Fear of COVID-19 and Depression: A Comparative Study Among the General Population and Healthcare Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis in Bangladesh

Prenatal Attachment, Personality, and Depression in High-Risk Pregnancies During Pandemic Emergencies

Background: The observational study investigates how personality factors influence depression, prenatal attachment, and fear of COVID-19 in women with high-risk pregnancies. Methods: Women experiencing a high-risk pregnancy between the 20th and 24th weeks of gestation (N = 84) were selected. The Personality Inventory (PI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), and Fear of COVID (FCV-19S) were used for data collection. Results: Agreeableness was significantly negatively correlated with fear of COVID-19 (r = -0.33, p = 0.002) and positively correlated with prenatal attachment (r = 0.28, p = 0.008). Conscientiousness was negatively correlated with prenatal attachment (r = 0.34, p = 0.001). Depression was positively correlated with fear of COVID-19 (r = 0.27, p = 0.013). Linear regressions showed that agreeableness negatively predicted fear of COVID-19 (β = -0.34, p = 0.002) and positively predicted prenatal attachment (β = 0.27, p = 0.008). Conscientiousness negatively influenced prenatal attachment (β = -0.35, p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study explores personality traits in high-risk pregnancies, a variable underexplored in this clinical population. High-risk pregnancies may lead to adverse outcomes for both mother and child.

The Shield of Self-Esteem: Buffering against the Impact of Traumatic Experiences, Fear, Anxiety, and Depression

BACKGROUND

Adverse life occurrences (e.g., severe accidents, violence/abuse, organic disorders such as COVID-19) can elicit traumatic responses that heighten fear, anxiety, and depression. However, scientific research has shown that certain variables, such as self-esteem, based on theories like terror management theory (TMT) and the anxiety-buffering hypothesis (ABH), can mitigate the negative effects of trauma. This study aimed to test the ABH by assessing the buffering role of self-esteem in the relationships among the impact of traumatic experiences, fear, anxiety, and depression.

METHOD

An observational research design was used. This study involved 321 participants who experienced COVID-19 as a traumatic experience. A sequential multiple-mediation model with observed variables (path analysis) was used to test the impact of the traumatic experience on fear, anxiety, and depression, examining the protective role of self-esteem.

RESULTS

A path analysis revealed that fear and anxiety mediated the relationship between the impact of the traumatic experience of COVID-19 and depression. Additionally, in line with the ABH, self-esteem was found to mediate the relationship between the predictors and their adverse psychological consequences. This suggests that self-esteem played a buffering role, mitigating the negative impact of traumatic experiences on mental health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the central mediating role of self-esteem, as well as fear and anxiety, in the pathway from trauma-related factors to depression. These insights advocate for evidence-based interventions aimed at alleviating the psychological suffering associated with traumatic experiences, fostering adaptation, and supporting psychological health.

Transformational leadership in a crisis: Dimensional analysis with psychological capital

Previous research attests to the benefits of transformational leadership (as a unitary construct) for various employee outcomes. Less is known about how specific dimensions of transformational leadership relate to outcomes during crisis. In the present paper, we investigate how each dimension of transformational leadership, namely, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence relate to employees' psychological capital in a crisis, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted where employees from 301 small and medium sized enterprises in Kenya completed a survey containing the variables of interest. Quantitative data analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling was utilized to test the study hypotheses using Smart PLS 4 software. Results showed that only two of the four transformational leadership dimensions had a positive and significant impact on employees' psychological capital: Intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. In terms of the theorized hypotheses, fear of COVID-19 moderated the relationship between (a) idealized influence, (b) intellectual, and (c) individualized consideration, and employees' psychological capital. However, only intellectual stimulation reached a significant effect size. The present study reveals the varied relevance of transformation leadership dimensions to psychological capital in a crisis. A new condition (emotional assessment of a crisis) for assessing this relationship was proposed. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, strengths, limitations, and suggestions for future studies.

Depressive Symptom Change Patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Impact on Psychiatric Treatment Seeking: A 24-Month Observational Study of the Adult Population

Despite the presence of individual differences in the depressive symptom change in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, most studies have investigated population-level changes in depression during the first year of the pandemic. This longitudinal repeated-measurement study obtained 39,259 observations from 4,361 adults assessed nine times over a 24-month period in Norway (March 2020 to March 2022). Using a Latent Change Score Mixture Model to investigate differential change patterns in depressive symptoms, five profiles were identified. Most adults revealed a consistently resilient (42.52%) or predominantly resilient pattern differentiated by an initial shock in symptomatology (13.17%). Another group exhibited consistently high depressive adversities (8.5%). One group showed mild deterioration with small increases in depressive symptomatology compared to onset levels (29.04%), and a second strong deterioration group exhibited clinically severe levels of gained symptoms over time (6.77%). Both deteriorating depressive symptom change patterns predicted the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis and treatment seeking at the end of the study period. Together, the absence of a preexisting psychiatric diagnosis at the onset of the pandemic and severe symptom increases during, combined with reports of psychiatric treatment seeking and diagnosis at the end of the study period, indicated that the strongly deteriorating subgroup represents an additional and newly emerged group of adults struggling with depressive problems. Factors related to general adverse change (lower education levels, lone residence), initial shocks prior to recovery (frequent information seeking, financial and occupational concerns), and resilience and recovery (older age, being in a relationship, physical activity) were identified. Binge drinking and belonging to an ethnic minority were influential predictors of the strongly deteriorating group. All major change patterns in depressive symptoms occurred during the first 3 months of the pandemic, suggesting this period represents a window of sensitivity for the development of long-lasting depressive states versus patterns of recovery and resilience. These findings call for increased vigilance of psychiatric symptoms during the initial phases of infectious disease outbreaks and highlight a specific target period for the implementation of preventive measures.

Negative impact of nurses' fear of COVID-19: the moderating role of implementation of knowledge management

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses encountered substantial infection risks and psychological strain, which severely affected their emotional well-being, professional attitudes, and job performance. This study investigated the impact of nurses' fear of COVID-19 on their intention to leave the occupation and emotional labor as well as the moderating role of the implementation of knowledge management on these primary variables.

Methods

To mitigate common method bias, this research adopted a two-phase questionnaire approach, targeting nurses at a medical center in central Taiwan. In the first phase, 300 copies of questionnaire were distributed for participants to complete self-assessment surveys covering fear of COVID-19, knowledge management implementation, and demographic information. After 1 month, the participants were invited to complete a follow-up questionnaire, focusing on the intention to leave the occupation and emotional labor. The questionnaire was conducted from June to July 2022. Through this two-phase distribution method, after exclusion of invalid responses, a total of 288 valid responses were collected, resulting in a response rate of 96%. The proposed hypotheses were verified using hierarchical regression conducted with SPSS version 25.0.

Results

The findings indicated that nurses' fear of COVID-19 was significantly and positively associated with their intention to leave the occupation and surface acting, but negatively associated with their deep acting. Moreover, the implementation of knowledge management significantly moderated the positive relationship among fear of COVID-19, intention to leave the occupation, and surface acting. A robust knowledge management system weakened the positive association among fear of COVID-19, intention to leave the occupation, and surface acting.

Conclusion

In summary, nurses' fear of COVID-19 may increase their tendency to leave the nursing profession and engage in more surface acting and less deep acting. However, effective knowledge management practices can mitigate these adverse effects. Hospitals can thus establish and employ comprehensive knowledge management systems to enhance nurses' resilience and help alleviate their fear of future pandemics and their potential negative repercussions.

