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Markert J, Niemann J, Starke D, Frese T, Meyer G, Mikolajczyk R, Schildmann J, Steckelberg A, Knöchelmann A. [Pre-existing Mental Disorders and Depressiveness in the Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2-Pandemic - The Role of Pandemic-Associated Stressors]. Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol 2023; 73:396-404. [PMID: 37500066 DOI: 10.1055/a-2105-3302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was characterized by drastic restrictions. From previous pandemics as well as from the first wave, it is known that especially individuals with a history of mental disorders may be highly vulnerable to develop poor mental health. Therefore, this paper examines the association of prior mental disorders (PMD) and depressiveness in the 2nd pandemic wave, considering general stress, perceived isolation, perception of political measures to curb the pandemic, fears regarding consequences of the pandemic and changes in the employment and income situation. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with data of 812 participants of the health related beliefs and health care experiences in Germany study (HeReCa). The association between PMD and depressiveness was studied by means of weighted (for education and age) logistic regression, adjusted for the named variables as well as sociodemographic characteristics. Individuals with PMD displayed substantially more often higher depressiveness than individuals without PMD (OR: 25.1; 95% CI: 11.0-57.3). This association decreased partially by accounting for higher general stress and stress from isolation. Lack of partnership, low income, and male sex were associated with higher depressiveness, but only marginally changed the association of PMD and depressiveness. Overall, during the pandemic, persons with PMD were more likely to develop higher depressiveness than persons without. It is strongly advised to provide care for mental illness in pandemic times, which can be completed by E-Mental-Health or professional support for coping with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Markert
- Institut für Medizinische Soziologie, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Jana Niemann
- Institut für Medizinische Soziologie, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Dagmar Starke
- Akademie für Öffentliches Gesundheitswesen in Düsseldorf
| | - Thomas Frese
- Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Gabriele Meyer
- Institut für Gesundheits- und Pflegewissenschaft, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Rafael Mikolajczyk
- Institut für Medizinische Epidemiologie, Biometrie und Informatik, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Jan Schildmann
- Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Anke Steckelberg
- Institut für Gesundheits- und Pflegewissenschaft, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
| | - Anja Knöchelmann
- Institut für Medizinische Soziologie, Profilzentrum Gesundheitswissenschaften (PZG), Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale)
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Pförtner TK, Demirer I. [Working poverty and self-rated health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative study over time using 1995-2021 Socioeconomic Panel data]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2023; 66:869-881. [PMID: 37341742 PMCID: PMC10371887 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-023-03734-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The working poor are considered a vulnerable group. This study examines whether health disparities between working-poor and non-working-poor workers have worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing them over time with earlier periods of economic crisis and social and labor market policy reform. METHODS The analyses are based on the Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP, 1995-2020) and the Special Survey on Socioeconomic Factors and Consequences of the Spread of Coronavirus in Germany (SOEP-CoV, 2020-2021). All employed persons aged 18-67 years were considered for the analyses to calculate the risks of poor subjective health due to working poverty using pooled logistic regression by sex. RESULTS Subjective health improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Differences in health between the working poor and those who were not working poor remained relatively constant between 1995 and 2021. Individuals who were more likely to be in working poverty over time had the highest risk of inadequate health. The health disparities associated with the frequency of working poverty increased over time and peaked for both sexes in the pandemic. Significant sex differences were not identified. DISCUSSION This study illustrates the social embeddedness of working poverty as a determinant of poor health. In particular, those who were more likely to experience working poverty during their working lives are considered to be particularly vulnerable to inadequate health. Tendentially, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to reinforce this gradient in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo-Kolja Pförtner
- Arbeitsbereich Forschungsmethoden, Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Deutschland.
- Institut für Medizinsoziologie, Versorgungsforschung und Rehabilitationswissenschaft, Medizinische und Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Deutschland.
| | - Ibrahim Demirer
- Institut für Medizinsoziologie, Versorgungsforschung und Rehabilitationswissenschaft, Medizinische und Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Deutschland
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Engelmann P, Löwe B, Brehm TT, Weigel A, Ullrich F, Addo MM, Schulze zur Wiesch J, Lohse AW, Toussaint A. Risk factors for worsening of somatic symptom burden in a prospective cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1022203. [PMID: 36337508 PMCID: PMC9631939 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1022203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Little is known about risk factors for both Long COVID and somatic symptoms that develop in individuals without a history of COVID-19 in response to the pandemic. There is reason to assume an interplay between pathophysiological mechanisms and psychosocial factors in the etiology of symptom persistence. Objective Therefore, this study investigates specific risk factors for somatic symptom deterioration in a cohort of German adults with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods German healthcare professionals underwent SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody testing and completed self-rating questionnaires at baseline and 21 months later between April 2020 and February 2022. Differences in variables between the time points were analyzed and a regression analysis was performed to predict somatic symptom deterioration at follow-up. Results Seven hundred fifty-one adults completed both assessments. Until follow-up, n = 58 had contracted SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by serology. Between baseline and follow-up, signs of mental and physical strain increased significantly in the sample. Symptom expectations associated with COVID-19 and a self-reported history of COVID-19, but not serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, significantly predicted somatic symptom deterioration at follow-up. A further predictor was baseline psychological symptom burden. Conclusions This study supports a disease-overarching biopsychosocial model for the development of burdensome somatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and supports research findings that symptom burden may be more related to the psychosocial effects of the pandemic than to infection itself. Future studies on Long COVID should include SARS-CoV-2 negative control groups and consider symptom burden prior to infection in order to avoid an overestimation of prevalence rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Engelmann
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Petra Engelmann
| | - Bernd Löwe
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Theo Brehm
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angelika Weigel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix Ullrich
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marylyn M. Addo
