Mental Well-Being (Depression, Loneliness, Insomnia, Daily Life Fatigue) during COVID-19 Related Home-Confinement-A Study from Poland

Purpose in life, loneliness and depression among patients with substance use disorders in the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana

Substance use disorder is a global mental health issue. Purpose in life, Loneliness and depression are key indicators of poor mental health, and people with substance use disorder are more likely to experience low purpose in life, depression, and loneliness. This study aims to further the understanding of purpose in life, depression and loneliness among substance use disorders (SUD) patients in three hospitals in Ghana. It uses a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 425 SUD inpatients were screened. Beck Depression Inventory-II, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Purpose in Life Test were utilised to measure depression, loneliness, and purpose in life respectively. Data were analysed using the SPSS version 23 for Windows. Data from 378 participants were collected for this study using a cross sectional survey design; after data cleaning, frequency tables (for categorical variables) and descriptive statistics (for continuous variables) were used to summarise the demographics and the three outcome variables depression, purpose in life, and loneliness. Our findings indicate that overall, participants are more likely to experience low sense of purpose in life, depression, and loneliness compared to the general population. There was no statistically significant relationship between depression and loneliness (r = 0.030, p = 0.567). There was a statistically significant negative relationship between depression and purpose in life (r = -0.514, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between purpose in life and loneliness (r = 0.147, p = 0.004). There was no gender difference in depression, purpose in life, and loneliness among SUDs patients in psychiatric hospitals. There were no significant differences in purpose in life, depression and loneliness based on marital status. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will inform policies and clinical practice regarding service provision for patients with SUDs.

The clinical effectiveness of a self-management intervention for patients with persistent depressive disorder and their partners/caregivers: results from a multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is prevalent and debilitating. For patients with PDD, psychiatric rehabilitation using self-management interventions is advised as the next therapeutic step after multiple unsuccessful treatment attempts. The "Patient and Partner Education Program for All Chronic Diseases" (PPEP4All) is a brief, structured self-management program that focuses on functional recovery for patients and their partners/caregivers. In chronic somatic disorder populations, PPEP4All has already been shown to be clinically effective. We examined whether PPEP4All adapted for PDD (PPEP4All-PDD, nine weekly group or individual sessions) is also clinically effective for adults/elderly with PDD and their partners/caregivers compared to care-as-usual (CAU) in specialized mental healthcare.

METHODS

In this mixed-method multicenter pragmatic randomized controlled trial, 70 patients with PDD and 14 partners/caregivers were allocated to either PPEP4All-PDD (patients, n = 37; partners/caregivers, n = 14) or CAU (patients, n = 33; partners/caregivers, not included) and completed questionnaires at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months regarding depressive symptoms, psychopathology, psychosocial burden, mental resilience, and happiness/well-being. Qualitative data were collected regarding treatment satisfaction. Data were analyzed using mixed model analyses and an intention-to-treat (ITT) approach.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in any outcome regarding clinical effectiveness between PPEP4All-PDD and CAU. Subgroup analysis for depressive symptoms did not show any interaction effect for any subgroup. Although 78% of participants recommended PPEP4All-PDD, there was no difference in treatment satisfaction between PPEP4All-PDD (score = 6.6; SD = 1.7) and CAU (score = 7.6; SD = 1.2), p = 0.06.

CONCLUSION

Although depressive symptoms did not improve relative to CAU, this only confirmed that treatment for patients with treatment-resistant PDD should move from symptom reduction to functional recovery. Also, functional recovery may be reflected in other outcomes than psychosocial burden, such as self-empowerment, in patients with treatment-resistant PDD. Future research on PPEP4All-PDD could focus on a longer-term program and/or online program that may also be offered earlier in the treatment process as an empowerment intervention.  TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register Identifier NL5818. Registered on 20 July 2016 https://clinicaltrialregister.nl/nl/trial/20302.

The flashbulb-like nature of memory for the first COVID-19 case and the impact of the emergency. A cross-national survey

Flashbulb memories (FBMs) refer to vivid and long-lasting autobiographical memories for the circumstances in which people learned of a shocking and consequential public event. A cross-national study across eleven countries aimed to investigate FBM formation following the first COVID-19 case news in each country and test the effect of pandemic-related variables on FBM. Participants had detailed memories of the date and others present when they heard the news, and had partially detailed memories of the place, activity, and news source. China had the highest FBM specificity. All countries considered the COVID-19 emergency as highly significant at both the individual and global level. The Classification and Regression Tree Analysis revealed that FBM specificity might be influenced by participants' age, subjective severity (assessment of COVID-19 impact in each country and relative to others), residing in an area with stringent COVID-19 protection measures, and expecting the pandemic effects. Hierarchical regression models demonstrated that age and subjective severity negatively predicted FBM specificity, whereas sex, pandemic impact expectedness, and rehearsal showed positive associations in the total sample. Subjective severity negatively affected FBM specificity in Turkey, whereas pandemic impact expectedness positively influenced FBM specificity in China and negatively in Denmark.

'The body seems to have no life': The experiences and perceptions of fatigue among patients after COVID-19

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This study aimed at determining the perception of fatigue among patients with a history of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is a long-lasting distressing symptom. It is a multidimensional symptom consisting of several factors, including physiological, psychological, social and environmental. It is vital to examine and understand the perception of fatigue among post-COVID-19 participants.

DESIGN

A descriptive phenomenological design.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 14 post-COVID-19 participants that were recruited using criterion sampling. The fatigue levels of the participants were determined using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS), and those with a fatigue score above 12 were interviewed. All the interviews were conducted with a smartphone due to the COVID-19. The COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist was used.

RESULTS

The age of the participants varied from 24 to 67 years, with the majority of the participants being female (n = 8). The COVID-19 duration ranged from one to 11 months, and the CFS scores varied between 14 and 33. Four themes emerged following the qualitative data analysis: a new symptom beyond fatigue, fatigue increases dependency in daily life, fatigue impedes sociability and a way to hold on to life's regular rhythms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study concluded that fatigue in post-COVID-19 participants is a new experience that is difficult to define and manage and overwhelmingly affects the physical and social aspects of life. Participants look for new ways to live with fatigue and turn to traditional methods and psychosocial strategies.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study revealed the miscellaneous aspects of fatigue in post-COVID-19 participants. Nurses should evaluate fatigue with a holistic approach that includes its physical, social, emotional and spiritual aspects. Nurses can play an active role in the management of fatigue, which is a very common symptom in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Understanding trends in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands: the moderating role of gender, age, and living arrangement

Objectives: Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic and the preventive lockdown measures increased loneliness levels. However, most studies are cross-sectional or rely on a pre-post (pandemic) design. This study relies on multiple observations to analyze the impact of the lockdown on loneliness levels in the Netherlands, and test whether it differed by gender, age, and living arrangement.Methods: Longitudinal data from the Covid-Questionnaire within the Lifelines Cohort Study from the northern Netherlands was used. Data was gathered between March 2020 and July 2021 with a total of 21 waves and 769,526 observations nested in 74,844 individuals. The outcome was a multi-dimensional Loneliness Index. The association between the lockdown period and loneliness levels was estimated using fixed-effects linear regression. Moderation effects were tested by means of two-way interactions.Results: Loneliness levels increased during stricter lockdown periods, and decreased when preventive measures were relaxed. Women and young adults experienced stronger fluctuations in their loneliness levels, whereas living arrangement did not play a notable moderating role.Conclusion: This study calls for special attention to be paid to the public issue of loneliness during periods of lockdown. Women and young adults appear as particularly vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Insomnia and depression levels among Malaysian undergraduate students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) during Movement Control Order (MCO)

Rapid outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 has caused the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) which aimed to reduce the spread in Covid-19 infections. While some may find it easy to adjust to the new norm, others found it difficult to switch from their normal routines and habits as according to the MCO SOP. This resulted in a more frequent insomnia and depression that subsequently impacted their mental health. Insomnia and depression levels are examined in this study as they relate to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the MCO among Malaysian undergraduate health sciences students at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UPM. Random sampling methods were utilised with consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were the instrument packages used in this investigation. An internet platform was used to distribute the questionnaire. Based on the results, it is concluded that depression and insomnia are significantly correlated, with a p-value of 0.05. This study also revealed the link between the severity of insomnia and the severity of depression among UPM students studying health sciences. The percentage of students with depression and insomnia was rather high (54.9% and 33.9%, respectively), and this occurred during the second wave of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia.

