Re-humanisation, Recognising the person behind the patient

Submission content Introduction: At the end of a particularly hectic night shift on the intensive care unit (ICU) I found myself sitting in the relatives' room with the mother and aunt of a young patient, listening to their stories of her hopes and aspirations as she grew up. She had been diagnosed with lymphoma aged 14 and received a bone marrow transplant from her younger sister. Fighting through treatment cycles interposed with school studies, she eventually achieved remission and a portfolio of A-levels. Acceptance into university marked the start of a new era, away from her cancer label, where she studied forensic science and took up netball. Halfway through her first year she relapsed. Main body: When I met this bright, ambitious 20-year-old, none of this history was conveyed. She had been admitted to ICU overnight and rapidly intubated for type-1 respiratory failure. The notes contained a clinical list of her various diagnoses and treatments, with dates but no sense of the context. Rules regarding visitation meant her family were not allowed onto the unit, with next-of-kin updates carried out by designated non-ICU consultants to reduce pressures on ICU staff. No photos or personal items surrounded her bedside, nothing to signify a life outside of hospital. She remained in a medically-induced coma from admission onwards, while various organ systems faltered and failed in turn. Sitting in that relatives' room I had the uncomfortable realisation that I barely saw this girl as a person. Having looked after her for some weeks, I could list the positive microbiology samples and antibiotic choices, the trends in noradrenaline requirements and ventilatory settings. I had recognised the appropriate point in her clinical decline to call the family in before it was too late, without recognising anything about the person they knew and loved. She died hours later, with her mother singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' at her bedside. Poignant as this was, the concept of this patient as more than her unfortunate diagnosis and level of organ failure had not entered my consciousness. Perhaps a coping mechanism, but dehumanisation none-the-less. Conclusion(s): Striking a balance between emotional investment and detachment is of course vital when working in a clinical environment like the ICU, where trauma is commonplace and worst-case-scenarios have a habit of playing out. At the start of my medical career, I assumed I would need to consciously take a step back, that I would struggle to switch off from the emotional aspects of Medicine. However, forgetting the person behind the patient became all too easy during the peaks of Covid-19, where relatives were barred and communication out-sourced. While this level of detachment may be understandable and necessary to an extent, the potential for this attitude to contribute to the already dehumanising experience of ICU patients should not be ignored. I always thought I was more interested in people and their stories than I was in medical science;this experience reminded me of that, and of the richness you lose out on when those stories are forgotten.

A qualitative study exploring how youth use TikTok to learn about mental health and mental health services in British Columbia, Canada

Aims: Youth are increasingly seeking health information through online platforms, such as websites, social media, and online forums. TikTok emerged as a popular platform for disseminating and consuming health information during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, this study aimed to explore how youth used TikTok to access information about mental health and mental health services during the pandemic. Method(s): Twenty-one interviews were conducted over Zoom with youth (ages 12-24) who lived in British Columbia, Canada and had accessed TikTok for mental health information during the pandemic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Result(s): Youth described TikTok as a safe place to talk about mental health and share personal experiences. This helped youth feel less alone with their struggles and facilitated conversations about mental health with friends, family, and service providers. Participants also described how mental health content on TikTok helped them be more mindful of their own mental health and the different resources and coping strategies available and encouraged them to seek services. For those hesitant or unable to access services, TikTok provided immediate support. Youth appreciated the ease of accessing this information, given the platform's engaging and digestible format (i.e., short videos) and predictive nature of its algorithm. However, participants expressed concerns with the spread of misinformation and the lack of verifiable information on the platform. Conclusion(s): TikTok is as a practical platform to disseminate mental health information to youth. However, efforts to establish strategies for preventing and reporting misinformation are warranted.

