When Post-Incarcerated Individuals Return to High-Risk Neighborhoods: Staying Out of Trouble, Social Withdrawal, and Mental Health

Studies show that residents from urban, high-risk neighborhoods fair worse on multiple behavioral and health outcomes than their counterparts from more socially and economically advantaged neighborhoods. However, few research efforts have been devoted to examining how formerly incarcerated individuals’ concerns over neighborhood environment are associated with reentry outcomes. Using longitudinal data that captured the reentry experiences of individuals released from prison, the present study quantifies how returning citizens’ concerns over neighborhood environment predict their social withdrawal and mental health deterioration. Findings suggest that when respondents’ post-release family bonds, financial difficulty, drug use, and past mental health histories are all taken into account, their concerns over neighborhood environment exert a significant and positive effect on social withdrawal, depression, and hostility. Returning citizens who believe it is hard to stay out of trouble and prison in their neighborhoods tend to avoid social interactions with others and experience depression and increased hostility and vigilance. Implications for reentry programing and interventions are discussed.

Severe Glutathione Deficiency, Oxidative Stress and Oxidant Damage in Adults Hospitalized with COVID-19: Implications for GlyNAC (Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine) Supplementation

Humanity is battling a respiratory pandemic pneumonia named COVID-19 which has resulted in millions of hospitalizations and deaths. COVID-19 exacerbations occur in waves that continually challenge healthcare systems globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand all mechanisms by which COVID-19 results in health deterioration to facilitate the development of protective strategies. Oxidative stress (OxS) is a harmful condition caused by excess reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and is normally neutralized by antioxidants among which Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant. GSH deficiency results in amplified OxS due to compromised antioxidant defenses. Because little is known about GSH or OxS in COVID-19 infection, we measured GSH, TBARS (a marker of OxS) and F2-isoprostane (marker of oxidant damage) concentrations in 60 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Compared to uninfected controls, COVID-19 patients of all age groups had severe GSH deficiency, increased OxS and elevated oxidant damage which worsened with advancing age. These defects were also present in younger age groups, where they do not normally occur. Because GlyNAC (combination of glycine and N-acetylcysteine) supplementation has been shown in clinical trials to rapidly improve GSH deficiency, OxS and oxidant damage, GlyNAC supplementation has implications for combating these defects in COVID-19 infected patients and warrants urgent investigation.

Oral Health of COVID-19 Patients Using Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Clinical Study of 19 Cases

The oral health of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is an important issue in treatment of respiratory failure. We retrospectively investigated the oral health history of severe COVID-19 patients who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) from April 2020 to December 2020 using the oral assessment guide from Fukuoka University (OAG-F). Nineteen consecutive patients (median age: 62 years) were divided into two groups according to survival (survivors, n = 12; non-survivors, n = 7). A univariate analysis revealed no significant differences between the groups in sex, age, body mass index (BMI), or the number of remaining teeth, whereas the ECMO assistance of non-survivors (median: 34 days) was prolonged in comparison to survivors (median: 8 days; p < 0.05). Among the factors of OAG-F, significant differences were observed between the groups in the conditions of the saliva, mucous membrane, and gingiva. The total scores in non-survivors (median: 19) were significantly higher in comparison to survivors (Median: 15.5), suggesting that the frequency of oral health deterioration was higher in non-survivors (p < 0.05). Taken together, these findings suggest that poor oral health is associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients receiving ECMO in the ICU.

Gender Inequality and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: We explore gender differences in mental health deterioration and psychological well-being due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mechanisms through which these differences may operate.Methods: Using data from the Life during Pandemic survey in Chile, which covers 2,545 adult respondents, we estimate econometric models to explore gender differences in psychological well-being and mental health as well as economic fragility and household workload during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: We find women are more likely to report overall bad mental health and deterioration of well-being. They are also more likely to have a new diagnosis of a mental health problem, to be pursuing treatment and taking prescription medication. Moreover, women report an increase in household chores and in childcare, and are more likely to have lost their employment or experienced a loss of income due to the pandemic.Conclusion: Our results offer a general picture of gender differences in the psychological impact of COVID-19. We argue that policies that mitigate economic stress and address the needs of women specifically may ease mental health deterioration due to the pandemic.

The influence of judo classes on the psycho-emotional state of schoolchildren aged 16–17

The problem of improving the health of children, as well as strengthening their physical, mental and spiritual health is one of the most important tasks of the state. The process of judo training is accompanied by the alternation of different emotional states. These states are positive or negative, depending on a number of reasons. During the struggle, emotional states change. It depends on the course of the match. Emotion management and the ability to maintain a stable psycho-emotional state is produced by a judoka in the process of gaining sports experience. In recent years, the modern view of healthy living has aroused interest in health care systems and educational institutions based on the inextricable link between body and mind. In addition, public interest in various types of martial arts has now increased to ensure good physical shape and health. Deterioration of psycho-emotional state and health involuntarily leads to a decrease in intellectual activity. Judo, according to many researchers, is one of the best ways to improve the physical, mental and emotional state of students. The article identifies the level of situational anxiety and tests (Spielberger-Hanin) among schoolchildren aged 16-17 who practice judo. And also the comparative analysis of dynamics of indicators of a psychoemotional condition of boys and girls of 16 – 17 years in the course of experiment is made. The results of research have shown that judo classes have a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state of students, meet the age, functional, physical and mental characteristics of boys and girls 16 – 17 years and can be used to solve health problems of judo practitioners.

