Mental Health Burden in Different Professions During the Final Stage of the COVID-19 Lockdown in China: Cross-sectional Survey Study

A study on the influencing factors of mental health of Chinese garden workers: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Occupational hazards occur in all walks of life. China's horticulture industry is undergoing rapid development. However, the mental health of garden workers has not received much attention. This study investigates the mental health status and influencing factors of Chinese garden workers and provides a basis for promoting their mental health and ensuring the healthy development of Chinese horticulture.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of garden workers in Beijing was conducted from 10 July 2021 to 10 October 2021. A total of 3349 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective response rate of 95.69%. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on the demographic characteristics, job satisfaction, stress, anxiety, and depression of garden workers, and the influencing factors affecting the mental health of Chinese garden workers were found through a t-test, variance analysis, and ordinal multi-class logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Survey respondents were mostly male (54.4%) and under the age of 40 (64.1%). The anxiety and depression symptoms of the garden workers were moderate. Among staff members, 40.2% were in a normal state of stress. Gender, three meals on time, monthly income, and job satisfaction were the factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among garden workers.

CONCLUSION

Compared to medical staff and other groups, the stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms of Chinese garden workers are severe. Gender, monthly income, and job satisfaction are important factors affecting their mental health. Managers should continuously improve the working environment of garden workers, provide salaries that match their positions, and improve their job recognition and satisfaction to reduce the impact of negative emotions on personal health.

To Study the Distress, Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Essential Workers

Essential care workers like police personnel, social workers, and office and administrative staff of health institutions are also at increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exposure along with healthcare workers. The present study aims to estimate the distress, anxiety, depression, and sleep impact of COVID-19 pandemic on essential workers through an online survey. This cross-sectional study (included 369 participants) was conducted in Chandigarh through an online survey using three psychological scales: Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI), Insomnia Severity Index, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Three-hundred-sixty-nine frontline warriors from hospital and community settings were included in the study. The respondents include police personnel (274; 73.66%), office staff (24; 6.45%), social workers (53; 14.24%), and media staff (21; 5.65%). Maximum distress was reported by media/transport officials on duty (85.7%). The majority of them scored high (>14), and slightly less than one-fourth (23.8%) scored significantly abnormal (>23) on PDI. About 42.9% reported moderate insomnia, 52.4% exhibited severe anxiety, and 33.3% of media/transport participants reported severe depression. Psychological morbidity is high in media/transport and social workers working in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Characteristic analysis of China's actions against the COVID-19 in schools and comparison with other countries

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of the COVID-19 poses a great threat to students globally. China has taken steps to keep students from becoming infected for more than 30 months, while other countries have also taken steps. Comparing the intentions, implementation, immediate and long-term effects of these initiatives can shed more light on the care of adolescents in schools.

OBJECTIVE

The focus of the study is to describe the full range of school prevention measures in China, identifying when they work and when they do not. At the same time, some typical measures taken in other countries' schools are presented and compared to provide a comprehensive discussion.

METHODS

This study attempted to combine data comparison, information analysis, policy interpretation, and participatory observation to form a comprehensive analytical network.

RESULTS

China's schools have gone through of lucky periods, safety periods, difficult periods, and crisis periods. These efforts are due to the government's intense control measures, strict accountability of school administrators, frequent nucleic acid testing, widespread vaccination, and widely implemented online learning. In comparison, the measures taken by China are difficult to implement, and the price paid by the government, schools and students needs to be further assessed and reflected upon.

CONCLUSIONS

The virus is able to destroy the school's defence with ease. There should be a consensus among countries for a permanent virus control strategy, but the severity of the various measures needs to be appropriately determined, strict control measures can also have negative effects.

Association between occupational stress, occupational burnout, and depressive symptoms among medical staff during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China

BACKGROUND

Studies have extensively examined the factors contributing to the onset of occupational stress, burnout, and depression. However, the relationship between these variables is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the association between occupational stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms and to investigate the mediating effect of burnout between occupational stress and depressive symptoms in medical staff.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical staff in Chongqing, China. The Core Occupational Stress Scale (COSS), Maslach Burnout Inventory: General Survey (MBI-GS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess the status of occupational stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms, respectively. The bootstrapping analyses using SPSS PROCESS macros version 3 were conducted to examine mediating effects.

RESULTS

The study conducted on medical staff in Chongqing revealed that the detection rates of occupational stress, occupational burnout, and depressive symptoms were 31.8%, 23.3%, and 30.3%, respectively. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that occupational stress and burnout accounted for 19.3% (p < 0.001) and 18.8% (p < 0.001) of the variance in depressive symptoms, respectively. Mediation analysis showed that occupational stress indirectly affected depressive symptoms through the mediating effect of occupational burnout, with a mediation effect value of 0.13 (bootstrap 95% CI: 0.116-0.144) and the mediation effect accounting for 44.8% of the total effect.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that occupational stress and burnout were predictors of depressive symptoms. Occupational stress had a significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms via burnout. These results suggest that reducing occupational stress and burnout could be effective strategies for preventing depression among medical staff.

Depression and Anxiety Symptoms and Their Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents After the Lifting of the Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose

China lifted its strict zero-Covid approach on December 7, 2022. This study aimed to investigate depression and anxiety symptoms and their associations among Chinese residents after the change in public policy.

Methods

A cross-sectional sample of 925 Chinese residents (726 females and 199 males) was recruited using convenience and snowball sampling approach between 16 and 25 December 2022. Participants completed online questionnaires on basic information, depression, anxiety, COVID-19 related perceptions, and protective behaviors change.

Results

Mild and moderate-to-severe depression symptoms were reported by 35.6% and 19.1% of participants, respectively. Nearly 40% of participants reported mild anxiety and 18.7% reported moderate-to-severe anxiety. Results from multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that male gender, younger age, the presence of chronic disease, poorer self-rated mental health status, perceived impact, and worry were risk factors for both depression and anxiety, while higher education and protective behaviors change were protective factors. Besides, living with or caring for children (4-6 years), family members or other housemates currently with influenza-like symptoms, and perceived severity were also risk factors for depression.

Conclusion

Our findings provided initial evidence that Chinese residents may face heightened depression and anxiety during the early stage after the policy was released. Furthermore, we identified some vulnerable populations in need of prioritizing mental health assistance and some potentially modifiable factors associated with depression and anxiety, which provides an important guide for developing timely and effective psychological interventions and preparing for future pandemics.

The chain mediation model of social support and life satisfaction among migrant older adults with children: The role of mental health and sleep quality

INTRODUCTION

Few studies have examined the life satisfaction of migrant older adults with children (MOAC), who emerged due to rapid urbanization and population aging in China. This study aimed to explore the chain mediating effect of mental health and sleep quality on the association between social support and life satisfaction among MOAC in Weifang, China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage cluster random sampling, and 613 participants were included. The Social Support Rating Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Scale with Life Satisfaction were used to measure the social support, mental health, sleep quality, and life satisfaction of MOAC, respectively. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA were used to explore the relationship between sociodemographic variables and life satisfaction. Pearson's correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted to investigate the association between social support, mental health, sleep quality, and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

The mean total SWLS score was 27.87±5.58. SEM analysis demonstrated that social support had a positive effect on life satisfaction (β= 0.197). Mental health and sleep quality partially mediated the association between social support and life satisfaction (95% CI: 0.083-0.193), and the mediating effect accounted for 39.198% of the total effect.

CONCLUSION

Life satisfaction was relatively high, and mental health and sleep quality partially mediated the association between social support and life satisfaction. Policy suggestions were provided based on these results.

Prevalence and influencing factors of sleep disturbance among medical students under the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Medical students may feel severe psychological stress during COVID-19, which might impair their ability to sleep. This research aimed to look at the risk factors for sleep disturbance and the prevalence of sleep disturbance among medical students.

