Analysis of social and psychological factors influencing the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease under the regular epidemic prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019.

Objective To explore the sociodemographic and psychological factors influencing the continuity of treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease under the regular epidemic prevention and control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods A total of 277 patients with chronic kidney disease who were admitted to Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University) from Apr. 2020 to Mar. 2021 were enrolled and divided into 3 groups: non-dialysis group (n=102), hemodialysis (HD) group (n=108), and peritoneal dialysis (PD) group (n=67). All patients were investigated by online and offline questionnaires, including self-designed basic situation questionnaire, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and self-rating depression scale (SDS). The general sociodemographic data, anxiety and depression of the 3 groups were compared, and the influence of sociodemographic and psychological factors on the interruption or delay of treatment was analyzed by binary logistic regression model. Results There were significant differences in age distribution, marital status, occupation, medical insurance type, caregiver type, whether there was an urgent need for hospitalization and whether treatment was delayed or interrupted among the 3 groups (all P0.05). The average SAS score of 65 PD patients was 38.15+/-15.83, including 53 (81.5%) patients without anxiety, 7 (10.8%) patients with mild anxiety, and 5 (7.7%) patients with moderate to severe anxiety. The average SAS score of 104 patients in the HD group was 36.86+/-14.03, including 81 (77.9%) patients without anxiety, 18 (17.3%) patients with mild anxiety, and 5 (4.8%) patients with moderate to severe anxiety. There were no significant differences in the mean score of SAS or anxiety severity grading between the 2 groups (both P0.05). The mean SDS scores of 65 PD patients were 53.42+/-13.30, including 22 (33.8%) patients without depression, 21 (32.3%) patients with mild depression, and 22 (33.8%) patients with moderate to severe depression. The mean SDS scores of 104 patients in the HD group were 50.79+/-10.76, including 36 (34.6%) patients without depression, 56 (53.8%) patients with mild depression, and 12 (11.6%) patients with moderate to severe depression. There were no significant differences in mean SDS scores or depression severity grading between the 2 groups (both P0.05). The results of intra-group comparison showed that the incidence and severity of depression were higher than those of anxiety in both groups. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that high school education level (odds ratio OR=5.618, 95% confidence interval CI) 2.136-14.776, P0.01), and unmarried (OR=6.916, 95% CI 1.441-33.185, P=0.016), divorced (OR= 5.588, 95% CI 1.442-21.664, P=0.013), urgent need for hospitalization (OR=8.655, 95% CI 3.847-19.476, P0.01) could positively promote the continuity of treatment in maintenance dialysis patients under the regular epidemic prevention and control of COVID-19. In the non-dialysis group, no sociodemographic and psychological factors were found to be associated with the interruption or delay of treatment (P0.05). Conclusion Education, marital status, and urgent need for hospitalization are correlated with the continuity of treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease on maintenance dialysis.Copyright © 2022, Second Military Medical University Press. All rights reserved.

PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS OVER 12 MONTHS POST-DIAGNOSIS IN A NATIONAL EARLY INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS COHORT