Experiences of accumulated stress among aging parent caregivers of adults with autism spectrum disorder

With the continuing increased incidence rate of autism spectrum disorder over the decades, there are increasing numbers of adults with autism who require varying levels of lifelong care, typically from parents. It is necessary to understand parents' lived experience of lifelong caregiving, and how their own aging process further impacts life quality. Furthermore, greater understanding of stressors, resources, appraisals, and coping among parent caregivers of children with "high functioning autism" who are transitioning into young adulthood is particularly necessary as services, needs, and experiences for both are nuanced due to functional status, deficits in the service system, and demographic disparities. Given lifespan aspects past research has not addressed, the study focused on development of a measure of parent accumulated stressors, and on interrelations of stressors, perceived social support, future time perspective, burden, satisfaction, and coping on health-related quality of life and meaning in life among 28 parents of young adults with autism. Although proposed quantitative analyses were not completed due to sample size, qualitative analyses on parent experiences and stressors revealed common themes of concern for child's future quality of life, complicated dynamics of providing help to their child overtime, and increased stress related to others' lack of understanding of their child. In total, 10 themes and multiple subthemes were identified in relation to aspects of accumulated stressors. Findings suggest parent stress with this specific population is complex, manifesting in nuanced ways at different life stages. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are also explored, and implications for scientific advancement and clinical services are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The space between stress and reaction: A three-way interaction of active coping, psychological stress, and applied mindfulness in the prediction of sustainable resilience

Amid a global pandemic, data was collected to explore the extent to which resilience practices (active coping and applied mindfulness) under varying degrees of stress levels can promote sustainable resilience, defined as the ability to move through challenges in a way that leads to increased positive adaptation to meet present and future challenges. Results did not support the proposed three-way interaction;however, post-hoc analyses indicated that active coping (r = .316) and applied mindfulness (r = .250) were independently predictive of sustained resilience and, when combined, predicted approximately 20 percent (R2 = .203) of sustained resilience one month later. Furthermore, the results suggest a significant quadratic two-way moderation between mindfulness and sustained resilience at different stress levels suggesting that at high stress levels, moderate levels of mindfulness are most predictive of resilience. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 through the lens of mental health in India: Present status and future directions

This book provides an in-depth understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of people and communities in India. Focusing on the current discourse on Mental Health literacy in India, the book also analyses COVID-19-specific health beliefs and their convergences and divergences with COVID-19 protocols and advisories. It discusses the impact of the pandemic on survivors of COVID-19 including their quality of life, psychological well-being, and coping mechanisms while tackling loneliness, loss, and grief. It explores the psychological and social challenges which children have faced during the pandemic and offers techniques to address and adequately manage Mental Health challenges. Grounded in theoretical and empirical research, this book will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of psychology, social psychology, Mental Health and wellness studies, and sociology. It will also be useful for academicians, social workers, healthcare workers, and psychologists. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Meaning in stressful experiences and coping across cultures

We report three studies to examine how culture may influence people's tendency to see meaning in stressful experiences (MISE), as well as their coping responses. Using a newly developed MISE scale with established measurement invariance across both cultures, we found that Chinese participants were more likely than Euro-Canadians to see meaning in stressful experiences (Studies 1 and 2), to adopt acceptance and positive reframing coping styles (Study 1), and to respond more positively to the COVID-19 pandemic (Study 2). To establish a causal link between MISE and coping, we primed MISE in Study 3 with Chinese participants and found an increase in resilient coping. The research highlights the important roles of culture and meaning making in coping. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Existential resilience and Covid-19: What existential coaching can offer