METHODS

538 medical students in total were recruited for this research. Anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance were assessed using the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). To evaluate the possible risk variables, we computed descriptive statistics for each assessment item and ran univariate and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Medical students had a 63.6% prevalence of sleep disturbance (n = 342). According to logistic regression, introverted students are 1.77 times more likely than extroverted students to have sleep disturbance (OR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.08-2.91). Medical students with depression had a 5.6-times higher risk of sleep disturbance than those without depression (OR = 5.60, 95% CI 3.43-9.15). Additionally, medical students with anxiety were 3.95 times more likely than those without anxiety to have sleep disturbance (OR = 3.95, 95% CI 2.04-7.64).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this research, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant sleep disturbance among medical students. Additionally, among medical students, introversion, anxiety, and depression were risk factors for sleep disturbance.

Associations between COVID-19 infection experiences and mental health problems among Chinese adults: A large cross-section study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to: 1) estimate the prevalence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and mental health problems in Chinese adults, after the relaxation of the dynamic zero-COVID-19 policy; 2) examine the relationship between multi-dimensional variables related to COVID-19 infection and mental health symptoms; 3) explore the differences in the above relationship between healthcare workers (HCWs) and general populations.

METHOD

A large cross-sectional survey of residents in Beijing was conducted from January 13th to February 9th, 2023. A total of 53,762 adults were included in our analyses.

RESULTS

The infection rate of COVID-19 was 83.6 % in our study sample. The prevalence of depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) was 20.0 % and 19.2 % in full sample, respectively. People with COVID-19 infection experience developed more mental health problems, especially for those still having physical symptoms. However, participants recovered from infection had lesser PTSS. Multi-dimensional variables related to COVID-19, i.e., infection status, frequency of infection, time from firstly tested positive, number, duration, severity of physical symptoms and the lowest SpO2, were all significantly associated with mental health symptoms. Occupational types were found to moderate the above relationships, and healthcare workers had less mental health symptoms though they had more infection exposure.

LIMITATION

This was a cross-sectional study, limiting the causal inference.

CONCLUSIONS

Multi-dimensional indicators related to COVID-19 infection are associated with mental health symptoms. The findings call for that more personalized mental health service should be delivered to the general populations with COVID-19 infection experience.

Time-course changes in mental distress and their predictors in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: A longitudinal multi-site study of hospital staff

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provides a unique opportunity studying individual differences in the trajectory of mental distress to relatively homogeneous stressors by longitudinally examining time-course changes between pandemic waves. For 21 months, we tested the effects of COVID-19 waves on mental health among 545 staffs at 18 hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Contrary to increasing new infected cases as waves progressed, initially elevated psychological distress (K6) and fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) were decreased among waves (K6: B = -.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -.03 to -.01; FCV-19S: B = -.10, 95% CI = -.16 to -.04). This initial increase and subsequent decrease in K6 and FCV-19S were more prominent in individuals with high trait anxiety (K6: B = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.18 to 1.91; FCV-19S: B = 4.27, 95% CI = 2.50 to 6.04) and in occupations other than physicians or nurses. The current study revealed time-course changes in psychological distress and fear regarding COVID-19 in each pandemic wave and across waves, and indicated the usefulness of trait anxiety and occupation as predictors of mental health outcomes.

Mental health of Scandinavians during the first lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychosocial resources and coping strategies as protective or risk factors for anxiety and depression

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic was a global health and economic crisis. In the early phase of the pandemic, studies found that populations were reporting lower levels of mental well-being and high levels of distress and worry. This study investigated potential protective and risk factors such as sociodemographics and psychological factors such as adaptation/coping.

METHODS

Two convenience samples from Norway and Denmark were recruited during the early phase of the first lockdown in May 2020 using snowball sampling primarily by social media. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) for screening anxiety and depression, COVID-19 distress, and coping strategies applied during the lockdown. Descriptive analyses were applied as well as bivariate correlations for associations between coping and mental health measures.

RESULTS

Levels of anxiety and depression were not alarmingly high, but being young, single, and female constituted a higher risk for poorer mental health. Applying positive reframing strategies was negatively associated with poor mental health and high COVID-19 stress, whereas distraction coping strategies were positively correlated with poor mental health and high COVID-19 stress.

CONCLUSION

Applying positive reframing as a coping strategy may constitute a protective factor for mental health in the early phase of a crisis such as a pandemic. This knowledge may inform public health agencies on how to promote mental health in similar situations in the future. However, longitudinal and qualitative studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of the different coping strategies applied.

Unmet Psychosocial Needs of Health Care Professionals in Europe During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Approach

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected everyday life and working conditions for most Europeans, particularly health care professionals (HCPs). Over the past 3 years, various policies have been implemented in various European countries. Studies have reported on the worsening of mental health, work-related stress, and helpful coping strategies. However, having a closer look is still necessary to gain more information on the psychosocial stressors and unmet needs of HCPs as well as nonmedical staff.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to obtain quantitative information on job-related stressors of physicians and nurses and the coping strategies of HCPs and nonmedical staff at 2 periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. By further analyzing qualitative comments, we wanted to gain more information on the psychosocial stressors and unmet needs of HCPs as well as nonmedical staff on different levels of experience.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at 2 time points during the COVID-19 pandemic in several European countries. The first study period (T1) lasted between April 1 and June 20, 2020, and the second study period (T2) lasted between November 25, 2021, and February 28, 2022. On a quantitative level, we used a questionnaire on stressors for physicians and nurses and a questionnaire on coping strategies for HCPs and nonmedical staff. Quantitative data were descriptively analyzed for mean values and differences in stressors and coping strategies. Qualitative data of free-text boxes of HCPs and nonmedical staff were analyzed via thematic analysis to explore the experiences of the individuals.

RESULTS

T1 comprised 609 participants, and T2 comprised 1398 participants. Overall, 296 participants made 438 qualitative comments. The uncertainty about when the pandemic would be controlled (T1: mean 2.28, SD 0.85; T2: mean 2.08, SD 0.90) and the fear of infecting the family (T1: mean 2.26, SD 0.98; T2: mean 2.02, SD 1.02) were the most severe stressors identified by physicians and nurses in both periods. Overall, the use of protective measures (T1: mean 2.66, SD 0.60; T2: mean 2.66, SD 0.60) and acquiring information about COVID-19 (T1: mean 2.29, SD 0.82; T2: mean 1.99, SD 0.89) were identified as the most common coping strategies for the entire study population. Using thematic analysis, we identified 8 themes of personal experiences on the micro, meso, and macro levels. Measures, working conditions, feelings and emotions, and social climate were frequently mentioned topics of the participants. In T1, feelings of isolation and uncertainty were prominent. In T2, feelings of exhaustion were expressed and vaccination was frequently discussed. Moreover, unmet psychosocial needs were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for improvement in pandemic preparedness. Targeted vocational education measures and setting up of web-based mental health support could be useful to bridge gaps in psychosocial support needs in future crises.

Association between psychological stress, anxiety and oral health status among college students during the Omicron wave: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Within 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing interest has been given to its potential influence on health status due to lockdowns caused by the pandemic. However, the impact is inadequately understood, especially for college students. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between psychological stress, anxiety and oral health of college students during the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

An online survey with measurements of psychological stress, anxiety and oral health was completed by 1770 Chinese college students. The Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used to measure psychological stress and anxiety, respectively. Oral health status was self-reported including toothache, gingival bleeding, and oral ulcer. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to determine underlying associations for outcome variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to confirm the relationship between mental and oral health status.