BackgroundIn inflammatory arthritis patients, the concomitant decline of their mental wellbeing is an increasing concern[1,2]. It is important to not only describe the trajectory of psychological distress in early disease stages, but also understand which clinical outcome measures are most associated with these changes.ObjectivesUsing data from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA), we assessed trends in psychological wellbeing over 12 months after initial diagnosis and mapped these against clinical outcomes to identify significant associations.MethodsNEIAA collects data from patients referred with suspected early inflammatory arthritis in rheumatology services in England and Wales. We used data provided by 20,472 patients eligible for follow-up (diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis) between May 1st, 2018, and April 1st, 2022. Data items included baseline demographics e.g., age and gender, and clinical variables e.g., rheumatic disease comorbidity index (RDCI), DAS28, and patient reported outcomes.Psychological distress was measured by the sum score of Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Screener (PHQ4ADS). Using mixed effects regression models, we analysed the co-variability of PHQ4ADS with demographic factors and clinical outcomes over 12 months. Time was included as a dummy-coded covariant.ResultsThe analysis included 36% of patients (7,378 out of 20,472) who completed the baseline patient outcome survey. In this cohort, PHQ4ADS scores decreased from a baseline average of 4.7 (CI: [4.6, 4.8]) to 2.62 (CI: [2.5, 2.8]) at 12 months post-diagnosis. The proportion of patients screening positive decreased from 50.0% (CI: [48.9, 51.1]) at baseline to 23.8% (CI: [21.8, 25.9]) at 12 months.At baseline, psychological distress correlated significantly with age, gender, ethnicity, RDCI, prior depression diagnosis, and baseline DAS28 (Figure 1). No significant correlations were found between psychological distress and working diagnosis, seropositivity, or the assessment being recorded after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Younger ages were nonlinearly associated with higher distress levels (coefficient per decade: -0.006;p<0.001;CI: [-0.009, -0.003]) (Figure 1a). Distress levels in females were higher than that of males (coefficient: 0.5;p<0.001;CI: [0.4, 0.7]) (Figure 1b). White patients reported lower PHQ4ADS scores compared to non-white patients (coefficient: -0.7;p<0.001;CI: [-1.0, -0.4]) (Figure 1c). Higher distress levels were also associated with higher RDCI (coefficient: 0.2;p<0.001;CI: [0.1, 0.3]) and prior diagnosis of depression (coefficient: 1.8;p<0.001;CI: [1.5, 2.2]) (Figure 1d, 1e). Furthermore, higher baseline DAS28 scores correlated with more severe psychological distress (coefficient: 0.8;p<0.001;CI: [0.7, 0.8]) (Figure 1f).By 12-months, psychological distress decreased significantly overall, which correlated significantly with ethnicity (coefficient: 0.8;p=0.005;CI: [0.3, 1.4]) and baseline DAS28 (coefficient: -0.5;p<0.001;CI: [-0.6, -0.4]). Compared to white patients, the reduction was significantly greater for non-white patients, but the level of distress was no longer different at 12 months (Figure 1c). While those with higher baseline DAS28 showed a greater reduction in psychological distress, the distress levels remained higher at 12 months (Figure 1f).Figure 1.Changes in psychological distress correlated with age, gender, ethnicity, RDCI, prior depression diagnosis, and baseline DAS28.[Figure omitted. See PDF]ConclusionIn this early inflammatory arthritis cohort, mental health burden was high. Age, gender, ethnicity, RDCI, prior depression diagnosis and baseline DAS28 significantly correlated with psychological distress at baseline. Supporting mental health should be a focus of clinical care for this population and it may be beneficial to use an approach that is culturally valid for non-white patients and accounts for multimorbidity.References[1]Euesden, J, et al. Psychosomatic medicine 79.6 (2017): 638.[2]Lwin, MN, et al. Rheumatology and therapy 7.3 (2020): 457-471.AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) as the commisioner of NEIAA, British Society for Rheumatology as the audit providers, Net Solving as the audit platform developers, and the Wellcome Trust (ST12406) for funding to support L.Z..Disclosure of InterestsLucy Zhao: None declared, James Galloway Speakers bureau: Has received honoraria from AbbVie Celgene, Chugai, Gillead, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Jo Ledingham: None declared, Sarah Gallagher: None declared, Neena Garnavos: None declared, Paul Amlani-Hatcher: None declared, Nicky Wilson: None declared, Lewis Carpenter Consultant of: Statistical consultancy for Pfizer, Kirsty Bannister: None declared, Sam Norton Speakers bureau: Has received honoraria from Janssen and Pfizer.