Investigation of the psychiatric factors that determine the fear of COVID-19 in healthcare workers and hospital staff in a university hospital in Turkey

To examine the association of health and hospital workers' fears of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, depression, and sociodemographic variables during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 527 participants (237 men/289 women) were included, 222 of the participants were doctors, 99 nurses, 22 assistant health personnel, and 182 hospital personnel without health education. Participants filled in the sociodemographic data form, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, and Fear of COVID-19 Inventory. In linear regression analysis, independent predictors of the fear of COVID-19 were determined as Beck Anxiety Inventory (p < 0.001), Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.001), and Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 Physical subscale (p = 0.001). The fear of COVID-19 is associated with the physical subscale of anxiety, depression, and anxiety sensitivity.

Study on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Chinese college students: a cross-sectional analysis

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of college students, prompting the need for universities to implement measures to mitigate these adverse effects. This study aims to assess the mental health status and mitigation measures of college students, identify the primary factors contributing to their mental health challenges, and provide suggestions for educational institutions to reduce negative psychological impacts.

Methods

In February 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,445 college students. Statistical analysis was performed on the survey results, and multiple regression models were used to identify significant influencing factors and optimize the model.

Results

The study revealed correlations between factors affecting mental health during the pandemic, with interactions observed among some factors. Significant differences in mental health status were found among different groups of college students based on their information-sharing habits through apps and engagement in thesis research. Multiple regression analysis indicated that conducting academic research related to COVID-19 significantly increased the psychological stress of college students during the pandemic (p = 0.043). Among all mitigation measures, playing games demonstrated significant effectiveness in model analysis (p = 0.047). The optimization of the model showed that the multiple regression model considering the interaction of factors was more effective.

Conclusion

Our research identifies crucial factors influencing the mental health of college students and investigates the mental health status of various student groups. We recommend that educational institutions adopt proactive strategies and a multifaceted approach to support the mental health of college students and address potential issues that may arise.

The Prevalence of Depression among the Global Public in the Context of the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

We aimed to analyze the prevalence of depression among the global public during COVID-19, identify its influencing factors in order to provide reference, and help safeguard public mental health.

Methods

A comprehensive literature on global public depression in various countries during the COVID-19 pandemic was obtained through electronic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and other databases, combined with literature tracing from Dec 2019 to Mar 2023. Then a meta-analysis was conducted using the random effects model by Stata 16.0. The heterogeneity was evaluated by I2 . Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression analysis were used to explore the sources of heterogeneity and the factors influencing public depression. Egger's test was used to test publication bias.

Results

Overall, 68 articles with 234,678 samples were included in the study. Analysis revealed that the overall prevalence of depression among the population during COVID-19 was 32.0% (95% CI: 29.0%-35.0%). Of these, marital status (OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.47-0.87), presence of infected cases (OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.82-3.30), and fear of being infected by the virus (OR=9.31, 95% CI: 6.03-14.37) were the main factors influencing people's depression and the main source of heterogeneity.

Conclusion

The prevalence of depression among the global public is at a high level during COVID-19. The prevalence of depression among people unmarried, divorced, or widowed, surrounded by infected cases, contact infection cases, and worried about being were higher than others.

[Association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the COVID-19 pandemic]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between mental health, fear of COVID-19, and job insecurity among bus service workers during the second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan.

METHODS

In September 2020, 1,889 employees of three private railway bus companies in the Tokai region were administered an anonymous self-questionnaire to be filled out at their workplace. The survey items were depression, anxiety, fear of COVID-19, job insecurity, demographics, and work characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,316 valid responses, excluding those from workers with a history of mental illness and others, were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 69.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety were significantly higher in groups with medium and high levels of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity than in the group with a low level of fear of COVID-19 or job insecurity.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Fear of COVID-19 and job insecurity were found to be risk factors for depression and anxiety among bus service workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the latter being the stronger risk factor. Hence, comprehensive COVID-19 prevention measures as well as mental health-related measures to reduce job insecurity should be implemented in the bus service industry.

Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder risk post-COVID-19 in 12 countries in Latin America: a cross-sectional survey

Introduction

Latin America was the region most affected by COVID-19 in the second quarter of 2020, and consequently, the impact on mental health requires evaluation. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by bereavement due to COVID-19 in 12 countries in Latin America.

Methods

The current study was an analytical cross-sectional study. Validated tests were applied for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21), questions about the respondent's condition or their environment, and demographic questions, as well as the length of the mourning period of suffering.

Results

The outcomes demonstrated that the PTSD risk increased for women (p < 0.001), when a friend or acquaintance had COVID-19 (p = 0.002), when a close relative died from COVID-19 (p = 0.010), having severe depression (p <0.001), severe anxiety (p  <0.001), severe stress (p  <0.001), residing in Chile (p  <0.001), Paraguay (p  <0.001), Bolivia (p  <0.001), Costa Rica (p  <0.001) or El Salvador (p  = 0.005). On the other hand, there was less risk of PTSD at an older age (p  <0.001) or if respondents had a sentimental partner (p  = 0.025). In the case of severe PTSD, there was a greater gender risk for women (p  <0.001), a close relative dying from COVID-19 (p  = 0.017), having severe depression (p  <0.001), severe anxiety (p  <0.001), severe stress (p  <0.001), residing in Chile (p  <0.001), Paraguay (p  <0.001), Bolivia (p  <0.001) and Costa Rica (p  = 0.002). It was also observed that there was less risk of severe PTSD at an older age demographic (p  <0.001).

Discussion

It can be concluded that the percentages of PTSD are high in its clinical presentation as severe, especially among Latin American women.

Factors Affecting Fear of COVID-19 Infection in Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Dedicated Teams: Focus on Professional Quality of Life

This study examined factors related to high fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) in COVID-19 dedicated teams. We assigned 371 HCWs to low, medium, and high COVID-19 infection fear groups, and investigated factors associated with COVID-19 infection fear. High COVID-19 infection fear was significantly associated with being a woman and poor professional quality of life. High COVID-19 infection fear group had higher burnout levels and secondary traumatic stress scores than the low and medium fear groups. These findings deepen our understanding of risk factors for and psychological outcomes of COVID-19 infection fear in HCWs.

Navigating Vaccine Uncertainty: Anxiety and Fourth Dose Hesitancy Among Saudi Adults

Background The continuous evolution of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and early evidence of declining effectiveness of the third dose over time have generated anxiety and hesitancy regarding vaccinations. The current study aimed to assess anxiety levels and the willingness to receive a fourth dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Potential factors leading to this reluctance were also assessed. Methodology This was a cross-sectional cohort study conducted among the adult Saudi population. A questionnaire including demographic data, questions regarding Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) assessment, and questions related to accepting the vaccine and reasons for hesitancy was employed. Results Of the 1,924 participants who responded, 1,033 were males, and 891 were females. Among the respondents, a significant level of anxiety toward receiving the fourth dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was reported in 1,097 cases, representing 57% of the total, with varying degrees of anxiety. Both gender and age were identified as co-factors contributing to this anxiety. A substantial portion of the participants, 1,369 individuals, accounting for 71.2%, exhibited vaccine hesitancy and reluctance to receive the fourth dose. Conclusions Our findings underscore the pressing need for targeted interventions to combat vaccine hesitancy and alleviate associated anxieties, particularly among the adult Saudi population. As we persist in confronting the ongoing challenges brought about by the evolving pandemic, it is crucial that we customize our vaccination campaigns and communication strategies to tackle the apprehensions and hesitations of the Saudi population directly.