RESULTS

Of the 1770 subjects, 39.2% presented high psychological stress and only 41.2% expressed no anxiety. A significant association was found between psychological stress, anxiety and oral health status. Anxiety has significant impacts on toothache (OR = 0.36; 95%CI: 0.23-0.55; p < 0.01), gingival bleeding (OR = 0.43; 95%CI: 0.29-0.65; p < 0.01), and oral ulcer (OR = 0.54; 95%CI: 0.36-0.80; p < 0.01). Anxiety significantly mediated the association between psychological stress and self-reported oral symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety may be a significant risk indicator for mental health among college students and demonstrates a significant relationship with the occurrence of self-reported oral symptoms. Concerns about academic and life changes caused by the pandemic were the two most significant sources of stress.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on nursing higher education at Chengdu University

BACKGROUND

To combat/control the COVID-19 pandemic, a complete lockdown was implemented in China for almost 6 months during 2020.

PURPOSE

To determine the impact of a long-term lockdown on the academic performance of first-year nursing students via mandatory online learning, and to determine the benefits of online teaching.

METHODS

The recruitment and academic performance of 1st-year nursing students were assessed between 2019 [prior to COVID-19, n = 195, (146 women)] and 2020 [during COVID-19, n = 180 (142 women)]. The independent sample t test or Mann-Whitney test was applied for a comparison between these two groups.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in student recruitment between 2019 and 2020. The overall performance of the first-year students improved in the Biochemistry, Immunopathology, Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing and Combined Nursing courses via mandatory online teaching in 2020 compared with traditional teaching in 2019.

CONCLUSION

Suspension of in-class learning but continuing education virtually online has occurred without negatively impacting academic performance, thus academic goals are more than achievable in a complete lockdown situation. This study offers firm evidence to forge a path for developments in teaching methods to better incorporate virtual learning and technology in order to adapt to fast-changing environments. However, the psychological/psychiatric and physical impact of the COVID-19 lockdown and the lack of face-to-face interaction on these students remains to be explored.

Chinese university students showed less disordered eating during the COVID-19 campus lockdown

OBJECTIVE

The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in China had resulted in campus lockdown in many universities since February 2022, profoundly affecting students' daily lives. Campus lockdown conditions differ considerably from home quarantine, so that the eating patterns of university students may be different. Thus, the current study aimed to: (1) investigate university students' eating patterns during campus lockdown; (2) identify factors associated with their disordered eating.

METHOD

An online survey about recent life changes, disordered eating, stress, depression, and anxiety was carried out from April 8th to May 16th, 2022. A total of 2541 responses from 29 provinces/cities of China were received.

RESULTS

2213 participants were included in the main analysis, and other 86 participants were analyzed separately as a subgroup due to their diagnosis of eating disorder. Participants who were undergoing campus lockdown (the lockdown group) showed less disordered eating than those who had never been in campus lockdown (the never-lockdown group), as well as those who had experienced campus lockdown before (the once-lockdown group). However, they perceived more stress and felt more depressed. Being female, higher BMI, gaining weight, increasing exercise, spending more time on social media, higher level of depression and anxiety were all related to disordered eating in the lockdown group.

CONCLUSIONS

Disordered eating among Chinese university students was less prevalent during campus lockdown due to the strict and regular diet. However, there is a potential risk of "revenge eating" after campus lockdown ends. Thus, there should be further tracking and related prevention.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV, uncontrolled trials without any interventions.

Anxiety Levels and Coping Strategies to Deal with COVID-19: A Cross-Cultural Study among the Spanish and Latin American Healthcare Populations

Given its impact, COVID-19 has engendered great challenges in terms of health, highlighting the key role of health personnel. This study aims to analyze the level of anxiety, as well as coping strategies, among the health personnel in Latin American countries and Spain. An exploratory, descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted with 584 participants from the healthcare population. No significant differences were observed in anxiety levels due to COVID-19 between Latin American countries and Spain. In Spain, an active and passive coping style is used, while in Latin American countries, an avoidance coping style is employed; there is a direct correlation between anxiety levels and the avoidance coping style. There exists an inverse correlation between anxiety levels and the use of an active coping style; moreover, there are no significant differences in the anxiety level of health personnel depending on whether they have cared for patients with COVID-19. Low cognitive activity, use of the avoidance method and Spanish geography were the main predictive coping styles of anxiety. Effective measures are required for preserving the mental health of health professionals during pandemics.

Mental Health Disorders and Coping Strategies in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study in Southeastern Mexico

Mental health disorders are relatively common in the general population and were already an important issue for the healthcare sector before COVID-19. COVID-19, being a worldwide crucial event and evidently a great stressor has increased both the prevalence and incidence of these. Therefore, it is evident that COVID-19 and mental health disorders are closely related. Moreover, several coping strategies exist to endure said disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are used by the population to confront stressors, and healthcare workers are not the exception. This was an analytical cross-sectional study, conducted from August to November 2022, via an online survey. Prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed via the DASS-21 test, and coping strategies were assessed via the CSSHW test. The sample consisted of 256 healthcare workers and of those, 133 (52%) were males with a mean age of 40.4 ± 10.35, and 123 (48%) were females with a mean age of 37.28 ± 9.33. Depression was prevalent in 43%, anxiety in 48%, and stress in 29.7%. Comorbidities were a significant risk factor for both depression and anxiety with an OR of 10.9 and 4.18, respectively. The psychiatric background was a risk factor for depression with an OR of 2.17, anxiety with an OR of 2.43, and stress with an OR of 3.58. The age difference was an important factor in the development of depression and anxiety. The maladaptive coping mechanism was prevalent in 90 subjects and was a risk factor for depression (OR of 2.94), anxiety (OR of 4.46) and stress (OR of 3.68). The resolution coping mechanism was a protective factor for depression (OR of 0.35), anxiety (OR of 0.22), and stress (OR of 0.52). This study shows that mental health disorders are highly prevalent among healthcare workers in Mexico and that coping strategies are associated with their prevalence. It also implies that not only occupations, age, and comorbidities might affect mental health, but also the way patients confront reality and the behavior and decisions they take towards stressors.

Moderated by personal perception: The preventive relationship between home HIIT dance and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Introduction

Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic were believed to greatly increase the risk of depression among isolated residents in both China and in Western countries. How to effectively reduce this risk has become one of the key issues in the field of public mental health.

Methods

The present study seeks to examine the preventive relationship between doing home HIIT dance-which became popular during Shanghai's COVID-19 lockdown in 2022-and depression, and how such a preventive relationship has been mediated by different personal perception factors using an online survey with 528 samples.

Results

The preventive relationship between doing home HIIT dance and depression was differently mediated by residents' personal perception factors, such as perceived benefits, severity, and self-efficacy, based on the health belief model.

Discussion

These results deepen the research on the psychological effects of doing home HIIT dance on preventing depression, especially in the COVID-19 lockdown period, emphasizing the possible moderation effects of different self-perception factors.

Health-related quality of life in Chinese medical staff: a latent profile analysis

Objective

To investigate subgroups of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Chinese medical staff and identify the demographic factors associated with these profiles.

Methods

574 Chinese medical staff were surveyed online. HRQoL was measured by using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Version 2. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify the profiles of HRQoL. The associations between HRQoL profiles and covariates were assessed using multinomial logistic regression.

Results

Three HRQoL profiles were developed: low HRQoL at 15.6%, moderate HRQoL at 46.9%, and high HRQoL at 37.6%. Multinomial logistic regression showed night shift times, aerobic exercise conditioning, and personality type significantly predicted the profile membership.

Conclusion

Our findings develop earlier approaches that only used total scores to evaluate this group's HRQoL and help them with tailored interventions to promote better HRQoL.

