Aggression and violence against paramedics and the impact on mental health: A survey study

Aggression and violence against paramedics by patients or their relatives are frequent events. Therefore, the aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of aggression / violence against paramedics in Germany and the impact on their mental health. To perform this study, a nationwide survey method was followed where items of the Perceptions of Prevalence of Aggression Scale (POPAS) and the short version of the Depression-Anxiety-Stress-Scale (DASS-21) were used. The results obtained from the feedback of 786 participants (52.42% female) showed that verbal aggression was experienced by 96.44%, provocative aggressive behavior by 79.62% and threatening verbal aggression by 75.16% of the participants; respectively. Mild and severe physical violence were experienced by 59.75% and 16.82% of all participants; respectively. Moreover, the results indicated a significantly higher risk of experiencing humiliating aggressive behavior (OR: 1.38 [95% CI: 1.00; 1.90]; p = 0.049) of female participants. Correlations between DASS-21 subscale for depression and anxiety were seen for frequency of experiencing different kind of aggressive / violent behaviors. Nevertheless, based on rho values ranging from 0.14 to 0.27 DASS-21 stress subscale indicated the largest correlations with investigated kinds of aggression / violence. To this end, this work indicated a high prevalence of aggression and violence against German paramedics and the implementation of an aggression / violence monitoring system might help to improve their situation.

Download Full-text

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism: a survey study across three countries

Molecular Autism ◽

10.1186/s13229-021-00424-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Danna Oomen ◽

Annabel D. Nijhof ◽

Jan R. Wiersema

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Life ◽

Social Stress ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Survey Study ◽

Specific Information ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Adults With Autism ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants’ wishes for guidance. Methods We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK (N = 1044). Results We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice. Limitations Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects. Conclusions Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Differential Patterns of Physical Violence and Stalking on Mental Health and Help-Seeking Among Women With Protective Orders

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801206292679 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 866-886 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

TK Logan ◽

Lisa Shannon ◽

Jennifer Cole ◽

Robert Walker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Protective Orders ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Influence of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Nurses dealing with COVID-19 Patients (A Study on Nurses within Karachi)

10.53350/pjmhs211551200 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 1200-1204

Author(s):

U. Amen ◽

Z. Rajwani ◽

U. Sumayya ◽

R. Haroon ◽

N. Mushtaq ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Preventive Intervention ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Moderate Depression ◽

Study Results ◽

The Impact ◽

Severe Anxiety

Background: Globally Corona virus (COVID-19) has become a huge challenge for all of the population. In South Asia, country Pakistan city Karachi the 1st case of this breakdown was identified on 26th February 2020 (Waris et al., 2020). This disease has developed psychological distress among all the population. COVID virus is one of the leading threats to all the healthcare organizations and due to increase rate of patients day by day, it has given enormous burden to all healthcare workers especially nurses the front line fighters who are always ready to give care towards the patient whom they encountered so it’s very crucial part to assess the impact of COVID -19 on the mental health of the nurses. Objective: The objective of the study is to identify the frequency level of stress, anxiety and depression among nurses while dealing with those patients who were admitted in various hospitals in Karachi for treatment of COVID-19. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 20th November to 31st December 2020 from different hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Those Registered nurses who were assigned in isolation ward of Covid-19 were the part of the study. For data collection survey form was designed based on Depression Anxiety Stress scale (DASS-21) scale (Lovibond & Lovibond 1995). Results: The total mean score of depression among nurses was 50 (68%), Anxiety was 32 (43%) and stress was 34 (46%). 50 nurses suffered from moderate depression, 24 nurses reported from extremely severe anxiety and 50 nurses suffered from moderate stress level. From 74 participants 41(55.4%) were females and 33 (44.6%) were males. Furthermore, it shows that 25 (76%) males and 25 (61%) females suffered from moderate depression, 32 nurses 14 (42%) male and 18(43.90%) females reported from extremely severe anxiety. Conclusion: This pandemic is highly complex, contagious and vulnerable. The study results portrait that nurses working with COVID-19 patients have affected a lot of various psychological distress such as anxiety, stress, and depression. It is very vital for higher management to take major steps and take preventive intervention which would be beneficial towards their mental health in decreasing negative psychological outcomes, because they all are working under pressure environment. Key Words: Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Pandemic, Registered Nurse

Download Full-text

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism: A survey study across three countries

10.21203/rs.3.rs-111820/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Danna Oomen ◽

Annabel Dineke Nijhof ◽

Jan Roelf Wiersema

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Life ◽

Social Stress ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Survey Study ◽

Specific Information ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Adults With Autism ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants’ wishes for guidance. Methods: We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (N = 1044). Results: We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice. Limitations: Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects. Conclusions: Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic.