The challenges of classical galactosemia: HRQoL in pediatric and adult patients

BACKGROUND

Classical galactosemia (CG), an inborn error of galactose metabolism, results in long-term complications including cognitive impairment and movement disorders, despite early diagnosis and dietary treatment. Two decades ago, lower motor-, cognitive- and social health related quality of life (HRQoL) was demonstrated in pediatric and adult patients. Since then, the diet has been relaxed, newborn screening was implemented and new international guidelines resulted in major changes in follow-up. The aim of this study was to assess HRQoL of CG by means of online self- and/or proxy-HRQoL-questionnaires focusing on the main areas of concern of CG (i.e. anxiety, depression, cognition, fatigue, social- and upper extremity function) within the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS®) and generic HRQoL-questionnaires (TAPQOL, TACQOL, TAAQOL).

RESULTS

Data of 61 Dutch patients (aged 1-52 years) were collected and compared to available Dutch or US reference populations. On the PROMIS-questionnaires, children reported more fatigue (P = 0.044), lower function in upper extremities (P = 0.021), more cognitive difficulties (P = 0.055, d = 0.56) and higher anxiety (P = 0.063, d = 0.52) than reference children although the latter findings remained non-significant. Parents of CG patients reported lower quality of peer relationships of their children (P < 0.001). Both children and parents reported lower cognitive functioning (P = 0.005, P = 0.010) on the TACQOL. Adults reported on PROMIS domains lower cognitive functioning (P = 0.030), higher anxiety (P = 0.004) and more fatigue (P = 0.026). Cognitive difficulties were reported on the TAAQOL by adults (P < 0.001), as well as physical-, sleeping and social difficulties.

CONCLUSIONS

CG remains to impact the HRQoL of pediatric and adult patients negatively on several domains including cognition, anxiety, motor function and fatigue. A lower social health was mainly reported by parents, and not by patients themselves. The Covid-19 pandemic might have amplified the results on anxiety although higher levels of anxiety fit pre-pandemic findings. The reported fatigue is a new finding in CG. Because the effect of lockdown fatigue could not be eliminated and fatigue is a frequent finding in patients with chronic disorders, future studies are warranted. Clinicians and researchers should be attentive to both pediatric and adult patients, and the age-dependent difficulties they might encounter.

Longitudinal development of well-being among Finnish employees during 2019-2021: Relationships with personality trait profiles

We examined well-being profiles among Finnish employees before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and their links with personality trait profiles. Longitudinal survey data were collected in 2019-2021, and 733 respondents participated in all five surveys. The data were analyzed with a person-centered approach using latent profile analysis (LPA). Measures included burnout, work engagement, psychological distress; and Big Five personality traits. Six well-being profiles: Disengaged, Declined, Engaged, Fluctuated, Stable, and Burned-out, and four personality profiles: Ordinary, Reserved, Resilient, and Overcontrolled were identified. Resilient participants typically belonged to the Engaged well-being profile and Reserved to Burned-out and Fluctuated well-being profiles. Although some separation in developmental well-being profiles existed, overall, well-being was rather stable. Personality trait profiles played a crucial role in maintaining well-being.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 among the population of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

BACKGROUND

The population's adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures is influenced by their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards the disease, making research into people's awareness of the disease essential. The present survey was designed to assess KAP towards COVID-19 among the population of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

METHODS

An online questionnaire was disseminated via social media between September 14 and October 5, 2020. The intended population was Brazilians over the age of 18, living in the state of São Paulo.

RESULTS

A total of 1,111 individuals completed the questionnaire. The majority were women (71.6%), 31.6% were aged 31-40 years old, and 82.8% had higher education. Among the participants, 17.5% reported that they had taken some medication without a medical prescription to prevent COVID-19. The participants showed good knowledge about the transmission and prevention of the disease. The knowledge mean score was lower among participants with complete high school or less, with poor self-perception of their health status, who almost never seek information about COVID-19, and those who are not sure to belong to a risk group for the disease. Only 51.3% of the participants believed that COVID-19 would finally be successfully controlled, and 56.6% were confident that Brazil could win the battle against the virus.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19 but were pessimistic about the pandemic's future. The findings of this study can help in the development of effective health communication strategies to promote better knowledge and a positive attitude about prevention measures.

Telecommuting-related health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea: a national population-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Telecommuting has expanded greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the advent of remote working from home, there has been an ongoing controversy about the positive or negative health-related impact of telecommuting. This study aimed to investigate change in the occupational health risk in South Korean workers involved in telecommuting during the pandemic period compared to daily commuters.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional study of South Korean workers using the secondary data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2020-2021) was designed. A total of 12,354 white-collar wage employees were selected as the study sample. Telecommuting, depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, headache-eye strain, absenteeism, and presenteeism were measured by self-reported data. Multiple logistic regression models, including gender stratification analysis, were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for the health outcomes of telecommuters.

RESULTS

Among the study population, 338 males and 318 females were reported to be telecommuters. The entirely adjusted regression model showed a positive association between telecommuting and anxiety (AOR = 2.82; 95% CI, 1.93-4.10), insomnia (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI, 1.27-2.92), fatigue (AOR = 1.76; 95% CI, 1.30-2.37), musculoskeletal pain (AOR = 1,76; 95% CI, 1.33-2.32), headache-eye strain (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.48-2.54), presenteeism (AOR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.20-2.28) respectively. Gender difference was identified in that only female telecommuters had a higher risk of depression (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.04-2.53) and insomnia (AOR = 2.07; 95% CI, 1.26-3.41) than daily commuters in the adjusted model.

CONCLUSION

Telecommuting was significantly associated with an increased risk of various health problems among South Korean workers and females were identified as a more vulnerable group. Although further research is required to ascertain the causal relationship, public health intervention should be considered to prevent the negative effects of telecommuting.

The relationships between trait anger, forgiveness, and subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a moderated mediating model under lockdown situation

Although previous studies have found relationships between anger, forgiveness, and well-being, none have examined whether forgiveness mediates the relationship between trait anger and subjective well-being. To address this gap, this study constructed and tested a relevant moderated mediating model. We also considered the moderating effects of the COVID-19 lockdown situation, which has indirectly deteriorated well-being. The participants included 1,274 individuals who were recruited in April 2022. In sum, the results showed negative relationships between the trait anger and forgiveness and well-being, with a positive association between forgiveness and well-being. Moreover, forgiveness mediated the association between trait anger and subjective well-being, whereas the lockdown situation regulated the effects of trait anger on forgiveness and subjective well-being; specifically, forgiveness and well-being were more susceptible to trait anger among individuals under the lockdown situation. These findings suggest that forgiveness mediates the relationship between trait anger and well-being, while trait anger negatively predicts forgiveness and subjective well-being. Furthermore, the lockdown situation increases the negative predictive effects of anger on forgiveness and subjective well-being.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04500-9.

Sleep quality and sleep patterns among recovered individuals during post-COVID-19 among Jordanian: A cross-sectional national study

This study aims to investigate sleep patterns and quality in patients who had SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection and to determine the sleep quality and pattern among patients. A cross-sectional design was used to assess sleeping patterns during the post-COVID-19 era for recovered individuals from April 1st, 2022, to June 1st, 2022. The participants had to meet the following requirements: both genders, ages 18 to 70, and previously infected with COVID-19. The prevalence of low sleep quality among the recovered individuals during post-COVID-19 era was 834 (40.6%), and the prevalence of disturbance in sleep quality was 1308 (63.6%). Lower economic status and younger ages in twenties and thirties experienced more disturbances in sleep patterns than other older ages. Many predictors were determined the quality of sleep. These predictors were age (B = .105, P = .00), income (B = .05, P = .035) and educational level (B = .20, P = .006). To sum up, our study found that the prevalence of low sleep quality among the recovered individuals during post-COVID-19 era was moderate, and the prevalence of disturbance in sleep quality was high. The predictors of quality of sleep were age, income, and educational level. Practitioners should be trained to evaluate and manage sleep disturbances, as this comprehensive approach has the potential to reduce mental distress and prevent the consequences of sleep disturbances.