Gender differences in the experience of burnout and its correlates among Chinese psychiatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A large-sample nationwide survey

Psychiatric nurses often experience burnout and other mental health symptoms. However, few studies have examined these phenomena and gender-specific associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed a national sample of psychiatric nurses (N = 8971) from 41 tertiary psychiatric hospitals in China as part of a large national survey conducted during the pandemic. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey was used to assess burnout and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 was used to assess mental health symptoms. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to explore factors associated with burnout in the entire sample and separately by gender. The overall prevalence of burnout was 27.27%, with the rate in male psychiatric nurses (32.24%) being significantly higher than that in female psychiatric nurses (25.97%). Many key demographic factors (such as the male gender and marital status), work-related variables (such as a mid-level professional title, having an administrative position, longer working hours, more monthly night shifts, and the perceived negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical work) were significantly associated with burnout in the whole sample. Moreover, burnout was associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in the whole sample. Gender-specific factors associated with burnout were also identified: burnout was associated with night shifts in male psychiatric nurses, whereas it was associated with single or married marital status, a mid-level professional title, and having an administrative position among female psychiatric nurses. The high rates of burnout and mental health symptoms in psychiatric nurses need attention from hospital administrators. While mental health symptoms, longer working hours, and the perceived impact of COVID-19 are associated with burnout in both genders, gender-specific factors also warrant special attention when developing gender-specific interventions.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale in Medical Staff: Cross-sectional Study

Background

Worldwide, mental well-being is a critical issue for public health, especially among medical staff; it affects professionalism, efficiency, quality of care delivery, and overall quality of life. Nevertheless, assessing mental well-being is a complex problem.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese-language version of the 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) in medical staff recruited mainly from 6 hospitals in China and provide a reliable measurement of positive mental well-being.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted of medical staff from 15 provinces in China from May 15 to July 15, 2020. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the structure of the Chinese WEMWBS. The Spearman correlations of the Chinese WEMWBS with the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were used to evaluate convergent validity. The Cronbach α and split-half reliability (λ) represented internal consistency. A graded response model was adopted for an item response theory (IRT) analysis. We report discrimination, difficulty, item characteristic curves (ICCs), and item information curves (IICs). ICCs and IICs were used to estimate reliability and validity based on the IRT analysis.

Results

A total of 572 participants from 15 provinces in China finished the Chinese WEMWBS. The CFA showed that the 1D model was satisfactory and internal consistency reliability was excellent, with α=.965 and λ=0.947, while the item-scale correlation coefficients ranged from r=0.727 to r=0.900. The correlation coefficient between the Chinese WEMWBS and the WHO-5 was significant, at r=0.746. The average variance extraction value was 0.656, and the composite reliability value was 0.964, with good aggregation validity. The discrimination of the Chinese WEMWBS items ranged from 2.026 to 5.098. The ICCs illustrated that the orders of the category thresholds for the 14 items were satisfactory.

Conclusions

The Chinese WEMWBS showed good psychometric properties and can measure well-being in medical staff.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on palliative care practice: A survey of clinical oncologists

Background

Palliative care is an essential intervention to improve the quality of life for patients with cancer, whereas the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge to supportive and palliative care providers. This survey aims to explore the current status of palliative care practice for cancer and the influence of COVID-19, from the perspective of oncologists.

Methods

The semi-structure electronic questionnaire was designed. Mixed-mode surveys including electronic questionnaires, face-to-face interactions, and telephone interviews were adopted according to the willingness of respondents. Face-to-face and telephone interviews were based on same questions in the online questionnaire. Participants working in cancer-related departments with frontline palliative care experience during the COVID-19 outbreak were included. Surveys covered experiences and perspectives regarding the impact of COVID-19 on clinical work, personal lives, and palliative care practice. Suggestions on coping strategies were further proposed and qualitatively analyzed.

Results

Thirty-seven oncologists participated in this study from September 2021 to January 2022. The majority of them believed COVID-19 significantly and negatively affected their clinical work routines (75.7%), personal daily lives (67.6%), and palliative care practice (64.9%). Most specialists considered that currently the palliative care system remained underdeveloped (73.0%), and other factors besides COVID-19 were associated with this situation (78.4%). Seventeen participants further made suggestions on how to promote palliative care during COVID-19, and three themes emerged through the qualitative analysis: (1) Remote or online service (88.2%); (2) Publicity, education, or shared decision-making for patients (29.4%); (3) Guidelines, training, or programs for care providers (23.6%).

Conclusion

Oncologists consider that COVID-19 has an adverse impact on their palliative care practice and daily routine. In addition to COVID-19, other factors affecting palliative care should not be neglected. Corresponding measures are warranted to encourage palliative care practice during COVID-19.

Investigating adolescent mental health of Chinese students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Multicenter cross-sectional comparative investigation

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant challenges for adolescent mental health.

AIM

To survey adolescent students in China to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health.

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional comparative investigation was conducted in March 2022. We collected demographic information and survey data related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener scales were used for objective assessment of depression and anxiety.

RESULTS

We collected mental health questionnaires from 3184 students. The investigation demonstrated that adolescents most strongly agreed with the following items: Increased time spent with parents, interference with academic performance, and less travel. Conversely, adolescents most strongly disagreed with the following items: Not having to go to school, feeling an increase in homework, and not socializing with people; 34.6% of adolescents were depressed before COVID-19, of which 1.9% were severely depressed. After COVID-19, 26.3% of adolescents were prone to depression, of which 1.4% were severely depressed. 24.4% of adolescents had anxiety before COVID-19, with severe anxiety accounting for 1.6%. After COVID-19, 23.5% of adolescents were prone to anxiety, of which 1.7% had severe anxiety.

CONCLUSION

Chinese adolescents in different grades exhibited different psychological characteristics, and their levels of anxiety and depression were improved after the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in educational management practices since the COVID-19 pandemic may be worth learning from and optimizing in long-term educational planning.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression of Chinese medical staff after 2 years of COVID-19: A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

In December 2019, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has had a negative psychological impact on the medical staff. However, the long-term psychological effects of COVID-19 were still unclear. We aimed to assess the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among medical staff 2 years after COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter study in five general hospitals in Wuhan, China. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-5. Depression was measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association among demographic variables, depressive indicators, and PTSD.

RESULTS

In a sample of 1795 medical staff, 295 (16.40%) participants reported PTSD and 329 (18.30%) reported depression. After multivariate adjusted logistic regression analyses, participants involved in COVID-19 clinical work, unsafe working environment, poor doctor-patient relationship, unhealth status, work dissatisfaction, and low family support were at a high risk for PTSD and depression 2 years after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

Although it has been more than 2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the mental health of medical staff remains a concern. In particular, medical staff involved in the clinical care of COVID-19 patients showed a higher risk of PTSD and depression 2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study may provide some useful suggestions for psychological interventions for medical staff.

Mental health among healthcare workers during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey in Jilin Province in China

Background

The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted the mental health of healthcare workers. This study aimed to explore the mental health status of healthcare workers, compare the differences in mental health between physicians and nurses, and verify the impact of risk perception on mental health in the long-term COVID-19 pandemic in Jilin Province, China.

Methods

A stratified random sample was used to conduct an on-site questionnaire survey in December 2020 to measure the mental health status, risk perceptions, and demographic characteristics of healthcare workers in Jilin Province, China. A total of 3,383 participants completed the questionnaire survey, of which 3,373 were valid questionnaires.

Results

A total of 23.6% (n = 795) of participants had symptoms of depression, 27.4% (n = 923) had symptoms of anxiety, and 16.3% (n = 551) had symptoms of stress. Physicians reported significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety than nurses (p = 0.023, p = 0.013, respectively). There was no significant difference in the proportion of participants with stress between physicians and nurses (p = 0.474). Multivariate logistic regression results showed that healthcare workers who had a high level of risk perception were more likely to have symptoms of depression (AOR = 4.12, p < 0.001), anxiety (AOR = 3.68, p < 0.001), and stress (AOR = 4.45, p < 0.001) after controlling for other variables.

