Anxiety, depression, somatization and psychological distress before and 2-6 years after a late termination of pregnancy due to fetal anomalies.

BACKGROUND: For many women, a late termination of pregnancy (TOP) can be an enormous psychological burden. Few studies have investigated the long-term psychological impact of late TOP. METHODS: N = 90 women answered a questionnaire containing questions about anxiety, depression and somatization (Brief-Symptom Inventory, BSI-18) shortly before (T1) and 2-6 years after (T4) their late termination of pregnancy. RESULTS: Prior to the late TOP, 57.8% of participants showed above-average levels of overall psychological distress (66.7% anxiety, 51.1% depression, 37.8% somatization). This number decreased significantly over time for all scales of the BSI-18. 2-6 years later, only 10.0% of women still reported above-average levels (17.8% anxiety, 11.1% depression, 10.0% somatization). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support those of previous research showing that late TOP has a substantial psychological impact on those experiencing it in the short-term. In the long-term, most women return to normal levels of psychological distress, although some still show elevated levels. Limitations of the study include monocentric data collection, drop-out between T1 and T4, and the relatively wide range of two to six years after TOP. Further research should be conducted in order to identify factors that impact the psychological processing of the experience.

Dental anxiety and dental care - a comparison between Albania and Germany.

BACKGROUND: The present study is the first in Albania on dental fear and dental anxiety and also in the field of psychosocial medicine. The purpose of this study was to find out whether there are differences in dental anxiety using the Dental Anxiety Scale, their level of psychological distress using the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the evaluation of oral health among Albanian and German patients. METHODS: This study was conducted in the period from December 2019 to July 2020, a sample of N = 263 patients (133 Germans, 130 Albanians) using the Dental Anxiety Scale questionnaires to determine anxiety before dental treatment and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 to evaluate psychological distress. Moreover, the patients answered questions regarding their oral health and dental care. In Germany, there were four refusals to entrance in the study due to various reasons, in contrast to Albania, where there were no refusals at all For the purposes of this study, data on both populations aged 14 years and older were used. RESULTS: The questionnaires results were calculated for all participants. The current subjective health status of Albanian patients was assessed to be significantly worse than that of German patients (p < 0,000). Germans were more susceptible to signs of Anxiety (p < 0,000), Depression and Somatization and scored higher on the Dental Anxiety Scale and the Global Severity Index (p < 0,000) than Albanian patients. Additionally Albanian patients scored significantly lower on the preventive care index (p < 0,000). Despite an elevated DAS anxiety level, German patients reported going to the dentist more frequently than Albanian patients. CONCLUSION: The results showed that between both populations differences in dental anxiety, psychological distress and oral health exists. Patients from Germany report more psychological distress and described more dental anxiety compared to Albanian patients. Albanian patients reported not utilization on oral health care.The implementation of educational programs and preventive measures, would contribute to raising awareness about the importance of oral health and increased use of dental services.

[Anxiety, Depression, Psychological Strain and Physical Complaints before and after the Covid-19 Pandemic in a German Longitudinal Study with Adults from Saxony]. / Ängstlichkeit, Depressivität, psychische Belastung und Körperbeschwerden vor und nach der Covid-19-Pandemie in einer deutschen Längsschnittstudie bei Erwachsenen aus Sachsen.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate whether psychological distress increased in a German community sample from Saxony during the course of the Corona pandemic. METHODS: In 2017/2018 and 2022, N=289 participants (54.7% female) of the Saxon Longitudinal Study were interviewed about their psychological well-being using questionnaires (PHQ-4, SSS-8). RESULTS: There is a significant increase in complaints (anxiety, depression, psychological distress, physical complaints) compared to 2017/2018 to 2022 with effect sizes in the small and medium range (Cohens d=0.26-0.62). CONCLUSION: Data collection was not due to the pandemic but was routine as part of an ongoing long-term study. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in psychological distress and physical complaints in a Saxonian, age-homogeneous population sample.

Compounded Effects of Multiple Global Crises on Mental Health: A Longitudinal Study of East German Adults.

The early 2020s witnessed an unprecedented overlap of multiple global crises. This longitudinal study examined the compounded effects of multiple intersecting global crises on mental health outcomes in a representative cohort of East German adults. We investigated how perceived threats (PT) from climate change (PT-CLC), COVID-19 (PT-COV), the Russia-Ukraine War (PT-RUW), and rising costs of living (PT-RCL) will impact various aspects of mental health from 2021 to 2022. This research question addresses whether these crises exacerbate mental health issues and how their effects differ across various mental health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study with 319 participants (mean age 49.9 years, 54.5% female) from the Saxony Longitudinal Study. Data were collected in two waves: March-July 2021 and September-December 2022. We used linear mixed-effects models to analyze both unadjusted group trends and adjusted individual-level effects on physical complaints, mental distress, sleep problems, life satisfaction, and self-rated health. Results: Unadjusted analyses revealed significant increases in mental distress and sleep problems over time, whereas physical complaints, life satisfaction, and self-rated health remained stable at the group level. Adjusted analyses showed that higher PT-RCL and PT-COV were significantly associated with increased physical complaints, mental distress, sleep problems, and decreased life satisfaction, even when group-level changes were not significant. Conclusions: This study highlights the complex impact of intersecting global crises on mental health, emphasizing the importance of considering both population-level trends and individual perceptions. The findings suggest that economic and pandemic-related stressors have more immediate effects on mental health outcomes compared to more distant threats, such as climate change or geopolitical conflicts.

Impact of Home-Based Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental and Physical Health in a German Population-Based Sample.

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak necessitated physical distancing, as part of secondary prevention, at a personal and professional level. Working from home (WFH) became increasingly important. In this study, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on physical and mental health is investigated, compared with pre-pandemic data, and with employees who WFH and are on-site. Methods: Data from the German Saxon longitudinal study population were used. Attitudes towards WFH as well as mental and physical health assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic were examined. Comparisons were made with corresponding pre-pandemic scores and between employees WFH and on-site in 2022. Results: In total, 319 participants with equal gender distribution were included. Of those, 86 worked from home stating better organizability of their work, more time for partnership, less stress, and greater work satisfaction. Compared to pre-pandemic data, the D-score, PHQ-4, G-Score, and PHQ-SSS-8 showed a significant increase. No difference in physical or mental health between employees WFH and on-site was observed. Conclusion: In general, COVID-19 restrictions had a negative impact on mental and physical health. Although WFH is well accepted, it did not show significant health benefits.

Impact of Dental Anxiety on Dental Care Routine and Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life in a German Adult Population-A Cross-Sectional Study.

The interaction between dental anxiety and the establishment of a consistent dental care routine has been an ongoing challenge. Unfortunately, there is limited available data concerning the detailed dental care practices of individuals with dental anxiety. Therefore, this study aims to explore how dental anxiety influences dental care habits and oral-health-related quality of life within an adult population. By utilizing the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the German Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G5), we assessed their extent. To evaluate the differences, we performed analyses of variance (Anova), an independent t-test and rank correlation. The findings of this study unveil a significant correlation between elevated DAS scores and reduced frequency of tooth brushing; calculus removal and appointments for professional teeth cleaning. Interestingly; the use of dental floss and mouthwash solution as well as toothbrush hardness appeared to be not significantly affected by dental fear. Moreover, individuals with dental anxiety demonstrated a preference for manual toothbrushes over electric ones. In addition, higher DAS scores were found to be strongly associated with greater OHIP-G5 scores, thus leading to a substantial decline in overall oral health-related quality of life.