Prevalence of COVID-19 fear and its association with quality of life and network structure among Chinese mental health professionals after ending China's dynamic zero-COVID policy: a national survey

Background

China recorded a massive COVID-19 pandemic wave after ending its Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy on January 8, 2023. As a result, mental health professionals (MHPs) experienced negative mental health consequences, including an increased level of fear related to COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and correlates of COVID-19 fear among MHPs following the end of the Policy, and its association with quality of life (QoL) from a network analysis perspective.

Methods

A cross-sectional national study was conducted across China. The correlates of COVID-19 fear were examined using both univariate and multivariate analyses. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to determine the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and QoL. Central symptoms were identified using network analysis through the "Expected Influence" of the network model while specific symptoms directly correlated with QoL were identified through the "flow function."

Results

A total of 10,647 Chinese MHPs were included. The overall prevalence of COVID-19 fear (FCV-19S total score ≥ 16) was 60.8% (95% CI = 59.9-61.8%). The binary logistic regression analysis found that MHPs with fear of COVID-19 were more likely to be married (OR = 1.198; p < 0.001) and having COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.235; p = 0.005) and quarantine experience (OR = 1.189; p < 0.001). Having better economic status (good vs. poor: OR = 0.479; p < 0.001; fair vs. poor: OR = 0.646; p < 0.001) and health status (good vs. poor: OR = 0.410; p < 0.001; fair vs. poor: OR = 0.617; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 fear. The ANCOVA showed that MHPs with fear of COVID-19 had lower QoL [F = 228.0, p < 0.001]. "Palpitation when thinking about COVID-19" was the most central symptom in the COVID-19 fear network model, while "Uncomfortable thinking about COVID-19" had the strongest negative association with QoL (average edge weight = -0.048).

Conclusion

This study found a high prevalence of COVID-19 fear among Chinese MHPs following the end of China's Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy. Developing effective prevention and intervention measures that target the central symptoms as well as symptoms correlated with QoL in our network structure would be important to address COVID-19 fear and improve QoL.

Path of fear: Experiences of health professionals in the fight against COVID-19

This study aimed to understand the expressions of fear in the journeys of health professionals who worked in the confrontation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in the city of Manaus, in the Brazilian Western Amazon. This is an exploratory qualitative study that adopts interpretive description as a method to generate informed knowledge responsive to the needs of the practice. We included 56 participants, comprising 23 health managers and 33 health workers (middle and higher level) of different professional categories. The results revealed three circles of experience: (1) knowledge and professional experience in dealing with the disease (unknown-known-experienced); (2) the growing proximity to death and loss (predicted-witnessed-suffered); and (3) the involvement and proximity to whatever affects the individual, their emotions, and personal transformations in the face of the threat (the collective, the neighbor, and oneself). Our results suggest that health professionals who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus experienced insecurity, dread, and fear, illustrating the complexity of developing their activities in the front line of care and management during the different phases of the pandemic. A contribution of the study is precisely that of capturing this complexity, which suggests the impossibility of analyzing fear only in its simple manifestation, or in each circle of experience.

Disordered Social Media Use during COVID-19 Predicts Perceived Stress and Depression through Indirect Effects via Fear of COVID-19

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global threat that can have an adverse effect on an individuals' physical and mental health. Here, we investigate if disordered social media use predicts user stress and depression symptoms indirectly via fear of COVID-19. A total of 359 (timepoint 1 = 171, timepoint 2 = 188) participants were recruited via social media and snowball sampling. They completed an online survey that measured disordered social media use, fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, and depression symptomatology at two cross-sectional timepoints. We found that disordered social media use predicts depression indirectly through fear of COVID-19 at both timepoints. We also found that disordered social media use predicts perceived stress indirectly through fear of COVID-19, but only at timepoint 1. Taken together with previous research, our findings indicate that disordered social media use may lead to increased fear of COVID-19, which in turn may lead to poorer psychological wellbeing outcomes. Overall, there is evidence that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the physical, psychological, and emotional health of individuals worldwide. Moreover, this impact may be exacerbated by disordered use of social media.

StackDPP: Stacking-Based Explainable Classifier for Depression Prediction and Finding the Risk Factors among Clinicians

Mental health is a major concern for all classes of people, but especially physicians in the present world. A challenging task is to identify the significant risk factors that are responsible for depression among physicians. To address this issue, the study aimed to build a machine learning-based predictive model that will be capable of predicting depression levels and finding associated risk factors. A raw dataset was collected to conduct this study and preprocessed as necessary. Then, the dataset was divided into 10 sub-datasets to determine the best possible set of attributes to predict depression. Seven different classification algorithms, KNN, DT, LGBM, GB, RF, ETC, and StackDPP, were applied to all the sub-datasets. StackDPP is a stacking-based ensemble classifier, which is proposed in this study. It was found that StackDPP outperformed on all the datasets. The findings indicate that the StackDPP with the sub-dataset with all the attributes gained the highest accuracy (0.962581), and the top 20 attributes were enough to gain 0.96129 accuracy by StackDPP, which was close to the performance of the dataset with all the attributes. In addition, risk factors were analyzed in this study to reveal the most significant risk factors that are responsible for depression among physicians. The findings of the study indicate that the proposed model is highly capable of predicting the level of depression, along with finding the most significant risk factors. The study will enable mental health professionals and psychiatrists to decide on treatment and therapy for physicians by analyzing the depression level and finding the most significant risk factors.

People's Perceptions and Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological-Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh

By emphasizing the Terror Management Theory, this study investigated the participants' perceptions, psychological experiences, coping strategies, and behavioral changes during the pandemic in Bangladesh in two phases: first, after the pandemic's immediate outbreak, and second, after 3 months of the pandemic (daily infection cases were very high). To perform the research, an empirical-phenomenological method was used. Findings indicate that at the first stage, participants' death phobia was extremely high, and poor medical facilities, religious struggles, imprudent behavior of others, concerns for family members, and a tendency to compare the socioeconomic status with other developed countries affected participants' emotions severely. Later on, participants' perceptions of the disease changed significantly. This study highlights that people's behavior varies depending on whether the thought of death is in the center or on the periphery of their attention. In both stages, religious faith and rituals played a crucial role in coping with the crisis situation.

Beyond heroism: a qualitative study on the lived experiences of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Healthcare professionals around the globe suffered severely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in Pakistan.

METHODS

The study is a qualitative exploration of the lived experiences caring for patients with COVID-19 in Pakistan. This research was conducted in two government hospitals there. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted amongst 30 nurses who had been selected using purposive sampling technique. Thematic analysis was applied to extract the themes from respondents' answers.

RESULTS

By using thematic analysis, social response, impacts on physical and mental health, and experience of handling COVID-19 patients were extracted as major themes.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this research are of immense importance in showing the impact of COVID-19 on mental and physical health, along with the social and personal consequences for nurses providing care to COVID-19 patients.

Four serially mediating mechanisms in the relationship between COVID-19 fear and employee performance

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most workers were forced to work remotely, although having no prior experience, and as a result, they were exposed to new job-related stressors.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the mediating role of job stress, work-family conflict and job satisfaction between fear of COVID-19 and job performance.