Conclusion

At least one in six healthcare workers experienced mental health problems, and physicians were more likely than nurses to suffer from depression during the prolonged COVID-19 epidemic. Risk perception was highly predictive of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in medical staff. Public health interventions are needed to mitigate the long-term psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Altered Mental Distress Among Employees From Different Occupational Groups and Industries During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

OBJECTIVE

Mental distress of employees from the financial, public transport, public service, and industrial sector was examined in a cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) wave in Germany and retrospectively at its beginning.

METHODS

Mental distress in terms of anxiety and depression symptoms was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. High and potential occupational SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection risk (OSIR) was defined based on job information from 1545 non-health care workers.

RESULTS

The risks for more severe mental distress symptoms increased threefold and twofold, respectively, among employees with high and potential OSIR compared with employees without OSIR. Mental distress severity differed by the extent of work-privacy conflicts, perceived job protection, interactions with colleagues, and overcommitment.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing COVID-19 exposure through workplace protective measures, strengthening interactions among colleagues, and supporting employees with work-privacy conflicts could help better protect employees' mental health.

Prevalence Of Sleep Disorders Among Physicians And Nurses During COVID-19 Pandemic

The objective of our review was to analyze studies of prevalence sleep disorders among medical workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods — Overall, during the analyzed period, studying domestic and foreign databases, we identified 94 publications on the development of sleep disorders among medical personnel working during COVID–19 pandemic in 2000-2021. However, only 88 of these publications complied with the objective of the review. We included 75 full-text publications in this review. Results — Physicians and nurses during COVID-19 pandemic do not have the opportunity to take therapy aimed at combating the symptoms of sleep disorders, due to the need to maintain sufficient attention and the risk of developing excessive drowsiness while on duty in a COVID -19 hospital. The latter can have a negative impact on their professional activities. Thus, this problem certainly requires professional psychotherapeutic correction. Unfortunately, not all medical institutions have such specialists. Conclusion — Based on the literature review, we found out that health care workers have a high risk of developing sleep disorders. This can include violations of the circadian rhythm, a decrease in the quality and duration of night sleep, daytime hypersomnia caused by shift work in a hospital. An additional factor affecting the frequency and severity of sleep disorders in healthcare workers (physicians and nurses) is chronic stress, the importance of which has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the above problem has not been completely solved and requires research in this area and the development of new programs to help medical personnel.

Factors Affecting Perceived Work Environment, Wellbeing, and Coping Styles: A Comparison between Physicians and Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is a current emergency worldwide. All the consequent changes in sanitary systems have negatively affected the work-life balance. In particular, healthcare workers suffered from anxiety, stress, and depression, mostly nurses compared to physicians. To handle this situation, the adoption of different coping strategies has played a strategic role in psychophysical wellbeing. Our main goal is to the assess the perception of work environment and wellbeing (EQ-5D questionnaire), as well as to analyze possible differences in coping styles between physicians and nurses (brief COPE questionnaire). The arising differences were compared between the two groups, and associations with variables were assessed through a bivariate correlation analysis. This cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2020 through an online survey. A total of 172 respondents (117 physicians and 55 nurses), of which 102 were women and 70 were men, accepted to join the study. Our results showed that physicians referred a higher perception of wellbeing, and nurses reported an increased perception of work activity and efficiency, along with an unchanged economic status. The most frequently adopted coping strategies were Active and Planning (self-sufficient coping). Physicians showed a greater tendency to use avoidant coping strategies. More-experienced nurses and physicians were less prone to adopt socially supported coping strategies, emphasizing the need for novel organizational measures at the social dimension that favored sharing and interaction between peers. Future research should aim to further investigate the relationship between the perception of work environment and coping strategies in order to identify risk factors to be prevented by promoting adequate measures at an organizational level.

Twin peaks of in-hospital mortality among patients with STEMI across five phases of COVID-19 outbreak in China: a nation-wide study

Lockdown and re-opening may become cyclical due to the recurrent waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. Few studies have examined temporal trends and determinants of in-hospital mortality among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a life-threatening condition that requires emergency medical care. Using nation-wide data before, during and after the Wuhan lockdown, we aimed to depict temporal patterns and major determinants of STEMI in-hospital mortality in China across five time periods of the COVID-19 epidemic. We analyzed the data of 283,661 STEMI patients who were admitted to 4,487 chest-pain-centers across China, from January 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020. Compared with the period before the lockdown, STEMI in-hospital mortality increased by 25% (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.16-1.34) during Early Lockdown, by 12% (OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.03-1.22) during Later Lockdown, by 35% (OR 1.35, 95%CI 1.21-1.50) during Early Lift, and returned to pre-COVID risk (OR 1.04, 95%CI 0.95-1.14) during Later Lift. For each time-period, we observed a clear mortality gradient by timing and types of revascularization procedure. In conclusion, the COVID-19 epidemic had a significant adverse impact on STEMI in-hospital mortality, with bimodal peaks during early lockdown and early lift periods and clear mortality gradients by timing and types of revascularization procedure, independent of the time periods.

Personality and socio-demographic variables in teacher burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic: a latent profile analysis

Although it is well-known that teaching is one of the most stressful jobs, teacher burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been thoroughly investigated. The main aims of this study were to identify distinct teacher burnout profiles and examine their association with HEXACO personality factors and sociodemographic variables. Data were collected from 522 teachers (77% women; M_age = 37.45 years, SD = 9.28) in November 2021. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified five latent profiles: "No burnout risk" (41.3%), "Low burnout risk" (21.9%), "Cynics" (7.7%), "Exhausted and cynics" (16.1%), and "High burnout risk" (13%). Our results showed a significant correlation between all six HEXACO personality traits and teacher burnout based on the variable-centered method, but the LPA highlighted that only the emotionality trait was antecedent of profile membership. In terms of sociodemographic variables, gender and rural/urban teaching environment did not have significant impact on teacher burnout profiles, but professional experience did. This study is the first to explore teacher burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to dispositional traits based on the HEXACO model using a person-centered approach. Our results can inform specialists about the role of emotionality in the occurrence of teacher burnout and the greater vulnerability of experienced teachers in the context of remote learning. Tailored programs of intervention are necessary.

Global Healthcare Needs Related to COVID-19: An Evidence Map of the First Year of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps and areas of need in health systems worldwide. This work aims to map the evidence on COVID-19-related healthcare needs of adult patients, their family members, and the professionals involved in their care during the first year of the pandemic. We searched the databases MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts and assessed full texts for eligibility. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Descriptive data were extracted and inductive qualitative content analysis was used to generate codes and derive overarching themes. Thirty-six studies met inclusion criteria, with the majority reporting needs from the perspective of professionals (35/36). Professionals' needs were grouped into three main clusters (basic, occupational, and psycho-socio-emotional needs); patients' needs into four (basic, healthcare, psycho-socio-emotional, and other support needs); and family members' needs into two (psycho-socio-emotional and communication needs). Transversal needs across subgroups were also identified and grouped into three main clusters (public safety, information and communication, and coordination and support needs). This evidence map provides valuable insight on COVID-19-related healthcare needs. More research is needed to assess first-person perspectives of patients and their families, examine whether needs differ by country or region, and evaluate how needs have evolved over time.

Challenges and Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health: A Systematic Review

The measures put in place to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection, such as quarantine, self-isolation, and lockdown, were supportive but have significantly affected the mental wellbeing of individuals. The primary goal of this study was to review the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. An intensive literature search was conducted using PsycINFO, PsyciatryOnline, PubMed, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. Articles published between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrieved and appraised. Reviews and retrospective studies were excluded. One hundred and twenty-two (122) relevant articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were finally selected. A high prevalence of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorders was reported. Alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, stigmatization, and suicidal tendencies have all been identified as direct consequences of lockdown. The eminent risk factors for mental health disorders identified during COVID-19 include fear of infection, history of mental illness, poor financial status, female gender, and alcohol drinking. The protective factors for mental health include higher income levels, public awareness, psychological counseling, social and government support. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a number of mental disorders in addition to economic hardship. This strongly suggests the need to monitor the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health.