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Schulze zur Wiesch
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ansgar W. Lohse
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Toussaint
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Deimel D, Firk C, Stöver H, Hees N, Scherbaum N, Fleißner S. Substance Use and Mental Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12801. [PMID: 36232097 PMCID: PMC9566226 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have led to significant changes in people's daily lives. This paper examines changes in substance use during the first lockdown (March-July 2020) and investigates mental health burdens in substance users with increased consumption of alcohol, nicotine or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Germany compared to users with unchanged or reduced consumption. METHOD In a cross-sectional online survey, 2369 people were asked about their mental health and their substance use during the first lockdown in Germany. RESULTS Of the participants, 28.5% increased their alcohol use, 28.8% their use of tobacco products, and 20.6% their use of THC-containing products during the pandemic. The groups with increased alcohol, nicotine, and THC use during the first lockdown reported more depressive symptoms and anxiety. Individuals who reported increased consumption of alcohol or nicotine were also more likely to experience loneliness and have suicidal thoughts and were more often stressed due to social distancing. CONCLUSION Alcohol, nicotine and THC increased in a subgroup of consumers who reported to have more mental health problems compared to individuals who did not increase their consumption. This increased substance use could, therefore, be understood as a dysfunctional strategy to cope with negative emotions during the lockdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Deimel
- German Institute for Addiction and Prevention Research, Catholic University of Applied Sciences, 52066 Aachen, Germany
- LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Christine Firk
- Institute of Health Research and Social Psychiatry, Catholic University of Applied Sciences, 52066 Aachen, Germany
| | - Heino Stöver
- Institute for Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, 60318 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nicolas Hees
- LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Norbert Scherbaum
- LVR-Hospital Essen, Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Simon Fleißner
- Institute for Addiction Research, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, 60318 Frankfurt, Germany
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Kotera Y, Asano K, Kotera H, Ohshima R, Rushforth A. Mental Health of Japanese Workers: Amotivation Mediates Self-Compassion on Mental Health Problems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191710497. [PMID: 36078213 PMCID: PMC9517843 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Workplace mental health is a cause for concern in many countries. Globally, 78% of the workforce experienced impairment of their mental health in 2020. In Japan, more than half of employees are mentally distressed. Previously, research has identified that self-compassion (i.e., being kind and understanding towards oneself) and work motivation were important to their mental health. However, how these three components relate to each other remains to be elucidated. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the relationship between mental health problems, self-compassion and work motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and amotivation). A cross-sectional design was employed, where 165 Japanese workers completed self-report scales regarding those three components. A correlation and path analyses were conducted. Mental health problems were positively associated with amotivation and negatively associated with age and self-compassion. While intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation did not mediate the impact of self-compassion on mental health problems, amotivation did. The findings can help managers and organizational psychologists help identify effective approaches to improving work mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Kotera
- School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Kenichi Asano
- Department of Psychological Counseling, Faculty of Psychology, Mejiro University, Tokyo 161-0032, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Kotera
- Department Linguistics, University of Potsdam, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Remi Ohshima
- Department of Psychological Counseling, Faculty of Psychology, Mejiro University, Tokyo 161-0032, Japan
| | - Annabel Rushforth
- College of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1GB, UK
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Schlump C, Thom J, Boender TS, Wagner B, Diercke M, Kocher T, Ullrich A, Grabenhenrich L, Greiner F, Zöllner R, Mauz E, Schranz M. [Using emergency department routine data for the surveillance of suicide attempts and psychiatric emergencies]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2022; 65:30-39. [PMID: 34889967 PMCID: PMC8661829 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-021-03467-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The occurrence of suicide attempts is a key indicator of the population's mental health and therefore belongs in the domain of Mental Health Surveillance at the Robert Koch Institute. No data source is currently being used systematically for the continuous observation of psychiatric emergencies (including suicide attempts) in Germany. Therefore, the use of routine data from emergency departments will be explored in this work. METHODS We included routine data from 12 emergency departments between 1 January 2018 and 28 March 2021. We developed syndrome definitions for suicide attempts, psychiatric emergencies based on combinations of chief complaints, and diagnoses from patients presenting with psychopathological symptoms. A descriptive analysis over time was presented and stratified by age and sex. RESULTS In total 1,516,883 emergency department attendances were included, among which we identified 5,133 cases (0.3%) as suicide attempts, 31,085 (2.1%) as psychiatric emergencies, and 34,230 (2.3%) as cases with psychiatric symptoms. Among psychiatric emergencies, 16.5% presented because of a suicide attempt. Of cases presenting with a suicide attempt, 53.4% were male and 20.2% were aged between 25 and 34 years. Cases identified by all 3 syndrome definitions and their temporal variations could be displayed over the entire observation period. CONCLUSION Syndromic surveillance using emergency department data indicates a potential for continuous surveillance of suicide attempts and psychiatric emergencies and provides a basis for further validation and analysis. The display of changes in real time extends the current research opportunities for psychiatric emergencies in Germany. Systematic surveillance of suicide attempts can contribute to evidence-based suicide prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Schlump
- Abteilung für Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsmonitoring, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Julia Thom
- Abteilung für Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsmonitoring, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - T Sonia Boender
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Birte Wagner
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Michaela Diercke
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Theresa Kocher
- Methodenentwicklung und Forschungsinfrastruktur, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Alexander Ullrich
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Linus Grabenhenrich
- Methodenentwicklung und Forschungsinfrastruktur, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Felix Greiner
- Universitätsklinik für Unfallchirurgie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Deutschland
- AKTIN-Notaufnahmeregister, Magdeburg/Aachen, Deutschland
| | | | - Elvira Mauz
- Abteilung für Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsmonitoring, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Madlen Schranz
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Deutschland.
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