Impact of COVID-19 on Oral Health

In December 2019 an outbreak of COVID19 occurred which is a severe acute respiratory disorder. Many succumbed to this global pandemic and many are still fighting the after effect of it. The virus directly affects the immune system especially of lungs. Therefore, the people who already have compromised immunity are at the very risk. The first symptoms to appear in COVID19 patients are ageusia and anosmia while treating the COVID19 patient’s certain practices are followed which aid in rapid oral health deterioration like oxygen mask, ventilators, heavy dose of medicines. Certain medicines used in treatment also precipitate poor oral health like bleeding gums, oral ulceration and dry mouth are the most common oral health problems faced after COVID19 recovery. COVID directly affects the immune system thereby making way for opportunistic infections like mucormycosis. Mucormycosis offers a severe burden on oral and general health affecting the standard of living and cause death in severe cases. Sinusitis, Periodontitis, black staining across the bridge of nose and sinus, localized discomfort and unbearable diplopia and refractive errors along with embolism and necrosis are seen in mucormycosis patients. Treatment of mucormycosis consists of surgery and replacement of lost structures Patients with compromised immunity need to take proper precautions during and after COVID.

NEW TRENDS IN THE CRISIS SITUATION 2020–2021

The paper studies new features of Coronavirus pandemic – the third wave, increased mortality, uncertainty of future due to new strains. An unexpected trend is a rapid recovery of sharply reduced oil and gas prices and significant, therefore, increase of exports. Attention is also paid to new conditions (electrification, carbon footprint, possibility of hydrogen energy and etc.), that determine the prospects. The article focuses on demographic drama in connection with birth rate decrease, catastrophic increase of all cause mortality during pandemic, life expectancy decrease, human health deterioration, country’s population drop, that undermines the Russian people savings. Various consequences of the crisis in Russia are analyzed – a slight economy decrease and finances increase and, as a consequence of insufficient funding, record increase in total mortality in Russia and income and consumption decrease by 10–15% during the period of stagnation and crisis. The possibility of conditions and factors of sustainable socio-economic growth resumption are investigated. It is proposed to carry out a financial boost on investments in fixed and human capital, housing construction and foreign trade rise – as the main drivers of future development. The stake is placed on technological breakthrough and economic efficiency indicators increase. The necessity of structural reforms of property, financial system, regional management, transition to strategic planning following the example of China and social system is substantiated.

Alcohol and drug abuse as a manifestation of social stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic

During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress have contributed to excess mortality. The purpose of the study is to evaluate changes in mortality from causes associated with social stress during the pandemic in Moscow. The analysis is based on the Rosstat statistics and RFS-EMIAS database (Medical death certificates issued by the Moscow health institutions) in 2019-2020. Deaths from mental disorders and suicides during the maximum and minimum excess mortality in Moscow in 2020 were compared to 2019 (May and December, when mortality exceeded the 2019 indicators by 57.2% and 56.7%, and July with the 7.1%) excess. First, the excess mortality from mental disorders in these months was almost entirely due to disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse. Second, alcohol and drug abuse also results in deaths from poisoning. This necessitates a joint evaluation of deaths associated with alcohol and drugs (from mental disorders and poisoning). The evaluation shows that excess deaths from alcohol abuse in men in May 2020 compared to May 2019 equaled to 65%, falling down to 52.3% in July, followed by its maximum (2.5-fold) in December. Females show a steady increase: 52.9%, 76.5% and 2.1-fold, respectively. Distribution by sex of the total deaths associated with drug addiction (mental disorders and poisoning) was reversed: a steady increase in males (55.4% in May, 67% in July and 2.1-fold in December) and a significant decrease in females: 63.6%, 31.6% and 2.7-fold, respectively. Third, the pandemic has paradoxically affected deaths from suicide (including hangings, falls and undetermined intent poisoning). In men, excess deaths equaled to zero in May, 1.2% in July and decreased by 20.6% in December. The female excess suicidal mortality increased: 13.5%, 30.6% and 36.7%, respectively. Thus, the male reaction to social stress caused by the pandemic was passive (alcohol and drug abuse), while the female reaction was aggravated by suicides. Key messages During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress contributed to excess mortality. Alcohol and drug abuse results in deaths not only due to mental disorders.

Coronavirus and premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases in Russia

The global trend is currently an increase in mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCD): cancer, cardiovascular, endocrinological, respiratory diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has not stop the NCD epidemic, and gender characteristics, syndemicity, and polymorbidity of them contributed to persistence of differences in the number of years of life lost due to premature mortality among men and women (calculations for 2019 using the DALY method without taking into account the impact of health deterioration due to disability). The main losses from NCD-related premature mortality are connected with neoplasms and diseases of the circulatory system, that is fundamentally consistent with the general trend of age-related health deterioration, although at the age of the first five years of the «new retirement age» (65-69 years), there is a «gender reversal» of premature mortality: its share decreases in men, and increases in women. The age dynamics of changes in the number of deaths from neoplasms shows two peaks, one of which is particularly alarming — in children and adolescents, the proportion of deaths from it exceeds the corresponding indicator for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, thus indicating cancer risk to children's health. In Russia, since May2020, excess mortality of the population has been recorded, 40% of which fell on NCD, and 60% — infectious diseases, including COVID-19 as the main or worsening cause of death from the underlying disease. The anti-epidemic reorientation of national health systems has had a significant negative impact on the health of patients with NCD, requiring special measures. At the same time, there is a favorable moment for a breakthrough development of the telemedicine services market, although it is constrained by the current legislation that prohibits establishing diagnosis and prescribing treatment during remote consultations.