Physical, psychological and pandemic fatigue in the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong: population-based, cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the physical, psychological and pandemic fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore the correlates of fatigue using a representative, population-based, community sample of Chinese adults in Hong Kong.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Telephone surveys in Hong Kong from December 2020 to January 2021 (during the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak).

PARTICIPANTS

1255 adults living in Hong Kong aged 18 years or older sampled using a multistage approach (53% women).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physical and psychological fatigue: The Fatigue Assessment Scale (with a cut-off score of 22). Pandemic fatigue: Adherence to six disease prevention measures (DPM) recommended by the government.

RESULTS

About 25.7% of the participants were feeling fatigued physically and psychologically. Physical and psychological fatigue was not directly associated with pandemic fatigue, and their association was fully mediated by self-perceived disruptions of COVID-19-related restrictions in daily life. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis showed that higher levels of fatigue were associated with economically inactive status (B=0.18, SE=0.04, p<0.001), having family or friend infected with COVID-19 before or during the study (B=0.17, SE=0.01, p<0.001), lower acceptability of DPM (B=-0.16, SE=0.03, p<0.001), greater disruptions in daily life (B=0.22, SE=0.02, p<0.001), and greater trust in authorities in ending the pandemic (B=0.11, SE=0.02, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue affected many individuals during the pandemic. Disruptions of DPM in daily life may serve as a mediator in the association between pandemic fatigue and physical and psychological fatigue, reflecting the need of effective interventions to reduce self-perceived disruptions of COVID-19-related restrictions in the general population. Resources should be allocated to provide sufficient services to individuals vulnerable to fatigue during the prolonged pandemic.

Evaluation of perceived depression, anxiety, stress levels and emotional eating behaviours and their predictors among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the prevalence and predictors of perceived depression, anxiety, stress (DAS) levels and emotional eating behaviours and (2) determine the correlations between DAS levels and emotional eating behaviours during the pandemic.

DESIGN

An online cross-sectional study included questions about demographic and anthropometric characteristics, dietary habits, Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. The snowball sampling method was used.

SETTING

Türkiye.

PARTICIPANTS

The study population was 2002 adults aged ≥18 years.

RESULT

The mean age was 27·1 ± 9·52 years (72·1 % females and 27·9 % males). The prevalence of moderate to severe DAS was reported as 27·8 %, 30·5 % and 30·7 %, respectively. Skipping meals (OR = 1·32, 95 % CI (1·14, 1·49)) was associated with depression. Weight gain (OR = 1·43, 95 % CI (1·19, 1·66); OR = 1·30, 95 % CI (1·14, 1·49); OR = 1·39, 95 % CI (1·14, 1·64)), weight loss (OR = 1·45, 95 % CI (1·20, 1·70); OR = 1·37, 95 % CI (1·11, 1·62); OR = 1·46, 95 % CI (1·20, 1·72)), exercising at least 150 min/week (OR = 0·64, 95 % CI (0·46, 0·83); OR = 0·73, 95 % CI (0·55, 0·92); OR = 0·83, 95 % CI (0·63, 1·02)), and maintaining an adequate and balanced diet (OR = 0·52, 95 % CI (0·33, 0·71); OR = 0·53, 95 % CI (0·34, 0·73); OR = 0·63, 95 % CI (-0·15, 0·35)) were associated with DAS, respectively. BMI (r = 0·169, P < 0·001), weight (r = 0·152, P < 0·001), number of snacks (r = 0·102, P = 0·011), depression (r = 0·060, P = 0·007), anxiety (r = 0·061, P = 0·006) and stress (r = 0·073, P = 0·001) levels were positively correlated with EMAQ-negative scores.

CONCLUSION

Approximately one out of every three participants reported moderate to severe DAS levels. Emotional eating was significantly correlated with perceived DAS. The predictors obtained in the study suggest that a healthy diet and lifestyle behaviours are part of psychological well-being and emotional eating.

Subjective sleep alterations in healthy subjects worldwide during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide an update on sleep quality in different world areas and better characterize subjective sleep alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering gender distribution and specific pandemic-related parameters, we also intend to identify significant predictors of sleep problems.

METHODS

Six electronic databases were searched from December 2019 to November 2021 for studies investigating sleep during COVID-19 employing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep, the Insomnia Severity Index or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Random-effects models were implemented to estimate the pooled raw means of subjective sleep alterations. Also, we considered the role of several pandemic-related parameters (i.e., days from the first COVID-19 case, government stringency index, new cases for a million people, new deaths for a million people) by means of meta-regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 139 studies were selected. The pooled mean of the global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (PSQI_gen) was 6.73 (95% CI, 6.61-6.85). The insomnia severity index score was reported from 50 studies with a pooled mean of 8.44 (95% CI, 7.53-9.26). Subgroup analyses confirmed that most subcategories had poor sleep quality and subclinical insomnia. Meta-regressions showed that PSQI_gen was predicted by days from the first COVID-19 case and government restrictions with a negative slope and by female gender with a positive slope. The government stringency index was positively correlated with the direct subjective evaluation of sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an overall impaired sleep and widespread subthreshold insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The female percentage seems to be the best predictor of impaired sleep quality, consistently to the available literature. Noteworthy, sleep alterations were inversely associated with governmental restrictions and decreased during the pandemic. Our results give a contribution to critically orienting further studies on sleep since COVID-19 pandemic.

Predictors of Psychological Distress across Three Time Periods during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

BACKGROUND

Since the onset of COVID-19, public health policies and public opinions changed from stringent preventive measures against spread of COVID-19 to policies accommodating life with continued, diminished risk for contracting COVID-19. Poland is a country that demonstrated severe psychological impact and negative mental health. The study aims to examine psychological impact and changes in levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among three cross-sectional samples of Polish people and COVID-19-related factors associated with adverse mental health.

METHODS

In total, 2324 Polish persons participated in repeated cross-sectional studies across three surveys: Survey 1 (22 to 26 March 2020), Survey 2 (21 October to 3 December 2020), and Survey 3 (3 November to 10 December 2021). Participants completed an online survey, including Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), demographics, knowledge, and concerns of COVID-19 and precautionary measures.

RESULTS

A significant reduction of IES-R scores was seen across surveys, while DASS-21 scores were significantly higher in Survey 2. There was significant reduction in the frequency of following COVID-19 news, recent COVID-19 testing, and home isolation from Survey 1 to 3. Being emale was significantly associated with higher IES-R and DASS-21 scores in Surveys 1 and 2. Student status was significantly associated with higher DASS-21 across surveys. Chills, myalgia, and fatigue were significantly associated with high IES-R or DASS-21 scores across surveys. Frequency of wearing masks and perception that mask could reduce risk of COVID-19 were significantly associated with higher IES-R and DASS-21 scores.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: The aforementioned findings indicate a reduction in the level of the measured subjective distress andin the frequency of checking COVID-19 news-related information across three periods during the pandemic in Poland.

Seeking care where they can: A systematic review of global trends in online alcohol treatment utilization among non-veteran and veteran women

Background

Findings from a person-level meta-analysis of online alcohol intervention trials suggest that women disproportionately seek out such interventions (Riper et al., 2018). Although women may be a "hidden population" that is particularly drawn to online alcohol interventions, trial design features may explain women's apparent over-representation in these trials.

Methods

This systematic review examined associations between gender-tailored recruitment/inclusion criteria and proportions of women enrolled in online alcohol intervention trials, evaluated whether community samples have greater proportions of women than clinical samples, and compared country-specific average proportions of women in trials to country-specific proportions of women with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).

Results

Forty-four trials met inclusion/exclusion criteria, 34 community samples and 10 drawn from clinical settings; 4 studies included U.S. veterans and were examined separately. The average proportion of community-recruited women across the studies was 51.20% and the average proportion of clinically-recruited women was 35.81%, a difference that was statistically significant. Across the countries with relevant trials, the expected proportion of those with AUD who are women is 27.1% (World Population Review, 2022). Only 2 studies used targeted recruitment for women so no between-group tests were conducted. There was not a statistically significant difference in the proportion of women across trials that did and did not use gender-tailored alcohol inclusion criteria.

