Psychological strains after the crisis: evaluating separation anxiety among Iranian children and adolescents in the post-COVID-19 era.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to specifically investigate Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), as one of the noteworthy disorders within the spectrum of anxiety disorders, among children and adolescents, after overcoming the crises caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts were also made to identify socio-demographic factors that could be associated with changes in SAD level and also to assess the effect of different constituting dimensions of SAD on the severity of this disorder. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the parents of 317 (7-13-year-old) Iranian students, who were selected through a multi-stage random sampling method in the city of Shiraz. During the interviews, socio-demographic data were collected, and subsequently, SAD symptoms and dimensions were assessed using the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale (Parent Version) (SAAS-P) questionnaire. Later, employing the Partition Around Medoids (PAM) statistical method, the participants were categorized into two groups with low and high levels of SAD. Also, to understand the interaction between the different dimensions of SAD, the network analysis method was employed. Finally, univariate analysis and logistic regression were utilized, with a significance level of 0.05, to determine potential associating factors with the level of SAD. RESULTS: The sample included 128 girls and 189 boys with a mean age of 9.63 ± 2.63 and 9.63 ± 1.95 years respectively. Based on the PAM method, 51.1% of the participants presented a high level of SAD. According to network analysis, it was demonstrated that the "fear of abandonment" dimension plays a central role in high levels of SAD. Based on logistic regression, female gender, age ≥ 10 years, parents' unacademic educational background, mother's employment, and child's history of physical/mental problems were significantly associated with the high level of SAD. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable number of the participants in this study presented a high level of SAD with the "fear of abandonment" being a key influential dimension of elevated levels of this disorder. Maternal employment, female gender, child's history of health issues, and low parental education were identified as important contributors to the high SAD level. Considering these factors allows for more effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. However, the need for further studies remains crucial.

Mental Health Status of Healthcare Workers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Survey of Hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) directly or indirectly involved in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment process may experience severe mental consequences of the pandemic. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the mental health status of HCWs in hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 503 HCWs from five hospitals in Shiraz, including one COVID-19 front-line hospital, two COVID-19 second-line hospitals, and two without COVID-19 wards. Then, to assess the levels of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among HCWs, the Persian versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS) questionnaires were placed, respectively. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 33.94±8.26 years, and 252 (50.1%) were females. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and moderate to high levels of PTSD were observed in 40.4%, 37.8%, 24.5%, and 71% of participants, respectively. A history of mental disorders was associated with all four outcomes (P0.05). Females gender and living with elderly and/or children were correlated with anxiety and PTSD (P0.05). Working at COVID-19 front- and second-line hospitals were similarly linked to higher insomnia and PTSD levels (P0.05). Also, working in COVID-19 wards or non-clinical settings was associated with anxiety and depression (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Most of the HCWs in this study may experience mental difficulties. Some factors may increase their risk of experiencing these difficulties. Hence, in the crisis era, mental health monitoring and identification of groups with predisposing factors are required to provide appropriate care as quickly as feasible.