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Arena AF, Collins D, Mackinnon A, Mobbs S, Lavender I, Harvey SB, Deady M. Job Loss Due to COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study of Mental Health, Protective and Risk Factors. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241248601. [PMID: 38670924 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241248601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on unemployment, which-compounded by the additional stressors associated with the pandemic-had considerable mental health impact. The current study examined the trajectory of mental health amongst those experiencing pandemic-related job loss, alongside the impact of risk and protective factors. Data were obtained from 374 Australian participants who were allocated to a waitlist control arm of a randomised control trial. The outcome variables assessed at baseline and six-month follow-up consisted of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. The assessed risk and protective factors were age, gender, relationship status, education, exercise frequency, COVID-related stress, dispositional resilience, and coping self-efficacy. Re-employment by follow-up was used as a covariate. Overall, there were decreases in depression and anxiety symptoms, and partial evidence of decreased suicidality, demonstrating an apparent capacity for individuals to better cope with their circumstances over time. Demographics and exercise had no effect on changes in mental health. Those with high COVID-related stress, low resilience, and low coping self-efficacy had worse mental health at baseline, although exhibited significantly greater improvements in mental health over time. Obtaining re-employment by follow-up did not predict changes in mental health. The present results offer an optimistic picture of recovery for those experiencing pandemic-related job loss, even for those with the most substantial risk and severity. The likely protective role played by Australian social welfare policies over the course of the study is explored. Stress around one's broader sociocultural or economic circumstances, perceived resilience, and coping self-efficacy are valuable targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Arena
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel Collins
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew Mackinnon
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Sophia Mobbs
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Isobel Lavender
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Samuel B Harvey
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Deady
- Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia
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Smith RB, Baird MD, Hunter GP, Ghosh-Dastidar B, Richardson AS, Cantor JH, Dubowitz T. Do Publicly Funded Neighborhood Investments Impact Individual-Level Health-Related Outcomes? A Longitudinal Study of Two Neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA from 2011 to 2018. HOUSING POLICY DEBATE 2024; 34:489-507. [PMID: 39157451 PMCID: PMC11328983 DOI: 10.1080/10511482.2024.2309952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Research examining the relationship between a neighborhood's built-environment and resident health or health-related outcomes has largely either focused on static characteristics using a cross-sectional research design or focuses on the neighborhood in its entirety. Such an approach makes it difficult to understand how specific dynamic neighborhood characteristics are associated with individual well-being. In this analysis, we use longitudinal data from the Pittsburgh Research on Neighborhood Change and Health (PHRESH) studies to assess the relationship between publicly funded neighborhood investments occurring across seven years (2011-2018) on five health-related outcomes: food insecurity, stress, perceived neighborhood safety, neighborhood satisfaction, and dietary quality. We additionally utilize this dataset to determine whether the distance between an individual's place of residence and the investment, as measured at the neighborhood, 1 mile, and ½ mile level, effects the magnitude of associations. Using individual and year fixed effects models, we find that when measured at the neighborhood level, a one standard deviation increase in investments (about $130 million dollars) is associated with decreased food insecurity (-0.294 sd), increased safety (0.231 sd), and increased neighborhood satisfaction (0.201 sd) among adults who remain in the study for at least two waves of data collection. We also analyze specific investment types and find that commercial investments are largely driving the changes in food insecurity, safety, and neighborhood satisfaction, while business investments are correlated with the decrease in stress. We find no relationship between investments and dietary quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Smith
- Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Matthew D. Baird
- Department of Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar
- Department of Economics, Sociology, and Statistics, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Andrea S. Richardson
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan H. Cantor
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Tamara Dubowitz
- Department of Behavioral and Policy Sciences, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Athe R, Dwivedi R, Singh K, Babusab Hulmani S, Karadi N, Boraiah C, Vasu S. Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers and Job Loss From a Gender Perspective in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus 2023; 15:e48219. [PMID: 38050506 PMCID: PMC10693901 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant stress and anxiety among the general population and healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. India is one of the countries severely impacted by the pandemic. This review explores the gender perspective of mental health conditions among HCWs and job loss during the pandemic in India. Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for articles published till March 2021. Studies that reported the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and worry among HCWs in India during the pandemic and job loss in both males and females due to COVID-19 were included. We used a random-effects model to estimate pooled prevalence rates with 95% CIs. We assessed heterogeneity using the I2 statistic. The meta-analysis included 11 studies; the pooled prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and worry among HCWs was 34.9% (95%CI 27.33, 42.47), 35.4% (95%CI 24.46, 46.33), 32.9% (95%CI 25.43, 40.37), and 42.87% (95%CI 25.83, 59.91), respectively. The pooled prevalence of job loss due to COVID-19 was 16.6% (95%CI 8.34, 19.66). We employed meta-regression and Egger's regression for publication bias. The meta-analysis findings suggest that the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and worry among HCWs in India during COVID-19 was high. Furthermore, job loss due to COVID-19 has also been prevalent in India. These findings emphasize the need for mental health support for HCWs and those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. It is essential to prioritize mental health and job creation policies in India to support individuals affected by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Athe