Conclusions

Results from this systematic review suggest that study design factors do not account for the marked over-representation of women in online alcohol interventions, indicating that women are indeed a "hidden population" whose needs should be understood and accommodated.

Psychological Research on Sleep Problems and Adjustment of Working Hours during Teleworking in the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study

Mandatory home isolation caused by COVID-19 in professional contexts led to a situation that required work activities to be converted into a remote modality. The literature on this topic is very recent, given the pandemic and the uncertainty of virtual and face-to-face work modalities. This study aimed to examine the effects of adults' prolonged exposure to screens on sleep quality, the type of devices used according to age and gender, periods of access to such devices and the impact on performance in the context of telework due to COVID-19. Specifically, the study analyzed the differences in the use of devices and in the time spent using them during and after teleworking between genders and age groups. A total of 127 Portuguese participants answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a questionnaire that we specifically developed to characterize teleworking habits. The results showed differences between men and women regarding the use of devices and its impact on sleep quality, as well as differences in terms of age. These results are discussed in terms of how the current work context may affect performance, sleep, gender differences and the adverse effects of exposure to screens during and after work hours.

Determinants of the Impact of Fatigue on the Health of Polish Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(1) Lockdown-related fatigue occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic is a complex problem that can be experienced in different social groups. The objective of the current study is to attempt to identify socio-demographic and lifestyle-related factors that determine the impact of fatigue on health in general as well as in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial terms and to determine whether, and to what extent, these were predictors of fatigue in nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) The study was conducted by the diagnostic poll method between 20 March and 15 December 2021 among 894 nursing students at six Polish universities. To collect the data, a validated Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) was used. (3) Students from the age group of ≤20 experienced a significantly greater impact of fatigue on health in general as well as in physical and cognitive terms. The study demonstrated a significant negative relationship between the year of study and the impact of fatigue on health in general terms (r = −0.12; p < 0.0001) and the analyzed health terms, on physical (r = −0.12; p < 0.0001), cognitive (r = −0.10; p < 0.002), and psychosocial (r = −0.07; p < 0.041). In predicting the impact of fatigue on health in general and physical terms, it was the variable related to a reduction in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic that had the greatest contribution, while for the cognitive and psychosocial functions, it was the number of meals consumed per day. (4) It is recognized that action is needed to reduce the impact of fatigue on student health by modifying the predictors related to student lifestyles.

Mental fatigue in individuals with psychiatric disorders: a scoping review

Objective: The aim of this study was to complete a scoping review of the published literature describing the relationship between mental fatigue and various psychiatric disorders, to better understand its frequency and clinical impact, and to provide recommendations for future clinical research.Methods: A scoping review using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane and PsychArticles databases was conducted using the keywords 'mental fatigue', 'mental tiredness' or 'mental exhaustion', and completed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols Extension for Scoping Reviews 2018 checklist.Results: We extracted 10 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria from a total of 2937 publications. Mental fatigue was studied within mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. A commonly used tool to measure mental fatigue in these samples was the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20. Specific cognitive factors (unhelpful beliefs about sleep, symptom-focussed rumination) and personality risk factors (harm avoidance, self-directedness, cooperativeness, persistence) were relevant to predicting mental fatigue symptoms and rates of mental fatigue may vary with gender and diagnosis.Conclusion: Research into mental fatigue in adult psychiatric sample was limited to a few psychiatric disorders and requires further investigation.Key pointsA commonly used tool to measure mental fatigue was the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20. However, more research into the validity and reliability for illness specific instruments to measure mental fatigue in psychiatric population is required.Reduction of mental fatigue was associated with improvement on quality of life.Specific cognitive factors (unhelpful beliefs about sleep, symptom-focussed rumination) and personality risk factors (harm avoidance, self-directedness, cooperativeness, persistence) were relevant to predicting mental fatigue symptoms and rates of mental fatigue may vary with gender.Reviewed articles indicated that mental fatigue presence was associated with lower odds of OCD. In addition, the results suggested that mental fatigue symptoms were more common in individuals with OCPD rather than OCD.Research into mental fatigue in adult psychiatric sample was limited to a few psychiatric disorders and requires further investigation to prevent potential misattribution as mental fatigue symptoms overlap between different psychiatric disorders.

The emotional state of young people in northern Spain after one year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the young population has been suffering from an accumulation of psychological symptoms in northern Spain. The main objectives of this study were (1) to assess whether psychological symptoms persisted after one year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic in northern Spain sample of young people, and (2) to analyze whether pandemic-specific variables (having a chronic illness, living with a person who has a chronic illness, having been infected with COVID-19, having a close person who has died or believing that people are respecting the measures imposed) are related to psychological symptomatology.

METHODS

: Symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression were measured using the Depression and Stress Anxiety Scale-21 (DASS-21). An ad hoc online questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographical information related to chronic illnesses of the participants, living with a chronically ill person, contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, having people close to them who have died of COVID-19, and their perception of whether or not people respect the health measures.

RESULTS

: Young people have suffered higher stress, anxiety, and depression levels than at the beginning of the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

: The present study highlights the importance of addressing young people's mental health, and ensure that future adults emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic in a psychologically strong state.

Insomnia and related factors in patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders compared to the general population during the COVID-19 lockdown: Findings from the multicentric COMET study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted social, economic and health systems worldwide. Necessary confinement measures have, in turn, contributed to the occurrence of several stress-related conditions and deterioration of pre-existing mental conditions, including insomnia.

OBJECTIVE

The present study sought to investigate the occurrence and severity of insomnia during the COVID-19 lockdown among psychiatric patients and in the general population in the largest Italian sample examined to date. Potential factors associated with a risk of developing insomnia in the global sample were examined as well.

METHODS

A sample of 20,720 people (5.5% of them being psychiatric patients) was assessed through an online survey conducted during lockdown between March and May 2020. To investigate the occurrence and severity of sleep related issues, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used. In order to evaluate factors associated with the severity of insomnia in the global sample, multivariate linear regression models were performed.

RESULTS

During the lockdown, patients with pre-existing mental disorders reported a mean higher score on the ISI scale (p < 0.001) compared to the general population. According to the multivariate regression models, the first three weeks of lockdown were significantly associated with a higher risk of insomnia, but the risk disappeared in the fourth week. Other associated factors included: the presence of a pre-existing mental disorder, ages 24 to 64 years old, and/or being female (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although containment measures represent essential public health strategies to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, sleep was one of the aspects affected during the early stages of the lockdown in both people with pre-existing mental disorders and general population. As an integral part of COVID-19 intervention, it is useful to raise awareness about these issues and to adopt both preventive and therapeutic interventions.

The Structure of the Relationship between Physical Activity and Psychosocial Functioning of Women and Men during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Poland

Since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious crisis in many countries around the world, it is important to conduct empirical research aimed at identifying risks and factors protecting the functioning of people affected by it. For this reason, the goals of the present research were to determine the level of physical activity and the severity of symptoms characteristic of mental disorders, cognitive disorders and the quality of social functioning, as well as the structure of the relationship between physical activity and psychosocial functioning of 226 women and 226 men during the COVID-19 epidemic in Eastern Poland. The research was conducted using the IPAQ-SF Questionnaire, GHQ-28 Questionnaires, TUS Test-6/9 version, the original SFS Scale and a self-developed sociodemographic survey. The collected data indicate that women as compared to men show lower levels of weekly physical activity, walking, moderate activity, vigorous activity and quality of functioning in family relationships, but higher severity of mental health disorders, somatic symptoms, functional disorders, depressive symptoms, cognitive disorders, perceptual work disorders, attention deficits and higher quality of functioning in work relationships. On the other hand, the structural model indicates that physical activity, interacting with mental health disorders and cognitive disorders, is positively associated with the social functioning of the respondents, and gender is the moderator of the occurring dependencies. This suggests that physical activity adapted to the condition of health may be an important component of gender-individualized psychopreventive interventions.

University Students' Risk Perception, Protective Measures, and General Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate university students' risk perception, protective measures, and general health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Turkey.