Depression Severity Among Patients with Psychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is not yet well-studied. This study's objective is to describe demographic characteristics of the population diagnosed with depression or anxiety, and to compare PHQ9 scores before and after the pandemic. Method(s): A retrospective cohort study was performed using Komodo Health's healthcare claims and EMR data, which included Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) survey responses. The study's baseline and follow-up periods were set as one year before and after 03/01/2020. Patients selected were >=18 years of age, had a MDD, GAD, or other psychiatric diagnosis in both periods, and had taken at least one PHQ9 survey in both periods, resulting in 10,433 patients. Demographic characteristics were described across age, gender, and race/ethnicity, and a subgroup analysis was performed on PHQ9 scores and depression categories using averages (mean, SD) and odds ratios. Result(s): Demographic analysis showed depression severity correlated with patients who were younger, female, and Black or Hispanic. Younger patients (<30) were more likely than older (>=30) to be in the moderately severe category or worse (PHQ9 score >=15) in both time periods (ORs 1.72 and 1.62, p<0.001). This was also true for female as compared to male (ORs 1.45 and 1.49, p<0.001), and Black or Hispanic as compared to White (ORs 1.87 and 1.47, p<0.001). However, mean PHQ9 scores tended to decrease in the follow-up period. The overall mean decreased slightly from 6.28 (SD 6.05) to 5.68 (SD 5.82), which was consistent in nearly all age, gender, and race/ethnicity subcategories. Conclusion(s): While the improvements in average PHQ9 scores were counterintuitive, given the harmful impacts of the pandemic, existing correlations between demographics and depression severity remained. One possible explanation is that this cohort definition selected for patients who received more consistent mental healthcare. Further study will investigate this and other possible factors.Copyright © 2023

The psychological impacts of COVID-19 outbreak among older adults

Purpose: Pneumonias, which are infections of the lung parenchyma, are divided into two groups as community acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital acquired pneumonia. CAP is very common and CAP can be mortal. Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia (HAP) is defined as pneumonia that develops in patients who have used antibiotic or hospitalization in the past three months and who are fed by a nasogastric tube. In recent studies, the term multidrug-resistant CAP has been used instead of HAP. In this study, it was aimed to compare the laboratory results, causative bacterial pathogens and fatality rates of CAP and multidrug-resistant CAP patients on the first day of hospitalization. Material and method: Patients with CAP and multi-drug-resistant CAP who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic between 09/01/2018-03/20/2020 were recruited. Results: 129 patients with CAP and 64 patients with multidrug-resistant CAP were studied. Underlying disease was found in 96.9% (62) patients in the multidrug-resistant CAP group and in 79.8% (103) patients in the CAP group. A significant difference was found between the two groups (p=0.003). 79.7% (51) patients in the multidrug-resistant CAP group and 19.4% (25) patients in the CAP group used antibiotics in the last three months. It was found to be significantly higher in the multidrug-resistant CAP group (p=0.000). Conclusion: The underlying disease and the use of antibiotics in the last three months increase the risk of developing multidrug-resistant CAP. Mortality rate was found to be higher in this patient group. In order to encounter less multidrug-resistant CAP problem, it is necessary to pay attention to the rules of rational use of antibiotics in medical practice. © 2022, Pamukkale University. All rights reserved.

Current Healthcare Policy and Environmental Status of Digital Health Medical Devices in South Korea

Objectives: COVID 19 and increasing unmet needs of health technology had accelerated an adoption of digital health globally and the major categories are mobile-health, health information technology, telemedicine. Digital health interventions have various benefit on clinical efficacy, quality of care and reducing healthcare costs. The objective of the study is to identify new reimbursement policy trend of digital health medical devices in South Korea. Method(s): Official announcements published in national bodies and supplementary secondary research were used to capture policies, frameworks and currently approved products since 2019. Result(s): With policy development, several digital health devices and AI software have been introduced as non-reimbursement by utilizing new Health Technology Assessment (nHTA) pathway including grace period of nHTA and innovative medical devices integrated assessment pathway. AI based cardiac arrest risk management software (DeepCARS) and electroceutical device for major depressive disorders (MINDD STIM) have been approved as non-reimbursement use for about 3 years. Two digital therapeutics for insomnia and AI software for diagnosis of cerebral infarction were approved as the first innovative medical devices under new integrated assessment system, and they could be treated in the market. In addition, there is remote patient monitoring (RPM) reimbursement service fee. Continuous glucose monitoring devices have been reimbursed for type 1 diabetes patients by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) since January 2019. Homecare RPM service for peritoneal dialysis patients with cloud platform (Sharesource) has been reimbursed since December 2019, and long-term continuous ECG monitoring service fee for wearable ECG monitoring devices (ATpatch, MEMO) became reimbursement since January 2022. Conclusion(s): Although Korean government has been developed guidelines for digital health actively, only few products had been reimbursed. To introduce new technologies for improved patient centric treatment, novel value-based assessment and new pricing guideline of digital health medical devices are quite required.Copyright © 2023