The Covid-19 pandemic has been an existential boundary situation on a global scale. Existential resilience includes the ability to navigate through existential crises and creates resources to help people avoid paralysis as to keep moving in the face of existential calamity. There are practical ways in which they may foster existential resilience through explorations of past challenges, recognising existential themes in everyday life and through learning new coping strategies. Existential resilience is hence based on several assumptions that help to differentiate it from resilience in the context of more general challenges. There are numerous ways in which people may nurture existential resilience across several levels and which coaches may use as a framework for working with clients both during and post-pandemic. Existential resilience kicks in when existential themes are at the root of the adversity. Existential coaching presents a fertile ground to nurture existential resilience due to its defining characteristics grounded in existential philosophy and equips people to better deal with life's inevitable existential crises, including the effects of similarly inevitable future pandemics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Difficulty in work practices and depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the incidence of serious social mental health problems such as depression. Changes to the way we work, such as telework, are potential factors for mental health problems. This study's aim was to investigate the relationship between difficulties adjusting to new work styles and depression among job workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a web-questionnaire survey of 919 Japanese workers (May 2020) using the snowball sampling method. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis using a dependent variable (depression), an independent variable (difficulty in work practices), and adjustment variables (gender, age, working practices, and coping) found that those who had difficulty "communicating with boss, colleagues, and subordinates" and "switching on and off" were more likely to be depressed. This study shows that there was a relationship between difficulty in work practices and depression during the pandemic. Given this study's limitations, it is hoped that the influence of region and occupation on depression will be examined by recruiting a wide range of participants in the future. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Examining the lived experiences of mental health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

The problem addressed by this qualitative descriptive study was the challenges mental health providers experienced and their ability to continuously provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Burn out and secondary traumatic stress are common conditions experienced by mental health providers due to the nature of their work. Resilience plays an important role in a person's ability to effectively navigate through life's challenges, therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand and describe the lived experience of mental health professionals during a wide-spread crisis, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of the resilience theory. A qualitative descriptive method and design were used for this study as this provided opportunity to collect and describe the lived experiences of mental health clinicians who provided mental health services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling on social media. The research sample included 12 participants, 11 of which were female, and 1 male. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with the participants. The interviews were uploaded and transcribed through Descript transcription software and were manually coded and themed by the researcher. Three research questions were used for this study which included: How do mental health professionals describe the effects of COVID-19 on their delivery of services to their clients? How do mental health professionals cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic? and What needs do mental health professionals identify to effectively continue the provision of services during the pandemic? The results of the study indicated that mental health professionals need to feel supported by their workplace which includes social support among employees as social interaction as coping was identified as important by the clinicians. Most participants did identify an increase in stress and burnout symptoms. Participants noted that they need additional trainingin telehealth to feel prepared to provide services through these virtual platforms. Employers are recommended to incorporate social support, and trainings. Future research will benefit from studying the long-term outcomes of the pandemic on the clinician's coping and resilience. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Exploring the experiences of chronic respiratory patients during the COVID-19 pandemic using interpretative phenomenological analysis