METHOD

An online questionnaire was conducted a survey of remote workers in Turkey. Responses were obtained from 351 subjects. Related scales were used to measure work-life balance, job stress, job satisfaction, and employee performance as well as fear of COVID-19. Because all hypothesis constructs can be analyzed simultaneously, structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed that fear of COVID-19 affects job stress (p = .001; β= .264). There was a significant relationship between job stress and job satisfaction (p = .001; β= .619). Also, work-family conflict was affected employee job stress (p = .001; β= .516). Job stress had a mediator role fear of COVID-19 on job satisfaction and work-family conflict on job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study provide a useful measurement model that can be used to evaluate and improve job performance and job satisfaction through work stress and work-family conflict in times of crisis such as COVID-19.

Feeling Informed and Safe Are Important Factors in the Psychosomatic Health of Frontline Workers in the Health Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Austria

The global spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created new challenges for the entire healthcare system, and those who work directly with the patients or even on the front lines with COVID-19 patients have been particularly stressed. Only a few studies are currently available investigating psychosomatic symptoms among healthcare workers, particularly frontline workers, over the entire pandemic period (2020-2022). There is also a lack of knowledge about strategies to prevent stress during and after a health crisis.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted at three times (April 2020, winter 2020/2021, and winter 2021/2022) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria. The sample included 160 healthcare workers at screening time 1, 1.361 healthcare workers at screening time 2, and 1.134 healthcare workers at screening time 3. The survey included COVID-19 work-related fears, satisfaction with the frontline work, and standardized inventories to assess psychosomatic symptoms, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D).

RESULTS

Psychosomatic symptoms were more common among women compared to men, and among frontline workers compared to non-frontline workers, especially during the course of the pandemic at t2 and t3. Self-reported scores of COVID-19 work-related fears were significantly associated with psychosomatic symptoms. Furthermore, in frontline workers, there was a significant association between the feeling of being safe and well-informed and psychosomatic symptoms.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19 work-related fears and psychosomatic symptoms have been prevalent among healthcare workers throughout the pandemic. Feeling safe and informed appears to be essential to prevent psychosomatic symptoms, leading to a recommendation for employers in the healthcare sector to focus on communication and information. As frontline workers are especially prone to psychosomatic symptoms, more stress prevention programs for them will be essential to maintain productivity and reduce sick days and fluctuations in the healthcare system.

The Effects of Depression and Fear in Dual-Income Parents on Work-Family Conflict During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated depression and fear in dual-income parents during the COVID-19 pandemic as predictors of work-family conflict. Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 214 dual-income parents aged 20 years or older with preschool and primary school children in Korea. Data were collected via an online survey. In the final model for hierarchical regression analysis, the strongest predictor of work-family conflict was depression (β = .43, p < .001), followed by fear (β = .23, p < .001), then weekly working hours (β = .12, p < .05). The final model was statistically significant (F = 29.80, p < .001), with an explanatory power of 35%. These findings highlight the need to provide dual-income parents with government-led disaster psychological support during COVID-19, such as counseling, education, and mental health management services involving the psychological predictors of work-family conflict. Diverse systematic intervention programs and policy support should also be provided to help them resolve work-family conflict.

Physical Activity, Burnout, and Engagement in Latin American Students of Higher Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating physical and psychological impact on society, especially on students. In this study, we describe the levels of physical activity (Physical-Activity-Questionnaire-Short-Form (IPAQ-SF)), Burnout (School-Burnout-Inventory for students (SBI-U)) and engagement (Utrecht-Work-Engagement-Scale-9 items (UWES-9S)) in a cohort of Latin American higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We also determined whether physical activity, Burnout, and engagement are related according to gender and area of study. Self-reported data from 571 Latin American students (64.79% women, 34.15% men; average age 25.24 ± 5.52 years) were collected via an online survey questionnaire. Spearman correlation analyses evaluated the associations between physical activity, Burnout, and engagement. Comparative analyses by gender and field of study were also performed. The results showed no correlation or association in the linear regression between the IPAQ-SF and SBI-U scores or between the IPAQ-SF and the UWES-9S scores. By gender, men had higher IPAQ-SF scores (p < 0.05) and reported higher intensity physical activity than women, but women had higher SBI-U scores (p < 0.05). No difference was found between men and women according to the UWES-9S scores (p = 0.28). There was also no difference in IPAQ-SF scores (p = 0.29) regarding the field of study. Our results suggest that women perform less physical activity than men, which is consistent with higher Burnout. However, physical activity was not associated with Burnout or engagement overall, which indicates that it was insufficient to prevent emotional stress in Latin American higher education students during a pandemic.

Intolerance of uncertainty and future career anxiety among Chinese undergraduate students during COVID-19 period: Fear of COVID-19 and depression as mediators

Uncertainty is mushrooming throughout COVID-19, and intolerance of uncertainty (IoU) nudges people into mental health difficulties involving fear, depression, and anxiety. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of depression and fear of COVID-19 (FoC) in the association between IoU and future career anxiety (FCA) among Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study involved 1,919 Chinese undergraduate students from 11 universities in eight Chinese cities with an online self-administered survey that included demographic information, IoU, FoC, depression, and FCA completed by all participants. Our study demonstrated a positive relationship between IoU and FCA and the chain mediation effect of FoC and depression. Thus, understanding how FoC affects FCA not only informs university career professionals and assists students in preparing for employment, but also motivates schools to offer career opportunities workshops and, most importantly, provides mental health support to help students effectively cope with uncertainty and overcome COVID-19-related stress.

Ansiedad, depresión y clases en línea en niños mexicanos durante la pandemia de COVID-19

A lo largo de la crisis sanitaria provocada por la epidemia de COVID-19, la investigación internacional ha documentado diversas afectaciones en la salud mental de la población general. Sin embargo, pocos estudios se han enfocado en estudiar la situación de los niños y los adolescente. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el nivel de ansiedad y depresión de una muestra de niños de la Ciudad de México, durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en diciembre de 2020. Adicionalmente, se analizó el impacto de las clases en línea y el confinamiento provocado por la emergencia sanitaria. Participaron un total de 52 niños en un rango de edad de 6 a 12 años, que cursaban la educación primaria (50% fueron mujeres). Se contó con la autorización de los padres para la participación de los niños. La recolección de los datos se realizó por medio de un formulario en línea, que incluía cuestionarios psicométricos estandarizados para evaluar el nivel de ansiedad y depresión de los niños; así como una serie de preguntas donde los padres informaban de la situación escolar de sus hijos y datos sociodemográficos. Los resultados señalaron que 33% de los niños se ubicaban en un nivel clínico significativo para depresión. Al mismo tiempo, 31% de los niños mostraban niveles clinicamente significativos de ansiedad. Los niños de escuelas privadas y que cumplían con su horario completo de clases fueron los que mostraron una mayor afectación al respecto. Se destaca la necesidad de generar programas de intervención para atender a esta población.