METHODS

The research sample consisted of 1920 university students. The data were collected through an online questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 56.6% of the students considered their risk of being infected with the COVID-19. The number of measures taken by students was lower than expected. Students' increased anxiety perceived individual risk level, insufficient social support perceptions, and their perceptions of the current pandemic more serious than previous epidemics affect the number of measures they take. Students had sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts in the social isolation period. Sex, studying in medicine, anxiety related to COVID-19, feeling unconfident in coping with the pandemic, social support, were determined to be risk factors regarding general health, sleep and study problems, and suicidal thoughts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study showed that the measures taken by university students were insufficient and the precautions were affected by many factors. It was determined that their health was adversely affected by the pandemic. University administrations and decision-makers should consider the risk factors to improve the students' experiences in such pandemics and emergencies.

Medical students' perceptions and performance in an online regional anatomy course during the Covid-19 pandemic

The present study evaluated the students' psychological well-being, experiences, performance, and perception of learning regional anatomy remotely. A regional anatomy remote learning curriculum was designed and learning materials were delivered virtually to 120 undergraduate medical students at Jinan University, China. All the students consented and voluntarily participated in this study by completing self-administered online questionnaires including the Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scales at the beginning and end of the learning session. A subset participated in focus group discussions. Most of the students (90.0%) positively evaluated the current distance learning model. More than 80% were satisfied with the content arrangement and coverage. Many students preferred virtual lectures (68.2%) and videos showing dissections (70.6%) during the distance learning sessions. However, writing laboratory reports and case-based learning were the least preferred modes of learning as they were only preferred by 23.2% and 14.1% of the students, respectively. There was no significant lockdown-related anxiety or depression reported by students using depression and anxiety scales as well as feedback from focus group discussions. The surveyed students' confidence scores in distance learning were significantly higher after 5 weeks than at the beginning of the session (3.05 ± 0.83 vs. 3.70 ± 0.71, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the present results showed no significant differences between the current group's academic performance in the unit tests as well as the final overall evaluation for different parts of the course compared to that of the previous year's cohort. The findings above were congruent with focus group discussion data that the use of the online teaching platform for regional anatomy significantly improved the students' confidence in virtual and self-directed learning and did not negatively affect their academic performance.

Families in quarantine for COVID-19 in Italy. Resilience as a buffer of parental distress and problematic children's emotions and behaviors

The pandemic of Covid-19 has had a high impact on people's lives and especially on families. In Italy, in 2020, the several forced closures led families to live indoors to manage anxiety and distress. It was considered appropriate to investigate which protective factors, like parental resilience, can mitigate the negative impact of pandemic-related distress on family life. We have conducted two online surveys during different national lockdowns for Covid-19. The first survey was conducted immediately after the disruption of the virus and the second one after nine months. We measured parental resilience and distress, anxiety, problematic behaviors, and somatization of their children (as assessed by the parents). The aim was to investigate the protective role of parental resilience in mitigating parental distress and in turn problematic emotional states and behavior of their children. Mediation analyses confirmed the hypothesis that parental resilience lowers parental distress and consequently the anxiety and behavioral disorders of their children in both acute distress (first study) and chronic distress (second study) situations. Such results suggest that the improvement of parents' resilience can buffer the negative impact of pandemic-related parental distress and children's behavioral problems on both occasions. The need for focused interventions and treatments aimed to reinforce parental resilience is discussed. Targeted prevention and support strategies are needed now, and early in case of future health crises.

COVID-19 Burnout Subject to the Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy in Hong Kong: Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the COVID-19 Burnout Frequency Scale

We sought to develop and validate a self-assessment burnout scale of the Chinese general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of a dynamic zero-COVID policy. Factors relevant to individuals’ burnout during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic were identified in the literature and through the reviews of an expert panel. A convenience sample of 1087 was randomly divided into two subsamples and the scale’s psychometric properties were assessed. Findings suggested that the COVID-19 BFS has adequate reliability (α = 0.90) along with factorial, concurrent, and convergent validity. Results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the one-factor structure of the scale. Concurrent validity results indicate a significant positive correlation between COVID-19 BFS and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (r = 0.131, p < 0.001), suggesting that individuals with higher levels of burnout may also have higher levels of fear of COVID, or vice versa. The scale was also correlated positively with being against the dynamic zero-COVID strategy (r = 0.340, p < 0.001), indicating that a higher level of burnout may be associated with individuals who are against the dynamic zero-COVID strategy. The results suggest the five-item COVID-19 BFS is a valid and reliable scale for the measurement of burnout frequency of the Chinese general population in relation to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in a dynamic zero-COVID policy context.

Investigating the relationship of COVID-19 related stress and media consumption with schizotypy, depression, and anxiety in cross-sectional surveys repeated throughout the pandemic in Germany and the UK

Background:

Studies report a strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related stressors on the mental well-being of the general population. In this paper, we investigated whether COVID-19 related concerns and social adversity affected schizotypal traits, anxiety, and depression using structural equational modelling. In mediation analyses, we furthermore explored whether these associations were mediated by healthy (sleep and physical exercise) or unhealthy behaviours (drug and alcohol consumption, excessive media use).

Methods:

We assessed schizotypy, depression, and anxiety as well as healthy and unhealthy behaviours and a wide range of sociodemographic scores using online surveys from residents of Germany and the United Kingdom over 1 year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four independent samples were collected (April/May 2020: N=781, September/October 2020: N=498, January/February 2021: N=544, May 2021: N=486). The degree of schizotypy was measured using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), anxiety, and depression symptoms were surveyed with the Symptom Checklist (SCL-27), and healthy and unhealthy behaviours were assessed with the Coronavirus Health Impact Survey (CRISIS). Structural equation models were used to consider the influence of COVID-19 related concerns and social adversity on depressive and anxiety-related symptoms and schizotypal traits in relation to certain healthy (sleep and exercise) and unhealthy behaviours (alcohol and drug consumption, excessive media use).

Results:

The results revealed that COVID-19 related life concerns were significantly associated with schizotypy in the September/October 2020 and May 2021 surveys, with anxiety in the September/October 2020, January/February 2021, and May 2021 surveys, and with depressive symptoms in all surveys. Social adversity significantly affected the expression of schizotypal traits and depressive and anxiety symptoms in all four surveys. Importantly, we found that excessive media consumption (>4 hr per day) fully mediated the relationship between COVID-19 related life concerns and schizotypal traits in the January/February 2021 survey. Furthermore, several of the surveys showed that excessive media consumption was associated with increased depressive and anxiety-related symptoms in people burdened by COVID-19 related life.

Conclusions:

The ongoing uncertainties of the pandemic and the restrictions on social life have a strong impact on mental well-being and especially the expression of schizotypal traits. The negative impact is further boosted by excessive media consumption, which is especially critical for people with high schizotypal traits.

Funding:

FK received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 (Grant number 754,462). SN received funding from the Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada and the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund from the University of Cambridge.

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, and the measures different governments took to contain it, harmed many people’s mental well-being. The restrictions, combined with pandemic-related uncertainty, caused many individuals to experience increased stress, depression, and anxiety. Many people turned to unhealthy behaviours to cope, including consuming more alcohol or drugs, using media excessively, developing poor sleeping habits, or reducing the amount of exercise they did.

Stress, drugs, poor sleep, and uncertainty can increase an individual’s risk of developing psychotic symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty thinking clearly. These symptoms may be temporary or part of a more lasting condition, like schizophrenia. The risk of developing these symptoms increases in people with ‘schizotypal traits’, such as a lack of close relationships, paranoia, or unusual or implausible beliefs. These individuals may be especially vulnerable to the harmful mental health effects of the pandemic.

Daimer et al. demonstrated that people who were more worried about their life stability or financial situation during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic had worse mental well-being than those who felt secure. In the experiments, volunteers completed a series of online mental health questionnaires at four different time points during the pandemic. People who reported feeling lonely, having negative thoughts, or experiencing fewer positive social interactions had more symptoms of mental illness. People who experienced more life disruptions also reported more anxiety or depression symptoms and more schizotypal traits. Daily consumption of at least four hours of digital media exacerbated negative mental health symptoms, and people with more pandemic-related life concerns also spent more time on digital media

Daimer et al. suggest that increased media consumption among people with pandemic-related hardships may have increased mental health symptoms and schizotypal traits in these individuals. The survey results suggest that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including meaningful relationships, is essential to staying mentally healthy during extreme situations like a global pandemic. Protective interventions – such as strengthening social support networks, providing mental health education, or increasing mental healthcare provisions – are essential to prevent poor mental health outcomes during future crises.