Background: During a coronavirus pandemic, respiratory patients may be more vulnerable to mental health problems in addition to their physical vulnerability. Due to the specific nature of their illness, they are more likely to have pre-existing experience of crisis situations, serious existential issues and coping with them. Despite a growing body of literature based on quantitative research, there is still a lack of insight into the subjective experiences of those affected. Aim: Our aims were to explore and deepen our understanding of the experiences of chronic respiratory patients at risk of pandemic COVID-19. Our research questions were: 1. How do the interviewees relate to their underlying respiratory condition? 2. What does it mean to experience vulnerability? 3. How do the initial experiences of the underlying disease affect the experience of vulnerability to pandemic disease? Methods: We used interpretative phenomenological analysis. The study involved 8 participants: 7 women and one man, aged 29-60, with one of the following diagnoses: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis. Results: Three main themes emerged from the analysis of the semi-structured interviews: 1. respiratory illness as a defining experience in everyday life, 2. the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the self and identity organisation, and 3. adaptation to experiencing vulnerability. Breathlessness is the most frightening feature of progressive lung disease, and can be linked to fear and anxiety in different ways. The potentially contagious nature of COVID-19 draws a sharp line between the endangered Self and the dangerous Other, and represents a critical life situation for the satisfaction of social needs and desires. In coping with them, we observe essentially self-defense mechanisms and emotion-focused strategies. Conclusions: The current pandemic is having a widespread and powerful impact on the lives of affected patients. Because of the nature of the coronavirus, which primarily affects the airways, those affected consider themselves to be at risk. Experiencing vulnerability fundamentally determines their lives: their decisions, their connection to the world, organization of identity, coping and their belief in the security of the world. Identifying their experiences and difficulties is of particular importance for the development of strategies to mitigate the psychosocial impact of the epidemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Hungarian) Elmeleti hatter: A koronavirus vilagjarvany idejen a kronikus legzoszervi betegek fizikai serulekenyseguk mellett a mentalis problemakra is fokozottan erzekenyek lehetnek. Betegseguk sajatossagaibol kifolyolag nagyobb valoszinuseggel rendelkeznek mar meglevo tapasztalattal krizishelyzetek, sulyos egzisztencialis kerdesek es az ezekkel valo megkuzdes teruleten. Ezeknek a korabbi tapasztalatoknak szerepe lehet a COVID-19-jarvannyal kapcsolatos veszelyeztetettseg megelese szempontjabol. Az egyre nagyobb szamu kvantitativ kutatason alapulo szakirodalom ellenere az erintettek szubjektiv tapasztalatainak megismerese tovabbra is hianyzik. Cel: Kutatasunk celja a kronikus legzoszervi betegek COVID-19-vilagjarvany altali veszelyeztetettsegelmenyenek, tapasztalatainak feltarasa es melyebb megertese volt kvalitativ, idiografias modszerrel. Az alabbi kutatasi kerdesekre kivantunk valaszt kapni: 1. Hogyan viszonyulnak az interjualanyok a legzoszervi alapbetegsegukhoz? 2. Mit jelent a szamukra a veszelyeztetettseg megelese? 3. Hogyan hatnak az alapbetegseggel kapcsolatos eredeti tapasztalatok a vilagjarvannyal jaro serulekenyseg megelesere? Modszerek: Vizsgalatunkhoz az interpretativ fenomenologiai analizis modszeret hasznaltuk. A kutatasban 8 fo vett reszt: 7 no es 1 ferfi, 29-60 evesek, a kovetkezo diagnozisok valamelyikevel: asztma, kronikus obstruktiv tudobetegseg, cisztas fibrozis. Eredmenyek: A felig strukturalt interjuk elemzese soran harom fotema bontakozott ki: 1. legzoszervi betegseg mint a mindennapokat meghatarozo tapasztalat, 2. a koronavirus vilagjarvany hatasa az enre es az identitasszervezodesre, illetve 3. a veszelyeztetettseg megelesehez valo alkalmazkodas. A levegotlenseg a progressziv tudobetegsegek legnehezebben toleralhato, leginkabb felelmetes velejaroja, amely elmeny kulonbozo modokon kapcsolodhat a felelemmel es a szorongassal. A COVID-19 potencialis fertozo volta eles hatarvonalat huz a veszelyeztetett En es a veszelyes Masik;vagyis az en es a vilag koze, tovabba kritikus elethelyzetet jelent a tarsas szuksegletek es vagyak kielegithetosege szempontjabol. Adaptaciojukban alapvetoen envedo mechanizmusok, illetve erzelem-fokuszu strategiak bontakoztak ki. Kovetkeztetesek: A jelenlegi vilagjarvany jelentos hatast gyakorol az erintett betegek eletere. A koronavirus elsosorban legutakat erinto termeszete miatt az erintettek veszelyeztetettkent tekintenek onmagukra, a veszelyeztetettseg megelese pedig alapvetoen meghatarozza eletuket;donteseiket, a vilaghoz valo kapcsolodasukat, identitasszervezodesuket, megkuzdesuket, s megkerdojelezi a vilag biztonsagossagaba vetett hituket. A kronikus legzoszervi betegek tapasztalatainak feltarasa kiemelt jelentoseggel bir a jarvany pszichoszocialis hatasait merseklo strategiak kidolgozasaban. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Reflection, resilience, rebound: Consumer coping with the pandemic