"The whole sky has broken down on me. I might die alone": A qualitative study on the lived experiences of COVID-19 positive frontline workers in Bangladesh

Many countries, including Bangladesh, have conducted research on the mental health of frontline workers and their challenges in adjusting to their new workplaces. However, the authors are unaware of any studies on their real-life experiences as COVID-19-positive patients in Bangladesh. This study intends to investigate the lived experiences of Bangladeshi frontline workers who were isolated as a result of the COVID-19 infection and tested positive for the virus. We used a qualitative methodology and a semi-structured interview guide to conduct ten interviews between July 26 and August 12, 2020. The participants were recruited via a social media campaign and purposive sampling. All interviews were conducted via telephone and online and were transcribed and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. The study does, however, identify four primary themes and 13 supporting themes, including (1) experience in a new working environment (subthemes: workload and adaptation, maintaining health protocol and social distance, and the fear of infection), (2) diagnosis (subthemes: the origin of infection, physiological problems, experiences at the diagnosis center), (3) recovery days (subthemes: earlier reactions, experiences in isolation, coping mechanisms), and (4) post-COVID-19 (subthemes: excitement, fear, and confusion; physiological problems; increased religiosity; and changes in philosophy). This study is important for healthcare policymakers because it helps them design healthcare management systems that take Bangladeshi society's social context into account. This study also recommends that long-term behavioral change programs be implemented by national policymakers to lessen societal stigma. At the same time, it suggests that the government should help lessen the barriers to health care services that persons with lower socioeconomic status confront.

Development and validation of digital health literacy competencies for citizens (DHLC), an instrument for measuring digital health literacy in the community

COVID-19 is a new disease in human life and has become pandemic. Pandemic Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has been speeding up digital transformation in every sector. Implementation of digital technology in health should be supported by the community's readiness, such as digital health literacy to achieve the goals, optimize health service performance, and blockage infodemics and miss information. Implementation of digital technology in health should be supported by the community's readiness, such as digital health literacy to achieve the goals, optimize health service performance, and blockage infodemics and miss information. This study aims to develop a tool to measure digital health literacy in the community through three stages such as expert review, pre-test and field test. DHLC adopted the five competencies areas into 18 questions and put eight questions related to health literacy; the total items question of DHLC are 26 items questions. This study reveals that all of the score digital competencies areas below 4. Score 4 in DHLC indicates that the community still need guidance to doing activity in the digital environment. Elevating digital health literacy in the citizens is urgent to control the spreading misinformation and disinformation that could worsen pandemics. Future studies need to conduct to test the validity and reliability of DHLC in various settings.

Causes of Stress among Healthcare Professionals and Successful Hospital Management Approaches to Mitigate It during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic posed an immediate challenge to the management of hospitals in Germany and elsewhere. The risk of stress for front-line healthcare professionals forced occupational health and safety units to adopt a variety of protective measures, not all of which have been thoroughly validated. The main objective of the present analysis is to assess what the most important sources of stress were and which of the protective measures applied to counteract stress among healthcare staff had the greatest impact. A better understanding of these factors will improve hospital management and worker safety in a future health crisis situation and may also prove to be beneficial in non-crisis situations. For this purpose, in 2020, an exploratory, cross-sectional and quantitative study using a questionnaire created for this purpose was carried out on a total of 198 professionals-133 nurses and 65 physicians-at the Klinikum Mittelbaden Balg hospital in Baden-Baden, Germany, during the first wave of the pandemic. Statistical analyses showed that nurses suffer more stress than physicians and that stress is higher among professionals in critical care and emergency units than in units that are less exposed to infected patients. It was also found that measures such as salary incentives, encouragement of work in well-integrated teams, and perceived support from hospital management mitigate stress. These findings highlight the importance of support measures from management and superiors. Knowing the actual effectiveness of the measures applied by management and the factors mentioned above could help to protect healthcare professionals in the event of another pandemic or similar situations and may still be of value in dealing with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

General psychiatric symptoms among Bangladeshi people approximately one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has had negative physical and mental impacts on people globally. The current study examined general psychiatric symptoms (fear, anxiety, depression, and insomnia) and loneliness, and their interrelationships and correlates among Bangladeshi individuals approximately 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

METHODS

An internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1004 Bangladeshi people (51.8% male; mean age: 25.41 ± 7.80; age range: 18-60 years). Data were collected using a semi-structured e-questionnaire including informed consent, socio-demographics, lifestyle measures, and psychometric tools assessing loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19.

RESULTS

Sizeable participants screened positive for loneliness (63.5%), anxiety (26.3%), depression (46.4%), and insomnia (50.7%). Considerable numbers of respondents also reported fear of COVID-19. In hierarchical regression analyses, loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19 were associated with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19 were positively correlated with each other (p < 0.001). In exploratory path analyses, anxiety, depression, and insomnia mediated the relationship between loneliness and fear of COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that many people in Bangladesh have experienced psychiatric concerns approximately 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Investigation into empirically supported interventions and their implementation is needed.

The Advantages of the Zero-COVID-19 Strategy

Introduction: To curb the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe have adopted either a mitigation or anelimination policy, such as the zero-COVID-19 strategy. However, further research is needed to systematically investigate the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy in the literature. To bridge the research gap, this study examines the zero-COVID-19 strategy in terms of its advantages as a global anti-pandemic framework. Methods: A literature review was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus to locate academic articles that discussed the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach was adopted to guide the data analysis process. Results: The findings of our study show that the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy range from short-term (e.g., limited virus infections, hospitalizations, and deaths), to medium-term (e.g., reduced presence of other infectious diseases), and long-term (e.g., low incidence of long COVID-19). While local residents mainly leverage these advantages, they also impact the global community (e.g., stable global supply of essentials, such as COVID-19 vaccines). Conclusions: COVID-19 is catastrophic, yet controllable. Our study examined the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy from a nuanced perspective and discussed how these advantages benefit both the local and the global community in pandemic control and management. Future studies could investigate the shortcomings of the zero-COVID-19 strategy, especially its unintended consequences, such as adverse impacts on vulnerable populations’ mental health, so that society could more efficiently, economically, and empathetically capitalize on the potential of the zero-COVID-19 strategy for the betterment of personal and public health.

Factors Associated With Depression and Anxiety in Korean Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to identify factors associated with depression and anxiety among Korean adolescents during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,898 Korean adolescents (55.2% male, 44.8% female) ranging in age from 12 to 17 years (mean±standard deviaion age, 15.4±2.6 years). Depression and anxiety were defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥10 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score ≥10, respectively. Other questionnaires included sociodemographic data, psychosocial stresses, and experiences in association with COVID-19. Psychiatric scales included Gratitude Questionnaire-6, Perceived Stress Scale-10, and UCLA Loneliness Scale-3.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms among participants were 13.8% and 21.0%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex, fear of COVID-19 infection, low gratitude were risk factors for depression. Fear of COVID-19 infection, increased TV watching time, and academic-related stress were risk factors for anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Depression and anxiety were prevalent during the pandemic in Korean adolescents, and were associated with fear of COVID-19 infection. Providing appropriate information on COVID-19, helping adolescents manage academic-related stress and maintain daily life patterns, and implementing interventions to foster gratitude are important for preventing depression and anxiety in Korean adolescents.

Attitudes toward COVID-19 Pandemic among Fully Vaccinated Individuals: Evidence from Greece Two Years after the Pandemic

Background

Considering the major effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health, social, economic, and political dimensions of all countries, positive attitudes toward COVID-19 pandemic are essential to control the pandemic. In our study, we investigated attitudes toward COVID-19 pandemic among fully COVID-19 vaccinated individuals two years after the pandemic and we identified predictors of attitudes.

Materials and Methods

We conducted an on-line cross-sectional study with 815 fully COVID-19 vaccinated individuals in Greece during May 2022. A self-administered and valid questionnaire was disseminated through social media platforms. We measured socio-demographic variables and COVID-19-related variables as potential predictors of attitudes toward COVID-19 pandemic. The outcome variable was attitudes toward COVID-19 pandemic (compliance with hygiene measures, trust in COVID-19 vaccination, fear of COVID-19, and information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination).