Psychological intervention for three COVID patients who suffered online violence.

Three patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were all young women in their thirties who have suffered from Internet violence in their personal life after hospitalization. They showed significant emotional distress such as, depression state, acute stress disorder, and dissociative disorder. The current study adopts short-term, individualized and comprehensive psychological interventions, including psychological support, encouragement, listening, safety confirmation, catharsis, psychological suggestion, and stimulation of internal potential to treat patients. The third case was provided with psychological interventions combined with antipsychotic treatment. After timely psychological interventions all three patients achieved sound results.Copyright © 2021 Chinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co.Ltd.

Students and young trade workers neuropsychiatric maladjustment assessment under COVID-19 epidemic restrictions

Introduction. Since March 2020, the introduction of a self-isolation regime and significant restrictions on personal contacts at work and school in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an expansion of the introduction of information technologies and a sharp restriction of direct interpersonal communication. The introduction of these restrictions has had a stressful effect on the body of both workers and students of various age groups, including young people. For a successful analysis of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the psychophysiological state of these categories of young workers and students, it seems appropriate to assess the state of maladaptation, self-assessment of nervous and somatic well-being. The study aims to assess the impact on the adaptive psychophysiological parameters of young trade workers and students of the changed working and study conditions against the background of the COVID–19 epidemic situation (self-isolation). Materials and methods. The object of the study was two groups of people who have a wide range of communication with colleagues and people around them, but differ in the content of their activities: students and trade workers. Scientists have conducted the study in two stages: before the pandemic (2013) and during the pandemic (December 2020) due to drastic changes in the algorithm of existence and work/study. We have examined 119 students aged 20–24 years (RGSU). There were 61 people at the first stage of the study (2013), there were 58 people at the second stage (2020, December). The second group (trade workers): 66 people aged 20–29 years. At the first stage of the study (2013), 34 people were included, at the second stage — 32 people. Experts have carried out the assessment of the psychophysiological parameters of the examined according to the questionnaire of neuropsychiatric maladjustment (ONPD). The condition for inclusion in the groups in 2020–2021 is the absence of a history of transferred COVID-19. Results. During the tense epidemic situation (2019-2021), against the background of the spread of COVID-19 and forced self-isolation of all population groups, the lifestyle has radically changed. Face-to-face communication has been minimized, but communication using information technology in all spheres of life (daily life, study, work) has increased dramatically. The researchers found that among the surveyed population groups (students and sales workers), the spread of signs of mental discomfort increased. Limitations. The study was limited to a sample of age groups: 20–24 years for students, 20–29 years for trade workers (in both periods). Conclusion. The calculation of the odds ratio (OR) allowed us to establish with a high degree of confidence that signs of mental discomfort, including asthenic and depressive signals, were significantly more often recorded during the period of self-isolation in both study groups: for students who are on distance learning (December 2020 compared to 2013): the coefficient of OR=5.4, (χ2=14.7;p<0.001);for sales workers: coefficient OR=15.0;(χ2=9.5;p<0.001). Ethics. Questions whose content does not meet ethical standards were not included in the study, as a result of which the conclusion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents was not required. © 2023, Izmerov Research Institute of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.