The article discusses about consumer coping with the pandemic. In the article, authors first offer a comprehensive review of COVID-19 articles published in marketing journals through the resilience lens, using the capital-based approach as a framework. Authors then introduce the nine articles in this special issue to provide a perspective on how consumers accumulate social, human, and economic capital to survive and thrive during the pandemic. Authors conclude by discussing several clusters of topics we hope future research can shed light on. Authors also call for research that documents the differential recovery and resilience paths of the groups of consumers who were particularly hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the high inflation rate, how will the financially disadvantaged consumers cope? How will they prioritize their lives? What kind of community and government resources and support should be put in place for those in the more marginalized groups of society? Which group of consumers will likely sustain a long-term negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Investigation on health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic.

Objective To understand the health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Methods From Feb. 17 to Feb. 20, 2020, an electronic questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes and coping styles of military medical students towards quarantine and delay of school opening, their attitudes towards online teaching, and health and professional consciousness during COVID-19 epidemic;and their mental health status was scored by symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90). Results A total of 2 736 valid questionnaires were collected. The students basically understood and agreed with the quarantine and delay of school opening during the epidemic, and 70.83% (1 938/2 736) supported online teaching. During the quarantine period, 85.31% (2 334/2 736) of the students chose to listen to music or watch TV series for relaxation, and 64.69% (1 770/2 736) insisted on learning, reading literatures or writing papers. Students could basically form the habits of washing hands frequently and wearing masks, and their consciousness of health protection was higher than that before the epidemic. For military medical students, their professional beliefs and determination have been strengthened during the epidemic, and many students wanted to join in the fight against the epidemic. The survey found that 12.94% (354/2 736) of the students had mental health symptoms, and the top 3 SCL-90 factors were obsessive-compulsive disorder (78.53%, 278/354), interpersonal sensitivity (64.12%, 227/354), and depression (44.07%, 156/354). Conclusion During the epidemic, military medical students can generally adapt to the difficult environment and improve themselves. The mental health problems of military medical students have their own characteristics, special attention must to be paid, and the humanistic education of medical students should be strengthened.Copyright © 2022, Second Military Medical University Press. All rights reserved.

Experiences of patients from minority ethnic backgrounds in the stem cell transplant pathway during COVID-19

Background: Stem cell transplantation is a potentially life-saving intervention for patients with blood cancer. Research suggests that there are existing disparities in access, care and treatment experiences, with patients identifying with a minority ethnic heritage reporting greater disadvantage compared to patients from white British, Irish or Northern European backgrounds. Although we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for patients, less is known about the experiences of patients from specific ethnic communities. Method(s): In this research, we undertook 1-1, semi-structured interviews with eight patients within the stem cell transplant pathway who identify with a minority ethnic background. Interviews took place online, between May and November 2021. The interview questions explored views on aspects of the pandemic, including access and experience of care delivery, intervention, mental health and financial impact. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Result(s): The majority of patient participants were female (75%), and identified with a Black African or Caribbean heritage (75%). Four themes were identified from the data: (1) 'Lack of suitable donors' described the challenges of finding a stem cell donor and the importance of raising awareness of stem cell donation specifically within minority ethnic communities;(2) 'Experiences of care' explored patients' experiences of the healthcare system from pre-diagnosis to post-treatment, including how the COVID-19 pandemic had made some aspects of care easier but acted to disrupt others;(3) 'Intense and unpredictable process' described the nature of living with blood cancer and how this has impacted upon patients' lives including the extent to which they had been able to access and make use of advice to help keep them safe during the pandemic;and (4) 'Coping mechanisms' identified the factors which helped patients' to understand and adjust to living with their diagnosis and the treatment process. Conclusion(s): Patients in the stem cell transplant pathway often experience intense treatment regimens, debilitating symptoms and long hospital stays, which has a significant impact on their lives. Minority ethnic patients describe facing additional challenges in relation to health inequalities both within and outside of the pandemic. Seeking support from family, peers or community organisations can help buffer the negative impacts of living with blood cancer and multiple disadvantages, but such support was more difficult to access during the pandemic. This had psychological consequences for patients who are already within an intense emotional journey. Pandemic recovery plans should address mental health support as a priority.