Results

We found a very high level of compliance with hygiene measures, a high level of trust and information about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination, and a moderate level of fear of COVID-19. Also, we identified that females, participants with a higher educational level, those with a chronic disease, those with a better self-perceived physical health, and those without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis adhered more in hygiene measures. Trust in COVID-19 vaccination was higher among females, older participants, those with a higher educational level, those with a better self-perceived physical health, and those without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis. Moreover, females, older participants, those with a higher educational level, those with a chronic disease, those with a better self-perceived physical health, those that received a flu vaccine in previous season, and those without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis experienced more fear of COVID-19. Finally, level of information regarding COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination was higher for participants with a higher educational level, those without a chronic disease, those with a better self-perceived physical health, and those that received a flu vaccine in previous season.

Conclusions

Understanding predictors of attitudes toward COVID-19 pandemic among fully vaccinated individuals is crucial for developing appropriate public health campaigns in the future. Vaccination should be accompanied by positive attitudes in order to decrease the frequency of negative outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization, complications and mortality.

Quality of life among health care workers with and without prior COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh

Background

Health care workers have been facing difficulties in coping with the COVID-19 infection from the beginning. The study aimed to compare Quality of Life (QOL) among health care workers (HCWs) with and without prior COVID-19 disease.

Methods

This study was conducted from July 2020 to January 2021 among 444 HCWs. We randomly interviewed 3244 participants for our earlier nationwide survey from a list of COVID-19 positive cases after their recovery, and we found 222 HCWs among the respondents. We randomly chose 222 HCWs unaffected by COVID as a comparison group from our selected hospitals. We measured QOL using World Health Organization’s WHOQOL-BREF tool. Physical, psychological, environmental, and social ties were the four areas assessed on a 5-point Likert scale where a higher score suggests better QOL. Due to pandemic restrictions, we used telephonic interviews for data collection.

Results

A higher QOL score was observed in HCWs with prior COVID-19 infection in all four domains than HCWs without previous COVID-19 conditions. Comorbidity was negatively associated with QOL scores of the physical (p = 0.001) and (p < 0.001) and psychological (p = 0.05, and (p < 0.05) domains for non-COVID and COVID-affected groups, respectively. Current smoking was significantly associated with lower psychological (p = 0.019) and environmental (p = 0.007) QOL scores among HCWs with prior COVID-19 infection. Hospitalization history due to COVID infection was a contributing factor for lower physical QOL scores (p = 0.048). Environmental (p = 0.016) QOL scores were significantly associated with the monthly income in the prior COVID-19 infection group, and physical scores were significantly associated (p = 0.05) with a monthly income in the non-COVID group.

Conclusion

Governmental and non-governmental stakeholders should focus on potentially modifiable factors to improve health care workers’ quality of life.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08174-0.

Psychological Well-Being During the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediation Role of Generalized Anxiety

Introduction

The outbreak of the COVID-19 has largely impacted individuals’ health and lifestyles. This study aimed to investigate people’s psychological well-being during the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We selected six indicators of psychological well-being: fear of COVID-19, loneliness, social interaction anxiety, generalized anxiety, PTSD, and depression. A sample of 231 Italian participants (56.3% women), with a mean age of 32.7 (SD=12.61), completed an online survey from February to March 2021, during the so called “second wave”. It included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the UCLA Loneliness Scale- Version 3, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R), and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS).

Results

Apart from loneliness, women reported lower levels of psychological well-being than men. Fairly good associations between all the detected variables were found. Based on a mediation model evaluation (in which generalized anxiety was introduced as a mediator in the relationship between fear of COVID-19, PTSD, loneliness, social interaction anxiety, and depression), except for social interaction anxiety, total and partial mediation effects suggested that generalized anxiety played a crucial role in exacerbating depressive symptoms during the pandemic.

Conclusion

Our outcomes may expand the knowledge about the psychological well-being during the pandemic experience, with a focus on the mediating role of generalized anxiety.

Primary emotions as predictors for fear of COVID-19 in former inpatients with Major Depressive Disorder and healthy control participants

INTRODUCTION

There are reports of an increase in depressive symptoms and fear during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in patients with depression. This study investigates factors related to fear of COVID-19 in former inpatients suffering from depression and healthy controls by assessing variables typically associated with depression and anxiety disorders, i.e. stressful life events (SLEs), the primary emotions SADNESS, PLAY and SEEKING as well as dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies with respect to suppression and reappraisal.

METHODS

Data of n = 44 former inpatients suffering from depression and n = 49 healthy controls were collected. The study had a longitudinal design with two measurement points. Before the pandemic, SLEs, primary emotions, emotion regulation and depression severity were assessed. During the pandemic, COVID-19 associated stressors and life events, emotion regulation, depression severity and fear of COVID-19 were assessed.

RESULTS

Fear of COVID-19 and depression severity during the pandemic were significantly higher in former inpatients than in healthy controls. Depression diagnosis, SLEs and depression severity before the pandemic were significant positive predictors of fear of COVID-19. The primary emotion PLAY was a significant negative predictor of fear of COVID-19. Depression severity did not change significantly in healthy controls.

CONCLUSION

The results show that risk factors for depression might be risk factors for high fear of COVID-19. In addition, a playful personality could help preventing mental stress in pandemic situations. Thus, positivity based interventions could counteract elevated fear scores during a pandemic.

The Relationship between the Fear of Covid-19, Depression, and Spiritual Well-Being in Pregnant Women

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between pregnant women's fear of coronavirus (COVID-19), depression, and spiritual well-being. This cross-sectional research was carried out with 336 pregnant women living in a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey between the 1st of March and 30th of March 2021. For data collection, the scales of the Fear of COVID-19, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Spiritual Well-being were administered to the participants. The pregnant women's fear of COVID-19 was found to be at a moderate level, their depression was at a mild level, and their spiritual well-being was above the moderate level. It was found that there was a significant negative correlation between the spiritual well-being levels of pregnant women and their fear of COVID-19 and depression. Moreover, it was also found that there was a significant positive correlation between pregnant women's levels of fear of COVID-19 and depression (p < 0.001). It is recommended that relevant spiritual care practices can be disseminated and implemented effectively to reduce pregnant women's fear and depression during the pandemic. In addition, when providing care to pregnant women, health professionals can adopt a holistic approach to increase pregnant women's spiritual well-being.

Consumer Motivations for Adopting Omnichannel Retailing: A Safety-Driven Perspective in the Context of COVID-19

This study aims to understand the influence of COVID-19 on consumers' fears and self-protection motivations. Furthermore, the study seeks to understand the effects of these fears and motivations on consumers' intentions to use omnichannel retailing. A modified theoretical model is proposed by integrating protection motivation theory (PMT) and extending the extended parallel process model (E-EPPM). A total of 398 valid questionnaires are collected and used for further structural equation modeling analysis. The results suggest that the perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and health anxiety positively impact perceived fears surrounding COVID-19. Furthermore, it is found that perceived fear, self-efficacy, and response efficacy will affect the protection motivation of consumers and ultimately contribute to their behavioral intention to use omnichannel retailing. The findings theoretically enrich the research on COVID-19, PMT, and E-EPPM and empirically provide managerial implications for omnichannel retail service providers.