Quality of Life Assessment in Students from Polish Universities during the COVID-19 Pandemic According to WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire

The outbreak of COVID-19 in December 2019 in China influenced the lives of people all over the world. Many had to face the completely new situation of lockdown. These changes influenced many aspects of life. Students’ quality of life changed as well. The aim of the study was to assess the differences in the quality of life of students with regard to the field of study and the knowledge regarding medicine. The study population consisted of 500 students from three Polish universities (Medical University of Silesia, Maritime University of Szczecin and Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań). Study participants were invited to fill in an online cross-sectional quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) created by the World Health Organization (WHO). The analysis was done using the IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 programme. The obtained results showed differences in respondents’ reactions in two domains. The lowest resistance to the critical situation was observed in women who studied at the technical university. Higher values of resistance were observed in women studying medical sciences.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for the Recovery of Mental Fatigue: A Systematic Review

Background: There is evidence that mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) can help one to recover from mental fatigue (MF). Although the strength model of self-control explains the processes underlying MF and the model of mindfulness and de-automatization explains how mindfulness training promotes adaptive self-regulation leading to the recovery of MF, a systematic overview detailing the effects of MBI on the recovery of MF is still lacking. Thus, this systematic review aims to discuss the influences of MBI on the recovery of MF. Methods: We used five databases, namely, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for articles published up to 24 September 2021, using a combination of keywords related to MBI and MF. Results: Eight articles fulfilled all the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. The MBI directly attenuated MF and positively affected the recovery of psychology (attention, aggression and mind-wandering) and sports performance (handgrip, plank exercise and basketball free throw) under MF. However, the interaction did not reach statistical significance for the plank exercise. Therefore, the experience and duration of mindfulness are necessary factors for the success of MBI. Conclusions: mindfulness appears to be most related to a reduction in MF. Future research should focus on improving the methodological rigor of MBI to confirm these results and on identifying facets of mindfulness that are most effective for attenuating MF.

Level of Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland-A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the level of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.

METHODS

The online survey was conducted among Polish adult citizens (204 respondents) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. The level of depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory in Polish.

RESULTS

Depressive symptoms of moderate or severe degree appeared in about every fourth person. Women were characterised with higher mean depression scores. In the group of men, significant correlations were found between mental condition and age-the higher the age, the higher the values of depression measures. Those who were asymptomatic with SARS-CoV-2 had the best results-a lack of depression, while those who were fully symptomatic had the worst results-major depressive disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for further research and monitoring of mental health in specific population groups. It is necessary to plan preventive measures to prevent the negative effects of the pandemic, especially in women. Specialist support should be implemented during and after the pandemic.

Positive Orientation and Fatigue Experienced by Polish Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediatory Role of Emotional Control

This study aimed to investigate the mediatory role of emotional control with respect to the control of anger, depression, and anxiety in the relationship between positive orientation and tiredness/fatigue occurring in a group of Polish nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 894 nursing students from six universities in Poland. A diagnostic survey was applied as the research method, and the data were collected using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) and the Positive Orientation Scale (SOP). The mean participant age was 20.73 years (SD = 1.81). More than half of the students in the study showed a low level of positive orientation. Correlational analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between positive orientation and tiredness/fatigue experienced by the students participating in the study (r = −0.336; p < 0.001), and correlation between positive orientation and the overall emotional control index (r = −0.317; p < 0.001), and the indices of control of anger (r = −0.154; p < 0.01), depression (r = −0.376; p < 0.001), and anxiety (r = −0.236; p < 0.01). Analysis of the results also revealed the occurrence of significant, positive links between the controlled emotions and their components and the tiredness/fatigue experienced by nursing students. It is important to take action associated with the prevention of tiredness/fatigue among students and to reinforce a positive orientation and the capacity to control emotions to effectively minimize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students.

Changes in Air-Pollution-Related Information-Seeking Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Low air quality in Poland is a problem of particularly high urgency. Therefore, Poles must be aware of air quality levels, also during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to compare air-pollution-related information-seeking behaviour between the pre- and intra-pandemic periods as well as between the actual and theoretical machine-learning-forecasted intra-pandemic models. Google Trends search volumes (GTSVs) in Poland for air-pollution-related keywords were collected between January 2016 and January 2022. To investigate the changes that would have occurred without the outbreak of the pandemic, Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) machine-learning models were trained. Approximately 4,500,000 search queries were analysed. Between pre- and intra-pandemic periods, weighted mean GTSVs changed by −39.0%. When the actual intra-pandemic weighted mean GTSVs were compared to the intra-pandemic forecasts, the actual values were lower by −16.5% (SARIMA’s error = 6.2%). Compared to the pre-pandemic period, in the intra-pandemic period, the number of search queries containing keywords connected with air pollution decreased. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic might have facilitated the decrease. Possible causes include an attention shift towards everyday problems connected to the pandemic, worse mental health status and lower outdoor exposure that might have resulted in a lower intensity of non-pandemic-related active information-seeking behaviour.

Psychological impact of the quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic on the general European adult population: a systematic review of the evidence

AIMS

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) different countries implemented quarantine measures to limit the spread of the virus. Many studies analysed the mental health consequences of restrictive confinement, some of which focused their attention on specific populations. The general public's mental health also requires significant attention, however. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on the general population's mental health in different European countries. Risk and protective factors associated with the psychological symptoms were analysed.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted on four electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Google Scholar). Studies published up until 20th April 2021, and following eligibility criteria were selected for this review. One thousand three hundred thirty-five (1335) studies were screened, 105 of which were included. Via network analysis, the current study investigated the pathways that underlie possible risk factors for mental health outcomes.

RESULTS

Anxiety, depression, distress and post-traumatic symptoms are frequently experienced during the COVID-19 quarantine and are often associated with changes in sleeping and eating habits. Some socio-demographic and COVID-19-related variables were found to be risk factors for an individual's wellbeing. In particular, being female, young, having a low income, being unemployed and having COVID-19-like symptoms or chronic disorders, were found to be the most common risk factors for mental health symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic represented an unprecedented threat to mental health globally. In order to prevent psychological morbidity and offer support tailored to short-, medium- and long-term negative outcomes, it is essential to identify the direct and indirect psychosocial effects of the lockdown and quarantine measures, especially in certain vulnerable groups. In addition to measures to reduce the curve of viral transmission, policy makers should urgently take into consideration provisions to alleviate hazards to mental health.

"We are also here"-Spiritual Care Practitioners' Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study from Poland

Although healthcare professionals have become the symbol of risk and sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic, spiritual care practitioners (SCP) have also put themselves at great risk while offering their service in hospitals, hospices and other healthcare facilities. This study was designed to explore the lived experiences of SCP during the current health crisis in Poland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-four SCP. Nine major themes emerged from the interviews: personal reactions to the pandemic, SCP's perception of the pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of spiritual care, spiritual needs during the pandemic, work-related emotions, the impact of the COVID-19 on religion, the role of spiritual care during the outbreak, the healthcare professionals' perceptions of SCP and barriers to the provision of spiritual care during the pandemic. The SCP indicated that although the COVID-19 crisis has affected the availability of pastoral, religious and spiritual care, it has amplified the importance of such care and has positively influenced the visibility of SCP in modern healthcare practice. Nonetheless, in such desperate times, SCP are still neglected and should be further recognised and integrated into the healthcare system.