Effects of Covid-19 on Mental Health of Older Adults: A Study Based on Perceptions and Experiences of older adults suffered from Covid-19

Aim: The objective of this conceptual study was to know the effects of COVID-19 on mental health of older adults. Study design: This qualitative study was conducted in October-December 2022 in District Sargodha. Twenty (20) older adults who have been suffered from COVID-19 were taken as respondents selected through snowball-purposive sampling technique. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to collect data through in-depth interviews from the respondents. Thematic analysis method of qualitative methodology of research was used to analyze the data to find the results. Result(s): The study found that older adults experienced severe mental health issues during COVID-19 period due to loneliness, isolation, anxiety and fear of disease and death. During the quarantine period and hospitalization, loneliness and social isolation affected the mental health of the older adults. Fear of disease & death and losing the loved ones negatively affected the older adults psychologically to great extent. However, respondents who were educated and well aware of causes and consequences of the disease;used this information and awareness as coping strategy and such respondents had less adverse affects on their mental health. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 virus affected the well-being of older people with regard to mental and emotional. Social isolation and loneliness have been observed as main factors affecting the mental condition of older adults during the pandemic. They experienced grave psychological issues due to loneliness and fear of disease & death during the quarantine/ hospitalization period.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

How did the COVID pandemic impact anxiety and health anxiety in women living with HIV?

Background: The Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdown had implications on the population's mental health, particularly amongst society's most vulnerable members. We looked at the impact of the Covid pandemic on both generalised anxiety and health anxiety in women living with HIV (WLHIV). This research aimed to examine any increases in anxiety, what caused these increases, and how WLHIV dealt with them. Method(s): 12 WLHIV, aged 31-62 years old, completed recognised anxiety questionnaires (General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)) to ascertain levels of anxiety and health anxiety respectively. Participants also responded to two open-ended questions: what made you most anxious during Covid lockdown and how did you deal with it? Results: Pre-covid GAD-7 scores averaged 6.3 indicating mild anxiety throughout the sample compared to postcovid scores of 12.9, which indicated moderate anxiety. Average HAQ scores were 21.3 indicating moderate health anxiety throughout the sample. Lack of self-advocacy skills (in relation to health) and isolation were commonly reported as being causes of anxiety;additional reasons included preexisting health issues and inability to access medical appointments and support. Participants reported using exercise, watching TV, sleep and prayer as coping mechanisms. Conclusion(s): The results of this research demonstrated that the Covid pandemic played a major part in raising anxiety, health anxiety and health worries in our sample. This was largely caused by increased isolation and decreased self-advocacy skills. Participants used individualised tools to manage their anxiety. Isolation: Isolation increased women's anxiety and health anxiety as they had no one to talk issues through with and social and organisational support was reduced due to lockdown. Lack of self-advocacy: Many participants reported that during the lockdown they found it difficult to identify and communicate their health concerns, advocate for themselves medically and subsequently negotiate help and support. Recommendations include future programmes to assist WLHIV to improve their self-advocacy skills and increase their attendance at groups/be actively involved with peers to reduce isolation. Supporting and improving advocacy helps women to gain more knowledge about their rights in relation to health care and empowers them to seek answers and negotiate treatment for themselves.

