Quality of life and psychopathology in different COVID-19 pandemic periods: A longitudinal study.

Τhe aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and quality of life (QoL) of the general population in the region of Attica, Greece, during the third year of the pandemic (2022), and tο compare the findings with those of a survey conducted in the first year (2020). Our sample consisted of 130 participants and the study was conducted through phone interviews. The instruments used were: the World Health Organisation QoL instrument, the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale, the Body Vigilance Scale, the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, as well as socio-demographic data and questions on stressors related to COVID-19. The findings of the study were the following: (1) Regarding the comparison of the variables between the first and the third year of the pandemic in the total sample: a) In comparison to the first year, in the third year we observed a significant decrease in negative feelings caused by the pandemic; b) obsessive compulsive (OC) and hypochondriacal symptomatology were significantly reduced, and the fact that participants felt safe following vaccination had a statistically significant effect on this decrease; c) job insecurity was aggravated; d) QoL remained low and even deteriorated in the Environment domain; f) no changes were found in Depression-Stress. (2) Regarding participants who were contaminated, there was a significant increase in negative feelings during the third year of the pandemic. Moreover, QoL decreased in the Physical, Psychological health, Environment domains, as well as in OC symptomatology. (3) Depression-Stress, hypochondriacal symptomatology, and the case of contamination were the predominant factors negatively associated with the dependent variables of QoL. (4) Vaccination was found to contribute to high levels of the QoL Environment domain score. (5) Anxiety, hypochondriacal symptomatology, fear of contamination, and negative feelings seemed to predict OC symptomatology. (6) The most vulnerable groups, in terms of QoL and mental health, were men, older and lower-educated people. Overall, it was found that the negative psychosocial impact of the pandemic persisted, especially on people who had fallen ill during the third year of the pandemic. Therefore, targeted psychotherapeutic interventions should be implemented, especially for those who got infected.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and quality of life in the Athens area - Greece.

This study examines the associations of the COVID -19 pandemic stressors with mental health and quality of life (QoL) of the general population in different demographic areas of Athens. The random sample of the study consisted of 602 participants, 389 (64,6%) women and 213 (35,4%) men residing in Attica (Greece). It was conducted with telephone interviews during the first wave of the pandemic. The instruments used were: World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS - 21), Body Vigilance Scale (ΒVS), Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Category 1: contamination obsessions -decontamination compulsions) (DOCS) and a set of socio-demographic data and questions on stressors related to the COVID-19 outbreak. A range of statistical analyses were used, including descriptive statistics, examination of the questionnaires' internal consistency, calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, as well as multiple linear regression analyses with dependent variables the WHOQOL-BREF, DASS-21, DOCS, and BVS scales. According to the results of our study: a) The greater the extent of negative emotions due to the pandemic and the imposed restrictive measures, such as worry and fear, the higher the score of depression, anxiety, stress, obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, body vigilance and the lower the scores of the WHOQOL domains (Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Relationships, Environment), b) the fear of being contaminated by the virus seems to have intensified depression-anxiety-stress (DASS-21), obsessive-compulsive (DOCS) and hypochondriacal (BVS) symptomatology. c) The independent variables of depression, stress and anxiety and obsessive - compulsive and hypochondriacal symptomatology were negatively associated with QoL d) The most vulnerable groups in terms of QoL and mental health indicators in our study were those with psychiatric or/and physical illness, the elderly, the unemployed during the lockdown period, those with low educational/ socioeconomic status and those living alone. In conclusion, the negative emotions associated with the COVID-19 outbreak and the imposed restrictive measures had a serious impact on mental health and QoL of the population. This and other similar findings should be taken into account by authorities and decision-makers to prevent and deal with the effects of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is still continuing and the imposition of new restrictive measures is considered. This increases the relevance of research like the one presented here.

Diachronic trends of employment outcome of prevocational training in psychiatric rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Although many rehabilitation programmes of prevocational training for chronic mentally ill persons living in the community have been funded, there is scarce literature about the diachronic trends of their long-term employment outcome. Thus the aim of the present study was to compare the 2-year employment outcome of three groups of chronic psychiatric outpatients, having attended similar prevocational rehabilitation programmes in different periods of time. METHODS: The first group (1984 to 1986) comprised 67 rehabilitees, the second (1988 to 1989) 53 rehabilitees and the third (2000 to 2001) 56 rehabilitees. The three groups were compared with regard to employment follow-up achievements and hospitalisation rates assessed at the end of the 2-year follow-up period by a constructed overall index, encompassing employment qualitative and quantitative characteristics. RESULTS: The third group compared to the first and second ones presented a worse employment outcome. No differences were found among the three groups with regard to hospitalisation rates. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a decline in the employment outcome of prevocational training during the current decade. This decline can be attributed to contextual adverse factors such as unemployment, a more demanding labour market and disability allowances offered by the state (the 'benefit trap'). Moreover, the training itself may be 'old-fashioned' enough, thus providing the trainees with inadequate skills to obtain and maintain a competitive job.

Quality of life in mentally ill, physically ill and healthy individuals: the validation of the Greek version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-100) questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-100) questionnaire is a generic quality of life (QoL) measurement tool used in various cultural and social settings and across different patient and healthy populations. The present study examines the psychometric properties of the Greek version, with an emphasis on the ability of the instrument to capture QoL differences between mentally ill, physically ill and healthy individuals. METHODS: A total of 425 Caucasian participants were tested, as to form 3 groups: (a) 124 psychiatric patients (schizophrenia n = 87, alcohol abuse/dependence n = 37), (b) 234 patients with physical illness (hypertension n = 139, cancer n = 95), and (c) 67 healthy control individuals. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis was performed indicating that a four-factor model can provide an adequate instrument structure for the participating groups (GFI 0.92). Additionally, internal consistency of the instrument was shown to be acceptable, with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.78 to 0.90 regarding the four -domain model, and from 0.40 to 0.90 regarding the six-domain one. Evidence based on Pearson's r and Independent samples t-test indicated satisfactory test/retest reliability, as well as good convergent validity tested with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the Life Satisfaction Inventory (LSI). Furthermore, using Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA, the instrument demonstrated good discriminatory ability between healthy, mentally ill and physically ill participants, as well as within the distinct patient groups of schizophrenic, alcohol dependent, hypertensive and cancer patients. Healthy individuals reported significantly higher QoL, particularly in the physical health domain and in the overall QoL/health facet. Mentally ill participants were distinctively differentiated from physically ill in several domains, with the greatest difference and reduction observed in the social relationships domain and in the overall QoL/health facet. Within the four distinct patient groups, alcohol abuse/dependence patients were found to report the most seriously compromised QoL in most domains, while hypertensive and cancer patients did not report extensive and significant differences at the domain level. However, significant differences between patient groups were observed at the facet level. For example, regarding the physical domain, physically ill participants reported more compromised scores in the pain/discomfort facet, while mentally ill participants in the facets of energy/fatigue, daily living activities and dependence on medication. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicate that the Greek version of WHOQOL-100 provided satisfactory psychometric properties supporting its use within general and pathological populations and in the context of national and crosscultural QoL measurement.