Download Full-text

THE INFLUENCE OF URBAN PLANNING ON MENTAL HEALTH. CASE STUDY: FEDERAL TERRITORY OF KUALA LUMPUR

PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL ◽

10.21837/pm.v18i14.825 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

Author(s):

Marlyana Azyyati Marzukhi ◽

Nur Masyitah Ghazali ◽

Oliver Hoon Leh Ling ◽

Nurul Shakila Khalid ◽

Siti Mazwin Kamaruddin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Land Use ◽

Urban Planning ◽

Low Cost ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Kuala Lumpur ◽

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽

Development And Environment ◽

The Impact

The health impacts of the development and environment have been widely assessed, but little is known about the impact of physical characteristics of urban planning on people's mental well-being. Thus, this research is crucial to understand the mental health challenges of urban population in Malaysia. The objective of this research is to examine the influence of urban planning on mental health, particularly the attributes of urban planning, density and land use, as well as their potential relation to psychological stress, depression and anxiety. The study was carried out at low-cost flats at Pantai Dalam in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Besides the secondary data collection and site observation, a survey in a form of questionnaire that used Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was distributed. The findings showed that density and land use contributed to mental disorders. The research findings can be applied by government agencies, professionals and private sectors to plan healthier urban physical environment. This research will add to the growing literature that suggests the importance of the built environment in shaping mental health.

Download Full-text

Report2: Impact of Covid-19 on young people aged 13-24 in the UK- preliminary findings

10.31234/osf.io/s32j8 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Liat Levita ◽

Jilly Gibson Miller ◽

Todd K. Hartman ◽

Jamie Murphy ◽

Mark Shevlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Data Collection ◽

Additional Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Adult Study ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

A brief follow on report (from Report 1, see https://psyarxiv.com/uq4rn/). This report presents data on parents and their children's well being as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from our adult survey study. In addition to presenting additional data showing a potentially significant increase in anxiety and depression in young people aged 13-24, as a consequence of COVID-19. Data collection for our Adult Study (Wave 2) took place between 22nd April and was ended on Friday, May 1st, here we report headline figures for the impact of Covid-19 on parents and their children. We have described our methods in a separate report (https://psyarxiv.com/wxe2n) and released two reports on our mental health outcomes from wave 1 (https://psyarxiv.com/hb6nq, https://psyarxiv.com/ydvc7).

Download Full-text

Exploring the impact of COVID-19-related fear, obsessions, anxiety and stress on psychological well-being among adults in Pakistan

The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice ◽

10.1108/jmhtep-10-2020-0074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Naeem Aslam ◽

Kanwal Shafique ◽

Ammar Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Survey Method ◽

Health Issues ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Content Type ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

The Impact

Purpose Fear of COVID-19 is one of the pivotal components that have generated higher levels of stress, obsessions and anxiety among the adult population, thus creating numerous mental health issues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychological well-being based on COVID-19-related fear, obsessions and anxiety during the pandemic situation. Design/methodology/approach The current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between COVID-19-related fear, obsessions, anxiety, stress and well-being among adult populations. Additionally, the aim was to see the impact of COVID-19-related fear, obsessions, anxiety and stress on well-being. This was a cross-sectional study based on nonclinical sample of (n = 250) adults; data was obtained via online questionnaire survey method and analysis was performed by using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS-22). Findings The authors’ findings based on descriptive statistics showed that COVID-19-related fear and obsessions were positively associated with COVID anxiety and stress and negatively associated with well-being. COVID anxiety was positively associated with stress and negatively associated with well-being. Moreover, perceived stress is negatively associated with well-being. The results additionally provide the outcome/conclusion that COVID-related anxiety significantly negatively predicted the psychological well-being. Overall the model explained 24% of the variance in psychological well-being. Females scored significantly high in COVID-19-related anxiety and obsessions as compared to males. Research limitations/implications A distinctive feature of this study is the understanding of COVID-19-related fear, obsessions, anxiety, stress and well-being among adult populations, and the findings are highlighting the need for psychological and social interventions for this specific population; therefore, immediate attention is needed by the clinical health professionals dealing with mental health issues. Originality/value There is a vital need to explore and develop psychological interventions aiming at the negative consequences being faced by the adult populations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impending second wave that will expose individuals to various mental health issues evolving because of the health crisis.

Download Full-text