The psychological consequences of long COVID. The effect of uncertainties, coping strategies, social support systems and quality of life on the onset of depression

Objectives: Many people were infected by COVID-19 and for a minority of them, symptoms persisted beyond twenty days. These symptoms are multi-systemic, fluctuating, and impact the quality of life. Long COVID was first defined by patients themselves in the spring of 2020 to describe their recovery problems. Specifically, long COVID is defined as "a constellation of physical and mental symptoms which can persist or emerge afterwards, generating a multi-systemic and disabling syndrome, which varies from patient to patient and fluctuates over time". The persistence of COVID symptoms, the decrease in the quality of life, the uncertainly about the future sometimes accompanied by a low level of social support perceived in the medical and personal entourage may have triggered the occurrence of a depressive disorder in patients with long COVID. The objective of this research was to study the effect of long COVID symptoms, of uncertainty and the impairment of quality of life on the development of depressive symptoms, while identifying the impact of moderating variables such as coping strategies and social support. Material(s) and Method(s): Two hundred and fourteen participants with long COVID (aged 18-68, M = 44, SD = 11), including 93 % females (n = 200) and 7% males (n = 14), participated in this cross-sectional quantitative study between the months of April and June 2022. They described their symptoms and responded to five scales: the Evaluation of Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (EII), the Coping Strategies Checklist (WCC), the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36-item health survey (MOS SF-36), the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (QSSP), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Result(s): 91% of the participants reported symptoms of fatigue (n = 171), 52% a loss of concentration (n = 111), 51% pain (n = 110), 49 % trouble sleeping (n = 104), and 41% memory problems (n = 88). Compared with the general population, they presented a poorer quality of life, as well as high scores for anxiety, depression, and intolerance of uncertainty. Scores on coping strategies were also higher than the norms for the general population, and scores on satisfaction with social support were generally good. It was also found that the variables of intolerance of uncertainty, quality of life, and depression all correlated with each other. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed predictors of depression. The areas of quality of life and emotional well-being (beta = -0.41, t(199) = -6.23, P < 0.01) and fatigue/energy (beta = -0.16, t(199) = -2.83, P < 0.01) were negative predictors of depression, as was the problem-focused coping score (beta = -0.14, t(199) = -2.84, P < 0.05). Symptoms of the disorder related to concentration difficulties (beta = 0.27, t(199) = 5.16, P < 0.01) and those impacting projects (beta = 0.18, t(199) = 3.31, P < 0.01) were positive predictors of depression. The second finding of this study is that people treated specifically for their long COVID had significantly lower scores for anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty despite lower scores for certain dimensions of quality of life. The individuals who took part in our study also developed more problem-based coping strategies and reported more availability of and satisfaction with social support. Lastly, in terms of quality of life, the treated population expressed better mental health. Conclusion(s): The study showed that, in addition to the effects of long COVID symptoms, quality of life, and coping strategies on the onset of symptoms of depression, the specific treatment of patients with long COVID seemed to constitute in itself a protective factor against depression and anxiety. It therefore would seem essential that any patient suffering from long COVID should receive multidisciplinary care specific to this pathology.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS

Seeking a sense of control or escapism? The role of video games in coping with unemployment

Unemployment can have devastating effects on people's psychological and social wellbeing. The effects of unemployment can be exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of control over one's life and the loss of social connectedness. Through a survey of 480 unemployed workers, this study examined how emotion-focused coping using video game can affect the workers' wellbeing and reemployment. The findings showed that escapism was associated with decreased wellbeing, which reduced job-search efficacy and behaviors. However, when video game playing was viewed as a source of self-determination, it can support the unemployed workers' intrinsic needs of autonomy and relatedness, which improved their wellbeing, their job-search efficacy, and job-search behaviors. Further comparison of effects between gender, age, race, and income found that unemployed workers who made lower to medium income were more likely to seek escapism through games compared to female unemployed workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Explanation of Factors Affecting Self-care and Diabetes Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Adopting diabetes self-care behaviors to control blood glucose is essential, but adherence to them has been challenged due to restrictions related to Covid-19. These restrictions have negatively impacted the psychosocial condition of individuals with diabetes, which could lead to poor self-care. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with type 2 diabetes regarding self-care behaviors and diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis, the data of which were collected through interviews with people over 18 years of age with type 2 diabetes who were selected from the Endocrinology Clinic of Erfan Hospital in Tehran. Using telephone and WhatsApp, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants (15 women). Content analysis was done using the constant comparative method, and the open and axial coding method was applied. The data were manually coded, and the main themes and categories emerged from data. Result(s): Two main themes emerged from the data: 1) challenges and limitations toward diabetes self-care and 2) facilitators of efficient self-care. Challenges and limitations included 4 sub-themes: Inevitable lifestyle changes, psychosocial problems, limited/lack of access to health care services and medication, and adverse physical effects. Facilitators had 2 sub-themes: improved individual capability and maintaining social interaction. Conclusion(s): Our findings indicated that inevitable lifestyle changes, limited access to health care, and adverse psychosocial consequences were the most critical challenges for diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving stress management skills and effective coping strategies can facilitate the adoption of self-care behaviors.Copyright © 2022, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences. All rights reserved.