“We are also here”—Spiritual Care Practitioners’ Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study from Poland

Although healthcare professionals have become the symbol of risk and sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic, spiritual care practitioners (SCP) have also put themselves at great risk while offering their service in hospitals, hospices and other healthcare facilities. This study was designed to explore the lived experiences of SCP during the current health crisis in Poland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-four SCP. Nine major themes emerged from the interviews: personal reactions to the pandemic, SCP’s perception of the pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of spiritual care, spiritual needs during the pandemic, work-related emotions, the impact of the COVID-19 on religion, the role of spiritual care during the outbreak, the healthcare professionals’ perceptions of SCP and barriers to the provision of spiritual care during the pandemic. The SCP indicated that although the COVID-19 crisis has affected the availability of pastoral, religious and spiritual care, it has amplified the importance of such care and has positively influenced the visibility of SCP in modern healthcare practice. Nonetheless, in such desperate times, SCP are still neglected and should be further recognised and integrated into the healthcare system.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Assessment of Sexual Life-Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys among Polish Adults in 2017, 2020 and 2021

The study aims to investigate whether assessment of sexual life remained stable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two surveys were conducted among Polish adults aged 18–70 years in June 2020 (n = 2042; perspective of last 2–3 months) and in June 2021 (n = 2418; last 12 months). Data from 2017 (n = 1980) were used as a reference point. Four questions allowed for defining five sexual life assessment profiles (k-means cluster analysis). Their characteristics were presented using 12 variables and 16 factors that contributed to difficulties in sexual life. The 2020 survey showed a temporary increase in the importance of sexual life and the frequency of sexual intercourse. However, the percentage of respondents representing the most favorable profile decreased significantly over the consecutive survey periods (47.1%, 34.2%, and 32.3%, respectively). Pandemic-induced fatigue and stress as well as the permanent presence of others at home were reported as two main factors negatively affecting the frequency of sexual intercourse during the pandemic. Respondents who assessed their sexual life as poor were more likely to consider illness, depression, and low self-esteem as factors negatively impacting their sexual life in 2021 than a year earlier. The results confirmed that as the pandemic drew on, the assessment of sexual life changed compared to the time around the first lockdown.

Pre-Vaccination Stress, Post-Vaccination Adverse Reactions, and Attitudes towards Vaccination after Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine among Health Care Workers

The vaccines against COVID-19 are the best treatment for limiting the spread of the epidemic, and from an individual point of view, for avoiding getting sick. A cross-sectional retrospective survey was conducted from 15 May to 15 July 2021 among healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and students at the Medical University of Lodz (nursing, midwifery and medical students) in Poland. Data were obtained from 1080 participants. The aim of the study was to evaluate vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Poland, and to analyze their attitude towards the available vaccines, stress before taking, and side effects after administrating them, and motivation towards continuing vaccination in the future (if necessary). The survey also estimated the frequency and quality of adverse post-vaccination reactions after two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer and two doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. The present study revealed that the vaccination ratio after 6 months from the start of vaccination against COVID-19 in Poland among HCWs was very high at 91.2%. However, doctors and medical students were more likely to be vaccinated than nurses and midwives, and nursing and midwifery students (94.8%, 98.3% vs. 78.9% and 86.3%, respectively). The main reasons that HCWs reported receiving a vaccination were to protect the health of themselves and their families, while the main reasons for avoiding a vaccination were fear of side effects, doubts about effectiveness, and an expedited clinical trial process of vaccines. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of those vaccinated reported side effects after receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Most of the side effects were short-term symptoms with only slight and moderate intensification. The univariate and multivariate logistic regressions showed that the type of vaccine used had a significant impact on the occurrence of adverse post-vaccination effects and the severity and duration of vaccination symptoms. In addition, chronic disease and fear of vaccination also had some influence. Despite this, most participants (more often older than younger participants; p < 0.001) were in favor of compulsory vaccination against COVID-19 for HCWs.

Experiences and Expectations of Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Qualitative Study in Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many new problems and challenges for medical personnel, patients and their families. The present study aimed to learn the difficulties and expectations of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. A descriptive qualitative research approach was adopted, and the study was carried out using semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 patients according to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. Two main themes were extracted from the experiences related by patients hospitalized for COVID-19: difficulties resulting from their poor health condition and difficulties resulting from hospital conditions and safety protocols. The patients' expectations referred to professionalism and family members' support. From the patient's perspective, a sense of humor in the care provider is important, apart from professionalism and the effectiveness of treatment, because humor helps the patient endure difficult situations. The findings indicate that patients hospitalized for COVID-19 experienced both positive and negative emotions. Their negative experiences concerned organizational barriers and medical personnel shortages, especially of clinical nurses. Patients' expectations are realistic and appropriate to the situation they are in. Learning the difficulties and expectations of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 may help care providers cope with this disease more effectively and ensure better care for patients, including nursing and psychological services.

Coping Strategies and Life Satisfaction among Romanian Emerging Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The aim of the present study was to understand coping mechanisms among Romanian youth in their response to institutional COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Data were collected from emerging adults (N = 214), aged 18–29, enrolled in various fields of study throughout a public university in Romania. Adopted versions of the Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences Scale (Brief-COPE, Carver, 1997) and Satisfaction with Life Scales (SLWS, Diener et al., 1985) were administered to explore the impact of the specific social distancing and isolation enforced pandemic restrictions. Findings elucidate the response styles, impact of coping skills, and strategies employed by students toward their well-being during stay-at-home courses. Results indicated that Romanian emerging-adults tend to use diverse strategies, but they use more disengagement, problem-focused coping, humor, socially supportive coping or religion, rather than denial, avoidant-focused coping or substance use, when faced with unprecedented situations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss these findings framed in resilience as it relates to the positive youth psychology framework.

Videoconference Fatigue: A Conceptual Analysis

Videoconferencing (VC) is a type of online meeting that allows two or more participants from different locations to engage in live multi-directional audio-visual communication and collaboration (e.g., via screen sharing). The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a boom in both private and professional videoconferencing in the early 2020s that elicited controversial public and academic debates about its pros and cons. One main concern has been the phenomenon of videoconference fatigue. The aim of this conceptual review article is to contribute to the conceptual clarification of VC fatigue. We use the popular and succinct label "Zoom fatigue" interchangeably with the more generic label "videoconference fatigue" and define it as the experience of fatigue during and/or after a videoconference, regardless of the specific VC system used. We followed a structured eight-phase process of conceptual analysis that led to a conceptual model of VC fatigue with four key causal dimensions: (1) personal factors, (2) organizational factors, (3) technological factors, and (4) environmental factors. We present this 4D model describing the respective dimensions with their sub-dimensions based on theories, available evidence, and media coverage. The 4D-model is meant to help researchers advance empirical research on videoconference fatigue.

Depression, COVID-19 Anxiety, Subjective Well-being, and Academic Performance in University Students With COVID-19-Infected Relatives: A Network Analysis

This study aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety, depression, subjective well-being, and academic performance in Peruvian university health science students with COVID-19-infected relatives. Eight hundred two university students aged 17-54 years (Mean 21.83; SD = 5.31); 658 females (82%) and 144 males (18%); who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, Subjective Well-being Scale (SWB), and Self-reporting of Academic Performance participated. A partial unregularized network was estimated using the ggmModSelect function. Expected influence (EI) values were calculated to identify the central nodes and a two-tailed permutation test for the difference between the two groups (COVID-19 infected and uninfected). The results reveal that a depression and well-being node (PHQ1-SWB3) presents the highest relationship. The most central nodes belonged to COVID-19 anxiety, and there are no global differences between the comparison networks; but at the local level, there are connections in the network of COVID-19-infected students that are not in the group that did not present this diagnosis. It is concluded that anxious-depressive symptomatology and its relationship with well-being and evaluation of academic performance should be considered in order to understand the impact that COVID-19 had on health sciences students.

Depressive and Sexual Disorders during the First and Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Polish Women

We investigated whether long-term social restrictions and COVID-19 exposure have different impacts on the mental and sexual health of Polish women compared to the effects experienced at the beginning of the pandemic. An online survey was conducted among Polish women via Facebook groups. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scores were compared for the first wave (April-May 2020) and the second wave (November 2020 to February 2021) of the pandemic. We enrolled 1644 participants (mean age 25.11 ± 7.09 years) during the first wave and 720 participants (mean age 23.23 ± 5.34 years) during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Significant differences were observed in libido levels and frequency of sexual activity before and during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (both p < 0.001). The percentage of participants under psychiatric or psychological care increased from 6.5% to 14.44% and those who were anxious about the health conditions of loved ones increased from 57.5% to 65.14%. BDI scores increased significantly from 11 (IQR 5-18) to 12 (IQR 7-20). The change in the FSFI score was not significant (27.01 ± 7.61 vs. 26.38 ± 7.76). The COVID-19 pandemic affected various aspects of human life, including sexual life. The data obtained during the first and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland showed that female sexual dysfunction did not differ, but depressive symptoms and fear intensified.