Psychological adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health service providers: an online survey

Background

Results

Conclusions

Prevalence and risk factors of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic affects people's psychological well-being as well as their risk of physical complications. Under the circumstance, it is essential to synthesize the existing evidence on psychological consequences with a view to fostering policymaking. Thus, a systematic attempt was compiled to review the Bangladeshi literature related to common mental health problems (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed using Medline or PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google Scholar, PsyArxiv, MedRxiv, and ResearchGate, between 20 December 2020 and 5 March 2021, followed by predetermined eligibility criteria. The inclusion criteria for this review were observational studies involving at least one mental health problem (i.e. stress, depression, and anxiety) published in peer-reviewed journals or preprint servers in the English language after the inception of the pandemic in Bangladesh. The pooled prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 47% (95% CI 39-55%, I 2 = 99.14%), 47% (95% CI 39-54%, I 2 = 99.78%), and 44% (95% CI 30-58%, I 2 = 99.36%), respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that students were experiencing a higher rate of depression, anxiety, and stress than general people and healthcare professionals. The associated risk factors of mental health problems were gender, age, residence area, family size, monthly family income, educational status, marital status, physical exercise, smoking, alcohol use, fear of COVID-19, presence of chronic illness, unemployment status, and exposure to COVID-19-related news and social media. This systematic review provides baseline data on the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress across various Bangladeshi cohorts, which are anticipated to be helpful to the respective authorities for implementing cohort-specific mental health strategies.

Who Is Suffering from the "Corona Blues"? An Analysis of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depression and Its Implications for Health Policy

COVID-19 is tremendously affecting not only social structures but also people's psychological states. In particular, COVID-19 is negatively affecting psychological health, in particular, the depression. When individuals are experiencing the depression, there is increase in the suicide rate and occurrence of serious social problems. This study therefore examines factors affecting depression by using hypothesis testing. Previous studies have limitations in that they focus only on demographic variables or other specific variables. In contrast, this study focuses on the influences of four non-pandemic and seven pandemic-related variables on people's depression. We analyze data from a social survey (N = 1525) in Korea which adopted the stratified quota sampling method. Results show that, first, among the demographic variables, young people experience depression to a greater extent than older people do. Second, among the non-pandemic variables, individuals with more social support, good health, optimism, and self-efficacy exhibit lower levels of depression. Third, among the factors related to COVID-19, fear of infection, financial instability, personal lifestyle changes, and poor health status increase depression.

Socio-Demographic Variables, Fear of COVID-19, Anxiety, and Depression: Prevalence, Relationships and Explanatory Model in the General Population of Seven Latin American Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely impacted Latin America. A model was tested that evaluated the contribution of socio-demographic factors and fear of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression in samples of residents in seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, and El Salvador). A total of 4,881 individuals, selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. Moderate and severe levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety were identified, as well as a moderate average level of fear of COVID-19. In addition, it was observed that about a quarter of the participants presented symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and a major depressive episode. Fear of COVID-19 significantly and positively predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms, whereas the effects of socio-demographic variables are generally low [χ2(287) = 5936.96, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.064 [0.062, 0.065]; CFI = 0.947; and SRMR = 0.050]. This suggests the need for the implementation of preventive actions in the general population of these countries, with the aim of reducing the prevalence of depressive, anxious and fearful symptoms related to COVID-19.

The Effect of Fear of the COVID-19 on Depression Among Chinese Outbound Students Studying Online in China Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: The Role of Resilience and Social Support

Objective: The present study focused on examining fear of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is correlated with depression and explored the potential role of resilience and social support on the association between fear of the COVID-19 (FoC) and depression among Chinese outbound students studying online in China amid the COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: A total of 476 Chinese outbound students from different universities worldwide, currently studying via online mode in China, completed an online survey including measures on FoC, resilience, social support, and depression. Results: (1) Fear of the COVID-19 was positively correlated with depression and negatively correlated with resilience and social support. Both resilience and social support were negatively correlated with depression. Social support showed a positive correlation with resilience. (2) The effect of FoC on depression mainly occurred through two paths: the mediating effect of resilience and the moderating effect of resilience. However, the moderating effect of social support on the association between FoC and depression was not sustained in this study. Conclusion: This study indicated the mediating and moderating effects of resilience on the association between FoC and depression among Chinese outbound students studying online in China during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The current findings confirmed that resilience has significant implications in preventing negative mental states under the COVID-19 context among this particular group.

COVID-19 suicide and its causative factors among the healthcare professionals: Case study evidence from press reports

PURPOSE

Recent research has demonstrated the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among the general population. However, COVID-19-related suicides among healthcare professionals (HCPs) have yet to be investigated.

FINDINGS

The present study utilized retrospective press media suicide reports and identified a total of 26 worldwide HCP COVID-19-related suicide cases (aged 22-60 years; 14 females; most of the cases from India). The cases comprised doctors (n = 11), nurses (n = 9), paramedics (n = 5), and one medical student. Being infected with the COVID-19 was the most common suicide reason, followed by work-related stress, and fear related to COVID-19 infection/transmission. Among the eight cases diagnosed with COVID-19, most were female (n = 6), and either doctors (n = 4) or nurses (n = 4).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The present findings will be helpful for human resources departments in healthcare workplaces in ensuring HCP's mental wellbeing.

Exploring factors in fear of COVID-19 and its GIS-based nationwide distribution: the case of Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health threat of international concern, intensifying peoples' psychological risk and vulnerability by strengthening mental health stressors such as fear, panic and uncertainty. The unexpected fear of COVID-19 has been reported to be associated with suicide occurrences, similar to prior pandemics.

AIMS

Identifying the factors associated with fear of COVID-19 could help us to develop better mental health strategy and practice to improve the situation here in Bangladesh. This was the first attempt to present a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based distribution of fear of COVID-19 across the country's administrative districts in a nationwide sample.

METHOD

Data for a total of 10 067 individuals were collected by an online survey during the first wave of the pandemic (1 to 10 April 2020); data for 10 052 participants were finally analysed after excluding 15 transgender individuals. The survey questionnaire included items concerning sociodemographic, behavioural and health-related variables, COVID-19-related issues, and the Bangla Fear of COVID-19 Scale.

RESULTS

The mean fear of COVID-19 scores was 21.30 ± 6.01 (out of a possible 35) in the present sample. Female gender, highly educated, non-smoker, non-alcohol consumer, having chronic diseases, using social media, and using social media and not using newspapers as COVID-19 information sources were associated with a higher level of fear of COVID-19. Higher levels of fear of COVID-19 were found in districts of Magura, Panchagarh, Tangail, Sunamganj and Munshiganj; by contrast, Kushtia, Pirojpur, Chapainawabganj, Jhalokathi and Naogaon districts had lower fear of COVID-19. Based on the GIS-distribution, fear of COVID-19 was significantly associated with the district as well as in respect to its gender-based and education-level-based associations. However, fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 cases were heterogeneously distributed across the districts; that is, no consistent association of higher COVID-19 cases with higher fear of COVID-19 was found.

CONCLUSIONS

This study being exploratory in nature may help to facilitate further studies, as well as directing governmental initiatives for reducing fear of COVID-19 in at-risk individuals. Providing adequate resources and mental health services in the administrative regions identified as highly vulnerable to fear of COVID-19 is recommended.

Quality of life and fear of COVID-19 in 2600 baccalaureate nursing students at five universities: a cross-sectional study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the implementation of programs across educational institutions. Nursing students, being both young adults and by practical training, part of the health care system, may be particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between self-reported fear of COVID-19, general health, psychological distress and overall quality of life (QoL) in a sample of Norwegian baccalaureate nursing students compared to reference data.

