

Gayathri Devi

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Oral Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

P Value ◽

Oral Diseases ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cholesterol Levels ◽

Lemon Grass ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

The Impact

Lemongrass tea can be utilized to treat fever, cold and stomach upset. The tea has diuretic properties and water maintenance, making it accommodating individuals with hypertension. The tea can likewise assist with forestalling typhoid fever, malignant growth and obscuring of vision. It can assist with mitigating menstrual issues and sickness. The tea can assist with bringing down cholesterol levels. A total of 200 college students were involved in the study. Self administered questionnaire related to the impact on the impact of lemongrass tea on oral health along with sociodemographic details was prepared and it was distributed through an online survey link. Chi square analysis was used for inferential statistics. 66% of the participants have tasted lemongrass tea, only 34% of the participants have not tasted lemongrass tea. 28% of male and 38% of female participants have tasted lemongrass tea. More females have tasted lemongrass tea than males. There was a significant correlation between gender and participants who have tasted lemongrass tea with p value-0.003(<0.05) which was statistically significant. Majority of the participants (81.0%) were aware that drinking lemongrass tea prevents oral diseases. Lemon grass helps to prevent the growth of bacteria which causes plaque formation. By drinking lemon grass tea we can prevent most of the oral diseases. In the present study, the knowledge and awareness on the effect of lemon grass tea on oral health was satisfactory.

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FAKTOR PSIKOSOSIAL DENGAN KEJADIAN DEPRESI PADA REMAJA (Studi Pada Siswa Kelas 12 SMA XY Jember)

Journal of Community Mental Health and Public Policy ◽

10.51602/cmhp.v3i2.54 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 69-77

Author(s):

Eqia Arum Azzahro ◽

Jayanti Dian Eka Sari

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Beck Depression Inventory ◽

Random Sampling ◽

Online Survey ◽

Psychosocial Factor ◽

Simple Random Sampling ◽

P Value ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACTThe psychosocial factor is one of the factors that caused depression in adolescents. The adolescent group is one group that has the potential for depression. The impact of depression caused psychosocial factor can affect mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial factor with depression in 12th grade XY high school student Jember. This study is an observasional study with a cross – sectional approach. The sample of this research is 158 samples and the samples use simple random sampling. Data were collected by conducting an online survey using a questionnaire are BDI - II (Beck Depression Inventory - II) and Y PSC - 17 (Youth The Pediatric Symptom- 17) in the google form. The research data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. The results showed that, there was a relationship between the psychosocial factor and the incidence of depression (p value = 0,000). The result of this research can be used as the basis for other research and can be used to make mental health regulations or programs appropriate to the problem.Keywords: Depression, Psychcosocial Factor, Adolescent. ABSTRAKFaktor psikososial merupakan salah satu faktor penyebab depresi pada remaja. Kelompok remaja merupakan salah satu kelompok yang berpotensi mengalami depresi. Dampak depresi yang ditimbulkan faktor psikososial dapat berpengaruh terhadap kesehatan mental. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui hubungan faktor psikososial dengan depresi pada siswa kelas 12 SMA XY Jember. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian observasional dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Sampel dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 158 sampel dan pengambilan sampel menggunakan simple random sampling. Data dikumpulkan dengan melakukan survei online menggunakan kuisioner BDI - II (Beck Depression Inventory - II) dan Y PSC - 17 (Youth The Pediatric Symptom-17) melalui google form. Data penelitian dianalisis menggunakan uji Chi-square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat hubungan antara faktor psikososial dengan kejadian depresi (p value = 0,000). Hasil penelitian ini dapat dijadikan dasar untuk penelitian lain dan dapat digunakan untuk membuat regulasi atau program kesehatan mental yang sesuai dengan permasalahannya.Kata Kunci: Depresi, Faktor Psikososial, Remaja.