Loneliness and mental well-being in the Polish population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

There is a growing concern that the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to increased loneliness and mental disorders, which are considered a major public health problem. The aim of the study was to assess loneliness, anxiety, depression and irritability in the Polish population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study. The study participants completed an online questionnaire using the computer-assisted web interview technique. Data were collected using Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

SETTING

Poland.

PARTICIPANTS

This study was conducted between 6 October and 12 October 2020, in a representative sample of 890 Polish residents.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Self-reported loneliness; sociodemographic and COVID-19 pandemic factors associated with loneliness, anxiety, depression and irritability.

RESULTS

The analyses showed a moderately high degree of loneliness in 22%, symptoms of anxiety in 27%, depression in 14% and irritability in 33% of the respondents. The increasing severity of anxiety, depression and irritation in the study group was accompanied by higher loneliness. Generally, younger people, both tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and those who experienced home quarantine, scored higher in both scales.

CONCLUSIONS

It is necessary to identify those most vulnerable to loneliness, anxiety and depression during a crisis to assess health needs and proactively allocate resources during and after the pandemic. Loneliness, anxiety, depression and irritability are important factors to consider in a population of younger, disadvantaged people, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, people who were quarantined at home, and people who believe that their physical and mental health is worse than in the pre-pandemic period. It is important to cater for the mental health of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote psychological interventions to improve mental well-being in potentially vulnerable social groups.

Changes in alcohol use during COVID-19 and associations with contextual and individual difference variables: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The present study meta-analyzed studies examining changes in alcohol consumption during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and systematically reviewed contextual and individual difference factors related to these changes.

METHOD

Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) protocol, studies were gathered via PsycINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, and preprint databases (published April 29, 2021) that examined individual-level changes in consumption during the initial COVID-19 mitigation measures (before October 2020). Next, sample proportion increases and decreases in consumption, in addition to mean change in consumption variables from pre- to during-COVID, were meta-analyzed, and contextual and individual difference variables related to consumption changes during the pandemic were summarized.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-eight studies provided data from 58 countries (M n = 3,876; Mdn n = 1,092; aggregate sample n = 492,235). The average mean change in alcohol consumption was nonsignificant (Cohen's d = -0.01, p = .68); however, meta-analysis revealed that 23% of participants reported increases in consumption and 23% reported decreases. These changes were moderated by per capita gross domestic product and country. Narrative synthesis revealed multiple predictors of increased drinking, including contextual changes (e.g., children at home, income loss, working remotely), individual difference variables (being female, a young-to-middle aged adult, or Black), and mental health/alcohol-related risk factors (e.g., depression).

CONCLUSIONS

The identified factors associated with increased alcohol consumption should be considered in planning behavioral health services during future crisis events that abruptly alter everyday environments in ways that increase stress and decrease access to naturally occurring rewards. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A Peek into Pandora’s Box: COVID-19 and Neurodegeneration

Ever since it was first reported in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus-induced disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has become an enigma of sorts with ever expanding reports of direct and indirect effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on almost all the vital organ systems. Along with inciting acute pulmonary complications, the virus attacks the cardiac, renal, hepatic, and gastrointestinal systems as well as the central nervous system (CNS). The person-to-person variability in susceptibility of individuals to disease severity still remains a puzzle, although the comorbidities and the age/gender of a person are believed to play a key role. SARS-CoV-2 needs angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor for its infectivity, and the association between SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 leads to a decline in ACE2 activity and its neuroprotective effects. Acute respiratory distress may also induce hypoxia, leading to increased oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. Infection of the neurons along with peripheral leukocytes’ activation results in proinflammatory cytokine release, rendering the brain more susceptible to neurodegenerative changes. Due to the advancement in molecular biology techniques and vaccine development programs, the world now has hope to relatively quickly study and combat the deadly virus. On the other side, however, the virus seems to be still evolving with new variants being discovered periodically. In keeping up with the pace of this virus, there has been an avalanche of studies. This review provides an update on the recent progress in adjudicating the CNS-related mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its potential to incite or accelerate neurodegeneration in surviving patients. Current as well as emerging therapeutic opportunities and biomarker development are highlighted.

Emotions and emotion up-regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

In stressful situations such as the COVID-19-pandemic, unpleasant emotions are expected to increase while pleasant emotions will likely decrease. Little is known about the role cognitive appraisals, information management, and upregulating pleasant emotions can play to support emotion regulation in a pandemic. In an online survey (N = 1682), we investigated predictors of changes in pleasant and unpleasant emotions in a German sample (aged 18–88 years) shortly after the first restrictions were imposed. Crisis self-efficacy and felt restriction were predictors of changes in unpleasant emotions and joy alike. The application of emotion up-regulation strategies was weakly associated with changes in joy. Among the different upregulation strategies, only “savouring the moment” predicted changes in joy. Our study informs future research perspectives assessing the role of upregulating pleasant emotions under challenging circumstances.

Accelerating the Nature Deficit or Enhancing the Nature-Based Human Health during the Pandemic Era: An International Study in Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Myanmar, following the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In modern society, the opportunity to experience nature is separate from everyday life, requiring time and effort. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on freedom of activity and communication around the world have become a crisis, causing a nature deficit by accelerating the process of separation from nature. At the same time, the pandemic has increased people’s motivation to return to nature, providing an opportunity to seek experiences and health recovery in nature. The authors conducted an international cross-sectional study in five Asian countries, investigating changes in the perception of recreational activities and health restoration in the natural environment, one of the many effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on human society. An online survey, completed by 524 respondents, has confirmed the efficacy of the SEM model, which includes COVID-19 stress, increased indoor activity, a preference for the natural environment, and the perception of health recovery. Although the five countries had different response values for each theme, the stress caused by restricted activities and communication during the pandemic was linked to a preference for natural experiences and the motivation to visit natural environments in all five countries, ultimately affecting perceptions of health recovery in nature. This study has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic, a disaster afflicting all human civilization, has changed people’s perceptions by enhancing their preference for natural recreational activities and health. It has accelerated people’s return to nature and fostered a positive perception of nature’s ability to promote good health.

What Matters for Depression and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Quarantine?: Results of an Online Cross-Sectional Survey in Seoul, South Korea

BACKGROUND

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine measures are key to containing the spread of the virus. Millions of people have been required to quarantine throughout the pandemic; the quarantine itself is considered detrimental to mental health conditions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the factors associated with depression and anxiety among quarantined people in Seoul, South Korea.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey was administered from October to November 2020 involving people who were living in Seoul, aged 19 years or above, under a 2-week mandatory quarantine. Their mental health status was measured using the Patient Health Questionnares-9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7).

RESULTS

Overall, 1,135 respondents were finally included, resulting in a 22.0% response rate. After controlling for potential confounders, variables, such as the "second half of quarantine period" (OR = 1.78 95% CI: 1.10-2.88), "female" (OR = 1.91 95% CI: 1.16-3.16), and "having pre-existing depression" (OR = 8.03 95% CI: 2.96-21.78) were significantly associated with depression while being quarantined. Those with correct knowledge about the rationale behind for the quarantine (OR = 0.39 95% CI: 0.21-0.72), an understanding of quarantine rules (OR = 0.68 95%CI: 0.52-0.91), and those who felt supported by others (OR = 0.74 95% CI: 0.55-0.99) were less likely to develop depression while quarantining. Similarly, anxiety was significantly associated with the second week (OR = 4.18 95% CI: 1.44-12.09), those with an unstable job status (OR = 3.95 95% CI: 1.60-9.79), perceived support (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45-0.96), and the fear of being infected (OR = 7.22 95% CI: 1.04-49.95).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need to develop precautionary measures to prevent depression and anxiety among people undergoing COVID-19 quarantine. In particular, individuals with depression prior to quarantine should be carefully monitored during the quarantine. Further studies with larger populations are needed.