ABSTRACT
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.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Induced , Anxiety , Depression , Psychological Distress , Somatoform Disorders , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Adult , Anxiety/psychology , Depression/psychology , Depression/epidemiology , Somatoform Disorders/psychology , Abortion, Induced/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Congenital Abnormalities/psychologyABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
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.