Exploring Social Media for Early Detection of Depression in COVID-19 Patients

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial damage to global health. Even though three years have passed, the world continues to struggle with the virus. Concerns are growing about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of infected individuals, who are more likely to experience depression, which can have long-lasting consequences for both the affected individuals and the world. Detection and intervention at an early stage can reduce the risk of depression in COVID-19 patients. In this paper, we investigated the relationship between COVID-19 infection and depression through social media analysis. Firstly, we managed a dataset of COVID-19 patients that contains information about their social media activity both before and after infection. Secondly, We conducted an extensive analysis of this dataset to investigate the characteristic of COVID-19 patients with a higher risk of depression. Thirdly, we proposed a deep neural network for early prediction of depression risk. This model considers daily mood swings as a psychiatric signal and incorporates textual and emotional characteristics via knowledge distillation. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed framework outperforms baselines in detecting depression risk, with an AUROC of 0.9317 and an AUPRC of 0.8116. Our model has the potential to enable public health organizations to initiate prompt intervention with high-risk patients. © 2023 ACM.

The roles of suicide-related rumination and COVID-19 in suicidal ideation and behaviours: Data from a large-scale youth epidemiological sample in Hong Kong

Suicide remains to be one of the leading causes of death amongst young people worldwide. Help-seeking, however, remains disproportionately suboptimal in the youth population. Identifying more effective and less stigmatizing markers of suicidal ideation and behaviours can be important for improving early engagement and intervention work. We therefore examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt in a large epidemiological youth sample in Hong Kong (n = 2540) during the period of 2019-2021, as well as the factors associated with each of these outcomes using separate multivariable logistic regression models. In this sample, the 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt was 20.0%, 4.6%, and 1.3%, respectively. In particular, we found 'suicide-related rumination' to be amongst the only factor that was significant for all three outcomes (p < .010). Using a two-stage approach (i.e., selecting only those with suicidal ideation), we found that suicide-related rumination, poorer cognitive ability, and 12-month major depressive episode were specifically associated with 12-month suicide plan, while environmental factors, including COVID-19 stressors, personal life stressors, poorer family relationships, as well as non-suicidal selfharm, were specifically associated with 12-month suicide attempt. A two-stage approach should be considered in future interventions targeting youth suicide. Suicide-related rumination may be an important marker of overall suicidal risk. The role of environmental stressors in addition to intrinsic vulnerability also need to be emphasized to best support young people at risk.

Virtual Platform Adaptation of Perinatal Depression Support Group: A Quality Improvement Study

INTRODUCTION: Group therapy interventions have shown to improve scores on postpartum depression and anxiety inventories. Our institution underwent transition from in-person (IP) to virtual platform (VP) over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study's objective is to examine whether VP has similar participation rates and outcomes as IP. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of women who attended the perinatal mood disorders (PMD) support group. Between January 2019 and June 2021, the group transitioned from IP to VP sessions. Participants attending both IP and VP sessions were excluded. The participation rates and outcomes of IP and VP support groups were compared. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score (EPDS) and Mills Inventory (MI) were used to assess clinical improvement. P value of.05 is considered significant. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven women (85 [62%] IP and 52 [38%] VP) participated. Baseline characteristics were similar (P >.05). Most of the participants were 1–6 months postpartum (P =.38). The average number of sessions attended by IP was 3.86 versus 3.76 by VP (P =.41). The preintervention average EPDS scores were 15.56 in IP versus 14.76 in VP (P =.79), and MI scores were 52.48 (IP) versus 46.06 in VP (P =.07). The EPDS and MI mean scores decreased postintervention. The average decrease in EPDS score is 5.08 in IP versus 6 in VP (P =.36). The average decrease in MI score is 17.86 in IP versus 15.56 in VP (P =.25). CONCLUSION: The VP has similar participation and outcomes as IP format. The VP is a feasible and effective method of delivering support to women with PMD. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Obstetrics & Gynecology is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Child, adolescent, and parent mental health in general population during a year of COVID-19 pandemic in belgium: a cross-sectional study