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.

The Mediating Role of Worker-Occupation Fit in the Relationship Between Occupational Stress and Depression Symptoms in 1988 Medical Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective

Occupational stress is generally acknowledged as a global phenomenon with significant health and economic consequences. The medical worker is a vulnerable group at a high-level risk for depression symptoms. This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of worker-occupation fit (WOF) in relation to occupational stress and depression symptoms among 1988 medical workers in China.

Methods

A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted during June and October 2020 in Henan Province, China. The participants were medical workers from four targeted hospitals (included one general and three specialized hospitals). The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21 Scale), Worker-Occupation Fit Inventory (WOFI), as well as questions about demographic and occupational information were administered in questionnaires distributed to 1988 medical workers. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to examine the mediating role of worker occupation fit.

Results

In this study, there are 43.5% (n = 864) of medical workers experienced depression symptoms. The mean score of WOF was 31.6 ± 7.1, characteristic fit, need supply fit and demand ability fit were 11.3 ± 2.5, 10.1 ± 2.7, 12.9 ± 2.2, respectively. The occupational stress was negatively related to worker occupation fit (r = -0.395, P < 0.001), characteristic fit (r = -0.529, P < 0.001), need supply fit (r = -0.500, P < 0.001), and demand ability fit (r = -0.345, P < 0.001). The occupational stress and depression symptoms have a positive relationship (r = 0.798, P < 0.001). The proportion of worker occupation fit mediation was 6.5% of total effect for depression symptoms.

Conclusion

Occupational stress has been identified as a risk factor for depression symptoms. Practical strategies for improving medical workers' WOF level would help them better cope with various work-related stressors to reduce depression symptoms. Hospital administrators could reduce medical workers' depression symptoms by taking comprehensive measures to improve the WOF.

Factors associated with a change in smoking habit during the first COVID-19 lockdown: an Italian cross-sectional study among ever-smokers

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown period lasted from March to May 2020, resulted in a highly stressful situation yielding different negative health consequences, including the worsening of smoking habit.

METHODS

A web-based cross-sectional study on a convenient sample of 1013 Italian ever smokers aged 18 years or more was conducted. Data were derived from surveys compiled by three different groups of people: subjects belonging to Smoking Cessation Services, Healthcare Providers and Nursing Sciences' students. All institutions were from Northern Italy. The primary outcome self-reported worsening (relapse or increase) or improvement (quit or reduce) of smoking habit during lockdown period. Multiple unconditional (for worsening) and multinomial (for improving) logistic regressions were carried out.

RESULTS

Among 962 participants, 56.0% were ex-smokers. Overall, 13.2% of ex-smokers before lockdown reported relapsing and 32.7% of current smokers increasing cigarette intake. Among current smokers before lockdown, 10.1% quit smoking and 13.5% decreased cigarette intake. Out of 7 selected stressors related to COVID-19, four were significantly related to relapse (OR for the highest vs. the lowest tertile ranging between 2.24 and 3.62): fear of being infected and getting sick; fear of dying due to the virus; anxiety in listening to news of the epidemic; sense of powerlessness in protecting oneself from contagion. In addition to these stressors, even the other 3 stressors were related with increasing cigarette intensity (OR ranging between 1.90 and 4.18): sense of powerlessness in protecting loved ones from contagion; fear of losing loved ones due to virus; fear of infecting other.

CONCLUSION

The lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with both self-reported relapse or increase smoking habit and also quitting or reduction of it.

Mental Health and Well-Being Needs among Non-Health Essential Workers during Recent Epidemics and Pandemics

Essential workers, those who work in a variety of sectors that are critical to sustain the societal infrastructure, were affected both physically and mentally by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the most studied group of this population were healthcare workers, other essential non-health workers such as those working in the law enforcement sector, grocery services, food services, delivery services, and other sectors were studied less commonly. We explored both the academic (using MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science databases) and grey literature (using Google Scholar) to identify studies on the mental health effects of the six pandemics in the last 20 years (2000–2020). We identified a total of 32 articles; all of them pertained to COVID-19 except for one about Ebola. We found there was an increase in depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health issues among non-health essential workers. They were more worried about passing the infection on to their loved ones and often did not have adequate training, supply of personal protective equipment, and support to cope with the effects. Generally, women, people having lower education, and younger people were more likely to be affected by a pandemic. Exploring occupation-specific coping strategies of those whose mental health was affected during a pandemic using more robust methodologies such as longitudinal studies and in-depth qualitative exploration would help facilitate appropriate responses for their recovery.

Self-Determination as a Mechanism for Personality Sustainability in Conditions of Daily Stress

During the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty, threat to life, and repeated lockdowns have significantly undermined people’s psychological well-being. In such situations, the basic needs for self-determination (SDT) are disrupted—autonomy, connectedness, and competence—but it is the resulting dissatisfaction that actualizes a search for strategies to cope with the problem. The objective of this article is to critically review the literature on various ways that people are coping with specific experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship to basic needs to maintain sustainability. We searched on the Web of Science CC database for relevant studies (2020–2021) and their systematization from the standpoint of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). This showed the dynamics of coping methods, reflecting a transition from confusion when confronted with stress, to the selection of effective strategies, confirming that when basic needs are blocked for a long time, people begin to search for a way to satisfy them. We present three levels of grouped coping methods: (1) physiological, (2) behavioral, and (3) cognitive, demonstrating their interrelationship with orientation (to oneself or to the context), assessment (a threat or a challenge), and basic psychological needs. The proposed model opens up prospects for creating effective coping and training programs for sustainable development of the individual in crisis situations.

Perceived Stress and Wellbeing in Romanian Teachers during the COVID‐19 pandemic: The Intervening Effects of Job Crafting and Problem‐Focused Coping

This study examines the relationship between teacher perceived stress during the online period of schooling in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and their wellbeing, with job crafting as a mediator, The study also examines the role of problem‐focused coping as a moderator in the stress‐job crafting relationship. A sample of 360 teachers, 347 females, and 13 males, aged 21–63 years answered to an online survey from October to December 2020. Regression analyses were employed to the data. The results show that the conditional indirect effects of stress on wellbeing are statistically significant for low problem‐focused coping (β = −.06, SE = 0.02, p < .001), whereas for high problem‐focused coping the effects are not statistically significant (β = .01, SE = 0.01, p > .05). The effects of stress on wellbeing are mediated by job crafting for teachers who score low on problem‐focused coping.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemics, only a small number of teachers have used problem‐focused coping.

For teachers who are low on problem‐focused coping, job crafting is one of the ways through which they develop well‐being under stress conditions.

Using low problem‐focused coping was helpful for teachers because they had no means to change the situation and all they could do was adapt to preserve their mental health status.

Relationship Between COVID-19 Related Knowledge and Anxiety Among University Students: Exploring the Moderating Roles of School Climate and Coping Strategies

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in abrupt disruptions in teaching and learning activities in higher education, with students from diverse programs suffering varying levels of anxieties. The physical education field happens to be one of the most affected academic areas due to its experiential content as a medium of instruction. In this study, we investigated the roles of school climate and coping strategies in the relationship between COVID-19 related knowledge and anxiety. Through the census approach, a cross-sectional sample of 760 students was administered a questionnaire in two universities offering Physical Education in Ghana: the University of Education, Winneba, and University of Cape Coast. The outcome of the study found a positive and significant link between COVID-19 knowledge and anxiety. Further, school climate and coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between students' COVID-19 knowledge and associated anxiety. The findings have implications for creating a conducive school environment that reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection and through students' adoption of active coping strategies in an attempt to reduce psychological distress associated with COVID-19 anxiety.

A biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19

Introduction

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that causes not only somatic health issues, but also frequently psychosocial burdens. The aims of this study were to investigate biopsychosocial factors that might further aggravate fear of COVID-19, and to establish a biopsychosocial model of severe fear of COVID-19.

Methods

368 participants were included in this study. Biopsychosocial factors observed comprised biological factors (somatic risk), psychological factors (state/trait anxiety, physical symptoms of anxiety, severe health anxiety, specific phobias, depression), and psychosocial factors (social support, financial losses, social media consumption, social contacts with COVID-19 infected people). Psychometric questionnaires included State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory, Whiteley-Index / Illness Attitude Scales, Specific Phobia Questionnaire, WHO-5 and Social Support Survey.

Results

162/368 (44.0%) participants had almost no fear, 170/368 (46.2%) participants had moderate fear, and 45/368 (12.2%) participants had severe fear of COVID-19. Female participants showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 than male participants (gender: χ2 = 18.47, p<0.001). However, the level of fear of COVID-19 increased in male participants when they had contact with people who were infected with COVID-19, while in contrast the level of fear of COVID-19 decreased in female participants when they had such contacts [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19 (contact x gender): F(1,363) = 5.596, p = .019]. Moreover, participants without relationships showed higher levels of fear of COVID-19 (marital status: χ2 = 14.582, p = 0.024). Furthermore, financial losses due to the COVID-19 were associated with higher levels of fear of COVID-19 [ANCOVA: fear of COVID-19(financial loss x gender): F(1, 363) = 22.853, p< .001]. Multiple regression analysis revealed female gender, severe health anxiety (WI-IAS) and state /trait anxiety (STAI) as significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19.

Conclusion

In this study significant predictors of severe fear of COVID-19 were female gender, pre-existing state and trait anxiety, as well as severe health anxiety. The finding of significant predictors of fear of COVID-19 might contribute to detect people who might suffer most from severe, overwhelming fear of COVID-19 at an early stage.

Mental Health of Nurses during the Fourth Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

In the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis, healthcare professionals, including nurses who provide direct care for patients, are at particular risk of mental health problems. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among nurses working in healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional observational study. A total of 333 professionally active nurses participated in the study. Data was collected in the period from 10 November to 20 November 2021. We collected sociodemographic data and used the short form of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess the mental health among nurses.

RESULTS

Severe and very severe symptoms of depression were found in 23.1% of nurses, whereas moderate symptoms were detected in 30.3%. High to very high levels of anxiety were observed in 46.5% of respondents, while 25.8% of nurses showed a moderate level of anxiety. Moderate and high levels of stress were found in 35.4% and 14.1% of the respondents, respectively. Contact with a patient suspected of having SARS-CoV-2 infection was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms. Gender, workplace, and contact with patients suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection and patients with COVID-19 were significant predictors of anxiety, whereas contact with patients suspected of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 patients was a significant predictor of stress.

CONCLUSIONS

High scores for depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress among Polish nurses during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic are indicative of a direct threat to the mental health of nurses. Targeted support strategies need to be developed and implemented to prevent the deterioration of mental health in this group.

Temporal trends in anxiety and depression prevalence and their association with adverse outcomes in patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Beijing, China, from 2004 to 2020

AIMS

To investigate the temporal trend in anxiety and/or depression prevalence in patients hospitalized for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in Beijing and their association with adverse outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hospital admission records from 2004 to 2020 with a primary discharge diagnosis of AECOPD were retrieved from Beijing Public Health Information Centre database. The anxiety and depression were identified from discharge diagnoses of each record. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the temporal trend and calculate the annual percentage change (APC) for the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression. Generalized linear model was used to analyze the associations between anxiety and/or depression and patients' adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 382,125 records were included, most of which were male (66.0%) and aged ≥ 75 years (59.7%). Three segments in the temporal trend were observed, with a mild increase during 2004-2009 (APC: 5.9%, 95% CI: -14.9 to 31.7%), followed by a sharply increase during 2009-2012 (APC: 60.4%, 95% CI: 10.6 to 132.7%), then stabilized at about 3% during 2012-2020 (APC: 1.9%, 95% CI: -0.4 to 4.3%). On average, anxiety, and/or depression was more prevalent in females, the aged and those admitted in secondary hospitals (all P < 0.001). Patients with anxiety and/or depression had lower in-hospital mortality (IHM) (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63-0.88), but longer hospital stay (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13), more medical costs (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.08-1.17) and higher risks of readmission for AECOPD at 30-, 90-, 180-day, and 1-year (ORs ranged from 1.22 to 1.51).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of anxiety and/or depression in patients hospitalized for AECOPD in Beijing stabilized at approximately 3% after 2012. Anxiety and/or depression is associated with a heavier burden on patients, health care, and medical insurance systems. Appropriate diagnosis and effective treatment of anxiety and depression is crucial for patients with AECOPD.

Common mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong: Age-related differences and implications for dementia risk

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a profound negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of societies and individuals worldwide. Older adults may be more vulnerable to the mental health effects of the pandemic, either directly from the infection itself or indirectly through the preventive measures. However, the existing literature on mental health in the older age groups has not been consistent so far. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD; including depression and anxiety disorders) given their association with dementia risk, and to further examine age-related differences between older (≥60 years old) and younger (18-59 years old) adult's psychological status during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

This was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey-study conducted during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. The survey was disseminated through different social media platforms to the general population and included sociodemographic questions, self-reported physical health, and previous encounter with SARS or COVID-19. CMD was the primary outcome and was assessed using the 6-item Kessler Scale. A total of 1030 adults fulfilled inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CMD during the pandemic was 16.1%. Compared to younger adults, older adults were significantly less likely to have a CMD (unadjusted OR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.02-0.30, p < 0.001), with 18.1% of younger adults having CMD compared to 1.6% in the older cohort. Age differences remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic factors, physical health, and previous encounter with SARS or COVID-19 (adjusted OR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02-0.57, p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Common mental disorders are highly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, though older adults appeared to be less affected mentally. Present findings highlight the urgent need to implement measures and strategies to mitigate the mental health problems, with particular attention to the younger cohort. Given their association with higher dementia risk, early detection and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders will be of critical importance in providing some relief to the already pressurized dementia burden in the longer term.

The relationship between schizotypal personality features and mind wandering among college students during COVID-19 pandemic: A moderator of depression

INTRODUCTION

Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's mental health has been well documented in many studies, the schizotypal personality features in the general population have not received sufficient attention.

METHODS

Study 1 is a longitudinal study tracking changes in schizotypal personality features among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 153 Chinese college students were assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Study 2 explored the relationship between schizotypal personality features, mind wandering, and depression. A total of 557 college students completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Mind-Wandering Questionnaire during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Study 1 results showed that the scores from later stages in the pandemic were significantly higher than those from the initial stages on each dimension of schizotypal personality, which means that the schizotypal personality features became more obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 2 results showed that there was a positive correlation between schizotypal personality features, depression, and mind wandering.

DISCUSSION

Depression played a moderating role in the relationship between schizotypal personality features and mind wandering. The schizotypal personality features of college students increase during COVID-19; it has a positive relationship with mind wandering; depression moderates the relationship. We discussed these findings and provided some suggestions about future research.

Prevalence and Related Factors of Anxiety Among University Teachers 1 Year After the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in China: A Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety among university teachers 1 year after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and provide empirical evidence of psychological intervention.