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Department location: Factor for Airbnb user’s valuation perception

Mercados y Negocios ◽

10.32870/myn.v0i40.7361 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 23-42

Author(s):

Saúl Alfonso Esparza Rodríguez ◽

Jaime Apolinar Martínez Arroyo

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Mexico City ◽

Average Cost ◽

Chi Square ◽

Location Factor ◽

Quality Perception ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

The Impact

The objective is to analyze the impact of the location in the quality perception of customers. Data was obtained from the stars-based valuation of Airbnb website, considering a standardized option of accommodation just apartments of one room up to two guest maximum, with an average cost of USD 50 per night and located in four cities: New York and Miami in USA, and Mexico City and Cancun in Mexico, using a chi-square analysis to identify if there is a difference in quality perception considering if the destination place have beach or not. The results showed than departments located in New York had the most significant difference in valuation of quality of hosts.

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How is the COVID-19 lockdown impacting the mental health of parents of school-age children in the UK? A cross-sectional online survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043397 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e043397

Author(s):

Austen El-Osta ◽

Aos Alaa ◽

Iman Webber ◽

Eva Riboli Sasco ◽

Emmanouil Bagkeris ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Female Gender ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveInvestigate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on feelings of loneliness and social isolation in parents of school-age children.DesignCross-sectional online survey of parents of primary and secondary school-age children.SettingCommunity setting.Participants1214 parents of school-age children in the UK.MethodsAn online survey explored the impact of lockdown on the mental health of parents with school-age children, and in particular about feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Associations between the UCLA Three-Item Loneliness Scale (UCLATILS), the Direct Measure of Loneliness (DMOL) and the characteristics of the study participants were assessed using ordinal logistic regression models.Main outcome measuresSelf-reported measures of social isolation and loneliness using UCLATILS and DMOL.ResultsHalf of respondents felt they lacked companionship, 45% had feelings of being left out, 58% felt isolated and 46% felt lonely during the first 100 days of lockdown. The factors that were associated with higher levels of loneliness on UCLATILS were female gender, parenting a child with special needs, lack of a dedicated space for distance learning, disruption of sleep patterns and low levels of physical activity during the lockdown. Factors associated with a higher DMOL were female gender, single parenting, parenting a child with special needs, unemployment, low physical activity, lack of a dedicated study space and disruption of sleep patterns during the lockdown.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 lockdown has increased feelings of social isolation and loneliness among parents of school-age children. The sustained adoption of two modifiable health-seeking lifestyle behaviours (increased levels of physical activity and the maintenance of good sleep hygiene practices) wmay help reduce feelings of social isolation and loneliness during lockdown.

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The impact of sitting time and physical activity on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown

Sport Sciences for Health ◽

10.1007/s11332-021-00791-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Pears ◽

Susanna Kola-Palmer ◽

Liane Beretta De Azevedo

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Online Survey ◽

Depression Score ◽

Sitting Time ◽

Multiple Stepwise Regression Analysis ◽

Previous Diagnosis ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity (PA) and sitting time on adults’ mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety and wellbeing) and the influence of mediators and confounders. Methods An online survey was disseminated in the UK between May and June 2020. A total of 284 participants (33.5 ± 12.4 years) self-reported their PA, sitting time and mental health through validated questionnaires. Results Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that being of younger age, female, on a lower income, with one or more comorbid health conditions, with a previous diagnosis of mood disorder and increased sitting time independently correlated with higher depression scores (F (13,219) = 12.31, p < 0.001), and explained 42% of the variance. Similar results were found for wellbeing where socio-demographic, health outcomes and sitting time influenced the subjective wellbeing (F (14,218) = 5.77, p < 0.001, 27% variance), although only socio-demographic and health outcomes contributed to the variation in anxiety score (F (13,219) = 7.84, p < 0.001, 32% variance). PA did not explain variation when sitting time was taken into account in any of the models. Combined analysis revealed that participants with lower sedentary time (< 8 h) and with both low or moderate and high PA presented a significantly lower depression score [low PA: (B = −2.7, 95% CI −4.88, −0.52); moderate and high PA (B = −2.7, −4.88, −0.52)]. Conclusion Sitting time was strongly associated with adverse mental health during COVID-19 lockdown and should be considered in future public health recommendations.

