Meaning and lived experience of Iranian COVID-19 survivors: A phenomenological study

BACKGROUND

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is among the most contagious diseases worldwide. During the first peak of the illness, COVID-19 was considered a considerable crisis for survivors. This qualitative study explored the meaning and lived experience of Iranian COVID-19 survivors. This qualitative study was conducted in Iran sometime after the onset of the coronavirus in 2020.

METHODS

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was performed on twenty survivors of COVID-19 disease, recruited through the purposeful sampling method via in-depth semistructured interviews. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and several codes were extracted. Data were analyzed using the MAXQDA software (v. 12).

RESULTS

The main themes and subthemes obtained from the data analysis included (1) Taboo and stigma: COVID-19 as a monster, feelings of social exclusion and loneliness, an obvious sign of shamelessness and maltreatment, (2) God's predestination: God's will and test, COVID-19 as a wake-up call to remind low human power, (3) Shadow of death: The fear of death after positive test results, death is closer than the jugular vein, the mourning of a loved one's death, and mourning for an untimely death, (4) Caregivers as an angel: Family as an unrepentant supportive, know the level of family love and attention, and (5) Rebirth and new life: understand the higher value of health and pay more attention to self-care behavior, and God gives us a golden chance to experience a better life.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the results of this study, COVID-19 survivors experience various issues regarding the nature of the disease, coping with the illness, and their social and psychological status affected by COVID-19. Considering the multidimensional supportive programs, increasing public awareness and changing negative attitudes toward the patients and survivors of the pandemic for better rehabilitation and adjustment is essential.

Evaluating Experiential Avoidance in terms of COVID-19 Fear and Pandemic Emotional Distress Symptoms Among Latinx Adults

Background

The outbreak of the novel 2019 SARS2-Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to substantial psychological distress across the United States and the world. However, emerging work suggests that prominent COVID-19 consequences such as fear of COVID-19 infection and emotional distress resulting from economic adversity and social distancing may afflict the Latinx population disproportionately. The current study sought to investigate the influence of experiential avoidance (EA), or an individual's tendency to rigidly avoid negative internal experiences (i.e. feelings, thoughts, etc.), on the severity of COVID-19 fear and emotional distress symptoms due to economic adversity and social distancing.

Method

Participants included 188 Latinx persons recruited via an online survey panel program.

Results

Results indicated that EA was a statistically significant contributing factor to fear of COVID-19 and emotional distress associated with economic adversity and social distancing. These effects were evident over and above the variance accounted for by gender, years living in the United States, education, and COVID-19 related work and home life stress.

Conclusions

Overall, the present work is the first to document empirically EA as it relates to fear of COVID-19 infection and related emotional distress resulting from economic adversity and social distancing among Latinx persons.

Exploring the factors associated with coronaphobia among physicians during the COVID-19 outbreak in Egypt

Background

Coronaphobia refers to intensified and persistent fears of contracting COVID-19 virus infection. This study aimed to evaluate the newly termed phenomenon, coronaphobia, and address its associated correlates among Egyptian physicians during the outbreak. A cross-sectional study, including a total of 426 Egyptian physicians working during COVID-19 outbreak, was conducted between March 1st and May 1st, 2020. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were utilized for assessment of coronaphobia, and comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms among physicians, respectively during the outbreak.

Results

Moderate-to-severe symptoms of anxiety and depression were reported by 28% and 30% of physicians, respectively. Physicians experiencing higher levels of coronaphobia were more likely to be females, nonsmokers, having death wishes and/or self-harming thoughts, receiving insufficient training, dissatisfied with their personal protective equipment (PPE), and had colleagues infected with COVID-19 virus infection. Coronaphobia was positively correlated with anxiety (r = 0.59, P < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (r = 0.47, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Egyptian physicians experienced higher levels of coronaphobia, anxiety, and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak. Yet, frontline physicians did not differ from their second-line counterparts regarding the aforementioned symptoms. Routine mental and physical assessment measures of medical staff should be implemented.