- Data Science and Intelligent Systems, Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, IND
| | - Rinshu Dwivedi
- Science and Humanities, Indian Institute of Information Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, IND
| | - Kasha Singh
- Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, IND
| | - Sabiha Babusab Hulmani
- Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, IND
| | - Nikhita Karadi
- Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, IND
| | - Chaithanya Boraiah
- Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad, Dharwad, IND
| | - Sindhu Vasu
- Science and Humanities, Indian Institute of Information Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, IND
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Kaur K, Muralikrishnan J, Hussaindeen JR, Deori N, Gurnani B. Impact of Covid-19 on Pediatric Ophthalmology Care: Lessons Learned. Pediatric Health Med Ther 2023; 14:309-321. [PMID: 37849985 PMCID: PMC10578174 DOI: 10.2147/phmt.s395349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic came with many new challenges that forced personal and professional lifestyle modifications. Medical facilities were in scarcity against this new unknown enemy and were challenged with the overloaded patient flow, scarcity of healthcare staff, and evolving treatment modalities with a better understanding of the virus each day. Ophthalmology as a "branch of medicine" suffered challenges initially because of a lack of guidelines for patient management, close working distance during routine examinations, and halt of major surgeries, including cataracts. Pediatric ophthalmology had major implications, as reduced outpatient visits would mean deeper amblyopia, and changed lifestyles, including online classes and home refinement, predisposing children to myopia, digital eye strain, and worsening of strabismus. COVID-19 also unveiled underlying accommodation and convergence anomalies that predisposed pediatric and adolescent patients to an increased prevalence of headache and acute onset esotropia. Teleophthalmology and other innovative solutions, including the use of prism glasses, safe slit-lamp shields, alternative ways of school screening with the use of photoscreeners, performing retinoscopy only when needed, and using autorefractors were among the few guidelines or modifications adopted which helped in the efficient and safe management of pediatric patients. Many pediatric ophthalmologists also suffered in terms of financial constraints due to loss of salary or even closure of private practices. School screening and retinopathy of prematurity screening suffered a great setback and costed a lot of vision years, data of which remains under-reported. Important implications and learnings from the pandemic to mitigate future similar situations include using teleophthalmology and virtual platforms for the triage of patients, managing non-emergency conditions without physical consultations, and utilizing home-based vision assessment techniques customized for different age groups. Though this pandemic had a lot of negative implications, the innovations, modifications, and other important learnings helped pediatric ophthalmologists in navigating safely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirandeep Kaur
- Children Eye Care Center, Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Sadguru Netra Chikitsalya, Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Janani Muralikrishnan
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Aravind Eye Hospital, Chennai, India
| | | | - Nilutparna Deori
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Bharat Gurnani
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Services, Sadguru Netra Chikitsalya, Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Kim S, Sung HK, Kim T, Ko SK, Kim S, Lee JH. Trends in emergency department visits for suicide attempts before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: A nationwide study, 2016-2021. J Affect Disord 2023; 331:184-191. [PMID: 36948463 PMCID: PMC10028213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing concern that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will result in excess suicides by increasing known risk factors, such as suicide attempts. However, evidence on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on suicide attempts is lacking. We aimed to assess the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with suicide attempts in emergency departments (EDs) and to evaluate age- and sex-specific differences. METHOD We conducted nationwide cross-sectional study among patients with suicide attempts in the ED from 2016 to 2021. The trend test were used to determine whether study subjects were affected by changes in ED visits for suicide attempts. We estimated the average annual percentage change (APC) stratified by sex and age groups. RESULTS The number of ED visits related to suicide attempts increased from 27,581 in 2016 to 37,719 in 2021. In particular, it decreased immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic but increased again in 2021. We identified that the average APC increased by 6.8 % overall, 1.6 % among males, and 10.8 % among females. Moreover, the APC of trend sharply increased in patients aged 10s and 20s. The in-hospital mortality was 3.6 % for females, compared to 9.5 % for males, which showed sex differences. LIMITATIONS Other information such as severity of injury, interpersonal relationships were not available. This study was limited to confirming causal relationship based on a descriptive study. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of suicide attempts in ED has increased in Korea. In particular, there was a sharp increase among women, adolescents and young adults. Patient-tailored treatment and preventive medical system for suicide attempts is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seonji Kim
- Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute for Innovation in Digital Healthcare, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Kyung Sung
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taehui Kim
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Keun Ko
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - SeongJung Kim
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Emergency Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hee Lee
- National Emergency Medical Center, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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