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The Influence of Human–Animal Interactions on Mental and Physical Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in the U.K.: A Qualitative Exploration

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18030976 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 976 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emily Shoesmith ◽

Lion Shahab ◽

Dimitra Kale ◽

Daniel S. Mills ◽

Catherine Reeve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Free Text ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Human Animal ◽

Human Animal Interaction ◽

Animal Interaction ◽

The Impact

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during a period when most of the population is experiencing social and environmental challenges. We investigated how companion animal owners perceived the influence of human–animal interaction on their physical and mental health during the first COVID-19 lockdown phase in the U.K., and what concerns they had regarding their animals at this time. We also explored the impact of participants’ interaction with non-companion animals during this phase. A cross-sectional online survey of U.K. residents aged over 18 was conducted between April and June 2020. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences and/or perceptions of their human–animal relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. A qualitative thematic analysis of responses was undertaken. Four main themes related to the following aspects of human–animal interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were identified: the positive impact of animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., amelioration of wellbeing and mental health), concerns relating to animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., concerns over animals carrying the COVID-19 virus), grief and loss of an animal during the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human–animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals. They also highlight the challenges of caring for an animal during the lockdown phase and indicate the need to consider the development of further targeted support strategies, such as “day care” for the companion animals of key workers in this context.

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on wellbeing and cognitive functioning of older adults

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84127-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sarah De Pue ◽

Céline Gillebert ◽

Eva Dierckx ◽

Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt ◽

Rudi De Raedt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

At Risk ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Online Survey ◽

Activity Level ◽

The Impact

AbstractCOVID-19 took a heavy toll on older adults. In Belgium, by the end of August, 93% of deaths due to COVID-19 were aged 65 or older. Similar trends were observed in other countries. As a consequence, older adults were identified as a group at risk, and strict governmental restrictions were imposed on them. This has caused concerns about their mental health. Using an online survey, this study established the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults aged 65 years or older, and which factors moderate this impact. Participants reported a significant decrease in activity level, sleep quality and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression was strongly related to reported declines in activity level, sleep quality, wellbeing and cognitive functioning. Our study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the mental health of older adults. This implies that this group at risk requires attention of governments and healthcare.

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Experiences of nurses caring for respiratory patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: an online survey study

BMJ Open Respiratory Research ◽

10.1136/bmjresp-2021-000987 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e000987

Author(s):

Nicola J Roberts ◽

Carol A Kelly ◽

Kate A Lippiett ◽

Emma Ray ◽

Lindsay Welch

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Working Environment ◽

Survey Study ◽

British Thoracic Society ◽

Healthcare Team ◽

Free Text ◽

The Impact

BackgroundNurses have been at the forefront of the pandemic response, involved in extensive coordination of services, screening, vaccination and front-line work in respiratory, emergency and intensive care environments. The nature of this work is often intense and stress-provoking with an inevitable psychological impact on nurses and all healthcare workers. This study focused on nurses working in respiratory areas with the aim of identifying and characterising the self-reported issues that exacerbated or alleviated their concerns during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsAn online survey was developed consisting of 90 questions using a mixture of open-ended and closed questions. Participant demographic data were also collected (age, gender, ethnicity, number of years qualified, details of long-term health conditions, geographical location, nursing background/role and home life). The online survey was disseminated via social media and professional respiratory societies (British Thoracic Society, Primary Care Respiratory Society, Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialists) over a 3-week period in May 2020 and the survey closed on 1 June 2020.ResultsThe study highlights the experiences of nurses caring for respiratory patients during the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020. Concerns were expressed over the working environment, the supply and availability of adequate protective personal equipment, the quality of care individuals were able to deliver, and the impact on mental health to nurses and their families. A high number provided free-text comments around their worries and concerns about the impact on their household; these included bringing the virus home, the effect on family members worrying about them, mental health and the impact of changing working patterns, and managing with children. Although both formal and informal support were available, there were inconsistencies in provision, highlighting the importance of nursing leadership and management in ensuring equity of access to services.ConclusionsSupport for staff is essential both throughout the pandemic and afterwards, and it is important that preparation of individuals regarding building resilience is recognised. It is also clear that psychological support and services for nurses and the wider healthcare team need to be available and quickly convened in the event of similar major incidents, either global or local.

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