Suffering and Salutogenesis: A Conceptual Analysis of Lessons for Psychiatry From Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0) in the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Health Promoting Universities and the salutogenic theory: contemporary challenges in the Latin American reality

The objective is to reflect on the existing articulation between Aaron Antonovsky's salutogenic theory and Health Promoting Universities, highlighting the challenges for the operationalization of health promotion actions in the Latin American university scenario in the contemporary world. The visible adherence of the ideas of the salutogenic theory to the guiding components of the Health Promoting Universities movement was identified, which has contributed to successful experiences around the world. Practices in the light of salutogenic theory can be considered effective strategies for improving the quality of life in the university setting; however, it is necessary for those involved to detach themselves so that the logic of acting based on a pathogenic process is broken. Furthermore, regional challenges in the Latin American reality must be understood and overcome with the support of public policies.

'Brain fog', guilt, and gratitude: experiences of symptoms and life changes in older survivors 6 months after hospitalisation for COVID-19

Aim

The aim of the study is to explore older participants’ experiences of symptoms and life changes approximately 6 months after hospitalisation for COVID-19.

Findings

The participants experienced various persistent physical and cognitive symptoms. At the same time, they experienced gratitude for having survived and for having achieved new life perspectives.

Message

Despite suffering from the post-COVID-19 condition the older adults’ coping resources helped them achieve new life perspectives.

Purpose

Several of those who have been infected with COVID-19 suffer from the post-COVID-19 condition months after the acute infection. Little is known about how older survivors have experienced the consequences and how these have affected their lives. The aim of this study was to explore how older survivors experienced post-COVID-19 condition and life changes approximately 6 months after hospitalisation for COVID-19.

Methods

The study had an explorative and descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 17 participants from two local hospitals, 11 men and 6 women, aged 60 years and older (age range 60–96), approximately 6 months after hospitalisation for COVID-19. A thematic descriptive analysis inspired by Braun and Clarke was used.

Results

Two main themes and seven subthemes were revealed. The main themes were: From few to various persistent symptoms and Existential thoughts and reflections. Most of the participants experienced various physical and/or cognitive symptoms, such as reduced physical fitness, heavy breathing, fatigue, and ‘brain fog’. On the other hand, they also experienced guilt and gratitude for having survived. The recognition of having achieved other life perspectives was also present.

Conclusion

Six months after undergone COVID-19 the participants still experienced various distressing symptoms, which were in line with larger studies. The novel findings of this study were connected to the existential area, where the patients’ thoughts and reflections of guilt, gratitude, and new life perspectives were revealed. These findings are important for health professionals to consider when treating patients after COVID-19.

Sense of Coherence and Burnout in Healthcare Professionals in the COVID-19 Era

Emotional exhaustion in the context of vulnerability to burnout is a part of the universal narrative of high stress and systematically reported in healthcare professionals. The sense of coherence (SOC) is a salutogenic construct, operationalized by A. Antonovsky as a generalized resistance resource (GRR) to stress in three dimensions: meaningfulness (Me), the desire of a person to be motivated to cope; comprehensibility (C), the belief that the challenge is understood; and manageability (Ma), the belief that coping resources are available. The relation between SOC and the dimensions of burnout-Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (D), and Personal Accomplishment (PA)-is a part of salutogenic functioning, which reveals the inner motivation and self-organization of the psycho-emotional energetic resource. This study traces the salutogenic functioning of Bulgarian healthcare professionals during the pandemic. A general psychological background of coherence and exhaustion has been identified. All components of the SOC were positively correlated to Personal Accomplishment. Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization correlated negatively with coherence. SOC was validated as a possible determinant to predict the reduction of exhaustion and depersonalization as well as high levels of professional performance. The dimension of Meaningfulness in the coherence phenomenon was demonstrated to have the highest predictive value for professional burnout.