Background: This study aims to evaluate the mental health status of children, adolescents and their parents during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium. Method(s): Analysis compared results before and during the second national lockdown, which started on November 2nd 2020. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between May 2020 and April 2021. Result(s): Two hundred and eighteen adults and 273 children fully completed the survey. Almost one in five children (17.9%) presented moderate-to-severe scores of depression. Adolescents presented a higher level of depression than children (p = 0.007). The rate of moderate-to-severe depression scores (10.8% to 21%, p = 0.007) and internalized symptoms increased during the second lockdown (p < 0.001). Parents' depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.027) levels also increased during the second lockdown. Logistic regression showed that the use of psychotropic medication in parents and parents' depression scores were risk factors for children to have worse depression scores. Conclusion(s): The second lockdown appears to worsen the effects of the pandemic on children's and parents' mental health. There is a need to implement specific interventions targeting both children/adolescents and their parents to support them during lockdown periods and improve mental health outcomes.Copyright © 2022, The Author(s).

Anxiety and depression among epilepsy patients in low-risk areas for COVID-19 in the northern part of Guizhou Province, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThis study was aimed to investigate whether patients with epilepsy (PWE) have higher depression and anxiety levels than the normal population in low-risk areas for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the northern part of Guizhou Province, China, during the COVID-19 epidemic, to evaluate their knowledge on COVID-19, and to analyze related factors for the psychological distress of PWE at this special time.MethodsThe survey was conducted online from February 28, 2020 to March 7, 2020 via a questionnaire. PWE from the outpatient clinic of epilepsy of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, and healthy people matched for age and sex, participated in this study. Mental health was assessed via a generalized anxiety self-rating scale (GAD-7) and the self-rating depression scale (PHQ-9). The knowledge of COVID-19 in both groups was investigated.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the general demographics between the PWE and healthy control groups. The scores of PHQ-9 (P < 0.01) and GAD-7 (P < 0.001) were higher in the PWE group than in the healthy group. There was a significant difference in the proportions of respondents with different severities of depression and anxiety, between the two groups, which revealed significantly higher degree of depression and anxiety in PWE than in healthy people (P = 0, P = 0). Overwhelming awareness and stressful concerns for the pandemic and female patients with epilepsy were key factors that affect the level of anxiety and depression in PWE. Further, the PWE had less accurate knowledge of COVID-19 than healthy people (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the knowledge of virus transmission route, incubation period, susceptible population, transmission speed, clinical characteristics, and isolation measures on COVID-19 (P > 0.05). PWE knew less about some of the prevention and control measures of COVID-19 than healthy people.ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 epidemic, excessive attention to the epidemic and the female sex are factors associated with anxiety and depression in PWE, even in low-risk areas.

The mediating role of social connectedness and hope in the relationship between group membership continuity and mental health problems for vulnerable young people

Aims: The DisCOVery study sought to better understand the experiences of young people with complex emerging mental health problems over the longer-term social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the 'social cure' theory, this study aimed to investigate the association, and potential mechanisms, of group membership continuity and reducing mental ill-health amongst vulnerable young people. Method(s): Cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 105 young people aged 16-35, collected approximately 1 year after the global COVID-19 outbreak (January-July 2021). Correlational and path analyses were used to test the associations between group membership continuity and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, psychotic-like experiences), and the mediation of these associations by hope and social connectedness (in-person and online). Results and Conclusion(s): Prior multiple group memberships were associated with the preservation of group memberships during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person social connectedness, online social connectedness and hope mediated the relationship between group membership continuity and mental health problem symptoms. The results suggest that clinical and public health practice should support vulnerable young people to foster and maintain their social group memberships, hopefulness and perceived sense of social connectedness as a means to potentially help prevent exacerbated symptoms and promote recovery of mental health problems, particularly during significant life events.