METHODS

A multicenter study was conducted to examine the prevalence of anxiety among 10,302 teachers in 21 Chinese universities from February 12 to April 23, 2021. The generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess symptoms of anxiety. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between potential influence and anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of anxiety was 40.0% 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was found to be higher in women than in men (41.32% vs. 38.22%; p < 0.0001). The multivariate logistic regression showed that being the female (OR = 1.207; 95%CI: 1.103-1.318), age ≥60 years (OR = 2.004; 95%CI: 1.128-3.560), being married (OR = 1.319; 95%CI: 1.150-1.513), and poor family economic status (OR = 1.580; 95%CI: 1.321-1.891) were significantly associated with anxiety. Participants with moderate, slight, or no impact of COVID-19 on life (OR for moderate, 0.557; 95%CI, 0.508-0.611; OR for slight/no, 0.377; 95%CI, 0.323-0.439) showed a reduced risk of anxiety compared to those who reported a significant effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms of anxiety were found in about two-fifths of Chinese university teachers 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that the government should improve the dynamic tracking of mental health and adopt long-term intervention strategies.

Mental Health and Psychological Impact during COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey of Portuguese Higher Education Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant psychological impact on vulnerable groups, particularly students. The present study aims to investigate the mental and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors in a sample of Portuguese higher education students. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 1522 higher education students selected by convenience sampling. The survey assessed mental health symptoms as well as sociodemographic variables, health-related perceptions, and psychological factors. Results were fitted to binary and multivariable logistic regression models. The overall prevalences of stress, anxiety, and depression were 35.7%, 36.2%, and 28.5%, respectively. Poor mental health outcomes were related with being female, having no children, living with someone with chronic disease, facing hopelessness, and lacking resilient coping. Future studies focusing on better ways to promote mental health and wellbeing among students are warranted. It is necessary to gather more evidence on the post-pandemic mental health using robust study designs and standardized assessment tools.

Concerns and mental health of teachers from digitally underdeveloped countries regarding the reopening of schools after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Torn between the decision to return to school classrooms or continue holding online classes during COVID-19, teachers around the world feel great uncertainty.

OBJECTIVE

Bearing in mind that the study of mental health during the pandemic is of great importance for vulnerable categories, and given the role of teachers in society, the aim of this research is to assess teachers' concerns and anxiety before the start of the school year, and also to examine the factors related to them and propose measures in line with the results.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study before the start of the 2020/2021 school year. The research sample consisted of 286 teachers. For the purposes of this research, a special questionnaire was constructed consisting of a general questionnaire and a Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7).

RESULTS

The strongest predictor of a teacher's answer that they were concerned about the reopening of schools was their concern for their own life and health and for the life and health of their family members, followed by the amount of information received about COVID-19, and, finally, older age. Only 2% of teachers had mild anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

This research indicated that it is necessary to examine in more detail the degree of teachers' concern and its impact on their functionality and work process. It is also necessary to repeat the research on the mental health status of teachers and implement procedures in the form of a regular screening program of the mental health status of teachers or implement procedures of support in concern management.

Factors associated with nurses emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Nurses are among the frontline healthcare workers directly impacted by the burden of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of emotional distress and the associated factors among nurses practicing in South Dakota during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

An online survey was conducted among practicing, licensed nurses in South Dakota during the pandemic (July 2020 – August 2020). Emotional distress was measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Logistic regression models were performed to examine the association of emotional distress and the three DASS-21 subscales with: sociodemographic and work environment factors (e.g., work setting, job satisfaction, number of COVID-19 cases seen at the facility, preparedness, concerns with worsening pre-exiting mental health conditions due to the pandemic, and contracting the illness).

Results

Among 1505 participants, overall emotional distress was reported by 22.2%, while anxiety, depression and stress were 15.8%, 14.5% and 11.9%, respectively. Factors associated with moderate to severe emotional distress, depression, anxiety, and stress were as follows: concerns for worsening of pre-existing mental health conditions, job dissatisfaction, encountering higher number of COVID-19 cases at one's work facility, feeling unprepared for the pandemic, and concern for contracting the illness (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our study suggests a high prevalence of emotional distress among nurses and highlights the factors associated with emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting appropriate support is imperative to reduce nurses' emotional distress and promote psychological well-being during the COVID-19 world health crisis and in future pandemics.

Factors related to perceived stress during the COVID-19 epidemic context among the general population in China: A cross-sectional nationwide study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate factors related to high stress levels among the general population in China during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic when its containment measures were in place and to identify the most stressed populations.

METHODS

A nationwide study was conducted online among 5,039 adults in all 31 provinces in mainland China between March 1 and March 16, 2020. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to explore the related factors of high perceived stress.

RESULTS

Among all respondents, 36.0% reported a high level of stress. Respondents in Hubei province (the epicenter) were more likely to report high stress levels than those in low epidemic areas. Respondents who went outside every day or every other day reported greater odds of experiencing a high level of stress than those who went outside every 8-14 days. People with higher risk perceptions were more prone to report high stress levels. Respondents aged 16-35 were more likely to report high stress than respondents aged 46 or older. Lower household income and lower health literacy were related to increased odds of reporting high stress levels.

LIMITATIONS

We used a convenience sample and self-reported survey data.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified risk factors for high stress levels related to the epidemic (epidemic intensity in residential areas, risk perception, and frequency of going outside) and other vulnerabilities (younger age, low household income, low health literacy). Our findings can directly inform interventions and policies for mitigating stress among the general population for this or future epidemics.

Validity and Reliability of the Self-administered Psycho-TherApy-SystemS (SELFPASS) Item Pool for the Daily Mood Tracking of Depressive Symptoms: Cross-sectional Web-Based Survey

BACKGROUND

e-Mental health apps targeting depression have gained increased attention in mental health care. Daily self-assessment is an essential part of e-mental health apps. The Self-administered Psycho-TherApy-SystemS (SELFPASS) app is a self-management app to manage depressive and comorbid anxiety symptoms of patients with a depression diagnosis. A self-developed item pool with 40 depression items and 12 anxiety items is included to provide symptom-specific suggestions for interventions. However, the psychometric properties of the item pool have not yet been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the validity and reliability of the SELFPASS item pool.

METHODS

A weblink with the SELFPASS item pool and validated mood assessment scales was distributed to healthy subjects and patients who had received a diagnosis of a depressive disorder within the last year. Two scores were derived from the SELFPASS item pool: SELFPASS depression (SP-D) and SELFPASS anxiety (SP-A). Reliability was examined using Cronbach α. Construct validity was assessed through Pearson correlations with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the General Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and the WHO-5-Wellbeing-Scale (WHO-5). Logistic regression analysis was performed as an indicator for concurrent criterion validity of SP-D and SP-A. Factor analysis was performed to provide information about the underlying factor structure of the item pool. Item-scale correlations were calculated in order to determine item quality.

RESULTS

A total of 284 participants were included, with 192 (67.6%) healthy subjects and 92 (32.4%) patients. Cronbach α was set to .94 for SP-D and α=.88 for SP-A. We found significant positive correlations between SP-D and PHQ-9 scores (r=0.87; P<.001) and between SP-A and GAD-7 scores (r=0.80; P<.001), and negative correlations between SP-D and WHO-5 scores (r=-0.80; P<.001) and between SP-A and WHO-5 scores (r=-0.69; P<.001). Increasing scores of SP-D and SP-A led to increased odds of belonging to the patient group (SP-D: odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; P<.001; SP-A: 1.05, 1.05-1.01; P=.01). The item pool yielded 2 factors: one that consisted of mood-related items and another with somatic-related items.

CONCLUSIONS

The SELFPASS item pool showed good psychometric properties in terms of reliability, construct, and criterion validity. The item pool is an appropriate source for daily mood tracking in future e-mental health apps among patients with depression. Our study provides general recommendations for future developments as well as recommendations within the item pool.