Effect of restorative experience in reducing the risk perception of COVID-19 infection: Korean male campers' well-being and willingness to pay a premium for camping

During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, South Korean men exhibited greater affective risk perceptions than women, displaying anxiety and fear of COVID-19 infection as well as emotional distress. Such negative psychological states can be reduced through exposure to natural environments. Natural settings often provide restorative environments promoting individual mental health, psychological stability, and well-being. Therefore, this study aims to examine the roles of restorativeness as perceived by men in mitigating the affective risk perception of COVID-19, improving well-being, and increasing the willingness to pay a premium to camp in the context of nature-based camping. An online survey was conducted with South Korean men who experienced camping during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 208 responses were used for data analysis. The results of structural equation modeling indicated significant relationships between affective risk perception and perceived restorativeness, perceived restorativeness and well-being, and well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The mediating effect of well-being was also significant. The findings of a multi-group analysis indicated a significant moderating effect of having children on the relationship between perceived restorativeness and well-being, but not on the relationship between well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The results of this study provide enhanced insight into restorative experiences in nature as a coping mechanism for increased affective risks as perceived by men during the pandemic. In particular, this study examined the psychological benefits of a natural environment in the context of camping and empirically identified the role of camping in promoting a feeling of restorativeness and inducing men's well-being perception by easing negative emotions. This study also provides practitioners with an understanding of changes in men's perceptions and emotional and behavioral responses through positive restorative experiences.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by MRE Press.

Investigation on health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic

Objective To understand the health and professional consciousness and mental health of military medical students during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Methods From Feb. 17 to Feb. 20, 2020, an electronic questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes and coping styles of military medical students towards quarantine and delay of school opening, their attitudes towards online teaching, and health and professional consciousness during COVID-19 epidemic;and their mental health status was scored by symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90). Results A total of 2 736 valid questionnaires were collected. The students basically understood and agreed with the quarantine and delay of school opening during the epidemic, and 70.83% (1 938/2 736) supported online teaching. During the quarantine period, 85.31% (2 334/2 736) of the students chose to listen to music or watch TV series for relaxation, and 64.69% (1 770/2 736) insisted on learning, reading literatures or writing papers. Students could basically form the habits of washing hands frequently and wearing masks, and their consciousness of health protection was higher than that before the epidemic. For military medical students, their professional beliefs and determination have been strengthened during the epidemic, and many students wanted to join in the fight against the epidemic. The survey found that 12.94% (354/2 736) of the students had mental health symptoms, and the top 3 SCL-90 factors were obsessive-compulsive disorder (78.53%, 278/354), interpersonal sensitivity (64.12%, 227/354), and depression (44.07%, 156/354). Conclusion During the epidemic, military medical students can generally adapt to the difficult environment and improve themselves. The mental health problems of military medical students have their own characteristics, special attention must to be paid, and the humanistic education of medical students should be strengthened.Copyright © 2022, Second Military Medical University Press. All rights reserved.