Trauma-focused therapy in early intervention for psychosis settings: Results of a feasibility RCT of 'EMDR for psychosis'

Aims: Trauma is particularly prevalent amongst Early Intervention (EI) patients and is associated with adverse clinical and prognostic outcomes. To determine the feasibility of a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an 'EMDR for psychosis' intervention for trauma survivors with active psychotic symptoms supported by EI services, we conducted a single-blind RCT comparing 16 sessions of EMDRp + TAU versus TAU only. Method(s): EMDRp therapy and trial assessments were completed both in-person and remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and key feasibility outcomes (recruitment & retention, therapy attendance/ engagement, adherence to EMPRp treatment protocol, and the 'promise of efficacy' of EMDRp on relevant clinical outcomes) were examined at 6- and 12-month post-randomization assessments. Results and Conclusion(s): 60 participants (100% of the recruitment target) received TAU or EMDR + TAU. The feasibility criteria examined in this trial were fully met, and EMDRp was associated with promising signals of efficacy on a range of valuable post-treatment outcomes, including improved psychotic symptoms (PANSS), subjective recovery (QPR), post-traumatic symptoms (PCL-5;ITQ), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) and general health status (EQ-5D-VAS) at the 6-month assessment. Signals of efficacy at 12-month were less pronounced, but remained robust for trauma symptoms and general health status. The findings will be discussed with relevance to future clinical trials of trauma-focused therapy in clients with early psychosis, and the provision of more tailored trauma therapies for EI service users.

Mental disorders during the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection: causes and predisposing factors.

Objective: to study the causes and predictors of mental disorders during the COVID-19 epidemic in those who turned to psychiatrist for the first time, as well as in patients with already diagnosed mental illness. Patients and methods. We examined 100 patients who turned to a psychiatrist due to a deterioration in their mental state during the pandemic, 50 patients were newly diagnosed (Group 1) and 50 with previously diagnosed mental disorders (Group 2). The study was carried out by a clinical method using a specially designed map, followed by statistical processing of the obtained data. Results and discussion. Mental disorders caused by the COVID-19 pandemic more often occurred at a young age, in patients with higher and secondary specialized education, and in single patients. In the 1st group, as a result of exposure to psychogenic factors (the influence of the media, quarantine, economic changes), anxiety (36.8%) and depressive (21.1%) disorders occurred more often, and after the coronavirus infection, depressive disorders were in the first place (54.2%). The 2nd group mostly included patients with endogenous disorders (bipolar affective disorder - 24%, recurrent depressive disorder - 20%, schizophrenia - 20%), which were exacerbated more often as a result of COVID-19, to a lesser extent - psychogenic (experiences associated with a change in material status and illness of relatives). Obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, somatoform disorders have been associated with epidemic factors. Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that there are differences between the mental disorders that first appeared during the pandemic and the exacerbations of the condition in mentally ill patients, which relate to the predictors, causes and clinical manifestations of these disorders.Copyright © 2022 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Financial Crisis and its Effect on Psychological Well-Being, Health, Satisfaction, and Financial Incapability, A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: The decline in GDP caused by the global economic recession of 2008 and that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the poor economy of countries around the globe with increased rates of unemployment and adverse job conditions. This systematic review aims to identify the impact of a Financial crisis on Psychological well-being, Life satisfaction, Health Satisfaction, and Financial Incapability. Methodology: The literature included in the review was searched from Feb 1, 2023, to March 26, 2023, by using the PUBMED database as the search engine. Studies discussing the impact of the financial or economic crisis on psychological well-being, Health, Life satisfaction, and Financial Incapabilities published in the English Language were included in this review whereas systematic reviews and metanalysis, case reports, articles published in languages other than English and articles with limited access were excluded. Result(s): Of the 26 articles found eligible for the study, there were 22 Quantitative studies, 2 qualitative studies, and 2 Mixed Method Studies. Most of the articles included in this study discussed the Global Economic crisis caused by COVID-19 and the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. Almost 80% of the studies included in this review discussed psychological well-being and the prevalence of psychological disorders including Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Fear, Loneliness, Burnout, and Suicide whereas the rest of the articles discussed mortality regarding mental disorders. Conclusion(s): Financial crisis or economic recession results in an increased prevalence of common mental disorders affecting psychological well-being by increasing rates of unemployment and adverse job conditions. Policymakers with competitive financial behavior and knowledge are essential elements for psychological well-being and life satisfaction.Copyright © 2023 Lahore Medical And Dental College. All rights reserved.

