Associations between depression, fear of COVID-19 infection and students' self-care measures used during the first wave of the pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 lockdown resulted in the closure of schools with associated problems. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between depression, fear of contracting COVID-19 infection and the use of self-care measures by college students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study that collected data from undergraduate and postgraduate college students 18 years and older from 152 countries between June and December 2020. Study participants were recruited through crowdsourcing using various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, WhatsApp groups and emails to participants in the collaborators' networks. The dependent variables were fear of contracting COVID-19 and depression while the independent variable was students' self-care measures. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to assess the associations between the dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: Of the 2840 respondents, 1305 (46.0%) had fears of contracting COVID-19 and 599 (21.1%) reported depression. The most common self-care measures were phone calls with friends/family (60.1%) and video chat (52.8%). Learning a new skill was significantly associated with higher odds of fear of contracting COVID-19 (AOR = 1.669) and lower odds of having depression (AOR = 0.684). Talking to friends/family through video chat (AOR = 0.809) was significantly associated with lower odds of feeling depressed while spending time with pets (AOR = 1.470) and taking breaks from the news/social media (AOR = 1.242) were significantly associated with higher odds of feeling depressed. Students from lower middle-income countries (AOR = 0.330) had significantly lower odds of feeling depressed than students from low-income countries. CONCLUSION: Self-care strategies involving social interactions were associated with less depression. Coping strategies with more cognitive demands may significantly reduce the risk of fear of COVID-19. Special attention needs to be given to students in low-income countries who have higher odds of depression during the pandemic than students from other countries.

Factors associated with COVID-19 pandemic induced post-traumatic stress symptoms among adults living with and without HIV in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria is a country with high risk for traumatic incidences, now aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify differences in COVID-19 related post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among people living and not living with HIV; to assess whether PTSS were associated with COVID-19 pandemic-related anger, loneliness, social isolation, and social support; and to determine the association between PTSS and use of COVID-19 prevention strategies. METHODS: The data of the 3761 respondents for this analysis was extracted from a cross-sectional online survey that collected information about mental health and wellness from a convenience sample of adults, 18 years and above, in Nigeria from July to December 2020. Information was collected on the study's dependent variable (PTSS), independent variables (self-reported COVID-19, HIV status, use of COVID-19 prevention strategies, perception of social isolation, access to emotional support, feelings of anger and loneliness), and potential confounder (age, sex at birth, employment status). A binary logistic regression model tested the associations between independent and dependent variables. RESULTS: Nearly half (47.5%) of the respondents had PTSS. People who had symptoms but were not tested (AOR = 2.20), felt socially isolated (AOR = 1.16), angry (AOR = 2.64), or lonely (AOR = 2.19) had significantly greater odds of reporting PTSS (p < 0.001). People living with HIV (AOR = 0.39), those who wore masks (AOR = 0.62) and those who had emotional support (AOR = 0.63), had lower odds of reporting PTSS (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The present study identified some multifaceted relationships between post-traumatic stress, HIV status, facemask use, anger, loneliness, social isolation, and access to emotional support during this protracted COVID-19 pandemic. These findings have implications for the future health of those affected, particularly for individuals living in Nigeria. Public health education should be incorporated in programs targeting prevention and prompt diagnosis and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at the community level.