Breathing exercises and pranayamas to decrease perceived exertion during breath-holding while locked-down due to COVID-19 online randomized study

AIM

to compare anulom vilom pranayama (AVP), kapal bhati pranayama (KBP), diaphragmatic breathing exercises (DBE), and pursed-lip breathing (PLB) for breath holding time (BHT) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Methods- Participants were assessed for BHT and RPE, before training on any one intervention using online platforms, for one week during lockdown from COVID-19.15 participants in each group total N = 60 at- (α - 0.05), (1- β - 0.90) & (effect size - 0.55); were analysed. Results - AVP & DBE decreased RPE (p < 0.000). KBP & PLB did not decrease RPE as compared to AVP & DBE (p. > 0.05). DBE increased BHT more than KBP & PLB interventions (p < 0.05), but not more than AVP (p > 0.05). One-way ANOVA of four interventions revealed significant variation for RPE change (p < 0.05), for AVP. Conclusions - AVP reduces RPE maximally during breath-holding, whereas DPE increases BHT more.

The Magnitude of Psychological Problem and Associated Factor in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Among Communities Living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study Design

PURPOSE

COVID-19 pandemic is a World Health Organization day-to-day work and has a significant crisis on the physical and mental health of humans. However, little is known about the mental health crisis of the pandemic in Sub-Saharan countries. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of psychological problems and associated factors among communities living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 10 to 30, 2020. Data were collected from 420 respondents selected using a consecutive sampling technique. An online self-administered and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) survey during the initial phase of the pandemic was conducted to assess the presence of psychological problems for the last two weeks in response to the infection.

RESULTS

The magnitude of the psychological problem from moderate to severe levels was 66.4%. The predictor variables of the outcome were female gender, above the secondary level of education, monthly income below 3000 ETB, and more than three family size at 95% CI, P<0.05.

CONCLUSION

At the time of the initial COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia, nearly two-thirds of the respondents reported moderate to severe levels of psychological problems. Therefore, working on those identified factors would be vital to promote the mental resilience of a community towards the pandemic.

Coronavirus Outbreak and Stress in Iranians

Iran has faced one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the world, and no studies to date have examined COVID-19-related stress in the general Iranian population. In this first population-based study, a web-based survey was conducted during the peak of the outbreak to assess stress and its correlates in the Iranian population. A 54-item, valid, and reliable questionnaire, including items on demographic characteristics and past medical history, stress levels, awareness about signs and symptoms of COVID-19, knowledge about at-risk groups and prevention methods, knowledge about transmission methods, trust in sources of information, and availability of facemasks and sanitizers, was deployed via social and mass media networks. A total of 3787 Iranians participated in the study where the majority of the participants were females (67.4%), employed (56.1%), from developed provinces (81.6%), without chronic diseases (66.6%), and with ≥13 years of formal education (87.9%). The mean age of study participants was 34.9 years (range = 12-73), and the average stress score was 3.33 (SD = ±1.02). Stress score was significantly higher for females, those who were 30-39 years old, housewives, those with chronic diseases, individuals who were aware that there is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, those who could not get facemasks or sanitizers, and individuals with higher knowledge about at-risk groups (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation of stress scores with knowledge about prevention methods for COVID-19 (r = 0.21, p = 0.01) and trust in sources of information about COVID-19 (r = -0.18, p = 0.01). All of the predictors, except knowledge of two important at-risk groups and education, had a significant effect on stress scores based on a multivariate regression model. The COVID-19 outbreak could increase stress among all population groups, with certain groups at higher risk. In the high-risk groups and based on experience with previous pandemics, interventions are needed to prevent long-term psychological effects. Professional support and family-centered programs should be a part of pandemic mitigation-related policymaking and public health practices.

Grief Process and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Wise Intervention in Vulnerable Groups and Survivors

Collapse

Psychological Interventions for COVID-19 Outbreak in Mazandaran Province, Iran

Collapse

Opium Addiction and COVID-19: Truth or False Beliefs

Collapse

Psychiatric Advice During COVID-19 Pandemic for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Collapse