Methods

The survey targeted baccalaureate nursing students from five universities in February 2021. An electronic questionnaire consisted of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 5 (SCL-5), one general health and one overall QoL question. The respondents’ mean scores were compared to reference data. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were evaluated.

Results

In total, 2605 out of 6088 (43%) students responded. Their FCV-19S scores (mean 2.45, CI 2.42, 2.48) were significantly higher than those of the reference population (mean 1.8, P < 0.001). Nursing students scores showed significantly lower general health (mean 3.50 ± 0.93 SD, population mean = 3.57, Cohen’s d = 0.07), higher levels of psychological distress (mean 2.68 ± 1.03 SD, population mean = 2.12, Cohen’s d = 0.55) and lower overall QoL (mean 5.50 ± 2.16 SD, population mean = 8.00, Cohen’s d = 1.16) compared to pre-pandemic reference data. FCV-19S scores were significantly associated with levels of general health (Cohen’s d = 0.26), psychological distress (Cohen’s d = 0.76) and overall QoL (Cohen’s d = 0.18).

Conclusions

Baccalaureate nursing students reported worse outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic on general health, psychological distress and overall QoL compared to the reference population. Level of fear of Covid-19, however, accounted for few of these differences. Other factors related to the pandemic may have reduced nursing students’ overall QoL.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12955-021-01837-2.

Insomnia in Bangladeshi Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Behavioral Factors, COVID-19 Risk and Fear, and Mental Health Issues

BACKGROUND

Given the importance of sleep, several studies were conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, but no study was conducted during the second wave. Thus, this study assessed the prevalence rate, associated factors, and predictive models of insomnia during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

An online-based cross-sectional survey was conducted during the second wave of the pandemic (within April 1-13, 2021) and collected information on sociodemographic, behavior and health, COVID-19 risk, fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and insomnia. A total of 756 data from Bangladeshi young adults (22.24 ± 4.39 years) were finally analyzed.

RESULTS

About 13% of the participants (n = 98 out of a total of 756) had the symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia had a significant gender difference, where females were more prone to be insomniac. Besides, middle class, urban residence, smoking status, not engaging in physical exercise, poor health status, and multi-comorbidities were also profoundly associated with insomnia. In addition, fear of COVID-19, COVID-19 risk, and mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, and suicidality) showed a significant relationship in terms of insomnia. A total of 31.2% variance predicting insomnia was identified considering all of the studied variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of insomnia reported herein seems relatively lower than the prior studies, but this figure is not neglectable. Thus, the identified associated factors are highly suggested to consider in policy actions with a special focus on mental health problems to elevate the risk of sleep problems.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Licensed Full-Time Practicing Nurses Undertaking Part-Time Studies in Higher Education: A Cross-Sectional Study

Frontline nurses face an unpreceded situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and many report suffering from physical and psychological stress. This online, cross-sectional survey used questionnaires, such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, stress-related questions, and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief-COPE), to determine the psychological impact of COVID-19 on licensed full-time practicing nurses undertaking part-time studies in higher education. Recruitment commenced from August to September 2020; 385 students were approached, and 124 completed the survey (response rate: 32%). Most of the respondents were frontline nurses working in public sectors (89.5%), 29% of whom reported symptoms of depression, and 61.3% reported mild to severe levels of anxiety. The GAD-7 was significantly associated with the resilience score (β = -0.188; p = 0.008) and exhaustion (β = 0.612; p < 0.001). The PHQ-2 was significantly associated with 'anxiety about infection' (β = 0.071; p = 0.048). A lower anxiety level was significantly associated with a higher resilience level and a lower level of exhaustion, and a lower depression level was significantly associated with a lower anxiety about infection. Nursing programs incorporating resilience building may mitigate psychological distress of the study population.

Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Nephrology During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Summary: Across the world, challenges for clinicians providing health care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are highly prevalent and have been widely reported. Perspectives of provider groups have conveyed wide-ranging experiences of adversity, distress, and resilience. In understanding and responding to the emotional and psychological implications of the pandemic for renal clinicians, it is vital to recognize that many experiences also have been ethically challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted rapid and extensive transformation of health care systems and widely impacted care provision, heightening the risk of barriers to fulfillment of ethical duties. Given this, it is likely that some clinicians also have experienced moral distress, which can occur if an individual is unable to act in accordance with their moral judgment owing to external barriers. This review presents a global perspective of potential experiences of moral distress in kidney care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using nephrology cases, we discuss why moral distress may be experienced by health professionals when withholding or withdrawing potentially beneficial treatments owing to resource constraints, when providing care that is inconsistent with local prepandemic best practice standards, and when managing dual professional and personal roles with conflicting responsibilities. We argue that in addition to responsive and appropriate health system supports, resources, and education, it is imperative for health care providers to recognize and prevent moral distress to foster the psychological well-being and moral resilience of clinicians during extended periods of crisis within health systems.

COVID-19: Fear and Anxiety among Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia. A Cross-Sectional Study

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an extremely contagious respiratory disease. It poses a serious threat to healthcare workers which may cause substantial degree of psychological distress. This study aimed to evaluate the level of fear and anxiety among healthcare workers. A cross sectional study was designed to collect data from healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia using an online questionnaire. A non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to collect the data from 1st August to 10th August 2020 with the exclusion of non-healthcare worker and general public. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the level of fear and anxiety. The data was analyzed by using Spss version 23 .The descriptive data were represented as frequencies and percentage. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to control the confounding factors and assess the relationship between variables. Data analyzed 737 participants revealed that 10.7%, 73.5%, and 15.7% of HCWs had a mild, moderate, and severe degree of fear and anxiety respectively. The multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that gender and specialty of the participants were significantly associated with moderate and severe anxiety level. This study demonstrates that two-third of the healthcare workers had a moderate risk of fear and anxiety. However, females participants found to have elevated fear and anxiety level. Social distancing has a major impact on social well-being therefore its important to address social support through a policy. Further studies are needed to explore the mental health condition of healthcare workers in order to develop evidence based strategies.

Depression among healthcare workers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Depression is a major population health challenge globally. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to (i) determine depression prevalence and (ii) identify the risk and protective factors of depression among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

METHODS

The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework (registration ID: https://osf.io/rdv27 ). We searched five databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Al Manhal, Google Scholar) till July 22, 2020 without language restrictions. We included studies from the EMR using a depression screening or diagnostic instrument to measure the depression prevalence among HCWs. Studies were assessed and data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis based on the Cochrane handbook.

RESULTS

The systematic review identified 108 studies from 12 EMR countries with varying quality. Working long hours, poor sleep quality and being female were risk factors for depression in EMR HCWs. The meta-analysis comprised 77 studies providing 122 prevalence measures across 7 EMR countries. The pooled prevalence of depression among EMR HCWs was 33.03% (95% CI = 27.40-39.19%). Emergency HCWs had markedly higher rates of depression [53.14% (95% CI = 26.63-77.99%)] compared to HCWs of other specialties. Most studies had an appropriate sample size.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression among EMR HCWs is a major concern. Steps must be taken to prevent, identify, and manage depression among HCWs. Fostering a compassionate and empathetic environment is critically important to building a resilient healthcare system. Generating high-quality regional data from longitudinal studies on mental health will further contribute to a better understanding and management of depression among EMR HCWs.