Antibody levels of COVID-19 vaccine: A comparison between healthy subjects and psychiatric patients on antidepressants

This study compares the serological antibody level post-COVID-19 vaccine among healthy subjects and psychiatric patients on antidepressant therapy. It also examines the difference in antidepressants' side effects experienced by psychiatric patients following the completion of two vaccine doses. A comparative posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted among healthy subjects and psychiatric patients on antidepressant medication in a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay was used to detect the antibody titre between weeks 4 and 12 post vaccination. The antidepressant side-effect checklist (ASEC) was used to monitor the occurrence of antidepressant-related side effects pre-and post-vaccination. 24 psychiatric patients and 26 healthy subjects were included. There was no significant difference in the antibody level between the patients (median = 1509 u/ml) and the healthy subjects (median = 995 u/ml). There was no significant worsening in the antidepressant-related side effects. The antibody level post-COVID-19 vaccine did not differ significantly between patients on antidepressant therapy and healthy subjects. Additionally, there was no change in the antidepressant side effects experienced by the patients following the completion of the vaccine.Copyright © 2022, Research Trends (P) LTD.. All rights reserved.

Mental Health and Coping Strategies among University Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross–Sectional Analysis from Saudi Arabia

This study examined psychological health and coping strategies among faculty and staff at a Saudi Arabian university. A web-based self-administered survey was used to assess probable anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and coping strategies by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and Brief-COPE scale, respectively. Of 502 participants (mean age 36.04 ± 10.32 years, male: 66.3%), 24.1% (GAD-7 ≥ 10) had probable anxiety. Anxiety score was significantly higher in females (p < 0.001), those with a history of COVID-19 infection (p = 0.036), and participants with less work experience (p = 0.019). Approximately 40% of participants met the criteria of probable depression, with females (p < 0.001) and participants with less experience having more depressive symptoms. Around one-fourth (27.7%) of study participants indicated probable PTSD (score ≥ 33), with higher symptoms in females (p <0.001), less experienced staff (p < 0.001), and academic staff (p = 0.006). Correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between anxiety and depression (r = 0.844, p < 0.001), anxiety and PTSD (r = 0.650, p < 0.001), and depression and PTSD (r = 0.676, p < 0.001). Active coping, religious/spiritual coping, and acceptance were common coping strategies, while substance use was the least adopted coping method among the study participants. This study indicated a high prevalence of probable psychological ailments among university staff.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on medical students: A cross-sectional study

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the medical education throughout the world. A study was done to assess the effect of education and psychological behavior on medical students. Aims and Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on medical graduates in various aspects such as education, effect on clinical rotations, impact on the technology used for online classes, effect on quality of life, loneliness, sleep, and depressive symptoms. Material(s) and Method(s): A set of questions were distributed to Government Medical college, Suryapet students during November 2021-January 2022. Questionnaire aimed to study students' viewpoint of COVID-19's impact on their education, mental health, and willingness to participate clinically. Result(s): One hundred medical students from Government Medical College, Suryapet participated in this study. Most students (88%) agreed that pandemic had disrupted their medical education. About 64% agreed to attend clinical rotations and 68% of students accepting the risk of contracting COVID-19 in clinical rotations. COVID-19 had an impact on technology tools used for medical education. Students reported that COVID-19 had moderate impact on quality of life, sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Conclusion(s): The COVID-19 had an overall significant negative impact on undergraduate medical education. It is recommended that measures need to be taken to relieve students' stress.Copyright © 2023, Mr Bhawani Singh. All rights reserved.